The luckiest among us have relatives, friends, and coworkers who’ve understood our plight from the beginning. In doing so, they inspire us to pursue our objectives while offering insightful remarks. However, in contrast to the pre-digital world when we had to physically engage with people, many of us now converse online. While it is a […]
Personal Relationships Still Matter in the Digital Era Read More »
The Philippines stands out in Asia as the sole country without an absolute divorce law. Despite the unavailability of divorce, legal alternatives such as annulment and legal separation exist, each with its grounds and conditions post-approval. Many Filipinos find themselves in unhappy or abusive marriages due to various reasons. While religious beliefs are deeply rooted
Divorce is a Matter of Law, Not Faith Read More »
Here is a harsh truth: subjecting Filipinos to unnecessary customs can end up hurting them in the long run. While “unlearning” takes time, it is possible for my fellow Pinoys to disregard some of the traditions that their siblings, parents, and other community members have inadvertently demanded of them. Like customs in any other culture,
How Deep-Rooted Filipino Traditions Impact Us as Individuals Read More »
Earlier this year, drag entertainer Pura Luka Vega performed at a bar dressed as the Black Nazarene and lip-synced to a remix of the ‘Ama Namin’ (Our Father). Videos were posted online and, as you probably know, all hell broke loose. The internet became a keyboard warrior’s dream come true as comments between the extremely
OPINION | Blasphemy Laws are Such a Drag Read More »
In a world where traditions and societal expectations often dictate our choices, it’s not uncommon for individuals to feel doubt and face scrutiny when deviating from the norm. Recently, I found myself in a similar situation when I decided to process a government document to hyphenate my surname. Personally, I dread the process of changing
I Hyphenated My Surname as a Married Woman. It Wasn’t Easy. | OPINION Read More »
By Maui Del Mundo HAPI Scholar ~ People’s personal “utopias” come in many forms. For a college student, it could be the sound of keyboard clicks, the smell of brewing coffee, and the comforting chill of a café. For working professionals, it could be the feeling of sand on their skin as they unwind on
Our Leaders Play a Role in Our Peace of Mind | OPINION Read More »
The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media By Edgar Louis de Gracia HAPI Scholar “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it?” – Erik Qualman The internet is a system of computer networks that has grown to wrap itself around our global consciousness. Decades after
The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media Read More »
Empathy = the Cure to Cancel Culture? By Edgar Louis de Gracia HAPI Scholar Cancel culture is a controversial internet phenomenon that has put down a lot of people, innocent or otherwise. In the beginning, the movement’s heart was in the right place, taking down predatory men in power like Harvey Weinstein. Then, it
Empathy = the Cure to Cancel Culture? Read More »
Your Leader is You. By Donna T. Darantinao HAPI Scholar Often, we are told that choosing the people to govern your country is not on par with the connections you have already established for years now. “Why should your choice of leaders affect your relationships when they do not even directly affect your life?” they
Your Leader is You. Read More »
Mental Health x Religion = ? By Edgar Louis de Gracia HAPI Scholar Before anything else, let us define what ‘mental health’ means. Mental health is a state of well-being of a person; this includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. In recent years, we’ve seen believers in the divines use the excuse of not believing
Mental Health x Religion = ? Read More »
Do you want to change the World? Start with yours first. By Shawn Evans Quiming HAPI Scholar “I want to change our world” and “I want to help our world” are two expressions we frequently hear from people who have a lot of bark but not much bite. As they yearn to better society, they
Do you want to change the World? Start with yours first. Read More »
Refusing to Learn from the Last Global Pandemic By Johnny Denden HAPI-Northern Mindanao Lead Convener | HAPI Scholar Recalling history, an unprecedentedly large movement of people occurred during World War I as soldiers and medical personnel came to aid the war in the European Theatre. Coming from North America and the Asian Pacific region, these
Refusing to Learn from the Last Global Pandemic Read More »
Christmas wasn’t always a Christian thing! By Edgar Louis de Garcia As we all know, Christmas has been celebrated all over the world for centuries. For modern-day Christians, it has morphed into both a cultural tradition as much as it is a religious one: they use it not only to celebrate the birth of Jesus
Christmas wasn’t always a Christian thing! Read More »
Hey, grown-ups. Where’s your sense of wonder gone? By Sherwin Dane Haro Editor-in-Chief / HAPIsko As someone who has recently become an Assistant Teacher to Spanish elementary students, I am continually amazed by the endless curiosity of children. They ask relentlessly (i.e. about the world, Philippine culture, phonetics, etc.) with no regard for how ridiculous
Hey, grown-ups. Where’s your sense of wonder gone? Read More »
By Glemir Sordilla HAPI Scholar | HAPI Bacolod Member volunteer vol·un·teer | \ ˌvä-lən-ˈtir \ : a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service We have all probably encountered a “volunteer” at least once in our lives; perhaps you have even been one yourself! Currently practiced by thousands of people
How Volunteering Fulfilled Me Read More »
The Church won’t bless same-sex union. So what? By Joshua VillalobosHAPI Scholar On March 15, 2021, Pope Francis of the Catholic Church announced that the Church cannot and will not bless same-sex unions since they cannot “bless sin”. This statement of the “progressive” Pope made it to various leading news outlets garnering different reactions and
The Church won’t bless same-sex union. So what? | OPINION Read More »
What We Can Learn from Jesus by Junelie Anthony Velonta Many who live the secular lifestyle shun religious texts and teachings. While it is understandable as some texts and beliefs are reminiscent of divisive bronze age traditions, and as such have no place in the modern world where equality is key, those that do
What We Can Learn from Jesus Read More »
What Does an Atheist Feel Listening to Christmas Songs? by Glemir Sordilla Bacolod City You know you are a Filipino when the “-ber” months come in and you wake up to “whenever I see girls and boys selling lanterns on the streets,” iconic lyrics from Jose Mari Chan’s song. No, I am not kidding.
What Does an Atheist Feel Listening to Christmas Songs? Read More »
Anti-SOGIE Advocates Should Stop Fear-Mongering by Joshua Villalobos Bacolod City This is one of the first articles I would write in response to absurd arguments and lies against the SOGIE Equality Law. Fortunately, we don’t have a class in PE so I had the time to construct a response to lies. We cannot allow
[OPINION] Anti-SOGIE Advocates Should Stop Fear-Mongering Read More »
From Fear To Fascination by Glemir P. Sordilla Bacolod City The concept of fear has since plagued the human mind of its existence. How come something has the ability to make you tremble and make you feel dread? To explain fear is complicated it is the uneasiness or the feeling that something bad is
From Fear To Fascination Read More »
The Passionate Life by Rado Gatchalian Your temporal existence necessitates your obligation to enjoy the life given to you. By Nature. Now. To waste it on a meaningless existence is a failure on your part to be grateful for this gift of life. But what is a meaningless existence? To find the answer to
The Passionate Life Read More »
Exodus as Historical Fiction by Junelie Anthony Velonta Dumaguete City Upon first inspection, it would seem that the Exodus story and the Trojan War have little to no similarities to each other. The Exodus deals with the plagues set upon Egypt by the Hebrew god and the exit of the enslaved Hebrews from Egypt,
Exodus as Historical Fiction Read More »
The Struggle of Online Education by Joshua Villalobos Bacolod City The COVID-19 pandemic has shoved to our throats a modality new to us – the online learning. It should be noted that there are existing effective online education programs prior to the pandemic. Among its implementer is no less than the University of the
The Struggle of Online Education Read More »
Keep Your Lips Half-Sealed by Donna T. Darantinao Dumaguete City Being able to think according to how you perceive things is arguably one of the most rewarding things you could ever imagine in this lifetime, not because you necessarily have a say on anything, but because you are actually working your mind to reach
Opinions: Keep Your Lips Half-Sealed Read More »
Contagious Superstitions by Glemir Sordilla Bacolod City As a pungent smell from a tiny insect engulfed our small living room, we already know what we will hear. A groan from my grandmother can be heard following with her statement, that we have heard countless times, “Ara na ang baho ka changaw. May aswang gid
Contagious Superstitions Read More »
How Activism Helped Me Excel in My Studies by Joshua Villalobos Bacolod City “Mag-aral nalang kayo!” That’s the immediate response of people who are either against the cause you are fighting for or just hate to see people who are strong enough to stand their grounds and fight for what they believe is right.
How Activism Helped Me Excel in My Studies Read More »
The Faith of a Thinker By Rado Gatchalian Sydney, Australia faith (n.) mid-13c., faith, feith, fei, fai “faithfulness to a trust or promise; loyalty to a person; honesty, truthfulness,” from Anglo-French and Old French feid, foi “faith, belief, trust, confidence; pledge” (11c.), from Latin fides “trust, faith, confidence, reliance, credence, belief,” from root of
The Faith of a Thinker Read More »
Stuck In Reverse by Rachelle Charlaine Cebu City I had an average Distinction grade in Bachelor of Visual Arts at Monash University, I was invited by the Dean to dinner for top students, but I could not finish the remaining two years because of family issues regarding having a relationship with a Muslim student there.
Youth: The Core of Humanism by Donna Darantinao Dumaguete City “I did not start too young.” It must be a popular belief that the youth is the key to the progression of this ever-changing world. From the tips of pens of martyrs and fallen heroes, they have always seen the future generation as the
Youth: The Core of Humanism Read More »
THE FILIPINO MENTALITY By Rado Gatchalian Sydney, Australia The word mentality derives from the root word mental, from Latin ‘mens’ which means ‘mind’. The mind is a process in our brain such as thinking, remembering, reasoning, reflecting, and all other cognitive activities. Culturally and sociologically, certain groups of people or races have specific “collective
The Filipino Mentality Read More »
Science that Promotes Secularism by Junelie Anthony Velonta Dumaguete City Science is a gateway to many amazing things. From the days of the ancient Greeks when science was irremovable from rhetoric to the modern world combatting the Corona Virus pandemic, science has helped and is continuing to help us understand the world. For the
Science that Promotes Secularism Read More »
Kaninong Dagat? Written by Junelie Anthony Velonta May 1, 2020 Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental If a friendship requires a person to give up what is theirs, then that is not friendship. In the same vein, if friendly relations with other states requires giving up what is rightfully owned by the Filipino people, then those relations
Written by Glemir Sordilla April 20, 2020 Bacolod, Negros Occidental I still remember when the news erupted about some cases of COVID-19. It was told as a new virus spreading in China and not much information is available about it yet. After that, the reporter transitioned to different news in a snap. She talked
Quarantine and Questions Read More »
Ang human rights o karapatang pantao ay para sa lahat. Hindi ito umiikot sa isang indibidwal lamang. Ang problema, ay hindi napapahalagaan ang karapatang pantao, at alam nating lahat na ang kabuntot nito ay ang matagal nang pinoproblema ng ating mga kababayan. Mga kababayan nating matagal nang tinatahak ang diskriminasyon at pang-aapi, ang mga LGBT.
Let us hear from a millennial from NYC, USA and also my neighbor for over 18 years in Fresh Meadows, Queens, USA about love and courage. Aman was raised in the Sikh faith, in a multiethnic family, with ancestral roots in Sikhism, Islam and Catholicism. At a tender age of 18, Aman has traveled far
Love and Courage by Aman S. Bains Read More »
Photo: George Calvelo/ABS-CBN News In light of the divided consensus over the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill in the Senate and the recent brouhahas surrounding transgender woman Gretchen Diez, it’s occurred to me that there is now a greater pushback towards the LGBTQ+ community in the Philippines than ever before.
Stop Blaming a Minority for Wanting the Same Rights As You Read More »
You’re not mistaken; this post is by me, among all people, a secular Humanist. In case you missed it, I don’t believe in any god, not anymore. I believe in humans and their instinct to do what is good and right based on lessons passed on by our ancestors from 6 million years ago. But
When SOGIE Equality Bill Finds an Ally in a Catholic Activist Nun Read More »
On Presuppositionalist Apologetics by Ben Sackenheim Cincinnati, Ohio, United States April 8, 2019 Many readers may not even be familiar with this term, but you will need to know it because if you are involved in the messy business of counterapologetics for long, you will eventually encounter it. Presuppositionalism is a drastically different method of
On Presuppositionalist Apologetics Read More »
In this country that is mostly religious, there came a time in my life that I questioned my parenting… “Am I doing it right?” There are voices here and there… saying… “That’s not the right way…” Your kids don’t go to church and don’t believe in ‘god/s’. Your kids don’t pray… before meal…after meal…and
Am I doing it Right?- From a Humanist Parent Read More »
This country, the Philippines, is run by a Gerontocracy (rule of the old). The issue of the bill to lower the minimum age of criminal liability to 9 years old indicates a lack of progress in the outlook of many of our solons today. It would seem that this proposition is a mere shortcut or
Gerontocracy in the Philippines Read More »
The Sinulog is Political: – its religious symbolism and meanings are meant to reinforce the legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church as a key institution of society. – its cultural performances and artisitic interpretations are not only displays of parts of Cebuano identity but a potent projection of soft power on a domestic and even
Sinulog in Cebu: Political in nature Read More »
— By Scott Douglas Jacobsen Andrew Sullivan, prominent and long-time essayist, declared every person has a religion. By implication, this would include atheists, as most see themselves, likely, as a-religious within the referent frame of a-theism. This seems more wrong than right, and also appears to miss the basic nature of religion: handed down answers, or,
Wider, Broader, Deeper, and Longer: The Banality of Moving the Goal Posts Read More »
— By Scott Douglas Jacobsen The Roman Catholic Christian Church Pope Francis – the guy who thinks he is the only Pope should look into the Discordians, adjacent to the Church of the SubGenius and its SubGenii – remarked on the problems with drug abuse or, less moralistically, substance misuse in the context of Duterte (Romero,
The Guardians of Pain Read More »
“Sapagka’t ang Dios ay hindi Dios ng kaguluhan, kundi ng kapayapaan. Gaya sa lahat ng mga iglesia ng mga banal” “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 —————– Marami sa ating gumagamit ng mga Bible verse para magpahayag ng mga makabibliyang
Ang Bibliya ang Katibayan na Mayroong Diyos Read More »
“Sapagka’t ang mga bagay niyang hindi nakikita buhat pa nang lalangin ang sanglibutan ay nakikitang maliwanag, sa pagkatanto sa pamamagitan ng mga bagay na ginawa niya, maging ang walang hanggan niyang kapangyarihan at pagka Dios; upang sila’y walang madahilan” “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been
God as the Designer – The Watchmaker Read More »
May humamon sa akin tungkol sa Diyos. Binigyan nya ako ng permiso na i-share ang usapan namin, sa kondisyon na hindi ko sasabihin ang pangalan nya. Eto ang hamon nya. Pinaliwanag nya sa akin na kahit anong paliwanag mo sa isang bulag, hindi nya maiintindihan at malalamang may liwanag, kaya hindi maniniwala ang bulag na
Isang hamon mula sa isang naniniwala sa Diyos Read More »
Ayon sa kasulatan ng pilosopong si Plato, si Euthyphro, isang Athenian na propeta, ay tinanong ng pilosopong si Socrates: “Ang kabutihan ba ng Diyos ay mabuti dahil nanggaling ito sa Diyos? O ito ba ay mabuti dahil nagdudulot ito ng kabutihan?” Ito ang tinatawag na Euthyphro’s Dilemma, o ang Dilema ni Euthyhpro. Suriin natin ang
Kung walang Diyos, saan manggagaling ang moralidad? Read More »
Humanist Voices is the official publication of International Humanist Ethical Youth Organization (IHEYO), bringing news and opinion from Humanists around the world. IHEYO is the youth section and non-profit umbrella of International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) to which Humanist Alliance Philippines, International (HAPI) has been a member organization since 2015. It serves as the
Humanist Voices interviews HAPI Vice-Chairperson Read More »
We live in a society of fast and instant everything: fast food, fast cash, instant information, and instant communication. It’s not that we like to do things on a shortcut, but we thrive in an environment that’s ten times the pace of what we’re used to back in the day. Through constant use of social
Ethics, Blogging, and the Rise of Social Media Read More »
HAPI Juniors, under the Humanist Alliance Philippines, International, is a wing of HAPI that is intended for youth development. The main goal of this wing is to train future leaders in brainstorming, event-planning, and conducting their own activities for environmental and secular educational activities. It is also a venue for some youth to interact with
HAPI Juniors for Humanism Read More »
To cite a fictional character as a primary example for a serious discussion may seem to be, in some way or another, out of context, but for a self-confessed nerd like me, superheroes are and will always be part of society. We, the collective geeks and nerds, know all too well that they don’t really
Superheroes and Religion Read More »
Humanist Alliance of the Philippines, International has published the first-ever HAPI book titled: From Superstition to Reason. The HAPI book contains trials and challenges of people in their journey to Humanism. The book also showcases different types of Humanism and Atheism. Take a look at the various feedback below. HAPI Book Review from Rafael Azanza Rafael
Members’ Feedback About The HAPI Book: “From Superstition to Reason” Read More »
HAPI TREES Year 2- Sept 11, 2016 21 chapters in about 20 provinces nationwide stood up in solidarity to care for our mother nature, last September 11, 2016. Hundreds of volunteers had joined and planted thousands of trees, mangroves and even grass at their locations. Such a widespread and big event was no easy task.
IN RETROSPECT: HAPI TREES YEAR 2 Read More »
Originally posted in ConatusNews Written By Danielle Erika Hill and Scott Douglas Jacobsen Humanism, as an ethical and philosophical worldview, provides the basis for proper action in the world with an emphasis on this world, the natural world. There is a phrase, “deed before creed,” that speaks volumes to the emphasis of humanism. Principles are
Women’s Rights in the Philippines – An Overview Read More »
As a teacher it has always been my goal to teach to the best of my abilities, regardless of the present situation and the lack of materials. It is a sad truth that teachers have to dig deep into their own pockets in order for them to deliver proper lessons to their students. For many years,
HAPI-SHADE (Secular Humanist Advocacy Development and Education) Read More »
“Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance that affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. Humanism stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethics based on human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry
HUMANISM-The real empowerment Read More »
What gives your life meaning? Social causes? HAPI? Love? Basketball? Shopping? The Game of Thrones? Music? Your pet snake? Sex? Writing? Family and friends, perhaps? God? You might derive your sense of purpose from these or you might believe that you were born with a purpose given by God or gods. Whatever the case,
A HAPI Lecture : Existential Angst and the Search for Life’s Meaning Read More »
Written by Bro. Rholdee L., Spiritual Humanist “The day I moved a step away from religion, was the day I moved a step closer to God”. This is the statement that best describes my Path right now. I have abandoned the Path of religion, and searched for the truth within me. Please do bear with me
“A Fraction of Enlightenment” Read More »
By: Bro. Rholdee L., Spiritual Humanist First published on 10/03/2014 As Humanists, we transcend beyond Atheism, Theism or the likes in between. The issue here is not proving about the existence of God. The real issue here is, “can we be good without God?” If there is God, then we ask ourselves “can we be as
Humanism re-defined: Transcending beyond Atheism or Theism Read More »
Typhoon Ruby is headed our way and already I see dozens of Facebook posts urging people to pray that it will be deflected, for God to spare the country, and so on. If the effectivity of prayers that came before past super typhoons are any indication, I doubt if the results would be any different this time around. Not that
Humanism, not religion, is our salvation Read More »
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