13/11/2025
Waking up after the wrath of supertyphoon Uwan. Two structures, built by skilled hands yet from different worlds of material, share one purpose which is to shelter and endure.
On the left, greenhouses crafted by Manong Paul Chinalpan and my brother Anthony. The one with the tank in front is built for Kalinga State University (KSU) another for the IPATH Foundation. On the right, the house of Apo Agatha, built seventy years ago by her parent before she was born together with the rest of umili who volunteered to help where my Ina was born and grew up. It took a super typhoon like Uwan to strip the iron roof from that old home. Yet the greenhouse, roofed only with plastic, stood tall and untouched.
We hope these greenhouses stand for many years to come, weathering storms as steadfastly as Apo Agatha’s home once did. Any structure, like any spirit, built with a firm foundation and true intention, can withstand even the fiercest storm. May we, too, remain grounded and resilient, no matter what winds may come.
