Articles

  • Feature Articles

    • Beautiful Scars - 2012-02-04
      By Ma. Doreen Era E. Murata When we get wounded, the majority of our reactions and thoughts focus on how we can hide the scars that the wounds leave behind. We spend excessive amounts of money, time and effort on products promoted to erase or minimize scars. There is nothing wrong with that. However, there are scars worth showing: scars that are testaments to our strength, patience and endurance. Remember that scar on your knees from when you were learning how to ride a bike? It’s a testament to how you strived to learn balance in life: something that is very important [...]
    • Silang mga Anti-RH at ang kanilang mga tupa - 2012-01-16
      Ni Eva Callueng Sa di maipaliwanag na dahilan, kahit hindi naman ganoon kadami ang kakilalang Anti-RH, ang boses na mayroon sila ay tila napakalakas kumpara sa 6 sa bawat sampung makakasalubong na sumasang-ayon sa panukalang batas na ito. Sa sampung iyon, pinapalagay na ang 2 pa doon ang hati pa ang opinyon samantalang ang natitirang dalawa ay yaong may mahigpit na pagtanggi sa pagpasa nito base sa kanilang pag-unawa sa ibubunga ng RH Bill kung sakaling maipasa. Sa mga kapilya hangang sa malalaking katedral na pinamumunuan ng mga paring sa(g)rado Romano Katoliko, ang pagpasok ng RH Bill sa bawat sermon, kahit malayo [...]
    • Ang pagkakasing-hanay ng RH Bill at Anti-Discrimination Bill - 2012-01-13
      Ni Eva Callueng Ang kamakailang pahayag ng Santo Papa sa harap ng humigit kumulang 180 diplomats para sa Bagong Taon ay nagpainit sa maraming isyung may kinalaman sa adbokasiya ng mga grupo ng LGBT sa bansa. Sa kanyang mensahe, sinabi nito na ang gay marriage ay isa sa maraming banta sa sangkatauhan at ang impluwensiyang mayroon ang pahayag na ito ay gumuhit ng ilang mga batikos mula sa komunidad. Sa kaugnay na pahayag at sa panayam na isinagawa ng GMA news, sinabi ni Archbishop Oscar Cruz na siya ay nakikisimpatiya sa komunidad ng LGBT. Winika niya na wala namang patutunguhan ang ganoong [...]
    • The Telenovela that is Politics - 2011-12-31
      By Miel Feria, contributor On my way home one Friday, the jeepney that I was riding made the mistake of passing in front of the Veteran’s Hospital several moments after the former president was brought there. The usual traffic caused by the incessant rain was made worse by the presence of several media vehicles and a handful of supporters of the former president who were camped at the hospital entrance The people in the jeepney made passing remarks regarding the transfer of the former president, but just like a movie that was no longer in theatres or a particular telenovela that had [...]
    • On Idealism, Giving in to Corruption and Public Service - 2011-12-29
      By Miel Feria, contributor I was an activist in college. I was a true-blue (or red, for that matter) flag-waving, card-carrying, megaphone-wielding activist. I never missed a State of the Nation Address or Labor Day demonstration. I was always in the front lines. I had been tear-gassed, hosed down, and chased by riot police. The idealist in me refused to be held down. I had an opinion on every national issue and I detested those who did not care. I endeavored to educate those who were kind enough to listen to my rants. I hated corrupt politicians with such an intensity [...]
    • Ang Nagbabagong Porma ng Aktibismo - 2011-12-30
      Ni Eva Callueng Kapag binabanggit ang salitang ‘aktibismo,’ pihadong maraming kabataan sa kasalukuyang panahon ang may ibang konotasyon sa salita. Ang iba ay may pag-ilag kaagad, samantalang mabigat naman ang dating sa iba. Karaniwan kasing idinidikit ito sa mga protesta o rally sa kalsada, kung saan ang marahas at madugong pagpapatigil nito ang madalas na ipinapakita sa telebisyon. Ang konotasyon din ay idinidikit noong mga panahong mas buhay na buhay ang student activism, kung saan madalas mabanggit sa mga oryentasyon sa mga pulitikal na grupo ang malawak na kasaysayan at karanasan ng mga lider estudyante na nag-aklas noong panahon ng Batas Militar. [...]
    • Aborsyon - 2011-12-28
      Ni Eva Callueng Ilegal ito sa Pilipinas. Bawal na bawal. Masama at mortal na kasalanan. Ang pagpapa-abort ay itinuturing na kasalanang sa obispo pataas ka lamang maaaring humingi ng kapatawaran. Ibig sabihin rin, kasong kriminal ang kakaharapin ng sinumang magsagawa nito o napatunayang may kinalaman sa pagsasagawa nito. Dahil na rin sa pagiging illegal nito, patagong isinasagawa nito sa takot na maisuplong sa kinauukulan, kung saan pagkakabilanggo ng mga taong sangkot ang parusa. Malinaw na paglabag ito sa Article 2. Sec. 12 ng 1987 Konstitusyon, at sa kasalukuyan, walang katangi-tanging batas sa bansa ang maaaring gamitin kung sakaling magpapa-abort ang isang babae [...]
    • More than a Boyfriend - 2011-12-27
      By  Ma. Doreen Era E. Murata, The FORUM for Family Planning and Development There is a dormant part of me that always longs to be in a relationship. I miss the feeling of hugging someone tight, especially when the weather gets cold: when I am surrounded by couples getting sweet and mushy, when the night sky is filled with the colorful bursts of fireworks, and during those ‘down’ moments when I feel so bad that I yearn for the warm hugs and kisses that would make things better. And yet, here I am, single and uncommitted with Christmas looming around the corner. I [...]
    • Mulat Pinoy Lecture Series: Thailand’s Mr. Condom, Mechai Viravaidya - 2011-12-20
      By Christine Joy Sarmiento, Mulat Pinoy Community Manager He entered the auditorium handing out USB flash drives shaped like condoms. This is what former Thai senator and social entrepreneur Mechai Veravaidya did as he was welcomed in the Mulat Pinoy Lecture Series by broadcast journalist Che Che Lazaro. Mr. Mechai recently spoke about poverty eradication and improving education at the forum organized by Mulat Pinoy, “Beyond Condoms: Nation Building and the Youth,” held at the College of Engineering Theater, UP Diliman, in September. As he spoke in front of iskolars ng bayan, Khun Mechai promoted his new project, the Mechai Pattana School, also known [...]
    • The RH Bill is a Serious Matter - 2011-12-19
      By Jonathan Monis, contributor The Reproductive Health Bill has been in Congress for 10 years. Yes, that means ten years of endless debate about the effects of pills on women, when life begins, if modern contraceptives are abortifacient, and if Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) will make young people go under the ipil-ipil tree and have sex after they receive a condom. It went through three Congresses and is equivalent to a decade of sacrifices among the advocates and champions. RH Bill’s nitty-gritty has gone through scrutiny through long discourses and grandstanding interpellations among the villainous legislators. There were several attempts to dispose [...]
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