Kapawa Magazine Volume 6, Issue 11 by Kapawa

EDITOR’S NOTE Microcosm. A little word with a lot to say. Fitting considering its definition. Its meaning simplified is this—whatever big exists small. An entire relationship can be condensed into the seconds-long touch of the hand. A shared history tightens—replays even—at a simple glance. Themes of life, and death, and loss, and lessons repeat, eroded into smaller pieces that carry just as much weight as the rock they were bit off. Those who think it’s a niche process, a rarity to see in everyday life, you’d be quite wrong. We have movies, after all. Formally called the motion picture, you probably don’t think those big blockbusters or summer epics exactly reflect the life you’ve been living. But peel away the action and the magic and you’ll see that even the strangest of fictions have hidden away truths, ever so human and real. Fear cannot tear friendship apart—the Losers Club versus Pennywise. Loving is just as easy as talking—Jesse and Celine walk around Vienna. A change of scenery might change your mind—five strangers get sent to detention. It’s not always like the movies—Mia and Sebastian don’t get back together. Except it is like the movies. Movies are microcosms of our real world, affordable, bite-sized features of the greatest moments life has to offer us. We laugh, cry, scream, and more as they show on screen feelings and emotions picked out from the nooks and crannies of the greatest creative minds of our time. In 1888, Roundhay Garden Scene was shot—the world’s first movie, at 2.6 seconds long, black and white, and virtually a test-run of camera with no plot whatsoever. But, it is monumental either way, both to cinema and Le Prince himself. The footage was of his son, his parents-in-law, and a friend, walking around their garden. Immortalized on film was the place he called home and the people he must have loved, enough that he captured them onto one of the greatest technical achievements of our time, condensed into just 2.6 seconds. A microcosm, if you think about it. Quite the little word, meaning quite a lot.

Francis Exequiel P. Ampil Magazine Editor

ABOUT THE COVER How do you thank the Academy that starves you? That fondles your flesh like clay? That bites your heart out like an apple? Whose finger pricks into your back until you fold like a butterfly? All this just to fit in a corset. The shape of the woman is the most abused object in the film industry. One moment, it’s the ingenue they pluck from the crowd; the next, the hag they’ve left to die. So many skins, so many women, with hardly enough care for them. But in the middle, when there was nothing, God in his extra-large suit and little private rooms said, let there be light! Let me see your face. Close the door behind you. How do you thank the Academy that ruins you? you ask. A million answers pass you by on the way to the stage—in the screams of joy, the applause of congratulations, the silence of knowing. But how do you thank the Academy that ruins you? With a smile? With a nod? With a speech? With the award in one arm and a bouquet in another? The winner takes it all, they say. But how long until you can’t take it anymore? How long until there’s nothing more to take?

VISUAL | Lou Marcial M. Cuesta

KAPAWA S.Y. 2021—2022

THE OFFICIAL ENGLISH STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE - SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL LOU MARCIAL M. CUESTA | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JEWEL IRISH S. BELASCUAIN | ASSOCIATE EDITOR NICOLE FRANCES H. SAZON | MANAGING EDITOR ANGELI M. GEROSO | NEWS EDITOR FRANCIS EXEQUIEL P. AMPIL | FEATURE EDITOR GIOLLAN HENRY P. DEMAULO | SPORTS EDITOR RYAN A. RODRIGUEZ | LITERARY EDITOR JOSEPH BRYANT J. DE LOS SANTOS | LAYOUT, GRAPHICS, AND PHOTOS EDITOR ANA DOMINIQUE G. MANABAT | CREATIVE LAYOUT EDITOR

VINZ ANDREW S. CORESIS ANNA SOPHIA C. GALZOTE MELISSA E. GEQUILLANA SAM HERVEY T. SABORDO NEWS WRITERS ASHGAN AL RAYEH MOH’D IDREES B. BKHEET RYBA ANGELA N. MODERACION SPORTS WRITERS PAUL GABRIELLE T. CORRAL ZAMANTHA ZAYNN J. CHIEFE RISHIANA CLAIRE D. DADIVAS MILES U. GUANCIA KIRSTEN ANN G. LIMOSNERO MARIA MIKAELA H. TORMON FEATURE WRITERS

LEON EMANUEL E. ADVINCULA | ASST. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KYLE LENARD A. MANGUBAT | ASST. ASSOCIATE EDITOR THERESE MARIETTE P. ROSOS | ASST. MANAGING EDITOR SOPHIA NICOLE C. DAYAO | ASST. NEWS EDITOR PRIMA YSABELA S. ARCIAGA | ASST. FEATURE EDITOR JULLIANA RENEE S. OGAPONG | ASST. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDITOR SEAN CARLO O. SAMONTE | ASST. SPORTS EDITOR OONA MARIA AQUILINA C. OQUINDO | ASST. LITERARY EDITOR MA. AVRILLE MARQUIELA C. LORAÑA | ASST. LAYOUT, GRAPHICS, AND PHOTOS EDITOR CLAIRE DENISE S. CHUA | ASST. CREATIVE LAYOUT EDITOR

ANGELA MARIE N. AMODIA AIKKA HEART L. DAVID GEORGE MARGAUX M. GITANO ALTHEA D. MARIJANA KAILAH MAY T. PACENO KYLE BRYAN T. PALPARAN MARIE SHELLA ANN G. PATIGAS LITERARY WRITERS JEWELYN L. LIBERATO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WRITER

RHIZNAN FAITH D. FERNANDEZ, LPT MODERATOR

PATRICIA THERESE FLORENCE M. ALONSO DENISE D. LOJARES JASON LEE J. PAMATI-AN JANNA M. REMUS ILLUSTRATORS STEPHANIE ANNE O. ALOLON TIMOTHEE RAMON S. CONSING XIOMARA ANN B. MONDRAGON PHOTOJOURNALISTS ANDREA KIRSTIN D. RAMIREZ LAYOUT ARTIST

EMOTION

PICTURES

COMING-OF-AGE

HORROR

ROMANCE

Moving Pictures Coming Up Aces The Growing Pains of Growing May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor Fear of the Unknown

The Anatomy of a Female Alpha A Guide on How to Not Get Killed By Life Scary Movie Icongraphy Among Wolves The Philippine National Anthem of Horror

Behind the Spotlights For Better or for Worse Dashing your Romantic Daydreams Some Cowboys Prefer Cowboys too Lights, Camera, Kilig

8 12 14 16 18

22 24 26 28 30

34 38 40 42 44

DRAMA

Codex Astronautica The Villainification of Women Wielding Power An Array of Emotion Local Stars and White Scars Beyond Subtitles: Rise of Asian Cinemas

48 50 52 54 56

Comics Reviews

58 60

Moving Pictures Going through the reel of life with one of Bacolod’s brightest and rising directors. TEXT | Francis Exequiel P. Ampil VISUAL | Stephanie Anne O. Alolon PHOTOS | Kurt Soberano

he Philippine film scene is in a bit of renaissance right now. It does this often, this zip upward in quality rearing its head now and then. We had the golden era in the 80s, where Bacolod’s own Peque Gallaga led the way with films like Oro, Plata, Mata, Scorpio Nights, and many more that fit within the catalog created by him and his peers. Recently, the likes of Erik Matti, from genre hit Seklusyon to gritty, acclaimed On the Job and its sequel, blaze the same trails, even earning star John Arcilla his Volpi Cup for Best Actor. So, to those turned against the modern wave of Philippine cinema—whether for the soulless blockbusters or cheesy cash-grabs saturating theaters—there’s still a hope alive for good movies. But, what makes films like these resonate so much with audiences and critics?

What makes movies good?

Director and actor Kurt Soberano attributes such quality to three things: money, people, and heart. He explains out of experience, “Money—you need to pay your cast and crew for their services. How would they be able to continue doing what they do best if they don’t get paid properly? People—you need to choose the perfect crew who are masters in their craft and versatile actors who fit the part. Heart—a personal story with passionate execution.”

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION Bacolod-born and raised, Soberano’s predilection for the screen was heralded and nurtured in the province, starting out not behind the camera, but in front of it, starring and acting in short films. He flipped the script and turned the tables, a whip pan from performing to directing in his second year of college, making films during the annual Negros Summer Workshop. When he was 22, however, a focus on hosting for television and events eclipsed all that, starting a curtain call that wouldn’t be reversed until 2018. That decision to return would, beyond his belief, go well. Speaking on acting, however, Soberano says this: “All throughout my whole career I never stopped my education as an actor nor did I stop auditioning for roles in Manila, and based on my experiences performing nationally on set, I have learned to apply what I have seen to my own set here in Bacolod.”

It’s this ripple of movie magic Soberano talks about that spurs and stirs everyone’s inner creative.

”

BIOPIC But, that effect of working in film had on his time in Bacolod was not simply a one-way street. Soberano’s early years in the city were a fact of life he credits to his gateway to theater and film. Working on movies at such a young age channeled a substantial amount of discipline he still holds on to today, eventually taking him to his spot in the industry. Even his tenure as a Lasallian student influenced him, saying, “I may not be good at a lot of things, nor can I teach minds or transform lives, but I’m pretty sure that I can touch hearts with the films that I make.” It’s this ripple of movie magic Soberano talks about that spurs and stirs everyone’s inner creative. A display of beauty and reality of life through motion pictures, as he describes, immortalizing them that drives him, and probably so many other people, to direct and make films. But as Soberano makes his mark, it’s also undeniable that he does so because someone—maybe a few more—has left their imprint as well. MENTOR MAGIC Soberano lists those mentors in filmmaking: Rene Hinojales, and his lessons on having the audience understand your work visually; Jack Triño, a mentor and even partner, whose ideas combine perfectly with his stories; John Gilbert Arceo, who molded him into the actor he was meant to be; Jay Abello, whom Soberano looks up to as a masterclass in film production; and a few friends and peers—Charles Hildao, Nathan Briguer, and Roem Ortiz—whose practices in the different fields of film he’s learned from just as much as any teacher. But if a director ever changed his life, then that would be Peque Gallaga, who’s helped him and even those same mentors excel in their own niche in filmmaking. Not so much as a lucky charm that donated a blink of his success, but a hurricane factor that’s changed these people to their best selves. “Peque Gallaga is one of the most influential people that I have ever met, and most probably one of the greatest teachers that I have witnessed in this lifetime,” Soberano says. “Peque was prophetic in the sense that he knew what to do in order to make you the best version of yourself. Everyone who had the discipline and passion to learn about the arts has found themselves a home in the community that Peque Gallaga started.”

INDUSTRY WORKS But while a bevy of Negros-based filmmakers found their roots thanks to Gallaga, the space he created is merely one bubble of a whole cluster. Soberano has had his fair share of working outside the Bacolod circle, from training at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, to his acting roles in Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral and Magikland. Not all of filmmaking, however, is Hollywood-glamorous as you might think. Soberano expounds on one problem: “We should work with people who are passionately professional and […] can be trusted. I highly recommend for one to work with people who tell you what’s wrong in order to solve a problem, rather than working with people who tell [others] what went wrong, which then leads to more problems.” PICTURE PERFECT In the end, even with rigorous processes in filmmaking from idea to pre-production and even subtitles, it’s all worth it, all for the sake of telling the story as the director sees it fit. “I prefer films that talk about the history and the beauty of sincere human interactions. The world is a cruel place, and with film, I tend to gravitate towards the positive side of humanity,” Soberano says. To be a director, there are a few things to remember; as Soberano adds: “Directing or filmmaking is not about money or fame. It’s about passion which can be seen in your work.” That is to say, passion along with discipline and punctuality, flexibility, leadership, teachability, and respect, Soberano lists. Just a few things aspiring directors need to learn about being behind the camera that make a motion picture into a truly moving one.

Visuals | Joseph Bryant J. de los Santos

Coming Up Aces The trials of balancing the scales between social life and academic life, while still getting a good night’s rest. TEXT | Jewelyn L. Liberato and George Margaux M. Gitano VISUAL | Jason Lee J. Pamati-an

Frequently enslaved by passion and working to be the best. most people live in a disordered world. The movie Booksmart is about those people. Centered on school-focused protagonists Molly and Amy, our main pair realizes their high school life might’ve been wasted when they discover their peers managed to get good grades and successful careers ahead of them while balancing going to parties and their social life. Without the dilemma between academic excellence and social engagement, the duo vows to loosen up and make up for all the special moments they lost as high schoolers the night before their graduation. But if you were to be asked between living in a world of physics and geometry or a world of parties and sleepovers, which would you choose? Medals and certificates—things some want to possess in exchange for their hard work. For some, maybe it’s worth everything passing them by, just for the fulfillment of it. For others, maybe it’s just some reward, the extrinsic pat on the back they’ve waited for, all because they kept their grades up. But for a few, maybe it’s a great pressure on people to strive and give their all, a fear of not reaching their expectations and becoming a failure. Hence, the combination of great effort, determination, and competence

leads most of us to earn six figures a year. Graduating well-educated and having the necessary abilities to have a privileged life, Joshua Eusebio, a Social Science teacher, says, “There are things such as lost opportunities—sacrificing other things for the ones you love. Yet, there should be happiness in the things we love to do.” Although excellent marks hold great significance, that doesn’t necessarily mean that social health should be compromised for it. As we get older, being socially active has its perks that could be of great help. Many of us already struggle to build genuine connections or maintain current ones, requiring a lot of effort to build them and make them solid. Meanwhile, our lives and passions suffer from change as well, drifting us further apart from our closest friends to whom we used to share such things. Instances like these standing in the way of those bonds are the different concerns coming at us at this age, like jobs or academics. Although, currently, more people are focusing too much on our internet community circles and overlooking the importance of making realworld connections. While the virtual age can be a tremendous chance to connect with new people, nothing replaces faceto-face interaction when it comes to alleviating feelings of hopelessness. As Ronna Nueva Excija from ABM 11-E says, “Being able to connect with different people in person brings another level of comfort and joy that online interactions can never do.”

”

Indeed, there are an infinite number of interpretations of what social life and academics can do for you—whether one is your downfall, the other your pride... The more we interact with people, the better we get at it. But social interaction shouldn’t be forgotten; bringing drops of happiness and solace into our mood, socializing can be just as beneficial to our lives, making them more meaningful. On a daily basis, one is surrounded by the demands of both social life and academic life; this is a part of any present reality, and remaining entirely on one peak would be a form of uniformity devoid of any futuristic or progressive aspects. Putting all of one’s attention on one peak would be a quest for triumph without concern for the school environment, while placing it on the other would mean mountains of papers and tests with no time to breathe. To choose the former would be to enjoy your life without the fear of red ink in the shapes of Fs on report cards, all the while with a smile that never fails to reach your eyes, surrounded by your circle of friends. But to choose the latter would ensure a future when beers and cheers won’t be enough to succeed, where friends are questionable, but your security isn’t. “Don’t spend all your life in despair and sadness, but [...] with joy and satisfaction,” as stated by Paolo Parroco from HUMSS 11-B. Indeed, there are an infinite number of interpretations of what social life and academics can do for you—whether one is your downfall, the other your pride, vice versa, and everything in between. A truly unfathomable number of difficulties when encountering such a dilemma. So, choosing only one between your academics and social life is something that should not be taken alight as if deciding by just tossing a coin and letting luck lead its way. But as Booksmart tells us, most teenagers have been burned out because of putting so much stress to achieve something—we shoo ourselves away from all possible social connections. There’s nothing wrong with a little fun in between all that hard work.

”

The Growing Pains of Growing Apart

With growth comes the realization everyone is struggling the same as you. But if given the opportunity, would you stick with the majority or let go? TEXT | Miles U. Guancia and Anna Sophia C. Galzote VISUAL | Ma. Avrille Marquiela C. Loraña y nature, humans are always on the

story?

go. Quickly hopping from one scene

turn

to another, as though it were a film

with endless timeframes. You spin and

to everyone.

weave yourself into the narrative, eager

While of

events unusual

this

sudden

poses

your

trajectory,

life happens

Indeed, growth is a recurring guest without invitation.

to live freely like you know it all–second

If anything, that’s how life is; it claims entourage without a single

for second–until the story pieces itself

word and peers close to slap you with reality. As painful as it may

the way you want it to be.

sound, sometimes, it takes an eventful blow to make us realize one

But what if someone picks up

thing; life isn’t going to be the same as it used to be.

the controls and pauses everything?

But hey, you’re never alone in the journey of leaving

Or worse, seizes the quill

whatever’s behind and facing ahead. For one, who would have

and begins writing

thought five people, so uniquely different from each other, would

completely different

become the best versions of themselves after one Saturday’s detention? Certainly not The Breakfast Club. WE’RE ALL BIZARRE Some

are

good

hiding

differences, the likes of a guru applying grease paint over permeable skin. But if there’s one thing John Hughes underlines in his coming-of-age flicks, it’s teens are innately, irrevocably different from each other. “There’s

nothing

wrong

with being different,” says Gio Javier of class STEM 12-J. “People are always gonna have differences that separate them from each other; the only issue that might occur is if others are not willing to accept it.” Sure, someone might be wearing threadbare cardigans down the hallway or completely embraced in leather; caked in contour or nothing at all. The thing is, all hands have scars to show. It’s just nobody rolls up their sleeves and waves the article of misery around for everyone to see. Instead, appearing as though you have no weaknesses at all becomes a

band-aid solution.

a convenient manner—their first-base expectations from what they perceive externally. If you’re known as a jock, then that’s how they see you. The same goes for all the other typical cliques and characters in a teenage film. But what most of us fail to realize is we are more than just the things we are known for. People may all seem so different from each other, but when you put them in a single room, just like that Saturday in The Breakfast Club, you realize how alike these people really are. “These […] stereotypes aren’t new to us at all, but it should not be a hindrance for us to move on [….] We may feel pressure, but it should not stop us at all,” stated Dona Geronimo, a STEM student from the Liceo community. Expectations are normal, especially when we are growing up; although disappointment is also an option when we do not get to meet them. With this pretending

”

comes the inability to accept who we, and everyone else, truly are. ARE WE GONNA BECOME LIKE OUR PARENTS? Despite perpetual conflicts with identity, a part of

WHAT HAPPENS ON MONDAY? Looking back, the somber gaze of the past meets you eye-to-eye as it prepares to take off. You, on the other hand, take a breath to remember all the battles and memories you’ve had.

Sometimes, it break free from the bonds of a lifetime; keeping us from takes an eventful knowing what life is based on first-hand experience. blow to make us Indeed, it can be difficult to thread across change when you are hindered by realize one thing; expectations. Because for some, life isn’t going to there’s the pressure to reach dreams adults set for us. be the same as it For others, it can be b a d used to be. influences imposed by a us aches to grow out of our comfort zones. We want to

broken the

home. Whatever fire

for c r a v i n g

f r e e d o m may

be,

filial constraints can be too much; it clouds your

path

instead

”

The Breakfast Club, despite all their cliques and shortcomings, walked out of detention with a smile. They leave the past to face the real world. Having dismissed all prejudices that held us back, the question is, what’s going to happen next? Until then, no one really knows.

forming it, urging you to question every move and decision you make. With chances

and

thin faltering

hope, it hits you–you barely have

any

control

over

your

life. Will it repeat itself forever, though? The desperate scheme to flee the beast until we realize–we’ve become the monster ourselves. YOU SEE US AS YOU WANT TO SEE US The boxes adults may have put us into are the ones used to organize us clearly because people like to see us only in

May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor How book-to-film adaptations serve as a reflection of the real world where teens can mirror the actions of the characters and become torchbearers of change. TEXT | Jewel Irish S. Belascuain and Oona Maria Aquilina C. Oquindo VISUAL | Andrea Kirstin D. Ramirez

The emotional world of adolescence is full of endless battles that leave the youth scarred—fighting for personal expression and individuality and trying to discover who they are, who they want to become, and who they care for most. To continually discover their future like this as they develop themselves and their skills, the limits increasingly become harder to push up against. However, book-to-film adaptations like The Maze Runner, Divergent, Harry Potter, and especially The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins— spinning tales of a society covered in lies—evoke these teens to spring into action.

LIT MATCH TO A BLAZE OF GLORY This globalized world tells of stories in motion pictures and reflects the events in real life—so close to the truth the fires of real society ignite the spirits of the youth, leading them to recognize that some administrations feed on the vulnerability of their people and they must fight to resist a repressive regime. Such cases of youngsters may revolve around female narratives like Katniss Everdeen as an inspiration to give their opinion on contemporary politics. “This film demonstrates how the government abuses its power to control civilians, showing how corrupt the Capitol was [....] by restricting the citizens’ freedom, favoring the wealthy, and punishing them harshly whenever they feel threatened,” Julienne Franz Buot of HUMSS 11-B divulged. Earl Anton Razonable, the Le Drame president and House of Parmenie’s public information officer from HUMSS 12-C, signified the same thoughts. “As the years have gone by and we advance, movies like this increase in terms of relatability. [No country goes], Oh we agree with the government, or Oh, the government is good, that’s why the country is prosperous. A clean government is an idea of conflicting power, [something] that is needed to keep the balance in check.” Of course, teenagers are not the only audiences understanding the complicated real-life politics of the series. In fact, in 2014, the military junta of Prayut Chan-o-cha detained protesters who had been using the film’s anti-government threefingered salute, which led to Mockingjay Part 1 being removed from Thailand cinemas. The film series was the lit match, empowering the people to shed light on the truth to go out in a blaze of glory despite possibly being on the losing side.

MOCKINGJAY IN THE FACE OF THE UNKNOWN The profound ideology that the multiplication of ripples would generate a surge defines birthing insurgence. But for a blaze to exist, first, there needs to be a spark. Such responsibility rests on those who are brave enough to take a stand, toeing the thin line of the obscure possibilities and carrying the future of thousands on the morality of their decision. This leadership, no matter how penetrating to the bone the burden would delve, may also be seen as an honor that humbles the most obdurate of hearts. This integral role of being the Mockingjay sparks the interest of Buot. She said, “Being a symbol [of such] should be taken as an honor because it shows that you did something right that made the people identify the sole purpose of their fight.” On another spectrum, Razonable, however, chooses to keep a short distance from the torch yet still close enough to feel its intense heat. “What I [can] do is to support [what is right, the oppressed, and what I stand for]. So no, because if you look at it in the movie, Katniss went through hell for nothing. [....] But if someone takes that first step, I wouldn’t hesitate to support them,” he shared. In view of these sentiments, two distinct cards are settled on the table. One would sacrifice themself to lead, while the other would follow. However, this does not imply a person is inferior or greater than the other. They are all driven for a common purpose: to win for the nation’s long-awaited evolution. “Each one of us has a purpose here, even if you don’t think you have. [....] [So] stay alive and pursue what you think is right [...] [because] nothing would ever come [out] great if you just [....] observe from a distance,” Razonable strongly emphasized. This remains truer than ever, now that the national elections wait in an almost-immediate prospect; it is up to those who’ll cast their votes to write the leading character of the story once more. In the slant of adversity, may the citizens of the republic weigh the responsibility placed upon them—and that is to decide, on behalf of those who cannot, the successor to the seat. “Each government will always be corrupt, no matter what they say during the election. [So] as the elections are fastapproaching, make sure to fact-check because there is fake news,” Buot opined. “Because the leader you vote for will either

The profound ideology that the multiplication of ripples would generate a surge defines birthing. insurgence.

”

be the salvation of our country or again be the downfall of the Philippines—more corruption, more extrajudicial killings, [and more abuse of human rights and military power.]” TEARING WALLS OF UNCERTAINTY Book-to-film adaptations as such represent a fragment of our reality, most of which would be too cruel to swallow. The authors, personas, and even the sequences behind this kind of unorthodox literature resonate a message for everyone to hear and decipher. “The message I believe this film expresses is that [....] small things like acts of kindness or compassion may seem simple [....] but they can make a big difference. It can create a chain reaction that can push other people to progress as a community,” Buot concluded. These films could also be the key for the public to understand the state of the nation and what they can do to survive, thrive, and continue. They serve to alarm and warn the people of what’s coming when they choose to drown in their silent judgment. Beyond the horizon, people are set to prepare for what oblivion may unravel before their eyes. The scenes of the past and the present where crowds echo their voices in the streets may instill in one’s mind how lapses of those sitting in the high throne would trigger a wave to wipe those beneath them away. While misfortunes continue to burn out of books, from our past, and into the present, let one look beyond the silver lining and utilize it as an aptitude—to use their voice, to stand for what is right, and to serve a purpose. Because if they won’t, then this country might crumble to ashes before it even flares for glory.

TEXT | Kirsten Ann G. Limosnero and Melissa E. Gequillana VISUAL | Claire Denise S. Chua

How one can barrel through and out the wonderland of escapism and embrace the world of growing up.

Fear of the Unknown 18

There’s nothing better than relaxing after a hard day of online classes. Bundled up into a comforter, your face buried into the phone screen. It all feels wonderful to plummet into countless fictional worlds, imagining you were there—until the next morning when you have to forcibly uproot yourself from those fantasy worlds and get back to your normal, mundane life. This is one of the many seemingly unimportant dilemmas teenagers and young adults face as they transition further into their lives when responsibilities and obligations start piling up. As adulthood nears, most teenagers reminisce about their pasts or consume various kinds of fantasy-genre materials to escape, like the critically acclaimed children’s movie, Spirited Away. Our lives are a story of finding purpose and strength within

ourselves despite the constantly changing world, and learning to apply our findings to survive. Obtaining this said mental soundness is far from easy, and a good show of how difficult it is can be found in our main character. Chihiro, at the start of the movie, has to deal with the stress of leaving people behind and saving her parents from a magical world with various beings in the fray; in the end, she finally had to stop being dependent on the magical Haku to not only help herself but the people around her. The most notable character development for her was not in the middle of the movie, but at the end of the climax, wherein she had chosen to move on along with her family into an unpredictable life instead of being in a place where she’d surely be adored and comfortable.

Being a happy-golucky child with only fun things surrounding the mind is a blessing, like going on an afternoon bike and just watching the skies ahead. Meanwhile, new responsibilities exist that blend alongside confusion as well as uncertainties. Dealing with it can be sometimes exhausting and emotionally draining—a familiar sight. What makes transitioning from childhood to adulthood difficult at times? Well, the possibilities are unfathomable. But everyone certainly goes through it. Liceo student Katrina Lagman from STEM 11-G expresses, “Some personal difficulties that I had encountered as I transitioned from being a child to an adult are probably the new responsibilities emerging, along with the fear of the unknown. I guess what makes these so difficult to overcome is the

”

People say they are afraid of change, yet not being able to change anything for a better future is far more terrifying.

”

weight it puts on my emotional and mental health [...]. However, thankfully, with the help and support of my loved ones, I was able to paint the big picture as I recognized the outcomes of facing the challenges and making solutions rather than just ignoring them.” On the other hand, an ABM Liceo student, codenamed Luis, states, “It is difficult to grow up to [stand alone] in the future without my family at arm’s reach, and it makes me anxious to think that I’d actually have to go on my own by myself when I have to get a job. But all of these are necessary for my own growth, [...] [even though] creating something from scratch [...] makes it [feel] hard—but [it will be] definitely worth it in the end.” Acknowledging that while it is a necessary part of life, the varying changes in our lives and need to utilize our education pushes the anxiety of living on our own two feet to the forefront of life, therefore, demanding

us to step out of our comfort zones and be independent. But childlike wonder has the ability to take you to faraway places, to avoid these stresses of incoming adulthood. After all, who wouldn’t be entranced in a wonderful world wherein you’d only have to worry about self-preservation and development? Some people, however, unwittingly return to the humdrum of adult reality before going back and forth, as change is the only constant thing in this world. In this situation, having to grow up sometimes means detaching from childhood places. This happens to individuals so they can learn new things and develop physically in adulthood. The uncertainty of life is what makes it exciting, though heartbreaking at the same time because that’d mean you’d have to experience loss unexpectedly. People say they are afraid of change, yet not being able to change anything for a better future is far more terrifying. Nothing lasts forever, and as much as we love to absorb

the media we immerse ourselves in, there will come a time when we’d have to make the decision to close that book, get up from our beds, and start paving our own path of life. In Chihiro’s fantastic adventure, she had learned strength and independence the hard way. She refused to turn back into the pathway, and instead chose a simple, mundane life with her family despite all the steep hurdles she had to jump over with her newfound friends. Looking back at our case, moving out, college life, and having to be an adult are all sprinkled with fear of what the unknown brings. It may not be a life full of dragons from lakes or magical witches, but the dilemmas are surely daunting. Job interviews, college exams, new friends, it definitely is easier to just lay in bed and stay where you are. But, moving onwards, we’d inevitably have to find our own strength within ourselves, and that’d mean having to choose the difficult thing to do.

Visuals | Joseph Bryant J. de los Santos

The Anatomy of a Female Alpha A closer look into teen girls’ struggles with transitioning to womanhood, dealing with misogyny, the journey towards feminism, and why it’s so scary. TEXT | Prima Ysabela S. Arciaga VISUAL | Andrea Kirstin D. Ramirez

If there’s something the crowd of 2009 wasn’t ready for, it was the feminist horror-comedy film, Jennifer’s Body, by director Karyn Kusama. Flashback to more than a decade ago, the movie’s marketing phase became quite a disaster. Although the creators wanted to make a movie for teen girls, the trailers and posters focus on Megan Fox’s hotness and appeal made it seem perfectly crafted for the male gaze. After attracting a straight male audience, the titular Jennifer ends up getting possessed by a man-eating demon, as she navigates her bizarre relationship with her best friend, Needy, as feminist undertones about the loss of innocence weave through the movie. Needless to say, from a man’s perspective, it’s a total turnabout from the marketing-set expectations, putting the movie in a rough patch and making it one of the year’s most infamous flops. But even with the disadvantages brought by mismarketing, were those really the only factors of its downfall? In industries dominated by men, it’s quite unfortunate women receiving the short end of the stick is normalized. The entirety of Jennifer’s Body gave us a glimpse of how women’s existences are exploited to become

society’s eye candies. But as we look over its so-called “campy” plot, we’ll see how the movie’s portrayal of coming of age, sexism, and feminism through Jennifer and Anita’s experiences are actually quite true-to-life. THE FEARS OF ADULTHOOD When we were still preadolescents, most of us probably craved for a fast-forward button to reach the age of 13, just so we could finally call ourselves a “teen” and start living the best years of our lives. But although this phase was probably the most exciting one we’d have so far, it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for everyone. For girls, this can be one of the toughest facets of their timelines; not only will they be experiencing physical changes, but they’ll also be exposed to a world where toxic beauty standards exist, platonic and romantic relationships become more complex just like Jennifer and Needy’s friendship, and women are constantly placed on a pedestal. With the constant peer pressure, girls are usually left with two choices: to be their authentic selves but a persona non grata to society or create a public-friendly identity, just to get an invite to the world’s biggest masquerade party, life itself.

WOMEN’S GREATEST NEMESIS: MISOGYNY For those who chose the former, they become fighters in the battle between women and misogyny, a tale as old as time. The hatred towards women has taken shape in multiple forms; may it be in the lack of privilege and opportunities, sexual objectification, and even subtle backhanded remarks meant to bring them down for the sake of male validation. The sad reality is oppression is deemed as “normal” as long as it’s women who receive the ugly part of the bargain. A prevalent vision of misogyny we always see is women getting crucified for their actions as men are glorified for the same things. While conversations about high body counts, leadership, and service are opportunities for men to fuel their egos, the same discourses are used against women. These prejudices are reminders of how brutal the world can get, especially on the topic of women’s rights. Above all these, is the frightening culture of objectification—the deep-rooted predicament that most women go through on a daily basis. “Megan Fox, who plays Jennifer, is considered to be one of the most beautiful and sexiest people in the industry. In her career, she got so much criticism about her body instead of her work—people sexualized her so much,” says HUMSS student Kaye Gecosala, when asked about her thoughts on

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Jennifer’s Body, one of her favorite movies,

and how she relates to it as a woman. Kaye shares the same sentiments as how the movie’s marketing strategies made the audience believe the main character will live up to their expectations and stereotypes on women in erotic movies, punishing it at the box office when she didn’t. But of course, the movie shouldn’t be reduced to its flaws; since being labeled a flop, the film has been tagged as a cult classic now way ahead of its time. Movies like Jennifer’s Body behold women’s true-to-life stories and pleas, hoping to reach more people. Kaye sums it up perfectly, saying, “I loved the movie because it doesn’t only imply feminism through Jennifer’s character, but reflects on Megan in real-life, that she’s more than her body and she and her career shouldn’t be reduced to it. Seeing this as a girl in the audience sort of impacts you to feel the same way about yourself.” WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS Now that the problem has been identified, it’s time to take the next step— advocating for feminism. Although women have gained a wider foothold in society over the years, it does not erase the fact we still live in a world where genders are far from equal, for the patriarchy’s grip on our culture is tight. But we can certainly loosen it by amplifying equality.

Flytzyl Meija of HUMSS 11-A expounds, saying that feminism is a job for everyone. “Feminism should be intersectional because women in our society experience different injustices everyday like abuse, unfair treatment in workplaces, and gender [pay gap]. These struggles shall not be addressed in an isolated manner, yet it shall unite the power of womanhood to resist discrimination, oppression, and misogyny. Let’s celebrate feminism and remember it is a collective struggle.” Being a feminist equates to believing everyone should be given equal rights and opportunities, regardless of their gender and the person advocating it. As this movement reaches a greater audience, misconceptions tag along with its journey. Some men find feminism as a threat to their masculinity—thinking once women gain more rights, they’ll be overthrown from their “superior” tier. But it’s the feminists’s—men, women, non-binary people—devoir that’ll unleash them from patriarchy’s chains that hold them back from enlightenment. So, let’s not treat feminism as our enemy, for it only aims to put everyone on the same page, because—let’s face it—we currently aren’t. Men won’t lose rights if women gain more, so flipping the papers of the world to level the playing field shouldn’t be a threat to anyone, anyway. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be on the right side of the herstory books?

A prevalent vision of misogyny we always see is women getting crucified for their actions as men are glorified for the same things.

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A GUIDE ON HOW TO NOT GET KILLED BY LIFE Life is like a horror movie. Facing these uncertainties of the world, what must your survival kit contain to be a survivor? TEXT | Aikka Heart L. David and Althea D. Marijana VISUALS | Stephanie Anne O. Alolon

In the dead of night, you run for your life. The bloody hands of a serial killer who has claimed your friends are close on your tail. Do you think you can survive? If you don’t have the will to survive a horror movie, how will you even begin to face the horrors of the real world? Deadlines, early classes, and two-faced people—they all make surviving in real life seem impossible. Subgenres of horror have their own tropes that lead to either the survival or death of the characters. Gothic movies, for example, center on Christian morality as the basis for survival, while living in scary sci-fi flicks takes intelligence and teamwork. Slasher films like Scream, in particular, reinvented the genre by finally acknowledging these unspoken rules characters must abide by to survive as they deal with their own masked villain. That is to say: no sex, no drugs or alcohol, and no saying you’ll be right back. Similar to these characters’ horrible encounters with their perpetrators, dreadinducing situations, in reality, are inevitable and may come in the form of the most mundane of things. However, just like our characters in Scream, there are certain rules to follow if you want to survive the horrors of real life.

choose your friends carefully

Once dejection hits and it feels as though everything is placed on your shoulders, your friends are the ones who you can trust to support you along the way. “It’s good having friends whom you know wouldn’t do something that will affect you negatively,” Grade 11 STEM student Kristine Grace Marina said. “Having people whom you can share your deepest secrets or problems with [without being judged or betrayed] is truly a blessing.” You can always count on your closest peers to never perceive you in a different light, even as you reach your peak or hit rock bottom. But just as you have your Randy or Tatum, you also have your very own Billy and Stu, wolves hidden in sheep’s clothing, waiting to bite and drag you down. A good eye for suspicious behaviors is key to staying alive, discerning who exactly is under the cloak and who is on your side.

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Dread-inducing situations, in reality, are inevitable and may come in the form of the most mundane of things.

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follow your intuition

learn how to defend yourself

In fight or flight, the former isn’t only seen in action films; it can also manifest in mere words. People often find themselves in situations where they might have to face an adversary, treating them less than kindly. In the face of such unkindness and injustice, knowing your worth is just as good as any weapon. “[...] I have been treated unfairly in a lot of situations, but the worst one was during my training camp way back in 4th grade,” Grade 11 HUMSS student Arianne Mae Leones stated. “[...] I opted not to confront him because I was a pacifist back then, but I totally should have.” Although kindness goes a long way, we should learn how to set boundaries for our own sake. Whenever we prevent people from crossing our boundaries, we’re actually doing ourselves a favor. Showing benevolence to yourself in the same way you give it to others is when you’ll know that at least you’ve got your own back. After all, it’s every man for themselves out there.

When choosing between intellect and intuition, you are most likely to pick the more rational option. Even so, your instincts are not entirely useless. Upon looking death straight in the eye, you will not have the time to analyze probabilities, so you turn to your hunch. “Being intuitive can also be a driving tool to success,” Grade 11 ABM student Sophia Antonnette Jaro states. “I’ve had a fair share of using my intuition at school [like] those moments where I had to rely on [it] to choose the correct answer when I had no idea […].” Not every situation requires you to use your brain, especially when the knife is a split second away from piercing your skin. Sometimes, you simply have to trust yourself and take a leap in the dark to cross the cliff. Ultimately, it all depends on how we handle situations. Like how the rules of survival differ in each subgenre of horror, thriving in the real world is not something that can be determined by a single set of rules. We can learn as we go and rewrite the script to suit us best. As we hold the power to control the course of our fate, we become the main stars of our movies. Now, it is up to us to harness what lies in our hands for our own survival.

Visuals | Timothee Ramon S. Consing

W AMONG WOLVES Cinema has always been a mirror to our reality, but when the screen proves too scary, what does it mean from our side of the looking glass? TEXT | Giollan Henry P. Demaulo and Sean Carlo O.Samonte VISUAL | Denise D. Lojares

When life has transformed into a battle of superiority between those who hold the truth and those who suppress it, between those who suffer in silence and those who bask in its nectar—is it still a journey worth walking? Racism, discrimination, and inequity have been an issue for generations, transformed into an instrument and call-to-action by comedy director and actor, turned horror sensation Jordan Peele with his series of hit thrillers— from the brain-numbing Get Out of 2017 and the mind-boggling Us in 2019. The shocking twist and turns on a classic home invasion story of the latter have gained Peele universal acclaim from both critics and horror fans alike. With a sprinkle of hidden meanings and a dash of social innuendos, it is a treat for die-hard movie watchers who find joy in deciphering even the smallest details of the plot, details that reveal how much of a horror tale reality is. DESCENT INTO DARKNESS Peele, known for cleverly incorporating social issues within his work, has focused on the fear of the unknown, those whose ideologies do not stand on the same footing as the majority and do not act in the same perspective they do. Other than this, it can also slightly dangle towards the difference in the social luxury of the varying economic classes. In Us, Lupita Nyong’o’s Adelaide Wilson, along with her family, competing against their middle-classness, are forced to engage in a skirmish with hostile versions of themselves— puppets and clones further revealed to be a looming threat to society called the Tethered, who are greatly influenced by Peele’s fear of doppelgangers. When asked about her emotional attachment to the film, Sheloe Treyes of HUMSS 12-C stated, to her, it has become an off and very unrealistic sight to see there are people in human society making decisions for the species of

clones called the Tethered, whilst treating them like rabid animals. “The part that struck me the most […] was the scene where the real world was being compared to the world of the Tethered,” she added. BREATH OF FRESH TERROR When the usual climactic jump scares dominate the horror genre, the subtle approach of Us has enabled it to create tension and suspense all throughout the film. It was this subtleness of details, manipulated to slowly lurk within the audience’s mind, that allowed Peele to completely unearth the underlying themes of the movie. The incorporation of his fear of doppelgangers to the Tethered also added depth and realness to their motives fueled by years of inequity, giving the people just reasons to side with the antagonist despite it sounding unorthodox within the genre. By mirroring the realities of those who were forced to be victims of injustice b y the ruling masses, Peele’s social thriller made a statement on how oppression, discrimination, and racism remained elusive to the population. Peele’s use of uncovered truths and personal experiences gave a new side to the classic horror genre, alluring the people i n t o seeing h o w societal issues were masked for generations. SEE TO BELIEVE Us serves as an eyeopener in our modern society, establishing the thought of fearturned-social matter to the classic horror genre. It isn’t that run-of-the-mill slasher or possession movie we’re used to, but its touch of realism makes it more haunting. “People tend to picture horror movies as jump scarepacked films, but to have a screenplay that breaks the generic

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… a vicious wolf in the moonlight waiting to strike, merely hiding in the pleasant sheep’s clothing.

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[monster-ghost-serial killer] archetype and displays the realities of [society] is something people should be more aware of,” Crisrey Diosano of STEM 11-M states, an adept cinephile who indulges movies for breakfast. “Adapting [the genre] to the present time will open our eyes to the [truths] that lie beneath our foreground, changing our perspectives from the unearthed deceptions the world has been trying to hide.” Peele’s approach to mirroring and fitting societal issues into his screenplay was certainly a success—uncovering the unknowns that lurked for generations. He was able to pinpoint monsters invisible to the naked eye, exposing that these creatures were manifestations of one’s darker side. It’s only in these darkest moments does that certain side of us come out, a vicious wolf in the moonlight waiting to strike, merely hiding in the pleasant sheep’s clothing. We may not recognize this at first, but then again, Peele included shears in the film for a reason— to strip the animals down to their barest of parts, to who they really are. Two blades connected by a screw for one sole purpose—detachment.

THE

PHILLIPINE NATIONAL ANTHEM OF HORROR True horror is one that hits too close to home. Unearth with us the unnerving realities of Filipino society mirrored by a legendary franchise. TEXT | Lou Marcial M. Cuesta and Sam Hervey T. Sabordo VISUAL | Jason Lee J. Pamati-an

A demon child on the plane. A haunted Christmas tree in the house. A killer clown out of a TV. These are only plots that you would find here in Philippine cinema. Shaking every local theater since 1984 through their rattling horror films, the anthology of Shake, Rattle, and Roll is considered to be an iconic trophy of Filipino horror that sent us on a rollercoaster of scares and laughs. More importantly, it has constantly served its purpose of being our native, horror parables with personalized themes, neatly wrapped in guts, gore, and the inevitable #PinoyPride. SHAKING THE FAMILIARITY We Filipinos love being related to; may it be in subtle references in international media, having our favorite vloggers eat adobo, or even knowing that a global artist is one-eighth Filipino, we simply can’t help ourselves but be excited whenever something is relatable to us. The same can be said about our taste in horror movies, and SRR does it very well. An example of this is the Class Picture episode that foretells about a cursed entity, in the shape of a nun, haunting the

halls of a Catholic school and inflicting pain to the undisciplined. For students like us, we find ourselves acquainted with the tale, as we cannot deny that most schools have their spooky lores that besiege the corridors. For Jasmine Mahilum of STEM 12-D, she enjoys hearing these kinds of stories, stating, “[These stories] allow students to learn more about their university and its history since [....] these ghost stories stem from whatever happened in the past.” Aside from the fact that we love being part of the story, we also thirst for circumstances that are out of the ordinary. These SRR episodes do not only consist of the mainstream monster, but also introduce varying degrees of dread; one example of which is the nostalgic, family horror of Pamana, which follows a tragic household fending off comic book horror icons like the White Lady and Dracula. Yet, the franchise does not shy away from psychological wretches, as manifested in Bangungot, in which we find our heroes stuck in their literal nightmares of love, rage, and jealousy. With these carefully designed narratives, we cannot help but see ourselves in the shoes of both the protagonist and the monster, constantly asking: If we were in that situation, what would

we do?

RATTLING THE PAST On a cultural level, SRR delivers a time reel of our nation’s golden points, through the plethora of terror figures, serving as idioms and reincarnations of borrowed culture. The idea of religion is influenced by our Western colonizers. In horror films, it is taken advantage of because it arouses our sense of wonder on the divine conflicts between good and evil. Moreover, other films use this concept to tackle issues related to the church’s various scandals prevalent in today’s era. In the SRR franchise, the theme is utilized in the act of Diablo, which narrates an intern suffering under the hands of possession after denying an initial exorcism to her patient. Directly opposite of the Western taste, our neighboring countries brought in their own slice of frights. Rather than iconography such as dolls or crosses, Eastern horror steps into uncomfortable territory by having our values, principles, and ideals act out as true monstrosities. Ahas tells the tale of a subterranean snake woman afflicted with revenge, after having been kept as prisoner by her family while they leech off of her “success magnet” for their business; a perfect reflection of how Asian households often treat their children. “In Filipino families, while ‘utang na loob’ may be done to show thankfulness [....], that principle can also be abused.

For example, I have noticed that some parents tend to use statements like, “Pinalaki kita, kaya gawin mo ito” [....] to manipulate [their] children,” echoed Johanna Maisie San Jose from STEM 12-L on what are some harmful, albeit scary, Eastern ideologies. Reigning above both directions, however, lies the root. Long before the colonizers enculturated us with their versions of what is scary, our lower mythology, like manananggals, impaktos, and tamawos, served as the original fright fests. Subsequently, it is through the arrival of foreign groups that further intensified our understanding of scary, by their disruption. Professor Maximo Ramos, author of “The Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology,” recalls how the Northern and Southern Philippines were conditioned to be wary of the dayo or foreigners who may disrupt their way of living, eventually leading them to make up an aswang figure to symbolize the warring times.

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ROLLING IN THE TRUTH Given how horror is oftentimes shaped by our milieu, SRR episodes deal with their plots the same way, by offering us idiomatic, socio-political, and cultural contexts that reveal deeper scars, far beyond the screamfest. The episode, Lost Command is a great metaphor for the ongoing struggle of mountain insurgency of the New People’s Army. Likewise, the episode, LRT, subtly reveals the prevalence of police corruption tying in with the monster’s activities. Lastly, Rain, Rain, Go Away, shows the capitalistic behaviors of negosyantes, causing the deaths of their child laborers. Even though these specific stories deserve their own articles expounding on their social and political implications, it is safe to say the deepest cuts are ones that do not look like some horrendous creature, but rather the collective, malignant experiences of the country. This franchise of fright is the trademark of Filipino horror. Its experimental narratives influenced by folklore and Filipino urban tales provide a unique perspective that contrasts the traditional picture appreciated by audiences in both the West and the East. This boldness makes SRR films stand out not just because it meets our appetite for new horror tropes—but because it’s within these stories that the great, unnerving underbelly of Philippine society gets to creep through.

...the deepest cuts are ones that do not look like some horrendous creature, but rather the collective, malignant experiences of the country.

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Visuals | Claire Denise S. Chua, Ma. Avrille Marquiela C. Loraña

Behind the Spotlight

A glimpse into the big screen on the clockwork of our local actors and their industry as a Bacolodnon. TEXT | Julliana Renee S. Ogapong and Ryan A. Rodriguez VISUALS | Timothee Ramon S. Consing The camera reels and the stage braces the setting. But the world of film is silent, with no light guiding the eyes of the audience, for it lacks the beating of a heart—actors. The glimmering lights flushing the screen with the colorful echoes of humanity in the icons they bring to life. Celebrities riding fast automobiles, dangling 24-Ks, and burning dramatic scandals faster than paper. It would seem as if they are simply commodities for society’s entertainment consumption, while at the same time, otherworldly and foreign. But little do we know, , beneath all the clicks and dabs of stardom surrounding all our popular Netflix shows and big, platinum screens, can be an actor sitting right beside us bearing the heart that comes behind the camera and on stage, a compatriot to Bacolodnons. One of those actor’s names is Noel Pahayupan. Alongside the cultural torrents of academic and technical expectations, Pahayupan has studied the performance of acting his whole life—and professional career. He expressed the kindle that flamed his passion: “I love watching

movies and films, especially dramas and comedies. And I always told myself, one day, I’ll see myself on screen. But it’s really joining the Maskara Theater Ensemble of the University of St. La Salle that sparked my interest to pursue acting.” Despite the lack of avenues in the Bacolod region where the “act of acting” can flourish, Noel was honed by his mentor, Tanya Lopez, by exposing him to information outlets such as workshops, seminars, and webinars. The training was holistic, targeting various aspects of the craft, such as movement, acting, and production. It made him versatile into the changes of both film and stage, which is the exact type of artist he wants to be—adaptive. His journey in honing his craft has put him under different spotlights, but a particular memory of playing the leading role in an adaptation of Christopher Durang’s Actor’s Nightmare entitled He’s Da Ma,

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...for they are the catalysts in both nourishing the culture of our region and developing the hidden potential beneath every aspiring Bacolodnon actor.

remained remarkable for the actor as it made him realize the capabilities an artist surmounts. “When I heard [that] someone [said] that she wants to be on stage because of me […] I realized […] that I can give hope to others and [..] be someone’s stimuli [..] that [can lead] them to [reach] what they always want to do […],” Noel said when recalling his greatest memory as an actor. No doubt the acting process of transforming into someone else on camera is different for everyone in the industry, as there is no systematic formula to attain the excellent act of bringing a character to life. For Noel, it involves three courses of action: method, technique, and being. Method is imitating the life of the character one portrays; technique is the physical training that utilizes motor and anatomical capabilities for performances; and being is pondering on

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a character’s life and paralleling it to an actor’s own. “It’s always discovering and knowing the character and making sure […] when I deliver a line, […] it’s [their] voice and choices, not [mine],” he stated, expressing the common challenge in bringing scripts to life. In taking on roles, he does not back down on any handed to him. He concluded any role can be challenging and there’s no such thing as small roles, from the protagonist to the background cast. “The biggest challenge, I guess, in taking a role is [when] the character […] believes in something that is far away from your personal beliefs,” Noel added. A full-fledged actor ripe in his career and passion, he has bright hopes towards the acting stages in Bacolod, as he firmly believes the cameras will only continue to flash rapidly across our local stages, with or without the pandemic. Yet this surge—the more pleasant one—can only spark through practical and genuine regard for these fertile seeds, for they are the catalysts in both nourishing the culture of our region and developing the hidden potential beneath every aspiring Bacolodnon actor. If you, by any chance, are part of those aspiring Bacolodnons, then take it from the words that lead our manong to aspire and achieve his goals himself: “Start now and do it!”

Visuals Visuals||Joseph JosephBryant BryantJ. J.de delos losSantos Santos

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r O F r o e t r t e

How communicating plays an important role in relationships at all stages of life.

Some would say love is for the youth as there are some pictures the years cannot paint—that of a couple, both aged 23, on a train where the American guy walks over to the French girl before both embark on a whole day adventure in Vienna, nothing but thoughts being wondered out loud as their company. Before Sunrise introduces two strangers together at a foreign place with no intentions or idea of what to do since being together is enough, a perfect romance—if only they exchanged numbers before parting ways. But sunrises often signify new beginnings, marking the first movie’s ending as the start of something more. Sunset granted Jesse the opportunity to pick up where he and Celine left off nine years ago, allowing themselves to dream what life they may have lived if the pair never left their future to fate. This time, the what-if lovers decided to secure their destiny by each others’ sides. Alas, Midnight comes and the bright ray of sunlight fades into darkness, one that people struggle to see through. Jesse and Celine’s shifting paradigm of a romance reflects the kind of fleeting, ever-changing stories about what we may be afraid to compromise for. Something after a few conversations Jesse and Celine weren’t afraid of: a compromise for love.

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…love is not about extravagant gestures all the time, for it can also be shaped by the little things.

WHAT MIGHT BE It isn’t a crime, though, for two people to embrace their feelings that may or may not blossom into a beautiful relationship. Take, for example, Ji— an aliased student under the Liceo’s Accountancy, Business, and Management track—and her one-that-got-away, Karl. They first engaged on Omegle, where, out of hundreds of random people they could have matched with, they found each other, proving that thoughts strung into words can indeed make a connection. Of course, time is an enemy to most somewhat couples out there. It may seem to take your side at first, before turning its back on you, ever so swiftly. “This [relationship] also made me realize we must first choose ourselves if someone is not capable of choosing us,” Ji says. No doubt some people are only good at brief encounters. Maybe it’s in the knowledge you might never see that person again that makes it easier for you to pour your passions and woe out to them; paying the price of a piece of your heart when they start to run. WHAT COULD BE If you learn to appreciate time, it will appreciate you back as it did to

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Khaxl, another alias for a Humanities and Social Sciences student and her partner. For them, it played a huge role in their growth and development as a couple and as individuals. According to Khaxl when asked about how they met, “We played basketball, ate [at] Nene’s, and just strolled in the mall with matching Zagu drinks.” Anecdotes like this just show how love is not about extravagant gestures all the time, for it can also be shaped by the little things. Emulating both main characters of the film series, they both risked their time committing to a relationship, saying, “[….] through communication, most relationships work because you are able to express both sides.” Khaxl can summarize her relationship with her beau in just a few, simple, but sweet nonetheless, words: “When I’m with him, I feel really safe and comfortable.” WHAT IS But all couples eventually reach their twilight stage and face the truth of commitment. Being in a relationship with someone for so long can be a roller coaster ride, as couples figure out themselves falling in love is easy, but staying in love isn’t.

But love is just there, so says Basic Education Unit (BEU) Head Leanne Marie Faicol. “In choosing the one—yes, the word is choose, because it is a decision—if ever you are in it, go for it. Mistakes will always be a part of the decision.” Faicol is the type of girl who’s homely, and instead of spending time with friends, she has her head buried in a book instead. One day, her mother had the chance to introduce her to their neighbor— letting her meet her lifelong best friend in the process. In the pursuit of their own love story, her advice for the Liceo community is, “Pray and love purely. That’s another reason why other couples last because they do not have bad intentions.” Between these three stories, we can see love is manifested in so many ways—the possibilities, the present, and the problems. There isn’t a perfect way on how to start it or acquire it. But what’s deemed as necessary and common between any group of lovers is communication. It may be the words from our mouths that can be our greatest revelation in the field of love— whether exposing our barest of hearts or our greatest of weapons. For better or for worse, though, a little more conversation always has its tricks.

Dashing your Romantic Daydreams Probing into pop culture’s immortalization of reel-to-real relationships, and how the foundations using it eventually crack. TEXT | Angeli M. Geroso and Kailah May T. Paceno VISUALS | Janna M. Remus

Perfection is unattainable, but that doesn’t stop a person fueled by ideals from chasing its tail. Until eventually, it strips them bare— reducing their entire belief system into a pile of unmet expectations; a figment of their own imagination being forcibly projected onto someone else. This is a classic formula found in any failed love story; a product manufactured by centuries of glorifying certain traits—a practice still being upheld to this day. Gone are the days of the Renaissance’s painted goddesses or even 1950s America’s submissive housewives. Right now, society is faced with another variation: the “manic pixie dream girl,” commonly seen in coming-of-age and romantic-comedy movies. What do they all have in common, you may ask? Putting women on a pedestal and not being a realistic depiction just to conform to current trends.

But how could this archetype, now ingrained in the cultural norm, still seem to be stuck in an aged caricature no matter how rapid its evolution into new tropes? LOVING THE IDEA OF SOMEBODY Whimsical, eccentric, and impulsive —the anatomy of a manic pixie dream girl never fails to take its place in Hollywood clichés, as the development of male protagonists just wouldn’t be the same without their idealistic nature. What better way to represent this archetype than Summer from the 2009 film (500) Days of Summer? As the stock character she is—whose only purpose is to spark life in the lead—her attempt to do nothing about love proves to be futile. Many have swooned over the likeness of their perfect love interests as more books and movies are being geared toward hopeless romantics. Jewel Guzman from Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) 11-C shares how her experience as a media consumer was shaped by the way certain characters are written. “As an avid fan of watching romantic films, I’ve come to realize that men differ in showing their intimacy and affection towards the women they genuinely love,” she expressed. “Thus, my standards in a relationship are somehow influenced by the kind of men [we] get to know on screens, approximately in a one to two-hour time frame.”

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What plays out between film reels and quaint pages of literature become so compelling—reaching the point where it transcends fiction and manifests itself into your real-world relationships.

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Similarly, as the manic pixie dream girl persists in pop culture, many have fallen into the demise of loving the idea of somebody. It goes to show instead of seeing that person as someone in the flesh, some might end up turning their love interests into a statue of Venus—a testament to their supposed love, only for it to turn out they’ve merely sculpted them to their liking, fitting their own standards without giving their partner any say in the relationship. THE STRONGEST REMINDER Sometimes, what plays out between film reels and quaint pages of literature become so compelling—reaching the point where it transcends fiction and manifests itself into your real-world relationships. Of course, this doesn’t bode well for anyone involved. In order to not let this mindset fester, a line has to be drawn. Liceo student Angela del Rosario from ABM 12-A gives their two cents about the impact of mass media on certain traits that they may be looking for in a significant other—or in this case, the lack thereof. “Standards are not something [some] people bring up in any relationship, either platonic or romantic,” they say. “Because, unlike your research paper or essays, though you want the best to come out of it, you’re dealing with an

actual human being who has feelings, who interprets things differently, [and] who may find it hard to say what they want, especially when you find out what they’ve been through growing up.” Contrary to what’s expected given the socio-cultural landscape, del Rosario conveyed that their standards were lowered thanks to media forms. “I realized through media [genres] like coming-of-age and angst that there is absolutely no one who will fit the notion of a perfect partner. [....] All these cute romantic media portrayals of love made me realize that [there are] so many forms and so many ways to say you care about someone but it’s also the strongest reminder that you can’t love other people if you can’t love yourself, in the sense that you need self-love to take care of others.” Meanwhile, Guzman makes the boundaries clear while still remaining optimistic, saying, “As much as I want to have a man who directly replicates some of the male characters I adore in movies, I remind myself that I live in reality. At the same time, their attributes are just brought upon [by] the imagination of their director. Even so, there is nothing wrong with raising our standards in looking for a partner, as we all deserve someone pure and gentle with their intention towards us.”

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE The manic pixie dream girl, in itself, should exist solely in a writer’s fevered imagination—the same way you would experience an explosive summer love affair. Media consumers were made to believe there are prescribed signs; a universal formula to loving. But, real human beings are more fragile than fictional characters: this is what society failed to consider. Though the latter is closer to perfection, that makes them way out of touch. Women, to this day, are being held against a concept built upon their own insecurities. Not only is this unfair, but it can also be detrimental to forging healthy relationships. For so long, popular culture has tried to assert femininity must simply adhere to its masculine counterpart— passed along as commodities in the form of stock characters. Since the trope isn’t as fleshed out as the lead, movie-makers just sought to fill the gap with dyed streaks of hair, a unique sense of style, and maybe one or two odd habits. It is everything that’s wrong with the paradigm, and everyone tends to ignore it just because it spices up the plot. Just like how most characters die at some point in a movie, so should this subversive delusion.

Some Cowboys Prefer Cowboys Too Can a Uranian love story—whether on mountaintops or in classrooms—thrive amidst a rigid and prejudicial society?

Being with someone whom you have sentimental linkage with is said to feel like landing on cloud nine—a different level of euphoria, which many of us perceive as generally true. For cowboys, it can feel like the sweetest spoon of pork and beans one can ever taste. But try fancying being born in the old-school American west—in an era of masculines and conservatives, and you would ask: Would one view it in preposterous regard seeing birds of the same feather mating? Most probably, yes. With the conundrum of how a same-sex love story can withstand a queer-

TEXT | Kyle Lenard A. Mangubat and Therese Mariette P. Rosos VISUALS | Patricia Therese Florence M. Alonso

loathing countryside, one’s sole latitude would be stashing affairs in a lonely place where only sheep flock. But while this might seem dispiriting, this context was the only way out for homosexual couples in 1963 Wyoming as exhibited in the award-winning, romantic-drama film Brokeback Mountain. Thinking about country roads injects nostalgia into many of us. However, traversing that dust-carpeted path ushers us to see a visage of society—unaccepting, unequal, un-queer. Despite this depressing fact, the movie’s main characters Jack and Ennis still found themselves their own can of delight, like any other couple. But being deemed an uncanny guise, they spent most of their time escaping the lasso that hinders their forging fondness. “Being able to become transparent to others [...] is one of the greatest comforts [one could] ever experience,” says a HUMSS student under the moniker Captacoo, a contemporary truth to most teens in the spectrum. BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE Trapped in the enigma of coming out of the closet, witnessing dire strait consequences, and faced with choices

that subsume dubious outcomes, are you willing to gamble your shallow desires— amidst going down the well-trodden road of false hope? Unfortunately, this haunting dilemma reaches vulnerable students in Liceo up in the clouds, craving a utopia where love has no limits. “Being surrounded by [closedminded] people [felt] uncomfortable. I [felt like] I wasn’t enough, especially when they called me out with their beliefs and values. Everything is slowly progressing and we cannot control that because it’s part of us being human, and I [...] hope people will realize that change should not be kept from moving,” says Captacoo, on his experience with being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Highlighting this egocentric malice, Captacoo also emphasizes, “People who prefer to stick to much more traditional values dislike the idea of progress in learning new things, which makes it dangerous [...] because it creates a barrier for growth.” Troubled impediments, even in this liberated generation, are the Achilles’ heel of the LGBTQIA+ community.

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Love is life—the kind that has fought far and wide yet is still neglected, a love murdered by people afraid to broaden their horizons and their palettes.

With these hurdles along the way, some people end up seeking compassion, desire, and acceptance—the varieties in the spice of life that could ease their ache for solace and sanctuary. LOVE IN A HOPELESS PLACE As this deep-seated aversion lingers, the inflicted hate against samesex couples continues to protract with the prevailing homophobia—which is, at most, driven by stereotypes of conventional customs—with the antiquated perspective towards same-sex relationships as a begriming speck on a clean wall. Perhaps love doesn’t always finish as being second to none, not when it’s

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Adam’s love for Steve and not Eve. It’s grim manifestations of conservative beliefs— limiting freedom which encumbers equality from emerging as the new norm—before revealing how dirty one thinks the world is when all that really is, paint. For the people whose eyes haven’t seen the inside of a kaleidoscope are ones who think the scathing reality of love is vandalism and violation and should be unexpressed. At the bottom of the can, not all pork and beans are sweet; some recipes might have a little too much salt, making it unpalatable—like that of the sometimes unpleasant society we are in. This attests, love is not only delight. It’s also pain, melancholy, and holistic ruin for some. It can

be perplexing, like a labyrinth one chooses to enter. Love is life—the kind that has fought far and wide yet is still neglected, a love murdered by people afraid to broaden their horizons and their palettes. When push comes to shove, any and all cowboy-loving cowboy knows to do is giddy up on their horses and rodeo away to their own Brokeback Mountain. But the Jacks and Ennises everywhere gauging their love a hopeless case and retreating to the tops of mountains need to know this too: Cloud nine isn’t the only place for something special.

Lights, Camera, Kilig? Capturing Filipino ship culture dynamics onscreen, off-screen, and everywhere in between. TEXT | Ashgan Al Rayeh Moh’d Idrees B. Bkheet and Sophia Nicole C. Dayao VISUALS | Andrea Kirstin D. Rammirez

For some of us Filipinos, we probably don’t recall a moment of our existence where we didn’t know the meaning of kilig. It is worldintriguing and untranslatable; though it is usually revealed in the wide smiles, rosy-cheeks, and glinting eyes of the ones experiencing it, topped off with a butterfly kaleidoscope in their stomach. Filipinos often adore breaking loose from reality and finding comfort in young love and uplifting endings that give us this kilig. The people behind these cameras of the Philippines’ greatest romantic hits don’t just strengthen our perspectives as great romantics; they also change our way of living in a world full of sensations other

than love, making time stop and hearts beat faster with our favorite tandems. But ship culture’s legacy comes from way before our time. The hype began when the films of tandem Mary Walter and Gregorio Fernandez were released in the 1920s. They were labeled as the first love team in the history of Philippine cinema. From there on out, projects like theirs did not cease, and love teams became some of the most influential figures in our country. Another incentive for love teams giving the motion picture industry a huge advantage is, real love in real life between some of these pairs sometimes emerges. But whatever the reason, great satisfaction reaches audiences upon each love team’s output, concluding the ships are effective for both actor and filmmaker aiming for hometown gold. “I feel the most satisfied when you can see [through] their body language, when they think no one notices the little touches that [made] it all so obvious, and also eye contact. How [the ships] can be so professional when it comes to their work and private life,” said Issa Gella of STEM 11-D, an avid fan of the ship KathNiel. But it requires serious effort to find the ideal chemistry linking two people into a ship. Several actors and actresses mix and match together on different projects until the audience agrees on the perfect love team. For instance, the pairings of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, James Reid and Nadine Lustre, and Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil are actors that piqued the curiosity of not only the Filipino viewers but an international audience as well. Be that as it may, for some love teams, their chemistry on-screen is portrayed with pure talent,

giving the fans something to expect. The anticipation of these pairings can sell anything from movies to food, but people in the industry can capitalize not only on money, but even the physical and emotional support from their admirers. When the pairs release their first real output together, they show what the crowd wants to see from them, automatically sparking a connection between these celebrities and their audience. After all, attracting the people’s inner romantics is their first step to stardom. “It was [...] the movie of KathNiel, entitled Must Be... Love [...] when [Liza Soberano] and Enrique Gil bumped into each other. [...] When I saw it, I realized that they [kind of fit] each other, [and that’s] when I started to ship them,” recalled Alexa Mendoza of HUMSS 11-B, a casual supporter of love team, LizQuen. Contrary to what you would expect, kilig doesn’t end there. The masses leave the theatres with a newfound attachment to a pair of actors they’ve only met through films, and it seems as though they’ve decided on the spot that they’d be investing time and effort into supporting these couples even beyond the television screen. The said duos have been trained to be picture-perfect, and it is because of the resulting appeal that fans, like KathNiel supporter Michaizel Cartagena of STEM 11-F, are more attracted to these Pinoy pairs. She shared that her favorite love team has grown to become a great influence in her life and emphasized, “I find these celebrities as an inspiration [in] working [to improve] myself. They had set a good example to everyone, not just as a love team.” Undeniably, the fandom plays a significant role in the evolution of ship culture

in Filipino media, given that both the love team and the fans wouldn’t survive the harsh rules of the field without each other. It’s this pushand-pull relationship that has sustained the love team industry since the first film and will probably continue to do so for years to come. Academically, kilig is undefinable, for it has never been given a dictionary meaning. It can only be described by emotions and experiences, like that uncontainable squeal or the embarrassingly noticeable blush. Yet, it has played a significant role in our culture, especially in the film industry and the fandoms that emerge from it. So, even without a textbook definition, with a frenzy like no other, it might as well be bookmarked in the history books for all to study about, anyway.

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After all, attracting the people’s inner romantics is their first step to stardom.

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Visuals | Joseph Bryant J. de los Santos

CODEX ASTRONAUTICA Is there more out there in the emptiness of space? A peak into the star-studded future awaits you. TEXT | Vinz Andrew S. Coresis and Paul Gabrielle T. Corral VISUALS | Denise D. Lojares

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As human technology advances at an alarming rate, the push to explore what lies ahead of us grows stronger each decade.

Space. Our last frontier. In the forefront of unaltered exploration, the closest we get to know the challenges posed by the vastness of the universe comes from epic sci-fi films, like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. From the heart-stopping black hole spaghettifying your very existence to the confusing dynamics of physics in every random planet encountered. Although nothing has been proven to be real under it being a product of human imagination, the future is certainly offering us the opportunity to leave Earth and start a great journey—the promise of eventual colonization of the cosmos, which Interstellar’s main cast of astronauts’ journey hinges upon. Throughout the history of mankind, the desire to explore has always been an innate attribute of most human beings. Man, at the present, has conquered and discovered the entirety of Earth’s land, seas, and skies. We now look to the horizon to further broaden our capabilities to reach the unreachable as we dream of the undreamable. We have always desired to “manifest our destiny” as international superpowers like to say, and it is possible mankind will have a presence, not only in

our solar system but throughout the great unknown—but can we? More importantly, should we? Like in Nolan’s cinematographic masterpiece, the colonization of space is driven not only by mere curiosity but also by the need to survive. As the current trends in the environment, the Earth is heading towards a disaster, something that will totally rewrite everything—climate change. In the Liceo community, we are taught to amplify our voices about such a degrading act. “I think throughout the time, Liceo would always see to it that the students are well educated about the environment. Moreover, they are also reminded to apply these environmental learnings, not only in superficial practices but also in everyday living. This resulted in [several] students growing with environmental knowledge and compassion even until now,” said Arriane Valderrama, a concerned eco-warrior from A&D 11-A. As much as we want to, we cannot deny that our efforts may be in vain because the odds are working against us. However, an advent in the grand scheme of things is about to happen; if corporations like Exxon continue to ignore the pleas of scientists, desperate to be heard to balance the global scales, the inevitable will be tabled as a testament of failure to save the cradle of humanity. “If I’m being honest, I think the most alarming thing when it comes to climate change is that it doesn’t only come with a single outcome, but a whole series of effects. Due to climate change, natural occurrences are taking place more frequently than usual—and these are mostly negative,” added Valderrama.

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As human technology advances at an alarming rate, the push to explore what lies ahead of us grows stronger each decade. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the development of a worldwide epidemic also has re-validated the necessity to establish mankind as a multi-planetary species, one of the multiple causes involving both natural and man-made calamities long championed in pro-colonization discourse with the expansion towards commercialization of space travel. Gabriel Tan from ABM 11-A, an enthusiast in astronautical engineering, emphasized further: “With the recent innovations of SpaceX in the industry […] we should expect a lot to come in this decade. Taking from what Elon Musk had said before, aside from humans landing on the Lunar surface, he has also stated Starship, a fully reusable rocket under development that is bigger than the Saturn V, is expected to carry 100+ tonnes of cargo to low earth orbit (LEO), which can pave the way for bigger space telescopes, space station modules, flights to the Moon, and, finally—to Mars.” Regardless, with a surge of multiple missions made by humans to discover any of its neighboring systems, the events of Interstellar have been inching closer and closer to reality. Yet, both fear and fascination have conflated to the point that we are even questioning ourselves if we are indeed doing this out of thirst for new knowledge, or desperation to get out of this mess we have created? Who knows? Time is the ultimate revealer of truth.

THE

ILLAINIFICATION OF WOMEN

WIELDING POWER What it takes to be a woman against a patriarchal society, heels, horns, and all. TEXT | Angela Marie N. Amodia and Marie Shella Ann G. Patigas VISUALS | Janna M. Remus Strict. Professional. No-nonsense. These words give society different impressions based on whether the words man or woman are attached. If it were men, the behavior is just as expected—even admired. However, women are often deemed as mean or emotionless, and these characteristics are put at the forefront instead of their work ethic. Most industries are driven by patriarchal society, one that condemns women in power, putting blockades in front of roads they are plenty capable to take. The Devil Wears Prada is a story of such industry—fashion—as boss Miranda Priestly and new assistant Andy Sachs navigate being women in the male-oriented work field. The film lets its watchers think about their situation and even reminds them women they know in real life are likely facing the same scene. Miranda, Andy, and their compelling, all-encompassing story are just one of the pulls this film has—along with how much it just resonates with working women everywhere. A WOMAN LEADS In a world that revolves around power, leaders play crucial roles in the placement of law in order. Over centuries, authoritative leadership is often represented by men. In contrast, women’s

authority style is depicted as laid-back and low-key—painting them as mere supporting characters. But, this narrative has been shifting for decades as more women take the stride, establishing visibility with their capabilities to lead. Liceo student leader Ashley Tantiado from STEM 12-M talks about her leadership experiences, “Well, to begin with, I was a really shy person back then [...] But I said to myself during our ocular visits to the community [that I won’t be able to do any work if I am always being timid.] So I pushed myself even if it was uncomfortable for me [...] I guess that’s the beautiful part about being a leader; you may feel shy at first reaching out to your sponsors, community partners, and other organizations, but when your subconscious mind tells you that you want to help, serve, and share your love with those in need, you’ll grow into a whole new person,” she says. This couldn’t be any truer as our country approaches its upcoming elections, and VP Leni Robredo—a woman in pink—runs with the goal of leading the nation against practices of inadequacy, corruption, and violence that have persisted from previous regimes. EMPOWERMENT ON THE INTERNET Only in recent years did women’s approach to leadership fluctuate into what it is now—under the internet’s guidance. With

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Against it all, women remain intelligent, strong, and above all, capable. But while these words describe them, they do not define them or put them in a cage. 50

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further representation of strongly written and unabashed-presenting women in accessible media, girls of different races and nationalities are only even more emboldened and inspired. Social media also provides a channel and amplification of issues faced by women right now, as seen in the #MeToo movement that spreads awareness and holds people accountable by allowing avenues for women’s stories of sexual abuse and harassment to enter the mainstream. “Women are generally portrayed positively in the media, but there are still some unrealistic expectations. [...]The women of our society must first stand up for themselves; the more we adjust to the cruel, sexist, and inaccurate portrayal of women in films, Instagram reels, and Tiktoks, the more respect and importance we lose and the more we feel insecure about ourselves. We don’t have to be that girl, we just have to be our own!” Tantiado responds when asked what her observation and thoughts are of the current portrayal of women in the media. Through the appropriate representation of women in the media, their reach as role models and heroes will broaden and inspire youth. Its relevance also serves as a guide for future generations in terms of abolishing stereotypes. WHAT LIES ON THE PATH TO SUCCESS With success comes a chance to open Pandora’s box as you journey along the milestones of being part of the workforce—particularly that of your personal lives. When asked about her biggest hurdles and most memorable accomplishments along the path to success, Tantiado responds, “[...] I am currently on the path to success, [...] and along the way I’ve met the saddest version of me. [...] Back then, I thought that the hurdle was the situation itself. But eventually, I realized that it was me [...] Because I lacked this trust and belief in myself and I’ve had so much of this negative self-talk that I actually believed them.” She then adds, “I decided that in five years’ time, I didn’t want to be the same person I was. I didn’t want to revolve my world in a small bubble full of crying and anxiety in exchange for a little happiness and love. [...] I could say that that’s my most memorable accomplishment—having my peace, having the courage to let go, knowing what’s good for me and what’s not, and getting better for myself, and not for someone else.” Women rise above the hurdles they face: fighting back against women’s capabilities being questioned, their portrayal in the media, and the notion of needing to give up one choice to thrive in another. Against it all, women remain intelligent, strong, and, above all, capable. But while these words describe them, they do not define them or put them in a cage. Outside the stereotypes, workplace, or any field, women continue to persevere.

Visual | Timothee Consing

Local Stars and White Scars

A relative unknown to mainstream international cinematic universe while housing masterpieces of Filipino struggles and triumphs, Philippine cinema deserved to be honored—but how? TEXT | Kyle Bryan T. Palparan and Maria Mikaela H. Tormon VISUALS | Ma. Avrille Marquiela C. Loraña and Xiomara Ann B. Mondragon

Black tuxedos, standing ovations, and tearjerking speeches. Nothing meets the criteria of an extravagant celebrity show like that of the Academy Awards. Home of the most talented and unmatched stars and starlets of the cinema world, the Oscars has been for 92 years the “raison d’être” of rising personalities. But while the Oscars is arguably the most prestigious awards ceremony in cinema, the backlash that surrounds it is as significant. #OscarsSoWhite was first coined in 2015, following the lack of diversity with the nominees. What started as a quip jab at the majority of male and white nominees turned into a movement for inclusion and diversity. Perhaps this pivotal moment led the Academy to make space for more women and people of color inside their circle of panelists. With this, films and artists of different genders, races, and ethnicities have been rightfully honored. However, there is still much work to be done in the Oscars’ inclusion department, as it still falls short with recognizing well-crafted movies, dexterous filmmakers, and performing artists from all over the world. Even the local cinema scene in our country is yet to be recognized. Truly, various Filipino auteurs and their respective films help display the power of the creative Pinoy Oro, Plata, Mata mind. From to Ang Panahon ng Halimaw, the industry has unveiled the nation’s progressions and downfalls through the craftsmanship of filmmaking. Institutions, such as the Academy, should celebrate the distinction of international films, just like the Philippines’. After all, some of our local movies and artists are worthy of bagging an Oscar themselves.

100 Tula Para Kay Stella for Best Picture

An underrated classical love story in its own category, 100 Tula Para Kay Stella follows two freshmen, Stella and Fidel, as they navigate through the typical collegian life before realizing the latter is quickly falling for the former, who’s also his best friend. Grossing around 80 million pesos, the film was able to break through twelve other entries and was cherished by most people; gathering much applause from different local networks and film awards. Directed by Jason Laxamana, the movie covers many romantic tropes that reflect the college life–fraternities, dipping school grades, and night parties that punch through their affections.

John Arcilla for Best Actor

In the 78th Venice International Film Festival last September, the brilliant John Arcilla bagged the country’s first Volpi Cup for Best Male Actor for his performance in Erik Matti’s On the Job: The Missing 8. “I know for a fact that we came from different countries, different continents[...] But I can feel the oneness, this tremendous oneness, and understanding,” he shared on an Instagram post celebrating his recent win while commending the unity found in movies. The Hollywood Reporter even praised Arcilla’s skills, claiming the actor had possessed the righteous anger at a debased governance that transcends borders as he should. Truly, Arcilla has proven himself as an acting virtuoso with his depiction of the demanding role.

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However, there is still much work to be done in the Oscars’ inclusion department, as it still falls short with recognizing. well-crafted movies, dexterous filmmakers, and performing artists from all over the world.

Jerrold Tarog for Best Director

Unknown, but synonymous to the words, Luna and Goyo, Jerrold Tarog is the mastermind behind the famed and loved Bayani-verse, a historical must-watch series for every local cinephile. Certainly, among his films, the historical biopic Heneral Luna resonates within the hearts of most Filipinos. Given the effort and manpower placed within the production of the film, it is no surprise the outcome turned into a masterpiece that is still adored and watched by people of all ages. Despite graduating from the University of the Philippines, Tarog considers himself a self-taught filmmaker; taking inspiration from early turn-of-thecentury films like Crying Ladies and Tanging Yaman. Often with the use of history readings, consultation with historians, and a little bit of music, Tarog is able to produce an outburst of concepts for his upcoming films. Certainly, the applause and critics speak volumes of his work.

Nora Aunor

for Best Actress

Considered the “Great Dame of Philippine Cinema,” Nora Aunor has garnered both local and international acclaim for her wide range of dynamic characters. Not shy of notable performances, as seen in films such as Thy Womb and Taklub, Aunor’s showstopper comes in Himala—where the iconic line “Walang himala!” was birthed from. Himala shows Aunor’s prowess as an actress as we witness her transform into Elsa. Her role in this film has helped cement her name as one of Philippine cinema’s greatest thespians.

But these are just a few of the many heart-catchers of beloved movies that have come and gone; the plethora of works they have portrayed and acted speaks of the heart of Filipino cinema. But there comes a time where a line is drawn in the sand for institutions like the Academy Awards and the Philippine film industry—where credit has to evolve from simple labels like the best to the actual spotlight as our filmmakers stand on stage with a gold award in their hands. The Oscars have certainly captivated the world of acting and cinema for almost a century, and the foretelling bias that has plagued the event has enthralled the audience to movies’ biggest night in whether they’ll break the cycle. But though the spotlight keeps on changing annually, the recognition of local auteurs in the country continues to dominate the mind of every cinephile, one strip of film at the time, golden statuette be damned.

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Beyond Subtitles:

Rise of Asian Cinemas

From the seats of Asian cinema to the reflections of Liceo, how do language barriers miss masterpieces? TEXT | Leon Emanuel E. Advincula and Zamantha Zaynn J. Chiefe VISUALS | Jewel Irish S. Belascuain and Xiomara Ann B. Mondragon

Flying karate guys in action films or genius nerds solving puzzling math equations— these Asian archetypes were always portrayed on movie screens for quite some time. However, these stereotypes and cliches were challenged by the headline-breaking feats of our Asian filmmakers, the likes of Jackie Chan, Simu Liu, and of course, director Bong Joon-Ho. A triumph in movie history, the Korean thriller Parasite redefined cinema spotlights after sweeping the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film—numerous firsts in Asian cinema. But what made Parasite resonate with not just the Academy but even casual audiences is the director’s realistic contra depiction of societal problems, a trademark evident in his heavily-decorated films, with topics like global warming, animal abuse, and class inequality. In Asian popular culture, cinemas have always been an integral part of art, expressing the hidden implications and issues of culture and society, something Bong Joon Ho executes masterfully. However, the most challenging obstacle Asian people face is the inability to pose crafts on the Western side of the world.

DEBUNKING ASIAN STEREOTYPES Coming off from an Asian heritage, we Filipinos have instilled in our minds is, we should learn English to become part of society. Hence, the traumatic effect of globalization—a series of dominations by Western countries. This parallels the movie industry where discrimination and stereotypes manifest, building that invisible barrier of cultures and art. When talking about art, its expression should be free; a well-known fact is artists need a free and non-discriminating society to flourish. Now, with stars like Gemma Chan, Constance Wu, and Jet Li reigning on the big screen, with media all the way from Japan to Korea invading our Netflix pages, a revolution— a renaissance of Asian art—is happening right before our eyes without restraint. With these many Asian arts coming from all around, filmmakers have created their own identity that makes them distinctive from the rest of the world Likewise, films and cinemas in Asia express various shifts in the paradigm of Asian portrayal. We should no longer be lone associated with karate or even mathematics. Instead, our diverse colors and art are flaunted and displayed, supposed to be acknowledged by the rest of the world. BREAKING ONE-INCH LANGUAGE BARRIERS But, that may be a hard process to execute due to a factor dividing the audience and the films—language. A window to our innermost self and the key to people’s hearts, yet for some, a flightless bird, meeting its dead-end—caged and entangled in the barriers of societal standards. Since then, cinemas have always been prioritizing English films due to their marketability. However, even with the availability of subtitles and on-screen descriptions to suit non-English audiences, the dominance of the English language poses a problem not just for films, but even in everyday life—such as the case of some Liceo students. “I have met people who are smarter than me that struggle to express their thoughts in the universal language, and then there are some who are both smart and eloquent. I think people are so fixated on the idea that English is a major determining factor of one’s IQ that they invalidate other attributes that make up a person’s intelligence.” says STEM student, Karyle Dela Peña, additionally emphasizing that our areas of expertise are extremely diversified. But, perhaps, the problem relies not on the language itself but on the mindset we have that raises a different outlook in the eyes of many. Just as ABM student Zamirha Zhiann believes, this is simply another social stereotype fed into our minds, and it is a common human impulse to consider what the majority accepts. “Since English is the most often spoken language and commonly used as a requirement in tests, interviews, and other social conventions, we tend to see fluency in the language as a sign of intellect,” she explains.

“

... a revolution— a

renaissance of Asian art—is happening right before our eyes without restraint.

”

THE REALM OF NEW CINEMAS As these kinds of mindsets break down, the tight borders of stereotyped categorization of Asian cinema collapse with them. With the aid of technology, English is now just a supplemental medium to that one-inch border, as said by Bong. This is just a call to action for filmmakers to be bold, expressive, and talented. The feat of a non-English film in the world cinemas is just the start of its rebirth—shifting the limelight to the East. Parasite’s success in the Oscars paved another path towards reconnecting the bridge to the neglected part of world cinemas—proving language has never been a barrier to the greatness of a masterpiece. Perhaps we can never undo the past, but we hold the power to build the future. Now, it’s time to break that one-inch barrier and usher in the new era of world cinemas.

“Good Morning” - Singing in the Rain (1952)

WRITER | Paul Gabrielle T. Corral VISUALS | Patricia Therese Florence M. Alonso

WRITER | Prima Ysabella S. Arciaga VISUALS | Patricia Therese Florence M. Alonso

sol and luna

The Deathbed proverb

WRITER | Zamantha Zaynn J. Chiefe VISUALS | Claire Denise S. Chua

REVIEWS Umma

By Kirsten Ann G. Limosnero

The Batman (2022)

By Francis Exequiel P. Ampil

Violence is never the answer. Except for certain riddles. Although not said word for word, that idea’s seen in between the periods and question marks of a tense conversation between our caped crusader and his enigmatic villain as we ramp up to the beautiful, chaotic climax of 2022’s The Batman. Directed by Matt Reeves, this air of the mysterious and unsaid weaves in with old man Gotham’s dark atmosphere as we follow our titular hero in an early year of his career, without clowns or ivies or freeze-machines to beat. Instead, a crop of murders of Gotham’s biggest pulls Batman (Robert Pattinson) out of the dark in his effort to solve the killer Riddler’s identity, whilst dealing with Gotham’s web of corruption and deceit before a city-wide riddle blows it open. The Batman is a fine piece of craftsmanship, from its dreary scenery to its wicked Gotham, until its intense action sequences set against its grunge soundtrack. It’s the story and the performances bringing it to life, however, that is the Bat-Signal in the sky outshining the rest of the highlights. Brand new “Battinson” might be this generation’s go-to Dark Knight incarnation, anchoring the rest of the film with its mounds of dark heart and backstory and genuine detective work worthy of his title. The featured players aren’t to be taken lightly either, with special credit to Kravitz’s scintillating Selina and Dano’s destructive Riddler. In the end, it’s ultimately the arc of Bruce Wayne that takes the film from good to all-time great. Transforming from a man called vengeance to the symbol of hope, the Batman here may be young, but we still see the hero we all know and love—where the only thing blinder than the bats in his cave is his sense of justice.

Horizon Forbidden West By Paul Gabrielle T. Corral

Family plays a huge part in our lives, especially in our developmental years, where they slowly mold us into who we want to become. Or, sometimes, who they want you to become. We are always begged whether certain normative rigorous conduct has been instilled in our parents since they were once young. Though it is not strange to believe they had a rebellious phase nor to think they had an antipathy to their family’s rules when they were younger, how they came to be certainly is. So, understanding our parents’ judgments and restraints can be difficult when there is a generation gap separating traditions passed

down from current times that strive to break from these. Umma focuses on these catastrophic effects of intergenerational trauma and pentup emotions, but with a supernatural twist. The terror in this picture, produced by Iris K. Shim as her debut feature film, doesn’t stem from the titular ghoul poised to appear. Rather, it’s the dread of losing valued relationships due to fear of failure. This entry tackles parent-child relationships, the destruction of one, and the creation of another. The actors have masterfully enacted the dramatic scenes, with scene set-ups and cinematography which are both brilliant. On the other hand, the supernatural horror elements were not very effective. The actual bone-chilling parts relied on the narrative meat of this movie; generational trauma unwittingly breaking the love children expect their mother to welcome them with. It felt like the fictitious horror component was unnecessary, especially with its 83-minute run-time. Though mystical beings and horrifying entities elevate the fear factor, this movie failed to deliver on the genre it chose. However, it sent the message that there is nothing more terrifying and painful than reality itself.

Lambent strikes of color hypnotize the eyes, overshadowing the fact that, its exceptional budget aside, HBO’s Euphoria has taken a step down its realistic playbook and focused on erratic vignettes instead. Before its second season, Euphoria followed the lives of high school hophead Rue (Zendaya) and her peers, their problems intertwined in a bejeweled aesthetic, showcasing the back-lit struggles of a drug addict in love, finding a sense of belonging in a community that shunned her search for identity.

But what was a startling wake-up call of glittery trauma of teenagehood has taken quite a turn, viewers like us unsure what the dimensions of the plot entail anymore. In our season 2 finale, former best friends-for-life Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Maddy (Alexa Demie) sit in the restroom in the aftermath of their brawl over Nate Jacobs. “This is just the beginning,” Maddy says. But what exactly has begun? What even is there to continue? The answers are as vague as show creator Sam Levinson puts their questions, the beauty of messiness upheld without creative method. Rue stays clean, Jules misses her, Elliot works on his perversely lengthy song, and Kat is nowhere to be found—but for what? Don’t be mistaken, the show was advertised to portray a high schooler battling drug addiction, bordered by psychedelia between hallucinations, glitter, and elation. But with the recent season’s gentle sepia and undefined character exploration, some might argue that Euphoria will never be the same as it was before. Chaos has been the climax of the recent season, after all; but whether a surge for future flares or just a benchmark before the fall, we’re unsure. Needless to say, if turning oppressors into victims, mavens into maniacs, and lessrepresented characters into bad role models are the new quintessence Levinson aims for, then shoot no further than this.

On February 18, 2022, Guerilla Games, the developer, and Sony Interactive Entertainment, the publisher, officially released Horizon Forbidden West with anticipated success from the gaming community. When vicious, bio-eating, and dinosaur-like Faro war machinery lays the Earth barren, our hero Aloy must once again embark on a new journey westward as her troubled world faces a new Armageddon that will redefine humanity’s future. Having received rave reviews, this sequel is filled with even more complex combat, peppered with the post-apocalyptic scenery of the United States. This open-world is vast with ruined old cities of a forgotten past that have spanned centuries. The search for truth by Aloy continues as well, with new allies and enemies to retell the hidden chapter of how

the planet’s imminent catastrophe came to be—even before the completion of a top-secret project to reseed life, by her clone-derived progenitor, Elisabet Sobeck, the chief scientist of the said D-Day endeavor. The lore may deepen to lure gamers in, but the biggest surprise waits in the gameplay. Truly dystopian at heart, Horizon Forbidden West is a game that will test your rudimentary survival skills of bartering, hunting, and scavenging. With 360-degree turns, Horizon Forbidden West’s narrative explodes with suspicions and twists up against the intense reappearance of the Far Zenith extra-planetary colonists as civil war looms in the backdrop. Whether you rise through the rubble or roam through the west, this game certainly awaits you with bated breath.

Euphoria

By Miles U. Guancia

This article contains spoilers for Season 2 of Euphoria.

FKA twigs - Caprisongs By Maria Mikaela H. Tormon

Heartbreaks, toxic masculinity, and rebirth. FKA twigs’ debut mixtape takes you on a journey of life in all its glory and pain. Pop and R&B musician FKA twigs has finally released her elusive and shapeshifting 17-track mixtape, Caprisongs, ranging from dancehall anthems to soulful ballads. Twigs—or Tahliah Barnett—has unveiled and embraced a new side to her musical persona, one filled with catchier hooks and pop tunes while maintaining the mystical experience when listening to her music. In its span, Caprisongs showcases an amalgamation of various genres, snippets of narratives and conversations, and hauntingly beautiful vocals. Although this album is a stark contrast to 2019’s MAGDALENE, Caprisongs still maintains Twigs’ well-known avant-garde and experimental sounds, gut-wrenching lyrics, and operatic voice—a staple in her body of work. These aspects have always made the songstress stand out in a sea of artists. Songs like “Jealousy”, “Tears In The Club”, and “Papi Bones” are bop-certified anthems that will get you up on your feet and bounce to their beats and rhythms, while “Darjeeling”, “Careless”, and “Thank You Song” are fit easy late-night listening. However, FKA twigs presence is truly felt with “Meta Angel”, her love letter to astrology, and the song that encompasses the whole theme of the album, one of rebirth and necessary pains. While this self-proclaimed mixtape did not seem as experimental compared to her previous works, it is always a delight to hear her music and see her sonic evolution. Caprisongs is an emotional ride filled with tracks that tackle the messy yet enthralling parts of life. FKA twigs is truly an art-pop angel and an innovator, never afraid to step outside the mold and share a part of herself through art in its highest form.

Def. - LOVE.

By Prima Ysabela S. Arciaga

With the right lyrics and rhythm, a song can resonate feelings it characterized to a sea of people. Music’s potential to elicit tremendous emotions is why most individuals have a song or album they’re emotionally bonded to. So when South Korean R&B singer, Def. released LOVE this January, he did just that. The six-tracked EP is a mash-up of alternative R&B, indie, and ballads wielded to light a spark within its listeners. Through this, he attempts to convey different dimensions of love and lingering emotions that come along with it. The EP commences with “AGAIN”, an R&B track featuring rapper Leon. With hushed,

honey-like vocals that give off a cozy feeling, Def. sings about a lost love he wants to return to, while Leon’s verse adds spice to the song with its upbeat rhythm. The second track, “WHY?”, takes us on a different road with synth-based beats and electro-acoustic guitar riffs. With more laid-back vocals, Def. sings about questioning his love interest’s actions. “I JUST WANT TO KNOW”’s jazzy melody follows, its hint of R&B leaning more on wondering if you’re still on the same page with your lover. Away from melodrama, “LIKE A FOOL“ takes listeners on a trip down memory lane with R&B artist, Junny. Their vocals perfectly blend as they reminisce about the honeymoon phase of love, filled with rainbows and butterflies. On the fifth track, “WANT U”, Def. plays with his vocals as he sings about a burning desire to be with your lover every minute of the day. The EP concludes with the last track, “SUNSET WITH YOU“, lo-fi and alternative beats tying the sentiments of the previous tracks into one cohesive song. Through the different portrayals present in this album, Def. has delivered once again a helpful guide to relationships for all the hopeless romantics out there.

Blood Lands

By Zamantha Zaynn J. Chiefe

Fury. Grief. Hate—broken pieces forged with wrath, assembled with rage, mastered through pain and violence. Suppose you’re into enemies-tolovers, a one-bed trope with a renegade woman and an equally deadly alpha man, then Stacey Marie Brown’s fifth book in her Savage Lands series, Blood Lands surely has the recipe you’re looking for. With the series shaping up to be one of her best works to date, she has served another gritty, dark, and action-packed fantasy novel of high caliber. The plot picks up where the fourth book left off, with the first half of the plotline keeping you on the edge of your seat, never allowing you to be comfy for too long with its relentless action and suspense oozing between the lines. It truly leaves you at your wit’s end because no one knows what’s about to be unleashed.

In terms of emotional suspense, it reigns supreme among the preceding works in the series by a wide margin. Brown spares no sentiments, making the readers’ hearts leap at every turn of the page, while still keeping you flipping like a bee needing honey. To say it’s just “fine” would be the understatement of the century. However, the fact it is a paranormal romance makes it unfitting for some readers. The angst and plot twists will keep you engrossed, yet you will find yourself immersed in a diabolical culture of power and violence; the author did not shy away from the world’s dark and sinister features. All in all, Blood Lands does not disappoint. It still continues the sweltering heat that scorches the pages of the entire book series. So, fasten your seat belts, because just like the other four books, you’re in for a bumpy ride filled with nonstop action.

in a scheme to manipulate the wealthiest of New York before her fraud is caught red-handed. The story of this fashionable fraud is inherently intriguing. The actress Julia Garner only adds on as she makes it impossible to look away when she’s on screen. Her performance, which grows more spirited as her Inventing Anna character races towards a famous downfall, falls on point. The accent, By Rishiana Claire D. Dadivas the mannerisms, and the approach benefit in part from another scenestealing performance. But If you’re looking for an in-depth analytical probe into her behavior, this won’t be the Netflix drama for you. This take on the story plays like a flat reel on an otherwise captivating story—a stretched-out nine-episode spree that never catches the riddle of its protagonist or matches her lure. Just as Delvey herself, Inventing Anna is all flash with The narrative of the Big Apple is that it is the playground for the rich, full little substance, offering little discernment into this mysterious figure. of luxury, fashion, status, and success. But can you join the power players There’s plenty to like about this sleek, intriguing storyline. However, it by simply following? Or can you even play them like pawns in your very could have been told in a more focused way. game? Nevertheless, this series was a captivating and enjoyable That question is the glittery heart of Netflix’s true crime story, binge-watch. Suppose it’s inevitable that a story about a hoaxer heiress Inventing Anna. In this half-true tale, ambitious Anna Sorokin turns to feels a little concave, but it’s a fun ride while it lasts. soon-to-be-heiress Anna Delvey, as she skillfully conveys herself as a While it’s not a restful ending, perhaps, like Anna, we don’t young nouveau who wants to build herself apart from her family wealth deserve one.

Visuals | Ana Dominique G. Manabat