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Sigaw sa kanayunan: The uphill battle for genuine agrarian reform

The gargantuan task of feeding a nation typically falls on the Filipino farmers’ weary shoulders—but for a people who receive only a little recognition, if any at all, the burden may be too great in exchange. The everyday farmer endures back-breaking work under harsh conditions, and must contend with numerous challenges, principal of which is…

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Frame by frame: Philippine animation’s growing pains

Time and time again, the art of animation has captured the fun and refreshing ideas and brought their magic to our screens. Studios such as Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and Studio Ghibli continue to invest hundreds of hours into carefully crafting countless classics and producing tales of wonderful whimsy to warm the heart. And while animation…

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Taking up space: The rise of Filipina plus-size models

Models have always symbolized the unattainable, embodying perfection on catwalks, billboards, and magazine spreads. The confidence that these fashion muses exude have always been staples in how they are perceived—everything from their hairstyles, to their seemingly flawless skin, to the designer clothes, are carefully engineered to elicit want in everyone who lays eyes on them.…

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Play ad: The changing landscape of Philippine advertising

“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…

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Survival of the fittest: Making a living in wet markets

Gone are the days when anyone could freely head to a public market to purchase fresh meat, fruits, and vegetables. With community quarantine measures in place, many livelihoods have been upended. Eight months on, and the many businesses in the country are still struggling to adopt solutions to survive an economy in recession. Among the…

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To the beat, to the rhythm: Peering into competitive ballroom dancing

Under the floodlights, hand in hand, pairs take to the dance floor. On certain days, they hold each other close, hearts beating loud. On some, they glide across the expanse of the room, with one leading the other, twisting and turning together in long, elegant strides. And on others, they dance in a flurry to…

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Between books and shelves: The dynamic future of public libraries

Public libraries are cornerstones of culture in the Philippines. While many institutions tend to govern our way of life, public libraries preserve how this way of life came to be in the first place. Tasked with housing primary source materials and other pieces of our country’s history, libraries sate even the most curious of knowledge…

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Talking heads: Podcasters on and off the mic

Meaningful conversations bring about a sense of enlightenment. New discoveries are made through a back and forth of opinions, as well as a sharing of personal experiences. Such a relay of knowledge has become so sought after that it has popularized podcasts. More refined than simple talking heads, podcasts are divided into episodes, where different…