You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!


Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!

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Showing posts with label Johannes Chua. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Johannes Chua. Show all posts

Monday, June 16, 2025

Paradox on a page

 


Speculative fiction finds a bold new home


The three books are proof that Filipino speculative fiction is stepping into the spotlight with confidence. FAMILY THREE From left: Nikki Alfar, Ryo Alfar, and Dean Francis Alfar.

By Johannes Chua


In a country known for realist literature, social dramas, and poetic musings, speculative fiction has long been on the fringes as it quietly thrived in anthologies, literary events, and niche bookstores. But no longer.

A new literary imprint named Paradox, under Vibal Foundation, is putting the spotlight on speculative fiction. It’s giving space to the “multiverse of Filipino imagination” by changing the narrative one magical, mythical, or monstrous page at a time.

Speculative fiction encompasses fantasy, science fiction, horror, alternate histories, dystopian futures, and more. It is the genre that dares to ask, “What if?” What if magic exists in modern Manila, what if the apocalypse comes with a karaoke soundtrack, what if the past never ended?

The genre has thrived thanks to writers who believed in its power to enchant readers. Chief among them is Dean Francis Alfar, a Palanca-winning author and Filipino Critics Circle chair who has tirelessly pushed speculative fiction into the literary mainstream. He now leads the editorial team behind Paradox.

Alfar emphasized Paradox’s mission, to welcome all kinds of speculative fiction. From high fantasy and space opera to post-apocalyptic narratives and speculative memoirs, no idea is too far-fetched. The goal? “To showcase Filipino imagination in its most unbridled form.”

Aside from having published some noteworthy titles in recent months, there are ambitious projects in the pipeline, including a 100,000-word speculative novel in English. Paradox, it seems, is not just dreaming—it’s publishing.


Family goal

Paradox has recently unveiled three noteworthy titles penned by the Alfar family, a trio of voices united not just by blood, but by a shared love of myth, metaphor, and magic.

Dean Francis Alfar returns with “Moon Sun Stars,” a selection of his best stories from the past two decades. Whether retelling Filipino folklore with a cosmic twist or weaving lyrical tales of longing, Alfar proves once again why he is a leading voice in Philippine speculative fiction.

His wife, Nikki Alfar, delivers “Doomsday Dance Party,” a delightfully offbeat collection that explores personal and planetary endings with humor and poignancy. The apocalypse, in her hands, is less about destruction and more about reckoning, resilience, and sometimes… dancing.

Their son, Ryo Alfar, makes a stunning debut with “Fragile Magics,” a sweeping 432-page fantasy novel centered on three young spell-wielders navigating a world of folded-paper enchantments and aerial duels. With this work, Ryo establishes himself as a bold new voice and the torchbearer of the next generation.

The three books are proof that Filipino speculative fiction is stepping into the spotlight with confidence. In fact, just last April, Paradox hosted its first speculative fiction writing workshop, led by Dean and Nikki, drawing aspiring writers from across the country.

The workshop is part of the imprint’s broader commitment to nurturing fresh talent and building a strong, inclusive community of storytellers who dare to imagine beyond the ordinary. As Gelo Lopez, Vibal’s Chief Product Officer, noted during the launch: “We invite readers to explore the boundless creativity of the Alfars as their books showcase the breadth and depth of speculative fiction.”

In a publishing landscape often rooted in the familiar, Paradox dares to be different. It champions the strange, the surreal, and the speculative not as a niche, but as a vital expression of the Filipino creative spirit. With the Alfars at the helm and a new generation of writers rising, the future of local speculative fiction looks anything but ordinary.

Friday, November 17, 2023

Yes, I’m using a coffee shop as a personal office, and here's why

BY JOHANNES CHUA


EDITOR’S DESK

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At least five friends forwarded me a link to a viral video featuring a foreign vlogger wondering why a popular coffee shop chain is “used” as a personal office among Filipinos. My brother said that I’m the guiltiest, since as far as he knows, a certain coffeeshop on Matalino Street in Quezon City is my “work address.” 

Yes, I’m guilty as charged. I use a coffee shop as a personal office — even more than that! I conduct meetings, interviews, and socials there. I write all my articles and editorials, even edit an entire magazine, in that place. There was even a time where I completed an entire masteral thesis over a series of nights in that coffee shop, once spending 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. there since it operates 24/7.

Some people will disapprove of this practice. As a former restobar owner, I frown upon guests who monopolize the communal videoke all night if their only order was a bottle of beer. I’ve encountered before a coffee shop owner who would even hand you the menu once he noticed that you’ve been staying for too long.

Well, it’s a fact that there are some who linger all night and hog an entire desk to work or study with just one cup of coffee, which would soon turn into iced coffee, chilled by the aircon. This should not be tolerated, otherwise we may wake up one day with coffee shops imposing time limits like buffet restaurants. 

This kind of coffee shop “culture” makes us distinct from the rest of the world. I believe that Pinoys using the coffee shop as an office mirrors our society’s yearning for clean, safe, and comfortable spaces for work. Unlike other countries with libraries, museums, or malls catering to remote work needs, Metro Manila lacks 24/7 spaces (unless you consider working inside a 7-11) where you can peacefully type on your laptop. Though there are co-working spaces that charge per hour, the trend didn’t catch on that much compared with coffeeshops that are mostly filled with students studying during weekdays. 

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You just have to check out Manila Bulletin’s in-house café called Paper+Cup, which is filled to the brim with students, as they appreciate its comfortable ambience. Located in our lobby, it has multiple electrical outlets, strong WiFi, and enjoyable drinks. I even use Paper+Cup as a meeting venue for my team.

I have also observed that using a coffee shop as a workplace also reflects the weariness of Filipinos in the work-from-home setup. Some people I know who are (solitary) virtual assistants desire a “change of view” and the coffee shop ambiance injects in them some semblance of normalcy — like working in an actual office.  

Of course, I understand that a coffee shop is a business first and foremost, and incurs expenses for electricity, aircon, manpower, etc. It is just right for a customer to purchase an “equitable” amount of food and drinks. When I’m at my favorite coffee shop, I make sure to order a hefty meal and a slice of cake if I’m staying for long. How could I continue enjoying its “amenities” if it is not a sustainable business venture? My patronage is my way of “paying back” for the use of space. 

While I wholly welcome a commentary from a foreigner who is exposing to the world our “quirkiness,” it should not sound like the words of early conquerors like Magellan, who came to our land to “educate” us. We have our own way of life and a foreigner’s comment is, I believe, for entertainment purposes (and perhaps, for virality and dollars) only. I respect his comments, and that even made me ponder why we, indeed, consider a coffee shop as a personal office, but my resolve remains unchanged. In fact, I’m writing this column now inside a coffee shop. 

You may ask me why I don’t do this in my own home (this is the perennial question of my parents), which is more comfortable since there are no distractions there. That’s precisely my answer — the moment I see my bed, my mind wanders off to dreamland; all creative endeavors are shelved, and I plunk down in bed for a “nap,” which turns into an eight-hour deep sleep.

That’s why, if I want to do a task, write an article, or finish reading a book, I head to my favorite coffee shop. This holiday season gives me more motivation to do work there, as I’m “rewarded” with an e-sticker for every drink I purchase, which can be converted into merchandise upon reaching a certain quota. 

With Pinoys residing in denser communities, of condo studio units filled with four to six occupants, with more youth lured by virtual work, expect more laptops to be turned on inside coffee shops. And for every table filled with conversation among friends or a family taking time off, there is another table with someone like me, quiet yet frantically typing on a keyboard. I hope no foreign vlogger will film me, engrossed in my work, without my half-filled drink and my half-eaten chezzzcake.

(Johannes L. Chua is the editor of the Environment and Sustainability Section of Manila Bulletin.)

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

ILTM Asia Pacific, region's leading luxury travel event, returns in June

BY JOHANNES CHUA


The region’s leading luxury travel event -- ILTM Asia Pacific -- is set to take place at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on June 19-22, 2023. It is expected to attract a thousand delegates, reaching pre-pandemic levels of attendance, and a show of confidence that the luxury travel market has recovered.

According to a statement from the organizer, this year’s edition "sees a myriad of business opportunities for international and regional luxury travel brands and destinations alike, with over 450 select luxury travel advisors from across the region looking to connect with over 450 luxury travel providers."

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Networking session during the ILTM Asia Pacific in 2022.

During the three days, pre-scheduled meetings and networking opportunities will happen. Luxury travel agents, representing the region’s highest net worth of clients, will be hosted at the event by ILTM in Singapore, with 44 percent being new to the trade show this year. The majority (60 percent) will be from Australasia, while 9 percent will come from South-East Asia, 8 percent from China, 7 percent from India and Hong Kong, 6 percent from Taiwan, and 3 percent from Japan.

The show has also already seen confirmation from smaller, independent luxury travel suppliers such as ÀNI Private Resorts (the world’s first collection of exclusive and all-inclusive private resorts), Jawakara (a new, high-end family friendly and multigenerational Maldives island), and Angama (a stunning new safari lodge in Kenya).

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Established brands such as Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International Luxury Brands, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will be present, as well as XO Private, Preferred Hotels, Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Leading Hotels of the World who will be showcasing many of their member hotels. Attendees can tour several international destinations across the show floor with Fiji, Italy, Portugal, and Korea all committing to attend.

“ILTM Asia Pacific will bring new levels of travel expertise and boundless energy. The success of ILTM is not just the appointments on the show-floor, but the many different opportunities to meet, connect, network, and build relationships – often officially and informally,” said Alison Gilmore, director of ILTM Portfolio with RX Global.

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Established and new luxury travel brands will be present for the 2023 edition.

Another highlight will be the results of the latest ILTM research undertaken in collaboration with research specialist Altiant, to be launched during the event’s opening forum, which will be held at the Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore.

“The last three years have seen the travel industry confronted by unique and unprecedented challenges, giving way to predictions, opinions, and forecasts. And as China moves out of a prolonged period of lockdown the travel industry needs to understand which trends are being reflected and which are mere speculation,” Gilmore added.

For more information, visit www.iltm.com/asiapacific.