But first congratulations to the Manileños. Finally, a break. As a resident, commuter, consumer, photowalker from Malate, I share everyone’s sentiment: Manila is in decay. Nabubulok na. The city is wasting away. Manila has become a sewage. Manila is now a dump. Manila is No. 1 in the world’s shittiest cities. And so on. All … Continue reading DEAR ISKO MORENO, ARE YOU THE ANSWER TO OUR BATSIGNAL
Mierkoles Santo. The women prepare “Ina” for the procession. While the men do the cooking. They have a troop of parabuligs to feed. Devotees who would parade Ina around the town — on their shoulders. But that was long ago. Today, Ina rides on a chariot. Breaking up that old gang of parabuligs. Still, the … Continue reading SAGRADA
To continue with my steps along Duterterritory — till my socks smell like durian: An army officer confronted me for taking photos of his men in formation along Magsaysay street. On the big “Araw ng Dabaw” celebration. When asked from what setup I was shooting for, I said STFU. He’d probably took it as some … Continue reading TILL MY SOCKS SMELL LIKE DURIAN PART 2
Borongan is not very near. You need to travel across different languages to get there. For the Philippine Information Agency to simply copy-paste my notes about eatables I experienced in Borongan, is contemptible. Wednesday, Patch Salarzon, very eagle-eyed, alerted me about the PIA’s lifting of some pieces from my decade old article Borongan Appetit! and … Continue reading P FOR PLAGIARIZED
Davao City doesn’t smell of durian anymore. Unlike when I first set foot here two decades ago, the scent greets you even before you can get off the plane. And we had a hard time finding one in Bankerohan. The locals have conflicting views in this occurrence. A Mindanaoan colleague, Joel Medado, stumbled upon a … Continue reading I WALK TILL MY SOCKS SMELL LIKE DURIAN
The 2019 Tinagba Festival photography competition is a brainchild of yours truly together with Raymark Barredo of the Sinabukid Scout Mountaineers. This is what happens when a photo loco and a hiker join hands. Plus, we summoned the PR of Joemar Orbon of Lakwatserong Irigenyo fame. PR is another term for charms maybe. “Lakwatsero” the … Continue reading AYOWLA OF ROCK N’ ROLLA
One January long ago, my father sent me to Baguio City to keep me off my drunken nights back home. Baguio city is where Ginebra cuatro cantos gin tasted good. The city was Ginebrafied as Russia is vodkafied. And so I made friends with a few good people there and we had more drunken nights. … Continue reading 9° BURNHAM
Waiting in a line, I think of the people in my contact list. With too much to do in this programmed life, I have lost touch to so many. The long queue for the ATM is a break from it all. This was the day before the day before Christmas 2018. Everyone in high holiday … Continue reading EXCERPTS FROM THE FLOOD
My genuine thanks to the PhilWiki Community for having me as one of the jurors in this year’s Wiki Loves Monuments Photo Competition. An honor! With thousands of entries to sift through, how on earth are we to cope were it not for the online system. On the minus side, photographers were so focused on … Continue reading PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES.
Sometimes you will close your eyes and see the place you used to live when you were young – The Killers Continue reading GOODBYE GOLDEN DAYS
Prague slipped through our fingers once upon a time. In 2015, the Digital Photographer of the Philippines held “On Assignment: Prague” a photography-video competition of which at stake is a trip to the Czech Republic. For our entry, Ateneo Sta. Ines and I pooled our street photography collection and adapted them into a 3-minute music … Continue reading IRIGA CITY THROUGH THE LENS OF ATENEO STA. INES
It is always paramount to me to make sure I go through the fine prints of a photo competition I am entering into. Not solely to keep me from breaking any rule, but poring over them is where the fun begins. When the PNVSCA unfurled its Volunteerism Photo Contest, I buried myself in its guidelines. … Continue reading SAY CHEESE! THOUGH YOUR HEART IS ACHING
The sudden downpour forced me to seek shelter under the bounds of Parañaque City Jail. Obscured by a crowded neighborhood, you won’t know what you are running into were it not for the sign. Never been this close to jail. I never imagined such place can be as loud as a sabungan, except for the … Continue reading PHOTO STORY: TEACHER FE AND THE CLASS UNDER THE BRIDGE
