Treasure the Question

Today we celebrate the 75th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan), the end of the Second World War. My uncle served in Japan and never recovered from what he experienced, some of my relatives lost their lives. Yet not all wartime memories were bad, and today I would like to share a wartime recipe that has lived on as a family favourite. Imagine your bread has gone stale – solid - what to do? In wartime England, my grandma knew exactly what to do, she turned it into a dessert, or pudding as we call it. When most of the men were away fighting, women took over the jobs, but despite the added income, food was scarce, and every person was issued a ration book. Our family still have one, and despite it bringing back memories of war and death, it holds deep sentimental value and is kept in the family photo album. The only photo of my father with my grandfather who died in the war months later. The rations allowed per adult a week, unless stated otherwise:         Bacon/Ham: 4oz (100g

Today, in Rick Olivares ’ Intro to Journalism class , we met a superhero. He was not wearing a cape, but he was still wearing his superhero mask, except it was a surgical mask and his cape, standard Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) . This real-life Superman was obviously exhausted from a day working hard saving lives and yet he found the time to recount his story to a class of novice journalism students. Like most champions of the Marvel or DC universes, he dons his uniform before turning into a hero, and takes it off when protecting us is done; unlike them, he then thoroughly disinfects himself before seeing his family. What is even more amazing is he is married to another superhero. Yet this is no comic, this is real life. Today we interviewed Jojo Katalbas, a 40-year old comorbidity nurse who works at Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, a Covid-19 hospital at the heart of a nation suffering from the pandemic. We shed tears listening to his acts of bravery, and

As an Englishman, who has lived most of my life in Asia, please allow me to share with you the riches of Filipino comics. And please take note, because numerous Filipino creators have made names for themselves in the international comic book scene. In fact, a comic by two of them Budjette Tan author and Kajo Baldisimo artist, will soon debut on Netflix. Credit:  Budjette Tan from Rick Olivares Introduction to Journalism course. When we talk about comic books, we normally think of the American, DC or Marvel universes, or the darker European works by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman etc. even the Japanese anime scene. However, the comic universe gains from every worldview it engulfs, so get ready; the Filipinos have arrived. The comic TRESE Vol. 1 : Murder on Balete Drive , delves into local Filipino folklore. Growing up with English folklore hearing of the ‘troll’ under the bridge, the ‘will-o'-the-wisp in the marshes’ etc. these visions were exciting and real. Arriving in the Philippine