As the 500th anniversary of the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines approaches, a dispute over where exactly it was held rumbles on. Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado said the province has been preparing Limasawa Island for an influx of pilgrims to mark the event in 2021. The island’s road network has been upgraded, a… Full Story »
History
How Indian slave girl’s fight for freedom ended with murder in old Manila
In 1635, María, a slave woman from the Indian sub-continent living in the Spanish-controlled Philippine Islands, enters the historical record. We know that women as well as men were involved in forced movements like María’s around the region but historical documentation about their lives is rarely available. María was owned by an artilleryman named Francisco… Full Story »
Bangsamoro Organic Law: The path to Muslim majority autonomous region
In less than two weeks from now, the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) will come to fruition after more than a decade of set-backs and progress. Here are some of the major milestones on the path to the new autonomous Muslim majority region: 2008 July During the term of president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the government and the… Full Story »
New Year’s Eve in the Philippines, a unique blend of East and West
New Year’s Eve in the Philippines is a time when the country’s unique blend of Eastern and Western influences is absolutely unmistakable. Traditions and beliefs from Spain and China combine with homegrown practices to create an event that’s distinct from anywhere else in the world. Here are a dozen uniquely Filipino features of New Year’s… Full Story »
Simbang Gabi – early-morning masses at the heart of a Philippine Christmas
Attending Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo (dawn mass) for nine days is one of the most distinctive traditions of Christmas in the Philippines. From December 16 to 24, Filipinos from all walks of life make an effort to wake up every dawn to attend the novena masses which start as early as 4am. However,… Full Story »
