Category: On the Ground
-
The Real Duel: A Visayan Warrior’s Legacy Amid Today’s Storms
By Leo FranciscoCulture, Commentary, Disaster Response A Modern “Duel” in the Headlines A verbal clash recently unfolded between Mayor Baste Duterte and PNP Chief Nicolas Torre III, capturing public attention after the Davao mayor issued a public challenge to a duel. For many, it was a shocking and even laughable exchange. But for Visayans, the…
-
When Songs Become Shelter: A Night of Music, Justice, and Hope for Balik-Bugsuk
By Leonard “Leo” FranciscoJuly 16, 2025 – The 70’s Bistro Bar, Quezon City Music can heal the soul. We see it in our daily lives—in city streets, quiet homes, even in the remotest barangays. Music keeps us company through joy and sorrow, through bus rides and restless nights. But on the night of July 16,…
-
Remembering the Jesuit Legacy in Bukidnon: The Story of Faith and Mission
In the heart of Mindanao lies Bukidnon—a province that not only boasts fertile lands and cultural diversity but also serves as a sacred ground for one of the most remarkable missionary stories in the Philippines. This story is intimately tied to the Society of Jesus—the Jesuits—whose legacy remains etched in the hills, chapels, and hearts…
-
Faith is not shown off. It’s lived—with wounds, with dignity, with love.
This afternoon near Quiapo Church, I met the woman from TikTok—the one selling eco bags beside her cat. In the viral clip, she looked broken, sitting by a gutter with sorrow written across her face. But what I saw was different: she smiled. She handed me a bag worth ₱20 and proudly introduced her cat…
-
Easy Money” or Dangerous Trap? Online Loans vs. Parish Cooperatives: A Lesson from SMDS
In the Philippines today, many families live paycheck to paycheck. For students, small vendors, minimum-wage workers, and even government scholars, money is always tight. So when you’re scrolling on Facebook, TikTok, or watching videos on YouTube, those pop-up ads promising “instant loans, no paperwork, no hassle” can feel like a lifeline. Backed by celebrities or…
-
Not All Fathers Speak—Some Simply Stay
To be a father is to embrace a life of sacrifice—often unseen, often unspoken, yet deeply transformative. In the work of social apostolate, we encounter many kinds of fathers. Some are biological, quietly toiling to provide for their families. Others are pastoral—priests, elders, and community leaders—who guide, teach, and protect their people, sometimes at great…
-
127th Philippine Independence Day: A Time to Reflect—Are We Truly Independent?
On June 12, the nation commemorates the 127th anniversary of Philippine Independence—a historic milestone that marks the end of colonial rule and the beginning of self-governance. Yet, more than a century later, the question remains pressing: Are we truly independent, or are we still dependent on systems, narratives, and structures that hinder genuine freedom and…
-
When Defenders Become Destroyers: A Reflection on Tradition, Dialogue, and Social Apostolate
by Leo Francisco There are people—whether in the Church, in politics, in social movements, or even within our own families—who see themselves as defenders of tradition. They claim to protect what is sacred, what is true, what must not be touched or questioned. Some even believe they alone understand the essence of things, and from…
-
For it is part of His plan.
Leo Francisco I May 9 2025 “Sometimes, it takes someone to be exactly where God has prepared them to be—not in a place of popularity, but in a place of simplicity. While the world may argue and believe you are not the one, or even unworthy to be there, if it is God’s will, then…
-
Confronting Collective Trauma in the Wake of Duterte’s War on Drugs
May 8, 2025 | Opinion In a poignant piece, Fr. Emmanuel “Nono” L. Alfonso, SJ, sheds light on the ongoing trauma faced by families of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims under Duterte’s War on Drugs. Published in Currents, the article captures the stories of survivors who attended a trauma counseling session at UGAT Foundation, Ateneo de…
Society of Jesus' social apostolate 