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Still Here
From the best-selling author of the Filipino flash-fiction collection Mula sa Kilometer Zero (From Kilometer Zero), Still Here is a prose-poetry collection and journal, reminding you that your feelings are valid. That you matter. That wherever you are and whatever you’re going through, you are not alone.
“Still Here is a poignant reflection on life’s challenges and mental wellness. It’s perfect for anyone seeking inspiration in their journey toward a healthier and more fulfilling life.”
—Dan Merais, author, professor, and clinical psychologist
“Still Here prepares the reader for self-care without oblivion to societal factors that might affect one’s mental and emotional well-being. If you’re still here, this book will help you stay.”
—Toni Panagu, author and poet
“Josue Mapagdalita once again stirs the heart—and the mind—through introspective pieces and prompts that he writes with care and sensitivity. Still Here is a touching tribute to the fighter in oneself, soldiering on in the face of life’s ebbs and flows, against the conscious and subconscious. Turn the pages and let the author’s words provoke a memory, thought, or experience—whether yours or someone else’s—and let the catharsis take you somewhere you can simply exist, feel, and heal.”
—Ro-Ann Nosotros, director of a California-based behavioral health treatment facility
Read and reflect.
This book is yours.
“Still Here is a poignant reflection on life’s challenges and mental wellness. It’s perfect for anyone seeking inspiration in their journey toward a healthier and more fulfilling life.”
—Dan Merais, author, professor, and clinical psychologist
“Still Here prepares the reader for self-care without oblivion to societal factors that might affect one’s mental and emotional well-being. If you’re still here, this book will help you stay.”
—Toni Panagu, author and poet
“Josue Mapagdalita once again stirs the heart—and the mind—through introspective pieces and prompts that he writes with care and sensitivity. Still Here is a touching tribute to the fighter in oneself, soldiering on in the face of life’s ebbs and flows, against the conscious and subconscious. Turn the pages and let the author’s words provoke a memory, thought, or experience—whether yours or someone else’s—and let the catharsis take you somewhere you can simply exist, feel, and heal.”
—Ro-Ann Nosotros, director of a California-based behavioral health treatment facility
Read and reflect.
This book is yours.
- GenresPoetry
102 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2025
About the author
Josue Mapagdalita
3 books38 followersJosue Mapagdalita (b. 1996) is a Filipino writer. He is the author of “Mula sa Kilometer Zero” (“From the Kilometer Zero”), a collection of 40 Filipino flash fiction set in Metro Manila, Philippines. His second book, “Still Here”, a two-in-one book of journal and prose poetry for mental health, is set to be published in 2024.
Josue’s life challenges shaped his literature. Being a corporate slave prevented him from writing long forms and redirected him to writing flash fiction and prose poetry instead, both of which, according to his fellow writers, he had “mastered”. Growing up in poverty and witnessing firsthand the plight of the Filipino masses made him associate himself to literary realism; even in his romantic fiction, he subtly depicts the “real conditions and situations” in attempt to inculcate social consciousness, even to those who are “oblivious”. Lastly, battling his inner demons led him to write prose and poetry on mental health, which he hopes would reach as many people as possible, especially those who are struggling with their mental health, so that they would know that in their battles, they are not alone.
Josue holds a degree in political science, cum laude, from the University of the Philippines. He currently works as a product manager at one of the top fintech companies in the Philippines and once served as an innovation manager of a California-based treatment facility for substance use disorders (SUDs) and co-occurring mental disorders.
One of his goals in life to help make the world better for generations to come, and he does this through his literary art. Follow his journey through his social media accounts:
Personal Accounts:
Goodreads: Josue Mapagdalita
Facebook: Josue Mapagdalita (j.mapagdalita)
Instagram/TikTok: @josue.mapagdalita
On Fiction:
Facebook/Instagram: Mula sa Kilometer Zero by Josue Mapagdalita
On Mental Health:
Facebook/Instagram: Still Here by Josue Mapagdalita
Josue’s life challenges shaped his literature. Being a corporate slave prevented him from writing long forms and redirected him to writing flash fiction and prose poetry instead, both of which, according to his fellow writers, he had “mastered”. Growing up in poverty and witnessing firsthand the plight of the Filipino masses made him associate himself to literary realism; even in his romantic fiction, he subtly depicts the “real conditions and situations” in attempt to inculcate social consciousness, even to those who are “oblivious”. Lastly, battling his inner demons led him to write prose and poetry on mental health, which he hopes would reach as many people as possible, especially those who are struggling with their mental health, so that they would know that in their battles, they are not alone.
Josue holds a degree in political science, cum laude, from the University of the Philippines. He currently works as a product manager at one of the top fintech companies in the Philippines and once served as an innovation manager of a California-based treatment facility for substance use disorders (SUDs) and co-occurring mental disorders.
One of his goals in life to help make the world better for generations to come, and he does this through his literary art. Follow his journey through his social media accounts:
Personal Accounts:
Goodreads: Josue Mapagdalita
Facebook: Josue Mapagdalita (j.mapagdalita)
Instagram/TikTok: @josue.mapagdalita
On Fiction:
Facebook/Instagram: Mula sa Kilometer Zero by Josue Mapagdalita
On Mental Health:
Facebook/Instagram: Still Here by Josue Mapagdalita
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 3, 2026
the COURAGE to share your mental health experiences through gentle stories and inspiration WOW
So blessed and grateful to have read this as my first book of 2026
So blessed and grateful to have read this as my first book of 2026
April 19, 2026
Beautiful. Like the author. 🫣
July 26, 2025
This is new to me, ang sabi ko, nang sagutan ko ang pahina na nagsasabi sa akin na magsulat tungkol sa sarili. Ngayon lang ako nakasalubong ng aklat na pinagsamang prose-poetry collection at journal, kung mahilig ka sa mga ganitong aklat, baka para sa ‘yo ang “Still Here” ni Josue Mapagdalita.
Pinaalala ng aklat na ‘to, na kahit tungkol sa sarili mo ang isusulat mo—hindi siya madali. Gusto ko ang intent ng aklat, na maging tagapakinig ng mga salitang imbes na sabihin ay isusulat mo sa mga pahina. Bago ka pa mag-reflect ay may mababasa kang mga prosa-tula, na halos ang lahat ay may layon na magpaalala na parang isang mabuting kaibigan.
Sa pagbuklat ng aklat na ito, hand in hand ang pagbabasa at pagsusulat, matapos ang isang akda may kasunod itong mga tanong. Mga tanong na para sa akin, sa karanasan ko sa pagbabasa, may mga pagkakataon na alangan ako sagutan. Muli, sa akin na ‘yon. Pero sa bahagi ng mga akda, epektibo naman ito, nakakagaan ng loob.
Hangad ko sa Still Here na mahanap pa nito ang mga taong walang mapagsabihan, isulat na natin ‘yan sa pahina nitong aklat.
Lubos na pasasalamat sa The Filipino Shelf para sa pagkakataong maging bahagi ng Book Tour na ito. Pati na rin kay Josue Mapagdalita, salamat sa paglikha ng aklat na ang layon ay manghilom at makinig. Para sa mas marami pang aklat!
Pinaalala ng aklat na ‘to, na kahit tungkol sa sarili mo ang isusulat mo—hindi siya madali. Gusto ko ang intent ng aklat, na maging tagapakinig ng mga salitang imbes na sabihin ay isusulat mo sa mga pahina. Bago ka pa mag-reflect ay may mababasa kang mga prosa-tula, na halos ang lahat ay may layon na magpaalala na parang isang mabuting kaibigan.
Sa pagbuklat ng aklat na ito, hand in hand ang pagbabasa at pagsusulat, matapos ang isang akda may kasunod itong mga tanong. Mga tanong na para sa akin, sa karanasan ko sa pagbabasa, may mga pagkakataon na alangan ako sagutan. Muli, sa akin na ‘yon. Pero sa bahagi ng mga akda, epektibo naman ito, nakakagaan ng loob.
Hangad ko sa Still Here na mahanap pa nito ang mga taong walang mapagsabihan, isulat na natin ‘yan sa pahina nitong aklat.
Lubos na pasasalamat sa The Filipino Shelf para sa pagkakataong maging bahagi ng Book Tour na ito. Pati na rin kay Josue Mapagdalita, salamat sa paglikha ng aklat na ang layon ay manghilom at makinig. Para sa mas marami pang aklat!
August 10, 2025
Reading this book felt like witnessing a rainbow after a storm. This book felt incredibly raw and personal, as if it was speaking directly to me. Each piece was followed by a question that really made me pause and reflect—deep yet comforting. It felt like journaling in real time, helping me release a range of emotions.
I even found myself journaling my raw, unfiltered thoughts while reading—proof of how deeply it resonated.
Like a rainbow I’ve seen before, yet still stop to admire—this book reminded me: life is still worth it. Worth the feeling, the healing, the mystery, and the to move forward.
My favorite pieces are Rest, You, Mirror and Still Here
I even found myself journaling my raw, unfiltered thoughts while reading—proof of how deeply it resonated.
Like a rainbow I’ve seen before, yet still stop to admire—this book reminded me: life is still worth it. Worth the feeling, the healing, the mystery, and the to move forward.
My favorite pieces are Rest, You, Mirror and Still Here
September 22, 2025
A wonderful read that made me reflect on my current predicament. It was creative yet grounded in reality at the same time. The illustrations were a very nice touch that paired well with each poem and prose. U highly recommend this if you are looking for a guide to kick start your journaling journey.
January 31, 2026
Relatable. It felt like the author wrote what I have been feeling and thinking, those emotions that I'm afraid to share so I've been keeping it all to myself, for so many years. It's comforting to know that somewhere out there someone, at least one, will understand all those emotions I've been carrying alone. These emotions is actually valid. It's normal.
I'm still here.
I'm still here.
July 24, 2025
Therapy in a book 🩵✨️
Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMUVL_...
(big thanks to the author and The Filipino Shelf for the review copy)
Full review here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMUVL_...
(big thanks to the author and The Filipino Shelf for the review copy)
October 3, 2025
This one blew me away. A powerful, moving piece that captures raw emotions and deeply human experiences. I felt every word, and it stayed with me long after I turned the last page. Easily one of the standout reads of the month.
September 2, 2025
Still Here by Josue Mapagdalita
Read: Aug 19-23, 2025
4.5 stars 🌟
Thoughts:
This was such a good read. The poems and prose were beautifully written, and I found myself highlighting and annotating so many lines >< I even discovered a few favorites that I can’t wait to share soon~ What I especially loved is how this book feels like both a reset and a release. It gives you space to breathe, reflect, and even journal while reading, which makes the experience so much more personal and immersive~
This is my second book from Josue Mapagdalita, and he truly got me again with this one. <33
Read: Aug 19-23, 2025
4.5 stars 🌟
Thoughts:
This was such a good read. The poems and prose were beautifully written, and I found myself highlighting and annotating so many lines >< I even discovered a few favorites that I can’t wait to share soon~ What I especially loved is how this book feels like both a reset and a release. It gives you space to breathe, reflect, and even journal while reading, which makes the experience so much more personal and immersive~
This is my second book from Josue Mapagdalita, and he truly got me again with this one. <33
June 26, 2025
“Sometimes, I also wonder why these feelings refuse to leave before I shut my eyes; instead, they stay like unwelcomed guests, torturously knocking the windows of my mind until the time I doze off due to the fatigue brought by all their foul whispers, by all their unwanted noises.”
Still here is a prose-poetry collection that will speak right through your heart, mind, and soul. The moment you open this book, you just know it’s yours because it constantly reminds you that you have a space in this world, and that space is meant for you and your purpose. This also serves as a journal with prompts that allows us readers to unload and open up about the silent battles we never speak of. It’s a gentle yet powerful reminder that you matter, and that wherever you are and whatever you’re going through, YOU are never alone.
As someone who has been from different doctors and on various medicine combinations just to balance my emotions, reading this felt like the most heartwarming validation that I’ve been longing to hear. These were probably the words 14-year-old Bea wanted to hear. Suddenly, all the things I couldn’t put into words were written for me to help me feel seen and heard. Still Here is a soul-stirring collection that captures the complexities of growth, healing, and finding oneself in every page.
May this book speak to everyone and anyone who’s silently struggling: you will be found.
Still here is a prose-poetry collection that will speak right through your heart, mind, and soul. The moment you open this book, you just know it’s yours because it constantly reminds you that you have a space in this world, and that space is meant for you and your purpose. This also serves as a journal with prompts that allows us readers to unload and open up about the silent battles we never speak of. It’s a gentle yet powerful reminder that you matter, and that wherever you are and whatever you’re going through, YOU are never alone.
As someone who has been from different doctors and on various medicine combinations just to balance my emotions, reading this felt like the most heartwarming validation that I’ve been longing to hear. These were probably the words 14-year-old Bea wanted to hear. Suddenly, all the things I couldn’t put into words were written for me to help me feel seen and heard. Still Here is a soul-stirring collection that captures the complexities of growth, healing, and finding oneself in every page.
May this book speak to everyone and anyone who’s silently struggling: you will be found.
October 6, 2025
First time reading a poetry book with journal prompts and I really loved it. I’ll be sharing more of my thoughts on this next week!
May 9, 2025
Josue Mapagdalita once again stirs the heart—and the mind—through introspective pieces and prompts that he writes with care and sensitivity. Still Here is a touching tribute to the fighter in oneself, soldiering on in the face of life’s ebbs and flows, against the conscious and subconscious. Turn the pages and let the author’s words provoke a memory, thought, or experience—whether yours or someone else’s—and let the catharsis take you somewhere you can simply exist, feel, and heal.
September 29, 2025
Still Here is a prose–poetry collection and journal that invites you to reflect, recollect, and reconnect with your emotions.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t enjoy my first attempt at reading it because I was in the middle of a conversation with friends. But then I realized something important: this book demands presence. It must be read in a comfortable space, free from distractions, where you can allow yourself to be fully reflective.
This book feels like a story about yourself. It gives you the sense that you’re having an honest conversation with your own soul. It encourages you to go deeper, to face your innermost thoughts. Each passage feels like being on a personal retreat, pushing you to ask yourself difficult questions and discover answers you may have long buried.
I especially appreciate how Josue includes disclaimers before certain passages. For example, those about trauma; it reminding readers that they can skip if they are not ready to engage. That sensitivity is what makes this book so powerful. It acknowledges that rediscovering inner pain must happen on your own timeline.
Finding the right words might be hard for someone when they have to revisit their pain, even more so when they have to tell it to someone else. This book made it possible, it is like shouting into the void, releasing emotions you have kept for years, and letting yourself be free from the burdens the past has given you.
Personally, I am not a fan of journaling, as it triggers past fears and trauma that still linger to this day. Journaling for me has always meant writing down the pain, tearing up the paper, and throwing it in the trash. However, this book became a journey, a way for me to triumph over my past pain and sorrow. There is no need to tear out pages or throw them away. My journey is my trophy.
This book is beyond reading. You are engaged. With this book, there are no side characters or main characters. In this story, you are the only character. Because you are Still Here.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t enjoy my first attempt at reading it because I was in the middle of a conversation with friends. But then I realized something important: this book demands presence. It must be read in a comfortable space, free from distractions, where you can allow yourself to be fully reflective.
This book feels like a story about yourself. It gives you the sense that you’re having an honest conversation with your own soul. It encourages you to go deeper, to face your innermost thoughts. Each passage feels like being on a personal retreat, pushing you to ask yourself difficult questions and discover answers you may have long buried.
I especially appreciate how Josue includes disclaimers before certain passages. For example, those about trauma; it reminding readers that they can skip if they are not ready to engage. That sensitivity is what makes this book so powerful. It acknowledges that rediscovering inner pain must happen on your own timeline.
Finding the right words might be hard for someone when they have to revisit their pain, even more so when they have to tell it to someone else. This book made it possible, it is like shouting into the void, releasing emotions you have kept for years, and letting yourself be free from the burdens the past has given you.
Personally, I am not a fan of journaling, as it triggers past fears and trauma that still linger to this day. Journaling for me has always meant writing down the pain, tearing up the paper, and throwing it in the trash. However, this book became a journey, a way for me to triumph over my past pain and sorrow. There is no need to tear out pages or throw them away. My journey is my trophy.
This book is beyond reading. You are engaged. With this book, there are no side characters or main characters. In this story, you are the only character. Because you are Still Here.
October 11, 2025
It is a powerful and heartfelt collection of poetry and prose na punong-puno ng emosyon, realizations, at gentle reminders na hindi tayo nag-iisa sa mga pinagdadaanan natin. Sa bawat pahina, mararamdaman mo 'yung hugot na totoo at hindi pilit—raw, real, and deeply relatable.
Pinakamalakas ang impact ng "Still Here", the title piece, na parang yakap sa lahat ng taong pagod pero patuloy pa ring lumalaban. Isa itong paalala na kahit gaano kahirap ang mga araw, ang mahalaga: Nandito ka pa rin. Buhay ka. At mahalaga ka.
Sa "Dreamer's Caravan", tinapik ka ng author sa balikat at sinabing hindi mo kailangang mahanap agad ang "Great Treasure"—dahil ang mismong paglalakbay ay isang biyaya. Sa "Safe Space", ipinaalala niya na hindi mo kailangang itago lagi ang sakit; may mga taong handang makinig at umalalay. "Celestial Bodies" at "Rat Race" naman ay mga pagninilay sa pressure ng productivity at paghahanap ng kahulugan sa gitna ng pagod.
Isa sa mga magagandang mensahe ng libro ay ang pagiging gentle sa sarili—na hindi mo kailangan maging perpekto para maging worth it. Sa "Mirror", tinuruan tayong humarap muli sa salamin at kilalanin ang sariling kagandahan, kahit pa may peklat o lamat.
Kung ikaw ay isang taong pagod, nalilito, o naghahanap ng kaunting liwanag sa madilim na daan, Still Here is that quiet voice telling you, "Valid ka. Naririnig ka. At hindi ka nag-iisa."
Pinakamalakas ang impact ng "Still Here", the title piece, na parang yakap sa lahat ng taong pagod pero patuloy pa ring lumalaban. Isa itong paalala na kahit gaano kahirap ang mga araw, ang mahalaga: Nandito ka pa rin. Buhay ka. At mahalaga ka.
Sa "Dreamer's Caravan", tinapik ka ng author sa balikat at sinabing hindi mo kailangang mahanap agad ang "Great Treasure"—dahil ang mismong paglalakbay ay isang biyaya. Sa "Safe Space", ipinaalala niya na hindi mo kailangang itago lagi ang sakit; may mga taong handang makinig at umalalay. "Celestial Bodies" at "Rat Race" naman ay mga pagninilay sa pressure ng productivity at paghahanap ng kahulugan sa gitna ng pagod.
Isa sa mga magagandang mensahe ng libro ay ang pagiging gentle sa sarili—na hindi mo kailangan maging perpekto para maging worth it. Sa "Mirror", tinuruan tayong humarap muli sa salamin at kilalanin ang sariling kagandahan, kahit pa may peklat o lamat.
Kung ikaw ay isang taong pagod, nalilito, o naghahanap ng kaunting liwanag sa madilim na daan, Still Here is that quiet voice telling you, "Valid ka. Naririnig ka. At hindi ka nag-iisa."
September 16, 2025
May nabasa na akong ganito dati. Basically, journal rin iyon, kaso di ko nagustuhan. Akala ko hindi para sa akin yung ganitong genre.
Pero lahat ng bagay na naging hadlang para magustuhan ko iyong una, natugunan naman ng librong ito sa mabuting paraan. Hindi na redundant ang ideya, organisado rin ang mga nakakabit na prompts sa bawat entry. Hindi lang basta brain-fart message about mental health, talagang pinag-isipan. Siguro, signal na rin ito sa akin na wag sukuan ang ganitong subgenre ng nonfiction.
Masaya ako na patuloy na nagdedeliver si Josue sa mga nilalabas niyang libro. Nakatutuwa at masasabi ko talagang worth it siyang suportahan, lalo at indie author. Anuman ang ilabas niyang libro sa susunod, talagang bibigyan ko ng oras basahin yan!
Ipapakita ko ang mga journal entries ko sa librong to sa Instagram ✌️
Pero lahat ng bagay na naging hadlang para magustuhan ko iyong una, natugunan naman ng librong ito sa mabuting paraan. Hindi na redundant ang ideya, organisado rin ang mga nakakabit na prompts sa bawat entry. Hindi lang basta brain-fart message about mental health, talagang pinag-isipan. Siguro, signal na rin ito sa akin na wag sukuan ang ganitong subgenre ng nonfiction.
Masaya ako na patuloy na nagdedeliver si Josue sa mga nilalabas niyang libro. Nakatutuwa at masasabi ko talagang worth it siyang suportahan, lalo at indie author. Anuman ang ilabas niyang libro sa susunod, talagang bibigyan ko ng oras basahin yan!
Ipapakita ko ang mga journal entries ko sa librong to sa Instagram ✌️
July 21, 2025
This book reads like a safe space—an invitation to be vulnerable, to be sad, to take off one’s mask and simply be. I especially appreciated the chapters where Josue shares personal experiences that led to each reflection. Those parts felt grounding and full of quiet trust.
Still Here isn’t just a collection of reflections on caring for your mental health, your spirit, and yourself—it’s also a journal, with prompts you’re encouraged to answer directly on the pages. The book holds space for healing and honesty.
Josue’s giving nature is felt throughout. As someone who knows him personally, I could feel his love, joy, and strength in every page. I know he wrote this with his whole heart.
Still Here isn’t just a collection of reflections on caring for your mental health, your spirit, and yourself—it’s also a journal, with prompts you’re encouraged to answer directly on the pages. The book holds space for healing and honesty.
Josue’s giving nature is felt throughout. As someone who knows him personally, I could feel his love, joy, and strength in every page. I know he wrote this with his whole heart.
April 2, 2026
There were moments while reading this when I had to pause because certain lines felt a little too close to home.
Some of the words were quiet but heavy, the kind that lingers longer than expected. I didn't think I would slow down this much, but I found myself reflecting in between pages and even writing down a few thoughts as I went along.
I really appreciated how the book felt like a mix of reading and sitting with your own thoughts. Some pages made my chest ache because they felt so honest, while others offered a sense of calm and reassurance.
This isn't the kind of book you rush through, it gently asks you to stop, feel, and take your time with it.
Some of the words were quiet but heavy, the kind that lingers longer than expected. I didn't think I would slow down this much, but I found myself reflecting in between pages and even writing down a few thoughts as I went along.
I really appreciated how the book felt like a mix of reading and sitting with your own thoughts. Some pages made my chest ache because they felt so honest, while others offered a sense of calm and reassurance.
This isn't the kind of book you rush through, it gently asks you to stop, feel, and take your time with it.
September 1, 2025
A heartfelt book that is made with love. I could feel the authenticity of the author in every page of this book. I also appreciate the prompts and activities inside that readers can do and treat as a journal.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews