Filipino humanitarian book debuts as No. 1 international bestseller

A Legacy in Humanitarianism: Journeys of Genuine Connections Through Creative Purpose has launched as a No. 1 international bestseller, highlighting Filipino and Filipino American professionals who turned everyday skills and spaces into community service. The book was officially launched Oct. 20, 2026, and is now available in digital and paperback editions.

Why it matters: - The book spotlights how small, practical acts of service can create lasting community impact without major funding or institutions. - The collection centers Filipino and Filipino American voices, adding to the visibility of immigrant and diaspora stories in business, education and service. - The title’s bestseller status gives the series wider reach and could help expand interest in humanitarian storytelling and community-based leadership.

What happened: - A Legacy in Humanitarianism: Journeys of Genuine Connections Through Creative Purpose debuted as a No. 1 international bestseller. - The official book launch took place Oct. 20, 2026. - The book is the second volume in the Legacy in Humanitarianism series led by Dr. Nellie C. Reyes (h.c.). - The book is available in digital and paperback formats. - Readers can find the book on Amazon.

The details: - Dr. Reyes, founder of the nonprofit AssistNA, led the project and also guided the first bestselling volume in the series, Journeys to Genuine Connections Through Purpose, People, and Passion, published in 2025. - Van Gerard Dichoso, CPA, served as principal co-author. - Leonor Magtolis Briones, former Secretary of Education of the Republic of the Philippines, wrote the foreword. - Hon. Adelio Angelito S. Cruz, Consul General of the Philippine Consulate General of Los Angeles, contributed a special message. - Rory Carruthers of The Bestseller Method wrote the preface. - The seven co-authors are Dr. Katherine Bercasio (h.c.), Antonio “Nonie” Belarmino, Dr. Juliette Barredo-Rucker (h.c.), Dr. Henrick Macalintal, DPT, Dr. Jhoyce Saberon (h.c.), Sweeney Mae Montinola and Jhonna “Janna” Sacote. - The collection’s themes include using personal talents to help others, the immigrant experience, giving back to the community, leadership for creative teams and entrepreneurship among Filipinos in America. - The stories span Eastern Samar, Iligan City and Manila in the Philippines, and Los Angeles, Carson and Georgia in the United States. - The book frames its message around a central question: what will remain because you were here? - The collection is aimed at readers who want to give back but feel they lack a cause, money or a platform. - One story follows a boy who carried water and sold rice cakes in a village without electricity before later turning a Los Angeles dance studio into a home for twenty dancers. - Another story describes a failed prom dress drive that became a free Zumba class with fifty to a hundred participants every Saturday since 2011. - A physical therapist uses a “stretch zone” rule to connect muscles, business and service. - A CPA moves from an office in Manila to graveyard shifts in Canada and finds a spark in vulnerability. - A bullied girl from a small city becomes a professor on three continents and later helps Filipino businesses in America through the principle “Learn. Solve. Share. Empower.”

Between the lines: - The book positions legacy as something built through everyday routines, not only through wealth, fame or formal institutions. - The project also reinforces AssistNA’s broader message about economic and social upliftment through community expertise. - The mix of professionals, public officials and diaspora leaders suggests the series is built to connect personal storytelling with civic credibility. - Dr. Reyes said, “Legacy isn’t about fame or recognition. It’s about the lives we touch, the stories we share, and the inspirational healing we leave behind. If we can help even one person amplify their truth and that creates a massive ripple of change, that’s genuine success to me.”

What's next: - AssistNA and Writers and Artists Collab, the nonprofit publishing platform that produced the book, appear positioned to extend the series and its community-focused publishing model. - The book’s digital and paperback availability should make it easier for readers, community groups and supporters to access the collection. - The linked LinkedIn profile offers another way to follow Dr. Reyes and the project.

The bottom line: - The book uses personal stories from Filipino and Filipino American leaders to argue that meaningful service can start with ordinary skills, spaces and time.