MANILA, Philippines - Young STAR gets in on the fun with an award for an emerging blog or site run by a person or team aged 16 to 24 that has a fresh vantage on local culture. This is a web portal that is fresh and decidedly different — an outlier, an alternative to what everyone else is doing. In its own way, this site drives passion and opinion, making culture its advocacy. The nominees are:
Kamusta? Magazine
Kamusta? is an online travel magazine showcasing Filipino life and culture. The zine’s aim is to help travelers see the country truthfully, going beyond the usual malls and tourist attractions and presenting a more authentic Filipino experience. The eye, after all, has to travel.
The yellow adventures
Like National Geographic in blog form, 22-year-old photojournalist Hannah Reyes (who has actually contributed to National Geographic) goes from place to place taking photos and documenting the way people live. From tribes in far-off mountains to cute surfers in bikinis, Hannah’s curious eye never fails to capture the spirit of its subjects.
Purvyr
Purveyr is an online source of news from style, art, music, design, and lifestyle. Run by a group of 20-somethings steeped in the local street culture, the site aims to provide a curated list of local street culture’s best — from the week’s underground party to self-produced videos.
Stache
Stache is an online blogazine for and by creative 20-somethings, its mission is to “provide a venue for young people who think there is no place for them to share their art.†The team behind Stache have shown a keen eye for talent, championing upcoming artists as well as underground icons in their short run.
Nothing spaces
24-year-old artist/designer/writer Carina Santos says Nothing Spaces is “sort of where she lives.†She blogs about the creative life, from the artistic process and the latest gallery openings to more personal matters like the quarter-life crisis.