The Blue Bridge A.Y. 2018-2019 First Grading Tabloid by The Blue Bridge

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

THE BANGSAMORO AND THE RENEWED HOPE FOR LASTING PEACE HIGHLIGHTS 10

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 FIRST GRADING TABLOID Vol. 2 No.2 BRIDGE THE GAPS. UPRAISE THE DISCOURSE.

@ashsbluebridge

MAUBERT YRETARINO

BRIDGE THE GAPS. UPRAISE THE DISCOURSE.

A.Y. 2018-2019 2 OPINION

Editor-in-Chief Samantha Claire Cayona Associate Editor Christian Ang Managing Editor Putri Jihadah Zacaria News Editor Jasmine Joyce Mamawal Feature Editor Mariebella Annika Questo Literary Editor Jamaica Sofia Neis Art Editor Luther James Olaco Senior News Staff Josiah David Bangkas | Anna Marie Lamata Junior News Staff Ella Mae Diapana | Enrico Nazario Senior Features Staff Nicole Angeline Dasalla Junior Features Staff Kiara Amor Dugho | Roselle Angela Espere | Pauline Anne Javellana | Jeff Nathan Mearns | Adrianne Tobias Senior Sports Staff Ric Beryl Diola | Juan Paolo Miles | Dhenison Pallar Junior Sports Staff Michael Lance Desoloc | Alexis Teoxon Senior Literary Staff Johanna Therese Luna | Ella Lois Taylaran Junior Literary Staff James Raphael Lim | Mary Veronica Quinto Senior Sci-Tech Staff Sean Levi Abiera | Jasper Marie Arnilla Junior Art Staff Viriza Ann Caballo | Janna Louise Daquilos | Julia Marie Ponce | Cassie Ann Valencia | Maubert Yretarino Senior Photo Staff Kiana Keiron Acodili Junior Photo Staff Gerardo Gaceta IV Moderators Reil Benedict Obinque | Katrina Kate Dianne Punay Address Door 3, 2F Mezzanine, Arrupe Hall, Ateneo de Davao University, E. Jacinto Street, Davao City Online facebook.com/ashsbluebridge twitter.com/ashsbluebridge issuu.com/ashsbluebridge Cover Art Viriza Ann Caballo

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BRIDGE THE GAPS. UPRAISE THE DISCOURSE.

FAITH IN MAN-MADE RELIGIONS In today’s time, as man became further acquainted with broader knowledge about his surroundings, religion, for some, no longer becomes a question of faith, but a faith in question. On the other hand, there are those that had remained steadfast in their belief in a Supreme Being. Among them are those that are literate of what their faith is and is not when practiced amidst cultural and religious diversity, and those that are too affirmed of their faith that they transgress the very values that are intrinsic to the teachings of their religion. Whichever, our respective practice of faith should not breach the boundaries of our religious freedom. It entitles us to any scheme of religious expression except the license to degrade or invalidate others’ beliefs only because it is opposed to what is ours. In June 22, during the opening of the National Information and Communications Technology Summit in Davao, another batch of unfiltered words and actions destitute of scrutiny had fled the mouth of the country’s most unconventional diplomat, President Rodrigo Duterte. In the event, he called God ‘stupid’ and a ‘son of a whore’ on the grounds that he permitted temptation to operate in the perfect era where Adam and Eve once resided thus, compromising ‘the quality of his own work’ thus ‘stupid.’ A few days later in another event, he called

those in the Last Supper ‘idiots’ and ‘basta na lang ginawang santo.’ Such statements are only the latest among the stream of his tirades against the Catholic Church and its people, which, according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stems from his ‘unpleasant’ experience with a Jesuit who allegedly molested him. Influenced by his shallow understanding of the epiphanies behind the Genesis and the Last Supper, and blinded by his history of being molested by a church leader, his statements became devoid of consideration on the nation’s entitlement for religious freedom— something that he, among all others, is called to observe. Such entitlement obliges him to not degrade anyone’s faith in spite of his bare claim for religious expression, and out his mere loath on church leaders, for it is such an immature disposition to perceive matters in the lens of a scarred and loathsome past as it is to sight a scenery through a shattered eyewear. Although his pain should not be invalidated, he should try not to let his inclination to notice the flaws of the church blind him from seeing what it is that places it in the core of Asia’s largest Catholic society. Prior to his statement, he clarified that as opposed to the God that he called ‘stupid,’ his’ is a God that is ‘perfect’ with a ‘perfect common sense’ and who is

‘more supreme than the rest of the Gods of men.’ Nowadays, especially among the youth and given everyone’s’ entitlement to believe or not believe, many share the same perspective as many have chosen to believe in a Supreme Being but not to a certain religion. There are also those that are only adherent to their religion on a certain context, and on another, grasps an ideal that is opposed to the prohibitions of their religion. Indeed it is true that we are being religious only on things that we agree on and that we are inclined to make our own version of our religion, that as we choose to not be blindly adherent on certain matters, we had consequently made the scope of our knowledge and the extent of our ideals the measure of our faith and our preferences as our belief system. Thus, our man-made religion. Faith, however, is a paradox that demands man to incessantly seek further understanding of his religion and to settle on being blindly adherent on matters that are unexplainable to him. It is a question of being devoted enough to seek further understanding of his faith and of being faithful enough to believe in something that cannot be proven. The matters that are beyond the limits of knowledge is part of the challenge. Nevertheless, until we become capable of embracing our respective religion in its authentic version, the extent of our faith

If Philippine Politics is a game of snakes and ladders, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would probably be in the Hall of Fame.

THE HAND THAT PLAYS SNAKES AND LADDERS USUS ANTIQUIOR CHRISTIAN ANG

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

Most of us in Senior High School were born in a Philippines ruled by the second female president who assumed office after the second People Power Revolution. Thus, we have heard and seen the countless allegations against her. From the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal, the evening broadcast that brought us ‘I am sorry’, the NBN-ZTE deal, and even the well-lived career of Ate Glow. As little children these issues have been playing out in the background culminating with the election of President Aquino on 2010 when we saw how a ‘war on corruption’ looked like. I thought that was the end of the Arroyo era but here we are trying to make sense of the farce that our country has become. Superficially, the ousting of Speaker Alvarez seemed like a new high for the Duterte administration. Finally, the political bully of Congress can take a rest— leaving us, with at least our sanity. It might

and our versions of our religion should not be void what it is that makes us human in the context of our being and in the context of our communal obligations. As for communal obligations, the welfare of our society is immensely dependent on the extent of our desire to stir inclusivity in diversity. However, amidst our first account of this academic year, we were welcomed with our Assistant for Formation Fr. Jessel Gerard Gonzales’ idea that Ateneo is not a school for our atheist counterparts. His idea, aside from trespassing everyone’s entitlement to religious freedom, is a hypocritical approach in the university’s formation’s aim to weave the 6Cs into the looms of its learners’ being, one of which being cultural sensitivity. It is also an idea that is opposed to the values that are intrinsic to the teachings of his religion, as any religion would advocate inclusivity and is respectful of man’s call to seek God on his own accord. If it is authentic faith that he wants the learners to adopt then he should let them grasp it at their own pace, otherwise, it is then a faith that they adopted not for God but for the sake of being desirable in his lens of what an Atenean should be. Nobody should be obliged to adhere to a certain religion only to be accepted and be deemed desirable in the lens of the society

and its worldly standards. Hence, one’s belief should not be a determinant of one’s privileges, as it is not Catholicism that is a requirement in a society-oriented institution but, the courage to embrace cultural and religious differences and the heart to celebrate diversity. Indeed, whether someone practicing an uncontested faith in practice of a religion, someone who believes in God but adheres not to a certain religion, or someone who does not believe and adheres to either, everyone is inclined to make misappropriations of their faith and shape their own versions of it. The least that can be done is to ensure that such versions do what it is that makes a human, a person for himself and for others as, it is to be compassionate to embrace others in spite of differences, it is to be committed to engage in advocating inclusivity amidst diversity, it is to be culturally-sensitive to celebrate cultural and religious diversity, it is to be competent to persist in thriving beyond cultural and religious barriers, it is to be conscientious to grant everyone equal privileges regardless of their belief, and it is to be Christ-centered to respect religious freedom and diversity. Such are the acts that the 6Cs entail, and such, make an Atenean an Atenean, not trespasses to religious freedom.

have also been a destabilization of Duterte’s political capital. With no finger in Congress, who knows what he couldn’t have done? Consequently, with no scandalous congressman, attributed to him, blurting out pathetic threats, Duterte’s approval rating could increase.

of six years, Vice President of three years, a two-term president, a district representative, deputy House Speaker, and finally the 25th Speaker of the House of Representatives. She has been up and down wherever the current of power leads her and she is beyond stopping.

But a doubt remains. From a layman’s point of view, Arroyo isn’t really the best alternative. It can be argued that Congress just wants someone who is, ‘proven and tested.’ That is if they mean proven and tested to be of questionable credibility.

Whichever angle we view the coin, the fact still remains. Alvarez, Arroyo and Duterte are all from PDP-Laban. For all we know, this is just the same wizard hiding behind the curtain and we were gullible enough to take it as gospel truth. This is an issue that demands the test of time—something which can only be deciphered in retrospect. Perhaps, Arroyo is the ultimate archetype of Filipino resilience who after every accusation of corruption, scandal, arrest, or illness still manages to captivate the country with her iconic smile.

On the other hand, many were quick to her defense citing her background in Economics which they claim is just what we need. And many more were enthusiastic in taking part in a Marcos-esque resurrection of bills signed and economic statistics. The very least credit I can give Madam Speaker is for her various ways of staying in and near the business of governance. From the daughter of a president, a senator

PAPER-BASED EXISTENCE TINTANG BUGHAW PUTRI JIHADAH ZACARIA

Behind the unyielding picket line that the dismissed contract-based workers of Pacific Plaza Towers (PPT) established, are decades of an oppressive labor practice that millions of Filipinos have been forced to yield to. Behind the swollen face of Nanay Letty, one of those wounded by NutriAsia’s violent dispersal of its protesters, are countless others that bled out of worldly work environments in exchange of meager pays that barely sustained the extent of their needs nor compensated the weight of their sacrifices. As the government itself remained cowardly in prioritizing the minority before its capitalist endeavors, it consequently yielded itself as a commodity for the influential. Thus, millions of the country’s labor force remains dependent on a system that materializes their vulnerability into a capital for the country’s economy and makes a mere paper the determinant of their lives.

ready in the law, merely reiterated what have been ineffective in suppressing the worldly labor practice. Then right after, when he can still do so much to make direct-hiring the norm in employment so manpower agencies can no longer mandate deductions on the salary of their workers, he said that the rest lies on the country’s legislative and is no longer in his hands— a well-woven escape plan to cover yet another well-threaded lie.

While it is ignorance to claim that all forms of contractualization can be abolished as certain jobs such as those in construction sites are inherently temporary, it is illogical that the laws’ permission in contracting should be applied on all platforms of labor more so, for manpower agencies to be licensed institutions where workers that can be directly hired are still outsourced. Although it is a good platform where employers and employees can assess one’s qualification for the job’s standards, the current trade in contractualization is no longer an assessment of one’s capability rather, a fund-raising scheme where the workers’ need for sustenance are taken advantage of.

Thus, the nearly 8000 laid-off Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) workers whose dismissal became a blaming game between the company and DOLE; the 300 violently dispersed NutriAsia workers who were hit until they pretended dead and unconscious amidst their protest in pursuit of their mandated regularization; the 400 workers of Mayor Ramon Onate’s DSBN Agriventures that supplies Magnolia’s and Jollibee Food Corporation’s poultry demands, who were dismissed from their jobs prior to DOLE’s inspection as they were earning P285 and were working 17 hours a day; the 17 workers of PPT that is home to influential people including two senators, who camped outside the real estate’s premises for two weeks, where while not among the wealthy ones donated anything to fund the strike, the yayas and domestic workers had; the 400 Jollibee’s workers who, aside from being illegitimately dismissed had, based on a DavaoToday article, suffered deductions on their salaries out of the company’s programs that were disguised for their benefit, when in fact, were part of its fund-raising scheme.

Once more, the sweet promise of contractualization’s abolishment was utilized as a ticket towards a position in the government. Given President Rodrigo Duterte’s unconventional manner of addressing the public, he managed to compel 14.4M Filipinos to elect him into position through his idealistic and inadequately scrutinized promises of the drug trade’s eradication within six months and contractualization’s end within the first week of his reign. Thus, to appeal to the public that he has not failed in doing the latter, he signed in May 1 the Executive Order (EO) No. 51 prohibiting all schemes of labor-only contracting which, according to Bayan Muna Representative merely reiterated what is al-

QUESTION

Although the EO was effective in stirring into action the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that had long been idle towards contractualization-related issues thus the 240, 000 count of once contractual now regularized workers as of July, it renders not a single protection to workers when employers, particularly business giants, devise courses of actions to circumvent their mandated obligation to regularize their workers.

As the government incessantly fail to make the minority vigilant to oppression, and the influential vulnerable to the law, and instead did the contrary, it consequently made violent dispersals and strikes amidst harsh conditions the only platform for the workers to amplify

their pleas. Thus, even in their battle for their rights, they are still made to yield to an oppressive system only because it is their only option. Amidst these, not those who are more capable aids but those who themselves have merely anything to share. Should money scrape the humanity in every individual, and matters are perceived in the lens of profit that sees not necessities for humans but humans as the commodity, then everything would be like the EO that President Duterte had just signed— worldly, inked for compliance and inked out of pride. On the strikes corresponding the dismissals, the government condemned NutriAsia’s violent dispersal of its protesters and mandated the authorities to remain 50 meters away from the PPT workers to allow them to establish their picket line but did nothing to oblige such companies to reinstate their workers. Hypocritically, they permitted those workers to protest in pursuit of their rights but did nothing to advocate it towards realization. The government has got to stop saying something in favor of the minority when the only thing that they have been doing so far is yielding to the preferences of the influential. Their act in putting forth their vanity first is hindering them from confronting what is truly limping the country’s economy. If it is mass approval that they desire, then they have to act what their words mean and actualize what their promises vow otherwise, they’ll remain incessant in rendering band-aid solutions to the problems plaguing the country. The same goes for the President. Remedies for the pain of such workers should not be made merely for compliance so as to say they are not neglected. The government’s promise should not be as “paper” as the contracts governing the employment of such workers, so as their words when they are too cowardly to suppress the influence of their worldly desires on their decisions. The government can’t, and the media covers only 0.15 percent of the labor disputes occurring in a month, thus the greater call for the mass to stand with the workers. For it is not those in power but those who had been oppressed that have been meeting our demands, in the same manner that it hasn’t been the government but the latter that have been persisting in propelling the country towards productivity.

#AdDUNAYTING G

DID THIS YEAR’S HUMSS DAYS REPRESENT YOUR STRAND ADEQUATELY? Compared to the ones we had last year, this year’s HUMSS Day is indeed, better. I can say that it was really able to establish and show other learners who belong to the other strands what our strand has to offer. Another thing is that, because every letter that stands for the word “HUMSS” was perhaps well represented through the activities conducted this year and no letter was left out, I could say that this year’s HUMSS Days is adequate enough to represent our strand. CHRYSTOPHYR TRANCE 12- Briant

4 OPINION

I personally think that it did and that it was a great improvement from last year’s HUMSS day. The activities this year showcased a wider variety of the skills and talents of HUMSS learners. I was greatly inspired by so many people coming together to celebrate HUMSS and highlighting its importance in our world because that is what I think is the heart and soul of HUMSS, to bring people together for the betterment of society. I think that this year’s HUMSS days represented the strand well and I hope next year’s celebration will be even better. VIANNA MARIE HOFILEÑA 12 - Borgia

Yes. This year’s HUMSS Days was such a refreshing experience and one worth remembering. It was also humbling to see how the coordinators took into consideration the comments from last year such as the addition of slam poetry and more diverse speakers for the career talks. It’s disappointing though, that the other strands weren’t able to see how diverse the HUMSS strand is and that we are more than “just” aspiring teachers, writers, and politicians.

After seeing the whole process of the event, from the preparations, to the culmination, its result and the aftermath “feels” that came along with it, I think that this year’s HUMSS days sufficiently represented our strand. It gave our strand the highlight and recognition that it rightfully deserves and paved way for us HUMSS students to showcase not only our talents and skills, but also the social issues that we are tackling in our day-to-day classroom discussions.

DEANNE MARIE BERNARDINO 12 - Chabanel

ALLYSSA ANCHETA 12 - Bobola

DAVAO CITY ADOPTS PAPERLESS POLICY, PROMOTES ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION JUNTINE FAITH BUSMEON

After years of traditional framework, Davao City is moving towards an eco-friendly digitalization this year as the City council imposed the “Less Paper” program which enables all the memoranda, resolutions, and agendas to be distributed electronically.

that provides data and tools for monitoring forests, concluded that the Philippines lost 1.09 Million hectar meter (Mha) of tree cover from 2001 to 2017. This is equivalent to a 5.9% decrease since 2000 and 118 Metric ton (Mt) of carbon dioxide emissions.

The paperless session was first implemented through the initiative of Agusan del Sur board member Santiago Cane in 2007. Thus, the City Government came up with the program that recognizes the negative effects of using too much paper on a daily basis. Moreover, it hopes to utilize the information technology and reduce the usage of paper to preserve natural resources.

“Time will come that the application of renewal of business permits or license will be done even at your home and the payment of all taxes and other fees and charges will be done online through our accredited and authorized banks in the city,” Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) Head, Erwin Alparaque said.

Through this system, they are expecting to decrease the council’s paper use by 80% since an estimated 50 kg of paper were used during council meetings alone, or at least 8,000 kilos of paper every year. According to the World Counts, an online platform about environmental facts and statistics, when paper rots, it emits methane, a greenhouse gas and when burned, carbon dioxide, both noxious for the environment. Also, Global Forest Watch, another online platform

Prior to the implementation, certain preparations were made, including seminars and trainings for the officers and employees. According to Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag, the members and other officers of the council were issued laptops to be used for this purpose. The city has also been updating its internet lines and internal connectivity for the past couple of years. “The Davao City Information Technology Center (ITC), has been supporting us for a smoother transition. Important documents

are scanned so they can be easily retrieved in the future,” Al-ad added. On June 2018, Marikina inked its sisterhood agreement with Davao City to promote cultural and commercial ties between the cities according to The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Because of this, the city council members have visited Marikina and have shown their willingness to share the software they use upon practicing the paperless system. From April to June 2018, Kaspersky lab security reports an all time high web anti virus detections in the Philippines. In fact, the country lands 9th on the most online attacked list during the second quarter. Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag defended that the possibility of hacking is inevitable, however they have already taken steps in improving this facet adding that the soft copy of their documents are embedded with electronic keys. “This program will definitely make transactions faster and more efficient. When this program will be fully implemented, less people will go to the Sanggunian because they will be able to inquire on the status of their transactions online,” he explained.

In accordance with the environmental mission of the Ateneo de Davao University, Ecoteneo welcomed the “Less Paper” approach of the city government. “Less paper means less trees to be cut and/or less timber plantations for paper, less chlorine use/production and less negative environmental impacts from pulp and paper production,” Ecoteneo Director Carmela Marie Santos stated. Moreover, she hoped that the University stays the course in going paperless, opening that while many administrative systems are online, facilities and reservations have yet to use the online system available. “It will help if student leaders join this clamor and practice of going paperless so that the AdDU culture and learning truly becomes an education for sustainability,” Santos remarked. Santos further stressed that in an era of climate change, paperless initiatives set the tone for more sustainable living and climate-proofing, stating, “If the individual pursues this paperless initiative at home and in school, then academic excellence with a heart for nature, is par excellence for sure.”

ATENEANS ‘CHOOSE TO CHOOSE’: VOTER TURNOUT SWELLS BY 92% ELLA MAE DIAPANA

Buying a lottery ticket is akin to casting a vote; you buy the right on fantasizing how you would spend your prize, much as you earn your right to visualize how your choice would affect the welfare of the entire community. Contrary to the belief that most students refrained from casting their votes this year, the overall number of abstained votes dipped as compared to last year’s Pulsong Atenista Student Government Election results. According to the data released by the Ateneo Senior High School Commission on Elections (ASHSCOM), only five out of 80 learners abstained from voting for a president while 0.79 percent of the votes were considered invalid. This is relatively lower from the previous election’s results as more than a third or 36% of last year’s voters chose not to choose from any of the candidates vying for the position. Furthermore, the said document also revealed that the number of abstained votes for the position of the secretary general also decreased by two percent as only 266 of the entire student populace refrained from supporting a candidate. “A lot of the learners didn’t abstain because they like the candidates who ran for this election,” Pulsong Atenista Moderator Tricia Firman stated, adding, “The students liked their platforms and they felt that these people could really represent them to the administration – the school itself.” The Pulso moderator also revealed that the learners’ experience from the previous officers played a huge factor in this decrease since they felt that the new batch of leaders could supply what was lacking from last year’s way of governance. AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

Dea Marie Dimacuta, Pulsong Atenista Secretary General also believed that the students chose to exercise their right to vote since they trust the line-up of candidates this year. She added that the Harapan, an election debate initiated by the Blue Bridge, held last July 17, also contributed to this occurrence since it allowed them to further discuss their platforms. “The Harapan was a really great platform for us [candidates] to reach out to our fellow learners. Unlike the Miting de Avance where we were forced to pick a side, the Harapan allowed us to fully express our sentiments as to where we stand as leaders,” Dimacuta expressed. However, the results for the finance officer’s position showed otherwise since nearly 6 out of 10 learners refrained from supporting the only candidate vying for the post. This is relatively higher than last school year’s 20 percent abstained votes as stipulated in the results released by the ASHSCOM. The votes were unable to reach the required amount to be considered a winner thereby allowing the ASHSCOM to announce another election to transpire. According to Sophia Denise Sian, a Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) student from Brebeuf, most students opted to abstain because they didn’t know the candidate well and they were unconvinced with the credentials laid out. “This year, I noticed that more students took the time to orient themselves about the candidates they were voting for. I think majority of the student body abstained because they were unsatisfied with the candidate’s credentials in terms of the position of the finance officer,” Sian admitted.

LOYOLA PHOTOGRAPHER’S Few minutes before they cast their votes, a student took a last peek in the election release hoping to find a decision. SOCIETY

Lucelle Kate Salado, a Grade 12 STEM student from Collins also mentioned that the longer time allotment for the campaigns also influenced this decrease since they were able to know the candidates better. “The longer campaign period affected the number of abstained votes because we were able to choose our leaders with careful scrutiny. We chose these leaders because we understood their platforms wholeheartedly, and we knew that their intentions were for the

betterment of the whole Ateneo community,” Salado pointed out. The results of the election indicated that majority of the learners chose to exercise their right of suffrage. More learners showed interest on the power their votes hold, more so showed concern towards the outcome of the Pulso elections – the event which would determine the type of leaders who would govern the entire senior high school student body for the rest of the academic year.

NEWS 5

MINDANAO RAILWAY PROJECT ON FULL ACTION AFTER LODGING IN THE BACK BURNER ANNA MARIE LAMATA & JASMINE JOYCE MAMAWAL

Through the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) under President Rodrigo Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Build Build Build Programâ&#x20AC;?, a more connected Mindanao will progress as it has been fully implemented after languishing for almost three decades under previous administrations. Patmei Bello Ruivivar, Deputy Project Manager of the MRP, stated in Ateneo de Davao Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (AdDU) Pakighinabi session on August 1 that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved the proposed project on August 2018 which was sheltered since the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos. She mentioned that the infrastructure spending under Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration is 5.4 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in a year which already surpassed the investment for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Build Build Build Programâ&#x20AC;? compared to previous administrations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The MRP is part of the National Railway Plan that President Duterte is pursuing,â&#x20AC;? Ruivivar emphasized. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision is to connect the entire Philippines railway that in the future we can travel from Davao all the way to Tuguegarao by just using the train.â&#x20AC;? The Mindanao Railway is the longest rail network in the Philippine Development Plan which is at 1550 kilometers. First phase on the process â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2003, we only have 47 kilometers of railway. President Duterte wants to build at least 500 kilometers of railway before his term ends by 2021 which includes the Tagum- Davao- Digos (TDD) railway,â&#x20AC;? she pointed out. Ruivivar added that the Tagum-DavaoDigos segment which is the first phase of the project is currently ongoing and its target date for completion is by 2021. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Tagum-Davao-Digos segment is about 102 kilometers with eight stations. The main depot is in Tagum City in Barangay Mangkilam near the provincial capitol and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an ancillary depot in Davao City near the Davao Central Station which is at Magtuod,â&#x20AC;? she stated. Furthermore, the stations were situated in Tagum City, Carmen (Davao del Norte), Panabo City, Mudyang, Davao Central Station, Toril, Sta. Cruz (Davao del Sur), and Digos City. The Mindanao Railway will also link urban centers like the cities of Cagayan de Oro (CDO), Zamboanga, Pagadian, Dipolog, Marawi, Iligan, Cotabato, and Davao. According to Ruivivar, the MRP will connect all parts in Mindanao through an inter-regional system that will be situated in the outskirts which means that each locality or local government can have its own light rail or monorail or a bus system to connect it to downtown. The railway plan for Mindanao has an 850 km ring railway and a 700 km spurs. This includes four corridorsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Corridor 1 at 256 km (Davao-Nabunturan-Butuan), Corridor 2 at

6 NEWS

285 km (Butuan-Cagayan de Oro-Iligan), Corridor 3 at 289 km (Iligan-Cotabato-Davao), and Corridor 4 (Davao-Cagayan de Oro via Malaybalay). Change of plans Along with the delay for its full implementation are the reasons for changes made by the project committee which includes The Department of Transportation (DOTr) in coordination with NEDA, Regional Development Council (RDC), and Local Government Units (LGUs) like city or municipality. Ruivivar said that the change of scope of work from single to dual track, from non-electrified to electrified which will no longer use diesel and will be much wider as recommended by the RDC XI, and the change in funding strategy for the entire MRP should be considered. The project was approved by NEDA last July 2017 based on the old feasibility studies which is diesel and single track, cheaper compared to what Luzon and Manila have which is dual track and electrified. With this being said, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade suggested that the Mindanao Railway Project should also be dual track and electrified. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kung ano ang meron sa Manila and Luzon, dapat ganon din sa Davao or even better pa [Davao should also have what Manila and Luzon has or even better with what they have],â&#x20AC;? Ruivivar emphasized. She further explained that it addresses historical injustice and promotes social cohesion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been paying for MRT and we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tried riding the MRT.â&#x20AC;? On the other hand, she also presented that the project will include six 5-car Electronic Multiple Unit (EMU) trains which have an operating speed of 100 kph. Also, the Mindanao Railway is expected to have 120,000 daily ridership by 2022. Funding strategy Due to certain changes, the allocated budget which is supposedly P35 billion based on the previous feasibility studies might reach up to P90 billion for the Tagum-Davao-Digos segment alone to achieve the dual-track and electrified trains which will cost two billion pesos per kilometer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Initially, the plan for the Tagum-DavaoDigos line will be funded by the General Appropriations Act of the Philippine Government. That was when the cost was P35 billion since single track and diesel are cheaper but now that they are changing it into dual track and electrified which the General Appropriations Act cannot afford,â&#x20AC;? Ruivivar stressed. She further added that when the Philippine government talked to potential funders under the Philippine Development Assistance, China was the one who signified interest in funding the entire Mindanao Railway Project under their Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Taking Considerations As of the first half of 2018, the creation of the coordinating body and inspections on the proposed sites were done preliminary to the design and construction of the MRP that was planned to begin on the 3rd quarter of this year. The DOTr, the main agency involved with the MRP, coordinates with the NEDA which also coordinates with the LGUs of the areas that are included in the scope of the project. The proposed structure for the MRP-TDD Coordinating Body includes the DOTr MRPProject Management Office (PMO) as the secretariat and a steering committee that will be choosing its chair among its 16 members. Moreover, under the steering committee is the advisory group and the technical working group (TWG). The steering committee will focus on closely monitoring the progress of the implementation, conduct validation visits, and provide updates to RDC XI regarding the progress; the TWG will facilitate the connection between the government and the affected communities or settlements, and it will coordinate with the concerned agencies.

Furthermore, the steering committee and TWG had already conducted inspection on the alignment of the project. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Before any project can be started, the situation of the ground must be inspected first. The alignment must be considered before anything else to check if there are any settlements that can possibly be affected such as residential areas, facilities, and other infrastructures,â&#x20AC;? Davao City Planning Office Project Evaluation Officer 2 Engr. Gina Santos said. Santos further added that the latest development done related to the MPR is the ongoing ocular inspection and geotechnical investigation by the geologist to identify the soil classification to ensure the stability of the soil. However, a number of requirements still needs to be complied such as requirements for the environment. On the issue of peace and order To ensure and maintain the security of the entire alignment of the MRP before and during its implementation, the coordinating body have included the PNP and the Air Forces of the Philippines in the TWG due to the concerns that arose regarding its security. The RDC XI, in coordination with the security sector and the militaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10ID which has committed to look after the project until it starts by forming a special task force, will ensure the security of the TDD segment. However, areas with peace and order issues, such as the Digos-Cotabato-Iligan section, have not been recommended for immediate implementation to give enough time for the improvement of the situation.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We cannot let terror, lawlessness, and violence shatter what we have built for Mindanao all these years. We call on our fellow Mindanaoans to stay the course â&#x20AC;&#x201C; be vigilant, but continue to be warriors of peace by spreading hope, not fear,â&#x20AC;? said Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chair Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto. Extending opportunities The DOTr has not just been in partnership with other government agencies but also with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that vowed to support the Philippines in its infrastructure projects. At present, the Philippine government and the JICA is planning to put up Philippine Railway Institute which will serve as a training center for all public railways staff through lectures, workshops, internships, on-the-job trainings, and recruitment. DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade met with the four engineering colleges in Davao Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

MINDANAO

RAILWAY SYSTEM CIRCUMFERENTIAL AND SPUR LINES

Davao City

Butuan

Digos City

Tagum City

Kabacan

Surigao

Cotabato City

Dipolog

Iligan City

Zamboanga

Laguindingan

General Santos City

Cagayan de Oro TRAVEL DURATIONS

ROUTE

TRAVEL TIME

Davao - CDO

2 hours and 35 minutes

Davao - Zamboanga

6 hours and 29 minutes

Davao - General Santos

1 hour and 28 minutes

CDO - Iligan

54 minutes

CDO - Zamboanga

4 hours and 55 minutes

CDO - General Santos

1 hour and 35 minutes

CDO - Butuan

1 hour and 47 minutes

Butuan - Davao

3 hours and 4 minutes ON AVERAGE SPEED OF 100 KM/H

SOURCES BWORLDONLINE.COM CDOPEDIA.COM

LUTHER JAMES OLACO

Ateneo de Davao University, University of Immaculate Concepcion, University of Mindanao, and University of Southeastern Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; to encourage students to take up railway engineering management. During her talk on the Mindanao Railway Project Forum at AdDU, Ruivivar encouraged the Ateneo Community to help in making sure that the project will happen through supporting the LGUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TWG because they are in need of consultants, support for human resource development, and in participation to the strategic planning. ImplicationsAs part of the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Build, Build, Buildâ&#x20AC;? Program which aims to accelerate spending on the infrastructures, the construction of the MRP also aims to improve connectivity of Mindanao through the development of a passenger and freight railway transport. NEDA Regional Director Teresita Socorro Ramos said in an interview that the Mindanao Railway System will make the different AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

regions in Mindanao more connected, giving way to greater level of exchange in terms of goods, products, and people. She further explained that greater mobility will result to economic growth and enhanced tourism because people can transfer easily from one place to another.

However, the non-cooperation of the owners of the affected land area might cause the delays of government projects. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you look on aspect that the government wants to procure properties just to finish the but the land owners are not cooperative,â&#x20AC;? Davao City Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag said.

Economic benefits such as easier and faster travel around Mindanao is expected. Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said that the problems of traffic in urban places will be addressed and the cost of the transportation of the goods in markets will be cut down.

The acquisition of the road right of way for the TDD segment is for P90 billion as mentioned by Ruivivar.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Investors will come in and pour out investments, thereby job and livelihood opportunities will be open for our people. Slowly but surely, the rebellion movement here in Mindanao will be solved,â&#x20AC;? Ejercito pointed out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A more connected Mindanao is a peaceful and prosperous Mindanao because peace increases the connectors and decreasing the dividers,â&#x20AC;? Ruivivar pointed out.

The LGU will lead in the negotiations with the affected landowners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since they know the owners of the land where the trains pass and they know how to prevent overpricing and corruption to happen, it is more transparent if the LGU will lead for this,â&#x20AC;? Ruivivar explained.

A more connected Mindanao is a peaceful and prosperous Mindanao because peace increases the connectors and decreasing the dividers. Patmei Bello Ruivivar MRP Deputy Project Manager

THE BANGSAMORO AND THE RENEWED HOPE FOR LASTING PEACE

Solving the decades-long conflict in the land of Mindanao remained to be the prime struggle of several administrations. Numerous negotiations were conducted with the rebel groups but none have been sealed into law or have ever came close to being one. The latest bidder, however, have managed to cast a solid attempt in finally ending the years of terror, armed conflict and extremism that hounded the troubled region. President Rodrigo Duterte, the first Philippine leader to hail from the South, signed into law the Republic Act No. 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao designed to address the grievances, demands and sentiments of the Moro people mainly rooted from disputes on land and decades of neglect. This marked a historic milestone as it steered towards the creation of a Muslim-majority sub-state unit in a country dominated by Catholics. Primarily, it was made to give what the Moros have long been fighting for: autonomy.

8 HIGHLIGHTS

The earlier version, known to be the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), was met with criticisms for not going far enough and for going too far in providing sovereignty to the Moro people resulting to its delayed mobilization and withdrawals of the rebel groups from the proposal. The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), a more refined revision of the BBL, is said to reconcile both versions of the rebels and the government while aligning its content to the constitution. It took more than two decades of talks, negotiations, and revisions until both sides have reached a mutual approval. The efforts of former President Benigno Aquino III’s administration have failed to advance after the Mamasapano massacre that claimed 44 lives of Special Action Force soldiers in a botched operation in 2015 which sparked doubts in the progress of the peace talks. Three years later in a Mindanaoan-led administration, the process continued with a different attack after the Marawi Siege, the threat of the swelling number of Islamic State sympathizers and the simultaneous expression of the president himself to bring self-rule to the Moros. The events changed

APRIL

Disagreements between both parties led to MILF's declaration of an “indefinite suspension” of peace negotiations and Estrada's declaration of an “all-out war”

ARROYO ADMINISTRATION

OCTOBER

Then President Joseph Estrada gave an ultimatum that peace negotiations must be finished by June 2000.

J U LY

2008

Then President Fidel Ramos signed the EO 125 forming a National Unification Commission tasked to formulate an amnesty program and a negotiation process.

RAMOS ADMINISTRATION

Aquino signed the RA 6734 creating the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

2000 1999

AQUINO ADMINISTRATION M AY JANUARY

Aquino and Misuari signed the Jeddah Accord, an agreement that talks for the autonomy of Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan will continue.

AUGUST

1987 1986 1989

Hashim Salamat founded the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as Misuari was agreeing for semi-autonomy on the regions in dispute.

1993

Carmelo Z. Barbero, representing the Philippine Government and Nur Misuari of the MNLF signed the 1976 Tripoli Agreement for ceasefire and the administrative authority of the Muslims in Mindanao. However, the agreement flopped.

Then President Cory Aquino meets with Misuari in Sulu to initiate peace agreements.

SEPTEMBER

MARCOS ADMINISTRATION MARCH

1968

OCTOBER SEPTEMBER

1974

Two years after the declaration of Martial Law and four days after the beginning of Ramadhan, more than 1000 male Moros were killed in Malisbong Masjid, 3000 female and children were raped and detained, and 300 houses were razed by the government forces.

DECEMBER

1976

In response to the Jabidah Massacre, UP Professor Nur Misuari founded the Moro National Liberation Front in pursuit of a sovereign Moro territory.

DECEMBER

1977

Out of Ferdinand Marcos’ attempt to reclaim North Borneo, the Jabidah, a commando group comprised of nearly 200 Tausug and Sama Muslims, were transported to Corregidor to train for a highly classified mission. Upon knowing that they are to fight their Muslim brothers, the recruits wanted to opt out. In March 18, by batches of twelve, about 70 of them were gunned by the AFP.

The fate of Mindanao must have never been closer to peace than now.

ESTRADA ADMINISTRATION

SAMANTHA CLAIRE CAYONA

The government under the Arroyo administration and the MILF declared the creation of the Memorandum of Agreement-Ancestral Domain. The Supreme Court declared the agreement unconstitutional and illegal.

the perspective on peace process, enough that the Bangsamoro Organic Law has reached its passage. Mindanao lost decades of chances for progress with the worsening cases of conflict creating generations of prejudices against the Moros and an image of terror to the Land of Promise. Its effects did not only caused the lives of the innocent but have also damaged the future of its children and poisoned the fertile land which was once a cradle of prosperity and strength. The road towards finally settling the seemingly irreconcilable differences was a path filled with casualties and bathed with blood. Through the years of war and conflict, the Moro people carried with them their dream for self-determination. In the land marred with historical injustices committed against the earliest settlers of Mindanao – the Moros and the Indigenous People – it is this assertion that they have continually sought for. Unfortunately, for decades, all these fell on deaf ears. The years of colonization and plundered sovereignty until the Philippines claimed its so-called independence were never hearing the plight of the

South. This perennial problem of neglect has etched a division that is even harder to appease. The turnover of the country to the Filipinos in the North without consent from the settlers of the South further pushed them to turn their backs from the government. This historical happening stretched the gap between the Christians and Muslims which until now cages the country in division. Apart from its focus on the welfare of the Moro people, BOL eyes to value the issues of the non-Moro indigenous people or the Lumad as it is not only exclusive with the Shariah laws or Islamic laws but it also extends to the tribal laws of the Lumads, in contrast to the previous versions of the proposed law. BOL contains all provisions of Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) indicating their right over their ancestral domain, governance, economy, and justice system. In the construction of the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the president will appoint one representative from the non-Moro indigenous communities who will forward the concerns of the Lumads.

DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION

AQUINO ADMINISTRATION

TRAILING THE MINDANAO PEACE PROCESS

PHOTO SOURCES GIAHELLA.BLOGSPOT.COM YAHOO NEWS PHILIPPINE LIFESTYLE NEWS NEWS.ABS-CBN.COM CNNPHILIPPINES.COM RETIRED ANALYST

reach P67 billion. The challenge now lies on how the resources will be utilized and translated to concrete programs and not fall into the pockets of deceitful leaders and repeating the grim fate of the experimental ARMM. Although the law may have given a direction, the path towards peace remains bumpy and uncertain. Passing the law may have taken years to accomplish but the difficult part has not started yet. A scheduled plebiscite by the end of the year will determine whether certain areas will be administered by BOL. If the majority votes otherwise, the ARMM areas shall remain under the ARMM law thus nullifying the sole purpose of passing the Bangsamoro law and continuing what Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri labelled as a deficient framework for peace and economic progress. The biggest challenge is creating means for the content of BOL to seep into the grassroots â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the citizens and recipients of the law. Convincing the Moros through impartial and adequate education is essential since the main actors towards peace are not the

JANUARY M AY 2 9 M AY 3 0 - 3 1

On their final reading on May 30, the House of Representatives, voting 227-11-2, approved its version of the proposed BBL, or House Bill 6475. The Senate voted 21-0 on May 31 to approve its version or Senate Bill 1717.

J U LY 1 8

The bicameral committee led by Zubiri and House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo FariĂąas approved the final version of the BBL, now called the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

JULY 23

Duterte said he would push for a special session in Congress in a bid to fast-track the BBL. Some senators, however, said not even a special session would be enough to pass the BBL before the yearend.

2018

JUNE

2016

AUGUST M AY

President Duterte said he had lost optimism over peace talks with Moro rebels as conflicts between the MILF and the MNLF were still present.

RAPPLER.COM INSIDEMANILA.PH

The previous established attempt to give local control to the region, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), was pointed out by President Duterte to be a failure with a government stained with corruption and mismanagement. The lack of state service, according to him, contributed to the instability of peace in the region as there is low government spending for services and an insufficient provision of education and healthcare. The 2015 National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction survey of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) listed ARMM as the poorest region in the country highlighting how its issue on peace and order hampered its way to progress. With the aim of lifting the region from the margins, BOL provides not only autonomy to attempt in bringing back peace, but also a dream for economic progress through increased government funding and a bigger share on revenue. Under BOL, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region will automatically receive 5% from the Bureau of Internal Revenue which is estimated by the Department of Finance to AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

Members of the BTC increased from 15 to 21, to add representatives from the indigenous people communities, local government, sultanates, and other groups in the talks.

President Duterte certified the proposed BBL as urgent. The certification signifies the Senate and House of Representatives do not need to wait three days before voting for the final reading.

The Senate ratified the OLBARMM. Duterte promised to sign the bill within 48 hours after being unable to do so as the Congress failed to ratify the proposed measure because of its change in leadership.

JULY 24

The Congress missed its new September deadline. The chief negotiators of both peace panels recommended lawmakers to stop wasting time.

President Rodrigo Duterte promised to bring peace in the south through the passage of the BBL.

Senators Miguel Zubiri, Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito, and Risa Hontiveros supervised the first public consultation in Mindanao on the proposed BBL.

Under the leadership of new House Speaker Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the House of Representatives ratified the OLBARMM.

AUGUST 10

NOVEMBER

A new deadline on September was set for the passage of the draft BBL, after the Members of the House of Representatives failed to pass the bill on June.

NOVEMBER

Forty-four members of the police Special Action Force (SAF 44) were killed in an encounter with the MILF and the BIFF in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

2017

OCTOBER JANUARY

The government and the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which is the basis of the draft BBL.

M AY

MARCH

Under the Aquino administration, the government and the MILF closed its 32nd round of exploratory talks, signing the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

The government and the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which is the basis of the draft BBL.

JUNE

2015

2014

2012

FIVE DECADES OF DIVIDE, DISPUTES, AND DIALOGUES

OLBARMM effectivity date.

legislators or the officials but the people who make up the Bangsamoro. Urging them to engage into the process and not be mere spectators will relevantly change the game as it could create a stronger and more unified force to actualize the framework of BOL. In the end, the fate of the Bangsamoro lies upon the strong implementation of BOL. Bringing peace to Mindanao requires more than passing a law. Proper execution and reinforcement is vital to translating the dream to peace. A law without action is dead and the death of hope may aggravate the conflict. The BOL may be the last straw in regaining the trust of the Moros, more so, restore order and security that has long been struggled to attain in the area. The failure of the government to uphold their role properly and rightfully could encourage Muslims to side with the Islamic State or create another rebel faction - which will be harder to resolve as it may worsen the situation or could permanently dislodge the peace process. Its success is a crucial determinant of the future of the Mindanaoans who have long witnessed and mourned for

LUTHER JAMES OLACO

all spilled blood sacrificed for genuine and substantial progress. Finally, Mindanao has been heard. The years of unrest left stories of horror. The narratives have been shaped with fear. Historical injustices and the neglect to minority have become the tale of what was once a land of bravery and rich culture. The history can never be erased but the rest of the story of Mindanao is for us to make and build. The promised peace may have failed the Moro people countless times, but it takes more than a law to claim justice and win peace for all. The BOL is not a sure shot to peace but it might be the best. Peace may not be as elusive as it seems.

OS UIL DAQ ISE LOU NA JAN

10 FEATURES

DEAD CLUBS SOCIETY WHEN CLUBS ‘DIE’, WHERE DO THEIR MEMBERS GO?

“Asa naman ko ani uy?” As soon as the sheet of pink paper landed on her palm, she filled up all the details like it was something she got used to doing. She thought she already had all in mind, not until a pang of curiosity hit her: Which club do I write? During the opening of the school year, inside the Martin hall were thousands of students and a full exchange of talks upon the flashing of club names on the screen. Blaring through the speakers, the next go signal of the emcees got students to their feet. While some need not to stand up too long in deciding their fate, the few ones were an exception. Their clubs were nowhere to be found, including her’s, so there she stood - among the club-less and the clueless. 44 No More “I didn’t know where else I can go,” said the former literature club member who found her club amongst all the others which have been removed. From 44 clubs, the school year welcomed the senior high students with fewer club options to choose from. For her, it was a bad decision despite doing mostly nothing in their club. “We weren’t active. We were all introverts too, and maybe that’s the reason why we have awkward meetings. But what if we can be more productive this school year since club meeting schedules were changed?” And for everyone else with the same situation, finding a new club seems like a whole new challenge to conquer. In the same light, a former Elysian member, who chose not to be named, believed that their exclusion does not only deprive students of a club and a comfortable home but also deprive students of well-organized events. “A one whole production team is critical to be in charge of events. Volunteers merely helping at the backstage are not enough.” Further speaking, she added that the new school year’s opening program only

MARIEBELLA ANNIKA QUESTO & NICOLE ANGELINE DASALLA

showed how their fallen club would make a difference. “If only you noticed what happened to the Ateneo Senior High Orientation Program (ASHOP) … Elysians already had plans for that event, but because of the movement on removing the club, our officers were doubtful on pushing it.” Hence, despite having the said event as the first off on the school year, it drew almost the same thoughts on the Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School Twitter users as they expressed that it was less exciting than last year’s orientation program. On the other hand, later events were of different wavelength. During mass hours, songs played by the band and the choir have become a common language to senior high students, some of which already had lingered their subconscious for a long while already. Because of this, masses became more interactive in the long run. This brings us to the incident of the girlwho-must-not-be-named, also known as the girl who broke silences during the Holy Trinity Mass as her rather excited and angelic voice got students off the hook. To recall, while the song was playing, her single voice bellowed out of nowhere and echoed through the halls of Martin Hall at an instant. For a moment, sanctity turned comedic. But that was for the audience of the unlikely moment. For her, it was a bad experience yet to be forgotten by her haunting conscience. “It was embarrassing especially since it was the last song already. It should have been grand, and every one was expected to sing along, yet my mistake caught everyone’s attention instead.” Unknowingly, it was already her last. Like all the others, she made her way towards the unknown as the AdDU-SHS Choir Club have fallen in the list of the so-called former clubs, and is now collectively called as Ateneo Voices. She admitted: “We were used to singing with only one key. While Kuya (choir pianist) signaled for a change key, I did not see it. That’s why I sang earlier than the others… Also, it was our first time to sing in a Holy Trinity mass since the former Grade 12 did it last year. We only had 15 minutes of practice the day with the former Grade 12 pianist.” Although her mistake had a reason, it moved her to choose a new club instead. Nonetheless, selected students will still be singing for the mass. Hence, the fallen clubs were not entirely dead at all. Some clubs were only combined into one functioning club wherein more members could fit in. For instance, combining Scrabble, Chess, etc. into making the Board Games Club may divide the attention and objectives of the club, but as for the former Scrabble club member, it is undeniably good. “Last year, we only have 10-15 combined members from Grades 11 and 12 in the Scrabble club. Only seven members were active.” Now, the Board Games club has over 80 members signing the attendance every meeting.

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

The death of some clubs had its lapses. Some found it difficult to find their way and start again from scratch. However, some see it as a sign to explore more of their potentials and meet more of their peers. In an interview, one student admitted that if it weren’t for the removal of her club, she wouldn’t be able to take a risk. “I only joined that club last Grade 11 because I was unsure about everything. I was shy, and I didn’t like to interact. But now, in choosing a new club, I pursue what I want.” Not Entirely ‘Dead’ In an interview done last July 19, 2018, Mr. Ranie Diacor, the Office of Learner Activities Coordinator (OLA) for Grade 12, expressed his eagerness to explain the changes done to the club line-up as he has heard some feedback about the apparent “deaths” of some of AdDU-SHS clubs. “Well, with regards to the alleged club death, I can say that not all of them are gone,” Ranie Diacor said. According to the OLA Coordinator, albeit some clubs were phased out such as the Filipino Club and Ateneo Teknoloheyo Clubs, some of them were rebranded, if not, merged with other clubs. “Take this as an example. The school’s Senior High Choir and Ateneo Voices weren’t necessarily phased out, but instead, they have been rebranded and merged into one as they serve a common purpose which to provide learners who can sing a collective to be a part of and enrich their vocal talents with,” stated Diacor. Apart from what was previously mentioned, another reason why the Senior High School Choir and Ateneo Voices were merged for this academic year is that the Grade 12 Office of Leaner Activities did not want to limit the learners. As Grade 12 OLA Coordinator Diacor has said, “We [the OLA] merged the two clubs because of the similarities they possess. If some of the learners want to sing pop in school events, then we will let them. If they want to offer their voices in the Holy Mass, then so be it.” If some clubs were merged, then the current state of the Liga ng mga Atenista as Kamay at Sipa (LAKAS) and Scrabble Club is an entirely different story. “As of now, clubs like LAKAS and Scrabble still exist, however, they have been rebranded. For this academic year, LAKAS has been renamed and called ‘Martial Arts Club’ while Scrabble has been transformed and is now operating under the name of the ‘Board Games Club’”, explained Grade 12 OLA Coordinator Ranie Diacor. What ‘Killed’ the Literature Club Although it was previously stated that some clubs didn’t exactly ‘die,’ what remains a puzzling point of concern is the ‘death’ of clubs like the Literature Club. There have been no official statements from the Office of Learner Activities regarding such matter. However, in an interview last July 2018, OLA Coordinator Diacor stated that there is an explanation for

club ‘deaths’ and that phasing out clubs isn’t easy as there are certain deliberation processes that are to be followed. “If you’re going to ask about the disappearance of the Literature Club from this year’s clubs, let me enlighten you by stating that research was conducted last year by the previous Office of Learner Activities Coordinator Vincent Rell Gonzaga about the students’ interest in joining certain clubs. He found out that there were clubs that none of the students wanted to attend to and so we removed them”, said Diacor. Factors such as member attendance and club performance, as expressed by Diacor, were determined to be vital measures in determining the retention of a certain club; and it just so happens that the Literature Club lacked in such areas, thus resulting in their removal in the official list of clubs. Of Expenditures and Facilities With the construction of the new campus in Bangkal, 2018 has been a transitional year for AdDU-SHS and this has also incurred an effect to this year’s roster of clubs. “The separation of Grade 11 and 12 has increased the school’s expenditures. We need to find more moderators which mean more moderator compensations to be paid; which is why for this year, the club design was simplified,” Diacor stated. Also, it was made known by Diacor in an interview that one of the reasons why the number of clubs was decreased was because of the unavailability of some facilities for use in the University. “More clubs mean more classrooms to be used, and since we are sharing this [Jacinto] campus with the college students and faculty, we can’t just use everything as it were our own,” he added. A message for those who are somehow ‘clubless’ Now, for the matter of ‘clublessness,’ the OLA coordinator has only one thing to say for those who are and somehow experiencing it: “Go out of your comfort zone and explore.” “I am urging those who are still finding their niche to go out of their comfort zone and explore other clubs. There’s no point in weeping over lost clubs. They should ask themselves if they have the thing they know that they can still improve. If you don’t have friends, make friends. Find a club that you could love,” Diacor said. With all that has been said, we go back to the clubless lonely girl from the beginning and by having known all the reasons, she then makes a choice - to move forward and explore. Standing among the rest who are somehow ‘clubless,’ are no longer clueless, she takes a step, carrying with her a filled-up pink form and the motivation to find a new club to grow into.

START THE TRASH TALK

KIANA KEIRON ACODILI Loads of unsegregated trash are what janitors face after a long day of cleaning.

A LOOK INSIDE THE REALITY OF WASTE SEGREGATION PAULINE ANNE JAVELLANA

One mans’ trash is another mans’ burden. This is an ordeal most janitors in Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School have to deal with, especially those who segregate trash.

“Mangukay jud mi sa basurahan ma’am, kay kaylangan man jud na ma segregate namo ang basura [We have to dig through the trash because we are required to segregate the trash],” that is what Kuya Laodemir Jaudiay, a janitor who is assigned at Rodriguez Hall, has to say on the matter. He is just one of the many voices of the maintenance staff, a group of which whose voices are ever so often than not, unheard. Having a schedule of noon till 9 o’clock, his daily routine is that of sweeping and mopping, with having only one intention in mind— to keep the place as clean as possible. However, there is one other task that seems to overlap with the others, to the point that it makes things a lot more demanding and complicated than what it is supposed to be. Improper segregation of trash seems to have been a lot more rampant since the occupancy of Senior High School (SHS) students. This was a common response of most janitors when asked about the difference of the trash segregation between SHS and the college students. Students from the SHS unit, as Laodemir observed, do not seem to follow the appropriate segregation of trash. Despite signages placed on each of the bins, they still end up misplacing the trashes. But Laodemir is not the only one having to deal with this problem. Brian Ramos and

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Abelardo Anding also face the same situation. When asked about their opinion regarding improper segregation, they replied how most of the SHS students throw their trashes carelessly and how they never seem to do CLAYGO.

segregate it anymore. We can’t leave the garbage for more than four days, or else it would start to stink that we would have to dispose of it because the stench can’t be handled], Brian clamored.

“Naa gyud mabilin, masking na naay basurahan kai dile jud ibutang. Bag-o rami gakuha naa napud [There is still trash left over, even though there are already trash bins they again do not throw it there. We just cleaned, but another batch would always pop up afterward], Brian remarked.

They wanted to avoid this situation as they would be getting an earful from Ecoteneo, as the school is rigorous when it comes to proper trash management and segregation.

He voiced out his frustrations on having to always clean up the students’ mess continuously further explaining that even though there are trash bins available everywhere, there is still trash left behind. This makes the garbage collection seemingly endless, as he must pick up, not just the trashes in the bins, but also those forgotten by the students. One of the worst cases he had dealt with were packed lunches, ones with leftover food, left behind by students. Connected to this, he has also shared how too much trash could cause so much mess, as sometimes they can’t continue cleaning until they reach a point wherein they can’t segregate those trashes anymore. Since garbage can’t stay longer than four days, they end up just throwing it out.

“Labi na daghan kaayo, ma’am, sa kadaghan basura, dili namo maapas, dil inamo ma segregate, kay dili man maabtan ug pila ka adlaw, ang basura, pagka upat ka adlaw kay manimaho naman na, dispose of nalang kay dile na makaya [Especially when there is too much trash that we can’t keep up, we can’t

Big changes rooted from small actions Seeing someone pick up trash that is not theirs’ could be an uncommon sight to see, because people are naturally more concerned about their trash than that of others. The mindset that someone else, specifically the maintenance, would be the one expected to handle it, has been etched into societies’ mind. However, these people, are also humans, and just like us, when things get a bit too much, it’s difficult not to feel stressed and overwhelmed when things that should’ve been easier are starting to pile up a lot more than usual. When asked about how the current situation with segregation affects janitors, Mr. Rodolfo R. Daguio Jr. stated, “The school can be paying them for just segregation, nakakaapekto sa ibang trabaho ng janitor, consuming their time sa pag-sesegregate lamang . This is the effect of what you’re(students) doing because they waste their time on segregation rather than their other tasks.” As the segregating of trash has affected the other tasks that janitors have, Sir Dagiuo said that they might as well be paying the janitors to do just segregation as they end up exerting

more effort to it. He further explained that students should be more observant on how their improper segregation of trash increases the janitors’ workload and that the students should think more of how they would be able to lessen their burden. Though they do not have a set project on how to handle this problem yet, he suggested that students, who are aware of the current situation of the janitors’ distress, educate and help those learners who’re still ignorant about it. He also added that students should also have the initiative to correct the doings of those who do not segregate properly.

“Kung dile sila musunod sa rules, kay wa pud mi mabuhat kay janitor raman mi, follow nalang mi kay wa man mi mahimo”. [If the rules aren’t followed, we can’t do anything since we are only janitors, we follow since we can’t do anything about it], Brian expressed his distress on how he cannot do anything when students do not follow the rules, as he is just a mere janitor, thus a being powerless against all this. Though their presence is being ignored by the most of us, the responsibility of being an Atenean still remains. The action of picking up trash and familiarizing the types of trash bins, though it may seem too little of a task to remember, but the efforts of the maintenance staff must be considered. This little act of initiative may seem mediocre, but this can actually benefit in a bigger situation as this simple action can lessen the work of our maintenance, even if it may be a miniscule step, it’s a start.

BUTTERFLIES AND TORNADOES THE PROPAGATION OF GENDER ROLES IN PHILIPPINE SOCIETY ADRIANNE TOBIAS

Nothing beats a nice, peaceful dinner with your relatives. You’re sitting there, minding your own business, when suddenly, one of your loving aunts decides to take a jab at you. “Kababae mo na tao, ganyan ang sinusuot mo? Baka gusto mong ma-ano niyan ng mga nandoon sa kanto!” [You’re supposed to be a girl, why are you dressed like that? Perhaps you want to be harassed by those staying by the corner of the street?] Laughter ensues, although you suddenly want the ground to open up and swallow you whole. You turn to your brother, who’s being scolded for his struggles with his academics by your dear mother. “Ano ka ba? Ang liit naman ng problema mo! Kalalaki mong tao, iiyak ka na agad?” (That’s such a small problem! You’re supposed to be a man, why are you crying so suddenly?) Suddenly, with those words, dinner is ruined. You’re sure that the bitter taste in your mouth isn’t from the ampalaya you’ve just eaten, and the rug beneath your feet is suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. You know that it’s meant to be taken as a humorous jab (if anyone found that funny, at least), but there’s a strong urge to prove them wrong an urge that you eventually ignore for the sake of being polite. Filipinos are extremely fond of using these statements, usually when berating someone or even as a poor attempt at comedy. They keep the idea of gender roles alive; a concept that traces its roots way back to a predominantly patriarchal society. This introduces the idea that men should do heavy and complex work, and that women should stay at home and do less complicated tasks, with neither one ever having to overlap the other. Unfortunately, this behavior has engraved itself into Filipino culture, making it nearly impossible for individuals to truly act as they wish without breaking the norms.

of a perfect Filipina, ready to shape outgoing girls into shy and demure young women. Thus, women are given little to no room at all in expressing themselves the way they really want to - not unless it conforms to the standards set by society. Accidentally swearing when you stub your toe by the corner of a table? The reprimanding swoops down on you like vulture: “Ba’t ka nagmumura? Kababae mo na tao, ganyan karumi ng bunganga mo?” [Why are you swearing? You’re supposed to be a girl, and that’s how filthy your mouth is?] Bright hair dyes and make-up? No, you’ll stand out too much. Tattoos and piercings? They will say you would never get a boyfriend with your outrageous appearance. God forbid you go out with shorts and a tank top on or you will be dragged back inside the house by the ear and forced to wear something a little more modest which is often disadvantageous in the Philippine heat. The list just goes on and on for the roles society has set for women to follow. It seems like the standards of beauty and intelligence have been set on a higher scale for them, therefore making it almost impossible to achieve them. But you can’t observe and appreciate the beauty of a butterfly by pinning it down and hanging it up on the wall. It is when you can see them flying around freely with their gorgeous wings. Women aren’t the only victims of society’s gender roles. Men are, too. While the girls are expected to be on the gentler side of things, boys have to be, well, boys. They are expected to be strong, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and preserve their masculinity at any cost. While that sounds a tad better than what women have to go through, it is

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Women are said to have drawn the short end of the stick in the concept of gender roles. History has often used the picture of Maria Clara, Crisostomo’s love interest in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, as the ideal representation of what Filipinas should strive to be like. Mix together modesty, docility, and purity, and voila - the mold

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People seem to forget that these men are humans too. They have their limits, they have feelings, and are very much capable of being as soft and loving as women are expected to be. Men can be as strong and unstoppable as a tornado, and be the force that gets work done efficiently, but they have the capacity to be calm and soothing as the sound of the waves lapping on the shore.

actually quite far from that. Since men are expected to be tough all the time, it’s difficult for them to express their emotions without coming off as weak. It’s quite rare to see a man cry and sadly, when they do, they are often told to man up. Somehow, they are seen as more feminine when they show an ounce of emotion, leading others to call them what is known as one of the Filipinos’ favorite insults - bayot. Aside from limiting emotional expression, men are also expected to do other things deemed masculine by the community, such as playing at least one sport. This is one standard that cannot be reached by many, especially those suffering from sicknesses or are just not the sporty type. Men are always supposed to be on top, be aggressive, and be in charge which something that men with anxiety issues often struggle with. Men aren’t supposed to be involved in housework or child care, which is not the case for many single fathers around the world. As insignificant as it sounds, men who have bug phobias are frowned upon. They are immediately hit by waves of reproach, usually along the lines of, “Grabe, natatakot ka sa mga insekto? Lalaki ka ba talaga?” [Wow, you’re scared of insects? Can you seriously call yourself a guy?]

The emergence of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer + (LGBTQ+) community became one of the best examples of how overcoming gender roles can be done. Ironically enough, these roles were steadily created as their movement began to increase in intensity and number -- a clear effort by the society to compartmentalize their existence and shrink them down into tangible yet smaller concepts that could be understood by their narrow minds. Gays in the Philippines are often considered as salon attendants, make-up artists, and beauty pageant enthusiasts. Lesbians are always expected to have at least one in the relationship to dress like a man. But the LGBTQ+ is all about destroying the standards of society. If they are able to express themselves without fear of being shunned from the community, then surely straight men and women can do the same. It is always a matter up for debate when it comes to which gender has it worse when it comes to achieving gender roles. However, it can be resolved with just one statement: gender roles are social constructs. Gender roles were set in a time where people were only starting to get to know each other and were always attempting to make sense of the world around them. Slowly but surely, individuals, regardless of gender or sexuality, will start to discover their potentials, abilities, and characteristics and they should be able to exercise them without facing the wrath of a community that refuses to acknowledge differences. Men should be allowed to cry without others invalidating their reasons for doing so. Women should be respected and seen as strong, independent individuals who do not need men to validate their existence. The members of the LGBTQ+ community should be allowed to express themselves and be able to feel love in all forms. The world is changing. People must be able to break off the chains that tether them to the world of rationality, and allow diversity to cultivate.

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JANNA LOUISE DAQUILOS

JOURNEY THROUGH THE COSMOS PH ONWARD TO PROGRESS THROUGH SPACE SCIENCE JASPER MARIE ARNILLA

Humans spend their lives learning that the world is much larger than they first realized. During infancy, our world was our crib. Our universe extended as far as we could crawl. Then we found there were other rooms in our home, and one day we discovered that there were other buildings and even other streets. Likewise, humanity itself has passed from infancy to childhood in its perception of our universe. With telescopes, we have peered out the windows of our petite corner of the universe, and we have seen to distant worlds. With space missions, we have opened our front door and dared to step outside.

astronomical science programs; the National Mapping & Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA), which needs satellite information; and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), which is responsible for disaster risk management.

There is much to learn about the infinitely colossal fabric of space and time. With our recent technology, space science has opened our eyes in the vast realm of the cosmic world out there. But space science has much more practical technological applications to our very own planet Earth rather than exploration of the universe outside it. That is why the country’s Department of Science and Technology (DOST) pushes the existence of a Philippine Space Agency (PSA), to give our country its own spectacle of the outside world and most especially, for us to have an eye of our own planet.

According to Senator Aquino, the PhilSA, with its consolidated programs and strategies for space science and technology, will also pave way for future Filipino astronomers, space scientists, and astronauts by laying down a strong foundation in space science education and research.

Need for a Space Agency According to Philippine astrophysicist Dr. Rogel Mari Sese, program leader of the National Space Development Program (NSDP) under the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), independent access to space is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity even for developing countries such as ours. The Senate Bill No. 1211 or the Philippine Space Act seeks the establishment of a Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), an agency that will pave way for making and enacting our nation’s journey toward becoming completely participative in international space action. The PhilSA would be in charge for implementing research and education programs, creating and developing space science technology policies, and forming industry connections between private and public sector stakeholders. It would be also be our nation’s representation for global space agreements and settlements. According to DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, space technology is a multisectoral concern in the Philippines which now requires a centralized body to address its needs in national development and security, disaster mitigation, hazard management and climate research. “I think it’s high time that we have a space agency because, let us put it this way, we don’t want to be left out by other countries that are ahead,” Fortunato noted. He also added that both developed and developing countries of our Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbors have their own aeronautics and space agencies to assemble their own spaceships and unite with the ranks of space science-investing countries. According to Senator Bam Aquino, one of those who are pushing for the national space agency, having a national space agency would help a lot of existing programs related to space science including the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), which has AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

Other applications of space science and technology crucial to our country’s welfare is protection of national territory. According to Dr. Sese, “Still wondering why we can’t monitor what is happening in the West Philippine Sea? It’s because we can’t even see what is going on out there due to lack of ‘eyes in the sky’.”

Space Technology in the PH Dr. Joel Marciano, the director of DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI), quoted: “Space technology is tough, challenging, it’s of course, a new area for our country. And we thought the best way we can get our hands dirty and get more experience is through building satellites.” According to him, space technology is not the sort of sending people to the moon, and space exploration. It’s using and building something that can have some application. The nation’s involvement with space science and technology could be dated as far back as 1987, when it obtained AGILA-1, a broadcast satellite purchased by the country to enhance communication for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit during that time. As the PhilSA is still in the process of being enforced, the National Space Development Program (NSDP), the future framework of the space agency, is already doing ways in imposing the law. One of their first projects is the sending of the Diwata-1, also known as PHL-Microsat-1, the first Philippine microsatellite launched to the International Space Station in March 23, 2016, and was deployed into orbit from the ISS in April 27, 2016, which now serves as the country’s eyes from space. “The operations of Diwata-1, I’m glad to say, is up and running. It regularly sends images,” says Dr. Carlos Primo David, from the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). The DOST is now planning to send Diwata-2 in space this year. Another satellite, Maya-1, is the first Filipino-made cube satellite that was successfully launched into orbit last August 10 this year. The satellite was constructed by University of the Philippines (UP) graduates Joven Javier and Adrian Salces under the Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite Program. According to DOST Sec. dela Peña, that it has a dimension of 10-by-10 centimeters and is capable of capturing images of Earth from space. “It can take maybe photographs of agricultural crops. Sometimes they will photograph our forest, our rivers, and of course, event settlements and these are important for many agencies, for security purposes,” dela Peña stated.

Filipinos in Space Science

designing of satellites and spacecrafts.

Even before the PhilSA, there are already names in the picture of space and technology, some are even leading in some projects of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA in America. One of them is Dr. Ralph Basilio, who leads in NASA’s research in the possibility of carbon dioxide in space. Another scientist, Lloyd Manglapus, makes sure that Curiosity, a car-sized rover designed to explore Gale Crater on Mars as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission, performs properly in space. Another person behind the rover Curiosity is Engineer Gregory Villar III, who is a science planner and a part of its service operations team.

“What we can do is to design the satellite and we can send it to outer space that will be boarded in the current space missions,” said Renyl Barroca, Assistant Dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture Department of AdDU.

The country also has two renowned astrophysicists, one of them is Dr. Reinabelle Reyes, one of Asia’s Rising Scientist according to Asian Scientist Magazine and is known to be “the Filipina Scientist who proved Einstein right” for she and her team showed how galaxies up to 3.5 billion light years away are clustered together in the exact way Albert Einstein’s General Relativity predicts. Another astrophysicist, Dr. Rogel Mari Sese, the program leader of the country’s National Space Promotion, Awareness, and Capabilities Enhancement (SPACE) Development Program, is the main man pushing for a policy that would cover all space development projects in the Philippines for the next couple of years. Aerospace Engineering in AdDU Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) is proud to be one of the first universities to offer Aerospace Engineering in the country. It is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development aircrafts, spacecrafts, satellites and missiles. A course good for four years of study, Aerospace Engineering was already approved in AdDU. The university is now accepting enrolees and in the recent school year, it launched its newest aerospace engineering course for 15 scholars. Within its curriculum, the students will take subjects same with those in the mechanical engineering for two years and by the third year, they will start using facilities like space laboratories for an improved integration of the lessons.

Students who would want to take the said course will have to dish out P60,000 to P70,000 per semester. ‘Why do we need to go to space?’ Filipinos often ask questions like, “Why do we need to go to space? We have other problems that needs to be solved here,” and according to Dr. Sese, people ask these questions without realizing that space is actually part of the solution to these problems that we have such as food security, maritime and national security, and environmental monitoring. According to him, investing for space science — whether it’s for research, education, industry or socio-economic development—has significant returns to the country. A lot of people find space fascinating, in fact, almost everyone has had that phase where they were inspired to become an astronaut or to work for NASA. “Space, compared to other sciences, is not just a technical science, it’s also an inspirational science. It can inspire a whole nation—just look at the Apollo program that inspired the whole of US when they landed on the moon. It has a big inspirational value to the public,” Sese stated. In the meantime, those who realize that one way of attaining sustainable national development within our maiden country in the soils of our planet earth could be achieved through lurking outside the vast world of space patiently anticipate to the exciting possibilities that await our country in its journey towards national development through the aid of space science and technology. Jenny, 18, a student of AdDU passionate of space, exclaimed “Who would have thought that in our country’s journey toward national development, it would be needing a spacecraft in its way to its sustainability?”

AdDU is still building its facilities incorporated with the course. As of now, the students will be using the mechanical and electronic laboratories where students will focus on the

Space, compared to other sciences, is not just a technical science, it’s also an inspirational science. It can inspire a whole nation—just look at the Apollo program that inspired the whole of US when they landed on the moon. It has a big inspirational value to the public. Dr. Rogel Mari Sese Program Director National Space Development Program

(NSDP)

SCI-TECH

THE RISE OF A TECHNO-ECOLOGIC EDIFICE ONE STEP BACKWARD FROM TECHNOLOGY, ONE GIANT LEAP FORWARD FOR HUMANITY JOSIAH DAVID BANGKAS & JEFF NATHAN MEARNS

Person A throws a ball from the rooftop of building y meters above the ground. The ball has an initial and final velocity of 0.0m/s, and it reaches the ground in 1.67 seconds. Neglecting air resistance, calculate the building’s height y. Perhaps, this equation might seem familiar to you, as Physics, with all its ETs and quizzes, is truly unforgettable. If you actually calculated for y in the problem above, then you just solved for the height of one of the buildings in one of the newest Senior High School campus at par with local and international institutions – the Ateneo de Davao Senior High School (AdDU-SHS) campus in Bangkal, Davao City. Towering at about 45 feet in height, and 5,000 meters square in land area, the new AdDU-SHS campus, commonly known as AdDU Bangkal, takes pride in its wide array of facilities that are meant to cater to the students’ educational necessities. Its marvel, however, does not only lie on the campus’ massive structure, but is also found in the very reason it was built in the first place – to create an avenue for learning and nurturing today’s youth.

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The inspiration behind a scientific breakthrough

Interspecific coordination as manifestation of unity

“When the Ateneo administration approached me for a concept for the Senior High School Campus, my main objective was to design a campus with the students in mind, and revolves around the idea that the whole campus is a living laboratory or classroom,” Architect John Immanuel Palma, the lead architect narrated.

The conceptual biological aspects behind AdDU Bangkal are found on the interactions occurring within the community, as it is comparative to an ecosystem where biotic and abiotic factors interact with each other. In biology, mutualism, also known as interspecific coordination, is defined as a way of connection where two different species benefit from each other. In AdDU Bangkal’s context, this is found in the relationship of the campus and the students. The campus’ end is to be a catalyst of educational discoveries for the students. In turn, the students, upon utilizing the facilities of the campus and even solely walking around the campus, will then gain knowledge on various scientific, architectural, and mathematical concepts that are applied to the buildings.

The mission to promulgate the sense of social responsibility among the youth stems from the collaborative enterprise found within the interplay between the design of the building and the community-wide activities that Ateneo is known for. They wanted to build something that not only houses the classrooms used for discussions, but is also a classroom in itself – providing an avenue for learners to be enlightened with the importance and omnipresence of science in everyday lives. The architect further explained that the campus’ design was meant for interactive learning of the learners through observing the building and looking at the science and technology behind it.

“Schools and campuses have a unique ecology that has to work efficiently in order to make the campus work. It takes a bit more time to study and observe all its users and their activities in order to plan, design and execute spaces needed for the design of the SHS campus,” Palma explained. Concepts on biodiversity have been considered in the develop-

ment of the campus. It boosts the ecosystem productivity in a community, and maximizes the individuality of all the species living in it. This natural phenomenon also contributes to the mutualism found within the learning-conducive environment of the campus. Building resilience through DRRR As the Philippines lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a major basin found within the Pacific Ocean, there are numerous earthquakes and typhoons that the country is expected to weather. Taking this into consideration, the newly-built campus boasts of its innocuous capacity to withstand these expected calamities. Architect Palma discussed the various safety measures that they applied in planning and constructing the campus. In terms of seismic events, he said that they incorporated structures for safety. “All buildings have shear walls to help stabilize and reduce movement during seismic events,” Palma described. He added that to help in efficient evacuation, all buildings have single flight staircases, which allows students to efficiently evacuate into the courtyards in between buildings. The aforementioned courtyards also open directly to the perimeter

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road where everyone can evacuate and avail of emergency services. For flooding, on the other hand, the architect ensured that they have installed rainwater catchment systems, which greatly reduce the flooding risk in and out of the campus. While for fire, fundamental safety facilities are present, like fire hoses and sprinklers, as well as alarms and smoke detectors. Truly, these catastrophic events cannot be avoided as they are a part of nature’s course. However, the efforts made to minimize and, when the time comes, be able to weather these events are more than enough to show the care that Ateneo has for its student body. This embodies the compassion that Ateneo has for other people, as the school serves as a primary missionary of Fr. Arrupe’s idea of being men and women for others. Weaving the scientific strands from dreams to reality Like an experiment that needs to be done, the planning and construction of the Bangkal Campus is like the T’boli’s T’nalak weavings, which are dreams turned to reality. Every strand is woven perfectly together to create AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

a pattern based off of the visions projected behind the eyes of every T’boli who dreams. Similarly, the campus was once a dream – a mission set forth by the love of education and the youth. All these scientific ideas that were taken into consideration upon building the campus have been carefully intertwined together by the architect, engineers, and the administration itself, to create something that is not only iconic in terms of aesthetic, but also in terms of its philosophy. The relationship present within the campus, similar to an ionic bond, where the metal components of the campus structure and the nonmetal aspects of the students themselves make the campus alive and rewarding. They share each other’s benefits and attract each other. Like ions that share electrons, the students and the campus share a symbiotic relationship with each other – they exchange ideas and purpose. “I wanted to bolster this sense of community and family by creating interconnected buildings and interspersed several community spaces in between buildings to provide space for interaction, mixing active and passive activities,” Architect Palma highlighted.

With this, the chemistry in the campus is not only limited to concepts of chemistry, but is also manifested in how the administrators have ensured a balanced proportion between each of the aspects mentioned above, in order to create the perfect mix of education through interaction and observation. Science has been one of the greatest inspiration in the blueprint of this campus, as it is deemed to be the answer to the future’s uncertainties. Catalyst of ecological advancements through traditional roots The distinctive quality of the campus revolves around its initiative to be sustainable, especially for the good of the environment. As Ateneo fervently supports Laudato Si’, the care for our common home has been embodied on a massively communal level. In a world where people have become pragmatic and the secular society has become interdependent among one another’s creations, it is of utmost importance for Ateneo to embody its Christ-centeredness to be missionaries of Christ. The fundamental concept of science is utilitarian, as it is also environmental. Our only home – the Earth – is meant to be saved by the concepts that we have learned as we live

in it. In biology, this is comparable to parasitism, where the Earth serves as the host to our parasitic overexploitation that has caused the natural resources to reduce in terms of quality. The ironically backward progress that science has made so far in its “technological advancements” have been resolved by its traditional counterparts, and as it turns out, the Evolution of Man isn’t very evolved after all. Which is why, in accordance to the fundamental concept of science, Ateneo has built a campus meant to save the earth and hopefully inspire others to do the same. As the technologies developed for convenience today, like Polyethylene teraphtalate (PET) bottles, have negatively affected the environment, Ateneo took a step backward and neglected the use of these bottles. For sometimes, progress doesn’t entail advancement, and we may need to take a step back, look at these inventions in hindsight, and reflect on how this may help or harm the Earth. This is how we save Mother Nature – the Ateneo way, with competence, taking one step backward from technology, and one giant leap forward for humanity.

KING OR AIR WHO IS THE REAL G.O.A.T? JUAN PAOLO MILES

Albert Einstein once said that only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. But for sure, if the genius was still breathing today, he would add one more thing to that list: The Michael Jordan and LeBron James G.O.A.T. debate. “Greatest of all time” -- now that’s a title every player in the NBA would love to have in their credentials, but for years we all know that this label has been undoubtedly sheltered on the hands of ‘His Airness’ himself, Michael Jordan. However, these past few months, after series of impressive performances and action, ‘The King’ LeBron James, a player with escalating capabilities and experience, grabbed the attention of the whole basketball scene and made a reputation big enough to defy the G.O.A.T. title out of MJ’s hands. From that point on, things got really messy as the debates and arguments went from left to right like a never ending crossover. Era. Michael Jordan was indeed the hero of his time. People during that period of basketball couldn’t resist wearing that Chicago Bulls jersey with the number 23 on it and cheer as the man flies on the court. Hence, truth be told, there will always be a subconscious bias to Michael Jordan for diehard fans in that certain stretch. The newer generation of basketball fans however, will most likely prefer LeBron depending on their perspective of the two giants’ time period backgrounds. Moreover, it is palpable that the game in James’ era has evolved into essentially a different sport than the one Jordan dominated.

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Statistics. It gets complex when it comes to comparing the numbers of James and Jordan since they started at a different point in their careers. But right off the bat, we can definitely conclude that Michael Jordan is

the better scorer averaging 30.1 points per game (ppg) compared to James’ 27.2. Nevertheless, the king is a more well-rounded player, being superior in rebounding and assists; not to mention his whopping 56 triple-doubles (Data is based after LeBron’s 1,072nd regular-season game matching Jordan’s same number of regular-season games in his 15-season career). Bragging Rights. Jordan got six NBA titles, LeBron has three, with both players being the finals MVP respectively in each finals. ‘His Airness’ acquired five season MVP awards, while ‘The King’ got four. Of course it is obvious that LeBron still has a long way to dribble to reach these achievements, but considering the fact that he’s still in the game, all high hopes are still up with his eight consecutive appearance in the finals making things even more interesting. Lifting Duties. The two titans have always been the main headliners of their respective teams. Michael was with Scottie Pippen spearheading the Bulls in their road to their six rings even in their battle with the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons during their time. On the other hand, we cannot disregard James’ extreme effort in carrying his team on his back and giving out his all in every game, especially on some of the matches of the recent concluded season. Well, there you have it. Agree or disagree, it all boils down to your own standpoint and qualifications on the whole G.O.A.T. case and how you judge each player in their corresponding attitude, accomplishments, and performance in the game. Whether you pick the man sitting on the throne or the man who can defy gravity, at the end of the day we can all take a break from all the arguing and acknowledge the fact that both of them are two of the best basketball players the world has ever seen and I’m not even mentioning Kobe yet.

THE FALL OF THE DESTROYER RIC BERYL DIOLA

Manny Pacquiao posted his first KO victory in 9 years, stopping Argentinian Lucas Matthysse in the 7th round of their fight in Kuala Lumpur to capture the WBO Welterweight Title. This is one of the few dominant outings Pacquiao has had in the past decade. This raises the question, what is next for the fighting senator? He might already have done everything that is to be done in the world of boxing, so what is there left to give? Should he just hang up his gloves and call it a career while he still can? Or will his career end with a win in a small arena far from the jampacked stadiums he had boxed on? Every after his fights, people tend to ask the same question, is Pacquiao going to retire? Is this finally the time we see the people’s champ call it quits? Is this the end of Manny Pacquiao as we know it? He was elected congressman of the lone district of Sarangani in 2010 and served two terms before declaring his intention to run as senator in 2016. He ran as senator and finished 7th in the senatorial race with only his boxing fame as capital. Even though he was elected senator, this hasn’t stopped him from boxing. Yet, his time offs for matches and trainings have caused him to miss several important sessions of the senate and congress. The question here is, why is he still fighting? While juggling both boxing and public

service, he continuously expressed his aspiration to be a military commander, basketball star, recording artist, and many more. Apparently, he outspokenly said his aspirations to retire after avenging his loss to Bradley, yet he came back. Is it the prizemoney? Why do you think he continues to fight despite his overwhelming duties here in the country? It may be his passion but you can’t deny the temptation of a fat paycheck. In each fight, he earns millions of dollars and his net worth is now $190 million, and that’s just boxing, count his basketball career as a playing coach, and at the same time serving as a senator, you can just imagine how much money he earns from each year from his many ventures. Is it because of the fame? Maybe. Manny is one, if not the most famous boxer in the world. His 23 years of professional boxing has led him to countless accolades and led him to big time bouts over the past decade. In the phase of his fading boxing career, numerous supporters have voiced out their advice for the fighing senator to retire. Even President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his thoughts on ending the boxing career of Pacquiao. According to him, “I’d like to see my friend rest on his laurels at this time and enjoy life.”

PHOTO SOURCE: NYTIMES.COM

Perhaps, he should really just rest. He already showed us everything is capable of and he has nothing left to prove. Besides, if he gives up boxing, it wouldn’t affect him financially at all. He already has everything, the money, the houses, the cars, everything people like us would long for. He had already made a name for himself and there’s nothing left to prove. His duty as a public servant also requires him to not only represent the country in the international stage of boxing but also respond and address the concerns of the country, represent the people in delivering services and voicing out opinions and ideas on national issues. His health is not as good as before. His recent fight with Lucas Matthysse was almost canceled because just days before his fight with the former Argentine boxer, he was diagnosed with an inborn heart ailment and was advised by his doctors to call off the bout, yet he never did. If he continues to fight

at this pace and at this rate, his health could deteriorate faster than he thinks, and would not only affect his career but also his duty as a senator. Lastly, his time is up. The prime Pacquiao is no more. He is not the same ruthless, aggressive boxer he used to be before. There are other up and coming boxers who just yearns for that spotlight. With Pacquiao departing the sport, the focus can now shift from the People’s Champ to the new breed of fighters who would become the next generation of boxing in the Philippines. Fans of the fighting senator, would love to see him go for another world title and continue to fight; but eventually, he needs to call it quits someday. His body would give out and he will never be the same again. He gave us so much already and don’t you think that enough is enough?

WHERE MONEY DRIBBLES MICHAEL LANCE DESOLOC

To be out on the field playing whichever sport that floats one’s boat is one of humanity’s greatest joys. Dashing through opponents with your co –players and scoring in points with the sole purpose of developing a sense of camaraderie, leisure, and of course sportsmanship is what sports is all about. But as time rushes forward, so does the way of how people think of sports and their individual perspectives on it. No longer is it just deemed as a hollow activity of leisure – to help an individual wind down after a long week, but also as a playing field run by company giants and inspiring athletes yearning for sponsorships along with life – long careers. If the change in perspective is for the betterment of the athletes we so do enjoy watching, then let its old ways be overshadowed. Leagues and sports teams nowadays are huge businesses. Reported revenues of the National Football League amassed total of 13 billion dollar in the years 2015/2016. While the yearly global expenditure of sports usage alone is $145 billion. The presence of big money has truly drafted a shift on the sports scene, affecting decisions of big star athletes like five time world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo, and basketball all star LeBron James with the former’s shift to Juventus for a 100 million euro fee and the latter agreeing to a four year $154 million contract with the Lakers. With this much money at hand, its most positive effects on the sports scene would be on the athlete’s performances, enabling them the utilities required to keep up their game all the while securing their livelihood and day-today expenses. A good price to pay for our entertainment, and as justifiable as it may seem, negative connotations surround it, indicating that it is a double edged sword disguised as a gift. Considering the fact that money has the effect of inducing people in taking the wrong path, the same could be taken for AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 2 NO. 2

CRISTIANO RONALDO TRANSFERRED TO JUVENTUS FOR A 100 MILLION EURO CONTRACT.

athletes which use the amount a certain team has to offer as a basis for picking out which league to join in. 18 years ago, Alex Rodriguez chose to join in on the Texas Rangers, a last place team, due to a guaranteed $252 million dollars for a span of 10 years, despite dreaming of reaching the championships. Although Rodriguez dished in electrifying statistics for the Rangers, the total welfare and development of the team remained stagnant. In the perspective of the fans, the presence of big money in sports has been taken in as both a blessing and a curse of sorts. Due to the fact being that one of the major money providers in sports is television, it is to be expected that a huge number of live castings of games and events would be more easily accessible to the masses. A plus for the people who can’t get access to live sports events due to hindrances.

LEBRON JAMES A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT FOR THE LAKERS FOR 154 MILLION DOLLARS.

On the other hand, it simultaneously gets harder to attain tickets to sports events due to ticket prices skyrocketing to balance out the rising fees of each athlete on the field.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ JOINED THE TEXAS RANGERS FOR A GUARANTEED 252 MILLION DOLLARS.

The change of sports from a simple activity of free time into a profession similar to those in the corporate world is something which we cannot stop but only help improve. The introduction of money has left a permanent mark in sports, a mark which would only ripple out as time moves on – affecting the way we see it on a large scale. It’s time for society to change its views on how sports is as a whole and as long as we stay affixed towards our aim of providing what is best suited for the athletes that play for our enjoyment, the change needed would only be further solidified.

PHOTO SOURCE: GOAL.COM FTW.USATODAY.COM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED