There is surface, and then there is depth. It was the 1950s when gay-themed films that so often saw portrayal from the King of Comedy Dolphy permeated every television of every household. Back then, the Filipino gay man only bifurcated into one-dimensional roles: the loud and flamboyant parloristang bakla who works in cheap salons, and…
Author: Cody Cepeda
When the sun’s on the cusp of petering out from the sky and the breeze is finally cool on the cheek, people switch their porch lights on, anticipating the darkness in the offing. In Daly City, sundown is at 8:27 pm. For Beth*, this means rest. Her room is small and she has no door,…
Every now and then, I would see Facebook friends sharing a photo of a group of jejemons on my newsfeed, accompanied with the usual caption of ridicule and mockery. Jejemons are people who speak (30WwzZ mxzta n4 p0h,,,?) and dress (stereotypically in a bandana or a colorful cap, oversized shirts, and baggy shorts) a certain…
Dr. Antonio Contreras is no stranger to controversy. These days, he is most known for actively sharing his opinions on varying political issues through his Facebook account. Whether it is comparing two typhoons and their corresponding wind speed and fatalities based on the president at the time and nothing less, or shaming a student whose…
A few weeks ago, I was sitting in one of my major classes (a socio-anthropology course on religion) when the discussion touched on violence. It was apropos at that time since it coincided with the news reports about the Catholic Church opposing abortion and the extrajudicial killings. My professor, Dr. Josefina, a trained anthropologist and…
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V.Avena & Sons, the last one standing
The typewriter, in the context of the times, has been heralded as sophisticated and futuristic—so much so that the fine contraption changed the way people saw communication, and became a necessity in most professions and households for the most part of the 20th century. But the workhorse that so often received beating from the likes…
Oro Reviewed by Samantha Se Oro is based on the true story of a tiny village situated on an isolated island. The islands’ inhabitants make their living by extracting and purifying gold deposits that they collect from a cave near their village. This is a major source of income for the villagers’ families, and most…
Saving Sally Reviewed by Casey Eridio Months before its initial release, Saving Sally popped up in almost everyone’s Facebook news feed. The trailer, which featured the film’s quirky animations and fairytale-esque narration, caught the attention of those who proudly wear the geek badge, as well as those who were simply looking for something different. But…
Omar Cabillan was just an adolescent when he saw a dead body up close for the first time. His father, an embalmer, took him under his wing and taught him the trade of embalming at a young age. His key takeaway? Attention to detail. Now 42 years old, married, and with children, Omar is one…
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Let them eat meat
As a child, I’d get excited whenever my mother would bring me with her to the groceries. I’m not exactly sure what it is about the grocery that appeals to me. It could be the lovely pastry section with rows and rows of tarts and cakes that look too pretty to eat (sometimes with the…