My story has always been one of contrasts. I’m obsessed with oxymorons, the concept where apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. My time in the Philippines has been an oxymoron in itself...

I’m about to write about economic inequality in the Philippines while sipping on third-wave coffee in a boutique cafe. Is something wrong with this picture? I’ve only lived in the Philippines for a...

There has been lots of buzz these days about inclusive growth and wealth redistribution. So much so that even a humble intern like myself feels the need to grapple with such big issues. It’s come up...

How do I describe the textures of Manila? Standing at a busy street corner with rumbling jeepneys and pressing crowds around me, I try to pin down the unfamiliar energies of the city. Anyone who has encountered...

Home is not what it used to be. This year, I made a new home on the Hilltop, came back to my childhood one and will soon fly to my homeland, the Philippines. Be it a dorm with friends, a town with family,...

When I think of who I am, my first instinct is to define myself using personality traits rather than by ethnicity. I often wonder why many multicultural people intuitively do the opposite. Have I dishonored...