Loud crowds, the adrenaline of the players, the thrill of the game, the hard-fought victories, and the shining trophies—these are the typical scenes in the lives of student-athletes, or at least the ones that people see during intramurals, tournaments, and competitions. But beyond the cheers are parts that no audience witnesses. Once the game ends and the crowd leaves, they return to a life most people overlook: missing classes because of tournaments, squeezing schoolwork bet

The air in Manila feels heavy today, and it isn’t just the humidity or the exhaust fumes clinging to the overpasses of EDSA. It is the weight of memory colliding with the friction of survival. It is November 30 again—a date circled in red on the calendar, signaling a pause in the grind of the work week and end of the month, a non-working holiday where the flags are raised a little higher and the wreaths are laid a little fresher. We gather, in spirit or in person, at the foot

“Sa College of Communication, papasok kang pamintang buo, lalabas kang durog.” Maraming beses ko nang narinig ang biro na ito mula nang pumasok ako sa COC. Ngunit sa unang araw ko pa lamang sa loob, natuklasan ko nang mas tama sigurong sabihin na lalabas ka nang may mas malinaw na bersyon ng sarili mo. Hindi durog, bagkus ay pinagtibay. Sa pagpasok sa maliit na gusali ng kolehiyo, natagpuan ko ang malaking espasyo para tuklasin at ipahayag ang aking sarili sa paraang malaya