Started: 04/27/2021 Ended: 08/24/2021 Ang hirap palang tumanda. Ang hirap magbayad ng bills. Ang hirap suportahan ng pamilyang akala ay isang milyon ang suweldo mo. Ang hirap ngumiti sa nanay na mataas ang tingin sa'yo pero hindi ka kayang ipagtanggol. Ang hirap tabihan sa hapagkainan ng tatay na pinag-uubusan mo ng pera pero hindi ka maalala. Ang hirap mag-abot ng tulong sa kapatid na baon sa utang. Ang hirap intindihin ng hipag na nakakapagpa-rebond pa kahit kapos na kapos na. Ang hirap pakisamahan ng bunsong halos ilahad ang mga palad tuwing makikita ka. Ang hirap ngitian ng mga taong tanong nang tanong kung bakit hindi ka pa nakakapag-asawa. Ang hirap humarap sa mundong isasampal sa'yo na mag-isa ka. Tulong, bigay, utang. Isang iling mo lang, madamot ka na. Kasama mo sila kapag may maibibigay ka, pero hindi mo sila mahahanap kapag wala na. Ikaw ang kakayod, sila ang tutuka. Ikaw ang iiyak sa pagod, sila ang magtatamasa. Iyon ang summary ng buhay ko. Sobra-sobra ang naririnig na paghingi, kulang na kulang ang naririnig na pasasalamat. Sobra-sobra ang pagpapasensya, kulang na kulang ang natatanggap na pagpapahalaga. Sobra-sobra ang binabayaran, kulang na kulang sa kasiyahan. Kaya nang dumating sa buhay ko ang nag-iisang lalaking hindi ako nakita bilang naglalakad na alkansya, ang nag-iisang lalaking nakinig sa mahabang listahan ko ng problema, ang nag-iisang lalaking nagbigay sa akin ng kakaibang saya, ipinangako ko sa sarili na sa gitna ng hirap ng pagtanda, magtitiis ako basta't siya ang kasama. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay pagtalikod sa minahal na pamilya. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay paglaban sa mundong pinatatakbo ng kapangyarihan at pera. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay ang pagdurusa't pag-iisa. Siya ang ginhawa, pahinga, at kasiyahan ko. Dumating man ang araw na tanaw ko na ang dulo. Dumating man ang araw na wala na kaming sagot sa lahat ng bakit at paano. Dumating man ang araw na pareho na kaming talo.

Being a perfect daughter is what Mera Francheska only wants in her life. She wants nothing but to please her parents and follow whatever they ask even if it's already beyond her. Ang hindi pagkakaroon ng nobyo habang nagaaral ang kaisa-isang patakaran ng mga magulang niya. It's easy for her... too easy. Not until he met Daniel Monasterio, the man who judged and embarrassed her in front of many. "She's pretty. Too pretty actually. Pero walang dating. Puro ganda lang. Hindi papasa sa akin." Those words kept on ringing inside Cheska's head that fueled the anger in her. Dahil doon, nagdesisyon siyang patunayan sa Daniel na iyon na may ibubuga rin naman siya at hindi puro ganda lang. Little did she know that while she's having those small fights and arguments with Daniel, it only made her fall for the man whom she thought was nothing but a playboy. He has been always ready to fight for her; she isn't. He's ready to marry and build a family with her; she married someone else while he's watching from afar. Hearts and promises gets broken. Love becomes ugly and coward.

The S #3 She was the most innocent and purest Serrano... until she wasn't. Alister Santiesteban is the name that Hyon wrote in the back of her notebook with hearts all over when she was eleven years old. Ever since she laid her eyes on him the day he helped her when she tripped, she never looked at anyone else again. Until...

Cassandra Emerald Fortalejo is the sassy "it girl" Roche Dreyden Sevarro wants to forget. Yet every time he tries to, he keeps coming back to the same place he once left. *** Cassandra has built a reputation as the queen of effortless cool. Boys come and go--mere accessories to her glittering life--but Roche, a snobby swimmer at the sports club, refuses to be just another name on her list. A rising star in competitive swimming, Roche is selective, too proud to admit that Cassandra once fooled him. He tells himself he's over it, that she's nothing more than a fleeting mistake in his past--so he becomes a playboy to prove it. And yet, every time he tries to forget, he finds himself tangled in the one memory that won't let go. DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Louise De Ramos

The great wall of China love story as they call it. Avery Sienna Zobel has always been everything she was expected to be-brilliant, accomplished, and obedient to a life already planned for her. Love was never meant to complicate it. Until she met him. He is powerful, untouchable, and bound by traditions that say love should stay within the Great Wall. A man already promised to another-someone Avery never thought she would be forced to compete with. When families intervene, they do not come quietly. Warnings turn into pressure. Pressure turns into fear. The people around her begin to suffer for choices she never meant to make. Friendships are used against her, doors close one by one, and the life she worked so hard for starts to crumble-along with her confidence, her future, and her place in a world that was never truly hers. Suffocated and cornered, Avery was left with choices: stay and be broken, or leave and become nothing. So she leaves. She walks away from her surname, her privilege, and the man she loves-choosing to build a life where she must survive without protection, without certainty, and without him. But some love does not fade with distance. Some wounds refuse to heal. Some stories, no matter how far you run from them, remain- ever the same. Disclaimer: This story is written in Taglish, a combination of Tagalog & English.

Mahirap kalaban ang nakaraan. Bukod sa hindi na mababalikan, nakatatak na rin ito sa kasaysayan. They say history speaks for itself. It sparks a preview of the present and a foretaste of the future. Hindi lang pag-asa ang hatid nito kundi pati takot at pangamba. Davion Christoffer Laygo is the player in Calle Nueva. Hindi lang pagdating sa video games kundi pati sa mga kababaihan. Pinakamatinik sa Engineering Department. He's got the looks, the body, and the personality to swoon every girl's heart. As faithfulness and loyalty get tested in love, would the past still prevail and hinder what's ahead of time?

SIS (Social Issue Series) #5: Victim Blaming Why is talking about sex a taboo? What's wrong with sex? Sex is normal. Sex is fine. As long as it is consensual then all else is good. But someone being sexually open does not and will never equate to providing license for slut shaming or sexual harassment. Iris Everleigh is an all-around social media influencer. She isn't your typical dalagang Filipina. Her audacity and exceptionality are what set her apart from the rest. She enjoys things without giving a single fuck to whatever people has to say. Ace Frederick is the complete opposite. A primitive and vigilant guy. Never in his wildest dreams would he want to involve himself to someone who would just make his life complicated. His vision was simple: Be successful enough, get a decent woman to get married to, and start a family of his own. So what could happen if they stumble upon each other? A club probably? Where Ace was just supposed to attend his friend's bachelor party? But ended up crossing paths with the irresistible and drunk Iris? Will he be able to stand by his principles? Or would it be impossible to?

SIS (Social Issue Series) #3: Gender Inequality Men and women in the 21st Century still aren't able to totally get free from the socially defined roles. They are expected to act in certain ways just because they are male and female. Lalake ka raw kaya hindi ka pwede sa ganito. Babae ka raw kaya hanggang dito ka lang. Ellie Madeline have always dreamed of becoming a pilot. She believes that she was born to fly. Despite the disapproval of the people around her, she was able to take one step closer to her goal. Little did she know that her entrance in the best Aviation Academy in town is just the beginning of her struggle against discrimination. Spencer Donovan is her number one rival. He wants to be the best in this field just as much as she wants. As they pit against each other, Ellie found herself falling for Spencer's unforeseen charms. But her bold advances to win his heart just backfires all the time. That's when Zaiden Pierce decided to join the picture and offer her some help. Who is he? Well, he's just nothing more than Spencer's bestfriend. Or... could there actually be more to that? Started: May 1, 2020 Completed: May 18, 2020

Nadia de Marco knew what she wanted in life and that is to be the most powerful woman in the country. Growing up in the Philippines, she knew that it would be an uphill climb. There is misogyny everywhere, but instead of fighting it, she decided to use it to her advantage. That is probably the upside of being undermined, being almost invisible-people will never see you coming. While she was watching everyone's moves, no one was watching hers. Things were going according to plan until Avery Brienne Eliseo came into the picture. Suddenly, she got an enemy. And unlike Avery who has her cousin by her side, she has no one. And she needs to have someone. She's been looking for so long until she found Archibald Reign Gallego-the perfect partner in crime... or so she thought.

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