Bridge Is My Card Game and Mahjong Is My Tile Game: What Two Games Have Taught Me About Life

Have You Heard of the Lipote Berry?

The lipote berry, a rare and delicious fruit native to the Philippines, offers a unique taste experience.

Looking similar to the dark purple duhat, the lipote stands out with its sour and tangy flavor. This special fruit, scientifically known as Syzygium curranii, is packed with antioxidants, which are great for your health.

Because of its high antioxidant content, the lipote berry is a valuable addition to a healthy diet. Filipinos often use these berries to make tasty jams and wines, preserving their unique flavor.

The lipote is a rare find, making it a sought-after treat for anyone looking to try unique Philippine fruits.

Syzygium curranii, commonly known as lipote, is a species of tree endemic to the Philippines. It bears sweet to sour black or red berries that can be eaten fresh (usually with salt or sugar), but are more commonly turned into jams or wine. The tree grows to a height of around 15 m (49 ft). The leaves are oblong in shape and are around 20 to 25 cm (7.9 to 9.8 in) long and 6 to 8 cm (2.4 to 3.1 in) wide. The tree is also harvested for its timber which is used for construction. It is not commercially cultivated and the fruit is harvested from the wild. It is threatened with habitat loss.

Syzygium curranii is also known as lipot, igot, balig-ang, maigang, or malig-ang, among other common names. These names are shared with Syzygium polycephaloides, a closely-related species with similar edible berries.

This berry is similar to the Ducat or Lomboy tree, but not as well known. Duhat is a local Philippine fruit that’s commonly referred to in English as Java plum. The scientific name of the plant is Syzgium cumini. It is also widely known as lomboy, a non-Tagalog word. The duhat fruit is oval and about 1 to 2 centimeters in length. It is dark purple to black in color, fleshy and one-seeded, with a sweet-astringent taste.

Syzygium cumini – Lomboy – Duhat – Java Plum

Is native in the Philippines, India, Burma, Ceylon, and the Andaman Islands. It was long ago introduced into and became naturalized in Malaya. In southern Asia, the tree is venerated by Buddhists, and it is commonly planted near Hindu temples because it is considered sacred to Krishna. The leaves and fruits are employed in worshiping the elephant-headed god, Ganesha or Vinaijaka, the personification of “Pravana” or “Om”, the apex of Hindu religion and philosophy.

Meanwhile, Have you also heard of the Ackee?

Ackee (Blighia sapida), a fruit native to West Africa and now strongly associated with Jamaica, presents a fascinating paradox. While it looks delicious and is a key ingredient in Jamaica's national dish, ackee and saltfish, it can be deadly if eaten unripe.

This is due to the presence of hypoglycin, a toxin that can cause severe vomiting, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and even death. Only when the ackee fruit is fully ripe and its pods open naturally, revealing the black seeds and yellow arils, is it safe to eat.

Proper preparation is crucial to neutralize the toxins and enjoy the unique, slightly nutty flavor of this culturally significant fruit.

The Filipino-American Paradox: Highly Educated, Yet Underrepresented in Leadership

As I look back on my own journey to America more than six decades ago, I cannot help but reflect on an interesting paradox that continues to affect many Filipino-Americans today.

Numerous studies have shown that Filipino-Americans rank among the most highly educated ethnic groups in the United States. We have one of the highest rates of bachelor's degrees and advanced professional degrees among Asian-American communities. Filipino-Americans are well represented in medicine, nursing, engineering, pharmacy, accounting, education, information technology, and many scientific professions.

Yet despite these impressive educational achievements, Filipino-Americans remain noticeably underrepresented in executive suites, corporate boardrooms, university presidencies, Fortune 500 leadership, and the highest levels of government and industry.

Why is this so?

I have often wondered about this question.

A Culture That Values Education

Education has always been deeply rooted in Filipino culture.

Parents often sacrifice everything they have so their children can attend college. In many Filipino homes, education is viewed as the surest path toward a better life.

That was certainly true in my own family.

Growing up in Iloilo in the Philippines, education was treasured above material possessions. It eventually led me to the University of the Philippines, then to graduate school in the United States, and later to a rewarding career as a pharmaceutical chemist, culminating in my retirement as a Chemistry Team Leader at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

My story is not unique. Thousands of Filipino immigrants came to America carrying little more than their education, determination, and willingness to work hard.

The Quiet Achievers

Filipino-Americans have earned a reputation as dependable, highly competent professionals.

Hospitals across America depend heavily on Filipino nurses.

Universities employ Filipino professors and researchers.

Technology companies employ Filipino engineers and computer scientists.

Government agencies benefit from Filipino scientists and healthcare professionals.

These are remarkable accomplishments that deserve recognition.

Yet many of us have been more comfortable doing excellent work than promoting ourselves.

Cultural Humility

One possible explanation lies in our culture.

Filipinos are generally taught to respect authority, avoid confrontation, and remain humble about personal accomplishments.

We are encouraged to work as members of a team rather than seeking the spotlight.

Humility is a virtue.

However, in many American organizations, leadership often requires individuals to speak confidently about their achievements, compete for promotions, negotiate salaries, and actively pursue leadership opportunities.

Those expectations may not come naturally to many first-generation Filipino immigrants.

The Invisible Ceiling

Another factor may be what some researchers call the "bamboo ceiling," a term describing barriers that many Asian-Americans encounter when advancing into executive leadership.

These barriers are often subtle rather than obvious.

Performance evaluations may favor assertiveness over quiet competence.

Leadership potential may be judged according to cultural expectations that differ from those of many Asian communities.

Mentorship opportunities may not always be equally available.

These challenges are not unique to Filipino-Americans, but they may help explain why educational achievement does not always translate into executive representation.

Success Beyond Titles

Leadership, however, should never be measured solely by job titles.

Many Filipino-Americans quietly lead through service.

Our nurses comfort patients. Our physicians save lives. Our teachers inspire future generations.

Our engineers build America's infrastructure. Our scientists develop new medicines.

Our military personnel serve with distinction. Our entrepreneurs create jobs.

These contributions may not always make newspaper headlines, but they improve countless lives every day.

A New Generation

I am encouraged by what I see among younger Filipino-Americans.

Many are becoming CEOs, elected officials, entrepreneurs, judges, university administrators, military officers, and business executives.

They remain proud of their Filipino heritage while confidently embracing leadership roles.

They demonstrate that humility and leadership can coexist.

One does not have to abandon kindness or respect to become an effective leader.

My Own Reflections

When I came to America as a graduate student, I never imagined where life would lead me.

I simply wanted to learn. I worked hard, earned my doctorate, conducted research in industry, and eventually spent twelve fulfilling years at the Food and Drug Administration reviewing life-saving medications.

Looking back, I realize that leadership is not merely about occupying the highest office.

It is about earning the trust and respect of colleagues through competence, integrity, fairness, and service. Those qualities are deeply embedded in Filipino values.

Final Thoughts

The Filipino-American story is one of perseverance, education, sacrifice, and quiet excellence.

Our community has contributed enormously to American society, often without seeking recognition.

Perhaps the next chapter of our story will see even more Filipino-Americans reaching the highest levels of leadership, not because they seek prestige, but because their knowledge, integrity, and experience deserve a place at the table where important decisions are made.

Education opens the door. Character earns respect. Leadership grows when competence meets opportunity.

As more Filipino-Americans step confidently into leadership roles while remaining true to the values that shaped them, the paradox may gradually disappear. And when that happens, both America and the Filipino-American community will be stronger for it.

AI Overview:

The "Filipino-American Paradox" highlights a stark reality: despite high rates of college education, Filipino Americans remain significantly underrepresented in top corporate, academic, and political leadership roles. This gap exists due to systemic barriers, cultural norms, and historical colonization. 

Breaking Down the Paradox

The paradox is defined by several key components, statistics, and historical factors. 

• The Educational Reality: Over 50% of Filipino Americans hold a bachelor's degree, which is well above the national average. Many hold advanced or professional degrees, particularly in fields like nursing and healthcare.
• The Leadership Gap: Despite these high levels of education and credentials, Filipino Americans are starkly underrepresented in executive, managerial, and high-level policymaking positions. 
• The Bamboo Ceiling: This term describes the invisible, systemic barriers that prevent qualified Asian Americans, including Filipinos, from reaching senior leadership and board roles. 
• The "Model Minority" Myth: The broad, sometimes false assumption that all Asian Americans are universally successful and need no institutional support masks specific community struggles. This myth causes the distinct struggles of the Filipino-American community to be overlooked. 

Why Does This Gap Exist?

Understanding this divide requires looking at several deep-rooted factors:

1. Historical Colonialism
Many sociologists attribute part of this paradox to the legacies of Western colonization in the Philippines. Colonial education systems often instilled a "colonial mentality", a mindset that can inadvertently cause individuals to view Western management styles as superior. This can create internal barriers regarding one's own worth or authority in the workplace. 

2. Cultural Norms vs. Western Leadership

In the United States, leadership is often associated with assertiveness, self-promotion, and dominance. However, traditional Filipino cultural norms emphasize harmony, respect for elders, teamwork, and humility (known as pakikisama). Because these styles differ, assertive Filipino professionals may be unfairly penalized for going against expected cultural stereotypes, while quieter leaders may be overlooked for promotions. 

3. Group Aggregation in Data
Data that lumps all Asian subgroups into a single category obscures the unique challenges faced by Filipino Americans. While some Asian subgroups may earn more than the national average, data shows that college-educated Filipino Americans often lag behind in executive representation and average earnings. 

4. Lack of Representation and Mentorship
A lack of Filipino-American role models in executive suites, government offices, and academic institutions makes it harder for younger generations to build the networks needed for career advancement.

Moving Forward

Addressing the Filipino-American paradox requires a shift in how institutions and individuals approach career development:

• Cultural Integration: Professionals can learn to blend traditional Filipino values (like relationship-building) with Western corporate traits (like direct communication and strategic assertiveness) to break the bamboo ceiling. 
• Institutional Changes: Companies and organizations must recognize the diversity within the Asian-American demographic and actively support Filipino-American representation through mentorship and leadership programs.

A Filipino Doctor Helped Make One of the World’s Most Important Antibiotics Possible.

A Filipino doctor helped make one of the world’s most important antibiotics possible. And the discovery began with soil collected in Iloilo-my city of Birth.

In 1949, Dr. Abelardo Aguilar was working for the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly when he gathered soil samples from his family’s property in the Philippines.

One of those samples contained a remarkable microorganism.

Scientists later isolated from it the antibiotic that became erythromycin, a medicine used to treat pneumonia, whooping cough, skin infections, and many other bacterial diseases.

It also became an important alternative for patients who could not safely take penicillin. Eli Lilly developed, patented, manufactured, and distributed the drug around the world.

But Dr. Aguilar remained largely unknown.

According to numerous accounts, he repeatedly sought greater recognition for his role in finding the original microorganism, yet his contribution never became widely known to the public.

Today, many Filipino scientists and historians believe his place in medical history deserves far greater attention.

A Filipino doctor. A backyard in Iloilo.

And a soil sample that quietly helped save millions of lives.

AI Overview:

THE ANTIBIOTIC THE WORLD USES AND THE FILIPINO HISTORY IT FORGOT

In the ruins of postwar Iloilo City, while the world raced to survive infections penicillin could no longer cure, a Filipino doctor bent down and scooped soil with his bare hands. His name was Abelardo Aguilar.

It was 1949. Aguilar, an Ilonggo physician and graduate of the University of the Philippines, wasn’t working in a gleaming laboratory. He was a medical representative for Eli Lilly and Company, assigned a task shared by scientists worldwide after World War II: search for soil bacteria that could yield new antibiotics as resistance to penicillin spread.

In ordinary backyard soil, some accounts place it near homes in Iloilo, others near the Molo cemetery - Aguilar found something extraordinary: a bacterium that killed dangerous microbes. He carefully documented it and sent the sample to Eli Lilly’s headquarters in Indianapolis.

That soil would change medicine.

From Aguilar’s sample, researchers later isolated Erythromycin, a macrolide antibiotic that became lifesaving for patients allergic to penicillin. It treated pneumonia, strep throat, syphilis, skin infections, and whooping cough saving millions of lives across continents. By the early 1950s, it was sold globally under the brand name Ilosone, quietly named after Iloilo.

But one name was missing. Aguilar was never listed on the patent.

He received no royalties. No formal scientific credit.

Eli Lilly maintained that the discovery and development were corporate achievements, even as Aguilar’s soil sample was the starting point. He sought recognition for years. None came.

While erythromycin became a staple in hospitals worldwide and a frontline antibiotic in Philippine clinics where it remains widely used, the man who helped make it possible lived modestly, passing away in 1993 without acknowledgment or compensation.

Yet his impact is undeniable. Before vaccines were widespread, before newer antibiotics multiplied, erythromycin kept children breathing, mothers alive, and infections under control. In the Philippines, it became essential rural medicine - effective, affordable, and accessible.

This is not just a story about antibiotics. It is a story about Filipino brilliance overlooked.

About how global science has often been built on quiet contributions from the margins.

About how a man with knowledge, persistence, and a handful of soil helped change the world, without the world ever learning his name.

But history has a way of resurfacing truths, much like bacteria rising from the earth.

Dr. Abelardo Aguilar didn’t just find dirt. He found hope.

And the world is still living because of it.

Finally,

The Filipino Secret to Happiness - Philippines

The Filipino secret to happiness. Maybe the secret to happiness is not having everything, but learning to appreciate what we already have. It is found in laughter around the dinner table, stories shared with friends, music filling the neighborhood, celebrations that bring everyone together, and ordinary moments spent with the people we love. Life may not always be easy, and every day may not be perfect, but there is always something worth appreciating, something worth sharing, and someone worth smiling with. Perhaps that is one of the beauty of the Filipino spirit: happiness is not measured by how much we have, but by how deeply we appreciate what we have and how willingly we share that happiness with others

My Reel of the Day:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1546153256970601

Sound Waves for Cancer Therapy

The US Food and Drug Administration approved a groundbreaking noninvasive treatment that uses sound waves to target and dissolve inoperable tumors.

Known commercially as the Edison System, this FDA-approved technology allows interventional radiologists to target and liquefy cancer cells while completely sparing the surrounding healthy tissue.

Because the procedure requires no surgical incisions, the risk of bleeding is minimized, enabling patients—even those on blood thinners—to undergo the treatment and usually return home the same day.

While still a relatively new frontier in oncology, histotripsy (the technical name for the therapy) has shown remarkable early promise. A landmark study published in the journal Radiology revealed a 95% success rate in meeting clinical performance goals with minimal major complications.

Currently utilized for primary liver tumors and metastatic cancers spreading from other organs, researchers are already exploring whether this sound wave technology can be adapted to treat tumors in other parts of the body, potentially paving the way to replace invasive treatments entirely.

AI Overview:

Using sound waves to treat cancer is a rapidly advancing reality in medical oncology, primarily driven by a breakthrough technology called histotripsy. This completely non-invasive approach destroys cancer cells using mechanical force rather than heat, radiation, or surgical incisions. Pioneered at the University of Michigan and commercialized via the Edison System by HistoSonics, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially approved histotripsy for treating primary and metastatic liver tumors.

1. How Histotripsy Works (Acoustic Cavitation)

Unlike traditional diagnostic ultrasounds that merely visualize organs, therapeutic sound waves focus intense energy onto a tiny, highly precise target zone inside the tumor. 

• Microbubble Formation: The robotic platform directs high-pitched ultrasound waves that interact with microscopic, natural gas pockets within the tumor tissue.
• Mechanical Rupture: These sound pulses cause the gas pockets to rapidly expand and collapse, forming a localized "bubble cloud".
• Cell Liquefaction: The extreme physical stress of these popping bubbles tears apart the cancer cell walls, liquefying the tumor mass instantly.
• Natural Cleanup: Because it uses mechanical force rather than heat, nearby healthy tissue and blood vessels remain completely unharmed. The body’s own immune system then absorbs and naturally filters away the remaining cellular debris.

2. Key Advantages Over Traditional Therapies

Histotripsy fills a vital gap for patients who are not eligible for traditional surgery due to tumor locations or poor health. According to clinical insights provided by the Cleveland Clinic, the main benefits include:

No Heat or Radiation: Standard thermal ablation cooks the tumor, which can accidentally scar healthy surrounding anatomy. Histotripsy leaves no thermal damage or radiation toxicity. 

• Same-Day Recovery: The procedure is performed under general anesthesia to keep the patient perfectly still. However, because there are zero cuts, most patients return home the exact same day with minimal discomfort. 
• Repeatable: Unlike radiation therapy, which has strict lifetime exposure limits to protect organs, sound wave therapy can be safely repeated if cancer returns. ]

3. The Immune System Boost (The Abscopal Effect) 

One of the most exciting aspects of this therapy is its systemic impact. When radiation or chemotherapy kills a tumor, it often destroys the cell's markers. Because histotripsy simply fractures the cell walls, it leaves behind intact cancer proteins (antigens).

Researchers at institutions like UChicago Medicine have observed that this exposes the tumor's genetic makeup directly to the patient's immune system. This triggers an immune response that effectively teaches the body how to find and fight matching cancer cells that may have spread elsewhere. 

4. Other Sound Wave Applications in Oncology

While histotripsy is the newest mechanical breakthrough, other sound-based therapies exist or are in development:

• High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU): Unlike histotripsy, HIFU focuses sound waves to generate intense thermal energy (heat). It is widely used in specific clinical centers to burn away localized Prostate Cancer cells or alleviate secondary bone cancer pain. 
• Sonodynamic Therapy (SDT): This emerging approach pairs ultrasound with special sound-activated compounds called sonosensitizers. When sound waves strike these drugs inside a deep tissue tumor (like brain or bone cancer), they trigger chemical cell death. 
• Tumor Softening: Recent studies, such as research from the University of Colorado Boulder, utilize lower-frequency sound waves combined with responsive particles to safely soften dense tumor barriers, making it significantly easier for traditional chemotherapy drugs to penetrate and do their job.

Current Availability and Future Directions

Currently, histotripsy is primarily approved and utilized for treating liver tumors (both primary liver cancer and tumors that have spread to the liver from other organs like the colon). However, clinical trials (such as the #HOPE4KIDNEY trials) are actively exploring expanding this platform to treat kidney, pancreas, breast, and brain tumors.