The Love of Grandparents
/We’ve all heard the joke: “If I’d known grandkids would be this much fun, I would have had them first!” It’s said with a wink, but ask any grandparent and you’ll find some truth in it. There’s a special joy in loving a child without having to shoulder all the responsibilities of raising one—and, when the little ones get cranky or the lolos and lolas get tired, there’s always the wonderful option of sending them home to Mom and Dad. A luxury parents, of course, can only dream about.
Grandparents Day falls on September 14, and we’re marking it with two heartwarming stories about that extraordinary bond between grandparents and grandchildren. In one, a granddaughter (Cebu-based Phoebe Gwynn Francisco) celebrates her deep love for her Lola; in the other, a Nana (PF publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco) revels in the affection of her grandson. There’s nothing extraordinary about either story—and perhaps that’s precisely what makes them beautiful. In a world that sometimes seems increasingly divided and disconnected, the uncomplicated love between grandparents and grandchildren reminds us of something enduring: some bonds transcend generations, distance, and circumstance.
And then there is another kind of love—the world’s newfound love affair with ube.
For generations, Filipinos have known and savored this vibrant purple crop, turning it into halaya, ice cream, pastries, breads and countless other treats. Now ube has burst onto the global food scene, appearing everywhere from gourmet bakeries to supermarket freezers. But as demand grows, an important question follows: Will Filipino farmers share in the bounty of ube’s newfound popularity, or will big business once again capture most of the profits from a crop that has been part of our heritage for generations? Philippines-based PF writer Rene Astudillo takes us inside the rise of ube as an emerging cash crop—and the opportunities and challenges it brings to the farmers who grow it.
Meanwhile, a high school junior, Sophie Festejo, pays tribute to a corner of Queens, New York, that has earned a name familiar to many Filipinos: Little Manila. Its very name tells a story—a story of immigrants who carried more than suitcases across the ocean. They brought their food, language, traditions, memories and sense of home, creating a community that, generations later, continues to keep a piece of the Philippines alive.
From the love of a Lola to the ube fields of the Philippines, from a grandson’s embrace to a little corner of Queens, this issue celebrates the many ways Filipino connections endure. They live in our families, our food, our communities—and in the generations that carry them forward.
[Read It Again]
My Close Call on 9/11 by Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba (Ret.)
After 9/11 by Gemma Nemenzo
Book Review: The Story of a Life by Criselda Yabes
[Video of the Week]
In The Know
Alex Eala's interview on CBS Mornings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Tvxa1x9PU
Lea Salonga makes history with Hollywood Walk of Fame star
https://usa.inquirer.net/208430/lea-salonga-makes-history-with-hollywood-walk-of-fame-star?
Olivia Rodrigo Is Doing It All, and From the Heart
https://vogue.ph/magazine/olivia-rodrigo-september-october-2026-cover/?
Silent Book Clubs Are Giving Manila's Introverts a New Way to Socialize
https://www.spot.ph/arts-culture/the-latest-arts-culture/the-rise-of-silent-book-clubs-a5229-20260731-dyn?
Filipino-born aunt, Air Force nephew charged in alleged U.S. citizenship fraud scheme
https://www.filipinoreporters.com/post/filipino-born-aunt-air-force-nephew-charged-in-alleged-u-s-citizenship-fraud-scheme?
