Beatriz Founder Shows Path to Success

Carissa Cruz-Evangelista was a public servant before she launched a successful business in Manila. As a fashion and jewelry designer, she works closely with local Philippine craftsmen, designers and artists to make beautiful accessories and bags. Her Beatriz label is classic, elegant, edgy and worn by fashion aficionados.

Her other business, Bella Trading and Services, is a local affiliate of FF International (FFI) Manufacturing Corp., an export garment factory that manufactures products for Natori, Victoria’s Secret and other global [...]Read More

Pinay Opens Up on Raising Multicultural Son

Cultural Identity has always fascinated me, particularly because I am a Filipina by birth, though raised by a white American family. As much as I have become Americanized, I have always strived to have a sense of cultural pride.

I was born in the Philippines and adopted at the age of five by my white American family. Even at this young age, it was obvious to me that not only was I a [...]Read More

Blog Count: (1) Meet Dutched Pinay Travels

At Pinay.com we are always fascinated by bloggers and what they have to say. We scour the world to look for interesting Pinays and Pinay-loving bloggers to feature. We want to be inspired and serve as the venue to inspire others.

This week starts our new blog series we call Blog Count. Our first in a series—it will come out twice a month—is a chat with Dutched Pinay Travels. We don’t really know her real name. Somehow [...]Read More

Movie Showcases Modern Pinay Traits

Empowering is how to describe the image of the modern Filipina after watching the most recent romance film, “Maybe This Time,” that opened in Philippine cinemas last May 28. The movie is a collaboration of Star Cinema and Viva Films and stars Coco Martin, Ruffa Gutierrez and Sarah Geronimo.  The two leading female characters are notable because they epitomize personalities of the Pinay today.

In the movie, girl meets boy one summer in the province. Romance ensues. Girl’s mother [...]Read More

Having a Bad Day? Watch What You Tweet

It could be anybody’s typical day.

Like someone woke up 30 minutes late for a very important appointment or somebody woke up with a stiff neck just before a big cheering competition.

Status: “Bad trip! This is definitely not my day and it sucks!”

It could be like anybody tripping coffee on your shirt or a high-heeled shoe stepping on your dainty little feet.

Status: “You Dumb! Where’s your brain???”

It’s like you’re [...]Read More

5 Pinay Stellar Novels You Need to Read

The Filipino novels Noli Me Tangere, Urbana at Feliza, America is in the Heart and Rolling the R’s  have been regarded as examples of the best Filipino/American literature. These works contain stories of political struggle, of kinship, of migration, and of Filipino/American community formation. However, they were all written by men. Although these stories moved and inspired me, I often wondered where all the Filipina writers were. Where are their stories? Their voices? Where are the novels written by [...]Read More

Life Lessons I Learned From Mountain Climbing

I first thought of mountain climbing as just a sport but veteran mountain climber Louwel Dejesica who introduced me to it has made me think otherwise. After my experience climbing mountains I see mountains now as wonderful playgrounds. Their silence gives me back my focus in life.

“It is a form of relaxation that helps you find the center of your life,” said Dejesica. “Whenever I am out with nature, it’s always refreshing. Nature has this calming [...]Read More

Philippines Independence Day, June 2014

Pinay.com celebrates the Philippines’ Independence Day or Araw ng Kalayaan (June 12) and Father’s Day (June 15) this month. Read our writers’ take on these two events. Lorial Crowder shares her perspective in Don’t Forget to Honor Our National Heroes and Jennifer Bichara talks about the sacrifices fathers make to care for their children in Oh Father! My Father! Bless Your Noble Soul.

The Day of Freedom is an annual national holiday and commemorates the Philippine Declaration of Independence from [...]Read More

Don’t Forget to Honor Our National Heroes

What does Philippine Independence Day really mean?

Independence Day or Araw ng Kalayaan (Day of Freedom) is a national holiday that is celebrated annually in the Philippines. It marks the country’s Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. The raising of the Philippine flag is a significant part of the celebration and is flown from May 28th through the 30th of the month of June as a patriotic gesture.

Filipinos around the world participate in the [...]Read More

Oh Father! My Father! Bless Your Noble Soul

Father’s Day is a celebration honoring all fathers, fatherhood, paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in every society. In the Philippines, Father’s Day is not an official holiday but it is widely observed on the 3rd Sunday of June, which falls on June 15 this year.

Our fathers are as we say, “Ang Ama ay haligi nang tahanan. Siya ay simbolo ng katatagan at katapangan.”  The saying means: He is the head of the household. He [...]Read More

In Dubai, I Met God in the Desert!

I find myself tracing my path to the plane that brought me somewhere I never wanted to be.

Six years ago I was working in a good company in the Philippines as an engineer, but for some reasons that were not a matter of life or death, my destiny brought me here to the Middle East.

I grew up with an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) father, which meant I only got to spend 30 days with [...]Read More

Pinays for Bingo!

The game that has a special place in our hearts

Photo courtesy of WiseMarketing and videokingnetwork.com.

Bingo, that globally renowned game of chance that involves marking off numbers on cards, has long had a place in Philippine history. The game was first brought into the archipelago by religious missionaries and their churches. Not long after, bingo became a regular attraction in fairs that were set up during town festivals.   Fast-forward to this decade, and the beloved amusement continues to be [...]Read More

When Passion Takes Flight Later in Life

Back in high school, I thought I was going to be a fashion designer. Every day I drew models and different outfits that I fancied in my head, putting together a collection that never made it to the runway. Many years later, my imagination kept running, this time sketching stories. I became a writer.

This happened over a decade after I completed my bachelor’s degree in computer science. Fashion, computers and then stories—there were other things in [...]Read More

Philippine Heritage Month, May 2014

Pinay.com shares this month’s celebration of our heritage. Let us get to know ourselves, who we are, where we come from and why we sparkle and shine. Here are two stories that will light up your day: Mabuhay! Your Light Shines On Us  by MT Vallarta and T’boli Mothers Take Part in Saving Culture by Anna Liz Cabrido.

With this year’s theme, “Pamanang Pinoy,” the 2014 Taoid Heritage Program Celebration will give us a glimpse of the legacies of the [...]Read More