'The Kundiman Party': Sing, remember, resisit!

Philippine Daily Inquirer/OPINION/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo   String together millennials in search of self and art, middle-aged women groping for meaning, a retired opera diva rediscovering her relevance, social media, young love in the time of extrajudicial killings, family and stormy politics, then equip the unseemly characters with a most unlikely weapon—the kundiman — to battle national darkness. You read right — yes, the kundiman, that...

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Vinegar nation

Philippine Daily Inquirer/OPINION/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo   A momentary distraction from the ballot-counting issues but a valid cause for concern was the recent announcement by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) of its findings that 14 or so of the close to 20 vinegar brands they tested have synthetic acetic acid in them, and are not in fact made from pure fermented plant extract. Only three brands reportedly passed the test for...

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It is alive!

Philippine Daily Inquirer/OPINION/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo   Despite the Otso Diretso and several other worthy (according to my personal judgment) candidates not making it to the Senate as of the latest vote count, there was something about their running. There was something in the recent election campaign that was palpable because of them — the spirit of dissent against what ran counter to the national interest. It is alive!   For that,...

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Chinese takeover of Fuga Island?

Philippine Daily Inquirer/OPINION/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo   While we’re not looking, the Philippines’ Fuga Island, located north of mainland Luzon, could become an exclusive domain of China, its special enclave and playground, a dream isle of Chinese investors and more. The island could be slowly slipping away without us knowing it, and it could soon be lost forever and become, for Filipinos, a forbidden city. A dystopian scenario? We’ve all...

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