Field Notes | Chris Garin

Essay August 16, 2026

I Wasn't Lazy. I Was Scared.

Why it took me a year to make content again, and what finally got me started.

A year of procrastination I mistook for laziness, the low bar that got Brand Origins off the ground, and why perfectionism is just fear in high heels.

Explainer July 29, 2026

ELI5: What is Pax Silica?

What Pax Silica is, why the US wants New Clark City, and why China is mad.

The US-led AI and chips coalition, the proposed New Clark City hub, what the numbers really say, the backlash at home, and China's rival club WAICO.

Brand Origins July 7, 2026

The History of IMAX in the Philippines

How IMAX works, who owns it, and whether the Philippines has the real thing.

What IMAX actually is, who owns and runs it, the LieMAX debate, and where to catch the biggest screens in the Philippines.

Brand Origins July 7, 2026

The History of TCL

Who owns TCL, why it is so cheap, and how it became the number one TV brand in the Philippines.

Where TCL came from, who owns it, why its TVs are so cheap, and how it climbed to number one in the Philippines and second in the world.

Brand Origins September 30, 2025

The History of Ayala Corporation

How Ayala became one of the oldest conglomerates in the Philippines.

A closer look at how Ayala grew into one of the most powerful conglomerates in the Philippines.

Brand Origins September 30, 2025

The History of SkyFlakes

How M.Y. San created one of the most iconic Filipino snacks.

How SkyFlakes became a staple in Filipino homes, offices, school bags, and sari-sari stores.

Brand Origins September 28, 2022

The Complete History of Chooks to Go

The story behind one of the most recognizable roast chicken brands in the Philippines.

The rise of Chooks to Go from a bold product idea into one of the most recognizable food brands in the country.

Brand Origins September 28, 2022

The Success Story of Puregold

How Puregold grew into one of the biggest retail chains in the Philippines.

A look at how Puregold grew from a single grocery store into one of the biggest retail chains in the Philippines.

Brand Origins May 16, 2022

The Complete History of GCash

How GCash became one of the most important fintech brands in the country.

The story of how GCash evolved from an early mobile payments experiment into the Philippines' dominant fintech platform.

Field Notes.

I Wasn't Lazy. I Was Scared.

ELI5: What is Pax Silica?

The History of IMAX in the Philippines

The History of TCL

The History of Ayala Corporation

The History of SkyFlakes

The Complete History of Chooks to Go

The Success Story of Puregold

The Complete History of GCash