Fortibus Vol. 2 Issue 1 June 2013-March 2014

FINALIST IN THE 35TH CATHOLIC MASS MEDIA AWARDS

THE OFFICIA L ST UDENT PUBLIC ATION OF PAR EF NO R T HFI E L D S C HOOL FOR BOYS

Everts

NFD champs Physics tilt

in Manila

JORREL BENCIO IT JUST took one point to separate the best from the good.

NFD was declared champion of this year’s Tay Tung Physics Olympics upsetting Bacolod City High School, 45 points against 44. They were followed in third place

by Luis Hervias High School with 42 points.

The annual Physics competition was spearheaded and organized by a “Top Ten Most Outstanding Teacher” awardee, Engineer Philip Carpina of Tay Tung High School, Bacolod City. Unlike other science competitions, Tay Tung Physics Olympics tests the participants’ understanding of theoretical physics concepts, while at the same time challenging them to apply their learning in practical and fun-filled games.

Team NFD, comprised mainly of selected Year 5 students, brought home two trophies and seven certificates as tokens for their achievement in six different events that included the following: Physics Quiz Bee, Egg Transporter, Nail Balance, Duct Tape Boat Construction, Egg Catch Challenge and Wall Jumper.

Team NFD ranked first in the Egg Catch Challenge, covering a total distance of 9 meters, which proved to be crucial for the team to win the entire competition. They placed second in other events like the Egg Transporter (reaching a distance of 12.95 meters), Duct Tape Boat (carrying a total load of 3346 grams of sand) and Wall Jumper (reaching a height of 2.6 meters). The team also ranked fourth in the Quiz Bee event and fifth in Nail Balance.

Before the start of the competition, Mr. Joem Magbanua, NFD’s Physics teacher and coach for the winning team, assigned two groups to work on the preconstructed models. They were given two weeks to prepare them. It was also a way for the team to practice for the construction of the actual models that they would make in the competition.

“At first, we were all nervous. But when the competition began, we just thought of enjoying each of the events,” said one of the members of Team NFD. Aside from the competition, the trip to Bacolod City also served as a bonding activity for the rest of the participants.

READ ON

NFD ATTENDS REAL LOVE REVOLUTION 2013 GABRIEL NAVARRO

SHOULD I get closer to the edge? How far is too far?

These thought-provoking questions were put by Jason and Crystalina Evert, two of the world-renowned inspirational speakers, as a challenge to the participants of Real Love Revolution 2013, a national student conference on chastity and human sexuality organized by the University of Asia and the Pacific’s (UA&P) advocacy and leadership organization, CATALYST last September 7, 2013 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

The conference, a third of its kind to be held in the Philippines since 2011, was attended by different high school and college students, administrators, non-government organizations, youth advocates, and parents from all over Metro Manila. PAREF schools such as Woodrose, Southridge, Rosehill and Northfield were among the educational institutions that were at the frontline in supporting this event. More than 10,000 participants listened to the lively and inspiring talk given by both Jason and Crystalina entitled ‘Love or Lust?’

The conference was divided into two plenary sessions with the same set of talks: one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Before the second session, the Holy Mass was celebrated by Most Rev. Luis Cardinal Tagle, together with other archbishops and priests from other dioceses and lay organizations.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 12

2 CAMPUS 2

JUNE - MARCH 2014 | VOL. 2 NO. 1

Kison conquers int’l choir fest ALPHONSO BALAGTAS YOUNG FILIPINO voices are world’s best.

The Hail Mary the Queen Children’s of the Diocese of Cubao, which includes NFD's very own Jaime Antonio Kison, was hailed the First Best Children’s Choir of the World in the 67th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales, United Kingdom. The diocesan choir also won a gold medal for the Folk Choir category, narrowly surpassing the second placer Saksatoon Children's Choir from Canada, and third placer Diocesan Boys' School Choir from Hong Kong, scoring 95 out of a possible 100 points.

Led by conductress Teresa Roldan and her husband and choirmaster Jude Roldan, the choir performed two folk songs; “Orde-e” and “Inday sa Balitaw.” The group showcased their amazing voices, used soothing melodies, and even imitated animal sounds to wow the judges. “You took us to another place. We heard exceptional work here with excellent balance in technical and artistic element,” said one of the judges.

Jaime Antonio Kison, fondly called “J-boy” by his family and friends, has been a member of the choir since he was 9. He has been practicing intensely for the competition for several months while at the same time being at the top of his class in NFD. “I feel very happy because I know that I’m representing my country, and being the only representatives, it makes me feel proud to be part of the choir,” Kison remarked in an interview.

The Hail Mary the Queen Children's Choir started as a choral group from the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City since 1999. During the summer, the group would practice every day for around three to four hours in preparation for the said event.

They were comprised of 23 chosen students aged 9-17.

Since its inception, the choir has performed in various local and international competitions. Among their many achievements are being named as the World Choir Olympic Champion in the Music of the Religions Category in 2004, competing at the First Asian Choir Games where they took home one gold and two silver medals, and winning first place in the ABS-CBN Star Records' Sa’yo Lamang Chorale Fest.

In recent years, Philippine-based chorale groups have been winning international competitions. Among them is the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Singers who also won the Llangollen competition as the Luciano Pavarotti Choir of the World in 2010.

6 OPINIONS 4 8 IN8FOCUS 15 13THE BREW

IN-FOCUS NEWS

G facebook.com/fortibusnf

CAMPUS

@FortibusNFD

OPINION

THE BREW

HEADER PHOTO TAKEN BY DOMINIC BARRIOS

2

Campus SECTION EDITOR | MIGUEL MARQUEZ JUNE - MARCH 2014

BUWAN LING G O NG WIKA WIK A Reinforcing Filipino culture and traditions

P E T A L A MP A R A Storytelling: the skill that NFD students mastered through the years

PHOTO TAKEN BY MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

HALA BIRA! Some Grade 6 students pose just before their “Maramihang Pagsayaw“ performance. Paeng Bautista (center) was also hailed as the champion for this year’s PETA-LAMPARA tilt.

Buwan ng Wika 2013 highlights Filipino culture TRAVIS ARCENAS THIS YEAR’S ‘Buwan ng Wika’ celebration emphasized the need for NFD students to rediscover and appreciate the Filipino heritage, values and customs as manifested in the choice of contest pieces used, and in the Filipino fiesta atmosphere that surfaced in the entire celebration.

Students, teachers, parents, and other visitors gathered in NFD’s multipurpose court last August 30, 2013 for the culminating activity that was highlighted by the much-anticipated ‘Sabayang Pagbigkas’ competitions among the different high school levels. The week before, students also competed in different academic contests organized by the Filipino department.

The Junior’s batch won first place in the ‘Sabayang Pagbigkas’ competition against the other high school classes with their emotionally captivating interpretation of Amado V. Hernandez’s ‘Kung Tuyo na ang Luha Mo, Aking Bayan.’ They were followed by the Senior’s batch as runner-up.

In the intermediate category, students from Grades 5-7 competed in the ‘Maramihang Pagsayaw’ event. With their colorful costumes and props, these students performed their dance interpretation of a classic festival dance in Cebu called the ati-atihan. The Grade 5 class, with their adviser Mr. Lorenzo Guinto, was hailed as the champion for this event.

Meanwhile, classes from the primary level competed against each other in the ‘Maramihang Pag-awit’ event. They were asked to present a song interpretation of famous Filipino folk songs in medley style. The overall winner in this category was the Grade 4 class of Mr. Jots Mariano.

Other winners for the different academic contests were the following:

1. ‘Pagsulat ng Tula:’ First Place – Fernando Jose Calvario (Grade 6), Second Place – Agu 2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Syquia (Grade 5) and Almyt Poblelte (Grade 6), Third Place – Lucas Bonifacio (Grade 5) and Miko dela Cuesta (Grade 6).

‘Paglikha ng Paskil:’ First Place – Mico Pareño (Year 5), Second Place – Paul Uy (Year 4) ‘Pagtula:’ First Place – Yamin Dechavez (Grade 2), Second Place – Paul Cano (Grade 2), Third Place – Gello Estrella (Grade 1) ‘Pagtatalumpati:’ First Place – Anton Encarnacion (Grade 4), Second Place – Rafa Encarnacion (Grade 3), Third Place – Yogo Singh (Grade 4) ‘Malikhaing Pagkukwento:’ First Place – Mio Torres (Grade 7), Second Place – Lucas Bonifacio (Grade 5), Third Place – Kenzo Agravio (Grade 5) ‘Maramihang Pag-awit (High School):’ First Place – Year 4, Second Place – Year 2, Third Place – Grade 8B

The celebration was punctuated by a sumptuous ‘salu-salo’ prepared by every class in school. Each year, the celebration of the ‘Buwan ng Wika’ becomes more and more colorful, the same as how Filipinos usually celebrate the different ‘pistang-bayan’ across the archipelago.

FORTIBUS is one of 35th CMMA’s best inspirational message for the students, teachers, media practitioners, and other attendees of the FORTIBUS, the Official Student Publication of PAREF Northfield School for Boys, was named th said event. as one of the five best high school publications in the country by the 35 Catholic Mass Media “News that is presented truthfully, whether good or bad, is always a source of joy.” This was Awards (CMMA), a well-acclaimed award-giving body that recognizes institutions striving for part of Archbishop Villegas’ statements as he reminded the attendees of a journalist’s principal excellence in the fields of print and broadcast communication. commitment to truth and objectivity when it comes to news reporting. He explained that it is This school year’s CMMA recognized five high school publications as the final nominees crucial, now more than ever, to remain faithful to this principle for the CMMA trophy out of more than 150 entries. Other school because more and more people are relying on the power of both publications and institutions that made it to the top five were: Ang traditional and new media as regards obtaining quality information.

Iskolastikan (St. Scholastica’s College – Manila), The Blue Point (St. NEWS THAT IS PRESENTED Moreover, he also emphasized that one’s commitment to the truth in Scholastica’s College – Westgrove), The Pauliworld (St. Paul’s College – Pasig), and The Beacon (Pasay City National High School – Main). The TRUTHFULLY, WHETHER GOOD relaying information and opinions, whether these may be good or bad, 35th CMMA chose The Beacon as this year’s best of the best. For the OR BAD, IS ALWAYS A SOURCE can be a source of joy for both the sender and the receiver of the message. The well-respected archbishop reasoned that the truth is professional categories, GMA Media Network received most of the OF JOY reflective of the good that liberates one’s mind from ignorance and awards. uncertainty, which many times cause useless fear or anxiety.

Fortibus editor in chief Gio Esguerra (Year 4) and moderator Mr. “If information is presented in a fashion that is balanced, objective and Mark Villaluna attended the awards night held in Teatro ng GSIS, reflective of the good, it is received positively by everyone even if the information presented is Pasay City last November 15, 2013. The finalists were welcomed by His Eminence Luis Cardinal not exactly what we can consider as ‘good news.’ This is why truthful reporting always ends up Tagle, D. D. of the Archdiocese of Manila. Also present was Most Reverend Archbishop Socrates being a source of joy for everyone,” he added.

Villegas, D. D. from the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Pangasinan, who also delivered an CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

VOLUME 2 NO. 1

Campus

NFD storytellers top PETA-Lampara contest ROLAND JOB ORENGO NORTHFIELD STORYTELLERS Rafael Bautista (Grade 6), Lucas Bonifacio (Grade 5), and Paolo Fernando (Grade 5), with their trainer Mr. Rommel Trinidad, were all smiles as they emerged triumphant in the recent PETA-Lampara: Kwentong Bata, Kwentistang Bata 2 National Storytelling Competition organized by Lampara Books and the Philippine Education Theater Association (PETA) at the Manila International Book Fair in SMX Mall of Asia Convention Center, September 15, 2013.

The three NFD representatives were chosen by the judges from PETA as part of the best young storytellers in the country. Bautista, Bonifacio and Fernando reached the grand finals placing first, fourth and seventh respectively in the intermediate division. Earlier in the elimination round held last August 13, 2013, the judges chose the top 20 contestants among more than 200 hopefuls from Grades 5-7 of several public and private schools nationwide. This same batch also attended a one-day workshop on theatrical acting conducted by PETA.

3

At the grand finals, the contestants were tasked to creatively narrate different Lamparapublished storybooks. Rafael Bautista delivered Rene Villanueva’s ‘Si Carancal Laban sa Hangin’ while Lucas Bonifacio also narrated another piece penned by Villanueva entitled ‘Si Carancal Laban sa Lindol’. Paolo Fernando, meanwhile, presented ‘Ang Ampalaya sa Pinggan ni Peepo’ written by three-time Palanca Memorial Awardee for Literature, Dr. Joachim Antonio.

With the playful use of their voices and highly-animated facial expressions, these NFD storytellers sent the audience into a strident applause followed by heartfelt praises.

In the primary division composed of Grades 1-3 contestants, Kathereen Kence Sy Suan of Chang Kai Shek College emerged as the champion followed in second place by John Robert Lizada of Bagumbong Elementary School, and Christoper Quinto of San Joaquin Elementary School in third place.

Meanwhile, in the intermediate division where the NFD storytellers competed, Rafael Bautista was followed in second place by Maria Abby Genevive Peñaflorida of Ateneo De Iloilo, and Daphne Plantilla of Legarda Elementary School in third place.

The winners received tokens from Lampara Books, and the champions, including Bautista, were invited to present at a read-aloud tour in selected elementary schools in Metro Manila.

Last year, Bautista and Fernando were also part of the group that won first place in the First Alitaptap Chamber Storytelling Competition sponsored by the Alitaptap Storytellers, Inc. and ABS-CBN.

PHOTO TAKEN BY MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

NEWS LEDGE NFD students receive confirmation MILO ANDRES AROUND 95 students appeared for the Confirmation Rites of Grades 6-8 last August 31, 2013 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in New Manila, Quezon City.

The confirmation ceremony was held within the celebration of the Holy Mass that was officiated by Most Rev. Honesto F. Ongtioco, DD. After three weeks of preparation, every student from Grades 6-8, with their parents, ‘ninongs’ and ‘ninangs,’ attended this important event with utmost piety. Preparations did not only include the material concerns for the Confirmation rites but also the spiritual preparedness of the students to be confirmed. They were encouraged to make a fruitful Confession with NFD’s chaplain, Fr. Jong Sabadal, days before the ceremony.

Also, they received catechetical instruction on what the Sacrament of Confirmation is all about and what it does to strengthen a person’s commitment to be faithful to God. GAMEFACE. Lucas Bonifacio of Grade 5 putting on a convincing facial expression

NFD celebrates Religion Month ED PANGULAYAN

FORTIBUS IS ONE OF 35TH CMMA’S BEST

More than an awarding ceremony, the 35th CMMA Night also served as a venue for media practitioners to re-align themselves in the practice of socially-responsible and ethical news reporting. For the editorial board of Fortibus, being part of the roster of finalists is already a great honour, and is also a challenge to remain faithful to its mandate.

“We are not just honoured for having formed part of this year’s finalists. According to the organizers, there were more than 700 entries in total from both the student and professional categories, and only 200 made it to the final list. For us in Fortibus, this is not only a source of joy but a reminder that we have to keep on working doubly-hard to keep the standards high, and to even surpass what we achieved so far,” says editor in chief Gio Esguerra.

“Fortibus is not just a venue for NFD students to improve their writing skills, but also an opportunity for every staff member to hone and practice their leadership skills in a very demanding - yet friendly - atmosphere. In Fortibus, one does not simply learn how to write well, but to write excellently, striving to employ the necessary virtues to perfect one’s craft at each moment. At the same time, each member learns to do things well while seeking the good of the others. Thus, the group primarily exists as a handmaid for the school community, and it is clear for each staff member that they have come to the org not just to be writers but to be good leaders, which ultimately means to serve,” remarks faculty moderator Mr. Mark Villaluna.

Fortibus, as a school organization, was re-established last school year after a long hiatus.

Since its comeback in 2012, the group has been training in journalistic writing and reporting while receiving leadership talks on the side. Students have also been learning how to manage the organization within a very flexible and friendly setup. From newsgathering to lay-outing and publishing, all the staff members are hands-on at every part of the news management process. Lastly, the group has been looking forward to joining outside school competitions, such as the CMMA and the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC), and hopefully bring more fortune for ‘the brave.’

PAREF NORTHFIELD celebrated this year’s Religion Month with a twist! Students of NFD were introduced to the life and works of Opus Dei’s founder, St. Josemaria Escriva, through a film-showing. A contest for songwriting was also launched, together with portrayals of different biblical characters from the primary students.

As the celebrations came to a close, this year’s Religion Month not only made us remember our devotion to God. It also brought us closer to him through the different fun-filled activities that both enriched our minds and spirits.

Seniors join Teenpreneur 2013 LUIGI AMPIL TEN YOUNG aspiring entrepreneurs from NFD’s Year 5 batch competed in the 2013 Teenpreneur Challenge held in SM Megamall, October 12-13. The event hosted by the Entrepreneurs School of Asia (ESA) consisted of 140 students from 14 schools competing for the Best in Sales award. NFD placed fifth in the competition.

This school year’s Teenpreneur Challenge focused on two main goals: to experience entrepreneurship at a young age and to help other people through smallscale business innovations. Each school was challenged to help their ‘Nanay’ reconceptualize her product and make it sell. NFD was assigned to ‘Nanay Lomi,’ who has been making peanut butter as a source of income. The innovation made by Team NFD for her product was to transform it into chocolate cup goodies with different flavors and designs. They also branded the innovated product as Nutsy with the tag line “Nuts naman!” because the team used Nanay Lomi’s peanut butter as one of the base ingredients.

The NFD team members were composed of Mico Parreno, Raffy Uy, Javi Buan, Miguel Marquez, Tristan Quintos, Jandi Ramirez, Jego Mariano, Paul Ericta, Paulo Cendaña and Luigi Ampil. Chino Antonio and Gabe Feliciano were also a big help for the team. Their moderator was Mr. Mark Andrew Fietas.

4

Campus

SECTION EDITOR | MIGUEL MARQUEZ JUNE - MARCH 2014

Family Day 2014 clamors Rookie NFD debaters hit PSDC 2013 podiums to “Raise the Roof!”

GABRIEL NAVARRO JOSE BUENCAMINO

NOVEMBER 9, 2013 – Two teams of Year 4 students stepped in front of the Ateneo de Manila University podiums to represent PAREF Northfield in the 12th Philippine Schools Debate Championships (PSDC) for the first time in the school’s 20-year history.

PSDC is the most prestigious English-language debate tournament in the country, much like the Palarong Pambansa in the field of competitive debate, and is hosted annually by different university debate societies, being the Loyola schools’ Ateneo Debate Society for this year. PSDC brought together the best 122 high school-level teams from all over the Philippines to battle it out for the best high school debating team title in spite of the cancellation of many school activities due to the rage of Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas.

Despite being rookies in debate competitions, the NFD delegates braved all the 12 preliminary rounds with propositions ranging from ‘whether or not the United Nations Security Council should compel Saudi Arabia to take its seat in the organization’ to ‘whether or not all nations should adopt the Stand Your Ground Law of the United States in the case of a zombie apocalypse.’ All debates used the British Parliamentary Worlds-Style Format, where all four teams (two for the Government bench and two for the Opposition bench), are at odds with each other. Out of 122 teams from different public and private high schools all over the country, the NFD debaters won a total of six first places in the preliminary rounds placing the entire delegation at 50 percent in overall standing, short only of four team points to qualify for the octofinals.

As regards individual team standings, the first pair, composed of Joaqui Palaña and Jose Buencamino, garnered 7/17 team points and 878/925 total speaker points, ranking 87/122 overall. Javi Reyes and Paul Uy, members of the second team, scored 5/17 team points and 876/925 total speaker points, ranking 105/122, all in relation to the top teams who got the highest points accumulated during the event.

The aforementioned students were only four of the eight members of the newly-formed Northfield Debate Society (NFDS), which started as a public-speaking organization in school called HAVOC. Other members of NFDS included Phonso Balagtas, Travis Arcenas, Gabriel Navarro, and Jose Ericta, all from Year 4, who attended the event as observers. The NFDS began intense preparations for the competition a month prior to the event, coached by their faculty moderator Mr. Mark Villaluna.

“We were all so nervous before the Rounds started as we realized how competitive the event really was. We saw the different debaters doing lastminute readings of The Economist, TIME, and other news publications just to augment in some way their knowledge about the most current issues.

And here we are, relying mostly on what we have matter-loaded for a month and our common sense,” says Joaqui Palaña.

“I did not know what to expect. The only thing I am sure about was that the possibility of being grilled was inevitable. I had to pull myself together and give my best shot no matter what. Surprisingly, as the Rounds went by, I was feeling more and more confident on how to tackle the propositions; I felt more at ease giving my piece in front of the adjudicator and my co-debaters. And what I thought would be an intense torture turned out to be a very engaging and exciting mental exercise! I got even more thrilled recalling the moment when Paul and I won our very first round, which is in fact, our very first competitive debate,” recalls Javi Reyes, who also got the highest individual speaker points among the four NFD delegates.

Meanwhile, the PSDC 2013 Finals Night was composed of the top four debate teams that survived the mind-wrenching preliminary rounds, octofinals and semis. The teams that battled it out for the championship title were Ateneo High School Team B (AHS-B) for Opening Government, San Beda College Alabang Team A (SBCA-A) for Closing Government, PAREF Woodrose School Team A (WR-A) for Opening Opposition, and Immaculate Conception Academy Team A (ICA-A) for Closing Opposition.

The teams debated on the proposition “This House believes that criminals guilty of crimes against humanity should be denied proper burial,” with ICA-A emerging as the overall champion.

The debate teams of PAREF schools have been regarded as among the best in the country. Southridge and Woodrose for example have won several competitive debate championship titles including the Asian Schools Debate Championships. Cathy Cano, a junior high school student from Woodrose, was also awarded as one of the Top 10 Best Speakers for this year’s PSDC. With Northfield entering the debating grounds for the first time this school year, there is no other option but to scale up the ladder as the other PAREF schools have successfully done.

“RAISE the roof!”

This was the battle cry of both parents and students as they participated in this year’s Family Day celebrations held last February 16. Given the intense heat both coming from the beaming sun and the competitiveness of both the Anchor and Vinta houses, the football field of the Philippine Science High School – Main Campus still exuded a spirit of unity.

Unlike the past Family Day celebrations, this year, the Grade 4 parents had a specific mission in mind, which also served as the catch-phrase for the event, that is, to “Raise the Roof.” Since her birth, Northfield has enjoyed countless memories with the basketball court. It has been used as avenue for many studentorganized activities, concerts and competitions. This venue, however, has not been used to its fullest capacity due to the absence of a roof that would protect the participants from the glaring sun or from seasonal downpours. Acknowledging this problem, the Family Day organizers decided that this year’s Family Day would take the form of a fund-raiser, the proceeds from which would be used to “raise the roof.”

Aside from the thrilling competitive events during the celebration itself, students were encouraged to compete in many fund-raising events such as the “Trash-for-Cash,” “Hang a Christmas Décor,” and actual solicitations for donations and pledges that generated the initial funding for the project. During the closing ceremonies of Family Day 2014, Mr. Jonathan Mariano announced that the total amount collected as donations and pledges reached approximately 800,000 pesos as of that day.

This event would not have been a success without the help of the incumbent Grade 4 parents led by Dr. and Mrs. Charles Arenas, who spearheaded the celebrations. Sponsors such as 711, Pepsi, Gatorade, Manjaru Outdoor Gear among others, also took part in making the event possible. As a resolution for her 20th Family Day, Northfield is looking to a possibility of forming a centralized group of parents assisted by the Student Executive Board (SEB) to be the main organizers of the event instead of assigning it to a specific class.

English Month caps with VOICES 2014 AFTER WEEKS of intense preparations, this year’s English Month culminated with VOICES 2014, an interyear level speech choir competition held in the Center for Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD) Function Hall, University of the Philippines-Diliman last February 6, 2014.

This year, the organizing committee chose the theme “Generations,” highlighting the twentieth year of Northfield’s existence as an educational institution since 1994. In line with this theme, the English teachers chose speech choir pieces that reflect the general character of today’s youth, a generation deeply immersed in new forms of media and technology.

Primary division classes (Grades 1-3) competed using the piece “The Shape of Things” by Mish Goldish. Intermediate A classes (Grades 4-6) performed their speech choir version of Styx’s song “Mr. Roboto,” while Intermediate B classes (Grades 6-Year II) interpreted “The Secret of the Machines,” a classic speech choir piece written by Rudyard Kipling. Meanwhile, the High School division students (Years III-V) were challenged to synthesize two very different pieces into a unified interpretation. They were tasked to perform a ‘mash up’ of Black Eyed Peas’ hip-hop song “Now Generation” and St. Francis’ “Prayer of Generosity.” The winners for VOICES 2014 were Grade 2 (Primary), Grade 5 (Intermediate A), Grade 7 (Intermediate B), and Year V (High School).

Before the culminating event, the English teachers, headed by Mr. Andrew Jude Sha, also organized various academic contests that showcased the skills and talents of NFD students in both written and oral communication. Refer to the opposite page and below for the list of winners.

FUTURISTIC. The Grade 5 class during their VOICES 2014: Generations performance

VOLUME 2 NO. 1

Campus

5 PHOTO TAKEN BY MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

MAXIMUM INTENSITY. Anchor and Vinta high school students give their all as they tackle each other in a tweaked football game during the NFD 2014 Family Day. Anchor sinks Vinta for the over-all house championship title.

WINNERS OF ENGLISH MONTH 2014 ACADEMIC CONTESTS

Word Wars II (The NFD Literature Challenge)

Franco Isidro (Year V) Joaqui Palaña (Year IV) Joxain Salvaña (Year III) Mark David Delos Angeles (Year II)

Amazing Race (Intermediate Level)

Drake Villacorta (Grade 8B) Justin Ronquillo (Grade 8A) Bryan Tagum (Grade 7) Kael Tatad (Grade 7) Miggy Valdez (Grade 6) Joaquin Villegas (Grade 6)

Amazing Race

Pio Custodio (Grade 3) Lance Camacho (Grade 3) Yogo Singh (Grade 4) Thirdy Cendaña (Grade 4) Joshua Cuevas (Grade 4)

Reader’s Theater (Grade 3)

Reader’s Theater

Spelling Champions

Albert Africa (Grade 1) Joaqui Arenas (Grade 2) Amanu Syquia (Grade 3) Andrei Francisco (Grade 4) Gregory Piencenaves (Grade 5) Almyt Poblete (Grade 6) Mio Torres (Grade 7) Jaime Benitez (Grade 8)

Reader’s Theater (Intermediate A)

Paeng Bautista Paqui Reyes Kogie Esteban Fernando Jose Calvario Joaquin Abella Carlo Cabañero (all Grade 6)

Reader’s Theater (Intermediate B)

Alfonso Syquia Mio Torres Jaime Antonio Kison Josemaria Calvario Jake Mariano (all Grade 7)

Reader’s Theater (Grade 4)

Santi Arenas Anton Encarnacion Samuel Braganza Angelo Boncan Azi Syquia

(Grade 2)

Reader’s Theater (Grade 1)

Andrew Villorente Jaime Abadilla Luis Isidro Joaqui Bautista Santino Galvez Rafa Encarnacion Joey Espiritu Amanu Syquia Uno Sebastian Marcus Manansala (Vinta)

Alvaro Cordero Lance Alonzo Joaqui Garcia Ryan Sy Fulbert Cruz Kyle Gimenez Isaac Cabacungan Lance Camacho (Vinta)

Matthew Amado Gelo Estrella Juan Santino Fernandez Anton Tanchuling Albert Africa Harvir Randhawa Johann Endriga Paco Reyes (Vinta)

Interpretative Reading (High School)

Gabriel Navarro (Year 5)

Interpretative Reading (Intermediate B)

Mio Torres (Grade 7)

Interpretative Reading (Intermediate A)

Quenzo Agravio (Grade 5)

Interpretative Reading (Grades 3-4)

Anton Encarnacion

Interpretative Reading (Grade 2)

Lance Martin Alonzo

Interpretative Reading (Grade 1)

Juan Santino Fernandez

Exetemporaneous Speech

Jose Buecamino (Year IV)

6

Opinions

W YD 2013

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

Put on Christ; World Youth Day, Rio de Janiero, Brazil

What we can learn from Pope Francis

SECTION EDITOR | GIO ESGUERRA JUNE - MARCH 2014

EDITORIAL

Always Young and New

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

TAKING STOCK GABRIEL NAVARRO

T

he world was partly shocked and partly humbled by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s resignation from the papal office last April 2013.

Due to health reasons, the successor of soon-to-be canonized Blessed Pope John Paul II saw it timely to step down from the Seat of St. Peter and hand over the shepherding of the Church to a more physically-able pastor. After few weeks, the 2013 Conclave named Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina as Pope Francis.

At the very onset of his papacy, Pope Francis radiated a profound yet compelling aura of humility and sincerity. The moment he stepped out of the balcony to greet Christ’s flock for the first time as pope, what welcomed the Church was a warm smile. But this was just a prelude to what his brand of leadership would be like.

Later on, we hear the Pope not wanting to stay in the usual Papal apartments and would rather reside in a small but dignified inn at Santa Martha just around the Vatican. We hear of him wanting to drive his own car and cooking his own meals just as the way he did it when he was still Bishop of Buenos Aires in Argentina. We hear of him washing and kissing the feet of some juvenile detainees during the Lenten services just as how Jesus washed and kissed the feet of his apostles. We hear of him opening up a wide embrace for a man disfigured by a skin condition just as how Jesus opened up a helping hand to the leper in the Gospels. We hear of him preaching about the poor Church, about reaching out to the fringes of society, about opening up the Church’s doors to those who are considered dispensable by many, about being men and women in a mission, about charity shown in deeds filled with mercy.

Here comes Pope Francis, the servant-leader who sweats with his flock.

During those times of monarchy, leaders were represented as wealthy and prosperous – seeking counsel and giving orders. They wield the staff of influence over their subjects while at the same time providing some form of protection for them. In return, their vassals and servants stretched their backs to render service to the king and the rest of the nobility. In this feudal system, vassals see their king as their patron, and king sees his vassals as rightful subjects. To some extent, this view of leadership has dragged its own specters up to the present time.

The world, however, can be better with leaders like the present Pope, who possess and practice a brand of leadership that looks into the needs of every human being and addressing them through deeds borne out of a genuine desire to serve, and the first move is carried out by the leader himself. Such a kind of leadership puts forward the importance of giving good example, of serving first before directing. This is a kind of leadership that challenges all those who are in authority to be subjected first to the very authority they hold, becoming servants first before being leaders.

“PUT on Christ.”

This was the simple mandate given by recently elected Pope Francis to the youth for the 28th World Youth Day (WYD) celebration held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last July 2013. With the theme “Go and make disciples of all nations,” the Holy Father emphasized the role of the youth in “creating a mess” in their own parishes for the light of Christ to shine through.

With the call of the Church for The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith, I believe that the theme is most appropriate for the youth of today. Pope Francis brought to light a present threat that society faces today; that is, “a culture of selfishness and individualism.” He realized how important the youth is to spreading Christ’s teachings, which made him exclaim to them in his WYD address, “I want you to make yourselves heard in your dioceses. I want the noise to go out.”

The youth today tend to lose sight of God. In the end, they realize that they are not complete without Him. When I was younger, I used to idolize heroes such as Wolverine and Batman. I idolized them because they were smart, brave, cool, ideal, perfect, etc. I practically wanted to be like them. I began imitating them and I would pretend to be a hero and save the day all the time. Although these heroes exhibit a number of virtues, they lack one thing – reality. So why can’t we look for a model that is so real and yet so perfect? In fact, no other fictional character can outdo this Perfect Man when it comes to the practice of virtues. Why can’t we look to Christ as a model?

If we really want to participate in this ‘new evangelization’, we need to share Christ with others in a spirit of authenticity and friendship. The best way to do this is through giving good example. It sounds easy but this is one heavy responsibility for the youth. We are not perfect, and to identify ourselves with Christ is a constant journey. If we truly love our faith, even if this task is hard, we will not lose hope and we will strive to do our share.

The first step is to keep up with our own efforts, guided by God’s grace, to struggle, and if we fall, we begin again with a smile. Once there is struggle, before we know it, we would be already emitting what they call bonus odor Christi, the sweet smell of Christ. We do this in our daily effort to study well even if we do not feel like it, or when we go out of ourselves to help our parents and siblings at home, or even through the simple act of practicing the CLAYGO habit every time we finish our meals in school.

In doing this, we will put on Christ and people will truly see that the path to following him is also a cheerful one.

I think this is the ‘mess’ Pope Francis was talking about. We need to draw the attention of other people to Christ. We need to attract them. We, the youth, must act for we have a responsibility to do so. The Church needs us now more than ever, for some young men and women already see the Church as an antiquated institution devoid of energy and excitement. But with us and with our daily witness to Christ’s life, we will prove what Pope Paul VI said; we will always be “a Church that is always young and new.”

A servant-leader is someone who styles his or her leadership in a manner that provokes significant change to the people around him by starting the change first with himself. In this way, servant-leaders bring the needs of the people to number one on their priority list, and are not obsessed in holding power. In fact, they designate tasks and share the power and the responsibility they have to people whom they think can do the job better than they are.

This means that servant-leaders do not only support the needs of the people, but they also motivate them and place them in efficient situations for them to contribute for the greater good. This brand of leading, or rather serving, calls for a deep sense of mission, borne out of the virtue of humility, a kind that is akin to the example given by Pope Francis.

Servant leadership is true power. It simply narrows down to the very nature of being a leader, which is to serve the people. The simplicity of the concept is what makes it purely vital. Typically, power today is seen in the ways of influence. ‘Influential’ people such as Oprah Winfrey, Kanye West, Larry King and others are considered leaders in their expertise—it is realized in their craft. These persons may not be the most influential in the truest sense, but they surely are on the lists of Forbes and TIME magazines. This is because influence here is mostly defined by and distinguished in media presence and wealth, not the kind of influence that shakes up the very core of the human spirit. Of course, they had accomplished something good for society like music, entertainment, and charity projects, but have they really had their hands dirtied for the people?

Servant leadership can be lived in the smallest units of society—in the family, in school, in community projects, and even in sports. It can also be lived by professionals and by ordinary men and women without us even realizing it.

In Northfield, servant leadership has to be part of a unique student culture that goes beyond good image, cool stuff, and fun for the sake of having fun. It must be a brand of leadership that is willing to go beyond oneself having been called for a mission to serve. Ultimately, all in the Northfield community must heed the example of the Pope, being servus servorum Dei. Let us sweat in service for the others. Let us have our hands dirtied.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | GIO ESGUERRA INTERNAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR | GABRIEL NAVARRO EXTERNAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR | JOAQUI PALAÑA MANAGING EDITOR | FRANCIS PEREZ NEWS EDITOR | MIGUEL MARQUEZ FEATURES EDITOR | JOSE BUENCAMINO ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR | JAVI REYES SPORTS EDITOR | ALPHONSO BALAGTAS

SCIENCE EDITOR | JOSE ERICTA FORTIKIDS EDITOR | JOAQUI PALAÑA PHOTOJOURNALIST HEAD | NOLI OJEDA PHOTOJOURNALIST | KEVIN ABELLAR PHOTOJOURNALIST | POLO SEGISMUNDO CARTOONIST | ADRIAN LIM CARTOONIST | ROLAND ORENGO CARTOONIST | GIO COZ

Opinions

VOLUME 2 NO. 1

7

2013 US Gov’t Shutdown

The Kasambahay Law

WORD OF THE MAIJ

TECH TURNS

JOAQUI PALAÑA

FRANCIS PEREZ

THE KASAMBAHAY LAW or Republic Act No. 10361 is a law passed last January 18, 2013 that details provisions regarding the protection of the rights and duties of a kasambahay or a domestic worker. This applies to all general household help such as nannies, cooks, gardeners, laundress, and any person who is employed on a regular basis to do domestic work. This also applies to workers who use the ‘live-out arrangement’ (those who do not live in the employer’s house, but go and leave after they have finished rendering their service). The law was implemented on June 4, 2013, fifteen days after the publication of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) last May 19, 2013 in The Philippine Star and Manila Times.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the law is a landmark in labor and social legislation that recognizes for the first time domestic workers as part of the formal labor sector. It strengthens respect, protection, and promotion of the rights and welfare of domestic workers.

There is no question as regards the benefits that the ‘Batas Kasambahay’ can give to both the helper and the employer. But the crucial question still remains to be answered. Is it being applied correctly by both parties, or will it just remain as one of those laws carrying with it good promises but are really never put into effect?

It is indeed a pity if such a law, so important for a large part of the service sector, will be received with a cold shrug. The Law has a strong binding legal character that can possibly end cases of domestic violence done to our household helpers. It also has a great transformative character, which can change stereotypical perceptions of people who look down on domestic work as a third-rate kind of job. Addressing human rights violations against our helpers, and challenging mistaken perceptions and social stigma can lead to the professionalization of this previously informal sector. We have agencies, training institutions, and non-government organizations such as TESDA and MERALCO Foundation, which can aid government efforts in the implementation of some of the Law’s provisions.

One of the positive points of the ‘Kasambahay Law’ is that the employees are awarded benefits from the Social Security System, Pag-Ibig, and PhilHealth accounts. That will be greatly helpful to the domestic workers who are struggling financially, and currently

cannot even pay their bills for general hospital check-ups or emergency situations. Another positive point is the safeguarding of these household aides from possible domestic violence done by some employers. The Law details the rights and duties of a kasambahay and the corresponding legal repercussions if any of these rights or duties will be violated. For instance, the Law reinforces their right to privacy. The Law states that the kasambahay has a right to terminate a contract if this privacy is not granted and honoured by the employer. The Law also covers a conduct of immediate rescue of abused employees by the municipal social welfare officer or a social welfare officer from DSWD, in coordination with the concerned barangay officials.

According to Article IV, Section 24, the minimum wage of domestic workers shall not be less than Php2500 a month for those employed in the NCR Region, Php2000 a month for those employed in chartered cities and first class municipalities, and Php1500 a month for those employed in other municipalities. Lawyer and former Quezon City vice-mayor Charito Planas raised questions regarding the pegging of salaries into fixed amounts after President Aquino signed the Law. She said that some Filipino families might not be able afford household help services as a result of the new law. This issue raised by Ms. Planas is also good consider, granted that some of the provisions may easily be misapplied to the detriment of the employer. We cannot expect all households to offer everything the Law details for the kasambahay.

But even with the apparent setbacks, one cannot question the validity and good intent incorporated in the Law. It took sixteen years for Congress to pass the ‘Kasambahay Law.’ The last legislation passed in Congress was in 1993, which was Republic Act No. 7655, ‘An Act Increasing the Minimum Wage of House Helpers.’ It is about time that we represent the voice of usually marginalized and unheard sectors of society through a Law that recognizes their rights and particular role in nationbuilding. We still have to see concrete manifestations whether or not these provisions are being fully executed, but with this new legislation, one can say that we have already taken a step forward. *With reports from ABS-CBN News and the DOLE Website

STAFF WRITER | JORREL BENCIO STAFF WRITER | JM PARIÑAS STAFF WRITER | TRAVIS ARCENAS STAFF WRITER | PAUL UY STAFF WRITER | MILO ANDRES LAYOUT DESIGNER | GIO ESGUERRA CONTRIBUTOR | LUIGI AMPIL CONTRIBUTOR | MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

WHAT DO you think might happen if the US deadlock continued?

The first thing that came to my mind when I first heard of this unexpected shutdown was fear. The government shutdown of the US will not only affect their country, but half the world if not the whole. We must be aware that US is one of the G10 countries that has the largest economies, but we must also be aware that US stands as one of the greatest debt-incurring governments in absolute terms. They have an estimated $14.6 trillion in general government net debt, double the debt of secondplace Japan. U.S. debt has grown $10 trillion in the last decade.

The Democrats and Republicans can debate as long as they like, but at the end of the day, they must be aware of the number of Americans that suffer from the harrowing deadlock. Not only that, they must be aware of the fact that almost the whole world is associated with the US in terms of trade and economy, even the Philippines. This means that the deadlock could possibly result in economic ripples that may shake many corners of the world. Debts will be unpaid, trading will be disrupted, and people from all over the globe may be disavowed. Many countries, who are highly-dependent to the US economy and aid may be bound to crumble.

There may be, however, a conspiracy to this deadlock. Many foreign countries put their investments to the United States because wages or returns are higher than home.

China, which owns an estimated $1.28 trillion in US Treasuries, is the number-one investor among foreign governments, according to the July 2013 figures released by the US Treasury. This amounts to over 22.8% of the US debt held overseas and nearly 8% of the United States’ total debt load. If the deadlock continued, all countries around the world will be affected; including our own, for US would have to default. The world will be transfixed, and among all the other losers, China will be the biggest. This holiday seasons, if we see uncertainty in the US economy, Americans would have to cut down on the usual amount of their purchases. Unfortunately for China, most of their purchases are products coming from the Chinese factories. A significantly slower holiday season could have a seriously negative effect on the Chinese economy.

Did deadlock happen by chance of disagreement between the Democrats and the Republicans? Or was it actually planned by a certain person or group of people who hold a grudge against the Chinese government due to incessant competition? Let’s be aware of what might be coming. From the eastern side of the world, 7,000 miles away, China is watching Washington carefully, greatly bothered about the fate of the $1.3 trillion investment in American debt.

As for the rest of highly-dependent economies to the US, we can only hope. *With reports from Forbes.com

CONTRIBUTOR | MR. SALVADOR RAMOS CONTRIBUTOR | DOMINIC BARRIOS MODERATOR | MR. MARK VILLALUNA FORTIBUS is the official student publication of PAREF Northfield. It is published annually with the assistance of the school’s Management Committee. The members of the editorial board and staff of FORTIBUS commit themselves in the exemplary practice of professional journalistic ethics. The opinions expressed herein are the views of the respective authors. They cannot be taken as the position of Northfield as such.

PAREF NORTHFIELD SCHOOL FOR BOYS 107 SCOUT GANDIA ST., BRGY. SCARED HEART, QUEZON CITY 1103 929-5615/928-5956

8

In-Focus

SECTION EDITOR | GIO ESGUERRA JUNE - MARCH 2014

NAPOLES

PEACE CRISES

BARING THE BARREL

At the rise of peace and order crises worldwide, is PH ready to face its own?

With almost all the cards being laid down, how does PNOY’s admin handle the issue?

Baring the Barrel THE REAL EVIL BEHIND THE PDAF SCANDAL JOSE BUENCAMINO

J

ESTRADA

ENRILE

uly 12, 2013 – The Filipinos finally got a memo about how billions of our money was spent on preparing a big, fat, greasy lechon that has been served to our congressmen for years. It was an 'accidental' discovery that led to the detainment of Janet Lim-Napoles and the accusation of many members from our government's legislative branch for plunder; it led to public outrage and a cry for reform, voiced by a 'million' at the demonstration in Luneta; and it led to the presidential declaration of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) as “unconstitutional.” It was a series of events that has enlightened the public and ignited a call to action, and it is from these events that we can draw upon for hope as we strive to cut the trans-fat from our politics for the cause of a better government.

Raging fires can start from a good spark and an ample amount of dry wood, such as the flame of public indignity.

Filipinos are well-aware of the corruption that has plagued our country's governance for decades, though it is seldom (if ever) that it is concretely exposed to be rampant amongst the high-ranking government officials of our country. The exposition of the scandal informs the people that legislators have stolen P900 million from the Malampaya Gas fund and have used the PDAF to shovel 10 billion pesos from our repository of taxes into the ghost non-government organizations of Janet Lim-Napoles, which were then siphoned off to compliant contributors. It was more than enough to ignite the citizens' fury and elicit our strained throats to bellow another call for reform – which, this time, they heard.

Since the eruption of the scandal, the government busied themselves with quick judiciary actions. Left and right, we see senators and businessmen being whisked off to court under accusations of being involved in the Pork barrel scam, and the PDAF itself was nailed to the table of the legislation for investigation and to declare the Fund unconstitutional. Testimonies had also sprung up here and there, and it definitely helped oil the process in cleaning the grit. Though there have been no convictions as of yet, the number of cases filed and the painstaking effort invested in gathering evidence for a swift and bodied set of trials leaves us safe to say that the government is fulfilling their part in administering justice.

The government, however, can only do so much to rid itself of dirt, and now is an opportune time for us to play our part. Even if we eventually see guilty men and women being convicted and imprisoned in the near future, it does not guarantee that corruption will not persist to encumber our society, and we must accept our responsibility to institute change if we want to see a better era of governance. Whether we like it or not, our government is reflective of the society that it belongs to. Are we not a democracy, and did we not elect those people to represent our interests?

Furthermore, it is understood that the sole corruption of an individual cannot be attributed to those around him immediately; neither can the society be held liable for the corruption of a small group of people. However, when innumerable sectors of society are acting selfishly, there’s definitely something wrong. Unqualified drivers are certified to prowl the streets; bribing policemen has become the norm; and public school teachers have been reported cramming the answers to NAT exams into the memories of their pupils because of the bonuses they receive as rewards for ‘educating’ their pupils ‘well.’ One could go on forever, but the purpose of this article is not to bash the Philippines’ easy-money mentality. These examples illustrate the extent by which we, ordinary citizens, can be held accountable for the corruption of our government.

Thus, we have to take it upon ourselves to become catalysts of positive change if we want to see things happen, and this can be done by forcing ourselves to bear the pinpricks of inconvenience in our daily encounters for the sake of what is good. This is because those who succeed in conditioning themselves to suffer small pains will be more inclined to suffer the larger ones in the name of justice, even when it entails a tempting compensation. Granted, it cannot be guaranteed that these same people will not succumb to such trials. However, can we expect the people who submit to comfort daily to perform better?

Many men and women blame our government as the source of our misfortune, but we rarely realize that the same conveniences we subscribe to are leading us towards the same end, if they have not led other people that way already.

People have apparently forgotten that the white lines strewn across the road indicate a pedestrian lane, and an even larger number of people have forgotten that pedestrian lanes indicate the place where they are supposed to walk.

Ironically, they are often the same people who are shocked when drivers forget that the sidewalk is not a place where they are supposed to drive.

It is mutually agreed upon that the PDAF scam is a crime of mass proportions, and it is sure to elicit disdain.

However, before we proceed to curse Napoles and curse the government and curse all of the corrupt people in the world, it is important that we examine our actions, lest we end up cursing ourselves. Police would not be accepting bribes if there were no people who agreed to bribe them. If people benefit from babbling and complaining about our muddy, ruined politics, then they have all the right to do so. But surely, all that energy wasted in gab could have been invested in cleansing the roots and nurturing them back to health so that we can all reap good fruits for the first time in a span of decades.

If we are truly sincere and wholehearted in voicing our desire for reformation, we should not be contented by our government’s move in airing out the imperfections of the system. Let us not forget that the people involved in the scam are not the only ones who are corrupt – they are merely the people who got caught. Satisfying ourselves with that is clearing the scandal from our musings under the pretence of atonement along with a big chunk of our thirst for change, and nothing will have been accomplished.

The abuse of the PDAF is only one of the countless effects of the corruption that pervades our government today, and it is impossible to cure that just by sifting the agents out and flinging them into court. Such a change can only be accomplished when the people in office who are corrupt today have grown out of their positions so that a new breed of officials can take their seats. Out with the old, and in with the new – but as members of the new generation, it is our responsibility that the next batch of leaders will not be worse than the last. Sometimes, we have to draw upon the consequences of the PDAF scandal to prevent us from stumbling back to square one.

REVILLA

”

THE GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH TO RID ITSELF OF DIRT, AND NOW IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME FOR US TO PLAY OUR PART IMAGES TAKEN FROM YAHOO.COM, PHILIPPINENEWS.COM,

VOLUME 2 NO. 1

In-Focus

9

The Philippines amidst World Peace Crises PAUL UY

N

ational security concerns the world over have raised the red alarm in many international groups including the United Nations Security Council. The many socio-political unrests sprouting almost one after another is indicative of a worsening peace crisis that has been escalating for several years now. Just very early at the turn of the millennium, the world had to contend with the evil of terrorism and religious intolerance. Talks about the nuclear arms race and weapons of mass destruction have been looming like a sinister ghost that has yet to be exorcised. Middle Eastern and African state conflicts for political control, particularly the most recent ones in Syria, have caused damaging effects in achieving unity in that part of the world.

Worst of all, many innocent lives are caught in between all the mess.

Such an international scenario prompts one to ask: “Is there ever a chance to resolve the crisis of peace in the world?” And more particularly, “Is the Philippines ready to face its own national security issues?”

The Zamboanga Siege Last September 2013, Zamboanga City became the set of an armed showdown between the government’s military forces and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Ensuing for 20 days starting September 8 to September 28, Zamboanga City practically became a ghost town with its residents facing days of fear and uncertainty.

Violence first broke out in the Zamboanga City Hall when the MNLF forces first made an effort to hoist their flag and proclaim the territory as part of the Bangsamoro Republic. A great number of civilians and soldiers were hurt and killed in armed struggle that ensued and even as the intensity of the fighting decreased on September 28, when the government declared the end of military operations in the city, the rebels still conducted several skirmishes to harass the local authority. Mayor Beng Climaco had to step up evacuation operations to safeguard her constituents so as not to be caught in the crossfire. This, however, also spelled out bigger problems. Above the violence brought by the MNLF, the people also suffered greatly from diseases caused by shortage of food, water, and health care.

The attacks were directly linked by the government to Nur Misuari, founder and known leader of the MNLF. Initial reports detailed that Misuari had earlier disowned responsibility for the Zamboanga siege despite the ground attacks being headed by one of his faithful followers, Habier Malik. Military information also noted that Misuari was allegedly located in Sulu at the time of the attacks. As Misuari still remains to be found, the Department of Justice meanwhile had formed a panel to prosecute Misuari and his fellow MNLF leaders for charges of rebellion and violation of international humanitarian laws.

With the rise of peace and order crises worldwide, is PH ready to face its own?

Rehabilitation, A Nightmare Meanwhile, the Philippine government, with the help of local and international groups has also started the period of recovery for Zamboanga City. This, however, proved to be a gargantuan task. An Inquirer report stated that the University of the Philippines Planning and

Development Research Foundation Inc. (UP Planades) eyed P1-billion worth of damage, not to mention the sustenance of about 100,000 persons who were displaced from their homes.

Architect Danilo Umali of the UP Planades, which spearheaded the “Build Back Better Zamboanga Program,” said that part of the rehabilitation process was not just the physical rebuilding of destroyed homes but also other facilities such as the local roads, health centers, schools, playgrounds, waterways and others. The expanse of the most affected areas, around 41,440 hectares, also proved to be a contributor to the big challenge.

The closest to rehabilitation so far were bunkhouses built for the displaced families, but even these 40 units of temporary shelter proved to be a challenge, especially for the residents who had to vacate their own homes and be relocated 15 kilometers away from their source of living.

“It’s a nightmare.” These were the words given by Kadil Hasim, a former teacher and a long-time resident of Kasanyangan village, to describe the aftermath of the siege. And indeed it is, not only for him and his fellow residents, but also for the government who has to break its back in order to rebuild the devastated city.

Is the Philippines ready?

With limited resources and a government shaken by recent issues of corruption, the Pork Barrel scandal being the latest addition among many, questions about President Aquino’s way of handling issues of national concern have been raised. Critics of the present administration have been fast in putting the blame to the government’s way of organizing rehabilitation efforts and in preventing future attacks to happen. Others expressed their dissatisfaction of the government’s response to peace talks with the MNLF and other groups, who felt they were being sidelined in the peace agreement processes.

“We expectedly faced many challenges from those who chose to continue the path of violence, the skeptics who have seen earlier similar processes fall back on expectations, and the disgruntled who feel they would lose privileges they have long enjoyed. To all of them, we extend the hand of peace and open ourselves to dialogue and continuous engagement in the hope that we will find fair reconciliation,” the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process expressed in the Inquirer on Christmas Eve last year.

The statement, although full of good intent, still appeared to many as lacking in concreteness especially in terms of the necessary steps that have to be undergone in order to resolutely end instances of violence involving dissenting groups. Peace dialogues are always a welcome first step but it has to be followed up by measures that also address the concerns of the involved groups so long as they are legitimate demands that could lead to reconciliation and not to further terrorism.

The resolution for peace crises, such as the ones experienced by Zamboanga and other countries the world over, is always a tricky subject. Each state has to strike a balance between understanding the bones of contention and the enforcement of state laws. Each state has to consider the legitimate demands of the dissenting groups without condoning their violations of basic human rights.

Given these, is the Philippines ready to address its own peace crises? Yes, if the peace dialogues translate to balanced and practical agreements between the different parties. But this still remains to be seen. *With reports and quotations from the Philippine Daily Inquirer IMAGE TAKEN FROM THEATLANTIC.COM

T

he Disaster Response Team of Northfield was able to pack and deploy more than 400 bags of relief goods during the Relief Operations for Typhoon Yolanda Victims that was organized in the school grounds. The Student Executive Board, in partnership with FORTIBUS, would like to thank all students, parents, teachers and staff who extended their hand in support of this endeavour. Let us continue working together in helping our countrymen who are very much in need.

LETTER FROM PALO, LEYTE 10 December 2013 PAREF NORTHFIELD SCHOOL FOR BOYS Sct. Gandia corner Sct. Torillo St. Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City

Dear Parents: Greetings of joy and peace!

I am very happy to receive the various items purchased for the needs of the priests and seminarians of our Archdiocese through your donation.

We understand that the clergy above all needs so much to take care of their spiritual life during this moment of catastrophe, and the attention of the faithful despite the destruction of almost all churches. We appreciate very much the Liturgy of the Hours, Mass Kits, Daily Roman Missals, as well as the clothes that have been sent to us, as a result of your thoughtfulness and kindness.

I assure you of our prayers for you and for your families. We also ask for your prayers as well, so that we may be able to move on in the soonest time possible, with respect to the normal operations of the churches and seminaries.

Thank you so much and God bless you!

Yours in Christ, Rev. Fr. Engelbert Tiu Staff Archbishop’s Residence Palo, Leyte

IN TIMES OF GREAT NEED, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVE THAT THE SMALLEST OF THINGS CAN TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE! :) #nfdhelps.

FROM THE OPUS DEI WEBSITE

GETTING TO KNOW

BISHOP

ALVARO

A

lvaro del Portillo was born in Madrid on March 11, 1914. He was the third of eight children in a devout Catholic family. He studied engineering and began working professionally in that field. To his doctorate in engineering he later added doctorates in history and canon law.

In 1935 del Portillo joined Opus Dei, which had been founded

by St. Josemaría Escrivá seven years before. In keeping with his vocation to Opus Dei, he sought to sanctify his professional work and daily duties, and he carried out a broad apostolate with his classmates and colleagues. He would soon become St. Josemaría’s strongest support, which he remained for almost forty years.

On June 25, 1944, del Portillo was ordained as one of the first 3 priests of Opus Dei. From then on he dedicated himself to pastoral ministry, serving the members of Opus Dei and many others. In 1946 he moved to Rome with St. Josemaría, where he served on Opus Dei’s General Council until 1975.

During Fr. del Portillo’s years in Rome, the Holy See entrusted a number of tasks to him, and he carried these out with great dedication. He was a consultor to several congregations and councils of the Holy See, such as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for the Clergy, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. He took part in the Second Vatican Council in various capacities, first as head of the ante-preparatory Commission on the Laity and then as secretary to the Commission on the Discipline of the Clergy, and also as a consultor to other commissions. His books Faithful and Laity in the Church (1969) and On the Priesthood (1970) are largely the fruit of that experience. As a member of the Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law, he also helped draft the current Code, promulgated by John Paul II in 1983.

BEATIFICATION OF THE

VENERABLE BISHOP

ALVARO DEL PORTILLO SUCCESOR OF SAINT JOSEMARÍA THE FOUNDER OF OPUS DEI 27 SEPTEMBER 2014 MADRID, SPAIN

On September 15, 1975, Fr. del Portillo was elected as St. Josemaría’s first successor. When Opus Dei was established as a personal prelature on November 28, 1982, Pope John Paul II appointed him Prelate of Opus Dei. The Holy Father later ordained him as a bishop on January 6, 1991.

Bishop del Portillo worked diligently to serve the Church by extending the apostolates of Opus Dei, and his governance was characterized by great fidelity to St. Josemaría and his message. During his nineteen years at the head of Opus Dei, the work of the prelature started in twenty new countries.

His dedication to the mission he had received was rooted in a deep sense of his divine filiation, one of St. Josemaría’s key teachings. This led him to seek identification with Christ in a spirit of trusting abandonment to the will of God the Father, nourished by prayer, the Eucharist, and devotion to Mary. His love for the Church was seen in his close communion with the Pope and the bishops. He had charity toward all, showed tireless concern for his daughters and sons in Opus Dei, and always spread kindness, serenity, and good humor around him. A spiritual portrait of his soul would also include his humility, prudence, fortitude, simplicity and selflessness. His zeal to win souls for Christ was reflected in his episcopal motto: Regnare Christum volumus! We want Christ to reign!

“

It is we Christians, it is you . . . who are the ‘place to stand’ that God chooses to need so that the ‘lever’ of his grace may move and sanctify the word around us” Letter, 1 March 1976, no. 14

PHOTO FROM OPUS DEI INFORMATION OFFICE

Early in the morning of March 23, 1994, God called his good and faithful servant to Himself. Bishop del Portillo had returned only a few hours before from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where, with deep prayer and piety, he had followed Jesus’ footsteps from Nazareth to the Holy Sepulcher. He had celebrated his last Mass on earth in the Church of the Cenacle in Jerusalem. Later that day, Pope John Paul II came to pray before Bishop del Portillo’s remains, which now lie in the crypt of the Church of the Prelature, Our Lady of Peace at Bruno Buozzi 75, Rome.

12

COVER STORY

AT THE PICC PLENARY HALL

Love or Lust?

In their effort to promote the importance of living the virtue of chastity, Jason and Crystalina underscored the reasons why it is necessary for today’s young men and women to understand the real meaning of human sexuality. According to the speakers, there is a lot of “bad stuff” circulating in today’s society, disguised as sources of happiness that young people look for. Many times, these information and impressions are cloaked with the spirit of a fun-loving and pleasure-seeking atmosphere, presented by popular media and other channels as the ‘cool stuff.’

These are being assimilated by young minds as the natural norm of conduct, even if in reality these are harmful for them. In the realm of human sexuality, popular media has lent itself in highlighting a more selfish kind of love rather than the authentic charity that is built on virtue and the right use of one’s freedom.

“Love can’t wait to give and lust can’t wait to get,” Jason addressed to the audience. “And how do we know if it is lust that we experience instead of real love?

We know it is lust if we just want the pleasure and not the total commitment true love entails, if we try do away with the natural fruit of that procreative act because we all know that the fruit is another life that greatly demands sacrifice and selfgiving,” he added.

Crystalina, for her part, gave a more personal testimony of her journey in discovering real love. Without batting an eyelash, she confessed to thousands of listeners that she had lost her virginity at a very young age. This public confession set a more silent and solemn mood in the second half of the first session, making everyone more deeply engaged in the ideas she was sharing.

“I knew that that guy took something so precious from me that he does not deserve at all… From the day I realized that I did wrong, I started over, raised my standards, and made a commitment to chastity…,” she confessed.

“Girls, you have the right and the obligation to set the standards high for the right man who will truly love you. You are worth waiting for. You are worth all the effort and sacrifice,” she especially addressed to the young girls in the audience, who immediately gave her a thunderous round of applause.

Passing on the Message The participants positively showed their appreciation for the message that was being communicated by the Everts even within the talk itself. Students were very much engaged in listening to their testimonies as they laughed and applauded every time a joke or a heart-warming remark was made by the speakers.

Asked about how they can echo the message of holy purity to other young men and women, the students gave different opinions. “I think it’s not words but simple actions that are needed to deliver this message. As it is, action speaks louder than words; so I think if we put the message into practice, with our small efforts, slowly but surely it will get in our heads. I guess you won’t feel it immediately but at the end of the day, you’ll be able to reach the goal of sending this message to many others,” Therese Angangco, president of PAREF Rosehill’s student council said.

“What I learned is that in everything we do, whether we are a couple or an individual, God should be in it. To achieve true happiness, we need to rely on God. Before even attempting to do anything, we should have considered them first in prayer,” Fonzy David, president of PAREF Southridge student council, remarked during an interview after the conference.

A Unique Love Story Before the start of the talk, Jason and Crystalina were interviewed by Dr. Antonio Torralba, director and founding member of I Keep Love Real – I Am STRONG, a partner group of CATALYST that is also dedicated to organizing conferences which promotes the real meaning of human sexuality and chastity among the young. In the interview, Dr. Torralba funnily asked Jason to re-enact the way he did his marriage proposal to Crystalina. It was during this part that the audience knew that Jason had done his proposal in front of many young people in a similar conference as this, which was held in the US way back in 2003. Crystalina, then, was working with him as a separate chastity speaker. When they got married, they started giving talks together in many public and private high schools in the US and also in other different countries. Every year 100,000 teens from all over the world hear their talks.

Recently, they also launched Chastity Project, an alliance of young leaders who advocate the cause of spreading the message of holy purity to the younger generations. Chris Stefanick, who also visited the Philippines with Leah Darrow for Real Love Revolution 2012, is also part of this group. Schedule of conferences, free materials and videos related to chastity, and testimonies coming from all over the world are made available in their website, chastityproject.com.

The Everts are also authors of several books on chastity such as Pure Love, Pure Manhood, How to Find Your Soul Mate without Losing Your Soul, If You Really Loved Me and others. They also have a regular talk show on pure love aired on EWTN. Satellite Conferences Together with Real Love Revolution 2013, other satellite conferences for targeted audiences were held in various parts of the country. Jason and Crystalina also gave the same talk for students and teenagers in the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City.

In UA&P, they gave a separate talk for teachers and school administrators on how to communicate the virtue of holy purity effectively and positively inside the classroom. Also, they had a separate forum called Better Together with young professionals and couples at the Camp Aguinaldo Auditorium a day before the PICC plenary sessions.

Lastly, they also joined a get-together for parents entitled Worth Waiting For, focusing on effective parenting techniques and sexuality education at home held at the University of Makati just a few hours after the afternoon session in PICC. What’s Next CATALYST? At present, CATALYST is organizing other conferences that will help students from different high schools become young leaders who can promote positive changes in society. Part of their project list is the Leadership, Intellect and Values Education (LIVE) Program, which seeks to provide a holistic formation for student leaders through talks and activities that promote critical thinking and project management skills. To encourage young leaders to join the program, CATALYST will hold the I Lead to Change Congress, a leadership congress that endeavors to impart the CATALYST brand of leadership among student leaders while at the same time widening the network of active and service-oriented youth groups. The congress will be held in the Li Seng Giap Auditorium of the University of Asia and the Pacific, February 15, 2014.

HIS EMINENCE LUIS CARDINAL TAGLE

Everts in Manila GABRIEL NAVARRO

PHOTOS BY DOMINIC BARRIOS JASON EVERT

AND HOW DO WE KNOW IF IT IS LUST THAT WE EXPERIENCE INSTEAD OF REAL LOVE?

CRYSTALINA EVERT

WE KNOW IT IS LUST IF WE JUST WANT THE PLEASURE AND NOT THE TOTAL COMMITMENT TRUE LOVE ENTAILS

14

VOLUME 2

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

SECTION EDITOR: JOAQUI PALAÑA

ART BY ADRIAN LIM

SPOT the DIFFERENCE

ANGELIC VOICES. The Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir was procliamed as the first-ever Children’s Choir of the World.

My Llangollen Experience JBOY KISON Grade 7

F

rom April to June, my choir mates and I practiced for three to four hours a day in preparation for our choir competition, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Choir Festival held in the United Kingdom last July. Our choir, the Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao, competed for two categories, the Folklore and the Senior Children’s Choir categories. Our practices were very intense because our choirmasters were very strict with every single note in our songs that sometimes, when we don’t satisfy them, they will tell us that we would easily lose to our competitors because they were extremely good. But this situation did not break us.

It only made us more determined to work really hard and so to do our best in the competition.

because I knew we did well. When the judges read their comments for each of the choirs, we realized that ours received the best comment, and consequently, we also got the highest score which is 95. With this score, the judges announced that our choir won the first place in that category. When we heard the announcement, we all ran to the stage to receive the trophy.

In the next competition which was the senior children’s choir category, the judges also gave us good comments, but sadly, there were other choirs who got better scores than us. However, we still qualified for the 1st Children’s Choir of the World championship.Before the announcement of the winners of this prestigious title, my choir mates and I held our hands together as we all prayed. When the judges announced that our

A few minutes before our first performance choir had won the title, we all had tears of joy as which is the folklore competition, I felt very ner- we ran back to the stage once again to receive vous, so I prayed and took a deep breath. When the trophy and make our country proud. This is we entered the stage, I did not feel nervous undoubtedly the best moment of my life yet. anymore. I felt good after our first performance

“It’s Storytelling Time!” finals began in the SMX Convention Center! There was a lot of people and lots of storytelling too from 1 pm onwards. Moreover, the founder of Lampara Books was there! Among the three of us, Lucas t ’s storytelling time. A week before elimi- read his story first. He did well. I got so nervous nations, Mr. Trinidad (I like to call him ‘Mr. T’) again when it was my time. Sadly, I made a few gave me a form to fill out. To my surprise, it was mistakes, but at least the rest of the story went for a storytelling competition. I was so curious to well and calm. Soon, it was Paeng’s turn. He was the point that I already asked too much questions. the best. He improvised so well. He made a big misSince elimination round was fast approaching, the take on the name of the author, and he made it an book we chose for the round was a familiar one, opportunity to joke around. The audience laughed.

“Ang Ampalaya sa Pinggan ni Peepo.” After only Towards the end of the event, they ana few days of practice, it was time for round one! nounced the winners. Mr. T. thought one of us When I arrived at PETA, I was unfortunately would make it to third place, but he was wrong. late by 15 minutes. Soon, it was already my turn Second place was announced and still, nothing to perform, and I tried my best to stay calm. I from PAREF Northfield. Mr. T. looked back and read the book at the best way possible and ap- was already frustrated. When they announced plied the things that Mr. T taught me. As I ended the champion, Mr. T. turned. The champion my story, there was a huge applause, which made was from PAREF Northfield! We were all jumpme think whether I actually did a good job or not. ing excitedly, especially Mr. T.! Paeng was the Right after, I met Lucas and immediately asked overall champion of the competition! We were him how he was doing. He replied, “Not bad,” with all very happy as we took a lot of pictures toa smile. I did not see Paeng anymore that day. gether. As we exited SMX, I bid my comrades Two days later, I found out that all three of us goodbye. Truly, it was a wonderful experience! made it to the finals! The results were even announced during the flag ceremony in school. We LUCAS BONIFACIO were so happy that day, but we kept in mind that we Grade 5 do not stop here.

The week after, we attended a workshop for torytelling competitions, really, are fun but the finalists. During the workshop, we played at the same time nerve-wracking. I felt so fun games, sang songs, and wrote stories, but nervous when we were practicing because I we did not just make our own story. They assigned to us a main character, which could be thought I might not be able to get past the elimianything: a table, a bear, an iPad, etc. Would nation round. With this in mind, I still kept my cool you like to hear my story? Let me know, I’ll and continued on practicing my piece.

As part of the preparations, Paeng, Paolo and I be glad to tell you!

It was only a matter of days when the grand also attended a workshop in PETA. Many contesPAOLO FERNANDO Grade 5

BE A FORTIKIDS WRITER! LOOK FOR JOAQUI PALAÑA - YEAR 4

I

S

Experiences from the PETA-LAMPARA Competition

tants came and it was very obvious that they too prepared very well. We had fun making friends and playing together until the time for the elimination round. My nervousness came back but I remembered what Mr. Trinidad taught us about being relaxed whenever we join storytelling competitions. When it was my turn, I just thought of enjoying the moment and luckily, I forgot all about my nervousness!

The day after the eliminations gave us all three a shock! We learned that we made it all to the top 10 finalists for our division. The practices for several days paid off really well. This, however, also meant that we had to exert more effort in practicing since we are battling against the best among those who joined.

During the grand finals in SMX Convention Center, I was the first one to perform. My nervousness kicked in again but I did not lose hope.

Before I started narrating my story, I took a deep breath and started my storytelling. After my performance, I felt so happy because I knew I did my best and I also thought that my friends would also do the same.

We were all very excited when the time for the announcement of winners came. Unfortunately, I did not make it to the top three but it really didn’t affect me that much knowing that Paeng, who was also from Northfield, was declared as the champion. At the same time, I gained new friends in the competition. I also considered the training from the workshops as more than enough for a prize.

From this experience, I learned that believing in one’s talents is a real key to accomplish your goals. With all the contests that I joined before, this was definitely the most enjoyable and the one that gave me a lot of learning opportunities.

The Brew FORTIBUS FEATURES SECTION

W

e are living in a generation where more and more young people have serious problems derived from weakness of character, immaturity and irresponsibility, alcohol and drug abuse, religious indifference, marital instability, and divorce. A specialist dealing with troubled youngsters noted that they had a weak relationship and respect for their fathers. Their fathers did not exercise strong moral leadership during the formative years of childhood and young adolescence. Now, the father’s vital role in the child-rearing process is beginning to be valued. For the purpose of this article, the roles of a father in the child’s total development include that of a provider, educator, friend, role model, and disciplinarian. The exercise of such roles demands will power and virtues all based on natural moral law. This article digs deeper into the meaning of each of these roles.

The Role of Fathers and their Influence on their Son’s Total Development SALVADOR RAMOS

The Father as a Role Model Dr. Esther Esteban defines the word “role” as the proper or customary function, the part assumed by anyone; while modeling is considered as the art of one who acts as a standard for imitation1.

With each word, gesture, tone of voice, attitude, frown or smile; the father sends a signal and a message to the child. In effect, he is setting the example of how to live, love, hope, plan, pray, and face life itself with all its joys and sufferings. The example is observed, judged, remembered and recalled someday.

James Stenson, a well known professor in The Heights School based in Washington, pointed out that what most children look up to their father is their strength of character. He said that the term "character" is simply the integration into one personality of several fundamental strengths of mind and will. These are internalized, habitual, permanent habits and attitudes by which someone deals with life.

Children need a living manly character and conscience - a man who shows them how to live in virtues we want to emulate most in people: religious convictions, active, considerate and loving responsibility, mostly over oneself.

Love of the wife as demonstrated by the father is easily felt by the child. The father sincerely appreciates his wife’s sacrifices, hard work and loving attention to details.

An even more important point is that they show this appreciation in front of their children. Consciously or otherwise, a father draws the children’s attention to their mother’s outstanding qualities. He directs his children to share his gratitude and respect for Mom. Furthermore, the father is helping the child attain his goals in relation to spiritual or moral development, that is, respect for human sexuality. The boy also learns to love others much more so if nourished within the family. The need to satisfy the child’s emotional needs could result in the attainment of the goals related to the area of development. When he is given affection, attention, approval, and acceptance at home, he eventually learns to reciprocate and give love in return. It is in the family that a child learns the art of giving and sharing the appreciation and dignity of respect and affection through the father’s modeling.

The value of developing work habits and attitudes must also be needed if the boy is to attain self-confidence and achievement.

The child should have his own comfortable place to work and a specific schedule devoted to schoolwork everyday. We have to stress the need for orderliness and to bring home the truth that God wants us to fulfill our duties responsibly and completely.

A father who brings his child to the workplace is providing an opportunity for the child to sense, quietly and unconsciously, how one should relate with others (e.g. subordinates and other colleagues) in cheerful working environments and how to value one’s work among others.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

PHOTO TAKEN BY MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

SHUTTERSPACE

FATHER & SON CAMPING 2014 BLUROZE LIPA, BATANGAS 21-22 FEBRUARY 2014

VOLUME 2 NO. 1

The Father as a Friend A good father is a hero to his children and is the object of their lifelong devotion. He is not remote and unapproachable – as in the case of a severe authority figure. On the contrary, he is his children’s greatest friend, and unconsciously a model for all their other friendships. He is a source of happiness, confidence, humor, and wisdom.

Conversation is the most common activity at home.

Fathers talk about their own childhood and family life, their job responsibilities, their courtship with Mom, their worries and concerns, their past mistakes and hilarious blunders, the relationship with people whom they admire, their opinions and their convictions. This does not mean to impose the father’s viewpoints; sometimes the children don’t want to talk at all. But they’re patient and wait for an opening. As a result of this conversation, the children come to know their father’s mind inside out.

Overtime, they come to respect his experience and judgment. Of course such fathers listen to their children as well. They listen for what is unspoken and implied, as they come to understand the changes taking place in the children’s mind, and they steer the children’s judgment about people and affairs. They respect as well the children’s privacy. They praise them for their growth in character, showing their earnest expectations that the children will grow up to become great, honorable men and women regardless of what they do for a living.

The Father as a Provider The father provides for the developmental goals and needs of the child.

This is so because the child’s developmental needs is viewed in the context of totality: the physical, social, emotional and spiritual (including moral) well-being of the child. While the father explains his need to work for money to support their material needs, he should also teach the child certain values as regards the importance of professional work and the use of material goods. These values may include the honesty one exercises in his work, the depersonalizing effect of an excessive desire for wealth, the proper outlook towards money as a means for self-sustenance and service for others, and the subjective value of a job well done.

Consequently, a father should also teach their children how to live poverty. One way is to work alongside with their children at home, teaching the relationship between effort and results, along with the satisfaction for personal accomplishment. They are sparing in allowance. They make the children wait for things, and if possible earn them. They give generously time and money to the needy, and they encourage the children to do the same. They budget and save for their future, thus, showing that as fathers they are ready to give the children what they need by doing away with what is superfluous so as not to spoil them. Children, in turn, learn to put order in their material desires and seek only what is necessary for the moment.

Moreover, one of the most important objects of education, at home and in the school, is to prepare our children for their role in society as efficient consumers and producers. We use earthly goods not only for us and our family, but also for others; hence, having a regard for the common good. We have the duty to teach our children to reach out to other families, especially the poor and the needy.

Those who are in dire necessity have the right to share in the goods of the earth. This means that we have the duty to help the needy not just through superfluous or surplus goods, but to share our benefits with them.

The Father as an Educator It is oftentimes said that the parents are the first educators in the house. The Declaration on Education of the Second Vatican Council is explicit on the explanation of this role: “because parents have given life to their children, they are seriously obliged to educate them and therefore, they are the first and primary educators. This duty, that is educating the members of the family, is so important that when it is lacking, it can hardly be substituted. It is then an obligation of the parents to create an atmosphere in the family that is inspired by love, by piety towards God and towards man, and which favors an integrated personal and social education."2 Children have that potentials and capacities for doing things, and it is only through effort that these potentials are developed and can reach a greater operative perfection.

Certainly, the success of this effort depends on the help that the child receives from his parents. The word “education” is derived from two Latin words: ex ducere, meaning, to lead from and cultivate. It means to make a man, a Christian and a saint out of a child who tends to consciously cooperate more and more as he grows. With the grace of God, education also means projecting the image of Christ on humanity.

The duty of the father is focused on discovering and exposing the qualities of each child while working

LEARNING

The Brew continuously toward their growth. Indispensable therefore in this task is time – particularly, a dedication by the father of his constant time to have full attention to his child’s daily growth.

From the very start, fathers must know to what end or goal we are educating our children. And I believe that we have to develop them to be competent and confident individuals.

The Father as a Disciplinarian Authority can be better explained by looking at its etymology. It is derived from auctor (author), which in turn comes from augere (to augment, to let grow). It has come to mean a power which serves to sustain and increase the sense of responsibility among children.3 Dr. Otero, an expert in family education, further elaborated by saying that “personal authority is a positive influence which sustain and increases the autonomy and responsibility of each child. It is a service to the children in its educative function, a service which implies the power to decide and to sanction; it is a help which consists in guiding the participation of the children in the life of the family and in directing their growing autonomy towards a responsible use of freedom. It is an essential component of the love for children that manifests itself in diverse ways in the parent-child relationship”4 The authority of the parents comes from God, from whom all authority emanates. When children obey their parents and submit to them, they are obeying and submitting to God. Since it is the duty of parents to educate their children, it is imperative that they have the power to enforce the rules of the house in order to be effective. When one has a duty to perform, he must have the power and the ability to do it. Parents therefore, especially fathers, have to know that they have authority, corresponding to their responsibility as primary educators. And this authority has the capacity to exercise it out of love for their children. But then, the positive step in dealing with parental authority should have a close relationship and persistent efforts towards personal growth.

On this constant personal struggle really depends the success we aim for: the right relationship between personal growth and exercise of authority is to be sought in the efforts made and is not concentrated on the results. This enables us to think with optimism that authority can be a positive influence in the education of children. According to Dr. Otero, “this personal struggle in the process of developing oneself rests basically in prayer. A parent of a family who lives a life of faith - in their own education and in that of others dependent of them - make use not only of human but also of supernatural means.”6 The object of the parents’ education is to lead their children to have a sense of responsibility in their use of freedom and not to totally control them. Parents sometimes act as though they own their children, such as in the case of authoritarianism. This is a species of authority that proceeds not from the aim of developing the child, but from the good pleasure, the ambition, the plans, and the prejudices, or whims of the parents. The personal limitations of parents that support this mistaken view of authority are arbitrariness, neglect or even contempt and disregard for their duty to educate their children, wishful thinking and resistance to admit the personal needs of their children, an extravagant lifestyle that the parents would not want to forgo.

Far from authoritarianism, children should be governed as free and intelligent beings.

The children have the corresponding duty to obey for as long as they are not asked to do something against the natural moral law. In other words, the authoritative right of the parents over their children is not an absolute right. “There is a form of paternalism - characterized by wanting to replace their children’s thinking, his decision and even his actions with the parent’s own, instead of understanding and guiding him in accordance with his own unique potentials. Such misguided authority is based on a false conception of the nature of love and freedom; it can lead to fear of a child’s failure, to complete lack of confidence in all education methods and, perhaps, in

17 the child, to an indifferent attitude towards his own need for participation.”5 Moreover, the word discipline has fallen into ill repute.

Common usage has corrupted the word so much so that discipline today is used synonymously with punishment, most particularly corporal punishment. Punishment instead of being synonymous with discipline should be a minor part of discipline. It is only one of the means of enforcing discipline.

Most parents have punished children at one time or another.

Sometimes, it seems necessary for the children’s safety. In general, however, punishment does not guide children toward building new behavior.

Punishment also tends to build negative feelings in both individuals. If one must punish, the incident should immediately put behind one – hence, learning how to forgive and forget.

Dr. Dodson pointed out that “to discipline a child consists in teaching a child to behave in ways the parents consider to be desirable and to avoid behaving in ways they consider undesirable. Discipline is a teaching process on the part of the parents, and a learning process on the part of the child."6 Discipline therefore is the process of training and learning that fosters growth and development. It comes from the same word as “disciple” one who learns from or voluntarily follows a leader, the parents and teachers are the leaders, and the child is the disciple who learns from them the ways of life that leads to usefulness and happiness. Discipline should help children become self-guided and self-regulating so they can control their behavior and become independent.

In this view, discipline is a process of guiding behavior. The parents’ role is to guide children towards developing self-control, to encourage them to be independent, meeting their intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs, establishing expectations for them, organizing appropriate behaviors, arranging environments so self-discipline can occur.

I believe that the goal of most parents is to have children behave socially acceptable and in appropriate ways. Since the goal is never really fully achieved, parents should view guidance as a process of learning by doing. A child cannot learn to discipline himself by being told to sit still and behave.

Just as no one learns to read by reading a book on the subject, children do not learn to discipline themselves by being told.

Children need encouragement and opportunities to practice self-discipline.

Now it could be concluded that the fathers have a unique role in raising the children which is different from that of a mother’s. This demands awareness among fathers of the goals, roles, virtues and skills of fatherhood and father-craft.

And this awareness will help the fathers fulfill the challenges of fathering better. Years of experience as fathers have endowed each one of your certain degree of competence in coping with your children’s behavior which may not be acceptable at times. The role of fathering really depends on the development of the father in his role in parenting, in collaboration with the mother, especially that of a role-model, friend, provider, educator, and disciplinarian.

And the effective exercise of the above mentioned roles demands not only the personal effort in acquiring and practicing specific virtues, but with the use of supernatural and natural means based on natural moral law. Through the guidance of the father, the child develop totally – body and soul – using all of his powers such as the bodily senses, emotions, intellect, and will to develop his talents in the service of others. At the same time, he acquires the capacity to love only what is spiritually good and to strive towards what is good in life and beyond.

Achieving such a goal of parenting, that is the complete happiness of the child, is in turn the ultimate end of parenting, and in reaching this, the father has to seriously take on his roles.

Mr. Salvador K. Ramos, M.A. is a longtime educator in the PAREF System and is currently teaching Religion in Northfield. He finished his Master of Arts in Values Education degree in the University of Asia and the Pacific. This article is an edited version of one of his papers on Values Education and Parenting.

1

Esther Esteban, Education in Values: What, Why, and For Whom. Manila, Sinag-Tala Publishers, Inc. 1980, p. 109.

2 Catholic Position Paper, p. 2 3 Muñoz, Alonzo A. “Authority” Great Encyclopedia, Vol. Rialp, p. 460.

4 Otero, Oliveros F., Authority and Obedience, (Manila Sinagtala-Publishers, Inc. ). p. 9 6 Ibid, p. 11 5 Ibid, p. 13 6 Fitzhugh Dodson, “How To Father”’ p. 46

COVER PHOTO AND INSET BY MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

18

The Brew

SECTION EDITOR | JOSE BUENCAMINO JUNE - MARCH 2014

Teachers and their Craft JOSE BUENCAMINO

A

sk a student if he'd like to be a teacher and he will most likely stare at you in a funny way. This isn't surprising considering the fact that teachers exhaust themselves on a daily basis with lectures, tests, and papers with a meager salary for compensation, and to the average joe, this wouldn't sound like a particularly rewarding occupation. However, we see these inconveniences and tribulations being watered down when teaching is done in the name of love (as with all professions), such as one's passion for the sake of the well being of others or their passion to teach in itself - And to be a good teacher, you have to have a lot of love, because it entails a lot of self-giving.

Not all are well aware of how much teachers suffer when they stand at the front of the class, delivering lessons at the top of their lungs while everybody dillydallys their tuition away, or when the entire class is rendered unconscious by the afterlunch haze and the teachers grope desperately for the meager amount of attention they are still able to solicit.

Oftentimes, teachers have to dance along the border between being mediums of valuable information and babysitting, and it is as harrowing as it sounds. Elementary and High School students aren't known to have a high regard for master’s degrees and doctorates when it comes to prioritizing lessons over chats with peers, which leads to a great number of highly-respectable people being slapped in the face.

Nevertheless, we watch these people pick themselves back up and carry on day after day, and we witness them as they take whatever beating we give them. Though by

now, it probably sounds like the education system promotes routine acts of cruelty, what is important for one to take note of is the fact that these students see the teachers bite their lip and exhibit patience daily, and as a result, the virtue of patience is further etched into our minds. Although there are times when we drive them way over the top and turn them into huge, fiery balls spewing “there is something seriously wrong with you people” here and there, they often come back the next day, separate the sin from the sinner, and persist in fulfilling their duties, exhibiting the strength of character that serves as the perfect picture for people to emulate. In the long run, these acts of patience paint portraits of themselves in our minds that we draw upon for inspiration more frequently as time progresses – and just like paintings, when the author dies, the value of their art increases.

Aside from their capacity for patience, one thing that is truly noble about teachers is their capacity for compassion: your assurances have affected us in ways that have inconceivable repercussions, and your positive remarks each form blocks for us to stand on so as to attain a firmer and higher stand in our lives. However, it is not the case that we expect teachers to follow us everywhere we go and whisper into our ears how amazing and exceptional we are – that's just downright creepy. We students find much joy in those simple, personal, and truthful words of encouragement, whether you're telling us that we did good or that you believe we can do better. It's in these simple acts of compassion that we see how much you care about us, and

because of these, you illuminate things about ourselves, thus boosting our confidence – and because of this, we learn to appreciate your lessons more.

This capacity for compassion can be relied on to never run on a low supply. The fact that they are teachers means that they chose to endure all those abuses listed above in order to educate children and form them into the people that our world deserves, and for someone to do that entails no small amount of love for society.

Saint Thomas Aquinas himself explained that “to Love is to will the good of another,” and these people care about educating people so much so as to forego their own comfort. Teaching in itself is an act of selfgiving: in this profession, men and women dedicate themselves to imparting whatever information they have to offer unto their pupils, and this often exceeds the boundaries of their classrooms. This occurs when a teacher does his job so well that he cultivates a desire to learn in his students, and this leads them to digest whatever they can and seek the truth, and that leads them to become better people. And this makes the hardships all worth it because this is pretty much what teaching is all about: making better people.

Teachers are patient, strong, and caring, and we can always rely on them to be patient, strong, and caring. We students see them daily, and we often take that for granted until we realize that there are not many people like them. Yet, one does not have to be a teacher to be patient, strong, and caring. Being a teacher just means that you're in the frontline of teaching people how to be.

”

Aside from their capacity for patience, one thing that is truly noble about teachers is their capacity for compassion

LEARNING

PHOTO BY MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

VOLUME 2 NO. 1

The Brew

19

A Pilgrimage to Compostela JAVI REYES

E

urope is widely known to be one of the most culturally significant places in the entire world. It is comprised of different civilizations, each unique in their upbringing and heritage. From the castles of England to the charm of Paris, Europe’s diverse culture and tradition is extraordinary.

Last summer, I had the special opportunity to visit Europe. The first thing that struck me upon arriving was the weather; being used to the tropical Philippine weather, the temperate atmosphere surprised me! It was an absolutely new experience!

Our first stop was Toledo, Spain, a city of historical illustriousness. Declared a World Heritage Site in the year 1986, Toledo is home to famous sites such as the Alcazar, which was inhabited by kings and rebel leaders alike. There in Toledo, we got our first taste of the Spanish culture: old cathedrals, long siestas, and good food.

Our succeeding destinations were Segovia and Avila in central Spain. Segovia, which was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site, houses the Roman Aqueduct, one of the most beautifully preserved monuments in the world.

The main event in our itinerary was the Camino de Santiago, or in English, The Way of St. James. It is a pilgrimage path to Santiago de Compostela established in the medieval ages by Christians looking for penance. In fact, it is still being heavily practiced today. There are different routes and variations of the Way, the most popular one being the Portuguese Way, which begins in Porto, Portugal. Unlike the other routes, which are much longer, the Portuguese Way is only a 6-day travel.

WRITE FOR FORTIBUS NEXT YEAR TRAVEL

Halfway through the first day of the pilgrimage, my parents and I were already beyond exhausted. With six days and 110 kilometers still ahead of us, we were not sure we would make it. However, we remembered the reason why we undertook this journey in the first place: for God. Needless to say, we regained our strength, pushed on forward, and we actually kept up with the 200 other pilgrims ahead of us.

Now you might ask, where do these 200 pilgrims sleep at night? To provide temporary shelters for the pilgrims, the Spanish government established several hostels called albergues. In these albergues, there are showers, beds, and blankets; only the necessities for a night’s stay.

Aside from being religiously fulfilling, The Way is also visually pleasing. The sights I saw along the way in the small towns and municipalities we passed through were very beautiful, to say the least. We saw a multitude of elegant churches and monasteries, something Spain is very famous for.

When we finally arrived at our destination, the epilogue of our pilgrimage, the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, we were so overcome with different emotions. We were relieved that our tiring journey has climaxed to heightening proportions; we were spiritually at ease for having completed this momentous pilgrimage. But we were also saddened; saddened because the journey was over.

ae

G U

facebook.com/fortibusnf @FortibusNFD

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAVI REYES

20

The Brew

SECTION EDITOR | JOSE BUENCAMINO JUNE - MARCH 2014

`âá|vtÄ `âá|Çzá JOSE BUENCAMINO

T

ake a peek into one of our classrooms on a regular school day and the odds are that in four out of five times, you will find a guitar tucked away in a corner - and that the only exception is home to a violinist. Even our guard can attest to the fact that it is strange for an entire day to pass without him seeing a student with an instrument in hand.

Music is very much a piece of our student-life puzzle, as what we can hear from the numerous festivities, competitions, and performances we organize throughout a year. It is a channel that operates at a closer, warmer frequency, and it is a more vivid mode of self-expression. Watching students get together and form bands to perform in front of live audiences shows how much music can bring people together yet tell them apart, and it is precisely because of this that students are drawn to it.

Life's intangibles have profound effects upon the human frame of mind: a snift at a waft of air carrying the aroma of freshly baked bread is sure to make a sullen afternoon feel warmer, and a summer breeze rarely passes without winnowing the heat of one's frustrations in a single, blissful moment. It is also amazing how we found ways to recreate these phenomena and use them as bridges, enabling human expression to supersede the boundaries of words in a highly intelligent manner, thus adorning these with a distinctly human touch. By means of manipulation, we have developed various vessels for us to pour the essence of our humanity into, and this is basically what art is. Because what we have is what is poured into these vessels, these vessels show who we are.

Music is one such vessel, and it in itself is incredible.

Music is the modification of sound and silence to form patterns, and these patterns are further tinkered with to create more complex series of sounds. It is a tapestry wherein the different notes, beats, and rests are interwoven like strings

ARTS

of various sizes, breadths, and colors to form patches that are further sewn together to form elaborate works of art. This is extraordinary in the sense that there is a magnanimous strain on order in a discipline wherein its material cannot be seen nor touched: in fact, one's hearing is the only sense to be employed. It truly shows the ingenuity of man, as all art forms do.

If you walk all the four corners of the earth, you'll find four different cultures in each corner, and I'm going to bet that all those cultures have their own kinds of music. People use music to communicate, and what makes their music distinct from each other is how the message is communicated (which lies in the instruments used in making the music) and what is being said. Because different cultures have different backgrounds, they have different experiences; thus they have different kinds of music for different stories to tell. Their music shows who they are, and because they are distinct, their music is distinct as well. People, however, have experiences that are universal, and this plus the fact that they have music unites them with the rest of humanity in the musical world.

If you walk all the four corners of PAREF Northfield School for Boys, you'll find many different groups of friends, many musical tastes, and many ways for students to exhibit their musicality. This year, The Voice Academy of the Philippines organized a singing contest for both elementary and high-school levels, promoting friendly intramural competition amongst the students in the musical realm. Also this year, Jboy Kison and his choir, the Hail Mary the Queen Children's Choir of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao won in the children's folk choir category of the 67th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Children's Choir Festival last July. Northfield's own choir, Una Vox, was formed this year by Mr. Allan Ungriano, giving the students a venue to hone their vocal skills and perform as a team. Lastly, in the

field of music appreciation, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the Philippine Science High School auditorium to mark the 20th year of Northfield's conception.

This truly shows how much students welcome music as a part of their lives, and how much it touches them.

Whether it is made for the praise of an infinite being, for the entertainment of other men, or to encourage people to take a certain course of action, music remains an open door for people to touch others in new ways. By looking at how it's used within the context of speech alone, you can see how strong the effect of sound is. For example, we can refer to the following sentence: “You're really great.” It can be said in a variety of ways with tonal variation, and the meaning would be interpreted differently with each one. Saying it in a stoic manner would make it appear harsh or even sarcastic, rendering a negative or neutral effect upon the person spoken to. However, if said soothingly, slowly, and with moderate, dynamic stress on the syllables, it could be taken as something positive for being well-meant. This shows that sounds have deeply personal effects when people invest themselves, and that it reveals deeply personal matter. You can also see that when someone has “more sound” in the way that person sounds, it feels more personal, and thus the level of communication becomes more intimate.

Humans all over the world take advantage of this to express themselves to each other and to the world. We students are in the critical stage of development wherein we discover who we are, and music helps us do precisely that. It helps us express ourselves so as to be felt by other people, and by looking at the music we make, we learn things about ourselves as well. It is because of this and all of the aforementioned reasons that Northfield has a musical soul, and this year, it has struck a chord.

IMAGE TAKEN FROM INQUIRER.NET

BE NE A TH O U R F E E T

W AST E SEGREGAT I ON

Alfred Wegener in relation with the recent Cebu-Bohol earthquake

Creating a more eco-friendly learning environment

Science

21

SECTION EDITOR | JOSE ERICTA JUNE - MARCH 2014

NFD implements Waste Segregation Program JOSE ERICTA NORTHFIELD’S Student Executive Board (SEB) Chairman Joaqui Palaña led the inauguration of the school’s Waste Segregation Program (WSP) during a morning student assembly, first week of August 2013.

This program compels the student body and the rest of the school community to orderly manage their waste materials in order to promote cleanliness in the campus. It also helps raise awareness about proper waste disposal and its positive impact to the earth’s condition, and live the virtue of order more deeply. This program also includes the good habit of practicing the CLAYGO (Clean As You Go) procedure, not only inside the school premises, but wherever NFD students and employees may be.

“First of all, we believe that this program will serve as another opportunity to practice and strengthen the virtue of order among PAREF students,” Palaña said. “Order is very essential.

This virtue can save you from a lot of stress and harm. By knowing where particular trash should be thrown, you are a step ahead in effectively practicing order.”

“We are seeing a lack of order in classrooms and so we agreed on executing this. Also, we are one of the few institutions in the area that do not practice the segregation of waste materials despite the efforts of the local government of Quezon City in promoting this good proenvironment procedure. I think it is about time for us to follow such procedures.” Palaña added.

The SEB chairman also remarked that the inclusion of the CLAYGO procedure as one of the important aspects of the program was prompted by the desire of the SEB to help the teachers inculcate the sense of common good among the students. “From time to time, visitors come to Northfield. Parents, drivers and guardians also stay in the cafeteria as they wait for the dismissal time or for a scheduled appointment with a teacher. As a matter of respect for the others, it is just fitting for NFD students to learn how to maintain these key areas in the school clean and pleasant to stay in,” he remarked.

The generation and production of waste materials is already an unavoidable practice today.

The segregation of trash is NFD’s first step in helping to preserve a cleaner and more

The Ground beneath Our Feet JOSE ERICTA

Y

our teacher has probably discussed in your science class the term ‘plate tectonics.’

How about land faults? Or have you any idea about Alfred Wegener’s theory of Continental Drift? If you have, then you could probably understand what happened to Central Visayas recently.

The theory of plate tectonics was actually a developed version of Alfred Wegener’s Continental Drift wherein he assumed that the earth beneath us is shifting little by little because of the earth’s magnetic core through a process called paleomagnetism or rock magnetism. He also started the idea of the earth being used to be only a huge single land mass (Pangaea) that started to separate gradually through time; something the same that happen to icebergs.

Faults are the boundaries of the plates that often collide with other faults and cause earthquakes. It is because of the rigidity of the rock that allows the accumulated potential energy to produce massive amounts of force during collisions. There are numerous faults in this planet both discovered and not. Who knows your house might be sitting on top of one!

Last October 15, a massive earthquake shook the island provinces of Bohol and Cebu with a magnitude of 7.2. Its force claimed a total of 156 lives, injured 374 people, and brought down several structures including 2,066 houses, 20 bridges and several centuries-old heritage churches according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). It was the strongest quake the Philippines has ever experienced in 23 years. Even some of the Chocolate Hills were destroyed because of the shift in terrain! This was caused by the disturbance that allowed the North Bohol Fault to drastically shift. The quake also made Bohol move 55 centimeters toward Cebu Island. Even up to now, the province is still experiencing noticeable aftershocks.

As regards structural damages, the government gave a rough estimate of the costs amounting to be at least Php 75 million. It also sent some 47,067 Boholanos to live in temporary shelters. Rehabilitation efforts are being planned but no implementation can be done until government agencies like the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) gives the assurance that no other destructive aftershocks could be expected.

Earthquakes, indeed, are just few of the natural disasters that our country needs to prepare for. The recent Central Visayas quake could also be interpreted as a summons for our government to also pay attention to more concerted efforts in improving our weather information systems, disaster response teams, and research facilities for disaster preparedness. This means that funding and well-trained personnel are also very much needed in this sectors of science and technology.

sustainable environment. NFD further simplified this step by putting two separate trash bins in every room. One is classified as biodegradable and the other, non-biodegradable. The SEB also posted information graphics in every classroom as a reminder for students to practice the waste segregation and CLAYGO procedures.

It has been proven that waste segregation is an effective way to reduce land pollution and the growing number of accumulated trash that can clog waterways and result in heavy floods. By practicing this, NFD re-aligns itself in the effort of local communities and other establishments in Quezon City to help manage waste disposal in the metro efficiently.

14 22

Sports

SECTION EDITOR | ALPHONSO BALAGTAS JUNE - MARCH 2014

Wakeboards Up in Nuvali JM PARIÑAS

L

ast August 2013, I went with some of my friends from Lantaka Study Center to Sta. Rosa, Laguna to experience doing one of the fastest-growing water sports in the world – wakeboarding. Rushing over the waters of Nuvali’s Republic Wake Park lagoon, this sport seems to be one heck of an enjoyable experience. This surfing-related sport proves to impress an adventurous, outdoors-type of guy like me. As adrenaline kicks in, you’ll feel pumped up and ready for the action. Although it is a bit terrifying and frustrating at first (because you really need to do a lot of attempts before you can perfect the basic wakeboarding form), wakeboarding challenges you as it fills you up with excitement.

According to Wikipedia, wakeboarding, which was originally called skurfing, arose in the late 1980s after the advent of ski-boarding (now snowboarding). This hobby evolved as a sport and is said to have been created in Australia and New Zealand using binding-less hand-shaped boards specifically designed for towing. Over the years, Tony Finn and inventor Bruce Mckee, along with associate Mitchell Ross launched the world’s first mass-produced plastic, roto-moulded construction “skurfboard” named ‘Mcski’, which would be later known as the ‘SSS’ ski-board, and much later the ‘Sake Snake’. The term ‘wakeboarding’ was coined by Paul Fraser, along with his brother Murray, and a professional snowboarder they sponsored.

Wakeboarding is a water sport that is almost similar to skiing and surfing except that it uses a buoyant board tied on the back of a boat and is pulled by a speeding boat at around 25 mph. In many wake-parks, however, they use a machineoperated rope course with one end held by the wakeboarder to propel him into action. There are many tricks that can be done in this sport, which makes it very exciting; however, it requires a lot of skill and practice in order for one to execute them. For example, competitive wakeboarders like the ones we saw in Rebuplic Wake Park had to practice every week using a specialized kind of wakeboards and shoes to allow them do tricks on set-up ramps and other obstacle courses.

One professional wakeboarder can even launch himself into mid-air back-flips and still sustain perfect surfing form when he landed back onto the water.

Being a newbie to this sport, my friends and I just contented ourselves in perfecting the wakeboarding form at the beginner’s course. At this level, your main objective is to be able to stand up and ride the board steadily across the other end of the vertical lagoon course. Before we were able to perfect this, we had to spend more than an hour practicing, with several failed attempts, plunging and splashing back into the water. Jose Buencamino and Sir Miggy, however, successfully rode their boards in the bigger, more challenging course that already allows one to move along a path with clockwise turns.

In the end, this water sport is not only enjoyable but is also challenging both physically and mentally. My friends and I, after more or less two hours of wakeboarding, felt so hungry and drained that we had to order trays of food from McDo, and dozed off in the car on our way back home.

IMAGE TAKEN BY MR. ROMMEL TRINIDAD

STOKED. The author (third from the left) and his friends in Nuvali’s Republic Wakepark.

Faculty A outshoots Year V in Intrams 2014 Finals FACULTY A shaded the Year V-A superiors in NFD’s 2014 Intramurals Championship-Division A, 77-73, in the school’s open-court, March 7, 2014 despite a sudden but short-lived drizzle.

It was a disheartening loss for the graduating ballers as they played an all-out half-time leaving the teachers’ team trailing behind. Super scorers Nico Fernandez, Paul Ericta and Luigi Ampil rallied the first two quarters, earning a decent 10-point margin against the teachers. The winning spell, however, did not hold for long as the teachers managed to turn the tides at the dying seconds of the third quarter. Tension was building up, and the student ballers are getting hot over missed plays, which the veterans silently took advantage.

For the teachers, a game of attrition was never a choice, as they poured out everything into the last two quarters of the game. Crucial were the heroics of Ronald Alava, Dennis Tuazon, and the hailed MVP Raul Arenas. In the remaining minutes of the fourth quarter, the teachers just held it out with a tight defense, forcing Fernandez, who previously suffered a minor injury, and his teammates to fire long jumpers with no avail.

Meanwhile, Division B was dominated by Year V-B as they decimated Grade 8-B in their finals, 43-59, last February 27, 2014. The strong junior cagers from Grade 8-B tasted no defeat until this decisive match with the more senior Year V-B. Top scorers Jorrel Bencio and Raffy Uy broke the stronghold of the younger ballers as they took perimeter shots.

The annual NFD Intramurals has been a tradition since the foundation of the school.

Every year, games are b e c o m i n g m o re a n d more exciting as there are more students who take part in the matches. Ultimately, this tradition is not only about snatching t h e c u p f ro m t h e other, but in fostering g re a t e r u n i t y a n d warmer school spirit among those who form part of the NFD community.

AIRBENDERS. Senior Paul Ericta attempts to score a point over Sophomore Bernard Berberabe (right) and Junior Kyle Valencia (left).

PHOTO BY KEVIN ABELLAR

VOLUME 2 NO. 1

Sports

15 23

FULL FORCE. The Philippine’s ILLAM Senior League Baseball Team poses as the Asia-Pacific and Middle-East delegate to the World Series. Gio Esguerra (1st row, rightmost) and Alphonso Balagtas (1st row, fourth from the right) are currently in NFD’s Year IV class.

Balagtas, Esguerra join RP batters’ team for World Series JAVI REYES AUGUST 17, 2013 - The Philippine ILLAM team failed to bag the championship title in the Senior League World Series held in Bangor, Maine this year but nevertheless succeeded in representing the Philippines and the rest of Asia-Pacific and the Middle East in the prestigious Worlds tournament with NFD’s very own Alphonso Balagtas and Gio Esguerra.

It was a very challenging rout for the Filipino batters as they scored 1-3 over all having only defeated Canada from Pool A, the same group where the ILLAM team belonged. Panama bagged the 2013 Senior League World Series championship trophy outlasting East United States team from Pennsylvania, 1-2, in the finals.

Long and tough indeed was the fight but everything was worthwhile for the young RP sluggers. Since their dramatic win in the Asia-Pacific Senior League Championships, the ILLAM team broke their backs preparing for the next big tourney. After beating China in home-court to advance to the semifinals, the Philippine team then routed Saipan and earned the coveted spot for the Senior League World Series. Key to the important win was the heroics of Alphonso Balagtas in the final innings; double sending his teammate Rafael Esguerra to tie the scores, and

finally sending Esguerra for the winning run with his grounder.

For Balagtas, the chance to the World Series was long overdue. A longtime member of the RP team, Alphonso was there when the team experienced their heartbreaking loss against CNMI in their previous attempt to garner the Worlds’ ticket. At one point, Alphonso was close to giving up. “I felt like we just weren’t good enough,” he said. However, with the support of his family and his team, Alphonso was able to overcome it and proceeded to working doubly hard.

In Gio’s part, it was his first time to be part of the Philippine National Baseball team. “It was a really proud experience for me as I represented my country, which is not something everyone could simply do,” he said. At first, Gio was nervous, as is what everyone would feel. What helped him through the jitters, he said, was his team’s overall loudness on the field. “We were loud, on and off the dugout, and that really helped relieve some stress on my part.”

“They just never gave up,” ILLAM manager Arsenic Laurel remarked in an interview. And indeed, giving up is never an option for this young Filipino batters as they have already tasted how it was in the Worlds.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GIO ESGUERRA

DASH. Esguerra slides for the base in one of ILLAM’s matches in the World Series.

ILLAM has been training for months every Saturday in preparation for this big event.

PHOTOS FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

sports EDITOR: ALPHONSO BALAGTAS

2013 TO 2014 PHILIPPINE SPORTS

VICTORIES Michael Christian Martinez Men’s Figure Skating 5th Place 2013 World Junior Championships RP Representative 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

JUNE 2013 - MARCH 2014

NFD junior ballers SPORTS SHORTS and booters win back-to-back FORTUNE, indeed, favored NFD’s brave grade school basketball varsity and futsal team as they won multiple championship cups this school year.

Among the important championship events for the young ballers was the Everest League Championships, where the varsity copped the first place in both the 14-under and 12-under competitions. Also, the varsity finished second in the Northball League, and third in the Ath-

letic Association for Private Schools (AAPS) meet.

Meanwhile, the grade school futsal team also brought home their share of podium finishes. The young booters finished second in the La Salle Green Hills 7-A-Side Invitational 2014 and in the Philippine Futsal Association (PFA) Youth Cup 12-Under division, while they landed at third place in the 2013 Globe: ‘Football Para sa Bayan’ tilt.

Gilas Pilipinas Basketball Team Men’s Basketball 1st Runner-Up 2013 FIBA-Asia Cup RP Representative 2014 FIBA World Cup

“

Wesley So Chess 1st Place World University Championships 2013

We just didn’t give up!

Manny Pacquiao Professional Boxing Champion 2013 WBO International Welterweight Title Rubilen Amit Billiards 1st Place 2013 Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship

Northfield Batters Join the Pantheon of Int’l PH Athletes

DLSU Green Archers College Basketball Champion UAAP Season 76 Basketball Championships

STORY on page 23

Anchor outlasts Vinta for NFD Sports Fest 2013 title JULY 25, 2013 - Anchor copped this year’s Sports Fest championship title against Vinta as they battled it out in the Amoranto Stadium, Quezon City. The event was opened with the Parade of Houses led by Year V team captains Raffy Uy for Anchor and Gabe Feliciano for Vinta. Facilitated by the teachers, sports events included running relay, dodge ball, and the crowd-favorite tug-of-war. This year’s highlight, however, was an “Outbreak Manila” marathon style, where the students had to successfully cross towards the other side of the field while evading a layer of teachers, whose objective is to eliminate as many students as possible by snatching from them colored flags.

This year’s organizing committee was headed by faculty member Coach JM Cargo with the help of the Students’ Affairs Office.

NFD and ILLAM catcher Gio Esguerra from Year IV poses for a pictorial before the matches. Esguerra is also the current Chief Editor of FORTIBUS.

24

VOLUME 2

NFD and ILLAM slugger Alphonso Balagtas from Year IV prepares himself for a crucial swing. Balagtas is also the current Sports Editor of FORTIBUS.

SPOTLIGHT Year V and Varsity Player NICO FERNANDEZ’s heroics at the 2014 NFD Intramurals

Arenas tops QC junior tankers’ tilt YOUNG TANKER Carlos Juaquin L. Arenas from Grade 2 bested the rest of the swimmers in his division in the recent Quezon City Foundation Swimming Meet.

Arenas took home three gold medals for the breaststroke, freestyle, and backstroke events; while he finished second in the butterfly and 100-meter freestyle events.

PHOTOS BY KEVIN ABELLAR

FULLYGEARED

TRUE GRIT

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF PAREF NORTHFIELD SCHOOL FOR BOYS