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

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.

At 25

February 18, 2026

Today as I turn 67, let me share with you a feature article about me, published in the Business Mirror in December 11, 2016. The discussions with Roger covered my professional life from the time I joined CRC to the time I left Omnicom Media Group to volunteer in the Duterte presidential campaign. Much has happened after that, and I think I should be writing about it in a separate blog. Roger Pe, a veteran Creative Director, wrote this piece about what I was like around the time when I was 25. We had an initial face to face interview after which he sent me a set of questions via email and asked for a photo of me

Alon

January 28, 2026

Alon Lunurin mo ang aking kasamaan Ihampas sa dalampasigan Ang sama ng aking budhi Maging malakas ka Ihatid mo at ilibing Sa pusod ng dagat Ang sala ng sanlibutan *** a poetry in Filipino written by Nic Gabunada and published in Davao Harvest An Anthology edited by Tita Lacambra Ayala and Alfredo N. Salanga 1979 ****This was also published in my earlier blog www.wednesdayswithnic.com on June 29, 2011

My Teacher, Fr. Glover

January 11, 2026

A Mentor and A Friend Let me tell you about an excellent mentor and friend —Fr. Francisco “Kiko” Glover, SJ. For years, right up until the COVID pandemic, I’d always make a point to go home to Davao every January, especially around the 11th. Why that date? It’s Fr. Glover’s birthday, and those of us who were Management Engineering (ME) students from Ateneo de Davao would gather for our annual get-together. Honestly, we picked the date because we all wanted to celebrate him—a mentor and a friend. For many of us, Fr. Glover was like our North Star. He had this way of bringing us together, no matter how busy we all got. Former ME students based in Davao would always coordinate with him, and

May 2026 be the Year our Hopes Catch Up with Reality

January 1, 2026

After the noise of Media Noche dies down and the plates are cleared, I find it helpful to pause and reflect on the year that was, and to define what I want 2026 to be. This reflection is vital to appreciate the why behind what we do. As we enter 2026, my wishes feel clearer, heavier, and more deliberate than before. On this blog, I spent much of the past year writing about things that frustrated me, worried me, and sometimes kept me up at night. I wrote because staying silent felt wrong. I wrote so future generations could live in a country that values accountability, true public service, and refuses to accept failure or corruption as normal. One can hope, and should hope,

Choosing Hope Together – A Short Christmas Message

December 23, 2025

As Christmas arrives, I find myself reflecting on 2025. It was a year that tested our patience, our trust in institutions, and sometimes, even our faith in each other as Filipinos. 2025 was a difficult year, marked by scandal after public scandal. The flood control issue, in particular, was painful to watch: billions allocated, yet communities remained submerged, lives disrupted, and livelihoods washed away—with thin explanations and even thinner accountability. This blatant and systemic corruption reminded us how deeply rooted our problems still are, and how costly they have become for ordinary families who simply want safety, dignity, and a fair chance. Yet even amid this turbulence, I found moments that reaffirmed why I write in this space. This blog is where I share what

Simbang Gabi

December 16, 2025

There is a distinct, crisp feeling in the air when December 16 rolls around—a sensation that goes beyond the shifting winds of the season. For many Filipinos, the true herald of Christmas isn’t the flashing lights or the crowded malls, but the distant tolling of church bells well before the sun begins to stir. This is the start of Simbang Gabi (or Misa de Gallo), a cherished nine-day tradition that weaves faith, community, and the comforting aroma of freshly baked bibingka into the tapestry of our holiday spirit. Whether you remember the excitement of spotting a crush in the dimly lit pews or the anticipation of the warm tsokolate waiting for you at home, this tradition is more than just a novena—it’s a memory etched

Journal