‘Batangas: My Sky and Earth’ offers a unique perspective on PH culture and history

‘Batangas: My Sky and Earth’ is author Bong Serrano’s take on PH culture and history | Photos from Bong Serrano/Instagram

Homecoming celebrations, both simple and grand, are always an honored tradition among Filipino families over the holidays. Relatives overseas book flights back to their hometowns in the Philippines. Loved ones call each other and have Christmas dinners virtually, even if they’re miles apart.

The rest of the year may pose challenges to their togetherness, but the holiday season never fails to help Filipinos around the world rekindle connections and make up for lost time.

Even after Christmas, Filipinos make an effort to carry the love they share everywhere they go—may it be through keepsakes, online archives, or their work. For Vancouver-based author Bong Serrano, his love for his family and upbringing flourishes in his first book, “Batangas: My Sky and Earth.”

Serrano pens a love letter to his formative years through a nostalgic tribute to his Pinoy roots. He paints a picture of his simple life in Luzon and how he learned to appreciate Batangueño culture at a young age. 

From relatable and carefree experiences in a remote household to shared lessons on the hardships of growing up, Serrano’s debut memoir hopes to bring readers back to the familiarity of their birthplaces and enrich their definitions of home, no matter how often they vary.

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Publishing a book for the first time isn’t an easy feat. Nonetheless, Serrano made it happen thanks to his late brother Kuya Boying. After he died of cancer in 2014, Serrano made it his mission to immortalize his memories with Kuya Boying through the 450-page memoir. 

“Batangas: My Sky and Earth” is Serrano’s way of bringing his beloved sibling into his own tales of remembrance, joy, and grief, giving the story a human touch to accompany its meticulous research. 

“This book is a work of love and memory, and I’ve done my best to be faithful to both,” Serrano shares on his website. “I’ve researched and included references to some historical events as well.”

Award-winning broadcast journalist Howie Severino recently got his copy of “Batangas: My Sky and Earth.” He commended Serrano’s vivid descriptions of life before the digital era as well as the author’s “delightful” unpacking of Batangan as a local vernacular. 

“If you’re much younger than the author and I, this book will make you regret missing that era before mobile phones and social media,” Severino noted. He added that the memoir presents an opportunity for readers to understand Philippine history on a more distinct and personal level, thanks to Serrano’s family experiences—branching out from common perceptions of the country’s past through public figures, social movements, and political leaders.

Upon the online release of “Batangas: My Sky and Earth,” Serrano announced that a portion of the book’s sales will be donated to the Ateneo de Manila Scholarship Fund.