the Gap Bridge

Amidst the rapid advancements in technology and the internet, the digital gender gap still shows women being underrepresented and slowly becoming discouraged from pursuing digital-related circumstances Women are being denied equal access to many opportunities because of this gap such as having the mindset that girls arenʼt as well-versed in technological concepts than boys often leading to mishaps that may occur whenever the topic of livelihood comes up such as getting job opportunities or perhabs being presented as a winner of a computer-related contests Situations vary and women can only partially partake in technology and the internet's benefits

Nowadays, access to technology gives awareness and knowledge one click away The internet may offer distractions as entertainment, but this does not hinder the fact that it can still be a positive resource for everyone's necessities Hence, women and girls who cannot access this struggle with even the simplest of problems They need help to catch up with what's happening around the world They need more education and information Simply put, their knowledge is limited compared to those with access to technology and the internet

In regards to this, Jeanna Ricci M Melo, a student from 8-Counsel, said that “Some people think that men are better than women, Women have been facing these kinds of obstacles for so long, and Digital Gender Gap is just one of the many challenges that need to be faced thatʼs why we need to bridge this gap for equality, and I know that us women are all determined to find a way to do so”

Moreover, the digital gender gap is a pressing issue that needs to be resolved as another step toward gender equality We must acknowledge that this issue is more severe than we initially believed, particularly in line with the current pandemic I am talking about many women and girls needing more education, information, entertainment, and opportunities in the digital world Their inability to access technology also acts as a barrier to proper development and economic growth We need to prioritize gender equality and digital involvement for all Once we bridge this gap through improved access, education, and opportunities and empower women and girls in this digital era, this will lead to a brighter and more inclusive society for all

Inflation made a clove of garlic in despair, especially its calling for demands One of the factors also is because of the climate the Philippines has been giving to agriculture The climate here undoubtedly changes in an unforeseen manner It disrupts the activities that are supposed to be given to agricultural production, mainly the garlic itself Last 2022, people preferred to buy garlic imported in the amount of P80 per kilo rather than purchasing a P300 per kilo harvested locally This somehow affects the nations economy since instead of making it a more profitable case for vendors, it weighed down, making it less valuable for consumers

One of the worst scenarios that happened last 2022 is that demands are more than half of what is being supplied in the market In The data of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), the Philippines profoundly catered garlic from the ones that were being imported in Quarter 1; the total demand was 37,331 The supply was only 27,921 from both the local source and the imported ones This somehow concerns the welfare of agricultural production here in the Philippines, knowing they depend more on what is being imported

On a more negative side local farmers stopped producing local garlic since cheaper garlic can be found in other countries mainly China which is known for being rich in growing fruits and vegetables This has been a dilemma for the agricultural sector since it downgrades the farmers' well-being and needs to be addressed in markets

The government ought to concentrate on finding solutions to the problem of the price of garlic that made people explode Regular economic monitoring and demand suppression for the agricultural industry are required

Every farmer should be respected, and we should give them justice for their hard work to have a clove of garlic in our kitchen A clove of garlic is an effort made by farmers; it is their delicate response to people to enjoy the food and use it for health Regardless of how pricey garlic gets, we should consider what farmers would feel if their harvested garlic is neglected We should be grateful that they still produce garlic amid the pandemic and inflation

Our food will be meaningless if garlic is not on the recipe list; we should know that this is one of the additional ingredients It is the first ingredient in a pan to add flavor and aroma, just for the other ingredients to grab the opportunity to combine their distinct flavor with garlic Though the price of garlic rises to the sky, we should still give justice to it and appreciate the taste, regardless of how people value a clove of garlic Thatʼs how a clove of garlic became a protagonist for months and today it is peacefully sold at markets Would you try one so that you know what its given value is?

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Trixi Acorda

Danea Mortera

Jacquilyn Tungpalan, Celine Contreras

Vienessa Joy Ardid, Bernadette Cadunggan

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Jazleen Reese Melo

Roxie Scarlet Aguirre, Faythmarise Cantos

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Kenzo Merhan, Kaitlyn Almero

Moderators: Ms Gengky De Castro, Ms Mary Ann Deocareza Ms Gerald Ann Padilla

Ms Therese Ann Marie Perez

Writers: Erin Mendoza, Annika Generoso, Anjenelle Grace Arcega, Mary Angelee

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Cartoonists: Anya Felicity Cataquis, Danea Mortera, Faythmarise Cantos, Geozelle Gacis, Jeanna Ricci Melo Margharet Delrosario Reese Gool

Photojournalists: Ashlee Basit, Rhoelle Angela Mamorno, Francis Candava, Lian Abaya

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Navarro, 10- Nationalism

For me, the higher unemployment rate here in the Philippines is saddening since it means that families will have less income and it will lead to rise in poverty

It is quite bothersome that the statistics of underemployed and unemployed are increasing and expected to grow due to artificial intelligence taking over jobs being done by humans and is currently already being introduced I am more concerned especially for the younger Filipinos because it would be a tougher competition to obtain a job

Unfortunately, aside from continuous rise in unemployment the quality of education is declining thereby reducing the competitiveness of Filipino graduates globally The government need to address this by attracting investors and also supporting enterprising Filipino entrepreneurs and at the same time deve op agriculture ensuring food security This will greatly assist the future generation in abating the impact of unemployment

Ana Linda S Dichoso, Parent

The increase in unemployment in the Philippines, I think, is caused primarily because of the sluggish economic growth

There are very few investments in the country that would help create jobs

Likewise, lack of skills and technological advancement create unemployment

Maria Cecilia V Contreras, Parent

High unemployment rates affect Filipinos in terms of their income Many people struggle in finding jobs because of their high standards in hiring, and this leads to a lack of budget for everyday life I hope companies, big and small, can give opportunities to many people from 8- Knowledge

Xyrel Adrian M Alea

This issue is highly distressing since it renders the Philippines to be prone to poverty, which may be caused by lack of education Our government should hold more job fairs and interviews, and the qualifications should be lowered Companies should accept inexperienced workers and give them a chance because doing so may allow them to realize their full potential Higher unemployment rates could dampen aspirations for a stronger and larger national economy Filipinos will be impacted; many will migrate and intend to work abroad The technology that exists now gives our fellow humans fewer opportunities to complete tasks and is a sign that manpower is gradually being used less and less, which can also be a reason for this As I ponder through the streets, even around the school premises, there are a lot of unfortunates; therefore, the ability to provide for oneself or our families is drastically affected The little prospects and chances offered to fellow Filipinos are quite upsetting Mark Denver V Balse, 9 -

Loyalty