The senatorial elections are just around the corner, and assembling a 12-person lineup is more or less a challenge. While trapos continue to dominate the surveys, many still hope for real change and continuously ruminate which candidates can prioritize the Filipino people’s best interests, including the LGBTQIA+ community.

In a society fond of definitive labels, it is tough to be boxed into an identity you feel unfit for. Apart from fighting for acceptance as a distinct gender identity in general, trans women also struggle to be recognized within the similarly marginalized community of women they feel tied to. Regardless of the many contentions invalidating their existence, trans women’s self-determination as women is enough to make them so.

Maraming paraan upang makapagpahinga. Maaaring ito’y limang minutong pagpikit, paglanghap ng paboritong Lucky Me Spicy Beef, o isang road trip papuntang Antipolo kasama ang tropa. Minsan, ito’y paglalaan ng oras para lumayo at mapag-isa. Ngunit para sa pagod na humahagkan sa buto at bumabalot sa kaluluwa, ang pahinga ay hindi basta pinagpipilian—ito’y isang pribilehiyo na hindi nakakamit ng lahat sa gitna ng hindi pagkakapantay ng antas ng lipunan at mundo.

If institutions like Far Eastern University (FEU) do not take a clear stand on commemorating the EDSA People Power Rising, it only heightens apathy among the youth—reflecting the failed education system once sought to be reformed when students amassed to overthrow a dictator and uphold democracy.

Student organizations are what I consider as the most valuable asset of any university. So when these groups do not receive enough recognition and budget, it speaks on how truly ‘student-centered’ an institution is, especially when it results in student-leaders grappling with each other for a possible budget increase. 

Hindi alam nina Mama at Papa na tinataya ko ang aking buhay sa lansangan– nakikipagsiksikan sa kilos-protesta para lang makapagsulat tungkol sa suliranin ng masa. Buhat ito ng takot na pagbawalan ako, dahil alam nilang mabilis akong mapagod sa init at mapuspos sa dami ng madla. Gayunpaman, hindi pagtiis ang natutuhan ko rito, kung hindi ang pagtindig sa harap ng hanay ng mga sinusupil sa lipunan.

The United States (US) and Philippine (PH) political landscape seem to have a striking similarity: electing ‘strongmen’ over more qualified female candidates. This trend has serious implications, not just for equality, but national progress as well.

As the new season of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) dawns, the name Rachel Anne Daquis is still yet to be found. This marked the “Queen Tamaraw’s” third missed conference and a year of her absence from the Philippine volleyball scene. While fans are longing for her comeback, the intriguing presence of her retirement concerns many of her supporters, including me.