![]()

This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading! Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
![]()

Pinoy pride broke out on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) after Sofronio Vasquez became the first singer from the Philippines—and Asia—to bag the top prize on NBC’s “The Voice.”
One of five finalists in Season 26 of the popular US singing competition, Vasquez sank to his knees and fought back tears when his name was announced as the winner.
He bested singers Shye, Jeremy Beloate, Sydney Sterlace and Danny Joseph after garnering the majority of America’s votes.
![]()

The image many of us have of a stroke patient is that of a person who walks with difficulty, one arm immobile with the fingers of that hand curled toward the chest. Their speech is slurred and they have a tendency to drool.
But what exactly happens when one gets a stroke? Young author Tracy Anne Ong was just beginning her law career in Cebu City when she had a stroke that affected her speech, eyesight, and ability to breathe and swallow. It would go on to weaken her left side and completely paralyze her right.
Ong was rushed to a hospital in Cebu before later being airlifted to Singapore where she underwent treatment and therapy.

Dressed in an assortment of cropped tops, shrunken cardis, asymmetrical pleated skirts, and patchwork trousers, the P-pop group Bini look like young girls playing dress-up with whatever they can get their hands on. That DIY vibe when it comes to their looks has persisted since their launch as teens back in 2021.
Now in their early 20s, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena have a string of catchy songs under their belt including “Salamin, Salamin,” “Pantropiko” and “Karera,” with the accompanying music videos that have been listened and danced to countless times.
Stylist Ica Villanueva, the group’s visual director, is responsible for whatever the girls wear in public, whether the event is big or small. In an interview with Lifestyle, she talked about how she landed the styling gig, her bid for sustainability, and what she has planned for Bini as the girls grow up and mature.

Dressed in an assortment of cropped tops, shrunken cardis, asymmetrical pleated skirts, and patchwork trousers, the P-pop group Bini look like young girls playing dress-up with whatever they can get their hands on. That DIY vibe when it comes to their looks has persisted since their launch as teens back in 2021.
Now in their early 20s, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena have a string of catchy songs under their belt including “Salamin, Salamin,” “Pantropiko” and “Karera,” with the accompanying music videos that have been listened and danced to countless times.
Stylist Ica Villanueva, the group’s visual director, is responsible for whatever the girls wear in public, whether the event is big or small. In an interview with Lifestyle, she talked about how she landed the styling gig, her bid for sustainability, and what she has planned for Bini as the girls grow up and mature.

Filipino design artistry was on display at a one-night event held during Paris Fashion Week last month. To mark its second anniversary, Vogue Philippines chose 23 designers who were instructed to come up with miniature creations that incorporated local weaves or textiles made with natural fibers.
“Primarily, we wanted a representation of the Philippine archipelago for Vogue Threads… a celebration of craft and form,” said Gino Gonzales, who curated the exhibit held at the Palais Galliera.
Gonzales is a well known scenographer and was recently awarded the Gawad Parangal for design and allied arts by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

“We also limited them to a color palette of ecru or unbleached cotton or linen in shades of amber, camel, gold, copper, and bronze to keep things cohesive… So it’s not just an individual effort but a unified statement.”