VOLUME LII NO. 1
JU NE - OC TOB E R 2 0 1 9
The Carrier
The Official Student Publication of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation (Bacolod), Inc. Vol ume L I I N o. 1 JUNE - OCTOBER 2019
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Zayber Araya ASSOCIATE EDITOR Paul Ivan Quezon MANAGING EDITOR Franz Gabriel Baylon EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jasele Mae Priolo NEWS EDITOR Allen Tordesillas FEATURE EDITOR Joshua Malapitan SPORTS EDITOR Gabriel Bernardo Buaron FILIPINO EDITOR Arthur Frederic Omelan LITERARY EDITOR Gerold Gerodias UNIT MEDIA CONTENT WRITER Paul Ivan Quezon MODERATOR Jarebeth Bangoy, Ph.D
LAYOUT AND GRAPHIC ARTISTS Chryshan Nheil Alejano Deivanne Joseph Huervana Joshua Wilson Miranda Walter Mispeñas Ruer Torculas
PHOTOGRAPHERS Greg Martin Galve Joeffer Galve John Samuel Geriane John Dale Kaw Mary Aileen Labios Ron Albert Libosada Russell John Maliwat Christian Octoso Paul Andrew Repal
STAFF WRITERS Stephen Gil Eguico Eliseo Fangunil Rengil Mana-ay Herald Dominic Millado Mark John Priolo Ma. Daniessa Salvador John Rey Urbanozo ACKNOWLEDGEMENT JBL Publishing House
ADMINISTRATOR Engr. Roberto Neal Sobrejuanite
OFFICE PEA Bldg., John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation (Bacolod) Inc., Alijis, Bacolod City 6100
FACEBOOK TheCarrierJBLCF GMAIL jblcfbthecarrier Issuu jblcfbthecarrier
EDITORIAL POLICY. The Carrier is published once every year as the official magazine of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation (Bacolod), Inc., Pauline Village, Alijis, Bacolod City. The Carrier accepts original articles from students and faculty. We edit contributed articles and provide correction for write-ups that need modification or improvement. All contrinubtors must be legibly written and double spaced. All submitted articles automatically become properties of The Carrier.
Editor’s Note Press freedom
The right to speak the truth and lead the reality towards people. Living the purpose of the press to bring the untainted information to the minds of our citizens. As a person who has no background on publication, it has been a tough time to blend to talented individuals and lead them in achieving a goal. Having only two years of training in this same organization is not quite enough to gather the skills and qualifications to lead the pack. But, with the support of everyone and the boost of the alumni of this family, I, together with my team will proudly present to you this year’s magazine- Press Freedom. This year’s magazine is an amplifier of the voices of the unchained deliverers of information. This will reveal the power of the press if they will be unlocked from their limits, limits that doesn’t exceed the boundaries of values. A glimpse on classifying what we hear if it is really what it is or if it is what they wanted us to know. The freedom to voice out the truth and stand for what is right. Readers, be ready in freeing your thoughts as you flip the pages of this magazine, for you will be part in destroying the barriers caging the press to reveal the reality we need to know.
Zayber Araya EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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About the Cover
ow is the time to break the silence. Let all hidden truths appear in our skin. Let’s help this man fight for the right of everyone, free your body and dress the truth. Peel all the facade and let them smell the rot of what they’ve been hiding. We need to claim our rights, break all limitations having values as our weapon and unchain ourselves for we need to be the modern Jose Rizal. We need not be the person they wanted us to be, we need to make our own mark and showcase our own face. Supply your mind with fresh news directly from the farm and not processed products which have been modified to look good. Stop staying in the safe zone, take risk and fight for what you believe is right. Take the key of Press Freedom and unlock the pages of this magazine. Take this as an avenue in starting your journey towards a truthful and reliable seek for information. model Walter Mispeñas cover design by Christian Octoso
Contents
Vol ume L I I N o. 1 JUNE - OCTOBER 2019
DISCUSSION 1 Tiyabaw Pt. 1
sang 2 Dagway Kahilwayan BRIEF
3 FEATURE Upholding Democracy in a Journalistic Way TRIVIA
Weird Laws: Play by the rules or played by the rules
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INTEREST 7 HUMAN The Undying Lifeline:
Arts of the 20th Century
EXPERIMENT 9 SOCIAL Consiously Unconsious
11 DISCUSSION Tiyabaw Pt. 2 12 SOCIETY Something to Ponder FEATURE
Press Freedom: Are they Really Free?
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COVER STORY
17 DISCUSSION Taga John B. ka kung? pukaw sa 18 Pag Kamatuoran BRIEF
FEATURE
His Voice: The Student Body’s Echo
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21 FEATURE Living and Leaving FEATURE
The Melody of a Man from Sultan Kudarat
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& LIFESTYLE 25 FOOD Triko’s Café & LIFESTYLE 26 FOOD Balai 88 Café TRAVEL
27 Chasing Waterfalls STAFF 29 EDITORIAL The Carrier
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DISCUSSION Sana All
32 REVIEWS
graphics by Chryshan Nheil Alejano
BRIEF
by Paul Ivan Quezon illustrated by Ruer Torculas
NEWS FEATURE
Upholding Democracy in a Journalistic Way
by Arthur Frederic Omelan illustrated by Ruer Torculas
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he media has been described as the fourth estate of the realm and watchdog of the society. The watchdog concept, according to which the media is expected to monitor the activities in the society or a specific community. Watchdog journalism plays a vital role for readers and society as a whole. Just like the job of a typical watchdog which barks when there are intruders, journalists also oversee the different aspects in the community to give transparency and useful information to the people, it is also why the press is also called the Fourth Estate. Because it provides checks and balances on the three branches of government. Media and media practitioners serves as the light towards the path of everyone in the society. It is indeed the task of journalists to convey information. Conveying information is an important part of the democratic decision-making system, as it brings transparency into society and for its part makes sure that the made decisions go along with the people’s sense of justice. The media nowadays is under siege against the government. The right to express is now being taken away for they criticize and stung the government using their profession. President Rodrigo Duterte threatens to shut down all media agencies that he thinks opposes the government. In our history, former President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law and he then closed down all newspapers and broadcast stations and journalists or media practitioners are put in jail. And when the press and broadcast networks reopened, they
College campuses are diverse in political views and fields of study, it is important to represent perspectives as possible.
were all owned by Marcos, kin and cronies and were censored by the presidential palace. The flow of information was strictly controlled. There were only three daily newspapers and a limited number of TV and radio stations. The freedom of expression that time limits only to those who have true power and higher-ranking officials. President Duterte is being compared to Marcos for he is striking the media and used the power given to him for media control. But compared to the strategy by Marcos that restricts all information from the media opposing him, Duterte strikes the media through false accusations or false information. Some of the companies that the government is eyeing to revoke the permit to operate are Rappler and ABS-CBN, which led to rallies created by campus journalists and media practitioners through the use of social media. Various school publications, student journalism groups, and student organizations, VOLUME LII N0. 1
from across the country have expressed their support. According to school publications and student journalism groups, press freedom is a pillar of democracy. Thus, fighting for press freedom should be everyone’s battle. The call for everyone to defend press freedom is on. Empowering students should be the priority and goal of every university and student organization. College campuses are diverse in political views and fields of study, it is important to represent perspectives as possible. Student Journalism is a major way for students to put their voices out and publish their beliefs and therefore should have a continued presence on campus.
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TRIVIA
L
aws are legislated and approved by the bright minds of the Senate to improve the standards and welfare of the people. Laws alleviate loss of lives; mitigate aftermaths of catastrophe; maintain peace and prosperity; discipline citizens; and ameliorate any visible flaws from the internal and external conflicts that persistently corrupt our motherland.
Weird Laws: Play played by t
by Franz Gabriel Baylon ill
But are we such apostles of obedience to be cognizant of all the laws created by men? My countrymen, we would be lying to ourselves if we say that we never violated the law even for once and that we informed ourselves about the codes governing us. For vain is man and blinded by his vanity. We’ll never conform, maybe, but not until we know that the law already tricked us. Are we playing by the rules or are we being played by the rules? After all, ignorance of the law excuses no one. 1. Annoying people can be charged for merely being annoying A provision in the Philippines’ Revised Penal Code (RPC) punishing “unjust vexation” is a law in the Philippines that punishes anyone who annoys another person. Unjust vexation is a crime based on Article 287 of the RPC, which states that “any other coercion of unjust vexation shall be punished by arresto menor or a fine ranging from 5 pesos to 200 pesos, or both.” So if you ever think of annoying your friend or a stranger, think a million before you do. You don’t want to be in chain, right?
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2. An election tie will have to be broken by drawing of lots. Hey there! What do you think is the most appropriate way of breaking a tie in the election? Let me guess, maybe you answered that we should make another voting process, right? Or we should recount the number of plurality of votes. Well, sorry to tell you but in our country, the tie is simply broken by drawing of lots. This may sound tongue-incheek, but it is covered by Resolution No. 9648. “In case candidates are receiving the same number of votes for the same position, the Board immediately notify the said candidates to appear before them for the drawing of lots to break the tie. The drawing of lots should be conducted within one (1) hour after issuance of notice by the Board of candidates concerned.”
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This touch-and-go practice is so far applicable only in the local level of governance. Can you imagine this being done on the national level? 3. Squatting is not a crime With a great percentage contributed to the total population of the country by the marginalized sector living under the threshold of poverty, it is evident that many Filipinos inhabit as informal settlers. Republic Act 8368 or the “AntiSquatting Law Repeal Act of 1997” repealed former President Marcos’ Presidential Decree No. 772 which penalized squatting, technically making it a non-crime as of today on the basis that squatters are also victims of an unequal justice and social system.
y by the rules or the rules?
lustrated by Ruer Torculas
Squatting under Section 1 of PD 772 was clearly a criminal undertaking. But it was repealed when Republic Act No. 8368, the “Anti-Squatting Law Repeal Act of 1997” took effect, making it a non-crime when one look on the spectacle of unequal justice and social system, considering squatters as victims. 4. Exemption from criminal liability of family members for certain crimes Would you accuse and file a criminal case against a member of your family for stealing thousands of money from you? If no, then I admire you for being merciful. But if otherwise, you better start reading the Article 332 of the Revised Penal Code. Herein are some of the provisions of the law: No criminal, but only civil liability shall result from the commission of the
crime of theft, swindling, or malicious mischief committed or caused mutually by the following persons: • Spouses, ascendants, and descendants, or relatives by affinity in the same line; • The widowed spouse concerning the property which belonged to the deceased spouse before the same shall have passed into the possession of another; and • Brothers and sisters and brothers-inlaw and sisters-in-law, if living together.
But are we such apostles of obedience to be cognizant of all the laws created by men? if nothing happens? This case is often a story of Article 247 of the Revised Code which states “who having surprised his spouse in the act of committing sexual intercourse with another person, shall kill any of them or both of them in the act or immediately thereafter, or shall inflict upon them any serious physical injury, shall suffer the penalty of destierro.” Destierro means banishment or only a prohibition from residing within a radius of 25 kilometers from the actual residence of the accused for a specified length of time.
This mandate of the Constitution seeks to preserve the harmony of family as a basic autonomous social institution.
An act to repeal this kind of law was fought by some lawmakers since the article violates Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution, which prohibits the taking of life without due process of law. Furthermore, this is a resistance to uphold women’s rights, gender equality, and the preservation and protection of life.
5. You can “legally” kill people Have you ever heard a story of a husband shooting his cheating wife and her paramour on a bed? And still, find the man walking freely on the street as
Whether this law exists or not, one should always be faithful of his/ her spouse in honor of the sanctity of marriage and for the love that was once vowed and bound by a covenant.
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HUMAN INTEREST
The Undying Lifeline: Arts of the 20th century
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by Allen Tordesillas illustrated by Walter Mispeñas
he human imagination is boundless. A vital means of contemplating the impossible into reality. Since the emergence of man to the current time, human life progressed substantially. Electricity, high-end technologies, architecture, and other significant arts. During the 20th century, numerous applied arts evolved and progressed, these include carpets, tapestry, embroidery, batik, jewelry, precious metalwork, pottery, goldsmithing, and basketry. Although these art forms are still existing in the present time, there are also some which emerged and has been patronized by the crowd and became revolutionary in the 21st century.
DRAG In our society today where diversity just lingers around the corner, the LGBTQIA+ community use drag as a means of combating traditional heteronormative ideals which shows how gender is performed. The art of drag is one of the common art that started in the 1870’s but became mainstream during the 1920’s. It is a way of expressing one’s self by dressing women’s clothing with exaggerated feminine makeup or face paint with a primarily entertaining purpose which includes lip-syncing, theatrical plays, and insult comedy. Drag has become an instrument to end the stigma about gay people making it revolutionary. It inspires a lot of people giving birth to some reality TV shows where drag performers would showcase their talents. RuPaul Andre Charles, an American personality and also one of the famous drag queen is currently helping organizations in battling gender inequality around the world.
The magnificence of the 20th century arts will forever remain and could be passed from generation to generation. 7
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COUTURE Haute Couture was first introduced in the 17th century. During the 1960’s various fashion houses revived this fashion style. Fashion evolves with our world and reacts to our current history and our constant globalization. It is more than self-expression, it is a mean of self-empowerment and confidence. Modernized couture dresses and bizarre attires dominated the runway shows. Couture garment is always made for an individual client, tailored specifically for the wearer’s measurements and body stance. It is also a highend fashion that is made by hand using high quality, expensive, and often unusual fabric sewn with extreme details. Modernized haute couture shows are not designed and made to be sold but are displayed for show and credibility. They are made to further the publicity, as well as the perception and understanding of brand image. Michael Cinco, a Filipino designer, known for making baroque paneling and intricately painted ceilings as his theme for the 2017 Fall and Winter couture collection which was then presented at Dubai Fashion Week.
GRAFFITI Walls and other surfaces became a famous site for Graffiti artists. This late 20th-century art form started in 1967 but was displayed in different galleries in the 1980’s. It uses spray paint and marker pens to draw diverse painting depicting various social issues, relevant controversies. Public walls as their canvass, graffiti is a controversial subject in most countries. Marking or painting property without permission is considered by property owners and civic authorities as defacement and vandalism which is a punishable crime. On the other perspective, graffiti is often subjected as a mark of territory and indicator of gang-related activities. Looking at the positive
side, graffiti can inspire, communicate, provoke, and can turn a savourless environment into a vibrant place. Our world is changing, presently rearranging leaving those things who cannot survive our current stand. Centuries passed, the beauty and color of the 20th-century arts will forever remain and could be pass from generation to generation. We should all know and give importance to other existing 20th-century art forms not just for drag, couture, and graffiti.
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Consciously Unconscious SOCIAL EXPERIMENT
by Russel Maliwat & Eliseo Fangunil Jr. illustrated by Deivanne Joseph Huervana
O
ppressed conventional rights: neither silence nor grumble can solve.
It has been a hot topic since China is exploiting and exploring beyond its 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone and claiming sovereignty over other countries’ territorial waters. This dispute can be solved through diplomatic agreement between involved countries and not through the murmurs of shallow individuals for this might worsen and aggravate conflict. In addition to this, allision of Chinese against Filipino fishing vessel accumulates thousands of sympathetic reactions. Feeling bullied though there were hundreds of maritime accidents happened and still happening around the world that inflict even far worse damage to the crew, property, and environment. But come to think of it that there were none heard conflicts aroused to the involved countries. My point here is if every one of us knows our rights and responsibilities and exercise it, then every disputes or conflicts could be solved accordingly and peacefully. There is this uncontained feeling as we observed our surroundings where people tend to react and give their sympathies to a particular situation without knowing the exact and real reason. As we brainstormed and apply our deductions, the word “rights” was what we came up with. A lot of questions hitting the central; do they really know what they’re saying? Why do they react to such things without knowing the whole story? Does grumbling can resolve a dispute? – No. People nowadays aren’t aware of their rights, as every untold story, were settled only for half-truths. And that caused our experiment and started it by throwing these questions, “What are your rights as a student of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation – Bacolod?” We have those who answered and gave examples but as we followed it by, “Are you practicing it?” We received a huge percentage of sincere uncertain answers.
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People nowadays aren’t aware of their rights, as every untold story, were settled only for halftruths. And what rights do students have towards Education? Every student has their own rights but either in an institution or school, it is always circulating on the things that students can and cannot do or how far does the freedom of expressing their ideas and opinions can go. It is always being said in every institution that there are lists of guidelines and policy that mainly concerns on every student, it is for them to fully absorb the given rules and regulations that have been implemented by schools, and must be abided by everyone. The students’ right in school always correspond to basic human rights, which means that every student has the right to freely justify their opinion and have also the right for personal privacy. It can be shown when a teacher should line up to where they can go deeper with every student’s lives unless freely or voluntarily given by the concerned party and that whatever was shared must be kept in full confidentiality. In another situation, every student can also voice out their ideas and opinions if it is for the benefit of many and not those misleading opinions. Students have the right to freedom of expression. Students do not give up their constitutional rights when they walk into the school grounds. That includes the right for freedom of speech, but in some cases, the speech can be restricted at school. Freedom of expression lets students to hand out leaflets and express themselves in official and unofficial school journals. Moreover, students have the right to equality and freedom from discrimination. Unfortunately, discrimination might still occur in every school, and it can come in a variety of forms. It might come up in the context of assigning students to academic opportunities, extracurricular activities or special programs.
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graphics by Chryshan Nheil Alejano
TRIVIA
Something to Ponder by Herald Dominic Millado illustrated by Walter Mispeñas
F
un facts are gaining importance, seriousness, value and popularity nowadays. Trivia questions can help in increasing general knowledge and memorization. This could be from diverse fields of history, geography, economics, current affairs, general knowledge, music, and sports. Apart from being informative, such trivia can be a fun activity to be enjoyed. These are the things we commonly misinterpreted according to their specific type: Weather is the temporary condition of the atmosphere at a place while Climate is the overall average weather at a place over a while describes the atmospheric conditions at a specific place at a specific point in time. Weather generally refers to dayto-day temperature and precipitation activity. Weather includes sunshine, rain, cloud cover, winds, hail, snow, sleet, freezing rain, flooding, blizzards, ice storms, thunderstorms, steady rains from a cold front or warm front, excessive heat, heat waves and more. On the other hand, Climate describes the average conditions expected at a specific place at a given time. A region’s climate is generated by the climate
system, which has five components: atmosphere, hydrosphere, cry sphere, land surface, and biosphere. Climate may include precipitation, temperature, humidity, sunshine, and wind velocity, phenomena such as fog, frost, and hail storms over a long time. Mice’s are about the size of sparrows while rats are much larger, ranging from 18 cm to 25 cm. Mice have a musky odor. Mice are color blind, but their other senses, hearing, smell, taste, and touch are sharp. Mice can be found indoors and outdoors including cities and rural areas. On the other hand, like mice, rats are nocturnal, have very poor eyesight, but have very strong senses of smell, taste, and hearing. Compared to mice, rats are much larger, have coarser fur, and have proportionately larger heads and feet. Alligators have a U-shaped snout while crocodiles have a V-shaped snout. In terms of their locations, alligators are only found in parts of the US and China, whereas crocodiles can be found across the world. Crocodiles prefer water that is more saline or salty than the alligator’s preferred freshwater habitat. In line with their characteristics, Crocodiles can’t hide VOLUME LII N0. 1
their teeth, but alligators’ teeth are sometimes hidden when their mouths are closed. A full-grown crocodile will likely be several feet longer than an adult alligator. Crocodiles are generally lighter in color than alligators. On land and in water, crocodiles are usually slower than alligators. In terms of aggression, an alligator might seem tame compared to a crocodile. Shrimp have claws on two of their five pairs of legs while Prawns have claws on three of their five pairs of legs Prawns are larger, and have larger legs with claws on three pairs. They have branching gills. Shrimp are smaller, have shorter legs and have claws only on two pairs. Their gills are lamellar, plate-like. Prawns and shrimp are both decapod crustaceans that they have exoskeletons and 10 legs. They can be found in saltwater and freshwater all over the world, typically swimming in search of food. Both shrimp and prawns tend to stay near the ocean floor. They also have similar flavors and come in a wide range of sizes from minuscule to quite large. In commercial farming and fisheries, the terms shrimp and prawn are often used interchangeably. But of late, the term “prawn” only signifies freshwater forms of palaemonids and “shrimp” for the marine penaeids.
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Press Freedom: Are they Really Free? FEATURE
by Joshua Malapitan illustrated by Ruer Torculas
A
free press is one of the important cornerstones in democracy since it has an evocative role in disseminating information in a pool of audience every day. Some news may be colored with different views and comments that would challenge our beliefs yet press can also cultivate our outlook that could help us consolidate our opinions. Thus, it can leave a significant impact in our political, social and economic life. Freedom of the press should be out of control from the government and if that happens, this could build a concrete foundation of a democratic society. As Walter Lippmann, the 20th-century American columnist wrote, “A free press is not a privilege, but an organic necessity in a great society.� However, in today’s generation, it seems like the table has flipped. Harassments, attacks, threats, killings and other cases have been reported involving journalists in the media industry. These events caught a lot of attention both from the media and the civilians. It may not cause us immediate panic but if we try to consider
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how media can be manipulated and can influence its audience, then the situation becomes a lot more alarming. The world is becoming a dangerous place to express oneself especially to journalists whom their job is to relay information. One of the challenges they encounter is their personal security. Everytime they publish a news regarding a certain issue, dangerous risks are coming ahead of them especially when a very sensitive topic was discussed and people in authority are involved. This can be a domino effect wherein it could also affect the security of their family and also their career. Threats in media freedom is one of the problems in the journalism industry since their task is to be the voice of the untold truths. Manipulation of media also plays a significant factor why there are problems arising with regards to freedom of the press. Since not everyone can be able to determine whether a news is true or not, there is a tendency that people inside the virtual world can modify the information that is to be delivered. Powerful companies can decide what its audience can be able to
Manipulation of media also plays a significant factor why there are problems arising with regards to freedom of the press. read and listen which could sometimes leave us in the dark - far from the things and changes we want to happen. Nowadays, when people try to publish or convey something, ‘Press Freedom’ are mentioned most of the time especially when someone opposes their point. Although it can be considered as our right to express, the same significance sometimes does not compensate to how it should be defined which sometimes can be abused. In 1789, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man in France declared that one of the cherished rights of man is the free exchange of thoughts and views and at the same time mentioned that press freedom is “subject to responsibility for abuse of this liberty in cases considered by law”. VOLUME LII N0. 1
“Press freedom is not just about journalists. This is certainly not just about me or Rappler. Press freedom is the foundation of every Filipino’s right to the truth. We will keep fighting,” Maria Ressa, the CEO of Rappler said after being released on bail. Press and the people behind it have been bombarded with unfortunate situations that hindered their ability to function well. Risking something in return for the truth is never an easy dilemma. However there is always one thing that every journalist hold unto and why they choose to continue their careers despite the predicaments they are going through - that is to speak nothing else but the truth.
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COVER STORY
by Paul Ivan Quezon photos by Sam Geriane & Christian Octoso
graphics by Chryshan Nheil Alejano
BRIEF
by Paul Ivan Quezon illustrated by Ruer Torculas
His Voice: The Student Body’s Echo FEATURE
by Jasele Mae Priolo photo by John Dale Kaw
S
ome people think that democracy gives the power to express their thoughts and exercise their power, but when all are muted and deprived from expressing their insights and perspectives and the only fortunate enough to speak is you, will you be willing to voice out everybody’s whisper and scream? March 2019, Midn. Jimmy Paz Jr. a 32-year-old student of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation – Bacolod, a father of three bubbly children and a loving husband stood against the current and accepted the
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challenge of running as the President of the Supreme Student Government. As a student, he aims to finish his education, get a diploma and enjoy his chosen profession. But life is a combination of Yin and Yang and we cannot control the differing vision and point of views of each individual. They say that when you enter the world of thirties and reach the point of your life wherein you already established your own family, that’s the moment when your pace for enjoyment and adventures stop. But no, for him life does not
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end there. He always guarantees that despite of his responsibilities and duties at school, he still makes time to bond with his children and wife – the most precious gems of his life. Indeed, age cannot define the number of things you can embrace and answer when compassion calls for you. “Actually, I didn’t planned to run for presidency but then I realized that there are cultures and policies that somehow need to be modified and change,” he said as he narrated
“I want to speak for the students. I want to establish a studentfocused kind of administration.” -J im my Paz Jr.
the story behind his candidacy. After a week long campaign period, his eagerness to implement his advocacy and his strong will to voice out each student’s concern enabled him to top the election. “To ensure that everybody’s concerns are properly address to the higher ups is one of my main goals. I want to speak for the students. I want to establish a student-focused kind of administration, which in time will allow student to realize that Supreme Student Government is more than just a title but
an office who always listens and let’s all strive for excellence because kung wala kang goal sa life mo, hahayaan mo bang hanggang diyan ka na lang?” Paz said. Administering an institution where all are striving for excellence, and trying to live the life of a truly remarkable individual, we need someone who could inspire us and turn our little mumbles into a harmonious song that will unite everybody. Midn. Jimmy Paz Jr. is a living testimony that out of a white canvas, we can
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create an aesthetic full of bright hues. Amidst the society’s coveted fragrance, we can still choose what perfume we are going to use; and among the music that lullabies in our ears, the freewill to pick which and whose voice will lead our cries into a harmonious song, lies within our grasp. Question is, whose voice will you allow to roar in the cave of trapped voices?
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Living and Leaving FEATURE
by Paul Ivan Quezon photo by Joshua Malapitan
I
t was March 6. Ash Wednesday. Maritime Day.
No one saw it coming. Amid the celebration and denoting the beginning of the repentant period, what made this day memorable is the demise of a friend in his own home in Pulupandan. At an early age o f 19, Dave *not his real name* shot himself inside his room. It was noontime when I started to wonder where he is. I asked my classmates if they have seen him around the campus but it turns out he didn’t come to school that day. He became truant those past few weeks. I even joked around and told him he might get dropped in some of the subjects we’re taking but he always reason out saying he was sick. Later that afternoon, a friend tapped me on the shoulder and asked me what happened to him. I was still unaware that time until they told me what happened. It was a shock. The room, which was full of laughter, became silent. We all stared at one another. All with the same questions flooding our minds. His relatives started posting condolences and grief on his Facebook timeline. At first, I couldn’t believe it. I thought it
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was just a prank. Then, I started feeling a hollow part just beneath my heart. Dave was rushed into the ER in a hospital here in Bacolod. Some of his friends went there but it was too late to even see him alive. The next thing they saw is his body wrapped in a white blanket being brought inside the morgue. You’ll never have a full grasp of sorrow until it really happens to someone you know. It was only a day before when he was full of joy and a facade never showing a bit of sadness, fear, or depression. Of all the people I met in my life, I never thought of him being capable of doing such.
The week before he died, he asked me every day if I’m okay. I said yes. I wish I have asked him the same question. help he did. Daniel, on the other hand, became curious and replied, “Basi mag suicide ka da ha?”. In which, he replied no.
I’ve known Dave since senior high school. He was a carefree student full of optimism. He has the audacity to do things without second-thoughts, and most of them get him detention from the instructors. But it never made him feel miserable, he would just laugh at it.
A classmate of mine also shared with us that Dave asked him out for a cup of coffee but he denied him, telling him he doesn’t have enough money. He regrets that moment thereafter, wondering maybe that was the time Dave would like to share his burden and might ease his pain, and prevent the tragedy from happening. While others regret the action of He always come to me for help hesitating from his request, some regrets not in his studies and in his preparation for initiating a talk with him. a pageant. He would ask me to prepare his speeches and answers and I willingly According to the Department of Health, do it without hesitation. In return, he 3.3 million Filipinos suffer from depressive would also offer the help he could give disorders, with suicide rates in 2.5 males per to me when I need it the most. 100,000. Awareness of mental health issues is not widespread in the Philippines, where The week before he died, he conditions like depression are sometimes made asked me every day if I’m okay. I said fodder for jokes and insults. But we will never yes. I wish I have asked him the same realize its impact until it happens to you or to question. someone close to you. I only felt the weight of his passing the day after he died when I scrolled through my Facebook account and saw my post about him. I prayed for all of it to be just a dream, but it wasn’t. I started sobbing, calling out his name and asked him why he did it. It was still unclear to me what made him end his own life with a single pull of a trigger. Daniel*, one of Dave’s closest friend, received a chat from him the morning before his death. On the message, he thanked Daniel for all the
Life is a matter of living and leaving. The moment we are born out of this world, we start dying. As we grow older, we start to embrace reality and how unfair it was. Then it will be our challenge. A quest for us to overcome and giving up is not an option. It is where I conclude depression never shows. It can attack anyone and its effects could be alarming and could ripple. Small steps could result in great actions. Do not just limit yourself to conversing with people within your league. Prince William once said, “A simple ‘Hello, how are you?’ is sometimes all it takes to save a life.”
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FEATURE
The Melody of a Man from Sultan Kudarat by Joshua Malapitan photos by Paul Andrew Repal
F
riday afternoons means the same for most people-- going home, partying, and the such. We love posting T.G.I.F (Thank God It’s Friday) moments and even during holidays where members of the family, no matter how far, gathers together at the same table. But none of these mattered for a young man a thousand miles away from home. He is Reymark Piega, a young
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R eymark Pi ega
man born and raised in the mountainous areas of Sultan Kudarat who awakened my soul when he told his life story. He is the third among his six siblings. His mother works abroad to suffice the needs of the family while his father passed away a few years ago. At a very young age, Reymark was already exposed to the scorching reality we call life. Back when he was still a grade school student, going to
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school was one of the challenging situations he has to conquer each day. He had to walk for almost three hours on a rocky and steep mountain just to arrive at school. After graduating in senior high school, his brother’s friend persuaded him to study in John B. and offered him to stay in their house here in Bacolod. Reymark accepted the offer and went here all by himself last 2018 although he is still anxious of what lies ahead in this new environment.
“Gusto ko man tani magpuli kaso waay gid ko sang kwarta ibayad plete.” After a few months stay in Bacolod, Reymark started to feel homesick. He had a tough time communicating since he speaks a different dialect. He doesn’t have a lot of friends to talk to. When he’s not okay, all he does is going to church every Sunday and pray for strength to endure each agonizing day. Last Christmas and New Year’s Eve was his first time to celebrate away from his family and alone since the people he’s with also went to their own homes. All he did was sleep and wait until morning as if it was just a normal day he has to go through. Now on his sophomore year in college, he still never had the chance to go back to his hometown in Sultan Kudarat due to financial problems. “Gusto ko man tani mag puli, kaso waay gid ko sang kwarta nga ibayad plete,” he said. His eyes could tell his longing for his family.
Reymark would always see the silver lining and how this could help him in his future profession. He sees this as an advantage among other students going home every day or even those who live within Negros. This has become his training ground to let himself adjust to homesickness when you are a thousand miles away from your home surrounded by ocean and strangers. Life can leave us harsh dilemmas. Sometimes, it’s a series of sacrifices before we would be able to achieve something. It will not exist if a person’s desire on something persists. We are the composer of our own music, no one else can manipulate the lyrics it conveys except ourselves. A single story can inspire a myriad of people of different walks of life. This would make them realize that struggles can never hold us back if we already know our purpose.
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FOOD & LIFESYLE
Triko’s Café
by Gerold Gerodias & Stephen Gil Eguico photos by Stephen Gil Eugico
As a JBLCF-B student, we really love to chill out to vent our stress, of course, we need a place and a good food to relax, and if you are looking for it, we’ve got your back, just 5-10 minutes away from school, one ride of a jeepney, and you’ll find yourself in a place that is worth spending your time. Located Block 33, Lot 2, DC-1 phase 2 RPHS Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod City (near panaad park.) From the outside, you could easily distinguish this café, and when you enter, the interior design of the café really changes the mood like you could really let those stress out for hours, of course, you could chill alone or together with your friends, and of course, the food is really good.
B ark ada Treat
Here’s the barkada treat, for only 150 pesos, you’ll have a palatable, well-served food in one plate, 2 burgers, one big serving of nacho fries, cheeseticks and siomai, and a liter of iced tea, all good for 2 people, (YUM)
Si o m a i
N a chos
Here’s what caught our attention, and of course, it really got our palates good, the mango graham shake, for 75 pesos, a really good comfort food, with a sweet taste of graham that compliments with the punch of real mango bits that’s best for keeping your cool while chilling out and really cools you down and it’s the best especially on those hot summer days.
Bu rgers
Ma ngo Grada ha m *B a rka TreSha a t ke
C h ees e St i c k
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It captured us with its distinctively delicious taste, these cheese sticks, yes, you got it right, cheese sticks with real cheese, this is not your typical cheese stick, but for only 25 pesos you’ll gonna have a taste you can’t resist. When served hot, it’s really chewy and you could feel the taste of the cheese coated with crumbs melt off your mouth.
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Ma ngo Grah am S h ake
BALAI 88 Café by Gerold Gerodias & Stephen Gil Eguico photos by Stephen Gil Eugico
Lot 10 lock 28 Dona Carmen Avenue, Regent Pearl, Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod City This café is located just right before Panaad Park, after riding a jeepney and getting off in Woodside, ride a tricycle and you’ll see it beside the road, it’s a part of the house that they utilized for making the café. Balai 88 café is small, but inside is a total different environment, a quiet small place that you could chill and relax, the green colors in café compliment with the lights that is really relaxing for the eyes. So let’s get to our main agenda, which is the food of course! They have variety of food and drinks you can order so let’s get started!
Another perfect drink for a hot summer day is this strawberry frappe! For only 55 pesos, you could indulge in the fruity strawberry flavor mixing with the creaminess of milk, it’s truly a sweet delight.
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Strawbe rry Fra p p e
Already have a drink? Now let’s pair it with snacks! First one is the nachos, crispy nachos topped with sautéed ground meat, chopped cabbage, spring onions and cucumber finished with mayonnaise and mustard, for only 60 pesos, an appetizing snack you would surely enjoy. Next one is the siomai, this one was the best snack we have tried in this café, the chili garlic, soy sauce and calamansi really brings out the flavor of the ground meat, a perfect snack for only 35 pesos.
Si o m a i
Nach os
A really comfortable and relaxing place Balai 88 is, if you want a serene place, where you could just calm your mind and relax for a bit, this place is perfect for you with the best comfort food they would offer, so where it will be? It doesn’t matter, nothing beats a good food and a good place to relax after a long tiring day.
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TRAVEL
Chasing Waterfalls
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words and photos by John Dale Kaw
e live in a world full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to adventures we can have if we seek them with our eyes open. As humans, we are all naturally seekers of wonders. We travel far to see majestic of old ruins, The venerable forms of the hoary mountains, great waterfalls
and galleries of sunsets from different parts of the world. And yet, the world’s wonder is all around us just within our grasp: Water is the perfect traveler. It becomes the path itself. For someone who loves the sound and the power of rushing water, whether Negros is an island with a lot of volcanic history and you’ll find your arrival in Atmosphere where the place is shadowed by a mountain that once was a volcano, which makes a perfect environment for a waterfall.
Mag-Aso Falls Let us uncover the hidden gem of Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, which you will be surely delighted by the smoky falls the powdery blue water that will entice you for a dip, Mag-Aso Falls is Located in Barangay Origao, Kabankalan, Negros Occidental The Waterfalls’ name Mag-Aso, Originated from the Hiligaynon word, aso. Which actually means smoke? Now I’m sure that you are wondering why smoke? It is because the twin falls with the specific height of 8 meters creates smoke after it falls. Its powdery blue waters is one of the major reasons why a lot of people have started to take notice of it. How to go to Mag-Aso Falls? • Find your way to Bacolod city. Via plane, ferry or bus. • Once you are in Bacolod city head to Bacolod South Terminal going to Kabankalan City. (This trip will take around 2-3 hours) depending on the traffic flow. •After you’ve arrived, get yourself a tricycle ride that could bring you to merkado. •From merkado, you can ride a jeep with a route to Mabinay and just inform the driver you are headed to Mag-Aso. • You can take a tricycle to the resort after.
Pi nterest M a g -A s o F a lls
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TRAVEL NOTES: • Bring your own food if you want to save money • Equip yourself with waterproof protection gear like water resistant bag and phone case. • No matter, do not litter. You always leave the place as you saw it and if you find some trash be kind enough to pick it up.
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Pi nterest Ma g -A s o F a lls
Guintubdan Falls For a lost soul that seeks for a tranquil place to stay in and at the same time, enjoy a fresh and pollution-free environment away from the city life, a place to re-discover, reflect, re-connect and unwind this is the best place for you to channel you soul. The dazzling water falls of La Carlota city, Negros Occidental located in Sitio Guintubdan of Barangay Araal. You’ll be amazed of the scenic view of the green mountains and cascading waterfalls. You’ll also get to see a wide variety of vegetation while exploring the virgin forest and a cool spring coming from the Guintubdan falls itself that awaits you at the top for you to plunge in while listening to Mother Nature and being wrapped with the cold gentle wind of the mountains. There are actually 7 water falls in Guintubdan three of them are commonly visited by tourist while the rest are minor waterfalls that can be viewed while trekking
G u i n t ubdan Fal l s
G u i n t ubdan Fal l s
How to go to Guintubdan Falls? •If you are not from Negros Occidental/Oriental take a plane going to Bacolod Silay Airport. • Once you are in Bacolod city head to Bacolod South Terminal going to La Carlota City. (This trip will take around 1 hour and 30 minute). • Once you are in La Carlota, you can ride a tricycle heading to the public market which is near the plaza and the church. •Then ride a jeepney heading to guintubdan. Ask the driver or conductor to drop you off at La Carlota Pavilion or Guintubdan Mountain Resort. TRAVEL NOTES: •Trips heading to Guintubdan from La Carlota are Irregular so it would be best to hire a private vehicle for convenience. • Bring food, there is no corkage and cottages there allow grilling. • There is not much food selling in the area so just be ready when you get there. • A jacket or sweater. It can get icy when you reach the top.
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by Rengil Mana-ay & Mark John Priolo graphics by Chryshan Nheil Alejano
* Wccftech
*cy ber pun k.n et
* GameSp ot
GAME REVIEW
Cyberpunk 2077 review by Gabriel Buaron
“YOU’RE BREATHTAKING...!” This is the popular phrase that Keanu Reeves said to the audience in a Microsoft Xbox E3 Convention 2019 as he announced the longawaited game Cyberpunk 2077. According to the wiki, Cyberpunk 2077 is the first individual RPG player game set in the dystopian metropolis of Night City. It is in the Free State of Northern California. Night City is positioned south of San Francisco around the vicinity of Morro Bay. Following a monetary give way some time at some stage in the early 21st century, the United States is pressured to depend on large corporations to survive. These firms deal in a vast range of areas, such as weapons, robotics, cybernetics, pharmaceuticals, communications, and biotechnology, and many of these corporations operate above the law.
The game follows the story of V – a hired gun on the upward jostle in night City, the most violent and unsafe city of the corporate-ruled future. The game features a variety of options all suited to your play style and role play. Night City graphics, sounds, music and design gave the game a sense of realism and immersion where players would feel as if they are in the Cyberpunk 2077 world. You get to choose V’s gender, appearance and even historical background all of which may influence the shape of the game. The game features a variety of weapons with their attributes that can be used to your advantage including the Arasaka Mantis Blades, a melee weapon featured in the gameplay. You can take on vehicles that you can use in exploring Night City or using them on missions in the game. There are also a variety of options in upgrading V’s list of arsenals that of which include an eye scanner, grip ammo count and many more. Cyberpunk 2077 allows the player interaction with various NPC’s and other interactive objects within the game. The game also features dialogue
options and choices that give an effect on the game’s story and to its world. Cyberpunk 2077 was created by CD Projekt Red a Polish gaming company known for creating the Witcher game series which The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt won Game of the Year Award back in 2016. The first teaser trailer was released in 2013 with the gaming company working on the game for almost 6 years and release gameplay in the month of September last year following with the cinematic trailer released in June just this year. CD Projekt Red worked alongside Keanu Reeves who shall play as Johnny Silverhand a former famous musician who is now an A.I. ghost that socializes with V from time to time in the game. Michael Alyn Pondsmith known for creating many role-playing games and the person who created the first Cyberpunk game called Cyberpunk 2020, Michael Pondsmith said in an interview that Cyberpunk 2077 is a sequel to the Cyberpunk 2020 with some of its characters making an appearance in the game including Johnny Silverhand. The game will be released on April 16, 2020, on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
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MUSIC REVIEW
No. 6 Collaborations Project Ed Sheeran review by Paul Ivan Quezon
*HM V Store
Following the massive success of Ed Sheeran’s third studio album Divide in 2017, the English singersongwriter released his fourth studio album called the No. 6 Collaborations Project. It was a sequel to his 2011 EP No. 5 Collaborations Project. Sheeran announced it on May 23rd and released the full album on July 12th. The album consists of 15 tracks of different genres. All these songs are definitely perfect for people with an assorted taste for music. The songs mainly revolve on breaking stigmas, women, love, and friendship-the usual theme of Sheeran’s compositions. But what makes this album different from his previous works is the beat, blend, rhythm of the music, and the absence of his guitar. The 28-year-old singer was renowned for his popular music and performing a one-man show in most of his concerts around the world. It was most unlikely of Ed Sheeran to collaborate with another artist in his three previous albums. He does write for other artists, especially those he’s close friends with and even sings in some famous songs of famous artists like Taylor Swift and Eminem. This year, fans are definitely satisfied with the new album which features a lot of famous and rising artists in the music industry. The album’s lead single “I Don’t Care”, a collaboration with Justin Bieber
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marks as Sheeran’s third collaboration with Bieber and the first in which both sing on the same track. At first glance, the song is a romantic duet about how the person you love makes everything in your life, even the bad times, better. However, there are plenty of lyrical references that make this signature Ed and Justin. In Ed’s opening verse, he sings “I’m at a party I don’t wanna be at / And I don’t ever wear a suit and tie”. The lyric is likely a reference to the fact that Ed is often criticized for not dressing up, despite being a popstar. Meanwhile, in Justin’s verse, he opens up about his personal struggles with anxiety and how his wife, Hailey Baldwin, has helped him overcome them. “Beautiful People”, a collaboration with Khalid is another track on the album which made a huge impact on listeners. It encourages them to fight against the temptation of becoming one of those people whose lives center around material things. The adjective “beautiful” is used in a super ironic manner throughout the song. These “beautiful people”, the artists talk about represent the celebrities, the rich and the famous in society. According to the song’s chorus, this group of people appear to live an enviable life but aren’t as happy as they appear. From a distance, their flamboyant lifestyles might appear fun but behind the scenes, they are dealing with a lot of ugly things. Simply put, behind the beauty they project to
the world, there’s plenty of ugliness and sadness. These “beautiful people” are constantly surrounded by legions of people. However, they are alone and sad. Their lives aren’t just as happy as the average person thinks they are. Owing to this, Sheeran doesn’t want to be in their world. Sheeran wants to be himself. He wants to be true to himself. Never do he and his team want to be a member of the “beautiful people”. Hence the line: “We are not beautiful” from the song’s postchorus. He goes on to encourage all who would listen to be true to themselves, for the world of the beautiful people is a boring and sad world. Through this collaboration project, Ed Sheeran just doubled the number of his streamers and fans when he created tracks with other artists like Camila Cabello and Cardi B in “South of the Border”, Eminem with “Remember the Name”, and Skrillex with “Way to Break My Heart”, to name a few. Rising artists in the industry are also sharing the spotlight in this album. It was brilliant of Ed to create this masterpiece as it presents balance and thrill to the music and the listener. It is undeniable that there’s still another album on the way to complete the operation symbols which Ed named his albums after, and the No. 6 Collaborations Project was there to keep us in the vibe during the hiatus.
* Roger Eb ert
*Va r i et y
* Bro o k l y nVe ga n
MOVIE REVIEW
Yesterday
review by Gabriel Buaron What would it be like if the whole world forgets and only you can remember? The first time I saw the trailer of Yesterday, I was thrilled and amazed by the idea of – what if the world forgets, what if only you can remember. The movie features a couple of The Beatles songs – definitely a movie for movie-goers that like a bit of nostalgia. The story starts with Jack Malik (played by Himesh Patel), a struggling musician and songwriter with his friend Ellie Appleton (played by Lily James), acting as her manager. Jack performed in different parts of his hometown in Lowestoft in bars, café and in a music festival, unfortunately, all of it wasn’t successful as his songs were only liked by his close friends including Ellie. Then one time in an event of a global blackout, Jack knocked off his bike as he was hit by a bus and readily admitted to the hospital losing his front tooth. As Jack returns home, his friend Ellie gave him a guitar as his welcoming gift and performed the song called Yesterday as
Jack puts it “a new great guitar deserves to be first played a great song”. As Jack finishes playing, his friends were surprised that he created and sang the most wonderful song that they have ever heard. Jack explains to them that he wasn’t the one who wrote it but rather it was the Beatles in which his friends didn’t believe him as the Beatles to them didn’t exist. Jack after much time and research, realize that the whole world has changed. There is no more Coke, Harry Potter and other great bands that only he knows has existed. He decided to take advantage of it by trying to remember the lyrics of the songs, singing the songs and claiming that it is his. Jack performs around the world and achieves success making him a genius songwriter. Jack throughout his journey has fear and guilt inside of him, fearing that he might get caught plagiarizing the songs of the Beatles – the band that he truly idolizes and loves. This is so far the story that I can spoil to you but as much as I like to share, it is better that you get to watch it, experience the movie by yourself and know how it feels to you. The genre of the movie is musical, comedy and fantasy, that so far, the movie does its best to compel you to like it even if you are a non-Beatles fan as it also streams you some of the famous Beatles songs that were written and heard in today’s pop culture. I was annoyed in some parts of
* Emp ire
the movie especially the comedy scene as it ruins the moment of the scene. I love the cinematography, locations, and initiative that the director took advantage of, especially, the while world blackout scene which was shot during the Earth Hour event. The chosen locations on where the scene was to be shot were really good as each feels like a trip to memory lane on how the Beatles find their inspiration in writing their music. The acting chops of Himesh Patel portraying a struggling musician with a sense of doubt, guilt, and regret is amazing. His performance was excellent together with his co-star Lily James who gives the best portrayal of a woman who has secret feelings for Jack. Their chemistry together is just simply cunning. Ed Sheeran acting chops is not mediocre as how people think because throughout the movie, he really manages to make me hate and love him especially in the part where he challenged Jack to write the best song in just 10 minutes. The movie is full of nostalgia, especially when listening to some of the great sings of The Beatles. The movie was directed by Danny Boyle is known for his works such as the “Slumdog Millionaire.” As a movie watcher, I was touched by the sequence of the story and the moral lesson to be learned in it. It talks about life, love, and believing in yourself that we should live our life with happiness.
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