It’s been more than eight months since the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine last October 2024, submerging a large portion of the Bicol region, including Naga City, where Savage Mind—a renowned bookshop in Bicol—has been operating since 2018.
“It’s a bookshop that is in luck with cats,” said Kristian Sendon Cordero, the award-winning poet, fictionist, translator, and filmmaker, who is also the brainchild of Savage Mind.
His cats—Innova, Kaiju, and Laya—are the mainstays of the bookshop and, prolly, hold the future of the said creative hub. “Had the cats…had they not survived, I will stop the bookshop…So, we will continue. It all depends with cats now. As always,” Cordero said, adding that two cats named Charcoal and Canvas have been added to the family.
Charcoal is a survivor of STS Kristine and was found floating inside a tube amid the flood, while Canvas was given to him by his mom.
‘Not yet fully recovered’
When Typhoon Kristine hit the Bicol region, Cordero was in Germany participating in the handover ceremony at the Frankfurt Buchemesse, also known as the Frankfurt Book Fair, the most significant event in the book trade.
“We were in high spirits because the Philippines had just been named to be the next Guest of Honor,” Cordero said.
Typhoon Kristine caused immense financial damage to Savage Mind, totaling Php 10 million. Due to severe flooding that reached 10 feet, nearly all the collected items in the bookshop, including archival materials, were affected, and many were beyond repair.
Five truckloads of books were discarded, which included facsimile copies of Noli Me Tangere, a collection of Filipino poetry, first edition books, and other significant works. “So, I was trying to scavenge. I was trying to save at least what I want to save…So, we’re really literally rescuing, as if we’re rescuing dead bodies,” Cordero added.
For the restoration of the bookshop, Cordero took out over Php 200,000 from his personal savings. Through a fundraising campaign, Cordero said they were able to raise Php 350,000, which will be used for the mobile bookshop.
‘Culture of reading’
Starting July 30, the mobile version of Savage Mind will roam around Naga City and across the country, bringing the culture of reading close to the people.
“The space will continue to be here. But we will not just contain ourselves here and wait for the next flooding. So, darahon mi sa luwas ang experience kang bookshop. Kung dae nagdidigdi ang mga tawo, kami ang maduman. Nganing consistent duman sa it’s the culture of reading. It’s the culture of imagination. It’s the culture of inspiring people to imagine a possible alternative world,” Cordero said.
Cordero dismissed the idea that “Filipinos don’t read,” as young people are coming to the bookshop. “Why would I put a bookshop to a country where people don’t read? So, by putting a bookshop, I simply do not agree that harsh statement against us,” Cordero said.
‘Happy place for many people’
For Cordero, the pandemic was the “best year” for Savage Mind, as they hosted various events, including book launches and author talks with people from all over the world who share the same vision of the bookshop: “to create a space where people can come and rediscover the power of the written word of bounded pages.”
“The years before the October event, the October typhoon flooding, was the best year. People were coming here to enjoy the place. And then…as I’ve said, the pandemic was the happiest…at least to me,” Cordero said.
On July 30, Cordero announced that a book bar in Savage Mind will begin serving cocktail drinks inspired by Filipino classics such as Ibong Adarna and Noli Me Tangere, along with beverages named in honor of Bicolano artists, as well as Filipino authors and publishers significant to their creative space. Their menu will feature a new drink infused with flavored pili. “Edit when you are sober; write when you are drunk,” Cordero said.
Regardless of the negative intentions from those who doubted their purpose, Cordero remained steadfast and decided to press on. “But all these things, they don’t matter. So long as you hold on to your mission,” Cordero said.
Photos: Neil Mondragon