About our writer/editor
About our writer/editor
Jonathan R. Matias is the founder and chief science officer of Poseidon Sciences. Among his many interests include writing about the convergence of science, history and R&D being conducted at Poseidon. You can follow his writings via www.poseidonsciences.scienceblog.com. He currently resides in Miag-ao, Iloilo (Philippines) while Sulu Garden is being developed as a center for cuisine, arts, sciences and conservation. The series of blog articles here describes his experiences in Miag-ao, about Sulu Garden, about local history and conservation of cultural and biological diversity.
We invite articles from writers who share similar passions to become guest bloggers on this site. Please contact us at poseidonnova@aol.com using Sulu Blog as subject heading. Send us the topic you wish to write about, information about yourself, and a draft version for editorial review.
Archive Narrative
December 2, 2015
Michael Crichton’s 1999 sci-fi novel, Timeline, was among the many compelling books I had read in the past and later turned into a movie. Many of his other novels – Andromeda Strain, Eaters of the Dead, Congo, ER, Sphere, Terminal Man, Rising Sun and Jurassic Park, just to name a few, had all been…
November 25, 2015
Bats living inside the church belfry, inside roof of houses and under bridges used to be commonplace. But, with better housing construction, there are less and less places for bats of all kinds to roost. Recently, the town of Monster –Yes, this is the town’s real name– in the Netherlands just finished constructing a bridge over the Vlotwatering River for both pedestrians…
October 24, 2015
Here is the list of barangay names extracted verbatim from Failagao’s book. For most Miagawanons, the origins of these names would be a surprise. Many are named after creeks and rivers (example, Mat-y, Narat-an and Naulid); some from the quality of the soil (example, Cagbang, Pudpud and Tigmarabo); many more named after plants (example, Bacauan, Alimodias and Igbita)…
June 12, 2015
In celebrating June 12, perhaps it is also appropriate to make time for our local town heroes. Sad to say that most people know so little about that statue in Barangay Igtuba of Col. Pedro Alcantara Monteclaro, more popularly known as Tan Pedro. So few knew who he really was, what he accomplished to merit a statue and why he needed to be remembered. Ask some teenagers and even adults in Miag-ao and often you get a shrug of the shoulder or a mention of a war hero and nothing more…
May 14, 2015
The most intriguing part of the budbudan salt-making process is the mixing of a vine extract with the supersaturated salt water they call ‘tuma.’ The vine does not grow in the lowlands, at least not anymore, but can still be found in the mountains. In the olden days, according to the Asinderos, the Aeta pygmies from the mountains come down during the summer season to trade pieces of vines for a sack…
April 28, 2015
Black volcanic sand characterizes much of Miag-ao’s shoreline, with some small areas, like in Barangay Guibungan, with rocks of all sizes mixed with the sand. Fishing villages dot the shoreline so that Miag-ao’s beach becomes a 13 km parking lot of fishing boats and salt farms. With the receding shoreline, competition for space was a major issue in the 1990’s…
April 17, 2015
The title might seem like a story of impending disaster, like global warming. Not quite like that for now. But, the vanishing traditions of our coastal communities are tied to global warming and the inexorable advance of modernization. Doom might be a good word to describe the future of the Asinderos de Miag-ao.
I arrived in Miag-ao, a coastal town in the province of Iloilo (Philippines), in the summer of 1995 and always enjoyed the magnificent sunsets by the sea. Right in front of our marine station…
April 13, 2015
Rumors, if passed along often enough, may turn into urban legends. And, sometimes become accepted as a historical fact. Just give it enough time to circulate around for over a generation or two. Most towns and cities have their own urban legends and the usual ‘mis-encounters’ with historical accuracy. Such is the case even for the seaside town of Miag-ao (Iloilo) which is entering its 300th Foundation Day in February, 2016…
April 5, 2015
Miag-ao Church is very much alive. Only if its sandstone walls could talk. What stories we would hear from the many centuries that have passed and the tens thousands who whispered stories within its wall. Of stories and gossips, of intrigues and of pure religious expressions of the faithfuls.The Facebook post by ‘Bobot’ Montealto (Miagao Hits) in December 22, 2014 on the subject of the 55th Sacerdotal Anniversary of Monsignor Claudio S. Sale made me pause…
October 11, 2014
I read with great interest the recent book by Prof. Manuel Maximo Lopez del Castillo-Noche of the University of Santo Tomas entitled Puentes de Espana en las Filipinas (The Spanish Colonial Bridges of the Philippines) [1]. For those fascinated with Spanish colonial bridges, I highly recommend the book. It seemed appropriate to have part of the title of this article in Spanish…
