Icon staffers rake in journ awards

Despite transitioning to virtual space, the city’s so-called “powerhouse” managed to maintain relative dominance after having its Filipino Radio Broadcasting and Scriptwriting team and three staffers hailed champions in their respective events.

City Icon also secured top-two finishes in News Writing Filipino, Science and Technology Reporting English and Filipino, Sports Writing English, Editorial Writing Filipino, Photojournalism English, and Column Writing, and latching third place in the Sports Writing Filipino, Column Writing Filipino, and Feature Writing English category, along with the special awards seized by the publication’s English and Filipino Radio Broadcasting and Scriptwriting Team.

Winners of the said event are set to represent the Schools Division of Santiago in the 2022 Regional Journalympics to be held next month.

“The City Icon staffers don’t sit on their laurels. It is with our cognition that these awards are coupled with our biggest responsibility—that is, to keep City Highers vigilant and help them create informed decisions, making them responsible citizens of society,” Lyra Mae Llantada, The City Icon’s Editor-in-Chief (EIC), stressed.

Additionally, Managing Editor Arra Mae Mariano asserted that the awards prove how Icon was able to continue its operations amid difficulties instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Operations have gotten very challenging ever since the pandemic strike; I’m happy to outcomes from [a] discouraged perspective…when you let discouragement get the best of you; that’s when you actually get defeated,” she said.

“Also, winning surpasses the recognition—medals, certificates, and trophies. Rather, it is with the realization of the primary pursuit of radio broadcasting. That is, to give voice to the voiceless—not just to keep on undergoing [a] series of training for the sake of flaunting our voices,” Ignacio stressed further.

Andres, Verona conquer Booklat at Iba pa 2.0

Student Lara Sofhia Andres and Araling Panlipunan Teacher Christian Jay Verona of Santiago City National High School (SCNHS) triumphed over junior high school student-teacher contenders across the city after bagging the top spot in the Booklat at Iba pa 2.0: The Santiago City LLCC Portfolio Cover Making Competition, Sept. 27, 2021.

In their video entry for the contest, Verona expounded on Andres’ artwork that purportedly showcases how Santiago City revolutionizes its literacy by providing universal access to education across all its constituents.

City High in on the 4th NSED

Pursuant to the fourth Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED), Santiago City National High School (SCNHS) virtually conducted simulation exercises on first-aid and evacuation management, observing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) earthquake contingency measures to achieve zero casualties and reduce distraction to properties.

Unlike the previous quake drills, the event pushed through with no social interactions among the school community and instead urged the participants to join by taking pictures or recording videos that execute the duck, cover, hold technique and perform first-aid procedures, and posting them online.

City Highers reap top Rgnl Skillslympic awards

Students from Santiago City National High School (SCNHS) latched podium finishes in four out of 10 exclusive exhibitions for the high school category in the 2021 Online Regional Skillympics held on Nov. 17 to 19, 2021.

Among those that asserted excellence are Rea Corpuz, Daniella Baldos, Kaye Pantaleon, and duo Mariah Matias and Melsea Sanchez for Technolympics, Speech Exhibition for Special Program in Foreign Language, Likhawit Tanghal, and Contemporary Dance, accordingly.

see that despite all these, we were able to come up with inventive ways to continue and persist. Hence, the awards,” Mariano claimed.

Moreover, upon positing her key to triumph, Llantada highlighted that writers should find the “right angle” that fits into the audience’s point of view.

“In hindsight, I’ve always thought that for a report to merit print, it should consist of manifold angles. But, I have come to realize that you don’t just throw random sides of a story to your article, but instead, focus more on the right angle that conforms to the lives of the people you are writing for. Only then your story actually thrives with due relevance. Most writers tend to commit that mistake,” the EIC explained

Neophyte CH whipped regulars, nailed 8th in ISAW

Besting other schools all over the city, Santiago City National High School (SCNHS) emerged victorious in the 2021 Division Statistical Show spearheaded by the Schools Division of Santiago City through the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) held last Nov. 24, 2021.

Santiago City National High School (SCNHS) overpowered returning schools on its first appearance in the 23rd Isabela Socio-Cultural Awareness Week (ISAW), clinching the 8th spot for the overall top-performing junior high school last Feb. 4-6.

23rd ISAW, organized by the University of the Philippines Kalipunan ng mga Anak ng Isabela (UP KAISA), aims to highlight the significance of youth’s role in bringing light in pursuit of change and progress in the present society.

The event comprised webinar workshops and contested activities such as Quiz Show, Essay Writing, Pagsulat ng Sanaysay, Poster Making, Extemporaneous Speaking, Dagliang Talumpati,

Debate,

Short Film Making, and Cultural Show.

Canalyn Joy Valera, a grade 10 student of SCNHS, nabbed 2nd runner-up for Dagliang Talumpati – Junior high School category that paves her way to Patalasanlahi, ISAW’s national level.

Among the fourth placers were Grade 10 Sofia Kate Valdez (Essay Writing – Junior High School) and Grade 12 Danyssa Tamayo (Pagsulat ng Sanaysay – Senior High School).

Grade 9 Lyra Mae Llantada garnered the 6th finish for Pagsulat ng Sanaysay – Junior High School category.

Seventh placers were Grade 12 Francis Vien Burias (Essay Writing – Senior High School) and Grade 10 Audrey Mei Diaz (Extemporaneous Speaking –Junior High School).

In an interview, Valera highlighted the significance of such endeavors in terms of empowering the youth and instilling critical consciousness.

“The event is a reminder that nation-building requires civil participation, particularly among the young blood. With this, we have been enlightened and encour- aged to be critical of those around us. As part of the youth, I have been urged to hope and fight for a more inclusive and better society,” she said.

Moreover, Llantada asserted that she sees ISAW as an “opportunity to relive the youth’s role that has been buried in oblivion.”

“Nowadays, the extrinsic stereotype of the youth being ticketed as rebels undermines us, and ISAW is that of a prompt that we, the youth, are essential in acquiring liberation. We are broadly adept at freeing our fellows that have fallen prey to

Devoue Ecrevaine

Unwanted Bullets

In these uncertain and critical times, many have sunk into an almost inescapable quagmire of instability. It has been more than arduous—to keep and sustain our personal balance when we have been stuck at home, deprived of our social ties and pre-pandemic way of life. In the main, the world’s social order has been greatly disrupted, creating significant ripple effects on our daily lives and further robbing us of one of the most significant elements to thrive and push through—our well-being. And certainly, I am one of those who feel plundered and despoiled by the looming powers’ crisis response.

In the Philippines, every day has become but a war of science, politics, and survival. The fear brought about by the existent pandemic, and the surge of other social problems like famine, unemployment, and prolonged restrictions has continued to threaten Filipinos, especially the marginalized and underprivileged. This has even compromised our internal dimensions of ourselves.

More than anything, the circumstances have called for science-based and compassionate policy decisions, well-ordered public compliance, and genuine social cohesion. Because of the privilege that provides me refuge, I have excused myself from being at the receiving end of the administration’s brutal approach towards the real victims of the pandemic—that is, the general masses. Nonetheless, I know well enough that what the situation ultimately emphasizes is the need to reconstruct the militaristic and unscientific public health system response of the government in these crucial times.

Based on Bloomberg’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resilience ranking, the Philippines sits in an appalling 52nd place out of 53 countries in terms of pandemic response. However, this should not come as a surprise. What makes the Philippine government’s response against the virus unsatisfactory, according to a press release of the rights organization Amnesty International, are the low rates of testing, availability of hospital beds, and inadequately prepared long-term healthcare sector.

The statistics are also illustrative of how poor and inhumane the Philippine government’s strategies are in containing the virus. For one, only months into the lockdown, it has opted to jail thousands of quarantine violators deemed “pasaway” or unruly, impelling for a more authoritarian pandemic response. These have been the headlines that greeted me nearly every hour of every day and which has, for the most part, infuriated me.

Now more than a year since the health crisis began, it has become more apparent that the Filipinos, like much of the world’s population, have grown exhausted of lengthened movement restrictions, shifting rules, and other stringent protocols. It has become an issue of preserving our rights to life, expression, and healthcare access. That more than ever, well-studied policy decisions and appropriately implemented safety protocols are greatly necessitated (S. Talabis et al., 2021).

Enhancing for effective testing, contact tracing, molecular medical research, and clinical diagnosis is one way to allow a closely articulated scientific response to emerging pandemic diseases.

Further, while the Philippines takes on a whole-of-nation approach and has likewise imposed provincial and regional oversight on its pandemic response, local intervention and infrastructure pieces like contact tracing must be done conscientiously as infections continue to soar beyond tally marks.

The country’s public health system response can only serve the interest of the people if politics, science, and the people are in harmony. The perceived futility of the government’s strategies lays emphasis on the need to approach decisions on COVID-19 based on one local government’s respective jurisdiction. But this does not mean having separate pandemic responses among subnational governments, but allowing for a more localized and specified approach (S. Talabis et al., 2021).

Authorities can only ask for public compliance if it stays true to their job and such authenticity is felt by the populace. In the same manner, unity between social groups, people’s organizations, and private and public institutions is a precondition. There has to be a good coordination mechanism among these sectors for the virus to be properly contained. Coming through the global pandemic requires collective action and efforts, among others.

As obvious flaws and negligence in the government’s crisis management techniques persist, what is being compromised is the element most central to our holistic health—our well-being.

Our well-being makes for our courage and strength to transcend whatever pitfalls that may lie ahead. It renders a clear sense of mind that allows us to ponder on our ways, what gives us solace, and what we need in our lives to attain peace of mind and life soundness. It is the fundamental tide that lifts us from any kinds of difficulties and apprehensions, bringing us to a state of genuine happiness and contentment, especially amid the onslaught of a health crisis.

Demand of Time

“Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you” (Pericles, 430 B.C.E.).

With the new election season heating up, presidential and vice-presidential aspirants have started expressing their desire to win a position in the office, bombarding millions of registered voters with overused political stunts and advertisements and drawing them to public events that sometimes result in the negligence of the