VC Writes Blogger

There were occasions when a Filipino friend said to me, “I don’t look Filipino, huh,” meaning that he lives in the Philippines, speaks the language, eats the food, and parties there like a Filipino, typically participating in singing karaoke, drinking Ginebra gin or Ginebra beer, along with pulutan (Filipino street bar appetizers). This could even apply to someone born in the USA who has never been to the Philippines but has Spanish or early 1900s American ancestry. Typically, Filipinos who are Mestizos stereotype “Filipinos” with Austronesian or Indo heritage, often describing higher cheekbones, kayumanggi skin, which is a golden dark brown color, or typical Southeast Asian features. The Spanish pronunciation of “Indo” is “Indyo” or “Indio.” Now my question is: what or who are the true Filipinos? Some might suggest Lapu-Lapu as the true Filipino tribal warlord who fought Ferdinand Magellan. However, Datu (chief) Lapu-Lapu was not a “Filipino” in the modern sense and had never heard o...

People often ask where I get my ideas for writing science fiction books , and I really don't have a clear answer. The most common source is probably the movies I've watched over the years, and there are quite a few of them. Here are 60 of my favorites; there are many more, but the list goes on. "White Zombie" (1932) ,   directed by Victor Halperin, is a classic horror film that tells the story of a young couple, Neil and Madeline, who travel to Haiti for their wedding. There, they encounter a local plantation owner, Murder Legendre, who practices voodoo and has the ability to turn people into zombies. When Madeline falls under Legendre's spell, Neil seeks to rescue her, leading to a chilling confrontation with the dark forces at play. The film explores themes of love, betrayal, and the supernatural, all set against a backdrop of eerie visuals and unsettling atmosphere. "War of the Worlds" (2005) , directed by Steven Spielberg, is a sci-fi thriller based ...