Rooted in Filipino language and culture, padayon is commonly spoken as encouragement, often in times of difficulty. It is offered without grand promises. It does not deny struggle, nor does it rush toward resolution. Instead, it acknowledges uncertainty and responds with presence: keep going, even if slowly; continue, even if the way forward is not yet clear. In this sense, padayon carries both gentleness and resolve—an insistence shaped by care, history, and lived experience.

This inaugural issue takes padayon as its guiding thread, not as a singular idea but as a constellation of meanings. The works gathered here reflect the many ways people persist: through memory and remembrance, through creative labor, through personal and collective histories that leave their mark on the present. Some pieces speak from moments of resilience forged by hardship; others dwell in reflection, tracing how identity, culture, and imagination continue to evolve amid ongoing challenges. Together, they reveal that moving forward is rarely linear, and often deeply layered.

Across genres—poetry, essays, fiction, biographical writing, reviews, and cultural commentary—contributors engage the theme with nuance and restraint. Rather than offering tidy conclusions, these works sit with complexity. They examine what it means to continue when answers are incomplete, when progress feels fragile, or when persistence itself becomes an act of resistance or care. In doing so, they honor the emotional, cultural, and creative labor involved in staying with one’s story.

March 2026 Issue

We invite readers to read slowly, to listen closely, and to allow these pieces to resonate in their own ways. May this issue serve as both a mirror and a companion—a reminder that continuing does not require certainty, only the willingness to remain engaged. In choosing to move forward, again and again, we participate in the quiet, enduring work that padayon names so well. Open this issue’s collection of literary pieces.