Joanna May Pilla

didangA child of arts and communication, she is passionate about culture, food, and people. She is free-spirited, open-minded, but most of all adventurous. As a product of the University of the Philippines, she is both a student and a leader with an active will to serve the people. She has been part of, and sometimes led numerous University wide campaigns and City based campaigns to raise awareness about nature, Women’s rights, and the Freedom of Information bill. She was also active in the political scene when she was an undergraduate and had her heart set out to assist the student body.

Her four years of studying in Baguio led her to fall in love with culture and food—both very strong suits of the Cordillera region. She believes that studying culture will open our eyes to the rich tradition, character, and personality of the Philippines. Baguio has given her numerous opportunities to get to know the indigenous roots of the country and presented her with knowledge far beyond textbooks could give. A hands-on and a face to face experience with the cordilleran regions beautiful customs and tradition led her to study about how culture and its ever changing form has shaped the modern, pop culture, world that we live in.

She also believes that food is a mirror of a region’s culture and tells a lot about its history, people, and beliefs. It is a good avenue to communicate one’s identity and can serve as a cultural marker. Food can speak volumes of a country’s distinctiveness, and this is what interests her as of current.

In her free time, she freelances as a writer, contributing to various Baguio-based, independent print and occasionally freelances as a fact checker and proofreader to student thesis and academic paperwork.

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