Duterte’s sexism and misogyny strengthens the pro-machismo culture that dominates our society.
Tag: Pulse
The Philippines is renowned for its rich biodiversity, boasting around 240 protected areas of land and water. But all this is under threat as wide-scale infrastructure, modernization, and resource extraction displace indigenous peoples (IPs) and propel the encroaching climate emergency. Moved by this purpose, environmental activists are on the frontlines, advocating for concrete policies and…
“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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Stripped bare: Exposing the male gaze
Sensual jazz music plays in the background. Then, the camera slowly pans upward over a pair of long legs, a narrow waist, a bulging chest, and luscious lips—cut to men salivating over the voluptuous Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? From that moment on, she is merely a fantasy—nothing more and nothing less. Films…
“Bawat bata may tanong. Ba’t ganito? Ba’t gano’n?” (Every child has a question. Why are things like this? Why are things like that?) Colorful visuals, informative learning, and interactive dialogue are what viewers are treated to when watching an episode of the 1994 children’s educational television show Sine’skwela. The science-centered program introduced the basics of…
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How art conservation defies time
To stand before a work of art is to take in its splendor—bright hues masterfully laid out across the canvas, striking faces with eyes that seem to pierce your soul, and stunning landscapes captured in up to 20 feet tall paintings. As your eyes rove across every detail, you begin to comprehend the weight of…
Nowadays, one would be hard-pressed to find a neglected niche in the market that has not yet met a certain demand or addressed compelling public issues. There seems to be a business catering to every little want and need of the global consumer. But at the core of these enterprises is the ability to not…
Get yourself a clueless foreigner uncomfortably munching Jollibee’s Filipino-style spaghetti and you’ll instantly get a thousand likes from elated Filipinos. Other times, it’s some Hollywood celebrity endorsing a local brand, causing passionate fans to stampede to its stores. Without a doubt, Filipinos have normalized—and celebrated—the sight of a foreigner grasping Filipino culture in their hands.…
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Hala, bira: Keeping the fiesta alive
Loud thumping beats underscore the palpable excitement of eager spectators on the streets. Flashes of vivid colors dance before you like a parade of people clad in the most intricate costumes pass by. You make your way under the fluttering banderitas with a paper plate in hand, gladly helping yourself to some of the best…
They marched with placards on one hand and a rainbow flag on the other. Yet the police still chose violence. In commemoration of last year’s Stonewall Manila anniversary, the Bahaghari-organized Pride March that doubled as a protest against the Anti-Terror Law was greeted with policemen in riot gear, leading to the arrests of 20 individuals.…