Echoes Zine May-June 2021 by Echoes

14 News by the Numbers by Allen Galaura

26 Good Governance by Cris Amores

First-Ever Online Concert by Justine Panganiban

Apollo by Jungle

Wormy Relates: P&G and Mondelez Career Mixer By Erica Flores

Criterion Collection Picks by Allen Galaura

My Two Cents on Feminism by Roni Cabrito

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

Crossword & Anagram Puzzle

WHO WE ARE

ECHOES 63A PUBLICATION EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITORS STAFF

Echoes is the official publication of the UP Economics Society (UP Ecosoc), a non-stock, non-profit student organization based in the University of the Philippines Diliman School of Economics. Echoes is released two to four times a semester and six times a year on the months of March, April, August, September, October, and November. It draws its funding from a subsidy from UP Ecosoc, and small fundraisers. Due to the online semester, the issue is made available online to be read freely by the members of the organization. CONTACT US echoes.upecosoc@gmail.com TWEET US @echoesph FOR MORE INFO, VISIT: upechoes.com issuu.com/echoes All errors are corrected when uploaded on issuu.com/echoes. If you spot any errors, please email us, NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER.

Roni Cabrito Stella Villamiel Cris Amores Allen Galaura Justine Panganiban Cara Sta. Ana Kathryn Bunagan John Reyes Rafael Rey De Leaon

DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT EDITORIAL HEAD STAFF

Micah Dela Cruz Gab Rivera Harvey Sanga Puy Revatoris Julio Gatchalian Meira De Luna Mario Quimbo

EVENTS & SYSTEMS EDITORIAL HEAD STAFF

Erika Tato Bea Caurez Lorenz Mutuc Hannah Go Hans Wong Anton Lamasan

CONTRIBUTORS Lorenz Mutuc Erica Flores

EDITOR'S LETTER Hey, Ecosoc! Welcome you to 63A’s first and only Zine: the Harbor Issue! The Zine has been a tradition of Echoes since time immemorial, and the Editorial Board advocated for this to pay tribute and create a lasting souvenir of this one-of-a-kind semester.

So why Harbor? Harbor was decided as the theme for its dual and symbolic meaning: first, as a place of safety where ships come to dock; second, as the feelings/thoughts that one typically keeps to themselves. In light of the pandemic, we wanted the Zine to be a safe space and a place of expression amidst a time of uncertainty. We don’t want to let the online set-up hinder us from connecting with others, and we hope that this Zine would serve as a medium for

Of course, this Zine was not a one-man effort. Team Formal Content brought this issue to life, and Cris and Stella have worked extra hard to ensure that we get the job done on time. Looking back on this semester, my journey leading Echoes has been full of trials and tribulations, but I know I’m gonna look back on this when I'm forty-something years old and think that my days in Ecosoc were one of the best moments of my life. From Execomm shenanigans, TSW bonding sessions, up to social and value-adding activities, you can truly creat a home in these people. There’re also a lot of things I was scared to do but somehow pulled off, and I only have the people around me to thank as they’ve been my support system and my inspiration to improve. Thank you to my hard-working Team Heads and Echoes officers for showing so much initiative and being passionate for writing and creating content for the past five months. We did it! I won’t keep it long as I’m sure you’re excited to read the contents of this Zine, as am I. Let’s go and take a trip down memory lane as we reach for the harbor. I love you, Ecosoc! (Shoutout to Stella for the beautiful cover!!! xoxo) Yours truly,

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

Ecosocers to feel a little less lonely even in isolation.

COMMITTEE LETTERS

In one of the hardest months of my life, I'm glad to have you, Ecosoc. It has been a rough semester personally, but "being" with all of you gave me the motivation to wake up everyday and keep moving forward. Thank you for all the laughter and support you have given me. I've grown so much as a person because of you, and I will forever be grateful for that. I hope that in some ways -- whether big or small -- you were able to learn from us too. I never imagined being the Acad VP, but as I was given the honor of serving in this position, the main objective I had in mind was to make a change in each Ecosocer. Whether it's through reminding you, making you smile, giving you an opportunity, or all the other things out there, I hope it was able to foster or create some change in your life.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

To the Academic Affairs Committee 63A, words can never express my gratefulness for all of you. This sem passed by so slowly yet rapidly at the same time. Slowly because of the tasks and requirements, but fast because I wish I had gotten to know all of you more. I may not be the person you talk to everyday, but do know that I care for all of you and am aware of how hard working and smart you all are. At times when I find myself losing motivation for what I do, I simply look at you guys and the passion you put into what you do. You inspire me every single day. It's not easy spending hours researching, contacting speakers, organizing a program, and all the work needed, but you continued to create such high quality and value-adding output for all of us. All the praise and love belongs to you, Acad. At the end of it all, I hope you learned and had fun throughout this sem. My only wish is that you feel fulfilled and you were able to gain something for the mind or the heart. Mahal na mahal ko kayo. To my lovely, smart, and hard working team heads, Shanina, Yanna, Chelsea, Gabe, Vian, and Rhia, you all are the real GOAT. Kayo ang tunay na haligi ng Acad 63A. All the ideas and initiatives would not have been possible without you. I am still at awe with your intelligence and passion for serving, and I can never thank you enough for what you have done for the committee and the org. You have all taught me a lot and allowed me to grow and improve on what I lacked on. I will miss our chats na nawawala sa topic (because of me), our ngarag messages/calls during events, and listening to all the ideas you have. You are the best set of THs that I could ever ask for. Thank you so much, guys. You have no idea how much I love and believe in all of you. To Execomm 63A, thank you for accepting me and helping me become a better leader. You have no idea as to how much I look up to all of you. Thank you for everything. As 63A ends, I look back at myself and see how I've failed or lack in various aspects. It may have been painful, but I'm glad to have you accept and support me despite all of my flaws. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to be the Acad VP. This sem, I was reminded of how much I loved learning, and I wish I was able to share this with you. Keep moving forward, Ecosoc, and never stop learning. Mahal na mahal ko kayo.

Hi Ecosoc, Acads should be done by now, so I hope you’re all resting and doing well! It’s been a long and difficult year full of uncertainty and surprises in terms of acads, our personal lives, and so many other things. One of the good things that happened to me this year was the privilege to serve as your CDC VP for 63A. It has been the most fulfilling experience, and I’m certain that it’s because of the people I work with and those I work for. First, the people I worked with—Execomm, my team heads, my CDC officers— really kept me motivated throughout the sem. Being surrounded by passionate and hardworking people who shared the same vision and goals as I did was one of my favorite parts of the position. From them, I learned to always strive to be better and do

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

better.

Second, the people I worked for—the ACDC kids, the rest of Ecosoc, our different beneficiaries, etc.—gave me a sense of purpose. All my stress would go away when I would see their feedback, simple Facebook posts, and thank you messages for the simple initiatives we organized. From them, I learned how valuable small steps are in community development, especially in extraordinary times like these. So yes! To all the people I worked with and worked for, thank you for teaching me so much. It’s been a great semester, and I’ll be bringing all of what I’ve learned with me even after my term.

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

The past semester was definitely hard for most of us. Having another semester of zoom classes and endless backlogs of requirements and lecture videos was not easy at all. It was also a very tiring semester for me but one of the things that really kept me going was you — ecosoc. To Execomm 63A, I am extremely grateful to have spent one whole term with all of you. I will forever cherish all the months we have been together where I watched each and every one of you fulfill your KPIs and go beyond everyone’s expectations with all of your initiatives. Your hard work and determination truly motivate me to always keep on striving.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

To my team heads, Ysa, Ushi, Jamie, & Kylene, I am extremely proud of all of you. I truly enjoyed seeing all of you grow, leading your own teams, and making your own systems within your teams. I may have been watching mostly through the sidelines but I am always here to guide you and help you in every way I can. I have learned so much from working with you and I hope you guys learned a thing or two as well. Again, thank you so much for having the courage to lead exte with me. To Exte 63A, I know the online setting has limited my chances of personally getting to know each one of you but you guys will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you for choosing Exte. I hope you guys enjoyed your stay with the committee and your team members. Exte has improved so much this semester and it’s all because of your participation and hard work. ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

Special mention to my Scav team, SXH, thank you so much for all the GVs and laughs throughout scav week. It will definitely be one of the highlights of my college years. As I went through my college life, Ecosoc has always been there. I have seen how the organization changed and evolved. With everything that we have accomplished so far, I am more excited to see where Ecosoc will go.

Hey Ecosoc, to be super honest, i never thought i’d stay active in this org for long HAHA in my mind, every sem was always gonna be my last sem to re-aff (lolz!) but for some reason, i’d always find myself back in deep. this sem particularly has been a wildly unexpected one for me, and i’m sure for many of you too! but it’s crazy to think that even with this online set up and zero irl experiences, Ecosoc’s still somehow continued to be a home to me— and that’s thanks to every mem here! to Fin, you guys are crazy amazing!!! i’d never been a member of this committee before suddenly becoming your VP, and that honestly made this sem pretty daunting to me. even so, the initiative, drive, and commitment you guys all showed towards your work made leading this committee a breeze! i’m really so lucky to have had such a great line up of members, and i’m so excited to see where you all

FINANCE

end up in this org! to my team heads especially, a huge thank you for staying so on top of your work and for being reliable 100% of the time! the success of Fin was really thanks to you guys, and i’m so so proud of all of you!!

to execomm, you have to be one of the best teams i’ve ever worked with!! seeing the work ethics you guys hold, the care you give to each mem, and the passion you have for the org rubbed off on me and i think i love Ecosoc way more now because of all of you HAHAH YIEE! thanks for a great sem you guys, so happy for all of you!! aaand that’s it from me!! HAHA thank you for everything Ecosoc, i love you all!!! 😚 take it easy,

COMMITTEE LETTERS

Dearest Ecosoc, Hello! I’m not really good with articulating my thoughts and emotions into sappy and mushy letters, so here’s whatever my brain and heart could think of! I remember entering Year 63 with a lot of anxiety and apprehensions, but as I look back at the semester, all I feel is fulfillment and joy. And I hope that as you are reading this, you too are looking back with nothing but pride and achievement. Undeniably, 63A has had its ups and downs, but despite everything, we persevered and conquered <3 So, congratulations! I sincerely hope that the semester was worth your while, and that you found a sense of comfort in this organization, despite the changing tides.

MEMBERSHIP To the new members, I hope you realize that you are now a part of this wonderful family, and that we all want nothing but the best for you. To the members who have been here for a while, I’d like to say thank you for yet again believing in this org, amidst the circumstances. And to our graduating members, I hope you know that Ecosoc will always be your home, and that there will always be something for you to come back to. While the future may still seem hazy to most, I know that the future is bright for Ecosoc, and I know that it’s because of each and every single one of you :) Here’s to us! Sending you all my love,

Guten Tag Ecosoc!

你好 Ecosoc!

SECRETARIAT

Looking back at the sem we just had, it was full of a lot of firsts. It might not have been the first full online sem, but it’s a sem that brought a lot of change w/ it, it really was a reboot for the org (#punny). Seccom this semester underwent a lot of changes, changes which hopefully last into the future even when f2f comes back. The 'reboot' of Seccom was made possible by you all, so I’d like to use this letter to thank the people who made everything possible. To Execomm 63A, working with everyone was really great! Everyone was very supportive and fun to work with. I really enjoyed being a part of this group, honestly can’t see anyone else being a part of Execomm 63A (bc everyone was dat good and fun to be with). Will remember the Execomm bondings (esp midsem one, let it be known I was not the first to get knocked out !)* *special shoutout din to the trailblazers gc HAHAHA, the random chats, rants and actually working/collaborating on org & acad work rlly kept me goin this semester despite all the stress. I can honestly say we were all able to 'trailblaze' the new things we set out to do !! To Berns, Tin, Ei and Collete, y’all are literally lifesavers. I wouldn’t see myself surviving this semester and Seccom achieving so much without y’all. Berns and Tin’s were so solid, legit carried my non-pubbing self in making sure Team Creatives were doing well. Ei and Collette, the changes in Seccom, from the dashboards to the revamped Internals Hub, were made possible thanks to your efforts. Know I’ll always support ya even after the semester ends. To Seccom 63A, thank you for giving Seccom a shot for this semester. Out of all the takeaways you may have gained from being a part of this committee, I really hope that you found your stint value adding and enjoyable. Am looking forward to what's in store for Seccom in the near future To Ecosoc, thank you for all the support you gave for the initiatives of Seccom this semester. The metrics on the Internals Hub show increased usage, so I am really appreciative of all the support given for our initiatives this semester. Ecosoc sem 63A has truly been a memorable experience. I’m 100% grateful I decided to take a shot w secgen because the ride has truly been meaningful. Thank you all for everything and I hope this crazy semester was as meaningful to you all as it was to me.

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

Hey, Ecosoc. Never have I felt so at home than with you. First, let me just say that Ecosoc has always been my safe space. It’s where I met some of the best people in the world, and I’m beyond lucky to still be given this opportunity. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. Getting to know each and every one of you is my favorite part of the job. Next, allow me to commend all of you for a job well done. From garnering more than 200,000 pesos worth of donations for our scholars to organizing (in LESS THAN three weeks) a forum well-received by the entire UP community, you have all exceeded expectations. A nomination to the Parangal is only proof to your laudable work ethic and brilliant minds—indeed, we have “rebooted,” proving the Ecosoc brand of innovation to not only UPSE, but to the world.

ECOSOC PRESIDENT

Saying “I’m proud of you” won’t cut it, for I am in absolute awe. You continue to inspire me to do better. But more than “rebooting,” I’m happier with the fact that you were all “re-inspired” to go back home. See, upholding member welfare and showing more compassion are not mere general plans of action that stay in a pub, they are promises—those that we will keep. Prioritizing you and your growth will be the culture that we will continue cultivating as we move forward. There is still so much to be done, but I am giving you all a pat in the back for such commendable progress.

Serving you is my life’s greatest honor. I cannot wait for the much greater things that we will do next semester. Let’s keep the momentum going. To the pursuit of love, V

Hey Ecosoc! The first sem of year 63 is already down but everything felt like a whole year’s worth of experiences and other crazy stuff that we associate with the org and I couldn’t help but recall some of them first. As co-chairperson of the Task Force Committee, my year really began with the UP Fair in minda. Despite not being the usual Roots that we’ve known and loved, Horizons was still a big success and really showed what we are capable of regardless of the circumstances we faced. Roots will always be my favorite Ecosoc tradition and seeing how we managed to deliver the same experience last May, I am looking forward

SCHOLCOMM/HORIZONS CHAIRPERSON

even more to whatever we will make out of the next UP Fair, whatever form or name it may adopt. Always, and in all ways, #ForTheScholars.

The competitive atmosphere of Scav became my way of getting to know the other members and making memories with them, mostly happy while some – blurry, but delighting, nonetheless. UPFront also became a testament to what we are made of despite the challenges and limitations. Only under a month to prepare, technical difficulties, crammed but quality outputs. You can always count on Ecosocers to deliver. These, together with all the other events and initiatives that every committee has accomplished. In my almost 3 years with Ecosoc, this has been both the most challenging and most promising I’ve seen. People may be tired of hearing me say this, but I won’t stop emphasizing how much the org means to me and I hope that it’s the same with all of you. I’ve seen how each member, old and new, has been vital to delivering that same experience that’s been in existence for years. I truly believe that Ecosoc is in good hands because I see future leaders, members who’ll impact the org and its stakeholders the best way possible in the coming years. You’ve been going above and beyond our expectations since the start. I hope you see Ecosoc as an avenue to grow even further as I did. I hope you keep in mind our purpose despite the challenges tied to it and I’m looking forward to making more memories with you guys even beyond my term. <3 Fonso & Scholcom

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

These times cannot be more challenging. I, myself, had my fair share of failures and bad decisions here and there. But amidst all the fear and doubt, you, Ecosoc, are my certainty. And one thing was made clear to me this semester—that is, in this era of change, service, excellence, and tradition shall always remain.

COMMITTEE LETTERS

To the UPFront Organizing Body, It's been an undeniably rough and hectic 3 weeks. Just as how candidates during the UPFront proper had only 15 seconds to think, it felt as if for every problem that arose, we'd also only have a few moments to collect our thoughts before we'd have to have a concrete solution. I feel like I can't thank you all enough. UPFront was really unprecedented and it really was amazing to see how we were able to meet, and even exceed people's expectations. It was a feat that we were able to successfully migrate online, and survive FOUR separate sessions - all planned in less than a month's time.

UPFRONT CO-CONVENER You guys are really our superstars and my quality cramming idols! Everyone accomplished their deliverables at lightning speeds! With pubs and videos being done in less than a day, a whole innovative voting platform done in 2 days (patent coming soon ene!), scripts and slides being edited literally a few minutes before the program proper, and candidate speech transcripts for recap pubs done in a few hours! I will surely miss Prof. Alicia's roll calls, the adrenaline rush from Gavin's countdown at every start of the program, and ofcourse witnessing our most "behaved" selves in the groupchat while monitoring comments and listening to our besties, the candidates, and their speeches ;) It really was a pleasure to work with all of you albeit for a short but fulfilling 3 weeks. I hope you had a fulfilling time working towards shaping a more informed student body....and I yield my time :3 - Angela L.

Hi Concom and Execomm! Thank you so much for consistently carrying out your duties. To the Execomm, I really appreciate how you never hesitate to consult Concom. It just shows how much you value the foundations that our organization has collectively agreed upon to uphold. I do small checks every now and then to see if the duties of each officer are being fulfilled, and you guys do exactly that, consistently and excellently. I firmly believe that Ecosoc will continue to move forward despite the dire situation that we have been in for more than a year because of your direction.

CONCOMM CHAIRPERSON

To the members of Concom, I thank you for always responding despite most of our cases being way beyond typical working hours. I hope the next generation of Concom members will emulate the kind of effort that you people have put in in everything that we have done so far. I am very proud to say that our Constitution now more clearly captures the foundations of our organization and will serve as a firm guide for those who will fill in our positions in the future as well as those who will be elected to lead. It could not have come out as well as this without each and every one of you. <3

Hi Ecosoc! When I was an app, Scav was always one of those topics you’d hear thrown around in tambayan as an example of those moments that build your relationship with you fellow Ecosocers. It’s has always been a staple of everything that makes an Ecosocer, and this year we tried to translate it online so that this tradition doesn’t fade out into obscurity. I’m so glad you participated (CONSENSULLAY ) in the best way you can, and I can’t wait to see you all play your hearts out in Scav when we go back to school. Keep the fire burning.

SCAV MASTER

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

news

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

News by the Numbers. HORIZONS: Online Benefit Concert. UPFront 2021. Memcomm Mental Health & Wellness Week. CDC Vaccine Literacy Program. CDC Webinar on Good Governance. Wormy Connects Career Mixers.

NEWS

by th s w e Ne BY ALLEN GALAURA

PH Government Debt (as of May 2021)

Million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the PH (as of June 2021)

Voters registered for 2022 elections (as of Feb 2021)

10.77

6.1

457

500

days since Metro Manila lockdown

Years since the Philippines was years since The Beatles “discovered” by visited Manila Magellan/ 500 victory at Mactan

nu mbers 14

5 25 1 12

years since the start of Philippine revolution

8 4..8 3 34

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

single people in the Philippines (as of Feb 14 2020)

9 years left to lower world temperature

183

days before Christmas (as of June 25, 2021)

NEWS

First ever online concert: Ecosoc pledges support for scholars through ‘HORIZONS' BY JUSTINE PANGANIBAN As part of a fund-raising drive for the organization’s scholars, The UP Economics Society organized its first-ever online concert entitled ‘Horizons’, which featured various artists from the University and the OPM scene, held on May 2, 2021. OPM Artists such as The Juans, Gloc-9, Johnoy Danao, Imago, The Vowels They Orbit, Carousel Casualties, Allen&Elle, Oh, Flamingo! Shirebound & Busking, and The Ridleys performed during the event, which was streamed live on UP Ecosoc’s Facebook page and was hosted by Yani Villarosa and Victor Danceras. Some of the artists were also interviewed live during the event Furthermore, ‘Horizons’ also presented artists and bands from the University, namely T!N, Element 97, Batch ’88, Batch ’92, Cowboy Country Club, Celina Pacana, Shecries, Anorama, Paprika!, and The Lan Party.

“I'd never say no to an opportunity to play music. Being able to help while doing what I love is an even bigger thing,” Sañga added. Meanwhile, Kristiana Fabria, a sophomore economics major also known as T!N, expressed that she is honored to perform in Horizons and share the stage with other artists, and added that she wanted to perform. “As someone who really loves music, I just wanted to take every opportunity to do what I love. But also, aside from that, performing in Horizons was also very meaningful because of its cause. And so, that was also a big reason to do it and to do it well.” Fabria shared. The online benefit concert primarily aims to showcase the emerging talents and artists of the local industry scene, especially during this time when gatherings are prohibited.

“Seeing our band's performance video on the Horizon's page, seeing tons of people were watching, as well as receiving a load of affirming comments from orgmates was an amazing experience,” Harvey Sañga, a third-year economics student who is part of the band Anorama, said in an online interview.

In addition, ‘Horizons’ seeks to raise donations for the 14 scholars of the organization, as well as for those who are greatly affected by the ongoing pandemic.

Moreover, Sañga said he was longing for that experience of performing since it has been a year since they last performed live, and that it reminded him of how it felt good to perform live.

In the past, as part of the organization’s adhocs, UP Ecosoc organized Roots, an OPM Concert that is held during the UP Fair at the University of the PhilippinesDiliman every February, which also aimed to raise funds for UP Economics Society Scholarship Fund.

The stories of the scholars were also presented throughout the event.

ECOSOC HOSTS UPFRONT 2021 BY KATHRYN BUNAGAN

The UP Economics Society on June 7-8 held

In partnership with HALALAN UPD, UPFront

UPFront, the largest and most-recognized

served as a platform for the candidates to

University Student Council (USC) Elections

present their plans and visions for the

Forum and Miting de Avance (MDA) in the

University and to debate on issues that

University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD),

concern its constituents and the society at

in order to instill critical thinking among the

large. The said event also gave the student

student body so they may be educated

body the opportunity to voice out their

voters in the USC elections then.

concerns

and

ask

the

candidates

their

stances on pressing issues.

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

THE SAID EVENT ALSO GAVE THE STUDENT BODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE OUT THEIR CONCERNS AND ASK THE CANDIDATES THEIR STANCES ON PRESSING ISSUES. In the middle of a pandemic, UPFront

Angelica Lim and Angela Lopez were the

returned with its first virtual installment of

conveners

the official USC Elections Forum in the first

Directors also includes Alicia Virola and

remote elections of the University.

Juliane Malcontento for Programs; Gavin

for

UPFront

2021.

Board

Remigio for Logistics; Isay Lingat and Kyla Paredes for Pubs and Promos.

CDC LAUNCHES MONTH-LONG VACCINE LITERACY CAMPAIGN BY RAFAEL REY DE LEON

During

the

whole

month

March,

Community Development Committee (CDC) launched a series of campaign on vaccine literacy with the aim to combat vaccine hesitancy fuelled by misinformation as the country marked its first year anniversary of the lockdown and as it anticipated the arrival of vaccines in the country. Recognizing the importance of raising

Many responded to the call and took to

awareness

Facebook to share with their friends and

achieving herd immunity- where 70 percent

loved ones the truth and lies about the

of the country’s population is inoculated,

vaccines, their vital importance, and the

CDC through Giffy’s digest released a series

need to combat fake news.

of pubs that tackles the basics of vaccineshow

they

vaccines

work,

how

step

are

they

“In a time where fake news is the norm we

developed, how safe they are, what are the

need to equip ourselves with scientifically

existing brand of vaccines and many more.

accurate, reliable and credible information especially with regard to COVID-19,” Vina Naomi stressed on her Facebook post.

Moreover, in a bid to engage members of Ecosoc

helping

boost

vaccine

confidence in the country, CDC rebranded On the other hand, Rafael John Maliwanag

its usual campaign to Giffygram where

said that “the vaccine not only prevents you

members

from getting seriously ill, it also shields you

Facebook what they have learned from at

from being a carrier of the disease.” This, as

least one article about COVID-19 vaccines

the latest Pulse Asia survey showed that 61

they have read and what is its significance

percent do not want to get their jabs done.

for them. They were also asked to share the

are

encouraged

link/s of the article/s and attach one photo To close the month-long campaign, CDC reminded

the

understanding

public of

how

health

issues

our

being

experienced by us and how we react to it as key to ending the pandemic.

“Improving vaccine literacy programs helps us achieve this goal by communicating critical data more effectively within communities and strengthening the fight against misinformation,” CDC concluded.

related to the article.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE INITIATES

BY RAFAEL REY DE LEON As members of Ecosoc geared up for the

The following day, on Wednesday, dubbed as

upcoming midterms, Team Socials & Welfare

Work on It Wednesday, the members had the

from

initiated

opportunity to meet Dra. Maria Bernadette M.

Mental Health & Wellness Week- a line up of

Manalo Arcena, a renowned psychiatrist via

different activities for five days that aimed to

zoom, where they learned more about mental

improve the overall health and well being of its

health and how to cope during the pandemic.

the

Membership

Committee

members. On the other hand, during Self-Care Thursday, To kick off the event, Team Socials and Welfare

Team Socials and Welfare posted a series of

launched Memo Monday, where they released a

informational pubs about maximizing the benefits

Padlet that served as an avenue for the members

of sleeping- from why is sleep important, how to

another

improve sleep hygiene to how to optimize your

anonymously. Encouraging posts such as “Kaya

sleep schedule and how to foster pro-sleep

Mo Yan”, “You Got This!” to pictures of dogs and

habits.

positivity

with

one

music recommendations have filled the wall. Lastly, they held Wine Down Friday, where Meanwhile, on Tuesday, in collaboration with

members were encouraged to join a stretching

Echoes, they presented a podcast on coping

session while sitting down and a heart-to-heart

and venting. Hosted by Gabby Lazo, Gabrielle

talk over wine or any other drinks on zoom.

Planas, and Macy Salud together with the hotline callers Haqq Guiling, Shaira Lim, Mika

Due to positive feedback they got from the

Tomeldan and Poch Villalodid, they shared with

members with its first padlet, Team Socials and

their listeners their own ways of adapting with

Welfare

the challenges of online learning. The hour-long

called Safe Spaces Padlet. On this padlet,

podcast has been made available on Spotify and

members were free to rant, ask for advice, or let

Youtube.

out anything they want.

decided

launch

another

padlet

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS WEEK

NEWS

CDC HOLDS WEBINAR ON GOOD GOVERNANCE BY JUSTINE PANGANIBAN Aiming

enlighten

people

about

good

governance as well as stress its importance, The UP Economics

Society’s

Community

Development

Committee (CDC), as part of its AdvocaCDC Campaign, conducted a webinar on Zoom entitled “Engage with Giffy: Webinar on Good Governance” on May 31 and invited a set of speakers relevant to this field. Also, Mr. Dexter Yang, founder of GoodGov PH, In his talk, Atty. Chel Diokno, the chair of the Free

gave a talk in the webinar, emphasizing the role

Legal Assistance Group and founding dean of the

of the youth in good governance, and likened

De La Salle University College of Law, gave an

good governance with the ‘balangay’, adding that

overview of good governance in the Philippines

‘balangay’ reflects the sense of community and

while stressing its importance.

identity of Filipinos.

“Good governance is important because we cannot

Moreover, Mr. Yang suggested three ways to

rule only by what the majority wants. There must be

participate

consideration taken of other people; of those who

voting right and getting people to vote right,

have

activating youth institutions, and leading in good

different

views,

those

who

come

from

different beliefs or cultures, and that is why good

good

governance;

namely

governance.

governance also requires that whoever is in power should listen and consider the views of others,

Meanwhile, according to Ms. Gabby Lazo, the

especially the most vulnerable in society.” Atty.

vice president for community development of UP

Diokno said.

Ecosoc, the webinar on good governance was organized because of its goal, especially since

Furthermore, Atty. Diokno also talked about the

good governance affects everyone, from the

key attributes of good governance and related

largest institutions to the simplest individuals.

these attributes to the current situation of the country.

“With the national elections coming up next year, and for UP students, the USC Elections nearing, it

Aside from the talk, the CDC also conducted a

is very important for us to be aware not just of the

panel discussion with Dr. Jalton Taguibao, Dr.

concept of good governance, but also how this

Kristoffer Berse, and Ms. Vina Mengua as the

should manifest in different sectors of society,

moderator, where they discussed good governance

and what we can do to promote its practice,”

in relation to Covid-19 response, tackling topics

Lazo added.

such

public

policies,

economic

issues,

government incompetence, and the existence of

After all the talks, an open forum was held

community pantries.

together with all the speakers.

y Connec m r ts o : W P&G AND MONDELEZ CAREER MIXER BY ERICA FLORES

In its endeavor to provide career opportunities for Ecosocers, Team Career & Acad Opportunities held “Wormy Connects,” a career mixer initiative. With members of renowned FMCG companies, P&G and Mondelez, members of the organization were able to learn more about each company's culture, structure, and offered opportunities even through virtual means. The first Wormy Connects for 63A was held last their talk about the ins and outs of the corporation. The event started off with the hosts -- Roni Cabrito and Gabe Apostol -- welcoming the attendees to the program. Shortly after, the first talk titled “Keeping Up with P&G: How P&G Copes with the Fast-Changing World,” was given by Mrs. Anna Legarda,

the

P&G

Corporate

Communications

Manager. Here, she gave an overview of P&G’s history and its impact on the world over the decades. She was followed by Ms. Eina Izabela Concepcion, the Senior Brand Manager of P&G (and former Ecosocer!). In her talk “P&G 101: Being a P&G Insider,” she narrated her journey as a member of P&G, highlighting the marvels and challenges she has faced over the years. Once the speakers delivered their talks, the participants were divided into Breakout Rooms where they could engage more with chosen members of P&G. There were twelve (12) members of P&G who addressed the inquiries of the audience about the

This was immediately followed by the fist talk, “Knowing Mondelez Philippines” by Ms. Kim Enriquez, the Talent Acquisition Operations Lead of the company. In her talk, she gave a quick

history

opportunities

of they

Mondelez offer

and

the

students.

Afterwards, Ms. Louise Faraon, Field Sales Executive and Ecosoc alumni, shared her experiences as a former intern and current employee

her

talk

titled

“Life

Mondelez.” The event ended with an open forum

where

speakers

talked

about

the

company culture and what it takes to be a part of the Mondelez PH team. In its post-documentation for the mixer, Team Career & Acad Opportunities reiterates its objective in holding this program. To quote, ”As we continue to uphold our thrusts of Service and Excellence, we give value to the

company.

future of our society and its members by

A month after the first mixer, Wormy Connects had

of the nation at large. Through providing

its second installment last April 21, 2021 with Mondelez International. Hosted by Shanina Roncal and Vian Waga, Ecosocers were welcomed warmly

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

March 1, 2021. Speakers from P&G Philippines gave

becoming driving forces in the improvement opportunities to our members to learn and grow, we move one step forward in reaching our goals.”

to the event.

features

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

My Two Cents on Feminism. Apollo. Good Governance.

FEATURE

my two cents on

FEMINISM BY RONI CABRITO

Here’s the thing: women do not stand on equal footing as men. That is an incontrovertible fact that you'd have to be pretty damn ignorant to deny, but as much as I love seeing women be empowered and oppressive social systems deconstructed, there are certain “feminist” thinking I’ve seen circulating around the social sphere that I believe is potentially harmful. It’s the fact that feminine women are underestimated, that the notion of feminism is strictly about women being dominant, being badass, and you could say in a sense, women being “masculine.” To clarify, I am not discarding the fact that women are tied down to stereotypical, heteronormative gender roles, because they absolutely are and the heart of feminism is to advocate for women to break out of this restrictive box and glass ceiling that prevents them from aiming for anything other than what their sex dictates them to be.

For discussion’s sake, I define femininity as the traits traditionally associated with women such as sensitivity, nurturance, generosity, and the like. But gender is only a social construct, and so gender roles don’t hold much water; we shouldn't be painting a person to this dichotomous perspective. Obviously, women can be masculine, and men can be feminine. Unfortunately there seems to be a culture of feminism being a competition. The issue I have with this is that feminine women get looked down upon, crazily enough even by fellow women. Pitting women against each other and creating this hierarchy of feminism is a toxic and selective mindset that only further perpetuates sexism and misogyny. Feminism is about letting women be who they want to be, without prejudice and without harassment. Women being feminine does not perpetuate sexist ideals--no, the thought that there is something inherently wrong with being feminine is the problem, NOT femininity in itself. Society has brainwashed people to believe that “feminine” traits are inferior to “masculine” traits, but that’s not true. Only when society sees these two traits on equal footing do I believe we can achieve equality for women.

AM ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

A day goes wrong It all goes down I need a break from everyone I need a break from everything I wait for the darkness to rise I wait for its silence & comfort Waiting... for the moon and stars To shine some light, just a slight And to the darkness I look over And into the darkness I plunge

FEATURE

GOOD GOVERNANCE BY CRISANDRA AMORES

widely embraced theory forcefully advances a reverse causal claim: “good governance = growth.” The notion that economic growth requires good governance, and that good governance requires requires economicgood growth leads to the perennial chicken-and-egg debate. Which comes first, economic growth or good governance? International agencies like the World Bank and IMF, joined by many Western policy makers and academics, maintain that it is necessary to have good governance first before markets can grow. Furthermore, econometric research (Kauffman et al. (1999, 2005), Knack et al. (1999) investigated the relationship between good governance and economic growth in the sense of “market-enhancing governance” (stimulus institutions market) and found a positive relationship. Obviously, the logic is quite intuitive. For example, an IMF study suggests that corruption has a negative influence on economic growth by inhibiting some potential growth drivers such as public and private investment, among other factors.

he remark that many poor countries fail poor because becauseof their turbulent history history and poor starts is but not correct, particularly surprising in and of particularly itself. For example, the Philippines has seen a bunch of government-related scandals, including corruption, looting, and under-the-table negotiations. In fact, the Philippines tied for 115th place with Moldova in the 2020 corruption perception index, just ahead of four nations which tied for 111th place. Along with this fact, the Philippines is still a third-world country, ranking 75th in the world.

oreover, it's more difficult and more importantto explain why important certain countries certain succeed despite the succeed overwhelming overwhelming obstacles in governance. One great example is China. Its development from a socialist backwater to a superpower since market reforms began in 1978, is groundbreaking. Is good governance enabled by growth, or is it vice versa? Is history predetermined?

Many researchers have examined the effects of good governance on economic growth using different methodologies and data sets, and the findings have been contradictory. Particularly speaking, one manifestation of how good governance can cause economic growth is through better targeting. Conditional cash transfer programs are one example of how the government reaches the poor and delivers at a far lower cost, while improving human capital.In contrast, Yuen Yuen's work emphasizes the possibilities of leveraging existing institutions to produce inclusive growth and further momentum for institutional change. In her new book, How China Escaped the Poverty Trap, Yuen Yuen Ang traces the evolution of the economy and governance together, describing how China used a strategy of "directed improvisation" to harness weak institutions to build markets, which in turn stimulated the growth of strong institutions, which in turn preserved markets. Dr. Ang draws parallels between China's reform experience and that of late medieval Europe, preCivil War America, and modern Nigeria.

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

This is not a book about a specific life, but rather an examination of how policy influences many people's lives. It delves on how China has turned various internal profit sharing schemes and corruption into incentives schemes. However, what is distinctive with China is its differentiated corruption unlike other countries in Asia. The grand corruption in the commercial sector creates incentives in the bureaucracy and thus foster growth. Therefore, using this view, the weak institutions can be used to build markets through power of improvisation or “directed improvisation.”

FEATURE

APOLLO My eyes have been blessed I have been gifted to see To see such beauty But reality too stands To see the ugliness I am a dreamer A visionary d Nothing Gi But ft A Ble Curse ss I’ve been blind Blind to what may happen Blind to what may be felt I know because I see Knowledge is a burden I carry Guilt is my punishment My torture for eternity

e ess rru C uC

ee d d

ss rr

C uC u

BY JUNGLE

But I do not deserve it I don’t deserve any of it Let me bathe in the River Lethe ~ ~ ~

Is a gift A lesson An instrument of wisdom

H T E E

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

I want to forget I can’t forget I need to forget I don’t want to forget It’s part of life --- my history With it, memories of family & friends Memories are such cursed-blessings But it is by nature, a blessing A cruel one yet fills the holes in my heart To remember ~

FEATURE

I. You were my moon I was the stars I surrounded you and stayed all throughout I was there. From your New Moon to your Full Moon. I stood, continued to shine with you in your brightest and shed some light when you were at your darkest. I was there for You. From your absence to your presence Partial absence-presence As a star, some of me burned out, died and

II.

exploded to dust

I was too far

But there are just some forces in this

Too far for you to notice me

universe that despite the death of stars,

Too far away from you

such force and

Such space between the two us of

energy also brings birth to new stars. New

Let's be honest

parts of me - something that never existed

How can I compare to someone nearer and

before

closer to you?

I kept shining for you

Another star. A star called 'Sun'.

We were in the same space...

Despite being a star too, it was Sun who

But I realized something..

gave you light for others to see you shine on Earth Sun gave you light but sometimes you don't realize not all is given to you Such a paradox The one thing that gives of light also brings darkness to yourself You have such power over a planet's water While I don't You show up to Sun and leave, then show up again. Til it became a cycle that the laws of the universe itself approved of It's only just you You bring light and darkness not only to me but to all For someone on Earth, they must notice you Hurting, I died inside. Became cold... Gone For once you enter your darkness - your New Moon again People will look up at the sky An empty sky No moon; No stars...

III. They'll say the sky is just clouded But you don't know, it was also your mind that was [clouded] Too blind to see my worth Worth and importance You stand in the dark ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

Floating in space, without me Also without Sun's light for you to shine You may only notice when in the total complete darkness of space Light flickers here and there Since I am millions of light years away from you The light I once shined and gave just reached you when I'm already gone from your life How ironic The Moon so beautiful and majestic Still tragic and lifeless That explains everything now.

arts & culture

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

Criteria Collection Picks. Tiktok Recommends. Book Review: The Forgotten Man. Crossword Puzzle. Anagram Puzzle.

CULTURE

CRITERION COLLECTION PICKS BY ALLEN GALAURA

The Criterion Collection is an American home video distribution company that licenses “important classic and contemporary films.” Dedicated to gathering the greatest films around the world, it picks a wide variety of films—be it classic, Hollywood, or indie—under one criteria: it has to be an exemplary film of its kind. The collection has produced more than 1000 special editions of its films and while it does sound like a handful, these six films will be a good starter for you!

ECNAMOR

In the Mood for love Release: 2000 Director: Wong Kar Wai Asian cinema is the master of conveying deep emotions in subtlety. Stolen glances can easily do the trick of evoking emotions and Wong Kar Wai’s critically-acclaimed film will make you feel that you are truly, passionately in the mood for love.

HISTORICAL Casablanca Release: 1942 Director: Michael Curtiz

feelings of these two ex-lovers become a complication in making the right choice.

Who says romance and propaganda cannot go together? Casablanca follows the story of an American expatriate who agrees to help his former lover and her husband during World War 2. Unfortunately, the resurfacing

Disguised as a typical love story, Casablanca was designed to support the isolationist country’s participation in the Allied Forces. In Rick Blaine’s (Humphrey Bogart) words, “this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

WAR

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

The cinematography burns in a passionate atmosphere as the melancholic love story of Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung) and Mr. Chow’s begins to unfold. If you’re a hopeless romantic, this film is definitely NOT for you.

Come and See Release: 1985 Director: Elem Klimov We’ve seen Hollywood’s glorification of war—it’s high time to see war in an unfiltered, merciless lens and no one does it like the Russians. Klimov ‘s Come and See not only does that, but also provides another harrowing perspective to the Holocaust. It follows the story of Florya, a young man who joins the Resistance fighters when German forces invaded his village in Byelorussia. This film is nothing short of a nightmarish, haunting experience (don’t say I didn’t warn you) but this is a masterpiece nonetheless. All I can say for now is wait until you see the ending montage.

CULTURE

This is exactly what you will feel when you watch Singin’ in the Rain—the best movie musical as per the American Film Institute. Singin’ in the Rain pays homage to the cinema industry as it follows the story of a production company undergoing the switch from silent films to talkies. Filled with show stopping performances and entertaining dialogues, there’s no doubt as to why it’s one of the most popular musicals of all time.

Good Morning Release: 1959 Director: Yasujiro Ozu Remember as a kid when you’d endlessly cry when your parents won’t buy you the toys your friends already have? If yes, your inner child would relate to this film. Good Morning is about two brothers who vowed to be silent until their parents buy a television set. This film tackles intergenerational conflicts and consumerism in postwar Japan.

MYSTERY

What a glorious feeling, I’m happy again!

DRAMA

MUSICAL Singin in the Rain Release: 1952 Director: Gene Kelly

Rebecca Release: 1940 Director: Alfred Hitchcock No one does suspense like the master himself, Alfred Hitchcock and Rebecca will easily prove how he deserves that recognition. This film is a gothic tale about a married woman who lives in the shadow of her husband’s former wife. The surreal elements, superb direction, and—get this—the lesbian undertones are among the many reasons why this makes a thrilling watch!

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ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

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BOOK REVIEW:THE

FORGOTTEN MAN by: Crisandra Amores

The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression written by Amity Shlaes is a book that examines The Great Depression from a political and policy making standpoint. Shlaes main thrust is that Franklin Roosevelt through his New Deal worsened the economic conditions in the United States. She sees that the lack of economic knowledge and trust on free market principles made Roosevelt and his Republican predecessor Herbert Hoover responsible for America's ills. The “forgotten man” of the title, in its usual historical frame, refers to Roosevelt’s use of the term on whom he pertains to the supposedly vulnerable and the poorest in the society. Contrary to how Roosevelt used the “forgotten man” it has a different origin which was first illustrated by philosopher William Sumner as the person who belongs to the working class whose income is siphoned off for redistribution. Following Sumner’s version, Shlaes resurrects in parallel the original and alternate meaning of the man who is coerced into funding government projects. 38

The author of the book, Amity Shlaes, was well known for being a financial journalist who wrote for a lot of prestigious publications including Forbes, Financial Times, and Bloomberg for years. She was popular for writing critical articles regarding foreign policy and taxation. As a matter of fact, she won the Hayek Prize which is established by the Massachusetts Institute and also a co-winner of the Frederic Bastiat Prize, an international prize for writing on political economy. She also served as part of the editorial board for the Wall Street Journal and in 2003, she was chosen as a JP Morgan Fellow for finance and economy at the American Academy in Berlin. In 2004, her lecture in Bradley entitled "The Chicken versus the Eagle" explained the effect of the National Recovery Administration on entrepreneurs after the New Deal was implemented. Shlaes also has served as a director for an economic program under George W. Bush Presidential Center and a senior fellow on the Council on Foreign Relations. Then in 2007, her book The Forgotten Man:A new history of the Great Depression was released and became a New York Times Bestseller.

The book begins in 1937, eight years after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, with the hanging of a 13-year-old boy driven to suicidal despair by economic hardships around him. As narrated by the book, his father was unemployed and William was reported as reluctant about asking for food. This event is a way to recount the devastating effects of America’s Great Depression. The book also gave a glimpse of Hoover’s presence, and how the federal government became involved in disaster response. In 1928, Hoover was then elected as the president and a year after, he was inaugurated. In a matter of months, his presidency was challenged by the Wall Street Crash or became known as the Black Tuesday in October 1929 wherein the U.S. stock market plummeted.

Shlaes argues that Roosevelt and his team should have stuck to free market principles--that the economy should be left on its own with less government intervention. Shlaes claims that if the United States policymakers did not implement Socialist programs, businesses might have grown more than ever thus the Great Depression would not have been so great in scope. In fact, the book begins by showing that there was a depression within the depression caused by Roosevelt's New Deal.

Furthermore, the author tells the story of the Great Depression and the New Deal through the experiences of a set of variably prominent public figures of the period— Roosevelt’s allies in policy making like David Lilienthal, Rexford Tugwell, Henry Morgenthau, Felix Frankfurter, and Harold Ickes; utilities executives and bankers like Andrew Mellon, Samuel Insull, and Wendell Willkie—and of people like the kosher butchers Schechter family of Brooklyn. That is, the book is an intertwined biography of a set of popular and selected characters of the 1930's. Shlaes’s most notable example of how the New Deal eroded the small enterprise is through the Schechter family of Brooklyn, who are considered as middlemen that facilitated the buying and selling between consumers and producers. The case would come to be known as the Sick Chicken case. ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

During his term, Hoover signed the controversial Smoot– Hawley Tariff Act which aims to protect American businesses and local farmers but backfired on America’s economy. He disregarded the petition of 1,028 economists to veto it, which eventually ruined the foreign trade of the United States. The unemployment rate grew from around 5% to approximately 20%, global trade plummeted, and there was a dramatic increase in bank failures. In 1932, with Hoover’s failure to contain the crisis, voters elected Franklin Delano Roosevelt President. Unlike Hoover who had wealthy and business-oriented conservatives in his cabinet to keep him inclined to more conservative policy, Roosevelt had the opposite. Roosevelt brought in progressives and people that are part of academia to run the federal government with him. His cabinet used the Great Depression as an avenue to grow the government's role in the economy. Roosevelt as what the author tried to illustrate in her book worsened the Great Depression because he and his economic advisers patterned the New Deal in Stalin’s economic policies.

The policy of over-regulating some industries and trying to make other utility industries government owned such as the TVA negatively affects the private sector. Based on Shlaes chosen reference points,what emerges from these stories is that the New Deal was anti-business, more experimental in its fiscal policies, and not that successful in reviving the United States economy which The Economist concluded in retrospect “seemed to have forgotten, for the moment, how to grow.”

One of the strengths of the book is that it gave a human face to the facts presented. The Schechters were one of the few figures in the book that came from humble backgrounds.They were not board members, not stock market players, but rather slaughterhouse men. In 1934, they were prosecuted by the Roosevelt administration for “knowingly, willfully and unlawfully selling for human consumption an unfit chicken” in violation of the National Recovery Act (NRA) code rules. During that time, the aim of the law was to increase wages and at the same time keep prices low by regulating various competitive practices that the New Dealers attributed for overproduction.

The agents investigating their business did not understand or did not care that, in accusing them of selling belowstandard chickens, they were also implying that the Schechters did not maintain a kosher slaughterhouse and therefore were not good Jews. The author also argues that the New Dealers did not see businesses as an institution that could be a source of investment and growth but instead they were squeezed for additional government revenue. More importantly the book’s strength lies in its fresh perspective on Roosevelt’s public policies which are merely political weapons that exacerbated America’'s economic problems. This claim was backed up with facts on how Roosevelt experimented with a lot of economic policy including the gold market and wages. In this case, the federal government took several actions to weaken the gold standard. The most famous was the order that private citizens were no longer allowed to own gold, except in very small amounts. As the author says in the book, it devalued the assets of contract holders, and it is a form of revenge to capital owners because almost $200 billion was transferred from them to debtors. As for wage increase, part of the “second” New Deal in 1935 was an undistributed-profits tax, which forced businesses to discharge proceeds typically withheld for investment. That same year, the Wagner Act was established and its primary goal was to establish legal rights for most workers and to authorize collective bargaining between unions and business. This led to an increase in wages and thus in administrative costs. Their moves against the private sector, and their threats to regulate large sectors of the economy, created a political climate hostile to investment. As a repercussion of the New Deal, a part of the labor force received high wages. But the wages also prevented companies from hiring additional workers because these companies cannot sustain a supply of workers that receive a wage more than what the company can accommodate. Hence, using a supply and demand model of labor, it will result in a shortage of jobs in the latter part of the 1930s. This explains the famous description of the Great Depression which can be recalled as “the Depression was not so bad if you had a job.”

Moreover, it cannot be denied that Roosevelt deserves the credit on laying important foundations of the modern economy. His experimenting on the economy, although in itself dangerous, became an important part of today’s nature of fiscal policies. Social Security, the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the improved Federal Reserve, and a more open trade policy not only benefited the U.S. in the long run but the whole world as well. Roosevelt’s bold leadership, combined with New Deal policies gave the federal government more powers to interfere with the economy. It lifted the nation out of frustration because Americans knew for a fact that Roosevelt was doing something to lift the country out of despair. Furthermore, in terms of the author's primary themes, one of the book’s weaknesses is that the author failed to demonstrate a logical framework of why the New Deal didn't work. Before World War 2, Roosevelt’s term induced a 50% fall in unemployment and a doubling of the dow along with improved material circumstances due to cash transfers and subsidies for the poor and middle class. It should also be taken note that the dimensions of the depression pushed the economy on the brink of collapse. Comparing the economic parameters of 1929 to early 1933, the real Gross Domestic Product of the United States declined and unemployment grew from 3% to 25%. There is a series of bank runs, depositors losing their money, and small businesses losing source of credits. Some of Roosevelt’s early public policies mainly focused on deposit insurance, banking reform, and taking the U.S. off the gold standard. Yes, these policies did not restore the economy to its pre-recession levels but these policies slowed the contraction. Obviously, the New Deal public works programs provided employment and infused money into a collapsing and deflationary economy and is deemed effective although lacking. In 1940, on the eve of America’s entry into World War II and as Roosevelt ran for a third term, unemployment still persisted to about 14 percent which is 3% lower compared to 1938.

The author failed to account that what largely generated Roosevelt’s pre-war popularity is not measured by GDP growth or the dow, instead it is measured by the relative well-being of the population. While certainly, numerous New Deal policies were somehow counter-productive their immediate goals of improving lives is what counted both politically and economically. In this regard, her analysis of the New Deal on economics should give a lot of emphasis to the psychological lift that Roosevelt and his programs gave to a disappointed and frustrated American public.

ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

Also I found it alarming that the cover is deceptive as it’s filled with a crowd of what appears to be the working class. If I judge a book by its cover, it should have contained a group of politicians, executives, and bankers instead. That would have better reflected the content of the book because it primarily caters narratives of wealthy people who felt betrayed by Roosevelt's administration. Most of the contents revolve around big businesses many of whom were hounded by prosecutors for tax avoidance. This includes the privately owned electrical utilities that were subjected to alleged unfair competition against subsidized public utilities. Rather than learning how economic policies affected actual Americans, which comprises the silent majority, one will find endless references to businessmen who were frustrated by the overreaching tax policy brought upon by the New Deal. However, I recognize some of the points that the author is trying to say. The notion that too much income redistribution will not create more jobs and likely disincentivize opportunity and growth creates sense. I also realize through this book that a benevolent government might be a myth and that all government action is political. Despite the amount of information it throws which makes it hard to understand, the book offers an uncommon perspective on this important era in American history that is not often represented. I hope, however, that in the coming years, someone will write a more rigorous and less hostile book that does not portray Roosevelt a hero nor a villain who robbed people’s dreams.

CULTURE

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DOWN 1. Part of NCR* 2. Ceteris _____ 3. Vaccine from Germany 5. 2020 NBA Champions 6. Famous UP sculpture 8. BTS member 9. Composer of UP hymn 11. 60A Ecosoc president 13. UP Dormitory 14. Discord music 16. Minimum units 17. One of the Ecosoc thrusts 19. sunk costs are _______ 22. As money supply increases, interest rate ______ 23. NEDA Secretary

W CROSS R D

ACROSS 4. Market signal 7. UPSE librarian; Typhoon Haiyan 10. One of CDC's advocacies 12. HORIZONS host 15. UP Ecosoc scholar 17. For the ________ 18. Business Econ elective; Acronym 19. Grammy Album of the Year 20. Execomm; Low tol 21. Measure of poverty 24. one of Attack on Titan protagonists 25. UPSEAA Chairperson; 121 professor

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RAT MEAT I MESH ECHOES | MAY-JUNE 2021

OFF, MY TEA HINT I AM CAT APE MY SO FOUL