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Rant and Rave: DuLa Salle 2K13 (Silang Mga Walang Pangalan)

DLSU Harlequin Theatre Guild brings its 2k13 batch of apprentices into the limelight with its latest production, DuLa Salle 2K13: Silang Mga Walang Pangalan. Set within the walls of the university, the show is divided into four plays with each one delving into the struggles of the anonymous campus employees as they balance their professional…

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Rant and Rave: LINE

Guess who’s missing? Massively adorable LINE characters are no small help to the rising appeal of the East Asian instant messaging app making its debut on Philippine shores. Technology is indeed fast changing. With the embrace of instant messaging apps that allow people to send and receive messages within seconds, the demand for this kind…

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Glimpse: The 2013 Eid al-Fitr

As the Islamic sacred month of fasting saw its conclusion yesterday, Muslims across the world become united today to welcome a three-day celebration whose advent is called Eid al-Fitr. Much like how Christmas is for the Christians, this grand festivity is considered an important holiday for the Muslims. “Festival of breaking the fast” Eid al-…

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Before 1521: A dive into precolonial culture

“We were uncivilized, basically,” so says our average Juan. This vista in retrospect of the ancient Filipinos descended from our colonizers to us modern-day Juans, where “uncivilized”, “savage”, and “pagans” prevail as the most common reflex to describe our ancestors. Such is an effect of the Western-influenced contemporary mindset that leads us to discriminate anything…

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Rant and Rave: Sandosenang Sapatos

PLAY:  Tanghalang Pilipino kicks off its 27th season with its first play, “Sandosenang Sapatos.” Based on the Palanca award-winning children’s book by Luis Gatmaitan, the story is brought to life on stage by playwright Layeta Bucoy (of Stageshow and Walang Kukurap fame), musical directors Noel Cabangon and Jed Basalmo, and director Tuxqs Rutaquio. Sapatos narrates…

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Hidden treasures

Last year, I had the privilege of attending an advanced screening of Brillante Mendoza’s Captive, a film about the 2001 Abu Sayyaf kidnapping in Palawan. The event happened in the hospitality of his home, complete with food and drinks, entirely free of charge. After the film, despite being in the middle of shooting his next…

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Local vs. foreign superheroic comparisons

Superman, Batman, Spiderman, these are just few of the superheroes that have, over time, become household names around the world. Everybody is familiar with Superman’s iconic costume: the red cape, blue spandex, and bold insignia, across his chest. Everybody knows about the Dark Knight and his crusade against crime in Gotham City. And everybody is…

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What does it mean to be a Filipino?

The concept of national identity is a tricky one. Asking what it means to be Filipino is basically the same as finding what it is that brings 94.85 million people together. Is it the fact that we share the same land? 7,107 islands beg to differ (at least when it’s low tide). Is it sharing…

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Unearthing the Animo legacy

The colors green and white, the archer wielding his bow and arrow, and the star called Signum Fidei – these are among the symbols that instantly come into mind with the quick mention of “Lasallian”. They have prevailed the boundaries of time and have embodied themselves as the bastions of the Lasallian heritage. Meanwhile, as…

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A salute to the heroes unknown

It was during those colonial days in Philippine history – remarkable and unforgettable – that repressed, yet brave individuals formed an alliance against the colonial power that shackled the nation for hundreds of years. Until the day when the national flag was waved and the national anthem was sung amidst millions of Filipinos, the country…