October 2023

Liane Carlo R. Suelan is from Davao City. He is a Bachelor of Arts in Literature student at the University of the Philippines Visayas. His works can be found in Dagmay, and Novice Magazine: Chastity Issue. He was also a fellow at the 19th San Agustin Writers Workshop and the 2019 Davao Writers Workshop. He likes carabaos and seeks soup, especially sinigang, everywhere, in any weather.

  • From the Top of the Bridge

    The river chokes on logs, fallen palm branches, and garbage; on plastic and dead dreams from upstream. From the top of the bridge, the stench of decay assaults my nostrils, and my nose wrinkles in protest. I watch the people below, who live in houses like matchboxes by a stream of spilt gravy over rice,…

  • For Simon

    say nation––but only once, at the start say tomorrow will be different say otherwise, tomorrow will have           no difference say people are not people, they are decimal places say amen, second coming, red crucifix, preyed for us say accomplice, say ignorance, nothing accomplished say fire at close range, closed case, gasoline say poor, many times,…

  • Evidence

    I refuse to find proof of innocence. The halls of court are narrow and dim, the air reeks of age and names forgotten. They shot him in plain sight: seventeen witnesses to the cry for help, begging for another twenty-four hours to breathe. He was given thirty bullets to the chest, said the coroner. Points…

  • Salt and Coffee

    The Neuro-Psychiatric Examination tests the mental stability, adaptability, and psychological functioning of applicants before they are recruited into service. The purpose of the exam is to filter applicants if they are suitable for the uniformed services of the government.   Here are 6 Important Tips to Pass the Neuro-Psychiatric Exam. Manage your time during the exam…

  • Reclaiming Narratives: EliBarra Fix-it Fanfiction as a Queer Reparative Reading of Noli Me Tangere

    In 2012, the first fanfiction work entitled The Truth (Ang Katotohanan) dedicated to the pair of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere characters Elias and Crisostomo Ibarra—known as “EliBarra” by their supporters, derived from the combination of both names—was uploaded to Archive of Our Own (AO3), an online non-profit platform for fan works. Ever since then,…