Friends Suggest Sharing the Written Word Through a Book

Volume 7, Issue No. 6

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . 

Our latest as of Sunday, August 3, 2025 

~ Absurd it would appear to ignore suggestions by two friends for me to write a book about personal experiences as a journalist in the Filipino community. Plans are in the works actually. But now that I'm getting unsolicited endorsements from these writers themselves, I'm persuaded as ever to continue with an earlier book titled Prerogative which I had started in my former hometown in California. 

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ANOTHER CHAPTER IN MY 'PREROGATIVE'

Detailing Experiences As a Journalist

Friends Suggest Putting Them All in a Book

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ 

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” ― Sir Francis Bacon

TORONTO - After reading a story I wrote in 2019 about my late father, media colleagues Ores Ting and Mogi Mogado commented on my online Filipino Web Magazine (FWM) that I should write a book.

I genuinely felt the sincerity of their idea at that time, and now, six years later, their proposal still touches me, especially coming from friends whose understanding of the power of the written word is as good if not better than mine.

Ores is the humorous writer - and occasionally a poet when she feels indulgent - behind the popular "Boomers in Action" column in what's then the largest Filipino newspaper in Toronto. 

Her followers are uncountable but one thing sure, they're captives to what she writes and says, and that means the entire Filipino boomer population in the Greater Toronto Area where the paper circulates.

At this point, I don't know if Ores still writes for that paper, or if she has moved some place else where she can breathe freedom. I lost track as I no longer read that paper, well, unless I'm looking for some comic relief that it provides.

"Humble beginning . . . but perseverance, hardwork, humility . . . all can reach the peak! Write a book about your existence here on earth Mon Ami!", Ores wrote and posted at the comment section below my story.

That story was headlined "A Friendship That Opened Doors to Journalism" and subtitled "A Cochero and a Fisherman Who Made Good" which appeared in the August 28, 2019 issue of FWN. (Full story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-friendship-that-opened-doors-to.html).

On the same day Ores published her comment, Mogi also added his: "AWWWW naman, such nostalgia, humble beginnings just like me I can totally relate ... is this chapter 1 in your upcoming book?" 

The story evidently struck a chord in Mogi. To give context to his comment, I borrowed these lines from Ms. Michelle Chermaine Ramos, the artist and journalist who profiled Mogi in an article in Atin Ito newspaper: 

"The interviewer, seeing my heartbreak at not being admitted (to fine arts study), said these kind words: 'Michelangelo et al did not go to arts school, but they became famous. Hone up your skills . . . who knows! . . . That episode was seminal for my arts life,' " Ms. Ramos wrote, quoting Mogi. (Full story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2024/01/portrait-of-artist-in-eyes-of-another.html).

Reading that from her account, I knew then that in my (or shall say in everyone's) struggle, I wasn't alone; everyone has his or her own aspirations to build a good life outside the homeland. 

To Mogi, the unpretentious celebrity, artist, and writer, his ambition has become reality with his iconic sculpture of Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, who he brought to life by peeling off his perpetual solemn look and gave him a smile. The artwork now stands in Markham. (Full story: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2019/07/jose-rizal-statue-stirring-symbol-for_25.html).

I'm taking serious note of Ores' and Mogi's suggestion. In fact, I've started out two years ago at the Toronto Reference Library where one can enlist help to self-publish. And then I got busy with news coverage as a YouTuber and writing commentaries for my blog and other publications.

Self-publishing takes a lot of time. From writing to editing, layouting, proofreading, etc. everything is done by you and nobody else. It saves a lot of money, yes, but the toil and toll is on you.

In 15 years of covering the news in Toronto, I have amassed a lot of articles needing minor editing for a book. I could also do documentaries from my own video coverage of events.

For the book, I would devote two or three chapters each for subjects such as community organizations and their leaders, the media, in particular the praise, oops I mean press, club and some newspapers and their editors; the false leaders and scammers, the cottage industry called beauty pageants, the so-called foundations, the thieves and seasonal fiestas in Little Manila, and many more.

It's a big challenge to set them all in a book. And I realize too that should the book come to fruition, not all would be pleased to see their misdeeds immortalized and recorded for posterity. (Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved).