On September 11, 2025, I was given the opportunity to attend the Tourism Stakeholder Consultation Workshop for Culture, Heritage, and Arts held at the Economic Museum in Iloilo City. The invitation came from a respected cultural worker whom I deeply admire, Ma’am Ma. Luisa Segovia. The moment I received her
September 13, 2025
In the book Direk: Essays on Filipino Filmmakers (De La Salle University Publishing House, 2018), Gil Quito’s essay “Lav Diaz: New Directions in World Cinema” notes that Diaz’s mother was an Ilongga from Lambunao, Iloilo, a biographical detail that partly grounds my interest in his most recent film Magellan, the
September 12, 2025
Corruption in the Philippines has long been a recurring headline, but in recent weeks, the issue has resurfaced with alarming intensity. Reports of irregularities in flood-control projects, revelations of ghost infrastructure, and the naming of congressmen who allegedly received bribes from contractors have once again shaken the public. While seasoned
September 11, 2025
On September 6, 2025, premier night in Iloilo, I watched Salum by TM Malones at Robinsons Jaro and I can’t stop thinking about it. It reminded me of last month when I attended the screening of Tigkiliwi by Tara Illenberger. Both films made me realize just how rich and alive our stories are in Western Visayas, yet I can’t
September 9, 2025
We must understand that protest does not wear a single face, yet it always carries a single purpose. It is the cry of the hungry, the march of the oppressed, and the courage of those who refuse silence. In Philippine society, history has been forged by such voices, from revolutions against colonizers
September 8, 2025
Something extraordinary is happening in Tubungan, Iloilo, and it all began with one person’s vision. Dr. Belle Overio, an Ilongga doctor with a deep love for her community, recently created a small pop-up library, a simple idea that has already ignited an outpouring of support. When she shared the news
September 3, 2025
I remember the first time I read a short story in which the protagonist ended their life by hanging. I was still young then, and instead of grasping the depth of the character’s despair, what lingered in my mind was only the image of the rope hanging from the ceiling.
September 2, 2025
Not long ago, masculinity was all cigarettes, grease-stained work shirts, and a heroic refusal to moisturize. By 2025, masculinity is more likely to mean vintage denim, an oat matcha in hand, and a copy of bell hooks posed artfully for Instagram. The result? The rise of the “performative male,” men
September 1, 2025
