unspokenwords101

[unspokenwords101]

10 of My Favorite Songs!

So usually I listen to my music using Spotify. I find the app very convenient because almost all of the songs that I like or I love is already available for streaming in the app. All I have to do is add the song/s to my playlist and then download the playlist. Easy as that. I’m going to share 10 of my current favorite songs and why I love them. :)

Before that, Here’s a poem I want to share...

Music

A beat of song where, You feel lost and, Feel drugged up, Somewhere that you,  Can escape from this world.

A way to free yourself, From the darkness, And try to find a way, Out of it.

Finally you think to yourself,  These lyrics of a song that, Touches your soul, And understands you.

You turn the volume, All the way up, And feeling a distance, Away from people.

You ask yourself, Why is that no one ever, Understands the way I feel? I’m hurting and dying inside.

The only reason that they don’t, Is because they are not like you.

Music. Escapes me from Reality.  Music. Brings me to Serenity. Music... Music... Music...

TOP TEN!

1. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic, Alessia Cara, and Khalid 

I love this song because it raises awareness of mental illnesses. It tells a story that could reach people in need and let them know they aren't alone. The message of this song together with its melody made me love the song more.

2. Wouldn’t It Be Nice by the Beach Boys

This song makes me feel calm. The beat and rhythm makes me call to mind the summer feels. Everything about the song brings me back to the summer season. Where I don’t have to deal with school and stressful projects. Remember those times that I don’t have to do anything. This song makes me happy!

3. IDGAF by Dua Lipa

Embodies the sense of Empowerment. This song is about a person’s stronger and weaker side fighting with each other only to realize that self-love is what will help to overcome any negativity that comes your way. I love how the songs’ lyrics surprisingly suited its fast beat and melody. I love everything about this song.

4. Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader

Good Vibes. Happiness. Stress-free. I don’t have any other words to explain why I love this song. But just listen to it. Even after a rough day, when I listen to this song it makes me realize and think that at the end of the day, there will always be good times no matter how hard life is!

5. King of Anything by Sara Bareilles

I LOVE THIS SONG BECAUSE OF THE LYRICS. DONE. JUST LISTEN TO THE SONG AND ANALYZE AND COMPREHEND THE LYRICS. LIKE IT’S EVERYTHING I WANT TO SAY TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO CHANGE ME AND OR TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO THINKS THEY CAN MAKE DECISIONS FOR ME. LIKE NO. LIKE I CAN BE KING OF ANYTHING. :P I've had more unsolicited advice on my life than I care to mention, and this was how I dealt with it. It felt empowering to find music that turned my frustration into a form of a song, especially it is a song that doesn't even sound angry. 

6. Slow Hands by Niall Horan

 number 1. it’s by niall horan. BABEEEEE. his voice makes my heart melt all the time!! number 2. chill vibes. number 3. i dont get the lyrics but yoooo, i love the beat. that’s just it.

7. Just Right by GoT7

This is actually a Korean Song! But when you translate the lyrics into English, it’s like the guys are telling you a message. Plus, the melody of the song is lit. It’s amazing. I LOVE GOT 7!!!!

8. Foolish Heart by Steve Perry

Every time we attend a party or when our family goes to a place with a karaoke machine, my father always sings this song. I figured that this was his favorite! And it’s already mine, too. I and my father share the same taste in music. This is just one of the many songs that we love to sing to in the car and at home! This is a very old song, but nevertheless, I LOVE IT.

9. When You Say Nothing At All by Ronan Keating

This was the first song that my boyfriend sang to me while ha played his guitar! Brings back all the good times and memories! Not just that, the song makes me feel like I’m always loved. That I’m always appreciated. Even if i’m not perfect, and even if I have flaws. *heart explodes*

10. Ever Enough by A Rocket to The Moon

This song gives me all the feels. Like literally. When I’m down, I listen to this song, and it makes me feel better. Think about the message, imagine having someone who will always be yours and who will always be there for you through the good times and the bad. This is actually an Indie song. But it’s really good! I SWEAR. I FALL IN LOVE WITH THE SONG MORE AND MORE EVERY TIME I HEAR IT.

Okay. Those are 10 of the songs that I LOVE! Trust me, I have more songs to add to this list. But, we were only tasked to give and say our top ten! 

[unspokenwords101]

I was given a theme of innovation. I understand innovation as a breakthrough, and what I immediately thought about that was a bridge.

 In the tarot, the bridge card means progress, connections, and stability. Often people view bridges as the only way to reach a destination, and therefore bridges are a way to overcome obstacles. Bridges also represent transitions. “Crossing over” is a euphemism for taking that journey from life to death. Perhaps that’s also why so many people use bridges when they’ve made the unfortunate decision to end their lives, a decision which, speaking from personal observation, is made far more frequently than is reported in the media, and is also a decision which they instantly regret, judging from their screams on the way down.

To me, a bridge, is a symbolization of a breakthrough. Whether a breakthrough in technology, in love, in school, or in life and life’s challenges. A bridge connects cities, lives, love, and hope that seems so far away. When you cross bridges, you create possibilities. A bridge opens up new paths, new stories, new adventures, new opportunities, and a new life.

[unspokenwords101]

The Power of Social Media in the 2016 Philippine Presidential Elections

Duterte has won the presidential elections by a landslide with 16.6 million votes, the first such victory for a Mindanaoan. To his supporters, he is the catalyst for change. He is the anger vote against the supposedly blundering Aquino administration. He holds the torch for Mindanao and Visayas against “imperial Manila.” He is the strong leader with a soft heart. He is the ordinary man against the oligarchs, the crime-fighter, the benevolent dictator, the saviour. The adoration of his supporters is matched only by the revulsion of his critics. To them, he is a threat to democracy, a sexist punk, a man for whom nothing is holy. He is the cold-blooded murderer whose respect for human rights is a self-admitted cop-out. He is a symbol, not so much of hope, as of despair, the vote of people so jaded they can no longer tell good change from bad.

Remember the 2010 presidential elections? Social media (and smartphones) weren’t as widespread as they are today, but we distinctly remember a downtick in online conversation about the president-elect right after Noynoy Aquino assumed office. After the heated emotions of the political campaign, Facebook feeds predictably returned to cute cat videos once it was all over.

Not so with our new president, Rodrigo Duterte. Thanks to social media, the candidate, once seen as someone who’ll need to move heaven and earth just to win, was elected to the country’s highest position without the machinery and the funds of other candidates. More than that, he still continues to dominate the conversation, even after assuming office.

Duterte and his team used Facebook as a campaign tool and reached out to the public. I mean, all of the candidates did so, but unfortunately for the others, President Duterte appeared to have been the best candidate who utilized Facebook the most. Social media has influenced politics and it has also increased interest of people in politics. There’s certainly a lot of factors that contributed to this, not least of which is the man himself—and the communications team behind him.

The 2016 Presidential Elections was greatly influenced by social media, specifically Facebook. It’s amazing how people can use social media as a medium to conduct a campaign or movement. Who would’ve thought that Duterte would win? By just simply posting a status, liking one, or sharing one, it all helped pave the way for President Duterte. Truly, social media is powerful —when used for the right reasons and occasions.

Sources: 

Calleja, N. (2016, May 16). Social Media Was Tipping Point. Retrieved from Philippine Daily Inquirer: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/785743/social-media-was-tipping-point

Bueno, A. (2017, June 30). Duterte, the social media president. Retrieved from CNN Philippines: http://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/politics/2017/06/29/duterte-social-media-president.html

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What new and relevant information did you learn from the film show?

Knowing the status of the Philippines as one of the poorest countries in the world and is still considered a third world country, the Philippines needs more help than what I have imagined. It is true in my perspective that the people who are rich in the Philippines are getting richer and richer, while the poor people are getting poorer and poorer. There is still this hierarchy that people on the top will always be on the top and people on the bottom will be squished more and more as time passes. Truly, the Philippines needs to be more considerate towards its people and be more aware on what is happening to every corner and island in the country. Just like in the documentary, there are people who are left out of the society because of their poverty that is why even access to a barangay hospital is a dreadful journey to take. The Philippines needs to improve and reconsider the state of other people for it to develop more and not be on the bottom of the world, but at the top of it. Moreover, the way how the people in the documentary helped each other in order to bring the people who are in need truly touched my heart. They showed that money and their state of living is not a hindrance to help other people in their community.

Do you think documentary film is the best medium to show the societal issues presented in the material viewed? Why or why not? If not, which type of media could relay those issues better? Elaborate your answer.

As I was watching the film, I got really interested about the details that the film was able to give and on how the issue was elaborated and viewed in different views and aspects. For me, documentary films are good enough to portray and show societal issues for it gives the actor an opportunity to elaborate and give detailed information about a certain topic. Every aspect that contributed in the said societal issues was shown and explained well in the said film. But, of course the topic is very critical as o making documentary films. You must choose the right topic to talk about in the said medium, and for me, the topic presented in the documentary film was just a great fit to be discussed.

How can you, as a student, help others become aware and critical of the timely issues in our society using your social media platforms?

As a student, I can help others become aware and critical of the timely issues in our society using several social media platforms by being knowledgeable and to be aware about the things going around in the society. I can use my social media platforms to spread awareness and to use my voice as an active social media user to inform other people or netizens as to what is going around in our society. Additionally, I will make sure that what I will share online is reliable. I will use the social media platforms responsibly and use it as an avenue to disseminate news and societal issues in a way that people will be aware about our community.

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We often see a lot of people complaining about work. A majority of them regard working as an extremely hard, vapid and low earning affliction. They always dream to live a happy life without working. But in reality, it’s is not possible to live without doing work. Each individual needs to work for various reasons, no matter whether he is the son of the billionaire or a layman struggling with poverty. To the best of my knowledge, the most common reasons for people to work are to acquire enormous knowledge, money and to enjoy life.

[unspokenwords101]

An Open Letter to All DH's

Remember that there is dignity in manual labor. Leaving your loved ones to take care of somebody else's child instead of your own, cooking for somebody else instead of your family, wash their clothes, clean their homes and etcetera is not an easy job. It takes so much self-denial and self sacrifice. But what to do? You are just being a responsible parent or family member. You love your family so much that you are willing to do everything for them to have a better future. At whose expense? At your expense, of course! A single text or quick call coming from them makes your day brighter. The news of your children receiving awards makes you want to work harder.

I am sorry about your hardships. I wish there was an easy way out of your problems. However, there is none. All we can do is to keep fighting for life for the people you love. God sees our sufferings. God knows what we're going through. So just hang in there, knowing your family and God has your back. ♥

- A.M ❣

[unspokenwords101]

[unspokenwords101]

[unspokenwords101]

Cultural and National Identity

“I am a Filipino born to freedom,

and I shall not rest until freedom

shall have been added unto my inheritance—

for myself and my children

and my children’s children—forever.”

Three hundred years of Spanish colonization, forty years of being under the control of the Americans, and another three years under Japanese occupation, we, Filipinos, lost our identity. And when one loses his identity, he cannot live freely. Knowing who you really are is the first step to becoming free. When we think about the Japanese people, innovation comes to mind. When we think about the Americans, what comes to mind is freedom. America is the land of opportunity where everyone is free to pursue their own dreams. But when we think about the Filipinos, I cannot think of a single word to describe us. Hopefully, it’s not the widespread corruption, poverty, or conflict in Mindanao that describes us. More than three hundred years of being under the control of other nations robbed us of our identity. Until now, we are still struggling to find that identity. Even our sense of nationalism is very shallow. Our Pinoy Pride is limited to Manny Pacquiao, beauty pageants, competitions (Weren’t you proud of El Gamma Penumbra?), and recognitions abroad. But when you think about it deeply, what does it really mean to be a Filipino?

We have become a copycat nation. It’s not because we lack originality, but because we lack identity in the first place. Our identity is somewhat in our colonial mentality because we have been told for more than three hundred years that we are an inferior race, that other nations’ products are better than ours. Colonial mentality has been deeply ingrained in our culture—from the products we patronize to how we do our work. When given a choice, we would choose an American product over a Filipino product. At work, a certification from a local body is nothing compared to a certification from a foreign firm. Big Filipino companies hire foreign consultants when there are also Filipino consultants who can probably offer the same advice. But honestly, it’s not our fault either. Most mainstream Filipino products, TV shows, and movies are made by those who settle for “pwwede na ‘yan” or mediocrity. Another thing about our Filipino culture. We keep on creating second-rate imitations of American or foreign products. Side by side with the original, which would you prefer to buy as a consumer?

Would you rather watch Gagamboy who has the same powers as Spider-man or the real thing? How about Lastikman which came out after the success of Spider-man? By the way, the plot of Lastikman was pretty much the same as the first Spider-man movie with Tobey Maguire. Most Filipinos live up to their “second-class” citizens stamp.

Don’t get me wrong. There are Filipinos who do amazing jobs. There are Filipino products, movies, and even services that are very much original and so much better than foreign products, movies, and services. The independent movies. The locally-made shoes from Marikina. Many Filipino products, services, and people are original and world-class. But, they are not mainstream. They do not get the attention they deserve because they get associated with the poor “Made in the Philippines” label—cheap, second-rate imitations. Most of the time, they get our attention and, more importantly, our support only when they get recognized abroad—another sad thing about our colonial mentality. Colonial mentality is also deeply ingrained in the Filipino youth. Most of the youth’s dreams are geared towards working overseas or in large foreign companies. Maybe our colonial mentality is simply an effect of falling so far behind in terms of culture, technology, or creativity. Maybe we patronize foreign products and services because we cannot do them yet. Maybe we need to learn from others’ best practices first before we create our own original versions or find our own way.

But, we are not in any way an inferior race. We are not second-class citizens.

Now, more than ever, we need to find our identity in order for us to progress together as a nation. In an increasingly connected and global world, we need to find our identity—an identity to unite us, an identity to differentiate ourselves from other nationalities, an identity to strengthen us in the face of global pressures, and an identity to contribute to globalization.

Maybe we do not value freedom (or make the most of our freedom) as much as the Americans do. For us, Independence Day seems like just another holiday. Maybe we are not as innovative as the Japanese. Maybe we are not as efficient as our Asian neighbors. But, what sets us, Filipinos, apart? I read a comment somewhere that Filipinos are overly dramatic. At first, I got offended. But then, I realized that there is some truth to it.

And maybe there’s also a bright side to it.

Maybe Filipinos are overly dramatic. But, it’s because we have a big heart. Remember our #puso campaign during the FIBA games? We were so close to beating the giants like Argentina and Croatia with just the sheer amount of heart of our players. They played with a lot of desire. We like to have a deep, emotional reason for everything we do. We like everything we do to be meaningful, to be based on love, to be based on our values. And maybe that love, together with our ideals and values, is our identity. We are defined by our immense capacity to love, conservatism, respect, humility, and resiliency. We are the only nation with a word for collective effort towards a single goal, even if most of those who exert effort do not benefit at all—bayanihan. Also, there must be a reason why Jose Rizal is our national hero, not Andres Bonifacio. Maybe it’s because of his ideals.

Unfortunately, in this day and age where progress is measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, production, and consumption, our identity seems impractical. After all, love, conservatism, respect, humility, and resiliency are not really helpful in producing a good or a service. Therefore, they are not helpful to achieving a higher GDP growth rate. We discount our identity because our values and ideals cannot feed an empty stomach. Worse, we are totally forgetting our identity because of social pressures, widespread poverty and corruption, hopelessness, and globalization. My point is, in the face of poverty, social pressures, getting ahead, and globalization, it’s easier to compromise than to exert a tremendous (unrealistic and impractical) amount of effort to uphold our values and ideals. Sadly, now is the time we need our identity the most, yet now is the time we are losing it.

Our country is an archipelago of 7,107 islands and our nation has as many dialects. No, not really. But, we are a diverse nation. We have our manileños, cebuanos, kapampangans, bisaya, ilocanos, ilonggos, and so on. Each group has its own characteristics, language, and even stereotypes. Even our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) seem to have characteristics of their own. Yet, no matter how diverse we are, we are united in our ideals and old-fashioned values. These ideals and values are the things we share in common.

The real challenge for us, Filipinos, is to remain true to our identity in this fast-paced world full of compromises. We also need to go back to our values and ideals and integrate our identity in our daily lives once again. And we need to do it together. We need to be united in hoping for our country. We need to be united in making individual sacrifices for our country. Collectively, our sacrifices will go a long way. We need to be united in upholding our values. We need to be united showing our bayanihan spirit once again.

One of my favorite scenes in the first Avengers movie is when Captain America asked Agent Phil Coulson what he thought about his costume:

Captain America: The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little old-fashioned?

Agent Phil Coulson: With everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old-fashioned.

In this age of globalization, loss of culture and identity, gross inequality in the distribution of wealth, and excessive consumerism, the world needs a little old-fashioned. And maybe this is a chance for us, Filipinos, to share with the world our old-fashioned ideals and values. This is a chance for us to integrate our identity in our products, our services, the way we do our work, the way we do business, and the way we interact and deal with other nationalities (and even with our fellow Filipinos). In everything we do, we can show our genuine love, respect for others, and our no-one-left-behind bayanihan spirit. In every product we make, we don’t need a Philippine flag stamped or a “Made in the Philippines” label to make it nationalistic or patriotic. We just need to pour our hearts out in every product we create.

Our identity—our ideals and values—is our greatest contribution to globalization. We have inspired the world many times before especially through our resilience. It’s time to inspire them again with our old-fashioned values. Apparently, our being overly dramatic in everything we do makes us original. It is our passion that makes us unique. And maybe that will help us come up with original products—not copycat ones.

And maybe, just maybe, the world needs just that.

[unspokenwords101]

10 Months — 8,851 Miles Apart

my first relationship and my first long distance relationship in one. ❣

“the lines stitched into highways;

the never-ending seams,

on roads that are less travelled,

dividing you and me.

i wish i could unravel,

the fabric in-between,

and tear away the distance,

to bring you close to me.”

lang leav

We all love love. Love can tear us down like nothing else in the world, but we still blindly chase after it without any rational thought. Then, when we’ve finally caught love in our hands, we lose ourselves in it like it’s a drug. Life is beautiful, and being able to share life’s wonders with another person is ultimately the most satisfying way to live.

I believe that the love a person sends away will always find its way back; wherever in the world his or her lover might be. I am brave because I believe in love, no matter the obstacles. I won’t even sugarcoat it; long distance relationships are not easy to keep. There are times where I get tired of not having a hand to hold when I am unsure. I keep longing for a warm hug to come home to on tough days. I get frustrated because his eyes that I love so much are just not the same when I'm staring at them through a computer screen.

I don't think you know how hard it is. As a matter of fact, I don't think anyone I know knows how hard it is. To love someone who lives so far away. To miss him so bad you want to stop what you're doing and run to them, or swim to him, or if you're lucky enough to afford it to fly going to him. Some of us aren't. Most of us aren't. No matter how long it has been, no matter how far away, you're still reminded of him by a song, or a scent, or an inside joke. It hurts and aches when and it feels like cold seeps into your bones whenever you are alone at night and can't sleep. It's worse when there are time zones. I'm 13 hours ahead in my case.  I won't forget the worst thing of all, the “not knowing”. Not knowing if he’s with another person while I'm waiting. Not knowing if the feelings are going away. Not knowing if he’s feeling okay. Not knowing if he misses me like the way I miss him too.

There were things I never thought that I'd pay much attention to, things like windy afternoons, or clouds in the shape of popcorn, or old movies, or a song, many of them, or the color of leaves on a tree. But I did.

But what people fail to miss is that choosing to commit in a long distance relationship also means that I found something worth fighting for and worth holding on to. Otherwise, why would I even endure the hardships, right?

One. He's leaving, and I'm dreading the time we will be apart. While both of us don't want to spend our time together thinking about the day we’ll say goodbye for the mean time, we still do. We spend more time with each other just to make up for every single day we’re separated, trying to be happy that at least we have a few weeks to be able to hold each other's hands and give each other the warmest embraces. Then the day of separation finally comes. We have both conditioned ourselves that this day will arrive, but that doesn't make saying goodbye any easier. Tears are inevitable. I tried my best to be strong for him and assure him that we'll survive the distance. The hardest part? The moment you let me go after a tight, long embrace.

Two. Sleepless nights and dealing with a bad case of separation anxiety. And this doesn't go away anytime soon. I just needed to deal with it every single day. There are days when it gets bad, but there are also days when it stays silent in the corner of my heart. There were also times where I worried and felt uncertain about our relationship. There are days when I have it bad and I question why I'm even enduring this kind of relationship. I pick a fight with him even though I don't want to. I get irritated that he's not there when I need him or when I'm looking forward to tell him something about your day. We argue with each other, cry over things, but in the end, the next stage happens. It's the stage where I'm being reminded the most important things in our relationship.

Of course we'll make it through. We always do. It just takes a few minutes to remind ourselves why we're in this kind of relationship in the first place. It doesn't get any easier after that, but it sure helps calm my heart.

Three. Hoping for the best.  They say long distance relationships are just 90% promises but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Promises are like seeds that take root in the heart; it makes love stronger because it gives a preview of a future together. Promises are what we hold on to when the distance become unbearable and we feel like giving up. After each and every argument with him, I get back to my best self and just hope that things will get better. We both stand by each other and stand by our commitment to stay in the relationship, and look forward to the day we'll both be together for as long as you want. The longer I have to wait for him the more I might will appreciate him  when he finally arrives. The harder I have to fight for something, the more priceless it will become once I achieve it. And the more pain I have to endure, the sweeter the arrival at the destination. All good things and people are worth fighting for. And he is one of them.

Four. Uncertainty is a stage that will come up time and time again in any long distance relationship. It is natural to be uncertain; nobody can predict the future. I wonder to myself why am I  going through all this pain for one person, wonder whether or not the relationship is worth holding onto and if I should just end things and move on; it would definitely make life easier. But I didn't. I decided to hold on, because I know everything will be worth it.

Five. No matter how hard it may be, trust and have faith in each other. The key to every relationship is trust (and communication). Without communication, there is no relationship. Without respect, there is no love. Without trust, there’s no reason to continue. I learned to build more trust in our relationship, come to terms with the fact that we are no longer going to physically be a part of each other’s lives. That does not mean that i’m not a vital part of his life, but  we must be able to live as individuals and live independently.

Six. Sometimes you need to do something just to make him feel that you still love him. I mean effort is the key right? specially when you’re both far away. I did not feel his touch and I did not feel his hugs and kisses, but despite the distance, I did not want him to feel that he is alone without me; he did the same. The distance became nearer rather than 8, 851 miles apart, it only felt a centimeter between our hearts. Every second counted and every word meant a lot. It’s the thought that counted more rather than the days that we were apart. Every word pierced in my heart like the warmth of his touch.

Seven. Love? I did not know what was love until he arrive. He loved me so unconditionally that it made me feel like I couldn’t and wouldn’t ask for more. Everything just seems so perfect just by the way that he made me feel loved.  His love made me stronger and made me grew for who I am today. His love made me persevere to wait and wait until the day come when we both see each other again. I became stronger and became more mature. I realized the importance of time more than anythings else. I learned to love him more and more each day that passes and learned to give everything that I can in order to fill in the gaps that i have made. Yes, I loved him more than anything in this world, even myself, but the best part is, he loved me more than I ever loved him and he proves me that; every single day.

Eight. Promises are not meant to be broken, they are meant to be kept and done. They say, actions speak louder than words,  but no actions could suffice my longing when we were apart. The only best thing was promises. I was always afraid of promises. I never thought that a promise could be so important and could mean so much to me. Every word and even the spaces in those promise makes sense and connections  to my well-being, hoping and knowing that it would always be for the best of  us.  Promises were the only things that I was holding on to in our relationship. No actions were present so I had to trust each word that comes out of his mouth. It was all I believed and wanted to hear to assure that everything will turn out fine. Promises were all that we had to keep everything in place.

Nine. We are almost there, I say to myself. As every month became weeks, then weeks became days, until days becomes hours, and hours become minutes; finally minutes will become seconds, until i see you once again. The excited rushes in my veins and the pumping of my heart became so rapid. Is this the feeling of seeing my one true love once again? I can’t imagine everything that I would say to you when you come back. I cannot wait for the time I would finally feel his touch again. I would kiss him all day if he would let me and just cuddle ourselves 'til we both fall asleep in one another’s side. I know a month will still be long to wait, but it would he as hard as waiting for the past 8 months knowing that he is going home. How excited I am, that everything is planned when he comes home. Where will we be going, the days when we will be dating, and so many more plans that are waiting to be fulfilled by two hearts longing to be with each other once again.

Ten. 30 days more, and you’re home. Reuniting after a long time. And then after months of being apart, nothing beats resting my head on the curve of his shoulder again, smelling that familiar scent of him that reminds me that I'm finally home and I always have someone to welcome me into their arms at the end of a long day. The long waiting for 10 months and a tiring distance of 8,851 miles will finally come to an end.

I learned what it really means to be in love. Love is travelling for hours just for an embrace. Love is falling asleep with Skype still on. Love is having your day turned around by just hearing his voice. Each and everyone of us may have our own personal definition but here’s what should always be kept in mind: being in love makes being in a long-distance relationship easy. There will always be people who will rub “Long distance relationships never work.” in our faces. There will always be people who will question why we’re sticking around for a person who cannot even be there for you when you need him. They will doubt your love just because they can’t see it. Prove these people wrong. Show them how you know it’s true because you can feel it. Show them that love doesn’t recede in the distance because “space” is all in the mind,and there will come a day when that distance becomes no more.

How we started isn’t really what is important, it is all about how we manage to spend our time together and the memories that we make with one another. You define the true meaning of love and your relationship. You are the ones who will mold yourselves and choose the things that you want to do in your relationship. You are the ones responsible for everything and you have to do the things that you know will benefit your relationship as a couple. There will be ups and downs and twist and turns, but the best thing to do is make those obstacles a factor for you to grow and not give up. Life is unfair and is very unpredictable, just like in our case, we did not have any visions and plans on having a LDR, but we really proved something. We proved that distance is really just a number; what matters most is how you show your love for one another.

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I almost forgot what it felt like to be held by a man who softened himself for me; a man who unveiled his vulnerabilities, invested himself emotionally into me and confidently left himself open - whilst still making me feel physically protected. His grip reminds me of his overall strength but the softness of his hugs reminds me that my heart is forever safe in his hands.

- Meggan Roxanne

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Di Lang Si Hesus ang Namatay!

“The death of a woman's estranged husband brought her and her family into a road that changes their lives forever.”

When Iyay (Jaclyn Kose) learns that Hesus, her ex-husband, has died, she gathers her children and tells them they are going on a road trip from Cebu City to Dumaguete. No ifs or buts about it: they are attending their father's funeral.

Her children – Hubert, who has Down Syndrome; Jude, a lovesick trans man; and Jay, who is living the bum life – join her with varying degrees of reluctance as she drives them in her extra-mini mini-van.

One unplanned detour comes after another, each pushing this family closer to confronting the past and figuring out how to enjoy the ride to an uncertain future.

Patay na si Hesus (in English: Jesus is Dead) is a comedy film directed by Victor Villanueva and written by Raymond Lee and Fatrick Tabada. The film is starred by Jaclyn Jose and supported by Cebuano local artists Chai Fonacier, Melde Montanez, Vincent Viado, Mailes Kanapi, Olive Nieto, Sheen Gener, Bernard Catindig and Albert Chan Paran. The movie was initially released on October 16, 2016 for the QCinema International Film Festival where the film was awarded the Audience Award and the Gender Sensitivity Award and the film was finally released on August 16, 2017 during the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. Patay na si Hesus was also nominated for 14 different awards. The movie was filmed mostly in different sites in Cebu City, Cebu and the last parts of the movie in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

The movie is more than just a comedy, drama but it digs into something deeper. The story follows Iyay who drags her children to visit their estranged father, Hesus’, funeral in Dumaguete. The title, “Patay na si Hesus” is an intimidating and a deceptive title. As the title suggests, religion is the general idea of the whole movie. To overprotective and conservative  people, the title might sound insulting and conflicting. The first parts of the movie, is kind of misleading and confusing. The idea of the title does not immediately portray what it really says and what it means. The sequence starts several minutes into the movie. The opening sequence’s run time is roughly 7 minutes. The title of the movie does not fully blend in with the scenes of the movie, because in the last part of the film it was like like Maria Fatima or Iyay (Jaclyn Jose), Judith Marie or Jude, Jay and Hubert cared more about the death of Hudas (their dog) than the death of Hesus. The movie is more of a linear narrative of the road trip that Iyay and her children experienced on their way to Hesus’ funeral. Several stops and side trips occurred during the roadtrip. As the film progresses, the characters’ unique personalities, wit and frustrations are witnessed. The sequence of the movie progresses from one scene to another in a single series of scenes. There weren’t any flashbacks or flash-forwards in the movie. The movie seems to be narrated by Iyay in a first person’s point of view. She narrates the story and the events of the whole story.

The storyline of the story was focused more on the road trip that the family of Iyay had, but the whole movie didn’t just happen on the road, it also happened on a mini stall of Iyay where she has a small business called “pungko-pungko” in Cebu, some scenes also happened in the house of Iyay and her family where most of the background of the family was stated through family communication. They also showcased the beautiful and miraculous church of Simala where it is said to be the most holy church in Cebu, the common way of transportation going to other places in cebu which is taking the bus, plus a way of transportation going to Dumaguete which was riding a barge. Though the movie was focused more on the family trip on the road with their mini-van, this was the whole point and heart of the movie. The scenes on the road defined the whole purpose of the story. This is what made the story unique and more appealing, for the movie made an ordinary road trip into a comedy scene yet is still full of lessons that are yet to be learned and understood. The mini-van also played an important role, for this is what made the family conquer every challenge that they faced and at the same time, it served as the foundation of closure of the family and it kept the whole family together until they attained their goal.

Iyay, acted by Jaclyn Jose, is a practical moher that is willing to risk everything for her children. She is a typical “Filipina mom” that we all have in our households. A strict and demanding mother, yet is still a caring, protective and loving mother that all she wants is what’s best for the family always. Judith Marie, preferably called “Jude” which is played by a local Cebuano actress Chai Fonacier, is the so called “tomboy” in the movie. Even if she acts that manly in the movie, she still has a soft spot that would show her feminine side, and that is when it comes to caring for her family and love. She is the hopeless romantic in the movie for she was left and replaced by her live-in partner and that left Judith Marie in a state of being heartbroken.  Jay, played by Melde Montanez also a local Cebuano actor, is a college graduate that already took the board exam the third time yet still, he didn’t made the cut. He is the youngest child of Iyay but he is very lazy and is not a hardworking person. He is also very “pilosopo” to his mother and may seem that he is disrespectful but he has a kind heart for his family and still loves them with all his heart. Though he may look like an untrustworthy person and sometimes like a gangster or an addict, he is the clown of the family and the best friend of all. Hubert also played by a Cebuano actor, Vincent Viado, is the cute one of the movie. He is the source of happiness and everyone is always attending him for he is a special child. Hubert has down syndrome but is very active and proves that even if he has a disability, he is independent and could handle himself. He proves that not all people with special needs are to be treated differently but, should also be treated equally with love and care. Besides Judith Marie that is dressed as a man for again, she is a “tomboy”, all the other characters are dressed as to what their true genders are respectively. There is no significant make-up or any other accessories that are wore or used by them in the movie that signifies other knowledge and specifications about their family. Only, it shows their social status. That they are dressed as simple civilians that simply means they are ordinary people, in the middle class, and is within the average status in the society. Since the movie was shot and based in Cebu and dumaguete, it is expected that the characters will speak either Filipino or Cebuano. This was a great factor for it made you discover what the character’s attitude and characteristics really are. With the use of certain words, you will know how the person feels and you will be able to describe and understand the person more. The language was also used as a means of showing comedy within the movie, but you have to understand Filipino and Cebuano in order to relate to it. I love all the characters because they made their roles seem to be realistic and played it very well and that made the movie more interesting to me. Above all the characters in the story, there is one who really stood up and i liked the most, and that is Hubert.  Despite of having down syndrome, Hubert proved to his family that he is a grown man that could handle himself, just like what happened when Judith Marie claimed that Hubert couldn’t ride a bus alone, so Hubert road a bus to prove that he can. Also, Hubert is a very mature person and an understanding child of his family. He always seem to be worried about everything and is very open minded to things specially the critical moments of his mother when she is about to break down. You can see Hubert’s love for his family even to the simplest thing, and that is taking care of Hudas, their dog, where he treats him as his best friend and part of the family.

The characters faced a lot of conflicts in the movie such as the times when the siblings fought with each other, when Judith Marie got heartbroken, when their mother lost her place in the food stand, and many other conflicts happened, but the main conflict that stood up was when the children of Iyay just seem to not care about their father and their father’s funeral. Their father, knowing that their father didn’t treat them right and have had left them since they were kids, is hated by Iyay and even his own child, for as Jay said “May iba dyan na Hesus ang pangalang ngunit mas demonyo pa kay Satanas”. Though Iyay and their children hated their father, Hesus, Iyay still managed to force their child to attend the funeral for the sake of the soul of their father. Based on the ending, the main conflict was not resolved, though it was settled but not resolved for there happened the plot twist, their dog Hudas was the one who died and the main conflict was just set aside. The official soundtracks used in the movie were also produced and performed by Cebuano artists. Nowadays, VisPop or Visayan pop is popular within Visayas. Several songs were played on the movie such as Hahahahasula by Kurt Fick during the time when Mary, Jude’s girlfriend, broke up with Jude. It was played on the radio and sung by a famous kid singer who participated in a national competition. Another song that was played in the movie was Missing Filemon’s Inday. Using VisPop songs, touches Cebuanos heart as they can relate to the lyrics and the message of the song. The lyrics and context of the poem is related well to the happenings of the events in the movie. Hahahahasula’s message is about someone in love with someone, but that someone is together with another person. Same as the situation in the movie, Jude’s in love with Mary, yet Mary has another girlfriend, so the song well relates and makes the movie scene more emotional and melancholic. Hahahahasula also affected me in a way because one of my close friends is experiencing the same things as to what Jude and the song is describing.

The film tackles various topics such as religion, family, society, culture, music, tourism, gender orientations, and a lot more. This may be a tool to influence the audience to embody and support locality. From where the movie was made, artists they casted, the music they used in the official soundtrack, to the way they used Bisaya as the main language used in the movie, it is a good trademark to show the rest of the country or even the world the Visayan or Cebuano culture and as well as the beauty of the different tourist spots or cities in Cebu and Dumaguete. In this way, the movie has thousands of reasons to inspire a lot of people in also incorporating these traditions and culture in their daily lives. This movie might remove the Filipino mentality of “Bisaya” being “baduy” or “jeje”, Cebuanos has what it takes to rise to the top in various fields in the real world. This movie is the first step towards the bright future of the Cebuanos in the film, arts, and music industry. Gender or sexual orientation is a big part of the movie, since Jude is a lesbian. This dominant ideology is being tackled but not followed, since the Filipino community does not support LGBT. Religion, is also one of the ideologies. Filipinos are known to be very religious. But on the other hand, Filipinos just go to church to show the people and the world that they are good people, yet it doesn't match what they really do after or before church. The  movie involved different aspects of the society, such as the cultural aspect in which the movie used the local dialect, and the tradition of the funeral. Also, social and economic aspects were included, the way that they showcased the different tourist spots in several cities in Cebu like Simala, the Carcar Public Market, and the beautiful beach in Oslob. The film actually portrayed that these different aspects of the society makes people think and realize that family is important. The film shows how the Filipino culture values the family, that the family is not the most important thing, it is everything. Without our families, we are nothing. There aren’t perfect families, there will always be fights, arguments, and misunderstandings but in the end, no matter what happens, our families will always be our families.

The film encapsulates and embraces the Cebuano culture and traditions which the audience can relate to and this is a way for the audience to really be in-depth or to be in context with the film. You have to have the knowledge, the understanding, or to be a Visayan in order to deeply understand and relate to the movie. Most of the statements or dialogues in the movie was in Filipino but in order for one person to understand and thoroughly relate to the movie, one must have a background or understand the Visayan language itself for with the language that they speak, they are able to communicate indirectly to the audience and let them understand what the scene are actually saying without it being deeply discussed or focused on. Overall, the film was great and did its job as a comedy movie but is still filled up with life lessons. The uniqueness of each character in the movie made a great impact on how people relate and understand the movie. The characters did a great role in making people visualize their character with small details but expressive action that were performed in the movie. The movie also taught a lot of values in becoming a better person, specially values about your family. The emphasis of the movie was about the family. Your family might have misunderstandings, might have problems that seem to be unresolvable, your family may seem imperfect, but the members of the family will always make a way to resolve any issue within the family and they also are the only ones that could complete the family. The movie was a friendly and family type of movie, so it is very open to all. Though there could be some restriction due to some language and expressions that are being used in the movie, still, the overall context of the movie is what makes it award winning. Visayans will have no trouble understanding and relating to every scene of the movie and will surely be astonished and entertained at the same time. On the other hand, people that do not understand the culture, tradition, and language of the Visayans may have a hard time relating and understanding the movie, but the movie also uses Filipino language that most of the Filipinos understand and use, also there are english subtitles on the movie so it is also open for the people who do not understand Filipino and Visayan languages. The movie is very popular to millennials and even to families, for it is a well-valued movie that all of the ages could relate to. In general, the movie is great and a lot of life lessons will be learned from it despite of it being labelled as a comedy movie and, it is open to all ages that are eagerly searching and wanting a stress reliever in their lives even just for 1 hour. This is the perfect movies for teens, millennials in general, couples, families, and even to the elderly.

source:  "Patay na Si Hesus." August 2017. IMDB. Picture. Accessed 22 August 2017.  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6166990/mediaviewer/rm2279547648 

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