Former Lodgings

RE de Leon is a Filipino Novelist and Businessman based in Agoo, La Union in the Philippines. He recently resigned as a professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

To learn more about RE de Leon, visit his friendster account

To learn more about the Ma-Yi Novel Trilogy project, please await new updates at the new Ma-Yi blog page


This site is under heavy construction.

Please visit it again for more updates, coming soon.

Why "Other Stories"?

The theme of "other stories" has followed me around since my gradeschool days. (Hence "alternativity" which has been my email avatar since college.)

The basic idea is that there are certain stories that have not really found their way into the our society's conversation.

These stories (or approaches to stories) rarely find their way into the headlines, dont get discussed in polite conversation, and are only breezed through in university lectures.

They are, among others,

- the story of a sixth-grade pupil whose intellectual exploration the teacher dismisses as hubris.

- the story of an educator who finds he has more questions than answers.

- the story of a development advocate who isn't quite convinced he's advocating the right approach to development.

- the story of a storyteller in a land where stories are considered distractions from the necessary tasks of daily drudgery.

If the list seem's self centered, I'm afraid that's because a writer is limited by his formative experiences.

On the other hand, that's the point, isn't it?

The entire philosophy of focusing on "Other Stories" is summed up in the act of saying "Hey, look! My story is important too!"

Not because I have unusually important stories to tell, but because we all do.

In the end, the philosophy of "Other Stories" is about empowerment.

My story is important. Your story is important. These other stories that routinely get ignored? They matter.

They say the pen has a power that is far greater than the sword.

Here's to spreading that power a bit.

Here's to...

... the other stories.

Other Stories Mourns the passing of Corazon C. Aquino (1933-2009)

There are no words now to describe all that you have given us. Time and again we asked too much of you, and you did not disappoint. May your memory inspire us for so long as our great nation still stands, and beyond. Thank you, Corazon C. Aquino,... more

Previous blog entries:
Jul 20	-	Let's go Voltron force!
Jul 19	-	Farewell, Francis "Frank" McCourt (19 August 1930 – 19 July 2009)
Jul 18	-	That's the way it is. Farewell, Walter Cronkite (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009)

All I have is this Multiply, Keyboard and the Truth

"There must be some kind of way out of here," said the joker to the thief. "There's so much confusion.I can't get no relief. Businessmen, they drink my wine; plowmen dig my earth... none of them along the line know what any of it is worth."

"No... more

Previous playlists:
Jun 4	-	Frail

BE WARNED, Extremely Graphic: Young girl shot in protests - Iranian Riots & Regime Brutality(June 20th)

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neda_(Iranian_protester )

"Neda" was allegedly a 16 year old Iranian girl whose killing during the 2009 Iranian election protests was captured on video by bystanders.[1] The graphic videos were posted on the... more

Previous videos:
Apr 15	-	Switchfoot, soundchecking the Prince Caspian OST Song "This is Home"
Dec 20	-	"To speak for all generations to come" - words from Rio(1992)
Dec 17	-	The Dark Night Trailer