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Philippine Books to Take World Stage at 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair

by Commission on Filipinos Overseas The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world’s leading publishing event. (Photo by Lawija via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-4.0) Filipino literature is about to make its grandest entrance yet on the global stage. The Philippines is set to become the Guest of Honor at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair, the largest and most influential publishing event in the world. In an episode of The Chairman’s Report aired on Friday, Commission on Filipinos

Roots and Wings

Oct 154 min read

Department of Migrant Workers Reaches Out to OFWs in Finland Through Town Hall Meeting

by Anne Tafalla, Helsinki, Finland Filipinos in Finland had the chance to speak directly with officials from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) during a town hall meeting held on September 14, 2025, at Vipusentie 19, Helsinki. The event was organized in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Finland. The town hall gave Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) a space to share their stories — from everyday struggles to bigger challenges — so the DMW can better understand thei

Roots and Wings

Oct 151 min read

Kawali Filipino-Asian Cuisine

Filipino Flavors in Helsinki by Anne Tafalla in Helsinki, Finland A new restaurant is adding Filipino flavor to the city´s food scene. Kawali Filipino-Asian Cuisine, owned and operated by Rems Moreno, has opened its doors in Kallio, serving both traditional Filipino dishes and fusion comfort food. The restaurant, located at Fleminginkatu 12, Helsinki, also offers delivery online through Wolt and Foodora, making its menu accessible across Helsinki. Among the highlights spotte

Roots and Wings

Oct 151 min read

BOOKlatin sa Oodi

Philippine Embassy holds book reading at Oodi Library by Anne Tafalla, Helsinki, Finland The Philippine Embassy in Helsinki, in partnership with Oodi Library, held a book reading session on 22 August 2025 as part of “BOOKlatin sa Oodi,” in celebration of Buwan ng Wika (National Language Month). Children listened to the Filipino story “Alamat ng Palay” (The Legend of Rice), read by Ambassador Domingo Nolasco and teacher Ricca Carsula from Espoo Multicultural Education Service.

Roots and Wings

Oct 151 min read

Rediscovering Identity in Vienna

Filipino pride comes to the fore in Austria by Harold & Marie Khan Barkada group at Barrio Fiesta by Harold & Marie Khan The Filipino community in Vienna was somewhat overlooked until a little more than 20 years ago, when their gatherings were often limited to karaoke nights, intimate family get-togethers, and quiet church services. These moments were warm, familiar, and comforting—a way of holding on to traditions and staying connected to home. Yet beneath the joy of shared

Community

Oct 146 min read

Across Islands and Alps

My path in science and educational diplomacy by Dr. Jenny Lind Elmaco, Austria Dr. Jenny Lind Elmaco is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an alumna of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Erasmus Mundus. Her work has been recognised with the Global Exemplary Education Double Gold Award, the Global Exemplary Innovative Leadership Diamond Award from GlobalWIN (UK), and the Marie Curie Social Impact Award. She is a proud Mom to Gabrielle Sofia, now 13, who can proudly

Community

Oct 144 min read

A Royal Audience in the Arctic

Meet the 9-year-old Filipina who sang for Norway’s king, queen and crown prince Fiona Lucille Carubanga sings “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne at the Svalbard Treaty Jubilee August 14, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Fergesen) On a cool day in August, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway took a seat in the central square of Longyearbyen, Svalbard, to be treated to performances by the best talent the world’s northernmost town could muster. One of these local lights was a 9-year-old girl named

Jennifer Fergesen

Oct 144 min read

Common Ground Kolektiv

A creative movement for connection and culture by Grace O. Emmelot, Oslo, Norway In a world where stories shape identity and creativity fuels connection, Common Ground Kolektiv (CGK) emerges as a vibrant initiative led by Filipino artists and creatives in the diaspora. This collective is more than a group—it’s a movement that transforms ideas into powerful expressions of cultural preservation and collective empowerment. At its core, CGK is a space where diverse voices converg

Community

Oct 133 min read

Mervic Vicky Monocillo: Nurse, Performer, Mother, Dreamer, Achiever

From healing hands to standing ovations When you meet Mervic Vicky Monocillo, you are immediately struck by her gentle warmth—the kind of calm presence that could only be honed by years of nursing. But as she begins to talk about her other love with music—her eyes light up, and it becomes abundantly clear: this London-based Filipina is just as much at home onstage as she is on the hospital floor or community nursing. Born and raised in the scenic coastal town of Miagao, Iloil