THE CLARION (7 CONFIDENCE)

THE CLARION clear. call. change.

WHAT'S INSIDE EDUCATION FOR ALL

PAGE 3

now or never

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DOUBLE PANDEMIC

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MSHS bags 3rd Place in Wellness Campus of the Year Awards

by Virgie Torres

MARIKINA — MariSci, which The Marikina Science High As

COVID COMEBACK

competed public

against

schools

several in

the

School Council

Nestle

Wellness Campus

in

the

Wellness

held

different

MSHS program activities... community had it all this

recently work, and sacrifices have paid off as they were concluded Wellness Campus recognized with different Year Award. titles. place

Nestle

and

Philippines, won the bronze time: their efforts, hard PAGE 9

the

Read full article on PAGE 3

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THE CLARION

NEWS

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DOH releases vaccine rollout update

by Aaron Pidlaoan

PHILIPPINES – As of the latest report of the Department of Health on May 31, 2021, there have been 5,180,721 total administered doses of COVAX.

There have been 144,402 average daily doses within the past 7 days of the report being issued.

Vaccination priorities are from A1 to A4.

The country’s vaccine supply is the basis on the number of vaccine sites. More vaccine supply increases the number of operational vaccine sites.

3,974,350 of these were from the first dose while 1,206,371 of these were attributed to the second dose, which makes those part of the latter number fully vaccinated.

The government is urging those who belong to the A1 to A3 groups to register for their first dose and complete the required number of doses scheduled.

Both unvaccinated and vaccinated groups are encouraged to follow the minimum public health standards to reduce the number of people infected by COVID-19.

MOVING ON AND UP

by Aaron Pidlaoan

DepEd announces moving up and graduation rites details

2nd Dose 23.3%

On May 24, 2021, DepEd released Memorandum No. 27, s. 2021 which discusses the conduction of end-ofschool-year rites for S.Y. 2020-2021.

These rites are for Kindergarten, Grade 6, Grade 10, and Grade 12 students who meet satisfactory curriculum requirements.

This also includes Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners from SY 20192020 who passed the Elementary and Junior High portfolio assessment.

The theme for this school year shall be ‘Kalidad ng Edukasyon Lalong Patatagin sa Gitna ng Pandemya (Strengthening the Quality of Education Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic).’

C/O Rappler

Marikina issues memorandum for Stay Safe Program MARIKINA – On May 3, 2021, the CIty of Marikina released a memorandum for the implementation of the QR Code system using the Stay Safe Program.

The Stay Safe Program is provided by the DILG to all LGUs in order to trace and track persons infected by COVID-19.

The Management Information System (MIS) will handle the registration for the QR system through the IT officer/s in each respective office/department.

This will be open to all city officials and employees and will be effective immediately. The heads of each department/office are responsible for dissemination of this information.

The theme for this school year shall be ‘Kalidad ng Edukasyon Lalong Patatagin sa Gitna ng Pandemya –

1st Dose 76.7%

Strengthening the Quality of Education Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic).’

The school year will end on July 10, 2021, thus giving schools time from July 12 to July 16 to hold this year’s end-of-school-year (EOSY) rites.

Schools and community learning centers (CLCs) are given the discretion to conduct these EOSY rites. Public health and safety is still of the utmost priority.

Everyone is still encouraged to follow the protocols and standards set by the Department of Health and InterAgency Task Force.

Schools and CLCs are also given the option of holding a virtual ceremony whenever feasible. The broadcasting of this must be done through appropriate social media platforms.

NEW NORMAL

by Aaron Pidlaoan

C/O reportr.world

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THE CLARION

NEWS

clear. call. change.

MSHS bags 3rd Place in Wellness Campus of the Year Awards

by Virgie Torres

MARIKINA — MariSci, which competed against several public schools in the Philippines, won the bronze place in the recently concluded WellnessCampus Year Award.

MARIKINA!

TPC donates tablets to Marikina public schools

The donation aims to help increase Filipino children’s access to quality education, especially during the pandemic.

Last Tuesday, the Schools Division Office (SDO) Marikina External Partnerships team was led by Mr. Reinan Ignacio, with the assistance of Mr. Gil Catuday and Mr. Eros Bulaclac (both SDO personnel).

We

sincerely

Furthermore, Mr. Arvin Lark Santiago, a MAPEH teacher fromMarikina Science High School, was hailed as one of the top three finalists in the ‘Pinaka-best Wellness Guro of the Year.'

The Marikina Science High School Nestle Wellness Council and MSHS community had it all this time: their efforts, hard work, and sacrifices have paid off as they were recognized with different titles.

The Marikina Science High School Nestle Wellness Council thru its As the Nestle Wellness Campus Official Facebook page, extended held different program activities, their sincerest gratitude to those the Marikina Science High School who supported and participated in was also awarded several awards the initiative, particularly Marisci's for the school year 2020-2021. students, teachers, and committees — for giving their best MariSci got minor and special efforts throughout the Wellness awards in addition to 3rd place in Campus Programs. the WellnessCampus Year Award.

MABUHAY

The Pokémon Company (TPC), with support from the Makati Business Club, has recently donated 530 tablets to 3 Marikina public elementary schools to be used by Grade 1 students.

MariSci seized the gold spot in 'Pinaka-best in Dancercise' and the bronze spot in 'Pinaka-best in Module Integration.'

by Aaron Pidlaoan

EDUCATION FOR ALL

They collected and delivered the tablets to Malanday Elementary School, Concepcion Integrated School Elementary Level, and Fortune Elementary School.

The said schools are currently implementing the BasaBilang project, a separate project between SDO Marikina and The Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc., which requires learning devices for its recipients.

TPC said that the program gives support to nonprofit organizations all over the world in order to improve the lives of children.

hope

that

these

tablets

for

distance

learning

can promote equal opportunity in education for children in Marikina.

– TPC

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THE CLARION

FEATURE

clear. call. change.

Now or Never

he third approach to solving environmental problems involves the creation of laws and regulations. These will regulate the behavior of people.

by Anjuli Revilla

Some examples of this are laws regarding smoke-belching, illegal logging, proper waste disposal, and biodiversity.

Earth is the only planet in the universe known to possess life.

It supports several million species of life, from those living from the bottom of the deepest ocean to a few miles into the atmosphere.

Nowadays, the concern for the environment is increasing.

We realized that we are a part of the environment, and therefore, we must be a part of the solutions.

Everything humans have needed to survive and thrive was by the natural world around us. But with the rise of technology resulted in us disconnecting from the natural world.

To be a part of the solution requires an understanding of the basic ecological processes and principles within an ecosystem.

If we understand these processes and principles, then we will know that pollution of land can lead to water pollution and that these two can lead to air pollution

Environmental problems are getting worse day by day. The quality of oxygen is getting worse. Forests are being chopped. And, temperatures keep changing drastically.

There is no single solution to solve the mentioned environmental problems. But some approaches can help solve them.

The Earth does not need us. It is us who needs the Earth.

One way is to change our attitudes and values. Our attitudes towards the environment affect the state of it.

Changing our attitudes is the first step needed to begin the process of environmental healing. If we change our values and attitudes, this will change our lifestyle.

Second, lifestyle changes can include recycling wastes, composting, tree planting, participation in environmental clubs and organizations, etc.

A Blast From the Past in Ilocos Sur

In other words, everything is interconnected – a disruption in the balance of one ecosystem can disrupt the balance of another ecosystem.

Let us start with our effort to influence other people about the importance of environmental responsibility.

Through this, more and more people will become aware that our actions have many unforeseen consequences. As we put our efforts together, their impact on the environment are felt.

We are doing all these changes in our attitudes and lifestyle not for ourselves but for the sake of the future generations of humans and other life on Earth.

MODERN DAY SPANISH ERA

by Sofia Velasco Ilocos Sur, a place full of history and culture, is located in the Ilocos Region which is a Northern area of Luzon. Vigan City is known for being the provincial capital. It is also known to be one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in the Philippines and also one of the New 7 Wonders Cities of the world.

One of the best things about Ilocos Sur is that it is a first-hand witness to Philippine history. First stop, the National Museum of the Philippines. Right along Burgos Street, the museum is home to artifacts and valuables as priceless as time itself.

The Vigan Cathedral, also known as the Saint Paul Metropolitan Cathedral is another popular landmark of Ilocos Sur. The church’s structure is traced back to 1574 and showcases the Baroque architecture that was popular during the Spanish colonization.

Bantay Church Tower is also a terrific place to visit! It is placed on a hill overlooking the Bantay district. It was also deemed as a very useful place back then since it was used to see if opponents were coming during the Spanish era and World War 2.

It is said that there were two people named Angalo and Aran, the Adam and Eve of Ilocos Sur. One day, Angalo was searching for Aran in the mountains of Pinsan. His footprint marked the land and that footprint is called “Tugot ni Angalo” and is now a natural low-level pool in Pinsan Falls.

There is also Sulvec Beach. Unlike the white sand of Boracay or Palawan, this beach’s sand is dark and rocky like fresh coffee beans. When you are here, the whispers of the wind and the crashes of the waves will surely entice you to spend time in the water.

It has a grotto at the middle of the beach which is called Paraiso ni Juan. The grotto’s name was dedicated to Captain Juan de Salcedo whose ships were wrecked in the area. This beach may also be familiar to you since the late FPJ’s movies were filmed at the beach.

Are you more of a nature person? No worries since Ilocos Sur has that too! There is the legendary Pinsan Falls, also known as the Twin Falls of Ilocos Sur. It is located near the outskirts of Sta. Maria, near the border of Abra.

To wrap things up, we have the last but not the least – the infamous Calle Crisologo! It is the main street of the province and the most popular tourist destination as well. With the cobblestone and lantern filled street, ancestral houses, and merchants’ stalls – it is as old as Philippine history itself. It might even make you feel as if you were back in the Spanish era yourself!

Pinsan Falls is also home to some of the province’s mythology.

During the day, it is an epicentre for commercial businesses.

Many people find this the perfect time to buy souvenirs to

C/O Rappler

serve as their remembrance from their time in Ilocos Sur. On the other hand, it is quite a beautiful and scenic place in the evening due to the stars winking and the loud silence of the night.

Many people see things as only black and white, similar to how we think that there is only the past and the present. But it is crucial to find the middle ground, a grey area in all aspects of life. Ilocos Sur is a real-life example of that area!

Ilocos Sur houses treasures way before our time. With its combination of vintage and contemporary, you may treat this as your own way of travelling back in time to cherish both the good and the bad our country has faced all throughout history.

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THE CLARION

EDITORIAL

clear. call. change.

Full-time student, part-time employee

by Sofia Velasco

As the current academic

all the devices needed at

year is coming to a close,

home, fast wifi, a place

the

where you can study at

Department

of

home, learning materials,

Education eyes when to

and more. Yet, we should

start the next academic year

for

remember that only a few

2021-2022.

percent

Discussions and reflections

of

Filipino

students can attain this.

about the school year that just passed by are on the

Not many students are

rise as well.

privileged enough to go about

paying their tuition fees.

topics was the funding for

Many

the studies. Ever since the started,

ends

includes

meet.

not

It

just

the

parents but the children as well.

First,

having

a

work-life

balance has been reiterated countless times throughout this new normal. For the working

students

of

our

country, a work-school-life

Students are supposed to experience

quality

education

to

have

balance is something that

Second, several studies have shown

students’

health

was

affected

the

due

pandemic.

mental

With

most

to all

the the

academic pressure of the new

normal,

familial

the

conclusion

As developing young adults, students should enjoy their time in academia. But this is not the case for a majority of

was that both full-time and

age

part-time students struggle

current modality of distance

to maintain a balance with

learning

their responsibilities. It is

anxious, stressed, and have

just

increased

this

burden for the full-time students workers.

and

part-time

is hope for our future because

we

are

that

powerful weapon you can

working at such a young

has

hope of the future.” There

person.

Education,

education. The pandemic

said, “the youth is the

happening.

carry

their

But as Dr. Jose Rizal once

education is the most

Journal of Further and Higher

pursue

something to the table.

the side – it piles upon a

future. Yet, students still

to

bringing

they juggle with everything

a

of

of

hope.

In a research paper by the

burden

minimum

responsibilities, working on

promising career in the the

sake

Art: John Chavez

families struggle to put make

work

wage jobs just for the

many

food on the table and

education

without worrying about

One of the most prominent

pandemic

their

increasingly working

evident students

that are

affected due to conflicting priorities.

Filipino

students. makes

The

students

mental health issues.

Remember,

use to change the world.

As the next school year approaches,

we

hope

collective action happens to achieve the following: decreasing COVID cases, increasing

vaccination

rate, schools reopening, and a chance for students

Third,

the

ideal

distance

learning setup would be to have

to

pursue

both

their

education and work once again.

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THE CLARION

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL

clear. call. change.

#Stopasianhate

by Mariane Fernando

Double Pandemic: COVID and Racism The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020. As the number of COVID cases increased, so did the number of hate crimes against Asians.

Internet discourse is at an alltime high. This may be due to today's racist and xenophobic rhetoric, as well as anti-Asian propaganda.

As a result, the #StopAsianHate movement was born. Activism against racism has increased in the last year. The Black Lives Matter movement was one of the most vocal. But, can this movement help reduce the underlying pandemic that is racism?

There also seems to be a link between health crises and anti-Asian racism. The San Francisco Plague of 19001904 was an event that made racism towards Asians seen.

This is due to the quarantine of San Francisco's Chinatown.

And also, there was the enhancement of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

The Chinatown quarantine was also discriminatory and had some resemblance to Jim Crowism.

This is due to the omission of European-Americans from the protocols. Propaganda also further spread fake news about the Asian-American community. Fast forward to more than a century later, and the stereotype of Asians carrying diseases continues to exist.

were thrown when referring to COVID. Discriminatory actions were also seen throughout the past year. Being coughed or spit on, harassment, and shunning are examples of what the Asian community experienced in the past year.

Hate crimes have also surged within the past year. Raciallydriven attacks are on the rise but the concept of racism is not new. In the 20th of November 1963, the United Nations declared for the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. But in spite of this, Asians still face discrimination because of their race.

According to the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University-San Bernardino, hate crimes towards Asians surged to about 145% in 2020. Most of these happen in broad daylight in urban places such as New York, Los Angeles, and such.

In an Asian Boss street interview in the U.S., an interviewee described their experience as ‘like [being] an outsider in my own country.’

Other interviewees shared their sentiments about the ongoing racism and discrimination that they are facing.

Many interviewees also expressed that the ongoing pandemic being political has added fire to the already flaming racism that the Asian community is experiencing.

One interviewee said that Former United States In the beginning of the President Donald Trump was ‘a pandemic, phrases such as racist president.’ They said that ‘Kung Flu’ and ‘China virus’ he

was a factor on why stereotypes perpetuate Asians as being ‘sick’ or ‘unsanitary.’

Many people have now shown their support to the Asian community in various ways. Signing petitions, organizing fundraisers for Asian-owned businesses, educating other people, and marching in the street are some examples of what people did to express their allyship to the Asian community.

The government has also taken action.

Expectations for change are higher since Democrats make up the majority of seats in government.

President Joe Biden has already banned the use of racial slurs and discriminatory phrases within the federal government. #StopAsianHate is considered a catalyst for change within the Asian community.

Due to this movement, discourse on social media has heightened. Many people have also shed light on the current events.

We should challenge the ‘colorblind’ ideology. We must see color in order to work together for equity and equality. We must not treat ourselves as a dust in the wind or a drop of water in an ocean regarding issues like these.

But rather, start within yourselves so we can end this pandemic (literally and figuratively) one and for all.

Racism is a deadly virus like COVID19. However, there is no vaccine for hate. There’s only one way to kill that virus – stop it. Embrace every color: white, brown, and black. Treat each other equally.

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THE CLARION

OPINION

clear. call. change.

SOGIE: Rainbow Reigns May 17 is known as the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, & Transphobia, also known as IDAHOT. As such, discussion about the passing of the SOGIE Equality Bill has also sparked again.

There has been much debate about the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression) Equality Bill, also known as the AntiDiscrimination Bill, that was proposed by the Philippine Congress.

Ever since the filing of the bill, many Filipinos have already expressed their opinions about the passing of it. With the Philippines being a predominantly Catholic country, it is not surprising that there is uproar about the bill.

mE

EIC

People also claim the SOGIE bill to be ‘Anti-Filipino.’

Senator Villanueva said “Filipino culture is already enough for the Philippines to be a great nation. Why do we need to import the template of Western countries just to drastically change our country's system?”

This statement mostly refers to the Catholic culture of Filipinos. This is one of the main reasons for the opposition of the SOGIE bill. We must remember though that our country has the separation of Church and State.

It is seen throughout history that religion did play a big part in influencing the government, like what was seen during the Spanish colonization. The church and state separated in 1987 under the As the world progresses, our country should also Philippine Constitution. It is of the utmost follow and be more open to change. The people importance that what is written on paper must also are demanding for change and the passing of the be practiced.

SOGIE bill will surely build a solid foundation and pave the way for the progression our country The Philippines is a mostly Catholic country but not needs. all Filipinos are Catholic. The bible should not be the basis for the legislation and passing of the laws since Disagreers have said that the bill will make it is not an end all be all reference for everything.

LGBTQ+ people superior to straight people which has been proven false. This statement goes nate President Sotto also implied that he thought against the main purpose of the bill which is equal that the SOGIE bill would infringe the right of people rights not special rights. for academic and religious freedom. He also had a strong statement wherein he told the people that Everyone has their own SOGIE. Whether you there will be no chance that the SOGIE bill will pass identify as a man, woman, or non-binary person, while he presides over the senate. if you are a heterosexual or homosexual, or if you express yourself towards more of a feminine, "Anti-discrimination on persons pwede. Pero masculine, or gender-fluid persona – that is all focused on gays, which the SOGIE bill is, and protected by the SOGIE bill. religious and academic freedom impeded plus

by: Franz Mabagos

by Sofia Velasco

Smuggling of same sex marriage? No chance!" he remarked in a text to reporters.

This is not backed up by any reference and thus his statement cannot hold much weight. In Section 2 of the bill it is stated that ‘the State recognizes the fundamental right of every person, regardless of sex, age, class, status, ethnicity, color, disability, religious and political beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity, to be free from any form of discrimination.’

There is no evidence that suggests that the SOGIE Equality Bill would end the academic and religious freedom of Filipinos. Each person has their own civil and secular rights that will not be affected by the SOGIE bill. The bill aims for everyone to have respect and equality for everyone’s SOGIE. As of the moment, the SOGIE Equality Bill is approved by the senate panel but is yet to be made a law. Many Filipinos are still engaging in discourse about the AntiDiscrimination Bill and are showing more support for it.

It is good for us to be optimistic. May our country turn into a progressive one in which equity and equality will prevail in the instances wherein people are discriminated based on their SOGIE.

Wasting on Wars Since us humans first came to this planet, we always fought for what is ours and right. Like children fighting for childish reasons. But the sum total of all our fighting leads to countries starting wars and because of this, people die, suffer, and fight more.

The two most memorable wars of the Earth are WW1 and WW2. There is currently a war happening between Israel and Palestine. We need peace, but for peace to be agreed, both sides need to resolve complex, deep-seated issues.

Those two shots metaphorically killed millions. About 38 million soldiers died, wounded, and went lost in the war and about 9 million to over 15 million citizens died all because of the war. The economy, education, and society went down.

Then on the 11th hour (11AM) on the 11th day of the 11th month (November) of 1918, the 1st World War finally ended.

Another example is WW2, it started when Adolf Hitler and his party wanted to seek revenge for Germany’s defeat in WW1. They started invading Poland so that they could expand Germany’s empire. Several Like in WW1 and WW2, people die and suffer due countries are suffering due to Germany invading to catastrophic mayhem between countries. them, even the Soviet Union.

Before WW1 started, there was an assassination plan to kill the Archduke, and they succeeded During the Second World War, Japan also entered thus starting the First World War. (continue on next page)

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THE CLARION

OPINION

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They planned to attack Pearl Harbor and the US Pacific Fleet to weaken them.

They invaded several countries in Asia, including our country, the Philippines. The U.S. also made the atomic bomb to try and stop the war. It all ended when Germany surrendered to the Western Allies, including Britain, U.S. and the Soviet Union (Russia).

There is also an invisible war happening worldwide which is also known as the COVID-19.

This is a war we cannot fight because it is a virus, which makes us separate from our friends and even our family. Out of 166 million confirmed cases, there are about 3 million deaths.

People get greedy by over-buying several needs and a few moments later, the store will be out of stock and others will need to wait for them to stock up which can take a very long time.

People mourn every day because they are suffering so much, and they are losing people that they love. We may not fight it, we can prevent it by washing our hands, taking some distance away from others, and so much more.

Even if these are dark times, there is always a bright light guiding and helping you, and this bright light is your family.

Those who are subject to this ostracism are said to have been "cancelled". The expression ‘cancel culture’ has mostly negative connotations and is commonly used in debates on free speech and censorship.

Cancel culture is one of the most notorious things on the website twitter.com. A lot of celebrities and influencers have already experienced this phenomenon. A few examples are Pewdiepie, who is one of the most cancelled people.

Other examples are the Minecraft Speedrunner Dream, Ellen DeGeneres, Pro Fortnite Player and Streamer Ninja and even the famous party game called UNO. Some of these people got cancelled for literally no reason and some for a good reason.

For example, Ellen DeGeneres got cancelled after a toxic work environment got exposed. The 62year-old is under fire after several claims that her beloved "Ellen DeGeneres Show" was secretly filled

There are only two ways to stop wars. The first way is to solve it diplomatically and the second way is to prevent it at all costs. The latter option is by far better since that hint of restraint exponentially helps to save millions of lives.

In my opinion and experience, wars happen because people get greedy overtime. I always

The Culture No One Appreciates According to Wikipedia, also known as the free encyclopedia, cancel culture (or call-out culture) is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles – whether it be online, on social media, or in person.

start a fight because I am greedy, but even though I start them I always know how to end it. I always talk it out with them and share what you have.

by Zeekiel Bornilla

CE

with staffers experiencing sexual misconduct and harassment from the executive producers.

Dream, the Minecraft Speedrunner, already got cancelled a lot of times and for a lot of different ‘reasons’. The accusations of him cheating on one of his Minecraft speedruns is one of the biggest controversies involving Dream and the speedrunning community.

There were a lot of mistakes that Dream made during this whole issue.

First, is accusing the moderator Geosquare of “clickbaiting” by “using” Dream in the title and the thumbnail of the video, which was obviously false.

Before making an official response, Dream made a lot of small jabs through Twitter and Reddit. And after a long wait, Dream made a very lackluster response. Throughout the whole video, he mentions this anonymous Harvard Astrophysicist.

Right after uploading the response video, people from Reddit completely destroyed Dream. Now let’s talk about a bit more well-known internet celebrity, Pewdiepie. Pewdiepie has also experienced the wave of hate from 14 year old girls on Twitter.

His first cancellation was actually quite reasonable, he said the n-word on a

PUBG stream. He immediately responded with a proper apology though and admitted that what he did was wrong. One of the most recent Pewdiepie cancellations however is about his music taste.

Another Pewdiepie cancellation issue is his battle against the VTuber community. A virtual YouTuber or VTuber is an online entertainer who uses a virtual avatar generated using computer graphics.

Recently, Pewdiepie has been using a virtual avatar for some of his videos, and the VTuber community wasn’t very fond of that. So they started gatekeeping VTubing.

Pewdepie responded to the VTuber community and gained support from that.

Overall, I dislike cancel culture. It pinpoints people who have done little mistakes and lets those who have done terrible things have a free pass. I would prefer to see people educating each other rather than immediately cancel someone.

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THE CLARION

SCITECH

clear. call. change.

by Sofia Velasco

COVID COMEBACK?

No To COVID Comeback: Why COVID Survivors Still Need to Get the Vaccine The Department of Health says that COVID survivors do not have to wait 90 days to get vaccinated. Instead, COVID survivors can immediately receive a dose after recovery.

According to DOH Memorandum No. 2021-0175, everyone who will receive the vaccine that contracted COVID-19 can get their first or second dose after their recovery or treatment. A restart of one’s vaccine schedule is not needed.

Beforehand, COVID survivors had to wait 90 days before getting their vaccine. This was due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation.

If that was the case, what changed with science?

After recovering from the virus, COVID survivors produce antibodies that help neutralize and give immunity to the host if ever they come into contact with

it again. This was one of the reasons why doctors were still hesitant to give vaccines to the survivors.

Yet, another question popped up: how long does this immunity last? In a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, it has been concluded that while survivors do produce antibodies, these do not last forever.

Receiving even just one dose after the recovery exceeds the immunity of uninfected people who got their second dose. Dr. Florian Krammer, Professor of Vaccinology in the Department of Microbiology, remarked that this can be considered as a ‘booster shot.’

“In fact, that first dose immunologically resembles the booster dose in people who have not been infected,” she said.

It was also described that the COVID infection ‘primed’ the body and this is

the reason why it is easier and more effective to receive vaccines.

In an Asian Boss interview with Dr. Jerome Kim, the Director-General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), compared getting the COVID vaccine to receiving a flu shot.

“Actually, you can think about it the same way you do about Influenza… and I hope that most people who have been infected naturally with COVID will also agree that further protection, particularly against mutants, is worth it just double-checking,” he said.

He said that he had already been infected with Influenza before. Even with that, he continues to get the vaccine annually to be protected from the virus again. He suggests that the same logic should be applied to the COVID vaccine.

The general statement stays the same when it comes to the pandemic: wear your masks, social distance, and get vaccinated. It is paramount to follow the protocols and wait for more science regarding the virus.

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THE CLARION

SPORTS

clear. call. change.

China defeats Italy at FIVB Women’s Nations League

by Sofia Velasco

HONG KONG – China won by a comeback and conquered Italy with a score of 3-1 at the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Women's Nations League in Hong Kong, China on the 6th of June 2019.

Attacks from Italy’s Enogu and Sylla dominated the first two rounds. It was not until the final three rounds in which China showed their fighting spirit with brilliant receptions and blocks against the other team.

Italy’s Enogu topped as the best scorer among the players with an outstanding 40 points.

Meanwhile, China’s Ting Zhu was the second best scorer with 26 points.

As the game reached its end, cheers from the home crowd roared all throughout the gymnasium in support for Team China.

"It was a wonderful match.

In the first two sets, we did not perform well in the first pass and blocking.

However, starting from the third set, we had better reception.”, said China’s coach Lang Ping.

Those who watched the game were surprised by the twist that happened mid-way of the match.

A viewer named Feng Zhao commented “I'm 100% positive [that] what helped China to get back was the fighting spirit. They were more than warriors in the battle ground. Zhu Ting was phenomenal as ever.

However, what made the difference was the heart of the champion.”

This game was crucial in order to select the country that will complete the lastfour line-up at the FIVB Women’s Nations League finals. China is now among the Final Four alongside Turkey, Brazil, and the United States.

Lakers takes down Heat at the NBA 2020 Finals, 106-93

by Zeekiel Bornilla

Miami Heat face off against their former teammate, LeBron James and his newfound home, Los Angeles Lakers for the 6th time at the NBA 2020 Finals.

Time for the tip-off, and the Lakers take the early ball. The first quarter has just started and Robinson has already scored two three-pointers.

But as Heat scores, James continues to attack and transition.

The Lakers scored some points but the Heat still managed to catch up little by little.

And in the last minute of the first quarter, Goran Dragic makes his entrance after missing the last 4 games.

Second quarter now begins and the Lakers are still leading. After a few shots in, a timeout was called by the Lakers.

6 minutes left on the clock and Rajon Rondo is on fire.

Rondo and Davis are doing some fancy combinations near the hoop. Now the 1st

half ends with the Lakers on the lead, 64-34.

Davis starts the 2nd half with a nice fake pass to Green and Green gets a three. The Heat struggled to score here against the coordination and defense of the Lakers.

The Heat is still going in and getting their three pointer but Rondo shows that he can also get some 3s.. 3rd quarter ends with the Lakers dominating, 8758.

The 4th and final quarter is now here. The Heat tries to catch up by performing shots from the outside and fails to do so.

A few seconds remaining, the coaches start to hug each other with sportsmanship in mind and the Lakers begin to celebrate.

It’s official; the Lakers have secured the franchise’s 17th NBA title, tying with the Boston Celtics for the Most Championships in NBA History.