Being able to laugh, cry, love, and express frustration openly is deeply human

 Being able to laugh, cry, love, and express frustration openly is deeply human. But do you see that emotional openness as a strength or a weakness?

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NEGATIVITY KILLS

 Chronic negativity harms physical and mental well-being by increasing stress hormones like cortisol, weakening immune function, and raising the risk of cardiovascular disease. Constantly focusing on the bad drains your energy, damages relationships, and stops personal growth.

Sometimes, we feel our life is turning miserably. Our negativity doesn't allow us to keep our eyes, ears - and, most important! -  our minds, hearts and souls opened. We're reaching our breaking point.

As I said several months ago here: this breaking point can be the prelude to our strongest moment. It is when we reach our breaking point, that we discover our real strength. Allow me to ask you, my dear readers, "What happens to you or with you when you reach your breaking point?" Do you face it or do you run away?

I'll be giving you a very simple answer: If you face it - you break it. If you run away (and/or close your ears, eyes and mouth) - it surely breaks you!

Everyday - a dull reality! Many of us will answer this question with a big YES! Actually we do like to cover a newborn's day already with a grey veil? Each day has a new face, but sometimes we don't have the strength to watch its countenance. Of course, not every day has adventures and highlights.

But we enjoy quarreling and arguing. With other people and even with ourselves.

Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that, at the same time, seemed especially desolating and painful with a particular satisfaction. Indeed, everything I have learned, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness. 

If it ever were to be possible to eliminate affliction from your earthly existence, the result would not be to make life delectable, but to make it too banal and trivial to be endurable. 

By observation, we can feel that many of us need help to manage our everyday life. We need something that would keep us going as we journey through life. Many times we can also learn from other people and their experiences.

Blue eyed or very philosophical but so very true: If the world is to be brought to order, a nation must be first changed.  If the nation isn't changed, my home town is to be reordered and must first be set right, my dear brothers and sisters. And, one step further: If my family is to be regenerated, I MYSELF MUST FIRST BE!

And here is one more thing: Affection is the humblest love - it gives itself no airs. It lives with humble and private things: soft slippers, old clothes, old jokes, and the thump of a sleepy dog's tail on the kitchen floor. The glory of affection, the disposition of mind, the good will and tender attachment, is that it can unite those who are not "made for one and another", people. Who, if not out down by fate in the same household or community, would have nothing to do with one and another.

For me life has been a thing of ups and downs in approximately equal measure. I don't have something sensational to report every day about my progress. Often, I wonder if fulfillment in life is necessarily tied to change for the better.

Alas Pilipinas closes breakthrough worlds campaign in style

 Physiotherapist Hannah de Luna, Resty Olaguir, Jhenica Sadia, Nadeth Herbon, Xyz Rayco, Madele Gale, Jhaynna Bulandres, Sharina Lleses, Caera Celis, Jello Mauricio, (front) Taj Teves, Khaira Manzano. (Volleyball World)

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Published Aug 20, 2026 01:36 pm

SANTIAGO, Chile — Built on just days of preparation and modest financial support, Caera Celis, Xyz Rayco, Jhaynna Bulandres, Irish Mahinay, Khaira Manzano and the rest of Alas Pilipinas Girls reached uncharted territory.

At the FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U17 World Championship, Alas Pilipinas—supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, and Asics—showed the talent and resolve to compete among the best, entering the tournament ranked No. 25 and finishing in 15th spot.

The Alas Pilipinas Girls closed the tournament on a high, shaking off early troubles to defeat Czechia, 21-25, 25-22, 25-14, 25-22, on Sunday, Aug. 16, at Parque Estadio Nacional.

The victory capped a campaign that included a historic berth in the Round of 16 and gave the Philippines its best finish in any volleyball world championship.

Celis noted that while every moment of the tournament was special, nothing beats the feeling of winning.

“We learned a lot from every game, even when we made mistakes,” Celis said. “But the victories were for sure the most fun we had here.”

Celis, who scored 25 against Czechia, had a tournament average of 18 points per match. She matched the tournament’s third-highest total score of 162 and was fourth in total attack points at 141.

Rayni Merab Mondesi Arias of the Dominican Republic topped both departments with 217 attack points and 235 total.

Rayco, meanwhile, matched the ninth-best total in the tournament for successful receives at 38, while averaging 9.33 points. Nadeth Herbon matched the 14th-best total at 33. Chinese Taipei’s Ting-yi Chen had the highest total of 88.

Herbon, who played outside hitter twice while taking the role of libero in the other matches, was 11th in the digs department with 95. Peru’s libero Vannia Giordana Adrianzen Ocrospoma led the field with 166.

Mahinay had 15 aces to match the sixth-highest total. Italy’s Beatrice Scalzotto topped the list with 23.

While they are being celebrated back home for breaking new ground, the team that also features Madele Gale, Megan Hernandez, Sharina Rhyza Lleses, Nadeth Herbon and Resty Olaguir were quick to keep the focus on the experience they shared rather than comparisons with previous national teams.

The Alas Pilipinas team featuring Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas came within a couple of points of reaching the Round of 16 before finishing 19th at last year’s FIVB Men’s World Championship. The 1974 Philippine women’s team placed 18th in the 1974 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship in Mexico.

Frances Ramos, Jello Mauricio, Jhenica Sadia and Taj Arkhea Teves also played key roles as Alas Pilipinasmade it to the Round of 16 with a 2-3 record, beating world No. 8 Mexico in four sets and sweeping past No. 20 Tunisia.

The USA won the gold medal match against Turkiye, 25-23, 25-11, 25-23.

Jennylyn Mercado on returning to music: 'It's in my DNA'

By Neil Ramos

Published Aug 20, 2026 06:53 pm

At A Glance

• Jennylyn Mercado returns to music with "Jen Deluxe," opening up about her first love, her family, and why she chose to put her singing career on hold.

Jennylyn Mercado may have built a successful career as an actress, but she still wants to be known as a singer.

“Kasi nasa DNA ko na siya,” she told us. “Music is my first love and siguro, kahit saan ako dalhin ng kapalaran, I will always return to music. Ito ako e, ito ang passion ko.”

Long before she became an actress, Jennylyn was already singing in lounges and bars.  

“Parang sa pamilya kasi namin hindi puwede na hindi ka marunong kumanta,” she said.

She rose to fame after winning “StarStruck” in 2003. From there, she went on to become one of the country’s most successful actresses, starring in several hit films and series.

But she never really left music behind.

Jennylyn released several albums and scored hits including “Sa Aking Panaginip,” “Basta't Nandito Ka,” and “Kahit Sandali,” among many others.  

Then came a long lull.

It may have seemed like she was done with singing, until she announced “Jen Deluxe,” a new compilation under Star Music that will be released on streaming platforms on Aug. 21.

“Na-excite talaga ako dito kasi for the first time, hands-on talaga ako sa music ko,” she said. “Dati kasi yung process, pinapapili ka lang ng kanta then yung gusto mo, yun yung gagawin mo. With ‘Jen Deluxe,’ I was able to participate dun sa process, nakakatuwa.”

But why the long break?

“Naging busy rin talaga ako with so many things. Sunod-sunod ang naging trabaho and, of course, we got a new member of our family, Dylan. So, nag-focus ako sa family.”

“Para sa akin kasi ang music, gaya ng acting, andiyan yan e, puwede mong balikan. Pero yung panahon mo sa pamilya, lalo na sa mga bata, hindi mo na maibabalik yan e.”

Her family also became part of the inspiration for the new album.

“Because my new album is all about love, love for family, self-love, sa partner mo,” she said.

“Tsaka parang ano rin ito, reintroduction ko as a singer and performer na tipong ito na ako ngayon.”

For Jennylyn, music was never really something she left behind. It was simply something she knew she could return to when the time was right.

That time, it seems, is now.

The Philippine Peso closed at P61.67

 The Philippine Peso closed at P61.67 against the US dollar on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

Visit www.bworldonline.com for the latest news and updates.

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