Anomie

 

I didn’t know how often I lay in my room, alone, and cold, in the middle of the summer, ruminating about how isolated I was with no safe place to go. The fan blew hot air over me, circling the tiny space I had seemingly memorized. The window remained closed, blocking me from the overwhelming light that threatened to spill over the hollow lines, as if reaching to fill the cave inside of me. Despite the heat that should’ve engulfed me as the sun rose, as its silent presence then loomed over me, I could not feel the warmth, and I simply sat on my bed unmoving.

Mechanical, rational, and agonizing thoughts clawed at my chest—overwhelming me, until loneliness gave way to emptiness. I struggled to breathe, but I memorized how to calm myself down: inhale, exhale, repeat. When I managed to calm down, the desire to be normal slowly settled painfully, and with that, the unexplainable self-pity kicked in—it was hard to accept that these were the closest access I had to my feelings, to the real me, yet it was still as vague as an unnamed thing. Perhaps this was exactly one of the reasons why I wanted to learn more about the social sciences—the discipline for so long looked at me like a mystery waiting to be unraveled. And maybe not so much of a plot-twist it was when, somehow, I landed in the sociology program at PUP Sta. Mesa.

The word “anomie” introduced itself to me in my freshman year. To Merton, anomie is the disjunction between goals and means due to structural inequality; to Durkheim, it is, at its simplest form, the breakdown of norms due to rapid social change and lack of moral regulation. The varying definitions spoke to me, that more than just a simple alienation—that word bearing the weight as if the excruciating grief of being different was my fault—I am the product of the construct of the world that I knew was quite wrong, I just didn’t have the knowledge to name it. So I held onto these six letters.

It was the closest word that could possibly explain the undesirable void that occasionally visits me without any warning. I wanted to chew it, recite it, and use it to reason out myself like a comfort, molding its form into something that I can grasp. With this knowledge, I could almost move on from everything that did me wrong in my past.

Yet as I once again drown in the darkness, the familiarity of the abyss pulling me in, it simply looks at me fall from above with indifference. I realized that I could simply not just discard and leave what made me different. I could almost visualize its face—the same face of people I knew who would repeatedly choose comfort over disturbance with or without a second thought.

For so long, interacting feels like performing, and if you ask me at the end of the day, relationships—a concept that values harmony—feel as if I am inside a bubble.

Yet inside those same fragile spaces I once occupied were a number of people who chose to be disturbed by me, reaching, like an attempt to touch, something akin to love. Those bubbles held an expectation that was meant to be shattered by my inability to be contained, and I couldn’t quite swallow the profound experience of feeling something as close to love and recognition that holds the power to define me incorrectly.

It is quite safer to mentally remain in the chamber of change, and what I made home of darkness that makes it easy to leave. Therefore, when they let me break through the bubble, when it got so uncomfortable already, they have proven that it was meant to be simply just a bubble, and to me, this feels like their noiseless abandonment of me, a slip of betrayal.

I go about my day pretending that I do not carry an invisible weight of accountability like a responsibility, but I occasionally spiral down with the same emptiness that perhaps may have only masked the piled-up hatred over everything. I long to be normal, to dream so big that reality would not be able to discourage me. I want relationships and life to feel more than just a duty. I long to be the person who has no inkling of difference that takes me away from the light or makes people I want to love leave me like a pattern. I hope to be preconditioned in my system, so that no amount of unkind people who do me dirty can bring out the worst of me.

Tonight, greeting the “Ber” months, as I lay in the same old room of mine, I realized I did it again. I let relationships die like they were nothing. Except this time, the light was blinding white and the room was cold, and I did not mourn or blame myself for being too much or too little. I swallowed the consequences, and little by little, I am learning to embrace, unapologetically, who I became as a result of anomie.

Mildred de Guzman

Mildred de Guzman, 22, is a writer who loves sweets, garlic, and broccoli.

Diesel, kerosene up anew as Trump threatens tariffs on Europe

 

Dominique Nicole Flores - Philstar.com

September 29, 2025 | 10:44am

MANILA, Philippines — Escalating tensions in oil-producing nations are driving another round of fuel price hikes, with diesel and kerosene set to rise for the sixth week in a row.

Oil firms are set to increase on Tuesday, September 30, diesel and kerosene prices by P0.90 per liter, while cutting back on gasoline prices by P0.20 per liter. 

Shell Pilipinas, Seaoil and CleanFuel announced the mixed price adjustments on Monday, September 29.

This development comes after US President Donald Trump renewed his threat to impose another round of heavy tariffs on European nations if they continue buying oil from Russia.

In a speech before the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, Trump accused European countries of “funding the war” against themselves by relying on Russian energy, even as Moscow recently launched drones into Polish airspace.

Trump has also been trying to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. He previously spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about a potential ceasefire but later shifted focus to pursuing a peace deal, which is expected to be a long negotiation.

Recently, however, the European Union proposed banning imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia and sanctioning shadow fleet vessels, as Moscow pressed on with its attacks against Ukraine, which has struck back by targeting Russian refineries.

The Department of Energy (DOE), however, said the resumption of Iraq’s oil exports has slightly eased the upward pressure on fuel prices.

Last week, gasoline and kerosene prices rose by P1 per liter, while diesel increased by P0.80 per liter. 

According to DOE’s monitoring, common and prevailing retail prices of petroleum products in Metro Manila from September 23 to 29 were:

Gasoline (RON97/100) - P67.97

Gasoline (RON95) - P59.60

Gasoline (RON91) - P56.50

Diesel - P56.90

Diesel Plus - P56.00

Kerosene - P77.11

Some stations, however, charge above the prevailing retail rates, with gasoline priced as high as P78.10 per liter, diesel at P71.43, and kerosene at P89.39.

With this week’s mixed price adjustments, year-to-date increases have hit record highs at P17.05 per liter for diesel and P5.45 per liter for kerosene, while gasoline has posted P14.70 per liter.

 

One last thing

Stories, sounds, and soul: New titles from UST Publishing House

The UST Publishing House brings a new lineup of titles that promise to spark curiosity and imagination among readers. Recently showcased at the 2025 Manila International Book Fair, these new releases include “Ethics, Justice and Recognition” by Paolo Bolaños, “Engkanto in the Diaspora” by Eileen Tabios, and “Super Panalo Sounds!” by Lourd de Veyra, among others. Read more

The rise of Mindanao's art scene

By John Tria

Published Sep 30, 2025 12:05 am | Updated Sep 29, 2025 05:49 pm

#MINDANAO

Walking through the Mindanao Art Fair in a major shopping mall in Davao City, it is clear that the hundreds of paintings and other artworks reflect the massive increase in interest in the visual arts among Mindanao’s 26 million residents. Participating in the large exhibit are various art clubs and collectives from the Mindanao provinces, including commercial art galleries featuring local artists, also from outside Mindanao.

The event is a vital part in the island's annual cultural calendar that will likely arouse more interest from art aficionados from outside Mindanao, especially from neighboring ASEAN countries. Interest in art was always strong among island residents, since the wide cultural diversity creates various indigenous forms of expression.

Artistic expressions are a good part of the local economy, since it is a component of the creative industry of any region. Promoting local art and marketing works of art outside the region adds value to a local economy.

The same is true for its music. As the Matina Town Square celebrated 25 years of being the music hub of Davao City, it is more than just a nightspot. It remains the venue of venues to celebrate various musical forms reflecting the musical diversity of the island. It is where various forms, including traditional dance, are performed. Visitors are brought here to experience the musical expression of the island while enjoying food and drinks.

Since various forms are celebrated here in mainstream events, there is an innate respect and appreciation for cultural diversity. The diversity includes the art forms of the indigenous and the migrant, from the urban cityscape to the rural landscape and seascape that has, over the centuries, formed the Mindanao soul that will express and assert itself in the wider world, standing against prejudice reflected in the desire to assert Mindanao’s diversity and uniqueness, especially in how the outside world and Mindanao itself is viewed by others.

In sum, the art explosion is such because there is just so much in Mindanao’s diverse culture. There is just so much in the islands, history, natural wonders, and abundance to inspire various forms of artistic expression. With new ways of expressing art, even online, I am confident that more of the world will see Mindanao’s art, and artists.

I am sure that in the coming years, more art and music events will be launched and regularly celebrated.

More attention to the SIPP

As we head toward the end of the year, we will expect approval of the 2025-2028 Strategic Investments Priorities Plan (SIPP). Issued every three years, the SIPP is an important document issued by the Board of Investments (BOI) that identifies the kinds of investments that must be established in order to sustain or expand economic growth. It pretty much serves as our industrial policy, since it identifies which industries are needed.

In Mindanao’s case, there remains the need for manufacturing enterprises to help add value to Mindanao’s raw materials and agricultural products. As I have written previously, responsible mining and mineral processing need to be promoted, as well as the creative industries in art, fashion, and music.

This is where investment promotion committees in the various regional development councils will be needed to ensure that the SIPP’s focus areas are promoted to a wider set of potential investors. Intensified promotion of the green lanes for investment and the ease of doing business law will be necessary to attract investment.

With many disruptions and uncertainties upon us, I believe the SIPP must be taken seriously by various agencies, as these bring opportunity that strengthens local economies.

Dasma remains unscathed; Quezon recovers

By Manila Bulletin Sports

Published Sep 29, 2025 05:31 pm

At A Glance

• Dasmariñas Monarchs netted their second straight win to seize the league leadership while reigning champion Quezon Tangerines bounced back against separate foes in Week 2 of the 2025 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) over the weekend the Arellano Gym in Manila.    

Games next Monday

(Alonte Gym, Biñan)

3 p.m. – San Juan vs Pasay

5 p.m. – Biñan vs Dasmariñas

Dasmariñas Monarchs netted their second straight win to seize the league leadership while reigning champion Quezon Tangerines bounced back against separate foes in Week 2 of the 2025 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) over the weekend the Arellano Gym in Manila.

On the heels of a big debut win over the Tangerines, the Monarchs swept the the Pasay Lady Monarchs, 25-13, 26-24, 25-20, for a 2-0 slate in the eight-team tourney founded by former Senator Manny Pacquiao, also the man behind the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

Vange Alinsug scored 12 points while Alexa Nichole Mata and Myrtle Escanlar had nine points each for the powerhouse Dasma squad backed by two-time UAAP and three-time SSL champion National U Lady Bulldogs.

Dasma needed only 81 minutes to dispatch Pasay after also a sweep of Quezon, 25-22, 25-23, 25-23, last week to emerge as the early title favorite in the second third staging of the MPVA Mikasa, Asics, Spurway Enterprise, Gerflor, Smart Communications and XIV Apparel with the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines as organizer.

Pasay slid to 1-1, failing to follow up its 25-23, 13-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-8 win over the Negros ICC Blue Hawks despite the 14 and 10 points, respectively, of Euricka Eslapor and Florize Ann Papa.

In the other game, Camilla Amor Bartolome rifled in 19 points as Quezon poured its wrath on the Caloocan AM Spikers, 25-12, 25-14, 25-21, for a 1-1 slate.

Yesha Keith Rojo and Fionna Marie Inocentes added nine points each for the Tangerines backed by the four-peat NCAA champions College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers.

Souzan Raslan had nine points as the lone bright spot for the AM Spikers in their tough debut.

Meanwhile, the San Juan Lady Knights debuted with a 25-17, 25-20, 25-16 win over the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, behind the 12 and 10 points of Kaycee Balingit and Cunada Chamberlaine, respectively.

Brigitte Martinez churned out eight points for the Lady Shoemasters.

Action continues next Monday at the Alonte Gym in Biñan in Laguna featuring the host against unbeaten Dasma in the main game of a double-header out-of-town bill after the duel between San Juan and Pasay.

Exchange Rate as of September 30, 2025.

Source: BSP via https://tinyurl.com/3wfww764

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Kapihan sa Manila Hotel: PH to host Miss Environment International 2025 in November

By Robert Requintina

Published Sep 30, 2025 12:08 am

From left: Ambassador of the National Climate Change Commission Mache Torres-Ackerman, Mutya ng Pilipinas Environment International 2025 Arianna Pantaleon, and Mutya ng Pilipinas President Cory Quirino.

The Philippines is set to unveil the glitz and glamour of the Miss Environment International 2025 beauty pageant, scheduled to take place this November.

The enchanting event promises to be a spectacular showcase of grace and advocacy, drawing participants from around the globe to celebrate both beauty and the urgent need for environmental stewardship.

This was announced by Mache Torres-Ackerman, ambassador of the National Climate Change Commission, during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum held recently. Also at the same event were CCC Commissioner Albert P. Dela Cruz Sr., former Senator Joey Lina, and Manila Bulletin Publisher Sonny Coloma.

"The Miss Environment International 2025 beauty pageant will be held on Nov. 14. We are very proud to be staging the pageant in partnership with the Climate Change Commission (CCC), the United Nations, and other organizations. Mayor Isko Moreno will be one of our co-presenters," said Mache during an interview at the hotel's Roma Salon.

Around 45 candidates from around the world will compete in the contest. Mutya ng Pilipinas Environment International 2025 Arianna Charlize Pantaleon will represent the country in the competition.

"This pageant is not just about beauty. It's advocacy in action. We are more for action. Since it's about the environment and climate change, we are solar-powered. We are out there on the streets doing something for the environment. We are conducting awareness programs. We discuss the current events that we need to be aware of. For one week, the candidates will experience activities with the commission," Mache also said.

Ready for pageant

Arianna said that she's excited for the pageant and to meet her sisters in the competition.

"I'm excited. I have been preparing ever since Mutya ng Pilipinas gave me the title, and it's an amazing opportunity. I'm thankful, and I'm looking forward to the pageant," the Filipino-Canadian beauty queen said.

Arianna, 22, is an advocate for the protection of the environment, sustainability, and now climate change, as well as against domestic violence.

Asked about her simple activities to protect the environment, Arianna said, "For our generation, understanding climate change is crucial. For the simple things, one thing I can do is recycle my clothes. I also walk to many places. I live in Taguig, so it's easy for me to access many places without needing to take a Grab or drive everywhere. Walking is one way to help preserve our environment."

Arianna also believes that beauty pageants remain relevant because many beauty queens are actively involved in their communities, raising awareness about various issues and constantly contributing to environmental causes.

Born and raised in Canada, Arianna has a degree in public speaking and communications. "Now, I am in the Philippines, pursuing my dream of becoming a beauty queen and using my voice to spread awareness about the causes I advocate for."

Back-to-back victory?

Mutya ng Pilipinas President Cory Quirino shared her excitement about staging the Miss Environment International 2025 in Manila.

"When Mache Torres decided to hold Miss Environment International in the Philippines, I was very happy. She would take it to the next level.

"It's about time for the world to have a pageant that embraces the environment seriously and passionately. This is the start. We are pleased that Arianna Pantaleon, our Mutya ng Pilipinas Environment International, will represent the Philippines in the pageant in November," Cory added.

Should Arianna win, it's going to be a back-to-back victory for the Philippines. "It's been done in other pageants, why not this year?"

Cory said there will be a swimsuit competition, but it's nature-based and environmentally friendly.

Personal advocacy

Cory revealed that she was supposed to have retired from the pageant world a few years ago, but postponed it.

"I have planned to retire in 2016 after Miss World. To win a crown as prestigious as Miss World, it took a lot of my energy. I put my all into it. Since we almost won the crown in 2016, with Catriona Gray, I just felt that it was time for me to relax and rest, but I was rather pleased when Catriona won Miss Universe.

"That time I was in retirement. So, when I was offered the opportunity to be the president of Mutya ng Pilipinas, I actually said no. But when the chairman said to me, 'How can you say no to the ladies who need to be discovered and trained by you?' That I could not say no to.

"So it's a personal advocacy to help Filipinas be discovered, to have a big break in life, and to be a positive influence in their lives eventually. That's why I'm back in beauty pageants," Cory said.

Cory also believes there is hope for the Miss Environment International 2025 beauty pageant because the CCC and other local groups have taken an interest in it. She also admired the girls who were competing in pageants.

"The girls in pageants these days are vigilant and aware. They want to do something with their lives. It has to be something relevant and credible. They want to be real. You can see that pageants have become increasingly reality-based in recent years. This is the way to go. This is not a journey for the crown but also a journey towards one's individuality, position, and purpose in life.

"Pageantry has now become competitive. You have to prepare. If you feel ready and want to pursue a pageant, consider joining one. But if you're half-hearted about it, you're not prepared," Cory also said.

Cory also shared her message to pageant fans who have been supportive of her. "You know me. I don't do anything without a 100 percent commitment of my heart. Be sure that whatever I do, it's not just for me, but also for you. To give your life more meaning and entertainment. Whatever I handle, I handle it 101 percent."