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Chexit: The West Philippine Sea Is Ours but Now What?

China calls it a “farce.” The Philippine government filed the case before an international arbitral tribunal back in January 2013, seeking to quash the validity of China’s historic claims — an imaginary nine-dash line that impedes on our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and effectively declares most of our seas as theirs. Their reason? Because they…

Peeking into ‘The Dressing Room’

Staging re-runs is equally challenging than staging original theatre productions. One works with the same material but newer elements have to be added to make it more powerful and visually stunning. Hence, a re-run isn’t just a re-play but a whole reimagination of the same story. Dulaang UP’s The Dressing Room might be a re-run, but…

Manila’s Downtown Cinemas: Flicks and Memories

What was once a beacon of vibrant, colorful, and glamorous entertainment is now a forgotten, struggling and lonely place. Downtown Manila has been known as a center of educational and commercial activities. Movie houses were very prominent as early as 1930s with the screening of local films. First-run theaters such as Times, Dilson, Roben, Vista…

Wheel of Fate: A Short Film About Police Torture

At a secret detention facility, a criminal suspect learns that some games should never be played. #HumanRights #PoliceTorture [Entry 266, The SubSelfie Blog] About the Filmmaker: By day, Emannuel Escalona Jr. is a humble wedding videographer, taking accounts on conceptualizing, shooting and editing wedding videos. By night, he takes the cape of a filmmaker—his true…

Still Waters: A Docu Film on Depression

More than three million Filipinos are affected with depression, according to the Department of Health. But in countries like the Philippines, mental health is rarely discussed, let alone acknowledged. Oftentimes, a high profile case is required to trigger conversations regarding the matter. “Still Waters” is a documentary about the journey of a girl who struggles…

Filipino Musical ‘Mula sa Buwan’ Returns to Stage

The kundiman and pop rock-inspired, original Filipino musical Mula sa Buwan returns to stage on November 9 for a limited 16-show run. Two years after its celebrated first run in 2016, the musical finds its new home at the brand new 800-seater Hyundai Hall at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. Mula sa…

25

At 8 years old, it was easier to be 25. For career day, your teacher asked you to dress up like your hero. You grabbed a white coat and put it over your little shoulders, and just like that, you were a doctor. But being 8 was hard when you were 8. You didn’t know it…

Crossing Borders

“We meet people for a purpose, and it is up to us to define that purpose.”

Balik-tanaw sa Bukas

Lahat naman tayo, darating dito. Pero mapagdesisyon ang ilan. Sunud-sunod ang patayan. Hilaan pababa. Mas clingy pa tayo sa mga alimasag. Hitik rito ang ating lipunan. Ngunit ang ating kasaysayan ba’y may saysay? Lahat nga ba ng nasusulat sa aklat, katotohanan o may naipuslit na kasinungalingan? Marami ang palasimba, pero ang ugali, kay sagwa. Kung…

Hagdan: A Docu Film on Drug Rehabilitation

The “war on drugs” forms a huge part of Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s government platform when he was elected as President in 2016. For the past two years, at least 4,814 deaths have already been recorded in police anti-drug operations—or an average of about six people killed every day. Human rights groups claim way 300% more,…

Fact, Fake, Freedom: The Battle of Filipino Journalists in an Era of Misinformation

The latest death toll from the war on drugs flashes on the screen. Official police data says the toll nears 4,000 deaths, but according to Human Rights Watch, the numbers reach up to 12,000. Carlos*, an executive producer for a news documentary for a major television channel in Manila, sighs as he reads the toll….

The Filipino Language in the Time of Fake News

No less than the President himself admitted—the night after his second State of the Nation Address last month—that his camp hired keyboard warriors to defend him against social media critics and to help him win the presidency. Responding to a reporter’s question on the recent Oxford study which showed that the President’s camp spent a…

Ayoko sa Federalism

Personally, ayokong maging Federal Government ang Pilipinas dahil mabubulilyaso ‘yung plano kong #Steno2040. Pero not personally, ayoko sa Federalism dahil lalo lang maghihirap ang mga mahihirap na probinsya sa Pilipinas at lalo namang magiging “imperial” ang Metro Manila. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Sorry, advanced ako mag-isip. Para sa kaalaman ng mga ka-DDS, ang…