Ella Arcangel: “Basbas ng Apoy” Pre-orders + Donation Drive for #RescuePH

“May anino ang Barangay Masikap, isang lihim na lugar na pugad ng mga nilalang na naitaboy ng pagdating ng mga tao. Santuwaryo ito para sa marami ngunit kulungan para sa iilan. Para makawala, kailangan nilang harapin si Ella, ang tagapagbantay sa pagitan ng dalawang mundo.”

It has been a disheartening couple of weeks due to the devastation caused by back-to-back typhoons endured by the Philippines: Rolly (international name Goni) and Ulysses (international name Vamco), with a few more expected before the year ends. I am endlessly frustrated with how the national government handles relief operations and despite the annual body count(!!) there is still no environment-friendly, sustainable disaster prevention plans in sight… I think you can understand why I haven’t had the energy to be active on this space sooner. It was a bit tough to find a positive state of mind, and I also wanted to give more space to news updates and donation drives.
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Though we are continually failed by our government leaders, it is inspiring to see so many entities working together to help those in need–from the biggest corporations, non-government organizations, and even private individuals. Artists are offering commissions at low prices, and so many forms of For-A-Cause initiatives are popping up: book giveaways, enamel pins, embroideries, coffee, even tarot reading! So imagine how thrilled I was when I found out that Ella Arcangel creator Julius Villanueva has offered his new book to help generate more funds for those affected by the super typhoons. We could not have chosen a more perfect time to publish this story, and I also can’t help thinking that if Ella was a real person, she would definitely be a part of the volunteer rescue teams, too. *sniff*

The limited edition Ella Arcangel: Basbas ng Apoy will include the first chapter of the most awaited third installment of the popular series. It will have an elegant black cover with gold foil stamp. Here’s the impressive cover in full:

Our small team at Haliya Publishing was overwhelmed by the community’s response after the cover reveal by artists Julius Villanueva and Mervin Malonzo on their respective personal pages, so we have decided to print physical copies instead of the initial plan to produce in digital.

The story will be centered around strange happenings at Barangay Masikap, and promises to introduce us to new creatures and even a peek at Ella’s fascinating backstory. In fact, the opening scene lets us see an adorable younger version of our heroine with her grandmother.

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You can pre-order a copy of Ella Arcangel: “Basbas ng Apoy” (Chapter 1) here. Bulk of the proceeds will be contributed to relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Ulysses.

For direct donations, here’s a list of trusted donation drives for #UlyssesPH.

Hope you’re all staying safe and healthy!

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