Selflessness and Pizza

Selflessness and Pizza

My Kuya, the Selfless Sibling “Kuya, can I trade with you? Two of my garlic and cheese pizza slices, for one slice of yours.” I watched as my older brother, Paolo, scratched his head and looked wistfully at his beloved slice. It was full of meat, onions, ham, and...
The Princess & the Mud

The Princess & the Mud

“You’re so weird!” My classmate blurted at me. Her friend shushed her. “You’re so mean.”  The words didn’t stop my classmate from giggling. I stood before them with a plastic smile on my face. Play it cool, I told myself. My steps shuffled away from their snickers and...
Lifting the Gates of Samar

Lifting the Gates of Samar

The WhatMag-One Voice Magazine trip to Samar was a blessing on so many levels. First, it was the first outreach since One Voice stopped operations two years ago. Second, the outreach was held in a province rich with historical significance for the Philippines. Third,...

The Soldiers’ Tale

I will never complain about a bad day at work ever in my life again. At least not until I join the army. To compare your worst day at work with their worst day at work is just unbelievable. Everyone has bad days, but if you happen to be part of the Armed Forces of the...

Mentored in the Anthurium Garden

I was five. I was painting with a man in the middle of an anthurium garden. Birds were chirping while the sun drew circles of light on our skin as it peered through the leaves of the tree we were under. We sat on pots and started sketching. That moment was imprinted...