Rogue.ph

Sculpted from sand and clay, and carved out of the natural contours of the land, Zeli and Joni Balao-Strugar built their self-sustaining Benguet home purely “on intuition,” inspired by the organic architecture of Hundertwasser and the spiritual philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. Karla P. Delgado spends a misty afternoon with the Croatian-Filipino family at their clay house in the clouds—and leaves with a healthy respect for alternative living.

Perhaps one of the most affecting essays published in Rogue last year, “Satellite of Love” was a painfully honest depiction of the author’s experiences dealing with his mother’s mental deterioration. It was written several years ago and won a Palanca but had never been published. This year, with her death, Tad Ermitaño writes an epilogue to the story, a fitting requiem to both the piece and its subject.

Columbia in the 80s: Bombings, kidnappings, and all sorts of mayhem reigned the country—and citizens had to wear bulletproof vests. Then college student Miguel Caballero saw that while the vests did their job, they were an eyesore—bulky, heavy, and ugly. So, he decided to launch his own line. Today, his company produces the most stylish bulletproof clothing you can ever find. Caballero welcomed Jonathan Franklin inside his factory to spell out the science behind his business. Unfortunately for Franklin, the only way to validate the potency of Caballero’s products was to get shot by a .38 pistol just off his ribs.