Bio


F. Jordan Carnice is a writer and visual artist based in Bohol, Philippines. He has been a communications specialist for a food company, a features contributor for a community paper, an HR initiatives associate for a utilities company, and an information systems analyst for a government agency. He was published in Anomaly, MIDLVLMAG, Philippines Graphic Reader, Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, among other publications, and in the forthcoming Anthology of Southeast Asian Eco-Writing through the University of Hawai'i Press' Manoa Journal. He authored two poetry chapbooks—Weights & Cushions (2018) and How to Make an Accident (2019). He was hailed Poet of the Year in the Nick Joaquin Literary Awards 2023. He is a core member of Plastic Free Bohol, a network of volunteers that aims to mitigate plastic pollution in his province. He can be found online through Instagram, Twitter, and Threads (@thebullfrog__ ).



What are the ecological / social crises within your region / country?


Even if Bohol, my home province, is internationally known for its incredible landscapes and rich cultural heritage, it is not spared from people who contribute to the worsening climate crisis and environmental abuses here and elsewhere. In this small island province alone, there is the whale shark tourism in Lila, the increase of plastic wastes, the cutting of heritage trees for road-widening projects, the half-hearted unimplemented ordinances that should mitigate these problems to name a few. In the last couple of years, infrastructure development with no regards for irreparable environmental damage continues, such as this third new bridge that would connect the city in the mainland to the island of Panglao, one that would possibly decimate reefs and marine life along the way, and rob livelihoods from fishing communities. There was even a push to establish a coal power plant as a source of energy in our locality, but through volunteer groups Plastic Free Bohol and Clean Energy Advocates, my friends and I launched a series of awareness campaigns that sparked a public outcry against the plan and then led to a provincial government decision on April 2, 2018 to keep the province from any coal power plant establishment. Despite all this, I still believe my province is a place of inspiration. There is no denying though that there exists a gap between the abundance of creative inspiration and the limited appreciation that the art of writing receives. This, I believe, presents a unique opportunity for all local government units to address, and a reminder to preserve the natural environment of Bohol for it to become a reliable well-spring of inspiration for other writers as well. I also think that it is imperative for every writer to call out environmental neglect and exploitation, the same way our government should be ensuring our environment’s continued safeguarding. As writers, I think we both have the privilege and responsibility to give voice to the natural world, to illuminate its significance, and to call for its protection. It is no secret that words can only do so much, but literature is still its unique form of resistance and enlightenment. Poems and stories could never replace marches in the streets or human barricades to protest for what is just and right, but they could certainly help amplify a cause. As much as words wrought with indifference and lies could be formidable, words that are wielded with care and facts can be equally potent and lifechanging. There is power in literature that could provoke thought, inspire action, and address the pressing issues of our times. I can only hope that other writers in my community will use their creativity, too, as a driving force to protect the province’s remaining untainted natural resources and make a lasting positive impact on our environment.