Filipino laborers escaped from the galleons where they had been conscripted to work as crew. Known as the “Manila men,” …
The Pull of Migration: Why There Are so Many Filipino Nurses in the US
Just how many Filipino nurses are there in the US? There are an estimated 143, 600 Filipino registered nurses in …
Gabriela Silang: Ilocana Heroine
What we call “history” is the carefully constructed story of a people or nation through the ages. Each name and …
Sumpit – A Traditional Filipino Weapon for Hunting and Having Fun
In today’s Filipino towns, you can still find people playing sumpit. Some locals even hold competitions involving sumpit. One game …
General Antonio Luna: Man of Action, Reluctant Revolutionary, Fallen Hero
Antonio Luna was born to an ilustrado family from La Union but their family moved to Binondo sometime in 1861 …
Kapre: The Tree Giant
If there could be one benevolent creature that I know of, it would be the kapre. I was first made …
The Manananggal
I grew up in a village teeming with folklore. Quiet nights, an overabundance of tall, wild grass, and gigantic trees …
5 Most Haunted Places in the Philippines
Fort Santiago, Intramuros Our first stop is at the heart of Manila. Fort Santiago, Intramuros, has been around since the …
Apolinario Mabini—who is he and why is he a hero?
Most people in the Philippines, despite the fact that they took Philippine history classes since their grade school days would …
Tikbalang: Bipedal Horse Creature of Philippine Folklore
Imagine a centaur. Now flip the image around: the human torso becoming a horse’s brown coat, the skull stretching out …
Melchora Aquino: Mother of the Revolution
In discussing the heroism of Melchora Aquino, we have to reflect on what acts a person must do for their …
Spin Back to the 80s – Spinning a Turumpo
If you grew up in the 80s, you are probably familiar with turumpo. Trumpo or turumpo is a game that …