Editorial Board
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WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE, EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED
Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Therese Del Castillo
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PROFILE: MEET THE LEADERS AND THEIR PROMISES YOUTH AS A KEY PLAYER OF 2019 ELECTION ECA: STEPPING FORWARD FOR MAGNA CARTA UNIVERSITY MOCK ELECTIONS 2019: WHAT DOES THE YOUTH THINK? BENG VS. CELSO
Associate Editor for Reveille: Sharmaine Canama Associate Editor for Sinag: Renz Marion Suarez Associate Editor for Social Media: Ayesha Tulete Managing Editor: Vinz Harrold Basilio News Editor: Tash-a Deanna Eugenio Sports Editor: Yusrhina Usman Feature Editor: Shariful Mansul Copy Reader (English): Yves Joey Flores Copy Reader (Filipino): Mickaella Joyce Dumayag Communications Officer: Kelly Cassandra Teja Head Cartoonist: Johanna Ismene Julian Head Photojournalist: Teriez Michove Bokingkito Head Layout Artist: Andrea Nicole Zamora Creative Head for Social Media: Karl Onayan Adviser: Leah M. Panaguiton
WRITERS
Abdel Aziz Alfad, Nisa Marie Alfaro, Clairizza Arcillas, Dither Atayde, Annafer Francine Besana, Kim Loyd dela Cruz, Erika Jenn Quisil, Joshua Salvador, Alyssa Tubilag PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jean Clarice Bue, Lance Kirby Gigante, Jerecho Salinel, Shannen Marthy Semil CARTOONISTS
Carl Anthony Amistoso, Ma. Sofia Carro Falcasantos, Razty Guevara, Crystalane Hagonoy, Jonie Alaban LAYOUT ARTIST
Kaheya Leigh Teano
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(GETTING TO KNOW YOUR MAYORAL BETS)
BENG CLIMACO, A WORLD-CLASS MAYOR? UF HOPE NEEDS YOU PULSE ASIA’S TOP CANDIDATES MASTER THE ART OF VOTING: DOS AND DON’TS DURING ELECTION
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Why you should vote, even if you are not interested WRITTEN BY MICKAELLA JOYCE DUMAYAG
Probably the most anticipated event this year is the 2019 midterm elections. However, it seems not all are voting. Long lines. Jam-packed voting centers. These are just some of the phrases that usually describe a typical election day in the Philippines. You may even think that probably all registered voters have come to cast their ballots on this very special day, but believe me, there are still many individuals who do not show up in their precincts. According to reports, the voter turnout of the Philippines is fluctuating over the past elections. In the last two midterm polls, a total of 73.10% of registered voters voted in 2007 and it went up slightly in 2013 having a 77.31% voter turnout. Comparing it to the two previous presidential elections, 2010 has a turnout of 74.99% and 81.95% in 2016. These statistics showed that there are still millions of Filipinos who are registered voters yet do not vote during election day. People might not vote for various reasons and excuses. They do not like the candidates, have maybe more important appointments on that day, lazy to go out the house, or simply just do not see the essence of voting. Still, you have to vote even if you are not interested. Why? It is not as plain as providing victory to the candidates and nothing else. Filipinos are given the right of suffrage or right to vote as stated in the Article V of the Philippine Constitution. It is a duty to fulfill this right and to give justice to the constitution as Filipino citizens. Not voting is like giving up your right given to you. Besides being right, it is also a power. It is a power of the citizens to put deserving politicians in the government, in their rightful seats. When you vote, you take part in bringing the change you want to see. You participate in addressing the issues that plague the country such as poverty, unemployment, environmental problems, educational issues and poor infrastructures, thus helping in the development of the Philippines. If you care about yourself, your family, your friends, the future and the welfare of your community, then that’s more than enough reason for you to vote. Your vote counts and makes a difference even if it is just one among the million others. For this upcoming election, drop all your excuses and cast your ballots in your designated precincts. The change starts in you.
THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS 03
WRITTEN BY VINZ HARROLD BASILIO AND MARTHY SHANEN SEMIL
Last February 21, 2019, the Ateneo Electoral Commission announced the result of the 2019 Election for the student government body for school year 2019-2020 via social media. Most of the winning candidates came from the SIBOL party list. Below are the newly elected President and Vice President of El Consejo Atenista, along with the Governors and Vice Governors of the different academic organizations: PHOTOCOURTESY OF GEOFFREY RIVERA PHOTOCOURTESY OF GEOFFREY RIVERA 04 THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS
KAHEYA TEANO
“Miss Freshiedent”
The new El Consejo Atenista President Her motivation is to improve and sustain the legacy of the past administration. Furthermore, she aims to encourage her fellow students to become more socially aware of the different issues and problems that face Ateneo, the City of Zamboanga, and the Philippines. “As the El Consejo Atenista President, I aim to unite, develop, and sustain what the previous administrations have started. Unite in a sense that each student, though coming from different organizations, sets aside their differences and together will work hand-in-hand to tackle prevalent issues in the university. Progress in a sense that innovative and creative platforms that will be implemented to benefit the entire ADZU community. Sustainable in a sense that the outcomes of each project and platform will resonate with the future generations.” “It takes a lot of courage to be a leader and take a step towards leading and serving the community because it entails a lot of responsibilities, but with commitment and perseverance, everything will be possible,” her message to the Ateneo community.
GIOSIMON DIMACULANGAN “The Godfather”
The new El Consejo Atenista Vice President According to Gio, it was his passion to be an Ignatian servant-leader; to empower the youth; and to improve the state of our beloved Ateneo that drove him to run as the El Consejo Vice President. “My first year in El Consejo Atenista taught me valuable lessons in leadership and in life. Now, it is my turn to give back to the studentry, as well as one of our objectives is to invest in freshmen leadership programs and to involve the Ateneo studentry in legislation. Hence, to achieve such policies, we promise to be transparent, approachable, and passionate in our work.” “Trust in me as I trust in you, as we spread the wings of the Blue Eagle with Cura Personalis and Magis: Pro deo et Patria, in Service of God and Country,” his message to the Ateneo community.
PHOTOCOURTESY OF TERIEZ MICHOVE BOKINGKITO
WILFRED MARTINEZ
The “Roaring Kupus of AAO”
The new Accountancy Academic Organization Governor Love for the organization and the people in it motivated him to run for Governor. That love is a product of support, leadership, and care coming from their seniors. He has the plan to continue the legacy of excellence that has been passed in the AAO through the years. He has a firm goal of giving the best experience to his fellow yellow tigers. “Grow to love and support your organization, the Accountancy Academic organization is more than just a simple inanimate group. Rather, it is a family of continuous growth, friendship, and love,” his message to the Ateneo community.
MISHA FAYE INFANTE The new Accountancy Academic Organization Vice Governor She believed that she had this certain call that pushed her to accept such a great responsibility and opportunity to be Vice Governor as it entails sacrifices and hardwork; but with that, she firmly believes that she is someone who loves working with different people, has the passion to serve, and someone who is willing to take risks for the welfare of AAO which pushed her to serve the community. For her, unity and diversity are the two essential elements that sum up what an Atenean is. Misha believes that through the learning experiences and challenges that she has from serving her organization as an officer, she can also give the kind of experience that her AAO family deserve and with this, they will be able to continuously run as a stronger, bolder, and greater AAO. “It is important that we build a strong relationship as one big family in the light of God’s grace and also having the sense of diversity in such a way that we are able and willing to accept each Atenean despite the differences. No matter what organization we belong, despite the color of the flag that we raise, we are called to be united,” her message to the Ateneo community.
PHOTOCOURTESY OF TERIEZ MICHOVE BOKINGKITO
ABDEL ARABANI The new Computer Science and Information Technology Academic Organization Governor Due to lack of candidates in CSIT, it he was motivated to run as Governor, not by means of “force” but by his initiative and willingness to step up; because if no one will then who? He perceived it as a great loss for their AO if there’s no one who would take the courage to run. Thus, he promised to make sure that the vote and support from his AO would not go to waste. “In order to fully maximize the potential within the CSITAO Students, one of my goals is to come up with projects that are inclusive, accessible, and convenient to CSITAO so that participation is maximized and apathy is responded to. Moreover, these programs would be open to evaluation so that best practices would and improve over time.” “In Engineering, we are taught that there will be times where you’ll fail to solve a problem, so you just got to know the right way to solve it,” his message to the Ateneo community.
ANDREW JAVIER
The new Computer Science and Information Technology Academic Organization Vice Governor
No one ran for Vice Governancy in CSIT. However, a brave soul took the initiative to be appointed Vice Governor because he saw a beacon of hope for a more active and united SITAO in the Governor’s platforms. In pursuance of this, he aims to implement counterintuitive propositions which will serve as the framework of his plans, preparations, and decisions. “My goals will be concretized by advertising the different full spectra of the courses under CSIT; conferring with fellow SITAO students more frequently; and conducting more relevant expos, seminars, and workshops. These will aid me in materializing my goals with meticulous deliberations among fellow SITAO officers.” Accordingly, the existing apathy and dependence, although to a mild extent, within SITAO motivated him to accept the current Governor’s invitation of incumbency as Vice Governor. These two predicaments have been daunting the SITAO community for quite some time now. Nevertheless, he implores the SITAO community to consider such adversity as urgent, rather than negligible. “The essence of having compartmentalized academic organizations (AOs) is to foster to the latter’s respective students an environment conducive of learning, growing, and developing respect. Disregarding these three factors is tantamount to tantalizing one of the Ateneo’s maxim which is ‘to be men and women with and for others’ as it will breed unnecessary competition. Furthermore, implicit to the success of the AOs, students must drive themselves to commit to endeavors with an unwavering sense of consistency. Subsequently, these should be sufficient to implore the Ateneo community to extend their efforts to other organizations, both academic and non-academic. Only then will they be able to learn, grow, and develop respect to the maximum extent,” his message to the Ateneo community. THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS 05
PHOTOCOURTESY OF TERIEZ MICHOVE BOKINGKITO
DITHER ATAYDE The “Fawkes”
The new Education Academic Organization Governor He ran as Governor because he saw the need to do so and because of the motivation, hope, and support from his classmates who encouraged him to take the responsibility. His goals for the organization are the following: develop the communication skills in both verbal and written means, which lead him to prepare more seminars in this coming school year. Secondly, develop the system and internal process through updating their constitution. And lastly, to strengthen the bond among the EAO students through catering different programs and activities that would permit frequent interactions, which is part of their inter-year buddy system. “Be a community that fosters respect for individual uniqueness, love for every person, and unity amidst varying cultures. Be champions of peace and understanding,” his message to the Ateneo community.
JOSE LORENZO BAZAN
“Dark Horse”
The new Education Academic Organization Vice Governor He ran as Vice Governor because he wanted to serve as a bridge that would connect the large gap left by the K-12 curriculum. With the help of the previous set of officers in EAO, he was able to build connections that will help him make sure that everything will go smoothly in their academic organization. He has a goal to continue what the previous administration started, which is a clean and transparent governance, strengthen the EAO’s bond not only as an organization but as a family. Moreover, as requested by the former EAO Governor, Ms. Princess Briones, together with Dither the present Governor of the EAO, they will start revising and updating the by-laws and constitution of the organization. “Let us all unite together for a better community, a better Ateneo. One heart, One blood, One Ateneo! Soar high, Blue Eagles,” his message to the Ateneo community. PHOTOCOURTESY OF TERIEZ MICHOVE BOKINGKITO
JEFFERSON SORIOSO “Kuya Dragon of LAAO”
The new Liberal Arts Academic Organization Governor He ran as Governor because he wanted to do something that would give back to the Ateneo community. In particular, he plans to encourage and motivate his fellow LAAO students to get out of their shells and get involved in the activities of the organization. Despite the huge diversity, he wants to see a more united LAAO in its fullest potential. He wants to expand the borders and reach out different communities without neglecting the needs of the LAAO students. Hence, he promises a governance with compassion and care, instilling a value of being men and women to and with others. “I pray that we will always be true to our core, to be men and women for others. Dear Ateneo students, we are not just here to study and pass our subjects. We are here to leave a mark to the community and beyond,” his message to the Ateneo community.
JOSHUA HERNANDEZ
“The Curator”
The new Liberal Arts Academic Organization Vice Governor He ran because he saw the great need of a leader who does not only serve and lead but also a fan of the academic organization. He believes that the seeds have already been planted. These seeds are the students of LAAO that shall bloom in the field we call Ateneo. One of his plans and goals is to find a solution towards mending the bond of diversity in LAAO. Josh believes that the diversity of the community of LAAO is what keeps them strong, though others see it as weakness. He promised to water the seeds so they grow, and that is through leadership programs that will help resolve diversity, encouraging the students to grow as one academic organization. “Take every opportunity to lead and support even it is just a small scale, (or baby steps) but it is still a progress so each everyone even in at small scale we are contributing to the greater unification of Ateneo,” his message to to the Ateneo community. 06 THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS
PHOTOCOURTESY OF GEOFFREY RIVERA
VINCENT SUAREZ The new Management Academic Organization Governor He ran in this position to improve the willingness of his co-MAO students to participate in their journey in rebuilding the foundation of the Management Academic Organization. He witnessed his AO suffer during the ATFEST period, and this fueled him to step up and be the hope that his AO desired for. “Be the change that you wish to see in our community,” his message to the Ateneo community.
FATIMA TAWASIL “The Loyal Atenista”
The new Management Academic Organization Vice Governor By the help of Mr. Amir Napii, she finally decided to run as a leader. She says that taking leadership roles does not need to have any standards at all, and that all we have to do is to guide our people to be passionate on the things that they do and be the best version of themselves. Fatima became more motivated because of the things that she needs to fix inside her organization. The leaders of El Consejo Atenista also gave her the reason as to why her organization needs progress, unity, and sustainable change. This time, she aims to raise the standards of MAO and empower each student. For others outside of her AO, she wishes a united and competent organization instead of competitiveness against the other AOs. “Leading is not all about being a boss, having the title or being famous. Being a leader is not what we are it is something what we’ve become. Anyone can take leadership roles, be the motivation of change to your people. As an Atenean, we are ready to risk and improve ourselves. You don’t have to be perfect, just let your journey be the path to your success. Always remember to stay humble no matter what attainments you have and maintain respect,” her message to the Ateneo community. PHOTOCOURTESY OF TERIEZ MICHOVE BOKINGKITO
KATRINA MITANTE
“The Magnifying Angel”
The new Nursing Academic Organization Governor She dreams to build a better foundation and is willing to voice out the concerns of her coNAO students to assure that no one will be left behind. She is willing to serve NAO with the best of her abilities and pursue the value of magis. Exposed to the responsibility for being appointed as the executive secretary, Katrina took it as a motivation to run as a Governor for she was inspired by the people who believed in her capabilities to handle the AO. For her, to be Governor is both an honor and a responsibility. It is not about the title and power that is within, but more importantly the passion to empower others students. “I want to thank my NAO family for the opportunity that they have given me to serve our Academic Organization and to entrust me with the responsibility that is to be the governor. Though I became only an officer for a year, I thank you for believing in my capabilities to do things that I thought I can’t do I have the will, the heart to serve and empower not just in my Academic Organization but to ADZU community as a whole. We opened our doors for possibilities by having a connection to other organization to make a true camaraderie with others. We can work better and achieve goals with the collaboration of different organization and to be united as one,” her message to the Ateneo community.
FATHYMA ISMAEL
“The Versatile Angel”
The new Nursing Academic Organization Vice Governor Fathyma envisions this university to have a strong foundation wherein every academic organization will be an instrument to the success of the institution. She believes that with her vision and service, unity will start within the Nursing Organization towards the entire Ateneo community. She promises to devote all her efforts to uplift the spirits of the NAO student and the Ateneo students by promoting three things: peace, optimism, and concrete actions to any raised concerns. She will also maintain and continue the blooming efforts of the past officers. By the positive comments shared from her seniors and peers saying that she has done amazing work despite her year level, she pursued to run as NAO Vice Governor. For her, winning the election is a responsibility and a commitment. “Thank you for the people who trust and believe in my capabilities, those who gave their endless support and were constantly there through my journey. I know that with you (Ateneans), it will be possible to achieve success. Like I always say, I will empower and make sure that your voices are heard. The goal is to exhibit magis and cura personalis as we move forward for the better. I know that I am not only limited to serve the academic organization of nursing and that is why I will collaborate and share my mission and vision with other leaders of different academic organization that will help the ADZU community. Together we, patcha padelante!” THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS 07
Youth as a Key Player of 2019 Election WRITTEN BY VINZ HARROLD BASILIO PHOTO COURTESY OF SOCIAL AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE INVOLVEMENT
“Youth is the hope of our country” - a common aphorism expressing a great belief that youth can make a fruitful change in society and simply the Nation’s hope for a better future. The forthcoming of 2019 Local and Senatorial Election reminds us, especially the youth who are eligible voters to exercise their power and right to vote, that youth must be empowered to vote wisely because every vote contributes to building a better future. But why do we need to encourage the youth to vote? How knowledgeable are the sectors of youth when it comes to being an active and a wise voter? The Social Awareness and Community Service Involvement (SACSI) of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University conducted a half day seminar-workshop with the theme “Voters Education: YOUTH can make a change” last April 23, 24, 25 and 26, 2019 at the different partnered barangays with the support of their respective Sangguniang Kabataan officials; Barangay Zone III on the first day, Barangay Putik for the second, Barangay Guiwan for the third, and Barangay Tetuan for the last day. The participants came from the youth sectors who were first time voters, experienced voters, and youth leaders. The seminar-workshop was organized by SACSI volunteers under the supervision of Mr. Mathew Lester F. Mendoza and Ms. Ma. Angelee Belcina, the project heads of the seminar. The main objectives of the seminar-workshop were empowering the youth to critically assess the nations problem and social issues; creating ideal possible solutions; gauging the participants’ knowledge on political, economic, and cultural issues; and enforcing the political aspect by means of a proper assessment to those candidates of 2019 election to identify the qualities of a good leader who can effectively address the different social issues faced in the barangay, and in the nation as a whole. The four days of seminar-workshop encouraged the youth to be actively involved, especially because the 08 THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS
2019 Local and Senatorial Election is coming. But most importantly, it helped the youth to establish a firm sense of engagement in their own communities and country. It has been proven that the youth can participate not only in the election period, but also in the nation’s development and progress. Youth can truly make a change as it was specified in the theme of the seminar-workshop. “The key to change is to engage. The voice of the youth matters and indeed worth to be heard. At a young age the youth must be empowered to create a meaningful change even in a small simple way. As a youth we are aware of the nation’s problem or even certain issues faced in the community, we know how to solved them, it’s our time to get involved and engage in our community avoid having an apathetic mindset instead be proactive because youth can make a change. We believe that youth are capable of doing relevant actions that will lead to a meaningful great changes in our nation,” said Mathew Lester Mendoza and Ma. Angelee Belcina, the project head officers of the Voters education seminar-workshop. Youth is the hope of our future, and as we elect for a new set of public officials, let us keep in mind that it takes one vote to make a change. Get involved, vote for the right leader, and be an agent of change!
WRITTEN BY MS. ALEXANDRA P. WEE, EL CONSEJO ATENISTA (ECA) PRESIDENT, AND STUDENT LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARDEE FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2018 – 2019.
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s the student government of the college student body, El Consejo Atenista has always been a force to be reckoned with. Through the years, we have witnessed it discover itself, evolve, and thrive. But in recent history, it experienced an existential crisis, one that is normal for an ever-unfolding entity which exists to respond to the needs of the time. The crisis caused disbelief against Consejo’s capacity to represent the student body and even doubt in its continuous existence, which ultimately lead to numerous failure of elections. The past two presidents, Mr. Khalid Clemen and Ms. Sitti Chua, capitalized on those sentiments and did what they could do to stabilize the student government. School year 2018-2019 came, and once again we had a failure of elections which called for a special election. I ran for presidency full of hope and a whole lot of plans, with God’s grace and backed by the student body’s support, El Consejo Atenista won a landslide victory. When the day finally came for all of the officers to gather and reorganize, we realized something, and that was we couldn’t do everything we wanted given the time constraints of a special election administration. We had to redirect our focus and identify what was truly needed in our university right now. That’s how we came up with the new brand of El Consejo
Atenista. One that is “Committed to Serve and Empower”. Committed to provide student services that do not only serve a few, but enable students so that they could better serve others, and committed to represent the student body in upholding their rights and in matters that affect them. In terms of Good Governance, we focused on two things – transparency and sustainability. I am proud to say that El Consejo Atenista has publicized its monthly accomplishment and financial report without fail. We have done so because we believe that the students deserve to know what their student government is doing and how their money is being spent. We also acknowledge the problem of continuity in our student government, and we have addressed it by conducting various internal sustainability efforts. We organized ILLUMINATE, a leadership training made especially for our officers. The AZUL program which builds on the passion of our freshmen by forming and preparing them to take leadership roles in the future, and the ultimate determining factor that what we did worked, is the successful elections, conducted through AELECOM. After two years, we finally have a regular elections president, vice president, governors, and vice governors. This is the El Consejo Atenista we deserve. THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS 09
On the matter of service, El Consejo Atenista has partnered with different organizations within and outside the university. For within the university, we have partnered with the Ateneo Centennial Scholars in conducting a university wide tutorials and with JPIA-AdZU for freeflowing coffee during exam week. It goes to show that we can serve the student body better in the spirit of collaboration and mutual effort. We also partnered with offices like SACSI and SDO, and external organizations like Project Jeepney in responding to relief operations. Moreover, during the Ateneo Fiesta, we have organized a purposeful and memorable Kaulayaw Music Festival, which operated under a profit. Half of the proceeds have gone to the Fr. John Chambers Scholarship Fund. This year, we have also subsidized roughly around 60+ students in their pursuit of excellence in academic and non-academic competitions. El Consejo Atenista has enabled them to make use of their Ateneo quality education and formation. This is our promise of commitment to service. On empowerment, El Consejo Atenista issued statements and organized campaigns against martial law, historical revisionism, lowering of minimum age of criminal responsibility, and other relevant social issues, because as a student government who is the representation of the student body, we believe that we have the power and responsibility to forward the truth and social justice. We also had numerous conversations with the administration with regards to different issues that affect the student body and we have forwarded complaints, assuring that you can trust us with your problems and that we are your partners in making our university a safer place for us to learn, express, and be our best selves. We’ve also organized Youth Engaged in Sustainable Peace or more commonly known as YES! Peace, a peace and conflict management seminar workshop, participated by various youth in Zamboanga City, as we advocate for a more peaceful Mindanao. We also created the EMPOWER series, which had three installments, namely EMPOWER: through self-awareness, EMPOWER: The Ignatian Athlete, and EMPOWER: Life beyond Ateneo. Each EMPOWER has changed the life of the students in one way or another. We directed empowerment to all. 10 THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS
We directed empowerment to all sectors of the university because we understand that these opportunities might be saturated towards a single course or group of people. This year we lobbied for the Magna Carta and we already submitted the final draft. It is currently being reviewed by the administration. For now all we can do is wait before we lobby it to the students. It might not be officially implemented in my term, but we have assured its continuity by involving our freshmen in the drafting process. I know for a fact that we will have the Magna Carta next year. I know there are so many questions surrounding the Magna Carta, what it is about and how it will be of use to the students. Amidst the uncertainty, we have continued to fight for it because through it, there will be equal administration and student participation, and it will be an instrument for a more inclusive and participatory culture. The Magna Carta would also teach the students the value of their citizenship, as this will make them aware of their rights and their power to shape their current situation. This is our promise of commitment to empowerment. With all these accomplishments, I can confidently say that El Consejo Atenista has successfully served and empowered the student body. With the newly-elected officers and the near fruition of the Magna Carta, we have entered a new era. An era of a united, progressive, and sustainable El Consejo Atenista which will be lead by Kaheya TeaĂąo and Gio Dimaculangan. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank our University administration for being supportive and for almost never saying no to El Consejo Atenista. To the previous presidents, who were a source of inspiration and who paved the way for this successful administration to happen. To El Consejo Atenista who served every day without expecting anything in return. And of course to the student body, who believed and enabled our student government. Much is to be done, but I know for a fact that El Consejo Atenista will continue to commit itself in serving and empowering the student body. For and with the Ateneo studentry, El Consejo Atenista Special Election Administration for the school year 2018-2019, is officially signing off.
UNIVERSITY MOCK ELECTIONS 2019: What does the youth think? WRITTEN BY AYESHA TULETE
ontrary to what a prominent research firm’s poll C says, the youth leans more towards the opposition bets.
In line with the upcoming elections on May 13, 2019, several universities have conducted mock elections. Some of who were of these universities included the Philippine Normal University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of the Philippines-Diliman, UP-Baguio, UP-Manila, University of San Carlos, and University of Santo Tomas AMV College of Accountancy. With 31% of the votes accounting for the youth, as Comelec data show, the senatorial candidates sure know how to make their way into the young people’s choice as they campaigned and shared their platforms in various universities.
Chel Diokno consistently topped the polls in all universities except for UP Diliman, PNU, and PUP where Neri Colmenares and Grace Poe ranked first, respectively. In fact, with a total of 2,987 votes, Diokno placed first in the overall favored senators. These numbers are promising; it represents his great impression amongst university students. Came next to him were Neri Colmenares, Samira Gutoc, Grace Poe, and Bam Aquino. The rest of the senators who also made it to the top 12 were Florin Hilbay, Erin Tañada, Pia Cayetano, Cynthia Villar, Mar Roxas, Koko Pimentel, and Sonny Angara. Apart from these, there is hope for Leody de Guzman, Gary Alejano, and Serge Osmeña as they do not go too far in the ranking. JV Ejercito and Jiggy Manicad only placed once in the top 12 where Ejercito came 8th in PUP, and Manicad came 11th in PNU. In all top senators of university students, there is no mention of Bato dela Rosa, Imee Marcos, Lito Lapid, Bong Go, Bong Revilla, and Jinggoy Estrada. It seems that students from these universities are more likely to vote for Otso Diretso rather than for Hugpong ng Pagbabago, who are of the administration bets that apparently placed in the top 12 senators in the survey by the Social Weather Stations. These numbers are not just mere numbers; it says a lot on how different the youth thinks about the future leaders who will run our country in the next six years. Thoughts must be things, and so the right to vote must be exercised if change is desired. With words by Samira Gutoc, “They told us, 24 million votes for the youth, but we shouldn’t bother, because they don’t vote. So, on May 13, prove them wrong. Show them that decision is yours and not theirs.” Sources: • University of the Philippines - Baguio - UP Baguio student council, UPB Outcrop, the Council of Leaders, and the UPB Committee on Elections 2019 • University of the Philippines - Manila - UP Manila student council and the UP Political Science Society • University of Santo Tomas - AMV College of Accountancy - UST Accountancy Student Council, the Accountancy Journal, and AMV Commission on Elections • University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance - LEX Circle • University of the Philippines - Diliman - Bantay Boto 2019: Senatorial Elections Watch and iSurvey • DLSU- Lipa - Enhancing Democratic Values Elections: TAMAng KAndidato (TAMAKA) • Philippine Normal University (PNU) - Catwalk • Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS 11
BENG VS
GETTING TO KNOW Y
WRITTEN BY YUSRHINA USMAN AND TASHA EUGENIO
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t’s election season once again, and although there are six people who filed the certificate of candidacy to run for the mayoral position of Zamboanga City, there is no doubt that these two names are the most talked about because both of them are considered as “political giants.” Who are these two? Well, it is none other than Beng Climaco, the current mayor of Zamboanga City, and Celso Lobregat, District 1’s congressman who has formerly served as mayor of the city. Climaco and Lobregat are on head-to-head battle to claim the mayoralty position in the city of Zamboanga. Both candidates have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is up to the citizens and voters to weigh things down and decide who should be rightfully voted to govern the city. These two candidates have been pushing their own limits to show the Zamboanguenos what they are capable of to make the city even better. Awarded as one of the top 5 best mayors in the 2018 World Mayor Commendation, Maria Isabelle Garcia “Beng” ClimacoSalazar, directs her passion to continue what she’s started and fight for her convictions to be mayor once again. Climaco was elected in 2013 as the mayor of Zamboanga city, however, on the third month of her term, a terrorist attack was held in the
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city testing the unity of the community. However, she handled the chaos in the best way she could, prioritizing the safety of the citizens. Safety, Health, and Education (S.H.E.)—these are the goals of her administration— to give utmost security to the people, prioritize their complete being and as a teacher, she wants to provide proper education to the children for the betterment of the community. In 2017, despite the conflict happened during the siege, it made the city even stronger and was awarded as the “Most Improved City” in the country as well as the Seal of Good Local Governance which is presented to the city for two years. Channelling her skills as a leader, she has also authored 33 House measures and co-sponsored 179 bills and resolutions. Climaco is an advocate of women and children’s rights. In 2007, she made a history for being the first congresswoman elected as Representative of the 1st District of Zamboanga City to the 14th Congress. She was the one who authored the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710) and the Amendment of the Cooperative Code (RA 9520). With Climaco on the frontline, she led the Lady Legislators of the 14th Congress in launching the Pink October, the first Breast Awareness and Prevention Campaign in the House of Representatives. She finished her schooling with flying colors. She graduated high school in New Jersey, U.S.A., took up Bachelor of Science in Education degree at Ateneo de Zamboanga and had her Masters in Pastoral Ministry at Ateneo de Manila University. Along with her school achievements, she was also given the opportunity to fly abroad and was awarded with numerous scholarships. Though she was elected to a government position in 2013, her political career started in 1998 as a city councilor, then a position of vice mayor from 2004-2007 and a member of the Philippines House of Representatives from 2007-2013. Truly, she showed that even her gender does not hinder her from doing the things she believes and did not stop her from showing her passion to serve its people.
S.
CELSO
YOUR MAYORAL BETS
ILLUSTRATION BY JOHANNA ISMENE JULIAN
As the grandson of Pablo Lorenzo, who once became the Mayor of Zamboanga City, and the son of Maria Clara Lobregat, who also served as the Mayor of the said city for two succeeding terms, you can say that Celso Lorenzo Lobregat, Jr. has big shoes to fill considering the fact that he came from a lineage of landlord politicians. He spent his elementary and high school at De La Salle University, Manila. Afterwards, he went to Ateneo de Manila University to take up Bachelor of Science, major in Economics wherein he graduated with honors. In 1972, Lobregat enrolled at the Asian Institute of Management in which he took up Master’s degree in Business Management. For 11 years, he worked in the field of agriculture and business. He served as the Marketing Manager for Elizalde International, and the Managing Editor of Tanduay distillery wherein the firm exported their goods for the first time to foreign markets leading them to acquire several awards. With his mother following the footsteps of her father, Pablo Lobregat, Celso knew that he would be inclined with public service. From 1998 to 2004, Lobregat served as a Congressman representing what was once known as the Lone District of Zamboanga City. Even though it was his first term in the Congress, he already did many activities and implemented projects that were worth 2.2 billion pesos. It impressed the public considering the fact that Lobregat was a newbie in politics but due to his love for public service accompanied with his experience in the field of economics and business, he was able to make an impact during his early years in the Congress. In 2004, he replaced his mother and became the new mayor of Zamboanga City. He served for three terms from 2004 to 2013. During his 2nd term in the year 2008, He said in his State of the City Address that it was indeed “a record breaking year” due to his major accomplishments for the city. He implemented several infrastructure projects worth billions which include the Zamboanga City Integrated Bus Termi-
nal, the Phase I of Paseo del Mar, Jardin Maria Clara and the construction of Plaza del Pilar fronting Fort Pilar to name a few. After his third term as the mayor, he was elected as the congressman of District I from 2013 to the present. Zamboanga City will be in good hands as both Beng and Celso are already equipped with the experience that they need in order to run a fast-paced city with a growing economy. Both of them are offsprings of the so-called political giants therefore we would really expect a tough and close fight between these two mayoral bets. The only questions are… Who will the Zamboanguenos trust to be their mayor?
Who will they vote for?
Are they on the Pink side or Team Colorao? Or better yet, Are they even on these two sides at all? Only time can tell.
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WRITTEN BY YVES JOEY FLORES
GRAPHICS BY ANDREA NICOLE ZAMORA
W
ho would have thought that our very own Zumba enthusiast of a mayor was world-
class? Known for her signature pink color and unparalleled passion for Zumba, Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco-Salazar has been chosen as among the “Top 5 World’s Best Mayors” by the presitigious City Mayors Foundation, an international think tank dedicated to urban affairs.
Climaco, a multi-awarded politician, was named along with Valeria Mancinelli, mayor of Ancona, Italy; Ros Jones, mayor of Doncaster, United Kingdom; Nathalie Appéré, mayor of Rennes, France; and Charlotte Britz, mayor of Saarbrücken, Germany. In its award to Climaco, the foundation heavily cited the local mayor for her commitment to offer Zamboanga harmony, security, and prosperity. “Shortly after being elected in 2013, Climaco was confronted with an armed uprising by Islamic rebels. Parts of Zamboanga City were under siege for 19 days and by the time government forces had defeated the rebels, 183 people had died and more than 120,000 residents were displaced.” “During her first term in office, Climaco made it her priority for the victims of the attack to receive justice and compensation. She has also been determined to heal any divisions between the city’s Christian and Muslim communities. The InterReligious Dialogue Council, she convened, has 14 THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS
been successful in promoting peace. In a city, which was often perceived as violent, there have been no bombing or kidnapping incidents since 2016. In 2017, Mayor Climaco’s administration won the award for the most improved local government,” the philanthropic City Mayors Foundation said. In winning the award, Climaco praised and said: “To God be the glory! Muchas gracias a Dios y La Virgen Maria y San Jose. Thank you so much for being an inspiration in my journey as Mayor! Vaya con Dios!” In progressing Zamboanga, along with solving its problems, it is not only the government that’s responsible, but as citizens, we also have as big a role to fulfill. This award conferred to Climaco certifies that, though not perfectly, the city has been cooperating with the government. It is a shared success. Enhorabuena, Mayor Congratulations, Zamboanga!
Beng
Climaco!
PHOTO COURTESY OF UF HOPE
WRITTEN BY YUSRHINA USMAN
Be involved. Be a UF HOPE Volunteer.
The election is right at our doorstep. It’s literally only a matter of hours until the citizens will cast their votes and appoint the candidates they think would make the city better. However, though not in general, there are still cases wherein the electoral process comes with unfortunate events due to indecent acts and dirty play during the election season or it could also be from technicalities concerning PCSO machines. To operate a smooth election, the United Front for Honest, Orderly, and Peaceful Elections (UF HOPE), with its partners, aims to put their visions into action. This non-partisan multi-sectoral network mainly comprises National Citizen’s Movement for Free Election (NAMFREL) and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). It also involves different sectors like the academe, civil society organization, and security forces. The UF HOPE devotes their time and effort to have a peaceful and credible election this coming May 13. The Ateneo de Zamboanga University also serves its role through the Ateneo Center for Leadership and Governance (ACLG) as the lead convener of the network here in Zamboanga. The program includes citizenship education, Voices of Zamboanga (VOZ), observation of the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS), and poll watching during the Election Day along with many others. For the concerned citizen, the UF HOPE will serve as a bridge to bring out one’s desire in volunteerism. To be a UF HOPE volunteer is not only about helping during the elections, but also channelling one’s inner self through the act of volunteerism. The UF HOPE looks for: (1) a registered voter in the barangay where he/she will be monitoring, (2) must be of good reputation, (3) have not been convicted of any election offense or other crime, (4) knows how to read and write, and (5) must not be related within the fourth degree to any member of the Board of Election Inspectors and political candidates where he/ she is a watcher. The qualifications are said to be the same with the accredited watchers as per instructions from the COMELEC. Visit the Facebook page of UF HOPE to know more about them. If you meet these requirements, then you are good to go. Now, go out and become a volunteer, a person for others, to serve the community. Hopefully, together with you, UF HOPE will be able to serve its purpose, which is to facilitate peace and order during the election in Zamboanga city and the region.
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BENG VS
GETTING TO KNOW Y
WRITTEN BY KELLY CASSANDRA TEJA
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wo weeks. There are only two weeks left before the elections on May 13. Almost every corner of the street bears the faces of candidates who are determined to get themselves a seat in the government, with promises of a better future for the Philippines. Almost every Filipino capable of voting already have a list of names in mind – candidates they deem worthy of the chance to serve the Filipinos, and fulfil the promises they have uttered in their campaigns. Recently, Pulse Asia Research, Inc. released some findings with regard to the Senatorial Elections from the March 2019 Ulat ng Bayan national survey. Accordingly, face-to-face interviews were conducted last March 23 – 27, 2019 for the survey. 1,800 representative adults of 18 years old and above were asked to answer the following questions: (1) Kung ang nasabing eleksyon sa 2019 ay isasagawa ngayon, sinu-sino sa mga sumusunod na personalidad ang inyong iboboto bilang senador? Puwede kayong pumili ng hanggang 12 pangalan.; (2) May narinig, nabasa, o napanood na ba kayong kahit na ano tungkol sa mga sumusunod o wala pa?. With the answers gathered from the individuals interviewed, Pulse Asia presents the 16 candidates probable of winning, with regard to the voters’ preference: 1. Grace Poe, with 72.6% of voter preference.
9. Bong Revilla, with 40.9% of voter preference.
2. Cynthia Villar, with 63.7% of voter preference.
10. Imee Marcos, with 39.0% of voter preference.
3. Sonny Angara, with 58.5% of voter preference.
11. Francis Tolentino, with 35.7% of voter preference.
4. Bong Go, with 55.7% of voter preference.
12. Jinggoy Estrada, with 35.2% of voter preference.
5. Pia Cayetano, with 52.2% of voter preference.
13. Bam Aquino, with 33.8% of voter preference.
6. Lito Lapid, with 48.4% of voter preference.
14. Koko Pimentel, with 33.6% of voter preference.
7. Nancy Binay, with 45.5% of voter preference.
15. Serge Osmeña, with 33.0% of voter preference.
8. Bato Dela Rosa, with 44.8% of voter preference.
16. Mar Roxas, with 31.3% of voter preference.
Most of the candidates with a probability of winning are either former members of the Congress simply running for a re-election, or incumbent members of the government seeking for a place in the Congress. Two weeks. There are still two weeks left to think of the individuals who deserve a spot in the Congress; two weeks to look through the empty promises, through the false credentials and through hidden agenda. Remember, the decision made today is a determinant of the future. Vote wisely. References: http://www.pulseasia.ph/march-2019-nationwide-survey-on-the-may-2019-senatorial-elections/ 16 THE BEACON PUBLICATIONS
S.
CELSO
YOUR MAYORAL BETS
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WRITTEN BY GIVE ME FIERCE
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hat can happen if you play with fire? You can get a nasty burn. What happens when you finish college? You get a college degree. But what happens when you play with your college completion? Well, Honorable Miemie might be able to answer that with quite the story. Midterm election is coming, a typical candidate would very much like to impress the voters and gain their trust to vote for them. But most people these days are tired of posters, jingles and TV ads; they want something to talk about, something viral and fresh. And it seems that Mimi found the best election campaign; the falsification of one’s educational background especially on higher educational attainment. Fortunately for us, Mimi doesn’t just say “Oh yeah I graduated from Princeton” since that would be too boring, instead she says “I graduated with honors at Princeton” just something to spice things up. The response was also grand, article after article on how false her claims were, evidences that disprove her stated educational background, and the silence of the trust she lost from the little trust the people had on her. On her defense “as far as she knew she graduated”, and it even says it on the biography of her official Facebook page. Come. On. People. This. Is. Facebook. Of. Course. It’s. Legit. If Honorable Mimi graduated at Princeton, she did; if a random guy on Facebook worked at The Krusty Krab, he did. Official statements from the school have no bearing whatsoever. The first degree. Let’s give her a break, she did earn a degree from UP College of Law, a well-known university in the Philippines there’s no way she could fake that too. Spoke too soon, seems like she did study there for some time, but never got the degree says officials from the university. Well, this has become
some sort of a trend for her, is this what you call interacting with the citizens? A game of “Did I really finish here” with Mimi and the Filipinos. Still, let’s give her some appreciation with her determination, even going through all the trouble looking at old albums to show a picture of a “fake” graduation photo. The second degree. Don’t unfasten your belts yet, because this educational train has one more stop. Has anyone heard of “MA Management and Business Administration or MA MBA”? No? In that case you’re not alone, even Asian Institute of Management, the school where Mimi proclaimed she got the degree from, hasn’t heard of it too, ever since in their 50 years of providing programs. Reading that back sounds pretty embarrassing, don’t fret Ms. Honorable Miemie, learn from your mistakes and research the programs they offer first and then fake it. The third burn. A normal person would treat a burn with some first aid, but not Honorable Miemie, she rubs more salt onto it. Like a bad magician trying to hide her secrets, but Filipinos clearly see the strings and the mirrors she’s set up. She can fix the damage she’s done because #AyMiSolusyon, but Cyndi Lauper once sang “I see your true colors shining through.” Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us. Fool us three times, in your dreams. Let’s be educated, know the background of different candidates and vote wisely.
10 The Bacon
E GAME
N BY TH
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famous “Chris” has come to light— an interrogation light, and no it’s not Chris Evans, Hemsworth, Pratt or Pines. It’s Philippines’ very own Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. The former special assistant to the president who has taken a lot of selfies with different international personalities with his face occupying almost half of the frame, is now running for a senate seat. So what does “special assistant” mean? Well, it could be some sort of a fancy title for “personal assistant”. Now that he’s running for senator, controversies and issues about his campaign, which he considers as pure allegations despite of evidences, slowly emerge. A series of red flags keep flashing wherever he goes. Now, that doesn’t mean anything, does it?
TEES? WHAT A TEASE!
Crisp white polo shirts embedded with the caricatures of Duterte and Bong Go and it does not look like campaign shirts at all, not in the slightest. These humble shirts were distributed in the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas 1st National Assembly, a national event attended by Barangay Captains and SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) Chairmen which was held at Manila. The said assembly was funded by the respective Local Government Units of the participants. An event that came from the pockets of tax payers. In a document shown by the senatorial bet Gary Alejano, an anti-administration senatorial candidate, the mandate of using the public funds came from DILG Memorandum 2019-23. Part of the expenses paid by the participants for the three-day event (February 25-27, 2019) is their giveaways which includes the shirt with Bong Go’s face. Red flag, there’s no way Bong Go is using governmentfunded events for his campaign, is there? Of course, he denies it just like how he refuses to reveal his major campaign donors. It has been reported that Bong Go’s campaign expenditures is worth beyond his wealth,
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so maybe a Cinderella-type Godmother showed up at his doorsteps granting him with campaign money. He has spent more than Php 422 Million as of February. What’s mysterious is that his net worth as of 2017 is only Php 12.85 Million. Who do you think funds his campaign? Business tycoons who want government projects? A syndicate? The Marcoses? The Drug Lords? Or maybe you, the taxpayers? Who knows, well on second thought, he knows, but he wouldn’t tell. He keeps on saying that he will reveal everything in his SOCE (Statement of Contributions and Expenses) but why not now? What’s the difference if he says it today or declares it on his SOCE after the election? He might need the time to “prepare” his paper well, how nice of him to do that for the trust of the people. Speaking of trust, he’s from Hugpo ng Pagbabago under the leadership of Davao City Sara Duterte who downplays the importance of honesty during election period. It’s not like we are trying to connect “irrelevant” dots, but it might look like that. Now, we can’t blame Bong Go for hiding his dark secrets, everyone has one. Plus, nothing ever goes wrong when politicians hide secrets, right?
MAL ASAKIT-CENTER-OFATTRACTION
Some posters of President Duterte and Bong Go doing their signature fist-bump pose advertsing a government program – the Malasakit Center were scattered in some of the busy streets of Zamboanga City and in other parts of the country, but were ultimately brought down –COMELEC’s orders. This program is actually a one-stop-shop for the underprivileged families who need medical assistance and social intervention. It brings DOH,DSWD PAGCOR, PCSO and the Philippine Insurance Corporation in one shelter, making it more accessible and convenient for the poor who ask for an aide. Definitely, the program is impressive and brilliant. Hats-off to the government for implementing a pro-poor project. But the question is: Why Bong Go? With all of the possible model for the project, why Bong Go, why choose someone who campaigns for a
national post? Why not other personalities like Mocha Uson who made noise in social media for her creative information campaign on federalism? Or Salvador Panelo, the everloyal Presidential Spokesperson who keeps on defending the loan deal of Philippines and China despite some concerns on its terms of agreement? Red flag, with his face plastered on Malasakit posters, it would make some think that it was a campaign project. If true, it would be a clear manifestation of using government funds for someone’s advantage and benefit. It would be totally unfair and unjust, not for his rivals, but for the general public. Pretty hurtful for a Malasakit Project, don’t you think?
CASH GIVE-AWAY FOR FIRE VICTIMS, OH IT’S CAMPAIGN SEASON
“I feel connected” Barbie sings it, but apparently Bong Go puts it to action. With the help from his generous “friends”, he successfully became fireproof. Last March 05, 2019 in a fire incident at Brgy, South Cembo, Makati City, it was reported that Bong Go’s team was distributing Php 2000 to the affected families, who were left with nothing due to the fire incident. Fortunately, he did this during the campaign period, nothing wrong with that at all. His generosity is exceptional and that must have rub off with the timing. Red flag, his action is an electoral violation. It falls as vote-buying under the Omnibus Election Code. Enough of these technicalities. There is nothing wrong with helping other especially in cases where people really need assistance. But doing this during the election period is a different story. After all, an anonymous pure soul might’ve been enough. A helping hand out of sincerity is way different from a helping hand for publicity. Bong Go says “kung may ginamit na government funds, huwag niyo ako iboto.” A friendly warning against himself. Red flags everywhere, nothing alarming about that. Just controversial flags that seemingly look like signs to not vote a certain person. What are you waiting for? Go out, and vote wisely. The Bacon 09
An Open Letter by Confused Voter Dear His Excellency Rowdy Dudirty,
I guess we could say that you had your ups and downs in your reign as the King of this ever suffering country, the Philippines. We all know that you’re not the most excellent leader that this nation has ever had. Heck, you’re not even excellent at all. In fact, you’re reckless with your actions. Your decision making is just absurd, especially when it comes to your choice of words. We get that already. But posing with two of the mayoral candidates of Zamboanga City got us more confused about you than we’ve ever been. Which side are you really on, my King? Are you on the side of Cellsaw? The outgoing Zamboanga City Congressman? I understand why he would be such an obvious choice as an ally. You even raised his hand back in the day when you were together as congressmen. Not to mention, Cellsaw is a member of PDP-Ravan. The party list where you serve as the chairman! It’s clear that you would endorse him as your bet in the mayoral elections of Zamboanga City. But why oh why, did another mayoral candidate post a picture of you raising her hand? Thanking you for your endorsement? Claiming you as her friend? Who is this person that I’m speaking of? It’s none other than the Zumba Queen. Hailed as one of the “Top 5 World’s Best Mayors” by the prestigious City Mayors Foundation, we could see why you would choose her as your mayoral bet for Zamboanga City. But wait, isn’t she a member of the Free party? The Free party a.k.a. Yellowish a.k.a. your mortal enemy number one? Why would someone in a position as high as yours endorse a mayoral candidate from the opposing party that has always criticised you and your administration? I am in total confusion. Let me get this straight. You endorsed Cellsaw during the grand rally of PDP-Ravan last March 4, 2019. Not only did you endorse him, but you also showed support to his brother, Jawmar, who is running for Congress under the 1st District and Melchore, a former city councilor and running for Vice Mayor under Cellsaw. It’s pretty clear that you have chosen which side you would support in this mayoral election, but why did Zumba Queen post that picture of you endorsing her? I get it. Any endorsement from His Excellency is such a huge advantage for any candidate running for a mayoral position. Of course, Zumba Queen did that in order to get additional promotion for her candidacy as any running politician would. But at the end of the day, it’s not the right thing to do. Imagine, lying to your constituents about getting an endorsement from the King of the Philippines himself. But at the same time, she wouldn’t have the opportunity to do that if you didn’t raise her hand even if it was just for a simple photo op. You knew that raising a person’s hand could be such a symbolic statement especially coming from you, His Excellency. But still, you did it. I still wonder what was running through your mind while raising Zumba Queen’s hand for a picture when you clearly endorsed Cellsaw in front of the citizens of Zamboanga City. Was it just a careless move coming from you? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, you’ve made so many reckless actions in your term. But has it ever crossed your mind that a single action of yours can cause such great consequences that would affect our country? Or have you forgotten the responsibilities that you have as the King of our nation? Well, we’ll probably never know. Sincerely, Confused Voter 08 The Bacon
WRITTEN BY THE GAME CHANGER AND GIVE ME FIRECE
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rapo, a piece of cloth we’d rather not touch, a piece of cloth we’d rather not see. On the other hand, there’s a traditional politician who likes to be called trapo for short. Coincidence? Definitely not. Well, it doesn’t even matter since they
Normal families like to play charades, but then there are those influential ones who like to play with politics instead. Some of them get all the bragging rights for having the highest educational attainment one can ever achieve in their lifetime. The others can have bragging rights for being the best at clinging onto their parents’ well-deserved positions and platforms that cater to people—steal, steal, steal. There are also people who talk big about finishing with flying colors in prestigious universities, although it turns out to be one of your typical magic tricks—fake. There will be no name-dropping but we’ll hide her name with “Aimee” or did I just add a letter? Well, her family is like the Kardashians of the Philippines when it comes to weak and dirty politics, the go-to example of how flawed the political system in the country has been. The flaw of the river does not stop there. Yep, flaw. Our party-list system is just as nasty and filthy. For those who have a vague idea on what a party-list is, just seat back and enjoy the ride, as we are about to embark on a fun-filled journey about “imaginary” groups who clearly do nothing but strike a pose. A party-list is an organized group of people with the same ideologies whose aim is to represent the marginalized and underrepresented sectors of the society. Republic Act 7941, also known as the Party-list Law of 1998, which is by the way a landmark legislation, allocates 20% of the total seats of the House of Representatives to the partylists whose role is to reduce, if not eradicate, social, economic, and political inequalities that directly impact the Filipinos. That’s odd, but so far so good. Although the legislation sounds so promising and remarkable, unfortunately, it’s never implemented for the purpose it has always been intended to fulfill. FACE VALUE BEATS TRUE VALUE Leadership and credentials are so last season. What’s the point having a nominated representative? Nowadays, the nominated representative for a particular party is chosen based on their “winnability” which is totally relevant for the party they’ll represent. The best way to grabbing a hold of a seat isn’t passion or direction, but the likes, favorites, and accolades in social media. People usually pick media-savvy personalities. A handful of stars who have lost their twinkle
and whose flickering stopped, turn to politics and become senators, congressman, and the like. A political line shaped from the hall of fame. What could possibly go wrong? There are public officials who merely think of politics as a game of winning a position. The drive is commendable though. The drive to drive people crazy and the country into a ditch. One example, again no name-dropping so let’s hide her behind the name of “A Coffee Flavor.” The lady who forms a silhouette out of absurdity, who coined the chant that goes “i-pepe, i-dede-ralismo” and the alleged “Fake News Queen.” After resigning, she could never just get a hold of herself and stop. Instead she tried to expand her political horizon. A goal for someone so qualified, with a resume filled with blank spaces. She went ahead and attempted to run for senate but tripped on the survey that reflected her performance—poor. Praise the Heavens above, she did not pursue this endeavor. But until this day, she still lurks around and has been nominated for a party-list based on non-existent grounds. It just proves to the citizens how the system measures value, a measurement so accurate that no other country would dare to adopt. When applying for a position, just submit a report on the social media response and just disregard everything else that truly matters. ROTTEN EASTER EGG It’s an old myth but believe or not, party-list representatives are supposed to address the problems and inequalities of the minorities through legislations. What a jackpot it would be for the marginalized and minorities. But who cares? The incumbent administration is much more important to please. They act as cronies of some powerful men who institutionalize corruption in the country. The phrase “they work for the people” is too far-fetched that it’s almost a lie. Some act like legal thieves who steal but don’t get caught. The power of the administration they kiss up to is strong enough to do “simple favors.” Serving the people isn’t even in their vocabularies anymore. Without a spec of doubt, party-lists run by trapos are no less than dirty old rags that are beyond the point of wringing them out. The only way to do it is to put it in the trash where it belongs.
The Bacon 07
even set their unworthy gaze upon our so-dignified conviction again. It’s not the country; it’s our perspective that’s messed up. Ask the farmers. (IPs too.) These are just a few of the mistakes that stupid people are mired into when choosing a candidate. Their banality and mediocrity and deep-seated stupidity hinder them from seeing the truth. Now let’s hop onto what kind of candidates a non-stupid voter would choose. A candidate that is funny. Let’s face it, life isn’t just all about making the rational choices. We deserve having fun too! I mean, considering the meaninglessness of the universe, why wrestle to meet an end? When the ultimacy of all ends is death? That’s why it’s more fun in the Philippines. Hell to logic (purely Western invention). The idea is, if entertainers such as boxers and actors and people who know dancing are elected to the seats of power, we could maximize our happiness on Earth in the short span of being alive. Reminder: We’re all going to die. Second, a candidate with lots of 1-hundred-peso bills. The core element of balance in this world is generosity. It’s the most called-upon thing in a society where the gap between the rich and the poor is constantly broadening. Just imagine a young guy who ran away from home just to find himself broke and desolated. Does he need a man with moral excellence? Or academic excellence? How about professional excellence? No, no, no. What this poor guy needs is a plain and simple hundred-peso bill from a smiling dude that would be glad shaking his hands. Practicality is the key. Any non-stupid voter would not fall to the far-fetched ideals of unfunny candidates. This is the 21st century. Next, a candidate that’s also the candidate of everybody. Chances are, one or a few among them possesses the supreme-most justification on why they choose what they choose. The more a politician is being agreed with, the higher the chances of this player being the righteous one. Sometimes, all we got to do is feel things. And again, we just need to loosen our trust standard a little. Last (but not limited to), candidates that have shown to have cried at least once on TV. Who knows if 90% of those who are running are secretly hyper-simulating androids steered by the reptilian humanoids based in Agartha in a continued attempt to manipulate the surface of the planet? I’ve always personally thought that the most human of all the attributes in the dimension of sentient beings is the ability to sympathize, to cry with another co-species, to be vulnerable, to be felt and the sort. Imagine Many Billar. Perfect. Those who fail to exemplify this simple human task are obviously lizards. There is no thinkable way to conclude otherwise.
between their purpose and justification. Remember the key terms: correlation, purpose, and justification. Now let’s analyze. The problem with stupids is that they equate qualities as being educated, moral, excellent, and female, etc., to the ability to rule. These JUSTIFICATIONS are obviously not correlated to the PURPOSE of ruling which is for the ruler to serve its constituents well. For example, being moral does make one a good person with higher chances of entering heaven, but that doesn’t mean that people are going to be satisfied. Boredom is killing them day by day and entertainment is precisely what they need. Ultimately, the justification of being moral doesn’t correlate to the purpose of ruling. Same applies to the other silly qualities that these stupid voters are trying to make use of. A non-stupid voter always transcends the limits of thinking. A funny candidate may get laughed at and may be a total idiot on ruling, but this quality of being funny as a justification can serve the purpose of ruling quite well. Turning one’s whole town or country into a ginormous stage in a standup comedy night show is also a form of service. Not to mention it’s also a peculiar form of advancing universal healthcare (because laughter is the best medicine). This isn’t a task easily done just by being excellent. We need more than that. Indeed, service isn’t monomorphic. It can take any form if we just know how to close our eyes and start feeling things. Non-stupidity is a state of being reserved only to the few. It is powered by their possession of the mighty rope of correlation gleaming between justification and purpose. But these rare illumined ones are playing the game lowkey. They don’t need essays or infographics on their camp to prove their superiority. Such indulgence is only for the stupid seeking attention by trying to educate the people. The non-stupid is modest enough not to demystify the enigma of their purpose-justification correlation, though they sometimes do. Ignorance is a bliss, and bliss is good. Our brains are the descendants of the snake from the 7th level of hell curled up in our skulls; they shouldn’t influence our votes. I call on the people to stop thinking, because thinking spoils jokes, and jokes are the foundation of Philippine politics.
There is a basic difference between stupid choice and nonstupid choice. On one hand, stupid people tend to have an absence of correlation between their purpose and justification in voting. And on the other, non-stupid people do have real correlation
06 The Bacon
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
ON AND
ICKEN S
N BY CH
WRITTE
BEACH
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this piece are in no way held by the publication but by two individuals who are avid followers a political cult pushing for a men-only, ultraconservative, antichange political ideology in the Philippines. They consider themselves as having reached the nirvana of political theory. Their likes include nasty words and anything funny and their dislikes, democracy and new things. The writing is extremely obscene with a tendency to be convincing. Proceed with caution. When the gods created mankind, they divided us into two categories: male and female. But judging from how we deal with our challenges today, the binary sex seems to cease being the only binary opposition that humanity is stuck in. We’re also either stupid, or non-stupid. Nothing epitomizes this dichotomy more than elections, now that we are standing a few days behind the 13th of May. Ok! Let’s get straight to the point. Society is dead sick and it badly needs preaching. Its stupid criteria in weighing candidates for a position as elevated as being a senator must be dragged down to the square and set in flames. We need alternatives. Radical ones. Non-stupid ones. Okay, so how does choosing-the-best-candidatesuch-that-in-the-process-of-choosing-we-embody-the-optimalmanifestation-of-the-zenith-of-the-illustrious-principle-of-nonstupidity work? Or in other words, how do we choose non-stupidly? The initial step in actualizing non-stupidity is first knowing what stupidity is to avoid them. So before this question, let’s ask: How do people choose stupidly? What are the examples of stupid criteria? There are many awful, unwritten rules out there that would fill this question. One prime example would be scanning a candidate’s educational background, as if being a smartass could
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convince the Chinese to bring more of their species here. These nerds’ lack of charisma and ability to crack real jokes would make any potential neo-colonizer cringe, avoid and never set foot again in the no. 1 country in the hospitality contest. Now that would be equal to missing our chance of interracial reproduction multiplying the next generation’s population—which would result to the decrease of the chances of international celebrities having Filipino blood. God forbids. #NoToNerds Another such fallacious rule of thumb is choosing a woman candidate. Look, people who have no penises don’t have the right to sit on a fancy chair in front of a desk giving orders. They are too plant-like to even go beyond the domains of the household. Their long hair would trip them to death causing multiple corpses scatter around, and if they survive, their seductive presence would trigger public riots. They are meant to stay in their pots waiting for penis people to water their roots. Giving orders is simply a penis-driven affair. It’s a talent originating in the tip part of the phallus. That’s it. Men are the only people needed in politics and opposing opinions are . Further explanations to this obvious absolute truth would be a disgrace to our intellectual capacity. Come on, we’re Ateneans. Picking from the opposition adds to this list of questionable customs in election. People who imbibe in this tendency are usually seen along the highways carrying recycled placards while chanting satanic verses, hungry for social change which they barely contribute to. But it’s all understandable. They are just kids, stupidly experimenting, not to mention that they’re also PAID given that most of them come from the Big Four and live in the capital. We don’t need change. Our country is completely well-off. We just need a little strengthening of our faith to those in power, to hope for the silver linings, remember? And by this faith, traffic, droughts, price hikes, environmental degradation, land-grabbing, power shortage, and all the other issues plaguing our lives right now, would never
The Bacon 05
The ‘Budots Dance’ Challenger
Dancing Budot after stealing? That’s the nicest way to boost morale bro! This former senator and now a senatorial aspirant is busy facing cases, 1 for plunder and 16 counts of graft because of multi-billion pork barrel scam allegedly receiving a commission of P224.5 million. Lamon “Mong” Lemilla plunder case trial ended last August 9, 2018 after 4 years of legal battle in Sandiganbayan. Well of course! As a classic celebrity, this former artista might be high, wide and handsome as he had snatched the eyes of women in Pampanga saying they would still vote for him “Kasi guwapo siya at mabait.” Wait, What?! To all Bong Revilla fans out there no offense, he’s maybe mabait but he’s not that “guwapo” at all. Gurrll Guwapo ba? The Court cannot hold the ‘Budots Dancer’ liable for the crime of plunder. However, the accused is civilly liable to return an amount of P124, 500,000 to the National Treasury. How was he able to file his COC then? His loving wife filed his candidacy last October 17, 2018 when he was still detained.
The Century Old Grandpa
The hidden anti-ageing weapon of Senatorial slate Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino is the oldest senatorial expectant in the current timetable. It is no other than the famous immortal Juan Fancy Enreally. This 94-yearold politician who hopes to live until 110 might even live longer than you and those seated as Senators today. For 4 decades of invading the Planet Earth and annihilating the human race, he has been a politician, a defense minister of not-so-famous Marcos, a senator and a senate president. He is accused of pocketing P172 million out of the P345 million PDAF from his office with his love team Madam Reyes. He got his bail when he was under hospital arrest. Imaginably, for forty years of governance, he failed to boost his retirement savings because he doesn’t know the power of compound interest. Possibly his secret to vitality is Vitamin M. M for Millions.
The Wonder Son and the ‘Real One’
The story of corruption continues to unveil its brazen face through this frustrated half-brother Sen. Chinggoy Estrada. No one can stop the audacity of a runner from running even if he’s facing plunder and graft charges. Chinggoy is allegedly ill-using P183.793 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). “Errep prrrah sa Maherrap rawr!” With the support of his Daddy Erep, he filed his candidacy last October 16, 2018 while currently out on bail after more than 3 years of detention. Both seeking Senate seat in 2019, Chinggoy said he wants to be elected with his half-brother Sen. GV Ejercito of Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). Chinggoy is in no way holding grudges against GV despite divergences between the “Good one” versus the “Real One” campaign ad. Last December 2016, he’s half-brother was acquitted of graft charges in Sandiganbayan for allegedly mishandling the calamity funds of San Juan City when GV
was a mayor. It runs in the blood huh. In the name of Just Politics, He wishes his brother a good luck. After all, the more members of the family seated in the government the merrier! right? But wait, there’s more! If you think those three ex-senators linked with pork barrel scam are the only blatant candidates running in 2019, think again. The pride of Ilocos Norte Imee Margos is in motu proprio investigation because of alleged misuse of tobacco funds and purchasing vehicles amounting to P64.45 million without public bidding. Her socialite image can’t make her fabricate a Princeton degree. Believe it or not, Imelda, her proud mom, kept her graduation tarpaulin. Naionalista Party Cynthia Bilar together with her husband then-senator Manny Bilar were #couplegoals who faced plunder complaints because of alleged fraudulent deal with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in their P1.5 billion unpaid loan in 2008. Nationalist People’s Coalition Liko Lapid was dismissed from Sandiganbayan in his graft case of unproven purchase of high-priced fertilizer when he was still the governor of Pampanga in 2004. Cheers to Pinuno! Liberal Party Mar Rosas faces the Office of the Ombudsman with plunder complaint to so-called anomalous Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3) contracts filed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) under the Duterte administration. Go Mar #KMJS. What I love about the Philippines is that in an election that claims to be free and fair, people remains to be optimist that a voter will elect the best candidates who has accomplished enough and continuously working for the welfare of the Filipino families. Chz! Charot! ICYDK the defendants of plunder cases are still allowed to run with the aid of Local Government Code and the Omnibus Election Code that disqualifies only those who are convicted. For your convenience the COMELEC had offered you just the right amount of candidates with criminal records. In case you choose the best plunderers from these aspiring contestants, you don’t have to thank or blame me. Just wait for the day when a man will break into your house with the intent to commit misdemeanour and deprive you as the rightful owner of your own money and property. Don’t even think of howling because that burglar was the man you voted to become a government official. Complain? Don’t even dare because it was your fault from the very beginning. For now, let’s just wait for the day when a Miss Philippines will tell the world that a hundred and four million Filipinos are being robbed every single day and would still romanticize the beauty of corruption. We do not have the right to bar them from running, and even if we do, they’ll cripple us anyway. But maybe this time, we could try to be less stupid voters. At the end of the day, the Election is a manifestation that a democratic country like ours stands witness to a chain of corruption. Do not vote an ambitious candidate that deteriorates the spirit of righteousness and integrity among us Filipinos. We deserve better.
04 The Bacon
EDITORIAL
PHILIPPINE’S NEXT
top Plunderers
To vote or not to vote, that is not the question.
Are you looking for the best plunderer for the upcoming 2019 Election? Perhaps, a senatorial hopeful that is charismatic, popular or old/sick enough to easily get away with malversation charges? Well, duuh do not flip this page. If you are having a hard time choosing for an aspiring politician with criminal cases, worry no more! Cause I’m about to tell you the confident candidates with reliable criminal records who can lead our lawless nation as an upright citizen. The upcoming election will be a series of fierce competition in which legislator wannabes can compete for the title of “SENATOR” and a chance to begin (again) their career in the corruption industry. The announcement of winners will depend on the second Sunday of May.
Mechanics: This May 13, 2019 the Philippine General Election shall have 12 seats in the Senate for the halfway term of President Rodrigo Duterte and will yield the office on June 30, 2019. This year an aggregate of 62 bets are enthused for the 12 Senate seats. The 62 hopefuls consist of 51 male and 11 female candidates. These magic 62 are made up of 7 shameless reelectionists, 7 resuscitated ex-senators, 8 losers in the past elections and 40 first timers. 90 days before the big day, the lucky hopefuls will be judged by Netizens on their overall appearance on Facebook memes, hullaballoo tweets, membership in country’s experiments, and their best smile from posters illegally posted. In detention, one day they’re in, the next day they’re out. The Bacon 03
THE
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Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Therese Del Castillo Associate Editor for Reveille: Sharmaine Canama Associate Editor for Sinag: Renz Marion Suarez Associate Editor for Social Media: Ayesha Tulete Managing Editor: Vinz Harrold Basilio News Editor: Tash-a Deanna Eugenio Sports Editor: Yusrhina Usman Feature Editor: Shariful Mansul Copy Reader (English): Yves Joey Flores Copy Reader (Filipino): Mickaella Joyce Dumayag Communications Officer: Kelly Cassandra Teja Head Cartoonist: Johanna Ismene Julian Head Photojournalist: Teriez Michove Bokingkito Head Layout Artist: Andrea Nicole Zamora Creative Head for Social Media: Karl Onayan Adviser: Leah M. Panaguiton WRITERS
Abdel Aziz Alfad, Nisa Marie Alfaro, Clairizza Arcillas, Dither Atayde, Annafer Francine Besana, Kim Loyd dela Cruz, Erika Jenn Quisil, Joshua Salvador, Alyssa Tubilag PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jean Clarice Bue, Lance Kirby Gigante, Jerecho Salinel, Shannen Marthy Semil CARTOONISTS
Carl Anthony Amistoso, Ma. Sofia Carro Falcasantos, Razty Guevara, Crystalane Hagonoy, Jonie Alaban
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LAYOUT ARTIST
Kaheya Leigh Teano
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VOTING GUIDELINES FOR NON-STUPIDS PHILIPPINES’ NEXT TOP PLUNDERERS DIRTY OLD RAG DEAR DUTERTE, WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? WHEREVER BONG GO-ES, HATE HEAT FOLLOWS 3RD DEGREE BURNS FT. IMEE’S EDUCATION
I LIKE MY ELECTIONS WELL COOKED