Listening to the rationale behind the destruction of the Relief Map of the Philippines in Rizal Park, and hearing this heritage icon and artwork dismissed like a piece of weathered decorative landscape furniture—relegated with the same importance as a forgotten garden gnome—utterly filled me...
IN SHAMBLES The Relief Map of The Philippines should have been spared at the very least by Republic Act 10066, which protects built structures 50 years and older from modification or demolition until the NCCA lifts the presumption of significance When abroad you walk thousands of steps to bask in...
OLD WORLD GLORY Photo of Manila Post Office Building before WW2 (US National Archives and Records Administration) I watched in horror as footage of the burning Manila Post Office Building streamed in various social media platforms from the night fire broke out in this classical style government...
GOOD FOR YOUR MIND Pick up a hobby to help yourself cope with stress It was my birthday the other day and I decided to reacquaint myself with the art of doing nothing by doing something I enjoy a lot, arts and crafts. Inspired by the coronation of King Charles III on May 5 and his declaration of a...
THEY COME IN FISH The busy Navotas Fishport where fish is traded in whispers or 'bulungan.' Thousands of tons of fish come in at night from straining fishing grounds around the archipelago (Cez Jarlyn Young of Parallax Studio) Living in a bungalow in Makati and often spending days when outside in...
HERO’S HOME Antonio Luna's house on Urbiztondo Street When traveling, I try to book either a walking or running tour of the city. After getting the lay of the land and reading up on an abridged version of the history of the place and some structures, I plan the days or weeks—which places or...
SUPERSTAR People are drawn to Imelda. She has the knack of making people feel at ease Photos from Marcos Presidential Center Oftentimes we spend our days doing the most mundane things. This isn’t bad but it’s contrary to how we are conditioned to think—that we should be doing great and...
Featured image: A QUIET LIFE Manmade lake, nurtured by the author's father, keeps the heat at bay in Bicolandia It was an unexpected road trip to my folks’ place in Bicol as my 22-year-old wanted to spend time with his lolo and Mommy V for the Holy Week. Long haul road trips have been a staple...
Featured image: UP, UP, AND AWAY A sample of a First Flight to the Moon membership card His card number was 11, handed personally to him with a promise that he would be on the first flight to the moon by then US President Richard Nixon during his visit to Manila in July 1969. Like doctors,...
Featured image: TARGET LOCKED RFRG Republican Army soldiers in kneel-firing formation Over the past few days, I’ve been on a time machine ride on steroids, going back and forth between the past and the future in a matter of minutes as I sort though boxes and boxes and albums of old photographs...
Featured image: LEYTE LANDING ANNIVERSARY At the capital city of Tacloban, Leyte, at the anniversary of the landing of American troops in the Philippines, during the parade held in the Capital City of Tacloban, a Filipino float passes in review A few years ago, there was an FB post in a group page...
And how one of the Seven Wise Men behind the 1935 Constitution tried—and failed—to bring it back home A MAGNIFICENT SIGHT A museum volunteer shows visitors Juan Luna's Spoliarium at the National Museum of Fine Arts In the Philippines, Filipino creativity is celebrated during the entire month of...
