My love affair with EDGEDavao started when I left the first local newspaper which I spent my 18 years as an editorial cartoonist. The Mindanao Daily Mirror. It was in MDM newspaper where my first editorial cartoon was first published sometime in October of 1989. I was then a campus writer of the USP's Collegiate Headlight( ed-chief and at the same time, the ed cartoonist). During our time, "uso sa una ang editor in chief mao pud editorial cartoonist." To name a few good friends (way back in late early '90s), Fernando "dodong' Zamora of Holy Cross of Davao College and Julius Bulacito of University of Mindanao, Niel Bravo of Ateneo de Davao University were campus paper ed-chiefs and ed-cartoonists at the same time. (mga talentadong rare breed)
I applied for a job (as editorial cartoonist) in MDM, and being a female was my advantage. Only very few female were into cartooning then.. I remember it right. My first published cartoon was a human figure with big head (of course with big hard hat helmet and my topic was about the potholes of road constructions done by DPWH). DPWH was usually harshly criticized that time because of massive corruption gnawing the agency and the inefficiency of many of its high ranking personnel which resulted in unfinished roadworks. I was put on probation for one week as MDM's cartoonist "para titingnan kung ok ba ang aking mga cartoons". And that one week was unforgettable. And so was my 18 years in MDM's turf which gave me my grand slam wins on the Catholic Mass Media Awards in year 2000 and 2002. It was also with MDM where my first comisc strip "Kosme" ( a strip where cavemen were main characters) and then the "Monkey Business" were born.
March of 2018, I left MDM with heavy heart and joined the EDGE Davao family. I mean with really "heavy heart" because I knew my 18 years with MDM had developed me into what I am now as a cartoonist. Professionally, I've grown as a cartoonist. But I had to leave because I wanted my editorial cartoons to "grow". I wanted Monkey Business to grow too.
Seven years and getting stronger with EDGEDAVAO? Actually, it's another seven more years of this love affair to go.
P.S
Recently, I've been surfing the net and i noticed that my cartoons can now be found in page one.(happy ako, of course!!) Also, many of my cartoons are being used by many blogs. Hmmm... I have no qualms about it. As long as my cartoons serve its purpose (which is to help the people form public opinion about certain issues),I don't mind them being republished in other blogs.
MONKEYBusiness
is my daily comic strip published by the edgeDAVAO.
THIS strip revolves around the life of MUCH OPINIONATED monkey and a
scheming turtle OF FEW WORDS ( if he's a man, he would appropriately be described
as man of few words). The third character is a nameless worm which is the PUNCHER
because of its" barby" punchlines and nice quotes..
