Wala lang : 500-word articles on Philippine life and culture

The book consists of 120 Pieces on Philippine Life and Culture published in the Manila Bulletin on Mondays, from August 3, 2009, to November 23, 2011, under the Column Title, “Wala Lang“. Much of a columnist’s agony occurs when thinking of what to write to meet the (Normally) immovable deadline, 3:00 O’clock P.M. Fridays in my case. The broader the column’s scope, the lesser the agony. The “Ultimate escape Clause” is what writer Monina Mercado called the Column’s title. It translates to “Just nothing,” thereby allowing for just about anything. Except for the first two pieces, all articles have exactly 500 words, editor Bel De Leon’s response when I asked how long each piece should be. I took her at her word and while the first two pieces are of uneven length, they add up to a thousand words. This has made column writing more of a game.