Rappler columnist and investigative journalist Ana P. Santos has received a grant from the National Book Development Board (NBDB) for her forthcoming book, 'The Other Mary: Womanhood, Faith, Sexuality. Survival.' The book is a collection of narrative nonfiction portraits drawn from her investigative work on Filipino women navigating faith, sexuality, and survival.
The book's title draws from a study Santos encountered while studying Gender (Sexuality) as a Chevening Scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science. “The research was about how in the Philippines, women are classified as either being like the Virgin Mary or the other Mary,” Santos explained.
“In the Philippines, the image of Mother Mary is everywhere, shaping expectations of what a ‘good woman’ should be. But real life is rarely that divine or that simple,” she added. At its core, the book compiles years of her immersive reporting on women confronting faith, sexuality, migration, and survival amid unequal systems.
Structured in three parts echoing the Holy Trinity, it includes 'Migrant Mothers,' exploring intersections of migration, love, and motherhood; 'The Rebels,' on women publicly shamed for their romantic choices; and 'Women of Negotiable Affection,' examining those whose work involves intimacy. Many stories stem from her Pulitzer Center-supported investigations into female migrant labor in Europe and the Middle East.
Santos authors Rappler's longstanding 'Dash of SAS (Sex and Sensibilities)' column on gender and sexuality, now expanded into a video series viewing positive sexuality through Filipino culture and spirituality.
Her project is among 20 selected from 238 nationwide applications for the NBDB Publication Grant Program, established under Republic Act 8047 to bolster the Philippine book publishing industry by funding editing, design, and printing costs.
