The Benildean Volume 2 Issue 6: Escape

The vol. 2 no. 6

Benildean

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS OFFICE

BENILDEAN PRESS CORPS AY 2015-2016

EDITOR IN CHIEF Katsy Garcia

WRITERS Eya Arceo, Mark Baltazar,

LAYOUT ARTISTS Christian Mata,

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Neal P. Corpus

Gian Franco Bernardino, Brian

Zen Montoya, Camille Santos,

ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR PRINT Ralph de Vera

Paolo Castillo, Shereen Cenas, Jim

Jacob Camaro

ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR DIGITAL MEDIA Jomari Vista

Dela Cruz, Jhey de Leon, Jason

MANAGING EDITOR EJ Lanuza

Fajardo, Nicole Ganglani, Aya

MANAGERS Francheska Cruz,

Garcia, Beatriz Juliano, Kat Lino,

Lyssa Placido, Chelly Patulud,

NEWS EDITOR Bea Mendoza

Aien Mayores, Zen Montoya, Bryan

Thea Torres

SPORTS EDITOR David Tongol

Nonay, Chelly Patalud, Chelsea

FEATURES OICs Neal P. Corpus + Ralph de Vera

Perez, Mark Recto, Earl Roxas,

DIGITAL MEDIA STAFFERS Pamela

KULTURA EDITOR Charlotte Mae Martin

Timothy Santos, Gab, Torres, Thea

Barrios, Lance Florentino,

LITERARY EDITOR Jona Bisu単a

Torres, Maxine Villava

Rosabella Mercado, Sace

ART EDITOR Sofia Abellera

Natividad, Sid Ramos

PHOTO EDITOR Abby Magsanoc

PHOTOGRAPHERS Xi-anne

LAYOUT EDITOR Nicole Valencia

Avance単a, Joriel Bataan, Gerard

SPECIAL THANKS freedom is never absolute.

DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Mika Abad

Del Mundo, Inah Maravilla, Yves

SDA Equipment Center

DIGITAL MEDIA OIC Maxine Villava

Publico, John Dominique Roxas, Nikko Veloso

HEAD Ms. Dianne May E. Torres COORDINATOR Ms. Rizalyn Lagman-Manalili

ILLUSTRATORS Alberto Cinco,

SECRETARY Ms. Janice C. Mones

Jr., Jelenie Custodio, Rica Diaz, Christian Mata, Christian Anthony Pacis, Sid Ramos, Francis Tadeo, Lyra Tan, Natasha Ting, Jomari Vista, Jaz Yabut

is the official magazine of the students of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). No part of this magazine may be reproduced, whether by photocopying, scanning, or by any other means, without written permission from the Student Publications Office (SPO).

Copyright 2016. For inquiries, visit the SPO at 2/F Br. Miguel Febres Cordero Bldg., DLS-CSB, 2544 Taft Avenue, Manila, or call (02) 230-5100 local 1521.

THE COVER

photographed by Yves Publico styled by Neal P. Corpus hair and make-up by Joseph Jiao modeled by Kath Asuncion sittings editor EJ Lanuza photographer assisted by Joriel Bataan stylist assisted by Kitkat Elane, Bea Juliano, and Inah Maravilla sittings assisted by Thea Torres Kath wears a Proudrace raincoat and a blouse by Alyssa Ermitanio.

CONTENTS

PULSE 6 Evading injustice and inequity 8 No easy ‘dresscape’ 10 The dangers of a collectivistic nation

Does social media replace reallife interaction and give the same fulfillment?

12 The price of pressure 14 Geek in the pink 15 Wisdumb 16 Paruparong Bukid

24 Pagtakas, pagbangon, pagdiriwang 29 Juan Mali

ABLAZE

Taking the blue pill is easier when you see how awesome it feels to live in virtual reality

34 Weighing the way out 36 Myth busters

BLIP

17 Tick tock tour

38 Catching up with the waves

18 Double Negative

44 Nightlife and chill

KARILYON

56 From maid to Maine

20 Larong taguan ni Juan 22 Pansamantalang pagtakas

48 Into the future

32 Virtual rhapsody

58 Local vocals

Independent OPM bands finally give mainstream Pinoy music a run for its money and show why the current envelope of music is worth changing

77 Escapism

PLATFORM 66 Six-word short stories 72 The tycoon general 74 Masquerades in ink 76 Visionary redux 60 Silver screen show-stoppers

EDITOR’S NOTE

For some of us, the idea of escape is defined by quick getaways or long vacations—cinematic visions of pristine beaches, elusive mountainsides, and passing clouds. Some folks may think simpler, tapping into the avenues of music, literature, and art to momentarily break from the world. For others, still, thinking of escape triggers wistful thoughts of piña coladas and getting caught in the rain. Whatever your idea of escape is, it’s human nature for all of us to want to get away for and from whatever reason every now and then.

We take you beyond these pages of print and into life’s different possibilities of escape. We take you through Luzon, to the sand and surf of La Union. We talk about urgent issues our country struggles to resolve, such as the Lumad killings in Mindanao. We feature the different sounds, smells and tastes of Manila; little nightlife hacks to beat the daily grind. We explore the intrepid thrills of augmented reality and debate on health myths. We bring you to the shores of Bacolod for the famous Masskara festival, and dissect the guilty pleasure of your local Yaya novel. We talk about writers, designers, actors, and producers who floor us with their out of this world work.

So, save your paper, shut down your laptop, grab a coffee and sit down with this issue for a little bit. There’s no harm in taking a small break—and we know you deserve it.

KATSY GARCIA Editor in Chief

NEWS ANALYSIS + EDITORIAL + OPINION

PULSE

The harsh realities of the everyday haunt us everywhere, from the halls of the College all the way to the walls of social media. We all need an escape once in a while, but we mustn’t forget the other cruelties going on around us: the Lumad of the South is going under fire, and our collectivist culture is slowly sinking us down.

EDITED BY Bea Mendoza

evading injustice and inequity text Earl Roxas art Natasha Ting

Unrest in Mindanao is not unheard of—the land is not only ridden by the animosity between the military and breakaway Islamic fronts, but also by the cries of the Lumad The issue of the injustices done against the Lumad have not been garnering mainstream media coverage. If it weren’t through the aid of social media, people would remain oblivious to their sufferings.

It is only when they travelled from Mindanao to Manila to voice out their concerns has the populace become aware that the Lumad are to be acknowledged.

pagpapatahimik sa amin (This is only one of their ways of keeping us silent [about the injustices]),” added Aida Seiza, an incumbent datu of her tribe. Additional reports claim that there are even instances when grenades were thrown to scare people from their settlements.

Injustice Given the situation of little opportunity for the Lumad to be educated, their schools were built solely from the initiative of the Lumad themselves, with the occasional assistance from NGOs. Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) is an example of the efforts being done to reach out to the Lumad youth. The murders of its founder, Emerito Samarca, a leader of a federation for the indigenous people of Mindanao, Dionel Campos, and Campos’ cousin, Bello Sinzo, by armed men who were suspected to be associated with the military, were witnessed by the teachers and students in the school. This only one of the incidents of killings against the Lumad; the military has reported that the NPA has killed 357 Lumad during 1998-2008, while Anakbayan throws in their own statistics of 144 Lumad killings since P-Noy started his administration.

According to activist groups such as Karapatan, Kabataan, and Bayan Muna, the military is to be held responsible for the killings. To justify them, the military then associates the Lumad with communist groups, or says that there are tribal wars which are needed to be thwarted.

However, another group of Lumad leaders came forwards saying that they hold the New People’s Army for the slaughters. From the military’s perspective and defense, they stated that they are simply keeping peace in Mindanao.

In spite of the growing awareness regarding the Lumad, Brig. Gen. Joselito Kakilala in an ambush interview by the Philippine Daily Inquirer said that “hindi nila alam yung real story” claiming that people will have reservations once they discover what really is happening. Though the military has denied involvement with the ALCADEV executions, they believe that the institution is actually a front for recruiting Lumad into the NPA, or indoctrinating children with communist propaganda.

Identity The term Lumad refers to the 18 ethnic tribes from the 19 provinces in Mindanao who were not influenced by Christianity nor Islam. The term is derived from the Cebuano word meaning “native”, and like other indigenous groups, maintain a sense of respect for the environment. These tribes have been relying on what nature offers them, and they often steer clear of medicines as they strongly believe that the cures for common ailments are found in their surroundings. In the wake of explorations in their lands, the Lumad resorted to bartering with towns for a living. Though often mocked for being “uneducated” and called names such as “taong bundok”, they are not limited to what others think of them. Despite their primal ways, some of their values could be considered modern, such as their concept of gender equality.

Inequity For the longest time, the Lumad have thrived among their ancestral lands, occupying most of Mindanao. Their wide territory covers the Davao region, up to Surigao, with a few enclaves in Zamboanga. However, an influx of migrants from different parts of the Philippines forced them to retreat to the mountains during the Marcos administration. Several companies and corporations owned by politically influential families, both local and international, then took the opportunity to commence explorations on the said ancestral lands for minerals, natural gas, metals, produce, and lumber which has significantly damaged not only their way of living but also the environment. This is what they have been fighting for for decades, yet there hasn’t been a clear mandate made by the government which grants these tribes rights to protect their lands from the exploitation of businesses. In comparison, the Bangsamoro Basic Law has been on the spotlight, granting the current ARMM additional autonomy.

Based on the statistics conducted by activist group Anakbayan, nine out of ten Lumad children are still deprived of formal education as schools are inaccessible to them. In addition, there has been an increasing presence of the military in the schools, forcing them to eventually shut down. “Isa lamang ‘yan sa mga paraan ng

In hopes of finding support from the administration, the Manilakbayan was commenced by the Lumad with the aid of activist groups, camping out within the UP Diliman campus, and later in Liwasang Bonifacio. This gives them the opportunity for people to hear their voices. In response, Benilde’s Center for Social Action (CSA) launched multiple campaigns for Lumad awareness, such as opening a photo exhibit in Greenway Square, collecting donations (medicine, food, water, etc.) and bringing them to the Lumad campout in Liwasang Bonifacio.

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NO EASY

‘DRESSCAPE’ DRESSCAPE

text Mika Abad and Bea Juliano photos Christina Maravilla

With rumors of inconsistency in one of the most violated policies in the College, both students and authorities share their side of the story.

At the start of each academic year, Benildeans are oriented on a school-specific dress codes through the Office of Student Behavior (OSB). But perhaps the increase of the student population every year, authorities in each campus are having difficulty in monitoring the student body, resulting to several students escaping the sanctions.

Based on their annual reports from 2011 to 2015, the OSB records an average of 1,621 minor offenses (excluding the verbal warnings) for dress code violations per academic year, having approximately 540 cases per term, seven cases per school day. In the last four years, a total of 6,483 minor offenses were sanctioned in just violating the dress code policy.

“The common misconceptions are the students’ points of reference, causing inconsistent measurements”, Mr. Darwin Trinidad, OSB Head, said in an interview.

In conjunction to his statement, it is written in Appendix I: General Dress Code Policy of the Student Handbook 2013-2016 that in order to “establish and maintain a high quality learning environment for all students and staff”, students should “dress in a manner that provides for adequate safety while on any school campus” by not wearing “clothing that is disruptive to the learning environment or hampers the 8

safety of themselves or others” and “will be asked to change clothing and may be subject to school discipline under Section 1.2.5.7 should they refuse”—as determined by the school and its faculty members.

But Mr. Trinidad mentioned that it is physically impossible for them to monitor all the students, resulting to students escaping in their inappropriate attire. “We actually find it difficult to determine whether students are from the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (SHRIM) or School of Design and Arts (SDA). One way we can identify them is when their professors would send the students to us from violating their dress code, but we cannot filter them from the entrance”, Trinidad explained.

Some students admit to being more cautious in the Taft campus, especially at the Duerr Hall with its stricter guards.

By the books According to Section 7.6.2.9-10 of the Student Handbook, wearing inappropriate attire inside the campus or any violation of the general and program dress code policy is sanctioned as a minor offense.

Attires deemed inappropriate in the general dress code policy includes: 1.)

Any clothing bearing offensive images and words, 2.) revealing tops, 3.) bottom wear measuring three (3) inches above the knee or shorter with torn or slashed materials or fabrics that are too tight or overly body-fit. and 4.) house shoes/slippers.

From students’ standpoint As reported by Mr. Trinidad, SDA students consistently have the most number of dress code violations. From S.Y. 20132014 onwards, more than half of the total recorded offenses per school year were from SDA students.

As written by a broadcast media professional in 2014, Alina Co, her article from Philippine Online Articles entitled “Dress up to feel better: the psychology of fashion” states that most college students have the initial mindset of “dressing to impress” in the first few weeks, which leads to a conclusion that students dress according to their degree program.

According to an OSB supervisor from SDA, Ms. Reimar Paragas said that the campus is considered to be lenient among the three campuses due to students associating it with being an ‘art school’. She also added that students have the right to express themselves, but the school encourages students to dress appropriately for this is a Catholic institution.

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Christelle Martinez, a 115 Human Resource Management (BSBA-HRM) student was caught in that area during her first week in school. “Even though it was only a warning, I still thought it was unfair since I see other girls who wear shorter skirts than [I do].”, she explained.

Meanwhile in their black suits and blazers, SHRIM students in the Angelo King International Center (AKIC) are highly monitored by both checkers and professors from their hairstyles down to the type of footwear as part of their training for the industry.

“I was once sent to the OSB by my professor because I was wearing nail polish in my laboratory class.”, shared Nicole Pamular, a 114 BS-HRIM student under the Hospitality Management track. She agreed with the policy being effective for the SHRIM students. “It trains us how to groom ourselves and dress up properly. It is very important to look prim and proper, especially in the hotel industry.”

Within the past four academic years, female students dominated the tallies in violating the dress code policy, except in S.Y. 2013-2014 when 908 out of 1,807 cases were sanctioned to male students, 860 of them coming from SDA. Majority of the male students get caught for wearing ripped jeans. Mr. Trinidad explained that this is for the propriety of the attire. He added that, “We are also sensitive of the current trend but then again there other events where you can wear your ripped jeans, but not in school”.

When asked about their opinion as to why some people are still able to get away in violating the dress code policy despite the OSB being strict, Pamular said: “students get away in violating the dress code because there are lots of students in AKIC which makes it hard for the OSB to check them.”

“I think it’s because they already know how to avoid those OSB officers by being familiar with their faces and knowing where they often stay,” Martinez added.

As stated in the last part of the introduction in Appendix I: “When in doubt about an item being inappropriate, do not wear it.”

the price

of pre text Jason Fajardo and Timothy Santos art Christian Mata

Does social media replace real-life interaction and give the same fulfillment?

It’s a norm for some students to attempt to be “in” with various things—lifestyle, clothing, and of course, social media. There have been multiple cases where students judged their fellow students and colleagues for not having accounts for various trending apps, while some pressure others into downloading them. With all the peer pressure muddled around it, does social media really bring contentment and satisfaction to its users?

Techie lifestyle As of January 2015, the Philippines leads the average “Time Spent on the Internet”, according to We Are Social’s Digital Report.

The average Filipino spends approximately 6.3 hours/day online via laptop and 3.3 hours/day via mobile, compared to the global average of 4.4hours/day. In the last four years, the Philippines has grown in terms of internet access with an astonishing 500%, the fastest rate in Southeast Asia. According to Julian Persaud, former Google Managing Director in Southeast Asia, the numbers are predicted to double this 2016.

Due to the increase of users over the years, in addition to the satisfaction and contentment the users feel, social media has become part of everyone’s lifestyle. Individual lifestyles and choices are heavily influenced by people surrounding them, which pretty much explains how social media apps spread. When people see others all trendy with new apps, even indirectly, they feel pressured to join the bandwagon.

In a research by Anna University in India, youth utilize social media sites to satisfy their socialization needs, such as the need to participate and join in communities with like-minded users. Social media also gives the users the feeling of contentment with their need to expand their “circle of friends” which symbolize their social personality.

Nowadays, despite its numerous advantages, social media actually leads people to be less self-regulated, making them less likely to socialize in person due to the contentment they feel through social media. This is most prominent with teenagers., At the same time, parents now find it difficult to relate to their children due to lack of understanding, technical abilities, and time.

Root of the scene According to Mr. Neil Barnachea, a Center for Counseling Services (CCS) counselor of the College, “Peer pressure starts when one allows himself to be affected by what others [would] like that person to do. It happens anytime particularly when a group would like to do something that is not in accordance to what is the norm”.

Mr. Barnachea mentions that if a person is knowledgeable and aware of his/her own self and is comfortable with it, other people will have no impact to his/her ways of doing things—may it be on social media or not. Thus, peer pressure starts only when you give yourself permission to be affected by what others encourage you to do.

Meanwhile, Mr. Rogelio dela Cruz Jr., a faculty under the School of Multidisciplinary Studies in the Social Science Area and Center for Instruction, Research, and Curriculum (CIRC) Head of Educational Technology Office of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSCSB), says that the different features of social media contribute to a person’s perspective of himself/herself. “Sometimes a person may portray roles similar to known personalities or celebrities. A few reasons for why people do this is it may be a defense mechanism since we people are afraid to undergo emotional pain, or a “pain reliever” if you will”.

For him, different sectors of society may help in maintaining a truthful and adequate expression of oneself even if the person 10

ssure is truly engaged in social media. For families, parents could set parameters, rules and procedures for the children to be guided on dealing with social media, while friends may provide a comfortable environment for their group so that each and everyone of them may freely express themselves, with or without social media.

When asked how they feel when someone says they don’t have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat among others, Princess Razon, 113 Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts (AB-MMA) answered “I feel like I’m talking to a lola? Just kidding. I feel like they’re weird but it’s their own decision if they want to create one or not.”

On the other hand, when asked if they pressured someone in making a social media account, Kevin Aurelio batch 113 of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with specialization in Game Design and Development (BSIT-GDD), said “I’ve pressured a friend to make a snapchat account before; I bothered her everyday until she made one. I just thought she’d enjoy the new features of snapchat as much as I do, but she eventually deleted it.”

Word of advice Mr. Barnachea advises that it’s best to limit the use of social media, check your privacy settings in terms of posting, choose friends wisely, and “think before you click”.

Mr. dela Cruz, on the other hand, points out that whether one is on social media or on other platforms, all these things may contribute to a person’s personality, thus we cannot consider technology as a result of negative scenarios given that social media is amoral, meaning it is neither good or bad, depending on the intentions of the user.

“As persons, we have a private and a public life, but it does not mean we are lying to ourselves,” he said.

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EDITORIAL

the dangers of a collectivistic nation As Filipinos celebrating the success of our fellow champs, we create a mentality that depicts negative collectivism among Filipinos.

In the hype of all the of the triumphs of Filipino personalities that have happened over the the past years, Filipino supporters and spectators tend to over-empathize with their victories. Filipino pride has lead us to be excessively proud about the success of others, focusing on to the lives of our idols while letting our own lives crumble into mediocracy.

We Filipinos have a tendency to put ourselves in the shoes of Filipino triumphs in order to feel better about ourselves. Pia Wurtzbach, Gilas Pilipinas, and Manny Pacquiao are among those who have served as a catalyst of our Filipino pride. But is it our avenue to nationalism, or is it a mere distraction from the struggle of living within our third world country? Based on Hofstede’s cultural dimension theory, Catholic countries like the Philippines show a very high uncertainty avoidance, high power distance between the bourgeois and the impoverished individuals, moderate masculinity, and have a low sense of individuality.

Comparing it to secular countries like Sweden and Switzerland who show a heightened sense of individuality and low power distance between the rich and the poor, countries who are individualistic tend to be more progressive compared to collectivistic nations like ours. Instances such as the zero crime rate during Manny Pacquiao’s fight and the record breaking hashtags during the Miss Universe coronation scandal reflect how we Filipinos focus more on other people’s success than the importance of self development and personal success.

Although we are primarily responsible for our individual welfare, Filipinos are relatively interdependent on others. We are influenced by a lot of factors in our environment, and are potentially dragged into the same realizations as others when we consider ourselves on the same page with them. Oftentimes, we tend to feel overexcited by feelings of commonality and sharing. This manifests itself in the reactions of Filipinos to the success of other Filipinos. We involve ourselves at the peak of all the celebratory comments rushing in during a win of a certain personality, despite the fact that not all of

us truly understand what happened behind that win. This is when we realize how well the Filipinos could show their support not only in the heat of the moment but also during the preparations, and before the events actually start.

To some extent our support for our nation’s triumphs is good— but our love for victory has made us hateful of defeat. This has made Filipino individuals feel inadequate and reserved. Our culture of having a pessimistic mindset in trying has in turn cultivated a generation of mediocrity. As a result, a lot of us have left our dreams as words in the social media grapevine and instead talk about the success of Filipino individuals. We must remember that a society is made up of individuals, and the contribution of each person dictates the outcome of a country’s progression. Seeing other Filipinos win has become an extension of us as it quenches our thirst for victory; but as we sit and watch, we tend to forget our responsibility to ourselves: to stand on our own feet, and live a successful life, just as our idols have done. We must remain collectivist in being supportive of each other’s endeavors—but it is still essential to retain our individualistic path towards personal success.

As Filipinos, sharing in the success of others is not something that is frowned upon, but it is disappointing that we leech off the victories of the huge names in society, especially if we know that they have Filipino blood. We should show our support not only during the markings of gain, but also during the times when our bets have tons of hardships to face during their preparation for the big day. When that big day comes, our consistent and overflowing support could pave the way for a new definition of the Filipino supporter; the negative aspect aside, instead, the undeviating support that we could offer shall be manifested not only during the course of the win, but also during the whole priming process of our dear “Pinoy pride” bets. Perhaps then, when we recognize and support the hard work and preparation of our idols prior to victory, we will be more inspired to strive towards it ourselves.

art by Natasha Ting

Our culture of having a pessimistic mindset in trying, has cultivated a generation of mediocritieses

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GEEK IN THE PINK

EJ Lanuza

Just when local filmmakers start to bring fresh, new dynamics to the local film industry again, we seem to find a way to kill—no, murder, butcher, and mutilate—such a beautiful industry that had so much potential. If we truly want the industry to survive, it would require not just a change in the way films are done but also how its audience needs to change its perspective on cinema culture.

Gone are the days where there are no good local films screening at your local movie house. Over the past few years, we’ve actually had a great variety of films like Jerrold Tarrog’s heartbreaking film Sana Dati, the hilarious Ang Babae sa Septic Tank from Marlon Rivera, and a thrilling Erik Matti masterpiece with On the Job. This is aside from a number of quality local independent films (or indie films) being constantly showcased in various local film festivals like Cinemalaya and the Cinema One Originals, and even gaining recognition from international award-giving bodies.

Though change is slowly creeping in into our local films, it’s sad to think that we—as an audience—have failed to appreciate these developments. Those of us who, supposedly, appreciate art have continued to be too critical of our own film industry. We quickly generalize and discriminate local films as tacky and set them aside while we swoon over, waiting, for the next Marvel film. The masses continue to suffer as huge film production houses continue to exploit their “low consciousness” as they patronize films that still have shallow plots—giving these houses reason to continue producing such films. We scream cultural revolution for our film industry when its viewers need it themselves.

While we can’t do much about the economic and educational system in our country—which has rippling effects in our culture—we can still help usher in a cultural revolution by starting to patronize and actually watch locally produced and made films. The problem is that we complain too much that local films are too corny, unoriginal, and repetitive when we haven’t actually seen some of the films, let alone know its premise or see its trailer. It’s true that there are still ‘bad’ local films out there, but how can we discriminate the good from the bad if we don’t go and actually try to see them?

However, if we are to really ensure the future of Philippine cinema, we must inspire the next generation of filmmakers and audience to appreciate, not only our own films, but art in general. It’s tiring to hear the excuse that because of our country’s “natural state”—average laborers work at an 8 to 5 job, poverty, and demands of everyday life—people, the masses, do not have the state of mind to appreciate art and that film is just simply a form of escapism no matter how shallow or artistic it is.

Instead, we should inspire and influence our children and the future generations, despite the failures and disappointments in our country, to look at art and films with awe and dismiss the old notion that they should focus on careers and things that would “make money.” It’s time that we create a space and an environment where they could discuss and even criticize works.

It’s still a long road to take before we truly say that Philippine cinema is alive and well again. We’ve had our fair share of faults in the past but as the new breed of filmmakers breathe new life into our local film industry, we—as the audience—must also change and look into the bright future of cinema our filmmakers will take us.

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art by Rica Diaz

for general patronage

PEN WISDUMB NAME

NAME Sofia Abellera

art by Sofia Abellera

avant-garbage

In the youtube video “Why is Modern Art so Bad?”, artist Robert Florczak criticized that over the centuries, the quality of fine art has declined severely. It’s hard to disagree when the art that high society celebrates today indeed makes us mentally scold ourselves for discarding our childhood drawings. Unfortunately, say we did save those drawings from the past, we still wouldn’t earn a single buck from them. That’s because while our scribbles were mere products of young imagination, modern artworks are deemed as revolutionary statements.

At some point, you’ve probably wondered why some paintings sell for millions even though their visual content ranges from, at most, several paint splotches across the canvas to, at least, a tiny speck of pigment at the center. Once in my art history class, my professor addressed this phenomenon dismissing the idea that a five-year-old could possibly create such an expensive painting, as claimed by many moms. He explained that although the splatters seen in modern art appear messy as if done by a kid, those splatters are actually deliberate and detailed with precision. Not a single element is 15

unplanned, which is why those paintings are considered skillfully executed.

But if that’s the case, then the way I see it, the artists may have just wasted their apparent talent and killer precision on projects that look like windshields of trucks running full speed through bug season. It feels like a joke for them to settle for something way below what they’re capable of.

And for what? What could be so important that they wouldn’t think twice before throwing their unique ability out the window?

I once came across an article in the Huffington Post that threw in its two cents on what made a Jackson Pollock painting expensive despite its messy appeal. It explained a little more why a “master’s” kiddy drawings sell and why everyone else’s doesn’t. While everyone else probably didn’t mean for their masterpieces to look ugly, the great artists of modern times purposefully embraced that ugly to make a statement, an opposition. The onlookers applauded the idea that real art does not need to conform to classical standards, thus skyrocketing the value of abstract art. While I agree that ideas and substance far outweigh the technique and execution, I don’t see completely sacrificing the latter as an act of genius.

To consider splatters, drips and what-have-you as fine art is unusual. Experimental. Avant-garde.

That’s the only appeal of it. If this trend continues, then anything, no matter how trashy, can become the next celebrated masterpiece as long as it has never been done before. People have forgotten that quality makes all the difference. A standard needs to be set for determining high-quality art, else galleries will eventually exhibit actual pieces of garbage on guarded and lit pedestals and call it brilliant, if that hasn’t already happened. Originality and substance is what gives art it’s worth, but excellence in quality is what defines art as an art.

PARUPARONG BUKID

Charlotte Mae Martin

Ang kinang ng isang kayamanang tunay na itinatangi ay hindi maglalaho basta-basta. Tulad ng orihinal na musikang likha ng mga Pilipinong musikero, ito ay may ningning na patuloy na lumulutang sa malakas na pagdagsa ng banyagang musika sa ating bansa. Sa matagal na panahon ay bumuhos ang pagtangkilik sa musikang nanggaling sa lahat ng sulok ng mundo—nariyang nahumaling ang maraming kabataan sa Korean Pop Music o K-Pop, pati na rin sa musikang nanggaling sa mga kanluraning bansa.

Kung susumahin ay malaki ang potensyal ng mga Pilipinong musikero at ng kanilang musika na patuloy pang lumaganap sa bansa.

Sa katunayan nga ay mayroon tayong batas, ang Executive Order 255 na nilagdaan ng dating Pangulong Corazon Aquino, na nagsasaad na ang bawat istasyon ng radyo sa ating bansa ay inaasahang maglaan ng hindi bababa sa apat na musikang OPM sa bawat isang oras. Mula pa noon ay napuna na ang pagkahalina ng mga Pinoy sa banyagang musika, kaya ang radyo ay isang tulay upang lalong maiangat ang kulturang Pinoy, lalong lalo na ang musikang gawang Pilipino. Hindi maitatanggi na ang mga Pilipino ay may angking talento talaga pagdating sa musika. Halimbawa na lamang diyan ang mga musikerong nadidiskubre sa social media at saka ay pinapalabas sa telebisyon dahil sa angking talento. Sa ating minamahal na kolehiyo pa lamang ay marami nang musically inclined na mga mag-aaral na sumisikat sa Soundcloud, YouTube, Facebook at sa iba pang social media platforms. Isa pang magandang halimbawa ay ang pag-angat ng mga Pilipino sa mga patimpalak maging sa ibang bansa katulad ng The Voice, Britain’s Got Talent at X-Factor. Sa panahon ngayon, hindi lang ang mga bandang sikat at kinagisnan ng mga Pinoy ang patuloy na nagpapakita ng kahusayan at patuloy na umaarangkada sa nasabing larangan.

Simula nang ako’y tumuntong sa kolehiyo ay patuloy na dumarami ang mga bandang aking nakikilala, indie man o mga bagong sibol pa lamang sa malawak na industriyang talaga naman tinatangkilik ng kahit na sino. Aking batid na lumalaki ang potensyal ng pagsikat

ng mga indie bands sa ating bansa. Sa ngayon ay marami nang mga website kung saan ay may mga playlist ng mga Filipino Independent bands na nagpapakita rin ng iba’t ibang programa at suporta para sa OPM. Karagdagan na lang din sa pure talent na mayroon ang mga Pinoy pagdating sa paglikha ng musika ang suporta ng iba’t ibang mga organisasyon upang makapag sa gawa ng mga konsyerto at mga okasyong may layong magpakilala ng mga aspiring Filipino artists. Malaking tulong ang pagkakaroon ng mga libreng konsyerto sa mga eskuwelahan at mga okasyon sa bansa upang mas mapalaganap ang sining na kanilang likha. Dito rin lumalaki ang aking pagasa na hindi basta-basta lalamunin ng banyagang musika ang musikang gawang atin.

Maliban sa pag-usbong ng makabagong henerasyon ng musikang gawang Pinoy, ang mga makata at iba pang manunulat ay napapansin na rin sa ilalim ng spotlight, habang nakatungtong sa ibabaw ng entablado. Ang slam poetry ay unti-unti na ring sumisikat sa ating bansa. Dito ay nabibigyang pansin ang dati’y mga tagong linya at taludturan sa sarili lamang binibigkas.

Ang puhunan lamang ay pag-iipon ng lakas ng loob, kasama ang paglabas ng umaapaw na pagmamahal sa ganitong klase ng sining, ay maaari nang makasabay ang mga makata sa bugso ng naglalabasang musikero ng ating bansa.

Hindi lang naman sa wika na ginamit masusukat kung OPM ba ang isang kanta o hindi—simple lang! Kung gawang Pinoy, lalo pa kung proud Pinoy, aba’y hindi maitatanggi na tatak OPM ang kantang iyon.

Kung hindi man sa taong ito tuluyang mag-bo-boom ang kabuuang industriya ng musika sa Pilipinas, paniguradong sa susunod na mga taon ay talk of the town, ‘ika nga, ang mga awiting nilikha ng ating kapwa-Pilipino. Mapa-liriko man ito ng mga kanta o mapatula, may kapares man itong himig o purong pagbabato ng linya at makabagbag-damdamin ang tanging laman, hindi maikakailang untiunti nang nakakarating sa kaalaman ng nakararami ang malaking potensyal na kasunod ng musikang Pilipino.

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art by Jelenie Custodio

bugso ng damdamin, bugso ng tugtugin

TICK TOCK TOUR

Jona Marie Bisuña

art by Lyra Tan

passion prisoner We’ve always heard and learned that it is best to have your passion as a profession, just because life would be simpler or more effortless in that case. We spend time and years finding the right habits and skills to fit into a perfect occupation. But what if that passion doesn’t get you anywhere or it’s just not applicable to the industry—would you consider proceeding, or look for another?

Sometimes, we need to be practical and keep searching.

When you see yourself come face to face with reality and say, “I want to do what I love to do,” it gives no specific answer, only a large array of options to choose from, leaving you to do the trial-and-error on your own. Surely, you assure yourself that your skills and talents can back you up on those list of options. But, what if it doesn’t?

You’re left with two choices: create a whole new career path for those skills or just look for another that’s feasible.

There is the tendency for some to continuously talk about their plans in pursuing the career they’ve always been passionate about.

But sometimes, it’s all just a bunch of words and plans with no means of execution whatsoever. The real success there is actually going after the goals and objectives you’ve set in order to attain that accomplishment. As stated in an article from 80,000 Hours, people are terrible at assuming which career they’ll feel most satisfied at, and good at just thinking about it.

It has become a common trait that once you begin to see the consequences and side effects of pursuing what you love to do, what comes next is the decision whether to retain or withdraw— quite similar to the Filipino trait called ningas-kugon, defined as someone who starts out enthusiastic in the beginning, but starts losing interest halfway to the end. According to an article by Rebecca Healy, only if you can withstand those circumstances can you call it a passion, as the reason why they’re called “passions” is because they are able to become more than what they are with no expectations or attachments.

Having a single aspiration becomes a limitation for other possibilities or opportunities to come because you enclose yourself on a narrow path of what you already know. See to it that the plan is foolproof before pursuing that passion. In this case, it includes the preparation of the mind, body, and soul for the hindrances along the

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way. Otherwise, you’ll end up lost and confused as to where to go next.

Think about it. Try asking yourself WHY do you want to pursue this passion and WHAT are you willing to risk for it. Call it passion if you’re ready to risk it all just to make it happen. If you bail out halfway there, perhaps because of the undesirable circumstances or a dead end career, remember it’s not too late to keep seeking for another path to satisfy the desire for what you love to do.

Know that being a passion prisoner may or may not guarantee a smooth and simple path to a content life because, at the end, you never really stop searching.

Ralph de Vera

DOUBLE NEGATIVE

to forgive,

It’s no question that the LGBTI community has still quite a long way to go when it comes to getting the rights they deserve, despite the progression throughout the years. Fighting for the chance to be allowed to love whoever we love shouldn’t be a struggle, basically— yet there are still people who license themselves to dampen the struggles of a community whose wings have been clipped over and over again. Despite this, we sometimes have to brush of the dirt casted towards us and forgive—despite how mangled we already look.

Senatorial candidate Manny Paquiao, has expressed his opinion that those who “practice” same-sex marriage are, “worse-thananimals”. People who know me, know that I’m naturally an angry person. I get ticked off easily and I am unapologetic to those who deserve my wrath, so when someone says that something I hold dear is being put into a hierarchy below the rest of the human race, my blood fills with anger. How can someone boastfully ridicule one whole community, despite the many achievements done, ridicule our basic rights to love? I was a mixture of rage and sadness at the fact that there are still people in our society who exemplify this harshness.

Though this isn’t the first time someone has trampled our dignity (we hear all about it all the time in the United States), I’d never imagine that someone of his popularity and stature, living in our soil, would voice his opinion in such a harsh light. I mean I get it, we all have differences in opinion, but to promote such depravity and oppression? In such a medium? It just feels that our whole

movement went four steps back just because of one person who didn’t give himself enough time to educate himself on our situation.

And yet, I say to the very community I love—forgive. This won’t be the last time we will be fighting a bigot like him. There will be others, probably stronger in opposition, stronger in power. We only have to keep on fighting for the things that they’ve stolen from us; dignity and equality. There will be other ways to win our fights, and hate won’t be the ammunition we need to win this war. There will be other ways and mediums to express our struggles, and people will listen.

We need to properly educate those who do not know what we are fighting for and let them know that we aren’t looking for any sort of privilege, just the return of our right to love.

So despite how torn we are, despite how bruised we are from the fight, and despite how tired we are from hearing the same shit thrown at us over and over again, we forgive. We just need to continue our fight in making our voices heard, and for sure, the proper people will listen. Even if we’re a few steps back, we’ll recover them with strides of the very thing they think they’ve stolen from us—our humanity.

We forgive, forget, and move on. We’ll have our time to shine, no matter how far off in the future it may be. At the very least, we didn’t win because we hated the same way they did, but because we just kept our tear covered faces up high, clipped wings spread, and our bruised arms covered by the love that we’ve always wanted, and it will be hand-in-hand with the very people we once hated.

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art by Christian Pacis

divine

KARILYON

CULTURE + TRAVEL

EDITED BY Charlotte Mae Martin

t

Sa bawat pagtakas ng mga Pilipino mula sa realidad ng kinakaharap sa araw-araw, maging sa mga nagdaang pasanin o dalamhati, lumilitaw ang katangian ng pagiging matatag ng bawat isa. Sa gayon din makikita na sa tuwinang pagkawala sa paulit-ulit na kinasanayan ay panibagong perspektiba ang nabubuksan, kasabay ng pagtuklas sa tunay na kulturang isinasabuhay ng bawat Pilipino.

larong

taguan ni akda Daniella Cruz at Jim Dela Cruz dibuo Jomari Vista

Juan

Hindi lamang iisa ang pakahulugan nating mga Pinoy sa salitang “entertainment”, marami itong anyong dahilan ng ngiti sa bokabularyo ating buhay.

Karaoke, chibugan, gimik, laughtrip, libre, sale at trending— ilan lamang ang mga ito sa mga salitang kahali-halina sa ating mga pandinig. Sa bawat pagbukas ng pahinang librong ating inililimbag, para bang titigil ang pag-ikot ng mundo at mapapawi ang kalungkutan. Dahil sa bokabularyo ng mga Pinoy, ang alternatives sa ating pang araw-araw na problem-solving ng realidad ang instrumento upang takasan ang mga ito.

Bidang kontrabida “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard, copycat!”— Iilan lamang ito sa mga famous lines na talaga nga namang tumatak na sa bawat tahanan ng mga Pinoy. Naging bahagi na ng tahanang Pinoy ang mga teleseryeng nag-trending at mainit na pinag-uusapan sa social media ay natabunan na lamang ng mga ito ang mga mas importanteng isyu ng bansa. Kadalasan ay tila nagiging firewall na nga ng ating kaisipan ang sobrang pagkahumaling sa mga karakter na nag-e-exist lamang sa TV at madaling nai-spoon feed ng media ang anumang nais nilang mag-boom sa mga manunuod.

Oh mga pare’t mare, anong taya ninyo?

Up-all night at all-day sa mga sulok ng ilang mga barangay ang mga Pinoy na isinasa-swerte na lamang ang kinita nila sa araw. Mag-hapong session nanaman ito nang pag-bibinggo kung saan bibong-bibo ang mga manlalaro, inaabangan ang bawat mabubunot na letra’t numero at inaasam na makasigaw nang “Binggo!” para maiuwi ang premyo. Oo, minsan nakakaligtaan na ng iba ang kanilang mga gawaing bahay kaya daan ito ng pagtakas nila sa responsibilidad na naka-atas sa kanila. Sapagkat sa mga ganitong sugal ang tanging tumatakbo sa isipan nating mga Pinoy ay enjoy ka na, may premyo ka pa.

SALE? Sali ako!

Nagkataon ba o sadyang nasa-saktong tuwing end of the month o suwelduhan kadalasan ang araw ng pagpatak ng mga malalaking tarpaulin na may mga katagang, “S-A-L-E”? Ayon sa isang survey ng Nielsen’s Shopper Trends Report, ay tumaas

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ang buwanang pag-gastos sa pagkain, grocery at personal care ng mga Pilipino ng 8% sa 2012 dahil sa impulse buying o ang pagbili ng mga bagay na wala sa kanilang shopping lists. Pumapasok na rin rito ang isa sa mga behavior nating mga Pinoy kung saan nagiging magaling tayong makipag-tawaran. ‘Yung tipong magpapalitan kayo ng bid hanggang sa umabot ang presyo ayon sa mapagkakasunduan niyong dalawa. Tinatakasan natin ang mga mahal na presyo sa mga produkto nais nating bilhin kasi nga hindi umaayon ito sa budget.

An-cyber?

Isa pa sa mga top list ng entertainment ng mga Pinoy ngayon ay dulot ng Internet. Partikular sa social media ay ang iba’t ibang litrato, memes na pinag-tripan at ginawang katawa-tawa sa paningin ng iba ay unknown pa rin ang pagkakakilanlan ng mga taong pinagpiyestahan ang kanilang mga kahinaan sa internet.

Sa mga pagkakataong ito ay nangyayari ang cyberbullying kung saan ang isang tao ay pinag katuwaan ng walang permiso gamit ang teknolohiya. Positibo o negatibo man ay hindi pahuhuli ang mga Pinoy sa ganitong uri ng entertainment—mula sa pambabash at pag-kumento ng mga di kanais-nais na bagay sa isang text box na naging instrumento ng distruksyon ng taong na-target ng pambubully na ito. Ang gawaing ito ng mga Pilipino bilang pampalipas oras at pagtakbo mula sa problema ay tila seldang hindi matakasan para sa mga taong nabiktima nito.

Minsan ang akala mong shortcut sa problema ay hindi naman talaga shortcut, dahil ang realidad ng buhay ay walang madaling paraan sa pagharap ng mga pagsubok. Hahayaan mo na lamang bang buhay mo’y maging isa malaking laro? Laro kung saan kalaban mo ang iyong sa sarili sa pakikipag taguan na alam mo naman sa huli ikaw ang talo. Na-sosolve ang lahat ng bagay, kailangan lamang harapin ito nang buong puso at wag ng takasan pa ang hagupit nito. Buksan ang iyong mga mata sa realidad ng buhay, hindi tayo mga tauhan sa teleseryeng scripted dahil tayo mismo ang nagsusulat nito.

Pansamantalang pagtakas akda Brian Paolo Castillo dibuho Sofia Abellera at Rica Diaz

Ang pagbabasa ay maraming epekto sa ating buhay na kung minsa’y maging daan lamang upang matakasan ang hirap ng buhay.

Bawat oras na dumadaan ay katumbas ng pagpatak ng mga pawis na siyang produkto ng hirap at pagod ng mga manggagawang tulad ng mga yaya o tawagin nating mga kasambahay. Saksi ang kanilang mga pawis sa mga hirap na kanilang dinanas. Ang tirahan ng kanilang amo ang kanilang mundo at ang mga pawis ang kanilang kasama sa kasalukuyang nararanasan.

Ang kanilang hirap Karamihan sa mga tahanan ngayon ay mayroong kasambahay.

Karamihan sa kanila ay may kanya-kanyang istilo o paraan para maibsan ang kanilang pagod na nararanasan. Malaking porsyento sa mga Pilipino ngayon ang nagtatrabaho bilang kasambahay, sa loob man o maging sa labas ng bansa. Sisikat pa lamang ang araw ay bukas na ang kanilang mga mata upang gawin ang gawaing kanilang kinasanayan. Ang katiting na oras na kanilang nakukuha upang magpahinga ang nagsisilbing pinto upang makatakas sa kasalukuyan at dalhin nalang ito sa isang lugar na payapa at walang bumabagabag. Ang mundo ng piksyon sa bawat pahina ng mga pocketbook ay madalas masalimuot at hindi gaano nagbibigay ng kasiyahan. Kung may matira mang panahon, agad itong itutuon sa pagpapahinga o pagbabasa ng pocketbook na madalas daluyan nila patungo sa ibang mundo. Ang mga pocketbook ang nagsisilbing main exit sa madaling panahon upang marating ang mundo ng mga pantasya at romansa. Minsan nagbibigay sa kanila ng kiliti at kilig upang maibsan ang sakit na nararanasan sa totoong mundo ng pag-ibig. Sa bawat teksto na binabasa ay hatid ang bawat ngiti sa likod ng lungkot na humahampas sa pang araw-araw na pamumuhay.

Hatid din ang kakaibang mundo ng pantasya na nagpapawalak sa kanilang imahinasyon kahit nakulong sila sa masikip na kahon ng reyalidad.

Pansamantalang kasiyahan.

Dumating ang panahong kinahiligan ito ng kabataang Pilipino dahil sa nilalaman nitong kwento ng pag-ibig. Ilan na diyan ang “Bistro Guwapo” ni Terrence Abueva, “So Much Love to Take” ni Millie Calleja, “We Can Learn to Love Again” ni Saab De Andrade, at iba pa. Hindi rin magpapahuli ang iba pang nobelang Pilipino na talaga namang tumatak haggang sa ngayon tulad ng likha ni Bob Ong na ‘’ABNKKBSNPLAko?!’’ at ‘’Ligo na U Lapit na me ‘’ ni Eros Atalia.

Ito ang tangi at pansamantalang pagkakataon ng mga kasambahay upang takasan ang mahirap at reyalidad na kasalukuyan. Isang pansamantala ngunit ang hatid sa kanila ay isa ring pansamantalang pag-iba ng mundong ginagalawan. Isang bagay na pansamantalang nagbubura ng hirap na nararanasan at nagpapawala ng pagod.

Maaaring simpleng aklat lamang ito ngunit sa kanila isa itong bagay na nagbigay daan upang maranasan pa rin nila ng minsang kapayapaan sa kanilang isipan. Walang problema. Walang gawaing iniisip. Mula sa pahina isa patungo sa kahuhulihang pahina ang mga kwento’y nagsilbi nilang libangan at paraan upang ibaling ang kanilang sarili sa mga kwentong maaari o di kaya’y tulad ng kanilang talambuhay. Ang mga kwentong kanilang nabasa,nababasa,o mababasa ay may koneksyon marahil sa kanila kung kaya’t ito ang kanilang naging pansamantalang kasiyahan.

Instrumento sa pagpunta sa kabilang dimensyon Tulad ng mga kasambahay, ang bawat isa ay mga bagay na ginagamit upang maging instrumento sa pansamantalang pagtakas.

Ang iba’y musika na kung saan sa bawat nota ay katumbas ng pagpunan ng himig ng kapayapaan sa kanilang pagkatao. Ang iba naman ay sports o pampalakasan na kung saan sa bawat kampeonato na matatamo ay isang panalo at kasiyahang maituturing sa buhay. Sa mga kasambahay na tulad nila ang bawat salitang nakatatak sa mga pahina ay mahiwaga. Dala’y mahika patungo sa mundong kanilang pinaghihintuan. Sa mundong puro katatawanan at minsa’y kalungkutan. Bakas ang kanilang luha sa pahina kung nadadala sila ng emosyon ng bawat tauhan sa binabasa. Marahil naikokonekta nila ang kanilang buhay na nakapaloob sa isang munting pocketbook . Ngunit bawat isa sa mga tao ngayon ay ginagamit ang mga bagay na ito upang makatakas sa mga hirap, pagod at sakit na nararanasan.

Gaya ng mga kasambahay ang mundo natin ay puno ng mga misteryong nagiging daan upang maranasan natin ang pagsubok ng buhay. Ibat-ibang dimensyon ang maaaring pasukin upang maibsan ang dalamhating nararanasan at isa na rito ang pagbabasa ng pocketbook. Kasambahay man o hindi, talaga namang malaki ang naitutulong ng mga babasahing ito sa sining, panitikang Pilipino at sa buhay ng bawat indibidwal. Malaking epekto ang ibinigay sa lipunang punong-puno ng pagsubok at kasiyahan.

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“Dumating ang panahong kinahiligan ito ng kabataang Pilipino dahil sa nilalaman nitong kuwento ng pag-ibig�

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Pagtakas, akda Charlotte Mae Martin mga litrato Inah Maravilla

pagbangon,

Ang pagtakas mula sa kalungkutan ay nabigyang kulay at buhay ng mga Negrense sa pamamagitan ng tanyag na Masskara Festival.

Ang Masskara Festival na isang pista sa tinaguriang “City of Smiles”—ang Bacolod City ay nagdiriwang ng pagkukubli mula sa isang masalimuot na nakaraan; isang pagtakas mula sa malungkot na sinapit ng noon ay nalugmok na Bacolod dahil sa pagbagsak ng pangunahing pinagkukunan ng yaman sa lalawigan. Isang makulay na pagdiriwang ang tanyag sa lalawigang ito ang Masskara Festival.

Mass-aganang ani Tanyag ang Bacolod City sa Negros Occidental bilang “City of Smiles”, na siya ring tampok sa makulay at magarbong pista na dinarayo ng mga turista mula sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas at sa maraming sulok ng mundo. Isa ang Masskara festival sa pinakamagandang halimbawa ng pagtakas sa sitwasyon mula sa isang dagok na kinaharap ng Bacolod dahil sa pagbagsak ng ekonomiya ng tubo o sugarcane na siyang pangunahing pinagkukunan ng yaman sa lalawigan. Isang pagpapatunay sa katanyagan ng mayabong na ani ng tubo ay ang mga kataga sa Ilonggo na “ang kwarta, ginapiko lang kag ginapala,” na ang literal na salin sa tagalog ay “ang pera ay pinipiko lang at pinapala”—isang metaporang nagpapakita ng kasaganahan sa tubo sa lalawigan dahil kahit saan ka lumingon ay makakakita ka ng tanim na tubo. Noong taong 1980 naganap ang naturang krisis, na dinagdagan pa ng isang trahediya sa barkong MS Don Juan

sa lalawigan ng Negros na nagdulot ng masidhing kalungkutan sa mga Negrense, pati na rin sa mga kaanak ng mga pasahero ng naturang barko. Ang lalawigan ng Negros, kung nasaan ang lungsod ng Bacolod, ay bumubuo sa halos kalahati ng kabuuan ng producers ng tubo sa bansa.

Mass-ining na pagkukubli Dahil sa mga nabanggit na dahilan ng pagkalugmok sa kalungkutan at panandaliang kahirapan ng lalawigan, naisipan ng lokal na pamahalaan sa lalawigan na bumuo ng isang pagsasamasama upang alalahanin ang mga namayapa sa nagdaang trahedya ng MS Don Juan. Sa halip na ipakita ang malungkot na mukha ng mga Negrense ay napagkasunduan ng lokal na pamunuan at ng mga nag-organisa ng pista na gamitin ang mga makukulay na maskara, kung saan ay nakaguhit ang mga ngiti na noo’y pansamantalang nawala.

Magmula sa panahong ito, ang lahat ng pagkadismaya at pighati sa puso ng bawat Negrense ay napalitan ng tunay na mga ngiti at pagbubunyi nang tuluyan nang maumpisahan ang pistang ito. Sa bawat tanyag na pagdiriwang ng Masskara Festival, maraming daan sa lungsod ng Bacolod ang isinasara upang maidaos ito. Ang mga lokal ng lungsod, pati ang maraming dayuhan ay lilinya sa gilid ng daan o di kaya’y susunod sa street dance, upang abangan ang taunang sayawan at tugtugan na hatid ng pistang ito.

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pagdiriwang 25

Ang The Ruins ang tinaguriang “Taj Mahal ng Negros Occidental.� Ito ang naiwang mansyon ng mga Lacson noong 1900s nang pasabugin ng mga gerilya noong World War II.

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Ang Masskara Festival ay isa sa pinakamakulay at pinakamasayang pagdiriwang na ginaganap sa Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Mass-malaki, mass-maganda!

Ang magarbong pagdiriwang ng Masskara Festival ay kasalukuyan nang sumasalamin sa maunlad na lungsod ng Bacolod. Hindi lamang sa aspetong ekonomikal, kundi pati na rin sa kultural na aspeto. Sa bawat sayawang nagaganap sa malalaking daan at mga eskinita sa lungsod ay nangingibabaw ang ganda at tingkad ng magagarbong dekorasyon ng bawat maskara at mga palamuti mula sa iba’t ibang kalahok na barangay sa lungsod. Mula sa mabigat at nakakangawit na headdress, hanggang sa nagkikinangan na mga kasuotang sumasabay ang paggalaw at pagkinang sa ilalim ng tirik na tirik na araw. Indahin man ang init at pagod na dulot ng pagdiriwang na ito, hindi naman matatawaran ang saya at karanasang dulot ng Masskara Festival.

Ang sikat na pagdiriwang na ito ay isa sa ipinagmamalaki ng mga taga-Bacolod o ang mga Negrense. Ang katanyagan nito sa buong mundo ay hindi lamang nagpapakita kung gaano kayaman at kakulay ang kultura ng lahi ng mga Pilipino. Ito rin ay sumisimbulo sa madaling pagbangon o resilience ng mga Pilipino mula sa isang trahedyang nakapagdudulot ng masidhing kalungkutan. Ang Masskara Festival ay isa sa pinakamagandang paraan ng mga Pilipino ng pagbangon—ang pagtakas mula sa kalugmukan at ang pagpapatuloy ng buhay nang may ‘di matatawarang saya at ngiti sa mga labi.

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juan

mali akda Bryan Nonay dibuho Lra Tan

Panlalait, pagkamainggitin, at pangmamaliit—mga gawing nakasanayan na ng marami sa atin. Iwasan man ay mukhang naging bahagi na ito ng buhay Pinoy.

Hangang-hanga ang Pinoy sa mga bagay na ­imported o mga produktong gawa sa ibang bansa dahil mas maganda raw ang kalidad nito kumpara sa gawang lokal. Aliw din naman ang mga Pilipino sa mga klase ng pamumuhay na may impluwensyang banyaga. Magmula sa ayos ng pananamit at katawan hanggang sa kinakain, sinisikap matabunan ang kayumangging kulay para lang masabi na may kutis na kay puti at pang-international na ganda. Kung ano ang siyang taas ng tingin ng Pilipino sa ibang lahi ay siya naman ikinababa ng pagkilala ng mga banyaga sa mga Pinoy. Ito ay nagresulta na rin sa pangmamaliit ni Juan Dela Cruz sa kapwa niya Pilipino.

No read, no write Sa loob ng humigit-kumulang na 300 taon na pananatili ng mga Kastila sa Pilipinas, naranasan na ng mga Pilipino ang sari-saring

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pangmamaliit at panlalait ng mga Espanyol, kabilang ang pagbansag na indio o mangmang dahil sa kawalan ng edukasyon. Dahil sa pagiging sunod-sunuran sa mga Kastila at pagpapasailalim sa kolonya ng Espanya sa mahabang panahon, naging mga alipin sa sariling bayan at nawalan ng karapatan na itaas ang kanilang sarili.

Matagal na panahon nang lumipas ang kolonyalismo sa bansa ngunit magpahanggang ngayon ay may mababang pagtingin pa rin ang mga banyaga sa mga Pilipino. Masasabing kaya ganito na lang ang pagtrato ng mga foreigner sa mga Pinoy dahil na rin sa kilala ang bansang Pilipinas sa isa sa pinakamahirap na mga bansa.

Isa sa mga kilalang television shows sa Amerika ang nakatawagpansin sa maraming Pilipino. Isang episode sa Desperate Housewives ang di umano’y nagpakita ng isang eksena na nagbitaw ang isang aktres na si Teri Hatcher ng mga linyang may patama sa

Kaya sinasabi na hindi umuunlad ang bansa dahil sa halip na magtulungan para sa ikabubuti ng lahat ay naghahatakan pa pababa sa hirap. kung anong uri ng medical school ang mayroon sa Pilipinas. “Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines?” ang mga pahayag na ito ay umani ng mga batikos sa social media dahil sa lantarang pangungutya sa sistema ng edukasyon sa bansa. Dagdag pa ni Danny Macabuhay, isang kolumnista sa Pilipino Star Ngayon, “Ang panlalait sa Desperate Housewives ay leksyon sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno at pinuno [ng] iba’t ibang medical schools. Gumawa sila ng mga hakbang upang maging maganda ang pagtingin ng mga dayuhan sa mga Pilipinong nasa medical profession.” Naging basihan na rin ng standards sa lipunan ang tinapos ng isang Pinoy sa pag-aaral. Mas binibigyan ng oportunidad sa bansa kung mas mataas ang pinag-aralan. Sa pagtanggap ng mga kompanya ng mga empleyado, mas malaking factor kung ikaw ay nagtapos ng kolehiyo at may magandang paaralan na pinanggalingan. Naisasantabi na ang pagtingin sa kakayahan at talento at nahuhusgahan na agad ang pagkatao base pa lamang sa hawak na diploma.

Hypo-krisis ng madla Ang salitang “mata pobre” at iba pang panlalait at pangmamaliit ng kapwa ay naging kasanayan na rin ng mga Pinoy upang kahit papaano ay maitaas ang sarili sa lipunan. Naipapasok na rito ang colonial mentality, kung saan mas tinatangkilik na ng nakararaming Pilipino ang mga kaugaliang banyaga. Mas nakapagbibigay ng mataas na self-confidence sa isang Pilipino kapag nakikita niyang angat siya sa iba. Naging bahagi na nga rin ng katatawanan at libangan ang panlalait sa kapwa Pinoy. Patok sa mga comedy shows at bars ang mga punch line na may mga halong panlalait. Sa panahon ngayon ay nagkaroon pa ng panibagong mukha ang pamumuhay ng mga Pinoy. Dahil sa pamamayagpag ng impluwensya ng social media naging madali ang pagpaparating ng mga Pinoy netizens ng kanilang mga puna sa pamamagitan ng pag-comment at pag-share ng may panunuksong caption.

Mahilig punahin ang kaanyuan ng iba upang maitago ang sariling kapintasan—ito ay isang defense mechanism na sa lipunan.

Kilalang tauhan sa nobelang Noli Me Tangere ang mag-asawang De Espadaña. Sila ay nagpapanggap na mayaman at may dugong

Espanyol. Ang mag-asawang ito ay pilit na niyayakap ang kulturang Kastila at sinusuka ang kanilang pagka-Pilipino. Noon pa man ay may nakita nang konsepto si Dr. Jose Rizal ng pagiging hipokrito ng mga Pilipino. Nadala na ang ganitong ugali dahil na rin sa takot na maliitin ng iba. Ito’y naging gawi na ng karamihan sa lipunan, ang pagpuna sa iba ay nagiging daan para maitaas ang sarili.

Hilahang talangka Isa pang nakaugalian na mga Pilipino ay ang konsepto ng pagiging utak-talangka. Ito ay pagkainggit sa kapwa kapag nakikitang naka-aangat na ito. Kumbaga ay ayaw malamangan sa kompetisyon. Halimbawa na lamang sa isang tipikal na klase sa paaralan ay may paligsahan sa pagiging honor student ang mga kandidato at dito ay umiiral ang paghihilaan pababa. Nariyan na ipagsasabi sa mga kapwa kamag-aral ang mga hindi kanais-nais na katangian ng kalaban na estudyante.

Kaya sinasabi na hindi umuunlad ang bansa dahil sa halip na magtulungan para sa ikabubuti ng lahat ay naghahatakan pa pababa sa hirap. Naging gawi na ito dahil na rin sa inggit na nararamdaman.

Hindi naman maiiwasan ang ganitong dadamdamin ngunit huwag hayaan na lamunin ka nito hanggang sa punto na sisiraan mo na ang iba.

Sa panahon ngayon nagsisimula na rin ang pakikibaka ng mga Pinoy para sa pantay na pagtingin ng ibang lahi, maging ng kapwa Pinoy. Patuloy na pinapamalas ng mga Pilipino ang kanilang galing at talento sa iba’t ibang larangan na saksi ang bansa pati na rin ang buong mundo at patuloy din na gumagawa na ng sariling pangalan na tatak-Pinoy. Sa palakasan, napatunayan na ng Smart Gilas Pilipinas ang galing ng Pinoy sa larangan ng basketballI, at si Manny Pacquiao naman sa boxing. Sa larangan naman ng performing arts nariyan ang mga pangalang Lea Salonga, Gerphil Flores, at marami pang iba. Bago muna lubusang kilalanin ng mga banyaga ang mga katangiang taglay ng mga Pilipino, mas maganda na kilalanin muna ng mga Pinoy ang kanilang sarili. Tanggapin ang kapintasan at alamin kung paano ipagpapabuti ito. Huwag nang ibaling sa iba ang pamumuna, simulan sa sarili ang pagbabago at matatanggap ang pagkakapantay-pantay na inaasam.

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SPORTS + FITNESS + TECHNOLOGY

ABLAZE

In facing life’s greatest hurdles one may use various avenues to escape from such obstacles— from virtual reality consoles to fulfilling physical workouts. Just be careful in spotting myths and fallacies that are tied against your perfect training regimen.

EDITED BY David Tongol

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text Jomari Vista art Francis Tadeo

Taking the blue pill is easier when you see how awesome it feels to live in virtual reality

You may be the definitive movie buff, bookworm, or hardcore gamer, but even the best of the best can get boring after a while.

Virtual Reality, once a 90s geek’s wet dream, returns in high fashion this year to satiate our thirst for cutting edge entertainment.

Virtual Reality or VR is an immersive multimedia technology that replicates an environment so good, you’d think it’s real. It begets a digital jamais vu—the computer-generated world betrays a feeling of distrust that quickly dissipates as you become accustomed to it.

Computer-mediated reality, the general concept behind VR, relies on modern technology to add to, subtract from, or alter a user’s perception of reality. If fully realized, VR enables you to use all of your senses in this new world, to actually live in it.

950,000) per piece, according to the company. The Rift is well designed, comfortable to wear, and delivers exceptional image quality. The early development kits enabled people to integrate VR into existing games, and make new ones for the platform.

The product was so well received and publicized that competing products, like Samsung’s Gear VR and Sony’s Playstation VR have popped up recently. Now ready for prime time, pre-orders for the Rift opened earlier this year. If you wanted a piece of the action but still can’t find or afford your own kit, no need to fret. VR despite its hightech, futuristic premise has found its latest iteration in a material you wouldn’t expect: cardboard.

Back to the future Today, mainstream VR exists as multisensory head-mounted displays (HMD), first conceptualized in pre-1950s science fiction.

In 1966, Thomas A. Furness III, dubbed “The Grandfather of VR”, pioneered the technology by developing a VR flight simulator to the US Air Force.

It wasn’t until the 80s and 90s that VR would explode in pop culture. Several films like Tron and Total Recall popularized the concept of living in a virtual world. The Virtuality pod, a gaming hub, brought the tech to the arcades.

Unfortunately, VR was still too ahead of its time—the tech was too expensive, rather lackluster, thus flopping in the consumer market.

VR became a pipe dream, never to show up again.

Unconventional Oculus Fast forward two decades later, in June 2012. Palmer Luckey, an HMD designer, formed his own company called Oculus VR. He would eventually create the hallmark product in the technology’s entire history: the Oculus Rift, a high quality yet affordable VR headset, began its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign on August 2012 with a goal to raise a modest $250,000 for initial production. In 24 hours, it raised nearly $700,000. By the time the campaign ended, they raised more than two million. Luckey, turning 24 this year, is now one of the youngest billionaires in the world—Facebook bought Oculus VR for two billion dollars in 2014.

The Oculus Rift is a gaming-focused headset that delivers a high resolution display, wide field of view and minimal latency head-tracking in a headset that costs around $600 (Php 28,000) for the retail model. In comparison, similar high quality technology is reserved for US military or sciences worth around $20,000 (Php

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VR the world, VR the children Google Cardboard, touted as “VR for everyone” by the search giant, kicks down the price barriers to what is still considered to be an expensive hobby today. Literally made out of cardboard, it is a small, folding head mount that hoists a smartphone inside to activate VR experiences. A lot of people already own a smartphone today, all they need is a Google Cardboard headset to join in on the fun. It isn’t actually a product from Google itself, but rather a standard for many manufacturers to follow. You can easily build one yourself using daily materials, or buy one from many certified manufacturers for as low as $15 (Php 700).

Cardboard’s charm lies in its simplicity. Assemble a unit in three folds, pop in a smartphone, and see one of your favorite music videos in 360 degree virtual reality. Thanks to extensive developer support especially from Google themselves, you can watch videos, view historical landmarks, and travel through fantasy worlds.

Exploring the app store has never been the same again, for VR adds a new dimension to experience immersive entertainment. Sold on the prospect? The Philippine branch of I Am Cardboard is selling their Cardboard V1 headset for the low price of Php 500. You can sacrifice three cups of overpriced coffee, or 50 pieces of turon. VR is that worthy.

When Neo, the main protagonist in The Matrix, took the red pill over the blue pill, he discovered that his reality was all but virtual, made up by intelligent machines to enslave the human race. To live with the harshness of reality, the red pill, was something people had to accept to live life authentically. But with VR, technology’s own blue pill, the promise seems different—why live with reality, when fantasy is much, much more satisfying?

Suddenly, the blue pill seemed more appealing.

WEIGHING text Jhey De Leon

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photos Yves Publico

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model Zeb Laureano

OUT

Fighting stress could just be a few medicine ball rounds away with these stress busting alternatives

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Don’t let stress continue to stress you out. When the weight of the world is on your shoulders, it isn’t always true that the best medicine to beat the aches is a luxury trip to the spa. Try these workouts to wring those muscles back to fighting condition.

Workout and chill Replacing your long dates with your bed and iFlix with a physical activity tends to be more effective when it comes to alleviating stress. Moving boosts your endorphins, which serve as your brain’s feel good neurotransmitters and the body’s natural painkillers, helping you relax. Exercise is meditation in motion. Regularly working out improves mood, helps you focus, and thinking clearer. Although it’s already well known that exercise is good for the body, it also has great impact on the mental department, helping treat illnesses like depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Individuals who often exercise tend to be more energetic, have sharper memory, and better outlook.

A veritable variety of workouts are just there, waiting to be tried, spanning from the classic grit and grind of iron bars down to the mellow types. With the number of exercises available today, you’ll be left with no excuse. If you’re not into the toughness of gyms and weights, a more gentle and leisurely regimen would do.

Yoga’s combination of poses, breathing, and meditation can go a long way. Yoga slowly eases the tensions of large muscle groups, and supplies the whole body, including the brain, with fresh blood and oxygen.

Moreover, it stretches the joints, flexes the ligaments, and lengthens the muscles; it can even reverse the physical burdens of aging like arthritis, general aches, and blockages of arteries.

If you’re looking for a good yoga studio around the metro, YogaManila could be for you. Other than Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, it also offers pre- and post- natal yoga as well.

It’s led by one of the yoga pioneers in the country, Hoza Arando, and has branches in Alabang, Makati, and Ortigas.

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Water works If yoga is still too intense for you, then you should try a watered down workout. Ai Chi uses the concept of Chinese ancient martial arts known as Tai Chi; the twist though is that you do this while in shoulderdeep water, using its resistance and your buoyancy to create soothing and flowing movements. Just like yoga, Ai Chi requires deliberate movement of the body, which enhances mobility and balance. With your body soaked in water, Ai Chi also improves your breathing technique, eventually relaxing you.

Unfortunately, Ai Chi is not so famous in the Philippines, and there are no current studios. However, practitioners record videos of themselves teaching the stances and techniques in YouTube, so you could look into some self-learning, if you’re interested.

On the jab Another outlet for all the worldly pressure can be done by doing your best Rocky impressions—by boxing. One of the best features of this sport is that it allows you to release the pent up weariness, tension, and anger in you. Housing these emotional toxins can hit you physically and mentally. Boxing lessens the urge to stress out outside the ring. It makes you focus on every punch you throw, causing you to sidestep away from your habitual negativity.

Spanning more than thirty branches all over the country, one of the trusted names when it comes to boxing camps and trainings is Elorde Boxing Gyms (EBG).

Named after the great Flash Elorde, EBG has affordable and various rates and packages; from walk-ins to all-year membership, EBG has got you covered.

Leaving stress isn’t a dead end or a oneway street. It’s more of an expressway; it has a lot of exits you could easily take, but you can never reach your destination without moving.

myths versus society text Nicole Ganglani photo Yves Publico

Health tips and quick fixes are on the rise. But how much of them are actually true to what they state?

Instant gratifications like “take this pill and lose 20 pounds” schemes have scammed a ton of people. The fitness crazes have blown into a megalithic market. As the movement continues to grow, so do the misconceptions that tag along with it.

True or hoax?

In our culture, we all tend to be governed by traditional beliefs like believing in “pasma”. Whether it’s your mom, friend or grandma who tells you to avoid taking a shower after a jog, not to sleep with your hair wet or not to wash your feet after freeing them from your shoes, folklores like these just won’t go away. The truth behind these pasmas is that it comes from the Theory of Humours (Hot and Cold) in which every object in nature is labeled as either hot or cold.

In order for your body to be healthy, there should be a balance of hot and cold. If cold is higher than the other or vise versa, then the imbalance will lead you to acquiring “pasma” or become “pasmado”.

According to Michael Tan, a Filipino anthropologist, even though ailments like these are considered as traditional beliefs, these types of sickness trigger hand tremors, numbness or even to the point of death. Relatively, the body’s muscles are known to be hot and should not be quickly brought in contact with cold. It’s important to cool down after you workout before you head to the showers just like making sure your hair, or rather, head, is in its perfect warmth before going to bed. Keep in mind that when you sweat or come from a hot environment, to cool down is a must for the body to transition from one phase to another.

from natural sugar and those that digest slow such as brown rice, potatoes and whole grains. What brings about the myth regarding carbohydrates is that it adds so much calories to the table when in reality, it all boils down to having the right carbohydrates and the appropriate amount of food you consume daily. Ultimately, It’s not if you should order rice or not, but how much extra rice you have in Mang Inasal.

Steroids or not?

If you look at any sport magazine today, it’s rare not to find supplement industries trying to promote their bodybuilding products. As the fitness trend continues to develop, bodybuilding merchandises aim to rise to the occasion. Over the past few years, protein shakes have loomed their way into the market and of course, questions regarding its effectivity have been raised.

Some have said that they’re just used for fast bucks while others say they are a benefit. If you’ve watched the videos of Mario Lopez on Youtube, he frequently stresses the importance of working out regularly as he continues to indulge himself with these types of energy boosters. The truth behind these increments is that it only becomes an advantage once you add them to your workout routine.

These supplements are not replacements taken for meals. The goal of these whey boosters is to make sure you’re provided with macronutrients, fat carbohydrates and the maximum calories and nutrients. Fundamentally, it only becomes a supplement when it’s properly used.

From folktales to your everyday meal and fitness boosters, misconceptions you hear all around are unavoidable. Believer or not, questions and doubts about these matters will continue to rise as the fitness craze continues to expand.

Good carbs, bad carbs While traditional sayings have been passed down from one generation to another, deceptions about food on the other hand, have been emerging. “Eat less rice, go the gym, lessen the carbohydrates!” is often what’s heard nowadays. When you stumble upon Nestle’s Fitnesse advertisements, you’ll hear them promote cereals, vegetables and fruits as alternatives to the usual carbohydrates. Or even if you google diet programs, various websites will inform you to stay away from major carbs such as rice, pasta and bread. These types of carbohydrates are all being demonized as the main nemesis of losing weight. However, what people don’t understand is that carbohydrates are a must especially in every meal you take daily. A healthy diet consists of 55% to 70% of carbohydrates alone, provided that these carbs bring energy that give glucose and muscle glycogen to your body. It’s important to distinguish the difference between good carbohydrates and bad ones. Good carbohydrates are the ones that give you fiber, are made 36

LIFESTYLE + INTERESTS + PEOPLE

BLIP

EDITED BY Neal P. Corpus & Ralph de Vera

The desire to escape has always been part of life, be it through our local music scene, or through movies that take our breath away. What better way to quench one’s thirst of wanderlust then to seek the cultural hotspots and crashing waves of La Union, or cheer through Manila’s midnight facade.

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text Gian Bernardino photos Joriel Bataan and Abby Magsanoc

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In La Union, nothing is ever too far from home, and apparently home is never really too far from La Union.

The community has rapidly evolved over the years, drawing in tourists from all around the country, and even outside of it. But there is more to La Union than just great waves—the region is filled with the friendliest, most welcoming people. It captivates you, draws you in, and it quickly becomes your home around the sea.

Upon entering La Union you quickly realize how vastly different lifestyle is compared to Manila. The pace is much more relaxed and you, despite feeling at first apprehensive or perhaps irritated about the sluggish, easy-going ways of the locals, you start to appreciate their way of life. They are warm, homey, welcoming, and genuine. For these reasons, it became so easy for foreigners or even Filipinos from all around the country to integrate and call this place their second home.

Our version of La Union’s tale begins with Ian. He tells us his tale of how La Union grew alongside him, side by side. From a mere youth who was taken to the shores of San Juan by his father, Ian quickly discovered the sounds of the waves that beckoned to him. As it happens, opportunity was never too far away. It was at thirteen years old that he first picked up a board.

Lent to him by foreign surfers who discovered the spot and the quality of the surf in the region. Students and not businessmen or large conglomerates started purchasing land around the area as it was cheap and potentially very valuable. It was around this time Ian also founded the first surfing club of the region, now known today as the La Union Surfing Club, which he is the president of. What was once idyllic, and slow quickly became a booming hotspot for commerce, livelihood, and community. Since then, the sun, sand, and surf became as much of a guiding light to Ian as much as any real person. Alongside him grew the areas of San Juan and San Fernando. As fate would have it, it was roughly around this time that people started seeing La Union as a viable investment sector.

In our interview with Anna Magsaysay, nickname:

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“A”, the owner of the famous Surf Shack in La Union, she said on this matter: “There are no rich and poor here. Everyone is equal, everyone is friends. People come here and they just chill.” You quickly come to realize that this is a place you can be at ease, at peace, where common Manilenyo social stigma fails in premise, and where you can be rich or poor, but at the end of the day, you all sit around the same bars and surf the same waves. “Iba iba ang trip. Pag kontento ka [sa La Union]. Ito talaga ang para sayo” according to Ian as he describes the way of life in La Union.

Over the years, La Union only grew more and more. Where previously there were no buildings, save for Aling Norma’s, now there are surf schools and tiki bars. Locals started dropping their practice of fisheries (which was the original primary income of the region) for higher growth alternatives such as teaching surfing, founding hostels, or even being tour guides. The surfers that began to call La Union their home started making names for themselves by joining competitions here and abroad, putting the name of La Union even more on the map. Yet, placing in tournaments and quality surf wasn’t the main reason people kept coming back to La Union. It may have been the reason they came, but the reasons for returning are entirely different.

San Juan’s waves are unpredictable, but still attract surfers from all over the world.

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Surf Shack is the essential pit stop for surfers in San Juan.

The Macho Temple’s intricate architecture sticks out like a sore thumb in La Union, despite being hidden in plain sight in San Fernando

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NIGHTLIFE

AND CHILL text Chelly Patalud & Mark Sarile photos Jorien Bataan and Nikko Veloso

The metro isn’t very forgiving during the day, but wait for nightfall, though, and it’s a different story. The city is transformed by night affords a certain freedom, the chance to lose your inhibitions and truly be yourself—albeit after a few drinks.

Mix-tastes Tucked behind the Cyrano Wine Bar on Carlos Palanca Street in Makati lies The Curator Coffee and Cocktail. Beyond the curious– looking door serving as the entrance to this upscale speakeasy, the room is dimly lit, save for the bar where the magic happens.

From the beginning, the people behind The Curator decided they were going to focus on artisanal coffee and hand-crafted cocktails and nothing else—but do they do them well. The bartenders have mastered the science of mixology down to an art, making The Curator one of Makati’s choice spots for established alcoholics.

Their extensive menu graphs the style of each cocktail, which not only appears scientific, but bodes well, especially for any newcomer. With one look at the menu, or a quick chat with the bartender, you get an idea of where you stand: you know which cocktails are designed to be refreshing, spirituous, straightforward, or which will most likely leave you hammered and waking up in the morning next to, say, Jabba the Hutt.

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As schools and offices come to a close, some places stay open to welcome all those willing to escape their everyday routine—even if it’s just for a night.

The king’s cup For all the beer enthusiasts out there, The Brewery at the Palace in Fort Bonifacio is definitely the place to check out. The place is nearby trending clubs Valkyrie and The Palace Pool Club. What sets it apart is their crafted beer, definitely not your usual order. As you enter, you can see tanks where the beers are brewed in-house and a huge dispenser where the beers are stored. The place is a modernlooking pub—the interior is quite dim, but casual and upbeat. Their four basic must-try beers on tap include wheat beer, IPA, pilsner, and brown ale.

The place houses not only great tasting beer, but also highquality food to complement the beers. Have a go at the all-meat pizza, the nacho platter, or the baked ziti, perfect for pre-game dining. For instance, the Microbrewery Nachos, a well-loved favorite, has a special kick in every crunchy bite; its spicy flavor makes for great beer comfort food. The live music at The Brewery features different bands and genres which will surely keep you entertained throughout the night. Fresh beer, excellent food, and rocking music—The Brewery has the best.

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Word of mouth Disappear for a night as you enter the country’s first ever speakeasy bar, The Blind Pig. The bar is inspired by 1920’s Prohibition Era in the States when alcohol was illegal and mysterious underground bars came to be. The Blind Pig keeps its theme with its location ─ hidden. The entrance of the bar is a plain door with a peep hole, causing some to wonder whether or not they’ve arrived at the right place.

The ambience in the bar encourages guests to keep the volume down to maintain its intimate atmosphere. The “rules” don’t allow you to speak to another table without an invite or use flash photography, so everything is very hush-hush, which is all the more reason this place is perfect for some one-on-one with good company. The drinks on the menu are limited to a few choices but if you‘re indecisive, don’t hesitate to approach the bar and chat with the bartenders who are more than willing to mix a drink, exclusively for you, depending on how you’re feeling for the night.

Hidden in plain sight If you’ve ever visited the Corinthian Plaza on Paseo de Roxas, you might have noticed the quiet, unassuming Plaza Cafe. Already a local-favorite, just don’t be fooled by the cafeteria vibe. Behind the innocent façade of salads and sandwiches, lies a hidden speakeasy known only as The Exit—aptly named for the exit door being the entrance incognito. If you plan on sneaking away for a night, maybe with some friends (or if you’re trying to ditch some), disappear inside for a while.

You have the option of sitting in the dining area or sitting up front at the bar. For those drinking with a small group, try the latter—the way they used to in old American drinking culture before the clubbing hype took it away. The bartenders are quite charming and make great company, anyway, especially for those who find themselves without. In any case, The Exit is perfect for those looking to get away from the daily grind and the road less traveled is sometimes the best way to do it.

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Your neighborhood local New kid on the block, The Belle and Dragon is another place to consider for casual meetups. You enter the pub through a raised patio overlooking Palanca Street. The ambiance is perfect for catching up with friends or unwinding after a long day because the interior is comfortably spacious and the music isn’t so loud you have to shout every word to the person next to you. Simply put, The Belle and Dragon is the perfect classy Legazpi ‘hood pub.

In addition to keeping a fine assortment of beers on tap, the full bar also mixes cocktails for quality liver crossfit. If you’re looking to treat your palate as well, the place serves east-west fusion food with an emphasis on gastronomic quality and diversity. Choose from savory dishes such as the Beef Schnitzel or the Pulled Pork Tonkatsu Sandwich, or start with a best-seller, the Double Dragon Burger.

These are a few of many places that invite you away from reality for a night. While drinking in moderation is the golden rule, you wouldn’t know how deep the rabbit hole really goes until you’ve reached the bottom of the bottle. But seriously, moderation.

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text Jona Marie Bisu単a and Katryna Lino

art Jaz Yabut

to maine 48

Her face is not one to miss these days as she dubs her way deeper into the showbiz industry with every commercial she makes. ½ of the phenomenal love team AlDub, Maine is practically every fanatic’s latest trend. Although the maid of three wacky lolas, her role as the charming boisterous yaya is packed with more than just exaggerated dubbing—her role is a reminder of the society we’re on the verge of losing.

“Dubsmash was a hit… the rest is history” Nicomaine “Maine” Mendoza, is a 21-year-old graduate of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, with a degree in Culinary Arts. While an internship over at The Big Apple might have raised her chances of getting a job related to her degree, the rising star has admitted it was never this road she wanted to take. She had always wanted to be a flight attendant, but learned that airline companies barely pursued graduates of Tourism, leading her to choose Culinary Arts instead.

Who would’ve thought endless hours spent in the family office recording herself dubbing along to songs or famous lines would land her a role as the iconic Yaya Dub in the popular noontime show Eat Bulaga, and then an onscreen partner in the likes of Alden Richards?

No one—not even Maine herself.

The AlDub phenomenon AlDub (Alden-Yaya Dub) is a phenomenon that randomly developed when Maine, in one episode, diverts from her usual mataray character into a bashful lady when caught dubbing by Eat Bulaga host Alden Richards. It was literally a ‘we saw the chance and took it’ moment. From then on, Kalyeserye was born, being incorporated into the permanent segment Juan for All and All for One, with a plot focusing on star-crossed lovers whose relationship they strive to attain against the arguments of conservative, “oldfashioned” Lola Nidora.

The phenomenon was received with overwhelming positive reactions, but with a bit of skepticism on the other. It received great reviews particularly because of the lessons the three lolas teach in every episode; lessons we Filipinos once grew up with but have forgotten. Its format was relatively fresh and unique, making the usual afternoon break more favorable.

used to portray and remind its viewer percentage of millennials the importance of the traditional Filipino values we lost grasp of, of the Filipino foundations that make up our culture and society, of us. Media was given another chance and it was in the form of the show’s newest star and hopeful, Maine.

What made the 21-year-old so alluring to the fans? Maybe it’s the typical yaya character she plays every afternoon, the typical yaya that falls in love with a handsome man whose personality clashes with hers or whose looks and wealth are repetitively emphasized.

Maine Mendoza portrays a traditional type of Filipino to her audience. Although it was a given with her role, Maine dressed as simply as she could, sporting the iconic red and white polka dotted apron along the streets. When she rose to fame and was finally given the chance to co-host the program with her lolas, she dressed in kicks or leggings, clothes so far from the skimpy, revealing, and exaggerated styles of today’s dresses.

More than that was the fact she abided and listened to every lesson her lola would drop on her. She would act prim and proper even when eating isaw and hold on to traditional Filipino courtships such as harana and other practices, one in which today’s generation can only know about through searching on the internet rather than experiencing it first hand.

The Aldub impact While the show is generally positive, its non-viewers do not attack the show itself. In fact, non-viewers criticize the show’s passionate fanbase, people who make it a point to stay in trend with their favorite love team and be united in fan projects online such as Twitter hashtag trends and Facebook video views. The argument normally goes along the lines of: If Filipinos can unite for Aldub, why can’t they unite for other important matters?

Have Filipinos really turned a blind eye to what’s more needing of attention and reduced into a society blinded by on screen plots recycled and reused?

One could liken the phenomenon with the days Pacquiao would dominate the TV and stop traffic in anticipation for his boxing fights. Ang Tamang Panahon concert is one example to point out, as thousands of fans converged to attend, and those who didn’t get tickets watched through their TV screens. The world seemed to stop, and it really did in the Philippines as fans and non-viewers of the phenomenal love team alike cried along with the star-crossed lovers’ first physical meeting that harbored more than happiness—it harbored gratification for the blessings and miracles Maine and Alden brought each other, and maybe this was why the fans adored them so much.

“They are the love team of this millennial and social mediaobsessed generation. And I think ‘Eat Bulaga’ has found an enduring brand with AlDub—and they were found by a new audience too,” said Elmer Gatchalian, a writer from TV5, on one article. Filipinos relish a good love story, especially those with happy endings. This is what Aldub was able to provide for their audience. Other than the “kilig” factor given every kalyeserye, the show finished it with an open-ended story, leaving the audience to anticipate for more of its upcoming shows. Aldub is one cliche love story—one Filipinos just cannot get enough of—but it is, more importantly, a very traditional Filipino story by far.

The new face of media Aldub has brought media to a whole new level, other than the fact that the show itself broke global social media records last 2015.

It started as a regular television show anticipated by the viewers which then evolved to breaking records on Twitter with 41 million tweets from the concert, #AlDubEdTamangPanahon. The show itself even gained a nationwide group called the Aldub Nation, which consists of fans and supporters all throughout the country. In here we see the connection and potential of social media and how popularity can arise from there.

Aldub showed how media and people can transform through television, hashtags, and tweets. The story itself is a form of transmedia, which is defined as the technique of telling stories through a variety of media platforms. This was what Aldub was able to successfully implement in their Kalyesere.

Media was given another chance. Media, in this context, was 49

l o c a l

v o c

text Thea Torres photos Gerald Del Mundo

Independent OPM bands finally give mainstream Pinoy music a run for its money and show why the current envelope of music is worth changing

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a l s

The generation of today thrives on music, barely stifling the urge to go about their day absentmindedly and listen to songs they have blasting from their earphones. In the Philippines, people have set boundaries as to what is considered as commendable music. Independent OPM bands have smashed these boundaries out of the way, rebuilding the reputation of Pinoy music by bringing something fresh and wild to the current Filipino music scene.

It’s always been easy to pinpoint mainstream music in the Philippines. An array of heartbroken ballads or sugar-sweet candy bops have broken records in Filipino charts. The length Filipinos have gone for the love of music has reached the point where every Filipino celebrity—singer or not—has to have a hit record to gain the competent amount of popularity. Perhaps the theme that connects these chart-topping Pinoy songs is the repetition of the same four chords, monotonous lyrics, and the power of autotune—somehow adding up to the loss of originality, and a death of creativity and openmindedness to its audience.

The musical potential of the Filipinos shouldn’t stop at mindless music. Our music doesn’t adhere to a simple foundation of sounds, but complements complex artistry.

Our music doesn’t second guess itself, but delivers a gratifying urge to be heard and praised. Functioning as the entrancing, eye-opening promise of bringing pride to Filipino culture, Independent OPM musicians will give you more than you bargained for.

The lack of ethereal music is evident in our current musical standings. Ourselves the Elves plays music in the genre of folk and rock. Their dramatic sounds made through folk-like guitar work and steady beats capture a lovelorn aesthetic majestically; an aesthetic Pinoys should take more pride in.

Filled up to the brim with relaxing melodies, The Ransom Collective prides themselves in their arrangement of fast instrumentals and transcending harmonies, and serves as an eye-opener to the potential of Filipino musicians. A charmingly charismatic sound is different to what Pinoys are used to, but it’s surely a treat for your ears.

The cold, hard truth and a highlight of empowerment and sensuality is the focal point of Run Dorothy’s music.

The dynamic beat of the drums and the anarchic riffs of guitars coupled with the colorful poetry in their lyrics will definitely move you to put them on your playlist. Run Dorothy is the band that can quench your hunger for creativity and inspiration.

Now, if you’re looking for music that promises a sense of invincibility, then start the day with Flying Ipis songs. Pure hype will take listeners by storm with the emotional vocals and rapid instrumentals. These bands push the envelope of music by eradicating insecurity and emphasizing a fighting spirit that has no space for petty problems.

Take a break from delving into the deeper meanings of songs by listening solely to instruments, melodies and harmonies. Earthmover is a trio who has created fresh sounds of instrumental rock that the Filipinos have barely ever heard. Balancing heavy metal and alternative sounds is this band’s forte and the outcome is a breath of fresh air. Rare, but striking music like theirs is what heightens the standards of talent musicians can attain.

Ang Bandang Shirley’s musicality is flexible since their songs can fall on different genres, but alternative rock is their strong point. The band has mastered the uncommon ability to make you stop and appreciate the sentimental meaning of their lyrics. Wistful romance and alluring melodies are what make this band a continuing success for the kind of Filipino music that should take a place on the top charts.

These bands continue to overstep the boundaries of music by staying true to their passion and working twice as hard. With musical styles that cover goldenlike sounds, augmented rhythms, or sporadic echoes, the delivery of these independent OPM bands are never restrained. The messages of the song’s crescendo bleed the freedom of expressing all their emotional charges, while the vocals and instrumentation stay on point. These artists have the ability to widen the musical choices you deem are more relatable to you, leading to an understanding of how you perceive yourself. It’s about time for us to support our local independent artists.

The daily role of music in our lives predicates a desire to expand ourselves as people. Music retains the strong points of our lives as it reminds us of our personal nostalgic memories and vivid imaginations. There are loads of artists overflowing with passion and the lust to be heard, yet the charts are still filled with songs that lack a true message. A vast selection of true artists is just a search away. Artists who are able to enrapture music related to your deepest emotions are the ones that need to be heard. Independent OPM bands are clad with the drive to make private, yet universal music and an invincible freedom to love the music they choose. These are the artists that remind us that music isn’t a brand, but a form of artistry.

INTO THE FUTUR photos Yves Publico

styling and text Neal P. Corpus

hair and make-up Joseph Jiao

models Kath Asuncion, JV Librea, and Justin Llarena

RE

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PREVIOUS SPREAD, THIS PAGE: ovoid woven top by BEA SAMSON / pinstriped trousers from STRADIVARIUS

OPPOSITE PAGE: gray jumpsuit by BEA SAMSON / white graphic tee by PROUDRACE

what is the future of fashion? hollywood for years has introduced us to several imaginations of what clothing means beyond the 22nd century, and it has always brought a wistful tear and a powerful image. for this issue, we wanted to take a trip—to imagine what we could be wearing a hundred years from now. fashion is innately tied to what we do, how we think, thus a study on fashion is incomplete without an investigation into the future of the human race: the possibilities of war, super humans, artificial intelligence, and intergalactic travel are not too far from the present.

raf simons has always said that the future is infinitely more romantic— and by extension, more exciting—than the past, and this holds true especially when you look at today’s trends. regurgitating lines, shapes, and styles of the past is more blasé than a hundred a-line skirts. screw chanel, screw versace, screw prada. screw all the big guns. the future is in young designers, in burgeoning creatives, in us.

24 Oct 2015 11:03AM @bryanboy “the difference between then & now is that fashion used to take us to a different place. nowadays fashion reflects the times that we live in”

THIS PAGE: mesh dress with side zips by BEA SAMSON

OPPOSITE PAGE: plastic raincoat by PROUDRACE, cream blouse and skirt by ALYSSA ERMITANIO

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khaki bomber jacket from STRADIVARIUS / forest green chiffon dress by NICOLE PALIS

sittings editor EJ Lanuza assistant Thea Torres stylist’s assistants Kitkat Elane, Bea Juliano, Inah Maravilla photographer’s assistant Joriel Bataan

faux fur vest, taupe skirt both from FOLDED & HUNG / black cape by PROUDRACE

art by Lyra Tan

SILVER SCREEN SHOWSTOPPERS

text Mark Baltazar and EJ Lanuza

Grab some popcorn, dim the lights, and take a peek at some of the movies that will keep your eyes fixed on the screen.

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art by Francis Tadeo

Films are a complicated combination of lighting, sound design, and storytelling. While achieving a great look is a huge priority, these films have blended these elements together so well it creates a work of sublime beauty—one that leaves you breathless (or mind-blown) after watching it for the first time.

2001: A Space Odyssey With its masterful depiction of space while providing a deep philosophical narrative on mankind’s future, there’s nothing in the universe quite like the visually stunning masterpiece of Stanley Kubrick’s 1960s classic. Sure, there’s Christopher Nolan’s heartfelt space exploration in Interstellar and Alfonso Cuaron’s breathtaking view of Earth in Gravity, but it’s difficult to rival the intricately designed sets, immaculately composed shots, and stunningly lit scenes from this groundbreaking sci-fi classic.

Together with cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth, Kubrick was able to orchestrate celestial symphonies, stage space walks, and even execute the famous psychedelic neon star gate sequence—all while staying true to his signature central framing and symmetrical composition style—using only practical visual effects. This trail blazed the sci-fi genre with future sci-fi filmmakers, such as George Lucas, taking cues from the visual tableaus utilized by Kubrick.

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American Beauty Featuring one of the most iconic scenes in modern cinema where the rose-clad and half-naked role of Mena Suvari is dreamily fantasized by the protagonist, American Beauty is the directorial debut and masterpiece of Sam Mendes. The film was so widely praised that it garnered 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director and Cinematography.

Cinematographer Conrad Hall’s attention to detail cannot be ignored. The visual narration was demonstrated with brilliant camera work, and the minimal use of computer-generated imagery for effects. Watch out for the use of the color red in the film to symbolize a spectrum of emotions, from the erotic to the violent, and also symbolisms that represent the dullness of materialistic existence.

The film stars Kevin Spacey as protagonist Lester Burnham, narrating the sufferings of mid life crisis, his dysfunctional family who thinks he is a chronic loser, and the infatuation with his teenage daughter’s friend, Angela. American Beauty explores the emptiness of materialism, sexuality, and a dark yet humorous commentary of the so called “American Dream”.

art by Jaz Yabut

The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson’s most recent film follows the tale of a legendary hotel in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka. Starring Ralph Fiennes as Gustave H., a concierge extraordinaire and Tony Revolori as Zero Moustafa, the two become the center of suspicion when a wealthy patron mysteriously dies and leaves Gustave a priceless Renaissance painting. He then finds himself framed up as a chief suspect of murdering the patron, leaving him with the quest to clear his name.

Anderson collaborated with Robert Yeoman to conjure a world that feels like a storybook. The film notably features one-point perspective shots with perfectly centered focal points and tracking shots that give momentum to the scene, both of which are the distinct trademarks of the director.

This quintessential film by Anderson is a unique experience that is reminiscent of early 20th century films. The Grand Budapest Hotel has a distinctive style and vivid color that gives a nostalgic feel and a childlike sense of fun and adventure, and an elegant score that complements the entirely unusual cinematic experience.

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Her Set in a not so distant future where you can actually talk to an Operating System (OS) with a mind and personality of it’s own, this masterpiece by director Spike Jonze and cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema embraces the hearts of the film’s viewers through a series of masterful storytelling and a conceptual preview of future technology and society.

The film’s warm color scheme set the mood for a dreamy experience. Van Hoytema indicated that they decided to eliminate the color blue in specific locations, because they didn’t want to give a dystopian or foreboding vibe, but more of a warm and optimistic view of the world of tomorrow.

Actor Joaquin Phoenix embodies the role of Theodore Twombly, a lonely writer of love letters who eventually falls in love with a highly advanced and optimistic OS who names herself Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Just thinking about the concept of a relationship with artificial intelligence made Her into an unusual romance story. The film looks into the depths and absurdity of their relationship, and acknowledges the concept of the natural instinct of humans to connect and earn genuine trust.

art by Sofia Abellera

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art by Christian Pacis

Argo Inspired by the events during the Iranian Revolution in the 1970s, Argo follows CIA operative Tony Mendez as he hatches a daring escape plan to exfiltrate six American diplomats holed up in secret at the residence of the Canadian ambassador in Iran. Years after the declassification of the operation, the film narrates, in a hauntingly beautiful manner, the struggle of getting these diplomats out of Iran using the CIA’s “best bad idea”—use a film production as a cover to safely escort the six out of the country.

With excellent performances from the cast, elaborate sound design, and witty (and at the same time, humorous) screenplay, this political-espionage thriller from actor-turned-director Ben Affleck veers away from the usual explosive and Mission Impossible-esque method. Instead, Affleck focused more on creating an atmosphere of overwhelming tension for the characters and capturing the journey they take. The film provides the audience a one-of-a-kind experience that’s sure to leave viewers at the edge of their seats, especially towards the breath-taking 20 minute climax.

Argo received huge critical acclaim and even received recognition during the 85th Academy Awards, which includes Best Writing for Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and the coveted Best Picture award.

PLATFORM

ART + DESIGN + LITERARY

EDITED BY Sofia Abellera, Jona Bisu単a,

Abby Magsanoc, & Nicole Valencia

six-word

short stories

With the continuous developments in society, comes the emergence of varied art styles. In fact, behind every platform, whether literary, art, or design, lies a strong persona of a proficient artist, wherein art is defined as a reason to escape.

“Lose yourself in me,” he whispered.

text Eya Arceo art Lyra Tan

Find me where you lost me.

text Mark Baltazar art Jelenie Custodio

Burned clothes­—blood won’t come off.

text Sheeren Ceñas art Alberto Cinco Jr.

You, our future, keeps haunting me.

text Aien Mayores art Rica Diaz

He spoke. She listened. He lied.

text Gab Torres art Natasha Ting

He loved her right, but left.

text Maxine Villava art Christian Pacis

text Aya Garcia and Zen Montoya art Sofia Abellera

the

tycoon

general Heneral Luna set a new standard on how Filipino films should be made. We focus on the man who made it all possible.

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Famous for its striking quotes, incredible cinematography, and phenomenal historic accuracy, Heneral Luna has definitely captured the hearts of the mass and the thrones of the big screen. People may have talked about its attractive actors, but surely its executive producer, Fernando Ortigas, is just a mere drop in the bucket. For the movie that nested seasonal memes and hugot quotes, this man laid 80 million pesos on the table. Now, he is donned as the general behind Heneral Luna.

Behind the world of lights, scripts, and cameras, Fernando Ortigas, or “Nando” as he’s usually nicked by his friends and family, is a known Filipino-Spanish tycoon giant. As a young businessman, he focused on realty with the prominent Ortigas clan whose lineage acquired parts of Hacienda de Mandaloyon throughout the years since 1931. This aforementioned property covers an area of 4,033 hectares which crossed the cities Mandaluyong, San Juan, Pasig, and Quezon City. It was only in 2014 when he heard his calling for producing films when he produced K’na, The Dreamweaver, which bagged the Best Production Design and a Special Jury Prize in the Cinemalaya Film Festival in 2014. He also produced the films English Only Please, Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo and of course, the recent box office hit which tallied more than P200-million in sales, Heneral Luna.

Inside the powerhouse of Nando and Luna Mainstream personas for businessmen are usually boring and colorless people, investing in mundane ventures and going through the everyday motions of the business world. Ironically, Nando along with his colleague, Ed Rocha, defied this common notion of businessmen, and have set a record in the Philippine Cinema Industry by producing what could possibly be the biggest Filipino film to date, Heneral Luna.

With a young age of just four weeks in the big screen, the film came to be the highestgrossing Filipino Historical Film of all time.

On an interview with ABS-CBN news, Ortigas admitted that he had nil background on films; however, he treated the film with the same principles he had in bag in the business world. It all happened in perfect timing as well—he shared in ANC’s Market

“I just want a film that I can play in my DVD player forever.”

Edge that when he first read the eighteen year old script, he cried and laughed in admiration, but had script arrived a week earlier, it would’ve headed straight into a garbage can. As the film’s concept developed, the cost also climbed one stair at a time. Initially, the film’s production cost was bound to at least 20 million pesos. In just a few months, it went up to 35 million.

On the last request of the team to raise the cost, Nando then told them to just do what they have to do and it was then that the cost landed to a whopping 80 million pesos.

While it unfurled on social media that he claimed the heroic lines, “Forget the money; in these trying times, our country needs some awakening.”, Heneral Luna’s director, Jerrold Tarog, cleared that Nando only said “Forget the money.” He also shared that it sounded very much like Ortigas.

Tarog claimed that a fortuitous combination of marketing strategy, cultural relevance, a heap of luck in timing, and the close partnership between Ortigas and Rocha made the film so remarkably successful. “While he cares about return of investment, it’s clear that his primary objective is still to come up with worthwhile films,” shares Tarog “and he’ll always provide adequate resources within reason.

While most producers stop at “return of investment”, he cares about making a difference.”

“I just want a film that I can play in my DVD player forever.” claimed Nando. For him, creating a film is simply like building a house. It cannot be stopped in the middle of production. It’s a process that shouldn’t be affected by money. As for the sensational film Heneral Luna, it’s not only what is seen that should be appreciated—it was created by amazing minds, and those minds deserve as much appreciation and applause.

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masquerades text Eya Arceo art Jaz Yabut

in

ink

Expression through writing can be both a revelation and a discovery.

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Writing is a form of expression—this much we have always known to be true.

Writing lends a voice especially to those who are otherwise unable to speak their thoughts out loud. But more than these, writing gives authors a chance to slip into the skins of their characters and lead a different life in pages.

A persona, or the “person understood to be speaking or thinking or writing in a particular work”, is more often than not understood to be indistinct from the author himself; however, this is a misconception.

From the Latin word, persona, which means the mask of an actor, authors assume a role (and wear a mask) of a character or characters who will act as their mouthpieces or representations in a given setting to get a message across.

Masks and morals In his novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, used the characters of the story to show the situation of his fellow Filipinos in a Spanish-controlled society. The protagonist, Crisostomo Ibarra, is often said to be Rizal himself, his own ideals and dreams set on ink. However, Ibarra’s transformation into the villain Simoun in the second novel and his subsequent defeat in the end became another reflection for Rizal and his readers, showing that bribery and bloody revolutions resolve nothing. Simoun was nothing like Rizal as the former sought vengeance and fuelled corruption. But through him, the author was able to illustrate the pitfalls and price of plotting death and destruction, and perhaps through the actions of this dark character, Rizal was also able to discover himself in a new light, renewing the strengths of his beliefs.

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Escapes or entries Author personas aren’t limited to characters in their writing. At the time when publishers believed that literature was no place for women, many female authors opted to be cloaked in the masculinity of a male name. The sisters, Charlotte, Anne, and Emily Brontë sought entrance to the world of words by taking up the names Currer, Acton, and Ellis Bell, respectively. Their novels Jane Eyre (by Charlotte), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (by Anne), and Wuthering Heights (by Emily) were deemed to have themes unsuitable and unladylike which would have made it difficult for the sisters to have them printed. It was only through the use of their pen names or pseudonyms that they were able to free themselves from male pride and prejudice.

Shadows of suppositions Pseudonyms can also aid in establishing a new identity, giving an author a fresh start. In her desire to escape the pressure of her massive popularity, Harry Potter’s author, J.K. Rowling, took up another alter ego in the name of Robert Galbraith for her contemporary mystery novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling. Rowling described the experience as “genuinely liberating” as Galbraith’s writing stood on its own two feet, without the immense shadow of the Boy Who Lived (until, of course, it was revealed that Galbraith was Rowling all along).

Nevertheless, Rowling’s new series gained its momentum, now with its third installation and still under Galbraith’s name.

Names have power, and in the field of literature, they become facets for lies or truths. The figures authors give life to enable them freedom in their own created world, all the while revealing their dreams and desires, whether they are hidden or not. In writing, there exists the joy of sharing who we are and discovering the possibilities of what else we could be.

visionary redux text Mark Baltazar and Chelsea Perez art Francis Tadeo

“If you can design one thing, you can design everything.” - Massimo Vignelli

If you were given a chance to create something, would it be a bridge of opportunities to future artists? Would it be something people will applaud to, then later succumb to the test of time? Or would it change the whole art industry forever? Massimo Vignelli embraced his destiny to be one of the most prominent artists of his generation and created much more than tangible artworks because his life was an artwork in itself.

Massimo Vignelli’s modernist philosophy of creating timeless and effective design has withstood the constant upheavals of various design genres, and focused on a single methodology. Standing firm with his systematic approach to design, he yields concise outputs with only the essential elements on his canvas, all clear of the unnecessary.

Born in Italy in 1931, Vignelli studied architecture at Politecnico di Milano and later at Universiti di Architettura in Venice. Upon visiting New York in 1966, he started Unimark International, a company which quickly became one of the most well known design firms in the world. The firm is known for designing several iconic corporate identities, including the American Airlines. Vignelli is also noted for his work on the widely recognized signage and map system of the New York City Subway.

In 1971, Vignelli left Unimark and started Vignelli Associates and Vignelli Designs in 1978. His work spans to a number of areas including graphic, product, and furniture design. From shopping bags being given out in clothing brands like Saks Fifth Avenue and Barney’s in the 1970s, to his clients including the upscale automaker,

Ford, Vignelli continued to amaze his audience with his ingenious creations. With the bold and commanding design shaped by the artist together with his wife, Lella Vignelli, the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church offers an elegant place for worship, art exhibitions, and concerts.

In the 7th of August, 1972, a new map was introduced for the New York City Subway. In his large collection of personal works and accolades, this map is considered the most controversial yet iconic.

New Yorkers were upset that the map disregarded geographical accuracy in order to fix the “spaghetti-like” design of the diagram, as what its designer calls it. People complained about the anomalies of the map regarding eliminated streets, inaccurate color representation of the Central Park and waterways, and getting off in the wrong stations. But indeed, that was the artist’s goal—to replace the tangled map with a neater diagram. Art aficionados seemed to disagree with how the general public accepted the map. They saw it as a bold and ingenious effort to simplify the previously labyrinthine representation of the city that never sleeps.

In the span of his career as a designer, Vignelli consistently follows a systematic approach to all of his work, highly influenced by the precision and sharpness of the work of the Bauhaus school.

Such influences were harnessed and adapted to suitable methods that fit commercially in the industry. His processes in designing include obtaining a clear understanding of the presented task, and then developing a “design syntax” which is the selection of elements appropriate for the design at hand.

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“Escapism”

Falling—it has been cruel; As gravity razes every piece of me: My own dreams, hauling me down.

An amiss freedom, I never ought to A few months ago was nothing Nothing but corrosion Now I’m hither with still nothing Nothing but my thoughts Feeling myself, descending Trying to gasp for air Filling my lungs with dust An indulgence, I never envisaged

I was in the dark for too long Long enough that I forgot how to ­­­perceive Not seeing even my future, Or the past where I once lived Shattered and lost With soul gone astray Letting the pain consume my being A sentiment, I never sought I knew I could escape This scarcity of faith Continue the afterlife With audacity and strength

But the voices in my head; Kept me confined, Told me that I was nonexistent.

Such an utter disappointment And so I wrote my life With the blood from my veins.

Slowly reading page by page The words killed me.

Perusing my story, I realized one thing: It was I all along Who had to run away.

It was me all along Whom I needed to escape from.

text Maxine Villava art Jeleine Custodio

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STAFF NEWS Jason Fajardo, Beatriz Juliano, Katryna

Lino, Katrina Mariano, Bryan Nonay, Earl

ADDRESSES

Roxas, Timothy Santos SPORTS Jhey De Leon, Eliesse Del Rosario,

Nicole Ganglani, Aya Garcia, Aien Rustainne Mayores FEATURES Gian Franco Bernardino, Cecile

Reine Cabrera, Kurvine Chua, Kitkat Elane, Nicole Mananquil, Mark Sarile KULTURA Brian Paolo Castillo, Daniella Faye

21 RESTAURANT 21 cor. Lacson Street, Bacolod City

Cruz, Jim Dela Cruz, Katrina Lerios

BOB’S RESTAURANT B.S Aquino Drive, Bacolod City CAFE BOB’S 21st Street, Bacolod City

LITERARY Eya Arceo, Mark Baltazar, Chelsea

CALEA PASTRIES & CAKES Lourdes-C Building, Lacson Street, Bacolod City

Perez, Zoë Rosal, Gab Torres

GALLERY ORANGE 2/F Art District Main Building, Lopue’s Mandalagan, Bacolod City KUPPA COFFEE & TEA #1 Tindalo Avenue, Capitol Shopping Center, Bacolod City

PHOTO Xi-Anne Avanceña, Joriel Bataan,

NENAS ROSE II Fr. M. Ferrero Street, Nenas Rose II, Bacolod City

Gerard Del Mundo, Inah Maravilla, Yves

THE RUINS Hacienda Sta. Maria, Talisay City

Publico, John Dominique Roxas, Nikko Veloso, Ysabel Victoriano,

HALO HALO DE ILOKO #12 Zandueta Street, San Fernando, La Union MACHO TEMPLE National Highway, Barangay II, San Fernando, La Union

ART Jelenie Custodio, Rica Diaz, Christian

SURF SHACK #239 National Highway, Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union

Anthony Pacis, Lyra Tan, Natasha Ting, Jaz Yabut

THE BELLE & DRAGON OPL Building, 100 Don Carlos Palanca Street, Legazpi Village,

Makati City

LAYOUT Jacob Israel Camaro, Alberto Cinco

THE BREWERY AT THE PALACE 9th Avenue cor. 36th Street, Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City

Jr., Tricia Guevara, Christian Mata, Illyse

THE BLIND PIG #227 Salcedo Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City

Mendoza, Mary Montenegro, Zen Montoya,

THE CURATOR COFFEE & COCKTAIL #134 Legaspi cor. Don Carlos Palanca Street, Legazpi

Camille Ortiz, Camille Santos

Village, Makati City THE EXIT G/F Corinthian Plaza, #121 Paseo De Roxas, Legazpi Village, Makati City

DIGITAL MEDIA Pamela Barrios, Shereen

Ceñas, Lance Florentino, Uzair Hayat, ALYSSA ERMITANIO +63 915 913 8718

Rosabella Mercado, Sace Natividad, Sid

BEA SAMSON beasamson.kruedesign@gmail.com

Ramos, Francis Tadeo, Maxine Villava

FOLDED & HUNG G/F Glorietta 1, Ayala Center, Makati City NICOLE PALIS +63 915 484 0262

MANAGING Clyde Antes, Francheska Cruz,

PROUDRACE proudrace.com

Niña Mahmood, Chelly Patalud, Lyssa

STRADIVARIUS G/F Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Makati City

Placido, Thea Torres

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In memory of Jason Fajardo