Thank you very much for visiting. I hope you started your 2010 with a cornucopia of hope and dreams for yourself, your relations, and for the world. Indeed, we are amidst many challenges, the likes of which we have never seen before. As the virtual universe brings our quotidian realities to each other's doorsteps, we become more cognizant of the plight of people in so many corners of our global village. Disasters in Haiti and Chile prompt us to ask, What can we do? It is a question I take very seriously moving forward. Specifically, What can I, given my background and abilities, DO to make a small difference in the lives of the underserved?

Indeed, this year, I return to my work in adult literacy and workforce education. After graduate studies, I have finally gained the confidence and knowledge to start a Social Enterprise for adult learners in America. I recognize the amount of work it will entail, but I am also very hopeful that I will find answers along the path that will make this voyage worthwhile especially for those whose lives will be directly transformed by it. As the poet Antonio Machado once said, "Wanderer, there is no road, the road is made by walking." There are no shortcuts to social change. For more info on my social enterprise effort, please visit { We Speak America }.

At an artist colony in the fall, I wrote a new poetry manuscript about the genesis of war in the human soul. At its heart is my father's experience as a survivor of World War II's Death March and Japanese Concentration Camp in the Philippines. My research last summer taught me many things about wars and human warfare. I also learned a lot about the history of America, as I delved into the Civil War and WWII. This collection will be my literary focus in the next few years. I also plan to write another novel about the Philippines. I also hope that 2010 will pave the road for the publication of my next fiction book, The F.L.I.P Show. My first novel is ten years old; indeed, I am long overdue for a new book. I do believe that publication, just like many rewards of hard work, is being at the right place at the right time.

Another year, another voyage. In this website, I have included a BLOG, so that I don't have to maintain too many sites. I have created a simple website that includes information about my books, and also, updates on the goings-on in my work and literary life. You, as a reader, will also have the opportunity to post your thoughts in several comment boxes. I would love to hear from you. This is a very personal website. As you know, I design and develop my own websites, so be rest assured that your being here is like being in my physical home. There are also a lot of pictures here, including ones of my close-knit family.

I thank you for your visit. I hope that you enjoy this website. Good luck on your own voyage in life. I hope, whatever it is that you carve in life, you do in the goodness of your life and of those around you. Peace.

A poem for your voyage: "Filipineza" in The Nation.

Bino

I just discovered that The Umbrella Country has a Facebook Page. Yay! Please Fan the book: The Umbrella Country Facebook Fan Page

Thanks to Libay Linsangan Cantor and Manila Times for this precious mention in the Sunday Times. Fil-Am Authors Writing