E-SPORTS: THE INTERNATIONAL 8
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FIRST ASHS FAIR: WHAT TO EXPECT
WHAT’S IT TO YOU?
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Hi-LITES
FOR THE STUDENTS, BY THE STUDENTS
photo by Clarisse Cabinta
SEPTEMBER 2018 - VOL 70, No. 2
PAGBABALIK TANAW SA
DEKADA 70’S AT 80’S ANG PAGDIRIWANG NG BUWAN NG WIKA SA ASHS by Angelo Naorbe and Jacob Ugsimar Alinsunod sa temang “Sumayaw, sumunod sa Musika ng Dekada ‘70 at ‘80, nagdiwang ang buong komunidad ng Ateneo Senior High School ng Buwan ng Wika sa pamamagitan ng samu’t saring mga aktibidad at patimpalak na kinalahokan ng mga mag-aaral at guro na ginanap buong Agosto. Sa pamumuno ni G. Tyron Casumpang, kasapi ng kagawaran ng Filipino, nagkaroon ng mga patimpalak pangklase tulad ng Hugot Pa at Pistambayan na kung saan nagtulong-tulong ang bawat klase sa pagdisenyo ng kanilang mga silid akma sa kanilang itinalagang tema. Nagkaroon rin ng isang musikal na
Komunidad ng ASHS, nagtipon sa paggunita sa Pagaakyat kay Maria by Jacob Ugsimar
Ipinagdiwang ng buong komunidad ng Senior High School, ang Kapistahan ng Pag-aakyat kay Maria sa Langit o Feast of the Assumption of Mary noong ika-15 ng Agosto, 2018. Idinaos ang misa sa mga Binubungang Palaruan ng Ateneo High School, na pinamunuan ni Reb. Pd. Martin Licup, SJ, na nagsisilbi sa chaplaincy ng Philippine General Hospital. Kabilang din sa mga namuno rito si Reb. Pd. Roseller Atilano, SJ ng ASHS Campus Ministry Office habangagsilbig mass sponsors ang mga pangkat ng 12-Miki at 12-Ogilvie. Sa kaniyang homiliya, ibinahagi ni Reb. Pd. Licup, SJ ang ilan sa kaniyang mga karanasan sa mga batang may karamdaman sa loob ng isang taon niyang pagsisilbi sa PGH. Bukod dito, nagkaroon rin ng isang natatanging pagbabasbas para sa mga guro at mga namamahala sa paaralan na nagsilbingg mga tagapamahagi ng Banal na Katawan ni
patimpalak, ang Origs Pinoy para sa Ika-12 na baitang at Harana para sa Ika-11 na Baitang na kung saan nagtulong-tulong ang mga kasapi ng bawat klase upang makabuo o makagawa ng isang orihinal na kanta o presentasyon. Nagkaroon rin ng pagkakataon na maipakita ng komunidadang kanilang talento sa pag-awit sa pamamagitan ng Videoke Challenge na itinalaga sa ASHS Foyer. Nakilahok rin ang mga guro at miyembro ng administrasyon ng Senior High.Nagtapos ang isang buwang pagdiriwang sa isang malaking kaganapan, ang Pinoytuntunan 2018 na ginanap sa
Covered Courts. Nasaksihan dito ang iba’t ibang presentasyon ng mga magaaral at guro akma sa retro na tema. Ginanap rin dito ang patimpalak ng Bihis Pinoy kung saan rumampa ang mga mag-aaral ath guro suot ang mga kadamitang mula sa dekada ‘70 at ‘80. Nagtisan rin ang mga strands sa patimpalak na Hataw, kung saan ipinamalas nila ang angking talento sa pagsayaw. Ginawaran ang pagsisikap ng mga mag-aaral at binigyang parangal ang mga nagwagi sa iba’t ibang patimpalak. Ang mga nagwagi ay ang mga sumusunod: Sa Hataw, ABM Strand. Sa Origs Pinoy (Grade 12), nagwagi naman ang
Kibe sunod ang Beyzeym, Sullivan, Oldcorne at Anchieta. Sa Harana (Grade 11), nanguna ang Campion sunod ang Goupil, Mayer, Tsuji, San Vitores. Sa Hugot Pa (Grade 11), nanalo ang mga klaseng Tsuji, Torres, Borja, Angelis, Realino, (Grade 12) Xavier, Oldcorne, Walpole, Navarro, Acquaviva. Sa Pistambayan naman, nagwagi ang (Grade 11) Tsuji, Torres, De Brito, Mayer, Hurtado, (Grade 12) Pro, Xavier, Gonzales, Acquaviva at Miki. Sa Bihis Pinoy nanalo ang mga kalahok ng (Grade 11) Nakaura, San Vitores, Angelis, De Brito, Tsuji, (Grade 12), Ogilvie, Carvalho, Acquaviva, Walpole at Pantalia.
Kristo tuwing komunyon. Ilan pa sa mga kapansin-pansing bahagi sa ginanap na misa ang paggamit ng iba’t ibang mga wikang Filipino sa pagpapahayag ng mga Panalangin ng Bayan. Nasilayan rin ng buong komunidad sa misang ito ang pag-awit ni Gng. Ma. Victoria Dimalanta, punongguro ng ASHS, ng “Aba Ginoong Maria.” Ilang araw bago ganapin ang pagdiriwang na ito, ibinahagi rin sa isang pagninilay ni G. Noel P. Miranda, Assistant Principal for Student Affairs and Formation, ang kahulugan, kabuluhan, at kahalagahan ng pagdiriwang na ito sa ating pananampalataya.
ACO HOLDS LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR STUDENT LEADERS
listen to talks given by the ACO Core Council Members about the different aspects of leadership, and their respective roles in the ACO. Apart from talks, games and ice breakers were also facilitated by the ACO Core Council to lighten up the mood. At the end of the talks, the participants were separated into groups that were tasked to create a cheer and a group name during the lunch break. Unfortunately, due to the inclement weather on that day, the participants were informed that the event had to be cut short and would end at 2PM instead of the original time of 4PM. After the lunch break, the participants were separated by strand and were given different activities by their respective strand core councils, which included talks and games. To conclude the event, a culminating activity was held wherein the groups said their cheers and group names in front of the rest of the participants. Alieli Choi of 11- Angelis, who attended the leadership seminar, says that, “The leadership seminar gave me great insights on breaking what the stereotypical outlook on specific leadership positions are and what they truly mean. It was a great way for
by Lexi Lagamon On August 11, 2018, the Assembly of Class Officers (ACO) held their very first leadership training seminar . Throughout the event, the participants learned more about not only how to be a good leader, but also about how to best manage their time in senior high. The event started at 8AM at the Senior High Building. The participants were all together in one room to
ACO Leadership Training 2018 | Photo courtesy of the ACO
h ASHS Debaters Compete in IDEA Lite 2018
by Bea Alejandro
Five teams from the Ateneo Senior High School Debate Team competed last July 28-29 at Xavier School for the 2018 IDEA Lite Tournament. Despite not clinching the victory, the contigent still had a successful run with Team ASHS A, consisting of Bien Santillan and Marc Marquez, reached the final round despite falling to Xavier A in a 3-2 split, in favor of the latter. On the other hand, 3 teams, ASHS B (Linus Sison and Joaquin Quintos), ASHS C( Harnet Delmo and Migoy Arroyo), and ASHS E (Timothy Lee and CJ Rosales) all reached the pre-quarter finals stage. ASHS D (Sean Gayod and Zach Salvador) broke 2nd in the elimination stage. For the individual awards, Santillan bagged the 2nd Best Speaker and Best Speaker of the Finals Awards, while Marquez clinched the 7th overall Best Speaker Award. The ASHS Debate contigent was accompanied by their moderator, Ms. Amyrrha M. Estolloso of the English Department.
Ateneo Senior High School Celebrates Saint Ignatius Day
by Bea Alejandro
On July 30, 2018, The Ateneo Senior High School community held several activities to commemorate St. Ignatius’feast day. The celebration kicked off with a two-hour long military mass at the Ateneo High School covered courts.Fr. Rosseler L. Atilano Jr. SJ, along with priests of the Ateneo High School, presided the ceremony which was preceded by a silent drill done by the ASHS CAT Officers. The latter was a milestone in the community as it was the first co-ed military drill in Ateneo High School. Led by their Wing Commander, Migs Pilapil of 12-Kibe, he shared how memorable the experience was by stating how it was also “a showcase of gratitude to St. Ignatius” by offering his Heirloom Sword to the statue of Our Lady of Montserrat . Additionally, sponsoring sections were 12-Daniel of the GA strand, who served as the readers, and 12- Bobola of the ABM strand, who offered the Sacred Relic and carried the Jesuit statues. The mass was preceded by a silent drill done by the CAT officers, the first ever co-ed drill since the implementation of the Senior High School program. They were led by their Wing Commander, Migs Pilapil of 12-Kibe, who also offered his sword to a statue of Our Lady of Montserrat. Afterwards, the day was capped off with a salu-salo in the ASHS classrooms. Students, along with their parents, got to bond as one class by organizing respective class programs.
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ARROYO SNATCHES TOP HOUSE POST
by Ethan Galvan
Former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was catapulted to the House Speakership on July 24 after lawmakers booted PDP-Laban Stalwart and Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez. Arroyo, 71, made history as the first woman and first former president to become speaker after receiving 184 affirmative votes, 48 nay votes, and 12 abstentions. The bloc led by Camarines Sur Representative Rolando Andaya called for the removal of Alvarez and said that the house has lost confidence in him and that Arroyo has mustered enough numbers to be named house leader five hours prior to President Rodrigo Duterte’s State Of The Nation Address (SONA). Arroyo took her oath before Ang Kabuhayan Representative Dennis Laoagan, the youngest lawmaker in the 17th congress flanked by representatives from each party in congress.Despite the mic being turned off, she thanked her supporters and later had to shout to be heard amidst the applauses saying, “I am very grateful to my colleagues for their trust and confidence in electing me Speaker and I view my role as Speaker with having the primary specific objective that is to carry out the legislative agenda of President
Rodrigo Duterte.” “She is perfect for the job since she has the experience and influence to shepherd through Duterte’s planned shift to federalism,” said political commentator Earl Parreno. However, the validity of the proceedings was questioned by critics for the mace, the prime symbol of the chamber’s legislative authority was absent.The house leadership derby delayed the joint session of Congress and the President’s SONA by more than an hour. Despite her election, it was still Alvarez and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III who rolled out the red carpet for Duterte and presided over the entirety of the joint session. Subsequently, Arroyo was officially made House leader in a special session after the President’s SONA and retook her oath before lawmakers with the mace present. Rumors of the plot to oust Alvarez had already been floated Monday morning after Presidential daughter Sara Duterte- Carpio reportedly phoned congressmen and joined forces with Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos to topple Alvarez and House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas. Duterte- Carpio previously had a fallout with Alvarez while the Fariñases have long been political rivals of the Marcoses in Ilocos Norte. The former president’s climb to become the fourth most powerful official in the country marks a big turnaround in her political career after five years of being detained for graft.
E- SPORTS
Photo by Esports Insider
The International 8: The Biggest E-sports by CJ Forlales Tournament of the Year Captivating the hearts of millions of DOTA 2 fans and spectators all over the world, Team OG completed their miracle run through the most prestigious tournament of DOTA 2, The International, after pulling off a 3-2 debacle over China’s LGD squad, securing the highest prize in eSports history at the Roger’s Arena, Canada, on August 26. The road for the team comprised of Johan “NOtail” Sundstein, Anatham “ana” Pham, Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen, Sebastien “Ceb” Debs, and Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka, was not easy since they had to qualify for the event on their own, while other teams were directly invited. The tournament was full of surprises right from the get go as team VGJ.Storm unexpectedly topped the Group B with 12 wins and 4 losses while
Photo by Clarisse Cabinta
Team Liquid finished first in group A with 13 wins and 3 losses. Heading into the first day of the main event, four teams in the lower bracket were immediately eliminated from the competition namely, TnC, Fnatic, Newbee and VGJ.Thunder while OpTic and VP dropped to the lower bracket after losing to Liquid and LGD respectively. “... a lot of emotions and different factors that come into play and it’s not just the factors during TI but also throughout the year,” said Jacky “EternalEnvy” Mao, captain of team Fnatic after their grueling loss against Team Serenity. On the second day of the competition, OG and EG showed dominance over their opponents, VGJ.Storm and Team Secret respectively as they both won the series, 2-0 to advance further in the upper bracket. Meanwhile, in the lower bracket, Winstrike, Mineski, Team Serenity, and Vici Gaming were all knocked out of the tournament and was denied the chance to bring home the prestigious “Aegis of Champions” On the other hand, EG shocked the DOTA 2 Community when they destroyed the defending
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champion, Team Liquid in the lower bracket semifinals, 2-0, to deny them the chance to be back-to-back champions. The OG squad then advanced further into the upper bracket, dismantling EG in a close 2-1 series, and upsetting LGD in a comefrom-behind 2-1 series to secure for themselves a championship berth. Shortly after, LGD annihilated EG, 2-0, and knocked them out of the tournament to secure a date with OG in the grand finals. Both squads battled it out in a series that reached 5 games but was won by the crownhungry OG in the end to take home the highest prize in all of eSports of 11 million dollars and was crowned champions of The International.
The Comeback Kings: Dota 2’s Biggest Cinderella Story
by Vito Martin
Johan “Notail” Sundstein, along with the rest of his teammates in team OG, was just practicing for the China Dota 2 Supermajor, when he received the heartbreaking news: his best friend and captain of the team, Tal “Fly” Azik, and Gustav “s4” Magnusson, one of the most prestigious players in the game, were leaving the team to join Evil Geniuses (EG), one of their biggest rivals. The news came just nine hours before the 2nd biggest tournament of the year, leaving the team in shambles, and forcing them to pull out of the tournament. The replacements came in the form of 18-year-old Anathan “ana” Pham and Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen, a Finnish Dota 2 player that had nearly no experience in the professional Dota 2 scene. No one expected the team to make it far in The International, or even make the tournament at all. Despite qualifying for the tournament, their road to redemption was far from over. Most people saw OG’s run at the point when they defeated the VGJ. Storm team in the best of three as an overachievement; they had nothing else to prove. They were now on their road to their actual goal: winning The International and becoming the best team in Dota 2. Up until that point, no one believed that they could make it, but after the victory, the light at the end of the tunnel was finally visible, and it would only become more noticeable in their next matchup against the Chinese powerhouse, PSG. LGD. The only thing standing between PSG.LGD and the title was team OG. In 3 tight matchups, OG managed to put away the Chinese super team. OG managed to overcome their deficit in Game 3 and claim their spot in the finals, where they would wait to see who they would go face to face with for the title: their former captain Fly and the rest of team EG, or PSG.LGD once more.The Chinese managed to put away OG’s rivals to claim their spot in the tournament’s finals for a best-of-five series, and a rematch with the team that defeated them just one series prior. PSG.LGD put up a noble and courageous fight, going up 2-1 in the series and needing just one more win to claim the title and 11 million dollars along with it. Unfortunately, there was no stopping the momentum of OG, as they brought the series to a game 5, a feat that had not been achieved for 5 years. They ended up winning the title, winning and winning the prestige of being called the best Dota 2 team in the world.
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3 A Culture of Disaster Readiness in the ASHS
Kimi Pantanosas The concept of natural disasters is not new to most Filipinos. History will show the countless natural and man-made hazards that have swept our nation, leading to deaths, damage of property and infrastructure and et cetera. However, the kinds of disasters that society is most familiar with because of its prominent coverage on the media are those caused by natural hazards. Floods, earthquakes, volcanoes and more have been known to wreak havoc on our land, leaving our country in disarray. On a larger scale, the government has taken some action to mitigate these natural disasters. In the same manner, the Ateneo Senior High Community (ASHS) community has also taken their own measures towards the promotion of Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction (DRRR). Firstly, in terms of student activities, there is the Kanlaon student committee. It is one of the four Sandigan committees in which its aim is to promote a culture of DRRR in the ASHS. Just last July, Kanlaon celebrated the month as ‘National Disaster Consciousness Month’ aiming to bring the idea of DRRR to the forefront of the student consciousness. Kanlaon has responded to the call of the victims of natural disasters. Earlier this August, they spearheaded the collection of donations of various necessities such as food, sanitation and hygienic resources for those affected by the floods. In an academic context, the General Academics (GA) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) strands in the ASHS integrate ‘Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction’ as a course in their curriculum. DRRR covers the causes, effects, and appropriate responses to different kinds of natural hazards and disasters. In effect, students are not only taught to be literate in the various DRRR-related terms, but also immersed in a culture of resilience in response to the natural hazards and disasters prevalent in our country. The manifestations of DRRR are even present in the most subtle and practicable places in our ASHS community. Fire extinguishers are placed in every room of our building while evacuation maps and layouts are made for every room and floor. There are standard rules and procedures in place for whenever any kind of natural hazard and disaster befalls the community. At the end of the day, it’s fair to say that all ASHS teachers, students and staff have allocated much effort towards the prevention of potential disasters in the nearby future. However, it is still important to realize the responsibility each student shares in the promotion of DRRR. Although, it may not predict what hazards and situations the ASHS may find itself in in the near future but students should do their parts by being ready to help ourselves and each other.
Magis ng Mga Atleta ni Cele Mendoza
Sa buhay ng mga magaaral ng senior high school ay isang napakalaking bagay ang salitang 'time management' lalo na't sandamakmak na mga proyekto ang kailangang ipasa at dumalo sa napakadaming aktibidades na may kaugnayan sa paaralan. Ito ay ilan lamang sa arawaraw na kinahaharap ng mga magaaral ng Ateneo Senior High School at tila isang mahirap na pagsubok ang kinakailangan nilang talunin at patuloy na isabuhay ang salitang 'MAGIS'. Mahirap man ang maging isang estudyante ay tila madaling kinahaharap ito ng isang atletang mag-aaral na si Augistine 'Ago' D. Bugtong. Si Ago Bugtong ay isang estudyante ng 12-Grodecky na nasailalim ng General Academic (GA) strand, kasapi sa Handball varsity at ang pinuno ng Fair Committee. Tila siksik, liglig, at umaapaw ang gawaing nakaatang sa kanya lalo na at naghahanda sya para sa nalalapit na College Entrance Exams sa mga prestihiyosong mga paaralan. Lahat ng ito ay patuloy na kinahaharap ni Ago at may ilang payo para sa mga kapwa nya atletang estudyante na nahihirapan sa pagbabalance ng akademikong aspeto at atletang aspeto sa Senior High School gamit ang salitang 'MAGIS' na nangangahulugang 'MORE'
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-agfocus sa isang bagay. "You have to focus on one thing at a time to have better output and be more efficient" ani Bugtong. Upang maging maayos ang mga bagay-bagay ay pagtuunan ng pansin kung ano ang nasa harap mo, kung isports ay isports muna ang isipin at isantabi ang tungkol sa mga gagawin para sa ibag asignatura at ganun din naman kapag sa akademikong aspeto ka naman naka tuon ay ibigay ang iyong 100% atensyon.
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-cads bago lakads. "I try my best not to go out during the weekends because I know I need to study to go into a good school", alamin ang prayoridad lalo na at nalalapit na ang mga CET para sa mga grade 12 students na tulad ni Ago na naghahangad makapasok sa isa sa apat na prestihiyosong paaralan sa Pilipinas ang University of the Philippines, Ateneo De Manila University, De La Salle University, at University of Santo Tomas.
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-awin lahat ng kayang gawin. "I suggest making a to-do list and try to do everything before going to training", upang hindi matambakan ng gawain ay tapusin ang mga ito ng mas maaga kung may libreng oras upang makapagpokus para sa pageensayo lalo na sa mga atleta.
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-labas ang iyong natatagong kakayahan. "Fair is an opportunity wherein the Senior High School community could showcase their skills and what we can do to help our society", gamitin ang mga kakayanan upang makatulong sa iba, sa kamagaral man o sa ka-team dahil ang susi sa tagumpay ay pagtutulungan.
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-umandal sa mga kaibigan. "These are the people that inspire me to keep on going despite the obstacles ahead of me", ang mga kaibigan at kagrupo ay maaari mong panghugutan ng lakas upang magpatuloy at lampasan lahat ng pagsubok na kinahaharap ng magaaral ng ASHS. "It is all about dicipline", sa lahat ng bagay na ginagawa ay dapat ibigay ang lahat ng iyong makakaya. Iyan si Ago, marami man ang aktibidades ay patuloy nya itong nalalampasan dahil sa kanyang positibong pananaw at disiplina sa sarili.
Katrina PEPE-DEDE-RALISMO! byMonozca For decades, implementing federalism as the new form of government has been a bone of contention among majority of Filipinos. In the past years, it has resurfaced during President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign. In an attempt to educate and promote awareness among the Filipinos regarding federalism, Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary, Mocha Uson, released a somewhat gameshow type of video entitled ‘Kain Pepedederalismo’ featuring Drew Olivar on her Facebook page ‘Mocha Uson Blog’ garnering over 5.7 million likes. As soon as the video was released, both Mocha and Drew received backlash from thousands of netizens. The video has since been taken down. Mocha Uson has been infamously involved in scandals, especially ones concerning the proliferation of fake news. However, this video brought upon a larger scale of controversy. Across all social media platforms, filipinos continued to circulate the video even long after its deletion. Based on the many critical comments of netizens, the contention
lay in the ineffectiveness of the video in teaching Filipinos federalism and the blatant lewdness Mocha Uson and Drew displayed. Thousands of users were appalled by the behavior of Mocha that was not fitting of a government official for taking a serious issue, the reformation of law, so lightly. The pun in the title itself is obscene while the so called interpretative dance of Drew was crassly done. Something as serious and complex as federalism should be explained without the frivolity to ensure that people understand the concept as it is, without the profanities and inappropriateness that distract people from the real topic. This way, those who are learning can also discern and decide regarding public issues. It is clear that the majority of Filipinos are still not aware of the basic concepts of federalism, but why? It is in the ways that concepts are presented to us that have the biggest effect on the information we retain. Rather than promoting a culture of scandal and misconduct, public officials should be more mindful of the influence they have and present serious issues to the people effectively.
Brotherhood by CJ Forlales
Their bodies were battered and bruised; tempers were at an all time high. Filipinos played better in the open floor, using their superior agility and light feet to their advantage, but it was impossible to utilize that advantage when your opponents won’t let you stay on your feet in the first place. The anger just kept piling up, until they decided that they have had enough of the elbows and trash talk. The clash between Australia’s Boomers and Philippines’ Gilas Pilipinas erupted into an all-outbrawl and sparked global headlines in the 2018 FIBA World Cup qualifiers held at the Philippine Arena, July 3. The commotion started at the third quarter after Australian forward Daniel Kickert threw an elbow at Philippines’ guard Roger Pogoy, which prompted the Filipino squad to retaliate until the fight started to break out, creating chaos all over the place. It was difficult to find a spot on the court where there were not any players throwing hands at each other. At one side of the fight, there was an Australian body on the ground, continuously beaten by, not only players, but even spectators from the baseline as well. A little bit to the right of that mess, 7’2 Milwaukee Bucks center Thon Maker from the National Basketball Association (NBA) was jumping around, throwing kicks at different Gilas players, and almost landing one on Terrence Romeo. Referees were running around, unsure about where their help was needed most to stop the fight, until they finally got the situation controlled. It is difficult to describe the situation as anything other than chaotic. The incident caught the attention of basketball veterans all over the world, but most notably Andrew Bogut who voiced out his emotions in twitter.“MAN WTF!! Disgusting. Blokes taking a team selfie after all that. Down 31. Yep. They really just took a team selfie,” posted Bogut who is clearly unhappy about the incident. Many fans and, to an extent, former Gilas Plipinas players defended the team members that participated in the fight that night, saying that they were all just caught up in the moment and they just wanted to prove that whenever they are all in the court, they will always have their back. They used the illusion and notion of having each others’ backs to defend their actions on the court. However, not everyone supported the actions of the Philippine team representing our entire country. Some fans expressed their concerns on how this would reflect the image of Filipinos around the world, and some even commended the actions of the Gilas players that did not participate in the fight. Meanwhile, Gilas Pilipinas’ Terrence Romeo was unapologetic about the incident. After the incident, a total of 12 players were ejected, nine of which were from the Philippines. There are also people that choose to cover these negatives up in a blanket, needing only one word to justify the players “defending” each other in the fight: brotherhood.
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ANG PAGBABAYBAY NG
BAYBAYIN
by Kristina Jao Ang panukalang pagpasa ng National Writing System Act sa kongreso ay sumasagisag sa isang pamamaraang magtataguyod ng pagkakaisa at diwang-makabansa sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng isang pambansang sistema ng pagsulat sa Pilipinas. Ngunit, ang pagkabinbin naman ng pagpapatupad nito ay kumakatawan sa pakikipagtaltalan ng iba na nagsasabing wala itong direkta at mahalagang dulot sa lipunan.
abakada ng mga Arabe na tinatawag na “ali(f)bata”. Naglaho ang sulat Baybayin nang sakupin ng mga Kastila ang Pilipinas at sapilitang pinasok ang romanisasyon ng silabaryo, sabay sa pagpapalaganap ng Kristiyanismo at kolonyang monastiko. Nang dumating ang mga Espanyol, nagsimula na ring magsulat ang mga Pilipino gamit ang tinta sa papel. Ang mga kasulatang ito ay labis na madalang na sa kasalukuyan sapagkat karamihan sa mga balumbong isinulat sa Baybayin ay walang katuturang sinira at sinunog ng mga paring Kastila. Bilang patunay, noong 1921, minsang naisulat ni Otley Beyer, ang Ama ng Antropolohiya sa Pilipinas, na mayroon siyang nakilalang prayle sa Timog Luzon na ipinagmamalaki ang pagsunog niya sa higit 300 na pergaminong nakasulat sa Baybayin.
Sa bingit ng nagbabagang damdaming nasyonalismo at mga kaisipang kritisismo, ano nga ba ang hindi pa natin alam sa sistemang sulat na Baybayin? Marahil alam na ng karamihan na ang Baybayin ay isang prekolonyal na sistema ng pagsulat o suyat ng mga Pilipino bago pa man ang pananakop ng mga Espanyol. At marahil, alam rin ng karamihan na ang katawagang ito ay mula sa salitang “baybay” na ang ibig sabihin sa Ingles ay “to spell”. Subalit, isang mahalagang punto na dapat alamin ng lahat na ang Baybayin at “Alibata” ay magkaiba. Ang maling pagkakamalang ito ay buhat pa sa katawagang likha ni Paul Rodriguez Verzosa para sa ayos ng letra sa
Isinulat ni Jose Rizal sa kanyang librong Estudios Sobre La Lengua Tagala na matagal nang pinaniniwalaan na
The First ASHS
by Kimi Pantanosas
As early as July, the work of this year’s FairComm entered full swing. This year however, things will be different. For the first time in the history of the Ateneo High School, the Senior High School will hold their own, independent fair separate from the Junior High School’s. In this historical year for the FairComm, Hi-lites conducted an interview with Ago Bugtong, overall head of this year’s fair to discuss what the Fair Committee has in store for the first ever Senior High School fair. This is going to be the first fair in the history of the AHS where the Junior High and Senior High fairs will be split. What was the reason for doing that? Ago: It was the admin’s decision to split it. It’s hard kasi what the admin is telling us is that the Senior High and the Junior High are two different schools, but we only had one fair, so that was kinda off. So it really was the admin’s decision to split, and not entirely the students’.
How will this year’s fair be different from the fair of the previous years? Ago: The fair this year will be different because, first, we’re gonna try as much as possible to include small businesses because we want to embody the values that the Ateneo has taught us which is to help others that are in need, and by inviting them to join the fair, it can help them grow their business. Also, it’s gonna be new because, it’s the first Senior High School fair, and we’re gonna be on the field. So, what we plan is that we’re gonna try to rebrand everything as brand new, and we want this fair to be the standard of future fairs. What specifically can ASHS students expect from this year’s fair? Ago: As of August 31, 2018, we can’t really mention all of the events that will happen, because as of now, we’re only proposing events, not really finalizing. By late September or early
Art by Andrea Medina
ang Tagalog (pati na rin ang Baybayin) ay mula sa Malay sapagkat ito ang unang kilalang wika ng taga-Europa mula sa rehiyong ito. Ngunit, ayon rin kay Rizal, ang mga pinakahuling pag-aaral na paghahambing sa mga wika ng Malayo-Polynesian noong panahong iyon ay magpapakita na ang paniniwalang ito ay walang malakas na batayan.
Ang mga bagong ebidensya mula sa antropolohiya, etnograpiya at kasaysayan ay nakatulong sa muling pagpoposisyon sa mga pananaw sa mga pinagmulan ng Baybayin. Kamakailan lamang, noong 2009, nadiskubre ni Dr. Bonifacio Comandante sa tulong ng isang Tagbanwa na ang Baybayin ay nagmula sa taklobo o higanteng kabibe. Ang taklobo, ayon kay Comandante, ay ginamit ng mga ninuno sa iba’t ibang paraan – maging sa araw-araw na gawain at pati na rin sa pangkabuhayan. Iminungkahi ni Comandante na ang bawat silabiko sa Baybayin ay kinuha sa pisikal na hugis at anyo ng at sa mismong taklobo. Ngunit lingid sa alam ng
karamihan, ang Baybayin ay nanggaling sa mga prekolonyal na Tagalog at isa lamang ito sa maraming suyat ng mga Pilipino. Maliban sa Baybayin, mayroon ring Kulitan ang m g a Kapampangan, Badlit sa mga Bisaya, Iniskaya ng mga Eskaya, Buhid o Buid ng mga Buhid Mangyan, Hanunoo ng mga Hanunoo Mangyan, Apurahuano ng Tagbanwa, Palaw’an sa Palawan, Kur-itan ng mga Ilokano at marami pang iba. Malayo na ang nilakbay ng muling pagkaantig at pagkabuhay, hindi lamang ng Baybayin, kundi pati na rin ang pagnanais ng mga Pilipinong magkaisa sa diwangmakabansa. Sa kasalukuyan, marami nang pagsisikap ang ginagawa upang maitaguyod ang suyat sa buong bansa. Maisakatuparan man o hindi ang pagkakaroon ng isang pambansang sistema ng pagsusulat, ito ay nakasalalay sa pakahulugan na ibibigay ng mga Pilipino sa pagpapakita ng kanilang pagiging makabayan at pagiging Pilipino.
what to Expect
October, we plan that we have a concrete proposal by then.
will be Special Events, it will really revolve around that, and that will mark what the SHS fair will really be.
What are the current challenges facing the Fair Committee in organizing this year’s fair?
As the first SHS fair, what impact or legacy do you want to leave for future batches and fair committees in the Senior High School?
Ago: The big challenge for us, is that it’s gonna be the first, so we don’t really have this standard. What we tried to do was that we tried to base some things off of last year, but we realized that it wouldn’t work because there are different factors that affect both fairs, so we had to start from scratch. What are some things from the previous fairs that you plan to improve on? Ago: We want to improve on things like the Special Events. It has always been a fashion show. This year, there will be none. We want to change some things; spice up new things; present new things that hasn’t been presented in the past years; and we’re hopefully gonna add inflatables and rides. And some other things like the Special Events, it will be brand new. I think the highlight of this year’s fair
Ago: Because this is the first Senior High School fair ever, we want our fair to be the standard for the future. We want to show what the Senior High School really is and inculcate the values that the Ateneo has taught us in the previous years. We hope that in the next 10 to 15 years, we want [students] to look back on this fair, or we want the fair to be remembered as ‘The fair that started it all’.
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MEET THE ORGS by Kristina Jao The
Ateneo Senior High School Community is indeed one big family. With over 1,700 students going to school every day, one can never truly know each and every single one of their peers. This is even true with the Council of Student Organizations (CSO), having 44 active organizations to date, one might find it hard to remember what every single org stood for. With this, Hi-lites conducted in-depth interviews with different org presidents and orgs that one should know about in the CSO, focusing on who they are, what they stand for, and what we expect to see from them this year. Teenpreneur President: Daniel Mejia Teenpreneur is an entrepreneurial organization whose mission is to mold students to be tomorrow’s great and successful entrepreneurs. One of Teenpreneur’s highlights is joining YouthHack Manila, a startup competition that brings together students nationwide to brainstorm ideas, turn them into feasible business models, and execute them through pitching. If lucky, you a l s o get the chance to have your idea sponsored and turned into an actual product! Young students with minds and hearts ready to change the world, that is w h a t Teenpreneur is all about. Ateneo Electronics and Computer Engineering Society (AECES) President: Dana Mari Moog The Ateneo Electronics and Computer Engineering Society is the only engineering organization in the Senior High which trains their members’ analytical and problem solving skills by exposing them in hands on
robotics activities. As of now, AECES plans to hold an outreach program by the end of this semester wherein we they will teach children in a nearby community the process of making a flashlight from scratch: a basic skill they can apply when they lose power during a storm. The org plans to hold an exhibit by the end of the school year about the importance of technology and engineering in the Philippines, and hopefully, a robot created by all the members of AECES-SHS.
Atenista Kasama sa Buhay (AKBay) President: Joaquin Lorenzo Garcia AKBay or Atenista Kasama sa Buhay is an organization aiming to integrate itself into the ASHS community to remind them that students have a kasama or karamay in their lives. Other than mental health talks, counseling sessions and morale boosting, AkBay also conducts outreach programs in rural areas. Furthermore, AkBay does not only limit itself to all the aforementioned activities, but also transcends into outside the org as they train their members and equip them with skills needed to become a karamay. This year, AKBay is hoping to spearhead a mental health talk with renowned Dr. Gia Sison and to host their outreach program to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). Youth For Christ (YFC) President: Cedric Joshua Atienza Youth For Christ Ateneo is an organization dedicated to worshipping God and faith formation. The organization holds regular worship sessions and music industry camps over the course of the year. Being a member of YFC-Ateneo makes one a member of the YFC Community of the entire country and even the
YFC global community. This coming October, the organization is hosting one of their highlight projects, an overnight retreat camp, open to the entire ASHS community, that focuses on faith formation and reconnecting with Christ.
Ateneo Catechetical Instruction League (ACIL) President: Yette Domingo The Ateneo Catechetical Instruction League (ACIL) is a mover of faith and making Christ a living reality. The org travels to places outside Ateneo in order to catechism to people. Aside from the org’s catechism teaching sessions, ACIL also hosts an annual Dyaryo Drive wherein they collect newspapers and sell it to the junk shop. All the proceeds will then serve as their fund in helping people, especially children, obtain a deeper understanding of their faith. Ateneo Senior High School Scouting Movement President: Nikolo Gonzales The Ateneo Senior High School Scouting Movement (ASHS Scouting), is an organization dedicated to create resilient servant leaders who strive to create a positive impact on everyone in their community. The focus of ASHS Scouting is the implementation of Community Service Projects, wherein it highlights the individual capacities of its members to propose their passions turned projects, such as Adopt a Foot initiated by the first batch of female Scouts. This year, the Scouting Movement shall also be responding to the mandate given by the Office of Civil Defense to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, to strengthen the Disaster Risk Response and Recovery capabilities of the unit, as manifested by our Integrated AHS Special Support Unit (I-ASSU), which
has been catering to the emergency response and crowd management needs of the AHS since 2014.
Loyola Mountaineers Senior High (LMSH) President: Justin Timbol Bituin Loyola Mountaineers Senior High (LMSH) serves as a safe avenue for students to experience the outdoors through mountain climbing. It prepares members to become competent and responsible mountaineers grounded on the principles of nature preservation and conservation. Aside from climbing mountains, there are also other activities that LMSH wishes plans to conduct clean-up climbs to mountains that have abnormally high number of trash in their trails. Coastal clean-ups or turtle walks are also being considered as projects that can be executed by the organization. LMSH plans to extend and teach the principles to the whole student body and to encourage students to view mountaineering as a healthy, fulfilling and sustainable activity. Lunduyan President: Francine Soriano Lunduyan, which means ‘focus’ in Filipino, literally focuses on improving the mental health of the students in ASHS by maki!AARQng yoga accessible for everyone as their main project. Lunduyan is the only org in the Health and Wellness district (although it has been merged with the sector-based), highlighting health as its main focus. Lunduyan, as its president believes, is the least hectic org in ASHS since its main goal is to help members center themselves amidst the schoolwork. They are planning on having yoga-for-all sessions which will be open to anyone inside the Ateneo community, not just the students.
What is most life-giving about Senior High?
by Katrina Moñocoza
It’s been only a few months since the start of the school year, and yet students and teachers alike have managed to keep up with such busy schedules. In just a few weeks, we’ve managed to get through the “life-depleting” moments of Senior High School, but these are nothing compared to the life-giving lessons and times that will transcend our twoyear stay here. What is most life-giving about Senior High? “ABM core ‘19” - Wax Mendoza, 11-Angelis “The most life-giving about Senior High are the classmates we have. We ought to help and love one another
like our own second family. I’m always energized when I see my classmates present in school because they’re the ones that keep a smile on my face when I’m not home and give me the energy I need for the day ahead.” Julian Bumagat, 11-Hoyos
“ABM core meetings.” - Niño Albano, 12-Bobola “Past the intimidating reputation of the Ateneo, the people you meet and the love they surprise you with are truly life-giving.” - Elisha Santuyo, 11-Torres “Life-giving? Melosantos.” - André Joson, 11-Hoyos “It’s life-giving that people care. They bother to ask, they talk to you when
they feel that something is off, and don’t mind that you might not be close. Also, si crush life-giving din yie HAHAHA.” - Albert Pe, 11-Hoyos
“Being part of one big family that loves and cares for one another.”
- Benedict Guevara, 12-Beyzym
“The most life-giving thing about Senior High is the fact that it surrounds you with people that appreciate and enjoy your strand as much as you do, and how it
Art by Trasy Ipapo
allows you to form bonds with them through discovering yourselves.” -Sabina Guerrero, 11-Mayer “Buwan ng wika.” - Louie Miranda, 12-Bobola “Every day with my class and every chance we get together as the ABM Council” John Reyes, 12-Anchieta
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Careers and Choices: Countdown Before College
By. Voltaire Sto. Domingo
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“It is important to know where you are but it is more important to know where you are going.” S o c r a t e s
Because of the overwhelming amount of duties and responsibilities prior to college application, Preliminary Career Choices tends to be rushed and overlooked by students in the Senior High School. Taking for granted the extra two years to decide a proper course for a student’s desired profession, students must allot at least six months for this important choice comprising of the following steps: Discernment, Dialogue, Demands and Decision.
Discernment is the beginning of the Career Choice-making process. This step is described as a purely self-centered endeavor. Answering questions such as, “What do I want to do?”, “What gives me satisfaction?”, and “What am I willing to do on a daily basis?” will help an individual unlock his or her own interests and inclinations which are vital in a career choice. After a maximum of two months of reflection, students can already identify professions they find appealing. Students must narrow down all the options to 3 choices at the end of this preliminary step. Discernment is the seed; Parental Approval is the roots. When students have identified their top job choices, students and their parents must be able to allocate an ample amount of time to discuss the student’s choices and the parents’ recommendations. At this step, the student and their parents must agree upon their best interests, and compromise if needed. Of all the steps, this step should be done
carefully and not hastily as weakening the roots to the whole process would be detrimental to its fruit. As the tree of Career Choices takes root, a new three possible options should blossom following the Dialogue. These are choices that reflect the best interest of the parents and the student. These choices shall enter the penultimate step: assessing the demands. Assessing the demands of a profession should be based on personal experiences. In this step students look for friends or relatives in the field or profession selected in the previous step because personal and secondhand experience has too far a gap to be overlooked. Students can ask questions such as “Do you enjoy what you do?”, “Do you find your work fulfilling?”, and “What inspires you to work in this field?” After hearing the answers to these questions, students should be able to see if their interests still hold true despite the drawbacks of actually working in
the field. Whatever options existed before, it narrows into one. This is the fruit of the process: the decision. Following all the steps, students are able to identify one prominent career choice that aligns with their interests and passion that is supported by their family and sustainable in terms of demands. Decisiveness is key in the final step; a dilemma is the last thing one would want. There are tradeoffs in choosing. In this case, just choosing one is the best choice. As the period of introspection comes to a close, students must remember that sometimes it’s easier to know where you are, than to know where you are going. Figuring it out is half the journey.
FAST TALK: SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY EDITION by Camyl Fernandez Curious to know what your favourite teacher is up to on a Friday night? Or what strand he/she would’ve chosen in senior high? Get to know the english and filipino teachers (and Mrs. Dimalanta!) a little bit more and find out if you share the same favourites, quirks, and opinions on the randomest and most riveting things.
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Name: Ms. Amira M. Estolloso Favourite Book: Pride & Prejudice Favourite Movie: Pride & Prejudice (2005) Favourite Hangout Spot/Restaurant in Katipunan: Since I live in the Katipunan area, I guess I’d say Bo’s coffee. Favourite Thing to do on a Friday Night: Usually, that’s when the relaxation comes in…generally on Friday’s I reflect on the week that has been. Favourite Thing to Do with Students asides from Teaching: A lot of times I would [my students] would have me sing in class…We always end up singing together. Favourite Thing to Do during Suspensions: Other than work some more, I’m also in my final year of masters… What I’m doing now is working on my thesis or bonding with my sister or probably thinking of ways to better improve myself. If you had to choose between kindness or smartness what would it be? Kindness is really more important. If you were a senior high student, what strand would you be in? HUMSS. If you weren’t a teacher, where would you be right now? In Paris, studying Masters in Public Policy. If you were in tv, which character would you be? Maybe Nancy Drew. She seems inquisitive and very smart. Would you bring back true blends? Yes, I would. Name: Ms. Carol Laforteza Favourite Book: ‘Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel García Márquez Favourite Movie: You’ve Got Mail. Favourite Show to Binge watch: Queer Eye Favourite Hangout Spot/Restaurant in Katipunan: Sweet Inspirations or Gino’s Favourite Thing to Do with Students asides from Teaching: Make kwento while eating.
Favourite Thing to Do during Suspensions: Read OR watch TV. If you had to choose between kindness or smartness what would it be? BOTH Sunrise or sunsets? SUNSET If you were a senior high student, what strand would you be in? GA ALL THE WAY. If you weren’t a teacher, where would you be right now? Writing children’s stories. If you were in tv, which character would you be? I don’t like to act so I’ll be an news anchor. Would you bring back true blends? Yes Name: Mr. Christopher Omega Favourite Book: Non fiction, like the John Maxwell books but in terms of literature I like the local ones. Favourite Movie: It’s 1997: Titanic. Favourite Show to Binge-watch: Mr. Bean Favourite Hangout Spot/Restaurant in Katipunan: Chubby Chicken Favourite Thing to do on a Friday Night: Eat out with friends Favourite Thing to Do with Students asides from Teaching: Hanging out with them. Kwentuhan. Favourite Thing to Do during Suspensions: Check papers and go to the community to do community work. If you had to choose between kindness or smartness what would it be? Smartness. Because it’s smart to be kind. If you were a senior high student, what strand would you be in? GA forever! If you weren’t a teacher, where would you be right now? Probably in government. If you were in tv, which character would you be? Would you bring back true blends? Definitely. Name: Ms. Jara Rafiñan Favourite Book: I have a lot but I would recommend Silence [by Japanese author Shūsaku Endō]. Favourite Movie: My most recent favourite movie is Isle of Dogs. Favourite Show to Binge-watch: ...Everything? But recently I’ve been watching Terrace House. Favourite Hangout Spot/Restaurant in Katipunan: My condo…but if it’s a restaurant I usually go to Ababu. Favourite Thing to do on a Friday Night: Read until I fall asleep.
Favourite Thing to Do with Students asides from Teaching: Joke around. Favourite Thing to Do during Suspensions: Catch up on work. If you had to choose between kindness or smartness what would it be? I would rather be kind. Sunrise or sunsets? Sunsets If you were a senior high student, what strand would you be in? HUMSS If you weren’t a teacher, where would you be right now? Masters or Grad school If you were in tv, which character would you be? Nancy Drew or Velma from Scooby Doo Would you bring back true blends? Sure! I like their milk tea.
FILIPINO DEPARTMENT:
Name: Mr. Leonardo Balmaceda Jr Favourite Book: Dekada 70’ ni Lualhati Bautista Favourite Movie: [The] Godfather Favourite Show to Binge-watch: The Tudors. Favourite Hangout Spot/Restaurant in Katipunan: Sweet Inspirations. Favourite Thing to do on a Friday Night: Magpahinga lang. Favourite Thing to Do with Students asides from Teaching: Makipagkwentuhan lang. Favourite Thing to Do during Suspensions: Either natutulog or nanonood ng TV If you had to choose between kindness or smartness what would it be? Maging mabait. If you were a senior high student, what strand would you be in? GA siguro. If you weren’t a teacher, where would you be right now? Probably just home. If you were in tv, which character would you be? Dolphy, yung mga tipong si Kevin Costner. Would you bring back true blends? Actually, yeah, okay. Name: Mr. Soc Delos Reyes Favourite Book: Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog ni Edgar Calabia Samar Favourite Movie: Batch ‘81 ni Mike de leon Favourite Show to Binge-watch: Futurama Favourite Hangout Spot/Restaurant in Katipunan: Ababu. Mura tas busog ka pa. Your Usual Order from that Place: Shawarma rice. Tas minsan extra egg, extra tomatoes, extra rice, depende sa
mood. Favourite Thing to do on a Friday Night: Magpahinga Favourite Thing to Do with Students asides from Teaching: Wala tsismisan hahaha. Mahilig ako makipagtsismisan eh. Favourite Thing to Do during Suspensions: Matulog If you had to choose between kindness or smartness what would it be? Mabait Sunrise or sunsets? Sunrise If you were a senior high student, what strand would you be in? HUMSS If you weren’t a teacher, where would you be right now? Nagsusulat, most probably. Di ko lang alam kung journalism or creative writing. If you were in tv, which character would you be? Si Deku sa Boko no Hero Academia. Would you bring back true blends? Oo naman. Name: Mrs. Maria Victoria P. Dimalanta Favourite Book: Jesuit Guide to Everything by Father James Martin SJ. Favourite Movie: The Mission Favourite Show to Binge-watch: Be Careful with My Heart the teleserye years ago starring Jodi Sta. Maria and Richard Yap. Favourite Hangout Spot/Restaurant in Katipunan: Sweet Inspirations. Favourite Thing to do on a Friday Night: Watch a movie and [have a] date night with either my husband or my kids if they are available. Favourite Thing to Do with Students asides from Teaching: Just listening to their stories and just being with them. Favourite Thing to Do during Suspensions: I would stay in the office whole day because that’s when I am able to do my paperwork. If you had to choose between kindness or smartness what would it be? Kindness If you were a senior high student, what strand would you be in? GA If you weren’t a teacher, where would you be right now? News caster Would you bring back true blends? If there is a way, yes. Because I’ve seen a lot of members of our community really enjoy the food there and the service. What’s one thing you can’t leave the house without? My makeup
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Lumad displacement: Refugees in their own land
By: Carey Baisas illegal and you are teaching the chilBetween economic development dren to rebel against government.” projects and intense military operIn response to this, Marie Lourie ations aimed at ancestral lands in Victor of the Department of EducaMindanao, thousands of indigenous tion’s Indigenous Peoples Educations peoples (IPs) from the Southern PhilOffice clarified that IP education is not ippines, collectively known as the a form of rebellion, but a shift in perLumad, have long been rendered vicspective from the one-size fits all curtims of massive displacement in their riculum. She further explained that own communities. IP education is specialized to avoid According to a study by the Uniterasing an IP group’s own culture and ed Nations Development Programme, history. the Lumads are the largest indigenous “Land is life” population in the Philippines, comConsidered as the original inhabprising 61 percent of the 14-17 million itants of the island of Mindanao, the indigenous people in the country. Lumad, which is also a Visayan term As such, in recognition of the difor “born of the earth,” rely on agriculversity of Filipino culture, the state ture as their primary source of food passed Republic Act No. 8371 or the and income. “The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act “Communal sharing of resources of 1977.” This law established the based on the belief of the sacredness National Commission on Indigenous of land and nature as divine endowPeoples (NCIP) which is responsible ments define their relationship with for formulating and implementing their environment,” explained the policies, plans, and programs to upNational Commission for Culture and hold the rights of the IPs. the Arts. However, while multiple adminFurthermore, according to studies istrations have sworn to protect the presented at the Second National IP welfare of the Lumad, their promisEducation Convention in 2007, more es usually come in the form of addicentral to being an IP is the belief that tional mining corporations and mili“land is life and is sacred… where the tary troops, forcing IPs to leave their ancestral domain is classroom and homes and seek refuge in temporary teacher at the same time.” shelters with limited facilities and For the Lumad, possession of their with little to no access to clean water. land spells the difference between life The increased militarization in and death. They value their land to Mindanao due to the enactment of the point that they are willing to fight Martial Law led to a multitude of for it with their lives, as exemplified human rights violations against the when logging companies entered the Lumad. This include killings of Lumad Yutang Kabilin, an ancestral domain leaders, threats of aerial bombing, of the Lumad, in the 1980s. theft of ancestral land, and closure or The NCIP has awarded IPs in Minworse, destruction of school facilities. danao with Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT). The CADT deClosure of Lumad schools termines and defines the boundaries Recently, 72 Lumad schools in Minof ancestral domain and ancestral danao were not able to resume classes lands of a community or a tribe. for the school year due to alleged milPresident Duterte has also stated itary presence and harassment, said his intention to invite investors to dethe Save Our Schools (SOS) Network, velop ancestral domain areas in Mina group of child-focused non-governdanao, which will allow mining and ment organizations (NGOs), churchplantations corporations to occupy based groups and others who advoLumad lands. cate for children’s right to education. According to him, turning over the “Whether they call it all-out war or Lumad’s ancestral domain to develall-out peace, the fact is 72 Lumad opers would alleviate the chronic povschools all over Mindanao have not erty which “made these communities begun their classes because of milieasy fodder for rebel recruitment.” tary encampment and reported haIn reality, plantations and mining rassment in their communities,” said companies are destroying ancestral SOS spokesperson Rius Valle. land and polluting IP communities. On the other hand, government and These multinationals abuse land military officials often justify their inwhich they acquired from the IPs, creased surveillance of Lumad schools who in turn, lose not only their fields, by accusing them of being “tools for but also their homes. propaganda” in the alleged destabiAt present, Lumad groups continue lization threats by the New People’s to clamor for the removal of military Army (NPA). forces in the south through protests President Rodrigo Duterte himself accompanied by human rights activhas even threatened to bomb Lumad ists at different government offices in community schools because the NPA the country. Several netizens have also supposedly uses them to radicalize the expressed their support for the Lumad youth. “Get out. I’m telling the Lumad through the hashtags #StopLumadnow, get out. I’ll bomb you and your Killings, #SaveLumadSchools, structures because you are operating and #DefendAncestralLands.
Lumad Families evacuating from their homes From Mara S. Genotiva of Davao Today- all rights reserved
Happenings of the 3rd SONA
By Shan Alecxander L. Porras
July 23, 2018 – President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) was held at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. The SONA was delayed by more than an hour due to the sudden replacement of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as the House Speaker by former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This move appeared to be a coordinated bid to bring Sen. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo back to power as around the time of her election as house speaker, officials who worked under her administration quickly took key house positions. President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address began at around 5:30pm. His speech began with one of his more controversial campaigns: The War on Drugs. The President said that the war is far from over and that “it will be as relentless and chilling, if you will, as on the day it began.” He stated how illegal drugs has ruined so many Filipino families, destroyed many promising youths, and wasted precious lives. He went on to differentiate Human rights from Human lives and how the lives of our youths are being destroyed because of illegal drugs. He further commented on how human right advocates are short-sighted and only look at the present while he is “concerned [about] both the present and the future.” Next, he talked about corruption, saying how those who are corrupt will never be able to hide their crimes and promised that justice will definitely catch them and on that day “it will be the public who will have its retribution.” He then added that they are enhancing the quality of government services. Furthermore, he thanked Congress for the fast approval of the Ease of Doing Business Act, which will improve the speed and efficiency of government services and help defend against corruption. He reminded the agencies to make their services customer friendly, especially those with a large number of red tape-related reports. He also reminded all the government officials how being his friends will not get them any leeway. “I value friendship, make no mistake about it. But it has its limits.” Afterwards, he talked about Mindanao and how a large portion of its income was remitted to “Imperial Manila” to primarily fund projects in the NCR region, leaving only a small share to Mindanao. He even said of how Mindanaoans say Mindanao was dubbed as “The Land of Promise” because all they got from the government were promises. One such promise was the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was proposed four years ago, but still has not been approved. However, in his speech, the President stated that the law has already been passed and he only has to sign and ratify the law. He asked for 48 hours to read everything and check everything. But, it is notable that President Duterte actually took three days to finally ratify the BBL. The next topic that the President tackled was on ISIS and the five-month long Marawi Siege. After months of bitter warfare the siege was declared over on October 23, 2017. It removed any chance of the ISIS using Marawi as a base to attack the rest of the country, but at the cost of many lives
and the displacement of many others. However, the President showed his benevolence by letting the members of the rebel forces who surrendered integrate back into society. With regard to international affairs, he spoke of the strengthening bonds between the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia and the 50th ASEAN Anniversary and the 31st ASEAN Summit, held last November 2017, and how we were able to host them without much issue. President Duterte also talked about our “good” relations with China, attributing the discovery and capture of shabu labs and the capture of Chinese chemist affiliated with a Chinese syndicate to this relationship. The dispute between fishermen and the Chinese coast guard was not directly mentioned, however the President stated that he will maintain the government’s commitment to our interest in the West Philippine Sea. After which, the President acknowledged OFWs around the world and condemned the deaths of OFWs in the hands of their foreign employers. He promised to give Filipinos security and a comfortable life. He then talked about the destruction that contractualization is causing and urges congress to pass legislation that will finally end this horrible practice. Next, He revealed the plans to create the “Department of Disaster Management” who will be in charge of preparations for natural disasters and the rehabilitation afterwards. He also said that the plans to revitalize Boracay are in full swing and that the other tourist destinations in our country will definitely follow. President Duterte also acknowledged the congress for the passage of the TRAIN Law. Furthermore, he stated that the TRAIN Law has already helped countless Filipinos with more than 4 million Filipinos receiving cash transfer, and 6 million more this year. He stated that by the end of July 2018, all 5 of his tax reform packages will be submitted to Congress. Not only that, the President talked about the issue of artificial rice shortage. They are implementing legislations aimed at lowering the price of rice such as, switching the current quota system to the tariff system. The President also plans to help Filipinos deal with financial health risk, and in lieu of this they are currently institutionalizing the implementation of the “No Balance Billing Policy.” He also urges Congress to quickly pass the Universal Healthcare Bill. Finally, at the end of his speech, the President briefly mentioned draft on the Federal Constitution, however he failed to elaborate on this and during his speech he was not able to mention anything about the charter change that has become a hot topic in the political world. The 3rd SONA only took less than 50 minutes and was actually free of profanity and seemed to explain well the plans of the government in the coming years, however, it failed to address some important issues, such as the charter change, however that may be due to the fact that they have not firmly decided on what to do. Sources: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net http://www.gmanetwork.com https://www.esquiremag.ph/politics https://www.rappler.com
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HI-LITES editorial board
WHAT’S IT TO YOU?
Editor-in-Chief Liana Apostol Associate Editor Tricia Alcantara Managing Editor Dominic Aumentado News Editors Angelo Naorbe Nicole Tong Feature Editor Camyl Fernandez Probe Editor Josette Saguiped Art and Layout Editor Theresa Largo Sports Editor Vito Martin Broadcast Editor Lilac Fameronag Chief Photojournalist Clarisse Cabinta Social Media Editors Shawnn Nadurata Matthew Varona Contributors Bea Alejandro, Stella Aranas, Carey Baisas, CJ Caruncho, Maxine Cuartero, Jasper Fausto, Febecca Filasol, CJ Forlales, Ethan Galvan, Marcus Garcia, Sabina Guerrero, Thristan Ison, Tina Jao, Justin Jimenez, Lexi Lagamon, Gwen Latoza, Nat Mariano, Andrea Medina, Celestino Mendoza, Katrina Moñozca, Kimi Pantasonas, Ferdyan Perez, Shan Porras, Javier Sale, Sophia Sibal, Voltaire Sto. Domingo, Jana Tan, Shawn Tongson, Jacob Ugsimar Moderators Ms. Caroline Laforteza Mr. Enzo Pisig
Editorial Cartoon by Lilac Fameronag The elephant in the room? Last August 9, the World Indigenous Peoples’ Day was celebrated in quite the fashion – rallies and rituals that called for the end of militarization in the Lumad communities, most especially in their schools. With their institutions of learning facing the hindrances of military occupation, waves of students and teachers have been forced to evacuate their classrooms. In addition to the occupation, several other Lumad schools have faced government-mandated shutdowns due to the Department of Education’s refusal to hand out permits, most noticeably to the Center for Lumad Advocacy Networking and Services (CLANS) and the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. (MISFI), despite the latter pair’s supposed compliance. With a deeper probe into the
order of the shutdowns, another major factor has entered the discussion anew despite its looming presence in the Mindanao regions: the possible insurgency and recruitment of the Lumad by the New People’s Army. Take it as an elephant in the room, if you may, but now the poachers are on the hunt. They came in with a bang. Looking out of the windows of the ASHS, we’re blessed with greener pastures and aside from the noise of car horns just outside the campus, we’ve got tranquil fields to run. On the other side with the remaining Lumad schools, fear could still strike a student at any time, in fact, even from above. Disturbed by the crossfire between the government and rebel forces, Lumad children have had to hold on to themselves as airstrikes would be
WHAT IS FEDERALISM?
by Jana Maxine Tan projects such as the ‘Build, Build, Communications Assistant SecBuild’ Program drafted by the naretary Mocha Uson recently drew tional government are passed on criticism for posting an episode to local government units (LGUs) of an online show promoting fedeven if the projects are not suiteralism. Critics note that Uson able to the area or its residents. and co-host Olivar’s “I-PederalExperts say that federalism cures ismo” dance number was cheap this prob lem by allowing LGUs and lewd. However, even before to hold major responsibility over Uson’s media-famous promotion the projects of their areas and was publicized, then-presidential their corresponding funding. candidate Rodrigo Duterte had already been advocating federalFurthermore, Pres. Duterte also arism as a more appropriate governgues that federalism aids LGUs in ment system for the Philippines. fulfilling various projects. This is because LGUs generally receive inBut what exactly is federalism? sufficient funds for various projects due to the 60-40 internal revenue Federalism is a government syssplit — 60 percent goes to the natem wherein the country’s central tional government while 40 percent government and its local governis given to the LGU. Pres. Duterte ments are given equal power. It mentioned in an interview that it typically divides areas into auwas unfair how Davao City’s intertonomous regions dment. In this nal revenue allotment (IRA) was not situation, smaller-scale governat par with the money the city would ments hold greater responsibility remit to the national government. over the area’s finances, laws, culture, education, and other affairs. On the other hand, federalism critics argue that this form of government Pro-federalism analysts promay further divide the Philippine pose that the switch to federnation. Unhealthy competition in alism may resolve the individthe developments of states and ethual and long-standing finan nic groups may create a rift between cial issues of the country. Anaautonomous regions. Experts state lysts note that as of late, many
deployed near school areas. Along with the recent campus evacua tions, more so, the Lumad have long been suffering at the hands of those in power, though not necessarily from the government nor the rebel forces alone. With reports of harassment, rape, and murder springing up from their grounds, tribal leaders have also had to take a stand against large-scale mining as operations have forced them and their people to flee their homes— the land of their ancestors—and reside in makeshift shelters. This is not a drill. With this parallel view, how do we turn a blind eye? It’s easy to hear of the Lumad plight and then simply disregard solutions by sticking to the notion of studying hard and changing the nation when we’re older. Yes, it’s an investment, an approach that may see itself bear fruit when our social roles have reached our future workplaces. However, have we forgotten that even today, as we study with our peers and participate in our extracurricular programs, that we have reached levels of influence that could spread out far and beyond? Call yourself on to recognize that we’ve been given the privilege to help out. Acknowledging our platforms to be informed, to inform, to donate, and to mobilize with different sectors of society isn’t a call for obligation, it’s a realization of how we can help and the fact that we can help. You can antag_onize either oppressive side against the Lumad in your head, but know by now that serving as simple onlookers won’t bring your voice to the platform. Take a stand by raising awareness and acting upon your available resources. If you’re driving yourself to be educated, don’t let the next bombshell be a surprise to you. that the Philippine islands, divided as it is by economic inequality, language, religion, and culture, may be further disunited by creating rivalries such as the pre-Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) Mindanao conflict. Federalism, due to its independent and self-governing nature, may also allow some regions to progress slower than others. Critics reason that because each LGU is different depending on the region it governs, development rates of each independent state may be different as well. Overall, most of the Philippine population is against the shift to federalism. A survey by Pulse Asia reveals that 67 percent of Filipinos do not support a federalist government, while 18 percent support it, and 14 percent are undecided. However, during his Third State of the Nation Address last July, Pres. Duterte stated, “I am confident that the Filipino people will stand behind us as we introduce this new fundamental law that will not only strengthen our democratic institutions, but will also create an environment where every Filipino—regardless of social status, religion, or ideology—will have an equal opportunity to grow and create a future that he or she can proudly bequeath to the succeeding generations.”