Eh kumusta naman ang iyong trip sa Helsinki? asked by a colleague. It took me a long time to respond. A part of me would like to say it was traumatic. I wanted to tell her that a group of pickpockets took my wallet and I lost all of my money for the trip, including…
Tag: Heritage
First Day Experience in Helsinki: Escaped the Ordinary?!
Since December 2023, I anticipated the trip to Helsinki. Was I excited? Excited was an understatement. I was super, really super excited. In fact, I was tagged as the trip leader – officially, and a position that I only assume because, why not, I love to travel. Well, technically speaking, I was the official trip…
Jerusalem and its Old Walls: Site of Memory?!
It’s Holy Week 2024. To commemorate the passion, suffering and death of Jesus, the Christ for many faithful, I share my experiences and a little reflection about my visit to Jerusalem in December 2022. As mentioned in an earlier post about my travel experience to what is identified as the Holy Land (the region comprising…
Corregidor Island: Performance, Cultural Memory, and Heritage (Part 1)
Early this year, I saw an announcement on social media that the Corregidor Island and the other surrounding fortifications along Manila Bay are collectively identified as a potential World Heritage Site (WHS): Corregidor Island and Historic Fortifications of Manila Bay. Interestingly, a few years back, I was wondering why Corregidor was not even considered as…
A Simplified History of Traditional Theatres in the Philippines (Part 3)
At the height of the localization of the komedya, Dario Cepedes came to Manila in 1878 bringing with him the zarzuela, a Hispanic musical performance following domestic or ordinary people’s stories. The origin of this performance form is vague. However, the recognized origin is Isagani Cruz’s narration that the zarzuela started in Spain as sainete or an intermission performance in a comedia. Like the komedya the…
The Intramuros Project
On 8 June 2019, I reported about the OVCRD-funded project titled Performing Heritage/The Intramuros Project. The project officially ended on 15 June 2020. The entry below is an excerpt from the final report submitted to OVCRD and a short excerpt of the documentary-drama developed by the research/dramaturgical team. Excerpt from the FINAL REPORT: Performing Heritage…
San Sebastian Minor Basilica in the Philippines: Politics of Space and Heritage (Part 2 of 2)
In the first part of this post, heritage was argued to have become an important aspect of the tourism industry. It was used as a brand – an industry marker. In fact, the day me and my colleagues visited San Sebastian, there were also domestic tourists who were amazed by the grandiosity of the complex. As stated…
San Sebastian Minor Basilica in the Philippines: Politics of Space and Heritage (Part 1 of 2)
In my almost two decades of being a resident of Metropolitan Manila, I confess I have not yet fully explored the city. One of the places that I have always wanted to explore was Quiapo and the University Belt where the majestic San Sebastian Minor Basilica (or most popularly known as San Sebastian Church) is…
Performing Heritage / The Intramuros Project (The Project Brief)
On 1 April 2019, the project “Performing Heritage/The Intramuros Project” commenced. Funded by the University of the Philippines Diliman Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development, the project is both an ethnographic study and a performance of ethnographic data about cultural heritage development. The goal is to problematize the concept of heritage via…
Mythology, Cosmology and Tourism in Play: The Barong and Kris Dance in Bali
Bali, an island in the Indonesian Archipelago, is a tourist haven among adventure seekers, cultural enthusiasts, and nature-lovers. As a traveler, Bali is one of the many places in the world listed in my bucket list. My obsession and fascination with UNESCO World Heritage Sites made me want to visit Bali since the inclusion of…
Tanghal Kultura 