What I would really like is a newspaper that would cover the art scene of Manila. Not a pretentious one, mind you. Just an alternative one. We really don’t have a venue for the art scene here in Manila. We have lots of places and spaces but no published spaces. Inquirer? Pffft. And much less the Star. In Bangkok they have this nifty newspaper called the Bangkok Nation and they also have an alternative newspaper that I think comes with it called Daily Xpress (www.dailyxpress.net). It’s the shiznit. In the States they have The Village Voice and the Boston Phoenix. I think there is a big enough market for this kind of media already in the Philippines. Somebody just must be brave enough to take the first step. I would, but I don’t have the time or the money right now. Perhaps during summer break.
We just must coalesce our different art into a movement not driven by egos but by a genuine desire to make our country better. There is simply too much pretension out there. Too much grandstanding. The movement must be sincere. When we get out there and get to do genuine work we will feel it. Though lots of people working for themselves can make a movement, uniting would even be better.
But who cares about the uniting as long as we are working.
