The arts have been one of the hardest-hit industries by the pandemic. The shutting down of theaters and productions all over the country left thousands of creatives unmoored as artists are plunged deeper into crisis after crisis. It seemed like the magic of live performances wouldn’t be felt again for a long while. But the…
Author: Iona Gibbs
“Ampon po ba ako?” a child in tears asks his mother. A scene like this conjures in our minds a typical narrative of loss—except this ad is anything but typical. A moment later, the child sprawls on the table and demands an explanation why there are four glasses attached to his back. With the truth…
For indigenous peoples across all borders, the struggle for autonomy is an undeniably familiar narrative that spans generations. Subjected to violence, pillaging, and erasure since the Spaniards first stepped on our shores, these communities are consistently relegated to the fringes of history—constantly left behind by the state-constructed Filipino identity characterized by settler colonial symbols. But…
There seems to be an unsaid discomfort when anything related to sex is brought to the table. From menstruation, contraceptive pills, pregnancy, to abortion, it is almost impossible to share details about these experiences casually, unremarkably, and with no holds barred. “This image that we like to portray—that the Philippines is so conservative—stands in the…
A lover’s face on a dimly-lit screen, movie nights put off by poor internet connection, and special dates celebrated in blurry virtual rooms—such scenes have come to define love in the time of a pandemic. With half a year of physical distancing measures dividing friends, family, and lovers alike, communication has survived—but only through the…