Psyche Roxas Mendoza

A hundred years from now, on 30 November 2125, how would Filipinos view our current set of political leaders? Will they see them as heroes or villains? If this year’s filmmakers are any gauge, the resulting perception may be a toss-up between infamy and the far-fetched possibility that perhaps, one of them did not exist at all. Over the last decade, Philippine cinema has become a stage for shining a light on the lives of five long-recognized great men in our nation’s troubled history.

On Christmas eve, Luisito Mendoza, a Lalamove delivery man from Valenzuela, boarded his motorcycle to deliver a pata (braised pork) dish in Quezon City. It was already 11 pm, close to Christmas, but Luisito did not mind. He was going to make one last delivery so he and his son could have some money for their noche buena. As Luisito stood by the house, the man who took the dish gave him a P500 bill. He was told that the amount paid for the P350 delivery charge, with P50 as tip.

Three accomplished women writers blazed as top winners of the recently concluded Nick Joaquin Literary Awards (NJLA) 2024, held on May 7 at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier in Taguig City.