D' TRUTH (Literary Folio)

Some of the pieces in this book are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

A Publication of The Edwardian Quill © 2022

Book cover design by Nicole Xyleene Plopinio Book cover images by Yzabella Armado & Imee Antonette Ocampo

Acknowledgement

First and foremost, we would like to thank the school for letting us publish the first ever literary folio under The Edwardian Quill’s publication. We also give our highest gratitude to everyone who poured out their efforts in creating their literary pieces and artworks that became the foundations of this work. A special thanks to Ms. Klaizle Javier and the Likharaya Club members for extending their support for this project. Along with the guidance of our moderator, Ms. Mariz Geraldine Jose, this would not have been possible and thus, we thank the people who supported us in creating this. Above all, thanks to the Greatest Almighty, the author of knowledge and wisdom, for His showers of blessings and for His countless love.

Tableof Contents

POETRY

ListofContributors

Gabrielle Antiquera

Sophia Betinol Sophia Catapia

Althea Clariza Leeder Credo

Angelic Delloro

Cassandra Diaz

Candid Garcia

Ian Felizardo

Irish Macatangay

Kathleen Reyes

Chariz Estelle Segunla

Trixia Sta. Cruz

Xyleene Plopinio

Rae Crystal Yia

EditorialBoard

The Poems

PoolofThought

ImeeAntonetteOcampo

Thinking has always been overwhelming; a restless job I have to commit to 24/7. Stream of thoughts flood through endlessly, almost reaching the rim of the glass bound mind as if seeking for its depths to be traversed. But I do not know how to swim. Perhaps,

I also do not wish to. Maybe at some point, I got too ambitious, The silence I kept yearning for was being sought in the wrong places. The very thing I hoped cradle me to sleep became the reason I couldn't.

Maybe I wasn't meant to be at peace, or so I thought, because you happened. Something like this is deemed fictional, t'was too good to be true. But you have proved countless times it wasn't, and so I chose to believe you.

Thinking has always been overwhelming, a restless job I have to commit to 24/7. But with you, it felt more like a hobby than a chore, I could ponder you for hours on end. Maybe the waters weren't too scary, or maybe they were, but I was already brave enough to swim

A Writer’sDream

ImeeAntonetteOcampo

The writer continues to dream of being a magician instead, who is able to make sense out of the unfathomable, so she could better express what she felt. But just like cold water, the truth poured over her senses; jolting her awake. It was yet another wish waving goodbye.

Yet the writer later ponders, maybe she might have been graced with a power so great-- to be able to make sense out of mere lines and bring forth life to it. Maybe intangible things weren't meant to be grasped, it only seeks to be understood. And she, out of all people, was well versed.

WomanofLetters:TheSecretManual AngelicDelloro

Writing is such a wonderful journey. Entering into a new world, the old world being buried. Creating new people, new memories. Making a path for them; a new goal, a new dream. Creating new situations, new problems. It feels like such a high.

And sometimes, I want to get into that world. Whether fantasy, mystery, or horror. It's escapism. Like looking into a new dimension. A mirror reflecting your reflection but not quite. Everything how you want it to be, you’re the master, the author. Your decision, your story. Your decision what to do next, what you want to see, what you want to hear.

Blockbuster GabrielleAntiquera

In a world where picture perfect is the standard, what life will you choose?

Lights, camera, action! Look in the mirror, see who’s the main character. A progressing plot with every step you encounter. Be the action star who saves the world from disaster. Life’s a long movie, probably the most unexpected one to date. So choose wisely on what direction you will take. As each film has its own protagonist and antagonist, who will you be in your own little world?

FilledCups

AltheaClariza

Does it ever shake you up How people are quick to speak

Without fully knowing everything? That as you wake up

And see an information leak

The world suddenly gets busy overanalyzing.

Before you even start your coffee in a cup You everywhere see beaks

Curiosity uniting them to see what tea people may bring. Fully judging with gossip filled cups

Discriminating to no end for weeks Like they truly know everything. Won’t somebody speak up With great critique

That they, too, are imperfect and have shortcomings.

We are imperfect, too We all have our flaws

And have a hundredfold shortcomings

We all have them, it is not against the law.

WideAwake

GabrielleAntiquera

Held at gunpoint, continuous killings

A vivid nightmare for many, You are no longer dreaming.

Injustice slowly prevailing

Peoples voices becoming too heavy

As they’re held at gunpoint, continuous killings

The innocent screaming Their freedom sold for a penny You are no longer dreaming.

Fear rapidly increasing Weapons loaded and ready The gun holds continuous killings

A world without healing

Is a reality coming in steady

We are no longer dreaming.

Some live with shallow breathing Afraid to be the next to bury.

People held at gunpoint, continuous killings. You are no longer dreaming.

TheAnimalsWhoRun

IanFelizardo

The tiger and the eagle, red and green Greedy and vicious, these predators are At the top of their game, in acting clean

One with the masses, but lives like the queen Heads so high, unreachable like a star The tiger and the eagle, red and green

Plain, simple is how they want to be seen With a pure golden heart to set the bar At the top of their game, in acting clean

Not suited to lead, and with brains like beans With them, all progress seems to be very far The tiger and the eagle, red and green

Those who try to fight are put out the scene Never to be heard again, quite bizarre

At the top of their game, in acting clean

There is still chance, we can still intervene Don’t vote for these two, you know who they are The tiger and the eagle, red and green

At the top of their game, in acting clean

Blindfold

CandidGarcia

Do we see behind the cloth?

Pointing the sword, and holding the scales;

Do we see who’s at fault? Seeking peace and justice for all Diff’rent religions, gender, color, and race.

Do we see behind the cloth?

We treat holy, and pray for the soul Of the one who has a hidden face. Do we see who’s at fault? Those who have been caught, We let them free the case. Do we see behind the cloth?

If our eyes were in blindfold? Sharp sword, heavy scales, red lace; Do we see who’s at fault?

And you, shout for those who fought; Break the chain of this pace. Do we see behind the cloth? Do we see who’s at fault?

Piring CandidGarcia

Isa, dalawa, tatlo, at nand’yan ka muli nangangapa sa dilim na dala ng piring. Nalulunod sa malalim na dagat kasing lalim ng hangarin.

Sumisigaw walang marinig, Tumatahol nang paulit-ulit. Talaga bang naka piring o Manipis ang tela nito at nakakakita parin?

Isa, dalawa, tatlo, hahanapin na kayo.

Know-EverythingRich

IrishJundayeMacatangay

Oh! Here comes the know-everything rich. They’ve never been in the spot but has something to say;

With invalid opinions, they sit and preach.

While they get tanned on the beach, The people work hard for their food today. Oh! Here comes the know-everything rich.

Ride in the morning with their car, bar at night just to snitch,

And that’s all for their day. With invalid opinions, they sit and preach.

With all their privileged mindset, they love to teach, “Go! Work hard and then pray!” Oh! Here comes the know everything rich.

Exploiting the working class like a leech; Money for the workers, they delay.

With invalid opinions, they sit and preach.

Too high, so it is hard to reach, The standards they set as we decay. Oh! Here comes the rich. With invalid opinions, they sit and preach.

Umbrella

IrishJundayeMacatangay

We are the messed up youth

Ones the past generation made for recruit Ones born to lead in a suit

How will we learn

If we are not heard And if we are, we are called absurd Even just living makes us tired

Will we choose to move when shots are fired?

For future hope, we are hired Kids who were forced to grow up young Finding comfort in old lullabies sung

And peace is craved most by our tongue Wasted our time when we were kids We were pressured into work to love

Now our youth is spoiled in a jar with an unopened lid

We are tired of the weight

But we fight for a chance

For a better world, we stay For even just a glance

OldMe

JerrielSalinas

My life was good. The sky was always blue, the water was calming, and the sun always shined, then you came. The sky wasn’t as blue as it was anymore. The sun left some days, and you introduced me to rain. Nothing changed even after you left, but I now realize that I never really minded it. When you left, I started to love the rain, and I fell in love with the night sky. I felt relief in the tears I shed at night, and I finally felt free. You showed me the pain in the darkness, but when you left, I saw beauty. I guess, you really had a purpose in my life, and even though you made me hurt, I should still thank you. You helped me fall in love with what was real, you made me realize that there is indeed beauty in the pain. Just like you. I may still have a few characteristics that you have, but that’s a good thing, it helps me remember where I came from. I’ll never forget you, thank you for fighting, and thank you for turning me into the person I am now. See you in the photographs, old self.

NewGen.Women

AaliyaSolitario

Girls are diverse

They shouldn't be reversed Reality's being neglected While standards are subjected Big breasts, round bums Should all be skinny? Small face,Slim waist, But wait! Remember, Dips aren't for the hips Women must be slender Slender but thicc This isn't a trick

Kinda contradicting But something's missing. Skin must be smooth like plastic But all of it must be natural and realistic Stretch marks: unacceptable Cellulites are terrible

While all of these standards are crafted by men,

It seemed like they're writing novels and stories

Where they create all of their fantasies Crazy little girls

Working for pleasure and s*x

That's what women are in their eyes When will all this be done and subside

Women are exhausted, not tired

What other strategies should they(we) try To try and stop this bulls-Sh*t! I shouldn't say bad words or else they'll

I mean, who cares now? Women are empowered

Women have redeemed their strength Women will never stutter 'Cause the game's not yet over

Bring back the power Women are empowered

ChristmasTree

TrixiaSta.Cruz

I am standing very firmly on the ground

Everytime we hear bells ringing on the street children singing songs of choir And the hustle of the cold wind. Colorful presents sitting themselves under my shade and beside the fireplace waiting until being opened by excited children. Unwrapping their last days of the year with full of smile

While each member of the family place their christmas ball

It feels heavier while their love with one another becomes softer. Although this very day will soon end as the sun wakes everyone up after a very memorable and festive night of christmas spent with the family.

I will Stand Until The Last Sparkle of the star of Bethlehem

IanFelizardo

A tree was cut down, No one planted in return, Mankind will soon die.

InLieuofJustice

JoreneTubesa

Sentience of the oppressed

Always to be seen, never to be heard Like sacrilege on the tongues

Of the powerful, never to be overwhelmed

Throwing lives away as if it’s as easy as ripping a paper

Now they spew the tales as token for glory Pretending to be the saviour whilst bathe in the dread of a sinner My, hope is a mere fantasy

When all are still drowning.

FlamesandRains,ObeytheOne

PrinceVasquez

Scorching sun, frequent rainstorms, hit everyone The beauty of my country they tried destroy! Arise, arise, flames and rains, obey the One

The rays of the Sun went ways of their own The raindrops all splashed and splattered everywhere Scorching sun, frequent rainstorms, hit everyone

From the towns and cities in ruins, gone Gone is the former glory of my country! Arise, arise, flames and rains, obey the One

The Trouble knocks on everyone’s door, none None finds relief in anyone, but the One Scorching sun, frequent rainstorms, hit everyone

Open door, the trouble came, but hope’s the One Words of love, words of Love, will win, wins, have won Arise, arise, flames and rains, obey the One

The Light shines and lights obey; O, thou, heathens The Rain pours and waters gather; sing, “Father!” Scorching Sun, frequent Rainstorms, hit everyone Arise, arise, Flames and Rains obey the One

Flash Fiction

CassandraDiaz

I was scrolling through my phone routinely 57 swipes for Facebook, 33 swipes on Instagram, and 5 hours for Youtube. This is my habitual kind of day. Kind of tiring but this is how I grew up. Reacting to posts I see online when in fact I don’t like to see it we don’t have the same lifestyle as they have. We couldn’t just pay 15,000 pesos to just sleep in a lavish hotel and have a satiating buffet when we wake up in the morning. Perhaps, I just don’t deem it sensibleful even if we have that money or I am just grown to that mindset because we really don’t have money for that? Either way I just don’t agree with it. I am profoundly sick to see people from Instagram conceal their flaws. Recently, I just saw Abbie, my It-girl classmate, conceal herself. How did I know? Of course I saw her yesterday at our class crying over her one pimple! I mean there’s nothing wrong with that, it doesn’t just sit right to me that people of today try to fit into the so called beauty standard of Instagram, when in reality we are not perfect porcelain dolls with

silky and shiny hair, smooth and reflecting skins. We are humans and we are flawed! Okay, enough of the ranting for today maybe I’m just sick of the programmed life I have. Maybe people of my age are quite enjoying it but not me. I’ll just sleep and wish that tomorrow, the Internet will stop existing and I will transport myself to a different time of life where all these are non-existent. “I wish for the Internet and phones to be gone.” I sincerely begged before I closed my eyes and slept.

“Hurry get me the cookbook from Alodia’s! This is now boiling!” Voiced by Mom, Serenity to my little sister, Joy. I was confused as to why my mother had to get a cooking book from our neighbor she could’ve just searched in Google the instructions of Pochero?! Why does she have to make things harder for herself? “Ma, why did you ask Joy to get you the book? You can just easily search in Google— in Panlasang Pinoy..” I said with pure concern. “Hello? Earth to Clary! There is no Google! And by the way what is that? It is our routine to just look for recipes in our cooking book—we don't have

any access to anything other than books.” She said with deliberate oblivion to what I am saying. “But ma, it’s what we always do everyday.. Whenever you cook, you ask me or Joy to look for the instructions or the recipe on the internet..” I said again completely bewildered about my Mama. “Clary! One more unknown word to come out of your mouth, I’m going to forbid you from playing with Amy and Noah for one whole week! Test me!” She said provokingly.

I don’t know what is happening to my Mama, she doesn't know the words “Google” and “Internet” as if she isn’t addicted to it?! As if it’s non-existent?! And she even forbade me to play with Amy and Noah as if we still play? Even if I like to, teenagers like us only use our phones and do everything with it. Playing outside is just so outdated for everyone.

“This is ridiculous!” I sighed and rummaged to find my phone to Video Call Amy or Noah to tell this crazy day of mine. “Ate, what are you looking for? You almost

ruined all of the folded piles of clothes.” dazedly said by Joy. “I am looking for my phone! Can you just help me?” I said irritatingly. “Ate, what phone? What is that? We only read books and play with things everyday..” Joy puzzledly reacted. “I really hate everyone! What is happening? Are they playing with me? Because I’m not!” I shouted as I stepped outside to find Amy and Noah.

There I saw them! P-p-playing outside?! I was shocked not because I find them funny playing but because I know they don’t like playing. They would rather stay all day and night with their phones. “Hey! What are you guys doing? Can I join?” I just joined them instead of telling them about something strange happening. Besides, they seem normal and happy I just get along because that’s the life I also want.

While we were playing there was an unfamiliar and mysterious man who gazed upon me and said “I’ve given you what you wanted” We only live in a small town—we

know everyone in here but that man is just a complete creep stranger. God! I now understand and remembered what happened. I wished for this!

“Ate Clary! Help us prepare for the storm clouds that we just learned about!” I ran towards our house but before we could even prepare the typhoon started to gush over our house. We were panicking, especially my Mama she is old and brittle and can’t help us evacuate because she was drowning too.

I don’t know what to do I just wished again for the last time to stop this. If we only had our phones and internet we could’ve learned about the typhoon early or we could call for help. This is all my fault. “I wish for this to stop and bring us back to reality. I will never wish for the internet and phones to be gone again, I’ve learned my lesson.” I said before I cried and closed my eyes hoping for a last miracle to happen.

As I open my eyes again, I only feel serene. Now I

I knew it was all normal again. As I look around, my Mama is cooking again with the use of Panlasang Pinoy in Google. Joy was using her phone playing games and Amy and Noah invited me for a Video Call.

This is not my ideal world but this is the new and real world. Even if things are dim and fuzzy to me, I am Clary will soon find Clarity.

Ramon'sWhiteChristmas

IanFelizardo

Ramon T. Magdangal has suffered greatly for the entirety of 2020. Most people used to know him as a happy-go-lucky guy for always facing every situation with a positive attitude. Unfortunately, with all the recent events that happened to him, not only did he start to lose his enthusiasm, but even his will to live. Ramon was one of the many people who were let go of their jobs due to the pandemic. This may have been the hardest struggle he had to face in his life as during the same time he lost his job, his parents got sick of the virus. His father survived but sadly his mother did not. With his father moving back to the province, he was left alone in his small apartment in Manila. For the last few months, Ramon found himself managing a small business he created. He slowly coped up with everything by baking and selling his pastries online. Slowly, he was able to lift himself up from the ground again, until he was scammed and lost more than half of what he had earned. No job, no family and no money, the poor Ramon saw nothing of

interest in this year’s upcoming festivities and so he decided to make it his last.

About only a week left before Christmas, Ramon ate his last meal on the balcony of his apartment. For his final dinner, he decided to eat Jollibee’s burger steak, but he didn’t seem to have the appetite for it tonight. As he ate his final steak, Ramon recorded his last words on his phone. After eating and leaving a lengthy message to the people he loved, he finally decided to sit over the railings and prepare to jump. He closed his eyes and everything around him went silent. He felt cold and numb, but he knew he was ready. Ramon slowly counted up to three before jumping, but before he could even do so, he felt a cold breeze pass right through him that made him shiver. This interrupted his countdown and so he restarted, but again he was interrupted, this time he felt something cold drop on his head. It was wet but it didn’t feel like rain, and at the same time it was like ice but it wasn’t as hard as hail. As the winds grew stronger and colder, he started to hear commotions from below. There were screams and

horns that sounded like a panic. He decided to open his eyes only to find out that snow was falling from the sky. Ramon was awestruck as he just witnessed the first snow in the Philippines.

The man decided to go back behind the railings. All of a sudden he felt joy rush inside of him. He felt really light as his pain was slowly lifted away. Ramon didn’t even notice the tears falling from his eyes as he watched the snow fall. He tried to call everyone he knew to tell them about the sudden phenomenon. He first called his father, but he did not answer. He assumed maybe he was already asleep or the old man had no signal. He then called his best friend, Ian, but even he wasn’t answering. Although, he wasn’t really surprised as Ian always had his phone on silent. Finally he decided to call his ex girlfriend, not really sure as to what he wanted to accomplish here, but same as the others there was no answer. Ramon didn’t really know what to do next. He only had one thing planned for tonight, but he didn’t feel like doing it anymore.

As the snow continued to fall, Ramon thought it would be a good idea to take a walk. The streets were so busy as everyone was outside playing and watching the snow. He heard Christmas carols sung by everyone all around. The man walked down the street with a bright smile on his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this happy. He was very thankful that his jump was delayed, otherwise he wouldn’t have experienced this historical moment. Ramon saw a small puto bumbong stall by the corner of the street. At the sight of the puto, Ramon quickly joined the many people in line for it. He waited for quite a while, but it was worth it as the puto bumbong was a perfect snack after eating that savory burger steak from earlier. Ramon sat on a small bench to eat the puto bumbong, but while he enjoyed his snack, a woman’s voice suddenly called him from afar. It was a soft and mellow voice that sounded very concerned and disappointed at the same time “Ramon? What are you doing here?” Ramon quickly recognized the voice, it was one that he had not heard in a while. Tears fell from his eyes as he slowly turned around to the direction of the

voice.

His puto bumbong fell to the ground at the sight of the woman standing right in front of him, it was exactly who he thought it was, his mother. “Ma? What are you doing here?” Ramon cried as he slowly walked towards her. He hugged his mother tightly, and the two shared a sweet moment of reconciliation together.

“You’re not supposed to be here yet.” Ramon’s mother whispered in a shaky voice. Ramon didn’t know what to say, and although he was starting to understand what was happening, he wasn’t yet entirely sure about it. He cried on his mother’s shoulder upon the realization that he may have taken that jump all along.

DejaVu

GabrielleAntiquera

Musika stretched her arms and looked up to the ceiling of her room as tiny fragments of light pierced through her eyes. However as soon as she did a ringing went off in her ears with a sharp pain pounding in her head but as soon as she opened her eyes yet again, it was gone.

The weather outside was great. Cold breeze, autumn leaves and the sun shining just enough to illuminate the sky. It was her favorite kind of day. To ride a bike across the street like every Tuesday with her brother or to go grocery shopping with the one and only beloved mother. An ideal routine or rather a perfect dream.

The sun was beginning to set as Musika decided to go out of her room to watch movies in the living room. She was greeted with a bright hello by Niki and returned a smile to him. They spent the whole time laughing the night away with a comedy film playing in the background. Oh how she loved the thought of spending

spending everyday like this, no pain, no worries and just living life as she was supposed to, an alternative dream.

She looked up again, this time at the ceiling of their living room. Vibrant colors started to show, lighting up her face as she gazed around feeling the excitement building up inside her. Musika felt free like an escape from reality and giggled at the sight of her family dancing around vibing to the music. Suddenly a loud noise was heard and it looked like it came from Musika’s room. The walls started turning and broken glass pieces were seen on the floor.

Fear replaced the joy in her eyes as she frantically searched for her people but the house was empty. Colors slowly faded and the music was faint until it was no longer heard. She screamed and ran around until she hit her head and fell. The clock struck twelve, time stood still everything went black.

She woke up, alone. Gaze fixed on her clean room and

the alarm clock went off. Sitting there and thinking to herself about how it was colder than usual when she overheard people talking.

“It was a mess last night. Laughs and screams were the only things I could hear.”

“Maybe it was another episode?”

“I feel sorry for her because she must be in so much pain.” She smiled but her face was bland and empty. Musika Naih, an orphan since birth.

Dollhouse NatashaSy

[ Trigger Warning: The story uses strong language. ]

Ashley’s eyes shut from the roars of her parents. She doesn’t know what was happening over the white, wooden door. She was in her room when she heard a loud noise, like glass breaking along with thuds and shouts of her mom. As the only child with a celebrity mother and a father of high political position, she was indeed tired of the hot eyes around her.

“So Ms. Vera, what do you aspire to be? A celebrity like your mother, or a politician like your father?” The host asked. None. I will never be like them. No one knew how badly she wanted to say these words, but of course, then again, with a smile, she answered, “I would like my own way, my father, with my mother’s support, are the anchors of my dreams.” I have no dreams, I want to get out.

Days have passed since the violent quarrel of her parents, and now she’s on a well-known show with her parents. She looked at her parents, who were staring at her with empty, yet furious eyes. She knows she said the most awful thing. They looked at her, looking so sweet, but she knows it’s a facade. Only a facade.

As soon as the door closed the moment they arrived home, her face suddenly met a stingy slap. She wasn’t anymore shocked. Here we go again. And so she thought.

What was in your mind?! You are Ashley Vera, you should take after your father and mother! You disappoint me. Why did she give birth to you?! Go to your room, you’re filthy. I will never bear a child who’s as disgusting as you.” Her mother said.

“Daisy! What the fuck was that?! She. is. your. child.” Her father boomed as she went upstairs, but halting middle way in the spiral staircase of their cold household

to eavesdrop the fight her parents were going on.

“Frederick! Natatanga ka na ba?! It’s because of your mistress that whore! Why do I have to parent her? She’s not my child.” Her mother said.

“Daisy, I killed Avery just for you, pero you’re there? Ungrateful? Aba, ‘tangina!” Her father boomed. She peeped through the staircase to see her father gripping her mother’s jaw.

Seeing the scene, she just let out a sigh and went to her bedroom, as the shouts, thuds and all those noises get louder in the night. Sitting down at the edge of her bed, thoughts started to spread like wildfire in her mind. Putanginang ‘ yan. Or so she thought. Curses and a lot of swear words were leaving out of her mouth, she couldn’t let out the rage a while ago and now that she’s alone, she’s free to do whatever she wants. This is her only taste of freedom.

“Ashley, baby, get up! We’ll go somewhere, sweetie.” Her mother knocked on her door, with a sweet voice. Sunlight peeked through the window panes. That sweet voice was filled with facade, she could sense it. Cameras in our house again.

She got up, brushed her hair, applied subtle make up and wiped the dried saliva off her face and reached her door, but before she could ever open it, she saw their family photo on the floor. Glass shattered and the face of a person- her brother, burnt.

“Honey, what’s taking you so long? We’ll get a family picture today, love, hurry!” Her father knocked the door so gently as if he wasn’t a corrupt politician, an abuser and a murderer.

“Coming, dad. Sorry for the long wait.” She opened the door, and greeted her parents a good morning. It was then again that a facade will be evident. They went out of the house and went inside their car to go to a photoshoot

that her mother so lovely loved.

On their way, her parents have started to quarrel again. One wrong move and you ’ re dead, Daisy Pentason Vera. She thought and hid a smile.

“We’re getting a divorce! Stay with your filthy child and let me go! Kurakot ka at mamamatay-tao!" Her mother snapped.

And that was it. Everything, from then on, happened in a snap. Her father pulled out a gun and dragged her mother out. In an instant, a loud bang was heard and cops were heard already.

She plucked in her earphones as the song played and her father was surrounded by cops, arresting him for graft and murder.

“Everyone, thinks that we ’ re perfect. Please don’t let them look through the curtains. Picture, picture, smile

for the picture. Pose with your brother won’t you be a good sister.”

And from then on, she was free, for the dollhouse had been broken. She was no longer a puppet nor hidden. Finally, no more corruption and bitches. Ashley so thought with a smile as she walked her way out of the crime scene.

TheLegendoftheShield(Satire)

SophiaCatapia&KathleenReyes

Once, somewhere in the East, sat an island called Quarantina. There lived different species of animals inhabiting the land harmoniously. Diggy the Dog, Haru Rhino, and Go the Bongo were very good friends. The three were always together, running and playing around the island. Sometimes, they would get all so unruly that even younger animals would have to scold them.

Everything was normal until one day, an enemy came. The other Quarantinians happened to have heard about a creature that attacked inhabitants of neighboring islands. It turned out that it was Corona the Evil Cricket. They were all terrified except for the three, Diggy, Haru, and Go. They believed Corona could not possibly harm them.

That, they thought, when all of a sudden the three saw for themselves how Corona started attacking Quarantinians one by one. They were frightened, and so they ran as fast as they could, calling all the others they

saw to hide. In an instant, the island was empty. No one can be seen around except for Corona who seemed to know they were all there, somewhere, hiding.

As it happened, it was right. In a large cave hid all the Quarantinians. Diggy, Haru, and Go volunteered to be on the watch. Every day, they would look out to see Corona flying around. This went on for days until the Quarantinians began feeling anxious. They knew they cannot keep on hiding. They were afraid and hungry. Even so, the three, who, in the first place, told them to hide, were insistent that they should stay. In the end, with the demand of all the Quarantinians, the three had agreed that they would go out to defeat Corona. Although in truth, they did not want to, Diggy convinced his friends that if they won, all the Quarantinians would deem them as heroes. The two, eager for that to happen, acceded right away.

On that night, the three devised their plan. Because they have seen how Corona attacked, they decided they

should make themselves some sort of protection. Together, they spent the night creating this weapon.

The morning came, and the Quarantinians woke up to the sight of the three now wearing what looked like a shield on their faces. All proud, they went out of the cave, and as soon as they did, Corona caught sight of them.

Full of themselves, the three claimed the entrance and stood proud in front of the enemy. Corona suddenly attacked them and guarded their area. Haru and Go shivered and hid behind Diggy. Corona continued hitting them. Luckily, they were able to avoid it. A second strike happened. They got hit. Nonetheless, they have their face shields.

The three tried to carry on, still proud of their invention, but they kept getting attacked. Lying on the ground, they were already defeated. Right then, a group of animals began to emerge. Their bodies were

completely covered. Everyone was holding their own sword. These animals were the citizens of Quarantina.

Corona noticed, and so it flew towards them. They were shouting, pointing their swords, but the enemy did not show any panic and tried to beat them all. The Quarantinians, though, were equally unstirred. They surrounded Corona to easily execute their attack. Through this, they got their chance to steal a strike.

Now weak, Corona was still trying to stand straight, but it failed. It could not contain all the strikes thrown by its opponent. In the end, the Quarantinians succeeded. They celebrated their victory while the other animals started coming out of the cave with joy and freedom evident on their faces.

After all that, the Quarantinians happily went back to their comforts and lived their normal lives.

EPILOGUE

Meanwhile, Diggy, Haru, and Go, still wearing their shields, recovered their senses. They stood up and noticed Corona lying on the ground, helpless and defeated. The three looked at each other, confused. Haru, struck with a realization, covered its mouth out of amazement while Go went to Diggy’s side, still puzzled.

The three rejoiced, thinking they defeated Corona. Straight away, they went back to their community to proclaim their triumph. When they arrived, they saw everyone back doing their own business. Despite the confusion, they assumed the Quarantinians already learned about their victory. To commemorate their win, the three decided to make more of their invented face shields and give them to the Quarantinians who, with a question on their faces, still received the shields from the three. Diggy ordered them to wear it every time to give honor for the efforts and sacrifices they made to save their island.

TheTroublesoftheMananggal

IanFelizardo

On a cold September evening, Mandy sat alone on the roof staring at the moon. On her hand was a bolo which she held so tightly that it was as if her hand would get cut from the handle. As she stared at the moon, she was dazzled by its beauty. Its silver light was reflected throughout the Pasig River. She had never seen it so close and bright before. Mandy tried to remember the last time she took her wings out to fly under the beautiful night sky, but she couldn’t. The last time she could even recall feeling happy for herself was two years ago before meeting Wallace the wakwak. Tears fell from her eyes as she recalled her memories with Wallace. It has already been about a month since she broke up with the wakwak after seeing him with a different woman, but Mandy still cannot let him go. As a manananggal, Mandy’s troubles caused her to struggle in separating herself in half.

There were just too many things boggling Mandy’s mind. Her heart was filled with rage and sadness as she

reminisced on all the sweet moments of her relationship. Mandy knew it was time to move on, but she couldn’t gather the courage to spread her wings again. She felt stuck to the ground as she failed to separate her upper body from her torso. Using the bolo she held in her hands, she decided to cut herself in half. The manananggal screamed as she dragged the blade across her waist. Slowly, her wings started to grow back from behind. Her entrails hung from her as she tried to lift herself from the ground. It was a bloody mess and was not a beautiful picture.

The pain Mandy felt did not last long. Quickly, her body turned numb and Mandy felt great relief. Finally, she was able to lift herself from the ground again. She flapped her wings and flew away to the distance. Mandy was in tears as she danced beneath the moonlight. “Never again would I fall in love with a wakwak,” she told herself, “Lahat ng ‘ w ’ ang simula ng pangalan ay manloloko

LegendfromtheOldWorld:Manuandthe Witch

CharizSegunla&RaeYia

In a very far away land, there was a small town full of children. They have a queen that is delegated to administer their town; her name was Grace. Besides, they also have a hero named Manu; he's entrusted to protect them whenever a catastrophic incident occurs. Manu is known to be clumsy, but his exceptional courage and heroic deeds made the children build their trust in him. Everything was going well, not until a mysterious child transferred to their town one day.

Despite having a humble and peaceful village that lived under the ruling of the brave queen, there lived a cruel, old, evil witch named Estella who carries black magic and wicked powers that the village of children has no idea of. She's planning to get rid of the children as she finds them annoying and bothersome. However, she has to be cautious as her witchcraft will lead to termination whenever a child touches her skin.

One calm morning, as the children have a good time as they mess around outside the streets, Estella, now wearing children's clothing, pretending to be a child, joined them. As they had fun and played all day, all of them grew tired as the sun set on the horizon. The queen joins the group, and she stands beside the pretending witch. She then utters something so drastic that they will all regret later on, “You don’t smell good, amoy lupa ka.” the queen stated. These words angered the witch, which forced her to reveal her true identity. After revealing her true identity, the witch fled while cursing the village, “Isinusumpa ko ang inyong bayan magmula sa araw na ’to, madami sa inyo ang magkakasakit at lahat kayo’y mahihirapan.” The queen immediately called forth Manu to seize the evil witch at once. As Manu ran hurriedly after the witch for a confrontation, he stumbled on his feet while running towards Estella; his forehead smashed upon the witch's hand, resulting in her black magic and powers being perished. At the same time, as dreadful circumstances come, Manu has been paralyzed as his head hits, leading to his death; darkness and

downfall of the town came as they grave to the sudden death of their hero.

The confrontation between Estella the Witch and Manu the Hero resulted in a whole lot of changes in the way the children live and interact with the older people. Manu's death led to the unity of the two villages, the town full of children living together with the adults and older people. The children learned how to give respect to others because of the witch transformation incident. The children also started the tradition of "pagmamano" to commemorate Manu's life sacrifice and also to prevent the development of black magic to older people.

LightningAlwaysComesBeforethe Thunder

XyleenePlopinio

Earth was a place where gods and humans came to be, but in spite of this, they still have a lingering dislike for each other. The gods looked at them with annoyance, with a lingering thought that says, “Humans are impure, weak, and selfish beings.” In life, it’s either a tough call or a good bargain in life. Whatever they choose, there’s always a price, consequence, and being two different beings; the gods and humanity, it further complicates things.

On Earth, there lived Barrack, he was the third descendant of Apollo, God of Light, he came from a line of godly lighting craftsmen, lived a luxurious life, and he shared that with his daughter Thera. He wanted to give his daughter his world, but when it came to humans, he was reasonably hot-headed. One beautiful day, Thera was thinking about this boy from her academy, his name was Phum and he was human, until this grew into something else. She really admired this person, to the

point that she admits deep affection towards him, and that she loves Phum.

Barrack did not like this, he said it was just absurd for some lowlife to be married to a god, it was a preposterous thing to do. Until one day, Barrack decided to send Thera to a different academy. Thera didn’t agree to this but there are such precedents for gods and one is that they should never disobey their parents. Their situation made them quarrel everyday. Little did Thera know, her father was not letting her be with a human, because her mother was one, and she was slain as a punishment for the unspoken rule that gods should not be married to a human, he just didn’t want his daughter to experience the same.

Barrack couldn’t stand the unending arguments with his daughter, so he went for a visit in the Upperworld. He asked the higher gods to grant Thera free will in exchange for his godliness. They told him, “No god shall be forfeited of his power as it is meant for them”. So he

went to the Underworld, the realms of the dead and banished gods. They told him that this would be granted, Barrack did not know that the dead gods were tricking him into giving up his soul, and he ended up giving it away.

Down on Earth, Thera receives a scroll from below. The message explained what his dad gave up and her origin. Thera cried with all her might, she wailed, and mourned. Until she was seized by the higher gods. Barrack was kept in the Underworld, shining a torch for his daughter, which is only reflected everytime it rains. Everytime he shines his torch, Thera sees him from above, and wails for her father. Barrack only sees darkness, shining a light everytime it rains, with pure sorrow, as lightning always comes before the thunder.

The Essays

PressFreedom:OffenseandDefense

TrixiaSta.Cruz

As the Philippines begs for people’s active involvement in this time of political warfare, our press freedom is slowly manipulated by being treated as the government’s greatest enemy. Some Filipino people have been accustomed to silence, yet there are people who amplify their voices to be heard. History shaped the present that’s why we weren't able to properly experience the democracy that our country possesses. Our freedom of expression served as a lifeblood. But it was being limited by the fear of the government to those who contradicted them. With press freedom in the Philippines having an impact on people's involvement, it served as the cornerstone in challenging the proficiency of our country's democracy.

Press freedom in our country alone has been challenged multiple times. Talking about this topic gives us a look back during the time of the dictatorship of President Marcos. Major media and broadcasting network, ABS-CBN, is being forced to shut down. Journalists opposing the government inimics their human

rights. This has affected how we now lack the valid texts and sources that we need from those years. Because of that history, we have learned Filipinos cannot properly exercise democracy as some fear of experiencing those. Speaking ill against the wrongdoings of the government is a grave sin during those days.

This event reappeared recently but is now under the Duterte administration. Two events may prove that the administration served as a barrier towards press freedom. One is the conviction with cyber libel of Nobel Peace prize winner and journalist Maria Ressa. Next is the issue with the ABS-CBN franchise. These two made the Philippines one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. Events of the past reoccurring in the present have shown the gap between the government and people of the Philippines. Instead of achieving the unity that we want we are secretly being called as enemies behind their backs.

With how the past administrations treat the media as both their enemy and their weapon, there has been a crazy fight between government offenses and press freedom in defense. In the year 2021, people are voicing

out the opposition against the passing of Anti-Terrorism Bill, as a result, civilians involved in the country's opposition to the government were red tagged or worse, killed. The fear that they had before is reappearing again. The accusations with no valid proof are common among those who voice out instead of choosing to be silent.

Events being mentioned are all people being attested as it is involved in the Philippine's affair. People keep fighting for our democracy yet we are considered as enemies. The “watchdog” of the government is now fighting for their lives. While we continuously consume the information that they give but use it in different ways, we all use it as a Filipino exercising our right to democracy. People strive for a better country but the democracy that we have is being limited. Since the freedom of the press in the Philippines affects people's involvement, it has served as the basis for challenging the effectiveness of our own democracy.

Protection,withaChanceofHarm

Jerriel Salinas

Rule, by definition, is a set of explicit or understood regulations or principles governing conduct within a particular activity or sphere. Strict enforcement of rules is often cited as one of the solutions for progress in the country. All countries have rules, ones with legal papers are called laws, and they keep the country in harmony. Laws keep the country intact.

The rule of law is required at the national level to create an environment conducive to generating sustainable livelihoods and reducing poverty. Disempowerment, marginalization, and prejudice are all common causes of poverty. It promotes development by empowering individuals and communities, assuring access to justice, ensuring due process, and establishing remedies for human rights violations. The impoverished can defend themselves against infringement of their rights if they have secure livelihoods, shelter, tenure, and contracts. Legal empowerment promotes improved economic prospects in addition to providing legal remedies.

In post conflict settings, the rule of law is critical for organizing peace operations, particularly peace-building activities. Its application denotes a condition in which people respect each other's fundamental rights, resulting in better societal stability. The rule of law is commonly regarded as an ideal that ensures justice and order, as well as individual liberty and social stability. Fundamental rules and institutions of the rule of law are usually spelled out in constitutional law or authoritatively defined through constitutional procedures. The rule of law requires that everyone follow the constitutional procedures and resolve disputes according to the law.

Given this function of the rule of law, it is reasonable to regard it as a guiding concept in peace-building efforts. However, we recognize that there is a fundamental problem with its application in a war-torn community as a result of this. It is rare and unrealistic to establish a constitutional framework that functions authoritatively as a guiding principle in a disordered society. The absence of constitutional rules and institutions does not automatically imply that constitutional law must be restored. Peace operations

take place when constitutional settings, in general, lack authority and fail to serve as the foundation of a "culture of the rule of law."

All human rights, including economic, social, and cultural rights, as well as the right to development, must be protected by the rule of law to promote sustainable development results. While "rule of law" can offer a legal framework, contractual clarity, and conflict resolution processes that aid economic growth and development, only the rule of law, in accordance with international human rights, can ensure inclusive and sustainable development.

Strict enforcement of rules is one of the ways for countries to progress. It keeps the harmony of the people and ensures justice to the citizens of a country. Strict reinforcement means people are bound to follow the rules if they don’t want to be given consequences that have the same weight of the rule they disobeyed.

Rules are there to keep everyone safe, but what happens when the rules bring more danger to mankind? Do we still follow, or do we fight for our safety? Rules are meant to be made, but it is not an easy thing to do, it must be strategic and planned. Every problem that this rule may cause in the future must be solved before it even happens.

What happens when the law is overlooked by higher authority? Do we stay quiet or do we scream as loud as we can for justice? even if it might endanger our lives? Justice is called for and craved by the people when power of authority is used to overpower the rule of law.

MgaHayopatMalansangIsda

Ian Felizardo

Our language has always played an important part in forming our national identity. As a country made up of thousands of islands, Filipino as a language served as a bridge between the gaps of our various regional differences. With the current movements of globalization, foreign culture has become more accepted among us Filipinos to the point that our national identity is once again in question.

In order to further understand the effects of the growing influence in the country, we must first identify how globalization plays a role in the rapid spread of foreign culture. Globalization has been a huge trend in our modern society as it seeks to break the barriers present between countries through free trade. This change has allowed nations to share their own cultures and become more familiar with each other. English has played a major role in achieving success through globalization as it has already been considered as a universal language and has been set as one of the common requirements in different fields of work, not just international but even

local. This has created a certain societal standard wherein English proficiency is considered as highly looked upon and often prioritized in order to become more successful in the future. Unfortunately, this attitude has led many to focus on practicing English rather than our own.

Although there are many who support the integration of English in the different aspects of our country, there are still a lot who argue that its presence is slowly taking over our language. It is important to take note that language is a reflection of a culture and neglecting it is not any different from forgetting our identity. Becoming adept in English should not mean disregarding the relevance of Filipino in our society.

However, it is also necessary to understand that the issue of national identity cannot be defined by only relying on language alone. Although it serves as an integral part, there are still elements where nationalism can be built upon, such as shared experience and history. As Benedict Anderson defined it, nationalism is an imagined community wherein even people who have

never met before could have a sense of communion and act similarly through their shared history, traits, attitudes, and experiences.

The continuous presence of foreign culture brought by globalization in the country has put our nationalism in the spotlight once more. As Filipinos, we have a responsibility to love our language as it is still one of the main aspects that define our identity. Although many of us share the same history, struggles and values, our language is still one of the things that binds us together. Of course it is important to adapt in the modern world and further develop our proficiency in English, but there must be a balance within both. As Dr. Jose Rizal once said, “Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit sa hayop at malansang isda.” Let us not be like the animals and fishes who do not know how to appreciate their language, but instead let us be like the animals and fishes who do.

TurningPoint

Imee Ocampo

It was in a small room almost too crowded that one can only peek through the gap between the door and its frame to appreciate it as a whole that big dreams were dreamt and made true. Growing up surrounded by people who strived to be the best version of themselves, I was inspired to do the same despite the constant questioning whether my motivation was a guise for being driven by peer pressure.

However, all these said doubts vanished the day I decided to take a leap of faith, and believe in myself a little more than I usually would. The gust of the wind that day was not strong, perhaps there even was a lack thereof, but somehow it blew differently just enough to change the course of my life.

Like any other peaceful afternoon, the sun shone brightly and the leaves of the trees danced along with the breeze. The reverberating laughter of the children from across the street accompanied by the distant melody sung by the birds can be heard from outside. Who knew a

XYP seemingly ordinary day was the pivotal moment of my career, and that a single ‘yes’ would lead to a series of awaiting opportunities?

The serenity of the hour was disrupted by an abrupt sound from my phone, jolting me awake from daydreaming. It was a message notification from a close friend of mine asking if I was willing to lend them my skills in photography. At first, I was hesitant, which may have been caused by the high expectations I have set for myself. However, I eventually convinced myself that going out of my comfort zone for once might just be worth the shot and it would not really hurt if I did. And so I did, and the rest was history.

NothingtobeAfraidOf Aaliya Solitario

When I was in 8th grade, I was asked to write a poem regarding a controversial issue happening in the Philippines that time. I have already agreed to write the poem which gave me no choice but to agree when my teacher also said that I also had to recite the poem in front of my fellow schoolmates, I didn’t like performing on stage, or even just in front of other people. I always feel that when I do something in front of others, they would laugh at me or judge me. Ever since I was told that I will recite my poem, I have been thinking about so many negative things. It was nerve wracking. When I was writing the poem, I felt that my hands were trembling. I was writing anxiously thinking about things such as: “What if I fail?”, “What if I get mental blocked?”, “What if they laugh at me or judge me after the recital?”, “What if they bully me more?”. I was overthinking. Then the day of the recital came. I was the fifth to present. I saw the other contestants, they looked like a pro while reciting their poems. They were even making different gestures making their performance more appealing. I envied them. “What if I perform so

badly that I could not keep up with the skills of the other contestants?” that thought came to my mind. I was shaking again. Negative thoughts constantly filled my brain. I did not know what to think anymore. Soon after, I was the next to perform, but as I tried to stand up, I almost fell. I could not control my feet, my other foot was not positioned properly, making it painful for me to stand up and walk. As I stood in front of the audience, I could not move; my feet were pinned on the floor. I was just standing there, awkwardly reciting my poem in a monotone voice, I was anxious and nervous at the same time. Following my performance, I realized that I am terrified of being on stage or speaking in front of others.

Now that I am a HUMSS student, I have finally resolved my speaking problem, and I am more confident in myself when speaking in front of others because I have realized that there is nothing wrong with stuttering, mispronouncing a word, or even making a grammatically incorrect statement in front of others because no one in this world is perfect, and we all make mistakes, and I have come to the point where I don't care about anything others say to me aside from compliments and constructive criticisms.

ManipulationandMythoftheClimate

Jorene Tubesa

With the rapid changes in society comes both the good and the bad in the different aspects of society. The changes that the sands of time brought major changes particularly to the environment itself and it is not mainly a positive one. From the industrial revolution of the 1700’s to the modern-day advanced technologies, the shift in environmental changes were evident in many ways. The most prominent one being the climate change that the world currently faces.

As pollution, carbon emissions, and loss of natural resources became rampant, there has been a shift in the ecosystem that eventually led to the current complications today. Ever since after the second world war, the average mean temperature rose at least 0.62°C on an annual basis and the two seasons that the Philippines are supposed to have become irregular. Irregular, with the means of having a dry season but still having strong rainfalls and vice versa. This climate change that was conjured by different negative factors created by humans now has a wide effect on the socio

economic system that the world runs on hence, the problem that they created in the first place is the one that they are trying to resolve now. Everyone is hell-bent on ending the said problem but only a few take a stand.

Finding a solution to a global problem would really be hard to look for especially if not everyone takes it seriously and would rather indulge themselves in their own endeavors selfishly. One could devote themselves into the agenda of helping the environment by recycling, lessening their consumption, or vocally advocating for it yet they will garner less attention, sometimes even threats and punishments from the government itself while big corporations who relentlessly damage the environment to produce their products and services gets a free pass as they either generate money for an economic stronghold or it is permitted and planned by the government bodies. The three Rs that are taught at school are completely useless if its enemies are the endless and irresponsible illegal logging, mining of natural resources, and usage of fossil fuels.

All can have their contributions in fighting climate change but all must also be aware of the root cause of the problems they are facing. Eco-facsism stems from the long, systemic exploitation of capitalism; hence, everyone who longs to fight for nature must keep in mind that this is not just a scientific problem but it encompasses the socio economic field as well. One cannot preach against the destruction of the environment but turn a blind eye to what rich companies do just to make a product that they like to consume. It is within the individual's responsibility to adhere to their own principles because if they did not then it would just be betraying the fight for their cause.

Addressing climate change should indeed be a global concern that every nation should focus on that should be both assisted by scientific and social studies. The climate crisis should not just be highlighted whenever a catastrophic disaster comes but it should be acted on and talked about on a daily basis as it affects the everyday lives of people whether it be in health or livelihood. If everyone and everything is at stake then all must act to save it.

Pleasure

Candid Garcia

Why do sweets, new shoes, and orgasm feel so good? The feeling of pleasure does not belong to the category of wants; rather, it is a need. We really need pleasure in our everyday lives including having achievements, fulfilling goals, and even having a good sex! There are a lot of great satisfactions in life, and those things help us develop our perceptions towards the world. However, when it comes to women pleasure specifically in sexual actvity, the society does not see it as the same as men’s.

When men having sex with multiple women, they are being looked as a normal thing to do as a “man” as if it makes them truly a man. But, when women had a lot of sex with multiple men, they are being perceived in an opposite way. Since then, this has been a social construct that until now affects how society perceived women in terms of their sexual expression. Women sexual pleasure is not being treated as a normal thing to have. As a result, women have become uneducated when it comes to their own satisfaction in bed.

According to Dr. Nicole Cirino, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at OHSU’s Center for Women’s Health, every woman deserves to enjoy a healthy sexual life. Studies have shown that sex is beneficial to our health which activates pleasure or a variety of neurotransmitters; this affects not just the brain but also the other organs in the body. The benefits of sex in women includes better immune system, lower blood pressure, increased libido, better sleep, decreased anxiety and depression, and many more (Center for Women's Health).

Attaining sexual pleasure does not always mean you have to get it from your partner. Pleasures can be achieved even when you are alone, and this is normal and acceptable. This will help an individual explore his/her/their unique door of satisfaction. Whether we like it or not, pleasure belongs not just in the category of “wants” but also of “needs”. Greatest pleasures in life such as having a good sex has an impact in everbody’s physical health as well as in their minds. Yes! Sex, pleasure, or orgasm feels good, and people of different sexuality have to embrace it more because there is nothing to be ashamed of.

And one of the greatest satisfactions in life is having the ability and freedom to explore, accept, and embrace your own pleasures; it may be in food, or in clothes, or in bed. Nevertheless, it is all beneficial to our mental state, and physical health. It will all serve us a meaningful journey in this world we currently live in. This will reflect on our own behavior, attitudes, and how we see the life we are living. If we take control of our own capabilities, that is the time we gain power from ourselves, and no one can ever dictate how we must live based on the standards of society. What is life if we do not feel good about ourselves, and everything around us? What is life without pleasure?

DividedWeStand,DividedWeFall

Ian Felizardo

Even before our current administration, the Philippines’ shift to federalism has been widely reviewed. This systematic change in the government has been in discussion for years as it requires thorough understanding in order to identify the possible effects and impact it might bring to the future of the country. Federalism works by creating autonomous regions that are given the power to shape their own localities while still being governed by a central authority. While it is true that federalism might provide solutions to the various problems present in our country today, we must still remain critical in determining the negative consequences it imposes that might arise later on.

It is necessary that we take in mind that although federalism aims to help boost the country’s growth, there are still many underdeveloped provinces that require support and cannot stand alone. Perhaps a more appropriate example for this would be if we compare the strengths and weaknesses present between one province to another. For instance, let us say that Province A is rich

in agricultural produce and tourism, while Province B has a larger population capable of performing skilled labor and operating industrial machinery. Although Province A has its advantages, Province B still has the upper hand when it comes to man-power. Province B’s ability to produce larger capacities allows them to have faster economic growth and develop more efficiently compared to Province A. This clear gap shows that we can only expect the current highly urbanized provinces in the Philippines to take charge and dominate the market alone, while the majority of the remaining rural provinces are left behind.

Apart from the large gap present between provinces in the Philippines, federalism is also fueled by competition and for a country composed of various ethnic groups, this only strengthens the long existing regionalist behavior and attitude present among Filipinos. The competition could be healthy if it would only focus on economic behavior alone, but this could also serve as new ways to provide more reasons for each group to become more aggressive against each other. If discrimination and hostilities among the groups are already present in our

society today despite the use of a unitary government, then we can only imagine this to grow larger as competition between provinces intensifies. The problem does not stop there, as with the presence of crab mentality among Filipinos, it is not unlikely that they will bring each other down just to keep anyone from becoming better.

We cannot deny the fact that federalism can provide many opportunities in the country, but with our current situation today, the Philippines is simply not ready to undergo this major change just yet. Unfortunately, not because it worked successfully with countries such as the United States and Canada, it would work similarly to us. Perhaps someday in the future when all things have been considered then federalism might work, but before we determine the fate of our country, we must first understand whether the division brought by this shift will help our country rise or will only continue our fall.

KickBack

Leeder Credo

At an early age, the concept of injustice has already been instilled in us, social beings. When a classmate grabs a crayon from your bag without your permission or when your siblings tease you for getting the smaller portion of your favorite food, the idea that primarily comes into mind is the lack of fairness. It is the most basic and plausible definition we encounter about injustice, and it sticks with us as we mature. However, many people are convinced that as we age, this broad definition should evolve into a more distinctive and complex concept.

From what I have gathered through research studies and articles, injustice is a phenomenon that involves society, economy, law, and politics in acts of discrimination, violation, and disparity. It commonly includes racism, unfair labor practices, criminalization of poverty, corruption and more. Conversations with my friends brought me another insight regarding injustice. It is the abuse of authority and privilege, and disregard for the general public’s human rights and well being. When compared to an earthquake, injustice is the intensity which directly impinges on individuals, and magnitude

is the tendency of certain people to be terribly self absorbed. While all of these specific interpretations of injustice are factual and reasonable, I remain to be intrigued by the observations I have amassed since the very moment I have learned about injustice. We are all susceptible into committing injustice. It would be an evident lie to admit that you haven’t contributed to it at least once, or more commonly, seeing one and doing nothing about it. We are all suspects of this global anomaly, and this is where I believe the concept of injustice stems. Based on my observation, no one is born for the sole purpose of wreaking social havoc, as your upbringing and surroundings are the ones that shape your values and your character. It is natural to aspire for advancement, however, the problem lies in getting too caught up in one’s ambition. It is only expected to witness turmoil as an outcome of this mindset, because we are communal beings. Us, human beings affect other human beings and thinking otherwise would certainly create a social imbalance. You can realize this by merely going outside and seeing a road maintenance project by Mayor X that had been there for an immeasurable period

of time due to a “budget deficit.” This dubious project could have already provided the mayor a quick swim in Palawan while your community drowns in flood by the unrepaired roads. He could be floating on banana boats while corpses of indigent citizens drift over the rat piss infested water.

You’ll witness how every action has an equal opposite reaction, and failure to recognize this would only lengthen this repugnant system of injustice. By doing your part through voting for the competent leaders, you’ll be able to realize that learning a deeper meaning of the word would not suffice if you fail to integrate your knowledge with actions and compassion.

SchoolisOurSecondHome;IsitReally?

Hannah Menor

We can easily advocate the need to eradicate injustice but have a hard time connecting with the oppressed. The term “injustice” is pretty self-explanatory: the absence of justice. Yet injustice is something that we experience so often that we lose sight of what needs to be done. I realized how exposed we are to injustice even at a young age yet very much unaware of it. One injustice that I have witnessed occurring in schools is how acts of sexual harassment are overlooked and blind sighted even though children who were sexually harassed or abused are at a higher risk of experiencing physiological and psychological problems (Madrid, et al., 2020).

The first time I witnessed sexual harassment at school was when I was in seventh grade (this happened in my previous school, not St. Edward School). Our teacher in Computer Studies would inappropriately touch the hair and shoulders of my friends. One of them even received a text message asking her to go to the computer laboratory alone. She also received messages asking uncomfortable questions such as “Where are you?”,

“What are you doing?”, or “Are you alone?”. At that time, we thought that everything was “funny” only to realize how serious this was. It took two years (or a whole school year) before the teacher was removed. The school did not clarify his reason for leaving. For a whole school year, a handful of students were sexually harassed.

The teacher who replaced him did the exact same thing. He inappropriately touched the elementary kids he was teaching. A fifth grader (at that time) reported to me how he was inappropriately touched and asked to “dance”. He laughed at the situation yet I told him how scary that was. Despite parents reporting such, not much action was taken about it. The teacher just suddenly left the school and the school gave no official announcement regarding the cases of sexual harassment.

I befriended someone who was sexually harassed by her very own classmates. The school chose to reprimand her instead, stating that her actions provoked such an issue. This story made me disappointed. How could they suspend and blame the victim? This reminded me of a case in 2019 (Malasig) wherein female students from the

Philippine Science High School (PSHS) had inappropriate pictures of them leaked without consent by fellow students and a teacher. Three of the offenders got to receive their diplomas, and the others were allowed to get their certification of completion after their penalties were “completely served”.

It is unfair how school systems choose to remain silent about a matter which can ruin the lives of many students. Offenders are given more of a reason to harass someone because they are being excused for it. How long should we let this injustice rise? How long should we silence kids and tell them “They are just being friendly” or “It is your fault for wearing that”, instead of helping them recover and experience education safely?

Translingualism: The Call to Rethink VMonolingual iews in Language Teaching and Learning Mariz Geraldine Jose

Teaching English language and literature for roughly three years as of this writing has changed my views and classroom practices towards a more progressive and inclusive approach. Sadly, it took me a while to realize the much-needed changes that I and my students deserve. For a backgrounder, much of my early practices have been greatly influenced by my experiences as an English as a Second Language (ESL) student and as a novice teacher who held on to notions about teaching the language to non native speakers. One of these notions is that if ESL students were forced to speak the language daily, praised and rewarded for expected “good” behavior, and punished for non-ideal ones, they would become better speakers (and by extension, writers) of the target language. As I understood, such practice was grounded on B.F. Skinner’s theory of behaviorism. And so I went onto the field, clinging to this notion that I thought was going to be an effective teaching strategy.

As a student teacher back in 2018, I got my first taste of

teaching real students in a public laboratory school in Manila. While some of them were already fluent in the language, most still struggled to communicate. Imagine their horror when I announced my first rule inside the classroom: “AmSpeak”, shorthand for American Speak. This is just a fancy term for the English Only Policy (EOP) that I picked up from my computer teacher back in high school which I thought would be a good idea for my practice-teaching class. Since I previously worked in a BPO company handling foreign clients, most of whom were Americans, Canadians, and British, the experience definitely helped with my communication skills. Naturally, I thought that if I exposed my students to a monolingual classroom setup with English as the only medium of instruction, soon enough, they’re going to pick up natural sentences in English which they could use in their own daily communication process.

Eventually, this seeped into the first year of my formal practice as a licensed teacher in a private school in Cavite, except that I never had to implement “AmSpeak” anymore as I had my school’s English Only Policy to thank for that. My ninth-grade classroom setup would be

ingual exchange liver the lessons n Filipino (at all ass, which eve spoken academi pect my students glish and English t wasn’t much of fortable with the mber; however, s for the rest of the Grade 9 population. I would consistently get responses such as, “Miss, pwede po bang mag Tagalog?” to which I’d reply, “Okay, but only this time.” I should’ve taken that as a hint about their readiness for such a classroom rule, but I decided to go on with it. As such, I could no longer count how many

XYP

times the same set of students would ask me that same exact question. I would then rephrase their answers in English and have them say it back, so they’d be familiarized with how their ideas were supposed to be stated in the target language.

After my first school year in 2020, I kept on asking myself, “Why didn’t it work?” Most of my students were supposed to be better speakers, readers, and writers of English because of the constant exposure to the language. They should’ve been better by now. I thought. If EOP was supposed to help them be better in English by practicing it every day, then what’s wrong? Was I missing something?

Taking the time to talk to my colleagues about it, I was surprised to hear their thoughts and what our students shared with most of them. “Gusto naman daw nila magsalita kaso natatakot daw kasi sila mag-recite kasi English lang. ” “Nahihirapan daw kasi sila maka-relate sa sinasabi mo most of the time; nosebleed daw masyado. ” “Hindi ka raw nagta Tagalog, minsan daw, nahihirapan sila maintindihan ‘ yung lesson.” One of my students, in her letter, said something jokingly,

“Miss, pwedeng mag-Tagalog, pramis. Ang nosebleed kasi masyado. ” Another one said, “Miss, Pilipino ka ba? Ba’t hindi ka nagta-Tagalog?” Now, while I find the whole if you’re a Filipino you should know how to speak-Tagalog thing problematic as not all Filipinos are Tagalog speakers, that’s a topic for another day. And while I only smirked after hearing these statements before, now that I got to reflect on how elitist and isolating the English only classroom is, I can’t help but feel sorry for my students who deserved a better treatment from their language teacher. I can’t help but think that I robbed them of a chance to learn more meaningfully, to discuss their thoughts and feelings more freely, and to have a sense of community with their classmates and with their teacher. I can’t help but think that my practices were a disservice to the ones I vowed to provide service to.

Perhaps the reason why the “AmSpeak” practice failed was that instead of encouraging my students to communicate their thoughts and have a chance at being heard, I, and numerous institutions who swear by these outdated and pretentious rules, have raised their anxiety

levels, forcing them to develop a negative attitude towards speaking the language. Perhaps, we were agents in magnifying their already low self-esteem due to their inadequate skills in English communication. Perhaps, we inhibited their individual styles of communication, and all of these led to extremely low motivation to learn and acquire a second language.

This call to question my old practices was further amplified when I got introduced to a new model of teaching and learning the language English as a translingual practice, by Suresh Canagarajah (2013). This model presents a new way of examining the English language as it is used by the speakers in their own context, a strategy that is emergent in nature. Since languages are not considered discrete, stable units in this view, the focus is not on the rules of a language and whether speakers adhere to them or not, but on the strategies that speakers (and writers) employ when they negotiate power and meaning with other speakers. This means that English is used along with other languages like Filipino, and linguistic signs are augmented by non linguistic signs, as in forms of non-verbal communica-

tion like gestures and the like. This strategic use of all the available resources that make up a speaker’s linguistic repertoire is a much more promising take on teaching and learning English. After all, multilingualism is a valuable resource, not a problem to be resolved.

And so, with my recent discoveries in both theory and practice, I am much more convinced to abandon this elitist and isolating practice. As the UNESCO’s (2003) position paper and stand on inclusive education has made me realize, my students come from diverse cultural, socio-economic, and linguistic backgrounds. It is my duty and responsibility to be a sensitive educator who would take into consideration their strengths and needs in order to teach them better and help them be better ESL students.

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