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Baltimore bridge collapses after cargo ship rams it
A major bridge in the US city of Baltimore almost entirely collapsed Tuesday after being struck by a cargo ship, sending multiple vehicles and up to 20 people plunging into the harbor below. Dramatic footage shows a container ship hitting a footing of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending the steel-built structure into the Patapsco.....»»
Old habits die hard
In a 2018 article, I wrote about how I spent most of my weeknights playing video games and streaming random TV series, reality shows and movies......»»
LIST: Concerts, events this April 2024
April brings on the summer heat and excitement, with no shortage of enjoyable shows and concerts to attend throughout the country......»»
Elijah Woods on first-ever Asia tour, ‘loving’ Filipino fans
Canadian singer-songwriter and producer Elijah Woods (stylized as elijah woods) is bringing to Asia his ilu 24/7, 365 tour. The series of shows will commence on May 13 in Singapore and travel through Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Tokyo and Taipei......»»
‘One More Chance’ reincarnated as musical
Musical theater is booming. Pinoys are not lacking for shows to watch anymore......»»
Ex-Azkal Joebel Bermejo tows PAF to Aboitiz Cup 3-peat
With most of his contemporaries with the Philippine men’s football team (circa 2004-12) retired, Joebel Bermejo isn’t done......»»
Rose petals heal cancer patient
(Author’s Note: This story is based on the book “Mary Mediatrix of All Grace” by the late Rene C. de Jesus, published circa December 2015, now out of circulation.) Mrs. Julie Hughes-Sikora, born of an American father and a Filipino mother from Ormoc, Leyte, migrated to the US in 1941. In 1948, she returned to the Philippines for a visit. Curious about the many stories about the miraculous “shower of rose petals” in Lipa, Batangas, she went there on a pilgrimage. During a Sunday mass, a strong wind suddenly encircled the pilgrims. A shower of rose petals from the sky followed. Julie picked up two petals — fresh, light red, and almost translucent. Returning to Manila, she examined the petals and found nothing unusual. She inserted them in the pages of her prayer book. Later, she discovered that one of the petals had an image of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace and the other of Our Lady of Sorrows. She promised the Blessed Mother that when she returned to the US, she would promote the Marian devotion through the petals and a two-foot Mediatrix statue given to her by the Carmelite Sisters. In the summer of 1950, she spoke to the high school students of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Chicago. The Catholic Women’s League president forbade her to talk of the apparitions and the rose petals. Knowing that the petals were not a hoax, she knelt in tears and prayed, “Blessed Mother, please help me. You must convince the people that these are rose petals from heaven.” Her prayer was answered immediately. A Felician sister borrowed the petals for a sick sister, Sr. Mary Angela, who was dying of bladder cancer. In fact, Sr. Mary Angela had her coffin made. She later recounted that a smiling lady in white came out of the rose petals and floated on a cloud. Sr. Mary Angela fainted from the extreme pain of the cancer. Her surgery scars were gone when she woke up, and she was completely healed. Her urologist, Dr. Dooley, a non-Catholic, was shocked to discover that she was instantly cancer-free. He gave her a copy of her medical records as evidence of a miracle. Sr. Mary Angela lived for another 12 years. The news of her miraculous healing spread like wildfire across the world, silencing the many “doubting Thomases.” Many years later, Julie returned to Lipa to return the rose petals to the Carmelite sisters, who regarded them as Marian relics. Julie signed an affidavit of her testimony before the sala of Judge Harriet Demetriou on 5 October 1999. The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith or CDF, tasked to investigate the Mediatrix apparitions, regarded them as a hoax and ordered the rose petals burned, the very evidence that proved the apparition. If the CDF had done a proper investigation, they would have seen the evidence of the miracles. But they decided “with finality” that the Mediatrix apparitions were a hoax based on a Pius XII decree, which was discovered recently to be INVALID and NON-EXISTENT because it was not registered in the Vatican’s Acta Apostolicae Sedis, which is required by Canon Law to make it binding and effective. So, the Vatican committed the blunder of all blunders by suppressing the Mediatrix apparition for 70 long years based on a non-existent Papal decree. They manipulated the results of the first investigation in 1951 by ordering six Filipino bishops to change their findings to “not of supernatural origin” under threat and intimidation. This was discovered only when one bishop, on his deathbed, admitted that he was forced to change their original decision of authentic apparition to a hoax. The rest of the other bishops followed. They have all passed away. The Vatican kept the non-existent decree secret, blaming instead Filipino Bishop Mariano Gaviola and Archbishop Emeritus Ramon Arguelles for “violating” Vatican orders. In fairness, some cardinals did not know about the invalid decree, believing all the while that the apparitions were really a hoax. We are now asking Pope Francis to rectify the errors of the Vatican and restore the Filipino clergy and Marian devotees in the name of the Virgin. The more it is suppressed, the more Marian miracles there are, increasing the fold of Marian devotees despite Vatican suppression. The Virgin prevails over the Vatican. eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com The post Rose petals heal cancer patient appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Why Roman Catholic?
Perhaps not all know why a majority of Filipinos are Catholics and why we call ourselves “Roman Catholic.” For your information, my dear friends, there are at least 23 Sui Iuris Catholic churches throughout the world and the Roman Rite is only one of them. These churches consist of rites of their own. They have their own laws, constitutions, rituals, and symbols, among other things, which would identify them separately from each other. Although some have similarities in their rites and rituals, liturgy, doctrines, and beliefs. As I said, one of these Sui Iuris churches is the Roman rite or Roman church. It includes most of the Catholics in the Western world. A Roman Catholic is a Catholic who is a member of the Roman rite. There are many Catholics in the East who are not Roman Catholics, such as Maronite Catholics, Ukrainian Catholics, and Chaldean Catholics. The term “Roman Catholic” is commonly used to refer to the Church that is in communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. The development of the term “Roman Catholic” can be traced back to historical and theological factors. The Roman Catholic Church is an institution that accepts the supremacy of the Pope as the successor of Saint Peter, the leader of the Church that Jesus Christ established more than 2,000 years ago. Basically, Roman Catholics believe in the oneness of God and the Trinity, having God the Father as the Creator; the incarnation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, which includes the meaning of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus; and the Holy Spirit as the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. Historically, the term “Roman Catholic” gained prominence during the English Reformation in the 16th century. As a result of the Protestant Reformation, various Christian denominations emerged, including those that rejected the authority of the Pope and the Roman Church. To distinguish themselves from those Protestant groups, Catholics who remained in communion with Rome began to be referred to as “Roman Catholics.” The first use of the term “Catholic Church” (literally meaning “universal church”) was by the church father, Saint Ignatius of Antioch (c. 50–140), in his Letter to the Smyrnaeans (circa 110 AD). He died in Rome, with his relics placed in the Basilica of San Clemente al Laterano. The term “Roman Catholic” emphasizes the Church’s connection to the City of Rome and its unity with the Pope as the successor of Saint Peter, whom Catholics believe was appointed by Jesus Christ as the head of the Church. The Catholic Church recognizes the primacy of the Bishop of Rome and his role as the visible sign of unity for the Church. By the way, whoever is elected to become a bishop of Rome is automatically the Pope and whoever the Pope is, he is the Bishop of Rome. The titles of the Pope include Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman province, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, and Servant of the Servants of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church does not specifically address the term “Roman Catholic” but rather refers to the Church as the “Catholic Church”. The Catechism teaches that the Church is “catholic” in its universality, encompassing all believers and being present throughout the world (CCC 830). It emphasizes the unity of the Church under the leadership of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him (CCC 882). It is important to note that while the term “Roman Catholic” is widely used, it is not the official name of the Catholic Church. The Church itself refers to its members simply as “Catholics” or as part of the “Catholic Church”. The term “Roman Catholic” is more commonly used in specific contexts or to differentiate Catholics from other Christian denominations. The post Why Roman Catholic? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Filipino fiesta fare Chef Reggie’s way
Of the many good things they love about this country, foreign tourists always mention our food as the top three or five of their list, next only to our warm people and our white-sand beaches. Whether these are food sold on the streets, made at home in the simplest to the most sophisticated kitchens, all the way to gourmet offerings of Michelin-cited establishments, they occupy a special place in our visitors’ hearts and palates. One chef of long-standing fame and outstanding reputation is Reggie Aspiras, whose recipes are compiled in a number of best-selling cookbooks. A dear friend of mine, along with the other Aspiras girls, Aida Cristy and Babot, daughters of the late popular couple, Secretary of Tourism Sunshine Joe and his Marian devotee better-half Amparing, a staunch Cabinet lady of the Marcos years circa 1960-1980s, Reggie has been the subject of my features through the years. Being close to each other, we have collaborated on a number of projects highlighting her many accomplishments in the culinary arts. [caption id="attachment_165873" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Aspiras sisters - Reggie, Aida and Cristy.[/caption] Recently, Chef Reggie prepared and hosted a special Sunday lunch in the Aspiras La Vista home as her contribution to the first Manila Food and Wine Festival, which was founded by Kate Dychangco - Anzani, a passionate food aficionado and wife of famed Italian chef Marco Anzani. According to Reggie, herself a prolific writer-columnist, the festival was “conceived to bring life to the food industry in Cebu after Covid, and it has been adopted by Manila, Ilocos and Davao.” In partnership with the regional offices of the Department of Tourism, this series of regional events aims to establish the Philippines as the emerging premiere culinary destination in Asia. Hence, the event showcases traditional and regional cuisines, local chefs and restaurateurs. “The festival is meant to highlight our food culture; as well as fuel the fire of innovation to elevate our food culture by establishing the Tatak Pinoy food stamping program,” Reggie shared. The first cook in Metro Manila to showcase her culinary specialties in the festival, she came up with an interesting mix of festive dishes to which she added her personal touch, a garnishing here and an indigenous flavoring there, mostly original Ilocano since the Aspiras family comes from the north in La Union. Reggie explained, “Filipino Done My Way, in Reggie’s Kitchen’ is the first of a series of events specially curated for the MFWF. " “Being a staunch believer in the possibilities of Philippine Cuisine, there was no other food to cook but our own, to which, of course, I added some touches. It was a very personal menu, as the dishes were created for a purpose that stem from my roots, a happy memory, which is to simply share the way I cook Pinoy food and how I like to eat.” Taking after her father Sunshine Joe’s inimitable way of promoting the Philippines, which highlighted Philippine crafts, music and dances, Reggie gave her guests, led by Senator Loren Legarda and television personality Korina Sachez Roxas, along with DoT Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso and DoT Regional Director Jeff Ortega, a sense-surround spectacle featuring dancers who welcomed the guests right from the gate, rondalla music, kiping ornaments hovering over the individual tables, table settings of local handwoven fabrics and fresh tropical flowers. I was honored with a place in the main table, along with Reggie’s sister Aida. All the while, her other sister, Cristy, hopped from table to table to help entertain everyone. [caption id="attachment_165867" align="aligncenter" width="1708"] With fiesta revelers Sen. Loren Legarda and television personality Korina Sanchez Roxas.[/caption] [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="165871,165868"] Let’s hear it from Chef Reggie who gave us her annotation of the delicious dishes she served us. “For appetizers, I had my rendition of Chicharon Bulaklak, large ruffled flower-like fat that are 250 grams each. To cut through the fat, I served the chicharon with seasoned vinegar and an assortment of achara: radish, corn, chilies and papaya. “I also recreated the Kilawing Hipon with a trio of Mangoes. This was one of the dishes I presented during the Food and Wine Festival in Cebu, paying tribute to their famous mangoes. To the kinilaw I added the famous Cebu dried mangoes, some fresh mangoes and a pickled green mango relish to cap the kinilaw that sat on kaykay (cassava chips from Cebu) or fried fish skins. “Being the Ilocana that I am, bagnet had to figure prominently in my spread, and it did -- in the form of Sisig; drizzled with Sriracha Aioli and crowned with Arugula Ensalada. [caption id="attachment_165870" align="aligncenter" width="2008"] Bagnet Sisig and Arugula salad.[/caption] “Salad was Fried Chipirones (Baby Squid) on a mixed bed of Pako Ferns and Chef Reggie’s hydroponically grown Salad Greens Mix. It was served with a vinaigrette made from Bugnay Balsamic Vinegar from Ilocos Norte that I turned to a creamy vinaigrette. [caption id="attachment_165869" align="aligncenter" width="1004"] Salad of Fried Chipirones (baby squid) on a bed of Pako ferns, and Chef Reggie's hydroponically grown salad green mix served with vinaigrette from Bugnay Balsamic Vinegar.[/caption] “Soup was presented in Coconut Shells, where buko juice, chicken, oyster mushrooms and aromatics were left to steam for hours before serving. It was a good way to refresh the palate, before the main course. It made a refreshing start to the meal. “Badjao Lumpia is made of bangus tossed in blue pea-soaked vermicelli. It is presented with sweet garlic vinegar and vegetable confetti “The Seafood Malabon is a spin-off, and my tribute to Aling Nene who, in my opinion, makes the best Pancit Malabon. [caption id="attachment_165875" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Seafood Pancit Malabon, a tribute to Aling Nena.[/caption] “Pistachio Kare-Kare had with Dried Fruit Bagoong was a dish that I put together for a cooking class that was designed to serve dishes that are new and exciting to Filipino diners here and abroad. And so was Salmon Wrapped in Pechay Leaves Served with Smoked Bacon Laing. [caption id="attachment_165874" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Pistachio kare-kare with dried fruit bagoong.[/caption] “There is no hiding my pride in being 100 percent GI, genuine Ilocana, that is. As such, my Kurobuta lechon was served stuffed with Ilocos Garlic, Ilocos Shallots and Karimbuwaya (a succulent endemic to the north with an innate tartness traditionally used to stuff lechon with). It was paired with seasoned Sukang Iloco inspired by the suka at Dawang’s -- the favorite karinderya of President Bongbong (Marcos). The lechon was accompanied by pandan infused puso, as lechon is enjoyed in Cebu. [caption id="attachment_165872" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Kurobuta lechon stuffed with Ilocos garlic, shallots and Karimbaya (succulent traditionally used as lechon filling).[/caption] “Of course our Lechon must be served with Dinuguan. In my kitchen I call it Silky Dinardaraan - stirred for hours until the sauce is thick and glistening…just as mom did hers, La Union style- growing up. It is scooped with Okilas -- huge pig skin chicharons -- a delicacy in the north. “For dessert, a warm cronut base held a freshly churned house-made Coconut Cream Ice Cream served with ube coulis, sweetened beans, jackfruit and bananas. “It was a feast cooked from my heart. One that, happily for me and my family, everyone enjoyed.” The post Filipino fiesta fare Chef Reggie’s way appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
On being a Moro
In the days gone by, Filipino Muslims were looked upon as bogeymen. They were the odd men. To silence a crying child, a Christian mother would say: “O, ayan na ang Moro, kukunin ka!” There was so much bigotry. We did not have the kind of preschool, primary, and secondary education offered to others, no kindergarten or nursery. What we had were the “madrasa” and “toril” (now in the crosshairs of the security authorities for supposedly being breeding places for extremism) which exclusively taught Islam and Islamic values. We were not given adequate preparation for higher schooling. The government looked upon the education deficit of Moros as the source of social problems. It had to design various strategies to implement a national policy of assimilation and integration of Muslims into mainstream society. When I went to the university, circa 1960s, some of my classmates tended to take a second look at me upon learning that I was a Muslim. I said to myself, how can I compete with them when they were educated in “Ivy League” universities while I studied in unknown schools in Lanao? I was challenged. I looked at myself and saw that I was no different from them. We read the same books and heard the same lectures. I told myself that if my classmates spent five hours a day studying and researching, I would double the time and spend 10 hours or more, even the risk to my health. It was the same challenge and mindset that guided me through life in a society that treated us as “second class.” I am never overwhelmed or discouraged by another’s exuberance of more knowledge, ability, and privilege. My weaknesses and inadequacies were the challenges that guided me through my career and other callings. I credit such an attitude for my modest success in life. The post On being a Moro appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
From activism to public service
For this series, started last Saturday, I share the stories of former editors and writers of college papers and members of the League of Editors for a Democratic Society (LEADS), circa 1969 to 1972—as they held their first reunion after 40 years. Their stories are compiled in the anthology “Not on our watch: Martial Law really happened,” edited by Jo-Ann Q. Maglipon......»»