# Nic Gabunada


## Posts

- [The Most Difficult Times of Our Lives](https://nicgabunada.com/the-most-difficult-times-of-our-lives/): Sometimes, life just gives you one challenge after another – and it’s up to you to see how you can rise to it.   Just after my graduation from elementary school, Papang got into an accident. The vehicle he was driving was rammed by a passenger bus. He survived – but he sustained serious injuries.  We didn’t have any money, and Papang’s release from the hospital was delayed because we couldn’t pay his medical bill. It was only after he and Mama signed a promissory note that he was able to leave the hospital. Life was tough before, but this accident made […]
- [A Lesson in Perseverance: A Father's Incentive of Delayed Gratification](https://nicgabunada.com/the-drive-to-excel-scholarship-and-perseverance/): The Drive to Excel: Scholarship and Perseverance Penury spurred me and my siblings to excel and persevere in our studies. For me, academic excellence was crucial for survival.  “Apart from my desire to always excel in academics, it was imperative of me to maintain my scholarship. Otherwise, I would not be able to continue my schooling if we were to pay my tuition and other fees”. Papang’s Bicycle Incentive at Padada Central Elementary School Papang motivated his children with a thoughtful incentive, promising a bike to any child who topped their class at Padada Central Elementary School. For me,  the bicycle […]
- [The Land of Luck and Opportunity](https://nicgabunada.com/the-land-of-luck-and-opportunity/): Padada, my hometown, is named after an extinct mangrove species that once was abundant in the region. According to a study by Lucille G. Tanguihan*, “age old tradition” says that the Padada tree brings good luck – whether true or not, no one can truly say.  My family is of migrant stock – like most of the inhabitants of Mindanao, we can trace our lineage to those who joined the “Great Exodus” of the 1900s. Mindanao is the land of opportunity, and economic benefit was the primary reason that people flocked to Mindanao, specifically to the province of Davao.  (This may […]
- [The Generics Act - Finding a Middle Ground for the Good of the Public](https://nicgabunada.com/the-generics-act-finding-a-middle-ground-for-the-good-of-the-public/): We take it for granted now, but back in the 80s and earlier, the brand of medicine that your doctor prescribed you was the one you got. As a patient, you would get the brand that was doc-prescribed – no matter how expensive it was! In the Philippines, cheaper alternatives existed, but the public really didn’t know any better. Unless you were a doctor, you wouldn’t really know the generic name of the medicine. You had to rely on what brand the doctor was pushing. Even the packaging of the drugs only had the brand name, not the generic name. How […]
- [Life Lessons from our favorite Doc Willie Ong](https://nicgabunada.com/life-lessons-from-our-favorite-doc-willie-ong/): I am reminded of what really matters in life because of former senate aspirant, vlogger, cardiologist, and former vice presidential aspirant Doctor Willie Ong. Watching his vlogs as he continues his fight against cancer is a wake up call to one’s mortality. Even as he undergoes chemotherapy, he continue to post content. The purpose is to show the world and his followers the effects of cancer – its symptoms and challenges, unfiltered. A blow by blow of what an actual fight against cancer entails. His wife Liza officially announced his withdrawal from the 2025 senatorial race to focus on his cancer […]
- [Data, Drama, and Destiny: How ABS-CBN Reclaimed the Philippine Airwaves](https://nicgabunada.com/remembering-abs-cbn-and-its-post-martial-law-resurgence/): The Media Landscape of the Early 90s The late 80s and early 90s were a simpler time for the industry—or so it seemed. Back then, there was no distinction between “social” and “mainstream” media; there was simply the media. At the heart of this landscape stood the giant of Philippine broadcasting history: ABS-CBN. Fresh from its post-martial law revival, the network was fighting to regain its footing. I was fortunate enough to be in the trenches during this high-stakes ABS-CBN resurgence. The Power of Data-Driven Strategy In 1990, I was recruited by the legendary Mr. Freddie Garcia—better known as FMG—to lead […]
- [Branding Duterte: Why Authenticity is the Ultimate Campaign Strategy](https://nicgabunada.com/branding-duterte-was-an-exercise-in-authenticity/): The 2016 presidential campaign of Rodrigo Duterte proved a vital lesson: authenticity is the best political strategy. While other candidates followed traditional scripts, Duterte embraced his true self, creating a powerful connection with the Filipino electorate. The Power of Authenticity in Politics Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s brash talk, macho humor, and kitschy fashion initially made some uncomfortable. However, these same traits endeared him to the majority of voters. We framed these characteristics as his core strengths rather than liabilities. He never minced words and remained unabashedly himself, embodying a level of transparency rarely seen in high-level politics. Developing the Rodrigo Duterte Campaign […]
- [The Double-Edged Feed: What Social Media Cost Us](https://nicgabunada.com/social-media-ethics/): Part 3 of 3 When I wrote about how free Facebook changed the campaign, I said the questions of social media ethics it raised were lengthy enough to deserve their own post. This is that post. I’ve put it off, if I’m honest, because it’s the hardest one to write. It’s easy to tell the story of a clever, cash-strapped campaign that found a new way to be heard. It’s harder to sit with what that new way also made possible — and to admit I was in the middle of it, not watching from the outside. I’m not writing this […]
- [Opening the Floodgates: How Free Facebook Changed the Campaign](https://nicgabunada.com/free-facebook-duterte-campaign/): Part 2 of 3 It used to be that campaigning for a candidate meant relying on the “holy grail” of tri-media: print (broadsheets, tabloids, magazines), radio, and TV. Traditional media was my expertise — it’s my background. But the times were changing. As I described in Part 1, when we first tested a possible Duterte candidacy, I was also feeling the pulse of an emerging field: social media, and how it could be used not just to get your message out, but to amplify it. Social media wasn’t new, of course. But by 2016, one thing in particular had become the […]
- [Feeling the Pulse: Was the Nation Ready for a Duterte Presidency?](https://nicgabunada.com/testing-a-duterte-candidacy/): Part 1 of 3 I remember back in 2014, Lito Banayo showed me a presentation prepared by a member of Mr. Bong Go’s staff. The objective was to test public reaction to a possible Duterte candidacy in the 2016 elections. I remember thinking it was an interesting proposition. Finally, a Mindanaon candidate who could truly represent the interests of the region! After what Lito showed me, I drew up a budget and told him that the right kind of exposure would cost ₱40 million. But we found ways to trim it down to eight — and here’s how we did it. […]
- [The Benevolent Dictator: Lessons from Political Campaigning in the Pre-Social Media Era](https://nicgabunada.com/benevolent-dictator-political-campaigning-pre-social-media-era/): “You should get this man.” That’s what Boo Chanco — then vice president of the news division at ABS-CBN — said to Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III sometime in the 1990s, while pointing directly at me. I still don’t know if Boo was serious or just enjoying himself at my expense. But Serge took him at his word. That offhand introduction turned into one of the defining professional relationships of my career, one that would take me from the newsroom into the war rooms of some of the most consequential campaigns in modern Philippine political history — including the campaign that put […]
- [The ABS-CBN Shutdown, 4 Years Later: An Insider's Honest Reckoning](https://nicgabunada.com/abs-cbn-shutdown-4-years-later-nic-gabunada/): It is now, four years after it happened, that I’ve finally made peace with what it means for one of the largest networks in the country to lose its franchise. ABS-CBN has, and continues to have, a place very dear to my heart. And I can’t say I was totally blindsided by the events of May 5, 2020. Unknown to most, the seeds were sown long before Mayor Digong ever thought about running for President — and I watched it happen from inside two worlds that were about to collide. How the ABS-CBN Franchise Fight Actually Started Here’s something most retrospectives […]
- [The Manilay Mansion - A Glimpse to our Past in GenSan](https://nicgabunada.com/the-manilay-mansion-a-glimpse-to-our-past-in-gensan/): Its been years since I had a chance to go around General Santos. In one of those trips, I happen to visit a mansion in Purok Malakas at the back of SaveMore.   The folks around call it the Manilay Mansion. I was informed that the Manilay Mansion  is a miniature version (although it is by no means small, as it is an actual mansion) of the original house in Batangas City. It is owned by the family of Warren Manilay, a businessman, who used to live in Batangas.  When Manilay and his family moved to General Santos City, he wanted to […]
- [Beyond the 'Troll' Label: A Reality Check for the Opposition](https://nicgabunada.com/decapitating-the-trolls-of-duterte-last-7-of-a-series/): Part seven of seven. Edwin Espejo published this series on Facebook in June and July 2021. It is republished here in full and lightly copyedited; the introduction below is mine, not his. I am a subject of the series as well as its publisher. It concerns the 2016 campaign and not subsequent events, including the proceedings now before the International Criminal Court. Full editorial note and series index → Introduction by Nic Gabunada This is the last installment, and it is the one that has aged most interestingly. Edwin wrote it in July 2021, a year out from the end of […]
- [The Ad Men Can Only Be as Good as the Product](https://nicgabunada.com/beyond-the-troll-label-the-real-story-of-the-2016-movement/): Part six of seven. Edwin Espejo published this series on Facebook in June and July 2021. It is republished here in full and lightly copyedited; the introduction below is mine, not his. I am a subject of the series as well as its publisher. It concerns the 2016 campaign and not subsequent events, including the proceedings now before the International Criminal Court. Full editorial note and series index → Introduction by Nic Gabunada They like to call us trolls. It is a convenient word. If the movement was fake, nobody has to sit with the uncomfortable part — that millions of Filipinos […]
- [The Story That Comes Back Every Election Season](https://nicgabunada.com/beyond-the-troll-label-why-the-opposition-keeps-losing/): Part five of seven. Edwin Espejo published this series on Facebook in June and July 2021. It is republished here in full and lightly copyedited; the introduction below is mine, not his. I am a subject of the series as well as its publisher. It concerns the 2016 campaign and not subsequent events, including the proceedings now before the International Criminal Court. Full editorial note and series index → Introduction by Nic Gabunada The script is as predictable as it is tired. Every time the political season heats up, the story about decapitating the trolls comes back around, usually with the same […]
- [A Target Board Over My Back](https://nicgabunada.com/decapitating-the-trolls-of-duterte-fourth-of-a-series/): Part four of seven. Edwin Espejo published this series on Facebook in June and July 2021. It is republished here in full and lightly copyedited; the introduction below is mine, not his. I am a subject of the series as well as its publisher. It concerns the 2016 campaign and not subsequent events, including the proceedings now before the International Criminal Court. Full editorial note and series index → Introduction by Nic Gabunada After 2016, most of the people I worked with went into government. I did not. I went back to building a business — advertising and reputation management — […]
- [The Unseen Momentum: Rewriting the Rules of Engagement](https://nicgabunada.com/harnessing-social-media-forces-for-the-2016-duterte-campaign/): Part three of seven. Edwin Espejo published this series on Facebook in June and July 2021. It is republished here in full and lightly copyedited; the introduction below is mine, not his. I am a subject of the series as well as its publisher. It concerns the 2016 campaign and not subsequent events, including the proceedings now before the International Criminal Court. Full editorial note and series index → Introduction by Nic Gabunada They called us many things back then — trolls, hacks, noise. Those labels were a convenient way to avoid seeing a groundswell the established media had already decided […]
- [The Anatomy of a Disconnect: Why the ‘Troll’ Narrative Failed to Explain](https://nicgabunada.com/the-anatomy-of-a-disconnect-why-the-troll-narrative-failed-to-explain-2016/): Part two of seven.  Edwin Espejo published this series on Facebook in June and July 2021. It is republished here in full and lightly copyedited; the introduction below is mine, not his. I am a subject of the series as well as its publisher. It concerns the 2016 campaign and not subsequent events, including the proceedings now before the International Criminal Court. Full editorial note and series index → Introduction by Nic Gabunada In this second installment, Edwin moves from the myths to the mechanics. Most of the public argument about 2016 has been an argument about a troll army. It […]
- [Decapitating the ‘trolls’ of Duterte: A 7-Part Retrospective](https://nicgabunada.com/decapitating-the-trolls-of-duterte-first-of-a-series/): Part one of seven. In June and July 2021, veteran Mindanao journalist Edwin Espejo published a seven-part series on Facebook examining how the political opposition attempted to reduce the 2016 Duterte campaign — and the people behind it — to a story about “trolls.” The series is republished here in full, with Espejo’s text unchanged apart from minor copyediting. The introductory notes preceding each installment are mine and should not be read as part of Espejo’s original work. Readers should know that I am a subject of the series as well as its publisher. Espejo wrote it independently and without my […]
- [Death Don’t Live Here, Anymore - Davao's Transformation from Murder City to one of Asia's Most Liveable Cities](https://nicgabunada.com/death-dont-live-here-anymore-davaos-transformation-from-murder-city-to-one-of-asias-most-liveable-cities/): Killings, robberies, thefts, rapes, kidnappings, and even urban warfare between cops, soldiers, and communist guerillas; Davao City used to have all of that. Lawless would be the perfect word to describe the city in the 80s, and the foreign press even called it the “Murder Capital” of the Philippines.           This is a far cry from what Davao City is today. Resurgent contributor, Aurelio A. Pena, tells a tale of a city disentangled from its dark roots. 
- [Leading From Behind: A Management Philosophy That Wins](https://nicgabunada.com/leading-from-behind-management-philosophy/): Key Takeaway I was always more comfortable making the campaign work than taking the bow — that became a management philosophy Coach, don’t command: people execute what they own, and they own what they helped figure out ‘We’, not I — the pronoun signals whether your team are instruments or partners Give credit publicly and genuinely; teams tha feel invisible do the minimum Leading from behind means being the steady hand nobody sees but everyone feels   Early in my career, I noticed something about myself. I was more comfortable being the one who made the campaign work than the one […]
- [MyDuterte Story Campaign Case Study: Scaling Authentic Personal Narratives](https://nicgabunada.com/myduterte-story-campaign-case-study/): MyDuterte Story Campaign Case Study: Scaling Authentic Personal Narratives Key Takeaways One instruction to volunteers: “Tell your Duterte story.” No template, no brief, no format required The most credible voice in any campaign is always an ordinary person telling the truth Stories came in every format — essays, memes, photos, videos — in four Philippine languages We gave direction, identified what was gaining traction, and boosted the best The lesson: every brand has people who genuinely love it. Build systems to surface their stories   It started with a simple instruction to our network of social media volunteers: Tell your Duterte […]
- [Content Is King, Distribution Is Queen: My Social Media Strategy](https://nicgabunada.com/content-king-distribution-queen-social-media-strategy/): Key Takeways: Content is King, Distribution is Queen, Engagement builds the Kingdom — the architecture of every campaign I’ve run Good content evokes emotion or prompts action; format matters far less than the message Filipino cultural shorthand — hugot, kilig, pride — is what makes content travel here Most campaigns fail at distribution: everything spent on production, nothing on reach The marching orders never change: engage your audience, distribute cost-efficiently, and tell the truth   I know, I know — “content is king” sounds like something you’d see on a motivational poster. But bear with me. The way I think about […]
- [The Democratization of Media in the Philippines: How Social Media Changed Narrative Making](https://nicgabunada.com/the-democratization-of-media-in-the-philippines-how-social-media-changed-narrative-making/): The Democratization of Media in the Philippines: How Social Media Changed Narrative Making Series: Inside the Campaign Eighth of Ten Parts Key Takeaways Before social media, narrative making was controlled by big media companies — we were just the audience Social media made every Filipino with a smartphone a potential storyteller We seeded the MyDuterte story idea and let it multiply into thousands of authentic narratives The old model was message control. The new model is narrative cultivation The lesson: build something worth talking about, then give people a platform to talk about it   Let me take you back to […]
- [Crisis Management Lessons From the ABS-CBN Advertiser Boycott](https://nicgabunada.com/crisis-management-abs-cbn-advertiser-boycott/): Key Takeaways: I was appointed Head of Sales and Marketing at ABS-CBN in February 1997–straight into an advertiser and ad agency boycott Lesson 1: understand what the aggrieved side actually needs before you defend or counter Lesson 2: trust is rebuilt through behavior, not statements — make moves that speak for themselves Lesson 3: a team that’s behind needs a clear goal, not a pep talk — we set the target and hoit it The turnaround grew into quadrupled revenues: from P266M to over P1B per month, without missing a target   February 1997. I had just been appointed Head of […]
- [How to Run a National Campaign with Almost No Budget — and Win](https://nicgabunada.com/low-budget-campaign-strategy-duterte-2016/): Series: Inside the Campaign Seventh of Ten Parts Key Takeaways Our first TV buy was ₱8M — used to test four regional cities, not flood national airwaves The leading spender spent ₱500M+ on advocacy ads. Our official spend was ₱371M — and our real media value was multiples of that Every peso constraint forced a more creative, more targeted decision The pomelo sticker, the apron, the bicycle man — zero-budget content that traveled further than a billboard The lesson: money buys reach. Belief builds movements. Scarcity is an editor, not just an obstacle Let me tell you about our first TV […]
- [The Serendipitous Career: Why a Non-Linear Career Path Wins](https://nicgabunada.com/serendipitous-career-non-linear-career-path/): Key Takeways: I enrolled in BS Chemistry; two professors talked me into Management Engineering — the first serendipitous turn of many From activist detention in Davao to economics at CRC to Media Pulse to ABS-CBN: none of it was planned When Freddie Garcia handed me Sales and Marketing with no sales background, mentorship made ‘yes’ posible Non-linear career are failure of planning — they’re evidence of adaptability The market rewards specialists, but it deeply needs sympathizers who transfer knowledge across fields   I wanted to be a chemist. That’s the truth. When I enrolled at Ateneo de Davao University, I signed […]
- [Arouse, Organize, Mobilize: Turning Online Followers into Voters and Campaigners](https://nicgabunada.com/arouse-organize-mobilize-social-media-volunteers/): Series: Inside the Campaign Sixth of 10 Parts Key Takeaways Engagement metrics are not the same as real-world impact — this distinction cost other campaigns dearly We used a three-stage framework: Arouse (emotion), Organize (structure), Mobilize (action) Online groups were aligned into four clusters: OFWs, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — each with a coordinator Mobilization meant rallies, door-to-door, debate watch parties, and ballot guardianship The lesson: social media is the recruitment channel, not the campaign itself There is a trap in social media campaigning that I’ve seen consume well-resourced campaigns with sophisticated tools and impressive metrics: the trap of confusing engagement […]
- [More Than a Sport: How Horses Built Status, Settled Feuds, and Kept the Peace in Upland Mindanao](https://nicgabunada.com/more-than-a-sport-how-horses-built-status-settled-feuds-and-kept-the-peace-in-upland-mindanao/): I still remember the first time someone told me, without a trace of irony, that horses had once settled a blood debt between two families in the uplands of Mindanao. Not a payment of cash. Not a formal apology delivered by elders. Horses — walked from one household to another, accepted as full and final restitution for a life lost. Growing up hearing stories like this, I assumed it was folklore, the kind of detail that gets embellished with every retelling. It wasn’t. Among the Lumad and upland farming communities of Mindanao, a horse has never just been an animal. It […]
- [Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom: Why Consumer-Generated Content Beats Agency-Invented Campaigns](https://nicgabunada.com/user-generated-content-vs-agency-campaign-2016/): Series: Inside the Campaign Fifth of 10 Parts Key Takeaways Our best campaign content came from volunteers, not professionals Digital natives from each region created content that was believed because it was true Our central role was direction-setter and curator — not creator The result was a content ecosystem that felt alive, because it was The lesson: find your believers, give them a direction not a script, then get out of the way There is a fantasy that persists in the marketing and communications industry — that the best content comes from the best creative teams. That a campaign is only […]
- [The Radio Star is Now a Multi-Screen Anchor: Revisiting the State of Radio a Decade Later](https://nicgabunada.com/the-radio-star-is-now-a-multi-screen-anchor-revisiting-the-state-of-radio-a-decade-later/): When I looked back at the speech I delivered more than a decade ago about radio living and breathing in a new digital world, I noted that radio was holding its ground against smartphones, streaming, and social media. Reflecting on the state of radio in the Philippines, my core argument was simple: radio survives because it provides unmatched human connection and practicality. It is now a multi-screen anchor. Looking at the industry landscape today, that reality has undergone a massive, volatile acceleration. The “double life” I once described — where audiences split their time between offline and online environments — has […]
- [Exploiting Regional Identity in National Campaigns: The Bisaya Na Pud Movement](https://nicgabunada.com/regional-identity-bisaya-na-pud-strategy/): Series: Inside the Campaign Fourth of Ten Parts Reading time: 7 min read Key Takeaways The Philippines is not one market — treating it as one is a strategic failure For nearly six decades, the country had no Bisaya president. We named that gap and turned it into fuel Our geographic plan: fortify Mindanao, consolidate the Bisaya base, penetrate Metro Manila Identity claims mobilize people in ways policy arguments rarely can Social media makes regional precision possible at national scale — use it One of the enduring mistakes of national campaigns in the Philippines is treating the country as a single, […]
- [When Politics Is More Profitable Than Industry](https://nicgabunada.com/politics-more-profitable-than-industry/): “No country can progress if its politics is more profitable than its industries. In a country where those in government are richer than entrepreneurs, they manufacture poverty.” — Peter Obi, Nigerian politician I came across that line last year. It has not left me since. We are a long way from Nigeria. Yet Obi could just as easily have been describing us. When politics is more profitable than industry, the damage does not stay inside the halls of government. It reaches the barangay. It reaches the dinner table. And lately, it reaches the roofline of houses that flood every rainy season. […]
- [Research Is Not Optional: Every Media and Marketing Decision Needs Data](https://nicgabunada.com/marketing-research-is-not-optional/): Key Takeaways: You cannot craft an effective message if you don’t know who you’re talking to — yet gut feel decisions remain rampant Helping set up the Philippines’ first TV people meter changed how the industry planned and bought media At ABS-CBN, research informed programming, expansion, and the groundworks for Studio 23, Sky Cable, Star Cinema and more Research done well is not a support function — it’s a strategic weapon But the best practitioners are data-informed, not data paralyzed: research reduces uncertainty,  it doesn’t replace judgment   I’m going to say something that might sound obvious. But I’ve seen enough […]
- [How We Framed the Field: The Art and Science of Political Positioning in a Crowded Race](https://nicgabunada.com/framing-the-field-political-positioning-2016/): Series: Inside the Campaign Third of 10 Parts Key Takeaways In a crowded race, your most powerful move is positioning your competitors — not just yourself We anchored our frame in real voter emotions: fear, frustration, and exhaustion with the status quo The question wasn’t “Who is Duterte?” — it was “What kind of future do you want?” Every competitor’s position was grounded in publicly known facts, not manufactured attacks The lesson: find the emotional terrain voters already stand on, then give it language When I joined the Duterte campaign in early 2015, our candidate was — by any objective measure […]
- [Roadmap or Mask? Reading the Senate's Empty Seats at SONA 2026](https://nicgabunada.com/sona-2026-roadmap-or-mask/): I have spent a good part of my professional life in political communication — crafting messages, reading audiences, and studying how moments like last Monday’s are built. So let me say this upfront, because critics who refuse to concede anything convince no one: the fifth SONA was, in places, genuinely well-crafted political communication. The question that matters is whether craft is the same thing as governance. It is not, and the evidence was sitting — or rather, not sitting — right there in the session hall. Start with the room, not the speech Before a single word was delivered, the Batasang […]
- [From Print Boom to Digital Shift: My 1988 Reflections vs. The Reality of 2026](https://nicgabunada.com/from-print-boom-to-digital-shift-my-1988-reflections-vs-the-reality-of-2026/): One of the most significant changes I’ve witnessed is the effect of declining newspaper readership over the decades. Looking back at the column I wrote for BusinessWorld in 1988, titled “Declining newspaper readership in Metro Manila,” I am struck by how equivocal I was at the time about a trend that, in hindsight, was the first tremor of a seismic shift in media consumption. I didn’t sound an alarm back then—I explicitly asked whether the decline meant the market was shrinking, and answered myself: “Not necessarily.” At the time, my analysis was grounded in fresh data from our Pulse Research Group’s […]
- [Authenticity as the Most Powerful Campaign Strategy: Lessons from Duterte's "As-Is, Where-Is" Approach](https://nicgabunada.com/authenticity-duterte-campaign-as-is-where-is/): Series: Inside the Campaign Second of 10 Parts Key Takeaways Duterte told us directly: don’t package me differently from who I am We presented both sides of the candidate — unflinchingly — and let voters decide Research confirmed: authenticity was the #1 thing voters liked about him Manufactured relatability fails — voters have finely tuned authenticity detectors The lesson: authenticity is a strategic commitment, not a communications style   There is a standard playbook in political communications. You take the candidate. You identify their strongest qualities. You amplify those. You sand down the rough edges. You package them into something the […]
- [From Activist to Adman — How the Anti-Marcos Movement Made Me a Better Marketer](https://nicgabunada.com/from-activist-to-adman-marketing-lessons/): Key Takeaways: Some of the most valuable marketing training happens outside marketing –mine happened in the anti Marcos movement Every flyer and every rally had to land: that was audience segmentation before anyone called it that Distribution mattered as much as content — trusted networks were our channels The goal was never just to inform but to mobilize; that’s virality by another name Look behind history’s movements and you’ll find someone who understood audience, message and reach People are sometimes surprised when I tell them where I got my most valuable marketing lessons. It wasn’t a classroom. It wasn’t a boardroom. […]
- [Why Social Media Was the Real Tipping Point of the 2016 Philippine Elections](https://nicgabunada.com/social-media-tipping-point-2016-philippine-elections/): Series: Inside the Campaign First of 10 Parts Key Takeaways: Social media in 2016 was no longer a youth or elite medium — it reached every corner of the Philippines With 42 million active social media users and free Facebook from telcos, the platform was effectively free for millions We spent a fraction of what our competitors did on traditional media — and won Social media scales both authentic messages and disinformation equally — discipline is non-negotiable For strategists: stop treating social as supplementary. In many campaigns, it IS the campaign. For years, the conventional wisdom in Philippine politics was simple: […]
- [Inside the Campaign: 10 Lessons from the 2016 Duterte Digital Playbook](https://nicgabunada.com/inside-the-campaign-10-lessons-from-the-2016-duterte-digital-playbook/): A 10 Blog Series for Marketers, PR Professionals & Digital Strategists ABOUT THIS SERIES This is Inside the Campaign — a 10-part series drawn from my direct experience in the Communications Group of then-candidate Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the 2016 Philippine presidential elections. My role covered TV and radio strategy and the overall management of the campaign’s social media effort. What I witnessed — and what we built — permanently changed how I think about media, messaging, and movements. These posts are written for marketers, PR professionals, political scientists, and digital strategists. The lessons are not confined to politics. Every principle […]
- [The Illusion of Justice: Why the 2026 Political Spectacle is a Trap for Philippine Democracy](https://nicgabunada.com/philippine-charter-change-2026/): The Bread and Circuses of the Present Right now, the Filipino public is being treated to the ultimate political bloodsport. In one corner of the world, a former president sits in an ICC detention facility in The Hague. Closer to home, a sitting Vice President is undergoing a grueling Senate impeachment trial that completely monopolizes every headline, tweet, and broadcast. To the casual observer, it looks like a long-overdue reckoning—the wheels of justice finally grinding down an empire. But we must look past the theater. While accountability for past or present misdeeds is necessary, we are blind if we do not […]
- [The Trial Isn't About the Money](https://nicgabunada.com/sara-duterte-trial-isnt-about-the-money/): I wrote a piece a while back about why the Pink and Yellow factions appear to be propping up an administration they spent years opposing. Moral decoupling, I called it — the cold discipline of separating a player’s flaws from their usefulness and running the two ledgers separately. Readers liked it. A few asked the obvious follow-up question, the one I’d ask if I were still in the room: fine, but what would you tell the other side? So let’s do that. Let’s sit in the other war room for a minute — the one defending Vice President Sara Duterte as […]
- [Two Lefts, One Label](https://nicgabunada.com/makabayan-and-akbayan-two-lefts/): Where the Makabayan bloc and the Akbayan bloc sit in the Philippines’ war of misdirection A follow-up to “Strategic Misdirection in Political Messaging” The first piece argued that a great deal of Philippine political messaging works not by lying outright but by pointing the audience at the wrong object — collapsing distinctions the speaker would rather you not see. Nowhere is that mechanism cleaner than in how the country talks about “the left.” The word does an enormous amount of quiet work. It flattens two rival traditions, born of a bitter split, into a single red silhouette. And that flattening is […]
- [The Enemy of My Enemy Is a Strategy, Not a Truce](https://nicgabunada.com/strategic-misdirection-support-isnt-surrender/): In every war room I’ve sat in, the hardest order to give a fired-up team isn’t “attack.” It’s “stand down.” Ask true believers to hold their fire while the other side is stumbling, and you get the same look every time — the one that asks whether you’ve lost your nerve. I hadn’t. And neither, I’d argue, have the Pinks and the Yellows. To the casual observer, the sight of the Pink and Yellow factions quietly holding up a shield for the Marcos administration looks like total ideological surrender. How, they ask, can the people who built their identity on opposing […]
- [Data Is the New Oil — But Discernment Is the Refinery](https://nicgabunada.com/data-is-the-new-oil-but-discernment-is-the-refinery/): There’s a moment in every crisis room I’ve been in — and I’ve been in more than a few — when someone opens a laptop, pulls up a dashboard of real-time social media data, and says something like: “We’re trending.” And then everyone looks at each other, because trending could mean anything. It could mean you’ve gone viral for doing something right. It could mean a false rumor is currently racing ahead of the truth at the speed of a share button. It could mean a journalist with a large following just posted something that is factually incorrect, emotionally charged, and […]
- [Rene Was One of Ours: What Ateneo de Manila Forgot About Cura Personalis](https://nicgabunada.com/ateneo-drowning-cura-personalis/): I keep coming back to one small, unbearable fact. Before Rene Clert Baterbonia was a name on a national headline, before he was a “Blue Eagles recruit” and then, God help us, a body pulled from the surf in Dipaculao, he was a boy from Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, who wore the same blue we wear here in Davao. He was an Ateneo de Davao product. He led our region to a Palarong Pambansa gold and took home the MVP. He was, in the truest and most literal sense, one of ours. So no, I can’t write about this the way […]
- [When the Casino Is on Fire and Twitter Thinks It's ISIS: A Crisis Manager's Playbook](https://nicgabunada.com/when-the-casino-is-on-fire-and-twitter-thinks-its-isis-a-crisis-managers-playbook/): It was past midnight on June 2, 2017, when a lone gunman walked into Resorts World Manila, set fire to casino tables and slot machines, stole chips, and then took his own life. Thirty-eight people died — almost entirely from the stampede and smoke inhalation in the chaos that followed. Within hours, a journalist who billed herself as a terrorism expert reported that an ISIS faction had claimed responsibility for the attack. Her report went viral. It wasn’t ISIS. It was a debt-ridden former civil servant named Jessie Javier Carlos who had run out of options and made the most catastrophic […]
- [The Ban Is Coming. Are We Ready to Lose 90 Million Hours of Attention?](https://nicgabunada.com/philippines-social-media-ban-minors/): Here’s what should be keeping every marketer, PR lead, and digital strategist in this country up at night: the Philippines is not watching the UK’s under-16 social media ban from a safe distance. We are about to pass our own version of it. Digital Secretary Henry Aguda has said the government wants an online safety law enacted by the end of 2026, with a minimum age of 16 — even as industry players like TikTok lobby for a lower threshold. The specifics matter, because this isn’t one bill, it’s five. The Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media has already […]
- [What Actually Stops Bullying: A Guide for Schools Beyond "Be Kind" Posters](https://nicgabunada.com/what-actually-stops-bullying-a-guide-for-schools-beyond-be-kind-posters/): In 2022, the OECD’s PISA survey asked 15-year-olds how often they get bullied. The global average came back at roughly one in five experiencing it multiple times a month. In the Philippines, that number was 43 percent of girls and 53 percent of boys — more than double the international rate. Researchers studying the data concluded the Philippines had effectively become the “bullying capital of the world.” That statistic sat in policy briefs and committee hearings for a couple of years. Then, on June 22, 2026, it stopped being an abstraction. Two students at San Jose National High School in Tacloban […]
- [Tacloban Wasn't Supposed to Happen Here — That's Exactly Why It Did](https://nicgabunada.com/tacloban-wasnt-supposed-to-happen-here-thats-exactly-why-it-did/): Tacloban Wasn’t Supposed to Happen Here — That’s Exactly Why It Did On a Monday morning that started like any other, students at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City were settling into class around 9:20 a.m. Two minutes later, police were already responding to gunfire. By the time it was over, three students were dead and 20 others wounded — a wounded count that has been revised upward more than once as treatment continued. Two of their classmates — 14 and 15 years old — were in police custody, charged with carrying out the attack themselves. This wasn’t a […]
- [The Bicycle I Never Got, and the Lesson That Mattered More](https://nicgabunada.com/the-bicycle-i-never-got/): There was a year in grade school when my father promised me a bicycle if I topped my class. I studied like that bicycle was already mine. I never got it. What I remember, decades later, is that the promise itself — made by a man who probably didn’t have the money to keep it — taught me more than the bike ever could have. That was my Papang. Nicanor “Momoy” Gabunada Sr. left Cebu as a young man chasing a better future in Mindanao. He drove for a living, raised a family, and spent most of his life making sure […]
- [We Are Independent – But Are We Truly Free?](https://nicgabunada.com/we-are-independent-but-are-we-truly-free/): Every year, on June 12, we celebrate Independence Day and the moment our ancestors declared themselves free from foreign rule. We honor the bravery of those who fought, sacrificed, and dreamed of a nation that would govern itself. We remember the flag, the anthem, the heroes, and the long struggle that gave birth to the Republic. However, with all that has been happening with our country, I can’t help but pose this difficult question: Is the Philippines even truly free? Stupid question, you might think, as we have been an independent nation for 128 years now in 2026. Yet what does […]
- [For Bobet, and Every Child Who Left Home to Dream](https://nicgabunada.com/for-bobet-and-every-child-who-left-home-to-dream/): There is a particular kind of pain that only people from the provinces understand – the pain of leaving home. You board a plane, a bus, or a ship, carrying little more than a bag, a dream, and the hopes of your entire family for a better future.  When I learned about the death of Rene Clert “Bobet” Baterbonia, I could not help but see more than just another tragic news story. I saw a young Mindanaoan whose journey looked familiar. Not because I knew him personally, no – it’s because I know the feeling of leaving everything behind. A Rising […]
- [The First Day of Classes: Beyond Uniforms and Politics](https://nicgabunada.com/the-first-day-of-classes-beyond-uniforms-and-politics/): Today, June 8, 2026, marks a familiar milestone for millions of Filipino students and their families. It’s the first day of classes—a day filled with the scent of new notebooks, the crispness of fresh uniforms, and the quiet energy of teachers ready to shape the next generation. For most of us, the routine has officially restarted. We wake up before dawn, bleary-eyed but determined, to prepare our children for the journey ahead. In those early morning hours, our world is small, centered entirely on the hopes we have for our kids. The Noise in the Background Yet, as we scroll through […]
- [Explosive ₱805 Billion Corruption Allegations: The 18 Ex-Marines Testimony That Rocked the Senate](https://nicgabunada.com/explosive-%e2%82%b1805-billion-corruption-allegations-the-18-ex-marines-testimony-that-rocked-the-senate/): On June 4, 2026, the Philippine Senate became the stage for one of the most dramatic and controversial hearings in recent memory. Eighteen individuals identifying themselves as former Marines took the spotlight in a contested Blue Ribbon Committee session, unleashing sweeping allegations of systemic corruption tied to multibillion-peso flood control projects.19 Their claims? They served as “bagmen” for fugitive former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, personally delivering suitcases stuffed with cash kickbacks — allegedly totaling around ₱805 billion — to some of the country’s highest-ranking officials between 2022 and 2025. A Hearing Born of Political Turmoil The session itself was […]
- [Habagat 2026: Panahon na Naman ng Pananagutan](https://nicgabunada.com/habagat-2026-panahon-na-naman-ng-pananagutan/): Habagat season na uli, kaya asahan na natin ang matitinding ulan at baha sa maraming kalsada. Ngunit sa taong ito, ang bawat patak ng ulan ay nagpapaalala sa atin na ang baha ay hindi lamang usapin ng panahon; ito ay malaking factor ng pamamahala at kung paano ginagastos ang pondo ng bayan. Ang Misteryo ng Bilyon-Bilyong Budget Nasaan na nga ba ang bilyon-bilyong budget para sa flood control? Bakit parang walang pinagbago ang sitwasyon? Sa kabila ng paglalaan ng humigit-kumulang ₱545 bilyon para sa halos 10,000 proyekto sa pagitan ng Hulyo 2022 at Mayo 2025, marami pa ring Pilipino ang dehado […]
- [You Can’t Teach Old Dogs New Tricks](https://nicgabunada.com/you-cant-teach-old-dogs-new-tricks/): The saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” is often used as an excuse to avoid new approaches or trying something different.  But in the dog world, this is not true as dogs of almost any age can still learn new tricks. Animal training experts confirm that dogs of nearly any age are capable of learning. The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan offer numerous examples. These examples show how even older dogs’ behaviors can be successfully modified.  It’s the human animal that invented this excuse for stopping to learn after a certain age.  “I’m too old to change“ – […]
- [Manginhas: The Coastal Foraging Activity of My Youth](https://nicgabunada.com/manginhas-the-coastal-foraging-activity-of-my-youth/): I remember manginhas from my youth. It feels like a lifetime has passed since I last did this simple yet rewarding activity. This coastal tradition is deeply rooted in my province’s way of life. For me, manginhas was more than a pastime; it was a direct connection to the sea and its abundance. What is Manginhas? The Riches of the Low Tide Manginhas is the local term for coastal foraging. It involves going to the beach or shallow areas during low tide. We collect exposed marine life entirely by hand. This included various shellfish, small fish, and seaweed left behind by […]
- [My First Exposure to the Media Industry](https://nicgabunada.com/my-first-exposure-to-the-media-industry/): In my youth, back in Padada, I had a lot of odd jobs – specially during the time when Papang was bedridden because of his accident. At that time, we all had to pull our weight. We also had to figure out ways to earn money.  It was during this turbulent time that I had my first exposure to the media industry – specifically, print media. Of all the things I was throughout my life, my first media-adjacent job was as a Newspaper Boy. The late 60’s was a different time. Our town was more than two hours away from the […]
- [Martin Romualdez Refuses ‘Scapegoat’ Role in Flood Control Scandal: A Political Rupture](https://nicgabunada.com/romualdez-refuses-scapegoat-flood-scandal/): When former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez declared that he would “not allow myself to be turned into the scapegoat”, it wasn’t just a denial – it was a signal. “I will not go quietly, and I will not go alone. I will not be the fall guy for other people’s corruption.” This statement signals that this is no longer the quiet investigation into anomalous infrastructure projects. Philippine political scandals tend to follow a pattern: first, the revelations, and then the investigations. Next come the denials, and finally, the narrowing of responsibility to a handful of individuals. Some take the blame, […]
- [Domestic Turbulence: 7 Domestic Crises Unfolding Now](https://nicgabunada.com/philippine-domestic-crises-7-unfolding/): While the world’s eyes remain glued to the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict, the Philippines is currently weathering its own perfect storm of domestic crises. From high-stakes legal showdowns at the Supreme Court to the dramatic fall of high-profile political figures, and an economy struggling for stability, the headlines at home are exhausting. The global situation is the backdrop, but for Filipinos, these political and economic headwinds have become the main event. Here is a detailed breakdown of the 7 major domestic crises currently unfolding: 1. Supreme Court Legal Showdown: Petitions vs. Unprogrammed Funds The Supreme Court has become a theater of high-stakes […]
- [​Navigating the Hike: What the BSP Interest Rate Increase Means for You](https://nicgabunada.com/navigating-the-hike-what-the-bsp-interest-rate-increase-means-for-you/): Let’s talk about something hitting close to our wallets. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently hiked interest rates. While “rate hikes” might sound like dry financial jargon, this move directly impacts how we spend, save, and plan for the future. Why the change? ​This move primarily aims to tame inflation. In simpler terms, the BSP is working to stabilize the cost of goods and services, ensuring that the prices of our daily essentials don’t spiral out of control amidst global economic challenges. How does this affect you? ​It’s a balancing act for the economy, and the impact depends on your […]
- [Selling Homegrown Vegetables: A Lesson in Resourcefulness](https://nicgabunada.com/that-time-i-sold-vegetables-grown-from-our-garden/): A Childhood of Resourcefulness  Growing up, money was difficult, and resourcefulness was key to making ends meet in Padada. I often worked odd jobs like shining shoes or selling newspapers. However, one thing I will always be grateful for is that we had a large backyard. This meant we had land  to make the most of. The Value of Fresh, Homegrown Produce In our backyards, we grew vegetables.  We had some malunggay, alugbati, camote tops, okra, and eggplants. These veggies were easy to grow and were our staples.  Whatever we harvested, we cooked and ate. We also share some with our […]
- [Mangopras: The Backbreaking, But Rewarding, Process of Making Copra](https://nicgabunada.com/mangopras-the-backbreaking-but-rewarding-process-of-making-copra/): 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): […]
- [Mananggi - it's all about Corn, and One Neighbor's Generosity](https://nicgabunada.com/mananggi-its-all-about-corn-and-one-neighbors-generosity/):   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 […]
- [Holy Week Reflections: Finding Empathy Amidst Global Conflict and Rising Prices](https://nicgabunada.com/holy-week-reflections-finding-empathy-amidst-global-conflict-and-rising-prices/): 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 […]
- [The Philippine Oil Crisis: Exposed, Unprepared, and Still Without a Long-Term Strategy](https://nicgabunada.com/the-philippine-oil-crisis-exposed-unprepared-and-still-without-a-long-term-strategy/):   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 […]
- [Beyond the Pump: Why Suspending Excise Tax on Fuel Is Not a Silver Bullet](https://nicgabunada.com/beyond-the-pump-why-suspending-excise-tax-on-fuel-is-not-a-silver-bullet/): 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 […]
- [How Connections Shape the Philippine Economy: Nepotism and Political Patronage](https://nicgabunada.com/how-connections-shape-the-philippines-economy-nepotism-and-political-patronage/): 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 […]
- [Why "Kotong " is Bad for the Economy](https://nicgabunada.com/why-kotong-is-bad-for-the-economy/): 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 […]
- [How to Produce an Indie Movie - The Case of Happyland](https://nicgabunada.com/how-to-produce-an-indie-movie-the-case-of-happyland/): 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](https://nicgabunada.com/how-i-became-a-producer-of-the-indie-movie-happyland/): 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](https://nicgabunada.com/what-the-impeachment-vote-means-for-congressmen/):  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 […]
- [Regulatory Friction in the Philippines: The Hidden Cost of Doing Business](https://nicgabunada.com/regulatory-friction-in-the-philippines-the-hidden-cost-of-doing-business/): Starting a business in the Philippines is a struggle and one of the biggest reason is regulatory friction. This makes the process more complicated for entrepreneurs. I previously wrote about how corruption discourages Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in the Philippines, especially judicial and regulatory corruption. While true, that’s just the surface of a much bigger problem. The reality is that starting and operating a business is a struggle for everyone, including local Filipino entrepreneurs. There’s a massive barrier to entry that most people simply accept as “part of doing business.” For many entrepreneurs, regulatory friction and “SOPs” (which we’ll call bribery […]
- [The Modern Orwellian Reality: Social Media and the New Big Brother](https://nicgabunada.com/the-modern-orwellian-reality-social-media-and-the-new-big-brother/): Redefining “Orwellian”: From Government Surveillance to Social Platforms Traditionally, the term “Orwellian” has referred to a government that controls and monitors every aspect of its citizens’ lives, much like the world depicted in George Orwell’s renowned novel 1984. Many believe this dystopian future is a distant threat, yet we may not realize that this reality is already here—though the threat no longer solely comes from governments. Without much thought, we voluntarily interact with Orwell’s concept of Big Brother every single day. We willingly provide companies with access to our personal data: our locations, actions, and even our thoughts. In return for […]
- [The Structural Consequences of Sara Duterte’s Early Declaration](https://nicgabunada.com/the-structural-consequences-of-sara-dutertes-early-declaration/): Introduction After four decades in marketing and PR, observing and participating in campaigns, managing narratives, reading survey data, and watching political cycles rise and collapse, one lesson becomes clear: timing is rarely accidental. Context and Timing On February 18, 2026, Sara Duterte declared her candidacy for president. While the announcement itself was expected, the timing caught many by surprise. Declaring amid an active impeachment effort was not an act of theatrical defiance—it was a deliberate structural repositioning. Political and Structural Shifts In market research, perception frames outcome. In political communications, context determines interpretation. Before her declaration, impeachment could be discussed as […]
- [At 25](https://nicgabunada.com/nic-gabunada-at-25/):               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 […]
- [What Drives Away Foreign Investments in the Philippines](https://nicgabunada.com/what-drives-away-foreign-investments-in-the-philippines/): What deters foreign direct investments in the Philippines? I came across this “Investment Climate Statement” of the U.S. Department of State for the Philippines in 2025, and what struck me is this passage that is very disappointing, yet not at all surprising, for anyone who has tried to do business in the Philippines: “Some U.S. investors describe business registration, customs, and immigration processes as burdensome. Customs processes, in particular, can present challenges and the Embassy has received multiple reports from U.S. businesses of overly invasive searches, inconsistent customs charges, and solicitations of “facilitation fees” (e.g., bribes) from some customs officials.” Horrible. […]
- [The Staggering True Cost of Inflated Public Contracts](https://nicgabunada.com/the-true-cost-of-inflated-public-contracts-a-price-the-public-keeps-paying/): Corruption is the single greatest barrier to national progress in the Philippines. The most obvious symptom is the artificially high cost of public infrastructure projects. Taxpayers often pay up to three times the actual value for roads, bridges, and government buildings. While the immediate financial cost is staggering, the hidden, long-term consequences of this systemic corruption are even more devastating to the country’s economic future. The Economic Damage of Inflated Government Contracts Inflated public infrastructure contracts severely damage the entire national economy. Corruption distorts fair market prices and lowers capital efficiency. Projects meant to be long-term assets become expensive liabilities. Many […]
- [Alon](https://nicgabunada.com/alon/): 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
- [Five Decades Later, and the Audience is Still the Product](https://nicgabunada.com/five-decades-later-and-the-audience-is-still-the-product/): “If you’re not paying for the product, you’re not the customer – you’re the product being sold.”  This idea is at the heart of the concept known as audience as the product. It’s an old quote, that is often brought up when talking about advertising. One of the earliest instances of this idea is in this 1973 short video by artists Richard Serra and Carlota Fay Schoolman called Television Delivers People.  The video is a critique on popular media as a control tactic, for the benefit of “the mass corporations and those in power”. It’s interesting, because the two artists actually […]
- [Beyond Theft: The Quiet Corruption of White Elephant Public Spending](https://nicgabunada.com/beyond-theft-the-quiet-corruption-of-white-elephant-public-spending/): Not all corruption involves under-the-table cash envelopes or missing funds. Some of it hides in plain sight – in government projects that are fully-funded, proudly inaugurated, and loudly celebrated. Yet, these projects quietly fail to deliver real value to the public. Economists call these White Elephants. For the purpose of this discussion on public spending and governance, we will use the Merriam-Webster definition of a “property requiring much care and expense and yielding little profit.” According to this extensive blog entry, the term originated from actual white elephants in Southeast Asia. While normal elephants served as beasts of burden, white elephants […]
- [My Teacher, Fr. Glover](https://nicgabunada.com/my-teacher-fr-glover/): 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 […]
- [May 2026 be the Year our Hopes Catch Up with Reality](https://nicgabunada.com/may-2026-be-the-year-our-hopes-catch-up-with-reality/): 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 […]
- [Choosing Hope Together - A Short Christmas Message](https://nicgabunada.com/choosing-hope-together-a-short-christmas-message/): 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 […]
- [Simbang Gabi](https://nicgabunada.com/simbang-gabi/): 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 […]
- [When Budget Lines Become Backdoors: The Real Cost of Pork Barrel — Now Wearing a New Face](https://nicgabunada.com/when-budget-lines-become-backdoors-the-real-cost-of-pork-barrel-now-wearing-a-new-face/): When people talk about “pork barrel,” they often mean the old PDAF days — discretionary slush funds handed to lawmakers for projects that sometimes never materialized. But to say pork barrel is gone would be naive. It didn’t disappear; it changed its face — into budget insertions, unprogrammed funds, and discretionary realignments that skirt executive vetting. It’s important to look at the real cost of pork barrel, as these create the same opportunities for abuse. Insertions, FLR, and unprogrammed funds – not illegal, but could be immoral After the Supreme Court struck down PDAF in 2013, direct lump-sum allocations to lawmakers […]
- [Smuggling, Customs Fraud and the Bill Being Paid by All of Us](https://nicgabunada.com/smuggling-customs-fraud-and-the-bill-being-paid-by-all-of-us/): Everyone is talking about flood control scams right now. Thanks to Congressman Zaldy Co’s three-part video exposé , corruption headlines are all about ghost projects and overpriced construction. Co’s claims, whether proven in court or not, point to systemic, organized corruption coming from the very top. It’s not just a few bad apples. But hold up—overpriced infra is just one type of corruption. In an earlier post that I have on the economic effects of corruption there are  other sources of corruption. This post looks at something that is as insidious as overpriced infrastructure, but rarely gets the same spotlight: Smuggling […]
- [The Christmas We Didn't Go Anywhere](https://nicgabunada.com/christmas-during-the-pandemic/): I came across this old video from Singaporean producer/actor/singer Alvin Oon from 2020, and it took me back to the time of COVID – when the world stood still, but we still found ways to keep on moving.  It’s him singing “We’re Not Going to Anywhere This Christmas” (sung to the tune of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”). Here’s the video:   A Christmas Song That Only 2020 Could Have Produced Alvin sings about not being able to travel. Everyone had to stay home that year. But the song never turns bitter. Instead, it lands on a simple […]
- [Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what](https://nicgabunada.com/dont-let-anyone-steal-your-dreams-follow-your-heart-no-matter-what/):  “Success comes to those who believe  in the beauty of their dreams the most, the fiercest, the longest – those who don’t give up even if the others let go”                                                                                                                                               […]
- [Walingwaling: from Bud to Full Bloom](https://nicgabunada.com/walingwaling-from-bud-to-full-bloom/): Vanda sanderiana - that is what the folks at the Philippine Orchid Society and a lot of hobbyists call this orchid. But to people from Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga, where this orchid is, we call it waling-waling.
- [In My Notes: Economic Effects of Corruption in the Philippines](https://nicgabunada.com/economic-effects-of-corruption-in-the-philippines/): The ongoing corruption probes and actual findings of widespread corruption have a direct, measurable impact on the Philippine economy, primarily by validating and exacerbating pre-existing structural issues. Since the corruption issues hugged both the mainstream and social media headlines, I started making notes on how bad this will be for our economy. Here is what I have in my notes as of the date/time of this posting: November 24, 2025 at 6pm. I hope to expound on this topic and the categories cited in a future blog.  Examples of the Economic Effects of Corruption in the Philippines: Economic Category Mechanism of […]
- [The Strategic Misdirection: Why the Pinks and the Yellow Appear to Support BBM](https://nicgabunada.com/the-strategic-misdirection-why-the-pinks-and-the-yellow-appear-to-support-bbm/): The current political landscape in the Philippines presents a paradoxical alignment: elements of the Pink (Leni Robredo supporters) and Yellow (Aquino/Liberal Party) factions appear, at times, to be tacitly supporting the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (BBM). However, interpreting this as genuine, ideological support is fundamentally misguided. This alignment is entirely strategic, temporary, and driven by a classic “enemy of my enemy” calculation. The Myth of “Uni-Pink” Support: A Tactical Alignment The core truth remains that the Pink and Yellow factions are among the fiercest critics of the Marcos administration. Their opposition is centered on issues of corruption, historical […]
- [The Political Earthquake That Split a Family and Rocked the Philippines](https://nicgabunada.com/the-political-earthquake-that-split-a-family-and-rocked-the-philippines/): The past few days witnessed a political earthquake that split the family and rocked the Philippines, one for the books. The INC rally didn’t just shake the Marcos Presidency – it exposed the rot in Philippine politics for all the world to see. It is very surreal. This supposed “transparency rally” detonated a political bombshell in the form of Senator Imee Marcos’s very emotional tirade against his brother. Indeed, it was a political earthquake that splits the family further. It is dominating online conversations and mainstream media headlines in the past few days – a family meltdown on an extremely public scale, […]
- [Reflections on 50 Years: My Journey Since St. Michael’s School of Padada](https://nicgabunada.com/reflections-on-50-years-my-journey-since-st-michaels-school-of-padada/): On October 18 and 19, 2025, the high school Batch 1975 of St. Michael’s School of Padada came home. Fifty years had passed since we walked out of those gates in Davada del Sur. Some of us had grown old in Manila. Some had grown old abroad. Some did not make it back at all. My batchmates asked me to give the inspirational talk. They wanted to hear about the road I had taken since graduation — from a small rural town in Davao del Sur to the Metro, and to a front-row seat in a Philippine presidential campaign. Here is […]
- [Filipino New Year's Traditions](https://nicgabunada.com/filipino-new-years-traditions/): Much like Christmas, Filipinos everywhere also have a special way of celebrating New Year’s. We have our traditions that are uniquely Filipino, and no one else in the world does. You may feel like it’s borderline superstition, but we Filipinos just believe in certain things we must do as we welcome the new year. Here are a few common Filipino New Year’s Traditions you may or may not know.    Media Noche Let’s start with something that Filipinos love – eating, and specifically, eating together. The Media Noche, Spanish for “Midnight”, is the second feast that Filipinos have every year in […]
- [Are All These Recent Earthquakes Normal?](https://nicgabunada.com/are-all-these-recent-earthquakes-normal/): Looking at the news and social media over the past few weeks, it would seem like the ground beneath the Philippines hasn’t stopped trembling. Earthquake after earthquake fills headlines recently, and you can’t blame people for thinking that it’s becoming worse. We all know that the Philippines lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire – meaning earthquakes are to be expected. But are all of these earthquakes in such a short time really normal? I have to admit it made me a little bit anxious, so I did a little digging online.  The Quakes that Seem to Have Started it All […]
- [Filipino Christmas Traditions](https://nicgabunada.com/filipino-christmas-traditions/): There is no Christmas like a Filipino Christmas. Every Filipino knows that the season officially starts during the “Ber Months”, making it the longest Christmas celebration in the world. It’s becoming a tradition that on September 1, you can expect the Jose Mari Chan memes to pop up on your feed, marking the start of the season. During this time, malls and other public spaces already start putting up Christmas decor, a full three months before December even starts. It’s funny, because nowhere in the world will you see Christmas decorations come up even before the Halloween decor – in some […]
- [Promdi to the Big City](https://nicgabunada.com/promdi-to-the-big-city/): In 1975, after high school, I was awarded several college scholarships in Manila. However, I chose to study at Ateneo de Davao.  My Alma Mater was one of three colleges run by the Society of Jesus (SJ) in three very strategic centers in Mindanao: Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga. It was the college of choice for most of the local elite – if they didn’t go to Manila for college, they went to Ateneo de Davao.  I would miss my hometown of Padada, but Davao City was close enough. If I had transport money, I could always go home. Also, […]
- [A Homecoming Speech for the St. Michael’s College of Padada Golden Jubilee](https://nicgabunada.com/st-michaels-padada-golden-jubilee-homecoming-speech/): In October 2025, the High School Class of 1975 of St. Michael’s College of Padada will gather to celebrate a deeply special milestone: our Golden Jubilee. As I eagerly anticipate reuniting with batchmates—some of whom I haven’t seen since we proudly walked across the graduation stage half a century ago—I find myself looking back on our shared history and the timeless values our beloved alma mater instilled in us. To set the mood for our upcoming 50th-year celebration, I want to share a speech I delivered during another momentous occasion—the Golden Jubilee of the founding of our school. Through the years, […]
- [Public Service Should not be a Path to Obscene Wealth](https://nicgabunada.com/public-service-should-not-be-a-path-to-obscene-wealth/): “No country can progress if its politics is more profitable than its industries. In a country where those in government are richer than entrepreneurs, they manufacture poverty.” – Peter Obi, Nigerian Politician I came across the above quote recently. It really hits home, I think, as we continue to dive headfirst into this whole flood control issue. Ever since this issue was exposed, the typhoons have kept coming. And the floods they bring seem to be getting worse and worse. This seems like it’s a huge symptom of a deeper, more corrosive problem in our country that is bubbling to the […]
- [The Floods That Expose](https://nicgabunada.com/the-storm-breaks-on-the-flood-control-issue/): They tried their best to hide their corruption. Then God sent the rains. They tried their best to hide their corruption. Then their kids flaunted the wealth online. Hearing after hearing, the pressure built. And then the storm broke — not the rains this time, but people. They flooded the streets. And like the rains, they were unpredictable: some peaceful, some forceful, some outright violent. A Storm That Broke Nationwide The floods of outrage culminated on September 21 — the day we commemorate the declaration of Martial Law, the start of one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history. The date […]
- [A Reason to Come Back Home: Building Padada’s First Library and Museum](https://nicgabunada.com/building-padada-library-museum-davao-del-sur/): Setting up a public library and museum in my hometown of Padada, Davao del Sur, is my ultimate dream. Currently, there are no public museums in Padada. The only libraries belong to the town’s two private schools. Because of this, finding someone who reads for fun is rare. Smartphones offer instant gratification, easily winning out over books. Without other local recreation options, people often default to idle chatter or drinking to pass the time. Why Padada Needs a Public Library and Museum Small-town libraries and heritage museums exist in other countries, but they are incredibly rare in the Philippines. We see […]
- [Jackstone: How to Play the Filipino Game of Ten Stones](https://nicgabunada.com/game-of-titas-jackstone/): Series: Game of Titos and Titas - Part 5 Key Takeaways Jackstone is played with ten six-pointed metal stones and one small bouncing ball Ten numbered rounds — picking up one stone, then two, then three, and upward — are only the qualifier The real game is the exhibition round, where the leader sets a trick move and everyone else must copy it exactly Into the Cave, or kweba, is the hardest of the ones we played: you arch one hand on the floor and sweep the stones underneath it Nine named exhibitions are set down here — three from my […]
- [Syatong: How to Play the Filipino Stick Game](https://nicgabunada.com/game-of-titos-and-titas-syatong/): Series: Game of Titos and Titas - Part 4 Key Takeaways Syatong is played with two sticks and a shallow ditch — and it produced more bruised hands than any other game we played Three phases, and you must survive all of them before a single point is counted Two scoring systems were in use — shrink the ruler, or apply a multiplier — and which one applied had to be agreed before play The short stick — the one that gets struck — is the whole game The losing team must run the field shouting “syatong” in a single breath, […]
- [Holen: How to Play the Filipino Marble Game and Pamato](https://nicgabunada.com/game-of-titos-holen/): Series: Game of Titos and Titas - Part 3 Key Takeaways Holen is the Bisaya word for glass marbles — jolen in Tagalog-speaking areas Your pamato is your shooter: the lucky marble, never traded at any price Two ways to play: the ring, won by accumulation, and the duel, fought straight at your opponent until bankruptcy or surrender The winner takes his opponent’s marbles, which is why nobody could ever stop at one round   Holen was the boys’ game. Holen is the vernacular for marbles — and mind you, not the marble used to make floors and countertops. A holen […]
- [Birus: The Filipino Hide-and-Seek Played by Moonlight](https://nicgabunada.com/game-of-titos-and-titas-birus/): Series: Game of Titos and Titas - Part 2 Key Takeaways Birus is hide-and-seek escalated — played in teams, and finding someone isn’t enough You have to chase them, tag them, then sprint back to base and call it out before the catch counts It was a full-moon game, and the reason is more practical than mystical It has largely died out because it needs three things that are now hard to assemble: open space, a crowd of children, and an entire free evening   Everyone has played hide and seek. Very few can say they’ve played birus. Birus takes the […]
- [Lastiko: The Filipino Rubber Band Games We Played as Kids](https://nicgabunada.com/throwback-to-a-bygone-era-playing-dampa-and-the-lessons-it-taught-me/): Series: Game of Titos and Titas - Part 1 Key Takeaways Rubber bands — lastiko — were currency, trophy, and equipment all at once, and a long braided stash was a visible record of every game you’d won Three games ran the season: dampa, pitik, and card games with rubber bands as bets Mothers fought back with two weapons: the threat of rubber band soup, and vivid folklore about amputated hands Having no money to buy rubber bands is precisely why I had to get good at winning them   Kids today rarely play outside. Most of the time their noses […]
- [The Internet Hasn't Killed the Radio Star - the State of Radio in the Time of Social Media](https://nicgabunada.com/the-internet-hasnt-killed-the-radio-star-the-state-of-radio-in-the-time-of-social-media/): Disclaimer: this article is lifted from a talk I gave 10 years ago. Entitled “Radio: Living and Breathing in the New Digital World”, it was a reflection on the state of Radio at a time when the internet and social media was already becoming the norm. Some statements and ideas here may no longer be applicable now, as internet connectivity continues to challenge Radio as a medium. Nonetheless, I hope this provides an insight into a time when trends were shifting, and Radio was trying to maintain its relevance in an ever-shifting world. *** In this day and age of social […]
- [We must choose the Philippines in the midst of the Israel-Iran Crisis](https://nicgabunada.com/we-must-choose-the-philippines-in-the-midst-of-the-israel-iran-crisis/): During this period of escalation in the Israel-Iran War, I shared Rob Rances’ post on my X page, as he raises very valid points. It’s really food for thought, as our leaders are supposed to be focused on mitigating its effect on our country. Instead, the teleserye of Philippine politics continues. Here’s a quick summary of his article: The Philippines is dependent on imported oil – 90% of which is from the Middle East. Despite this, we don’t have fuel reserves, and our laws give the local oil companies complete power to set prices. If the oil imports stop, we have […]
- [How Expensive Is It to Build A Classroom?](https://nicgabunada.com/how-expensive-is-it-to-build-a-classroom/): Does it really cost ₱4-7M to build a classroom? Yes, according to Congressman Zia Adiong.  There are documents doing the rounds on social media of a proposal of Congressman Adiong of some ₱285M to fund the construction of 8 buildings, at around 62 classrooms. One even shows a building worth ₱30M, which has only 4 classrooms: Looks expensive to me. Are they building “luxury classrooms” with high-end materials and smart TVs instead of projectors?  If the Department of Education (DEPED) grants this request, will they not become a party to the overpricing?
- [The Israel - Iran Conflict, and How Bad it Can Really Get](https://nicgabunada.com/the-israel-iran-conflict-and-how-bad-it-can-really-get/): With Israel’s “pre-emptive” attacks against Iran last Friday, tensions are escalating even further in the region. Iran has retaliated, and the entire world’s calls for de-escalation are falling on deaf ears. This article from the BBC speculates on possible worst-case scenarios of this ongoing conflict. Here’s a quick summary: America gets dragged into the conflict, and President Trump is forced to act. Other Gulf nations are dragged in, escalating tensions in the region even further. Israel fails to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability, forcing it to hasten their race for nuclear capability. The world economy falls even further, as gas prices soar. […]
- [The real opposition is a Marcos](https://nicgabunada.com/the-real-opposition-is-a-marcos/): It’s interesting times we are living in, especially when it comes to Philippine politics.  There’s a post doing the rounds on the internet that’s interesting food for thought. The real opposition is a Marcos – as early as mid-2023, I already heard this remark from some Senators and political observers.  And our monitoring has shown that Senator Imee has been a strong critic of the policies of the BBM administration and the Romualdez Congress.  Very valid points from the original poster – what do you think of this brewing Marcos-led opposition?
- [Musings from eight years ago for a Better Philippines](https://nicgabunada.com/musings-from-eight-years-ago-for-a-better-philippines/): Saw this in my notes from eight years ago: Three things will guarantee the country’s image as an investment haven: tough bureaucratic and economic reforms, tax system overhaul, and an infrastructure build-up. I believe it was true then, and it is still true now.  If you think about it, the groundwork for the last two was already laid with the TRAIN Law, CREATE Law etc., and the Build Build Build project.  We need to keep moving forward – and my hope is that our current and future leaders work together in order to change the country for the better.  Enough of […]
- [The 'Broken Windows Theory' and Why Sidewalk Clearing Matters](https://nicgabunada.com/the-broken-windows-theory-and-the-man-who-went-viral-because-he-was-addressing-it/): Have you heard of the “Broken Windows Theory”? The “Broken Windows Theory,” introduced in 1982 by criminologists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, suggests that visible signs of disorder encourage further rule-breaking and more serious crime. This concept uses the metaphor of a building with broken windows, illustrating how unchecked neglect reveals a lack of rule enforcement and a tolerance for negative behaviors. Notably, consistently enforcing laws against minor issues, the “petty” things, actually reduces overall crime incidents. This principle is extremely relevant as numerous “broken windows” currently confront us in the Philippines. How MMDA’s Gabriel Go Fixes “Broken Windows” and […]
- [Birthday Wishes and Calls to #BringHimHome](https://nicgabunada.com/birthday-wishes-and-calls-to-bringhimhome/): The biggest birthday celebration and call for PRRD’s return home is still ongoing across the Philippines and various parts of the world. These activities are indeed a celebration of his legacy and a protest against his detention. Moreover, it is also a call for his return to the Philippines. Will the protests stop? – I don’t think so.  Will it affect the trust ratings of this administration? – It will further go down. Will it affect the winnability of the admin’s slate? – Certainly. I came across a post online that lists all the different celebrations and what they were calling […]
- [Judgment Day? Former President Duterte's arrest by the ICC](https://nicgabunada.com/judgment-day-former-president-dutertes-arrest-by-the-icc/): Everyone’s talking about it – Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was arrested and flown to The Hague. As of today,  March 14, 7:00 a.m., the sentiments regarding the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) are varied: Opposition and Skepticism Duterte’s supporters view the arrest as an infringement on Philippine sovereignty and an act of political vendetta. They argue that Duterte enjoyed high approval ratings for his tough stance on crime, suggesting that his actions were in line with public demand for security. There’s skepticism about the ICC’s jurisdiction and motives, with some seeing it as foreign interference. […]
- [Thoughts about our Economy and the State of the World](https://nicgabunada.com/thoughts-about-our-economy-and-the-state-of-the-world/): I attended the Center for Research and Communication’s (CRC) 1967 – 1990 homecoming last February 22, 2025. And it was so great to see friends, batchmates, and the country’s leading economists in one venue! The highlight of the event, of course was listening to the messages of two of the founders of CRC –  Jesus “Jess” Estanislao and Bernardo “Bernie” Villegas. They brought up very interesting points for reflection of the economic situation of the Philippines (and the world), which we all could learn a lot from. Let me share with you some snippets of their messages. *** From Jess Estanislao’s Message to the […]
- [The Art of Shining Shoes](https://nicgabunada.com/the-art-of-shining-shoes/): Limpya Bota is a lost art. It was once a ubiquitous part of life, before the advent of those do-it-yourself liquid shoe polish that you buy at the grocery store. You shake it, press it directly on the shoe, slather it all over the surface and you are done. Convenient, yes, but soulless.  In Cebuano, Limpya means to clean up, and Bota means boots. It’s exactly the same in Spanish, although with a slightly different spelling. Shoe shiners are called limpiabotas both in Madrid and in Padada. At one point in my past, I was proud to be one of them.  […]

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- [About](https://nicgabunada.com/about/): Hi! I am Nic Gabunada Jr. — welcome to my little corner of the internet. I am a probinsiyano who worked hard, did well, and eventually prospered in the Metro. My family and childhood friends call me William, though most people know me as Nic. From Padada to the Metro I was born and raised in Padada, Davao del Sur, a small rural town in Mindanao where my father, a migrant from Moalboal, Cebu, and my mother, herself the daughter of Cebuano settlers, built a life. School was always important to me, and I pushed myself to excel — first in […]
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