Category: Business Mirror

There are chefs who travel the world to discover new cuisines, and there are those who eventually realize that the flavors they were looking for had been part of their story all along.

For Chef Oliver ‘Oli’ Buenviaje, that realization has brought him home.

Born in Sorsogon, Buenviaje left the Philippines as a teenager and went on to build an international culinary career that took him through some of the world’s most respected kitchens, from Alain Ducasse’s Le Meurice in Paris to Al Mahara at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab, Le Normandie at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, and Caprice at Four Seasons Hong Kong. He eventually established Olio’s Fine Food in Perth, Australia, where he built a reputation for refined dining and premium catering.

Now, after years abroad, he is bringing that experience back to the country with Seafood 8 by Olio’s, his first restaurant venture in the Philippines. Located at Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City, the restaurant opened its doors in August 2026 as a contemporary interpretation of the Filipino dampa experience.

And while the restaurant may be polished and modern, its inspiration is surprisingly familiar.

From the market to the table

THE premise behind Seafood 8 is simple: choose your seafood, choose how you want it cooked, then choose one of eight signature sauces.

But the experience is designed to be anything but ordinary.

The restaurant brings the energy of a seafood market into a contemporary dining space, with live seafood, displays on ice, and an open kitchen allowing diners to see their food being prepared. The concept is designed to accommodate approximately 130 guests.

It is essentially the dampa brought into a more polished, restaurant setting-retaining the sense of discovery and choice while adding the precision and technique that Buenviaje has developed through his international career.

The restaurant’s name is built around its defining element: eight signature sauces. The lineup includes Kalamansi Hollandaise, Chili Caramel, Asian Sweet and Sour, Olio’s Chili Supreme XO, Miso Butter, Inasal Citrus Ginger and Soy, Latin Chimichurri and Gambas Roja.

That combination of familiar Filipino flavors and international influences is very much at the heart of Buenviaje’s approach.

‘Seafood has always been at the heart of my culinary journey,’ he said. ‘Seafood 8 by Olio’s is my way of celebrating the incredible seafood we have in this country while presenting it through the lens of everything I’ve learned around the world.’

A taste of the journey

THAT philosophy came through clearly during the media lunch held at the restaurant.

The tasting menu moved comfortably between Filipino flavors, European technique, and Asian influences, offering a glimpse of how Buenviaje approaches seafood without making it feel overly complicated.

The meal began with a selection of starters including Seafood 8 Bouillabaisse Soup, Pacific Oysters, Baby Pusit, Chargrilled Japanese Octopus and Roxas Tanigue Kinilaw. The kinilaw, prepared with fermented Ilocos vinegar, coconut milk emulsion and pickled shallots, was particularly telling: a distinctly Filipino preparation presented with the kind of refinement expected from a contemporary restaurant.

The chargrilled Japanese octopus, meanwhile, paired the seafood with marble potato, chorizo, calamansi and gambas roja-a combination that reflected the restaurant’s broader philosophy of bringing different culinary influences together without losing the character of the main ingredient.

The main seafood courses continued that exploration. Dover Sole Meunière brought classic French technique to the table, while Branzino with emulsified lemon butter sauce kept things elegant and restrained. Baked Batangas Tiger Prawns were paired with mirin and miso den sauce, while Grilled Gen San Tuna Belly came with Latin chimichurri and herbs. The Tiger Lobster with calamansi hollandaise perhaps summed up the concept best: a luxurious ingredient meeting a flavor that feels unmistakably at home in the Philippines.

There was even room for a Filipino classic reimagined through the lens of pasta: Bicol Express Crab Linguine.

And that pairing feels particularly appropriate for Buenviaje.

After all, his roots are in Bicol, a region whose cuisine is known for its bold use of coconut and chili. The restaurant’s broader menu carries that spirit into dishes such as Bicol Express Crab, Singaporean Chili Crab, Grilled Tuna Panga in Miso and Soy, Suah? Garlic Chili Butter, and Chili Garlic Mussels.

The menu isn’t exclusively about seafood, either. Signature house meats include grilled pork lechon and braised beef rendang short ribs with coconut sambal, while desserts include banana and jackfruit croustillant and coconut panna cotta.

The Filipino lesson behind the chef

PERHAPS the most meaningful part of Seafood 8, however, isn’t found on the menu.

It is found in Buenviaje’s memories of growing up in Sorsogon.

He credits much of his philosophy of hospitality to his late grandfather, Jose Aviles, who taught him about generosity, community, and the importance of sharing meals.

That idea gives the restaurant’s dampa concept a deeper meaning.

For many Filipinos, seafood isn’t simply food. It is something gathered around a table. It is a weekend meal, a family celebration, a feast shared with friends. It is the pleasure of choosing what looks freshest at the market and then deciding how you want it cooked.

Seafood 8 takes that familiar ritual and gives it a more contemporary setting.

Its official concept is essentially ‘choose, cook, sauce, enjoy’-allowing diners to select their seafood, preparation, and sauce rather than simply ordering a finished dish from a menu.

In that sense, the restaurant isn’t trying to replace the dampa. It is preserving what makes the experience enjoyable while making it more accessible to today’s diner.

A homecoming served on a plate

THERE is something fitting about Buenviaje’s first Philippine restaurant being centered on seafood.

His career may have taken him across six countries and through kitchens associated with some of the world’s most celebrated culinary names, but the foundation of his story remains Filipino.

And perhaps that is what makes Seafood 8 more interesting than simply another new restaurant.

It represents a chef taking everything he learned abroad-technique, discipline, international influences, and an appreciation for exceptional ingredients-and bringing it back to the flavors and traditions that shaped him in the first place.

At Seafood 8, a familiar Filipino dining ritual gets a new setting. The seafood is fresher, the sauces more globally influenced, and the techniques more polished. Yet the essential experience remains wonderfully familiar: choose what you want, gather around the table, share the food and enjoy the company.

For Buenviaje, it seems, coming home was never about leaving the world behind.

It was about bringing the world home.

A good bakery may begin with flour, butter, sugar and a recipe. But for veteran chef and entrepreneur Buddy Trinidad, building one that lasts requires something less tangible: patience, discipline and a genuine understanding of the people who walk through its doors.

After more than four decades in the baking business, Trinidad has learned that the heart of a food business is not necessarily found in its ovens or equipment. It is in the relationship between the baker and the community.

‘The purpose, see, I always believe in purpose over profit,’ Trinidad said in an interview on the sidelines of Bakery World 2026 in Cebu City on September 10, 2026.

For aspiring bakers and food entrepreneurs, it is advice that runs counter to the instinct to grow quickly, offer more products, and chase as many customers as possible.

Trinidad believes the better path can be slower-and much more personal.

Understand the neighborhood

A bakery owner, he said, needs to understand the neighborhood where the business operates. Different communities have different tastes, purchasing power, and lifestyles.

What sells well in one area may not necessarily work in another.

‘You get to know more about not only your client but your culture and your community,’ he said.

That knowledge eventually becomes part of the product itself.

He paints a picture of the neighborhood bakery where regular customers do not have to explain what they want because the staff already knows: the usual coffee, the favorite bread, perhaps even the family occasions that call for a cake. That familiarity, he said, is more valuable than a customer who visits only once or twice a year.

‘The ones that will really make my business thrive are the people that go three, four times a week,’ Trinidad said.

And food, he believes, is particularly suited to creating those connections because people rarely buy it simply for its practical value.

‘We buy through emotion,’ he said. ‘We don’t buy because it’s practical. We buy because of what it makes me feel when I buy it or when I give it to someone.’

Master one thing

FOR home bakers and micro-bakeries trying to find their footing, Trinidad has another piece of advice: Resist the urge to make everything.

Focus on one product-and make it exceptional.

‘Focus on one product. But when they focus on that one product, they have to master it. It has to be the best,’ he said.

He remembers learning this lesson during the early years of Park Avenue Desserts, which he started in 2000.

At hotel bazaars, Trinidad would arrive with an assortment of cakes, cookies, brownies, macarons, and other treats. Then there was the neighboring seller whose table carried essentially one message: cheese rolls.

The difference was impossible to miss.

The seller would arrive at the bazaar, sell out, and go home.

By the third bazaar, Trinidad knew the name behind the product.

‘Mary Grace. That’s their bestseller,’ he recalled.

For Trinidad, the lesson was clear: Customers remember products that give them a reason to return.

For a small bakery, that can mean becoming known for one loaf, one pastry, one cake or one signature item rather than trying to satisfy every possible craving.

Learn before you leap

TRINIDAD is equally direct when asked what young entrepreneurs should do before opening their dream food business.

Work in one first.

‘If they want to open a cafe, work in a cafe. If they want to open a fried chicken restaurant, work in a fried chicken restaurant,’ he said.

For culinary students, he believes an internship should be more than simply completing a requirement. The experience should connect to the business they eventually hope to build.

Someone planning to open a coffee shop, for example, will learn more by working in one than by spending an internship doing tasks unrelated to the operation they intend to establish.

For Trinidad, there is no substitute for seeing a business from the inside.

And the learning does not stop once the doors open.

He prefers slow, steady growth because it gives him time to invest in employees through training and continuing education.

‘Learning never stops,’ he said.

Machines can improve production, but they cannot replace the people who give a bakery its character.

‘The backbone of any shop is your people.’

The discipline behind the craft

THE romance of baking can sometimes obscure the hard arithmetic behind it.

Ingredient prices rise. Portions have to be controlled. Inventory has to be monitored. Products have to be costed properly.

Trinidad’s answer is simple: Measure.

‘You cannot manage what you don’t measure,’ he said.

For a food business, that means weighing ingredients, calculating costs and understanding how much customers actually consume.

He cautions against the tendency to make portions increasingly large in the belief that customers will see greater value. If much of the food regularly comes home unfinished, the business may simply be spending money on food that never gets eaten.

Modern point-of-sale systems can help operators track recipes, ingredients and inventory, but technology only works when owners are disciplined about entering accurate information.

The objective is not merely to cut costs. It is to understand the business well enough to make better decisions.

A changing bakery landscape

TRINIDAD’S lessons come as the Philippine baking industry navigates a challenging business environment.

During the Bakery World 2026 press briefing, Bien Enrico Ah of the International Federation of Chinese Bakery and Confectionery Association described the current business environment as relatively slow and warned that the coming months could become more challenging because of the stronger dollar and higher logistics costs.

Yet he also saw an opportunity for the industry to become more creative and collaborative, particularly with the festive season approaching.

Bakery World 2026 reflects that push. The third edition features 122 booths representing 74 exhibitors, with organizers expanding beyond traditional baking suppliers to include packaging companies and coffee suppliers. The event also features cake competitions and seminars for bakers and food entrepreneurs.

For Kelie Ko, chairman of Bakery World 2026, innovation and efficiency are increasingly important as businesses try to absorb higher costs without simply passing every increase on to consumers.

The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which organized the event as part of Mandaue Business Month, also sees baking as part of a wider ecosystem involving manufacturers, suppliers, packaging companies, farmers, retailers, restaurants, hotels and logistics providers.

But amid all the equipment, ingredients, competitions and business discussions, Trinidad brings the conversation back to something much simpler.

Know your craft. Know your customer. Know your community. And give people a reason to come back.

Because a bakery, at its best, is not simply a place where something is baked and sold.

It can become part of the rhythm of a neighborhood-a familiar counter, a favorite loaf, a birthday cake ordered year after year, a cup of coffee shared before work.

For Trinidad, that is where the real business begins.

Not with profit alone, but with purpose-and with the emotional connections that turn customers into regulars and a shop into part of the community.

When I was assigned a media trip to Iloilo in April 2019, my first concern was finding a local movie house.

The tour’s official agenda was to experience a property of a growing hotel chain in its hometown, including having a taste of the province’s rich offerings, from its treasure trove of culinary wonders to its captivating cultural stops and tourist spots. Exciting stuff, sure, especially for a first-time visitor, but the schedule happened to fall right smack of Avengers: Endgame’sopening day. I was locked in to watch and thought no amount of authentic, steamy batchoy in La Paz market could keep my mind off the epic conclusion of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)’s Infinity Saga.

It was serious business, to say the least. Since 2008, I tried to catch each one of MCU’s past 22 films on opening day, so it would almost feel unholy to miss Endgame-THE Endgame-on Day 1.

When I asked our tour organizer if I could excuse myself early from the welcome dinner, he instantly caught my drift. He knew that I was going to run to the cinemas because, apparently, he was an MCU fan, too. He got excited and asked to tag along, and we instantly felt a strong bond over catching some movie, despite only having met each other at the airport earlier that day.

And that’s how my first watch of Endgame went: In a far-away movie theater without the company of familiar people, I didn’t feel alone. There was a strong, beautiful, pulsating sense of camaraderie, where it felt like we were all as animated as we had ever been in a cinema. We all gasped audibly when a web-swinging Spider-Man fumbled the Infinity Gauntlet, and cheered with air fists when Tony Stark managed to steal the Infinity Stones in the nick of time from a surprised Thanos.

All these years later, we get a do-over of the experience with Avengers: Endgame Encore. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo labeled the extended cut, now showing in cinemas, as required viewing for Avengers: Doomsday, one of the most anticipated MCU movies in years that’s slated for this December. Critics, however, view the re-release as nothing more than a cynical cash grab for a title that’s already second on the all-time worldwide box office chart, with a gross of approximately $2.8 billion, next only to 2009’s Avatar.

Whatever the case may be, lines need to be drawn and expectations set for the Encore audience.

Are the four minutes of additional scenes intended to bridge the two Avengers films seven years apart worth the full ticket price on IMAX® and Infinity Vision-certified screens? Probably not, since those scenes are already-and unfortunately-uploaded online anyway, despite recent anti-spoiler pleas by the Russo brothers on their social media pages. That said, Avengers: Endgame Encore, in all its glorious three-plus-hour entirety, especially on today’s modern big screens, proves to be quite the visual spectacle and cinematic experience that’s well worth anyone’s time and money.

The difference lies in the intention. It’s best not to go into Avengers: Endgame Encore expecting it to be a full-blown, fleshed-out preview of Doomsday, because it’s not, despite the additional scenes. Rather, one should enjoy the ride for what it really is: an encore, a rerun of what for many was an unforgettable movie experience. Encore’s value lies in getting to relive that magic on the big screen once again, seven years later, seven years wiser, with a fresh perspective.

It’s almost poetic, then, that a major plot for Endgame is time travel. In Encore, it feels like there are two teams traversing time simultaneously. First, the heroes we see on screen, out to retrieve the Infinity Stones at different points in time. Second, is us watching them from our cinema seats all over again. Encore takes us back to the first time we saw Endgame, somehow reminding us what life was like in 2019, and how it has progressed since.

That includes the meteoric rise of AI in recent years that has made Tony Stark’s F.R.I.D.A.Y. less sci-fi and more ‘coming soon.’ Or how the emotional climax of Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther walking through the portal on Cap’s left means infinitely more, following the beloved actor’s demise, only a year after Endgame premiered.

From a personal standpoint, watching Encore brought me back to that Iloilo cinema, among a crowd of not-so-strangers. That media trip became one of the most memorable in my career, not because of the agenda, but because of that Avengers side quest, and I’m sure most of us have our own Endgame stories.

The Russo brothers acknowledged as much on their social media post, sharing a video of a crowd reaction at an Endgame premiere in a cinema they snuck in.

‘We stood in the back and watched a thousand strangers react-the gasps, the cheers, the tears. We got chills,’ they wrote in the caption. ‘Just so you know, we’ll be sneaking into theaters again for Avengers: Endgame Encore. There’s a generation that only ever saw this movie in their living room. And we want to hear what it sounds like when they finally get to see it in a theater.’

Aside from the well-known Jose Mari Chan songs that play when September hits, and the bright decorations put up in alleyways and malls, Filipinos look forward to the staple Christmas foods that fill tables during the Yuletide season.

While these are usually served during the latter part of the ‘Ber’ months, a local hotel is bringing the Christmas craving earlier than expected.

On September 15, 2026, Savoy Hotel Manila hosted ‘Puto Bumbong, Bibingka, Merienda at Pika-Pika,’ an afternoon tasting session featuring the hotel’s own versions of traditional Filipino kakanin (rice cakes).

Led by General Manager Den Navarro, the tasting featured six delicacies-three versions each of puto bumbong and bibingka-along with Savoy Hotel’s signature merienda offerings.

In an exclusive interview with Executive Chef Christian ‘Kit’ Carpio, he said the Christmas tradition has been part of the hotel’s offerings for the past six years, with the festivities usually starting as early as September.

But this year, the hotel decided to launch the offerings as early as August.

‘I want this to be memorable… kasi [kapag] nakikita mo na ‘yung mga puto bumbong at bibingka, this signals Christmas time,’ Chef Kit told BusinessMirror. ”Yung iba gusto mag-crave nito daily or once in a while, but they cannot access it kasi tuwing December lang.’

With Savoy Hotel Manila located right beside Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Chef Kit also wanted to bring these traditional Filipino foods closer to balikbayans (returning overseas Filipinos).

To bring this mission to life, Savoy Hotel Manila intentionally curated diverse flavors of the two kakanin, offering a mix of familiar tastes complemented by innovative twists.

Traditional, reimagined desserts served at the table

AMONG the three distinct bibingka versions was the traditional baked rice cake that Filipinos grew up eating, usually enjoyed after Simbang Gabi. Made with rice flour or glutinous rice batter, it is topped with salted egg, cheese, sugar, and freshly grated coconut, and traditionally cooked or served with dahon ng saging.

‘And then, we made a twist for the other two. One with leche flan and makapuno,’ shared Chef Kit. ‘The other one was a Christmas-y ensaymada wherein we added butter, queso de bola, and Christmas ham.’

At the same time, the hotel brings an equally inventive approach to its three puto bumbong offerings.

Alongside the traditional purple rice cake-steamed inside a bamboo tube and served with margarine, muscovado, and freshly grated coconut-Chef Carpio showcased two distinct creations.

One is inspired by suman ng Antipolo, traditionally paired with ripe mango, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and drizzled with white coconut caramel.

‘The last flavor was inspired by the Cainta bibingka, having a latik on top. So it’s latik and coconut jam and, again, the freshly grated coconut,’ explained Chef Carpio.

Behind these unique creations, Chef Carpio proudly revealed that all their puto bumbong are made from their own fermented rice.

‘We soak it, and then the next day, we ground them up, add the ube flavoring, and then we steam it,’ he said.

To complete the experience, Chef Carpio recommended pairing the kakanin with a warm, comforting cup of either the hotel’s hot chocolate made from local tablea, a coffee of choice, or its salabat tea.

The inspiration behind the creations

WHEN shaping these creations, Chef Carpio drew inspiration from shared culinary roots across neighboring Asian cultures.

‘Most of the Asian countries, most of their desserts are also rice-based,’ he noted, pointing to mochi in Japan and rice cakes in Thailand and Vietnam.

Building on the Philippines’ long history of rice-based treats, his team used this inspiration to give the classic kakanin a contemporary twist while keeping them familiar to Filipino diners.

Aside from the two rice cakes, the gathering also featured other merienda offerings, including palabok, turon, and barbecue, recreating the spirit of a Filipino Noche Buena and the joy of sharing food around one table.

As Christmas draws closer, Savoy Hotel Manila will serve all these flavors of puto bumbong and bibingka until January 2027, giving guests an opportunity to experience the Filipino warmth and festive spirit that bring families and communities together during the Yuletide season.

The depths people would go to just to win.

When the Italian Calciopoli first emerged, it was a fan newspaper, Il Romanista that first reported the scandal followed by La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

Six Italian clubs were sanctioned but Juventus – the guiltiest of the cheating lot – was relegated to Serie B and had two titles stripped away.

I was stunned by this scandal that emerged post 2006 World Cup as I was also a fan of Juventus. Sadly, this cheating that went all the way from the top club management saw my fervor for the club dip massively.

The new scandal regarding Manchester City being found guilty by the Premier League on 114 of 115 financial breaches is even worse. That investigation took some time – and quite too long in the opinion of many – for that to come out (on the game-changing The Athletic website).

The news broke during the international break (and you can be sure that this will be in the news and online chatter for some time especially when the league games resume). Can you imagine what Manchester City will face when they go to Anfield, Old Trafford, Emirates Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to name a few.

Anfield on October 11 will serve as a preview.

Even if I do not root for Manchester City, I feel bad. Not for the team, not for management, but its employees and fans who will be affected by this, as well as the sport of football.

Is this worse than Calciopoli?

I am not sure. It most likely is. The scale of these financial cheating beggars the imagination because there is no precedent. My head hurts just thinking about it (and to think I am not a City fan).

It does make me question the Premier League. They had referees engaged in suspicious behavior from David Coote to Mike Dean. So, what is wrong with the game and the league?

Clearly, there is because this is the integrity of the game and the league we are talking about.

You wonder about the bad calls, the controversial VAR decisions, the kick-offs schedules, and I am shaking my head.

If there is justice in this world, the hearings about the appeal of Manchester City should not take that long. This has dragged on long enough.

Whatever happens – whether the club is relegated, expelled, banned from European competition, docked points, trophies stripped away, or whatnot, the hammer should be dropped. The people behind it should be made to pay or even jailed.

This is not a joke or laughing matter.

What sucks about this is that the club has a great story whether you rooted for them or not. They assembled a great team and played great football.

Conversely, the violations also meant they denied other teams from a podium finish. That means the legacies and careers or even trajectories of coaches, players, and teams were altered.

I am not naïve to think that sports appeals to our better selves. Sports, like life, is riddled with cheats and opportunists.

I still haven’t even gotten over Lance Armstrong being stripped of his Tour de France titles. Even how Major League Baseball protected those Houston Trash Cans.

There should clearly be more safeguards in place to prevent this from happening again.

For Carmen’s Best founder Francisco ‘Paco’ D. Magsaysay, building one of the country’s recognized homegrown premium ice cream brands has given him lessons that extend far beyond entrepreneurship. In his new book, Beyond the Scoop: The Carmen’s Best Story, Paco looks back on the successes, setbacks, and unexpected turns that shaped not only the business he built, but also his views on family, resilience, purpose, and life.

The book traces Paco’s unlikely path into entrepreneurship, which began when his father, former Senator Ramon ‘Jun’ Magsaysay Jr., challenged him to find a productive use for surplus milk from the family’s dairy farm. With zero experience in the food business, Paco experimented with ice cream and eventually created Carmen’s Best, named after his only daughter, Carmen. Carrying her name became his personal commitment to never compromise on quality.

But Beyond the Scoop is more than the story of building an ice cream brand. Paco shares lessons from the challenges he encountered, detailing how perseverance, adaptability, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to quality helped him overcome the growing pains of building a business.

The idea for the book grew out of Paco’s many conversations with multi-awarded executive coach Anda del Rosario, who saw that the stories behind Carmen’s Best held lessons worth sharing with a wider audience. As Paco spoke about building the brand, he often shared memorable anecdotes and reflections on the beliefs, values, and wisdom that guided him through business. Convinced that these could become a compelling book, Anda encouraged an initially hesitant Paco to tell his story and offered to help him bring it to life. Veteran business editor Tina Arceo-Dumlao and award-winning fictionist Vida Cruz-Borja were sought on different stages of the making of the book, and eventually became its editors.

The grandson of former President Ramon Magsaysay, Paco studied Marketing with a minor in Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. He later earned his Master’s in Entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management. He also pursued specialized training in ice cream making at Pennsylvania State University, strengthening the technical knowledge behind the craft that would become his business.

Today, aside from his other business ventures, including a telecommunications company, Paco gives workshops at Entrepreneur Mindset, an exclusive leadership development workshop co-facilitated with coach Anda. He has also developed an online video course on Carmen’s Best story, where he shares the strategies and lessons he used to grow and scale the business. The course is available through www.pacomagsaysay.com.

By putting his experiences, beliefs, and hard-earned lessons into a book, Paco hopes to reach more aspiring entrepreneurs. For him, the story may have started with ice cream, but the lessons go far beyond the scoop.

Beyond the Scoop will be available starting in October in all Fully Booked outlets nationwide. Soon, the book will also be available for purchase on Amazon, Lazada, and Shopee.

Before the Sierra Madre becomes a headline, it is already speaking.

On September 26, the Prelature of Infanta, through its Social Action Center, gathered communities for Mass at St. Mark and Infant Jesus Cathedral, followed by a motorcade toward the General Nakar boundary bridge. People’s organizations, youth, Indigenous Peoples, clergy, and lay leaders joined.

This was more than an observance. It was a public act of memory and participation. It asked whether affected communities are genuinely heard.

We have learned to remember the Sierra Madre in fragments. We remember it when storms arrive or flooded streets appear on our screens.

But the mountain does its work when the sky is clear. Its forests and terrain help moderate winds, regulate water, hold soil, and sustain communities.

For Infanta, General Nakar, and neighboring areas, it is water, food, work, protection, and ancestral home.

September 26 is not arbitrary. Proclamation 413 declared September 26 Save Sierra Madre Day and called the society and government to protect the mountain. It reminds us of what the Sierra Madre does for the country, and what the country continues to do to it.

The memory of late November 2004 remains impossible to dismiss. Heavy rains associated with Tropical Depression Winnie and succeeding weather systems triggered landslides and flash floods across Infanta, General Nakar, and Real.

One documented account records 165 deaths in Infanta alone. Rainfall may trigger disaster, but vulnerability is shaped by terrain, watershed condition, exposure, and decisions made long before the water rises.

Yet national attention often arrives only after disaster. Once the images disappear, the communities disappear with them. Many places carry environmental burdens that never enter the national conversation.

This indifference is a social cancer. Environmental questions are not secondary to politics or economic hardship. Ecology is the ground on which public life stands.

Participation must therefore mean more than a hearing held for compliance. Under applicable environmental and Indigenous-rights rules, participation requires timely information, accessible documents, a genuine chance to question and respond, and a process that can take people’s concerns seriously.

A consultation that begins after decisions have hardened may satisfy paperwork while failing the democratic purpose of participation.

The concern over the Kaliwa Dam must not be reduced to a contest between progress and opposition. The need for water is real. The project is intended to provide an additional 600 million liters of raw water per day for Metro Manila.

But so are the questions involving its watershed, its project area in General Nakar and Infanta, and the rights and welfare of Dumagat-Remontado communities.

Water security cannot treat the watershed’s people as an afterthought.

The same seriousness must be brought to quarrying. The first thing people see is the trucks: dust, traffic, danger on public roads, and the burden placed on communities.

But the trucks are not the beginning of the story. They are the visible consequence of decisions made long before they appeared on the roads.

The deeper questions concern clearances, consultation, environmental and engineering assessments, enforcement, and whether agencies act before harm becomes ordinary.

This is not a rejection of legitimate business or development. Communities need water, energy, jobs, and investment.

What must be rejected is greed disguised as development, consultation reduced to ritual, and bureaucracy bent toward convenience. A permit may show that a legal step was taken. It does not, by itself, settle the larger question of legitimacy.

The same standard must apply to wind energy. Renewable does not mean impact-free. Environmental Management Bureau records list approved Environment Compliance Certificates for wind projects in the wider area, including a proposed 200-megawatt wind farm in Minahan Sur, General Nakar, and a 600-megawatt project covering parts of Infanta, Real, and General Nakar.

These records begin public questions about ecological compatibility, cultural practices, cumulative impacts, and the common good.

These concerns can be held together by three Filipino words: ‘Kalikasan, Kamalayan, and Kalooban.’

Kalikasan is the living world that sustains us. Kamalayan is the capacity to see what is happening, remember beyond disaster, and allow affected people to participate. Kalooban is the moral condition of those who speak, organize, oppose, and decide.

Indignation has its place. It shows that conscience is alive. But it cannot be reduced to noise or become hatred. A movement that refuses to listen to disagreement may reproduce the closedness it condemns.

This is not a search for enemies. It is an invitation to remain open, including to those who differ from us.

We do not claim to be right all the time. Our process and intentions must also be examined and purified. A movement is measured not only by the volume of its protest, but by its fidelity to truth, willingness to listen, and capacity to seek justice without losing charity.

The Church’s role is not to manufacture an enemy or sanctify one side. It is to accompany communities, awaken conscience, widen dialogue, and help citizens and institutions listen more honestly.

Here lies the double betrayal. First, society weakens the natural defenses that protect communities. Then the institutions meant to hear warnings and protect those exposed fail to act with courage and responsibility. The first wound is ecological. The second is institutional.

The September 26 movement is, therefore, not noise for its own sake. It is a knock on the doors of government, a call for records to be opened, decisions examined, communities heard, and action taken while prevention is still possible.

We cannot remember the Sierra Madre only when floods make it national news. We must defend it while the sky is clear, beyond the camera’s gaze. It is not a backdrop, but an active condition of life.

To defend it is to defend water, homes, livelihoods, cultural survival, and the right of communities to shape their future. The mountain remembered only after the flood is one we have failed to hear.

On Save Sierra Madre Day, may Kalikasan, Kamalayan, and Kalooban taught us to listen before the next flood.

From processing fish and squid to producing salt, women in Daram, Samar are turning the island municipality’s abundant seawater into an additional source of livelihood, with the support from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Through the Development of the Salt Industry Project (DSIP), BFAR Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) provided the Daram Association of Fish and Squid Processors and the Brgy. Ubo Dried Fish Vendors Association with materials and inputs to establish solar salt production facilities, complementing their existing fish-processing activities.

The two associations, composed of 16 and 25 fisherfolk members, respectively, each received ?100,000.00 worth of Solar Salt Production in Low Linear Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) with Frame modules, along with a generator, submersible pump, and HDPE drums.

BFAR VIII also conducted comprehensive salt-making training in Tacloban City and provided capability-building activities to equip the associations with the knowledge and skills needed to properly operate and manage the technology.

The intervention allows the communities to transform locally available seawater into salt through a simple solar evaporation process.

Clean seawater is filtered before being placed in an LLDPE-lined drying area covered with UV film.

Under the heat of the sun, the water gradually evaporates, leaving salt crystals that can be collected after approximately four to five days, depending on weather conditions.

Their initial production has already yielded 180 kilograms of salt, which the associations used for their fish-drying activities. The early results demonstrate how locally produced salt can both provide an additional livelihood and help support the supply requirements of existing fish-processing enterprises.

For Gilda Dosal Añez, president of the Daram Association of Fish and Squid Processors, salt-making presents a practical livelihood opportunity for women in coastal communities.

She said salt-making has great potential as a livelihood because it does not require a large amount of capital and can be easily managed, particularly by women.

Daram is an island municipality composed of 57 coastal communities and one upland community. Fishing remains its primary livelihood, with 98% of residents recorded as municipal fishers by the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist-Fisheries Services (OMA-FS).

With the municipality surrounded by seawater, local officials see salt production as a practical way to make use of an abundant local resource while creating additional economic opportunities for coastal communities.

The local government unit of Daram organized the associations, provided initial seed capital, and facilitated their connections with government agencies and development partners for technical assistance and training.

BFAR’s support through the DSIP is set to expand further. BFAR VIII will distribute ?300,000.00 worth of Collapsible Salt Production Setups to associations in Daram, Samar, to increase their production capacity and availability of locally produced salt while providing fisherfolk with an additional source of income.

The associations also plan to add more liner setups, move toward mass production, and eventually develop iodized, food-grade salt. They are likewise looking into value-adding opportunities and the possible replication of the technology in other barangays interested in adopting solar salt production.

The locally produced salt currently sells for ?20 per kilogram, providing the associations with another product while helping meet the salt requirements of local fish processors.

At the regional level, the DSIP has identified 230 individuals from 13 associations and one cooperative in Eastern Visayas as beneficiaries of salt production interventions.

Target areas include Daram Island in Samar; San Roque in Northern Samar; Maasin and Hinunangan in Southern Leyte; Baybay City in Leyte; Guiuan and Arteche in Eastern Samar; and Naval and Maripipi in Biliran.

From seawater to salt, and from salt production to stronger coastal livelihoods, DSIP is helping turn the country’s salt resources into an industry-one community, one producer, and one livelihood opportunity at a time.

A CRUSH can make even the most ordinary day feel a little more special.

There’s breakfast, traffic, a walk by the beach, something cold to drink, and a few hours spent wondering if the other person feels the same. Then comes the question: will there be a kiss before the sun goes down?

Malaysian RandB singer-songwriter Nigel Tay taps into that kind of attraction in his new single, ‘Manhattan Beach’-the kind that doesn’t come with grand declarations, but stays on your mind from morning until sunset.

The song turns a day in Los Angeles (LA) into a nostalgic summer memory, following a couple through food, traffic, and beachside wandering before arriving at the possibility of a kiss.

‘When I was writing ‘Manhattan Beach,’ definitely I was picturing it as a whole-day event,’ Nigel told SoundStrip in an exclusive interview earlier this month. ‘When that kiss-you’re already thinking about it from the morning.’

The anticipation, rather than the kiss itself, becomes the song’s emotional center.

‘It’s kind of like that moment is going on in your mind the whole day,’ he said. ‘The sunset would be the best time, when you’re waiting for the right moment, when it feels perfect to go in for that kiss.’

A much quieter LA

THE song takes its name from Manhattan Beach, one of several LA locations mentioned in its lyrics.

Nigel, who lived in LA, said the choice was deliberate. Venice Beach and Santa Monica are among the city’s better-known coastal destinations, but their popularity also means crowds.

He wanted somewhere more serene. ‘Manhattan Beach is that perfect spot,’ he said, describing it as a more relaxed place where two people could simply spend time together.

The setting also gave the song a convenient romantic detail: stronger wind and waves.

‘And when girls are cold, you have that opportunity to keep them warm,’ Nigel said. ‘So it’s part of my master plan.’

Mundane as big things

‘MANHATTAN Beach’ is filled with details that could easily disappear from a bigger love song: eggs, chopsticks, cold drinks and sitting in traffic.

‘THE NOCTURNAL CEREMONY’ | New release by The Night Rituals is a psychological music experienceThe young artist kept them because, to him, memory tends to work that way. ‘As humans, we remember small details,’ he explained. ‘Even though sometimes big events, obviously, we remember them, it’s these small little things.’

Nigel recalled noticing the small physical habits of someone he once knew-the way she moved her eyes when uncomfortable or scratched her nose.

‘That’s what makes me remember this person a little bit more deeply,’ Nigel said.

Nigel said that sweetness came naturally, especially because the kiss had been on his mind since the start of the day.

‘Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like all boys are like that,’ he said. ‘I think it’s just naturally sweet. The song is just naturally sweet.’

Simplicity above all

FOR Nigel, the uncomplicated quality of ‘Manhattan Beach’ is also a return to an earlier relationship with music.

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, he first gained wider recognition as a Top 7 finalist on The Voice of China in 2018. He later worked as a producer, arranger, instrumentalist and bandleader on Mango TV’s Me to Us in 2020, eventually becoming vocalist and leader of MiLK.

His career eventually expanded across Greater China.

His latest album, CRÉMA, came out in 2025, followed by a headline tour in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing.

That background could have pushed the song toward a more elaborate production. Instead, Nigel found himself stripping things back.

‘After being in Berklee, you have all this knowledge, all this music knowledge,’ he said. ‘You want to put it in your music. You want to add these chords, vocal runs, crazy stuff.’

‘Manhattan Beach,’ however, reminded him of his early days in LA and of why he started making music in the first place. ‘Everything is simpler,’ he said. ‘The production is not as crazy. The melody is a little bit simpler and singable.’

Finding an audience

NIGEL arrived in Manila on September 10 for a performance at the Music Museum, opening for Jesse Barrera and Albert Posis, before continuing to Jakarta and Bangkok on September 12 and 13, respectively.

He is scheduled to perform in Singapore on November 19, opening for Jesse Gold.

The Manila audience was new territory. Nigel said it was his first time performing in the city, but the reception surprised him. ‘They didn’t know me, but they were so interactive, they were so warm,’ he said. ‘It was really like a warm, fuzzy moment. I really felt at home.’

The response is significant for an artist whose career has largely developed across Asian markets outside his home country.

Following ‘Manhattan Beach,’ Nigel said more music and collaborations are already being developed, with projects involving artists in Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan.

A handwritten correction on a page, a voice that trembles while speaking, or a mistake openly acknowledged may be among the strongest proofs of humanity, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio ‘Ambo’ David said as he urged educators to resist machine-like standards of perfection in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).

Speaking before the graduating class and faculty of De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU) at the Philippine International Convention Center on September 19, David said schools must focus not only on producing competent graduates but also on forming people capable of growth, compassion, and moral courage.

The Kalookan bishop delivered the message as DLSAU conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa, recognizing his contributions to biblical scholarship, pastoral leadership, social justice, and the promotion of human dignity.

David acknowledged that artificial intelligence has become one of the most transformative developments confronting modern education. AI systems can now summarize texts, organize research, generate polished prose, and solve complex problems in seconds, he noted.

Yet even as technological capabilities advance, he said machines remain incapable of moral discernment, genuine empathy, and the human capacity for conscience.

‘Even some of the people developing the most advanced AI systems are warning us that these technologies are progressing faster than our institutions can adequately evaluate, regulate, and supervise them,’ he said.

‘Technological power can advance much faster than human wisdom,’ he added.

The greater challenge, according to David, is not the prospect of machines becoming more human but the possibility of people trying to become more like machines.

‘The greater danger may be that human beings will try to become too much like machines, obsessed with optimization, efficiency, productivity, performance, and perfection,’ he said.

Rather than pursuing flawless performance, David encouraged educators and students to embrace vulnerability and imperfection as essential features of authentic humanity.

‘What reveals our humanity are often our imperfections,’ he said, pointing to hesitations, handwritten corrections, cracked voices, and mistakes honestly acknowledged as signs of a person willing to learn and grow.

He pointed out that while machines can process vast amounts of information and provide answers with remarkable speed, education has a deeper purpose.

‘Let artificial intelligence become better at being artificial, and let education help human beings become better at being human,’ David said.

True education, he added, forms the conscience, cultivates critical thinking, and teaches people how to build meaningful relationships.

A machine may analyze data and recognize patterns, but it cannot look at a struggling student with genuine concern and offer encouragement.

Drawing from the Lasallian mission of faith and service, David challenged graduates to use their education not merely as a pathway to personal success but as a means of uplifting others.

He also offered a broader interpretation of the honorary degree bestowed on him, saying honoris causa should inspire people to make their education, influence, and privilege a ’cause for the dignity of others.’ing his address with a challenge to the graduates, David urged them to become the kind of people no technology can replace.

‘Form human beings whom artificial intelligence can never replace,’ he said.

‘People capable of compassion, of moral courage, of solidarity and wonder, of loving, acknowledging a mistake, asking for forgiveness, beginning again, and sacrificing themselves for something greater than themselves,’ he pointed out.