THE DAILY INSIGHTS (7 DILIGENCE)

July 8. 2021 NEWS ARTICLE

QR Code Memorandum to be implemented to all the City Officials and Employees of City of Marikina Editor-In-Chief Ylloisa Grace Lomibao

MARIKINA CITY - The Office of the City Administrator of City of Marikina declared a memorandum implementing the Quick Response (QR) Code system to all of their city officials and employees to strengthen the tracing of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the city.

Managing Editor Marie Jereme Montoya

NEWS

Copy Editor Ashley Nicole Caseres

EDITORIAL ARTICLE

Ending The Asian Violence and Demonization

Correspondents Azil Jey Azurin Nheskkie Venice Cubacub Angelo Gabriel Miralles Alia Kirstene Perez Yshamere Eurice Salazar Isaiah Brent Villanueva

In these past few months, Asian hate crimes have been one of the top issues. In the United States of America, the amount of hate crimes committed against Asian people has become astonishing, even though racism was a problem before the pandemic. It became controversial, causing many thousands of Asian people to rally and demand equal civil rights.

Layout Artist/s and Page Designers Ylloisa Grace Lomibao

EDITORIAL

FACE-TO-FACE GRADUATION RITES STILL NOT ALLOWED FOR STUDENT AND TEACHERS’ SAFETY – DEPED MANILA - The Department of Education released a memorandum, on May 24, 2021, concerning the guidelines for the End-of-School-Year (EOSY) rites for school year 2020-2021 and the possible dates of its conduct.

NEWS

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INSIDE PAGES NEWS FEATURE EDITORIAL OPINION SCI-TECH SPORTS

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INSIDE THIS SECTION The Government urges Filipinos to register and complete the free COVID-19 Vaccination program

TPC donated 530 tablets in selected public elementary schools to aide for students’ distance learning

QR Code Memorandum to be implemented to all the City Officials and Employees of City of Marikina

Face-to-face graduation rites still not allowed for student and teachers’ safety – DepEd MariSci Nestlé Wellness Council bags multiple awards in Wellness Campus of the Year Competition – National Level

MariSci Nestlé Wellness Council bags multiple awards in Wellness Campus of the Year Competition -National Level

YLLOISA GRACE P. LOMIBAO

Marikina Science High School, as one of the Top 5 Finalists, bagged the Bronze Award in the National Nestlé Wellness Campus of the Year Competition awarded on May 29, 2021.

The competition was participated by different schools from different parts in the country. With the efforts and join force of Marikina Science High School Nestlé Wellness Council and the whole MariSci community for this competition, the school was able to win multiple awards. For the minor awards, gold medalist for the “Pinakabest in dancercise” and bronze for “Pinaka-best in Integrating Modules”.

For the past years, Marisci was able to bring home the award as National Champion during the School Year 2018-2019.

This year, Marisci was able to participate again and have a place in the National Level. For the special award, "Pinaka-best wellness guro of the year” won by Arvin Lark Santiago and placed as top 3 finalist.

With the continuous effort and support of the whole MariSci community, Marikina Science High School will be able to continue winning awards that show the ability of the students and the school in every competition.

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GOVERNMENT URGES FILIPINOS TO REGISTER AND COMPLETE THE FREE COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM

Philippine Government continues to roll out free vaccination for Filipinos throughout the country, especially the populations belonging to priority groups A1 to A3, now with a total of 5, 180, 721 number of doses administered in the whole country from March 1 to May 31, 2021.

Filipinos from the different cities and provinces already got their first jab of the vaccine for COVID-19, with the total number of 3, 974, 350 doses administered which equates to the number of people that decided to get vaccinated.

Eligible populations belonging to priority groups, especially the frontliners, are the first group to receive the vaccine.

However, a number of 2,767, 979 who got their first jab of the vaccine haven’t returned yet to receive their second dose.

With the requirement of the vaccination program, citizens who already received their first jab are required to return to the vaccination site after the required period of time to receive their second dose of vaccine to complete the required number of doses.

Marie Jereme P. Montoya

As of May 30, the number of Filipinos who decided to register and receive their vaccine continues to grow compared to the beginning of vaccination in the country. The government is expecting that the numbers will continue to increase for the next months as the next batch of vaccines will soon arrive at the Philippines that will also result in the increase of vaccination sites.

QR Code Memorandum to be implemented to all the City Officials and Employees of City of Marikina Alia Kirstene C. Perez

The Office of the City Administrator of City of Marikina declared a memorandum implementing the Quick Response (QR) Code system to all of their city officials and employees to strengthen the tracing of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the city.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) provided the QR Code System using the Stay Safe Program to all local government units (LGU).

Stay Safe Program is an application developed by Multisys Technologies Corporation in collaboration with PLDT-Smart Group and PLDT Enterprise and the Interagency Task Force on the Management of Emerging infectious Disease (IATF-MEID) and the National Task Force on COVID-19.

It is the Philippines’ official health condition reporting, contact tracing, and social distancing system that empowers the public in the fight against COVID-19.

With the rising numbers of persons infected with COVID-19, it is urgent to have a proper tracing and tracking of every citizen.

Information System (MIS) with their assigned IT officers.

The said Memorandum, signed by Janet S. Obispo, the Acting City Administrator, was implemented on the 3rd of May, 2021.

All the officials and employees of City of Makati will register the said program handled by the Management

A man borrowing money from a seller since he had not enough money to buy meals for his family.

TPC donated 530 tablets in selected public elementary schools to aide for students’ distance learning

Isaiah Brent D. Villanueva

The Pokémon Company (TPC) has donated 530 tablets to three different public elementary schools in Markina to be used by Grade one pupils for their distance learning. These tablets were delivered to the respective public schools on March 23, 2021.

“Following Pokémon GO Fest 2020, this program is a part of our endeavor to support nonprofit organizations around the globe to improve the lives of children with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We sincerely hope that these tablets for distance learning can promote equal opportunity and education for children in Marikina,” TPC stated.

They said that this donation program is part of their TPC Pokémon GO Fest 2020. And with the support of Makati Business Club, this donation program was made possible. This donation program aims to help to increase Filipino children’s access to quality education specially during this time of pandemic.

The Schools Division Office (SDO) Marikina External Partnerships team, led by Mr. Reinan Ignacio, with the assistance of SDO Personnel, Mr. Mr. Gil Catuday and Mr. Eros Bulaclac, collected and delivered the tablets to the selected public schools namely; the Malanday Elementary School, Concepcion Integrated School Elementary Level, and Fortune Elementary School.

Pokemon Company donated tablets for education aid

a separate project between SDO Marikina and The Knowledge Channel Foundation, Incorporation which requires learning devices. Now with the help of the donated tablets, the students will now be able to participate in the said program.

The donated tablets were successfully delivered to the selected three public elementary schools on May 23, 2021

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FACE-TO FACE GRADUATION RITES STILL NOT ALLOWED FOR STUDENT AND TEACHERS’ SAFETY – DEPED Angelo Gabriel E. Miralles

The Department of Education released a memorandum, on May 24, 2021, concerning the guidelines for the End-of-School-Year (EOSY) rites for school year 2020-2021 and the possible dates of its conduct.

In the said memorandum, signed by DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, the conduct of face-to-face graduation and other EOSY ceremonies for Kindergarten, Grade 6, Grade 10, and Grade 12 learners, including the learners who passed the assessment in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Elementary and Junior High School Levels and the first batch of ALS Senior High School (SHS), who satisfactorily meet curriculum requirements at the end of school year 2020-2021 will still not be allowed.

According to the school calendar of DepEd, the quarter 4 of school year 2020-2021 shall end on July 10, 2021.

A few days after that, as what DepEd declared in the memorandum, the conduct of school’s EOSY rites will be held on July 12 to 16, 2021. The schools can decide on which scheduled date they will hold their ceremonies for the graduating students.

On the other hand, private schools may follow their respective school calendar on deciding the date for their ceremonies.

The schools may opt for Virtual Graduation Ceremonies as what some schools did in 2020. With a short program prepared for less than two hours, the schools may hold their graduation rites.

The schools may choose to broadcast their ceremony live through appropriate social media platforms having the permission from students,

A girl answering her modules because of distance learning in their home.

parents/guardians, administrator.

and

the

school

The conduct of face-to-face graduation ceremonies and EOSY rites will still be prohibited due to the COVID19 pandemic situation and in following the guidelines and protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH), InterAgency Task Force (IATF),

and the Office of the President.. With the number of people having contact on crowded places, the health of the people will be at risk.

A SPLASH OF GRAY: HOW THE FILIPINO IN-SCHOOL LGBTQIA+ YOUTH TRUDGE THROUGH ADVERSITIES

Ylloisa Grace P. LOMIBAO

One word, seven colors. These colors symbolize the vibrant perspectives that the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community mirrors in their personalities. The prominence of the LGBTQIA+ community in the country has introduced various avenues for self-expression and individual identity. Amidst the vibrance, however, is a shade of gray that represents the challenges that its members face. The prevalence of these issues also poses danger to the well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community in the country. Behind the array of colorful smiles lies an unspoken truth about the constant hardships they face.

As the Philippines is mostly a Catholic country, Catholicism has shaped and influenced our beliefs heavily. Genders other than male or female are considered taboo or viewed as something that goes against the country’s religious norms.

When one expresses themselves through media that does not apply to their biological sex, it is immediately perceived as an issue to be addressed. In addition, Filipinos often label people who exhibit these expressions as bakla or tomboy. This goes to show that the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community is merely tolerated and not accepted in the country.

LGBTQIA+ youth are greatly affected by the oppression that is still evident today. Schools should be a place wherein students can freely express themselves. Like sorrows that are painting their days red, LGBTQIA+ youth are often the recipients of offensive insults that their classmates hurl towards them.

There have been multiple reported incidents of in-school bullying in various educational institutions in the Philippines where the victims are mostly LGBTQIA+ youth. In the worst cases, incidents such as these may escalate to physical or sexual assault.

These abuses can cause lasting harm to the students’ well-being and may prevent them from receiving a quality education. ❝"

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Students who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community continue to live green with envy of their fellow schoolmates who do not experience discrimination as they do. "

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The grueling encounters they have to face cause them to slowly lose interest in going to school, leading them to skip classes and refuse to participate in school activities. For them, school is an everyday battleground and not a place where they can freely be themselves. The comfort room cubicles are a witness to how countless blue tears escape their eyes every time they hear such harsh words said about them. Every day, they are consumed by an indigo haze that envelops their violet nights.

In recent years, lawmakers and school administrators have recognized bullying as a serious problem that needs to be addressed promptly.

In 2012, the Department of Education (DepEd) enforced a Child Protection Policy designated to address bullying and discrimination in schools, encompassing the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The following year, Congress passed the Anti-Bullying Law of 2013, which implements regulations that include sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2017, the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity expression) Bill, also known as the Anti-Discrimination Bill (ADB) was proposed by Congress. The SOGIE Bill primarily aims to ensure that the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community are protected as much as everyone else’s. It is currently a major topic of debate in the Senate, with opposing forces toggling for it to be signed into law.

Despite being strong on paper, these laws and policies lack adequate enforcement.

Many LGBTQIA+ youths are still restrained in shackles covered with orange rust, reflecting the ongoing harassment they experience in school and other establishments. The yellow vibrance they exude is now flickering due to the constant hostile environment they are exposed to.

The mistreatment that students face in school roots from school practices that exclude them from participating in the school environment. Also, the lack of appropriate LGBTQIA+ resources results in the ostracism of LGBTQIA+ students.

Education is a right of every person, and every student deserves access to facilities that cater to their potential.

LGBTQIA+ students continue to face discrimination, harassment, and bullying in school. An environment thought to be a ground for unrestricted self-expression serves as a source of their trauma and fear, therefore preventing them from access to proper education and personal development. Schools

should heighten their measures regarding bullying and other forms of harassment to ensure the wellbeing of their students. Strict regulations that prevent students from being themselves should be avoided and revised to a more inclusive and student-friendly change.

An environment conducive to learning and self-development is crucial for students. They deserve a safe space where they can freely express who they are without judging the looks of the people around them. Schools should heighten the enforcement of their regulations against bullying to prevent incidents that mainly involve LGBTQIA+ students. Proper education of students, school personnel, and the administration about the LGBTQIA+ community should also be put into practice consistently. Schools should be a place of inclusion and not discrimination.

Every student, regardless of their gender identity, deserves shelter and solace in the four corners of their classroom.

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They have the right to a proper and adequate education that will shape them into intelligent and compassionate citizens, regardless of how they identify. "

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Couples are united in Marikina Sports Center on June 29, 2019, despite the rain during the Metro Manila Pride March. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

TAAL VOLCANO: SURVIVE THE TRAGEDY Ashley Nicole S. CASERES

As of July 3, 2021, an alert level 3 rises in Taal Volcano due to a tempting eruption again since January 12, 2020. These days, many citizens are starting to evacuate and leave the place in case of an emergency. The eruption of a volcano is very dangerous. It has ashes and lava that can kill a certain person or animal.

The lava is very hot. It has about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit that can burn a human or animal.

Those ashes are harmful too because they can cause damage to your lungs, causing hard to breathe or suffocation. In this case, the Taal Volcano is at alert level 3, which means it has a very likely percent to erupt again just like last year. According to PHIVOLCS or the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the volcanic eruption has five alert level warnings.

In alert level 1, it has a low level of seismicity and fumarolic which means it has no entry yet in a six kilometers radius in the PDZ or permanent danger zone. The activity may be magmatic, hydrothermal, or tectonic disturbance but no eruption is imminent. Alert level 2, has a low to moderate level of seismicity, the persistence of local but unfelt earthquakes, and an increase in the temperature of water or ground causing increased bubbling at the crater lake.

If it is a probable magmatic intrusion, it can lead to alert level 3 and would eventually erupt, but if the trend shows no further decline, it may go down to alert level 1.

In alert level 3, relatively high unrest manifested by seismic swarms including increasing occurrence of low-frequency earthquakes, sudden or increasing changes in temperature, bubbling activity, radon gas emission, or crater lake ph. If the trend is one of increasing unrest, the hazardous eruption is possible within days to weeks, but if the trend is decreasing unrest, it may go down to alert level 2. Alert level 4, intense unrest, a hazardous eruption is possible within days. It has continuing seismic swarms including harmonic tremors, low frequency of earthquakes, and profuse steaming. Alert level 5, the hazardous volcanic eruption is ongoing.

Pyroclastic and lava flow with intense ash fall within the ranged area.

sure to wear a mask. It is preferred to be N-95 masks for safety against ashfall from the volcano eruption. Also, wear glasses to protect your eyes from the ashes to avoid any damage to your eyes.

Keep updated on the news, to know what’s happening in your place. Update your family, relatives about the situation in case of emergency. Follow any evacuation orders issued by authorities, and put your emergency plan into action. Local officials will give you advice for your particular situation. Knowing what to do in a situation like a volcanic eruption is needed for the safety of your family.

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There are many ways of what to do if the volcano is about to erupt. Make sure to evacuate before the volcano erupts because it will be highly safe from the eruption. Pack emergency supplies such as food, water, flashlights, and other emergency things. Make

THE LAST OF US 2’S VIOLENCE CONTROVERSY Azil Jey O. AZURIN

Following the release of The Last of Us 2's trailer, social media was enraged, with many deeming it excessively violent and gore-y (particularly violence against women) and gratuitous in general.

The Last of Us 2 makes you deal a lot of damage to enemies, and then the developers decide to give those enemies personalities and backstories to make you feel "guilty" about what you've done to them and make you question your actions. That said, this is another one of those issues where your interpretation of the matter comes down to your personal feelings

regarding the extent of the violence in the game and whether or not it is utilized effectively in regards to the sequel’s story, characterization, and world-building. Half of the game revolves around the revenge of the main character, "Ellie", where the journey of the MC becomes extremely violent, to the point that they decided to show many scenes featuring torture, blood, beating people up, and more gore-y situations.

This whole ordeal caused the whole media to be in an uproar.

While the violent parts of the story

were present, it is believed that they were not specifically required to be shown or performed.

Following guidelines and updates in the news will keep you safe mostly in these situations.

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A seed did not grow after not being watered for weeks, replaced a new one to grow.

Ending The Asian Violence and Demonization In these past few months, Asian hate crimes have been one of the top issues. In the United States of America, the amount of hate crimes committed against Asian people has become astonishing, even though racism was a problem before the pandemic.

It became controversial, causing many thousands of Asian people to rally and demand equal civil rights.

The anti-Asian act is part of racism. Many people see racism as a root problem.

Racism is discrimination against a person or people based on their race or gender. These past events say that the cause of Asian hate may be primarily the Covid-19. One researcher says that economic conditions are fading, which is why and how Asians are the aim of these kinds of crimes. Violence and criticism are forbidden. Educating about anti-racism and respect is necessary to prevent these actions.

Between March and June of 2020, more than 2 100 hate incidents targeting AsianAmericans were reported, according to the Stop AAPI hate reporting center. These violent acts towards Asian people often happen every day, particularly the elderly, and most of these incidents are unreported.

According to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), a United Nations convention overseen by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the convention commits its members to the abolition of racial discrimination and the promotion of inter-racial understanding. It means that this convention is one of the acts that supports anti-racism education for all people. It also supports the prohibition and puts a stop to racial discrimination by people, groups, and organizations The Anti-Asian acts often happen. It is part of racism. It can be racism in different races, genders, beliefs, and even in their physical looks. One of the causes could be other people usually don’t see Asians as part of their country or groups. Some people think Asians are different from anyone else because of their different lifestyles, beliefs, and uniqueness.

Racism needs to be talked about. Many Asian people are being targeted and affected by these issues. It needs to be corrected whether you see Asians as different from anyone else, don’t belong to the group, or unique. Racism means discrimination and it can destruct personality and reputation.

These can cause judgment about their race and personality. It can cause a lack of freedom which may lead to anxiety and depression. It can lose many opportunities and much hard work will be wasted. It can cause a lack of confidence and envy. Racism needs to be stopped, human rights are being infringed and even the reputation of the country is affected.

Education about anti-racism is important to look for the differences of discrimination and respect that every person must understand to have a better look at the other side of Asian people. Furthermore, having a larger voice to share these experiences and opinions of Asian people can help to put an end to racism.

As the whole world continues to survive this pandemic, anti-Asian hate crimes continue to rise. These anti-Asian hate crimes have a lot of impact on every Asian country and also their people. Racism and discrimination are on the rise; anti-racism education and respect must be vigilant in order to prevent such events from occurring. Remaining silent on these issues must speak up. Opinions and experiences can make a lot of changes. We must take the first step to stop these hate crimes and make the world peaceful.

Banning Animal Testing in Cosmetic Petition goes Worldwide ASHLEY NICOLE S. CASERES

More than 115 million animals are being tested every year worldwide for research, cosmetics, and even new inventions. This causes 115 million animal deaths every year, making millions of people sign a petition to ban animal testing worldwide.

In the United States, a growing number of people consider that the ban on testing cosmetics on animals has gained support from many consumers and customers. In China, where cosmetics are required for their large sales, testing for animals has become the biggest hurdle for this law to be implemented.

Animal testing for cosmetics is not required to demonstrate the efficacy of your products. This could cause a million innocent animals to be involved in this production. Many cosmetics companies are animal cruelty-free and many customers are supported by that action, so that’s why animal cruelty-free cosmetics in other countries are normal. In China, one of the requirements for a cosmetic company to prove that their products are good is to use animals as testers.

Many animals are used and killed in the production of these cosmetics, which many people find unacceptable. Animal cruelty has gotten worse and even cosmetic products use them to test and prove their products.

According to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which is responsible for assuring that cosmetics are safe, it does not specifically require the use of animals in testing cosmetics for safety. However, the agency has consistently advised cosmetic manufacturers to employ whatever testing is appropriate and effective for substantiating the safety of their products. In some countries, like South Africa, 90% support a ban on using animals for cosmetics testing, 86% support a ban on the sale of cosmetics that have been animal-tested, no matter where the testing takes place, and 86% have identified a crueltyfree claim to be an important factor when deciding to purchase cosmetic products.

There are numerous ways to prevent animal testing in your home that can be of great assistance in the conservation and protection of animals. Buying animal cruelty-free cosmetics and cleaners is a long-term solution that can help prevent animal testing. It can help to prevent animal testing of products and can decrease the chances of animals dying from 115 million to the lowest chance possible. Buying animal cruelty-free cosmetics and cleaners could also influence others to do the same thing. When people are buying animal testing cosmetics and cleaners, this can make them realize that no one supports that idea

and should be stopped. Logically, people who use animals as testers are not going to make money and can cause conflict with their income and production.

If the products you buy aren’t animal testing-free, raise your voice to let other people know. Raising awareness through social media platforms about animal testing can be a great help for animal testing, making many people raise their voices too. In the cosmetics industry, you are not able to prove your products are effective without testing them on animals, but it is not required specifically for those companies and products going into the illegal process.

The short-term solution is to educate other people to stop animal testing. Education can become a weapon and can change the minds and actions of people. Educating them on the dangers of animal testing and implementing the new method can benefit both the animals and humanity. Making them see through all the suffering and pain of animals when doing testing will make them realize that even animals suffer and experience depression too. For every cosmetic company, normalizing an animal as cruelty-free is preferable to using them as testers to prove the efficacy of your products.

Animal testing is also used in the production of medicines. Researchers tend to use animals as testers to develop new vaccines and medicines.

Animals are used by researchers to test new medicines and vaccines to see if they will harm or cause side effects in humans before injecting them.If they outlaw animal testing, it could have a negative impact on the medical industry as well as the advancement of medicine.

The cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries operate in distinct ways.In cosmetics, many people want to ban animal testing because it can cause harm and suffering to animals, and also, it isn’t necessary to prove your product is effective if the quality of the ingredients you use is good. In medicines, they use animals to develop vaccines and medicines, which means they test them for health purposes. Although both of them use animals as testers in the medical industry, you need to consider all possibilities whether the vaccines or medicines will cause side effects, will be effective if the blood types are different and what are the factors that can harm people Some animals are considered medicines and vaccines too, like the Brazilian arrowhead viper used for decreasing high blood pressure and frog skins for antibiotics.

Both industries use animals as testers, but they both have different purposes. In medicine, they use animals as testers for the development of medicines.

In cosmetics, they use it to prove the effectiveness of their products. It is good to use them for reasonable purposes, but even better if no one would harm them for their own sake.

Excessive Drama on Social Media MARIE JEREME P. MONTOYA

Social media is internet-based and a certain website and application that allows users to create and share content. It is where different people share their own thoughts, feelings and what they would share with their certain preference or style of content. Drama exists in minds and some people share it and the way of sharing things is through social media. So many platforms and so much drama to share and people begin to state their agreements and disagreements. That expands the drama, so it is starting to get messy and has gotten out of hand.

People get a little too comfortable on social media, and sometimes don’t think before posting a certain thing that can be offensive and can cause drama. We can see how a small situation can grow into a large one if word spreads and more people voice their opinions, but at the end of the day, in that small situation that grows, it's unimportant. Focused on a drama that happened on tiktok about a couple in which the girl "sexually assaulted" the boy. The drama grew and grew because we can see that people are attracted to drama.

It also became excessive because people were taking sides and sharing their opinions about it. , As we live in times where social media is used a lot, it’s hard for it to be drama-free because not everyone is aware of their emotions. As many people use social media, other people are being straightforward and others are not and they get offended by it. We can’t stop drama totally, but we can prevent excessive drama by first understanding that it's easy to misunderstand.

People need to know that some things should only be said carefully and sometimes in private. In a conversation between two friends, we must keep in mind that if the other person is emotionally upset with their friend, whatever that friend says to them is likely to be taken seriously or negatively. So, this is hardly the time to make a statement or an argument to convince them that point of view is right. That happens on social media: it is posted or shown publicly, and other people see it and express more opinions because people are drawn to it, and we shouldn't be drawn into public arguments on social media to help it not grow. People are overwhelmed by the drama on social media, and even 45% of teens are overwhelmed. Hope that more people become aware of this every day.

CommUNITY pantries: A Reflection Of A Botched Pandemic Response

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs," Karl Marx wrote in his Critique of the Gotha Program, referring to the principle of free access to goods, capital, and their services, as well as their distribution.The emergence of community pantries over the past few weeks is based on the same principle.

Throughout the pandemic, numerous donations and charity drives have been made by various individuals and organizations. These are in the form of food packs and cooked meals, but how does a community pantry differ?

First, community pantries are more socialistic than donation drives because they are founded on the collective efforts of people and citizens. People come there to get what they need and contribute what they can. In one instance, a vendor shared three noodle packs in a pantry, and in another, a child contributed a small pack of crackers, which were supposed to be her snack.

Though private individuals also donate sums of money, this is different from what transpires with donation drives. As these individuals are still part of society and the community, this is partially the redistribution of wealth. To quote Friedrich Engels, one of the authors of the Communist Manifesto:

botched pandemic response by the national government.

While the government allocates its emergency funds and budgets to misplaced priorities, the whole country is experiencing a recession that further exacerbates the millions of Filipinos living below the poverty line. Community pantries have become a means for private individuals to fill the gaps in the government's pandemic response and help alleviate the problem of food insecurity for the Filipino people amidst the onslaught of the pandemic.

Critics also mention the sustainability of these pantries. They question the extent of how pantries can devise ways to keep the inflow of donations and stocks continuous while serving the high demand of the people lining up. In such arguments, community pantries are stipulated as something that will eventually become permanent. This should not be the case. While it provides food to those in need, it is the result of an intervention, and it assists those in need in getting back on their feet. First and foremost, community pantries are not a self-sustaining economy.

At the end of the day, these community pantries are the collective efforts of each individual belonging to a society. It is a concrete result of the Bayanihan spirit, initiative, compassion, and altruism of each and every citizen. Regardless of the circumstances and the pressure factors that led to its establishment, and amidst the criticism and the clamor that revolves around it, community pantries prove that the Filipino nation can reject the concepts of capitalism and privatization and co-exist in a cooperative relationship.

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The bourgeoisie is charitable out of self-interest; it gives nothing outright, but regards gifts as a business matter and makes a bargain with the poor, saying: if I spend this much on benevolent institutions, I thereby purchase the right not to be troubled further.

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YLLOISA GRACE P. LOMIBAO

This further elaborates on how a community pantry differs from donation drives. This is not to say that donations from conglomerates and corporations are regarded as bad, but rather connected to corporate social responsibility. While their donations benefit many people, they are always linked to the bourgeoisie's self-interest. While the concept of a community pantry involves people helping other people, thus giving what you can and taking what you need.

Although the cooperation of citizens is observed, there are still some who take more than what they need. Such is the case of the woman who took all the eggs in one pantry, leaving none for the others in the line. This intensified the online discourse that community pantries, no matter how communal, are never safe from human greed.

Community pantries have self-regulation mechanisms that allow them to shield themselves from collapse. Acts of greed can instigate such a collapse. These self-regulatory mechanisms include transparency, accountability, and peer pressure.

Because it is open to all, transparency is observed because what an entity includes and adds to the pantry stock is seen by the community. What another entity takes is also seen by the community. This accessibility also allows accountability and peer pressure because of the direct connection and relationship with the community. Volunteers and organizers of pantries also dedicate their services to ensuring the proper and equal distribution of goods. This cycle of need and trust is the cornerstone of a community pantry.

Even if such mechanisms exist, these community pantries are still vulnerable to abuse and fatigue. Pantry organizers have been subjected to "red-tagging" by local authorities and government heads. Critics argue that community pantries should not be politicized because they should be a humanitarian and benevolent communal organization. They should not be used as a "tool" in complaining about the government's lack of proper pandemic response. However, community pantries are indeed political. While the means for establishing these pantries are not to explicitly compete with the stimulus and aid provided by the government, the circumstances in which they have been established highlight the

Discrimination: The problem ANGELO GABRIEL E. that hasn't gotten away MIRALLES There is a problem that the whole world is facing. The problem is that there is discrimination between people by skin color, gender, age, and even religion.

This is a problem because division can only cause problems, while unity can help us all, as a whole, to advance. One example is when people in different countries and continents discriminate against Asians, when they commit heinous acts, all because other people in different countries blame Asians for being the cause of these pandemics.

This is not a new problem, this was also a problem that the world had faced even before World War One. Multiple forms of discrimination have existed.

One of them was through gender or sexual orientation. When people make fun of people with different sexual orientations, such as making fun of the way they act and talk, this is an example of discrimination; this type of discrimination is very frowned upon by people of this generation, as evidenced by people on the internet.

Another form of discrimination involves the religion of a person or a victim. Some people may think that because they have a different religion, they are superior. A form of discrimination that is tied to a person’s ability to do and can’t do actions, is called disability discrimination.

Even though this form of discrimination is frowned upon, there are a lot of people unknowingly discriminating against people with their disabilities. This type of discrimination is usually found in social media because people are given a sense of freedom to express their feelings while staying anonymous, and in schools.

We have to avoid partaking in any and all forms of discrimination. This is because we are all equal, we need stronger morals to protect everyone’s rights equally. Discrimination can also make minorities, or the majorities damaged, to think more negatively, leading to more problems for people.

The most extreme form of discrimination is committing a crime known as a "hate crime," which can include killing someone using force. As people, we need to be more disciplined and respect other people, regardless of sexual orientation, skin color, race, and others. We need to have more discipline and respect to be one step closer to being one community, a community that respects, can move forward and avoid conflict.

REVEALED: Doctor’s misleading advice & products Angelo Gabriel E. Miralles

In the Philippines, Dr. Farrah-Arsenia C. AgustinBunch, a naturopathic doctor, receives many complaints because of her medical advice and products she gives and sells to her patients. These types of misleading advice can give people false information, lose hope and mistreatment which can lead to critical conditions depending on the illness the person has.

She claimed to have a training background at Harvard University, as once stated on her facebook page and facebook account. However, after being questioned about her background, she changed the statement from her facebook account. Upon further inspection, Dr. Farrah received her medical degree from Saint Louis University in Baguio. She had also completed a Holistic Health Practice course from the Natural Healing College in Los Angeles, which is located in California and is a non-accredited correspondence school.

Her suspicious background and misleading advice contributed to the doubts of many people. However, her home-made products are also not confirmed to be helpful by any health organization in the Philippines.

She has also been researching her products by herself.

An example of this is her product called Boston C, which she promotes via Facebook and YouTube. She sells them on her website, which also has a way to buy her other products. On the product page specifically, it states the following: In 2002 and 2003, the U.P. Institute of Biology conducted laboratory tests using Boston C herbal extracts in different dilutions on lung adenocarcinoma, colon carcinoma, Jurkat cell lymphoma, bladder carcinoma, while a prominent Asian Biotechnology Laboratory tested it on lung and cervical cancer cells for presentation to the World Health Organization. The official results of these scientific laboratory tests revealed and certified that, even in their most diluted form, the Boston C herbal extracts were still able to kill off more than half the population of cancer cells within 3-5 days, depending on the type of cancer.

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And, because these herbal extracts have almost no toxicity, they can be taken in large quantities without causing harm to the rest of the body, making them a better and safer alternative to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. "

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Photo Source: Philippine News

The fact that a substance can kill cancer cells in a laboratory does not prove it will have any practical use in patients. Most such products either fail to work or are too toxic when administered at doses high enough to kill cancer cells within the body. To prove that a product is safe and effective for humans, it is necessary to have clinical trials.

According to FDA Advisory No. 2020-2055, the manufacture of product Boston C of Dr. Farrah is prohibited to purchase and consume

due to the unregistered and no corresponding Certification of Product Registration. The product “Boston C”, has not gone through the evaluation process of the Food and Drugs Administration therefore, the agency cannot assure its quality and safety. On August 17th of 2018, the FDA closed the clinic of Dr. Farrah due to her selling unregistered health products.

Vaccines: Are they safe or not?

Vaccines are extremely important since they cure or aid in the prevention of diseases.

Despite this, the majority of people feel that vaccines are harmful to them, particularly to their children. To prevent the rollout of the coronavirus vaccination, they created anti-rally demonstrators. Although many people fear getting vaccinated, it can serve as protection from microorganisms invading your body.

The vaccines are safe and some may counter side effects but will not cause harm nor contain microchips or will damage the brain. People frequently believe it has negative side effects, such as "kids will have autism if their mother was injected while pregnant," "a young child will have brain damage if they receive a vaccine," and "Another point of contention is whether immunizations contain microchips that alternate with DNA".

However, academics and doctors have demonstrated that these myths are false. The vaccine's only unintended consequence will be a minor sore in the injected area.

Vaccines contain preservatives, adjuvants, stabilizers, residual cell culture materials, residual inactive ingredients, residual antibiotics in a vaccine. The preservative that is found in a vaccine that is often misunderstood by people is called thimerosal, most people believe

that it is extremely harmful because of the mercury, ethylmercury, included in it. This mercury is considered harmless since it does not accumulate in the body.

Private companies that produce vaccines like Pfizer, and Sinovac make sure that they are safe and tested. Vaccines are researched and tested again by the FDA and given a license to have permission to be used in hospitals. VAERS, or Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, was created by the CDC and FDA to allow doctors to report vaccine side effects as just a few people have experienced it.

Contemporary issues such as Covid-19 and its variants necessitate the development of a vaccine to decrease the spread of Covid-19 cases.

Vaccine manufacturers have spent a great deal of time researching the virus and testing their vaccinations before they could even be utilized.

However, according to researchers, if this person experiences an allergic reaction, he or she will be unable to receive the second dose of the vaccine. If the first dose is given, the symptoms will appear in 4 hours.

It can be severe or cause an allergic reaction right away. Those who receive the vaccine, even if they have an allergy, will be followed to see if they develop a severe or immediate reaction.

Alia Kirstene C. Perez Many people are concerned as a result of the news. Another issue surrounding the AstraZeneca vaccine is the deaths of seven people in the United Kingdom as a result of blood clots after getting the vaccine. However, it is unclear if this is a result of receiving the vaccine or simply a coincidence.

"These are very rare events," Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce stated.

After the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization stressed its safety, many people partially resumed using it.

As the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, many beliefs and myths about vaccines are starting to spread, however, none of these myths are true so these should not deter us from getting vaccinated. Dr. June Raine said, "The benefits in preventing Covid19 infection and its complications continue to outweigh any risks and the public should continue to get their vaccine when invited to do so. However, if you are still unsure about taking it, do some research, consult a doctor if you have some allergies. But don't relax quite yet if you've been vaccinated; Covid-19 isn't going away anytime soon. Wear a mask and a face shield, keep a safe distance from others, avoid busy areas, and be safe”.

Roger Federer prevails over Rafael Nadal in Wimbledon 2019 semi-finals.

7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in the finals, 106-93.

Angelo Gabriel E. Miralles

Isaiah Brent D. Villanueva

Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2019 thanks to his advanced footwork, speed, power, accuracy, and ability to remain calm under pressure.

During the semi-finals, Federer and Nadal went up against each other to decide who would move into the finals. In their match-ups, both Federer and Nadal were given their best shot at winning, but Nadal lost to Federer.

In the final game of the set, they had to score points with a twopoint lead to win, which Federer did, and thus Federer won the set.

During their last match in the second set, Federer lost by a score of 1-6.

However, in the third set, Federer seemed to have made his comeback, with a score of 6-3 to win him his second set.

In normal tennis matches, there would only be 2 sets to decide the winner.

However, in this tournament, they had to compete in the best of 5 sets. The second set did not make him the winner of the tournament’s semi-finals.

During the 4th set, they both came close, with Nadal seeming to make a comeback. However, this was short-lived during his 4th game, in which Federer had 5 games to win.

They were in a close battle during the last game, as both people ended up with a deuce, and the people scored two consecutive points.

This is when Federer won his third and final set, to secure him a place in the Finals.

Led by four-time Finals MVP LeBron James, the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in six games, winning 106-93.

Amazingly, Miami was able to get back into the finals six years after LeBron left the basketball team.

Photo Source: The Guardian

WOMEN'S VNL 2019: CHINA SURMOUNTS ITALY

Ylloisa Grace P. Lomibao

The match took place in Miami, Florida on October 11th of 2020. At the start of the game, the Lakers got the first possession of the ball.

The Los Angeles Lakers got the momentum in the early game, ending the 1st quarter with a score of 28-20.

But Miami will not give up and will stand against the Lakers. As the Lakers got the early lead, they continued to strive harder in the first half of the match, leaving the score at 64-36.

The 3rd quarter had a pretty slow start as players of both teams played passively.

The Lakers maintained a five-point lead thanks to LeBron's drives. 87-58 was the 3rd quarter’s final score.

Will the Miami Heat’s determination in the 4th round pay off? Shot-by-shot, Miami decided to make a comeback with a score of 35.

Unfortunately, their hard work and willpower made the score 106-93 in favor of the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Thinking that I have something to prove fuels me," said LeBron James.

The Lakers won their 17th championship and the first with LeBron James at the helm.

This Game 6 is the 260th playoff game of LeBron’s career, taking him one beyond the longtime former Lakers guard, Derek Fisher.

Photo Source: World of Volley China survived the determined challenge of Italy with a convincing 3-2 (1825, 22-25, 25-23, 26-24, 15-13) victory in the Women's Volleyball Nations League held in Hong Kong, China.

In the third week, day three of the 2019 FIVB Women’s Volleyball National League, the China women’s volleyball team faced Italy’s team.

Italy’s Egonu and Pietrini started out strong, taking the first set, scoring 18-25, with their powerful spikes and serves.

Coming into the second set, Italy’s game was still going strong, but China wouldn’t back down without a fight.

Despite Italy's strong guard at the start of the game, China didn't let their team overwhelm but fought cautiously towards Italy.

China’s Zhu and Yan showed outstanding performances that helped

their team catch up with Italy.

China were able to get themselves back in the second set, controlling the match nicely with great digs and attacks against the wall blocks of Italy.

Unfortunately, the set ended with a set point of 22-25, in favor of Italy. It was already the third set and Italy’s team was ready to end it.

Italy's Egonu and Pietrini dominated the first two sets and the beginning of the third, putting their team ahead.

China, on the other hand, despite losing 2 sets, is still determined that the third set will be theirs.

Italy’s team first scored in the third set, which set the momentum for them.

China, on the other hand, was two point behind.

After an exchange of intense rallies, the third set ended with the score of 25-

23, China’s team making a comeback and taking the set with their powerful offense and incredible defense.

Phenomenal as ever, Zhu Ting ignited the exchanges of serves, scoring 26 points in total, together with the unstoppable zero tempo attack from Ni Yan throughout the match.

China heaved up the tightly contested scores as they managed to secure the last point from Italy's unbounded service, leading to China's triumph.

"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 a better reception. Italy is a strong team.

We will go back and reflect in order to improve ourselves.

Finally, I'd like to thank the Hong Kong fans for their encouragement and support for China's coach, Lang Ping.

On the other hand, Italy started strong with a great defense that surpassed China before they reached the end of the set.

Paola Egonu, 20, did all the work with booming spikes and deep serves that led their team to a straight scoring con and a total of 39 points, but the effort didn't last in their favor.

"We did lose a few critical points in the match today. We will perform better next time," said Cristina Chirichella, the captain of Italy.

China will now move forward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a vicious winning streak.