The unilateral termination of the 1989 UP-DND Accord is another attempt to clamp down on democracy—it is a move reminiscent of the Marcos regime. Without evidence for his supporting arguments and without consultation from the University of the Philippines (UP), Secretary Delfin Lorenzana nonchalantly declared in a letter to UP President Danilo Concepcion that the […]
In 2018, Amber Heard wrote an op-ed, published on the Washington Post, about her experience with domestic abuse, saying, “I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out.” This was alluding to the abuse claims she filed against her ex-husband Johnny […]
With tensions already high amid this COVID-19 pandemic, many more issues have surfaced in society—threats against press freedom, cases of sexual assault, and racial discrimination—and discussions of these have made their way online. I have seen many infographics and posts all over social media that promote different ways by which one can make a difference […]
As stores reopen, on-site work continues, and people return to the streets, we are made to think that the country has braved a wave of infections, that the spread of COVID-19 has been successfully mitigated, and that all that is left to do now is to prevent a resurgence of cases. Yet one should not […]
I have been and still am a critic during this crisis. Now, before anyone accuses me of deviance, dares question my contribution to society, or demands my “cooperation”, they must first understand that amid our country’s current troubles, to speak up is not only the practice of a right but also the fulfillment of a […]
In the past month and a half that enhanced community quarantine measures have been in place, calls for increased testing have remained ever present, if not grown steadily stronger. Although the increase in COVID-19 cases seems to have stabilized in recent days, as well as newly reported recoveries outnumbering new fatalities, this cannot beget complacency. […]
I’ve always had a problem with the way my eyes look. My earliest memory of my disdain for my Chinese features was when I was told that Piolo Pascual was the epitome of male attractiveness. Young, impressionable, kindergarten Westin was heartbroken when he looked in the mirror; he faced not the chiselled, brown-skinned, wide-eyed Piolo […]
What does it mean to be a “role model”? A frosh candidate said, in the Miting de Avance (MDA) held last November, that leaders are the “role models for the future”, as people would use their actions as a benchmark for what it means to be right and wrong. It was an admirable answer, and […]
After the Taal Volcano eruption, classes in Manila were suspended for two days. After the suspension was announced, my friends and I were talking about the ash fall in our respective areas. One of my friends, wondering why classes were still suspended, mentioned that the ash fall didn’t seem so bad in Makati as it […]
“I have over 3,600 hours in Dota 2.” Oftentimes, telling people that I have spent at least 116 days furiously right clicking the mouse on a computer baffles them. My love-hate relationship with the game was rather apparent due to my persistent rambling about it. Those I ramble to might even ask, “Why would anyone […]