Upholding the roles of small press movements, a writer from Gantala Press emphasized that print media, particularly zines are possible alternatives in expressing political actions as both mass and social media are ‘under threat’ presently.

 In the discussion “Small Press and the Insuppressible Press Freedom” yesterday at Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU), Roma Estrada, a member of the panel, noted how social media influences the mass and how the state easily penetrates it.

“I believe that social media can still somehow persuade people into rational thinking, pero habang tumatagal, wala eh malakas ‘yong state, mas may machineries sila. So kahit anong platform ma-cocoop nila kahit social media pa. Both mass and social media are under threat,” Estrada said.

Estrada also pointed out that zines, even small, carry bite size awareness compared to social media, causing doubts to the people due to information overload.

 “Ngayon kasi, yung mga tao dahil sa info storm, yung tempestuous flow of social information, nagkakaroon ng information overload ang mga tao. May tendency tayo na ma-overwhelm. So ito, itong mga zines na ‘to, doesn’t tell us the whole story or whole thing but it gives us idea what is happening,” Estrada stated.

She further elaborated on the versatility of zines for having an underground nature, being an avenue for promoting art, literature, and camaraderie through collaboration.

“Dito [in zines], mapapalabas mo ang creative and conceptual thinking as an artist, tapos consumption to creation. So dati nagcoconsume tayo, dito nagcrecreate tayo. Sa process ng zine-making, andyan ang unity, naipapakita ito through collaboration,” the Gantala Press writer asserted.

The panel discussion was part of Gandang-Ganda Sa Sariling Gawa (GGSSG), an annual all-women art and small press fair organized by Gantala Press in partnership with Cultural Center of the Philippines Intertextual Division.

The two-day event was on its second year of conduct as the former also collaborated with Balud Art Network and RM 74.

The organizers included various forums on zines, safe spaces and anti-rape culture, and art and small press expo.