By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo THROUGHOUT history, the written word, including poetry, has proven to be a powerful weapon for change. It has been used to “express dissent, inspire action, and preserve the memory of those who have been silenced or forgotten.” Poetry can challenge injustice, encourage reflection, and eventually…
By Farah G. Decano THE popularity of shows like Encantadia Chronicles and the classic Maria Clara at Ibarra on GMA TV is good for our culture. It is not just entertainment but education for younger Filipinos on the rich, traditional form of our language. The old Filipino, with its archaic…
The Elegance of Old Languages
By Eva C. Visperas ONE chapter closes, another one begins. In Dagupan City, leadership transitions can be more than just changes in designation — they become moments of gratitude, reflection, and renewed hope. This was felt strongly during the send-off and welcome ceremony held on August 4, as the…
Hello and Goodbye
By Rex Catubig I always threw it a glance but never really acknowledged its presence so that it might as well be non-existent. The edifice has always stood there—conspicuous yet unobtrusive. It stands unperturbed amid the cacophony and chaos of the marketplace, the Malimgas market being its next-door neighbor….
The IGLESIA INDEPENDIENTE : Worth a second look on its 123rd Anniversary
By Leonardo Micua WE motored to Manila last Wednesday to pay our last respect to our boss, Ermin F. Garcia Jr., who made THE Sunday PUNCH , the jewel in Pangasinan journalism, just as what his father, Ermin E. Garcia Sr., wished when he founded the paper in 1956….
Carrying on with Ermin’s legacy and devotion
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo INDULGE me a bit. At times when I look at the moon in the dead of the night, I wonder if, my life, as little as the lights in the houses from a distant mountain, still matter to the universe. Perhaps, this is why I…
In the caring of the soil
(A Tribute to Sir Ermin Garcia Jr.) By Eva C Visperas SOMETIME in 1991, a young woman walked into the doors of The Sunday PUNCH — unsure, unpolished, and quite frankly, terrified. That woman was me. But Sir Ermin opened the door wide — not just literally, but also figuratively….
The Man Who Believed in Me
By Farah G. Decano THE man I knew as Tito Ermin was a paradox. Despite the tough, hard-hitting image he projected, he possessed a surprising and rare sensitivity in his interactions with others, myself included. While many mature men, the “feeling men” and the “pamintas” — found my stubborn…
Tito Ermin: A Different Kind of Strength
By Rex Catubig THE eastern sky began to darken at 2p.m. Soon after, an ominous burst of thunder warned of a heavy downpour. By that time, it was already raining gallons in Sta Barbara; and Urdaneta was also getting drenched. It was imminent, it was just a matter of…
BIRTHDAY CYCLE: Remembering Ermin’s birthday
By Leonardo Micua TYPHOON “Crising” caught many towns and cities not only in Pangasinan, but also in many parts of Luzon, the islands of Mindoro and Palawan, and some areas in the Visayas by surprise. They did not expect that kind of weather disturbance could trigger prolonged torrential rains that…




