Ego Death Vol. 64 No. 8

-Katherine E. Co

Editor’s Note

Disclaimer: No cigarette is used in the photo.

A multidegree character arc model known as the monomyth is cited in literature professor Joseph Campbell’s 1949 esteemed work The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Its framework, aside from heavily impacting the Stars Wars saga, chiefly touched the subjects of atonement and transition: ego death.

This invented terminology, on the other hand, has garnered umpteen associations with drugs and shift of the psyche: an arduous experiential sine qua non. Applying that logic, we, as a resolute species, would tread, more often than not, the most unthinkable game plan due to hubris. We may not be as herculean as epic heroes Lam-Ang and Labaw Donggon are, but our vanity—always our vanity—and the breadth of lofty justifications for it, jabs with no ease.

Needless to say, conflict was never elusive. The Man vs. Self dispute is proven indelible. There is no greater adversary to surpass except one’s own personhood. It is neither a one-time event nor a lenient exercise but rather a womb-to-tomb commitment to self-regulation. In the likeness of the monomyth, one must first defy the 17 stages before wallowing in contentment.

Among the costly and printed pages (or digitized version) of this issue, espial will endow you with immediate, if not Me-centric, news of the world. As of November 2019, under the Dutertean ‘democracy’. Hence, ingest this collective opus as slowly as you can. Wade scrupulously as there are segments that are factual, and there are segments that satirize. Find out which is which, and why.

If I were to weather once more the known unknowns and unknown unknowns which grip on unsteady balance and scraps of relief—at times fatal—as I had been pregnable to nothing and everything, both material and immaterial, until I get fed up, or unless my conceitedness has already thinned out by then, or with the article of faith that shall muster my valor to kill, and yet again kill, my darlings, I would. Willingly. Because life’s much less grayscale when lived in fearless and selfless politics, in superlative. At least, for me.

May the Force (odds) be (ever in your favor) with you.

Hezron G. Pios The 64th Chief

About the Cover

Think of thermal, of the clash of contrast around cheekbones.

Think of fire, of Dante’s nine levels of the damned. Think of frostbite, of the impatience in languor. Think of the soul, of the portals housing the fusion of hues scorning, though anticipating.

Unstoppable, in one word, Jusha describes herself. Unbent from her past, she stands upright against the veil of the future’s turbulence and remains riveted on carving the path to her ends—no matter the obstructions.

Think of power, of how energy is neither created nor destroyed.

You are the heir to infinite potential.

Read more about Jusha Abdallah on page 43

Blitz

-Earl John D. Pabular

To become. That is the answer.

An idea proclaimed that arrogance is innate in the I, the ego, that it is cast iron in the human experience. The arrogance of being binds us to the responsibility of survival. And as life bleeds out through time, we, as sentient beings, dare to challenge the indifference of the universe.

The abstraction of the immediate present, of you, of your posture, of your eyes skimming through words, and of ongoing biochemical processes necessary to comprehend these ideas, synthesize as active rebellion against nonbeing—against every perpetual force of entropy, of death. That is the arrogance.

Though, amid this vortex of chaos, is a dense nucleus of potential. Primordial in origin and potent in faculty, it is from this that Man has endured. Why not explore the upper limits of this core—if there are such limits. Direction is divorced from aimlessness, therefore you must prime yourself to a finality.

Take this as an invitation. What do you know about your caliber?

The Spectrum would like to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to the following people: Jusha Abdallah for adorning the cover with grit and poise; Ms. Jean Lee Patindol for her gentle support and heartfelt guidance; Iris Rivera for welcoming and accommodating our production team; and to IMPRESS Quality Printing for their secondto-none service.

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1O

Ama Namin

Binary Fission: The Sexes

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Embodying the Subconscious Self

Too Little, Too Late

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15 Death Knocks Hard on the Farmer’s Door

A Lesson on Fluidity

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Day 2,922

Modern Pinoy Family

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C Stands for Change The Art of Make-Believe

Dopamine is Divine

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Do Party Responsibly

1 Like, 1 Prayer

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43 50

cover story The Gst of 5G

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Privacy on the Line

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A Mirror and Expensive Scissors

What’s Beneficial Beyond Artificial

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Beyond Benches and Barbells

Of Calorie Counts and Cancelled Cravings: Dieting Myths You Need To Know

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comics Sugar & Spice Reacts 75

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Don’t bury our lede

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A Risk-taker’s Risk

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Bended Flex

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Staff Picks

Reviews

madshack 2019

photo by Karl Brian T. Marqueza edited by Alexandra V. Bachoco

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DI SCUSSI ON

Binary Fission: The Sexes words by Lance Christian M. Juarez art by Gerico T. Guanco

Any conflict between two people gets resolved by open communication. Hence, respect is no question in the realm of politics—as long as it is earned.

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Humor yourself real quick: imagine you and a friend have a sack of ten apples that you two share. You go to get an apple but you stop and realize that eight out of ten of them have gone rotten. “The apples are rotten,” you say to your friend. “Not all of them are though,” he timidly replies. Are men trash the same way the apples are rotten?

The first instances of this short but punchy saying was found on Twitter hashtags here and there in 2015. After a chain of tweets about sexist offenses went viral, it spurred enough momentum for it to grow louder as 2016 ended.

At its initial usages, women utilized it as a way to expose the physical and emotional abuse from male partners in relationships, citing the heinous acts certain men have done against their significant others. As the scope of the hashtag evolved, women also used it to call out other acts of toxic masculinity and discrimination.

This growing usage motivated other women to share their personal stories about malicious and malevolent deeds men have done—such as sexual misconduct, objectification, harassment, manipulation, rape, and murder. Due to this, the hashtag gained prominence rapidly, post after post and thread after thread. As feminist and journalist Candice Bruseulas puts it, “The hashtag #MenAreTrash was a direct response to Violence Against Women: a message that women have been oppressed and are angry.”

It came to a point that the purpose of #MenAreTrash became more than scattered pockets of social media outcries—this newfound empowerment enabled outspoken men and women to turn a popular hashtag into an all-out social

movement. Its aim? Expose the base dynamics and common acts that propel the patriarchy, an imbalanced power dynamic between men and women in society, and in this case, socially.

More specifically, the movement is primed on highlighting the inborn privilege between men and women, debating the definition of masculinity outside the traditional concept of the “ideal man”, and more significantly, raising awareness of how previously thought “normal” behaviors turn out to be cogs in the machine of systematic oppression under the patriarchy.

On similar principles, the #MeToo movement, which was aimed specifically against sexual misconduct in the workplace, amassed an incredible global reach as actresses and other prestigious names voiced out their stories online. While this other hashtag had significant impact in countless realms around the world such as education, industry, and even government, #MenAreTrash met various mixed responses. The former was mostly replied with sympathy and support; the latter often met a counterargument: “not all men”.

Although reasonable at first glance, feminists argue that this response completely misses the point of the movement, justifies the argument it is initially against, and invalidates the problems women express in relation to the issue. “When the discussion shifts from the siege under which women are to the protection of men’s images and feelings, the real and potentially fatal problems women are so familiar with are undermined and trivialized,” Kiri Rupiah, The Mail & Guardian’s Online Editor, wrote in an article about the movement.

Another popular rebuttal by men is the idea of asking the women who support #MenAreTrash if it includes their brothers,

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This hurdle misconstrues the portrayal of the foundational values of the movement and diminishes the possibility of meaningful dialogue between the two sexes. fathers, and other men they have intimate relationships with.

To this, Rupiah argues, “Those cutting words are a cataract that thickens with time; men fail to see women as people deserving of their compassion. For women to elicit compassion or protectiveness from men, women must be family members, friends, children, or intimate partners.” Essentially, this argument also sidesteps the morality of the debate.

But when the conversation of a movement sparks misunderstanding of what it stands for, is that to question the execution of said movement? The balancing act of intention and manifesting that intention can become disconnected, especially in the realm of heated gender politics.

Given this noticeable tradeoff embedded in the movement, Bruseulas also wrote: “Even with the explanation that ‘men’ represents the patriarchy as a whole, it doesn’t have that connotation to the casual observer. It doesn’t say we hate the masculine culture—it says we hate men.” There is the dissonance in this aggressive dialogue that works against its initial aim.

Without prior context of the hashtag, it presents itself as an attack—rather than make men reflect on their behavior, it makes them defensive and angry at times. This hurdle misconstrues the portrayal of the foundational values of

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the movement and diminishes the possibility of meaningful dialogue between the two sexes.

This implies that anyone without background knowledge as to why the movement is being advocated by feminists has to work with just the three words “Men are Trash”. And this goes to show that in any issue, people have to dig deep into the facts to comprehend the entire story.

The arguments people present aren’t to nullify the issue of the patriarchy, nor do they minimize the problems to semantics and baseless name-calling—rather it’s to emphasize the complexity of this aspect of politics. The disparity between the sexes in the context of social treatment is woven in webs of complicit behavior towards toxic masculinity, the manifestation of hive minds, simple ignorance, and downright arrogance.

It’s beyond paramount to understand that the relationships and interactions between men and women are far more than a binary system—anyone analyzing anything must consider all dimensions of context, causality, and complexity.

What remains certain in whichever spot you find yourself in the line of argument, is that you settle on a side—regardless of neutrality or apathy. Shutting down dialogue in the presence of a conflict robs either party of the opportunity to find compromise. s

DI SCUSSI ON

Embodying the Subconscious Self words by Ivee E. Manguilimotan art by Alfredo Jr. R. Bayon-on

Ever wondered why lunch tables are occupied by the same set of cliques everyday? Why couples squabble over their relationship status? Why people often ask your birth date to know your Zodiac sign? Why LGBTQIA+ individuals need to identify themselves? Why people

are obsessed with conforming to a certain paradigm? Why everyone feels the need to fit in somewhere at some way?

We live in a society of labels. Humans crave the feeling of belongingness—the sense of inclusivity affirms and validates one’s existential persona. It also induces

ways to distinguish things and a sense of order. This idea stems from the Labeling Theory that interprets how identity and behavior are influenced by the terms (labels) used to describe or classify oneself. The theory is associated with the “concepts of the self-fulfilling prophecy

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and stereotyping.” Labels are how you identify yourself in your subconscious.

They are epithets that you attach to yourself to describe the person you think you are. Hence, we are what we think we are.

Societies concur specific norms that people live by on a daily basis. People try to fit in with society by following these sets of conventions and standards. Drafted

by American sociologist Howard Becker, the Labeling Theory was rooted in the idea of the social construct of reality.

This perspective is focused on how we understand and interpret things such as: signs to communicate with each other, how we create and maintain the self we present to the world with a sense of being within us, and how we construct and cultivate the reality that we believe to be true.

Originally, Becker’s proposal was most commonly associated with the sociology of crime and deviance: labeling and treating someone as criminally deviant can foster deviant behavior. Labeling someone as a criminal, for example, can cause others to treat them differently and more negatively than others—and the response to being treated unfavorably can compel that person, in turn, to act more negatively.

Therefore, it alters the way the ‘deviant’ views and treats their own self.

However, labels separate people as much as they unite. It creates division and draws lines that sever the consonance of humankind. When applied to an individual, it projects isolation. When applied to a group, it purports collective degradation.

The existence of racial discrimination fits into this description.

Labels have been employed as a means of demarcation for thousands of years. It further festers the dangerous distinctions society has imposed upon people—but don’t get the idea wrong; labels do not cause inequality, people do.

These are used as tools of oppression. It can be both useful and harmful, depending on where and how we use such terms.

Imposing these standards upon other people or other groups are the catalysts for concurring a recusant environment and connotes adverse responses from people.

Labeling oneself as part of a particular group gives one an immediate sense of individuality, but limits the Self in many ways as well. You are boxing yourself to the ideas of who you perceive you are and hindering growth outside of who you could become. The label you tag yourself with limits your view—the entire complexity of your nature cannot be encapsulated by a set of conventions you feel entitled to.

Labels also give you a “mental

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[Labels] create division and draw lines that sever the consonance of humankind.

When applied to an individual, it projects isolation. When applied to a group, it purports collective degradation. shortcut” to how you think you should act—what you think the appropriate deed of your community is or how you think that indecorous actions are morally acceptable if they fit within the conferred norm. For example, an Aries can justify one’s aggressiveness as it is attributed to his or her Zodiac sign. Or how it is okay to be late for meetings because we Filipinos work with the ‘Filipino time’.

Wherefore, horoscope astrology encompasses 12 Zodiac signs tackling specific norms that cater to a particular sign. There are various sets of standards that result from thousands of combinations, though interpreting the data rooted in our birth charts which can be best determined by knowing our exact time of birth. People acquire a sense of control and positive reinforcement from merely knowing which sign they belong to and fits best to their personality.

Meanwhile, being a Filipino has inculcated into our culture the ‘late is on time’ stigma; and due to this, foreign nationals have stereotyped the entirety of the population.

According to renowned spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle: “The quicker you are in attaching verbal or mental labels to things, people, or situations, the more shallow and lifeless your reality becomes, and the more deadened you become to reality.” Labeling someone without thoroughly understanding them leads to confusing and misleading situations—and even manipulative ones.

The moment we refuse to understand the person and focus more on how we view them and the terms we tag them with, it gives us a presage of what the outcome will be. And once the future seems misfortunate, we tend to manipulate people and situations to fit our own ideals.

Every individual is complicated,

complex, and dynamic in their own ways— no one is exactly like anyone else. So the next time you label someone, hold that thought and try to understand where they’re coming from. People are more than the boxes their subconscious is imprisoned in—they ought to be viewed as an entire living experience rather than a simple breathing moment. s

S OCI ETY

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE words by Hana Patricia Raj E. Hautea art by Andrea Danielle A. Gamboa

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What may have begun as a movement against a controversial bill steadily grew into something greater.

“People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” – Alan Moore The Philippines realized this important point during the People Power Revolution that overthrew Marcos. India understood the weight of that sentence after Gandhi led the Salt March which led to the country eventually gaining independence from Britain. Now, Hong Kong is learning this the hard way as millions flood to the streets against the controversial Hong Kong Extradition Bill.

Before getting into the nitty-gritty details of this complicated case, let’s define a key word here. Jonathan Masters of the Council on Foreign Relations describes extradition as “the formal process of one state surrendering an individual to another state for prosecution or punishment for crimes committed in the requesting country’s jurisdiction”.

In much simpler terms, if a person is extradited, they are officially sent back to their own or another country to be tried for a crime that they have been accused of.

Why is this such a big deal in Hong Kong then? Let’s take it from the top.

Two words, one name: Chan Tong-kai.

He’s a 20-year-old man who confessed to killing his pregnant girlfriend on a trip to Taiwan after finding out he wasn’t the baby’s father. After committing the heinous act, he continued to steal her money using her ATM card and caught a flight home. The day her decomposing body was found by Taiwanese authorities was the same day he was arrested in HK— but instead of murder, he was charged with money laundering.

Why is that so?

The Hong Kong police couldn’t charge Chan with murder for a crime committed in Taiwan. Plus, he couldn’t be sent back to Taiwan to be charged there because Hong Kong and Taiwan don’t have a formal extradition agreement.

Due to this tricky legal situation, the HK government spotted a loophole

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in their system and proposed the nowcontroversial Hong Kong Extradition Bill, which would allow their country to sign extradition deals with other governments.

After the suspects have been detained and transferred outside HK, these other governments could prosecute Hong Kongers of crimes suspected to happen on their land.

However, citizens are worried that anyone suspected of any crime could virtually be shipped off and trialed in mainland China, where the justice system is questionable, capital punishment (aka death penalty) is legal, and judges follow the orders of the Communist Party.

So what did they do? These peaceful protesters took to the streets and made sure the government knew why they should be scared of its people.

Well, it worked! On September 4, Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam fully withdrew the HK Extradition Bill. This was a surprising move as there hadn’t been much progress on the bill for months after its proposal. Despite the efforts of the government to reach a decision, everything was just too disorganized and the immense pressure set by the protesters certainly wasn’t helping.

Really, what government wouldn’t be pressured? The people of Hong Kong were literally swarming in millions against frequent police violence to protect their rights and independence as a nation. There was even a point when videos started popping up revealing officers retaliating with tear gas, batons, and beanbag rounds, with protesters suffering serious injuries as a result.

And yes, their rights and independence as a nation. What may have begun as a movement against a controversial bill steadily grew into something greater.

Hong Kongers weren’t just afraid of the justice system in China—they were more scared of the subtle, deep-rooted implications of the HK Extradition Bill.

The two countries are involved in a “one country, two systems” policy that

allows HK a high degree of autonomy (or self-governance) and generally, a lot more freedom than mainland China. This arrangement is supposed to last until 2047, but one party seems pretty excited for this policy to end.

Residents claim that mainland China is already starting to extend their claws around HK—like how their leader was recognized to be Beijing’s choice during the elections. And well, she won. This extradition bill would only help sink the claws in deeper.

What was initially a series of antigovernment protests evolved into a wider pro-democracy movement. Its degree of intensity even surpassed that of the noteworthy yet ‘unsuccessful’ 2014 Umbrella Movement instigated by 17-year-old Joshua Wong, where citizens mobilized in sit-in street protests in reaction to restrictions from Beijing as to how Hong Kong’s next leader would be chosen.

So wouldn’t current protestors be celebrating after this significant announcement?

The final answer: they weren’t.

Samson Yuen, assistant professor of Political Science at Lingnan University, expressed that the withdrawal of the bill “will take some steam, some violence off the streets, but it won’t take people off the streets. In the medium term, protests will still continue, mainly because the protesters’ focus has broadened.” Frankly, people viewed the action as placing a little bandage over a gaping bullet hole.

In reality, the Hong Kong Extradition Bill merely served as the spark that set the flames ablaze. A fire has been ignited within the citizens of Hong Kong, and the withdrawal of the bill was just one of their five main demands from the government.

Now that they’ve found something worth fighting for, it doesn’t seem like they’ll stop any time soon.

The withdrawal of the HK extradition bill may be too little, but for Hong Kongers, it’s never too late. S

SOCI ETY

Death Knocks Hard on the Farmer’s Door words by Ida Sarena M. Gabaya art by Earl John D. Pabular

In the span of two years, fear has stalked the once quiet provincial towns of the Negros Island when military forces of the state antagonized the local farmers who only stood on their fair ground. Outraged by the bloodbath, victims of the oppressed are now seeking justice and due process while the government refuses to hear their pleas.

Last Christmas Why us?

Said 28-year-old Cedine Isugan as she witnessed her husband Jesus

being held at gunpoint by three armed men. The farmer’s wife was left with no choice but to watch as they dragged him to their backyard. Moments after, Cedine heard the gunshots. She was already too late when she rushed to her husband’s corpse, his blood seeping into the ground.

It was only two days after Christmas when Jesus, together with five other farmers, were all gunned down in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental. His wife believed it was the consequence of their family’s involvement with a peasant organization that dealt with land

disputes and unfair labor practices for the farmers in the region.

In line with the recent sporadic acts of violence that occurred within the district, President Rodrigo Duterte has officially signed Memorandum Order No. 32 on the 22nd of November last year. The main objective of which, was to put an end to “lawless violence” and “prevent further loss of innocent lives” in the provinces of Negros, Samar, and Bicol.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) formed an alliance with the Philippine National Police for

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Fearful of organizations that defend the rights of the farmers, the big landlords have threatened to resort in complete violence and dangerous attacks in obtaining their land.

a joint operation called “Oplan Sauron”, targeting suspected communist rebels, criminals, and those involved in illegal drug circulation.

Unknown to all of the victims’ families, the bloodshed that occurred in their village was only the beginning of the string of deaths bound to terrorize the island.

Blood Spilled on Sugarcane Fields The carnage that shook Hacienda Nene was caused by a mass shooting, resulting in the corpses of nine sugarcane farmers, including four women and two children.

Headlined by every news media outlet as “The Sagay Massacre”, the sudden tragedy happened around supper time when a group of gunmen raided the makeshift tent and stormed their bullets through, taking the lives of nine defenseless farmers on the 20th of October last year.

The slain victims were members of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) and the possible motive for the massacre would be the on-going land conflicts.

Reports from the investigation state that the incident occurred on the first night of land cultivation or “bungkalan”, an activity that promotes productivity to the farmers who would collectively cultivate in the idle lands they occupied.

The practice of bungkalan parallels the farmers’ methods of demonstrating

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their campaign for genuine agrarian reform and free land distribution against the government.

Fearful of organizations that defend the rights of the farmers, the big landlords have threatened to resort in complete violence and dangerous attacks in obtaining their land.

While investigations have yet to conclude, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo argued to the NFSW that the victims were posing as a front for the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPPNPA).

Also, instead of defending the slain farmers, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones warns other farmers to stop staying in private lands as a lesson. He further justified by pointing out the fact that the farmers were not agrarian reform beneficiaries even though they have spent decades working in the lands of Hacienda Nene.

Pointing Fingers: Aftermath of the Killings The total number of Negros killings has gone over the roof, but what remains unclear is the person, or group, accounted for the fatalities. The string of deaths has sparked fear in the lives of the locals, especially when there has been rumors about the President briefly declaring Martial Law in Negros. But this was dismissed by President Duterte.

Last July, 300 Special Action

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Force (SAF) commandos have been scheduled for deployment, as stated by the head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde, to Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental as a defensive measure against the accused communist rebels. The SAF troops will also extend their assistance to local police units and internal security operations against criminal threats and active terrorist groups in the provinces of Negros.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, the CPP is aggravated by the proposal the government has provided.

Police Chief Albayalde has been claiming that the communist rebels are purposely sacrificing their members as a scheme to hold the government liable for the deaths.

What seems to be agonizing telenovela, the past months have been jam-packed with contradicting reports from both parties.

Reports from Negros Oriental revealed that suspects from several killings were identified as members of the NPA. While an opposing statement by the CPP accused state forces as the ones responsible behind the attacks as a fallout of Duterte’s fascist regime.

But looking at the big picture, endless bantering will not put an end to this death toll where innocent lives have been at stake. The island has endured enough bloodshed and the stain will serve as a remembrance. S

HUMAN I NTEREST

C Stands For ChanGE words by Disney Marie L. Espartero photo by Peter Job T. Bearneza Jr.

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It was a different radiance; it didn’t come from the sun.

It came from the girl holding a pinwheel, all smiles while addressing the crowd in front of her. She knew why she was there: she wants to save the world. To do this, she has to fight.

But she is not alone.

With more than a hundred environmental activists armed only with their voice and immense passion, they begin to march on the streets to call for climate justice.

This has been the life of Coleen Awit, one of the lead campaigners from The Coal Free Negros Network pushing for 100% Renewable Energy Negros. She embraced the life of a student activist, carrying the hopes of the youth for a better and livable future.

“I desire for a livable future and if there is a need to take it to the streets, I would not mind at all. The urgency [...] made it very clear that there is indeed no time left to delay,” she said, emphasizing the seriousness of the task at hand.

Climate crisis is not a selective issue, as it exempts no one. It is the most pressing and urgent issue which needs to be addressed because it is not something that’s going to happen in the next century. We are now living in the age of catastrophic predictions and it leaves us all with one choice: gearing towards its mitigation.

Coleen, together with a group of passionate individuals, eventually joined the Youth Empowering Youth, a youth-led organization engaged to empower their fellow youth to become proactive citizens of the country, focusing on education, environmental conservation, and youth empowerment.

Working closely with other groups in different environmental movements in the island, Coleen has experienced being at the forefront of the campaign to fight against fossil fuels and to push for a renewable transition in Negros.

“Negros is really home to a lot of activists and the extent of what they are willing to do for the people and the planet moved me to do the same,” she shared, remembering her team of relentless eco-warriors ready to protect the environment at all costs.

For Coleen and the team, countless days spent on the streets despite the sweltering heat of the sun did not go in vain. Their victory came into fruition in the passage of Executive Order 19-08, a local policy banning the entry of coal and the province as a source of clean and renewable energy. Now, there is a barrier of protection on the island against capitalists who want to prey on its natural resources and spoil its beauty.

The youth groups have brought the climate crisis to the attention of the Church. The Church is where it begins and ends. Youth activists would gather at the Social Action Center beside the San Sebastian Cathedral to huddle and strategize before their rallies.

After a long day in the streets, they would retire within its walls and share art and stories of victory and defeat, of struggles and aspirations, of hope, but never the loss

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‘‘

After a long day in the streets within its walls and share ar victory and defeat, of struggle of hope, but never the l

s, they would retire rt and stories of es and aspirations, loss of hope.

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of hope.

To fight is noble, but fighting is never the sole duty of the youth.

Sans the placards and the megaphone, Coleen spends some afternoons at a local coffee shop at Central Market with her friends who share the same passion and advocacy.

Conversations are cut short by laughter and occasional sips of coffee. They would share their own private world despite the hustle and bustle of the city that surrounds them.

For Coleen, inspiration takes on a human form—Krishna, Joshua, Tedted, Junjun, Felsy, Jo Jean, Jaya, Ruer, Miggy, Grid, Vince, Von, Yna, Franz, Claudia, and all her fellow youth activists who have been through a lot but never gave up, sharing with her the courage that fuels her to continue the fight.

Coleen would reminisce her early beginnings, growing her roots as a delegate of the Negrosanon Young Leaders Summit. Since then, she has taken full throttle and never looked back.

However, just like any journey, she has faced some setbacks.

She confessed that juggling her environmental and academic pursuits is never easy, thinking of the time she has to divide for her studies and advocacy work. Despite her drive to do well in school, the looming threat of an unthinkable future brought by the climate crisis worries her.

“I don’t see why I should study for a future that is uncertain. Hence, I became more motivated to continue with what I do and I have promised myself that I will not stop in securing a livable future for everyone,” she shared, hopeful that the sacrifices she is making will help everyone in the long run.

However, no matter how good your intentions are, people would always have something to say. Coleen is not a stranger to criticism and negative comments regarding her advocacy work. During their rallies, they would often be told to just focus on their studies and not waste their time on the streets. Passersby would criticize them and consider them as disruptions to the flow of the daily operations in the busy city.

“They may not believe in the things that I do but this fight is for everyone. They may not understand it now but if there’s one thing that we share, that is our desire for a beautiful future,” she expressed.

Despite the challenges that she has faced, the girl that associates activism with the color of the sun continues to stride, radiating passion and positivity as she fights for everyone’s future, may it be those of the skeptics, the critics, her family, and her friends.

“Ours is a very hard battle to win but please know that the sun will rise on our side soon and we’ll have that bright future that we all strive to achieve. For now, only one thing is for certain. In Negros, we will continue to fight,” she said, working hard to achieve that future one step at a time. S

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DI SCUSSI ON

The Art of Make-Believe words by Willi T. Florete art by Kiara Nicole D. Villa

There are a lot of things in this world that, however trivial, really irk us to the bone. For one, it could be our garrulous seatmate blabbering about their allso-perfect-and-exciting life in just one breath, or it could be a mosquito making buzzing noises as it hovers beside our ears. But if I were to choose two things

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that really irritate (and baffle) me, it would be stumbling upon a nonsensical yet overpriced art piece and putting up with someone gloating about just how phenomenal of an artist they are.

Why the world had to go through this drastic shift is still a mystery. But apparently, we have already reached this

point in life where artworks that lack clarity, sense, and even aesthetic value seem to be dominating the art industry.

What more is that these artworks are even regarded as crafts that carry a purpose—one of which, perhaps, is to define the nature of life, or maybe just fill a billionaire’s empty house. But moving

But beneath these prevailing vogues, however, is a twisted perception that threatens to subvert the very essence of art: to inspire.

on, it’s just rather appalling to know that certain artists out there earn millions by just basically, well, doing their thing.

In 2012, a Chinese contemporary sculpture and installation artist named Ai Weiwei went to Art Basel—an international art fair staged each year in Basel, Switzerland; Miami Beach, Florida; and Hong Kong, where eminent and aspiring artists alike can sell their works—and brandished his artwork “Tree #11”, which was one of the 15 actual dead trees that he sold for $468,000.

Consequently, after the said feat gained popularity, Miami Herald interviewed the billionaire art collector Norman Braman and asked him if it was ever sensible to transport a dead tree halfway around the world. Upon hearing the query, Braman got shocked and gave this reply matter-of-factly: “Of course, it does. It makes sense because of who the artist is. This is Weiwei. He’s a worldrenowned artist, and his works are in demand. Now if this was by Joe Blow (a generic term which means ‘an average guy’), it wouldn’t mean anything.”

If this ever tells us one thing, it would be the fact that some people are more drawn to the artist than to the artwork itself. I’m sure that all of us, even just once, have been through that one moment when we listened to a song not because it was good or moving, but because the artist was prominent. To be more exact, we are sometimes more attracted to popularity than quality.

But is this the only thing that

conceived this ever-growing, baffling craze that found its way in the art industry? Walking further into the forest of this enigma would actually bring us to even more causes.

One of these roots is simply the fact that the value of an artwork completely depends on the beholder. In an interview

by The Post, Simon de Pury (a Swiss art auctioneer and collector) asserted: “If they think it’s worth nothing, the work will not be cared for.” In this statement, de Pury made it clear that whether or not an artwork is of any value totally depends on how the audience perceives it.

Another cause of this is none other than pretension. It could be that people just want to drown themselves in the illusion that, unlike others, they can understand and appreciate artworks better, albeit that’s not really the case.

Speaking of illusion, I’m pretty sure that as students, we have already met that particular classmate or schoolmate who couldn’t seem to get enough of their “artistic” blood. Be it constantly playing a guitar or singing loudly, they seem to be stuck in that goal of seeking as much attention as possible, thinking that their talents make them better or superior to others. While our special gifts indeed make us special, the thing is they’re not meant to make us believe that we matter more in this world just because we have them—but why all this bragging?

According to Psych Lens, this gloating attitude may have stemmed

from our insecurities. Since some of us lack self-confidence and pride, we resort to bragging to make people know about what we have and what we can do.

But beneath these prevailing vogues, however, is a twisted perception that threatens to subvert the very essence of art: to inspire.

Sure, it’s not bad to seek appraisals and approval from time to time; receiving positive remarks from others motivates us to do better in doing whatever it is that we love doing. But constantly hunting for it is a whole different story.

It’s really imperative that every once in a while, we reflect on our purpose for doing our own craft. In his article titled Why Art has the Power to Change the World, Olafur Eliasson stated: “Art does not show people what to do, yet engaging with a good work of art can connect you to your senses, body, and mind. It can make the world felt. And this felt feeling may spur thinking, engagement, and even action.”

With this in mind, ask this question to yourself again: “Why am I doing all this?” Whatever your answer may be, I hope that it won’t just be about seeking fame or showing off. Art is a means to inspire and bring hope. So let us not be subjected to this art of make-believe.

Instead, let us be artists whose goal is not to seek prominence, but to make people believe that despite the evergrowing discord, despair, and cruelty in this world, meaning and happiness can still prevail. S

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Dopamine is Divine DI SCUSSI ON

words by Maegan Joy Matamoro art by Gerico T. Guanco

There are bland portraits of images everywhere. The hues, though vivid, cannot fill the empty spaces between you and the universe, and it feels like you are being surrounded by the timeless void of everyday. You kneel, close your eyes, and shut down your senses—a last resort perhaps, to fill

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what is missing, to fuel the static, and to feel more human again. You are now grasping the hands of your higher being.

The nature of humans of resorting to an unhealthy coping mechanism has been normalized through the casual usage of anything that embarks a sense of pleasure. A sanctuary to cage yourself

in a safe space where you can’t hear the outside noises but, how long will it last?

Up to what extent are you willing to give up for short term’s sake?

Omnipresence. They are everywhere.

The moment you open your eyes, it has become a part of your daily

The identity that you assumed will open a new interest and catalyze a sense of intrigue among the people you meet in an electronic screen, or the parcel itself will devour your identity whole. consumption—aside from the threecourse meal, there are aspects of yourself that cannot be satisfied by viands so your body looks for other stimulants to fulfill that duty.

According to Rappler, mobile internet penetration rate in the Philippines is growing at a rate of 1.5 times (or 30 million users) every year and Filipinos consume 150 thousand terabytes of data annually, signifying that the usage of gadgets portrays a vital role in our system. It is manmade stamina to keep you away from stagnancy.

Despite the dangers it possesses, the necessity of pleasure surpasses the potential risks that will affect you in the long run. Despite how long, dark, and drastic the tunnel will be, the mindset of motivation is directed to the heaven that awaits.

Speaking of heaven, the concept of being in the state of cloud nine is usually associated with sexual desire. It is usually served in the form of curiosity, but after one taste, you will starve for more. The casual toleration of sexual arousal by exercising sexual freedom of self-indulgence to pornographic videos through a multitude of genres plays a ‘casting call’ to step up your M-game in reaching out to a broad world of nirvana.

Of course, visuals alone cannot compensate for the howl of flesh and the rush of blood. They say that your body is a temple, and you lived up to that saying by exploring it more through masturbation.

Omniscience. They know all.

Every time you swipe right, do you think it is the right choice? Because by the time you click in, there is no way out. They will continue to strip off your covers and dig in even more. The identity that you assumed will open a new interest and catalyze a sense of intrigue among the people you meet in an electronic screen, or the parcel itself will devour your identity whole.

The example of a possible risk in emerging frequently on social media and sharing personal information may lead to an unconscious risk of exploitation against the user. BBC stated an example about the risks; Microsoft’s Bing search engine was able to see the names of “virtually all” Facebook users’ friends without those friends’ consent in order to personalise the results it showed. This highlights anew the vulnerability of consumer data in this digital age. It is a necessary practice to be wary before plunging into the social dimension.

Omnipotence.They are dominant.

It is a constant demand of our body to give in to the fresh flavor of stimulus. Widened pupils and a change of breathing calls for another round of action. Its starting point comes in an interlocking of lips, and then, a nudity art presentation of two heated bodies.

The apex of this is when you are already in the real arena, otherwise known as the bed, and excitement, instead of fear, runs through your pulse, as if every joust is inches closer to an ethereal

space.

Sexual hookup culture, according to the American Psychological Association, pertains to how the media suggests that uncommitted sex can be both physically and emotionally enjoyable and occur without ‘strings’. The themes of books, plots of movies and television shows, and lyrics of numerous songs all demonstrate a permissive sexuality among consumers. The pop culture revolution of romanticizing sex as an emphasis to life radiates in the form of art. The hunger for it causes a surge to sacrifice a big amount of money in exchange for one night caresses and intertwining bodies. It can also be the neglection of your moral compass—the failure to rationalize your actions because of the unstoppable provocation.

There are prismatic portraits of images everywhere. The hues are vivid, and it already fills the empty spaces between you and the universe—it does not feel like you are being surrounded by the timeless void of everyday. You kneel, close your eyes, and shut down your senses—filling what is missing, fueling the static, and feeling more human again. You are now grasping the hands of your higher being—a gadget, a cigar, and a condom.

Regardless of the divinity of dopamine, you are given free will to utilize your control in accordance to your own principles in life. Whether you will follow the decalogue or not—or even if you don’t believe it at all—you are undeniably accountable for your own freedom. S

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photo by Angelo F. Despi edited by Alexandra V. Bachoco

26

F I LI PI NO

AMA NATIN Paano nga ba mag-isip ang isang Dutertard?

Tuklasin ang sagot mula sa akdang sasampal at gugulantang sa’yo.

words by Hezron G. Pios photos by Angelo F. Despi

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Wala kayo sa Tatay ko! Kahit na andami-daming galit sa kanya,

kebs lang. Pagbabago—tunay na pagbabago—ang pangarap lang naman ni Tatay para sa kanyang mga anak na iniwan nang biglaan sa maputik na daang matuwid. Ngunit tanggap kayo ni Tatay. Maging kapamilya, kapuso, o kapatid ka man. Kaya yang mga bashers ni Tatay? Patay sila lahat sa’kin.

Sabi kasi ng mga dilawan1, nung maihalal si Tatay sa pwesto, EJK na lang yung inatupag niya. Hay naku! Ano ba ang gusto nila? Hayaan na lang ang mga pushers at drug lords na maghariharian? Kung sila kaya ang maging presidente, tingnan lang natin.

Alam kong takot sila kay Tatay dahil siya lang kasi ang may bayag kumpara sa kanilang lahat. Sa pagkuha ng atensyon ng midya lang sila magaling, eh walang namang may napatunayan.

Tapos pinagkaisahan pa nila si Madam Margaux? Queen of Fake News daw? Anong fake news? Saan naman nanggaling iyun? Ang Mocha Uson Blog lang naman ang nagbigay ng pambihirang aliw sa masa sa pamamagitan ng pagbahagi ni Madam ng kanyang mga opinyon sa mga bagay-bagay at balitang may kabuluhan, lokal man o banyaga. ‘Di tulad ng ibang ahensiya diyan tulad ng Rappler2. Putak lang nang putak. Parang mga galit sa mundo.

Maraming nagtaka kung bakit at paano naglipana ang mga trolls o mga pekeng accounts sa social media, lalo na sa Facebook kung saan mahigit 49.9 milyong accounts ay gawa ng mga Pinoy. Itong mga trolls daw ay nais lang maghasik ng kamangmangan at kaguluhan sa mga paksil at comments section. Kami raw ay bayaran dahil nakakatanggap kami ng humigit-kumulang P100,000.

Sa amin din daw nanggagaling ang mga bot3 na siyang gagawa ng pananaw na may gabundok na opinyon sa iisang

topiko. At dahil machine-driven itong mga bots, libu-libong posts ang babaha kada minuto. Na kapag nagsama ang tatlong operators ng bots, P5M ang kaya naming makuha sa bawat buwan. Hanep di ba?!?! Pero ‘wag agad kayong maniwala sa mga alternative facts.

Sa totoo lang, hindi lang matanggap ng mga dilawan na may mga madlang pipol talagang sukang-suka na sa pamumulitika ng mga nasa puwesto. Ano ba ang nakukuha nila sa pagiging kritiko ni Tatay? Ano ba ang tunay na nagawa nila para sa bayan?

Sabi nila kaming mga trolls ay sadyang bitter at insecure na mga bashers lamang.

Talaga nga namang husto lang sila kung makapuna kay Tatay. Husto lang sila kung makapagsabi na wala na kaming napalang mabuti sa mundo. Sabi raw nila, cyberbullying ang pinanggagawa namin. Tang*na, anong cyberbullying? Katulad ng isang Juan, naghahanap-buhay lang kami. Wala kaming inaagrabyado.

Tapos ipinakalat naman ng pabibong nagngangalang si Vince Lazatin mula sa Transparency & Accountability Network na, “It was specifically brought into sharp relief during these past elections, where the amount of hatred and vitriol on the internet was just intolerable. It silenced people into submission.

The trolls have found a way to weaponize the internet.” Puro English nang English eh nasa Pilipinas naman siya?

Talaga nga namang ang disinformation sa ating bansa ay hindi maaaring maihanay sa aming tagasuporta ni Tatay. Isinisisi kasi ng mga dilawan kay Atty. Persida Costa na dapat daw gumagamit ng mga bakuna lalo na kapag bata pa. Pero madlang pipol, dapat ay natuto na tayo mula sa administrasyon ni Panot.

Ang hukbo niya na mga oligarchs ang siyang nagpahamak kay

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Alam kong takot sila kay Tatay dahil siya lang kasi ang may bayag kumpara sa kanilang lahat.

Tatay nang lubusan at sa mga inosenteng kabataang Pilipino.

Nakakapikon na ha.

Ayon naman kay kuya Bongbong, “Nang maupo si Tatay sa posisyon, maraming napanatag. Naniniwala ako sa kakayahan niya. Hindi insulto na matawag kang Dutertard sapagkat kami lamang ang tunay na may busilak na intensyon at magagandang hangarin para sa Inang Bayan.” Bilib na bilib talaga ako kay kuya. Bilang mga Dutertards, sanay na kami sa walang kabuluhang pangongontra galing sa ibang partido.

Kontra nang kontra eh ambabaho namang nung hininga. Sus, kadiri.

Dagdag pa ni kuya na sana puksain na ang mga pwersa nina Maria Ressa at Chel Diokno, lalo na yang mga youth activists, sapagkat nanghahalungkat lamang sila ng interes para sa mga gawaing seditious o ang pagsusulat, pagpoprotesta, o paggalaw na nakasisira sa ating peace and order sa mga pampublikong lugar tulad ng paaralan, opisina, ospital, entablado atbp. Ano bang gusto nila? Na si Tatay pa ang mag-aadjust? Puro reklamo. Sana sila na lang yung nagpatakbo.

Pero well. Si Tatay pa din ang siyang lulupig sa kadilimang pilit nilang ikinakalat.

Ngunit dahil na rin sa mga naitama at nakamit ni Tatay, mas umusbong pa lalo ang panitikang Pilipino. Ayon nga kay idol Binoy, “Mas umigting pa ang pag-asa ko sa bayan. Tiyak na hihikayat pa ng mga kabataan ang impluwensiya ni Tatay.

Sasama’t isasapuso nila ang mga adbokasiya ni Tatay tulad ng federalism, women empowerment and gender studies, mining, netiquette, at Martial Law studies.” Bad Boy man sa paningin ng iba, walang kupas naman ang galing at talino. ‘Yan ang tunay na Dutertard.

Ayon nga. Hanggang ngayon, wala pa rin kayo sa Tatay ko. Nailahad ko na ang gusto kong ilahad. Kaya’t habang may panahon pa, magbagong-isip ka na. ‘Wag maging dilawan.

‘Wag maniwala sa Rappler. ‘Wag suwayin ang anumang utos ni Tatay. At utang na loob, ‘wag na ‘wag na ‘wag kalimutang iboto si ate Sara Duterte sa pagka-pangulo sa Halalan 2022! S Disclaimer: Itong lathala ay pawang pang-uuyam lamang.

1 Mga pabibong oposisyon. Halimbawa ay sina Mar Roxas, Risa Hontiveros, Leni Robredo et. al.

2 Bashers ni Tatay 3 Automated response

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S OCIE TY

DAY 2,922 words by Starlene Joy B. Portillo photos by Karl Brian T. Marqueza

Putting life into perspective is paramount to living in humility—it’s incredibly easy to take everything in our routine for granted. To fall hard in life is unavoidable; to keep moving forward is simply human.

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Time check: 5:45 a.m. Ruben* has again woken up to the simultaneous sounds of metal creaking against metal. The cacophony of opening gates is their wake-up call. Just like the average Juan, he greets the rising sun in contemplation and prayer. Silently, he mouths: opportunity, stability, hope—a litany of all he is thankful for. At this point, he realizes he will never run out of it.

Ruben, along with some of his 37 other companions from Dorm 5, then drag their tsinelas toward the open grounds. The space is bordered by looping barbed wires over concrete offwhite walls. Meanwhile, others head straight to the in-house kitchen. Today is a Wednesday, which means that the grounds are scheduled to be charged with worn, eager feet trying to make sense of new Zumba steps as a form of exercise. Ruben has time to spare, so he walks for a few rounds.

Time check: 7:00 a.m. Today is September 18. Population: 700. Number of detainees: 694, as written. Ruben kicked off his mornings at the Metro Bacolod District Jail - Male Dormitory with the customary head count for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs)—the politically-correct term when referring to people committed to prison. The routine has shredded through eight calendars.

Now, the facility buzzes with several private conversations melded into one uneven droning as he and the rest of the inmates eat breakfast and clean up for the day. “We live our lives in prison just as one would normally live their everyday lives,” Ruben commented.

Communal comfort rooms can be located outside the dormitories while four dorms have lavatories inside the cells themselves. Ruben recalls a time when the number of committed PDLs surged to nearly 900, and going to the comfort room meant having to tiptoe just so he wouldn’t accidentally step on somebody sleeping out in the hallway. Despite that, fights seldom break out due to congestion. Consideration has become an unspoken understanding, a brotherhood. It didn’t matter that

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he was a member of the LGBTQIA+, in the same way that others’ outside offense didn’t matter to him. We are a family now; we are all one and the same, they remind themselves.

He braces himself for next month’s Masskara celebration and the influx of new brothers it will pull in.

Time check: 8:00 a.m. A program mandated by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) greets their day. For PDLs, the Therapeutic Community Modality Program (TCMP) functions just like a support group—everyone is equal in the sense that they are all coping, all learning with each other. Here, Ruben served as the coordinator for four and a half years.

Every PDL has obligations, some of which are appointed by jail personnel whereas other involvements can be freely chosen by the inmates themselves. Ruben catalogues other divided responsibilities off the top of his head: assigned dorm representatives tasked to handle people within their respective cells; choir members for religious involvement and trustees under the Committee for Peace and Order.

When he was first committed in 2011, his fair share of duty consisted mainly of manual labor, such as scrubbing and waxing floors on Saturdays. Currently, Ruben takes pride in serving as the Vice Chairman of the PDL unit.

“My journey here has been nothing short of progressive because I started from the bottom, yet I worked my way up,” he beamed.

Time check: 9:00 a.m. “The first few weeks of being jailed prove to be the hardest because you’ll be in denial [of your situation],” Ruben admitted. “You’ll harbor hatred for everyone: from your complainant, down to the police who arrested you.”

Newly-admitted PDLs are not yet allowed to leave their dorms except during head counts, and are also restricted from talking too much in a room teeming with 30-60 people who, like them, also have nothing better to do. In a way, it seems as though one is being isolated while in isolation.

After spending three weeks in the facility, Ruben was

allowed to attend his first Bible study session. At this hour, religious sectors visit the facility daily for praise and worship. He sat there shoulder-to-shoulder with other PDLs listening to the Word, finding it difficult to hold back tears.

“I felt like I was being singled out—as if it was an exchange for me alone to hear,” he explained. During these sessions, Ruben was drawn to the whispers of forgiveness and acceptance. And eventually, he found his peace.

Time check: 11:00 a.m. The bureau contributes food for PDLs daily, but some have the choice to cook their own meals inside the in-house kitchen since the BJMP allows PDLs to bring in food they want to eat. This is made possible by the facility livelihood programs that provide them with sources of income used to pay for these goods in turn. PDLs are taught how to make origami cranes and braided rugs as well as Christmas parols—all of which are ordered and sold outside the facility.

Meanwhile, a cooperative canteen is steadily running inside the facility.

Time check: 1:00 p.m. Ruben hails from the Municipality of Manapla, so family visits for him are mostly limited to Christmas time. Since he has been earning lately, he asks his siblings and their children to come visit so that he could give them a share.

“Despite being imprisoned, it’s fulfilling being able to still help my family,” Ruben shared.

Time check: 3:00 p.m. At this hour, some inmates take the time to unwind and shoot a few hoops on the grounds. This, along with little compensations and rewards, gives PDLs the semblance of a life lived beyond the barbed wires. Despite the length of their sentences, inmates are given hope for an earlier release through the implementation of the Good Conduct and Time Allowance (GCTA) Law. One’s sentence can be reduced at a starting rate of 20 days for each month that a PDL shows good behavior. The bureau notes PDL participation on in-house programs, which become tallies for deduction.

Mapuli na gid ko ya, Ruben declared, having garnered a four-year reduction from his 12-year sentence from the GCTA directive. He laughs off the fact that he is projected to be released around next year’s first quarter. Yet, the national administration’s current suspension of the GCTA, in turn, suspends this reality. “Hopefully, they’ll return it next month.”

Time check: 5:00 p.m. Dinnertime outruns lunch. Perhaps it’s because nights here are shorter. Else, it preempts them all for sleep that doesn’t come easy.

Around this time eight years ago, Ruben would have been wrapping up another day of extending his hand to customers at the Imperial Appliance Plaza. “I was the most popular sales representative back in the day because I always had the most customers,” he ruminated.

With almost all of his days accounted for, he acknowledges that rejoining society might be met with challenges. However, he takes comfort in knowing that a new life awaits. Noy, indi ka na magpalayo kag maghalin sa balay. Buligan ta na lang ka, his brother repeated during visits.

Ruben has since been promised a bugasan where he can continue making a living out of his knack for sales. Another friend has saved him a spot for work in Baguio, but his brother insists on keeping him near. “I haven’t even been released, but it feels like my life has been laid out for me—and I’m settling in nicely,” Ruben said in anticipation.

Time check: 7:00 p.m. Ruben and 693 other PDLs file together outside their dorms for another head count.

The day is finally done, but unspoken musings go on long after the lights are out. Tapuson ko na ni is a mantra Ruben undauntedly draws fuel from. He rests early, readying himself to tick off another day of restitution. Tomorrow, the same gates will open to wake him up. But someday soon, he will not need to see it close on him—finally, a person deserving of liberty. S *Last name of interviewee not disclosed

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HUMAN I NTEREST

A LESSON ON FLUIDITY 34 34

words by Andrea Danielle A. Gamboa photos by Martini M. Falco art by Alfredo Jr. R. Bayon-on

Philippine waters are riddled with the trash of yesterday’s passings. Sachets of 80’s Sunsilk, a forgotten shoelace, three packets of opened hair dye, and a pink plastic comb.

Somewhere beneath the boundaries of a concrete surface, a male cuttlefish finds safety in its abilities. Where it comes to play, the others hide. It does not deny itself the freedom to exist. It is not proud; it is not conceited. It merely half-pretends—plays dress-up, if you will. Wandering the sequined blue sea— littered meticulously by life’s pretenses and the occasional floating flip-flops— they challenge the world, asking for it to try harder. Adapting and maneuvering through the brash currents of force, hatred, and resistance, the cuttlefish remains poised. Grounded, drifting, existing—unapologetic, and free.

Cheryl Examen Pagunsan exuded a semblance of regality: a frozen snapshot of a distant time spent in long sequined gowns, clacking heels, and a slick shade of lipstick—all precisely strung upon a rehearsed line of eloquent words. At 48 years old, he embodies an image of poise, telling of a sequestered time where the fluidity of gender expression was held in high regard.

Known as either Miss or Sir by his students, Pagunsan wasn’t concerned by the technicalities of pronouns. He was appointed by an especially feminine name, and it seemed as though he was destined for things far greater than the boundaries of masculinity.

At the precocious age of five, Pagunsan knew himself as “an overt type of homosexual,” he confidently stated.

“I’m not afraid. I’m loud, showy, and I am a person who is always honest.” Surrounded by his barkada of girls playing with dolls and his authenticity, he recognized how fulfilling his childhood had been, noting the very inspiring role his oldest sister had played in his life.

Being one of eight siblings in his family, his oldest sister had instilled a child-like wonder in him to the world of learning, as she had sacrificed a lot to give him and his siblings a chance at education.

At the age of seven, he decided for himself that education was the remedy to abuse

and manipulation. He dreamed of being a teacher, which he would carry with him later as the driving force behind his desire to be on stage.

Cut to Miss Gay Universe of Barangay Taculing. Forty-three candidates. A pageant of amiability: transcending the fixation on titles, crowns, awards, and the restrictions placed on gender expression.

For Pagunsan, pageantry was a social event, one that curated friendships and allowed him to advocate for a more accepting world. Mostly, though, it made for a fun time. It just so happened that he was crowned the elusive title, which had been broadcasted on television, therefore outing himself as a pageant queen to his father.

“Ma, diba si Boyet na?” Cheryl recalled his father saying this to his mother, as the camera panned towards his made-up face as he was crowned, waving and smiling like the beauty queen he had embodied on that day. He chuckled as the memory flooded back to him.

But like it has always been and continues to be, beauty did not come as the antithesis of brains. In fact, the two had worked together, allowing Cheryl to skip his college classes to participate in pageants.

In 1993, Cheryl was a fourth year nursing student. Clad in all white and a name plate to match, he was invited by the Dolls of Colegio San Agustin, a group of “out and loud” students at his college, to join a pageant for the very first time. His innate flair led him to win first runner-up, proving his talent in the industry. He had potential, and after that, he was hooked.

His teachers had noticed the absence of his buoyant personality during his classes, and wondered why he had been gone consistently the same time every week. His classmates would reason with them, saying, “Ma’am, it’s Friday. There’s a beauty pageant,” to which his professors would respond with equal enthusiasm.

He later graduated with a nursing degree, a spot in a regional beauty pageant representing all of Negros, and a 22-inch waistline.

Pagunsan now works in the Office of Student Affairs at John B. Lacson Maritime University - Bacolod, sharing

his love of knowledge and his passion for advocating LGBT rights to potential seamen. Somehow exactly the place he was supposed to be in—teaching gender sensitivity to a stereotypically maledominated sector of higher education.

Now a memory of trophies lined up in his childhood home, with separate places designated for academic achievements and beauty competitions, Pagunsan’s life acts as a testament to the fluidity of dualism. Beauty and brains, femininity and masculinity, but more notably, he remains a lesson of poise and passionate activism. S

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S OCI ETY

Do Party Responsibly words by Willi T. Florete photos by Martini M. Falco

Strobing lights, reverberating electronic songs, flailing bodies, cramped dance floors, manic screams, and an unlimited supply of various alcoholic beverages— these are just a few of the many things that you will come across when you’re inside a party. For party-goers themselves, this messy haven is a place of refuge—that part of the world where they can seek respite and drown out their problems with the noise of fun. For conservatives, however, this kind of place is unspeakable of—virtually taboo, even.

To them, the word “party” only evokes debauchery and trouble.

But to 18-year-old Philander Brainard Flores, these gatherings are neither associated with immorality nor a place for trouble. If anything, he sees it as an avenue for expressing his real self, strengthening the relationship with friends, meeting new acquaintances, discovering different kinds of people, exploring himself further, and of course, coping with the stress that life hurls at him. Flores surmises that a party, like other “taboo” things, also has a good

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side.

Philander admitted that even during his childhood days, he was already fond of going to bayles in their purok. The prospect of dancing and interacting with people just never failed to excite him. It wasn’t until he was already in his eleventh grade when he really started going to nights out with his closest friends. It was just one of those days when curiosity got the better of him—he badly wanted to know how it felt to be a party-goer. Little did he know that this curiosity of his was going to change his life—for the better.

His experiences during his firstever party were both shocking and fulfilling. Philander confided that at first, everything felt new and foreign to him. His initial reaction at that time was: “Hala, amo na di gale ang gakalatabo?”

But this state of shock was eventually superseded by his raw excitement of meeting new people and establishing friendships with them. Philander can still remember how that day culminated with a lot of fun.

When there is fun, however, there is also despair. As a freshman at the University of St. La Salle taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education who has to wake up early in the morning everyday, submit projects on their appointed dates, and mull over lessons, Philander highlighted how going to parties has helped him cope with his struggles in school. It taught him to not take things too seriously, and as what his mother would quip: “Don’t stress over your academics too much because that will only drive you insane.” But Philander makes it clear that though we have to enjoy life, we also need to be responsible enough to fulfill our duties. Everything, after all, has its limits.

Having already spent several years going to parties, Philander gives us a glimpse of what we might stumble upon should we decide to be in one. The thing you should keep in mind, he said, is that you’ll be surrounded by diverse people.

For starters, there are the friendly ones (in which he belongs) who are willing to befriend those who want to befriend

“Going to parties has enabled me to express my real self, and to even discover new things about me that I wasn’t aware of before.”

them.

There are also the boastful guys, the trying-hard-to-be-sassy girls, the dancers, the drunkards, the pretendingto-be-drunk people, the innocents (who somehow found themselves shattering their innocence by experiencing the night life), the LGBTQIA+ members, and lastly, the trouble-makers, whom you should really watch out for.

This actually brings us to our next point: the dangers of these nocturnal gatherings. For Philander, one of the common hazards is none other than meeting the trouble-makers. Bumping into them is as good as crossing paths with a tiger in the forest. What makes them a danger, he said, is their propensity to protect their pride at all cost. They may do virtually anything just to do so.

And though he (fortunately) hasn’t

experienced it yet, Philander also stressed the fact that going home late at night while extremely drunk could get you into serious trouble. “Intoxication just has its way of shoving you into unexpected and risky situations,” he said, “one of which is waking up only to find yourself lying in a stranger’s bed. That’s why it is of optimum importance that you have your most trusted friends with you every time you have nights out.”

This is also the part where Philander tells us to be wary of the strangers that we might encounter while going home at night. Some of these people can just be a nuisance sometimes. They would either catcall or make fun of you, and their hunger for amusement could instigate fights and big trouble.

These dangers, however, didn’t deter him to continue going to parties.

After all, being a party-goer has taught him a lot of things. The night life has developed his ability to embrace people’s diversity—to be friendly and responsible.

Hence, he doesn’t only get to strengthen his relationship with his friends, but with others as well.

“Going to parties has enabled me to express my real self, and to even discover new things about me that I wasn’t aware of before,” he asserted. “On normal days, I am just Philander. But during parties, I am my real self—one that is not filtered.”

Today, however, there is a prevailing stigma which claims that party-goers are quirky and irresponsible. This tarnishes the reputation of those who only go to nights out to unwind and take a break from this messy world, not to get wasted.

With that said, Philander asserted that people should have the liberty to do whatever they want. We only live once, so we better enjoy life while we still can.

Philander is not encouraging everyone to also go to parties like he does. He’s only stating that we should do whatever we love, because that’s what makes us who we are. But of course, we shouldn’t forget the fact that everything we do should be paired with a sense of responsibility and discipline. After all, boundaries were not erected for no reason. Sure, going to parties is fun and exciting. But while we’re at it, let’s also learn how to step on the brake upon reaching the STOP sign. S

37

FIL IPINO

1 Like, 1 Prayer words by Joshua L. Mahilum photos by Peter Job T. Bearneza Jr.

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Hello, guys! Yesterday, I did a bisita pala sa isang zoo dito sa Bacolod City. Yes! You heard me right. Mayroong zoo dito sa Bacolod. It’s called Negros Forest Ecological Foundation Inc. It’s located sa gilid ng Provincial Capitol natin. Nag-trending kaya ito sa social media noong nakaraang buwan dahil sa balitang ililipat na raw ito. To help them, pumirma din ako sa online petition na kumalat sa Facebook. Nakakaawa kaya sila kung mawawalan sila ng tirahan. Kaya nga it’s a great privilege for me na makatulong sa conservation efforts. Kaya’t I decided na pumunta mismo doon at kilalanin ang mga animals. Narito ang ilan sa mga nameet ko. #SaveTheVisayanWartyPig Una kong nakita ang Visayan warty pig o tinatawag na Sus cebifrons ng mga science experts. Ito ay isang uri ng baboy, but unlike the ones na kinakain natin, ito ay kulay abo at maraming buhok sa katawan. So, I highly recommend na huwag ninyo siyang kainin kasi punong puno talaga ng mga hair ‘yung katawan nila at palagi pa silang babad sa mud. Endemic o matatagpuan lamang daw sila sa ilang mga isla dito sa Visayas, tulad ng Panay at Negros. Sabi ng kuyang nag-tour sa amin, tumatagal lamang raw sila ng 10-15 taon.

Tinawag daw silang warty pig dahil sa mga kulugo o warts na matatagpuan sa kanilang mga mukha. Laking pasalamat ko naman dahil tumutubo lang daw ito sa mga males dahil hindi ko na lang alam kung ano ang magiging reaction ng mga female warty pigs kapag tinubuan sila nito. I can never imagine myself in their position.

Before I forget pala, critically endangered na raw sila noon pa mang 2008. Ibig sabihin, malapit na silang maubos. Kaya’t use the #SaveTheVisayanWartyPig sa lahat ng inyong social media accounts.

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#SaveTheVisayanSpottedDeer Sunod ko namang na-spot ang Visayan spotted deer o Rusa alfredi. Isa itong species ng usa na endemic din dito sa mga isla ng Visayas ngunit dahil sa unti-unting pagka-ubos ng kanilang populasyon, matatagpuan na lang sila ngayon sa mga isla ng Negros at Panay. Maliliit ang mga deer na ito at mayroong maiikling biyas kaya nagmumuka silang parang nakayukyok o naka-crouch. Nocturnal din daw sila. Ibig sabihin, mas active sila sa gabi.

Tinawag silang spotted deer dahil sa mga patse-patseng white and circular na mga marka sa kanilang katawan. Mayroon din silang isang pares ng sungayw. Unfair lang kasi tanging mga lalaki lang ang mayroon nito na simulang tumutubo sa kanilang first birthday. Biruin mo pati hayop pala may discrimination din.

Hindi tulad sa warty pig kanina, nasa endangered na category lamang ang mga Visayan spotted deer. Pero, anyways, just use lang the #SaveTheVisayanSpottedDeer. #SaveTheVisayanWrinkledHornbill The third one is the Visayan wrinkled hornbill o mas kilala sa tawag na talarak. Ang ibong ito ay isa sa dalawang hornbills sa mundo na considered na critically endangered. The other one is the Sulu hornbill na endemic din dito sa Pilipinas. Nakuha ng mga Visayan wrinkled hornbill ang kanilang pangalan sa kulubot na nasa ibabaw ng kanilang tuka. Ang lalaking talarak ay may mapulang tuka, matitingkad na kulay dilaw na mukha at mapulapula hanggang itim na balahibo samantalang ang mga female talarak naman ay may mapusyaw na kulay.

I was so lucky nga noong bumisita ako sa kanila dahil kakalabas lang ng mother talarak with her chick after ng 105 days nilang stay sa isang puno. #HistoryInTheMaking kasi ito kasi ito raw ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na na-breed sila sa loob ng isang conservation center. Sabi kasi ng tour guide namin

functionally extinct na daw ang mga talarak dito sa Negros. Kaya guys, #SaveTheVisayanWrinkledHornbill! #SaveTheNegrosBleedingHeartPigeon Huli kong na-meet ang Gallicolumba keayi o mas kilala sa tawag na Negros bleeding-heart pigeon na isa sa limang endemic species ng bleeding-heart pigeons dito sa Pilipinas. Just like the rest of them, ang mga Negros bleeding-heart pigeon ay kilala sa pagkakaroon nila ng pulang marka sa kanilang dibdib that appears to be blood which is why pinangalanan silang bleeding-heart pigeon. Giit ng tour guide namin, napapakinabangan din daw ng mga lalaking bleeding-heart pigeon ang duguang dibdib nila sa panliligaw. Pinapalaki daw nito ang kanilang mga dibdib para magpapansin sa mga babae.

Nakalulungkot nga lang at iilan na lang daw sila ngayon sa wild. According sa Birdlife International at International Union for Conservation of Nature noong 2004, critically endangered na raw sila. Sayang lang kasi tinagurian pa naman silang isa sa mga “extremely rare species” sa mundo. So, let’s all help them. #SaveTheNegrosBleedingHeartPigeon Maituturing ko talagang isang life-changing experience ang pagbisita ko sa Negros Forest Ecological Foundation Inc. Napakarami kong na-meet na mga endangered species na malapit nang maubos. Added danger din daw, ayon sa tour guide namin ang planong relocation ng zoo dahil mahihirapan muling magadjust ang mga animals sa bagong environment. Kaya’t let us all unite para matulungan at ma-protect ang mga natitirang hayop.

Kung mawawala sila ngayon, hindi na sila makikita pa ng mga anak natin in the future. Mas maganda kaya sa selfies at groufies kung tunay ang mga hayop at hindi lang mga replica sa museums.

Ipagkakait niyo ba iyon sa mga future generations. Kaya’t come on guys, use the #SaveTheEndangeredSpeciesOfNegros and don’t forget to like! S

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40

Y O N I P MODERN FAMILY CU LT UR E

on G. Pios words by Hezr eza rian T. Marqu B rl a K y b s to pho — DAY EXT. GARAGE

y distributes wear. Somebod n ia ai nny, w Ha in glasses. It’s a su folks is clad asons Tang in A gathering of Se ur Fo d an k a stic Tender Juicy on day. as tm is hr C sunny LOLA lahat! pon sa inyong Magandang ha ngunit on arawan ngay Hindi ko lang ka su Kristo.

He n oo in ing pang pati na rin ng at ta un ! sa inyong pagp s Nalulugod ako l attention shift quit talking. Al le op Pe . es id trees subs The rustling of r. ke ea to the sp TITO , nagtipon-tipon lahating dekada Matapos ng ka lamat sa inyo! sa g-maraming in am ar M i. ul tayo ares to clap.

Everyone prep s. ay pl e on us in min Happy Birthday

it in society. fundamental un e FADE OUT th as ildren. en se e ar d ideally, two ch Nuclear families the mother, an , mly er ar th w fa e e w , th e es re ar me. At tim lu vo of s Found at its co by rm ed te e are nurtur ilies enlarge in lo. At times, w lo But other fam d ted an ec la el lo ith o, a and tit st years w ct, commit the be welcome our tit fa e w in , n, es he tim w a At ngers. rangay fiest ba a e lik s complete stra om rs. The party bo family membe ten r a single roof. e collective of happens unde se interests of th e everything el th s, ly la nt At re l ra he in ltu try is Reported by Cu dual. Our coun g to sts of the indivi elves belongin re rs te in ou e nd th ta e rs de un overrid ss to pa ly nd nt te conseque individuals milial clusters fa collectivist. Us te e ila os m cl si hy as w as to This is bloodlines, so a certain group. connections, or tic ne ge s s. e’ nd on ie beyond rs, or fr k as blood. , close neighbou Water is as thic es distant relatives m sues co be er at age brackets, en r than w Blood is thicke ought about by Older br s. y, or ch ni ar se er e hi th , ors towards ni In spite of that ju nce. of e nc pe ie m and ex rie itional obed for their wisdo d te ing from an uncond ss us tr re d st y, an et tly abided to filial pi people are grea our inclination is -in an s; tie or is st th d ance stains What partly su rents, elders, an ect for one’s pa em borne from sp st re sy r of ou ue in rt vi ed dd the be tered em ly nd human-cen enon deep nce and profou ethical phenom re ve re to ng pertaini Confucianism, ily. Regardless . ss ne t outgrow fam us n’ do religio os e is of in lip Fi ppler, use quality tim According to Ra for family beca e hers’ ot tim e ch ak ea m s t alway tching up with ca t ou ith of age, we mus w d two day shouldn’t en even just watching a show or high value. “A ecial. or , sp ily ily noy fam nner as a fam t makes the Pi ha lives, eating di W and le ys tic ta ar ta e ur ated in th otective. O pr ry ve be together,” narr to ino parents tend In addition, Filip

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nanays need to know where we’re off to, what we’re doing, who we’re with, and the contact numbers of who we’re with. To be a grown-up doesn’t mean you’re already safe from the extreme safeguarding.

As billions of adorable stickers, witty memes, instant messages, and video calls boom by the minute, everything— including family traditions—has gone digital.

This is also to reiterate the changes in technology which occurred over the last 20 years. The accelerating rate of change in society has heavily influenced the generational gap.

Yolanda Williams of Study.com wrote that developments in society, especially during the 1800s, were slow. “Two or three generations lived lifestyles that were very similar to each other.

There weren’t many differences across generations.”

Then again, given that technological and social advances took place in the 20th and 21st centuries, the lifestyles of individuals, even one generation apart, are drastically dissimilar from each other.

“Many individuals from older generations are having trouble keeping up with the modern technologies that Generation Y or Millennials have become accustomed to. Due to generation gaps, a child may explain to an adult how to use technology, or a young adult will choose to spend his time on public transportation texting, while an older man passes the time reading,” Williams further explained.

In our country, we’ve been more closely interconnected than ever. Families have group chats in which they share the day’s news, photos, and even what they ate or bought: stories worth sharing and remembering. We stay in touch whether we live four hours away from each other or four seas apart.

Likewise, we should be mindful of our family’s pillars. A set of beliefs on how things should function, on the other hand, notably tethers to the family’s culture and value system according to Strong Bonds Project. A value system concerns a person’s standards, self-discipline, and behavior towards what is proper and moral while the former glances at customs.

Nonetheless, synthesis of deviant backgrounds—parents and children from non-nuclear parenting styles e.g. solo, separated, absent, step—may act as a source of strain, an unavoidable friction among the household.

Reality also affirms that each cluster has several alignments or groupings. These alignments exist between the parents as a couple; between siblings and cousins; between grandparents and parents; between parent and child. Hence

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there exists a close and unique relationship between a fellow and another fellow due to similar personalities, or gender, or life experiences, or simply preferences.

Once alignments go out of hand and spiral down into deep-seated conflicts, they become a web of issues. Hence we seek conflict management and we do solution-finding. And as Filipinos, we are not exempted from the world’s dynamism.

To cut the blabbering, family is family no matter how we define or redefine it. Big or small in terms of size, togetherness shall glue us up into a singular entity. Like how sticky kakanin is served in banana leaves. S

Nonetheless, synthesis of deviant backgrounds—parents and children from non-nuclear parenting styles e.g. solo, separated, absent, step—may act as a source of strain, an unavoidable friction among the household.

The instinct of self-preservation has endured through countless millennia; even through evolution, “fight or flight” reverberates in the depths of human psyche. It’s due to these ancient compulsions that we desire survival above all else. Hence, we are egocentric beings.

Though some have lived entirely and invariably focused on

their orbit of self, those who seek vision beyond these bounds must rip themselves apart from it: Ego Death.

This psychological—near spiritual—experience is often understood as the dissolvement of self-perception and identity.

As the closest process to pure resurrection, achieving such a state has been likened to transcendental psychology, extreme

psychedelics, and enlightenment. Annihilating one’s selfcentricity allows temporary surrender and eventual rebirth.

In spite of its divinity, even a fraction of this transcendance can be emulated in our lifetimes. Lay hold of Jusha Abdallah’s case: a 24-year-old Master of Business Administration (MBA) student currently studying in the university who is locked on pursuing her definite aspirations.

“To be a renowned leader and social entrepreneur, that is to inspire and help lots of people and the planet while making a profit,” Jusha firmly stated—that’s her finality.

Being the Vice President of two businesses—JPA Consultancy Placement & Manpower Agency Incorporated and

ILOBAC Security Agency Incorporated—places Jusha’s ability to juggle her work, studies, and well-being to the test.

“I see to it that I am healthy; emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually,” she explained. “I make time to talk to people with different walks of life, passions, skills, or experiences and learn from them.” It’s this fervent fascination of exploring perspective that drives her consistent motivation.

As routine-like as her workloads are, Jusha never forgets that crafting her prestige is just as difficult as maintaining it.

The path she tread was riddled with woes and crises. “The pressure and expectations used to drown me and I just had to accept my reality and rise above it,” she affirmed.

It is through battling through her turmoils that she learned to embrace her chaos. Only when one has accepted the price of sacrifice that they advance beyond the suffering. “Change is inevitable,” Jusha asserted.

The ordeal of overcoming the self-restricting part of oneself is gargantuan and terrifying at times, but it seems to be the sharpest path through. As we face the future, being the familiar foe before us, Jusha proclaimed a sentiment that rings true for all of us: “I know it’s going to be tougher, but I know I will succeed by doing the right things, the right way.” S

photo by Peter Job T. Bearneza Jr. edited by Alexandra V. Bachoco

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S CI ENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Gst of 5G words by Erica Jaine A. Mestre & Maegan Joy Matamoro art by Alexandra V. Bachoco

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The rise of technology, the rise of demand—the sudden shift of priorities from want to need opens a constant urge to invent and innovate.

In turn, it creates a new portal where you can reach out in a snap; and it thrusts a drive to accelerate every activity from the flicker of a fire to the blink of an eye.

Just as we believe that bullet trains in Japan are faster than the flight of a bird, the necessity to make it faster in compromise of the constant rapid pace of innovation has already become a must.

Who would not want to make life more convenient than it already is? All of us want to use the clock in a thriving manner as much as possible.

5G. You may have seen it circling around the reports in your Google News, or perhaps sci-fi movies have already visualized it for you. However, it isn’t sci-fi; it is real. The next generation of mobile broadband, 5G, will eventually take over the 4G LTE connection, becoming an international standard for internet connection in your devices. With its use, 5G gives you a tremendously faster-paced internet experience and a more reliable connection, making your downloads take from an hour or so to 30 seconds or less.

Before anything else, the G in “1G/2G/3G/4G/5G” means “generation” and the number alongside it represents the evolution of technology. Dating back before the 1980s, everything started with voice call capabilities. This was the “1G” stage, but it only got its term after “2G” was announced around 2003. Majority of the world is currently using the fourth generation (4G).

Soon after, 4G-LTE (Fourth Generation - Long Term Evolution) was introduced to the masses.

This incorporated faster speed than the fourth generation itself.

The advancements towards wireless network connections have never stopped mid-circle as progress is visible over the years. The world is revolving in a virtual world. Along with this, who does not want a faster internet connection?

In its baby steps, the fifth generation is blooming.

The Alvarez Technology Group, an IT company in California, conducted a forum around February 2019 about the advantages and disadvantages of the fifth generation network. They stated that the greatest step of a 5G network is that it would contain more bandwidth. A bandwidth is the space available for the public using

The next generation of mobile broadband, 5G, will eventually take over the 4G LTE connection, becoming an international standard for internet connection in your devices. cellular data to stream and download files. The bigger the bandwidth, the faster the download rate, and network lag becomes little to no problem in the 5G realm.

Opposite of this, the Alvarez Technology Group believes that the upcoming network generation would have less capability in reaching larger areas compared to the third and fourth generations. With this disadvantage, the tendency is that network and connection companies will buy several pieces of land and build more towers to maintain connectivity. To add, many of the old devices would not be competent enough for the fifth generation network, hence, all of them need to be replaced with new, expensive ones.

It is something the public is always wary about: the price of progress in terms of technology. Aside from the exclusive price of the awaited network generation, BBC News tackled the possibility of the 5G network being a threat to one’s health in an article published in July 2019 after concerns were raised by the public in terms of radiation.

Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated around 2014 that no adverse health effects

have been established that are caused by cellphone usage, yet there is evidence that exposure may cause cancer in humans. Dr. Frank De Vocht from WHO, who helps advise the government on mobile phone safety, affirmed that some of the research suggests a statistical possibility of increased cancer risks for heavy users. However, according to him, the evidence to date for a causal relation is not sufficiently convincing to suggest the need for precautionary action.

The next generation of mobile broadband, 5G, will eventually take over the 4G-LTE connection, giving everyone a more reliable connection through a faster internet experience. Just like every other advancement, progress is inevitable yet balance should still be above beams; anything that is taken for granted ultimately leads to bad effects.

The fifth generation network is a plus in the modern world. However, is it really a want or a need? S

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S OCI ETY

Privacy on the Line words by John Vincent E. Rivera & Paula Mae E. Villarosa art by Gerico T. Guanco

Man’s thirst for advancement will never be quelled. With this, is sacrificing privacy a worthy price to pay for interconnectedness?

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From childhood, we were told to follow one simple rule—don’t talk to strangers.

How we shouldn’t blurt out our name to the man that lurked in alleyways nor share our address to those who offered us a ride home. We were reminded to be wary of the woman who offered treats outside the school because of the fear of being abducted and used for ransom. We followed suit, of course. Yet, the same rule doesn’t seem to have a similar effect when we wander around the world wide web, dying to flaunt everything there is to know about us for at least a billion strangers.

Oxford Dictionary defines “privacy” as being away from public attention—a state wherein one is free from observation and disturbance. In cyberspace, this privacy is said to be ensured by the Terms and Conditions that pop up after going on a site. We’re even given privacy settings to boost our shroud of protection from breach.

In a random sampling survey among 105 college students from the five colleges of the University of St. La Salle (23 from the College of Engineering and Technology, 19 from the College of Nursing, 22 from the College of Arts and Sciences, 20 from the Yu An Log College of Business and Accountancy, and 21 from the College of Education), 67% believe that their personal information online is secured once their accounts are privatized.

However, in the past year, Facebook faced a lawsuit for improperly sharing the data of approximately 87 million users to Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy organization that manipulates online data in aiding the campaigns of several politicians—like that of current US President Donald Trump.

Like all online outlets, Facebook has its own privacy features and conditions, yet when users simply downloaded a fraudulent academic researcher’s quiz, their information was instantly collected by Cambridge Analytica.

The Little Things Signing up for an online account is, majority of the time, free. The only thing required in exchange is basic data about us. We are then free to interact and go about our online activities, oblivious to how the actions we’ve gotten used to allow administrators to harvest, store, and sell our personal information.

On average, the surveyed college students are active online two to three times a week. 77 of these active users have accounts on multimedia messaging app, Snapchat, where images can be improved and distorted using filters, but can also be a medium for identity thieves.

71.4% revealed to have taken online quizzes where third party sites require access to users’ accounts to generate results for entertainment, which may lead to another scam like that of Cambridge Analytica. Meanwhile, over half of them saved passwords, usernames, and even bookmarked sites as a means of convenience when logging in, but doing so can expose one’s location to hackers and cybercriminals.

DZone, an online library for technology professionals, published an article written by freelance writer Cate Lawrence explaining how online platforms track and record user activity to calibrate third-party advertisements to fit individual tastes.

We enjoy their services in exchange of the data we input about ourselves, which they in turn share with these third parties. By doing so, they earn a profit in spite of providing “free” services.

Although this algorithm was developed to improve user experience, it presents a loophole for unknown online entities to exploit valuable and marketable information. These trivial cyber habits leave a trail for both advertising and illegal corporations.

The Fine Print Most online sites provide its users with a list of their operational processes, services, and privacy regulations. For our convenience, it’s the first thing displayed after signing up for a site. The administrators give their users a chance to either confirm or withdraw from their services if they found the Terms and Conditions disagreeable. Yet, most people have a tendency to be complacent when it comes to scrutinizing such crucial online provisions. It would seem that this behavior resulted from man’s dependency on the virtual world coupled with the trend of having a fast-paced lifestyle. People have become so used to having things in an instant that they’d much rather prefer to go online to do even the simple tasks of hailing a cab, shopping for clothes, and even paying bills.

The most common venue for these premises is social media, with Facebook gaining the most users—102 out of 105 of the survey sample. However, only 28 of them read the Terms and Conditions stipulated prior to accepting a site’s services.

The seemingly redundant bulk of text in the agreement is one of the greatest factors why most of them skimmed and skipped the non-legal binding contract, paying no heed to the provisions that the administrators provided.

One student from the sample emphasized that the complexity of the elaboration of the Terms and Conditions led her to rush into agreeing with the provisions raised without even reading the print in its entirety. Furthermore, she added how most fail to scan these agreements since they tend to beat

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We enjoy their services in exchange of the data we input about ourselves, which they in turn share with these third parties.

around the bush before getting to the point at the end of the text.

Around two-thirds of the respondents claimed to have agreed to sites powered by ‘cookies’—which may prove to be both useful and malicious in a cyberspace’s collection and storage of online activity.

They may be of small proportions but with specific codes, the data you input may very well be taken, manipulated, and used by phishers who try to gain personal data. They pretend to be legitimate external bodies when users are redirected to a site after clicking a link or a button online. Despite this, almost half of them perceived that private browsers, like Chrome’s Incognito mode, Microsoft Internet Explorer’s InPrivate Browsing mode, and Mozilla Firefox’s Private Browsing mode are able to completely secure their personal data from such threats. “[...] the browsers and social media platforms I use present Terms and Conditions which make the users think that they’re reliable and trustworthy. I continue to use them because I think the people behind it are professionals and it’s their obligation to ensure that information from their users are strictly kept confidential,” a respondent from the College of Arts and Sciences expressed when asked what convinced her to continually use private browsers and accounts despite their ineffectiveness to guarantee overall privacy.

These slight misconceptions can eventually lead to online breach, unlawful virtual long-distance access on one’s devices, and deliberate stealing of log-in information. Private browsers

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and accounts can only do so much as conceal and filter our data from fellow netizens. Online security provider, Norton, clarified in a blog post that private browsers were primarily created to simplify the use of shared computers since it erases all traces of activity on your device alone. However, the websites you visited and its administrators can still have access to the data you provided online.

Because of this indifference, we are unconsciously giving government surveillance, phishers, and actual advertising corporations the power to override the system, evade the law, and wield our data to track one’s whereabouts to record detailed profiles of citizens without their knowledge, earn from selling it to data brokers, swindle identities, and steal account numbers.

There’s no such thing as a fool-proof online privacy framework. The moment you enter the internet’s virtual plain, you have to be prepared to have bits and pieces of your personal information be within reach of billions of people, industries, and friends. We are spilling almost every detail about us to connect with others, but is it really worth it? It’s not a bad thing to let people in on you and the life you project online—sometimes friends start out as strangers as well. However, we must be cautious of which strangers to befriend and which ones to dodge.

This seems easy enough to do in the material world, so it should even be easier when you’re in the comfort of your walls.

After all, a single click is the fine line that stands between your privacy and breach. S

DI S CUSSI ON

A Mirror and Expensive Scissors words by Lance Christian M. Juarez art by Carl Hason T. Gerale It’s almost second nature for us to spot flaws when we look at the mirror.

Seemingly every acne scar, stretchmark, and unwanted fold glares back at us before we even recognize ourselves. Think of the lingering insecurity beneath the awareness of these flaws. Think of the uncomfort of feeling that your entire body seems wrong.

For those still unfamiliar with the complexities of gender identity, let’s go over the meaning of key terms based off of recent consensus. Sexual Orientation refers to whom someone is attracted to—from this definition, especially in psychological research, sexual identity and orientation may not always match.

For instance, an individual may prefer relationships with non-binary people but identify as female.

In terms of the self, Sexual or Gender Identity refers to the gender someone associates themselves with—under this are the binary identities such as male and female. People who align their identity with their biological sex are defined as cisgender. Exploring more of the spectrum though, we meet the nonbinary, genderqueer, and transgender identities. Although all three of the aforementioned identities intersect often, share similar ideas, and serve as popular and encompassing umbrella terms, not everyone identifies with all three at the same time.

Breaking them down individually, genderqueer refers to an individual who feels that their identity isn’t exclusively male nor female, but rather they fall on a certain point between these two.

Having existed in the past century, this has evolved into the term “non-binary”, and despite sharing the same meaning, the latter is used to describe gender expression and takes a more neutral political stance.

Lastly, transgender describes people who do not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth—meaning this includes the last two terms and the binary identities (men who identify as women

and vice versa). Although non-binary technically falls under transgender, people in the spectrum adhere to these terms by subjective means and other factors such as discrimination, exclusion, and political issues.

Non-binary and transgender individuals often experience Gender Dysphoria (GD). This condition, according to the American Psychiatric Association, “involves a conflict between a person’s physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify.”

For context, GD was originally classified as a mental disorder—an article

by CBS News reported that the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) restated GD as “Gender Incongruence” and moved it under the sexual health category. This opened up numerous opportunities for

transgender people in terms of legal rights and medical care.

Once a transgender indivudal decides to transition their body from one sex to another, they can avail one of these newfound opportunities called Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS), or also known as Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS). This biological transition is achieved through various medical procedures that include hormonal transition, physical alterations, and genital reorientation.

After the ICD-11 revision around May of this year, transsexuals weren’t required anymore to have an official psychiatric diagnosis of GD before undergoing SRS. The prerequisites for SRS vary depending on the level of transition, though the main few includes a letter of recommendation from a mental health professional, a recorded GD experience

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from psychotherapists, and a tracked history of hormone therapy (for surgeries) supervised by an endocrinologist—a medical professional who specializes in the biochemical system of hormones.

Once the patient gets the former two approvals, they will be eligible for hormonal therapy—these come in a few forms depending on dosage and purpose.

They include gels, patches, pills, implants, and injections, with the last being the most effective and cost-efficient method.

Generally, androgens (male hormones) are given to females and estrogens (female hormones) are given to males. After a month or two of consistent hormonal intake, the patient’s body will start to adopt new changes and more significantly, transsexuals will start to feel relief from their mostly lifelong dysphoria.

And it’s because of this relief that many transsexuals express that hormonal therapy is the most rewarding part of transition.

A tradeoff for this relief is that even though hormonal therapy doesn’t seem that difficult to start, the costs stack up month after month. An article from costhelper.com estimates that genital reconstruction and chest surgeries would cost around P1.3 million depending on the type of surgery and the surgeon; and consistent hormone therapy to be P15,600-P124,800 per year with the price varying on frequency and hormone type. Additional costs on these, including

Though patients can opt to pick one or a few of these surgeries, most intersect with one another— all of which are costly.

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therapy sessions, health checkups, and supplementary surgeries, can range the total cost to about a hefty P2-2.5 million.

Moreover, most Philippine surgical clinics that specialize in top/bottom surgery can be found in Manila—though hormone therapy is much more common around the country. Even though this price comes with all, if not most, of the SRS package, it is still a staggering price to pay.

Going back, another aspect of SRS is the modification of the transsexual’s physical appearance. For women, these adjustments include mastectomies (breast removal) paired with chest reconstruction; and contrastingly, breast augmentation as well as facial feminization for males.

As for genital reassignment, masculinization costs more compared to feminization due to the complexity of the female reproductive system. Under female to male reassignment, patients undergo vaginectomies which remove a part or the entire vaginal organ, hysterectomy and oophorectomy (removal of the uterus and ovaries), and finally, phalloplasty and scrotoplasty (reconstruction of the penis).

For males to females, the process is simpler with orchiectomy and penectomy (removal of the testicles and penis)

followed by the vaginoplasty which recreates the vagina.

Though patients can opt to pick one or a few of these surgeries, most intersect with one another—all of which are costly. Despite these great prices, all the processes of SRS are under proper medical procedures, backed by hormonal treatment, and supervised by psychotherapists and medical professionals.

As the LGBTQIA+ community grows, more people will experience Gender Dysphoria and bear the weight of not feeling like they belong in their bodies. It isn’t inaccurate to say that the crossfire of identity dissonance is a foggy path to trek on. The intricacy of transition is a complicated set of procedures to comprehend that cisgender and transgender people alike can easily misconstrue.

Some people spend their entire lives in GD without having the resources to claim the “I” in identity. The mere fact that there is a price to existential authenticity is beyond enough to merit acceptance. S

SCI ENCE & TECHNOLOGY

What’s Beneficial Beyond Artificial words by Kynah Rhea B. Fuentes art by Anna Theresa S. Parayno

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With all of the proof of its benefits, humans cannot undermine the fact that they cannot do away with machine learning now that it has evenly spread its wings up to the very detail of their lives.

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When talking about technological development in the upcoming decades, human minds are usually conditioned with imaginations of red-eyed evil robots clutching weapons with their hands, ready to conquer and rule the world. On the other hand, some are captivated with the notion of the possible existence of flying cars for shorter travel time—how about robotic maids from which they can demand any task in the household? You can count them in as well.

Perceptions of such are influenced by movies and books, especially those under the science fiction genre, and what they try to convey to people. Due to this, typical people are somehow petrified thinking and even bringing up ideas about how the world will be far in the future. Notwithstanding this, humans must keep up with the fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in their everyday lives and must therefore acknowledge its neglected benefits.

Tracing the path back to the history of AI, one will discover that as early as 380 BC, mathematicians, philosophers, and professors had contemplated mechanical techniques and machines which guided them in conceptualizing mechanized “human” thought in inanimate beings.

Coined by John McCarthy in 1956, AI is defined as the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems which procedures include acquisition of information, reasoning, and selfcorrection. AI can either be weak or strong. Weak AI is designed and trained for only one particular task whereas strong AI, also known as artificial general intelligence, is a system with generalized human cognitive abilities. With persistent research and experimentation, the scope of AI in terms of machinery continues to flourish over the years.

Every turn of a decade brings

forth notable inventions powered by AI. And each invented system only proves how machines could go beyond human intelligence. One of which is the innovation of autonomous cars.

The concept of this self-driving vehicle actually dates back to the 1930s, envisioning its features and operations after 20 years. This vehicle designed to guide itself without the supervision of humans paved the way for computers to take over the art of driving—diminishing the job of cab drivers. That’s just one out of the many strikes against humans.

Deep Blue might have been a threat as well after it was able to overshadow human intelligence during 1997. It was designed to play chess that bested World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in a rematch that lasted over an hour.

Computers of such kind have already existed since the 1950s, but they initially saw little success against accomplished human players—not until a doctoral student Feng-hsing Hsu was able to develop a higher level of chess-playing AI. These experiences rang an alarm to mankind given the possible dominance of AI. But little did we know, AI-enabled technology are already deeply embedded in our lives. In case you’re not yet aware, it contributes to the improvement of one’s social media interactions, email communications, e-commerce, transportation, and travel experiences, all of which make our everyday lives more efficient.

Ever wondered how Facebook controls your newsfeed, making sure you see posts of your interest and even display relatable advertisements? Do chatbots make you feel creeped out at times when it answers you accurately like a real person? That’s how AI is utilized!

Same goes for whenever you try to find shoes similar to your friend’s pair on Pinterest. And a lens tool uses AI to identify the object you’ve captured using

your phone’s camera.

Ride-sharing, too, is expert systempowered—it aids in determining the price of a car ride and is responsible for minimizing your waiting time once you hail a car from Grab. Same is true with online shopping. In gathering information about your preferences and buying habits, online retailers make use of AI. In this way, they get to personalize your shopping experience by suggesting new products tailored to your habits.

With all of the proof of its benefits, humans cannot undermine the fact that they cannot do away with machine learning now that it has evenly spread its wings up to the very detail of their lives. However, we must take into consideration the possible pitfalls that this system may hand over to us as it is further enhanced.

In developing advanced AI, it would require a lot of money for materials, maintenance, and repair. The fact that machines could breakdown anytime only means interruption from the tasks which need to be completed. In truth, machines may have lapses in terms of independency and emotions which only humans can ace. The capability to make decisions especially with unfamiliar cases is, therefore, absent from them.

Human intelligence is a gift, one which is non-transferrable to any other species yet it is essential to note that machines do have the possibility to be powerful over humans in the wrong hands. Although AI has such downfalls, it will only be favorable if humans permit so.

Max Tegmark, President of the Future of Life Institute once said: “Everything we love about civilization is a product of intelligence, so amplifying our human intelligence with artificial intelligence has the potential of helping civilization flourish like never before— as long as we manage to keep the technology beneficial.” S

S OCI ETY

Don’t bury our lede words by Starlene Joy B. Portillo art by Alexandra V. Bachoco

Information bridges the gap between the known and unknown. In all angles of truth, silence and censorship will always be the common enemy.

Once, I have been told that the pen is mightier than the sword. It meant that our words weighed more than weapons; that transparency trumps violence. Much like other student journalists bred from seminars and inter-school competitions, I treated this as gospel. What could ever stifle the Truth?

But once was long ago, and even words change over time.

We now live in a Philippines that sees journalistic duty as a threat. As stated in the Southeast Asia Media Freedom report published by the International Federation of Journalists last December 2018, the Philippines ranked worst in impunity within Southeast Asia.

In the cyclic history of press oppression, however, it has always been the role of campus journalism to help hold the line.

The press will press on University of the Philippines (UP) professor Danilo Araña Arao claimed that in today’s setting, the campus press can consequently fuel social change.

“Campus publications could help raise the level of discourse and contribute to the shaping of public opinion,” Arao posted in an interview article for Asian Correspondent.

He added that the youth play a major role in the molding of history. This was soon accentuated by Ferdinand

Marcos’ Martial Law declaration on Sept.

21, 1972.

The late dictator’s first Letter of Instruction was the “closure of media establishments and wire agencies”.

Soon came the muzzling and arrest of society’s watchdogs. But despite the curtailment of freedom, the law cannot silence everyone.

Among the students who bravely wielded their pens were Abraham Sarmiento Jr., then editor-in-chief of the University of the Philippines - Dilliman’s The Philippine Collegian. “Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?” His protest bannered their paper and went on to be one of the most famous Collegian front pages in history.

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A common pattern found in these reports were cases of moderator intervention, censorship, and non-release of publication fee.

There was also Liliosa Hilao—the first female and student activist to die in detention. From her inked sword sprung pieces such as “The vietnamization of the Philippines” and “Democracy is dead in the Philippines under Martial Law”, heavily criticizing the regime.

When the watchdogs are muzzled Although the student press hallmarked several combats for democracy, it was only in 1991 when their rights were signed and sealed.

R.A. 7079, or The Campus Journalism Act, was created “to uphold and protect the freedom of the press even at the campus level.” With 12 sections condensed in two pages, the act additionally asserts editorial independence of said publications in terms of editorial content and day-today operations.

In spite of these provisions, arguments arose saying that the law should be fortified.

As of 2010, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) has recorded 204 campus press freedom violations from 42 publications nationwide. A common pattern found in these reports were cases of moderator intervention, censorship, and nonrelease of publication fee.

Essentially, there have been several attempts to repeal and replace the act.

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The most recent of which was dated 2018, as filed by former Senator Leila de Lima. Her aim for “a law that shields campus journalists from harassment and intimidation” comes after the virality of San Beda Senior High School’s publication, The Bedan Roar.

When their magazine tackled President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign and the spread of fake news in the country, the circulation of 1,700 copies was halted. Purportedly, school administrators found the content “too critical and too negative for the community of San Beda.”

Meanwhile, online news site Rappler revealed this August that four men under the Philippine National Police came a-knocking on the office door of The Pillar publication from the University of Eastern Philippines.

Around nine in the evening, they proceeded to interrogate its editor-inchief after the publication held a candle lighting ceremony for victims of the recent Negros Island killings.

In the same month, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) conducted a “security situationer” talk at our very own Coliseum. Student attendees from the school’s NSTP program reported that in the said presentation, the AFP listed CEGP, student journalists and activists, and progressive organizations as allegedly

associated with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s ArmyNational Democratic Front (CPP-NPANDF).

These incidents only cement the resurfacing trend of red-tagging against campus journalists and student advocates. As defined by the International Peace Observers Network, red-tagging is when individuals or organizations critical of government are labelled “state enemies, communist terrorists, or members of communist front organizations”.

Blatant attacks on campus journalists are just as violent now as with the mainstream press. Worse, is that it is no longer just something we hear about; it is something we can see for ourselves. Despite that, the public eye chooses to look the other way— after all, they say that the student press should stick to student stories.

Yet as I have come to realize, campus journalists today are no longer conditioned to just write for competitions and attend workshops that illustrate how journalism should be. Instead, they write. Because in the face of oppression, it is everyone’s responsibility to fight back.

This way, the pen remains mightier than the sword. This way, the ink bleeds through. S

HUMAN I NTEREST

A RISK-TAKER’S RISK words and photos by Maegan Joy Matamoro

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He always had the choice of choosing another career, but his passion to be a one call away savior made him stay in the small town of Isabela, Negros Occidental.

WRITERS ‘19 - ‘20

Disaster may cause you to run away, but Arturo Rodero III runs toward it.

He has this fiery dedication: a flame residing inside that is stronger than any other flame he encountered. He tells stories with comfort, as if there was no underlying danger to his own well-being. He will go into the eye of the storm in order to cease it and save any entity in close proximity. Words embody his passion for service—a hint of hero’s blood. His profession may not be your typical go-to career, but it takes all the strength to go beyond oneself and to think of others as a main priority. Fortunately, he executes all of these perfectly.

Amidst the Hurricane Expected or unexpected, he’s always ready to do his routine of helping people. As a member of the Isabela Rescue Radio Assistance Group, Arturo never says no to any upcoming peril because it seems like it’s already a part of him. People like Rodero who belong in this field aren’t your typical superheroes. They don’t have the capacity to be invisible nor the capacity to teleport, but they push themselves to a great extent regardless of being powerless. They will always be there to save you and confront the villain, be it natural or man-made.

The Burning Fire “What keeps me going is always my goal: to help people in need in any calamity or disaster,” he emphasized when asked about his aspirations. He always had the choice of choosing another career, but his passion to be a one call away savior made him stay in the small town of Isabela, Negros Occidental.

Residents have limited resources there and the population is lesser unlike in the urban areas.

However, it doesn’t excuse them from experiencing disasters because wherever you are, it is a default that you can experience danger.

Floods and Drizzle Like how someone goes through floods, there are hurdles for Arturo to pass through. It didn’t end there because for him, it is not the end of the road yet. As long as he is alive and there are people in need, he is still in his journey. Of course, he can’t avoid the pouring rain so the chances of flood are really high, but despite that he had already committed himself to the choice of staying regardless of any chaos—the literal and metaphorical.

When asked about the storms that catalyzes the flood, Arturo

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said: “Residents in certain disaster risk areas which are not cooperative.”

Rainbow and Mist “Praying and self-motivation” is one way to keep his composure in the fast-paced arena of his work. With the difficulty of the pursuit, it’ll keep you wondering how they stood up doing the same routine again and again, or you’ll question their healthy working environment. With that, Arturo said that the best feeling is the fulfillment after they accomplish their goal: saving people.

Moreover, preventing future danger is their motivation to strive even more. In attending seminars and gaining new members, he found his happy pill. Perhaps, his willingness to learn and the fact that there are new people willing to make sacrifices for the sake of the majority adds to their drive and sense of happiness.

In choosing one’s path, there are a lot of things to consider, especially in your career or vocation because it’s not just a way of gaining money to pay your bills, but a lifetime commitment to what you will do for the rest of your life. There are people who will choose to sit in an air-conditioned office and exhaust their minds to its extent just to innovate new ideas for others whereas there are also those who prefer to drown themselves in reading and speaking up for the voiceless.

The risky nature of his job didn’t stop Arturo from pursuing it. His fondness to the art of helping is one of the factors that grounded him.

“No retreat, no surrender,” he reckoned. S

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madshack PHOTOGRAPHED BY

WORDS BY LANCE CHRISTIAN M. JUAREZ M A R T I N I M . FA LC O A N D G E R I C O T. G U A N C O

AMID THEIR PERPETUAL SKIRMISHES AGAINST CHAOS, they face untruth’s maw with undying resolve.

Meet those who brave the infernos at the frontline; those who command the flanks undeterred; those who forge their blood with ink; and those who captain the seas of light.

The ones who dare tread the treacherous must challenge the Ego.

T O P E D S ‘ 1 9 - ‘ 2 0

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TO BECOME, THAT IS THE ANSWER: Questioning naught of the mind to endure neither the sheaths and daggers of perpetual suffering, nor the march up arduous mountains, Thereby, conquering them.

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TO LIVE—TO WAKE, And by a wake, to say we transcend

WRITERS ‘19 - ‘20

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The heartache and the myriad of bogs That crown the daybreak.

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‘TIS AN ENDS DIVINELY SOUGHT; TO LIVE, TO WAKE; To wake, perchance to see—ay, there’s the rub:

- ‘20 L AYO U T A N D G R A P H I C S ‘ 1 9

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For in that wake what visions may come,

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when we have gone beyond our self-erected walls,

Must give us want—

H U MAN I N T E R E ST

BEYOND BENCHES AND BARBELLS words by Hana Patricia Raj E. Hautea photos by Angelo F. Despi

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hy Be th at as it ma y, a he alt igh t lif es tyl e go es be yo nd we . tra ini ng an d bo dy bu ild ing g Yo u ne ed to co mm it du rin th e ot he r 23 -or -so ho ur s m. ou tsi de th e wa lls of th e gy

an; m u h is t u o k r o To w ivine. d is e r e v e s r e p to Anyone with the cash and a strong enough resolve can simply waltz into a gym and buy themselves a membership. But it takes someone with a steadfast mindset and an incredible amount of self-discipline to keep going back.

Take it from 19-year-old Raphael Martin Magbanua—a certified fitness enthusiast for two and a half years now.

As a BS Accountancy student with a part-time job and three organizations on top of a consistent gym schedule, one could argue that he’s a professional juggler as well. Yet despite his hectic schedule, Magbanua does his best to fit in trips to Eclipse Healing & Body Design Centre because to him, exercise is a routine to keep the body and mind in shape and not just for the sole reason of being healthy.

“It was more of peer pressure—most of my friends were exercising, playing sports, or going to the gym,” Raphael explained what urged him to start working out. He continues to share that he found sitting in class for eight hours exhausting and after arriving home, he’d just watch a movie or play games. “So I wanted to combat my sedentary lifestyle with an active approach: going to the gym.”

And combat it he did. It was around February 2017 when he began going to Sam’s Gym under the guidance of personal trainer Samuel Mateos. In the beginning, he wasn’t exactly a fitness enthusiast. He would just play sports for the fun of it, and he only started working out because doing nothing in his spare time made him uncomfortable. “However, it all changed when I was able to routinely go the gym,” he added. “It made me realize the importance of it—that it is a part of life.”

Just like in all facets of life, Raphael experienced a number of peaks and dips along the way. There was a time in late 2017 when he stopped training and focused on his academic responsibilities as a result of feeling like he was no longer improving. In any case, this break didn’t last long as he found himself back lifting weights in early 2018.

In the midst of numerous internal and external hurdles throughout one’s fitness journey, Raphael stresses the importance of mindset. “Mindset is key if you want to achieve the body goals

you are after,” he emphasized. Also, it is integral as it helps one to religiously attend his gym sessions and keeps his head focused towards achieving his goals in mind. “Likewise, a positive mindset can help with your anxiety about the time, number of sets, and repetitions that you will be going through,” he pointed out.

Beneath the umbrella term of mindset is another word important to him: habit. Yes, you need determination in order to keep going. But his habit of changing up his exercises weekly (aided by current trainer Hermie Luz Alimon) helps motivate him by allowing him to avoid monotony as well as to enjoy the pain.

This resolute attitude is mainly influenced by time, his body, and stressors. For Raphael, he takes time to plan, process, and prepare his mind before a grueling session. On top of that, he’s keen to the needs of his body—particularly whenever it demands exercise. Plus, if a problem arises, he’d often resort to letting off steam in the security of a gym.

Alongside the significance of mindset, another thing Raphael has learned throughout the past two and a half years is the importance of breathing. “Do not forget to breathe—inhale and exhale,” he advised. What’s more, he realized it’s better not to visualize what he’ll be going through. Instead, he reminds himself of its benefits and why he started hitting the gym in the first place.

Embrace the pain, he says, for pain is part of the progress.

Be that as it may, a healthy lifestyle goes beyond weight training and bodybuilding. You need to commit during the other 23-or-so hours outside the walls of the gym. Raphael manages that by remembering to rest his body, eat the right food, and follow that up with lighter exercises like walking whenever he has the time.

Raphael’s story is a reminder that there is more to working out than results, gains, and a super jacked physique. It’s about challenging yourself, growing through the experiences, and having the drive to endure despite wanting to give up. Even if you do falter, don’t let it stop there. He sure didn’t.

So, no matter where you are in your fitness journey, here’s what Raphael has to say: “Remember: take care of your body for it will reward you. In the end, no one else can do it but you.” S

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HEALTH & LI F ESTYLE

OF CALORIE COUNTS AND CANCELLED CRAVINGS: DIETING MYTHS YOU NEED TO KNOW words by Katherine E. Co art by Kiara Nicole D. Villa

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In this age of social media where there is an unseeable social pressure to flaunt a perfect life and to always look good (especially in pictures), a good deal of people eventually end up hopping on the dieting trend: enrolling in the gym, starting to make restrictive meal plans, and counting calories each step of the way just to drop the belly fat peeking through that shirt or to fit in that favorite pair of jeans once again. But so much misconception has been bolstering popular dieting beliefs and habits that can make weight loss methods potentially very harmful to one’s health.

At the end of the day, health is still what matters most.

Rapid weight loss is something to be proud of.

person could be.

If your main goal in dieting is weight loss and you see yourself losing more than two pounds (0.9 kg) a week, then you are subjecting your body to a variety of dangerous health risks such as gallstones (solid material formed in the gallbladder, which, if many or large, may cause serious pain and complications such as inflammation, infection, and organ damage), muscle loss, nutritional deficiency, and electrolyte imbalances.

You could be consuming too little protein or an extremely low amount of calories, which is not healthy especially if it’s below the minimum calorie requirement for healthy organ function and nutritional needs (1,200 calories for adult women and 1,800 calories for adult men, which, however, can vary with age and weight). It’s more recommended to find a more permanent nutrition plan that can support a healthy, sustained weight than the usually more popular and more risky instant “crash” diets that are short-term and unsustainable.

I can worry about my calorie intake, but not my food sources.

Skipping meals is the go-to, most surefire way to lose weight.

Numerous studies have shown that people who skip meals tend to compensate on the next ones. And overeating on your next or last meal after skipping a meal or two can actually lead to serious changes in metabolism which are potentially harmful for your health, such as lower metabolic rates, elevated fasting glucose levels, and a delayed insulin response. Not only that, but you may also just cause yourself to potentially gain more weight—when you’re low in energy, it is very likely you’ll crave more for high-fat or high-sugar food to pay off your insufficient energy levels.

“Thin” always means “healthy”.

Absolutely not. Sure, being obese poses a lot of health risks in and of itself such as diabetes and heart disease, but looking “thin” or having a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) doesn’t mean one is healthy, per se. For one, BMI only measures the proportion of your weight to your height, but not exactly your body fat. As Dr. Alessandro Demaio of the University of Copenhagen illustrated in an article published in The Conversation: weight alone can’t tell “between a kilogram of fat versus a kilogram of muscle”.

There can be thin people with a high body fat percentage, or usually dubbed as “skinny fat”. This then could potentially include the ever-harmful visceral fat that’s stored in the abdominal cavity next to various vital organs, which secretes inflammatory toxins.

The key here is to determine the health factor—you can be thin but have a poor nutritional diet or live a very sedentary lifestyle, making you just as unhealthy as an obese

You count your calories in whatever way you want, but where are they coming from? Getting 100 calories from cola is very different from getting 100 calories from broccoli. The former will get your sugar levels to dramatically shoot up in an instant and your health suffers as a consequence, while the latter provides you with much-needed essential nutrients and minerals your body will thank you for.

In other words, take care of your diet quality. Check your basic macronutrients, the substances our body needs in large amounts for proper functioning. Are you getting enough carbohydrates from good whole-grain, high-fiber sources?

Are you getting enough protein—pivotal to tissue and organ repair, hormone and immune function—in your diet each day?

Are you getting enough healthy fats and oils from natural sources like fruits and nuts?

But you ask: aside from obvious health risks, how will your weight loss plan be affected by high sugar levels, anyway? Here’s the deal: when your blood sugar spikes, insulin also rises in an attempt to regulate it; however, excess glucose will be converted by your liver to stored fat. Plus, if you mostly fill your diet with sugary food and drinks with little to no protein or fiber, it’s much more difficult to feel satisfied or full, which is also probably the reason why you can’t resist eating another wafer. Instead, you should include more vegetables and fruits in your diet, as they are not only full of the nutrients and fiber you need every day, but they also have very few calories. Trust me, the greens are still superior in this game.

However, as a short and sweet reminder to everyone: dieting is not the all-encompassing solution to weight management. Whether you plan on losing a lot of pounds, or you simply want to maintain a certain weight, exercise should always be a part of your lifestyle. In the case of a headstrong weight loss goal, a balance of cardio and resistance training is a good option for burning more calories and fat as it enhances cardiovascular efficiency.

At the end of the day, health is still what matters most.

Instead of being a slave to social media culture and unrealistic beauty standards (which are just frequently changing social constructs made by society), take steps in giving yourself your much needed space and love for self-acceptance and self-care.

Just like weight management, unlearning certain mindsets you’ve been immersed for most of your life takes a lot of time—and it’s not always as easy as it sounds. But a noteworthy thing to hope is that the 21st century will start to lead the path of refocusing our attention and direction from over-glorified body shapes and sizes, to the everlasting importance of health and well-being. S

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Again, End Again words by Alvin Brian S. Legario | comics by Anna Theresa S. Parayno, Carl Hason T. Gerale, and Earl John D. Pabular Warning: Some images may be graphic.

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ENTERTAI NMENT

BENDED FLEX words by Patrick N. Billojan art by Andrea Danielle A. Gamboa

It only becomes wrong when you are pretending to be someone you are not just to impress other people.

In today’s society, it is all about what you have and who knows you have it. One way of telling the world about it is through flexing. You can flex to inspire and motivate others to do better, and be successful in achieving the things that you have.

But sadly, most people do otherwise. They just flex to incite jealousy in other people—to make them feel good about themselves and to show that their life is so much better than the rest.

The term “flex” originally refers to someone contracting their arm muscles to display their lean built and how cut they are. But the term transformed to the act of showing off what you have to gain popularity or to simply boast. Flexing can happen anywhere—school, workplace, or even on social media.

Here are five blatant ways to flex on social media: 1. Skipping meals just to save money to buy some milk tea from your “favorite” milk tea shop, then sharing it on your social media stories with the caption #milkteaislife is one concrete example. Sharing this isn’t wrong. The thing is, sacrificing your lunch just to buy a drink worth P150 just to display it on your story isn’t financially responsible at all.

2. Maldives, Greece, Paris, Tokyo, New York, and Brazil are some of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. They are visited by many people not only for the natural beauty of these countries, but for their rich culture and their locals as well. Taking selfies for the Gram will always be the highlight of the trip.

Posting it on your social media accounts with #SummerInMaldives is good. But was it really in Maldives or was it just taken in Sipalay?

3. Having a special someone is one of the best feelings in the world—waking up to sweet messages could easily brighten up someone’s day. Being tagged in different funny memes and clingy quotes will always be part of your A-game.

But, is it really your special someone? Or is it just you using a dummy account, fooling yourself and believing that you really have a better half?

4. Stealing is the act of taking things without permission. This also applies to the photos you stole from others to post updates on your social media accounts. You can flex those photos, but you need to give proper credit to the one who took the picture. And a simple “CTTO” won’t do the trick. It’s not legit credits.

5. Love really moves in such mysterious ways that it can even be seen flooding your Facebook timeline. Sharing your monthsary and anniversary photos are okay, but posting your selfies together every hour is a different case. You don’t have to post everything just to show how true and

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genuine your love is for each other. Some things are better kept privately because not everyone deserves nor wants to know about it. Besides, it would be very difficult for you to delete those pictures once you break up.

However, blatant flexing does not only happen on screen but also face to face. Here are five examples of blatant flexing through personal interactions: 1. The release of the new iPhone X comes with the wireless earphones called “earpods”. Indeed, it is cool to have a pair. But is it really earpods or is it just earphones with its wires cut? It is not only a waste of resources, but of money as well. It also defeats the purpose of earphones. You are only embarrassing yourself by wearing fake earpods with no music on.

2. Commuting is really hard, especially during rush hour. Chasing a jeepney is a gamble. But, that’s where the convenience of Grab and Uber comes into play. You would be able to get a ride with just a few clicks and of course, with the right amount of money. After dropping you off in front of Gate 1, just pay manong Grab, get out of the car, and say “Thanks, Dad.” 3. Treating your princess right is a man’s duty—watching movies together, buying her accessories, and taking her to a romantic dinner are only a few examples. These things are okay, but the thing is, you are using your parent’s money to impress a girl. Don’t ask for extra allowance just so you could take your girl out to a fancy date. It is not your parents’ responsibility to fund your other agendas. Don’t go on expensive dates if you don’t earn your own money yet. The true essence of love can be felt in those little things where the most effort has been exerted.

4. Fashion has always been a part of our everyday lives—from the classic ‘60s vibe to the sleek look of today. Fashion indeed has evolved through time. With a vast amount of fashion choices today, you could easily find the best style that best fits your preference. Flexing your clothes is actually good, but make sure to return it to the owner after using it.

5. Reaching the most intimate stage with your partner and sharing it with your

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friends just to make yourself look cool isn’t something to be proud of. You are just making yourself look amateur and inexperienced. Besides, this kind of topic, especially when you are in a relationship, should be kept private. Respect is important.

You should know when to say and not say things.

Much of the things that we purchase are mostly for the purpose of flexing—to assert dominance, status, and wealth. However, flexing is not wrong when you actually own the things that you are flexing. It only becomes wrong when you are pretending to be someone you are not just to impress other people.

At the end of the day, appearances are just appearances. It will never justify the person that you are. Yes, you can fool others, but not yourself.

Don’t feel bad for not having the things that others have because we are not all equal to begin with. Use them as motivation to do better in life. Be ambitious and encouraged by the success of others rather than envying those who are already rich and successful by thinking that their success is “ill-deserved” or cheated. Cherish what you have right now, and surely, you’ll have your turn someday. S

ENTERTAI NMENT

Sugar and Spice Reacts Sugar: Helu! Magandang buhay, mga juget! Here iz me again, your resident chismosa, Sugarrr (rawr)! So, our lesson for tuhday is—drum roll pls—online trolls and bazhers! Ari na. May antique collection ko di sang posts and bitter comments sang bashers and haterz of The Spectrum. Mainit-init gid ini nga izzue coz very bold and daring ang statements, mga mamsh!

1 Sugar: Sizzt, so harsh naman of you! And sizt, indi kami 1 plus 1 para pangitaan mo sang “sum.” “Some” na, juget! Daw ikaw pa ya ang Best Spellinger sang Grade 2!

Spice: I agree, sizt Sugar. Manong Bobby might want to use a more appropriate and professional statement, right? We don’t want to rambol-rambol, you know.

2 Sugar: Oooof! Foul ka, gurhl! Share mo lang gutgot mo? Bet mo siguro magpa-jombag sa mga papabols ko, ay?

Spice: Larry Gadon whomstedt? Let’s spread love na lang, mamsh. LeZzZgo Lozol!

3

Sugar: Lihog man tarong sang layout sang meme mo. Chour.

Anek gid bi ang wrong sa mga captions namon? Mas wrong ka.

Very.

Spice: Sugar, don’t stoop down to their level. They don’t know Journalism 101 eh. Be good to the “uninformed” they say. As members of one Lasallian community, we unite despite diversity (insert reggae Alma Mater song) ehe.

4 Sugar: Juget, abi paniti tu anay ang patatas! Izzue pa guid ya ang placard? Dzuuh. Wiz na ko may ma-say ah. Biskan where nga angle, may ma-spyok kamo dyapon nga nega. Baket parang kasalanan ko?!? *Teddie Salazar voice* “Maaaaa, sorry maaaa.”

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Sugar: Listen, look, and listen and learn! Kalmage ta sa patutsada pwede? Gina-feature and publish lang namon ang raw happenings sa event. Nugay ka wangal kung di mo knows ang whole story mmmkay? Wag pasapak-sapak much. :) Spice: Oh my! You did not just make my j3j3 lil sissy super triggered, did you? Don’t stress us cos we’re not your stress balls. We’re just fulfilling our journalistic work. Another thing, common sense would tell you that users below 18—especially children—are not supposed to join Facebook ‘cause they’re ineligible. And yes, you’re welcome.

Sugar: Wiz na worries! Di lang ikaw disappointed, langga. Damo kamo. Many to mention kamo eh. Disappointed man ko sa imo! $#1%*!9@?

Spice: Sugar, don’t talk when your mouth is full of masasamang words! Don’t make sabog to that annoying Shrek.

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7

Sugar: PWEDE LANG indi ta mag-capslock?! First of all, who you guid haw? Second of all, ara ka sa post? Ara ka?!? Makamandar ka daw sobra ka pa sa minor subjects ko. GhAlet nA ghAleeeet! gUstonG maNakheet!

Spice: Hinney, don’t even. What’s more bwesit is you frowning in your profile photo albeit having ‘Chiz’ in your name. Say whuuu?

9 Sugar: SKL: Di ka taga-La Salle kung di ka kabalo mag-spell sang “La Salle” hihi. Congrats to your spelling kag misplaced punctuation ah. Skrrrrrt!

Spice: So fans and bashers, that was the T. Sugar has walked out just a while ago (my gosh she’s still a petty wap). But before I make alis na rin (vlog errands kasi), please stop the hate. Now na! As journos, my dearest Spectre friends have protocols to follow. They’re here to send you guys the latest chikkas and ganap in and out of USLS. And it’s not fake news pa ha. Don’t be a kapal mukha and mind your manners always!

Like my staggering IG posts and tweets, share and react to The Spectrum’s posts cos truthful and quality journalism never go out of style. That’s all for now. We rest our case. Mwaaah! :* S

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Staff Picks

Literature | Music | Film | Technology

BY E R ICA J AI N E A. M E ST R E , JORIE E. TORIA NO, A ND A L A N S. V I LLANUEVA JR.

E R I C A’S P IC KS BOO K S E R I E S

GRISHA TRILOGY by Leigh Bardugo

“The less you say, the more weight your words will carry.” — Nikolai Lantsov.

The Grisha Trilogy is composed of three books: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising. The first installment unfolds with a pale, frightened girl named Alina who gradually discovers her own magical powers: sunlight. A world of darkness, terror, and abusive governance has stirred the heroine to bring forth light as the voice of change.

With a love triangle (square, actually) with a guy named Mal, The Darkling, and a prince called Nikolai, Alina is set to know more about her own strengths and weaknesses, and whether to choose one from three boys or her own self first.

A franchise that sheds insight from self-hate and self-harm to betterment and self-acceptance, the Grisha Trilogy will leave you daydreaming for days about the struggles of each character and how they rise above death to save themselves.

ALBUM

NEOTHEATER ALBUM by AJR

Beginning around 2005, the AJR (Adam, Jack, and Ryan) pop band has always stood out with their upbeat songs and real life-inspired lyrics that tap on the common problems teens and young adults face such as anxiety and depression.

This band has produced over three albums: Living Room (2015), The Click (2017), and their latest one yet: Neotheater (2019).

Setting in a Disney-related discography, the Neotheater album released 12 songs and describes its own album as “the buoyant and uplifting music juxtaposed with darker lyrical narratives that touch on naivete and searching for integrity.”

The final song of the Neotheater album entitled “Finale (Can’t Wait To See What You Do Next)” left a lot of fans emotional since it was hinted that this might be their last and final album; the band somewhat bidding goodbye since an interview they had with Substream Magazine.

The group portended that growing up, eventually, means choosing separate ways.

Tired of repetitive pop music? Go hand an ear to the Neotheater.

J O R IE ’ S P IC KS SONG

SEÑORITA by Camila Cabello & Shawn Mendes

Two of the biggest pop stars of our generation, namely Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, worked together again on a new single.

The track is a sexy and romantic ode starting off with the line “I love it when you call me señorita”. It details a fictional romance that further descends to the idea of a one-night stand. Subsequently, Señorita produced extreme heat as it moved from No. 2 to the first spot on the Billboard Hot 100 behind “Old Town Road”. There is no doubt on why the song became popular with it being frequently played in various social gatherings and radio stations.

In the music video where the two reached the hotel, Cabello’s voice morphs into a breathless and husky tone along with the scenes she and Shawn kissing and messing around in the bed.

Señorita may dive depths into unreachable levels of love or it could simply be an indication of a fleeting pleasure that is meant to be forgotten by tomorrow.

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APP

Alarmy Alarm Clock App

Getting up early in the morning is too challenging, especially for heavy sleepers, because it requires discipline. Many tend to arrive late even with an alarm clock.

Alarmy can solve that problem. It is a modified alarm clock that forces you to get out of bed in

order to turn it off. In fact, many users claimed that Alarmy is the most annoying alarm clock.

Basing from Alarmy’s own website, the app was developed by Jay Shin, the CEO of Delight Room. This app has been ranked #1 in the App Store for 90 countries, has urged over 13 million users out of bed, and claimed the highest rating among top 30 alarm apps in the Play Store.

There are several methods to choose how Alarmy will kickstart your soul for the day: one could choose to take a picture of something to get the alarm to turn off, to shake the phone, or to solve a Math problem. Shin once shared that he used to fall back asleep despite setting an alarm and the only thing that would get him fully awake was to use the bathroom. Due to this, Shin surmised that the best way to move in the morning was to put his phone inside his bathroom and this effective solution led him to develop the app.

Worried of being late? Tired of missing your early classes even with an alarm clock? Fed up with your mom’s repetitive rooster call?

Go download Alarmy.

ALAN ’S P IC KS TV S E R I E S

Lucifer (2016-Present)

“What is it you desire?”

What if the devil himself were to ask you this question?

Netflix’s Lucifer has undeniably risen to fame from its premiere on January 2016 until its recent installment for a fourth season, which concluded in May this year.

As a central theme, the show traverses varying perceptions of faith—specifically on what is right from wrong. Lucifer is depicted to be a character that practices honesty and believes that his mission is to punish sinners, which is opposite of his established reputation. Despite his goodness, he frequently acts uncontrollably and violently. This fusion of contrasting traits displays Lucifer’s humanity which pertains to limitless potential, projecting similarities with the audience.

The show possesses an intimate significance to family issues as reflected in the protagonist’s

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defiance of God, his father, who he believes has vilified him. Most of his angel siblings except his sister, the angel of death Azrael, have incriminated and tried to hurt him.

The presence of an interesting love story will also entail the audience’s continued viewing of the series. Lucifer’s countless misinterpretations of his feelings for his partner, Detective Chloe Decker, led him astray from admitting his love. As the Devil, he believed himself to be unworthy of love and that he would only endanger the detective.

Eve—Lucifer’s first lover and the first woman created— suddenly reappearing hinders the fans’ most anticipated ship from sailing.

For viewers searching for action, the series will not disappoint as they get to solve crimes with the Los Angeles Police Department and witness the prehistoric war between the divine and the demonic.

With Lucifer as your guide, who would not want to go somewhere warmer for a change?

S ONG

ANXIETY by Julia Michaels ft.

Selena Gomez

The late English poet John Donne’s words, “No man is an island” conveys a very significant truth in human life as people ordinarily depend on each other. However, in “Anxiety”, a song written by Scott Harris and Ian Kirkpatrick along with the singers Julia Michaels and Selena Gomez, certain problems that hinder social interactions despite being intrinsic in human nature have been vividly drawn.

In the first verse, confusion on associating with people is indicated through the collision of both the desire for loneliness and the desire to be included.

The will to overcome these reservations from social contact was apparent in the song but the presence of anxiety is painted to prevail.

Amidst the narration of negative circumstances, the artists contrarily delivered the song with a livelier rhythm. The song’s ability to captivate the listeners’ attention is inarguably present, not only because of Michaels and Gomez’s beautiful rendition but also because of the significance and relevance of its message.

The song provides an effective and relevant medium for expressing particular mental health issues such as depression and exclusion. People who experience similar circumstances are guaranteed to identify with the song.

REVIEWS BOOK

War of the Foxes

BY J OSHUA L. MAHILU M

“The paint doesn’t move the way the light reflects, / so what’s there to be faithful to?”

American poet and painter Richard Siken picks up a paintbrush and takes his readers to a painting session and a debate at the same time in an attempt to uncover man’s war against himself and against the world.

Comprised of 28 poems, War of the Foxes, Siken’s second poetry collection published ten years after the success of his first book of poetry, Crush, which won the 2004 Yale Series of Younger Poets prize, navigates the author’s inquiry on the art of creation and the complications that come with it.

Siken first questions art’s ability to represent reality—a war of man against the world. In the poem The Way the Light Reflects, Siken establishes one of the problems he intends to address in his book: the dangers in the translation of experience to expression, which in his case, is that of a painter. Siken presents the notion of art as a subjective means of expression, which he thinks contributed to the emergence of the conflict. His poem Still Life with Skulls and Bacon argues as well that because of man’s hunger for truth and explanations, he tends to “carve up the world all the time.” Here, representation of the world comes in, and with representation comes doubling.

Siken further implicates this idea in his poem The Language of the Birds where he wrote: “And just because you wanted to paint a bird, do actually / paint a bird, it doesn’t mean you’ve accomplished any- / thing.” To probe the answers to his questions on representation, Siken made use of rhetoric where he depicts the mental process of the persona and follows his line of inquiry.

In some of his poems, Siken also used allegory and anthropomorphism to

BOOK + MOVIE + TV SERIES + ALBUM

illuminate his take on what he called “the doubling of self” or the process of man’s creation of a rendered version of himself, which for Siken, is a self-versus-self war.

In the titular poem War of The Foxes, the poet tells a number of stories that exemplify war as a personal conflict. One story involves two rabbits who, for the sake of survival after being chased by a fox, decided to hide one of them inside the other to trick their predator. This insinuates Man’s vulnerability to be swallowed up by external pressures by society and man’s tendency to lose oneself along the process of contestation. Siken backs this claim in the poem Landscape with Fruit Rot and Millipede where he wrote: “The mind fights the / body and the body fights the land. It wants our bodies, / the landscape does, and everyone runs the risk of / being swallowed up.”

Siken also employs the so-called “ekphrastic” poetry, or literary pieces that engage in works of art. In Three Proofs, Siken illustrates the same idea of the doubling of self through a detailed response to three classical paintings made

by Pablo Picasso, Raphael, and Caravaggio entitled Gertrude Stein, Saint George and the Dragon, and David with the Head of Goliath, respectively.

In Gertrude Stein, Siken remarks the same actual-rendered self conflict which lies in the portrait of a woman, which for him, offered “evidence but not proof” of her existence. In his journal entry published in 2006, Siken also cited the same Gertrude Stein, an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector for her famous line “Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose”, which further solidifies Siken’s concept of doubling. In the second painting, multiple doublings were observed by Siken while the last painting highlights the friction between the separations of the “biological self, biographical self, and presented self” which were actualized by men and horses as symbolism for selves and power.

In War of the Foxes, Siken was effective in utilizing the Socratic method of questioning, the scientific method of analysis, and the artistic method of evoking in elucidating his views on issues of identity. All of which have been crucial in understanding and provoking the complexity of artistic creation and meaning-making with painting as both the medium and the subject matter.

His use of recurring images such as birds, bunnies, numerals, paint, fire, ghost, light, and the moon also made the poems even more vivid, eloquent, and evocative.

The left-alignment and margin-to-margin structure of the poems, add up to the straightforwardness of his poetry and allows the continuance of thought so that readers could follow the thinking and

reasoning of the persona.

With its potent use of allegory and rhetoric, vivid imagery, and continuance, War of the Foxes indeed offers a deep yet meaningful contemplation of the self expressed through a beautiful marriage of poetry and art.

MOVI E

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)

BY S H A N M A R C J A B AGAT

Reincarnation is a religious concept that presupposes a dead person’s spirit would return in another life form—nothing more, nothing less.

It revolves around the fundamental aspect that the deeds a person has done during their lifetime will reflect what they will be in the next life. It could be an animal, or if their deeds are worthy enough, a human.

However, in the critically-acclaimed work of Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, reincarnation takes a leap from its own dimension.

Winner of 2010 Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or—the first and only Thai film to do so—Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives slowly unfolds the existence of ghosts, past lives, and the fear of death. The subtle art of blurring the lines between the mundane and the spiritual universe through the film flows seamlessly—all through symbolism of karma and rebirth and the portrayal of every character.

The film starts as Uncle Boonmee (portrayed by Thanapat Saisaymar), a middle-aged farmer and beekeeper who is dying of kidney failure, settles back into the countryside of northeastern Thailand to spend his final days. There, he is being taken care of by his sister-in-law Jen (Jenjira Pongpas), along with his cousin Tong (Sakda Kaewbuadee), and his Laotian chief worker Jaai

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(Samud Kugasang).

The plot is mainly simple: Uncle Boonmee is contemplating his final days— whether or not his sickness is caused by karma from killing communists and bugs in his farm. But it is only a fraction of what this film is all about. As the movie progresses, it stretches on a lot of sequences and takes: an ox freeing itself, a catfish having sex with a princess, a monk taking a shower, and more. It cascades to the ideas of memory and rebirth through the dissection of layers and metaphors. Its plot unfolds slowly yet exquisitely, making the cinema-goers never want to miss a moment as it reflects on its contemplative storytelling between life and the afterlife.

Loosely based on the life story of a Buddhist abbot in a book entitled “A Man Who Can Recall His Past Lives” in 1983, this 144-minute film captures the essence of reincarnation. It also features strange yet zen-like elements that only Weerasethakul can pull off, like the unsurprising exchanges between a spirit and a man shown multiple times.

In the cave scene, where the protagonist was last seen alive, Boonmee’s situation becomes a metaphor for a womb wherein he was born into a life that he cannot recall. Dissipation of the lines between the spiritual and the physical worlds, the rural and urban areas, and the beastly and the human attributes coexist effortlessly— showcasing the nature of duality, if not multiplicity.

The dynamic cinematography of Sayombhu Muukdeprom, Yukontorn Mingmongkon, and Charin Pengpanich is at its strongest, exhibiting a resemblance of late 90’s Thai films. Fusing with the styles of documentary and fantasy television drama series, it all blended together to form stunningly dream-like imagery.

The presence of contemplation throughout the film is excellent as it utilizes slow camera movement. Various scenes, especially the long takes on the farm during daytime and the cave in nighttime, allude to the message about life and death. Although it may come off as unusual and dragging to viewers, usage of slow panning throughout the whole film lifts the significance of Weerasethakul’s challenging take on conventions. With the help of the sounds of nature, such as the wind breeze and cricket sounds, it justifies the minimalism and contemplative structure of the movie.

With regards to screenplay, the usage of peculiarity in the actors’ delivery was knitted well, although there were inconsistencies with its emotional execution. The conversation between the living and the dead, although bizarre, became its own monument. Boonmee’s monologue about how he felt the cave was a womb to him is the most compelling;

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though his conversation with his wife, Huay (Natthakarn Aphaiwong), came close as it portrays his longingness to be with her again. Humor is also exhibited when Huay questioned her son Boonsong (Jeerasak Kulhong), who is now a Monkey Ghost, “why did his hair grow so long?”

Furthermore, most of the conversations become uninteresting due to its lack of emotions. Even Huay, who was supposed to add fuel to the intensity of the film, was plainly nonchalant.

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives has become its own story. Its exquisite and artistic way of showcasing the imagery concerning the existence of life and death comes off in an elegant yet enigmatic setting. The film may certainly be difficult to embrace at its first few minutes of watching, but it does not ask the viewers to dissect the metaphors or to excavate the logical meaning. It is there to let them experience the seamless collision between two contrasting realms.

Weerasethakul is generous enough to let the magic of the film stay with the audience in an engagingly entertaining way.

T V SER IES

Disenchantment: Part 1 (2018)

BY H A NA PAT R IC IA RA J E . H AU T E A

Have you ever found yourself achingly desperate for freedom?

Bean definitely has. That’s exactly how she feels all 30-or-so minutes of all 10 episodes.

Disenchantment (2018) is a satirical animated sitcom created by Matt Groening that airs solely on Netflix. It’s set in a medieval fantasy world called Dreamland and follows the story of an interesting trio. The main protagonist, Princess Tiabeanie Mariabeanie de la Rochambeaux Grunkwitz—also known as “Bean”—is an indecisive yet head-strong 19-year-old teenager with an affinity for heavy drinks and breaking rules (along with typical princess stereotypes). Beside her is her best friend slash love interest Elfo, an optimistic runaway elf that just wants more out of life. Lastly, they’re both joined by Luci, Princess Bean’s personal demon whom she received as a gift. He was originally supposed to

destroy her life, but he usually just ends up encouraging her to do the stupid thing.

Out of the 10 episodes released so far, majority of the first season follows the same repetitive plotline that allows us to enjoy their satire, but it doesn’t give us much of an idea as to where the series is going. It plays safe.

Which is exactly why Episode 8 (The Limits of Immortality) is all the more intriguing. That’s the gradual turning point that makes you realize there’s more to the show than what meets the eye.

Here, the series finally takes a risk, and it certainly pays off.

The title of the animated sitcom is also a thought-provoking subject.

According to Cambridge Dictionary, the word ‘disenchantment’ refers to ‘the feeling of being disappointed with something, and no longer believing that it is good or worthwhile’. This can likely serve as foreshadowing for later episodes or a warning to viewers that what you see isn’t necessarily what you get.

Moving on to the technicalities, Disenchantment has a solid cast of voice actors—Abbi Jacobson as Bean, Eric Andre as Luci, and Nat Faxon as Elfo—all of whom work well together to bring a new layer of depth to their respective characters. Their dynamic voices complement the charming musical score as well, although the pleasant, lively audio style isn’t enough to salvage the oftentimes stale humor. The animation deserves a round of applause, however, as the fun and cartoon-esque visuals help keep you attracted when the same old plot makes you feel tempted to stop watching.

On the bright side, especially towards the riveting end of the season, there are a couple of life lessons you can pick up from the characters. For one, that when in a tight spot, action is more important than relentless optimism. Let’s take one of Luci’s lines as another example: “Entertainment is just a tool that pacifies the masses and leads to the decay and ultimate collapse of civilization.”

Someone stitch that quote on a pillow.

Not only that, there is a semblance of character development present in the animated show. It’s a slow process, but after a while, you start to notice Bean and her father’s rocky relationship mending and Elfo’s initially pure personality twisting. Then the last few episodes come into the picture and characters are forced to develop as they are rushed to make important decisions. These influence not only the direction of the current season but the prospect of future episodes as well.

The last few episodes are literally the saving graces of the entire show. But along with that, they add much-needed complexity to the series and give viewers hope and excitement as to how the next seasons will resolve all the unanswered

questions. Why exactly has Maru sent Luci to Bean? Why did Dagmar attempt murder?

What is Bean’s true destiny?

Furthermore, there is a certain degree of magnitude allotted to their politics— specifically the possibility of a mystical war taking place. Initially, this can be brushed off as a convenient plot device, but they are later exposed to be intertwined with the main plot: they’re really just chasing one important thing.

Adding an extra layer of depth to the series are hints that indicate Disenchantment may be set in the same universe as the creator’s other shows. A quick scene in the last episode (Dreamland Falls) reveals a cameo from characters of Futurama, and fans were quick to formulate theories regarding the connection Disenchantment may have with the said series—as well as The Simpsons.

As creator of all three, it’s not a far-fetched idea that Groening deliberately placed those Easter eggs there.

So if you’re just looking for a series to watch while you pass time, Disenchantment is just enough to fit the bill. It doesn’t showcase anything obviously extraordinary or blatantly creative, but it’s good enough to keep you interested for a while. Plus, reading between the lines brings about stimulating food for thought that’ll surely keep you reflecting on the show’s underlying themes.

If all goes well, the new episodes that are coming out on September 20 will have more to offer in terms of plotline, script, and overall entertainment factor.

Nonetheless, I have hope for the best.

A LBU M

THE MONEY STORE by Death Grips

BY W I LLI T. FLO RET E

A year after they barged their way into the musical realm and piqued the world’s attention with their debut mixtape Exmilitary (2011), Death Grips shook the planet even harder by signing an Epic Records deal with record executive L.A. Reid and making their major-label debut with their apocalyptic and other-worldly album The Money Store.

Straying away from their previous

album’s central theme (which probed on the occult, economic depression, and law transgression), the trio— composed of rapper Stefan “MC Ride” Burnett, drummer/producer Zach Hill, and producer/keyboardist Andy “Flatlander” Morin—took another road bound for violence, drug use, sex, paranoia, gore, and the bleak depictions of reality.

Little is known about the Sacramento-based experimental hiphop band’s state of mind when they were still knitting this album into existence—but one thing is certain: they did a great job at making everything as appalling and confusing as possible.

The lyricism, for one, is not only manic and abrasive, but also seems to impose an enigma that can only be solved if one chooses to yank the door wide open.

They are made even more disturbing by MC Ride’s troglodytic rapping and ragged screams. Most of the time, the vocals are also distorted by the offensive and seizure-inducing buzz of electronic and industrial noises. In addition to this befuddling orchestra is Zach Hill’s fervent and almost panic-driven drumming that will more likely knock your eardrums dead.

In a Pitchfork review, Jayson Greene likened this dissonant clamor to “an alien swarm of buzzing and sputtering noises.” If that ever made sense though—no one can tell.

The first track, Get Got, alone is already more than enough to be a briefer of what you would experience while listening to the rest of the 12 remaining tracks. In the initial portion of the track, MC Ride sleepily utters the line “Tailpipe draggin’, volume blastin’, bailin’ out my brain/Red light flash, dem stop I smash” which projects a scene wherein he is on a getaway vehicle fleeing audaciously and recklessly from the police. Insinuation of paranoia and dementia is really evident in this line.

But what really makes this trip a jarring ride (aside from the apparent lust for violence) is the inexplicable cacophony that can be heard from the background. The abrupt melodic changes and the rush of random alien noises do not only shove the listeners into the state of confusion, but they also drown out the words that tumble out of Ride’s mouth. And while one might think that all this ends here, it should be noted that the rest of the tracks harbor the same level of chaos.

Everything gets even more violent on the second track The Fever, in which Stefan’s calm voice suddenly escalates to pugnacious, booming screams. Extreme addiction to drugs is cleverly depicted on the track as well.

The narrative progresses with MC Ride brandishing his success as a rapper and Death Grips’ growing fame despite the negative comments they get from a large number of people.

The experimental hip-hop band also made it a point to describe themselves as that group who adopts (or steals) other music genres to produce their own hell of music. “Unidentified genre abductor/Hit it from the back”.

One thing that is also truly evident throughout this ruthless voyage is Death Grips’ affirmation of their loyalty toward their uncanny yet honest craft despite being bombarded by assertions of disdain. It’s also hard to miss the band’s allusion to a plan of rebellion against the current music industry, which is on its knees begging for mercy yet getting nothing from the three but derisive smirks.

Delving deeper into Death Grips’ mind (or rifling through the annotations made by enthusiasts on Genius) would bring one to the realization that the band has a way of driving their point home by utilizing poetic words and certain references. On Get Got, the band used the term “Abraxas” to allude to their urge to careen forward roughshod.

According to user deathcon501, one of the contributors from Genius, Abraxas is connected to the sun.

And since the sun and the moon are the only heavenly bodies that don’t retrograde, Death Grips saw it as a good opportunity to use it as an allusion to their manic state to constant forward motion. “Abraxas, hydroplane, massive”.

This 41-minute album would perhaps be one of the most tumultuous song trips that one could have. The rush of ideas, MC Ride’s synthed groans, the spasmic thrust of beats and electronic noise, and the bulging violence are too off-putting, especially for someone who doesn’t have a stomach for this gut-twisting craft. But for someone who has an affinity for this rather appalling yet promising art, they might find themselves constantly banging their heads.

As disturbing and chaotic as this album may seem to most people, it can’t be denied that this serves as proof of Death Grips’ talent to not only make a name for themselves through their unique and unparalleled songs, but also to convey a story through a smart play of words.

Well, listening to The Money Store for the first time is pretty much tantamount to going through an initiation. It will be painful and bloody at first, but once you are already through with it, then you should be good to go.

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THESPECTRUM FOUN DED 1956

facebook.com/thespectrumusls · thespectrum.usls@gmail.com VOLUME 64 NUMBER 8 · NOVEMBER 2019 Member Alliance of Lasallian Campus Journalists and Advisers Hezron G. Pios EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Starlene Joy B. Portillo ASSOCIATE EDITOR Joshua L. Mahilum MANAGING EDITOR Hana Patricia Raj E. Hautea ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Andrea Danielle A. Gamboa EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR NEWSPAPER EDITOR Ivee E. Manguilimotan ASST. NEWSPAPER EDITOR Ma. Kristine R. Bayadog MAGAZINE EDITOR Lance Christian M. Juarez ONLINE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR Kynah Rhea B. Fuentes ASST. ONLINE PUBLICATIONS EDITOR Angela A. Coronel LITERARY EDITOR Disney Marie L. Espartero CREATIVE DIRECTOR Martini M. Falco PHOTOS & VIDEOS EDITOR Martini M. Falco ASST. PHOTOS & VIDEOS EDITOR Karl Brian T. Marqueza LAYOUT AND GRAPHICS EDITOR Alexandra V. Bachoco ASST. LAYOUT AND GRAPHICS EDITOR Katherine E. Co NEWSPAPER WRITERS Alan S. Villanueva John Vincent E. Rivera Patrick N. Billojan Drexel John N. Amit

PHOTOJOURNALISTS Angelo F. Despi Peter Job T. Bearneza Jr. Inocencio John Keith B. Ferrer Keilah N. Baldomar

MAGAZINE WRITERS Maegan Joy Matamoro Adrianne H. Saplagio Willi T. Florete

LAYOUT AND GRAPHICS ARTISTS Kiara Nicole D. Villa Gerico T. Guanco Alfredo Jr. R. Bayon-on Trizia C. Hassim

ONLINE WRITERS Shan Marc O. Jabagat Jorie E. Toriano Ezra Chrislaine L. Ortega

ILLUSTRATORS Anna Theresa S. Parayno Carl Hason T. Gerale Earl John D. Pabular

LITERARY WRITERS Paula Mae E. Villarosa Erica Jaine A. Mestre Alvin Brian S. Legario

WEB ADMINISTRATOR Christian Dominic L. Ledesma EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Ida Sarena M. Gabaya

PUBLICATION MODERATOR Jean Lee C. Patindol

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