ManilART 2025: Where Philippine Creativity Knows No Boundaries

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The nation's premier art fair returns with a revolutionary vision that shatters the invisible walls between creative disciplines

In a world increasingly defined by rigid categories and algorithmic boxes, ManilART 2025 arrives this October with a radical proposition: what if creativity refused to be contained? What if the boundaries between painting and fashion, sculpture and cuisine, tradition and innovation were not walls to respect but veils to pierce through?

From October 15 to 19, the SMX Aura Convention Center in Taguig City will transform into a pulsing epicenter of artistic rebellion and reimagination. This is ManilART's 17th edition, but it feels less like an anniversary and more like a manifesto. The theme—"Across Forms, Beyond Borders"—isn't just clever branding. It's a declaration of independence from the tyranny of artistic silos.

When Fashion Dreams in Paint, When Sculptures Speak in Textiles

Picture this: a fashion designer standing before a centuries-old painting, absorbing its colors, its movement, its soul. Months later, fabric flows down a runway, carrying that same essence transformed. A sculptor runs their hands across intricate textile patterns, and suddenly metal and stone begin to echo the mathematics of weaving. Digital artists peer into physical media and pull forth entirely new languages.

This is the cyclical magic that ManilART 2025 celebrates—the recognition that inspiration doesn't move in straight lines but in spirals and circles, crossing temporal borders as easily as disciplinary ones. Ideas planted in one era bloom unexpectedly in another. Techniques perfected in one medium suddenly illuminate possibilities in something entirely different.

The featured exhibits this year read like love letters between art forms. They're proof that creativity is fundamentally promiscuous, endlessly curious, and gloriously unfaithful to any single discipline.

Beyond the Canvas: Where Minds Collide

But ManilART has never been content to simply hang art on walls and call it a day. This year's edition doubles down on its commitment to being a living, breathing forum for ideas. The fair's expanded program of talks, panels, and workshops transforms the convention center into an intellectual marketplace as vibrant as its visual counterpart.

One particularly intriguing feature promises to gather global Filipinos from wildly diverse creative sectors—chefs and poets, visual artists and writers—for a conversation about how Filipino creativity translates, transforms, and triumphs across borders. It's a timely meditation in an age of diaspora, asking: what remains essentially Filipino when our creativity crosses oceans? How does distance sharpen or soften our cultural voice?

The Unexpected Marriage of Coconut and Canvas

Then there's the partnership that nobody saw coming but everyone should have: ManilART 2025 has joined forces with Coco Kusina, Philippine Coconut Kitchen, to explore the tantalizing intersection of visual art and heritage cuisine.

At first blush, it might seem gimmicky. But dig deeper and the logic becomes inescapable. What is food if not edible sculpture? What is plating if not composition? What are traditional recipes if not living archives, passed down through generations like masterworks in a museum? The collaboration isn't just about putting art near food—it's about recognizing that culture itself is the canvas, and every form of creative expression is another brushstroke.

Using local and artisanal ingredients, this partnership becomes a meditation on rootedness and innovation, on how tradition and experimentation can not only coexist but actively nourish each other.

A Nation of Galleries Opens Its Doors

The exhibitor roster for ManilART 2025 reads like a who's who of Philippine art spaces, a testament to the fair's continued role as the country's artistic heartbeat. From the Annual Sculpture Review to Village Art Gallery, from established institutions like Galleria Nicolas to emerging spaces like Art Toys PH, the breadth of participation speaks to ManilART's unifying power.

These aren't just vendors at a trade show. They're the custodians of Philippine visual culture, the risk-takers who give artists walls and audiences, the bridge-builders between creation and collection.

The Art Revolution Goes Regional

In perhaps its boldest move yet, ManilART 2025 extends far beyond the Metro Manila bubble. Co-presented with the City of Taguig, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, and the ManilART Foundation, this year's fair anchors Museums and Galleries Month in October while sparking satellite exhibitions across the country.

The crown jewel of this regional expansion is the partnership with the inaugural San Pablo Art Circuit (SaPAC). Ten venues scattered around San Pablo City—from the Art Barn at Casa San Pablo to the Villa Escudero Museum—will host a month-long "Artstravaganza" that celebrates the region's natural and built heritage alongside contemporary visual art.

This isn't cultural tourism. It's cultural democracy—an insistence that world-class art experiences shouldn't require a Metro Manila address. It's a recognition that artistic vitality exists everywhere, waiting to be activated and celebrated.

The Infrastructure of Inspiration

Behind every great art fair lies an ecosystem of support, and ManilART 2025's roster of partners reveals the diverse coalition required to make creativity accessible. From CocoKusina to Museo Orlina Tagaytay, from BDO to MOD Coffee, from Purefoods Deli to Future Studios—these partnerships aren't just sponsorships. They're investments in the belief that art matters, that culture isn't luxury but necessity, that beauty and meaning deserve platforms as sophisticated as commerce or technology.

An Invitation, Not a Museum Visit

As ManilART 2025 approaches, it's worth remembering what makes an art fair different from a museum. Museums preserve. Fairs provoke. Museums ask you to respect the past. Fairs dare you to imagine the future.

"Across Forms, Beyond Borders" isn't just describing the art on display. It's describing the experience itself—a five-day immersion where a painting might send you to a fashion show, where a sculpture might drive you to a restaurant, where a conversation about literature might transform how you see a photograph.

In an age of increasing fragmentation, where algorithms push us deeper into ever-narrower niches, ManilART 2025 offers something increasingly rare: an invitation to range widely, to make unexpected connections, to remember that human creativity at its best has always refused to stay in its lane.

The boundaries are imaginary. The inspiration is infinite. The doors open October 15.

ManilART 2025

October 15–19, 2025

SMX Aura Convention Center, Taguig City

Tickets: Ticketbooth.ph

Group tours and school visits: manilartsecretariat@gmail.com

Follow: @manilartfair (Instagram) | ManilART (Facebook)

Visit: www.manilartfair.com

Standing Strong: The Hall of Justice That Survived Two Earthquakes

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

A 34-Year-Old Building Passes Its Most Critical Test

TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL — In the pre-dawn hours of September 30, 2025, when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake violently shook the Visayas region, the Hall of Justice Building in Bohol faced what could have been its final examination. For the second time in twelve years, seismic forces tested the integrity of this 34-year-old structure. And for the second time, it held firm.

The technical assessment report, dated October 1, 2025, and prepared by volunteer civil engineer Amon Rey Clavano Loquere, delivers a verdict that brings both relief and urgency: the building stands, but it bears the scars of battle.

A Structure with History Written in Cracks

Completed on December 12, 1991, the Hall of Justice was built as a reinforced concrete structure with masonry infill walls—a design that has now proven its worth through decades of service and two major seismic events. The building's story is one of resilience, but also of accumulated trauma.

The visible cracks that now mark its masonry walls tell a tale of compounding stress. These fissures, the report notes, are "consistent with seismic-induced damage" that first appeared after the devastating October 15, 2013 earthquake—a magnitude 7.2 monster that left Bohol reeling. The September 2025 quake didn't create new wounds so much as reopen old ones, a reminder that buildings, like people, carry the memory of past traumas.

Yet here's the remarkable finding: while the masonry walls show their battle scars, the building's skeletal frame—its columns and primary load-bearing elements—remain untouched. No cracks. No visible damage. The spine holds strong.

A Professional Assessment Under Pressure

The post-earthquake assessment was conducted under extraordinary circumstances. Judge Lindecita Arcamo of the Hall of Justice, working alongside City Engineer Teodoro Estoque and his team, responded to the City of Tagbilaran's call for volunteer engineers. Their mission was urgent: determine whether the building could safely house the judges, lawyers, and citizens who depend on it daily.

Engineer Loquere's assessment reveals both the building's strengths and vulnerabilities:

The Good News: The structural columns show no compromise. The load-bearing capacity remains intact. The building's main framework has withstood two major earthquakes without yielding.

The Concerns: The masonry walls display cracking patterns suggesting non-structural damage. More alarmingly, sections of the ceiling system have become dilapidated, creating immediate safety hazards that could deteriorate further without intervention.

The Verdict: Safe, But Not Without Conditions

"The building is deemed structurally safe for occupancy," the report confirms, a statement that undoubtedly brought sighs of relief to city officials. But this declaration comes with a critical caveat: immediate repairs are essential.

The damage, while limited to non-structural elements, requires urgent attention "to restore the building to full functional and safety standards." It's the engineering equivalent of saying: you can walk, but you need medical attention now.

A Four-Point Plan for Rehabilitation

The assessment lays out a clear roadmap for rehabilitation:

Immediate Masonry Wall Repair: Engineers must conduct thorough crack repair and reinforcement to prevent water ingress and further deterioration—a race against both time and the elements.

Complete Ceiling Replacement: All compromised ceiling panels must be removed and replaced, a task that serves dual purposes: eliminating immediate falling hazards and allowing inspection of what lies above.

Comprehensive Roof Inspection: Once ceilings are removed, engineers can finally examine the roof framing system for any hidden damage—the structural secrets that ceiling panels currently conceal.

Swift Implementation: The City Engineering Office must expedite a detailed Program of Work, including renovation plans and building permits, to fast-track the rehabilitation process.

The Hidden Advantage of Damage

Paradoxically, the ceiling replacement presents an opportunity. By removing the damaged panels, engineers gain access to structural elements normally hidden from view. It's a chance to conduct a comprehensive inspection of roof beams and framing systems, potentially identifying issues that might otherwise remain concealed until they become critical.

Lessons from a Survivor

The Hall of Justice Building's performance offers valuable insights for disaster preparedness in seismically active regions. Its reinforced concrete frame has proven remarkably resilient, while the masonry infill walls—designed as non-load-bearing elements—absorbed and displayed the earthquake's impact without compromising the building's structural integrity.

This separation of structural and non-structural elements represents sound engineering practice. The columns carry the load; the walls fill space and provide enclosure. When the earthquake struck, this division of labor meant the difference between a repairable building and a catastrophic failure.

A Race Against Time

The report's conclusion emphasizes urgency: "Coordination with the City Engineering Office is essential to fast-track the rehabilitation process." It's not just bureaucratic language. Every day that passes with compromised ceilings increases risk. Every rainfall that seeps through cracked masonry walls accelerates deterioration.

The building received the city's stamp of approval on October 2, 2025, with the document officially received by the City Engineering Office. Now the clock is ticking on implementation.

Symbol of Justice, Symbol of Resilience

There's something poetic about a Hall of Justice that refuses to fall. The building that houses Bohol's legal system has itself withstood judgment—the earth's judgment—twice. It stands as both a functional facility and a symbol: justice, like this building, must weather storms and emerge standing.

For Mayor Jane Cajes Yap, Executive Judge Lindecita Arcamo, and City Engineer Teodoro Estoque, the assessment provides both reassurance and a call to action. The building can continue serving its critical function, but only if the community invests in its rehabilitation now.

Looking Forward

As Tagbilaran City moves forward with rehabilitation plans, the Hall of Justice Building represents more than just one structure's survival. It's a case study in earthquake-resilient design, a testament to quality construction from 1991, and a reminder that buildings in seismically active regions require ongoing attention and maintenance.

The September 2025 earthquake tested Bohol once again. The Hall of Justice passed that test, but with a clear message: resilience requires not just strong initial construction, but sustained care and prompt response when damage occurs.

In the end, Engineer Loquere's report tells a story of survival with dignity, of structural integrity maintained through proper design, and of a community's responsibility to preserve the institutions that serve it. The Hall of Justice stands, scarred but unbroken, ready to dispense justice for years to come—provided the repairs begin soon.

The building has done its part. Now it's the community's turn to do theirs.

The technical assessment was prepared by Amon Rey Clavano Loquere, RMP, CE, REB, REA, a volunteer civil engineer with License No. 0110205, valid until May 4, 2029. The report was received and stamped by the City Engineering Office on October 2, 2025.

The Coconut Queen: How Chef Ninang Riza Matibag-Muyot is Transforming Filipino Heritage into Culinary Art

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

In a world where culinary traditions often fade into obscurity, one Filipino chef is orchestrating a remarkable revival—not just of recipes, but of an entire cultural legacy. Ninang Riza Matibag Muyot, known affectionately as the "Coconut Chef," has dedicated her life to a mission that transcends mere cooking: she's preserving, celebrating, and reimagining the Philippines' coconut heritage as a form of living art.

A Steward of Culture Rising

Against the backdrop of Silang, Cavite's lush landscapes, Chef Ninang Riza has built something extraordinary—Shambala Silang Center for the Arts, Culture, and Ecology. This 2-hectare eco-tourist village isn't just a destination; it's a living testament to what happens when passion meets purpose. Here, traditional Filipino arts, coconut-based cuisine, and environmental consciousness converge in a harmony that speaks to both history and innovation.

But Riza's journey goes far beyond a single location. Through her multifaceted brand—encompassing CocoKusina (The Philippine Coconut Kitchen), Coconut Channel, Mana Kitchen, and her signature Mana Pulutan concept—she has created an ecosystem dedicated entirely to elevating the humble coconut from agricultural commodity to cultural icon.

The Philosophy: More Than Just Cooking

What sets Chef Ninang Riza apart isn't simply her culinary skill—it's her visionary approach to what food can represent. She has developed an entire lexicon of coconut-centered concepts that reveal the depth of her commitment:

Coconut Gastronomy represents her innovative fusion of traditional Filipino cuisine with modern creativity, transforming heritage food into works of art. Her signature Mana Pulutan concept serves heritage dishes in small plates, emphasizing the profound cultural significance of coconut-based cuisine—a presentation style that makes each bite a conversation about history, identity, and place.

But perhaps most compelling are her broader philosophies: Coconut Connection (CocoConnect) uses the coconut as a medium to bridge kitchens, communities, cultures, and traditions worldwide. Coconut Centric (CocoCentric) positions the coconut at the very core of gastronomy, cultural diplomacy, and agricultural innovation. These aren't mere marketing terms—they're frameworks for understanding food as a vehicle for cultural preservation and global connection.

Her terminology extends even further, encompassing concepts like Coconut Literacy (Cocolitracy), which educates communities about the coconut's health benefits and cultural significance; Coconut Stewards (Cocostewards or CocoAlaga), recognizing those committed to preserving coconut farming and heritage; and Coconut Empowerment (CocoPower), which focuses on empowering communities through coconut-based entrepreneurship.

From Local Stages to International Platforms

Chef Ninang Riza's influence has reached far beyond the Philippines. Her calendar of activities reads like a cultural ambassador's dream itinerary:

In May 2025, she showcased heritage coconut dishes at IFEX (International Food Exhibition) at Manila's World Trade Center, conducting live cooking demonstrations that captivated audiences. By August, she had traveled to Jordan, conducting a Coconut Food Tasting Workshop at the Philippine Embassy in Amman, where Jordanian and Filipino chefs, restaurant owners, and food enthusiasts gathered to learn about Filipino coconut heritage cuisine.

That same month, she brought Southern Luzon and Northeast Mindanao's heritage coconut dishes to life at the CARAGA Coconut Festival in Siargao Island. Come September, she was at the World Coconut Congress at the SMX Convention Center in SM Mall of Asia, demonstrating her culinary artistry to an international audience of coconut industry professionals and enthusiasts.

Her catering services have graced prestigious events, from the welcome cocktail dinner for International Buyers & Delegates of the World Coconut Congress at Ascott Hotel Makati to the cocktail dinner for the Maningning Miclat Poetry Awards and Mario Miclat Book Launching at UP Asian Center.

Making History: Food as Art

Perhaps nothing captures Chef Ninang Riza's groundbreaking vision more than her upcoming participation in ManilArt 2025. The 17th edition of this prestigious art festival, themed "Across Forms, Beyond Borders," will witness something unprecedented: Chef Ninang Riza will become the first artist to present or exhibit real food as an art form at the festival.

Scheduled for October 15, 2025, her exhibition represents a bold statement about the nature of art itself. In collaboration with renowned artists Ugu Bigyan, Agi Pagkatipunan, and Danny Rayos Del Sol, she will showcase heritage coconut dishes not merely as consumables, but as legitimate artistic expressions—works that engage all the senses, carry deep cultural meaning, and challenge conventional boundaries between culinary arts and fine arts.

This Coconut Creatives (CocoArt or CocoSining) initiative transforms coconut dishes and crafts into art forms, positioning Filipino culinary heritage within the context of contemporary artistic discourse.

The Heart of It All: Shambala Silang

At the center of Chef Ninang Riza's coconut universe sits Shambala Silang, a destination that defies simple categorization. The center encompasses a vibrant array of projects that tell the complete story of Filipino coconut culture:

Mana Kitchen serves as both restaurant and catering service, offering coconut heritage dishes created by CocoKusina. CocoKusina (Philippine Coconut Kitchen) itself functions as a research and test laboratory dedicated to exploring culinary applications of coconut products—a space where tradition meets innovation.

The Coconut Channel provides a platform for documenting and promoting the coconut's multifaceted uses, health benefits, cultural significance, and historical importance. The Tawid Art Museum & Gallery showcases Filipino art and culture, while the Lunas Etnobotanical Arboretum features a botanical garden with native and endemic trees, plants, herbs, and flowers—a living library of biodiversity.

Visitors to Shambala Silang don't just eat; they immerse themselves in a comprehensive cultural experience. The site map reveals an ambitious layout spanning 30 distinct areas, from multiple gardens (Akasya, Intramuros, Mana, Binhi, Tagpo, Sapa, Narra, Kakawate, and Araro Gardens) to cultural spaces like the Ifugao Huts, Cordillera Amphitheater, and Tam-Awan Falls. This is ecological tourism with educational depth—a place where every corner tells a story about Philippine heritage, sustainable practices, and the centrality of the coconut to Filipino identity.

Advocacy With Impact

Through Shambala Silang and her various initiatives, Chef Ninang Riza pursues clear advocacy goals that extend far beyond personal achievement:

Promoting the cultural significance and culinary potential of coconut products

Supporting sustainable coconut farming and entrepreneurship

Educating communities on the health benefits and diverse uses of coconut

Fostering innovation and creativity in coconut-based cuisine and products

By developing Shambala Silang, she has created a vibrant hub for arts, culture, and ecology—inspiring a new generation to appreciate and preserve Filipino heritage. Her dedication to promoting coconut innovation and arts has made a lasting impact on the culinary world, showcasing the versatility and richness of coconut in various aspects of Filipino culture.

Cultural Diplomacy Through Coconut

Chef Ninang Riza's work in Coconut Cultural Diplomacy demonstrates how food can serve as a bridge between nations and cultures. All her coconut expositions and food tasting workshops—whether at IFEX, the Philippine Embassy, the Ambassador's residence, or international festivals—serve a diplomatic function, introducing global audiences to Filipino culinary heritage while fostering cross-cultural understanding.

Her Coconut Literacy initiatives go beyond simple cooking demonstrations. At the Jordan International Food Festival, she taught students at Jordan Royal Academy to cook "Buko Pancit," a Filipino coconut heritage dish. She mentors culinary students in coconut-based cuisine, ensuring that the next generation possesses both the technical skills and cultural understanding necessary to carry these traditions forward.

A Vision for the Future

What makes Chef Ninang Riza's work so compelling isn't just what she's accomplished—it's the comprehensive vision she's articulated for what the coconut can represent. Her 16 distinct coconut terminologies, from CocoKusina to Coconut Entrepreneur (CocoEntrep or Cocopreneur), paint a picture of an integrated ecosystem where agriculture, culture, commerce, education, and art intersect.

Her concepts of Coconut Enterprises (CocoBisnes)—fostering business initiatives promoting coconut-based products and services—and Coconut Core Culinary Ingredients (CocoCore)—identifying key coconut ingredients for various culinary applications—demonstrate a systems-thinking approach that recognizes the coconut's potential to drive sustainable economic development while preserving cultural identity.

The Coconut Expositions (CocoExpo) concept showcases coconut applications in fairs, festivals, and events, creating public awareness and market opportunities. Meanwhile, Coconut Culture (Cocultura) works to promote the coconut's cultural significance and heritage at the most fundamental level—ensuring that Filipinos themselves don't lose touch with this central element of their identity.

The Artist at Work

In her coral-patterned traditional attire and signature Coco Kusina apron, Chef Ninang Riza embodies the bridge between past and future. Whether she's stirring a pot of coconut-based heritage dishes at a live cooking demonstration, giving tours through Shambala Silang's botanical gardens, or preparing delicate Mana Pulutan presentations for an embassy dinner, she moves with the confidence of someone who knows exactly what she's fighting for.

The images from her various events tell a consistent story: crowds gathered around her cooking stations, eager to learn; tables laden with artfully arranged coconut dishes that look too beautiful to eat; Chef Riza surrounded by students, chefs, and cultural enthusiasts from around the world—all united by curiosity about this ancient ingredient and its modern possibilities.

A Legacy in the Making

As Chef Ninang Riza prepares for her historic ManilArt 2025 exhibition, one thing becomes clear: her work represents something far more significant than culinary innovation. She is engaged in active cultural preservation—taking ingredients, techniques, and traditions that might otherwise be forgotten and repositioning them at the center of contemporary Filipino identity.

In an era of globalization that often threatens to homogenize culture, Chef Ninang Riza offers a different path: deep rootedness in place and tradition as a source of innovation, creativity, and global connection. The coconut, in her hands, becomes a lens through which we can examine questions of sustainability, cultural identity, agricultural economics, artistic expression, and international diplomacy.

Her message is ultimately one of empowerment: that communities can build sustainable futures by honoring their past, that traditional ingredients can become vehicles for cutting-edge creativity, and that something as simple as a coconut can carry the weight of an entire culture's story.

Visit, Taste, Experience

For those inspired by Chef Ninang Riza's vision, Shambala Silang Center for Arts, Culture, and Ecology awaits in Silang, Cavite. Contact information is available through their social media platforms (cocokusina, coconutchannel, manapulutan, and Shambala Silang on Facebook), or via email at shambalasilang2008@gmail.com, or by phone at 0927 594 0337 / 0968 400 6949.

Whether you're a culinary enthusiast, cultural advocate, environmental educator, or simply someone who appreciates the intersection of tradition and innovation, the story of Coconut Chef Ninang Riza Matibag Muyot offers inspiration. She proves that one person with a clear vision, deep commitment, and creative approach can indeed preserve a cultural legacy—and in doing so, create something entirely new.

As she prepares to present coconut gastronomy as fine art at ManilArt 2025, Chef Ninang Riza stands at the forefront of a movement that recognizes food not just as sustenance, but as heritage, art, diplomacy, and hope. The humble coconut, through her vision, has become nothing less than a symbol of Filipino resilience, creativity, and cultural pride—proving that sometimes, the most profound transformations begin with the simplest ingredients.