Why do so many relationships break down?

Not considering radical personality change, abuse, or addiction, I think it's a combination of three things in my painfully vivid experience.

First, some people fall in love with the potential of a person and imagine life with them opposed to them as a person. Reality can never really live up to a fantasy. People are real, and faulted, and some bits aren't pretty.

Second (and closely related to the first), is that some people have a grass greener attitude. When the shit hits the fan (and it will), they leave. Its their FIRST instinct. Their partner is just not worth the fight for them because they were never really committed to THEM in the first place. Avoid "runners" or people who threaten that as an option when things get tough at all costs.

Third, some people don't communicate their unhappiness in an effort to keep the peace. You have to fight, disagree, and talk - and do all three respectfully and with love. Issues don't disappear. They just simmer and concentrate until they turn you bitter with resentment.

I'm a firm believer that a relationship with someone can be lifelong, passionate, and novel if you're BOTH committed to the work - I just think it's getting rarer and rarer.

"Relationship" comes from the Latin "referre" or "relatum", which means "to bring back". Some might say: That's of no importance to me. That doesn't worry me at all. There is even no need to worry about it. Yes, sometimes, we wish people around us weren't so thoughtless.

In one of my penultimate columns I tried to explain, "when to keep our mouth shut"! Silence is also an answer - sure! But some of my readers posed the question, if also broken relationships can be only restored by silence or waiting. My answer is YES and/or NO!

Sometimes it's a wonder, what a small dose of determined silence can do. Relationships are ALWAYS worth restoring, because life is all about learning how to love and how to value relationships and make the effort to maintain them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt, or a conflict. The bible told us that all of us have been given the ministry of restoring broken relationships.

Broken or cooled down relationships can be noticed at any corner. Restoring them is equal to peacemaking or peacekeeping but also not avoiding facing conflicts. Running away from a problem (and then keeping the mouth shut!), pretending that the problem doesn't exist or being too afraid to talk about it, that's how the hypocritical coward acts.  Some people love to downplay everything: Things aren't too bad - they could be worse!

I always love to talk to God before I talk to a person. Later, I can find the right moment and take the initiative to restore broken relationships or face the problem. I can even look out for others' interests first. I can use "my telescope of life" (from the Greek word "skopos") and play close attention. I can start with sympathy but not with great solutions right away. I can confess my part of a possible conflict.

Paul said in Romans 12:18: "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody!" In resolving conflicts, a word not to be spoken may be the choicest word of all, or IF WE TALK, HOW we say it, is important.

The US-author Rick Warren confessed in one of his books; "We can establish a relationship even when we are unable to resolve our differences. Christians often have legitimate, honest disagreements and differing opinions. But, we can disagree without being disagreeable. The same diamond looks different from different angles. God expects unity, not uniformity, and we can walk arm-in-arm without seeing eye-to-eye on every issue!"

+++

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, Linkedin or X - Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com .

Old Swiss Inn returns to Manila with new Paco location

The nearly 80-year-old restaurant reopens on Aug. 8 beside Paco Park, ushering in a new chapter while preserving its Swiss culinary heritage

By Feliciano Rodriguez III

Published Aug 3, 2026 10:42 am

(Photo: Old Swiss Inn)

One of the Philippines' longest-standing restaurants is returning to the city where its story began. Old Swiss Inn will reopen on Aug. 8 at its new home in Manila's Paco district, marking a new chapter for the nearly 80-year-old restaurant after closing its longtime Makati City branch on July 1.

The restaurant has relocated to the ground floor of the Garden Plaza Hotel & Suites at 1030 Belen St., beside the historic Paco Park. The move brings the establishment back to Manila, where its history is closely rooted.

Known for introducing authentic Swiss cuisine to generations of Filipino diners, Old Swiss Inn will welcome guests from noon to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The restaurant will be closed on Sundays.

The new Paco location aims to preserve the restaurant's European culinary heritage while embracing the character of its historic surroundings. Situated next to one of Manila's best-known landmarks, the space offers a setting that reflects both the restaurant's legacy and the neighborhood's enduring charm.

Ahead of its grand reopening, Old Swiss Inn will hold a soft opening from Aug. 3 to 7, giving diners an early look at its new Paco home. Guests who visit during the preview period will receive 20 percent off the restaurant's menu, including its premium steaks and signature Swiss specialties. 

With its reopening, Old Swiss Inn begins a new chapter while continuing the tradition that has made it a familiar name in the local dining scene for decades.

Reservations may be made by calling 0918-999-1010 or by sending a direct message through its official social media channels.

Sandara Park: From struggling immigrant to K-pop icon

By Neil Ramos

Published Aug 2, 2026 04:54 pm

At A Glance

• Sandara Park shares her inspiring journey from a shy immigrant in the Philippines to a global K-pop star, revealing her struggles, dreams and the country that became her second home.

Before Sandara Park became a global K-pop star, she was a young immigrant trying to find her voice in a country that would eventually become her second home.

Long before her success with 2NE1, Sandara was a 10-year-old girl adjusting to a new life in the Philippines.

“I immigrated to the Philippines when I was in the fourth grade of elementary school, 10 years old. I spent all my formative years there,” Sandara shared.  

Her early years in the country were not easy. She recalled struggling to communicate because she could not speak English or Filipino, leaving her feeling isolated during a crucial stage of her childhood.

“It was really hard. I’m still shy, but it was worse when I was younger. For about 10 years after moving to the Philippines, I didn’t speak at all. I couldn’t speak English or Filipino,” she said.

The language barrier became one of her biggest challenges.

Sandara said her pronunciation often became a reason for classmates to laugh at her, leaving a painful memory from her childhood.

“I guess my pronunciation was wrong, because the kids just laughed. It hurt my young heart,” she recalled.   

She also shared a moment when a teacher tried to communicate with her through sign language because they thought she was unable to speak.

“Even they were surprised. They thought I was a child who couldn’t speak,” she said.

Sandara later revealed that her extreme shyness was connected to selective mutism, a condition she was diagnosed with that caused her to shut down in unfamiliar or stressful situations.

During those lonely moments, music became her escape. After school, she would spend time listening to songs and watching performances, slowly developing the dream of becoming a singer.

“After school, I would always go home and listen to music,” she shared.

Her love for performers such as Seo Taiji and Boys, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera eventually inspired her to dream of performing on stage.   

“I want to be on TV too,” she recalled thinking as a young fan.

Growing up between South Korea and the Philippines shaped Sandara’s identity. She described herself as having Korean “hardware” and Filipino “software,” reflecting how deeply both cultures became part of her.

Her unexpected entry into Philippine showbiz happened in 2004 when she accompanied a friend to audition for ABS-CBN’s “Star Circle Quest.” Instead of simply supporting her classmate, Sandara ended up joining the competition herself.

Competing among thousands of hopefuls, she captured the attention of audiences through her personality, talent and charm, eventually finishing as the competition’s first runner-up.

Her popularity grew almost overnight, with Sandara experiencing firsthand how passionate Filipino fans are about their entertainers.

“It really made me think, ‘Becoming a star overnight is real,’” she said.

Following her “Star Circle Quest” success, Sandara became one of the country's most recognizable young stars. She starred in films, became part of a popular love team, appeared on television shows and released the hit song “In or Out.”

However, fame also came with challenges. Sandara admitted that her demanding schedule at a young age became overwhelming.

“From then on, I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t go to school... I couldn’t even see my mom and, being young, I just wanted to quit because it was hard back then,” she said.

Despite those struggles, the relationships she built in the Philippines became some of the most meaningful parts of her journey. She said the people who supported her during her early career became like family.

After becoming a member of 2NE1 in 2009 and achieving international success as a K-pop star, Sandara continued to carry her Filipino roots with her.

“With the Filipino fans and friends I made, it really became a second home to me. I think it became my identity,” she said.

More than two decades after entering the entertainment industry, Sandara is now embracing a new chapter as a solo artist. She recently launched her own label, ARADNAS, and released her single album “REPRISM,” featuring songs she wrote and performed herself.

From a shy immigrant struggling to communicate to a beloved entertainer in two countries, Sandara Park’s story remains a testament to finding one’s voice despite the challenges along the way.

Meralco ordered to refund ₱9.5 billion to power customers

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) was ordered by energy regulators to refund ₱9.51 billion to its customer base after collecting unauthorized charges.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) directed the country’s largest power distributor to return an average rate of ₱0.3449 per kilowatt-hour across all customer categories over a six-month window, according to a 28-page decision dated July 31.

The rate adjustment will be reflected as a distinct line item on monthly power bills, beginning in the upcoming billing cycle once Meralco officially receives the ruling.

ERC Chairman Francis Saturnino Juan confirmed that implementation will take effect upon receipt.

Under the mandate, Meralco is required to refund a total of ₱9,506,566,556 over six months, or maintain the rebate mechanism until the full sum of over-recovered funds has been completely disbursed to consumers.

The multi-billion-peso payout stems from price corrections associated with a lapsed regulatory period running from January through December 2025.

In utility oversight, a lapsed period refers to the duration between rate reset cycles during which regulated entities continue billing clients using legacy tariff structures while pending official review and approval of revised tariffs.

Consequently, power rates charged during this interval failed to mirror actual service costs.

Because Meralco accumulated excess revenues throughout the covered period, the ERC mandated that the total payout include accrued interest costs to properly compensate rate-payers. T

he commission emphasized in its order that factoring interest into the financial correction was a necessary step to address the unauthorized collections incurred during the 2025 regulatory year.

Under the standard rate reset framework, distribution utilities such as Meralco must submit detailed projections of capital expenditure, operational costs, and proposed infrastructure developments covering a multi-year horizon—typically five years—for regulatory assessment.

The ERC’s evaluation of these submissions determines the final baseline tariff that utilities may lawfully pass along to retail customers.

Is Swiss German a language of its own or a dialect of German?

 

L R S N

 · 

Knows German

Is Swiss German a language of its own or a dialect of German?

Linguists will typically classify it as a dialect of German.

But for practical everyday reasons, I don’t think it’s unreasonable nor indefensible to treat it as a separate language.

It’s incomprehensible to German speakers with no exposure to Alemannic German. A person from Düsseldorf or Berlin will have no bloody clue what’s being said to them.

Not only because it sounds different, Swiss German has several significant distinctions from Standard German, such as a large chunk of the vocabulary, and several subtle and larger grammatical features.

It’s not just “German spoken a little differently.” You can learn Swiss German a bit faster if you already know German, but it only gets you so far.

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Fast 40 Grad in Bayern erwartet – starke Gewitter nehmen Kurs auf den Freistaat

Stand:02.08.2026, 15:40 Uhr

Von: Lucas Sauter Orengo

Bayern steht wieder heiße Tage bevor. Das Thermometer geht wieder in Richtung 40 Grad - allerdings steigt auch das Gewitterrisiko erheblich an.

München – Es bleibt heiß in Bayern: Wie der Deutsche Wetterdienst (DWD) berichtet, steht Bayern eine neue Runde großer Hitze bevor. Demnach zeigt sich der Himmel am Sonntag, 2. August, in Südbayern im Mix aus Sonne und lockerer Quellbewölkung, wobei die Höchsttemperaturen zwischen 28 und 32 Grad liegen. In Nordbayern scheint laut DWD hingegen überwiegend die Sonne, dort werden 26 bis 32 Grad erreicht. Bereits am späten Nachmittag können sich an den Alpen erste Gewitter bilden, die abends bis ins Vorland ziehen könnten.     

Blitze erhellen den Himmel über dem Alpenvorland. (zu dpa: «Heftige Unwetter nach extremer Hitze in Bayern») © dpa/Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

Fast 40 Grad in Bayern erwartet – Starke Gewitter nehmen Kurs auf den Freistaat

Am Montag verschärft sich die Lage laut Deutschem Wetterdienst deutlich: Demnach wird es in ganz Bayern wieder sehr heiß, mit Höchstwerten zwischen 32 und 37 Grad. Zum Abend hin drohen laut DWD einzelne, teils kräftige Gewitter – in Südbayern besonders an den Alpen und im Umfeld der Donau-Alb-Region, in Nordbayern vor allem im nördlichen Franken. Der Wind weht dabei nur schwach bis mäßig aus südlichen Richtungen.

A lot can change in a year

 

 Kirsten “Nica” Sy 

When I left home with two suitcases and my acceptance letter in hand, I was stepping into uncharted territory, uncertain waters. Would my medical check-up make it in time for my visa processing? How do I pay my tuition fees using this new GIRO system? Am I the only one who’s never heard of all these university-specific acronyms before?

But now, as the sun rises in my peripheral for my early morning flight from one home to another, I know I’m not the same me who was jumping for joy opening her admission email. I’ve grown a lot since then. A lot can’t even begin to encapsulate how I’ve waltzed and stumbled through each passing month. How each phase of migration here has come with its own sets of challenges with no clear start or end, if at all. Everything has just progressed progressively. I just progressed progressively through the experiences generated and memories compounded.

Yet, I cannot help but continue to feel static. I catch myself picking at my nails the same way I have ever since I was a kid. I realize I still give up easily when working with people gets tough, practically unbearable. And most glaringly, going home makes me feel like the world has spun without me. The airport has new e-gates, the taho man doesn’t pass by my house anymore, the BreadTalk in Glorietta is gone because of renovations. The Philippines I left behind a year ago has orbited on its own axis, while I operate on another planet’s clock.

It isn’t a bad thing. It’s just another round of reacclimating to an environment that was once as familiar as the route to school, now looking like a new MRT being built overhead. It’s just visiting my could-have-been university for a mango graham shake and hearing the coño accent I’ve traded in for another to make me more intelligible to the Singaporean aunties and uncles. It’s just coming home to a leased room and not a house. My house.

Everything has changed naturally. The natural cycle of wear and tear and replace. Nothing to be afraid of or feel apprehensive about. But like Theseus’ ship, it becomes a question of how much can be replaced until your home feels foreign, like somewhere you go to for a vacation from your dayjob, dayhouse, daylife.

Some days I get so busy juggling my day-to-day that I don’t miss home, and instead praise the efficient systems of another island city. I pause, backtrack, ashamed. Not because I appreciate the development of one at the expense of the other, although I should feel ashamed. But because I don’t know when ‘they’ became ‘we’. When my role in the Singaporean narrative started weaving into my own Philippine one. When my idea of home had split into two distinct neighborhoods separated by a three-, sometimes four-hour flight, depending on which country’s airline I take.

On other days, missing home feels as natural as breathing. Feels more natural, even. Not just for the food or the comfort, but for the language I’ve lost fluency in, and the rocky roads that aren’t just ice cream flavors. The sari-sari store I always passed by on the drop-off and pick-up to and from school. Saturdays at Salcedo Market, getting bicho-bicho because it was my childhood favorite. Day trips to Manaoag Church, drinking green mango shakes on the way back. Being stuck in Edsa for two hours because it rained heavily and the traffic lights were overruled by human entities. My high school barkada, whom I unabashedly bother with my silly moments and endless rants, albeit over text now instead of over Bo’s coffee.

It is all very alien. I am very alien. I am stuck in the in-betweens of an identity crisis. I admire who I am becoming, yet I mourn who I used to be. I enjoy where I am now, yet I am disappointed I do. I am missing home and missing from home. I am still Filipino, but I don’t know for how long. I feel still, but I have been distilled. Distilled from my Chinese origins, still in my Filipino home, yet transported into Singaporean society where I am perceived as the first and never the second.

Because I have neither been Filipino enough to be Filipino, nor Chinese enough to be Chinese. It is in the year I’ve been away that I have become painfully aware of my unbelonging no matter where I inhabit. What am I? What am I meant to be?

I hope my second year away from home will shed more clarity on this question. After all, I’ve changed a lot within one year—have learned and grown and worked to the bone. What more will year two have to offer?

Tessa Prieto reveals she has found new love: 'We understand each other'

By Carissa Alcantara

Published Aug 2, 2026 11:34 am   

TV personality and socialite Tessa Prieto shared how she found a new chance at happiness with her new partner.

Tessa first talked about her partner, Irene Nubla, in July during an interview with Julius Babao on his YouTube channel.

During her guest appearance on "Fast Talk With Boy Abunda", Tessa shared that she had once given up on finding love again after the painful end of her previous relationship.

"Parang I did," she said when asked if she had become afraid of loving again. "With the last one, after I got all that abuse, sabi ko 'ayoko na ng girl'... I'm just going to get a little dog," she added.  

Just when Tessa thought she was not meant to love again, things took a turn when she met Irene in church.

"Three days later, my new partner came into my life. Sa simbahan. And then hindi ko alam na she's lesbian," she said.

Tessa recalled the moment she saw Irene, describing what she was wearing at the time.

"I was praying after. Then I saw my partner now, her name's Irene. And she's like, you know, she’s like a super crisp shirt. Tapos grabeng earrings. Naka-clip pa. And Hermes sandals. ‘Yun pala she liked me. I'm so likable," Tessa jokingly shared.    According to her, their conversation was simple, Irene mentioning that they had a mutual friend before taking a photo.

"We just met in church... May anak pa siya. That's why I feel that finally, [I have] somebody [that] I don't have to justify to my parents and to myself. I said like, you know, times have changed na rin," Tessa said.

Just like any new relationship, some fights cannot be unseen, but according to Tessa, they eventually learned to understand each other's differences. 

"Of course in the beginning, we were constantly fighting kasi we're just opposite. Parang she's very money-driven [sa] negosyo, and I'm like love, love love. And so again, I'm too much, right? This time around, if I'm too much, give me more. So, she gives me more. Thank you so much. We understand each other. We are now finally accepting of our traumas [with] our exes and everything. Now, we have so much love and respect," she said.

Tessa Prieto and Irene Nubla (Julius Babao UNPLUGGED YouTube Channel)

Being a well-known socialite, Boy asked Tessa how Irene is keeping up with her being constantly in the public's gaze.

"I think she enjoys it na rin. She has zero social media. So when people say that she's the one, she's okay na," Tessa said.

For Tessa, the relationship is special because they complement each other in many ways.

"Feeling ko, finally, somebody is able to match my energy in everything, financially [and] emotionally... She accepts my family first and foremost, that's so important for me. My family accepts her." 

Before finding love again, Tessa went through a painful breakup with a same-sex partner, which actually led to legal disputes, including a pending VAWC case and an estafa complaint.

She was also married to businessman Dennis Valdes for 26 years before filing for annulment in 2025.

What is it like studying in Germany?

 

Kanishk Sinha

 ·

Lives in Germany

Oh, and by this I don’t mean the education system. That is world class, one of the best you can get in EU countries.

But yeah studying here is aweful. Damn annoying.

Why?

Because there is so much to do here.

1. 26 beautiful Schengen countries at your fingertips. Just book a bus, flight or a train ticket and you are good to go. I live in Passau, Germany and I can just literally walk over to Austria. By foot.
2. More concerts than you can imagine. Metallica, Slipknot etc does a Europe tour every year. Ed Sheeran comes to Munich like its his summer home.
3. Beer festivals like they are about to blow up. Oktoberfest, Passauer Dult, Chiemseer, the list goes on and on.
4. The Alps. Don’t want to go until Switzerland? Go to Füssen or Bayerisch Walden and you are in the Alps.
5. Public saunas, nudist beaches, just in case you want to feast your eyes.

You get the gist right?

Now the studying. Due to reasons aforementioned, it can be dull because of the vibrant environment you get to live in.

It's good to have a German stamp on your degree. Like I said, one of the best you can get.

1. Amazing facilities, even if you are studying in a small University.
2. 120 credit based system, which means you got a lot of stuff to live upto.
3. Universities tend to focus on research, while University of Applied Sciences are more practical oriented.
4. The syllabus is designed to keep you on your toes. One night fight doesn't work out here.
5. Lots of student discounts on train and city services. Free Amazon Prime for a year.
6. Lots of Part time work options, English based as well. However it's good to get familiar with German language as it will prove to be of an immense help.
7. People are nice, teachers helpful. But only to an extent. If you try their patience, get ready to be on the receiving end of their wrath.

It's been a year since I am studying in Germany. Loved it so far.

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What should an expat know about living or retiring to the Philippines?

 

JohnRich R. Levine

 · 

What should an expat know about living or retiring to the Philippines?

There is nothing more to know than the information you already have at the click of your mouse or the touch of your fingertips.

Among these are:

1. Your preference for a temperate tropical climate. You don’t want to finalize your decision, and a month or two after living there, realize, that you don’t like the humidity that comes with sea breeze. Philippines is an archipelago of more than seven thousand islands. Breeze is everywhere. Humidity is in every breeze. Is this something you look forward to when you retire? It is water from end to end. If not, then consider changing your plans as early as now.

1. Do you like asian food (Filipino food) or the Filipino variation of westernized meals? These meals are named almost exactly the same names as you hear them in the west. But they are not cooked in the west. They are cooked and prepared with the Filipino taste buds. Sure, you can have spaghetti. But not your spaghetti kind. If you want your kind, your taste, your preference, you have to import that from somewhere, or prepare it yourself with the exact ingredients you use from where you came from, not from the local manufacturers. Is this something you want to adventure upon retirement? Many people would do this if only to depart from the usual life and lifestyle they lived while still earning their retirement.

This:

Versus This:

1. Do you enjoy adapting and adopting cultural practices? Do you like to decorate an accent of your own culture? The Philippines is a pot of gold of adaptations of cultures. You will fit anywhere, anytime. If you adapt. The Filipinos are born with innate tendencies to adapt to a culture around them. They will adapt to you. Would you adapt to them? Very flexible, considerate, adaptable, easy to teach and influence and noticeably versatile. Do you like this? Or do you prefer to be rigid and tough and rough? If you decide to retire there regardless of your cultural characteristics, chances are you, your ego will be broken to pieces in pain. But if you let go of that tough rough rigid image and embrace a new you, you will be crowned the apple of their eyes.

1. The Philippines is a nation of fun and adventurous people, at times over the top. There are no snow skiing, but you can always try doing it in the hills of chocolate grasses. Swimming with the sharks? No problem. Roller coasters? Sure. Flintstone style. Horseback riding? You got it. Except you do it on several other animals too, not just horses. Carabaos, cows, sometimes, donkeys the size of a goat. Pick your fun.

1. Budget? What budget? Just keep your money in your socks. We ain’t got nothing to budget. No, uh uh. Ain't gonna happen. You like McDonald’s? Sorry, thats for birthday, once a year. You are going to eat chicken, maybe sardines, and tons of fresh vegetables. Regularly. Or travel by motor bike as bus, or take the bankas as boat. It’s cheap here, man. You got to learn it. Get over your air conditioned cars. That’s for drama and show off. Take a motorcycle. Ten pesos per trip to downtown. That is about 25 cents a trip. And you could reduce that cost if you own your own motorbike and take someone with you for a fee. If that sounds adventure and fun to you, hop in on your plane and land in Cebu. You can start a life for less than a month’s salary.

1. So you are white, or black, Hispanic, or maybe a combination of a little bit of this and that color? And your nose a little bit different? No, hugely different? Then security is an issue for you. What do you do? Change your skin? Cut back on your nose’s height? No. Be you. Be the you that you want to be. Decide to live peaceably, and leave the litigious mentality of ‘see you in court” kind behind you. Ain't gonna work that way.

1. Eat. This is why you decide to retire there. Eat while planning what to eat next. This is perhaps the only reason that will stand the test of your decision to retire in the Philippines. Eat everything at least twice. If you don’t like to eat there, why are you there?

1. Miami, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona. Sometimes California, or New Mexico. And sometimes Texas. Are retirement destinations of the cold northerners. If they only know 7, 107 islands are waiting for them in the coasts of the Pacific for a fraction of the cost in Hawaii. Go live as a retired expat there, and go up north in the summer, to your point of origin. In terms of water, this is also called renewable sources of energy. Go up and down the globe, just like salmons upstream the streams to take advantage of the refreshing rivers.

Go. Just go. I’ll see you there, soon.