The BEACON NewsMagazine July-August 2016 Issue by The BEACON Publications

THE JULY- AUGUST 2016 ISSUE

C H A

Volume 70 Issue 1

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

contents ... 04: The Accident Waiting to Happen 05: The Two Standards of St. Ignatius & the Ateneo Blue Eagle 06: Marcos Revisionism 09: HOUSE BILL NO. 2190

(AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY ON STUDENTS' RIGHTS AND WELFARE)

11: We Have Achieved La Nina 12: The Reformation of El Consejo Atenista 14: Duterte so Far: Change at What Cost? 17: A Year Since: La Purisima Marijuana 19: PokemongGO: Gotta Catch 'Em All 20: Gender Sensitivity 21: Into the prism of plagiarism 23: Movie Review: Ignacio de Loyola 24: MindanaWONs 25: Moving On is the art of the possible

beacon/newsmagazine

04 06 17

ABOUT THE COVER

The last few months have impressed upon us the varying and fluctuating price of an essential commodity - change - but at the expense of the most paramount of commodities - life. As a Filipino people, we have yet to decide on a fixed price the value of human dignity and lives. But it will never be futile to hope that at the end of President DU30â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s six-month deadline to eliminate drugs and crime, our values as a nation has not depreciated so far beyond help - beyond change. Hold out hope.

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

EDITORIAL B O A R D

EDITORIAL

In the Spirit of Goodwill

his school year has been quite eventful – even just three months into it. In June we witnessed – albeit from unorthodox angles – the inauguration of President Rodrigo Duterte, and his pursuit of sweeping the country clean of drugs. In July we saw Brebeuf Gym, the oldest structure on campus, go up in flames and within minutes, completely razed to the ground. In August, every day on social media was replete with tweets, posts, and clickbait articles about why and why not the late President Ferdinand Marcos should be given a hero’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. We can only guess what September has in store for us. At any rate, all of these issues have done one thing in common: split us down the middle. However, are we, as a people, resigned to just either, or; neither, nor? Surely, there’s more logic to condemning the extrajudicial killings than just because we do not support President Duterte; or that we are not in favor of giving the late Marcos a hero’s burial because we are Yellowtards? It still is possible to support President

Duterte but condemn the killings. It is very much possible to not be in favor of the hero’s burial and not be a Yellowtard as well. However, on social media, everything seems to have to be in black and white. There is no room for shades of gray. If we conform to these points of view, we as a nation may forget how to compromise. Can’t we hold discussions online without cussing and insulting the other person? What ever happened to intelligent, civilized conversations? To agreeing to disagree? To turning the other cheek? Being men and women for others does not just entail helping a person when they need it, but it also entails showing compassion when they least need it. Ultimately, you won’t be of much help to finding solutions to the problems of the country through posting and commenting vitriol online. Stand your ground but still strive to be civil and of goodwill. After all, most battles fought online remain just that – online, a virtual reality – unless we let them be much bigger than what they really are.

Associate Editor for Sinag : BIANCA ALYANA ZAMORA Associate Editor for Reveille : PRISTINE JANIELLE PADUA Internal Managing Editor : SHORWAYN CHUA External Managing Editor : TRISHA ORTEGA Feature Editor : DAVE CERVAS News Feature Editor : ABDELAZIZ MALDISA News Editor : CIARA MAE OBILLO

Deputy External Managing Editor : CHRISTINE THERESE OBOY Associate Features Editor : HASMINA ALFAD Associate News Features Editor : NEHEMIAH ARAOJO Associate News Editor : AUDRIE KEITH SEPE

Senior Writers Aseya Calo, Franco Cananea, Dawn Sicat, Irene Wahab Writers Loren Marie Justo, Amira Solaiman, Mia Falcasantos, Almyrah Anudin, Aeon Rhys Abad, Jorace Martini Dayrit, John Dexter

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS We would like to inform the readers of The BEACON Publications of the resignation of Editor-in-Chief Fatima Mandangan, effective 1st of July, 2016. Associate Editors Bianca Zamora and Janie Padua will carry out her responsibilities until the end of the first semester. A new EIC will be announced before the semester ends.

Canda, Gillian Rome Manalo, Merzsam Singkee, Al-Ameen Asmad, Ivon Macapla, Putli Monaira Amilbangsa, Charmaine Grace Bannister, Mary Kathereen Cacayan, Jamilla Becca Daud, Diego Jose Esperat, Anne Louise Falcasantos, Candeline Galvan, Aisha Puy Ibrahim, Darwin Lacbao, Charle Kent Lim, Harmony Lucero, Rizanna Narag, Clark Bryan Punzalan, Katleen Mae Tampos, Fatima Dia Ahaja, Mischa Jade Taup, Sylvia Lyssandra Tipoe, Alyssa Tubilag

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Head Cartoonist : Jonie Alaban Head Photographer : Mohammad Sarajan Head Layout Artist : Ray Andrew Santiago Layout Artists Eleazar Torres, Shekinah Benitez, Jordan Lascota, Kim Tayona, Reyna Santos Cartoonists Ryan Covarrubias, Hazel Bayaras, Christopher Tabula, Fahad Alfad, Alano Lois Alano, Deanna Rose Bucoy, John Gualbert Caces, Nica Franz Visitacion, Bianca Ellice Luistro, Joshua Cabrezos Photographers Ivan Bokingkito, Yves Xaviery Valerio, Renzo Wee, Mica Ruste, Khadija Ahamed-Kabeer, Alfrancis Alcuizar

May we continue to be your voice and your light. Finance Officer : MONIQUE PRAICO Communications Officer : LEONETTE ANNE SADIOA MS. LEAH PANAGUITON Moderator beacon/newsmagazine

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

The Accident Waiting to Happen

Moving On is the Art of the Possible By Franco Cananea

By Alyssa Tubilag and Ciara Obillo PHOTO BY: MOHD SARAJAN

Firewall-less. The backside of the Manuel Sauras Building, a part of campus Ateneans never got to see before Brebeuf was razed to the ground.

A few minutes before 7:30 on the morning of July 7, students in a class at the Manuel Sauras Hall were preparing for their first period of the day. Some teachers were already in the building. It was a typical laidback morning following a holiday in the middle of the week. Everything was relatively peaceful, until some students noticed smoke coming from the gaps in the windows. At first, students thought that someone at the cafeteria downstairs was grilling food. However, students started to be alarmed when the smoke started to thicken, enough to suffocate, and they realized that it was a bright, raging fire. Students and faculty members then made their way out of the building. And then the fire alarm sounded off, thanks to BS Biology junior John Dexter Canda, who broke the protective glass on the alarm with his cellphone. Canda, alongside other college students who had classes at MS Hall, as well as senior high school students from the former Grade School Complex, evacuated to the open area of the backfield. Before their very eyes, they witnessed how the fire engulfed the relatively new four year old MS Hall. Behind it, the Brebeuf Gym and parts of the College Building were up in flames as well. It was one of the most harrowing and miserable days in the history of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. The Cause Accordingly, the fire started at around 7:20 that morning. Fire inspectors declared that the primary cause of the incident was faulty electrical wiring. They also concluded that the fire easily spread and consumed the adjacent Brebeuf Gym within minutes due to its being constructed of light materials – basically dried old wood slapped with too many years of paint, which in essence, is very much flammable tinder. Numerous netizens and citizens have since questioned why Brebeuf Gym was never reconstructed. Physical Plant Office Director Mario Rodriguez said that there were already plans to reconstruct the gym. It never materialized, though, because of the numerous offices, alumni and officials of the school who needed to be consulted with regarding the reconstruction of the gym. Were it not for this unfortunate event, we would have still seen the remodeling and even reconstruction of the Brebeuf Gym, which could have preserved some of its original structure. Now all we have are ashes to paint with, and warped and charred instruments to ogle as exhibit pieces. Furthermore, Rodriguez admits that the fire alarm only sounded off with the aid of manual assistance, since only the more recently constructed buildings in the Salvador Campus had fire detectors. The law that mandates all buildings to have fire detectors and sprinklers was only approved in recent years. Thus, buildings like the Brebeuf Gym had no fire detectors nor a sprinkler system. However, the university complies with the mandate’s requirements for fire protection, which is evidenced by easily accessible fire extinguishers and hoses. The Effects On July 18, Fr. Karel released a letter enumerating the infrastructures affected by the fire. These include the Bebreuf Gymnasium, which housed the University Band Room and several offices such as the University Security Office. The entire computer and IT laboratory and offices along with 130 computer units, the Law School and its library; Cafe Atenista; the offices of the Academic Vice-President and Registrar, the Center for Information Technology Services; and offices of the El Consejo Atenista and other student organizations; and the faculty workrooms of the College of Law, College of Nursing, School of Liberal Arts, School of Management and Accountancy, School of Education, and Senior High School – all in all, an estimated 100 million pesos in losses.

beacon/newsmagazine

In days ensuing the fire, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University called out to everyone and anyone willing and able to donate for the fast reconstruction of the damaged infrastructures, as well as replacement of computers, printers, and other office supplies. Fortunately, there was no call for financial assistance in medical bills nor announcements of wake masses, since there were no casualties from the fire. Risky Sentimentalism In his university-wide e-mailed newsletter called Food for Thought or F4T, Fr. Buddy Wee, writing about the Brebeuf Gym fire, called it an “elephant in the room.” Years back, the Bureau of Fire Protection already declared the gym a fire hazard. Even without the BFP declaring that, it was an obvious truth that the gym was fire-prone since it wasn’t the first time fire broke out in it. Prior to the July 7 incident, the gym, in three different fires, was saved and put out on time. The administration should have, long ago, considered renovation or demolishment to prevent future recurrences, but then there is the issue of its sentimental value. Obviously, there were previous intentions to reconstruct the gym, however to go forth with the reconstruction, several personalities needed to be consulted with for approval. One whole bunch of them include the alumni, who of course share wonderful, priceless memories with the gym. The decision to pursue the reconstruction was maybe difficult to weigh in. Hence, this caused the delay in decision making regarding the issue. The Good of Sentimentalism When news broke on social media, in real time, that the gym is on fire, many students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends inside and outside of the country expressed their grief and dismay through a deluge of posts and tweets. A lot of them were one with the AdZU community in prayer, and initiated ways to help the university recover through donations both in cash and in kind. One student from the college expressed her concern, along with her parent, through composing a song about how AdZU can “rise again from the ashes”. An alumna took it upon himself to post pictures of the rehabilitation process that immediately went underway a day after the fire; he now posts about efforts to rehabilitate the Ateneo Concert Band. Another student who is a dancer for the Ateneo Blue Vigors, one of the many organizations who regularly make use of the gym, initiated a student fundraising group on Facebook. They are but few of the people who in their own little way, made time and effort to remember, to help, and to give back. Ultimately, the Brebeuf Gym has high sentimental value not just because of the numerous memories that the AdZU students had in it, but because it is the home that formed, nurtured, and cultured their Ateneo soul and identity – from sports competitions, speech choir presentations, play productions, to recognition days and graduation ceremonies. And not just students, faculty and staff members, and alumni from AdZU have done something for Brebeuf and the school. As of this writing, cumulatively several hundred thousands were already raised by sister Ateneo schools across the country. Ateneo de Davao donated 110 computer units to help rebuild the computer center. These are but just few examples of how St. Ignatius and the Ateneo taught us how to be generous – giving and not counting the cost. We may have lost buildings and equipment, but we have gained a solidarity that only a situation as heartbreaking as the fire could bring about. To misquote some of the mantras of Zamboangueños during the 2013 Siege, #LevantaAdZU #RiseFromTheAshes #TheAteneanSpiritIsFireProof. We will rise, and have already started to rise.

“Don’t look back. Just remember.” With all the wisdom and theological knowledge our Jesuit professor tried to instill in us back in high school, these were some of the very few words that never left me. Forward five years later, the statement still holds so much bearing, most especially for us millennials who seem to be involved in heartbreaks as much as we are in relationships. We have come to an age where almost every single Berlin-ArtParasites post is about knowing one’s worth, or finding oneself, or getting over a girl/guy you broke up with. Social networks have made our private lives a little less private, giving us an avenue to vent our deepdived pains without the need for a physical companion. More than that, moving on has become somewhat of a practical joke (being the Filipinos that we are) we throw during our classes—trying to find the hugot in what would seem to be the most love-unrelated lessons—or during our casual conversations with friends. Romantic love, in our age, has become mainstream, and this isn’t a bad thing at all. The complexity of love carries with it the complexity of the pain it brings. I am not a love guru in any way nor am I an expert when it comes to feelings. I have long been known to be our publication’s biggest hater, thus the irony of writing about romance. But as with any 20-or-so-year old trying to get by with life and experience what it has to offer, the issue of moving on bugs me as much as I’d hate to admit it. I’m begged to ask why some take so much time to move on and others don’t. WHY PEOPLE FIND IT HARD TO MOVE ON Because of everyone else People can’t move on or let go because they allow others to move on for them. Simple scenario of you stalking through your ex’s IG feed and all of a sudden that bestfriend beside you catches and tells you, “Hala, bes. Move on ka na nga diyan.” We should never let anyone take charge of our sadness. We alone are responsible for how and what we feel so it will never be anybody’s business to rush us into moving on. Where moving on should be an art of painting one’s canvas to be more beautiful, we are pushed to let others do the work. Letting go should be done in a piecemeal process, taking one step at a time, and if necessary, alone for you to learn how to be happy and strong without depending on anybody. But with the pressure placed on us by our bes or anyone who thinks that this life phase is as easy as accepting that our 0.4 G-Tec tips are bent, we speed up what should be a thoroughly undergone process,

and as with any rushed activity, we are left with a halfbaked version of ourselves—not fully moved on (just pretending to be so) and still susceptible to crumbling into pieces. Because of us Desire is what keeps us striving to get more and be more, they say. Yet we fail to realize that desire accompanies danger with it. Maybe we can’t get over something or someone because there is still in us a slight sliver of desire that things can still be mended. In our more basic terms, we still wish that “we can work things out.” What we fail to see, however, is that “we can work things out” simply means “Ang pan-os nga kan-on atong initon kay basin pwede pa makaon.” The desire to get back with whoever hurt us is the most probable reason that we can’t get out of the hole of heartbreak that we dug for ourselves. We always catch ourselves starting our thoughts with what if or kung kami pa. We’re stuck lingering on how our life would have turned out had we chosen to hold on, not knowing that in life there’s only two directions you can choose—to move forward or to go backward. The pains of the past should mold us to be better so that carrying on with our lives will be an easier stride. We should turn our what if into what should I do next. Because of him/her Just when you thought you were getting better, things just got worse because s/he came back. All the claims of “I think I’m getting better and I’m slowly learning how to be stronger alone,” and “Unsaon pa nako ang gugma, bes, kung lipay nako on my own”— you just ate them all. You get back the flutters, the tingle inside, the excitement and rush of having someone who greets you with good morning and night texts, and you’re driven to think that maybe, just maybe, s/he came back because s/he wants you back. Maybe we can’t move on because we cling to the thought of kung mahal ka, babalikan ka. But, cliche as it sounds, kung mahal ka, di ka iiwan, ‘di ba? I may sound a little too pessimistic here but trust me, I’m not. My idea of non-recycling of one’s ex is not exhaustive as there may be cases that keeping doors open is acceptable. But I do hope that we’re always reminded that we’re imperfect beings whose flaws and cracks should be kissed and loved rather than despised and used as reasons to be left. Dili ta Oslob na pwede lang balik-balikan kung kanus-a siya ganahan magbakasyon.

Still because of him/her Amidst all the borderline antagonistic views on why we can’t move on, there’s still for me one reason that isn’t too harsh and judgmental—maybe we can’t move on because there’s so much to hold on to. Maybe we found a soulmate who we’re meant to cross paths with once but separate afterwards. Maybe we found someone who sees the worst and best in us and loves us in either case; or gives us a reason to wake up in the morning; or makes us feel that the world is a dangerous place but we never have to wander through it alone. Maybe we found someone who we loved perfectly in the most imperfect time. Time will heal a broken heart, they say. WHY OTHERS CAN MOVE ON While some others are stuck in the tunnel of trying to get over a hurtful memory or relationship, others have successfully and painstakingly triumphed. They have found themselves and realized just how much more they are worth. They have seen just how beautiful it is to stand on your own two feet, without having to depend on a romantic partner to be happy and to be strong. These people have made themselves their own fortress so that they know how to pick themselves up even with the most hurtful of experiences and people. These people didn’t look back—they just remembered. Don’t look back. Just remember. If you look back, you can’t see what’s going on in front of you—you fail to see just how much more life is in store for you. If you look back, seeking to find whichever hurt you, you deprive yourself of the chance to look at that stranger in front of you who’s willing to show you the world. In looking back, you allow yourself to trip, stumble, and be wounded. I guess what I’m saying is that we’re young. We are at an age where we travel, explore, go places, and experience. We are at a phase in our lives when our social circles have expanded, minds widened and attitudes matured. Falling in love, believing in what would seem to be a lifetime-bound happiness, getting hurt, breaking up, moving on—all these are a part of us now. Best thing to do is to live life, explore, fall, crash, move on, and be stronger and happier. Moving on is the art of the possible. It’s not always about what’s right or how best to go about it. It’s about what you can actually do that’s best for you. Strive to be happy.

beacon/newsmagazine

The Two Standards of J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

St. Ignatius & the Ateneo Blue Eagle The contemporary documents of the Society of Jesus repeatedly speak about the need to transform unjust social struc-tures through the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Jesuit education documents today also remind us of the richness of Christian spirituality found in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, patron saint of retreats. One key theme is the meditation on The Two Standards. According to Ignatius, there are two factions in the world, with two leaders and their respective standards or flags. One is the enemy, whose strategy for conquest is this way: “The first step is through the attainment of riches. This is used to get the esteem of others, and this will eventually lead to pride. Riches, honor and pride – the usual pattern of evil in the lives of people. These turn into a sense of selfsufficiency or pride, by which a person comes to exist only for one’s self. From this state of false independence or self-reliance come all other disorders.” The other strategy is the one used by Jesus during his lifetime. Instead of riches, honor and pride, Jesus chose pov-erty and humble service as his guiding principle in life. The first standard focuses on worldly self-glorification. The second one is lived out in one’s simplicity of life and selfless service to others. Jesus emphasized this by teaching that the greatest love one can have is to offer one’s life for others. Comparing these two strategies and examining our campus life in general, it appears that most are clueless about this teaching of St. Ignatius. A cursory lifestyle check quickly shows two examples: the different expensive school activities and the extravagant campus paper. Excellence, spirit and service are interpreted to mean more expenses and more self-importance, not more generosity in helping others. The “men and women for others” slogan just remains a decorative jar-gon to the affluent way of life favored by many. The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines in their document on Catholic educational institutions said: “Many of the graduates of our schools do not seem to have sufficiently assimilated Christian values in such a way as to renew their Christian living... Many seem to look at Catholic education simply as a passport to better opportunities for earning a living, rather than as a grace to live better human and Christian lives, entailing a serious responsibility to build a better world... Many affluent Filipinos have a cultural fixation towards elitism in education. Such elitism not only waters down education to a status symbol, but tends to produce in well-to-do students not only a feeling that they are a people apart, but also a misguided priority that education is merely a tool to gain privileges and advance one’s social class. Because high standards of education require high financial support, Catholic schools may find it impossible to express the Christian love or preference for the poor...” The 33rd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus announced, “Our faith in Christ Jesus and our mission to proclaim the gospel demand of us a commitment to promote justice and to enter into solidarity with the voiceless and the powerless” (Our Mission Today, 42). We all know the Ateneo name connotes quality education, pride and prestige. Unintended but still the case, the name also connotes elitist and expensive education. We need to ask,

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

MindanaWONs By Jamila Becca Daud and Gillian Manalo Pia Wurtzbach Who would have thought that this jaw-dropping gal, who hails from Cagayan de Oro, joined Bb. Pilipinas three times before she won the Ms. Universe title, after the muddle with Steve Harvey who mistakenly announced the victor? Well obviously, once was never enough for her to stop. She does not only possess the beauty, the brains, the body, but also the heart – a must-have for a confidently beautiful beauty queen.

Salvador Wee, S.J.

what kind of spirit is there in the Ateneo and its facul-ty, students and graduates? What kind of institutional soul exists in the Ateneo? What do Ateneans really worship? There are those who say many Ateneans worship the Ateneo, not God.

Hidilyn Diaz Zamboanga represent! She gave pride and honor to the whole country for winning the silver medal in the 53-kilogram women’s division in weightlifting, in the recently concluded 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics – the first medal the Philippines won in nearly 20 years. Diaz never really expected to land a podium spot. Well, to her surprise, she actually did and guess what? The whole country extolled her. Get a girl who’s strong enough to lift not only you but also your struggles. Rodrigo Duterte … from Davao City, [first of his name (kidding)] is the first Mindanaoan president of the country. Du30, known for his iron fist style of governance, who broke the stereotype of how a typical president should behave (he swears too much); who walks the talk; who went from 0 to 100 real quick; who, just months ago, was simply a mayor, and now he’s ruling the country. As much as we know about him being a tough guy, he has a special soft spot in his heart for his fellow countrymen. Oh, and did we mention he hates drugs?

The mascot of the Ateneo de Zamboanga is the blue eagle. Fr. Eusebio Salvador SJ, who transferred the Ateneo and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral from its original site across City Hall to its present site after World War II, and who is considered the second founder of ADZU, said that the Ateneo de Zamboanga adopted the blue eagle as its mascot ahead of the more famous one at the Ateneo de Manila. Two images of eagles come to mind, one that soars to great heights and one that swoops down when hunting. Blue eagles should not only aim at heights of wealth, power and prestige. Based on The Two Standards of St. Ignatius, the observations of the Second Plenary Council and the mission of the Society of Jesus to serve the faith by promoting justice, Ateneans should aim at selfless service to others and follow the footsteps of Jesus by humbly serving others.

ILLUSTRATION BY: CRISTOPHER TABULA and BIANCA ZAMORA

The blue eagle should not be soaring constantly to greater heights of hubris and self-importance, nor should it be swooping down on more profits and wealth. The true Ateneo spirit is not to have showy and expensive fiestas and homecomings, where more money is spent on food and fireworks than on scholarship funds for the poor.

If you get a map of the Philippines and look at it, the first thing you’ll notice is the largest group of islands, which is Luzon, and next would be Visayas, since it’s the smallest, sandwiched between Luzon and Mindanao.

A t-shirt says, “I bleed blue.” The true Atenean’s blood is not blue, but red, because red is the real blood of a hu-man being who cares for others. Red is the color of the sacrifice of heroes and martyrs. Red is the color of the blood, sweat and tears of all parents everywhere. It is a more realistic color, because it is grounded in reality, not in boastful but unrealis-tic slogans.

If you listen to the news, most of the stories are about people and places from Luzon, since that’s where the capital is, a few news items from Visayas, and those from Mindanao come few and far in between, unless it’s about bombs, attacks, kidnappings, or natural and man-made calamities.

If we are to retrieve the real Ateneo spirit and be Ateneans in word and deed, we must be serious about The Two Standards of St. Ignatius. How unwise it would be to ignore God’s flight plan and end up going the opposite direction. Ateneans must challenge themselves to actualize and make real the school motto of Pro Deo et Patria, for God and coun-try.

But enough about how Luzon will always be the eye candy of most Filipinos, and how Mindanao will be the least likely place on your next travel destination. This time, the spotlight is on Mindanao and how there’s finally a rainbow despite the rain of negativity. It has been a swell time for Mindanaoans since late last year at the Miss Universe Pageant, to earlier this year at the National Elections, and even as we reach mid-year at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Here are but a few of them.

Koko Pimentel Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III, generally known as Koko Pimentel, also from Cagayan de Oro, is the new Senate President under the Duterte Administration, with a whopping 20 votes in his favor out of the 23 other senators, following the footsteps of his father who also served as Senate President under the Estrada Administration. He is also the incumbent president of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or also known as PDP Laban. Pantaleon Alvarez Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez from Davao del Norte is the current House Speaker under the Duterte Administration. He was handpicked by the president himself, earning him the moniker Duterte’s lieutenant of the house. His closeness with the president made him accept the position. Guess he’s part of Duterte’s inner circle of trusted and long-time friends. 2016 hasn’t ended yet, and people from the South are still slaying it. Who knows, you might just be the next Mindanaoan.

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

The Antiheroism in Marcos Revisionism

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Movie Review:

Ignacio de Loyola By Pristine Janielle Padua

By Dave Cervas and Hasmina Alfad

PHOTO SHOURCE: http://news.abs-cbn.com/ life/07/26/16/review-ignacio-de-loyola-shows-saints-humanity

St. Ignatius of Loyola is someone all, if not most, Ateneans know – and yet not everyone can say that they do really know him. He’s someone who we regularly see in campus in the guise of a statue along a hallway or whose name we call on to pray for us in class. Beyond what we know from RS111 classes and the keypoints of his life, how much do we really know about him? Not everyone will willingly read his autobiography (which was written in the third person point of view – that’s how cool St. Iggy was!), and I bet even though we read those booklets from RS classes from cover to cover, we tend to memorize the facts more than the values he upheld and taught. That is why I believe the film Ignacio de Loyola could not have been produced and screened at a more appropriate time. What better way to know more about the “Saint of Second Chances” than this second retelling of his story (the last full-length feature film about him was a black and white from the 40’s!)

ILLUSTRATION BY: BEA LUISTRO

movement by the denominate “Bawa’t Bato” emerged in resistance as President Duterte gave the goahead to bury former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. “He is qualified to be buried there. Kung ayaw ng ibang Pilipino, fine,” Duterte said. “Mag-demonstrate kayo, go ahead. You can use the streets.” Inherent with a decision as controversial as this, the amalgam of yesteryears’ happenings and modern times’ resolve would assess whether it is a rightful act of moving on or a treachery against the ends of justice.

beacon/newsmagazine

Now, it is an important fact to note that the film was written and produced by a Filipino team – everything; from the script to props, to filming and editing. This in itself showed ambition, and it is truly inspiring to know that the film was beautifully put together on such a limited budget. However, as with any film, nitpicking each element from the narrative, cinematography, to editing, is highly inevitable. Finding God in All Things As they say, God is in the details. In terms of costumes, set design and mise-en-scene, it looks like no expense was spared for these. The costumes, especially the intricate breastplates of soldiers and women’s dresses, provided the feel of actually being a period film to the movie. It also helped that they shot some scenes in St. Iggy’s actual home, which was preserved as a museum. In film, there is what they call “suspension of disbelief,” when a viewer is completely transfixed on and transported into the film’s reality that they are momentarily suspended from their own. Ignacio de Loyola has done this for me for the majority of the film (either that or the fact that I made sure to keep a seat empty on either side of me at the cinema so I could focus solely on the movie). In terms of mise-en-scene, the choice of location proved to be rewarding as well. Basque, the province St. Iggy was from, is a very scenic and picturesque place – from cobblestoned paths to the verdant countryside. Of course, there are also other places that the producers “cheated” us into thinking were in

Spain. One scene in particular, after the climax, shows our lead character figuratively and literally being cleansed in a river – this was actually shot in Laguna, Philippines, at one of its many hot springs. Of course, at the time I watched the film, I didn’t know all these yet. But after having found out, it amazes me that a Filipino team could and had pulled this off. Trying to Find God in the CGI Yet, here is the crux of what most of my peers found off about the film. CGI was used heavily in two scenes in the movie – first at the Battle of Pamplona, and second in the cave by a cliff where St. Iggy battled his demons. I understand why the first scene needed CGI, since again due to the limited resources, the producers only had a number of actors to play soldiers. The scene called for a couple hundred, and that’s just for the Spanish troops alone; the French outnumbered them several to one. The second scene, in the cave, made use of a chroma wall or a green screen. I would have to attribute this to the lighting, since in part they actually really shot in an actual cave in Spain, but the transition to CGI threw me off. These were the only times my suspension of reality was broken. And although watching these parts felt like watching a film from the 90s due to the poor CGI, I have to keep reminding myself that this was a Filipino production with a very limited budget. When it comes to editing, I had no real issue save for the fact that the film was two hours long. I think there were some scenes that dragged on quite a bit, they weren’t unnecessary per se, but they could have been shorter. And in terms of lighting, I found some scenes quite underlit, casting some characters’ profiles in shadow, but I think it lent a depth to the mise-enscene; and I realized later on that during St. Iggy’s time, they only had candles to go by, so in a way it was historically accurate. Finding God in Andreas Muñoz Aha. Here is the most pressing issue to accuracy. Did St. Iggy have such beautiful hair? I didn’t know St. Iggy looked like Jesus. Kidding aside, and despite appearances, I don’t think it was bad casting. Andreas Muñoz played St. Iggy beautifully – and I don’t mean as the St. Iggy we all are more familiar with. He played St. Iggy when he was a soldier, a sinner. And I think Muñoz’s youth and spirit lent the portrayal a much needed flaw and rawness. He helped show St. Iggy’s humanity.

This is a story not of his work with the Society of Jesus, but of his conversion from sinner to saint. It showed his vanity – in how he asked for his leg to be broken and set once again because no knight had a bad knee; it showed his issues – in how he took great pride in being a Loyola despite being the poor little rich boy that he is, whose father thought he was not good enough; it showed his weaknesses – that St. Iggy, despite being a hardened soldier in the face of the enemy or injury, is actually a softy with a big heart: for Catalina his muse; for the sick; for the poor. While we are on the subject of accuracy – what really hit St. Iggy’s leg? Is it a cannonball as what we were taught all these years in the Ateneo? Or was it debris from a wall hit by a cannonball? We will never know, but for purposes of recreating that scene in this film, the producers actually believe that a cannonball would have been too fatal. Hey, there’s such a thing as creative license, right? And who is Princess Catalina? We never heard of her before. Does creative license still cover this – making up a character in order to keep things interesting in a historical film? The film’s Facebook page actually posted about her. She is loosely based on Infanta Catalina, said to be the most beautiful face in Spain at the time. Upon arriving home from watching the film, I actually spent a good two hours researching and reading up on her. What I did find was Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal. I couldn’t tie her directly to St. Iggy in all that I found on Google. However, her niece and daughter-in-law, Joanna of Austria, is with basis rumored to be the first and only woman Jesuit in all of history. I may have strayed off topic for a while there, but this is what the film Ignacio de Loyola inspired me to do: recall the years upon years of Feast of St. Ignatius quiz bowls and tableau presentations and the immense history behind this man, as well as to learn more – in the spirit of magis, I guess – about his life that we were never taught in school. We were never taught about his depression and near-suicide; his being given away to be raised by someone else after the death of his mother; his conquering his unfounded fear in being afflicted by the plague through kissing his hand that touched a man sick with the plague. Ultimately, whatever the film lacked in special effects or CGI, it more than made up for through the impeccable acting and script and dialogues we could easily relate to. This film surely is one our generation will appreciate, if they haven’t already. It is one I would gladly watch again.

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Does Marcos deserve to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB)? That is the reigning question that hangs over the heads of Filipinos, both those who were direct witnesses of the Marcos Regime, and those who were mere spectators of the stories and literatures narrated by first-hand characters. People are faring in their minds if Marcos is a hero and worthy to be buried with timehonored heroes of the Philippines. President Rodrigo ‘Digong’ Duterte showed shades of this intention during the transition phase from being president-elect to being formally inaugurated. Digong, living up to his words, naturally did not waste time. The decision brought about an imperative element evaluating one’s stand: discourse. Conflicting views have taken to social media and other communication channels by storm, as some even furthered their resolve by filing a petition for suspension or postponement of said burial before the Supreme Court. In relation to this, we were curious to know the take of AdZU students on the issue. The BEACON Publications has conducted a survey on whether or not students want Marcos to be buried at the LNMB, as well as their reasons why they have chosen so. With just a little over 140 Ateneans who willingly took the online poll, we deem the survey results inconclusive, but still indicative of the trend of the issues that are most familiar and held by the populace. The poll drew a 38% affirmative to 62% negative proportion from the sample, with the primary question: Are you in favor of the Hero’s Burial? Out of the 38% in favor, 35.71% believed that it would put closure to the issue and allow the country to move on, while 30.96% posed that his being a President of our Republic makes him eligible to be buried at the LNMB. On the other hand, from the 62% refusing on such idea, 38.86% claimed that he was a despot who allowed human and civil rights violation that costed the lives of thousands of innocent people, meanwhile 36% holds that the family pocketed billions from the coffers of the country, lived luxuriously during and even after their

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

rule, and believe that we as a nation are still paying off the debts incurred during their reign. Based on these numbers, the crux of the case is that the perception of the individuals majorly shapes their answer to the question. For those who consider Marcos a president and nothing in the likeness of a dictator, they rationalize him as eligible, in strict interpretation of the law, of a hero’s burial. Conversely, those who have considered null the presidency of Marcos because of his removal by the sovereign act of the people, asserted that he is a dictator who imputed the rights of lay people and a thief who unlawfully gained inconceivable wealth by using his authoritative figure to mishandle the funds of its constituents.

Are you in favor of the Hero’s Burial? 70

62%

And yet, we still plagiarize anyway. Is the threat of dismissal not enough to dissuade us, if not completely terrify us from ever doing it? Ignorance of the Law … excuses no one. It is a sad reality I have come to accept that some, if not a good number of students from Ateneo de Zamboanga, are not acquainted with Intellectual Property Rights. As a matter of fact, I have come into better understanding of IPR just last school year, after having collaborated with Ateneo de Manila’s Heights, on Habi, the first collaborative folio across Jesuit universities in the Philippines. As curator of the Marejada Literary Folio, it was my responsibility to check all literary and artistic entries for plagiarism. For literary pieces, it is relatively easy to check just by Googling lines or sentences, or even feeding them into plagtracker.com; but it is more difficult to check artistic works like drawings, paintings, photos, and manipulations. Back then, I will have to admit, I did not exhaust all possible measures to check for plagiarism in our creative entries to Habi. I relied solely on my (not so extensive) knowledge on art and photography. Then one afternoon, I received a text message, as well as a private message on Facebook from Heights’ Editor in Chief Regine Cabato, an alumna of AdZU grade school and high school. Habi was already released and in circulation at ADMU by then. She told me that it was called to their attention that an artwork from AdZU was plagiarized. Never have I ever written an official statement of apology as fast as I have for that one. Heights’ Editorial Board even asked what our course of action would be, if we would file a case against the artist. We could no longer do that at the school level because he already graduated the year prior; but he did profusely apologize and also issued a statement. After stressing out about it while writing, and after having sent the statements, it was only then that I realized that even if I wasn’t the one who plagiarized, I was still at fault for my ignorance and lack of oversight. That same day, I Googled photo plagiarism checkers, and my life has never been the same since I found out about Google Image Search. Culture of Cutting

… and pasting, is one that is literally as easy as pressing Ctrl + C/X and Ctrl + V. Unlike the actual act of cutting that is usually done because of too much sadness, pain, or guilt, some of us won’t even think twice about landing our pinky fingers on the Ctrl key and our index fingers on C then V, all without the guilt of not properly citing. Doing so does not draw blood, not even sweat nor tears. Because hey, if I have a few hours before the deadline of a paper, why will I even sweat about it when I can easily make my cramming session this easy?

Of course, there are a myriad other reasons for why students easily succumb to the pressures and pleasures of plagiarism.

38%

10 0

YES NO

First, there is academic pressure to deal with. All of us want to have good grades. No one in their right mind would ever want to fail. But not everyone is persevering enough to make good grades, fair and square. I once saw this post on Facebook about how students resort to cheating because our education system values grades more than ideals and morality. I believe there is a truth to this. My earliest experience of ever having copied was in junior prep, when I copied off of my seatmate’s paper because what five year old knew how to spell her nickname and surname that is 10 letters long (and even later on in first grade when I had to spell my full name that is 22 letters long), on the first day of school, with an unfamiliar teacher breathing down my neck? The pressure to do well in college is something like this, but multiplied tenfold.

This leads us to the pleasures of plagiarism. Because I did so well copying my classmate’s name onto my paper, I had a false sense of fulfillment that I even had something to pass to my teacher at all. And I even got a star stamped onto the back of my hand for it. In real life – or even just college – it’s the same thing. Oh, I found this brilliant reaction piece in a website, which I plagiarized in paragraphs for a midterm paper in my Film Appreciation class, and anyone who reads this my paper will think I am such a great writer and critic of film. Of course, there is also the pleasure of cheap thrills. Once, in a Philo class I took, I had a classmate who wrote song lyrics on his exam answer sheet – refrains and choruses and bridges of songs – and he got not just a passing grade, but a relatively high one, too! Because why slave over an essay type exam when you never know if the teacher even reads your answers? And ironically, the course description for that class was Ethics of Morality. Go figure. End of Thinking Capacity There are still a million other reasons for why we plagiarize, true, but my brain can only come up with the previous two, and this next one, of course. Gee, how to be witty and creative po? Not being creative or critical enough is never an excuse to plagiarize. There is no such thing as not being creative. But there is such a thing as being lazy. I think laziness alongside not even trying to ideate and get your creative juices flowing breeds entitlement. Say, when you are at your wits’ end trying to come up with something creative for a project, so you turn to the internet or a book or even a video game for inspiration, but in the end you just copy an entire plot, work it into a script, produce it, send it to a film festival, win a certificate and prize for participation, have it screened at said festival, get called out by a member of the audience on social media, defend your honor and insist that you never plagiarized, have yet more people writing about you on social media, threat to sue them for libel, and just keep maintaining your innocence. Eventually, people will forget, right? More so when you get rid of evidence, like taking down the movie teaser, or deleting the tweet about voting in the special elections with the picture that was so badly edited, perhaps even with MS Paint, there obviously isn’t a doubt it was plagiarized. These are but just few that we hear of plagiarizing within the campus, heightened due to social media. And yet most people don’t seem to care about these issues unless it directly involves their work or their friend. Plagiarist Principles The question still remains: why plagiarize?

Why sacrifice your integrity for cheap thrills, pressures, pleasures? Why do it to make a good impression? Why do it when you have the capacity to come up with something truly your own? Is it the fear of failure? Is it your unawareness? Is it your apathy? Have you no moral backbone?

At any rate, don’t be a Melania Trump, nor a Tito Sotto. Be true. Be you.

beacon/newsmagazine

21 19

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

In an interview with Hezekiah “Bong” Concepcion, a history professor at AdZU, inquiring on this event’s effects and consequences on Digong’s popularity, the probable context and reason for such choice by the latter, the significance of the turnout of this event on human rights, and the qualifications to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani given the specific circumstance, Sir Bong enlightened us with his stance. Q: What possible effect would there be if the burial were pushed through? A: Of course as president, Digong has to address the concerns of groups opposed to the burial of the former president in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. If the burial pushes through, it may not necessarily result into civil unrest but president Digong might lose the support of a significant segment of his constituency. Q: Aside from being a campaign strategy, could this be related to his connection with Bong Bong Marcos? A: Digong announced his intentions on having Marcos buried during his campaign, but was there more to it? Maybe a secret allegiance with Ferdinand Marcos’ son, Bong Bong, considering their tandem had been sensational during the election season. Admittedly, this strategy to win the votes of the north, especially in the Ilocos region worked. But the effect on the rest might be different. Q: Is this burial in any way violating human rights? A: President Duterte does not necessarily condone the human rights abuse under the Marcos reign. It is his understanding that a closure to this issue can be achieved if the former president will be buried in

beacon/newsmagazine

the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Perhaps, a closure is what the country needs to move on to other pressing issues. The petitioners are given a date to present their case in a hearing as to why they are opposed to the burial of Marcos. Q: Why would Marcos deserve or not deserve to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani? A: The law gives the people privilege [for] soldiers, war heroes, former presidents, national artists and scientists to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, but it does not welcome members of the armed services who were dishonorably discharged. So it might be instructive to look at the case of the former president from this perspective: he was ousted by the people in 1986. If the legal side were to be only considered, then there is no doubt that Marcos should be buried with the rest of the heroes but if one considers the emotional aspect such as the survivors of those human rights that were violated then a petition can be filed for reconsideration. Relatedly, not all Ateneans are aware of how close we are to Marcos and one of the issues he was connected with, which was the inappropriate use of the Coco Levy Funds. The old high school building that we now know as the BellarmineCampion Hall had its history tied to the first lay high school principal, the late BJ Deles, when he was able to accredit funds in the construction of the COCOFED building. Nonetheless, there is nothing more intriguing in this project than the allegations regarding the Coco Levy Funds. After all, it is a president’s responsibility to cater to the welfare of the general public, and it does not lay reasonable ground that those who are not in favor of a Hero’s Burial for Marcos, should not be using the said building, or any other infrastructure or services in an institution he established during his administration.

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Into the Prism of Plagiarism By Pristine Janielle Padua

“Using or attempting to use another person’s work without acknowledgment. The phrase “using another person’s work” includes, but is not limited to: •paraphrasing the work of another person; •directly copying any part of another person’s work; •summarizing the work of another person; •using or developing an idea or theme derived from another person’s work; •using experimental results obtained from another person’s work; •in the case of collaborative projects, falsely representing the individual contributions of collaborating students where individual contributions are to be identified; and •acts of collusion where a student knowingly allows his or her work to be used by another student without acknowledgment.” – Plagiarism, Serious Offenses Punishable by Dismissal, p. 92, College Handbook of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (2013 Edition)

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

HOUSE BILL NO. 2190

Gender In Sensitivity

Introduced by AKBAYAN Representatives Walden F. Bello and Kaka J. Bag-ao AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY ON

STUDENTS’ RIGHTS AND WELFARE Compiled by USAD-AdZU

. . . SHORT TITLE - STUDENTS’ . . RIGHTS AND WELFARE ACT OF . 2007. . . . . SECTION . RIGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION .. IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. . . . . . . No student shall be denied admission, expelled from an . educational institution, punished with disciplinary action, . . including mandatory counseling, or denied welfare services, . scholarships and other privileges on the basis of his/her physical . handicap, socio-economic status, political and religious beliefs, . . sexual orientation, or membership in student organizations. . Pregnant students, certified reformed drug abusers, and . students with HIV/AIDS shall not be discriminated against. . . . . . SECTION . . RIGHT TO COMPETENT . INSTRUCTION AND RELEVANT . . QUALITY EDUCATION. . . . . . Every student shall have the right to competent instruction . and quality education relevant to his/her personal and cultural . . development and that of the nation. To achieve this goal, . schools and educational institutions are required to enforce a . written evaluation of the performance of teachers by students . . at the end of the school term. . .

By Aisha Ibrahim and Candeline Galvan

SECTION

beacon/newsmagazine

ILLUSTRATION BY: JONIE ALABAN, BIANCA ZAMORA & DEANNA BUCOY

SECTION

RIGHT TO ORGANIZE.

(a) The right of students to form, assist, or join organizations, alliance, or federations along their physical, intellectual, moral, cultural, civic, spiritual, and political interests shall not be abridged. (d) The school administration shall endeavor to provide, free of charge, a hall or building to house the offices of student organizations within the premises of the school. Furthermore, whenever possible, the school administration shall allow student organizations to use school facilities free of charge; [ DID YOU KNOW FACT: Page 86 - Student Handbook – 8.2 … “It is important to note that student organizations that charge admission or registration fees for an activity will be required to pay a certain percentage of the existing hourly rate for the use of facility.] (e) Acts that impair the right of students to organize are prohibited: 1.) Signing of waivers or similar documents that use membership to any organization as a basis for admission to or expulsion from schools, including the imposition of disciplinary actions; 2.)Imposition of unreasonable requirements on student organizations seeking recognition; 3.) Discriminatory policies in the assignment of school facilities and in granting other privileges to student organizations; 4.) Excessive charges for the use of school facilities; 5.) Excessive fees imposed by student organizations to members, and; 6.) Imposition of unnecessary requirements for admission and continued membership to a student organization including, but not limited to, hazing or other acts prohibited under RA 8049, or the Anti-hazing law.

To gain more perspective into what it is like being in a same-sex relationship, we Interviewed a newly got together gay couple. For purposes of anonymity, we shall call them Ace and Kim. Below is a short transcript:

Did you ever struggle with your sexuality? Kim: Yeah like for the first few days I think… three days maybe. I just lie in bed awake thinking, like what am I? How will I go through with this? I think I’ve told him that as well. Eventually I just went with it. Ace: No. Are you open with your parents about being gay? Ace: Oh god! Hell no! Hell no. Kim: They’re gonna kill us. Ace: I’ll be disowned. I’ll live on the streets. What made you hold back in telling them? Ace: Oh. They’re homophobic. Kim: Yeah. They’re religious people. Both of them. My dad is somehow an atheist [sic] and coincidentally homophobic. Ace: My dad is religious. My mom is alright I think. Did you ever repress your feelings? Kim: Actually I am trying to come out like one person at a time. Like yesterday I just told my close friend and he was okay with it. But no I did not try to repress. Ace: No.

Is this your first time in a relationship? Both: Yes. Have you ever had a relationship with someone of the opposite sex? Ace: No. Kim: But close. When and how did you realize your sexuality? Ace: I… I don’t know. When I met him like a week after we got close. Kim: Actually it was the same.

Ateneo de Zamboanga University has attempted to establish a community that is open to the LGBT community, and also become gender sensitive. But because of fear of being bullied and discriminated once known, even the openly gay and LGBT allies are having difficulty in expressing themselves. An expert and staunch supporter in his field, Psychology Department Chairperson Jayson Sabdillon once said, “What AdZU needs is more information. With enough information

When we were young and full of wonder, adults taught us that there are certain colors, habits, and rules only meant for boys and girls respectively even when it was unfair. As early as then our mindset has already accepted these as facts, further cementing the notion that there are just two genders. But because of these prevailing standards, it inevitably affected our judgment and confidence. Still, shifting our beliefs to what we deem as unusual or odd as society dictates isn’t as easy as it seems. Fortunately, we are slowly unraveling ourselves to new beliefs, especially with society gradually opening up to new, unorthodox ideas. But are we truly sensitive to these new points of view? Or are we not as informed as we like to think?

[only] will a person be able to decide whether he or she becomes tolerant or accepting or not.” While the awareness of the LGBT community and cross dressing is not prominent in our university, Ateneo De Davao University and Ateneo De Manila University have taken a head start in being receptive to crossdressing despite being Catholic communities. The concept of “gender” has somehow evolved over the past few years. Yet, the people waving the rainbow flag are still uncomfortable and despite. It’s the little bricks that contribute to making a beautiful house; it’s the little things we can do to spread awareness that we are not defined by our gender. When you realize these little things, when you understand, things will change. We lack appreciation of what it means to be a man, to be a woman, and of the difficulties that the LGBT encounter. How scary must it be to come home to homophobic parents? To that friend who is disgusted with anything to do with LGBT rights? To hear that person laughing about same sex couples down the hall? How scary would it be if that person were you? We can start now. It’s never too late to begin. It’s never too late to change someone’s life.

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

. . . . . . . . SECTION . RIGHT TO ESTABLISH A STUDENT . . COUNCIL OR GOVERNMENT . . . . . . . (f) No policy restricting the right of student councils or . governments to join federations or alliances of student councils . or governments shall be imposed by the school administration. . . . . . . . . . . . SECTION . RIGHT TO PUBLISH A STUDENT . . NEWSPAPER AND OTHER . . SIMILAR PUBLICATIONS . . . . . (b) The editorial staff of the student paper shall be comprised . . of students. No person who is not a member of the publication . . shall determine its content. The role of the faculty adviser in . . the student paper shall be limited to technical assistance. . (d) Ethics in journalism shall be observed by the editorial staff. . . It shall be the responsibility of the editorial staff to ensure that . . the student paper is not used for purposes contrary to law. . . (f) The student publication shall be financially autonomous . from the school administration. A fee for student publication . . shall be collected from students and shall be held in trust by the . . school administration. No policy shall be imposed by the school . . administration to hamper the access of the editorial board to . . the student publication fund, subject to existing regulation in . the disbursement of funds. The school administration shall . . also be prohibited from using the aforementioned fund. At the . . end of each term, the editorial board shall publish a financial . . statement. . . . . .

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

SECTION

RIGHT TO ADEQUATE WELFARE SERVICES AND ACADEMIC FACILITIES

Denial of access to adequate welfare services and academic facilities shall be prohibited. These services and facilities shall include: (a)Free annual physical check-up to the students; (b)Legal assistance in cases involving the exercise and enjoyment of rights and freedoms stipulated in this Act; (c) Counseling; (d) Adequate laboratory, library, research, recreation and physical education facilities; (e) Communications system to ensure that students are promptly notified of letters and other relevant information, and; (f) Adequate, safe and clean housing facilities, such as dormitories, for students inside campuses. In case the school has no in-campus dormitories or housing facilities, the school administration and the student council or government shall be required to accredit out-of-campus dormitories. Students shall be encouraged to stay in the accredited dormitories.

SECTION

REPRESENTATION IN THE SCHOOL’S HIGHEST POLICY-MAKING BODY

A student representative in the highest policy-making body of the school. -Shall be chosen through a selection process formulated and crafted by the student council and government and shall have the same rights as that of the regular members of the same body. -privileges shall be limited to the actual expenses incurred in attending meetings of the aforementioned body -The student representative is prohibited from taking any other position in public offices or student council or government.

PHOTOS BY: MICA RUSTE

College students hunt for pokemon in front of the University Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

PokemongGO: Gotta Catch ‘Em All By Diego Esperat and Putli Amilbangsa With all of the seriousness going on around us concerning our new president, it might be best to take a little break and think about happier and simpler things like playing games – games such as Pokemon GO, which has just been released in the PH last July. Ah Pokemon GO – the game that so many of us have been waiting for, finally available in the country (and it’s free!). For those of us who have played the Pokemon games as kids, this truly is a dream come true. Yes, Pokemon GO truly is a wonderful game. This is not only because it fulfils a dream that a lot of us had as kids (to cram innocent animals into tiny ball-shaped cages and make them fight their own kind until they faint), it also has a lot of other benefits. Firstly, the game actually helps us tune out the world. With everything going on in the Philippines today, some of us might just want to shut all of that out and focus on something more fun. This is the same principle as sticking in a pair of earphones to listen to music instead of facing the silence that lurks in the corners of our minds. There are even people out there who have become veritable masters of the art of shutting everything out; it truly takes an iron will and steel-like focus to fall off of cliffs and almost get hit by cars. Secondly, the game helps us go outside and enjoy the outdoors. In our lives, we are often too concerned with making requirements or posting pictures of food on Instagram that we no longer take the time to enjoy the beauty and majesty of the outdoors. Never mind that we are more prone to kidnapping and mugging when we are walking outside with our phones, tablets, or what have you; it is all about finally having enough Magikarp to get that Gyarados. Why, there is even a Pokestop right inside our school. A Pokestop is basically a place that gives you Pokeballs, potions, berries, and other items you will need to actually play the game. Anyway, besides

the fact that this stop is actually the University Church (in fact, most of the Pokestops in Zamboanga are churches and mosques, which raises questions only the conspiracy theorists among us can answer), this means that more people will be wanting to go into the school. This is true even if you do not take into account that you can access the Pokestop from outside the fence (you’re welcome) because the school is also a veritable nest for Magnemites and Voltorbs. All of this is, of course, provided they can get past AdZU security, who we have confirmed are on top of everything. When talking about people however, we cannot entirely discount the possibility of people getting in just to play the game. After all, like the great Jeff Goldblum said in the movie Jurassic Park, “Life finds a way.” And finally, the game allows us to be more active in our lives. As students, we are constantly under a lot of stress, be it from terror teachers, the crushing weight of our requirements and disappointment, and even stress from the people around us. This prevents us from doing important things such as taking care of ourselves. This could manifest in many ways: eating unhealthy food, not having any time to exercise, maybe even forgetting personal hygiene. The game is actually helpful in that it gives us a chance to do one of these things, exercise (although if you are neglecting personal hygiene, you should really get a good hard look at your priorities in life). The reason for this is because playing the game actually means having to be ready to run to the nearest power outlet at a moment’s notice. It also means having to run to either the nearest free wifi hotspot or to buy load for mobile data. In this way, the game is actually helping us to be more active in our lives which is a good thing. After all, the kind of people who loved Pokemon as kids are obviously the ones who love to go out and exercise. As can be seen, Pokemon GO truly is an amazing game that has a lot of benefits. We have to remember that this is only the beginning; Niantic has only released the first 149 Pokemon. With over 700 Pokemon currently in existence, we can expect this game to have a lot more to offer in the future. We just have to remind ourselves of our dream of perpetuating the cycle of violence of beating Pokemon up, catching them, making them beat up other Pokemon, and so on. Gotta catch ‘em all, am I right?

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

We Have Achieved La Niña By Charle Kent Lim and Darwin Lacbao

Apparently, in the most innocent and honest way, achieving La Niña is not something that we can work hard for in order to achieve. Ang buhay ay weather weather lang. There are certain, if not a lot of things in life, that we could not just control. The #ElNinoLaNina phenomenon is something that naturally happens in our world. Now, to truly satisfy the need to know what La Niña is all about, and what the city is doing to avert disasters like those from October 2013 during the aftermath of the siege, here are the basics you need to know: #ElNiñoLaNiña According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administrations or PAGASA, El Niño and La Niña are the children of the tropics. El Niño and La Niña are two terms used for changes in global climate system. Simply, both terms are total opposite. These two climate cycles are both parts of an oscillation in the ocean-atmosphere system which is called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation or the ENSO cycle. According to NASA, La Niña is the “build up of cool waters in the equatorial Eastern Pacific.” Its effects are opposite to El Niño. Frequently, La Niña follows after El Niño. La Niña usually brings heavy rains that trigger floods and landslides, but it can also bring in benefits to the country such as the possibility to grow crops in mountainous areas and those areas that are unreachable by irrigation. These disastrous events of floods and landslides are brought by above normal rainfall, strong monsoon activity, and formation of more tropical cyclones. Meanwhile, El Niño is the “unusual warming in the Central and Eastern Equatorial Pacific.” Occurring in the Pacific basin every 2 to 9 years, it usually starts between December to February. When the temperature reaches 0.5˚C or higher for at least “5 consecutive overlapping three-month seasons,” that is when El Niño is known to take place. In the Philippines, several factors determine when El Niño arrives. This includes the delayed start of the rainy season, early termination of the rainy season, and weak monsoon and tropical cyclone activity such as fewer tropical cyclones entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). How El Niño and La Niña will change or affect climate change in the future is now of tremendous importance, thanks to the known effects over the last century or more - and the conditions are still beacon/newsmagazine

not very well understood, though the phenomenon has been known since the early 1600s. For climate scientists, this is a grey area as to whether it will have an impact on the climate, or whether they will be affected by climate change. Some already claim that with the occurrence of climate change, La Nina and El Nino effects would be twice as devastating. How to achieve La Niña po? Yes La Niña is a naturally occurring event to the world. It’s a force of nature that is out of our control and cannot be stopped. That is why predicting when this weather phenomena occur is very essential. We leave those to the experts. What we can do as humans, as inhabitants of the world, is to know, prepare and take care of nature. PAG-ASA has recently issued a statement that the dry season has just ended, and warned everyone about the coming of La Niña. Zamboanga City recently experienced a 24/7 rainfall that caused some houses in some places to be submerged underwater. Some classes were also affected because of the non-stop rainfall. Tulungatung transitory sites were also affected, following the advisory that the Tulungatung River might overflow. In response to this, PAG-ASA is coordinating with Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Science and Technology for flood control projects, such as Project NOAH (National Operational Assessment of Hazards) which aims to undertake disaster science research and development, advance the use of cutting edge technologies and recommend innovative information services in the government’s disaster prevention and mitigation efforts. Mayor Beng Climaco ordered the office of the City Engineer to start cleaning up drainage systems in order to prevent excessive flooding. The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office headed by Elmer Apolinario also informed the public about the on-going infrastructure projects like slope protection and shoreline protection projects in connection with the La Nina season. Know, prepare, and be good stewards of creation. This entails more than just planting trees.

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

Fast-forward to the year 2016, our nation coats itself under the glittering banner “Change is coming.” With Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte as president, the issue of illegal drugs has been given utmost attention and action under his three to six months priority schedule. Cases about arrest, surrender, and death traced to drug involvement have satiated the news in an overwhelmingly alarming frequency. Duterte’s administration approaches the issue with vehemence unlike anything Philippine politics has witnessed, stressing that the prohibition and eradication of illegal drugs are matters not to be dealt with passively. Considering AdZU’s reputation in Region IX as a forefront advocate of excellence, spirituality, and citizenship and of its significant influence among the Zamboangueño youth and other academic institutions, it has a constructive obligation to help the present administration fight against the proliferation of drugs. Henceforth, the BEACON wanted to write an “a-yearlater” article for a status update of our school’s present initiative to a possible drug-free campaign and the situation of the previously interviewed drug users in a politically “no to drugs”-run society. To capture the impact of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, the BEACON got in touch with Mary and Jane for a follow-up interview. This time Mary declined by saying “Duterte na ngayon. I can’t, Sey.” She provided no further explanation. Perhaps in Mary’s case, we can safely deduce that she was practicing extra caution in giving out information about her marijuana use under our president’s reign. Jane on the other hand agreed to an interview but never showed up. However in our latest exchange, she said she no longer smoked marijuana but failed to mention why. Therefore the BEACON interviewed a new personality, this time a male student drug-user. For the purpose of withholding his identity, we shall name him Juan. How do you feel about Duterte’s intolerance of drugs? Juan: It agitated me as a person. It made

me realize na what I did in the past was right - stopping myself from taking weed. How has the anti-drug campaign impacted your behavior towards druguse? Juan: The campaign gave me a vision to change my lifestyle. I’m with the campaign ... [it] is one tool to help Filipinos live a better and healthier life. Was there a significant decline in you friends’ use of drugs? Juan: Some of my close friends did because they might go to jail if they continue. Some still smoke weed but accordingly, they “lessened” it. Would you have stopped using marijuana if there was no anti-drug campaign? Juan: Yes, I’d still use marijuana but not on a frequent basis. Siguro mga once in a month. Juan’s leisure time of weed sessions with friends is now replaced by playing computer games which he realized is better for him. Although Juan admits he knows 40 or so of his peers still continue to smoke marijuana, students are starting to explore other means of enjoying themselves without compromising their health, education, and compliance to the law. Weed-smoking and other illegal drug use are now seen as threats and not pursuits to temporary happiness. The BEACON also puts into light the viewpoint of the Office of Student Affairs about their current stand and plan on the issue. When asked how the office is responding to the use of illegal drugs by students within the campus, Christine V. Calunod, the new Director of Student Affairs, relays that nothing concrete has been done yet, although they are already starting with the anti-drug campaign in school through a drug-awareness forum in partnership with the Social Awareness and Community Service Involvement (SACSI) office along with the key officers of the different clubs and organizations.

Mrs. Calunod expressed that her prime concern is the correction of obvious disciplinary problems (e.g. proper use of IDs, dress code, etc.) that students project. However she assures us that the issue of marijuana use is the next item to be attended to in her priority list. When asked if the consideration of having a periodical mandatory drug test was raised, Calunod voiced that nothing is official yet due to the complex legalities of operating a drug test. The office takes a pro-active stand against drug use as the director desires to act in a way that is preventive. She puts forth her concern in saying that there are no obvious problems of marijuana usage among Ateneo students, which makes it alarmingly difficult to catch and penalize the guilty party. Together with her other proceeding agenda, Calunod is aware that addressing this issue plays a great part in helping achieve her aim of giving the students the “total formation.” Our university has always prided itself on being a smoke-free campus whose students picked up after themselves. As a high time response to our country’s present struggle, to answer the unspoken question

“Is AdZU a drug-free campus?”

having testimonies like Mary, Jane and Juan’s will wordlessly give the answer

“no”

But with concentrated and consistent efforts exerted by both internal and external forces, the prohibition and eradication of illegal drugs will soon be a feat for both AdZU and the present administration.

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

The Reformation of El Consejo Atenista?

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

A Year Since: La Purisima Marijuana By Aseya Calo and Anne Falcasantos

ByAudrie Keith Sepe and Leonette Ann Sadioa

We will no longer argue why AELECOM did not open the counting of votes, which was done manually in this time and age of Pokemon Go, to observers or poll watchers. We will no longer argue how one party managed to sweep the elections but could not invite the same number of people to attend their induction ceremony. We will no longer argue how it’s hard to distinguish between ECA officials and USAD hangers-on. We will no longer argue whether we made the right choice or not. We will move on and reserve our judgement for February 2017. It has been more than a month since the campaign and election period of endless wooing and promises and plans. Since no one seemed to have the guts to sit in positions with piles of responsibilities and inevitable criticisms, it is indeed a great pleasure and a special privilege to have such confidently, brave people who are readily willing to stand up and accept the challenge. However, after all these clamorous words of guarantee, the party has abruptly hushed. The excitement has

beacon/newsmagazine

vanished. Is it because there are no plans yet? Maybe. Would it just be another term filled with empty promises just like the previous terms that the student body had? Quite frankly, it’s too early to say. “Service beyond words,” as the slogan suggests, the El Consejo Atenista is once again faced with the oft-repeated challenge to redeem itself from last year’s lapses by means of a different approach. There are yet again heaps of expectations for this year’s administration bearing in mind the flat implementation of platforms and plans of the earlier legislations. With Clemen and his members enthroned on such positions, we have known for a fact that a new aeon has come forth. PLANS Unlike the previous terms, where the system had been acquainted with USAD and its goals, not to mention that incompetent people that were also elected, what sets them apart is that they have appointed three committees to go over their plans for this school year.

ILLUSTRATION BY: RYAN COVARRUBIAS

t has been a year since The BEACON published an article entitled La Purisima Marijuana in its September - October 2015 Newsmagazine regarding the emergence of marijuana consumption by some students of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University. To wit, two female students, under the aliases of Mary and Jane, have come forth then and admitted to their regular use of the said drug, even carrying the paraphernalia with them to school, adding short but powerful histories on their influences and reasons for smoking marijuana. Among their peers, they know 50 or more of them who also use marijuana. In the same article, then Director of Student Affairs, Engr. Stevan Dimaguila, expressed that he was unaware of any student smoking weed since he has never encountered talk of it. However, he is optimistic that Jesuit education and the influences of their non-smoker friends are enough for users to discern the right thing to do.

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

a. Transparency and Accountability ECA’s transparency on funds has always been a suspicion as they have failed or refused to publish their liquidation reports on where the students’ money went. This administration attests that they would make a distinction with the preceding term as they reckon on letting The BEACON for the disclosure of their liquidation reports. They also want to implement that in every activity of ECA, whatever budget that is allotted for that must be the amount that should be spent. No more, no less. Yep, in the name of transparency and accountability.

b. Environment and Socio-Political Awareness This is self-explanatory and the purpose of this committee is pretty much barefaced. Guess we should just wait and see whatever surprise is waiting for us on the other side! Yes? With these proposed committees, they are indeed to be envisaged as a more united and effective El Consejo Atenista compared to those who just left almost all of the student body hanging; and who were supposed be held on the hook with some deserted, fragmentary business the current administration needs to deal with. So far, so good! Although there were no specific plans mentioned, they were able to spearhead an activity with regards on the controversial Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The never-ending debate on whether the late President Ferdinand Marcos is to be entombed in the Heroes’ Cemetery has recently caused an uproar in social media as well as in educational institutions which led the ECA to conduct its first socio-political activity. They launched a Survey, Rally and Graffiti Freedom Wall with the participation of some Ateneans. The purpose of such activities initiated is that whatever output that they were able to get from surveys will serve them as their basis on their next approach.

beacon/newsmagazine

We all know that verdicts arise when it comes to ECA’s leadership. After all, ECA is the mother of all the other organizations. It’s a normal routine for people to compare the leadership of one term to another. Of course, leaders have their own styles and certain modus operandi on situations. Empty promises. Inefficiency and Incompetency. Lack of disclosure. We’ve had enough of all those nonsense. When would that “Better El Consejo” ever come? Would it just stay as a vision? One could recall the words of Manaloto The Magnificent, when she chimed last year: “I want to move forward, I want to start a new Consejo.” We all know what happened next. For two years in a row, we have been very optimistic for a change. But it so happens that it oftentimes ends with a “We tried” which was used as a defense during the patriarch of USAD himself, Barraca. This year is the culmination (or perhaps not?) of the USAD Trilogy. The party, which labels itself as Christian Socialist Democrats rose to power, ironically, with the gusto of a oneparty state and clueless (the 2016 euphemism for ‘apathetic’) Ateneans trusted them enough through the ballot, exercising the clear memory and critical thinking skills of Sandro Marcos fangirls. Notwithstanding, The BEACON congratulates the Clem-Napii tandem for emasculating enough support and Facebook News Feed to overcome what naysayers have described as a worthless cause. They stood up and accepted the challenge. With so much hope and hype in the air, the road to change is now forked between #IStandWithUSAD or #IStandCorrected.

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

At the same time, Duterte’s longevity in politics would seem to suggest that he is adept in navigating the intricacies that make up the country’s nepotist political power structure. Maybe after all, his controversial speeches were meant to deflect international concern over the rising killings directly attributed in his extensive campaign against drugs. Let us hope not. The country’s overcrowded penal system, already 3rd worst in the world according to the International Center for Prison Studies, is 316% over capacity, potentially reaching a higher figure due to the president’s escalated war against drugs. In Quezon City Jail, inmates are sleeping in stairwells and in open courtyards, and some have already suffered heat strokes from the debilitating Manila heat. The president’s accelerated war against drugs have not only scourged many into damnation, but also punished thousands in less than humane conditions, with no hope of rehabilitation. To push for change, he should also include building more prisons with the hope that these criminals could, once again, be functional contributing members of society. The president is a leading proponent of federalism and increased infrastructure spending in areas far from Manila. He argues that the main source of income inequality in the country is a direct consequence of centralization in the capital region. While this is a valid point, the president’s idea to carve 16 states to substitute for 81 provinces is a recipe for disaster. For one thing, the democracy we pride ourselves in having is more of an oligarchy. Select families cling on to political posts like it’s their birthright, and gerrymandering has squandered resources to create more personal fiefdoms for these families. Members of the lucky sperm club perpetrate these illusions of grandeur by inheriting the mayoral or congressional posts from their parents, effectively barring outsiders from any real chance of holding political office, even if they have the necessary qualifications. Coupled with a culture of impunity, corruption and blood feuds in some families, transitioning the country from a central to a federal form of government would be disastrous at best. Duterte, however, recognizes these and in fact names many of these politicians in a spontaneous press conference held at dawn in his native Davao City as drug lord protectors. Widely lauded by the general public as decisive, this narco-list has nevertheless been marred with errors. Some politicians were already dead during the time the list was released to the media, thus casting doubts on the veracity of the claims put down in the list. To effect real grassroots level change, these families will have to go. A state of great disturbance has arisen between the President and Senator De Lima, as the latter asserted an element that the former is not familiar with opposition. The persistence of De Lima in asserting that alternative measures must be sought in lieu of the ballooning number of extrajudicial killings in the state has marked her to be at the receiving end of the bombardment by the President’s unbending supporters and the President himself. This challenge imposed by De Lima, in her backing the

Commission on Human Rights’ (CHR) assertion for humanitarian resolves, caused Duterte to bring to probe the ‘adulterous’ relationship of De Lima and its ex-driver. This brandished the ‘character assassination’ which the Senator cried foul in a press release. Relatedly, the President substantiated this claim as he alleged that the said ex-driver and De Lima were both involved in the drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison, as based on ‘intercepts’ provided to him by a convivial foreign government. Nonetheless, a simple principle of law must be upheld: until conclusive evidence is not endowed, any alleged citizen is presumed innocent. The impression that it is auxiliary or incidental that any rationalization a President connotes is absolute, would prove detrimental for the quest of betterment and clarity, in light of justice.

The success of the current administration is also the success shared by all Filipinos. But it is high time that we recognize that change doesn’t simply come with the election of a leader with strong political will. Change requires a collective shift in perspective in a society.

The problems of the 21st century such as our demand for better transportation and communication networks should be prioritized and criminals rehabilitated instead of permanently incarcerated. While we do recognize the dangers of substance abuse, the Machiavellian costs of witch hunting drug abusers and political persecution could hurt and damage the reputation of our country’s institutions in the long run. We weep for Mary Jane Veloso’s plight while we condemn people slain in “drug killings” in our native soil. Pres. Duterte should be wise enough to know by now that his remarks not only hurt his standing, but also the country’s international reputation. For now, we can only hope for the best.

beacon/newsmagazine

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 6

C Duterte so Far: Change at What Cost? By Abdelaziz Maldisa and Dave Cervas

hange is coming! Change is coming! Every barrio, town and city by now has been inundated by this political slogan proclaiming hope and salvation in the form of good governance under the tutelage of President Duterte. Riding on public discontent due to a perceived rise in criminality and a breakdown of public institutions in what many see as an ingrained culture of impunity and corruption, Duterte captivated the masses with his expletiveridden speeches and his bravado, once proclaiming in a national debate that he’ll ride a jet ski to plant the Philippine flag in contested territorial waters off Palawan Island. On the campaign trail, he has been dogged by accusations of mass murder during his stint as mayor of Davao City, purportedly condoning the use of death squads to cut down on criminality. Critics contend that most of the victims were children and the urban poor. In a WikiLeaks exposed diplomatic cable, the then Mayor Duterte was implied to consent to the vigilante killings “to add to the lethal image that he has carefully cultivated since coming into office in 1998.” Yet many still see him as a savior hell-bent on reforming the country, and in a show of patriotism, kisses the Philippine flag, says “I love my country” and pledges “that he’ll go to hell just to make the country a better place.” The Philippine electorate thus brought him to the presidency with a landslide victory, defeating his nearest rival by almost six million votes. For many, he is a symbol of an outsider, his brash speech sympathetic to the plight of the masses. His simple demeanor stands in stark contrast with most of the country’s politicians, who are infamously known for their excesses amidst the stark poverty in the country. Yet most people conveniently forget that Duterte himself came from a political dynasty, his father serving as governor of Davao province, and his children alternating terms as mayor, vice-mayor, or congressman of Davao City. Duterte, as are his predecessors Aquino and Arroyo, are part of political families that have dominated local and national polls since independence. Furthermore, his brazen public admissions that he consents to killings conducted by

the Davao Death Squad should never be a political platform to woo voters. This should have been grounds to prosecute him for murder, yet ironically, the culture of impunity he loathes is the same system that’s protecting him from jail time. In a report published by the International Federation of Journalists, the country is already tagged as the 2nd worst for journalists, only behind Iraq. With litigation in massacres such as the one that transpired in Maguindanao being slow and unfruitful, he has openly spoken of his hate for the media, alluding to coverage bias. He plans to revitalize the state-owned television and radio stations, and plans to hold presscons using state media partners only. Two months since his inauguration in Malacañang Palace, the president has already left a mark not just in the country but also around the world, and for all the WRONG reasons. News outlets as diverse as the New York Times to the Daily Mail have all written articles about his first days in office, especially focusing on his promise to rid the country of crime in six months. His expletive ridden speeches, which he promised to tone down when he gets elected, are more intense than ever. Already drawing flak from a joke gone awry about having his turn in raping an Australian missionary, he has refused to back down from his words, even calling US Ambassador Philip Goldberg “bakla” after the diplomat supported the Australian government’s position in condemning the joke, saying it trivializes and condones rape. His words, as chief diplomat of the country, are very alarming, potentially alienating us from an ally that gives us invaluable economic and military assistance. These unpredictable statements could also be seen in his latest tirade: lashing out on the “ineffectual” United Nations after Secretary General Ban ki-moon expressed concern on the rising extrajudicial killings in the country. One could only be reminded of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Bolivia’s Evo Morales, who used to deflect international concern regarding their state policies by saying that the UN has better things to do than mind their countries.

ILLUSTRATION BY: JONIE ALABAN

beacon/newsmagazine