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Bittersweet tales in Marivir Montebon’s book on human trafficking
By Pol Tiongson For every enslaved or trafficked immigrant that Marivir Montebon has painstakingly given a permanent voice in her book, “In the Belly of the Beast,” there are probably a hundred equally tragic secrets taken to the graves. Immigrants’ laments are at times only talked about behind closed doors or even denied by the […]
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Inadequately Asian
By Tricia J. Capistrano Although we’re full Filipino, when I was growing up in Manila, my family was often invited by a Chinese Filipino family for a celebratory lauriat. My grandfather worked for Mr. Yao Shiong Shio, a successful Chinese Filipino businessman. And during Mr. and Mrs. Yao’s birthdays, they generously invited my grandparents, my […]
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Light and darkness as depicted in Jim Pascual Agustin’s ‘Wings of Smoke’
By Marius Carlos, Jr. The most striking aspect of Jim Pascual Agustin’s new book of poetry, “Wings of Smoke,” is its natural flair for vivid contrasts, with each line retaining its power as each poem rears and strikes repeatedly, until the final set of images are unleashed. stretching the fabric stretching the fabric is a […]
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How WWII hero Josefina Guerrero struggled with deportation
By Cristina DC Pastor She was known by several names not because she had to hide behind several layers of identity as a spy. Her life just spun that way. She was born Josefina Veluya in Lucban, Quezon in 1917, got married at age 16 and became Josefina Guerrero. As a spy for the U.S. […]
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Sari-Sari Storybooks publisher Christina Newhard creates books using Philippine regional languages
By Cristina DC Pastor Melo, a shy boy from a tiny village in Batanes, goes fishing with his uncle. A flying fish pulls him to a magical city at the bottom of the ocean. There, the sea creatures are always busy and have no time to talk to him. Suddenly, there is a loud explosion. […]
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Latest juvenile fiction from author Heidy Ramos
Bridgeport, N.Y. author Heidy Ramos announces the nationwide release of her new children’s book, “Whale Whale Go Away,” where she brings kids along on an adventure that teaches them about kindness and friendship. “Whale Whale Go Away” is a story of two cousins whose adventure on the beach turns into a rescue. They are both […]
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My sister Myrna
By Luis H. Francia In my mind’s eye, I can see my ‘ate,’ or older sister Myrna here, possibly as a ‘babaylan,’ part of a religious community more solidly rooted in folk beliefs than the Catholic Church and more empowering of her as a woman. I remember attending her 25th anniversary celebration as a nun […]
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Mia Alvar wins $25K PEN/Bingham Prize for debut story collection ‘In the Country’
PEN America named Mia Alvar winner of the 2016 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction on April 11 at a ceremony in New York for her short story collection “In the Country.” Published by Alfred A. Knopf, “In the Country” comprises nine stories giving voice to the Filipino diaspora as its characters reflect on […]
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5 hard lessons for comic book creators: ‘Comic Cons can be a drain on the wallet’
By Ramon Gil They say we are in a Golden Age for comic books. With all the movies and strides in technology and diversity within the industry, I believe that’s true. It’s also true for a select few creators who are getting their just rewards and recognition from fans and peers. But for the vast […]