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Rant and Rave—’Bo Burnham: Inside’ gets existential

Bo Burnham makes his highly-anticipated comeback with Bo Burnham: Inside five years after his last comedy special, Make Happy. A veritable triple-threat, Burnham made his name as a Comedy Central stand-up comedian in the early 2000s before venturing into writing and directing during his hiatus. After his critically acclaimed Eighth Grade in 2018 and a…

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Rant and Rave: ‘Sour’ captures the voice of a generation

Olivia Rodrigo’s meteoric rise to fame shocked the music industry earlier this year. When her viral power ballad hit Drivers License shot atop the charts, most people saw Rodrigo’s strong fanbase from her Disney shows such as Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical The Series to be a strong driving force to her success.…

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Rant and Rave: Shadow and Bone invites you into the dark

Fans everywhere rejoiced when Netflix greenlit the adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse. Excitement was through the roof—after all, the book series was one of the breakout titles of the 2010s and was known for its intricate worldbuilding and compelling characters. However, after a slew of studio cash grab adaptations of other Young Adult (YA) series…

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Writer’s Recap: SolYOUtion 2021 catalyzes change through the youth

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the deepening crisis of inequality in our country— the widening divide and neglect for rural areas and the agricultural sector, who oftentimes are the same. Peasant women especially have long borne the brunt of gender-based inequality, burdened with farmer exploitation while struggling as mothers to support the family…

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Writer’s Recap: Mysteries unfold at DLS2K20

Last May 21 to 22, DLSU Harlequin Theater Guild (HTG)’s annual DuLa Salle (DLS) series made a triumphant return following its suspension amid the pandemic. The 2020 edition deviated from previous stagings as the line-up now consisted of eight 30 minute films, subsequently divided into four sets.  This year’s theme centered on the otherworldly mysteries…

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Writer’s Recap: OUTLIVE 2021 levels up the game called life

Climate change, a global pandemic, and the downfall of democracy—such are the realities of our present. And for many people, this is a story whose next chapter they no longer want to read. However, for some, there is light at the end of the tunnel. While the beginning of this book may have been dark,…

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A sudden homecoming: Realities of COVID-19 displaced OFWs

There is a multitude of ways to view the Filipino diaspora. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are hailed as heroes, exemplars of the modern Filipino, with a temperament and skillset suited for the globalized economy. Domestic workers, seafarers, and healthcare workers alike set forth from their homeland to search for employment elsewhere, all for the upward…

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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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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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Mind over matter: The pandemic mental health crisis

“‘Pag pupunta ka lang sa psychiatrist, sasabihin ng ibang tao na baliw ka na. ‘Baliw’ agad ‘yung term,” shares Dr. Reggie Pamugas, Vice Chair of Health Action for Human Rights. As someone who’s been in the field for more than 19 years as a community-based physician, Pamugas knows all too well the stigma associated with…