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Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, also known as Nora Aunor, one of the biggest stars in Philippine entertainment, even called as the Superstar of the Philippine Cinema, and a National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, passed away on Holy Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at the age of 71.
Today, we honour Cordillera Day, which is celebrated annually in April to mark significant events in the region’s history. The gathering coincides with the death anniversary of key leaders of Kalinga and Bontok peoples, paying tribute to the martyrs who paved the way for continued collective action.
The Philippines is branded as the call center capital of the world. And chances are, folks in the diaspora have unknowingly spoken to a kababayan on the other end of a customer service call. But behind the cheerful voice and scripted lines are workers battling long nights, low pay, and corporate exploitation. It’s time we paid attention to what Filipino agents are really up against.
The Mangyan people of Mindoro, are composed of eight distinct Indigenous groups, each with its own language and customs. Traditionally, they have led subsistence-based lifestyles, cultivating crops like sweet potatoes, upland rice, and taro, and engaging in hunting and gathering. Some communities participate in trade, selling products such as bananas and ginger to lowland markets.
It was a tension-filled morning on March 5 for Mary Ann Castillo. She and her fellow union members are set to meet again with their employer’s representatives inside the Philippine Labor Department’s central office.