My Zambo & Basilan trips
It’s my goal this year to travel to as many places as I can in Mindanao. That’s why I did not resist the desire to see Basilan once I set foot on Zamboanga City last weekend. I left Zamboanga City with a heavy heart, because my trip was way too s

In Zamboanga City for the 1st time
Arrived in Zamboanga City this morning. It’s my first time here, so I’m really excited about seeing the city. Fortunately, on the plane with me was fellow Mindanao blogger, Yolynne Medina, who has offered to

Environment problem: we are not blameless
Due to the recent — and enduring — devastation brought about by Ondoy (a.k.a. Typhoon Ketsana), in the news now, we see pleas for more awareness of environmental issues. We read about government being asked to be more rigorous and meticulous in public infrastructure planning, as well as in granting land development projects to real estate corporations. It’s been said time and again, hindsight is always 20/20 vision. But now we have to try and look at the future. These appeals must be heeded by all concerned, because tens of thousands of people have already lost their lives to nature’s wrath. Due, in significant part, to massive oversight on the par

Mindanaoan Artist Visual Irony in Lexicon of Surrealism
(This is a contributed article by Phillip Somozo.) This Davao-born visual artist frequently stepped upstage during his college years for consistently winning painting competitions. His stuttering childlike speech, incompatible with his towering 6-foot height, sometimes made people laugh. Today, Bienvenido Banez, Jr., towers all the more for achievements uncommon among Filipino artists. Diagnosed with mild learning disability during childhood, Ben’s focus of attention has always been his art. Rightly so. In 2002, he won first place in the Asian Fellowship Painting Competition of the prestigious Vermont Studio Center, launched from Vermont

Message to all Filipinos
I got this open letter via one of my mailing lists, and I’m sharing it here now because it deserves to be read by as many Filipinos as possible. Contained in this open letter are brave and insightful thoughts, reportedly written by Ms. Remedios C. Paningbatan of the Asian Development Bank. To all Filipinos Everywhere: I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell me this isn’t true. It