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Hiroshima: 81 years later
By Wendell Gaa This month of August marks the 81st Anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan by American military forces which would ultimately lead to the end of the Second World War in 1945. It is the first of only two times in the history of humankind that nuclear power was unleashed by […]
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A descendant’s pride: How Jiji Shapiro keeps the legacy of Marcela Agoncillo alive
By Cristina DC Pastor “Look, they’re wearing clothes!” Jiji Shapiro’s young son nudged his brother as they were browsing the family album. Based on what her U.S.-born sons have read on the Internet, they had thought then that Filipinos lived on trees and wore nothing. On hearing the well-worn gossip, a shocked Ma. Jerona – […]
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Historical parallels: insurgencies, political dynasties, and corruption scandals Part 2
By Cesar Polvorosa Jr. Encomienda Legacy Spanish colonialism implanted deeply unequal class structures across both the Philippines and Latin America. Through systems resembling encomiendas or feudal arrangements, land, wealth, and political power became concentrated in the hands of narrow elites. Over generations, this produced entrenched political dynasties, oligarchic control, regional strongmen, and persistent inequality. Political […]
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Finding the Philippines in Mexico Part 1
By Cesar Polvorosa Jr. Standing on the sun-warmed shore of the Yucatán Peninsula during my son’s wedding, watching Caribbean waves roll gently onto the Mexican coast, I was struck by an unexpected sense of familiarity. It felt like the comforting embrace of home. The feeling went beyond the tropical sway of coconut palms and the […]
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‘Manila’s Finest:’ When history speaks the truth
By Cristina DC Pastor “Manila’s Finest” is not merely another police drama. It is a period film that recreates a turbulent chapter in Philippine history through oral research, personal memories, and lived experiences. Set in 1969 Manila, just before the declaration of Martial Law in 1972, the film follows Captain Homer Magtibay, portrayed by Piolo […]
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‘Making noise’ in the nation’s capital July 22 to 25
By Jonathan Melegrito Filipino American students and scholars, artists and healers, public officials and community leaders from across the United States are gathering this week in the nation’s capital for the 21st Biennial National Conference of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS). Framed by the theme “PiNoise on the Potomac: Monuments to Change,” the […]
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Remigio Cabacar, the last surviving WW II veteran: A life lived in courage, sacrifice, and the value of freedom
By Cristina DC Pastor For nearly a century, he was a witness to history–from the hardships of war to the blessings of peace, from raising a family to becoming a great-grandfather. Today, at 98 years old and approaching his 99th birthday, Remigio “Rey” Cabacar, the last surviving World War II Filipino-American veteran in the Washington, […]
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Lav Diaz casts Magellan as a ‘misguided, malignant Machiavellian’
By Allen Gaborro Much like his cinematic role model Lino Brocka, Filipino auteur Lav Diaz has made it an artistic and social mission of his to offer more sophisticated and politically-imperative screen fare. Diaz’s filmic constructions are renowned for their ability to break free of mainstream movie conventions as well as to demystify the withering […]
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Independence is not just a date on the calendar
By Ricky Rillera Every June 12, the Philippines raises its flag, sings its anthems, and commemorates the day in 1898 when General Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite. It was a bold proclamation—aspirational, defiant, and rooted in the belief that a people long denied dignity could finally claim their place among free […]