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03/12/2024

Donald Trump branded himself as the pro-crypto presidential candidate on the campaign trail announcing his support for the industry at the biggest bitcoin conference held in Nashville last July 2024. As Trump’s numbers increased on election day last November 5, 2024, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies continued to surge to an all-time high.

The recent surge in the crypto market has significant implications for the future of digital currencies. It signals growing investor confidence and opens doors for increased investment in the sector. If these trends continue, the cryptocurrency industry could play an increasingly prominent role in the global economy, offering new opportunities for innovation, investment, and economic growth.

Swipe through the slides to learn more.

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10/11/2024

The QCinema International Film Festival is in full swing, offering an exciting lineup of films that invite viewers to explore diverse perspectives through the theme The Gaze.
Each film promises a compelling journey through unique lenses, from masculine and feminine viewpoints to fresh ways of seeing the world.

With a remarkable selection of Asian competition films, global cinema, genre explorations, and arthouse gems, QCinema 2024 promises an immersive experience that thoughtfully examines the complexities of politics, gender, race, and more.

Running from November 8 to 17, the festival will take place across premier venues, including Gateway Cineplex 18, Ayala Malls Cinema at Trinoma, Red Carpet at Shangri-La Plaza, and Powerplant Mall. Film enthusiasts won’t want to miss this opportunity to experience the transformative power of cinema and view the world through a new lens at QCinema.

Swipe through the slides to learn more.

Written by Andrei Santos
Designed by Diane Go

04/11/2024

Lawmakers recently voted in favor of the proposed Access to Medical Cannabis Act on its third and final reading, paving the way for the use of medical ma*****na to treat various ailments. However, the bill still needs to pass through the Senate for further deliberation and approval before becoming law.

Legalizing medical cannabis could provide new therapeutic options for patients with conditions that are difficult to manage using conventional treatments. This represents a significant shift in alternative care, particularly for those suffering from chronic pain and psychological conditions.

Despite this progress, hesitance toward more progressive legislation in the Philippines is unsurprising. The ongoing conversation around topics like this has spanned generations, highlighting the nation’s deeply ingrained conservatism.

The legalization of medical cannabis, however, brings the promise of new treatments with careful provisions and regulations in place to ensure safety.

29/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2021)]

For centuries, language has provided us with the proper means to communicate, converse, and build a sense of community. Similarly, as it has chronicled history, language has also provided us an avenue to better understand our past. In more ways than one, it has become a repository of knowledge, one that has woven itself into the fabric of a community’s culture.

To classify a language as endangered declares that there is a significant loss of speakers of the language and that the vernacular is no longer being passed to the next generation, signaling the potential risk of extinction. As of 2021, the Philippines has garnered a total of 45 “in danger” languages. Reports on these figures were based on the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Scale (EGIDS), a framework used to measure the vitality of a certain language with regard to its rate of being passed onto the succeeding generation. Languages that are at risk would score highly on the scale as these have a slim chance of being transmitted to the younger members of a community. While a vernacular is classified as extinct once it has fallen completely out of use by any living native speaker.

Read the full story: https://mediacommoner.medium.com/our-local-languages-are-dying-out-heres-what-s-at-stake-67e62984563f

29/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2021)]

Kulitan is a Filipino indigenous writing system used to write Kapampangan. It holds great social significance and has had various uses throughout history—from taboo mystic healing to rebellion and revolution. Although it is currently not used as the main script for written communication in the Philippines, several Kapampanganans use it alongside the common Latin orthography.

In an effort to make the script more relevant outside of its traditional usage, several Kapampangan cultural advocates, like Michael Pangilinan and Edwin Navarro Camaya, have taken action to promote Kulitan to the Filipino majority. Unfortunately, as only a few historical documents about Kulitan remain, the script has been unavailable to many intellectuals, artists, scholars, and advocates.

Swipe through the slides by to know more.

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*Erratum: On slide 3 of this post, “Abudiga” should be “Abugida”. We apologize for this oversight.

28/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2021)]

Jawi script was the dominant writing system in the Malay world during the 15th century, influencing Muslim culture and language not only in the Philippines but across Southeast Asia. In the Islands of Sulu, the language developed to what is now known as Bahasa Sug and became an important instrument in teaching the Qur’an and Islamic values. Because of its capacity and role in the Muslim way of life, it was also used in other fields such as royal correspondence, documents, circulars, laws, and religious scholars.

However, today, the script is facing the threat of extinction. There is little to no known effort made by the national government, the Tausug people, or other Moro groups to preserve the Jawi script as an expression of identity.

Swipe through the slides by to know more.

Illustration and graphic design by
Copyedited by

28/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2021)]

The term surat, which means “to write,” is a term used by the Mangyan, Tagbanua, and Palaw’an.

Despite not being preserved on metal plates and carved only on bamboo and wooden slabs, Surat Mangyan, the script of the Hanunó'o Mangyans, remains alive in their ecocentric consciousness and tradition.

It is through ancient indigenous scripts like these that we can find a glimpse of the wealth of our pre-Hispanic consciousness and understand our roots better.

Swipe through the slides by to know more.

Graphic design by

28/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

This Buwan ng Wika, let us remember that appreciating our culture, especially our native languages, warrants consistent acceptance, open-mindedness, and inclusion in our everyday lives—not just during the month-long celebration.

For instance, the differences found in the context, origin, and pronunciation of some words should not be taken as hindrances in communication and understanding. The variation exists because the language we speak and write continuously evolve.

One can easily get lost in translation and remain uneducated about the context behind words. Knowing how different these are used in different places in the country helps keep our cultural identity intact.

Swipe through the slides by to know more.
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26/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Among the 180+ languages we have in the country, Tagalog was chosen as the base of our national language. This was due to a variety of reasons such as the number of speakers, publications and literature, and even the deadline for the proclamation. And while it may have been made with pure intentions, it's not one without its own set of consequences.

In these slides, we talk about the brief history of our languages and the adverse effects of putting one native tongue at the center of it all.

26/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Siyasatin tayo so ulat na salita na Pangasinan, kasaysayan, user profile, san sitwasyon to natan.

Let’s explore a little bit more about the Pangasinan language’s roots, its history, its user profile, and how it’s faring today.

When the Pangasinenses started trading with the Sung merchants by the early thirteenth century, their frequent exposure to these traders played a key role in the development of their native language. Chinese, particulary Fujian, accounted for the major contribution to the Pangasinan language’s lexicon, making its morphology distinct from other Philippine languages.
However, Pangasinan is not the dominant lingua franca in its own province. Only the population in the southern and eastern portions of the Lingayen Gulf area, particularly San Carlos, Dagupan, and Lingayen, speak their mother tongue dominantly. The usage of Ilocano is said to overpower the rest of the Pangasinan province more with speakers spread all throughout Urdaneta City, and municipalities in the eastern, far western, and southern areas. This is in part because of all the groups of Ilocanos who began migrating to the province since the nineteenth century.

While there is no obvious prejudice between the two native languages in Pangasinan’s mixed towns, the attrition of Pangasinan’s native speakers are increasing because of rapid urbanization, “outmigration” (where many migrants don’t return to their place of birth), and inter-ethnic marriage, among other factors. Nonetheless, there have been a significant number of groups and publications actively advocating for its preservation and revival.

With over 1.2 million users, Pangasinan is still classified as a language that is being used in wider communication. Let’s continue upholding its rich ethnic heritage by learning some of their unique words, its definitions, and how it can be used in everyday scenarios--all curated by a Pangasinan contributor.

Tag someone you know who speaks Pangasinan while you’re at it, and let us know what other words we missed.

25/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Tara mekenit tuklasan ing pun ning amanung kapampangan,ing pamanggamit at makananu magagamit ngening kasalukuyang panaun.

Derived from the word “pampang”, which means riverbank, Kapampangan is a language with a user population of over 2 million speakers residing primarily in parts of Pampanga, the Central Luzon region, southwest Nueva Ecija province, Tarlac province, Central Visayas region, and Zambales.

Kapampangan is fondly called Amanung Sisuan by its native speakers, which can be directly translated to “breastfed or nurtured language”. The la
nguage’s rich literarure is also a notable feat for the ethnolinguistic group. For one, the longest work in Philippine literature, Gonzalo de Cordoba, is in Kapampangan. It also holds the record for the first zarsuela written in a Philippine language. In fact, its writing system, Kulitan, is credited as a distinct indigenous heritage of the country.

However, these feats have been tainted by the language’s struggles to overcome its decline. For instance, the lingua franca has suffered its setbacks when its usage was suppressed in its homeland for decades. Uncharacteristically, Kapampangan children were sanctioned for speaking their mother tongue in their classrooms. Likewise, Tagalog has become the dominant language in the home. Thus, Kapampangan children below the age of 12 are said to be only Tagalog-literate.

There have been measures taken to address these hurdles, with the most prominent one being the Ordinance No. 424, Series of 2017. It was an ordinance passed to establish Kapampangan as the official language of Angeles City in all sectors in an intensive effort to help safeguard and revitalize the dying language.

Characterized with a syllable-timed rhythm when spoken, check out these unique Kapampangan words, its definitions, and how it can be used in everyday scenarios--thanks to netizen Robby Tantingco and another fellow proud Kapampangan.

Tag someone you know who speaks Kapampangan while you’re at it, and let us know what other words we missed.

24/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Kapyan kamu pa nu Diyos, Kaydian! Tiya sa u papere a chirin nu Ivatan

Did you know that the Ivatan language is so distinct that it has its own category when it comes to the classification of Philippine languages?

Ivatan comes from the Austronesian language family and is characterized by the frequent use of the letter “v”. Also called chirin nu Ibatan, Ibatan, or Babuyan, the language traces back nearly 3,000 years ago and is derived from i-batan, which simply means “from Batan” or “people of Batanes”.

With a user population of over 35,000, its speakers come predominantly from Batanes, specifically the islands of Batan, Sabtang, Ichbayaten, and Itbayat. A number of Ivatan speakers also reside in some areas in Mindanao. Language use is said to be vigorous, with standardization and literature being sustained. However, even with this classification, the language is not the norm in schools, administration, religion, commerce, labor relations, and letters. English and Filipino is commonly used as the medium of instructions in schools, and younger Ivatans are said to use Filpino more over the years.
Ivatan’s morphological system has been described by linguists as one with a staggering complexity--a further proof of its richness.

Case in point, some of its lexical items include words like: manutung, rutungan, panutungan, maychapanupanutung, and nakapanutung, among others. Like the majority of our languages, Ivatan is heavily influenced by Spanish words. It is also spoken with the rhythm of the Chinese language.
The Ivatan language is part of our cultural heritage that needs to be preserved and enriched further.

Let’s celebrate it by taking a look at some unique Ivatan words, their definitions, and examples of how it can be used in everyday scenarios--all written by an Ivatan contributor.

Tag someone you know who speaks Ivatan while you’re at it, and let us know what other words we missed.

24/08/2024

[This is a multimedia slide set. Turn on your audio for the full experience.]

BROUGHT TO YOU BY TEKA TEKA NEWS on PUMAPODCAST.

According to polling agency WR Numero, the rising prices of commodities, poverty, corruption, drugs, and unemployment are among a long list of concerns for Filipinos

Is BBM’s Bagong Pilipinas doing everything it can to solve these old problems? Or is political bickering going to get in the way?

This slide set is based on the episode “What Filipinos really think of Marcos-Duterte rift, charter change, coming elections” of Teka Teka News by PumaPodcast

Give this episode a listen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IIFFsFJLc5E3d4ZZWLBI4?si=8ed6063a408d4f66

Listen to Teka Teka News on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Written by Albert Saspa
Designed by Dani Patalinghog

23/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Handa na bala kamo makabalo parte sa isa pa naton ka lengwahe? Lantawon ta ang Hiligaynon!

With a user population of over 6.2 million, Hiligaynon, also called Ilonggo, ranks 4th nationwide in number of speakers. It is categorized under a language status of level 3 or ‘wider communication’ in terms of its development. This means that it is being used in various contexts outside the household, bleeding into milieus of work and mass media, but is not conclusive enough to surpass language differences in a region. Hiligaynon speakers are mostly spread all throughout Negros Occidental, the eastern and southern portions of Panay island, most of Guimaras island, and even around Davao and Puerto Princesa.

The term Hiligaynon itself draws its origins from the term ‘Yligueynes’, loosely translated as ‘people of the coast’, which can be attributed to Western Visayas’ geography surrounded by large bodies of water.

Its history dates back to the pre-Hispanic era through contacts with Malay and Indonesian traders. Thus, the language’s influences are largely derived from Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic. When the Spaniards came, Hiligaynon was already a major language used for trade in Western Visayas. Later on, hundreds of words were assimilated from Spanish and English into its language fabric. There are even traces of Cebuano influences to the Hiligaynon being used today. The manner of speech by which it is used is characterized by its affectionate sing-song tone.

Hiligaynon is yet another example of the diversity of our languages and because of this, there are unique words found in their vocabulary that don’t necessarily have a direct Filipino translation. Swipe through to see some of these words, their definitions, and examples of how it can be used in everyday scenarios--all written by Hiligaynon contributors.

Tag someone you know who speaks Hiligaynon while you’re at it, and let us know what other words we missed.

22/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Maaram ba kamo nga an Waray-Waray an ikalima nga hulagway nga may-ada pinakadamo nga magyarakan ha Pilipinas?

Did you know that Waray-Waray ranks fifth in language with the most number of speakers in the Philippines?

Prevalent in use in the Eastern Visayas region--in particular Biliran, Leyte, Samar, and its associated islands--the language has over 2.6 million speakers. In fact, the use of Waray-Waray is widespread enough that it covers usage from the household to mass media.

When translated, Waray literally means “nothing”, but the lingua franca is nothing short of diverse. For instance, spoken Waray has differences in vocabulary, tone nuances, and accent depending on what part of the province one is from. ‘Estehanon’ is the variety of Waray spoken primarily in Eastern Samar, while ‘nortehanon’ refers to the speakers in Northern Samar and ‘westehanon’ to those residing in Western Samar.

Waray-Waray’s literary history is also rich, and is considered the language characterizing most of East Visayan literature. Revolving on genres of poetry and drama, the flourishing of ethnic poetry began in 1901 when the first Waray newspaper, An Kaadlawon, was published. Their literature was gradually displaced when English dominated the province’s publications from mid 1950s to early 1970s. While its heyday was never really brought back ever since, new Waray writings, albeit with a more subtle, compact, metaphorical, and experimental form as compared to its predecessors, are being revived.

Whether you prefer calling the language Waray-Waray, Samarenyo, Lineyte-Samarnon, or Binisaya, let’s celebrate its fabric by taking a look at some of their unique words, its definitions, and how it can be used in everyday scenarios--all from Waray contributors.

Tag someone you know who speaks Waray-Waray while you’re at it, and let us know what other words we missed.

22/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Maayong adlaw sa atong mga amigo! Ali ug atong ilailahon ang Cebuano nga sinultian.

Cebuano comes from the Spanish root word for Cebu, “Sugbo”, which means ‘to walk in water’. This is primarily attributed to how in the old days, travellers had to wade the shallow waters of the Cebu port to get to land.

Cebuano, more widely referred to as Bisaya, is said to be the first documented Philippine language in history when Venetian explorer Antonio Pigafetta wrote down several Cebuano words in his account of the Magellan expedition. Cebuano has then become dominantly influenced by the Spanish language during the period of colonialism, thus thousands of Spanish loanwords consist of its linguistic make-up.

The 60’s saw the rise of Cebuano, making it the language with the most number of speakers in the Philippines at the time. Today, it holds the second spot next to Tagalog with over 15.9 million speakers. With the majority of its users spread out across the Bicol region, the south Masbate province, parts of Mindanao, and all throughout the Visayas regions, it is considered an institutional language. This means that the language has been developed to the point that it is being used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community. Likewise, it is also being used in work and mass media settings, but does not currently have the ability to transcend language differences across a region.

Because of the richness of the fabric of our languages, there are words that are uniquely Cebuano and don’t have a direct Filipino equivalent. Swipe through to see some of these words, their definitions, and examples of how it can be used in everyday scenarios--all written by Cebuano contributors.

Tag someone you know who speaks Cebuano while you’re at it, and let us know what other words we missed.

21/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

Naimbag nga aldaw kanyayo amin kakabsat! Itata ti orasun nga agadal iti sao nga Ilocano.

Because the first Filipinos to migrate to the U.S. were Ilocanos, Ilocano, also known as Ilokano or Iloko, is said to be the “lingua franca of the diaspora”. This is why its use is also extensive overseas, specifically in Hawaii, California, and other parts of the western U.S.

Over 6.4 million people are accounted for as the user population of the language, making it the third major language in the Philippines. Its usage has spread beyond the Ilocos region, reaching places in the Cagayan Valley region, Babuyan Islands, Mindoro, and some areas in Mindanao. In 2012, Ilocano also became the official provincial language of La Union. Because of its widespread nature, Ilocano is also considered an institutional language for its sustained use beyond the home and the community.

Coming from the root word ‘loco’, ‘luko’ or ‘liu kiu’, which when roughly translated means ‘islands adjacent to the mainland’, Ilocano borrows its words largely from Spanish, with English, Hokkien, Arabic, and Sanskrit influences in between. Like other Philippine languages, frequent contacts in trade and foreign colonization is responsible for such linguistic convergences in the make-up of the language.

Ilocano is also credited as the language used in the first Philippine folk epic in written form. “Biag ni Lam-ang” reflects many of the Ilocano’s values and beliefs, like loyalty, hard work, and the importance of family. It tells of a story of a boy advanced beyond his years, who goes off to search for his father when he doesn’t return from battle. It goes on to detail the boy’s entire life from his marriage to eventually, his death.

Swipe through to see unique Ilocano words, their definitions, and examples of how it can be used in everyday scenarios--all written by Ilocano contributors.

Tag someone you know who speaks Ilocano while you’re at it, and let us know what other words we missed.

21/08/2024

[FROM THE ARCHIVES (2020)]

How are the Philippine languages faring today?

Since this month marks our 27th year of celebrating Buwan Ng Wika, it's time to shift our focus on other native languages that don't get much of the spotlight.

According to data, there are at least over 180 native languages in the Philippines, making our linguistic ecosystem one of the most diverse. However, this has been tainted by the endangerment of 50 languages and decline in usage even among major languages.

There's still so much that can be done to improve the numbers. Let's enrich the fabric of our native languages by speaking it, writing with it, and actively advocating for its use.

Swipe through to see how our native languages are faring today.

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Can we keep algorithms in check? Algorithms are often called “black boxes” because people do not usually know how they work. While the inputs and outputs of an algorithm are typically known, the process that turns the input into output is opaque. In the case of ride-hailing apps like that of Grab, we know it uses driver and customer data to derive the surge rate. But customers are in the dark about how the rates are actually computed. Dominic Ligot, founder of CirroLytix and Data Ethics PH, offers some ways forward on regulating algorithms. Hear more from him in Part 2 of @PumaPodcast’s “Bakit ang Mahal ng Grab?” Click the link in our bio to give this episode a listen. Brought to you by @puma_podcast! Listen to TekaTeka News on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Motion Graphics by @caramanila This podcast was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network.

[This is a multimedia slide. Turn on your audio for the full experience.] Ever wondered why despite the usually costly rides, Metro Manila commuters still prefer using Grab? An investigation led by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network, identified that many factors play into this. There are overpriced taxi fares on top of metered rates, a still-unsolved transportation crisis, and the poor condition of public transport. There are not many options for Filipinos—and it shows. So, what now? Click the link in our bio to give this episode a listen. Brought to you by @puma_podcast! Based on the episode, “Bakit ang Mahal ng Grab?” Listen to TekaTeka News on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Graphic Design by Jana Codera @heart.shaped.sun Motion Graphics by @caramanila #philippines