FEATURES

DEAD MINDS FORDEADLINES

TWO YEARS LATER

by NICOLE BONSILAO

Jane slumps; breathes a sigh of defeat when the assignment tab disappeared at the stroke of midnight. Having spent the morning tending to her siblings and the afternoon looking after their carinderia, she now tends to her academic duties. Two years later, Jane beams as she marches onstage with a silver medal on her chest, carrying her diploma with her head up high. After all that she has gone through, this final hurrah signifies a new journey to embark on.

“It was bittersweet,” she expressed her sentiments in an interview. For Jane, her countless struggles with academics and familial responsibilities weren’t easy to balance. Especially in a no face-to-face setup, having no stable internet connection and inadequate resources hung heavier on an already heavily burdened student. If we recall, the Department of Education noted that 3 million fewer students enrolled in 2020 because of the dilemma of a virtual academic setup.

There were countless times that she doubted herself and often pondered the idea of dropping out and resuming until the situation alleviates, but expressed she could not put years of hard work dissipate. “Maybe my senior high school life wasn’t a smooth sailing journey mainly because it was hard to juggle all my responsibilities SCAN TO READ PART 1 other than academics. However, I was able to overcome it all,” she said.

Jane conveys how grateful she is for the many opportunities that opened for her. With most institutions pushing for hybrid and face-toface classes in the coming academic year, Jane is hopeful for her journey, “I don’t know what becomes of my next journey, but I know I’ll never give up whatever comes my way.”

With battling dead minds for deadlines and juggling responsibilities, and despite the anxiety of what lies ahead, on the podium stands the triumphant Jane who pushed through it all.

by NICOLE BONSILAO

Despite centuries-long struggles for women’s equality and status in society, biased opinions toward the woman and her position continue to be a troubling circumstance. This is well-reflected in the National Elections 2022 in how Leni Robredo and Sara Duterte become subject to criticism and gender-biased opinions that belittle and target their leadership—all just for being a woman.

In politics, the color says it all. While green has been a neutral color paired with its stark-red counterpart, pink has faced its dilemmas all for being too “feminine” by the country’s macho-political standards. Pink may have always been regarded as a woman’s color representing calmness and compassion— but it doesn’t mean it cannot lead. This calm and compassionate leadership is seen in the current Supreme Student Government (SSG) and actively upheld by its president, Ms. Kyla Tiffany Javier. “When I ran for presidency, back when I was just still campaigning with my party, I have always made sure that it was a collaborative effort between me and my members,” she expressed. Her approach to leading a student government has always been open and impartial, something

FINDING PEACE AS A FORMER 4PS

by MARTHA MACALTAO

In the city of Cagayan de Oro, Balulang houses hope for those in poverty in the form of a parlor. Where both hard work and beauty bloom—the owner—a former 4Ps member, shines with perseverance after bringing her family to a life out of poverty.

Evelyn Caballero, mother of three and wife to a diligent taxi driver, is a force to be reckoned with. Despite witnessing the destruction of her parlor during Typhoon Sendong in December 2011, her heart continued to burn with perseverance. As a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiary, Evelyn took and graduated in the Beauty Care Course of Philippine Institute of Skills and Development (PISAD), and passed the NC II accreditation by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). With a heart full of pride, she proudly marched up on stage with her husband and daughters, happy for her success at the PISAD graduation ceremony.

As an entrepreneur and a mother, the pressure of having to make ends meet for the sake of her children’s education is heavy. Despite having a TESDA accreditation and being eligible to work abroad, she is determined to stay in the country to guide her daughters in their formative years—thus deciding to rebuild Shammah Beauty Parlor and start over. Evelyn keeps a steady stream of customers thanks to her high-quality and affordable services; and her dream of providing a better life for her family, particularly for her three children's schooling became a reality.

Her aspirations don’t stop there. "The training has aided me and other compatriots who had previously been denied such possibilities to better our lives. Pantawid Pamilya recipients, too, are now receiving the advantages of government initiatives," she said, expressing her gratitude for the program. She extended a hand to the DSWD-Field Office X Haven for Women—a center for victim-survivors of abuse—and educated them in manicure, pedicure, foot massage, make-up, and spa, wanting to see other people succeed. The success of the 4Ps in keeping Filipino children healthy and in school was highlighted in the Impact Evaluation Report, released every three years by the agency and partner organizations of World Bank, Australian Aid, and Asian Development Bank. 4Ps, as noted in its findings, encourages households to invest in education, does not foster dependency or increased spending on vice products, and allows parents to aim for a brighter future for their children. Evelyn Caballero is one force to be reckoned with, and many others will follow her footsteps very soon. "I can only achieve all of my ambitions for myself, my spouse, and my children through the help of schooling," she shared. To live out of poverty via education and have a dream of an opulent life that would never end is an aspiration many should follow. Should this mindset come about, we could only hope for success to be caught in the grasps of many and heroes like Evelyn to grow in numbers.

she has learned after four straight years in the SSG. She states, “looking at leadership this way kind of helped me to better understand the people I work with therefore creating harmony within the team despite our differences.”

The same can be said for the Grade 12 Representative, Ms. Gracie Carmel Reyn Taganile. Without the face-toface setup, virtual leadership was challenging, but this didn’t stop her compassionate service to the people. “Compassion is one of the core values that I developed with being a leader and this has helped me in leading by serving and uplifting others," she said.

While feminism and progressive movements challenge the traditional Maria Clara stereotype, the country still has much work to be done to let go of its ironfist and macho-patriarchal culture in politics. In this era, where even the femininity of the “pink” triggers sexists and invalidates a woman’s authority, leaders like Kyla and Gracie prove that compassionate leadership can overcome gender stereotypes imposed by the macho rule. Let us celebrate women, femininity, and the women leaders of the country—quoting the famous line of Regina George, “On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink.”

Claire Sumaliling is none other than a mother whose love burns the brightest for her two bundles of joy. Traveling from country to country, she works hard to grant herself and her children a fulfilling life. From being a wedding planner in Kuwait, a wedding designer in the United Arab Emirates, an encoder sec in a big building press in Dubai, an accountant in a dental clinic at Singapore, and now also Youtuber offering a variety of content for her viewers, she continues to get the job done.

But behind the confident and passionate character is a battle with depression, which she struggles to fight as a single mother miles away from the very people that motivate her to keep going: her children. In spite of this tumultuous barricade, she was able to persevere for herself and her loved ones—ultimately overcoming the hurdles that held her back. With her children now turning 15 and 17 years old, Claire Sumaliling’s determination continues to glow even brighter.

“It's not easy as a single mother of 2 kids, especially since I'm not around them to see firsthand how they’ve grown up already. Through prayers, I wish for God to continue to bless my family,” she said.

Even distance raises a white flag of surrender to a mother’s love and tenderness. Claire was able to overcome her struggles because of her determination and hard work through the years, despite having to juggle her personal needs and the responsibilities of a single parent, wherever it may take her. Like her, behind the strong facade every mother may show, is a woman whose utmost priority is to bless her children with a life they deserve.

Claire Sumaliling, Far From Home

by MARTHA MACALTAO

Long distance relationships never last,” or so they say, but the kinship between Claire and her children is one that puts even this famous saying to shame.

Home along the Foreign Lands by MARTHA MACALTAO

Traveling to different countries isn’t always all tourist spots and best combo menus. For every person, there may always be despair lurking around the bend and corners of the path; yet when there is dark, a light will eventually pass through. As the cherry blossoms bloom in Nagoya, so does one Virgie Ishihara, the light of every Filipino living in Japan.

Things didn’t start out easy for Virgie when she first stepped foot in the land of the rising sun. Not only was she an informal female migrant worker, she also didn’t understand a speck of Niponggo. In her fight to survive in Japan, she observed and experienced the challenges, trying to make things work along the way.

Like the 1.77 million Overseas Filipino Workers who went abroad to pursue better opportunities and pay, Virgie struggled to adapt to her new environment and adjust to a new country to provide for her family. Having been exposed to the hardships firsthand, she felt sympathy for her fellow Filipinos who were also going through a tough time in a country vastly different from their home.

In the years that have gone, she was able to provide a stable life in for herself and desired to give back in return. She helped many Filipino women and men working and living in crisis conditions by connecting with each other in similar situations. Visa concerns, work challenges, racial prejudice, health issues, and poor educational accomplishment are some of the issues that Filipinos face in foreign countries like Japan. Yet despite these challenges, Virgie remained humble and robust in her kindness to aid those who needed her help.

Now holding the title of “ate”, “nanay”, and “lola”, among Filipino families in Japan, she uncovered almost impossible solutions in Japanese ward prefecture offices through the years. When asked how she responds to calls for assistance, Vergie said, “Kailangan kong sagutin at malaman ang problema na ito.” Nowadays, Virgie is a “one call away” emergency hotline for her fellow Filipinos in Japan. First it was in Nagoya, and now it is available in various other Japanese prefectures.

As the Director and Founder of the Filipino Migrants Center (FMC) in Nagoya, Virgie Ishihara showed what a home feels like to Filipinos struggling in Japan. Despite her disadvantage, Ishihara proved that when the Greatness of Spirit is applied, no stumbling obstacle can prevent one from changing the world for the better. “No man is an island,” as the saying goes. If we provide a helping hand to our fellow kababayans, we can keep the promise of a better life alive for all Filipinos.