Police knock, suspect pleads, and then a gunshot or two is fired—a sequence of events that has become all too familiar. In this day and age, the police seem to be painted in a negative light on news headlines—both internationally and locally—far more often than they previously were. Extra-judicial killings and racist acts have served…
Author: Westin Perez
Men are defined not by their accomplishments, but by the journey they undertook to achieve triumph. In totality, the feat alone does not justify their worth, it comes auxiliary to the herculean effort and eventual victory. When the end of the road seems all too imminent than than it already is, that’s when the beckoning…
Man’s mind is an enigma, and to this day, we can’t fully comprehend what it’s truly capable of. We only understand a fraction of how it works, and so much of what it can do is still left in the dark. Such was the case when American linguist Edward Sapir hypothesized in 1929 that the…
In the never-ending shared posts and videos on Facebook feeds, Jinky “Madam Kilay” Anderson, a Filipina known for her vastly overdrawn eyebrows and aquamarine hair, somehow finds her way to capture everyone’s attention. As one clicks on one of her videos, one would immediately notice, after her striking look, is a Caucasian man conversing with…
Colonization through a historian’s eyes
Driving around Manila, the sight of Philippine flags leaning on lamp posts or draped on the most distinct spots on buildings become all the more frequent as the days go by. The days leading up to June bring about a heightened sense of nationalism. Last June 12th, the Philippines celebrated her 119th year of independence.…
In my first term in DLSU, when I was still getting to know the people in my block, assumptions were immediately made of myself and the other two people in the block who are also Chinese. I recall a time when my classmates asked one of them how to say her Chinese name. She replied,…
From sentiments of surprise, skepticism, and even wonder, near death experiences are labeled with a wide spectrum of reactions, but easy to dismiss is not one of them. The tales of those who’ve died, been to the other side, and came back are plenty. And it’s often met with an assorted mix of responses. Some…
The strongest of bonds are forged from the fires of the toughest challenges; be it by proximity, societal perception, or just simply superficial incompatibility. These are barriers faced by the modern day Romeos and Juliets who struggle to gain recognition that their love is not so different at its core. When it comes to love,…
As the corpse of a long dead dictator was put to rest in the Libingan ng mga Bayani last November 18, 2016, the fires of outcry and defiance burned bright all around the country. People from all walks of life, near and far, took their stands and made their voices heard. And while in the…
Hero on duty
The eve of Christmas is often a calm and happy one. Most people blissfully go to sleep, having spent the day with their family and having the most awaited day of the year to look forward to the next day. The holidays represent rest and relaxation, a chance to lay back and to enjoy the…