Kirby Gaitano

Sometimes, life pulls you in all sorts of directions you never expect it would.   I never imagined that casually posting travel photos during college would eventually lead me here. Back then, it was just about sharing the beauty of my hometown. Sunsets over quiet beaches, weekend hikes, street food discoveries. I didn’t think much of it. It was just me, my phone and camera, and a desire to capture moments that felt special. Then came “Ma, ok lang ko.” A simple phrase. A raw post. And somehow, it spread faster than I could process, and suddenly, I wasn’t just sharing pictures, I was telling stories people connected with. That moment made me realize the power of of authenticity, of showing up online not just with curated perfection, but with truth. Those were real intentions and real experiences. No sugarcoating.  Now, we live in a time where we share everything—what we hear, what we see, what we feel. And in the middle of that constant stream of content, I found a space where I...

On September 26, 2025, Davao City marked a cultural milestone with its very first Culture, Arts, and Heritage Summit held at Holy Cross of Davao College. The event was co-organized by Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev), in partnership with the Davao City Office for Culture and the Arts (OCA), the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CLAFI), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). More than 300 creatives, artists, and cultural workers from 16 different sectors — including music, film, design, literature, gastronomy, architecture, and heritage conservation — gathered to share ideas, tackle challenges, and collaborate on shaping the future of Davao’s cultural identity. A Space for Dialogue and Collaboration The summit served as a platform for meaningful conversations about the role of culture in building inclusive and livable communities. Alsons Dev President and CEO Miguel A. Dominguez d...

We all have that favorite burger we can't stop thinking about. For Marshall Eriksen in How I Met Your Mother , it was a tiny, forgotten joint in New York that served what he called the best burger of his life . He spent an entire episode chasing that memory, not just for the taste, but for the feeling it gave him. For me, that burger moment happened in Siargao, back in 2017. It wasn’t just a meal, it was an experience. Jalapeños brought the heat, cream cheese cooled it down, and a perfectly fried egg sealed the deal. The usual suspects were there too: juicy beef patty, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, and a soft bun that held it all together like a warm hug after a surf session. And now? I’ve found its twin at Zark’s. A dupe so close, it’s like biting into nostalgia. Just like Marshall’s quest, rediscovering this burger felt like reclaiming a piece of myself, proof that sometimes, the best things in life do come around twice. I was really craving that burger, but you know, one can’t jus...