TORONTO – I was born in the city of Manila, Philippines, and have been a city dweller ever since. When I immigrated to Toronto in the early 70s, a relative offered me lodging in the suburbs, but I respectfully declined. At the time, I was juggling two jobs. Both were in the city. And I was not about to add an exhausting commute to the picture. What figured into my decision was the knowledge that living in a city, whether in the Philippines or any country for that matter, has more advantages than disadvantages. Work opportunities are within reach. So are churches, supermarkets and schools. On a serious note, if there is a medical emergency, you can be transported to a downtown hospital within minutes.
TORONTO – Pinaganak ako at lumaki sa gitna nang lunsod nang Maynila, Pilipinas. Noon lumipat ako dito sa Kanada, may kamaganak ako na nagyaya sa akin na doon ako manirahan sa kanila sa labas nang lunsod nang Toronto. Nag pasalamat ako at tinangihan dahil alam ko na mas madaling mamuhay sa lunsod. Ito’y maging sa Pilipinas o sa ibang lugar nang mundo. Maraming kabutihan naidudlot at kaginhawahan kaysa kahirapan. Sa suidad, ang lahat ay malapit katulad nang simbahan, huspital, tindahan, paaralan at sa iyong pinapasukan trabaho. Noon bago ako sa Kanada, dalawa ang aking pinapasukan trabaho na malapit lapit sa isa’t isa. Nakakapagog, pero kaya naman kasi bata pa ako noon.
TORONTO – Youth spread human rights awareness at Youth Day’s 17th Annual Festival at Yonge-Dundas Square promoting human rights education, more specifically, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
TORONTO – All years start off with a bang. The firecrackers, the confetti. We all look up at Times Square and wait for the ball to drop. And in 2020, indeed, the ball dropped on all of us. Barely a quarter into the year, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) dropped that word on us: “pandemic”. The world, as we knew it, had capsized. There go our big plans. And our even bigger dreams, now reduced to abstract concepts.
TORONTO – Taon 2020-2023, ang mundo ay parang naging tulad nang sasakyan na roler koster na bumalidtad. Lahat nang huspital, pahim-papawid, ekonomia, institusion at iba iba pa. Lumabas na walang bayan sa mundo nakahanda at alam kung papaano masugpo ang pandemia.