Jaycelyn Valencia: From Sidelines to Center Court
Jaycelyn Valencia didn’t grow up chasing a basketball dream. At first, she was just a little sister tagging along — watching her brother play in Mississauga’s Filipino leagues while her dad coached from the sidelines. But something shifted. The more time she spent at those games, the more she felt pulled toward the court. It […]
Jessyka Maliksi: All Heart, All Game
Basketball wasn’t just something Jessyka Maliksi picked up — it was part of her family rhythm. Her dad, her brother, the tournaments she tagged along to as a kid — it all built into something bigger. Something she never let go of. Like many young Filipino girls, Jessyka once juggled dance, piano, even singing lessons. […]
Long Live the Scene: A Love Letter to Toronto’s Vanishing Music Venues
There was a time in Toronto when the heartbeat of the city pulsed through amps and cymbals, not condo drills and construction cranes. Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, you didn’t need a million followers or a Spotify campaign to be heard. You just needed a busted amp, a few chords, and a stage—any […]
Asia Brown: No Pressure, Just Purpose
Asia Brown doesn’t just teach basketball. She teaches freedom. Her camps aren’t about stats or rankings. They’re about girls falling in love with the game — with no pressure. Because she remembers what it felt like to be the only girl in the program, starting at four years old. It was terrifying. And now, she’s […]
From Flame to Frame: The Art of Sonny Dimalanta
In this episode of Tunog Tao, we meet Sonny Dimalanta, a visionary artist who turns simple wood into powerful works of art using pyrography—the ancient technique of wood burning. From humble beginnings as a technician in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, Sonny’s passion for art quietly simmered for decades. It wasn’t until later in life—through correspondence studies in […]
Karl Mariano: It’s Not Over Till It’s Over
Karl Mariano still remembers the feeling. Grade school, summertime, his first basketball camp. He was the youngest on the floor, playing alongside high schoolers, but none of that mattered. Every week, he showed up. The excitement never left. That same feeling lives in the kids he now coaches through Level Up Basketball, a grassroots camp he […]
Breathe Again at Friday Harbour: A Hidden Oasis Near Toronto
In a world that moves too fast, where every second is scheduled and silence is a luxury, we sometimes forget to breathe. That’s exactly what poet and storyteller Anne Wong reminds us of in this soul-soothing episode set in Friday Harbour, a lakeside retreat just an hour from Toronto. Through her verses, she paints a vivid picture of escape—not […]
Phil Ramirez: Tough Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do
Phil Ramirez didn’t plan to be a trainer. It started with his little brother. Just two siblings in the gym, pushing each other, dreaming big. Phil had played college and university ball at a time when there weren’t many Filipinos on the court. That mattered to him. Representation mattered. So he trained hard, not just […]
Marching to a Shared Beat: Philippine Heritage Band Shines at Vaughan International Music Festival
This year’s Vaughan International Music Festival (VIMF) press conference hit all the right notes—not just with music, but with meaning. Now on its fourth year, VIMF continues to grow as a vibrant platform for cultural unity. Co-founder and chair Sandra Yang Rako shared the festival’s vision: using music to bridge divides, spark connection, and celebrate diversity. “You don’t need […]
Marlon Viaje—The Master Behind the Metal at Impera Auto Collision
In a world where accidents can turn any day upside down, there’s someone quietly restoring more than just cars—he’s rebuilding peace of mind, one dent at a time. Meet Marlon Viaje, a seasoned autobody technician at Impera Auto Collision Inc. in Scarborough, Ontario. For over 25 years, Marlon has been the steady, skilled hand behind […]
