Ensure you’ll have a good start to your job hunt by making your resume or CV as good as it can be!

Related: 6 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got My First Job

The job hunt isn’t easy. With the job market being increasingly competitive, we need all the help we can get. Though you don’t necessarily need a stacked resume to land a job, especially if you’re just starting out, it is the first thing that puts you on Human Resources’ and consequent higher-ups’ radar. Resumes and CVs let them know what you can do and what you can bring to the company (and if you’re right for the position).

Besides the obvious—don’t lie, because it will for sure come to bite you in the butt later on—and the practical, here are a few resume and CV writing tips and tricks that will help you land that job.

RESUME VS. CV—WHAT’S THE DIFF?

First things first—what’s the difference between a resume and a CV and how do you know which one you should use?

A resume is a one to two-page document detailing your work experiences, relevant skills, and educational background. A CV, or “curriculum vitae,” is a longer, more comprehensive document that lists the same things a resume has, but puts emphasis on academic history and achievements. A resume is more commonly used across industries, and CVs are more used in the academe.

Some companies will accept either. It also depends on the job description, industry, location, nature of the job, and a few other things. If you feel your CV would paint a better picture of who you are and what you can bring to the job, feel free to send that. But if you think your resume speaks for itself, go for it. In any case, make sure to exercise critical judgment in everything when it comes to dealing with a potential new job.

RESUME AND CV TIPS AND TRICKS

KNOW WHAT’S NEEDED

Adjust your resume or CV according to the needs of the job listing and requirements. Make sure your documents include only the necessary details: a short description of yourself, educational attainment, work or organizational experience, and skills and interests. Keep your descriptions about what you’ve done under a company or organization clear and concise.

EDIT WITH BRUTALITY

Be cutthroat when you edit your resume—you probably won’t need all that you put initially. Focus on highlighting the skills, work, and accomplishments that prove you would be a good fit for the position. Cut irrelevant information or experiences that are not aligned with the job you’re applying for.

For instance, HR and bosses of a media company would be interested in knowing that one of your hobbies is photography because it means you know how to handle a camera, but you need not mention that you love having dinner with your friends.

VALUE THE TRIED-AND-TRUE

It helps to stick to what works. There are loads of resume and CV templates online, and your university may even have a standardized format that they provide to help you with job applications. These templates are often simple and help guide you on what to include in the document. You don’t need to start from scratch!

STRIP IT DOWN

Don’t write paragraphs upon paragraphs about yourself and your experience. Design your resume to be something that can be easily skimmed. Keep it short and sweet, with clear headers, bullet points, and dynamic, active verbs that immediately let them know what you’ve done and how you’ve accomplished things.

HIT KEYWORDS

When talking about your experience, no matter how little or how much you have, employ some relevant keywords, whether they’re directly aligned with the job description or something that shows off your skills and efficiency. The Muse has a formula you can play around with that ensures your qualifications will be listed in a way that’s concise and detailed:

• Compelling verb + job duty + key skills used = tangible result
  
  Examples:
  
  Conceptualized and executed a promotional campaign for a University Student Government fundraiser, which raised 100% of its target quota
  
  Introduced a new social media content plan and calendar after analyzing brand and audience insights, leading to a 20% increase in followers
  

LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE

Simply put, make sure your resume or CV looks neat, readable, and professional. Take a step back and ask yourself if the document looks too crowded or too wordy, if the font is appropriate, if there’s too much negative space, if it looks messy, if you need to embolden or italicize sections or phrases to make words distinct from one other, if the margins are too narrow—things that may be small details but could make someone want to skim through it immediately.

PLEASE PROOFREAD

Whether you’re sending an email or handing over your resume, do not forget to proofread a whole bunch of times. You wouldn’t want to send something that has minor errors like incorrect grammar or typos—a polished resume or CV shows how careful and deliberate you are, which are good traits to have.

GET IT CHECKED

You’re going to need a different, fresh pair of eyes to look over your resume or CV, because you might miss something. Run your sentences through a grammar checker and have other people read through it! Make sure it’s at its best before you send it over to a company and hope it helps you stand out enough to move forward in the application process and land that interview (and eventually, that job).

Continue Reading: How I, A Fresh Graduate, Got A Job During The Pandemic (Hint: It Wasn’t Easy)

Going to Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour show in Manila will not only be a great time—through Fund 4 Good, it’s also a way to support women and girls worldwide.

Related: Olivia Rodrigo Shows a Lot of GUTS with the Ticket Pricing of Her Tour’s Manila Leg

Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour in Manila is the definition of worth it—and not just because it’s staggeringly cheap compared to other shows by big-name artists.

Concerts are a lucrative business. Just look at ticket prices worldwide (and the increasing prevalence of scalpers). Though a lot of us would pay quite a lot to simply watch an artist perform, it’s an added bonus when we know our money is making an impact socially. Olivia Rodrigo taking a long time to announce the Manila date of her GUTS World Tour ended up being worth it, as not only do all her tickets cost only 1500 PHP, but all the earnings of the show will go to the artist’s Fund 4 Good initiative, which supports women and girls worldwide.

Through Fund 4 Good, Olivia’s shown an effort to not only be considerate of her audience, but to also highlight women’s and girls’ struggles all over the world.

FOR THE GIRLS

olivia has launched ‘fund 4 good’, a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom.

a portion of the proceeds from all #GUTSWorldTour ticket sales will go towards the #Fund4Good 🤍 pic.twitter.com/2kfAGxy8Pa

— olivia’s livies 💋 (@LiviesHQ) February 24, 2024

Olivia Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good is a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for women and girls through raising money for community-based non-profit organizations that champion girls’ education, support reproductive rights, and prevent gender-based violence. 

“Fund 4 Good works to support all women, girls, and people seeking reproductive health freedom,” the singer said.

The initiative was launched just earlier this year alongside her GUTS World Tour dates, and a portion of her ticket sales will go toward Fund 4 Good. For the US leg of the tour, she partnered with the National Network of Abortion Funds to help those who are hindered from “getting the reproductive care they deserve.”

For the Canadian dates of the tour, she partnered with Women’s Shelters Canada, an association of shelter organizations across the country that supports over 600 shelters for women and children fleeing violence.

During the European leg of the GUTS World Tour, the Fund supported Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE). The WAVE Network works to strengthen and sustain a European alliance of women’s specialized support and prevention services, experts and survivors. Through an intersectional feminist approach, they aim to prevent, challenge, address and ultimately end male violence against women and their children.

For the long-awaited Manila stop of the GUTS Tour, Olivia made the entire show a fundraiser for Fund 4 Good, with all net ticket proceeds going to the initiative. Though we don’t know yet what specific organizations the initiative will support, we know for sure that our money will go to positively impacting the lives of women and girls across the globe.

MUSIC 4 GOOD

MANILA!!!⭐️i’m soooo excited to visit the Philippines for the 1st time for a very special Silver Star Show on the GUTS world tour on October 5th, presented by @AmericanExpress. https://t.co/FGllYiR0LN pic.twitter.com/QyczIIAOdI

— Olivia Rodrigo (@oliviarodrigo) September 10, 2024

Olivia Rodrigo’s introduction of “Silver Star” tickets made it known that offering $20 tickets was to make sure people who could not afford the regular tickets (anywhere from $50-$200) may still watch the show—albeit they won’t know where they’ll watch it from.

Olivia’s low pricing of her GUTS Tour in Manila tickets (comedically referred to as “presyong kababayan”) was already a considerate and pleasantly surprising move on her part, and making it essentially a fundraising show a lot of consideration on her part.

olivia rodrigo is an artist that everyone should stan as a filipino. tickets are very cheap, very considerate and all of the sales on her show will go to fund where helps women’s rights such as reproductive rights and so on.

I LOVE YOU OLIVIA YOU’RE THE ONLY RODRIGO I STAN!

— 𓂀 (@leinpop) September 10, 2024

Her decisions thus far are further proof that music can be political—but not in the sense that it has to involve governments directly. Olivia and her GUTS tour are political in the sense that music and concerts can be a space to support those in need and advocate for causes involving things like women’s and reproductive rights. From pushing for affordability to advocating for reproductive rights to women’s safety, Olivia is committed to doing more for people and communities than just make music.

Continue Reading: How Fearless Social Media Platform She Talks Asia Puts Women’s Stories Front and Center

We love it whenever a celeb like David Licauco doesn’t have a filter and calls it as he sees it.

Related: 7 Truth Bombs David Licauco Wasn’t Afraid To Drop

It’s often assumed that celebrities have to act or speak in a certain way and put up a persona fit for public consumption. But honestly, who wants that? These days, we’d rather see our faves keep it real, be honest, and say it like it is. And it’s this authentic personality you can find in David Licauco. There’s more to the actor than his face card and business acumen. The hardworking star has never been shy to say what’s on his mind, whether it be clapping back at netizens disrespecting his boundaries or letting his impulsive thoughts win. We rounded up a few times David kept it realer than real below. 

WHEN HE REVEALED WHY HE ACCEPTED HIS ROLE IN MARIA CLARA AT IBARRA

David’s role as Fidel in Maria Clara at Ibarra is the definition of a breakthrough performance with how it helped bring the actor into the A-list. But it turns out that his reasons for playing Fidel were more practical than career-driven. “In-accept ko ‘tong ‘Maria Clara,’ honestly, kasi wala na kong pera,” David said in an interview with Ogie Diaz. It turns out that David invested all his savings into his businesses, and said yes to Fidel because he needed a quick check to replenish his funds. He needed to secure the bag, and we respect him for that.  

WHEN HE RESPONDED TO ACCUSATIONS THAT HE’S USING KATHRYN BERNARDO FOR CLOUT

David has made it no secret that he’s a Kathryn Bernardo stan. He’s shown his appreciation to the star by, among other things, posing with her during Bench Fashion Week and saying that he wants to work with her on a future project. But some have mistaken his love for Kath as a form of clout-chasing, and David wasn’t here for it. 

In an interview, the actor pushed back against accusations of riding on Kath’s popularity. “Hindi naman sa sasakay ako or something.” He added, “I think I’m just being true to myself na siguro like I was looking up to her before. Noong bata ako, siya yung pinapanood ko. So actually ‘dun sa interview na I had, eh talagang sinabi ko lang kung ano ‘yung dream ko.” David is a man of many things, but clout chaser is not one of them.  

WHEN HE CLAPPED BACK AT ENTITLED FANS

May sakit ako niyan beh tapos 1am na yan hehe sorry po ☺️🙏🏻 bawi ako next time ha 🥹😘😄

— David Licauco (@davidlicauco) April 23, 2024

At the end of the day, celebrities are people, too, and they deserve to have their boundaries respected. It’s something David believes in, and he isn’t afraid to defend his peace when it comes to it. When a video of David looking a bit unfriendly to a fan who asked to take his picture went viral on social media, some netizens took it as David being rude and entitled. 

But the actor, who looked visibly tired in the video, shot down those rumors with quickness. “May sakit ako niyan beh tapos 1am na yan hehe sorry po. Bawi ako next time ha,” he said on X. FYI, stars deserve their space and it’s good on David to call out this toxic mindset.  

WHEN HE DATED A FAN

He’s so real for that. Not only has David expressed his openness to dating a fan, he also did so a few years ago. In 2018, the Pambansang Ginoo went on a date with one of his fans named Fritz Enriquez after her Facebook post got 8,000 likes, shares, and comments. The two went on a fishball date, with the whole moment being featured on an episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. 

WHEN HE TWEETED HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT STUDYING JOSE RIZAL

studying jose rizal's life for tom's finals. Ano makukuha ko dito -_-

— David Licauco (@davidlicauco) August 29, 2013

Just like you, David Licauco also rants about school on social media, as seen in his tweets where he complained about studying Jose Rizal during his college days. It’s kinda ironic he’d say this considering his role in Maria Clara at Ibarra and that he’s also pretty knowledgeable in Philippine history. 

WHEN HE NAMED A FAMOUS MARIA

@familyfeudph 'Di ka nag-iisa, @davidlicauco. Naisip rin namin 'yan! 🤭 #fyp #familyfeudph #BarDa #viral #trending #mariaozawaa ♬ original sound – Family Feud Philippines

David – 0 His inner thoughts – 1

During an episode of Family Feud PH, David was asked to fill in the blank in “Maria ___”. His response?Japanese actress and former porn star Maria Ozawa. Why he’d say that name out of all the Marias in the world, and on national TV no less, we don’t know (but we have a couple of guesses). But this had a full-circle moment as David and Maria Ozawa eventually worked together on a project, as she played the mother of David’s character, Hiroshi, in Pulang Araw. Life really works in mysterious ways. 

HIS FUN BEHIND-THE-SCENES MOMENTS

@nathanhmua @David Licauco Tug of war with @ANGGE #pulangaraw #davidlicauco ♬ original sound – nathanhmua

That “gago” was crispy af. We love seeing these moments of celebs being natural and themselves while having fun. 

Continue Reading: 7 Facts About David Licauco That Will Make You Swoon 

Philippine sports has another young name you may want to put on your radar, and his name is Jared Peña.

Related: 7 Rising Gen Z Filipino Athletes You Should Know 

Football may not be as popular in the Philippines as it is in other countries. However, the sport still has a following locally, especially with Filipino players making moves on the field. Remember when The Filipinas made history at the World Cup last year as they reminded us of the potential of Pinoys in all kinds of sports? Yeah, they’re iconic for that. And if there’s another promising young Filipino footballer to have on your radar, it’s Jared Peña.

At just 18 years old, Jared is a national athlete and making a name for himself not just with his social media posts, but also as one of the new generation of Filipino football players repping the PH in the sport worldwide. Get to know more about the Gen Z athlete below.   

HE STARTED PLAYING FOOTBALL WHEN HE WAS A KID

Jared is proof of what happens when you give opportunities to athletes as early as when they’re kids. According to the young football player, his earliest memory of the sport was when he was four years old and saw a group of kids playing football in Alabang and was curious as to what they were playing. His love for football quickly bloomed after that, with Jared joining his first football club at 10 years old. The rest, as they say, is history.  

SPORTS RUNS IN THE FAMILY

As a member of the national team and a student at Western Reserve Academy, Jared is a pro on the field. And unsurprisingly, football runs in his blood. His father was a former football player while his older brother, Justin, is also a professional football player. 

HE’S A LEO 

In case you’re curious, Jared was born on August 5, 2006, making him a Leo. 

HE HAS A BIG FOLLOWING ONLINE

If you’ve heard of Jared Peña before, chances are you’ve come across one of his many viral videos. The Gen Z athlete has a following online with over 1.1 million followers on Instagram and 2.2 million followers on TikTok. His videos and posts receive thousands of comments and even more likes. It’s a kind of engagement that can go toe-to-toe with the major Gen Z stars.  

“Sometimes I forget I have a platform. Because I haven’t really done anything about it. Countless times, my friends or my mom say you should do something with it, but right now, I’m just doing it for fun,” he once said when asked about his viral fame. And his fans aren’t just limited to Filipinos as he also has fanbases in other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Indonesia. He even held a mini-fanmeet in Indonesia earlier this year. Okay international star.  

HE HAS A SECOND TIKTOK ACCOUNT 

Jared’s TikTok game is next-level with his videos routinely surpassing one million views. And if you want more of the Gen Z footballer on the video-sharing app, you can follow his second account @jaxisstillboring. It’s technically his dump account, but that just means it’s double the fun. 

Photos taken from Jared Peña’s Instagram

Continue Reading: FYI, The World No. 1 Ranked Female Muay Thai Athlete Is A Gen Z Filipina

Above all, Broadway star Eva Noblezada values being present—and it took a lot of self-reflection to get to where she is now.

Related: Yellow Rose Is A Story Of The Filipino Immigrant Experience In America That Deserves To Be Told

A lot of us find empowerment in pushing past all our struggles just to function every day—what else can we do?—but it also takes courage to know when you need to reflect and find a different way to deal with the pressures and expectations of life in general.

The tough thing about self-reflection is we rarely want to look deep within and truly see what we’re doing wrong with ourselves. From personal to professional struggles, we often ignore the inner turmoils that turn into storms, pushing it to the back of our mind until it consumes us. But for one artist whose passion lies under the stagelights, she knows when to brave the storm and when to find refuge in its eye.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Filipino-Mexican-American actress and singer Eva Noblezada has had a whirlwind career in the past decade. What she’s learned thus far as she performs almost every night for years in front of a crowd of thousands is borne out of wanting to take care of herself as meticulously and attentively as she takes care of each character she embodies.

An hour before the curtains go up for that evening’s staging of The Great Gatsby on Broadway, the actress and singer sat down with NYLON Manila for a conversation all about looking after herself, balancing vulnerability with confidence, and knowing when it’s time to hit the brakes and slow things down.

PERFECTION AND AUTHENTICITY

Photo by Matthew Murphy

A musical theater kid in every sense of the word, Eva Noblezada started young. She went to school at the Northwest School of the Arts, her talent, training, and drive coming through as she became a finalist at the National High School Musical Theater Awards in 2013. At 17, she was cast as Kim in the West End revival of acclaimed musical Miss Saigon, which kickstarted a stage career that would eventually make her a renowned force in the world of theater.

“Grateful doesn’t feel like a big enough word,” she says about being able to go up on stage and make an impact on other people’s lives. “I think about my family, how it took generations and generations for me to be here, how I’m carrying the support of my ancestors and how that is the air under my wings.”

In between playing Kim in Miss Saigon on the West End and on Broadway and originating the role of Eurydice on Hadestown on Broadway, Eva worked on Les Misérables at the West End and ventured into film and, eventually, television.

IG/bwaygatsby

From stage to screen, her singing and acting chops have allowed her to move through the industry at a rapid pace, adjectives like mesmerizing, gifted, powerful, poised, and astonishing trailing behind her like glitter. For her role in Miss Saigon, Eva was nominated for the 2017 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical—the same award she was up for in 2019 as Eurydice on Hadestown. The actress and singer also has a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album lined up on her shelf, shared with the cast of Hadestown.

Now 28, Eva’s donned many hats since her career started. The actress is currently five months into playing Daisy Buchanan on the first-ever theater staging of The Great Gatsby on Broadway. Across her roles, which differ from strong-willed young women struggling under the weight of the world to affluent socialites careless with their privilege, Eva wants to impart a sense of humanity and authenticity to each character—and that means letting go of her idea of perfection.

@hadestownmusical A belt for the gods. Quite literally. #hadestown #broadway #neverstopexploring #theatre @livevamaria #evanoblezada ♬ original sound – Hadestown

“Sometimes, you’re being pressured to be ‘on’ all the time—to be perfect,” she shares. “I don’t believe in those things anymore, because they’re not attainable. There’s no such thing as being perfect.”

Holding onto a dangerous ideal of perfection did nothing but bring her shame, a sentiment anyone could relate to. After all, who defines what perfect is? All we end up doing is punishing ourselves for not reaching a certain standard. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t try to excel. Through it all, Eva is a professional. She’s committed to doing her best on stage, and sometimes that requires a delicate balancing act.

“My job is to be an actor,” she says. “Which means I have to be human—and humans aren’t perfect.”

SHOWING UP FOR YOURSELF

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Eva has been open about her own struggles with mental health, eating disorders, and body image, exacerbated by the demands of the industry she works in. Artists and performers know it takes a lot to be able to perform—the physical, mental, and emotional stress is nothing short of overwhelming. People have different ways of dealing with it, but for Eva, who feels very deeply, learning how to deal with all that she feels and thinks required some tough self-reflection.

“Being an emotional, sensitive person—it is a superpower,” she notes. “But you have to be strong. As emotionally vulnerable as I am, I want to equally be strong and be confident that my emotions, or when I feel overwhelmed, it doesn’t interact negatively with my job.”

Developing “very strong boundaries” with herself wasn’t just an effort to be professional. It was a conscious choice to be able to deal with all the pressures and stress in a healthy way.

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

“There are moments where I know I have to be compassionate with myself if I’m going through something difficult, and there are moments where I go, ‘you know what, bitch, get up, let’s go—you’re a bad bitch, and it’s time to get up and go.'” Donning a version of “Eva” that knows exactly what to say to herself has allowed her to recognize her own needs as a person and face every challenge head-on, but not without consideration.

She knows when it’s time to haul herself up and be the fire in the room, when it’s time to self-soothe, when it’s time to release her emotions, and when it’s time to take a day. And for someone in an industry that literally has the motto, “the show must go on,” that’s a refreshing trait to hold onto.

TAKING A BREATH

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

It’s inevitable that the personal crosses over into the professional, especially in Eva’s line of work. The more an actor taps into the feelings required for a scene, the more the line blurs between reality and fiction—after all, humans, fictional or otherwise, share the same expanse of emotion.

“There are certain moments where all the pressure I’m putting on myself, all this guilt and grief—I ask myself, ‘how can I bring this out whilst also being authentic to my character?'” Balancing her own feelings with the feelings her character must feel in the moment allows her to experience a sort of “release” that then helps with her own personal struggles. Theater becomes an outlet.

“It’s also important to me to have a healthy release when I come home from work,” she adds. “Painting, watching Studio Ghibli films, taking a nap, eating something good—things that bring me back down to myself lets my body know that ‘oh, Eva’s taking a breath now. Leave Daisy in the theater.'”

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

The actress has a refreshing perspective regarding taking care of herself when it comes to the high pressures of her career. When asked about “pushing through” all the pressure and the struggles, as most people are wont to do, she responds with, “I don’t want to have to push.”

“I want to just be,” she continues. “I want to be present—or I want to release something that’s not allowing me to be present.” Being present, aware of herself, her power and agency, and all that is around her. It casts away all the pressures and expectations, worries and stresses, distractions and disruptions from her mind. It lets her breathe easy, engaged with the here and now.

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

“One thing I’ve been working on that’s been so rewarding and so difficult is slowing down,” Eva says. “The beautiful thing about slowing down is that it gives you that moment to breathe, connect with yourself, and observe. You have a chance to go, ‘how do I want to respond to this?'” Taking the time to unravel and examine things helps her as an actor and as a person, but she also allows herself to just let all the thoughts and feelings flow over her like a river.

In this fast-paced world we find ourselves stumbling through, slowing down is severely underrated. Everything’s always go, go, go, do this, do that, catch up—but going at such a breakneck speed, whether in our career or in life in general, doesn’t leave a lot of room for anything else, much less taking care of ourselves. But Eva Noblezada has learned to give herself some grace. Perhaps it’s time we do, too.

Images courtesy of Vivacity Media Group.

Continue Reading: Isa Briones On Family, Activism, Musical Theater, And Finding Hope In Hadestown

As if Olivia Rodrigo bringing her GUTS tour to the Philippines didn’t gag us enough, her Silver Star Tickets are priced for every Juan.

Related: All the Concerts, Live Shows, Fanmeets, and More Coming to the Philippines this 2024 

Olivia Rodrigo – queen of relatable AF songwriting and pop music icon – announced that she will be taking her global GUTS tour to the Philippines for the first time this coming 5 October 2024. We’re all crying, screaming, and throwing up even hours after the announcement first broke, but it’s more than the excitement of being able to see the Gen Z sensation perform live in the flesh. 

Olivia Rodrigo will perform at Philippine Arena, with a capacity of 55,000 spectators.

— This will be the biggest crowd on #GUTSWorldTour yet and Olivia's biggest solo concert on tour. pic.twitter.com/9STitmKi3h

— Olivia Rodrigo Daily (@DailyRodrigo) September 10, 2024

Got class and integrity

For Olivia Rodrigo’s first-ever concert in the Philippines, the star announced that she would implementing a socialized ticket pricing scheme. The Silver Star Tickets are all priced at P1500, regardless of proximity to the stage. Users will be limited to four (4) tickets, with the seats purchased being next to each other and area assignments given at random – buyers will only find out how close they will be to the stage once they pick up their tickets.

via Facebook (@FTTMPH)

Filipino netizens lost their collective minds and lauded the singer for her affordable pricing scheme. And because girls like Olivia know better, the singer also stated that all net proceeds made from the GUTS tour’s Philippine leg would be going to her pro-women initiative Fund 4 Good.  

@livieshq as part of olivia’s #Fund4Good, a portion of the proceeds from #GUTSWorldTour ♬ original sound – livies hq ❤️

It’s got issues, baby

As any concert goer will tell you, ticket prices for concerts (especially those performed by international acts) can cost you the modest sum of an arm and a kidney. Having to pay more in order to get closer to the action seems like a fair deal. After all, that’s just the way tickets are priced, right? However, it does also mean that we are buying into a society and belief system that grants people who are more well-to-do with more privileges when their standing already grants them such. Not to mention the added layer of scalpers and bots afoot that give the process of even simply obtaining tickets a high threshold for entry to the average person.

Sometimes you just want to listen to your favorite singer perform your favorite songs live in the company of your favorite people. It’s a breath of fresh air for a singer to acknowledge that, just because a fan is not a person of means, does not diminish their love of your music. That’s all that would matter in an ideal world. We can only hope that Olivia Rodrigo’s Silver Star Ticket system is something that other acts will consider for their own ticket pricing strategies in the future.

Can’t think of a third subheader

Sales for the GUTS tour’s Manila show open this Saturday (14 September) at 10AM. We know we’ll be waiting in line to see if we get our Silver Stars. And may the luck of the draw be with you. 

via X.com (@philconcerts)

Continue reading: 6 Songs from Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Album That Didn’t Have to Go That Hard

It’s sadly a toxic Filipino trait that we’re way too forgiving of problematic public figures.

Related: Why Do We Treat Victims So Callously? The Value Of Compassion In Dealing With Tough Stories

One thing about Filipinos is that they can’t resist a good dose of international validation. It’s seemingly a part of our DNA how many of us put a premium on Filipinos getting placed on a global pedestal. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with that as Filipinos can and deserve worldwide recognition. But the problem with this mindset is that it can bleed into the more toxic parts of Pinoy culture, such as our attraction to international celebrities even if they have a problematic past. As they say, “Ang artistang gipit, sa Pilipinas kumapit”.  

OH THAT’S NOT

If you’re a frequent flier on social media, then you may have caught the discourse about Korean actor Kim Ji-Soo and his increased presence in the Philippine entertainment industry. Previously, he’s appeared in two GMA shows, Black Rider and Abot-Kamay na Pangarap, and he decided to take the next step in his relationship with the network by signing a contract with Sparkle GMA Artist Center. But the news had a mixed response from netizens who pointed out the actor’s problematic past. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GMA Regional TV (@gmaregionaltv)

ICYDK, Ji-soo faced school bullying accusations in 2021 just before he began his military service which significantly impacted his career. Since he came back from the military, he hasn’t acted in any major K-drama or movie. You could say he was canceled by the Korean entertainment industry, but he has found a new avenue for his showbiz comeback in the Philippines. The actor has since moved on from the scandal and even addressed his past controversies.

Though that isn’t to say he isn’t the only controversial star to try to find a new life in the Philippines as Lucas held a fanmeet in Manila last June. And if you really want to go there in terms of foreigners taking advantage of Philippine hospitality, Alice Guo says hi. 

MAYBE FOREIGN VALIDATION ISN’T ALWAYS THE VIBE

International stars seeing the Philippines as an attractive destination is not a problem in itself. It’s cool whenever our (unproblematic) international faves hold concerts in the country and work with local stars. But there should be a line established as a reminder on whether we’re taking it too far giving foreign celebrities a chance in the Philippines. There’s almost like a magnet inside of us that attracts us to Filipinos in global projects or working with foreign stars or how local projects including an international actor in its cast automatically makes it worthy of discussion.

Now while it’s possible these people made amends for their past actions (and that should be expected regardless), Filipinos are often too quick to forget. All of us, at one point or another, are guilty of this. It’s almost like we’re picking up the trash of other countries, not to mention invalidating their victims’ experiences. This is where the toxic Filipino trait of being too forgiving of celebrities, public figures, and politicians (IYKYK) rears its ugly head. 

This also just isn’t about actors or musicians. We all know of foreign vloggers and YouTubers who love to base their content around the Philippines without actually taking the time to appreciate the culture. The Pinoy baiting is real as #PinoyPride can cloud our decision-making. Cultural exploitation mixes with our attraction and even dependency on foreign validation. And this isn’t a new phenomenon that has been happening just now, because it has been going on for years. 

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Whether we like to admit it or not, this is what happens when you have a society that is still latched onto Western-centric tendencies and sees foreign attention as a flex, regardless of where it comes from. But with so much local talent already available and many more who just need a chance to be seen and heard, let’s not turn the other way on foreign acts when there are clear red flags to watch out for. The Philippines should not be the place for struggling and problematic foreign artists to resuscitate their careers. 

The mindset of deeming things good or bad whether or not they get foreign attention leads to giving people attention and clout that they probably don’t deserve it. And while this is a challenge to unlearn, it is possible. So, let’s be more discerning on who should and shouldn’t be given a platform and focus on people who really put in the work to redeem themselves. 

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These student correspondents are going to become familiar faces this UAAP Season 87.

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Frannie Reyes, Rain Matienzo, and Angelique Manto, these are just some of the personalities who can all proudly say that they were once UAAP correspondents. With the recent start of UAAP Season 87, a new batch of students will enter this exclusive club that lowkey is a core part of the UAAP at this point. Aside from the usual action on the court, this UAAP season will also see eight correspondents report on their assigned universities and become a somewhat unofficial cheerleader for their teams.

These Gen Z reporters are bringing their communication talents and knowledge of the game to not only report each match but also share the players’ stories. And in a nice touch, Season 87 will also have each correspondent represent their own university. Get to know more about the new batch of collegiate correspondents below. 

PATRICE DABAO

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Back for her second year reporting for De La Salle University, Patrice Dabao will be covering the Green Archers as they aim for a back-to-back championship win in Men’s Basketball. She’s also an accomplished athlete, with years spent playing basketball and volleyball at her alma mater, Everest International Academy. Aside from that, the 5th year Interdisciplinary Business Studies student and K-pop stan, who is also pursuing a minor in Sports Health, also won Best Thesis and was a consistent 1st Honor Dean’s Lister. Okay all-rounder. 

MAE REYES

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FEU fans will know Mae Reyes as a familiar face, who is back for the second year in a row as the student correspondent for Far Eastern University. Outside her love of sports (especially volleyball), the BA Communications student from FEU Manila is also a production assistant for an events management group and participated in FEU events like the Tamaraw Media Awards 2023 and TAM DokyuFest 2023.

ELLA REGUDO

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While she may not have had the full UAAP correspondent experience last season, Ella Regudo is back for her first full year reporting on Adamson University. This year is also special for the 22-year-old student as she graduated with a degree in BA Communication Arts and is currently enrolled in their Pre-Masters Program. Outside her work in the UAAP, Ella was the news and current affairs director for Adamson’s Falcon Radio.

CHESKA RAMOS

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Taking on the baton from Season 86’s Carla Elizaga is Cheska Ramos, a 2nd year BA Psychology student, who will serve as the University of the Philippines’ Season 87 correspondent. With years of experience on the court as a former volleyball co-captain and football captain of the Immaculate Conception Academy, Cheska will bring her energy and insights to her stories. 

VICSI BURGOS

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The Ateneo Blue Eagles have a lot to prove this season. And having a front-row seat to all of the action is Vicsi Burgos. The second-year AB Communications student will cover the Ateneo de Manila University in Season 87. Aside from sports, the multi-faceted student is a leader of the AIESEC Events and Initiatives Team in Ateneo and was a delegate at the ASEAN-Italy Youth Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, no big deal.  

CHERSIE ZULUETA

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From the court to courtside, Casandrah ‘Chersie’ Zulueta, who was a libero for the De La Salle Zobel Girls Volleyball high school team, will be repping for the Growling Tigers as University of Santo Tomas’ Season 87 correspondent. Oh, and the 1st year medical student in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery just graduated Cum Laude in Nursing. 

DENISE TUBIG

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Reporting is second nature for Denise Tubig. The 3rd year Communications major is a The NationalTV Reporter and writer for The National, NU’s official student publication. She was also a Salutatorian at the Eugenio M. Lopez Jr. Center for Media Arts Senior High School. Now, her latest coverage is being National University’s Season 87 correspondent. 

ALTHEA FRANCO 

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Althea Franco may be in the first half of her college experience, but she already has multiple Ws. The AB Broadcasting student is the Vice President of the Tribunal Debate Club, a former Vice President of the UE Senior High School Student Council, and, for good measure, a crowned beauty queen. These days, you can spot her on the sidelines as the University of the East’s UAAP Season 87 student correspondent. 

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In the third year of upcoming youth-led fashion show Fashion Against Fascism & Fossil Fuels 2024, a tale of horror is told through clothing, performance, and art.

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The intersection of fashion and politics is a space where people not only express their creativity and artistry, but also connect to and engage with the world beyond themselves. Whether it’s designs on a t-shirt or a sculpture of an avant-garde piece, fashion as artistic expression can also be a medium through which people can send a message and make an impact.

The common ways in which advocacy and fashion intersect is perhaps seen through instances where activists storm runways with placards protesting fur and leather or the harm the fashion industry causes to people and environment. But there are no bounds to people’s creativity, and when partnered with a drive to fight for what’s right and just, they can turn just about anything on its head to send powerful messages.

For instance, this September, Friday the 13th, witness the horrors of the state of our society and environment through a show that weaves fashion, art, and advocacy together in a collective call for action and justice.

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THE HORROR: Fashion Against Fascism and Fossil Fuels 2024 is a youth-activist-led fashion show organized by Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines which aims to highlight the political underpinnings of the experience of the climate crisis in the Philippines and reach a broader audience through the creative intersection of fashion, makeup, performance, and environmental advocacy.

Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP) is a nationwide alliance of youth organizations, individuals, and student councils that advocate for immediate global climate action. This is their third year organizing the show, their calls getting louder and more insistent as government inaction only exacerbates the effects of climate change.

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THE HORROR: Fashion Against Fascism and Fossil Fuels 2024 is a free show, but you can donate 300 PHP as a student or 1000 PHP as a non-student to support the designers, organizations, and causes fought for. The show will start at 8:30 PM and will be held at the Ignacio B. Gimenez-KAL (IBG-KAL) Theater at the University of the Philippines Diliman. There will also be an afterparty at the end of the show. You can RSVP for FAFFF 2024 here.

RESISTANCE ON THE RUNWAY

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Though plenty often think runway shows are all about high fashion, luxury, and haute couture, FAFFF 2024 brings fashion down to reality, using its potential as a medium to expose injustices, increase awareness on climate-related issues, elicit discourse, and engage with different sectors and communities.

FAFFF 2023 | Photo by Angekyla Barroquillo

The main calls of FAFFF focus on YACAP’s work towards climate and social justice. Through six main themes, the fashion show aims to highlight the effects of fossil fuels on the environment and the atrocities committed against people coming to its defense.

The six main themes include: tree planting as greenwashing, an insufficient response to climate vulnerability, persistent political and economic interest in fossil fuels, lack of a just transition framework and promotion of False Solutions, defense of national patrimony and biodiversity, and the struggles of environmental defenders.

HISTORY AND DESTRUCTION

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The very first Fashion Against Fascism and Fossil Fuels show in 2022 was borne out of YACAP’s desire to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law and stress the importance of proper governance in addressing climate issues. Now, as the years under his son’s governance went on, YACAP and participating organizations continue to shed light on the lack of meaningful action on the part of those with the power to change things.

Given that the Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of the climate crisis, and loss of life, property, and liberty are consequences of neglecting this crisis, there remains a need to demand accountability and action from leaders and governments.

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In order to do this, YACAP took the initiative to hold a fashion show in the hopes of engaging with different sectors via advocacy through art and fashion. On its first year, themed Sibol Society, FAFFF threw it back to the 70s and the martial law era, showcasing 70s-inspired fashion and art as they amplified calls for democracy and human rights.

On its second, Empire of the Son: Drought and Deluge, YACAP used “drought” to symbolize the environmental concerns plaguing the nation, and “deluge” to represent socio-political injustices faced by Filipinos.

“[This time], we wanted to emphasize the horror aspect of climate change,” Alab Mirasol Ayroso, climate activist and YACAP organizer, shares with NYLON Manila. Because, truly, what’s scarier than the state of our climate and society?

“Through the prism of horror,” artist and show director Karl Castro further explains, “We can view how different issues affect the climate struggle.”

Karl was not coy about the contradiction of holding a fashion show to get their messages across when the fashion industry is one of the worst polluters. But, he says, they’re not afraid to address it. The very existence of FAFFF 2024 touches upon intersectional concepts involving the political economy of consumption and production, sustainability and waste production, fashion as culture, and design as resistance. Disrupting runways is one way to send a message—what about when the entire runway is the message?

FAFFF 2023 | Photo by Angekyla Barroquillo

With show sections representing phenomena like El Niño and La Niña, as well as designs, makeup, and artwork that are political in its creation and message, made by activist designers and artists passionate and committed to the causes they champion, each fashion show is an effort of remembrance and resistance.

GOING BIGGER, BOLDER, AND BRAVER

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This year, FAFFF is going the extra mile. It may not be your typical fashion show, but with a bigger space, a grander production, and committed participants, old and new, Fashion Against Fascism and Fossil Fuels 2024 promises to bring the horror, the elegance, and the advocacy—with style, but without fear.

As usual, the show will feature local artists and designers who are, as YACAP says, aligned with the values and principles of the show. The lineup includes Santi Obceña, Albert Raqueño, Aila Bathan, Bry Barrios, Nobody, Tarantadong Kalbo, and more.

Their casting process is also very inclusive, as they give a chance to everyone regardless of looks, age, and occupation. Last year, musician Zild, politician Sarah Elago, drag performers, as well as members of the organizations that are part of YACAP served as models.

This year, audiences will see models, advocates, artists, senatorial candidates, and more walk the runway, deepening the connection between people, clothing, and planet. More than just a showcase of clothing, it’s about the power that fashion and art gives to people and communities, designers and artists, allowing them to be defiant with every stitch, every stroke, and every step.

Photos courtesy of Fashion Against Fascism & Fossil Fuels 2024 & YACAP.

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