Photos By Out Of The Box Team & Collage By Jena T.

© Photos by Out of the Box Team & Collage by Jena T.

Out of the Box’s Media Literacy Bootcamp held May 9, 2015 was a great opportunity for people like me who are new to media literacy efforts, want to be part of creating awareness, as well as those who want to take action and counter the messages in media and help others become critical viewers of media.

Out of the Box (OOTB) is an initiative by UP students to promote media literacy in the Philippines. They hold workshops, forums, and trainings, to campaign for media literacy and educate people about it. I was fortunate enough to attend one of their workshops last May, which I am happy to talk about in this post.

But first, you may be asking yourself, what is media literacy? In basic terms, media literacy is the ability to discern information from entertainment, the fact from fluff, in the media we consume. It empowers one to be critical of everything he watches, reads, and hears from media.

Together with 59 other attendees, I was able to participate in discussions regarding issues in media, create spoof ads for the spoof ads contest, and listen to talks by speakers who work for media. I learned a great deal, many of which I only realized through the workshop. Let me summarize them into a list of three:

There is a growing problem with media, its use, and its consumerism here in the Philippines – but many are not aware of it yet.

         The media issues that most know of are only those whose impact they have felt the most recently, such as the repression of freedom especially in the Philippine news media with the murders of 32 journalists in the Maguindanao Massacre back in 2009; and, of course, the filing and long-awaited passing of the FOI bill in the Congress. It should be brought more to people’s attention that not only is the right to freedom of expression suffering in society but it’s also being curtailed in the film and television industry. How so? 

          Let us note that the Philippine traditional media landscape has always been dominated by family-owned corporations, for instance, the Lopezes own ABS-CBN and GMA is owned by the Gozon-Duavit-Jimenez triumvirate. Media ownership in the Philippines is part of a monopolistic approach by business tycoons. There is manipulation in what is being featured in media because there is money to be made. When the Pope came here last January, these two leading channels, for almost twenty-four hours, chose to televise his visit and little of anything else aside from advertisements. 

           In the Philippines, ubiquitous also are the films and television shows that are only a re-make of previous successful films and television shows in order to repeat a huge hit (and the raking in of money, more likely). Our cinema is invaded by romantic-comedy films and little of any other genres. This is so because rom-com is what appeals most to the masses, as said by one of the speakers in the workshop; and at the end of the day, the cinema industry is a business after all. The business angle has obviously taken over journalism and mass media.

    2.  Media messages are constructed for a purpose.

         What do I mean by this? When I say media messages are constructed, I mean that all media messages have been assembled by someone. That “someone” could be a single person, or it could be a large organization. For instance, in photographs, the photographer's own vision of what she wants to show within the frame demonstrates her own values and beliefs. A newspaper writer’s articles may be based on his own beliefs, or on the beliefs and ideologies of his publishers, or perhaps even the beliefs of the companies who advertise in that particular newspaper.

         The messages and values embedded in these particular pieces of media are those of the people who created it. Thus, we must always be wary of their purpose behind the creation of their work.  Media messages may be organized to gain profit and/or power, which is usually the case in print and television advertisements. I’m not asking you to frown upon ads entirely - they are, after all, made for the purpose of selling a product, but we have to be nonetheless conscious of what we see. Misrepresentations are widespread in ads. They create idealized notions of beauty and identity. As a media literate individual, remind yourself not to take everything at its face value.

    3.   We can do something about it.

          You have the power to counter these media problems. How do I become media literate? For one, be critical. Before believing a piece, ask questions. Getting your news from only one source will skew your opinions and beliefs about important issues so it’s better to vary your sources. Read the newspaper, listen to the radio, watch your local news, and test out different outlets. Remember that facebook, twitter updates, and hashtags are no replacement for journalistic reporting. Understand the facts before being overridden by the desire to tweet the news. And most importantly, let yourself be heard.

We must realize that being a conscientious news consumer is vital to a successful democracy. Understanding the issues helps keep those with power in check. Recognizing problems amidst a flurry of contradictory media messages is essential to letting the government, as well as those behind media, know when we disagree and when we have a problem. Public opinion will only be powerful if our media literacy is sharp. We know that the media we have is far from perfect and thus, we must do what we can do to improve our media literacy and account for the media’s deficiencies.

For more info about Out of the Box, you can check out their facebook page. Support the initiative! Be media literate! :)

Also, let me share to you the winners of the Spoof Ads contest! Spoof ads aim to reconstruct an ad and deliver a more truthful message.

(c) Jena T.

Several months ago, I interviewed my friend Issa Rodriguez for a speech case study. After that interview, I was super stoked for her especially because she said she was just a few months away from launching her music. And now, the long wait is finally over. She was able to release her first single, “Misteryoso” last February and its music video just last Saturday! Go, Issa! 

I went to see her music video launch at The Brewery in the Palace in BGC, hence the photos. While watching her sing live, all I could think was, damn I’m so proud and happy for this girl. It’s so amazing to see friends become their confident selves and doing what they’ve always dreamed of doing. It’s amazing too to see how my other batchmates have grown since we graduated high school. This is also one of those rare moments for me when I appreciate facebook because it helps make sure I am still updated of my peers’ lives.

If you want to check out Issa’s single, it’s on Spotify! Her MV isn’t on youtube yet but I’m sure it will be up soon! 

**Update: Her music video is up now! Check it out here.

(c) Jena T.

Shots of Boston, MA 
- Dec-Jan 2016

JFK Library & Museum, Old South Church, Boston Public Library, Trinity Church, Museum of Fine Arts, & CambridgeSide Galleria

(c) Jena T.

Bolinao & Alaminos, Pangasinan Tour - June 12-14, 2015

This long overdue post of my trip to Pangasinan last June is me keeping my promise to blog more about the happenings in my life, albeit it took me five months after to get around to actually writing about it. I have no other excuse except for the typical “I’ve just really been too preoccupied with the present and getting through many rough school days.” Alas, I’m here now and finally blogging about it.

No words would suffice to express how breathtaking Bolinao was. Patar White Beach has pristine waters. Balingasay river is so crystal clear that the water reflects the sky and the native trees surrounding it. The town is busy but not overwhelming. At the time, many tourists were flocking in, taking photos of every possible photogenic thing they could see. Every meal we had was scrumptious and filling. The townspeople were well-versed, nice, and warm too. The road trip going there may be 7hrs-long but enjoyable when you're with the family. I wasn't able to visit their famous caves and falls but it was made up for, just by luck, an access to the town's Chuch bell tower. I remember my parents and I going up a dark stairway to be greeted by small bats, and looking out the window, we beheld a great view of the sea and the town proper. If you must go to Bolinao, try to access the bell tower too. 

Alaminos, on the other hand, was a few towns over and was just as beaut! It is the home to the famous Hundred Islands National Park, which refers to the hundred islands scattered over the Lingayen Gulf. One can tour the town of Alaminos and the hundred islands in just a day. You can bask under the sun all day long, dive in the deep sea waters to check out the corals and colorful fishes, and zip line too, if you will.

But goodness, the sunset back in Bolinao was still the main highlight of our stay. Imagine watching with unwavering gaze as the fiery red orb of light slowly sank beneath the horizon, and the heavens were dyed orange, then red, dark blue, until it turned mauve, which then melted away as stygian darkness took over the sky. I was just in awe at that moment. Until today, I am wishing I could relive our stay and all the moments in between.

My biggest take away from this vacation isn’t the answers to “How do I go to all these tourist sites in just three days? How do I maximize my stay? How do I make sure I take the perfect shots?”, but it’s this: The Philippines is dotted with stunning tourist destinations. Consider going to these places first before thinking of going to another country, research if you have to. I’m still amazed by how beautiful Bolinao was but it’s not as popular as Boracay or Puerto Princesa. It’s a true hidden gem. I guess that’s also a good thing as the people could preserve the immaculate beauty of the town’s beaches for a long time. I didn’t think I’d be having the most amazing time in Pangasinan but I did because, the secret is, in addition to all I’ve said, don't tour just to cross it off your list, tour because you want to experience the place.

Check out my other photos of the trip here, here, and here! :)

© Jena T.

Boston, MA - Dec-Jan 2016

Here a few more shots from my trip to Boston with my mom last December. 

I’ve got to say I’ve fallen in love with this beautiful city. Boston might not have the glamour of New York or LA nor is it as big, but it sure does have its own charm. 

Boston is known for its unique neighborhoods that display a mix of old and new architecture. They have a commutable rail and places are easy to walk to. There are various public libraries, old bookshops, museums, universities, and schools to go to, which show that this is a place where knowledge is prized. 

This small city, at least for me, is a gorgeous natural setting to learn, explore, and temporarily reside in especially when you’re at the time in your life where you’re searching for adventure, contentment, and meaning. 

Boston truly captivated my heart and I wish could come back again soon. 

I want to be able to say that life has gotten better, to share that I’ve filled my days with more positive things than sad since the last time I wrote. But, honestly, I haven’t. I’m still trying, I’m still trying.