NCPO PH+ by QCEngC

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT-COMMUNITY PUBLICATION OF QC-ENG-C

OPINION \ P2 If historical revisionism is a political act, it follows that it can also be undone through political means....

NEWS \ P5

ncpoph+ VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1

Public warned on ‘information warfare’, asked to be more vigilant as elections draw nearer

by QCEngC

FEATURES \ P7 Pressing forward with the youth vote

LITERARY \ P9 Stroll down memory, gone wrong

DEVCOM \ P10 Forwarding historical consciousness in shaping the community

The (missed)education of a new generation EDITORIAL P2 ILLUSTRATION BY NEAL PINTOR

03 OPINION VOX POPULI

The aegis of legislation WORDS BY ENZO AYCARDO

EDUCATION IS A tool that’s

wielded by those in power. We’ve seen how schools have controlled Filipinos for generations.

Whether it was the Spanish and their insistence on keeping our forefathers in the dark by refusing to teach them the language or the Americans and their disguised attempts at pacification through the public school system, education has been crucial in shaping our collective experience.

Time and again, the Filipino people have seen textbooks and modules, particularly on history, revised to fit the narrative an administration is advancing. With those in power being those that control what is taught in schools, how then could we expect legislation to be the solution to de-weaponizing education?

It starts and ends with legislators that will look beyond personal and party interests. Laws will legalize acts that, depending on the act, could either be good or bad for the people. Two things need to be in legislation that protects Philippine history. First, Philippine history must be protected and firmly planted as a core subject not just in high school, but in all levels of Philippine education. An important subject must be secured in order for it to enjoy continuity and flourish through consistent and constant development. We cannot afford to

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EDITORIAL BOARD & STAFF EIC/NEWS: Reynan Dale Esquillo ASSOCIATE ED./LITERARY: Enzo Aycardo

by QCEngC

EDITORIAL

always be starting from scratch whenever a new administration is ushered in.

Second, the proposed law must also create a truly independent body that involves the public in the decision-making process of what’s written in our textbooks and what’s taught in our classrooms. We cannot leave these decisions to people who are clearly operating with conflicts of interest. History teachers must be given a voice and the power to chart the curriculum for it is these people that truly know and respect the importance of historical accuracy.

We cannot let them to continue to be just passive subjects, suffering at the whim of whoever’s in Malacañang.

As with many things, removing education from the grips of the incumbent administration is a lot easier said than done. For every law that gets enacted, there has to be a lot of things that work together.

Both chambers of Congress must align on a common goal and vision that will most probably have them walking down a tight path, trying to stay within party lines. Personal interests, individual legacies, and own gains must be set aside for the Philippines to take the right step in the right direction when it comes to education.

To grant education the aegis of legislation, our representatives in Congress must look deep in themselves and walk the talk they’ve built their campaigns to their seats on. We can hope and pray all we want that some divine inspiration blesses the minds of our legislators, but the best way to ensure that Philippine history is back in our classrooms is to support those individuals that truly care and know the effects of an education system that lacks national identity. In the immortal words of Dr. Jose Rizal, “ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.”

To arrive at the place where we want to be, it is of utmost importance that we know where we’ve come and what we’ve done. It’s time we protect our history because that is the only way we can truly achieve our destiny.

The (missed) education of a new generation FORTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO, historian Renato Constantino

published his essay “The miseducation of the Filipino” which gave a long and hard look at the school system in the Philippines.

Constantino’s main thesis was on how the Americans used education as a way of pacifying Filipinos and preparing their ‘little brown brothers’ for work under the American capitalist structure under the guise of benevolence and a natural desire to lead Filipinos into development.

Today, the situation remains the same, but with different characters playing the role the Americans left. What’s unfortunate is that Filipinos themselves inherited the role of colonizers and subjugated their own people to advance their own selfish interests.

Education continues to be wielded by those in power for their own agenda.

A manifestation of this is the removal of Philippine history in the high school education curriculum. Set into motion during the tail end of the Aquino administration, the exodus of Philippine history from high school has brought about several issues in society that are only coming to light in recent years. First, Filipino youth are unable to form a strong and unique Filipino identity at a crucial juncture of their human development.

Second, Filipino youth lack critical thinking skills in filtering the information out in the world and on the Internet.

A weak national identity makes Filipino youth vulnerable to the pernicious effects of globalization particularly as dominant cultures swallow weaker cultures whole. This is to be expected in a situation where Filipino youth are unable to know their history.

Without a strong sense of national identity, people with weaker cultures are easily swayed and assimilated into dominant cultures thereby making them

INVICTUS

1904

Ever since 1904, Philippine Histoy has been part of the secondary education curriculum

Political will makes history right WORDS BY JARED GARCIA

KNOWING LITTLE THEY

Order 20

say is dangerous but having the full conviction to claim that “Lapu-Lapu is a Tausug!” is no less than becoming an enemy of history

A lot of things change in the implementation of K-12 of the Aquino Administration. DepEd Order 20, s. 2014 effectively removed Philippine History from secondary level, the first time for more than seventy years

+ IN THE KNOW

MANAGING ED./LAYOUT: Vince Balag DEVCOM/LAYOUT: Vince Dizon FEATURES: Jared Garcia

and the state.

It is demoralizing how a supposed revolutionary technology

complicit propagators of other cultures.

Apart from a weak Filipino identity, the removal of Philippin history from the high school curriculum eliminates a crucial opportunity for Filipino youth to hone their critical thinking skills. It is in the classroom, particularly in the discussion of Philippine history where teachers and are able to engage in discussion. discussions equip youth with too they can use in situations outsid classroom and in the digital land Manifestations of these two i are beginning to creep up in the following the implementation of change in the curriculum. Labor one of the country’s prime expor is a good thing as Filipinos are a secure livelihoods, but it is a sym of an underlying issue. Filipinos still being educated in order to m demands of international indust Filipinos merely become tools in furtherance of the goals of other Filipinos continue to work for oth nations while being unable to dir part of the country’s developmen Critical thinking skills in Filip youth are severely lacking as see the proliferation of fake news on

is currently used as a transmitter of malignant sickness. Social media became a haven for lies and malicious propaganda aimed at blurring the distinction between what is factual and what is not. Our known history and heritage were not spared. Historical accounts and narratives that were weaved with our nationalists’ and renowned historians’ sweat and blood are being torn apart, part by part, by historical revisionisms and deliberate distortions.

Mr. Emmanuel Caliwan of the High School Philippine History Movement was right when he said that we are in the midst of an information warfare. However, as a Political Science scholar, I would argue that this is not just about the truth and falsity of information anymore. The current trend of distortions and revisionisms are manifestations of clashing political motives and interests.

...If historical revisionism is a political act, it follows that it can also be undone through political means. Creating and strengthening institutions such as state-sanctioned historical facilities, reinstituting Philippine History as a dedicated subject in the Basic Education Curriculum...

ga

SPORTS: Warren Alarcon SCIENCE: JR Beo

ne

students These ols that de the dscape. issues years f this is still rts which able to mptom are meet the tries. n the r nations. her rectly be nt. pino en in n social

media. The Marcoses have weaponized legions of gullible netizens, mostly teenagers, into spreading the family’s propaganda and engaging in historical distortions of the atrocities committed during the Marcos administration. The skills that Filipino youth should have honed in their Philippine history classes are needed in the combat against misinformation of the people and distortion of the facts.

It is deplorable that the Department of Education continues to insist that Philippine history is already integrated into existing subjects. Although the Department’s allocation of more hours to subjects such as English, Math, and Science is understandable, it is difficult to see why the Filipino identity has to suffer.

The importance of Philippine history subjects in the high school curriculum cannot be stressed further. A dedicated Philippine history course builds strong Filipino identities in adolescents which

The claim that “Lapu-Lapu is a Tausug” does not stop at the validity of the claim whether he is indeed a hero hailing from Mindanao. A more in-depth insight into the matter would assess the statement’s implication on society’s current underlying structures and realize that the subject is political.

In Hague and Harrop’s book in Comparative Politics, they see the study of structures (Structuralism) as mainly historical, as historical accounts and narratives help shape social relations over time which eventually create these social structures.

Hence, in a Structuralist point of view, a simple revision on LapuLapu’s ethnicity and heritage would subsequently mean a full or partial reconstruction of the social structures of the past— the Tausug’s (Islam) involvement in the early Spanish conquest and its implication on the present— to reinforce the

OPINION

ILLUSTRATION: Neal Pintor

they will bring along with them wherever in the world they might find themselves in. Equally important is the critical thinking skills these lessons impart which will allow Filipino youth to decide for themselves and know what is fact from fiction.

It is high time that Philippine history’s place in the educational system is given the aegis of legislation. The country will stand to lose more in the current high school education system that removes Philippine history. Such a delicate and important topic must not be left to the whims of people in power.

There must be a well-thought-out and crafted law that will protect this core subject and ensure its existence in Philippine high schools.

If the Philippines is to fulfill the promise and dreams of its people, the first step begins in the classrooms. It will take years before the fruits of today’s struggles are seen, but it is important that the nation takes steps in the right direction. History books are witness to the results the current path the country is on will lead to. It’s time Filipinos change the narrative, control their own destiny, and not simply leave the rest to history.

narrative of a “hero from the south.”

This analysis boils down to a simple conjecture, Lapu-Lapu’s heritage is politicized.

Moreover, this politicization is unwarranted, critical, and precarious on so many levels.

First, this political narrative is proven to be false based on historical evidence. Dr. Jobers Bersales, the University of San Carlos Museum director and a renowned historian, debunked the claim that LapuLapu is a Tausug. Dr. Bersales cited Tausug’s reputation and Pigafetta’s account as proof that the claim is meritless.

Second, the source of this unsupported claim that became viral on social media came from none other than a Philippine Senator. A high-ranking official who immerses himself in conspiracy theories without bothering to consult legitimate historical sources is an unbecoming sight and is telling

NCPO PH + by QCEngC

04

If the Philippines is to fulfill the promise and dreams of its people, the first step begins in the classrooms. It will take years before the fruits of today’s struggles are seen, but it is important that the nation takes steps in the right direction. + BY THE NUMBERS

73.7%

IN A RANDOM SAMPLE OF

1366 EDUCATORS

PHILIPPINES ranked last out of 79 countries in a reading literacy assessment

of the kind of administration we currently have.

Third, this case of historical revisionism is used as a political weapon to buttress the legitimacy of Duterte’s administration, creating the narrative of resentment that the southern people are for so long neglected. But lo’ and behold here are the Dutertes, our modern-day Lapu-Lapus!

Nevertheless, if historical revisionism is a political act, it follows that it can also be undone through political means. Creating and strengthening institutions such as state-sanctioned historical facilities, reinstituting Philippine History as a dedicated subject in the Basic Education Curriculum, and legislation of corrective laws penalizing attempts to alter factual and significant historical accounts will incentivize the rightful study of history and deter any revisionisms and distortions.

strongly agree that Philippine history should be taught in senior high school

90.8% 83.9% strongly agree that Philippine history should be taught in junior high school

strongly agree that refined history sessions fight historical distortions

However, one might argue that this attempt to combat historical revisions is highly policing and would be inimical to the spirit of plurality and tolerance we have as a democratic country. Yet again, this argument goes back to the perils of absolute relativism.

Unless we become willing victims of so-called “subjective truths,” we should not allow ourselves to be devoured by insecurities and ignorance hiding underneath the guise of being “democratic.”

For it is better to admit that we know little of history, as this entails a humble submission to the intricacies of our rich culture and heritage. It shows one’s desire to be involved in the relentless pursuit of truth and what is right.

Contrastingly, a proud and stubborn mind hell-bent on weaponizing history to their cause should both be met with intellectual finesse and bruteness of political will!

04 ncpoph+

IN THIS SECTION

by QCEngC

NEWS

NEWS05

Editor: Reynan Dale Esquillo

NEWS05

Stop blaming the teachers for erroneous modules

After pandemic, still ‘no time’ for PH history?

The erroneous modules reveal how teachers are ‘overworked’ and are ‘forced’ to carry additional burdens outside teaching duties, said group.

Advocates from the HSPHM, in a press conference on May 22, expressed concerns on the future landscape of education.

HEADLINE

Group eyes streamlining PH history teaching by adding localized, marginalized sectors’ narratives WORDS BY VINCE BALAGA

ASIDE FROM CALLS to bring back Philippine History subject in high

school, an advocacy group plans to further enrich history education by introducing specialized topics in senior high school.

Local history, Moro history, Indigenous People history, West Philippine Sea history, and gender history are among the proposed special history topics by the High School Philippine History Movement (HSPHM).

“May iba’t ibang bahagi ng ating kasaysayan na hindi nako-cover ng normal contemporary Philippine history o ng elementary Philippine history, at ito yung mga tutugunan natin,” said Jamaico Ignacio, HSPHM president

Local stories of local heroes

Localized narratives in history, according to Ignacio, are important to be discussed thematically to find out how these contribute to the national Filipino identity. “[Kung kayo ay] sa Cebu, talk about the involvement of Cebu with the Katipuneros during [the revolution]. In addition to that, Moro history. Mahalagang i-integrate ang ating mga kapatid na Moro,” explained Ignacio.

To better understand the issue on the West Philippine Sea, Ignacio insisted on including in class discussions the history of the country’s diplomatic claims,

COMMUNITY

“

May iba’t ibang bahagi ng ating kasaysayan na hindi nakocover ng normal contemporary Philippine history o ng elementary Philippine history, at ito yung mga tutugunan natin.

international laws and treaties, and the history of neighboring countries who also have claims over the disputed territories.

On selfdetermination

Furthermore, the movement president highlighted the need to study the Indigenous

Peoples history like the Cordilleran narrative for the people to understand their struggles.

“Bakit nung mga ilang dekadang nakaraan, laganap ang kanilang paglaban sa national government?

Kasi they felt marginalized. Tignan natin ang kasaysayan kung paano sila na-marginalize,” added Ignacio.

The group also aims to include gender history, especially female history, to make students aware of the struggles experienced by women in the Philippines throughout history.

NEWS FEATURES

Far from ‘Maginhawa’: Maginhawa business owners struggle to keep their business afloat amid pandemic WORDS BY REYNAN DALE ESQUILLO

THE MAGINHAWA STREET in

Quezon City was recently placed under the spotlight as it catalyzed a rippling effect of community pantries throughout the Philippines. Maginhawa became a beacon of hope, inspiring several communities to work hand in hand.

Despite the portrayal of Maginhawa in the eyes of many, the community still experiences the same reality that all other communities face.

Behind the curtains of noble

causes and embellished hopes, the Maginhawa community is beleaguered by difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Different businesses, including their owners and employees, have faced a common dilemma. In the face of losses and bankruptcies, the businesses ask themselves, do we close or not close?

“We never closed for 2020 except last April 2021 when the entire family caught the virus,” said the owner of Urban Chick BBQ Resto and Food Services.

Jerecel Catherine Socorro

+ INCLUSIVE HISTORY Jamaico Ignacio, president of the High School Philippine History Movement and Joey Dela Cruz, directpr for government engagement discuss their plans on adding special classes in Philippine History. As part of ther legal steps, HSPHM have reached some legislators in the congress about the proposal of these additional topics. Photo screenshot from the online forum.

Guiang, the owner of the said establishment narrated how Urban Chick survived despite the heavy blow the pandemic had landed on their family. Their resilience was attributed to their capability to adapt to their circumstance by resorting to partnership with delivery applications and by opening some diners from their outdoor space on their roof deck.

Moreover, Mrs. Guiang expressed how frightening their experience was since a wrong move would mean not only bankruptcy to their business but also a fatal threat to their health. But despite all of this, she plans to move on with a positive mindset, looking forward to what’s best for her business and her family.

“We have to stop looking back on what could have been. We have to move on to the new future ahead of us which starts tomorrow. Here and now,” she said.

Other businesses such as Chicken Wings owned by Bambie

Gonzales and MP33 Carwash by Peter Dator have also shared their own techniques as to how they were able to thrive despite shortcomings and difficulties.

“Kaming dalawa [lang] mag asawa ang nagpapatakbo kahit minsan mahina [ang kita], laban lang para may panggastos sa pang araw[araw]” said Bambi Gonzales, owner of a chicken wings business.

“Nagbawas kami ng tao kasi yung iba gusto na rin nilang bumalik sa probinsya. Binawasan din namin yun operation hours,” said Peter Dator, owner of MP33 Carwash.

Maginhawa is a Filipino term for comfort but currently, the pandemic has pushed the community’s businesses out of their comfort zones and towards overwhelming uncertainties. However, despite all of this, Maginhawa showed that it is not comfort per se that keeps them going, but it is the people, the necessity and the will that keeps their businesses alive.

NEWS

NCPO PH + by QCEngC WHO TO BLAME?

Public warned on ‘information warfare’, asked to be more vigilant as elections draw nearer WORDS BY VINCE BALAGA

A SOCIOLOGIST WARNED the

public about the current situation in the country where clashing information impacts the decisionmaking of the majority of Filipinos.

“

As the election draws nearer, Emmanuel Caliwan, vice ...ginagamit ang president for impormasyon professional para bigyan ng affairs of the kapangyarihan High School yung mga Philippine taong gustong History manatili [pa] sa Movement, kapangyarihan emphasized you will hear that the public and you will should not be ‘captured’ by read a lot of the interplay of propaganda power involved using history. in information dissemination, particularly in social media.

“Nasa isa [ring] giyera tayo kung saan ginagamit ang impormasyon para bigyan ng kapangyarihan yung mga taong gustong manatili [pa] sa kapangyarihan, you will hear and you will read a lot of propaganda using history,” said Caliwan in an online forum on May 22.

Caliwan likewise explained the similarity of the critical role of historians and campus journalists in writing stories that are evidencebased with verifiable facts which can help in nation-building.

“This is where history and journalism converge, we have a common goal and that is to make our people rational enough to make decisions.”

IN-DEPTH NEWS

‘Deload teachers, hire experts’ Erroneous modules reveal DepEd’s ‘penny-pinching’, PH history advocates push for multi-sectoral approach WORDS BY REYNAN DALE ESQUILLO

A GROUP OF advocates urges the Department of Education (DepEd) to work hand-in-hand with experts in creating educational resource materials to avoid errors and misinformation, especially in Philippine history.

The High School Philippine History Movement (HSPHM) also calls for the deloading of teachers, and initiation of partnership programs with universities and field experts to review the K to 12 curriculum through a multi-sectoral approach.

“Sa palagay ko kasi nagtitipid yung DepEd. Nagtitipid sila kaya umaasa sila sa sarili nilang personnel. Sana madagdagan ng kaunti itong budget ng DepEd, para makakuha sila ng mga content experts,” said Jamaico Ignacio, HSPHM president.

Since the nationwide lockdown has been imposed, the education sector was forced to shift into remote learning. DepEd implemented online modality and modular setup to ensure ‘learning continuity’ among young Filipinos despite the pandemic.

In relation to this, DepEd has produced resource materials that received backlash from netizens for inaccuracies and erroneous contents.

The erroneous modules, according to Ignacio, reveal how

teachers are ‘overworked’ and are ‘forced’ to carry additional burdens outside teaching duties.

Deloading teachers

“Yung mga teachers sila mismo gumagawa ng module. In real life, ang daming iniisip ni teacher lalo na sa public school. Nagtse-check, nagka-class adviser, nagbabahaybahay, tambak ng trabaho si teacher,” Ignacio explained.

A teacher from a school in Cavite shared his experience not only as a module content creator for a subject area in their division, but also as editor, layout artist, and website encoder.

“Unlike other teachers, from start to finish, may role ako. Walang magagawa eh. Yung ibang mga kasama sa paggawa ng materials, hindi rin naman maalam sa ibang gawain tulad ng pagle-layout at paglalagay ng mga content sa website,” said Mark*.

According to him, they were not given any monetary compensation for their work as course creators.

“Hindi kasi pwedeng ire-allocate

Amid talks on remote learning

Fewer contact hours, learning competencies for AP subjects, feared to continue post-pandemic

PHILIPPINE HISTORY ADVOCATES worry about the

future of history education amid sentiments on the possibility of continuous implementation of a ‘flexible learning’ setup even after the world goes back to ‘normal’. + SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER

yung fund na ibinigay ng DepEd sa mga division office na specifically nakalaan para sa printing of modules. Nakaka-fulfill pa rin naman na naibabahagi ko ang skills ko sa mga estudyante lalo na ngayong may pandemya,” he expounded.

Teachers from their division, who served as course creators and those who are part of the quality assurance team, were recently given a tablet pc and a portable external hard drive by their division office as an incentive for their service. This is in addition to the certificates they receive for every quarter since the start of remote learning.

Upon checking the units online, the 8-inch READ THE FULL LTE tablet STORY HERE costs around P5,000 to P6,000 while the 250GB portable hard drive costs

RELATED STORY

WORDS BY REYNAN DALE ESQUILLO

Emmanuel Caliwan, Vice President for professional affairs of the High School Philippine History Movement, talks about power people use information to spread propaganda. In a press conference, (HSPHM) warned the public about the interplay of politics in information dissemination. Photo screenshot from the online forum.

05

Since shifting to remote learning, basic education students, even teachers, saw massive changes in their curriculum.

These adjustments include decreased contact hours, compression of syllabus, and removal of some learning competencies.

Advocates from the High School Philippine History Movement

(HSPHM), in a press conference last May 22, expressed concerns on the future landscape of education.

“We are entering a new normal.

Ang assumption ng ibang private institutions and even public institutions, magiging hybrid education ‘yan. What would hybrid education look like?,” said Jamaico ignacio, HSPHM president.

Due to the pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) and all higher education institutions were forced into adjusting the curriculum and course syllabus to adapt to the sudden shift in education setup.

“Yung kabawasan ng learning competencies pati learning hours sa AP, will this be a continuing trend

in the hybrid learning na prinopropose? Ito yung dapat nating pagmatiyagan,” added Ignacio.

In the DepEd learning continuity plan published in July last year, a huge percentage of the most essential learning competencies (MELCs) was removed.

For Araling Panlipunan alone, a 52% drop in MELCs was observed.

From 527 MELCs in the school year before the pandemic, only 255 MELCs were retained.

The group reiterated its proposal to increase contact hours for Araling Panlipunan subjects, and highlighted the importance of giving Philippine history more ‘air time’ in high school education.

“Kasama din sa petition namin, dagdagan ng isa pang contact hour ang Araling Panlipunan, so that it will give more time and space for AP Teachers to teach contemporary Philippine issues at Philippine history,” reiterated Ignacio.

Coincidentally, on the same day, the Commission on Higher Education chair made a statement on the possibility of the continuity of ‘flexible learning’ in the postpandemic setup.

The struggle of modern nationalists to bring back Philippine history in high schools WORDS BY JOHN JARED GARCIA

THE STUDY OF the past is both a daunting and noble endeavor. It involves a critical revisiting of the events that transpired a long time ago where the people of today could hardly imagine. What makes this pursuit more daring is how it is defenseless per se against those who see it as futile and those purveyors of falsehood with their selfish narratives and treacherous propaganda. Fortunately, it has found its most loyal disciples. The defenders continue to rally and march forward, attempting to rescue and restore the sanctity of historical truth.

In the midst of all attempts to discredit the significance of Philippine History as a dedicated subject, the defenders—taking the form of a movement consisting of teachers, students, and professionals—joined the fray. They call themselves the High School Philippine History Movement, a non-partisan and independent movement that advocates the return of Philippine History as a dedicated subject in high school in Araling Panlipunan.

The group was borne out of the frustration of educators when their established field and subject was abruptly shortchanged as it was stripped off of its substantial value. The movement longs for the reimposition of the subject’s deserved attention and respect as they believe that the subject espouses important tenets such as nationalism and critical thinking.

Mr. Jamaico D. Ignacio, the President of the High School Philippine History Movement, presented the Movement’s advocacy which aims to re-elevate Philippine History to its former glory, giving leverage to the fight against historical distortions.

Philippine History subject before K-12

Mr. Ignacio started his presentation by narrating the origins of Philippine History in the Philippine Education System.

“Ever since the American colonial era, matagal na pong tinuturo ang Philippine History sa high school level,” he said. In support of this claim, he presented an image showing an illustration of a secondary public school curriculum

ART BY VINCE DIZON

containing Philippine History as early as 1904.

He then further claimed that Philippine History was used to be taught at the secondary level since, at this age, teenagers developed “consciousness,” which molds the more profound appreciation and critical thinking on the concept of nationhood and our history.

“And for the longest of time, Philippine History has been taught from the American era, the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 2000s, matagal na panahon naituturo ang Philippine History sa secondary level at nandun ang kanyang katuturan… at ang pagkahubog ng ating pagka-Pilipino,” he added as he reinforced the subject’s significance having history itself as a witness.

But a lot of things change, back in 2012-2013

In a sudden change of tune, the President expressed these words with a subtle hint of exasperation as he narrated how the legislation of the K-12 curriculum under the Aquino administration changed everything.

Department of Education Order No. 20, 2014 was led by then DepEd secretary Armin Luistro which successfully implemented the K-12 curriculum, removing Philippine History from the secondary level.

The removal was radical as it was the first time in seventy years in the Philippine education system that the subject per se was slowly discarded as a dedicated subject at the secondary level.

“Nung inanunsiyo yun, yung slow transitioning out of Philippine History sa High School Araling Panlipunan, I can clearly remember that nafrustrate, nalungkot, nagalit ang mga Araling Panlipunan teachers na ilang dekada na nagtuturo ng Philippine History sa high school,” he said as he expressed the sentiment of his peers rooting from their collective discontent and disbelief on the new policy. They believe with conviction that the scheme of the new education curriculum prevents the deepening of knowledge and

understanding of Philippine History.

What the Movement Fights for

Moving forward, the Movement believes that the Department of Education made a policy mistake. “We respectfully, but strongly disagree with this specific DepEd stance, and our stance is ay dapat maibalik ang pagturo ng Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas sa high school dahil makakatulong ito hindi lang upang palalimin ang pagiging makabayan o nasyonalismo but more importantly… isang magandang instrument siya upang palakasin ang ating critical thinking skill,” he said as the President summarizes the overall advocacy of the Movement he is heading. The Movement envisions an education system that is viable and that nurtures a deeper appreciation of historical thought.

They believe that it is only then that the youth will develop the capacity to fend off against any attempts to historical distortions and revisionism.

The time of bolos, itaks, and handguns were things of the past. Today’s modern nationalists resurface with a different façade and arsenal.

Here they are, armed with grit, vision, and passion for things we call ours—defending truth, defending our history.

H fro

FEATURES 06-07

Pressing Forward with the Youth Vote WORDS BY JOHN JARED GARCIA

THEY SAY THAT the youth shapes our tomorrow, but the current generation of youth say, we shape today.

With no clear end in sight, the Philippines is still grappling with the pandemic crisis that has haunted the world for almost two years now.

The most vulnerable sectors—the elderly, the poor, and the marginalized— were forced to bear the brunt of its impact.

The elderly were the most vulnerable to the disease, the poor were left in starvation, and the marginalized were forced to fend for themselves.

Likewise, the youth were also not spared. Their best years were robbed from them.

As universities and schools were closed, the youth has lost its valuable arsenal found in education. Their spaces for growth and leadership were seemingly shrunk and almost restricted to the four corners of their room. Their participation in social events was gauged on how long they could endure hours of facing digital screens.

However, as it appears, the youth will not wait for the storm to pass. Recent youth movements show that they are not only future leaders, but they are actors of today. With the forthcoming 2022 elections, the youth gears up with a mission in mind—to ensure that the voters will be rightly informed to make the right choice.

Voters’ education is found to be crucial, most especially to the youth (firsttime voters), as this sector comprises a considerable percentage of the overall voting population.

According to the data gathered by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), in the 2019 midterm elections, the youth sector (aged

18-29 years old) comprised around 31% of the total voting population.

Moreover, for the 2022 elections, the Philippine Statistics Authority and COMELEC see 40 million Filipinos aging 18-35 years old be eligible to vote.

This substantial percentage and number show the youth’s overwhelming potential to determine the dynamics of political leadership and participation.

Hence, as early as now, several youth-led initiatives advocating for voters’ education are entering the frame. One of which is the Tatak Botante campaign led by the National Alliance of Youth Leaders (NAYL) which focuses on providing assistance on voters’ registration and education, and empowering voters nationwide.

The campaign was launched on April 9, 2021, and since then focuses its efforts on helping endeavors of overcoming barriers in voter registration. NAYL partnered up with Boto Pilipino, which is also a youth-led initiative on voter’s education, released an infographic on May 14 showing how almost 40% of students in University of the Philippines Diliman are still unregistered for the coming elections.

RJ Suarez, the acting National President of NAYL, believes that “Voters education campaigns enlighten and empower Filipino voters by reminding them the importance and power of their vote and participation in the democratic process, and by encouraging them to be smart, critical and independent in choosing our country’s next leaders.”

Moreover, other youth-led initiatives in the Philippines for voters’ education are We The Future PH, iMPACT Leadership, and Boto ng Kabataan by the Council of Young Leaders of the Philippines; which all advocates for the mobilization of the youth in ensuring comprehensive and readily available information on voters’ registration as well as making informed choices for the coming elections.

The nation might be afflicted and constricted by bearing the burden of the global pandemic, but the vigor of the youth is far from being depleted.

Their actions consistently show that they will move forward regardless of the tumultuous times. The youth, for sure, will not only act for tomorrow but for today.

SCROLL YOUR THUMB a little and you will see a random netizen commenting about Filipino history too intriguing to be true. Even without concrete evidence, they would fight for this claim for the sake of reputation or mere clout. Historical distortion has become more emergent in the advent of social media, and since then, it has been perturbing the Filipino identity, but we have the upper hand at keeping it firm and unbent.

How to protect yourself om historical distortion WORDS BY JUN VINCE DIZON

Actually, we always had it. We do not just have the proper knowledge to do it, or rather the courage to do so. Here are some key tips on how we can protect ourselves from historical distortion.

Be vigilant. Look closely at posts or comments about our history especially those who sound impossible, because when something seems wrong, it probably is. Never eat and swallow quickly what the internet feeds you. Always be the first to know whether something is doubtful or factual, and how do you do that?

Fact-check. Know how to scrutinize critically.

Research only from credible sources about information online that make you feel hesitant. Look for similar contents tackling the topic, and see for yourself if it holds truth, or trouble.

Be responsible. Whatever you post, comment, or share online, be truthful and accountable all the time. Like the second tip, research for facts until you prove that your or other’s content is true and worth the spread.

Not only in social media, but these tips also and should apply in real life.

Trust is a real thing, but no one beats the wisest person in the room.

We are who we are because our heroes and ancestors were successful at molding our identities as Filipinos today. Our role now is to preserve and protect that identity until the next generations.

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IN THIS SECTION

by QCEngC

LITERARY Editor: John Jared Garcia

LITERARY09

LITERARY09

The best thing about being 18

In Retrospect

If life was a video game, being a child felt as if I was playing just the ‘lite version’.

History was never my favorite subject in grade school. I dreaded the rote memory work that my teachers demanded.

WORDS BY JOHN JARED GARCIA

WE ALL HAVE our version of fears. Many fear death, fear public speaking, or fear creatures that crawl, and others might even cower from the dark. But mine was simple; I was scared of being reduced to nothing.

18th of September 2016—I still remember that day, although not as vivid as before. With obscure fragments of it in my memory, I recalled how I shivered with fear, gritted my teeth, and cried.

But what makes it interesting is that I was never used to crying. My mom would always tell me that I would rarely shed a single tear, even when I was spanked as a kid. In fact, she said that she could count with her fingers how many times I cried, and that day for sure was definitely one of her fingers.

That day, I remembered waking up with The Beatles music. I love The Beatles for sure, but there’s something different about it. The sound of “The Long and Winding Road” was different this time. Paul McCartney’s voice was raspier, accompanied by a low but distinguishable hiss in the background. His voice seems to wobble every now and then. It almost took me a minute to realize that I

ART BY VINCE DIZON

wasn’t listening to my usual Spotify music, but instead, I was listening from a cassette tape! That is weird since I never owned a cassette tape in my life (aside from my father’s, which is already broken years ago). What makes the situation weirder is that I am not at home. I am lying down in a sparse dry carabao grass with the heat of the sun scorching my whole body, my eyebrows singed by too much heat, and I was drenched in my own sweat. I immediately got up, walked towards the highway, and head back home—but things got even more bizarre.

I was suddenly in the street, and the place was loud. It was jampacked with people and was filled with shouts and shrilling sounds of police whistles. Banners and placards were all over the place. One of them says, “Victory to the National Liberation Forces!”

These are mass demonstrations, I concluded.

Rallies are not new to me, but this one is different, I thought. Aside from the sheer number of rallyists, the atmosphere was more intense. It was as if the life of everyone in the street was in real and imminent danger, like a ticking time bomb waiting for that one big Boom! A few moments later, I was proven right. All hell breaks loose when the street was suddenly silenced, for a moment, by a loud explosion. And then suddenly another one—Boom! Two consecutive blasts.

Everyone snapped. The silence was replaced with cries of panic and overwhelming chaos. I don’t know how I got the courage and the strength to move, but I remembered running. I ran, ran and ran—I was bumping people, I can’t feel my feet, and I am almost out of breath— but still I ran. I remembered feeling utmost relief when I got home. I’m home, at last, I am safe—and so I thought.

Aside from the fact that our house looked different, the people inside were somehow familiar but different, and our flat-screen TV was gone. I staggered when I was met with strong, incessant, and heart-rending cries. I did not mind the peculiarity of the situation—how strangers were inside my house, and everything looks different—I mustered up my courage and asked, “What happened?”

And then one of the ladies

in the house answered, “Jose is gone! Jose is gone! He is in the plaza! My son is gone!”

At that moment, I realized I was talking to my grandma. I froze. I felt like my whole body was soaked with ice-cold water. How can I be here? Why is Jose, my father, gone?

Then suddenly, I felt something different.

A tingling sensation was crawling in my skin. I suddenly can’t feel my feet, and then my legs, and when I look up to my hands, there was none.

My crying grandma looked up to me and asked, “Who are you, Hijo?”

“I am Jose’s son, grandma, your grandson,” I said.

“But, Jose never had a child, and he’s gone,” she replied. As soon as she answered, I felt a big whoosh of air rushing out of my body, and all of a sudden, I was nothing.

Then I woke up—in the real world this time.

I was crying my heart out. It was in the middle of the night, and I heard my parents opening the door of their room adjacent to mine. I peeked through my window, and I saw the neighbors’ lights turning on. I think I’ve woken them all up.

As my parents entered my room, they asked the expected question, “What happened?” to which I replied, “Nothing, just a dream.”

However, the truth is, it was never just a dream for me. I was able to visit the past, way before I was born. But history changed—my dad died young, so I was never born. In my dream, history was literally distorted.

Moreover, imagine all attempts to distort historical facts; how would this affect our reality?

Yes, time-travelling only happens in our wildest dreams, so we can’t literally change the course of events in the past. But changing historical narratives in the present time might even have the same effect—we will be reduced to nothing.

LITERARY

NCPO PH + by QCEngC

09

WORDS BY ENZO AYCARDO

IF LIFE WAS a video game, being a child felt as if I was playing just the ‘lite version’.

I had this idea that there were so many things for me to ‘unlock’ as soon as I turned 18. I couldn’t wait to get a taste of beer that I’ve seen in so many movies. I was excited to get behind the wheel and drive to where I wanted to go on my own. Since I come from a traditional household, I was also looking forward to having a girlfriend.

Years later and well past the age of majority, I could say that beer is

definitely a social experience more than it is a drink. Learning how to drive is liberating, but traffic in Manila makes me just want to ride the LRT. Having a girlfriend? It’s nice to have that person you can share a special bond with but trust me on this – you will live even without one. That can wait until later on in life.

Besides, you’ve got your family and friends around you.

Having experienced most of the things I dreamt about, what else was there to being an “adult”? This question was answered four years

In Retrospect WORDS BY ENZO AYCARDO

HISTORY WAS NEVER my favorite subject in grade school. I dreaded the rote memory work that my teachers demanded. I would always ask myself, “where can I apply this in the real world?” I needed to cram a bunch of dates and events in my head just so I could jot them down on my exam. I guess I was young and my mind was in some place, probably thinking about the game I’m playing once I give my books a break.

This all changed when I got into high school. Apart from the change in the course name – HeKaSi to Araling Panlipunan – I realized that I thought about the world quite differently from a few years back. I started to pay attention to the news.

I began reading up on the issues that confronted our society. I gave Araling Panlipunan a hard look coupled with a newfound interest.

Instead of the boring memorization,

our classes in AP looked at history from a different perspective. I wasn’t just trying to remember people who passed away and events that already happened. Instead I was looking at our society, the world beyond the four walls of my classroom, and trying to question just why things are the way they are. Through the guidance of my teachers, I began to ask questions like why is our government corrupt and tried to

later from my 18th birthday when the 2016 elections came around. I was a newly registered voter then, excited to finally cast my vote at the polling stations. For the first time, I could watch the election returns with a sense of personal attachment and much more interest as I truly felt a part of the process. I wasn’t simply watching from the sidelines.

In hindsight, even though the effects of that election have been dismal, I look back fondly at Election Day and even more so the day I got registered as a voter.

I remember waking up early one Saturday morning. My grandfather, who was always the early bird, took me, half-asleep and a bit disoriented from last night’s late night, to the Geriatrics Foundation Building in Manila that housed the Commission on Elections. Alighting from the tricycle, I could see a line of people stretching out to the street. It was a hot and humid morning. The air was dry, and beads of sweat were trickling down everyone’ foreheads.

Amidst the discomfort, first time registrants stood patiently waiting for their turn. At that moment, I realized that Filipinos truly cared for our country.

The line inched little by little until I was finally inside the dilapidated office. Candy wrappers, cigar butts, and improperly filled registration forms littered the

corridors which made the building feel less of an office. There were even more people inside than there were outside which meant shirts drenched and foreheads lined with beads of sweat. In spite of all the challenges, I didn’t see one person walk away that day without being registered.

As Election Day rolled in and I was seated at my polling station and my ballot in front of me, Sexbomb’s “may bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog…” was a refrain that was on my mind. I looked for the candidate’s I was voting for and shaded the circles as carefully as I could to ensure that my vote would count. I fed the ballot into the machine which gobbled it up and thereafter printed my receipt.

I put my index finger out and had a smile on my face as a drop of indelible ink settled on my finger. I whipped my phone out and took a selfie with that ink-stained finger.

I’m looking at that photo as I write this, and I can say that something really changed in me that day.

Don’t just rant about the government on social media. Do your part and make your voice heard through your ballot, but remember that before you can do that, you have to register. Even if you think your candidate has a slim chance of winning, go out anyway and get registered. We deserve better leaders and government and it’s on you and me to make that happen.

arrive at answers. I read with more intent as I felt that what I was learning in the classroom was alive and present in the world I live in. I wasn’t learning about a place that was far-removed from reality. I felt like I had an active role to play and that my choices today would lead to consequences, either good or bad, down the road.

If you ask me what we discussed back then, I would be lying if I told you I remember. However, what I do have to show for is my ability to think critically and weigh a given set of facts and arrive at conclusions I have drawn myself. That is what I loved about Araling Panlipunan.

It was never about the facts or figures, but it was always about the framework I developed and the mindset I honed.

Looking back, this education in Araling Panlipunan has given me invaluable tools in my journey.

This critical mindset has allowed me to navigate the often murky waters of social media. I realize the importance of being able to filter

what’s fact from what’s fiction even more during the COVID-19 pandemic. With lives at stake, I cannot just go on Facebook sharing false information on what COVID-19 is or what it is not. I cannot rely on just what everyone is believing in.

History has taught me that just because the support of the crowd is in one opinion doesn’t mean that it’s right. The same dilemma confronts us today on social media. People seem to believe that something is real as long as the reactions, comments, and shares are in the millions. Without the proper training and development, it’s easy to be swayed and difficult to stand firm. You’ll begin to wonder why if everyone is believing the same thing, why shouldn’t I? In this moment, one ought to remember that oftentimes, the loudest in the room is seldom the wisest.

10 ncpoph+

by QCEngC

DEVCOM Editor: Jun Vince Dizon

DRIVEN BY

MISTAKES Forwarding historical consciousness in shaping the community WORDS AND ART BY JUN VINCE DIZON

A MISTAKE NEVER comes twice, they say, because the second time it does, it already becomes a choice. The case, however, becomes different if we had no idea that it was even a mistake the first time. Historical distortion has led to a multitude of errors in our actions today, but because only a few notices it and dares to, history finds ways to repeat itself.

Mistakes are not always bad, because through them, we learn the things we did wrong and the ones we can do to make them right. History gives us an idea of how we, as Filipinos, fought for our freedom and democracy in the quest of identity and solidarity. This makes historical consciousness in the community crucial in guiding the people to make informed decisions that will respond to their desires for personal growth and community development. With the education reform removing Philippine history in high school teaching, we face a challenge in sufficing what the people, especially the youth, needs to know about our own history—our own story.

A glance at historical distortion today

Historical distortion, or historical negationism, is a form of disinformation where information about historical narratives is falsified to support a personal agenda. With social media

embedding itself rapidly our culture, the people especially our youth today are even more susceptible to it because of lack of knowledge and skills in combating it. Add the fact that Philippine history is no longer taught in high school, the culprit becomes, as Jamaico Ignacio, President of the High School Philippine History Movement, puts it, even more dangerous.

“The reality is, kaya delikado ang historical distortion, lahat tayo babad sa social media. At lalong-lalo na kung busy ka, halimbawa isa kang ordinaryong doktor tapos nag s-scroll ka [sa Facebook] tapos bigla kang nakakita ng historical quote, historical distortion pala, so, pano mo makikilatis? Ang hirap eh lalo na’t babad na babad tayo sa social media,” he said.

A notable scenario of historical distortion on social media was on December 30, 2020. Netizens from Twitter and Facebook posted greetings of “happy birthday”

to Jose Rizal, our national hero, when in fact it was the day that we commemorate his death. Similarly, on September that same year, a comment by a certain ‘Dennis’ on Facebook surfaced high after claiming that no bullet hit Rizal the day he was shot, and that he was actually Fr. Jose Antonio Diaz who soon worked with Ferdinand Marcos.

It is amazing to think how people can connect two branches from

Bacoor City mobilizes COVID-19 vaccination rollout CHO MedTech curbs vaccine misperceptions WORDS BY JUN VINCE DIZON

PROTECTING BACOOREÑOS FROM experiencing severe illnesses in case of infection, Bacoor City Health Office (CHO) in partnership with the Department of Health kicked off its #BacoorYesSaBakuna COVID-19 vaccination program last March 2021 on top of its bid to control the COVID-19 case count in the city.

Maria Cecila Tobias, Medical Technologist 2 of the CHO, explained

A staff from the City Government of Bacoor checks the blood pressure of a Senior Citizen before giving the vaccine shot. This is in line with Bacoor City’s vaccination program. Photo by Luigi Lim, City Government of Bacoor website

in an online interview that their efforts in the vaccination program are to help reduce the symptoms the people may feel in case they contract COVID, giving them lesser need to be admitted in already capacitated local hospitals.

“As of now parang alam ko nasa 10,000 na yung nabakunahan, kaso ubos na kasi yung vaccines eh. Pero pag may dumating ngayon, balik na naman tayo [sa operasyon],” Maria Cecila Tobias, Medical Technologist 2 of the City Health Office (CHO) assured.

Tobias added that Bacoor City has now nine vaccination sites from previously having only four.

These sites are Perpetual Help

two different trees and still grow leaves, but this proves that historical distortion READ THE FULL has become STORY HERE even more attractive, and alarming at the same time.

In a bid to control the

College, Queensrow Elementary School, Bacoor City Coliseum, Aniban Central School, San Nicolas Elementary School, Niog Elementary School, Alima Elementary School, City Hall Gymnasium, and a coliseum in Camella Homes-Molino.

Registration process

Meanwhile, in order to facilitate the registration for the COVID-19 vaccination, the city government of Bacoor launched the Ligtas Bacoor COVID-19 Vaccine Online Registration READ THE FULL STORY HERE where people can register through an online portal.

“Meron tayong link and then from there,

11 ncpoph+

+ IN THE KNOW

by QCEngC

0*

SCIENCE

DEATHS: COVID VS. VACCINES

DIED FROM VACCINES

3,466,314*

Editor: JR Beo

20,019* DIED FROM COVID

Filipinos already received their first dose of vaccine

ON VACCINE HESITANCY

Down with doubt: Taking curiosity to a higher level in viewing COVID vaccines WORDS BY JUN DIZON

WHEN COVID-19 VACCINES arrived in our country, many have been in doubt with it, fearing that it would cause more detriments to human health than its benefits.

Today, curiosity plays a big role, and it can take us to a deeper purpose.

Some Filipinos, especially in social media, remain in doubt with the vaccines’ effectiveness in combating COVID-19, saying that it has caused harm to people according to accounts from their relatives and complete strangers. Evidently, the widespread fear seemed to be due to the inability of people to dig deeper in finding sufficient information to prove their stances.

Adam Smith, more popularly known as Doc Adam, a certified doctor and content creator, took a look at some of the netizens’ public comments regarding the vaccine.

Amanda Zapata said that she fears that the vaccines will, in the long run, cause serious health effects like what happened in Dengvaxia vaccine before. Smith said that while serious side effects from the vaccine may occur, they happen very rarely, or by the numbers, once in a million.

“Ang karaniwang side effects ng vaccine ay lagnat, masakit ang braso, at sipon, and they happen in

WORDS BY JR BEO With over 18 hectares of land, UP Arboretum homes a biodiversity of plant and animal species.

It also served as shelter, inhabited by a community with more than 5000 residents. The Arboretum is located on University of the Philippines Diliman Campus, behind UP Ayala Technohub and along Commonwealth.

The Arboretum currently serves as a living sanctuary that protects endangered, endemic and exotic species as well as urban poor families who in return make sure that this natural forest retain its vibrant beauty and remain untouched by attempts of destroying it

LEARN MORE ABOUT UP ARBORETUM

Source: DOH

Sociologist insists to bring back PH history in high school where cognitive development at its peak WORDS BY REYNAN DALE ESQUILLO

LATE STAGES OF childhood are

a crucial part of a child’s mental development. This is the stage where children are equiped with vital skills needed to prepare them in life.

“ This formal thinking that we are trained for in history and even in other writings are basically the tools that we would be using as we journey into adulthood, into our life. + PRACTICING CURIOSITY Adam Smith, more widely known as Doc Adam, a certified doctor and a content creator, explains the importance of looking for solid information regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Photo screenshot from Tune In Kay Tunying YouTube channel.

one or two days and not long term. If there are serious side effects of the vaccines, makikita ito ng authority,” Smith said.

Maridy Campos, likewise, is afraid that the vaccine would trigger serious illnesses. She shared that five days after one of her relatives who took the vaccine went under operation in the gall bladder, has a weakened liver, and got diagnosed

with mild pneumonia. Smith said that if all of READ THE FULL STORY HERE these were true, we could have already seen it in the news.

“Almost 1 million people

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Save Arboretum

*As of May 25, 2021, Department of Health tallies 0 deaths caused

by COVID vaccines, while 20,019 died from COVID.

THE LAST RAINFOREST IN METRO MANILA

9.5 OUT OF 18 HECTARES

The UP Board of Regents gave approval in October 2020 to reclassify 9.5 out of 18 hectares of UP Arboretum from a “protected forest area” into a mere “academic support zone/open space.”

POOK ARBORETUM

5000 RESIDENTS

Over the years, it has extended to being a storehouse of endangered, endemic, and exotic plant species; a habitat for wildlife; and a community inhabited by more than 5000 residents—a portion known as the Pook Arboretum.

Supporting this is Emmanuel Caliwan, a sociologist, and the vice president for professional affairs of the High School Philippine History Movement (HSPHM).

In an online press conference, Caliwan explained the

importance of teaching Philippine history subject in high school as this is the stage in which every child reaches the fourth and final stage of cognitive development.

“Our movement has advocated the return of history in high school.

As written in different research, it is the period where minds are being developed for their formal thinking,” said Caliwan.

Teaching Philippine history in elementary, as stated by Caliwan and his colleagues from HSPHM, is not enough since only basic concepts are being taught, and children at this stage are still to undergo maturity in a later age.

Piaget’s Cognitive Development

Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, in his theory of cognitive development, explained that children undergo stages of mental development where their knowledge and understanding of the world are shaped from learned experiences and interaction with their surroundings. (Scott & Cogburn, 2021) Piaget’s four stages of development include sensorimotor stage (birth to age 2), preoperational stage (ages 2 to 7), concrete operational READ THE FULL STORY HERE stage (age 7 to 11), and formal operational stage (age 12 and up).

(Bjorklund, 2018, cited in Scott & Cogburn, 2021) In an article,

HISTORY-MADE

MMA

SINGH STAT AS PRO-MMA FIGHTER

Singh is the new king

11-01-00 11 wins 01 loss 00 draw PHOTO FROM ONEFC.COM

Bhullar dominates Vera to become maiden Indian champion

FAST TRACK

To go global, start local WORDS BY ENZO AYCARDO

WORDS BY WARREN ALARCON

AS MUCH AS

ncpoph+ by QCEngC Vol. 1 Issue 1

SPORTS

ARJAN “SINGH” BHULLAR dethroned Filipino Brandon “The Truth” Vera with a Technical Knockout victory to

become the first Indian Mixed Martial Arts World champion in their ONE World Heavyweight Championship match at Singapore last May 15.

“India! We got one now. We now have a world champion!” Bhullar exclaimed after the hard-fought match.

The 35-year-old challenger stamped his class as he exhibited a flurry of overhands and hooks and finished the game having back control over Vera while delivering shots to the head that forced referee Justin Brown to stop the fight with 33 seconds left in the second round.

Bhullar improved to an 11-1 professional record and pushed his win streak to four matches while Vera has now suffered back-to-back losses resulting to a 16-9 slate.

Using the kushti style – an Indian form of wrestling – Bhullar displayed patience with his counters from Vera’s leg kicks as he connected a vicious right overhand

strike followed up by a left straight combination in the 3:54 mark of the second round that shook his rival.

A burst of continuous overhand blows and a clear body shot boosted Bhullar’s aggression leading to a takedown with two minutes remaining in the round which put him in back control over Vera to finally finish the fight in a TKO fashion.

“Box him up, get in that range, wrestle him, pressure him, break him. Just patience, I knew I was gonna hurt him, I did not believe he had five rounds against me,” Bhullar explained after the match when asked about his strategy.

Six-foot-one Bhullar came off a Unanimous Decision win over the Italian Hammer Mauro Cerilli in ONE Championship - Century Part 2 that

COMMUNITY

Playing through the pandemic: The plight of the student-athletes WORDS BY WARREN ALARCON

AS THE COUNTRY trudges

through its 14th month under community quarantine, the future remains uncertain for our local student-athletes. The COVID-19 pandemic has kept schools and universities across the Philippines shuttered since March of last year, and while the academic transition to the online setting has proven somewhat successful, the same cannot be said about the state of Philippine collegiate sports. A year into the global pandemic and two full academic semesters later, the all-important question remains:

what has become of our studentathletes?

Undoubtedly, the pandemic has caused numerous disruptions in the sporting community all over the world. While most professional sports leagues around the world have overcome the initial obstacles posed by COVID-19 and remain in operation, collegiate sporting leagues in the Philippines remain in the dark about their return to the limelight.

As the Philippines continues to post record highs in COVID-19 cases, the local collegiate sporting community continues to suffer similar setbacks. The ongoing spike in COVID-19 infection rates

earned him the right to face Vera and bring glory to his hometown India.

On the other hand, Vera looked to bounce back from another TKO defeat against the “Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang but did not look like his championship self in the octagon.

“I didn’t perform the way I should have. First time in my career I felt gassed after the first round.

I’m annoyed and disappointed to myself,” the 43-year-old Vera stated expressing frustration from the fight’s result.

The Filipino pride Vera started out aggressive in the first round with inside leg kicks but Bhullar quickly adjusted taking the fight to the ground and using overhand rights in half guard

has led to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) consecutive cancellations of Season 82 and 83. Indeed, another frustrating blow to our nation’s young student-athletes yearning to return to competition, and a stark reminder of the times we are living in.

In the age of the “New Normal”, the dynamic of studentathletes has been anything but. The world of athletics and sporting competitions naturally revolves around the pillars of physical training sessions, team camaraderie, and intense regimens. However, the restrictive world we live in today continually discourages physical gatherings and large sporting events, leaving student-athletes with barely any avenues to hone their athletic skills. Inevitably, READ THE FULL this has led to a STORY HERE steady decline in the morale of the sporting community.

Current restrictions

this hurts to say, I believe that Filipinos are just at too much of a disadvantage when it comes to Basketball. No matter how big are hearts are for the game, there’s just no denying that Basketball favors those whose shoulders are farther from the ground.

That’s no way of saying that we shouldn’t play hoops, but it is a reminder that if we dream of playing in the global stage, we have to choose the games we play.

Enter E-Sports into the picture.

With one of the highest Internet penetration rates in the world, Filipinos are also some of the best online game players. Our infrastructure might not have the fastest speeds or latest hardware, but what we lack in equipment, we more than make up for with our skills on the mouse and keyboard and on the smartphone.

Filipinos are no strangers to the global online games scene. Even with limited government support, our national e-athletes are waving the flag proud in competitions around the world.

The lack of funding possibly stems from the difficult situation E-Sports finds itself in. The traditional sense of sports requires a display of physical prowess and the beauty of human motion. E-Sports, to many outsiders, is far from a sport because it’s just a bunch of players seated and typing away at their keyboards. There are no free-throw line dunks or fast and furious sprints across a finish line.

Although government support is still a few decades away, there are grassroots programs that are investing in our E-Sports infrastructure in the realization that Filipinos can dominate in this arena if given the proper funding and support.

The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is among the first collegiate leagues that has established an E-Sports tournament that pits the best gamers from the different universities in order to encourage student-athletes to harness their potential.

Let’s play our cards smart and capitalize on our strengths rather than forcing the issue on our weaknesses. If we dream of one day becoming global, we most definitely must start local.