LITERARY

FEU Advocate
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June 15, 2025

Father's Day and Other Tragedies

No, I don’t celebrate Father’s Day, and I never have. The world doesn’t know how to hold that sentence gently, so it sits in my mouth like broken glass. He was the worst man alive and I am his favorite daughter. Imagine the cruelty of that arrangement. Imagine God loving Lucifer best and then throwing him from heaven. That’s what it felt like: to be adored by a man who taught me how to burn.

FEU Advocate
·
June 08, 2025

Someday, I’ll Be a Turtle

I will swim the waves, and skim the reefs, wear garbage crowns like stolen grief. And until such pain has whittled down, I will carry the weight without a sound.

FEU Advocate
·
June 05, 2025

Why The L Comes First

Back then, the nights were louder than lungs, the boys wore bruises like medals, and nobody said the words ‘AIDS epidemic’ unless they whispered it. Nobody said war either, but we knew.

FEU Advocate
·
June 01, 2025

Everything that Breaks

Eventually, you learn how to read a house like a pulse. The wreckage writes itself and you only have to listen. When you do, count all the broken things.

FEU Advocate
·
May 19, 2025

Woes of the Lamb

The land once sang under the sky of Rancho Malaya; the soil bloomed with promise, the barns were filled with prosperity, and lambs danced between rows of grain. But time, like rust, ate through the roots of ambition. The fences bent and the barn groaned. The wind spoke only of hunger as the stacks of grain withered from negligence.

FEU Advocate
·
May 01, 2025

You Can't Run Forever

I find myself fond of running—not as a way to turn down responsibilities or cry over failure, but gearing up with my beginner-friendly running shoes and Strava to run at least seven kilometers, twice a week. But don't mistake me for a seasoned runner. I am an amateur with a pace that hovers at 7:30, which is not bad for a rookie, is it?

FEU Advocate
·
April 28, 2025

Soft-drink Beauty

You walk past me, willfully ignorant of the rows of bright cans, just dreading the day one of us is chosen. Posters of my aluminum body are plastered all over the streets and on billboards—sleek, up-to-date, and modern—the fad of the moment.

FEU Advocate
·
April 23, 2025

To be or Skibidi

To be or skibidi—that is the top dog: Whether 'tis sigma to resist the doomscroll, The endless Skibidi reels and TikTok streams, Or to oil up against a sea of memes, And by griddying, end them. To log off—to touch grass— No more; and by touch grass to say we end The bedrotting, the digital brain fog, That our For You Page is heir to—‘tis a mogging Devoutly to be wished. To log off—to touch grass— To touch grass! Perchance to live! Ayo, there’s the sigma: For in that mewing trend, what silence may come When we yeet our phones to the unknown, Must give us pause. There’s the rizz, blud, That keeps us stuck in Ohio.

FEU Advocate
·
April 22, 2025

Hindi Ko Kayang Magmahal

Ang hirap payagan ang sarili na magmahal. Hindi dahil sa hindi ko kaya, o dahil sa natatakot akong masaktan. Ang hirap payagan ang sarili na magmahal kung alam mong hindi na kayang maglaan ng puwang ang pusong tumitibok para sa isang bagay na sa katagalan ay maaaring upusin ka.

FEU Advocate
·
April 21, 2025

An Atomic Interpretation of Love

If you were here, I would picture you sitting under the gentle pouring of the sun, your silhouette outlined by the floor. I would hold onto your shadow a little longer, a little tighter, though I have always known that my hands can never grasp what only passes through them. Still, I stare at my helpless fingers grazing the air like they belong to someone else.

FEU Advocate
·
April 18, 2025

Sa kamay ng banal na demonyo, santong diyablo

Kamatayan ang hangganan hindi lamang ng hininga ng katawan, kung ‘di pati ng diwa ng pagkatao sa lupa. At para sa iba, hustisya ang dala ng kamatayang ito.

FEU Advocate
·
April 18, 2025

On A Good Friday

It was the fourth station of the cross. Jesus meets his mother. And still, Ethel wasn’t crying. The church was too cold. The acoustics were too echoey. Her classmates recited the prayers in practiced unison, their voices weaving through the pews like incense. Ethel kept herself voiceless, mouthing the syllables arrhythmically. Her knees ached from the fourth genuflection.

FEU Advocate
·
April 15, 2025

Painted In Hope: The War for Creation

In a world where the art of artificial intelligence or AI prevails, there is a man with a magical hand who tries his best to use his skills and mind to create art—a piece with a story to tell, and an art that he makes for a living. Tatay Randy, a 70-year-old artist, wields his […]

FEU Advocate
·
April 14, 2025

Nagmamahal, Mama Hal

Dear Anak, Kumusta ka na riyan sa Maynila? Nakatulog ka ba nang maayos kagabi? Kumakain ka ba nang tama? Nababasa ko minsan sa mga mensahe mong padalos-dalos, na parang may bigat kang tinatago sa likod ng mga "okay lang po ako." Anak, 'wag mo akong alalahanin—pero alam mong hindi ko mapipigilang makiramdam.

FEU Advocate
·
April 08, 2025

Da Beks Man For Da Game

Bata palang ay alam ko nang bakla ako. Sinusuot ko ang matataas na sapatos ng aking ina kapag wala siya. Lagi kong kalaro ang aking kapatid sa kaniyang mga manika. Masasakit na paratang ang palagi kong natatanggap mula sa aking ama.

FEU Advocate
·
March 17, 2025

The Ides of March, The March of Ides

The knife does not tremble in the hands of the starving, only in the grip of the uncertain. Steel sliding through fabric, through skin and the fattened arrogance of kings, History does not write in laurels but in open throats, Manuscripts are written from the blood pooling at the foot of the throne.

FEU Advocate
·
March 12, 2025

The Art of Holding On

I watch as you sleep next to me—your mouth slightly parted and body arched, seemingly reaching for something to grasp. I slowly traced the creases on the bed until my fingers slightly brushed yours. A sudden jolt surged through my chest, and I pulled away at once.

FEU Advocate
·
March 10, 2025

Babae ang Bukas

Isang bangungot ang maging babae sa mundong pinipigilan kang mangarap.

FEU Advocate
·
March 08, 2025

Kababaihan: Tanglaw ng Lipunan

Sa anino ng nakaraan at dilim ng kasaysayan, Ang kababaihan ay tumindig, lumaban, at naghimagsikan— Nagtataglay ng tinig na hindi kayang patahimikin, At may ningas na kahit sinuman ay hindi kayang patayin.

FEU Advocate
·
March 03, 2025

Bakit Mo Binenta Ang Iyong Boto? Masama ‘Yan

Hindi naman sa hindi ko naiisip ‘yun, alam mo ba? Hindi naman sa gusto kong tumanggap ng maruming pera—na nasisiyahan ako na balewalain kung ano ang sa eleksiyon ay sagrado at mahalaga. Alam ko naman ang sinasabi ng ibang tao tungkol sa amin—na wala kaming pakialam sa bansa, na hindi kami edukado, at kami ang dahilan kung bakit hindi umuunlad ang Pilipinas.

FEU Advocate
·
March 02, 2025

Love woven in the heart of green-and-gold

Love exists in countless forms, making its way into the everyday lives of Tamaraws. While romantic love often takes center stage, the Far Eastern University (FEU) community finds love in many places—through the guidance of family, the deep bonds of friendship, and the quiet strength of self-love.

FEU Advocate
·
March 01, 2025

The Old Therebefore

I rest in the warm cradle of my mother’s grief; Her heart that beats thunder offers no relief. The stories of war are etched deep into her veins— |And through her, it flows into me as my own chains.

FEU Advocate
·
February 28, 2025

Kita Kita

Sa munting sulyap umusbong ang pagmamahalan, Ating mga mata ay nagtagpo sa gitna ng kawalan. Sa panata ng pag-ibig, ako’y lugod na sumusumpa, “Ikaw ang aking tahanan,” bulong ng aking kaluluwa.

FEU Advocate
·
February 11, 2025

How To Lose a Tamaraw in Five Ways

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. You’ve been swiping, liking—perhaps even stumbling into something that feels like falling. A Tamaraw, of all people. But commitment? That was never part of the plan. So if ever you are looking for a way out, you came to the right place!

FEU Advocate
·
January 16, 2025

On Olives and Mangoes

I’ve made a new friend recently, She’s from a land of olive trees with a sapphire sea. “A refugee,” she introduces herself. "Carrying stories of home, though it no longer carries me.”

FEU Advocate
·
December 26, 2024

Same Time, Next Year?

The 24th always starts with footsteps echoing through the living room. Tita Nene steps out of her new van with her second husband—a fat, blue-eyed expat she met “at work.” In one hand, she clutches a Prada purse; in the other, her shiny new iPhone 16. It fits in the purse, but what’s the point of an iPhone if her sisters can’t see it?

FEU Advocate
·
December 20, 2024

Sa Ikasiyam na Gabi

Yumayakap sa ating balat ang malamig na simoy ng hangin, Tahimik ang lahat at ang dinig lamang ay ang mga panalangin. Tanging kalansing ng kalis ang pumupuno sa sagradong misa, At ang amoy ng kandila ay tila paanyaya na ngayo’y maging mahina.

FEU Advocate
·
November 28, 2024

To The Boy I Never Learned to Love Before

To: Dad Subject: To The Boy I Never Learned to Love Before Hey, Pa. It is exactly three hours and thirty-three minutes past midnight, the kind of hour when ghosts wander. It is eerily quiet—not the kind you would call peaceful; it is one that echoes. If you are reading this, then congratulations—we have gotten closer to each other than we ever did while being in the same room. Strange, isn't it? That I have spent all these years in silence, but now that my sorrow is the one holding my pen, I am writing to you.

FEU Advocate
·
November 17, 2024

Sa Panahon ng Pag-ani

Ang magtanim ay ‘di biro. Lalo na kung maghapon kang nakayuko upang anihin ang palay na hindi iyo—sa lupang dapat ay pagmamay-ari mo. Saksi ang mga salubsob at kalyo sa palad na namamanhid kung paano inagaw ang bawat butil ng bigas, na dugo at pawis ang nagpatubo rito.

FEU Advocate
·
November 02, 2024

I See You

Amanda knew this labyrinth like the back of her hand. She would go as far as to say she can navigate through the tough corners blindfolded, and she wore that confidence on her sleeve. This is what it means to pay off the debt you built up in nursing school by being naive within the white walls; once you're in, you learn everything.

FEU Advocate
·
November 02, 2024

Here Lies the Home of Love

In a sea of people, my gaze swims. Raking through each face and drop of tears, I look for yours—your eyes are closed. In a casket you lie; in the church we stand.

FEU Advocate
·
October 29, 2024

Biyaheng Romantiko

Ilang kuwentong romantiko na ba ang nahinto dahil sa hirap ng public transpo sa Maynila? Ilan na ba ang hindi natuloy dahil kulang ang pamasahe? Ilan ang natapos dahil sa trapiko? Isang libong puso na yata ang inabandona na lamang sa gilid ng kalsada, pinukpok ng tambutso, at binalot ng usok. Ilang libong piso na ang nasayang sa mga katagang “para po” kahit malayo pa ang bababaan.

FEU Advocate
·
October 20, 2024

Hugas-kamay

Kahit sabihin mong malinis ang iyong mga palad, hindi ako maniniwala. Ilang dekada nang dinudungisan ang aking bayan ng mga kamay na nagnanakaw ng kaban— binubungkal ang inangking lupa’t tinatayuan ng mga rebulto ng kasinungalingan. Kakawala sila sa hawla ng entablado o sa harap ng husgado, at hahantong sila sa himpilan ng mga politiko. Hindi […]

FEU Advocate
·
October 18, 2024

Ultraviolence

On the corner of Binondo, in an inconspicuous building, lies the Song of the Ocean. Rough, bare concrete hides its gilded interior; it's easy to miss. The streets outside are dirty and messy. Two stray dogs bark at each other. An old woman argues with a single father trying to barter. A child runs through a sea of faces, trying to get home quickly.

FEU Advocate
·
October 15, 2024

The Road Always Taken

Six roads diverged in a roundabout, And sadly, I'm not aware where each one goes. As a new commuter, there I doubt, Which road I'll take and it's fare amount In the dizzying lanes of the new Metro.

FEU Advocate
·
October 11, 2024

Sometimes, I Wish I Didn’t Raise A Hero

Anak, you need not wear a silly red cape or a bold spandex full-bodysuit to be recognized as a superhero. Sure, most people might argue that you’re a little too scrawny to save the world; a little inexperienced to be this critical; a little too young to brandish wisdom—but I beg to differ. They could list a million things to discredit your movement, but they can never waver your resolve. After all, you’ve always had it in you.

FEU Advocate
·
October 10, 2024

From Calbayog

Keilo was from my town. A small, suffocating town where kids like us are desperate to leave and make a name for ourselves, make a better life out of the cards life dealt us with.

FEU Advocate
·
October 09, 2024

Chasing Hubble's Constant

Even if the vast universe was said to be ever-expanding, for the first time, I felt suffocated.

FEU Advocate
·
October 06, 2024

Sa Mga Batang Masyadong Mataas ang Lipad

Ang bigat ng aking mga talukap ay tila hinahatak ako pabalik sa kama; ang malamlam na ilaw sa aking kwarto ay dinadamayan akong pasanin ang dinaramdam na bigat. Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang oras na akong nakatitig sa laptop, binabasa ang mga reviewer na parang nakasulat sa wikang hindi ko kilala.

FEU Advocate
·
September 29, 2024

Like a Supernova

Where do stars go when they die? Does somebody ever mark the graves of their burning bodies falling all over the endless void? While being pulled by the gravitational dances of different masses, does anyone ever know where their fragments end up heading?

FEU Advocate
·
September 26, 2024

Sa Paghayo ni Kudoy sa Maynila

Sa bawat ikot ng gulong, sambit mo ang munting sigaw, Mga pangarap mong itinanim, ngayo'y umaawit na raw. Sa bintana ng bus, mga tanong mo ay dumaraan, Sa iyong diwa ay bumabalik ang tahanang iniwan.

FEU Advocate
·
September 22, 2024

Ties That Bond, Miles That Break

Dear Mom, There is a pile of unclean plates in the sink and some untouched tea in a cup. The chairs are scattered and the corkboard is a disaster; your picture hangs beside mine as it taunts me how I was a mirror of who you were before you were torn open and brought life; before you slept with your head on the table with receipts as pillows; before you were ‘Mom.’

FEU Advocate
·
September 21, 2024

Sa Hapag

Sa iyong pag-uwi mula sa pook ng kapangahasan, ang bawat baitang ng hagdan sa iyong tahanan ay tila nahihirapang pasanin ang dala mong bigat. Kakatok ka sa pintuan, sasalubungin ng mga ngiti at halik ng iyong mga anak, ngunit ang atensyon mo’y nakatuon sa kapit ng mga nilapastangang nakasunod sa iyo. Papasok kang bitbit ang buntong-hininga. Nais mong magkuwento tulad ng isang normal na asawa at ama, ngunit tila may busal sa iyong bibig—hirap na hirap kang maluwa ang katotohanan. Paano mo ikukuwento ang mga pangyayari ngayong araw—ang bawat pahirap, bawat balang pinutok, bawat hiningang binawi mula sa mga taong kinitil ng iyong mga utos?

FEU Advocate
·
September 12, 2024

My TAMhunt Fanfic

Are we just a collection of clichés and overused tropes? It's like we were plucked exactly out of a Wattpad story from 2011. Childishly, all cringe and predictable, like a RomCom someone lazily wrote. Don't ask about my personal fanfiction of an unrealized star-crossed heaven.

FEU Advocate
·
September 06, 2024

Here's to the Apologies We Won't Hear

Not all mothers give birth to blessings—I'm sure of it because mine didn't. Mine gave birth to a five-pound weeping and breathing trauma.

FEU Advocate
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September 04, 2024

The Tale of Two Courts

In the arena, bright lights shine, Where athletes don't stand, but sit in a line. Competing fiercely, side by side; With keyboards, mice, and endless pride.

FEU Advocate
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August 30, 2024

Hindi na Sila Maibabalik ng Aking Pagtula

Sa ganitong lalim ng gabi, sumasabay sa ritmo ng hangin ang sigaw ng kanilang pagmamakaawa. May busal ang bibig ng mga inosenteng kaluluwa na tagos sa kalamnan ang pagdurusa. Ang kanilang mga luha ay nagmimistulang unang patak ng ulan sa tigang na lupa. At sa gitna ng nakapanghihinang kadiliman sila’t lumuluhod. Nananalangin ang nanginginig nilang mga palad sa hiling na sumilip ang liwanag; naghihintay sa anumang kislap na maghuhudyat ng pag-asa—ng hustisya.

FEU Advocate
·
August 22, 2024

Sayaw sa Apoy

Bathalang pinagmulan ng mga unang nilikha, Libo-libong taon sa aming munting isla, Sa kanlungan mo’y lahat nagkakaisa— Wasak sa pamumulahaw ng homiliya.

FEU Advocate
·
August 21, 2024

Sapagkat sa Aking Pagpikit

Bulag ang kanilang mga mata, bingi sa aming pagmamakaawa, noong pinabaga nila ang lupa at pinaulanan kami ng mga bala.

FEU Advocate
·
August 20, 2024

Ang Wika ay…

Ang wika ay buhay at ito ay palaban.

FEU Advocate
·
August 18, 2024

Mga Indio sa Pransiya

“Sante! Vive la Paris! Vive la France!” Ito ang mga sigaw na narinig nina Pepe at Tonio habang naglalakad sa mga sulok-sulok ng kalye ng Pransiya. May naglalarong irap sa kanilang mga mata na tila panandalian nilang binalikan ang mga lansangan ng Laguna’t Binondo, ang kanilang mga tahanan sa isla bago sila pinadala ng kani-kanilang […]

FEU Advocate
·
August 17, 2024

Balik Pahina

"Baka gusto mong ipamigay ‘yung mga luma mong libro?" tinig ng iyong ina, pinapaalala ang koleksyon mong napabayaan na noo'y kayamanan ang turing. Muntik ka pang maubo dahil puro alikabok ang bawat sulok ng estanteng iningatan ang mga aklat na matagal mo nang nakalimutan. Sa pagitan ng mga kumukupas na pahina at naninilaw na papel, naalala mong may tahanang naghihintay para sa’yo.

FEU Advocate
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August 11, 2024

Kuya, Isa po, Morayta, Estudyante

"Ay naku! Walang pinagbago 'yung lasa ng pansit sa tapat, ang sarap pa rin!" ‘Di ko mapigilang matawa sa mga salitang kumawala sa bibig ni Lourdes. Maliwanag ang kanyang kwarto. Kitang-kita ko ang mga litrato namin kasama si Dennis na nakadikit sa mga dingding. Nahagip ng aking mga mata ang isang partikular na larawan.

FEU Advocate
·
August 01, 2024

Bakit walang Pilipinong Spider-Man?

Kailanma'y hindi ginusto ni Pedro ang maging isang superhero. Kaya siguro hanggang ngayo'y 'di pa rin niya lubos na maunawaan kung bakit siya pa? Sa bilyon-bilyong tao sa 'di mabilang na mga alternate universe, bakit siya pa ang pinuntirya ng lintik na gagambang 'yon?

FEU Advocate
·
July 30, 2024

In Plain Sight

In the crowded, busy streets, I walk as a prey in plain sight. A casual click of a camera meets; All that I hide in broad daylight.

FEU Advocate
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July 13, 2024

A Thesis on Yesterday

One by one, the lights of classrooms flicker out, the doors close, and the gates lock. The semester is finished; it’s time to leave. Classes are done for the day. No more uncomfortable plastic chairs and unreasonably cold rooms. Do you even remember the first time you sat in the Pavilion or when you figured out that the Library’s second floor had romance novels?

FEU Advocate
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July 03, 2024

Silent Prayers, Hidden Hues

"Pathetic!" you roar in my ear. Oh, lion of Judah, I am on my knees. Please, accept this piece of my stinging flesh, And open the gates that barricade my fears.

FEU Advocate
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June 29, 2024

In the Eyes of the Captive

In a cage of steel and sorrow, I coil, A serpent trapped, denied of soil. Eyes that once knew freedom's grace, Now glimpse despair in this confined space.

FEU Advocate
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June 29, 2024

Where art thou, Alexander?

The lighthouse of Alexandria dimmed, Vessels and sailors lost in the dark. The magnificent tower that the great king once ignited, Swallowed by wrath as shadows surrounded.

FEU Advocate
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June 28, 2024

Accessories Not Included

This Malibu Barbie is perfectly palatable and marketable, I smile, I wave, my plastic heart beats in a practiced, solemn rhythm. Factory-assembled doll parts stay far from remarkable, Commercials run on my apparent submission or skill in the kitchen. From bend and snap to fully articulate, it’s not me.

FEU Advocate
·
June 16, 2024

Miles Apart

Reuben was barely three feet tall when I first left, but I already knew he was destined for greatness. He might not look like a big shot with his scrawny build and snot-stained hand-me-down tee, but at age three, he can already sing his mother’s favorite karaoke song.

FEU Advocate
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May 31, 2024

Pancakes For One

There is something humbling about the morning after a breakup. This is the very phenomenon that pulls you back to the ground; swift and without warning. Today is Saturday, and the first time I despised the weekend was the moment I felt salt on my pillowcase sting my eyes. I did not bother to roll over; I knew you were not there.

FEU Advocate
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May 03, 2024

Here's why 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is a microcosm of the PH society

Avatar: The Last Airbender serves as a constant reminder that all it takes is one power-hungry tyrant to undermine social order and cultivate a culture of corruption, injustices, and impunity.

FEU Advocate
·
April 25, 2024

Flight Braveheart

There is an end to every adventure. Mine is yet to begin but I am certain of where it will end: in your arms. I will be back, my dear. And when I am drawn to the ground by gravity, the very first thing I would allow myself to pull towards is you.

FEU Advocate
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April 21, 2024

Med-iocre Me

While I burnt myself to the core. A light, a scalpel, a finger or two. An organ, some pasta, and a little IV. A diploma, a degree, and a Med-iocre me.

FEU Advocate
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April 05, 2024

Ang Pitong Salita ni Juan

Syempre, hindi makakalimutan ni Juan ang kahalagahan ng pananampalataya at pagtitiwala sa Panginoon sa kabila ng lahat ng mga pagsubok at hamon. Dahil sa kanyang pananalig, alam niyang igagabay siya ng Diyos sa kanyang buhay.

FEU Advocate
·
April 01, 2024

Jest in Love

But deep within, where truths are often hid, I knew some jests bear half the love they bid. Though it's settled, it was a joke that was sent, I hope she'd realize that some jokes are half meant.

FEU Advocate
·
March 16, 2024

Echoes of Clementines

I hate citrus fruits. Yet you made me love them again, the same way olives are close to your own. And truth be told, from here on out, I think I always will.

FEU Advocate
·
February 14, 2024

Things That Fall

I feel suspended for at least 10,000 feet and everything else seems so small to be relevant, but you. I feel a certain kind of euphoria. The neurochemicals flooding my brain tell me that this is home—you are home. If I had known that free-falling could feel this great, I would do it over and over again.

FEU Advocate
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January 11, 2024

Sa Aking Pagsadlak

Bagaman paulit-ulit, ni isang araw ay hindi ako nagsawa sa daloy ng buhay kong ito. Kaunti lamang ang aking pahinga, ngunit hindi ko na mabilang sa dami ang mga alaala naibahagi ko sa mga pasahero ko. Alaala ng tuwa, lungkot, pagkabagot, at pahinga.

FEU Advocate
·
December 29, 2023

Rizal—Foremost Asian Revolutionary

Jose Protacio Rizal, the Philippine national hero, stands today as the foremost Asian revolutionist whose heroic phenomenon continues to dazzle scholars and historians alike.

FEU Advocate
·
December 09, 2023

Sa Lansangan Ng Maynila

Hinihingal at sumsakit na ang mga binti ng mga nakimartsa pa-Mendiola. Nanunuyo man ang lalamunan sa uhaw ay sinigurado nilang aalingawngaw ang kanilang sigaw sa lansangan ng Maynila, “Ang laban ng tsuper ay laban ng komyuter!”

FEU Advocate
·
December 09, 2023

Alto Indio!

Books have been read, and people have awakened. These documents they bury us with will be ripped apart by the voices of the oppressed. Burned by flames ignited by the hopes of tomorrow. This is how our revolution begins.

FEU Advocate
·
November 27, 2023

Tiffany’s Epiphany

Why must this sudden rush of memories occur in the most unexpected hours, in a place I can't recollect ever setting foot upon?

FEU Advocate
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November 22, 2023

Tamang Tao, Maling Kolehiyo

"Kahit sa tatlong bilyon, walang sa iyong magkakagusto, Pasensya na, pero ngayo’y walang bagay sa’yo.”

FEU Advocate
·
November 15, 2023

Hope Is The Thing That Bites

It bleeds like a wound, festers like a wound, A scar that marred the skin, a phantom pain pulsing in sinew and flesh. So often, hope is a dog that bites the hand of terror, A weapon that slashes at the face of grief.

FEU Advocate
·
November 07, 2023

Comparing Heights

I remember rotund cheeks and sunny giggles. A frame sprouted inches taller, reaching my waist. Anyhow puzzling—it was somewhat sweet, somewhat bitter; Pa wasn’t too fond of seeing you grow up too fast, after all.

FEU Advocate
·
November 06, 2023

Tender is the Flesh

“Aling Hannah is the best! You gotta try her food, man!” “Delicious, and the portion sizes are crazy.” “I’m definitely never eating anywhere else now.” “I’m so hungry. Can we go to Aling Hannah’s?” “Let’s go to Aling Hannah’s.” “Aling Hannah is the best.” Behind my face mask, I grin. What a wonderful feeling this […]

FEU Advocate
·
October 31, 2023

Art is long, life is short

From his unique vantage point, he saw how art had played an instrumental role in shaping nations. It served as a mirror, reflecting a person's aspirations, struggles, and triumphs; the fight for independence and the call for revolution. Art was not merely an aesthetic endeavor; it was a powerful catalyst for change, a beacon of cultural pride, and a force that brought communities together.

FEU Advocate
·
October 23, 2023

A Balikbayan Box Away

Inang Pilar sighed, defeated. Never did it cross her mind that she would lose her little Barbara to the American dream—the same Barbara who conquered her nursing studies and vowed to help Filipino healthcare become more accessible.

FEU Advocate
·
October 10, 2023

Maningning’s Bell Jar

Consider the girl who recklessly played on the school swings, Or the artist with stained hands and a sweet foreign tongue. What was once somebody’s wide-eyed daughter, Now autopsies you capture in cheap Polaroid.

FEU Advocate
·
October 02, 2023

Muning Kaibigan

Nakakabagot at nakakapagod, pero kahit pansamantala, hindi na gano’n kalungkot; Sapagkat, ang aking pagtitipa sa OPC, nakilala ko si Muning—ang aking munting kaibigan.

FEU Advocate
·
September 25, 2023

Small Town Girl, Big City Dreams

What some might perceive as being ambitious was merely the prologue of a small-town girl’s journey, now venturing beyond the familiar in pursuit of her once-distant big-city dreams.

FEU Advocate
·
September 10, 2023

A Victorious Fraud

And the climb will be orchestrated again and again, The blindfolds refashioned, the chains refitted. The puppeteers command behind a spiked veil: "Hurry. Make us rich.”

FEU Advocate
·
September 05, 2023

Category is: Drag Lord

“Anak, walang kailangang hilumin sa iyo,” marahang sagot ni Hesus. “Ang puso mo’y magiliw at punong-puno ng pagmamahal para sa mga tao sa paligid mo. Kung gusto mong tumambling at magsayaw-sayaw diyan—gawin mo, dahil wala kang inaapakan at walang makakapagdikta kung paano mo isasabuhay ang iyong pananampalataya’t sining.”

FEU Advocate
·
September 03, 2023

Minsan Anak, Madalas ATM

Pinalaki ako ng kakulangan sa paghahanda; ng tahanan na walang plano; ng kakulangan sa pribilehiyo; sa loob ng rehas ng kahirapan; suot ang kwelyo ng minanang responsibilidad.

FEU Advocate
·
August 30, 2023

Agosto Na Naman

Sa mga nagdaan pang taon, paiba-iba man ang naging timpla ng panahon, hindi natinag ang alaga’t pagmamahal ng aking ina. Mula sa masasarap niyang luto hanggang sa walang kapagod-pagod na pag hatid-sundo, bawat papel ay kayang magampanan basta para sa’king kapakanan.

FEU Advocate
·
August 23, 2023

Taludtod ng Manghahabi

Gawa sa mga kamay ng iba’t ibang henerasyon, Upang ikumot sa tuktok ng Pulag, tuwing sisikat ang buwan. Malayang kikinang ang makulay na luwalhati sa pook ng Cordillera, Sa tuwing sisilip ang araw sa makaharing Kalinga.

FEU Advocate
·
August 12, 2023

Bali-Baling Balarila

Paumanhin kung ang kalat wari asiwa ang aking pormasyon pagtatagpi ng mga salita. Sa kabila ng bagitong pagbabaybay at bali-baling balarilang mapapansin sa aking munting liham, nawa’y taglay na pag-irog sa iyo’y mahinusay kong maipalaam.

FEU Advocate
·
July 29, 2023

The Hands of Man

Distinguished martyrs rule the realm of sweetness and light, Of what wretched souls eternally set ablaze aches to acquaint. Yet in land is where I've learned of sinners and saints in one; A white Sepulcher wreaked through the hands of man.

FEU Advocate
·
July 26, 2023

What I Drink

To be exiled from centerfold and denied fortuity Is something I’d never wish, not even on my worst enemy. All who bore witness to our suffering averted their eyes, They claimed tragedies behind what we drink were mere alibis.

FEU Advocate
·
July 16, 2023

No Neon Lights in Manila

Daylight ran out and only the piercing silence of the city streets were heard. No rum spilled, no cigar was lit, and no melodies were sung as no neon lights glowed in the Metro.

FEU Advocate
·
July 05, 2023

Shards of Glass

Once, I believed I could be anyone I pleased. Shards of glass scattered on the floor where my knees stooped bruised echoed the split images of my carte blanche.

FEU Advocate
·
June 21, 2023

Adarna Aflame

Orange hues illuminate the dark sky—clouds of smoke snuffing out the bright stars tonight.

FEU Advocate
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June 11, 2023

Is it too Tight?

The sun’s tender rays fell upon the mirror Unveiled insecurities in shadowed horror

FEU Advocate
·
May 19, 2023

Estero’s Mermaid

The man with the cheap cigar keeps talking to himself waiting to get a puff of smoke.

FEU Advocate
·
March 27, 2023

A Sip of the Past

Life, as I learned, was supposed to be this way: I am nothing but a moth orbiting a lighted candle

FEU Advocate
·
March 19, 2023

At The Moment of All Our Waiting

It was not a ticket-buying line for my favorite alt-rock band. For Pete’s sake, it was a line for a jeepney ride. I was a student a few hours ago, but before I could go home, my career took a turn into becoming a real-life zombie.

FEU Advocate
·
February 27, 2023

The Thing About Gravity

The law of universal gravitation claims that a force of attraction pulls any non-zero mass objects together, so why aren't you attracted to me yet?

FEU Advocate
·
February 19, 2023

A Letter to the Grave

I celebrate the tray of cookies and pure joy; The secret handing of some money, The hands that held mine when no parent was around, To you, my grandparents, I owe the child in me.

FEU Advocate
·
February 17, 2023

Kiss and Make Up

Perhaps it comes with growing older or wiser—rarely both, But I’ve become weary of burning red bouquets,

FEU Advocate
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January 20, 2023

Lost in Translation

Sayang in Malay means ‘love’ but in Filipino it is defined as ‘regretful loss.’

FEU Advocate
·
December 27, 2022

A Eulogy to My Dreams

My dream used to live in me, and I used to live in it too.

FEU Advocate
·
November 10, 2022

Little Haven

Soot sticks onto the walls of your lungs, your veins filled with more smoke than air. Rusted, unused railways reclaimed by nature, grasses of green stubbornly find a home between blood-forged iron. In the dilapidated wooden houses that are merely a shadow of what it once was in the face of taller, shinier, and stronger buildings—trees of old hiding away and keeping to themselves yesteryears that have succumbed to corrosion.

FEU Advocate
·
October 23, 2022

The Poisonous Ichor

The guard of Olympus had it all: strength of ten men, devourer of beast, Achiever of task, alien to fear Oh, indeed! He was envied by many.

FEU Advocate
·
October 03, 2022

Love Thyself

Love is a tantalizing sentiment in our life; A brutal yet sincere act.

FEU Advocate
·
September 28, 2022

Nine Lives

Mornings around Far Eastern University often leave your fingertips numb and warm puffs of air slipping past your lips, the ever-so-strong winds attempting but failing to knock down concrete buildings that hold so much history. Tiny paws carry a particularly rough-looking calico cat through a green campus and towards a bustling pavilion.

FEU Advocate
·
September 24, 2022

The One Where Adulthood Kicks In

I dreamed of self-independence to escape from the house rules, To abscond from the voice with repetitive dialogue. Covet the freedom of making decisions from breakfast to midnight snacks, At a young age, I think I mastered the art of pretending.

FEU Advocate
·
September 14, 2022

A Cry for Justice

My withered wounds have finally come to rest: Capital punishment? A farce system full of ignorant fools running. I won’t forget the ticking clock amidst the cells—it must be fate! The whisper of the bustling wind caressed my damp skin; Am I truly free of these shackles? Where will the light take me, Hijo?

FEU Advocate
·
August 30, 2022

BA in Google Translate

May isang katotohanang kailangan kong harapin sa tuwing kailangan kong bumulong sa dilang nakagisnan; Magdilang anghel man o bumaha ng sandamakmak na talulot, hindi parin mabibilang sa mundo niyo. Bakit parang tulak ng bibig ang tunog ng bawat titik sa aking sariling wika? At bakit ko piniling maghanap ng kanlungan sa wika ng iba?

FEU Advocate
·
July 28, 2022

History Hates Lovers

We love stories of poets and bright minds, The bleeding hearts and hands of daydreamers. Yet, what about the lovers of all kinds? The ones called "good friends" to fool the reader?

FEU Advocate
·
July 20, 2022

After The War

The silence between is strange—maybe it’s because what’s sitting across from me is a slab of stone with your name and our shared birthday etched on it.

FEU Advocate
·
June 16, 2022

Your Senior Self, Gradwaiting Tam

In the end, you’ll know the key to the door that will lead you to a whole new world that you’ll be discovering. “Be brave” might be cliché in this environment, but your bravery will surely lead you to something good and beautiful.

FEU Advocate
·
May 11, 2022

Halimaw sa Arawan

Sa malawak at makasaysayang lansangan, Ika’y makibaka—kinabukasan mo’y bantayan. Bitbit ang mga matutulis na sibat ng katotohanan, Sa muling pag-awit, manilbihan ka—para sa bayan!

FEU Advocate
·
May 08, 2022

Persephone’s Lullaby

There are mornings in my mother’s garden, Her grip comfortably tight around my hands, A reminder that I am safe and home— That you are not him, but the seed of my little spring.

FEU Advocate
·
April 27, 2022

Hearts of Cards

With a diamond of achievements, a spade of competence, and a club of morality, Mayangguik was the only aspiring queen among aspiring jacks and kings.

FEU Advocate
·
March 21, 2022

Of Words and Warfare

How sharp my weapon must be, To pierce through the souls of the blind, To be heard by the ones in menacing power, To shatter the benumbed hearts; hardened and cold as ice.

FEU Advocate
·
March 18, 2022

Divine Manananggal

From the moment I was born, I knew where my worth was placed: my inability to make life. They gave me a crown of sampaguitas, so beautiful—they praised. So gentle and compliant to the will of the wind. I followed everything they said without a complaint.

FEU Advocate
·
March 14, 2022

Cyber Stockholm Syndrome

Little girl, thought you had the whole world in your hands, So mature for your age, they lied to your face. All you wanted was to find a place to belong, Now you see past the cyberspace’s farce.

FEU Advocate
·
March 02, 2022

Sa Gabi

Sa gabing madilim at namumuno, nabatid ng magkakapitbahay na darating ang umagang maliwanag at mapayapa—habang may dibuho, awitin, tula, at palabas.

FEU Advocate
·
February 14, 2022

Para Kanino Ako Iibig?

Teka, hindi ito ang pagmamahal na nagpapakilig, O ang mga salitang kumikiliti sa’yong hilig. Ito ang pagmamahal na nagmula sa mga himig— ng mga lumaban at namatay para ika’y marinig.

FEU Advocate
·
December 27, 2021

Swaying Alone

On your first night away, My heart could not be kept at bay. Your scent in our home lingers, I wished I held you longer with my fingers.

FEU Advocate
·
October 14, 2021

The Asian Kaleidoscope

Let us welcome profoundly our colors, symbols, flags, and spirits: This is a place of reality where religion is a profound melody. Open your ears to the tune of Allah from the central lands. I radiate solemnity—oh, how I believe in harmony amidst diverse beliefs.

FEU Advocate
·
October 01, 2021

Behind the Reels

Back in the day, tickets were still as cheap as the transportation fees; a spoiler-free environment; and a quiet place to appreciate the film. Cinema is indeed a vibrant domain of imagination that refreshes the mind, taking the soul of the audience into another universe.

FEU Advocate
·
September 27, 2021

In a Student’s Memory

Once, she was discussing "Orpheus," and thankfully, I always made sure that I studied beforehand. Ma'am Elle explored the story and made it her own, but she also got to share bits of it in the class. We shared analyses and experiences of being broken, conquering fears, and artwork hobby—all revolving around the text. Finally, she reminded us that we have to believe in ourselves no matter what, as opposed to what Orpheus did. I’m thankful for the life lessons she taught us!

FEU Advocate
·
September 23, 2021

Disarming the Iron Fists

Two iron fists reigned in different times, As they were cast in the same mold. Palms covered in blood along with similar crimes, Sardonically iron fists, now speckled with gold

FEU Advocate
·
September 13, 2021

Our Kind of September

Let’s raise our flag because it’s September! It’s a Filipino story narrating a new chapter. An introduction of our dream to have autumn and winter, Only to celebrate our Christmas just like our summer.

FEU Advocate
·
August 15, 2021

A Medal for One

I took a sip from a cup filled with my night prompt, one that I learned to love a little more in the passage of time. A sip of coffee to remind me that my day is destined to be spent differently. To be honest, it does not cease my indisposition. In fact, to be mining gold while being handed rocks is so dreary that it makes me want to go back to sleep. The funny thing is, it is always the same reason that makes me do things. Oh, to think at night with a muddled mind.

FEU Advocate
·
August 01, 2021

The Merciless King

Oh merciless king, You watched her plummet down, As the farmers howl in excruciating pain.

FEU Advocate
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August 01, 2021

Point of Creation

They say that it is a gift, but it is an uncontrollable itch. A curse placed in my flesh swallowing my existence afresh.

FEU Advocate
·
July 27, 2021

The Idolatry

The smoke was coursing through my lungs. Inhale, savor the grass, exhale. Around me are my henchmen, soaring high as the number of my debt. Beside me, I saw a cloud of smoke hovering in front of Walnut’s face. Laughing idly by himself, he looked up before mouthing the word “ay...men.”

FEU Advocate
·
February 14, 2021

Tanagas of Love Languages

I love you every day, even around me is grey.

FEU Advocate
·
November 18, 2020

A Norm That Must Be Unlearned

Accountability is what we are chasing, it's a shame they romanticize the moment we faced death!

FEU Advocate
·
October 11, 2020

The Last Tamaraw

The familiar breeze of dancing leaves welcomes me back but the ghost of the brawl still haunts my senses.

FEU Advocate
·
September 13, 2020

State of Despair

It became recurrent that both our souls athirst; one of hunger, and power for the other.

FEU Advocate
·
September 13, 2020

Om norm norm norm

Feast at last! An exquisite delicacy made only by the most talented chefs.

FEU Advocate
·
March 24, 2020

Pandemic's Heaven and Hell

Spare Time There is so much time left! From my balcony,I can tell, this must be cue to leisure.Fulfill all you can, oversee through the screens,Overlook the far sights, what else can I do? There is no sense for you to fret.The distance in need now does not seem unfamiliar.Hasn’t social-divide all we’ve known in […]

FEU Advocate
·
June 16, 2019

An Ode to the Memories We Have Left

You spend your days sitting on a chair, reading a year-old newspaper and asking, “who’s there?”

FEU Advocate
·
May 12, 2019

Frail

Little bright secret that I kept; There were some nights and days And some trying times when I wept Because I didn’t get to see your face.

FEU Advocate
·
December 24, 2018

Heartfelt Haikus

As the first snow falls [...]

Aliana Rebecah Ruelos
·
August 17, 2018

Serve and Protect

Body slumped on the pavement. Blood dripped in water, creating a blur of dirt and red.

FEU Advocate
·
August 15, 2018

Withering Daisy

Blaring music, neon lights, and misty skin [...]

FEU Advocate
·
June 17, 2018

Reaching from Afar

Will these waves and frequencies carry the resonant cries of my yearning heart?

FEU Advocate
·
June 17, 2018

As I Comb Her Hair

Crayons followed lines from a bright child's mind [...]

Aliana Rebecah Ruelos
·
August 28, 2017

Genesis

Blood pooled underneath; ink seeped through parchment - both with hope for a change, both with desire for justice.

FEU Advocate
·
June 22, 2017

Another Path

The sounds of cicadas are heard as I feel the summer heat, turning the tassel of my cap, my goals are finally fulfilled.

FEU Advocate
·
August 29, 2015

Magic Realism ni Edgar Samar, ibinahagi

Tinalakay ng kilalang manunulat at propesor ng panitikan at malikhaing pagsulat ng Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) na si Edgar Calabia Samar and kahulugan at kahalagahan sa realidad at haraya sa kanang usapin ukol sa “Magic Realism in Literature,” na isinaayos ng Far Eastern University (FEU) Literature Society noong nakaraang Agosto 28.