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Higit sa sining: Tarantadong Kalbo revolts through and beyond art

Kevin Raymundo, the man behind Tarantadong Kalbo, ensures that every visual encourages us to speak out about injustices.

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Free as my hair: Embracing curls for liberty through the natural hair movement

Reclaiming Filipina beauty starts with appreciating naturally curly hair.

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Unraveling the supernatural: Examining elements of modern Filipino witchcraft

Magic, sorcery, and the supernatural are only the tip of the iceberg in witchcraft.

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Makibaka, huwag matakot: Raising our fists against red-tagging

This practice is known as “red-tagging” and is defined by the International Freedom of Expression Exchange as a “form of harassment against critics of [the] government.” Red-tagging can come in many forms: threatening accusations, arrests, forced disappearances, and even death.  Under the Duterte administration, red-tagging has intensified due to widespread troll farms, fake news, and…

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Mapagpalayang karapatan: Why decriminalize abortion?

“Siya ang halimaw ng storya,” Alexandra Trese viciously says in the third episode of the eponymous Netflix series. She points her finger at Nova Aurora, the blood-spattered movie star who moments ago had just been revealed to have left her own newborn to die. The fetus, who came back as a tiyanak to take revenge,…

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Of the people, for the people: The power of community pantries

Aside from a health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has also only brought about an economic one. The shutting down of businesses and subsequent employee lay-offs have greatly exacerbated the already-pervasive issues of hunger and unemployment in the country. As ayuda (relief aid) and other government support services remain insufficient for the needs of the people,…

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Abante, babae: Mela Habijan leads the charge

“I always thought of myself as a beautiful woman,” she says matter-of-factly. Coming from anyone else, these words would have sounded arrogant. But coming from Mela Habijan, they were only introspective.  If you asked her now, she would tell you without missing a beat what she is—a writer, an actress, a beauty queen. She beams…

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Rant and Rave: Ride or Die speeds off to red flags

At the outset, Ride or Die seems to be the high-octane queer feminist story we’ve all been waiting for. Spunky and defiant, the film tackles modern-day womanhood and sexuality against the backdrop of a patriarchal society with familial expectations. The story follows Nanae (Honami Sato) and Rei (Kiko Mizuhara) who find themselves on the run…

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Love rewards the brave: Keavy Vicente and Rachel Coates on the rise of Filipino Girls’ Love

In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of LGBTQ+-themed content in media, with titles such as Love, Simon; God’s Own Country; and Moonlight raking in commercial and critical success. It seemed as if, finally, the community was getting the representation that it deserved. The same can be said for the local film scene, with…

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Rant and Rave: Malcolm & Marie crashes and burns

As the movie industry faces restrictions during the ongoing pandemic, Netflix’s Malcolm & Marie was the perfect opportunity for a back-to-basics movie-making approach—one set, two powerhouse actors, and an explosive script. Arriving home late at night after rising director Malcolm’s (John David Washington) successful movie premiere, his celebratory mood is disrupted by his girlfriend Marie’s…