Travel light

 

BY FATIMA GIMENEZ

MARCH 16, 2026

Read Next

When will Sara’s impeachment process end?

One of the best memories will always be from traveling as a family. I have learned that the key person to lead should always be the one who has the most patience to deal with all the requirements and a keen attention to detail. Usually, the younger members are given the responsibility as they are more well-versed in technology, have near-infinite energy, and are more flexible. The older ones are less resilient and usually hand the reins over to whoever makes their lives more comfortable. Therefore, the person in charge should be battle-ready to meet the possible needs that arise from traveling with the more senior members, especially those with mobility problems. The latter shouldn’t be a deterrent, as long as they are healthy enough and willing to be persuaded to travel. My 93-year-old mother has always been content with staying at home, but she enjoys the occasional trip when we force her to go. One of her greatest joys, and ours as well, is when we are together and complete as a family.

To make the experience enjoyable for everyone, the number one lesson is to always come prepared. What follows is a checklist that most of you may be aware of, including some additional tips that can be taken into consideration.

Number one. Get clearance from your physician. Bring all needed medications with you, as checked-in luggage might easily be lost, misplaced, or, worse, stolen. Have another member keep another set as an emergency supply. Always keep the prescription on hand just in case you are asked for it. In your first aid kit, include medications for fever, pain, allergy, motion sickness, hyperacidity, oral rehydration solutions, and topical preparations for superficial wounds, diaper rash, including an antifungal, alcohol swabs, and eye drops. As a doctor, I have also learned to bring a whole course of antibiotics just in case the need arises. On occasion, the contents of this mobile pharmacy have been shared with fellow passengers. If possible, check their immunization records and administer them way ahead of your trip. It would also be helpful to know where hospitals are located and if there are facilities for emergencies. Obtain travel insurance for everyone.

Number two. While you may ask for wheelchair assistance, there may be some instances where there aren’t enough to go around. Always bring a wheelchair of your own that is sturdy and light enough to carry, and have a member of the family take responsibility for it. While on a cruise, it was painful to see an 88-year-old lady asked to stand in line after being wheeled in, as she had no prior advice that a request had to be made before boarding the ship. She was traveling alone and had been separated from her tour group. It was a good thing that she had her foldable walking cane to enable her to go around, and that she was agile enough. Lesson learned: Ask your tour agent for all these requirements.

Number three. Stock up on your supplies. On one foreign trip, we assumed that we wouldn’t have trouble getting adult diapers as we were in a tourist-friendly area. We were wrong. Learning from this experience, we brought extra pieces of luggage for our next trip that contained this number one essential, together with antibacterial wipes to clean not only toilet seats but also to make quick swipes on surfaces that are frequently touched. A friend takes it a step further and always brings a handy sponge and a pouch of dishwashing liquid for cleaning and rinsing utensils. Bring enough face masks, especially if you find yourself in crowded or confined spaces.

In your carry-on, pack an extra set of clothes, a foldable umbrella, a lightweight coat that is suitable for both cold and rainy weather, headgear, gloves, and socks. Ensure that your elders are wearing comfortable and reliable shoes that can easily be slipped on or off. There are plenty of podiatrist-approved footwear options available.

Number four. Plan your schedule as much as you can around the needs of the more senior people in your group. Do not overfill your schedule. As much as possible, ensure that their routine is not disrupted, allowing enough time for them to rest and recharge. Curate the places you would want to see and check if these are senior-friendly.

Number five. Bring snacks and scour the area for places where there are hot meals or, at the very least, hot soup. Avoid using ice for drinks whenever you travel or consuming raw or half-cooked food.  

Last but not least, in case you forget essentials, provide solutions before they come to know of the problem. At their advanced age, don’t you agree that they deserve royal treatment?

—————-

timgim_67@yahoo.com

Like and subscribe or subscribe to like?

y David Bobier 

Spotify is my best friend. We have been best friends since grade school. Do not be surprised if you receive a wedding invitation from me and a listening platform.

However, our relationship experienced a rocky phase. It was during my eighth-grade days. It was 2016, the pinnacle of the music industry. Let’s just say, we found ourselves drowning in cold water.

I wanted Spotify to stay, but I was confronted with a subscription plan. A monthly fee that gives unlimited access to its services. I just wanted to download Kendrick Lamar’s “Money Trees” so I can go crazy during my jeepney rides.

It is more forgiving for passengers to see me go crazy with my earphones on than to look aimlessly and bother them out of boredom, so I took the bait and sacrificed some lunch meals to afford the monthly subscription.

Subscribing to unlimited music was the highlight of my 2016. However, I did not feel that I owned anything. Even until now.

Access does not automatically mean ownership. The only thing I own on Spotify is my account. Once I stop paying for Spotify, I will lose access to its services.

However, if I actually buy a song on iTunes or a physical CD, it seems I am paying way more than just a subscription. I will always choose the P128 (pre-pandemic) monthly Spotify subscription over the P2,000 M.A.A.d. City physical album.

How on earth did I end up running up against the end-of-the-month deadline for renewing my subscription just to access Ariana Grande’s songs, back when Spotify was still free to use? I do get it, artists deserve to get paid for their artistic work, but seeing myself running out of money is a different story.

This financial decision creates the illusion that I am saving a heck of a lot of money. However, I was just paying so much because access to listening is for life, and so is the payment. An Illusion that I am not even using other features I am paying for. Yes, I am still in the loop for Spotify.

Not only Spotify, but also almost every digital platform has this kind of scheme. Every time I watch YouTube, I cannot watch a full vlog without an advertisement. Even worse, I have to skip several ads to continue the vlog, which can take more than a minute while I wait for the skip ad button to appear.

Thanks to those ads, I was saved from the apparent jump scare in the video that my classmate had pranked me into watching. Although I am still mad for that 20-second Jollibee ad squeezed between the scene when Yaya Dub was about to meet Alden along the hallway, and a plywood was about to separate them.

In response to the subscription craze, the charm of pirated media glowed even brighter. As more platforms gatekeep their “original” goods, such as Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” illegal websites sprang up to give free access to everyone.

Illegal by law, but I have no reason to sue everyone who streams illegally. What else can be used by a Filipino as a pastime if expensive things surround her? Where do they go if there are barely any public spaces for everyone?

Bango, a research institute, reported that 43 percent of Filipinos cannot track their subscriptions. 2nd Opinion, on the other hand, revealed that 85 percent of Filipinos subscribe to many services due to the variety of services they offer. This just proves that we are living under debt under the guise of subscriptions.

We all owe money to companies until we choose to cancel. Well, I do not want to cancel my Spotify subscription because where else should I subscribe? Spotify might get jealous and accuse me of cheating.

Companies have found a way to make us pay them regularly in exchange for fake ownership. They either give us an eye-catching preview of the premium features or force us to do it by stripping down the convenience of accessing media.

Is it still correct to say “Like and Subscribe” if subscribing is the ultimate key to accessing the services I like? To set me free from the cheating charges against me?

As they say, loving is free. Loving what you do must be free, or at least, affordable. I do not want Spotify and I to end up like Marvin and Jolina or Yaya Dub and Alden. Yearning will be a result of expensive expectations of keeping in touch.

If there are public spaces where I can be productive in doing other hobbies, I might not find myself digging another stash of cash to pay for my Spotify subscription. Just a casual rotation of listening to music might suffice for my day.

Even just an initiative for the government to remove the added tax for such subscriptions is a big help. In this, my and Spotify’s married life will continue its happy run and inspire others to pursue their love of music without hurting their pockets.

Fnally, we can now live together, happily ever after.

Share

Tweet

addiction budget David Bobier 

Why a 'third place' matters in promoting reading

As it celebrates its fourth year, the Philippine Book Festival aims to turn reading into a shared habit

By John Legaspi

Published Mar 14, 2026 09:15 am

What do Filipinos like to do in their free time? Finding the answer to that question can be a daunting task and will likely produce a lot of different results. To simplify it, the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the country’s agency in charge of developing and supporting the Philippine book publishing industry, asked 300 librarians and learning area coordinators. Their response, according to NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade, is somewhat reflective of many Filipinos today.

At the top of the list is social media. Second and third are bonding with family and watching movies or shows. Reading comes in fourth, while going to the mall rounds out the top five.

“We all know that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Charisse said. “We all know that kids will be similar to us, and there’s a high chance that children will be this way.”

As the country’s publishing authority, the NBDB is tasked with promoting the growth of Filipino books and reading culture. Based on the data they have collected, the challenge today is to move family bonding to the top of the list, with reading coming in second as a family’s way of spending time together.

That is something they hope to address through the annual Philippine Book Festival (PBF). Now in its fourth year, the festival is the biggest gathering of Filipino-authored books. But it is not just about showcasing Filipino voices, nor is it merely a marketplace for publishing companies. For the 2026 edition of the festival, the NBDB is once again highlighting the importance of a “third place”—a space with no entry requirement other than showing up, where people mix across usual boundaries and stay because something about the place earns their loyalty.

“A Filipino reader who has never thought of themselves as a reader is more likely to become one in a space that feels alive, that feels like it was made with care and imagination, than in one that simply stocks titles,” Charisse explained during the opening of the fourth PBF on March 12, 2026. “The argument the PBF keeps making, year after year, is that Filipino creative work deserves exactly that kind of space. Not a corner. Not a footnote. A room of its own, for a few days at a time, for as long as it takes for that to stop being something we have to fight for.”

This year, the PBF plays with the theme “Gubat ng Karunungan,” or “Rainforest of Knowledge.” Together with artist and designer Joffrey “Pepot” Atienza, the organizers have transformed the vast venue into a forest filled with Filipino books, reading areas, and cozy nooks where readers can meet their literary heroes.

The festival features its signature areas. Aral Aklat highlights books as tools for learning and discovery, featuring textbooks and teaching guides. Booktopia invites visitors to explore the breadth of Filipino fiction and nonfiction. Kid Lit nurtures early readers through interactive, child-friendly experiences. Komiks celebrates the visual richness of Filipino comics and graphic storytelling.

To elevate the experience this year, the PBF also introduces five new activations. Lugar Lagdaan is the go-to spot for book signings, where readers can meet the people behind the stories they love. Bahay Ilustrador is where illustrators, comic artists, and graphic storytellers demonstrate how images can speak louder than words. Gubat ng Karunungan offers workshops, masterclasses, and learning sessions for curious minds of all ages. Fiesta Stage serves as the main stage—the heartbeat of PBF—where grand performances and panel discussions unfold. Umpukan is the chill zone for intimate talks and idea-sharing sessions where conversations flow freely.

All these efforts aim to ensure that the festival’s mission of creating a third space achieves its goals: to make reading a habit for every member of the family, to bring Filipino literature closer to the masses, and to help the local publishing industry thrive.

“The Philippine Book Festival is positioned not only as a literary event but also as a third place that connects key players in the publishing and education sectors,” Charisse said. “By convening publishers, institutional buyers, educators, and readers in a single venue, the festival supports broader efforts to improve access to quality Philippine books and sustain the local publishing industry.”

The 2026 Philippine Book Festival runs until March 15, 2026, at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

Davao City unwraps Furusato Davao Tourism Circuit

 

OLAN Emboscado, tour guide and researcher of the Davao City Tourism Operations Office’s Tourism Circuit Development Project, leads the Furusato Davao Tourism Circuit Familiarization Tour on Friday, March 13. (Photo via Ivy Tejano)

By Ivy Tejano

Published Mar 15, 2026 05:13 pm

DAVAO CITY – The city government of Davao is deepening its tourism offerings with the new Furusato Davao Tourism Circuit, giving stakeholders, locals, and visitors a closer look at the city's Japanese heritage and historical landmarks during the 89th Araw ng Dabaw celebration.

A familiarization tour on March 13 allowed tourism stakeholders, cultural advocates, and media practitioners to revisit Barangay Mintal, once known as "Little Tokyo," home to one of the largest Japanese communities in the Philippines before World War II.

Organized by the Davao City Tourism Operations Office, the tour showed the history of Davao's Japanese community, the impact of the war, and their lasting contributions to the city, making the site a tourist spot and an important cultural landmark.

According to Olan Emboscado, tour guide and researcher of the Tourism Circuit Development Project of the CTOO, Japanese migration to Davao City started in 1903, when American abaca planters brought workers from Japan.

Suda Ryosuke led the first group from Kagoshima Prefecture. "They came to the city in search of a better life," Emboscado said. "Japanese later worked as abaca farmers and managed plantations across the area."

History said that some of the Japanese married Filipinas and started families in the city, where they found opportunities that improved their lives compared to what they had in Japan. The Japanese community in Davao grew and prospered.

Many settlers became successful abaca farmers and plantation owners. One of them was Ohta Kyosaburo, who established an abaca plantation in Mintal and is often called the "Father of Abaca Development."

Before World War II, many Japanese settlers lived in the Mintal–Calinan–Toril area, where fertile land supported large abaca plantations. The circuit development project team is still studying the history of the settlers in the Calinan and Toril areas.

At its peak, Davao had about 20,000 Japanese migrants, the largest Japanese community in Southeast Asia at the time. The area had Japanese schools, offices, stores, hospitals, photo studios, and more. They become influential in the city.

The abaca became one of the world's most in-demand export products. The Japanese introduced a machine called hagutan, which helped strip abaca fibers faster and produce more for export, especially for ropes used by merchant and naval ships.

Davao City was later created, in part, to limit Japanese influence in the area. In 1937, the Municipality of Davao and the Municipal District of Guianga—where many Japanese plantations were located—were merged to form the city.

According to history, early city mayors were appointed rather than elected because the government feared that the large and influential Japanese community might gain control of local elections.

However, the community's prosperity ended during World War II. After Japan's defeat and the liberation of the Philippines, many Japanese immigrants were sent back to Japan, except for their Filipino spouses and children.

With strong anti-Japanese sentiment after the war, several families hid in remote areas. They tried to conceal their Japanese identity to avoid discrimination and possible persecution, leaving remnants of the past.

Relations between the Philippines and Japan later improved, especially after the 1962 visit of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to the Philippines. In 1968, 80 former Japanese immigrants returned to Davao for an emotional visit to the place they once called home.

Every August, groups of Japanese visitors travel to Davao City and visit the Mintal Public Cemetery to pay respects to their ancestors. Mintal, a barangay near Calinan, was once home to a large Japanese community and was often called Little Tokyo.

In 1980, second-generation Japanese descendants, known as Nikkei Jin, formed the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai Inc. The organization aims to restore the identity and history of Japanese descendants in the Philippines who were affected by the war.

One of its strong supporters is Uchida Tatsuo, a Davao-born Japanese businessman who later found success in Japan. In 1994, he helped establish the Imin Museum inside the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai School in Calinan District.

The museum was renovated in 2019 through funding from the Japanese government's cultural assistance program, along with support from PNJK and the Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School.

The tour also highlighted the former Santa Ana Port on Ramon Magsaysay Ave., Davao City Hall on San Pedro St., originally built in 1926, which, along with the Kyosaburo Monument in Mintal, celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Emboscado said the three landmarks, which bear historical markers installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), are recognized for their significance in Davao City's history.

"These sites remind the people of Davao and visitors, as well, of the people, events, and partnerships that shaped modern Davao," Emboscado said, also acknowledging Ohta Development Co.'s contribution to the city's early development.

Grace Plata, tourism relations specialist of the CTOO and focal person for the Tourism Circuit Development Project, said this familiarization tour is the first of three they are conducting for the newly launched tourism circuits in the city.

"It allows our partners, stakeholders, and visitors to experience the routes while we further enhance storytelling based on fact research and visitor experience," Plata said, adding that CTOO continues to refine such experience through ongoing research.

Plata said the upcoming circuits will feature other historical chapters, including the Furukawa and Toril communities, with key sites such as the Memorial to Datu Bangcas in Alambre, Toril, honoring one of the area's early local leaders.

The launch of Furusato Davao is part of the city government's broader effort to diversify tourism experiences, strengthen Davao City's position as a key destination in Mindanao, and honor its rich multicultural history.

Classes suspended

 

Classes suspended in 5 Negros Occidental LGUs as Kanlaon erupts

KANLAON Volcano erupts on Sunday, March 15. (Sam Pantalita FB)

Classes in La Castellana, Binalbagan, Isabela, Hinigaran, and Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental were suspended on Monday, March 16, following the moderately explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Sunday, March 15. Read more

Over 300 Filipinos repatriated from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain

 

Over 300 Filipinos repatriated from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain; remains of OFW killed in missile attack brought home

THE second batch of Filipino voluntary repatriates arrives at NAIA on Sunday, March 15, 2026. (Photo courtesy of DMW)

A total of 343 Filipinos, mostly overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), landed safely at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sunday morning, March 15, after they were repatriated from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by the national government amid the continuing tensions in the Middle East. Read more

The remains of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Mary Ann De Vera, who died in a missile attack in Israel, arrived in Manila early morning on Saturday, March 14, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Read more

How does one self-improve?

When you're running on empty, so is everyone around you

By Dr. Kaycee Reyes

Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of continuous small improvement, became less of a business concept and more of a personal permission slip.

Let me be honest with you: I didn’t fully understand self-regulation until I sat in Teacher Ana Quijano’s self-regulation workshop and experienced Kaizen in Leadership Excellence Achievement Program (LEAP) innov8 this weekend.

I thought I did. I’m a physician. I know the science. But knowing something in your head and actually living it are two very different thing—and Teacher Ana and LEAP have a way of making that gap impossible to ignore. I attended her workshop on self-regulation and co-regulation for parents and teachers as part of my personal goal for LEAP, the leadership program I’m doing with innov8. I went in thinking I’d pick up a few frameworks. I came out rethinking how I show up at home, at work, in every room I walk into.

And then the LEAP Second Intensive happened.

One of the most memorable shifts for me during that experience was learning to kaizen that s**t, to take the messy, uncomfortable, imperfect parts of how I operate and, instead of judging them, just improve them by changing my mindset. One percent at a time. Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of continuous small improvement, became less of a business concept and more of a personal permission slip. You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. You just have to be willing to look at it honestly and move, even just slightly, in a better direction. That experiential program cracked something open in me. The mindset shift wasn’t dramatic. It was quiet, and it was real.

Which brings me back to what Teacher Ana taught us: We cannot give what we don’t have.

In medicine, we talk about homeostasis, the body’s ability to return to balance. Self-regulation is essentially that, but for your whole self. It’s your capacity to manage three states simultaneously: physical, emotional, and mental. Not one. Not two. All three. And when any one of those is running on fumes, the others collapse too. Your teenager says the wrong thing at dinner, and suddenly it’s World War III. But was it really about the teenager? Or were you already depleted from a full day of decisions, emails, and just… holding it together?

This is where triggers come in. A trigger isn’t just what made you snap. It’s the thing that cracked open something deeper: exhaustion, an old wound, a fear you haven’t named yet. The parent who loses it over a messy room might actually be drowning in guilt for not being around enough. The executive who can’t stop snapping at her kids after work isn’t really angry at her kids, she gave everything to the office and had nothing left when she walked through the door.

The brain, brilliantly and inconveniently, cannot tell the difference between a real threat and an imagined one. A worry spiraling at 2 a.m. feels as physiologically real as an actual crisis. That’s not weakness, that’s neuroscience. Which means we have to stop being so hard on ourselves when we get deregulated. The question isn’t why am I like this, the real question is what’s underneath this?

Co-regulation reframed everything for me. Young children don’t come into the world knowing how to self-regulate. They learn it through us. Their nervous systems are literally reading ours. When you are calm and grounded, they feel it. When you are anxious and unraveling, they absorb that, too, not because you said anything, but because the body broadcasts before the mouth does.

This is why the most important parenting intervention isn’t a new technique for the child, it’s working on yourself first. A deregulated adult cannot regulate a child. Full stop.

What does that look like practically? It starts with attunement, becoming aware of what is happening inside you, without judgment. Not that I’m a terrible person for feeling this way, but simply: I notice my chest is tight. I notice I’m already at a six out of 10 before anyone has said a word to me. That pause between the trigger and the reaction is where everything changes.

For parents especially, the shift I find most healing—and one Teacher Ana kept coming back to—is moving from what’s wrong with my child? What’s hard for my child right now? Because children don’t misbehave to give us a hard time. They misbehave because they’re having a hard time, and they don’t yet have the skills to tell us differently.

Neither do we, sometimes. And that’s okay. That’s the kaizen. That’s the work.

So here’s a small invitation this week: sit down with your coffee and write out your triggers. Not to analyze them to death, but to bring them into the light. What really sets you off? What might be underneath it?

You deserve to understand yourself that well. And the people who love you, especially the small ones, deserve the version of you that does.

Enjoying a Filipino Sunday

 

By Sonny Coloma

Published Mar 15, 2026 12:05 am | Updated Mar 14, 2026 03:59 pm

ENDEAVOR

In a world that seems perpetually on fast-forward, Sunday remains our quiet invitation to slow down. For many Filipinos, it is still the one day of the week when life regains its proper rhythm—less hurried and harassed, more human and humane.

Growing up, Sunday had its own unmistakable cadence. The morning’s main feature was hearing Mass. Mama and her Catholic Women’s League (CWL) friends wore their navy blue uniforms on first Sundays. I became a sacristan, or altar boy, and we would hang out at a room at the foot of the belfry while waiting for the start of the Mass. This was in the sixties, at the San Ildefonso church, along Arnaiz Street, past the South Superhighway toward the Makati-Pasay boundary.

By the time, I got to college, a new Don Bosco Parish had been formed; our school chapel was transformed into a parish church where a metal-and-wood crucifix designed by National Artist Eduardo Castrillo rivets the faithful’s attention to the altar.

Sunday Mass is never just a religious obligation; it is a social ritual as well. Familiar faces appeared week after week: neighbors, relatives, old classmates, and occasionally someone visiting from afar. A simple exchange of smiles or pleasantries—“Kumusta kayo?”—strengthens the quiet bonds that hold communities together.

Filipino Sunday begins with gratitude. Mass offers a moment of reflection amid the noise of everyday life. The family gathering that follows nourishes the heart.

In many homes, Sunday lunch is an event unto itself. The dining table becomes the stage for laughter, storytelling, and the occasional friendly debate. The menu may vary from household to household: perhaps adobo simmered to perfection, sinigang with its comforting sourness, or a platter of freshly grilled fish. But the essence is always the same: shared food, shared stories, shared time.

Family reunions also make Sundays extra special. Cousins arrive with children in tow. Grandparents preside like gentle monarchs over the proceedings. Pot-luck creates excitement over possibly novel entrees or desserts.

The conversations flow easily. One uncle recounts a humorous episode from his working days. A cousin shares news about a new job. The younger generation compares notes about school or the latest digital trends, sometimes to the amused bewilderment of their elders. Toddlers and young kids run around tirelessly while yayas try to keep apace. Their laughter fills the air, reminding everyone that family life is ultimately about continuity—the passing of stories, traditions, and values from one generation to the next.

Of course, no Filipino Sunday would be complete without a bit of leisure. After the hearty meal, some retreat to comfortable chairs for an afternoon nap—our beloved siesta. Others gather in the sala for coffee and light conversation. The more energetic members of the clan might head outdoors for a walk, a game of basketball, or perhaps a leisurely round of golf.

Even the simple act of reading the Sunday newspaper could be part of the ritual. One could spend an hour or two browsing the opinion pages, lifestyle features, and human-interest stories, pausing occasionally to share an amusing headline with those nearby. Yet, this is a fading scene. In our quieter past, the printed page invited reflection. Today, rapid scrolling of gadget screens has become the norm.

To be sure, modern life has altered some of these traditions. Traffic, work schedules, and the ever-present smartphone sometimes intrude upon our weekends. Yet the spirit of the Filipino Sunday endures.

The weekly pause allows families to reconnect, to exchange stories, and to remember that life’s most meaningful moments often occur not in grand ceremonies but in ordinary gatherings around a familiar table.

Perhaps that is why Sundays remain so special. They remind us that amid the turbulence of world affairs and the noise of daily concerns, there is still a place where time slows down—a place filled with prayer, laughter, and the comforting presence of those we hold dear.

And if we are fortunate enough to spend such a day with family, good food, and grateful hearts, then we continually rediscover and rekindle the true joy of a Filipino Sunday.

Comments may be sent to sonnycoloma@gmail.com

Here are the winners of the 43rd National Book Awards

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Published Mar 13, 2026 10:07 am

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) and the Filipino Critics Circle (FCC) proudly announce the 30 winning titles in the 43rd Annual National Book Awards (NBA), recognizing this cycle’s most outstanding locally published books across diverse genres and languages.

Of 385 titles submitted across 30 categories, written in Filipino, English, Hiligaynon, and Kinaray-a, 139 were selected as finalists. The final 30 winners represent the best-written and best-designed titles in their respective genres, spanning fiction and non-fiction categories including poetry, graphic novels and comics, translation, science, philosophy, history, humor, sports and lifestyle, spirituality and theology, art, food, design, journalism, and business.

The 43rd NBA winners are the following:

Literary Division

Best Novel in English - “Isabela” by Kaisa Aquino; Ateneo de Manila University Press

Best Novel in Filipino - “Antimarcos” by Khavn; Ateneo de Manila University Press

National Artist Cirilo F. Bautista Prize for Best Book of Short Fiction in English - “Sojourner, Settler, Seer” by Charlson Ong; Milflores Publishing, Inc.

Gerardo P. Cabochan Prize for Best Book of Short Fiction in Filipino - Tatlong Proposisyon ng Puting Hangin” by Luna Sicat Cleto; Isang Balangay Media Productions

Pablo A. Tan Prize for Best Book of Nonfiction Prose in English - “Weaving Basey: A Poet's History of Home” by Dinah Roma; Katig Writers Network Inc.

Best Book of Nonfiction Prose in Filipino - “Tokhang at Iba Pang Nanlabang Sanaysay” by Vim Nadera; The University of the Philippines Press

Best Anthology in English - “Mapping New Stars: A Sourcebook on Philippine Speculative Fiction” edited by Gabriela Lee, Anna Felicia Sanchez, and Sydney Paige Guerrero; The University of the Philippines Press

Best Anthology in Filipino - “Ragasa: Apat na Dekada ng Pagsulong ng mga Kuwentistang Katha” edited by Rolando B. Tolentino, Romulo P. Baquiran Jr., Honorio Bartolome de Dios, and Francine Y. Medina; The University of the Philippines Press

Best Book of Literary Criticism or Cultural Studies - “Ang Bayang Panitikan: Ang Pagtatanghal ng Kabanalan sa Pakil, Laguna” by Jerry C. Respeto; Ateneo de Manila University Press

Best Book of Literary History - “Collected Essays I: Philippine Theater History and Genres” by Nicanor G. Tiongson; Ateneo de Manila University Press

Best Book on Media Studies - “Disconnected Media and Other Essays” by Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr.; De La Salle University Publishing House

Philippine Literary Arts Council Prize for Best Book of Poetry in English - “With Decade” by Austere Rex Gamao; Grana-PH Book Publishing

Victorio C. Valledor Prize for Best Book of Poetry in Filipino - “Landas sa Ilang” by Ronald Araña Atilano; Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA), Inc.

Best Graphic Novel and Comics in English - “Lucia Dreaming” by Lucia Asul; Adarna House

Best Graphic Novel and Comics in Filipino - “Elipsis” by Ran Manansala and illustrated by Jose T. Gamboa; Istorya Studios, Inc.

Best Translated Book - “Doña Perfecta” by Benito Pérez Galdós and translated by Wystan dela Peña; Ateneo de Manila University Press

Best Book on Drama and Film - “Natal/National: Three Plays by Guelan Varela-Luarca” by Guelan Varela-Luarca; Milflores Publishing, Inc.

Best Book of Poetry in Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a - “Humadapnon (Ginlawan) Sugidanon (Epics) of Panay Book 8, Volume 4” by researchers Alicia P. Magos and Anna Razel Limoso Ramirez, translation by Alicia Magos and team, and chanter: Federico “Tuohan” Caballero; The University of the Philippines Press

Non-Literary Division

Alfonso T. Ongpin Prize for Best Book on Art - “Haegue Yang: The Cone of Concern” by Magdalen Chua, Joselina Cruz, Esther Lu, Leilani Lynch, Daisy Nam, Padmapani Perez, Haegue Yang, and June Yap; De La Salle-College Of Saint Benilde Inc.

Elfren S. Cruz Prize for Best Book in the Social Sciences - “More Mindanawon Than We Admit: History, Culture, and Identity in the Philippine South” by Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz; Vibal Foundation

Best Book in Philosophy - “Towards a Mindanawon/Lumad Philosophy: The Filipino Philosophy of Brother Karl Gaspar, CSsR.” by Jerry D. Imbong; Aletheia Printing and Publishing House

John C. Kaw Prize for Best Book on History - “Typhoons: Climate, Society, and History in the Philippines” by James Francis Warren; Ateneo de Manila University Press

Best Book on Humor, Sports, and Lifestyle - “The Call to Lead: Ignatian Wisdom and The Journey of Leading” by Jake de Guzman; Ateneo de Manila University Press

Best Book on Business - “Covering Nanay: The Philippine Microinsurance Journey” by Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip, Lorenzo O. Chan Jr., and Pia Benitez Yupangco; The Bookmark, Inc.

Best Book on Food - “Secret Kitchens of Samar (Volumes 1 to 5)” by Clang Garcia; Province of Samar

Best Book in Science - “Birds of Subic Bay” by Vinz Pascua; Birds in Focus, Inc.

Best Book in Spirituality and Theology - “Discipleship For Today's Filipino: Ang Calling Ng Christian Para Sa Bayan” by Rico Villanueva and Jayeel Cornelio; OMF Literature Incorporated

Best Book on Professions - “The Road To Peace: Crafting the Bangsamoro Organic Law” by Juan Miguel F. Zubiri; Juan Miguel F. Zubiri

Hilarion and Esther Vibal Prize for Best Book in Journalism - “Carabeef Lengua” by Jose F. Lacaba; The University of the Philippines Press

Design

Best Book Design - “Matayog na Puno: The Life And Art Of Hugo C. Yonzon, Jr., Designer: Paula Yonzon; Yonzon Associates, Inc.

Co-administered by the NBDB and the FCC, the National Book Awards recognizes outstanding print titles for their literary merit, design excellence, and contributions to Philippine literature and scholarship. The awards celebrate works that enrich literacy across the country, particularly among young Filipinos.

The awarding ceremony will be held on March 14, 2026, at the Philippine Book Festival, Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

For more information, visit books.gov.ph or contact awards@books.gov.ph.

Why is the Philippines successful with gender equality?

Erwin

 · 

Here’s the thing about the Philippines. We don’t actually have Gender Equality. Men and women are definitely treated differently in society. This is hardly even debatable. It’s clear as day to see.

But what we do have is a society that doesn’t make a big deal out of it like many Western countries (in particular the United States) do. You see, in the Philippines people realize that men and women are different, women are to be valued and treated with respect, and men are there to protect and provide for women and their families. This is the traditional view of Philippine culture, and everyone realizes that this is a smart, intelligent, logical, and fair point of view to take.

While some of this is starting to change and there are some radical feminists creeping onto my Facebook feed thanks to being “infected” by the feminist nonsense that the younger generation is picking up from Western culture, by and large most Filipinos still have this reasonable, traditional outlook on balance between genders.

Most Filipinos generally don’t make a big stink out of feminism, and thank God we don’t, but still have a core gender view in our culture that is for the most part compatible with liberal gender equality ideas — meaning that most Filipinos are perfectly fine with women working, doing well in the work place, but recognizing that they are different from men and should be protected, afforded protection, and things like that.

You could say that the reason for this is because the Philippines is generally a conservative society — meaning that we honor the traditional view of things. It’s important to note that even in Western societies where there is now a terrible slant of gender inequality thanks to crazy radical feminists and liberals, these societies used to have similar ideas of chivalry and protecting women. But Western societies tend to be more liberal than Asian societies, and the results are pretty clear: you have mass hysteria and crazy feminists who think all white men are guilty. It’s this crazy ultra-liberal outlook that throws away the mores and culture that brought us to this point in civilization through the past several centuries that is causing this crazy gender wars issue.

The Philippines for the most part has managed to retain that traditional outlook that preserves the order of society, but managed to also realize many of the liberal values that allowed women to have suffrage, voting rights, and be career women without stifling women for the most part. And why is that?

In my view, the real reason Filipino women are afforded such “equality” in Philippine society can probably be traced to pre-colonial times. i.e. - the time before Spaniards conquered the Philippines.

Back in pre-colonial times, in other words the original culture of Filipinos, women were given such a big, important role in society. We never lost this trait. Before the Spaniards came, Filipinos lived in a mostly agricultural society with very little concern for building structures, gaining prestige, and other excessively prideful things. It was a simple life organized into social units known as barangays, and women in this age were given a lot of importance, and were capable of holding leadership positions.

Women could be healers (known as babaylan), priestesses, even warriors and leaders. A daughter of the Datu (the equivalent of a King or village chief) would be the heiress of the tribe, unlike in European society where a woman was just something to be wedded off to make alliances and not seen as the rightful heir to the throne. Women in pre-colonial times could inherit property, and were usually skilled as well, able to do weaving, pottery, jewelry and other things, and these were valued skills in society. In addition, it’s said in the Philippines that while a man may be the ruler, the woman is the governor. This was certainly the case in pre-colonial times, and is still the case today: a man cannot spend money on a big transaction without the wife’s approval. Women control the finances in a household, even to this day. I have many friends who hand over their entire paychecks to their wives each kinsenyas.

You could go so far as to say that Western society and culture tried to poison this beautiful culture of the original Filipinos, but thankfully it didn’t completely take root to stamp it out.

Even after Spanish culture (and American culture) took root, Filipinos still dote way too much on our women. We grow up loving our moms. We love women. There’s even a term in the Philippines called under de saya” which literally means “under the skirt,” and the closest translation would be “hen-pecked.” Men who are “under de saya” are often ridiculed but they’re pretty common, it’s because Filipino women are strong and many can easily assert their dominance over men. It has always been this way, it seems, as I noted in the pre-colonial bit earlier.

This is further reinforced by how women in the Philippines really just tend to do better than men in many things, from grades and studies back in school, to finding jobs and getting promotions. It’s pretty easy for Filipino men to just sit back and admire the Filipina, because she really is worth fighting for and fawning after.

Some say that women still have a glass ceiling in the Philippines, but this isn’t true in my experience. When I used to work for General Electric here in the Philippines most of our middle managers and leadership band executives were women. Out of 4 executive posts one was a man and three were women. Among the middle managers only two were men (and they were both gay) and the other five were women. Glass ceiling shattered.

So while I’d say that gender equality isn’t really a thing (I don’t believe in Gender Equality), Filipinos have a culture that respects and gives importance to women, recognizes that they are different but worthy of respect and reverence. This is better than an artificial notion of gender equality where men and women are the same and to be treated exactly the same.

I don’t want to see my mother or my wife have only one week of maternity leave, I don’t want her lifting the heavy weights at home (I’ll do it for her gratefully), and other things. That’s our role as men. Women have their own role, and that’s how it should be.