Heraldo Filipino Vol. 30 Issue 1

NEWS FEATURE

FEATURES

LITERARY

SPORTS

The K to 12 dilemma

Into the sea of lies

Disconnected

A smashing swift success

page 4

page 10

page 12

page 14

JUNE - AUGUST 2015

facebook.com/HeraldoFilipino

twitter.com/HeraldoFilipino

officialheraldofilipino@gmail.com

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIÑAS

LATE DECISION. The Supreme Court ordered the D.M. Consunji, Incorporated (DMCI) Homes on June 16 to immediately stop the construction of the 49-storey Torre de Manila condominium for allegedly ruining the view of the Jose Rizal Monument in Manila.

Meanwhile, the discussion of the petition to demolish the said condominium is still in process. Kathelyn Miel Bravo

Class opening to shift in August Academic Council removes University break

By Patricia Anne De Leon

In preparation for the 2015 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Market Integration, the University has started to align the academic calendar with international schools by gradually adjusting the opening of classes to August, as per University Registrar Marialita Esberto.

According to Esberto, the changes in the said calendar, which began this academic year (AY) 2015-

HAIL. Brother William ‘Bill’ Mann, FSC, together with Brother President Augustine Boquer, FSC and the Board of trustees, patriotically sang the university anthem as they completed the conferment of honorary degree awarded to Brother Mann on July 22 at Ugnayang La Salle. Sheena Faye Lopez

DLSU-D receives institutional accreditation

By Katherine Anne Aboy

The University has been granted institutional accreditation after the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU) has accredited 86 percent of all program offerings, as per Quality Assurance Office Director Lucila Calairo.

An institutional accreditation refers to the evaluation of the school as a whole, unlike the program accreditation that only applies to colleges or academic programs, and does not extend to other courses within the same department in the University.

Since the course programs of Mechanical, Civil, and Industrial Engineering, Criminology, Hotel

and Restaurant Management, and Tourism Management each received a Level 1 status following the PAASCU’s formal survey last September, Calairo said the school is qualified to apply for an institutional accreditation.

“One of the criteria is that at least 75 percent of all the program offerings of the University should have been accredited. So ‘yung resulta ng last PAASCU visit ‘yung hinihintay lang natin para ma-attain ‘yung 75 percent,” she added.

Other requirements for the institutional accreditation include the University’s licensure test scores to be at par with or above the national passing rate for three consecutive Board examinations, and at least Level 3 status granted

to the Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education programs.

Calairo said the PAASCU reaccredited the Level 4 core programs of the College of Business Administration and Accountancy, College of Liberal Arts and Communication, College of Education, and College of Science and Computer Studies for another five years, while the Computer Science program was granted Level 2 accreditation.

“Lahat ng colleges ay may accredited program na. Ang mga hindi na lang [accredited] ay few programs like Architecture dahil wala pang PAASCU instrument (criteria and survey form) available,” she mentioned.

see ACCREDITATION/ page 3

2016, will be completed in two to three years as classes next AY would start in July.

Since DLSU-D is the first university in Cavite to move their academic calendar, the administration decided that the shifting will not be done abruptly. Esberto said, “Some of the students may think of transferring to another school because of the waiting time.”

She added that the opening of classes in August will allow the

University to accommodate foreign students who cannot enroll due to the conflict between our academic calendar and the calendar of schools abroad.

Furthermore, Esberto said the late opening of classes in the tertiary level this AY is also aligned with the DLSU-D High School’s academic calendar, which started on July.

In an article in the HERALDO FILIPINO Vol. 28 Issue 4, the 2015 ASEAN Market Integration

of this AY’s tuition hike. According to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the country recorded only 2.4 percent inflation rate this January.

As per the administration’s budget guidelines, Narvaez said that 70 percent of the increase will be allotted for the employees’ salaries and benefits, while 30 percent will fund the University’s capital development like classroom improvement.

“We are not increasing our operating expenses because we need more teaching facilities. We are prioritizing laboratories and all about related (sic) to instruction in our budget increase,” she added.

According to Narvaez, the tuition increase, approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), was consulted with various student leaders,

see CALENDAR SHIFT / page 2

Admin implements lowest tuition hike ‘in history’

By Patricia Anne de Leon

The administration increased the tuition for freshmen and upperclassmen to four percent and three percent, respectively, this academic year (AY) 2015-2016, which Assistant Vice Chancellor for Finance (AVCF) Belinda Narvaez confirms as the lowest increase “in history.”

Narvaez said that the low inflation rate in the country caused the reduction

see TUITION HIKE / page 2

CBAASC plans program councils’ return

By April Ciaralei Cenedoza

In response to the issues on information dissemination and lack of manpower, College of Business Administration and Accountancy Student Council (CBAASC) 2015-2016 President Audry Vallejo said they are planning to restore the program

councils in their college for the next academic year (A.Y) 20162017. “[We] plan to nullify the 2014 CBAASC Constitution, knowing that it was just amended last year. Kapag naipabalik namin ang program councils ngayong taon, it will take effect next year,” Vallejo said.

In an article issued in the Heraldo Filipino Vol. 29 Issue 3, former CBAASC President Jhay Lantin explained the removal of program councils as one of the provisions in the 2014 CBAASC Constitution, “Sa CBAA kasi mas nananaig ang mga RSOs (Recognized Student

see PROGRAM COUNCIL/ page 3

NEWS

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 2

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

CALENDAR SHIFT from page 1 will open more opportunities for Filipino students to study in different countries in Southeast Asia. The alignment of the academic calendar with other nations will also give students and professionals in the country more chances to engage in exchange programs and researches with other international schools.

Removal of U-break The Academic Council, headed

by Vice Chancellor for Academics and Research Olivia Legaspi, decided to remove the University break (U-break) to give students more options for their

schedules and “to encourage them to attend their classes more often.”

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Services Marco Saez added that all student activities during the U-break would be conducted throughout the Student’s Week and the Lasallian Festival celebrations instead.

However, Saez said that meetings usually scheduled during the U-break hours may be moved to other days provided that classes will not be affected.

He clarified that the removal of U-break was not due to the

insufficiency of classrooms in the campus.

Meanwhile, the administration changed the previous schedule of Monday and Friday combination to Monday and Wednesday combination, to exempt the students from doing their assignments during the weekend.

“Assignments that are given on Friday do not have to be done in time for Monday,” Saez said. Esberto furthered that some faculty members said students tend to forget the lessons discussed due to the span between Monday and Friday. With a report from Katherine Anne Aboy

PARKING. The new parking space along Acacia Avenue, which covers the road from the Kindled Nest Diner to the Francisco Barzaga Hall, aims to decrease traffic during rush hour at Gate 3. This traffic scheme also aims to reduce crowding in parking lots. John Felix Malicsi

GSO responds to traffic flow, parking space issues

By Patricia Anne de Leon Due to the growing student population in the University, the General Services Office (GSO) has implemented a new traffic scheme to address concerns on the traffic flow, parking spaces, and pedestrian safety inside the campus starting June 10, according to GSO Director Edwin Bunag.

“There will be [a] series of traffic advisories depending on the need, especially for the opening of classes per college and High School department. We have already released our first traffic advisory, which is the one-way ikot along the West Avenue and the Acacia Avenue,” Bunag said.

The West Avenue passes through the College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA) building, Gregoria Montoya Hall (GMH), and University Food Square, while the Acacia Avenue covers the road from the Kindled Nest Diner (KND) to the Francisco Barzaga Hall.

Since the DLSU-D High School Department are only allowed to use the parking space near Ugnayang La Salle (ULS), which causes traffic along the area, vehicles can now be parked along Acacia Avenue, Bunag added.

“This could address issues on increasing [demand for] parking space … this would help decongest [and] decrease the volume of vehicles during rush hour at the High School Department,” he said.

He furthered that they indicated certain areas for the pedestrians to ensure their safety from passing vehicles. “In this new traffic advisory, all vehicles should stay on the right side and all the pedestrians should be on the other side.”

According to Bunag, they are developing different traffic schemes that can adapt to the increasing volume of vehicles entering the campus during peak hours, and create a road network to improve traffic flow.

He mentioned that the proper cautionary signs regarding the new scheme were already posted in the mentioned routes for the awareness of the DLSU-D community.

Bunag said the alteration of the traffic scheme will vary on the situation, so no changes will be immediately made to the current scheme as long as it works effectively. With a report from April CIaralei Cenedoza

Admin to offer scholarship grants for HS students

By Katherine Anne Aboy The administration will open internally-funded scholarship programs for incoming DLSU-D High School students next academic year (AY) 2016-2017, according to Student Scholarship Office (SSO) Coordinator Eric Vargas.

He clarified that this will not affect the number of scholarship grants offered to the college students since part of the high school students’ tuition will be used to fund their own scholarship programs.

Vargas said, “It will be similar to the University scholarship fund, wherein a portion of the college

students’ tuition will go to the scholars.”

Due to the request of employees in the University, the Enhanced Brother President Scholarship Program (EBPSP) will be offered to qualified children of DLSU-D faculty and staff.

see SCHOLARSHIP/ page 3

DIMINISHED. The tuition increase for freshmen and upperclassmen fell at an average rate of 17 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively, since academic year (AY) 2012-2013, as per the records from the Office of the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Finance. Infographic by Camille Joy Gallardo TUITION HIKE from page 1 parents, faculty, staff, and administrators during a series of multisectoral meetings held on January 29, February 5, and February 18.

Although the said increase will only be on the student’s tuition, Narvaez added that “there are certain miscellaneous fees that [could] increase based on the request of the colleges or departments.” In the College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA), the fee for capital development fund is now P250, from the previous amount of P200.

Meanwhile, Narvaez said that students with late and unpaid accounts will still observe the 3 percent, 4 percent, and 5 percent surcharge policy.

Concerns on other fees Due to the mid-year commencement exercises, Narvaez said the graduation fee increased from P900 to P1,200, which the administration will implement in October. “In the past, we conduct graduation only during

either March, April, or May ... so there are fixed costs related to that and yet [the administration] have (sic) not collected an additional [fee],” she said.

Moreover, the fee for students who will take an English Proficiency course increased from P600 to P900, while the internet fee that is charged for all the students reached P800 from the previous P600.

During the multisectoral meeting, Narvaez said that some student leaders raised their issues regarding the benefits of Other fees in the Student’s Assessment. “They are questioning, for example, how students benefit from the Alumni fee, the Museo fee, and the Botanical garden fee, [pero] wala kaming kinalaman doon.”

Narvaez also mentioned that students enrolled in practicum courses during the summer term may not pay the miscellaneous fees since they are outside the campus and will not be able to use classrooms and facilities in the University.

REACT

The administration has implemented new guidelines on bills payment to encourage students to pay in banks and other payment centers outside the University. We asked several DLSU-D students if these guidelines are effective in reducing long queues at Counters 14, 15, and 16 during the recent enrollment period.

For now, hindi pa. Kasi may mga nagbabayad pa rin sa mga counters due to various reasons.

Siguro magiging effective ‘yung guidelines kapag sinabayan nila ito ng queue management.

Syeya Omelig Fourth year Information Technology

No, the guidelines are ineffective because you still have to fall in line at the Counter areas, [which also results in] long queues.

Lloyd Algarne Third year Architecture

Yes, the guidelines are effective in easing the long queues at Counters 14, 15, and 16 because it makes the transactions faster.

Danielle Louis Noveno First year Management Accounting

Yes, it is less hassle for me because the administration would just confirm the payment.

There would be no need to count the money and wait for the receipt. If they will remove the queue for receipts, more counters can open to accommodate students with their payments (sic).

Kaitlyn Javier Fourth year Broadcast Journalism

Yes, dahil karamihan ng magulang ay may bank account kaya kumpara dati, nabawasan ‘yung mahabang proseso sa admininstration tulad noong ako ay nagbayad.

Jobert Andre Bañaga Fourth year Physical Education

I think those guidelines will help both the students and parents to accomplish their payment transactions in banks and other payment centers. This would also save time, especially during the peak season of enrollment.

Rexver Alla Fourth year Human Biology

Yes, [the guidelines] are effective, but the validation of payment should be taken care of, as well.

Conrado Ambrosio Fourth Year Architecture

I think it is effective because it’s easier to pay now. Instead of going to school to pay, we can avoid the long queues and pay at the nearest bank.

Gian Angela Santos First year Elementary Education

Hindi, kasi mahaba pa rin ‘yung pila sa bawat counter at kahit na magbayad pa sa mga bangko mahaba pa rin ‘yung pipilahin nila sa Counter 12.

Kevin Clark Rabino Fourth year Computer Science

NEWS

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 3

HRMO adopts biometrics system for staff attendance

By April Ciaralei Cenedoza In lieu of the manual daily time record (DTR) system, the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) has installed new biometrics machines to monitor the attendance of the University staff since April 13.

According to HRMO Staff Services Head Eugenia Lontoc, the biometrics system, which costs P10,072 each, is a fingerprint recognition software that allows staff to record their time of entry and exit in the campus.

Since there are two biometrics machines installed each in Gates 1 and 3, she said, “It will be very convenient on the part of the staff because they can log in or out from either the East or West Campus.”

The HRMO has also coordinated with the Information

and Communications Technology Center (ICTC) so that the staff will be able to view their attendance through their Portal.

Systems and Applications Development Unit (SADU) Head Jonah Dave Mendez added, “Gumawa kami ng module na kukuha no’ng [DTR] data, then ilalagay sa human resource system para ipi-print na lang [ng HRMO]. So ‘yung DTR nila ay electronic na at hindi na ‘yung time-in and time-out card.”

Compared to the manual DTR system, Lontoc said the biometrics system would minimize the tasks of the HRMO personnel because they will no longer distribute individual time cards every 15th and 30th month to more than 300 employees.

She furthered, “They (staff) will no longer worry for a missing

DTR on the rack or improperly punching their DTR that will result in the validation by the HRMO Staff Services.”

The biometrics system could also lessen the costs in purchasing DTR forms per semester, she added.

However, Lontoc said that a power failure might result in the loss of information from the biometrics system. Mendez furthered, “Lahat naman ay may advantage and disadvantage.

Since electronic [device] iyan, purely reliable ito sa power, so once na nag-brownout, hindi na sila (staff) makakagamit.”

Meanwhile, the HRMO is conducting a parallel test on the said system, wherein the staff uses both the biometrics machine and the Bundy clock to check if the recorded attendance is correct.

Sampaguita Dorm closes due to new building construction

By April Ciaralei Cenedoza The administration discontinued accepting occupants for the Sampaguita Dormitory this academic year (AY) 2015-2016 in line with the accomplishment of the proposed one-storey building for the female dormitory occupants.

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Finance (AVCF) Belinda Narvaez said they are planning to complete its construction within six months.

The new building, which will begin its construction this first semester, would resolve room shortage issues since it can accommodate more dormitory occupants.

“There are applicants we have to deny because we have no available space [in the ladies’ dormitories],” she said.

According to Dormitory Head Elizabeth Fernandez, 43 female students formerly residing in Sampaguita Dormitory have transferred to the Waling-waling building and other dormitories outside the campus.

Fernandez said that they did not consider renovating the Sampaguita building since it would cost more than the construction of the new building.

Recalling the article about the Sampaguita Dormitory in the HERALDO FILIPINO Vol. 29 Issue 2, Typhoon Glenda affected the said dormitory where the roof of the left wing was damaged, and room D2L5 had a leakage. “Noong Typhoon Glenda, dalawang sanga kasi ‘yung bumagsak sa bubong. Tapos ang ginawa namin ay immediate transfer ng mga [left wing] occupants sa Retreat and Conference Center (RCC),” Fernandez said.

They will use the revenue from the University Dormitory to fund the building construction, which costs at least 80 million pesos, including electrical and other materials, Narvaez said.

However, she clarified that the building itself would only amount to approximately 50 million pesos. “We will not be using the funds of the school definitely … so what we will do is to borrow for the construction, and the income [from the new dormitory] will be used to pay for the borrowed funds,” she explained.

Since the new dormitory requires an electrical substation, Narvaez said this would entail additional expenses. She opined that if the said substation is charged alone to the new building, all electrical connections of the other dormitories will be diverted to the electrical substation.

She furthered that they are planning to install solar panels in the new dormitory to reduce excessive electricity consumption. As of press time, the supplies needed for the construction has yet to undergo the bidding process.

Regarding the fee for the new dormitory fee, Narvaez said the price has not been determined yet because the administration also considers the plan to accommodate international students in the new building.

Meanwhile, 16 female athletes will transfer to the Waling-waling building upon the start of the new dormitory construction since the athletes’ dormitory will also be used as the area for the new building.

ACCREDITATION from page 1 Meanwhile, Calairo said the Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Information Technology programs will undergo the PAASCU’s formal survey in February 2016 since these programs have passed the preliminary survey.

Benefits According to Calairo, the institutional accreditation would

help maintain the autonomous status of the University.

Schools that have been given autonomous status by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) are allowed to prescribe their own curricula, confer honorary degrees, and offer new courses without securing permits from the said government agency.

CHED also prioritizes these

institutions in granting subsidies and financial assistance whenever funds are available.

Calairo furthered that the institutional accreditation entailed the development of internal quality assurance mechanisms in academic supervision, student support services, facility improvement, and curriculum design to ensure the quality of education.

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

NEWS BRIEFS

ERMaC eyes solar panel installation in Univ. bldgs.

By Katherine Anne Aboy The Environmental Resource Management Center (ERMaC) anticipates the installation of solar panels in some University buildings, including Julian Felipe Hall, Paulo Campos Hall, the College of Business Administration and Accountancy, and the Ugnayang La Salle.

“Maaaring hindi lahat ng buildings [ang makakabitan] kasi ang tinitingnan do’n ay ‘yung exposure sa sunlight. May mga buildings tayo na hindi gaanong exposed sa sunlight lalonglalo na ‘yung mga one-storey buildings,” ERMaC Director Marlon Pareja said.

Pareja said that private companies, such as Solar Philippines and Lim Solar, expressed their interest in installing solar panels in the University and inspected the said buildings. As of press time, the ERMaC has yet to confirm further details regarding the installation of solar panels as they are still waiting for the proposal of the said companies.

Since the selected company will fund the installation, Pareja clarified that the school

would only serve as a solar panel site stating that “...walang capital expenditure na mangagaling sa school kasi ‘yung company ang mag-i-install [ng solar panels].”

He said that the additional solar panels would reduce the operating cost of the University in terms of electricity. “Imbes na magbayad tayo sa Meralco with this amount, mas bababa na ‘yung babayaran natin [depende] kung gaano kalaki ang kilowatts na i-install no’ng company.”

He furthered that the possible cost reduction in electricity would not significantly affect the students’ tuition since utility expenses are not the only cause of annual tuition increase.

Meanwhile, Pareja said the solar lampposts and solar panels in the covered walkway along the Oval were financed by donations and the income generated from the University’s waste management program.

As part of the Carbon Neutral project, he added that the University has reduced its carbon footprint by utilizing environment-friendly equipment like LED bulbs instead of fluorescent lights. With a report from John Paul Gonzales

BFMO installs elevators in Alumni, High School buildings

By Patricia Anne De Leon The elevator installations in Severino De Las Alas Hall, which houses the Alumni Relations and Placement Office, and the DLSU-D High School building are considered as a multistory structure requirement, said Buildings and Facilities Maintenance Office (BFMO) Director Arch. Dennis Pontanilla.

Structures comprised of four floors or more, such as the Alumni and High School buildings, require either ramps or elevators for people with disabilities (PWD) and for carrying stocks between levels, according to Pontanilla.

University Controller Deodoro Abiog said the elevators in the Alumni and High School

buildings, which can load 10 to 15 people, costs approximately P2,628,000 and P2,983,000, respectively.

He added that the rental income of rooms in the Alumni building would finance its elevator installation, while the High School will use their general fund for the project.

“This won’t affect the tuition of the college students since not all of them are using the building,” Abiog said.

Meanwhile, Pontanilla furthered that they will conduct a monthly inspection of elevator motors and cables for necessary replacement and repairs once the installations in the Alumni and High School buildings are finished in August and September, respectively.

PROGRAM COUNCIL from page 1 Organizations). We do not want conflict to happen between RSOs and program councils.”

However, Vallejo admitted that the council cannot restore the program councils this academic year because as stated in Article XII, Section 3 of the 2014 CBAA Student Council Constitution, no revision shall be authorized within two years following the ratification of the Constitution. The Constitution can only be amended once every other year.

As of press time, Vallejo said they already discussed the said plan with the RSOs in CBAA. However, she has not yet confirmed further details on their proposal to return the program councils.

She argued that the program councils could help in communicating with the students regarding activities and events since some of the students are not

completely informed by the student council.

Another advantage of the program councils is that it is committed to the student council itself, unlike the RSOs, who have responsibilities to the Council of Student Organizations (CSO).

“Hindi namin puwedeng sabihin sa kanila (RSOs) na g awin niyo ito o gawin niyo iyan, kasi mayroon din silang ginagawa sa CSO,” she added.

A new alliance Meanwhile, Vallejo said that they established the Alliance of Business Leaders for Integrated Student Service (ABLISS) as an alternative to the program councils this AY 2015-2016. ABLISS is a joint-project among CBAASC and different RSOs such as the Allied Business Student Society (ABSSoc), Business Operations Management Society (BOMS),

Junior Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (JFINEX), Junior Marketing Association (JMA), Junior People Management Association of the Philippines (JPMAP), Junior Philippine Association of Management Accountants (JPAMA), and the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA).

The ABLISS, also headed by Vallejo, is an alliance comprised of various members from the student council and the RSOs who will work together in planning activities that cater to the needs and interests of the students.

“Kung maganda ang magiging resulta ng ABLISS, hindi na kailangang ibalik [ang program councils] dahil baka ang problema lang pala ay proper communication and integration of plans,” Vallejo said.

SCHOLARSHIP from page 2 Vargas said they would also grant financial assistance for high school students who are members of varsity teams and performing arts groups. “We are on the process already in talking with key persons that we need for that scholarship program.”

Although the administration is still organizing the policies and guidelines for the said scholarship programs, Vargas confirmed that they will open the application for both junior and senior high school students next AY. He added that they will also look for external benefactors in partnership with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Mission and External Affairs to further support the scholarship programs in the secondary level.

New external benefactor

BUILDING UPGRADE. The Buildings and Facilities Maintenance Office expects the elevator installation at the Alumni building to finish in August. Roxanne Valerie Rasco

Incoming grade 7 enrollees who graduated as valedictorian or salutatorian can now apply for a full scholarship grant, which is externally-funded by the private investment holding company, Paxys Global Services, this AY 2015-2016.

The scholarship grant will subsidize the selected high school students until they finish grade 12, Vargas said.

He added that qualified high school students will receive a financial aid amounting to P55,000 each per AY, however, the University would still pay for their additional expenses such as books and uniform as the tuition costs almost P56,000.

Since the external benefactor offered a full scholarship grant, Vargas said only a maximum of five high school students who should each maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 85 percent with no failing marks can be given the financial aid.

Aside from a good academic standing, he said that they will also limit the scholarship grants to students whose family’s combined annual income is P150,000 or below.

“We don’t know yet if they are going to offer [another scholarship grant] next AY. Kapag nasatisfy namin ‘yung requirements nila at maayos ‘yung partnership, then probably they will offer it again next year,” Vargas mentioned. With a report from Patricia Anne de Leon

N E W S F E AT U R E

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 4

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

The K to 12 dilemma Reviewing the program’s impact on teachers

By Katherine Anne Aboy | Illustration by Wenchie Tacate

As the K to 12 Basic Education program approaches its critical stages, an increasing number of educators from different colleges and universities have insisted for its suspension on the grounds of massive job losses. The said program has caused panic among professors due to the foreseen decrease in enrollment as fourth year high school (grade 10) students will enter grade 11 instead of the tertiary level in 2016, forcing schools to reduce the employment of faculty and staff.

In spite of the government’s efforts to mitigate the labor implications of the K to 12 program, various groups continue to protest against the curriculum. This led to five petitions filed before the Supreme Court to stop its full implementation, as stated in the article K to 12: Who loses, who profits by Marjohara Tucay on inquirer.net.

Although the Aquino administration and the Department of Education (DepEd) have dismissed criticisms about the program’s transition period, this issue still demands the utmost attention from the academic community since it will affect an important aspect of education—the teachers.

Reduced teaching loads According to DLSU-D Faculty Association (FA) President Bernard Esternon, they expect the number of freshman enrollees to fall by almost 3,500 next academic year (AY), subsequently decreasing the number of teaching loads available for the faculty members.

In response to this concern, the FA has passed a set of resolutions to the administration last June, wherein they specified options that would ensure each full-time professor will get at least 18 units per semester.

Esternon said they proposed to establish a departmental ad hoc committee, comprised of the department chair, a senior faculty, and a representative from the corresponding discipline, which would submit the list of professors who will be given teaching loads to the institutional ad hoc committee.

“Hindi dapat ‘yung institutional ad hoc committee ang magfa-finalize kung sino ‘yung mga faculty na mabibigyan ng load kasi masyado silang diverse. ‘Yung

department ang nakakaalam kung sino ‘yung deserving or qualified professors,” he added.

As stated in one of their proposed resolutions, the teaching loads given to the faculty members should be based on their field of specialization, seniority, and performance evaluation.

The FA also suggested that the administration could offer “back loading” for full-time faculty members who are willing to teach extra subjects to receive the same amount of salary and benefits. “Pagdating ng 2018 kung saan regular na ‘yung pasok ng mga estudyante, bibigyan ang mga faculty ng extra load pero hindi sila babayaran para ma-cover ‘yung mga binayad sa kanila no’ng wala o kulang ‘yung load na itinituro nila,” Esternon said.

He furthered that the K-12 Personnel Management committee, headed by College of Science and Computer Studies Dean Johnny Ching, recommended full-time professors without teaching loads in college to transfer in DLSU-D High School once AY 2016-2017 starts.

The faculty members agree with the said recommendation provided that there will be no diminution of their salaries and benefits, despite the difference between the tuition collected from the high school and college students. If loads in the college departments become available, the FA proposed that professors should be requested to return to their teaching posts in the tertiary level.

Esternon said the K-12 Personnel Management committee is considering legal opinions to clarify issues on whether college professors in the University should resign so they can teach in DLSU-D High School.

“Ang mga full-time permanent faculty ay dapat hindi mag-resign kasi bibigyan lang sila ng load doon sa High School dahil kulang ‘yung [load] sa college. Ang worry ng mga faculty kapag nag-resign sila sa college, pagdating nila sa high school, panibagong employment na ‘yun so babalik sila sa step one (low rank).”

Although the administration has confirmed that the University will offer grades 11 and 12 in

the succeeding AYs, the FA remains concerned if the number of high school students would be sufficient to accommodate the required teaching loads.

Esternon added that college faculty members with a minimum of five years of teaching experience are no longer required to pass the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) to be qualified to teach in high school, as per the guidelines released by DepEd. During the transition period, the FA also proposed that college faculty members who are not teaching any subjects should be given other paid assignments such as research.

‘No retrenchment’ The FA deems that there’s no possibility of retrenchment or termination of full-time faculty members, but they still passed a resolution to retain permanent professors for the duration of the K to 12 program implementation.

A study conducted by the K-12 Personnel Management committee estimated that 180 professors from all colleges would be affected by the program implementation in 2016.

“Possible na hindi magkakaproblema sa pagbibigay ng teaching loads para sa mga full-time faculty. ‘Yung part-time professors lang talaga kasi hindi sila magiging priority kung mawawalan ng mga first year students,” Esternon said. He added that they are currently determining ways on how to help the part-time professors since they are still part of the FA. Since some colleges offer specialized disciplines, such as Engineering and Architecture, part-time faculty members who have experience in the industry would still be hired.

Esternon also said the professors would probably encounter the same problems in 2017 when the student population would be lessened by another 3,500 enrollees.

The FA continues to coordinate with the administration regarding this matter as they are yet

to confirm the plans of the University for faculty members who will be affected by the K to 12 program implementation in the coming AYs. As of press time, Vice Chancellor for Academics and Research Olivia Legaspi said that they plan to release the approved guidelines on faculty and staff retention after the Board of Trustees meeting in September.

Government’s response To evade the consequences of zero tertiary enrollment, higher educational institutions (HEIs) will be permitted to accept college enrollees and transferees during the transition period of the K to 12 program, as stated in the Commission of Higher Education’s (CHED) memorandum released on July 13.

These students would include graduates from 57 public schools and 334 private schools that were authorized by DepEd to pilot the senior high school (SHS) program prior to its full implementation next AY. CHED has advised HEIs to establish an advanced assessment system that will credit courses of the said graduates from the SHS Early Adopter Schools to avoid duplication.

Meanwhile, students who graduated before 2016 and failed to complete their undergraduate degrees could enroll from AYs 2016-2017 to 2017-2018, as a “last chance to go to college,” as per Commission En Banc (CEB) Resolution No. 264, series of 2015.

Universities and colleges have the discretion on whether they will open their student admission or not, and on which programs to offer during the next two years, according to the said memorandum.

The government is also considering the inclusion of a P29-billion transition fund to the 2016 budget of CHED and the Department of Labor and Employment to mitigate the effects of the expected decline in college enrollment, as stated by Janvic Mateo in his article on philstar.com.

Why we love superheroes by means of half-hearted jokes, wasted privilege speeches, and dramatic antics.

“

Our government leaders serve as the embodiment of our crazy superhero fantasies; but rather than being the heroes, they become the villains

“

As far as sci-fi movies go, Filipinos have always adored superhero films. Our admiration can be attributed to a lot of reasons (most of which seem superficial) such as their charming looks, tremendous wealth, or heart-stopping charisma.

But superheroes are more than these characteristics since most of them also possess a level of intellect comparable to Stephen Hawking, and most importantly, an unwavering penchant to save the universe.

In a modern world spurred by technology, we have been fantasizing the existence of people who have extraordinary abilities. As artist and The Real Life Super Hero Project creator Peter Tangen says, “They are fantasies of what we may become.” In other words, the superhero universe reflects our society wherein good and bad guys coexist. The

villains, of course, are the criminals and the supposed superhero is the government since they are entrusted to uphold peace and to execute the law. The superheroes in our world might not be able to fly or stop a moving train, but they do have the power to help and protect people’s lives.

However, after the media revealed the political scandals of the Pork Barrel and Malampaya Fund scams to the public, the government’s capability of doing such noble acts became even more questionable. According to rappler. com, three incumbent senators and five former House representatives have been charged over Janet Napoles’ multi-million scheme, involving the use of fake nongovernmental organizations to siphon off public funds. Since then, various government officials are continuously accused and investigated for graft, corruption, and plunder. Just imagine Superman getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. It’s embarrassing, and worse, they keep insisting their innocence

For years, we have endured these kinds of situation but I have never thought that the Philippine government could sink this low. Granted that not all public officials are corrupt, still, only a few of them have

the courage to fight corruption, which is what we desperately need now more than ever.

If we search the meaning of public office in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, i.e. the government, it states that officials must serve the people with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. The Constitution could have been exactly describing a real superhero who is brave, honest, and dedicated to fighting evil. Sadly, the only characteristic that genuine government leaders and superheroes share in our society nowadays is that they are both fictitious.

Hence, it may be possible that our ultimate reason for loving superheroes so much is because it somehow compensates our yearning for better government officials. Our government leaders serve as the embodiment of our crazy superhero fantasies; but rather than being the heroes, they become the villains. Yes, superheroes

and government officials both have their own personal lives to contend with, but it should not compel them to take the kaban ng bayan for mere self-indulgence. Public service does not entitle officials that kind of right. It should not mean that the duties they do for our country is at the expense of people suffering.

We want our government leaders to become the superheroes. We want to see them inspire people to pursue the same endeavors and inherit the virtues of superheroes. We want to be able to trust the government and tell our future children that public officials are to be regarded as role models.

Essentially, we want to believe that our government can improve our society. But we can only hope and pray that one day, our government officials will realize that helping Filipinos creates a significant impact, not only to our lives but also on theirs. Perhaps, we can keep a little faith in the government because like in all superhero movies, goodness always prevails.

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 6

OPINION

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

EDITORIAL

Enforcing evil

supposed real world, some could strive for independence that includes being able to deal with adversities by ourselves. Also, some may be apprehensive to share their problems for the fear of being judged.

As a psychology major, I have recently taken a test to determine my attitude toward

College is supposed to hone us to be mature individuals who can profoundly contribute to our society. While we have our subjects to develop our skills and knowledge in our chosen fields, perhaps the workload makes it easy for us students to forget that growth from our college experience is a holistic process that also includes our emotional and spiritual needs.

As students trying to figure out our lives, we have to overcome challenges in order to learn and attain our fullest potentials. Sometimes these challenges can seem more difficult than we can handle, igniting despair and depression. Such situations have even reached a point where suicide cases and suicide attempts have been reported in our University. While our school promotes holistic growth through counseling services, there is a detrimental stigma attached to seeking professional help that we should address.

Some students could view seeking professional help as a sign of personal weakness. Preparing ourselves for the

Founded: June 1985 Member, College Editors Guild of the Philippines EDITORIAL BOARD AY 2015-2016

SENIOR STAFF Jeff Treat Dimaano, Pamela Joven, Chelsea Ann Montilla, John Paul Gonzales, Chandler Belaro JUNIOR STAFF Rigel Almira, Lexzene Dela Cruz, Patricia Anne De Leon, Camille Joy Gallardo, Christian Paul Macapagal, Felix Malicsi, Christian Mateo, Queenee Manaog, Nishta Nigam, Roxanne Valerie Rasco, Wenchie Tacate, James Fidel Tan, Enrico Paolo Topacio Dr. Lakandupil C. Garcia, Adviser The HERALDO FILIPINO has its editorial office at Room 213, Gregoria Montoya Hall (Administration Building) De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines 4115.

Telephone: +63 2 8447832, +63 46 416 4531 local 3063 Email: officialheraldofilipino@gmail.com Contributions, comments, suggestions, and signed letters should be addressed to the editor in chief.

Thumbs up for the University Student Council’s effort in exhibiting due transparency through the infographics they released about their budget expenditure and meeting attendance in their social media account.

seeking professional, psychological help.

Contrary to what you might expect, results reveal that I also have a negative attitude toward seeking help from counselors. And yes, those aforementioned explanations are thoughts that have also crossed my mind.

Yet, we should not rob ourselves of a University service just because of negative ideas we have toward it. Also, the reasons I previously discussed are actually misconceptions. As I recently learned in my counseling class, counselors are merely facilitators in helping a troubled person; it is not actually their job to solve your problem for you. Instead, they shall guide you with the process of recovery, granting you independence to make decisions for yourself.

In fact, the effectiveness of a counseling

session is mostly dependent on a person’s willingness to overcome the problem.

As for issues about being judged for your problems, it is actually a counselor’s job to understand you instead of criticizing you.

And if you’re wondering, there is no defined guideline for the kinds of problems that are “worthy enough” to seek professional help.

If a persisting problem already affects your everyday functioning, your relationships, or your academic performance, you should seek help as soon as you can.

There is something brave in acknowledging that you need help instead of giving in to despair and anxiety, defeated. We are college students after all: not a lot of people expect us to have it all figured out. So we should maximize our opportunities for self-development, because we are capable of living a meaningful life and attaining our full potentials. Besides, we may never get things as easily once we permanently leave the comforts of University life.

***

As a student journalist, I could have written about social issues in this column. Yet the cliché stands true: place your oxygen mask first before assisting others. It is unrealistic to expect individuals to respond to social issues when they still have personal hurdles to overcome. Contrariwise, an individual with a healthy state of wellbeing would know their personal strengths and weaknesses— efficiently assessing how they can profoundly contribute to society.

Real world dramas

The Official Student Publication of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas

Daniella Shaira T. Cortez, Editor in Chief Krizza Mae M. Bautista, Associate Editor Sheena Faye G. Lopez, Managing Director Cerisse C. Madlangbayan, In charge, Copy editing Erika B. Uy, Office Circulations Manager Katherine Anne C. Aboy, News Editor Anri Ichimura, In charge, Features Danielle Vince D. Capuno, In charge, Literary Fernan Patrick R. Flores, Sports Editor Lynoelle Kyle E. Arayata, Art Director Ricardo Martin O. Cabale, Graphics and Layout Director Jerome S. Quinto, Chief Photographer Alphonse Leonard G. Topacio, Web Manager

“

We should maximize our opportunities for self-development

Mula nang magkolehiyo ako, tumanim na sa aking isipan ang mga paalala ng mga propesor (at maging ng ilang upperclassmen na kilala ko) kung gaano kahalagang maging handa ka para sa “real world.” Sa madaling sabi, ito ang karerang tatahakin mo sa oras na magtapos ka sa Pamantasan. Simula noo’y pinilit kong alamin kung paano magiging training ground ang Unibersidad upang palakasin ang kani-kaniyang kakayahan at kahinaan—mula sa pagpepresenta ng ating mga sarili sa harap ng maraming tao, sa pakikipagkomunika, at sa paglilinang sa sarisarili nating forte.

Kamakailan lang ay na-experience kong pasukin ang “real world” na ito nang sumailalim ako sa on-the-job training at natuklasan kong hindi naman pala ito kasing bangis ng inaasahan ko. Sa aking palagay, hindi naman talaga ang totoong mundo ang kalaban natin—ito ay ang sari-sarili nating mga multo na kung hindi natin magagapi ay lalamunin tayo ng buhay.

Ang mga multong ito na kilala rin bilang lack of confidence, insufficient skills, at—ang pinakakilala ng lahat—fear, ay panadyang

lalabas kapag nagsisimula ka nang sumabak sa buhay. Sa sarili kong karanasan, mula nang tahakin ko ang daan patungo sa industriya’y kasa-kasama ko ang insecurities na ‘yan.

Dumating tuloy sa punto na naitanong ko sa aking sarili: Handa na nga ba talaga ako?

Para sa freshmen na makakabasa nito, hindi ito isang panakot ngunit isang paalala.

Naniniwala akong dumarating naman talaga ang lahat sa punto kung saan kukuwestiyunin natin ang ating mga sarili kung sapat na ba ang mga nabuno nating kaalaman at kakayahan sa loob ng apat, lima, o higit pang taon upang mapatunayan nating kaya na

“

Sapat na ba ang mga nabuno nating kaalaman at kakayahan?

“

v

Before anything else

“

“Shut up.”

This was Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s reply to Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chief Loretta Ann Rosales, who criticized him for freely announcing his intention to kill rice smugglers in his city, saying that he was being “unethical” and “unbecoming of a public official.” Duterte merely clarified that he is willing to be thrown into jail for killing the smugglers in order to protect the interest of local farmers.

While this is not the first time that Duterte has declared bold threats against criminals, his sentiments still caused a stir in the public’s eye, particularly on human rights groups, whose far-fetched ideals are tested by his unapologetic behavior.

Perhaps the more controversial issue surrounding his term of office lies on his revelation that Davao City turned from a constant rebel warzone into one of the world’s safest city through criminal execution. Duterte oddly shared this disturbing fact during a speech attended by over 200 delegates at the first national convention of the Workplace Advocates on Safety in the Philippines on May 15. He believes the Western culture has swayed us into false thinking that the concept of human rights also applies to criminals. Duterte said: “When you start to be soft in this country and allow Western thoughts to sip in, that’s when you start to have a problem. They (Western governments) want to rehabilitate instead of just killing the idiots (criminals).”

Despite numerous cases filed by the CHR against Duterte for tolerating extrajudicial punishment and repeated accusations of allowing the infamous Davao Death Squad to commit alleged summary criminal executions; Duterte continues to promote the execution of criminal suspects as an effective crime-fighting strategy. The peace and order in Davao City has certainly proved his methods to be successful, although other public officials say he achieved development at a grim price by acting as the judge, jury, and possibly, the executioner.

Phil Zabriskie, the writer who dubbed Duterte as “The Punisher” in Time magazine, stated that copycat vigilante killings have cropped up in different cities in Mindanao as voters crave for the Duterte-type of security. Criticisms from local Muslim leaders, the Catholic Church, and democratic groups have been muted, and everyone in Davao seems contented though a little scared. Only child welfare and human rights bodies have complained about too many deaths.

Whether Duterte’s ways are right or not, he has exposed an ugly truth about the kind of society we have today in the Philippines—discipline is practiced and held only at gunpoint.

Murderers, rapists, and thieves, who are emboldened by our weak judicial system, consider themselves beyond the jurisdiction of lawmakers and enforcers so they become accustomed in repeating their offenses.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the courtcase disposition rate (ratio of total cases resolved over total cases filed in a year) has always been less than one since 2005. This indicates an increasing backlog on undecided cases across all types of court in the country. Indeed, Duterte’s temperament and beliefs would be considered unnecessary if only our government chooses to take a firm action against the growing threat of criminal activity.

As the proverbial saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures—and we are living in a desperate time.

nating panindigan ang pagiging professionals.

Mahaba-haba pa naman ang panahon at habang pare-pareho pa rin nating tinatapos ang ating mga “training” sa Unibersidad ay mas pagtuunan natin ng pansin ang ating mga kahinaan, at iwanan na ang takot na pumipigil sa ating pag-unlad bilang isang indibidwal.

Kaugnay sa isyung ito, napag-alamang ko mula sa ilang fourth year at alumni na mahina sa mga job interview ang mga mag-aaral ng

The College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology held some classes on Sunday, despite the day being officially part of the weekend.

DLSU-D. Kung tutuusin, level one pa lang ‘yon sa pakikipagtagisan natin sa industriya at nakababahalang sa unang parte pa lamang ng laban ay marami na ang nahihirapan. Hindi naman natin ito maisisisi sa ating Pamantasan dahil tayo mismo ay responsable sa pagpapabuti ng ating mga sarili.

Para sa ilan, maaaring ituring na minor issue lang ito. Ngunit kung iisipin nating mabuti, isa ang job interview sa magpapasiya ng kakayahan nating dalhin ang ating sarili.

Ito rin ang mag-iiwan ng impresyon sa mga tao. Sabi nga sa sikolohiya, dulo pa lang ito ng mala-iceberg nating dilemma. Nariyan pa ang major points tulad ng skills, competitiveness, at profiency na kailangan nating alalahanin upang maging malakas na kompetensiya sa industriya.

Alam ko namang hindi madaling alisin ang ating insecurities pero ganoon talaga, wala namang bagay na madali sa umpisa. Ngunit sa oras na magtagumpay tayong talunin ang ating mga multo, hindi na tayo matatakot harapin ang totoong mundo.

***

Naniniwala ako sa kaisipang “mind over matter.” Kung iisipin mong hindi mo kaya at panghihinaan ka ng loob, marahil magkatotoong matalo ka. Hindi sapat na sandata lang ang prestihiyosong pangalan ng ating Unibersidad.

Hindi sapat na panama ang makapal at magandang resume na ipapasa mo. Hindi sapat na nagtapos ka lang ng iyong kurso. Ang pinakaimportanteng sandata mo’y ang nahubog mong pagkataong hindi basta-basta maitutumba ng anumang riyalidad ng mundo.

Having met world class standards set by International Organization for Standardization, Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo – Information Resource Center, Center for Innovative Learning Programs, Center for Student Admissions, Language Learning Center, and the Office of the University Registrar are certified for ISO 9001: 2008.

OPINION

Dream vs. dream kaysa sa extreme optimist. Ang isang normal na optimist ay nakikita ang sarili sa makatotohanang daan na kanyang paghihirapang tahakin at lagpasan.

Ang extreme optimist ay mas padalos-dalos at aksayado sa mga bagay sa paligid niya dahil sa lubos niyang kagustuhan na matupad ang nasa isip o ang pangarap niya.

“

Sa sobrang optimistic mo, hindi mo na napapansin na nabubuhay ka sa totoong mundo

“

Bilang isang college student, kailangan mong matutong magplano. Isa sa pinakamagandang turo sa akin ng nanay ko ay dapat kapag nagpaplano ka, hindi lang puro salita. Minsan, hindi natin namamalayang napapasobra na ang pagpaplano natin. Walang masamang mangarap pero hinayhinay ka lang, hindi mo dapat biglain ang mga bagay kasi maaaring hindi ito matupad.

Ang malalaking pangangarap ay dala na rin ng pagiging extreme optimist ng mga tao. Ang optimism ay hango sa salitang Latin na optimus na ang ibig sabihin ay best. Ito ang paniniwala ng isang tao na ang mga bagay ay laging magiging maayos sa huli.

Batay sa pag-aaral ng mga researchers ng Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business , may mga tao ring “extremely optimistic” at ang mga taong ito’y may mas maiksing panahon ng pagplano, dahilan upang maging padalus-dalos sila.

Ayon din sa nasabing artikulo, ang isang “optimist” ay nagtatrabaho ng mas mahabang oras

nakabubuti, maaaring nakakalimutan mo nang may mga batas at patakaran kang dapat sundin; may mga taong dapat respetuhin, at may mga bagay na dapat pinagpaplanuhan muna bago gawin. Mahirap talagang mangarap lalo na kung may masasagasaang nakasanayan na—tradisyon na kumbaga.

Hindi dahil optimistic ka ay puwede mo nang gawin ang lahat ng gusto mo; lahat ng sobra ay masama. Nakababaliw rin kapag wala kang pahinga sa pagkamit ng mga pangarap at plano mo sa buhay.

Hindi mo mararamdaman ang sarap ng buhay kung magbibigay ka ng sobra-sobrang importansya sa isang daan sa buhay mo. May mga pagkakataong matalino ka, masipag ka, pumasok ka ng 30 minutes bago ang klase pero bagsak ka pa rin dahil sa prof mong hindi na nga maintindihan ang pagtuturo, sala sa init at sala sa lamig pa ang pagbibigay ng mababang marka. Kaya dapat matuto kang sumabay sa agos, hindi ‘yung kakalabanin mo ‘yung tubig— ikaw rin naman ‘yung mapapagod kakalangoy.

Kaya kung may gusto kang gawin sa buhay, dapat paghirapan, pag-isipan, at kunin mo ito ng dahan-dahan kasi maraming oras sa mundo para sa bawat plano. Gamitin mo ang iyong optimism ng tama, kilalaning maigi kung ano at sino ang maaaring maapektuhan sa lahat ng desisyon na ginagawa mo sa buhay mo—habang iniintindi mo kung ano ba talaga ang ipinaglalaban mo.

Wala namang masama sa pagiging isang optimist; may mga bagay lang na kailangan mong namnamin para makuha mo ‘yung timpla. Ang buhay ng isang college student ay hindi lang parang 3-in-1 na kape na kapag nilagay mo sa baso at hinalo mo ay okay na ang lasa. Maaaring sa pagiging sobrang optimistic mo, hindi mo na namamalayan na nabubuhay ka sa totoong mundo.

Sa kagustuhan mong baguhin ang mundo para sa

In defense of femininity before she (spoiler alert) died; but that we might never know. What I am certain of, though, is that we shouldn’t equate femininity with submissiveness.

A girl can like cleaning, working in the kitchen, have an affinity for Barbie on the side, and still be a strong female or a feminist.

“

Femininity is perceived as inferior to masculinity, as if having feminine traits make people fragile

“

Sometimes I daydream that I’m one of the Charlie’s Angels, all decked out in leather and holding two rose-engraved daggers like the badass I will never be in real life. I’ve basically plotted the entire film in my head; but that’s before I realized I’m about as adept as a couch potato inside the Hunger Games arena. It doesn’t seem easy to be a strong female character, because when we think of one, we normally imagine someone “tough, cold, terse, taciturn and prone to scowling” and devoid of femininity, as what Carina Chocano wrote in her New York Times article. It’s as if being girly or feminine should be shunned like a raisin on a loaf bread.

Take Maria Clara for example, the tragic love interest of Crisostomo Ibarra in Jose Rizal’s novel, Noli Me Tángere. She was conservative, feminine, and likes to make decisions that drive me to simultaneously face palm and bang my head against a textbook. While it is easy to view her as a submissive character, we also forget that we never got to see her point of view.

For all we know, she was an intellectual person who just had the best interest of people in mind. She could have even fought off evil friars in the sequel

The sad part about thinking femininity is weak is that it doesn’t just affect how we view strong women.

Femininity is also perceived as inferior to masculinity, as if having feminine traits make people fragile.

Basically, if “femininity” was on the Titanic ship, it would be on the bottom of the boat. Madonna even voiced it out in her song What It feels like for a Girl these chillingly true words: “…It’s OK to be a boy. But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading because you think that being a girl is degrading.”

One of the greatest examples that show the partiality between femininity (attributes associated

with females) and masculinity (traits men commonly display) is when some people demean men for being supposedly feminine. They’re told not to cry, to man up, and not to act like a girl, even though girls are about as human as boys. With accordance to this, I remember The Sandlot, a coming-of-age film from the 90s which I love, except for this one particular scene. The main characters were throwing insults and challenging their nemeses, the Tigers. The Tigers only took offense when one of the boys said he played ball “like a girl.” It seems that masculinity is favored—heck, that’s what inspired shoulder pads in the eighties—and femininity can be seen as a sign of weakness.

I get that the movie is for kids, but it’s a little depressing to know that this thinking and gender stereotyping goes beyond the TV screen and steps into real life. People make fun of effeminate guys; we call girly girls maarte. Some people watch Meghan Trainor’s Dear Future Husband, music video and think it is sexist just because she was scrubbing the kitchen floor.

Sure, cleaning the kitchen and baking pies is the last thing on my mind right now (eating pies, on the other hand…); but there is nothing wrong with wanting to be a housewife and with guys wearing pink. There is nothing wrong with strong women liking makeup or boys liking show tunes; in fact, it is gender stereotyping to think so. Having feminine traits does not weaken a person. If anything, thinking that femininity equates to frailty is what makes people weak.

Selfie positive siyudad sa buong mundo ang may pinakamaraming bilang ng nagse-selfie. Isang database ang kanilang ginawa sa Instagram kung saan mabibilang ang mga litrato sa pamamagitan ng paglagay ng hashtag ’selfie’ at umabot ito sa mahigit 400,000 kung saan ang siyudad ng Makati ang nanguna sa buong mundo. Sumunod lang sa atin ang Manhattan sa United States (US),

“

Maaring sa paraang ito mas nagigising ang natutulog nating kompiyansa sa sarili para humarap sa maraming tao

“

Maraming tumatangkilik sa selfie na animo’y sakit na mabilis kumalat sa buong mundo. Katunayan, umaabot sa isang milyong selfies ang naa-upload sa mga social media sites kada araw ayon sa adweek.com. Sa daming iyon, hindi malabong kabilang ang mga selfie mo rito. Ngunit, sa kabila ng pagtangkilik ng madla, marami ring bumabatikos sa pagiging narcissistic o sobrang pagkahilig sa pisikal na sarili ng mga taong gumagawa nito.

Wala namang problema kung ilang beses mo gustuhing kuhanan nang litrato ang iyong mukha dahil may kanya-kanya tayong istorya at mas malalim na dahilan kung bakit tayo nag se-selfie. Maaring sa paraang ito mas nagigising ang natutulog nating kompiyansa sa sarili para humarap sa maraming tao. O puwede ring sa pagse-selfie natin naipapakita ang other side natin na hindi natin madalas na naipapakita marahil dala ng takot o kakulangan ng kompyansa sa sarili.

Sa artikulong The Selfiest Cities in the World: TIME’s Definitive Ranking ni Chris Wilson, nagsagawa ng pag-aaral ang time.com upang malaman kung saang

habang pumangatlo naman ang siyudad ng Miami sa US—patunay lamang na masyadong pumatok sa ating mga Pilipino ang pagse-selfie.

Wala namang masama sa pagse-selfie, kung tutuusin itinuturing itong self-promotion kung saan naipapakita mo ang mga bagay na hindi mo madalas nalalabas, mga bagay na sa tingin mo mas magiging kapuri puri ka para sa iba. Sa sikolohiyang perspektibo naman, ayon sa mashable.com, sinasabing ang mga tao

Thumbs down for certain classes that do not have permanently assigned professors even after the Preliminary exams.

ay naghahanap lamang ng lugar kung saaan sila mas mapapansin, mapupuri, mapapahalagahan at nakita nila na sa pag se-selfie itong mga katangian. Ilan sila sa mga taong may mababang kompiyansa sa sarili. Sa social media na lang halimbawa, ngiti ang katumbas ng bawat like, share, o mga positibong komento sa kanilang selfie.

Kung parating negatibong epekto lang ang titingnan natin, walang magandang idudulot ito sa atin. Sa dami ng mga taong nag se-selfie ngayon unti-unti na nitong nababago ang pang-araw-araw nating pamumuhay sa ilang aspeto—mula sa iba’t ibang peace sign hanggang sa kung paano sumikat ang duck face, kahit saan hindi maalis na may makikita tayong ganito dahil madaling gawin at kaya ng lahat bata ka man o matanda. Sa mga ibat ibang klaseng okasyon nalang tulad ng binyag, birthday party o kasal tiyak hindi mawawalan ng mag-seselfie, patunay na nagiging parte na ito ng ating buhay.

Kung ang isang tao ay hindi magiging kaiinisan mga taong mahilig mag-selfie, matatanggap natin ng paunti unti ang pagiging parte nito sa ating pang araw-araw na pamumuhay. Ang pagse-selfie ay isang kilos para mas ma-express mo ang iyong sarili.

Mababaw mang ituring ngunit kung iisiping mabuti, ang pagse-selfie ay maaring hindi lang isang pagkuha nang litrato—isa itong paghuli nang mahalagang sandali sa buhay ng isang tao; paraan upang mas tanggapin at mahalin pa nila ang kanilang sarili bilang kung sino at ano ang tunay na sila.

Students no longer need to claim their Certificate of Registration this academic year, 2015 – 2016. Instead, they can print the document from the University portal, making it more accessible for students and requiring less paper consumption for the University.

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

WITBREAD

The claim to be ‘independent’

By Queenee Manaog

Our society considers 18 as the legal age—legal because we are entitled to the rights and opportunities that we did not have when we were younger.

Aside from another year added to our lives, turning 18 comes with many perks such as the right to vote during major elections, the opportunity to land a job whenever we want (of course as long as we are qualified for our applied position), and the chance to acquire a driver’s license so we can get wheels of our own. As for my eighteenth birthday, some of my friends greeted me, emphasizing one of the gifts of my age—I can already be sent to jail. I feared that idea because I know that it is true. What I was worried about the most, though, was the expectation of some people around me; especially the expectation of my family that I will be independent since I already stepped into my first year of adulthood.

For me, independence is being able to do things on your own—a concept my family taught me growing up. I spent my teenage years learning all the basic household chores. I thought it was unfair—everybody naturally thinks that way sometimes—because instead of enjoying the weekends or vacation, I am engaged in housekeeping routines. When I was younger, my family always told me that I must learn to do things for myself because they cannot always be there to cook my meals, to wash my clothes, to clean my room, or even to take care of me. They are so realistic about life that they prepared me enough for it.

Independence is also about making your own decisions; that perception, in my opinion, is what society introduced us to. Being free to make our own choices and judgments seems to be the precious reward for reaching the legal age. It is like our lives are finally ours and we can do whatever we want. For me, it is the most exercised and most enjoyed perk of every young adult. I will not be a hypocrite and pretend that I do not relish the bliss that independence gives me. I am unrestricted most of the time, not because my family is liberated, but because my mother believes that we are like soaps—the tighter they grip, the more we slip.

In other countries, most children move out of their parents’ house and start to live their own lives when they turn 18. They either work to pursue a college degree or to simply survive. Here in our country, 18-year-olds do not detach themselves from their families. We are too dependent on our parents that I bet a lot of us wake up in the morning with breakfast prepared for us, uniforms already ironed, and allowance ready for us to spend.

Another reason that we are still dependent is because most of us are still in college at 18, wherein our expensive tuition is usually shouldered by our family.

However, most individuals claim their independence and its benefits when they turn 18 without further contemplating on how they will live their life. Our society shows us how one’s independence is misinterpreted and misused with the increasing cases of early pregnancy. After they decided to indulge into unprotected sexual activity which commonly ends in chaos, both the children and their parents will suffer the consequences. These young adults will live a different life because of the pregnancy, while the parents will shoulder the expenses and the work of supporting their children and the new member of their family. To put it in a nutshell, independence is not only applied when making our own decisions but also when facing the aftermath on our own.

Independence is sustaining one’s self—that is what I believe in. We can be independent, whether or not we still live under the same roof as our parents.

When we already have a job, when we can feed ourselves with what we have earned, when we no longer ask for money for a new dress, when we no longer call our moms for a lost sock, when we can deal with our messed-up decisions on our own, and when we can give a part of ourselves to our family or others, that is when we can finally call ourselves independent.

Assessing myself now, I should say that I am not yet independent, though I’m moving closer to that. The reason why I cannot consider myself completely independent is neither because I need daily assistance from my mother nor because I cannot deal with my own problems alone, but because I still receive financial support from my uncle for my studies and daily expenses.

It may seem like I look at money as a huge hindrance from independence yet it is not the amount that I count but the time and effort my uncle sacrificed just to send me to college. However, as I said, I’m slowly walking closer to the moment when I no longer depend on the fruit of his hard work and when I am the one sharing my blessings to others—the moment when I can completely stand on my own feet.

“

When we can deal with our messed-up decisions . . that is when we can finally call ourselves independent

“

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 7

The Heraldo Filipino is accepting contributions for Witbread.

Contribution is open to all students, faculty, University staff, and everyone in the DLSU-D community.

Send them by email to officialheraldofilipino@gmail.com Contributions are subject to selection and editing of the editorial board and should not have been previously published in any way.

While the library extension addresses the issue of increasing student population, the ongoing construction makes it difficult for students to focus on their academic work in the said building.

F E AT U R E S

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 10

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

Into the sea of lies Delving into self-deception

By Jessone Purificacion (contributor) | Photo by Felix Malicsi

You may sometimes face situations where you ask yourself why you still follow a band you don’t really like or stay in a relationship you’re not happy with. It’s all confusing because as young adults, many of us strive to stay true to ourselves.

Despite this effort to be truthful, humans apparently end up lying to themselves half the time. As it turns out, our evolutionary history has so much to do with it.

Sensing self-deception Perhaps many could easily recognize self-deception whenever their friends try to convince others, including themselves, that they’re sophisticated by ordering that famous coffee drink you know they find too sweet. However, not everyone might know that self-deception is more complicated than it seems.

In the article The evolution and psychology of self-deception in the journal Behavioral and Brain Science by psychologist William von Hippel and sociobiologist Robert Trivers, it was noted that self-deception takes place whenever we favor “welcome” information over the “unwelcome” ones.

For instance, someone is more likely to ask for another friend’s opinion over an issue if the first friend’s opinion is contradictory or unfavorable to one’s beliefs. Hippel and

Trivers explained that essentially, humans only listen to what they want to hear.

Furthermore, renowned American writer Michael Shermer investigated the anthropological factors of this phenomenon and discovered that man’s inclination to selfdeception is deeply rooted from the drive to survive. Our survival instincts direct us to look for meaningful and predictive patterns that are important for our survival in the predatorprey scenario. The Paleolithic hominids, for instance, had to find patterns in changing weather or poisonous fruits to stay alive in the harsh environment. Consequently, this pattern-searching skill fosters us to disregard any information that doesn’t fit in a pattern.

Despite the original, beneficial purpose of self-deception as a human adaptation, it also has its drawbacks when it is used to delude reality.

Vis-a-vis delusional disorder At present, delusion and self-deception are inexplicably linked to each other, according to experts. British professors Lisa Bortolotti of the University of Birmingham and Matteo Mameli of King’s College London proposed that both delusion and self-deception lead people to form inaccurate accounts based on an unhealthy relationship between beliefs and

reality. The two professors, however, also noted differences between self-deception and delusion. Bortolotti and Mameli suggested that acts of self-deception carry emotional commitment and are driven by personal interest and desire. In contrast, delusional beliefs reflect a person’s lack of sound judgment and reasoning, or worse, insanity.

In addition, delusions and self-deception are both seen as forms of beliefs gone wrong by professor Tim Bayne and researcher Jordi Fernandez. In their paper Delusion and SelfDeception, Bayne and Fernandez explain that the motivation for lying in a case of selfdeception could be easier to understand than in a case of delusion. For example, in selfdeception, a girl uninvited to a friend’s party may deny her exclusion and act uninterested about the celebration. In this case, the girl’s denial was motivated by a feeling of betrayal, which is highly emotional in nature. On the other hand, a delusional person may unjustifiably refuse to talk to his dorm mates because he insists that they were replaced by identical aliens, which is extensively irrational.

We can probably agree that lying to ourselves is part of human nature. However, once self-deception reaches the point where we consistently reject facts backed by clear evidences, it’s already considered

a psychological illness called delusional disorder. Indeed, through looking at the rationality and motivation of the beliefs we create, we may be able to tell if we’re still psychologically fit or not.

A hopeful prospect Like that troublemaker in class, selfdeception has a concealed good side. In fact, experts believe that understanding it plays an important role in psychotherapy, the treatment of mental illness—evidence that self-deception can impact our lives for the better.

According to psychotherapist Douglas LaBier of the Center for Progressive Development in the U.S., deceiving yourself can be psychologically healthy. He furthered that psychotherapy studies and clinical evidences show that the lies we tell ourselves, which are driven by hidden desires like winning, have a great effect on our actions and beliefs. For instance, having a firm belief that you’re outstanding in whatever you do may lead you to thinking that you’re a diligent straight-A student. Consequently, when you align your actions with this belief by starting a good study habit, it will help improve your grades.

Yet, LaBier noted that realizing our aspirations may be hindered by our

“false selves” who tell us that we can’t attain whatever we desire. Luckily, these negatively influential “false selves” can be countered. American researcher Sarah Glynn’s article Negative Thoughts Bothering You? Just Toss Them in The Trash on medicalnewstoday.com mentions that humans are found to be capable of mentally discarding negative or unwanted thoughts by writing them down on a piece of paper and literally tearing and throwing the paper away. This abandonment helps people to be committed to achieve what our deceitful self tells us we can’t.

Aside from being rooted in man’s survival instinct, self-deception indirectly helps us achieve our goals by essentially tricking ourselves to do better. While this survival mechanism may help us create a positive self-image, it’s still our actions that can bring this image into reality.

***

Lying to yourself helps you see the silver lining in terrible situations, but when used too much, it hinders you from facing important life issues. On the other hand, once self-deception is seen as a power of psychology that can be used to our advantage, we can become the person we’ve always wanted to be.

Unmasking the polygraph The reliability of lie detection

By Chelsea Ann Montilla | Graphic art by Camille Gallardo completely accurate. It can also provoke our thoughts by making us think of doing the crime, thereby failing the polygraph, as stated by Scott Lilienfeld, a psychology professor from Emory University, USA. The American Psychological Association (APA) even discloses that a guilty person who trusts a polygraph’s accuracy may very well confess before the test starts.

“Arousal detector” may be a better term for the polygraph, because it rouses emotions like anxiety or fear which are signs that a person is lying. With its numerous flaws, it’s no wonder it’s scrutinized by skeptics around the world.

Beating the odds

Discerning lies from truth is no simple task. For many years, there have been continuous modifications on lie detection methods and inventions which have failed half of the time, leading to disastrous situations like an innocent person ending up in jail. Despite these failures, lie detection methods still stand on a pedestal for most people and it’s still commonly used in crime investigation movies and television series.

Behind the polygraph’s fame Before archaic investigation methods were rectified with modern research, our ancestors tried to detect lies through brutal torture devices and other absurd methods, like skinning a person alive to get him to confess. Luckily nowadays, we rely

on less dire devices like the polygraph, a machine used to detect if a person is lying. Contrary to crime shows on television, the standard polygraph test is used only as a last resort by cautious investigators who doubt its reliability.

Known simply as the lie detector, the polygraph test has been argued as unreliable

by American polygraph expert and Brandeis University psychology professor, Leonard Saxe.

According to Saxe, the idea of detecting a person’s honesty by monitoring psychophysiological changes is more myth than reality as “there is no unique physiological reaction to deception.”

Lie detectors can arouse our emotions due to the common belief that a polygraph is

The skeptics are not simply protesting blindly that polygraphs are unreliable, considering how one can easily skirt its traps. Imagining situations that keep you calm is one of the techniques in which the worst liar can fake physiological responses to a polygraph.

Former American detective and polygraph examiner, Doug Williams has been training people to fool the polygraph for the past 36 years.

According to Williams in the New York Times, controlling your physiological reactions is easy with some practice. When one is strapped to a polygraph, one will be asked relevant questions related to a specific event and “control” questions.

The latter, which is broad in general, is designed to control the anxiety and stress caused by relevant questions. When asked a relevant question, the trick is to stay calm and imagine soothing situations to maintain your baseline breathing pattern. In contrast, to spike your vitals, imagine exhilarating and terrifying scenarios when a control question is asked. The theory is that the innocent’s physiological response to control questions will be

stronger than to relevant questions because they have no knowledge of the probable crime they’re being suspected of.

The possibility of guilty criminals escaping conviction due to inadequate lie detection threatened lawmakers that they convicted Williams, who also founded the now defunct website polygraph.com. It taught people how to beat lie detector tests given during crucial federal, state, and local assessments, as well as national security assessments.

Despite its defects, the polygraph is still used for security clearances and as a last resort for criminal investigation cases. In the Philippines, there is a company whose main purpose is to provide lie detection service. Furthermore, there are many cases where the suspects regard the polygraph as absolutely reliable, asking that if they were to be tested, their innocence will be proven.

Competent lie detection methods are an urgent need, given the mounds of evidence pointing to the potholes in the polygraph process.

Cutting-edge detection With the polygraph’s less-than-stellar track record, distinguishing a liar from an honest man has troubled police officers and investigators for years, causing wrongful convictions along the way. Nowadays though, the odds are that there are fewer innocents confined in prisons or guilty persons evading capture because of the latest, innovative methods of lie detection.

A recent invention utilized for lie detection is motion-capture technology. Recently, a study entitled To freeze or not to freeze: A motion-capture approach to detecting deceit was conducted in Cambridge University by security engineering professor Ross Anderson and his colleagues. The

key instrument to the method is the motion capture suit which records 120 movements per second.

By wearing the suit while being interrogated, the person being questioned would not be able to hide his movements or trick the device.

Aside from observable movements of liars, the significant activity in the mind while lying was studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This invention scans the brain every two seconds in search for increased neural activity. A study was conducted in 2002 by Daniel Langleben, an associate professor and researcher from the University of Pennsylvania, USA, who handed his subjects a playing card (the five of clubs) and encouraged them to deny having the card before scanning their brain in the fMRI machine. The fMRI looks at the blood flow in the brain to detect areas of activity, and researchers found there are more areas active when lying.

However like in every invention, there are skeptics which continue to doubt the fMRI’s reliability, but the success rate of many studies seem to prove the skeptics otherwise.

Although there are still mysteries regarding lie detection methods, its feasibility, and complications, these latest methods have higher accuracy than simply watching out for a person’s occasional eye twitch. *** A small compensation or saying sorry is insufficient for ruining someone’s future because of a lie detector’s inaccuracy. Thankfully, new inventions are being revealed just as the feeble reliability of old methods comes to light. With more time and technological advancement, less innocent people will be wrongly accused of crimes while the true offenders will justly find themselves behind bars.

F E AT U R E S

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 11

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

Freedom from fallacies Cracking the languaage of lies

By Anri Ichimura | Art by Wenchie Tacate Everybody lies. In a typical 10-minute conversation, one can expect to lie (or be lied to) at least twice, as stated in a study by psychologist Robert S. Feldman of the University of Massachusetts, U.S. Occasionally, one can spot a bad liar a mile away from their stuttering speech, downward looks, and awkward pauses. While delivery is a key to pulling off deception, the context can make or break the believability of lies.

Digging deeper into the syntax of false statements, we can observe a pattern within the languages of liars.

It’s not me, it’s you The act of lying creates a defined partition between what is fact and what is fabrication. To deepen that division, liars will psychologically distance themselves from their fabricated stories by avoiding personal words of self-reference, according to psychology professor James W. Pennebaker from the University of Texas at Austin, US. First person words (“I,” “me,” and “mine”) will quickly start to disappear, and people’s names will be replaced with third person pronouns (“him,” “it,” and “the”) to make the story more impersonal. For example, instead of confessing, “I copied her notes,” the fibber would say, “her notes were copied.” By declining to use first person pronouns, the act of lying will feel more like storytelling, which will ease the anxiety and guilt of the liar.

With the use of third person, the liar attempts to fly under the radar in an effort to focus the spotlight on the story, rather than the deceptive storyteller. As such, keep an ear out for accounts that sound like fallacies disguised as fairytales.

Didn’t you or did you not In a casual, honest conversation, we naturally abbreviate phrases like “I am” and “will not” into contractions like “I’m” and “won’t” that lessen the formality and intensity of a sentence. However, writer Carol Kinsey Goman’s article 12 ways to spot a liar at work on forbes.com explains that liars diverge from that pattern by avoiding contractions like “I didn’t” and favoring expanded phrases like “I did not” in an effort to make their fibs more believable.

On the contrary, by using non-contracted denials to emphasize their statements, the liars also unknowingly highlight their deception. A classic example of this is Bill Clinton’s quote “I did not have sex with that woman,” regarding the sex scandal of the former President of the United States, which ultimately led to his impeachment. Clearly, the stress on the words “did not” seems unnecessary—if he was telling the truth.

The emphasis of non-contracted denials is intended to persuade the listeners to believe in lies. Note how “I was not at that party,” sounds considerably more forceful than “I wasn’t at her party.” Contrary to the original intention, this practice tends to backfire as it stirs suspicion. After all, an honest statement wouldn’t need such highlighting in the first place.

Fogged with ambiguity Lying might seem like second nature to those well-versed in the habit, but the act forces our brains to struggle with creating intricate stories.

It’s a process that takes time, thought, effort, and creativity. So naturally, lesser skilled liars keep their accounts simple but vague, so they don’t get caught in their own web of lies.

The article 10 tell-tale signs of deception by Paul Clikeman in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ Fraud Magazine affirms that vagueness minimizes confusion and complexity as it allows future modifications without contradicting earlier statements. Indicators of purposeful vagueness are ambiguous words such as “think,” “guess,” “suppose,” “sort of,” “mainly,” and “more or less.” Take for instance someone being probed for his friend’s whereabouts. A curt, ambiguous statement like “We talked. I think he went home” gives the impression that there are details being hidden.

The supposed minor and seemingly inconsequential details of truthful accounts are referred to as “tangential verbal data” according to Wendell Rudacille, author of the book Identifying Lies in Disguise. Without these indicators of truth, one can easily pinpoint statements of deceit; so watch out for those who deliberately cast fogs over their stories.

Tangled tongues When we recall events, our minds remember minute details that are hard to fabricate in the complex process of lying. So due to dishonest minds making their tall tales seem legitimate, falsehoods can come in the form of long, convoluted sentence structures full of irrelevant expressions.

The longwinded sentence structure can be measured by the mean length of utterance (MLU). Generally used to measure language development in children, the MLU when utilized with adults is also a linguistic analysis method counting the average number of words per sentence. The MLU is calculated by dividing the total number of words by the total number of sentences of a person’s speech or story. Generally, people speak 10 to 15 words per sentence. Yet, when a liar is anxious about an issue—like the subject of their lie—the MLU will significantly increase or decrease from the norm, as observed in a linguistic analysis study conducted by the Cornell University and University of Texas.

When a classmate starts to babble on for five minutes straight without a breath, listing off improbable excuses as to why he didn’t contribute to your group project, be suspicious. Keep your ears open for narratives stuffed with more unrelated descriptions than a story requires.

The plot thickens In another effort to inject as much factual information as possible, a liar might add more details revolving around the prologue of the story in contrast to the vague, hurried details of the main event, as observed by Israeli researcher Avinoam Sapir.

A typical narrative is made up of three parts: the prologue (the background information), the critical event (most important occurrence), and the aftermath (the after effects of the event). Fraud Magazine expounds that a truthful statement would be made up of 20-25 percent prologue, 4060 percent critical event, and 25-35 percent aftermath. False statements tend to derail from that pattern, following the format of rambling prologues and rushed information on the critical event and aftermath. For instance, a friend starts to prattle on about her cat’s grooming habits for five minutes, then skips over the part where the said cat decimated your expensive jacket.

Since the prologue usually contains the most truthful anecdotes while the main event is the subject of falsehood, beware of stories that race toward the ‘happily ever after’ after loitering at the ‘once upon a time.’

***

As far as universal languages go, the language of lies transcends cultures and countries since basically, everyone is familiar with deception.

Whether such dishonesty occurs online or in the classroom, being able to detect the hidden clues of untruths will definitely be of service—especially when you’re the unwitting subject of deception.

Bittersweet verity

***

Diogenes had it right that there exists no honest man. Our hearts were sown with the seeds of deception when we were still confined in our cribs. As we pass each milestone in our lives, we’re reprimanded for lying, yet we’re fed lies all the same. The most common form of deceit we encounter is not of malicious intent, but rather meant for our own good. However, I’d always much rather be forced to swallow the bitter truth than be spoon-fed with sugar-coated lies.

the repercussions of constantly keeping people unaware of certain facts will come crashing down, creating a dependency on the white lies people are

“

Sugary lies work similarly to nailing a painting over a hole in the wall, requiring less work for only a temporary fix.

“

There’s an old story of the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes walking through broad daylight with a lamp in his hand. When the curious inquired about this, he answered, “I’m just looking for an honest man.” Suffice to say, he died without having found one.

By the very nature of our being, we resort to acts of deception when we feel that it’s necessary. We lie for a reason, whether that’s to protect ourselves or to harm others. It’s not that I think lying is unforgivable all the time—if a strange, angry man asked me where he could find my friend, I’d lie; if a robber asked where the key to a safe was, I’d lie. It is instances like these meant to protect someone from life or death situations that I cut liars some slack.

However, it’s not every day that we’re faced with life or death situations. More often than not, we spill out little white lies to avoid confrontation. An old Japanese proverb, “Uso mo houben,” essentially encourages one to smooth over situations, even if it requires you to lie. I, for one, don’t follow that proverb. Sugary lies work similarly to nailing a painting over a hole in the wall, requiring less work for only a temporary fix. Eventually,

fed with. We unconsciously allow that dependency because we instinctively want to minimize the harm done to us by the bitter truth.

Honesty is not synonymous with harmlessness; the truths we hear and say aren’t necessarily kind. These harsh truths can hurt as hard as daggers, given that our minds react to emotional pain in the same way as physical pain. Thus, we’re sheltered from knowledge that can be as useful as it is harmful. To keep us from that harm, our loved ones will lie when asked if our butt looks too big in our jeans, or if they think we’ll fail an exam we didn’t study for. Other times, they’ll simply omit knowledge they feel we don’t need to know. And so, a web of lies is constructed to guard us from the reality beyond.

Like the old saying goes, “loose lips sink ships” despite whatever benign intention you put behind ‘protective’ deception. Not only is trust tainted and relationships tarnished, but the unity and mentality of communities as a whole becomes marked with unnecessary

ignorance and disillusionment. A little white lie or innocent omission will create a butterfly effect that will deceive each person in a chain, which can ultimately lock individuals in a cycle of continuous blindness and deafness to the truth.

***

The final and fundamental reason as to why we lie is to transform our identity into what we want to be.

Perhaps we should keep in mind that if we want to grow in this sometimes harsh world, a little dose of the bitter truth will do us a service. To break that barrier of dishonesty, we all need a little more fearlessness in voicing and hearing the truth. Frequently, we alter our opinions into little white lies to soften the blow of opposing views. Instead of fearing confrontation, we should realize that the truth is a means of shaping both the listener and the speaker to have a thick skin to withstand the storm of reality.

LITERARY

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 12

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

Disconnected

By Rochelle Rivera

To all my friends and followers: Yes, I have deactivated my Facebook fan page and my personal account. Same goes for my Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube accounts.

I’m sorry but I won’t be posting any pictures and acoustic covers for a while.

And this post is to let you know why.

Let me tell you a story about a girl I knew back in high school. Her name is Sally.

We were never introduced nor did we have classes together. But we were aware of each other’s existence since we lived in the same neighborhood. She had a few friends during our first year before an incident occurred.

Sally stabbed her friend’s arm with a fork.

I saw it with my very eyes. We were all at the cafeteria. When they were asked what really happened, one girl explained that Sally suddenly got frightened with Lisa’s arm. Sally said it had a life of its own and was trying to talk to her. Everyone avoided Sally after that.

Sally became a loner in all her remaining high school life and she was bullied by other kids because of that. Another incident, which I didn’t get to see for myself, happened. They said Sally seemed to be very frightened of something. No one knows what, but rumors spread about voices that kept following her.

She even pushed one of the kids down the stairs while trying to run away from the

voices. The boy broke his leg and told the others that Sally is not just a weirdo and a loner, but a crazy bitch too. Soon, everyone was calling her that, “Sally the crazy bitch.”

After high school, my family decided to move to another city, but stories about Sally still reached me. My old friends said that Sally became weirder and entirely scary. She refused to go to college claiming that she is already dead.

Sally’s parents finally decided to let a psychiatrist see her. But Sally refused until she was allowed to see police officers. She said she needed to report her killer. But the doctor knew better to disguise as an officer so she could get to talk with Sally.

Sally said that at the 9th of May, around 11:30 PM, she was walking home alone from a bookstore when a red car suddenly hit her.

She was sure she felt her skull crack and even saw her brain splattered on the road, along with the books she bought. She waited for help but then the car that hit her sped away.

She said she knows the plate number and the driver, but when the doctors asked her for the details, she suddenly changed her mind.

She said she’d capture her killer on her own; that the voices were right. It’s time for her to fight back and get revenge so her soul could rest.

*** I stared at my computer screen, at the blinking cursor and the two buttons below that say “close” and “post.” I don’t know if I should finish the story, or even dare post it on Tumblr. I got up from my chair and stretched my back. I glanced at the wall clock that was leaking the hours away. 2:30 AM, huh?

I left my room to make a cup of coffee and took a moment to stare at the garage from the kitchen window. Dad just bought me a new car, the one that he promised me despite of what I did back then. Before moving out and entering college, I took driving lessons. Two weeks after high school graduation, I snuck out to drive dad’s red Honda City with just my student’s license. He caught me, of course. But more than that, something else about that night still bothers me. On my way home I think I saw Sally walking alone, carrying some books and other stuff. She waved for me to stop but I chose not to. I drove past her, watching her glaring at me from my side mirror.

I clearly remembered it was the 9th of May and I know I didn’t commits a hit-and-run. I left Sally there on the safe side of the road, alive and with her brain closely intact inside her lunatic head. But now that I think of it, after all that she has been through—being hated, resented, and avoided by everyone—

not giving her that ride was the last push she needed before falling off the edge; down where the voices inside her head became the ones to console her from the real monsters. Those monsters who wore human faces that threaten to swallow her whole in broad daylight. The way she sees the world might be closest to reality than anybody could ever picture.

It is starting to bother me though. Because if Sally’s monsters had faces, one of them will look like mine. I heard Sally is missing and was last seen in a hardware trying to buy a set of knives and a shovel. But there was one person who swore he just talked to her a couple of days ago. She ordered lilies from him and asked where she could get the best scented candles. I don’t know what’s on her incredibly dangerous mind, but one thing’s for sure: Sally is indeed a crazy bitch, and she is coming after me.

I shuddered as I open the back door to the garage. There, lying next to my white Mirage, is the red Honda City that “killed” Sally. The wind blew and the morning chill crept through my spine. The strong smell of my coffee enveloped me, waking my senses from another scent—of sweet candies waxed with flowers that seemed to linger all this time.

Gamugamo

Patintero

By Erika Uy

By John Paul Gonzales

Ginagapos ng dilim ang aking mga pangarap at pinipigil nito ang aking bawat paglanghap.

Pinipisil nito ang katawan ko para patuloy na magpawis Ngunit tuwing sasaboy ang maniningning na ilaw mula sa mga makukulay na sinag ng mga lampara, nakakawala akong pansamantala sa mahihigpit na tanikala sa loob ng dilim.

Nag-aalinlangan itong mga paang nangangambang humakbang.

Hanggang kailan tititigan ang mga naghahabulang sasakyan?

Hanggang kailan pagmamasdan ang mga nakikipagsapalaran sa daan?

Hanggang kailan matutulala sa salitan ng berde, kahel, at pula bago marating ang patutunguhan?

Hatid ng mga malilikot na liwanag ng mga lamparang nakasabit sa kisame ang minimithi kong pangarap suot ang mga kolorete’t matitingkad na damit at nakahahalinang paggiling sa saliw ng magagaslaw na kanta sa harap ng mga parokyanong hayok sa ligaya.

Always by your side

By Chelsea Ann Montilla There were flies buzzing around the apartment—taunting you, mocking you, and constantly reminding you every time they kiss your baby’s skin that she needed you to take care of her. The few hours you were screaming your heart out, dancing intimately around strangers at your favorite band’s concert, an impermanent high pushing your sweet little darling off your mind and permanently scarring your future with her.

Ella’s eyes were closed and her skin was as pale as it was weeks ago when she was plagued

Photo by Rigel Almira Illustration by Lynoelle Kyle Arayata and Ricardo Martin Cabale

by her recurring cold. You remembered how terror imprisoned you when you took her to the doctor. How the long silence during her check-up killed you slowly until you wanted to escape and jump from a building, or stab your ears so you wouldn’t hear the possibly dire news.

You were only brought back to reality when you took a deep breath and the blend of months-old take-out boxes and diapers violated your senses, pushing your stomach until you hurled all your insides. The feeling

slowly dissipated as you stared at your sweet angel sleeping in your arms, imagining her flying anywhere her heart may desire.

Now you can never escape this persistent nightmare. You know with every second you stare at her, you will watch over her body until your own withers through time. You know you will continuously torment yourself with images of an older Ella, embracing you, tears of contentment in your eyes as you both laugh at the silly things you could have fought about—which you’ll never have.

LITERARY

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 13

You are what you like

araw ay susumpungin ka na lang bigla ng asthma at sasabihin habang hinihingal, “Pakilike ‘yung DP ko.” May pagka-surreal pero

“

Sinong magaakalang may matinding kapangyarihang dala ang asul na salitang binubuo lamang ng apat na letra?

***

“You are what you like.”

Ito tuloy ang linyang pumasok bigla sa isip ko kapalit ng sikat na kasabihang “You are what you eat.” Kung iisipin din naman, ang mga nila-like at pine-favorite natin ay repleksyon talaga natin. Pinatawa tayo ng isang post, like. Naka-relate tayo sa hugot, like. Dagdag pa dito, paano kung (kasama ng wi-fi) maidagdag ang paramihan ng likes sa Hierarchy of Needs ni Abraham Maslow? Na kapag hindi ka nakasungkit ng like sa isang

“

Aminin mo man o hindi, halos lahat tayo ay natutuwa kapag may nagla-like ng pictures at posts natin sa Facebook; at medyo nalulungkot naman kung walang pumapansin dito. Sa panahon ngayong halos lahat ay instant na, instant “I know that feels, bruh” at “relate much” din ang like button.

Ayon din sa depinisyon ng Facebook dito, ito raw ay para makakonekta sa mga bagay na pinapahalagahan ng tao at para na rin makapagbigay ng positibong feedback— isang madaliang pagpapahayag ng ‘yong pagsang-ayon. Isang mabilis na pakikiramay at pakikibahagi ng saloobin sa tao. 1 like = 1 respect, ika nga.

Marami pang gamit ang like button.

Kung sino ang may umaapaw na likes, siya ang umaakyat sa herarkiya ng social media.

Ginagamit sa pageants at competitions ang

paghahakot ng likes. Nadiskubre ang mga kilala ngayong Facebook sensations dahil sa pagpindot ng mga tao sa like button. Kahit nga sa ating pamantasan, minsan, criteria at parte ng porsiyento ng grado ng ‘yong ELGA ang paramihan ng likes. May mga nakakahanap din ng kaanak dahil sa likes.

Napaparangalan ang mga good samaritans dahil sa likes. Nakakatulong ang mga tao dahil sa likes. Sinong mag-aakalang may matinding kapangyarihang dala ang asul na salitang binubuo lamang ng apat na letra?

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

hindi na rin imposible ngayong patok ang selfie at nagkalat ang mga GGSS. Sa akin ngang pagliliwaliw, natisod ako sa isang article sa internet na nagsasabing

may madilim na sikolohiya raw na bumabalot sa Facebook. Ayon sa isang pag-aaral na inilathala sa journal na Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, ang pagiging “fame whore” sa Facebook ay may kinalaman sa parte ng utak na tinatawag na nucleus accumbens. Dito pinoproseso ang kasiyahang natatamo ng tao sa rewards na kanyang natatanggap tulad ng pera, pagkain, sex, at pagtaas ng reputasyon— dahilan kung bakit kinakaadikan ang kasikatan sa nasabing social media.

Sabi rin sa pag-aaral na ito, kapag nakakuha ang isang Facebook user ng positibong puri o anumang feedback tungkol sa kanya, mas tumataas ang aktibidad sa parte ng utak na ‘yon kaysa kapag binigyan ito ng monetary reward. Patunay lamang na mas pinapahalagahan ng tao ang kanyang reputasyon kaysa sa pera. At ngayon, isa sa pinakamabilis na paraan para makakuha ang mga netizen na nag-aasam ng atensyon ay siyempre, ang pag-hit sa like button.

Pero positibo man o negatibo ang magiging resulta, tao ang may hawak sa

Blotted

kapangyarihan. Nasa kamay mo—actually, sa daliri lang—ang kapangyarihang ito.

Puwedeng isa ka sa mga tatawa at maglalike sa isang video na magiging viral at kalaunan ay magreresulta sa cyber bullying.

O puwede rin namang isa ka sa mga taong magse-share at magla-like sa nakagigilalas na kuwento ng isang taxi driver na nagbalik ng pitakang may limpak-limpak na salapi. Isa ka sa libo o milyong taong nagpapaangat sa mga nasa taas ng internet. Bawat like ay kontribusyon mo—kaya’t mag-ingat dahil anino mo ang bawat pindot.

At ngayong umaalingawngaw sa internet ang posibilidad ng zombie apocalypse at robocalypse, magdagdag na rin tayo ng “likealypse.” Hindi nga lang magiging kasing epic at action-packed ang digmaan ng tamang paggamit ng like button tulad ng dalawang unang nabanggit.

Gayunpaman, nasa ‘yo pa rin ang desisyon kung ikaw ba ay magiging hero o villain sa mundo ng virtual reality.

Like kung hero at comment kung villain.

Santelmo

By James Ramolete

By Nishtha Nigam

Hindi ko mapigilang silaban ang mga karatulang may mukha ng mga demonyong nagmimistulang diyos sa harap ng tao.

Before you struggle to reach me, understand that I’m that book in the unreachable corner of the shelf, from scrutinizing eyes and prying fingers.

Because if you do manage to lift my thick cover you’ll expose my worthlessness, critique me till all I am is a mess of meaningless letters, tear me to such little pieces that I can’t ever glue myself together.

Hindi ko mapigilang gawing abo ang mga pahina sa libro ng batas ng mga nakaupo sa mga trono sa palasyo.

Hindi ko mapigilang sunugin ang mga kalat ng mundo at linisin ang impiyerno upang maibaba ang paraiso.

For etched in my depths, are not stories, but tragedies waiting to occur.

Lusciously yours

By John Joseph Gementiza 9:10 PM Once, I heard this quote from Shakespeare’s As You Like It—the world we are treading on is a stage. This line could actually sum up my life, especially if he could see where I live: skyscrapers rising beside small-scale apartments. If those towers have eyes, they would’ve stared, drooled, or glared at what they could see behind the windows of this apartment unit.

Wriggling among the mess of papers on my bed, I pulled out my laptop. Booting it up, the light from the screen illuminated the rejection letters, failed applications, and memorandums about misconduct. I need to show, right now. After scrambling through icon after icon in my porn-crowded desktop, I found the program I needed to show my bobbing treasures: Skype. Logging in with the username XxxFunLoverxxX, I scrolled through the chat list to see who could be the lucky person beyond the lonely screen. There were people online—all of them looking for a show.

9:20 PM From all of these people craving to gaze at my voluptuous curves, only one had the nerve to message me. Just as I was about to venture into his domain, my bed rumbled; rather, something vibrated. Searching the darkness, I grabbed what felt like a sword. A message appeared on my phone: “Sky, Video conference through Skype by 10. Important matters to be discussed.”

It was probably another rant from our boss. We’re already outside the workplace,

and yet we get more work and another meeting away from the office. If this was what he called efficient, then this would not work with me. What I was doing right then didn’t involve that jerk.

9:30 PM Facing the screen, I cast away my clothing into nothingness, dancing along to the rays of the moon filtering through my window. A creak echoed through the speakers, and the guy sent me this: “Sorry.

Girlfriend just arrived. See ya.”

I should have laughed at this wimp for declining his own desire. If he didn’t have the courage to show his manliness, then he might as well have drowned himself in mud.

I needed to show my treasure to someone else. There should be someone else. Where in the world I was going to find someone to show these? Searching for a person to give the vision that can make people drool all night, I minimized Skype and visited ChatRoulette; craving for times of excitement and ecstasy.

9:40 PM I looked at my phone, and all I saw was time forcing me to rush my deed. My colleagues bored me. I’d rather please those who want to be pleased. Starting the show, I waited for the monitor to reveal my viewers. Just as the show started, I heard a slight ring and some murmurs.

Screw those whispers, I’m performing tonight!

The show began, with the lead performing the role many dare not perform. It would take months or even years to perfect this craft, and

I was going to do what most people never did on cyber-stage.

9:50 PM By the time I logged in, about a hundred people ogled or glared at my voluptuous curves. It seemed there were a lot who would like to be an audience of my magical and elegant act, so I gave it to them. Every time I danced around this stage, I dazzled their minds with my body. With each movement, most of them shivered and guzzled throughout the show. However, some could not stand my body. One time, my viewer’s girlfriend scolded him for viewing such a rare beauty. Some people really could not handle what they see. Those ugly turds.

9:55 PM Now, my body is aching for the grand finale! I sensed that the more I switched places, more people were enjoying the view.

I felt euphoria surge throughout my body, bursting out of every orifice. I screamed at the barrage of emotions they gave me. Then, the whispers escalated— “Oh no, my climax!”

I could only open my mouth as I shifted the program back to Skype and see my boss and other colleagues staring at me, their eyes shaken from their sockets. Blushing, I hurriedly placed down the call and scrambled through my bed to find a shirt. As I lifted my shirt to my head, I heard my account receive a message: “You’re fired.”

Sent 10:00 PM.

SPORTS

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 14

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

A smashing swift success

Chavez sets foot on the international stage

By Fernan Patrick Flores | Photo by Patricia Loise Lucero

“

Nakangiti lang ako sa kanila dahil alam ko na mas malakas sila sa ‘kin at alam ko na ginawa ko ang best ko.

achievements defines her edge against other players who also aspire entering the international stage.

Gearing up Before securing her ticket to South Korea, Chavez did not expect to clinch the Universiade slot as she experienced a minor hip injury during the qualifying round. Despite this condition, she expressed her unstoppable confidence to release the tension.

“Dream ko talagang makalabas ng ibang bansa, tapos ‘yung ibang players dito sa atin, ‘yon din ‘yung dream [nila] so para sa akin, one step ahead na ako sa kanila,” she says passionately before heading to the 2015 Summer Universiade.

This Laguna-based shuttler started a continuous preparation on the month of June and restored her energy every

weekend. The usual warm-up before a progressive duration of jogging routine helped her to improve her physical condition.

Considering the DLSU-D badminton team has no scheduled training during summer, Chavez trained by herself.

Further enhancing her badminton skills, she simulated games with players she encountered in the gym during her practice period in Laguna.

Chavez also attempted to follow a balanced diet but it weakened her power to produce swift attacks and to retain agile footwork. As a result, she removed this systematic plan of food intake to maintain her strength control.

Combining all her efforts before the games started, Chavez believes she prepared beyond the limit to give a good game for her fellow Patriots.

for the red-and-blue squad after nailing a 1-out-of-1 free throw, 50-47.

“The whole game nga, OK ‘yung game namin e tapos, going sa fourth quarter, leading pa kami ng ten [points]. Nag-relax lang no’ng fourth quarter … kaya nahabol

kami,” says head coach Tito Reyes, regarding the cagebelles’ discrepancy during the game.

On the other hand, Reyes pointed out that he’s very proud of his team as they marked their four-time history in the nationals’ stage.

CAGEBELLES from page 16 It was a crucial time for both teams until Dorio took the leap for CALABARZON and finally redeemed the lead with 28 seconds left, 49-47. Region 4-A finally loosened up as the last seconds of the quarter ticked.

Quitomo dropped the last point

“

As DLSU-D’s global competitiveness unfolds, our pool of athletes just proved how strong their prowess is. Recently, the Patriot shuttlers, paddlers, and tankers represented the University and our country in the 2015 Summer Universiade held at Gwangju, South Korea from July 3-15. One of the green-and-white guns, twenty-yearold shuttler Gilly Chavez, soars to greater heights as an international competitor at South Korea and soon, in Malaysia.

Chavez launched her smashing career as early as sixth grade and she is still dominating the badminton court as a Patriot today. She is a consistent Private Schools Athletics Association (PRISAA) national representative and a two-time National Capital Region Athletics Association (NCRAA) champion.

Those

Still a champion Some of DLSU-D’s swimmers have already joined Univiersiade, meanwhile, this is the first time for the Patriot shuttlers. Attempting to capture a single medal in the said league, Chavez failed to secure victories for the University during her individual and group events despite rigid preparations. This intensified the pressure to Chavez as her family also expected a victory from her.

Before flying to Korea, she said, “Hindi ko mapa-promise pero gagawin ko talaga ‘yung best ko para makapagbigay ng good game sa [mga] kalaban ko,” expecting that she will face several world-class athletes.

Making her Universiade experience productive, Chavez focused on adapting the skills she lacks to improve her craft as they faced badminton icons listed in the world rankings. She also expressed that the

Filipino athletes need an international standard of training because it is inefficient compared to the other countries’ preparations.

During the game proper, Chavez adjusted to the bright court lights that distracted her in her matches. Knowing that there were minor factors that affect her performance, the lady shuttler still enjoyed the priceless moments in her Universiade games, regardless of the thought of taking home medals.

“Nakangiti lang ako sa kanila dahil alam ko na mas malakas sila sa ‘kin at alam ko na ginawa ko ang best ko.”

Tecknolgi MARA Malaysia Sports Fiesta from August 23-30 at Malaysia.

“Pressured pero at the same time excited kasi bago na naman siyang experience para sa akin.

Pressured kasi siguro may mga tao na nag-e-expect na manalo ako.

Sana ‘di ko sila ma-disappoint,” Chavez expressed her feelings as heavier pressure challenges her again to battle outside the country for the second time.

***

Unstoppable After fulfilling her Universiade dream, Chavez will banner the Philippine flag in another international arena as she will single-handedly represent the Patriots in the 10th Universiti

Reaching the nationals’ stage is already a great accomplishment for an athlete, what more of battling internationally.

We might have overlooked the important thing but the real basis in defining an athlete’s success is the experience and the skill improvement—trophies and medals are just cherries on top.

a short drop, 21-17. Despite the Western Visayans’ attempt to head the match, E. Kasim became unstoppable and seized the bronze medal through a quick spike, 25-23.

After knocking down the Region VI spikers, Encisa accepted their defeat and expressed his gratitude for

placing third in the tournament. With the same perspective, coach Joven Racelis appreciated their battle for third success, “Siguro ‘di para sa‘min [‘yung championship], babawi na lang kami next year. Pero ‘yung part namin, ‘yung goal namin na talunin ‘yung Region VI, nagawa namin.”

SPIKERS from page 16 Herold Parcia and Jade Peralta struck spikes and service aces, 14-17, however, Adam and E. Kasim detonated kills after Chris Marcelino’s outside hit, 17all. Maintaining their prowess after the time out, the Kasim brothers and Castro hurled service aces and drop attacks while Region VI’s Jhun Kahulugan committed

Bleacher fillers or feelers ang aking suporta sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat.

“

Sayang ang mga medalya at tropeyong inuuwi ng ating mga atleta kung mas tatangkilikin natin ang ibang koponan kaysa sa sariling atin.

“

Hindi magkamayaw ang mga manonood na pumupuno sa bawat sulok ng Mall of Asia Arena at SmartAraneta Coliseum sa tuwing sasapit ang mga pinakaaabangang laban sa University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Dinadagsa ito ng mga tagahangang nagmumula sa komunidad ng bawat unibersidad na kalahok at kadalasan, dumarayo pa ang mga estudyanteng galing sa iba’t ibang eskwelahan na bigay-todo sa paghiyaw at pagdadala ng mga banner at lobo. Dahil sa maingay na kultura na ito ng UAAP at NCAA, napagtanto ko na pasibo ang mga estudyante sa ating Unibersidad sapagkat makikita mo ang malaking pagkakaiba ng mga manonood sa isang sikat na liga at hindi.

Sa dalawang taon kong pagiging sports writer, sanay na ako sa mga

nakabibinging katahimikan sa loob ng court lalo na sa tuwing sasabak sa paligsahan ang Patriot spikers at cagers. May naririnig man akong pumapalakpak at sumisigaw ng “Animo,” nagmumula lang din naman ito sa mga manlalarong nakalinya sa bench—paraan nila para palakasin ang loob ng isa’t isa. Pinagmamasdan ko palagi ang apat na sulok ng court at nadarama ko ang kalungkutan dahil tanging ang aming photographer at iilang tagasuporta lang ng magkalabang koponan ang sumisira sa katahimikan. Kami-kami lang din ang nakikibahagi sa bawat tagumpay at kabiguan na dumarating sa kanila.

Nakalulungkot dahil madalas kong nakikita ang mga green shirt na sumisimbolo sa Archers ngunit bihira kong marinig ang “Go Patriots!” mula sa sarili nating mga estudyante kahit na minsan ay suot nila ang Patriot shirt na ginagamit tuwing P.E. class.

Inaamin ko na isa ako sa mga Patriot na may bitbit na pana tuwing Biyernes, gayunpaman, nananaig pa rin sa puso ko ang patriotism dahil ibinibigay ko

Marahil, ang ganitong kalagayan ay maipapaliwanag sa isinagawang survey ni Robert Passikoff sa mga baseball fan sa Chicago, kung saan inalam nila ang rason sa loyalidad ng mga fans sa kanilang teams. Lumabas

na mas sinusuportahan ng karamihan ang Chicago Cubs na mas sikat at kabilang sa national division ng Major Baseball League kumpara sa Chicago White Sox na miyembro lang ng central division. Sa kaso natin, kahit dala-dala natin ang pangalang De La Salle, mas pinipili ng karamihang suportahan ang main campus dahil ito ang mas sikat— kahit hindi naman iyon ang tunay nating tahanan.

Sa isang basketball coverage ko noong nakaraang taon na ginanap sa Ugnayang La Salle (ULS), ikinatuwa ko nang makita kong halos mapuno ang right bleachers ngunit habang lumilipas ang oras, unti-unti nang umaalis ang mga manonood. Narinig ko sa isang estudyante na kailangan na nilang umalis sapagkat tapos na ang oras ng kanilang klase at panahon na para ipasa ang attendance sheet sa kanilang propesor. Saka ko napagtanto na ang panonood ng game ng mga estudyanteng ‘yon ay katumbas ng kanilang grade sa isang subject. Kung iisipin, isang magandang ideya na gawing alternative class ang panonood

ng games ng Patriots sa ULS upang makilala nila ang ating koponan, ngunit naramdaman ko rin ang pagkadismaya dahil napatunayan kong hindi sila magiging interesado sa Patriots kung hindi mo pa ipipilit.

Bunga nito, natatakot akong baka umabot sa puntong makalimutan na nating nag-e-exist ang Patriots.

Sayang ang mga medalya at tropeyong inuuwi ng ating mga atleta kung mas tatangkilikin natin ang ibang koponan kaysa sa sariling atin.

***

Isang malaking sampal sa ating Patriots kung magpapapilit pa ang mga manonood na sumubaybay sa mga liga at kakalimutan nila ang sariling pride ng Unibersidad. Kalokohan na kung Patriots pa rin ang itatawag sa atin kung mismong estudyante pa lang natin ay hindi na loyal sa sariling koponan.

Sa kabilang banda, magiging masaya naman sa pakiramdam natin kung dudumugin ang ULS para suportahan ang games ng Patriots kasabay ng pagkabuhay ng loyalidad sa bawat isa, manalo man o matalo.

SPORTS

JUNE - AUGUST 2015 | PAGE 15

SPORTS BRIEFS

By Fernan Patrick Flores

DLSU-D seizes 5 medals in taekwondo inter-college championships The DLSU-D jins bag two gold and three bronze medals in the Taytay Rizal Inter-college Taekwondo Championships on May 24 held at SM City Taytay event center. Bagging gold medals, Lady Patriots Jhalyne Juanillo and Mary Jane Alinsunurin ruled the fin weight and bantamweight divisions, respectively. Meanwhile, Clare Failanga, added a bronze medal after placing third in the light weight category.

The green-and-white jins, on the other

hand, also reaped bronze medals as Aries Abelardo and rookie Gabrielle Marquez notched the third spots in the fin weight and light weight matches, consecutively. and De La Salle University-Manila dominated the league by winning the senior men and women’s division.

Meanwhile, the Patriots exited the league after their first fight, losing against the University of the Philippines (UP)Diliman delegates.

Jins grab 5 medals in St. Jude championships In the St. Jude Taekwondo Championships, the DLSU-D jins obtained one gold and four silver medals on May 17, held at St. Jude Catholic School, Malacañang, Manila.

Juanillo showcased her skills once more as she finished first in the fin weight event in women’s division.

Gathering silver medals, greenhorn Ivan Colayo, along with Abelardo, and Marquez, clinched second places in the men’s bantamweight, fin weight, and light weight divisions, respectively. In addition, Failanga tallied a silver medal for the lady jins after finishing second in the light weight event.

Patriot tankers sweep 20 medals in Nationals Bannering Region IV-A’s flag in the regionals stint, the DLSU-D tankers spearheaded the CALABARZON delegates after taking home six gold, six silver, and eight bronze medals in the 2015 Private School Athletics Association (PRISAA) - Nationals swimming championship held at the Central Philippine University, Iloilo City on April 13-15.

Four-time PRISAA most valuable player Jerome Magallanes contributed six gold and one bronze medal, leading the male tankers with their six gold, three silver, and three bronze medals tally. Magallanes topped the 50-m, 100-m, and 200-m breaststroke events with a time of 31.45, 2:40.55, and 1:11.21, respectively, and clinched another gold medal in the 400-m individual medley match.

Bagging silver medals, rookies Klinton Tuastumban and Gene Paguia placed second in the 200-m butterfly and backstroke categories, consecutively. Meanwhile, Patriot Adrian Villanueva gathered a silver and a bronze medal in the 400-m and 200-m freestyle events.

For the final medal in the individual category of the men’s division, Angel Villanueva seized a bronze after finishing third in the 50-m butterfly swim.

Dominating the 4 x 400-m freestyle relay, CALABARZON completed the set of gold after clocking 4:01:16. The green-and-white tankers contributed another two bronze medals, notching the third spot in the 4 x 400m medley and 4 x 800-m freestyle relays.

The lady tankers, on the other hand, collected three silver and four bronze medals for CALABARZON. Rookie Cyntenee Dabalos clinched two medals after placing second and third in the 200-m and 100-m breaststroke matches, respectively. Lady Patriot Mariel Jaafar added another bronze medal after seeding a 1:20.97 time in the 100-m butterfly event.

The Lady Patriots also grabbed silver medals in the 4 x 200-m and 4 x 400-m freestyle relay swims and clinched two bronze medals in the 4 x 200-m and 4 x 400-m medley relay matches.

VOLUME 30 ISSUE 1

DLSU-D volleybelles clinch third in 15th FSC LPU-L thrashes Patriot spikers in battle for third

By Queenee Manaog The DLSU-D volleyball teams participated in the 15th Friendship and Solidarity Cup volleyball tournament with the women’s team securing the third spot against the De La Salle – Lipa (DLS-L) Lady Chevrons. On the other hand, the men’s squad succumbed to a defeat during the battle for third match against the Lyceum of the Philippines – Laguna (LPU-L) Pirates held at the DLS-L gymnasium on March 28.

The Patriots missed their chance of making it to the finals round as the volleybelles bowed to the University of Perpetual Help System – Biñan, 0-3, while the spikers surrendered to the De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, 2-3, during the semifinals showdown on March 22.

Stained elims record The Patriot spikers’ winning streak ended during the eliminations after suffering to a loss against the LPU-L Pirates, 1-3, on their game before the semifinals. The Patriots kicked off the first set with a 4-2 lead through Eddiemar Kasim and Brian Castro’s attacks against the red-and-yellow court. However, E. Kasim and Aidam Adam committed service and spike errors after a Pirate blocked a green-and-white ball out-ofbounds, 4-5.

The LPU-L spikers initiated the series of deadlocks after Adam and Ibrahim Kasim’s hit errors, 10-all. Stealing the lead, the Pirates managed to capture two points as Jerome Mirano struck a hard service while Adam hit a spike on the net, 10-12.

The Pirates exchanged attacks with the Patriots but I. Kasim retaliated with two consecutive

kills, marking another tie of the set, 14-all.

After another three deadlocks, I. Kasim reinforced the Patriot squad and detonated kill and service aces on the opposite court, 19-17. Despite I. Kasim’s service error, E. Kasim and Castro pulled their lead away with a kill and blocks, 22-18.

Although they attacked and built rock-hard defense against the Patriots, the Pirates committed two consecutive errors that paved a way for the Patriots to closely seize the set, 24-20. After notching two additional points, the Pirates and the Patriots engaged in a long rally before Adam finally snatched the set with a spike, 25-22.

Switching positions, the Patriots became the weaker contender during the second set as they exchanged attacks and errors, 6-10. Failing to stop the Pirates’ scoring rhythm, the green-and-white squad remained stuck on a four-point deficit as their opponents denied E. Kasim and Adam’s spikes, 9-13.

Extending their supremacy, the Pirates recorded a 5-2 run after continuously launching kills and defending their court against the Patriots, 11-21. On the other hand, the Cavite-based spikers committed errors despite I. Kasim and Castro’s consecutive attacks, 13-24.

Another combination from I. Kasim and Castro tossed in points for the Patriots but Kasim missed his service and handed the second set to the Pirates, 15-25.

During the third set, the DLSU-D spikers remained behind the match as the red-and-yellow squad showered spikes while the Patriots committed errors, 4-5.

Despite the struggle to lead, the Patriots failed to mark a deadlock

before the Pirates hurled a spike and two blocks consecutively, 6-11. Keeping their heads up, the green-and-white squad cut down their deficit through E. Kasim and Adam’s solid blocks, 11-13.

Maintaining their advantage, the Pirates buried spikes and aces on the opposite court before the Patriots teams alternated in throwing hits and committing errors, 15-18. However, Patriots Aldin Bin, together with the Kasim brothers, commanded their squad to a 4-1 run and finally grabbed the lead, 19-18. Although the red-and-yellow spikers led the match again through a kill and a drop, the Patriots took the upper hand through I. Kasim’s kill and service aces, 22-20.

Reviving themselves, the LPU-L spikers released quick spikes while E. Kasim committed an outside hit after a green-andwhite service error and kill, 2324. E. Kasim marked the deuce with a kill but the Pirates proved their prowess as they seized the third set, 24-26.

With only one set win left to own the game, the Pirates started the fourth set with an early 4-1 run through their offensive play and E. Kasim’s outside service, 2-6. After both teams exchanged kills and drops, the red-andyellow squad again recorded a 4-1 run as the Patriots committed hit errors, 7-15.

Reducing their deficit, the Patriots retaliated with a 5-1 run through spikes and blocks, 1316. However, the Patriots quickly lost their drive as they recorded hit errors and lifting violations, increasing the Pirates’ lead, 1523. Although Bin and I. Kasim threw kills, the Pirates claimed the match after a red-and-yellow kill and block, 18-25.

CALABARZON tracksters clinch 3-peat nat’ls title

By John Paul Gonzales The DLSU-D tracksters, main representative of CALABARZON, seized their three-peat triumph as they garnered six gold medals in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) – Nationals athletics competition on April 12-15 at the Iloilo City Sports Complex, Iloilo City.

Patriot Ralph Gesulgon, two-time most outstanding athlete, proved his supremacy after clinching a gold medal in the javelin throw category with a 58.40 m mark. He outlasted silver medalist Rizal Kasim of Region IX and bronze medalist Rufino Iba of Region VII after drafting 54.48 m and 51.19 m records, respectively. Reaping another two gold medals, Gesulgon topped the discus throw and shot put events.

In the 100 m sprint match, DLSU-D’s Alvin Valdenarro obtained a gold medal after concluding

a 10.53 seconds finish, enduring Region XI’s Kenneth Paculba who landed second with 11.04 seconds. On the other hand, CALABARZON’s Jeffrey Buhay of the Lyceum of the Philippines – Batangas completed the category with 11.24 seconds, earning a bronze medal.

Gesulgon and Valdenarro, along with teammates Marc Agdasiw and Frederick Valenzuela, earned a gold medal in the 4 x 100-m relay division after completing a 42.65 mark, edging Regions VI and XI delegates who won silver and bronze medals with 43.88 and 43.95 seconds, subsequently. Moreover, the green-and-white quartet also dominated the 4 x 400-m division with a 3:19.23 mark while Region VI and Cordillera Administrative Region representatives sat at second and third places, respectively.

On the other hand, Felyn Dolloso singlehandedly led the Lady Patriots for a win after setting a gold record in the triple jump event of the women’s division.

ROSTER. A total of 142 athletes composes the Patriots varsity team as of July 15.

Infographic by Pamela Joven

• Sports Briefs • DLSU-D adds 33 greenhorns • A smashing swift success JUNE - AUGUST 2015

facebook.com/HeraldoFilipino

twitter.com/HeraldoFilipino

officialheraldofilipino@gmail.com

November VOLUME - January 20141 30 ISSUE

Cagebelles sustain 4-peat crown CALABARZON routs Western Visayas, 50-47

By Krizza Mae Bautista Region 4-A (CALABARZON) preserved their championship title for the fourth time after thrashing Region 6 (Western Visayas), 5047, in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) – Nationals basketball women tourney held at the University of San Agustin Gym, Iloilo City on April 16.

With their clean 5-0 eliminations card, University of Perpetual Help System Jonelta (UPHSJ) - GMA import Shennen Mae Dorio led the team as she was hailed this season’s most valuable player.

RELENTLESS. The DLSU-D cagebelles defend their title as they bag their 4th PRISAA-National crown at University of San Augustin, Iloilo City. Jerome Quinto

Unshakeable Composed mainly of Patriots, Region 4-A edged the

Region 6 lady dribblers early in the eliminations round in a 51-50 dismay.

In their finals match, the heat intensified as both teams exhibited sturdy offenses at an early 4:55 mark, 4-3.

The heat continues as CALABARZON found their rhythm and fired consecutive shots courtesy of Dorio and teammate, Chloewin Coroza, 8-3.

The Visayans abruptly halted the red-and-blue squads’ pace by a basket; however, Patriots Divine Diaz and Josele Jumawan hurled two consecutive jumpshots and a free thrower that blocked Western Visayas’ attempt to seal the first quarter, 13-5.

Tapping early points for the

CALABARZON squad, UPHSJ imports Irah Joannah Almariego and Jen Quitomo opened the second canto with a jumpshot and a free throw, respectively, 16-5.

Western Visayas finally managed to chip in two points for their team; however, Quitomo, with Almariego’s assist, plunged a three-pointer in the red-andblue basket, 19-7.

Leaving Region 6 behind, CALABARZON maintained a good momentum throughout the game despite the overwhelming Visayan sea. The gray squad pitched scores in between Region 4-A’s shots but the latter prevailed as they closed the second period with a nine-point advantage, 29-20.

Region 4-A extended their lead as the second half commenced, bringing out stinging offenses until the end of the third quarter, 39-29.

However, tables turned as the last quarter kicked off with the Visayans ruling the last eight minutes of the canto with a 14-0 run, 43-49.

Driving the crowd wild, Almariego successfully drew the scores near at 1:33, 4547. The red-and-blue cagebelle teased the crowd once more as she successfully banked two breathtaking free throws, locking the scores at 47-all in a 1:01 expiring clock.

see CAGEBELLES/page 14

Spikers drop PRISAA nat’ls crown, settle 3rd Region IV-A surrenders to Central Visayas on semis

By Queenee Manaog The Region IV-A spikers, led by the Patriots, stepped down from their throne after their fouryear dynasty in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) – Nationals held at the University of San Agustin gymnasium, Sambag, Iloilo on April 16. They concluded the men’s volleyball tournament on third rank, trouncing the Region VI delegates, 27-25, 26-24, and 25-23.

End of the stint Despite their clean sweep in the eliminations, the Patriots missed the chance of defending their championship title after Central Visayas defeated the red-and-blue squad during the semifinals round.

The CALABARZON spikers dominated the first set as they notched a 6-1 run and finished the set, 25-18. However, the

defending champs failed to maintain their supremacy, surrendering the second set to Region VII, 20-25.

Although the Patriots bounced back in the beginning of the third canto, the Region VI spikers snatched the lead and banked in kills to the opponents’ court, seizing the set at 19-25.

The Central Visayas spikers led the fourth set of the match but Region IV-A surpassed their deficit and claimed the set, 25-21.

During the neck-and-neck fifth set, the teams engaged in rallies and scored close to each other.

However, the Region VII spikers nailed the Patriots to a 13-14 score card and ran off with finals ticket through a drop, 13-15.

“Nakakahiya kasi sa mga alumni namin na parang nagbago lang ‘yung [lineup ng] players, isa lang [ang] natira na senior, ‘di na nakuha ‘yung [championship title],” said former

Patriot team captain Reenen Encisa as he expressed his disappointment in their semis defeat.

Third than nothing After losing against Region VII, the Patriots landed on the battle for third match against last year’s championship rival, the Western Visayas squad. Both teams kept their score tight in the opening set, 18-17, before Region IV-A displayed a 5-2 run play through spikes, blocks, and Region VI’s errors, 22-17. However, the Western Visayas squad recovered from their errors and drafted a 23all deadlock. After two deuces, Patriot Eddiemar Kasim detonated two consecutive kills to the Western Visayas court and secured the first set, 27-25.

Earlier in the second set, the Region VI spikers overshadowed the CALABARZON squad when they commanded the match in their favor, 8-13, but Patriots E. Kasim, together

with his brother Ibrahim, and teammate Bryan Castro, managed to cut their deficit to one by unleashing kills and service aces, 12-13.

After both teams alternated in throwing attacks and errors, 1720, Region IV-A retaliated against the Western Visayas squad when I. Kasim and Aidam Adam teamed up in discharging kills and drop shots, 22-20. Region VI managed to tie the scores at 24-all but E. Kasim, with his two consecutive quick kills, once again handed the set to the CALABARZON squad, 26-24.

During the third set, Region IV-A and Region VI fought for the lead closely, 7-6, but the Patriots committed series of errors which favored the Western Visayans, 7-11. The Kasim brothers along with Castro recovered from their faults and tied the match at 12-all.

The Western Visayan spikers obtained their superiority as

see SPIKERS/page 14

STAINED. The DLSU-D mens volleyball team superiority in the PRISAA Nationals stooped down after losing the final match to Central Visayas in the San Augustin gymnasium, Sambag, Iloilo. Jerome Quinto

7 Patriots represent PH in Universiade 2015

By Fernan Patrick Flores Three padddlers, two shuttlers, and two tankers from DLSU-D completed the roster of Filipino delegates in the 2015 Summer Universiade on July 3-15 held at the city of Gwangju, South Korea.

Patriot shuttler Gilly Chavez succumbed to a defeat against Japan’s Natsumi Shimoda and France’s Ann Tran in the women’s singles event preliminaries. On the other hand, Shuttler Petronilo Nim with Altas teammate JC Clarito, knelt to Japanese smashers Kohtaro Miyajima and Masato Takano in their men’s doubles eliminations match. Joining forces with Lady Falcon Erika Ochoa, the Filipino shuttlers failed to secure a

win against France’s Bastian Kersaudy and Lea Palermo in the mixed doubles category.

In the table tennis matches, Marthy del Rosario faced a straightset loss to China’s Fang Yinchi in the men’s singles event, as well as Rosalyn Zapanta, who faced Japan’s Rei Yamamoto in the women’s division.

Lady Paddler Corizza Soriano, meanwhile, fell short to a tough fiveset battle against Libya’s Floriane El Murr in the women’s singles category.

However, lady tanker Arianne Alcantara slipped in the 50-m freestyle, and 50-m, 100-m, and 200m butterfly events while teammate Jan Vincent Llaguno suffered a defeat in the 50-m breaststroke race.

NEOPHYTES. As of July 15, 33 Patriot greenhorns were added to the roster of DLSU-D athletes.

Infographic by Pamela Joven