Literary Archives - The Flame

May282023 by No Comments

Unsaid farewell

Literary, Liyab

by ALYANNA YSABEL DV. SACRAMENTO A WAVE of fear whirls in the pit of his stomach. Just earlier that day, he was walking hand in hand with his mother. For a young boy like Iñigo, getting strayed away from his mother is the last thing he wanted to happen. With only a few hours before dusk falls upon him, beads of sweat cascade from his temple along with the pounding in his chest as he walks down the path of fetid, wet ground. “Arf!” Moments ago, only his rustling footsteps can be heard. Now, he is joined by this tiny creature, who is just as lonely and afraid as him. Something about keeping each other company in the midst of uncertainty washes away whatever fear used to swim inside him—a small speck of light illuminating the dark alleyway. For a split moment, he forgets t...

May182023 by No Comments

Within and Without: Modern Relationships Through the Screen

Literary

by CZERIZHA KAIZEL S. ADZUARA and FRANCIS MIGUELL S. STA ROSA ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS in the digital age have been using virtual platforms as a medium for communication. At the peak of the pandemic, people turned to these tools to strengthen their relationships—romantic and platonic ones alike. Aside from being a foundation of relationships, social media can also be a gateway to finding one. However, repercussions that can shatter relationships may rise. The Thomasian Film Society (TFS) offers Within and Without, a coming-of-age story that centers on four teenagers and their pursuit of love through the screen. Directed by Christianne Lonzanida, the film is a three-part series available for streaming via TFS’s YouTube channel. Within and Without begins with Matty (Bryce Cabre...

May142023 by No Comments

Nanay pa rin

Literary, Liyab

by FRANCIS MIGUELL S. STA. ROSA sa anong punto bang ang ina’y ‘di na ina? ‘pag supling ay tao na, o sarili o ina anak pa rin ba? saksi ako sa kaganapan sa kanilang pagsilang sa madaling araw ng katandaan pasan ang daigdig, na pinasang mayro’ng tangan nang lumao’y nagsilang buhat sa sinapupunan hanggang sa nalagot sa paglago’t pananagutan at buhay na ang bagong magulang hanggang sa dumating na ngang ang makulit na magulang ay napasa-bahay ampunan sino’ng kukupkop? — sino’ng kukupkupin? sa bagay, narito naman kami si ticia, stanley, si tandang lucing natutunan na naming mahalin ang magigiliw na kwento sa taniman ng tabako sa kolehiyo sa recto kina rachel at roberto ...

May62023 by No Comments

Camera log

Literary, Liyab

by TRIXCY ANNE B. LOSERIAGA THE TENSION pinned us down as the crowd gathered within the vicinity of the incident. The policemen loaded with full gear barricaded the streets, hoping to quench the agitated looks of the citizens. However, it only fueled the citizens' resolve as more people arrived. We made our way to the front as several people were quarreling. Some came with placards that say, “Hanggang kailan ninyo kami patatahimikin?” It was followed by a series of shouting from both sides, ultimately breaking out into a full-scale riot. I was separated from Svarog as the people advanced, forcing the policemen to be on the offensive hoping it would make them stop. It didn’t take long before we found each other albeit sporting several bruises. The camera grip was sli...

Apr302023 by No Comments

Soiree

Literary, Liyab

by MARIA ALTHEA V. JAVIER Beckoned by its abysmal towers She trots into the ornate ravine Lost in her own delicate pitter patters As the visage of her, paints dull skies As the thought of her brings forth life Gazing from their supposed soiree Delicate tugs linger within her heart Following the lead of its thundering sound She finds another way, deeper into the ravine Towards what only her ambiguity could fathom Farther from her fickle-minded heart’s home Raging winds bring about a signal As raindrops take over rock-hard banisters As umbrellas decorate drenched grounds She remains unfazed, time ever passing In their makeshift soiree, she remains From the stubbornness of her heart Among what’s...

Apr232023 by No Comments

Pagod

Literary, Liyab

by FRANZ ZOE STOELZL T. BAROÑA THE LAST jeepney was heard at the tail end of Doroteo Jose where an aging railway hung above it. George had just settled from counting the coins and bills he collected when he found an elderly man, dressed in black trousers and a polo, sleeping at the rear of his vehicle. "Tay," he said while tugging him repeatedly by his shoulder. After a few heaves, the man woke up. "Ah! Pasensya na." "Ayos lang ho, dito po ba kayo bababa?" "Ah, dumaan na ba tayo sa Laon Laan?" "Wala po ‘yon sa ruta ko." The elder nodded in disbelief before carrying his backpack and rushing towards the entrance of the jeep. "Nagkamali yata ako ng basa sa mga paskil, heto," the man muttered, handing George a 20-peso coin. When he was a few distances away, Georg...

Apr202023 by No Comments

Aspiring authors told to embrace criticisms, rejection to be better writers

Literary

by ZOE AIRABELLE AGUINALDO ASPIRING AUTHORS should appreciate criticisms and be prepared for rejection in their journey toward becoming published writers to produce quality outputs, authors from the Faculty of Arts and Letters said. Speaking during the UST Publishing House’s "Padayon: A Publishing Webinar for Potential Authors" on Wednesday, April 19, philosophy professor and author Jove Aguas told writers to view criticisms as means to improve their work. ”You have to be grateful to the evaluators (and) to the reviewers because your book improved because of their (comments)," he said. “This (goes for journal and) book publication. If you’re going to compare the original manuscript and the final published form, you will see a great improvement, a great difference.” The rev...

Apr182023 by No Comments

Apag: Revenge is indeed a dish best served cold

Literary

by NICOLE DG. SAMSON REVENGE AND forgiveness are two sides of the same coin. Both stem from loss and grief but only with an acceptance of responsibility can forgiveness start to blossom. But when a mistake is swept under the rug to avoid conflict, revenge becomes a glaring option. Apag (short for “hapag kainan”) is a film of grief and revenge, served with a side of forgiveness. Directed by Brillante Mendoza, the film features a full Pampangueno cast and uses the Kapampangan language to tell its story. The film tells the story of Alfredo Tuazon (Lito Lapid) and his son Rafael Tuazon (Coco Martin) who find themselves in a car accident that led to the injury of a child and the death of her father. After legal disputes, the victim’s family is hired by the Tuazons to be their housekeepe...

Apr172023 by No Comments

Love You Long Time: A modern take and twist to romance

Literary

by FRANZ ZOE STOELZL TAN BAROÑA A TYPICAL romantic drama may have a hard time captivating an audience who has seen a lot of movies of the same genre. Love You Long Time proves that even the smallest of twists can justify an entire genre and, in turn, stand out from an industry where films like One More Chance (2007) and Moments of Love (2006) have defined it. Love You Long Time, directed by Jaime Habac Jr., is a romantic drama film and is one of the eight entries for the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Festival. The movie's titular character, Ikay (Eisel Serrano), is a scriptwriter who has recently experienced a heartbreak. At the same time, Ikay wants to recover from the difficulties of the incident while trying to carry out her company's request of revising a script she had written for a ...

Apr162023 by No Comments

Creative Writing student’s one-act play to debut in 18th Virgin Labfest

Literary

by ZOE AIRABELLE AGUINALDO A CREATIVE writing student’s one-act play will be one of the 12 works to be presented by the Virgin Labfest (VLF) in June for its 18th annual festival. “Hukay” by creative writing student Ophalain Margaux Serrano was one of the 12 one-act plays selected out of 146 entries by the VLF last July. The selected plays will be staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Serrano said “Hukay” centers on the themes of “breaking expectations, masculinity, and love.” “I want people to expect and either get their heart and expectations broken. I want to write a very intimate play where the audience would feel like they are invading such an intimate scene only meant for the characters,” she said. The creative writing student hopes her opus wil...