HW Then & Now | Deora II

The Hot Wheels original Deora II has been significantly and contrasting from the original version. It’s consistently been released in multiple variations for the last twenty-five years, and it is still being produced and sold in the mainline range. Just like the original, there was an actual, real-life car version of this popular vehicle made from custom-made parts that resemble the actual toy. It’s the DNA of the original concept vehicle, and how Hot Wheels make their die-cast cars stands out among the other brands that keep them ahead of the pack. Of course, over the years, there will be significant changes to the casting due to cost-cutting and other changes to keep its production costs just like this 2024 edition of the Deora II, which is considered a fan-favourite despite the changes in the last five years!

Mr. D.I.Y | Back in Business

It’s been a full month, but recovery really takes time. Mr. D.I.Y. is one of the local establishments in Davao Oriental that took a while to reopen. Because the way the store was built, the contractor they hired cut corners on some parts of the facility, and it was a good thing that the posts that made up the foundation of the building were not compromised, and the last time it was seen being repaired was in late October. The early morning weather was not that bad, but towards the last quarter of the year, Davao Oriental has its ‘rainy season’ with most of the Mindanao region experiencing the same weather, as most people in this area are spending the Holidays with this kind of frequent downpour towards the start of the year.

Galleria Nicolas | Sweet Dreams...

In every artwork, there’s always a journey behind its proof of concept, and it is unrelated to the familiar title of the exhibit. It might be a theme that often relates to the personal experience of the artist having indulged in something he or she enjoys in their everyday life. Sometimes, there’s no context to it, and then there is the storytelling that drives each painting that stands out. Jomike Tejido’s “Sweet Dreams… Are made with these” is not taken from the classic song that British synth-pop duo Eurhythmics popularized in the 80s. But something special and interesting takes on the title of his latest exhibit at the Galleria Nicolas, which is currently running at the gallery that inspires even the kids at heart.

Caravan Pop Up | Night Market Finds

When you hear pop-up stores, they are shops that do not have a permanent location. Mostly, a small business that only exists online or simply has the business for a season, since they might have an actual day job. It’s been a common practice that most pop-up shops in the modern day are a table set-up inside a shopping centre or an event they are participating in year in and year out. But there are pop-up caravans that travel all over the region through rural areas that participate to be part of the town fiesta. Some of them don’t even carry named brands or licensed products. Like most stores in the province, they sell affordable items ranging from housewares, tools and even some random toys for kids to play with.

LC Department Store | Biggest Retail in Baganga

The term “Mom & Pop Shop” is an American term for a small and independent business, typically family-owned and operated. These stores are a contrast with the larger chain or big-box stores. In some parts of any remote place, there would be one or two competing stores with similar content. Sometimes, they are mistaken for what you expect in a store. But they are more likely to be a home improvement shop. Basically, they are like the Mr. D.I.Y. or your typical department store and hardware all rolled into one to cater to a small town community. The name LC Department Store is one, but the very few who have a sort of foothold in the business within the municipal town of Baganga in Davao Oriental.

Kinablangan Fiesta | Subtle Cancellation

This past weekend was rough for most residents of Baganga in Davao Oriental, following the recent earthquake that shook the town of Manay (pronounced as Man-Ay) with a 7.6 magnitude. Throughout these past few days, morale has been low, and the silence screams in Kinablangan, which had been planning to celebrate 122 years of its founding with scheduled events and activities. There have been no scheduled basketball or volleyball games, and those who still have a home to go to are mostly indoors. There have been several aftershocks since Friday, and they vary, with the strongest one the same day the earthquake happened, that one during nighttime with a magnitude of 6.5, taking more than a minute.

Davao Oriental | When the Day Did Not Stand Still

The day started with slightly muggy weather, and it wasn’t the usual bright and sunny disposition while getting ready to leave to head out to the municipal town of Baganga for an early morning supply run. It’s Friday, and people are getting up to start their day before the weekend happens with the usual routine. Personally, the day seems slow, and something was a bit off as I saw the grey sky, and the sun wasn’t as bright as usual. Traveling from Kinablangan to Baganga, 40 minutes to almost an hour away, just to go on a supply run. Nothing was happening on the road while we headed to our destination. This day seemed so strange that I did not totally ignore it, but this morning does not have the usual feel to it.

VoV + PSP XIX | Stickers & Illustrate

The Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP) is a collection of talented artists, designers, and visual creatives that was formed nineteen years ago. The group is more known for its street culture through their artistic mural creations, redefining the term “Street Art” and not just some random, tasteless vandalism that the masses overlook in their work. PSP changes the way you look at graffiti as a way not just to express their views on life, culture, and politics. Some members create their own stories that define what led them to become artists. There are storytellers too, they push their artistry to redefine that organized vandalism can be works of art that others would be inspired to create their own narrative and introduce the grassroots of Filipino Culture.

HW Hot Trucks | Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck

There have been some interesting licensed pick-up trucks from Hot Wheels, but none of them had a unique look like the 1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express Truck. It is still being produced with a brand new deco/livery since its retool in 2019. The new look may not be noticeable, but the changes are there if you are into intricate details and do not leave the toy in its blister carded packaging. The most recent release in 2024 was part of the HW Celebration Racers, representing Valentine’s Day as that year’s vehicle, and as part of the MOPAR 5-pack in yellow with stripes. It’s probably the most decent colour to be released in the last 2-3 years, but in a multipack. For the 2025, the latest one this not disappoint either.

Kinablangan | Let the Games Continue

Town Fiestas are a tradition in the Philippines; it is a form of social interaction with local communities dating back to pre-colonial days. Most of it is lost in big cities in Metro Manila, but in regional or rural areas, it is a yearly celebration. It's a consistent date, just confused some who had never grown up or lived in these parts. Personally, the last time I had to see a town fiesta in Pura Tarlac was back in 2017, when a former office colleague invited me to visit her hometown, taking a bus to make it there early in the morning and spending most of the day there. They had parades and all the pageantry of a town fiesta had to offer, and it was just about that.

Mr. D.I.Y | The Affordable Option

Living in a rural area has its perks. Still, it also presents some challenges, particularly in terms of accessibility, as not everything is readily available when compared to life in a big city. It’s where you have access to everything. The town life is different, and it is slower than you’d expect. But when it’s time for a supply run, it becomes exciting. Too excited that you forget you have a tight schedule and a limited budget. It’s been a while since the last visit to Mr. D.I.Y. earlier this month. The morning was a lot of things, and this was our last stop before heading back. The budget was gone, though window shopping was enough to check what they had.

ER Supermall | Needs a Serious Competition

When you live in a very remote place, your options are limited, and at the same time, the location is not a few meters away. But it takes 30 to 40 minutes by commute on either a motorcycle or a tricycle to reach the place. It’s also a challenge to wake up in the morning and try to be there first in line, because it is the only place where you buy your groceries, among other things. Because the ER Supermall is not entirely a shopping centre, but a grocery store that is the sole supplier to small businesses that have their “Sari-Sari Store” outside the municipal city of Baganga, which has small towns being part of it. Getting to this place, you see most of them are resellers piling up their shopping carts.

Wild Life | The Monitor Lizard

When you live in a regional area, there is a chance you might encounter things you do not see in a densely populated location. In Australia, poisonous snakes, spiders, and other types of unexpected creepy crawlies are relatively common. Ever encounter a Black Widow? I recall that while we were working on a car that was lifted during the training course at TAFE, there was an actual widow, and our instructor immediately grabbed an insect spray to ensure it was dead and then smashed it with his shoes. This morning, before heading to a supply run in Baganga, a random thing happened. The workers reorganizing the backyard where the pile of lumber had been sitting for quite a while found something big. Locally, it is called a “Bayawak,” or a type of Monitor Lizard has been living other that pile of wood.

Kinablangan | Power Outage & Fiesta

Saturday did not start well; in fact, the power outage occurred as early as 6 AM (Philippine Time). There’s nothing good when you live in a rural area where there’s no power, regardless of whether it’s for five minutes or five hours. It shows that the power supply to the whole region of Davao Oriental is not enough to be given to every town that’s part of this region. By 9 AM (Philippine time), the only cell site owned by Globe Network had just died. There’s no power or way to communicate online for the next few hours. There was news from DORECO (Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative, Inc.) that the outage will last for twelve hours while the town has a special event.

HW Screen Time | Snoopy

Snoopy is an iconic character that appeared in comics strips, which was created by Charles M. Schulz. His appearance was the main focus of the story for the Peanuts gang, they are consists of kids that populate their individual stories, adventures, and everyday life that relate to people. For 75 years, the Peanuts have continued to be relevant to this day, and they are being celebrated all year round in 2025. But at the heart of the comics strip is Charlie Brown, the ol’ blockhead, and his pet beagle, Snoopy, and sidekick Woodstock. There have been many merchandise produced in their image over the course of the comic strip’s existence, appearing also in various media that include animation and video games.

Lost Urban History | Victoria Plaza Mall

Victoria Plaza Mall is the first shopping centre in 1993 to cater to the local populace of Davao City. It’s considered a counterpart of Harrison Plaza, which was acquired by the SM Group and was demolished to make way for a modern version. The fate of Victoria Plaza Mall is already set when the antiquated shopping center closes its doors permanently in December 2025. It has become a local landmark of Davao City, previously owned by the Limso Family. Until it went into receivership, it was acquired by the NCCC Mall, which acquired the property on March 12, 2019. It was rebranded as NCCC Mall VP. But a recent development is that it will be redeveloped by Robinsons Land Corp.

HW Xtreme Sports | Surf's Up

Hot Wheels has constantly reinvented itself to keep ideas fresh while maintaining its core interest in die-cast cars as its primary identity. There have been several castings that don’t solely focus on the “usual stuff” that would try to appeal to the general public, to catch them putting something that won’t appeal to their regular collectors. It’s an ongoing experiment that other brands don’t have the courage to dive into. Speaking of diving, the Hot Wheels team has produced a non-vehicle type casting that’s human-powered. It’s not even a bicycle, but it was produced before the ill-fated 2020 Tokyo Olympics that commemorate the inclusion of surfing as a sport. This is the introduction of “Surf’s Up.” It’s certainly one of the radical things from Mattel.

Down South Travels | Aliwagwag Falls Ecopark

The Aliwagwag Falls is a protected landscape that preserves a major drainage catchment in the Southern Philippine Islands of the Davao Region, and it is known as the Highest Waterfalls in the country. It contains the headwaters of the Cateel River in the southern Diuata Mountain range. It provides the water source and irrigation for surrounding rice fields and communities in Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental provinces, which was declared a National Park in July 2018. It was named after the remote rural village in the municipality of Cateel, located in the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor, which contains one of the largest remaining blocks of tropical lowland rainforest in the Philippines.

MoCAF 2025 | VoV: Silver

This year’s MoCAF (Modern Contemporary Art Fair) is about shining a spotlight on some of the best visual artists in the industry. If last year’s diverse talent featured under one booth, Vinyl on Vinyl focuses on one such talent who has been long enough during the time of the art galleries’ evolution as one of the known exhibitors to bring their artist that might have flown under someone else’s radar. That artist is none other than Iyan de Jesus, she has come a long way to carve her own niche and style that you might have not noticed. Her works has been featured in the international art scene as her works have been a subtle favourite among art collectors who have acquired her past works is here shining like Silver.

Booksale | Inside the MCS Branch

Bookstores in the Philippines have become a common place, as they serve as an alternative to public libraries that have ceased to exist in the country. Because not everyone can afford brand-new books to use in school or even to have in their personal collection, there were secondhand book shops that provided an alternative. Booksale is one such store would possibly originated the concept all the way back to 1980. But others have followed in their footsteps in providing affordable reading material for students and bookworms. There has been conflicting news that books would likely exist in digital editions. But that is not the case, as book fairs and other book events will continue to promote having physical book reading over digital.