PHUKET, Thailand—Why do sex workers always figure in a scenography where they lean on the ledge of a balcony, their hair undulating in volume or in chaos, while smoking a cigarette? Does the smoke from the cigarette bear the air exchanged in the lip-locking kisses, the promises of romance, and the depths of intimacy, only...
Category: Culture
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Dulaang UP’s ‘Ang Kaliitan ng Kasalukuyan’ finds the self we were told to forget
There’s a particular Filipino habit of dressing up sacrifice as virtue. For instance, we call our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) “bagong bayani,” or modern-day heroes, and mean it sincerely, but the term also makes their leaving feel inevitable—noble, even—rather than the product of a system that has failed to give them any other option. The...
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After a crash landing, stranded students fight to survive in FEU Theater Guild’s ‘Bangaw’
Breadcrumbs lead to the set of “Bangaw,” the new musical production of FEU Theater Guild (FTG) for 2026. The reminders over the speaker sound like flight announcements, and the viewers walking to their seats are welcomed by a cosplaying flight stewardess. Furry masks heaped on a table behind her hint of danger. Inside the small...
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The Ramon Magsaysay Award continues to uphold women’s empowerment across Asia
For nearly seven decades, the Ramon Magsaysay Award has honored individuals and organizations whose leadership has transformed lives across Asia. Among them are women who expanded opportunities for women—through education, political rights, economic inclusion, and protection from exploitation—long before “women’s empowerment” became a widely used phrase. As the world marks International Women’s Day and reflects...
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FEU Theater Guild’s gritty tale of survival set to open in March
“Bangaw,” an adventurous reimagining of William Golding’s classic story “Lord of the Flies,” takes the stage starting on March 5 for the 92nd season of the Far Eastern University Theater Guild (FTG). Written by Gold Villar-Lim, with music by Vince Lim, and directed by Peta senior artist-teacher and FTG artistic director Dudz Teraña, “Bangaw” explores...
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Inside the lives and identities of Filipino furries
One night in a tucked-away corner of the internet, a young artist booted up “Nekojishi,” a Taiwanese visual novel about anthropomorphic deities, and stumbled into a world he never expected to call home. He assumed the name “Daitheinsu” and, like countless others in the Philippines, he would soon discover the colorful and misunderstood universe of...
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The eternal returns of the day
As we enter another year, another period emerges where we try to recollect the life we have lived and measure its worth. Precisely, in the passing of such a life, a part of ourselves fails to move on and ends up left in the past, and in the process of how such a past deserts...
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What does it mean to be ‘bakla’?
Gay culture in the Philippines is changing fast. What used to be just entertainment is now a way to tell stories and celebrate identities. From powerful drag acts on stage to viral TikTok skits, queerness is being shared and lived openly, showing how deeply it has been woven in today’s culture. And despite what conservative...
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Finding presence in 2026: Lessons from Ben&Ben’s ‘The Traveller Across Dimensions’
The folk band Ben&Ben’s latest project offers an intentional idea for a New Year’s resolution: to be more “present with love.” It’s the central theme of their recently launched ebook, “The Traveller Across Dimensions” (TTAD), which serves as a reading companion to their album of the same title—and as a showcase of the band’s talent...
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They’re not pop stars but ‘lodis’ of a revolutionary kind
Carol Pagaduan-Araullo, Satur C. Ocampo, Bonifacio P. Ilagan and Judy Taguiwalo are familiar names. They’re not pop stars but each is definitely an idol—or lodi in colloquial Filipino. The streets are their platform, where, along with the late Marie Hilao-Enriquez, they are recognized for fighting for the people’s rights and resisting oppression and injustice. On...