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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Love, broadly given: Strengthening the social fabric that binds generations

By Manila Bulletin

Published Feb 14, 2026 12:05 am | Updated Feb 13, 2026 05:52 pm

For many, Valentine’s Day arrives wrapped in predictable gestures — roses, ribbons and restaurant reservations. It is a welcome ritual to celebrate romance and devotion. Yet for a nation navigating anxious times, perhaps the truest observance of the day calls us to something broader and more enduring than candlelight and confections.

Love, at its best, is not confined to romance. It is a virtue — steady, generous and quietly transformative. It is found in the daily decision to place another’s well-being alongside our own. Today, Valentine’s Day, we might consider reclaiming the holiday not by diminishing its traditions, but by enlarging them.

For 126 years, Manila Bulletin has chronicled the story of our people and one truth appears again and again in our archives: Filipinos endure not by sentiment alone, but by sacrifice, solidarity and service.

Love, in our tradition, has never been confined to courtship.

It is found in the quiet heroism of mothers and fathers who leave for overseas work so their children may have opportunities they themselves did not.

It is seen in neighbors who arrive unasked when a typhoon floods a barangay, bringing food, blankets and steady hands.

It is present in parish volunteers who organize relief drives, in jeepney drivers who extend kindness to a struggling passenger, and in teachers who dig into their own modest resources so their pupils can learn with dignity.

The need for such quiet acts has not diminished. If anything, it has grown. We live in an age of speed and distraction, when disagreement too often drowns out decency. Public discourse can feel sharp-edged. Loneliness, though seldom visible, is widespread. Under such conditions, a single act of kindness can carry significant weight.

What might it look like to honor Valentine’s Day in this spirit?

It may be as simple as writing a note of gratitude to a teacher who shaped a life long ago, or to a colleague whose diligence often goes unremarked. It may mean checking in on an elderly neighbor, or extending patience in a long queue when tempers run thin. It may be choosing civility in conversation where disagreement would be easier.

For congregations and civic groups, Valentine’s Day offers an occasion to reaffirm bonds of fellowship. A community meal, a blood drive, a coordinated effort to assist a struggling household — these are expressions of love that ripple outward. They strengthen the social fabric that binds town to town and generation to generation.

Even within marriage and romance, the most meaningful tokens are rarely the most extravagant. A faithful presence through hardship, a willingness to forgive, a shared commitment to weather life’s uncertainties — these are the foundations upon which lasting affection rests.

To broaden our understanding of Valentine’s Day is not to scorn its sentiment, but to deepen it. Romance remains a worthy and beautiful expression of love. Yet if the holiday begins and ends at the dinner table, we have missed an opportunity.

In a world inclined toward self-interest, choosing kindness is a quiet act of courage. It affirms that we belong to one another. It declares that courtesy and compassion are not antiquated virtues but living necessities.

Today, let us celebrate love in all its forms: in romance, certainly, but also in responsibility; in affection, but also in action. Let us give generously of our time, our patience and our goodwill.

Love, broadly given, remains the surest foundation of a strong and decent society.

Creation needs protection, love, justice and peace

 

By Fr. Shay Cullen, Founder since 1974

The Philippines has been battered by devastating storms in recent weeks. We endure around 20 powerful typhoons a year, and occasionally experience earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Recently, in Liloan, Cebu, several families were caught in floods rising as high as their rooftops. They had to climb mango trees to escape. Entire homes were flattened, and all properties were lost. They have nothing, not even extra clothes. That is how destructive typhoons can be. Filipinos remain resilient as climate change tightens its grip on the weather, affecting their lives. They have the determination and strength to recover and continue surviving day by day. Inexplicably, many take these all with grim humor, even joking about their plight. But it is no joke for the poor when their humble houses are obliterated and survive, despite having nothing left for their families. Those involved in the massive corruption in flood control projects that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. first exposed in July have a lot to answer for. Meanwhile, world leaders who have gathered at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil have to continue serious efforts in bringing global warming under control. Yet, we know that the climate is changing for the worse, and stronger, more intense weather is affecting many people all over the world. Like in previous editions, COP30 reminds us of the historic Paris Agreement signed 10 years ago. This pact binds countries to limit global temperatures to “well below” 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. However, in parts of the globe, temperatures have exceeded 1.5 C, and scientists say it is likely to rise higher. This could lead to catastrophic consequences, and our climate could reach a tipping point of no return. The good news is that in the European Union, renewable energy (RE) produced by wind turbines and solar plants, as well as geothermal, hydropower and biomass facilities, has just overtaken fossil fuel as the main source of electricity. This is the ongoing struggle at COP30: the efforts to mitigate the negative effects of climate change are being thwarted by the fossil fuel industry, and some powerful nations, like the United States under President Donald Trump — who is not at the conference — want fossil fuel as their power source. However, many US states are going with renewables and working to hold global temperatures under 1.5 C. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said the “sun is rising on a clean energy age,” as 90 percent of RE projects are cheaper than fossil fuels. He has called on every major tech company to switch all of their data centers to run on 100-percent renewables by 2030. Guterres has also said fossil fuels threaten the planet. Renewable sources of energy are the only way to go, and they’re much cheaper and safer. “The greatest threat to energy security today is fossil fuels. They leave economies and people at the mercy of price shocks, supply disruptions and geopolitical turmoil,” he said. “There are no price spikes for sunlight. No embargoes on wind. Renewable energy sources are cost-effective, too,” he said. Solar power is about 41 percent cheaper than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative, and onshore wind generation is less than half the price of fossil fuels, according to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency. The late pope Francis was outspoken about the dangers of climate change, as well as solutions to it. He said it was a matter of deep faith to do good and protect Creation and oppose the evil forces destroying it, as these are rooted in our “deepest convictions about love, justice and peace.” When he was still alive, he called for a global “ecological conversion” and a radical change in lifestyles, production and consumption to “save the planet.” His core message, detailed primarily in his 2015 encyclical “Laudato si’” and 2023 apostolic exhortation “Laudate Deum,” is that the environmental crisis is a moral and ethical issue inextricably linked to social injustice and “throwaway culture.” He urged the “progressive replacement without delay” of highly polluting fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) with RE sources, of which the Philippines and the developing world have great capacity. This is the heart of the Christian commitment: to care for Creation and challenge the powerful economic and political forces blocking renewables and increasing global warming. What we can do is challenge the multinational power and mining corporations involved in extracting coal, oil and gas and persuade them, for the sake of humanity and Creation, to desist. This is what Francis seemed to have called for. The massive amount of carbon and methane gases in the atmosphere are causing the planet to overheat. Stopping the burning of fossil fuels is the only way to halt global warming. In the Philippines, power corporations have to phase out coal and oil-powered generation plants sooner to meet our international obligations and save the country from more natural and manmade disasters. The government must cancel all new applications for coal plants and improve tax benefits for solar and wind farms. More home-based solar panels are essential, but they are very expensive, despite low import taxes. Corporations supplying and installing panels are out to maximize profit. It seems Francis’ words and actions have had some impact on COP30. Greater attention will be given to the so-called Global Ethical Stocktake. It will focus on the moral, ethical and cultural impacts of climate change. This will be focused especially on the poor, the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups to help women, children and Indigenous people. A large group of Indigenous people broke into the conference center to present their demands. Brazil is starting an international fund to pay developing nations to preserve their rainforests. Sadly, in the Philippines, there is only 3 percent, or 861,000 hectares, of primary rainforest left and an estimated 5 million ha of secondary growth forest. The overall remaining forest is about 24 percent of its total land area, government statistics show. However, Global Forest Watch estimates a higher total of natural forest area of around 13 million ha, or 45 percent of the land area. Denuded forests can recover and regenerate, if given the chance. In the Philippines, many brave environmentalists are being persecuted for protecting them. They need our support and protection.

Jisoo in PH: Lights, love, and a lot of laughs

BY ALLAN POLICARPIO

MARCH 22, 2025

Jisoo —@SOOYAA__/INSTAGRAM

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Who knew that watching a mini crafting session could be so nerve-wracking? Well, leave it to Jisoo to make a rather uneventful activity feel like a roller coaster of emotions.

In the “Love” segment of her recent “Lights, Love, Action!” fan meeting at the Araneta Coliseum, the South Korean pop star—and one-fourth of the girl group Blackpink—was tasked to decorate an acrylic frame holding a photo card and a CD of her debut solo EP “Amortage”—a one-of-a kind gift for a lucky fan.

“You guys all know about the album-decorating skills of Jisoo, right?” the event host Jessica Lee asked the crowd.

Jisoo kicks off ‘Lights, Love, Action!’ Asia fan tour in Manila: ‘Mahal ko kayo’

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Mar 18, 2025 10:12 AM

  

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K-pop star Jisoo, a member of girl group BLACKPINK, kicked off her solo Asia fan tour in Manila. 

The singer and actress, who is currently starring in Prime Video’s zombie series “Newtopia,” held her “Lights, Love, Action!” fan meeting in Manila on March 14 at the Araneta Coliseum. 

The fun-filled night saw Jisoo performing before Filipino fans, decorating a gift, playing games, and going to the audience area.  

Manila was the first stop in her “Lights, Love, Action!” Asia fan tour. For the whole March, she will be in Bangkok, Tokyo, Macau, Taipei, Hong Kong and Hanoi. 

K-pop star and actress Jisoo at her fan meeting in Manila on March 14 (Photos provided by Collective Touring Philippines)

K-pop star and actress Jisoo at her fan meeting in Manila on March 14 (Instagram)

Before the Asia fan tour, Jisoo released his first solo mini-album “Amortage” on Feb. 14, a fusion of the words “amor” (love) and "montage."   

“Amortage” sold 523,971 copies by the end of March, based on Hanteo Chart data. 

In Manila, Jisoo started the fan meeting by performing “Earthquake,” the main track from “Amortage”  followed by “Your Love,” “Tears,” “Hugs & Kisses,” “Flower” and “All Eyes on Me.” 

“Long time no see,” Jisoo greeted the crowd. “At first I was very nervous but as I came up the stage and I saw all my Blinks, it felt like a really good sign and I really gained strength. 

Jisoo came back to the Philippines after two years since BLACKPINK’s “Born Pink” world tour held in the country in March 2023. 

“Even though it's been a long time since I've been here, they hung up banners like this outside and welcomed me so warmly and cheered me on so I really gained strength. It was good from the very beginning,” she said. 

Outside the Araneta Coliseum, banners featuring Jisoo were put up in different areas. 

When asked which is the most meaningful song for her, Jisoo chose “Your Love,” saying, “The lyrics of this is actually my message to Blinks so every time I see this, I feel like I show all my love.”

On Korean food that she would like to recommend to her Filipino fans, she said, “I really like Korean pancakes like  ‘pajeon’ or ‘kimchijeon.’” 

Jisoo also picked the words "tough," "cool" and "cute" to describe her personality. 

If she could relive one moment in her career, Jisoo said, “The memories of performing are really precious to me so I think this moment of our first fan concert today will be memorable for a long time.”

In one segment, Jisoo decorated an album that was given to a lucky fan and signed it with “mahal kita (I love you).” She also gave away a Polaroid photo with the words “mahal kita.” 

In another segment, Jisoo learned Filipino phrases including “mahal ko kayo” (I love you), “masaya ba kayo? (Are you happy?) and “charot” (a Fiipino slang which means “just kidding”). 

Jisoo also played charades with fans acting the keywords, including “The Matrix,” “Aladdin,” “Harry Potter,” pencil, computer, bag, clock, cell phone, sticker, glasses, tie, calendar, soccer, doctor and singer. 

During her performance of “All Eyes on Me,” Jisoo roamed around the audience area to be close to her fans. 

As she wrapped up her fan meeting, Jisoo said she is happy to spend time with fans. 

K-pop star and actress Jisoo in Manila on March 14 (Instagram)

K-pop star and actress Jisoo's photo outside the Araneta Coliseum on March 14 (Jonathan Hicap)

“This is my first time doing my first solo tour fan meet. I was actually very much looking forward to it but also worried. But right now even having this time, I guess, it was so much fun that the time just flew and spending time with my Blinks, I really want to just tell you how much happier I am,” said Jisoo. 

She added, “And also, of course, I really want to extend my gratitude to everyone, all the staff who have really worked hard to make this performance, to make this happen.”

In an Instagram post, Jisoo wrote, “Thank you for be part of my very first solo fan meeting! Happy to started with big cheers of BLINK Manila. So grateful you made me lovely AMORTAGE. Can‘t wait to see you again! MAHAL KO KAYO, XOXO.”

Jisoo’s “Lights, Love, Action!” Asia fan tour was produced by Paradise E&A, Monday Morning Creative Lab, Askara Nation, and Collective Touring Philippines.