Features Archives - The Flame

Cool but harmful: Why a vape user who began smoking at 7 cannot kick the habit

17

Nov

0 Comments

Cool but harmful: Why a vape user who began smoking at 7 cannot kick the habit

SIMON TAKES a deep breath. Smoke enters into his lungs, reaching every sinew. He slightly raises his head, and a thick cloud of vapor billows out of his mouth. One would expect to see a half-used cigarette emitting wisps from its embers. But instead, the smoke was blown from a…

Bones and belief: Young Thomasians find purpose in guarding sacred relics

02

Nov

By Arabella Peñaranda

0 Comments

Bones and belief: Young Thomasians find purpose in guarding sacred relics

GRACIANA CALIMBO, a quiet and soft-spoken 19-year-old student, has been serving the Catholic Church since she was six and takes a particular interest in all things religious. So when she exhibited strange and disturbing behavior, it was an emergency to her peers. In August this year, her boyfriend, Luke Traballo,…

Through sticks and strings: Pinoy puppeteers struggle to survive post-lockdown

27

Oct

By Ma. Alyanna Selda

0 Comments

Through sticks and strings: Pinoy puppeteers struggle to survive post-lockdown

RICKY ALWAYS arrives in General Luna, Intramuros, at four in the afternoon in a distinct ensemble: a colored camisa de chino (most of the time maroon), a loose pair of shorts, a belt bag wrapped around his waist and a patterned fedora. Alongside Fort Santiago’s parking lot, he picked up…

‘Kayang-kaya ng wikang Filipino:’ Kung paano isinusulong ng isang Tomasinong propesor ang pamimilosopiya sa Filipino

30

Aug

By Yelah Israel

1 Comment

‘Kayang-kaya ng wikang Filipino:’ Kung paano isinusulong ng isang Tomasinong propesor ang pamimilosopiya sa Filipino

“EGO SUM, ego existo, certum est,” o sa salin ng isang Tomasinong propesor, “Narito ako, umiiral ako, tiyak iyan.” Matatagpuan ang pundamental na katagang ito sa “Mga Meditasyon Hinggil sa Unang Pilosopiya,” isang akdang pilosopikal ni René Descartes — ang tinaguriang “Ama ng Modernong Pilosopiya” — na unang inilathala halos…

‘We can’t go back in time:’ How a reserved, soft-spoken K-pop fan became AB valedictorian

08

Aug

By Arabella Peñaranda

0 Comments

‘We can’t go back in time:’ How a reserved, soft-spoken K-pop fan became AB valedictorian

IT WAS eight in the morning, and Kyla Jane Purcil had just woken up when she received an e-mail from the Rector’s office. “Rector’s Awardee 2024,” the e-mail’s subject read. Her heart momentarily stopped. Making sure that she read it right, Purcil, who came to be the UST Faculty of…

19

Jul

By Ma. Irish Fery

0 Comments

Standing on the shoulders of Kuya Ramon

THE HALLS of the 79-year-old St. Raymund de Peñafort building are kept polished without any blot of dirt or scattered piles of chairs. Both students and faculty members owe this to workers like Ramon Ciruela. Upon entering the building, one will see him as a thin, 46-year-old upright man, standing…

Illuminated by resilience: ‘Pandemic batch’ ends Thomasian journey

06

Jun

By The Flame Features

0 Comments

Illuminated by resilience: ‘Pandemic batch’ ends Thomasian journey

STUDENTS OF the batch that dared enter UST during the darkest period of the pandemic lit the España campus bright on May 31, marking the end of their college stint with a vow to spread the light in an increasingly changing world shrouded with uncertainties. When the academic year 2020-2021…

How a standup comedian turns mundane into laughter

29

Apr

By Ma. Irish Fery and Yelah Israel

2 Comments

How a standup comedian turns mundane into laughter

AS THE spotlight struck his face, Leland Lim stood frozen onstage for a moment. A thick silence enveloped him, begging to be broken. Bearing the hushed room and the glares of his audience, the lone stand-up comedian held the microphone — a tool not just for amusement but also for forging…

Unfinished business: Seasoned fashionista embarks again on Artlets journey at 63

01

Apr

By Yelah Israel

7 Comments

Unfinished business: Seasoned fashionista embarks again on Artlets journey at 63

DECADES AFTER stepping away from his studies, Roberto Solis will once again walk the grounds of UST in Manila. This time, he will enter the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) not as a young student, but as a 63-year-old retiree. He is fondly known as “Tito Bobby” to his…

20

Mar

By The Flame Features

1 Comment

From casual to complicated: ‘Situationships’ as new normal in modern dating

CRAVING INTIMACY without commitment? Welcome to the confusing world of “situationships.” This growing trend in modern dating involves seemingly casual connections that often simmer on the backburner, leaving individuals with unspoken expectations and blurred boundaries. Situationships refer to a conscious connection between two people, but stubbornly without the "boyfriend" or…