PARADOXICAL

Is the Filipino Really Selfish?

Two Americans (white men, I suppose) gave a curt comment recently that has become some sort of a cause célèbre.

They said, "Filipinos are extremely friendly, but inconsiderate."

The reactions from fellow Filipinos were immediate and heated. You knew the foreign observers struck a chord.

The honest observation was hardly surprising. I made the same cold assessment myself when I was a lot younger, with articles titled, "We are a Selfish People" and that the behavior is all about "Family First." I wasn't very happy writing about it.

But my observations didn't turn out to be totally way off the mark. In one church talk by then Fr. Chito Tagle, he discussed at length this very lack of sense of community and civic culture among Filipinos.

To paraphrase the future cardinal at the risk of misquoting him: "We Filipinos are a religious people, or more accurately, we are a people of strong faith. But for all our high marks in personal formation, we remain personalistic. For all our high marks in family life, we also remain regionalistic. We Filipinos have a very low mark when it comes to ‘social formation,’ one thrust of the (Catholic) Church that’s been conveniently ignored by Filipino society."

"There is a need for our society," he said, "to transcend our vertical spirituality ('me and my God') and to be more inclusive and expansive by being more aware of one’s community, one’s society. We need to address the need for Filipinos to be formed in terms of the horizontal aspect of Christianity ('me and God’s people')."

What I'd like to focus on, at this point, is the puzzling inconsistency in character and cognitive dissonance in the face of our indigenous concepts and traditions.

Our "inconsiderate ways" run counter to our traditions of bayanihan around the country, and what is bayanihan but being literally and figuratively a 'bayani' to all, consciously going out of one's self for the sake of others or for the greater good?

Among the Tagalogs, there is the tugpa in which a community member “freely took over somebody's responsibilities in case of illness.”

There’s also the practice called pintacasi, which was “meant to help succor someone who was helpless or needy.”

Among peasants, there’s the pasinaya, which was understood to be an offering of “help to cultivate somebody's else's croplands.” Today, pasinaya means "inaugurate."

Then there’s atag, which was understood to mean that each community member “had a task to perform for the community's well-being.”

Among the Cordillerans, there’s the cañao (or caniao, kanyaw), which was originally aimed at sharing “one's wealth in times of crop failures or hunger by feeding the entire community for days or weeks." Imagine days or weeks of free, uninterrupted feeding, like an over-extended fiesta.

Pangasinenses and Ilocanos have a practice of communal or cooperative labor during farming season called tagnawa, and exclusively among Pangasinenses, gamal. As a word and concept, tagnawa has evolved into the Ilocano and Pangasinan equivalent of bayanihan.

We Filipinos in general also have enduring traditional values called pakikisama (which admittedly cuts both ways), pakikiramay or damayan, pagkakaisa, malasakit... Katrin Muller de Guia recently studied in depth our concept of kapwa and pakikipagkapwa as among what she believed as our core values.

Fernando Zialcita once discussed the "diaphanous" or porous nature of our culture, indicating an openness to people outside ourselves.

Furthermore, the barangay evolved as a kin-based unit, but we now have a term called kapitbahayan, which implies community beyond blood relations.

Even our concept of ginhawa implies giving pleasure to not just family but also to a larger community.

In the context of food, Felice Prudente Sta. Maria has discovered the precolonial concept of nayanaya, which is giving joy or pleasure to guests or other people. In provinces in the olden days, anyone, even strangers, could come inside houses uninvited during town fiestas, provided they tagged along with people known to the host. In a typical day, households openly shared anything edible that they had with neighbors willing to forage for food.

Historian and former NCCA chairman, Prof. Felipe M. De Leon, "There’s a reason Filipinos are such a highly connected people," as evident in how we speak, how we eat, and how our talents are formed…together." "This connectedness springs from a spiritual belief –– God connects us to one another. It’s what naturally fuels our sense of shared responsibility and care for each other as one big Filipino family."

In short, there is no short supply of selflessness in the indigenous or pre-colonial and post-colonial Filipino psyche.

***

The way out, according to Tagle

Even though he didn't dig deep at the root causes of today's obvious disconnect or dissociation with tradition, Tagle, to his credit, didn't stop at diagnosis; he actually gave a way out as guide. He said we Filipinos need to learn the following principles:

1. Primacy of persons over profit: "We live at a time when persons are commodified and objects personified. Our society often judge a person by his or her ability to impress on a superficial level. What about those who don’t have the ability to impress?"

2. Primacy of values over expediency: "We must stop preferring what is practical over what is right."

3. Primacy of communion (community) over self or group interest (personal/familial/regional): "There is systemic intolerance because we think our particular tribe is better than the others. If there’s anything that would unite all Filipinos, it is this bad sort of pride." ... "Because of intolerance, we miss out on a lot of gifts." "'Charity begins at home' but it doesn’t occur to us that we have a bigger home. What we should think about more and more is the common good."

4. Primacy of caring for creation instead of manipulating creation: "We have yet to understand that we are stewards of creation, not owners. We manipulate nature, we manipulate people."

***

Going back to the problem: how do we explain the discrepancy? How does the very Western individualism of today square with our original Asian or Oriental, community-focused orientation? Where did we begin to break apart, to the point that regulations meant to uphold the common good are routinely "treated as mere suggestion" even between and among members of the same "tribe" or ethnic group? How and since when did we become such a selfish, self-centered people?

Are we really more selfish than selfless? I think we are both. My problem is explaining our conflicted nature.

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:41 PM 0 Comments

Of all the interviews fielded to me this year, this one is the one I like best, although it is too short.

1. What are your spiritual beliefs?

2. How do your beliefs teach you to treat other people?

3. Do you think people today value things too much? Why?

4. What values should young people remember today?

5. We know how people these days have been valuing material possessions, wealth, money etc. more than human relationship, ethical values, and integrity to the point that they reverse the concept of “People were created by God to be loved, and things were created to be used.” In your spiritual beliefs, what is your take and argument about people reversing this concept?

Answers:

1. My spiritual beliefs are thoroughly Christian and Catholic, not because I was born into it but by choice, after studying by myself the history of religion and philosophy.

Of course, I am constantly being influenced by other belief systems like the Catholic charismatic movement, Protestantism, indigenous beliefs, superstitions, but I consciously try to separate these from orthodox Christianity.

2. If I am kind and the humane type of person today, that's because of my conscious choices because I know myself, I know what evils lie deep within my heart. I am by nature a mix of good and evil. I always try to choose what is good.

3. I think so, because in general we judge people by how they look, what they own, what their socioeconomic status is, and so on. In females and males, it's biologically wired. Males need to show off that they can feed a family. Females need to feel just as secure, that they are potentially mating with someone who can provide for them.

4. There are so many values that young people need today but ideally, they should discover all these slowly on their own. But in terms of teaching them directly, I'd focus on the values, both apparent and hidden, in the 10 commandments.

5. From another lens, valuing people foremost through materialism is a sign of a broken world, a world of evil and corrupted values. It's the consequence of the wide acceptance secular humanism instead of Christianity. In secular humanism, man is the center of the universe instead of God. Because of this belief, the focus and importance shifts to mankind, what man needs and wants, instead of God.

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:00 PM 0 Comments

Important developments that I forgot to take note of in 2025: the establishment of Malasakit Centers nationwide, promising "zero balance billing" to indigent patients and superfast processing of documentary requirements.

***

LTO announced a planned ban on e-bikes and e-trikes in major roads nationwide.

***

A story about a missing bride-to-be went viral. There was also a story about a missing priest. But I got too busy with the holidays to even bother.

***

Fashion icon Giorgio Armani died.

***

NYC's Mayor Mamdani issued a statement in support of collectivism, alarming people who know their basic history of communism.

***

A Swiss bar caught fire, killing scores of people.

***

A historic church in Amsterdam was razed.

***

Puzzling development: US bombed Venezuela and captured its president due to "narcoterrorism." This violation of a country's sovereignty was met with outcry the world over. But, wait. The people of Venezuela were actually rejoicing, even jubilant about the arrest of Maduro.

Because of this, there was a widespread fear that Russia and China and who knows what else would be emboldened to follow suit or up the ante with what they have already done, so to speak. 

Some sectors also recalled how they were likewise kidnapped in the past. Imee Marcos during the EDSA 'people power revolution,' which reprised her mother Imelda's old version of the story, the Duterte children, who insisted their father was kidnapped by the ICC and requested for Trump to "kidnap Duterte" or "kidnap BBM as well." Even actress Melanie Marquez recalled her own old story of being a kidnapping victim.  I am afraid we need to review what real kidnaping means.

***   

Chuando Tan, a Singaporean photographer and former model, has become a global sensation for his youthful looks despite being born in 1966. At nearly 60 years old, he continues to stun audiences by appearing decades younger, often looking like he is in his 20s or 30s. His story has spread widely online, drawing fascination from fans who are amazed by his age-defying appearance.

Recent studies in long-lived populations like Sardinia reveal a surprising “cholesterol paradox” where moderately high LDL cholesterol around 130 mg/dL or higher is linked to longer life. In elderly adults, LDL may serve as a vital reserve for immune function, cell repair, and hormone production, challenging the idea that lower is always better. While high cholesterol is still risky for younger adults, these findings suggest that in older, healthy individuals, aggressive lowering may not be necessary. Experts now suggest focusing on overall metabolic health and ratios like Total Cholesterol to HDL rather than just LDL numbers for longevity.

In Japan, falling asleep at work is not considered a sign of laziness but a cultural practice known as “Inemuri,” which roughly translates to “sleeping while present.” Inemuri allows employees to take short naps during work hours as a way to recharge, maintain focus, and enhance overall productivity. Far from being frowned upon, these brief naps are often seen as evidence that employees are dedicated and have been working hard enough to need rest. The practice reflects a unique approach to workplace efficiency, emphasizing mental rejuvenation and the importance of balancing exertion with recovery.

***

An ancient entrance arch of the Binmaley Catholic Cemetery was being demolished when a lot of quarters raised a ruckus until the demolition was suspended.

***

Mayon Volcano spewed lava and ashes anew.

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Shocker: A public high school teacher in Muntinlupa City died during a scheduled classroom observation renewing calls from teachers’ groups to review evaluation policies.

***

Bilyonaryo Channel: Malacañang is reportedly considering appointing former Philippine Airlines president and chief operating officer Stanley Ng as the next secretary of the underperforming Department of Tourism. A Babbler said the Palace has received positive feedback on the idea of tapping Ng, the son-in-law of ultra bilyonaryo Lucio Tan, to replace Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, whose three-and-a-half-year stint has been widely criticized for underperformance (and self-promotion). The Babbler added that the goal is to bring in a private-sector manager with proven execution skills, rather than an inexperienced appointee perceived to have secured the job mainly due to her connections in Cebu politics.

***

A movie about precolonial Philippines, "The Kingdom," became the subject of interesting reviews about the what-ifs in Philippine history.

***

Motoring/transport vlogger James Deakin's son got into a controversy while test-driving a car.

"Deakin questioned LTO procedures after his son was issued a citation for reckless driving during the holiday season.

The vlogger said that they tried to settle the ticket fairly, but was suddenly asked by the LTO to show the official receipt and certificate of registration (OR/CR). This added another challenge for Deakin, as the car did not belong to them. 

When they were eventually able to secure the documents, Deakin said the LTO informed them that the settlement period had already lapsed, with holidays counted toward the deadline despite agency offices being closed.

“The government gives you 15 days. Then closes for more than half of them. Demands documents that have nothing to do with the violation. Won’t accept digital copies in 2026. Then penalizes you for being late,” Deakin said in his post.

The LTO defended its actions at a press briefing, stressing that the traffic violation itself was valid. Deakin, however, said he was not disputing the citation but was questioning what he described as an unfair settlement process.

In a separate post, Deakin said the Anti-Red Tape Authority had since prompted the LTO to acknowledge that the OR/CR is not a requirement for settling a traffic violation."

***

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:15 PM 0 Comments

What is Success?

This question has been bothering me once again ever since the reported death of a DPWH Undersecretary, apparently a suicide, or so the news reports say. Hers was the embodiment of a highly credentialled bureaucrat, one much sought-after in the marketplace, so why did she end up just like that, and for what?

In my younger days, I was kind of obsessed with the question of success. At the time, I accepted without question what it meant for the most number of people. I found that, in order of importance, it meant attaining higher education or degree, having a stable job, being able to purchase not just one's basic needs (food, shelter, clothing) but also get what one wants (nutritious and delicious food, a house in a gated village, a car, fashionable attire, a happy because well-provided for family of one's own, etc.), having years of experience resulting in expertise in one's field, being respected in one's chosen profession, being able to mentor others and give back to the community, being honored and looked up to by society because of it, and having a sense of fulfilment and inner peace.

The above definition is neatly summed up by the psychologist Abraham Maslow in his concept of hierarchy of needs.

***

Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs"

To review, in 1962, Abraham Maslow proposed that people (and all types of groups) live by a “ladder” of basic needs and drives. His research focused on the motives of people who were the most successful in their lives. Our primary human needs, according to him, are, first of all, survival. When we master our immediate needs for food, water, safety and security, we shift our focus to relationships, to feel love and belonging. When we master the art of relationship-building, we shift our focus to our self-esteem. Once we are able to feel a sense of self-worth, we shift the focus to self-actualization, i.e., overcoming the fears that are preventing us from becoming viable, independent human beings.

During self-actualization we learn to release the fears that keep us trapped in our dependency-based existence so that we can be free to be who we really are.

***

Barrett's "Seven Levels of Consciousness"

Richard Barrett -- an internationally known culture consultant and keynote speaker on values and cultural transformation -- has developed his "Seven Levels of Consciousness" as an adaptation of psychologist Abraham Maslow’s model of the “Hierarchy of Human Needs.”

Barrett aims to develop values-driven organizational cultures that build human capital, strengthen financial performance and support sustainable development. In "Liberating the Corporate Soul," Barrett proposes that Maslow’s categories of needs represent states of consciousness. The state of consciousness called "self-actualization" could be expanded to include four distinct stages in the emergence and development of soul consciousness and spiritual awareness:

- The first state of consciousness is "transformation," which is all about improvement, empowerment, and innovation; about letting go of one's fears relating to the first three human needs.

- Next is "internal cohesion," which is all about shared values and shared vision (trust, integrity, and honesty -- could he mean "wholeness" too?).

- Next is "making a difference," which strategic alliances and partnerships, community involvement and environmental awareness.

- Lastly, a mature (and indeed truly successful) individual's state of consciousness at the self-actualization stage is "service," which is about compassion and wisdom, ecology and sustainability, ethics and human rights.

To Barrett, these seven levels of consciousness that he identified together explain the motivating forces behind all human interactions and behaviors, the behavior of people, business and non-profit organizations, government agencies, and even nations themselves.

***

Whitfield's Expanded "Hierarchy of Human Needs"

In 1987, Charlie Whitfield, an inner child theorist, has developed his own compilation/hierarchy of human needs, based on not just Maslow's "physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization" needs, but also Alice Miller's concept in "Thou Shalt Not Be Aware" (Du sollst nicht merken) that she developed in 1981, Andrew Weil's 1973 conceptualization of "human need to alter consciousness," in his bid to explain why people take illegal drugs, in his book "The Natural Mind," and William Glasser's 1985 work, "Control Theory," which outlines the five basic needs that drive human behavior, which are not hierarchical but rather universal requirements for psychological health and happiness: survival (the need for physical well-being and safety); love and belonging (the need for connection and relationships); power (the need for significance and autonomy); freedom (the need for independence and autonomy); and fun (the ultimate goal of human behavior). These needs, Glasser insisted, "are hardwired into our genetic structure and serve as the motivation for everything we do. By understanding these innate needs, individuals can evaluate their own behavior and create environments that enable them to thrive"

From all these earlier conceptions, Whitfield expanded his hierarchy of human needs, to include the following: 1. survival; 2. safety; 3. touching, skin contact; 4. attention; 5. mirroring and echoing; 6. guidance; 7. listening; 8. being real; 9. participating; 10. acceptance; 11. opportunity to grieve losses and to grow; 12. support; 13. loyalty and trust; 14. accomplishment; 15. altering one's state of consciousness, transcending the ordinary; 16. sexuality; 17. enjoyment or fun; 18. freedom; 19. nurturing; and 20. unconditional love (including connection with a Higher Power).

Needless to say, not fulfilling any of these very human needs implies a degree of failure on our part.

***

In the context of the corporate world, other related theories of human motivation you might want to learn about to help gauge your level of "success" are: Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory (or Motivation-Hygiene Theory), McClelland's Theory of Need (to achieve), and McGregor's Theory X-Theory Y.

- "Herzberg’s two-factor theory suggests that job satisfaction is influenced by two factors: motivators and hygiene factors. Motivators, like recognition and achievement, lead to higher satisfaction and motivation. Hygiene factors, such as salary and working conditions, prevent dissatisfaction but don’t necessarily motivate. According to Herzberg, both sets of factors are needed to create a productive work environment."

- "McClelland's Theory of Needs, or Acquired Needs Theory, suggests people are motivated by three learned needs: achievement (drive to excel, succeed), affiliation (desire for relationships, belonging), and power (urge to influence or control others). The theory posits these needs are acquired through life experiences, shaping behavior and work preferences, with individuals often having a dominant need that managers can use for motivation."

- "McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y are two contrasting views of employee motivation: Theory X assumes workers are inherently lazy, avoid responsibility, and need strict control and punishment; Theory Y assumes employees are self-motivated, enjoy work, seek responsibility, and thrive with autonomy and trust. Theory X leads to authoritarian management, while Theory Y promotes participative, trusting leadership, with McGregor favoring Theory Y for better overall results by tapping into higher-level human needs like self-actualization."

***

Flow

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of "flow" is also often cited as some indication of success, "a mental state of complete absorption and deep enjoyment in an activity, often called being 'in the zone,' where you're so immersed that nothing else seems to matter."

***

Back to my younger years of obsession... To know what other people around me really think of the subject, I once surveyed my friends what success meant to them. Their answers were eye-opening to me at the time. Because, it turned out, everyone had a different definition of what success meant.

We each have a different definition of success, it turns out. Each definition is revealing, because it gives a clue to what a particular person values the most.

In my case, at the time, success meant being able to keep myself fit and healthy, being able to do repairs in my dwelling place, being able to repay my loans, and learning French or Spanish and other new things that could lead to "multiple streams of income," etc.

In my present circumstance, for the year 2025, my definition of success has drastically changed. In the workplace, at least, what other may people dismiss as an unambitious failure or see plainly as a sickly coworker always riveted at his desk is someone who, in my own estimation, is actually a very much purpose-driven and highly ambitious but silent worker who has accomplished a lot considering everything:

- writing and editing approximately 800 news articles for the official Facebook page and website,
- coordinating with organizers (any of the random 30+ local government offices and agencies and some CSOs) for data,
- assisting the same with their requests
- helping respond to comments on each news item,
- producing 12 local government newsletters,
- helping produce a new parish book,
- finishing the 2025 Town Fiesta Souvenir Program (which is practically a tome),
- helping produce the local chief executive's First 100 Days report (which is practically a book),
- supervising the production of the local chief executive's State of the Children's Report (which is essentially a booklet),
- entertaining interviewers from all over asking about local history and culture
- making a bold attempt to update the town's history,
- being invited as a guest columnist in a regional newspaper,
- finding at least one of the vanishing food items I have been hunting down,
- launching a comic strip in the Pangasinan language,
- writing a series of new articles about local culture including its highly nuanced language,
- being able to write other wide-ranging articles on the side that I am passionate about and feel like sharing with anyone willing to read long-form text,
- being able to stay healthy enough to be able to do all these things, and so on.

As for the other aspects of life, let's just say I'm in that stage in life where I try to make peace with the things I didn't or don't have. That stage where I am no longer eligible for competition and the rat race, where I have learned to compete with just my past self at my own pace, as I listen to the beat of my own drum.

I have been a recalcitrant worrier and complainer, but I've learned my lessons: to be grateful for what I still am able to do despite my limitations in resources, talent, ability, and relationships because someone up there allows it at all, and to be humble because so many people are actually involved behind those so-called accomplishments.

Defining success in a personal way is highly subjective, but we all roughly agree what it means. It depends on social and familial expectations, and one's own personal mission-vision, goals, and objectives, and a combination of both outside and internal modes of validation.

But there are times when someone's story shakes us up. I've met people who say something like, "I've been successful at work, but I am a failure at home." Or: "People see me as this very confident and highly successful person, but deep inside is a broken, hurting, fearful, and insecure soul."

Then we hear people we assume to have everything we don't have claiming they are lonely, broken, feeling incomplete, and even wanting to end it all. Puzzling, from our own perspective. How many celebrities we know -- millionaires, billionaires -- battle these inner demons in their life?

Hearing their stories now and then, I can't help but recalibrate things in this life. I think about my own deficiencies, and then survey what I actually have and realize how I have some things that others don't have. Life, they say, is all about ups and downs (or pluses and minuses), and I have indeed my own share of downs, but I also do have some ups. I don't exactly score zero in the game of life, no matter how laughable my SALN reads. You win some, you lose some -- that's how the cookie crumbles.

***

The best definition of success that I've ever heard so far is something that really shook me up from my core being because I never thought of it at the time. "What does success mean to you?" I asked an elder whom I considered a mentor from the helping profession.

He said, "Success (to me) means following the will of God." Of course, he meant, "We may have become very successful at something through our own effort, but it means nothing if it is not according to the will of God."

To put it bluntly, real success is therefore living one's life here on earth in a way that assures us of winning the ultimate prize. Apart from that, everything else is, in today's parlance, a "big fail."

(Technical/psychological definitions in parentheses were generated through AI.)

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:26 PM 0 Comments

 Lament of the oblivious

posted by Resty Odon  # 5:24 PM 0 Comments

2025: A Hesitant Year-in-Review

Between doomscrolling and chasing that dopamine rush, I spent the whole of 2025 without being cognizant of it being declared as a "Year of Hope" in church as it has been a Jubilee Year as well. For those who are not Catholic, these are special declarations that promise a great deal of positive things. And yet, we all know what happened in 2025, here and abroad. A lot of seemingly cataclysmic things that give us no reason to hope.

But as Christians, we don't give in to despair. (Jesus Christ, after all, has already conquered death, evil, sin, hell.) Each year should be a year of hope anyway; each moment of each day, in fact, is a reason to hope. Since I am not a member of the clergy and perhaps have no right or moral ascendancy to write about spiritual things, I'd just like to end this year with a list of things to be thankful for, behind those things we normally perceive as tragedy.

There's nothing to be thankful for about natural disasters that bring about massive deaths and widespread damage to property, but there are lessons to be learned about environmental protection, economic sustainability, and the fragility of life. In spiritual terms, a keen awareness of our mortality -- that we are not the ones totally in control, that we are not the author of life -- is always a good thing.

The equally massive exposés on corruption at the topmost levels of government are also a cause for hope in that, they finally give credence to things that have only been whispered about for so long, particularly by contractors that feel helpless and have no choice but comply with under-the-table arrangements. This can only lead to positive change.

The ensuing public clamor for social justice isn't bad at all either.

Purgation, cleansing, pruning -- these are all good for the soul.

Even in personal terms, scraping the bottom of the barrel is salutary. As my favorite musical puts it, "When God closes the door, He opens the window" (and the roof too). It translates to people quietly finding their true self and embracing their calling, coming clean and turning things around in their lives, looking at life and the world through a more humane pair of eyes, courageously facing their fears and finally confronting their demons so they take control of their lives instead of their compulsions lording over them...

Even away from the spotlight, even without award-giving bodies, being freed up from one's favorite sins, conquering disabilities and weaknesses, courageously choosing to do what is right despite obstacles and hardship and opposition, exercising incredible patience and endurance in the face of ailment and suffering, understanding and forgiving the seemingly unforgivable and unlovable and the "hopeless" basket case, producing new knowledge that fills important gaps or inventing something useful to a lot of people even without routine news coverage... These, to me, are great accomplishments too.

Other seemingly trivial controversies that stir debates can be seen another way: democracy is alive and well, and we still live in a free market of ideas. If something strikes a chord with a lot of people or touches a raw nerve then a heated exchange ensues no matter how trivial, this is at least an indication that life goes on, and that we are not yet in a desperate state of war and state of famine that we can still afford to have the luxury of arguing among ourselves -- using our laptops and cell phones too.

Lastly, surviving at all during times of upheaval is already a cause for celebration.

I invite everyone to end this year on that grateful, prayerful, meditative note, as a foil to the startling sound of pyrotechnic bangers that resemble bombs amidst what comes off to me as or meaningless, utterly empty, not to mention thoughtlessly and physically injurious, brand of annual merrymaking.

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:55 AM 0 Comments

 A Meditation on Extreme Wealth

posted by Resty Odon  # 1:23 PM 0 Comments

Like Squeezing Blood from Stone

(A post-mortem of a high school grand alumni homecoming at a time of high inflation rate, from the perspective of one of the supposed organizers but couldn't show up for the most part)

"How did they pull it off?"

I kept asking my incredulous self this question, while I forced myself to attend the 2025 CLTC-PSU Laboratory High School Alumni Homecoming this year in which our batch was among the three host batches.

I couldn't pass up this one chance despite my health condition (I suffer from a variety of torments, from abnormal sensitivity or high irritability to loud sounds to debilitating heart palpitations when triggered). ...Especially since I haven't seen a lot of my former classmates in high school for years and years: Rodel from Ireland, Anaria from New Jersey (USA), Jona from Oman, Menchu from Manila, even Larry from Brgy. Zone IV... (They're back home now, but Arthur used to work in Russia, and Mira often came from some random seriously distressed country as doctor for Médecins sans Frontières.)

If I was incredulous, it's because the last time my batchmates and I were the host (in April of 19-copong-copong), our experience was far from reassuring, to put it mildly. It was an experience of tremendous responsibility that I hope I would never have to face again, ever.

Our experience back then as one of the select few who dared to take on the challenge of organizing such a big, formal affair was filled with hits and misses, having no first-hand experience with such things.

And that is why I've been worried all along with Cheryl of Batch '97 and Jona of Batch '87. How would they make things happen? I've wondered if they had the physical, mental, and spiritual stamina to survive it all.

Organizing a high school reunion requires passion for staging events, a particular skills set, dedication, attention to detail, and hard work. It meant, most especially, being hands-on, or being physically present when doing and directing every step of the planning process and the execution.

So here is a quick rundown of what happened.

In the planning stage one year before the big day, which Mira generously hosted at her family's house, the vision was a formal occasion, with sit-down dinner, party, dancing, rich food, and nostalgic music.

My first comment is: This was already problematic with many of us because our idea of a reunion is the one we always had: simple and basic, totally unprepared, spontaneous, impulsive, if you will, with the food and other expenses volunteered by everyone according to one's capacity (potluck) or sponsored or taken care of by someone visiting from abroad. The venue is not important at all as long as it is decent and comfortable; it's the company that counts and the endless hours of catching up with one another and reminiscing the good old days. It boils down to who is available and willing at the moment. Not much questions asked why someone opts out -- each circumstance or choice is respected, even if only grudgingly. (Surely, we'd love to see each one face to face once again?)

Not everyone, I realized, warmed up to the idea of a formal gathering with other batches whose members are total strangers to us. (Which is the case with most of us who were indeed schoolmates but never saw or interacted with one another within the four years of our limited stay in school.)

But as things turned out, tradition trumped personal batch preference (which meant not participating at all, with each batch holding their own separate affairs).

This, of course, meant gargantuan tasks ahead, but the No. 1 order of the day was no other than the funding. Where to get that huge amount at this time of hardship due to the high inflation rate especially in the Philippines? Expenses, if we do the quick math, would easily run up to a million pesos -- no joke.

As tradition would have it, members of the host batches would find creative ways of raising funds in order to shoulder the tag price until contributions reached the desired amount.

We are blessed to have several classmates based abroad who had the cash to spare and could afford to cover for those who had difficulty coming up with the suggested (or more of required) contribution.

With the estimated amount figured out, next up for discussion were a host of other headaches.

First, additional activities were proposed. There would be mass first thing in the morning, followed by a giving of gifts of school supplies to pupils of a selected school (Buenlag Elementary School was chosen).

The problem of venue was next taken up, and the town's new Events Center was preferred because it has air-conditioning. Those who experienced the previous year's gathering at the PSU Benigno Aldana Gymnasium couldn't forget how hot and humid it was in the middle of the sweltering month of April.

The next agenda would be the date, and December 13, 2025 was chosen because it coincided with the vacation leaves typically filed by all workers coming home for the holidays.

The next issue was the theme, and by this, we meant the design and attire. I think it was Jona who proposed bohemian, and no one contested it as it was something new to us and very interesting. After all, we were not yet born when it became the fashion in the '60s or thereabouts. It was challenging, yes, but doable and most likely cheap.

Soon, other concerns were taken up:

Venue reservation meant writing communication letters and booking in advance.

For food catering, Bistro Cinco -- which is based in Quezon City -- got the job, but food tasting was necessary prior to the reservation.

Overall decor and table setting were taken care of by Events Essential. If I may say so, the ever-creative Lyra Pamela Duque (of Switch Cafe as well) did a fabulous job of it, as usual. There was even a free photobooth and an SDE (same-day edit) video.

Programme-invites sure needed additional key people with the right knowhow.

Sentimental nostalgic videos, including a sobering one titled "In Memoriam," look like it was taken care of by Cheryl's students. After all, she is a college prof, and a department chair at that.

I noticed that there was proper video documentation (most likely student journalists from 'The Reflector' and 'Banyuhay'/'Metamorphosis'). There was even a drone. And I didn't expect an FB Live coverage.

As for the mass presider (together with the choir from the local parish church), I was impressed with how easy they were able to get no less than Bishop Fidelis Layog. It certainly helped that he was from the town and perhaps a CLTC alumnus too, plus Mira is an active church worker.

As for the raffle items, some extra-generous individuals whose identities I can't reveal donated round trip tickets to Singapore, Siargao, and Palawan and a P25,000 cash prize.

Prizes for games also had to be taken care of separately.

For the first time, it was decided that there would be no entrance fee. And there would be free souvenir shirts for those who had pre-registered on time online.

I noticed the total absence of security detail and MDRRMO hazard assessment, but I saw a POSO personnel assisting with the parking.

I didn't notice it taken up, but I totally appreciate it that there was a welcoming committee with friendly ushers.

As for the operation of the sound system and the LED screen, I saw Ville of ICT Office assisting a couple of young people I presume to be PSU students.

In the face of all these workload, Cheryl and Jona (who was directing things from faraway Oman while working as a doctor) had to contend with an obstacle course of challenges, all formidable and forbidding.

Most of host batch members were either unwilling to participate or unavailable for various reasons or both. Maybe many shared our quandary with clashing ideas of what reunions are or should be.

Many of those whose spirits were willing had bodies that were weak due to age, mobility issues, other various forms of disabilities, and full workload and busy schedules.

Other problems that came up included unconfirmed pledges of support.

Even the simplest matters can mean everything. To wit:

Who will actually pick and choose the raffle items all the way from, say, Divisoria, to Bayambang?

Who will do the actual work of hauling off and carrying one by one all those stuff, especially the sacks of rice? Who has that rare virtue of humility to take on the task of kargador?

Who will be the emcees? (It looks like hiring a pair of masters at their game solved the problem.)

Who will be assigned to do the doxology (a solemn video did it), provide entertainment (a band was hired), and intermission numbers (it looks like dancers from Matalunggaring Dance Troupe were hired as well and took care of the dances and music choices)? If I were young and had the means, I would have my own idea of top 100 dance tracks to play as DJ. (Check my timeline for the list.)

Who will take care of the event place itself before and after the affair? (Good thing the LGU's GSO logistics staff took care of it.)

Who will personally contact our teachers for invitation?

Who will be the floor manager/director? (No less than Cheryl and Jona handled the job.)

There's even the matter of who will assist each and every speaker in going up and down the stage so no one trips over the stairs and embarrasses himself/herself.

I don't think there was someone who checked the wirings and the floor for safety. (I actually stumbled upon a part of a rubber flooring that curled.) And what if there was an emergency power outage unfortunately typical of the local provider (CENPELCO) in this town (after all those decades of operating)?

And on the big night, the one last truly dreadful question to answer is: Will everyone actually show up? It takes a great deal of courage and humility to show up at all in any school reunion, if you have nothing to boast about or take pride in, in the conventional sense: if you are mysteriously single, with no kids too, after all these years; not successful according to the standards of the community; couldn't come in a nice car; issues with physical appearance; and other reasons to be ashamed of, according to one's negative internal mental scripts. So I wanted to congratulate those who fit any of these categories and still showed up!

High school reunions are especially rife with re-living unresolved issues and facing the unprocessed traumas of youth and reviewing one's relationships with former academic rivals, amorous trysts, TOTGAs, bullies, BFFs, bromance, terror profs, and the like, so things can get awkward, unless everyone has moved on and is able to laugh it all off. The thing is, the prospect of getting uncomfortable is real.

And what if it rained hard? Indeed, it was cloudy that afternoon. What would have been the Plan B? Was there any, just in case, in the remote chance?

Among the valuable lessons learned, is first and foremost, for the organizers to establish rapport with other host batches, and in fact all batches, ideally speaking, so there would be amicable relationship or a sense fellowship to start with. Maybe this could be done through various meetings, either physical or online, or both. It would be a lot easier to work together with the breaking of the ice.

In the end, this homecoming (2025), together with the one immediately before it, are hard to top, one for the books. But I can just imagine the mix of heartaches and pain Cheryl and Jona had to endure like what I, Angie, Menchu, Badz, and Melvin went through before. For sure, hard emotions and anguished thoughts had to compete for the sense of accomplishment, and most especially the joy afforded by the celebration.

(I remember, at this juncture, one of my faux pas back then: failing to include the principal of the high school in the program (Principal Mel Fernandez) because I was not very much aware of the school hierarchy that we had to deal with.)

In the middle of the joyous occasion, when the host batches were ceremoniously turning over the keys to the next host batches, Juvy (now the resident pediatrician Dr. Payumo) of Batch '88 could hardly suppress a micro-second of wincing in her face at the enormity of it all.

At this point, my prayer is this: May Cheryl and Jona find forgiveness in their hearts for all the slights and neglect and feelings of abandonment they must have felt. And may they be given the grace to be magnanimous in foregoing and forgetting the defects, infirmities, inadequacies, indifference, and whatever offenses they had met with or perceived to have been committed. May the tremendous success of a truly memorable, because elegant and well-organized, affair be their best revenge.

With the standard set by these two miracle workers, I really wish the next host batches the best of luck. But I also pray that next time around, there would be a lot of hands, a lot of warm bodies (particularly from the younger set), willing to volunteer. Because coming up with such a level of activity is next to impossible under the circumstances detailed above -- yes, like squeezing blood from stone.

(Photo dump to follow soon. Some photos grabbed from PSU-Bayambang page)

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:54 PM 0 Comments

"We too can be so quick to judge others, especially in a religious context. It is easy to assume who is 'in' and who is 'out,' who is close to God and who is far away, based on what we see on the surface. Yet, only God knows the real story... the hidden battles, the quiet acts of kindness, the longing for grace that lies beneath a person’s life."

by Father Patrick van der Vorst

posted by Resty Odon  # 1:10 PM 0 Comments

Can't There be a Unanimous Word of the Year?

Every end of the year, this word lover is on the lookout for the word of the year. Out of curiosity, I am particularly interested in what most people in our country and around the world consider to be the most impactful term for the year that was.

I am quite disappointed to note that different word authorities almost always have different choices each year. Why the consistent divergence? If a word is indeed the definitive word of the year, then everyone should have roughly the same choice, yes? it should be that one lone word that reverberated across the world across all social classes in the most significant or impactful way.

Take a look at this example of choices this year, none of which I heard much often. Then again, maybe I am living in my own cave, or under a rock.

- slop: "refers to low-quality, unsolicited, or error-prone content generated by AI that "floods" social media and search results" (Merriam-Webster)
- rage bait: "content deliberately designed to provoke anger or outrage to drive clicks, traffic, and engagement" (Oxford)
- parasocial: "originally describing one-sided celebrity worship, it was updated in 2025 to include the emotional bonds people form with AI chatbots" (Cambridge)
- vibe coding: "a new term for using AI to write software code based on natural language prompts rather than traditional programming logic" (Collins)
- 6 7: a viral cultural shorthand among Gen Alpha, often referring to a specific social media music trend" (Dictionary[.]com)

Admittedly, though, most of these novel words share one thing in common: life in the digital world, particularly the ubiquity of AI.

In my admittedly limited milieu as a neo-probinsyano, my words of the year are largely of a different set. Maybe I am looking at the world through a different lens--that is, a much rarefied one.

The earliest novel expressions I took note of are the following:

Out of a viral trending TikTok post, I was told, the phrase "sobrang Latina, parang munyeka" became trending, and it is supposed to mean "sobrang ganda" or "so beautiful."

"Okay na to!" also became viral because an actor's (Miguel Tanfelix) mother reportedly uses it as her favorite expression when commenting on her son's cooking in their joint cooking video.

There were quite a number of new words that cropped up in the month of September, in particular: I often encountered this strange word among young Filipino men: paldo, paldong-paldo. It is supposed to originally mean "bale" or "a large bundle," but in slang, means "a huge amount of money." Example: Paldong-paldo ka sa OT pay ha! So I guess it is synonymous to "tiba-tiba."

Because of our nation’s tumultuous political life, “forthwith” became suddenly a subject of scrutiny and disdain: the word had something to do with the attempted impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, an historic first. And upon checking what the Constitution says about the impeachment process, those in the know quoted the relevant passage and began discussing the meaning of the word "forthwith." It apparently means “immediately” or “without delay.” (I must point out it is a word that I, who love big words, have never used).

"Nepo baby," from "nepotism," of course, was as ubiquitous as the common cold virus. Used derisively (or with contempt), it refers to the excessively and unjustifiably rich kids of political dynasties. Unfortunately, other everyday terms that got regarded as evil overnight include: "contractor," "engineer," "politician," and "DPWH." Other frequently used string of words is "flood control ghost projects."

Honorable mentions are: "confidential fund," "unprogrammed fund," "allocable fund."

Of course, all of the above point to the general term, "corruption," which is corrupted to "korap" in Tagalog.

***

Since we are on the topic of language, I couldn’t help but take note of vulgar expressions that a lot of netizens used. (Doesn’t mean I applaud the usage.) But I give in to self-censorship and choose to file them under "Redacted" for the sake of the holy and the pure.

***

A dance song that mentions the word "anxiety" ("Anxiety" by Doechii) became viral, and I thought it is partly because many people were indeed in that mental state due to the preponderance of shocking news around the world.

Since I am into taking note of popular terms, I couldn’t help but notice another word that was used with frequency by netizens: "sumakses," to mean "succeeded." It reminds me of similarly iffy Taglish coinages in recent past such as "nasa-sad ako," to mean nalulungkot ako. Why do I get the feeling that I am not extremely happy about these uglified neologisms? What's the matter with native words like wagi, tagumpay, and lungkot? Ano pa ba ang kulang?

“Weaponize” is a word that I heard often used with a negative intent. It means “to exploit for the purpose of attacking a person or group, or for spreading discord.” Examples: "They find it easier to weaponize the fear and uncertainty of national events." "He spoke about the dangers of cynicism, and how it can be weaponized against us."

I kept on reading this new term as well: “virtue signalling.” It means "the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or social conscience or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue" instead of having genuine virtue.

The expression “threw shade” was thrown around as well, so I tried using it, just to be in among the writing circle: “Former sexy star Vivian Velez ‘threw shade’ at Vice Ganda's vulgar and insult style comedy, so netizens enjoyed munching on their digital popcorn while watching how the latest tiff would unfold.”

Lastly, I saw a lot of people on Facebook using "ngani," whatever this Visayan word means, "POV," and "na para bang" so many times.

***

Meanwhile, 11 Filipino words were added to Oxford Dictionary presumably because they are untranslatable and commonly inserted in English conversations among Filipinos and maybe have attained global reach. They are namely, CR, gigil, kababayan, load, lumpia, salakot, sando, Pinoy, terror, Thomasite, and videoke. At this amazing rate of addition, soon Filipino language might become English.

One good thing to come out of this is that these words will no longer be underlined in red each time they are used in Word, or so I expect.

***

So, going back, which among these terms is truly the word (or expression) that is truly reflective of the year that was?

I do care about popularly held opinions (I am fond of analyzing why opinions become popular, particularly those that I strongly dislike, making me question myself). But the above words are among my top candidates. But for that one particular word: I can’t make up my mind just yet. It will take years before I am able to spot the perfect embodiment of 2025, locally and globally. But if I must have one, it has to be a toss-up between "flood control ghost projects" and "paldo" for the local setting and, um, any of the word about AI, with "AI-generated" being the least technical of them all, for the global scene.

What would be yours? I won't judge you.

posted by Resty Odon  # 5:06 PM 0 Comments

This Week in Pinoy Parlor Games

posted by Resty Odon  # 12:35 PM 0 Comments

April 2025 Recap

It's only the middle of April and yet the news is already too much for my little brain to handle. There are way too many earth-shaking things going on at a fast clip to make sense of, especially in this unusually cruel weather.

So Sad: Kris Aquino Says She Has 9 Autoimmune Diseases

In a deeply personal update on Instagram, Kris Aquino revealed her ongoing battle with multiple autoimmune conditions, including 1. autoimmune thyroiditis, 2. lupus, 3. systemic sclerosis/scleroderma, 4. rheumatoid arthritis, 5. chronic spontaneous urticaria, 6. EGPA (eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis), 7. fibromyalgia, 8. polymyositis, and 9. mixed connective tissue disease. Poor thing! Having just one of those is tremendous suffering enough -- how much more nine? The public of course responded with an outpouring of prayers and support for her continued strength and healing, but with one advising her to seek the help of an albularyo.

Hilarious: Mistaken Identity: ICC Lawyer Mix-Up

In a bizarre twist on social media, American author Nicholas Kaufmann became an unintended target of political confusion. Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte bombarded Kaufmann’s accounts, mistaking him for Nicholas Kaufman—the Israeli-British lawyer defending Duterte in the ICC case. Despite Kaufmann’s repeated clarifications, the flood of messages continued, some even coming from apparent bots, according to his later posts.

Ridiculous: “Grocery Gang”: Strange Names on Government Fund Records

Ma. Ceres Doyo wrote a column article that is hilarious, a great departure from her usual serious, profound tone, but only because the incident is simply ridiculous. To paraphrase, she noted that a recent audit of confidential funds used by Vice President Sara Duterte and the Department of Education revealed highly suspicious signatories—names like Mary Grace Piattos, Jay Kamote, and Mathew Keso—sparking laughter and concern across the country. Lacking any official documentation in national databases, these names appear to be fictitious, and lawmakers are now demanding answers: who created them, and where did the money actually go? Rep. Paolo Ortega dubbed them the “team grocery” due to their food-themed aliases, while House hearings revealed that many supposed recipients had no traceable records. The fallout includes impeachment articles against Duterte and legal challenges filed with the Supreme Court.

"Comic relief or criminal deception?" she asked, and continued that, while some find humor in the audacity of the fake names, the gravity of the situation remains. Was it a sloppy cover-up or a deliberate whistleblow in disguise? The answer remains unclear, but the implications are serious. Calls for accountability are growing louder, Doyo noted.

Worrisome: A Sudden Tariff War

U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs—10% across all imports, with steeper rates for select nations and an especially over-the-top tariff for China. I had to review what tariff means and had to read several columnists and economists (Balicasan, Habito, et al.) to try to make heads and tails of it, but I am not sure if I was properly schooled in it, especially since there are widely divergent opinions on the matter. In the end, I was reduced to asking myself, "What's going on?"

Similarly, the more I read about various lawyers' take on the ICC arrest of Duterte, the more I got confused on which side to listen to.

Scary: Will China Invade Taiwan Soon?

Meanwhile, tensions rise over a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan. This cliffhanger awaits our estimated 250,000 OFWs in that island-state that courageously chose democracy over communism, yet the United Nations chose NOT to officially recognize its independence and sovereignty, or at least honor its heroism.

Looks like we need to get busier praying harder than before.

Interesting: Resurrection from the Dead

In science news, Colossal Biosciences claimed the first "de-extinction" case, that of the dire wolf—though some experts argue it's closer to a genetically modified grey wolf.

I wish that, someday, they would be able to bring back the dodo, Tasmanian wolf, and other interesting creatures that we humans have, in our collective stupidity, decimated.

On a Happy Note: A Historic Moment for Filipino Artists on Broadway

Now this is something I can understand.

Great news for long-time theater fans like myself! This month marked a groundbreaking achievement for the Filipino community in the performing arts. For the first time ever, reports Lea Salonga on FB, seven Filipino actors are starring simultaneously in four different Broadway productions—a moment of immense pride for Filipino-Americans and, of course, Filipinos. They are Nicole Scherzinger ("Sunset Boulevard”), Darren Criss ("Maybe Happy Ending”), Lea Salonga herself (in Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends”), Tatianna Cordoba ("Real Women Have Curves"), Eva Noblezada (“Cabaret”), Marie-Claire Hall (“Operation Mincemeat"), and Kay Sibal (“Six the Musical”). According to the Broadway legend, the milestone highlights the growing influence and exceptional talent of Filipino artists in global theater.

***

Over at YouTube, several restored Filipino film classics have been uploaded for free viewing. I am reminded of my old quest to watch all the films listed to be among the best. The long vacation ahead is perfect timing.

Food for Thought: Side Hustle Culture

How do people survive nowadays when inflation rates reach sky-high?

What I notice around me is the phenomenon of side hustles. In the halcyon days of yore, this was called "sideline" or "moonlighting."

Just looking around, I can see people moonlighting or working on the side during off hours or weekends as event host, event organizer, online seller and reseller or pasa-buy delivery person, sari-sari store operator, long-haul van driver, artist, masseur, teacher/tutor, hair and makeup artist, dancer/choreographer, vlogger, singer, writer, videographer, small resto operator...

I wonder if people in the upper echelons ever wonder how ordinary Filipinos actually make do and get by, what kind of meals they have from day to day, etc.

Under the Radar: New Pinoy Parlor Games

Last year (2024) saw a sudden spurt in the number of creative party games or parlor games. In our home last Christmas, my siblings, nephews, and nieces tried almost all of those games, to cacophonous results. Among my favorites is the one where several singers line up in front of the videoke to take turns singing lines of a usually high-register song. The game is a great opportunity for those gifted with the voice but a laughable disaster for those who are not as gifted, and that's where the fun of the game partly lies. Another favorite is the very physical yet cerebral game "Eh Ikaw?" currently made popular by the comedy group SPIT. Look it up, in case you don't know what I'm talking about.

These novel games have ushered in a, er, golden age in Philippine party games.

Cause for Dismay: Gutter-Level Campaign Utterances

Apparently, kabastusan (coarseness and vulgarity) is now the new normal. Look at these lines that the public accepted by laughing at the jokes delivered by election candidates, not by a stand-up comedian in a comedy bar:

“Minsan sa isang taon ang mga solo parent na babae na rineregla pa — Nay, malinaw na rineregla pa — at nalulungkot, minsan sa isang taon pwedeng sumiping ho sa akin (Once a year, female single parents who still have their monthly period and feel lonely, once a year you can have sex with me).” - Pasig congressional candidate (and lawyer too!) Christian Sia

“The nursing scholarship is only for women, not for men. And only for beautiful women. It is a no-no for the unattractive, because if a male patient who is already weak is attended to by an ugly nurse, what would happen to him? Their illness could get worse.” - Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia

"Kung ang aking kalaban ay isang Vilma Santos lang na laos na, hindi ako takot." - Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan (And I was, like, huh? I can't forget the last movie I watched with Vilma Santos in it titled "Extra".)

***

Scatter became a popular gambling game after e-sabong somewhat waned It's quite hard to believe that these big, big names in local showbiz died within weeks of each other Pilita Corrales, Nora Aunor, and Hajji Alejandro. Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa died. After spending 38 days in hospital for double pneumonia, Pope Francis suddenly died at age 88 just a day after greeting well-wishers on Easter at the Vatican grounds on his popemobile and after meeting with US Vice President JD Vance. Tributes poured in from all over the world from all walks, hailing him as a "pope for all." After the great Myanmar quake came a series of earthquakes here in the Philippines and around the world, and this tells us that these tectonic movements are interrelated. I remember a time when this relationship had been denied and laughed at by expert volcanologists. But they seem to have changed their tune in recent years. Aba, bongga! Lav Diaz had a new film, 'Magellan,' starring Gael Garcia Bernal, and to be shown in Cannes, no less. But who will watch a 10-hour film? Or even its whittled down (3-hour) version? On April 27, scores of revelers of Filipino-descent died in Vancouver, Canada after an SUV driven by a man of Chinese descent rammed through the crowd while they were celebrating Lapu-Lapu Day. In contrast, a piece of sad news for fellow cinephiles: After rescuing 240 films from permanent erasure from our collective memory, ABS-CBN shut down restoration unit, with project head Leo Katigbak reportedly describing it as “a casualty of the efforts to close down the company in 2020.”

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:25 PM 0 Comments