Celebrating Filipino creativity and collaboration with “UGNAY”

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The Rotary Club of Makati presented "UGNAY," a fundraising art exhibit at The Peninsula Manila that celebrated collaboration, culture, and creativity, examining Filipino identity through memory, abstraction, and civic engagement. Proceeds will benefit RCM’s community service initiatives.

Headlining the show was renowned Filipino artist Dominic Rubio, celebrated for his nostalgic depictions of Filipino identity and heritage. Rubio, born in 1970 in Paete, Laguna, studied Commercial Arts at the University of Santo Tomas before pursuing painting full-time.

His signature elongated figures in colonial-era attire, set against romanticized Old Manila or countryside scenes, have become icons of cultural memory. His works have been featured at Sotheby's, Christie's, and in landmark murals like "The Great Promenade of Philippine-American Friendship" at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Art patron Rosita Lara Lumagui, managing director of Worldwide Resource Solutions Philippines and a guest-of-honor at "UGNAY," noted that Rubio's work "captures the essence of Filipino culture," reflecting traditions while incorporating modern elements with a nostalgic flair.

Through his paintings and functional art, Rubio invites viewers to reconnect with and carry forward Filipino heritage. Joining him were three emerging talents: Aaron Virata Mempin, Anton Cabrera, and Jean Uy. Together, their artworks form a dialogue between tradition and innovation, bringing modernity, abstraction, and contemporary sensibilities to the conversation.

Aaron Virata Mempin, also known as A in art and communication circles, is a geometric abstract artist and dedicated Rotarian. His elegant, minimalist compositions are deeply inspired by the lines of sand, the serenity of waves, and the shifting horizons of Philippine beaches, reflecting calm and hope found in natural landscapes.

Anton Cabrera, known by his artist alias CABSTRAK, began his journey into abstract art in 2015. His bold and imaginative works are recognized for their vivid fusion of rainbows, astronomy, and raw emotional expression.

Jean Uy Yam, a mother of two and a lawyer, quietly captures the poetry of everyday life in her paintings. She has painted since high school but found more time to pursue and share her art publicly during the pandemic, debuting her work on social media to raise funds for charities like Caritas Manila and AHA Learning Center.

“Each artist brings a unique perspective,” Lumagui noted. “Aaron’s work is structured and meditative, Anton’s is intuitive and reflective, and Jean’s is radiant and deeply human. Together, they create a balanced and compelling dialogue.”

The unveiling ceremony brought together a distinguished group of guests, including Lumagui, COMELEC Commissioner Ferdinand Maceda Jr., Rotary Club of Makati President Eduardo H. Galvez, Supreme Court Justice Midas Marquez, Rotary District 3830 Governor Reginald Alberto Nolido, past Governor Maria Concepcion Camacho, and Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Abdul Malik Castelino.

For inquiries, visit The Peninsula Manila concierge or email rcm3830@gmail.com.

The Unholy Gridlock: How Religion Became the Ultimate Gatekeeper in Philippine Politics

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The Philippines, a nation where faith runs deep as its archipelago is wide, finds itself in a peculiar predicament. In a land of fervent Catholics and a growing evangelical population, the very devotion that defines its people has seemingly become a formidable barrier to progress. Divorce remains illegal, sex education is a constant battleground, and the once unthinkable – banning condoms in health centers – became a reality. The question hangs heavy in the air: Is religion holding the Philippines back?

For decades, the influence of religious institutions, particularly the Catholic Church, has cast a long shadow over the legislative process. When bishops wield influence comparable to senators, the separation of church and state, a cornerstone of modern democracy, appears dangerously blurred. It's not faith itself that is the antagonist, but rather the perceived veto power that religious leaders and organizations exert over critical social reforms.

Consider the contentious history of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law. Passed in 2012 after years of fierce debate and opposition from religious groups, its rollout was immediately sabotaged. The Supreme Court struck down key provisions, weakening enforcement, while religious organizations relentlessly challenged access to contraceptives through legal avenues and lobbying. Despite expert warnings of rising teen pregnancies and unsafe abortions, the Church’s arguments, often rooted in moral and theological grounds, held significant sway. The consequences are stark: the Philippines grapples with one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Southeast Asia, with over 500 teen births occurring daily. Experts estimate that millions of unintended pregnancies could have been prevented had the RH Law been fully implemented without obstruction.

The issue of divorce presents an even more entrenched stalemate. The Philippines, alongside Vatican City, stands as the only country in the world where divorce remains completely illegal. Annulments, the only legal recourse, are expensive, lengthy, and granted only under narrow circumstances, effectively trapping individuals in irreparable marriages, often marred by abuse or infidelity. While public opinion shows growing support for divorce, religious groups, led by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), continue to vehemently oppose it, labeling it "anti-family" and warning of its potential to "erode the soul of the Filipino family." The sheer political power of these groups has effectively stalled any meaningful legislative movement towards legalizing divorce.

Even the crucial topic of sex education is met with fervent resistance, triggering what can only be described as national "moral panics." A 2024 bill aimed at preventing teen pregnancy faced intense backlash from religious conservatives who disseminated misinformation, falsely claiming the curriculum would promote inappropriate content for young children. Powerful figures have threatened to veto such bills based on "woke ideologies," despite alarming pre-teen pregnancy rates. Tragically, church-run schools remain exempt from mandated sex education under the very RH Law intended to address these issues comprehensively.

The struggle for LGBTQ+ rights paints a similar picture of religious opposition hindering progress. The SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression) Equality Bill, aimed at providing basic legal protections against discrimination, has languished in the legislative process for over two decades, repeatedly stalled by faith-based opposition. Evangelical senators have falsely claimed the bill would lead to same-sex marriage and even "bestiality," derailing public debate with appeals to moral panic rather than reasoned discourse on human rights. As a result, nationwide protections for LGBTQ+ individuals remain absent, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination with only limited local ordinances offering some recourse.

The pervasive influence of religion in Philippine politics raises a fundamental question about national identity and progress. Lawmakers frequently invoke "Filipino values" as a shield against progressive reforms, yet these values are often heavily influenced, if not dictated, by Catholic teachings. This creates a situation where the dominant faith effectively sets the boundaries for social legislation, often at odds with evolving societal norms and international human rights standards. In contrast, neighboring countries with significant religious populations, such as Thailand (Buddhist) and Indonesia (Muslim), have managed to legalize divorce and implement family planning with far less resistance.

The argument is not against faith itself. Filipinos remain deeply faithful, and this spiritual core is an integral part of their identity. However, a growing majority now supports laws that the Church actively opposes, including divorce and comprehensive reproductive health access. Even in other Catholic-majority nations like Malta and Ireland, divorce laws have been passed without a collapse of faith or societal values.

The deadlock in the Philippines is not a reflection of a lack of faith, but rather a manifestation of an imbalance of power. Progress does not necessitate abandoning one's beliefs; it simply requires the courage to separate the pulpit from policy. When the pronouncements from religious leaders carry the weight of legislative mandates, the nation risks stagnation, unable to adapt to the evolving needs and rights of its citizens.

The question posed at the outset remains critical: At what point does devotion turn into national deadlock? The answer may lie in fostering a political landscape where faith informs personal values but does not dictate national laws, where dialogue and reason prevail over dogma, and where the separation of church and state is not just a constitutional principle but a lived reality. Only then can the Philippines truly move forward, unshackled from the unholy gridlock that has for too long choked the passage of vital social reforms and human rights.

The Next Pandemic Begins With Us: Why Rewriting Our Bond With Nature Is a Matter of Survival

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Every so often, a deadly whisper emerges from the shadows of our forests, the depths of our oceans, or the stalls of a crowded market—and it spreads like wildfire. COVID-19 was not the first, and it won’t be the last. From Ebola to monkeypox, the world has been continuously shaken by diseases that jump from animals to humans—zoonoses that serve as urgent warnings of our fractured relationship with the natural world.

These diseases are not anomalies. They are inevitable consequences of a system built on exploitation and ignorance. Over 60% of known human infectious diseases originate in animals, and a staggering 75% of emerging diseases—those we have no defenses against—are zoonotic in nature. Yet despite this, the lessons of pandemics past are being ignored or forgotten.

A Fragile Link Under Siege

The connection between human health, animal well-being, and the environment is not abstract—it is biological reality. When we destroy forests, we erase the natural barriers between humans and wildlife. When we cage exotic animals for trade, food, or novelty, we invite unfamiliar viruses into our homes and markets. When we farm unsustainably, urbanize uncontrollably, and commodify every living thing, we do more than disrupt ecosystems—we engineer the next global health crisis.

Still, in many parts of the world, wild animals are being domesticated, sold in live markets, or trafficked illegally. These interactions—often driven by ignorance, desperation, or greed—are not just reckless; they are potentially catastrophic. Each careless moment, each illegal transaction, each unchecked market could be the origin story of the next pandemic.

The One Health Imperative

We cannot afford to think in silos anymore. Human health is not separate from the health of animals or the planet—it is intertwined, and it must be treated as such. This is the essence of the One Health approach: an integrated, unifying strategy that recognizes that the health of people is inextricably linked to the health of animals and the environment.

But understanding is not enough. Action must follow.

What We Must Do—Now

If we are to avert another global catastrophe, we must radically alter how we relate to nature. That means:

Ending the practice of keeping wild animals as pets. They belong in the wild, not in cages or living rooms.

Fighting the illegal wildlife trade with the full force of national and international law.

Strengthening health barriers—from wet market regulations to community education in high-risk areas.

Supporting biodiversity-friendly agriculture that does not displace wildlife or overexploit natural resources.

Reforesting and preserving habitats, not only to fight climate change but to restore the natural separation between species.

A Choice Between Chaos and Coexistence

The path ahead is clear, and it is paved not with complacency, but with collective responsibility and courageous choices. The next pandemic is not waiting in the distant future—it may already be brewing. Our only defense is prevention, and prevention begins with respect: for animals, for ecosystems, and for the interconnected web of life we all depend on.

We must abandon the illusion that nature is ours to dominate. Instead, we must embrace a new paradigm—one where we live with the natural world, not above it.

Because in the fight against zoonotic disease, our greatest weapon is not a vaccine. It’s wisdom. It’s restraint. It’s solidarity.

Let us act now—because the cost of doing nothing is a future none of us can afford.