Scout: 2017 September-October

SEPTEM B ER - OCTOB ER 2017

d S C OU T M AG . P H

i l n r g a SO FIA AN DRES

FREE M A GAZINE!

I S S U E NO . 2 8

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t + desig ar n rs

photog

dance genres

16 PORTFOLIO

club fern

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ar

t + desig

p h o t o grap

PROFILES

rap h

m fil

fan artists and their fandoms

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18

ART + DESIGN

8 fil

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in this issue

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PHOTO BY INAH MARAVILLA

20 MUSIC

mark redito

24 FA S H I O N

genderless fashion

30 C U LT U R E

eSports players

32 E S S AY

straight edge culture

34 ON THE COVER

sofia andres

42 FA S H I O N

loner

#SOFIAFORSCOUT

48 SCENE

scout music fest

what motivates you to work?

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

EDITOR IN CHIEF

BEA J. LEDESMA LEX CELERA

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Nimu Muallam

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Denise Fernandez

SENIOR GRAPHIC ARTIST

Grace de Luna

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Celene Sakurako

COPY EDITOR

Patricia Romualdez

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Olivia Estrada, Gabrielle Gatchalian, Juno Reyes

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Bryan Arcebal

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Koji Arboleda, Regine David, Edward Joson, Heidi Sarol, JP Talapian, Jilson Seckler Tiu, Kris Villano

CONTRIBUTING VIDEOGRAPHERS

Cyril Sindac, MV Isip, Ivan Cocjin, Jear Velasquez, Petersen Vargas

CONTRIBUTING STYLISTS

Vince Crisostomo, Matt Panes, Florian Trinidad, Ryuji Shiomitsu

CONTRIBUTING HAIR & MAKEUP ARTISTS

Slo Lopez, Effie Go-Iñigo, MJ Suayan, Pam Robes

INTERNS

Molly Arcilla, Emma Buhain, Veronica Cabanos, Marc Castillo, Samantha Clerigo, Kathrina Crisostomo, Johmar Damiles, Colin Dancel, Lala Del Rosario, Camille Fernandez, Poj Gaerlan, Aryl Gudaca, Jireh Hong, Pauline Lapus, Roi Lim, Alexandra Mascenon, Mica Magsanoc, Koi Mapolon, Chloe Palamos, Martie Rosales, Jao San Pedro, Bryan Sochayseng, Meg Valencia

BOARD CHAIRPERSON

Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez

CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER

J. Ferdinand De Luzuriaga

DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER

Atty. Rudyard Arbolado

VP/GROUP HR HEAD

Raymund Soberano

VP & CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER

Imelda C. Alcantara

SENIOR HR MANAGER

Ma. Leonisa L. Gabrieles

HR SPECIALIST

Reynalyn S. Fernandez

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT/ EDITORIAL CONTENT PLANNER

Jullia Pecayo

HEAD OF OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Lurisa Ann Villanueva

SVP & GROUP SALES HEAD,

Felipe R. Olarte

AVP FOR SALES

Ma. Katrina Garcia-Dalusong

KEY ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR

Angelita Tan-Ibañez

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Thea Ordiales, Abby Ginaga, Charm Banzuelo, Liza Jison

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Mikaela Paula Alcause, Andie Zuñiga

SALES SUPPORT ASSISTANT

Rechelle Nicdao

MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER

Jellic Tapia

EVENTS SUPERVISOR

Bianca Dalumpines

BRAND MARKETING SUPERVISOR

Ina Rodriguez

EVENTS ASSISTANT

Merjorie May Young

BRAND MARKETING ASSISTANT

Nicole Uson

MARKETING ASSISTANT

Carmina Anunciacion

MARKETING SENIOR GRAPHIC ARTIST

Roi De Castro

MARKETING GRAPHIC ARTIST

Janina David

PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Jan Cariquitan

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Maricel Gavino

FINAL ART SUPERVISOR

Dennis Cruz

FINAL ART ASSISTANT

Argyl Leones

DISTRIBUTION SPECIALIST

Arnulfo Naron

DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANT

Angela Carlos-Quiambao

SUBSCRIPTION ASSISTANT

Blue Infante

LIASON ASSOCIATE

Rosito Subang

GROUP PUBLISHER

INQUIRER GROUP OF COMPANIES INQUIRER GROUP OF COMPANIES

INQUIRER GROUP OF COMPANIES

“The goal is to be able to help others and make great impact.”

“The deadline.”

MV ISIP Video, Big Brother Mark (p. 20)

OLIVIA ESTRADA Girl, You Earned It (p. 34)

“The everyday learnings that have helped me become the person I am today.”

EDWARD JOSON Kiss with a Fist (p. 24)

“Seeing great work from other designers helps me set my standards high and push myself further.”

BRYAN ARCEBAL Sober Gang (p. 32)

“I’m given the chance to express myself through a medium that I am most passionate about.”

CYRIL SINDAC Video, Pop, Lock, Drop It (p. 8)

“Megalomania? I’m not entirely sure just yet.”

JUNO REYES The eSports Subculture Glossary (p. 30)

@scout m a gp h s c o u t m a g p h@g m ail.c o m

4F Media Resource Plaza, Mola cor. Pasong Tirad Sts., Brgy. La Paz Makati City

Letter from the Editor It’s been a wild year. Cheers to the entire Scout team, including everyone who’s stuck with us since the beginning.

U

pon browsing Scout ’s social media accounts and conversing with friends, I have accepted the fact that Scout has become associated with the word “aesthetic,” used as an adjective rather than a noun.

“This photo is so aesthetic.” “Ang aesthetic naman.”

Here’s what else I found out: When something is aesthetic, it is not necessarily beautiful, nor is it ugly. The use of the word sparks a certain curiosity because what is being described is unfamiliar. That I appreciate.

Whether or not we agree on the phenomena that popularized the word’s use (the maybe dead, maybe alive vaporwave movement and its trappings; the now ubiquitous editing style popularized by Brandon Woelfel and Masashi Wakui; the increasingly politicized global internet and its penchant for a melancholic nostalgia never experienced— the three of which are tied together in some way), the word describes everything and nothing at the same time. The layer of interest the word gives is a farce.

With the rise of the use of the word and the facsimile of a culture it represents, the image it conjures in our head once heard or seen becomes mere spectacle, white noise embedded among other white noise.

I’d like to think that beneath the spectacle of Scout lies an issue bigger than the sum of its parts. Something that is worth your time beyond the magazine equivalent of window shopping.

For issue 28 of Scout , we played with what we’ve been comfortable with and tried to push our own personal envelope, beginning with a day trip to the not-so-countryside of Pampanga with Lean Ordinario, a.k.a. LONER (p.42), for a sun-kissed fashion editorial. During the night, we headed to the 24-hour computer shops dotting the streets of Manila at

night to find out about the alternative eSports scene and its unconventional customs in the face of an increasingly lucrative industry (p.30).

We also had the pleasure of getting in touch with people we know through the Internet, such as online kuya and artist Mark Redito (p.20), who talked about his Laguna roots and his initiative to provide artist representation for the marginalized.

We also had a chat with CLUB FERN (p.16) about her art, which explores interior vulnerabilities that are actually all too familiar for our generation.

Finally, our cover personality for this issue, young actress Sofia Andres (p.34), touches on life beyond the “aestheticized” images we project on social media, and her way of dealing with the daily trials of the showbiz industry. She’s a real darling who is wise beyond her years and we’re excited for her career to move forward.

Many of our stories in this issue are takes on motion and play and their different possible meanings, from physical motion to subversion and change, the latter of which we’re taking upon ourselves.

To you, the reader, I’m glad you’ve made it this far. Please, take your time flipping through this issue’s pages. It will be worth it.

More importantly, watch this space. The times, they are a-changin’.

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art + design

fantastic, baby Venturing into the world of fan art and seeing through the eyes of three fan artists themselves

By DENISE FERNANDEZ

FAN ART has always been a fascinating genre of the visual arts. For those of you living under a rock, the key terms we’re using here are A) fandom, a community of people bonded over shared interest of a work of fiction, musician, or celebrity; and B) fan art, or artwork voluntarily created by fans of the specific fandom they’re a part of.

Becoming part of a fandom is an exciting and oftentimes enlightening investment of one’s time and emotions. (Fans can probably say it’s a lot like falling in love.) But to create work out of love for another creative venture is another thing in itself. Artists choose to portray other people’s creations through their own styles and viewpoints. Whether it’s illustrations of favorite movies, films, book characters, or full-blown comics of their favorite band members, fan art becomes a means for fans to bond over shared interests.

The medium of fan art, though, is not without its controversies. Because fan art uses characters and concepts (and sometimes, actual human beings) from other people’s work, it’s often dismissed as an invalid form of art. Since fans tend to make their own narratives of the originals, some view fan art as a result of the blurring of the line between fan and creator.

But one thing is for sure: Fan art remains the most embraced form of fan expression worldwide, more so than fan fiction, video, and cosplay.

Ready to meet some artists from the community?

We found three from different fandoms to introduce their work and talk about fan art’s relevance in culture today, its controversies, and the best part of sharing something you love with strangers from all over the globe.

Name: Don Age: 27 Fandom: Studio Ghibli Films, ‘90s cartoons Being able to connect with different kinds of people is why Don enjoys being an active member of different fandoms. “The best part of being a fan artist is when you meet people within the same fandom. It’s really enjoyable because it feels like you’re getting an instant friend,” he says.

Don has been a fan artist ever since he started watching cartoons on TV, citing an X-Men member as the first ever character he drew in his childhood. Although he’s drawn for other fandoms as well, Don is recognized for his art on Studio Ghibli films such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke, with a polished and neat style that is distinctly minimalist.

His advice for aspiring artists and fan artists alike?

Be authentic. Bandwagoning isn’t a good idea. “Just do what you love and create fan art because you’re actually passionate about the fandom and not because they’re popular and people talk about it. And always stay creative!”

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art + design

Name: Kaila Age: 18 Fandom: EXO It was love at first sight for Kaila with K-pop group EXO; she’s been a huge fan since their debut in 2012.

Though she only began publicly posting her fan art for the group in 2013, she’s garnered a faithful following, that appreciates her otherworldly, exaggerated, and cartoonish style of drawing. Many EXO fan artists portray the members in regular, everyday situations. Kaila, who mentions Roald Dahl novel artist Quentin Blake as an inspiration, illustrates them with aspects of magic realism, such as strange and morbid half-monster creatures or colorful plant beings.

As with the popular argument of fan art’s validity as art, Kaila says, “It’s pretty common to see the whole ‘Fan art isn’t really art!’ kind of comment, and I don’t really agree with it. Fan art was created by someone who had the courage to make something out of their favorite artist, show, or whatnot, and it more than often isn’t even doing any harm to anyone, so I wonder why people would have to look down on a branch of art that way. If anything, fan art helps an artist relate to their audience a little easier than with original work.”

Name: Nicko Age: 19 Fandom: Game of Thrones, Avatar series, AlDub Nicko’s fan art went viral on Facebook for a school assignment. When he was taking his advertising class in university, he and his classmates were grouped together and were eventually required to make viral posts on the popular social media platform. Around this time, different artists on the internet were creating their own personifications of various fast food restaurants. Nicko decided to apply the same concept to local chip brands like Piattos, Oishi, Nova, and the like.

Though fan art is widely embraced all over, a handful still think of it as a shallow branch of art. “Lawakan sana nila ang kanilang pag-iisip. There are a lot of reasons why artists make fan art. Some do it for gratitude to the fandom, some do it to practice their skills, and marami pang ibang dahilan, at hindi yun kababawan.”

Aside from being recognized for his viral art for potato chips, Nicko has also done illustrations of Game of Thrones, and most prominently, AlDub, the powerhouse love team consisting of Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards, of whom Nicko is a huge, huge fan.

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profile

p o p, l o c k, a n d d ro p i t Members of today’s most prominent dance crews break down dance genres and moves

By GRACE DE LUNA

Vo gue Fe mm e It is one of many styles of voguing that draws inspiration from ballet and jazz, wherein the fluidity of the dance is highlighted with exaggerated feminine movements.

You might be familiar with this style thanks to Madonna and FKA twigs.

THE MOVE: DEATH DROP It’s actually a dip, which is one of the five elements of vogue femme. It’s called a death drop because it looks deadly but when done right, it’s sure to bring the house down.

1.) Position yourself to do a half split with either your left or right leg bent and the other one stretched.

2.) Make sure you arch your back and extend your arms to support your weight when you dip.

3.) Practice slowly first until you’re ready to do it faster. Remember, the death drop needs to be fast and full of impact.

DORA DORADO, 21 A-TEAM @ateamph Describe voguing. It’s about resilience from the LGBT from New York. It started from club culture.

You channel the negative energy of the external to a positive energy from the internal. How is your personality connected to the genre you dance? I always challenge the norm and celebrate individuality and inclusion of everyone. What does dancing mean to you? Dancing is my drug. It makes me feel invincible, untouchable, and eternal. Dance is my weapon.

Photography by HEIDI SAROL

10 profile

Danceh all It’s a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the ’70s and has evolved through time. Music influenced by dancehall has been a mainstay in pop in recent years, and many of today’s music videos (like Rihanna’s Work) draw inspiration from the genre’s distinctive dance moves.

THE MOVE: BUTTERFLY One of the basic dancehall moves that you definitely need to know to get that dancehall fly.

1.) Stand with your feet apart and knees bent. Bring your knees together in and out while moving your hips in a circular motion.

2.) You can either move one leg before the other or move them both, just make sure you’re shaking those hips.

3.) Drop it low, turn around, step your toes; add your style and make it your own.

ERICA HUANG, 22 LEGIT STATUS @legitstatusph Describe dancehall. Dancehall is more about attitude and just grooving with the music. It’s mostly like just flowing with everything and just being your badass self.

How is your personality connected to the genre you dance? I like the whole vibe. I just like to move a lot when I feel like being fierce. I feel like it matches the whole dancehall vibe. What does dancing mean to you?

Dancing is my way of being true to myself. It takes me to another place that makes me feel like I can be whoever I want to be.

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Urban It is any of various dances inspired by the rhythm and technique of funk and hip-hop music including locking, popping, b-boying, or a mix of everything altogether.

THE MOVE: THE WALK Everyone can walk but to do THE Walk, you just need to move with the groove.

1.) Make sure you have the rhythm in your head and study that beat.

2.) Start walking to the beat, and don’t forget to bop along to the music.

3.) Own your walk.

Move with your own style. Repeat.

LES PAUL SAÑEZ, 22 TPM @tpm2010ph Describe urban. Urban is just a mix of different styles that come together as one. With urban, you don’t exactly need to follow a certain discipline. You just need to do what you know and make it happen. How is your personality connected to the genre you dance? I can compare urban to myself in a way that I’m just as free as how urban is free. I usually just do whatever I want and I’m very much happy doing that. What does dancing mean to you? Before, dance was just a hobby I wanted to try out. Now, dancing is about having a connection to the music and making sure that your body is the visual representation of music.

Having people understand the story you are trying to tell and making sure that they feel what you’re trying to make them feel.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MEG VALENCIA

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Swag Swag dancing is usually the dancing that you see at parties and clubs.

It’s more of a social dance and expression of personality, highly influenced by today’s hip-hop music, with moves that make heads turn in your direction.

THE MOVE: MILLY ROCK A move made popular by 2 Milly and his crew from their song of the same name. This viral dance blew up on the internet in 2015 and since then, everybody’s been dancing it everywhere.

1.) Position your hands like how they taught you the first position in ballet, four fingers together and thumbs apart.

2.) Move your hands in a circular motion going inward.

You can do it one hand at a time or together. Move it in different directions.

3.) Slap the air with a sharp flick of the wrist halfway through the circular motions.

Move your body side to side. Smirking is optional.

PATRICIA JONES GARCIA, 21 ALLIANCE @alliance_ph Describe swag. It’s basically just vibing with the song and letting my personality dictate the way I move.

I love how I can show how I’m the boyish type of girl but still got that sexy going on when I dance swag.

How is your personality connected to the genre you dance? I’m not the girly type. I grew up surrounded by boys and being in that environment gave me a very boyish personality. I think swag as a genre is tough but at the same time playful and that’s just the way I see myself. What does dancing mean to you?

It means so much to me. It leads me to a lot of places and situations.

Dancing helped me to become the person I am now. I will be forever thankful to God for giving me the gift of dance.

Head on over to Scout’s Facebook page for a dance video featuring these dance crews.

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y o u t o o? me too

“Failure” Digital Art 2017

“For Frida” Digital Art 2016

CLUB FERN’s comics about everyday life and feelings in this day and age find a global fan base, implying we all might have more in common than we think

By GABRIELLE GATCHALIAN

MEETING an internet personality in real life can be a very strange experience. Part of us might feel like we’ve come to know the photographers, artists, and bloggers we follow on social media. We get a peek into their dayto-days through Snapchat and Instagram Stories. We get to hear them rant or rave about both the biggest and smallest things through Twitter.

It’s even more surreal to actually show up at their door and spend a day with them. All of a sudden, you’re about to come face to face with the real deal, and you wonder if they’ll turn out to be different from what you thought they’d be. Today, I find myself at a house with Fern, also known as CLUB FERN, artist and prominent internet personality.

Fern made her way to internet stardom via her comics, which she started posting on a dedicated Facebook page just a year ago in 2016. Her work has a distinctive palette that primarily features deep shades of purple, magenta, and cyan. If you’re scrolling through your feed, it’s pretty easy to stop to take a look at her work if you come across it, simply by virtue of how strong the colors come across. It isn’t even just that the colors simply pop out of their frames. The play of cool and warm shades also feels inviting and strangely familiar.

Her comics come in the form of quick and visceral doodles that are as immediate as the topics they touch upon, namely the things that people of our generation feel, experience, and joke about, with a few pinches of pop culture references here and there.

Fern’s pieces range from a redo of the Morton Salt girl with the words “Stop being so salty,” plastered on the side to a girl telling her friend she won’t leave an unhappy relationship because she doesn’t want to die alone. Sometimes they are as simple as single images put beside such taglines as “Stressed backwards is desserts,” “Destroy mean boys,” and “I belong deeply to myself.” She presents them through lenses of both laugh-out-loud, self-deprecating humor and unabashed, vulnerable sincerity.

Fern is as colorful in real life as she is on the internet and the usual means by which she interacts with the rest of the world (text, IM, or video chat). One of Fern’s half-joke, half-serious goals was to be the first

portfolio 15

“I wanna be with u” Digital Art 2017

“I’m Sorry” Digital Art 2015

hit in a Google search of the word “Fern.” As of time of writing, the first results are still photos of greenery. But changing her branding from just Fern to CLUB FERN helped with that. And so searching CLUB FERN puts Fern’s Kingdom Plantae page up top and photos of actual ferns down to the fourth result. “I really like the plant, plus it stems from my actual last name. Think of it as a shortcut. If I told you my last name, I wouldn’t sound cool anymore.”

Like a lot of artists, Fern started drawing as a kid, citing a Japanese show she saw on Animax as inspiration. Later on, her sphere of influence would expand to include something pretty central these days. “I think a big inspiration to my art is basically shit I see on the internet,” she says. “Memes and anything with neon bright colors make me want to get up and doodle. I’m also very into Renaissance and pop. The way portraits are done makes me feel so nice and I like mixing these two together. Klimt, Van Gogh, Kawasaki, and Jean are big influences to me. I love pop music, too.”

The internet was easily the third participant in our conversation, as we’d often go to it to show each other photos, videos, and extra information. And the internet is the very ground that Fern founded her Kingdom Plantae empire of a Facebook page on. “I practically live in it.

Basically, one morning I asked my boyfriend if I should put my art on my page, and he encouraged me to do that. I was scared because I was afraid I wasn’t going to get anywhere. I never realized I would reach so many people.” “So many people” means a whopping 81,215 likes, with anywhere between 500 to 13,000 reactions per post.

The numbers make a lot of sense—Fern’s art is deeply relatable. She puts out drawings and comics that talk about what it’s like to live and feel in this day and age. Her work sheds light on the kind of multi-layered emotional overtones and undertones that fill the lines between the text messages we send and other everyday matters. Whether it be about something as light as trying to get a free frap from your favorite coffee shop, to feeling pathetic over being constantly seenzoned by a crush, or coping with the pain of emotional abuse, she gets it, and you can see it in her art, regardless of where you are in the world.

And a good chunk of her fan base—her work has inspired fan art, letters, and even makeup looks—is actually halfway across the globe. “Whenever I write something in Filipino on my page, people get surprised and ask me if I’m from here. Second to the US, [my fans] are scattered all around the world. I think that’s amazing.”

“I Love You as a Friend” Digital Art 2016

That’s a lot of love from those who relate to her work—work that can get vulnerable. And vulnerable work tends to get quiet responses from an audience who feels the very emotions that they see in a painting. Putting up art that talks about matters people prefer to deal with in private takes some guts.

Despite differences in culture and custom, language barriers, and international barriers, Fern’s reach is easily a testament to just how much people around the world still have in common, whether it’s a rehash of the latest meme, the joy one feels over little things, or even something as ancient as love.

As grateful she is for how far the internet has brought her, one thing she still hopes for is to be known here in her home country. “I love the art scene here.

I love the artists here. I used to be an assistant to Romeo Lee a few years ago. I also love Yeo Kaa and her work! I’m hoping to expand my art here soon.” n

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analog natives A look at the everlasting qualities of film through the eyes of today’s promising photographers

By CELENE SAKURAKO

WHEN ASKED if film photography is dead, budding photographers Inah Maravilla, Eric Bico, Redge Hawang, and Ricardo Yan all gave the unwavering answer: no. As full-blown millennials born in the late ’90s (over a decade after the first ever digital camera came out in 1975), they’ve grown up in the hyper-digital age where photos of everything from banal to beautiful can and are instantaneously edited and uploaded for sharing in the blink of an eye. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but how much is it really worth when there are a thousand photos of the same shot? When do we have the time to truly appreciate a photo? The answer is now.

Scroll through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and you’ll see that digital natives have taken a liking to analog culture. Utilizing popular hashtags like #35mm, film-mimicking filters like VSCO, and apps like Gudak, they’re now taking cues from their parents and revisiting the past. We asked these four film photographers the big question: Why?

REDGE HAWANG, 20 @hawang1996

What’s your choice of equipment? I use one camera, and one camera only: a Contax Quartz 139.

Sadly, it’s manual so it’s a real pain in the ass, but it’s my pain of ass. How’d you get into film photography? It was an ironic twist of fate. My DSLR camera broke and I thought it was the end of the world, because I knew I couldn’t afford a new one. Despite my having sworn off film before—because of its tedious process—my mentor Ralph Mendoza pushed me to try it out. I was basically forced to work with what I had. Why do you choose to shoot film over digital? I fell in love. Once you do, there’s just no going back. And just like that, I love how with film, you can never go back and correct your mistakes—might it be exposure, ASA/ISO, or the shutter speed. Once you’ve taken something, that’s it. So even before you shoot anything, you have to calculate your every move. Is film dead? Film is not dead, and it’s definitely not just another trend. What are your two cents on the resurgence of film these days? The revival of film seems to be a trend. It’s like everyone is dipping their toes into anything that’s “retro” or “vintage” these days, but I truly believe there are people who genuinely enjoy shooting with film. You see, there’s this thing about film that makes you feel like you’ve traveled back in time, not to mention the perks of having tangible memories. Where do you see its future? I think film is here to stay, even after the bandwagoners jump ship. Film will never be dead.

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INAH MARAVILLA, 20 @inahdaze

What’s your choice of equipment? I have four film cameras: Canon AE-1, Nikon FM10, Olympus MJU II, and Olympus OM-10. I interchange them a lot, but my go-to is the point and shoot Olympus MJU II. I’m not gear-conscious though.

How’d you get into film photography? I first got into photography when I was 13 and still in Bacolod. I started experimenting with digital when I was in first year high school and shifted to film in my second year. Flickr inspired me.

Back then, I had to order everything online from Manila and have it shipped to my province. The photography scene in Bacolod is limited, and there was literally only one photo lab that could develop my film. Why do you choose to shoot film over digital? I simply like being surprised. I like the process of having to plan and think about your shots carefully because of a film roll’s limit, and then having to wait for your photographs to be developed before you can see them. It’s always like opening presents. Is film dead? I don’t think it is now, nor do I think it will be anytime soon, but I’m not canceling out the possibility of it in the future.

What are your two cents on the resurgence of film these days? I think our generation is nostalgic of a past that we’ve never even been a part of, so we try to recreate it. The big hype on analog culture these days, with throwbacks and whatnot, it’s all linked to nostalgia. One could say it’s just a trend, but I hope it isn’t; it’s really more than that. Where do you see its future? I see film making its way to mainstream media, eventually. I mean with all the filters these days, it’s like digital is trying to imitate film. It’s only a matter of time until people start wanting the real deal.

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ERIC BICO, 21 @j.ericbico

What’s your choice of equipment? I only have one camera and it’s a Yashica FX-3 2000. How’d you get into film photography? I got into photography when I was 16, but it was only two years ago when I got into film.

It was when I created my Instagram account, and I searched for photographers to follow for inspiration. I saw Hideaki Hamada’s account, and I noticed that his photos were shot in film. His account really caught my attention, so I started to shoot film too. I started with disposable cameras at first, because I didn’t know where to get a film camera, then one day I discovered this Japanese thrift store in Starmall near my place, where I got my very first own film camera. Why do you choose to shoot film over digital? I like the look and feel of a developed film photo, as well as the waiting process. It takes time before you get to see your photos, but that’s the exciting part. Is film dead? It can never be dead. It just took a tiny hiatus, but as long as there are people who still support and enjoy shooting film, film manufacturers will still produce fresh film. It’s a mutual thing. What are your two cents on the resurgence of film these days? It has something to do with nostalgia, and film has a nostalgic feeling. Especially nowadays na maraming nangyayari at sa bilis ng pagbabago, our generation craves simpler times. So it’s like our way of taking a break from that, and slowing down by reminiscing about the things that were when we were young, film photography included. Where do you see its future? Magiging sikat rin and tanggap ng mga tao like digital photography.

art + design 19

RICARDO YAN, 20 @ricardoyan96

What’s your choice of equipment? I shoot with a Hasselblad 500C/M Medium format film camera for portraits, a Nikon F3 for 35mm stuff, and a Polaroid 101 Land Camera for instant photos. How’d you get into film photography? I got into photography when I was in the sixth grade and my parents failed to pay for my batch photo. As a sixth grader, it felt like the most important thing to me and I was devastated. After that, I always had my camera in my hand. Film on the other hand, I picked up when I inherited my great grandfather’s Kodak Star 200 point and shoot for Christmas in 2012. At the time, I was eyeing to get a DSLR, and I asked my parents for one, but they said it was too expensive. So being 16 years old, I went to Hidalgo to buy myself a film SLR out of rebellion. I ended up getting so hooked because I had this desire to produce photos that would be up to par to a modern DSLR. Why do you choose to shoot film over digital? I like film because it slows you down and makes you appreciate a photo more, with all of the effort you put in it; there’s always that gratification in the end when you don’t mess it up, and it’s not instant like with digital. Is film dead? As my AB-Photography professors at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde say, it’s the same question that painters had when they thought painting would become obsolete and replaced by photography. I don’t think it’ll ever be dead, since it was never dead to begin with. It was just pushed aside by more convenient means like digicams and smartphones, so the market’s become smaller, but not obsolete. There will always be a market for it. It’ll only become dead when the Earth runs out of resources for it. What are your two cents on the resurgence of film these days? Personally, I think it’s become popular among millennials because it looks cool and interesting. There’s also that aspect that digital can get boring, because of the instant gratification it gives.

We’re the first generation that can get everything in a click of a button—the first colored motion picture film, the music videos of any ’80s pop star, even your lolo’s favorite singer in the ’50s. Film is different. It’s not just a click away. Where do you see its future? I see it becoming a specialized sector of photography, for those who like traditional processes.

20 music WSH button-down shirt, instagram.com/wsh_13 STUSSY cap, Popcorn General Store, Uptown Mall

music 21

BIG BROTHER MARK After more than a decade of genre shifts and name changes, MARK REDITO comes back to Manila as the wise kuya we never knew we wanted

By LEX CELERA Photography by JP TALAPIAN Styling by FLORIAN TRINIDAD

I NEVER THOUGHT that I’d find myself shoot the shit with Mark Redito outside our office, talking about budots and the difference between the weather in California and Laguna. His name doesn’t ring a bell as much as his former moniker−which is why he still includes “FKA Spazzkid” in his name−but he’s still the same artist that has given me feelings of revelry, contemplation, and mono no aware whenever I listened to his music. His debut album “Desire” (2013) was the soundtrack of many of my commutes in Manila.

If you haven’t scoured the web for “future funk” and “Majestic Casual-ish” music 2010 onwards, you wouldn’t understand how thrilling it is to find a fellow Filipino making the music in your playlists.

In that sense, Mark Redito was an inspiration for many Filipino musicians who wanted to make it big the same way he did. But not many know his exciting past of punk music, his soon-to-be released album “Neu Tropical,” and his vision of a future of more Asian representation in the music scene. In this interview, Mark talks about past, present, future, and his move towards a more mindful, wiser persona by reverting to his real name.

Before Mark Redito, you were Spazzkid. Before you were Spazzkid, you were Cocolulu. You had your roots in the Laguna hardcore scene as a drummer for Aggressive Dog Attack, you were a vocalist for A Day Like Today, and were part of this band called Honolulu.

I’d like to know more about your beginnings, your roots, beginning with the Laguna hardcore scene. What was it like?

It was an interesting time because I was a part of all these scenes in my early teens. I think everybody remembers that time of confusion, of angst, of finding yourself. Punk rock as an ethos, an aesthetic, really gave a space for me to just, you know...it felt right for me at that time. The music was loud, fast, raw. There was a lot of emphasis on DIY, doing it yourself. Being part of that scene is amazing because there isn’t much talk about the Philippine punk and hardcore scene. But when you’re part of it, you’re part of it.

It’s all interconnected; everybody from up north down to the south knows each other, writes letters to each other, visits each other, tours together. It’s amazing. It was a good stomping ground for me to find myself.

How did you eventually change your sound? Did it have to do with moving to the United States?

More of necessity. I got bored with bands and during that time it was hard to be in bands because I can be intense and overwhelming.

I can be very opinionated on things and I think most of my bandmates grew tired of me being this control freak and I told myself, “How about I explore doing things myself?”

That’s when I started researching what are free ways I can make electronic music using a computer. I found early software: Fruity Loops, FL Studio, Reason, all that old software, and I just started making lo-fi bedroom electronic pop.

As what? Cocolulu?

As Cocolulu. I kept that for a year then switched to Spazzkid; this was in Manila ′06, ′07, ′08. That’s when I gained momentum during that time because not a lot of people were doing that. I was this weirdo bringing my dad’s desktop computer on stage playing. I brought this with a CRT monitor and it looked stupid and people were like, “What the fuck is going on?”

That was part of my journey. And I think that my move from the Philippines to the United States is when my sound became more different. There’s something about leaving your home, there’s something about leaving things that are very familiar to you and moving into a country where everything is new, shocking, and different.

What was the reason for you moving in the first place and how old were you then?

I was in my mid- to late 20s when I moved. I moved for music school. Two things: music school, and that my family lives there and I wanted to join them. My original plan was to go back to the Philippines after music school, and then pursue music here full-time.

I felt that having a US education in music would help me but then times changed. Once I got there, I embedded myself in the LA music scene. It felt natural for me. I felt national community, and said, “Let’s try this out for a year or two” and that one or two years became 10 years, and it was more of like “Let’s see where this one goes.”

Fast forward to recently, you dropped your moniker, changed your name and presented yourself as Mark Redito. What was the process when it came to that kind of decision? Was it letting go? Or was it shedding off excess?

It’s a bit of both: shedding off excess, shedding off what is unnecessary. I had the name Spazzkid for a while and my music started changing, shifting, pivoting to new directions and I felt like Spazzkid doesn’t really describe, encapsulate my music anymore.

People know me for certain sound and there is a challenge of getting stuck to people’s perceptions of myself. So Mark Redito is much more than...as I grew as a person, my music will grow into that sort of thing. It’s not bound to a certain genre or sound, at least in my head.

Secondly, I realized a few years ago that the word “spazz” is a derogatory term and I chose the name when I was in the Philippines, and [when I was] living in the States [it] wasn’t a big deal, but in other English-speaking countries like Australia or the UK, it means something else. It’s like calling myself “retard kid” which is much heavier, much more hurtful, and I told myself I don’t want that. I don’t want my music to be attached to that. But it was painful because I already built a following. Now, when I play shows, it says Mark Redito, but people are like “who the fuck is Mark Redito?” So now we’re forced to say FKA Spazzkid.

22 music

On your Facebook page you have this practice where you share four things about you. Sometimes it’s music, sometimes it’s a novel and you’re encouraging this practice of writing things when you wake up. Did this start as Mark Redito?

It was brought about by me wanting to share things that I’m into or things that I think might be valuable to some people. I think you mentioned something like journaling, which I’m into: listing things that you’re thankful for and listing things that you’d like to do today.

Whatever you do, whether as an artist or creative, it’s good to have mindful practices to clear your head and be thankful for things.

To me, I think it is important if you wanna be sharp in your creative work. One has to be willing to make space in their heads for gratitude and love for affirmation to actually make good work. I also find it helping my anxiety as well, like having a mindful practice. If it works for me, I hope it works for other people.

What is Likido all about?

Likido is a community of artists and producers. We feature people of color, women and LGBTQ producers and DJs. We want to inspire people who feel marginalized, who feel like they don’t see themselves represented in media. We want to change that. We want the younger generation to see that you can pursue art, and yes you can be accepted for who you are. We hope that this starts a conversation towards equality in both social and music scene.

Looking back at your career as an artist, especially with your roots here in the Philippines, how big a factor is your own heritage when it comes to who you are, not only as an artist but as a person as well?

Very huge. Susan [Park] and I talk about this a lot. Living in the States made me more Filipino than I have ever been; it made me aware of where I come from. In the States, where everyone’s coming from a different culture, and being surrounded by, you know, a certain white demographic, you’re forced to be seen as an “other.”

When I was living here [I felt like I was] different from everybody else.

When I moved to the States I thought it was gonna be cool. But I was wrong. [In the States], you’re just part of this whole sea of Asians and they can’t tell things apart.

It’s interesting because in my earlier stuff I was sort of like looking for my tribe, my people. Even from the stuff that I sampled, sometimes I would put little bits of Tagalog in my music in the hopes that I would find my people and somebody out there would be like, “I totally know what that means!” It was a very intentional, very purposeful thing. I was finding myself, finding my people in the States, like a beam of “wherever you are guys are, I’m here.” I was hoping I could connect with them. It was amazing because many people gravitated towards that. Of course some people said that it’s very exotic sounding, having Tagalog in that music.

I first heard about you circa 2012, 2013, and I talked to people back then about you who are and we were all floored when we realized that you’re Filipino. People here in the Philippines look up to you as a...

Tito?

Kuya, maybe not tito yet...maybe a kuya of representation? Do you accept that notion?

I accept it, but I know it’s a heavy burden to carry. I am but one person. I can only represent myself, and putting me on a certain pedestal, like “he’s representing us”...I am not; I’m just representing myself. I just happen to be Filipino. But because there’s so few of us, I accept. If my presence inspires people then I will accept that. I will gladly carry that burden but I want people to know that I am also just one person who is not perfect.

What do you hope for when it comes to proper representation in the near future?

My hope is that there will be much more equal opportunity for artists and creatives to get featured. I hope that there wouldn’t be this imbalance where if you’re white then there would be a big possibility of you being featured.

I think the same goes for the Philippine scene. I would love to see more women get into electronic music, more openly LGBTQ people. I want to see people who don’t come from a middle-class background. I wanna see music from a diversity of artists. I’m aware of my privilege. I come from a middle-class background from the Philippines so there is easy access to software technology but I’d love to see those who didn’t have that. n

“Sometimes I would put little bits of Tagalog in my music in the hopes that I would find my people and somebody out there would be like, ‘I totally know what that means!’”

H&M button-down shirt, SM North EDSA MADE IN PARADISE beanie, 1800-paradise.com

music 23

We made Kuya Mark react to some of our favorite local hits! Check out Scout’s Facebook page to watch the video.

24 fashion

kiss with a fist Boys (and girls) can wear whatever the hell they want and still look good—the future of fashion is genderless

Photography by EDWARD JOSON Styling by MATT PANES

fashion 25

ON ANDRE: CALL IT SPRING beret, Century Mall SFERA button-down, SM Makati FOREVER 21 dress, SM North EDSA TERRANOVA necktie, Glorietta 4 FOREVER 21 platforms, SM North EDSA ON AENNON: FOREVER 21 beret, SM North EDSA SFERA coat, SM Makati H&M button-down, UP Town Center CALL IT SPRING sandals, Century Mall

26 fashion

ROBERT FRIEDMAN button-down, Tryst Studio at SM Aura Premier BOGLIOLI coat, Tryst Studio at SM Aura Premier FOREVER 21 bag, SM North EDSA H&M skirt, UP Town Center

fashion 27

BALENCIAGA jacket, Greenbelt 5 FOREVER 21 hat, SM North EDSA VANS shoes, Robinsons Magnolia

28 fashion

SFERA blazer, SM Makati STUDIO BAGASAO dress, MiZ+MOXiE at The Glasshouse Rockwell H&M pants, UP Town Center VANS shoes, Robinsons Magnolia

fashion 29 BAILEY newsboy hat, Tryst Studio at SM Aura Premier LABO.ART dress, Tryst Studio at SM Aura Premier CALL IT SPRING scarf, Century Mall

feat. AENNON and ANDRE Grooming by SYLVINA LOPEZ Photographer’s Assistant JL CRESPO Stylist’s Assistant FLORIAN TRINIDAD

30 culture

an espor ts subculture

G L O S S A RY

Introducing the alternative, underground eSports scene filtered through the local Dota 2 scene’s keywords

By JUNO REYES Photography by JILSON SECKLER TIU

WHEN WE HEAR the word “eSports” in international media outlets today, it’s mostly coupled with the phrase “is a fast-rising billion-dollar industry,” and “the next promising venture you should invest in.” Even NBA players and A-List celebrities have thrown their hats into the eSports ring. Tens of millions of viewers worldwide tune in to watch international eSports players represent their countries as they compete for millions of dollars in cash prizes.

But what the current eyes on the eSports scene currently overlook are the progenitors of the subculture that birthed the industry: kids and young adults exchanging their pocket money for a few hours in the netshop, computer shop, internet café, what have you. To continue their gaming habits, they compete with each other in mostly ego-driven, profanity-filled matches. The most destructive, hair-raising, most accessible game of them all? The game that all computer shops have in the Philippines: Dota 2. Here are all the terms you need to know.

Arat Arat “Tara, tara” in reverse. Filipino for “Let’s go, let’s go,” commonly used to describe either excitement or impatience towards a game of Dota being started. Representative of a general, but not universal, habit of Filipino Dota players to reverse words, for some reason.

SOME NOTABLE RELATED EXAMPLES: obob; isoy oyat; ekalam; ohab, yoma eat otid

Banse Rematch, double or nothing.

Cobra Energy drink. Helps you stay alert and not make dumb plays, especially as the night draws on.

Dayo Either (1) the act of going to another area to challenge the best players there, very rarely without money on the line; or (2) a team from another area looking to challenge the best players from yours, very rarely without money on the line. A communal tradition born out of the need for an area’s top players to test their skills against their counterparts from other areas, and gain some experience to help them improve.

Dota

Life, even though some other things may be lifer.

Dota 2 While Dota’s dayo culture is still well and alive today, its current form is a far cry from the level of prevalence it reached during WC3 DotA (or DotA 1)’s peak during the early 2010s. One of the biggest factors to have contributed to this is the improved online support Dota 2 provided, which included a proper matchmaking rating system that allowed players a rather accurate method of measuring their skill through their MMR or matchmaking rating, therefore establishing it as an alternative way to measure up to other players.

Galawan

Translates to “movements” in Filipino. Local slang for mad skillz, especially for Dota.

Ghost Money When you agree to play a game with 2,500 pesos on the line, but have only raised (see entry: raise) 1,000, then you have 1,500 pesos of ghost money a.k.a. money that isn’t there a.k.a. money that you can’t pay if you lose a.k.a. you don’t think there’s a chance you’ll lose a.k.a. you’re pretty fucked if you lose.

Insecurity They say the Dota community is largely insecure, having to constantly make jabs against other competitive games in order to distinguish itself as the superior eSport. True, the Dota community is insecure, albeit not only for the reasons provided. After all, what subculture that has to consistently grapple with the constant drivel of mainstream thought asserting the uselessness of the subject wherein it establishes its imagined locus of identity wouldn’t be?

International, The

See Dota

eSports A rapidly growing industry built around the union of competitive gaming and spectacle building.

culture 31

Before the names of professional gamers are chanted in arenas filled with thousands of people, they are first whispered, person to person, behind internet cafés. Before players prove themselves ready to take on the rest of the world, they first have go through the café-to-café grind of the dayo culture.

Promo 60 pesos/5 hours. 120 pesos/12 hours. Varies from shop to shop.

Pustahan Before (and outside) of tournaments, the first “true” test of player’s skills are in bet-games (pustahan), where they experience the pressure of having something to play for aside from pride.

Not to mention bet-games often feature tons of watchers standing behind the players’ backs, a significant portion of which probably contributed to the...

Short for The International Dota 2 Championships, this is the Dota community’s yearly main event, where the world’s very best Dota players gather to lay claim on the title of best of the best.

Raise

International 2017, The

Refers to the total sum of cash raised by one side, often featuring bets from the players, manager, friends, and watchers.

This year’s edition of The International features 90 players from 25 different countries taking their shot at glory. Of these, 11 are Filipino (scattered through four different teams, based in PH, MY, and the USA), making the Philippines the second most represented nation, second only to China and its 22-man delegation.

With its record-breaking prize pool of over 23 Million USD (over one billion pesos), The International 2017 is a testament to the rapid rise of eSports as an industry built around the competitive aspects of gaming on the one hand, and the spectacle of superstardom.

Internet Where legends are born.

Manager

School, After The perfect time to play dotes.

School, During An even better time to play dotes. Just kidding.

The perfect time to play dotes if you’re into playing dotes with the threat of having to quickly bounce or hide in the internet café owner’s backroom in case the barangay officials and/or local high school teachers arrive while on their daily rounds.

Someone who funds dayos of better players, inclusive

“May dayo mamaya” Dotes

Myth

Filipino for “There is ‘dayo’ [see entry] later,” which implies either (1) a team from another area is going to your local shop, to challenge a team in your area, which means, if you’re one of the players, or are close to the players, or know someone who knows the players, you might be able to bet on their game; or (2) a team from your area is going another area’s shop, to challenge a team from that area, which means, if you’re one of the players, or are close to the players, or know someone who knows the players, you might be able to join them and bet on their game.

Top Player Sweet lover. Basta.

Yosi-sisi In between games, it is pretty much tradition for teams to go out and smoke together to talk about the game. Particularly for losing teams, this is the proper to time to air out frustrations and reset their mindset to ensure the issues of the previous game won’t affect their performance for the second one.

32 essay

With the rising support of drug legalization and normalized substance use in popular media, sobriety appears to become the new deviance. But it’s nothing we haven’t seen before

By LEX CELERA Illustration by BRYAN ARCEBAL

essay 33

We live in a predominant drinking culture; you and I both know it.

Not only is alcohol a mainstay in our social events, but drinking alcohol for the first time is also seen as a coming-of-age ritual, associated with being matapang at pagiging tunay na lalaki.

When you’re young, there’s a need to discover yourself and own an identity. Vices provide convenient archetypes: the stoner chick, the guy who always smokes, the avid beer drinker. Tobacco. Weed. Lean.

Xans. Molly. LSD. The list of possible vices goes on, and so does the list of their mentions and references in pop culture: film, television, and more prominently, music, being the medium that’s the most accessible among the three.

While country is listed as the genre with the most drug references (shoutout to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson), hip-hop appears to be the most prevalent when it comes to bringing the names of drugs and alcohol into our daily vocabulary. Alcohol, weed, and lean (codeine cough syrup mixed with a soft drink) are just some of the many drugs that you not only hear mentioned in their music but also see in the music videos. Kid Cudi raps in Travis Scott’s “through the late night”: “N, N-Dimethyltryptamine and Lysergic acid diethylamide/The vibes are effervescent, delicious, just how they should be.” When someone spells out the full name of DMT and LSD, you know that they know what they’re talking about.

And why should they not rap about what they do in life? Image is a big deal for many rap stars. As rapper Vince Staples describes in an interview with Vogue, a rap star is “like, a star. Like a ball of gas.”

The projection of a persona linked with vices, money, and power is common within the upper echelon of rap, almost like a brand stamped on the minds of each of their followers.

Rappers like Vince Staples, however, go against the grain. He, along with hip-hop veterans 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Common, and younger cohorts Lil Yachty and Tyler, the Creator, all swear off alcohol and drugs. And as their music and presence hit the mainstream, so do their ideals.

Drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes have permeated our pop atmosphere so much that they have now become the status quo, the new normal. Almost every day we see a new video on how to smoke weed. Almost every week we see another music video where drugs and alcohol are prominently displayed. Almost every month we learn about a new drug taking lives.

Not that we demonize those who indulge in their vices—looking down on those who are in a rough patch does nothing—but historically speaking, the youth tends to go against whatever was normal for the generation before them. What will the kids hop

on to after the allure of the illegal-turned-legal is lost?

What becomes cool after mind-bending, face-melting substances you snort and inject in your system?

If Vince Staples and Lil Yachty are setting the trend, It appears that sobriety has become the new counterculture. In a world punctuated by drug-addled slang, embracing the sober life is seen as deviance. We all know our one friend who raises eyebrows whenever he or she declines a drink or a joint. The idea of someone breaking our social codes leaves a mark on us, and gives us something to think about.

But the call for a sober life is not all new, as history tells us. A similar, older, movement embracing sobriety from the realm of music has been birthed in 1981, and all it took was a 46-second song Straight Edge, from punk band Minor Threat. More than 35 years later, the movement is still alive and well, even in the local punk community.

The pledge to the straight edge lifestyle is inexplicably tied to punk culture, whose desire to go against the norm meant going against a culture of intoxication during those times. There are those who have since returned to drinking alcohol and taking drugs, those who have “broken edge,” but the rules of what encapsulates straight edge have even expanded to veganism and abstinence from sex. For many, the path to a straight edge life means something to believe in every day.

Whatever reasons they might have in claiming edge and also breaking it, the trend in choosing sobriety then and now leads to one thing: a claim for a more nuanced individuality born from personal choice. The step into a straight edge lifestyle may come from rebelling towards the supposed status quo, but it may lead to a more mature understanding of how life plays out.

One person who claimed edge says: “It doesn’t mean that those who drink and those who do drugs are bad people and are wasting their lives. If that’s the way they want to live, then so be it. I’d give more respect to drinkers who really want to drink their lives out than other straight edge kids who are just sober to fit a mold.”

We can be known as just the stoner, but we can choose not to. The same can be said for the forever designated driver and the perennial sober person in the room. We are more nuanced, more complex than the convenient actions we identify with, and with these steps into, for a lack of a better term, “wokeness,” we understand that the decisions we make not only build ourselves, but help us understand the world we live in. n

34 on the cover

girl,

earned

on the cover 35

you SOFIA ANDRES is treating showbiz like a 9-to-5, but she’s not clocking out

By OLIVIA SYLVIA ESTRADA Photography by REGINE DAVID Styling by RYUJI SHIOMITSU

it

36 on the cover

on the cover 37

38 on the cover

on the cover 39

ACTRESS SOFIA ANDRES TAKES ON her industry commitments with a unique drive to succeed. She knows that she has to deliver as long as the camera demands it. That’s rare for a 19-year-old feeling the weight of the tyranny of choice. When everything is a tap away on your phone, you kind of want to be everything at once. When you’re an actress with 2.6 million followers on Instagram watching your every move, the options can be dizzying.

But despite all of the other possibilities available to millennials, Sofia learned the importance of focus at an early age. She started out doing commercials as a kid and then progressed to fashion shows. Eventually, acting came. Unlike other showbiz fairytale stories, where the stars are discovered while doing mundane things in unlikely places, Sofia took control of her own destiny from the beginning. “When I wanted to audition, my mom didn’t want [me] to do it at first.” She was determined, even in her early teens. “I really wanted it, I wanted to be in front of the camera and I fell in love with it.”

Her early work life was full of fun memories, like catching That’s So Raven after school and using her first flip phone.

Unlike the people around her, however, working in showbiz wasn’t a short stint but a still-rising career. “Maybe I was born to act,” she says, offering an explanation for why she’s so comfortable on set. From barely being able to say hi when she arrives at the studio for this shoot to exchanging jokes with everyone once she has her makeup and first outfit on, Sofia quickly gets in the zone−her zone.

Still, the road wasn’t always so smooth. When she entered showbiz and nabbed her first projects like She’s Dating the Gangster and Forevermore (she shared the screen with power love teams like Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, as well as Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil), she still had a lot to learn. Stress, pressure, and fatigue caught up with her, and it showed. She says this threw off the people around her. Her manager would point out that in this line of work, showing signs of slowing down was a no-no. “Whenever anyone noticed that I looked tired and bored [of it all], I learned to keep on going. I needed to show that I really wanted it.”

This was perhaps why Sofia was bubbly and game throughout her long workday that began with a taping early in the morning and ended with us in the changing room at around 7 p.m. talking about her career. Instead of letting the tiredness get the best of her, she’s learned how to live off it. “I like this kind of tired. I enjoy working.”

She’s even mastered a delicate type of control over the chaos that comes her way. When things get a little too hectic, Sofia turns to meditation. She also reminds herself to be grateful. “Before, I really couldn’t handle it. When I was tired, I gave into it, but you have to think positive.”

It’s with this mindset that Sofia turns around the assumptions thrown at people her age. We all hustle hard, clock in the right hours, and avoid complaining. Yes, that’s how we have the time to still post on social media and keep up with the lives of other millennial idols like Kendall Jenner. (Sofia admires how she’s a little bit more quiet compared to others in her clan.) Often we are painted with split-second preferences and considered as flighty as a Snap or Instagram story. Sofia knows about this reality as well. “People will

judge you for your feed. It’s easy to judge a photo without looking deeper.” It no longer bothers her because she had to learn how to deal with negativity early.

Her emboldened self-awareness is unexpected for someone as young as she is. “Being in showbiz, you have to have an image. But that image is different from your personality. Since this is work, it’s no different to how you’d have a certain approach to your boss, how you have an image to your friends.”

This mindset echoes back to her past of dealing with bullies. “[My classmates] would assume certain things about me. I would be alone and wouldn’t have any friends.”

The scars of those experiences still remain. “It’s why up to now, I won’t be the first person to say hi or I don’t smile at once. I am afraid of getting rejected.” She powers through, however, and I can see it in her friendly demeanor with everyone at the shoot. She tells anecdotes in between takes and makes jokes. She is able to perfect every scene we need for the video in almost one take.

What others may mistake for vanity and self-centeredness is perhaps just an awareness of what she puts out there into the world. It’s similar to how we spend a lot of time getting the cropping right and choosing that filter for the ’gram.

But that doesn’t mean Sofia is doing things without being genuine. A new lesson is approaching in her trajectory.

She acknowledges that bullies still exist, even in the professional world. “They are people out there who get competitive. You don’t know who will be honest with you, who will be true with you.” How does she cope with it? “I just ignore it.”

Sofia also knows how to look past people’s misgivings by learning from the best. She admires the way Piolo Pascual handles the pressures of the industry. “You’ll really see how he’s humble and that when you get higher, the more down-toearth you have to be.”

Past all the assumptions, Sofia knows what she’s doing.

The proof is how she’s hit her big break. She is currently part of Pusong Ligaw, an afternoon soap opera. “This is it. Before, I would just have a minor character or I would play the third wheel. Not this one,” she says. In the show, Sofia plays a wideeyed young designer for a commercial clothing brand. It’s quite a contrast to see her cheerful persona against the feuding characters of Beauty Gonzalez and Bianca King. It’s easy to find her on the screen, and it’s not just because of her bright eyes and pretty face; she maintains a unique presence despite sharing the screen with industry veterans.

That only proves she’s effective. We can only wonder right now where this will lead. The future doesn’t necessarily shine bright only on the beautiful and the talented, but also the hardworking. Sofia hits the mark.

But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Sofia is only 19 after all. But not just 19; Sofia is dead set on what she has at hand with a mission that’s set on overdrive.

Pusong Ligaw is one of the reasons she won’t be going to school until next year. The sacrifice is big, but she expects a huge payoff as well in the form of providing for her family with a house and a car. And don’t forget, an acting career. “Above all of that, I want to be a good actress. I admire so many of them.” n

“There are people out there who get competitive. You don’t know who will be honest with you, who will be true with you.”

How does she cope with it? “I just ignore it.”

40 on the cover

“Being in showbiz, you have to have an image. But that image is different from your personality. Since this is work, it’s no different to how you’d have a certain approach to your boss, how you have an image to your friends.”

on the cover 41

We play a quick-fire round of question and answer with Sofia in our latest video. Watch it at http://inq.news/sofiaforscout

Fashion by PENSHOPPE Shoes from SO!FAB Makeup by EFFIE GO IÑIGO Hair by MJ RONE for REVLON Stylist’s Assistant CARLOS TOMAWIS

42 fashion

an escape from transience Scout and LONER take a break from Manila’s streets to

plant their feet in Pampanga’s idyllic landscapes

Photography by KOJI ARBOLEDA Styling by VINCE CRISOSTOMO

fashion 43

Please let me write to you. I’ve been feeling kinda blue.

stylist’s own shirt, HUGO BOSS trousers, Greenbelt 5, CONVERSE shoes, Glorietta 2

44 fashion

Like a leaf falling from a tree, I fell into your ground and it holds me down.

CARL JAN CRUZ shirt, carljancruz.com, HUGO BOSS trousers, Greenbelt 5, CONVERSE shoes, Glorietta 2

fashion 45

But the sound of your voice keeps me around. Oh, it keeps me bound.

UMBRO shirt, zalora.com.ph, model’s own hoodie, ADIDAS pants, Greenbelt 3

46 fashion

Lost in the bliss of your fake love, you shove me away.

BROOKS BROTHERS button-down, Power Plant Mall, ADIDAS pants, Greenbelt 3, CONVERSE shoes, Glorietta 2

fashion 47

You push me away. My love ends today.

stylist’s own blazer and tank, ADIDAS pants, Greenbelt 3

Grooming by PAM ROBES Photographer’s Assistant LALA DEL ROSARIO Watch the exclusive music video for Loner’s song “Autumn,” directed by Petersen Vargas, on Scout’s Facebook page @scoutmagph

48 scene

one for the books

By CELENE SAKURAKO Photography by KRIS VILLANO

EVER BEEN told by a pal about how all you need to have a good time is to grab some friends and listen to some good music? Well, that’s exactly what we did for our third birthday party. We hit up all our friends—all 3,000 of them—and asked them to dress up in their best ′80s Cali getups for the Scout Music Fest hosted by Jam Alas and Renzo Magnaye at Samsung Hall in SM Aura Premier. Because if you’re going to throw a party, you might as well do it right. And by right we mean the right venue, the right set of friends, the right kind of entertainment, and of course the right amount of booze, which is lots and lots of it.

We opened our doors at 4 p.m. sharp, and our friends trickled in one by one, passing by the booth of our latest Scout x Proudrace collection, “Pop!”, before entering into the neon pink lit walkway of hanging rainbow Slinkies that led to the stage where surprise act Yung Simon opened with his slick raps, followed by a relaxing DJ set by upcoming beatmaker Leone.

She’s Only Sixteen rocked it out on stage before Tandems ′91, Autotelic, and Tom’s Story got their turn. By then, everyone we

knew was already there, including Scout faves LA Aguinaldo, Aryanna Epperson, and Khalil Ramos.

Propped up on the side for those who wanted to chill out were party essentials like foosball and air hockey tables, pizza, cases of beer, and our groovy palm tree back-dropped checkered-floor photo booth where you could take your OOTD and win a piece from “Pop!” We hit a minor hiccup when the mics stopped working in the middle of Oh, Flamingo’s set, but they did what they do best and rolled with the punches by dancing to their own impromptu instrumental before passing the floor to A-Team. From there, the party just kept going.

IV of Spades, Farewell Fair Weather, BP Valenzuela, Rjay Ty, and Jess Connelly x Lustbass, and Jensen and the Flips all killed it.

And we know because the crowd was wild af.

At one point, a moshpit even broke out when Rjay brought out Bawal Clan, not to forget Reese Lansangan’s special appearance with Jensen. Our third birthday party is definitely that one party we’ll all still be talking about until next summer. n