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Of dots and strokes: The inner workings of Malate Literary Folio

Readers mostly only see the tail-end of a long and laborious process. This emphasis on tangible results may sometimes leave artists entirely overlooked. After all, regardless of the artist, the art will have to stand on its own against the world. But by doing so, an important aspect of art becomes sidelined. The unsung tales…

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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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Free spirit: Elle Aspilla is rewriting all the rules

It was the night before the prom and Elle Aspilla (III, BS-IBS) had just come out of the closet. It would still be quite a while before she would identify as a trans woman, but even back then, just embracing queerness was liberating. And what better time to be unapologetically herself than prom night? “Nagsuot…

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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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JP Habac and the blooming of queer narratives

It is so much easier to see the world as binary; you are either one thing or the other. We prefer to have the line clearly drawn in the sand, to have things and people neatly tucked away. But the simple truth of the matter is: people are diverse. We cannot be simply drawn in…

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Macoy, undubbed: The human beyond the humor

”Sino ang kumain ng sisig sa Jollijeep?” cries Nigel in the iconic Devil Wears Prada scene. For those scratching their heads, no, this is not some deranged Tagalog dubbing in a late Sunday night local network line-up. This is one of the zingers comedian Macoy Dubs delivered in their early days of making dubbed content…

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Mike Navallo: Principles over fear

“Truth is our defense.” With these words, Mike Navallo reaffirmed the importance of accurate reporting and encapsulated the essence of credible journalism—presenting stories backed by evidence. Prior to becoming a reporter for ABS-CBN, Navallo worked as a lawyer and a researcher for Amnesty International. However, he has always had an interest in news reporting, and…

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Murals of the mind: The many lives of Dr. Joven Cuanang

Along the sleepy slopes of the Antipolo mountainside lies a microcosm of Philippine society. Stretched out over a 40-foot acrylic canvas and painted by the 16-artist Salingpusa collective, Karnabal looms like a grave question mark over all the visitors of the Pintô Art Museum. In it, every aspect of the Filipino is bared in strange…

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Transcendental: Unlocking the secrets of a spiritual healer

The healer of Brgy. Hagdang Bato in Mandaluyong City is well-known among the locals of the community; ask anyone around, and they’d be all too eager to give directions to his place. Tucked behind the barangay’s health center is his home—a surprisingly expansive property in the heart of the city. Strangely reminiscent of the province…

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Literature professors on what to read next

Note: This article has been altered from its original format due to the failure to properly credit the interviewees’ responses. The LaSallian offers its sincerest apologies to Sir Johann Espiritu and all other parties for this grievous error.   In this busy and ofttimes fast-paced world, we are left with too many books, but with too…