Categories
Menagerie

Sign of the times: Reviving Philippine historical education

Most Filipinos become aware of our country’s history within the four walls of the classroom. In subjects such as Sibika (or HeKaSi), Social Studies, or Araling Panlipunan (AP), they grow familiar with Lapu-Lapu’s bravery and Dr. Jose Rizal’s sacrifice. With the help of colorful flashcards, students learn to recognize the symbols of their heritage and…

Categories
Menagerie

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.…

Categories
Menagerie

Skin deep: Peeling off the Philippines’ colorism problem

Amid the sudsy sachets of shampoo and tubes of toothpaste in a typical Filipino bathroom lies an infamous product—skin whiteners. Ranging from soaps to serums to creams, these products claim to give fairer skin in a matter of days or weeks. As such, they have earned a permanent place in every Filipino woman’s beauty routine.…

Categories
Menagerie

The subculture of dissatisfaction: Punk is never dead

It’s gritty, loud, and foaming at the mouth. It’s short and direct—a chaotic whirlwind of sounds scraping against the surface. It screams what is usually withheld, echoing the resistance of people who are breaking their chains. It’s punk. “I was introduced to this music by a friend of mine who had a mixtape cassette with no…

Categories
Menagerie

Love rewards the brave: Keavy Vicente and Rachel Coates on the rise of Filipino Girls’ Love

In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of LGBTQ+-themed content in media, with titles such as Love, Simon; God’s Own Country; and Moonlight raking in commercial and critical success. It seemed as if, finally, the community was getting the representation that it deserved. The same can be said for the local film scene, with…

Categories
Menagerie

Laying the groundwork: The nuances of youth-led conservation efforts

When people think of nature, images of various flora and fauna interacting and thriving in their habitat come to mind—untouched by the ravages of time. Rarely do people include the human species in this mental picture. As nature is often associated with concepts free from human influence, a line is drawn between humanity and nature.…

Categories
Menagerie

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…

Categories
Menagerie Menagerie Feature

Lumalaban sa lansangan, lumalaban sa kulungan: The plight of political prisoners

It started with a simple request from the police. Well into the second day of their nationwide protest to decry the insufficient pandemic response that has left drivers to fend for themselves, transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) was summoned to the Caloocan city hall. “Pagkatapos kausapin ng hepe, ay…

Categories
Menagerie

Rant and Rave: Why care a lot about I Care A Lot?

While male characters have long been afforded complexity onscreen through the likes of Michael Corleone or Charles Foster Kane, female characters are relegated to the sidelines as love interests, mothers, or friends—one-dimensional roles that serve to prop up men’s character development. J Blakeson’s I Care A Lot flips the script with a ferocious female anti-hero…

Categories
Menagerie

A menagerie of love: Eros, agape, and everything in between

Love is a many-splendored thing. It is infinite in its mutability, pervading and shaping our art and stories since we first comprehended our existence. The complex beings that we are, it is only fitting that what compels us is equally complex too. This Valentine’s, The LaSallian presents love in all its confounding forms with the…