Isports ATBP.

SASKATOON—My father died in February 2018, more than a month after our last vacation in the Philippines where we get to spend Christmas and New Year with our family and friends. I have no idea that would be the last time we would see Tatay alive, the last time he would see my family and spend time with two (Macky and Nathan) of his more than 10 grandchildren, and the last time I would speak to him in person and my last time to mano before heading to the airport the early morning of Jan. 9, 2018. He died while we were back on Saipan, thousands of kilometres away east of the Philippines; while I was busy covering House and Senate sessions at the CNMI Legislature or busy hounding the governor about a local or federal issue, and while I was working on an island surrounded by the ocean in the Western Pacific. I haven't mentioned this to anyone—and I'm not sure if Nanay or my sister who was then taking care of him remembers this—but I got furious at him when we talked on the ph

SASKATOON—Black, brown, red, white, and yellow. These were the colours describing the skin tones of all human beings. Science, particularly the branch of biology and genetics, states that all modern humans share a common ancestor. Whether you believe that or not, is up to you. So, if we share a common ancestor, why are there still people who judge a person based on the colour—how light, fair, or dark—of their skin? Why do some people think that their skin colour or race is far superior to those who are different and don’t share their qualities? It has been like this for thousands of years. Comb through history and you will come across hundreds of stories where people judge others for being different. Indigenous Peoples were called savages by European settlers since they dress differently and do not conform to the social norms that western society had. A few other examples are how people from Africa were made slaves and how the Jews were treated during the reign of the Third Reich

SASKATOON—Festivals and other outdoor events are back in Saskatchewan after the provincial government rescinded the health restrictions that were put in place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. And last August 7 and 8, the inaugural Filipino Music and Food Street Festival was held in downtown Saskatoon where the local Filipino community came out and celebrated the weekend. Even non-Pinoys joined the festivities and can be seen falling in line with several food vendors to sample our local dish. Food items such as Lechon (roasted pig), pancit (noodles), grilled pork belly, crispy fried chicken skin, Filipino-style dumplings, lumpia (spring rolls), taho (soy milk with caramelized sugar), and banana cue (sweetened fried bananas) were some of those sold. There were also booths to entertain the kids with balloon animal-making and face painting while a Filipino dance group under the Filipino-Canadian Association of Saskatchewan performed Philippine folk dances and another group s

Living and working here in Canada, particularly in the city of Saskatoon in the province of Saskatchewan, I can’t help but compare how local officials run the government here to the Philippines. I know that Canada is a first-world country and it is like comparing apples to dalanghitas (citrus oranges) but hear me out before calling my head to be chopped off. The first thing I noticed is how the taxes that you are paying are spent wisely where even a foreign worker like me can enjoy its benefits. I’m still using an open work permit here, still a foreign worker, while we’re waiting for our papers for permanent residency status. However, being a foreign worker did not prevent me from receiving benefits that were also available to legal residents and Canadian citizens like free healthcare and employee insurance. After all, when I started working here, local and federal government taxes were deducted from my salary. I have a health card under the universal health-care system administer

(This was published in the Saipan Tribune) https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/a-new-challenge/ Last October 4 (2020) was my first day of being an assistant coach under Hollandia Soccer Club. I volunteered this season for a U13 team, Hollandia Tapia. Nathan, our son, plays for Hollandia Ajoboru, the other U13 team under HSC. They would play against each other in a club league since tournaments are still on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. The teams are named after the person coaching them. Nathan team’s head coach is Henry Ajoboru, while the squad where I am one of the assistants is handled by Hernan Tapia. Percy Hoff is the club director of coaching and player development and brings in more than three decades of technical and training expertise to HSC after guiding the University of Saskatchewan to two provincial titles and helping the Huskies gain a spot in the Nationals in Edmonton and Winnipeg in the ’90s. Coach Percy, who’s also a part of the training staff that prepared

(Wrote this piece for the Alberta Filipino Journal) https://issuu.com/alberta_filipino_journal/docs/alberta_filipino_journal_-_may_2021_issue My current employment here is no way near to what I have been doing in the media industry for the past 20 years. I am currently working, part-time, as a program leader with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Saskatoon while also as a substitute educational assistant under the city’s public school system. In both jobs, I deal with school kids from Mondays to Fridays, from 7am to 3:30pm. Being the responsible adult, in a way, could be the best job description for what I do with the BGCS where I come up with programs and other activities for the kids that go to the program. I get to supervise children during the before and after school programs. I get to play games with them—like grounders, everybody it, octopus, Jenga, Uno, Snakes & Ladders, etc.—or we do arts and crafts, and other activities that would challenge them and aid in their development. At

Coronavirus, COVID-19, social distancing, hand washing, sanitizers, and disinfectants became the basic words that we learned early this year. Every day, we’re bombarded by an alarming rate of the rising number of cases, deaths, and the great economic impact brought by this global pandemic. The information and other data presented to us are disturbing and scary. It makes you think of what would happen to us and what the future holds once this crisis is over. During this time of uncertainty, we can’t help it if we again question God. Why did this thing happen? Why is there so much death and suffering? Why is He not doing anything to eradicate this disease? Why does inequality remain? Am I going to get back to work? What will happen to my family? How are we going to survive after this? We must always be reminded that our Lord is in total control of everything. We should pause and reflect on our current situation during these trying times. Prayer and meditation would help lessen our doubts

(This piece was published by the Pacific Island Times) https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/pacific-islands-leaders-buck-japan-s-plan-to-dump-nuke-waste-into-pacific-ocean?fbclid=IwAR2MWmx5LaU2nB2c90R0Z3wpz7NvKwTlBy04k2KF2hbdjXEs7pW5sTRrN4c Ten years later, the specter of the infamous Fukushima disaster continues to haunt Japan and the rest of its neighbors, for that matter. Pacific island nations and neighboring countries howl in protest over Japan’s April announcement of its plans to dump 1.2 million tons of nuclear wastewater into the sea. This plan, according to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, was an “unavoidable and realistic option” that would help the recovery of the communities in Fukushima. The wastewater, which Japanese officials claim would be diluted first to reach safety levels, is from the Fukushima nuclear power plant that was severely damaged and became inoperable after a 9.0 magnitude quake jolted the region more than a decade ago. The earthquake trigger