Denice
De Guzman

She/Her

Hello! You've found my portfolio!My name is Denice and I write, edit and produce various kinds of content — from editorial articles to digital marketing to content conceptualization and moderation. Here are some of my favorite pieces:

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Podcasting

MeLoreDrama talks about creatures from Philippine Mythologies and the stories we make for them. In MeLoreDrama, we are discovering new creatures; the scary, the interesting, and uniquely Filipino in flavor, and plugging them into new stories. Produced, hosted and co-founded with Juabe Inciong.

Others

Created by my siblings in response to being tasked as "tributes" during the Philippine community quarantine, this Facebook Group grew astronomically almost overnight. As their eldest sister, they asked me for help in drafting rules, moderating members and keeping the community a healthy and safe space for young people to become better at being an adult and being a responsible, well-informed Filipino.

Catscratch Club is a pop-up event outfit responsible for random shenanigans in the city: Sing-alongs and Lip Sync Battles and Soirees and Dad Joke Battles, and more.

Metro Manila's first-ever comedic erotica live reading show, where guests enjoy a good laugh about dangerous, dirty things in a safe, clean environment. Deus Sex Machina (DSM) was a regular feature at the annual Fringe Festival, including those held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Yuchengco Museum at the RCBC Plaza.

Contact

I am a person of many different interests!
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Interested to know more about my work?
Check out my resumé below:

All Rights Reserved | © De Guzman 2021

Bacolod: Bacolod’s Buena Vida
|| Asian Traveler Magazine

Published digitally and in print in September 2014.

The New Bacolod-Silay Airport was busy but not chaotic. Taxi drivers barked for passengers to ferry, but it was a far cry from the density and panic of busier airports. It is impressive that even at its doorways, Bacolod knows how to do subtle.Of course, Bacolod City is still provincial and the lifestyle is a slowed down version of Manila. Viaje Negrense Tours flew us in a week before the Masskara, and even in the bustle of the preparations of Negros Island’s biggest festival, there is a prevalent haze of refined restraint superimposed on the crowds. The city girl in me is glad that here, there is activity after 8 P.M.; the nightlife offers a choice of club music, art exhibit openings, drinking strips or simply having coffee and desserts at Cookies N’ Crumbs to catch up with friends. There is a casino but most people would find their gambling fix in cockfighting derbies. Undeniably, Bacolod bears the unseen sigil of a small cosmopolitan town, where people have enough time and disposable income to indulge. On the other hand, you will not see here the bright lights of Vegasian proportions. No, you go to Bacolod for its quiet affluence and sophisticated tastes.A finer way of living“Bacolodnons have a higher standard,” said tour guide Bambi Borromeo. “And it’s not just the alta de sociedad families.” At Aida’s, he said, he once overheard regular folk debating the subtle differences of the inasal along Manukan Country. It is this distinction and enlightened palate that makes Bacolod food irresistible despite the fact that many restaurants were put up by people who did not go through formal training. “Negrenses are proud of their food,” said Sugarland Hotel manager Toots Sison, and we find that that is an understatement. To be oido, a Spanish term for someone who can replicate music through just listening to it, is almost a common thing in Bacolod: only, Bacolodnons do it with food.At Wamba’s, a newly opened bistro at The Azotea arcade, we experienced our first foray into Bacolod’s impeccable palate. Fini Alonso opened this restaurant on her mother’s 90th birthday, as homage to Lilia Tomasa’s Sunday luncheons. “I like calling it ‘Homestyle Tisoy cuisine’,” Fini said. Lunches were slow luxurious affairs, and partaking of the acclaimed corned beef steak and comforting habichuelas at Wamba’s was a peek into that culture. It was not hard to imagine the wooden tables here to be laden with food, the flurry of the typical Filipino family a blur around it.In Bacolod, family is still very important, and at every turn, the surnames become more familiar: the Luzuriagas who donated the land where the city hall stands, the Aranetas whose legacy marked one of the main thoroughfares of Bacolod City, the Lacsons and the Locsins who hailed from Chinese-Filipino tradesmen, the Lizareses who own the in-city resort Palmas del Mar, the Villanuevas, the Montelibanos.To do more than live; to thrive“When God scattered white sandy beaches, he must have been mad at us,” Bambi said one night as we ate dinner. “On the other hand, He gave us volcanic soil that makes sugar cane sweeter.” It seems like a fair trade-off. Despite the lack of the usual breathtaking beaches that the Visayas is known for, the northern part of Negros Island makes up for it with bustling city life and culture. That which makes the beaches silty and unswimmable has let anything planted in Negrense soil thrive, catapulting Bacolod’s economy with a verve that could rival the nation’s capital.It is impossible to be in Bacolod and not feel the reverb of the sugar industry. Quaint vintage trucks haul the year’s harvest to and from Bacolod and its surrounding cities, the lifestyle mirrors the lifecycle of the sugarcane, the culture builds around the rise and fall of the sugar trade. Hard to believe, but the Negros Island was largely uninhabited aside from the Ati tribes that lived here until the late 1890s. That era witnessed the “sugar rush” from Iloilo to the Negros Island, with many ancestral families like the Lopezes, famous owners of ABS-CBN, staking claim in many lands for the sought-after “white gold”.Such a rush, of course, harbors a community organically, and the Hawaiian Philippine Silay Corp. is no exception. It houses a community of its own, complete with a school, church and plantation-style housing for its employees. We toured the facility to gain insight into one of Bacolod’s distinct products: sugar, muscovado in particular. Once upon a time, raw sugarcane was fed into a press pulled by a carabao, but today’s modern technologies have rendered the carabao-pulling for nothing but show. Regardless, the process at the Hawaiian Philippine Silay Corp. stays true to its traditional roots, the middle ground between the efficiency of mechanical presses and handling, and the soul of manual labor. The traditional kawa, the huge metal bowl used to condense and distill the sugar cane juice, has been replaced by a row of metal vats that increased in temperature as the juice reached the consistency of caramel toffee. The caramel is then set to a metal plate to be shoveled into submission. It is an interesting experience to see the poured liquid sugar slowly transform into a peanut butter-like quality before crystallizing and starting to look more like the powdered bronze substance that has launched Bacolod from dense forests into the progressive and beautiful city it is now famous for.The sweet lifeSugar cane is the renaissance man’s trade. It takes 10 months to grow, and there is nothing else to do for those quiet months as the sugar thrives on its own. Many plantation owners would plant their crops early in the year, and then luxuriate until September and October for ‘galing,’ harvest time.In the days when the sugar is taking its time to mature, farmers have to find ways to amuse themselves. Sugar was a lucrative business—harvest time usually renders enough to last them the rest of the ‘dead months’ and then some. That much idle time could understandably breed a culture of perceived laziness, although the great will always find the time to make it worthwhile.Some plantation owners traveled: to imbathe in the cultures of Manila, the US, Europe, because they have the money and the time to do so. It is clear that these trips have influenced the upwardly mobile of Bacolodnons at that time: houses along the thoroughfare from Silay City to Bacolod boast of impressive architecture, and museums and provincial buildings tell of a time when art was more than a caprice; it was the way of life.It is this zeitgeist of cultural influence and economic mobility that allowed for farmers like Generoso Villanueva to build an ancestral home ahead of his time. The Daku Balay is a boat-shaped building on Burgos Street, arguably the biggest residential art deco structure in the country. If the exterior was mind-boggling to 1930s Bacolodnons, the interiors are as awe-inspiring to both tourists and locals alike now that it’s open for tours. Like The Ruins in Silay City that has already garnered its fair share of media mileage, Daku Balay presents Bacolod in the context of its artistic genius.Beneath the Masskara smileHarvest was also the time for the annual Masskara Festival, in which Bacolod is stirred into a frenzy of people, food and street parties. I have heard it described as Bacolod on steroids, but it was at a cost.“Life is hard, life is difficult, but suffering is optional,” Elsie intoned. Elsie Gonzaga owned Topsi-Tur-B, a mixed food restaurant. It was Monday night at the 24-hour resto, the pre-Masskara crowd gathered at the nearby New Government Center, and we were enjoying one of Bacolod’s little known secrets: Elsie Gonzaga’s heavenly mousses.Over the desserts she kept in fridges right next to the beer coolers (her store sits literally in front of a call center, an industry that is springing like mushrooms all over the Visayas), Elsie and our hosts recounted the life during the late ‘70s when the sugar industry crashed. On top of that, the luxury liner MV Don Juan marked one of the biggest sea tragedies in 1980—taking with it family members of practically everyone in Bacolod. Elsie tells of a time when whole stretches of neighborhoods were illuminated by candles outside of people’s houses, one for every relative lost at sea.This ‘double whammy’ had left Bacolod City reeling. The Masskara Festival served as the city’s literal brave face: a jovial mask to hide the city’s pain. Even in grief, the Bacolodnons were classy.In my 5-day stay in Bacolod, I have heard numerous jokes poking fun at the Bacolodnon predilection to indulgences. “People from Bacolod, they love the good life,” said Melissa Salgado, who operates the high-end spa Spa Natura. This love for the good life translates to impeccable customer service in most Bacolod City establishments. Yes, the city loves the good life, and it wants you to love it too. “Sundays are boring, darling,” Bambi had drawled. “We have to entertain ourselves.”WHERE TO STAYSugarland HotelSugarland Hotel was at one time the ‘It’ place of Bacolod. However, instead of basking in its once glorious days, it evolved with the times, catering to a ‘hacienda-style’ living with a contemporary design that fits its boutique hotel vibe. General Manager Toots Sison boasts of its 87 rooms that have once played host to former US President Jimmy Carter.Araneta St., Singcang, Bacolod City. (034)435-2690. [email protected]Palmas del MarWhile Bacolod City is devoid of white sandy beaches, one can find a sunny relaxation in Palmas del Mar, located just in the outskirts of the city. What was once a prawn farm has been transformed into a 55-room resort with three pristine pools and breathtaking sunset views, a vista favored by many who plan their garden weddings here. The Negros Island-shaped miniisland in the middle of the lagoon also provides a romantic and intimate getaway.J.R. Torres Ave., Bacolod City. (034)434-7971. [email protected]WHERE TO EATWamba’s BistroThe city’s arguably best habichuelas and the best of ‘Tisoy homestyle cooking.’ Fini Alonso opened Wamba’s on her mother’s 90th birthday and has been serving the best of her mother’s Sunday luncheons to the public. The Corned Beef Steak is known far and wide as the best thing ever, but don’t forget to try their comforting Arroz de Leche that would hark back to your childhood afternoons.The Azotea Bldg. Mandalagan, Bacolod City. (034)441-2095. [email protected]Italia Restaurantartworks from Manila painters serve as a backdrop to an intimate dinner in Bacolod inside the Italia Restaurant. Now doubling as a gallery space called Charlie’s, the bistro initially opened in 2001 without a menu. More than a decade since, it has evolved into a veritable restaurant with diverse Italian dishes, including the must-not-miss Bowtie Pasta in Truffle Sauce and delectable brick oven pizzas.No. 1 Ranol Bldg. 23rd-San Agustin Sts Bacolod City. (034)432-3704. [email protected]WHAT TO DOThe Moxa Ventosa with Lutay Massage at the Spa Natura“Lutay” is an Ilonggo word for hilot, most recommended for when one is fatigued and feverish, and combined with hot ventosa glasses that suck out the knots on your back, it makes for one of the most relaxing massages in Bacolod City. Launched just in 2010, Spa Natura ranks at par with many high-end spas in the country, and its round-the-clock business hours favor those who need pampering into the wee hours of the night.2nd Level, Two SanParq, San Antonio Park Square, Mandalagan, Bacolod City.(034)441-2495. [email protected]Marvel at the Art Deco genius at Daku BalayLiterally meaning ‘The Big House,” Daku Balay is a design genius that deserves more appreciation than your usual tour. Completed in 1936, it is arguably the largest residential art deco building in the country. Hunt for the concrete unicorn and the waterscape bas-relief in the bathrooms; as impressive as it is that it had withstood the war, it’s even more amazing that it was designed and built by an amateur.No. 50 Burgos St., Bacolod City.(034) 434-5489. [email protected]Go horseback riding at the Bantug Ranch and Lake PlaceEnjoy the crisp Negrense air at the sprawling Bantug Ranch and Lake Place. Relatively newly developed, this 5-hectare property has been gouged to accommodate a man-made lake where one can fi sh and boat, tree orchards and a paddock for horseback riding. There are also ducks, turkeys and peacocks for petting, and camping grounds for those who want to stay overnight.Had Francisco, Brgy. Alangilan Bacolod City. (034) 213-1916. [email protected]Pamper yourself with a volcanic stone massage at the Grand Royal SpaThe Cebu-based Grand Royal Spa now has 3 branches in Bacolod City, and the day spa is still garnering a loyal clientele who want their day spa pampering. Relax under volcanic stones pressed onto your back by their expert therapists’ hands, and rest your bones with their signature Combination Massage that is popular with locals and tourists alike.San Isidro Bldg. 6th St. Bacolod City. (034) 435-0933. [email protected]Enjoy an agri-tourism demo at the Peñalosa FarmsThe Negros Island is positioning itself as the ‘organic food bowl of the Philippines’ and, in that regard, the Peñalosa Farms in Victorias City is doing it right by offering a demo on simple organic farming. Feast on organically grown fresh veggies and immerse yourself in one of the Peñalosa Farms’ advocacy: No Filipino should go hungry in his own country.Victorias City, Negros Occidental. (034)3992847. [email protected]Hawaiian Lomi-lomi at O’Fisher SpaIf you’re looking for a truly relaxing spa massage, try the Hawaiian Lomi-lomi at O’Fisher Spa and Wellness Center. This massage uses the forearms in relaxing strokes and leaves you without the bruised feeling that is the after-effect of many massage styles. Their new branch at the corner of 20th and Lacson Streets also features a sauna stall, and a spacious and serene venue perfect for spa parties.20th-Lacson Sts., Bacolod City. (034)435-2487. ofi [email protected]

All Rights Reserved | © De Guzman 2021

Schröedinger’s Bowie: David Bowie As Alive And Dead At The Same Time
|| BadGirlConfidence.com

In writing class, they taught us that the author is dead.This means that your material, your art, your ‘baby’, should be able to exist without you. Once you send it out into the universe for consumption, you — and your baggage and politics and being its creator — should be an afterthought. The material should be able to exist on its own, and your personal shit is optional, rather than a necessity to its relevance and meaning.That said, it was why David Bowie had such a special place in my heart.I would be the first to admit it: I do not have a very refined taste in music. I accept that people can judge me for the kind of bands I prefer — and it’s not even the mainstream radio pop variety. My cousins and siblings even bemoan the fact that when it was my turn to play something from my phone at family gatherings, they get weird guitar riffs of a man singing about sitting in a tin can, and a severe lack of Beyoncé (my siblings are secret agents of the Beygency).But David Bowie was one of my gems, the kind that I was sure that this, aside from the fact that it was the music that I related to most, was inarguably the work of a genius. Being at the cusp between Millennial and Gen X-er, my early exposure to Bowie was his protean artistry, between being Jareth the Goblin King and the new wave rock star, and his more flamboyant personas — Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, The Thin White Duke, among others — almost a history lesson on how to be the impossible cool.But my awe is mostly of Bowie the creator: how each persona was his creation, but he was decidedly unselfish about it. He treated his personas as if they had lives of their own, and each one, regardless of the personal journey David Robert Jones was going through, was a full ‘self’. He celebrated them with an envious amount of self-awareness and lack of hubris, releasing them to the world with both particular attention to detail of the imagery of each one, and at the same time, a carefree shrug for either critic or fan.In the days after his death, Blackstar has been touted as Bowie’s parting gift, but I think it was also a private salute to these selves. The Lazarus music video had what seemed like an older Ziggy Stardust with the leotard and otherworldly “grandpa” dance, while the title track’s video alluded to Major Tom’s final resting place. The album Blackstar felt like he was calling them back, telling them to say their goodbyes to the people whose lives they’ve touched, because hey, the ship is leaving soon.I am trying to think if the album would have had the same effect if Bowie hadn’t gone back home to his home planet so soon: if, despite it being meant to communicate Bowie’s struggles with his mortality, he was given more time. If you didn’t know that Blackstar was Bowie’s last goodbye, would it still be as good?The simple answer is yes.Blackstar was such a Bowie album, which means that if you enjoyed Bowie the man, you would enjoy the strangeness and dark whimsy. But Bowie was a complex man, and in his 40 years of championing the strange, he has become both his creation and its creator, and it is almost impossible to fully dissect the art from the man.Except that maybe David Robert Jones is a completely separate being as well, one that is most of the time forgotten. It is a testament to the man’s genius that his art exists on its own, conveniently fooling us into believing that we understand the material because we know the author.But the truth is, the author was dead all along.--
This piece first appeared on the author’s Facebook page the year that David Bowie died. It was also published in the now defunct BadGirlConfidence.com in 2016.

All Rights Reserved | © De Guzman 2021

Esquire Presents: Watch 101 with Erwan Heussaff
|| Summit Media - StoryLabs

When I was an Assistant Managing Editor for Summit Media - StoryLabs, this project came to my team to pitch, produce, shoot, and publish. It involved a video advertorial that required both indoor and outdoor shoots as well as a companion article to appear in the digital version of Esquire Ph.

All Rights Reserved | © De Guzman 2021

Systane Series || Summit Media - StoryLabs

I started with Summit Media - StoryLabs as a Freelance Project Manager for the Systane project, which required a series of 4 short videos that will appear in Spot.ph along with a companion article for each. I joined the project after the pitch was approved, which meant that my main roles were supervising the shoot production and editing. I was also the point person for both internal and external stakeholders, including the outsourced production company, talents, and in-house production team.

All Rights Reserved | © De Guzman 2021

Globe x Star Wars || Summit Media - StoryLabs

One of my most fun projects with Summit Media - StoryLabs was with this partnership with Globe's marketing efforts for Star Wars: The Last Jedi screening. This project involved setting up a surprise for the talents, overseeing the production of the videos, and publishing across different Summit Media titles.

All Rights Reserved | © De Guzman 2021

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