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Hello! I am Roxannie, or you can call me Rox for short. I am taking a BS Information Systems program and am currently a third-year student. Although I am interested in learning about technology now, back then, I took the HUMSS strand in senior high school, which is why the Humanities is still a valued place in my heart, and talking about things like culture is still something I am drawn to. It is as if I am yearning to understand more the intersection of these things. Now, talking about Philippine pop culture, I love broadly. I love listening to modern OPM music, going to coffee shops for milk tea (especially matcha flavor), reading memes and hugot lines, watching tiktok videos, and going for outdoor activities such as hiking, which is growing in popularity as a way to relax and decompress. I may not be that attuned and participative to popular trends since my attention is spent on other things. Still, I enjoy observing them and seeing how pop culture can bring people together to share the same spaces, art, and expressions.

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If there is an art expression that fills my days, it is music. I do not know how to play any musical instrument, but I greatly appreciate and enjoy music and how it adds color to my experiences. Hence, if there is a popular culture deeply embedded in my life, it is OPM music and its modern touch that new musicians in the field contribute. One such is the Filipino Rock Band "Lola Amour," which creates music around modern rock, funk, and pop genres. Their work "Raining in Manila" catches my attention, which captures longing and missing someone across distances in a very artful manner of expression. Although initially perceived as a romantic song, the message transcends that and pervades other realms where we may miss someone with whom we can hardly communicate. I think that is what music does; it is a transcendent form of art that allows our soul's yearning to be expressed for people and experiences that matter to us. Overall, OPM as popular culture remains my favorite, and it is delightful to have seen it evolve and have new masterpieces shared with our fellow countrymen and the world.

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Original Pinoy Music (OPM) is a term that refers to music created by Filipinos. It is often evident in our Spotify searches and playlists. Sometimes, we want the classics, while other times, we want the new, more modern ones. Regardless, it is undeniable that OPM is deeply integrated into our lives, and it is hardly imaginable to have it parted from our popular culture. Its impact on the culture as a continuing tradition and evolution to incorporate local and foreign styles has been significant historically and continues to be so. It embodies the richness of our musical heritage and only amplifies what is known to be Filipinos, a music-loving nation.

A communication theory that applies here and to me in terms of how I use it is the Uses and Gratification Theory, which refers to people using media to gratify their needs and get satisfaction. When it comes to music, I do it to satisfy my need for expression and company. Music has a way of making you feel less alone and a little bit of freedom from heavy thoughts. It also binds you to other people. Hence, the gratification of needs is met and also involves social and psychological needs that media, in this case music, fulfilled. Indeed, music is a powerful expression of culture that impacts important aspects of our individual lives and shared spaces as a community.