kultura

A case for creative critical engagement #OnLiteratureMonth

Here’s the statement from writers and supporters of literature on the case of Adam David who has been told to take down a website and PDF that critically engages with the book Fast Food Fiction Delivery, published by Anvil and edited by Noelle de Jesus and Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta.

Here is the site — http://himaamsir.blogspot.com/
And the PDF — http://www.mediafire.com/…/adam_david_-_IWBTSBNQTS_-_single…

Here’s Adam’s explanation of what his project was about — “It’s a collection of 132 stories gathered from a story-generating machine I encoded called thirty minutes or less. It’s a simple randomiser that I fed story fragments to, culled from the flash fiction collection Fast Food Fiction Delivery (edited by Noelle de Jesus and Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, Anvil 2015).”
— http://wasaaak.blogspot.com/…/thirty-three-and-two-more-new…

Do add your name to it if you are of the same mind about this.

(more…)

kultura

the voice of celebrity: love and alex gonzaga, life and bianca gonzalez*

I will always spend some hard-earned cash on books proclaimed as “bestsellers” – not by the non-existent bestseller list of local books (because we compete with uh, Fifty Shades of Grey), but based on the ever reliable, absolutely credible opinion of the National Bookstore ate manning the cash register.

These two books are placed among the magazines at the cashier’s counter, and with one hot pink cover, and another that’s filled with eye-catching illustrations, these books easily catch one’s eye.

Dear Alex, Break Na Kami. Paano?! Love, Catherine by Alex Gonzaga (ABS-CBN Publishing 2014), and Paano Ba ‘To?! How to Survive Growing Up by Bianca Gonzalez (One Mega Group Inc. 2014), are less than 200 bucks each, and as per the Ate kahera at the National Bookstore in Robinson’s Magnolia: “Sobrang benta po nito Ma’am. Laging nauubusan.” She was of course referring to Gonzaga’s book in bright pink, with a poodle and a photograph of her on the cover, a face now made familiar by TV.

About Gonzalez’s book meanwhile, the Ate kahera in National Bookstore Shangri-La Mall said: “Maraming bumibiling teenager Ma’am.” (more…)

komentaryo

yaya meals and the sushal indignation

AFTER gaining such mileage for being the resort du jour for fancy weddings and exclusive pictorials (READ: the Senator Chiz Escudero-Heart Evangelista nuptials) – the kind that makes you wonder if it’s even in the Philippines at all – Balesin Island Resort has gotten the kind of press any business for the wealthy and elite would love.

Or hate. As the resort’s press release has inadvertently asked: What is this hullaballoo? (more…)

komentaryo

Against divorce #WomensMonth2015*

One can’t believe it sometimes, the way the patriarchy is so pervasive in this country, the way men get away with being pa-cute and being pa-witty when asked about something they can’t quite wrap their heads around.

And no, I’m not talking about the every man on the street. I’m talking Senators of the land, making a joke out of the question of divorce.

Welcome to the Philippines. Where it doesn’t matter that the latest SWS Survey on Divorce reveals that 60% of Filipinos are actually now for it. (Inquirer.net, 23 Mar) (more…)

kultura

Game over

To the Ateneo student who continues to harass me about the P50-peso class fund from seven years ago.

I’ve already explained to the best of my recollection where that class fund goes. If you tell me who you are maybe I can explain better what your class required as far as funds are concerned. But now that I know that your classroom allowed me to do powerpoint presentations, then do find out how much it cost to do those presentations, inclusive of internet fees, electrical bills, and use of my personal computer for those lectures. Contrary to what you might think, Ateneo does not pay for any of that, nor do our salaries cover those additional expenses to be a teacher.

That class fund of P50 pesos for the semester, which would mean P100 pesos for a whole school year of Literature classes, covers all that plus readings, worksheets, handouts, collaterals. If you don’t remember getting enough, then do put together that computation and tell me what you’d like to do then.

Know that if I was made aware of any discrepancies at that time, if anyone had complained about any irregularities, that it would have been dealt with accordingly. I’d really rather not blame anyone at this point for what you feel is an injustice. But that injustice would’ve been better raised and dealt with then, not seven years hence when there is no way of figuring out what went wrong with the system.

You could’ve emailed me privately, but you’ve chosen to do this publicly, making accusations that are slanderous. I had hoped you would realize that my not publishing your comments protected you from lawyers who will tell you that this is criminal.

I’ve engaged and taken the time to respond to this because I could. That’s no longer the case. Do what you feel you must, but not on this blog.