AVANT GARDENER I just attended the Dumaguete Literary Festival, where I sat in the panels for fiction and horror writing. I also read an excerpt from Edilberto Tiempo’s short story “Mr. McLure” as part of a literary tour of the city and did a small book signing with a few other authors. I...
Known as “The City of Gentle People,” the City of Dumaguete is recognized for its tourist attractions, lively music scene, and as the home of Silliman University. It also has a deep and longstanding literary history, which came to the fore this April 17-20, 2026. Not only was it the third...
AVANT GARDENER A few weeks ago, I wrote about Republic Act (RA) 12215, also known as the Philippine Agriculturists Act, which, in very simple terms, requires anyone engaged in agriculture to be a licensed agriculturist. One of my interviewees was Samantha Geraldine De los Santos, an assistant...
2026 marks the 70th anniversary of Philippines-Japan friendship, remembering the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1951 and the Philippines-Japan Reparations Agreement in 1956. This year, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the largest implementing agency of official...
AVANT GARDENER A blessed Good Friday to those that celebrate! Whether or not you believe in the Christian God, you’re (hopefully) benefiting from the religious holiday that is Holy Week, which commemorates Jesus ' Passion, Death, and Resurrection. For Catholics, this is preceded by the...
AVANT GARDENER Last week, I wrote about Republic Act (RA) 12215, also known as the Philippine Agriculturists Act, which, in very simple terms, requires anyone engaged in agriculture to be a licensed agriculturist, and what that could mean for the industry. I also interviewed Samantha Geraldine De...
AVANT GARDENER Republic Act (RA) 12215, also known as the Philippine Agriculturists Act, was signed into law on May 29, 2025. The law, in very simple terms, requires anyone engaged in agriculture to be a licensed agriculturist. While good in theory, as it aims to professionalize the agriculture...
AVANT GARDENER (Part II) Last week I introduced you to “Amy,” an urban beekeeper who, because of stories of uninformed people unfairly complaining about urban beekeepers, has chosen to keep her identity a secret. Here is part two: Amy characterizes her first season of beekeeping as filled with...
AVANT GARDENER Here is part two of my series on PTRI’s (Philippine Textile Research Institute) Bamboo Fiber Textile Innovation Hubs, continuing from December 19, 2025. In the previous column, PTRI director Dr. Julius L. Leaño, Jr. discussed PTRI’s bamboo fiber program and why textile is...
AVANT GARDENER I was invited to the 10th Filipino Faces of Biotechnology (FoB) Awards presented by the Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Program Office (DA Biotech Program). Now in its 10th year, this award is given to scientists, civil servants, farmers, communicators, and student leaders...
AVANT GARDENER A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to eat what I harvested. While this is nothing new, what made the experience different was it was served in one of the iconic restaurants of the city I grew up in. I have never known San Juan without Cafe Ysabel. To me, it is synonymous with...
As a horror writer, the question I get asked most is how I came to embrace the genre. I always have the same answer: I didn’t choose horror; horror chose me. I’ve always been interested in the supernatural. Even though I grew up in Manila, I was raised in a way that I now realize may have...
