M.C. Tolfo - Storywriter

It's been a while since the last time I updated this blog. I tried so many times to resurrect this, proved by the various unfinished drafts here and in my Google Docs, but to no avail. With this new year, I promised myself to update this more often, and since there's no new story ready in hand, it wouldn't be bad to start by making a list of five  six contemporary Filipino books that I recommend to every bookworm out there who wants to see how our local writers fare in literature (and in case the only Filipino books you know are Noli and Fili) or, you know, you're looking for more books to read for 2016. 1. ABNKKBSNPLAko?  by Bong Ong   A staple favorite of teenagers and young adults, this book touches on the life a typical Filipino student. Reading it now is like life pressing all the nostalgia buttons. I was in High School when I first saw this, and this is the first Filipino book I've read that is not written by Rizal and is not a romance novel. (technicall...

Ang buhay ay isang pagsusulat, tayo ang writer at ang obra ay ang ating sarili. May mga taong goal-oriented , yung mga tipong isusulat muna nila kung ano ang gusto nilang marating ng kuwento at saka ilalahad ng maayos ang buong katha. Kumbaga ay narito ang climax , ang pinakamasayang parte ng iyong buhay, ang happy ending na hindi naman talaga ending , ang sukdulan ng tensyon; at narito ka, sa ibaba, dahan-dahan at isa-isa mong inilalatag ang hagdan upang ang climax ay iyong maabot. Para kang pumapadyak sa accelerator hanggang sa tuluyang umandar ang sasakyan; para kang umaakyat sa bundok hanggang makarating sa tuktok. Mahirap ang mga pagdadaanan mo, pero in the end , sulit kasi pinagplanuhan mong maigi ang lahat. Pero minsan, sadyang may hindi umaayon sa plano mo. Punong-puno ng conflict . Biglang ganito, biglang ganyan; akala mo ganito, akala mo ganyan; tapos may susulpot na pasaway, sisirain ang lahat ng plano mo. Minsan darating sa buhay mo na tinatamad ka nang magsulat, na p...

[September 2007] It ’s nice to think that there is an increasing number of so-called “student leaders” nowadays who are willing to risk even their own studies in order to heed the call of leadership. But it’s also sad to know that there are leaders who don’t project a good example on leadership. It’s very disappointing, especially when their steps are the ones the youth today are expected to follow, instead, they are the ones who promote being unprofessional. Be professional, learn to listen . I know it will hurt our pride, but, like what they say, listening is not fatal. Listening suggests your appreciation of what others say. It’s not because you’re in a position above others, then you already own the monopoly for speaking. As a matter of fact, learning starts from listening, and since every one of us has our own needs for learning, we all need to listen. Be professional, observe punctuality. Time is important to everyone. Unfortunately, each one is still struggling to manage eve...

One thing life thought me was that, you should never find happiness from other people. No, you don't need to be a loner, or alienate yourself from the rest of the world. You don't have to be an island. Humans are social beings, and we definitely need other people to last 60-90 years of our life. What I am saying is we should not let other people be our basis for our happiness. If we want to be happy, we should be happy because of ourselves. Not a tough thing to do, right? We start finding happiness by loving ourselves. Remember that famous verse Jesus said in the Bible? "You shall love your neighbor". Seems pretty easy, you say. Jesus here actually is technically saying that we should love almost everyone around us. We should love our family, our friends, our wife or husband, the cleaning lady next door, the traffic enforcer from across the street, everyone! This is one-half of what Jesus referred to as the "greatest commandment". But this commandment act...

I have a female friend during college. We were close, and we were always together. One day, she told me the story of her life, it was pretty sad. At first, I reacted negatively, I wondered  how she became so immature, stupid and careless. But then, I realize, aren't we all immature, stupid and careless at some point in our life? Isn't that the whole point of living? We commit mistakes because that's what we are, fragile, but on the other hand, we also have the ability to correct those mistakes and most of all, learn from them. This is her story. Ang Mabagal na Pagdaan ng Apat na Taon sa Aking Buhay Apat na taon na ang lumipas, ano na bang nagbago? Sa tuwing tumitingin ako sa salamin, tulad parin naman ng dati. Pumayat lang ng konti, tumangkad lang ng konti, pero tulad pa rin ng dati. Ako pa rin ito, ang babaeng minahal mo noon. Nag-mature lang siguro ng konti ang pananaw ko ngayon, pero dulot lang 'yon ng apat na taong mabagal na dumaan sa buhay ko. Apat na taon...

Sometimes we can't help but to live on dreams... Matalino ka, isang henyo. Halimaw ang tawag sa iyo ng mga classmate mo, hindi kasi utak ng tao ang nasa loob ng bungo mo. Para sa iyo sisiw lang ang mga bagay na gabundok ang hirap para sa lahat. Hindi sa 'yo uso ang salitang imposible. Kaya mong gawing madali kahit ang pinaka-komplikadong bagay. Ikaw ang tipo ng taong gagawin ang lahat matupad lang ang mga pangarap...maliban na lang sa isa. Maganda siya, mabait at matalino bagamat hindi 'sing-talino mo. Noong una mo siyang makita, inamin mo na agad sa sarili mo na may gusto ka na sa kanya. S**t! Nakahanap ka rin ng katapat mo. Ngunit binawi mo ang lahat. Pilit mong pinapaniwala ang sarili mo na wala kang gusto sa kanya, hindi ka puwedeng magkagusto sa kanya. Para sa iyo, mas superyor ang utak kaysa puso kaya hindi ka puwedeng magpadala sa nararamdaman nito. Hindi puwede, hindi dapat. Pero ano 'to? Sa tuwing nakikita mo siya bumibigay ang kabuuan mo, bumabagsak an...