The launch of the Atria Pocket Library on November 28 was more than a simple mall event. It was a statement and an invitation. Through the leadership of Ms. Mae Carumba, mall manager of The Shops at Atria in Iloilo City, together with curator Allyn Canja of Thrive Art Gallery,
December 4, 2025
In the past week, I surrendered not only my free time but also my emotional bandwidth to the demanding task of checking my students’ personal essays. What I initially planned as a mechanical exercise, which was to read, evaluate, and grade, slowly unraveled into something much more complicated. Every time
December 2, 2025
There is no doubt that alternative and independent spaces play a crucial role in shaping society. These spaces serve as fertile grounds for experimentation, dialogue, and reflection, places where creators, thinkers, and innovators can explore ideas outside the constraints of mainstream systems. Within these spaces, deeper conversations about our lived
November 29, 2025
Literature becomes more than an artistic expression when calamities strike in places like Iloilo City. It becomes a refuge, an anchor, and a reminder that human experience is shared even in the darkest hours. In recent years, the region has endured typhoons, floods, and the anxiety brought by unpredictable weather
November 26, 2025
Silent Reading Hour is a program commonly used in schools to encourage students to read quietly within a designated period. It is often presented as a symbol of discipline and concentration in building literacy and as a space for personal engagement with texts. However it is important to view this
November 24, 2025
Malay Man Ya ni Malaya, written and directed by Ketchie Marie Tinagan and an official entry to SineCOMM 2025 of the University of San Agustin, is a short film that explores local culture, personal longing, and historical consciousness through a distinctly Ilonggo perspective. From the opening sequence, the film immediately foregrounds hablon as a central cultural icon. While this establishes the importance of hablon within the
November 21, 2025
Alessa Enya Sarabia’s Hupas, an official entry to SineCOMM 2025 of the University of San Agustin, stands as an ambitious attempt to navigate the intersecting terrains of Ilonggo folklore, womanhood, and personal trauma. As a student film, it already demonstrates considerable technical discipline. Its cinematography is steady and thoughtful, its
November 20, 2025
In a city that is developing, especially in the field of arts, it should never be a question whether we need criticism. History has made it clear that criticism is essential not only for mapping the development of art but also for understanding its relevance and reception in contemporary society.
November 19, 2025
There is a new book nook in Dumangas, Iloilo, set up inside a portion of Rock Drilon’s own home and opened to the public. It is warm, generous, and admirable, yes. But we cannot allow admiration to replace analysis. A community space built around books requires more than sweetness and
November 18, 2025
I am, without hesitation, a fan of Regine Cabato. I read her posts on Facebook the way people read field notes from a frontline observer who keeps her eyes open even when the rest of us are exhausted. I follow her writing projects with genuine interest, especially those that deal
November 17, 2025
An issue that reflects the deeper sickness of grassroots governance has once again surfaced. Mayor Raisa Treñas has asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 to temporarily stop the distribution of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation or AICS program. This move came after growing
November 15, 2025
Stop romanticizing art and start confronting the rot behind the canvas. Iloilo City’s art scene, once admired for its passion and creativity, is now facing an ugly moral reckoning. Behind the murals that brighten our walls, the open mics that celebrate expression, and the plays that preach empathy, there festers
November 14, 2025
