Manila-born Myrna J. de la Paz grew up in a town in northern Mindanao where ancient indigenous Malay-Austronesian culture and spiritual beliefs are practiced parallel to Christianity.  The blend of both the native and Christian traditions is the source of inspiration for the cultural activism in her work in writing, theatre, and film.
          Her notable works in theatre are Kamandag, the first Filipino Rock Zarzuela, and Bakunawa, based on the solar eclipse myth of the indigenous people of Mindanao. A press review interpreted Bakunawa as the people’s call for freedom from foreign control while the Spanish parish priests in Tondo, a historic community in Manila, saw it as a religious morality play.
          Based on the Cinderella story of the old Kalagan country (northern Mindanao) she wrote the book, ABADEHA the Philippine Cinderella, and made the award-winning film, and musical ABADEHA Neo-Ethnic Rock Cinderella  
          Killing Magellan in the Philippine Gold Islands: The Untold Conspiracy and Beyond subverts the absurd mainstream version of the arrival of Magellan’s voyage in the pre-Philippines which glorifies the colonial agenda of the Spanish Empire. The mainstream version through veiled implications portray the natives as inferior, naïve and simple-minded cowards despite Magellan’s defeat and death in a war that he waged against just one renegade chief who refused allegiance to him and the Spanish Emperor.
          Since 1982, Myrna J. de la Paz has lived and worked in Los Angeles, California. She has maintained her ties with family and friends in the Philippines especially those in Caraga which once upon a time was Kalagan, the pre-Philippine gold country.