Battling the intense heat in the Philippines

It was almost 10pm when I went out for a jog/brisk walk last Saturday night to have a “me time,” clear my mind, and well, to burn some calories. I initially planned to go out earlier but errands, dinner time, and some “issues” hindered my schedule. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly because it has been going on…

The Workers in our Midst/ Ang Mga Manggagawa sa ating Paligid

Isang inhinyerong sibil ang yumaong tatay ko. Matagal syang nagtrabaho sa Saudi, pero nagkaroon rin sya ng proyekto sa Ho Chi Minh sa Vietnam. Ang ilang proyekto naman nya ay dito sa Maynila. Naalala ko nga, nakapunta pa ako dati sa isang construction site dyan sa may Vito Cruz noong itinatayo pa lang ang pundasyon…

Marie Veronica Expert – a multigenre Filipina visual artist

The beauty of the female visage and form, a lively splash of colors, and arresting visuals — these are just a few ways to describe Marie Veronica Expert’s works. Marie is one of the visual artists that I met in Paris during my foreign assignment there from 2018-2021, whose artistic genre is so varied. During…

Spectacular Sagada

It was my first time to visit Sagada in June 2023. I was with my former high school classmates some of whom I haven’t seen for years, so it was sort of a reunion as much as it was a nature adventure and culture trip. Cel, Claire & Bryan, and Irma flew from Albay; Joy…

Sibang

This is one of my few “pahabol posts” before the year ends. I made this lengthy post on FB last July and I gained quite a lot of comments plus that was the time I found the dress I am wearing on my current profile picture (Lovely dress, wouldn’t you agree? ๐Ÿ˜‰ ), so I…

Kapurpurawan

Saan ka ba papunta? Ano ang mahalaga? Ihakbang ang mga paa, Isa, dalawa… Tatlo, apat, lima, Basta magpatuloy ka, Dala ang aral at sayรก ng nakaraan, Buhay at pagkakataon ng kasalukuyan, At pag-asa at pananalig sa kinabukasan. (Ika-2 ng Disyembre 2023 sa Kapurpurawan Rock Formation sa Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Bahagi ito ng tour na sinalihan…

Wika, Atbp.

Sa pagtatapos ng pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa sa Pilipinas ngayong Agosto, nais kong ibahagi ang ilang mga kaganapan, bagay, at mga pagmumuni-muni tungkol sa wika. Una, nag-organisa ang aming opisina ng storytelling event na pinamagatang “Samot-Saring Hiraya: Imagination through Filipino Stories” noong ika-22 ng Agosto 2023. Nagkwento ng folktales na nagpahiwatig ng kulturang…

Pansit/Pancit

Maraming klase ng pansit sa Pilipinas. Halos sa bawat lugar, may kinasanayan na pamamaraan sa pagluto ng pansit, sa klase ng noodles at sa mga sahog. Sa aming bahay, maging dito sa Manila o noong nasa probinsya pa kami, karaniwan na nagluluto ng pansit si Mama kapag may kaarawan, piyesta, Pasko o anupamang selebrasyon. Pansit…

Music, OPM and me

Yesterday, as I was having a long bath while listening to music, thoroughly enjoying my freetime on a Saturday, I thought of writing a piece about Original Pilipino Music (OPM). I have written one entry about music sometime ago, Diplomacy and Music, and while it lists several of the famous, respected and talented singers in…