Historia

The Pio Andrade Jr. project

The other day, I was reminded of the late Pio Andrade Jr. when I read an article by the Philippine Information Agency that mentioned both of us. My friendship with Andrade began after I attended a seminar of his many years ago. He asked if I was a student from La Salle. “I think you […]

Continue Reading...

Historia

Sampaguitas in the Andes now in Kindle Amazon

I recently released Elizabeth Medina’s “Sampaguitas in the Andes” on Kindle. I requested the author to publish it on Amazon’s platform because I felt it deserves to reach more Filipinos worldwide. The original Spanish version, “Sampaguitas en la cordillera” was released in Chile in 2006. She later translated it into English. So, I had my work cut […]

Continue Reading...

Historia | Personal

On remembering

After my father passed away last year, I’ve been consumed by the question, “do we survive death”? Growing up Catholic, I understand my religion’s conception of the afterlife. But there’s something about losing a person close to you that triggers questions about what you previously thought you comprehend. Maybe it’s human nature to not want […]

Continue Reading...

Historia | Japan | Manila

Ernie de Pedro’s Takayama Ukon Research

Two weeks ago I received an email from Dr. Ernie de Pedro. Turns out that he has been conducting research for years on the recently beatified Takayama. I was elated to know that he created a website with his son dedicated to the Christian samurai lord. For those not familiar with Dr. Ernie de Pedro, […]

Continue Reading...

Historia

an email exchange, topic: a hispanized philippines

Below is an email exchange between Elizabeth Medina and a group of expat ‘mestizos’. Medina is a Filipina writer-historian living in Chile. She wrote the classic “Rizal According to Retana: Portrait of a Hero and a Revolution” in 1999. I’ve been been corresponding with tía isabel for some years now. Through this correspondence I learned a […]

Continue Reading...

Historia

“Not Just Another Rizaliana”

Today I went to Las Pinas to retrieve a package sent by Sra. Elizabeth Medina from Chile that I was expecting for weeks. Why it ended up in Las Pinas’ post office is something no one can seem to explain. Anyway… I can’t thank Sra. Medina enough, she has always been supportive and kind to […]

Continue Reading...