#MC2022

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OPINION: Ref(e)lection: The Political Dialogue in Social Media

Photo credit: Rachelle Baldelomar

Think about the last time you talked about politics to a stranger from across the internet. How did that go? Did it leave you with a triumphant feeling, like you earned some sort of gold medal because of your winning arguments? Or maybe, you used some sort of witty meme that received multiple retweets and likes, giving you that sense of satisfaction? Seeing that there’s a lot of people out there who share the same views and sentiments as us, especially on the subject of politics, this recurring situation in which we dabble in discourse and wind up with feelings of triumph seems to be such a good thing because of the very notion we bring ourselves to believe: we’re the ones who are well-informed and, therefore, right.

Looking at it from another angle, it’s important to reflect by asking ourselves: what pushed us into doing it? What led us to decide that we should reply to this stranger’s comment? Surely, it isn’t only due to our humanitarian obligation of educating others so that they may truly know the facts, allowing them access to the knowledge we have. Rather, it’s also a chance on their part to see things from another viewpoint, to see and judge for themselves based on the facts presented. That’s a good enough reason, isn’t it? In line with this, yet another query makes itself known: did I actually succeed in educating them? After all, that’s the objective, isn’t it? And the stranger you talked to—did you have a fruitful conversation with them? Or, perhaps they just blocked you? Ah, maybe they just ignored you altogether and stopped replying?

Now, really think about it.

In today’s political dialogue in social media, there lurks a particular danger—a drag-down type of culture on one another’s opinions or intellect simply due to differing views or ideas. For example, when trying to engage in discourse, we see other netizens resort to argumentum ad hominem when they’re not educated on a particular issue or if they’re being defensive of a politician whom many of us dislike for credible reasons; calling these supporters names and using sarcasm or memes are common responses. In trying to correct them, arrogance seeps out from the resulting responses. Both parties are left with no choice but to end up frustrated, with still opposing views, yet with the same line of thinking: I was the one in the right. We end up in the same place all over again—in the trap of our own echo chambers.

To be clear, though, there is nothing wrong with discourse or the act of partaking in it. In fact, it is highly encouraged, especially now. However, the very behavior previously mentioned is something different; it’s one that’s rooted in sarcasm and arrogance, disguised through “simply educating others.” In reality, it is simply nothing more than being on a high horse. From another perspective, the act of “educating” others in this manner can even be seen as performative, too.

As this continues, the results lead to an overconfidence in our knowledge and capabilities, creating an echo chamber. According to Michael Patrick Lynch’s ‘The Chronicle of Higher Education,’ our social media feeds have been designed to acknowledge and affirm our own opinions for us. Meanwhile, any stance that’s averse to our own is reduced to nothing but incorrect—the poor opinion—and more often than not, ridiculed. These algorithms also worsen the issue of misinformation, locking us in a herd mentality in which we are accompanied by the same exact opinions and left no room for critical thinking. With this type of social atmosphere, it’s no question that there may be a possible spiral of silence as well.

For us to accomplish a better way of discourse, we must reflect on our actions and the very mindset we carry: if my objective is to educate them, then how can I do it while ensuring that they would indeed listen? Or, more accurately: how would I persuade them? If I were them, would I even listen to myself if I were approached in that manner? If the goal is to educate, then first, we must define what it means to succeed at educating someone, and then accept the reality that no one changes their stances overnight. To make someone listen is something that we should already consider a win, despite how small it may seem.

Furthermore, as we reflect, we must also keep in mind that they, too, have their own reasons for having those beliefs and views. We are under this impression that others have a lot to learn from us and from what we have to say, but what we fail to realize is that we can learn a lot from them, too. Just because their thoughts and opinions are different from ours doesn’t mean we can simply disregard what leads them to believe that perhaps, this candidate is for them, or stands for causes that align with theirs. We have to be able to sympathize with what their reasons may be, and this is especially important to consider when talking to those in the marginalized sector.

Instead of being on a high horse, we must use better ways of approach, such as viewing the contested matter from the vantage point of the other party and allowing our knowledge gaps to be filled by them. Everything gets easier with practice, so we must always be careful of what we practice. As we get used to a proper way of approach—exchanging ideas and opinions properly instead of being combative—they too are not only able to take in our own opinions, but are more open to receiving the information we’ve exchanged. And so, when we reflect, we shouldn’t forget to reevaluate how we’ve communicated our thoughts and opinions to those whose views differ from ours. We must continue to reflect on the situations we’ve faced in the past and see how things become much more productive when we are able to treat those with different opinions as people whom we can learn from as well.

Now, despite this, let’s not forget what the government can do in order to make social media a viable medium of expression for the political views of many. After all, this is social media, something they can get supervision of—and though we are its netizens, frankly, we can only do so much.

In 2016, Rappler published an article showing how the cognitive bias in Facebook algorithms was most prominent during the 2016 elections, which was heavily influenced by the spread of misinformation and disinformation of the controversial blogger, Mocha Uson. With the help of her Facebook page, MOCHA USON BLOG, along with the internet being weaponized, everything else fell into place as it brought about Rodrigo Duterte’s sweep-in votes that led to his presidential win.

Apart from this, the article also mentioned an unusual kind of AI; rather than your ordinary artificial intelligence, it is now also accompanied by what is called Artificial Ignorance. To further elaborate, Vincent Lazatin, the Executive Director of the Transparency & Accountability Network, mentioned Artificial Ignorance in a panel on Technology and the Public Debate at Rappler’s #HackSociety. He said, “You spoke about how artificial intelligence is here now, but what we’re seeing on the internet is a different kind of AI, which is Artificial Ignorance. The bots, the algorithms and the paid trolls, they are purveyors of Artificial Ignorance.” Lazatin here refers to circumstances that occurred during the same year where there had been bots—automated programs—that attacked users based on keywords, coupled with networks of paid trolls and fake accounts that proliferated back in 2015.

The article went on to talk about how these paid initiatives interact with real people, as well as the impact of Facebook’s algorithms on our democracies. Referring to the piece once again, what occurs afterwards is that it deepens the very network effect, and the aforementioned paid initiatives anchor on real people, much like Uson herself. This caused her blog to help amplify the reach of fake accounts, the very evidence of how her blog became more powerful due to increased engagement and the invisible web of actions connecting her advocacy page to ordinary netizens. We can see here that this very connection is able to take advantage of the effects and actions rewarded by Facebook’s algorithms. Thus, whatever is displayed on her page—an echo chamber in itself, all the same messages and thoughts and opinions—reaches and convinces more and more people. Albeit unfortunate, it is undeniable that it had been a very effective way to create a social movement.

That in itself should have already been something the government immediately took action on, yet it had been brushed off. In spite of experts already tackling this topic to increase visibility, the government remains silent. Their silence on the topic speaks a thousand words in itself. And from what we’ve seen in the past years of the current presidency, this silence is saying the same thing: it’s no accident. In fact, this has been their entire intention all along.

Now, obviously, the silence of these very institutions can only lead to one thing: people, victims of misinformation, unwittingly throwing around unsubstantiated arguments. They commit to said arguments, and possibly close their minds to future information given to them without even giving a chance to listen to or read the knowledge presented.

During the September 26 #HackSociety panel on Technology and the Public Debate, Stephanie Sy, the founder of Thinking Machines Data Science, said, “You’re not seeing everything. You’re seeing what Facebook thinks you’re most likely to interact with, and if you interact with something, you’ll see more and more and more of that. And that naturally pushes people into social bubbles that don’t talk to each other and engage with each other.”

We have seen just how powerful Facebook’s algorithms can be, especially in shaping reality—heck, we’re personally living through its effect (Duterte’s presidency). It has created, and continues to create these echo chambers that are proven to be harmful to democracy. If we’re not careful, the reality we have now might be much worse than it already is: the son of the dictator we’d once overthrown is aiming for the presidency, and the information surrounding him and his family is rooted in falsehood that continues to be spread around the virtual world. What happened to the followers of the MOCHA USON BLOG is no different from what’s happening with the disinformation now; the only difference is, even without Mocha Uson, things only continue to get worse with the belief of the Marcos era being a golden age of our country.

With regards to this, it’s important to remember that there are means to combat such information and beliefs when we cross paths with them. According to Robert Cialdini’s ‘Influence,’ publicly committing and expressing an opinion will give you certainty with it. There is no problem with expressing one’s opinion, as this is freedom of speech, after all. However, there is a problem with living in echo chambers; it is like a disease in the form of being closed-minded to others. Nevertheless, we’re well-aware that the government has the power to fix this through engagement with the public—it is their responsibility, and an engaged audience is a happy audience. One of the many things they can offer is simple transparency with the masses, amplifying the truth and prioritizing what the media has to offer. In this manner, people are exposed to the truth, particularly those concerning social issues. This builds more trust with the public as we’re reassured that the institutions that govern our country value press freedom.

But if there’s anything these past years have taught us, it’s that “press freedom” is not in the dictionary of this administration.

And so, without building public trust, where else do we expect people to find some sort of validation for their opinions? Without the untarnished truth to serve as a guide for their own thoughts, an echo chamber influencing them is more likely than they think. In turn, the validation—whatever it may be—causes minds to purposely dodge future knowledge, especially if they’re already long gone in this mob mentality driven by misinformation.

A paragon of this very effect is the discourse between Bongbong Marcos’ supporters, more commonly known as the BBM supporters, and the supporters of Leni Robredo aka ‘Kakampinks.’ Heck, a scene that’s all too familiar with us occurs every day. We scroll through our feed and see threads of long paragraphs (sometimes with loads of memes). There’s either so much noise (read: name-calling of one another) or radio silence (read: ignoring, blocking, and moving on). And it’s quite disheartening to see that the conversations have been little more than insults towards one another or their candidates, ultimately contributing nothing to what could be a good exchange of ideas and information.

See, there’s a difference between having confidence in our knowledge and plain ignorance. The only thing that can help us solve this problem is if, once more, we back down from insisting we must be right and see the one we’re talking to as someone who holds an opportunity for us to fill in whatever knowledge gaps we may have. If we’re not careful, the very same people we argue with will cling to their misinformation and blind support, not caring if they are right or wrong, as long as they can throw their argument out for the sake of standing their ground—or, simply put, pride.

This is the risk posed by a lack of intellectual humility. What could have been a change of mind or heart is now nothing more but a wasted opportunity.

There’s no denying that sometimes, engaging in discourse can be tiring, especially when the other party isn’t exactly as open-minded as we hoped. What’s important is how we approached them, and that the talk of politics itself was in favor of learning through healthy means of discussion. Whether or not we were successful in persuading, it’s important to know we tried our best. After an ample amount of rest, what comes after is to do the next important thing: to move on to the next person, the next people; to discuss and learn from one another.

Again, if what we aim to do in these times is to truly educate ourselves and one another, to prevent any power-hungry politician from taking the presidency, and to soon have a leader we can rely on as our president—then the best thing we can do now for our political dialogue is to allow healthier, more meaningful discussions. Perhaps this’ll make us learn not only each other’s own stances, but empathy as well, coming together in the end—one way or another.

No matter what, we must always remember and understand that regardless of who we’re talking to, we can always learn from them as much as they can from us. That’s how we can easily place ourselves on equal ground, especially in trying to persuade them to see our side. Let’s do all we can in the remaining three days—learn, discuss and tackle various topics, improve how we engage in discourse, shape our critical thinking skills, be open to new ideas, and overall improve political dialogue amongst ourselves. //by Danie Cabrera and Yeshua Galicia

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OPINION: Functionaries, not Families

Photo credit: Sulat Nadera

Monarchies, sovereignties, and empires—the world is past these, especially the Philippines, since it is now a democracy and power supposedly emanates from its people. However, history is repeating itself with political dynasties surfacing throughout the country.

‘Political dynasties’ refers to political families dominating elected positions and public offices, treating the elective office as if it is their personal property or an heirloom to be passed down, according to a study by Dr. Teresa Tadem, a political science professor, and Dr. Eduardo Tadem, a professorial lecturer of Asian Studies. It is almost like a hereditary monarchy, with bloodlines ruling their respective provinces for generations on end. Our country has been monopolized by several powerful political dynasties; in fact, when you search for its definition, the Philippines is always mentioned as an example.

It is quite clear that these families have one goal: to keep themselves in power and secure selfish access to public funds. This explains why members of politically-inclined families always keep running for office. Additionally, they take pleasure in rewarding—or giving authority to—people who have proven their loyalty, despite representing flawed advocacies such as UniTeam, presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s tandem. This is done to create alliances. For example, during the 2016 general elections, 9 out of 12 senate winners came from the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s slate, as stated in an article by The Asia Foundation. The Aquino political dynasty produced two presidents, five senators, and several members of the House of Representatives. They are one of the most influential lineages with regard to the government.

Another example is the 2019 midterm elections, wherein, according to Rappler, at least 164 families had winning members that included senators, House Representatives, and governors. This figure represents how many clans enjoy a great deal of influence in their respective regions.

The upcoming 2022 presidential elections are practically the same as past referendums, with different candidates from powerful political dynasties vying for their respective spots in the government. Two of the most notable factions are those of Leni Robredo and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (BBM) and Sara Duterte-Carpio. The latter seems to be the more notable of the two, as BBM is the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Duterte-Carpio is the daughter of the current President Rodrigo Duterte. Both candidates’ parents are infamous for violating human rights and killing thousands of Filipinos during their respective terms. As the political climate currently stands, the execution of justice upon the Marcos and Duterte regimes remains a significant challenge. The UniTeam tandem, coming from two powerful ancestries themselves, is supported by numerous political dynasties, which include but are not limited to the Estradas, Arroyos, and Villars.

These clans have actually faced lawsuits, all with the same charge: plunder. Another common denominator of these groups is that they were pardoned and freed on bail, proving once again that they can get away with anything without accountability. This makes it difficult and almost impossible for social movements and civil society to challenge the power base of these political families, as Drs. Tandem have stated in their study. Evidently, they have the power and the means to endure such legal trials. They even have the budget to run for office—again, and again, and again.

According to Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. This constitution has been active for 35 years and yet no law has been made to prohibit, limit, or regulate political dynasties. Isn't it ironic that the same people who are supposed to uphold and enforce our constitution are infringements to its doctrines?

The issue is so transparent and easily understandable that one could not wrap their head around the situation—that these people are free and may possibly even be re-elected. This mockery and abuse of the country’s electoral system and our democracy is unacceptable.  The thing about democracy is that the people are meant to choose who they wish to lead. It does not sit right with us that people are willingly electing families as if wishing to return to a monarchy.

But why are people even electing them into office in the first place? Individuals tend to look for a familiar “brand,” or a familiar face and name, rather than choosing which candidate has the best platform and advocacy. It’s as if people only look at the marketing rather than doing extensive research to find out who is best fit for the job. There is a strong link between celebrity status and electoral triumph. In an article published by TIME, it’s stated that there are at least 36 personalities running for office this upcoming election. To name a few, there is Francisco Domagoso (Isko Moreno), a former TV star and Manila’s mayor, and Manny Pacquiao, world boxing champion and senator. Both of them are presidential aspirants. Scandals, dramas, and gossip interests voters, says anthropologist Anna Pertierra in an interview with TIME. “Many voters may not really feel like a traditional politician is going to solve the problems that they feel that they’re experiencing,” says Pertierra. But then again, the majority of Filipinos do not have the privilege of having instant access to information, and even if they do, the education system is not sufficient in teaching them media literacy and fact-checking. People struck with poverty who are desperate for immediate change, false promises done by political candidates, and a mass disinformation campaign who not only target the poor, but the wealthy and educated as well, all create a recipe for disaster. The success of Duterte's presidential campaign which focused on eliminating corruption in 6 months, only for him to later back down on the said promise, is an example of this. Disinformation farms are getting better and better at fooling people into believing fake news and spreading mass hysteria. In addition, families who are gravely in need are very susceptible to vote-buying. The people aren’t entirely at fault. They may just be victims of circumstance. You know what they say, bad systems breed bad leaders.

The presidential system we have, in the first place, is very cutthroat and breeds a winner-takes-all type of mentality. Candidates go to great lengths to get elected into office, with some, according to a story from the Washington Post, running disinformation and troll farms just to make defamatory remarks about the competition and influence people’s opinions.

Government action is needed as soon as possible to put an end to this fiasco. Reforms in the education system are a must, as well as eliminating poverty. Our current system encourages the people and the media to be the watchdogs of the government, but given the current state of the country, we don’t think this is enough to keep the government in check. We need a change in the political system as a whole—not just in leadership. //by Pia Marantan and Paul Tumaliuan

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UPIS Math Department holds first virtual Math Week

Mathematics Unites, the theme of the first virtual Math Week celebration, was hosted by the UPIS Math Department from March 14 to 18, 2022.

The celebration promoted appreciation for Mathematics as a unifying language and as a tool in understanding the world and fighting global challenges. In line with this, four programs were announced on the UPIS Math Week Facebook page. 

For Pi Day, more than a hundred participants joined the Pi Day Quizziz, a competition held via Zoom at exactly 3:14 PM on March 14. From K-2, they awarded Luccio Pang of K-Sampaguita, Altair Santiago of K-Kamia, and Amelia Obias of 2-Atis. For grades 3-6, Precious dela Paz of 3-Sapa, Zeke Sagayaga of 5-Banahaw, and Reen Lopez of 5-Sierra Madre won the competition. Lastly, the winners from grades 7-12 were Timothy Capulong of 11-Campos, Kirstin Mejia of 7-Jupiter, and Renz Dolorias of 8-Firefly.

Another activity is the Math Scavenger Hunt, a team activity that required students to search for eight items from the list posted on the event's Facebook page. According to Mr. Harold Badilla, Grade 11 Math teacher who facilitated the event, 32 groups of three members joined the game. The members of the K-2 team winner in this activity were Ilenea Amihan Baltazar, Freedom Dioquino, and Chloe Bianca Usi of 2-Mangga while Joaquin Bayuga, Allyssa Sarenas, and James Deximo of 4-Patani won the 3-6 contest. Last but not least, the members of the winning team from 7-12 were Erielle Arceo and Bianca Baguio of 11-Lopez, along with Gabe Matias from 11-Marasigan.

Guess the Number was a challenge for students to count all the candies inside a jar. “This activity warmly received 244 guesses from students,” Mr. Badilla said. Altair Santiago from K-Kamia, Paulo Dulfo from 4-Singkamas, and Justine Catiis from 11-Campos were the winners of this activity. 

Finally, Math Museum featured interesting facts about math posted on the UPIS Math Week page every day for four days. The topics included historical mathematicians, math articles, and throwbacks of older UPIS students sharing their math hugot lines. 

On March 18, Prof. Angel Rocena, Mathematics department head, hosted the closing ceremony with Mr. Badilla. The latter expressed his appreciation for the UPIS community’s engagement during the festivities. “We are extremely grateful for the active participation of students as evidenced by the high turnout of entries, for the class advisers and subject teachers for promoting the Math Week events, for the UPIS administration for the leadership and guidance, and for the PTA for sponsoring the prizes shared to the winners,” he shared. 

Prof. Rocena disclosed that organizing the event was challenging because teachers had to do all the planning, preparing, and executing of the programs alongside their teaching responsibilities. Despite the problems they faced, she added, “Challenging, yes, but we were joyful as we did all those because we know that it would be a fun learning experience for the students, something outside the usual Zoom discussions.”

When asked about next year’s Math Week, Prof. Rocena answered,  “Whatever mode of instruction we'd have next year, expect a Math Week around 3/14/23 with new activities that will make you appreciate and love Math more.” //by Ricci Dantes, Andre Panopio, and Jemuell San Jose

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OPINION: It's Nut That Simple (To Choose a Legume Leader)

Photo credit: Sulat Nadera

Deciding what kind of nut to pick and eat could not find a greater distance between itself and that set of actions going by the adjective “easy”. With over 20 different kinds of edible nuts[1] and a mere 10 digits on the average human’s hands[2], this speaks to the arduous challenge of choosing nuts, as well as the diligence and prowess of man in undertaking it.

These very qualities will prove critical in identifying the attributes that must be displayed by the nation’s 17th president. Just as different nuts bearing diverse characteristics satisfy varying tastes, so do different candidates boast distinct traits that could solve the more-than-handful of the country’s issues.

Even the leading presidentiables stand to learn and emulate a thing or two from nuts; first and foremost is the ambition of an almond. Typically consumed after roasting in a fire, this symbolizes the red-hot passion and boldness to reach for a better future. Labor leader Leody de Guzman is one candidate who possesses a daring ambition to adopt a low-carbon economy and democratically-owned renewable energy systems.[3] Success in this will certainly help curb the dizzying rise of agricultural commodities’ prices which, in no small part, is the fault of climate change.[4]

Aside from just having the ambition of an almond, it is also prudent to look for a president who exhibits the might of a macadamia. Having the hardest shell in all nutdom, this represents firm resolve even when under exceptional pressure.[5] Senator Manny Pacquiao surely has such a trait in spades, declaring a crackdown on corrupt officials as his top priority upon the occasion of his electoral victory.[6] Among other matters, this could lead to a greater effective portion of the annual government budget, up to 20% of which was reportedly lost to corruption in 2017 and 2018.[7]

Indispensable in a candidate as well is wit such as that embodied by the walnut. Being rich in an Omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA, researchers have suggested that the nut can bring about a significantly positive effect on one’s brain performance.[8] Senator Panfilo Lacson’s brain will certainly be putting on an awe-inspiring performance if he is to carry out his plan to foster automation and improve interoperability among government agencies.[9] Progress in this field may significantly lessen the occurrence of incidents like the 2021 PNP-PDEA shootout, which left 4 individuals dead because of failure to coordinate between the agencies in question.[10]

The next nut worth taking inspiration from is the Vine-nut. Its fictional (Plants vs Zombies) origin is nothing to scoff at. Being able to block zombies as well as damage them, it is the epitome of versatility.[11] Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seeks to model himself on such an aspect of the Vine-nut by continuing the Duterte administration’s war on drugs but with an approach emphasizing prevention, education, and rehabilitation.[12] Perhaps success in this endeavor can ensure that future programs combating the drug trade will never again spill thousands of victims’ worth of blood.[13]

Penultimate among the lot of exemplary nuts, the Pine nut holds the distinction of being the smallest.[14] This represents how a leader should pay attention to even the littlest constituent details in chasing objectives. Aiming to enhance the local marine, tech, and manufacturing industry, Vice President Leni Robredo best displays the virtue of fastidiousness in her plan to strengthen Philippine industries.[15] Improvement here will favorably shift the country’s problematic import-export situation, with the trade deficit having been recorded at USD 4.6 million last January.[16]

Rounding out ambition, might, wit, versatility, and fastidiousness, is heart—specifically, the heart of a hazelnut. For sweet compassion distills leadership from tyranny, the 17th Philippine president must not be anything but hazelnut-sweet.[17] Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso seeks to espouse this quality in his proposed socialized housing program which will follow the example of Manila’s local projects for nationwide implementation.[18] Informal residences, especially in urban areas, foster disease and overcrowding.[19] Greater effort in providing housing will be key to raising living standards all over the country.

With all that said, it can be concluded that every nut has its own forte and so does each presidential candidate. However, this does not mean that each nut or person bears just a single aspect, rather there are simply particular ones in which they shine better than in others. It is up to the thinking individual then, to find the many different qualities of any one nut and weigh its whole character.

As with many things, it would be foolish to select for only one desirable attribute. That is why when choosing national leaders, we must keep in mind that the best choices are not those that put the biggest check on any single box. Such a label belongs to those who show an optimal balance of degree and diversity. Any path of reasoning and determination which we take must be that which leads to a nuanced and expansive perspective because any sort of logic that leads to anything less is, quite frankly, nuts. //by Adrian Mayo and Mary Rodriguez

Sources: [1] Different Types Of Nuts. 7ESL. https://7esl.com/types-of-nuts [2] Scanlan J. (2016, August 1). Ask evolution: Why do we have five fingers?. SBS. https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/science/humans/article/2016/08/01/ask-evolution-why-do-we-have-five-fingers [3] Vote Pilipinas. https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/deguzman-leody.html [4] Rosegrant, M.W., Perez, N., Pradesha, A., & Thomas, T.S. (2015). The economywide impacts of climate change on Philippine agriculture. https://www.ctc-n.org/sites/www.ctc-n.org/files/129755.pdf [5] Zalben, L. (2018, August 10). The Macadamia: The Toughest Nut to Crack. serious eats. https://www.seriouseats.com/macadamia-nuts-not-in-a-shell [6] Vote Pilipinas. https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/pacquiao-manny.html [7] Manhit, V.A., (2020, August 25). The problem of corruption and corruption of power. BusinessWorld. https://www.bworldonline.com/editors-picks/2020/08/25/312951/the-problem-of-corruption-and-corruption-of-power/ [8] (2018, December 12). Which Nuts are Best for Brain Health?. BRAINFUTURES. https://www.brainfutures.org/blog/which-nuts-are-best-for-brain-health/ [9] Vote Pilipinas. https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/lacson-ping.html [10] Bolledo, J. (2021, June 8). Timeline: PNP-PDEA ‘misencounter’ and its aftermath. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/timeline-things-to-know-pnp-pdea-misencounter/ [11] Fandom. https://plantsvszombies.fandom.com/wiki/Vine-nut [12] Vote Pilipinas. https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/marcos-ferdinand.html [13] Sarao, Z. (2021, July 25). War on drugs: The violence, scars, doubts and families it left behind. Inquirer.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1463956/war-on-drugs-the-violence-scars-doubts-and-families-it-left-behind [14] Spengler, T. (2022, January 10). Pine Nut Harvesting – When And How To Harvest Pine Nuts. Gardening Know How. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/nut-trees/pine-nut/pine-nut-harvesting.htm [15] Vote Pilipinas. https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/robredo-leni.html [16] (2022, March 11). Highlights of the Philippine Export and Import Statistics January 2022 (Preliminary). Philippine Statistics Authority. https://psa.gov.ph/content/highlights-philippine-export-and-import-statistics-january-2022-preliminary [17] 7 Ways Hazelnuts Benefit Your Health. healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hazelnut-benefits [18] Vote Pilipinas. https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/domagoso-isko.html [19] Housing poverty in the Philippines. Habitat for Humanity. https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/country/philippines/

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LITERARY: Letting Go.

ver.  The love which sounds like an unfamiliar song To which all the lyrics, you know; The love like in the movies you have loved for so long, Is love you must not let go. 

The love which blossoms like dandelions in the spring Between two souls, intertwined; The love that you found, but you never knew was missing— Is love that is hard to find. 

aestas. To have a best friend you will love and defend And whom you will always protect; To have a best friend you will dance with ‘til the end Of this life, and ‘til the next. 

A love which will have you thinking, “How lucky must I be? I’d be a fool to let this pass!” And though right you may be, soon you will see It would be more foolish to think love lasts. 

autumnus. For as inevitable as the sea reaches out to the moon, You will learn what we all must know; As inequitable as it seems, you will see very soon That there is love we must let go. 

Because little by little, you will notice how fragile This love of yours is to hold, And little by little, it will grow brittle As this love of yours grows old. 

hiems. As the streets turn white, the cold begins to bite, You lose sight of the ground; You realize: there’s a fine line between love hard to find And love unmeant to be found.

The love you’d resigned was the latter kind— Better off forgotten in the snow. For there’s a fine line, between love hard to find And love you must let go.

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LITERARY: Panatiko

[CONTENT WARNING: RAPE]

Dug-dug, dug-dug, dug-dug— Ayun ‘yung crush ko, o! Hanggang tanaw lamang mula sa malayo Nag-aabang, sakaling lilingunin mo Mapapansin kaya ang isang gaya ko?

Dug-dug, dug-dug— Bakit papalapit siya? Bilang ko ang ritmo ng iyong paghinga Kaytatamis naman ng ibinulong mo! Ako, maganda? Tama ba ang dinig ko?

Dug-dug— Papunta ako sa bahay niya. Suot ang plantsadong bulaklaking blusa

Gayak na gayak, handang paibigin s’ya Hay, crush nga lang ba? Mahal na ‘ata kita.

Dug— Ang sakit. Ang dilim. Isang bangungot. Kumot na may dugo ang ipinantapis Sa katawang kailanma'y 'di na lilinis May dirinig ba sa ‘king dalagang buntis?

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LITERARY: Sa Oras Na Ito

Mungkahi para sa mga taong nakagapos sa maling panahon:

Naniniwala ako na ang para sa'yo ay mananatiling iyo. Kung sakali mang bitawan mo ito, anuman ang mangyari, babalik at babalik ito sa'yo. Ngunit kung hindi man ito sa iyo itinakda, malugod mong tanggapin ang kaunting oras na ipinahiram ng tadhana. Huwag kang magtanim ng sama ng loob dahil minsan pa rin naman itong ipinagkatiwala sa'yo. Gamitin mo ang lahat ng emosyon at karanasan na natamo mo sa panibagong hamon. Matuto ka sa mga pagkakamali mo sa nakaraan upang maitama mo ang mga ito pagdating ng panahon. Huwag kang susuko dahil hindi lamang para sa sarili mo ang laban na 'to, kundi para rin sa susunod na biyayang mangangailangan ng aruga't pagmamahal mo.

Kumilos ka. Huwag kang umasa sa paghinto ng mundo. Kumilos ka, pero 'wag kang lalayo sa orasan. Huwag kang manatiling bilanggo ng nakaraan. Itigil mo na ang paghihintay sa hinaharap na hindi darating kailanman. Kumilos ka sa kasalukuyan dahil ito ang tanging panahon na kakampi mo at higit sa lahat, hindi ka nito iiwan.

Sa pagdating ng panahon, makukuha mo ang lahat ng iyong inaasam kung sisimulan mong abutin ang mga ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Kaya kung nakagapos ka pa rin sa mga kamay ng orasan, kumilos ka na, at piliin mong maging malaya.

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LITERARY: Felicidad

Minamahal kong Felicidad,

Nais kitang kumustahin muli. Ang sarap palang balikan ng ating kabataan, 'no? Ang mga panahon na nililigawan pa kita, labis ang iyong kilig na nadarama. At ito pa, natatandaan mo pa ba iyong palaging mainit ang ulo mo sa akin tuwing nakikita ako sa tapat ng bahay ninyo? Hindi ko makalimutan ang nakabusangot mong mukha na lagi ko pang pinagtatawanan. Naaalala mo pa ba noong sinusulatan pa kita ng mga liham, mahal? Tapos kapag magkikita tayo, babasahin mo uli iyon nang malakas upang aking marinig, at ako'y iyong pipintasan dahil sa aking pinagsasasabing mahahalimuyak na salita. Sa totoo lang, sa loob-loob ko'y kinikilig ako roon, hindi ko lamang masabi sa iyo. Hanggang mga ngiti lamang ang aking naipapakita sa iyo habang pinagmamasdan ka. Nakagagalak sa pakiramdam na tuwang-tuwa ang iyong mga magulang sa akin. Ganoon na ba talaga kalakas ang epekto ko sa iyo, pati mga magulong mo, nakuha ko na rin ang loob. Botong-boto talaga sa akin ang iyong ama, labis talaga ang saya ko noon. Mahilig din tayong lumibot-libot sa bawat baryo sa ating bayan, tanda mo pa iyon? Wari ko’y gusto mo ring balikan ang mga panahong iyon. Ngayon ay nagsusulat na naman ako ng liham para sa’yo, ang pinagkaiba lamang ay hindi mo na muli ito mababasa pa.

Gusto ko lang ibahagi na napaginipan kita kagabi. Iyong ngiti mahal, wala pa ring kakupas-kupas. Pusta ko, ako pa rin dahilan niyan, 'no? Iyong kumikislap mong mga mata naman, o’ sadyang kayganda. Napagtanto ko ring suot-suot mo roon ang bigay kong polseras na hindi mo talaga tinagtag kailanman sa iyong kamay. Ang tagal na rin mula noong huli tayong nagyakap, kaya niyakap na kita noong oras na 'yon. Ganoon pa rin ang kilig na epekto mo sa akin, mahal. Walang pagbabago, ikaw pa rin ang babaeng minahal ko mula noon hanggang ngayon. Hindi ko nga akalaing sa ganoong pagkakataon muli tayong ipaglalapit ng tadhana, sa panaginip pa talaga. Matagal na rin kasi iyong huli nating pagkikita, kaya noong gabing iyon, sinulit ko na ang nalalabing oras dahil wala pa sa aking kasiguraduhan kung kailan iyon mauulit.

Dalawampung taon na rin pala ang nakalilipas, mahal. Lubos na hinahanap-hanap pa rin kita. Kamusta ka na kaya diyan? Nakakakain ka ba nang maayos? Pasensiya na ha, wala pa ako diyan. Huwag kang mag-alala dahil diyan din ako papunta, kaunting tiis na lamang mahal. May inaayos at tinatapos pa kasi ako dito. Sana maintindihan mo, hindi pa talaga kita masasamahan diyan. Hindi ko rin kontrolado ang panahon, pero kung ako’y bibigyan ng pagkakataon o kakayahan na bumalik sa oras na magkasama pa tayo, babalik-balikan ko ito. Wala na rin kasi tayong magagawa dahil ito na ang naging kapalaran natin na lubos ko namang natanggap na. Pagbutihan mo diyan lagi, mahal, ah? Diyan na lang natin ipagpatuloy ang naudlot nating pagmamahalan. Pangako ‘yan.

Wagas na nagmamahal sa’yo, Crisanto.

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LITERARY: 10 Things I Hate About MC

I hate the ridiculous amount of deadlines And how they never let me sleep at night I hate the lits that I have crammed, And I hate that I could’ve done better I hate my stupid laptop screen, And the way it stares at me all day long I hate the pandemic And that I can’t see my friends I hate the Haraya launch, I hate MC Live And I hate the other opportunities I missed out on I hate the comforts of the MC room And how I wasn’t able to experience it But mostly I hate that I don’t hate MC, Not even a little bit, Not even at all

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LITERARY: Ang Huling Liham

[CONTENT WARNING: RAPE, ASSAULT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE]

Oktubre anim, dalawang libo’t dalawampu’t isa, Ikasandaang liham sa aking mahal na asawa. ‘Wag ka nang mangumusta sapagka’t ako’y may balita: Kinulimbat na ng Diyos si Pepeng pinakabata.

Sinulat ko itong liham, palad ko’y itim at pula, Wala akong tagimpan sa kathang-isip n’yo ng midya. Marunong kang magmahal ngunit ako’y naniniwala, Na luha ang kapalit ng sakim mong pag-aaruga.

Oktubre anim, dalawang libo't dalawampu’t isa, Natagpuan si ate, ginahasa sa eskinita. Sirang plaka ang iyong bunganga, panay ka salita, Sa aming saklolo ano ang ginawa? Wala? Wala.

Sinulat ko itong liham, braso ko’y itim at pula, Nasa isip ang gabing magkasama tayong dalawa. Kinuyom mo ako sa dilim, ang pag-ibig mo’y sumpa, Lahat ng akin ay sa’yo: anak, dugo, pera’t lupa.

Oktubre anim, dalawang libo't dalawampu’t isa, Liham na ito ay hanggang libingan ko idadala. Ikaw ang amo at pangulo, ako inang ulila, Angkin mo na ang mikropono, ang wakas na salita.

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LITERARY: Panaginip

Minsan, inaabangan ko ang pagsapit ng dilim Ang antok na patuloy lang na lumalalim Hanggang sa bumigay na ang aking mga mata At makuha ang pagkakataong makita kita

Sasamahan kitang tumakbo sa aking isip Papasok tayo sa aking mga panaginip Babalikan natin ang mga huling sandali Ngingiti ka lang habang ako’y nagkukunwari

Kunwari nakasandal ka pa rin sa balikat ko Kunwaring ako ang pinakanagpapasaya sa’yo Kunwari’y hindi lamang ito ang binuo kong imahen Mula sa koneksyong inakala kong nasa atin

Mula sa mga oras na ‘di kayang kalimutan, Hanggang sa mga yakap na sana’y hinigpitan Habang hawak ang iyong kamay sa aking bulsa, Lalasapin ko na lahat, kahit ang imbentong alaala

Ngayo’y papalubog na naman ang buwan, Nananatiling malamig ang aking katawan Kamalayan ko’y bumalik na sa kama At ramdam ko muli na hindi kita kasama

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LITERARY: In many other universes, just not ours

To the one who kept me company while I was pining over someone else:

Hi! It really hasn’t been a while since we last talked, so this will be weird... but I figured, before I run out of time, I’d go ahead and write to you.

Why?

I don’t know, either.

Maybe I’ll just be reopening scars, but you won’t be reading this anyway. Or, I could say that even if you do read this, you won’t know it’s for you. I’m safe… I think. I just really want to get this off my chest.

Okay...

During the times you kept me company, staying awake to talk to me for who knows what reason, listening to all my troubles (and me listening to yours), caring for me, asking how I am, escaping time, and, most definitely, sleep—during all those times, I appreciated you. I still do, until now, even if you don’t particularly do those things anymore. I’m still grateful for them. I never questioned them one bit, ‘cause we’re friends, after all.

Then I realized you were secretly hoping for us to become something more—and I couldn’t give you that.

Those times you kept me company were also times that you spent having to stay awake for someone who wished a different person stayed awake for them. Those times were also the times you had to listen to them gush over another person, care for another person, talk about another person… A person who you wished was you instead.

I’m sorry for hurting you. Had I pushed you away, it would’ve hurt less. But, like me, you didn’t want that, either. We’re friends, after all. To sacrifice friendship over feelings was to sacrifice a good one. That’s why you let the feelings rot instead.

But maybe, in a parallel universe, we would’ve been something more. Maybe I would’ve liked you. Maybe there wouldn’t have been another person. Maybe it wouldn’t’ve been too late. Maybe just then, you wouldn’t have wasted your time wishing for something I couldn’t give you.

Though, we’re happy now. Content, actually. We’re still friends, and you’ve moved on, so there’s no need for all the what-ifs of my curiosity.

I would prefer those what-ifs to happen there, in many other universes, just not ours.

—I bet you’ll agree with me on that.

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LITERARY: Intertwined

Perhaps we are two stars in a constellation Choreographed for a dance in the night sky Moving gracefully that our bond never breaks Complementing light rays like patterns on a snowflake

My radiant smiles from our smallest interactions Your dazzling eyes whenever I speak The subtle understanding even without conversations Whatever more could I even seek?

However—stars have to maintain distance for order

Perhaps we are just two stars in a constellation Bodies so close in the eyes of the beholder Yet actually lightyears away from each other

By the time I reach out to you

It would be a million years too late

But who really knows? Can we really rely on fate?

Who are we to blame the clocks for our mistakes

Perhaps I just don’t have the guts to tell you “Maybe it was never too late”

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LITERARY: stargazing

you should've seen the way your eyes sparkled when you talked about the stars

despite them being so bright tonight you still managed to outshine them

personally i never really cared for them so tell me why is it when you talk about them they seem so much more beautiful?