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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Philippine TV has truly gone far from its cathode-ray tubes and LCDs, far enough to intervene in the world opposite its superficial screens. Unquestionably, this form of media has always been part of determining the what-hot and what-not for the Philippine pop culture. Hence, by exploring its remarkable breakthroughs and impediments, we unveil an essential…
Baguio, home of the strawberries, pine trees and cool breeze. People from all over the country flee to the summer capital to experience the wonder that has captured thousands of travelers. In the growing number of tourists, Baguio increases the need for transportation, thus the abundance of taxi cabs, jeeps and buses. Although this predicament…
There are things one can easily own for their portability: a wallet, a necklace, and even someone’s love. But there are things far larger than one can personally keep. Take buildings and geographical spaces for example: a tower tall enough to scrape skies or even a plot of land wide enough to be named a…
Texting is arguably the prime example of the power of the peso, that is why it has ingrained itself into the life of an average Filipino who cannot survive a day without sending a text containing a barrage of emoticons, or a text pleading for more load. Thus, this phenomenon has caused economic authorities to…
