OF MYTHS AND BLOODS
"PAGKAT LINGID SA KAALAMAN NG NAKARARAMI,Aming mga awang ay di lang kumakain para mabuhay at magpakasasa kumakain din kami dala ne mutinding pagmamahal
It has been in our culture of fantasizing the landscape of make believe-of myths and folktales hearid from generation to generation Making the popular among us that may have heard about it. And one of them is about the blood thirsty, ruthless creature called SMang Although it got its name, no one ever knew of what or who they are. Yet only the shapeshifting character has been identified to respresent the evil being in the Philippines.
Mervin Malotio, a the mind behind this award winning graphic novel, sets his mark that finally takes the Avian horror onto a new perspective. Drawn with Inspiration from the folktales itself and the well-known novels of Gar Jose Rizal. Tabi Po letters a dark, grotesque, yet stellar atmosphere that combines manual and modern visual techniques together into one profound, state of the art.
The story begins with the narrative of a fledgling aswang named Eliax. Unknown to his strange taste in the vastness of the universe, his quenching that for blood eyes on the dead body of a woman lying onto the darkness. Led up to his instincts that eating a fiuman flesh would satisfy his needs.
Born from a hollow of a tree from the times of Spanish colonization, his existence did not matter to him at first for all he knows that is what life is about to thrive and survive. Eating every living flesh that comes neur him, attesting his strength that pulls off his abilities into one of a kind.
As impulsive as he can be, Kas learns to magnify the value of thriving with the people by the help of Tasyo and Sabel, his fellow aswangs, The three were determined to survive alongside the governing people of San Diego with service.
Unlike mainstream horror stories, this book series do not only envelop the richness of our culture, but the history that is beyond our identity as a Filipino The concept of aswang-or asong buang as told by priests and political elites-has been a well-played rule for deception that silences the people's minds from the fear of death. Little do they know, nothing is more ruthless and evil than the abusive power that bludgeon their rights for equality, and diversity in all aspects.
Elias and his fellow aswangs witness the dark secrets in the barrio of San Diego Starting from the sex slavery of the church, the unethical protices of merchants, and the corruption circulating Governing body. This within the just as how it proves that the long time exposure of the Philippines as a Spanish colony has planted a virus like damage that have influenced the Filipinos for generations. And Elias, as a symbol of the Filipino youth determines the obligation to wear the existence of nationalism with a solid purpose. The youth witnessing of our own capabilities, as well as struggles. bringing us into the deep dark reality that we are still facing today.
In a manner of theocratic and aristocratic principles, we truly have not yet offered the best solution that would alter the fate of our nation. It remains a resemblance to the destruction that the Spaniards and other invaders bambed our past. As for us, we quench more of what makes us live, with love..
OF FARM AND PALACES
"AND IT BECAME NECESSARY TO ELECT A President. There was only one candidate If there's one book that could perfectly depict the current state of the Philippine government in this era,it's this.
Inspired by the events of World War II and the Russian Revolution Animal Farm is a fierce criticism of totalitarianism, a dictatorial and centralized form of government. It may be considered as a light read fable akin to Bob Ongs Alamat ng Gubat. But deep down it satirizes politicians and their ability to manipulate others as it puts emphasis on their insatiable lust for power. The characters are animals and they were used as a metaphor to assist the intentions Orwell had for his book. If we try to look at them at a deeper level, these metahors led us to many realizations revealing the most bedious situation we are currently having-how power corrupts our rights us human, how power dictates our social position, and how it can become a manipulative tool to destroy us all It is this very power that justifies people's position in the society.
We constantly crave for it for it is a great indicator and assurance for our social ranks that provides us a comfortable lifestyle and a better life in general. In the book. Napoleon, the pig, held this power as he gained control of his own kind and bend the wills of other animals who turned out to be gullible and loyal to him. This situation therefore shows how oppression arise not only from the motives and tactics of the oppressor but also from the naïveté of the oppressed, who tend to be uneducated.
Reading the book on the latter part, slowly gets easier as we begin to unfold where the connection with the political world of the Philippines came into play Napoleon created the illusion of a model society so he could gain the trust of everyone. His leadership was valued because the animals firmly believed him. This gave him the power to twists his words or rewrites the rules to make them legal for him as he acts upon and avoid any consequences the animals might force upon.
The current political and social stand of our country had become a burden and it is safe to say that we are still bounded with our ignorance. This makes us surrender absolute power to a deceptive leadership, just like how the animals were portrayed in the book. We casily believed them, put trust on their words and their actions until we become blinded with the truth. This gripping story of power, suppression and politics gives us a good overview on the kind of relationship we have as leaders and the citizens. And it's sad to accept the truth that all animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than the others.