La Estrella Verde
The Official Senior High School Student Publication of De La Salle University - Dasmariñas
U P H O L D E R
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T R U T H
H E R A L D
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C H A N G E
April 1, 2018 Volume 2 Issue 1.5
Building Connectors. Construction worker conducts safety checks if the amount of tension is enough for it to be usable by students. Photo by Julian Patric Semilla
Grad Ball to be held at University Oval Lance Angelo Mejico To give the Grade 12 students the finest and classiest Graduation Ball, DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) officially declared that the much anticipated event is set to be materialized on May 21, at the University Oval.
According to SHS Director Dr. Necitas Sayoto, the said celebration will serve as a great ground in order for students to experience the most memorable dance in their lives, which they would forever treasure even as they set their foot to other places. “At first, hindi ako sang-ayon sa idea nila, but naisip namin na we wanted to give them the most unforgettable night na maaalala nila hanggang sa pagtanda nila,” Sayoto stated. Moreover, Sayoto also revealed that they have considered various options before coming up with said decision. “Actually, nag-ocular na sila [Graduation Ball committee] sa iba pang venues
outside the University, kaya lang naubusan na sila ng slots due to numerous reservations ng ibang schools,” Sayoto said. Grad ball highlights Meanwhile, Graduation Ball Head Coordinator Joseph Mirvin Dadap has given a glimpse of the much awaited celebration, which would level up the excitement and enthusiasm of the graduating students. The five-hour celebration would feature the most in-demand bands and singers in the country, such as IV of Spades, Autotelic, Spongecola, Ben&Ben, and Yeng Constantino.
Dadap also added that they are prepping up for something that would intensify the hype of Grade 12 students. “It’s more than what you’d expect. Hindi lang rave, hindi lang celebrities ang i-o-offer namin. We are preparing for something na hinding hindi talaga malilimutan ng graduating students,” Dadap said.
expecting for something better than our previous events. And it seems na may...worse pa pala sa mga events before,” Gayle Esquida (ABM25) said. Meanwhile, some students considered the upcoming celebration as the most fantastic and remarkable event that they would experience in their SHS years. “Personally, I’m really excited the moment na nalaman ko na sa Oval siya mangyayari, ‘cause we’re very clueless on how it will work,” Beatrice Aguilar (HCO21) stated.
Students’ response On the other hand, the announcement gained mixed feedback from the SHS community. Some students expressed their disappointments towards the said announcement. “I’m really
Grad Ball, see page 2
Zip line from CTHM to ULS to open in 2018 Arjielene Javier As the home of creating possibilities in the region, DLSU-D gears up to launch the first ever zip line starting from the College of Tourism and Hospitality
A.Y. 2018-2019 to start in June
Art by Leerick Bautista
President Br. Gus Boquer said.
Andrea Oesmer
Editorial The Senior High School Coin Paradox
Arts and GREEN INK Comics
For SHS use only Meanwhile, Boquer also mentioned that the zip line is exclusively for senior high school (SHS) students only. “We (Board of Trustees) have agreed that it’s for the SHS only, because we wanted them to make their two years as memorable as
possible,” Boquer said. Moreover, he also mentioned that the availability of the zip line for college students is already on the works. On the other hand, SHS students are required to submit a Parental Consent Form to the Office of the Prefect of Discipline one week before they utilize the zip line. Boquer also stated that SHS students must bring their personal gear, such as helmets and harnesses, for security purposes. In addition, an entrance fee worth P50 will be charged per head. The zip line is expected to be operational around October or November 2018.
A.Y., see page 2
Features A war on...carabaos?
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institutions, and weather conditions during the months of July and August have been affecting the operations of schools in the country. According to SHS Director Dr. Necitas Sayoto, she considers the newest DepEd order as a big challenge for both the students and the administration, but she is with high hopes that all the constant changes are happening for a reason. “Mahirap for our part since nasanay tayo sa August as official beginning
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Subsequent to the DepEd Order (DO) 090210 s. 2018, which mandates all schools, colleges, and universities to strictly follow the said memorandum, DLSU-D SHS will officially resume regular classes on June 4, a week after the conclusion of the previous A.Y. Based from reports, the said agency decided to come up with the mandatory order, as the government wanted to align the Philippines’ academic calendar with the ASEAN
of classes, pero I’m sure makakayanan naman natin ‘to at unti-unti rin tayong makaka-adapt sa mga changes,” Sayoto added. When asked on how they are handling the current situation, Sayoto was optimistic to say that the SHS administrators and staff continue to be cooperative and productive, despite the instant changes. “Natutuwa naman ako kasi nakikita ko rin ang effort ng faculty and staff sa bagong proseso, at sana maging maayos din ang pagtanggap ng ating senior high students sa June,” Sayoto said in a statement.
In a press conference, Boquer stated that the zip line will serve as a ground for students to appreciate the aerial view of the University. “This is such a great milestone for us, since we’re the first Philippine university to build a zip line inside a campus. This is a good manifestation of DLSU-D creating possibilities,” Boquer added.
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DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) is set to start Academic Year (A.Y.) 2018-2019 on the first week of June, as ordered by the Department of Education (DepEd).
Management (CTHM) building to Ugnayang La Salle in late 2018, DLSU-D
Literary Alamat ng Kape
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NEWS
La Estrella Verde
SC unveils hamster-powered Ikot La Salle Sean Patrick dela Cruz As part of the University’s advocacy towards environmental stewardship, DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) acquired a new hamster-powered Ikot La Salle on March 31.
Unlike the previous models which rely on gas and electricity for fuel, the new engine is entirely powered by 15 hamsters to operate, and has a maximum carrying capacity of 30 passengers. The vehicle has a top speed of 4 km/h, making it the third fastest Ikot La Salle vehicle on campus. The hamsters have undergone rigid trainings with field experts, and they are currently under the care of students from Humanities and Social Sciences major in Psychology.
Under the approval of the SHS administration, the Student Council (SC)-sponsored project aims to promote the greenest image of the University and to raise environmental awareness among students. According to the SHS SC presidents, the newly produced engine will be a great boon not just to the SHS students, but also to the whole Lasallian community. “This is definitely something that we, as the SC officers, can be proud of,” ABM/ GAS/HUMSS President Kristian
Saflor said in a statement. When asked about the preparations of the said project, Saflor revealed that the engine was two years in the making. “Actually, this is the first project na naisip namin as one Council. It has undergone different processes, and thankfully, it was approved by the administration,” Saflor added. On the other hand, students who opt to ride in the said vehicle should pass a Parental Consent Form that has to be submitted a week before the ride. The Eucharistic blessing of the new engine will be held on April 2 at the University Oval.
Hamster power. The process on how the Hamster-powered Ikot La Salle will work. Art by Leerick Bautista
PCF para sa mga kakain sa Food Square, isinabatas Gayle Josrel Esquida Tuluyan nang ipinatupad ni Prefect of Discipline Albert John Puchero ang panukalang magkaroon ng Parental Consent Form (PCF) para sa mga estudyante ng DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) na nagpaplanong kumain sa University Food Square.
Nakasaad sa opisyal na memorandum ni Puchero na mayroon lamang 30 minuto ang bawat estudyante na kumain sa Food Square, at magkakaroon sila ng major offense kapag lumampas sa oras na ibinigay. Dagdag pa niya, magtatakda rin ang kanilang opisina ng mga guwardiya sa bawat stall upang bantayan at siguraduhing sumusunod ang mga estudyante sa inilabas na panukala. Ayon kay Puchero, magandang paraan ito upang malaman ng mga
magulang kung saan kumakain ang kanilang mga anak, at matuto ang mga mag-aaral sa pagbabalanse ng kanilang oras. “There are a lot of reports to my office na madaming students from SHS ang tumatambay sa Food Square kahit wala namang ginagawa, and some students cut their classes para tumambay dito. That’s why the Office of the Prefect came up with this decision,” pahayag ni Puchero. Kasabay sa pagsasabatas ng panukala ang paglabas ng samu’t saring reaksyon mula sa komunidad ng SHS. Ayon sa
ilang estudyante, magandang ideya ang pagkakaroon ng PCF sapagkat malalaman ng mga magulang kung saan ginagastos ng kanilang mga anak ang mga perang kanilang ibinibigay. “Malalaman ng mga magulang na sa pagkain talaga ginagastos ng mga anak nila ang pera,” pagsasaad ni Leiddy Peñamora (HPS22). Samantala, umalma naman ang ilang estudyante sa inilunsad na batas ng administrasyon. “Ang dating niya sakin ay sobra naman ‘ata ang pagiging istrikto ng pamunuan, na pati ang pagkain sa (Food) Square ay kailangan pa ng PCF para lang makakain doon,” wika ni Ingrid Claire del Rosario (ABM25).
April 1, 2018
SHS Lasallians to hold Spaghetti Strap Day Gayle Josrel Esquida DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) continues to generate possibilities as it makes way for the Spaghetti Strap Day celebration which will held on April 2, Monday.
The said activity aims to give the SHS students, specifically the female students, to have a day where some provisions of the dress code will be relaxed. According to Prefect of Discipline Albert John Puchero, he approved the said celebration as he wanted to establish a bond with the students through their own fashion styles. “Sometimes, being strict is not the solution to have them disciplined. Instead, jiving with their personal desires would be fine, but still…not all the time,” Puchero added. The said celebration will feature female students wearing their best spaghetti strap outfits, following the designated color of shirts per strand: yellow for STEM, orange for ABM/GAS/HUMSS, and violet for TVL. Meanwhile, Puchero clarified that interested students must submit a Parental Consent Form (PCF) to their respective advisers two days before said event. “Still, SHS students must comply with their PCF before
celebrating the event...after all, we are just concerned for their own safety,” Puchero added. Students’ excitement Moreover, female SHS students expressed their excitement and enthusiasm for the upcoming event. “We are really looking forward to the Spaghetti Strap Day, and we are really excited about what is going to happen,” Andrea Oesmer (ABM22) said. Some students even stated that the said activity was perfect for the summer season. “It’s getting hot due to the summer season. And through this event, makakahinga naman kami ng maluwag at least for a day, lalo na’t sira-sira pa ‘yung mga aircon,” Arjielene Javier (SBI21) said. Organized by Pochies, Puchero’s event planners and diehard fans, Spaghetti Strap Day will be effective for 12 hours only, from 7am-7pm. On the other hand, the Office of the Prefect of Discipline is currently working on a similar project for the SHS male students.
A.Y., from page 1
Meanwhile, Sayoto also mentioned that all incoming Grade 12 students are required to attend the orientation on May 31, and Parental Consent Forms are to be submitted two days prior said date.
It could be remembered that DepEd has also released the same memorandum last year, but they have allowed private schools to adhere on their respective academic calendars.
Grad Ball, from page 1
Furthermore, Dadap emphasized that all Grade 12 students are required to attend the said event. Parental Consent Forms must be submitted to their respective advisers a week before the occurrence of the celebration. Sa isang panayam, binigyang linaw naman ni Puchero na isinagawa lamang ng opisina ang naturang desisyon para sa kapakanan at disiplina ng mga estudyante. Kaugnay nito, magkakaroon rin ng libreng pochero na pagkain ang lahat ng estudyanteng
nagnanais na kumain sa Food Square. Magiging epektibo ang nasabing panukala simula sa Abril 2. Samantala, kasalukuyan namang pinag-uusapan ang pagpapatupad ng kaparehong batas sa Mila’s Diner at Café Museo.
Scuba diving lessons to be launched as PE next AY Leiddy Hazel Peñamora DLSU-D stays true to create possibilities, as the Senior High School (SHS) gears up to launch its very first scuba diving lessons at the University Lake as part of the students’ Physical Education (P.E.) classes.
Under the supervision of P.E. professors Laurence and Eufrecina Rebuyas, the said lessons will be effective next academic year, which is open to all interested SHS students. According to the Rebuyases, the program will serve as a good platform in making the students appreciate the environment more while practicing a sport that is exciting and enjoyable for all. They added that it also promotes healthy living, since scuba diving gives a person a good physical condition.
Moreover, Rebuyas also stated that the said classes will be a weekly session, and students have to meet numerous qualifications in order to be enrolled in the subject. In a press conference, the Rebuyases disclosed the details in the qualification process, which include a height requirement, the ability to breathe underwater for two minutes, and a ten minute acrobatic dance under the water. The professors also revealed that both the midterm and final examinations will require the
Mold but Gold. Students preparing for their practical exam at the Lake. Photo by Princess Mijares.
students to catch tilapia as many as they can. “Napakaganda nitong naisip namin for midterms and finals, kasi it will really challenge the students na ilabas ‘yung husay at creativity nila,”
Laurence Rebuyas stated. Meanwhile, interested students are required to pass a Parental Consent Form to their class advisers on or before April 29. Parents and guardians
are highly encouraged to fetch their children from the Lake after the lesson each week, for safety and emergency purposes.
NEWS
April 1, 2018
La Estrella Verde
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Gradong 85 pababa, bagsak - DepEd Senior High Lasallians, umalma Charliemagne Asuncion Inulan ng batikos mula sa mga estudyante ng DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) ang DepEd Order no. 092419 na nagsasabing kinakailangan ulitin ng mga estudyanteng may gradong 85 pababa ang dalawang taong pag-aaral ng SHS.
Art by Leerick Bautista.
Ayon sa DepEd, ipinatupad ang naturang batas upang maiangat ang learning competencies ng mga estudyante, at mapatunayan na handa na silang makipagsabayan sa mga empleyado na nakatapos ng kolehiyo. Kaugnay nito, nakatakdang magsagawa ng kilos protesta ang ilang estudyante ng DLSU-D SHS, partikular na ang mga mag-aaral mula sa STEM. Ayon sa nakalap ng La Estrella Verde, planong ilunsad ng mga naturang estudyante ang programang “Goodbye DepEd, Goodbye La Salle,” na gaganapin sa April 5, sa University Oval. “Kung hindi sila
[administrasyon] kikilos, kami ang kikilos,” matapang na paninindigan ni Arjielene Javier (SBI21). Ipinahayag rin ni Van Valerio (ABM26), isa sa mga nakakuha ng gradong 85 pababa, na handa siyang lumangoy sa University Lake nang nakahubad, bilang simbolo ng kanyang pagtutol. “Ang paghuhubad namin ay magsisilbing hakbang para ipakita kung gaano ba kalaki ang tiwala naming lalaki sa aming kapasidad na ipaglaban nang tama ang mga grades namin. Hahamakin namin ang lahat upang maibasura ang memorandum,” paglalahad ni Valerio.
Samantala, papatawan naman ng Office of the Prefect of Discipline ng expulsion ang mga estudyanteng makikilahok sa nasabing kilos protesta. Ayon kay Prefect of Discipline Albert John Puchero, mayroong tamang paraan sa paglalabas ng kanilang mga hinaing. “We’ll not let this happen. There is a proper way for everything. Tama man o mali ang isinasaad ng memo, they should act as Lasallians,” dagdag pa ni Puchero. Tumanggi namang magbigay ng komento si Vice Chancellor for Academics and Research Dr. Marco Saez, ngunit kanyang ibinahagi na kasalukuyan pang pinoproseso ng administrasyon ang pagsunod sa naturang panukala.
17 anyos na Lasalyano, nasawi Lexi France Angeles Karumal-dumal ang sinapit ng 17-taong gulang na Lasalyanong kuko, matapos umanong matapakan ang paa ng isang estudyante habang nakasakay sa Ikot La Salle nitong Marso 29.
Nawawalang sapatos noong #GT418, natagpuan sa Intrams 2018 Beatrice Katherine Aguilar Hindi magkamayaw sa tuwa ang isang estudyanteng nag-ngangalang Lance Angelo Mejico (HCO21) nang maibalik sa kanya ang nawawala niyang sapatos noong #GT418, pitong buwan na ang nakalipas.
Natagpuan ang nawawalang sapatos noong Intramurals 2018, nang tumalsik umano ang suot na sapatos ni Shane Jhastin Picson (HMS12) habang sumasayaw sa Cheerdance competition noong unang araw ng Intramurals. Napulot naman ni Charliemagne Asuncion (ABM26) ang sapatos, at agad na ipinagbigay alam sa Office of the Prefect of Discipline. Nang i-post ni Prefect of Discipline Albert Puchero sa DLSU-D Senior High Lasallian Facebook Group ang lost and found na sapatos, pareho itong inangkin nina Mejico at Picson.
Kaugnay nito, agad namang pinapunta ni Puchero ang dalawang estudyante sa kaniyang opisina upang tukuyin ang tunay na nagmamayari ng sapatos. Kwento ni Picson, natagpuan niya ito noong Hulyo 31 sa backstage ng Ugnayang La Salle kung saan hinahanap niya rin ang nawawala niyang sapatos na may tatak na Gibi, kulay itim, at size 8, tugma sa sapatos ni Mejico. Nang makita niya ang tatak na Gibi, nag-atubili na siyang kuhanin ang sapatos nang hindi tinitingnan ang sukat nito. Samantala, humingi naman ng paumanhin si Picson kay Mejico
bunsod ng mali niyang pag-aakala. Lubos naman itong tinanggap ni Mejico, na inaming may pagkakamali rin siya sa nasabing insidente. “It was my responsibility to take care of my valuables. But due to my roles during #GT418, nawala na sa isip ko ‘yung ilan kong gamit, and it was also my fault,” pagsasaad ni Mejico. Kinakailangan namang magpasa ni Mejico ng Parental Consent Form upang tuluyang makuha ang natagpuang sapatos. Sa isang Facebook post, pinaaalahanan naman ni Puchero ang lahat ng estudyante na ingatan ang kanilang mga gamit, upang maiwasan ang ganitong uri ng sitwasyon. “I just want to remind everyone to please take care of their things for their own security,” paglalahad ni Puchero.
Natagpuan ang bangkay ng hinlalaking kuko ni Lorenzo Alfarez, ang nagmamay-ari ng naturang kuko, sa loob ng nasabing sasakyan na duguan, nabubulok, at nangingitim. Kuwento ni Alfarez, papalabas ng Ikot La Salle ang suspek nang matapakan ang nasawing kuko, at agad itong umalis papalayo. Hindi niya namukhaan ang hinihinalang may sala sa pagpaslang, ngunit kanyang napag-alaman na nakasuot ang suspek ng uniporme at ID card ng DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS). Samantala, napuno naman ng pagdadalamhati at pighati ang mga kaanak ng biktima, at nanawagan ng hustiya sa pagkamatay ng naturang kuko. “Sobrang nade-depress ‘yung anak ko dahil sa pagkawala ng kanyang kuko. Dalawang araw na siyang hindi kumakain, at halos hindi
makausap. Sana’y mahuli ang gumawa nito para mabigyan ng hustisya ang kuko ng aking anak,” paglalahad ng ama ni Alfarez. Kaugnay nito, patuloy naman ang malawakang paghahanap ng Office of the Prefect of Discipline at Student Welfare and Formation Office sa may sala ng naturang insidente. Haharap ang mapapatunayang may kagagawan ng pagpatay sa patong-patong na kaso, kabilang ang limang araw na suspension at expulsion. Sa ngayon, nakatakdang ihatid sa huling hantungan ang labi ng nasawing kuko sa Abril 4. Maari namang dumalo sa libing ang mga interesadong estudyante ng SHS, ngunit kinakailangan muna nilang magpasa ng Parental Consent Form upang pahintulutan ng administrasyon.
Pag-alis ng mga propesor sa SHS, kumpirmado Xander Lauren Cipriano “Opisyal nang aalis ang mga guro ng DLSU-D SHS,” ito ang ilan sa mga pahayag ni DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) Assistant Registrar Cecilia Cajandab sa hinihinalang pagpapaalam ng mga guro sa naturang departamento.
Ayon kay Cajandab, nagulat sila nang malaman ang desisyon ng ilang mga guro sa paglisan sa Unibersidad, sapagkat napamahal na siya sa mga ito. “We (SHS administration) were very shocked with their decision. Personally, nakasanayan ko nang makatrabaho sila, at matagal-tagal na rin kaming nagkasama, kaya mahirap tanggapin,” dagdag pa ni Cajandab. Sa isa namang panayam na isinagawa ng La Estrella Verde kay
SHS Director Dr. Necitas Sayoto, kanyang isiniwalat na malaking pasanin at lungkot sa kanila ang pagalis ng mga guro sa institusyon. Sa kabilang banda, ipinahayag naman ni Sayoto na suportado niya ang desisyon ng mga guro, kung ito ang makakabuti para sa sarili nilang kapakanan. Samantala, lubos namang naapektuhan ang ilang estudyante sa pagpapaalam ng mga guro sa SHS.
Ayon kay Lorenzo Ayuste (HMS11), ikinalulungkot niya ang desisyon ng mga propesor, sapagkat napalapit na ang kanyang loob sa mga ito. Dagdag pa niya, malaki ang papel na ginampanan ng mga naturang guro sa paghubog ng kanyang moral at karakter bilang isang mag-aaral ng SHS. Inaasahang aalis ang mga guro ng SHS sa katapusan ng Mayo, at babalik sa kolehiyo ng Unibersidad upang ipagpatuloy ang kanilang pagtuturo sa mga incoming freshmen sa susunod na pang-akademikong taong 2018-2019. Ang larawan ay masyadong maselan para ipakita ang kabuuan nito. File photo.
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OPINION
La Estrella Verde
La Estrella Verde The Official Senior High School Student Publication of De La Salle University - Dasmariñas
EDITORIAL BOARD A.Y. 2017-2018
April 1, 2018
Lakas ng ‘trust issues’ kapag April Fools’ Day, ‘no?
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY, Senior High Lasallians!
Micah Juliana Montano EDITOR IN CHIEF Nathan Kristoffer Manikan ASSOCIATE EDITOR
but still, watch out for the real issue coming this month.
Jean Geibrielle Romero MANAGING EDITOR Warren David Saga COPY EDITOR Lance Angelo Mejico NEWS-IN-CHARGE Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring FEATURES EDITOR Wynona Raechel Magnaye SPORTS EDITOR Elaissa Bautista LITERARY EDITOR Romeo Christopher Avila ART-IN-CHARGE Leerick Bautista LAYOUT EDITOR Miguel Martin Saligumba PHOTO EDITOR Maeca Louisse Camus WEB EDITOR Kiela Aivory Fonte RADIO PROGRAM MANAGER NEWS
Beatrice Katherine Aguilar, Lexi France Angeles, Charliemagne Asuncion, Xander Lauren Cipriano, Sean Patrick Dela Cruz, Gayle Josrel Esquida, Arjielene Javier, Andrea Oesmer, Leiddy Hazel Penamora
FEATURES
Kristine Mae Evangelista, Leenarc Ashley Delos Reyes, Jennifer Santos, Zion Jill Villela
SPORTS
Angelica Alcaraz, Ingrid Del Rosario, Franceska Nicole Canquin, Gian Elrich Sandoval
LITERARY
Liana, Bongao, Geraldine Rambano, Elli Isaiah Amado, Katherine Anne del Rosario, Blesilda Mae Padolina, Kim Nicole Toledo, Sofia Clyde Vinuya
ART
Cris Matthew Canada, Jennifer Diola, Ailene Joyce Puzon, Ayumi Wada
LAYOUT
Wella Jean Mae Abobo, Willem Dominic Dimas, Angelica Marie Dionisio, Izabelle Mari Siarot
PHOTO
Juvilee Galacgac, Klensch Guevarra, Mark Fernan Ignacio, Princess Mijares, Mary Joyce Simon, Caryl Mae Soler
VIDEO
Martha Ann Abesamis, Nadine Claire Bautista, Leila Gomez, Julian Patric Semilla
RADIO
Elli Isaiah Amado, Regina Noreen Arahan, Charliemagne Asuncion, Sophia Therese Cano, Christian Geoffrey Capistrano, Xander Lauren Cipriano, Nia Sara Marjael Masbad, Lance Angelo Mejico, Ciela Andrea Roasa, Blesilda Mae Padolina
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Jason Ybarrita
ADVISER
Robbie Ann Jesser Eullo La Estrella Verde has its editorial office at Room 311B, Hotel De Oriente (College of Tourism and Hospitality Management) De La Salle University - Dasmariñas, DBB-B City of Dasmariñas, Cavite 4115 Telephone: +63-2-7795180, +63-46-4811900 to 1930 local 3402 Email: laestrellaverde.dlsud@gmail.com Facebook: /DLSUDLaEstrellaVerde Contribution, comments, and suggestions should be addressed to the Editor in Chief and should bear the writer’s full name. Articles may be edited for clarity and space.
EDITORIAL
The Senior High School Coin Paradox
“You are supposed to be college students now, so we expect you to act like one.” “You are still high school students; you are not allowed to leave the school premises during class hours.” If you’re a senior high school (SHS) student, you’ve most probably heard of the two statements above from your beloved professors or other members of the faculty and administration. And yes, it is as baffling and incomprehensible as the lessons your professors (do not) discuss. There are two faces to this coin, and it seems that they want us to land on the edge, which isn’t impossible, but is relatively nonsensical as well, or is it? Heads: “You are college students” Because of (the mess that is) the K-to-12 Program, SHS students were pushed back a couple of years before they could enter the college ride. Since the Philippines and its citizens were used to having only four years of high school, people are still adjusting to the new norm, despite it being around for quite some time now. And it is because of that dearly departed reality we were all accustomed to that we cannot help but think that SHS students “should have been in college by now.” This sentiment applies particularly to SHS teachers and professors, using it as a mechanism to make students feel that they should act as more mature and sensible individuals. It’s working though, but not in the way that would be deemed beneficial to the SHS students. It makes them feel even more like crap, because they did NOT want the two-year inclusion. Tails: “You are high school students” Amongst the sturdy trees of DLSU-D lie the steadfast protests of SHS students to be granted permission to leave the campus during their break times and vacant hours, which was given a big NO by the administration, because of “security and safety purposes”. This regulation aided the Office of the Prefect of Discipline in diminishing the number of cases of students who are cutting classes, since their attendance are sternly monitored. However, the downside is that students, both SHS and college, are then at war on facilities, space on leisure areas, and, most importantly, the food. Here’s what’s unfair: the SHS students have to incessantly don their battle armor when they have to fight for tables and seats in the different food concessionaires inside the University against the college students—the college students, who are able to leave the campus and can eat in the neighboring galaxy if they want to, because they have the authority the poor, sad SHS students do not. By putting two and two together, since SHS students should be more responsible because they are “technically” college students, should they not have the privilege of leaving the campus during their vacant time as well? The coin turner In the SHS administration’s defense, they are only prohibiting the act because “anything that will happen to the SHS students outside the campus during class hours will be the University’s accountability,” which means that it all boils down to this: fear. They are afraid of what might happen to their dear students once they step foot to the harsh and menacing world outside, where dangers are lurking in the shadows and inside ski masks. Doesn’t letting the students leave the campus put them to the test if they truly are matured and sensible, and are worth being compared to the college students? The coin’s edge The SHS students are not being pilosopo, the statements delivered to them are just opposing to one another, in a way that leaves them in a daze and in confusion. Perhaps a better way of communicating and articulating their statements would do both the SHS students and administration some good. So, SHS students, should the act of leaving the campus be given a green light by the administration, are you ready and capable of doing so, and can you ensure that you will return to the premises promptly and safely, and will not use this as a way to commit any misdemeanor? (Please say yes guys, ugh, sawa na ako sa Food Square.)
STAY INFORMED! Facebook:
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laestrellaverde.dlsud@gmail.com
Micah Juliana Montano Instagram: @micaptivated
Obiter Dicta
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Going down the memory lane
ello there, my fabulous readers! In this special edition of LEV, I would like to focus more with my fellow Grade 12 students (please don’t be tampo, Grade 11 babies!). So, ayun nga mga bes, has it already occurred to any of you that the academic year is almost over? Which only means, goodbye senior high school na! But wait, bago ka maexcite sa paghanap ng OOTD for the Graduation Ball, let us first go down the memory lane and look back on how it all started. When we first entered the gates of DLSU-D, we were welcomed with the ID scanning thingy, and because of that we were so anxious na magkaroon na ng school ID para ma-try na ‘yung machine na ‘yon. Grabe, ang high tech ng La Salle (kaya siguro ang mahal ng tuition, hekhek)! And as we passed by the campus security guards, napa-wow tayo kasi bes, ang daming puno! I overheard someone talking to her phone pa nga, saying, “Saan ka na? Andito ako sa may maraming puno.” And I was like, OMG girl, the entire University is surrounded by trees, magkita kaya kayo ng kausap mo? Hahaha! Anyway, let’s continue. Sa tapat ng CTHM Building pinagather lahat ng students, and let’s all be honest mga bessywaps, lahat tayo gandangganda sa building na ‘to, to the point na pinost pa natin ‘yung picture ng CTHM Building sa Instagram (oops, I’m guilty!). Of course, hindi rin nakatakas sa mga bagong dayo ng La Salle ‘yung mga kainan, especially nung nalaman natin na hindi pwede lumabas during break time (#SadLife). Shout out to Mila’s turon and kwek-kwek, thank you for being there when nothing else was. Charot! Hahahaha! After ng sandamakmak na orientation, tour, and diagnostic tests the entire first week, ayan na, hell-o teachers na. And anong kasunod? SCHOOLWORKS, yikes. Imagine, we survived the bloody Statistics, Gen. Math, Soc Sci, and the non-stop shootings here and there. Remember that moment when naikot niyo na buong La Salle, pati Hotel Rafael hindi nakaligtas, just for the sake ng
mga scenes ng video project niyo? And also, let us not forget those weeks when we had to pull an all-nighter just to finish our research papers, and practice our part for the defense the next day. Grabe, goodbye social life, huhu. And then Students’ Week, Intramurals, and Lasallian Festival came. Ahh finally, time to take some rest, chill, and just have fun. Various activities, programs, and events were prepared by the project heads in order for us to have a great time even just for a while. And I think, we could all agree on the fact that these festivities allowed us to have closer relationships and tighter bonds with our friends and classmates. And it all goes down to the memories that we had built and created with our classmates. The napaka-iingay, napaka-kukulit, napaka-gugulo na mga kaklase natin na nakasama natin for a year or two. Wow, can you still even remember the kahiyaans that you had during the first day? Yeah? Compare it to what you guys are now. Who would have thought, right? Na darating ka sa point na malulungkot ka kasi, there is a huge possibility na magkahiwahiwalay na kayo because adulting life is coming into your lawn. Parang dati lang, gusto mo na matapos yung SHS because you feel like wala kang makaka-close sa class niyo, bina-bash mo pa nga eh plus code names para hindi halata. But now, kung pwede mo lang pabagalin yung oras dahil hindi ka pa ready na pumasok sa susunod na taon na hindi na sila yung makikita mo once you enter the room.
It was, in no freaking way, an easy ride with them, but the hella ones were definitely worth it. ;) “Everything that you’ve ever dreamed of Disappearing when you wake up But there's nothing to be afraid of Even when the night changes It will never change me and you”
OPINION
April 1, 2018
Nathan Kristoffer Manikan Twitter and Instagram: @natekristoffer
Method to the Madness
Mighty PowerPoints and missing professors: the formula for self-education
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kay, stop me if you’ve heard this one: “You don’t go to school to learn, you only go to share what you’ve learned.” You may not have been among those who have heard it, but I, along with a hundred plus students, were greeted by those words as some sort of a “Welcome back!” during the first week of this school year’s first semester. Now, you may be wondering, if that happened months ago, why talk about it just now? Well, dear reader, despite the obvious hilarity contained by that statement, it didn’t seem to be too much of a big deal
afterwards. But little did we know, it was an ominous sign of things to come. Alright, so we (or our parents, if you’re the type to get all specific) pay more than P40,000 a semester. Imagine all the things you could buy with that, right? Like those clothes from H&M, those dress shoes from Aldo, the new iPhone whatever number it is because it keeps releasing way more times than I’ve actually owned one, I digress. Thinking about it, you’d expect that you’d get your money’s worth out of it, and be blessed with
amazing professors whose passion in teaching is so infectious, that you learn more than you’ve bargained for in the process, right? You and me both. Now before I go on, I’d like to note that there are indeed a lot of great educators out here, and we’re blessed to be under their guidance and instruction, to be quite honest. However, this breed of teachers seems like an endangered species as of late. It’s as if things took a 180-degree turn. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get the whole memo that SHS now
Jean Geibrielle Romero
Between those Words
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Pressure is real
he school year is about to end, students are down to their final semester, and yet, the same set of words were said, the same statements were heard. More pressure was given to the graduating students by their parents, expecting them to have higher grades. Academic pressure is not synonymous to being inspired, it is more of being threatened to perform better in your studies. “Dapat Top 1 ka, ah. Dapat ganito, dapat ganyan. Mag-aral ka nga. Bawal bumagsak.” Guys, we all know how hard it is to study and work on things with so much academic pressure on you. It isn’t about going to school to learn
anymore, it is more of trying to meet your parents’ expectations, of what they want you to become. School isn’t made for you to prove yourself to your parents, it is made for you to learn and grow as a person. “Ayoko na, feeling ko bagsak ako sa *insert subject* ma-di-disappoint na naman sina Mama at Papa.” Bes, mga parents, ‘di masamang bumagsak minsan as long as you learn from it. Students are not God, they are not perfect, everyone has their own downfalls. People learn from their failures, so never be afraid of setbacks. After all, it is their life, not their parents’ or anyone else’s life. Let’s all accept the fact that no one is
Warren Saga
Twitter: @wdvsaga; Instagram: @warrensaga
Devoir versus Delight
Let Them Be
Ya, ya, yaaaa. h yes, that oh-so-catchy-yetsomewhat-irritating riff in that oh-so-catchy-yet-somewhatirritating song that you’ve most likely discovered (and sang to—admit it) by now, maybe via that annoying classmate who keeps squealing, I mean, singing it in the classroom, your “jeje” friends who are not capable of escaping that horrendous phase, or the Internet. Whatever the case may be, it surely has taken the country (and your eardrums) by storm, a tremendously clamorous and mind-controlling storm. And I’m sure you’ve seen these kinds of people: the ones who give you judgmental and disapproving looks when you sing its tune, the ones who cry despairing pleas begging you to stop, and the “friends” who promptly threaten you to be removed from the squad unless you wash your mouth with holy water and repent for your sin. What do you do then? Hayaan mo sila. The hip hop group Ex Battalion has only existed for about a year when they blessed the world with their eternal bop “Hayaan Mo Sila” with O.C. Dawgs on Nov. 7, 2017.
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Inspired by DJ Khaled’s “I’m The One”, the single blasted the group to countrywide domination and brought them resounding success, who outsold, outcharted, outsang, outrapped, outproduced, outwrote, and out-ya-ya-yaaad all of your faves, leaving them with no money for wig insurance, snatched the remainder of their baby hairs and scalped bald, and found dead in a ditch with tears eternally embedded to their pitiful faces. Although it was no surprise, from the fact that its majestic tune was proven to be a renewable source of energy and a cure to all types of diseases, and allowed people who have heard it to shapeshift, lift objects twice their weight, and reach selfactualization. Its influence is no joke either, seeing as the official video reuploaded on YouTube has currently reached 35 million views, which is quite a big endeavor nonetheless. So, if ever you’re feeling down, tired after a bad day, needing inspiration or motivation to work, or if you’re just bored, you know what to do. Oh, and it’s better if you Google and sing along to the lyrics too so you’re not just mumbling incoherent nonsense,
perfect, everyone commits mistakes, there will always be people better than the other, someone greater and someone inferior. Your world, your life, and your future do not depend on what your parents want you to achieve, become, and do; it all depends on you, because it is YOUR life and not THEIRS. “I’m just not good enough.” Students tend to think this way because of the standards set by their parents. Never feel less of a person just because you have not met someone’s expectations on you. Never think less of yourself after failing. Never feel less of yourself after giving your best shot. You are better than you think, you are
and so you know the other words besides from ya, ya, yaaa. *And because the whole article above is mostly trash and sarcasm, what I’m really trying to say is that you should not let other people dictate what is or isn’t good based on the opinion of many. You should not let society’s discernment and criticism of your own style make you feel like your preferences or choices are bad. If you like a certain type of music, that’s okay. If you don’t like a certain type of music others listen to, learn to respect them and leave them alone, unless you too want to be judged with the songs you listen to. Albeit saddening, I’ve seen many people force themselves to not like their preferred music, and instead be fond of another just because it’s what’s in and popular, because it’s what their friends want them to, or because it’s what most people say is good. Don’t follow them. Do you and let them be. Hayaan mo sila.*
you should not let other people dictate what is or isn’t good based on the opinion of many.
La Estrella Verde
5
stands for “Self-Help Schooling.” Come to think of it now, the number of hours I’ve spent studying lessons by myself since this new semester started have surpassed that of the time I was “taught” inside a classroom. They were right, apparently. We don’t go to school to learn. But hey, thank goodness that our trusty educators, Ms. PowerPoint, Ma’am Textbook, and Sir Online Resource never failed us, and have been our constant companions as we try to make sense of the gargantuan amount of lessons that—surprise, surprise—we’re supposed to learn on our own. You might be thinking right now, “Okay, so what was the point of this, Nathan? Did you just come here to rant?” No, dear reader, good heavens, no! I’ve written this down to speak the unspoken words many of us hold within our hearts and minds but are too afraid to utter: we deserve better. Our elders would argue, “Nasa inyo ang problema, wala sa’min.” Okay, yes, some students are more difficult to educate than others, whether it be in
terms of their behavior or the speed in which they learn. But that should never be an excuse for substandard levels of teaching. How do you expect your students to “share what they’ve learned” in school when they aren’t even properly being guided within it? Newsflash, we didn’t pay for PowerPoint presentations or videos of random people from the Internet explaining lessons to us, we paid for quality education. Last I’ve heard, that isn’t a myth. So, fellow Lasallian, I leave this up for you to answer: Did you come to school to learn, or to share what you’ve learned…on your own?
better than what they think. Never let your failures define you. Never make their expectations shape you. Studies show that one of the major causes of teenage suicides is academic pressure brought by the students’ parents. Failing to meet expectations of their parents affects the student’s mental health and performance in school. With so much pressure and expectations, not only is the mental health at stake, but the overall health of the student. One of students’
nightmare nowadays is disappointing their parents. Hence, rather than getting them upset and disappointed on the students’ poor academic performance, some would end up taking their own lives. Parents need to wake up and realize that putting pressure on their children isn’t as healthy as they think. It took more lives than they have imagined. Inspire and encourage your children if you want them to succeed in school; never pressure them. Assure them that whatever the outcome may be, as long as your child exerted his or her best, you are still proud of them. Encouragement and inspiration are not synonymous to academic pressure, learn the difference; don’t pressure them if you want them to succeed.
it is YOUR life and not THEIRS
SHS now stands for “Self-Help Schooling.”
Kiela Aivory Fonte Twitter and Instagram: @kielaaivory
Easily Offended Chicken
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LEV Radio Roast
f you’ve heard of LEV Radio and KuliTawanan, you’re probably familiar with the voices that crackle, the subtle sound of heartbeats that go with the tick of the clock, and the “Bakit wala?” when the announcer cannot be heard on the other end of the line. These are just few of the weird noises you hear on air, but have you ever seen them and their cold sweats when the producer signals to stretch? The production team and voices of LEV Radio were formed after seven senior high school students cried in their green uniforms when they lost the Divisions Schools Press Conference 2017. LEV Adviser Jesser Eullo announced that they will be having a slot in Green FM every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30–2:00 pm (and if you read carefully, you will notice the shameless plug of the Radio Manager). So, this is how the shows go: six days (sometimes four) before airing, the Radio Manager will assign each member on the production team on what news they will be writing. The lucky voices will finally be able to ignore the announcement and enjoy the weekend because they have nothing to do with it until the day of the show. Meanwhile, the head writer will persistently remind the production team to pass their new briefs because
he/she still has to procrastinate on his/her remaining school works. On the other hand, Kuya Elli and Papa Boy C don’t need scripts for KuliTawanan. The only thing they need to do is to guffaw for 30 minutes. Remember that show where they had a lot of callers for the Valentine’s Special? It all started with persuasion. We had to ask our friends to call to our show until, eventually, people discovered the segment. Notice how Kuya Elli can directly hit on their guests and Papa Boy C can’t? It’s because I’m in the station. Now that we’re used to each other’s inhales and exhales, we welcomed two fresh breaths as part of LEV Radio to lessen their tasks and leave the four remaining Grade 11 students for the next school year. Roasting aside, I will miss each and everyone in the team.
They’ve been a great part of my year, and I will never forget the smell of their exhales.
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OPINION
La Estrella Verde
April 1, 2018
Elaissa Bautista
Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring
Big Deeper
Metered Verbosity
Twitter: @bbelaissa; Gmail: iamelaissa@gmail.com
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Twitter: @pabebleophile; Instagram: @jiluritsi; Gmail: jelo.ritzhie07@gmail.com
Not all sea creatures can swim, Bimb
hey told me it was easy. They told me I just had to breathe in and out, and eventually let the cold blue water take me to my dream of surviving this semester with a grade that might possibly drown me into an overflowing sadness of becoming a failure shark. It might be a phobia that hinders a student to swim across the other side. But, this is where the savior should enter—this is where learning should happen.
Teach a fish how to swim and it will swim (Bautista, 2018) I guess it is easy for some people to say that swimming is easy. But, in reality, it is just as hard as solving a physics problem or doing a research paper in one night. For some people like me who have been struggling to lift their grades up as they lift their
arms over the water, this swimming class could be more of a travesty than a chance for learning. We only have a bucket of hope and a sachet of sun block. Nevertheless, we cannot always get what we want. No matter how blurry our visions get whenever our goggles fail to bring us a high grade, we should realize that swimming is not just about water and breathing, it actually teaches us about survival. The grades we get from the practical examinations we perform under the heat of the sun are just a part of us, but they do not define us. What’s more important than the numerical grades we obtain from that one subject we hate the most is the experience of learning about something that might be useful for us in the near future—no matter where our luck takes us. Sure, it may be agonizing how a grade in a single subject can distort one’s GPA. Whenever we feel like we are drowning of pressure, we get this thought in our head on what we should really save: our grade or ourselves? But believe me, we can save both.
Lance Angelo Mejico
Twitter: @its_lanceangelo; Instagram: @itslanceangelo; Gmail: lancemejico123@gmail.com
Beyond Sound waves
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Conyo Frappe speaks
ou know, sometimes, I feel like to gastos my money. Once pa lang naman, pero sige go lang kasi I’m unproductive and lazy. My juices are, like, stopped to flow from my mind, and I can’t be artsy. And as humans, we envision a cozy place for these instances of life—comfy pillows and seats, delectable food, freezing point of air conditioners. Kaya naman sa house, actually, pero as maarte as I can be, I go to coffee shops. Just imagine the aroma of coffee (lalo na ‘yung coffee beans sa sacks!) being brewed, tapos the sounds of ice being crushed, my god! It just lets me be creative and productive, someone who looks cool and professional. I’m not speaking for myself naman, people, this is for all of us. We are so stressed with all of the duties and responsibilities we have to fulfill. Maraming homework, assignments, performance tasks, everything na pwedeng ipagawa under the sun, pinagawa na. And as we go on with our school life, we now have those eye bags, calloused hands, and a sabog and sabaw utak. We cannot escape from this reality, apparently. And what better way is to spend those ipon, those money that are given to us by our parents, in a commercialized and overrated coffee
s Lasallians, we have always been looking forward for the activities that the administration has in store for us. In fact, these much anticipated events complete our senior high school (SHS) life. They replace our personal and academic concerns with delight, high spirits, and satisfaction. They let us escape from the tough and complex world that we engage in. And most importantly, they help us rise from our high school downfalls. Personally, I have always been anticipating for the SHS events, specifically the Lasallian Festival (LSF), as it is our gateway to celebrate festivity. From the word itself, this celebration is meant for students to celebrate talents, skills, and aptitudes of their fellow SHS Lasallians. It is supposed to be the loudest and most enthusiastic celebration of the entire year. It has to be an event that encapsulates fun, excitement, and the triumph of the SHS students. This year’s LSF celebration was the best event that the SHS community ever had. Nothing can beat the intensity, entertainment, and success of the celebration. It was full of surprises, unbelievable events, and programs that are pleasant and fresh to the eyes of the SHS students. Also, this year’s LSF welcomed diversity, as the programs were equally created for the benefit of all SHS students from different tracks. It didn’t focus on one track only, and it served as a path in establishing the bond between Grade 11 and 12 students. Furthermore, LSF 2018 also showcased the newest and freshest SHS talents, who are
rarely seen and exposed to the SHS community. Moreover, I have to commend the organizers for raising an exciting and flawless LSF celebration. It didn’t look like it was only planned for a little number of weeks. It was the best event that they have raised and, surely, the SHS community is looking forward to the future celebrations that they will host. They have proven to be a producer of difference, as they have given LSF a twist that every SHS Lasallian would be grateful for. Also, they have shown that DLSU-D is indeed the home of creating possibilities in the region, as they have prevailed programs and events that are unexpected, and impossible to happen. Without their hard work, perseverance, and creative minds, this year’s LSF wouldn’t have been as memorable as it was. LSF 2018 was the most successful project that the SHS community had. As a matter of fact, college students would be envious of SHS, as they would want to experience the kind of LSF celebration that we went through. It eased the anxiety and exhaustions that I was going through, which uplifted my slumbered spirits.
Thank you, LSF! It was such a different experience—really, different.
order na meron sa coffee shop maliban na lang siguro if nag-meet-up ‘yung mga tita with their Louis Vuitton and Chanel, tapos together pa with the “Hypebeasts” and other people (I don’t want to judge) na pwede maging palengkera. It would really be a chaos. So as an avid fan of my Frappuccino, I welcome you to the humble abode of cafés and coffee shops. You can bring your pastel highlighters if mag-re-review ka, and also bring blankets na rin para di ka ginawin. If ever na-forget mo, it’s okay, I have extras naman because I literally live in coffee shops na. Stress-free kaya here!
‘yung high price and commercialized na coffee pati pastries ay matutumbasan naman ng peace and order na meron sa coffee shop
Wynona Magnaye
Facebook: Wynona Magnaye
What’s the Sitch?
#BAWI
Lit, Solid, Flawless A
shop around the corner. It emerged kasi, eh, from the higher-ups of the society, ‘yung frequent visits sa café. Like who could thought na mag-chi-chikahan kayo, habang nainom ng frappe, in a cozy place pero ang mahal ng price ng products tapos go lang kayo? And the people, like me, who grew up on the slums, want to climb that social ladder para, ano, in sa trend. In short, sabay sa uso si bes. But who are we to judge kung chocolate chip Frappuccino lang ‘yung in-order ng isang human and ikaw, two shots of espresso, no whip cream, siguro may isang pint ng kabidahan at three scoops ng prejudice and biases, don’t you think? What if they really want lang naman talaga to relax kasi sobrang fed up na sila sa world? What if sobrang pagod na sila makinig sa mga away at sigawan ng family members sa house and as magigiting na students, they still need a peaceful place for them to work and function? Siguro kaya nagkaroon ng café para maaddress ‘yung issues na ‘to. Siguro kaya sila parang mushroom na lumilitaw bigla sa corners kasi they want to assure na they are here for the people who need peace pero in a high price. I mean, ‘yung high price and commercialized na coffee pati pastries ay matutumbasan naman ng peace and
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awi na lang sa finals: the five fateful words running across the thoughts of any student just after they’ve handed in their test paper. It has many variations: “Bawi na lang next sem,” “meron pa namang finals,” “pwede naman ako mag-summer class,” or “(number) percent lang naman ang exam eh.” No matter how you phrase it, they all mean the same thing: I’ll just make an effort next time, key word being next time. Students love procrastinating. They thrive in pressure and thrill in knowing they only have a few hours left. They are addicted to the adrenaline rush when they make it just in time. Filipino students are no exception. In fact, we are the example. We have become so good at pushing back our activities to the last minute that we have a name for it: the mañana habit. The word mañana means “tomorrow” or “specified future time.” This habit is a way to describe a person who is fond of procrastinating—in other words, a procrastinator. The procrastinator is native to hang-out areas and is commonly found wasting their time. A procrastinator can be heard, often times, saying “mamaya na.” As teenagers, we can’t avoid the habit of sometimes pushing our activities to the last minute. With all the homework, projects, household chores, and social life we need to balance, it’s normal to sometimes
procrastinate in other aspects. But when sometimes becomes all the time, it can become a problem. Although there are some studies which suggest procrastination is effective and brings out the best results from students, this isn’t a general rule. Procrastination doesn’t always produce the best results. Students who don’t know how to manage their time may not finish what they need to do. Meanwhile, students who work slowly and procrastinate will get even worse results. Furthermore, procrastination is stressful. You can’t think properly when your consciousness is loitering
we don’t need to say “babawi na lang ako” if we did it right the first time around.
in the back of your head saying things like: “I told you so” or “You should’ve done this weeks before.” The pressure to finish the task itself can make any man go insane. Plus, there’s the fact that what you submit will be graded and affect your overall GPA for the semester. In addition, we become lazy and dependent. By procrastinating, we encourage ourselves to be lazy and do whatever we want. Come deadline day, we rely on cheating and the works of others to get by. Not very Lasallian. We have to learn to avoid waiting and wasting our time. Prioritizing what we need to do can help us identify the important things that need to be accomplished right away. Creating a schedule and organizing our time can also help us lessen the stress of finding time to do certain things and remind us to squeeze in some time to rest and take a break. Procrastinating may be effective for others and may teach us to work quickly, but it isn’t worth it. Taking a break after all the work is done can be less stressful and help us produce the best results. Besides, we don’t need to say “babawi na lang ako” if we did it right the first time around.
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La Estrella Verde
NEWS FEATURES
April 1, 2018
University Lake, bubuksan para sa libreng langoy ngayong tag-init Leiddy Hazel Peñamora Isa na nga ang University Lake sa mga pinagmamalaki ng DLSU-D, kaya naman laking tuwa at buong pusong inanunsyo ng Unibersidad ang pagbubukas ng lawa para sa libreng langoy ngayong tag-init sa mga estudyante ng Senior High School (SHS). Pinamagatan ang programa bilang “Langoy Lasalyano,” na naglalayong ipamalas ang malaparaisong ganda ng naturang lawa. Dagdag pa rito, magiging tulay din ang nasabing programa upang higit pang mapalaganap ang pagmamahal at pag-aalaga ng Unibersidad sa inang kalikasan. Ayon kay SHS Director Dr. Necitas Sayoto, magandang paraan ito upang mas makilala pa ang tanyag na University Lake, hindi lamang sa paaralan, gayundin sa iba pang karatig bayan ng Dasmariñas. “Maganda itong programa na naisip ng (administrasyon) because it will serve as our agent of promotion. Higit pa nilang makikilala
ang DLSU-D SHS, and it only proves that we are more than high quality education,” dagdag pa ni Sayoto. Reaksyon ng komunidad ng SHS Samantala, umani naman ang anunsyo ng positibong reaksiyon mula sa komunidad ng DLSU-D SHS. Ayon sa ilang estudyante, napapanahon ang naturang programa sapagkat marami sa kanila ang kasalukuyang humaharap sa swimming class. “Para sa akin, magandang idea ‘yan [ang libreng paglalangoy] kasi malaking tulong ‘yan para sa mga may swimming class tsaka libre. Aba, bihira na lang ang libre sa
panahon ngayon,” pahayag ni Gayle Esquida (ABM25). Ipinahayag din ni Information Officer Jesser Eullo ang kanyang papuri sa mga tao sa likod ng Langoy Lasalyano. “I commend those people behind the project, because it is a great move in making the students appreciate the gems of our University,” pagsasaad ni Eullo. Bagama’t binansagan ang proyekto bilang “libreng langoy,” kinakailangan pa rin magpasa ng mga interesadong estudyante ng Parental Consent Form (PCF) sa Office of the Prefect of Discipline. Dagdag pa rito, pinapayuhan din ang mga magulang na ihatid ang kanilang anak
sa University Lake at sunduin sila pagkatapos upang panatilihin ang seguridad. Kaugnay nito, hindi naman ipagkakait ng Unibersidad ang lawa sa mga taga-labas, na pinahihintulutang lumangoy sa halagang P300 kada-tao. Gayunpaman, kinakailangan pa rin nilang magbigay ng PCF sa mga kinauukulan ng Unibersidad. Inaasahang magsisimula sa Abril 10 at matatapos sa katapusan ng Mayo ang nasabing programa. Stock Photo from Shutterstock Art by Willem Dimas
No Clearance Uli by Ayumi Wada
Punit by Aileen Joyce Puzon
“Valentine’s” Day by Aileen Joyce Puzon
Kain by Cris Matthew Canada
Untitled by Aileen Joyce Puzon
Photojournalists: Miguel Martin Saligumba, Juvilee Galacgac, Princess Mijares Layout artist: Leerick Bautista
THE UNRULY
Academic institutions around the world have different set of rules and regulations that an individual must follow when inside the premises of the campus. Observably, people who are consistent in breaking these edicts are students. Students who are caught in the act of doing these things are often sent to the prefect and are given sanctions as a consequence of their unruly actions. Most of the time, people perceive students who get sanctioned as if they have done a criminal act. This is how our mind works, we judge these students as people who can’t change into better individuals. But come to think of it, nobody is perfect. We should stop judging these people, the ones who are unruly, because in the end, we humans have one another. We should work together as one for the betterment of everybody.
10 La Estrella Verde
FEATURES
April 1, 2018
a s o t n e Kuw mga kuwarto Leenarc Ashley De los Reyes
Bilang bagong mag-aaral sa DLSU-D, at galing pa akong Laguna, pansamantalang naninirahan ako sa dormitoryo sa loob ng Unibersidad. Noong una, hindi ko malaman kung nasaan ang dormitoryo ng mga babae dahil ang tanging lobby lamang ng nasabing istruktura at ang opisina ng mga matron ng dormitory ang kita mula sa labas. Kapag napasok mo na ito, saka mo matutunton ang apat na palapag na gusali na mayroong mga kwarto bawat palapag at may kakaibang disensyo, dahil walang bubong ang gitna nito. Kung titingnan, mukhang karaniwang dormitoryo lamang ito ngunit pagsapit ng gabi, dito na mapapansin ang kakaiba sa gusali. “I get that eerie feeling kapag natutulog ako dun mag-isa on (weekends) kasi usually patay ‘yung ilaw sa ibang floors,” ani Tiffanny Quinto (ENG22). Pagsapit ng gabi at nagsiuwian na ang ibang mga magaaral ng paaralan, ang dormitory lamang ang natitirang may tao. Marami-rami rin ang mga naninirahang mag-aaral dito ngunit, kahit pa ganoon, hindi pa rin mawala ang nakakapanindig-balahibo na bigay ng gusali bunsod na rin sa iba’t ibang kuwento na nagmumula sa mga dormers mismo. Madalas na naglalagi ang mga naninirahan dito sa mga koridor dahil dito malakas ang Internet, at marami sa kanila ang nakakaranas na para bang may aninong dumadaan sa tabi nila kahit walang tao at pakiramdam na may nakatingin sa iyo. Ngunit, hindi lamang ito ang kakaibang mga nangyayari sa loob ng gusali. “Noong Grade 11, 10:00 am pa ang simula ng klase ko at ang mga ka-dormmates ko naman ay lahat 7:00 am, kaya madalas akong naiiwan mag-isa sa kuwarto, at mayroong isang umaga na nakita mismo ng dalawa kong mata ang paggalaw ng upuan (sa) (aking) harapan,” kuwento ni Alyanna Tolentino (HPS21) ukol sa kakaibang karanasan sa dormitoryo. Ano nga ba ang dahilan sa mga kaganapang ito? Mula sa mga impormasyon
na nakuha ko tungkol sa istorya ng gusali, dati raw itong tirahan ng mga sundalong Espanyol na sumakop sa Pilipinas, at dito rin nila dinadala ang mga kinukuha nilang mga kababaihang Pilipino para alilain at pagsamantalahan. Marami-raming mga kadalagahan ang namatay sa loob nito dahil sa pang-aalipusta ng ibang lahi, at pinipili na lang ng iba ang magpakamatay at tumalon mula sa pinakamataas na palapag ng gusali. At sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, nito lamang nakaraang taon ay mayroong isang mag-aaral na nagtangkang tumalon mula sa ika-apat na palapag rin ng gusali sa hindi malamang dahilan. Isang malagim na pangyayari ang sumira sa gusali noong magkaroon ng sunog noong Marso 20, 1890 na kumitil sa buhay ng mga Pilipinong kadalagahang naroroon at iba pang mga Kastila dahil sa pagkawala ng pagkakataong lumikas. Nawalan din ng buhay ang iba sa pagkakalanghap sa usok mula sa sunog na naging basehan ng disenyong mayroon ang gusali na bukas ang gitna, upang maiwasang maulit ang ganoong pangyayari. Matagal na nawalan ng nakatira ang gusali hangga’t sa naitayo na nga ang Unibersidad at binili ito upang maging dormitoryo. Wala mang kasiguraduhan kung konektado ang mga pangyayari ngayon sa istorya ng nasabing lugar, maaari na itong sapat na pruweba na may rason ang kakaiba at katakot-takot na mga insidente sa loob ng dormitoryo.
Zion Jil Villela Normally, people would teach you ways on how to make your life productive and do things on time. However, do you know what you are supposed to do on the other side of the spectrum? Here are some ways to be unproductive. Hide from people Social interactions can be too much. You have to take a break from people and hide from whatever they can give you, maybe an infectious disease or fake news. All you have to do is live in your bedroom. You can store food, do physical activities like lifting your phone or practice Newton’s first law of motion. Once you survive a day in bed and not go out unless it is needed, congratulations! You have successfully hidden yourself from people.
Question everything Here you can ask the questions you wanted to ask the universe that no one could think of and possibly answer. The sillier the questions, the better. It will be helpful if you are lying in bed while asking questions like: Is water wet? Where is my will to live? Who is slower, a turtle or the Internet speed? Set plans…that’s it You have tasks to do, right? List those tasks
and set a schedule to do all the task you listed. Observe the number of tasks on deck, and that’s all you have to do. Do all your tasks later You see all the tasks you have to do, then set it aside and get your alone time. Return to your tasks when the deadline is almost there. This step is the easiest step because you can execute the art of procrastination. Procrastination brings out the skill of multitasking. The more tasks you
have to do, the more determined you are to get the job done. Everyone aims to be productive everyday but everyone seems to do the opposite. We set plans to do tasks, but at the end of the day, we don’t do it and stay in bed instead. People focus on what are the things that they should do, and it is more stressful. Who wants stress anyway? Taking a little step in doing things helps you to do more. Later you’ll see that the small steps you took are the ones that leads to a finished task.
FEATURES
April 1, 2018
Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring Habang lumilipas ang panahon, sumisikip na ang espasyo sa mga kainan sa Unibersidad. Ayon nga sa mga mag-aaral sa kolehiyo, dumarami na ang populasyon ng senior high, na kung saan nagiging perwisyo sa pagkuha ng mga upuan at lamesang kakainan. Gutom na ang lahat at mahirap kumuha ng pwesto sa Food Square at Mila’s upang makakain.
Jennifer Santos
A few decades ago, the mystical land of Utopia sent out few of its perfect citizens on a mission to different parts of the world, and one of them found his way here in the country, specifically in this province, more specifically in this very University. He originally only had a first name, but eventually added a second and last name in order to blend in the society. He borrowed the most common male name and attached it with his original name, followed by the first viand he was offered with when he initially landed on the lawn of a humble family’s cottage.
Mistreated During his pioneer wandering through his “hometown” in Quezon City, he was ridiculed because of his oddities. His physical appearance and characteristics were gossiped and laughed at. However, he was not severely teased because of ugly imperfections, but, ironically, because he was totally perfect. His entire body, except his head, face, and eyes, is smooth and without a spurt of any hair. His skin is actually translucent and literally, brightly glowing. This probably resulted from the temperate climate of Utopia, where it was neither hot nor cold, and where the lengths of morning and night are even. Due to this endless
mocking, he decided to cover his skin with a jacket, and he never took it off from then on till now. Misplaced Before he embarked on his mission, he studied and practiced the way of life of mortals. He was originally assigned to a western town, so he fed his mind with every fact and knowledge of that place—from the cowboy clothes to the Texan accent. He was specifically curious and amused with the saloons located in every neighborhood of the place, jotting it down as his priority place to visit once he starts his journey on earth. Sadly, their leader made a drastic change of plans, resulting to modifications of their designated assignment area. In short, instead of traveling to the olden days in a western state, he was transported to the modern period in an eastern country. Luckily, he came across the most ideal place, a university, to record the surviving good traits of humans. However, with his affection for the western features still lingering, he requested for a knob-less, swinging saloon door at the main entrance of his new office. Misunderstood His primary language in the perfect society he was born into was an intricate, ancient one. Yet all of them could imitate the dialects of
every nation, tribe, and culture, as well as the musings of every animal in the land, water, and air. He was fascinated, however, that the Philippines holds a variety of dialects, but still remaining united and connected. He learned more about the country from the daily conversations with the bubbly secretary, his kind assistant, the annoying yet talented pupils, the incredible members of the faculty, and the hardworking staff of the University where he was knighted as a prefect of discipline, which he deemed as quite an interesting job. He already accomplished his mission in just a single year, but he surprisingly grew fond of the institution, the students, and the people he met in the school, that he decided to stay there for a while. He successfully completed his task: compiling heaps of picture evidences proving that humans still are wholesome persons deep inside, that humans still are honest and honorable despite the rampant thefts and misconducts in the country. Although all Perfects are fairly immortal, but living up to only a hundred and fifty years by order of their law, this particular Perfect lives as if every moment is his very last, and loves as if it is his very first time. Although his kind is immune to all kinds of diseases, he never pampers himself with enjoyment and pleasure without restraint. So, even without the knowledge of his true Perfect identity, he still is, indeed, perfect.
Ayon sa isang pananaliksik na isinagawa sa DLSU-D, 100% ng senior high ang gusto na magkaroon ng karapatang makalabas tuwing break at free time kahit di pa tapos ang klase. Hindi naman sa pagkasawa, pero gusto ng mga estudyante na makakain sa ibang fast food chains na mayroon sa labas ng Unibersidad, o di naman sa mga ala-karinderya o eatery sa tapat ng Gate 1. Ngunit, alam naman ng lahat na kahit magdadalawang school year na ang mayroon ay hindi pa rin naiibigay ang pribelihiyong ito. Narito ang ilang mga rason na nagtatadhana sa senior high na manatili sa paaralan. 1. Kahit na nagmahal na ang kwek-kwek sa Mila’s, siguradong budget-friendly ang mga pagkain. Ayon sa isang eksperto, ang pagkain sa labas ng Unibersidad ay isang paraan upang maubos agad ang baong pera. Ang bawat sentimong nilalabas sa mga pitaka ay makakasira sa budget ng estudyante. Mas mabuti nang gumastos ang senior high sa loob ng paaralan, dahil nasisiguro naman na sa paaralan lang din naiwawaldas ang pera. Dagdag pa ng eksperto na ito, tanungin na lang ang homeroom adviser kung saan mabuting kumain. Nandiyan ang adviser upang tulungan ang estudyante sa pagpili ng kakainan at ang putaheng kakainin. 2. Pagsasanay sa mga estudyante ang pahirapang pagkuha ng puwesto sa mga kainan. Ayon sa isang pananaliksik, ang dalawang taon na pagsasanay sa pahirapang pagkuha ng mga upuan at lamesa ay sapat upang mapagpatibay ang kalooban ng mga senior high. Sa madaling salita, ito ay pagpapadali sa bawat isa. Bawat hanap at takbo sa pagkuha ng libreng lamesa ay isang ehersisyo
A war on...carabaos? Kristine Evangelista
Have you ever thought of where the bottom part of the half carabao on the building next to the old library is? Well, here’s a brief explanation. When the first Lasallian school in Cavite was built, they wanted to have a symbol for all the hard work that they have put through in making a school as big as this. You guessed it, they thought of a carabao. Of all things, a carabao was what they had in mind. The thought is there, carabaos really are and can be a sign of hard work, but there might have been other choices, you know? After that, another school was built at the same place, which also wanted a carabao as their symbol of camaraderie. Of course, the Lasallians argued on how they thought of it first, but the other school insisted that they want the carabao and nothing else. They couldn’t come up with any idea, but what they did thought of was that one can take the half with the head, and the other can take the half with the tail. Well, obviously, La Salle wanted the head. They wouldn’t want a
11
Suki, Suka, Suko
The Perfect Prefect
He is one of the brave Perfects assigned with a mission, which is mainly to investigate the condition of this version of reality where everyone is flawed and no one is safe. Also, they are tasked to collect evidences of the “goodness” of these citizens, as Earth is a candidate for the habitat they are going to migrate to due to their slowly growing population, if there even is “goodness” left in this planet. He followed the norms of these imperfect human beings— avidly indulging to basketball games, plentiful posting on social media sites, moderate coffee drinking, and playful teasing. It is quite impossible to discern his difference with the normal humans, with his excellent adaption to routines and nuances of the people.
La Estrella Verde
carabao’s behind to be the first thing a student sees in such a green school. So, they handled it with rock, paper, and scissors. Yes, rock, paper, and scissors. The two decided to fight to death for what they want. “Let’s play rock, paper, and scissors, and whoever loses gets the butt!” It was an intense fight. That’s the only description that could have fitted the entire game. La Salle beat the school and won over the carabao’s half with the head. Everyone celebrated and kept it as a statue to tell the whole world that they won one of the most epic battles of history. They put it near the library so that everyone can be sprinkled with luck and power to keep doing their best. The tail, however, has been missing after the other school was demolished because of a weird statue that has been labeled as something
inappropriate. The carabao’s other half will surely be missed. Rumor has it the carabao in the library is always crying for help because it misses its other half. That’s why, next on paper: carabao love story.
rin. Tinataguyod nito ang maayos na pangangatawan at magkaroon ng maliksing kilos. Hindi ka lang naperwisyo, napawisan ka pa! 3. Hindi pa kaya ng senior high na harapin ang tunay na mundo. Bilang mga mag-aaral na hayskul, kulang pa raw ang abilidad ng senior high na magdesisyon sa pagpili ng mga kakainan sa labas ng Unibersidad. Kapag free time, andiyan naman ang Mila’s na malapit sa tatlong building na ginagamit ng senior high. Kung mahahaba ang break, nandiyan naman ang Café Museo at Food Square. At kung gusto mo bumida, pwede mo namang lakarin hanggang Kabalikat, o sa may tabi ng ULS. Gamit ang dalawang taon sa senior high, mapapaigting pa ang pagpili ng mga kakainan at kakainin. Kahit na hindi lahat ng seksyon ay may klase patungkol sa pagkain, andiyan ang mga homeroom meeting at mga 30-minute break. Kaya siguro naisipan din ng gobyerno na ayusin ang sistemang pang-edukasyon ng bansa upang makatulong sa pagpapalaki ng mga Pilipinong estudyante. Sapat ang mga rason na ito kung bakit nananatiling matatag ang desisyon na pinagbabawal pa rin ang paglabas ng mga senior high para makakain. Pumasok tayo sa eskwelahan upang matuto at makapag-aral at hindi kumain at mabusog. Ang bawat pagpapagod ng mga senior high ay isang patunay na alam ng bawat isa kung para saan ang pagaaral at edukasyon. Subalit sa bawat paghihirap ay may katumbas na kapalit—kagutuman. Huwag naman mag-alala sapagkat nandiyan ang mga tapat na kainan sa loob ng DLSU-D na tiyak na pinag-aagawan ng lahat. Masikip man o walang maupuan, masisiyahan ka naman na makipagunahan kapag may tumayo at tapos ng kumain.
LITERARY
EstrellaVerde Verde 12 LaLaEstrella
November 2017April - April 1, 2018
Alamat ng Kape Elli Amado
N
oong unang panahon, talamak ang pagsasaka sa bayan ng Alaminos sa Pangasinan. At isa sa mga nagsasaka ng palay at tubo noong mga panahong iyon ay isang dise-otso-anyos na binata, na nagngangalang Adornador Resituto. Lumaki si Adornador sa piling ng kanyang lolo at lola na kilala sa kanilang bayan bilang ilan sa mga pinakamayaman dahil sa progreso ng mga palay na naaani nila tuwing kabuwanan ng mga ito. Ngunit pumanaw na ang lolo ni Adornador na si R1apondo Restituto, kilala sa kanyang mahiwagang mga kamay sa pagtatanim, at dahil sa kanyang pagkawala, nagkaroon ng kaunting paghihirap ang kanilang pamilya Restituto. Patuloy na nananahi ng mga damit ng magsasaka at mga unipormeng pamasok ng mga bata ang lola ni Adornador, subalit hindi ito naging sapat para masustentuhan ang kanilang araw-araw na pangangailangan. Dahil dito, nagdesisyon si Adornador na tigilan ang kanyang pangarap na magpatuloy sa kolehiyo, at sumunod sa yapak ng kanyang lolo sa pagsasaka. Si Adornador ang pinakabatang magsasaka sa baryo kaya naman natuwa ang mga matatanda dahil inasam nila na si Adornador ang tagapagmana ng mahiwagang kamay ng kanyang lolong si Rapodo Restituto, ngunit dahil sa ekspektasyong ito, natakot si Adornador dahil
baka may magawa siyang mali. Isang araw, sa ikalawang araw ng pagsasaka ni Adornador, sa ikatlong hapon ng ika-apat na buwan ng taon, sa ika-limang dekadang ipinagluluksa nila ang pagkamatay ng tatlong paring GOMBURZA, sa pang-anim na kabanata ng Noli me Tangere ni Dr. Jose Rizal, inihanda ng binata ang kanyang sarili sa araw ng pagtatanim. “Tandang Pael!” tawag ni Adornador sa isang beteranong magbubukid. “What’s our agenda for today?” Tumawa lamang si Tandang Pael dahil hindi niya naintindihan ang sinabi ng binata. “Ehhhhh, ano yon, Ador?” sabay kamot sa kanyang nalalagas na buhok sa ulo. “Ay nako, magsimula na nga tayo. Diligan na natin ang ating mga tanim.” Kinuha ni Adornador ang watering can mula doon sa gilid ng kalabaw na kaamoy ni Tandang Pael, ngunit biglang ngumawa ang kalabaw pagkakuha ni Adornador. Sa gulat ng binata, siya’y napabalikwas at nadiligan ang kalbong ulo ng kalabaw. “ADOR!” ang sigaw ng isa pang beteranong magsasaka na si Mang Aceline na kilala nang malakas ang boses. “ANONG GINAGAWA MO KAY QUEENIE?!” sabay lapit nito patungo sa binata at inagaw ang watering can na hawak nito. “ALAM MO BANG AYAW NIYANG
High School Love On
F
Kim Toledo
ifteen minutes. Am I going the right way? I ask myself while I pray to the higher ups that I am going to the right direction. “Excuse me! Out of the way!” I scream. Today is my first day in this campus. I CANNOT BE LATE. It will make people think that I am irresponsible and they will hate me and they will never choose me as their groupmate. Oh no, I am doomed! Blag! “Darn it!” I exclaim as I fall on my bottom, and my books scatter on the ground. “What’s wrong with you?!” The boy with a heart-shaped hairline and ash black hair screams. I look into his eyes, they are wonderful, however, his fuming mad face is the exact opposite. “I screamed ‘excuse me,’” I answer as I pick up my belongings that are mixed with his.
“Tch.” He picks up his things as he continues to judge me with those wonderful eyes, which turn to fiery looks, as if he is the only one bothered in this situation. “Hey! Can I—” I did not finish my question because he stormed off as quickly as he can. “Ay wow! Ang rude, I’ll just ask for directions,” I react. I brush off the dirt on my pants and begin running again. Ten minutes. Oh no! Oh no! I frantically exhale as I read the campus map that I see on the end of the hallway I ran in. “Oh gosh! I was running to the opposite side. Oh no!” I can feel my legs getting wobbly because of two things: first, I rarely run. Second, I only have six minutes left and I have to run to the other side.
INAAGAW ANG KANYANG WATERING CAN DAHIL GUSTO NIYA LANG ITONG GAMITIN SA MGA FLOWERS SA HARDIN AT HINDI PARA SA MGA PALAY!” Kumamot nalang si Adornador sa kanyang bagong tabas na undercut na ulo. “Pa-papasensya na po Mang Aceline.” At para hindi na madagdagan pa ang init ng ulo ng matanda, nagdesisyon si Adornador na bumalik sa tabi ni Tandang Pael. Sa pagbalik ni Adornador sa pwesto ng matanda, nakita niya itong nakasukot sa matataas na palay na para bang naghuhukay ng lupa. Dahil sa kanyang natural na pagiging chismoso, hindi umimik ang binata at pilit sinilip ang ginagawa ng matanda. “Ador!” wika ni Tandang Pael nang nahalata nito ang presensya ng binata. Nagulat muli ang binata. “Bakit po?” “Ang tagal mo…ah-eyyy…nakatulog na ko rito!” Kumamot nalang muli sa ulo ang binata, nagtataka kung paano ito nakatulog sa ilalim ng napakainit na araw. “Pinagalitan po kasi ako ni Mang Aceline, ayaw niyang ipagalaw ang kanyang watering can dahil magagalit daw si Queenie.” Tumawa ang matanda ng malakas. “Nako Ador, dapat alam mo ang pinagdaanan niyang Mang Aceline mo kaya ganyang ka-perfectionist
yan,” ang kanyang sabi sabay tayo, nang biglang napatalon muli ang binata sa gulat nang magkaroon siya ng hawak na isang basket ng prutas at dalawang mais na nakaipit sa kanyang kili-kili. “Si Aceline kasi ang pinakabeteranong magbubukid dito bukod sa pumanaw mong lolo. Alam mo bang nakapagsaka na siya sa United States, New York, California, Europe, France, Ulaanbataar, Tibet, at Antipolo?” Gusto mang mag-comment ni Adornador sa istorya ni Mang Aceline, nagtaka ito dahil sa isang basket ng prutas at dalawang mais sa kili-kili ng matanda, dahil puro palay lamang ang nakatanim doon, at walang kahit anong prutas o mais. Kumamot ulit ang binata, at sa sobrang kamot nito ay nakain na niya ang nalagas na buhok na bumaba mula sa kanyang ulo. “Tandang Pael, saan po ninyo nakuha iyang mga prutas at mais na yan?” naguguluhang tanong ni Adornador. Napatingin ang matanda sa mga hawak nito, sabay tingin sa binata mula ulo hanggang paa, at kuminang ang mga mata nito na para bang nakita niya si Pia Wurtzbach. “Ah-eh, ito ba?” ang sabi ng matanda, ngunit ito’y naantala nang humikab ito na sobrang lakas, muntik na nitong nahigop ang binata. “Ah-eh, Ador, ako’y inaantok, mukhang kailangan kong mag-kape muna.” Lumisan ang matanda dala-dala ang buslo’t papaya, at simula nga noon, nagkaroon na ng alamat ng kape.
UGGGGGHHHHHHHH! Five minutes. “I hope my classmates aren’t there yet. I hope my classmates aren’t there yet,” I chant again and again as I pray that I will not be late for my first class on my first day. Four minutes. I still have, like, half of the hallway to cover! Dear Almighty, please grant me the strength to run like the Flash even though his powers, according to physics, is impossible. Two minutes. I have never run this fast in my life, ever. I think that the running I am doing is equivalent to all the walking of the past 17 years of my life. I squint and, thanks to God, I can already see the classroom door. Time: 7:04 a.m. I grab the doorknob as fast as I can, without realizing that I forcefully opened the door while screaming, “I made it, I was not late!” on the top of my lungs. But I am. I am late. I want the ground to open up and eat me alive. An old yet very professional man chuckles as he stands up from his chair and checks his
clock. “Technically, you are four minutes late,” he says as he scans the seats on the classroom and looks to me, then to his students list. “It wasn’t necessary to scream like that. I usually start the class five minutes past seven o’clock for, you know, tardy students.” There is a hint of seriousness in his voice, but I know that he is mocking me. “Uh, Sir, I am sorry. I got lost, I am new here,” I explain, trying to gain some sympathy, because the eyes of almost 30 students are all on me, and I just want to peacefully sit on my chair. “Oh! So, you are Ms. Villerna?” He asks, finally realizing that I am a new student here. “You are seated alphabetically, so you can sit beside Mr. Villar,” he instructs as he points toward the empty seat. I start walking and, somehow, I can feel a very strange feeling. I shrug off the weird sense that I am getting, and start to familiarize myself with the classroom and my classmates. They all have different auras; I cough and look beside me. “What the hell are you looking at?!” Guess who Mr. Villar is. Yes, Mr. Villar is the cute BUT rude mister that I bumped to a while ago.
LITERARY
November 2017 - April 2018 April 1, 2018
La Estrella 13 La Estrella VerdeVerde13
V U C B A I H G F Ako'y tulalatutula pala Bles Padolina
Ako ay tutula Hindi tulang Maynila o tulang Dasma Ako’y tutula Dahil pagdaan mo, ako’y natulala
kung sakaling isang makata Elaissa Bautista
Forever Changed
Katherine Anne del Rosario
is the woman who finds herself a man who finds himself a woman who is actually a man.
ako si ganda ako si lakas ako sinigang ako ang daigdig ako ang tula ako ang daigdig ng tula ang tula ng daigdig ako ay tutula mahabang-mahaba ako ay uupo tapos na po -e.b.
Hindi ko inasahang makita ka sa lugar na ito Pero kahit saan naman ako magpunta At simula pagkabata pa Ikaw at ikaw ang nasa isip ko Kaya ngayon sa iyong pagdaan, ako’y napanganga Sa amoy mo ako’y napapa-ooh lala Hindi ko alam kung saang direksyon papunta itong tula Alam ko lang mamaya pag-uwi, sayo ang aking punta Oo, ako lang ang sa’tin ay nagmamahal Dahil pakiusap ko sayo, ‘wag ka ng magmahal TL na TL ako sa’yo Ikaw lang Jollibee ang sinisinta ko
Haiku for U Katherine Anne del Rosario Minahal kita, Pero ‘di pa rin sapat; Ang sakit no’n, bes! T_T
That Lady, Maria
Katherine Anne del Rosario
What a wonder to behold! In beauty, she walks, My heart, forever yours: M for magnificent A for adorable R for remarkable I for intelligent A for admirable Maria, you have my eyes, My soul, my person. No other woman can compare.
Voicemails Sofia Vinuya
“
Good evening, Rose! I just got home from school and I am so tired. I miss your waffles. And I miss you. Have you eaten your dinner yet? I heard your mom is on the cafeteria business now. I’d love to drink coffee with you again. I miss you so much. Please come back to me, I love you.” Sent 10:45 p.m. “Hi, my Rose, goodnight. Have a nice sleep. I love you like a drunkard loves his beer.” Sent 3:04 a.m. “Hi, Rosey! I know you’re there so I will still send voicemails until you reply with your own voice too! I sound too cheerful. Sorry I’m just so happy. When will I get to see you again? I don’’ even know your address and the name of your mom’s café. I strongly suspect that you are helping your mom with pastries. Am I right? So, our supposedly “24th month-sary” is approaching! I wish I can surprise you with a secret gift again, but I can’t. I love you Ellie, always remember that.” Sent 6:09 p.m. She answered me. “Hector. Please stop. I loved you, but we’re not destined to last. Let’s just not hurt each other, yeah? Goodbye, Jack. Please don’t send voicemails again. It’ll help you, I promise.” After hearing that, I suddenly thought that it would’ve been better if she didn’t answer me. No. It won’t help me, Rose. It’ll worsen me. I feel empty, worthless, numb. Like I drank a liter of anesthesia. Without her, my world is chaos. And a question plays into my mind right now. What would life mean without Rose? Tears escaped from my eyes as I made my way to the kitchen. “I guess this is it now. I can’t bear it anymore. Goodbye, Ellie. I’ll be your guardian angel. I promise that I will be by your side always. I love you.” I pressed send one last time. I closed my eyes and everything disappeared.
SPORTS
14 La Estrella Verde
April 1, 2018
SAFE or
SHOOK
earthquake drill for swimmers Wynona Raechel Magnaye
With the Big One looming over the country like a disaster just waiting to happen, DLSU-D students are being trained in the art of “Duck, Cover, and Hold� to ensure their safety; however, they forgot to account for one variable: water. Given that Grade 12 students have swimming classes as part of their physical education, they should also be given proper knowledge on emergency action plans that should be done when in the pool.
?
? During the earthquake drill conducted on Feb. 15, students on the ground were able to follow the standard steps. However, the waterborne students scrambled to their feet to get to shore, while others were left in a daze wondering what to do.
According to the University Earthquake Evacuation Plan in Vietnam, students should immediately get out of the pool once they detect signs of an incoming earthquake, such as unusual waves in the pool. As always, an open area is preferred, while it is strongly instructed to not stay in the pool, as the motion of the water may be unpredictable and dangerous, no matter how good a swimmer one is. During the event, students are advised to lay flat on the ground, covering their neck and head with one hand, while grasping a railing or anchored object (for stability) with the other.
A helpful suggestion is having a custom emergency kit containing survival blankets in case of hypothermia, a battery-operated radio, batteries, water, and a few snacks.
Knowing the earthquake emergency plan could spell the difference between safety and an injury, as several lives have been claimed by the water during earthquakes in Japan, Vietnam, the United States, and New Zealand. Infographic by Leerick Bautista
SPORTS
April 1, 2018
La Estrella Verde
15
Emerging from the aftermath of the DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) Intramurals 2018, an outbreak of darkened skins and sunburns attacked the students.
Although a lot of the students came prepared for the sun’s heat, there were still some that did not use the mighty sunscreen. And here are their reasons behind it: Kickball player Grace Dela Cuesta (ABM26) stated, “Kahit maglagay ako non (sunscreen) ay iitim pa rin naman ako at tanggap ko na iyon.” An audience from the shadows, Von Medina (ABM25) stated that he did not use the mighty sunscreen while he was watching the games. He, like any audience member, outsmarted the sun
by staying in the shed while watching the game. And lastly, Andrea Pacayra (ABM25) was asked on how it felt to be exposed to the sun without the protection of the sunscreen. She smiled and answered, “Feeling human pa rin naman po ako nung time na ‘yon.” Contrary to this, many still believe that the power of sunscreen makes you invincible to the sun, and makes you recognizable by your parents after the one week grilling from the sun or the so-called Intramurals.
Sidra Mirza (ABM25) believes that sunscreen is good for protecting your skin from sunrays. Many believe that without sunscreen, you will have sunburn, and when you get sunburn, one thing is certain, the innermost sadist part of your ever-loving friends will come out and slap those marks. So, let us all thank Franz Greiter, the inventor of the first sunscreen, our savior from the deadly rays of the sun. All hail Greiter!
“
Kahit maglagay ako non (sunscreen) ay iitim pa rin naman ako at tanggap ko na iyon.”
The sport called
“Passbook Signing” Gian Eldrich Sandoval
Playing in the field with nothing but a pen and a passbook, the student body of the DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) flew around the campus in search for the most wanted team managers and game commissioners during the Intramurals 2018.
Being the newest addition to the list of games that made up the sports fest, the so-called Passbook Signing, like any other game, had its rules: each player (the students) will acquire a passbook before entering the competition and is required to enter no less than two Intramurals events/ activities attended per morning and afternoon with the signature of authorized SHS personnel, having four events and four signatures in total. The aim of the sport is for the students, especially those who will not be playing any game for the whole duration of the Intramurals, to still have a complete attendance, as the Intramurals is a school activity; so, every student is required to be present. T h o u g h , there is a twist
to the game: the players who will successfully collect the signatures will already be out of the competition and will be considered safe, while those who fail to comply with the requirement are said to face more challenging
requirements for clearance handed by the Office of the Sports Moderator. The events valid to be written in the passbook include the opening program, Mr. & Mrs. Intramurals, cheerdance competition, or any game that the player watched within the day. DLSU-D SHS is the first school to
make the Passbook Signing a new sport and an addition to the usual games in the Intramurals, where it is mandatory for everyone to join and be a part of this adventure around the campus.
April 1, 2018 Volume 2 Issue 1.5
Good game, well played Angelica Alcaraz
Art by Leerick Bautista.
Can’t we all just get along?
Rule dodging, cat fights, and unfair advantages. It seems that even high school sports festivals can’t avoid having a little drama thrown into the mix. DLSU-D Senior High School (SHS) recently celebrated their Intramurals 2018. With a new generation of Grade 11 students joining the fight, all of the students were riled up and eager to be on top. However, the promise of victory sometimes overpowers our attitude of camaraderie and sportsmanship; and with this, it’s inevitable that some issues would arise. Several issues circulated the campus both before, during, and after the annual event. Stories of finger-pointing and score-manipulation blew up throughout the week, alarming the students and the committees. Although, like life, there are facts and there is fiction. Filtering through the rumors, the truth of every
story can be found; however, sometimes the truth can be ugly. Among those stories popping up about the Intramurals was the anticipated Cheerdance Competition. One issue is about practices conducted outside the campus. Although it was clearly stated in the rules, some teams still defied the guidelines and opted to go outside the campus to get in a few more hours of practice. The clandestine practices, however, soon became public after one of the cheerdancers sustained an injury during one of them. What’s even worse, the University was obliged to take responsibility of the medical bills even though they were not aware of the said practices. Come competition day, the teams went all out and gave their best efforts to take home the trophy. However, right off the bat, there were teams who performed
Botanical Garden to be used as venue for Intrams 2019 Pauline Meneses In preparation for the A.Y. 2018-2019 Senior High School (SHS) Intramurals, Sports Moderator Alex Balbio ran through the events and venues in the Faculty Press Conference held on March 23 at the Senior High School Office Conference Room at the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management building.
Together with SHS Director Dr. Necitas Sayoto and other administrators, they announced the calendar of activities to student leaders and organizations, such as the Student Council (SC) and La Estrella Verde. Balbio has laid out the visions of the Sports Office in the following year, including next year’s Intramurals. He stated that the Botanical Garden would be the venue for the duathlon and kayaking events for the next sports festival, showing enthusiasm to the creative concept. “Hindi ba’t exciting ‘yon? Marami tayong aqua events next year. May bago pa tayong venue,” he said.
Upon being asked if the Olympic Pool was still to be used for water events, Balbio cleared the issue of the venue’s availability. “Gagamitin pa rin naman ‘yon. It would be of convenience to the swimming event itong plan na ito dahil mas maluwang ang oras nila to compete. Another is, the Lake would have its much awaited exposure in the Intramurals event, kasi lagi na lang ang West Campus ang nagagamit natin,” he replied. Balbio is yet to hold a meeting for next year’s Intramurals, with the incumbent Grade 12 and incoming Grade 11 SC and class officers.
stunts and dances which clearly didn’t follow the criteria for judging. When these alleged rule breakers gained a high score, team managers and choreographers got furious and tried to protest but didn’t get what they want. Many people got upset because of the results. Another issue ensued between the Red Flaming Stallions and Blue Shark Defenders Women’s division kickball game. With the championship on the line, things got heated up between the two teams, to the point where one player called out another. A Lady Shark spoke some bad words to one of the Stallions. After that, the game became more physical. On top of the insult, the Red team also had to compete with one of the opponent’s team managers. Relentless and fierce, one of the Blue team managers was always protesting
about the score, carrying a kickball rule book in her arsenal. After hearing even more insults from the opponents, the Red team showed their prowess and eventually won the game. On the field or in the water, students just can’t seem to avoid the drama. During the Aquathlon event, players were tasked to swim a total of 10 laps in the pool and jog 10 laps at the oval. Presumably, the first to finish this hefty mission would be crowned the winner; however, the crown was placed on the wrong head. The first player to finish the Aquathlon was disqualified after judges ruled that she was unable to complete the required laps, which was later revealed to be false, since she had swum and ran the complete course. Adding insult to injury, the girl who took the crown, supposedly, lacked a few laps around the oval.
From the field to the gym, another dance competition was under the heat after several issues were raised. It was believed that one of the teams threw out the criteria for originality by copying their dance from YouTube. What’s worse is that they were given the title above their own. During the announcement, there was a mix-up that didn’t get corrected, causing one of the teams to receive a spot lower than the one on the score sheet. With all these issues on the rise, it can’t be helped that some students had a bone to pick with the committee and team managers. However, with all that being said, the Intramurals were still about camaraderie and sportsmanship. After the events, no bad blood remained between the teams, and everyone was able to enjoy the second Intramurals event of the DLSU-D SHS.