roll the credits!

On December 2, found myself in the company of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) - Negros Oriental for their yearend gathering. Was invited as one of three judges for the agency’s Film-Making Competition, “Love and Service: A Story of a True Public Servant.”

It was commendable to witness the works of people who, on top of their responsibilities in the office and in the field, still carved out time and energy to create these films. Entries ranged from the solemn to the comedic. If this activity continues in the coming years, one can hope the same passion and eagerness can flesh out nuances of what a government worker can be and should be, someone who balances self-care with genuine service, someone who works without expectations, and someone whose story also sheds light on what erodes the integrity of public service, especially given what we’ve been seeing in the news lately.

My co-judges were filmmaker and beetzee founder/CEO Chamberlain Gueverra, and Dr. Belen Calingacion, who served as head judge. Dr. Belen is a professor and former multi-term chair of UP Diliman’s Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts.

Even before we spoke, I had the feeling I’d seen her somewhere before. When she mentioned that I should’ve watched the play she appeared in last October, it clicked. She played the grandmother in Ang Sugilanon ng Kabiguan ni Epefania at the Woodward Little Theatre in Silliman! My hunch was right.

Grateful that the cosmos allowed the three of us to meet that night. Stories flowed, ideas aligned. Something cooking up for 2026. Many thanks go to visual artist Kevin Cornelia for the recommendation and to Agrarian Reform Program Technologist Nhelyn Ross Mahinay for the invitation. Maybe next year we should have a play competition?

[ More photos here ]

dumaguete pedicab 0483

Earlier this afternoon, I picked up a box of donated toys from a friend for our museum’s “Give a Toy, Share a Joy” project. Instead of just walking to the museum and lugging the box around, I hopped on pedicab 0483.

As we passed a group of protesters along the boulevard who were calling for justice, denouncing corruption, the wastewater spill in Bais, and other forms of neglect, the driver noticed me taking a video. He turned to me…

Driver: “Bisa’g unsaon nila’g singgit dira, dili gihapon na sila masabtan. [laughs]”

Me: “Sige lang. Naa man silay placards ug streamers. Makabasa ra ang tawo.”

Driver: “Gibayran siguro na sila noh? [laughs]”

Me: “Dili man. Kung mahuman kos akong lakaw ron ug dili ko kapuyon, muapil siguro ko nila.”

Driver: “Wala diay nay bayad?”

Me: “Wala. Pero kung ganahan ka, pwede ka muapil.”

(He fell quiet for a moment.)

Driver: “…So bahin diay na sa kamatuoran ug kaayohan sa katawhan?”

Me: “O. Para asa pa man diay ning gipangbuhat natong tanan?”

He stayed quiet for the rest of the ride.

Sometimes you don’t need to fight fire with fire. But you also shouldn’t shrink and allow yourself to be subjected to ridicule. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is hold your ground—calmly, firmly—and offer a clearer view of what others have long refused, or never had the chance, to see all their lives. 

After my trip to the museum, I walked back home, passed by the protesters again to take more photos and videos. I didn’t get to join them this time, but I am with them. 

47th ugat international conference (day 2)

Last November 13, returned to Holy Name University for Day 2 of the 47th Ugnayang Pang-aghamtao (UGAT) International Conference and attended the panels “Folklore Between Linguistics and Anthropology,” “Transdisciplinary Engagements in Archeology” (particularly for the talk on reviving the asin-tibuok of Alburquerque, Bohol through chemical engineering which was very, very interesting), and “An Ethnography of Ibanag Warfare and Weaponry Based on Spanish Colonial Texts.” The panelists were demonstrating martial arts movements and included capoeira!

Before the day closed, attended the film screening of Tumandok by Richard Jeroui Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay, a Cinemalaya and Gawad Urian award-winning docu-fiction movie with my colleagues from the National Museum of the Philippines-Iloilo. We were all seated in one line while watching the movie, and when the lights turned back on, we apparently found ourselves on Hikbi Row. Namula ug nanghubag among mga mata, friends. 

The displacement of our indigenous communities like the Ati in Western Visayas, the bureaucratic red tape they are forced to endure, and the violence they face which includes the Tumandok massacre on December 20, 2020, simply for defending their most basic rights, were gut-wrenching and massively frustrating to watch. And this is all still happening today. In fact, the inspiration for the film’s lead character, En-en, was present that night in HNU to share her story herself.

I cannot stop thinking about the film. It’s one of those works that lingers; one that feels essential viewing for everyone, especially in this country.

After the screening, I approached one of the co-directors, Arlie, and mentioned the possibility of bringing the film to Dumaguete. She was enthusiastic and hoped an institution could help make it happen. We will see. 

[ More photos here ]

we're on the news for good reason

So news about the ceremony of the 2025 President Carlos P. Garcia Awards for Excellence held at the Ceremonial Hall of the Provincial Capitol of Bohol was published in The Bohol Chronicle last Sunday, November 23, 2025. Posting here for posterity. 

To the other awardees, you can get a copy of the paper at the newsstand beside Pizza Hut in BQ Mall or directly from The Bohol Chronicle / DYRD Office along B. Inting Street, Tagbilaran City.

 [ More photos here ]

essay on my poem

A breather in the middle of the suffocating week. Just learned that an essay about my poem, “The Electorate Weighs In,” is featured in Issue no. 7 of Buglas Writers Journal of the Buglas Writers Guild.

This essay first appeared in Dumaguete MetroPost (Vol. XXVI, No. 1292) for its May 18–24, 2025 issue, specifically in the paper’s City of Literature section.

The full article can be read here.

dumaguetres

The National Museum of the Philippines-Dumaguete turns three today, November 25, on the very same day Dumaguete City celebrates its fiesta in honor of St. Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint of philosophers, scholars, and students! A fitting date for a museum dedicated to learning and promoting our culture, arts, and heritage. And most of all, for a city that is now a UNESCO Creative City of Literature. 

We may still be young and small, but we always make sure every visit is meaningful and memorable. 

We’re open every day—yes, Mondays to Sundays—from 9AM to 5PM. See you puhon! And Happy Fiesta, Dumaguete! 

[ More photos here ]

just thankful

After several schedule changes, no thanks to both typhoons and earthquakes, the event finally pushed through. Yesterday, in the morning of National Poetry Day, November 22, I went to the Ceremonial Hall of the Provincial Capitol of Bohol with my parents for the 2025 Carlos P. Garcia Awards and received a gift from the cosmos.

There were many stumbles before getting the CPG Award for Excellence in Literary Arts. Or any recognition for that matter. I’m just lucky I have a family that reads, especially parents who supported my decision to take on what others might say an “uneconomical” field (creative writing what?), and a sister who introduced me to books and to writing very early on. Lucky to have relatives like my lolo Julian “Papa Iyan” Ypong Torralba, whose little library in the old house in Tamblot was packed with books, journals, magazines, and newspapers. That slim room taught me that entire universes hide between tiny printed words.

But even with an early intro to reading and writing, life still gets in the way. You get distracted, get your heart smashed into smithereens, get hurt so deeply that not even the salve of prose or poetry can soothe you. Or quiet the demons in your head. I stopped writing for almost three years, no new sensible material from 2013 to 2016. This is where my gratitude goes to my partner Marjune, and to my friends in Kaliwat ni Karyapa, Plastic Free Bohol, and the Bohol Climate Walkers. These people showed me what purpose looks like. They were the compass that pointed me back to myself and what matters most. Other fellow CPG Awardees who I knew from way, way back and became friends along the way are also an inspiration without a doubt. There are people who aren’t happy for this award, and you can tell by their forced snark and indifference, but I let it be. We focus. 

Beyond that family, that sister, that lolo, that private library, that circle of friends, or that organization, I wish all our governments could be the support system a talent needs, and provide the kind of foundation that consistently nurtures it until it can stand on its own. I wish for more public libraries in our city and municipalities. I wish we recognize that reading and writing are as intrinsically valuable as any other discipline. 

Because privilege can be made accessible. Because public spaces that nurture learning and leisure are possible. Everyone in the ceremonial hall that morning holds the power to move us in this direction. May the 2025 Carlos P. Garcia Awards be a true beginning, a moment when we choose to share that power with all.

Once again, thank you to Loon, the municipality that first nominated me for this award. Thank you to the 2025 CPG Awards committee, the Provincial Government of Bohol, the Center for Culture and Arts Development - Bohol, and the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage Council. Daghang salamat!

[ More photos here ]

viva excon 2025

Today marks the opening of the 2025 VIVA ExCon (Visayas Islands Exhibition and Conference), the longest-running, artist-run biennale in Southeast Asia. This year, Kalibo, Aklan hosts the gathering under the theme “Sádsad Panáad.” It ends on November 23, 2025. 

I’m not attending this edition, but somehow I’m still there through an “Island Report.” My gratitude to VIVA ExCon Negros Island Coordinator and Researcher Ma Isabel Gutang and to videographer-documenter Ryly for reaching out and recognizing the NMP-Dumaguete as a partner to the region’s creatives. I deeply appreciate their alignment with a principle we hold close, which is art matters most when it considers how it empowers and improves the lives of people, especially those in the grassroots and indigenous communities who often carry the stories that shape our cultural identity.

I had the chance to be part of VIVA ExCon in November 2018 in Roxas City, Capiz, and it was an experience that stayed with me. It opened my eyes to how art thrives outside the usual “centers” of the industry. One important realization is that the artistic practice in the Visayas is a delicate balance of production, appreciation, and, ideally, fair transaction. These initiatives are largely artist-led and deeply connected to local communities. You rarely see that kind of authenticity and reciprocity in galleries!

Thanks as well to writer, visual artist, and fellow Bohol Climate Walker Liza Macalandag and to the National Museum representatives Harriet June Tubil, Julie Bee Unlayao, and Bryan Noel Marzona for suddenly sending photos from the opening this afternoon. If not for them and their surprise updates, I wouldn’t have known that the convention had already begun. 

[ More photos here ]

until next time

There are good news and there are bad news.

*

I am fiercely loyal to friends, the very few people I trust.

*

Last Thursday, November 14, while moving photos from my phone to a flash drive, I found a video from July 20, 2013. Edwin and Sancho had just moved to a new apartment, and they were trying to cheer me up with a small wooden artist figure. I remember that day. A Saturday in Manila, when I felt the world tightening around me. The usual culprits from college were silent. Edwin and Sancho, knowing what I was going through, pulled me out of my head and asked me to help them pack. These two, in their own way, saved me.

They were always more level-headed than I was. Always saying things will pass. And life happened, I returned to Bohol. On August 18, 2022, Edwin told me Sancho had passed away. 

Watching that old video again, I thought of messaging him, to catch up. Based on his social media, he’s into badminton, and he’s good at it. Before I could send my message, I rushed out of the house for a conference.

*

On November 16, as I was readying for my return to Dumaguete, a friend messaged: “Not sure if you heard about Edwin...” I immediately knew what it meant. One of my fears had arrived. He passed away the night before. The message I meant to send stayed as a draft, unsent. 

*

On November 19, we should be celebrating Sancho’s 40th birthday. 

*

Two of the few people I trusted most are gone. Two who steadied me whenever I faltered. Edwin pushed me to explore. Sancho, an artist through and through, urged me to write more so we could one day create a book together. For years he sent drawings and ideas, but I kept saying no, afraid to try new things. It took time to unlearn that fear, after numerous times of being rejected, lied to, maybe even gaslighted, by someone who I thought cared. 

*

This morning, November 17, after the flag ceremony, the museum announced my achievement for literary arts. I know, without Edwin and Sancho, none of this would have happened. I would still be that man filled with uncertainty.

There are bad news, always. But there are good news you can hold on to.

Aside from my family, friends, and my partner, I am especially sharing this win with you two. 

Thank you, Sancho.

Thank you, Edwin.

Rest in peace. And I’m sorry. I really am sorry.

47th ugat international conference (day 1)

On November 11, traveled back to Bohol for the 47th UGAT International Conference, hosted by Holy Name University in partnership with the National Museum of the Philippines–Bohol. UGAT Ugnayang Pang-Aghamtao is an organization of anthropologists in the Philippines. The annual gathering brings together not only anthropologists but also scholars, practitioners, and researcher students to discuss concerns and engage with issues shaping Philippine society, culture, and even the rest of the world. Each year features panels, roundtables, and lectures built around a central theme. For 2025, it is “Engaging Anthropology, Anthropology in Action.”

Fairly new to this world, and while I’m excited by many interests and the pursuit of knowledge, I’m also aware of how much I still have to learn. Sometimes I feel that, without realizing it, I’ve been brushing against anthropology all my life.

With that in mind, I looked for panels and talks that would help me understand not only my own ways of making sense of each other and this world but also my ongoing project at the museum. On Day 1, attended “Lives and Labors at Sea: Gender, Work, and Coastal Communities,” “Kaalamang Bühay at Ugnayang Bumubühay: Mga Kaalamang Katutubo ng Agta-Tabangnon ng Tiwi, Albay,” and “Animating Ruins and Landscapes: Heritage as Lived Experience.” I ended the afternoon with a keynote lecture, “Working-Class Support for Illiberalism: A View from the South,” delivered by Rosana Pinheiro-Machado of University College Dublin.

The day of shared ideas closed beautifully with a quick sunset stop at Becca, followed by Gabii sa Pag-abiabi ug Panag-ambit, a welcome dinner for conference delegates at NMP-Bohol. The Dimiao Children’s Rondalla was easily the highlight of the evening.

[ More photos here ]

pinanlinan 2024

So many things are happening in 2025, and as much as we would love to launch it later this year, we might have to postpone it. But the work is all done.

The third edition of Pinanlinan—an anthology of winning and selected works from the participants and judges of the Tagik Poetry Writing Competition and the Kinalitkalit Flash Fiction Writing Competition held in 2024—will be coming out early next year, in 2026. This volume is co-edited by the poet Rene Eune Ponte and yours truly.⁣

Pinanlinan 2024 features poems and stories by F. Jordan Carnice, Angelli C. Closas, Ian-Jhel T. Galan, Jovanie Garay, Luigi Miguel P. Jacaban, James Sayao Japos, Ariel B. Logroño, Jason G. Madijanon, Jake Malon, Ma. Faith O. Malon, Reynaldo T. Masana, Peter Junriel M. Milana, Ardeshir Abid Morales, Shawn Michael Mutia, Argosy S. Nazareno, Mark Ken Oray, Rene Eune P. Ponte, Mary Grace C. Ramada, Yudi Santillan III, and Janice S. Tuazon.⁣

This new volume also features a stunning cover artwork by Yo Yo Cabahug, who is a member of Bohol Pop Contemporary Visual Artists Group.

Pinanlinan is led by Kaliwat ni Karyapa, with the support of the Provincial Government of Bohol, through the Center for Culture and Arts Development - Bohol and the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage Council - Literary Arts Committee.

 

129th birth anniversary of pres. carlos p. garcia + 2025 cpg awards

Today marks the 129th birth anniversary of Carlos P. Garcia—a Boholano, poet, lawyer, chess enthusiast, and the country’s 8th president. Receiving an award that bears his name makes the heart a-flutter.

Thank you once again to the Provincial Government of Bohol, Center for Culture and Arts Development - Bohol, and the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage Council. My gratitude also goes to my friends and hardworking chuwariwaps at Kaliwat ni Karyapa for trusting me to handle literary projects for the province. Hangtod sa makaya!

Below is lifted from the Kaliwat ni Karyapa Facebook page.

F. Jordan Carnice

for Literary Arts

Kaliwat ni Karyapa warmly congratulates F. Jordan Carnice, one of the honorees of the 2025 President Carlos P. Garcia Awards, recognized for Excellence in Literary Arts.

F. Jordan Carnice is a poet, fictionist, and visual artist from Tagbilaran City, Bohol. He is the son of civil engineer Wilfredo Ladeza Carnice and public high school English teacher Natividad Torralba Carnice. He is currently based in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, where he works as a researcher for the National Museum of the Philippines. His literary works have appeared in publications across the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, including Arizona, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Washington. His poems are forthcoming in a special issue of Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts focusing on writers from Asia, and his food heritage essay will appear in the book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘭 𝘞𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳, a companion to the landmark anthology The Bohol We Love, which was nominated for the National Book Award in 2018 and also featured Carnice’s essay, “A (Re)collection of Stones.” In 2020, Carnice won the poetry grand prize in the Cebu Climate Emergency Literature and Arts Competition for his poem “There is Too Much Light in this World.” Carnice is also the founder of the Kinalitkalit Flash Fiction Writing Competition in 2020 and initiated in 2024 the inclusion of English-language submissions in the Tagik Poetry Writing Competition—two province-wide contests that promote literary production in Binisaya and English. He also founded and co-edits 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯, a series of print anthology compiling selected works from the two competitions, distributed for free to schools and public libraries to foster literacy and build a lasting archive of Bol-anon literature. He is also a regular panelist in the Agi Creative Writing Workshop, which is a workshop for aspiring and established writers in Bohol to develop their craft. He has contributed cultural, artistic, and environmental features to national and local publications. A recipient of fellowships from three national writing workshops, Carnice has twice served as a panelist at both the Taboan Philippine Writers Festival and the Dumaguete Literary Festival. He is a member of the technical working group that led to Dumaguete’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, officially declared on October 31, 2025, by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. He is the author of two poetry chapbooks—Weights & Cushions (2018) and How to Make an Accident (2019)—and was named Poet of the Year at the Nick Joaquin Literary Awards both in 2023 and 2024, the first in the award’s history to receive the distinction consecutively. Carnice is also a member and regular volunteer for activities of Plastic Free Bohol, Bohol Climate Walkers, and Clean Energy Advocates of Bohol.

The President Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) Awards, conferred by the Provincial Government of Bohol through the Center for Culture and Arts Development (CCAD) and the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage (BACH) Council, honor outstanding Boholanos who have demonstrated exemplary achievements in their respective fields and have made meaningful contributions to the Boholano community and the Filipino nation. Through their accomplishments, the awardees carry forward the ideals of President Carlos P. Garcia—the lawyer, poet, chess enthusiast, and public servant whose life remains a model of integrity and intellect.

This year’s event, held in celebration of the 129th birth anniversary of President Carlos P. Garcia on November 4, 2025, was set to take place at the Bohol Cultural Center. However, due to Typhoon Tino and the province’s priority to ensure everyone’s safety, the awarding ceremony has been postponed until further notice.

Still, Kaliwat ni Karyapa joins the Province of Bohol in celebrating excellence in Cultural Heritage, Arts and Literature, Public Service, Sports, and Statesmanship, and in recognizing the awardees’ role as inspirations not only for Boholanos but for all Filipinos.

* * *

Below are the other 2025 CPG Awardees.

Jerrey David Aguilar

for Theater Arts

Nila Itac

for Dance

Ulysses Aparece

for Cultural Heritage Advocacy

Samuel Penaso

for Visual Arts

Luciano "Shanon" Pamaong

for Fashion Design

[ Photos borrowed from this site ]

2025 cpg awards for excellence and special citations

Dear cosmos, this is all for you. Congratulations to fellow honorees, Jerrey David Aguilar, Ulysses Aparece, Sam Penaso, Deya Tsyna Cabagnot, and Nicole Asares. 

Thank you, Provincial Government of Bohol, through the Center for Culture and Arts Development - Bohol and the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage Council. Special thanks goes to the Municipality of Loon for the nomination. 

And above all, my deepest gratitude to my family, friends, and loved ones who have wholeheartedly supported me from the very beginning. Here’s proof that a strong community makes the success of one possible. Truly, no man is an island.

The winds and rains are starting to pick up here in Bohol, growing stronger by the hour. Please stay safe and dry, everyone. And don’t forget your pets.

[ Photos borrowed from this site ]

2025 tagik and kinalitkalit writing competition winners and runners-up

Typhoon Tino may be on its way, but here’s a little bit of good news to brighten the day. The winners of the 4th Tagik Poetry Writing Competition and Kinalitkalit Flash Fiction Writing Competition are featured in today’s issue of Lifestyle Bohol, the features section of The Bohol Chronicle.

Grab a copy at the newsstand beside Pizza Hut in BQ Mall or directly from The Bohol Chronicle / DYRD Office along B. Inting Street, Tagbilaran City.

pinanlinan 2024

 

A new season is about to unfold. Launching soon.

we will remember

Like many kalag-kalag seasons, we did things a bit early to avoid the huge crowd of cemetery-goers on All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. On October 30, we visited the graves of family members and loved ones in Dampas, Loon, Maribojoc, and Dauis. It was a long day of traveling back and forth, and we weren’t able to make it to Serenity Park before it closed at 6PM.

I’ve always had an affinity for trips like this, especially with my mother who is a storyteller. She recalls stories with remarkable detail, particularly those from the Flores Valles and Torralba sides of the family.

One of her accounts is about a parish priest, apparently the great-grandfather of my grandmother, Mama Pila. Sometime in the early 1820s, Mount Hibok-Hibok (then called Catarman Volcano) in Camiguin erupted so massively that residents were forced to flee. Some Mambajao locals resettled in Bohol, including my soon-to-be ancestor, a woman with the family name Roldan. She settled in Dauis, where she became a cantora, or church singer. Like in many unfortunate tales, she was impregnated by a Spanish kura paroko or parish priest and bore an illegitimate son named Jose “Eping” Flores.

The priest was later reassigned to Maribojoc, bringing with him Jose, now grown up. Jose eventually became mayor of the town and was fondly known as Kapitan Eping. Their ancestral house once stood behind the Maribojoc Church, built on what was originally a small islet separated from the mainland by a narrow river flowing toward the Cebu Strait. When the priest became the town’s parish priest, locals—especially churchgoers—were tasked to haul kuta or coral stones to fill the gap, gradually linking the islet to the main coastline. My mother recalls visiting that house during town fiestas and Holy Week as a child, its cavernous living room floored with wide wooden planks and filled with religious relics.

Another story my mother told me was about a war veteran in the family, Panfilo Torralba, the youngest among my grandfather Papa Iyan’s siblings. He enlisted during World War II and, like so many others, never made it home. He died young, one of the countless Filipinos who perished during the Japanese invasion in Luzon in 1942.

His remains contained in a casket were sent back to Bohol in a separate stately aluminum box, which was kept in my grandfather Papa Iyan’s silong, the open space beneath the floor of their house in Tamblot. The box was kept for several more years in that silong even after the casket was buried. When my mother was a child, she would often see that box while playing in the area. One day, out of curiosity, she and her playmates pried it open, only to find a serpent coiled inside. That sight alone was enough to keep them away from the silong for good.

There were so many tales and fragments to take in. Some haunting, some simply human. Like many family stories, ours seems to begin with something that lingers between memory and myth. My mother said my uncles have written records and more to tell. Maybe it’s time to look into them. 

[ More photos here ]

the dead follows me to the bedroom

For All Saints’ Day, let me share a poem, “The Dead Follows Me to the Bedroom.”⁣

⁣An earlier version of this piece was part of a 14-poem suite titled “The Shape of Days” which was first published in Agwat-Hilom, an anthology produced by the National Committee on Literary Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), which gathered literary works on the COVID-19 pandemic from writers across the Philippines back in 2020.⁣

⁣Five years later, pandemic or not, the losses we continue to endure, especially those fueled by mismanaged state funds, still haunt us just the same. 

dumaguete: unesco creative city of literature

We did it, fam! What a glorious way to end the month of October! Dumaguete City is now officially a UNESCO Creative City of Literature! It joins a distinguished network of just over 50 cities around the world recognized for their outstanding literary culture and commitment to creativity.

I had the honor of representing the National Museum of the Philippines - Dumaguete as one of the major stakeholders during the city’s bid to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) over the past months, presenting how the museum continues to promote and sustain the community’s literary heritage through its public programs and visitor engagement activities, such as our Knowledge Nook mini-library, Muse and Metaphor at the Museum lecture, Paglampos: Stories of Triumph by the Women of SAFIRE, Paglampos: The Art of Zine-making, the Silliman University National Writers Workshop: The Fellows Forum, among others. And there’s more to come! 

Established in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network fosters international cooperation among cities that place culture and creativity at the heart of sustainable urban development. The network recognizes cities in seven creative fields, namely, Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music. All this encourages the cities to exchange best practices, form partnerships, and integrate cultural development into local planning.

Before this milestone, through the UNESCO-Philippine National Commission, the Philippines only had three UNESCO Creative Cities: Baguio (Crafts and Folk Art, 2017), Cebu (Design, 2019), and Iloilo (Gastronomy, 2023). With Dumaguete’s inclusion, the country now proudly adds a City of Literature to the list.

Dumaguete City, along with Quezon City (for City of Film), made history as the first designations in their respective fields in the country. Dumaguete, in particular, is among the first Creative Cities of Literature in Southeast Asia alongside Jakarta. 

This push was spearheaded by the Dumaguete City Tourism Office, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Negros Oriental Provincial Office, and a core group of creatives led by award-winning writer Ian Rosales Casocot. Grateful to everyone who worked so tirelessly to make this happen, and excited to see what lies ahead for my second home under this groundbreaking recognition. 

[ Read more about the declaration here ]

cant. write. well.

Clearly our overreliance on messaging apps for work has dulled our ability to communicate with clarity and intent. Many no longer write in complete sentences, sometimes mistaking brevity for efficiency. Meaning gives way to speed, as if speed is equal to being professional.

Ultimately, logic is often hijacked by a false sense of urgency, as though it were the reader’s task to piece together what the sender failed to articulate well. So pagsulat mog tarong, please. Or better yet, maybe find another avenue to communicate instead of personal social media accounts? Like an email?

surprise email from carlos

Before heading back home to Bohol later this afternoon for this year’s Undas, a special email from “Carlos” suddenly appeared in my inbox this morning…

❎ Carlos Palanca Awards

✅ Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Awards

Bokya na naman tayo this year sa Palanca, but I will gladly take this alternative. My province of Bohol has been a constant blessing in this life. Dear cosmos, family, friends, and my beloved, this is all for you.

It has always been for you. 

negros design week 2025

Weekend itinerary be like, after a quick doctor visit confirming that the stye in my right eye has officially graduated into a chalazion, heading straight to the last day of lectures for Negros Design Week. Then somehow ending up as an instant PA for Pride Run Club 6200’s photoshoot, and then joining their carbo-loading session before their run for the International Negros Oriental Marathon (or INOM… I see what you did there…) the following day. Not bad for a weekend.

[ More photos here ]

happy birthday, pj!

PJ turns two today! Say hi! For such a little girl, she filled a huge void when our six-year-old orange cat, Lazy CJ, left us just a week before. It’s as if the universe stepped in and sent this beautiful calico kitty our way, wandering into our garden one morning in 2023, right when we needed her most. 

See you soon, PJ!

[ More photos here ]

duaw ta!

Last Friday, October 17, found ourselves walking the entire stretch of Hibbard Avenue, cutting through Colon Street, and braving the piercing midday heat all the way to Ninoy Aquino Freedom Park for this year’s Buglasan Civic-Military Parade. Felt a bit like test subjects for the street-dancing parade happening later that day! Kidding aside, made the right call to design and print our own shirts for the IEC school campaign we had last month; now we have something uniquely ours to wear at events like this. So kaya pa ba next year? 

[ More photos here ]

happy birthday, chari!

Today marks the 6th birthday of our beloved tilapia, Chari! From a daily leaf-giver to an occasional plastic bag muncher, he’s truly become one of the most eccentric family members we have.

It’s been six years since that wild day I jumped out of the car and ran straight into the middle of the road, waving my arms like a madman before an oncoming truck, just to save this once tiny fella. Haaay. See you soon, perpetually sleepy Chari boy! 

[ More photos here ]

happy sunday

There’s never a shortage of things to do, even on weekends, but there’s also plenty to be grateful for. Kaliwat ni Karyapa, organizer of the 4th edition of the Tagik Poetry Writing Competition and Kinalitkalit Flash Fiction Writing Competition, made possible with the support of the Provincial Government of Bohol’s Center for Culture & Arts Development (CCAD) through the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage (BACH) Council–Literary Arts Committee, has gathered over 142 entries from 107 Bol-anon writers this year.

As lead project coordinator, just finished formatting the shortlist and sending score sheets to all six judges. There’s a lot of exciting work in this batch.

I also got a bit of surprising news today, something I never imagined I’d be hearing in this lifetime. The ink hasn’t dried yet, but the news alone feels like enough fuel to keep me going for the rest of the year.

Still, somewhere between the busyness, I found a quiet moment this morning to reflect. Maybe when you’re genuinely happy for other people’s successes and at peace with what you love doing, your own time will come too. All in due time, always.

Tonight, it’s back to work on an essay due also tonight! Crazy, but all good. Thank you, dear cosmos, for the strength. 

[ More photos here ]

museums and galleries month 2025

Happy Museums and Galleries Month, everyone! Every October, museums all over the country celebrate Museums and Galleries Month (or MGM). It is our time to honor our nation’s cultural heritage and the institutions that help preserve it. Established through Presidential Proclamation No. 798, s. 1991, this month encourages all of us to appreciate Philippine art, history, and the stories behind our sacred and everyday objects. 

It’s a reminder to visit your local museums (especially our National Museum of the Philippines-Dumaguete!), check out or even join an exhibit, or simply reconnect with the past that continues to shape who we are today. Also, this post is meant to commemorate the stye in my right eye. A first! What perfect timing! Great job, Staphylococcus aureus bacterium! 

just a thought

 When your vision is so small, you will mistake a window for the world. The small of sight always finds its horizon in a box.

teatro sillimaniana dos

Last Saturday, October 4, dropped by the Woodward Little Theater to catch Teatro Sillimaniana Dos, a series of award-winning plays by Silliman playwrights, directed by the SU Speech and Theatre Department’s senior class.

The last time I was in this black box theater was in college. Good to see it still alive and pulsing with the energy of the community’s creatives.

Two plays by friends were staged that night. First was Ian Rosales Casocot’s The Midsummer of Manuel Arguilla, directed by Merliel Natad Putong. It is a 2023 Palanca-winning one-act reimagining the famous short story writer’s final hours before his execution in 1944. His wife Lydia tries to visit but never gets to see him, speaking only with his fellow prisoner Leon. After torture, Manuel clings to stories to endure, recalling his own “Midsummer.” In the end, Lydia reveals the story’s deeper truth. Lady Lorraine Elmido as Ading was a standout. She was sharp, sly, and fully in control of the story’s rhythm.

Then came Rolin Migyuel Olina’s The Late Mister Real, directed by Jefferson M. Balandra. And my golly, I wasn’t prepared. Set in a COVID-19 quarantine facility, it reunites ex-spouses Boyet and Raquel after years apart. It begins as awkward small talks and then unravels into humor, pain, and lingering regret. Some wounds and the choices that cause them truly never heal. Justine Lawrence Lopez and Julianne Andrea Oyao were phenomenal. No surprise Rolin’s play made it to CCP’s Virgin Labfest XX this year.

Watching both made me wish I could write like that. Plays are a different breed. I wrote one in college and buried it somewhere no one will find. Still, there’s something about theater, how silence and subtext can speak louder than dialogue. Hmmm. I’ll think about it.

There’s more coming from Teatro Sillimaniana Dos this Friday and Saturday. You might want to catch them.

empanadas, anyone?

Remembering Vigan and its food. Yes, definitely the food. When we visited last September, I was told their empanadas are a must-try, that I couldn’t possibly leave the city without tasting one. So, of course, I did.

What I didn’t realize was that there are two kinds of empanadas competing for people’s cravings here—the Vigan Empanada of Ilocos Sur and the Batac Empanada of Ilocos Norte. Both are about the size of a plate, half-moon shaped, deep-fried savory pastries usually sold at roadside stalls or food parks. The difference lies in the ingredients and appearance, I think. Please correct me if I’m wrong, people of Ilocos!

Turns out, what I got was a Batac Empanada, not the Vigan version. Batac empanada is recognizable by its bright orange shell. Curious, I asked the cook why it’s colored that way, but before he could answer, another buyer jumped in to explain that the dough, made with rice flour, is tinted with annatto seeds or atsuete.

He said that in Batac, many even enjoy the crunchy-salty shell on its own, without filling. Like crisps! They call it pinais and usually pair it with spiced sugarcane vinegar or sukang Iloco. That was new to me. I just love how locals are always the best guides when it comes to food.

I ended up with the Special Batac Empanada for P60, which was stuffed with grated green papaya, mongo sprouts, egg, and Ilocos longganisa. I was encouraged to try the Vigan Empanada, too, but the nearby stall was already closing for the night. So I still don’t know its difference.

Maybe that’s reason enough to return to Vigan. Then again, who really needs a reason to go back here?

[ More photos here ]