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Amid a pandemic taking lives, OB-GYNs fulfill duties to bring new ones

For most children, life begins in a delivery room at the hands of an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), a medical doctor who specializes in female reproductive health. The delicate hands of these doctors tend to the mother with utmost care, ensuring that both the mother and the baby are safe and healthy. Now, amid a pandemic, it…

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A narrow lens: How trans facing creates caricatures

Transgender people have been featured onscreen for decades now. However, they have been reduced to stereotypes; treated as either a deplorable “other” in exploitation films that have marketed transsexuality as a titillating shame, such as in 1953’s Glen or Glenda, or as a surprise twist as in 1992’s The Crying Game. In fact, examples of…

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Not just for laughs: Portrait of a stand-up comic

Making people laugh can be hit or miss; after all, jokes are often made at the spur of a moment.It happens at the dinner table, during a phone call, in the middle of a car ride, and all thosecasual moments when one’s wit and humor spontaneously strike gold. Standing onstage, however, the setting changes; for…

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Paths forward: Community support at the core of modernization, true progress

Since the dawn of civilization, humanity has constantly found ways to shape and reshape the environment to suit its ever-evolving needs. Throughout history, humanity has anchored societal and economic progress on modernization projects that were aimed at providing the best solutions to different issues, bringing about widespread change to society as a whole.  The need…

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Without contempt: Finding a home within queer spaces

Strobing lights and colorful personalities conquer places where the LGBTQ+ community can be most uninhibited by societal norms. Queer spaces offer a carefree atmosphere for anyone who steps inside—enveloping them with love and acceptance. Beyond being a place to escape from society’s prejudiced gazes, much more can be discovered within the halls of these spaces.…

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Beyond choreography: PH folk dance embodies culture, collective identity

As the country celebrates Buwan ng Wika this August, it feels apt to look back in time to explore what we know of the Philippines’ stories and cultural depth, and move forward toward how we can preserve and continually keep the nation’s vibrant colors alive well into the future.  We often try to appreciate our…

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Light in the brushstrokes: Inmates capture the colors of life in ‘Humans of Hope’ exhibit

The cold confines of prison can be a damning place.  In the time one spends sitting behind bars, an inmate could lose some semblance of hope in such a desolate setting. This desire to help the inmates was what inspired the Servants of the Holy Eucharist to initiate the Restorative Justice Program at Mandaluyong City…

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Heart and soil: Sowing the seeds of urban gardening

Months ago, the uncertainty surrounding lockdown measures became more pressing, with hordes of shoppers storming supermarkets to stock up on essential goods. With customers loading an alarming amount of fresh produce in their carts, the unfolding scene eerily resembled a dystopian tale—but this growing fear of a food shortage was not completely baseless. Food security,…

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Startups and alternatives: Stop-gap responses to COVID-19 economic woes

For a travel agent like Maria Fe Cantillo-Rofule, trips abroad are a customary part of her work life. She has led numerous groups of vacationers around the world that, in a way, it has become a form of routine. However, last January 26, a trip to Hong Kong became anything but routine: popular tourist spots…

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Across frontiers: Former, current residents team up to aid Iloilo hometown

Since the implementation of the community quarantine policies last March, many households across the country have struggled with the economic fallout caused by the pandemic. The situation in Iloilo is similarly grim, as many villagers try to satiate gaping needs using what little resources they have left; in an effort to obtain sustenance, some have…