TAHANAN POTTERY: Where Clay Finds Its Pulse

Wazzup Pilipinas?! 

Tahanan Pottery Shop and Studio presented its October Fiesta 2025, last October 18 at Scout Tobias Street in Diliman, Quezon City, with the theme, Where Clay Finds Its Pulse—gathering multiple artistic set pieces from Tahanan Artists.

Artists and founders Rita Badilla-Gudiño and Vicente Gudiño spearheaded the annual event. Rita is also an associate professor at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts.

Opening festivities began at 1 p.m. with a private viewing and a media call to TIBOK: Vessels of Form and Pulse. The initial program gave first-hand access to captivating ceramic works by 27 Tahanan Pottery artists, featuring the heart organ symbolizing the rhythm and pulse of the human spirit.

A Pottery Workshop also gave visitors a chance to try pottery art. The activity offered an opportunity to have a piece fired, with the participants covering the costs of clay and firing at only 250 pesos. 

The activities continued with a book launch from British Artist Louisa Taylor, the author of the Ceramics Bible and Ceramics Masterclass, where Rita Badilla-Gudiño is a featured artist. 

Louisa Taylor, a ceramist, hails from the Royal College of Art in London, UK. Taylor is currently in the country for a series of visits to the University of the Philippines on October 21, Pinto Art Museum and Crescent Moon and Pottery Studio on October 22, John and Tessy Pettyjohn Pottery Studios on October 23, and Rita Gudino Pottery Studio on October 25 to cap off the tour.

When asked about the differences between the Philippines and the UK in ceramic art, Louisa said, “The sense of unity is powerful for Philippine artists in terms of bringing people together, whereas in the UK it’s more of that sense of individuality as a medium.”

Rita Badilla-Gudiño, the host of the October Fiesta, delivered the opening remarks. She also introduced the guests and gave a sneak peek at her renowned work, “LUAL,” which depicts a kiln and symbolizes the process of giving birth. 

Moreover, the program showcased a cultural performance from Kontra-Gapi, Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino, a Resident Ethnic Music and Dance Ensemble from the College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines Diliman, and a captivating presentation from Carlito Amalla, a renowned visual artist from the Agusanon Manobo tribe.

The Sining Tahanan Ceramic Art Fair Ribbon Cutting formally opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring TIBOK: Vessels of Form and Pulse, highlighting the artistry and ceramic works of 27 Tahanan Pottery Artists.

A follow-up event called Laguna Porcelain and Raku Clay Day will be held on October 25 at the Tahanan Pottery Shop and Studio. An immersive workshop and demonstration will bring together the works of Rita Badilla-Gudiño and Louisa Taylor.

The Grand Finale is set for November 8, where a year-end sale launch awaits guests and participants. A raffle draw and discount coupons will be offered to attendees, and a workshop that will cap off the October Fiesta. 

Rita Badilla-Gudiño ended the entire festivities with a profound quote that ignited the creativity and passion of artists and enthusiasts alike. She emphasized that clay is not merely a material but a profound language of love and creativity. 

Badilla-Gudiño also urged everyone to continue molding fire and sharing the spirit of Tahanan in every piece created, fostering a sense of unity and connection among all.

Written by Renz Marrion Delim 

TEATRO TOMASINO BINUBUKSAN ANG IKA-48 TAONG PANAHON NITO SAPRODUKSYONG “KONTRATA KONTRA TAO”

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

MANILA PHILIPPINES—Inihahandog ng Teatro Tomasino, ang premier theater guild ng Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas, ang pagtatanghal ng dalawang dula na malikhang sumusuri sa pagkawala ng katarungan sahanay ng mga manggagawa. Ang Kontrata Kontra Tao ay dalawang dulang sumusuri sa peligro ng trabahong marahas at Twin Bill na binubuo ng “Joe Cool: Aplikante” ni Joshua Lim So at “Absurdo: Event Day” ni BJ Crisostomo, sa direksyon nina Ingrid Joyce, Angel Ocampo, at Marga Alfar.

Sa panahon kung saan patuloy na laganap ang karahasan sa sistema ng trabaho, ang produksyon ay nagsisilbing tulay upang mabigyang pribilehiyo ang manonood na maunawaan kung paano unti-unti at kolektibong mabubuwag ang kapaitang matagal nang naka-ukit sa proseso ng pagtrabaho.

Ngayong ika-48 na taon ng Teatro Tomasino, muling naipamamalas ang talento at kasanayan sa larangan ng sining gawa ng pagsunod sa tema na “Sibol” na may layunin na pagyamanin ang kakayahan na maging alas ng sining, sa bawat yugto at bawat puso. Kung kaya’t ang pagbibigay buhay sa Twin Bill na ito ay bunga ng pagsibol ng masining at makabuluhang pagkamit ng kaginhawaan sa hangin ng trabahong patuloy na pumipiring at humahadlang.

Ang Kontrata Kontra Tao ay itatanghal sa Nobyembre 13 (12NH, 3 NH at 6 NG), Nobyembre 14 at 15 (10 NU, 12:30, 3 NH at 6 NG), at Nobyembre 16 (11NU, 2NH at 5NH) na gaganapin sa UST Miguel de Benavides Auditorium University of Santo Tomas. Para sa mga ticket inquiries at karagdagang detalye, bisitahin ang Teatro Tomasino - UST sa Facebook at Instagram o lapitan sina Kervin Nobleza (0915 1235959) at Christian Ayque (0905 364 0166)

From Ideas to Impact: Taiwan Takes Center Stage at the Asia Pacific Circular Economy Roundtable & Hotspot 2025

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

In late October 2025, Taipei became more than just a city: it became an epicenter for circular-economy ambition. The joint forum of the 2nd Asia Pacific Circular Economy Roundtable (APCER) and the inaugural Asia‑Pacific Circular Economy Hotspot invites governments, business leaders, innovators and civil-society actors to unite under one banner: “Leading Circular Collaboration.” 

With Taiwan hosting the first Hotspot in the Asia-Pacific region, the stakes were high — and the symbolism unmistakable. This is a call to turn circular economy from theory into scale; from pilot projects into industrial systems; from “good ideas” into “good business.” 

Why this event matters — and why now

Global resource flows are under stress. Manufacturing hubs in the Asia-Pacific face rising environmental burdens: material scarcity, supply‐chain disruption, waste leakage into oceans and communities. The linear “take-make-dispose” model is failing not only the planet, but competitive business models.

Enter the circular economy: a paradigm where resource loops are closed, value is retained, and business models shift from volume to value, from ownership to service. Taiwan isn’t just embracing this shift — it seeks to lead it. The host nation boasts municipal recycling rates of 59 % and industrial rates up to 85 % as of 2023. 

The event’s thematic engine is anchored in what the organisers call the “Circular Trilogy”:

Good Ideas → the innovations and design thinking around circular business models

Good Governance → policy frameworks, regulatory instruments, international collaboration

Good Business → deploying scalable value chains, commercial viability, circular supply-chains 

By bringing these three together, the 2025 Roundtable & Hotspot is positioned as much more than a conference — it is a launch-pad for action across borders and sectors.

What’s on offer: Program highlights & immersive experiences

Immersive site visits

On 21 October, attendees embarked on six themed industry tours, showcasing Taiwan’s circular economy in action:

Agriculture & Food

Textiles

High-tech & Electronics

Architecture & Construction

Plastics & Packaging

Community-driven circular business models 

These tours promise real-world immersion — from biomaterial agriculture to reuse loops in textiles, from industrial symbiosis in electronics to circular building in architecture.

The conference days: 22-23 October

Key themes include:

Policy & Governance: outlining how governments and regulators enable circular transitions

Financial Enablers: exploring financing, investment, business incentives for circular models

Business Transformation: how companies pivot from linear to circular operations

Trade & Traceability: supply-chain transparency, material passports, cross-border flows

Consumer Engagement: lifestyle transformation, circular procurement, zero-waste living 

Exhibition & Networking — The “Circular-Cross Expo”

Running 23-26 October at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, this expo brings the circular economy into tactile form:

Showcase of benchmark enterprises, circular start-ups, industrial transformation models

AI-powered matchmaking for cross-border partnerships

Workshops and lifestyle experiences where circular design becomes everyday practice 

Taiwan’s Circulation Story: From Policy to Practice

The backdrop to this event was Taiwan’s own circular economy journey — and it’s a rich one. Taiwan has embedded resource circulation and net-zero ambitions into national strategy: in 2022 it added “resource circulation zero waste” into its net-zero roadmap. 

Some key pillars:

Closed-loop recycling in hard-to‐manage sectors (textiles, plastics, electronics)

Industrial symbiosis: high-tech sector turns resource scarcity into impetus for reuse, regeneration 

Policy mechanisms: circular procurement, industrial alliances, ecosystem networks driving the transition 

By hosting the Asia-Pacific Hotspot, Taiwan invites the region to “step inside” its operations — not merely admire them from afar. It positions itself not only as practitioner but as hub for cross-border collaboration. 

Connecting to the International Workshop on Circular Economy & Sustainable Policy

Alongside the Roundtable & Hotspot, Taiwan also hosted the International Workshop on Circular Economy and Sustainable Policy Implementation — a complementary forum spotlighting evidence, policy frameworks and scaling mechanisms for circular transition. 

This workshop is important because it directly engages with the “governance” pillar of the circular trilogy: bringing policy makers, researchers and practitioners together to discuss how circular economy principles become embedded into national policy, supply-chain regulation, public procurement and funding mechanisms.

It signals that the 2025 week in Taipei wasn’t just about showcasing innovation — it is about operational-ising it: policy → governance → business.

Why stakeholders should care now

Businesses: This is a unique opportunity to partner, network and integrate into Asia-Pacific supply-chains shifting to circular models. The matchmaking sessions and Expo deliver concrete collaboration platforms.

Policy makers: The event offered a living laboratory — Taiwan’s experience is both a model and a spring-board. Lessons learned can shape national circular road-maps across the region.

Investors & financiers: As circular economy evolves, the risk/return profiles of resource‐efficient, regenerative business models are changing — this event surfaces early signals.

Start-ups & innovators: Immersive site-visits and the expo provide exposure to industrial ecosystems, potential pilots, and scaling opportunities across sectors.

Civil society & researchers: From consumer engagement to lifecycle assessment, the event deep-dives into how circular economy is not just industrial, but societal — how it affects daily lives, behaviours and communities.

What to watch — key questions and themes

From pilot to scale: Many circular economy initiatives remain niche or local. Can Taiwan’s ecosystem showcase how to scale efficiently?

Cross-border collaboration: Circularity often means supply chains and material flows that transcend borders. How will the event enable meaningful international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific?

Governance and measurement: Good governance means rules, incentives, metrics. Will national circular road-maps move from abstract to actionable — with measurable outcomes?

Business viability: Circular economy is often pitched as “good for the planet” — but must also be “good for business”. Which sectors and models prove both?

Consumer & lifestyle integration: Industrial transformation is one thing — but circularity also requires consumer behaviour change, urban infrastructure, service-design. How visible was that at the event?

A Spotlight on the “2050 Circular Economy Roadmap”

The timelines stretching to 2030 and then 2050 underscores the long-view orientation of Taiwan’s strategy. By 2050 Taiwan aims for net-zero and full circular economy. The path from today to 2030 and then 2050 is broken into key domains: legislation/regulation, eco-design/upstream reduction, circular procurement, energy/resource efficiency, technology innovation, education & training.

This long-horizon roadmap illustrates two truths:

Circular transformation is systemic — it spans multiple sectors (textiles, plastics, high-tech, construction) and multiple stakeholders (government, industry, academic, civil society).

Momentum matters: the sooner action accelerates, the more feasible the 2050 vision becomes. The 2025 event is a catalytic moment — not a final chapter.

Looking ahead: what this means for the Asia-Pacific region

By hosting the first Asia-Pacific CE Hotspot, Taiwan signals regional leadership — but the success of the event depends on the region showing up. The Asia-Pacific is home to critical material flows, manufacturing hubs, and waste streams — and therefore critical opportunity. The event is thus both symbolic and strategic: symbolically, it claims Taiwan as a circular pivot; strategically, it invites the region to integrate and collaborate.

For other Asia-Pacific nations, this forum offered:

A chance to benchmark against Taiwan’s progress — both the achievements and the challenges.

An opportunity to connect with supply-chains and innovation networks shifting to circularity.

A platform to influence regional frameworks, standards, and trade practices around circular materials and resource flows.

In Closing: The Call to Action

“Leading Circular Collaboration” is more than a catchy theme — it is a demand. The climate crisis, resource depletion and waste accumulation are not distant threats: they are today’s reality. The 2025 Roundtable & Hotspot in Taipei invites us not to admire circular economy from afar, but to immerse, connect, transform.

Taiwan has rolled out the red carpet — now the global circular economy community must step in. If the event succeeds in turning good ideas into good business, underpinned by good governance — then the impact will ripple beyond Taipei. The Asia-Pacific could become the next great frontier of circular transition.

For participants, like Ross Flores Del Rosario, Director of Bayanihan Para Sa Kalikasan Movement (BKM) and the founder of Wazzup Pilipinas, who attended the event in Taiwan, one message stands out: don’t just observe circular economy — become part of its evolution.