OMG: The Newfound Self Issue by Genré WUP

OMG

XXVI - 1

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF GENRÉ

THE NEWFOUND SELf ISSUE

AUGUST

2020

PUBLISHED BY GENRÉ The Official Student Publication of Wesleyan UniversityPhilippines, Cushman Campus, Mabini Extension, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija G/F Bishop Dionisio D. Alejandro Hall (Computer Studies Building) Email: genrepublication.wup@gmail.com facebook.com/genrewup

DIGITAL LAYOUT ROICE MICO NIEVES GENESIS FAITH VELOSO

ON THE COVER

PHOTOGRAPHY

CLARENCE JAIRRA JAVATE LYCKA MODELO

MODELS

ROAILA HONEY ROSE INIWAN JAZMINE LIBERTY TUMIBAY

OMG OF F I C IA L MAG A Z I N E O F G E N R É

FROM THE FE FROM THE FEATURES EDITOR To muster all emotions, those disruptive and unkind, whilst sailing a stormy sea, is poetry. To muster all emotions, those nurturing and hopeful, as you stand bare hands in war so unmerciful, is grace. As I found myself walking on the very thin line that separates sanity and madness, my spirit was buoyed by the echoing sound reminding me that losing my balance and eventually falling off, is yet just another way to be able to come back up. This magazine is the very message of hope and embracing your new-found self. Enveloped in words, visuals and passion made possible by the whole of Genré --- who gave all the more than what these times could as ask for. Here, we gift you a bottled shaft of sunshine. Like us, may you meet yourself in a better light. May you embrace your darkness and your rainbows. And may you not forget to dance along the way of finding yourself. After all, we are all in an adventure.

Jai

THE NEW FOUND SELF ISSUE

Genré

ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-2021

Jackquilyn Javate Editor-in-Chief

Clarence Jardiel Dowes

Jessica Maureen Gaurano

Alanna Soriano

Christian Ivan Pallorina

Managing Editor for Finace

Opinion Editor

Edcristina Salmos

Developmental Communications Editor

Associate Editor

News Editor

Annika Eketerina Tugaff Literary Editor

Ezra Mae Dimapawi

Managing Editor for Administration

Clarence Jairra Javate Features Editor

Ma. Ysabelle Fernandez Sports Editor

Roaila Honey Rose Iniwan

Jayson Gabriel Garcia

Russel Manubay Prince Cedie Corpuz Jenina Marie Lipana

Genesis Faith Veloso

Creative Director

Photojournalist

Jazmine Liberty Tumibay Circulations Director

Layout Artist

Roice Mico Nieves

Cartoonist

Multimedia Director

Aira Sebatian • Allysa Corbe • Gwynleth Mauricio • Jessryl Belmonte Anne Margarette Manalad • Keight Danielle Panotes • Lycka Modelo Trainees

Emmanuel John Pangan Technical Adviser

EDITOR’S NOT EDITOR’S NOTE Kung kailan mo kailangang-kailangan saka pahirapan sa paghahanap. Kapag naman huggard at lupaypay ka na, isa-isang naglilitawan. Ballpen na sinuksok sa buhok, salamin na suot mo naman talaga, gandang hindi inakala, sining na nagising mula sa mahabang pagkakatulog, talentong nakapa sa bulsa, negosyong nahagip sa ads na laging mong inii-skip. Maging ang kaliwanagan na akala mo habambuhay kang iisnob-in. Hanggang sa ito na tayo, bumabangka sa mga "Kwentong Pala" — meron pala ako no'n; kaya ko pala eh!; sino bang magaakala na hindi ka naman pala hanggang tingin lang? Pasikot-sikot ang buhay na animo'y nanunudyo. Lalo kapag bumabalik tayo sa inaayawan nating timbang, itsura, bisyo, trabaho, ugali, lugar, at pinaka malala sa listahan— si ex. Dalawang bagay lang naman 'yan. Una, magpakalugmok ka sa isang sulok at maging masugid na taga-abang ng pagpapalit ng araw at buwan, maging pulutan ng chismis, at mapagkamalang iniwan ng bait. O pumwesto ka sa kabila; gumising, gumayak, pumustura kahit sa bahay lang ang opisina at eskwela, huminga ng malalim, magbilang ng biyaya, maging anghel sa lupa para sa kahit isang kaklase, katrabaho, amo, kakilala, o random social media friend mo na walang ganang bumangon sa higaan. Pag pwesto mo roon sa pangalawa, tatabihan kita dahil hindi malabong isa sa mga nasa magasin na ito ang simple pero rock mong kwento ng pagpapatuloy, pag-ibig, pag-asa, at pagtuklas sa quarantine version mo na hindi mo inakala na posible pala. Magkasabay nating babasahin ng malakas, para isa man lang sa mga nagmumukmok ang makarinig, at baka sakaling mabuhayan ng loob, mapukaw, mabuhay—ulit.

Jack

Stories in Isolation:

MOVIES THAT MADE MY QUARANTINED LIFE BETTER Words by Jessica Maureen Gaurano

ike most of you, these past few months have taken a toll on my mental health. The aftermath of isolation left me overwhelmed, and it’d gotten to a point where everything seemed pointless. Aside from reading literature, films have played a considerable role in making my every day bearable. aown home (It sounds cheesy, I know). I want to share the ten films that I saw during the pandemic, which meant a lot to me personally. No, I’m not going to dwell much on each film’s technical aspects, like cinematography, acting performances, and musical scoring. This is not a movie review, but rather me sharing my own experiences with the following films.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

1. Forrest Gump (1994) Starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise The story follows the titular character, Forrest Gump, who, despite his low IQ, was able to lead a successful life. While he achieved everything he set out to do and more, his one true love, Jenny, eludes him. I loved this movie and have been watching it several times over the years. I’m glad I decided to watch the film last March. I definitely needed it. This movie came at the right time in my life. As a person, I was never really comfortable with the concept of change. The uncertainty of the future can feel overwhelming. During quarantine, I always imagine the worst possible scenario for the following months to come, given how the government handles the pandemic. I was scared of the possibility of not having a future to look forward to. Watching this movie, I remembered the child in me, the child who dreamed of an amazing life for herself despite being plain and straightforward. The film taught me that: (1) I’m not a perfect person. I have flaws and insecurities, just like everybody else. But all these flaws shouldn’t keep me from achieving my dreams. In the film, Forrest was never the most brilliant person. As I mentioned earlier, he had a low IQ. However, it didn’t let it define him, and he was able to keep up with his peers and even succeeded expectations. (2) There’s this infamous quote from the movie that goes like this: Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. Forrest’s philosophy in life and destiny reminded me that life’s uncertainties make it so exciting. I get to write my own narrative, and I should make the most of it. And instead of worrying about something that may or may not

happen, I should focus on appreciating the present moment and the simple pleasures that come with it. 2. Spotlight (2015) Starring Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton Spotlight is a biopic about how the Boston Globe could uncover the controversy behind child molestation and cover-up within a local Catholic archdiocese. To tell you the truth, as a Mass Communication major, there are times where I felt like I just wanted to give up on my dreams of becoming a journalist. But I wanted a reason to continue to pursue a career in communication arts. So during quarantine, I looked up movies that revolve around journalism. Spotlight was the most popular. I’ve read nothing but praise for the film, so last March I decided to give it a go. It was terrific, just as everybody said. These groups of people really put a lot of effort and time into crafting the article. They knew how big of a risk this is, and the Catholic Church is a potent institution. They have the power and resources to attack the Boston Globe for the investigation. Living when fake news and threats to press freedom are prevalent, journalists should continue to be brave in publishing stories, even if the stakes are high. Transparency in news reporting is needed now more than ever. Journalists are among the few people who have the power to preserve our country’s history and leave a legacy that will serve as inspiration for

FEATURE

future generations to come.

Summer, Adam Driver

After watching the film, I immediately searched for the article and kept a soft copy on my laptop. Just like the writers for the Boston Globe, I want to write a story that will leave a lasting impact, to be brave enough, to tell the truth, even if it means putting my life on the line.

The story revolves around Frances Halladay, an inspiring dancer in New York City who’s also very attached to her best friend and roommate, Sophie. But Frances’s world changes when Sophie decides to move into a new apartment with her boyfriend.

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) Starring Michael Cera, Elizabeth Winstead, Brie Larson

Mary

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is about Scott Pilgrim, a Canadian rockstar wannabe who falls in love with Ramona Flowers, a delivery girl who just moved from the US. However, to pursue a relationship with her, Scott must defeat Ramona’s seven evil exes. This would probably be short. Unlike the previous two, Scott Pilgrim didn’t leave much of an emotional impact. All I have to say is that this film was entertaining to watch. It was funny and sweet at times but also somehow relatable. I love that they included the video game element into the movie. It elevates the adventure aspect into its plot. My boyfriend and I would often watch this during online movie nights, and no matter how many times we’ve seen this movie before, we always find ourselves enjoying it. 4. Frances Ha (2012) Starring

Greta

Gerwig,

Mickey

When the film began, I noticed that Frances is the kind of person who holds to the past, while her best friend moves on. She’s scared to accept what is and what could be in her life. For example, she tries to make a career in dancing when she could do something else. I’m not saying that hard work doesn’t pay off. It does. However, I believe that we also need to look at the realistic perspective where if something doesn’t seem to fit your narrative, you move onto the next best thing. Maybe it’s for the better. Frances just seamlessly drifts from one place to another, trying to find ways to preserve what she had without caring about the present too much. However, throughout the story, we see how Frances slowly realizes to let go of the past. And with it, she finds herself. There’s also the film’s focus on friendships. People who know me know that I value friendships as much as I value my family and my

significant other. I think that platonic love is as important as romantic relationships. I love the part where Frances describes the feeling of falling in love and its reflection of her relationship with Sophie. Simply put, this film is included in this list because every time I watch this film, I feel validated because, like Frances, I’m scared of change. I find it so hard to accept the reality of things. This thought has crossed my mind during the past month. And to be honest, it feels overwhelming. But watching this film reminded me that other people feel the same way (Even if it’s just a fictional person) and that I’m not alone in this. Another reason is that this film gives me hope that someday, like Frances, I’ll grow up and find myself throughout the process. 5. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020) Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova This is a sequel to the 2006 film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Yes, that’s the film’s actual title). Fourteen years after making a film about his journey throughout the US, Borat goes back with his daughter with the hopes of establishing a relationship with the US government and Kazakhstan. This was one of the films my

boyfriend and I watched during one of our online movie nights, and like Scott Pilgrim, I’m going to talk more about my experience watching this film rather than its emotional impact. I honestly had no idea what the film is about, nor have I heard about the first Borat film. My boyfriend told me that I didn’t need to watch the first film because it feels like a separate story while this is the sequel. I still can’t believe that the majority of this film was unstaged. The film is structured like a prank. The people that the main characters interacted with are actually people who had no idea that they’re in a movie. The primary intent of the film, like the first one, is to expose the ugly truth about our society today. So why this and not the first one? The 2006 film is just as good as this one, but this feels more relevant today. Borat Subsequent Film is one of the most creative films I’ve ever seen. Borat using his magnanimous powers for general chaos, finds him using them for good. I include this here because I think that this film is so brilliant. It made me appreciate the art of cinema even more. The scene towards the end with Rudy Giuliani (who is part of Donald Trump’s legal team) was something I did NOT see coming. It blew my mind. (I’m not going to spoil what happened, though. Watch the movie to find out.) The overall rating for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Very nice!

WARNING:

WATCHING KDRAMA IS VERY ADDICTIVE Words by Alanna Soriano

et’s face it. The world is falling aside – or, at the very least, it feels like it is.

It’s not an unknown fact that these past few months have been hard for most of us. Every day we wake up with this type of anxiety and loneliness because of its uncertainty. Yet, we are discovering new hobbies, spending more time with our families, doing what we love without stepping out of the house. It’s vital for us to relax. We all have our methods of doing that, and for me, it’s binge-watching Korean Dramas.

ROMANTIC DOCTOR SEASON 1 (2016)

This drama served as a groundbreaking series for all the medical dramas now. When it comes to surgery, the actor’s skills were superb and as if they were surgeons in real life. The chemistry of each actor was terrific. The cuteness between the lead actors was enjoyable, and I cringe at the same time. The medical knowledge you’ll gain from this drama is infinite.

Well, Korean dramas have ended up even extra popular these days as more audiences are caught in the now-global Korean wave during these challenging times. As a matter of fact, Korean dramas correctly create emotional connections with viewers. Characters are developed and added via trials and tribulations so that the target market relates to the characters and feels identical emotions. The cliffhanger endings of nearly every episode leave viewers squirming till the subsequent episode can resolve the conflict. The anxiety is constructed up so expertly that it is extra emotionally resonant when the essential couple, in the end, holds palms halfway through the sequence than when a full-blown bedroom scene occurs in an American series. Another plus factor of its very informative, it lets you absorb facts about a one-of-a-kind subculture without having a problem of dreary studying to understand the flow. You analyze different societal norms via observing the day-to-day existence of the characters. Well, watch even one Korean drama, and you will realize that shoes are taken off at the door except everybody needing to tell you! Aside from that, these Korean Series are in a significant phase due to how they are portrayed. Regardless of whether the drama is action, suspense, cutesy, or dramatic, the focus is on constructing the relationships and perception of how and why the characters behave the way they do. Even if you don’t like that character, you have an experience of why they do things. Emotion and ideas are verbally expressed to give the viewers plenty of insight. It makes humans experience covered when watching. Now here’s the kicker: Korean dramas have come to be so famous that they are now getting American adaptations. For example, the hit K-series “The Good Doctor” just acquired a pilot order from ABC. And the whole point of going into K-drama overdrive during the pandemic is it’s a great coping mechanism that sparks too much joy. So, here’s my 7 K-Drama recommendations to watch while the world slowly falls apart.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

ITAEWON CLASS (2020)

A soaring series, first aired in January 2020. An ex-convict and his friends tackle pride, corruption, injustice, and greed when he seeks revenge and fights with his friends to make their goals a reality. I love how each character developed and fought for what they want. Also, the lines were relatable and full of life lessons. This drama’s bravery is spectacular because it tackled different societal issues like skin color or race, LGBTQA+, and many more. It is a shot of reality to every audience.

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ITS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY (2020)

The story revolves around a psychiatrist who has responsibilities in taking care of his brother with Autism Spectrum disorder and an author with a personality disorder. They somehow have feelings for each other, but there’s a lot of challenges in other ways. This is dark and sad; different coping mechanisms, REPLY 1988 (2015) “fairytale stories” but inspired by real-life stories; a bitter pill to swallow. It is incredible. It encapsulates Korean humor while telling deep stories about family, friendship, love & societal pressures. You will a nostalgia as it is set in the ’80s, and all the themes are still relevant. You’ve RECORD OF YOUTH (2020) indeed lost track of how many times you will laugh and cry. It is the story of three young people who strive to achieve their dreams. It shows you the reality of life, and you see the difference between rich and poor. The struggles of reaching your dreams, daily struggles of an average person, paving your way. And most significantly, the realizations of age are not a burden in succeeding. SKY CASTLE (2018)

START UP (2020)

The exhibit follows the lives of a group of humans attempting to make it huge in the world of startups in Seoul and aspects an ensemble cast of several talented actors. While Start-Up’s premise may point out a deep dive into the cut-throat world of innovators and fledgling companies, the as an alternative fresh and heartwarming first episode came as a pleasant surprise.

It is about the college entrance examination and education system in South Korea. This drama revolves around rich housewives living in a residential area named Sky Castle. They are obsessed with their children’s education and success, even if it means depriving their children of their own happiness. Sky Castle is a drama that opens our eyes to reality and it for sure left a lot of lessons and realizations to the viewers.

CONFESSIONS

OF A SHOPEEHOLIC Words by Annika Eketerina Tugaff

hey say that the best things in life come unexpectedly, and so did this phenomenon that occurred. It came out of nowhere, but slowly it spread like wildfire. It comes barging in in our lives like a thief in the middle of the night. It has become a part of our daily routines, and it continues to be as vital as oxygen is to us. Just like this pandemic that we are facing right now, it is as infectious and contagious — the Shopee craze. Malls. Malls. Malls. Going to malls and hanging out with a couple of friends on one fine day is one of the things that we look forward to at least every once in a while. There is something about entering stores and looking at all sorts of products that are always fascinating and seem to lift up our spirits when we feel completely down. Entering a mall is just like entering a familiar yet puzzling dimension because even if you’ve walked every aisle and every corner of that place, you still don’t know what is bound to happen next. And then one day, you wake, and reality hits you real hard that going to the malls isn’t going to be as it used to be before because this pandemic happened. No more impulsive shopping sprees. No more spontaneous mall hangouts at night. No more place you could go to when you want to unwind any time of the day. It felt wholly devastating and saddening during those times. But just like any gloomy day we have encountered, the sadness eventually faded away as Shopee saved us from the pits of despair. A breath of fresh air. A state of serenity. A glimpse of hope. Shopee is indeed a lot of things, and ultimately, it is all of those mentioned. Have you ever experienced the feeling of being on cloud nine? The adrenaline rush that you feel whenever you scroll past different kinds of gems that you can find exclusively on Shopee. The warm and fuzzy feeling that you think tingles whenever you browse through different shops and see what you are looking for, and in some cases, even better. That’s how it feels to be consumed by the Shopee lifestyle. This pandemic has affected us in a lot of troubling ways. It affected us not just physically but also mentally. It sucked the energy that was beaming in us before the pandemic. It made us sleepless on most nights and left us wondering with a lot of unanswered questions. It created a void in our hearts that seems to grow even more prominent as the days pass. Despite all these, there is still one good thing that we’ve formed to cope up at a trying time like this—a coping mechanism that seems to keep everyone sane on most days, a coping mechanism in the form of Shopee.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

With everything that is going on during this pandemic, Shopee gave as an escape. An escape from the reality that we’ve been forced to face with. Shopee has to offer the different items, and it gave us our own safe little world far away from all the nerve-wracking instances the world has to offer. It served as a healthy distraction from all the devastating events that took place. Shopee makes us ecstatic. When there are days when we feel sad, happy or just anything in between, Shopee would always be our go-to buddy during these times. It does not fail to make our hearts flutter no matter what the occasion is. Most importantly, Shopee continuously gives us a sense of normalcy. With the imposition of quarantine here in the country, we have no other choice but to stay home. With nowhere to go and not much to do at home, Shopee somehow makes us feel normal. It reminds us that life continues to go on no matter what, and there are absolutely lots of ways to divert our attention wholeheartedly. Even if we feel numb and worn-out from every single thing we’ve gone through, Shopee never fails to bring out the humans in us. Who would’ve thought that half of the population’s support system could be a shopping platform during a pandemic like this? Even our ancestors wouldn’t be able to see this one coming. It is apparent how even the slightest bit of technology could significantly impact the lives of people. It even makes us realize the power that it has and how we shouldn’t underestimate it. It’s crazy to think that it will be a year since we have subscribed and relied on this entertaining and phenomenal platform. Even if we barely went to the outside world, Shopee still gave us a glimpse of hope, an obvious truth that there will come a day where everything would be just as normal as it is before. And until then, the best thing to do is add those items you’ve been eyeing for responsibly.

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Paw Park

Words by Christian Ivan Pallorina

amous is SM City for being a mall that serves as a loafing area for those who wanted to relax and unwind from tiredness, stress, or whatever hardship that has come to life. Here in Cabanatuan City, we have our very own SM, and its 4th floor serves as our loafing area, especially that it’s park-theme and has decent artificial grasses. Cool. After SM, heading home, another little creature may serve as our stress reliever—our puppies, they’re man’s best friend after all. If only we could take them to SM too—oh, wait, we could. SM Cabanatuan City opened its 1st dog agility park last October 9th, located on the 4th floor, now serving as a destination point for pet owners who wanted to spend a day together with their pets in the mall. To level up the fun, Paw Park features stuff that pets and their owners will surely enjoy. There is board jump, see-saw, hurdle jump, pause table, dog walk, and weaves pole, to mention a few, making the place worth visiting worthy. Paw Park is absolutely free for everyone’s pleasure. Still, of course, dog park etiquette and safety rules and regulations will be implemented so everyone could have the best experience they can get in during their stay in the park. “We developed this area for pets and their owners to enjoy,” SM Regional Manager Ian Ezekiel Balao said in an interview before Paw Park’s opening. “We know that our pets also want to go outdoor activities after a long period of quarantine, and this is the best and safest place not only to walk but to train because of its facilities.” I’m sure we all can agree with Sir. When lockdown happens, our freedom to go out has been restricted for the sake of everybody’s health, and for sure, we have locked our dogs within our lawn, too, because we can’t afford to chase them if they ever decided to go for a run outside. But now that things were slowly going back to the ‘old normal,’ we can now somehow occasionally go out, and we might want to take our dog with us, especially that they might’ve not played with their fellow pups for a very long time. Paw Park would be great for them to interact with other puppies, if they preferred to, since just like us, dogs don’t always click with others, so keep an eye on them. If going, you might want to check some words from dog trainers, whether online or physical. Perspective may vary from trainers to trainers, but we know that what they wish to was comfort and safety of all dogs going outside to play and socialize. The least that I could say is, keep an eye on your dog when you’re taking them with you, understand them when they want you to know something, and don’t mistake their barks for rudeness. Paradise at it may sound like it is. You’d only know once you check out. So go there if you have some time, and enjoy your day with your pups. They deserve it.

around the campus too.

Is Wesleyan safe Enough? Words by Christian Ivan Pallorina

hen the pandemic struck, the world was forced to get quarantined and go under lockdown. We got to do nothing but to stay in our home. But staying in our home feels like an apocalypse in the process. No doubt, our stocks and supplies won’t last long, and we can never wait to go outside nor wait ‘til the active COVID-19 cases drop to zero because that sounds like an eternity. Slowly, some fields and aspects in the world that stopped began going back to normal while implementing the new normal at the same time. Organizations, institutions—whatever you call them—began opening one by one as the citizens get to go outside. Started with limit, and now, anyone above 16 years of age can go outside their houses to do the kinds of stuff they must do—although some stubborn citizen will go out roam around due to boredom. Implementing safety protocol became a must to prevent the further spread of the virus. Wesleyan University-Philippines, our school, being one of the educational institutions to continue opening the academic year, is open for visitors and has implemented safety protocols around the campus. In other places, despite the safety protocol being implemented, few to several cases were still able to appear, giving the thought that maybe, even places following safety protocols weren’t so safe after all. So how safe is the safety protocol in our university? According to Wesleyan SecurityHead Norberto Ayroso, the safety protocol’s implementation began as early as March or April when the university staff was slowly coming back and forth to the school again to fulfill their duty. Therefore, the school administration began setting up. The school was pretty strict with the people entering. When the government said no citizens less than 21 years old were allowed to get out, the school followed and let only 21-year-old citizens enter. Even now that 15 years old and above were allowed to go out, the school doesn’t let minors enter the campus if their purpose wasn’t so important. Age scope is as troublesome as it sounds, knowing that most students were so young, but luckily, the university has thought of it beforehand. On the university’s official Facebook page, posted were the details of the Deans and other vital staff to contact whenever there’s a concern. Also, students could send their parents or guardians to do the errands on their behalf. Somebody will assist them so long they can present an authorization letter. And for payments, the university allowed online banking to ease the burden of traveling for those who lived from afar. The school is open until 5 PM. The Main Gate is the only gate opened for more efficient tracking of people entering, leaving the other gates closed for the meantime. People have to sign the contract tracing form (that so far, nobody has dared to forge, as stated by Sir Ayroso) after checking the temperature in the thermometer stand. Note that wearing a face mask is necessary (and the face shield for a short period). Also, securities have a free face mask, so you don’t have to worry if your surgical mask’s ear strings got broken. Sanitizers were all

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

Going on, you may notice the divisions (literally) in the school. Wide hallways and open spaces in front of offices like the Registrar, Treasury, and Accounting have borders in the ground. Almost every hallway has arrow stickers on the floor, too, pointing directions you’re allowed to take. Hallways with arrows pointing towards your direction weren’t advised to avoid people crossing paths and passing through each other as long as they maintain social distancing. There were posters and tarpaulins around the school that consist of reminders that say, ‘always your face mask,’ ‘practice physical distancing,’ ‘entrance only,’ and some more, noticeably in the Administration building where most of the visitors go. At the Administration building, fronts of department offices, front of Office of Student Affairs, etc., there are also marks in the lanes that says, ‘please keep your distancing, wait here,’ (with a picture of feet staying still) for better tracking of the distance among the visitors. With the setup around the campus, WUP looked ideally safe and prepared for the visitors coming. They’re doing their part well. When asked to range WUP safety level, the Head Security stated, “E siguro, asa mga eight ‘yon. Oo, kasi hindi ko rin masabi e [kasi meron pa ring lumalabag], oo meron pa rin. Kaya kahit na konti lang naman ang pumupunta dito, hindi naman natin masiguro [na safe]. Kahit na may contact tracing, kahit may [temperature] scanner, hindi pa rin natin alam kung meron silang [COVID].” As for the visitors, there are still stubborn ones who ignore the signage, frequently remove the mask, and don’t practice physical distancing—but securities are roaming around to check and reprimand those who weren’t following the protocols. They became stricter when there’s an instance that LGU officials visited the campus and saw four students being physically intimate to each other in front of a registrar window. “No’ng enrollment nga e, walk in. De siyempre, magbabayad sila. Minsan, kamo’ dahil nga di matagal nagkita ‘yung mga estudyante, mga magkakaibigan, nawawalan na ng social distancing,” Sir Ayroso, said based on his observation. Despite these, they assure to keep on reminding everyone of the safety protocol, not just because it’s a duty, but also out of concern for the Wesleyan Community. So far, no one who entered the campus during the quarantine period has got infected with COVID. He also stated that they regularly disinfected the place whenever a COVID case nearby surfaced, evident since schools were closed for disinfection, to guarantee more safety. Our stance on whether Wesleyan is safe enough differs, given that our standard for safety differs too, and so do the cases in different parts of the country. Maybe the safety protocols weren’t the problem after all. If those weren’t properly followed, it’s useless anyway. It’s ourselves who guarantee our safety. It’s us to blame when we’re in a state of jeopardy—not those who were rightfully doing their duty.

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p until now, engaging in distance learning still seems surreal. The people around us always tell us that being in college will be the best four years of our lives. This is where we’ll truly learn a lot of lessons that will make us who we are. But because of this devastating pandemic, many things have changed, including our mode of learning. And in a snap, we have shifted to something that feels new to most of us. Engaging in something new can often feel alienating and confusing. It feels like being a toddler all over again and knowing how to learn the alphabet. It feels like reliving a scenario from a dream that you have never experienced even once in your life except that you have to face things with utmost courage and resilience when you wake up from this dream. We have always been inclined to in-person residential classes. It has been the default mode of learning here in our country. From nursery until college, this learning mode has provided people with an unimaginable and unfathomable amount of knowledge. Growing up, subscribing to this particular learning mode has also been a part of my routine ever since I started schooling. I was always eager to go to school to gain knowledge through the daily discussions and learning materials and the community of people who make up the academe. I do not know the reason why Mondays make a lot of people anxious. It is probably because it is the starting day of the week, and there is always that sense of accomplishment that needs to be achieved during this day. Maybe we have always believed that this day has always to turn out great because if not, the remaining days of the week will turn out horrid, and it will leave us in a state of a rut if that were to happen. To be blunt, I’ve never been fond of Monday, and I am part of the majority of people who get anxious when this day arrives. Dealing with Monday mornings tends to be quite stressful. You have to be up early so that you would not be late for your classes. You have to prepare the things that you’ll be using for the rest of the day. You have to travel early to avoid the nerve-wracking traffic on the busy streets of the city. Back then, it may seem exhausting to think about things like these. But looking back now, I have to admit that I do kind of miss it. There is that saying that we often hear from the people around us. “Home is where the heart is.” I have never really put much thought into it, but it is

indeed true when I think about it now. And in the aspect of learning, there is one place that screams home in its wide corners and corridors. A place that gives one a feeling of familiarity and belonging. A place that provides peace of mind when studying for mind-boggling examinations. A site that makes the dreamers become a step closer to reaching their dreams — school. During the face-to-face classes, the school’s hallways and corridors are always filled with busy students from all levels. These spots are always filled with students from the sitting areas located at the main gate up to the food court’s spacious area and never seem to be vacated. There was never a dull moment during those days. As a Wesleyanian, one of the things that I surely missed is the dilemma of picking where to eat after classes or during breaks. Provided that there are many eateries inside and outside the campus, it is definitely hard to decide where to eat on a school day. Inside the campus, there are a lot of options you can choose from at the food court. You can always go for Mang Maning’s heavenly ice cream treats any time of the day. Outside the main gate, you will be welcomed with many homemade meals that will leave you energized and wanting more. And outside gate six, there are many street foods and other homemade meals that will surely excite your stomach. The school organizations. The usual hangout spots at the campus. The activities that are always expected every single year. The good days and the bad days. The people who make school bearable. Those and a lot more. Back then, it would be absurd to think about missing things like these. We always felt that it would constantly be learning at school throughout college. Little did we know that it will become uncertain in a short time when we can experience these little things again. In trying times like this, hope seems to be distant. Hope appears to be lost. But, we must not let the uncertainty of this trying time consume us. Instead, we must divert our energies into bettering ourselves so that when the time comes, we will be ready to face things better than ever. For now, let us continue to strive harder through our screens until that day comes, where we can freely roam the campus again safely.

the little things I never knew I’d miss about college Words by Annika Eketerina Tugaff

naisewoD P

ediuG no ot woH ydutS orP a ekiL

icture this: You frantically type the last sentence of your essay as the deadline approaches. You try not to think of the time, but it’s hard to ignore the ticking clock when anxiety and pressure take over you. And when you finally click submit (2 minutes before the deadline), you instantly feel relieved. It’s yet over, you think to yourself. You suddenly became excited for what’s to come. Finally, you can do all the stuff you’ve wanted to do over the weekend; Netflix, sleep, or mobile legends. But all that excitement turned into frustration as you read the latest notification on your phone: “Canvas Notification: Three new assignments were created.” I am perfectly aware that most of us—if not all of us—are struggling to keep up with all the online lessons, modules, and activities in this new normal. Maybe because we do not always have the means to attend online classes or have other personal matters to deal with that require our full attention, or that all the stress has taken a toll on our mental health. Sometimes online lessons become so overwhelming even I end up procrastinating on them. Well, that’s the new normal, I guess. No judgments. But I also try to make the best of this situation, adjusting to this “new normal” by trying out new ways to be productive. It’s very challenging, especially when you’re trying to look for inspiration and motivation in the wrong place. Several months later, I overcame my lack of productivity and procrastination through a few techniques I taught myself in the past semester. And I want to share all of it with you, reader.

naisewoD ediuG no ot woH ydutS orP a ekiL

Words by Clarence Dowes

azy persons do not ocrastinate

Dowesian Guide on How to Study Like a Pro

Lazy persons do not procrastinate

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

Whenever a friend or a classmate tells me, “Ang sipag mo, ah!” I would roll my eyes at them. Kung alam niyo lang kung gaano ako katamad. I don’t want to be labeled as “lazy.” I want to be as smart and productive as the others, which brings me to the Golden Rule: A true lazy does not procrastinate. So here’s the thing: your professor gives you an activity to be submitted in five days. But you being the “lazy” person you are, started the assignment a night before the deadline. So what happened? You crammed. You’re almost on the verge of crying. The result was terrible. If you can relate, I suggest you stop doing that. Instead, try to do it my way. If I were given a school requirement, I’ll do it right away, or at least a day or two after it was assigned. Why? Because I’m lazy. I don’t like to be interrupted by academics when I’m in the middle of binge-watching content, reading for leisure, sleeping, or relaxing in general. So I finished the activity ahead of the deadline. What happens next? I spend the remaining days having fun while some of my classmates stress themselves, cramming hours before the deadline. See the difference?

This is very useful, especially when your semester is about to end and your school requirements start to pile up. Create an outline of your weekly schedule on a piece of paper or your phone based on your liking. I’m not organized with my weekly schedule. I don’t usually write my plan in a structured manner. I write down the deadlines and assure myself that I finish the task before the due date. I don’t set a specific time to do homework because I’m not productive that time or day. I don’t want to pressure myself, and I don’t want to do a task if I’m uninspired unless it is deadly necessary. And, oh. I write my weekly schedule in a 1/4 piece of Manila paper and stick it on the wall beside my bed. That explains why I always remember the deadlines.

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Sleep first, study later. If you come home from a tiring day and you feel like your body can give in to exhaustion, please, don’t study. Take it from me, it won’t do you any good, and you’ll stress yourself more. Instead, take a nap and recharge yourself. Just make sure that it’s just a nap, don’t tell yourself: “Five minutes more.” Just set the alarm. Even a thirty-minute sleep will do. If you still feel sleepy or tired, try drinking coffee or hot chocolate, or eat snacks. It’ll help with your concentration, trust me.

Your phone is a time bomb Yes, your phone is a time bomb, and it’ll explode once you touch it. When reviewing, it’s crucial to concentrate and focus on what you’re reading to understand the lesson well and exact. But sadly, your phone poses a life threat to this aspect. That’s why you should hide your phone while reviewing. You’ll be surprised, the moment you drop your phone, hours have already passed.

Avoid playing music while studying Listen to music while studying is good. It can lift your mood. Enhance your motivation. But you may not want to play your favorite songs while learning. I’ve been there. One moment, I’m studying. Then a split-second later, I’m singing along to the song. But if you think that music can maintain your focus and serenity, I suggest you listen to instrumental music, lofi or classical music instead.

Writing reviewers don’t always help Okay, let me explain. Writing a reviewer is good for it summarizes the key points, and it’s easier to remember and understand the essentials of the lesson. But if you have multiple exams or the coverage is too long, it is impractical to write that all up. It’ll take up a massive amount of your time, and sometimes, there are some critical details that you might tend to miss. So if you have the hardcopy of your module, reading, or PowerPoint with you, I suggest using highlighters instead of writing a reviewer. So here’s the technique: read the whole page first, then reread it as you highlight notes. Here are my suggested colors: Violet – for titles or terms Blue – for examples Green – for additional information that may appear in the exam Yellow – for meanings and critical details Orange – for essential details

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Your mind speaks faster than your mouth It is not uncommon that when we’re reviewing, some tend to read the words out loud so it’ll be easier to memorize and understand the topic. But you can’t do that all the time, especially in the dead of night. That’s why it is excellent if you can review it with your mind. If you master this technique, you’ll find it very useful. It is faster and very convenient too. You can study anytime and anywhere. Sky’s the limit.

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Stop when you’re tired, don’t force yourself Sometimes, the workload tends to be overwhelming. You feel like no matter how hard you try to keep up, the workload keeps piling every time until you’re almost unable to lure up. The deadlines are closing in, and the anxiety is growing big. So please know your limit. When you’re already tired, stop. Your brain can’t function properly if you’re physically and mentally exhausted. Give yourself a break. Take a nap, entertain yourself, eat, or talk to your friends. Don’t force yourself to study when you’re tired because you’ll just upset yourself more. Remember that you should always prioritize your well-being over anything else.

naisewoD ediuG no ot woH ydutS orP a ekiL

Lazy perso do not procrastin Plan ahead. Outline a weekly schedule and stick to it.

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Pandemic Pandemic Trends Trends Words by Ezra Mae Dimapawi

he country was shocked by a deadly virus that caused an emergency lockdown in Luzon Island until Visayas and Mindanao followed.

I will never forget that date that changed all our life a sudden; March 15, 2020. All our plans were canceled—classes, outings, events, and even graduation ceremonies.

2 Tiktok Everyday

The year 2020 will soon end, and yet our country still succumbs to this seemingly unending quarantine. Those days that we spent inside our respective homes causes drastic changes in our way of living—less physical encounter with people, transforming our phones and computers to our new confidant.

However, we humans can cope with this situation and develop great ideas evidence in social media posts. Here are some:

Dalgonna Coffee Craze

We love coffee! I think we all miss smelling coffee aroma while in coffee shops. This social media challenge Dalgona Coffee originated in South Korea after actor Jung Il-Woo showed how to make Dalgona Coffee. Dalgona Coffee is a famous South Korean street toffee. Interest in this drink has grown as more countries worldwide have hunkered down, with people self-isolating and having slightly more time (and less specialty coffee) on their hands. Over the last few months, people have been sharing their attempts at making Dalgona coffee on TikTok, Instagram, and even Facebook. Search #dalgonacoffee on Instagram, and you’ll get more than 395,000 posts. On TikTok, that number reaches 300 million views.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

I’d be honest, I’m still not giving to Tiktok, and I do not even have the app, but Tiktok videos are all over my FB newsfeed, stories, in IG, on Twitter, so I still get the chance to see how trending TikTok is. Celebrities are using it, the influencers and YouTubers, and even professionals are there. You’ll see a lot of content creators. There is a voice talent, a teacher, a doctor, and many more people you won’t even expect to watch. TikTok is not only for entertainment, but it is also educational. The songs they used in their Tiktok videos are still ringing through my head. Their dance step and the never-ending ‘woah.’ TikTok conquers everyone but me.

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3 Plantitos and Plantitas

I don’t know when it started, but one day, I saw my feed looking like a jungle with my friends’ photos showing up their plant collections. This trend even caused the rise in the cost of plants, soils, pots, and gardening tools and supplies. It even increased the views regarding plant-related topics on social media and websites, and lately, even celebrities have got into the trend. At first, I thought people spend less on plants because we have the culture of ‘harbat,’ but I am surprised that there are plantitos and plantitas who buy expensive plants for the sake of collection. I saw a plantita photo with her Variegated Alocasia Elephant Ear that cost around 20,000 pesos.

5 4 Among Us

Among Us was already here in 2018, but it suddenly becomes a trend this year. Among Us is a murder-mystery style game available for both PC and Mobile. Players are given the role of either Crewmate or Impostor. The Impostors must kill off the Crewmates without being noticed. The Crewmates are given the job of finding who the Impostor is through problem-solving and communication, while the impostors must keep away suspicion. Among Us is a game that you and your friends could play even when you are at home quarantine, safe, and away from the virus. You could also enjoy it while using the Discord App so you can hear each other.

Online Commissions

One of the best trends during this time is the online commissions offer by a lot of artists. They also provide Art for a Cause for the families affected by the pandemic. The pandemic cost us all a lot, and people started accepting commission job to pay for their ends or simply just lending a hand for donation drives. All of these happened online. See how powerful social media can be. This longest quarantine made us all subscribe to these trends—this neverending quarantine. If we only use the archipelagic advantage of the Philippines, we should not be facing this. This social recession will most likely affect older adults, PWD’s and sickly people making it hard to follow the trends. I hope that even though this virus separated us physically, we try to reconnect virtually. Indeed, online interactions, quarantine trends, and wild oversharing can only do so much to fill the social void left by the pandemic. For now, though, I’m determined to find joy in whatever silly, time-intensive activities are available to me on the Internet, and I encourage you to do the same—even if that means making my 15th cup of Dalgona Coffee in a week.

MGA NAINTERVIEW: Surviving this year is already a blessing and achievement. | Danica Joy De Luna BS Psychology 3-1 As a student, anak, at mamamayan sa lipunan, sobrang daming pagsubok ang nangyari sa buhay ko this 2020. Pinag-papasalamat ko na nairaos ko lahat at mas tumatag at nag-grow pa ako. #LavarnLungs | Marhia Isabel Sanchez BA Communication 2-1 Kahit naging sobrang challenging ng 2020, nagpapasalamat pa rin ako na naka-survive ang aming pamilya sa COVID-19 at nagpapatuloy pa rin kami sa buhay. | Ira Charisse M. Palasigue, BS in Social Work 3-1 “It may seem like sobrang daming nagbago dahil sa taong ito, ipinagpapasalamat ko ang mga pagbabagong yon dahil mas nakita ko kung ano talaga yung mahalaga. Yung kalusugan, yung pamilya, yung oras namin sa isa’t isa.” -Kenna Lyn Viloria, BA Political Science 3-1 “Ngayong 2020, maraming dinapuan ng sakit, kaya’t pinagpapasalamat ko ang buhay ng mga taong mahal ko sa gitna ng pandemyang ito.” Aileen T. Ramos, BS Nursing 3-2

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

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2020: Naging mas tao ang tao Words by Jackquilyn Javate Photo by Lyka Modelo

Ewan ko kung napansin mo rin pero naobserbahan kong sa panahon ng paghihirap may tatlo bagay na nangyayari sa tao una, nagiging palatanong tayo ng bakit — bakit naman po sabay-sabay? Dinadagukan ang sanlibutan ng wala pang lunas na sakit intro pa lang pala ‘yon, sapagkat heto may baha na namang hanggang atip paano, paano na kami? saan, saan huhugot ng dahilan, ng rason para magpatuloy sa lakbaying mistulang patapon na halos pagapang na nga, sinubsob pa kulang na nga lang sabihing “Oh, tao. Bawal huminga!” kailan, kailan ang huling pahina para sa ating lahat na nagmamanikluhod na bigyan ng maski katiting na pahinga pangalawa, sa gitna ng mga tanong na hindi maaninag ang sagot bunsod ng mapanghamong taon napagtanto natin kung ano ang totoong mahalaga natauhan ang tao nalaman na ang oras sa pamilya ay ‘di hamak na mas matimbang kaysa pera natauhan ang tao bumalik sa ulirat na ang makibasa ang mga paboritong pagkain at bagay ng asawa’t anak ay hindi matutumbasan ng magkamit ka ng paghanga, katanyagan at tumitigil na palakpak natauhan ang tao nagising sa katotohanan na walang binatbat ang tagumpay sa negosyo kumpara sa makaattend para sa bunso mong

nagtatanghal sa entablado natauhan ang tao natimbang na dapat piliin ang buhay kaysa bahay aktwal na relasyon kumpara sa virtual doon sa cellphone pananampalataya kaysa relihiyon sa ganitong set up mag-isip tayong maigi hindi ba natin napapansing ang iba ang mas karapat-dapat na importante at hindi sarili pangatlo, nagwawagi ang mabuti lumalabas ang likas na bait nagiging bukas palad hindi nagkakait maging mga nakakulong, kriminal, alipin, malaya silang mga sinasabing sakit at sinusuka ng lipunan kung hinahanap mo sila pwes, nandon nakikibahagi, nakikipagtulungan namamayani ang naturalesang kabutihan sa loob nila kahit pa nga tinaguriang mga “wala ng pag-asa” Nakatutuwa lang din mapagmasdan na sa mga sandaling ito ng pagdurusa naging posible na matupad natin ang matagal na nating pangarap na pagkakaisa Sa oras ng gulo mas nagiging tao ang tao kakayanin ‘to ng Pinoy kapit lang sa Diyos na may alam— may pakialam hindi na tayo magkakanya-kanya kapit lang sa isa’t isa Sa lahat ng klase ng paghihirap sa buong taong ito ... salamat

Is there a future for our children’s generation? Words by Jessica Maureen Gaurano

remember when the Anti-Terror Bill was signed into law. I was on Twitter that day. The Twitter account that I’ve been using is called a stan account, where I usually talk about mostly my fandoms, Kpop, film, books, etc.

here? Is there a possibility of tragedy or hope in the following years?

The followers I have are primarily minors. That day, when the news came out, almost everybody that I followed on my Twitter was angry, anxious, and sad. It even came to a point where the Philippine government and the Anti-Terror Law were considered a trigger warning for those whose mental health was affected by the situation. This was coming from the age bracket of around 15-25 years old.

Though there have been several controversies with the current administration, corruption, injustice, and misplaced priorities have been there even before the current administration or the martial law era. And the way youth activism was received by society was quite different back then.

It seems like a good thing that the Millenials and Gen Zs are more aware of the country’s social and political situations (compared to the previous generations). Right now, they understand that whatever actions the government implements also affect them too. They use their voice to demand human rights, freedom of speech, and government accountability by engaging in discord through social media activism. However, these things can have a significant effect on the way the youth perceive the world. So the question is: Is it going to get worse from

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

How youth activism in the country changed over the years

Around the 1960s, student protests in the third republic saw the resurgence of nationalism in the campuses as the students questioned the roots of society’s problems. The authors of Philippine Politics And Society In The Twentieth Century Eva-Lotta Hedman and John Sidel wrote, “With the mounting political activism that swept Manila campuses during this decade, students increasingly left their classrooms throughout the University belt… to join in the mass demonstrations that filed through or converged upon downtown. As students (and some faculty), workers and peasants alike— and sometimes, together—launched new radical organizations and engaged in concerted collective campaigns during the course of the decade, Plaza Miranda—the ‘crossroads of the nation’—became a familiar destination not just for Nazareno devotees,

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downmarket clients, and during election years, political candidates, but also for mass activists—as well as the Metropolitan Anti-Riot squads organized for the occasion.” Before, youth activism was widely respected. It was believed that their youthful participation in such activism and radical movements shaped certain aspects in response to political, social, and economic issues. Children born during the 1970s, the Martial law era, grew up in unfortunate circumstances, which included repression and violence. The assassination of the late Ninoy Aquino marked a quantum leap in the student movement. In this context, youth activism became a powerful faction that would shape our country’s history. Students were and still are a powerful faction in society. During that time, the youth were determined to take active participation in pressing social, national, political, and economic issues. Several decades later, it became different for the young. Their criticism towards the government is welcomed with insults, invalidation from adults and the government officials themselves. What was once a power to rebuild society is seen now as a threat to the people who refuse to see their mistakes.

The Wesleyanian Youth I’ve spoken to two freshmen students from the University about how they feel about the government’s controversies that have been rampant lately. Drew (her alias) from the College of Engineering and Computer Technology (CECT) said that the current climate took a toll on her mental health. Sometimes, she would feel overwhelmed with everything that’s been happening lately. “I feel hopeless, sometimes. Hopeless (in a sense) na the country couldn’t get better because there are too many wrong people in a high position. There are days when I see interviews, speeches, media in the news, and I always wonder how we ended up with such an insensitive government, especially right now”, she said. Moreover, she struggles in being too vocal because it often leads to red-tagging. “I live in

fear knowing that this administration red tags the youth (especially my generation) for their voice and activism.” Jed (his alias), from the College of Nursing and Allied Medical Science (CONAMS), expressed his disappointment towards the government and fear of what might happen if the government doesn’t improve its response and continue to tolerate corruption and injustice. “With the current happenings, if this kind continues for five to 10 more years, everything will be shut down. Jobs will be harder to pursue inside and outside the country. Education for all will be lacking. Advancements in technology and ideology will stop. As a student in a pre-medical profession, these are some of the important factors that can and will develop our country. The ignorance of our government is suppressing the goal and ideology of the future of this country,” he said. He also believes that whatever the government does greatly reflects on him as a citizen, and for our situation to improve, we must not be blinded by the government’s lies. “It affects me personally that there is also a ‘war’ within the system. People disagree with the system. We are all divided and unequal to what is happening around us. Soon the internet might not be the most reliable source of information anymore due to all information clashing with one another. It also affects how we should think. With these happenings, we should be more grounded on the truth and look past them to see the literal truth around us.”

What happens now? The young must become more vocal about the injustices to use your voice for a more significant cause. It is critical for our democracy. However, the question of whether or not there’s hope for our generation’s future is still uncertain. To expose the ugly truth comes at a price, such as bullying, discrimination, invalidation, and red-tagging because people who speak about what is real are a threat to the people who continue to lie.

THE NEW FOUND SELF ISSUE

QUARANTERRIFIC ENTREPRENEURS

Words by Melvin Clarence Dowes Photos from Gia Mae Teñoso and Christine Mae Gamboa

ou're at a place in your life where you've lost track of time because of the lockdown. You're sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall in front of you as if it is the most exciting thing in the world. Suddenly, the phone beside you started ringing and you're choosing to ignore it. I recognize that look on your face. YOU'RE BORED. Doing the same routine every day isn't fun anymore. If only you could think of another hobby that will not only keep you entertained but productive as well. And then, out of the blue, a brilliant idea struck you like a firebolt. "What if I start an online business?!" You might find the idea silly and unrealistic and dismiss it afterward. But I suggest you think about it again. Putting up a business amidst the pandemic doesn't sound ridiculous at all. In fact, it is surprisingly fun. Were you not convinced? Well, let my friends Christine and Gia testify.

THE JOURNEY THAT SHE DID NOT PLAN TO TAKE Christine Mae R. Gamboa, or Tintin as her family and close friends call her, is a second-year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BSA) student. Like all of us, Tintin was also deeply saddened when the enhanced community quarantine took place last March 15. Not just because she would genuinely miss the outdoor life, but also because during that time, she knew in her heart that she would be mandated to look after their humble sari-sari store. Indeed, her expectation became a reality. Just imagine the boredom she went through during that time. The whole country was under ECQ, where we were only allowed to wander around the corners of our houses, yet she dwelled in a much smaller place since she spent most of her time inside the store. And during that phase of loneliness, her saving grace was watching vlogs of famous Filipino YouTubers and buying things on online shops. Little did she know that her past time would also unfold an unexpected journey before her eyes. Tintin can't but smile when she reminisced how their online ukay-ukay business kicked off. "So hindi sinasadya na um-order lang ako ng mga gamit sa isang online shop na for personal use. And then nakita ng mga tao na palaging pumupunta dito [sa bahay] at nagustuhan nila kaya binenta ko na lang sa kanila," said Tintin, narrating the history which lured the entrepreneur in herself. She was left astounded after that event. Thinking. Wondering. And from then and there, she started planning out ideas. And that's it. Who would've thought that a simple incident

would blossom into something that might change her life.

THE POINT OF NO RETURN Following the mystical incident, she and her older sister, Catherine—a WUP alumna and the former captain of the WUP chess team—talked about the matter and decided to take the risk and start their own business. Their first business started from scratch. The two contributed money from their own pockets to form their starting capital and used it to buy merchandise they can resell. They began from buying and selling a few products, and over time, their small business started to grow and accumulated some loyal patrons. "Nu'ng una, um-order lang kami ng iba't ibang products tulad ng cosmetics, towels, at iba pa na pumatok naman sa mga tao. Tapos naisipan namin ni ate na mag ukay kami ng damit. Hindi pa nga ako sang-ayon nu'ng una kasi wala naman 'ka kong bibili na tao dahil sa kalagayan ngayon. Tapos, habang tumatagal napansin namin na medyo malaki rin 'yung kinikita namin sa pag-uukay-ukay. Pinush namin ng pinush habang sa nakapagtinda na rin kami ng pantalon, maong short, tuwalya, comforter, at iba pang pang-ukay-ukay," Tintin said with in her eyes. The Gamboa sisters utilized the pandemic to their advantage. From selling the ukays in their sari-sari store, they also began to accept orders around Peñaranda and nearby places. Since their family owned a sari-sari store, Tintin and Catherine have a natural talent for dealing with people, which helped them a lot in their journey as young entrepreneurs. But of course, problems and challenges were inevitable. According to Tintin, there are some instances that their delivery is delayed because a resident of a particular barangay tested positive on COVID-19—they cannot become effective in the delivery for they need to follow safety measures. Sometimes, their deliveries delay because their suppliers also delay. There are also times that they are having a hard time balancing their life as young entrepreneurs and their other responsibilities. Tintin, being a 2nd year BSA student, is sometimes overwhelmed with her school works. On the other hand, Catherine is currently reviewing for the upcoming CPA licensure examination. Luckily, their family is always there to support them every step of the way. In fact, whenever either of them is having a hard time managing their business, Mrs. Gamboa is always to the rescue. Consequently, Mr. Gamboa and their brother serve as drivers when they are making deliveries. Their aspiration to help their family, plus the overflowing love and support of their other family members, fuel the Gamboa sisters' brave hearts to strive harder and soar higher.

THE JOURNEY BEYOND Through hard work, dedication, and answered prayers, Tintin and Catherine's online ukay-ukay business continued to flourish in the subsequent months. Not long after, the Gamboa siblings decided to spice things up. Using the proceeds Tintin and Catherine earned from their humble business, they established their own cosmetics brand: Berezia Ara. The business started its operation last October 2020. A tasty fruit of the sisters' perseverance and camaraderie. Looking back, it is fascinating and quite remarkable how fate twisted beautifully for the Gamboa sisters. One moment, it was just an incident, and then, in what feels like just a blink of an eye, they've already come this far. Maybe, they are just a few yards after the starting point. But with the dedication that's in their heart? I know that a journey of a thousand miles awaits them. So if you're thinking of starting a business but hesitate for whatever reason, this is the sign for you to go for it. Make the Gamboa sisters your inspirations. Because did you notice something that makes Tintin and Catherine exceptional? It is that they did not hesitate. They did not sit still and wait for the opportunity to come. Instead, they got up and made it happen. In case you need it, Tintin left something for aspiring young entrepreneurs. "Try to take a risk. Alam naman natin na hindi lahat nagtatagumpay, pero malay mo, umayon sa'yo 'yung kapalaran at ikaw o tayo ay maging successful someday. Wala namang pinipiling profession 'yung mga simple business kagaya ng amin. Basta maging madiskarte ka lang, mag-focus sa goal, at huwag intindihin ang mga nag d-down sa business mo. Hindi naman sila 'yung namumuhunan sa business kun'di ikaw.

CHRISTINE MAE GAMBOA 24

"Every good coffee deserves another." If you're residing at Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija, you have probably heard or read this awesome tagline. Wonder why? Well, simply because Café Culture is arguably one of the most notorious businesses in the town that boomed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of their fantastic and quality products, uproariously hilarious marketing, plus the face value of its gorgeous owners, Café Culture effortlessly caught the hearts of hundreds of coffee lovers in Peñaranda and nearby places. But did you know that one of the brains behind this business trend is a Wesleyanian?

WHEN BOREDOM STRUCK, IT STRUCK US HARD Gia Mae P. Teñoso is a Second Year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BSA) student in WUP. In case you're wondering who's the person in the introductory part of this article, then wonder no more. Because I am telling you, that person must be her. Gia is an outgoing person. That's why when the ECQ was implemented, she felt like she was unproductive. Bored is an understatement if you'll describe what she felt back then. Her only pastime was using her phone for messaging her friends online.

GIA MAE TEÑOSO 25

THE CAFÉ CULTURE EFFECT Since Gia and her co-owners of Café Culture took business-related college programs, they benefited big-time from managing their business. They not only earned money from their own sweat and blood, but they also learned a lot of things that will surely compound their usefulness shortly. And so this was where the tale began. One Wednesday afternoon, a friend of hers messaged their group chat, encouraging them to start a business. The idea stirred Gia's mind; she agreed and even volunteered to be the business's treasurer. A few of them joined the discussion and shared their thoughts. But this stage wasn't smooth-sailing. "Nu'ng una walang nag re-reply sa chats namin kaya akala namin hindi na matutuloy," said Gia, uttering that the establishment of Café Culture wasn't as easy as it may seem. But being the determined girl that she is, she willed herself to initiate the formation of the business, and luckily, her dedication convinced her friends to join her. As nine minds worked together, they formed Café Culture. Their products consist of coffee graham float and iced coffee with varying appetitive flavors, which tickle every customer's taste buds. Majestically, the launching of Café Culture was a huge success. Hundreds of customers were served in just a few days. Even those who weren't coffee fans were pleased with their products. Good feedback flooded their Facebook page. The satisfaction of their customers rang loudly. That's why Café Culture became an instant celebrity in the town. "Para sa akin, isa sa best part ay 'yung nakikita mo na nagugustuhan ng mga customers mo 'yung produkto na ginagawa mo. Isa iyon sa mga goals namin, ang mahalin nila ang produkto namin ng buong puso," shared Gia, expressing her happiness as their business was patronized by customers.

Gia herself was so thankful for being a part of Café Culture. "Sobrang saya sa pakiramdam. Ako bilang isang BSA student na pinagkatiwalaan ng aking mga kasama sa pera na aming kinikita, sobra akong natuwa kasi nakikita ko ang flow ng aming pera sa aming business, at sobrang saya dahil hindi sila nagdalawang isip na ibigay sa akin 'yung tiwala nila. Nagbigay ito sa akin ng lakas upang sa hinaharap ay ipagpatuloy ko ang pag-iisip ng pagtatayo ng business," she giggly said. She also said that their aspiration to enhance their skills and knowledge in handling a business greatly helped them continue serving their patrons despite the threat of COVID-19 and their other responsibilities. But there are just certain times that challenges overpower them. For instance, they also stopped their operations whenever a particular barangay resident tested positive on COVID-19 for their protection. And since they were all students, there are several days when they needed to halt their operations to focus and finish their schoolwork. "May mga araw na ilan sa amin ay hindi nakakapunta sa araw ng paggawa ng produkto dahil kailangang umattend sa online class. Ngunit hindi iyon malaking hadlang upang huminto kami sa pagtitinda, nahirapan man kami pero kinakaya naman namin," said Gia with a brave determination in her eyes. Problems and challenges may pose along the way, but nothing can stop Café Culture from flourishing. I wouldn't be surprised if Café Culture will put up their own enterprise somewhen in the future. Because with the determination and wit of its owners, it is justifiable to say that nothing is impossible for them. Here’s Gia’s message for aspiring entrepreneurs: "Ipagpatuloy niyo lang ang naiisip niyong business at maging matiyaga sa lahat ng bagay. Lahat naman ay nagsisimula sa maliliit na business at maliliit na kita, ngunit huwag panghinaan ng loob dahil makikita mo ang kahihinatnan ng sipag at tiyaga mo sa tamang panahon."

THE FIGHT LED BY THE YOUTH Words by Ezra Mae Dimapawi

Photos by Lycka Modelo and Jazmine Liberty Tumibay

e can trace back activism back to the 19th century where the Spanish colonial government’s repressive system was on the run. In our knowledge, it started after the execution of the three martyrs that gave birth to the new Ilustrados, who sought social and political reforms. They were the young Filipino students who fought against the imperialist. For more than a century, student activists, progressive young people, fighting, and those who interfere in politics are still making noise. One of them is Denden, a sophomore student at Wesleyan University-Philippines. Denden’s involvement in politics started in early 2020, “Nasali (ako) sa mga NDMO’s or National Democratic Mass Organization noong March 2020, noong pumutok yung COVID. Doon ako mas namulat at mas nagkaroon ng parang motivation para pag-aralan ang lipunan.” Accept it or not, but we should be engaged in politics, learn and speak out. Just like Denden does, she’s taking it out on social media. It is accessible and convenient for us, especially when we cannot gather in a mass crowd. “Hindi naman tayo nagkikita-kita, so, ako personally, social media s’yempre, sa Twitter kadalasan.” I, too, used Twitter to browse through hundreds of tweets, read threads that I can say informative. As for Denden, she uses Twitter moreover other platforms. “Medyo off ako sa Facebook, eh. Medyo toxic kasi mga tao doon kaya sa Twitter ako nagbabato ng mga opinyon, ng mga facts. Doon ako nagbibigay ng iba pang impormasyon, pagdating sa lipunan, pagdating sa mga kalagayan ng bansa natin.” Especially now that we are under pandemic, we need to know what is up and what is happening. We are facing a deadly virus, but still, there are anomalies regarding corruption, killings, and oppressed marginalize. Filipinos have been taking to the streets in protest for more than a century. Most of the first street rallies were conducted by laborers and peasants. But the 60s saw the resurgence of nationalism in the campuses as the students questioned the roots of society’s problems. This could be chalked up to the Marcos administration’s onset and its declaration of Martial Law, which bore witness to tens of thousands of human rights violations, among many others. Denden is currently a member of Anakbayan, a youth group established in 1998 which became prominent in EDSA Dos and during the campaign to abolish ROTC. “Ngayon kasi nagtayo na ng bagong balangay dito sa Nueva Ecija, which is ‘yung Anakbayan Nueva Ecija.” Together with Anakbayan, Denden’s been fighting for students’ rights and our laborers' rights—especially the farmers affected by Rice Tarrification Law and jeepney drivers hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the onset of the pandemic, tuition became a big issue of whether it would be lessened or even so offer a refund to students; they also calls for mass promotion because we have an unreliable internet connection and an online class is not convenient for all.

“Bale, dalawang bagay lang, ‘yung ayaw magbaba ng matrikula noon kahit kailangan naman na, hindi nila binababa, ‘yung rights ng mga students, pati yung Hands-off the Students. Para sa manggagawa rin natin, sa mga magsasaka, [kung] paano sila naapektuhan. Pinakapinagfocus-an naming during quarantine, actually until now, [ay] ‘yong mga jeepney drivers, nabalitaan rin naman natin, so gumawa ng iba’t ibang advocacy ang iba’t ibang NDMOs para sa kanila.” We have seen how this young girl used her voice not only for herself but also to protect other oppressed sectors. On the other hand, Denden also faces malicious comments from trolls that red-tagged her. Red-tagging is a pervasive remark to people who criticize the government. They are tagged as a communist or terrorist, or both. This tagging has been mainly happening to the students’ activists, human rights organizations and advocates, and progressive organizations. “Noong mga bandang June or July, ‘yong tipong gumawa pa s’ya ng dummy account. China-chat pa n’ya ako, tapos ‘yong time na ‘yon, sinabi ko kaagad sa head na gan’on nga kaya pinag-private niya ako ng account.” Despite the red-tagging she had experienced, she never backed down and stood firm. Young and resistant, that’s how I can describe Denden. Perhaps she got this to her father, who was also just like her in his prime. “’Yung father ko kasi noong binata s’ya member s’ya ng LFS or League of Filipino Students, parang kapatid s’ya ng NDMO. So, alam din ng tatay ko kung gaano ako ka-vocal pagdating sa pulitika, pagdating sa bansa natin. Si mama lang ang medyo off pero s’yempre iniintindi ko na lang din, s’yempre magulang. Pero wala din naman silang magagawa kasi, alam din naman nila kung ano ‘yong stand ko eh.” Denden is just like all of us, we have gone through an apolitical stage of our life, but then as we get older, we’re having a broad understanding and start to open our eyes to reality. She made herself clear. She’s always pro-people. It will always be the Filipino over any political color. “Kahit kalian hindi ako pumanig sa mga dilaw o sa mga pula, dahil dapat lahat tayo ay makamasa.” The late senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago once said, “[Youth Activism] serves as a vehicle for expressions of dissent, attempts to effect change, or efforts to place issues on the political agenda.” It all started with us, it is in youth to appeal for change, and it is in us to make a change. The world will start changing when we stand up. Never let anyone silence you just because of your age. Thanks to generations of revolutionary people, student activists, and progressive youths, we are reaping the things they had fought for. A quote from Kelly Garcia fits to end this article, “Time and time again, students have proved that when they are at the forefront of confronting institutional oppression, effective change can happen.”

FIGHT LED BY THE YOUTH

AIGEL ARCILLA Former SHS Governor

“As young individuals we are limited sa mga pwede nating magawa pero hindi ibig sabihin that what we can contribute is disregarded. I think the easiest thing to do is being vocal and using different platforms to raise awareness about topics we are passionate about or things that could progress our society. We should fact-check articles and share what is credible and that could easily help people in our country know what is really happening since nagkalat ang fake news articles and mga tao na ginagawang basis ang YouTube videos, kailangan natin ngayon maging vigilant. It is important that our voices to be heard kasi we will be the ones who will be running this country in the future. Today, we are experiencing attacks on our freedom of speech, pinipigilan tayong ng sarili nating gobyerno na magpahayag ng saloobin natin tungkol sa kanila. Acting now and being heard is not only for the present but mostly for the future.”

FIGHT LED BY THE YOUTH

ALLIAH BORJA College of Education

“Ang takot na tumindig para sa tama ay nasa hanay ng mga mapangalipusta at naghahari-hariang mga uri, sa mga kabataan, kung pinili ninyong talikuran ang ang mga dasal na lumulutang at ang pagsulong sa pambansang-demokratikong karapatan ang napili niyong pamamaraan para tumungo sa huling basong tubig dalisay, hindi lang kayo nakikibaka para sa kasalukuyan kundi para sa mga buhay ng hinaharap. Mapaos man tayo’t wala ng salita na lumabas sa’ting mga labi, hindi tayo titigil sa pakikipaglaban. Kakalampagin natin sila hanggang sa kaibuturan gamit ng katahimikan, at habang humihinga pa ang mga katulad nila ay susunugin na natin sila gamit ang mga matang hindi bulag sa katotohanan. Pigtil-pigtil na pilik, utal-utal na buntong hininga, langib-langib na luha, hindi natin sila patutulugin.”

NEWBIES INTO THE NEW NORMAL Words by Christian Ivan Pallorina Photos from the archives

inally, entering college is everyone’s—if not most people’s— anticipation in life. That moment you knew you’re finally going to face the young adulthood phase to prepare you for real-life sounds so exciting and worrying at the same time. Despite that, we know nothing is to be worried about as long as we know how to go with the flow because most often than not, that’s what we do.

No doubt, it’s hard to suddenly shift from physical to digital when it was supposed to be just a month of class suspension. The academic year ended, and another year started, but we’re still stuck with distant digital learning. With almost half a semester last academic year, we probably got the initial idea of how things will work, but sadly, not for the incoming freshmen about to enter a new environment.

Six years of studying in both primary and secondary school had come to pass. Another four years—in most cases—won’t hurt. The difficulty of learning new stuff to get that degree title might be getting harder and harder, but we’ll sure be getting used to it in no time. The past twelve years should’ve molded us just enough to the extent that we’ll be confident we’ll survive—maybe. But come what may, that’s life, unpredictable.

Their once-in-a-lifetime experience got shattered before it came to life. Their vision of what college would be like became blurred because they’d be doing nothing but to face their gadget, whatever they’re using, meeting different people from distant places. Before the academic year even started, we could see young people entering college expressed their worries on social media. They fear entering a new environment where you know nothing and nobody—and talking to people politely is something we cannot guarantee.

With that being said, who knows a bat—as most believe—getting cooked for dinner will suddenly cause respiratory disease, infecting a ‘great number of people, bringing chaos to the world, and forcing us to go into lockdown? A year has passed since the first COVID-19 virus was recorded; since the world stopped—basically, and since ‘new normal’ became a must, so we can continue to move forward, even in the field of academics, hence online class.

Wesleyan University-Philippines, our school, being one of the schools which chose to continue the school year, got plenty of new college enrollees. We gathered one per college to ask them about their expectations upon entering college life, their experiences so far, and what they can say about the new system.

Monreyes

from College of Arts and Sciences As Monreyes’ SHS life was about to wrap up, she was excited finally being a college student. Hence she didn’t expect that her first year would be held online, saying, “I had so many plans for college. Excited nga ako. Tapos lahat ng ‘yon nawala dahil sa pandemic. Hindi ko na sila nagawa kasi nga may pandemic.” She later elaborated it by saying that she looked forward to meeting new friends in person and to attending activities and events like Acquaintance Party and Foundation Week. Monreyes stated that she wanted to focus on her studies this year after chilling about her high school years. She also said, “Iba pa rin talaga kapag face to face, mas lalo kang ginaganahan.” She was honest when she said she has decided not to enroll this school year, but her mother made her try an online class. In her own words, “Siyempre ang una agad pumasok sa isip ko, hindi magiging effective [ang online class]. Kasi hindi naman lahat may stable Internet connection like my family and I. Tsaka, mas madali kasing matuto kapag face to face.” But she considered her mother’s words upon thinking that she’ll be left behind by her bloc mates and friends, thinking that they might have graduated already and she’s still studying. Upon enrolling, Monreyes stated that she was having a hard time coping up, and attending classes is what makes online class hard. “Minsan kasi ang hirap maka-join sa Zoom meetings or Canvas, tapos mayroon pang Google Meet. ‘Yung ibang Prof kasi ayaw magstick sa iisang application lang para hindi palipat-lipat. Tapos ‘yung ibang requirements kasi na binibigay ang hirap minsan gawin lalo na kung hindi naman nai-discuss. Mayroon pang ibang mga Prof na hindi talaga namin na-meet. Ang madali lang siguro sa online classes ay ‘yung nakukumpleto or nagagawa ko ’yung mga requirements at my own time and pace,” she further explained. She also added that her internet provider’s connection was slow, but she later affirmed that she was satisfied with the number of classes. She understands her professors struggling to manage a lot of students. When asked if online learning was effective for her—“No, it is not. Aminin man natin o hindi, hindi para sa lahat ang online class, para lang ito sa mga privileged. Kung sa mga privileged naman? Siguro sa iba effective. Pero paano naman ‘yung mga mahihirap na courses na kailangan talaga ng face-to-face classes? Depende sa tao kung effective ba o hindi ang online class. Pero kung ako ang tatanungin, hindi.” Monreyes thought that we’re not yet ready for physical class until a vaccine is readily available to accommodate everyone and until it’s not safe outside. As much as she wanted to have face-to-face classes, she doesn’t want to end up dying before she even graduates.

Gutierrez

from College of Business and Accountancy Gutierrez didn’t hesitate to admit that he’s one of those who requested for academic freeze. He defended by stating that both students and teachers are not yet ready for this kind of setup, hence halting the academic year. That’s why when he learned that the AY continues, he was disappointed that his first year in college would be a digital experience. He initially thought of not enrolling, but the thought of falling behind his classmates didn’t sit well with him. Gutierrez admitted that he’s having a hard time coping up. He said, “Isa po sa nahihirapan ko sa online class is ‘yung hindi pagiging responsive ng mga professors. Kapag po may concerns and queries po regarding sa mga subjects hindi po nila kami gaano nasasagot or natutulungan, wala naman po kaming magawa but to wait for their response. Although we understand them naman po kase nga marami rin silang estudyante and we are adjusting palang dito sa new normal.” He further expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of sessions. “Honestly po, may mga professor na sobrang daming pinapagawa na activities na hindi naman nagtuturo. Nahihirapan po kaming sagutan lahat ng walang tulong ng mga professors kasi po yung ibang lessons ay bago sa amin.” He further stated that he knows that both teachers and the students were still adjusting to this new normal but having concerns regarding the professors and the school activities are inevitable. For Gutierrez, the online class isn’t practical for learning. It personally makes him lazy knowing that some lessons aren’t well taught as for his standards, plus the slow internet connection might ruin the whole learning phase. He also expressed that learning in physical class is better. Professors will be able to supervise if their students were actually learning or not, unlike in today’s situation where teachers can’t tell if their students were actually complying and learning. In his freshman year, he was looking forward to being independent while studying. He said he wanted to experience staying in an apartment with his friends and study there. He also wanted to try joining some college activities and events he still hasn’t experienced in high school, like joining organizations. He cited that this online setup might limit him and might not be able to show he has. Despite all these, he wanted the next semester to remain digital, saying, “Gusto ko po sanang online class pa din until second sem kasi another adjustments na naman po kapag biglang physical class. Napakarami na naman pong dapat iconsider ‘pag biglang physical class and we are not yet sure po about our safety kasi until now may mga COVID cases pa din naman po.” He also said that students should be given time to be ready if physical classes would be implemented, and it shouldn’t be suddenly imposed on students knowing that their college journey would be entirely different from the high school they recently finished.

Saint

from College of Criminal Justice Education Saint stated that he enrolled for this school year because he doesn’t want to graduate a year late, although he felt some hesitation with the thought that he doesn’t if he’ll cope with the digital system of learning. Back then, in his high school years, he was looking forward to a physical class. Once entering tertiary, he planned on making more friends. He also wanted how it feels like to be a typical college student and experience programs exclusive for college students back to the normal days. Saint said that online class is somewhat easy because classes were only held at home. However, it’s also hard for him to understand lessons being taught through online platforms. He also said that online classes isn’t effective, especially that not all students have their gadgets and internet connection. When asked if he thought he would be ready for an online class, he said no, citing the situation we have right now and saying that he would rather stay in the online class.

Mayneym

from College of Education Never have Mayneym expected that her freshman years in college would be held via distance learning. She thought that despite the fact she finished her latter end of Senior High School through an online class, everything would be back to normal when a new school year starts. As for the reason why she enrolled, she said, “Just like many of us, nag-enroll lang po talaga ako because I don’t want to be 20 years old next year and in first year college pa lang. ‘Yon talaga ‘yong pinaka-reason ko—hindi ma-late. Pero during this sem ko lang na-realize na sana hindi muna ako nag-enroll and nag-focus sa pag-wo-work dahil tag-hirap nga po ngayon.” Fortunately, she said that she has all the means to cope up with this kind of system. The only thing she mentioned that hinders her at times is their WiFi, saying, “Sobrang hassle lang ‘pag naputulan ng WiFi, ako nga naha-hassle sa mga ganoong temporary lang mangyari sakin, paano pa kaya ‘yong ibang wala talagang means?” What makes learning easy for her? In her own words—“It is only easy kasi mas maluwag nga ngayong mas may consideration ang teachers at mahalaga ngang you do your work at your own pace. Hindi na ‘ko napepressure sa deadlines and I have more time to do it kasi nandito lang naman ako sa bahay unlike nung may faceto-face na buong araw ka na ngang nasa school, tapos may need ka pa ipasa kinabukasan.” As for what’s hard, “It is hard because sobrang lessened ‘yong interaction sa isa’t isa, sa teachers and classmates. Especially ‘pag mga subject na mahirap intindihin na kailangan talaga ng harapang pagtuturo pero hindi siya magawa dahil kahit ‘yong teacher nagkakaproblema sa connection.” She also said that there are only a few teachers who can hold synchronous session without internet connection interruption or any technical difficulties, and that distance learning isn’t effective, citing the lack of actual teaching as the reason, plus when she reads a lesson, there’s still topics hard to understand making her need further explanations. Before all her struggles came to life, she planned her freshman years into ‘meeting new wonderful people, making new friends, knowing someone’s life, and being known.’ As for what she’s looking forward to, she said, “Everything just like how the university normally holds activities no’ng wala pang pandemic. Even the random seminars that we have to attend, I miss that. It’s sad that we, freshmen of this SY, weren’t welcomed very well. It also makes me sad that we might not be able to celebrate the WUP founding anniversary. I look forward to that every year, but COVID-19 ruined it.” When asked if she preferred her next semester to be held traditionally, she said that we’re ‘obviously not ready’ and she’d rather stay online until it’s safe. Shifting into tradition would also shock her, and new adjustments would be needed, but she’d have herself ready in case.

Lavieenrose

from College of Nursing and Medical Allied Sciences Just like the others, Lavieenrose didn’t expect her first year in college would be held online. In her freshman year, she was even looking forward to events and activities they’d be having in their College, plus laboratory activities they’d be having. But as for her, she was left with no choice but to obey what the government had ordered. She acknowledges that having to adapt to a new system of learning would be challenging to all of us, especially to all the students (as for her), including her. Still, despite this, she chose to enroll to learn and explore what college may bring. She stated that she has a hard time coping up with the new system. She elaborated it by saying that she struggles to meet the deadline of submitting course requirements, given that the internet connection was poor and ‘the other teachers [don’t give] considerations at all.’ Hence, she’s making things easy by doing the requirements before the given deadlines. She was even satisfied with the number of sessions being held, although it frustrates her at times. When asked if online classes were effective for her, her answer was divided, but all the justification she gave is, “Not all the students are learning online. There are some difficulties, and I think we’re just in need to pass the requirements and other stuff and, most of us are not learning.” She further stated that she’d be ready once the next sem would be physical as she prefers it to be. “I would like to be it held physically, [because] we’re actually learning and we’re much enjoying the class and see our teachers’ faces everyday—though it annoys me, sometimes, when they are giving so many activities.” ###

Aerdna

from College of Hospitality and Tourism Management Before entering college, Aerdna was excitedly looking forward to attending her once-in-a-lifetime freshman orientation and meeting new friends and acquaintances, and attending educational tours, given that her program is Tourism. But all those were shunned when she found out that her freshman year would be a digital experience. The fear of not being left out was Aerdna’s reason she chose to enroll in college this academic year. She was a bit upset with the system, though, as she expected a happy face-to-face class for his freshman entrance. She hoped that this setup would rather be more challenging and more complex than the traditional classroom setup, but she chose to believe that she’ll make it and that online class would be effective if one wanted to learn. Despite the hardship, Aerdna shows some determination in learning and tells how she handles online class. She shared when asked, “Para sa akin, sakto lang, kasi kapag nagbibigay ng new lesson or topic ‘yung teacher binabasa ko at piniprint ko agad kasi gusto ko pa rin naman matuto; sayang kaya tuition. Saka expected na naman na kasi simula palang na self-studying talaga ‘yung mangyayari e. Kaya ayon basta aral, mag-aral lang. Saka kaya ko naman, kinakaya.” But yet again, despite her learning strategy, she explained that the limits the professors have set in their exams and quizzes were making her nervous. Still, she made herself used to it so that the problems she’d be only facing is the internet connection and sudden blackout. She even shared a time when she had a hard time with her quiz, saying, “During the second week of online classes, actually sobrang nahihirapan ako magcope kasi minsan nagloloko internet namin dito sa bahay tapos ayon (laughs), may time na one [minute] lang ako nalate, ‘di ko naipasa yung activity—pero nagbigay naman ng chance may deduction nga lang. Well, okay na rin at least may score—pero umiyak talaga ako no’n (laughs).” When asked if online class is effective for her, she said, “Natututo ‘ko sa ibang subject, pero sa iba hindi kasi nahihirapan din naman ako, lalo na hindi naman ako katalinuhan, medyo masipag lang ako, saka may mga lesson din naman akong hindi naiintindihan masyado.” Aerdna then wishes for everything to be okay so that we’d be able to go back to normal. She stated that before we return to physical class, we must be safe first, saying, “As long as ‘di pa safe, ayaw ko muna mag face to face. Hindi ako tamad ha, basta ayaw ko pa muna. Nakakatakot. Kaya online class muna pansamantala.”

Queson

from College of Engineering and Computer Technology At first, Queson didn’t expect the implementation of online classes this academic year, but since the government has decided, what more could he expect? When asked what made him enroll for this school year, he said, “That was my mother’s decision. For me, I really don’t want to enroll since it’s online, [and] then our Internet connection is a bit weak, and I’m not ready for college yet.” Queson stated that he’s having a hard time coping up with this kind of setup. He said he couldn’t keep up, and he wasn’t actually to learn. He further stated that lessons weren’t explained very well because it’s more of a self-studying, but he later guaranteed that one session was enough when teachers taught well. He also cited internet connection as a factor for his hard times. Nevertheless, his friends are in which he to plan to make, and he succeed despite the distance learning—who helped him every time he struggled. “For me; for the most part, the online class is not effective, because most students can’t focus on the class, merong nagyu-Youtube, Facebook, and games while [there] [is] a class, and cheating on quizzes and exams is very easy for them,” was his words about the effectiveness of online class. He said that he preferred the second semester of the academic year to start holding physical class and that he thinks he’s ready for it, but if it’s not possible yet, he said that it is okay.

NAME MAKERS

Words by Clarence Jairra Javate Photos by Lycka Modelo, Jazmine Liberty Tumibay and Ryan Ancheta

he pandemic has been such a one good ol' low blow for everybody as if the world decided to turn backwards then up, sideward then down, turning everything into a level of mess a population elevated by technology would find hard to comprehend. And

the best parts of it, or should I say the worst is that it all happened without saying a single word of caution. It proves how mother nature can give us everything we need as well as how fast she can take it all away in just a snap of time. One thing this crisis taught us is the skill of surviving — Well, maybe one to call for a skill, but really it's just something we really have no choice of but to do so. Cases of coronavirus-infected people skyrocketed with death tolls rising like a mountain of pebbles in an hourglass slowly dropping waiting to fill the whole thing. That said, it definitely took away so many things (you can even say perhaps our lives) — a dreamer's dream to go forth miles and miles. Thousands of opportunities and even undiscovered potentials were damaged, financial capacity was tested, and the road towards our plans welcomed a massive block of boulder. Now, maybe some paper to take notes or a lemon water while reading would help, whatever, go have a seat and take a good look how these youngsters in the hustle managed to surpass the challenge of this time with courage and will power.

cogon wonder

If you're a Wesleyanian, you must've heard of Ryan

Ancheta's cogon crafting as he made noises in the past months for creating impressive designs made of cogon from scratch with so much dexterity, making his closed ones and fellow yellow-and-green riders proud. When I first heard about Ancheta's works, I immediately wanted to take a dive into looking closely around the nature of his art. It's not always this generation of young people who are interested in this form of art, but the young man found his hands creating cogon crafts that did not just interest many people but even carved a path for him he'll always be proud of. Surprisingly, Warren's family have always been inclined to this craft particularly his father: from whom he learned his skills in crafting cogons. May sound so simple as the word cogon is, but this is the same thing that opened a financial help for Warren. When I asked him for whom does he get the determination to work hard for, he humbly answered, 'Ang aking pamilya at ang mga taong malalapit sa akin dahil gusto ko silang matulungang makaangat sa hirap ng buhay.' For his family—that's how the young man named Warren Ancheta looked at his aspirations. Humble ones are those who are blessed: Warren managed to give a helping hand to his parents financially and even in sending him and himself to school. But all stories are faced with hardships along the way and even in this field, our cogon craftsman reveals that creating one cogon product is never an easy job. With all the amazing and heartwarming adorable designs he makes, apparently it's very hard and challenging to produce a finishing cogon art than it may seem. It has brought me into thinking just how underappreciated this handicraft is in spite of how unique and elegantly detailed every tie of the knot it has. All massive work of art have an artist behind who spends ocean of hours with tears, full-tank passion, who all pour a part of their being in their work; and cogon handicraft is one treasure of an art, it embodies the filipinos' resourcefulness, artistic elements, and culture. 'Kailangan hindi mawawala ang tiyaga' said Warren.

the mastermind in the masses Hailing from Cabanatuan City, a homegrown local brand called We The Masses managed to mold a name inside the city streets in just a span of quite few months inside the lockdown. My timeline was filled with people reppin' the graphic tees from them; instantly caught my curiosity unaware that this lone province hides a gem of streetstyle powerhouse that is We The Masses. Let me start this off by saying that I've seen so many local brands that quite didn't do the job for my tea cup, perhaps the reason why I never found the will to explore the Cab street culture but low and behold, for this brand might just change that for me and you. What messed with my mind is that the creative behind is our young boy named Joshua Divinagracia, a Wesleyanian. I got the chance to take a peek into the cooking session of creating the brand's pieces with the mastermind himself. When I've come across one design of their shirt, what kept me looking is how simple yet being the kind of simple that leaves a piece of identity. I asked him how passionate he is in this hustle and the kid answered firmly 'very', well because starting a clothing brand has apparently always been the main good ol' dream of his ever since. From designing, to production, down to the releases—Joshua says he stays hands on. And although the brand started in the middle of the pandemic, it is undeniable that the support they keep on receiving flows nicely for the advantage of the brand. The main foundation of their clothing line lies in his passion that slowly turned into a growing business, of which he told me isa process of learning he's still trying to get a hold of but even though an underdog in the biz, they stay target-locked focused on the mission which is to release brands that will bring impact.

'When we create a design, gusto namin relevant sya and yung makikita identity ng brand namin.' He shared his process of designing; surprisingly, he said as if they're just playing, trying to squeeze out every drop of creative juices. Joshua knows exactly the fate they wanted for the brand, and it's mainly the desire to make something remarkable and distinguished. For the fashion savvy folks, I bet they have the understanding that brands must embody qualities; first is the material quality, and perhaps the most crucial quality is the sentimental quality it gives to whoever who wears it is right exactly where culture, identity, clique, sprung out of something that is so superficial --- and that's what We The Masses hit the nail on the head. Being a member of a well-known dance group in and out of Cabanatuan; Recab, where Joshua is a part of, paved the way for his inspiration and creativity to perfectly cook. He said that 'The [street] culture inspired me to build and pursue my passion for designing and producing shirts. It inspired me to build something out of nothing. Sobrang important sa akin, not just the streetwear culture, but the street culture itself [as a whole]. In three years time; collabs, greater quality, and more produce is what their brands have eyes on. But in the time of oneclick-got-it era with thousands—I mean, THOUSANDS of various brands flying around the corners of the internet and physical shops, the competition is a battle war. Imagine being a kid with a long time dream of building a brand that will change the course of the world, and then you realize there are 500 more kids like you who dream the same dream. And then 500 more, whose parents are billionaires and then another 500 more who literally live in the US of A which the small amount of street culture folks in your country religiously supports, and did I already mention? Oh, yes... the infamous 'doubters' who are made to try to diminish your light as you go dribble in your hustle: making you the last on the list even though you cater the amount of effort, talent, message, and culture equally. And this is where the importance of 'buy local' appears in the picture, that for Joshua, means, 'When you buy a local product, you support someone's art and vision.' Streetwear culture lived long before we even found out it's actually a thing, striving and molding a home for those who welcomes it. But the rise of it all became possible because of those who chose to believe in a brand, those who lived up to the identity of something that is a part of them, and in our case, well... those who supported the local. Joshua Divinagracia is a kid from the city, who chose to dream big and brave. I asked him what your brand We The Masses' mission is? 'For the outspoken. For the passionate. For the masses.' It's a hard time to continue and thrive while dodging the punches thrown right at the most sensitive part of our souls, but the story will go on and on and on. And we will find ourselves stronger than ever at the very end of the road.

A VIEW OF BEING INDEPENDENT

Words by Alanna Soriano Photos from Collette Castañeda

iving alone let you know yourself, discover your own self more and the other worthy of

experiences in life. If you choose to live alone as a college student away from your comfort zone then for sure it'll hurt you for some time, but as the time goes by, you'll get used to it and start enjoying your own company. But there are also people prefer living with friends or they're always accompanied by others. There would always be a huge difference between the people who live alone and the ones who live with others. Their personality speaks itself. The wisdom of life comes with solitude. So, which one are you?

Okay, I met this block mate of mine, whom her

college life was reshaped by learning to live alone in short span of time. She is Collette Castañeda, 20 years old, a sophomore student from College of Arts in Sciences. The distance between Wesleyan University-Philippines and her hometown was indeed unbearable at times as she is from La Paz, Tarlac.

She is perhaps will feel lonely while entering at

her apartment at the end of the day, as it was her first time living alone. There would be no one waiting for her and the feeling kills for a couple of time, but she manages to learn how to be independent as the time goes by. How's life living alone shaped you? Collette: "In terms of College Life, it made me realize that I can do things by myself such as preparing food, doing laundry and living by my own which I didn’t experience before. As individual naman, the experience helped me to grow and become independent as well. How's your lifestyle when you living alone? Collette: "My lifestyle goes like this gising sa umaga -> shower -> pasok sa school -> kain -> hangout with friends -> kain ulit -> uwi -> kain ulit -> do errands/ gagawa ng requirements, assignments,etc. -> shower ulit -> kain ulit-> tulog REPEAT PROCESS and I tell you it was fun"

How do you Cope up with Homesickness? Collette: "The absence of my family surely frustates me a lot. You are constantly surrounded by lone feelings. Hindi talaga maiiwasan 'yan. Kaya everytime I feel homesickness, Iiyak lang ako hanggang sa magsawa ako, o kaya tatawagan ko ‘yung family ko or makikipag-hang out sa friends para makalimutan kong malungkot ako. " Your hardships of Living Alone? Collette: " ‘Yung mga bagay na kailangan gawin aside from pag-aaral like other errands, which is I’m not used to do ‘pag nasa bahay ako. Sa totoo lang, mahirap kasi mabuhay mag-isa pero challenging din at the same time" How about pros? Collette: "Freedom syempre hahaha" Do you have random stuffs in mind that you aim to do while living alone, when everything will be back to normal? Collette: "I know napaka random nito pero gustong gusto ko talaga i-decorate ‘yung apartment ko" What memory do you miss the most while living alone? Collette: "Siyempre ‘pagkatapos ng klase, ‘yung bonding time with friends, foodtrip & kwentuhan. Sobrang priceless. Nakaka-wala ng stress & sadness"

With that, of course, living alone is more or

less exactly what you think it will be like. No one telling you what to do, you can make your space your own, you basically have all the freedom in the world! And it is great! You’ve got a chance to rule your own life. But at this point also it’ll become the first step to proper independence. And then within a few yours you'll witness the changes in yourself. You'll start valuing people, relations, parents, friends and too many other things.

FLOWER BOY IN HIS FLOWER FORM

Words by Clarence Jairra Javate Photos by Lycka Modelo and Jazmine Liberty Tumibay

ne cannot count the overwhelming amount of times they are stunned by the beauty of others in the crowd but very few, perhaps, almost close to none, one is merrily joyed by the beauty of themselves. Dubbed as the age of modernity --- we are living and breathing in the time of the impossible turned possible, the complicated becomes easy, the heavy becomes weightless: the world has become more progressive than ever and continously evolving into the highest peak of what they call innovation. But why is that the better it gets, the sadder we are? Yes, it's true --- the children are sad. Atleast, I speak of as one. We cry tears rooted in the deepest wounds that are most of the time hard to even try to explain. It's this block of a nameless intangible pain inside us with a creeping feeling of losing our sense of belonging, forcing us to travel the corners of the world to find a place that feels like an embrace. Somewhere our presence is welcomed, our voices listened, our minds understood; where love, peace, kindness and energy we offer is reciprocated. But hey, who says sad stories can only mean tragedy? I beg to disagree for my very very eyes can testify and claim that there is wisdom found in misery as well as calm in the waves. A shaft of light from a beautiful soul is how I would describe the presence of a beautiful boy named Jim. Still fresh to recall; my collected memories of him walking around the campus with his equally precious friends, in a striking silk fabric vintage polo and a shouldered neat tote bag flaunted in confidence and charisma. Quiet and timid, it's almost unbelievable how unaware of the screaming power, boldness and dashing courage he embodies --- this alumni and Genré's very own former literary editor is a flower in the pond. Like any ordinary highschool boy blossoming into teenage years, Jim experienced the physical struggles that comes with it. Acne, which is a part of being a human being, developed in different parts of his body as he grew forward affecting the many corners of his life. 'I was bullied because of that. Some of my classmates would thud my chest and laugh their brains out when they see blood coming from my shirt. It has stained longer on my mind than on my shirt.' Highschool is like a nest of all the horrors you can imagine --- a pool of silly little people having a hard time figuring themselves out. As devastating as it may sound, bullying has been one of the areas we encounter as we go on through life. Others takes it for only just a phase, but for some it is the worst nightmare that lasts until the last flame of their candle-burning life. Jim shared the frustration he's gone through when he found himself at the rock bottom of his life; mad, jealous, selfloathing. He blamed himself for the situation he was in. 'The saddest thing about what I have experienced — it is still within me. I dont think that it will disappear, but I know I have to live with that memory.' Imagine living your whole teenage years soaked in self-doubt with your confidence down on the floor when it is

supposed to be one of the most defining era of your life; the storage of your nostalgia, but instead, you had to deal with having it remembered as the time you understood what self-loathe is. All of us are not that very different from Jim --- we have our own troubles and traumas that torment us in each and every second. What makes us different from each other can be seen in what's inside our rising-from-the-pit-story; in short, how we picked ourselves back up. 'Then, college came and that’s when i really exerted my best effort to be better in what I love to do despite having my imperfections. That’s when I truly appreciate the people I surround myself with. I was not that too critical about my body anymore and confidence grew right inside me. And then i came to this idea that the people you surround yourself with is as important as accepting every inch of your body no matter how it looks like.' This statement from Jim alone, ingrained a place in my mind that will constantly remind me how important and real, conserving our energy and clearing spaces in our lives is --- that we should be the head captain of our lives, and self-respect always comes first. We search and search and search a bit more for acceptance, love, belongingness, carelessly losing ourselves in the middle. But one act of kindness from others that eliminates all forms of unfamiliarity, changes a life and extends it to its most powerful shape. It brings us to realize that our relationship with our bodies are ours --- and ours alone. Society may have turned us against ourselves by making things look ugly and a whole mess, but there always starts a brighter day when we look further within and learn that if the world is not being a good friend to us, that's the most important time to be a good friend to ourselves. Jim, chose a brighter world for himself --- sharpened his craft and held dearly onto his light and made a decision to build a kinder world for himself. It is only when we look deeper, that we experience the magic of hope and what self-empowerment is; realizing that there is nothing more satisfying medicine to heal our pain than to build a kinder, more loving and accepting world for ourselves and for others. When I asked our lovely boy what does it take to be called a 'beautiful human being' is for him: 'Being able to be a good influence to other people, giving them the courage and support that they need, and empowering them in every way no matter how small it is — that for me is when you can call someone a beautiful human being.' You, like Jim, are born as a wonderful flower already in its greatest form --- and like Jim, you just need to look deeper to finally see it.

WAVING THROUGH A DISTANT WINDOW

Words by Jessica Maureen Gaurano Photos by Lycka Modelo and Jazmine Liberty Tumibay

or most people, 2020 was the year of endless possibilities. Goals and plans were set. Everybody started at the

beginning of the year filled with hope. It was exciting, mostly since it was a new year where people can start over and make the best of their everyday lives. But nobody anticipated what was waiting for us this year, the COVID-19 pandemic. And just like that, the entire world suddenly stopped moving. People were quarantined as a precaution. The streets that used to be filled with life are now empty. Everything became distant. Loved-ones, memories, plans, and places have become out of reach. People who like cliches would say that the beginning of the year is where we start writing a new chapter of our lives. But now it feels like we have a blank page with nothing to write on it. For Alexies Sirach “Alexies” Reyes of the College of Tourism in Hospitality Management (CTHM), the pandemic took an unexpected shift in her lifestyle.

the new normal Quarantine became a whole new environment for Alexies. Being in isolation had put a lot of stress on her, both on her personal and academic life, which greatly affected her mental and physical health. The pandemic introduced her to a completely different life from the life she was used to. That she felt like her mind and body can handle the stress. She said that it was tough for her to cope, and her body and mind can tell. “I’m not in my best condition. My face started to break out since the pandemic started. I think it’s because of stress and not being [able] to go out and have fun. Right now, I’m just hoping na yung eyesight ko doesn’t get damaged. Personally, I can survive a day without a phone unless necessary. But ever since pandemic, nagbababad ako sa TV or laptop and then I’ll experience eye strain.”, she explained. We can agree that shifting to online classes has been one of the most difficult challenges for the youth today. As a freshman, Alexies had been looking forward to her first experience in college. She was excited to be in a new environment and new social circle. Obviously, she never got to do any of this. “It’s my freshman year in college. Everything that I was hoping for and expected all came down to the drain. New environment, new people, new everything. I was excited yet nervous for new experiences pero wala. COVID said not today.” While she does everything she can to lessen the stress,

like eating and staying healthy, the situation’s difficulty continues to weigh her down. “Since the online classes started, my health also started to deteriorate even though I eat regularly, and I drink lots of water. I try to stretch my body whenever I have time, but I think the mental burden is just way too much for my body and mind to handle. Alam ko na most students ay nakakaranas din nito,” she said. Moreover, the Philippine society’s condition, corruption, and oppression happening amid the pandemic affect her day-to-day living. It becomes overwhelming for her. For the past few months, many people were left hungry. They were struggling because of the government’s lack of response towards the pandemic. “With people losing their jobs and becoming completely unemployed, how will they pay for everything they need? It’s not like the government is supporting everyone equally or giving enough for people who are in need. [...] Filipinos are so strong, but we don’t deserve this. What is overwhelming is how bad the judgment and actions of people can be.”, she added. It was hard for her to go on and sense normalcy despite the country’s real situation.

before

Alexies had a normal life. Like everybody else, she

spends her time studying, going out with friends, and doing her hobbies like dressing up and watching Korean Dramas (Kdramas). This year was supposed to be when she celebrates the end of her high school with her loved ones. Junior and Senior high school have been challenging for a couple of years, and Alexies felt worth celebrating. She already has plans to look forward to, like traveling and making the most of her time left with her friends before they all venture off to college. “Majority of me was expecting a lot of things: graduation, postgrad beach getaway with friends, Cebu with my family, first Hot Air Balloon with the most lowkey yet best people. Summer clothes, sunnies, airplane, road trip and a lot of things that I think everyone deserved since we graduated and really did a good job conquering JHS and especially SHS”, she said. Unfortunately, a lot of things have been prohibited or limited. Traveling became a hassle ever since the quarantine started. Traveling fees have increased, the local government units have also implemented strict guidelines for those who want to go to places. So, as a result, Alexies never got to do any of her plans. Instead, she would spend most of her time at home and go out when it’s only necessary.

slowly embracing change People have learned a lot about themselves during the quarantine. Reflection in isolation helped them see the truth in themselves (positive or negative). Also, through self-discovery, they could find a way to cope and make the best out of this situation. Though it was hard, Alexies embraced change in the way she knows how. Since quarantine, she keeps herself entertained through streaming Netflix, YouTube, Korean variety shows. She also found a new hobby through literary fiction. She shared that she’d been reading Rick Riordan and was able to finish his entire backlist quickly. It was through these that she was able to learn new things outside of class. It’s this time where people saw the value in relationships, whether it’s romantic or platonic. And being away from her friends has been difficult for Alexies. She often misses them and wishes they could get together like they used to. “Miss ko na sila sobra, especially now that we’re all not classmates anymore, everyone is having their college in different universities. We didn’t even get a parting getaway. [...] to be able to eat, laugh, swim, walk and talk together in a certain setting is such a mood and ambiance.”, she shared. And even though it’s not the same for her, they would often talk through group chats and video calls. Finally, she discovered that motivation and inspiration don’t always need to be big or extravagant. They can be simple. And she found it through the people closest to her, family and friends. “They’re doing what they can to support me, and I would love to see the best version of myself soon or in the near future to make them and myself proud. Also, Kpop group. Their content always cheers me up.” In isolation, she learned that there’s so much more to life than what we know, and she would love to see it all by her own eyes and heart.

so what’s next?

Alexies is both scared and excited about what lies ahead. And

right now, she is determined to continue to live for another day, and hopefully, she’ll look back on all of this, realizing how much these events made her stronger. “I think may mga bagay na may kapalit, and I’m trying my best to hope na the following years after this 2020, comes with countless opportunities to get back up and influence everyone to live to their fullest. Eka nga, the only constant is change, no one really knows what change is waiting for us in the next step. I’m also hoping na by the end of this successive calamities, marami tayong matutunan at alam na natin ang gagawin natin sa mga susunod na happenings.”

WOMEN'S MONTH = GENDER EQUALITY Art by Roaila Honey Rose Iniwan

his is not merely just a month’s worth of celebration for women, but a relentless effort to end violence against women, call for empowerment and gender equality.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

EDITORIAL

Marked annually on 8th of March, we celebrate International Women’s Day to acknowledge women’s achievements and to accelerate awareness and voice for change towards women’s rights and gender equality. We globally acknowledge the extraordinary roles of women in the society as trailblazers and harbingers of change. Philippines celebrates this global campaign with the slogan “Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!”. While the Philippines ranks 16th in the Global Gender Gap Index 2020, the figure does not capture the conditions of women in marginalized areas. Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Index, which ranks the women’s well-being of 2019-2020, showed Philippines in a lower rank at 90th proving that there are still a lot to be done to achieve gender equality.

“That’s why, gender equality should start at home. All of us have the responsibility to understand how to eliminate gender inequities. We should start this with our families. We need to demonstrate what gender equality is. We demonstrate that care work is not based on gender. It is also important that we can discuss our gender biases; be openly educated. Together, we can learn how to correct these stigmas.” A day, a week or a month is not enough to celebrate this global event. But it is an occasion to raise and amplify voices. The year 2021 represents an unmissable opportunity indeed to mobilize global action to achieve gender equality and human rights of all women and girls. Together, we empower not just women and girls, but the humanity.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH: IS IT THE BEST SOLUTION? Words by Jessica Maureen Gaurano Art by Gwynleth Mauricio

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

OPINION

ith Law Enforcement detached from the justice Hundreds, if not thousands, have been killed at the hands system’s principles and ideals, Death Penalty is of the Philippine National Police and thousands more by essentially a Russian Roulette. unidentified shooters or wrongfully imprisoned without having to undergo due process. It never really solved the In the past years, our country had people put on trial problem of drug use/selling in the country; it only favored and sentenced to the death penalty, particularly in cases of the powerful. heinous crimes, such as rape, murder, corruption, and other grave acts. But in 2006, the death penalty has been abolished Police brutality and corruption have worsened as years under the term of former President Gloria Macapagal- passed. Furthermore, historical accounts and experiences Arroyo. However, the recent events following the murder show that some criminal acts favor the rich and the powerful. of Sonya and Frank Gregorio and police brutality cases The narrative can easily be manipulated in exchange for have sparked yet another conversation and debate on the money and other favors. According to the Supreme Court implementation of the death penalty in the country. in 2004, data shows that 71.77% of death penalty verdicts handled by lower courts were wrong. Most people agree that it’s just right that the government bring back the death penalty. They think it’s Our country’s socio-economic realities have distorted only fair that these criminals should pay for the heinous the law’s application against the poor and oppressed. Those crimes they’ve committed. An eye for an eye and a tooth who need to voice out will always be silenced, and those at for a tooth, they say. Honestly, the death penalty’s intention fault will be defended. Innocents will be blamed, abusing might seem fair, but with our country’s state, today and our power will always be brutality, and justice is injustice. justice systems deem that it’s not ideal now, nor will it be anytime in the future. Not all people have the influence and the capability to defend their innocence before the law. Adopting the In a Rappler opinion piece, Senator Leila de Lima death penalty would mean pouring more blood into the states, “From historical experience and in-depth studies, hands of an unjust system. It will only serve as the pillar of we realize how imperfect and inadequate our justice system our justice system’s biases for ‘tough criminal laws often is. [...] Police raids and warrantless arrests are an everyday target weaker sections.’ The reality is that the poor and occurrence for our countrymen in the slum areas who are marginalized bear the harsh punishment of criminal justice lucky enough to make it out alive. At the same time, the systems unfairly. same police force approaches the gated communities with respect and full accord of their rights.” Over the years, we Our justice system is weak, and the poor are the most saw how flawed the justice system in our country is. There likely to suffer when the government reinstates the death are plenty of instances where people have gotten away with penalty. Studies and historical accounts have repeatedly crimes while the poor had to suffer the consequences that shown that an empty threat of death is never the answer should’ve been someone else’s. to heinous acts. Instead, our government should focus on pursuing bills on judicial reforms to improve our current An example of this would be the war on drugs justice system’s state. at the beginning of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.

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WEAK KA RAW EKA? OKS LANG 'YAN., HINDI MO KABAWASAN a. Kabarkada mong kinakabagan sa kakatawa; b. Kaklaseng nakangisi ng nakangisi sa online class; c. Pinsang mong pinaglihi sa kalikutan; d. Kapatid na kinaaaliwan ng buong angkan tuwing reunion; e. Teacher nating utod ng bait at puro positibo ang sinasabi; f. Ikaw na hinahangaan sa pagdadala ng sarili; g. Ako na nagsulat nito, Walang salingkit, iyang A-G na yan ay posibleng may lihim na iminumukmok. Walang pwera-pwera, dahil sa katotohan, kung gagawin pa nating A-Z ang pagpipilian, kandidato pa rin ang bawa’t isa— suma tutal, tayong lahat. Kung sakaling hindi pa dumarating sa inyo ang balita tungkol sa dumaraming kaso ng mga nagpapatiwakal dulot ng depresyon, hindi ko na lang talaga alam kung saan kang kweba naglalagi. Parang ako, akalain ko bang ang taong malapit sa akin, siyang mainam sa pagbibigay ng payo, at kasalo kong dikit sa malalimang usapan ng buhay, isa pala sa mga nabiktima ng buhol-buhol na kalungkutan na malalim pa sa aakalain mo. Napaganda lang para sa akin, dahil hindi na ko naubligang lumayo o di kaya’y umimbento ng kwento para maunawaan natin na ang usaping ito ay usaping buhay at kamatayan, samakatuwid, mahalaga. Ang derektang “oo,” mula sa kaniya na mismong nakararanas ay ayos na para lapatan ang pag-uusisa ko kung seryosong problema nga ba ang depresyon. Hihingi pa sana ako ng paglilinaw, ng ilan pang paliwanag kasunod ng dalawang letrang ito, ngunit habang paulit-ulit kong binabasa, naramdaman ko na detalyado na ang impormasyon tungkol sa depresyon. Ang hirap kasi sa lipunang ito, mistulang ginagawang dahilan lang ang depresyon. Ka-OA-yan ng bagong henerasyon, mga nagpapaawa raw kuno, mabababaw ang pinagkukunan, kulang sa pansin, habang ang nasa gobyerno kulang sa aksyon. Susubukan kong sakyan ang konsepto na ito. Sa pamamagitan ng paghanap ng isang artista na gaganap sa karakter na s’ya mismo ang nagdetalye: “Mawawalan ng gana sa pagkain ng tama, pagtulog ng maaga, (bababa ang motibasyong) makihalubilo sa iba, (apektado pati) makapag-isip ng rasyonal, presence of mind, pagkakaroon ng pakialam, kasiglahan. Basically, lahat ng pwede mong gawin sa buhay mo.” Take note: Literal. Consistent—ito ang ugali ng aktres o aktor sa likod at harap ng kamera. Tingin mo? Sapagkat sa pagtitiyak ko, walang kukuha. Hindi sa rasong hindi nila kakayanin, kundi dahil ang

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

depresyon ay hindi drama. Isa pa sa magandang basagin na stigma tungkol sa depresyon ay ang paniniwala na ang mga biktima nito’y walang ginagawa para tulungan ang kanilang sarili, ngunit ang totoo kung gusto natin silang makawala, pwes, lalo na sila. “Gumagawa ako ng ibang bagay, tulad ng paglilibang, nagbabike ako, nagpo-phone, o kaya naman nakikipag-usap sa iba. Minsan, kung may pagkakataon na pwede, tina-try kong i-address at ayusin yung iniisip ko, solusyunan, para hindi ko na isipin.” Sumusubok ang mga ‘yan. Magbago ng routine, mag-focus sa positive, bumuo ng healthy lifestyle, makipagkwentuhan, magliwaliw, bumili ng samu’t saring remedyo, pumunta kung saan-saan. Gumagawa sila, kumikilos, umaalpas, tumatanggi—lumalaban. Ang nakakapagtaka, bakit wala tayong kaalam-alam? Hindi natin namamalayan. “Pinakamalaking bahagi ang apathy, kawalan ng pakialam ng iba, big step na nga at courage ang pagsabi ng sakit mo, makakadagdag pa sa disappointments ang sense ng rejection at hindi nila paniniwala, pinakamalala, iniisip nila na naghahanap at humihingi ka ng atensyon,

natatakot mahusgahan o makabigat. Minsan naiisip ko na nakakababa ng pagkatao kapag dumadaan ka sa depression, kase obviously, marami kang problema at hindi mo kayang ma-handle yon effectively.” Magtatampo pa tayo kung bakit hindi man lang sila nagsasabi, sukdulang magkasumbatan pa ng lebel ng tiwala.

Pero ang puna ay hindi lang sa kanila, kundi maging sa atin. Bakit kamo? Dahil ang hindi nila pagtatapat ay nangangahulugang ang sugat nila’y walang mahagilap na seguridad sa atin. Hindi nila maalis ang parteng bugbog sapagkat batid nilang ang tao sa kanilang nasa harap ay maaaring nagnanais lang na maghugas kamay at masabing may ginawa na sila, may ilang nakikiusyoso lang, nananamtala, nagoobserba; kaya hindi nakakagulat na mas marami ang minamabuti na lang na sarilihin ang pinagdadaanan, sapagkat walang maituring na totoong kapwa, na may malinis na intensyon sa likod ng mga salitang “nandito lang ako.” Maidagdag ko na din, dalawang insidente ng pagpapatiwakal ang mga naitala sa magkahiwalay na lugar sa Nueva Ecija sa unang araw ng taong 2021. Sa ulat tanggapan ni PCol. Marvin Joe Saro at acting provincial PNP, ang dalawang biktima ay lumilitaw na labis umano ang depresyon na nagdulot ng pagpapatiwakal. Masarap nga sanang mangarap ng isang komunidad na hindi takot maging mahina, na ang malito ay hindi kasalanan. Kaya’t habang pinoproseso pa ang pangarap na ito, isa munang pagpupugay para sa lahat ng giyera mong kinikimkim, nawa’y makatagpo ka ng matibay na moog tanggulan.

COLUMN | OPINION

The Much Needed Break (Mental Health Break) Words by Keight Danielle Panotes Art by Gwynleth Mauricio

ental health issues have become more prevalent this year. Being a student is stressful; trying to juggle school work and other responsibilities while the world slowly tears apart makes it even harder. Mental health break indeed aids Wesleyanians to cope up and rest from our messed up educational approach amidst global pandemic. Personally, I saw and felt how the university administration listened to their students because a week-long mental health break was given to students for them to be able to relax and breathe. It was a great move to ease students’ burden and stress. It has been about five months since we have transitioned from the traditional residential classes to online learning here in our University. To some students, this transition wasn’t as hard as they expected, but to most Wesleyan students, they had a hard time before they were able to cope with the sudden change. The past months weren’t easy, not just for the students but also for the professors and instructors, especially those not used to navigate technology and adjust to the new normal using the online platforms that became necessities in our educational approach—the flexible online learning. It was also quite tough to keep ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy because there are students left behind because of the poor Internet connection and lack of educational materials. Another factor is the academic pressure that we feel. During October 26 to October 30, 2020, the Mental Health Break was implemented, and during that week, synchronous and asynchronous sessions were suspended. The University aimed to use this time to pause work without worrying much about

being left behind. “Having these kinds of breaks is helpful. It gives the students and professors the luxury of time to relax and focus on themselves for the upcoming weeks. Additionally, the holiday also provides an opportunity to those students who were having a tough time coping with online or modular learning, which makes them resort to a different solution, probably because they are physically, mentally, and emotionally drained, to have a peace of mind. Academic/Mental Health break is something that many students from different schools are begging to have from their school administration.” Prior to the academic break given to the college students, the high school department also implemented the same week-long vacation from the 19th to October 23 for the Senior High School students to relax and recharge. Here’s a gentle reminder: your mental health is just as important as your physical health. It’s okay to take breaks so that you’ll heal and recover from all the academic stress and help you improve your work. A refreshed and relaxed mind is much needed for us to do well. Let us take care of our mental health just like how we take care of our physical health.

Unpleasant Boldness of an Idealistic Fan Words by Keight Danielle Panotes Art by Roaila Honey Rose Iniwan

tan culture becomes toxic and unhealthy in the spice of social media.

It is one of the dangerous products of cultural trends today. It became noxious and turned into a problem more significant than we could imagine. According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, the term “stan” is defined as “An extremely or excessively enthusiastic or devoted fan.” However, the term’s origin came from the song of an American rapper Eminem which tells the story of his obsessed fan who felt ignored that later on leads to murderous acts and even his death. I do not support artists and belong to a ‘standom,’ but I believed this culture is unwholesome for the celebrities and fans themselves. Most especially Twitter, social media has created hyperreality wherein the gap between regular people and their idols is becoming closer. Stans can access or stalk their idols that sometimes lead to an invasion of the celebrity’s privacy. One particular example is when two social media superstars asked their fans not to come up to their father’s funeral after some people planned to use the opportunity to meet up with their idols. It seems like these stans saw it as emotionally supportive when they were crossing their boundaries and turned out disrespecting their idols. Moreover, stan culture has implications with celebrities’ or influencers’ mental health. I guess everyone is aware of the competitions of fandoms/stans. Some people criticize, in ad hominem style, other celebrities or other groups by bullying and disrespecting them to make their

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

respective idols stand out. This toxicity is hugely damaging for stars and often cause why some of them took a social media break. For some instances, the culture became more harmful as some people became so obsessed that their idols feel unsafe. Some stans tend to become a personal “stalker” of their idols, and since information today spreads fast, the address and whereabouts of some celebrities are being exposed easily. A singer named Brendon Urie was forced to sell his house after people discovered his home address as he feels unsafe. On the other hand, this toxic stan culture affects people to lose their own identity often as they dedicate their lives to their idols. Also, this stan culture gives birth to cancel culture, one of the toxic mindsets today. A simple comment or interaction can change things drastically as some toxic stans are overly sensitive, especially when it comes to their idols. It’s like anyone who expresses an opinion about a celebrity must be careful. Otherwise, they will be bullied, dragged, sub-tweeted some vile things; things no one should say to another human, which is not okay.

“It seems like toxic stans forget that they support and excite their idols and not spread hate with other stans.” I found too many wrongs about this stan culture, and what I’ve said were just a few of them. However, this toxicity may not apply to all stans, but I wonder how far these toxic stans can go?

COLUMN | OPINION

ROAILA HONEY ROSE INIWAN C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R

Glorifying resiliency is a toxic positivity:

Get off your high horse

ow many more disasters do you need before seeing the incompetence and lack of compassion of the leaders you elected into government office? In the middle of the pandemic, typhoons Rolly, Ulysses, and Quinta hit the country. A lot of communities suffered the casualties that were brought about by these three typhoons. What is worse is that instead of initiating action to help the people affected, the government awarded these people applause and recognition for barely surviving the catastrophe. In events like this, we realize that the government, to cover up their inefficient actions, romanticizes Filipino resiliency. Addressing the people amidst the onslaught of typhoons and the pandemic is a rightful duty of elected officials. Relief operations must follow damage assessment to provide the typhoon victims with food and other necessities. These are the sorts of acts that must be performed by the President, considering that he had emergency powers. I think the government did not put available resources into fair use. That is why they lost lives because of gross negligence.

“I think it is fair to demand the government to lay down concrete responses to calamities, including mobilizing the state’s resources and providing the people with what they truly need. Elected officials should be grateful that a spirit of community solidarity is a Filipino’s unique attitude, but their sense of urgency is unimaginable.”

Shiena Base of Educo, an international child rights nongovernmental organization, said, “This is going to be the worst year for most of the school children in areas worst hit by super typhoon Rolly. [A month] since online classes resumed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, children are now back to zero in terms of distance learning. Aside from their homes damaged, they also

lost most of their belongings such as printed learning modules and school supplies.” According to the Department of Education (DepEd), 226 schools have been damaged, and 869 schools have been used as evacuation centers. DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones received a lot of backlash to her response regarding the matter. Instead of assisting the communities affected by super typhoon Rolly or offering help for the students whose modules were destroyed, she just blatantly told these schools to solve their problems. Another example, last November 16, it was reported that 67 people died during typhoon Ulysses. In terms of taking the lead, the President instructs the Local Government Units (LGUs) to help and provide assistance to its people since they are in control. Still, the others said that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) should take the lead because they can formulate region-wide plans. While President Rodrigo Duterte planned to create a special force specialized in dealing with the disaster, the program had the same work as the existing NDRRMC, which suggested that it should just investigate the agency’s faults and not formulate a new one. When Typhoon Quinta landed at Albay last October 26 and destroyed tons of houses in its path, relief operations were difficult to conduct because there have been restrictions due to the pandemic. People affected are in the most danger in evacuation centers because of overcrowding. Moreover, donating clothes and other non-monetary objects is discouraged because of the risk of transmitting the virus. My point is, always remember that we should stop highlighting Filipino resilience. We should demand accountability from the public officials whose job is to work for the Filipino people’s best interest. We deserve compassionate, responsive, and comprehensive preparations and actions.

Empathy Ascending and the Quell for Love of Money Words by Anne Margarette Manalad Art by Roaila Honey Rose Iniwan

very day, there is a quell within every individual. A war to choose to understand, show empathy, and detach from the trap of the imagination that money bears success. People can be greedy, and compassion can be selective: sometimes, it considers social status, superiority, and commonality. The common expression, “Money is the root of all evil,” is lacking. In contrast, the root of all evil is the love for money itself and insensitivity to the situation and feelings. We are keen to attain the idea of successfully acquiring financial security, thereupon creating a short-sighted mindset. Greediness has caused a lot. Government officials are betraying their countrymen, health offices inflating their own pockets, and privileged people stealing from the poor. We Filipinos faced many sufferings at the hands of this administration, all amidst this global pandemic. Let me take this PhilHealth corruption as a specific example. Last August 5, Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s Executive Committee was allegedly reported to have stolen 15 billion from the agency using different fraudulent schemes. Then, its anti-fraud legal officer Thorrson Montes Keith resigned and exposed the alleged structured crime in a Senate investigation last August 4, as reported by OneNews. The “widespread corruption compounded the health care crisis in PhilHealth” cited by Keith in his resignation letter dated July 23. He also mentioned his opposition to the mandatory payment of contributions by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the alleged unfairness in the promotion process, and the failure to receive his salary and hazard pay on time since he started investigating the agency’s officers. And as of 2021, it was reported that Filipinos should expect to pay higher member contributions to PhilHealth for this year. The government demands Filipinos to cough up more money for corrupt officials. This administration treats

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

OFWs as milking cows with a 3% increase in their basic salary for mandatory contribution. The Philippines is a hopeless case. Corruption and greed prevail over empathy.

“Right now, I am holding to the possible consequences of their greediness and the upcoming 2022 elections. Those government officials should be held accountable for the corruption in our country. They lack sympathy, empathy, mercy, and compassion to those who need it most. Our country deserves better; our country deserves the best.”

Additionally, success is objective, yet the only guarantee that you’ve taken the right path to your desires is to have the pursuit of having compassion towards other people. We must not forget that it doesn’t end with empathy. It ascends from there. It initiates acts of benevolence and cares for the situation of others. Imagine a world where people milk from corporations, working only to earn, selfish enough to achieve only their desires, and bringing other people down at all costs to reach the “success” they visualize. The quell to stop a money-centric world starts within us. Our generation needs more empathy rather than transforming more people addicted to money.

OPINION

The Real Terrorists Among Us Words by Melvin Clarence J. Dowes Art by Gwynleth Mauricio

he Philippine government had two options on how to deal with criticisms. First, to lower their ego and hear the public cries, evaluate their opinions, and reform the fault in their administration if proven that there’s any. Or second, to shutdown critics by using force and power, even if it comes to a bloody end, come hell and high water. The government chose the latter. Last July 3, amidst the country’s raging fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 into law, replacing the Human Security Act of 2007. The so-called Anti-Terror Law intends to prevent, prohibit, and penalize terrorism in the Philippines. However, its enactment was slammed by critics, who said that the law is “overly broad” in defining terrorism. Critics also pointed out to the Anti-Terror Law’s warrantless arrest—a blatant violation of a person’s constitutional right to due process—and the legislative and judiciary power’s consummation by the executive branch of the government, among others. When this news broke out, I was not quite sure on which issue I should focus on. Was it the fact that President Duterte prioritized this law’s immediate enactment while his people were struggling to deal with the pandemic? Or feel alarmed because this new law can label you, me, and any one of us as terrorists? Compared to its predecessor, which defined terrorism as piracy, rebellion, coup d’état, etc., the Anti-Terror Law is composed of broader and more complicated definitions; making the law a potential weapon to abuse. Not to mention that people who threaten to commit terrorism, inciting others to commit terrorism, voluntarily joining any ‘terrorist group’ and those who act as an accessory in the commission of ‘terrorism’ can be detained for up to 12 years in prison. Maybe, in one way or another, tightening the country’s defense against terrorism is not an evil act at all, as terrorists were still active even in this time of the pandemic. For example, the Jolo bombing last August claimed the lives of 15 people and caused 75 more casualties. But I think there is a more appropriate way to do that than to enact a law that threatens even the government’s mildest critics. And, again, why? Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic where people are dying, jobless and hungry? From my perspective, the government has been marred with criticisms, especially with how they have been dealing with the pandemic. Many Filipinos have noticed the Philippine government’s unpreparedness. No concrete plans of action. Unjust punishment for the community quarantine violators of the military and police. The

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

worst was the exposé on fraudulent schemes done by government officials on PhilHealth. That’s why the government should not be surprised if the people demand public accountability up to this day. But instead of addressing these societal problems, the government chooses to mute the overwhelming criticisms by enacting an ambiguous law for their advantage: a law that labels the critics, activists, and merely concerned citizens as terrorists. “How can we even assure that those who will be detained by violating this law’s provisions were terrorists? We know how the justice system works in our country, especially now in Duterte’s regime—the leader who tolerates faulty government officials but has no compassion for his people. “Shoot them dead,” he even said once, on the violators of the protocols of the community quarantine. Many lives were wasted due to red-tagging before. How much more now that the Anti-Terror Law is already in effect? Let’s hope that the Supreme Court will see how the law is a danger in human rights sooner or later.”

It is normal to receive criticism. It is unavoidable. But instead of silencing critics by threatening them, the government could use it as fuel to serve the common good. The Anti-Terror Law only proved that our freedom of speech and expression was being abused. If we say something true and as an exercise of freedom of speech, yet the government did not like it—let say a ‘bad move’— the government might look after us. Now tell me, who’s the real terrorist now?

COLUMN | OPINION

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UTOS NG HARI HINDI NABABALI. WEH?

ustura ng damit, gupit ng buhok, tikas at porma ng katawan: hindi ang mga ito ang nagpapakomplikado sa kaso ng sekswalidad, kundi ang limitasyon sa kung sino ang pwede lang at bawal mong mahalin ng higit sa karaniwan. “Legalidad ang pinakakitang-kitang na gusot sa pagitan ng simbahan kontra sa publikong nasa labas nito. Hatakan sa pagsusulong ng mga batas na pabor sa kani-kanilang batayang prinsipyo. Ang isa, parating puno’t dulo ang Bibliya, habang sa kabilang partido ang pagpapakita ng progresibong pangangailangan ng tao na humihingi ng makabagong pagtingin at pagtugon.” Kung ilalagay sa isang basketball game ang labanang ito, masasabi kong malaking ungos na ang kinamada ng LGBTQ+ community. Nasaksihan ito ng mga masungid na manonood na sumubaybay sa serye mula noong 1988, taon ng pormal na umpisa ng dikdikang laro na pinartidahan ng General Social Survey. Ayon sa datos, humigit kumulang 90% ng populasyon ng Estados Unidos ang kontra sa kasal ng magkaparehong kasarian o same-sex marriage; 12% lamang sa Simbahang Katolika ang pumabor rito. Samantala, sabi nga, bilog ang bola. Hanggang may oras may tyansang mabaligtad ang tinatakbo ng laban. At naging totoo ito mula noong 2004 kung saan patuloy na tumaas ang bilang ng mga taga-simbahan ang sumasaang-ayon, na umabot na nga sa 72.6% sa huling tala nitong 2018. Survey lang ‘yan! Sa isip-isip ng ilan. Fast break eka nga, wala pa sa buslo ang bola kaya’t hindi pa pwedeng magpakakampante. Kung sabagay may punto rin naman, ang kaso nga lang, paano kung ang referee na ang magsabing walang foul sa banderang bahaghari at sa ikinikilos nila? Sapagkat nito lamang nakaraang taon, sa pagtatapos ng buwan ng Oktubre, hindi magkamaway ang mga pahayagan at mga iskolar na bumuo ng balita at analisis sa pahayag ni Pope Francis sa isang dokumentaryo, “Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be

made miserable over it.” (Translation: Ang mga taong homosekswal ay may karapatan ding mapabilang sa isang pamilya. Sila ay mga anak ng Diyos at may karapatan sa isang pamilya. Walang sinuman ang dapat itakwil o maging kalunos-lunos dahil dito.) Lunes, oo, Martes, hindi na. Legalidad na ginatungan nang pabagong-bagong isipan. Masalimuot na usapin na nga itong batas, dumaragdag pa ang pagewang-gewang na desisyon ng simbahan. Pinaigting pa ito sa rasong ang pahayag ay hindi naman nagmula sa isang umpukan ng chismisan sa umaga, kundi sa Santo Papa. Nagbukas siya ng ideya hindi lamang sa kanyang personal na isipan, kundi lantaran. Bukod rito, hindi isyu ng patas at walang diskriminasyong pagtanggap sa mata, kundi isyu ng patas at walang diskriminasyong pagtanggap sa kasal—pag-iisang dibdib, legal na pagpapamilya. Nagkaroon naman ng reaksyon ang Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) patungkol dito. Bagama’t sinusuportahan umano ni Pope Francis ang civil marriage para sa mga magkakasintahang may parehong kasarian, wala naman raw binago sa batas ng simbahan. Tanungin mo man ang lolo at lola mo, lalo na silang mga “sarado-Katoliko” ang kasal ay hindi biro. Taimtim na seremonya. Sagrado. Kung paanong isinasalaylay ito sa Banal na Kasulatan. Na ang dalawang tao, sa pagtatakda ng Diyos, ay ituturing na iisang katawan, bagay na alam na alam ng mga namumuno sa simbahan na ito ay katotohanan na hindi pa rin nagbabago, at hindi magbabago. Sa hayag na salitang binitiwan ng Santo Papa, 3-point shot ang bilang nito na sa basket ng kabilang kuponan piniling ibigay. Ringless pa nga kamo, dahil walang lusot. Hindi ipinasabi, walang pa ring pagbawi hanggang sa ngayon. Masyado pa rin bang maaga para magdiwang ang makulay na bandera? Kung ang mismong mortal na nilang kalaban ang unti-unti ng bumabali ng sarili nilang mga doktrina?

Bite the hand that feeds you Words by Alyssa Corbe Art by Roaila Honey Rose Iniwan

nathema! To those who wear farmers’ lives around their necks as an accessory. While there is a global health crisis, this administration cooperates to save multi and transnational corporations by further opening the Philippine economy through neoliberal policies. This administration will kill Filipinos, slowly but surely. Last February 14, Republic Act No. 11203, formerly known as the Rice Tariffication or Rice Liberalization Bill, was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte and take effect on March 5. The law essentially allows for the liberalization of rice imports. The previously placed quota on rice imports will be removed, hence, permitting traders to import a near-unlimited quantity of rice. With this newly implemented law, how sure are we that its effects will benefit the farmers and those in the agricultural sector in the long run? We should also look into the farmers’ hard-earned work just so their plates can be full. Finance Undersecretary Tony Lambino claims that the law will cut rice prices by ₱7 per kilo and reduce inflation by 0.6%. With that being said, local farmers are aching because the price rollback of rice has depleted to a painful amount of ₱7 per kilo in Region III. Notably, in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Isabela, and Ilocos. We can readily attest that the local farmers are being mistreated to affect their livelihood, crops, and family massively. We should be concerned that this law can draw even more breakage to the lives of our local farmers and ultimately lead to their perpetual suffering. The government will provide a 10-billion-peso assistance fund to a vast number of farmers who’ll be affected by the changes made by the law. The fund will be distributed to four major points, for farm equipment, seed development, credit assistance, and, lastly, for farmers’ training. Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said that the 10-billion peso fund is insufficient, but it is the minimum fund that the government can give for intervention. “President Rodrigo Duterte has proven to us one thing with this law being implemented. In this current administration, those in higher power only address the law’s short-term effects and praise themselves for the ‘success’, blatantly disregarding the breakage of the farmers’ lives. Rice Liberalization Law is killing the rice industry. As a result, farmers from Philippine rice granaries are already thinking to stop planting rice. At least 3,000 rice mills have already stopped operating as per the latest report.” What’s new with these rotting semi-feudal and semi-colonial conditions? While other agricultural countries aim to be exportoriented, ours is an agrarian backlash that keeps us as an importdependent market for things that we produce and process ourselves. Our government seems to be playing the imperialist’s lapdog and their compradors while forsaking and killing our farmers—through hunger and bullets, by violating their rights to land and livelihood. Indeed, ignorance has the power to crush a man’s dignity and self-respect. We should remember that the law should be directed towards the common good and not any class except justice. The farmers’ lives are human lives which are meant to be lived, not to be worn as an accessory by anyone in authority.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

COLUMN | OPINION

CHRISTIAN IVAN PALLORINA N E W S E D I TO R

Stars told you who you are?

seudoscience, as most people considered it. Astrology has never been scientifically sound and probably will never be. This is because everything that astrology presents was all a mere product of how ‘astrologist’ interpreted the ‘message’ of the celestial objects, most notably the stars. Yet those stars are just burning things from million light-years away (if you won’t count the sun). It happened when it happened, but people who have firm beliefs in supernatural and superstitions tend to believe in astrology, especially when tackled. Let’s admit it. Astrological predictions may sometimes hit, prompting people to think that it’s real, and although opinion may vary in regards to this matter, astrology has no scientific support and evidence. Hence predictions that came to life might be all just coincidence. But that doesn’t stop people from believing anyway. With this being said, we might encounter people who followed astrology as a guide to their life and make it their basis of living. According to one astrologist with a 30-year experience, “The purpose of astrology is not to bind you with superstitions, but you can equip yourself with better planning for future events and circumstances and also about your personality and how to correct personality issues.” Since astrology is continuous, guidance to those who followed would never end. Hence, a follower’s personality will be molded according to what astrology tells them if they consistently follow it. The horoscope most likely serves as a guide since it’s the most accessible, yet the horoscope only guides followers according to their zodiac signs. Zodiac signs being only limited to twelve generalized and stereotyped followers according to their birth period. That’s why the horoscope doesn’t hit all the time. There’s no scientific evidence that states that birth within a period affects one’s personality, behavior, and character. Instead, researchers and

studies say that heredity, environment, and situation were most likely to influence a person—testified and guaranteed by a lot. Notwithstanding, astrology’s purpose of ‘better planning of personality and correct personality issue’ is questionable. Plus, friends and family who knows you better than astrologist should be the one to help you deal with personality issue, and there are professional psychologists, who might not know who you are, but have knowledge over human behavior. Besides, horoscopic followers who don’t match the sayings about them tend to change themselves to be what their zodiac told them to be—which would arguably only make them one less unique of a person because they choose to be like the generalized ones— average. It only prevents them from self-growth, personal development, and discovering who they are. Plus, they tend to justify their attitudes with astrology as if it controlled them. Choosing to be molded by astrology is like choosing to be manufactured than be real. “As useful predictions may be, astrologists also tend to dictate—or maybe advise—what one should do when a horrible situation is about to come. Being the astrologists who predict, people tend to believe and obey them. It sounds like an advantage, yet it only limits a person’s freedom of choice. Also, those who followed won’t be able to acquire knowledge by experience. Plus, when predictions didn’t go right, the only thing you’re left to do is wander about the What Ifs.” In the end, your fate is in your hand. Who you should be must be nobody’s business but yours, and it’s you who’s in control of your own life.

MARY GWYNLETH MAURICIO TRAINEE

“FLEXIBLE LEARNING, NOT FOR ALL” “Flexible learning is executed effectively for some but the rest? Not so much.” We all have one thing in common, and it’s that we are all stuck in the comforts of our home as the on-going pandemic continues to bring the worst of humanity. The pandemic caused plenty of problems in our health and economy, one of our very own education systems. As the University adapts to the new normal, they provide various learning strategies, including flexible learning. Flexible learning is defined as a learning method where students are given freedom in how, what, when, and where they learn. Yet, it continues to divide the fortunate and unfortunate. Not everyone has the luxury to have their own gadgets or Internet connection, which puts some of the students and teachers at a significant disadvantage. Bonz Magsambol of Rappler wrote, “Pictures and videos of students from different parts of the country continue to go viral as they are seen to climb a mountain to get the perfect signal for their class, while one little girl, in particular, sells face shields on the street during her online classes; as stated by Go Cavite, she was offering face shields all the while talking to her teacher with eagerness.” Considering that the University nears the end of its first semester, its students and teachers are now accustomed to its learning system. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that all of them are in favor of flexible learning. Its initiative to have a specific learning platform, Canvas, seems comfortable and practical during this time. Still, some are having trouble using their Canvas account, as it requires a good signal or data to connect, like many Internet-based applications.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

“Flexible learning is still inefficient considering that the Philippines doesn’t have the best Internet connection. Not all of us have that, and even if we do, we still dealt with poor connections and signals, sometimes brown out when we are having tests on the application. This can be applied to teachers as well, as they hand out lessons. It is time-consuming to wait for each deadline and to discuss their lessons for the week at the same time as not letting students be left behind,” said Alexies Reyes, a first-year student from the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

“Even to this day, we are still adjusting to what we currently have and don’t have. It is hard to cope with deadlines. Teachers are giving more extended deadlines than residential classes, knowing what kind of situation we are now. But as it piles up, students are forced to do it to meet their deadlines without learning a thing. Also, studentblogski.wordpress.com stated that some people might think that they are on vacation while studying, and this vacation mood might make them know nothing.”

We struggle to meet every expectation from our school, teachers, and co-students as we get by every single day of our quarantined student life. Some were fortunate enough to have the school necessities, while some don’t, and we shouldn’t let that happen. Finally, up until now, I’m one of the voices out there, rallying beside my fellow students who cries, “No student should be left behind.”

COLUMN

JESRYLL BELMONTE TRAINEE

YOU HAVE IT IN YOU, ACT ON IT

ore than ever, people of various ages find themselves in conversations about who is the better leader, who should we demand accountability for the declining prices of palay, who must uphold responsible for government secretaries’ appointment, or whether a specific bill should be passed or not. Then in the corner is your apolitical friend who does not see the point in all of this. Just quick enlightenment, apolitical means ‘having no interest or involvement in political affairs,’ or ‘having an aversion to politics or political affairs.’ But, no matter how hard one tries, he cannot completely detach from politics.’ Politics is omnipresent and inescapable. As stated in an editorial published by The Beacon, pretty much everything is political—from shopping, consuming media, enrolling in school, even loving someone is a political act. Even the choice to remain apolitical is political. In an age when political polarization has never been more evident, being apolitical is a pride for some. Apoliticals reason out that they keep the peace; they avoid stress or claim to be realistic, for reform is a demanding and tedious process. Communities are fractured, innocent people are gunned down and imprisoned, committers of heinous crimes freed, incompetent people claim seats of power—ignoring these is not “keeping the peace.” When people notice a bomb and argue whether to run or throw it, is it keeping peace if someone ignores it and resolves to dance to the beat of its ticking?

“If you claim to be “keeping the peace” by being neutral, please stop because you are not helping. Desmond Tutu said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. When you know, you can do something but did nothing when a person is being robbed, whose side are you on? The robbed or the robber?”

It is a privilege if you can remain silent. Those directly affected cannot suppress the oppressed’s screams for

injustices’ shackles have been too tight. They are already set tight, and your indirect compliance is choking them harder. Some evade politics for it causes them stress and anxiety. According to a report by the American Psychological Association in 2017, 57% of American adults felt that the political climate was “a very or somewhat significant source of stress.” We are all distressed, but in the first place, we are not required to know everything; we are not to spend countless hours reading this and that and giving opinions on every issue that exists. You have to care and be informed enough to participate in conversations, especially those that matter to you. Set boundaries and regulate your exposure to news. According to Melissa DeJonckheere, an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan, regulated civic and political engagement can give people a sense of control and purpose, helping reduce stress and improve mental health. And yes, we understand. Attempting to uproot something that is “normal” and “usual” and exists longer than we do is a tedious process. The fact that we are uncertain that it will work makes our mouths frown, and our eyes roll. Wanting change is tedious, but remaining the same is fatal. Joining the discussion about political issues demonstrates one’s recognition of problems and his interest in making a change. Apolitical people suppose that their silence communicates nothing. Their silence is in bold red print stating that he does not spot something wrong and that making a change is not his interest. That is not to put hate on you for not doing what we think is the right thing. Because we know you know the current political climate but opt not to act at all. Maybe because you lack encouragement or motivation, so this is it. You stop at all. I think it is better to work on the right thing. If you wonder about your role in all of these social problems, you must understand that you have a right to complain and be listened to—a basic benefit of a democratic nation.

FAKE NEWS ‘AS DEADLY’ AS VIRUS Words by Alanna Soriano

t the height of widespread propaganda operations that

According to research called "Why is Fake News Created"

have polarized Filipinos on social media, how do we

of Maddison College Online Libraries, there has been a

combat disinformation?

resurgence of false and misleading, highly opinionated articles on the web that are passed off as news. Although those who

Fake news—news articles that are intentionally and

create fake news often do so for more than one reason, many

verifiably false are designed to manipulate people's perception

try to influence public opinion on a person, policy, event, or

of certainty. It has been used to influence views and promote

news story to plant false beliefs. Also, Fake News spends a lot

advertising. But it has also become a method to stir up and

of time targeting individuals. One reason is that it's easier to get

intensify social conflict. Stories that intentionally mislead

attention with a personal attack than offer a detailed analysis

readers have been causing growing mistrust, especially when

of policy points or a thoughtful discussion of the reasons for a

we face a deadly pandemic. Fake news spreads as fast as a

person's beliefs. Plus factors are the web article's headline is a

snap. This so-called "speculation" can lead to either panic or

sly attempt to put an idea into the heads of those who view it.

false insight. An additional factor is, social media is also becoming more To give you an example, an anonymous interview with a

accessible for Filipinos year on year. According to the annual

student from the College of Arts and Sciences shared her scariest

digital report from We Are Social and Hootsuite by 2019, 99%

experience about fake news. She mentioned that when she's

of the country's internet population is on at least one social

still in Junior High School at Wesleyan University Philippines, a

media platform. The same report also said that the Philippines

bomb threat raised a panic all over the campus. Police officers

dubbed the world's social media capital, topped yet again in

from PNP Cabanatuan guided the students to leave the campus

worldwide social media use.

as early as possible, resulting in extra cautions to the entire

campus. Leaving bags at the University gates also become

With this rapid increase in social media use in the

prohibited for a while. "Sa buong buhay estudyante, ko 'yan

country, Filipinos have become all the more vulnerable to the

ang pinaka nakakatakot at 'di ko makakalimutang fake news

crisis that is disinformation, most especially like this time of

grabe 'yong impact niya to the point na minsan pati ako nag

the pandemic. Social media users also regularly encounter

ooverthink na what if may mangyare ngang ganon" she added.

harmful misinformation about vaccines and virus outbreaks.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

DEVCOM

This is particularly important with the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines because the spread of false information online may discourage people from getting vaccinated—making it life or death. strange-sounding extensions like ".infonet" and ".xybysmnet," With that being mentioned, spreading fake news is a

rather than ".com" or ".co.ph" may mean that the source is

crime. It is stated in the Republic Act. No 11469 Section 6 (F)

suspect. Whether or not the author or publisher is familiar,

that it penalizes Individuals or group creating, perpetrating or

stop consider their reputation and professional experience.

spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on

Are they known for their expertise on the matter? Or do they

social media and other platforms, such as information having

tend to exaggerate?

no valid beneficial effect on the population, and are clearly geared to promote chaos, panic, anarchy, fear, or confusion; and those participating in cyber incidents that make use or take advantage of the current crisis to prey on the public through scams, phishing, fraudulent emails or other similar acts.

SEE WHO ELSE IS REPORTING THE STORY

Has anyone else picked up the story? What do other

sources say about it? Avoid leaping to the conclusion that all mainstream media (MSM) output is fake or paid. This can be

On the other hand, the overall fake news itself here in

as unwise as following every rumor or conspiracy theory.

the country has such a law that punishes, or even defines,

Professional news agencies such as GMA, ABS-CBN, CNN have

fake news. Former Supreme Court spokesperson Ted Te said,

rigorous editorial guidelines and extensive networks of highly

"Since there is no law that criminalizes or defines fake news

trained reporters, so they are an excellent place to start. But

as a crime, and the special powers law does not also define

no one is unbiased, and anyone can make a mistake, so keep

what fake news is, it cannot be criminalized" he also added,

looking.

"That can be questioned as being vague as well as overbroad considering that it trenches on freedom of expression and speech" pertaining to the Republic Act. No 11469 Section 6 of spreading fake news about COVID 19.

EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE

A credible news story will include plenty of facts—quotes

from experts, survey data, and official statistics, for example. On the other side of the note, should we witness how trust

Or detailed, consistent, and corroborated eye-witness accounts

and credibility are easily disregarded? Maintaining credibility

from people on the scene. If there are missing, question

is not as easy as we think. Still, it is essential for a change and

them! Does the evidence prove that something happened? Or,

change to social platforms wherein people are easily deceived

have facts been selected or "twisted" to back up a particular

with unreliable information. Credible information through

viewpoint?

efficient fastidious, and accurate sourcing in research can be a way to encounter fake news. Everyone can be a victim of fake news, so it is vital to identify if a piece of information disseminated to us by social media platforms is a fact or a mere

DON'T TAKE IMAGES AT FACE VALUE

Modern editing software has made it easy for people to

inaccurate. Here's some helpful guide to classify if a post or

create fake images that look real. However, there are some

article is fake news.

warning signs you can look out for: Strange shadows on the image or jagged edges around a figure. Also, many fake news

DEVELOP A CRITICAL MINDSET

and questionable news sites utilize terrible and cheap designs. Usually, this means screens are cluttered with text and heavy-

One of the main reasons fake news is such a big issue

handed photoshopping. Images can also be 100% accurate

is that it is often believable, so it's easy to get caught. Much

but used in the wrong context. For example, photos of litter

fake news is also written to create "shock value," a robust

covering a beach could be from a different beach or ten years

instinctive reaction such as fear or anger. You must keep your

age, not the recent alleged event.

emotional response to such stories in check. Instead, approach what you see and hear rationally and critically. Ask yourself, "Why has this story been written? Is it to persuade me of a specific viewpoint? Is it selling me a particular product? Or is it

CHECK IF IT "SOUNDS RIGHT"

Finally, use your common sense! Bear in mind that fake

trying to get me to click through another website? Am I being

news is designed to feed your biases, hopes, or fears. For

triggered?

example, it's unlikely that a big airline company gives away

ALWAYS CHECK THE SOURCE

thousands of free travel tickets to people who will share a link.

If you come across a story from a source you've never

heard of before, do some digging. Check the web address for the page you're reading. Spelling errors in company names or

EMOJIS VS. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS:

ONLINE VS. FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION Words by Jesryll Belmonte and Gwynleth Mauricio

ase and convenience- these are the gifts brought by online communication. The words I love you, I miss you, I disagree, and I don’t understand that to some, require guts and practice to articulate are rendered easy to communicate as they can be extended through several clicks in

our electronic devices. Furthermore, these words can be said- or typed- and received even when great distances separate two persons. Sending messages became so easy that now, one does not have to mean them. The package comes with these additional disadvantages:

1. Online communication increases the risk of misunderstanding The risk of misunderstanding is high when one looks at the words on a screen rather than meeting the person to whom one is talking face-to-face. Without the tone and loudness of voice, the movement of one’s facial muscles, the gestures and body movements, and the follow-up questions and clarifications, one may find it hard to interpret the message the way it is intended to be understood.

avoided.

To avoid miscommunication online, it is helpful to ask for one’s opinions continually and feedback, choose your words carefully, pay attention, and keep a bag full of respect, courtesy, and patience.

4. Online communication is mainly text-based Online communication predominantly relies on text, which can be challenging for those who do not like to write or have poor keyboard skills. It can also be difficult for those who are computer illiterate. The choice of communication channel should always consider the skills and personality of the people involved.

2. Online communication lacks instantaneous response Online is a world of missed and unreturned texts, calls, video chats, and emails. When one is waiting for a reply, one might be wondering if the person is annoyed, busy, or had just stepped away from the phone or computer for a moment to eat or go pee.

Keep in mind not to jump to conclusions. It is better to ask for the reason for one’s absence than to assume the worst. If you are on the other end, it can also help inform why one has not heard or will not hear from you, so the anxiety, inefficiency, and misunderstanding of the lack of instantaneous response can be

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

3. Online communication requires internet access Online communication can be challenging for a person with no or limited internet access. Under such circumstances, he cannot send or receive a message. It is as challenging to someone who has internet access but trying to communicate to someone who does not, as his message and the reply may be delayed or undelivered.

5. Online communication is relatively ineffective in building relationships Studies show that people are becoming more social and more interactive with others through online communication. The trouble is, according to Paul Booth, PhD, an assistant professor in the College of Communication at DePaul University in Chicago, “… while we’re communicating more, we may not necessarily be building relationships as strongly.” Furthermore,

6. Online communication facilitates the prevalence of fake information Online communication, which enables anonymity and a large audience, facilitates the prevalence of fake information. The internet makes it easier than ever to publish, share, and consume information that underwent little to no regulation. False information circulates the internet mainly in click baits, misleading headlines, and biased or slanted news. When fake information is prevalent, getting information from a trusted source, systematized fact-checking methods, and researching are significant. 7. Online communication increases the risk of technology addiction Online communication necessitates the use of electronic devices, which can be addictive. According to a study conducted by Simsek and Sali, those who spend time on the internet and social media for some time, and use them for daily communication, are more likely to have an internet addiction. Internet addiction correlates with physical, social, and psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, obesity, suicidal ideation, and unhappiness. Limiting device usage and having some offline alone time can help avoid technology addiction. Put down your phones and laptops at a specific time every day. Do activities such as walking, sketching, painting, and reading. 8. Online communication leaves our personal information and conversation vulnerable When you send someone a message containing personal and sensitive information, do you know who else might be reading it? Information shared on the internet is stored somewhere and is at risk of being accessed by computer hackers. Credit card details, address, phone number, email address – information you do not want to share and be used for ill purposes. In an article published on chubb.com/en/us, the following ways we can protect our personal information online are suggested: create strong passwords, don’t overshare on social media, use free Wi-Fi with caution, watch out for links and attachments, check to see if a site is secure, and consider additional protection (anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and a firewall). 9. Online communication facilitates crimes Crimes such as fraud, theft, harassment, and prostitution have found their place in cyberspace. What’s alarming is, according to Diamond and Bachmann, traditional crimes are not only moved online, but new types of crimes have been bred. In 2007, a field of research called cyber criminology, defined as “the study of causation of crimes that occur in the cyberspace and its impact in the physical space” was founded by criminologist Karuppannan Jaishankar.

DEVCOM

according to a study conducted by Cornell University sociologist Matthew Brashears, people tend to socialize more these days but have fewer closer friends. This can be attributed to the lack of physical interaction in online communication. There should be a balance between online and face-to-face communication. It is convenient to communicate online primarily through distances but, to strengthen relationships, save some conversation to face-to-face times.

Information overload happens as one is subjected to too much information or messages online. It can be challenging for a person to reply to all the points in a message, resulting in questions unanswered and late replies. It can be overwhelming and stress-inducing and renders the communication ineffective. To avoid information overload, it is helpful to keep things simple, straightforward, and relevant, provide supporting information, and make feedback easy to deliver. As Sophocles said, “nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse.” Everything that has a big impact on our lives, especially those that make our lives so much easier to live, has disadvantages, which sometimes made us question its worth despite all the good it causes us. Sometimes, it even makes us think it necessary to make a choice and abandon it. Maxine Nicole Cachero, an Architecture student from Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, remarked that she is aware of the disadvantages and the risks inseparable to online communication. However, its offered convenience outweighs her worry about the harm it can bring. And just like any of us, she is too dependent on it that its absence will alter her life acutely. When asked about what she prefers between online communication and face-to-face communication, Alexandra Reyes, a Grade 12 student from La Consolacion College, replied that she chooses the latter. But she added that it depends on the situation. Knowing one’s personality is essential. She prefers face-to-face communication and opts for online communication when distance is to be taken into account. EJ Jesuitas, a Computer Engineering student from Wesleyan University-Philippines, stressed both modes’ importance and how people should find a balance between the two. Online communication is a way to strengthen and foster the relationship, the informationdissemination, the emotional expression made through face-to-face communication. The effectiveness of online communication, just like traditional and face-to-face communication, can be achieved by careful consideration of various factors in play. It requires carefulness, patience, deliberation, and assessment of circumstances. To ask what is better: online communication or traditional, face-to-face communication is a question to which answers vary. It still has a lot of open holes for new questions that might arise. In the life setup, we are in, amid the pandemic when communication is as valuable as masks and PPE’s, it is evident how only employing one is a disaster waiting to happen. Online communication allows us to disseminate information critical for public health and safety. In contrast, face-to-face contact with loved ones is crucial for our mental health and our inherent need for warmth and company, especially during tough, trying times. Without the other, can we even remain sane and intact?

10. Online communication is at risk of information overload

PENULTIMATE PERIL:

ECONOMIC TURMOIL DUE TO SURGE OF COVID-19 Words by Allysa Corbe and Anne Margarette Manalad

he pandemic not only did challenge the healthcare demands of our country but its economic state as well. Thousands of lives were taken, almost all vital societal sectors are critically affected, and those who were not financially stable suffered the most. By the end of 2020, we

begin to envision what the following year has in store for us. The latter effects of COVID-19 took a whole new turn of events in our economic state—high numbers of cases, more Filipinos enduring the ache of unemployment, and rampant inflated prices of consumable goods. With our battle with COVID-19, our countrymen’s welfare comes to the penultimate challenge—minimizing the wreckage on the Philippines’ economy.

A loss that PH cannot afford The early stage of COVID-19 had the government push through Enhanced Community Quarantine to suppress the

moderate and worst-case scenario. The lockdown extension was considered a make-or-break by the ADB that can either lead to economic turmoil or a fast-paced recovery.

inflating cases, a move that many questioned to be “behind time”

The ECQ that started March 16 took an end in late May

since the travel ban was implemented after the first few locally

of last year, for our country can no longer afford another

transmitted cases were discovered. As expected, temporary

lockdown. This is because the Filipino families’ needs shall

lockdowns and aid for the rising numbers of infected people

require more than the provided assistance and cash subsidies

demand enough funds to suffice every affected individual and

from the government, and the inevitable damages economically

majority of households.

shall be aided immediately.

According to the (ADB) Asia Development Bank’s

Another factor that worsens the effects of the pandemic

economic impact assessment for developing Asian countries,

on the masses and economy is fake news. Hundreds of fake

the Philippines shall expect 0.3 to 0.59 percent off the total GDP

stories are being disseminated on social media platforms daily.

or the sum of adding up every money spent by the consumers,

Journalists are troubled with the surging growth of fake news

producers, companies, and government (usually) in a year.

because it only weakens our community engagement.

The reduction shall amount to ₱65.36 billion to ₱98.29 billion,

and with over 200,000 citizens would lose their job for the

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

“A journalist’s task is not solely to deliver the information

DEVCOM

but to also encourage and lead people to the truth. To debunk the wrongdoings. To filter out the fake news from the factual ones,” said Anna Patricia Adiaz, a Communications student from the University of the Philippines-Baguio. Edward Jayson Comeo, a Broadcast Communication student, stressed that a journalist’s role has now been vital than ever since their voice is influential in shaping people’s minds. He added that journalists could set aside emotions, especially when reporting. Because if you let your emotions take over, they might affect the point you interpret to the listeners. You need to know where to draw a line, a middle ground.

The New Normal Deviance Inevitable damages after the ECQ has been lifted were evident, having 22,000 cases in a 4-week moving average on the first week of August. The drastic change damaged the underprivileged most, having no choice but to succumb to the need to survive even if it means sacrificing their right to study, working decently, and not being left out by the demanding digital connection the new normal. Displaced workers, struggles in business continuity, unemployed breadwinners, and the less fortunate were all eager to earn money in every possible way. Everyone knew that we had to make it through one way or another in this sudden transition. Also the isolation manifests in students’ mental health. Aside from the catatonic adjustment from physical classes to online learning, students are vulnerable in today’s situation. Not every family in our country can accommodate their kid’s new learning adjustment simply because they are financially struggling. The cost, modern necessities, the human resources it’ll take. If this pandemic goes on longer than we had hoped for, indeed, the rate for unenrolled students will potentially increase. Because unfortunately, remaining to study amidst this pandemic formally is a luxury.

Isolation from personal freedom Considering that we endured this lockdown for so long, we’ve accustomed to the way of life wherein picking up a mask is starting to be a reflex more than an obligation. Our reality is not far from the possibilities of even more chaotic events, and truthfully we cannot be

sure that it’ll be smooth sailing throughout this year. But as always, there is a shot of hope in this situation. A cure of wellness, a vaccine to be mobilized this year to millions of Filipinos, is undergoing a long and strenuous road of intense decision-making of what brand is more effective to inject. Some of the brands being Sinovac, Pfizer, Covax, BioNTech. Etc. We are familiar with how Covid-19 took a big chunk of our financial security because of the implementation of safety measures, and for the less fortunate, it means to struggle. With the growing rates of indispensable items, they shouldn’t have to pick between a kilo of rice or a sachet pack of shampoo. This is why as the lockdown continues, the more we are in debt of financial burdens. Ultimately, this crisis’s uncertainty is still high, and we cannot foresee when this will end. But until then, let’s remind ourselves to do our part and observe. Take mental notes of how to cope until the last straw of this pandemic, and most importantly, don’t lose our sanity.

The wreckage of PH’s Economic status In November 2020, the cases were already more than 430,000, which means experts were expecting a continuous rise during the holiday season. As predicted, the cases currently stand at 506,000, making the Philippines the Asian country with the most prolonged lockdown and the second country in Southeast Asia with the most recorded coronavirus cases. This growth surge has created a ripple effect of downfall in our economy. The inflation rate started from 2.44% in 2020 and now peaks at 3.03%, which means the level of prices for the cost of goods and other services rise exponentially. These latest statistical data only state that our economic crisis could just be starting. Hence, why Filipinos are leaning in creative measures to stay afloat during these troubled times, some started to do online selling while others resorted to online jobs that also cater to students and individuals who have not yet finished their degrees. We are fortunate enough that these options are there but should we be comfortable with this setup? Should we expect this way of living in the years to come? Every person could only hope for the proper use of funds in response to this pandemic and economic instability. Above all, the Filipino people should not take a toll on erroneous decisions and actions created by the governing people.

After years of pouring drops of my existence on various first loves, May it be filial or trivial The sneaky question crept in: “will I leave a mark on everything I have ever touched?” or will I just slowly explode into tiny specks of dust and cease to exist Along with many unanswered questions, and I, desperately seeking comfort in the familiarity of my own messitty bits and pieces of who I am These unfinished poems that’ll never see the light of day, The places my lips have touched, few but remarkable times I’ve been genuinely happy, every time I have ever cursed 2 am, These wouldn’t go to waste, would they? Death isn’t so scary when you’ve met that black hole at the pit of your stomach, when you confront it and ask why it lives inside of you, “what are you made of?”The void listened, paused for a minute, and then answered : “I am A love letter addressed to the void you.” More than an hour have passed after the signature “taAfter years of pouring drops of my existence on various dum” of my usual go-to streaming appCredits rolling as I scoop first loves, May it be filial or trivial the last chip the of The sneaky at question crept in:bottom “will I leave a mark on the bag with my greasy fingers I have ever touched?” “How caneverything movie characters be of perfection? Good at almost or will I just slowly explode into tiny specks of dust and cease to exist everything, stable jobs, recognized. Just how?” Staring in my Misericordia Alongat with many unanswered questions, across, “When? When will my time reflection the mirror and I, desperately seeking comfort in the familiarity of my than an hour have passed after the signature “ta-dum” of my ownI mess come?” As lay down in the pile of these More awry questions, My usual go-to streaming app itty bits and pieces of who I am rolling as I scoop the last chip at the bottom of the bag subconscious dominating my senses, I could Credits picture my younger with my greasy fingers These unfinished poems that’ll never see the light of day, “How can movie characters be of perfection? Good at almost self askiang, “Are late The places my lips havethings touched, few buttoo remarkable times for me or just too early for everything, stable jobs, recognized. Just how?” I’ve been genuinely happy, Staring in my reflection at the mirror across, “When? When will them?” Even every timewondering I have ever cursed 2 am, how can I not bloom and succeed now my time come?” or even earlier Thenceforward, it dawned on me There is no These wouldn’t go to waste, would they? As I lay down in the pile of these awry questions, Death isn’t so scary when you’ve met that black hole at the My subconscious dominating my senses, epitome of Probably why most movies aren’t made from pit ofsuccess. your stomach, I could picture my younger self askiang, “Are things too late for me when you confront it and ask why it lives inside of you, real life stories, They can’t picture the wonders offoruncertainty or just too early them?” “what are you made of?” Even wondering how can I not bloom and succeed now or even The mystery for the unknown calling, The earlier.light amidst the The void listened, paused for a minute, and then answered : loss. Wake“I amup. Stop. “Stop.” I said once more, thisit time, Thenceforward, dawned on mealoud. you.” There is no epitome of success. My mind is lying. I am where I am meant to be. I am enough. I Probably why most movies aren’t made from real life stories, by Allysa Corbe can’t picture the wonders of uncertainty have my own timeline and my own course toThey run. And mumbling The mystery for the unknown calling, light amidst the loss. Wake up. Stop. more affirmations that reminded me of myThecapabilities “Spare ” I said once more, this time, aloud.for yourself from comparison and pressure. “Stop. Misericordia My mind is lying. am where I amthis meant to be. I am enough. your mind and body. She has achieved so Imuch year. By I have my own timeline and my own course to run. grace and through faith.” Lost in translationin translation And mumbling more affirmations that reminded me of my Filled with aspirations yet lacking inspiration Doubts capabilities “Spare yourself from comparison and pressure. heavily pouring and thoughts fleeting Despite ityourall, is Misericordia for mind and this body. She has achieved so much this year. By grace and through faith.” me trying Scars scattered all over me Managing to be seen by Anne Manalad and to break free People might think these are unworthy But with my head held high, I’ll wear my battle scars proudly Been81 lurking in the Oblivious OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issueshadows for quite some time of the things that should I will still be trying After

M E TA P H

LITERARY

Ometaphors RS This is me trying Lost in translation Filled with aspirations yet lacking inspiration Doubts heavily pouring and thoughts fleeting Despite it all, this is me trying Scars scattered all over me Managing to be seen and to break free People might think these are unworthy But with my head held high, I’ll wear my battle scars proudly Been lurking in the shadows for quite some time Oblivious of the things that should be in my prime Time to break free from the chains that restricted me Towards the best version of myself that I’ll ever be I might not have a swift pace As I am in a continuous journey, and not a race Hurdles and barriers might lead me to failing Despite it all, I will still be trying by Annika Eketerina Tugaff

Art by Gwynleth Mauricio

Breaking the stereotype, Unmasking our most authentic self Today, we live in a generation where we are expected to meet the standards of our society; where a woman is likely to look like this, act like that, be like her, and do this and that and so forth; where a man cannot be seen as weak, fragile, or not be able to do what other men can do and that everybody has to meet the standards set by society, and sometimes to even exceed the expectations of others to the point where we tend to fake everything we can so society will have no say against us and just let us be free from their harsh judgments. Because in their eyes and their beliefs, everyone should follow these expectations and standards, for you to be accepted and respected by them, it would be best first to meet what they have set and what is expected from you, no more and no less. People need to wake up from this illusion and these unrealistic standards and expectations and face the reality that we do not need others’ validation, opinion, and acceptance because it is not who we want to be.

Art by Roaila Honey Rose Iniwan

“This girl” There was this girl. Always on the sidelines, Always on the backside. Contrasting to the elegance of the young women her age, who wore elaborate ball gowns and expensive sparkling pieces of jewelry She was always seen in that one tattered dress that doesn’t sit on her neatly, covered in dirt as if it hasn’t been washed in days. However, it only emphasized her kind eyes as she talked to the birds. Her effortless elegance as she sweeps the leaves, covering their front yard. Whenever she bats her long black eyelashes, her effortless beauty tries to get out of her trance-like state whenever she looks out of her kitchen window. Her feet, small and doll-like, as if it doesn’t walk on those muddy boots. Her eyes, magnetic and resonant, charming everyone who makes contact with it. Her hair, magnificently thick as the wind flows through it. Something that that elegance is no match for. Yet, why was she on the sidelines? There was this girl. Always in the shadows, still trying to be invisible. Contrasting to the bright lights and dancing from the young women her age, who are always the center of attention and persuasion of young bachelors. She’s the one who watches it all, but nevertheless, she’s pretty on her own. You don’t have to be beautiful like the others, and you can be beautiful like you. She may not have what the others have, but she is whoever she wants to be and she’s Cinderella now, and that’s what matters the most. by Gwynleth Mauricio

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

Still, instead, it is what society tells us and wants us to be. We shouldn’t be scared of what their opinions may be, as long as we stay true to ourselves because it’s about time we show who and what we are without any fear. We should also keep in mind that the only opinion, validation, and acceptance that is important is from ourselves together with being true and showing our truest self is by loving, accepting, and respecting our own self, let us be fearless and show our most authentic selves. May this serve as a reminder to everyone that what society tells and dictates us what to do does not necessarily mean that we must abide to it, let us separate ourselves from society’s toxic culture where we have to pretend someone we are not consistently, no matter our gender, race, and religion, let us live our lives with no regrets and no what-ifs. That a woman is still a woman even if she decides not to have children, to be married, to focus on her career and life goals, let us destroy the stereotype that a woman should only be at home taking care of her family, cooking, and being a slave to her own household and that a man should be the only one providing for his family’s needs, that he must be strong and aggressive and that they should be accountable for their actions and not to let it pass just because they are expected to be like that. We also do not have to have a body and face of a model or an actor to be considered beautiful because we all know that they weren’t born looking like a Greek god. We were created to be unique, to stand out among all. Let us be true to ourselves and only do the things we truly want. by Keight Panotes

LITERARY

After years of pouring drops of my existence on various first loves, May it be filial or trivial The sneaky question crept in: “will I leave a mark on No Need to Choose everything I have ever touched?” or will I just I have always known that there is no needslowly to choose which I want to remain explode into tiny specks of dust and cease being riding back to the times when to exist Along with many unanswered questions, I am bold or reluctantstepped forward or backward, desperately seeking comfort in the right hand raised orand immovable, firmI, beside me. Whispering or yellinghumming like an engine or singing like a bird. familiarity of my own messitty bits and pieces of Conforming or complaining, agree or disagree. who I am These unfinished poems that’ll never see When I am different from or one with the crowdthe a solitary mango tree in a field orlight swaying as grassof with soday, The places my lips have touched, many others. When I am moving,few or I am moved, but remarkable times I’ve been genuinely with or by music. happy, every time I have ever cursed 2 am, These Stopped to quit or to try, to rest or to give up.wouldn’t go to waste, would they? Death isn’t so The door, I pushed or pull. When I know too well or clueless. when you’ve met that black hole at the pit of scary When I am on edge or scared even to take a step toward the cliff. your stomach, when you confront it and ask why it At the top, looking down or down looking up. When I have everything or nothing to lose, lives inside of when your grasp is tight or when you think it not easy to you, “what are you made of?”The void hold my hand. listened, paused for a minute, and then answered : Alive, because of you or despite you. Debris and empty boxes Getting better or falling worse. “I am you.” More than an hour have passed after the Careful, carelessi am used to being alone, with so much or nothing to lose. living in barrel ofbutwasteland mymetalusual go-to streaming Pleasure or pain. signature “ta-dum” with nothing smoke, scrap, empty boxes, In a slump or motivated. and missing Can or cannot, will appCredits or will not. rolling as handles. I scoop the last chip at the i observe. When I am halfway there or halfway back. bottom of the bag with my greasy fingers “How the world is quiet. Overwhelmed or devoid of feeling. Breathing with vigor or hoping for ceasing i can feel the cold airbrushing myperfection? skin, reminding me can be of Good at I who remember, I who forget movie characters that i live in a vast, quiet space, Asking myself the faster way to get it all off my mind and remindingstable me that i am alone.jobs, recognized. Just my chest almost everything, with my mouth or my hand, i see abandoned buildings, which are fleeting talk about it, or write about it. how?” Staring inthen my reflection at the mirror memories of smiling strangers, an endless list of names long forgotten Allowed or forbidden. across, “When? When will my time come?” As I Hoping things to remain or change, sometimes i find and bring home old, mundane when it crumbled, build it to what it used to be or give objects to remind me that there was life once, that questions, My birth to something new. lay down in the pile of these awry there can be life again, When I bend, or I crash hoping to fill the gap, empty as the starless sky that When I accept or deny subconscious dominating looms over my world.my senses, I could picture let the world tell me the truth or create my own reality When I was holding my breath or was catching it. by Jessica Maureen Gaurano my younger self askiang, “Are things too late for Either way, this is me No matter where theme arrow points or just too early for them?” Even wondering This is who I love This is who I cherish how can I not bloom and succeed now or even This is who I am earlier Thenceforward, it dawned on me There is by Jesryll M. Belmonte META no epitome of success. Probably why most movies aren’t made from real life stories, P HThey O R can’t S picture the wonders of uncertainty The mystery84 for Art by Gwynleth Mauricio

“Would you like to start my clock?” Words by Ma. Ysabelle S. Fernandez

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

SPORTS FEATURE

play chess with the janitor’s help in the basement and became the grandmaster in the world, in the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. The Queen’s Gambit’s vast success has captivated the interest and hearts of many people and has given great emphasis to the logical sport of chess. According to Bloomberg 2021, there is a progressive growth for chess from retail to websites and streaming services amidst the pandemic. Consequently, Chess.com, a social network and chess server website, has added around 1 million new members each month since the lockdowns began in March and approximately 2.8 million in November alone. In the same month, over 78 million standard chess games took place on lichess, a free online chess server, compared to half as many in November 2019. The series has also become a time machine as it displays the happenings in the Cold War era, which is a thrilling time in the chess world. Moreover, it empowers feminism and tackles gender issues in the sport, thirst for winning, obsession in a game, the books and articles to be studied, and the tactics used in playing.

ight pawns. Two knights. Two bishops. Two rooks. One queen. One king. Each has its job. Each bears an absolute responsibility. And possibilities are endless.

If you are a pawn, then you can move straight ahead, but you can only attack an angle, one square at a time. However, if you’re a knight, then your move is L-shaped. As a bishop, you can move at an angle; then, you can move more than one square at a time. By moving only in a straight line yet can go forward, you are definitely a rook back or to the side. Being the most dominant, the queen can move in any direction for any number of squares, but then again, not two directions in one move. While being the king who moves at a noble pace, you can move at one square at a time in any order. When do you continue, and when do you have to tell yourself that you need to resign finally? Isn’t it cliché? How we sometimes compare our lives into a game with a checkered board that has contrasting colors? We purposely touch one of the pieces, sometimes unintentionally, and we have no choice but to make a move with that piece. There’s no turning back. We are given time to decide, and we must think wisely as we can’t get wasted time back. Sadly, humans are impulsive, indecisive, and tend to complain about not having enough time to accomplish the things they need to do. However, we often don’t know how much time we’ve got, so we take risks and move forward, may it be in just a match, tournament, or life in general. “Chess can also be beautiful. It was the board I noticed first. It’s an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it; I can dominate it. And it’s predictable, so if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame.” An exquisite yet powerful statement from Elizabeth “Beth” Harmon, an orphan who became addicted to a tranquilizer, learned to

There are so many definite plans and strategies to avoid the game’s threat and say that your opponent’s king is in check. The Queen’s Gambit is one of the most popular openings on all levels. There are also Tarrash, Ragozin, Rubinstein Attack, Slav Defense, and Chigorin Defense. Some rare variants are the Albin Countergambit, the Baltic Defense, Marshall Defense, and the Symetrical Defense. Eric Schiller, Nigel Davies, Chris Ward, Bogdan Lalic, and Boris Avrukh are the chess authors who issued books that sincerely express the odds for the white side. As for the black side (Queen’s Gambit Declined), John Cox, Matthew Sadler, James Rizzitano, and others have written reflective work. Some very informative books on the Queen’s Gambit hQave been published by Alexander Delchev, Semko Semkov, Maxim Chetverik, and Alexander Der Raetsky. On the other hand, sometimes, losing is inevitable. We make sacrifices, and we sometimes punish ourselves for being too naïve and for not being careful. Nevertheless, we must see the lessons, and we must not cloud our minds with a negative perspective. Hoping always to see the bigger picture, we can pause and breathe. We can still fight but remember that it is okay to surrender. Sometimes, the fact of accepting a defeat is also a sign of victory. You know deep down that you gave your best, and you are willing to learn, improve, practice, and review your mistakes. We encounter diverse people as we continue with our journey. Some give us advice, connect with us as we continue to offer our shot and attack. Some observe our moves and try to read our minds. Some create challenges and push us to do more. Now, let us play. “Would you like to start my clock?” Eight pawns. Two knights. Two bishops. Two rooks. One queen. One king. Each has its job. Each bears an absolute responsibility. And as a player, it’s okay if we do not take life as a chess game to win or lose. We should ethically live. That’s enough for winning.

Lookback:

TOP 10 SPORTS EVENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES IN 2020 Words by Melvin Clarence Dowes

f 2020 was an athlete, it must be a track-and-field player

that were so intense that they cannot be contained in a

who joined a highly anticipated game where everyone

small number of words. Tears shed, stomach growled, and

was a spectator. There were 12 hurdles laid on the field,

faulty politicians lured up. On a viewpoint, during that

each representing every month. Then, 2020 curled on its

year, many sports events had been canceled. Almost 50%

sprinting position, ready to launch, and when the signal

of its affairs had been either rescheduled or terminated.

fired, it immediately ran towards the obstacle. But clumsy

Sports had its "Dark Age" in 2020. You might have

as it could get, it stumbled on the first hurdle—January.

even noticed that reports about sports were infrequent

And to the next—February, then in March, it fell again—

during the year. But of course, the field of Sports would not

face first. And, you can guess it. Poor 2020, messed up for

agree to be a mere "bench-seater" in the year 2020. Some

the whole year.

sports events still kicked off, and Filipino athletes being

I suppose that most of us can agree that 2020

was probably the worst year of the 21st century. It was the year when the coronavirus began to spread across the globe, which affected every one of us—even today. If not all of us, many of us faced hardships and struggles

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

the determined and competitive sportsmen, outshone their opponents in some of these events. To feed your inner sporty spirit, here are the top 10 Philippine sports events that took place in 2020.

I know, what a great choice to start the list. Last June 2020, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) decided to cancel its 2020-2021 season, which was supposed

SPORTS FEATURE

1. MPBL CANCELS 2020-2021 SEASON

same is endangering athlete's health and well-being. The so-called Sorsogon bubble was held last June 2020 when Ayo set a training bubble in Capuy, Sorsogon, despite the government's safety protocols.

to begin in the same month. MPBL legal chief adviser Brando Viernesto said in an interview with The Manila Times that the season's cancelation was because of the strict COVID-19 protocols. The protocols prohibit contact sports and mass gatherings. Another reason was the shutdown of ABS-CBN Network, which currently holds the broadcasting rights to the games. There is no announcement yet if MPBL will hold its 2021-2022 season at the time of this writing.

5. JOHN RIEL CASIMERO DEFENDED WBO BANTAMWEIGHT CROWN John Riel Casimero succeeded in defending his WBO Bantamweight Belt against Ghana's Duke Micah last September 26, 2020, held at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, United States. With his power punches, the 31-year-old boxer swiftly beat Micah during the early stage of the match. Casimero was declared the winner after three rounds by technical

2. BARANGAY GINEBRA CHAMPS 2019 PBA GOVERNORS CUP

knockout.

For the third time in four years, Barangay Ginebra once again took home the 2019 PBA Governor's Cup title after winning against Meralco Bolts last January 17, 2020. Game 5 of the finals took place at the Mall of Asia Arena, where Barangay Ginebra triumphantly out-smarted Meralco Bolts with a final score of 105-93.

3. BARANGAY GINEBRA BAGGED FIRST PBA PHILIPPINE CUP CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN 13 YEARS Barangay Ginebra yet again claimed another milestone this year, after they reigned supreme against TNT Tropang Liga in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup Championship last December 9, 2020. Game 5 of the finals kicked off at the AUF Sports Arena and Cultural Center. The battle between the two teams was a close fight, which concluded with a final score of 82-78 in favor of Barangay Ginebra. LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra won the MVP Award after constituting 10 points and six assists throughout the game.

4. UST EX-COACH BANNED INDEFINITELY IN UAAP Following the controversial Sorsogon bubble, the UAAP Board of Trustees announced last September 2020 that UST ex-head coach Aldin Ayo is banned indefinitely from participating in any capacity in all UAAP events and leaguesanctioned activities.

The decision was rooted in the report filed by the

University of Santo Tomas (UST) against Ayo, saying that the

6. REYMART GABALLO'S CONTROVERSIAL VICTORY AGAINST RODRIGUEZ Everyone was awed when Reymart Gaballo was declared the winner over split-decision after 12 rounds against Puerto Rican opponent Emmanuel Rodriguez last

Diaz, who participated in the women's 55 kg event of the tournament, shouldered 93 kg for Snatch and 119 kg for Clean and Jerk, with a total lift of 212 kg. Joining Diaz were Ukraine's Kamila Konotop and Tunisha's Nouha Landoulsi, who lifted a total of 196 kg and 194 kg, respectively.

December 19, 2020, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, United States. Based on the fight's final tally, Gaballo won judges Don Trella and John McKaie, giving him scores of 116112 and 115-113, respectively. However, judge David Sutherland gave a score of 118-110 in favor of Rodriquez. Spectators were unhappy with the judges' decision, saying that Gaballo might have thrown more punches, but Rodriguez was the more accurate puncher. "I am speechless over this because Rodriguez was controlling the rounds and of the clean, effective punches that were landing, clearly most of them were his," said Al Bernstein, a Showtime hall of fame analyst.

7. UAAP CANCELED SECOND SEMESTER SPORTS IN SEASON 82 To comply with the government's safety protocols against COVID-19, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) decided to cancel all secondsemester sports for its 82nd season. According to the official statement released by the UAAP Season 82 President, Emmanuel M. Fernandez, the cancellation of the games was due to the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) last April 2020, stating that the conditions for the resumption of the games can no longer be met. The events that were canceled following the decision were men's and women's volleyball tournaments and men's football tournaments.

8. HIDILYN DIAZ SNATCHED 3 GOLDS IN THE 2020 ROMA WEIGHTLIFTING WORLD CUP

Hidilyn Diaz again proved her supremacy after winning three golds in the 2020 Roma Weightlifting World Cup last January 28.

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

9. JOCEL NINOBLA CLINCHED ONLINE POOMSAE TOURNAMENT UST pride and three-time UAAP champion Jocel Ninobla reclaimed domination after winning a gold medal in the Under-30 Female Division of the first Online Daedo European Poomsae Championships last May 10. Ninobla underwent two performances for the game, scoring 7.53 and 7.60 in her Koryo and Pyongwon performances, respectively, garnering a total average score of 7.565.

10. SANDER SEVERINO MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST FILIPINO WORLD CHESS CHAMPION Sander

Severino,

34-year-old

Fide

Master,

proved that physical disability could not stop a person from achieving success in life after dominating the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) World Online Chess Rapid Championship, held last June 17, 2020. Sander became officially the first Filipino world chess champion. Severino was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when he was eight years old, given a 20-year life expectancy, but it didn't stop him from striving and soaring to greater heights. During the final match, he defeated Ukraine's 5-time world standard chess king IM Igor Yarmonov after eight wins and one draw, garnering a total score of 8.5. Concurrently, two other Filipino prides, Jasper Rom and Henry Lopez, also dominated the event, ranking sixth and eighth places.

SPORTS FEATURE

2020 may be no one's favorite year, but it's not the end of time just yet. We can still hope for a better year ahead. Indeed, if we will use our bitter-sweet experiences from last year as the fuel that will drive us towards self-control rather than set us on fire, we can make that hope happen. So keep those camera films and stylish clothes you bought just for holidays, you might use them anytime soon. Who knows? Maybe 2021 is a better hurdler *wink*.

PLOT Twist: INIYUKO NGUNIT TININGALA Isinulat ni Jackquilyn Javate

iguradong "G" ang sagot sa mga aya na natatapat sa

ba naman kasi, habang hindi magkanda-ugaga ang buong

maluwag nating oras. Kabisado na ng mga guro ang

bansa sa pagbili ng alcohol at face mask sa kasagsagan ng

itsura, upo, at kilos ng estudyante na hindi nakapagreview.

COVID-19, naroon si Delos Santos at sumisipa ng mataas na

Gets na gets na ang malikot na mata ng kaibigan sa tuwing

ranggo sa online karate tournaments o mas tanyag sa tawag

tyume-tiempo itong dumukot sa kinakain mong ‘chichirya.’

na E-kata World Rankings.

Kaya nga't kapag biglang may nag-bend ng tuhod, kinunot ang noo, humiyaw, at sumipa—automatic na, karate.

Nagsimula ang virtual tournament na ito noong Marso

Napasalistahan na nga ng mga tatay ang pagsasabi nito

ng nakaraang taon. Dulot pa rin ng pandemya, nabago ang

tuwing magpapamasahe. "Karate-hin mo nga'y likod ko," may

kabuuang set up ng patimpalak. Huwag mong itatanong

pakambat pa kamo ang mga iyan, ka-combo ng iretableng

kung saan ginanap dahil wala ng venue tulad ng dati. Paano

mukha na panakot sa anak para hindi makatanggi.

ba naman, mula sa karaniwang aktwal na nasasaksihan ang mga kalahok, lente na ng cellphone o camera ang unang

Sadyang may mga nakarehistrong katawagan na

tagapanood at taga-record ng mga pangyayari. Matutulad

tayo sa mga simpleng kislot, bagay, at kaganapan. Kung

na lang sa pagpapasa ng performance task sa CANVAS

gagaludgarin pa ng mas malawak, mapapadpad tayo sa mas

ang pagpapadala ni Delos Santos ng video sa mga nag-

malayo— mas malayo pa kaysa sa kayang pagdalhan sa atin

organisa ng e-kata, na kaparehas din nating nakaantabay sa

ng isang full tank na kotse. Samakatuwid, kapag nakasakay

kahihinatnan ng scores. Kaabang-abang kung bokya o benta.

tayo sa mga bagong kaalaman. Sa kaso ni Delos Santos, “ebarg” ang 2020! Klaseng

Hindi ka maniniwala, unang arangkada pa lamang

flat 1 ang lahat ng subjects, humahakot ng ginto, na

natin, sa Cebu kaagad ang bagsak. Dito na tayo magpapalipas

parang namumulot ng bato sa dami, subalit hindi parang

ng gabi. Tutal, nandito na rin si James Delos Santos. Teka,

namumulot ng bato sa hirap. Akalain mo, 36 gold medal

mabuti na ang malinaw. Hindi kami magkamag-anak. Hindi

sa halos pitong buwan. Oo nga't marami, pero tulad ng

ko siya nobyo. Ang totoo nito, siya ang itinuturo kung bakit

sabi ko, hindi naging madali. Pinainit at pinahirap ito ng

mabentang-mabenta ang usapang karate sa Pinas. Paano

pagod kasabay ng bigat na dala-dala ng malalaking taong

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

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ubiligadong banggain: Eduardo Garcia, Portugal; Nejc Sterniša ng Slovenia; Alfredo Bustamante mula sa Amerika. Mga pangalang karugtong na ang "karate" at hindi na rin biro ang bilang ng artikulo sa iba’t ibang plataporma. Minsan talaga, maganda rin ang may kaba, kumpara sa masyadong kumpyansa. Mas dama ang tagumpay kapag dumating nang hindi mo inaasahan kaysa sa nakuha mo ng abot-kamay o kaya’y isunubo lang sa’yo. Nagkakaroon lang palagi ng dating ang mga kwento sa dalawang direksyon: Mula sa baba, pataas o galing sa tuktok, palagapak. Sa unang kategorya pumasok itong bida natin— niyuyuko muna bago tiningala. Bunsod sa makasaysayang tala na ginawa nitong si Delos Santos, mas malimit na maimbitahan siya sa iba't ibang mga panayam upang alamin ang buong kwento sa tatlumpu't anim na medalyang ginto. Ang hindi ko lang alam, kung may nagiimbita sa kanya para makausap tungkol sa kung anong kalagayan niya sa malamlam na ilaw ng pansin. Mga tahimik na panahon ng pagiging biktima ng bullying. Pag-usapan natin 'yan sa lugar na pinamamahayan ng primaryang indikasyon ng superyoridad—sa eskwelahan. Sige lang, ilibot mo ang iyong paningin dito sa Cebu International School. Mamaya na tayo pumunta sa mga nagugustuhan mong lugar dito, kailangan na kasi nating sundan si Delos Santos doon sa football field. Pinauna ko na siya roon, para magkaroon siya ng alone time, sa pagsariwa sa mga karanasan niya sa football—ang unang lukso ng kanyang dugo sa sports. Karaniwang banggit nga hindi ba, mahirap kalimutan ang una? Kaya gaano man kakilala sa kasalukuyan itong si Delos Santos sa karate, may bahagi pa rin sa loob niya na umuuwi sa football. Lalo na at ito ang larong pinili nya, habang karate ang larong pinili ng sitwasyon para sa kanya. Kung hindi lang din naman siya nabubully sa eskwela, hindi niya susubukan ang pag-aaral ng karate. "I hated it at the start but I was a victim of bullying at school and my uncle suggested to my dad to let me try out karate. My dad has a friend who knows karate so I got into it," narinig mo 'yon? Kaya, hinay-hinay tayo sa pagtataboy ng mga bagay na ayaw natin at baka sa dulo, mahuli natin ang ating sarili na naghahabol. Napapahugot pa yata ako ha. Bago tayo mapunta kung saansaang isyung mapuso, linawin na lang muna natin kung bakit karate, ba't hindi boxing, taekwando, o swimming para tamang langoy lang ba kapag binubully. Wow! May bagong portal na nagbukas, dahil sa

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

Takbo! Nasaan na tayo? Nasa taping ba tayo ng Korean nobela? Kagigising lang ba ng lahat ng tao dito? Puro sila singkit. Mapupula ang pisngi. Lakad ng lakad. Ang angas, may free wi-fi, tingnan ko nga sa Google Maps. 📍Okinawa, Japan. Kita mo nga naman, mula sa Cebu nandito na tayo sa Japan. Kahit naka-ban ang mga international flight, naililipad tayong mabilis at libre ng mga tanong na pursigidong bigyan ng sagot. Hindi tayo mapapadpad dito para sa wala. At ang sinabi kong iyan ay katotohanan sa lahat ng parte ng buhay. Tulad ngayon, nasa Okinawa, Japan tayo dahil dito ang pasilip sa baliktanaw ng karate. Tamang-tama ito para sa mga nabubully, sapagkat halos magkabaligtad ang konsepto nilang dalawa. Tingnan mo, sa bullying intensyon mong manakit, samantala, ang pagdepensa sa sarili ang layunin ng karate, ipagtanggol mula sa mga pinupwersa kang lumaban. "Empty handed techniques" kung tawagin, mga kilos na nagsasanay sa isang tao ng disiplina at self-defense. Tanungin nga natin itong si Delos Santos kung nageenjoy siya dito sa Okinawa. "I will always be a Cebuano at heart," tugon niya, dahil kahit pa saan siya dalhin ng kanyang pag-eensayo at mga laban, ang Cebu ay Cebu. Alam naman natin ang ibig sabihin nito, oo, babalik na tayong Cebu. Babalik tayo kung saan natin siya mas makikilala. May naisip ako. Para humupa ang jet lag natin, manood muna tayo ng mga naging laban ni Delos Santos. Nang sa gano'n, lumawak ang kaalaman natin sa atletang nagtaas ng watawat ng Pilipinas sa gitna ng pandemyang pinatamlay ang sports. Lakas mo ang volume para dinig na dinig pati edad at petsa. Labing apat na taong gulang noon si Delos Santos nang matalo siya sa tatlong turnamentong sinalihan nya. Nakapanghihina ng loob kapag ganito ang takbo ng karera, kaya hindi na niya sineryoso ang karate. Tulad ng marami na naghihintay ng plot twist sa kanilang kapalaran na magbabago sa ikot ng kanilang bawat araw, pwes meron, totoong dumarating. "During the 2005 Southeast Asian Games which was held here, my first instructor, Benjamin Balmori, told my dad to let me skip my school and watch the competition. That was when I saw the national team, what they do, how they compete for the Philippines and I got inspired and decided not to quit anymore," plot

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tanong ko. Tingnan mo, pumasok na si Delos Santos, bilis!

twist na talagang dumarating, pero hindi do'n natatapos sa pagdating, dapat nating salubungin, at tulad ni Delos Santos, pabaunan mo ng desisyon na hindi ka na hihinto, hindi ka na susuko. 2012, nakamit ni Delos Santos ang kampeonato sa Shotokan Karate Federation World Competition na ginaganap tuwing ika-apat na taon. Kasunod nito'y matagumpay na nadepensahan niya ang titulo, at umukit ng back-to-back championship noong 2006. Opisyal na ngang nakarating sa kaalaman ng Philippine National Team ang potensyal nitong si Delos Santos, kaya naman sinelyuhan ang kanyang pagiging miyembro sa samahang pinapanood lamang niya dati noong 2008. Parang saya na katulad ng malaman mong crush ka na rin sa wakas ng crush mo. Mula nga sa napakasayang pangyayaring ito ay malaya na niyang inirepresenta ang bansa sa sarisaring mga tunggaliang lokal at internasyunal. Hanggang nga sa kilalanin si Delos Santos sa unang pwesto sa E-kata rankings, take note: world ranking 'yan—world ranking na hindi niya ipinagkait sa iba. Kasama niya sa tagumpay ang kanyang mga estudyante na sina Fatima Ansain, Christina Colonia, Julian Ian Marcos na mga gold at silver medalists sa female-category. Gano'n naman kasi ang pinaka mainam, ang tanggapin mo sa iyong sarili na hindi ka habambuhay na malakas, kaya ang magpasa ng karunungan sa kapwa ay ang tropeyong hindi kakalawangin o masisira. Matatandaan pa ngang nasangkot itong si Delos Santos sa isang kontrobersyal sa Philippine Karatedo Federation, kung saan kumalas siya rito matapos maging saksi sa korapsyong nagaganap sa loob ng organisasyon. Kung kaya’t ang kanyang pagwawagi sa e-kata ay walang direktang koneksyon at suporta mula sa gobyerno ng Pilipinas. Sa kabilang banda, ang katapatan ni Delos Santos ay nanatili, iniaalay ang karangalan sa bansa. Pagpapatunay na hindi kapit sa samahan ang kanyang gasolina sa pagbibigay ng kataasan para sa kanyang bayan, kung hindi ang kanyang personal na pagmamahal rito at desisyong banderang puti't dilaw, asul pa rin ang iwawagayway niyang watawat. Batid kong pawala ka na rin ng gasolina, natiktik na ang karga mo sa pagbyahe, kaya hala sige, umidlip ka na. Bawiin mo ang nawalang lakas, at gumising ka muling lumalaban tulad ni Orencio James Vigil Delos Santos, na nagsasabing may membership ka man o hindi, may pandemya man o wala, ikaw pa rin ang pipili ng watawat na iyong iaangat sa finish line.

OPLAN BODY REVENGE NASAKTAN-NATAUHAN-PUMAYAT:

PAALAM, NUBENTA'Y DOS Isinulat ni Jackquilyn Javate Mga Larawan mula kay Christine Jhane Sugay

alang pag-uga sa iyong pagkakatayo habang hinihintay

media for almost 3 months," na kung mababasa mo ang

ako ng walang bakas ng pagkainip sa tindig mo. Higit

buong public post niyang ito sa facebook, baka hindi mo rin

sa mga nagdaang araw, ngayon tayo nakabuo ng malapit na

mapigilang mag-personal message udyok ng katapangan na

relasyon; iyong bang tipo na hindi ko na kailangang kumatok

ipinabaon niya sa bawat isang letra at mga litrato. Sa kabilang

ng marami, dire-deretso na ako't kampanteng pumapasok sa

banda, kung hindi ito dumaan sa feed mo o isa ka sa amin

loob mo. Nagbubukas ka ng dilaw na ilaw sa harapan bilang

na senior siya sa Mass Communication Program, tiyak ko na

pagsalubong sa akin. Lagi kang nariyan. Isa kang kaibigan.

hindi mo iisipin na may ganito palang kabigat na bagahe sa

Salamat, ref.

loob niya, dahil "My body, my rule" ang datingan nya sa mga corridor ng unibersidad.

Kaya nga hindi ba’t nagpapatagal ng pagsagot mo sa video call request ay ang pag-aayos mo ng shot ng camera:

Sa kanya na rin naman mismo nanggaling na hindi na

noong unang buwan ng lockdown, lumalakad-lakad ka pa

malaking personal na isyu ang kanyang katawan. Ikaw nga ba

habang nakikipag-usap; kinalaunan, partida sa half body,

kasi maging tampulan ng pintas at punang may kinalaman sa

papunta sa pisngihan na ang labanan, hanggang sa mata na

timbangan at lindol, hindi ka masanay?

lang ang kuha. Kaya lang, sadyang may mga kaibigan tayong

Nabanggit na rin lang ang 'sanay', may dalawang uri ng

pasmado ang buka ng bibig, naging kasunod na ng I miss you

pagkasanay ang malimit kong makita sa tao. Una, nasanay-

ang kanilang pagsusukat.

narindi-nawalan

pake.

Pangalawa,

nasanay-narindi-

tinulungan ang sarili. Sa kaso nitong si Christine, pasok na "Sis, parang tuma..."

pasok siya sa banga number 2. Na dati'y pinagsisiksikan, ngayon smooth na ang mga entry. Bunga ng matagumpay

"Tumangos?" Maghulos dili ka sana kung hindi ito ang kabuuan ng sasabihin mo kay Christine, at baka magkatotoo

nyang programa na binuod ko sa pangalang: "Oplan Body Revenge: Nasaktan-natauhan-pumayat!"

ang lindol na itinuturo ng mga tao na siya ang epicenter mula pa noong elementary. Mahirap nang mamali ng biro lalo na

Para sa paunang sabi, respetado ko ang lahat ng uri ng

at naging mapanghamon ang community quarantine para sa

kaparaanan na pinili ng iba para magmove on. Sadyang may

kanyang mental health.

isang Christine Jhane Sugay lang talaga na nagpasyang lusawin ang sakit kasabay ng taba.

"Last March, noong start 'yung lockdown, as in naging

[messed up] ng mental health ko. Being a person na very

Sa mga intrigang-intriga na, hindi lang pasilip ang nag-

outgoing like me, tapos biglang makukulong sa bahay while

aabang sa'yo sa mga susunod na bahagi. Kung hindi, walang

experiencing a major heartache, mental breakdown, tapos

pagdaramot na inisa-isa nitong ibida ang detalye ng kanyang

sasabayan pa ng bullying? Sobrang bumaba ang level ng

matagumpay na transpormasyon na dinaig ang show na "Your

confidence ko to the point na 'di na ako nagpakita sa social

Face sounds familiar."

OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

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OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

Ang pag woworkout parang pag-ngiti, pwede kahit saan — alam kong pinagkakkitaan na rin pageexercise. Isa sa mga ebidensya ay ang dumaraming gym sa gilid-gilid. Pero hindi ibig sabihin no'n ay napagiiwanan ka sa trend kung sa bahay mo piniling gawin ang pagwoworkout. "Well, for me parang mas effective sa akin yung sa bahay. Kasi you're at your own space and comfort," napatango ako sa kanya nang sabihin niya ito. Lalo ngayon at pare-parehas tayong nagsusumikap na itaguyod ang bawat araw sa bahay, at saka sa bahay, at sa bahay ulit. Sa online selling, pm is the key. Kay Christine, disiplina at motibasyon — mahalagang paalala: ang pagwoworkout ay isang regular na gawain, hindi isang araw na subok tapos dalawang linggong pahinga. Kaunting disclaimer sa sinabi kong ito, mahirap talaga maging consistent. Buenas na lang talaga tayo dahil may nakaiintindi. "I can't blame anyone kasi naranasan ko din iyon, lalo na kapag sa una hindi mo nakikita iyong bunga ng ginagawa mo. But trust me, it's part of the whole process.” Samakatwid, bago ang aktwal na mga galaw sa pisikal, buuin muna natin sa ating mga sarili, ang isang kongkretong pasya na hindi urong-sulong sa bagay na katulad nito. Mukhang simple at karaniwan, ngunit tatag pa rin ng isip ang magdidikta sa lebel determinasyon.

Kung sa akademikong pag-aaral, umubra ang online class. Pwes, dito rin — Mag-inat kasama nina Chloe Ting, Emi Wong, Susana Yabar. Mga Youtube sensations sa content nilang active lifestyle, na sila ring naging recorded teachers nito si Christine. At kung mapapansin, apelyido pa lang ng mga 'yan, halatang-halata na mula silang lahat sa dayuhang bansa. Kaya’t magcross-finger tayong lahat para naman magkaroon ng mga tagapagturo na produktong Pinas— maganda kung C.J.S ang initials ng pangalan. Hindi ko sinasabing si Christine 'yon ha, pero parang ganon na nga. Walang humahabol, kaya hindi kailangang magapura — madalas desperado lang ang namumwersa, at mataas ang porsyento ng paglagapak nila sa huli. Kaya nga malinaw ang payo nitong si Christine tungkol sa diskusyon na ito. Pinapayo niya na sana, gaano man kakupad ang proseso, huwag tayong kakapit sa madalian. Magdedilikado tayo sa mga routines na mabilis nga ang pagbabago na naibibigay, "shredding process" kung tawagin nya, nabubugbog naman ang katawan sa matuli't sabi. May posibilidad na bumalik ka sa dati mong timbang kapag nahinto sa routine—sayang lang din, sis.

Kung hindi sa kanila, baka sa'yo? — samu't-sari ang mga workout patterns na naglabasan sa online platforms, at maging sa print media tulad ng magazine. Ngunit hindi ibig sabihin nito na habambuhay ka na lamang taga sunod. May araw din na sana magpatanto mong kaya mo ring gumawa ng iyo. "Tapos ginawa ko now, gumawa ako ng mga sarili kong program, of course with the help of research and other fitness instructor na kakilala ko since nag-gym ako before noong college," power kung power

6 7

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ang peg! Dahil sa totoo lang, higit kanino pa man, ikaw ang may kabisado sa kakayahan at limitasyon ng sarili mong katawan. Ikaw ang higit na nakakikila sa iyong mga bilbil. Kung hindi ngayong lockdown, kailan pa? Sige nga! — kung naghihintay ka ng sign kung kailan ka mag-woworkout, ito na 'yon! Noon ngang aligaga tayo sa maraming kaabalahan at hindi ka mapirme sa bahay, puro drawing ang nangyayari sa ating mga plano. Oh ngayon, wala na tayong lusot, kinulong ka sa bahay nang sa gayon ay wala ka ng rason para tumanggi sa matagal ng imbitasyon ng pag-eehersisyo. "I mean, why not? Alam mo ‘yon, dami ng nangyari sa mundo. It's a way na rin to get away na rin sa soc med. Kahit ilang oras, be productive during idle time." Oo nga naman. Kaysa hinlalaki lamang ang laging gumagalaw sa atin, na siya na nga yatang pinaka gamit na parte sa panahong ito, pakinggan naman natin ang nagseselos ng ibang mga bahagi. Magulat ka pa, baka mag-thumb up pa 'yan sa'yo sa oras na gumalaw galaw ka na at pinagpawisan.

Challenge accepted — 24 hours jowa challenge, no tulog challenge, hug a stranger challenge; dati ang alam ko lang “sa paligid-ligid ay puno ng linga,” sa kasalukuyan, “sa paligid-ligid ay puno ng challenge.” Ang dami na talagang nabago. Ang maganda lang ditto ay nagiging bukas ang tao na umalis sa kanilang comfort zone, sumubok ng bago, mawala sa subordinasyon ng takot at hiya. Kaya nga kung isa ka sa mga game na game sa mga bagay na katulad n’yan, hindi ka naman magkakasipon kung titignan mo sa playstore ang “30 Day Fitness Challenge: Workout at Home” na minsan na ring gumabay kay Christine sa unang buwan ng kanyang paglalakbay paakyat sa hagdan nang hindi hinihingal. “But being hard headed, and di ako nasasatisfied since short time lang siya, naghanap ako ng challenge,” constly challenge yourself eka nga sa mga motivational quotes. Over familiarity din kasi ang kalaban natin ditto. Kapag wala ng bago, naghahanap tayo. Sa pagwoworkout, pwedeng-pwede ‘yon. Sa relasyon, bawal.

Workout Playlist — (1) Mamacita by Black Eyed peas, (2) Cover Girl by Rupaul, (3) Let’s Get Loud by J.Lo. Kumpleto rekados magbigay ng tips itong si Christine na maging sa top 3 most played songs niya habang nagwoworkout, binigay na. Isa pa, sino bang hindi nakaaalam na isa sa pinakamatingkad at agaw tingin na kulay ng mundo ay ang musika. Sinasamahan tayo nito para hindi awkward magkalad mag-isa, tuwing walang makausap, pampawi ng inip at kaba, tagapagbalik ng alaala, at isang masugid na mang-eengganyo.

Cheat day — “Need kasi ng atleast 24-48 hours na pahinga ng muscles para hindi sila ma overtrain.” Makina nga nag-oover heat, bintilador humihinto kapag hindi napapahinga, kaya’t easy-han natin. Maglagay tayo ng cheat day, at baka hindi ka na nagwowork, kung hindi out na ang maganap sa’yo. Saturday or Sunday ang napiling araw ni Christine, ikaw ang bahala. Maaari ring katulad ng kanya, para chikahan kayo sa progress ninyong dalawa, at sabay kayong magcheat ng extra rice.

Audience of one, this time, para sa’yo naman — kung galing ka sa nakaka-drain na sitwasyon, kung saan ibinigay mo na ang lahat pero hindi pa rin sapat, siguro sa pagkakataong ito, bumangon ka muna para sa sarili mo. Higit sa ipamukha sa iba na nagkamali sila na pakawalan ka, ipamukha mong una sa sarili mo na nakalimutan mong mahalaga ka rin. “It will all start within you. Walang ibang tutulong sayo kung hindi sarili mo. At higit sa lahat, gawin mo for yourself and not for them. Kasi in the long run, ikaw ang makikinabang.”

indi sa sampung bagay na ito umiikot ang lahat. Marami pang kailangang madiskubre—madiskubre mo. Wala akong kakayahan na isatitik ang lahat ng dapat mong malaman, sa haba niyan, introduksyon pa lamang sa reyalidad na ikaw mismo ang tatrabaho. Sa pagsasara ng maraming salita, maigting ang pagnanais kong linawin na maganda ka, kahit pa nahihirapan kang magsara ng zipper. Hindi problema kung nabibigatan ang iba na pagmasdan ka at magiging problema lang iyan kapag nabigatan ka sa sarili mo; sa sandaling maisip mo na 'yan, doon ka magdesisyong kumilos. Nalarga na ni Christine Jhane Sugay ang kwento niya, isang pahiwatig na pwede mo na ring simulan ang iyo, anomang oras. Hindi mo kailangang magpakalayo-layo sapagkat higit sa ibang lugar, sa bahay masarap mag-umpisa.

meiA Time of fem Feminine st Strength of A Time of femFeminine st Strength 99

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A Feminine Strength A Time of Feminine Strength A Time of Feminine Strength Words by Gwynleth Mauricio and Aira Sebastian

“Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” – G.D. Anderson

These words bore into the minds of these young and full of potential women.

“Women are incredible these days, don’t you think?” The reporter said as he interviewed one of the most groundbreaking people in history, a woman at that. There’s no doubt in our minds that as the world starts to accept equality among men and women, the paths for women are one by one, beginning to be brighter and more welcoming. This is what it feels like as various news platforms are writing numerous articles on the first female to referee the UEFA Championship. It is true that as we approach a world of modernity and technology. Our world is also evolving in terms of discrimination among women and Stéphanie Frappart became one of the pieces of evidence of it. It is no wonder that this can entail a bright and cheerful path for women interested in the sports industry. “Football history was made on December 2 when, for the first time ever, a female referee was put in charge of a men’s UEFA Champions League match.” The Sports Journal said. She was, in fact, making history the moment she stepped on that field. “She’s a game-changer.” They added as they watched Stéphanie Frappart took that lead on that unforgettable day.

In 2019 alone, she became the first female referee to officiate the Men’s UEFA Super-Cup Finals between Liverpool and Chelsea. She also became the referee for the Women’s World Cup final between the U.S. and the Netherlands in

France, making her the first female referee to take the lead in the French Ligue 1 match. These achievements of her inspired young women all around the globe as they express their love for sports.

It is truly a remarkable scene in sports history and a big stepping stone for demolishing gender stereotypes and building equality. “Their ability to challenge sexist barriers and restrictive notions about women’s physical appearance, athletic ability, and participation in sports is evident through their increased involvement in sports.” Kristin Wilde once said.

Not only was she a remarkable woman, achieving such various things in her life, she was also a noteworthy referee. “When I started my training to become a referee, I was the only girl on my course.” She said to one of the CNN reporters. While the world and aspiring youngsters watch her every move, she was then asked by the reporters the difference between men and women when it comes to refereeing. “I think there is not a lot of difference because football is the same,” she answered. “For me, it is the same because refereeing is the same. Football is the same. There are the same rules, so I will referee the same as in women leagues,” she added. With so much potential and so much support for her, creating history and making astonishing achievements, maybe it is time—a time of feminine strength.

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ALYSSA CORBE TRAINEE

A basket of hope in a bubble

he unfortunate after-effects of this global pandemic have reached a point where history has paved way of manifesting new ways to keep up with what used to be. In the world of sports, particularly Basketball, some of the world’s resourceful organizations have responded by creating these “bubbles”—self-sustaining sports dome completely sealed from the outside world and is built for the continuance of what’s left of the seasons. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) took influence from this and established a location where the bubble would be. It was later revealed that a year and a half before the 30th Southeast Asian Games, the Quest Hotel and Conference Center in the Clark Freeport Zone would be providing 533 rooms for the entirety of PBA. The PBA bubble was officially announced on September 17. Players and all staff would be staying inside the hotel, while their games would be conducted inside the Angeles University Foundation gym, a short 10-minute bus ride away. “We looked at all those who are interested in hosting the PBA and thought that the one that has a more complete offering from the safety standpoint particularly from the protocol, from the control, the nearness to hospitals, and our ability to take care of the mental health of our players during the bubble, the teams decided to take the offer of Clark,” said PBA chairman Ricky Vargas during that announcement. Recently, it was made public by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) that there won’t be any “Most Valuable Player” Award at the end of this year’s 45th PBA

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OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

season. Instead, the PBA will hand out the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award to whoever is deemed worthy at the Philippine Cup, the lone tournament of the season that is unfortunately shortened by the coronavirus pandemic. There is still pressure inside the court since the four teams: NorthPort, TerraFirma, Blackwater, and NLEX, have already left the bubble and have headed home for their families. The season is yet to finish, and indeed we will be ecstatic to see who’s the team that’ll come out the bubble victoriously. “Some people might say that sports are the least of our worries at this time of a pandemic, but it’s rare for people to see it from a perspective where this can also fuel our will to engage in camaraderie. The pandemic has left us being used to independence. We forgot that there is still more than what is inside the comfort of our home. These trying times where we forgot who we are before this pandemic, we are reminded of that time through sports. It may be practiced in an unorthodox way, but we still owe them thanks since it’s part of what keeps us even sane.” Despite all these changes the pandemic has in store for us, it is our responsibility to slowly get back on our feet and continue what we left behind. We have been occupied and isolated in our little bubble for a year, and it’s about time to explore hope outside it. This PBA bubble practice may seem unorthodox, but as long as it’s effective and thoroughly monitored. The risks are there, but we have to continue living. There’s nothing wrong with carrying a basket-full of hope as we step out from our bubble.

SPORTS COLUMN

CHRISTIAN IVAN PALLORINA N E W S E D I TO R

Deprived of its own title Being born in the early 2000s, I witnessed how video gaming came into dominance. Although there aren’t that many arcades around my place, there are alternatives. It would be best if you had a few coins that will serve as tokens you can shoot on a heavily covered console, and there, you’ll be able to play—a peso for three to five minutes. By that time, there are many video games, ranging from real-time strategy, fighting, multiple online battle arenas, and more. Little did I know, by that time, that tons of video gaming competitions have already surfaced around the globe as a result of multiple video game franchises getting released. Somehow these button-pushing kinds of stuff to play were starting to be considered as sports. Making me perplexed since I thought back then sports were something you’d physically play—I mean, yes, you play video games, but I didn’t know it was classified as sports. Making Liu Kang turn into a dragon to bite and slice Baraka into half didn’t sound like sports to me. I thought that video games being considered sports is just something that I ‘was’ unaware of, but it’s been a long debate— well, understandable, though. What school teaches us of what sports were like was far from video gaming. Come to think of it. We never played Resident Evil, Tekken, or Devil May Cry in our PE classes. They never even made us write a research paper about Super Smash Bros. Arguably, no teacher ever taught us eSports. So if anyone said video gaming shouldn’t be considered a sport, it’s because school limits our knowledge of what sports is like—because maybe, the curriculum doesn’t recognize video gaming as a sport anyway. From basketball to tennis, golf, and badminton—every rightfully recognized sport has something to do with physical exertion and skills. Well, that’s the reason for t he people who don’t acknowledge video gaming as sports that made the most sense—and most used argument. Other reasons were pinpointing esports’s distinction such as games are virtual— they’re played in real life, and they’ll be countered that the actual game happened virtually—again, they’ve played in real life. I thought sport was physical—a player does the sports, not

the character. Spawn can never control himself. As they say or believe so, in video gaming, all you got to do was to sit there and smash those buttons until you made a huge Hadouken out of Ryu to perish M. Bison finally. They say, while video gaming was just something addicting, real sports contain some risk of physical injury. While video gaming will only give you sore fingers, sore dangers, and tired eyes, players of actual sports may suffer worse physical injuries such as fractures, broken bones—name it. Which made me think of table tennis—a sport—what harm may the player possibly get from playing it? I mean, do they throw themselves to strike the ping pong that was far from their reach, and then, out of balance, broken ribs. Nope. Injuries were injuries, no matter how small they are. “All the other arguments why eSports shouldn’t be a sport were similar—just exaggerated interpretation of what sport is. Hence video games as sports were only being neglected by people who might’ve believed that sports is a game that would physically drain you.” Believing that videogames are a variety of sports isn’t unfair; what’s unfair is that video games as a sport were being shunned and neglected by being compared to the traditionally recognized ones. Every other sport is distinct from each other. I don’t see the point of comparison. It shows how overrated traditional sports have been, and people can’t accept that different varieties may come along the way. If one still thinks that video games are not a sport, then the NBA 2k franchise wasn’t a sport either—then basketball can be a sport and not a sport. That sounds so wrong. The fact that video gaming fits the definition of sports kept getting neglected—that’s what’s unfair. Video games were pretty overlooked simply because of their mechanics. Whether we like it or not, sports, like other aspects of life, continuously evolve with the changing times.

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WUP-SSC holds benefit concert for the victims of Typhoon Ulysses Words by Christian Ivan Pallorina Photos from Wesleyan University-Philippines/Facebook

Last November 21, Wesleyan University-Philippines Supreme Student Council (SSC), together with the Office of Students Affairs (OSA) Director, Prof. Eufemia Ayro, and Wesleyan Extension Service and Community Outreach Program Director, Prof. Juanito Leabres, started a benefit concert called, ‘Alay sa Cagayan for Typhoon Ulysses Victims: A Virtual Donation Drive,’ through Zoom virtual meeting and Facebook Live. Performances include

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OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

interpretative dance from WUP Dance Troupe; spoken word poetry from Jackquilyn Javate (Editor-in-Chief, Genre); declamation from Will Chua (WUP alumni); vocals from Wesleyan Chamber Singers, Dr. Willie and Mrs. Happy Ramos (Dean, College of Nusing and Allied Medical Sciences), Ms. Joan Evangelista (Elementary faculty), Keith Castillo (SSC officer), Aaron Bigtas (Senior High School student), Jacinta Isabel Reyes (Elementary student), and Elaine Eugenio (CONAMS student); and

vocals and interpretative dance from Teatrong Laan Para Sa Obra Ngayon. Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Estrella Buenaventura, said in her opening remark, “In this endeavor, let us look beyond what we shall witness, rather, let us imagine how our contributions, whether [big] or small will alleviate the physical sufferings, hunger, thirst, or whatever kind of anguish and misery our brothers and sisters

experienced.” SSC also expressed their gratitude to everyone who supported their project. On November 18, SSC, together with OSA, WESCOP, and College Local Councils, began collecting donations through GCash and direct visits to the university announced in SSC’s official Facebook page. The university was able to raise a total of Php 100,284 and other in-kind donations.

NEWS

Wesleyan joins this year’s Smart University virtual campus Words by Christian Ivan Pallorina Last September 26 and October 10, Wesleyan was invited to join Smart Telecom’s virtual campus, aka SMART University. Participating students played interactive games and quizzes. Learning topics include study hacks, grammar, and reading comprehension.

Moreover, cash prizes amounting to 5k, 15k, and 30k were given away to the top 3 schools with the highest attendees. Smart Telecom encouraged the whole Wesleyan community to participate and promote SMART University on social media sites.

Participants joined through registration at www. SmartUniversity2020.com on October 10 from 2 PM to 4 PM; access was directed to the registration page, asking for details including the school one is studying. This was to track the number of students joining from a specific school.

Cash prizes were awarded to winning school partners no later than October 31, 2020. Wesleyan had partnered with Smart Telecom to launch Infocast, a web-based text message service sending updates and official announcements from the University to its phones.

WUP partners with Smart Infocast to boost University communication efforts Words by Allana Soriano In partnership with Infocast Service powered by Smart Telecom, Wesleyan UniversityPhilippines launched a feature that sends real-time free updates and official announcements from the University to the mobile phones of its students. This partnership will run for two years.

“Infocast is a web-based service text message broadcast solution that can send out short messages to several recipients on their Smartphones,” Dr. Elgin Paguirigan, Public Information Office Director, said upon launching Infocast. To avail of the service, you can register through the form

provided on the official Facebook page of WUP. A confirmation message will later be sent to your mobile after a successful registration. “Pwedeng gamitin ng isang department kung may iaannounce ito na only for students, faculty and staff sa department na ‘yon. Pwede din i-announce

sa buong Wesleyan Community. Basta may Smart, Sun, [and] TNT sim at nakaregister sa infocast, makakareceive,” Dr. Paguirigan added. The Smart Booth gave free Smart sim cards last August 27 and 28 at the University Auditorium Lobby.

WUP naglunsad ng Student Orientation para sa paghahanda sa online learning Words by Jessica Maureen Gaurano Nagsagawa ng online Student Orientation ang iba’t ibang departamento at kolehiyo ng Wesleyan UniversityPhilippines sa pamamagitan ng Zoom na sinimulan noong ika17 hanggang ika-20 ng Agosto. Pinangunahan ni Prof.

John Mark Bondoc, Dean ng College of Education, ang online Student Orientation para sa paghahanda sa paggamit ng Canvas, ang online learning platform na gagamitin bilang paraan ng pagpapahatid ng mga handouts, pagsusulit at

aktibidad sa mga mag-aaral ng pamantasan. Para kay Von Flores, ang kasulukuyang pangulo ng Mass Communication Society, magiging malaking tulong ang Canvas sa mga online classes dahil madali lang itong gamitin,

“It’s user friendly, eh. And almost everything that you’re looking for sa isang online classroom is nandun na. So personally speaking, it will definitely help a lot especially during our situation.”

WUP implements week-long mental health break Words by Christian Ivan Pallorina Wesleyan UniversityPhilippines announced a weeklong mental health break, ceasing synchronous and asynchronous classes from October 19-23 and 26-30 for Basic Education Department and Collegiate Level, respectively.

In an official statement of the University Administration, they stated, “This is a weeklong relaxation period for our students to recuperate from school-related challenging tasks brought about by the sudden shift of learning due to this

pandemic.” They further added that this mental health break is one way to maintain students’ sound and happy minds. Last October 17, alongside the mental health break, the University held an online seminar

on mental health awareness and coping during COVID-19, which was also broadcasted live on the Facebook account of Ma’am Carrisa De Luzuriaga-Balaria, University Quality Assurance director.

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WUP ends year with virtual Thanksgiving Service Words by Christian Ivan Pallorina Photos from Wesleyan University-Philippines/Facebook 22,

challenges that [this set] our

the bible verse Matthew 19:36,

facing. God’s plan shouldn’t be

Wesleyan University-Philippines

Last

December

year, there are still enumerable

which states, ‘With men this

questioned, no matter what the

celebrated a virtual Christmas

reasons to thank you for, and

is impossible; but with God,

circumstances were.

Thanksgiving Worship through

I share to you in this pressing,

all

Zoom and Facebook live stream

this

also encouraged everybody to

is not about ourselves, it is not

at the University’s official page.

thanks,” said Vice President for

celebrate Christmas this year

about our successes, it’s about

Academic Affairs Dr. Estrella

with happiness, love, and family.

God, being present in our life,”

The program opened with WUP Faculty and Staff’s Choir singing a prayer song, followed by

enthusiastic

word

Buenaventura. also

are

During

“After

all,

Thanksgiving

service,

Judge Turgano said later on his

Recognition

message. He then reminded us

Awards

and

Malasakit

Awards

that despite the difficulties that

of the Bible; a dance offering

the confidence and faith to face

were presented to deserving

the pandemic brought us, we

from Jemima Reyes, Outstanding

the coming year 2021.

employees.

should continue to praise, honor,

matter

how

her

the

hopes that the Father will give us

“No

expressed

possible.’

Lighting of Candles; the Opening

Alumni 2019; and finally, Call to

She

things

dire

the

They

top-performing

recognized medical

and thank God.

Gathering Wesleyan and a song

the circumstances, it is still

doctors, friends, and institutions

Bishop Ciriaco Francisco

from WUP Chamber Singers.

possible to find blessing in the

that made significant solidarity

then made a closing remark,

Rev. Dr. Luther Oconer, a

disappointments and celebrate a

within the University.

prayer, and benediction followed

Wesley Divinity School faculty

stress-free, grateful Christmas,”

University President Judge

by a performance from WUP

member, led the Opening Prayer,

Vice President for Finance and

Benjamin Turgano also shared

Chamber Singers and the singing

followed by Words of Gratitude

Administration Mr. Juan Jerome

his words of wisdom, reflecting

of the university hymn for the

and

Malaca added.

from the prophet’s Habakkuk

program’s conclusion.

Christmas

wishes

from

university officials. “The Year 2020 is about to wrap up. Despite the numerous

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OMG 2020 The Newfound Self Issue

Moreover, Franchezko

Mr.

Elmin

Valdez,

WUP

Hospital Administrator, quoted

life

story,

emphasizing

that

God should be trusted despite whatever

situation

are

NEWS

Eala family denies alleged financial support from the PH government Words by Anne Margarette Manalad and Keight Danielle Panotes

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)’s congratulatory post for Filipino tennis phenom Alex Eala sparked controversy as PSC claimed that they had provided Eala financial support amounting to 3 million pesos and 1.5 million pesos as requested by the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA). This was to cover her travel expenses and expenditures for six tournaments. Her family immediately denied these claims. According to former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala, Alex had not received a single centavo from the government. He also explained that Alex is based in Spain, a scholar at the Rafa Nadal Academy, and the athlete’s private sponsors generously cover her trips. Her mother, Rizza ManiegoEala, also posted on Facebook

that they have been trying to reimburse Alex’s expenses last January. However, they were asked to submit more documentation and were told to wait for other people to work on their case. She also stated that there was no given support for Alex’s two-month international training as the support was promised verbally. Unfortunately, no tangible actions were made up to this date. PSC issued an erratum shortly after Rizza ManiegoEala’s post and explained that it was unintended misinformation and clarified that the approved board resolution is still in process. The PSC also apologized to Alex’s family and the public for the misunderstanding caused by their post, which is already deleted.

Diego Maradona’s Death: Suspected as Medical Negligence Words by Alanna Soriano Soccer Legend Argentine Diego Maradona died of heart failure and pulmonary edema last November 25, 2020; investigation launched after involuntary manslaughter occurred. Police raided the office of Dr. Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s physician, last December 1, as the doctor failed to visit Maradona within 12 hours of his death. However, investigators are now treating the case as “Potential Homicide” after suspicions that Maradona was a medical negligence victim. Meanwhile, witnesses reportedly saw a struggle between Maradona and the doctor. “We all wanted him to be in [a] house controlled by all sides without alcohol and with all the pills. I wanted it. Everyone wanted it.

Did he want it? I do not know. He died naturally. He lived long and many things,” the physician later addressed the media. “These are things that are going to be investigated, but I tell you that does not change the fact that I love him. We do all our best,” he added. On the other hand, after eight months of strict COVID-19 in Argentina, repressed emotions spilled over with the death of soccer superstar Diego Maradona, prompting people to flood squares, streets, and the presidential palace to honor their icon. Maradona played for Napoli from 1984 to 1991, winning two Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup. In 1986, he captained the Argentine team to victory in the World Cup.

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MEET THE TE MEET THE TEAM Oftentimes, everything comes together in the most unexpected places. It is obvious that the present is a very difficult time for everybody. But in isolation, we have found pieces of our selves that we never really knew was there. And as we embrace our new foundselves, the team answers the question: “Ano ang mala-frontliner na act ang ginawa mo habang lockdown?” Every story inside this magazine is made out of love, hard work and sleepless nights. As we reach the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it will open us to the new begining and will bring us the self-actualization we deserve. Now, witness our team as they strip down their selves naked as they answer the question in the most honest and purest way.

JACK

MAU

CLARENCE

Editor-in-Chief

Associate Editor

Managing Editor for Finance

Umaliw ng mga naiinip sa bahay.

I sold some of my books and the money I made from it went into a donation drive to help the frontliners and those affected by the calamities that happened in the past year. It was hard to say goodbye to the books I grew up with, but it was worth it.

I tried my best to save my friends from sadness even when it’s actually me who needed saving.

EZRA

Associate Editor While doctors, nurses, and people on medical field are busy saving the world. I was busy saving myself because I decided to no longer live in the dark. I save my self because no one else can do it for me.

IVAN

JAI

News Editor

Features Editor

I’ve actually done nothing ‘malafrontliner’ during the quarantine, but everytime I go out, I always use face mask and shield (which is mandatory but barely obeyed) to at least set a good example.

Araw araw ko hinahayaang pag-ibig ang gumising at mag bigay sa akin ng pahinga.

E ALANNA Opinion Editor

DevCom Editor

ANNIKA

I am always “puyat” not because of acads related stuffs but because of binge watching all night. #TulogSaUmagaGisingSaGabi

#StruggleIsReal with my educational finances in these times. To lessen my parents’ burden, I came to the rescue by earning money to help fulfill my academic needs.

In the waging war with COVID-19, the frontliners are the incomparable heroes. And as a member of the community, I think the frontliner-like acts that I have done are remaining vigilant and being unconditionally selfless.

YSABELLE

Literary Editor

CLARENCE ROAILA

ROICE

Sports Editor

Managing Creative Editor Director for Finance

Multimedia Director

Dahil sa online class, nagagawa kong tubig ang kape.

------I became the strength of others, I always put theM first before myself.

To bust out the lockdown blues of my friends I have come up with the idea of editing and sending and our old photos to our GC and instantly became our source of laughter and evetually saved us from the lurking anxiety.

Circulations Director

JAZ

Layout Artist

FAITH

I protect myself and others by following the safety protocols.

Natuto akong bumuhay ng halaman para ma-save si mother Earth.

JAYSON

CEDIE

JENINA

Pinanatiling ‘di matitinag at matatag ang pananampalataya sa Kanya sa kabila ng lahat ng pagsubok sa buhay. At, pananalangin sa araw-araw.

Nagtulong tulong kaming magkakaibigan para magsimula ng donation drive para tumulong dun sa nasalanta ng bagyo sa Cagayan at Isabela, Nung una kami kami lang pero nagulat kami biglang may ibang nag papadala na sa bahay ng mga pagkain at iba pang gamit na pwede ibigay. Kami din yung kumuha ng ibang donations sa Cabanatuan para sa mga hindi makalabas at yung mga kaibigan ko ang nag dala sa Cagayan at Isabela.

Hmm, siguro ‘yong pagiging isang student assistant ang isa sa malafrontliner act na nagawa ko dahil despite of the pandemic, we are still here, doing our responsibilities as on of the student leaders of WU-P. Hindi naging handalng ang COVID sa pagsisilbi namin sa university. Pumapasok kami kahit alam namin na mayroong possibility na mahawaan kami ng sakit mula sa nakapaligid sa ‘min.

Cartoonist

Photojournalist

RUSSEL

Cartoonist

AIRA

ALLYSA

Ngayong pandemic, nagkaroon ako ng silbi as a news reporter sa family namin tungkol sa mga reported cases sa mga lugar na malapit sa amin. Nagvolunteer rin ako sa pamimigay ng bottled waters sa mga frontliners sa amin at nag-donate ng mga basic goods sa mga kababayan natin na nasalanta ng bagyo sa Cagayan at Isabela.

Ang walang sawang pagsagip sa sarili tuwing malulunod sa kumunoy ng kalungkutan.

Cartoonist

Trainee

Hindi naman ako makaka-frontliner act if ‘di okay mental health ko eh, hahaha, ibinuhos ko sa ibang bagay enery ko.

Trainee

GWYNLETH

JESRYLL

Naging chef at story teller ako ngayong lockdown, kinuvwentuhan at binigyan ng pagkain ang ating kapulisan, mga doktor, at nurses sa gawi ng aking barangay.

Took care of myself so I can take better care of others.

Trainee

ANNE Trainee

KEIGHT

LYCKA

I am only a vessel for the God whom I serve, all that I’m capable of is by grace and through faith.

During the lockdown, ako yung naging resident dish washer sa bahay namin

I learn to know myself a little bit better. Discovered Girl in Red,,

Trainee

SIR EMMAN Technical Adviser

Teaching! Hahahahaha

Trainee

PHOTOS AND PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS CREDITS FEATURES Stories in Isolation: Movies that made my quarantined life better (3-4) Forrest Gump - Internet Movie Poster Awards, Spotlight - Dariusz Filipek/Medium, Scott Pilgrim vs The World - The Poster Movement/Pinterest, Frances Ha - Scott Saslow/Pinterest, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm - Reelgood Warning; Watching Kdrama is very addicting Romantic Doctor S1 - wowKorea/Twitter, Itaewon Class - Diutang.com, It’s Okay Not To Be Okay - Valen_international/ Pinterest, Reply 1988 - IMDb/Pinterest, Record of Youth - Pooja nagar/Pinterest, Sky Castle - denicecorner.blogspot.com, Start Up - SZ/Pinterest, Confessions of a Shopeeholic Kisspng Paw Park SM City Cabanatuan Pandemic Trends Among Us - Xcolorings.com/Pinterest, Plants - ClipartKey

DEVCOM Fake News ‘As Deadly’ as Virus United Nations/Unsplash

Expressions: Online vs. Face-to-Face Communication Zhuo Cheng You/Unsplash Penultimate Peril: Economic Turmoil Due to Surge of COVID-19 BankokPost

SPORTS FEATURES “Would you like to start my clock?” PhilBray/Netfilx via Npr.com, Forbes Lookback: Top 10 Sports Events in the Philippines in 2020 Philippine Basketball Association/pba.ph, Federazione Italiana Pesistica, Showtime Boxing via Manila Bulletin, Tiebreaker Times, PSC-POC Media Group/PhilStar Showtime Boxing via Inquirer.net Plot Twist: Iniyuko ngunit Tiningala James Delos Santos/Instagram, Patrick Segovia/MultiSportPh A Time of Feminine Strength Getty Images

NEWS

Eala - GMA News, Diego Maradona - Getty Images/TheSun

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