GOO: In Goo We Trust

Around the start of 2014 I started skateboarding again.

What made it worthwhile for me aside from the immediate benefit of getting physical release from work related stress and the work out that comes along with that activity, is that skating provided me again to listen to music from the context of albums which has been mostly downplayed by our fascination with mp3s and playlists.

One constant staple in my skating soundtrack is Goo’s long-awaited album, in Goo We Trust, which I got from their album launch last December 22, 2013 at Chrome Box, in Marikina City.

The record comes as a classic example of what a proper punk rock record sounds like, thanks to the recording and production prowess of Ian Cuevas, who has finely and respectfully captured the singular intensity of passion and sound that flows from the instrumentation of the individual band members in the recording.

The Skeleton Years: Between Lunacy & You

It was a little more than a year ago when I had the privilege of watching them on their first gig and I was immediately hooked with the fascinating blend that somehow combines the post-punk sensibilities of Joy Division and the melodic melancholia punk rock of Alkaline Trio.

Thankfully a few months later they decided to release their debut EP Between Lunacy and You in an event, which also launched the music video of their song in an event which I sadly missed because I spent most of my time last year living on a suitcase traveling because of my work.

It wasn’t until November that I was finally able to secure a copy of the CD when my band Death To Puberty again had the chance to be in the same line up with The Skeleton Years, at IDB.


Upon opening I was floored by the quality of the packaging , design and liner notes that also included the lyrics, and acknowledgement to which Death To Puberty was included by the band in the list of artists that they are thanking ( a gesture for which I am thankful to the band as well).

Musically I enjoyed all the tracks, and the record itself is presently my skateboarding soundtrack. Songs that personally standout are Through, Dead Night and Fade particularly because of their catchy hooks and the brilliantly written lyrics of Darwin, not to mention the genre bending guitar exchange courtesy of Ebong and Sharen.

This record stands as one of the shining moments that restored my faith in the creativity and musical potential of the underground punk scene in the Philippines.

Inspiring action...

From the Greenpeace Philippines blog

The movement for change is rich in visions.

All of us seem to have our ideas of the ‘perfect world’, some including detailed economic and political systems, while some simply a glorious dream of peace and love and harmony (or in Greenpeace lingo a ‘greener’ and ‘peaceful’ future).

Both, of course are important.

We need practical ideas of organization, and we need splendid ideas of harmony to inspire us.

Sometimes, though, the visions of our goal seems so far removed from our lives as to be impossible, and disagreements on practical plans split us apart.

Someday, "after the revolution," visions will be attainable. But now they are far away on the other side of that future event, change.

I think we need some sense of connection that exists between the struggles and fragility of our own day-to-day unromantic lives and the ultimate goal, the vision. Read more>>>

Ten years and counting...

From the Greenpeace Philippines blog

Greenpeace Southeast Asia is now turning ten this year.

It’s been ten long years of turning the tide for the environment. And I believe as an organization that is still not in the mainstream consciousness of society we have a lot to be proud about. It's not that I believe in bragging rights, but I mean as far as the Philippine office is concerned I deeply believe that our resilience as an office faced with a lot of challenges and setbacks we deserve a pat on our back for coming up with landmark legislations and outstanding contributions that I would like to believe have cemented our place in the annals of Philippine environmental and social movement history. Read more>>>

Anchors aweigh!

From the Greenpeace Philippines blog

Yesterday, the Rainbow Warrior has set its course towards the Philippines after wrapping up our the first leg of its Turn the Tide Tour of Southeast Asia early October. The tour, which aims to call on governments to Turn the Tide of dirty development to pave the way for a green and peaceful future, kicked off in Bangkok on September 17.

In Thailand, the Warrior called on the Thai Government to prioritize and support investments which will help put Thailand on a green development pathway, by technological leapfrogging with bold policy innovations and a new solidarity across social classes and generations. While in Thailand the ship travelled from Nakhon Si Thamarrat, Surathani, Koh Samui, Chumphon and Prachuab Kirikhan to promote a common vision of green development as well as to stand in solidarity with the grassroots and the people’s movement that are working in Thailand for the cause of environmental preservation.

While Indonesia is a different story, which started with high hopes that our peaceful campaigning ship would be able to support the Indonesian president's stated aims of ending deforestation in Indonesia. It ended with the Rainbow Warrior being denied vital supplies and being ordered – and escorted – out of Indonesian waters and well into international waters by two navy vessels, in breach of international maritime law.

We can only say that it seems very possible that there are some things that short-sighted political and economic interests did not want us – or you – to see, and that Indonesia's government capitulated to these vested interests.

After stopping for maintenance and supplies in Singapore the Rainbow Warrior is heading North-East towards the Philippines where it will join the clamour for an Energy [R]evolution, in the Philippines a country that has been labelled as among the most vulnerable and least prepared countries when it comes to coping with the impacts of climate change, there we hope to turn the tide by getting President Noynoy Aquino; to live up to the people’s aspirations of change by taking action against the greatest threat that mankind faces today ---climate change.

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Passport Realizations: reflections on the Filipino diaspora overseas

Had this paper been scheduled to be submitted last week, the contents of this reflection would have been different…

But, alas!

Over the weekend life along with all its apparent tragedies and unrealized triumphs happened, and shaped the way I see life and faith from a Filipino perspective differently – consequently forcing me to revise the reflection on the concept of, MABUHAY: Life considered from the innermost of the Filipino people as pondered in light of the Word.
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