Something sublime for The STAR's 40th anniv time

Something sublime is what I should write for The Philippine STAR’s 40th anniversary this July.

After all, these four decades mark a time when we worked with the GOATs of journalism—Max Soliven, Teddy Benigno, Luis Beltran, Art Borjal, Satur Ocampo, and Jose “Butch” Dalisay lead the Greatest Of All Time roster. 

The best mentors—and tormentors—taught us the art and heart of newspapering: our founder Betty Go-Belmonte, former editor Isaac Belmonte, and our president since 1998, Miguel Belmonte, made us sharpen our nose for news and savor the smell of newsprint. They taught us by example, and stirred our consciousness to become not just good journalists but also good human beings. Their words and deeds tormented our collective conscience to do what is right and what is truthful.

Having been editor of the Lifestyle section of STAR for 40 years, I am what you may call the last woman standing among my contemporaries. They have all retired, moved on to other pursuits, or what we call in newspaper parlance, “written 30.”

When people started calling me “Tita” (read: you’re old) or “legendary” (read: you’re very old), I knew my mini-skirted days were over. Gone are the days when I would attend every lifestyle event (didn’t Andy Warhol say we should attend every opening, even if it’s only the opening of a can of sardines?). Gone are those times when I had to cover weddings of the century—from Irene Marcos’ fabled countrywide fiesta with Greggy Araneta in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte to the romantic nuptials of Bea Zobel Jr.’s son Jaime Urquijo Zobel to Alexandra Suarez in Madrid. Gone are those weepy moments when I had to write about the passing of lifestyle personages who had become my friends, such as Chona Kasten, Mary Prieto, Pitoy Moreno, Ben Farrales, Danny Dolor, Criselda Lontok, Margarita Fores, and Nedy Tantoco.

“Why are we always covering weddings and deaths?” a colleague of mine asked. “Because people think we know the back stories,” said another. But we cannot always reveal back stories.

Truth be told, in my most shallow moments, I would rather chase a Korean star like Ji Chang-wook in Seoul as I did in 2019 with Ben Chan’s team. Or witness a BTS concert with my Seoul Sisters. Or interview the current Chinese superstar Zhang Linghe. The last two are still dreams, of course, but they would serve a purpose: to escape the sad realities of our time when the nation is flooded with corruption.

It is a noble thought to be able to achieve changes in this world. But, as Virgie Ramos once said: You should be able to differentiate between what you can change and what you cannot.

Surely we cannot instantly change the despicable souls of people who rob Filipinos of what could have been their decent lives if these people had not chosen to use our billions for their own luxurious lifestyles. 

But Lifestyle can effect some changes. That is why when covering art and culture, we look deeper into the heritage and history of what defines us as Filipinos. Then maybe we can teach our readers to have a deeper love of country.

When writing about fashion, we can examine the threads that are woven into our country’s soul. The styles that we wrap ourselves in, and how we can become more patriotic by loving our own. At the same time appreciating the creative minds behind global trends from storied fashion houses and how they affect our own design realm. 

When chronicling ever-evolving cuisines, we taste food from all over the world, welcome these on our tables. And then we feel proud when our own adobo, lumpia, and ube make it to mainstream cuisine in many parts of the world. Prouder, too, when our homegrown chefs reap recognition beyond the White House.

We make it our mission to improve readers’ health and wellness by reporting on medical breakthroughs and the latest fitness techniques. And giving dos and don’ts as prescribed by doctors and health experts. 

“Not all who wander are lost,” wrote JRR Tolkien, and we agree. And to quote another writer, Pico Iyer: “We travel first to lose ourselves and next to find ourselves.” This perhaps has been the experience of many of our Lifestyle staffers and writers through the four decades when they brought readers from the hidden valleys of Antique to the raw wilderness of Africa.

Since 1995, our Lifestyle section has been letting young people find their voices and empowering them through sub-sections we have created: Young STAR, Supreme, and YStyle. The editors and writers of these subsections have made their mark in local glossies and international publications, as well as the Philippine Congress, with their voices loud and clear. 

Perhaps one of our Lifestyle section’s great sources of fulfilment is the roster of personalities we have interviewed over the past four decades.

These 40 years have witnessed transitions and contradictions indeed: from Elizabeth Taylor to Taylor Swift, from Harrison Ford to Hyun Bin, from the Beatles to BTS, from Pitoy Moreno to Patis Tesoro, from Julia Child to Gordon Ramsay to Gaita Fores, from stilettos to sneakers, from typewriters to computers, from analog to digital. From the time when journalism was war (against the loss of freedoms) to the time when journalism is still war (against fake news and marites). 

“You should write a book,” says a friend. But how can I write about the things I have witnessed: untrue heroes, ignoble lives, secret lives, people may shudder in their graves?

"What is your advice to aspiring newspaper writers?" I have been asked this many times.

I say: Write with purpose and passion. Write truthfully. Write from the heart.

That, for me, is sublime.

Scott Garceau: Stalking Quentin, pressing De Niro, dialing in Gal Gadot

The thing about The STAR Lifestyle section is it puts you right in the middle of unexpected opportunities—you’re given license to be a multipurpose writer. Without being open to covering a wide range of subjects and stories, I would not have gotten to interview Tom Hanks, Quentin Tarantino, Gal Gadot, Zhang Ziyi, Pedro Pascal, Chris Hemsworth, Robert De Niro, or the cast of Game of Thrones in a posh London hotel. I wouldn’t have taken a trip to Northern Italy’s Asti region to sample sparkling wines, toured Japan’s east and west coasts, spent a week in a South African game preserve, or soaked up Beatles lore in Liverpool. I wouldn’t have sat down with writers I love, like David Sedaris, or artists I respect, or joined a Red Cross presscon with Bono (always in sunglasses).

All of this was made possible by our visionary editor Millet Mananquil, and the generous boss and role model of The STAR enterprise, Miguel Belmonte. 

Writing the open-ended “X-Pat Files” column has meant the possibility of matching my dream assignments to whatever abilities I could muster to capture it all in words, on paper. 

Lai S. Reyes: From entering the world of ‘Harry Potter’ to joining children battling cancer

I walked into The STAR newsroom in 2008 knowing I was surrounded by writers I had admired for years. It was both exciting and intimidating.
The assignments have blurred with time, but the experiences remain vivid: being among the first to enter The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida before it opened to the public, crossing the tarmac at LAX in a Porsche Cayenne before a Delta One flight, joining children battling cancer as they moved to Child Haus, and covering stories that revealed life’s many contrasts.

One memory stands out. Last year, Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil asked me to cover a Hermès event in Shanghai. Fashion wasn’t my usual beat, and I hesitated. She simply said, “I want you to have that experience.”

That is what my bosses—Millet and our president and CEO Miguel Belmonte—have given me for nearly two decades: opportunities that have allowed me to grow, embrace the unfamiliar, and share meaningful experiences with our readers—one story at a time.

Therese Jamora-Garceau: 'I kept coming back to the STAR because of its culture'

I first joined Philippine STAR Lifestyle in 1995, when we still had offices in Port Area. Fresh from a master’s in journalism at Boston University, I had a lot to learn about the journalistic scene here. But my editor, Millet Mananquil, was my mentor then and all throughout my career, generously sharing her expertise, knowledge, and tough love when necessary. From staff writer, I worked my way up to assistant editor, taking a break to have a child along the way.

What I loved about Lifestyle was that each day was different, and the opportunities were incredible. I got to interview Anthony Bourdain, the most quotable man alive at that time; Starbucks CEO Howard Schulz, and go to Paris a couple of times to cover Hermès, which were unforgettable experiences in glamour and luxury.

But the main reason I kept coming back to The STAR was because of its culture. Our president and CEO Miguel Belmonte always treated us like family, ever responsive to our needs during rapidly changing times, and I felt safe in this large, diverse but always loving family.

Kathy Moran: 'It was at The STAR that I found my profession'

How does one begin to describe an experience as a STAR writer?

It was an experience where I grew up to become what I was meant to be, I guess.

How do I know?

I worked in many jobs, hopping from one to another, being a religion teacher, a research assistant, a Senate staffer (for Vicente Paterno), and even spending a short stint at 7-Eleven. Finally, I worked for the Makati Business Club as a writer for its Congress newsletter.

After many attempts to find a job that would become a profession, one where I could truly settle, it was in 1996, already in my early 30s, that I first got a taste of newspaper work. I joined the Manila Times, which was then owned by Robina Gokongwei. I stayed with the paper until 1999, when the ownership changed.

Enter The Philippine STAR.

In 1999, it was Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil who invited me to join The STAR as a contributor and to help with the closing of pages whenever the need arose.

That first day, in 1999, lasted until I retired at the age of 60 in 2023.

It was at the paper that I found my profession.

I will never forget the coverages that included animals, from a South African safari to the many other assignments that took me to amusement parks, World Cup games, and NBA games, too many to enumerate.

Today, I continue in my profession because it is a calling that I have learned to love.

It was Millet who helped shape me for this vocation. To her, and to all the Lifestyle staffers who helped me along the way, I will be forever grateful.

Igan D’bayan: 'Unforgettable were David Medalla, Salman Rishdie, De Niro, and Pacino'

I was on a plane bound for Edinburgh that encountered turbulence, and I thought I was going to die with P!nk. Still, I felt I was fortunate to be there—all there, spilling peanuts, clutching madly at my seat. Before The STAR, I was in a business rag tasked with charting the rise and fall of copra. At UST, I learned from the best (Ophelia Dimalanta, Ferdie Limos) and hoped to earn a living as a writer. “Journalism is literature in a hurry,” Ma’am Ophie once said in class. But I never dreamed of writing about Life Insurance Consciousness Week or National Rice Awareness Month. One call from Millet Mananquil changed the trajectory of my life. I was in Purgatory, and she found me. Then came the string of unforgettable assignments for Lifestyle: interviewing David Medalla, Arturo Luz, Malang; taking a literal trip to Jerusalem; getting high in the Himalayas; listening to Salman Rushdie talk about beauty in a time of strife; and, decades later, sitting down with De Niro and Pacino in NYC. If not for Ma’am Millet and my kind bosses in STAR, I’d probably be an e-sabong agent right now, graying and in limbo, still waiting to get the party started.

Tanya Lara: 'I gave STAR the best 23 years of my life'

I gave The Philippine STAR the best 23 years of my life, just as it gave me some of the best years of my career. So it’s hard to choose from more than a thousand stories I wrote, but one of the standouts was when broadcaster Ces Drilon was kidnapped in Sulu in 2008 by the Abu Sayyaf. Millet had secured an exclusive interview for The STAR and assigned me to do it. Ces’ mother showed me the clothes Ces wore during her 10 days of captivity and the hospital room immediately smelled of the forest—and that’s when the story began to take shape in my head. I went back to the newsroom and began writing the front-page exclusive for Saturday in which Ces confirmed the ransom amount that had been paid; and a longer story for Sunday Lifestyle in which she described her ordeal in detail. The news story was stressful to write because of the printing deadline, while the second story was emotional because it was completely no-holds-barred.

Monique Toda: 'Interviewing my favorite Korean idols hardly feels like work'

If you had asked my younger self what I wanted to be, I probably wouldn’t have said it out loud. Secretly, though, I always wanted to be a writer. I adored books, admired writers from afar, and somehow believed they possessed a special kind of magic. Looking back, it probably explains why one of my favorite projects during my hotelier days was organizing a literary festival.

Writing for The Philippine STAR has been a wonderful surprise, even to me. Every assignment sends me down a rabbit hole I never knew I wanted to explore. One week I’m learning about sustainable fashion, the next I’m marveling at the hundreds of tiny parts inside a luxury watch or figuring out a creative way to tie a scarf. Then there are the days when work involves interviewing my favorite Korean actors and pop idols, which hardly feels like work at all. I also love writing my columns that simply let me think out loud, whether they’re about life’s bigger questions or the random observations that pop into my head. Those are often the most enjoyable because they remind me that writing is also a way of making sense of the world—and myself.

I’ve realized that the greatest perk of writing isn’t just telling stories. It’s having a front-row seat to so many fascinating ones. As childhood dreams go, this one has turned out to be a pretty good assignment. 

Lisa Nakpil: 'God forbid that I should ever be accused of writing from the imagination'

Writing for The Philippine STAR—over several lives, pursuits and occupations spanning almost 17 years—is a reminder that the hardest assignments are always the simplest ones! God forbid I should ever be accused of writing from the imagination. (I prefer reportage, research and documentation.) So assignments about people (versus places and events) involve introspection to unlock what makes them special. The more well-known or familiar the person, the more difficult the assignment because it needs more information and insight to say something new.

(This is always a prerequisite as far as my editor Ms. Mananquil is concerned.) I like to think of the column “Chasing Heroes” as going after the elusive—very much like Hen. Luna’s rather insane enterprise to publish a newspaper aboard a railway car during the Philippine-American War. There’s no blood nor bullets these days, of course; just the nonsense of everyday life in this country that gets in the way.

Ricky Toledo & Chito Vijandre: 'What an absolute source of joy to explore the things we love most'

Our column has been an absolute source of joy in exploring the things we love most—fashion and interior design, art, history, culture, theater and the performing arts—and sharing our discoveries and ideas. Even more fulfilling is hearing from our readers and having continuing conversations with them on what we write about as well as so many other related topics. Some of our most memorable experiences include a backstage tour of the Royal Opera House in London to see how the magic onstage is created; meeting our design heroes Karl Lagerfeld and Andrée Putman in Paris; covering Paris Design Week where a Filipino designer, Lilianna Manahan, was featured; and writing about Philippine fashion’s unforgettable moments: The Red Charity Gala shows featuring top couturiers and our Ternocon mentoring of emerging designers that culminated with the presentation of our terno creations at CCP and at the Bench show during Tokyo Fashion Week.

Frannie Jacinto: 'It’s a privilege to chronicle not only memorable events but also inspiring stories'

I have been a Lifestyle Writer for The Philippine STAR since 2012, with a brief hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic when public events and social gatherings were largely suspended.

The role has been both rewarding and enjoyable, as it combines my love for writing with my naturally sociable nature. It has given me the privilege of chronicling not only memorable events but also the inspiring stories, cultural heritage, and historical nuances of the remarkable people and places I encounter.

One of the most heartwarming moments that I have received came from a group of nuns who told me they eagerly looked forward to my weekly columns because they were able to experience these occasions vicariously through my writing. Knowing that my stories could bring joy and connection to readers has been very fulfilling.

Among the articles closest to my heart was one about my dear friend, fashion designer Aureo Alonzo. After enjoying tremendous success, he experienced difficult times later in life. Together with former members of our Karilagan group, we helped ensure he found a caring home with Spanish nuns, where he spent his time surrounded by compassion and dignity. During my visits, he would fondly reminisce about his remarkable journey. The article resonated with many readers, who shared how deeply it had moved them.

Cheche V. Moral: 'STAR gave me the confidence to write about social issues and the little absurdities of life with honesty and a bit of humor'

I started writing for The Philippine STAR Lifestyle in 2025, just weeks after ending a career of nearly 30 years at its biggest rival. It felt surreal at first. Then it became one of the most rewarding chapters of my career.

For years, I had been editing everyone else’s stories, racing against deadlines, closing pages, and juggling a newsroom. Suddenly, all I had to think about was one piece with my name on it. I rediscovered the simple joy of reporting, observing, and writing—without the noise.
The response to my first column, about the odd limbo of “funemployment,” reminded me why we tell stories in the first place: because they make people feel seen. It gave me the confidence to write about social issues, the subjects closest to my heart, and the little absurdities of everyday life with honesty and, I hope, a bit of humor.

One of the greatest gifts of writing for STAR Lifestyle has been the people. My editor, Millet, welcomed me with extraordinary generosity and accorded me complete editorial trust. Those things are never forgotten.

Millet would also occasionally relay thoughtful feedback from STAR president and CEO, Miguel Belmonte. Even after all these years in journalism, that kind of encouragement never loses its power.

Looking back, what I’ll remember most isn’t just the column. It’s what it represented: being trusted, being read, and being reminded that, even after all these years, the work still matters.

AA Patawaran: 'It feels exciting to write for a publication that values excellent prose and the free flow of ideas'

I am extremely proud to be with The Philippine STAR as it celebrates a milestone, its 40th anniversary. I first joined this esteemed paper as a contributor to the lifestyle section in September 1998, and I have always maintained that its editor was the dream boss I only briefly had. But life is generous.

Next month marks the first anniversary of my return to the paper and the debut of my column, “Write Here Write Now,” in these pages. Writing for a publication that values excellent prose and the free flow of ideas over SEO and algorithms feels just as exciting today as it did on Aug. 27, 2025, when my column first appeared here. It carries the same giddy satisfaction I felt on Sept. 1, 1998, when my very first piece, a four-page feature on the late Senator Ramon Mitra on his deathbed, commissioned by Millet Mananquil, was published in the Lifestyle section.

Pam Pastor: 'To now be part of the STAR is a gift, a thrill, a blessing'

The opportunity to write for The Philippine STAR’s Lifestyle Section came just when I thought I had said goodbye to my newspaper life. I will never forget the phone call from my editor Millet Martinez Mananquil asking if I wanted to write for The STAR—and how quickly I said yes.

I will always be a print girl and joining STAR felt like coming home. I’ve been reading The Philippine STAR since I was a little girl — I was five years old when the first issue was published. To now be part of The STAR family and to have my work in its pages is a gift, a thrill, a blessing. I love being on the same team as journalists I’ve long admired and I am so grateful to be working with such a nurturing editor.

I’ve been with The STAR for almost a year now and I’ve already had so many unforgettable assignments. Covering the first Michelin ceremony in the country was exciting. It was such a big moment for the Philippines and it was a great honor to be able to tell that story.

There are still countless stories waiting to be told and I look forward to telling many more of them in The Philippine STAR.

Lisa Ongpin-Periquet: Writing on homes, places and people that are part of our cultural heritage

It all started for me in 2022 when MMM asked me to transform an Instagram post I had made into an article. The subject was the Streamline Moderne art deco home of Generoso M. Villanueva house known locally as Daku Balay (Big House) in Bacolod City. This kickstarted my writing on homes, places, and people that are part of our cultural heritage. It’s my way of shining a light on aspects of our culture that we Filipinos can discover and be proud of. Of the many adventures that have happened since, an exciting one was when a kind Spanish policeman unexpectedly took me via a backdoor route in the Spanish Senate building to an off-limits area in order to view Juan Luna’s impressive painting, “The Battle of Lepanto.”

As The Philippine STAR celebrates its historic 40th anniversary, it remains a profound honor to have contributed to its four decades of championing creative freedom.

Christine S. Dayrit: 'Every journey has been a privilege, transforming my travels into stories'

My wanderlust has taken me from Tibet’s Potala Palace to Antarctica’s vast wilderness and the Auroras of Norway and Iceland. I also experienced Bill Bensley’s remarkable creations, including Capella Ubud, Hotel de la Coupole in Sapa, Legacy Yen Tu, InterContinental Danang, and The Siam. 

My recent assignment to cover the Reimagined Lagen in El Nido where ultra-luxury and nature’s finest meet in quiet harmony is surreal.

Every journey has been a privilege, transforming my travels into stories I share with The Philippine STAR readers. From my articles since 2000, I published my travel book 60 Dream Holidays around the World.

I am deeply grateful for the 26 years of opportunity to continue sharing the beauty of the world as I remain always inspired.

Millie & Karla Reyes: 'Our thrills: meeting a favorite French chef and helping restaurants experience a full house'

Millie: I first started to write for The STAR on June 10, 1987. Back in the day, there were no cellphones yet, so I had to request my editor for a photographer to accompany me. Photos were black and white and I would send my column, typewritten, double-spaced, to the STAR office in Port Area. Modern technology has made it convenient to write my column from my phone or laptop and take colored food shots with my phone and email before the deadline. I enjoy sharing my food experiences with others and it inspires me to search for something unique and delicious to write about. Writing for The STAR means the world to me, making other people happy! My subjects were thrilled when they experienced a full house the day my article came out!

My most unforgettable article was about my dining experience at chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant Daniel at 610 Park Avenue in New York City and thrilled to have met my favorite French chef in person.

Karla: I started writing in 2009 right after culinary school in New York. My mom felt like it was time that we wrote together to share our food adventures. She once had a column when I was a baby and we thought a mother-daughter tandem would give a good perspective. The only problem was we almost always agreed on everything. 

One of the most memorable articles for me was, of course, the first ever one we wrote together about the Ristorante Carpaccio in Yakal. I had to shoot, edit photos, and even share a recipe of one of my favorites, gnocchi con panna. It was a lot of work for our first article but I quickly got the hang of things as we went along. 

My second most memorable article that we’ve written was one entitled, “Our Daily Bread” published in 2011, featuring a small neighborhood bakery along J.P. Rizal in Makati. We would pass it on the way to our office and buy bags of their then-two-peso pan de sal. Shortly after the article was published, we received an email from the family running the bakery, thanking us for the feature as it had opened so many new opportunities for them. Various companies were calling them for product bundlings and support, as well as reporters and TV stations for features and interviews. 

Coming from the F&B industry, I feel it is important to keep telling stories of not only the food but most especially the people behind the scenes.
My most unforgettable assignment was about the Peninsula chocolate truffles handmade by three deaf mute girls, which was quite an inspiring and touching story that received accolades from my readers.

Tonette Martel: 'I turn travel into essays about culture, faith, beauty and our common humanity'

The Philippine STAR gave my journeys a home and allowed me to turn travel into stories about culture, faith, beauty, and our common humanity. Over the years, The STAR has become more than just a publication; it has become an important part of my life as a writer. Nearly 30 years of stories come to mind—from social and human-interest pieces and political profiles to art and culture features, and best of all, the travel stories that have become my calling. Each assignment has deepened my understanding of the world. I am most grateful to my editor for believing in my voice, and to our readers for the chance to share the lessons I learned along the way.

Robina Gokongwei-Pe: 'I had a wonderful three years writing for the STAR until to my astonishment—and a bit of horror—my dad decided to buy another newspaper'

I started writing for the Lifestyle section of The Philippine STAR under editor Tita Millet Mananquil on Aug. 2, 1986, just five days after the paper was born. How lucky I was to have been there almost from the beginning. What a happy 40th anniversary!

Before joining The STAR, Tita Millet was the editor of Weekend, the Sunday magazine of The Daily Express. I had written five articles for her there, and when she moved to The STAR, she asked me to join her. It wasn’t exactly a difficult decision.

My first article was about how women at the gym started putting on makeup after the divider between the men’s and women’s sections was removed. I can no longer remember whether I put on blue eyeshadow myself, but it was 1986, so let us leave it there.

I had a wonderful three years writing for The STAR, with Deng Coy Miel bringing my columns to life through his cartoons. The late, great Entertainment editor Ricky Lo christened my column “Chicken Feed,” saying it was inspired by Robina Farms.

Then, in 1988, to my astonishment—and a bit of horror—Dad decided to buy another newspaper, The Manila Times, from the Roces family. I was sad to leave The STAR because writing for Tita Millet was my form of relaxation.

My last article appeared on Feb. 18, 1989. In it, I wrote, “It’s time to hit the sack—of Chicken Feed.”

Forty years on, The Philippine STAR continues to inform, entertain, and chronicle our lives with integrity, wit and heart. Congratulations to everyone who has been part of its remarkable journey, and especially to Tita Millet, who gave so many of us the opportunity to find our voice.

Reggie Belmonte-Curtis: 'STAR made me truly understand how the written word could connect me to others. We’re never as alone as we think'

I first started writing for Young STAR in 2004, when I was 17. It was a time before influencing; everyone had a blog and expressed themselves with fearless vulnerability and an authenticity that I don’t think today’s internet would ever allow. But a few of us precocious and opinionated youngsters had Young STAR as a platform, which in hindsight is quite crazy to think about!

My time as “Ashtray Girl” was formative. I was a Sad Girl who liked to write about music, pop culture, and the adolescent experience, and the article that still stands out in my memory is my second, published in September 2004, called “Melancholy and the infinite sadness.” It was about my love for sad songs. I still remember the feeling of disbelief when dozens and dozens of response emails came pouring in from people of all ages and walks of life, telling me they felt the same, sending me their own favorite sad songs. It was the first time I truly understood how the written word could connect me to others. We’re never as alone as we think.

I wrote many other things for The STAR over my 16 years (on and off) with Lifestyle, but that particular column will always remain a cherished core memory for me.

Christopher De Venecia: 'I’ll never forget how we profiled creative tribes and close to 50 talents and tastemakers'

What I miss most about Young STAR is the joy of writing candidly, curiously, and creatively and the rigor of churning out a column in time for “closing.” As Contributing Editor, I loved coming to the office and doing what seemed like funemployment because it never felt like work. Under Raymond Ang’s leadership, we wrote, produced, and edited amidst overflowing food and daldalan, especially with the YStyle team. I’ll never forget this one feature I produced, where we profiled creative tribes and close to 50 talents and tastemakers who were then collectively shaping the zeitgeist. I also enjoyed tag-teaming with Kara Ortiga to write the oral history of Young STAR from the time it first started. I loved being part of something that meant something to our readers. If anything, Young STAR taught me the value of creativity, collaboration, and the curiosity to plug into the conversation and help shape it. 

Raymond Ang: 'STAR taught me to be fearless, ambitious, and disciplined'

I was a writer at the Philippine STAR Lifestyle section from 2009 (when I was still in college!) to 2019—a whole decade of my life. For five of those years, I was also going into the STAR office, closing the weekly sections Young STAR (I was editor for two years) and Supreme (where I served as assistant editor). Those days felt like the best crash course in cultural journalism. I would sometimes get assigned that week’s cover story on a Tuesday, have to do all my reporting on Wednesday and file by Thursday. It taught me to be fearless, ambitious, and disciplined. I’ve been at GQ magazine in New York for the last five years, where I currently serve as director of editorial operations. Even now, when I get the opportunity to write big stories—like the cover story on BTS—I think about those heady days as a young reporter at The Philippine STAR and use a lot of the things the editors at Lifestyle taught me.

Tim Yap: 'This was one of the defining turning points of my career'

Becoming an editor, creative director, columnist, and writer for The Philippine STAR Supreme section was one of the defining turning points of my career. It came at a time when I was rebuilding after leaving another publication, reminding me that every setback can become the beginning of something greater. Together with an extraordinary team of young writers—many of whom, like Pepe Diokno, David Milan and Raymond Ang, have gone on to become leaders in their fields—we built something special.

I was fortunate to be mentored by Tita Millet Mananquil, who became a true guiding force in my journey, while I, in turn, found joy in mentoring the next generation of storytellers. I still remember the adrenaline of newspaper deadlines, racing against sunrise as the presses waited for my pages and interviewing future global icons before they became household names.

Stephanie Zubiri: 'The STAR gave me the creative wisdom to follow my curiosity and write with honesty'

Looking back, one of the greatest gifts of writing for The Philippine STAR has been the freedom to evolve. My journey began with “Feast With Me,” inspired by Babette’s Feast and the belief that sharing food is one of life’s greatest acts of love and connection. Through those pages, I found myself interviewing culinary heroes I had only ever admired from afar, traveling the world and collecting stories that shaped me. I still smile thinking about one of my favorite headlines, “Nigella Grabs Life by the Meatballs,” after interviewing Nigella Lawson during her visit to Manila. It captured everything I loved about those early years: curiosity, wit, joy, and the privilege of telling stories.

As the seasons of my own life changed, so did my writing. “Feast With Me” eventually became “Soulful Feasts,” reflecting a deeper exploration of what truly nourishes us, not just food but purpose, healing, connection and living wholeheartedly. Through every evolution, The Philippine STAR never asked me to stay in one lane. Instead, it gave me the creative freedom to follow my curiosity and write with honesty, even through life’s rawest and most transformative moments.

I’m also grateful to have been part of the pioneering PhilStar TV family through Modern Living TV, another chapter that allowed me to grow as a storyteller. To have spent so many years with an institution that believes in creativity, trust, and authentic voices is a privilege I will always cherish.

Rissa Mananquil-Trillo: 'Everything I learned about earning an audience, I learned before the internet taught me how'

The Philippine STAR taught me the discipline of journalism before anything else. The deadlines that didn’t move. The standards that didn’t bend. The responsibility of putting something in print that people would hold in their hands and trust—which meant getting the facts right, getting the story no matter what, and asking the kind of questions in an interview that actually revealed something worth printing.

This was a daily newspaper, read nationwide and delivered to Filipinos before the day began. The margin for error was razor thin, and the clock waited for no one.

You earned the reader’s trust one byline at a time—because in print, there were no shortcuts. No editing after publishing, no deleting a bad take, no hiding behind a caption. No algorithm to boost a weak story, no follower count to substitute for credibility. Every word was a commitment.

That kind of pressure shaped me in ways that digital simply cannot replicate. It is the foundation I stand on as editor-in-chief of Allure Philippines. Everything I know about earning an audience, I learned before the internet told me how.

Myrza Sison: 'STAR became the bridge between my life as a model and my new career in publishing'

At the tail end of my modeling career in 1994, I started dabbling in writing. One of the press releases I wrote for the Sari Sari Store landed on the desk of STAR Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil. She called me and asked me to write about the fashion world from an insider’s perspective, drawing on my experience and access as a model. One story led to another, and before I knew it, I had a weekly assignment and deadline to meet.

Every Monday morning (or was it Sunday night?) Millet would call me on the landline to discuss my assignment for the week. During those almost hour-long calls, I learned so much from her about journalistic rigor and discipline, how to develop a nose for news, cultivate a sense of urgency, stay on top of trends, and honor deadlines. She was meticulous. I remember one rule she made very clear: every single photo had to have a handwritten caption on a Post-it identifying who was in it and what was happening. Sounds like basic common sense, but when I became an editor myself, I found out that this was something so many contributors (and editors!) took for granted! Enforcing her rule saved me from a lot of headaches later on.

She was straightforward and firm, but always very encouraging. Her belief in me, someone who had no journalism background and dared call herself a writer, gave me the confidence to continue pursuing writing and editing. Millet discovered me as a writer, but it was through STAR Lifestyle that I discovered my voice.

It changed the course of my life. It became the bridge between my life as a model and my new career in publishing. It showed me I could contribute in a different way—not just in front of the camera, but behind the scenes and on the page.

It was also under Millet that I honed the journalistic instincts and curiosity about people that served me well when I joined Preview as its first fashion editor in 1995—and in the next 25 years of my publishing career during which I edited Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Spot.ph, and FemaleNetwork.com. Those same skills have stayed with me in content creation, interviewing guests on my podcast, and even executive coaching.

My very first assignment remains one of my favorites. For a story called “Backstage Drama,” Millet asked me to capture what really happens backstage at a fashion show. During a Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines gala where I was booked as a model, I brought along my little point-and-shoot camera and ended up playing three roles at once—model, photographer, and writer—documenting the organized chaos behind the scenes.

Besides covering the people, trends, and events of the fashion world, I also loved writing stories that gave readers an insider’s look: what it really took to become a model, the discipline, sacrifices, and realities behind the glamour, including the uncomfortable truth about young models sometimes being preyed upon by D.O.M.s (or Dirty Old Men). I profiled many of the industry’s biggest names, including Rajo Laurel, Rhett Eala, Randy Ortiz, Inno Sotto, Pitoy Moreno, Ricky Reyes, Frederick Peralta, Robby Carmona and Michi Calica.

Some of my most meaningful stories were about close friends, including Rafe Totengco’s growing international success and the career and personal milestones of Tweetie de Leon and Apples Aberin.

Sometimes I’d get assignments outside the realm of fashion and more about lifestyle. One memorable story was “Why Are You Still Single?” where I interviewed accomplished and attractive bachelors and bachelorettes in their 30s about why they hadn’t settled down yet. It’s not a question you’d ask today, but it certainly reflected the times!

Cecile Zamora: 'The only problem is, I can no longer go back to basic hotels'

Working for The Philippine STAR has been both a blessing and a curse.

My kids were small, and I was a stay-at-home mom when I thought of joining the workforce again. My previous job had been a writer and columnist at the Daily Globe. After that, I became a fashion designer and store owner.

When I got married and had kids, my dad told me to stay at home and be a mom. But after a few years, I felt bored and out of touch.

I found myself having lunch with Millet Mananquil, who quickly offered me a job in the Lifestyle section and assigned me to cover parties, fashion and beauty events, and store openings.

Soon I was flying out to nearby countries to cover luxury brands. It was there that I experienced all kinds of luxury hotels. I attended lunches and dinners, learned to how to socialize and dress up for events, and what kind of bag to carry.

Working for The STAR opened a lot of doors for me. I met a lot of writers who helped me out by writing about my business when I joined the restaurant industry.

I’m so grateful to Millet and my years at The STAR. She gave me the break I needed when I lost my identity as a stay-at-home mom. It made me who I am today.

The only problem is, I can no longer go back to basic hotels.

Joyce Oreña: 'Those moments with STAR built the foundation for my work ethic'

In 1998, Millet Mananquil invited me to write for The Philippine STAR’s lifestyle section. Following my initial stories, I was given the opportunity to write a regular column titled “Go-See.” Drawing from my modeling background, the concept served as a double meaning for both fashion and exploration.

My time with The STAR was instrumental to my professional growth. Whether I was faxing stories from Hong Kong or editing in the wee hours at the Port area office in Manila, those moments built the foundation of my work ethic. I would not be in my current position as the Beauty and Wellness editor of Vogue Philippines without the opportunities I was afforded during those years.

Working under Millet’s leadership was particularly significant, as she provided a generous platform and the creative freedom to develop my own voice. I want to express my gratitude for the major role this experience played in my professional journey.

Ginggay Joven-De La Merced: 'I went undercover as a GRO, traced the roots of the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry, and interviewed Bongbong Marcos who was then a governor'

Writing for STAR Lifestyle defined my youth and shaped my outlook. I was only 14-15 years old when STAR Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil launched Young STAR. In the ’90s, it was groundbreaking to enlist young writers to write for young readers about trends and issues that concerned them.

The experience shaped my inquisitive mind. I learned to be hyper-observant, radically disciplined, and attuned to socio-cultural ongoings and trends. I learned to delve deeper, understand the cultural forces shaping society, and approach every story with the responsibility journalism demands.

Those lessons continue to serve me well in public relations, where understanding how journalists think and work is an invaluable advantage. Precisely because I was one.

The STAR broadened my world and opened opportunities I couldn’t have imagined. I went undercover as a GRO. I traced the roots of the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry. I interviewed politicians (such as President Bongbong Marcos who was then Ilocos Norte Governor), Hollywood and local celebrities (the likes of a then-young Beyonce, Ricky Martin and Mandy Moore; and locally, everyone from Richard Gomez, Aga Muhlach and then up-and-coming actor Piolo Pascual), world-renowned authors, iconic fashion designers, global pop icons, celebrated artists, award-winning filmmakers, top chefs, business mavericks, and a vast range of influential lifestyle figures. Through these interviews, I got to see what makes these stars shine.

STAR gave my young life sparkle, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Erwin T. Romulo: 'STAR gave me a voice, shaped my perspective and inspired me to celebrate and elevate Philippine culture through storytelling'

When Millet Mananquil called our house before, she usually called to speak to my father. This was in 1996, and she was calling on a landline. This was before mobile phones. This time she asked for me. She said she wanted me to write for The Philippine STAR. I said yes right away, of course. It was for a section giving young people the chance to talk about what mattered to them. No one else thought of doing that before. Funny to think about that now: how radical it was. It gave me the opportunity to talk to musicians, artists, heads-of-state (even the now-King Charles). It all started for me then, and I’m still grateful she gave me that opportunity.

That training became the foundation of everything that followed—as a writer, television host, producer, cultural curator and creative director.

Through every chapter of my life, The Philippine STAR has remained my home in print, giving me a voice, shaping my perspective and inspiring me to celebrate and elevate Philippine culture through storytelling.

I remain at your disposal.

RJ Ledesma: 'My wife would say, the weekly column became one of the most fruitful, and most demanding, jobs of my life'

I joined The Philippine STAR’s lifestyle journalism contest a little tentative, even scared—loving to write is one thing, but it doesn’t mean you’re good at it. Armed with little more than a few college creative writing classes and a genuine love of writing, I gave it a shot anyway, and had the privilege of winning. That’s how it all began.

As my wife would say, the weekly column became one of the most fruitful, and most demanding, jobs of my life. I’d spend entire weekends crafting each piece, determined to deliver the wit and humor my readers deserved. What I learned wasn’t just discipline—it was creativity on demand, the ability to be funny and sharp even when I didn’t feel like it, an essential life and business skill I still lean on today.

The column became my diary too: I met the girlfriend who would become my wife in my mid-thirties, and readers followed it all—courtship, engagement, wedding, and the birth of our children.

That discipline carried into hosting and entrepreneurship. From that contest win came six books, an editor-in-chief role, and a podcast. I owe it all to The Philippine STAR Lifestyle.

Marielle Santos-Po: 'How fortunate I was to have my voice featured in a national platform at such a young age'

I was around 15 years old when Tita Millet asked my mom if I was interested in writing for her, specifically for the Young STAR section. I remember without any hesitation saying yes, knowing that this was an extraordinary opportunity to write for the lifestyle section of a national newspaper—an experience that felt both exhilarating and at the same time taught me a lot about deadlines and time management, as I learned how to consistently submit my work, week after week.

What began as a thrilling introduction to journalism soon blossomed into a three-year run as a weekly columnist. My column at that time was called “In Your Face,” followed by a couple more years as a contributor, giving me a decade or so with The Philippine STAR that shaped who I am today. Throughout those years, I had the privilege of meeting fascinating people from all walks of life—designers, chefs, well-known personalities, and everyday individuals with extraordinary stories—while covering a rich variety of topics spanning fashion, food, and events. That early foundation opened doors I could never have imagined, eventually leading to my first job at a teen fashion magazine, where I got to further pursue my passion for storytelling and style. Every assignment felt like an adventure, and I never lost sight of how fortunate I was to have my voice featured on a national platform at such a young age.

Marco Lobregat: 'My wife’s favorite story? My experience as a ghost singer for a well-known celebrity'

Joining Young STAR in 1999 as an 18-year-old was my first job and my first real platform as a writer. It meant the world to me then, and it still does today. Lifestyledidn’t just publish my stories; it helped shape my voice and career.

Preparing this tribute sent me digging through old newspaper clippings from my “Say What?!” column, written long before social media, AI, or digital archives. My wife laughed while reading them and chose “Dreaming Out Loud,” published in 2001, as her favorite, about my experience as a ghost singer for a well-known celebrity. I ended it with: “Live your dreams—no matter how wild they are. Find a way to get even a taste of them.” I would gladly dispense that advice again today. It led me to write The Mushroom Explorer’s Guide to the Cordilleras, build an international career in media, and now, as my wife and I await our baby girl, I’m still singing, this time to my greatest dream yet.

Alexei Villaraza: 'Three years as a graduate student in New York allowed me to share moments in the Big Apple with readers back home'

Before The Philippine STAR saved my sanity, I was trapped writing mind-numbing press releases. But my debut in February 2011 in Cecile Zamora’s “On the Radar,” a subsection of the paper’s Lifestyle section, offered the ultimate creative jailbreak: a soul-saving freedom that dramatically sharpened my strategic thinking at my PR day job. When the section went on a permanent leave of absence, Lifestyle section editor Millet Mananquil took me under her wing, giving my stories a new home and continuing to let my creative instincts run free.

More than 20 articles later, my favorite pieces chronicled my three years as a graduate student in New York, where writing about amazing museum exhibitions, master perfumers, and events in the Big Apple allowed me to share my world with readers back home. Then one day, I was assigned to write about the latest food craze, sending me down a rabbit hole that culminated in an exclusive interview with the mastermind behind the cragel. What began as a seemingly lighthearted food assignment became one of my most memorable stories not just because I landed an interview, but because it reminded me the best journalism often starts with simple curiosity and a willingness to chase an unexpected lead.

Monique Buensalido: 'I’m always honored when strangers come up to me and say they could relate to what I wrote'

I started writing for Philippine STAR Lifestyle when I was 11 years old, when our editor Tita Millet Mananquil started Young STAR in 1996, and what an honor, privilege, and journey it has been.

Some people think the lifestyle section is fluff compared to hard news, but in my opinion, it contains the most authentic anthropological anecdotes of the times. In the last three decades, I’ve written about the untimely death of Rico Yan, Lookbook.nu, sales in Powerbooks, Kate Torralba’s “Leg Love” collection, the role of Facebook and Twitter in mobilizing volunteers for Ondoy, chasing after Jeremy Renner at The Peninsula Manila, Sony Ericsson cell phones, the launch of H&M in the Philippines, getting to know what Erwan Heussaff is like as a diet coach, and anti-aging devices.

This range of topics seems random and kind of insane until you realize these are mostly what we were all thinking and talking about over the proverbial water cooler. It wasn’t deliberate, but I love how each story ended up as a capsule of what people’s interests, sentiment, language, and beliefs are. I guess it’s because writing for STAR has taught me to be observant, eternally curious, thoughtful, and honest.

I’m always honored when strangers come up to me and say they could relate to what I wrote. Even if I’m closer to tita age now than today’s Young STAR market, I remain passionate—and yes, still eternally curious—about media, culture, and people today.

(P.S. That em dash is not AI, but my own. Sincerely yours, Em Dash User since 2006 and has actual newspaper clippings to prove it.)

Letty Lopez: 'The one that drew a lot of feedback was on parents giving away their money too early (don’t do it!)'

I began writing “Travelogues” when, in 1996, Max Soliven suggested that I write about visiting Europe via the Eurail (multi-country train pass). Unlike airports, you were only required to be at the station a few minutes before the train arrived, and there were no porters to assist you with your luggage. I asked Millet if I could write about other topics like the bound, deformed feet of Chinese women (mothers forcefully broke their daughter’s feet at a young age to secure a future marrying into wealthy or noble families). Another was about Elvis Presley’s Graceland; of Vintage Radios and how the world heard of King Edward relinquishing his throne to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson (including her fabulous jewelry); Frank Sinatra and his enduring songs of the lonely and the Beatles’ ballads. The one that drew a lot of feedback was published in 2012 on parents giving away their money too early (don’t do it!). Another was on “Salvation after Suicide: There is Hope!” During COVID, I wasn’t able to submit as much as I wanted, but hopefully, I could still do that even at the ripe, bourgeoning age of 80. 

Mylene M. Dayrit: 'I view everything through the same Lifestyle lens'

To be invited to write for STAR Lifestyle was a creative diversion I never expected. I honestly questioned if I could do the task justice! But working under Ms. Millet Mananquil, someone whose writing I had long admired, made taking the leap entirely worth it.

Writing my wellness features since 1997 hasn’t just been about covering trends; it has directly shaped my own wellbeing and my deeper involvement in the fitness industry. I wasn’t just writing. I was trying to inspire our readers to live better lives.

My time with the section has given me incredible opportunities, especially those exclusive interviews with celebrities and sports personalities. There was always something deeply inspiring to uncover in every wellness journey.

The discipline and curiosity I honed at The STAR laid the perfect groundwork for my career as a fitness industry executive. It also helped me transition to providing education in my industry. I view everything through the same “Lifestyle” lens.

Monchet Diokno Olives: 'The page allows for a more personal and reflective conversation with readers'

I began contributing to The Philippine STAR Lifestyle section off and on five years ago as a columnist, first with “My Turn” and, more recently, with “The Fan Man.” Having spent most of my professional life in media and cable, I discovered that print writing offered a different rhythm. While every column is certainly deadline-driven, the page allows for a more personal and reflective conversation with readers.

Each essay is written with a perspective drawn from my own journey, with the people who anchor my stories—family, lifelong friends, and the characters I have met along the way—giving shape and meaning to the piece I put together. I have written about food, travel, style, and the quiet elegance of old habits.

More often than not, an essay begins in reverie: sitting at my desk, pipe in hand, following a thread of memory, an old conversation, or a chance encounter that suddenly reveals itself as a story.

Ricardo T. Pamintuan: 'I wrote simply for the pure joy it brought and still brings me'

My writing journey with The STAR Lifestyle section began on July 25, 2006, with my first published piece, “Sex ‘Eeewwducation!’” Encouraged by friends, I continued submitting occasional articles, mostly about our family’s travels and dining experiences. Beyond sharing these adventures before the rise of social media, I wrote simply for the pure joy it brought and still brings me.

A major turning point came in late 2023 when I was invited to become a regular contributor. I eagerly accepted, and on Jan. 18, 2024, my piece “Korea’s culinary Trojan Horse” debuted in the “My Turn” column. Since then, I have published over 120 essays about generation gaps, relationships, trends, socio-cultural issues, aging, parenting, grooming, fashion, coping, faith, holidays, nostalgia, the Korean Wave, and yes, food and travel. Among these, deeply personal tributes to my parents like “A love that remembers” and “Pappy” hold a special place in my heart.

On June 17, 2026, my writing entered a new chapter with the launch of my own column, “Senior Moments.” I am incredibly excited to continue sharing my thoughts through this portal for many years to come.

Missy Sanares-Reyes: 'To be able to see so much beauty, particularly in sacred art, fills me with inspiration'

Being an art conservator has given me the privilege of seeing an amazing volume of art—in lovely homes, galleries, and churches, and meeting passionate art collectors. This gives me the fuel to write for The Philippine STAR. To be able to see so much beauty, particularly in sacred art, fills me with inspiration, and it is my hope to share this with readers.

Writing is a unique discipline. I am currently in the process of writing an interesting piece which challenges me because of the research and sleuthing it entails.

Am truly grateful to Miguel Belmonte for giving me this opportunity and to my editor Millet Mananquil for her guidance and direction since 2024.

Lucy Torres-Gomez: 'I will always be in love with the written word. In the saddest of days, it is the written word that will comfort me'

My memory may be good, but I am bad with numbers, so I do not remember the exact date I started writing for The Philippine STAR. I do recall just saying yes to it, in my innocence and naïveté, not really knowing what it would take, much less what it would eventually mean to me. I took it on week by week, one story at a time, submitting by Friday to make it to the Lifestyle section on Sunday. For years, those Friday deadlines became a weekly rhythm, capturing a beautiful, fleeting season of life that now belongs to the archives.

What did I write about? Anything and everything. It was like keeping a diary—something I really did anyway, on and off, as a teenager — except that I was aware this one would actually be read. Back then, I was but a new mother, a fairly new bride, too, and I was finding my footing, translating the vastness of a new world through the grounded, gentle lens of a girl who grew up with the countryside in her heart.

If I circle back in time, I look upon those years with nothing but gratitude. I am thankful for the opportunity; it enriched my life in more ways than I can articulate. And like time spent in school, it is best appreciated in hindsight, as I remember people and stories, lessons and experiences. Through what I now call musings, I learned more about myself. I managed to capture the fleeting memories and stories that drifted through my consciousness back then, shaping those random sparks into weekly pieces to meet a Friday deadline. Although I’m essentially the same person, I will be the first to admit that I don’t think I could write that way today. I do know I have become quite reclusive, less open, and I have let myself comfortably retreat to a much smaller space. So, in that context, I am glad to have had that playground that was The Philippine STAR. I was younger, more carefree, life was simpler, and the world felt happier and safer. Perhaps one day I’ll look back at those pages and see how much I still agree with my younger self.

I still write often—in the notes app on my phone, on scraps of paper, and in any and all of my many notebooks—but they are now really just my own. At times, I know I write as a matter of comfort, rest, or even a reset.

I will always be in love with the written word. In the saddest of days, it is the written word that will comfort me, whether it is me pouring my heart out on letters to myself, or getting lost in someone else’s beautiful prose within the pages of a book, or the poignant dialogue of a great movie.

That is the beautiful thing about the written word—it acts as a perfect, unchanging mirror. It preserves a version of me that was more open and spontaneous even as I now cherish the quiet, sacred sanctuary of my private pages.

Pepe Diokno: 'I’m a filmmaker now in great part because I had a byline in The STAR'

I was a columnist for Supreme from 2008 to 2017. For many of those years, I helped run and edit the section. It changed my life.

I wrote about films. I got to interview actors, directors, creatives—greats like Lav Diaz and Peque Gallaga. I’m proud to have featured Cinemalaya in its earliest days. And to have occasionally heckled the Metro Manila Film Festival, back when its selection had a quality problem. (It’s surreal that I ended up part of the festival a decade later.)

I didn’t know it then, but that was my training. Supreme trusted me with my opinions and my voice. I’m a filmmaker now in great part because I had a byline in The Philippine STAR. I am forever grateful.

Impy Palapil: 'My piece on meeting Clint Eastwood at his Mission Ranch in Carmel, California, drew warm greetings'

My first article for The Philippine STAR appeared in 1997 at the invitation of MMM. Though initially reluctant, her encouragement and my mother’s dream of me becoming a journalist or educator convinced me to try.

Writing about art led me to unforgettable experiences. I vividly remember visiting the Miho Museum in Japan’s Shigaraki Mountains, where the owner, who later became a close friend, gave me a personal tour. I also met the rising architect Kengo Kuma, who kindly showed me his groundbreaking all-glass house that had made international news.

My piece on meeting Clint Eastwood at his Mission Ranch in Carmel, California, drew warm greetings from friends and strangers alike. In 2004, while covering an art fair for STAR, I interviewed Fernando Botero. Our conversation extended well beyond the allotted time. Despite his usual serious demeanor, he seemed to enjoy it and graciously posed for a photo with me in front of his version of a Piero della Francesca painting.

Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr.: 'Lifestyle is art, history, and technology all in one place; I feel at home here'

I began writing my “Penman” column for The STAR in August 2000, and I have kept all the nearly 1,200 pieces I have written since. I love that I can write about my passions—fountain pens, old books, budget travel, geeky stuff, and Ma Mon Luk—while being challenged by unusual assignments like interviewing Jimmy Choo, knowing next to nothing about women’s shoes. This has enriched my own knowledge and life immensely, because I try to learn as much as I endeavor to teach. If a topic isn’t interesting enough for me, then it can’t be interesting for my readers. Even when they moved me to Op-Ed, I insisted on keeping one foot in Lifestyle, because I think even old fogeys like me still have a lot to share about how we Pinoys think and live. Lifestyle is art, history, and technology all in one place; I feel at home here.

Alfred “Krip” A. Yuson: 'I remain proud when Filipino writers express the hope that I continue to be a promoter of Filipiniana titles'

For a quarter of a century as a regular columnist for Philippine STAR Lifestyle, versatility allowed me to write on multiple subjects—the visual arts apart from literature, film since I was a scriptwriter and a decades-long member of the MTRCB, sports since I had started out as a sportswriter in my early 20s, culinary art since I was a perennial judge of the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Contest, and travel since I was frequently invited to literary affairs abroad—such as in Finland, Medellin in Colombia, Nicaragua, Durban in South Africa, Cairo, Dublin… I also represented the paper in covering memorable foreign events like Willie Revillame’s concert in Las Vegas, as well as a Yangtze cruise. A specialized genre was eulogies for artist-friends such as Bibot Amador, Ishmael Bernal and Santi Bose. Most of these pieces in STAR were reprinted in my essay anthologies till 2012. Medical indisposition has since confined me as an octogenarian to my man-cave, content to review books. I remain proud when Filipino writers express the hope that I continue to be a perennial promoter of Filipiniana titles—for The STAR. 

Vicky Veloso-Barrera: 'Writing for STAR is a dream job that’s taken me to exciting places like Chongqing and Chengdu'

Being a lifestyle writer for The Philippine STAR is a dream job because writing is my passion. It’s taken me to exciting locales in China like Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie (the Avatar mountains), and my super favorite, Jiuzhaigou with its turquoise lakes. Chiang Mai is another unforgettable place. I love local destinations like the Cordilleras, Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo; beautiful landscapes are a boon to the soul.
It’s the people that I’ve met that make this job so special. Interviewing Starbucks’ Howard Behar, Maison Francis Kurkjian’s Marc Chaya, Spanish shoe designer Pedro Garcia and our very own creatives, fellow writers and entrepreneurs makes for great stories. I’m awed by our fashion designers, chefs and artists whose creativity is phenomenal; at the same time, ordinary folks, my sukis in the palengkes, monks, farmers, Grab drivers, and the people you see lining up for public transport.

Chonx Tibajia: 'The real flex was being a journalist at the height of print in the best newspaper in the country'

Moving to the Lifestyle section of The Philippine STAR was the dream. Everyone in that room, I’ve known to be the best, and being among them finally was a huge achievement. I was a bit introverted and unsure when I joined the team, and our editor Millet Mananquil would always remind me to: Always sit in the front row, introduce yourself to everyone, and always be in the photo—valuable advice that I take with me to this day. I came to love going to events, but my favorite assignment of all time was interviewing the cast of The Crown in London. “I have a selfie with Matt Smith” is an impressive line in any setting. The real flex, however, was being a journalist at the height of print in the best newspaper in the country. It still is to me. 

Marbbie Tagabucba: 'One press assignment I’ll never forget is interviewing Cindy Crawford in the dark!'

Tita Millet always reminds me, “Don’t be shy.” I didn’t have the guts before STAR Lifestyle. Being mentored, guided, and scolded by the industry’s best gave me the courage to pursue my curiosity and trust my instincts; it continues to enrich my life today.

Helping amplify the F-beauty renaissance and the rise of a new breed of Filipino fashion designers are my proudest work, but one press assignment I’ll never forget is interviewing Cindy Crawford in the dark!

Dindin Araneta: 'Being an arts columnist for STAR Lifestyle sat at the intersection of journalism and advocacy'

Being an arts columnist for STAR Lifestyle sat at the intersection of journalism and advocacy, allowing me to communicate about the visual arts ecosystem in the Philippines to a broader audience.

One article, “Living and Breathing Art in the Philippines,” published in October 2022, while I served on the Visual Arts Committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, documented projects across the cities of Dagupan, Roxas and Davao. Having the opportunity to engage directly with artists there offered insights into the long-term sustainability of creative practice outside Metro Manila. This experience also enabled me to make new colleagues and friends across the country.

Contributor, representative for the visual arts domain of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council 

Wilson Lee Flores: 'Journalism is a lifelong conversation—one that humbles, enlarges, and keeps us forever learning'

Since the 1980s, I have enjoyed writing for The Philippine STAR, guided in my early years by the editor Millet M. Mananquil. I was then a bespectacled student armed with restless curiosity, idealism, and a healthy irreverence for solemnity. What began as socio-cultural commentaries and book reviews became a lifelong passport into history—and the endlessly fascinating theater of humanity.

Among my most unforgettable journeys were six weeks aboard slow trains across 18 Chinese provinces in 2001 and three months exploring the haunting beauty of Eastern Europe in 2008. Yet my greatest teachers were the unforgettable people I interviewed—from then California First Lady Maria Kennedy Shriver (then Mrs. Schwarzenegger) and Uniqlo founder Tadashi Yanai to Henry Sy, John Gokongwei Jr., Lucio Tan, Andrew Tan, George Ty, Enrique Zobel, the Aboitiz clan patriarchs, Chung Ju Yung of Hyundai, Kim Woo Choong of Daewoo, ex-President Joseph Estrada’s first media only interview in detention, then opposition Senator (now President) Bongbong Marcos, the eloquent poet-revolutionary Jose Maria Sison, et al.

Every interview and every column affirmed one truth: journalism is a lifelong conversation—one that humbles, enlarges, and keeps us forever learning.

Ina Zara-Loyola: 'Long before something becomes a tourism success story, someone has to notice it. For 40 years, The Philippine STAR has done exactly that'

Twenty-two years ago, I walked into The Philippine STAR as an intern eager to learn.

I started in the Advertising Department and was only supposed to stay for one semester. Instead, my immediate supervisor, Ogie Trias, encouraged me to stay for another and eventually endorsed me to the Lifestyle section. It was an easy decision.

At the time, The Philippine STAR was one of the very few—if not the only—media organizations that paid its interns. That meant everything to a working scholar like me, who had to render work hours in exchange for tuition assistance.

And so, at 18 years old, my very first paycheck came from The Philippine STAR.

What stayed with me, however, was not that first salary. It was the culture. Integrity, fairness, and respect for good journalism were values I learned from my internship at The Philippine STAR. 

They guided me through the next 10 years of my life as a broadcast journalist, and they have remained with me through the 10 years I have since spent in public service at the Department of Tourism.

Perhaps that is why it felt especially meaningful to come full circle when I returned recently—not as an intern, but as the representative of Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay for the launch of NakakaLocal Year 5. Seeing familiar faces, including Miguel G. Belmonte, and looking back over the past two decades, I have seen the publication weather changing times, adapt to new realities, and remain true to the principles that first inspired a young intern all those years ago.

Growing up in Batangas, supporting local products was never a campaign. It was how we lived. Whenever I traveled to Manila, where I studied, I would buy panutsa, suman, and other hometown favorites as pasalubong. We never called it “buying local.” It was simply our way of life.

Today, choosing local has become a conscious decision.

That is precisely what NakakaLocal has championed over the past five years—not just Filipino products, but the people behind them.

Now, how is this related to tourism? Many still think tourism begins with beaches, airports, and hotels. Those matter, of course. But what visitors remember are the people they meet: the weaver in Iloilo, the coffee farmer in the Cordilleras or Sultan Kudarat, the family running a neighborhood café, the eatery that becomes a destination after a traveler shares it online, or the local guide whose stories no travel app can replicate.

These people are becoming the attractions themselves.

Secretary Dita often reminds us that tourism is strongest when everyone moves together. As she says, “The stronger we are together, the more competitive the Philippines becomes. Tourism grows when the whole ecosystem moves together—through a whole-of-government, whole-of-industry, and whole-of-community approach.”

The Department of Tourism understands that tourism is not just about promoting destinations. It is about creating opportunities for people.

This same thinking inspired the Department’s “Discover More to Love” campaign, envisioned by Secretary Dita to encourage Filipinos to rediscover their own country. Every trip taken by a Filipino creates opportunities for another Filipino. Every hotel booking, every meal enjoyed, every souvenir purchased, and every local business discovered helps communities thrive.

When Filipinos choose to travel within the country, they are not simply taking a vacation. They are investing in their fellow Filipinos.

This is where tourism and NakakaLocal naturally meet.

Both begin with the same belief: that the extraordinary often starts small—a family recipe, a woven textile, a neighborhood café, a handcrafted product, or a community experience.

Given the chance to be discovered, these become reasons to travel, reasons to return, and reasons for the world to know the Philippines.

Long before something becomes a tourism success story, someone has to notice it. Someone has to believe it is worth telling.

For 40 years, The Philippine STAR has done exactly that—shining a light on stories that might otherwise have remained unseen.

When truth shines, it gives people confidence in their own stories.

And when those stories are told with honesty, pride and purpose, local communities do more than grow. They inspire a nation—and eventually, the world.

Dr. Rafael Castillo: 'STAR has allowed me to continue my lifelong mission of translating medical science into practical wisdom that empowers readers to live healthier, happier lives'

Writing for The Philippine STAR Lifestyle has been both an honor and a blessing. Since joining as a weekly columnist in October 2025, “Pulse Check” has allowed me to continue a lifelong mission: translating medical science into practical wisdom that empowers readers to live healthier, happier, and more meaningful lives. As a physician, I have cared for patients one consultation at a time. Through The STAR, I have had the privilege of reaching thousands more each week.

Among the most memorable columns are those that went beyond medicine—on caregiving, compassion, listening, chronic stress and the human side of healing. They reminded me that while medicine treats disease, kindness, hope and understanding often heal people.

As I enter the next chapter of my career as a physician, writer and advocate for healthy aging, I remain deeply grateful to The Philippine STAR for providing a trusted platform where science and humanity can meet.