keira

As the world moves ahead to mark International Women's Day, the clock on women's rights continues to tick. This month of the year, we MARCH to celebrate women's contributions to social, political, and economic change. As well as we march to remind women that the fight for gender equality is not yet won.  The month-long celebration is also an invitation to listen to women who have been suffering in silence for far too long. On International Women's Month, it is a must to let marginalized women tell their stories. Their stories speak of oppression but it does not end there. Such stories are a testament to their hard work and determination in attaining freedom, equality, and a sustainable future not only for themselves but also for their co-workers; their entire communities; the younger generation; as well as their fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons. The latter proves that the fight for gender equality should not be fought by women and girls alone. To put an end to ineq...

For a tourist gem like Vigan, the perfect time to visit the place is known to be during the dry season, when its cobblestone streets and historic structures are at their warmest color.  But little did you know that there is another best time to visit Vigan. If you happen to be in Vigan City in the month of January, particularly during its third week, don't be too surprised when you come across the native longganisa everywhere, colorful floats, and a sea of crowds lining the streets. It's the time of the year when people flock to the city to celebrate Ciudad Fernandina's long-awaited fiesta. Every year the third week of January marks the celebration of the cityhood, made in honor of the conversion of the patron saint of the town, St. Paul the Apostle. The celebration is a week-long event that highlights the history, tradition, culture, and creativity of the Bigueños.  If you are wondering what the fiesta has to give, don't worry because I've got you covered! Below ar...

Just like that, the second quarter has come to an end. I am halfway through the calendar, yet fragments of my soul are still caged. I continue to face every day of the quarter with a heavy sigh armed with a plethora of doubts. I shed the skin I wore in the past quarter and weave a new one. I strive, still, to get out of my shell and to achieve what I am aiming for, no matter how one would deem it mediocre.  The second half felt like walking on a dark and dim path of a hallway. Setbacks are indeed inevitable, but this time I can say it's more tolerable. Codes and tags for this quarter were really enjoyable because the emphasis was more on comprehension rather than memorization. The hands-on approach was also an effective way to grasp an understanding of HTML! Being able to witness a webpage after the lengthy (sort of) process of typing and merging the codes we've learned was the spark that made me love the course. As I've gotten fonder of the subject, I'm considering tak...

Gleaming colorful lights, star-shaped lanterns, puto bumbong and bibingka after Simbang Gabi, table groaning with food, and hearing "Kumukutikutitap, bumubusibusilak" on the radio -- these are the images that probably pop into one's head when they think of Christmas.  A holiday lexicon that brims over positivity: merry, rejoice, cheer, and glee, but is this really the essence of Christmas?  The Yuletide season might mean different things for different people. It is a varied experience. On the opposite end of the spectrum, it is a reality that can be both joyful and painful for not all issues can be wrapped in sparkly paper and topped with a festive bow. Some may celebrate it as a time with their family, intertwined with the joys of travel, expensive gifts, and bountiful feasts. It may be a season of nostalgia, of reunions and vacations where they attend Misa de Gallo in cold and early December mornings, going house to house singing carols, getting together with friends, o...

Four months in, it was a day under scorching summer sun like the usual ones, but as I stepped my way to its gates, splattering sounds of cooking oil, aromas of the savory and dainty crescent-shaped Empanada, echoes of the speakers reverberating, and the crowded-chaotic ambiance filled the corner — and so there it was, one of the long-awaited school events every student longed for unfolded. As the clock struck 10:00 in the morning of December 2, ribbons were cut, and the festivities have begun! What awaits the vast area of the bazaar is the vigorous young entrepreneurs with booths varying from different flavors of Cuisines, Technologies, Agriculture, Beauty Care, and Local Tourism. From the name itself, the bazaar is anchored with the initiative and aims to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit of the young students in thriving success, merging all passions into one event.  There is no better way to enjoy the bustling bazaar than with a belly full of good food. As soon as we walked past t...

We are now to a future of what we once dared to dream about and longed for under the night sky riddled with endless shimmering stars. To a replacement for the chaos that deemed harsh, lonely, arctic nights. To an end of what once hindered the children of a worthy youth — an end to countless wistful breezes of what they could have been. Mental health repercussions for children are one of the most complex arrays of challenges during the pandemic.  With arising cases, and being unable to foresee plenty of euphoric occurrences, fear, uncertainty, isolation, and parental fatigue arise which negatively affected the children's mental health.  A median of 1 out of 5 young people has been reported by UNICEF for often feeling depressed, pre- and during the pandemic.  The disruption indeed left young ones fearing the uncertainty of their future.  The agony that lurks beyond the outbreak had everyone so engrossed in their own lives that they had forgotten about the children who ...

Greetings to the apotheosis of the Philippine government! Your Honor, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to write to you. With this, I would like to express my heartfelt commendation for your electoral victory. A victory that indicates an approval of the populist style of leadership that your predecessor has demonstrated in the previous six years. Thus, showing once again that one can rely on decades of misinformation and flawed revisions of history rooted in brazen, wicked mendacity.  Mr. President, it appears that your "comeback narrative" was effective, as many of your supporters believed it was more like a thrilling soap opera plotline than a distorted version of reality. The country was unfortunate that it was outnumbered by morally bankrupt individuals who openly trust their future on you, a man of poor moral character and heir of corrupt wealth. Despite that, to live for the hope of it all is something your countryman would most likely do. Therefore, I am writin...