The Graceans: Volume 1, Issue No. 1

85 percent of Graceans want ftf classes

STORY BY LOUISE LAURIE LIGSON

Asurvey conducted by The Graceans Editorial Board showed that 85.6% of Divine Grace School students are in favor of the return to the traditional five days of face-to-face classes.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, countless schools were forced to shut down for more than two years before the Department of Education (DepEd) allowed them to resume in-person classes. Although public schools held their classes entirely faceto-face, the DepEd allowed private schools to continue with distance learning.

As a result, DGS used blended learning for academic year 2022-2023.

From 100 students asked how confident they are on their studies during online classes, 56.6% answered that on the scale of one to five, they picked 4 as the highest. Meanwhile, 36.8% picked 5 as the highest and 50% picked 4 as the highest on their confidence during in-person classes.

Despite the fact that the students have been in online classes for more than three years, they still experience problems such as intermittent internet connection, technical difficulties, and lack of motivation.

According to Upper Junior High School Department head, Vhernon Vallester, face-to-face classes are a way for the students to socialize. In the survey conducted, most of the answers said that their problems with in-person classes is the heat and the heavy traffic woes on the way to the school.

Students said that they are looking forward to activities like field trips, campus jam, more extracurricular activities, fun run, retreat, promenade ball, and other activities that were held before the lockdown.

‘WE FEEL IT, TOO’

Inflation, uncertainties gnaw at students

SEVERAL issues that are plaguing the Philippines also affect Divine Grace School students.

The inflation rate in the country accelerated to a new 14-year high of 8.7% in January, driven by rising utility, housing and food costs.

The headline rate— the fastest recorded since November 2008— eclipsed the 8.1% logged in December and was well above the 3.0% seen in January last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The figure also exceeded the central bank’s forecast of 7.5% to 8.3% for the month.

“Ang street food ngayon ay P20

na isang stick,” Jana Molleda of Grade 10Amethyst said. She also mentioned that half of her money now goes to needs, unlike before, when she could still buy the things that she liked.

Xela Ehong of Grade 10-Amethyst said that her P100 allowance a day is now not enough.

“Mga mabibili ko sa canteen ranges from P15 to P20. Dagdag pa iyong pamasahe sa tricycle na P40 pesos na,” Ehong said.

Inflation also leads graduates to leave the country to find a work that gives them a higher income.

The Philippines now has a shortage of nurses. These nurses have opt-

ed to leave the country for better paying jobs abroad.

Margaret Imperial, also of Grade 10 - Amethyst, has the same mindset.

She said of leaving the country to find better paying jobs.

“Better for practicality, more opportunities and iyong salary rate is mataas.”

The spate of assassinations on former Lamitan, Basilan mayor Rose Furigay (August 2022), broadcaster Percy Lapid (October 2022), and Negros Oriental gov- ernor Roel Degamo last March also struck fear among Graceans.

These remorseless killings were believed to be of political and personal motives.

“As a student, worrisome iyong mga pagpatay kila Percy Lapid and sa mga mayor. Parang the political climate in the country has changed after Marcos Jr. was elected,” said King David Manghi of Grade 11-Marx. “Ang hirap makita na all of a sudden na ang veteran broadcaster na malayang pinapahayag lang iyong kanyang mga saloobin sa insightful, sharp, at minsan nakatatawang paraan ay makita mo na lang na maglaho sa industriya.

“Iyong pangyayaring ito ay maaaring mag-udyok sa mga aspiring journalist na mabuhay sa takot kahit alam ang katotohanan which is napakahirap.”

No one should be left behind

EEPNEY and UV

Express operators held a protest against jeepney phase-out with a supposedly week-long trans-

Jeepney operators objected the government’s modernization program because of the "anti-poor jeepney phase-

operators hold a rally during the supposedly week-long strike.

PHOTO

By the end of the year, traditional jeepneys will be changed into modern jeeps or minibuses. The modern vehicle costs P2 million each, which drivers and operators claimed to be too Netizens, especially the youth and the commuters, expressed their support to the protest of the jeepney drivers.

Jeepneys serve as one of the main trans-

portations to Jana Molleda, a Grade 10 student commuter from Divine Grace School.

"Hindi naman kami ganoon kayaman so pag na-wipe out completely iyong jeep na traditional, mas tataas iyong fare,” Molleda said.

She voiced her stand supporting fellow commuters, the environment, and jeepney drivers. As a commuter, the jeepney phase-out will make it even harder to commute.

"Dapat balance iyong solusyon nila, kung gusto nila ng environment friendly, dapat commuter and jeepney driver friendly din,” she added.

According to her, if the government wants an improvement, there shall be no one left behind.

STORY BY CHRISTINE ALTHEA LABANDIA

Protest Jeepney drivers and

FROM MARK DEMAYO/ ABS-CBN NEWS

STORY BY CHRISTINE ALTHEA LABANDIA

They’re back. Divine Grace School students Iman Bacungan and Stephanie Sabado share a hug as the school returns to face-to-face classes. Photo by Xela Andrea Ehong/TG.

INFOGRAPHICS BY PRECIOUS JANA

MOLLEDA AND LOUISE LAURIE LIGSON

Editor: CHRISTINE ALTHEA LABANDIA

Metal detector: Effective or not?

STUDENTS questioned the use of a metal detector at Divine Grace School, particularly in the high school building, after finding out that a grade 10 student (identity withheld) sneaked in with a kitchen knife, he brought last March 30.

The knife was said to be used for the preparation for their Learner’s Day performance, which included fake weapons. But his classmates testified to seeing him with a prohibited object. They surrendered it to the school administators, but still made them question the usefulness of the metal detector as well as their own security inside the school premises.

The school started using a metal detector last January 30 after the news concerning the death of a 13-year-old student from Culiat High School, which is a 28-minute drive or 14.0 kilometers from

Mini chaos mars ‘Bigay Puso’ comeback

STORY BY ERIKA MAE FRECHEL PEÑA

DIVINE Grace School brought back its annual ‘Bigay Puso’ project last December 16 after getting mothballed for almost three years due to the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic at the school covered court.

Spearheaded by the DGS community— the stakeholders and the Board of Trustees— the Administrators and Student Administrative Council officers prepared more than 200 packs for the people who received tickets.

The program went well and was systematic except that other people waiting outside were messy and uncooperative.

Moreover, they were no longer

able to get tickets since they were limited.

"It's inevitable that happens, I mean, I understand why there's chaos, there were free relief goods and most of the families don’t have money for Christmas, so let them go first for the opportunity,” Grade 10 representative and The Graceans junior high school Editor-in-Chief Kristina Czarina Trinidad said.

"I can't blame them, but I hope next time they'll be organized too. They are in line, and no one is making trouble because it is dangerous if there is an injury, or a stampede happens,” she added.

Even DGS security officer Erickson de Jesus kept trying to fix and explain the policy of this program.

Finding a new home for HUMSS, GAS

STORY BY RIANNE NICOLE CORPIN

SENIOR high school students at Divine Grace School belonging to the Humanities and Social Sciences and General Academic strands had been struggling transferring rooms from the SHS building to the junior high school building due to the preparation for the renovation and implementation of new facilities.

The HUMSS and GAS students were officially removed from Ernesto Hall.

Only the GAS students reportedly were supposed to be the one moving because their room on the third floor will be renovated into a science and computer laboratory. However, the teachers agreed to include the HUMSS to lessen their time to walk between the two buildings and use it in their classes instead.

All of the students of HUMSS and GAS have been staying at the JHS building at the third floor, in front of the

SHS building.

Students from the Marx section of HUMSS maintained they still prefer to settle at Ernesto Building. They felt that it was unfair that they have been removed from the SHS building.

“Mahirap talaga tanggapin ang mga bagay sa simula, lalo na noong mga unang linggo ng paglipat namin at lalo na nung nalaman namin na ang HUMSS at GAS ang pinaka-unang strand ng DGS nung nagsisimula palang ang K-12 Program, tapos kami ang natrato ng ganoon,” HUMSS strand Mayor King David Manghi said.

However, amidst the sadness, he still said that it was for the innovation, improvement, and marketing of DGS to provide facilities for the students.

Both strands had resided in JHS building for four months and they couldn’t tell for how much longer they will stay.

STORY BY PRECIOUS JANA MOLLEDA

DGS.

The student was stabbed resulting to a death, with witnesses given psychological first aid after.

The weapon used was a knife which caused a stir upon the minds of students and administrators with regards to the safety and security inside the DGS.

“I first noticed a pupil carrying a kitchen knife in fifth grade because they were so enraged at a classmate. So, even though the school now has metal detectors, there was still a recent incident in which a student brought a sharp object and we happened to see it lying on a table,” a student, whose identity was also withheld, said.

He also talked about how disheartened he was knowing there was a metal detector, but it was not used properly for their safety.

10 of 10 students claimed the false sense of security and disagreed on the metal detector being useful and the risks being minimized.

The metal detector was used only for a while, but then used seldom. Not every person who comes inside the building was searched properly, concerning them if it could lead to a threat to their safety.

On the other hand, the metal detector being a cause of hassle was others’ complaint. It was used on them, but it did not necessarily lessen the risk for the security, and it did not care what it was. It was also not confiscated.

According to them, they could easily lie that it was a piece of harmless metal object, and they would get away with it.

Jinggoy wants to ban K-drama

“ANNYEONGHASEYO!

Saranghae! Hajima!” These are just some of the popular Korean drama lines that have come under scrutiny under Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who urged the government to revitalize the struggling Filipino film industry and suggested eliminating the amusement tax and granting subsidies for film workers.

Along with tax advantages for the film business, Estrada has also proposed promoting Filipino culture and tourism in content, giving scholarships to filmmakers and other workers, and providing training opportunities.

During the budget hearing of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) last October 18, 2022, he recommended banning Korean

‘Prom’

DIVINE Grace School welcomed back the juniors’ promenade after three years of not holding it due to the pandemic last March 10 at the Microtel Hotel.

Themed “Stellar Sky,” principal Waldy Canalita described the event as “the most memorable event in high school life,” and the “most awaited event in the JHS Department.”

After her message was the

STORY BY JULIA SOFIA CASTILLO

telenovelas or dramas in the Philippines. He thought this would be a good idea to support Filipino performances as Korean programs have become more popular among Filipinos.

"Ang aking obserbasyon 'pag patuloy tayo nagpapalabas ng Korean telenovela, ang hinahangaan ng ating mga kababayan ay itong mga Koreano at nawawalan ng trabaho at kita ‘ang ating mga artistang Pilipino," Estrada said.

"Kaya minsan pumapasok sa aking isipan na i-ban na itong mga telenovela ng mga foreigner at dapat ang mga artista nating Pilipino, na talagang may angking galing sa pag-arte, ay 'yun naman dapat ang ipalabas natin sa sariling bansa natin," he added.

Estrada emphasized that he had no plans to pursue any measure banning

Korean dramas in a statement to CNN Philippines on October 20, following the rapid backlash to the proposal.

Afterwards, he claimed that he just blurted this out "out of irritation" because the pandemic had already harmed many people in the local entertainment sector.

While acknowledging that he has "never viewed any episode of any Korean telenovela," Estrada claimed that he shares the opinions of others who have criticized some local productions for being of low quality and failing to appeal to the Filipino public.

But he added that he supports increasing the FDCPA budget to reward filmmakers and creatives for their topnotch work.

makes DGS return

CHRISTINE ALTHEA LABANDIA

BY

STORY

Gracean’s testimony led by Althesa Tariga, a Grade 10 student and the passing of legacies and acceptance of symbols.

Erika Peña, the JHS SAC president, passed the Key of Responsibility to Iman Bacungan, SAC secretary.

“Allow me to say that a great leader is not someone who never makes mistakes, but someone who is willing to take chances,” Peña said.

Next was the Book of Knowledge that was passed to Alyson Mata by

Julia Castillo; the Publication of Freedom that Kristina Czarina Trinidad turned over to Louise Ligson, and the Ball of Competence that Angelo Suarez gave to Kerzel Alcantara.

Emmanuel Caindec and Cyan Dimailig from Grade 9 were named Prom Prince and Princess, respectively. Recognition was also given to the new Prom King and Queen from Grade 10 namely Angelo Suarez and Javen Norris.

Safety protocol. DGS school guard Erickson De Jesus uses a metal detector in checking students who enter the campus.

Photo by Xela Andrea Ehong/TG

Giving back. King David Manghi of Grade 11Marx assists in the school’s Bigay Puso activity.

Photo from the DGS Facebook page

Glitz and glamor. Emmanuel Caindec and Cyan Dimailig from Grade 9 receive the Prom Prince and Princess titles from DGS principal Waldy Canalita.

Photo by Erika Mae Frechel Peña/TG

Graceans as thespians?

STORY BY KING DAVID MANGHI

It's ordinary to love the beautiful, but it's beautiful to love the ordinary.

Divine Grace School Principal Waldy Canalita was extremely amazed on how students improvised despite the lack of facilities during the 1st Semester (finals) performance task of Grade 12 students for Contemporary Arts, themed "Step Back to Centuries" last January 23.

She was inspired by the musical plays namely: Misis Fely: Nimfa ang pangalan; Love Actually; Parokya ng Euclid; and Kinaiya and after the performances she announced that the school will build a theater ground for all the Graceans. Canalita said the talent and the passion of the students are what motivates her to find ways to enhance their abilities.

"Bilib na bilib talaga ako sa kanila. Even the way they visualize iyong tipong kahit hindi fit iyong lugar natin for theater plays, na vi-visualize nila na maglagay ng kurtina rito at iba pa, they do see beautiful things on ordinary things,” Canalita said.

"We can conduct not only our play but also our meetings there, your forums, seminars, and training. Kailangan na kailangan ng SHS ang ganitong facility,” she added.

The administrators and staff are going to work on the building permits and other papers for this project this year.

The construction of the building will begin in the 2024–2025 academic year.

Handbook does not violate any right: Assistant Principal

STORY BY SHEREE HANNAH SERRANO

DIVINE Grace School has officially released the finalized copy of the student handbook which also includes the dress code. On its initial release, the student handbook was given alongside a “student diary” where students could write down their assignments, reminders, and more. This came along handy especially for reminding students of the rules to follow

while on campus.

It was ensured that the making of the handbook was thorough and concise. According to Assistant Principal Kristel Arceo, “The committee involved in the formulation of the handbook made sure that it does not violate any right that every student has.”

To add, she also made it clear that the faculty and administrators of DGS are not lenient with the rules and

regulations. They have assigned different departments to monitor each and every one of the rules to ensure that they are being followed, not only by students but also by faculty.

To break the rules would lead to what the school calls “sanctions”, and according to the handbook that has been approved and deliberated by the Discipline Committee, depending on the severity of your actions— this can lead up

School library underutilized?

STORY BY JUSTIN CODY SERRANO

EVER since the beginning of the academic year 2022-2023, the Divine Grace School library has been suffering from severe underutilization by its students and teachers. There is no incentive to visit the library because teachers don’t incorporate the library into their lesson plans, and students find it inconvenient to travel to the library when you can simply research online.

“Medyo tago iyong library sa DGS and hindi siya masyado nakikita ng mga students, dahil rin siguro doon kaya hindi nabibigyan ng pansin iyong facility,” Tristan Jacob Roa of 11-Marx said.

Due to the small size of the library, the school has a dedicated reading area just outside the library. Students are allowed to enter the reading area for any reason and stay for as long as they’d like, with the only requirement being a log-in at the library.

“Kaunti lang iyong mga students na bumibisita, karamihan pa ay pumpunta lang para mag-relax o magpalamig,” added Janna Althea Encarnacion of 11-Marx.

to either community service or suspension/expulsion.

Though, since the transition of the school modality from distance learning to blended learning, there have been some considerations in order to ease the students back into the campus.

Arceo said: “The full implementation of the student handbook shall be observed this coming AY since we will have full face-to-face classes.

Scribes flex might in District, Division tilts

STORY BY ERICA ALEXIS BOLAMBAO AND ALYSON MATA

THREE staffers of the The Graceans and Ang Patnubay bagged awards in the 2023 Quezon City Division Secondary Schools Press Conference last Feb. 18, 25, and March 4 at San Francisco High School.

Managing editor Julia Sofia Castillo of 10-Amethyst was hailed as champion in sportswriting, while associate editor King David Manghi of 11-Marx copped 5th place in Pagsulat ng Balitang Pampalakasan.

Senior high school Editor-in-Chief Francesca Alexis Amor Luya of 12-Euclid also placed 10th place in feature writing in the return of face-toface campus journalism confabs participated in by around 50 public and private schools in QC.

Castillo is set to compete in this year’s Regional Schools Press Conference

on June 6 at Rizal High School in Pasig.

A total of 25 winners— 18 in the individual contests and seven in group categories, emerged victorious in the District Secondary Schools Press Conference hosted by DGS last December 10 and January 7.

“The whole world is facing a dilemma because of the pandemic. Sadly, some schools closed, but thankfully we are getting back to normal. COVID is slowly fading away, but the spread of fake news is something we can’t fade,” DGS

Principal Waldy Canalita said in her welcome remarks.

“We don’t know what is true and what is not true. There is a lot of fake news around, but “bilang pag-asa ng bayan,” mag-research before mag-share and siyempre bago basahin at ikalat, dapat facts, because being a journalist is

making your own voice.”

The winners in the district meet were: Sportswriting: Castillo (1st place), Pagsulat ng Balitang Pampalakasan, Manghi (4th place) and Athea Keisha Geocallo (9th place), Mobile Journalism (English): Mikaela Lorraine Weerakoon (5th place) and Kaitlin Joyce Dionisio (10th place), Newswriting: Christine Althea Labandia (3rd place), Pagsulat ng Balita: Georgie Dominguez (9th place), Pagsulat ng Editoryal: Manghi (4th place), Pagsulat ng Lathalain: Janna Althea Encarnacion (4th place) and Erica Alexis B. Bolambao (9th place), Feature Writing: Francesca Alexis Amor Luya (9th place), Pagsulat ng Agham: Althesa Jennifer Tariga (5th place), Science Writing: Don Aaron Dave Ardenio (6th place), Photojournalism: Xela Andrea Ehong (10th place), Pagkuha ng Larawan: Lindsay Arellano

(7th place) and Erika Frechel Mhae Peña (10th place), Copy Reading and Headline Writing: Justin Cody Serrano (10th place), Individual Highest Pointer in Filipino: Manghi (3rd place); Radio Broadcasting (English): 2nd place Overall, Best in Infomercial, 3rd place, Best in Script, Weerakoon: 1st place, Best Anchor, Irene Arroyo: 1st place in Technical Application, Precious Jana Molleda: 2nd place, Best News Presenter, Radio Broadcasting (Filipino): Rianne Corpin: 2nd place, Best Technical Application, and Collaborative Desktop Publishing (English): and Luya: 3rd place, Best Features Page. DGS also ranked 4th place in Top 10 performing schools in Filipino Journalism, 6th place in Top 10 performing schools in English Journalism, and 6th place in overall Top 10 performing schools.

Roa said a lot could be done to attract students to visit the library.

“Teachers should implement different activities and performance tasks na sa library lang mahahanap, for example specific books na sa library lang available, or mga fun and enjoyable activities na sa library lang accessible,” he said.

“Una, dapat i-transfer iyong library sa mas accessible area na mapapansin talaga ng mga students. Pangalawa, dapat i-promote din nila iyong library and magbigay ng mga activities or programs para mas maengganyo ang mga students na bumisita and gamitin ang library.”

JHS SAC officers prove worth

STORY BY GEORGIE DOMINGUEZ

VOICES and echoes of victory filled the room as Divine Grace School students welcomed the newly elected Student Administrative Council (SAC) officers after the election last October 3. The election consisted of two parties: Akbayan Partylist and Padayon Partylist.

Both sides’ goals were nothing but to give the best service and to voice as student- leaders in the JHS studentry.

As the school is integrated by a blended learning system, both party lists were able to showcase their platforms via room to room campaigns last September 29, together with their online campaign videos and materials.

The elected officers were Divina Niña Cerdeño as the Grade 7 Representative, Gianna Del Rosario as the Grade 8 Representative, Tanya Hipolito as the Grade 9 Representative, Kristina Trinidad as the Grade 10 Representative, Kimberly Moncada as the P.I.O, Jake Yutuc and Katrina Urbi as the Business Managers, John Kurl De Gana as an Auditor, Mayce Buenaventura as the Treasurer, Louise Ligson as the Asst. Secretary, Iman Bacungan as Secretary, Vince Louie Zara as Vice President, and Erika Peña as the JHS President. For the past months, they spearheaded events such as the Intramurals, Lightning of Torch, School Booths, Teacher's Day, Bigay Puso, and Program Presentations.

PEÑA

Soon to rise. DGS plans to build a theater for students aspiring to become stage play actors and actresses.

Photo by Xela Andrea Ehong/TG

Journalistic prowess. The Graceans lenswoman Lindsay Arellano competes in photojournalism in the Division Secondary Schools Press Conference.

Editor: Precious Janna Molleda

OpEd

Editor’s kiosk

Kristina Czarina Trinidad

That one girl

MY mirror was sculpted as a star, it was illuminated with bright string lights on its sharp edges, and I would stand for hours in silence, looking at myself from the other side. A wide face, button nose, patchy skin, dark circles that decorate the undereyes, unplucked thick brows, cracked lips, uneven featureswhat else? Oh, I hated myself. My hair was chopped and brittle, and I was constantly reminded of that. I was constantly reminded of my insecurities. Teased to the public eye. My phone displayed various women with pretty faces from the media. Almond eyes, flawless skin, straight and perfect noses- the perfect face ratio. I showed obsession. Cosmetic surgery really is the only way is it?

EDITORIAL

Once, there was hope

ONE nation, one spirit, one permanent handprint.

Who would’ve known Ferdinand Marcos was like two sides of a coin – a president and a dictator? After all, he was once viewed to be a man of his word, strong-willed and befitting to be the next righteous leader. When he first held that microphone, appearing before Congress, people finally began to dream.

This could be hope.

Make history, he said. Well, this is history.

The desire for a better country with a progressing economy and social development soon died down.

What might have been and what has been, point to one end. Which is always present. The Marcoses’ hell is the nation’s hell.

The Marcos administration created unsteadiness and doubts in journalism, news reporting, and news casting, as the flow of information was plagued by fear due to threats and cases of those who ought to go against the Marcoses and unveil the truth to the world.

He created a false sense of development in poverty and wholeheartedly stated that the poor people of the Philippines were getting better but in reality, there was still a gap between both the rich and the poor. No equal protection clause, no social justice. Deprived of human rights.

Filipinos then spent a decade fighting for the downfall of the strongman. The Marcoses were cold, divine, puritanical, and harsh.

When the term martial law rolls out one’s tongue, it still reeks of sinister to this day due to past stigma.

Money that profited from the growing economy during his era, was used for his reckless personal use, resulting in wasted potential. The country was buried in debt and dead bodies during his reign.

Anyone could start again. Not through love, but through revenge. Through the fire, people were born again. Peace by vengeance brings the end.

His final blow, his greatest dread - was a woman.

From the People’s Power Revolution to the Pink Revolution.

“But she’s just a woman.”

Leni Robredo, 57, former Vice President, economist, and human rights lawyer – a threat to the Marcoses, an-

nounced that she was running for the presidency in the 2022 national elections back in October 2021.

She’s a woman, not just a woman.

A woman who became the bridge between tangible realities, between the horizon and the trenches, between the futures envisioned, and the daily grind. Independent and influential who damned societal pressure.

A woman that raised others with her.

Men are scared of women who know the power, women who brim with intelligence, and women who can change the malevolence they normalized.

So, when she came with a torch in her hand when no light was present, They found hope.

A servant leader who gave the expectations of the Nation’s people and aspired for the country amidst the darkness. For once, they began to dream again.

Government funds were in good use during her term, and using these allotments in supporting projects despite the low budget she was given, she was still able to create results with it.

She represented organizations that supported children and women, promising transparent governance, and created a project that helped homeless families that were affected by storms, poverty, and the like.

She has a worthy track record and unblemished integrity. Her virtue of clean government is the standard.

There’s still hope. There’s still hope, “Please.”

It’s ironic that most of her supporters are minorities, and teens, yet, they’re the ones who understand. They’re the ones who showed practicality and maturity. But, since they’re not of legal age to vote, they stood with her as supporters.

Her downfall enraged many. She should have won. Even so, she couldn’t fight the sexist mindset of traditionalists, that women are weak and unfit for leadership. Machismo culture in the Philippines is here to stay. Just because Leni was a woman, she was looked down upon.

She was supposed to be the youth’s weapon against the restoration of the Marcos dynasty. The damage dealt with by this family was irreversible. His family cost families. The present still remains defiled. And now, they rule again. All

that “fighting for rights’’ for nothing. Everything was back to black. This alone should teach the government and Filipinos to wisely choose the next President-to-be, a figure with a good sense of judgment, not a screwed-up, brilliant million-dollar man.

This serves as a lesson. To avoid another series of murders and carnages. To raise the Filipino flag and decline being silenced. To realize that they have a voice and should not be subjected to acceptance of abuse. To stop the internalized misogyny, because in fact, there’s still no gender equality.

The President is the nation’s servant, not the other way around. Never let someone turn tables for their own benefit. The People’s Power Revolution is a great example of fighting for equal rights and freedom. Never forget.

It’s evident that Filipinos take a long time to realize and take action.

Set a high standard and ideology for a better country. The Philippines’ potential is still in discovery and recovery.

It was part of the past, but now, it’s the future. Still in the future.

Because, even after years, after blood was shed, after his deadly regime, his son now sits on the throne that was once his.

And, just like that, second thoughts came pouring along with regrets, questioning if this man was deserving of such a title, especially coming from a family with savage roots.

His successor, BongBong Marcos has yet to show his part in the change and development of the country, the people are not seeing what they want to see, and he’s yet to prove himself to get the benefit of the doubt.

“Give him a chance.” this is not a gamble, there’s a future on the line. The man didn’t even finish college. It’s all negative.

As long as his bloodline rules, remnants of him sit again. The lineage continues.

When they were finally presented with a proficient leader, they declined. Do they truly want what’s good for the country?

The best man for the job is a woman. And she is that woman. She was.

The Philippines remains stagnant. They truly are one nation, one spirit. It’s ugly. It’s ugly to see red again. There was never even hope to begin with.

Neither ugly nor beautiful. I was average when it came to looks. That type of girl you’d see on the streets and pay no mind, soon buried down to memory lane, not even remembering that she was there, because she’s just another face. It was a hard pill to swallow. I didn’t want that. I wanted more. More, more, more than just to be called that one girl.

I yearned to be the missing puzzle piece of today’s beauty standard. My mirror was sculpted as a star, ‘a star for a star’.

I was no star.

I wasn’t bright, I didn’t try at school, was socially irrelevant, I was just there. Standing five feet one in one sock, dressed in disheveled girl-child getup, I continued to ask myself. “What do I do?”

To be acknowledged in this school, you had to be known. Either categorized as the pretty face, the academically excellent, or the influential presence. I desired it all, I needed all of those titles. Popularity is the harsh reality. Maybe, if I was in their shoes, I’d be tasting the treatment they were being fed everyday.

Don’t you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You might not marry a girl just because she’s pretty, but my goodness doesn’t it help? And if you had a daughter, wouldn’t you rather she didn’t marry a poor man?

I could still recall the same

emotion I felt when I received that one comment, that I was gaining weight when I returned back from Christmas break. The dreadful grimace of clenched teeth, how my heart tightened, wishing that in a blink of an eye they’d laugh and say it was a joke. But no, that very moment was genuine. I was the joke.

I never got used to criticism about my body and my face. Who knew words cut deeper than the most prominent and sharpest knives?

It made me aware, and I looked at myself differently. I had always been looking at myself differently.

Maybe having a sweet tooth was my weakness.

So I starved myself. On good days, I’d be cutting off my food to little portions. On bad days, I will not eat. And everyday was a bad day. I didn’t pay much attention to it since I thought of it as a mere restriction, I didn’t even notice I was skin and bones in a span of six months- at the age of thirteen.

My mental health was no different. I was even more insecure, recovering is hard. I only had one mindset- if I gained weight again, I’d lose the standard of being considered attractive for being slim.

My menstrual cycle was late, I was always consumed by fatigue and my hair was thinning. I was diagnosed with anorexia. An ellipsis of a thousand thoughts drained my mind, not even taking notice towards his faint calls of worry and pity. I had to hear my father cry to make me come back to my senses that I was slowly killing myself.

I was in recovery.

I learned that beauty can get you anywhere. But true beauty is from within, which is rare. I wanted to be someone they didn’t want, to be someone they couldn’t have. The price I paid was almost losing myself— days were wasted. Days when I could’ve cherished myself. I’m back looking at my image through my mirror that was sculpted as a star.

I am the star. I am that one girland a special one.

The Graceans Editorial Board AY 2022-2023

Francesca Alexis Amor Luya (SHS) and Kristina Czarina Trinidad (JHS)

Associate Editors: King David Manghi, Erica Alexis Bolambao, and Louise Laurie Ligson

Managing Editors: Rianne Corpin, Georgie Dominguez, and Julia Sofia Castillo

Circulation Managers: Janna Althea Encarnacion, Lindsay Arellano, and Alyson Mata

Section editors and heads

News: Christine Althea Labandia

Features: Sheree Hannah Serrano

OpEd: Precious Jana Molleda

Science: Althesa Jennifer Tariga

Sports: King David Manghi and Julia Sofia Castillo

Chief Photojournalist: Xela Andrea Ehong

Chief Cartoonist: Radon Alimbon

Chief of reporters: Erika Frechel Mae Peña

Layout artist: Francesca Alexis Amor Luya

Radio Broadcasting team captain (English): Irene Arroyo

Radio Broadcasting team captain (Filipino): Rianne Corpin

TV Broadcasting team captain: Catherine Joy Esplana

Reporters: Fritzie Gello-ano, Athea Keisha Geocallo, Justin Cody Serrano, Mikaela Lorraine Weerakon, Tristan Jacob Roa, Jerick Dave Adoracion, Don Aaron Dave Ardenio, Kaitlin Joyce Dionisio, Janessa Joy Garcia, Vince Louie Zara, Luke Joaquin Raper, Vanna Chey Zarate, Emanuel Caindec, Marxialeen Andrea Marie Oida, Stephanie Sabado

School Paper Adviser: Mr. Michael Angelo Z. Jugado

Co-School Paper Adviser: Mr. Noli S. Alcoriza

Principal: Mrs. Waldy F. Canalita, MEM

Division Education Program Supervisor in Journalism (English): Mrs. Ma. Nimfa R. Gabertan

Letters to the Editors

Dear Editors,

Time management they say, how can I manage my time if they don’t even spare me some? During DGS events like JS Promenade, of course we were busy with rehearsals yet some teachers still gave us activities we were not exempted from. How can I truly enjoy my first and last JS Prom (since our grade 9 days were restrained by the pandemic) if I worry about the activities we need to pass immediately?

During review week for examinations, some teachers gave out activities too… I truly hope whenever they say “time management is the key'' they consider giving us the time we can manage.

Sincerely, A sleep deprived student

Dear Editors,

It doesn't even matter where I am, outside or inside the classroom, the heat is present everywhere. Our classroom has an air conditioner but we are not even allowed to open it! Even in the smallest step, I sweat a lot. Even if I don’t even move at all. Worse is that it is summer right now and instead of me being in a refreshing place, I am in a classroom with a closed air conditioner and a teacher telling us to close the window even if it is so hot. Students are always complaining how hot it is yet the only thing soothing (not exactly) us are two electric fans that do not even reach others. The weather is hot and so is my head.

Sincerely yours,

Sweaty armpits

JUST JANA

Precious Jana Molleda

How to do the 1-2-3 technique

Iwitnessed three kids do the 1-2-3 technique last year. Seeing it firsthand and intending to do it before, here are some tips I can give:

First tip: Be heartless. Do not support the jeepney drivers even though it is obvious that they are already having a hard time.

Second tip: Have no conscience. Ignore the voices that say they are suffering from your poor choices that would lead to them suffering even more.

Third tip: Be close-minded. Gaslight them. If they caught you, tell them it’s pointless to argue and fight for their rights and that they are communists.

It’s not just a kid or any passenger who does this. There are also people in power who fail to acknowledge how jeepney drivers work so hard and fail to support them for that hard work. They run away from their responsibility to give them the better life they promised, which they are obligated to do.

If you ask me, those people in power definitely do not need my tips on doing the 1-2-3 technique.

“Stop the car,” said my classmate to the jeepney driver, possessed with a spirit with the thickest face, her bashfulness leaving her body completely, after hearing announcements regarding the jeepney phaseout.

I was not Tinkerbell sized and I did not have the ability to float on their shoulders, nor do I have horns and tail and definitely not a halo, but I was definitely the one who whispered in her ear, that it might be the first and last time she could do something that ridiculous before the jeepneys were wiped out completely.

I am witnessing how the country is getting on its knees.

The country is led by a President who answered “four pesos” when asked what the minimum jeepney fare was in 2016, making me question how someone could lead a country he isn’t familiar with.

Co-led by a Vice President who said last March, that the strike was pointless – people fighting for their rights are pointless, giving me qualms about how someone who invalidates people could lead her countrymen.

The country is led by blind au-

CHief’s POV

AN INVISIBLE LINE

THE Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 49 encourages teaching personnel to “avoid relationships, interaction, communication, including following social media with learners outside of the school setting, except if they are relatives.” This was issued on November 2, 2022, in prevention of criminal cases among teachers and students occurring.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, at the time, emphasized the importance of drawing a line between teachers and students. However, that was not the case for my class.

On October 28, 2022, the senior high school intramurals were held. In this event, each strand had a dance performance that lasts for 10 minutes. Every strand adviser was there, but the ABM’s.

During the weeks of preparation for booths, performances, and programs– school works and activities were maintained. Thus, many students from my strand requested deadline extensions and rescheduling of multiple activities. The is-

COMMENTARY

BREATHE in. Breathe out. The people were free.

Breathe in. Breathe out. The people are free.

Breathe in. Breathe out. There was no war.

sue did not start there.

For one activity, where my class had developed grades lower than we had anticipated, we inquired our teacher regarding rubrics, for she did not give onein subtle hopes of knowing where we can improve and where we went wrong. Our teacher did not take it kindly.

You don’t hear stories like this often– where a simple question leads to a teacher threatening her students and forcibly making them sign a contract, one that requires the students to silence themselves. This same contract stopped my classmates and me from having food when the school canteen was closed. This same contract stopped us from reaching out to our family- just because the document existed. This same contract required us to keep all that had happened to us as a class to ourselves–so that the teacher’s name would be clear. This same contract called us evil.

I was absent that day— so not until this moment, everyone had stayed quiet. And it was all because a teacher crossed the line.

King of kings

King David Manghi

Phase of diversity

IF you had to choose between the past and the present, how would you respond?

Would you prefer those who have already been proven reliable, or would you take the risk and side with those who are fresh and can add to the culture and accomplishments of our inang paaralan?

Old vs. New…

"Very open tayo for changes, because as a leader kailangan natin maging open minded but mayroong talent na maibibigay ang mga bagong dating pero mas maraming talent [na maibibigay] yung nandito na (old students)." – Ma'am Waldy F. Canalita

thorities who see through no citizen’s eyes and promised a better life.

They are on their knees, in front of an altar made solely of riches. The flashy money blinds their already closed eyes, refusing to see the state of our jeepney drivers who wish to be seen. Coins clinking on the floor, deafening their already covered ears, refusing to hear the voices of the citizens who are suffering.

I am one of the students who use jeepneys to reach school (sometimes with a heavy heart) or get away from school (always with a rejoicing heart). Knowing that modernization would have a domino effect, leading to the increase in fare and many other necessities, whether going to school or going home, I would always have a heavy heart.

I cannot imagine not having flying hair strands (she was definitely using Sunsilk shampoo) on my face from the lady beside me any longer. Will I still hear the “Pusong bato remix version” with blue and violet LED lights on during late-night jeepney rides?

Every time I go out and commute, I cannot help gazing at the people I am encountering, then wonder, are they taking into their consideration our jeepney drivers who would not be able to afford the modernization they are going to execute? How they would lose their jobs when they earn less than the way they work hard.

How about the teachers, students, and every commuter who are barely hanging on by a thread due to the constant fare increase? How about my parents who work hard to give me money to get to school only for it to not be enough when the time comes?

But I am not on my knees.

I am standing straight, chin held up high, hands never getting tired of writing, the voice never silencing, as I speak louder for them not to be able to ignore the people any longer, for them to see how our fight is not pointless. How our jeepney drivers fight is the fight of everyone as well. They should get out of their cars, face and attach themselves again to reality, and see the sufferings they are trying to worsen.

“Stop the car,” is what I would say to privileged leaders.

Breathe in. Breathe out. What has not happened cannot leave a scar.

Every year, we celebrate the freedom that over 30 million people do not believe happened. They speak of the freedom Filipinos faced against themselves, not the government.

But every breath we inhale is a gift given by our people. Every exhale is a grace bestowed upon the past generations. Each stride comes with a blessing resting on our shoulders. And each step backward brings upon fragments of our past.

We are showered with an ocean of freedom- each wave a proof of a sourcea source that continues to creep over the pain that compels itself to still stay today. So why must we dive into it without breathing when such freedom should not kill us- as it is there to keep us swimming?

Just recently, the moon pulled its strings again and called on the tides. February 24 has become a holiday in acknowledgment of People Power day. The news crashed like a giant wave. A greater vision brought back to slam at the shore- one that rests on the sand and quintessence of how everything was real.

It came like a puzzle piece hidden for so long- never acknowledged nor looked for. It’s like the counterargument to a losing game that secures the win. A breath of fresh air.

But I doubt my grandmother would say otherwise. She would see no significance in this wave- this vision- this winning piece. She would stand in the middle of the sea as she damps in the compelling pain.

She would say no amount of acknowledgment is acknowledgment as it is spoken and addressed- slipped word for word.

She would bring about how even such words would not overpower the unearthly cries of the nation before as the people fought for their lives and families.

She would tell the story of how each bleeding man and child in her neighborhood died like they were her own family. She would speak of the lives that could have been if almost all had not been lost. She would keep breathing this

ocean of misery until her tears come to break its surface tension and take over her body.

But somewhere along her peaceful yet dreadful swim, she would talk about forgiveness. She talks about how we can dive without breathing- just for a few seconds- to breathe better the next time we do.

She would call that part of the ocean much quieter than the surface above, and hopelessly say “what happened has happened.” The ocean, after all, is much more than memory. It is an endless fight against the oppressors.

This same fight, however, has also become a fight amongst ourselves.

Breathe in. Breathe out. It was a fight against power. Breathe in. Breathe out. It is a fight against power.

Through many prayers, we have asked for forgiveness. In many prayers, we have come back stronger. And with many prayers, we have been taught how to forgive.

Although it has been decadesour people did not tear their skin, tire their bones, and cripple their throats for such a profound war to be forgotten with a mere exchange of a holiday. But just as the sea calms, we must forgive. We should allow ourselves to dive in afraid to breathe, where every inhale does not bring in a war inside our heads and every exhale does not ignore what has happened. We should allow ourselves to forgive with no pain forgotten. We should allow ourselves to nosedivefor as long as we can feel the ocean kissing our flesh, we know it is there.

For in every story, we are taught to tell. For in every dreadful swim, we are taught peace. For in every prayer, we are taught to forgive. Though we cannot make one God beg for the forgiveness of our people, we can pull the moon to alter the tides and forgive those who have wronged us.

And once again.

Breathe in, Breathe out. The people were not free.

Breathe in. Breathe out. The people are free.

Breathe in. Breathe out. There was a war.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Only reality can leave a scar.

And one last nosedive so we never forget.

Irish Bermudez, 36, is a bar and restaurant owner and the sister of TG SHS EiC Francesca Alexis Amor Luya.

The population of Divine Grace School consists of 1,111 students, and 33% of them are newcomers mostly found in the senior high school department.

In previous competitions, marketing, and many other events, the contribution and effort of all the students are equal. There was no bad blood or spite between our brothers and sisters.

I can definitely confirm that this school has created an excellent supporting structure that even novices can easily adjust to after only a few months poking around the school's many corners and edges. I firmly believe that transferees, like me and many others, have a lot to contribute. Did you know that 46% of the prizes at the most recent district press conference came from the senior high school department? These were full of students who were new to the system, and yet they made a significant contribution to the school's successes.

Bigger. Better. Brighter. Change is inevitable and growth is optional.

This was all I heard this academic year. All the staff and admins kept parroting these three simple words. "Bigger, better, and brighter." They were proud of all these new facilities, the improved quality of education, and a brighter future for everyone. But for all the miracles they've granted to us students, in the end they put the most value on the students who've resided here the longest.

How does that make you feel?

Growth is something that you attain by embracing distinction, learning from the past, and attaining equity to all aspects in life.

To be honest, change was never in my comfort zone. It was hard trying something new and surrounding myself with people I've never met. But I genuinely believe that curiosity is a virtue. New faces can contribute a lot, you just need to give them a chance.

Revised hymn and tagline

I personally believe that attaining unity through diversity will be a difficult test, but the results of this development would be beautiful.

If you had to choose between the past and the present, how would you respond?

Would you prefer those who have already been proven reliable, or would you take the risk and side with those who are fresh and can add to the culture and accomplishments of our inang paaralan?

As a new student, we must join hand in hand. Here in DGS, winners are not only born but they are also made with love and passion.

Franchesca Alexis Amor Luya

Nosedive Irish Bermudez

ROVING EYE

LOUISE LAURIE LIGSON

SAcrifice

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."

– Lao Tzu.

Sometimes when I hear this quote, it truly makes me doubt if it is true. Is it truly a way to be a good leader if the people you are serving don't even know that you are there? Is it really being a good leader if people doubt their decision of choosing you?

To be a Student Administrative Council Officer or SAC Officer, you must jump through hoops as small as an eye of a needle.

First, you must gather other students from other grade levels to make a party list because you can't run as an individual candidate. Second, you, together with your party list, must submit an application form containing essay questions about your qualifications and experiences to be allowed to campaign, but it doesn't stop there. After that, is to be interviewed by the administrators and the future SAC Adviser with no specific schedule so you'll have to wait for 2 to 3 hours just to meet them. Next, plan the platforms you're going to present to the students. Fourth, edit your campaign materials, your line-ups, and your platform videos. Last, is campaigning.

Campaigning is the most crucial part as you will convince the students who will decide if all of your efforts will come to fruition or it will rot and no one will know the blood, sweat, and tears you've given.

In the three years that I've served Graceans as a part of the SAC, there's a common phrase that you'll hear during campaigns: "They're all talk."

You can't blame students for saying that because in almost every year that a new council is elected, only two to five platforms out of 15 or more are fulfilled. For a normal student, it might

sound disappointing, but from the point of view of an SAC officer, even having three platforms approved is a miracle.

Most students don't know the struggle just for the admins to give attention to SAC. Staying up late writing a proposal that they won't even read. And if they do, it'll take one and a half weeks to discuss the contents of the proposal or receive a response from them. All of those struggles just for them to reject it without discussing the reasons.

Some of these proposals were read late, that's why it's passed the date that they should be executed, but the fault should not be passed to the officers.

One of the duties of a student leader is to empower their followers. In our case, it's our fellow students. How can we do so, if the platforms that we try to implement to help students find joy in learning were blocked, rejected, and ignored?

How much do we need to sacrifice just for our voices to be heard? How much more?

They say that leaders are people who know the way, show the way, and lead the way, but how can we do so, when there's no way?

It's like being stuck in a catch-22 situation when all you need is a little more room to provide a service that surpasses the title that was given.

I remember that before we were elected, we were instructed that we will get no recognition nor benefits from being an SAC Officer. The greatest gift they can give the SAC is the gift of integrity to their fellow students. Let them be true to their words.

“For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself then he has naught. Not to say the things that he truly feels and not the words of someone who kneels. Let the record show I took all the blows and finally, did it my way.” - My Way, Frank Sinatra

IN RETROSPECT

Georgie Dominguez

LACK OF GRACE

YOU know it's not the same as it was.

Ever since the pandemic started, things changed in the blink of an eye,— like you didn't even know the place you once called home.

Unlike before, our school Divine Grace School used to have fun with celebrations and programs such as Campus Jam, Mr. & Ms. Intramurals, Outbound Trip, School Fair, Endless booths, Student retreat, and fun runs.

Opportunities to express your self-interest on the campus also became limited because of the sudden elimination of extracurricular activities offered like Citizen Army Training (CAT) and school's endless clubs.

The school's spirit faded just like that— like a dark gray all along.

Being a student is one of the first steps to learn and grow physically, mentally, socially, and independently. The absence of the school could make a student lose their experience to enjoy their high school life.

How can we know ourselves better when we are trapped in this tiring and exhausting educational system?

SPARKPLUG

Julia Sofia Castillo

“I was a girl in the village doing all right. Then I became a princess overnight

Now I gotta figure out how to do it right;

So much to learn and see!”

Oh, how sweetly she sings along to the early Saturday morning opening theme of her favorite television show. First disappointment. First child. First in everything. She is always first, according to them.

In the sweltering, bustling Divisoria area, she chose to inform her mother to open her arms to the world as her mother was purchasing clothing. Her mother gave birth to a baby girl on May 7, 2007, at 5:08 p.m. in the Quezon Memorial Medical Center. She was happy and nervous about what the future held. Father was initially dissatisfied since he didn't like her; he said, "Is it really a girl, should’ve been a boy."

A young child, had a very challenging upbringing as she didn't meet her father until she was five years old. Her mother has battled to provide for her needs as her mother is solely dependent on her father. A young girl with a devoted mother who is keen to teach her everything.

Time went by, her father returned, supported her and her mother, and enrolled her at Divine Grace School, which was her first school. Yet, from a young age, she was brought up in a world of conflict and saw fights and disputes that a young child couldn't have witnessed.

Everything went well… or she thought. No one anticipated that Thursday afternoon of December 14, 2018, would be the day when she would despise December and realize there would never be a merry Christmas.

Unspoken emotions of loss, hurt, and destruction. How could a child who was just having fun and being innocent experience a horrible moment? They found an angel.

Everything is still vivid, a haze from yesterday with still-open wounds. When she tells that story, she still sheds one tear after another.

A borrowed gift, she thought.

SOFIA THE FIRST

Yet, they went on with their lives because they had to. She imagines him as his tiny amulet and believes, she can do anything to gain his admiration.

Ever since the beginning, she has been under pressure. Proud. She wants them to feel that way, or perhaps they want her to make them feel something more? She can only prioritize academic validation because that is how she was raised. They said, "be the first." Did she? She graduated from elementary school in 2018-2019 with the honor of class valedictorian. She grinned as she heard cheers and praise. But the terror is hidden beneath that smile. Worry that there will be more pressure, and she is right.

They anticipate her to be the best in high school life! First in everything— rankings, leadership, everything. She tried, but she was exhausted and drowning. Oh, surely not exhaustion. "Make us proud"— sure, she has to do it constantly.

Her life has been a regimen of school, home, and school house. She is so worn out, yet she is surviving. She tried her best to be the perfect daughter, but she frequently failed. Despite this, she kept trying since life is hard sometimes.

Storms and stumbling blocks— why can't she be happy once again?

She continued to strive for extracurricular validation since she felt that academic validation alone was insufficient, so she decided to participate in volleyball practices in order to satisfy the desires of her mother. The feeling of being in a new setting, however, finally appealed to her after moving to a new community.

Yet it wasn’t enough….They want more.

Writing…. She seems to enjoy writing. Journalism? Should she give it a shot? She vowed to do it with no regrets. But the first attempt was nothing special; after straining her eyes and staring at the laptop for an interminable period of time, she gave up.

Seconds are enchanted. She gave it another shot and concluded that it was a good concept. It's strange that she's having a good time in the club where she's the most anxious. She is doing it properly

POPULI VOX

The lack of grace will have an inability to reach not only the student's satisfaction but also the other's satisfaction. The satisfaction that once raised our standards.

Many parents don't consider these topics as they only want to focus on the education system that the school can give, but the student's overall school experience will be a part of their life as a whole someday and the school should play their part by prioritizing their community's facilities and ability to give a good experience.

Because it feels like we're missing something out there.

Something… big,

Something big that'll be in our "what if" someday.

All this makes you question yourself if everything will be fun when you switch schools, or will there be so much more out there in this limited environment.

And we'll never know the answer unless we step out of this environment, of this environment lacking of grace.

1. Was Marcos' first year satisfactory?

On Marcos's 1st year of presidency, I feel like he could've done more to let his presence known. To be completely honest I didn't feel like the president did things for the country and I feel like he could've done more— but on the bright side, he has 5 more years. I know that he can adjust to his position and I know that he'll be keeping his promises. Hopefully he brings the Philippines back to the top of SEA.

— Ace Buenaventura, 9-Opal

this time.

Who would have guessed that her passion for athletics could bring her to a more positive door that would present her with a fresh chance? Although her school paper adviser did, she never saw any potential in herself. She started putting effort into her training since she wanted to grasp and comprehend the sports writing industry, just like her SPA did.

Competition. Since then, she has remained bashful, and her parents never anticipated that in her fourth year of high school, she would be more involved in competing. She truly had no motivation to participate and represent. Though she did. Attending her first district competition was not as intimidating as she had anticipated; she just wanted to enjoy herself. She learned from it and applied the lesson to the present despite the fact that it was incredibly stressful and she failed to do the task for her second category.

FIRST! She holds the No. 1 spot in Sports Writing. Upon receiving her first medal and certificate, she ran onto the platform of her alma mater, shocked, happy, and terrified. Unbeknownst to everybody, as she received and smiled something in her heart began to light up. She was eager to battle for a second time and was filled with determination. Division. She has no idea what will happen but is concentrating on her training to obtain the greatest article she possibly can. And after several revisions, exhausting hand and head labor, each training...

First again! Still fascinated and puzzled. It was funny how her buddies cried, but she didn't. She laughed as she continued to wonder how and why, but she would always be grateful to her parents, her friends, and her SPAs who were among the first to support her.

Sofia the first indeed! It was said. Laughing through the phrase while being aware that they will result in more pressure, but it's okay-she has to, so I assume she'll have to live with it forever. With her world getting bigger, “Now I gotta figure out how to do it right; So much to learn and see!”

2. Are you in favor of abolishing

K to 12?

K–12 adds two extra years to our high school experience. Some claim that it helps us further increase the quality of our education and that it aids in our college course and strand selection. On the other hand, there will be increased costs, as well as for years of study. While some people may favor abolishing the K–12 system, I personally go against it. But it is already in use and being noticed. This may be our opportunity to raise the standards of education in the Philippines.

3. On barangay and SK elections

Barangay and SK elections should be taken more seriously. It might just be me, but I do not really sense people taking interest in barangay and SK elections, I began to think people think lowly of its role in the country. Some people fail in participating in these kinds of responsibilities. Every position in politics should be taken seriously for it is relevant.

Who would have guessed that her passion for athletics could bring her to a more positive door that would present her with a fresh chance?

“Every position in politics should be taken seriously for it is relevant”

— Eldrich Dycon Galima, 10-Amethyst

— Cassandra Plantilla, 10-Onyx

PRESS CORPS

RIANNE CORPIN

MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW BEST

FAMILY. Betrayal. Broken trust. What would you do if someone that you trusted so dearly, someone you thought would never snitch, betray and break your trust… go ahead and do it anyways?

What would you feel if that person who betrayed you was practically your mother?

Math examinations are a spe-

How do you respond?

How do you respond to your own mother backstabbing you?

She was smiling so softly while talking to them, acting like she didn’t do anything wrong.

cial kind of test that makes students tremble every quarter. Alas, they have no choice but to take it anyway, or they will drop out of school and fail.

Fail… Haha…

A Senior High School Math

Teacher of Divine Grace School almost failed a substantial number of students

that “cheated” during their first quarter exam. Graceans were not safe from his wrath.

The first quarter Math exam became the unforgettable horror of students alike, as they felt their grades were in grave danger. The pressure was so great that some students resorted to coping via humor. You’ve heard students joke about cheating since the dawn of time.

However, one innocent joke was taken seriously by the mother. She saw a post on Facebook which she believed was related to some “cheating issue” from one of her children, and immediately snitched it to all the teachers without knowing that those remarks were purely satirical.

To the students that were associated with the post, it was a living nightmare. The scandal spread like wildfire to every corner of the school, and the students became the center of attention.

Do you want to know the worst part? She *lied* to her children. She never revealed that she was the one that discovered the post. Shocked. Heartbroken. Backstabbed.

How do you respond? How do you respond to your own mother backstabbing you? She was smiling so softly while talking to them, acting like she didn’t do anything wrong. But, behind that smile, lied a pretentious snake. Breakdown. Anxiety. Depression.

This was all these students- nay, victims felt. The teachers placed heavy blocks on their shoulders, all because of one innocent joke. They were so close to dropping out of school too. A lot of peo-

EN GUARD

JANESSA JOY GARCIA

ple hated them. They felt hopeless facing the endless judging and bullying. As if they knew the full story!

They cried, cried, and cried. They had never experienced something so tragic and draining. But what hurt the most was knowing who caused this.

At times like these, where was their mother? The one who was supposed to be their safe place? The one who was supposed to protect them from harm? The one who should have understood them? The one who was supposed to be their light? Where was she? She was gone. She lied.

Truthfully, Math isn’t really my strongest subject. I’ve struggled and cheated a number of times. I’ve even joked about my actions here and there. But that doesn’t mean I don’t work hard for my grades too…

And knowing that someone backstabbed me? Without knowing if it was actually true or not?

That hurt like hell. They judged me without knowing the full story. This person that I felt so close to. This person that I thought I could trust and respect with all my heart.

But what can I say? This world is dominated by the pretentious. In order to identify the trustworthy, we need to experience pain, heartbreak and betrayal first.

While talking to the people who experienced the tragedy first hand, one question stood out to me. I could feel the pain in their voices as they all asked…

“Why did you betray us, mother?”

Sharpened Jealousy

THEY say that school is our second home, and a home gives us that feeling of safety. But, how can we feel safe, when these kinds of incidents happen in schools?

Last January 27, Divine Grace School announced a metal detector implementation in the High School Department.

It was when a student from Culiat High School in Quezon City got stabbed by another student and was dead on arrival. Based on the initial investigation, the reason for the incident was because the culprit’s girlfriend gave money to the victim and the culprit felt jealousy towards the victim.

The mayor of Quezon city, Joy Belmonte said that she was “saddened and horrified” by the incident.

“I have ordered concerned offices of the city government to extend the necessary assistance to the victim’s family. We also assure the victim’s family that a thorough investigation will be conducted,” Belmonte said in a statement.

“The Schools Division Office is requested to review security protocols in schools and implement additional measures if warranted to avoid a repeat of such incident,” she added.

Because of this, the metal detector was added for security in DGS.

But this wasn’t really helping.

Those students that use school service don’t undergo metal detectors to check if they have sharp objects in their bag since school service always drops the students inside the school premises.

Moreover, when entering the school, the security personnel doesn’t even try to inspect every student just to make sure that no sharp objects can pass through, which means, they could easily sneak a dangerous weapon inside, without anyone knowing.

Another thing, the Metal Detector Implementation was only applied to the High School Department, based on the announcement released by the admins.

They should also apply it in the Pre-school, Lower, and Upper Grade School Departments, so the safety would be fair for everyone. The priority of the school shouldn’t only be the quality of the education they give to every student, but also, they should give protection for their well-being, too.

As a human, before doing something, you should think twice and be wise instead of letting your own feelings get over you.

At this point, it isn’t only the sharp objects that can hurt one another— but our emotions too.

And from what I’ve experienced and heard, a lot of things happen in the school.

There were times where a teasing became a fist fight, and some were sent to the hospital because of the brutality that happened.

There was a former student that hurt his classmates and teachers because of his anger issues.

I was almost his victim, and remembering that particular memory was the scariest thing that happened to me. He was about to hurt me, but thankfully, he was stopped by a teacher assigned at that time.

It makes me wonder, what about those teachers and students he already hurt? It must’ve been more than traumatizing compare to what I’ve experienced.

Controlling your emotions isn’t a bad thing to do. Be mindful of what you do so that you can hurt no one as sometimes, our feelings are the weapon that make us hurt someone, whether intentional or unintentional.

It is also in the intention of the person who holds the knife that determines your safety.

I really wish that no more children would worry for their safety when going to school. Someday, every school will improve their method in protecting everyone, so that no more mothers and fathers would shed tears for the death of their child.

Christine Althea Labandia

LIBRARY HUNTING

AS someone who has a heart for a fictional romantic story, I have read a scene wherein someone's love story starts inside the library. I fell in love reading it. However, it was the opposite in reality. Let me tell you why. I have never heard of a student in our school finding love in the library. It was consistently peaceful, as a library ought to be.

To me, our school's library is like a place to search for hidden treasure. It is hidden, but also not. I admit that I am relieved to find it sometimes empty so that I can appreciate it on my own. I do, however, feel bad because there is so much stuff available in the library that students can use whenever they need them.

The first time in this school year that I came to the library was when the school reminded us about it.

When my friends and I came to the library, it was the first time that I had seen the library fully booked by the Graceans.

It was not a problem though, because the book librarian opened the next library for us.

The second time that I visited the school library, I was surprised that it was already empty. It was different from the first time I visited. I did not mind it, maybe it was just not the time that people came to visit it.

However, the next was still the

same, and the next, and until the last time I visited it.

Sometimes, I feel like students seem to forget that there is a library. I sometimes wonder why, too bad no one is in it, as it is relaxing and really nice to visit. It is also a help for the students to meditate and rest their minds.

It is a privilege that me and my friends get to enjoy the library. It’s our go to place when we need peace to film for projects or finish our tasks.

I have mentioned that the library in our school was like a treasure to hunt, because we did not know that the books that we gave up looking for are just there. Unless, we think of going to the library, we will never find the book we’re looking for.

We were so close, yet so far from finding it when we needed it because we never think of looking for it in the library— because we never see it in front of us.

When we no longer need it, we just begin to find it.

Like a map that will lead you to the treasure, signs, and directions which are big help to us. I believe that it will guide us to the treasure we are looking for.

While we may not find love that starts at the library like in the movies, we have at least located one book about it.

“I found it!” from a friend, as we move in the path that will take us to the library we are hunting.

PROBER

SHEREE HANNAH SERRANO

Blood-Stained Dress

WHAT a bummer, just one of those days, isn’t it?

I can’t be too moody, I can’t complain and whine at random people, and God forbid, I ever give the slightest attitude - let’s be for real, it wasn’t really about how I felt. It was always how uncomfortable the talk made other people, so I should learn how to shut my mouth and have some shame, never speak up and set unhealthy boundaries for myself because some people are too immature to understand how the human body works.

A blood-stained dress isn’t uncommon for girls like me, it’s just that time of the month when you’re reminded that you aren’t pregnant, yet. Probably, in the worst way possible, however— yikes, I don’t really want to experience that, I can barely even swallow tablets. How am I going to survive those 9 months? But, what really gets my gears running is how people act like going through this cycle is something to be ashamed of.

It’s almost like any menstruation-related products on campus are ancient artifacts, a fossil lost in the depths of the world. In all seriousness, however, being on your period while at school is such a hassle.

The accessibility of the products we need such as tampons, napkins, etc.., is practically non-existent to put it simply.

There’s nowhere you can buy it on campus, so if you’re unlucky and have your cycle start in the middle of class, I hope you brought a jacket to cover that

up, even if the clinic does own a few packs. It’s too much of a hassle to change in the bathrooms;

Arguably, it’s not sanitary and cramped.

What more if the school decides to start up full face-to-face classes? You’d have to endure those long hours on edge, constantly, checking behind there just to make sure you didn’t bleed through your skirt.

Not to mention the pain you’re bound to experience while on your period. Did you know that cramps feel like heart attacks? But, you’re meaning to tell me that we’re expected to suck it up and fake a smile just because it’s too awkward to tell people that your random mood swings are caused by something too “unsettling” to mention around boys.

A blood-stained dress isn’t uncommon for girls like me, which is why I’d really hope that they did something more to help in assisting us, whenever we’re in need. We can’t always be expected to be ready for that time of the month because not everyone has regular cycles, and not everyone is carrying around menstrual items for themselves.

As a 14-year-old, I can barely even tell my friends about my situation, let alone my teachers. I’ve grown so accustomed to just dealing with it and I am grateful that my cycle always started before I went to school. But, just imagining what the others have to go through? It sends shivers down my spine.

But, behind that smile, lied a pretentious snake.

RETURN OF FACE-TO-FACE

WE have sat on our chairs almost 8 hours a day, exposed to a four-cornered screen, just to learn for the past three years.

Isn’t it great to have a breath of fresh air and to finally see the world slowly going back to the way it was?

As we slowly, but surely, emerge from the pandemic, many aspects of our lives are returning to some semblance of normalcy. Most notably, the return of face-to-face interactions is a welcome change for many people who have grown tired of endless video calls and virtual meetings.

There’s no denying that technology has facilitated remote communication in unprecedented ways over the past year or so. However, there’s still something to be said for the power of face-to-face conversations. The energy and nuance of an in-person discussion

There’s no denying that technology has facilitated remote communication in unprecedented ways over the past year or so. However, there’s still something to be said for the power of face-to-face conversations. The energy and nuance of an in-person discussion simply can’t be replicated by even the most advanced video conferencing software.

simply can’t be replicated by even the most advanced video conferencing software.

Beyond that, students are simply feeling burned out from the constant barrage of screens and digital communication. The pandemic has made it abundantly clear just how much time we spend staring at our computers, phones, and tablets. The ability to have an in-person chat without feeling tethered to a screen is a refreshing change of pace.

So some students were really glad when Divine Grace School suggested blended learning as a solution wherein some days they learn online, but other days they interact face-to-face.

If the choice were up to you, would you rather go back to face-to-face learning? Or stay studying online?

SHEEP

AARON LAMBIQUIT ARDENIO

Bigger. brighter. better.

LIKE the wind that continuously blows, Like the river that forever flows, Change is constant; everything grows.

CHANGE IS CONSTANT

Dian has spent nearly half her life at Divine Grace School, she had experienced a lot of things there. She had laughed, been hurt, accomplished things, been excited, shed tears, and learned lessons in school.

SUB-EDITORIAL

PRESSED FREEDOM

JUST as the students freely express themselves on the school premises, the word freedom never showed up once in the school’s student handbook.

The student handbook established in 2019 included minor, major, serious, and very serious offenses that came with their corresponding sanctions or consequences. It also included the school’s standards for students in how they must represent themselves and how they must act. This includes not allowing the students to wear earrings, chokers, caps, and other inappropriate accessories. Students are also not allowed to wear makeup and dye their hair.

Many of the rules and offenses mentioned in the handbook, students do not abide by. At the same time, many of the regulations and standards imposed by the school, students force themselves not to abide–for the sake of keeping something that makes them feel more confident in their skin.

The pandemic started on March 11, 2020. The school administrators have not revised this handbook, which was released a year before the outbreak.

We believe there should be a new student handbook where students who conduct offenses will be held accountable, and those who wish to represent themselves can appropriately express themselves without punishment.

Multiple times, students have abused the school’s rules beyond grooming and physical representation– yet they were not punished. These range from disrespectful behavior (such as howling, booing, and the like) to teachers threatening their students to students slandering the school’s, their classmates’, and teachers’ names online.

These students have walked their way through the past year, while those who have not once committed an offense have gotten tagged for wearing a pair of earrings, or for the natural brown shade of their hair, or for wearing sandals during days where no classes and voluntary attendance were imposed.

Alongside this, is the lack of awareness of the students regarding the student handbook. In some sections, the copy was distributed through the students’ emails only without formal announcement– and even those who had been aware have not read the 75-page booklet.

How can the students restrict themselves from committing offenses or freely represent themselves if they have not been briefed? Many students do not reach out to the appropriate authorities due to the same reason. They, too, normalize the wrongdoings of others just because they didn’t know. They, too, come to hopelessly tolerate their peers just because no rightful action or punishment would stop them. Again, they get to walk away.

From another perspective, why must the stu-

dents follow a handbook that was established four years ago– three of which were timed with the pandemic and transition to online classes?

Many things have changed since then.

Restrictions on air conditioning, not wearing face masks, and some new facilities and rules had not been made included in the student handbook. This leaves room for parents and students to question the school. In multiple instances, the students’ parents or guardians have complained.

Outdated regulations and abused offenses together, lead us to ask the question: What is the purpose of the student handbook– when it mainly focuses on the grooming habits of the students and how they must present themselves?

The institution argues that they are requiring the students to groom based on the school’s standards above all else to encourage professionalism and to prepare the students in their future careers. However, accessories, hair dyes, and strict haircuts only prepare certain students for the corporate world.

We believe that these representation restrictions only cater to certain students. Not all students plan on developing careers in the formal and corporate world. Many of them plan on being graphic designers, architects, thespians, and artists– all of which require vast creativity and a strong foundation in freedom to express oneself.

Teachers freely dye their hair and wear casual clothes on the school premises sometimes. This should be proof that in no way can freely expressing oneself affect careers and how one grows as an individual in the future.

Many private school institutions promote freedom of expression and allow their students to represent themselves the way they want. While some may argue that it is because the school is known as religious–in no way do expressions and representation affect one’s faith and beliefs.

When will the students be put first before the school’s image?

This applies to those who abuse offenses. How will those students know their wrongs if they are always tolerated? How will the students feel that they can trust the school if those teachers who mistreat them walk away with no consequences? How will the students find their identity and what makes them unique within themselves, when the school does not allow it?

But alas, the list of questions can go on.

After all, a boy wearing a simple pair of earrings requires more attention than another who has committed a serious offense—

This has been deemed undebatable and often left not talked about. Perhaps that is why the word freedom never showed up once in the student handbook.

As she grew older, there had been a lot of pressure on her to consistently perform well. Nearly everyone around her had high expectations. It was always depleting and exhausting— it was never simple. She gave up sleep, time, and events to reach where she is now.

Building herself to excel as a student required anxiety, stress, cries, and hard effort in exchange. Perhaps, everyone believes it to be foolishness, but for her, it is significant.

Being a capable student is one of the things she wants to be as an only child, to fulfill and repay her parents for all that they have sacrificed for her. Receiving all of the honors and recognitions proved that all her effort had been worthwhile.

Here, as Dian watched her classmates and teachers come and go, she developed her skills and interests. She liked reading books in the library, learning documents on computers, conducting experiments in the old scientific lab, and hanging out with her closest friends.

After spending over 12 years in this type of setting, she feels as though there is nothing to look forward to aside from the new acquaintances and lessons that await her each upcoming academic year. Dian remembers when she was in preschool, the open grounds in the high school area used to be a garden full of greenery, and it was quite difficult to get about when there was an event back then.

Thinking about how the school used to look makes her feel nostalgic. She’s eager to see and await greater facilities at the school because of the recent improvements. She anticipates the school’s improved amenities and services not only for the students but for the community as a whole.

As she grew to be bigger, learned to be brighter, and changed to be better, so did her second home.

EVERYTHING GROWS

During the pandemic, the school had improvements from newly painted buildings to fixed or new lights to lighten the surroundings for a brighter environment for the students, teachers, and school staff.

After many years of planning, the school recently acquired a lot where a future school building will be built. The expansion was sought to accommodate not only newer amenities but also the growing number of Graceans.

The school also had new science and computer laboratories constructed. The school aims to grow bigger to be able to assist Graceans as they also grow.

First of three parts

To more 10 hours of sleep

STORY BY FRANCESCA ALEXIS AMOR LUYA

ON the night of February 25th, I called a friend. On the 4th of March, I told my mom I had made it.

Two days after the awarding of the Division Press Conference, I still remember everything- the feeling of suspense, the wait, the agitation, the hope, the sadness, the relief- all put under my best to hold it all in. I can recall it all; everything. And it’s like carved on my skin, stuck in my mind, and etched in my heart.

I ask myself until now- why? How?

I can’t fully wrap my head around the answers- but I figured it’s because I took my heart with me every step of the way. I carried it through the sleeplessness, the mental blocks, the aching bodies, the fevers, the rewrites, the last one to close the doors, and the bests. I figured that in times I had almost given up and laid rock bottom, it was with me. It slept with me during training. It came with me with each critique. It walked with me out of school. It rode the tricycles with me going home. It was with me every time- each one.

It was there when I started- when I joined with Athea- when I was first late- when I first couldn’t make it in training- when Athea couldn’t attend anymore- it was always there. It was there when I was losing myself and when I was pushing myself alone, without my best friend.

It was there whenever I fell asleep on my laptop doing school works. It was there when I missed so many classes and stayed up all night to catch up on everything. It was there when my lips were drying- when my eyes were sore- when my spirit was falling- and when it rose again.

It stayed when my dad would yell at me to get in my head how everything was not worth it. It also stayed until my dad was proud of me. It stayed when my dad would refuse to let me go to train because he was worried endlessly. But it also remained to see my dad let me.

It stayed with my mommy, who never failed to remember my training and competition dates. From Thailand- and now, Canada- she never once forgot. My heart witnessed all of it.

With that, somehow, I understand why and how. It’s just that I might need to write a whole book to let it all sink into my head.

Continued on page 11

The Hopeless Promise: Ambitious Filipinos

STORY BY ALTHESA JENNIFER TARIGA

“VOTE wisely for a better future!”

People surrounded the caravan, several people wore shirts that represented the candidates for whom they would vote for.

The candidates ensured that they would complete and advance what needed to be done in the Philippines. They established goals and aims with the intention of succeeding and avoiding classification as a third-world nation— Putting in great effort to stay up with the other advanced nations, notably with America.

Mimic America’s System

People often think about whether this would be a good idea or a bad move. In spite of that, only one thing is certain. It is the false intuition that leads to misunderstandings.

People frequently believe that the government is the sole cause of the Philippines' lack of advancement among other advanced nations. What most individuals

fail to realize is that patience is required if they truly want a brighter future. But occasionally, people fail to realize that the issue is with them personally.

People themselves fail to understand that they might be the source of this uprising problem.

As stated by Reynan Quinto, HUMSS and AP educator, “Walang masama sa pag-abot ng standard ng ibang bansa. But then again, we need to understand na it has a long process. Dapat maging patient tayo kasi this is a long term process. Lalo na kung gusto natin makaabot or malagpasan ang tinatawag nating pagiging third world country ng bansa.”

He also mentioned that it would be preferable if the Filipinos were ambitious enough to wait since the development of the country would be a lengthy procedure.

Strategy of the Philippines

Quinto explained that Comparative government in politics frequently compares each nation's governments, so that it

is simple to ascertain which configuration would be most beneficial to the nation and which other nations might follow in their footsteps.

The Philippines in some way created a success plan for the American administration and the country itself. Therefore, it would be greatly beneficial if the Filipino could be a little patient and ambitious in order to support and aid the beloved nation that they call home.

Yet, is the American government still the standard nowadays?

America had proven to be strong in terms of its military and armed forces. They had always been at the forefront of these types of fields, particularly in regard to modern technologies.

“Siguro kung dati, good thing ‘to. Ngayon, hindi ako sigurado kasi ang economy ng America ngayon ay hindi siya maganda. Hindi talaga siya papaangat. With regards to the armed forces kung yun lang yung kokopyahin natin, sige, pwede, pero

https://www.rappler.com/ tachyon/r3-assets/249D819813E1413D9B2286CCA6046630/img/54F5AD2C0FF745B990612C16620895B1/muslim-voter-mindanao-epa-20151218.jpg

overall, kung good thing ba ito or bad thing, para sa’kin parang bad thing na siya.”

“The more na mas dumadami yung kaaway ng America, mas maiipit tayo. But then again, strategies yan ng government natin and kung ano man yung gawin nilang execution or decision, it’s up to them. So sa akin wala namang kaso do’n, pero yun nga sa issue ng standard base, again walang problema kung kokopyahin natin yung ibang bansa. Gawin nating standard yung America, walang problema. As long as hindi na-cocompromise yung sarili nating culture.” He added.

The Promise

People may have believed that the country cannot survive with the competitiveness of the government and the people as a whole, but being patient and ambitious at the same time is the remedy that will assist to keep the Philippines a living nation.

It is better to be ambitiously determined than to be ignorant and facile.

Photo from https://thediplomat.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/sizes/medium/thediplomat_2022-05-09-020141.jpg

Photo from

Victorious. The Graceans Editor-in-Chief Francesca Alexis Amor Luya celebrates her win in the Division Secondary Schools Press Conference.

Photo by Irene Arroyo/TG

DepEd, more like dead end

Ihate school. I hate school, not because of how piles of paper would decorate my desk, not because of how subjects get progressively difficult and would give me constant migraines, but because of how the government continues to fail their promises to the children of the future.

In our constitution, the government was already aware about the problems regarding the facilities in public schools and until now, it exists. Aware but no welfare.

Our country’s system and quality of education is below average, not even close.

Look at the quality of education in provinces, it’s not desirable. It’s one of the reasons why many Filipinos who live there choose to move to cities, for the opportunities given here are vast but limited.

Every year, the government changes the budget allotment for education, even increasing it. Yet, we don't see any of those budgets being used. Up until now, school materials were still outdated, books were being borrowed, there were classrooms that were unsightly, no ventilations, broken chairs, and broken dreams.

hate

boys ft. Geminis

“HOW big is your chest?”

Men will be men. No, Boys will be boys. That’s not a man, that’s a boy. A real and proper man wouldn’t say that.

We filter social media as a fun website for having a loophole of virtual adventures. Connect, create, discover. That's just the tip of the iceberg, so hit yourself with reality.

Meeting someone online and trying to build something with them can be tough as the internet is a vast place in its own world. In short, there are a lot of creeps.

His name pops up again in a bubble through notifications. See? Creeps like him.

“Show me your body.”

Jesus Christ.

He didn’t earn a picture, he earned a sigh. Every chat bubble that appeared next contained vulgarity and a missed call. Blocking is the only source of relief. If only we could block people like these in the real world.

So, he was at the legal age of twenty, five foot eleven tall, and a Christian. He had second Timothy, chapter two verse twenty-two copy pasted in his bio, claiming to be a devoted follower of Christ.

“Flee the evil desires of

youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” This chapter from the Bible is all about turning from evil, from the sin of lust. This chapter from the bible was his bio.

Clearly, he does not read, nor follow. All words, no action. Behind the screen, he’s actually a boy who can’t keep his hands to himself, a boy who succumbs to erotism.

Was this what a ‘believer’ exerts? What did he learn in church? Did he listen from one ear and out the other?

At this point, God was only used to cover his true self. He was a monster, a devil, a scum.

Adding more to the irony, he was a gemini. Symbolizing twins, geminis have a notorious reputation for being two faced. The boy was a saint on the outside and a devil on the inside.

That was a fourteen year old’s experience on social media.

Twenty-first century, where the internet can now be easily accessed by children. Parental control for what? You could keep a close eye on your kid, turn the parental filter on, and they still somehow uncover the dark depths of the internet.

I’m lucky that the education I get is the standard, but my mind wanders off to the others. The ones who get the end of the stick.

What about them?

There’s always a fault, an underlying issue at the tip of your nose. The quality of the education in the Philippines is questionable. There were laws specifically for education, but it’s not deficient. Our law in education when it comes to budget allotment was not being fulfilled.

Instead of giving solutions, they keep giving complications.

There are still Filipino children who are unable to go to school, despite it being accessible for everyone, with the main reason being their status of living.

There are many children in the Philippines birthed and cradled by poverty. Over 5.6 million Filipino families were recorded to be living in dire impoverishment. Families poorer than a mouse. Due to this, there are children who choose child labor instead of educa-

tion, because they need money.

The pandemic had a big impact on the education system in a two year period. Some had to stop studying due to financial problems, some struggled to adapt. And ultimately, everyone was affected in a negative way.

If we want to have a high standard of education, public schools shouldn’t be an exception, the infrastructure should still be adequate, but it’s evident that it’s undone— they got the bottom of the barrel.

Budget allotment? That’s a funny joke.

Corruption is a disease that we long to uproot, the only way is to restructure the government’s entirety. The fortune for the people is to be stuffed into the pockets of greedy officials.

The education here is much like an old apple, it rots and is huddled by swarms of mosquitoes that seem to enjoy its rotting nature. It can be fixed if it was replaced by a newer and fresher apple that can be given to the people, but still there's no action regarding this metaphor.

The funds that are supposed to go to schools instead goes to the military. Our priority should be education. Education creates support for the people as they are the backbone of our cultural and societal world in the Philippines.

The military is already there, it’s already established. But to establish brilliant minds, it’s an investment.

STORY BY KRISTINA CZARINA TRINIDAD

It's daunting, because being underage doesn’t mean you’re safe from sexualization by incels.

Social media is a pe dophile’s digital playground. Where there are young girls be ing scrutinized in a disturb ing manner. Young girls being exposed to the eyes of the damned, young girls being sexually harassed.

Young girls. Deduced as a nymphet by the eyes of the prey. This is what makes us girls.

These people do not change. Protest all you want, bring awareness, do everything. They’ll still exist, masking their true colors.

It does not matter to them if you’re feeling uneasy, violated, disrespected, or dis tressed. You do not have a voice. They view us as a freshmen generation of degenerate beauty queens, still having the audacity to ask why some women resort to misandry.

It’s all beyond fixing. Trust no one in the media. Don’t be fooled by the facades. To answer the question, my chest is big. It’s full of hatred. Because I was fourteen.

The pandemic had a big impact on the education system in a two year period.

STORY BY KRISTINA CZARINA TRINIDAD

Photo from Klynne Dominique Queaño

The science I know now

STORY BY JANNA ALTHEA ENCARNACION

“HEY, guys, lunch was fun! Same seats next week?”

Those words came out like a reflex; muscle memory. They slipped as if there would be a week coming after this-

“No more next weeks, huh?”

As much as I hate to admit, I actually grew to look forward to going to school. Despite subjects I didn’t often understand well, unwavering heat that even when it rained- it’s still hot, and having had to see people I hated seeing.

It is a little embarrassing. To openly say I enjoy going to school, I mean. Perhaps, it’s because my classmates frequently expressed their dread about going to school. Many times, I had been asked, “you actually enjoy going to school?”

I will admit, at the beginning of the school year, there was absolutely nothing to look forward to. I wasn’t very fond of studying in the first place. I didn’t have many friends either.

However, that changed– and I’m not sure when. But slowly, things came to unfold a little differently.

All I remember is that I woke up one day and saw my friends in a brighter light. I woke up one day and found the school fountain a tad more pleasing to the eyes. I woke up one day and found myself wanting to walk home with my friends, rather than commuting alone.

No subject ever rang to my heart- because I found them all distressing. No matter how much I had tried, I would end up going blank after a few words out of my subject teachers’ mouths.

But I woke up one day– and suddenly, I loved science.

In retrospect, I am surprised. It’s funny just how fast times can change– because I hated

the subject.

But just as I have heard many times, no subject is difficult with a good teacher.

As I pack up my lunch for the last time, I start to reminisce.

In my junior high school years, Science was just a simple subject to me– not that hard, but not that easy. History was my favorite.

Then came senior high school.

In the midst of my dreading for the subjects I grew to dislike, I had met my Earth and life Science and Physics teacher, Ryan Cordero.

All he ever did was recite scientific jargon and highfaluting terminologies.

I’m a HUMSS student– what he said would echo through my left ear and out of the other. What on earth will I do with molecules, chemical bonds, scientific formulas when I finish senior high school?

Physics is all the more mind-boggling. I did not give a mind to force, sound waves, chemical balancing– everything. But because of this, as much as I had thought Science was once a simple subject, it stood out.

Among other subjects, it was only Cordero’s that my eyebrows furrowed differently. It was only his subject that wracked my nerves, especially in recitations. Because if I did not know what I’d do with molecules, chemical bonds, scientific formulas, force, sound waves, and chemical imbalances, how would I dare stand and answer?

And among other subjects, I found myself barely passing the quizzes he had given. Many times, I had wished that I’d go back to junior high school– because this was not the Science I knew then.

Second of three parts, from page 9

To more 10 hours of sleep

The District Press Conference

Individual and Group categories.

Among every category, I was most confident in Editorial Writing. Feature Writing, not so much. The difference in confidence lay in how much my head was contained of emptiness when the ideas stayed out of it. I ended up being able to write for 2 hours straight and only making it in the category I felt least confident.

I may have expected to get into the Editorial Writing placements- it seemed my hopes were too high. And to be truthful, my heart sank when I heard 9th place.

In my head, I could have been so much more. But I realized I was the only one putting myself on a pedestal. I was the only one who put pressure on myself. I was my greatest nemesis.

On January 7, the group competitions were held.

Having been my first time competing in the Group category, I was anxious. I felt as if I was never really able to comprehend what I needed to do, what I had to improve on, and what I was doing. The whole domain of it was so unknown to me despite lay-outing for so long.

I still tried my best- but maybe I should have slept the night before, eaten before I left, and prepared more the night before. Nevertheless, in retrospect, I cannot blame myself for what turned out to be. I was everything all at once. How was I supposed to stop when everything was uncontrollably in constant motion?

But really, I just wanted to be a journalist that day. And so, I did.

Winning 3rd on the Features page for Collaborative Desktop Publishing was unbelievable to me. Although I wished my group had made it to the Top 3 schools, I was proud.

It was a fun occasion overall. I remember pondering, “Wow, I get to experience high school this way.” After all, I am a grade 12 student.

Oh yeah, I’m a grade 12 student.

Throughout the whole thing, there was this fear in me. It wasn’t of not doing enough nor

But— among other subject teachers, I found that Cordero was the most patient.

To this day, I do not know what value will molecules, chemical bonds, scientific formulas, force, sound waves, and chemical imbalances bring me. If I heard those scientific jargon and highfaluting terminologies again, I’m sure they would echo through my left ear and out of the other. Until our final tests, I had average scores– some I still succeeded to fail.

However, beyond my inability to fully comprehend what he had taught was my will to keep trying.

No matter how much I had fallen short in his subject, Cordero never stopped believing in me. At one point in this school year, those jargons and terminologies made sense, for he never failed to explain them. At one point, what he had taught, I found valuable in my student life. At one point, I allowed myself to just be where I was, still trying because he believed in me— despite the wrong answers in recitations, wrong calculations, and failing scores.

Now, it's clear to me.

I didn’t wake up one day and suddenly love Science.

I woke up one day and looked forward to trying again. Because, for another day, Cordero will repeat those same jargons and terminologies, until I finally understood them.

Walking back to class, with my lunch bag in hand, I find myself looking forward to one last discussion with Cordero, knowing well that this is the Science I wish to continue knowing now.

being enough. It was of leaving with regrets.

When I returned to the Philippines, I left so many things behind in Qatar. All the things I could not do or experience there, I tried to do here. Then there was this massive void in my heart I wanted to fill. I realized it was because I had regrets. And I didn’t want to experience that again. Maybe that’s where the disappointment in myself came from. The imposter syndrome.

With such an unexpected outcome (winning in Features), I remembered what I first applied for in Journalism: cartooning and feature writing- so maybe everything was going to work out, right?

The Division Press Conference

February 25, 2023.

I had to be in school by 6 am- but to begin the day, I woke up at 7 am. My body took too literally what sir Gelo had said the day before, “matulog ka, Cheska.” And so I did, for 10 hours straight.

The day before the press conference, or the 10 hours of sleep, I had to prepare for my first-ever communion in church. As always, I was sleep-deprived- if no one could already tell by the deep weights my eyes carried underneath. However, I ate food, wore my new white dress, and cut the fabric we bought the day before for my veil. I was prepared until I realized at church that I had left the veil at home. First unfortunate event of the day.

Then, I had to go to school to train. Sadly, for my broken body and brain, I had to take my exams at the same time. The sequence of unfortunate events was starting to roll. This occurrence stalled my time to write a feature paper about the spirit of EDSA.

Having finished all my exams by 3:30 pm, I finally got to focus on writing and not just look to the left and right of my screen trying to write and ace the exam. Because of this, I decided to stay with our sports writers, and past dismissal time to finish my article. I was not going to leave without getting it done.

I may have not realized it then, but I see

it now. I wanted it. No, not the win. I wanted fulfillment for everything I’ve broken, sacrificed, and done to get there. To get here. I wanted to compensate for the damage I had inflicted on myself, my academic life, and my social relationships. There even came a point when I couldn’t bring myself to open my bedroom door and get out of bed- because I was just scared.

I constantly asked myself, “will it always be this way?”

“Will I live through my life sleepless?”

“What reward will I get other than a certificate?”

Many questions flooded my mind and eventually drowned me in a deeper hole. But in the back of my mind, I knew the answers.

It is only this way because I chose this path. I am only sleepless because I must stay awake. And although certificates stay as physical entities, they give value. They represent how hard one has worked for something. They acknowledge the blood, sweat, and tears that no one else might even recognize.

As much as I knew that a mere piece of paper would not define how wonderful and vast my mind and creativity are, I also knew it would be the pride of my mother and father, who kept asking if I had gotten rest. The pride of my friends, who I feared I would burden if I asked for help. The pride in myself, who always tried her best- in the form of a paper.

So I left school at 5 pm. I was awake until 10 pm preparing for a Business Finance report for the coming week. Then, I fell asleep. And so the sun rose, and my eyes stayed closed.

Now, first, why did I not wake up? How did no one wake me up when I was so all about it for months?

To be honest, I felt a bit disappointed. That morning was amplified proof among the many other mornings before it that I was alone. I was the only one pushing myself to get where I wanted to be.

During the drive going to San Francisco

High School, I cried. I prayed. There was no way I wouldn’t make it. There was absolutely no way I would forgive myself for missing something I sacrificed so much for.

There was no way I would just give up.

All of this- perhaps so much more, manifested into my day.

And so I wrote, given the prompt and the fact sheet. I finished on time- 5 minutes earlier than due, to be exact. I submitted that piece of paper with so much doubt traced with my fingerprints. I stepped out of the room with the new friend I made, greeted by the lovely Janna. Then, I walked down the stairs just as my chest filled with this feeling of I couldn’t pinpoint what.

I knew something was wrong- because this was not how I should be feeling. I knew I wasn’t okay, and I knew I was slowly giving up on myself.

In my head, I was practicing multiple sorry’s to my mom, dad, and sister. They had to watch me struggle and not be able to do anything to help. They spent so much money and gave so much of their trust just because they believed in me.

I was rehearsing the words to say to sir Gelo and sir Noli when it wouldn’t work out. I was sure it wouldn’t. I was going to tell them that I was sorry- that I really did try- it just wasn’t enough. I really did do my best to attend every training session to improve myself. All my efforts just weren’t enough. I was so sorry.

The rest of the event and the ride home, my mind was stuck on how I could’ve done better. Opening the gate and stepping into our home, I saw my aunt and uncle. They asked how I felt about the competition- if I had felt I would win. I responded, saying it went okay, knowing deep in my heart that it probably didn’t- knowing that I have never been more uncertain of something.

Continued on page 12

Third of three parts, from page 11

To more 10 hours of sleep

A few hours passed as I was catching up on school works. My mom texted.

Hello! Kek, ano update sa competition?

What do you feel? What do you think? How did you answer? Was it good?

I told her I thought I did okay- that I was able to finish my article on time. It’s just that I thought it wasn’t a winning piece.

I knew she would be supportive of me, nevertheless. However, hearing from her that it was okay because I tried and did my best, my heart still shook. And she said all we could do was hope. But I was way past hope.

I felt so defeated already.

Hearing her encouraging words, I couldn’t contain my feelings. I cried in my room for 30 minutes straight until I decided to, finally, call a friend. I cried for 30 more minutes. I told her everything- everything being fear.

I was so scared that everything I had worked for would come to nothing. I was so scared my father was right for the first time- that this wasn’t worth it. I was scared that everything was just everything with no value. Just a surface with no scratch. Just sands of time with no footsteps. Just an entity living off of borrowed time and force to keep moving forward.

I felt better by midnight. Still, I knew the fear would return, crawling from my fingertips to where my hope stayed short and small.

The Division Press Conference Awarding March 04, 2023.

It was my birthday. The night before, I celebrated it with family, neighbors, and friends. It was weeks of preparation and shortcomings because of tight schedules.

From morning until afternoon, I was awake preparing. In the middle of it all, I had to

work on the QCSEG presentation for Tagisan ng Talino. The celebration was held on from the evening until way past midnight.

I slept at 4 am and woke up at 5 am. I packed myself some brownies and water. I took some money to commute to school. Then, the day began- but this time, I made it on time.

The night before, during my birthday celebration, the fear was already crawling slowly back to me. March 4 could either gift me another unfortunate event or a reason to tell my mother I made it.

Other than the QCSEG activities, the only other activity I did was sleep. Other than the fear I was feeling as I listened and waited until the winners for Feature Writing were announced, there was no feeling at all.

My eyes were shaking from no sleep- but they managed to stop so my ears could hear everything right.

And there I was, sitting down with back straight, eyes shot open, and ears still unprepared for the results.

“I hope you enjoy my gift for you, Cheska,” said sir Gelo.

I would be lying if I said that didn’t heighten my hope by an inch. In my head, I was chanting “please” continuously. I was chanting every form of doubt and every form of hope.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Plea- “Francesca Alexis Amor G. Luya.”

I shot up, and my mind went blank.

I walked to the stage and the 10th place position. I felt my eyes water. But I had to hold itno, not here. That would’ve been embarrassing.

I was struggling to breathe. I was struggling to smile because one more fold by the ends of my eyes, the tears would ricochet. I was struggling because I had made it. I made it.

I felt everything. I took it all in. I stayed silent and stiff for three whole minutes, absorbing every second of it.

As I walked down the stairs, the court, and back to my seat, I pretended dust got into my eyes. And as I sat back down, I opened my phone at 3%. I told my mom I made it.

On the 4th of March, I told my mom I made it.

Further Reflection

This experience taught me the importance of perseverance and hard work. It also taught me that sometimes, it’s okay to ask for help and support from others, as they can provide encouragement and motivation to push through difficult times. In addition, this experience also taught me the value of taking risks and stepping out of my comfort zone, as it can lead to unexpected opportunities and personal growth.

Overall, this experience has been a defining moment in my life and one that I will always look back on with gratitude and appreciation. It has instilled in me a strong sense of resilience and determination, which I will carry with me in all aspects of my life. I’ve come to realize that success is not just about achieving one’s goals, but also about overcoming obstacles and persevering through challenges along the way.

As I reflect on this experience, I am reminded of a quote by Nelson Mandela: “I never

lose. I either win or learn.” This quote resonates with me deeply, as it encapsulates the mindset that I have developed as a result of this experience. I no longer see setbacks or failures as reasons to give up but as opportunities to learn and grow.

On the 25th of February, I fell apart. I felt as if I had already lost without an announcement. Reflecting on my experience on March 4, I now realize that winning wasn’t the only important aspect of the competition. It was also about learning and growth, regardless of the outcome. Even if I had lost, I would have gained valuable insights and experience.

I also learned that I should be caring for myself and not overly pressured. I should not put myself on a pedestal because that will just be a ride full of fear.

One of the key things I learned was the importance of self-care and not putting undue pressure on myself. I used to believe that putting myself on a pedestal and striving for perfection was the way to succeed. However, I now understand that this approach is unsustainable and can lead to fear and anxiety.

Above all, I discovered that failure and falling behind are not things to fear. Rather, they are opportunities to learn and improve. Instead of comparing myself to others, I will focus on being the best version of myself and taking care of my own well-being.

After all, falling behind is just an opportunity to catch up, and failure is just a chance to learn and improve.

I used to think that winning was everything, and that success was measured only by the number of victories. But now I see that it’s not just about the outcome- but also the journey. The lessons learned along the way are just as important, if not more so, than the destination itself.

It isn’t always about the destination, but the journey itself

TO be lost, to be found.

For as long as Rie can remember, she had always been in journalism. She can’t remember how it started but it happened one stormy afternoon when she was just as young as ten years old.

The school was silent and only the sound of the raindrops hitting the ground could be heard. She sat alone on the

bench near the lost-and-found section, watching people come and go. Rie sat there like a statue cursed by Medusa. Numb, stoic, and looking at life through a black-and-white lens.

It was just a day of studying, stressing, and waiting for the sun to set. It was a vicious cycle with no light at the end that was slowly eating up Rie.

Until a high-pitched sound filled the halls. It was then followed by a voice,

will turn into a house, and to just a simple building.

Rie thought that it was all the end but unexpectedly, she got assigned to compete in the Districts under the Column Writing Category. She thought that it might be the last time she’ll ever write so there’ll be no harm if she gave it all. As if destiny was trying to play with her, she won at the very moment she thought she was prepared to lose. The feeling that everything is finally looking up again… Divisions came. With everyone applauding their awards, Rie waited anxiously for her name to be called.

10th place, 9th place, 8th place….

The numbers got smaller and smaller and so was the hope she could feel in her heart. As it approached the first place, she was hoping that this time… this time her best was enough. At the end, all she heard was “Your time will come.” as her school paper adviser

But for Rie, it feels like time has stopped.

How can you console a heart that has been broken one too

Everyone celebrated. Rie sat alone again like a statue cursed by Medusa. But even stones could cry. Deep inside, a question was formed. Haven’t I given enough?

All those nights she spent rewriting. All those days she would train until the ink in her ball pen would dry up. All those years, she devoted herself to a passion that she chose that didn’t even bat an eye to choose her. Life was really cruel. It always feels like you can do everything but just at that moment, it will stop you. You will never know if it was just a challenge or a sign to stop.

But what she realized is that her fate lies in her own hand. It will be her choice to use this as an inspiration. To build herself and be stronger or… use this as a sign. There will be a rainbow after the rain.

As long as there is still a chance, Rie could try again. Time didn’t stop. A pencil could be broken but it can be sharpened. Even if the world is against you, no one can tell you when to stop.

They said that the pen is mightier than the sword. She can finally say that the war is over.

For Rie, what she learned was that “you can’t write a masterpiece every day”. You will be lost at every turn but find yourself in a new place worth discovering. The world is full of unclear scribbles with a clear destination.

she can find a home again. But there will come a time in your life when a place you called home

That’s the journey of a journalist.

STORY BY LOUISE LAURIE LIGSON

Vow for truth. The Graceans and Ang Patnubay staffers recite the Journalist’s Creed.

Photo by Irene Arroyo/TG

In a society like that? Getting away with any degree of murder is as easy as breathing.

Looking for one dirt, ends up digging the whole empire. The story follows a 17-year-old student, Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi who is just not convinced of the whole town’s guilty verdict on Sal Singh five years ago. When you ask people in that town who killed Andie Bell, they will say “Sal Singh” as if they are answering what comes after number three.

Convinced by no one but her beliefs, Pip decides to solve the murder, conducting investigative journalism for her Extended Project Qualification.

Pip shows indestructible determination, making her personal belief into a truth, which she has always been biased to. The story portrayed how the truth, no matter how long or hard you try to cover it up, someone would eventually dig it up or it would eventually sprout.

A Good Girl’s Guide to murder was the debut novel of Holly Jackson in 2019. Despite the crime fiction, a mystery being her first novel, it bagged Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction, YA Book Prize shortlist, and British Book Awards Children's Fiction Book Winner of the Year in 2020 and American Library Association's Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults in 2021.

Although— so many secrets laid in the story, the way it was executed was easy to read, when it came to the structure. You won’t expect it to be written as if you’re reading a fantasy novel, since the terms would give you pretty much “Gen Z” vibes. Words were not as deep as classics, but its quotes would pierce you through the heart slowly, because of what it would leave you.

Leave you angry, happy, confused, surprised, and enlightened. Your heartbeat would rampage whether because of the thrill when the characters do questionable things or because of how a healthy romance bloomed, despite the ugly society

Getting Away with Murder

(A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder - Book Review)

STORY BY PRECIOUS JANA MOLLEDA

they were in.

“Small things matter,” was justified in the book for every single thing was connected.

You’ll say “last chapter for today” 24 times until you’ve actually reached the last chapter of the book. You’d start reading at 10 pm, getting hooked by curiosity, then finding yourself unable to put the book down, not noticing that it's already 3 am.

Moreover, it addressed a lot of topics. Abuse having its own cycle, how the environment would be a factor of who you are, racism, misogyny, how they could make a person guilty with what they preach, victim blaming, and how people will think you know nothing just because you are young, words falling on deaf ears every time.

Abuse, indeed, has its own cycle. That was one of the messages that stood out. The oppressor oppressed, the oppressed becomes the oppressor, and the cycle goes on and on until everyone is affected in a way. Almost every character was the symbol of this.

In which related to how Bell family becomes a symbol of how the environment you grew up in, will affect your character. Jason Bell, the father, was described to be highly manipulative, misogynistic, and verbally abusive resulting in his daughters being or thinking— they were a reflection of what he says. His daughters were the definition of victims becoming the oppressors.

There was Max Hastings, a rich fool who thinks he could get away with anything. He’s nothing but a man who spikes women’s drinks, because he probably can’t get any women by being just himself. Kidding aside (I’m not kidding), he’s a sexual abuser that victims had a hard time speaking up against, because of his status. The only helpful thing he’s actually done is revealing how unjust the justice system is because of how he benefits from it.

Aphantasia

… DARKNESS. Nothing but darkness, no matter where I glanced. I was submerged into the depths of the unknown, unable to see a thing. This isn’t the first time this had happened. I’m well acquainted with this abyss. There was something in the distance. I couldn’t quite make out what it was. The smoke was too dense to see through. But it looked like… a figure? Two of them? Twenty?

A light suddenly flickered above me. I was standing on a stage. In an instant, I saw what I was staring at. Crowds of people caught my gaze as they clapped and cheered me on. I looked at my hand.

I didn’t notice I was holding something. A rolled up sheet of paper. Could this be…?

I unwrapped the sacred scroll. It was indeed what I had expected.

I don’t know why, but I suddenly started crying. There was this wave of relief, like I had actually done something worthwhile. And, everyone was here! Here for me! For what I did! It felt like… I had everything I ever wanted—

Beep! Beep! Beep!

…Huh?

The cheering stopped. I looked back up, but there was nothing to catch my gaze.

The world began to crumble as everything faded to black. The beeping kept creeping up and slithering away, engraving its sets of five deep into my skull.

Stop, please! Not now!

I don’t want to…

I opened my eyes. I’m greeted with the sound of beeping to my right, coated with the soft whirring of a ceiling fan. Right… There's school today.

I trudged my way into the classroom. I’m not sure why I bothered to go. There’s nothing exciting about slumping in a chair for eight hours, zoning out to a fig-

ure dispensing white noise. What is he even talking about? Why am I learning this? Why are any of us learning this? No one is going to remember this information in three months! It’s all just a waste of time. When are they going to teach me something that’ll actually help me in my life? Something interesting. Something worthwhile. Something that I’m actually passionate about.

Wait, what was I doing again? I snapped back to reality.

Oh… it’s a health break. How long was I out for?

In a daze, I glanced around the room, piecing together what the others were up to.

To my left, I see a girl buried in some textbook, walled off by piles of notebooks and folders. Is there a quiz later, or is she doing this for fun? Do people even study for fun?

To my right, I see a group of boys talking about some basketball game that happened last night. They’re part of the varsity team, right? Getting paid to do something you love… What a dream.

And then, I look at myself. Alone, with nothing to do and no one to talk to. How do all of these people just… know what to do? They all have these elaborate plans for the future, like they have everything all figured out.

What about me? Why don’t I have any dreams? When am I going to figure out what to do with my life? All I do at home is to sleep and play games. I got Silver 1 in Valorant a couple nights ago. Can I get paid for that?

I stared at my hand. Not like I have anything better to do.

This hand has barely changed in the decade and a half I’ve been alive. It’s bland. Static. Unremarkable. Dragged around like a puppet, forced to follow orders. Just like me…

I’ve been flowing through life

And then there was Stanley Forbes, his character being that journalist who you probably wouldn't be able to call one when you read it. You’d be utterly amazed by how he would label a person of color “monster” but then label a white murderer of 5 a “lovesick young man”.

You wouldn't be able to blame the citizens for being so certain about Sal Singh being the culprit because every article you’ll probably see would have no terms such as “allegedly” despite his case not having a guilty conviction, not having any trial and not having any chance to defend himself.

Sal’s family couldn’t even grieve for him openly because if they did, they said it would make them some kind of a monster, grieving for a “murderer”.

Pip being Pip, decided to solve a 5-year closed case for a project. Pip was not heard by people and authorities at first, so she yelled. And when she yelled, it was not empty screeches.

They questioned her. So she answered.

And don’t get it wrong, she didn’t get Sherlock Holmes’ or Detective Conan’s deduction skills, she was a student with indestructible determination to achieve something she put her heart on. Getting me the idea that I could achieve things I dream with the right timing, immovable principles, and a strong heart.

The question is can you get away with murder?

Living in a sick society full of people who think they know everything by what they hear? With people whose beliefs are blinded by the color of another’s skin? With people who think less of women, thinking the only thing that makes them valuable is their physical appearance? With people who would believe the oppressor rather than the oppressed? In a society where people can get away with anything because of their status?

Then, yes. You can get away with murder.

without a second thought, listening to others just so I have something to do. But truthfully, nothing really interests me. Every week is just a different checklist of useless activities that I forget about seconds after completion. How do you get inspired in an environment like this? Why am I the only one struggling to get my life together?

At least, I have my hands. They’ve always been loyal to me.

I snapped back to reality. But, when I looked up, the room was completely empty. The students in the chairs, the writings on the board, the ambience from the hallways, all vanished without a trace. As if the entire day had passed without me knowing.

What time is it…? I’ve never zoned out this badly before…

The room looks so haunting when the lights are off… It doesn’t help that it appears to be night outside, I can barely see a thing. I tried to get up and leave, but I couldn’t make out where the door was. I stumbled around, bumping into desks and chairs, trying to find a way out.

At some point, my hands grazed what felt like a doorknob. I think this is it. I opened the door, but the abyss engulfed me even further.

Where am I? It’s pitch black now. The smoke is even more intrusive. I could feel my heart pounding.

Then suddenly, a single light flickered in front of me— illuminating a stage below. There was a group of people all murmuring amongst themselves, with dozens more rushing past me to reach them. I glanced around the room, only to be met with a swarm of smiles and cries and figures. None of them caught my gaze. Not like I expected them to, anyways.

To my left, I saw a woman smiling through her tears. Finally, free from the shackles of deadlines and responsibilities. She always was a hardworking student.

To my right, I see a group of athletes hugging each other. Occasionally, I see the shimmer of a golden trophy, as it gets hoisted into the air.

And then I noticed… All of them were clutching a rolled up sheet of paper.

I looked back at myself. At where I stood. At the hand, I spent so long staring at it.

But, the sacred scroll was nowhere to be found.

I was the only one without it.

I was the only one without congratulations…

And the world began to crumble once more.

Why am I here, then?

Why am I being forced to watch this?

Everyone’s leaving me behind!

Why am I so worthless?!

What have I spent the past decade and a half doing?!

Have I amounted to anything at all?!

I’m so lost…

I don’t know what to do.

Why is it so easy for everyone else?

Why can’t I figure out what I want to do with my life?

Why can’t I imagine a future for myself?

Why can’t I… imagine…

I opened my eyes. I’m greeted with the soft whirring of a ceiling fan, but I don’t hear any beeping. I think it’s a weekend. I’m not sure, every day is a blur anyways. Wait, wasn’t I just at school? Did I fall asleep? I laid in bed for a few minutes trying to process what just happened.

I’m awake again. But, I really wish I wasn’t.

What is there to look forward to, anyways?

STORY BY JUSTIN CODY SERRANO

from https://thumbs.dreamstime. com/b/historic-street-calle-crisologo-vigan-ilocos-sur-philippin-historic-street-calle-crisologo-vigan-ilocos-sur-philippines-103667319.jpg

Maria Clara at Ibarra

A Modernized Storytelling

GEORGIE DOMINGUEZ

BY

STORY

IN today's generation, young people or half of the population to be exact seem to struggle with history and forget the details of its significance.

GMA Network produced the groundbreaking series Maria Clara at Ibarra that was inspired by Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The teleserye visualized how events of the past were made and how it affects us today.

The network's purpose was to open the interest of the younger generation on history, specifically on Dr. Jose Rizal's novel, and they confidently succeeded on the goal by convincing not just the youth but also adults.

The beauty of the series was also acclaimed acrossthe-board, as well as the production and writing.

This Fantasy nighttime teleserye revolves around a Gen Z nursing student named 'Maria Clara' that finds herself waking up on one of Jose Rizal's top-notching novels.

The series was applaud ed and had touched people's hearts with and modern storytelling. This eventually enticed students to understand. It was set off on its powerful storyline without revising any parts in the novel. This series was also known as having the best cinematography on the network.

efits of watching Maria Clara at Ibarra

show how far your knowledge of Filipino literature will get you in life. The show will amazingly blend the power of history, privilege, capitalism, human rights, feminism, patriotism, romance, drama, and comedy in one show. The film also encouraged us to appreciate our language Filipino, our culture, and our tradition.

All the actors perfectly executed and played their characters well. Barbie Forteza's role (Klay) played the character well and managed to balance her bubbly personality and her great solemnity in the novel, Dennis Trillo's style of acting was able to give life and color on Rizal's character (Crisostomo Ibarra), Julie Anne San Jose gave an accurate portrayal by embracing Maria Clara's femininity, kind-hearted personality, and her stereotypical obedient character, and the villains in the story (Padre Damaso and Padre Salvi) did a great job

atmosphere that made the series fun with her Gen Z jokes on all the stressful happenings in the book. Her character not only signifies as a struggling student in the modern generation, but also a breathing air in the novel.

The fantasy series also gave an eye-opener on both modern and yesterday's events. With the help of Crisostomo Ibarra's character and Rizal's thought-provoking goal to expose the cruelty of Spanish Colonization, they were able to point out their voice to the audiences.

Besides the eye-opening scenes, the production also emphasized the injustice happenings that could be also applied to modern happenings, just like how Klay and the characters fought for their freedom and rights inside the novel— given that the protagonist went on his stepfather's abusive hand.

Because of its unique production, the series received thousands of comments, tweets, and trending hashtags everyday. Netizens couldn't help but appreciate how educational yet entertaining the program is. It doesn't only tackle the rich history of the Philippines, but also the critical state of the society we On the historical record of the film, the series Maria Clara at Ibarra was able to promote the part of our history that will truly push everyone to appreciate what we could have at present.

A Man’s Sweet Sixteen

STORY BY KRISTINA CZARINA TRINIDAD

SPELLCHECK; pedophilia. Here to help you spell and tell.

Pedophilia means having sexual attraction or interest towards young teens or children. No different to grooming, where one builds trust and slowly break bounds to shape the young mind.

Eyed by the damned, she became the girl of his dreams. He was twenty-one, she was thirteen. He even claimed it himself, he started making moves on her at such a young age. Soon, his dreams are set to come true- the price? He’s now the one who’s eyed by everyone.

Daring, dainty, and a darling. He saw her just as that. The prettiest in the crowd he’d ever seen, ribbons in her hair and her bambi eyes gleamed mean.

Once she shut her eyes and blew that candle to smokes, she was sixteen- his sweet sixteen. Her chapter had started, only a book where he starred. The coming of age, literally.

Philippines always took this issue lightlyat least the majority of the elderly. It was common to wait and court for a teenage girl back in the day where it was black and white. If we were in America, this would be considered as controversial and unethical.

He wouldn’t see the light of day.

It’s important to consider that only the vic-

tims can claim that they are groomed. Many of us have been overusing the term and forgetting what it means. We have to ask questions. Was she abused? Manipulated? Exploited? Was she totally dependent to him and helpless? She's the only one who can answer, yet she's kept her mouth shut.

Likewise, it’s still uncanny that he watched her grow up like a routine, wooed her when she was a pre-teen, until now some of his unethical actions remain unseen, and she was his sweet little sixteen.

In retrospect, even if we consider unanswered queries, we can’t deny that what he did was wrong. Thirteen year olds are elementary students who are moving up, thirteen year olds are still going through puberty. And he was twenty one. A whole adult.

And all this time, for twelve years, they kept this sickening relationship hidden from the public eye, dodging those who are catching on. Most have agreed that he hid it for the sole purpose of keeping his face because he preyed on a child star.

Numerous celebrities have revealed how they were sexualized and manipulated as a star on the making. How their little minds were exploited. The dark side of showbiz, the bottom of the iceberg. She was the child star of his sick movie. That’s the spelling

was to

Photo

Photos from https://www.pikapika.ph/ pikachur/the-old-meets-new-in-latestgma-historical-portal-fantasy-series-maria-clara-at-ibarra

of pedophilia.

Photo from https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/mother-hit-her-kid-children-crying-little-boy-cry-feeling-sad-

Photo from https://www.peakpx.com/en/ hd-wallpaper-desktop-kiqci

Man of the house

STORY BY SHEREE HANNAH SERRANO

EXCEPT, I am no man. From an outsider's perspective, Lydia may look like a man, probably due to her hair being cut so short, you can barely tell it’s a pixie cut, or how loud she might be, whenever she’s having fun. But, if you told her that to her face, she would laugh until her lungs physically cannot function anymore due to the lack of air.

Or, if you told her how masculine she presented herself, she would chuckle, while striking a so-called "manly" pose, her eyes would always have that certain kind of sparkle in them, and that's just who Lydia is. Just a simple mother trying to make ends meet and have food on the table on a day-to-day basis.

Her husband was a classic case of a “deadbeat father”, and whether he knew it or not, he couldn’t care less about the well-being of his own family. He would always go out drinking until midnight, rarely at home.

He would be verbally abusive around the times that he was present, and the people around them started to question why they even married each other. Furthermore, why would Lydia put herself through this sort of torture? Just to prove to the people around her that she wasn't too hard to love? That she wasn't a failure? Or, maybe because the kids are too young to experience the trauma of a divorce.

Though, none of that ever mattered to Lydia. For as long as the man she married was still physically present in the lives of her children, she was willing to endure the struggle of raising 2 kids on her back, while juggling 3 different jobs. Living off that minimum wage paycheck that definitely wasn’t a product of her bare minimum.

Still, she never complained, she always brushed it off as if the world got nothing on her. It was as if she didn’t really seem to care about her problems because it felt so insignificant to her. After all, she was busy picking up the

pieces her husband left.

“He’ll be back, no worries!”

She reassured her kids, but it also seemed like she was trying to convince herself that her husband wasn't completely useless. After all that's happened, she could still say that she loved him... unconditionally...

There were nights where Lydia could barely pick herself up from the couch after a long day at work. I mean, can you really blame her? She barely eats during the day just so her kids have something to eat when she gets home, no matter how drained she is throughout the day. Her only motivation is to keep the family together, despite being a parental figure.

Soon her eldest started to notice that there was something wrong with Lydia. Her bright and bubbly personality sort of simmered out and now just by looking at her, you could tell that she was tired.

“He won’t come back... Will he?”

Appalled, a sudden wave of realization hit Lydia. However, she didn’t want to show that to her son, even if it was already evident by that look in her eyes. Those lifeless, lonely eyes. “He’ll be back... No worries.” She smiled weakly at her son, and though her son wanted to confront her and try to help her, he didn’t push for it any further.

Bad decision.

Day by day, her exhaustion was starting to catch up to her, her muscles were always sore due to overworking herself. Prayers and miracles surely wouldn’t help her now. What she needed was a gallon of coffee and sanity pills.

She tried so hard to not make it obvious, but because being expressive was like second nature to her. It was evident in her body language that she wasn’t happy anymore. Every step she took, every breath, every minor movement. No matter what she did, it was like she was having the life sucked out of her forcefully.

She couldn’t take it any-

Lastdance

STORY BY FRANCESCA ALEXIS AMOR LUYA

MAY six. Nine o’clock at nightand I had just forgotten that one turn was meant to happen four counts later.

How could I mess up something I’ve been practicing since the beginning of April?

But then again, how could I have foreseen last August that I’d be thinking of how he held my hand eight months later?

And so, with cold and shaking hands, I continued dancing. My nervousness did not go unnoticed, for he pulled me closer and- in a soft whisper, told me to relax. Though, all I could really do was breathe and- Oh no, I took the wrong step- “Sorry.”

May six. Nine o’clock at night- and I had just forgotten that I was supposed to have my left foot step backward, not the right.

Maybe it was the way he held my hands and caressed them while dancing- or perhaps it was how he gripped them in reassurance that he will guide me as I had forgotten what we practiced the last few weeks. Maybe it was the close proximity, or the way he couldn’t keep looking at me in the eyes. Maybe it was the fact that I had been in denial the whole year of how I felt about him. Maybe it was because it was the first time that I didn’t have to imagine holding his hand and dancing with him.

One thing is for sure, however. He

more... but she had to. The popping sound of a bottle cap, the sound of pills rubbing up against each other, the clink of a glass— and down it went— and for a moment. She experienced pure bliss. She took some more, just to ease the pain a little. But, that one more turned into five, five turned into nine, and soon enough.. she fainted.

“Mom?? MOM WAKE UP, I TOLD YOU TO STOP,” the frantic crying of her son echoed across the thin walls of the room. It felt almost suffocating to be there as of right now. He bolted out of the room, stumbled a bit on his way and rushed to grab his phone. It’s probably been a couple of hours ever since Lydia collapsed, but he wouldn’t know that. His thoughts swarmed him, looming over his every move, he can’t afford to mess up now, otherwise he might as well have lost both his parents.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

His phone clicked, to his luck, the operator answered immediately, “911, what’s your emergency?”

Police sirens were wailing, the paramedics scrambled on the floor, “How much did she take?!” You couldn’t hear anything over the noise. Everyone was practically having a contest of ‘who can yell the loudest.’ But, her son just stood there, his whole body numb, he couldn’t even hear a word that was being spoken to him, he just wanted to cry. He wanted to run and scream, do anything, literally anything— something to distract him, to tell him that he was just dreaming. It was all just a big misunderstanding and everything will go back to the way they were. When she was still happy.

He felt like he wanted to collapse onto the floor, but at the same time, he didn’t have any energy left in him to do anything. He stared at her unconscious body for so long, that even after the people had left, he was still imagining his mom’s body on the floor.

“You should’ve told me something was wrong.”

STORY BY FRANCESCA ALEXIS AMOR LUYA

AS a child, one would naturally be overly talkative, make a mess, and play games they wouldn’t get tired of playing. While many would enjoy games such as tumbang preso, piko, or chinese garter, I grew to enjoy hide and seek the most. I was the best seeker there was in my neighborhood.

Despite the title, there was never a time I found my mother whenever we would play. She was always so good in hiding.

Because of that, I always thought to myself, “maybe I understand how to play the game wrong” or “maybe I am not the good seeker everyone says I am.”

So one day, I asked her, “how do you do it?”

“First, among the players, you must choose who will hide and who will seek.”

This was something we already knew- so I said, “But I already know this, mother. I mean to ask how are you so good in hiding?”

She answered, “to be a good player, you must know how to play. You must also know who is best in seeking and who is best in hiding.” I never fully understood this, because that was our case.

And how could I find her if she is so good at hiding? How can I seek her for the same reason? I thought it was unfair.

Nevertheless of how I viewed the concept, she taught me that the choice is what matters most- that there are people who must hide because it’s what they must do- that there are people who are only left to seek because they are patient and determinant to wait and find where those who are in the shadows hide.

This made me wonder, “how about those who are not given a choice? Those who were told to be what they are?” Because I had been a seeker in almost every game I’ve played, I, too, wanted to know how it felt like to be found.

My mother stayed silent for a moment, and just stared. When she seemed to have found the answer, she said, “then they must hide and seek.”

I was a child. I didn’t understand.

“Second, the seeker must close their eyes, and count to ten. Within that count, the hider must find somewhere to hide.”

so good at hiding. Because of this, I grew diffident in myself, and eventually stopped enjoying the game. I hated the difference between the odds of finding my friends and the chances of finding my mother.

Because if not a strand of her hair, a footstep, or a sound of breath, I should be able to find her by her scent, her fingerprints, and her favorite places to hide. It started to feel like I knew my friends more than my mother.

As I grew up and enjoyed the game less and less, I found myself in oneone that I was unaware I began to play with my mother once again.

I found myself again in a mo-

This made me wonder, “how about those who are not given a choice? Those who were told to be what they are?”

Because I had been a seeker in almost every game I’ve played, I, too, wanted to know how it felt like to be found.

ment when I breathlessly run back and forth places I’ve been to in hopes of finding her the second, third, fourth, and fifth time I went back. I found myself opening closets, cabinets, and the smallest drawers as if she could fit herself in those tiny spaces. I, yet again, found myself going through my clothes and things as if she was somewhere in between threads, inks, and microplastics.

makes me nervous.

Oh my God.

May six. A quarter past nine o’clock at night- and I had just realized I liked the guy who once carried my heavy house project made up of popsicle sticks and stones all the way downstairs.

How could I have foreseen last August that I’d be thinking of how he would have done anything to make my life easier eight months later?

Maybe this was why I stayed in denialbecause there was no way that I’d like someone who’d do the least in a group work- or the person who had talked bad about my friend in junior high school. It’s something that even I did not expect.

However.

In the same sense, how had I kept on forgetting that in time, when May finally meets dusk, I’d be left with more than just his hand for me to remember and reminisce?

Because just like that one turn that was meant to happen four counts later, how could it have slipped my mind that when May finally meets dusk, I will start forgetting how it felt to have my friends hold my hands- or pull them as we rush to go upstairs when it’s time for class. I will start forgetting the smell of cucumber melon and cupcake perfumes- the smell of street food and ice cream as we walk home together- heck,

even the smell of mud as we struggle to fit under 2 umbrellas when it rains out of nowhere. May six. A quarter to ten o’clock at night- and I had realized it wasn’t just my Graduation Ball partner that made me nervous. It was also the fact that night will never repeat itself again- and I will never find myself at 18, dancing my lungs and singing my heart out until I run out of breath—So this is heaven, huh?

I could have sworn it was only a few weeks ago when my sky was still empty, with no heaven or hell, and starless- because how could I have foreseen the first time I realized my sky was no longer empty, with heavens and hells, and full of stars- eight months later?

Because, in a blink of an eye, I am here eight months later. In a blink of an eye, August 24, 2022 became May 6, 2023and everything that I had ever seen, touched, and heard, will soon become fragments of the past- just as everyone that had ever seen, touched, and heard me, will soon become people I had once met and walked past the senior high school hallways.

May six. Ten o’clock at night- and I had to let go of the eyes that once saw me, the hands that once held me, and the stars that once listened to me.

Because, in a blink of an eye, my first step into the school campus became my last step out of Aberdeen Court.

Photo from https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/silhouettes-lovely-young-couple-standing-rooftop-night_2612655.htm#query=couple%20dancing%20silhouette&position=11&from_view=keyword&track=ais

“But I already know this, mother.”

“While the seeker counts, they must listen to the footsteps of the hider- the surroundings- where they could possibly go-”

“You are very silent, my mother.”

It was true. Whenever she would hide, she would leave no trace behind- not a strand of hair, not a footstep, and not a breath. It was almost appalling and frustrating how all I could hear was silence whenever we would play.

“That is why I hide well.”

“But how will I find you?”

Back then, I was so determined to run back and forth places I’ve been to in hopes of finding her the second, third, fourth, and fifth time I went back. I would open closets, cabinets, and the smallest drawers as if she could fit herself in those tiny spaces. I would even go through my clothes and things as if she was somewhere in between threads, inks, and microplastics.

But I would never find her.

“Third, the seeker must find the hider.”

In the games I played with my mother, I had always sought her- but never found. They would always end up in her finding me, hopelessly staring at the spot where we started.

It is no exaggeration when I say you can only find her once in a hundred chances.

In the end, she never truly answered my question- of how she was

She was not anywhere in between those threads, inks, and microplastics. I could only find her in them themselves- the clothes she once wore, the notes she once wrote, and random Tupperware she would pack in my bag for lunch.

I couldn’t find her even with the perfume she left, or with the fingerprints I refuse to wipe on our bedroom window, or in her favorite places to hide.

I remember asking her, “but how do I find you?”

I can no longer recall her answer- because at the time, it didn’t matter- because no matter how much I failed to find her, she would come back to me. She would find me.

She once taught me the way to her favorite places to hide. She even made a map where point A meets point B, and point B meets point C- so I could find her. I would always end up at a point she never wanted me to be. She said that when that happens, I should come back to where we started, and she will find me.

So, my dear mother. Please find me again. Point A, point B, and point C were the only places you could be. When did Canada become part of the story?

Among the places I could afford to find you, I can only come back to point D, our home- where we started.

I may not find you by your scent, your fingerprints, and the only points you left me to go, but I am home. I lie in between the threads you left, the inks I keep in my memory jar, and the Tupperware I still use to this day even when we have plates. I am counting to this day.

Photo from https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-blackfather-carrying-faceless-sonon-shoulders-6624328/

Chained by blood

STORY BY KRISTINA CZARINA

AS time changes, we advance, we move forward, we’re different. But generational trauma remains stagnant.

Generational trauma, also called transgenerational trauma, are traumatic incidents that have an impact on multiple generations. It relates to traumatic incidents that influence multiple generations. It can cause people to change the way they view the world.

In the Philippines, there are countless cases of physical abuse towards children, and it’s being normalized— regarding it instead as a form of discipline.

A parent can also be verbally abusive but even so, words also leave bruises and scars, and this is very evident in Filipino households. About 3 out of five Filipino children are reported to have experienced emotional abuse from their parents.

Discipline is one basic foundation of parenting, it can be in different forms. Physical, Punishments, Verbal. There is an extent to where discipline should be applied as we all know that there are numerous examples of its result if having none, although discipline is necessary, each child is different from one another.

There are children that are quite mature for their age where verbal communication is the only support they need to continuously improve themselves, and there are others where physical discipline is needed as some can be problematic with their values.

As much as this has proven a balanced view on discipline, this was considered as generational trauma or at least the causes of it. This was because of the fact that the line of abuse, discipline, and self-insert trauma dumping is quite hazy.

Parents, nowadays, are either blinded by the words ‘discipline’ and ‘for the betterment of my child,’ or are blinded by their own problems and use their children to lash it out.

And parents still ask why the relationship with their child is slowly crumbling into pieces.

Half of the adults that went through these forms of traumas as children are revealed to pass it down to their kids, projecting their insecurities from the past, based on statistics.

Communication should be the second most important foundation in parenting, right by the side of discipline. It should also be focused that the parents, as well, should be disciplined themselves— from their obligations as parents and their responsibility to their child.

Prior to this issue being normalized, it's unjust. Kids will not learn morals after being beaten or scolded with vulgarity, they will learn fear. This kind of treatment can scar for life, and they’ll carry the burden throughout.

We, filipinos, grew up in an environment where our parents never own up to their mistakes despite knowing that they’re in the wrong.

They called it basic decency, they’re older, so they know what’s best. That phrase is simply embedded in our minds since childbirth.

A simple apology from them is hard to get out.

There was always a door yet to be opened; the truth to be revealed.

We should not let issues like these be undiscussed and unaddressed, it’s the 21st century. We beg for justice, so we should serve it.

The next generation of parents should be able to identify, view and uphold that line.

Pain moves through families over generations until someone is ready to feel it and heal it. We must break the cycle.

If only God were a woman

STORY BY JANNA ALTHEA ENCARNACION

was lovely. My life was almost perfect. And it could have been. It should have been.

It's a song by Taylor Swift that a lot of youths relate to.

When you're young, other people assume you don't know anything in this world. They will chose to believe the opinions of the older generation. They'll think you're lying.

They'll believe that you're making up stories. They'll assume you know nothing.

A friendly church girl. A beautiful woman.

That's how they described me.

But then Youth Camp happened.

At the first day of youth camp, we had lots of activities. It was so much fun! But I know now that this was the calm before the storm.

2AM. I woke up to drink water, but I didn't expect to see Father Roel there, sitting alone. He turned to me... and grinned. That damn grin, engraved into my memory. That was the start of my nightmare. He's touching me sexually. He tied me up and covered my mouth using a cloth. He's trying to kiss me while gradually undressing me. I couldn't do anything, I cried and cried, I pushed and kicked him, but I was weak. I couldn’t do anything with how much he overpowered me. His hands began to wander, from my chest, he gradually went down. I continued to struggle. but I still couldn’t do anything.

He raped me.

Burn in hell. I wanted to curse him so badly, but I had something in my mouth. I couldn't do anything. I cried and asked for His help, but as usual, no one helped me.

Three days passed. The Youth Camp is over. I came home. My mother asked me what happened, and I cried and told my parents the whole story, thinking that they will defend me. But to my surprise, my mother shouted.

"Dios mio por favor, hija, how can you make up a story like that? He is a servant of the Lord!"

Is she... serious? I cried and shouted back.

"But where was the Lord when I was raped? Where was he? I cried and asked for his help, but no one came!"

STORY

They said don’t spread with your mouth, what your eyes didn’t see. But just as the tongue weighs practically nothing, only a few can hold it. Rumors spread around the school like wildfire. A grade 11 student sharing an intimate affair with a student in the senior high school girls’ bathroom

It was an asynchronous day for classes when the story circulated around social media. A few accounts were vocal about the issue. Among them were mostly junior high school students.

With the sudden uproar, the student denied all that had been talked about him online– as it did not just spread throughout the junior and senior high school departments, it had reached the faculties.

I grew up in a religious household, where me and my family were always present in every church activity. I'm part of the choir and the head of youths in our parish.

I was 14 years old when he taught the word of God in our parish. He is good. He is friendly. He is kind. He is a gentleman. He had welcoming eyes. He had a lively presence. You would always feel safe when he's around.

Hah... I almost got fooled. Almost.

School, church, school, church. My routine was very simple. I went to school during the week, and to church on the weekends. I was happy! It

I cried and asked for help. Surely God would do something, I thought. I was desperate. So I prayed and prayed, asking for His help and guidance. But no one helped me. I know that they can hear my cries. But no one knocked on the door. They were deaf. They were useless. The youth camp lasted for 3 days. I didn't bother participating. I was locked in my room, silently crying and begging God for His mercy. I wanted someone— anyone, to save me. But nobody came.

Was there even a God? Why would He allow this?

The following days, he continued to rape me. He would masturbate in front of me, smirking like a degenerate idiot. "I know that you want this, too, Lana."

There was this painting I saw when I was 12. It was a picture of a girl. She has beautiful, slanted eyes, a pointed nose, and plump lips. But what really caught my attention was her hair. It was wavy, with hints of green and blue and black and orange and red and so much more! If you looked hard enough into her eyes, you would see the faintest tears. I always wondered why she was crying. But I look at this painting again, and my chest tightened. I know why now.

Hello again, Medusa. It's been two years since we met. Two painful years of these horrible memories haunting me. Two suffocating years of being called a liar by everyone around me.

I stopped going to churches. I stopped trusting the family that betrayed me. They were deaf. They were useless. But most of all, I stopped believing in him. Was I serving a lie all this time? Some nonsense mythology?

If only god was a woman. I wouldn't have suffered so much. And if there is a god, he would have to beg for my forgiveness.

Ashes of Shame

THEY laughed as he walked ahead to the corridor. He heard murmurs that covered the school. All eyes were on him, all ears were on him. Only on him.

The school was filled with gossip, gender roles he must've said.

How about his/her gender identity?

He identified himself as a woman. He sees, feels, and acts as a woman. Yet, the school itself made a fuss about it. With religious ideas like being Catholic, they had an alibi that no one believed.

He walked confidently while keeping his chin up, despite the eyes that kept following him. He had long, black, and silky hair while wearing a polo shirt that served as his school uniform. And in the afternoon, the school decided to announce that they would strictly check the haircut of the girls and especially the boys. He wanted to object, yet he stayed quiet. And the silence was loud.

Hair Policy & Cross-dressing

Many students argued in this situation, including the learners of Divine Grace School. Other students wanted to have hair colors. They agreed that some of the students included in LGBTQIA+ family would have the opportunity to maintain and grow their hair, as long and as short as they wanted.

Some of the students also believe that their fellow students must have a chance to wear what kind of school uniform they would like to wear.

Yet, the number of students together with the teachers about this matter is equal.

School of thought

“If they feel like they should wear it, dapat walang pipigil sa kanila.

Kung alam ng tao na hindi naman sila straight, dapat expect nila na gano’n yung susuotin nila.” As explained by Bianca Faith Casipe, a Grade 10 student.

STORY BY ALTHESA JENNIFER TARIGA

She also mentioned that Hair Policy goes as well as Cross-Dressing, she explained that if people appear to be part of LGBTQIA+, people should expect and normalize their appearance on what boosts their confidence.

In addition to that, “hindi naman nakakaapekto yung hair policy sa pag-aaral nung bata eh,” conforming to a fellow student.

Apart from that, there was also a Pearl of Wisdom from Jhonel Cortezano, MAPEH Educator of DGS.

“As a member of LGBTQ community, ang gusto lang naman namin is pantay na pagtrato, pantay na karapatan. Na kung ano yung trato sa tunay na gender, yung mga straight, gano’n din yung gusto namin kung pano kami itrato. Yun lang yung gusto namin.” From the point of view of Cortezano. Shoot one’s mouth off

The class is about to end, still they haven’t worn out. Lots of students shoot one’s mouth off especially when he passes by.

Careless whispers surround the whole school. Again, all eyes were on him. He then remembers “Eyes have a language of their own”. Endless questions, confusion, mixed emotions were all in his head. He was like a volcano waiting to erupt. He went to the barbershop after a long day. He finally made a decision to cut his long, black, and silky hair. In his mind, he respects and obeys the school’s hair policy— so in return, all he really wanted was peace and the ability to express himself freely regardless of her gender.

We are in a constitution

As explained by Cortezano, “As a teacher and as a part ng LGBTQ, mas ok pa rin na karespe-respeto pa rin tignan yung mga kapwa, kapwa ko na LGBTQ. So syempre, hindi naman ibig sabihin na LGBTQ ka, papagbigyan ka na sa kung

ano yung gusto mo.”

He also mentioned that we are in a constitution wherein we have School Rules or School Policies that must be observed. “Susunod tayo doon sa kung ano yung pinapatupad na batas.”

Fruitful existence

When all is said and done, he laid down and thought about the LGBTQIA+ family. He realized that being true to himself is worthy and being who he really was, makes his life fruitful.

When it had reached me, I didn’t mind. Actually, I didn’t care. That was someone else’s life, after all, and I didn’t feel like I had a say. It was a choice they made.

But everyone was so determined to find out more. They saw the grade 11 student as some sort of big celebrity— in a way, he is

Many students have snuck some public display of affection before, hiding in closed spaces, tight paths, and in each other’s arms where teachers would not see. And they got away with it, because no one had ever caught them.

At the time, I didn’t understand– because how could they shower someone with so much hatred for something that seems so normal from the external perspective– from a wider point of view? Truly, I have heard worse.

Then slowly, as the night got longer, the rumor burned brighter. It lit the night for class group chats, friend groups, and a few circles far from the school.

It had been publicized that the senior high school student was already in romantic involvement with someone and that he had more than just kissed the girl he was with in that cubicle.

Sweat, a top– and perhaps bare skin, were the traces they left in that bathroom. These traces were hard enough to cover up in the small space they were enclosed in. It was much harder as the girl was allegedly on top.

Then, after some time, people found out who the girl was. They stalked her accounts, went through her story collections, and skimmed through previous posts.

“Just because you and your girlfriend had sorted out your problems, you act like I never meant anything to you,” was one of them, written in Filipino.

The night didn’t end, and the girl was his ex-girlfriend.

As much as I hated to admit it, I found myself disappointed over something my eyes did not see. I found myself indulging in the very story I refused to listen to at the beginning.

G B T QI A+

“May kaniya-kaniya naman tayong opinyon, may kaniya-kaniya tayong pinaglalaban so ganon din yung LGBTQ may mga pinaglalaban din kami, and yung mga basher may pinaglalaban din pero ang gusto lang talaga namin is pantay na pagtrato, equality,” as stated by Cortezano. Other than that, as said by a fellow Grade 10 student, Lance Anthony Gonzales “Haters gonna hate.” Pride is for everyone. And being who you are and what you are makes you beautiful and powerful. People deserve to be loved equally without being ashamed. Your gender is who you are. Turn your shameness into just ashes.

But deep inside, I knew I still wasn’t one to judge or say something. They didn’t put themselves in the position to be judged.

However, sweat, a top– and perhaps bare skin, were the traces they left in that bathroom. Sweat, a top, and perhaps bare skin. Sweat and a top. A top.

The school’s uniforms vary among the students’ departments and schedules. The senior high school girls own a vest. The junior high school girls own a tie.

There was no vest found in that cubicle.

He didn’t go to school the morning after everything had burned. That confirmed that the rumors were true. He didn’t deny them any longer the following days.

They said don’t spread with your mouth, what your eyes didn’t see–but just as the tongue weighs practically nothing, only a few can hold it.

The school found out the girl was just in 9th grade.

I always stuck to my principle that if it wasn’t my story to tell, I shouldn’t open my mouth to tell it to another– that if I didn’t see it, I shouldn’t believe it– that if I heard it from someone else, I shouldn’t mind it.

But for the love of God— she was just 14.

TRINIDAD

"WHEN you're young, they assume you know nothing."

...Where was the Lord when I was raped? Where was he? I cried and asked for his help, but no one came!

BY FRANCESCA ALEXIS AMOR LUYA

Photo from https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/r3-assets/D84E94E726C54980A0CCCDE21F9A3CE1/img/82C243ABF33D4A6686DA56037C3ED41C/tanay-ip-leaders-daraitan-quezon-province-july52019-007.jpeg?resize=1400%2C953&zoom=1

School drinking fountain: Is it really safe?

STORY BY KAITLIN JOYCE DIONISIO

HOW thirsty are you?

Thirsty enough to drink from a drinking fountain that has been exposed to several insects?

Make it right: Stop Kaliwa Dam project

THE controversial Kaliwa Dam project was started on February 17, 2022, by former President Rodrigo Duterte as a last resort for Metro Manila's water difficulties and was planned to break ground that year before he stepped down from his position.

Prior plans called for the Kaliwa Dam to be built between January 2020 and December 2025. In order to lessen reliance on the Angat Dam in Bulacan, it will cross the provinces of Quezon and Rizal and is expected to deliver 600 million liters of water per day to the capital region and neighboring provinces.

Engineer Ryan James Ayson, project manager for the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), revealed the new timeline with an 18-month delay in an interview with CNN Philippines on Friday. The construction is currently anticipated to begin in June, with an August 2026 completion date as the goal.

The Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997, which recognizes the IPs' rights to their ancestral property, calls for a Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC), which has been the subject of

years-long discussions with the Dumagats. According to Ayson, constraints brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic caused these conversations to be postponed. Additionally, it is necessary for the environment department to issue a Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas.

"Once we get those two permits, we would be applying for construction permits na po doon sa ating mga (with the) affected LGUs," Ayson said. "So hopefully by June of this year, we can start our works at the dam site and we will finish by August of 2026."

2 months ago at Lucena City, Indigenous groups from the Sierra Madre and representatives of organizations that support them will begin a nine-day, 148-kilometer protest march on February 15 from General Nakar town in Quezon province to Metro Manila in an effort to halt the controversial Kaliwa Dam's construction.

In a phone interview, Ramcy Astoveza, tribal leader of the Agta tribe, which has historic land claims in the Sierra Madre, said that the government has a number of options for resolving the Metro Manila water issue that don't in-

Clock ticks...

STORY BY MARXIALEEN ANDREA MARIE OIDA

THE Philippines is one of the top ocean polluters in the world, and a significant generator of waste in Southeast Asia, due to various factors such as, rapid population growth, rising waste generation rate, poor waste segregation, and other aspects contributing to the growing problem of the Philippines.

The Growing Population

The Philippines is a country of 80 million people where the average number of children born to a woman is close to four and where a sizable 37 percent of the population is under the age of 15.

The Philippine population has grown by a 1.54% increase from 2022, due to this rapid growth in our population, there has also been an increase in the products consumed by each household, ultimately adding to the trash produced by the Philippines.

Waste Generation Rate

According to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) from June 2020 to April 2022 the Philippines produced around 1,400 metric tons of healthcare waste alone. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an overall increase in the generated waste of the Philippines.

From facemasks to other per-

sonal protective equipment, as well as single-use plastics from food deliveries and online shopping, the pandemic has caused a significant increase of waste in the Philippines.

Waste Segregation

According to a 2020 report by the World Wildlife, Only 33 % is collected and disposed to sanitary landfills and a measly 9 percent is recycled, while 35 % of the total plastic waste produced in the Philippines is leaked to the environment.

The Philippines’ poor waste management has not only affected their environment, but has also directly contributed to global warming and climate change through methane emission from the decomposition and/or burning of waste.

Ultimately the solution to this problem should be a combined effort of the government and the citizens. The government should implement more laws to ensure proper handling of the waste produced. Intern the citizens should be mindful of how they dispose of the trash they produce. These are not just simple numbers and data, these things have a very real impact, not just on the Philippines, but on the world.

clude "sacrificing our lives and security in our ancestral domain."

Early this month, MWSS announced that the P12.2-billion, Chinese-funded Kaliwa Dam could now be completed by 2026 and start operation the following year.

A contract for official development aid between Manila and Beijing awarded China Energy the construction of the dam, which is intended to address the coming water issue in Metro Manila. The project, however, will submerge parts of the Sierra Madre in Tanay town, Rizal province, and General Nakar and Infanta towns in Quezon province.

Astoveza claimed that the Sierra Madre mountain ranges' indigenous groups, in particular, were in a race against time to stop the dam project.

“The MWSS is now starting construction. It signals the slow death of the Sierra Madre and all who depend on the sacred mountain,” he said.

The 46 indigenous groups that will be impacted by the project, according to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the MWSS, had given their free, prior, and informed permission.

Looking for healthy options

ZARATE

STORY BY VANNAH CHEY

DOCTORS always say that eating food like hamburgers, fries, and hotdogs are not bad for our health if we take this in moderation. But, how can the students avoid having health problems?

If the school canteen only sells foods that could harm someone's life. They prioritize other things first instead of prioritizing the student's safety.

Eating those certain types of foods every single day could only put you at risk. This simple happiness could lead to serious medical problems such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart problems.

Do you think you will be able to have a healthy body if your school canteen is like this?

But, by raising this concern to the teachers and department heads, there's a possibility that they will fix this. They don't have to cut all those foods out, they just have to add healthier options than the unhealthy ones.

When eating food, balance is very important and hydration, too.

Many people loves eating junk foods instead of eating healthy, and that was the reason why they're facing health problems. They don't do any physical activities, they eat their emotions such as sadness or stress.

For me, if the school really wants to protect the safety for each one of us, they won't disregard the concern and will change the foods they sell.

It's not bad or wrong to eat those to make you feel better or happy. But, too much happiness could harm you, so control yourself.

As temperatures rise, people’s thirst for refreshment also rises. One common feature at Divine Grace School is the drinking fountain. While it can be a convenient way to quench your thirst, we often wonder if it is a sanitary option.

DGS said the drinking fountains installed inside the campus are clean, safe, and approved although there was a girl scout on her way to the drinking fountain to refill her bottle when she saw what she described as "kadiri" and "unsanitary"— a cockroach wandering around the drinking fountain. Since then, the girl scout has

not drunk or touched the drinking fountain.

Drinking fountains can harbor germs and bacteria as they are frequently used by many people. Let alone a cockroach touching it and one can only imagine the harm it can cause students and teachers. Though the school implies that its drinking fountains are clean and safe, they were not monitored throughout the day. There are several ways to improve the cleanliness of the drinking fountain like checking the inside and outside of the fountain daily, covering it with something that no insects or bugs can reach, or even adding a feature that will help the fountain maintain its cleanliness.

DRY SPELLS

STORY BY JULIA SOFIA CASTILLO

SUMMER is here! I still have a lot of relaxing moments and vacations to go. Are we ready? That is the actual query.

The moment I experienced what it was like to be inside the oven. When I stepped outside the door. I am hugged by a chilly breeze in the morning, and then, in a flash, the heat of that hotness touches my skin. I have not imagined how quickly the weather can change.

As far as I can remember, the anticyclone, also known as a high-pressure system, where atmospheric pressure above an area builds up. That creates a sinking column of air that compresses, heats up, and oftentimes dries out. In the simplest term, this is the hot weather we have experienced for a long time.

Young people and adults currently suffer greatly from this. I frequently lament the heat, saying that the poor moods it brings with it, make the heat seem worse than it actually is.

Heat index, a measurement of how hot you feel when the effects of relative humidity and air temperature are combined, is closely associated with heat stroke.

Yelling "it's so hot" has been an anthem for me and my classmates these days. Youths like myself are currently more prone to this, especially while school is still in session and we are stuck in a poorly ventilated space without air conditioning.

Developing heat stroke during a prolonged heat wave is proven, especially for those who live in urban areas. The brain and other internal organs may be harmed or even destroyed by heat stroke. Although, heat stroke mainly affects peo-

ple over 50, it also takes a toll on healthy young athletes.

Remember, it’s important to drink water. I suppose having an aqua flask these days is truly a blessing. But sadly, we also experience water scarcity worldwide. A study conducted by the World Resources Institute predicts that the Philippines will experience a 'high' degree of water shortage by the year 2040. The country ranked 57th, likely the most water-stressed country in 2040, out of 167 countries.

Additionally, the abrupt weather change was quite terrifying. Each of us will undoubtedly endure suffering for the rest of our lives, as a result of the karma we each received for the careless things we do to the world.

The worst part of the evident threats we face, in the space of a blink is that people continue to disregard them. The terrible drought brought on by global warming gets worse. According to estimates from the Department of Agriculture, the latest El Nino period's drought and dry periods directly impacted 413,456 farmers.

Extreme weather events like El Niño have been caused by the climate change that people have caused. Depending on natural resources that are climate-sensitive, Droughts brought on by dry spells that we, Filipinos, caused may have such severe consequences, not just our generation, but also subsequent generations will suffer.

I hope that as you read this, the word spelled from the first letter of each paragraph will always serve as a reminder to stay hydrated.

Fighting the good fight. The Graceans/ Ang Patnubay school paper Adviser Michael Angelo Jugado and his wife, Inee, pose for posterity with environmental hero Toto Malvar at the Mount Purro Nature Reserve, a family-run eco-park, tucked away in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. “Lolo Toto” launched a privately sponsored pioneering reforestation project in the Upper Marikina Watershed, with Mount Purro identified as the primary site. In just a few years, 700,000 trees were successfully planted and dutifully maintained by Toto Malvar.

STORY BY ERICA ALEXIS BOLAMBAO

QUENCHER. A student drinks at the school drinking fountain.

Photo by Xela Andrea Ehong/TG

Going healthy. The school canteen promises to sell healthier food.

Photo by Xela Andrea Ehong/TG

Business-minded Aswang

STORY BY PRECIOUS JANA MOLLEDA

BEHIND the smoke was a woman who pierced meat and internal organs with sticks.

The smoke had the power to trigger respiratory diseases and meat that can put you at risk of getting diarrhea (an infection concerning the intestinal tract) or food poisoning and cardiovascular diseases.

Aling Corazon had this smile entrancing enough to convince people to buy the street food she sells. As if on cue, my schoolmates swarm on her cart right after the school bell rings. Just like a spell I jokingly thought she casted.

She sold barbecue, isaw (grilled chicken intestine), betamax (dried chicken blood), adidas (chicken feet), etc. along with different flavors of palamig, and with so many students in our school, there would be days where those would run out.

My classmates and I once got out of the school with the sky already turning dark and we were hungry, I was famished to the point that I could eat anything. And I meant it. Once we got out of the school gates, Aling Corazon seemed to have read our minds and heard our growling stomachs when she asked what we would like to buy. It was as if she had the power to sense hunger. In the blink of an eye, I was dragged by my classmates and got greeted by the strong smell of smoke I used to avoid all the time.

“Try this,” one said.

“It won’t hurt to try,” another said.

“You won’t die trying,” they said.

But how are they so sure?

They knew I did not have the guts to try food that did not come from our kitchen. But then, I was famished. I could eat anything. So I did.

As I chewed on the barbecue hesitantly, numerous vehicles passed by–its smoke combating the smoke coming from the grill, probably contaminating the food we were eating. Just like how students swarm Aling Corazon’s cart, flies that carry bacteria seemed to enjoy the food as well.

It did not help that water or ice used to produce palamig might be infected with coliform bacteria with incorrect handling, according to a medical specialist of the Department of Health in 2012. Drinking such might cause a variety of illnesses, including diarrhea, hepatitis, and cholera.

They dipped their sticks with their own saliva on the sauce that everybody shared…

The next day, instead of being the observer that avoids the cart, I found myself being one of the flock. It grew on me.

That was until a diarrhea outbreak came. The contaminated food and drinks was pointed out by the health organization.

Realization hits, I always knew too much would always be bad for you. It would not cost people much to be more considerate of hygiene especially when having a business involving food. Best understanding of sanitary methods is necessary. Prioritization of safety on consuming foods is certainly a must.

Street vendors are doing what they can to survive and provide for themselves and their families, but consider your own health as well. Too much love for street foods can lead you to harm.

Be humane.

Consider the health of the customers as well, their health is in the sanitary condition of your hands.

School Drills in the Philippines: Effective or not?

BEING prepared and alert is one of the priorities to enhance in times of emergency.

The Department of Education (DepEd) aims to generate the student's awareness on unpredictable emergencies. They encourage both private and public schools to conduct unannounced fire and earthquake drills.

Based on DepEd order (DO) 53, signed by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, these drills ensure students' disaster preparedness.

Big one

The so-called "Big One" on the Earthquake could affect different regions in the Philippines due to its large amount of pressure on ground-shaking.

The Environmental Effects of the Earthquake may lead into surface faulting, tsunamis, soil liquefactions, ground resonance, landslides, aftershocks, and ground failures.

STORY BY GEORGIE DOMINGUEZ

Was it really worth it?

Emergency Drills is one of the normal happenings on a School Curriculum, something that makes this exercise predictable and common on both students and the school.

Everytime the drills start, teachers and staff raise a different kind of concern. "I don't like the drills because they take a lot of time, and half of the students don't listen," one teacher said.

If teachers have a concern, so do the students.

"The students don't take them seriously enough. While the Philippines is a hotbed for earthquakes, a majority of the students have never experienced actual life-threatening earthquakes. That is not to say that, I want the students to experience trauma. I am merely saying that the majority of students are disconnected from the dangers of an earthquake and are thus disinterested in participating in the drill. While students may be taught

Out of Bounds

STORY BY VINCE LOUIE ZARA

the importance of earthquake drills and the devastation that earthquakes bring, it is difficult to impart that sense of danger towards earthquakes to the students," the one student raised.

Notable Problems

During the drill, numerous problems were always encountered, including, confused students, unresponsive radio, and dead fire alarms.

Most students also find the drill boring and common, as it was always conducted every academic year, that's why, they tend to be distracted and uninterested. Either, they're answering their unfinished activities because they were interrupted by the drill, laughing, and don't take the drill seriously.

The concept of these drills are ineffective because of some students that just memorize the procedures for their personal grade. The drill should be effectively strategic, not to be inessential.

Will it still be worth it after all?

The Lion, The Witch, and That Irritable Itch

STORY BY LOUISE LAURIE LIGSON

"IN the Fountain of Youth, love is the water." That is what the famous author, Debasish Mridha, said.

According to ancient myths, there is a fountain that restores someone's youth. But in Divine Grace School, I found a fountain where not only mystical green water and love flows, but also swarms of mosquitoes and their larvae.

Dengue is one of the major problems in our country as hundreds of cases are recorded every year but according to the recent data from the Department of Health, dengue cases in the first quarter of 2023 rose by 94% compared to the same period last year.

As of March 2023, a total of 29,885 cases were recorded by the World Health Organization. From January 1 to March 2023, the number of deaths reached 95 which is a lot lower compared to the 107 deaths last year.

Maybe because we hear it so often that we sometimes take dengue too

You can get infected multiple times but each reinfection is more dangerous than the previous one.

Dengue virus spread through the bite of a mosquito, mostly by Aedes aegypti. The mosquito becomes infectious when it bites an infected person, carries the virus inside it, and then injects them to another person as it bites them. There are also times that the female mosquito infected with the virus passes the dengue to their eggs.

There are a variety of symptoms of dengue. The patient can have a symptom in which they are unaware of the infection or also have severe flu-like symptoms where the patient experiences nausea and high-grade fever.

Dengue symptoms include fever that reaches up to 40°C or 104F, nausea, vomiting, rash, aches and pain including the area behind the eyes or also known as retro-orbital pain, and generalized muscle and joint pain.

Mild infections can be healed

larly clean the fountain.

I still remember the patient that I was sharing the room with at the hospital. It was his third time having been infected with the virus.

Sometimes, I would wake up to him rushing to the bathroom to vomit blood and at night, he would scream and cry to his father that he can't breathe. I also remembered his father frantically calling the nurses.

We were separated by a curtain but whatever it is that was happening on the other side, it might be just me if I take this disease trivial.

The most effective way to stop dengue is prevention. Stopping mosquito breeding avert a dengue pandemic.

Mosquitoes only need a few amounts of water accumulated in a container that's why it's important to drain and scrub clean garden fountains, bird baths, and flower pot bases at least once a week as these are the common places mosquitoes breed their eggs.

I’ve never been a big fan of smoking, neither did any of my friends, or anyone I knew to begin with. “What a stupid way to slowly kill yourself,” I always thought to myself. Not only is it unhealthy for the environment, but it’s also deadly for everyone around you. This just makes you inconsiderate, and a walking disaster.

“3:57.” Read the watch on my wrist. I was getting ready to go home, when it hit me. The suffocating smell, and the irritated eyes, a deadly combo to say the least.

I looked outside to try and pinpoint the cause of this inconvenience. And then, I found it, the center, the cause, whatever you want to call it. To me, it’s just another casualty waiting to happen.

Studies show that 41.7% of youth in the Philippines, are exposed to secondhand smoke inside enclosed public places. School grounds like classrooms, and hallways are a prime example of an enclosed space, and the 2nd hand smoke coming from the burning of leaves right outside our school boundaries precisely proves this fact.

This is a huge inconvenience and a clear health hazard for the students on campus. The smoke that is very overpowering, was a danger to teachers, staff, and students. Especially to those who have a weak pair of lungs.

It’s a surprise to me that the admins still haven’t done something, nor raise a concern about this. Must the students think of a solution themselves?

“They should be disciplined enough to know na syempre whenever magsisiga sila, sa school punta nung usok,” said a bothered student. According to some, the image of the school is also at stake.

With such high stakes at hand, it was still a surprise for me that this still continues to happen. I even asked myself, “Has the school turned a blind eye towards this?” Because, as time passes, it’s beginning to feel like we're waiting on a miracle.

Research found that air pollution was responsible for 66,230 deaths in the Philippines in 2019, of which 64,920 deaths were estimated to be adults and 1,310 children. This continues to increase throughout the years.

Some alarmed students were still trying to reach out to the school administrators, but to no success. Some students were also contemplating whether to raise a concern to their parents or to finally extinguish this issue.

How ironic since the center of our health problems is right outside the school boundaries. Just a few more inches and there wouldn’t have been any problems at all. No burning of leaves during class, no suffocation, no health hazards — nothing.

I was talking with my friend about it, when he said something that stuck to me. “Pangit yung nagsisiga sa may school kasi inconvenient siya sa mga student, kasi siyempre mabaho. Also may mga students na sensitive yung lungs, parang ako lang.”

What shades are available?

STORY BY XELA ANDREA EHONG

E’RE all somehow alike, but I am robbed of my rights.

WPinkish pain

The sensitive feeling of touch, just like how the children first walk on grass, the same happens when the dog wore shoes, “Tip-toe, oh my feet feel like floating!”

I know you feel the same way too. But, why am I not treated like you?

Your lips get tinted, while I am being hunted.

Eye drops? Oh come on, my eyes are swollen red!

But, what can I do?

Living in a cage, inside looking in. Sharpness of the needle freaks me out, not even a little. Guess, I'm just

used to it? Though, I don’t think I can handle it.

Maroon malady

Effectiveness of your needs being tested on a large number of innocent paws. Exposing our bodies to chemicals, drugs, and depriving us of our necessities.

Here comes the smoke. Why’s everything rotating? My body feels like I'm about to collapse.

My head is so heavy and the burn in my back stings so bad.

Can you hear it? “Bleeeeeeep."

Oh, I guess it’s just my ears, infected and notched.

I think it’s just part of my job, as I was born with this.

In the end, it is for our humans, right?

They are far superior to us an-

imals. They’ve even been to space.

Bloody red

Your long lasting beauty may result in a continuing cruelty.

Despite having countless of our species being killed, some of the drugs and research are still a failure, leading to wasteful resources and innocent lives of these creatures.

I thought we’re already living in the 21st century? High technologies, fast innovations, new tools, ways.

“Old habits die hard”

But, why are we still here? I’m so sick of this laboratory.

Without these experiments, I'd be out of a job, and will probably be out in the streets. Well, in the field. Living in a fauna, where an animal is supposed to be.

This statement made me realize just how much of a danger the situation was happening. It really reflected on the school’s image on how they handle these types of situations. Quick hint, they don’t.

Overall, this whole situation throughout the school year taught me the impression that this institution shows little no care for a threat, until it actually affects one of its residents. And to that, I can truly say that they do their best work “after the fact.”

Luckily, we made it through and finished the year without any harm whatsoever. But, who’s to say for now? Coronary heart diseases, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and more. Who knows when simple bystanders like us will see the effects of irresponsible people?

Photo from https://freepngimg.com/ png/15366-mosquito-png-images

Photo from

Photo from

Photo from https://www.vhv.rs/dpng/d/23-230653_picsart-black-smoke-png-transparent-png.png

Hidilyn: If you really want something, work hard for it

PERHAPS aspiring athletes could listen to this.

Weightlifting star and Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz underscored the hard work, dedication and sacrifice needed to hone her athletic skills to an elite level in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night last March 6 at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.

Diaz, who was feted with her fourth PSA Athlete of the Year award, could not emphasized more the impor-

STORY BY MICHAEL ANGELO JUGADO, SCHOOL PAPER ADVISER

tance of “Nagbunga ang lahat ng sacrifices, juggling ko sa studies, an athlete at sa military, and as a wife of my husband Julius Naranjo,” Diaz, who was awarded the prestigious plum for her golden treble at the world weightlifting championships in Bogota, Colombia last December, said.

“It shows that if you really want something, you work hard for it and inspired by those who believe in you and support you, can achieve great things in life.

“Nagbubunga na rin po iyong

pagsisikap ng seven years at ga-graduate na rin ako,” the 4-foot-11 Tokyo Games heroine, who became an athletic scholar of the school after bagging a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, added. Now no longer a spring chicken at 32, Diaz said her aspiration of seeing action in a fifth straight Olympics and bringing more honor for the country is far from done.

“Sa mga nagsasabi it’s too late to start, hindi ako naniniwala diyan. Age is just a number. Ang importante doon is

BY THE NUMBERS

Are DGS athletes getting enough support from the school? 73% YES 27%

Stallions bring down Angels

MANGHI

DIVINE Grace School got the job done against newcomer Holy Angel School of Caloocan last February 9 — thanks to a game-winner.

Anghelito Mateo boomed in a clutch mid-range jumper with 0.7 ticks left that lifted the Stallions to a pulsating 88-86 decision over the Blue Angels in the Inter-School Basketball Volleyball League at the Holy Infant Montessori Center.

Mateo’s heroics came after Holy Angel School big man Jerick Serrano committed a costly turnover on a drive in the last 23.1 seconds.

that we love what we are doing. For our fellow athletes, we are doing this for love of our country and for our sports,” she said.

“Sa mga nagba-bash sa akin, mas na-challenge ako kaya okay lang.”

Michael Angelo Jugado is the assistant sports editor of Malaya-Business Insight, a daily broadsheet newspaper. He dabbles as school paper adviser of The Graceans and Ang Patnubay of Divine Grace School.

Sharks, Humanistas rule Intramurals return

STORY BY KING DAVID MANGHI AND JULIA SOFIA CASTILLO

THE winner's hue is constantly blue.

The Grade 10 squad and the Humanities and Social Sciences Track emerged as overall champions of the Divine Grace School Intramurals last December.

The Salient Sharks of proved untouchable in the junior high school department with 214 points, while HUMSS amassed 207 points in the

The Grade 10 Salient Sharks bagged five titles, with the Grade 7 Unbreakabulls, Grade 8 Vicious Panthers, and Grade 9 Blazing Hawks finishing as

bridesmaids, third and fourth placers, respectively. The more battle-scarred veterans they had, the more they proved their advantage in a multitude of ways.

The Salient Sharks showed the way in the women’s volleyball tournament. Mara Angeles was named MVP, while Alexis Bolambao and Camille Magundayao were part of the Mythical Six. In basketball, the Salient Sharks proved too much for the Vicious Panthers 43-25 and 60-43.

“Nakaka-proud makitang competitive sila na makamit ang kampeonato,

kitang-kita ang determinasyon nila,” Salient Sharks adviser Noli Arcoriza said.

The Blue Humanistas copped four diadems, three 1st runners up, and three 2nd runners up tiaras in the threeday tilt.

Sofia Gallardo was adjudged MVP, while Anghelito Mateo and Irene Arroyo conquered both the badminton singles and doubles events, respectively. Cody Serrano settled for runner-up honors in chess, while John Paul Sadiwa, Mateo, and Ianbhrex Cagadas were also part of the Mythical Six in men's volleyball.

Palarong Pambansa back in July in Marikina

AFTER a three-year hiatus due to the lethal COVID-19 pandemic, the Palarong Pambansa will return this year with Marikina as the host city, according to the Department of Education.

The multi-sporting event will be held from July 29 to August 5, with regional jousts set on February 6 to 10 and April 24 to 28 as recommended by the Palarong Pambansa Secretariat.

The pre-qualifying tourneys will only feature team sports such as baseball, basketball, football, futsal, sepak takraw, football, and volleyball.

Delegations will be clustered into four groups based on their geographical location, with Cluster 1 made up of the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Cordillera Administrative Region; Cluster 2 is Calabarzon, Mimaropa, NCR, and Bicol Region; Cluster 3 is Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula Region; and Cluster 4 is Northern Mindanao, Davao,

STORY BY FRANCESCA ALEXIS AMOR LUYA AND KRISTINA CZARINA TRINIDAD

SOCCKSARGEN, Caraga and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The DepEd said the top two regional delegations per cluster will gain slots to the Palarong Pambansa.

"The modified competition format aims to prevent the disruption of classes and to observe minimum public health and safety protocols… and other relevant policies and guidelines issued," it said.

Measurable sports such as athletics, swimming, and archery will adopt the qualifying distance, time, and points set by the Palarong Pambansa.

Aside from student-athletes

from the 17 DepEd regional athletic associations, Filipino athletes enrolled in recognized schools overseas will also be allowed to see action in individual sports under the banner of Philippine Schools Overseas.

The last Palarong Pambansa was held in Davao City in 2019.

SPRUCING UP: The Marikina Sports Center gets a face-lift for its hosting of the 2023 Palarong Pambansa on July 29 to Aug. 15 as confirmed the Department of Education. The Palaro is making a comeback after being mothballed for three years due to the pandemic.

SO CLOSE YET SO FAR

From page 20

In the second match, the Angels tripped the HD Spikers 25-21, 27-25, and 37-35, in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals.

All of the teams are eager and ready to win the game, but there is one

who will lose and win. I enjoyed watching all of the rallies, giving me inspiration to continue what I started. I don’t know when it will happen again, but I’m sure the time will come, and I will not waste my opportunity because that is the time

that I’m really waiting for. I’m waiting to be ready, waiting for the time that I’m sure I will show people, especially myself, that I know I can. Every person can. There was a ball that touched my shoes after I entered our house. I

looked down and saw a kid apologizing because the ball hit me. The child ran and went to her mother. Looking at her from afar and her looking back at me, I can finally say… The comeback is near.

Mateo shone with 19 points, five assists, and two steals for the Novaliches-based DGS cagers.

Mac Kenzie Maca also had 18 markers, 15 boards and four blocks, while John Paul Sadiwa added 15 and six for the Stallions.

DGS coach Miguel Borilla lauded his charges’ steely resolve.

“Maganda sobra ang pinakita nila, natutuwa ako dahil na-apply nila lahat ng plays na naituro ko. Medyo nahirapan lang noong 3rd quarter pero binawi sa pangunguna ng first five namin, grabe iyong clutch genes nila,” Borilla said. “Pero dapat hindi sila makampante dahil sa panalo, kailangan sa susunod hindi na close game at mas huge ang gap para hindi na sila mahirapan down the stretch.

“I have to give props to the opponen, pinahirtsapan nila kami ng sobra and napaka-effective ng mga plays sa kanila ng coach nila,” he added.

Cody Adoracion paced the Blue Angels with a near triple double of 28 points, eight dimes, and eight rebounds.

School urged to bring back Fun Run event

STORY BY GEORGIE DOMINGUEZ

THE ‘Fun Run’ used to be an event at Divine Grace School that’s part of the Foundation Week in the middle of October, together with the Mass Demo and the anniversary of the campus. Graceans gather all together at 5:30 in the morning at the Robinsons Novaliches' Parking Area, ready to have a blast and celebrate the event.

This event taught the students to enhance not only their social skills but also their outdoor lives.

With this, they can improve their overall health by recreating and participating in these activities.

But after the pandemic broke out in March 2020, educational activities have been limited— including the DGS' Fun Run.

The once chaotic, memorable, and long-tracked event is now just a mere memory for the students.

"I remember them being really fun. It was actually quite fun; I liked that it was conducted in the early morning, so it wasn't too hot,” Stephanie Sabado of Grade 9-Opal said.

"I do miss it and other events like it, such as the field trip. I hope that in this upcoming school year, with full face-to-face integration and waning COVID-19 infection statistics, we might be able to once again participate in events such as the fun run and return to "normalcy," whatever that may be.”

STORY BY KING DAVID

Photo from Rolly Salvador

Inspiring. Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz receives her fourth Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Year award.

Photo from Diaz’s Instagram account Board Battle. Raiver Elizce Fernandez of the Grade 7 Unbreakabulls grabs the rebound off Grade 9 Blazing Hawks defenders. Photo from Clio Vergil Aguilar

SPORTERRIFIC

ERICA ALEXIS BOLAMBAO

SO CLOSE YET SO FAR

LOOK how far we’ve come, but it’s still unreachable.

From a kid who really loves playing outside with her cousins to going to places that could help her sharpen her skills in sports, would you believe this girl keeps on entering hardships and trainings but never will be ready to join any real training in schools and competition?

Finish this page.

As someone who loves exploring things and being excited to experience new things, I quickly grabbed the opportunity that was given by our school paper adviser, Michael Angelo Jugado, last November 30 at 1:49 p.m.

We received a notification from our campus journalism chat group, saying that he has two tickets for the game of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference, and we just had to enter a race called “paunahan mag-mine.”

The Cool Smashers downed the Crossovers 25-22, 22-25, 25-5, 25-19, and moved within a win of the bronze medal in the import-spiced meet.

After mining the tickets, there was a sudden feeling in me that I couldn’t distinguish; it was a feeling that boosted me, awakened my chance, and will try entering this field again, giving me the bliss because this is a really new experience and a high moment to gain new lessons.

There were a lot of obstacles that I faced before I finally had a chance to watch the game.

First, how will I ask my parents’ permission to let me watch it? Second, how am I going to cope with our cluster B lessons and how am I going to take care of myself knowing that we will go home late?

But all of the barriers that were in front of me started breaking down quickly. Mom and dad let me watch. I had a friend who recorded all the lessons for me to not be left out and we got home safe, thankfully.

The day has come. I was with Julia Sofia Castillo. We woke up early and rode a bus bound for the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

It was a first-time experience for the both of us— for me, it felt a little bizarre since it was new to me. I don’t know what to do. We waited for Abby Toralba, a sportswriter for Malaya-Business Insight where our SPA is a full-time assistant sports editor, who handed over the tickets.

The Cool Smashers downed the Crossovers 25-22, 22-25, 25-5, 25-19, and moved within a win of the bronze medal in the import-spiced meet.

Somehow, I felt connected after watching teams vie for glory, but for me, it was me fighting with myself. Achieving honors and achievements are tasks that are not easy; I experienced giving my blood, sweat, and tears, but it was all worth it since I’m content with what I received for now.

Continued on page 19

GOLDEN COMEBACK

Gritty jins bag 3 mints, 2 silver medals in QC tilt

STORY BY PRECIOUS JANA MOLLEDA

COOLING their heels— in this case their feet for the past three years due to the vicious COVID-19 pandemic, taekwondo jins of Divine Grace School returned to the mats and wound up with emphatic triumphs last April 22 to 23 in the Quezon City taekwondo championships at the Fairview Terraces’ Activity Center.

Angelo James Rigor of Grade 8-Ruby (novice 2) copped the gold medal in the kyorugi event, while Grade 10Amethyst’s Precious Jana Molleda (novice 1) and Al-khatabi Jainul of Grade 10-Amethyst (fun division) took home the mints also in kyorugi.

Grade 10-Amethyst’s Jake Christian Yutuc (fun division) settled for the silver, while Stephen Olarcos of Grade 9-Opal (novice 1) and Grade 8-Jade’s Socorro Cornejo (novice 1) snatched bronze medals.

“It feels like I’m back to my healthy lifestyle, I mean, sa pagiging sporty na tao. It makes me more productive,” Olarcos said.

“My tips are siguro ano lang, lakasan ang loob, and always listen to your coach,” he added. Said Jainul: “Manalo man o matalo at least nakaranas ng ganoong experience, masaya na ako. Kaya ang lagi kong iniisip ay "hindi

mahalaga magwagi ang mahalaga ay makibahagi.”

With the hard-earned victories, the DGS contingent advanced to the 2023 Smart/MVP Sports Foundation New Face of the Year Taekwondo Championships last May 20 to 21 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Around 3,000 newcomers vied in the two-day tournament aimed to discover new talents that will soon follow the footsteps of elite taekwondo jins, among them Olymian Kurt Barbosa who completed an amazing three-peat in the men’s under 54kg class in 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh.

MIAS shows DGS the door in ISBVL

METROPOLITAN Institute of Arts and Science eked out a 25-22, 22-25, 25-20 victory over Divine Grace School last March 4 in the Inter-School Basketball Volleyball League at the Holy Infant Montessori Center.

A Rjhun Manzano quick hit gave the DGS a lifeline 20-24 but a Cody Nuñez attack sealed MIAS’ win that showed the door on the Lady Stallions. The lanky 5-foot-5 Nuñez scattered 12 points off six blocks and four hits for MIAS, while middle blocker Lexter Leones chipped in three service aces.

tributed five markers, three hits and two attacks for MIAS.

DGS wound up with a 4-5 mark in a three-way tie with St. Anthony Nova School and St. Mary Goretti School. The Stallions also lost middle blocker Vince Mallari due to a sprained left ankle he suffered in the third frame.

“Nag-sorry ako, hindi ko sinasadya na mangyari iyon,” Ramos said.

“Natakot ako, akala ko, hindi na ako ulit makakalaro,” he added. Mallari carried the

Sharks, Humanistas

The event, also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and Milo, highlighted the progress of the sport in the country and display the latest techniques and styles that enabled the Philippine taekwondo squad to become the most productive team in Cambodia.

“You never fight for people to get hurt but you're always helping people in taekwondo to gain self-discipline and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” DGS taekwondo team skipper Erika Peña said. “Self-defense is just a part of the law of nature.”

STORY BY CHRISTINE ALTHEA LABANDIA

Attack mode: DGS taekwondo player Precious Jana Molleda (left) sizes up her opponent.

Rising. DSG open spiker Jenrick Ramos goes tries to score off Metropolitan Institute of Arts and Science.

Photo by Don Aaron Dave Ardenio/TG