Article by Matthew Kirsten Mendez What makes this year different?Every year we burn the skies with colors that light up the night. We sear our eyes with different hues, emblazening not just our faces but also our spirits. But do we ever really ask ourselves, what’s there to be colorful for? Survival is the primary answer. The red in the gunpowder might be the blood that we shed in fighting this year’s battles. In that sense, life is an endless war. Victory could be another re

Article by John Kenneth Dapitan I choked on a firecracker, but I burst into flying colors. New years were always about new beginnings. We march into new chapters and follow the trails of first times and emerging relationships. However, 2025 proves that a year can end in tragic stories, heartbreak, and hopelessness. So instead of writing my 2026 New Year’s resolutions, I asked myself: what did I change to deserve a new beginning? First 4 Months of Love Not Lighting Up Love

Written by: Hannah Marie Rodeo People see reflections of my mother in me, but some say I am more like my father, others say I am a mixture of both, but if you’d ask me – I am a piece of every person I once knew and loved. I cook Sinigang the way my lola did, it has that asim kilig taste that everyone will love. The click-clack of chess pieces always brings back memories of my cousins, a sport they introduced to me when I was young. I think of my brother whenever I play onlin