Bring Out Brilliance

11/04/2026

A good reminder for a mindset reset

ILLUSTRATION BY RUTH MACAPAGAL MANILA, Philippines - We think our way to stress. It’s how we’re thinking that makes us miserable. However we’ve programmed, our brain gives us the outcome

17/01/2026

The first invention of Toyoda is a wooden loom that requires just one hand to operate, her English explanation makes it very clear how the invention made it easier to do the job. Throughout the museum, there are signs that explain the background, issue and the solution 🏆

24/09/2025

Exploring science broadly is good, but the real power comes from seeing it anchored on natural laws and foundational principles....

Exploring science broadly is good, but the real power comes from seeing it anchored on natural laws and foundational principles.

21/08/2025

Geography: It's more fun with local examples :) Adapted a chapter from Charlotte Mason's Elementary Geography so that it's more relatable -- using Q.C. locations :) Happy exploring!

Charlotte Mason wrote for children in England and often drew from local examples. Following the same principle, I looked for a Philippine counterpart—and found it in Quezon City’s Diliman Quadrangl…

25/07/2025

Today, July 25 is the feast day of the "Santiago" of Fort Santiago!

Most people know Fort Santiago as a historic site in Manila—but who exactly was Santiago? This post shares the deeper story behind the name.

20/06/2025

Long before social media, Jose Rizal named the reasons false information spreads so easily. Here’s how we can help our kids navigate today’s world of overwhelming information....

Long before social media, Jose Rizal named the reasons false information spreads so easily. Here’s how we can help our kids navigate today’s world of overwhelming information.

19/09/2024

Gwen, one of the SHESTEMS scholars who attended the 7 Habits of Highly Effective College Students overview, shares her favorite habit 🙂 Together, the 7 Habits help individuals and organizations journey to higher levels of effectiveness 😊

🌟 Gwen Bukuhan, a SheSTEMS Scholar of Her Legacy Project by Davila shares how she appreciates the 7 Habits. From dependence to independence and on to...

01/09/2024

31/08/2024

My Exercise Companions
A good podcast makes my workout easier because my mind isn’t on what I’m doing. Movie, TV series, audiobook, music - find what works for you.
The timer helps me pace myself and is how I know when it’s time to cool down. Most machines have a way of tracking time but we got this secondhand and never had the need to fix it.
Join me!!
P.S. no machine required, jogging is how I got started but rain/heat/mosquitoes were always good excuses to skip 😅

25/06/2024

GAME OF THE GENERALS!! Super fun chess x battleship board game, invented by a Filipino! 🇵🇭
The kids were too young to appreciate it before but when friends mentioned it last weekend the kids said they’re ready to try again. Still some tears but also much fun 🥳

09/06/2024

Habit of Art Escapes 🎨
First time to vist the “last lung” of Manila, the Arroceros Forest Park, for a very rich nature walk and art lesson with Teacher Kath Cool to be classmates w fellow homeschool moms. It was super worth it. There were about TWENTY of us but we felt personally guided by T Kath, plus her voice is so smooth (watch her reels!). If anything I’m more confident about not drawing each leaf and finally using watercolor on my sketches 😊😊

Tips:
Entrance is FREE
Some trees are labelled but best to double check QR links for corrected info
insect repellent is a must
it was humid but bearable
The Metropolitan Theater is right by the entrance so it was a treat to see the facade

Trivia: Arroz Caldo and Arroceros share the same word at the start—arroz means rice! Because this area just outside Intramuros is where rice was traded? Planted? Something to do with rice during the earlier Spanish period 😆