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Essay

The remarkable life of Blas F. Ople

“The world pays a premium not for occasional flashes of brilliance but for sustained commitments to the performance of tasks.”—Blas F. Ople On Feb. 3, 1927, a baby to be later named Blas Fajardo Ople, was brought into the world by Segundina and Felix...

Graphic days & nights with Frank Sionil Jose

On the last day of his 97-year stay on earth, National Artist Frank Sionil Jose wrote about the Philippines and his hometown of Rosales, Pangasinan in his Hindsight column in the Philippine Star.             In the words of his son: “He did what he...

Rain

It is raining. I said “Okay” to a meeting at the Balesin Club in Makati but it’s raining tonight.  I avoid going beyond five kilometers from where I live in one of the villages in Quezon City. I am horrified with the EDSA...

COVID quarantines, the second time around

This essay is one of many written during a Memoir Writing workshop at Sunshine Place under the mentorship of Dr. Oscar Peñaranda, a Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas awardee. An educator, author, and advocate of Filipino-American studies, Dr. Peñaranda’s work includes “Seasons by...

Reynaldo Abilo—from scholar to being somebody

“When i was 25, i was based in Cebu and I was the customer Development Finance Manager of Colgate Palmolive in charge of Visayas and Mindanao. So basically, at that time, I was looking after the financials of our company for our customers...

Miranda bombing: Beyond the scars

Fifty years ago, on the night of Aug. 21, 1971, two grenades were lobbed at a Liberal Party rally at Manila’s iconic Plaza Miranda, killing nine people and nearly wiping out the then-opposition’s top guns. Among the wounded: Jovito Salonga,  who would become the...

Random Pickings

The pajama games

I think, if President Duterte’s attendance at international summits is to be guaranteed, whoever is hosting should consider holding sleepovers instead of boring old...

A time for heroes

At the entrance of the tree-lined park, the shiny black granite wall is farthest from view. Closer is the imposing 14-meter bronze statue of...

The bookshop my parents built—growing up at Solidaridad

When Solidaridad, the bookshop my parents, Frankie and Tessie Jose, set up in 1965 on Padre Faura Street in Ermita, Manila, turned 50, we...

Can you define, for me, the essay?

I have, more than once dreamt, of the chance to reach out to as many students and teachers of writing as possible, be that...