Katrina Stuart Santiago

Bam Aquino promises to bring social entrepreneurship to the Senate. That he is running on that, and his last name (obviously!), is the most vulgar act of political ambition we might see since the Pacquiaos (in the plural!) decided they must all run for government in Gen San (Jinkee for Governor!). At least Jinggoy and JV went through years of being mayor. And yes, I am comparing the Aquinos (Kris included!) to the Estradas.

Such is local politics, and yes that’s a lot of ironic and disgusted exclamation points.

But Bam might be the biggest bummer of all. Check out his website and find that he has no platform – it is as empty as his CV. It’s in bright Cory yellow (because he is proud of the dynasty he is part of), and has as its main navigational tool a sari-sari store filled with objects you can click on. So click on the TV and you get a photo and video gallery, click on the radio and you get soundbites, click on the stack of newspapers and you get news and updates – all favorable of course.

Not surprisingly, you cannot click on any of the goods that are for sale in the sari-sari store. That which is the lifeblood of the space? Bam’s got nothing on there. (more…)

thank yous are in order, and while Angela and i always difficult to go all me! me! me! or I! I! I! on our blogs, almost two months into 2013, it would seem wrong to not fall back on that i, if only so i can talk to a you and articulate gratefulness.

the year kicked off with being offered a regular Opinion column over at The Manila Times. i had hoped i could get away with putting a logo instead of my face on it, but no dice. so every Thursday, my literal paper trail continues. let’s see how long i can keep it up — or how long The Times can handle me. hehe. (more…)

Making Lemonade

There is a romance that we like to imagine about writing, and especially the writing of a book. And while my rebellious self would like to tell you that this was not the case for Of Love and Other Lemons, that would be a lie. Certainly it came from a personal history of love and loss and sadness, complete with the high – if not OA – drama of buckets of tears. But the writing of this book didn’t happen while I was going through all those things.

Instead the writing happened when I was at the point of reckoning with the cards life had dealt me (naks high drama), and particularly when I was away from Manila. Distance allowed me to think of freedom, where Manila – the Philippines – felt oppressive, too small that I couldn’t even stretch. (more…)

As it turns out, nowhere.

On an otherwise regular Friday night this single girl would find herself in a non-descript bar on the Fort Strip – the most recent incarnation of which has less of the sosy clubbing crowd, thank goodness. The years might have taught me of the need to dress appropriately for certain spaces, but adulthood has made me more stubborn about being myself too, especially for a night when all I need is a round or two of drinks, thank you very much.

As it turns out, it would be difficult not to feel like myself, and it won’t just be because of the lovin’ from new friends, and the bottles of ice cold San Mig Light that would find its way into my hands. It won’t just be the fact that Craft Rock & Grill probably serves the best food to go with that beer.

It would be because Friday night is glam rock night at Craft. And because there is Trinidad. (more…)

don’t know about the depths of non-fiction ha. baka the narrative lang that surrounds our notions of depth. see you UP Baguio!

Katrina Stuart Santiago

Katrina Stuart Santiago

the 2013 kick-off

on Of Love and Other Lemons, v.1*

Where’d your glam rock go?

see you University of Baguio!