Mangopras: The Backbreaking, But Rewarding, Process of Making Copra

April 15, 2026

The process of making copra from coconuts, popularly known as mangopras, is a backbreaking process. I know how demanding the work is because I used to do it many years ago, The process of turning the coconut fruit—which is technically a drupe, not a nut—into a sellable product is what we call mangopras. This term mangopras encompasses all the steps involved. The Seven Steps of Copra Production The complete process of turning a coconut into copra involves seven or eight primary, sequential steps: Sungkit (Harvesting): Hooking the coconut from the tree using a panungkit (a long, sectional bamboo pole). Tapok (Gathering): Collecting the fallen coconuts into a heap. Hakot (Transporting): Bringing the gathered coconuts to the processing area, known as the koprasan. Preparasyon (Preparation): This

Mananggi – it’s all about Corn, and One Neighbor’s Generosity

April 8, 2026

For most Filipinos, the staple food was rice; for us, rice is a luxury. Corn was our staple. In my childhood, pre-1972, we only ate rice during very special occasions, and when we did, it was either lugaw or champorado. Milled corn was our main source of carbohydrates; our only food, in fact, on most days. I remember our neighbor, Nong Peping, had a plot of corn right behind our neighborhood’s cluster of houses. It was his sister’s land, but he was the one who farmed corn on it. He got ⅔ of the harvest, while his sister got the other ⅓. Nong Peping told us that this sharing was fair, and is actually the standard practice in all landlord-tenant relations. When the corn

To show that on thei HOly Week 2026, we pause to consider the ongoing war in the Middle East.and its unexpected impact on us.

Holy Week Reflections: Finding Empathy Amidst Global Conflict and Rising Prices

March 31, 2026

The scent of frankincense and the quiet hum of the Pabasa usually define our Holy Week. This year, however, those traditional reflections feel heavier. We pause to consider the ongoing war in the Middle East and its unexpected impact on us. The country traditionally pauses collectively during this time. Traffic softens, businesses slow, and families journey quietly. Some return to their provinces, others visit churches for Visita Iglesia, and many simply choose stillness at home. Why the Middle East Conflict Hits Close to Home in the Philippines Today, the world’s troubles feel unusually close. The war in the Middle East is more than a distant headline; its shockwaves touch our daily lives. We feel this impact in several ways: News articles show fuel prices rising

The Philippine Oil Crisis: Exposed, Unprepared, and Still Without a Long-Term Strategy

March 28, 2026

The Philippines is reacting to the global oil shortage, not managing it. The crisis, triggered by the war in the Middle East, exposes how dangerously unprepared the country is. As former Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez bluntly stated, solving an oil crisis is harder than fighting COVID-19. His quote sums up the difficulty: “you can quarantine a virus, but you cannot quarantine the global oil market.” The government’s current response suggests this is being treated as a temporary disruption, not a structural crisis. Unprepared and Knee-Deep: The Reactive Response The country was caught completely off-guard. Reports show that the Philippines has only about 45 days of fuel reserves. Given that we import nearly all of our oil, mostly from the Middle East, this limited reserve

Beyond the Pump: Why Suspending Excise Tax on Fuel Is Not a Silver Bullet

March 24, 2026

We cannot think of wars, especially the currently ongoing conflict in Iran and the Middle East, as far removed from our daily lives. It’s true before, and it’s even more true now – this war that the US and Israel started against Iran is sending shockwaves all around the world. The thing is that this is not a war we chose, but we are already starting to feel its effects. It’s such a difficult time to be living right now. Daily war updates fills our social media and broadcast news feeds. The price of diesel and gasoline is slowly starting to go up. Jeepney drivers are earning only ₱56 after spending ₱1,200 pesos on diesel for the day. But President BBM suspended the fare hike,

How Connections Shape the Philippine Economy: Nepotism and Political Patronage

March 23, 2026

Introduction In this blog we will discuss the impact of nepotism and political patronage on the Philippine economy. This concludes our series on corruption’s impact on the economy. We trust this journey has been enlightening, prompting deeper reflection on the diverse manifestations of corruption and its influence on daily life in the Philippines. Nepotism: A Hidden Type of Corruption There is a kind of corruption that many people often overlook because it doesn’t always look obviously corrupt. In fact, many Filipinos just accept it as a normal part of life. However, just like other types of corruption, it quietly affects the country’s economic future. Favouring Relatives and Friends in Business Helping relatives, friends, or people you know well doesn’t seem wrong. This practice is common

Why “Kotong ” is Bad for the Economy

March 18, 2026

We’re almost at the end of this series on the economic effects of corruption. We’ve talked about different types of corruption, like customs fraud, misused public funds, distortion of public spending, inflated project costs, and regulatory friction. But one type of corruption that hits us every day—and severely affects the economy—is corruption within law enforcement, especially among traffic enforcers and police. It’s a persistent problem the government is trying hard to fix. Its popular name is Kotong. Here is a breakdown of how this specific type of corruption, known as Kotong , hurts our economy and what we can do about it. What is Kotong Culture and How Does it Work? Ask any Filipino driver, and they likely have a story about this kind

How to Produce an Indie Movie – The Case of Happyland

March 15, 2026

In an earlier post, I wrote about the circumstances behind my joining the Happyland team as one of its producers. Here is the second part of my experience as an indie movie producer.

How I Became a Producer of the Indie Movie – Happyland

March 9, 2026

I become a producer of a movie about football two years before the sport got widespread attention. We even tapped the country’s most popular football player, Phil Younghusband, as one of the major actors in that independent film.

EXPOSED: What the Impeachment Vote Means for Congressmen

March 1, 2026

In this blog post, we explore what the Sara Duterte impeachment vote means for congressmen and its implications for the current political landscape. (This is a follow-up piece to my blog on the structural consequences of Sara Duterte’s early declaration that she will run for president in 2028.) For as long as I’ve been observing political campaigns, one pattern remains constant: when national timelines accelerate, the spotlight rarely stays where it began. When Sara Duterte declared her presidential candidacy, the impeachment effort ceased to be a contained institutional process. It entered the electoral arena. That shift has already been discussed. What has received less attention is the second movement of that shift. The spotlight has moved. It now rests on the House of Representatives. An

Journal