Scout: 2019 April-June

S CO U T M AG . P H

FREE M A GAZINE!

ISSUE NO . 3 5

lucky girl

kathr yn

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In this issue

School service 10 music United Cassettes 12 scene Bubble_T 18 art Yeo Kaa 24 essay Missed connections 26 cover story Kathryn Bernardo 34 profile The Kooks 36 food Baon club 42 culture OFW kids 06 non-fiction

W W W . S C O U T M A G . P H

issue no. 35 growing up issue group publisher editorial manager creative director associate editor junior designer junior content creators

staff photographers and videographers

copy editor contributors

interns

bea j. ledesma eric nicole salta nimu muallam oliver emocling renz mart reyes giselle barrientos jelou galang rogin losa

argyl leones, javier lobregat, samantha ong, jp talapian patricia romualdez zofiya acosta, grai alvar, mav bernardo, justine del rosario, rj dela cruz, yazhmin malajito, pauline miranda, bj pascual, pam robes tyra monzones, james saluta

ON THE COVER Kathryn wears Toqa Photography by BJ Pascual Styling by Mav Bernardo Makeup by Justine del Rosario Hair by RJ Dela Cruz

@scoutmagph #kathrynforscout

board chairperson alexandra prieto-romualdez chief investment officer, inquirer group of companies j. ferdinand de luzuriaga chief operating officer, inquirer group of companies atty. rudyard arbolado vp/group hr head raymund soberano vp/chief strategic planning officer imelda c. alcantara senior hr manager ma. leonisa l. gabrieles hr specialist reynalyn s. fernandez executive assistant/ editorial content planner jill cruz

account executives chloe dianne cartoneros, kyle cayabyab, christine joy galura, rose carina mamonong, anne medina, kimberly tañafranca, xenia sebial, andie zuñiga sales support assistant rechelle nicdao sales coordinator genessi millenas brand storytelling and content strategy manager isabelle gonzalez marketing assistant demicah bedoya cassandra belcina patricia supapo marketing junior designer francesca diego bianca pilar

head of operations and business development lurisa ann villanueva key account supervisor angelita tan-ibañez sales supervisor sarah cabalatungan key accounts officer altheia ordiales senior account executive karl angelo resurreccion

production and distribution manager jan cariquitan production assistant maricel gavino final art supervisor dennis cruz distribution specialist arnulfo naron senior distribution assistant angela carlos-quiambao liason associate rosito subang

For general inquiries, email us at scoutmagph@gmail.com or scout@hinge.ph 4F Media Resource Plaza, Mola cor. Pasong Tirad Sts., Brgy. La Paz, Makati City

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4/26/19

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Letter from the Editor What do you think of the word “change?”

Whenever I hear it, I remember Lana Del Rey’s song “Change” from her album Lust for Life. The word also reminds me of political taglines and aphorisms. It’s been so overused—and sometimes abused—that it seems we’ve exhausted its meaning without arriving at actual change.

Once a word is repeated too many times, we experience a psychological phenomenon called “semantic satiation,” the point when a word eventually loses its meaning. Could we say that “change” has lost its meaning? I’d like to think not. As Lana sings, “Change is a powerful thing. People are powerful beings.”

The worst mistake we could commit as human beings is to be apathetic. To stop rallying for positive change. The only time “change” becomes meaningless is when it doesn’t serve its real purpose and meaning.

Our cover star Kathryn Bernardo, who is also facing many changes, still believes that the youth can change the world for the better. “I think malaki ang responsibility natin at walang ibang mag-aayos [sa mundo] kundi ’yung generation natin,” Kathryn says. “Siguro kailangan lang ng kaunting push. Minsan kulang lang sa knowledge at kailangan lang na may magsimula.”

Scout’s 35th issue is all about growing up. And in our conversation with Kathryn and all the other people featured in this issue, we found that we need to initiate, challenge, and also embrace change, whether personal or societal, in order to grow up.

Oliver

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6

non-fiction

Three writers recall unforgettable stories of innocence, friendship, and mystery that all happened on the school service Illustration by TYRA MONZONES

Trust issues

by YAZHMIN MALAJITO

When I was in grade school, I called my school bus—actually, it was a jeep—Mariposa because of the colorful words written on the “forehead” of the vehicle. The name the signage bore was usually that of the jeepney owner’s kin, but I didn’t know who Mariposa was exactly.

Mariposa, the jeep, was unusually long. It could accommodate up to 25 students. It was fast. It was not as noisy as other jeeps. And one day, it ran over a child on our way to school.

We felt the bump a millisecond before the sudden brake. For a few seconds, everyone held their breaths. I remember my knees were shaking.

I’m not sure if I saw the incident or if I just conjured a scenario according to what Kuya Ronald and my “ka-service” said. But what happened was this: The boy was crossing the six-lane Governor’s Drive just past Trece Martires City’s arc. It was an accident-prone area. He was running with a few friends, or siblings—or was it a guardian and an older

sibling? I’m not sure anymore. He was the last to cross—maybe his limbs were too short— when Mariposa hit him.

Kuya Ronald carried the poor child inside Mariposa. His companions also climbed in. The boy was crying. Although there wasn’t a lot of blood, his knees were bent at a weird angle. The impact wasn’t that intense, I thought.

Looking back and contemplating this memory, almost forgotten because it happened so damn fast, I think that this may be one of the fragments making up my trust issues. Imagine a school service—a vehicle supposed to protect kids—almost killing a child. Even before this incident, Mariposa wasn’t always a place of refuge. Physical bullying happened there. Kuya Ronald also touched my ass a couple of times, but let’s not talk about that.

We visited the boy (a detour before we went to school) a few months later and he was doing better, thanks to Mariposa’s swift trip to the hospital.

The secret club

by JELOU GALANG

“Walang hiya ka!”

One, two, three. Pause. The famous teleserye line once found its way inside a fire brick red multi-purpose vehicle. I stayed here for five years, thanks to Ate Arlene and Kuya Monching’s kindness.

“Ako pa? Ako pa?”

No, we weren’t brawling—even if you’d think third-grade kids would actually be able to pull each other’s hair already. The teleserye line remains a teleserye line in our school service. Wearing double-layered uniforms in the scorching Manila heat, with smeared iskrambol slowly dripping from our lips, we re-enacted a scene from Maria Flordeluna, props included.

A big chunk of my childhood rests on the moving entity that started its engine once the last bell rang. It saw countless elementary kids trying to grow up fast, and high schoolers wanting to be kids again.

It’s striking how we got together just two times a day: before and after school. What more? How my servicemates saw what my classmates didn’t. It was 5:45 a.m. and our street was flooded. I remember being carried by my then-alive tito from our house to the service.

The tallest in the gang said I looked like a baby.

Everyone laughed.

The laughter was louder when my closest service pal, Chelsea, turned tomato red after my servicemates read her entry in my slambook.

“Josh,” she had written in the secret crush portion. “It’s not a secret now,” our resident bad boy blurted out. But who were we fooling? Our school service was like a secret club. We’d slide our windows and slam our door if someone hijacked the fun.

But we’d open the door sometimes for the little things: When the manang finally got to restock the pink Hai candy. When there was a new set of two-peso rubber rings. Or when the squidball cart beside us had a new batch ready.

If only our school nuns had seen that one time we had a literal street food fiesta inside our moving crib. But the school didn’t see us there.

I guess that was the best part.

We cried, sang, screamed, danced. We shared personal stories our homeroom subject would never hear. We played games our teachers wouldn’t want to see. There were Pogs, Teks, Pokémon cards. And of course, there were reenactments from our favorite shows, from Agua Bendita to Bituing Walang Ningning.

“Walang hiya ka!”

The teleserye line remains a teleserye line.

But our school service was also a show.

Before and after school were the only times we got together—and the only times we interacted with each other. Inside the school, we were like strangers. There was no trace of the secret club anywhere else outside the service.

I guess we felt a certain degree of humiliation at school—a limiting, conservative environment—when we’d see each other, thinking that we knew everyone’s true, uncontained selves.

But just like all great friendships, ours would continue like it had never been cut off, right after the last bell of the day. “Mukha kang itlog,” one would say, and the club would start its session again. We were truly walang hiya.

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non-fiction

Pinwheels

by ZOFIYA ACOSTA

In second grade, I announced to my mom that I was going to ride a service to school. In the metro, I see school services painted yellow and black to differentiate them from the normal jeeps, but in the province where I lived, they were one and the same. I wanted to spend more time with my best friend, who rode the same jeep. My mother and my papang were the only ones who would drive me to school before then.

Riding the service was fine. It felt nice having more time with other kids (barring my infant brother, my only company at home was adults), and it was fun to talk about the important topics of the time like the latest local TV shows.

It was the pinwheel that changed everything.

A few vendors had set up shop on the street in front of the school. Maybe unknown to them, their wares became the arbiters of cool at my school. When they sold tiny boxed spiders, all the boys started playing death matches with the poor eight-legged creatures. When they sold goldfish, I became a fish mom and housed a little orange fish in an aluminum bowl and cried in the morning when I discovered the fish had jumped out while I slept.

That month, it was the pinwheel. Kids all over the school had the little axle toy. They would spin them around to see where they would fly. My friends and I would bring ours to the service, and we would spin these little sticks while we waited for the rest of the passengers to arrive.

I’m not sure who noticed it first, but someone pointed out that there was something wrong with the pinwheels while we were in the jeep. A pinwheel spun from the front of the jeep would somehow boomerang back to the front.

A pinwheel placed on the right seat would be found on the left without anyone spinning it.

There would be more pinwheels at the end of the trip than there were when we started, or sometimes there would be less. My friends and I would look at each other, wide-eyed, thinking, “Is there a ghost in here?” No more talk of pop culture. Instead, we would talk about the haunting in hushed whispers, afraid to anger the ghost.

I don’t think anyone truly believed it, though.

I didn’t. But now, thinking about my last memory of the service, I’m not quite sure.

The school day just ended, and barely any of my servicemates were in there. The driver was out of sight, so I took the chance to see the front seat for the first time. Little girls weren’t allowed at the front. I set my eyes on all the religious paraphernalia adorning that side of the jeep—a rosary hanging on the rearview mirror, pictures of saints on the dashboard, a small sticker of the Virgin Mary stuck on the windshield. Mother Mary was staring into my eyes when I felt blood gushing from my knee. Did I bruise my knee when I was running with the other kids? (I don’t recall playing.) Did I accidentally graze myself on a sharp piece of shrapnel while sitting? (I don’t remember feeling anything bump against my leg.)

Maybe. Or maybe not. Shortly after that, I told my mother I was going to ride with her again.

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Play back

Cassette tapes are returning, but not for a nostalgic rewind

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“Amazing music gets easily dismissed because all the buttons are there. People can easily press shuffle, next, or play.”

Tapes might be seen as an “inconvenience” in a fast-paced world. It takes attention and effort in order to be appreciated. And for undiscovered music to flourish, those two things are exactly what they need.

“Amazing music gets easily dismissed because all the buttons are there. People can easily press shuffle, next, or play,” Kurvine Chua of United Cassettes says. “Tape culture is [underground music’s] medium to speak out into the world. And with this niche, people tend to be more interested to support them.”

There’s a growing cassette culture in the Philippines—and Kurvine is at the helm of it. In this culture of music discovery, he creates an inclusive analog music pool by curating tapes from the Philippines and abroad. Some can be accessed online as well, while others can only be heard through this analog medium.

Apart from United Cassettes, his tape collective Genjitsu Stargazing Society produces new DIY tapes for Filipino musicians. “GSS releases DIY tapes from Manila or around the Philippines, like the math rock band TCKLDMNKS (Tickled Monks) from Mindanao or TIM ÄWÄ from Quezon. We’ve also released albums by US-based Filipino musicians, like killuv from Sacramento and Cody and the Jet Skis from Chicago,” he says.

Cassettes measure important times in our younger years. It takes us to a time when life seemed simpler. And now, they’re back. Not to fuel people’s nostalgia, but to define the new cool.

Why is our generation making tapes relevant again?

Our generation is very digital. There’s a real lack of connection now. Digital connection exists, but tactility is something we crave for subconsciously. Every time we see something that offers that, we get attracted to it. Reviving the tape culture comes from that need.

What do you want to accomplish with United Cassettes?

I don’t really want United Cassettes or GSS to become just a business. I want it to be a place where you meet somebody, where you get to talk about music and passion at the forefront.

Words by Rogin Losa Photography by James Saluta

Is the modern cassette culture new?

Tapes have always been around in our music scene. But what I’ve noticed is there’s no map to tie them together, so that’s one of my goals with United Cassettes. We want to carry as many local artists as possible on tapes.

For example, if someone wants to get a tape but it’s from Naga City, there’s the trouble of going to separate stores or placing separate orders. I want people to get these tapes in just one cart, if you want tapes from abroad or from different places here in the Philippines.

What are common misconceptions about cassette culture?

When new people in cassette culture buy a player, they say, “Oh, tapes are getting cool again.” They’ll go online and see all these vintage tapes. There’s nothing wrong with getting vintage tapes, but they have to understand that modern cassette culture exists.

There are a lot of things people can explore from the new generation. It’s not only walking to a vinyl record store and seeing these boxes of used tapes in one corner. They have to explore the local and international underground scenes because they are both amazing.

Why is this important?

One time, my 40-year-old friend asked me, “What’s the point of tapes? Why are you bringing it back? It’s pointless.” He doesn’t understand that the entire point of tapes is not to cater to mainstream releases. It’s not a tool to get stuff from popular artists, it’s more about keeping the underground community alive.

It’s an entire culture of music focusing on discovery. You pick up a random tape for P300, you bring it home, and you listen to it.

That might be the only way to listen to it. If not for tapes, it will not be heard because of mainstream businesses taking over. That’s the point of cassette culture—the discovery of underground music culture. ■

Down with the clique In New York City, a group of Slaysians has created a safe space where queer AsianAmerican culture takes the spotlight

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Words by Oliver Emocling Photography by JP Talapian There is something enchanting about Solange. If her sister Beyoncé commands worship, Solange adjures meditation. Her euphonious music, even before she metamorphosed to her divine persona with the release of A Seat at the Table in 2016, has always had healing powers.

Her performance is devotion, almost like a ritual glorifying her roots and culture. Solange is a saint.

Filipino-American designer, DJ, and overall creative Pedro Vidallon, who also goes by the moniker Tito Vida, experienced Solange’s arresting presence once. In December 2017, at the art space Secret Project Robot in Brooklyn, Solange graced a queer Asian dance party. “I honestly don’t know [how she ended up there],” he says. “I didn’t get to talk to her, but I was starstruck. I just couldn’t believe it.”

The party in question is Bubble_T, which Tito Vida co-founded with fellow “Slaysians” Nicholas Andersen, Karlo Bello, Stevie Huynh, and Pauly Tran. And Solange’s visit to the party was not an unexpected gesture. “She’s really all about the culture. The music she does, the people she works with, and the fact that she’s even there,” Tito Vida says, “It just really speaks to how much she’s down for the culture.” And Bubble_T is all about the culture.

Bubble_T, an allusion to the popular Asian drink, was borne out of the need for a space that would cater to the queer Asian community in New York.

By the time Solange made an appearance at their Christmas-themed party, Bubble_T had been the talk of the town since the first party they mounted in May 2017 at The Rosemont in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

“It started out as a coming together, just wanting to carve out a safe space where we can have fun and play the music we wanted to hear that we don’t hear in gay clubs,” Tito Vida says. At the time, Donald Trump had just assumed the presidency. The first few months of him in power already posed threats to the queer community and people of color. The idea of “no fats, no femmes, no Asians” was also prevalent on Grindr.

“All of a sudden we were all kind of feeling like we’re living in hell.

Everything is going backwards. Again, we found the need for a safe space where we can feel beautiful, be ourselves without having to apologize or explain.”

Bubble_T slowly drew the attention of New Yorkers, even those outside the sphere of queer Asian Americans. It’s where, as their Instagram bio indicates, “Asianz rule but everyone’s welcome,” after all. Soon, they also did parties at Secret Project Robot and Baby’s All Right on Broadway.

So, what happens at a Bubble_T party?

“Sometimes, it has something to do with the moon or the season,” Tito Vida says. But whatever the theme is, it’s always a celebration of Asian culture.

There’s always a performance aspect. Karlo performs regularly in drag as Bichon. “The performance aspect is the part of gay culture that we love,” Tito Vida, who is also trained in ballet, says. Tito Vida and Stevie, a makeup artist, are often in charge of the music.

Tito Vida’s sets are often a mix of throwback R&B, hip-hop, and house.

And when there is a chance, he injects music from Filipino-American artists like K Rizz, also known as Slayrizz. “Her name is K Rizz, but she’s a Slaysian. She’s dope because she always sings or raps about being Filipino and her kultura,” he says. Her song “If It Ain’t Foreign, It’s Borin’” is a manifesto of Asian pride. “Slaysians, it’s our turn to let our stories be told,” she raps. And it’s exactly what the Slaysians of Bubble_T do.

The inclusion of music like that of K Rizz’s and ’90s bands like One Vo1ce is an important reminder of their identity as Asian Americans.

“That’s why I always strive to offer Filipino culture through music,” he says.

Although Bubble_T has been able to create a safe space for queer Asians, Tito Vida says queer people of color still face certain struggles in the US, especially now, with Trump in power.

TITO VIDA’S SLAYSIAN PLAYLIST

“If You Leave Me Now”

by Jaya

“Do You Miss Me?”

by Jocelyn Enriquez

“If It Ain’t Foreign, It’s Borin’”

by K Rizz

“Us”

by Ruby Ibarra feat. Rocky Rivera, Klassy, and Faith Santilla

“Late Night”

by Sublu

“Always On My Mind”

by One Vo1ce

“Cebuana”

by Karencitta

“Mrshmlo [6Fingers Remix]”

by Rocky Rivera

14 scene

“If people aren’t dancing, it’s not a good party.”

TITO VIDA was born in the Philippines, but he and his family moved to the US when he was just two. In 1997, he moved to New York to train at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center.

“I think [the queer community] is accepted on a commercial level. I don’t feel that it’s really that genuine yet, but I’m excited that there’s a lot of visibility now. I’ll take that any day, because I really had no one to look up to before. It’s not where it needs to be yet, but I think it’s on its way,” he says. “But it’s also amazing because I think the queer community, specifically the people of color, realized they don’t have to conform to what’s presented to them as gay culture or queer culture. I love New York and how it welcomes people to create their own spaces.”

The Bubble_T collective (“We call ourselves family. It becomes a collective because we do things together”) is no longer just confined within the walls of just one bar. They’ve been collaborating with other collectives and brands. They helped genderless fashion brand Private Policy mount a presentation at the Museum of Chinese in America in New York. They’ve also done a back-to-school party at MoMA PS1, where they made a karaoke stage (“You can be like Beyoncé for one night”). They’ve also done some parties for Opening Ceremony. Then, a few days before we met Tito Vida here in Manila, he was with Robyn.

The Swedish artist—the queen of sad pop, as Tito Vida says—was in New York for a couple of events. She released her collaboration with

sportswear brand Björn Borg at Opening Ceremony in New York. Tito Vida, alongside other DJs from Bubble_T and the queer collective Papi Juice, DJed at the afterparty in Sony Music Hall. Robyn set a door charge of $10 only, so everyone could dance with her.

The day after, Tito Vida watched Robyn at Madison Square Garden.

And all he can say about her is, “She’s such an angel.” Robyn immersed the concert hall in high spirits that evening, but her electrifying body of work extended beyond that massive space. On social media, a video of commuters in Penn Station singing “Dancing On My Own” went viral. It exhibits a euphoric sense of freedom and community.

It’s the same vibrant and valiant vibe that Bubble_T fosters in their parties. And it’s also similar to how Solange fearlessly tells the tale of black culture. Although Robyn, Solange, and Bubble_T often cross the mainstream, they remain on the outskirts of it. Perhaps that precarious disposition gives them the unique freedom to narrate their stories without fear.

It’s that position that literally (and figuratively) gets their respective tribes to move. After all, “If people aren’t dancing, it’s not a good party.” ■

Soak and slide Heat? We don’t know her! Not in Aqua Planet, that is. The adrenaline-inducing rides and crystal clear waters make sure of it.

Words by GISELLE BARRIENTOS Illustration by JENNY MASANGKAY

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What’s a good escape from the scorching summer heat? Most of the time, an ice-cold beverage does the trick, but that’s thinking small. A beach trip, perhaps? Been there, done that. Let’s do you one bigger. How does almost 90-degree body slides and over 300-feet high water raft races sound? We thought so.

Then Aqua Planet, a water theme park in Clark, Pampanga is the perfect place to bring some thrill into your summer itinerary. The newly-renovated park has raised its standards to world-class without the world-class prices.

Think California water parks but without the 16-hour flight, and way more rice meals in the venue.

Aqua Planet’s goal for park goers is simple: It’s to give you a watermazing experience. (In case you haven’t heard, that’s a notch above amazing.) On top of the food and facilities, the best part about Aqua Planet is that whatever the size of your summer getaway party, there’s bound to be a super slide for you.

For the solo risk-takers (or the people whose friends all chickened out), Aqua Loop is the slide meant for you. You stand over a launch flap before it opens, sending you into a 100-meter free fall that will have you pummeling your way towards a 360-degree loop.

If you’re more about skilled balancing acts and less about death-defying drops, head over to the Flow Rider instead. It’s a surfing simulator, and needs a little finessing to ride without getting wiped out by the high-volume water pumps. Once you’ve figured it out though, you can take your hard-earned skills with you for life. Fun, check. New skill, check.

Of course, some of you might want to share the fun with your ride-or-die. That’s where the two-person slides come in. The Spiral Slides is the more mellow option for tandem rides, which lets you and a partner ride a doubletube floater through crisscrossing slides and curved spiral turns. But you have more than one best friend, you say? Make your way to the group slides.

Remember those pirate ships that doubled as gigantic swings in amusement parks?

That’s what Sky Shuttle is, but make it a water slide. Feel weightless during the split-second loss of gravity as you prepare to launch back down during the pendulum-like ride. For the competitive bunch, the Octopus Racers is basically competitive falling. Grab your lucky race mat of choice and go head to head with up to five other friends in a race of gravity—mild trash talking optional.

Once you and your friends have had enough of falling, try whirling for a change at the Super Bowl. The slide is shaped like—you guessed it—a bowl, in which you and your friends will swirl your way to the bottom, where a maximum-splash drop into the pool awaits.

Crazier still is its bigger sibling, the Tornado.

Instead of a bowl, you’ll be at the mercy of a huge funnel in which the only exit will be a steep 45-degree drop. Yes, that might be what Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz felt when she and her house got whisked away by a cyclone.

For the more low-key peeps, don’t fret. It’s not all thrill and adrenaline at Aqua Planet.

The trusty Wave River is long pool with a slow current that weaves around the area for you to ride a floater, laze under the sun, and just enjoy the view. Tip: It’s also a more fun way to travel around the park. The Wave Pool and Boogie Bay do not involve any drops or loops either, just good old-fashioned waves.

Cool, clear waters and high-speed slides aside, there are air-conditioned cabanas and ice cold treats available at Aqua Planet. If there’s anywhere on this country where you can beat the heat, this is it. Now, shall we celebrate a watermazing summer?

The Spiral Slides are twice as fun with a buddy. You can choose your own adventure from the four tracks that go from gentle swoops and curves to sharp zigzags.

Aqua Planet is located at the Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. For more updates, check out @aquaplanetph on Facebook and Instagram or visit their website at www.aquaplanet.ph.

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High-speed chases take on a whole new meaning with the Octopus Racer.

Go head to head with up to five other friends from a 300-foot high drop.

The Super Bowl is a group slide that takes you and three other friends for a spin on its huge bowl-shaped top, followed by a dizzying descent into a spiral tube.

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CARL JAN CRUZ apron, SALAD DAY jeans

18 fashion

Yeo Kaa didn’t plan to be an artist, but here she is

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Sorry I failed you— but I’m happy now When you hear the name “Yeo Kaa,” the colorful, bright (and yet dark) scenarios featuring a wideeyed girl with the signature bob come to mind.

The candy-colored paintings are exciting, but they often end up disturbing the viewer’s mind.

Her works are the center of attention at the two latest big art events in Manila. Instagram was filled with photos of her Alone But Not Lonely inflatable sculpture and pieces from her “Wud Ya Do It” exhibit during Art in the Park. The line to see her “I Don’t Know, Baby” installation crowded the last Art Fair Philippines. And those painted tiles? Gone in two hours.

Yeo is no stranger to this attention and demand.

And yet, she also is.

Creating art, exhibiting it, and even selling it were not part of her plans. Things just took their own course—as is the case in life.

Take this hot mid-afternoon: The sun’s rays peek through the small glass windows of Yeo’s home-cum-studio. Canvases of different sizes and stages of completion line one wall, while several finished pieces lean on adjacent ones. Another wall sports rows upon rows of acrylic paint tubes—it looks like an art supply store—alongside shelves filled with assorted paint brushes and small containers of halfused paint.

The floor is speckled with neon pinks, yellows, greens, and purples—colors common to Yeo’s growing body of work.

And then you’ll notice a line of round little paint blobs trailing all over the floor—pawprints.

Or maybe your eyes will catch the little furball first. “Fakey,” the artist fondly calls her Pomeranian.

The artist herself is supposed to be painting, as is “routine” these days (with three group shows lined up, and two solo shows).

Instead, she’s having pizza with us in between photos, talking about a recent kitchen mishap, when she placed too much cabbage in her nilaga. See, life just takes its own course, even in the everyday.

Words by PAULINE MIRANDA Photography by RENZ MART REYES Styling by OLIVER EMOCLING Hair and Makeup by PAM ROBES using Laura Mercier and NARS

I ask if she has always wanted to be an artist, and if not, what she would say to the young Yeo Kaa, whose life has become so different from what she had imagined (cheesy, I explain). A pause. “Minsan, nag-so-sorry ako sa younger self ko eh, na na-disappoint ko siya, na hindi ako naging businesswoman na pinangarap niya.” I suddenly regret asking.

Or not, because she continues: “Pero masaya naman siya ngayon.”

You see, as early as first grade, Yeo had shown a propensity for trade—she would sell anything, from Sailor Moon stickers down to retaso from her family’s printing business, to her classmates. This “business” seemed to grow alongside her; by the time she was in high school, she already had a “mini tindahan” in her classroom, where she would sell all sorts of knick-knacks. This all came to a halt when she moved to Manila for college.

When her business studies at De La Salle University (DLSU) fell through, she transferred to the College of the Holy Spirit Manila (CHSM).

There, she took advertising with the expectation it would be similar to her course at DLSU. It turned out CHSM’s advertising program was under fine arts, not business. The realization that she could pursue art instead came later.

“Akala naming lahat sa [business] ako mapupunta. ’Yun talaga ’yung goal, ’yun talaga ’yung sinet ko sa buhay ko, na magiging businesswoman ako. Tapos biglang pinalitan ko lahat. Bigla akong nag-painting,” she says.

“Sabi ng mom ko, wala naman sa course ’yun eh, basta maka-graduate ka, puwede mo na ulit ituloy ’yung gusto mo. Tapos na-in love ako sa fine arts! So, ahh, ayun na.”

When asked about the specific moment, Yeo answers in a heartbeat: “Nung nanalo ako ng contest. Masaya pala siya.” It was 2010,

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CARL JAN CRUZ top

“Kung hindi nabebenta ’yung painting mo, okay lang ’yun. Basta gusto mo ’yung gawa mo.” and she, along with several coursemates, was required to join an on-the-spot painting competition hosted by the University of Santo Tomas. She bagged the grand prize. That same year, she also won the special prize from the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE) program.

Almost a decade later, Yeo has figuratively put herself on the map, having held and joined a number of solo and group exhibitions here and abroad, with shows in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taipei, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, and Berlin.

The names of her shows are as honest as the works presented in them. Her recent Paris show, titled “Buy This Painting So I Can Buy This Shit,” is refreshingly straightforward. It takes cues from (or perhaps was made to fuel) her recent online shopping phase.

Many of her works, though, especially the earlier ones, are somber, if not dark. The innocent, candy-colored worlds Yeo has painted on canvas contrast with the elements and themes within: death and suicide, pain and sadness, loneliness and sensuality, violence and gore. She shares that this is why, upon closer inspection, few dared to purchase her works back then.

Now, they’re literally lining up to see them.

“Kung hindi nabebenta ’yung painting mo, okay lang ’yun. Basta gusto mo ’yung gawa mo. Eventually may taong magkakagusto ng gawa mo. At least gusto mo ’yung gawa mo.

Hindi ’yung gagawa ka ng gusto ng iba pero hindi mo siya gusto. Dapat ikaw ’yung unang magmamahal sa work mo.” ■

special feature 23

She’s a knockout Welcome to the gym, where maintaining a fresh face is half the battle

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As pop icon and apparent gym enthusiast Fergie once sang, you can be up in the gym just working on your fitness, and there’s bound to be witness. Enter Generation Happy Skin Active, the gym-proof and skinfriendly makeup line that can roll with the punches the same way you do.

To pass as a gym essential, makeup should be easy to apply, light on the skin, and, most of all, have the staying power to survive your 30-minute cardio session. You’re there to build muscle and strength, not Instagram brownie points, right? But okay, if you’re looking that fresh, we can’t blame you for taking a gym selfie or two.

The Generation Happy Skin Active line is six-products big, which is just enough to stash in your bag--and just enough for a makeup routine you can finish faster than a Beyoncé song.

First, try My Lips But Better Ultra Matte Lippies with its two universal shades for a just-woke-up look. Feeling extra? Go for Love Your Lips Intense Color Butter Balm with four shades that go from peachy to vampy.

Lifting weights in red lipstick is boss behavior, in case you haven’t heard.

Next, go ham on the blush with On-The-Go Blush Lightweight Cheek Stick for days when you’re taking it easy, but still want the flushed look that comes with doing 20 burpees and a sprint. It saves you time and the morning-after muscle pain. You’re welcome.

The final touch goes on the eyes. Use a combo of the Easy Eyes Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick and The Simply Defined Budge-Proof Gel Eyeliner for an eye look that won’t melt into racoon eyes after a little sweat sesh.

But wait—five minutes might be too long for some workout junkies.

That’s one HIIT workout already, after all. Lucky you, gym beast. The collection also has the Kiss & Bloom Water Lip & Cheek Tint, which only takes about 30 seconds to apply.

In case you need a little more convincing, the Generation Happy Skin Active line is not only long-lasting and crazy pigmented—it’s kind to your skin, too. True to its name, the products are made with breathability in mind to ensure that you don’t break out under all that perspiration.

The entire line was curated by Kathryn Bernardo, who takes Lagree and cycling classes on the regular herself. Each product has been tried, tested, and stamped with her approval. “I tried wearing it while sweating, while working out, while traveling, and even in different kinds of weather,” she says. We have no problems taking her word for it. Now grab your gear, put on your lipstick, and make Fergie proud. ■ 1 On-The-Go Blush Lightweight Cheek Stick, P399 2 Easy Eyes Crease-Proof Eyeshadow Stick, P399 3 Simply Defined Budge-Proof Gel Eyeliner, P399 4 My Lips But Better Ultra Matte Lippie, P399 5 Love Your Lips Intense Color Butter Balm, P349 6 Kiss & Bloom Water Lip & Cheek Tint, P299 The Generation Happy Skin Active line is available at www.happyskincosmetics.com and Happy Skin boutiques near you. Follow them at @happyskin_ph on Twitter and Instagram.

Missed Though LDR is an acronym used by distant lovers, it also applies to distant friends. So, does that mean it falls apart just the same?

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Words by Rogin Losa

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In every way, my best friend defined my childhood. We met and grew up together in grade school. We traded Stick-Os and Ovalteenies during recess; we updated each other on every Powerpuff Girls episode; we were each other’s first call after class.

That all changed when his family migrated to Chicago.

We didn’t hear from each other for two years.

And then, Yahoo! Messenger became a thing. We stayed in touch. He told me about his middle school life, while I asked him, “What’s middle school?” Growing up in America was a foreign concept to me. And as he grew up in America, his past here became foreign to him too.

That’s when we became foreign to one another.

We both felt we were growing apart. But when I reached high school, things changed—he came back to town for visits. That’s when we realized our past wasn’t what bonded us. We tried to do everything together like before. We listened to Danger Days when it came out; we watched Jennifer’s Body in cinemas after I got baptized; we ordered cheap pizza and told secrets our new friends never heard.

So, when he decided to come out to me, I stopped him. I proceeded to list down the serious things he might want to talk about: a.) He was actually an alien from outer space or b.) He had been a lesbian all this time. Whatever the answer might have been, I told him I was already okay with it.

It turned out to be the latter. He told me he goes by the name Louis now. But there was no shock or nagging from me, just heartfelt acceptance. That’s just how our friendship went. At the end of the day—no matter what happens—we always understood.

Until 2019 became the seventh year since we had last seen each other. We had entered adulthood without one another. Everything we knew about each other was through our Facebook feeds. Just like every acquaintance in our lives.

“Long-distance friendships require a special kind of TLC,” an article from Time reminds me. It was apparent to me how bad I was at maintaining one. “As we grow older, people inevitably go their separate ways, but it is so important to maintain friendships regardless of the distance,” a HuffPost think piece reads.

So what happened to us? Did we grow apart or did we just stop trying?

This gave me an idea to finally reach out to Louis. We tried hanging out like old times, even if it was just through Telegram. Of course, with time zones and busy schedules, finding time for one another became hard. But we were lucky enough to have one Monday morning together.

With the help of WikiHow’s guide on “How to Maintain a Long Distance Friendship with Your Best Friend,” here’s how our virtual reunion went down: “Staying in contact: Ask questions about their life, like their school, work, or relationships. Always be there for them, and try not to ignore their texts if they text you,” step one indicates. It gave me an idea to start the conversation by talking about who we were then vs. who we are now.

I told him I was working for a publication. With that, I reminded him of my dreams of becoming a writer back when we were kids.

On his end, he said what he went through was an emotional rollercoaster. “I learned how to not worry too much sa anong iniisip nila sa akin,” he assured me.

With that, I confessed: “Kinakapa ko nga actually if you still identified as a butch lesbian or what, pero siyempre it's not my place unless you tell me,” I told him. “I never identified myself [as] anything dati. All I know [is] gusto ko talaga maging lalaki dati pa,” he replied. I wanted to tell him I understood. Behind the screen, I felt disappointed with myself for not being there during his journey.

But I am here now. At least, I am here now.

“Maintaining your friendship through conversations: Make plans to be reunited again. Talk about things you could do together. This will keep you both positive and looking forward to the future,” step two follows. This pushed me to ask a tough question. Why didn’t we make an effort to catch up?

“I have a couple of reasons. Siguro deep inside medyo na-intimidate ako. You seem like you’re doing big things and I’m still in school. Busy ka—we tried to catch up noong nasa ’Pinas ako, pero ayun nga, ’di natuloy. Parang medyo na-disappoint ako kasi parang ’di mo man lang ako naaalala,” he laughed it off. “Pero I get it, you were busy.”

I could have made an excuse about how I’m a textbook Aquarian. Written in the stars, I’m programmed to be distant and cold like the planet Jupiter. But I knew astrology wasn’t an excuse for being a dick.

“Be yourself: You are probably not in the same place. But, it's up to you to keep your friendship as strong, or to make it even stronger than it used to be.” Step three speaks the truth. Things changed between us. We were somehow strangers to one another, but at the same time, we were each other’s best confidants.

I told him about how I was on the brink of resigning when he came home. My previous job wasn’t going as I had planned, affecting me emotionally and physically.

Not really the person he thought I was. “I still regret not seeing you last year, actually,” I confessed. He said he understood. Just like he always does.

“Do you think we’ve outgrown each other?” I asked him. “I would say no. Tulad ng sabi ko kanina, I saw you as a very open-minded person. So if ever mag-catch up nga, feeling ko ganoon pa rin tayo. We’ll bond na parang walang nangyaring distance.”

Adulthood is something we faced apart. In reality, at least, our friendship went beyond nostalgia. We wake up on different sides of the world. But he’s right, that’s the only distance between us.

He plans to come back twice this year. And when he comes back, I’m pretty sure it will be as if we had never left each other’s side. Seven years will turn into seven minutes.

Now that I’ve grown up, I’ve realized what lifelong friendship means. Not times spent in coffee houses nor the number of tickets wasted on late-night gigs. It’s empathy and understanding regardless of circumstances. ■

nections

Where do you think you’re going?

Kathryn Bernardo has spent more than half her life in show business.

She has grown to be one of our generation’s biggest stars, but as she embraces changes in her career, will she continue to reign?

cover story 27

TOQA dress, LIBREA bag

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Kathryn. The name begins with a short puff of air and evolves into a gentle opening of the mouth. Before it permits the mouth to let out a grin, it requires a fricative— the tongue swiftly touches the upper two front teeth, expelling a rush of air that both interrupts and merges two syllables.

Once the mouth utters those two syllables, only one face emerges, along with a miscellany of scenes and images produced in the last 15 years of being in show business. She is Kathryn Bernardo.

There’s grandness attached to her name. But in person, Kathryn’s presence evokes nostalgia more than something marvelous.

In a literal sense, this shoot is a reunion. BJ Pascual has shot Kathryn in the past. Stylist Mav Bernardo, on the other hand, is Kathryn’s kin. “They’re cousins,” I told the Scout team when I booked Mav for this shoot. They thought I was joking. Kathryn, however, corrects me.

She’s actually Mav’s aunt. Their minimal age gap, though, makes it more apt to call them cousins.

For those who are meeting Kathryn for the first time, it still feels a lot like a reunion with a childhood friend we haven’t seen in a long time. And why not? Kathryn has been a constant figure in showbiz since the early 2000s. ****

Words by Oliver Emocling Photography by BJ Pascual Styling by Mav Bernardo Makeup by Justine del Rosario Hair by RJ Dela Cruz Nails by Kathnails Styling assistant Cenon Norial III Special thanks to Jeane Camacho, Samantha Ong, Bambino, and Moki

“Hindi mo ako makikita sa movie,” Kathryn recalls her first experience on set. “Lumakad lang ako doon kasi sinama lang ako ng sister ko. May wedding scene tapos dumaan ako.” The movie in question is Chito S. Roño’s Dekada ’70.

As much as she was barely seen in the movie, Kathryn was also clueless about what was happening on the set.

Then, she became the trusty child actor who could portray the enthusiastic schoolgirl in Krystala, a whiny brat in Super Inggo, and as her funny self in Goin’ Bulilit.

Soon, like all child actors, she graduated from childhood and found herself in limbo—caught in an awkward phase, having outgrown kiddie roles but still too young for a leading role.

The roles available for transitioning actors are usually the younger versions of lead characters in teleseryes. They are short-lived, often spanning three days to a week. Such is Kathryn’s role in the 2010 teleserye Magkaribal. She played young Anna, who, because of the tragic events she encounters at a young age, promises to seek vengeance for her sister and mother.

Kathryn admits that her appearance on Magkaribal was one of the most difficult. As a viewer, I would agree.

At just 15, instead of getting teenybopper roles, Kathryn had to play a character whose poverty and tragedy pushed her to commodify her body. She needed to bawl her eyes out and maybe even strain her vocal cords in the majority of her scenes in the teleserye.

After we discuss Magkaribal, Kathryn is swift to add that her role as George in the 2018 film The Hows of Us was also a difficult one. “Feeling ko kapag tumatanda ka, mas mahirap gumawa ng roles kasi maraming ine-expect from you. Hindi pwedeng umiiyak ka lang. Dapat mas malalim,” she says.

TOQA top, SALAD DAY pants, CÉLINE boots

She dares to break out of the love team shell.

The only question is: Can Kathryn, the person, stand alone?

32 cover story

“Ngayon, kung anong uso, sasabayan mo.

Minsan magkakamukha na, so hindi mo na ma-distinguish. Sa akin, mas interesting kung hindi kailangang sumabay.”

The name Kathryn can stand on its own, but her name has more weight to it when it’s part of a portmanteau. In a jiffy, the name prompts a response. It’s most likely the name of her partner, Daniel Padilla. Then, the two names become one: KathNiel. It’s almost like they’re a single entity. After working together on almost every single project since they were paired in the 2011 teen series Growing Up, a huge chunk of Kathryn’s career has been built around the love team.

But right now, Kathryn is once again in limbo. She has announced that she isn’t working with Daniel this year, starting off with her first major movie project Hello, Love, Goodbye. It’s another transition period. She dares to break out of the love team shell. The only question is: Can Kathryn, the person, stand alone? *** Kathryn began taking fitness seriously when she turned 18. It was the same year as the release of the landmark KathNiel movie She’s Dating the Gangster. It was perhaps a case of curiosity. Then, in 2017, it became a requirement.

She had to undergo intense Filipino martial arts training for her role as Malia in the fantasy series La Luna Sangre.

Now, despite her busy schedule, Kathryn still follows a strict fitness routine.

On the day of the shoot, Kathryn is scheduled for her Lagree session. Lagree is a high-intensity workout similar to Plana Forma and Pilates, improving endurance, core strength, balance, and flexibility. In fact, we’re strictly following a schedule because she can’t be late. And guess what? Her handler says she has never missed a session ever.

“Kailangan eh,” she says when probed why physical fitness is her priority. It has become a habit created out of necessity. Showbiz is physically taxing, after all. And the only way to survive long nights and the daily grind is to make time for activities like cycling and Lagree.

Working out is not only a break from the camera, it is also respite from fame. It’s one of the few activities that permits her to be an ordinary girl. And believe it or not, that is what she craves.

“Habang mas tumatanda ako, mas naiintindihan ko ang sarili ko,” she says. And here’s what she knows as of the moment: Her star, no matter how big it is now, will

not always flicker this brightly. This is why she ventured into businesses like her nail salon, Kathnails, and her collaborations with the brand Happy Skin. “’Yung first dream ko, I wanted to be a makeup artist. Kaya na-e-enjoy ko ’yung collab with Happy Skin kasi gusto kong nag-plaplay around with my looks,” Kathryn explains.

But even if the current circumstances permit, she still sees herself doing other things after her life in showbiz. “’Di ko nakikita ’yung sarili ko na forever sa show business.”

Kathryn, who had a bucolic upbringing in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija wants something as simple as that. In another universe, she imagines herself as a normal girl.

“Siguro island girl. Siguro wala sa city. Nandoon ako sa isang island. Tapos parati akong nasa dagat,” she says, her resolute tone turning into something more wishful.

“Maybe sa Amanpulo. Kahit iwan mo ako roon o kahit saan, basta may dagat. ’Yun ’yung dream.” *** Kathryn sits on the floor as the shoot draws to a close.

It’s almost 5 p.m., an hour later than the agreed cut-off.

This means she might be late for her Lagree session, but Kathryn remains without complaining.

The cats at the shoot are, in fact, far more demanding.

They attempt to escape numerous times. Maybe they smelled traces of her dogs. Maybe her gentleness isn’t calm balm for felines. But that’s all right. She just acquired a cat, and she has a lot of time to work on her “cat person” hood.

“Medyo curious ako sa personality ng cats. Meron silang ibang timing,” she says. And maybe Kathryn, a dog person, is really like a feline who knows when and how to make her next move. “Ngayon, kung anong uso, sasabayan mo. Minsan magkakamukha na, so hindi mo na ma-distinguish. Sa akin, mas interesting kung hindi kailangang sumabay.”

And Kathryn is definitely taking her sweet time. The time for the island girl Kathryn hasn’t arrived yet, but the beach will always be there.

Right now, the time is ticking. Not for her island dreams but for her Lagree session. She slips out of the Toqa dress, changes into a white tee and leggings, greets fans on the way out of the studio, and ties her hair in a ponytail. Will she make it on time? ■

TOQA dress, STUART WEITZMAN boots

cover story 33

Starstruck

This is what happens when a longtime fan meets her idols— Wanderland 2019 act The Kooks—for the first time Words by JELOU GALANG Photography by RENZ MART REYES

I met The Kooks in a hotel in Alabang, the morning after their midnight performance at Wanderland Music Festival. They were this year’s headliners, alongside fellow indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club, and it was pretty obvious how long Filipino fans had waited for this moment.

Composed of Luke Pritchard (vocals and rhythm guitar), Hugh Harris (synthesizer and lead guitar), and Alexis Nunez (drums), the English rock band has been making songs since 2004. Their Wanderland setlist was a total time travel in tunes. From the classic “She Moves in Her Own Way” to their newest album Let’s Go Sunshine, it felt like being visited by a good friend we hadn’t seen for years. Who cares about the time that has passed? We have still memorized their habits by heart.

Congratulations on your Wanderland performance. What was it like performing for the Filipino crowd?

Luke: Thank you very much. It was really good; it felt like a homecoming. You know, we’re not from here, and we had a warm audience. And it’s quite mindblowing, really. Because we knew we had some fans here, and people seem to know our songs. It blows my mind that people in a country at the other side of the world know the songs I wrote in my bedroom. It’s kind of amazing.

I agree! I, myself, have been a fan for four years.

I loved your album Listen from 2014. That was included in my college freshie playlist.

Luke: Oh wow, thank you! Well, you know, it was a commercial failure, but it seems to

have stood the test of time. We got into a real difficulty in that album. It just didn’t connect on radio, it didn’t connect with press. But those songs seem to build. It’s so cool that you like that record.

So The Kooks has been in the scene for more than a decade now. Do you frequently think of maintaining a bit of who you are from the past, when you were just starting, do you— Luke: It’s Hugh! Hey, mate.

Hi, I’m Jelou!

Hugh: Nice to meet you.

Luke: Good morning. How are you feeling?

Hugh: Absolutely nice.

Luke: We’re good!

Hugh: Sorry to interrupt.

profile 35 It’s all right! Going back to the question, The Kooks has been in the scene for more than a decade now.

Luke: Yeah, she’s making us feel old. (laughs) I’m joking!

Well, do you guys frequently think of how you can take something from where you started, and carrying it or maintaining it to what you are right now? Like a certain brand or personality.

Or do you just go with the flow?

Hugh: Like, maintain a mantra or an idea?

Yeah.

Hugh: Definitely.

Luke: Yeah, I mean, in both ways, if you see our albums, we never try to make the same album twice. We’re quite free with our sort of music and choices. We don’t really sit still creatively, but I guess we do take with us a mantra, like things that we started with. And there are some unwritten rules in the band. Unwritten rules about what we do, which are probably quite concise.

Hugh: There’s an unwritten, overhanging lore of pop.

Luke: Lore of pop, yeah, I like that.

So there’s a certain band brand or personality that you find yourself keeping?

Luke: Yeah, we don’t sit around and talk about it. I think we just know it. It would be when we’re just working and you would know with the sounds on what works and what doesn’t. That’s the best way to describe it. But yeah, like what you said, the album you really liked is Listen. On that record, we went on a really difficult tangent, but we still had to maintain being The Kooks.

So, we had that at the back of our heads.

Hugh: It’s a really weird record, by the way.I mean, I was thinking about it the other day, I don’t imagine our contemporaries making a record like Listen. I really don’t think that… Well, I’m not saying we pulled it off, but I definitely don’t think anyone else could do the work.

Luke: Yeah, it was like a lo-fi, R&B, gospel record, isn’t it?

So, how do you manage to grow along with your music? What advice can you give to young artists—(Luke spills his coffee) Hugh: Oh— Luke: Hehey!

Hugh: Um, just be careful.

Hugh and Luke: Don’t spill your coffee.

Luke: Do you see the skill? I totally missed my foot.

Hugh: That was really skillful.

Luke: I should’ve been a footballer. I’d be way richer. (laughs) Sorry, what was the question?

You should try some time. Okay guys, so how do you manage to grow along with your music?

What advice can you give to young artists so they can avoid feeling lost?

Hugh: I have a good thing to say here. To anyone who’s a musician or a creative, I think [you should] do everything in your power to get to your source. As fast as possible. Write constantly and play constantly. And get to whatever it is that’s there. What makes you unique to get there quick. Just stick with it and be that person and get your identity fast and own it.

Luke: That’s good advice. I agree with that.

It’s probably the most true thing about doing what we do. Like, do not be swayed by stuff around you, and be yourself, and stick with it.

Because essentially, music’s all about relation.

How people relate to you for being real. But you know, it’s a great lifestyle.

Hugh: It’s difficult, though. It’s not an easy place—to choose art as your life.

So, what do you guys want to try in the future?

Is there anything more you’d like to achieve, in terms of your music or your career in general?

Luke: So many things. We’re a band. I mean, it’s kind of the best thing about us and the hardest thing. You know, we’ve always been in the cusp of light and we’ve never really gone over the top.

So we haven’t done some of the bigger things that you would aspire us to.

Hugh: I’d like to be President of the United States.

Luke: Well, we’ve heard things about you.

Hugh: Yeah? I have the same hair.

Luke: Well, I’ll be the Prime Minister of Switzerland?

Hugh: Well, I’m really stupid now for asking this, but is there a royal family or a monarchy here?

No, but there are a lot of political dynasties.

Luke: Oh, a lot of Clintons. (laughs) Kennedys.

Oh god, sorry this is getting weird.

It’s okay!

Luke: We love the political party that’s ruling our country right now.

Hugh: Yes. Luke: We’re strong-minded humans.

So are you guys familiar with any Filipino artists? Do you like anyone?

Luke: We should. Can you give us some we might know?

Have you listened to IV of Spades? They’re quite a young band, and I think they’re the biggest right now.

Luke: Oh, cool. I’ll check them out.

Hugh: We should.

The sound treads along disco rock to psychedelic rock to funk— Hugh: Disco rock?!

Luke: We’re all about disco rock. Are they stealing our moves? Let’s have a word with IV of Spades.

Hugh: Yeah, I’m pretty sure we have copyright…

Luke: I actually feel like us and Two Door Cinema Club, basically, we’ve covered disco rock. I will check them out.

Hugh: I will check with their lawyer.

So, do you guys have a dream collaboration?

Luke: IV of Spades. Honestly, let’s do it. I’ll put the word out, via Scout. IV of Spades, let’s do a collab. That’ll be sick.

If you can spend an hour talking to or hanging out with a certain musician, living or dead, who will it be?

Hugh: An hour. That’s a long time, actually.

Luke: Especially if they’re dead. (laughs) Hugh: That’s a one-sided conversation.

You took it literally, but go on!

Hugh: I don’t know, this is a really good question.

Luke: I’ll go with Sam Cooke. Because I think he’s a really interesting guy. I love Sam Cooke, I recently watched the documentary. I think Sam Cooke would be really interesting to talk to, and you know, he’s one of the first ever singersongwriters, let alone what he was trying to do for music. He’s like the original Jay-Z. He’s, like, in a way, revolutionized music.

Hugh: I think Quincy Jones.

Luke: He’s not dead.

Hugh: Living or dead.

Luke: What, did you say living or dead?

Yeah.

Luke: Oh god. Okay.

Hugh: I think like five seconds with Quincy Jones would probably be the most inspiring, especially now. ■

HUGH HARRIS and LUKE PRITCHARD

36 food

Whatcha packin’?

From school recess to office lunch breaks, we can’t quite outgrow our baon Text and Styling by GRAI ALVAR Photography by SAMANTHA ONG

Two-ingredient pancake topped with chocolate syrup and crispy dilis Pancake ingredients 2 ripe bananas 4 eggs (separate the yolk and the egg whites) 2 to 3 tbsp. cooking oil Topping Chocolate syrup dilis 1.

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Combine the yolks and bananas in a blender until everything is mixed well.

In a deep bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Fold in the blended yolk and banana mixture.

Using a non-stick pan, heat the oil and pour batter according to your desired size of pancakes. Cook each side until golden brown.

Fry the dilis until crispy.

Assemble pancakes. Top with chocolate syrup and crispy dilis.

Yakisoba and pork chop with crushed peanuts Ingredients for Pork Chops 2 pcs. 1-inch thick pork chops 4 tbsp. cooking oil Salt and pepper (to taste) Ingredients for Yakisoba 2 cups water (for boiling) 1 pack Yakisoba (chicken or beef flavor) 1 pack Happy Peanuts (original flavor) 1.

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Heat oil over medium heat.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper and fry each side for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles. Let them boil for 3 minutes, if you want a firm bite.

Drain water and mix the spices with the noodles. Set aside.

Using a glass or mug, gently crush peanuts inside the packaging.

Top noodles with pork chops and peanuts.

Grilled kimcheese and apple sandwich Ingredients 2 slices of wheat bread (this recipe uses raisin wheat bread) 1 slice of cheese 1 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise 2 tbsp butter or olive oil 1⁄4 cup cabbage kimchi 1⁄4 of an apple, thinly sliced into half-moons 1.

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3.

4.

Using a skillet or a non-stick pan, melt the butter or heat the oil over low-medium heat. Place slices of bread in the pan.

Place the cheese over a slice. Evenly distribute the kimchi on top of the cheese. Add the apple slices, then spread Japanese mayonnaise on the other slice of bread.

Put the bread with Japanese mayonnaise over the other slice to make a sandwich. Cover the pan for 2 minutes.

Flip the sandwich and leave it in the pan for another 2 minutes. Slice the sandwich in half and serve.

40 food

Bacon chorizo and egg spread macaroni Ingredients 1 cup uncooked macaroni 1 pc. Chorizo Bilbao 10 slices of bacon 3 pcs. peeled hard-boiled eggs 1 cup light mayonnaise Salt and pepper 1.

2.

3.

4.

Boil 2 cups of water in a pot over medium heat. Add macaroni. Let it cook for 5 minutes, then drain.

In a frying pan over medium heat, fry the chorizo and bacon until crispy. Cut the chorizo and bacon into small bits.

In a bowl, mash the peeled hard-boiled eggs, then combine the mayonnaise, chorizo, and bacon bits. Season with salt and pepper.

For the macaroni, use 4 tablespoons of the spread and mix it with the cooked pasta. Keep the rest of the spread for pasta or bread consumption. Consume within three to five days.

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29/04/2019 4:45 PM

The kids are alright

RENZ

A 2016 survey revealed that over two million Filipinos are working abroad. The national heroes in our history books may have made the biggest sacrifices for the nation, but their genuine intentions could be set next to Overseas Filipino Workers today who uproot themselves from their homes to provide for their families.

To the outsider, an OFW’s job sounds glamorous. To their child, it’s more like a sacrifice. We talk to four OFW kids to divulge how this sacrifice has molded their growth and changed their concept of presence.

Living with—or away from—an OFW parent means growing up on balikbayan boxes and video calls. For the child left behind, do these little acts fill the gap left by physical distance?

RENZ Interview by Giselle Barrientos In 10 years, Renz sees himself still fulfilling his passion in a design studio. He’d be somewhere with big opportunities, and maybe four seasons.

Snow would be a big plus. This somewhere would not be in the Philippines. “I feel like it’s my turn,” he muses. For him, being an OFW’s child means a give-and-take. His father has been on the other side of the world for over a decade. “’Yung dad ko naman ang makauwi [sana] para makapag-bond naman sila ng mom ko.” Evidently, it’s a favor he wants to return.

Could you tell us about yourself?

Hi! I’m Renz, 25, and I’m a graphic designer for Scout.

Could you tell us about your parents?

My mom’s a housewife and my dad’s an OFW in California.

How long has your dad been away?

It’s been 17 years since my dad moved to California. I think I was 9 or 10.

culture 43

Can you narrate the day that he left for the first time? What was running through your mind then?

My father went to the States to attend my grandfather’s funeral, and I thought we were going to follow. Before my grandfather passed away kasi, he was fixing our papers for us to migrate to the US. So nung bata ako, alam kong aalis ’yung dad ko, pero I didn’t know for how long kasi akala ko hindi na kami magtatagal dito.

Why did he choose to pursue a job overseas?

Do you know the reason why your dad stayed?

He stayed in California to take care of my grandmother because she was alone and bedridden. Eventually, he stayed there to work.

When your father left, did the changes in your life feel abrupt? Did you adapt accordingly, or was it a gradual acceptance?

It wasn’t really abrupt ’cause my family had been expecting to leave the country. We already expected that we’ll follow him after a few years since we filed a petition to move to the States.

There was enough time to set my mind to it, it’s just that I didn’t know how long he was going to be away. Over the years, nasanay na lang ako na parang walang physical father figure.

Pero siyempre alam kong he has always been supporting us.

How was your household dynamic affected?

I guess at some point kasi kahit noong bata pa kami, ’yung mom ko talaga ’yung superior. Kaya kahit nung nasa States na siya, ’yung mom ko pa rin ang nag-take charge.

Meron bang mga events in your life na you thought, “I wish my dad were here to see this,” ganun?

Yeah. There were a lot of times. For example, nung graduation ko ng grade school, I was expecting na uuwi siya pero hindi siya natuloy.

So inisip ko baka sa high school na lang. Lumipas na naman ’yung high school [graduation], and then baka ’eto na [for college graduation], baka makakauwi na dad ko, and then it passed by.

Hindi pa rin. So all those years, even up until my college graduation, which I think is my greatest achievement, I wish my dad was there to see it.

Pero wala eh, kapag umuwi siya rito, hindi na siya makakabalik doon at wala na kaming source of income. And right now, hindi pa namin kaya ng sister ko na i-sustain ’yung lifestyle namin and i-support [ang family namin].

How do you maintain your connection with your dad?

Honestly, over the years, parang nagiging detached na ako. Hindi kami close pero I love him deep inside. Pero hindi ako ’yung nakikipagchat talaga even in this age na anyone’s a video chat away.

“For me, outdated na ’yung notion na kapag nag-OFW ka, it gets better. Feel ko ang nangyayari lang kasi is undervalued ’yung professionals dito sa atin.”

Nagpapadala ba siya ng mga balikbayan box?

Nung early years niya doon, since mas madali dati. Every year ’yun and sinasabay rin ng relatives namin ’yung mga hand-me-downs and gifts din. Pero ngayon, hindi na kasi practical kasi usually mas mahal pa ’yung pag-ship, kaya kina-cash na lang niya.

What is the best and worst gift that you got from a balikbayan box?

I guess ’yung best is lagi niya ako binibilhan ng GameBoy. Like, kung ano ’yung bagong model sa States ng GameBoy, pinapadala niya, from Advance to SP. Hindi naman worst pero dahil hindi niya ako nakilala while growing up, I mean dahil magkalayo kami, hindi ko masyadong gusto [’yung napapadala niyang mga damit], pero I still appreciate it. Wow! I-ju-judge ko pa ba e ang layo na nga niya.

While you were growing up did you feel you were different from other kids?

I think hindi naman in terms of friendship. Pero it did affect how I project myself to others [in a romantic relationship] since lumaki ako na wala sa tabi ko ’yung father ko. Feeling ko prinoproject ko ’yung yearning ko for a father figure sa partner na hinahanap ko.

Since you’ve experienced having an OFW parent, is working abroad also an option for you?

Yes. Noon ko pa talaga gusto mag-abroad. Other than I want a breath of fresh air, I guess dito na papasok ’yung utang na loob. I feel like it’s my turn, na ’yung dad ko naman ang makauwi para makapag-bond naman sila ng mom ko.

What was the thing that helped ease your situation the most?

Na all those years na wala siya, he was still doing it for us, our needs. Naniniwala pa rin akong wala siyang kabit doon. (laughs) ’Yung pagiging OFW to support your family, do you think it’s an ideal solution? Or is there a change you wish you would see in our country?

For me, outdated na ’yung notion na kapag nagOFW ka, it gets better. Feel ko ang nangyayari lang kasi is undervalued ’yung professionals dito sa atin. So feeling ko hangga’t hindi naaayos ’yung issues sa labor dito sa bansa, hindi mawawala ’yung option na mangibang bansa.

JENNIFER* Interview by Giselle Barrientos When asked if becoming an OFW would be an option for her, Jennifer replied after a long pause.

“Oo, aalis ako kung kakailanganin,” she decides, if it’s for family. If it’s for herself, she’s conflicted.

It’s hard to find reasons to stay. The country has become inhospitable to her own people, enough that only a grim sense of duty is what compels a Filipino to stay. *Subject’s real name was concealed per request.

Tell us about your dad. How long has he been an OFW? What does he do?

Twelve years. Engineer siya sa ibang bansa pati rito, pero dati nag-work siya ng kung anuano sa ibang bansa. Hindi ako sure kung ano ’yung totoong reason kasi super bata pa’ko nung umalis siya. Ang sinabi lang niya before, kailangan talagang umalis para mas maging magaan buhay namin at ’di naman siya aalis kung ’di kailangan.

When he left, how did that change your household dynamics?

Ako, ’di ko napansin ’yung difference kasi kahit nung dito siya nag-wo-work, lagi rin siyang wala. Na-realize ko lang na nahihirapan pala mom ko. Nag-break down siya nung nag-away kami ng kuya ko one time. After, nag-sorry siya. Sabi niya pagod na pagod lang siya kasi siya na lang nag-aalaga sa’min. So for us, wala masyadong nagbago, pero for my mom sobrang nagbago lahat.

How about in your personal life?

Wala naman, I think? Or ’di ko lang ma-recognize ’yung changes in my behavior.

Were there any important events in your life that you wished your dad had seen?

Ang babaw, pero nung natuto akong mag-bike. (laughs) Hindi ko rin alam bakit ito. Siguro kasi mga kapatid ko natuto mag-bike kasi si dad nagturo, pero umalis siya nung bata pa’ko so ’di niya ako naturuan. Late na’ko natuto mag-bike.

Doon ako nahiya kasi friends ko marunong magbike, ako hindi. Wala akong paki na na-miss niya graduations ko or whatever kasi ’di naman ako nag-struggle sa school masyado. Pero sana ’yung college graduation ko makapunta siya kasi ito pinaghirapan ko.

During your childhood, did you feel different from other kids because of your situation? Or did you maybe connect more with other kids of OFWs? Hindi naman. Well, apart dun sa pag-bike. (laughs) ’Di ko na-feel na may kulang sa’kin, siguro kasi swerte ako sa family and friends ko na sapat ’yung love na nabigay sa’kin.

JENNIFER*

“Ang selfish lang kung aalis ako ng bansa kasi I’m privileged enough to leave, tapos fuck those who can’t na lang.”

How do you think you would have developed differently as a person if your dad didn’t leave?

Mas ’di siguro ako nakasama sa mga gala kasi strict ’yung tatay ko. (laughs) Joke. Feel ko kung ’di umalis tatay ko, mas ’di ko siya ma-aappreciate. Nung umalis kasi siya, mas naging aware ako sa sacrifices na ginagawa ng mga magulang at kapatid ko para sa’kin. Mas naging grateful and thankful ako sa mga ginagawa ng mga tao for me.

What’s the most important thing you do to maintain your relationship with your dad?

Kailangan ko lang tandaan na para sa’min ’yung pag alis niya. Never ko na-feel ’yung TV moments like, “’Di ko kailangan ng pera, kailangan ko ng magulang,” kasi na-explain ng magulang ko na aalis siya para makapag-provide sa amin.

Para makakain ako, para makapag-aral sa magandang school, ganon. I have friends na nafeel na iniwan sila ng magulang nila sa formative years nila kaya may galit sila, and no judgment naman if ayun nararamdaman nila. Pero ako, nafeel kong mas malaking sacrifice ’yung ginawa niya para lang hindi kami mag-suffer financially.

Ano ba naman yung ma-miss ko siya minsan compared sa pag-uproot niya ng buong buhay niya para lang mapaaral at mapakain kaming magkakapatid. Ang dami kong sinabi. (laughs) Pero ang point ko lang, alam ko dahilan ng pagalis niya kaya never akong nagalit. ’Pag umuuwi siya at kailangan isiksik happy moments, parang “bayad” ko na sa sacrifice niya for us.

culture 45 During the short periods when your father comes home, how do you spend your time with him?

Ayun nga, since kaunti lang time, usually umaalis kami and mag-va-vacation or something.

Walang lazy day. So ’pag umuuwi dad ko, arawaraw maaga kami gigising, sabay-sabay kakain, bawal humiga lang and mag-phone. Dapat may activity. Pag wala, sama-sama kami maglilinis ng buong bahay.

Do you wish things would change here in the Philippines?

Oo. Siyempre. Ang daming nahihiwalay sa family nila dahil lang ang mahal ng goods and services sa bansa and sa earnings nila, ’di kaya i-afford ang mga ’yun. Siguro sana mag-invest ’yung gobyerno natin sa bansa at tao niya. I-fund nila ’yung mga research ng Filipino scientists. Maginvest sa farmers and fishermen. Mga ganyang bagay, to create more jobs and opportunities for the people. Hindi ’yung hahanap lang nang hahanap ng foreign investors to fund short-term projects para makapag-bulsa sila ng pera.

Because you experienced being a child of one, would becoming an OFW be an option for you in the future?

Ang daming factor kasi sa pagiging OFW. Hanggang ngayon ’di ko alam. If para sa family someday, oo, aalis ako kung kakailanganin. Lalo na kung ganito pa din ’yung state ng bansa na ’di livable wage ’yung minimum wage. Pero siyempre, ayoko pa rin maging bilang ’yung oras ko kasama family ko, so isasama ko sila kung kaya.

If personal lang, ’di pa ako decided. Kasi sobrang pangit na ng state ng bansa, nabebenta na tayo unti-unti. Dati ayoko, kasi pinag-aral nga ako ng bayan at gusto kong ma-apply ’yung pinag-aralan ko para sa ikauunlad ng bayan natin. Ayoko rin maging second-class citizen.

Pero ngayon nga sa Pilipinas mismo parang second-class citizen na ’yung trato ng gobyerno sa atin, so why not leave? Pero at the same time, ang selfish kasi may laban pa rito na kailangang labanin. Ang selfish lang kung aalis ako ng bansa kasi I’m privileged enough to leave, tapos fuck those who can’t na lang. Pero ang depressing kasi talaga ng mga nangyayari rito.

Ewan, conflicted ako.

JETHRO, photographed by MJ CATACUTAN

JETHRO Interview by Jelou Galang “It’s torturous,” Jethro says when asked if he would be willing to be an OFW like his dad someday. “For now, huwag muna. I can’t spare myself being away for too long,” says the 21-year-old bank operations staff member, who has experienced the absence of his father for almost 20 years. As he sees physical proximity as a priority, he shares that no amount of balikbayan box sweaters can make up for the gap. Though he’s not proud of the situation he’s in, he’s confident about how this made him more understanding with regards to sacrifice.

Can you narrate the scene of the first time your dad left? What was running through your mind?

Bakit kailangan pang umalis? Oh my god. (laughs) I’ve been an OFW kid since year 2000. I vividly remember my dad telling me the story of how he went abroad and how I cried, that our whole street woke up. Kasi hinatid namin si papa n’un, then sumasama ako sa taxi, [pero] ayaw akong pasamahin. So ever since I was three years old, alam kong wala na si papa. Then my mom used to work so I was left with our neighbors, and family friends. And then, every year naman, umuuwi si papa until suddenly he had to extend.

Almost two years na siyang hindi umuuwi.

Describe a household without your dad.

Siyempre mahirap, like, in the simplest form, when you have repairs in the house, minsan hindi namin magawa, we have to go to a junk shop or some vulcanizing shop to have repairs na ’di namin kayang gawin. Siyempre most of the time walang father figure, so ayun siguro isang factor din talaga siya on some of my decisions.

I’m still at the stage where I’m finding myself to sort it out. I could’ve really been greater if I had a dad to guide me na, “Oh, dapat ganito. Dapat ganyan,” or, “You’re doing it wrong, you should be doing this right.” Siguro if I had my dad beside me, I could’ve opened up my concerns. I don’t know, I mean, household-wise we’re holding up.

It’s okay, I guess.

Among your classmates, did you ever feel you were different?

Not really. I wasn’t sad; probably more on indifferent. Though may feeling na sayang, I wish my dad was here during special events in school, like family day and recognition day, it was a chill feeling nonetheless. I didn’t feel isolated. Parang nasanay na lang din ako. Siguro at an early age, it’s a gift that I understood it. I knew what the family was going through, and how we were in debt for so long.

So the best coping mechanism was to understand the situation?

It doesn’t mean naman na when he’s not here, he’s absent. As long as we communicate, it’s okay. But for me, my coping mechanism was to comfort myself na nandiyan naman si mama eh.

Why not [acknowledge] my mom? My mom can be my dad, too. So it’s more of accepting the reality na, I don’t have my dad with me right now, but I have my mom. That’s okay. I mean, that made me feel better. She saw me cry, she saw me at my rock bottom. The next thing I know, she’s with me in my ups. So it’s good to accept reality as a coping mechanism.

Agree. So were you able to bond with other kids in the same situation?

Oh my god, there was a club during high school called CUTE. CUTE stands for Children Under Transformation Everyday. Organization siya sa school where all OFW kids gather and then they celebrate their independence. They have workshops and seminars. It’s like a support group na you come to understand na you’re not alone in this kind of situation. So, I felt like there were less reasons to be sad.

What’s the best and the worst lesson you’ve learned from the situation—growing up without a dad at most times?

The best lesson I learned was first of all, to be really independent. There are some things that I really had to bear on my own and do on my own. One thing I also learned from being an OFW kid is it’s really good to appreciate time and people. Because you don’t know until when they’re going to be with you. The worst lesson…siguro kung may worst na nangyari, you compare yourself to other kids sometimes. All the while, at some point of my high school or grade school life, I felt an occuring “buti pa sila.”

So ’yun lang naman ’yung worst na nangyari, na I felt like a fatherless kid. Nevertheless, my dad was able to assure me that he’s not away.

TONI Interview by Giselle Barrientos Nineteen-year-old Toni lives with her grandmother, her mother, and her three siblings, two of whom share a different father.

Her dad continues to work as an OFW. It’s a modern family, to say the least. Separated by circumstance, Toni grew up with two mothers to look up to: her lola, who raised her, and her mama, who provided for her kids by working in other countries for most of Toni’s childhood. It was complicated, and it continues to be now that both of her “mothers” are under the same roof.

Can you tell us about your OFW parents?

Parehas silang naging OFW sa Dubai, dun din sila nagkakilala. ’Yung job nila dun ay… basta related sa food eh. (laughs) Kaya sila nagkakilala kasi naging magkatrabaho sila.

Tapos ’yon, nabuo na’ko. Dito [in Manila] na’ko pinanganak nung bumalik si mama, pero ’yung father ko naiwan doon para at least may pang sustento sa’kin. Bumalik si mama doon, tapos naiwan na’ko sa lola ko.

So your mom left, but came back and stayed put for a while. Why do you think your dad chose to stay overseas for work instead of coming home, too?

Parehas kasi sila, hindi nakatapos ng college.

Dito sa Pilipinas, ’pag ’di ka naman nagtapos ng college, parang hindi ka ganon kadali makakahanap ng maganda at stable na trabaho. ’Di tulad sa ibang bansa, kahit trabaho na hindi naman ganon kagandahan, at least mas malaki pa rin ’yung sweldo. Si papa, naiwan siya doon para mapag-aral ako. Meron ding other issues, like meron pa’kong ibang kapatid.

Sinusuportahan niya rin ‘yon.

So your grandmother became your mom?

Naging ganon ’yung setup. Habang lumalaki kami, lola ko ’yung nandiyan. Pero continuous naman ’yung pag-uusap namin ni mama. Hindi naman ’yon nawala. Kaya lang, iba pa rin talaga kung physically present siya. Sa edad na ’yon, sa lola ko nabuo ’yung attachment kasi nga siya ’yung nag-aalaga sa’kin.

How did you maintain your connection with your mother then?

Nung bata ako, naaalala ko, Skype. Ganon lang.

Pero dati naman, umuuwi sila every two years.

Ganon ’yung naging setup nun. ’Yun, tapos video calls na lang talaga.

TONI

culture 47

Since you’ve been the child of an OFW, would becoming an OFW yourself be an option for you in the future?

Parang hindi. Kung naranasan ko na siya bilang anak, ayoko siyang maranasan bilang magulang balang araw. Parang ngayon pa lang, nararamdaman ko na ’yung magiging pakiramdam. Sobrang hirap talaga na mga magulang mo dapat ’yung nandito pero wala sila.

Gusto ko na maka-graduate para makahanap na’ko ng stable job dito sa Pinas. “Okay lang na hindi mayaman, hindi masyadong maganda ’yung bahay, basta sama-sama kayo.” ’Yun yung turo ng lola ko sa’kin.

“Dito sa Pilipinas, ’pag ’di ka naman nagtapos ng college, parang hindi ka ganon kadali makakahanap ng maganda at stable na trabaho.”

But then you mentioned that your mom is here now, for good. How did that change your household’s dynamic when she first arrived? ’Yun ’yung medyo mahirap kasi habang lumalaki ako, na-attach ako sa lola ko. Nung bumalik na ’yung mom ko, nalilito ako kung sino ’yung susundin ko. Kasi nanay ko pa rin ’yon, but on the other hand, lola ko ’yung nagpalaki sa’kin. Pero sa bahay kasi namin, since lola ko naman ’yung talagang nakatira dun, parang siya pa rin ’yung pinakanasusunod. Minsan lang, hindi maiiwasan yung pag-clash.

What’s one of your favorite memories with your parents? ’Yung father ko umuwi siya isang beses.

Graduation day ko. Sakto ’yon, mismong minemakeup-an na’ko for graduation. Biglang tumatahol na ’yung mga aso. Sabi ko, “Ano ’yun?” tapos ang dami palang nag-vi-video! “Andiyan na, dumating na!” sabi nila, tapos umiyak ako nun. Dati kasi ’pag tinatanong sa’kin kung sino mas close ko, sinasabi ko papa ko. (laughs)

So do you think that becoming an OFW is still a viable solution to sustain a family?

Para sa’kin, issue talaga sa bansa ’yung marami [pa ring] OFW, kasi bakit ’yung ibang bansa nakakapag-provide sila ng magandang trabaho kahit hindi ka college graduate? Bakit dito sa Pilipinas, kailangan pang mangibang bansa para lang matustusan yung pamilya mo? Para sa’kin, ’yung job market dito ’yung nagiging problema kasi masyadong mataas ’yung standards, pero ’yung sweldo, hindi naman siya tugma. Ngayon may K-12 pa. Bakit kailangan natin lumebel agad sa first world country, eh iba ’yung mga pangangailangan natin? Parang pinalayo mo pa eh. Heto na, mag-co-college na, tapos dadagdagan mo pa ng dalawang taon. ’Di ba parang pabigat?

What change would you like to see in the country to lessen the need for becoming an OFW? Imbis na kung anu-ano ’yung pinaglalaanan ng gobyerno ng pera, gumawa na lang sila ng initiatives para magkaroon ng trabaho ’yung mga tao. Ayos lang naman sana rito sa Pilipinas kung tutok lang sana ’yung gobyerno sa mga mamamayan dito. ■

48 social issues

All hands on deck

In a time when education is becoming more of a privilege than a right, you can make a difference Words by JELOU GALANG Lack of classrooms, a shortage of textbooks, underpaid teachers. These are just some of our country’s problems when it comes to education. Could it get any worse? Well, some kids have actually stopped attending school in the first place—a recent survey reveals that nine percent of Filipinos aged six to 24 don’t experience lectures, exams, and school trips anymore. And we can blame how costly education has become.

Fixing this might only be done through a total education system overhaul, plus an improved game plan for eradicating poverty. However, we cannot deny the impact of small acts. We can start by hitting these organizations up.

Streets to Schools

AHA Learning Center

Childhope Philippines

ALCADEV Inc.

facebook.com/StreetstoSchoolsProject streetstoschoolsproject@gmail.com Streets to Schools was built by University of Santo Tomas junior high school students Qjiel Mariano, Alianza Salvador, and Anthea Terrenal.

STS aims to equip young leaders aged 12 to 20 with the tools to help give out-of-school youth opportunities for a quality education. childhope.org.ph igivehope@childhope.org.ph Childhope’s Street Education and Protection (STEP) program follows an “education without borders” mantra in teaching children their rights and responsibilities, primary health care, and values formation through alternative education sessions.

Project PEARLS

projectpearls.org info@projectpearls.org Project PEARLS aims to break the poverty cycle by giving arts and crafts classes, skills training sessions, field trips, and feeding programs to children.

ahalearningcenter.com ahalearningcenter@gmail.com AHA! works to transform public schools through its free afterschool program. Children can tackle English, math, science, and “real world tracks” like financial literacy, innovation and technology, nutrition and health, and environmental conservation. alcadev.wordpress.com alcadev_als2004@yahoo.com.ph ALCADEV (Alternative Learning Center for Agriculture and Livelihood Development) is an alternative learning system serving the youth in indigenous communities. This includes the Lumads who face human rights violations daily.

The PARC Foundation

theparcfoundation.ph marketing@theparcfoundation.ph PARCaralan, PARC Foundation’s grassroots program, gives free music, dance, and theater classes to underprivileged children in San Juan and Tondo in order to cultivate self-confidence.

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