Photo of the Week

THERE are tales about the sea where mermaids, monsters, and ghost ships haunt the wide expanse of water, especially at night. But in this world, mermaids and ghost ships remain only mere legends; and monsters are the only one that is real. As soon as the ember sky turns pitch black and the sun descends, ruthless monsters will come to menace—an unforeseen circumstance for the men who had let the waves take them away at night. Defenseless and with only fishing rods in hand, an encounter occurs in the middle of the sea, where it is soundless and the waves do not crash; only the noises of a lone sea vessel are heard. It happens then at midnight that unguarded fishermen come across a merciless terror. The monsters arrive with flags as red as blood flailing above their heads. They o

Trigger Warning: rape, implied suicide EVERYTHING is dark. Someone calls my name. It asks me if I am okay. I jolt awake. I remember foggy memories of intrusive mouths and unwelcome hands touching me. Years have passed, but my nightmares remain all the same. I am almost an adult but I still feel like the defenseless child trapped from back then. Getting off my bed, I walked towards my living room and opened the television. Their variety show was on— even when I am awake, they still haunt me. I stare blankly at their faces and found myself reminiscing the very night my life went in shambles. My blood curdles in recalling the smug faces that casually brushed off what they did to me. Their public apology did nothing, and it will never be enough. They knew that I was go

THE afternoon was dull when he went outside. Perhaps he could not find peace in his own home for with each path he crosses, he sees the misery behind one's mask. His world was covered in sickness, chaos, and corruption—each rest he takes seems wasted since all his mornings remain the same. Today, the news is overflowing with increasing numbers of the impoverished, infected, and casualties. He realizes this while lying on a soft bed with his supply of food. He feels fortunate until he watches protestors carry large cardboards on the television. It urged him to read more and think about a certain document that kills one's freedom to speak. That afternoon, he decided to go out of his shell to see if he can make a change. In the streets, he saw tears from harmed men while

SOMBER clouds loom overhead as gloom engulfs me—it is a feeling I have been accustomed to these past three months. Somehow, I feel strongly that I share the same sentiments with the rest of the world right now. Come dawn, everything remains the same, as days melt into months and no definite actions or progress seem to be made. Now, I imagine these gray clouds to be permanent as the sun rays are obscured not only by this feeling of dread, but also by the roof of my home I am stuck in. As I spend more days in isolation, I begin to look for some semblance of normal to make me feel grounded. NoㅡI do not find it in my virtual classes, books, or in any video game. How can I when the thought of making year-end memories have been stolen from me? How can I when it is also possible t

“SHOOT to kill,” sabi sa telebisyon. Nangyari nga ang kinatatakutan ng marami. Ang mahihirap na walang kalaban-laban sa kalupitan ay tinanggalan ng karapatan habang nakaluhod, at tinutukan ng dulo ng baril. Hindi nagtagal, sumunod ang alingawngaw ng pagputok at dumanak ang dugo na parang ilog sa kalye. “Nanlaban,” kabulaanan ng dahas. “Dura lex, sed lex,” sabay-sabay nilang binanggit kahit na hindi alam ang ibig sabihin. Dura lex kapag ito ay para sa mga taong nasa ilalim ng tatsulok, at sa selda o bala ang huling hantungan. Maliban na lang kapag mayaman at makapangyarihan, dahil kapag puno ang bulsa salapi, “compassion” ang binibigay.  “Brrrt brrrt,” dinig mula sa telebisyon, at naghiyawan sa tuwa ang mga bulag. Kawangis nila ang lata na walang laman at kung sabay-sabay na kinal

IT was already past midnight and his strained eyes are still glued to the screen. He mumbles random curses when his beat-up laptop breaks down for the eighth time today, a bit less than the number of breakdowns he had throughout the making of his thesis. Despite the crisis, he is not spared from the hassle of data-gathering and travails of thesis-making. While he does understand that they are not on a break, the idea of disturbing people's peace for his thesis seems too much. Everyone has a lot to deal with already: limited budget, deteriorating mental health, or academic obligations. They have no spare time to answer his online questionnaire. Waiting for his laptop to stop lagging, he takes out his phone. It is against his will to continue pestering people to answer his su...

ENDURING is the word that comes to mind In thinking of your hallowed buildings And time-honored arch From egg white bricks to cinder blocks Your structures get built and destroyed; But reconstructed every time You have stood earlier than the birth of a nation, Raising its forefathers how to break their shackles— To oust abusers and to roar in the face of wrongdoing Many have already entered your rooms Being promised the fountain and golden lilies; Searching for keys and that last puzzle piece They are restless beings that dared To scale your high towers In hopes of stripping the ivory They exit; a different person from before, Their morals and spirits recorded on a sheet— As you scatter them to boundless ambitions Towards dreams beyond seeing, In the thic