Hello, my dear old space! It's been a while. Life has been kind, but there were a couple of challenges along the way (of course!). For the last two years, I took my feet to new places. I went to Singapore last year in November, I wish I had taken more photos of the food we ate (the place we were staying was right by this breakfast stall that sells Kaya Toast with a glorious morning fix for only around 5 SGD).
So, based on my recollection:
Eaten in Changi. Braised Noodles with Char Siu Pork
Forgive me, I'd entirely forgotten this drink - this was along Geylang
Putu Piring! Same place as the drink above
Kaya Toast and Mocha
Mel's Drive In - Universal Studios. Brownie a la mode? (This is a lesson for me to note what I'm eating next time)
Goldilocks - Laksa Fried Chicken is superb, really flavorful! One chicken is enough for me though
Bah Kuh Teh + Har Kao. I'm a sucker for hakao so of course I had to try it in Singapore! Bah Kuh Teh is a comforting hug after walking the entire day
Kaya Toast, what else? From Ya Kun! They have a branch here in the Philippines as well. I think they opened last year - around One Ayala in Makati City
Oyster Pancake!
The best of all - chili crab (at an affordable price and look, generous serving!). I went with my officemates so one of our senior managers treated before we left
Hopefully, I will remember the names better next time. Went to a couple of museums too (not only in Singapore but around the Philippines as well), so I am pretty excited to share more about that.
Looking back into my camera roll, I realized I attended a fair amount of cup sleeve events last year and one this year.
A cupsleeve event pertains to events held in cafes (or any shops selling beverages) usually to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, or any particular achievement of a K-pop idol/band/group. It’s also an opportunity for fans to gather and get to know each other while they celebrate the special day of their favorites. Cupsleeve specifically refers to its literal translation, cup sleeves, but it can also involve air holders. I am not entirely sure if this concept originated from South Korea but many fans in SK celebrate through hosting and attending this kind of event. Basically, the gist is it’s an event that would require you to purchase a drink as a ticket for entry/joining.
I am quite inactive with fangirling lately but whenever I have the time, I try to update myself once in a while. Honestly, I never expected that I will become active again with fangirling, but I was so captivated by iKON that rather than being a casual listener, I opted to become a stan. I made new friends online and I am happy to say that some of them have also become my friends in real life - it’s one of the simple joys in fangirling.
Also, there’s a lot of prejudices here in the country with regard to fangirling. Being a fan of Korean Idols does not necessarily equate to neglecting local artists. Actually, if you have been here with me in my blog for a long time, you will know that I am also an avid fan of local artists. I also met many people online who are passionate about advocating for solutions on the social issues here in the country. In fact, my friend and I were able to visit the Lumad Bakwit School in Diliman once again because of a k-pop fandom.
To quote my friend, “It’s fulfilling to see that your will to serve the people and fangirling interact”.
#Happy818GDay
The first cup sleeve event I attended is the advanced celebration of Jiyong or most commonly known as G-Dragon. I was looking for a coffee shop I can stay at as I’m trying to do my research.
Attending a cupsleeve event for the first time and alone for that matter really made me nervous but I was also excited to try it out and see for myself.
A funny background story is that I actually did not know they’re hosting an event for Jiyong in Megamall during that date. I just happened to pass by the coffee shop! So I decided after a few walks around whether I should attend or not. In the end, I decided to give it a try because... why not?
The birthday celebration for Jiyong included an exhibit of merchandise and photos of Jiyong. Viewing of merchandise and albums is allowed as long as you do it with care. It’s amazing to see how people dedicate their time and effort to put up an event for their idols! You can see how passionate they are.
I cannot remember what I exactly ordered but as far as I can recall it’s a cold non-coffee beverage, White Chocolate, I think? and i just asked which food would suit it best. Their food is okay, I wish I have explored more of their menu but maybe next time. I wouldn’t be able to eat it all of it anyway since I was alone.
Organizers of the events also design their cup sleeves. It’s one of the main takeaways from the event (the one you are actually attending for aside from the celebration). Some events would not require registration fee and give it for free as long as you purchase a drink from the cafe, but some would also require a fee, it will depend on the organizers. I actually liked the design for this event since it is light to take in, it shows more of Jiyong than G-Dragon, not that they are entirely separate entities. Just the vibe. I also got two photo cards of him, one PC of when he was a child and one taken by the host herself during Jiyong’s concert - Motte in Manila.
Overall, it was an enjoyable feeling for me. I also had the opportunity to have a short talk with the host and she told me about her other projects for Jiyong. It made me respect organizers even more seeing how dedicated they are.
#ForOneAndOnly131
The second event I have attended is carefully planned since I was also aiming to meet my online friends turned IRLs (’in real life friends’, just one of the many twitter slangs I have learned from staying in stan twitter). I was working overtime the night prior to the event and I still even have to finish a report in the morning (the event is at 1 o’clock) that even though it’s my second time around, I still felt nervous. Thankfully, having Lexi with me made me calmer. Lexi and I share the same bias in iKON, Yunhyeong. He’s a fellow trash for my OTP too.
I was not actually expecting to meet a couple of my mutuals (that’s another twitter term) in the event other than Lexi whom I had initial plans with (she even met her instructor! LMAO) and Ate Rei, the event organizer. The day made me giddy when I was on my way home because albeit brief, I got the chance to meet some of the people I have interacted with online.
Since these events happened quite a long time ago, I am having a hard time recalling what I particularly ordered, but I remember ordering a cheesecake (and yet I forgot if it’s blueberry or the other one since we were supposed to order two cheesecakes, however only one cheesecake was punched) and fries. Their fries are swell. I tried their Banana bread and it tastes pretty good, too.
The airholder for this event is gorgeous, Ate Rei partnered with one of Hanbin’s fansites - BE BLESSED. BE BLESSED partnered with several organizers in different parts of the world just to celebrate Hanbin’s birthday. It was an emotional event because the iKONIC fandom went to despair after what happened to Hanbin last June 2019. It still makes me sad, actually. Slowly recuperating but also patiently waiting for the time when Hanbin decides to come back. I’ll be all out to support him, he deserves the world.
Ate Rei and her partners did a job well done in organizing this event. We stayed for quite a long time that we even blew a wish for Hanbin. We also got amazing freebies for an event that did not cost us anything for pre-registration! No fees at all. There were a couple of raffles too. Ate Rei and I share the same bias in BigBang, Choi Seunghyun.
It was also the day when simultaneous cupsleeve events were happening and if I had the energy, I would have made a run for it. However, my report needs polishing since it will be presented two days after that. The event has already satisfied me beyond my expectations as well.
#TripleKHBEvent
I happened to celebrate Hanbin’s birthday twice, this time around it’s with my friends from college. Sam and I were living in the same condominium (different units) and Donna was also nearby. Since all three of us know Hanbin, it was a win for all of us.
Alice Tea Salon is just a few minutes walk away from my temporary residence and my office which is why I grabbed the opportunity to attend the event. The cafe is also known for its pleasing ambiance and boy, was it true. The design is well-taught.
The team was there when we paid a visit and they gave us sets of freebies. They were generous with handing out freebies.
A small raffle was also hosted on the latter part of the evening. I won an official album poster from the New Kids: Begin album!
I ordered an Assam Tea Latte since I’m a sucker for tea lattes, it was partnered with Brownie Pie ala mode. It was okay, I guess? I still have to explore more of their menu. Look at that airholder, isn’t it marvelous? Hanbin was so dashing during their concert in Seoul. I mean, as always.
As I’ve said, I attended this event with my friends. All of us were still in our office wear (I just removed my blazer). We used the time to catch up and we were actually quite teary-eyed when the conversation was taken in a deeper level. Sam knew Hanbin and Bobby during their trainee days and Donna has also been a fan of iKON since their trainee days. Having the same interests with your friends is sure an enjoyable thing. It reminds me of the days when my best friend Allyssa and I were fangirling over BigBang during our high school days. Sam went with Allyssa and I during their last concert in Manila - MADE in Manila.
#BeyondOurBoundaries
Attending this celebration of Bobby’s birthday was planned beforehand since there was a pre-registration event, hence, we have to place our payments first. No regrets though! The package we acquired contained a lot of freebies and even a shirt. The sleeve was marvelous too. Look at that, it was glittery and I’ve taken an interest in its design too. It reminds me of space shenanigans. I literally have cosmos in my tumblr username.
Reaching Black Sheep Coffee and Cocktails was a challenge for Lexi and me. We met at the MRT - Taft station. It was also my first time to experience riding the MRT. How I wish the government would pay more attention on how to carefully plan the transportation system in the country. Evident traffic in the metro is the symptom of that certain disease (poor planning and mis-aligned priorities in the transportation sector).
I ordered Matcha Latte (as I’ve said I love latte) and we also got Quesadilla and Nachos. I loved their Nachos but for the latte, not so much. It tasted bland, so I figured it was quite pricey for its quality? We do not need to pay for our drinks because it was included in the pre-registration package. The ambiance of the cafe is good for drinking cocktails though, it stands up to its name. I reckoned that since it’s the first time I have been there, I’ll give it another chance. It’s a favorite of one of my acquaintances so there’s probably more to it more than its Matcha latte.
It was my first time to meet two of my twitter mutuals who I have quite frequently interacted with. I’m not really active just as I was in 2018 but I still interact with them sometimes. We share the same love for certain pairings so it was nice to catch up with them. I had to leave early though because I needed to attend to a work emergency that night.
#PlayfulChanwoo
I still had the chance to attend another event this early 2020. Chanwoo’s birthday was only two days away from mine and I found an event within Ortigas which is just a few walks away from where I’ve been staying so I gave it a go. I asked Donna to tag along with me.
This event was very generous with handing out cup sleeves. For every purchase, you’ll have two cup sleeves of your own choice.
I ordered a Cream Cheese Taro latte and a cake (I forgot the flavor) that Donna and I struggled with finishing. It was also challenging for me to finish my own latte, it was quite too sweet for me. I reckoned I’ll just order a medium drink the next time if I’m purchasing cream cheese latte again. I still dig Blackscoop though, it’s one of my places of comfort.
Donna and I had the chance to join the group photo! We were not really interacting with the crowd since they seemed to know each other very well. It was another moment for us to catch up with each other though. I’m really happy that Donna and I stan iKON since it seemed like a newfound friendship even though we are batch mates and share the same major.
I also realized that I miss attending events, albeit not interacting with people so much. This isn’t my priority, but when things are better (not just back to the normal situation, but hopefully, the transition to a better one), I wish we will be free again to the things that we find comfort in.
Ah, the rising stars. My baby boys. Our baby boys.
We adopted Pampoo from Cagayan and Solo was the son of a stray we used to foster, Orange. Orange (pronounced as oh-ran-dyi) does not stay with us anymore. She’s a stray and we fostered her for a certain amount of time but she comes and go. We named her son “solo” because he’s the only remaining cat in our house. Sometimes, he goes out too but he’s basically a homebody.
Pampoo, on the other hand, is named by my uncle and my dad. His name was their collaborative idea as brothers. I remember bringing Pampoo in Vigan when we took a short trip on our way home. When we arrived in Laguna, Addy and I barely slept because we were worried to leave him alone. He was a small precious pup back then but now he’s loud (quite boisterous if I might say) and brave.
Both of them did not get along at first, and there are times when they still fight - even until now. We felt Solo’s heightened and guarded senses the first time we brought Pampoo home. Maybe because he’s something new, and his presence is still alien to him. Now, they frequently chase each other around. Solo has been gentle around Pampoo (like the good boy he is) but Pampoo is kind of awkward in making social interactions with other pets. He barks often at strangers.
In this time of staying at home, Mama reminds us how grateful she is for our baby boys’ presence. Pampoo and Solo are boys of play time, with the former demanding it the most. Solo would sit in our laps to make lambing occasionally but we’d often catch him playing with ropes, lanyards, and scratching the bottom of our sofa chairs.
I think my mama’s kind of outgoing, she always laments about how she misses to be outside once again and see her friends while the four of us (my dad, Andres, Addy, and I) can survive on long days without interacting to the outside world. In my case, I often need alone time to recharge. Side note: I have transitioned to INFJ after being an ENFP for so long. So in lieu of those activities she’s been missing, she’s been playing with our fur babies instead.
My dad, on the other hand, has been very soft around our pets. We were not expecting to see that! Daddy has always been stoic but oh, to see him soften around our pets - especially around Pampoo. It’s definitely a sight to behold! When our uncle handed Pampoo to my brother, Andres, he warned us of the heavy responsibilities of being a pet parent. He was even dismissive of the idea to adopt another pet. Now we catch him cuddling with Pampoo like the babies they both are.
I also realized that Mama’s right about having Pampoo and Solo around. They’ve been helpful as we try to cope in these trying times. Maybe Pampoo and Solo would frequently appear in this space too. This is home to me after all.
Last week, I briefly visited Elbi for work-related matters and I realized how much I yearn for my friends in college.
I also reinstalled the mobile application as I stumbled upon this post in my drafts again. I have this notion during my last year in college that there is a need to document all of the things I will miss after I graduate, so I did. I tried preserving memories from my perspective by capturing these photos.
Life in College or life in Elbi, to be specific, makes a huge part of who I am that I will never even dare to trade the entire experience should I even have the chance. It was not perfect (nothing is!) nor it was pure bliss but... it was the best. The thing is, encountering those challenges actually makes the whole experience worthwhile.
This photoset just represents the daily mundane things that I still miss up to this day.
Like having a picnic at Freedom park with my org mates and walking from our apartment in Raymundo carrying picnic baskets and casserole pots with nobody giving a damn (it’s quite a long walk from Raymundo to Freedom Park). That’s the thing about Elbi, although prejudice cannot be erased in the face of the earth and Elbi is no exception, the place gives you a sense of comfort in being who you truly are. Elbi allowed me to be unapologetic (although I still try to change my silly habit of saying sorry multiple times) but with people around to remind you to still be sensitive and practice respect. We try to practice constructive criticisms within our circle which is a no easy feat but hey, it can be learned and learning is a continuous process.
Like going grocery shopping with my Casa Sisters. In my social research acknowledgment, I told the people whom I call as “casa sisters” (since we basically live in the same apartment and we are orgmates as well) that I could search the entire world and I will never find the same bond and experience we had for the past few years. They’re some of the people I miss the most. We tried attending Zumba sessions every Tuesday and Thursday as one of our bonding moments and afterward, we’ll drop by the grocery to buy some food. That’s also one of the things I miss. Kimme cooks for us and we try to help her (though my primary tasks for those years were just slicing and washing the dishes, it still makes the experience whole).
Like drinking booze albeit our early morning classes the next day. We drink frequently, especially in our junior year - during that year, it was almost instinctive that we’ll drink our Thursday nights away. I remembered this one certain moment wherein Iris brought this certain Lambanog from her province. We were drunk in the sense that our landlord has to knock on our door and call the entire thing off. It was me who apologized (in my entire drunk form) for our misbehavior.
Tito Mar was a good landlord. He was supportive of us since our apartment witnessed a huge amount of preparation activities for our org’s events. Tito Mar even became one of our yosi buddies (I used to smoke in college and smoking was allowed in the premises). When we left Casa del Mar, he put up individual tarpaulins to congratulate all of his tenants and each of us also received a Mernel’s cake from him. Now, remembering this makes me sad. Last March of 2019, we received the news of his passing. My sisters and I attended his wake, we were not even aware that he became ill. Hoping that Tito Mar will find peace wherever he is right now.
Like celebrating victories in our courses with sem-enders. Our professors in the Department were known for being accommodating (let’s go, CHE!) and since one of our thrusts is basically empowering institutions... we’re used to organizing events, hence, organizing events as such is nothing new to us. I miss our DSDS days. I was grateful for kind and understanding professors who were really hands-on in guiding us through our journey and diligently imparting lessons because they genuinely believe in the thrusts of our college and of course, to serve the people.
Like studying in nearby student-friendly cafes whenever there’s an upcoming hell week. Coffee shops are a good place for studying but not all students can sustain a kind of lifestyle which involves frequent studying in cafes which is why I am thankful for this certain co-working space just a few walks away from our apartment. How silly of me to forget that name but I will update this once I remembered it.
And lastly, I miss those albeit utterly mundane, but still seemed magical to me, things like celebrating our own own version of the holidays. In 2017, we celebrated Thanksgiving in our own way. It was kind of a potluck but since our apartment was the designated place wherein we’ll celebrate, we cooked instead. We didn’t have Turkey (where can we find Turkey in Elbi those days anyway?) but it was a day wherein we students can celebrate like we’re on a fuc king buffet.
I am supposed to be finishing a documentation report (yes even if it’s late at night) but the past few months have really been draining and I recognize the fact that I am privileged enough to actually still be tired because of work... which means that I am still employed. Goddamn you, Harry Roque, for insensitively interpreting that data. The rate of 45.5% actually means that nearly half of Filipino adults have been rendered unemployed because of this pandemic (and the lousy response) and if you look into it in a granular sense, what make up the entire percentage are individual stories of sorrow and hopelessness. So ayun, tangina mo.
But anyway, what I’m really trying to say is that amidst this fast-paced turn out of events, I always go back to my anchor to find sense into who I was, who I am now, and what I am becoming.
My supervisor advised us to prepare a work plan stretching until the month of December since there is a huge possibility we will adopt this alternative work arrangement for quite a long time. So today, I finally moved out of our shared unit in Ortigas (or dorm as I prefer to call it since I spend more hours in the office than in the unit) which means I am finally reunited with some of my belongings, including my books. Hence, my reading list for this month is finally complete. All of these books are written by Filipino authors except for Rant which was written by Chuck Palahniuk.
Actually, I was planning to purchase additional books from Aklatan - All Filipino Book Fair but a huge pile of unread books still awaits me. I realized I could save the money instead and be consistent with applying the KonMari method in my life (side note: I am currently organizing my room as of the moment, it’s a project I’d like to pursue this year). There is a chance I will change my mind though given that Visprint also has their Farewell sale which will run on the same dates - today, August 16 until Tuesday, August 18. I have always been a Visprint baby since I was in sophomore (high school) so when they announced their farewell last year, it was really disheartening. Wishing that in the future, more people will read and patronize books and other works by our fellow Filipinos.
Support Aklatan! Support local authors and artists!
On my reading list:
Rant by Chuck Palahniuk.
Belle, my friend from college, bought me this book last November as a gift (a Christmas gift, I think). This has been my flight companion ever since I went to Butuan on November 13. It also went to Davao last January 19, and guess what? I still have not finished it. My trips were fly-in/fly-out so even though I try my best to focus on reading, I just end up dozing off instead. Hence, I am including this in my reading list!
Dwellers by Eliza Victoria.
Eliza Victoria is one of my favorite local authors. I love her short stories so when I discovered her novel, I immediately purchased it (from Visprint’s store in Shopee which is now officially closed, sadly). I also bought this last year, around June, I think? I finished it in one seating but this book warped the hell out of me. It has this fascinating pacing which would make you read more. I want to read it again, carefully this time, so I can process my thoughts about it. As far as I can recall, my previous reading experience with this book was a pleasant ride.
Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag by Edgardo M. Reyes.
My officemate gave this to me on my birthday. I was sweeping my things before going home and this caught my eyes since it was not on my desk before. It has a note which says “Happy birthday, Ayel! Happy Reading!”. I already knew who gave it to me because of the following reasons: 1) this certain officemate and I were constant visitors of our office library, and 2) we exchanged books last year since we wanted to widen our reading list regarding local authors. I already finished reading its preface and introduction of the author. Hopefully, I will finish it this month... despite the amount of workload. I suddenly recalled that this same officemate wished me to have ample time for reading in spite of adjusting our schedule to the situation.
Gotita de Dragon and Other Stories by Nick Joaquin.
Speaking of this officemate, this is the book I received from him in exchange for my F. Sionil Jose’s Viajero. I read some of the short stories in my bus rides on the way home but I still have not finished all of it. I wanted to make reading as my source of comfort so hopefully, having this reading list would inspire me rather than pressure me.
How to Traverse Terra Incognita by Dean Francis Alfar.
I mentioned in my last post that I am currently reading this and yes, it’s already August and I am still not finished with it. I’d say I have time management issues but hell, this pandemic situation is draining all of our energy and even time management is a learning process. We will all find the right pacing for us in due time. DFA has been a staple in my reading list since all of his works I encountered have left me crying and... satisfied (cue: Angelica Schuyler). I’m already through with the first part: Reach your Destination and The Face is my favorite story so far. Coming home from Ortigas also reminds me that I actually saw DFA a couple of times there but I’m shy... and I felt like invading his privacy so I will just always walk straight whenever I see him. I've also read his wife’s work, Wanderlust, which was really fun and easy to read. I can still recall the sense of comfort it provided me back then.
Alternative Alamat edited by Paolo Chikiamco.
I think I only have three stories left before I can finally say I’m done reading this collection. I bought this together with Dwellers and the only chance I get to read this book is during one laundry time in Ortigas so I pledge to be more dedicated to reading this book. Eliza Victoria’s Ana’s Little Pawnshop on Makiling St. is included in this collection. By now, I think you’d probably get the hang of my reading list - it’s speculative fiction.
MythSpace also by Paolo Chikiamco, Koi Carreon, Paul Quiroga, Jules Gregorio, Mico Dimagiba, Cristina Rose Chua, and Borg Sinaban.
I bought this because 1) I am invested in supporting Philippine Literature especially Philippine Graphic Literature, and 2) Chikiamco’s collection captured my interest so I would really love to see how this one will turn out. Another fun fact about this book is that it’s a collaborative work! It’s a collection of related stories because each story happened in the same universe. And since I am highly fascinated with cosmic things, another reason why I bought this is it tackles about space. Ah, stellar. I cannot wait to finish it.
I am trying to make reading a habit every day weekend since it’s all the time I can afford for now. So, that’s my reading list for this month! Crossing fingers that I will reach 100% of my goal which is, obviously, to finish all of them within this month. But hey! If I don't, then I wish for at least 70%? or 50%? or even 30% since I still have days stretching after August?
After all, appreciation of local works should be part of our daily lives. Mabuhay ang mga gawang pinoy.
back in college, i remember attending a seminar with harry roque (still a house representative back then) as one of the resource persons. it was his pre-lapdog era, and it was also the time when reimposing death penalty for certain crimes was one of the most pressing news.
during his talk, he narrated that all representatives who will vote for yes (agreeing to reimpose death penalty) will be granted a certain amount of funding for their projects while those who will vote no would not receive any funding. meaning to say, those who voted for it will be incentivized. it was not even a corruption in disguise but in its raw form. as far as i can recall, roque voted against it but look at him now, both a lap dog and a clown.
in times like this, i wonder what are supposed to be the reasons of these representatives for saying yes to deny ABS-CBN their franchise renewal. what are their reasons for denying people their jobs amidst the pandemic? what are their reasons for denying the people the right to be informed in this time of public crisis? are those reasons more important than addressing the immediate needs of the people?
were they afraid once again? pressured? much like the people struggling to live because of this current pandemic situation? much like those who have been unemployed? much like those of who are hungry? were their backs pressed in a corner that they cannot even afford to stand for what is right? why is it there is only a few who call for the proper alignment of priorities? particularly in COVID-19 response efforts?
they are people in a political platform, a very powerful one. what are the chances they will not have any choice? for fuck’s sake, they are capable of shifting systems. for people like them, they will have a choice and they are supposed to shape systems that enable people to freely choose for their own. they should always choose the public interest above any other.
there are a lot of studies and recommendations coming from the academe and various agencies on how to properly address the COVID-19 pandemic situation and yet decision-making processes are still wack because self interests prevail. all of those who voted yes to the resolution on denying the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise and those who voted for the passing of the anti-terror bill (now a law) are enablers and accomplices to injustice and the repressive attacks of the duterte administration. with each day dedicated to misaligned priorities, the number of cases increases - hence, it is another day wasted to contain the pandemic.
make them accountable, remember their names, and continue to fight. together, we can do so much.
Believe it or not, this post has been in my draft for two years now. I took this photo in 2018 and it used to carry a different story. Figured that I am having trouble managing my time lately and I wanted to keep track of things other than my planner doing its job for me (something is wrong as it’s not been working with me for the past few weeks).
I have a bad habit of making long introductions so to prevent that, here we go.
C U R R E N T L Y . . .
R E A D I N G the following:
1. Articles from Rappler. I absolutely love Rappler, my thinking capacity has been thinning for the past few months but Rappler was able to summarize information in a way that it still allows me to think critically. Defend Press Freedom!
Support Free and Fearless Journalism!
The move to silent journalists and dissenters is absolutely horrifying, we must dare to take a stand and action to defend journalists. Never forget that in late 2018, a report by the International Press Institute revealed that Philippines was one of the deadliest country for journalists.
2. Mo Dao Zu Shi literally translated as Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. I’m currently reading the novel, all thanks to kind hearted translators. You can also read the novel in its english translation here. It’s more than a hundred chapters but you will never regret it! I will blab more about it once I’m finished reading.
This semi-obsession started by watching its chinese web series adaptation, Chén Qíng Lìng/The Untamed (2019). It’s available in Netflix, you may also want to watch it. Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan are... divine. If you are into historical fantasy, it might suit your taste! Plus, this quote from the series is a mood.
3. How to Traverse Terra Incognita by Dean Francis Alfar. I bought two books last Shopee 6.6 sale from Visprint, Inc. It arrived two days after the purchase. Although I haven’t finished it yet, I can say that a lot of stories really piqued my interest since Alfar is one of my favorite authors. I’ll probably post about a book haul and a review soon.
W R I T I N G fan-fiction lately. I am your resident AO3 and Webtoon reader but I write occasionally. However, I’ve been on a semi-hiatus in my attempt to write things lately. Several drafts are in my drive and I have trouble writing series since they require an intense presence of mind (I have been thinking of so many things because of this pandemic) so I try to write chapters one at a time along with additional research. Also writing technical reports lately since there’s been a backlog due to the surge of activities we have been conducting in work.
L I S T E N I N G to Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest. I also love the version of Toploader. I have been teaching my little brother to dance with me using this song. This song never fails to put me in the zone.
T H I N K I N G about the second semester of 2020 since it’s already July. The whole thing with our pandemic situation has made me anxious since I have been monitoring it since January. Nothing has been better since we have a fascist taking the reins. Our boss has also informed us that once transportation is ensured, we might be required to report physically as part of the skeleton workforce.
S M E L L I N G Guardian Angel (Shelter) by Miniso. This has been my brand of scent (?) for the past few months and since I am not physically going to work, I’ve hardly used it during this period of quarantine. It actually smells nice! Worth it for its price. I’m not really an avid fan of the expensive ones since maintenance is hard and I wanted to be practical.
W I S H I N G for a lot of things to come into reality. I made a wishlist slash list of goals during the start of the year. I know some of them will take time into becoming real but there’s no harm in still wishing for it to happen. One of which is to have a room makeover. My sister and I already named the project ‘AddYel’, it’s just our name combined - Addy and Ayel - since we share the same room.
H O P I N G for better days but along with it is the knowledge that hope is a fuel to action such as resisting and fighting against tyranny! Here’s a list on how to make hope tangible. Just like what Dylan Thomas said, “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of light.”
W E A R I N G my favorite jammies. I love wearing pajamas because it reminds me of my high school days when I was productive albeit being at home. Work from Home is a challenging set-up and not everyone is really fit for it. I’m still not fond of the term ‘new normal’ because I believe we must make concrete actions in creating a better normal but for the meantime, we adapt. However, policy makers should really take note that there will be a huge shift because of this pandemic. They must ensure that things will not be worse in the future.
I have also been wearing this same black v-neck shirt in virtual meetings except for the ones that really require business attire.
W A N T I N G another office table since the one here at home is not really conducive. I have been adding a couple of furniture in my Lazada and Shopee carts lately but I still can’t decide which one I’m getting.
N E E D I N G more time to rest. It may be hard to believe but I am having a hard time to fully rest since March. We are still working from home and the expectations are rocket high since our movements cannot be monitored. There were days when I have to stay up until two o’clock in the morning just to finish deliverable(s) and monitoring things. God, give me a break.
F E E L I N G angry. Ha! The administration’s response to this crisis is infuriating and this pandemic exposed the deadly system at place. Passing the accountability to individuals has always been one of its disgusting strategies to avoid addressing problems in a holistic manner.
I also realized that one installment of this series, Volume Four in particular is missing whenever I click the tag in my blog proper, it’s either I deleted it or I kept in private but I’m keeping the count.
Wishing you will find something worthwhile in this weekend! You may also want to try joining the blog link up! Click here.
We had the chance to explore Vigan City again for about half a day or less on our way home to Laguna from Cagayan last 2019. The last time we visited was in 2014, I was recovering from a heartbreak. It was another heartbreak this time, but more painful as it was the passing of my Lolo. I was never really open about these two heartbreaks, I guess, and I figured that this darling city has been my some sort of secret place in airing my grievances. Maybe through walking around its streets and seeing the unique hustle and bustle of the small city in the daylight (we did not have time to roam around by night time since we were already en route back to Laguna).
In some way, Vigan and I are acquainted with each other, and perhaps even friends. Having a picture of the past (a painful past in the Philippines for that, colonization sucks) perhaps reminded me that there will always be a way for us to move on at our own pace and at our own time. Knowing that we will be able to move past our pain is a separate league of its own, and I also have to keep in mind that healing is not always linear.
Lolo was my only remaining grandparent until his death. I made so many promises to him and when we finally had the chance to bring those promises into life, he died. I think I was just both sad and angry, and maybe more on the latter part. Frustration crawled into my head too. Mixed feelings were rushing into me all at once and I can feel its weight crashing upon me that I cannot even bring myself to shed tears back then. It was so bad that I came to the point when I had to push myself to cry. Around December, I had a breakdown due to the accumulating stress and whatever it is I was feeling all along - it was not a pretty sight to behold and it was the only time I cried after Lolo’s death. Nothing’s going to be pretty about breaking down. I never even spoke about it in any of my social media platforms until now, and it still comes as a surprise when I am finally doing this.
After Vigan, I got to travel into quite a lot of places in the country, I even reached Mindanao. I’ve been staying in Ortigas because of my work (but I am back in Laguna due to the current pandemic situation) and the bustling city reflects my coping mechanism - keeping myself busy with work and the other matters of life. It was not really healthy though, and not exactly how Ortigas looks like. Ortigas, specifically Emerald street, is quiet and busy on its own way during weekends. The life of the city was more engaging and people were actually stopping by the street to pay attention, but I love Ortigas in a unique way - it has been a second home to me.
However, Vigan will always have a certain touch on how I was built as a person, despite visiting for only two times. More than being a tourist and despite being busy of its own right, the charming city welcomes me with open arms - much like the arms of my mother - whenever I seek for consolation, comfort, and peace.
Last March 10, 2019, we had the opportunity to see the Lumad youth once again. Initially, the event was organized by a fanbase with the notion that it was “charity” work but at the end of the activity, we were sure that it was more than that.
Our main goal for that day is to spend time with them through creating art, and their art indeed exposed the truth. Lush mountains. Birds in the sky. Abundant fields. These were the first subjects of their drawings. Green, Blue, and Yellow. Few minutes later, bombs and guns appeared in the picture. Red and Black.
They presented their outputs as they recalled their stories. One of them shared: “May panahon na kakauwi ko lang pagkatapos nang pagbakwit (because they’ve been under a series of attacks), pero kailangan ko na namang umalis. Kinita lang ako ng kapatid at nanay ko para paalisin (balaan) kami dahil aatake na naman sila (referring to the heightened military presence in their community)”. Their leaders and teachers were harassed, arrested, and killed in front of their own eyes too.
Imagine that. These people are only fighting for their rights to be recognized - right to self-determination, to education, and ancestral domains, to name a few.
It was in the same year that the Department of Education and AFP issued an order to shut down 55 Lumad schools based on the conclusion that they instill “rebel/subversive/terrorist” thinking into the mind of students, with no any alternative to provide access to education for them. They were forced to shut down their schools and move out of their homes because of the armed conflict just to continue their education.
Even until now, attacks and abuses have never ceased. According to Save our Schools Network, continuous harassment and intimidation have been experienced by leaders, teachers, and students. Due to the current pandemic situation, they are more vulnerable than ever as they face lack of resources and support amid all the attacks.
For more information on what you can do and to learn more about the Lumad struggle, please visit https://bit.ly/standwiththelumad.
It has been a while since I have been here and a lot has happened since then.
Finally got myself to work, and then quit, and then work again. I found myself, lost myself in the process, and now I am on my way back to redeem whatever is left of me. I guess I suffered with something I cannot afford to name after graduation. I don’t know. Lost weight too and I have been nauseous again. Lost people but gained new and old ones. Lost things, but acquired new ones. The curious shift of losing and gaining old and new.
This current pandemic situation has also made me busier (with work) than ever, contrary to what I had initially planned. Plans of being productive, learning a new skill or a hobby, enrolling in another online course, and going back to writing... I took a leave from this place even when I knew this hub brings me comfort wherein I can put my thoughts together - no matter how tangled they may seem. However, at the end, I find myself staying away because I am far too exhausted to even recall or worse, to even express.
Nevertheless, it made me realize that this time is not a race to productivity. It is perfectly understandable that the situation has made us all anxious, uneasy, and unmotivated. This is a challenge I fight everyday. Sometimes, I find myself being guilty just for taking a break to read or whenever I try to sleep earlier than 12 midnight. Hence, I need to remind myself that I am allowed to take care of myself and that it is humane to do so.
As we transition to the “new normal”, I hope all of us realize that there is a huge need of change in systems and that we should all transition to a “better normal” instead which primarily includes better healthcare systems and better regard on people’s well-being regardless of their social status.
Taking a very short break as I prepare for another meeting whilst drafting a monitoring report. Should you need someone to talk to, I am here and my ask box is always open. Stay safe.
Photo taken in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur last May 5, 2019
Practicum Integration Series: On Disaster Risk Management and Resiliency
These photos were taken a day back in April when we conducted a household survey this year for our practicum.
The barangay captain was kind enough to invite us over for lunch before we head back home. His home sits on the top of the mountain, and he invited us to be able to integrate what the residents experience on a daily basis living in a highland community. The process of arriving is this: We will ride on his motorcycle from the barangay hall to the foot of the mountain. From there, we will walk because the motorcycle can only accommodate one person at a time because its trek is very steep. These riders are braver than marines. There are actual people who got into accidents just because of trying to get to work through that mode of transportation. We literally had to climb the mountain but the captain will wait for us at a certain stop point. From there, we can ride the motorcycle on our way to his home.
Barangay Ligpit Bantayan has one of the highest peaks in Guinayangan, it is also located at the center of three municipalities. Due to its steep terrains and absence of service roads, most of the residents resort to transferring their children to schools in other municipalities rather than on their own. Based on the records from the school district, children are also forced to drop out of school because it was both physically and financially draining for the family. They also had to walk an hour or two just to reach the school. They cannot even resort to modification in transportation because the road is rough and impassable during rainy days. Also, it costs high funding to avail a transportation service.
When disasters happen, it makes the case worst for them. Not only because roads are impassable, but also because as a place which relies on agriculture — their livelihood is affected as well. As for the youth, rather than continuing to avail education, they had to resort to helping families to rebuild what was left from the disaster instead.
This is the true picture of the disaster. It does not only take one life but a generation’s future as well. I remember during one of our seminars in Disaster Risk Management and Governance, Sir Dancalan asked us this question:
“Who among you here says there is such a thing called natural disasters?”
All of us in the room raised our hands. Oddly enough, we were wrong even though we reasoned our answers with ‘volcanic eruption’, ‘earthquakes’, and ‘tsunamis’.
He then reminded us of the disaster risk formula.
This is what the disaster risk formula says:
(Photo not mine. Source).
This means although there is a presence of a hazard (volcanoes and small distant islands) if the community is not exposed, not vulnerable, and more importantly, has the capacity to withstand the hazard —- then there is no disaster risk. Hence, deducing that there is no such thing as ‘natural disasters’, only ‘man-made’ disasters because we can address vulnerabilities and manage risks.
I am writing this because I happened to see things about ‘Filipino resiliency’ during disasters all over my timeline. It is true, we are — in some way — resilient. However, how should we define resiliency? Resiliency is defined as the capacity to bounce back from disasters. Going back to the Super Typhoon Yolanda, have you pictured resiliency? If so, are these in the photos of youth playing basketball amidst typhoons? Or is this on the rebuilding of new communities for the hundred displaced people?
Going back to my statement earlier about Barangay Ligpit Bantayan, once a disaster disrupts their community — it is very hard for them to bounce back. Why? Because disasters have affected not only their homes but their livelihood, the education of their children, and even their own survival. It is a string of events.
With that, you can deduce disaster basically affects, if not all, a LOT of sectors — education, livelihood, health, and etc. Rather than focusing on glorifying resilience alone, how about we help shape communities in managing disaster risks. Move into the thought of designing communities that are self-propelling after disasters. The talk about disasters cannot be narrowed down on individuals’ resiliency (no matter how much you say about ‘collective’ Filipino resiliency), it must be taken on the institutional level.
I have gathered more statements from the residents of the barangay about disaster risk management and their narratives will really tell you how disasters are hard to battle by the community alone. It takes a village including the government, NGOs, CSOs, along the community.
The captain served us chicken Adobo (native chicken!) and humbly told us it’s all he can afford. I was very moved since they do not even need to bother! I was there as a researcher, we were the one disturbing the community — if there’s someone who is supposed to serve lunch, that should be us. Yet, they took us in like we were no strangers among them. People — young and old — telling me their own stories about encountering life-threatening situations because of disasters.
These stories matter and they should never be taken for granted in the picture of the ‘epitome of resiliency’ alone. They should serve as both inspiration and reminder to take actions to better the reduction of disaster risks.
This experience has truly been transformational for me. It is true when they said that in order for you to learn something in its purest form, go to the place where it is experienced first hand. Immerse yourself with the community rather than relying on what you have seen in books or on the internet. These are the stories that you will not encounter in your classrooms. When you embark yourself with that commitment, tell me what kind of stories you have heard, and I shall also tell you what my ears and heart gathered:
Since 2013, it has been my tradition to write on the actual day of Christmas. I didn’t write anything last year though. Last year’s holiday vacation was quite busy for me. I attended a lot of Christmas parties and gatherings. I thought after graduating high school, it will be the end of my holiday socialization as well. I guess it just didn’t turn out that way, in fact, it was the other way round. My schedule for last December was blotted with a lot of reunions.
Christmas for our family has taken quite a unique path since the year 2016. A turmoil happened in our parents’ office and it affected us a lot. It was not extravagant as it used to be, although fairly enough, our vacations are not much fancy at all. We just did not receive gifts from our parents like we used to, and we skipped our annual shopping spree at our favorite grocery. In summary, we just spared ourselves from indulgence. I have mentioned this two Decembers ago.
I have so much free time in my hands the past few days it just made me look back to the years I have lived (or I’m just really nostalgic as a person). Anyway, I didn’t want to lose this kind of memory in my head so I figured I should write about it. This hub has always been a keeper of memoirs so I would have a tangible time capsule whenever I feel like I am up for a visit down the memory lane. Also, it’d be a shame to leave this series unattended. I used HUJI cam so much the last quarter of last year, I was basically capturing photos of every moment I experience. I do not post much about it a lot though. It was for safekeeping and for my recollection. Memories fleet faster these days.
Moreover, I am writing about this because I think last year’s December ought to be one of my favorites -- or maybe my extreme favorite. It was simple in a sense that material things were not put in place but I gained a lot interacting with my family and friends.
I also recall that it was cold last year. It kept on raining, just like how December would feel like. My sister and I did not even use our air conditioner for four days straight... and we barely used the electric fan at all. We’d stay up late even though it was damn cold just to binge-watch movies from Netflix. We were dressed up in jammies in the light of day because we cannot withstand the breeze of the wind. It was chilly but it kind of felt like it’s right, it was a picture of home.
It has also been a blast with my college friends. Few days before Christmas vacation and we had an impromptu sleepover at a friend’s apartment. They cooked for us, we watched movies, and we had a good breakfast we did not even pay for. It looked like we were children all cozy in our home at a Sunday morning and our parents were attending for us. It felt like that. We talked a lot about of things, too. I even got the chance to attend our department’s Christmas party last year! Department of Social Development Services has been my home in college since I chose Social Technology as my major. Food was abundant as usual, DSDS never kept its food from us. We were even allowed to invite people from other majors. It was one of the things I love about the department. It was welcoming and it did not treat us strangers. We basically can talk with our professors casually. The party had a live band because our two professors were members of a band composed of UPLB professors. They always perform during our college and department’s events. We can sang along! We performed Ang Huling El Bimbo and they gave us 500 pesos (we had to divide it into four, but it was okay that having nothing!).
Last holidays, my high school friends and I were almost complete. It was funny because it was Jepoy who missed that reunion. We had two reunions though. The first one was a semi-road trip. I guess this has been our signature. Since Jepoy’s SUV was out of sight, we tried to fit ourselves in Viana’s cit (we were six people for fuck’s sake but it was alright, it was Christmas after all).
We talked in Mcdonald’s because people have been waiting for us there. Viana, Alo, and I came in late. We were also waiting for Jepoy to catch up. After that, we headed to Papadoms. I guess you can call us Papadoms’ regulars whenever it’s our vacation. We drank. It’s just Red Horse but I hate Red Horse. I got a little bit tipsy because the cancer stick was sticking into my senses. It was supposed to make me sober but it made me dizzy instead. I remember Viana and I being hazy at Starbucks when we tried to make sense with ourselves. There was a lot of talk after that.
The second reunion, we rented ourselves a resort. It was funny because we were not totally prepared for it. We survived with the money and few resources we have. We made barbecue, swam, sang our hearts out to karaoke, and finally -- there was time for hard drinks. We even invited our former advisers. It was funny because some of us had to sneak because we were feeding ourselves with the cancer stick. It was a high resolution picture of youth. Recalling Daughter’s Youth, “And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones. 'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs”.
Do not smoke though, it’s bad for your health! I only do that when I’m stressed and lonely. It’s not a good coping mechanism. Don’t even try. (On the brighter side: It’s been two months since my last stick! Yey!)
Lastly, I think in some way, it had brought our family closer.
We’ve also been in the road a lot more than I expected to. Although we had a huge number of lazy days at home, it almost equated to the times we were in the road. We attended Christmas family parties. This time it was not awkward because I actually engaged myself to interact. There was a time when we just have to sing karaoke and our uncle would give us 500 pesos! It was funny, my brother gained the most out of it. He was a star that day.
My sister’s growth made me proud too. She’s not a fan of family gatherings but she told me she really enjoyed it. My mama was the youngest in the family, and our own family was one of the youngest in the batch. My cousins have jobs of their own. They gave me gifts and money! I almost cried because they never missed a year in gift giving although I’m old enough not to receive one. I guess age doesn’t have something to do with receiving gifts. Too bad, I graduated this year! I doubt they’ll prioritize me, but that’s okay. My sister and I also bought books using the money we received. We always stop by Evia before going home, and my parents know we always have to drop by the bookstore. New Year’s Eve was not bad, too. It was a lot calmer than before but I knew in my heart we can conquer this year not with a fizzle but with a bang.
I hope this year’s December would allow us to make good memories too. I did not even notice I had a lot of last year’s photos in HUJI. I rarely use it to capture scripted photos, it’s mostly for the candid stuff. Hoping this year your holidays would turn out with good memories, might even the best, as well!
I finally have the chance to add an entry for this series! Last 2017, I had a lot of opportunities to watch more of our local films, most of them are shown in this particular auditorium which is why I put it under the series (For the case of Saving Sally, it was shown in NCAS Auditorium but still in the same vicinity as D.L. Umali).
Here I am in another attempt to review films (I am not a professional when it comes to reviewing films so kindly forgive my thoughts).
Bar Boys
If you are an aspiring lawyer like me, you will probably like this movie. However, it projected a lot of unnecessary stereotypes. Although some may be true on its own right, it seemed to me it could have been better – discussing deeper issues and debunking myths but it did seem relevant after the hazing case of a law student. I hope justice will be given upon his death.
The movie revolves around four friends who took the LAE together. Three of them passed, and one did not. Basically, it tackles three different situations and struggles of these law students. My favorite case happened to be the character of Carlo Aquino who is still golden by the way.
I am implementing a new scale of rating movies but I will not apply it here yet. One of the scale categories is character, and I think that part is where the movie succeeded. They portrayed their characters naturally and they managed to deliver it well.
All in all, I guess that it is nice to have a light movie for a change. Even though I am actually looking for films which will deliver messages to its audience, maybe this tells us to have a break from all those things for a while.
Rating: 3/5
Bliss
I think you can never go wrong with a Jerold Tarrog film except for his attempt on his early horror films? Haha. Just kidding!
Bliss, in fact, is a psychological thriller film which is centered on Iza Calzado, an actress who has been on that career path since she was a child. I guess one way or another, people will experience burnouts in their lives. This movie depicted ‘burnout’ (for something, someone, or somewhere) in a way which you will actually comprehend that feeling even though you are not part of the film itself. It gives you a sense of being trapped, just like how she feels in the film. Being trapped is often related with the cause of having a burnout. Moreover, it was a brave step to tackle the psychological effect of different kinds of abuse: emotional, sexual, and verbal.
I am not fond of horror films because my imagination tends to explore the unimaginable at night. However, this movie somehow explained that there are true horrors far from the facade of scary-looking monsters. These monsters are usually repressed feelings, child abuse, and situations you have been taken for granted.
The film made me exhausted after watching it, and I guess at some point, I was able to relate to Calzado’s character.
Rating: 4/5
Instalado
I had high hopes for this film because the trailer was very promising. Moreover, I was looking forward to see this movie to the point wherein it would have been the highlight of my week – but it was not. I am afraid the director will see this review and he might have a fit (he usually does if you are active on twitter), but hey, I am a viewer. I am allowed to have thoughts on your film.
One of the many reasons why I had high expectations for this is because it is under the ‘speculative fiction’ genre. My favorite genre. Not to compare with books but I am always swept in awe with books under that genre. Hence, I was excited to see an attempt in the Philippine Cinema.
Instalado also tackles a controversial topic which hits close to home: Education. Furthermore, education and how technology can affect it. If the trailer was the entire movie, I would say its perfect. I loved how it showed the following: education is a right and not a privilege, and how the control of education should not be in the hands of capitalist corporations but rather the government. It should be for the public. Basically, Instalado is set in a world wherein people with money could attain ‘knowledge’ easily. However, I think the movie tried so hard in attempting to include a LOT of topics which is why it strayed from its primary focus. I understand that things should be intersectional. It is good that the film discussed diversity and tried to have a good representation. What seemed to be lacking, though, will be the quality to execute these intersections and this diversity itself. It felt like it tried too hard to include so much that it became a web of thoughts which failed to showcase its whole. I can explain more but I will leave it you to find out since I am avoiding to put some spoilers here.
Still, cheers to Philippine cinema which continues to explore different genres like this. I also had a crush on Mccoy de Leon during the film.
Rating: 3/5
Saving Sally
I have so much respect for filmmakers and the entire team of film making. From its directors, producers, actors and actresses, personal assistants, editors, and even graphic designers. This film took almost 10 years to complete, and if you watch the film you can say it really is worth of its time completion.
This is Saving Sally’s plot: Boy falls in love with girl best friend but girl best friend is in love with someone else. Just by reading that you can say, “Hmm. Typical”. I had the same impression but giving the movie a go will make you think otherwise. I love how it was light to watch. It even made me giddy, and it was a lot entertaining because the graphics were exquisite. I always have a soft spot whenever our country tries to explore films like this. I loved Dayo and I surely loved RPG Metanoia (we were forced to watch this one as a kid since my parents’ company was one of the producers; but as an adult, I loved how it was crafted and its plot).
The production of the film will really make you appreciate this movie more. Yet, aside from that, even though it gives you the familiar rom-com plot – it was still able to showcase it differently. Saving Sally has a grasp on its story line. It was even more exciting because the characters were taken literally since the actor was a comic artist. It owned its story even though the plot was entirely a general one, no offense. The actors were also in sync with their characters and I felt that there is no sense of underdevelopment in their parts. Their characters were quite well established.
If you are looking for something light to watch, something to take off a burden from your head for a while – try watching this. Watch this with your friends or even with your crush (not kidding, haha).
Rating: 3.5/5
Oro
This film was one of my favorites in this list; however I cannot ignore the fact that it was involved with quite a number of controversies such as: death of an animal, rape, and violence. Hence, it was classified under the ‘R’ rating. This was an honest film, though; and a very brave one. It tackles about mining and its social and environmental impacts. As a human ecologist, I see this as a highly relevant film – except when they actually killed the dog. They lose to that.
There was an open forum during the film and I think they mentioned it was a true story which gave me the goosebumps. I cannot afford to think that this kind of violence happened to real people and is STILL happening to some areas in the country. The film tackled the story about massacre miners in the Bicol region. The plot tells you this: the fight to environmental justice cannot be separate from social justice. They should not be mutually exclusive. If you aim to fight for environmental justice, you have to make sure you are not leaving the people displaced, unemployed, and in the verge of their deaths. The movie succeeded in showing the ugly truths in that industry. How powerful people could easily claim a land that is not their property (even a government’s property for goodness sake), how they can point fingers to the residents they have manipulated through the promise of livelihood and income, and how justice is hard to find in this country if you do not have money to spare.
Well done for their actors and actresses since they really made an effort to discover their characters. They enacted them well. There was a forum in the university after the film and I saw some from the cast.
Addressing environmental concerns has been one of the priorities in today’s time. I hope that in addressing those issues, we must not leave something or someone behind. It should be a collective fight. This movie will make you think how to attend to issues properly and how to manage all the sectors involved.
Rating: 4/5
I’m Drunk, I Love You
I watched this when I was still infatuated with someone. Moreover, the story quite resembled how I felt for that person. We were not best friends but we always drank together (not really alone but with a couple of friends). So, I guess when I made my prior judgment, I thought this film was perfect. But now, I know this: it only seemed perfect to me because it spoke right through me. It does not now. I have moved on and I have been more rationalized.
This film tells the story of two best friends, and the tale of unrequited love that comes with it. The film was light and it had the perfect sentences. Not too literary and not too general. Something that speaks to your heart, something that echoes what you exactly feel. And of course, who does not love booze and Paulo Avelino?
My heart was not entirely aching while watching the film. Some parts made me sad, made me smile, and even made me hopeful. The downside, however, was that I think the characters were not fully able to establish their characters. I get it. They are best friends, and no amount of time in a film can establish a seven-year old friendship. However with the flash of right moments, I guess you will be able to better comprehend their friendship. I do not know, I just felt that I was not able to fully sync they are best friends for so long.
Nevertheless, it was good to watch. My heart ached at the ending, the good kind of ache especially when the credits are about to roll and ‘Burnout’ by the 3D suddenly played as the background music.
Rating: 3.5/5
Patay na si Hesus
I live for this kind of comedy which is why I should say this: This film is perfect. Down to its plot to its characters, everything was perfectly executed. It was sarcastic, had symbolism which means your brain will take an exercise, and it touched familiar concepts about having and being in a family. I guess this is where our local cinema prides best: picturing how a family works. We’ve seen it through various films such as Four Sisters and a Wedding and Seven Sundays. Patay na si Hesus has a different take on it, something light but also something which will give you a lot of takeaways.
The cast were able to sync well with their characters. Jaclyn Jose never fails to showcase the image of a mother, and damn right, she was a mother diva in this film. Following her children: a transgender, the unemployed son, a son with a down syndrome – are her mentally challenged sister and her children’s late estranged father.
The film was able to showcase diversity and quality representation. Moreover, this was put into good use. The film did not take this diversity for granted. The member of the LGBT, the unemployed son, the son with a down syndrome, the mentally challenged sister, and even the single mother have not been subjected to offensive remarks just to show humor.
I cannot entirely explain how this movie is damn funny so I suggest you watch it yourself. I watched this with my orgmates and we were gagging the whole time. It would not let you rest from laughing.
Rating: 5/5
Support our local films whether indie or mainstream cinema! There is hope in our local film culture!
Wow. The newly appointed House Speaker is the Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The same president who cheated her way in the elections and committed plunder.
Moreover, Duterte mentioned this:
“Your concern is human rights. My concern is human lives.”
Hello? Isn’t that the basic principle why human rights existed in the first place? To uphold the right to live? Moreover, to uphold the right to the quality of life?
Cases of extrajudicial killings, especially among the poor yet little news about convicted drug lords. Innocent people he referred to as “collateral damage” are now dead. TRAIN law worsens the condition of the poor because it IS anti-poor. Continuous grabbing of ancestral lands by mining companies with the aid of military troops encampment. Contractual workers struggle to live day by day with the threat to their job security. Farmers are killed and still landless.
Do all of these represent his concern for human lives?
I finally had a good conversation with my parents about this. They also think that the situation of our government has been alarming. I sincerely respect your opinions but please, please. Take a look on our country. See what is happening. Do not turn a blind eye. Question things. It is fine to think critically.
With the threat of impending charter change, I am seriously afraid plunderers and human rights violators will be on the seat of power again.
I have known this for a long time. It’s a fact. A universal knowledge. The information is ancient like water itself. Yet, I struggled in finding this meaning, until I came back to this place.
You see, in elementary, we were taught that the human body is composed of about 70 percent water. Even more so, we are advised to drink eight glasses of water everyday. Back in high school, my chemistry teacher said a drop of water holds more molecules than the entire ocean itself. Is that true? I tried asking my colleagues, I guess they forgot I asked. Are you familiar of the concept “ from ridge to reef”? Yeah, I learned more about it in college. It was during my midyear classes. Pretty much originated from the concept of the cycle of water, now it is an approach to sustainable development. All of these several information I’ve continued spinning, like a web, until I make sense out of it. Couple of years, I roughly had my answers.
Maybe it’s because I am bad in swimming. I hardly know how. I claim to love bodies of water, yet I am scared of anything that does not make my feet touch the ground. Until this time. It was both a precautionary and a requirement to wear life vests. In 2016, the first time I came here, I opted for the land trek. “You can try the river”, our guides told us. I did not try unless there is no other way. I tried differently when I went back. It was September 2017. I had math midterms the day after that but I let myself indulge my instincts. I actually swam in a river with a whopping current. A bee even stung my left knee and I was struggling to hold my eyeglasses. My friend almost lost hers but our guide was kind enough to dive down and look for it.
It has been a month since I graduated. My parents said it is fine to take a break. Two months? Three? Even a year. It is okay and yet I feel there is a weight dragging me down. Somehow, I am terrified of getting lost. I know what I want but I do not know where to start, even how to start.
I guess what I am trying to say here is that everything is a picture of something else. Well, nature is a picture of everything. It is our guide itself to life. Water always finds its path. A raindrop is a composition of a waterfall. Waterfalls lead into rivers. A river runs through a rock and it circles around it. Sometimes, it just passes through it until the rock wears away. Then the river is headed somewhere… a lake, a sea, an ocean. Sometimes it is headed somewhere off its track. Sometimes in a pond, or even in rice paddies. Still, it knows it is headed somewhere. Water always know its way, and since we are about seventy percent water, I hope we do too.
(I tried Adobe Lightroom today. I used photos from our trip last year. I think I will switch here from my main photo editor. It makes the photos vibrant and more natural.)
In the light of cleaning my camera roll, I found out that the portion of photos of what I have been eating is actually greater than the portion of my selfies. How sad is that? I do not usually take a photo of my food but some days, I would love to remind myself that I did eat a good meal. Shhh. We take photos of the meals we think we deserve. Now, the main purpose of eating is actually to survive and nourish the body. However, over the course of time, it has actually been a way of socializing, and it is even one of the most suitable ways to showcase culture. I learned this in one of my GE subjects, we had a food festival showcasing food from various regions of the country. Eating and dining in restaurants have also been my way of bonding with the people I love.
This is not my attempt in becoming a food blogger because I guess I can never classify myself as one. However, I would love to share my eating adventures because it is always such a pleasant adventure to eat. I haven’t thought of a good name to call these series so I guess I will just leave it blank until I find one.
I am starting this series featuring three Korean restaurants in Los Baños, Laguna. I think there are around four or more but I haven’t tried them all, so we go with three. I am not exactly a fan of Korean culture but I admit I went through a phase of being a k-pop fan (sixth grade until first year in college now), and I sure did watch some Korean dramas (I still do because I just need to find some kilig in my life or else I will lose my shit).
Seoul Kitchen
First in the list, Seoul Kitchen. I haven’t lived in Elbi for quite a long time but I think this is one of the first few restaurants to showcase Korean cuisine. It has always been our favorite because it has the following: a) good ambiance and b) good food.
Initial apologies: I did not include enough photos of the restaurants but I shall add up to these once I have the opportunity to do so.
Seoul Kitchen serves a great array of Korean cuisine from their appetizers, main courses, desserts, and even to their drinks. I haven’t tried their drinks yet but it looks like a good quench just from looking at the picture. I guess the name is derived from the place itself since it is the capital of South Korea.
Favorite feature: Seoul Kitchen has this television screen which shows various music videos of K-POP idols, bands, and boy and girl groups. It even shows snippets from korean dramas or television shows! I scream like a sixth-grade fangirl whenever Big Bang and iKON are on that screen. Yes, I still fangirl. Haha.
This restaurant has also been our constant “bonding” and “catch-up” place. My usual companion here is The Wednesday Club (Haidee, Sam, and Aira). It is perfect for quick group lunch or dinner, dates, and even suitable for you to eat alone (the idea seems sad but I actually like eating alone, gives me peace of mind).
What I usually order:
I usually order these two: kimbap and soy garlic chicken. They have been my staples whenever I come here.
KIMBAP (PHP 105.00) is (according to their menu) ‘fish cake, radish, egg, ham, carrots, and cucumber wrapped in a seaweed rice roll’. Yeah, like sushi. You can also try their other versions too since this one is a classic: Tuna Kimbap for PHP 120.00, Pork Bulgogi Kimbap for PHP 125.00, and Bulgogi Kimbap for PHP 130.00. I usually order this when I want to have a light lunch but still have enough energy to do things.
SOY GARLIC CHICKEN (PHP 115.00 for 1 pc) is fried chicken dipped in soy garlic sauce. It is a rice meal so it comes with rice with a side dish of cabbage in sesame dressing, like coleslaw but it is a goddamn yum. If a piece is not enough for you, you can order 2 pcs for PHP 155.00. If you like it sweet and spicy, you can order their Yang Nyeom Chicken at the same price. One time, we had a group dinner after a presentation and almost every one of us ordered soy garlic chicken. Haha. It’s that good. It blends well with the dressing of the cabbage.
You should also try their BIBIMBAP (PHP 150.00) as well! It is mixed rice served with either beef or chicken.
Final Verdict
Food: We usually go here whenever we want to reward ourselves after a hell week or a tiring presentation because the food comforts us that much. I’d say it is pretty swell. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (4.5/5)
Ambiance: I wish I included more photos of the place to show you how perfect and picturesque it is. The usual question in this generation: Instagram worthy? VERY Instagram worthy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Service and Crew: They always have an amiable crew and the waiting time for the food is bearable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Value: Since this is a place wherein we take ourselves for a reward or bond over chikas, the cost of the food is not exactly friendly to the student wallet. Price usually ranges from 120-150, and if we are in a tipid mode… anything that is beyond PHP 100.00 is not student-friendly! Haha. However, it is pretty reasonable given it has a perfect ambiance and good food. ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
Perfect for: Quick catch-up. Since it is pretty popular around LB, there are actually a lot of customers so value your seat and time. Also, perfect for KKB (kanya-kanyang bayad).
Not suitable for: Loud voices or loud chika. Haha. Since we usually bond here over groups, we usually dine at their place outside since the place is actually an indoor area and words travel fast on an indoor area.
You can see more of them here.
Bibap
Bibap is located within Grove, Los Baños near STAR grocery and RMS. It looks like a two-story building from the outside but the whole eating area is on the second floor, the first floor is just the counter area.
It dawned to me that I actually witnessed its transition from being a one-level building to a two-level building. When it was not still renovated, I usually went here with TWC. When it has been renovated to a two-level building, it has been the usual place for my casa sister-roomies (Mabi, Iris, Belle, and Kimme) and I to catch up (and my org as a whole – STP – as well).
Favorite features: You can cook your own Korean barbecue! This is a great way to kill your time while also talking with your friends. The challenge is who gets to cook whenever the chika gets to its peak.
There are also no chairs! It gives you an authentic feel of the Korean tradition of sitting on the floor while eating. They also have a television screen and they ALWAYS show Big Bang on the screen.
What we usually order:
SAMGYUPSAL (PHP 199.00) is the grilled pork belly served with complimentary lettuce, sausages, and carrots. They serve sides as well! You have to love their kimchi. It is pretty affordable and has a lot of servings for a samgyupsal. Student-friendly price! This is a staple whenever you are eating at Bibap.
CLASSIC KIMBAP (PHP 99.00) is their own korean sushi roll as well. I prefer Seoul Kitchen’s kimbap, but this one is more affordable. They also have Tuna Kimbap, Bulgogi Kimbap, and Cheese Kimbap which have the same price at PHP 109.00.
YANG NYUM CHICKEN (PHP 189.00) is (according to their menu) ‘deep fried chicken smothered in a sticky spicy red sauce’. There is a sweet and spicy version of this one called Dakganjeong which has the same price, PHP 359.00 for a whole set (8 pcs), and PHP 189.00 for a half set (4 pcs). As far as I can recall, you can order a mixed set. We once ordered a mixed set, half yang nyum and half dakganjeong. I do not know if it is really okay or we are just frequent customers which is why they gave in to our request. I think they will let you though if you try. This is actually my favorite! Although chicken dishes seem to be my favorite in the Korean cuisine, I am not actually fond of chicken. Seoul Kitchen’s Soy Garlic Chicken just got this perfect balanced dressing and sauce. For Bibap’s wings, on the other hand, it is quite heavenly. I used to have a low tolerance over spicy food but thanks to my casa sister-roomies who will always serve spicy food, my tolerance level seems to have increased. With rice or without rice, it will make you full.
OJINGO PAJEON (PHP 109.00) is their squid pancake with green onions. Another favorite and another staple!
EGG ROLL (PHP 99.00) is just what the name indicates, an egg roll. This has also been a staple, and if you notice all of the dishes seems to be the staple because I used our “usual” set of orders whenever we dine at Bibap. They have a cheese egg roll, too! I prefer that one but sadly, I forgot the price.
BULGOGI (PHP 169.00) is their very own stir fry beef. This is not my favorite but this rarely goes off the list whenever we order. My friends like it!
Tipid tip: Whenever I am at Bibap, I rarely order rice because I think I will be full enough with what we just ordered but in case you would love to have rice… watch out for dishes that serve rice as a complimentary! In this way, you do not need to order for single extra rice which is at 15-30 pesos (I think. I forgot already! Huhu!)
Final Verdict
Food: This is a place you take yourselves when something calls for a celebration because the food will really set up the mood for a happy occasion. Good food. I always leave with a full and heavy stomach here. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Ambiance: It is cute but once there is an influx of customers and you are quite many, it might be crowded. Sitting on the floor is a good way to relax though (although you will get cramps later on). Although this is a common ground where I usually discover stories and wherein we usually catch up in large groups, it is still pretty small for me. One time, we were so loud, the other table has to shoosh us because they can easily hear us (we apologized, of course). ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5/5)
Service and Crew: Accommodating and amiable crew! We always go here and they always aid to our extra requests… even airing our favorite MV of Big Bang. Haha! ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Value: I think the sound advice I can give you is to always have a food buddy whenever you dine here. You do not need one if you can afford all the dishes but our usual bill is somewhere around 800-900. If we are in a group of 6-8, each of us can pay a bearable price. A budget of PHP 200.00 for each person is good enough for five people. It is a pretty fair deal because it has a great amount of servings. It is not student-friendly if you will just dine alone or with one companion, though. ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
Perfect for: Intimate group bondings and quality time! You can have a large group but make sure you arrive there at a good time when there are not many customers around. Usually, there are only 3 sets of occupied tables during lunch on weekdays and dinner at weekends. You can date here with one company if you have the budget.
Not suitable for: Eating alone, I guess? The tables are designed for groups but if you want to have the table all by yourself, you can still try!
You can see more of them here.
Mr. Crazy Baboy
This restaurant was formerly known as Kim Bop. I think they went through a rebranding because some of their dishes were still on their new menu. It was my first time to try it here and as a reward for coming home safe and sound from our practicum, this is where Lara and I chose to catch-up.
Mr. Crazy Baboy gives you an option of sitting on chairs or on the floor, but if either is taken, you have to sit where they designate you.
Favorite Feature: UNLIMITED CHEESE!!!
I have only been here once, and I forgot what was on their menu (and they do not have their own page yet). So I will just share what I loved about our order.
BEEF AND PORK SAMGYUPSAL. The deal in cooking your own korean barbecue is it must come with a pair of orders (meaning, you have to order two sets automatically). I actually loved their korean BBQ because it was only the two of us to share, and they have a lot of servings. It goes along with complimentary lettuce.
UNLIMITED CHEESE. The barbecue has a complimentary of egg and unlimited cheese. The beef and pork go perfectly well with cheese and egg!
SIDES. You will not leave your table hungry because the sides will already satiate you. I loved their eggplant side dish.
TUNA KIMBAP. This is the last one we ate. We were already full because of the samgyupsal, but their tuna kimbap is still good (although my favorite kimbap is still from Seoul Kitchen).
Final Verdict
I do not know if I really am entitled to give ratings to these restaurants especially for Mr. Crazy Baboy since I have not tried most of their menu. I guess I will just leave my sentiments about it.
Food: Their samgyupsal and complimentary sides are amazing. Their unlimited cheese is to die for!
Ambiance: It is spacious enough and caters to different group sizes, whether large or small. I think you can actually dine here alone.
Service and Crew: Their crew is amazing! They will greet you once you stepped into the restaurant (they had to greet me thrice since I was looking for Lara, and I went in and out of the restaurant for three times).
Value: Pretty costly for a set of two. As far as I can recall, Lara and I spent around PHP 600.00 here (and we only have to split the bill into two! My wallet cried that night. I am pretty sure of that.)
Favorite among the three? I have to say it is Bibap. I usually spend quality time with my friends there.
Food for thought: I'm quite sad I started this series with a foreign culture; but we can always show our love for our own culture and country in some ways, like standing with our workers who do not experience job security because of contractualization. Boycott, Nutriasia! Boycott, Jollibee Foods Corporation!
Turning twenty, to most people, is a mark of transition. You are no longer a teen but then it seemed like you are somehow stuck in that phase of your vigorous life. A place somewhere between two doors, the one that opens and the one that finally closes. Hell, how I wish we could hold both of them open.
I turned twenty last January and all throughout the day, I experienced the same existential crisis my friend had during her twentieth too. It was an endless wonder of questioning my present self at the prospect timeline of my whole life. This is when a realization dawned to me, must there really be a definite timeline to how I want to shape my life? The answer is no… and also a yes (therefore there are two answers). Yes, because I am a goal-oriented person and goals are often time-bound. Also no, because as cliche as it goes – life is not exactly a race, everything has its own pace.
Celebrating six months of being twenty, here are my realizations which seemed a bit odd for my friends and family:
I reckon marriage and having a family of your own are not exactly the ultimate goals in life, well, at least for me.
I do not see myself getting married and having a family yet. I mean, some people normally include this while projecting their desired timeline but I am afraid it is not the same for me.
I am actually open to the possibility of not getting married nor bearing a child at all. Am I a hopeless case? but I am still open to changes, since it is the far future we are talking about.
My parents’ latest forecast: I will be a workaholic. They both are, and they think it runs in the genes. My take on this: whenever I feel lonely, I try to engage myself with things which will make my mind drift for a while. Work does it to me, and so I pour on my best efforts in work coating the situation of trying to lose my mind from the situation.
I am crazy for my parents, just how Dante is crazy for his parents in Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of Universe. I am not the ultimate obedient child, however, I am inexplicably in love with my parents. I am actually considering growing old with them – you know? Not having plans of building my own family, what I have said in number one.
I am not even ready to commit myself in a relationship yet. Maybe it is because I am scared to have a whole new set of responsibilities, and I am also afraid that my decisions are just going to be half mine. I am still in the process of self-discovery, and I hate having to give up control over my choices (well, we all know this is not supposed to be true because love is liberating but I guess I have been far too cynical, Isn’t that plain sad? but hey, I am working on changing this, no need to worry)
Six realizations since I have already went through six months of being twenty. My, my, my. Another six months to go and I am already 21, time really is an inconsiderate train, huh?
P.S. Thank you to the amazing hoomans who remembered me on my birthday by giving me presents! Huhu!
