Category: Opinion

As we live in an era where fake news spreads six times faster than the truth, the journey to attaining it is a challenging one. With the current climate where politics thrives in the presence of misinformation, political propaganda, and the vloggers who tag themselves as members of the press, journalists find themselves in a position fighting for the truth.

HAVE you ever gone on TikTok during your nightly bedtime social media scroll and been bombarded with a barrage of video content that shows Filipinos going to different countries, holding multiple bags of designer brands, and eating out in BGC or Salcedo Village? And then you mentally think to yourself, ‘I wish that was me.’ Because yes, you wish that were you, and everyone else in the comments thinks so too. Multiple anonymous commenters from around the country also flex in said comment section, ‘The bill when we ate out at Wolfgang Steakhouse reached 250,000 pesos!’ or ‘My mom bought me 7 different labubus when we went to the Popmart Store!’ And that is exactly where this conversation begins.

“PROPAGANDAS I’m not falling for: Owalas, podcasts, 10-step skincare routine, pointless degrees, and Filipino time,” says in another video as I continue to doom scroll through TikTok. The word “propaganda” has been incorporated into a TikTok trend as a lighthearted list of a person’s dislikes; however, I fear that the trend has obscured the deeper meaning of the word.

IN a post-Duterte era where legacy is up for grabs, Bong Go might no longer just be a shadow of his former boss—but the main act in the making.

BEING part of the student publication is a huge responsibility, even more so as an editor. You are not just tasked with writing; you are voicing stories to the whole community. You act as the bridge between the students and the institution, ensuring that all voices, regardless of how few, are valued and loudly heard.

IN your mind, you’re an athlete, an award-winning musician, an actor, or even an idol. You have millions of admiring fans, your family is incredibly proud of you, and you have a loving, supportive, and loyal partner. A superstar. A hero. The one who is loved, admired, and simply unstoppable. But then the fantasy abruptly stops. You realize you’re lying in bed, your phone in hand, earphones in, and a TikTok edit of a celebrity playing repeatedly on your phone. How much time has passed? A couple of minutes? Perhaps hours? For some, it’s the entire day.

THE K-12 program was signed into law as Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. It was created to improve the country’s education system, adding two more years to the traditional 10-year basic education.

Many of the early legislators in the Philippines were highly educated individuals, often trained lawyers who were capable and qualified lawmakers. In contrast, today’s standards appear to have shifted, with fame and popularity often outweighing academic and professional qualifications. This change raises concerns about the level of preparedness among those seeking legislative positions.

Back when my grandparents were still kids, it wasn’t uncommon to share the same roof with 6 to 11 siblings. It staggers my mind to think parents in the 50’s were able to mentally handle and even afford to have that many children. These days, parents usually get along by having three kids, max.

WITHIN every queer youth lies an internal light, waiting to be seen—whether fully realized or not. A quiet spark whose fate is determined through a simple truth: it either flourishes in an environment that fosters love and acceptance or dims in the presence of fear and rejection.