Official School and Community Publication of St. Edward School – Imus and Faith Campus Joint Publications of The Estoile, The Edwardian Quill, and Ang Estrelya (Junior and Senior High School)
THE EST ILE Celestial Goodness and Nobility
Risking for a Living
Vol. 7 No. 1 School Year 2020-2021 August 2020 – April 2021 Lancaster New City Region IV-A Calabarzon
INSIDE
Edwardian orgs boost volunteerism, servanthood amid disasters, pandemic “In this season of giving, we aimed to deliver hope and joy through these supplies and essentials to the residents who were greatly affected by the pandemic…
Despite rising cases of Covid-19 in Imus City, residents choose to be in a crowded market with a little chance of social distancing only to make a living, on Sunday, Sept.17. No persons in authority were visible to remind market-goers of proper safety precautions such as wearing face mask and 2-meter physical distancing. According to the sellers, they have no choice but to risk everything to earn money to feed for their families. “Isa pa, hindi rin namin kontrolado ‘yong mga pumapasok dito kaya kahit nga batang maliliit, mga walang mask nakakapasok. E wala rin kaming magagawa, pare-parehas lang kaming nangangailangan ng pangkain. Kahit nga ‘yong nga nanlilimos dito hinahayaan na lang din. Sila pa naman ang pinakadelikado sa virus”, meat vendor Jun says. The local government has not implemented strict protocols regarding the Anti-Mendicancy Law of 1978 to eradicate the widespread street begging around the city for it can impose higher chances of transmitting the virus.
03... NEWS
Community pantries to Communist party? “…it is both disappointing and infuriating that the impulsive actions of authorities are to malign them, even in the face of the needy; certainly, this has drawn outcries…
04... EDITORIAL
BIEL CARLENE REDONDO
QUALITY EDUCATION
PAASCU lauds St. Edward’s curriculum emphasizing community integration, promotion of love for reading
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ranting the Candidate Status, The Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) commended how the two campuses of St. Edward School (SES), Imus and Faith, provide quality education to the students through its curriculum and instruction with emphasis on the school’s promotion of community research and involvement, and love for reading.
After the evaluation of the previous school year, the accreditation group reported that the “school’s strong partnership” with the Lancaster New City (LNC) community has been commendable, for it enhances “lessons in Social Sciences through visits to the various communities and institutions.” PAASCU commended Senior High School’s “Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) as an authentic experience for the students to investigate on problems pertinent to their community” and “the collaboration of the subject teachers in designing and implementing an integrated
culminating task.” The administration of SES is also commended for “the measures taken to carry out the school improvement process in the light of the current developments in LNC” and “the involvement of the school in the Galing LNC that focuses on family-centered community activities and social action initiatives.” Meanwhile, the library and the reading activities of the school were also complimented. PAASCU noted that the provision of a reading corner in every classroom of the school’s basic education program “promotes love for reading and
development of comprehension skills among the students.” The accreditation group also praised the school library for its “welcoming atmosphere” that is “conducive to reading, learning, and research activities.” The group also highlighted library’s “use of a color-coding scheme in the organization and classification of print collection.” Meanwhile, the administration and teachers of SES vowed to continue strengthening the school’s community involvement and the promotion of love for reading among students. In a statement, Dr. John T. Cabalo, school’s superintendent,
FAITH LIFE
PATRISHIA MARIE ANTES
“What does true leadership look like? Will there be a point in time where the vulnerable can claim their justice? The hope of this dilemma is to stand up as a witness by piercing through their souls and tell stories using their lens.”
07…OPINION
Overseas Filipinos’ WorkENDS: How the pandemic ended not only lives but the means of living
See ‘PAASCU’ on P.2
The rise of Covid-19 has taken not only the lives of people but also the means of making a living. With this pandemic, lockdowns are required, and worldwide economic decline has reached an…
SOCIAL CHANGE
God sees the heart, not worldly desires - Fr. Reyes
“Buklod x Equipped”
addresses voters’ education
09…FEATURES
JORENE LOUISE TUBESA
How people love is more important than worldly desires, for God sees the heart while all other things in the world are temporary, Fr. Mark Anthony Reyes emphasized in his online homily February 17. “’Pag tuluyan na tayong inangkin ng Diyos, magiging abo na tayo. Mawawala ang lahat ng panlabas. Sana ang manatili ay ang pag-ibig,” Father Reyes said during the mass in observance of the Ash Wednesday. “Kaya hindi tayo ay para makipagpatayan para sa pera, para sa posisyon, karangyaan, kasikatan... mawawala ang lahat ng yan,” the chaplain added. “Ang nakikita ng Diyos ay ang lihim na tinitibok ng puso.” He also deduced how people eventually turn into ashes by describing God as a big fire, and that anyone who comes near Him will be burned.
urged the faculty to continue developing students to be “excellent in academics, well-formed in character, and catalysts for social transformation” citing the school’s missionvision. He added that the school’s “educational goals” “to make students analytical and purposeful learners, committed to hard work and excellence, compassionate,
Underlying advocacy
Ang nakikita ng Diyos ay ang lihim na tinitibok ng puso.
“Ang Diyos ay pag-ibig. Bagamat ang Diyos ay espiritu at walang anyo, kung isasalarawan ko ang Diyos ay isang napakalaking apoy, na ang lahat ng lalapit sa kanya ay magliliyab din,” the priest said. “Kaya lang tayo ay tao, matutupok tayo. magiging abo,” he added. “Kapag naging abo na din tayo, mawawala ang panlabas. Mananatili na lang ay ang nasa loob... ang nasa puso.” The mass was broadcasted live via Facebook page, Chaplain’s Channel. The St. Edward School Community attended Photo courtesy: the said Fr. Mark Anthony Reyes online mass.
With the approaching end of the voter’s registration, the Student Affairs Council (SAC) of the Senior High School and Galing LNC launched the first part of the Buklod x Equipped: Life-Ready Edwardians project which tackled the topic of voters’ education with the help of Professor Ronald Castillo yesterday via a Zoom webinar March 26. In hopes of engaging the youth, the SAC conducted such a project to further widen and provide knowledge that can help them when the time comes for them to vote and Prof. Castillo, who is from the research faculty of the University of Santo Tomas as well as an adviser for voter’s education, imparted his expertise. “I am not here to tell you who to vote for. We are here today because I’m here to tell you why you should vote wisely,” said Castillo in his opening statement. Prof. Castillo
emphasized that the people also have the responsibility in electing the government thus, they need to be informed as well, especially the youth who are the majority of the audience. Basic concepts of politics were tackled such as the types of politicians, division of districts, and political dynasty where it was made more entertaining and educational at the same time with the pop culture analogies. Castillo ended the session by encouraging the audience to register as soon as possible,
noting that 188 days is short yet enough for registering as a voter. Initially, the first session for the Buklod x Equipped was only for the senior high school students of St. Edward but the SAC decided to open it for the community hence, collaborating with GalingLNC. The Buklod x Equipped: Life-Ready Edwardians will continue until the month of May and will all feature sessions in regards to preparing the SHS students for what they will encounter in the future.
Estudyanteng Magsasaka However, I woke up one day when one of our employees cried in front of my uncle because the land he owned was sold to a businessman…
14…POPPERCE
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02 news
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
Leading to ‘vibrant’ student life, college readiness
Edwardian Senior high program promotes community, competency-based learning
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THE EDWARDIAN QUILL NEWS TEAM
hrough the Edwardian EDGE, St. Edward School’s (SES) Senior High School program offers life-long education through its competency-based learning, well-trained and industry-experienced teachers, and community-engaged activities, school leaders reported.
During the first session of the Grade 10 SHS Talk from April 19 to 23, Dr. John T. Cabalo, principal, explained how the competency-based learning of SES has been offering its students a vibrant student life and eventually preparing them for college. Dr. Cabalo said that the curriculum of SES is not only aligned to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Most Essential Learning Competencies, but it also offers “well-designed learning plans and activities” that is generous in the “supervision of instruction and strong research” with the “emphasis on critical thinking and authentic assessments.” This has led Edwardian
Seniors to pass different university or college admission tests such as in the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT). In addition, 98% of the students proceed to colleges and universities in Cavite and Manila. The principal also disclosed that as per school’s evaluation report, 100% of its faculty are “specialized and qualified, and with bachelor’s degree related to the subjects handled.” Furthermore, the faculty members are “well-trained and industryexperienced” with 75% having masters or pursuing graduate studies. Meanwhile, strong, community-engaged research has been one of the important
features of the school’s SHS program. Having the “solid research foundation,” Edwardian Seniors have been active contributors to the Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method research. With the program’s great emphasis on the academics, Dr. Cabalo also underscored the importance of “vibrant student life” through the
clubs and organizations, and community engagements being offered by the school even in the time of pandemic. The school still engages its students in student-led activities and programs which strengthens student leadership. On the other hand, Dr. Cabalo encouraged the Grade 10 students to assess themselves and reflect on which SHS track or strand
they want to take. “Know the subjects in each track, research about your chosen school, and work on your interpersonal skills,” the principal said. Meanwhile, Mr. Salvador Arbis, Discipline and Formation Officer, helped the Grade 10 students in harnessing their potentials in choosing the SHS strand through the discussion of the different track programs.
84%
St. Edward receives “positive satisfaction” on its online learning program
of the parents are
SATISFIED
School to strengthen support system through engagements, feedback THE ESTOILE NEWS TEAM
A majority of the parent-respondents of the mid-year survey conducted by St. Edward School (SES) expressed “positive satisfaction” towards the Edwardian EDGE (Excellence in Digital Global Education), the school leaders revealed. communication platforms,” the vice-principal also disclosed that the parents find the teachers to be “highly responsive” which exhibits that the teachers show “willingness to communicate” as the school aims “to be a better institution.” The mid-year survey which is aimed to “further enhance the learning environment of [the] children,” looked into the key areas such as the impact of Covid-19 on SES households, the satisfaction of parents towards the online learning modality, and online student engagement. Meanwhile, Dr. John Cabalo, principal, said that the school is still waiting for the provisions from the government regarding the schedule and modality for the next school year. “There is no clear direction yet. It depends on the availability of vaccines. And no clear directives as to the modality of classes for the next
EIC, Former SHS SAC student leader underscores importance of time management, priorities in RINOA LEIGH ANN LAMADRID leadership Edwardian Quill Editor-in-Chief and former Senior High School Student Affairs Council officer (SHS SAC) Kristana Blez Avila led the third session of the Thrive: Leadership Series, December 4, with a discussion on managing time as part of the school’s Student Development Programs.
With the topic “Managing Academics and Extra-curricular Responsibilities in the New Normal,” Avila emphasized the importance of pushing time management and embracing time leadership to the student participants in the 2-hour webinar. “Instead of just asking ‘How do I manage my time,’ we should also ask, ‘How do I lead my time,’ so we can take charge of managing our responsibilities,” Avila said. SAC officers, scholars, and even the student journalists listened to the student speaker as she also shared
her tips and reminders on how one should ‘lead’ their time. “First thing you should do is to differentiate the level of commitment of your academics to extracurricular activities, then second is to prioritize or analyze what you should focus on,” she said. She also highlighted in the session the importance of scheduling, as well as questioning oneself. “For the sake of organization, write down the things that you should do, and of course, question or ask yourself which is worth spending time on, kung ano ba yung mas dapat pagtuunan ng pansin,” she added. Meanwhile, the Thrive: LDS will be conducted up until March by the Student Affairs Council to train and develop Edwardians into being servant leaders. Different themes and topics will be focused on in the future such as collaboration and youth empowerment.
ONSITE EVALUATION: St. Edward School adheres to DepEd’s directives St. Edward School Imus and Faith Campus observe the Department of Education’s (DepEd) issuances and directives in the implementation of the School’s basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan, officials of the Schools Division Offices of Imus City and General Trias City appraised during onsite visits on October 6 and 27. DepEd Imus City and General Trias City noted that all indicators of school readiness in the conduct of online learning were evident in the area of Learning Continuity Plan, health and safety protocols, learning technology infrastructure, learning competencies, and curricular design and implementation. This is pursuant to two DepEd Orders entitled “School Calendar for SY 2020-2021” and “Additional Provisions of DepEd Modalities in the Learning Continuity Plan of Private Schools. (The Estoile News Team)
Edwardian teachers vow to more creative approaches in online teaching
PARENT’S MID-YEAR SURVEY
During the Mid-Year Parents Thanksgiving and Fellowship February 16 to 19, Ms. Sherwin Logto, Vice-principal for Academics, disclosed that 84% of the parentrespondents are “satisfied” with the synchronous and asynchronous modality of the said online learning program while 78% shared that their child “remains to have a positive attitude towards schooling.” With the positive marks from the respondents of the said survey, Ms. Logto said the school leaders also consider feedback for improvement. “We also thank the parents for their constructive critiques, and we take these into study, the remarkable suggestions,” Ms. Logto said. “As we aim for a family-centered community, communication remains to be important as we improve our relationship as co-parents and coteachers,” she added. With Google Mail and Google Chat as the “most maximized online
NEWS BULLETS
school year from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the government,” Dr. Cabalo said during the forum. “We are in a very fragile situation, but we will diligently announce in the coming months,” he added noting that the school has always been after the “health and safety of learners, and teachers in compliance to the government.” CALL TO ACTION: CO-CREATING SUPPORT SYSTEM Aside from the survey done and surveys to be conducted in the future, the school leaders also call for the parents and guardians to strengthen the support system for the students. Dr. Cabalo invited the parents to volunteer in creating interest groups that “will align to the school’s mission and vision.” Parents may be involved in work immersion programs, career talks, Edwardian student clubs, and other
interest groups in partnership with Galing LNC. Alumni relations is also eyed to be part of this endeavor. Through open communication, Ms. Karen Nogra, vice-principal, looks forward to the “realization of a strong home-school partnership built on trust,” and that the feedback will make a way for “faster improvement in learning” and “renewed senses of responsibility” among the parents and teachers. On the other hand, as the school aims for “radical approaches” and “creative pedagogies,” Ms. Isabel Santos, president, urged the community to “work together” which is why a survey is launched “because feedback is important.” During the forum, Mrs. Melrose Tulao, a parent, said that her family “is very appreciative of the school’s efforts.” “Special thanks to the teachers for their patience to our children,” Mrs. Tulao added.
St. Edward alumna to servant leaders:
Be the voices of the voiceless STEPHANIE ANGELA TAN
“We are the voices of the voiceless.” This is the message of Kristin Sandoval, an alumna of St. Edward School (SES) as she inspired her fellow youth to also become servant leaders of the community by sharing her leadership journey. In the first session of “Thrive: Leadership Development Series” conducted by the Student Affairs Council of Senior High School November 20, Sandoval, an active Galing LNC Youth leader,
Kristin Sandoval
empowered the Edwardian youth to “not only serve for yourselves, but also for the community and the country.” “It’s been my happiness already since I stepped into servant leadership kasi narealize ko na nakakataba pala ng puso kapag nakakatulong ka sa ibang tao; na makikita mo rin silang masaya dahil natulungan mo (sila) sa paraan ng makakaya mo,” Sandoval said. Sandoval also provided tips for the students of SES, “Share and inspire others,” and she quoted John C. Maxwell, “Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.” “In this type of set-up, we all know na limited na ang ating mga kilos, but it will not stop us in serving and leading for the student body and for the community as well,” Sandoval said as she shared her 3E’s: Empathize, Engage, and (I)E-nfluence with the community through online.
Teachers of St. Edward School (SES) continue to commit to exploring new approaches in Online Distance Learning (ODL) as they learn new ways to create innovative activities for the students through the series of trainingworkshops conducted by the Phoenix Aralinks. Edwardian teachers keep up with new and effective strategies in maximizing Aralinks, the learning management system (LMS) being used by the school under the Edwardian EDGE (Edwardian Excellence in Digital Education). The continuous conduct of the Aralinks workshops is in preparation for the last term of the current school year and for the next one. (The Estoile News Team)
Career Fair 2020: Professionals inspire Grade 12 to choose career path wisely RAVEN OMANDAM The Career Fair 2020, a project of the Guidance and Counseling Center with the Senior High School Student Affairs Council, enlightened senior high school students of St. Edward School in pursuing career paths last November 26. With the theme “Choices: Where Do I Go From Here?”, professionals talked about their work experience aligned with the given strand and gave career advice. Ms. Louie Mapa, a Social Media Marketing Officer, Ms. Nina Rentoria, an entrepreneur and owner of GenTea, Mr. Edgar Nueva, a SHS Academic Coordinator, and Ms. Marian Anora from Buyani Tienda talked about career paths and college readiness to students of the Accountancy, Business and Management strand.
Argue-mentals conducts online lecture with UPDS debater on SHS Edwardians RINOA LEIGH ANN LAMADRID
After a week of the launching of the Edwardian Student Clubs in Senior High School, the Argue-mentals Debate Club has conducted its first-ever major event— a webinar on debating with a member of the University of the Philippines Debate Society as their resource speaker. Najwa Uñga, an accomplished debater and adjudicator in the UPDS, explained in the webinar the topic “Debate 101: The Basics,” last October 22, emphasizing how and why students should debate. “Debating is a competitive game of persuasion which requires you to care about the world, to be willing to learn and improve, and to maintain integrity and intellectual honesty,” Uñga said.
PAASCU
from page 1
and responsive to the needs of the larger community” shall be sustained. In the time of pandemic, the school continues to provide opportunities for students to be involved in the community through Galing LNC, community’s culture development group, various clubs, and SHS research activities. In addition, the library, English and Filipino department continue to encourage students to read more through various platforms provided in the Edwardian EDGE (Excellence in Digital Global Education). Visit the school’s official Facebook page to know more about its programs and activities at Facebook.com/ses.edu.ph
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
news
03
Edwardian orgs boost volunteerism, servanthood amid disasters, pandemic RINOA LEIGH ANN LAMADRID
A
s harsh lockdowns, unemployment, and typhoons yet strike the country whilst dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year, St. Edward School (SES) students, teachers, and stakeholders held and participated in aiding initiatives, among them the community pantry movement. Inspired by the Maginhawa Community Pantry, the LNCFaith Community Pantry led by the SES Student Affairs Council (SAC) and the GalingLNC Youth has been sharing blessings since April 24, opening the SES Faith Campus to the community every Saturday of the week. According to the organizers, the pantry has helped and reached a total of 443 families as of this writing, in which the majority are from Barangay Alapan or Navarro. However, as for sustaining the pantry, the organizers continuously receive blessings in the form of perishable and non-perishable goods, hygiene kits, and school supplies from partner organizations and donors such as BuyAni, the Maginhawa Community Pantry, and the Lancaster New City and SES community. In the past year, the SAC of Imus and Faith campus already partnered with the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the GalingLNC through the “Edwardian Cares: Salbar Catanduanes.” SAC was able to collect 345 food packs, 7 sacks of rice, 200 packs of toiletries, 56 boxes of face masks, and a box of medicines from the
families of SES. These in-kind donations were turned over to the OVP under the Angat Buhay Foundation last December 1 which were distributed to the victims of Typhoon Rolly in Catanduanes. In a Facebook post, the SAC reminded the community to “use our privileges well, and help in our own ways.” Meanwhile, the Outreach Program Committee of SES together with the Galing LNC conducted an outreach activity to 120 families of Lapreza B in Barangay Navarro, General Trias City, Cavite. The Number of families that organization donated grocery supplies and were blessed by LNC-Faith Covid- 19 essentials with Community Pantry as of the aid of the faculty members and staff of SES. May 29, 2021 The committee conducted the outreach activity last December 19 together with the teachers of SES and Galing LNC staff. “In this season of giving, Outreach Program Committee we aimed to deliver hope and member said in a statement. joy through these supplies and On the other hand, the essentials to the residents who campus journalists participated were greatly affected by the in “Project Ripple 2.0” and pandemic,” Arabel Belmonte, “Ma-Linao na Bukas,” two
443
Protected with their face masks and face shields, the members of the Galing LNC Youth and students of St. Edward School organize a community pantry in front of the Faith Campus. The pantry is open every Saturday both for those who want to donate and for the needy families of the neighboring communities of Lancaster New City. ● Photo by: Ghericho Nazaire
donation drives conducted by the volunteers from the Department of Education. The campus journalists donated money for the victims of Typhoon Rolly in Linao, Tuguegarao. In exchange for their donations, they attended three-Saturday webinars in campus journalism.
Edwardian campus journalists continue to serve, bag awards in various competitions Through the Inkpowerment Year 2 Online, campus journalists of St. Edward School continue to strengthen their skills in writing and radio broadcasting amid the Covid-19 pandemic. This led the student-writers to win various awards from journalism competitions. The Manila Times and The Manila Times College recognized published works of campus journalists of St. Edward School (SES) through the 2020 Campus Press Awards, January 29. The Estoile Photo Editor Biel Carlene Redondo won the award for “Best Photography.” Her photo essay published October 15 titled “Risking for a living” presented the situation of townsfolk at Imus City Public Market, and how people disregard minimum health protocols against Covid-19.
Ang Estrelya Editor-in-chief Ma. Erich Charlene Barnes bagged the 1st Runner-up Best Feature for her article “Beau-Tful.” Her article tells the story of Miss Mela Franco Habijan, the first-ever Miss Trans Global, and her advocacy to educate people about gender inclusivity. The Estoile Cartoonist Denstle John Vargas won 1st Runner-up Best Editorial Cartoon, and The Estoile Editorin-chief John Paul Anyayahan bagged 2nd Runner-up Best Editorial for their work
“Resilience in abolishing resilience.” The article and the cartoon published December 10 aim to end romanticizing Filipino resiliency, and how the Lancaster community promotes resilience through livelihood programs and good governance. Meanwhile, two of the opinion writers of The Estoile won awards in the Pahinang Dyorno, an independently organized online press conference. After a series of writing submissions, Jowena Raizelle
Albar clinched the top spot while Beatrice Anne Bringas bagged the 2nd Place in the Editorial Writing competition. On the other hand, James Alan Mendoza placed 7th in the Feature Writing contest. The Edwardians continue to serve the school community even in the time of pandemic through the school’s campus journalism program. The members of the SES campus journalism team publish articles and produce radio broadcasts online. (The Estoile News Team)
Despite the rising Covid-19 cases in Cavite, Jeffrey, together with his 6-year-old brother, loiters around the vicinity of Imus to beg passersby for money on Sunday, September 17. According to him, he is aware of the protocols for the pandemic, but unfortunately, they are orphans and do not have permanent home to stay. Winning Photo by: Biel Carlene Redondo, Champion (The Manila Times Campus Press Awards 2020)
THESE ABLED
Galing LNC calls for disabilityinclusive community RINOA LEIGH ANN LAMADRID
As part of the celebration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, community movement and organization Galing LNC intensifies its campaign on building a disability-inclusive community by focusing on resident-PWDs through the program BIDA: Beneficient Information Dissemination about Disability Advocacy. In collaboration with PWD groups and residents, the BIDA program mainly aims to actively engage citizens in information education campaigns with the primary use of GalingLNC’s official Facebook page, by sharing updates, life-stories, webinars, and awareness on PWDs. “It started with an idea to raise awareness on PWDs and so far, seeing the engagement of the residents made us realize na kahit sa simpleng pamamaraan ng posting, nagkakaroon ng awareness ang mga nasa LNC,” community mobilizer James Diaz said in an interview. According to him, the campaign was created immediately before the IDPD, also intending to break the stigma on disabilities as one community and staying true to one of GalingLNC’s taglines, “Makiisa dahil tayo ay Iisa.” He also shared that the groups that were part of the joint effort for the BIDA program were the LNC Persons with Disabilities Group and the PWD Federation in Brgy. Navarro wherein out of its total 325 PWD members, 150-160 are residing in LNC. “The Persons with Disabilities Group was founded and initiated by residents who are PWDs, they share sentiments to support each other and feel their inclusivity in LNC, something they look forward to dahil sa ngayon, not everyone still has the capacity to understand them. While the PWD Federation naman, one of its PWD coordinators is an LNC homeowner, a parent of a PWD,” Diaz said. Moreover, aside from the initiatives to raise awareness to the community, GalingLNC is also planning to create more programs in the future that will continue to engage residents not only on disability awareness, but also on ways to embrace PWDs. “We aim na hindi lang ito matatapos sa one time-big time event which is the IDPD, that’s why the team is currently developing a plan na kumbaga, hindi lang sa day na ‘yon maaappreciate ang PWDs,” he added. Meanwhile, 16 per 1,000 of the country’s population has a disability which means that out of the 92.1 million household population, 1.44 million persons have a disability. In the 2018 press release by the Department of Health, Calabarzon has the highest number of PWDs with 193,000 out of the other regions in the Philippines. Galing LNC emphasizes the use of non-discriminatory language in conversing with PWDs to avoid misunderstandings. Also, the community organization advises PWDs and parents or relatives of PWDs to become a member of Navarro PWD Federation through the following Lancaster PWD coordinators: Ms. Kath Tanglao - 09177666442; and Ms. Cienah Lyn Badua 09197822993
04 opinion
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
Community pantry to Communist party? EDITORIAL
A
s an effort to fill the gaps of government response in addressing the issue of widespread hunger amidst the ongoing pandemic, community pantries have risen left and right in the nation as a culmination of public action. Yet despite such a noble effort, the situation turned sour when Army Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., chief of the military’s Southern Luzon Command as well as concurrent spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), baselessly aligned these efforts as schemes of the Communist Party of the Philippines in an accusing manner that is called “red-tagging.” With community pantries functioning as a laudable form of “Bayanihan” in such dire times, it is both disappointing and infuriating that the impulsive actions of authorities are to malign them, even in the face of the needy; certainly, this has drawn outcries and uproars from the people, and it would be well-appreciated and timely if an apt government response were to present itself. The initiator of the Maginhawa community pantry – which set off a united inspiration and acted as a progenitor for the development of more pantries in other areas (such as Quezon City, Rizal, and Nueva Ecija) – Ana Patricia Non, remarked that she was “tired of inaction.” This, according to her, became her drive behind setting up a small, grocery-filled bamboo cart on a pavement that day on April 14, which has led to the rise of approximately 300 community pantry efforts nationwide as of present. While her actions no doubt carried the essence of the “Bayanihan” spirit, it is also apparent that it has become a sign of solidarity for those who have fallen victim to the laxness of the Philippine COVID-19 response. For some struggling people, these community pantries are their
ray of hope, their only means of survival in getting through each day without an empty stomach. One can only imagine their reaction when this very ray of hope was branded off as a communist plot and when a possibility of it being shut down arose. On top of that, Army Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. had the boldness to liken Ana Patricia Non’s actions to those of Satan’s, a biblical figure in the Christian faith. During an interview for One News, he stated that, like with Satan who was an individual that gave Eve the apple where it all started, Ana was doing the same. He even went as far as to indirectly imply that a communist party was behind the pantries: “I’m not referring to her. I’m referring to the big organization that may be at the back of all these. That’s what we were saying, that’s what I was saying.” With the same level of thought as a conspiracy theory and a sense of false neutrality, he also remarked these: “I told you I have nothing against her but that’s what we want to know. Why did they sprout up all of a sudden? Why do they have a single theme? We really don’t know. I really don’t know. I’m not part of the intel but
I’m just a spokesperson.” By now it would be extremely apparent and evident that Parlade Jr. has endangered the sake of Patricia Non and those involved with her, community pantry-related or not, without even a shred of solid evidence on the grounds of his reckless red-tagging. Whether or not privilege was a factor of such actions, it cannot be ignored that his activities were insensitive of the state of the poverty-stricken and the socially-excluded. Moreover, even senators disapprove of the red-tagging of the pantries. According to Rappler, at least 8 senators have issued a joint statement telling the police and NTF-ELCAC to leave pantries alone. Currently, the collective stand of the people is “no to red-tagging,” and it would be highly wise for involved authorities to heed and recognize these complaints. The most logical course of action to be undertaken at present is not to scandalize community pantries, but to allow them to operate as long as they can. To allow them the freedom to operate on their own or to seek the help of government or legal non-government institutions in providing their services and in regulating order and processes would be desirable.
At the very least, the obligation of the government in all of this is to ensure the existence and accordance of participants in sound health protocols and physical distancing guidelines. Any alleged talks of community pantries as a covert propaganda of communist parties should be removed from the table altogether, considering its inappropriateness with our nation’s more alarming matters that are more deserving of immediate attention. In line with the growing numbers of community pantries, one such notable example is that of Lancaster New City (LNC) Cavite, one of the biggest township developments in Cavite covering Imus, Kawit and General Trias, which has acted with the initiative in mind to provide for the community’s people. The LNCFaith Community Pantry, along with their KALIH-nity (Kalikasan Healthy LNC Community Environmental Program) Pantry, involve the participation of the St. Edward School, specifically the Faith campus, along with various student volunteers that seek to contribute to the noble cause. The latter pantry is a solidarity project of the Lancaster Estates Homeowners Association, Inc. (LEHOA), Property Company of
#AcademicFreeze: An inequality
learning methods. Maintaining the academic process will take into account the livelihood of everyone affected by the current times – workers won’t lose their source of income for living, and learners won’t face a one-year delay in their curriculum trek. Instead of demanding for #AcademicFreeze, Filipinos would be better off with the #LigtasBalikEskwela call. Settling for the former would allow the government to suspend classes and do nothing; a freeze would give them more leeway to further prolong the creation of a concrete and sound plan to combat COVID-19, which is muchneeded and long overdue. Speaking of plans, such an appropriate response to the needs of the people would be interesting to see, much like what St. Edward School provided to its students. Under the Edwardian EDGE (Excellence in Digital Global Education), Learning Packets are delivered at the doorstep of every learner, online educational resources are made available, and the individual needs of Edwardians are answered by appropriate services made to cater to every necessity. Equal sense of responsibility and comprehensive resource allocation have been present. The whole fiasco of online classes and distanced learning would not have even been brought to life had
With talks of communism, biblical allusions, and harmful speculations that surround a just public effort to provide for the hungry, a general stand must be made clear: red-tagging is a malicious practice that has unjustly jeopardized the life and reputation of those named with it, in this case Ana Patricia Non and those involved with her. Let this act of solidarity be a stern message to authorities on the dissatisfaction of the people they are supposed to serve and protect; after all, it is a distressing and miserable proof that the nation is faring badly despite many claims that say so otherwise.
Discovered, thrived, now sharing
As health and economic crisis issues continue to plague the country and its education sector amidst the COVID-pandemic, #AcademicFreeze has now become a trending topic. While the evidences and arguments provided by its supporters intend to do good, academic freeze is unfortunately a mere band-aid solution which will further cripple the already degrading status of workers in the Philippines. The #AcademicFreeze trend on the social media platform Twitter became viral after Education Sec. Leonor Briones announced the movement of the opening of schools to October 5. Here, Filipino students express their pleas to the Department of Education: issues of mental health, unprivileged students, and the diminished quality of education from online learning are discussed. However, based on the implications of academic freeze, such an action is more than capable of bringing greater harm to the other sectors of the nation. In fact, it will not address the socio-economic problems of the Philippines as it will exacerbate them instead; unemployment rates will spike as workers (school teachers, staff, security guards, maintenance, etc.) lose their jobs, which is critical in the midst of this pandemic. Furthermore, it should be duly noted that academic freeze is solely centered on the concern for the welfare of students without throwing in the fate of teachers and other workers into the mix. For what it is, #AcademicFreeze does not suit the needs of everyone; instead of a #NoOneLeftBehind mindset as it should be, academic freeze promotes the ideology of #NoStudentLeftBehind. As such, the best course of action available is for students to continue learning by means of the available
Friends, Inc., The LNC Link, St. Edward School, and GalingLNC – it is where volunteers can donate used, emptied, and cleaned plastic bottles to help build the LNC Faith Community Fund to help sustain the Community Pantry efforts in LNC. Furthermore, both efforts follow and enforce strict health protocols to ensure the safety of the people involved. This is the result of “Bayanihan” that is carried out by a community that cares for its citizens, a prime example that is worthy of praise and fit to be an example for others to follow. Community pantries have, without a doubt, attracted the nation’s spotlight and became a topic of critical discourse.
illuminated. JOHN PAUL ANYAYAHAN
Aiming for a permanent solution that encompasses all and not a select group of individuals should be the priority goal. the current regime taken immediate action against the COVID-19 pandemic anyway. What we need now is to demand accountability from the administration instead of implementing a band-aid solution that will serve to delay the proper response the people need. Opting for the #AcademicFreeze call is disadvantageous; what we need is comprehensive mass testing, effective contract tracing, and sound health protocols for operation #LigtasBalikEskwela which will solve the differing needs of everyone. Aiming for a permanent solution that encompasses all and not a select group of individuals should be the priority goal.
As GalingLNC continues to grow in engaging and connecting residents in the Lancaster New City community, youth development and empowerment has been one of the evident benchmarks that it also promotes. GalingLNC aims to develop community leaders, shape positive community culture, and amplify inspiring stories of individuals that can inspire the people in taking action for positive social change. As a member of the GalingLNC Youth myself, it is no doubt that residents my age are given the opportunities and platforms that we need in contribution to achieving these for the community. The main advocacy of GalingLNC for the youth is for us to “Discover, Thrive, and Share” our “galing” in service of the community. When I was just starting to become an active member of the community and a volunteer in GalingLNC, I wasn’t sure at all of my purpose. What could I offer? What could I contribute to the community? But as I first joined the youth leadership formation programs and roundtable discussions and tried out in assisting in the on-ground activities or programs, that was when I was able to discover more of my own skills and capabilities. In the process, GalingLNC continued to guide me and provide endless opportunities wherein I could thrive and develop what I already had discovered of myself. This included tree planting activities, mural paintings, clean-up drives, and so on. Not only myself, but altogether with the other youth volunteers, we were always trusted with significant roles in community programs and activities. One of the most recent projects we’ve led during the pandemic is the LNC-Faith Community Pantry which has helped over 300 families mostly from Alapan. It started with less than 20 youth volunteers to operate and now, more than 50 volunteers are involved.
It is overwhelming how much of an impact is possible once the youth get involved and once everyone supports our endeavors. GalingLNC is a proof of this, and seeing how they continue to shape the youth to becoming the future leaders and guide us in service of the community alongside our own interests, it is something that I would always seek in all places I will go. Moreover, I believe that for the main advocacy of GalingLNC for the RINOA LEIGH ANN LAMADRID youth to be fully achieved, it is high time that each one of us also choose to become involved in the programs and activities in the community. Though GalingLNC continues to provide us with such opportunities, it is still a matter of our choices-- if we will choose to take part or not. The more youth that are a part of the movement, the more change and development we can take lead on. Let’s face it, in the state of our country today where the youth are being silenced and are being deprived of wonderful opportunities, we are so blessed to be given a chance to be leaders and changemakers in our own place. To also discover, thrive, and share your “galing” today, send a message at the GalingLNC Facebook page and we’ll see you in the next community activities!
involved.
The more youth that are a part of the movement, the more change and development we can take lead on.
EDITORIAL BOARD
the
estoile Celestial Goodness - Nobility
The Official School and Community Publication of Saint Edward School - Secondary August 2020—April 2021 • Vol. 7 • No. 1
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: John Paul M. Anyayahan, Ma. Erich Charlene Barnes, Kristana Blez Avila | SECTION EDITORS: Rinoa Leigh Ann P. Lamadrid, Kirsten Lei P. Ventenilla, Alessandra Nicole L. Santos, Biel Carlene Redondo, Jowena Raizelle V. Albar, Alex Carreon, Jorene Tubesa, Patricia Yvonne Albina | CARTOONISTS: Vincent Leonard V. Alhambra, Hannah Nicole B. Bercasio, Lyka Margarette Tasic | BROADCASTERS: Wynn Medina, Sophia Damian, Patrishia Antes, Jazarah Caranto, Dean Buena, Vincent Gregorio, Ryan Celestino, Ma. Cazzandra Lacman, Ma. Farah Quidayan, Chariz Segunla, Cassandra Diaz, Lyka Tubig, Januela Parcon, Lawrence Delos Santos | ONLINE WRITERS/ CONTRIBUTORS/INKPOWERMENT PARTICIPANTS: Athena Ko, Abigail Flores, Irish Yepes, Amber Martinez, Angelica Diaz, James Mendoza, Reese De Lima, Christia Grepo, Ralf Montes, Kaycee Malicsi, Chelzie Salazar, Trizhia Dela Rosa, Beatrice Bringas, Janine Albaño, Jacob Sabater, Julia Sincioco, Yzabella Armado, Julianna Maballo, Aaliya Solitario, Prince Vasquez, Aleyha Espalmado, Karylle Ochave, Ghericho Nazaire, Marjanne Pait, Raven Omandam, Stephanie Tan, Jericho Atienza, Carl Balisacan, Joanna Dormido, Mariah Mclaine Beros SCHOOL PAPER ADVISERS: Mr. Paul Jeffrey R. Peñaflor, Ms. Mariz Geraldine Jose, Ms. Charina Arandez PRINCIPAL: Dr. John T. Cabalo • VICE-PRINCIPAL: Ms. Karen R. Nogra • VICE-PRINCIPAL FOR ACADEMICS: Ms. Sherwin S. Logto • ACADEMIC COORDINATORS: Ms. Regina M. Negapatan (Imus Campus), Mr. Edgar Nueva (Faith Campus) The Estoile is the official school publication of St. Edward Integrated School situated at Lancaster New City, Cavite. The Estoile /es-twah/ is a six wavy pointed star taken from the school’s logo which signifies celestial goodness and nobility. The school’s patron saint, St. Edward the Confessor, is well-known for his graciousness and love towards poor.
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
Veiled Sanity iming for mental health awareness among youth, Kalinaw Unplugged: Youth Jam, an online youth jamming, is a commendable online gathering conducted by Galing LNC Youth. What made an impact on me during the online event was the part that tackles the unjust treatment of all kinds of health — physical over mental — is consistent with our society’s continuing lack of psychological stability. Insurance does not offer true coverage equality, and care for mood problems is usually considered a luxury. Yet we are in a simultaneous crisis of physical and mental health, and those facing psychiatric problems need consideration and treatment.
amplified.
JOWENA RAIZELLE ALBAR
“Mental health awareness month or not, issues such as stigma and its consequences should be addressed.”
As someone who has personally struggled with my irrational stability even though it is not in a plight similar to the present, I know firsthand how scary it can be. I also know how much progress is possible by speaking about it. I was afraid to share my indications up until I understood it. This topic isn’t something that society talks about very often, and it’s something that families talked about even less. When someone battles emotionally or neurologically, the route isn’t as clear. And the stigma associated with the combat is fueled by the unknown. The telepathic disorder is much like every other disease — unrecognizable and severe, but is treatable. There is no clear precedent for what is yet to come, but it is possible that a surge in the prevalence of the dilemma is already on the horizon. All in all, inner, psychological, and communal distress can
negatively affect our ability to function in day-to-day tasks. It’s important that we treat sanity as a problem at its onset. There is a range of recovery options, but the crucial phase is to acknowledge that we should seek support. If not, the risk is decreasing our state of wellbeing, academic performance, and personal motivation to achieve our goals. This is already the beginning of a discretion revolution globally. By striving to normalize these conditions and apprehending the truth of how many individuals are impaired by them, the chorus of unified voices is a must to advocate for immediate change. Mental health awareness month or not, issues such as stigma and its consequences should be addressed. The agenda remains urgent and should be one of the cornerstones of resilience that will face a bewildering array of challenges.
A neglected need
W
ith the Student Affairs Council’s latest series, the Buklod x Equipped opened with a webinar regarding the youth’s voters’ education. Professor Ronald Castillo, who is from the research faculty of University of Santo Tomas as well as an adviser for voter’s education, aided the students by imparting his knowledge about voting and politics. As the end of the voter’ registration process is nearing its end and the elections are coming about after, this is indeed crucial not only for the youth themselves but for the entirety of the nation.
Despite being confined during this pandemic, the need for new knowledge won’t stop and instead, it is doubled. The voters’ education being tackled is not solely a “theory in study” yet it should be applied, when the time comes.If you were to simply think about it, the lack of voters’ education leads to a lack of proper governance. A simple cause and effect for starters. Castillo mentioned beforehand that he was not there to tell us who to vote but rather why we should vote. Vote in terms of being wise hence, the learning of political elements comes before voting as how would you evaluate the candidates and vote afterwards if in the first place you have no idea of what they are doing or what they should do? From this webinar, I have learned two essential steps. First step is to know the background of who caught your eye and second is to properly weigh judgements that are catered not only to yourself but instead, for the majority. Two simple guidelines I have picked up and several realizations came. Voting is essential yet neglected. Last presidential
elections during 2016 only tallied the votes of 81% of the 54.4 million registered voters yet this was called an achievement as it surpassed the 2010 elections. However, is it really an achievement or rather, just a step? And in the end, did the 81% even vote wisely? Considering what is the political and societal situation we are in right now, we may have put the seeds in the wrong place and now, the rotten fruit bore is ready to be harvested. As the future generations lie within the hands of the youth, both the right choice in choosing leadership and the leadership itself does as well. What they will be in the future relies on how they are shaped today hence, they should be nurtured as early as today. Indeed, humanities social sciences are already part of the major subjects in the education system yet it doesn’t particularly highlight the voting properties which everyone will experience. Concepts are tackled and learned thoroughly but the knowledge for practical application is deemed to be overlooked. Education is primarily the source of information
and principles where the youth develops themselves. From the actual academic elements to the knowledge passed by casual interaction, one grows within their certain educational community. As mentioned before, the majority of the schools include voting education in the curriculum yet it is minimal. If it were to be emphasized, chances for improving the voters’ knowledge would increase as well. Educational institutions can be the best way in integrating voters’ education as it has a vast cover yet being aware of the right to vote and the right voting is one’s responsibility to answer. Whether it is given by the school or it came from a simple conversation, knowledge regarding these topics must be valued and practiced when the time comes. Voting is a right that everyone has and everyone must value as it is a power that we hold. Those who will lead will be chosen by the people themselves thus, the real power is within us. However, most are not utilizing it nor seeing the importance it holds, resulting in poor choices
05
Gender equality for social prosperity
A
As the crisis caused by the pandemic moves from acute to protracted, attention must be paid to the potentially catastrophic impact on population-wide mental, emotional, and social well-being. Like the coronavirus itself, how this extremity communicates varies greatly from person to person. Some may be asymptomatic: look good, feel good, think good, but are busy infecting others with tension and anxiety. Moreover, every day is a struggle to remain in a clear mind especially at this phenomena. I remember the time where I had thoughts to take my own life, that moment was the first period I’d had mental clarity for as long as I could remember. There was a great sense of relief that I finally realized how I could seize control of what was happening with me. Where in reality, the irony was that things in my existence had never been so good.
opinion
envisioned. JORENE LOUISE TUBESA
Voting is a right that everyone has and everyone must value as it is a power that we hold. of leaders and eventually, the bad governance. Everyone wants a better and proper community to live in and having wrong leaders will certainly hinder that goal, alas. We can still act on it if we always remember that the people still hold the upper hand given that if we are uniting together by objectively weighing these people, scrutinizing them properly, and thinking critically, we can create a better society for ourselves.
The moment the word “women” is brought up, a lot of ideas will come to people‘s minds. Society would eventually label women to be incapable of showing great leadership and determination. Women have been designated only for household chores and degraded in terms of rendering service in the workforce. Women of all colors and ages deserve all the rights to exhibit, perform and develop the skills and abilities they have and be in all fields of society that they can contribute to. The inequality among genders pins back to the old days, centuries, and centuries ago, where women are expected to listen to the views and opinions of men without having a say about it. They were silenced by the stereotypes and expectations of society for them to be in possession of a man instead of being the owner of themselves. The independence of women was not given much value neither the education that they can receive was not offered to them due to the devalued perspective of society to women. Truly, we are living in a cruel and toxic society where the consideration of women‘s rights and importance is most of the time debunked in the corner because people are not open to the fact that they are humans too who have the right to live with their full potential. As of today, these absurd and inhumane treatments still happen today and prevent women from showing their utmost potential and enable harsh discriminations and judgments to occur. Women have been objectified and blamed for occurrences that they have no control of happening. They have been sexualized and harassed by men who think that they are superior to the former gender. Men have used clothes and other things to reason out their behavior and direct the blame to women. Any piece of clothing does not have any indication nor it guarantees permission that men are allowed to degrade women and blame them for it. These “boys” are not aware that they have to act with respect and decency not just to be called a man but also to be considered as human. Excuses by men all over social media are seen such as “not all men”, “feminism equals to inequality” or “men also experience hardships as well”. They continuously oppose whatever topics and talks that encourage better treatment for women because they believe that men also need to be heard. It is indeed not all men but it is 99% of women who are conscious and afraid to walk through streets because there is a big probability that they can be cat-called or harassed no matter what they wear or what they do. Feminism was made because the degradation of women is seen every day and it needs to stop to achieve gender equality that would mean much more opportunities for people to improve and develop in different aspects of society. It is the belief that women are equal to men. People who spread awareness about the mistreatments and hardships women do not invalidate the ones
empowered.
REESE MIKYLLA M. DE LIMA
People should stop having this socalled superiority of men over women because it just prevents the latter gender from being part of society. that men experience. They speak more about the violence among women because a majority of these are experienced by women. If you only speak about the violence among men when someone uses their voice to talk about the cruelty among women then you are just silencing women and tolerating the ferocity that they experience. Closed-minded people would turn a blind eye to this humanitarian and equality issue that concerns not just the generation of today but also of tomorrow. How come these people can endure the fact that their future daughters and granddaughters will experience these treatments if they do not act today and prevent this from occurring in the future? Today, it is indeed a must to stand up and use the power of people’s voices to encourage women to fight for their rights and what they want and need to receive. People should stop having this so-called superiority of men over women because it just prevents the latter gender from being part of society. The toleration of the brutality and violence that women experience will lead to nowhere and would rather cause harm to society because women have a lot to offer for the betterment of all. The people of today must offer a much better world to the future generations to come and for it to happen, the actions towards change need to start as early as now.
EDWARDIANSURVEY BIEL CARLENE REDONDO
TikTok: Educational fool With over one billion active users across the globe, TikTok is now one of the largest social media platforms worldwide. Despite being called “cringey” by many before, including myself, TikTok became a trend to all ages in no time. Due to its sudden popularity, a lot of people had joined the bandwagon. The
‘fear of missing out’ is one way to explain the phenomenon of wanting to fit in the craze. As a result, especially in this new modality of learning, teachers began requesting students to make use of the app for compliance in schoolworks, and few students were not happy about it. We asked students from grades 9 and 10 about their opinions on subjects that require them to utilize TikTok for school tasks, and whether or not teachers should stop making performance tasks that entail the use of the said app. Majority of the respondents thought that there is nothing wrong with using TikTok, but some of them believed that it is irrelevant and there are other apps to be used. “It’s [silly], other applications can be used, why Tiktok of all sudden? TikTok is just mostly braindead people who yearns for fame by doing [silly] things”, said Juan Carlos Laran of 10-E. “I think it’s a clever idea to use TikTok because it’s widely used, but I see no difference between using the app and literally just making a video. Using TikTok
for me is unprofessional and unnecessary”, said Jake Johnson of 9-D. Still, 51.3% of students said TikTok is convenient and beneficial for their learning. “It is an advantage because there are a lot of people uploading educational videos on TikTok and students can learn a lot from it”, said Hestia S. Ymson of 9-D “I personally think it is a smart way to assign PT because it is a way of reaching to us youth. I do recognize that some student is not fond of making TikToks or being in front of the camera, but I personally enjoy it,” said Ma. Cazzandra M. Lacman of 10-F. The advantages of TikTok as an educational tool will always depend on its users whether or not they feel comfortable using the app. In contrary, teachers should keep in mind that despite TikTok being a popular app, there remains several students who do not have access and/or interest in utilizing it; therefore, TikTok should not be a requirement for students as there are tons of alternative apps available online that are made for learning. TikTok is just a fool for our country’s education system.
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Shorter summer break? The Department of Education (DepEd) plans to extend the current school year to give enough time for the completion of school requirements under distance learning, DepEd undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio revealed in an interview with 24 Oras. “Hindi na magkakaroon ng mahabang break sa pagitan ng dalawang taong pasukan. Baka dalawang linggo lang,” said San Antonio. An extension of two weeks is said to be added in the school calendar while summer break is eyed to be cut to two weeks.
06 opinion
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
Bullying and ‘Charotism’ culture The most feared prey in the savanna just had its final laugh after it caught me with its sharp, painful claws. I stared at my severed body being eaten by the lion of insecurities as my final breath left my gaping nostrils, one last sigh marking my end. As if the lion’s deafening roar of victory wasn’t enough the vulture of offensive jokes and overboard comments flew down towards my already torn down carcass and ate what’s left of my meat, leaving a cackle of “Charot! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA” before leaving my bones ready to be buried to the ground.
upsurged.
JAMES ALAN MENDOZA
Sure, I may still trip over one, every now and then, but I won’t let it bother me anymore. CLAWED TO DEATH I was born as a normal person, with a fair share of good and bad qualities. I do particularly well in school, being that student that manages to excel in every single aspect of student life. I had a great perception in life, and I was a really jolly and optimistic person. I was the kind of student everyone – teachers, parents, and classmates alike, would want. The keywords? “Had.” and “Was.” It was especially because of the fact that I was flawed. I was really skinny, I am not quick-witted nor a fast learner despite being considered as an excellent student. I may have a lot of good qualities, but people around me just decided to ignore all of those and focus on my flaws. The optimistic ‘me’ that I told you about? It’s been gone ever since the early days of my life. I may be an ideal person to anyone, but whenever I make mistakes or when
INDEPTH
people realize my flaws, I am suddenly unable to conform to the ‘standards’ that everyone wants me to reach, and I get criticized for that. “What a damned world we live in.” I whispered to myself in the bathroom as my damp dump-filled uniform stuck to my skin, the cold atmosphere amplifying the gloomy mood of the bathroom cubicle that I was crying in. Thousands of strikes from the claws of self-doubt wounded me and drastically slowed me down from the chase. The number of bullying cases has gone up alarmingly in the Philippines. According to an article by Katrina Domingo at ABS-CBN News, the Program for International Student Assessment which was held in 2018 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed that 65% of the 7,233 15-year-old students surveyed were “reported being bullied at least a few times a month.” It was also stated that these figures were significantly higher than most developed countries. What’s worse is, the other species that are around this place are just watching everything unfold, with even the ‘administration’ not doing anything much in order to stop this even when they are supposed to. These are just like the rocks that I tripped on while I’m on the chase. They just sit there and watch everything, yet they do nothing – if not, they even help and side with the predators. There have been a lot of videos that went viral which can prove everything, one of the most notable occurrences being the Ateneo bullying incident, where even when the bully is obviously the problem,
the higher-ups still stood on their side and defended them. Bullying can make people feel anxious and lose interest in everything, as its effects are extremely detrimental to one’s health. As stated by stopbullying.gov, effects of such activity include “impacts on mental health, substance use, and suicide.” And when you thought nothing can get worse than that, here comes something that adds insult to injury. MAULED VICTIM When I was in my high school days, my body already felt so dead. I thought that I had hit rock bottom. Or so I thought. “Ang payat mo naman! Tingting ka ghorl? Charot!” “Grabe naman daig mo pa yung skeleton sa lab natin. Char lang ha!” “Pag yan lumabas ng garden kita mo, liliparin yan. Char.” Those ‘jokes’ from the vultures just brought my soul down deeper than bedrock while the last remains of my carcass crumbled upon the dry savanna. “J-jokes are...supposed to be funny, right? But why am I not laughing? Are jokes supposed to make you cry now?” I wept, as I sat in the same old cubicle where I had trapped my entirety within. I can’t even move myself away from it, just like a corpse waiting for death to be reclaimed back into the ashes. Like everyone says, jokes are always half true. But at this point, they’re just insults disguised as one. People thought that saying it in a bright manner and adding the magic word “charot” in the end would make it sound like they’re having fun, but in fact they’re just making fun of their victims. Every bite of ‘charotism’ that the vultures took just filled my empty entirety up with even
more insecurities, sadness, and anxiety, all of which led to depression. Yes, I have come to the point where I can’t even realize how good I was. My grades were dropping, as well as my body which was once able to run for miles on end without breaking a single sweat. I’m just a nobody at this point. A small, easilycaught prey, maybe. Those were the final moments of me, a skilled but flawed gazelle whose good qualities got outweighed by my flaws, as it met its painful demise under a lion of insecurity and jealousy, only for everything to be worsened when the scavenger came up, which is what we can call the vulture of ‘charotism culture.’ REINCARNATION IS REAL The thing is, am I really dead? Why did I suddenly find myself in a new body? My skill and flaw sets are still the same, but why do I feel...stronger? I am still running away from the same predators, yet it looks like I am winning the race this time. They’re so far that all I can see are their silhouettes. They can’t inflict any damage from me anymore. I just realized why. I am reborn. The old optimistic me is back, but now as a stronger, wiser, and happier gazelle who’s not just fast and intelligent, but also with a stronger mentality. No matter how many rocks of sadness I encounter, I am now able to dodge every single one of them. Sure, I may still trip over one, every now and then, but I won’t let it bother me anymore. Because the things we should be listening to are not their jokes and insults, we must listen to our own mind, trust our skills, and focus on the positive thoughts that can get you away from confidence’s lion and vulture.
Resilience in abolishing resilience
As natural disasters such as the recent Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) put the marginalized Filipino at risk, yet again, the glorified ‘tough and enduring’ nature of our people has been promoted by the very authorities responsible for the prevention of such extensive damages done by these calamities. With regards to this despicable and undermining act, it is now critical and hightime that we address such a nonsensical ploy that indoctrinates the nation to overlook a major lapse in the competence of the government and its officials in disaster risk management.
“Let it be known that resilience becomes obsolete under the leadership of an accountable authority; likewise, it then becomes our part to never forget and to be equally resilient and unrelenting in demanding so.”
An Open Letter from a StudentLeader to the Edwardian Community
In the wake of recent weeks, the Philippines has been hit with consecutive storms that have brought devastation worth billions of pesos, afflicting millions and placing hundreds of thousands in an undesirable situation in dire need of rescue efforts. Tropical storms Quinta, Rolly, Siony, Tonyo, and Ulysses have bombarded the nation in a span of four weeks, and as with all calamities that impact the country, it was again commonplace to witness in social media those who are at the margins of society reaching out for help– something that the government failed to effectively carry out, apparently, since there would be no need to call for such at all if only there was a comprehensive plan for prevention or aftermath strategy in action. Furthermore, as if this controversy of poorly-planned sagas of the government is not already enough to fill one’s plate, we get the front-row privilege to listen to their babblings on how strong the Filipino populace bounces back after disaster strikes. In the first place, there would’ve been no need to remark on the nature of the nation’s people after a calamity only if they had been effective in laying out preventive measures, of which are frustratingly absent so it seems. And for enlightenment, the word “resilience” absolutely does not refer to the privileged or those who are in a desirable position of wealth and power; it is only the powerless who are in need of resilience as they are presented with no other choice but to do so in their state. Resilience continues to be the everpresent topic likened to a poor laughable excuse for the lack of concrete action and planning. It is this detrimental aspect
of romanticizing the public spirit that downgrades the competence of officials – measures that should’ve been high-time becomes considerably delayed since we are too absorbed by the praised endurance of the Filipino folk, which is not the matter at hand. What the public needs are leaders who are accountable to the people, not a circus of individuals. In line with this, there is a need to establish an example of accountable governance and leadership. With this context, let us turn to the case of Cavite’s Lancaster New City (LNC) and the Galing LNC community. The Galing LNC organization and its leaders implement and carry out projects that are centralized on environmental protection and promotion of livelihood for the sake of its community. From the last month, their projects range from the scope of the following: a Grounds Team conducting clearing operations in the creeks of LNC’s villages, the initiation and organization of relief drives by volunteer groups that helped communities affected by the recent typhoons. (even going on as to involve the youth of LNC’s St. Edward School), a conducting of educational discussion regarding climate change, and the carrying out of the LR Project Bayanihan that focuses on clean-ups in certain areas. Moreover, the community has been utilizing the platform Buyani.com which is “designed to service needs of the community by providing community services appointment, providing a platform to micro-entrepreneurs and providing access to goods, services and community
After a series of challenges we thought we’d never get through, a bunch of tears, and a lot of sacrifices, finally, we can say that we did it. The school year may have been ending, but I’m sure there’s a ton of memories and lessons we earned. The start of this year-long online classes was not the easiest of all. I remember how almost everyone’s mind was convinced that this school year would be bad. I mean, who could blame them, right? There’s no more random jamming sessions, sharing of baon, and spontaneous gala after class. Right now, all we could do is watch our classmates on the other side of our screens. Truly, this has been such a long rollercoaster ride. The adjustment phase
was horrendous and draining. Still, as one Edwardian Community, we managed to finish. Let’s not forget to thank our parents, our teachers, colleagues, and everyone who made this year worthwhile. Most of all, do not forget to give yourself some credit. Pat yourself on the back and give your best smile. It is, after all, still a rewarding thing to finish what you started. As we acknowledge everyone’s efforts during the school year, let us also remind ourselves that the fact alone that we got to study is already a huge privilege. People’s lives, especially those who do not have the resources to swim through this great storm, were damaged badly by the pandemic. So, as we take a walk down the memory lane and look back on what we have experienced, let’s see to
events.” From environmental causes to the promotion of its community members’ livelihood, the Galing LNC community is an exemplar of accountability that abolishes the need to praise resilience as something that it is not to the eyes of its people. In terms of ideology, this is the way to go. Fundamentally, the romanticization of resilience is downright unfounded, and yet government officials up until now rely on such a concept in order to escape the sense of accountability that they inherently possess the moment they take public office. Exploiting the condition of the marginalized, these individuals go on to misdirect the public on what is really the case with why the Filipino people are as resolute as they are. Let it be known that resilience becomes obsolete under the leadership of an accountable authority; likewise, it then becomes our part to never forget and to be equally resilient and unrelenting in demanding so.
Cartoon by: Denstle Vargas
it that we do whatever is in our power to help those in need. No matter how hard this school year has been, the true challenge is outside our comfort zones. As catalysts for change, let us apply what we have learned to the real world and prove to the world that no matter how young we are, we could contribute to a better future. The youth holds hope in the palm of their hands. Let’s all take charge of our own growth starting today. Yours truly, RAVEN CAZSARYL OMANDAM Vice President, Student Affairs Council
Online classes and Martial law If there are advantages of having the online modality of classes for me as a homeroom adviser, one would be the free passes to learn from other class discussions. Lately, I have been enjoying the classes in Araling Panlipunan (ArPan). During my vacant period, I join our section’s virtual meeting to check if my advisory students are present which gives me the chance to revisit Grade 6 lessons in ArPan, one of my favorite subjects back then. I am sometimes carried away by the discussion; I usually answer the questions thrown by the teacher when no one in the class wants to, and I tell everyone that this is the same content that their ArPan teacher and I studied when we were in elementary. I could still enumerate “Mga Suliraning Kinaharap ni Manuel Roxas” or “Mga Impluwensya ng mga Amerikano sa Pilipinas.” Thanks to the way ArPan was taught before; one could easily memorize facts because some activities included the tiresome PAUL JEFFREY PEÑAFLOR summarizing a chapter of the book or rewriting the events, keywords, and definitions in a notebook. I recall having five notebooks all consumed for handwritten notes in history. What has somehow changed is how 21st-century teachers deliver the lessons to the students now that we are under the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum. Teachers now welcome students to process the information further and invite them for a more progressive exchange of opinions. However, the content has not changed. I also had the chance to listen about the “brightest sides” of the martial law era through the discussion of “P.L.E.D.G.E.S” which stands for Peace and Order, Land Reform, Economic Development, Development of moral values, Government Reforms, Educational Reforms, and Social Services. These, according to the text read, are evident in Ferdinand Marcos’ programs. And I noticed the teacher’s remarks in between discussions of these martial law features. For instance, in his discussion about “peace and order achieved” during martial law, he concluded, “ngunit hindi natin masisisi ang mga tao kung bakit galit sila sa rehimeng Marcos dahil sa…” Then the teacher continued telling some narratives of the inhumane arrest of anti-Marcos individuals without civil action. I also heard about the unlawful imprisonments due to the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, inconsiderate curfew and travel bans imposed, prohibition of labor strikes, media censorship, threats to free speech, and many more. Sad to say, some of the known facts that the teacher shared in the class are not comprehensively discussed in the textbooks. Maybe, these are not the things that the current curriculum or textbooks intend to inform among students. Or perhaps the teacher’s remarks are all part of the ‘hidden curriculum’ wherein the lessons are unwritten and unintended but may speak of social values that are left to students to just perceive among themselves. However, acts of injustice and violence should not be hidden; they ought to be told explicitly and clearly to teach a lesson making sure that history ceases to repeat itself. The current education curriculum and the textbooks we still use are somehow to be blamed for the many individuals today blinded by the horrors of the dictatorship. Though the Department of Education still includes the discussion of martial law in distance learning despite 60% of the curriculum is removed, it is still not enough if our resource materials lack explicit explanations of how dark the years during martial law were. In addition, the almost victory of the dictator’s son for the second-highest office in 2016 is a fruition of the scarcity of Filipinos to information and education. The current curriculum needs restructuring. Existing textbooks need further evaluation; publishing companies need to consult historians. People working in the education sector must make sure that learning materials do not purge the devil by telling how kind and beneficial his government was. Can textbooks include the number of people killed during Marcos’ dictatorship? Can they also talk about the ‘golden age’ driven by debts and how the government hid poverty? Can the curriculum include the discussion of curfew and why it is not a solution towards a civilized and peaceful nation? Through this, we will no longer hear kids today saying that life was better during martial law most especially if you follow the government, or Marcos is the best president because “ito ‘yung sinabi ng nanay/tatay ko.” Some kids would even argue that Ferdinand Marcos is the ideal president because “he achieved balance.” Is it a “balance” between progress and violence? A prosperous country that is achieved through violation of human rights is never prosperous at all. These thoughts of the kids today are symptoms of mass production of blind followers and a diabolical history to be repeated in the future. With homes today that shifted to classrooms, teachers not only teach the students but also everyone at home involved in the learning process. It may be a mother explaining the instructions in the learning module or a sister who listens to the synchronous class discussions of her younger brother. If there is one danger of having the online modality of classes now, it would be the voice of false information that creeps through the ears and minds of the learners and other people around them at home.
conversed.
If there is one danger of having the online modality of classes now, it would be the voice of false information that creeps through the ears and minds of the learners and other people around them at home.
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
Respect defines you
to be rude and insensitive. Instead, we should be a helping hand to everyone as the life we have right now is stressful and constantly changing. We shall practice integrity as well especially during virtual quizzes and exams. It is not by surprise that cheating is most likely to occur as it is easier to execute in this new set up. Let us all admit that in fact, Google is always just a tab away. Given the circumstances, why do we still need to practice integrity when we could just search and ace the exams? Because remember, a good grade would not define you as a person, but a good manner and character will. People would always remember you by your good personality and kind heart, not whether you got a perfect score on your Math test or not. This new mode of learning will truly define who we are as a person when no one can watch nor supervise us. You will most likely bring the discipline that you have right now into your future self too so as soon as possible, we have to start on disciplining ourselves and practicing integrity wherever we go, no matter what the conditions may be. So the next time that you decide to turn off your camera and do other things while on your class or before you pretend that your camera or microphone is broken, think about it thoroughly first. Next time that you are tempted to search the answers or look into your notes, you think and make sure you do what you know is right. The next time you let go of harsh words towards your teacher or fellow student, try to understand and analyze their situation first. No one can define who you are except for your own words and actions towards yourself and other people. You define you and what others might think or remember you by.
“It is also the best time to be a journalist,” exclaimed Jaime Flor Cruz, former Beijing Bureau Chief of CNN. The Manila Times organized a compelling and persuasive event for young aspirants of journalism to provide a powerful advocate during critical times.
esteemed.
ALESSANDRA NICOLE SANTOS
…we have to start on disciplining ourselves and practicing integrity wherever we go, no matter what the conditions may be.
At times of chaos, voices of the vulnerable need to be heard, providing journalists the greatest opportunity to execute modern propaganda. Does news coverage of the Politicians provide ample evidence to discern the current situation of our nation? Or do we need to inform the reality of those who are most affected by this pandemic? Seething through the crowd of underlying mysteries inside the palace is one of my greatest fears, to witness my false imagination. I have been contemplating a lot of queries in my mind. What does true leadership look like? Will there be a point in time where the vulnerable can claim their justice? The hope of this dilemma is to stand up as a witness by piercing through their souls and tell stories using their lens. Proving what is right for the nation is a heavy task. It is your business as a journalist to prolong the agony and go through a needle just to provide factual news and opinion. There are a lot of opinionated fallacies spreading in the media. Unfortunately, most people subconsciously take the benefit of the doubt because it is what they want to believe in. It takes sweat and your time to serve the public through words. Fake news is widely pervasive and is rapidly infecting everyone through
unprejudiced.
MA. ERICH CHARLENE S. BARNES
Let it be known that a system that truly leaves no one behind should be recognized as the new normal.
While DepEd and private school officials try to stay in business, the quality of education and mental health of those at the bottom of the hierarchy suffer. In the name of maintaining appearances and reputations, students get the short end of the stick. This is known as the “new normal,” but it has remained to be a burden for educators and learners alike. Moreover, the truth must be told: the system is a total shambles. Despite the numerous exams taken this academic year, we all know that the vast majority of students are not learning--it is for the sake of compliance. It stings that, rather than seizing the opportunity to provide us with the quality education we deserve, our leaders make us all victims of their thoughtless agenda. Speaking of which, if there’s one thing I’ve learned as a student, it’s that laziness isn’t the only, or even the primary, cause of a student’s lackluster performance. Children may receive poor grades, but despicable living conditions are at the heart of their failure. So, now that the pandemic has exposed a huge disparity between those who can and cannot afford to study, we must face yet another reality: learning in this time is not for the disadvantaged. In line with this, students are balancing self-learning lessons for each of their subjects, answering activities from those many classes, attending synchronous classes, caring for their households, and a slew of other responsibilities. Aside from the mountain of schoolwork, there are those who must work and worry about the wellbeing of their families. Education amidst a pandemic is a pandemic in and of itself. With another academic year approaching, I can’t help but wonder if they intend to address the same issues at the start of the school year. Do they have any plans at all? As a student, I don’t want to continue my education and embark on a new journey while woefully unprepared. I am pursuing accountability and the proper response that I am being denied. The glorified “kaya mo ‘yan!” culture has already caused enough harm; now is the time for everyone to realize that there is nothing wrong with demanding what has been promised rather than romanticizing tenacity once again. We don’t deserve less. Similarly, learners in rural areas who are not served by traditional learning methods do not deserve any less. Our education problem is undoubtedly systemic, and it predates the pandemic. Consequently, it is our teachers who put in the most effort to make this situation work. I am immensely thankful for their service. But I’m not comfortable with someone sacrificing everything for the sake of meeting my needs. Let it be known that a system that truly leaves no one behind should be recognized as the new normal. Not just a few, but all of us, because it should not be a privilege but a right that must be exercised. Regardless of how pressing the authorities consider the impending start of another academic year, what we need to function is not heroics, but long-overdue interventions to close gaps and ensure that education is accessible to all.
the media. “What if journalism doesn’t involve critical thinking? Fake stories will be rampant” Beatrice Quirante, Editor-in-Chief, and Associate Editor for Print Benildean Press Corps pointed out. There are a lot of infringements that need to be injected out from the nation immediately. A journalist’s duty is to provide information to the people by telling the truth without the spokesperson defending their boss. “Journalists are people’s advocates,” Mr. Jaime said. I believe that the people need to satisfy their thirst for truth, telling that there are overlays of injustices and false stories that need to be presented to the public. We have seen shreds of evidence to prove that we are stepping on a nation with incompetent governance and it is my duty as a journalist to protect the citizens’ opinion by carrying it out through words even if my life depends on this silver lining. I am not a protestor or a rebel, not even Katniss Everdeen who would want to take the capitol down. I am a journalist, a whistleblower who hears the needs of the people and publicizes wrong-doings by those people who are supposed to be looked up to. At critical times like this, it is the best time to hone my skill as a journalist and achieve my role to inform the people and hold public officials accountable.
rationalized. KRISTANA BLEZ AVILA
The hope of this dilemma is to stand up as a witness by piercing through their souls and tell stories using their lens.
System of the flies
“Who killed Peggy?” Heroism remains to be the only thing keeping the outdated and collapsing Philippine educational system afloat. The Department of Education (DepEd) has vowed that no student will be left behind, but as classes draw to a close, it’s disheartening to realize that what has been said is yet another false declaration.
07
Underlying advocacy
The new mode of learning has been new for everyone and extremely difficult for some. We all had to adjust to be able to cope and adapt with the new set up brought by the global pandemic. I bet no one ever anticipated for this to happen as we spend our entire lives going to school and learning there with our teachers and classmates. However, the pandemic had caused our homes to be our new learning environment. We all had different responses and coping mechanisms for the unexpected circumstances. Some became glad and more comfortable, while some became stubborn about it. Teachers and students share the same struggles in this new set up. We all have to learn different apps and websites for us to learn effectively and for teachers to teach efficiently. We also had to bear with internet connection issues and computer issues at times. I know that this can sometimes be too much, it can be draining and hard to digest for many. There are things that can be hard for you, yet easy for others or things that are easy for you yet hard for others but at the end of the day, we are all still struggling through surviving and coping up with changes caused by the pandemic. Teachers had received different reactions from students during the online classes. There are some cases in which students won’t attend their classes and leave their teacher waiting and some are even playing music and dancing while their teacher is discussing. Last April, I even saw a Facebook post from a teacher that her student sent a file for her class through her messenger account yet it was accompanied by a bad word. The said message was immediately unsent by the student after sending – as a joke perhaps. Though the student tried to clean up his mess, the teacher already saw what he had wrote. The teacher then confronted the student and ranted about the incident on social media. It wouldn’t cost you anything to be extra kind to everyone especially during these times. Everyone is fighting their own challenges and battles in life. We must all learn how to have mutual respect upon each other. We might not want where we are right now or we might now want the people we are with because of the abrupt changes, it still doesn’t give us a free pass
opinion
Filipinos have been led to believe that the efforts of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the government are adequate to encourage students to pursue their education. However, the resources for a new medium are scarce, making it impossible for educators to actually teach. Now, teachers are pursuing a rotten educational system rather than the advertised and promised tale the administration wants us to believe. As such, an illusion that the educational system has been able to maintain has devolved into a cripping facade. We fail to recognize how the institution where we learn and teach has been providing band-aid solutions to long-term issues. We’re simply extending the existence of a dying system to give the assurance that we’ve taken enough measures to adjust to the new world. When, in reality, the traditional classroom’s replication has been ineffective since the beginning of the academic year. It has only generated a multitude of problems and exacerbated the social inequalities between the affluent and their vulnerable peers. There exists a human capital theory, “the economic development of a nation is a function of the quality of its education.” Implying that the growth of national and societal mobilization is identified through the education the masses attain, however, education has become a part of an institutional mechanism that divides the rich and poor. And to pertain to the theory, clearly, the Philippines has not grown out of the tethers of western-influenced traditions and expectations on the grounds of schooling. The educational system did not start to rot this online modality, it has been rotten since the beginning of time. Ever since, we’ve put our exhaustion and dread on the shoulders of teachers while we’ve been advocating for #LigtasNaBalikEskwela and voicing our opposition to the #AcademicFreeze, as it may result in a significant drop in employment and an increase in poverty, but we lose sight of the fact that teachers, too, are victims.
Acknowledging the hardships of teachers, which are constantly invalidated, does not downplay those of the students’. This is merely a reminder to recognize the true adversary. People who are left to work for the system, and those mandated to study under it are both victims. The administration has tolerated the struggle of educators working unpaid overtime, and providing resources for themselves from their own pockets (as online teaching is mostly done from home). However, teachers have faced this conundrum time and time again. Schools do not mandate nor pay teachers to stay extra time at faculties to finish grading 200+ individual papers, but the workload mandates them to do so. In the online setting, teachers schedule synchronous and asynchronous meetings, manage lesson plans, attend faculty meetings, fulfill admin’s requests at a short notice, and put up with the nagging uncertainty of the pandemic. Indeed, the struggle goes both ways. But the Filipino folk are oblivious to this reality. The repressive and capitalist administration, that requires the same amount of tuition fee as that of face-to-face classes despite the students and the students’ family providing all the necessities to learn, oppresses and denies their teachers without paying their employees the salary they deserve. And in turn, those who are oppressed become oppressors to their students. Furthermore, this entails a greater concern. Teachers, the most needed catalysts for social change, might no longer be played by the passionate, but by ignorant, money-hungry people in the future. This pandemic, and the
government’s response to it, has pushed education to the brim of exhaustion. Conversely, our struggle with the new modes of learning extends beyond what is going on in our school. There are those who teach and study in places that aren’t conducive to learning, such as computer shops, rooftops, neighbors’ homes, guardhouses, streets, bahay kubos, open river streams, and palengkes. In addition, some teachers continue to work despite being diagnosed with COVID-19, being behind on their electricity/ rent bills, or being left to care for sick relatives or their own children. Teachers and students go above and beyond what they have; not to better teach or understand, but to fulfill an educational scheme that benefits no one but those at the top. The only assurance we have is that everyone in the Google Meet, Zoom, and any school platforms share the same sentiment. Teachers are underpaid for doing activities other than teaching, and in some cases are not paid at all. They’ve admitted that it’s difficult to see their students not learning, but it’s demoralizing to see them dealing with this dysfunctional educational system. The administration’s domineering hold on education is all the more reason for teachers to strive for competency to cultivate minds of genuine reform outside privilege. The brawl to practice the right to education and to receive it progressively holistically continues to stem from the system. In the end, teachers compose the headway of national development. The repressive scheme hinders the teachers to continue what they have always been-- catalysts of social change.
elucidated. KIRSTEN LEI VENTENILLA
The repressive scheme hinders the teachers to continue what they have always been-catalysts of social change.
GAME OF UNKNOWNS Ang Pakikipagsapalaran ng Rehimeng Duterte gamit ang buhay ng mga Pilipino MA. ERICH CHARLENE BARNES
Kamakailan-lamang na sinabi ng gobyerno na naglalayon itong mabakunahan ang 70 milyong matatanda sa taong ito, simula sa mga frontliners. Subalit mayroong matinding pagdududa ang mga health workers sa plano ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
Ipinagbigay-alam pa ng gobyerno na bibilhin nito ang milyonmilyong doses mula sa Sinovac ng China sa kabila ng kawalan ng maaasahang data at hindi pa kumpletong mga klinikal na pagsubok. Sa kasalukuyan, ang shot lamang ng Pfizer at AstraZeneca ang naaprubahan para sa emergency na paggamit sa Pilipinas (Philippines Vaccine Program Hindered by Delays, Public Distrust, 2021). Si Dr. Gene Nisperos, isang Assistant Professor sa University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine, ay may pag-aalinlangan sa desisyon ng gobyerno na hindi payagan ang mga Pilipino sa pagpili ng uri ng bakunang kanilang matatanggap. Lalo na’t maraming Pilipino ang hindi makalimot sa nakamamatay na paglunsad ng anti-dengue vaccine na Dengvaxia noong 2016 sa ilalim ng dating administrasyon. At nagaalala si Dr. Nisperos na inuulit ng administrasyong Duterte ang mga pagkakamali ni Aquino.
GAME OF DENGVAXIA CLONE Ang mga pag-aalala na inilahad ng mga health professionals ay sumasalamin sa lumalaking pagaalinlangan na pananaw ng publiko ng Pilipino. Matapos ang kontrobersya sa Dengvaxia, ang bilang ng mga bata na nabakunahan ay bumagsak mula 85% noong 2010 hanggang 69% sa 2019. “Maraming bata ang nagkasakit matapos matanggap ang bakunang iyon,” sinabi ng 62-taong-gulang na si Crisanta Alipio tungkol sa Dengvaxia, isang sakit na dala ng lamok na maaaring nakamamatay. Inamin niya na natatakot siya sa COVID-19 ngunit mas natatakot sa pagbabakuna. Isa lamang si Crisanta sa mga Pilipinong takot sa bakuna. Nagconduct ng survey ang pollster na nakabase sa Manila, ang Pulse Asia, at ipinakita nito na 32 porsyento lamang ng mga Pilipino sa buong bansa ang nais na mabakunahan laban sa coronavirus at 47 porsyento ang nagsabing ayaw nilang mabakunahan man lamang dahil sa mga alalahanin sa kaligtasan. GAME OF PHONES “Some of the information shared on Facebook and text messages said the COVID-19 vaccine contained a microchip which can be controlled remotely by President Duterte, and once he pushes a button, the person who received the vaccine will die,” ani Nasser Alimoda, isang doktor ng gobyerno sa lalawigan ng Lanao del Sur. Kinikilala naman ng mga opisyal na mayroon silang malaking problema -- ang
“If you cannot convince your health personnel regarding the vaccination program, then how are you going to convince ordinary citizens?” - Dr. Gene Nisperos Asst. Professor, University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine hikayatin ang maraming tao na kunin ang bakuna. “Messaging has to be very concrete and evidencebased to encourage people to receive the vaccines,” sabi ni health undersecretary Rosario Vergeire sa Reuters. Ngunit ang mga pagsisikap sa komunikasyon sa agham ng Pilipinas ay nakikita ng parehong pangkat na hindi kasiya-siya at bihirang gawin (Navarro, 2020). GAME OF MILITARY ZONES Matagal nang umaasa si Duterte sa militar na mamumuno sa tugon ng COVID-19 ng kanyang administrasyon. Ngunit sa pagkawala ng kumpiyansa ng masa, sinabi ng ilan na kailangang ilagay ng pangulo ang mga scientist at public health experts kaysa sa mga militar. “Once we do that, we can use a better lens to decide a national action plan against COVID-19″ based on science,” batid ni Dr. Nisperos, na namumuno din sa Second Opinion PH, isang kahaliling boses sa kalusugan ng publiko. Nang magtanong ng dosedosenang frontliners kung tatanggapin nila ang vaccine, ni isa ay walang sumang-ayon. “If you cannot convince your health personnel regarding the vaccination program, then how are you going to convince ordinary citizens?” ani Nisperos. Nakataya ang milyon-milyong mga tao sa larong isinusugal ni Duterte. At mahigit itong tinututulan ng mga health experts.
Photo Dance
MISSING ’D’ IN PANDEMIC The power play between doctors and military in communicating #COVID19 KIRSTEN LEI VENTENILLA
“The politicisation of science, where politicians give updates even on technical matters while scientists play second fiddle, is unsettling to me,” said Gilbert Nakweya, a Science journalist at SciDev.Net. Hitting a year under the control of COVID-19 lockdown protocols that started last March 15, Philippine scientists are in a stagnant state as they struggle to cover the subsisting virus. This melee reached heights with the rise of fake news, biased researches, and the prevalent power play with President Duterte’s militaristic response towards the pandemic. FINDING FUNDING Last September 2020, The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) was destitute in financial capacity with the government cutting their budget by P76 Million. PTRI Executive Director Celia Elumba stated that there will be an impediment with the resumption of the services, and the support they can provide to the communities, because technologies are vital to help them. Likewise, the National Research Council of the Philippines, according to Jaime Montoya, the president of NRCP, has a very small budget — estimating US$450,000 a year. The granted access to DOST’s funds were able to give them a boost to do the basic research vital to the foundation of applied science, “But it’s not enough, we need more funds.” he added. In addition to this, the supposed P88 Billion budget allotted for the Department of Health (DOH) of 2020 was slashed by P10 Billion. “Mr. Speaker, needless to say, I am very concerned—as a doctor, as a former health secretary and as a member of this chamber—about the current state of our healthcare system and the budget that should support it; and as such I would do everything in my power to make sure our people are afforded a just and caring health sector and nothing less,” Garin, a senior minority leader, said. MILITARISTIC PULL The lack of financial grants given to the health sector grew into the public’s stomach. In April 2020, just the second month of the country’s lockdown, an estimation of 2,500 soldiers were deployed in the National Capital Region to act as a supporting role (Rappler, 2020). Ever since then, the evident aid of the military was seen in the pandemic response of the government. By November 2020, in the same breath as the pleas of the health sector, The Department of National Defense (DND) has planned to spend P58 billion to carry out a program to modernize the military in 2021, and an estimate of 11% total increase with their funding. However, the doctors were not aligned to the belligerent measures taken by President Duterte. “The healthcare workers are sounding a distress call. We need a breather; we are exhausted,” said Jose Santiago, the president of the Philippine Medical Association. (DW, 2020) They demand that the government come up with a plan to address the gaps in its public health interventions – increase COVID-19 testing, release test results early, establish effective contact tracing measures and hire additional healthcare workers (p. 8)
Illustration by: Vincent Leonard Alhambra
“If we continue to have the same people [in the IATF], nothing will change.” - Carlos Zarate, Bayan Muna Partylist the Members of the Citizens Urgent Response to End COVID-19 (CURE COVID) has pleaded for the quitting of Health Secretary Francisco Duque, and an entire renewal of the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 (IATF), which is mostly spearheaded by high-ranking military officials. “If we continue to have the same people [in the IATF], nothing will change,” said Carlos Zarate of the Bayan Muna Partylist. As claimed by Aisha Karim, a science journalist with South Africabased Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, a number of scientists and journalists had little knowledge on how to communicate the science about COVID-19 in an effective manner. Mercy Korir, a medical doctor, added that the struggle was heightened by the fact that we are all new to the continuous growth of information. The doctors were grappling with how to effectively unpack information to the general public, Karim told SciDev.Net. There was just something unsettling about the soldiers being the face of health-related development in lieu of the professionals. The power play as elaborated above was extensive in both the growth and ceasing of the pandemic. “We are always one step ahead of others like Spain, Italy, even US,” said the Department of the Interior and Local Government in a Malacanang briefing. Ironically, we are not.
THE ‘D’ IN PANDEMIC To nurture the progression of science for and amidst the pandemic,
Illustration by: Hannah Nicole Bercasio
Photo Courtesy: Lisa Marie David / AFP
Having one of the world’s longest Covid-19 lockdowns, the Filipino people have been in a place between life and death for a year now, and no effective and concrete solutions from the government have been made. How are the Filipinos surviving? The editorial board features the stories of the distress calls of the healthcare workers, the representative of the Filipino migrant workers who returned home facing a devastated economy, and the newlyestablished culture of community pantries as a form of movement towards solidarity and social responsibility.
PAWNTRY
o Courtesy: Czar el, Benar News
A Story of Solidarity MARVIN CHRIST IGANG
OVERSEAS FILIPINOS’ WORKENDS
LOCKED DOWN
AND
“[Protests are]
expressing the
growing unease of civil society in the face of particularly
critical political and social
situations.”
-
Pope Francis urging government leaders to listen to protestors, September 2020
How the pandemic ended not only lives but the means of living KARYLLE OCHAVE
The rise of Covid-19 has taken not only the lives of people but also the means of making a living. With this pandemic, lockdowns are required, and worldwide economic decline has reached an unprecedented rate, calling for the most urgent repair at the cost of people’s employment, damaging the lives of every worker including OFWs. From February to May, there are in excess of 320,000 OFWs who were forced to relinquish their jobs, a now-familiar case that is only expected to surpass a million before the end of 2021. This is also what happened to Karen Bernisi, who spent almost 12 years of her life working as a beauty consultant for Dubai Duty Free in the United Arab Emirates. However, this pandemic caused canceled flights, lockdowns, and the “no work, no pay” scheme was common, so she had no choice but to go back home. Karen reminisced about how much hope she had during her stay in Dubai despite the total lockdown for the country and the “no work, no pay” scheme. “Nagho-hope pa rin ako bumalik, hintay lang nang hintay, sabi ko baka babalik yan tapos magiging ayos na ulit kaso ayun…” she recalled. She chose to return home to her family as opposed to enduring far away with having no assurance of all that will have returned to normal since this pandemic is unpredictable. Having her family near her is much bearable than having them far away with no certainty that things would return to the way they were. “May pera ka pa pero ‘di ka na sumasahod mauubos lang kaya bakit hindi mo nalang ipagsapalaran sa Pilipinas?” said Karen while thinking of coming home instead. With the high cost of living in the United Arab Emirates, having no job with continuous expenses would only last you a month. Staying there and constantly waiting for something to happen just isn’t practical. You’ll just end up losing all your savings just for your daily expenses when you could have used it in the Philippines to start all over again. “‘Yung iba nga naming kasamahan nag-suffer ng depression, anxiety, may na stroke pa nga eh,” she added. Losing their job and forced repatriation with the possibility of contracting the virus is a source of depression for OFWs, especially for the ones who are undocumented or illegal immigrants. Constant overthinking of
“Hindi matatapos yung buhay mo sa pagiging OFW magiging maganda pa rin buhay mo kahit wala ka sa ibang bansa.” - Karen Bernisi, Former OFW things has led to serious emotional problems like depression because worrying about having to go home with not enough savings, pending loans, and the idea of having to maintain their old ways of living while suffering unemployment adds to their already deteriorating mental state. “Hindi matatapos yung buhay mo sa pagiging OFW magiging maganda pa rin buhay mo kahit wala ka sa ibang bansa,” she concluded. The doors Karen has are not simply limited to foreign countries. Lockdown has happened, but she has opened doors in her own country with her family next to her. Uncertainty continues to lie upon Karen and millions of unemployed Filipinos in a country with less regard and care for the modern heroes of the economy.
Illustration by: Hannah Nicole Bercasio
Photo Courtesy: VaticanNews.VA
Amid the pandemic, it is undeniable that almost everyone around the world needs help. As a student who is currently taking online classes, I could already tell that this new modality is not as easy as I initially thought it would be. The stress that it gives me is sometimes unbearable, yet I stand still for I am resilient. I am beyond grateful for what I have right now. Having the privilege of sleeping under a safe roof, being able to eat three meals a day, and being able to be with my family is what I consider a privilege since not all of us are not on the same page. I kept on thinking about the other people outside and how they are all surviving this neverending shade; until one moment, I wondered how the stray animals were surviving this crisis. In our subject, Work Immersion Program, we are the “Edfluencers” that will create and promote various campaigns that will greatly help the Lancaster Community. With this, the whole class was divided into six groups and each group will have a designated topic or campaign—my group and I got the pet ownership topic. To be honest, I was really interested in how we are going to execute our immersion project despite the fact that we’re doing it online. In addition, we are the only group that talks about animals so I think it’s great since it’s unique and relevant. Upon working on our campaign materials and preparing for our culminating activity, my group mates and I thought of searching for a participant that lives in LNC and advocates responsible pet ownership. Fortunately, we were able to find a participant that perfectly matched our desire. After that, I initiated to communicate with the participant since I am proficient in communicating confidently towards people while my group mates are a little bit shy. Our participant is Martie Angelica Bueno, a twenty-yearold college student, who lives in Lancaster New City. Currently, she is organizing two pantries and one of them is Strays Community Pantry which is basically a community pantry but it focuses more on stray dogs and cats who are in need. I suddenly realized that people are not the only ones who are trying to survive life, but also the cats and dogs in the streets. Ms. Martie, my group mates, and I had an interview with regard to the community pawntry that she’s organizing. We had several interview questions for her to answer. As she answers some of the questions, it’s almost like I learned more about the things she told us since it was very heartwarming. She started being a youth volunteer in their community because she felt the need to do so. She even mentioned that the community must come together to help those animals who are in need. It was called “Community Pawntry” because it requires more than one person to help achieve their agenda. One of the things that made my heart happy was the part where she mentioned a stray dog named ‘Honey Lime’, a dog that keeps on going to Ms. Martie’s Community Pawntry in Navarro. Whenever she’s going to feed the cats and dogs in the streets, Honey Lime already knows that she’s going to be fed by Ms. Martie. However, it was also mentioned that even though Ms. Martie is not feeding, Honey Lime would eventually make “tambay” beside the Community Pawntry stall of Ms. Martie. It warms my heart because I could already tell that this activity of Ms. Martie made a huge impact on the stray animals within the community. With this, I am wanting to do the same thing.
Collectively, we will build a legacy that will soon foster into something revolutionary. I want to help the animals in the streets since they are the ones who were not taken care of by their respective pet owners. Them being in the streets is already a result of bad pet ownership. If you know to yourself that you’re not capable of taking care of a pet, then why would you waste their time and life if you can’t fulfill your expected responsibilities as a responsible pet owner? Ms. Martie enlightened me about the importance of being a responsible pet owner. She inspired me to take initiative and help those who are in need. I suddenly realized that I am not able to do such things all by myself—I will be needing the help of the members of the community. In these trying times, if you are capable of helping others, please do so for it is part of your role as a good neighbor. With the story of Ms. Martie, I learned the significance of youth volunteerism and how it could help me grow as a person. Lastly, she shared with us stories that are true to life, and I am grateful for what I have learned from her. Martie’s story ignites the burning passion among everyone to help not only people, but also stray animals for they are also part of the community. Aspiring to be catalysts of social change, we can be educated and knowledgeable of certain things for it is a powerful tool for us to conquer obstacles in the near future. Altruism and solidarity are what we need as a community now that we can no longer bank on the competence of the government. This is the idea of community pantries. While we all come together to inspire each other, to encourage each other, and to help each other, we also call for the leaders to come up with better plans. Collectively, we will build a legacy that will soon foster into something revolutionary.
Photo and Art by: Marvin Christ Igang, Hannah Nicole Bercasio
10 features
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
VOLUMES UP
THE SEARCH FOR SUCCESS
Amplifying the Significance of Mental Health through Kalinaw Unplugged PATRICIA YVONNE ALBINA
Many are struggling against more than one pandemic. Aside from the virus, the world is also dealing with the pandemic of mental and emotional stress. Social injustices continue to hinder growth; the economic crisis is rapidly progressing; the overall situation places every system at risk, which affects everyone, especially the youth that relies on it. Given these challenges that a lot of us try to combat day by day, we should also bear in mind that prioritizing our psychological health and well-being is essential because the stigma that is associated with mental health issues can establish disinclination. “A lot of us experiences [sic] different kinds of emotions. That’s why I personally think that it’s important that we should also focus on our own mental state,” shares Raven Omandam, one of the members of Galing LNC Youth. Addressing and promoting mental health awareness through personal stories that tackles about valuing and taking care of ourselves as well as listening to songs about self-love, an online jamming titled Kalinaw Unplugged: Youth Jam was presented by Galing LNC Youth. RECONNECTING THROUGH MUSIC The messages and stories of every song that was sung by the Bargo Brothers were depicted with different realizations and experiences from the listeners. “Parang kahit ilang beses man tayong maligaw sa daanan papunta sa tinatahak nating journey, we’ll still be guided back,” explains Kristin Sandoval, one of the members. “At napanghawakan ko rin ‘yon.” The constant stress affects ourselves and the way we handle life. It even makes us wonder about our own worth. We tend to forget to breathe and take things in stride. “We are all worthy and more than enough. Kaya naman we should never think low of ourselves dahil self-love always comes first dapat,” Raven said as they reflected on one of Coldplay’s famous songs titled “Fix You.” Kristin and Raven continued to highlight the significance of valuing ourselves by sharing tips, experiences, and their struggles as students who are also having a hard time coping with the education system. Complying with academic workloads has been one of
JAMES ALAN MENDOZA
Picture this: You’re stuck in an abyss of desperation, with nowhere else to go. You have two choices; you could either rot in that dark place, where pressure, gloom, and discrimination will rain down on you, or go through a shortcut that would guarantee you a higher chance of getting out of that place, only for it to bring you to a deeper, darker one, with the same storm but with much worse floods. Which would you rather choose? That was exactly the situation of “Jay,” one of the featured guests in GMA’S weekend night show, “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.” An 18-year-old high school graduate whom we will call Jay (not his real name), was one among the thousands that were struggling to keep up with the “new normal” that was caused by the recent pandemic that hit almost every corner of the world. He was barely able to afford a laptop before, but now, due to the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought him and his country, he is already struggling to keep up with everything. From piled up bills to sick parents, overcoming it when you have no jobs at the moment is like bringing fists to a gunfight. So he had to think of a solution, quickly. He decided to open up an “alter” account on Twitter, where he would sell obscene photos and videos of himself just to earn a few bills.
Screengrab from GalingTV
their challenges in life right now but they still motivate themselves to carry on and continue with their lives. SOLIDARITY AMIDST THE CRISIS The profound impacts of the pandemic have created an additional mental strain on everyone, causing it to be at stake, especially in youth. “Magtulungan tayo. We should lift up each other. Sabay-sabay at dapat walang maiiwan.” Kristin affirms. The feeling of being stressed and anxious is inevitable. Sometimes it is difficult to deal with everything on our own because bad news is heaped on us daily. Share and seek help to improve your wellbeing. “We should always prioritize health. Lalong-lalo na sa pangangalaga ng ating sarili,” Raven said. This pandemic is taking a toll on our mental health. Ease up on yourself and breathe. Unplug when needed.
This pandemic is taking a toll on our mental health. Ease up on yourself and breathe. Unplug when needed.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Council in the Covid-19 Pandemic JULIA NOELLE SINCIOCO
The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on education, with institutions closing their doors and governments closing their borders in reaction to lockdown measures. Having said that, developments at St. Edward Schools have affected not only how students study, but also organizations such as the Student Affairs Council. The moment we won the elections, we knew that it would be the start of a new journey. As the mode of learning changed, it introduced difficulties for all aspects of school life since everything should take place online. Nonetheless, we fastened our seatbelts and used it as a challenge and inspiration. We eagerly faced the road with our determination to lead and serve. Thus, we are all in this together. On this trip, we packed and fed ourselves with knowledge. Leadership is both a study field and a functional skill that includes the ability of a person, group or a team to “lead”, influence or direct other individuals, groups or entire organizations. Meanwhile,
Jay’s fight between conscience and desperation
servant leadership is a theory of leadership in which the leader’s main aim is to serve. This is distinct from conventional leadership where the primary concern of the leader is the wellbeing of their business or organization. This helped us know who we want to be as a leader and that is to be a servant leader. We knew and believed that taking a leadership role doesn’t make one a leader but serving with a heart does. As we enter our meeting codes and gather virtually,we always remind ourselves that we are here for a purpose; we are here because the student body chose and trusts us. Alone, we are great, but together, we are stronger. To strive for excellence, we use what we have and polish it
to bring out the best in our potential. Like a gear that aims to function and connect, we master new skills, create opportunities for the students and execute them with our hearts. Leadership is not just position nor title; it is action and example. Therefore, we always thrive to be better, and do better, despite the circumstances. We may not be able to see and interact with each other like we used to, but we are still grateful and honored by the opportunity that we have because we were able to reach out to others, widen views, educate people, amplify voices, and serve. Likewise, we became more than a team; we became a family. In this journey, we were fueled by our skills
and talents, passion and hardwork, support and trust. In this ride, we encountered bumps along the way but we were still able to see and enjoy beautiful sceneries. It has its own ups and downs. Indeed, this voyage showed our strength in numbers.
Leadership is not just position nor title; it is action and example.
ROAD TO BEING DESOLATE Jay already belonged to a family that “had difficulties in making ends meet,” at least according to the episode. The difficulty only ramped up and was amplified by the recent pandemic, as his father was also sick at that time, rendering him unable to work. He was also qualified for a scholarship; however, he hasn’t received the stipend yet. He also tried applying for jobs, but it was either he wasn’t accepted, or there aren’t any available at that time. The only source of money they have is the monthly pensions of his grandmother, but since she only had only recently started her contributions, they can’t get anything from it yet. Aside from that, they also have the government’s financial aid from his father, but they were rarely given anything. Jay had no way to support himself, moreover his father and grandmother, so he tried something that is usually the last among the list of things that we would’ve thought of doing to earn money. LAST RESORT IN THE PERILOUS PRAIRIE Jay started an “Alter” account on Twitter, which is a type of account where people usually unleash their alternative ‘sides,’ typically being the more amorous and inflamed versions of themselves. It is a place where people usually interact for content that is otherwise labeled by many as ‘not safe for work,’ or 18+. According to him, it was solely for education purposes, as he didn’t know what else to do. He stated that his monthly earnings ranged from ₱800 to ₱1000, and that is where he gets Illustration by: Vincent Leonard Alhambra
money in order to save up for his goal which ranged from ₱30000 to ₱60000. He also mentioned how minuscule his earnings are for many, and how much of a great help those amounts already are for him. If we take into consideration the Republic Act No. 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, we can conclude that the distribution and selling of nude/ naked photos are against the law, no matter how old or young the person is. That may have scared him, but he already perceived such activity as a way to survive in the world that we are in right now. I’M DESPERATE, PLEASE EDUCATE There have been numerous cases of students doing everything they are capable of, even if it’s against the law, as long as they can earn enough money to pursue their education. According to articles on Inquirer’s Cebu Daily News website, there have been reports of students who were said to sell nudes in order to get money off of it in order to “pay for their school expenses.” Aside from those cases, there has also been a photo from Twitter that is currently circulating on the Internet. It’s about a chat between two people on Omegle, an anonymous communication platform, where one of them offered their naked photos for a price. According to them, it was also for them to be able to continue their schooling in this ‘new normal.’ A BETTER ITINERARY FOR THE WARY Going back to the KJMS episode, Jay was brought to Dr. Camille Garcia, a psychologist, who also told the viewers that, instead of doing what Jay did, just try finding various ways to explore the abyss, because the truth is, there weren’t just two choices back in the vast crack of land that you were stuck in. There were thousands, just waiting for you to discover. Jay may have been trapped in the ravine of desperation, but what he may have forgotten is that there are always other caves to watch out for and consider entering because there is no such thing in the ground that leads you to only two choices— stay and rot, or go on a deeper one. There will always be tons of them; Tens, or maybe even hundreds of better ones that can actually guide him to the surface of success and satisfaction.
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
LIMANG APPS NA MAKAKATULONG SA ONLINE CLASSES, ALAMIN! VINCENT JERICHO GREGORIO
Sa kasagsagan ng COVID-19 pandemic, hindi natin tiyak kung papaano tayo babalik sa dati nating nakagawian. Ang buhay natin talaga ay nagibang tuluyan at may mga gawain tayong hindi na muna natin magagawa. Dahil nga sa mga patakaran na ginawa ng ating gobyerno upang malimitahan ang pagdami ng kaso ng naturang virus, kabilang tuloy tayong mga bata sa mga bawal lumabas sa ating tahanan. Sa kadahilanang ito, napagdesisyunan ng St. Edward School na gawing “fully-online” nalang ang galaw ng paaralan para siguradong ligtas ang lahat ng Edwardian. Alam naman natin na hindi lahat ay hasa sa mundo ng teknolohiya, kayo ako’y naririto upang magbigay ng mga apps na maaring makatulong sa iyong online class! Ang una kong mairerekomendang app sa inyo ay ang ClassUp. Dito, puwede kang mag-organize ng mga requirements, deadlines, at submissions. Puwede mo rin dito ilagay ang iyong mga iskedyul mo para ‘di ka na maghalungkat ng mga e-mails para lang mahanap ang iyong iskedyul. Maari mo rin itong i-decorate ayon sa iyong kagustuhan para maging masaya ka naman habang tinitingnan mo ang iyong iskedyul. Tutal mga kasama rin naman natin ang mga smartphones natin pagdating sa online class, bakit kaya hindi natin ito gamitin sa bagay na makakatulong naman sa atin? Ang susunod na maganda ring app ay Notion. Sa mga taong mahilig magsulat ng kanilang natutuhan sa klase, itong app ay para sa iyo. Maari mo ring itayp ang mga gawain mo rito para malaman mo kung ano pa yung mga dapat mo gawin o nagawa mo na. Dito sa Notion, puwede mong gamitin ito sa iba’t-ibang mobile devices at mga kompyuter. Hindi mo kailangan magbayad para magamit itong app na ito dahil libre na itong gamitin. Magagamit mo ito kasama ng lahat ng kaniyang features dahil hindi ito kinakailangan ng subskripsyon ‘di tulad ng ibang apps na katulad nito. Ang f.lux naman ay maaring makatulong sayo lalo na’t kung gusto mong maalagaan ang mga mata mo. Paano? Ito ay libreng i-download sa iyong mga computers. Dito sa f.lux, inaayos niya ang kulay ng screen ng kompyuter mo na naayon sa oras ng araw. Makakatulong ito sa iyo lalo na’t baka may panahon kung kailan kailangan mo talagang magtagal sa kompyuter mo para matapos lang ang kailangan mong ipasa. Pero sana, bigyan mo rin ang sarili mo ng oras na magpahinga sa paggamit ng gadgets para kung gusto mo talagang maalagaan ang iyong mga mata. Tuwing may synchronous class ka, kailangan mong magbukas ng camera para makita ng iyong guro na naroroon ka talaga sa kaniyang klase o isang paraan ng pagbibigay galang na rin sa nagtuturo. Kung pinoproblema mo naman ang linaw ng webcam mo o wala kang webcam, puwede mong gamitin ang iVCam Webcam app para magamit mo ang iyong phone bilang webcam. Para gamitin ito, i-download mo ang app sa app store ng selpon mo at i-download mo rin ito sa iyong computer. Sundin lang ang mga hakbang at magkakaroon ka na ng webcam na hindi na kailangan pang lumabas para magkaroon nito. Hindi natin makakalimutan ang paborito ng lahat, ang Canva. Kung gusto mo ang iyong output ay talagang kaakit-akit at kakaiba talaga, magandang gamitin ang app na ito. Dito ay pupuwede kang mag-edit ng mga litrato at bidyo sa isang madalian na paraan. May mga nakahanda nang disenyo doon na puwede mong gamitin para madali mong magawa ang iyong mga output pero maganda naman ang kalalabasan nito. Sa mga kompyuter, pumunta lang sa canva.com at mag-login lang sa iyong account. Kung sa personal account ka maglolog-in, ang “free features” lang ang iyong magagamit. Tutal lahat ng Edwardian ay may School Google Account, maari mong gamitin ang account na ito sa paglog-in sa site at magagamit mo naman ang “pro features” ng Canva. Puwede mo ring gamitin ang Canva sa iyong mga smartphones. I-download lang ito sa app store, at maglog-in gamit ang account na gusto mo. Habang lumalawak talaga ang tinatawag na “digital world”, lumalaki rin ang oportunidad nitong makatulong sa iyo para matuto kahit hindi man tayo nagsasamasama. Kahit patapos na ang school year na ito, alam naman natin na isang taon pang estilo ng online learning ang gagamitin ng St. Edward School. Kaya kung gusto mo nang maging handa sa susunod na school year o nababasa mo ito sa kalagitnaan ng iyong paggawa ng performance task, i-download na ang mga apps na nabanggit sa itaas. Hindi ko man nailahad lahat talaga ng apps para sa ikakatulong sa ating online schooling, pero nawa’y ito ang maghimok sa iyong maghanap pa ng apps na makatutulong sa iyong mga pangangailangan.
features
HIDDEN A white-made amicable guise FIGURES
11
MOVIE REVIEW
KIRSTEN LEI VENTENILLA, MA. ERICH CHARLENE BARNES
A feature flick of three African-Americans--Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughan---that the film revolves around are, from a viewer’s perspective, exceptionally well-written. Hidden Figures presents three superlatives whose life experiences have been nothing but preeminent. From their personal lives, to their struggle for justice, they are unashamedly noble. At the end of the day, however, the film lacks something it initially promised— their voices. I see that the movie was aiming for a, “despite..” in lieu of anything more truthful that would make the unknowledgeable population uncomfortable.” She pursued engineering despite …,” ‘’She was an eminence to the launching despite..,” and the like. This surface-level perspective is a pretense, it silences the actual hidden figures by reducing their experiences to mere achievements for the country, disregarding the prevalent agonizing prejudice in color. What emanated was no less than an illustration of oppression. The narrative is powerful and effective as a tool for uncovering institutionalized racism and discrimination in America. “Any upward movement is movement for us all. It’s just not movement for me,” Dorothy says. Similarly, The woman left another line that elicited thought in a frame between Ms. Mitchell and Dorothy. The white higher-up clarified that she had nothing against their like, to which Dorothy replied, “I know. I know you probably believe that.” The scene
Four minutes of a friendlylike film, ending in heartbreak, awareness, and realizations.
A stop-motion animated short by Spencer Susser became the talk of the world when it was released last April. Though it was less than a five-minute mark, “Saving Ralph” made its points straightto-the-point and clear for the audience: animal cruelty in the hands of people, specifically cosmetics corporations. The film flows in a documentaryesque sequencing. In fact, if this was not an animated film, it would’ve really been a documentary as the narrative it projects is no mere fiction. Ralph is introduced as a rabbit with features that will already make one feel uneasy such as his blinded eye and the pain in his teeth. Ralph narrates his story as a tester bunny, telling his unfortunate encounters in the process as if it’s just normal for his “job”. To add more emphasis on their message, the shock value of putting Ralph forcefully in the lab, hearing other rabbits scream for help, and the very execution of the laboratory experiment shown in a very graphic scene— even though there is no blood appearance— conveyed the subject matter perfectly with the means of making the people uncomfortable. Still, the “documentary” continues afterwards the scene, only to display Ralph as more damaged and insisting that despite his pain, everything’s okay. Ralph’s anguish was supposedly subtle with his continuous claim that he does it for the humans yet this, along with the comedic gestures throughout the film, only strengthens the film’s message as it gives the idea of animals having the lack of communication to actually say that they are hurting.
Constitutional racism was diminished to mere subtleties-- a background noise.
seemed so ample, but it pierced the subject of internal racism and the false allyship we think we adhere to, and continue to parrot in the media. You see, Hidden Figures is aptly compelling, because it champions the sense of the rootedness of the triumvirate. Katherine, who explodes with righteous indignation, sets forth the plethora of injustices she is subjected to because she is Black and a woman. Dorothy, who unceasingly protects the work of her team. And Mary, who’s traversing through layers of racist legal hurdles to become an engineer. It identified the particular beliefs and actions that bolstered segregationist laws and norms with strong nuance. This was highlighted in the encounter of Mary and Art by: Ma. Erich Karl. Well, Mary was a Charlene Barnes person with the mind of an engineer. So she’s supposed to be an engineer. (According to Karl.) “I’m a negro woman. I’m not gonna entertain the impossible.” He then told her that if she was a white male, she
SHORT FILM REVIEW
Save Ralph
A REVIEW OF REALITY JORENE TUBESA
“…they can also advocate for better animal treatment as long as they recognize both sides.”
Knowing this side of the story stimulated the push for advocacy against animal cruelty by the elements and story it unfolded. The film did a great job projecting the harsh treatment of animals regarding this issue. Ralph’s last dialogue mentioned the products that are being used on them for testing which acted as a knock on the audience’s conscience. It added to the emotional appeal that caused people to be further affected and shaken by this fact. In terms of creating and sending an important message, especially when it is for advocacy, it needs to not only impart rational knowledge but also influence what the audience feels or must feel depending on the topic at hand. From the simple gestures of Ralph being hurt from brushing his teeth and his hesitant assurances, those already speak volumes which is an implication of the actual message that the filmmakers are trying to say. However, despite planting all these, the film did not show nor imply an actual solution to the problem but rather, only a pure message to stop animal cruelty. In reality, cosmetic products can actually harm people as they are directly consumed hence the need for studies that require safety testing. If a human were to undergo such research and got harmed, the liability is within a company and for sure, these corporations do not want to involve themselves in such matters thus resorting to options that most of society will ignore. Presenting an alternative or even an
would have wanted to be an engineer. To which the latter replied, “I wouldn’t have to. I’d already be one.” It’s clever and one of the most thought-provoking lines in the film. Moreover, an unsettling factor to consider is the white director and scriptwriter (Theodore Melfi and Allison Schroeder) spearheading a film swimming in white supremacy. The movie, in the face of overflowing racial bigotry, failed to acknowledge its unelaborated essence. Constitutional racism was diminished to mere subtleties-a background noise. However, in open eyes, it portrays the abhorrent practices of white supremacy and the diverse cultural forces that have shaped the lives of its characters that are relevant to this day. However, its distant choice of politics curtails the film and, more gravely, the characters at its root. There will be people watching the movie, but, there will be those who’ll see. The time period of the film was rooted in the obvious. Those who are aesthete and all-goodending-related onlookers will not comprehend if they fail to seek. It seems, they just wanted to show profound appreciation for the unheeded Black heroes, as the title suggests and sadly, only offers. idea could’ve been an additional supplement for the film’s advocacy. Cosmetics and other beauty products are deemed to be very prominent nowadays, seeing as it is an instrument for people to have their self-esteem boosted or used for professional purposes such as modeling and even in simple workplaces where one needs to look presentable. Unbeknownst to many, what they consume went through the process of hurting animals in hopes of their safety which caused the global impact of this film. Being touched is a way into being aware and spreading it afterward which happened fast, seeing as the film trended for days. Along with its fame are also the arguments that sparked, mostly revolving around the hypocrisy of humans. Animal cruelty is also practiced within providing from cattle yet only a few speak up about the issue— mainly vegans— and ask, “what is the difference from hurting a pig to a rabbit?” or “will it make one ignorant if they know that other animals are also killed for humans yet they advocate for this?” Indeed, consuming certain products from the exploitation of animals is inevitable for some people— since not everyone really does have the privilege and the ecosystem can be unsustainable if everyone were to refrain from eating animals— but they can also advocate for better animal treatment as long as they recognize both sides. Being hypocritical, ideally, cannot be undone with human nature and unpreventable factors but the reality of the system requires the survival of the fittest which relishes harmful conditions for living organisms and nature, especially in the animal kingdom itself. Hypocrisy can be present in certain contexts, but it does not limit the actions one can do for a step in redemption.
12 features
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
PW-They Are Able: Kuya William’s
quest towards PWD-inclusive community RAVEN CAZSARYL OMANDAM
Kuya William, an LNC resident and someone diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, shares his experiences as a PWD in the community, how we can be more open to them, and how we can pay more attention to inclusivity. Kuya William, an LNC resident and someone diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, shares his experiences as a PWD in the community, how we can be more open to them, and how we can pay more attention to inclusivity. When he was 15 years old, Kuya William was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, causing him to have a difficulty in comprehension and emotional expression. His family transferred to Lancaster New City (LNC) last April 2017. Based on his experience, there was some sort of difficulty in adjusting to a new environment. To cope up with this, Kuya Will tried to clear his head, avoiding whatever bad thoughts that may have dawned upon him. He introduced himself to people by showing his good side; showing respect and good manners to others. Still, some unpleasant situations arise, but Kuya Will always strived to be on his best behavior. Though Kuya Will tried to be a model citizen in terms of how he behaved, there were still times in which he felt discriminated against due to his impairment. During
the interview, he raised three incidents. “One, he was physically and emotionally bullied since Junior High School.” Profane language was thrown at him by other students, assaults happened during break time, and worse, a teacher shouted at him in front of the whole class, making his classmates laugh out loud. He also experienced stealing wherein other students took his belongings, and some teachers scare him during events. “Second, catcalling was done to him, both in school and in villages.” Kuya Will also recalled an incident during his Grade 11 year: while waiting for someone in the school, another group of students were laughing at him and were giving him strange smiles, even when he’s doing nothing. “Third, he felt left out.” Others complain about his works and ignore him, while some exclude him from student groups and friendships. When he entered St. Edward Schools, Kuya Will greeted everyone and gave his best on works, but some still ignored and denied connections with him. Based on his experiences, Kuya Will really does believe that the LNC Community should
Kuya Will shall keep moving forward and do his best as a PWD resident living in Lancaster New City (LNC).
Kuya William Sandoval
be more PWD-friendly, especially to those who have impairments that are not visible to the human eye. As a family-friendly city, the LNCitizens must also have awareness of PWDs so that the residents would know about the facts about the minority and may avoid discrimination against the group. Kuya Will recommends for the PWDs in LNC to also be more friendly and try to connect with others some more. Therapy facilities for PWDs around the Lancaster Community could also be of great help. Kuya Will himself attends occupational therapy every Saturday. His second recommendation is to have an organized program for all PWD members of the community where experts can give guidelines on how LNCitizens can live harmoniously with each other. Lastly, it is truly important for the LNC community to have psychological clinics so that experts and doctors can give assessments for the PWDs around the community. All this is to strive for a better Lancaster Community and to create a safe space for PWDS. Kuya Will shall keep moving forward and do his best as a PWD resident living in Lancaster New City (LNC).
Estudyanteng Magsasaka SHERLON SULAPAS
When I was in our province, helping my family through farming was my hobby; I have fun with it every time we work as one. To be honest, the enthusiasm that we had at that time will not be matched by anything today. Whenever I help in the Palayan, there is always a joker in the group that makes us laugh. The thing is, every time we laugh, we don’t feel any tiredness in our body, even when the sun is too hot. Some people don’t appreciate the hard work of the farmers. What they do not know is that being a farmer is not easy, especially if the rice is destroyed by the typhoon. I can say that I know the feeling because I was a farmer too. “Besides being a farmer, I was also a varsity player in badminton.” I represented my province three times in a regional meet. I also participated in different tournaments in our town.
Sometimes I won, but I lost most of the time. Just kidding! I feel content with my lifestyle in Siargao. Everything I need and want is on that island. Food is everywhere, friends are trustworthy, and my family is okay. I mean, I cannot request anything anymore because I already have a simple life that I want. However, I woke up one day when one of our employees cried in front of my uncle because the land he owned was sold to a businessman. At that time, we cannot do anything because we don’t have money. The worst was when my uncle asked our employee why he sold the land. He said he was
forced and his family was threatened. At that time, I realized something that changed my life and lifestyle. I decided to take a risk and go to Manila to build myself and commit to my dreams to become a businessman and a lawyer. In short, I want to become a corporate lawyer, and I will make sure that after 10 years, I will be able to protect those people where I come from. “As of now, my lifestyle here in Cavite is not okay.” Still, I’m happy about that because the more I experience bad days, I become stronger and have more faith to become a successful person in the future.
“…I become stronger and have more faith to become a successful person in the future.” - Sherlon Sulapas, Student-Farmer
Photo Courtesy of Sherlon Sulapas
Visit 12-A HUMMS’ official blog site, “Popperce,” that contains stories about social issues and insights through the lens of a Humanista. The website also caters to the interests of the youth on entertainment, sports and lifestyle, and philosophy. There will be new sets of blog articles for every Edwardian to read and learn from every Tuesday and Friday at 7 pm. Scan the QR code or visit the blog at popperce2.wixsite.com.
KAKAKOMPYUTER MO ‘YAN! GHERICHO JOSEPH H. NAZAIRE
Ever since I was born, gaming has been embedded in my life. I remember how every time I threw a tantrum, my two brothers would turn on their Playstation 1, play Final Fantasy 8, and I’d just sit there, watching them beat the final boss. My two brothers are gaming enthusiasts. They were so invested in computers and I enjoy watching them play and fiddle around with the different components of a computer. I watched how they argue about which is the best class for raids, the best graphics card today, and even now in their adulthood, gaming is still their number 1 topic. Even though my parents were very supportive, they tend to get irritated about how we can’t pause online games and blatantly blame computers for getting sick. They were even proud we’d ask to go outside and spend time with friends. Like every typical Filipino parent, they always say “kaka-komputer mo iyan!”. I reluctantly ask myself, how did gaming affect me? Well, here is my story.
I became computer and digital literate
For me, gaming isn’t about just sitting around the computer and playing Valorant 24/7. It’s more than that. Gaming helped me become computer and digitally literate. Because of video games, I became more creative and curious about different things. I was able to navigate apps and devices with ease. And, with the diverse lore and fictional histories that I have encountered, I was able to create my own fictional stories. Building a gaming rig is not for the faint of heart. You’ll need the right tools and knowledge to be able to put one up. I always read on the internet how some Filipino families get scammed by computer sellers and I was lucky enough to be knowledgeable so that I could avoid splurging money on useless garbage. When I was young, I’m always curious about how stuff works and through fiddling around with computers, I was able to understand how games, videos, music, and films were made. I was so hooked with digital art like photography and filmmaking that I felt a sense of joy and freedom to express myself.
The different people that I met online
Whenever the topic is about childhood memories, people seem to think that my childhood was boring. I beg to differ. I may not have had the chance to play Filipino games like Piko, Tumbang Preso, and never got an opportunity to play sports, I still think that my childhood was great. The internet became my friend, and I was updated with the current memes and jokes that helped me greatly with socializing. It’s all thanks to the internet and the different people that I met. You see, in every online game, you can meet different kinds of people, whether in local or international settings. Some people might be rude or toxic against you, while others are simply there to find joy and company. The closest clan that I have, “The Orange Capital” is an example of people that I have met online. It started with only my previous friends at school, which eventually spread into meeting different Filipinos from Mindanao, etc. Our culture, interest, and age might differ but our friendship complements each other.
Constant Grind for EXP and How I pulled myself from selfdestructing
As I grew further, I grew fond of playing competitive online games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Valorant. Like sports, to be good, you need sheer knowledge and determination into making yourself a better player. Likewise, in games like this, you need skills to be good. Competitive games allow me to aim higher and be better, creating a mindset of aiming for excellence. With this type of thinking, I was able to utilize this in my studies to excel more in subjects and activities. At first, balancing my gaming and studies is no joke. I have to juggle my time and I was bad at it, there were times that I got a line of 7, but I’m proud to say that I was able to keep both of my feet on the ground and be a consistent honor student. My family wasn’t particularly good; they weren’t the best, but they aren’t the worst, either. When I was young, I usually found myself in front of a computer screen while I heard them quarrel about finances, etc. It was hard to go home only to see your parents fighting, I got tired of the sound of it and so I usually go up to my bedroom, plug in my computer and cover my ears with my headset and play videogames. Gaming became my happy pill when times were rough. I wasn’t particularly good at making friends at that time and opening up to people seemed exhausting for me, but gaming was there to be my vent-out buddy. Gaming for me is part of life. It’s not just a simple hobby nor a leisure activity. My story is different from millions of players around the globe. Behind their computer screen are players with their own reasoning on why we invest so much time in this. As much as others think that gaming is completely useless or a waste of time, it has benefited me and made me a better person for it. Although there are still underlying issues in the gaming industry like toxicity and harassment, I just hope that gaming shouldn’t be regarded for its bad reputation. It is a growing community not only in the line of entertainment but also in a professional setting such as ESports and Game Development. Gaming it’s not just entertainment but it is our lifeline.
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
BEYOND CONSUMMATUM EST! How Jose Rizal exemplified FISH JOHN PAUL ANYAYAHAN
The execution of José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was carried out with “Consummatum Est” being his last words. While many noble names have taken up their rightful place in historical records, the name “Jose Rizal” remains the most prominent and influential figure of Philippine history – with good reason. Besides being dubbed as the nation’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal was an individual whose dreams and aspirations were centered on the welfare of the country and its people; he unrelentingly strived for independence and reforms during cruel times of oppression and maltreatment. Due to this, he dedicated his very life for such a purpose, and to willingly undertake a trek to achieve such a vision – which was ultimately fulfilled thanks to his sacrifice – it was apparent that he was a person of honorable qualities and character. In line with the St. Edward School’s character formation of their students, founded on the values of Faith, Integrity, Stewardship, and Hard work (FISH), the aspects of Jose Rizal’s life and ambition seem to be reflective of such principles. Through analyzing various accounts and facts regarding his personality, one can arrive at this apparent conclusion, which we will undertake. Firstly, Dr. Jose Rizal was a man of extraordinary faith. As per the University of Rizal System, an educational site, Rizal was said to assure his mother of his trust in God during his academic years in Madrid, Spain from 1882 to 1885. Additionally, on the death of his sister Olympia after childbirth when he arrived in the Philippines from Europe in August 1887, he once remarked, “I console myself saying that it was the will of God and what He does must be the best.” Through his evident belief in God in the face of such daunting circumstances, he has shown admirable levels of Faith that even some of us are incapable of. Moreover, Rizal was also a man of Integrity. Integrity is defined by the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries as a “consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values.” From an individual who refused the offer of revolutionaries to rescue him just to accept his fate and see his morals through, our national hero is undoubtedly an individual who did not betray himself; he was a person who would not prefer anything less. Even in the face of imprisonment, trial, and execution, he stayed true and fought for what was honorable until the very end. Furthermore, Dr. Jose Rizal is a prime example of true Stewardship. Being a steward means to offer and commit oneself to purposes that encompass self-benefit, and it would hence be illogical to speak of Rizal as an individual who is not. He saw what the times called for, and instead of becoming an artist or a teacher, as he had once remarked, he strove to become a political novelist against Spanish colonial rule to better serve his nation and the people. He stood up for those who could not, spoke for those who could not, and fought the battles for those who could not. He even went on to write to his friend Ferdinand Blumentritt: “Our youth should not devote themselves to love or to the static speculative sciences as do the youth of fortunate nations. All of us have to sacrifice something on the altar of politics though we might not wish to do so.” This is a perfect description of the stewardship philosophy he applied to himself. Lastly, Hard work. Our national hero went to great lengths to achieve his ambitions for our nation. He underwent harsh living conditions just to publish his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, he continued his studies abroad for many years, and he was forced to cope with the consequences and risks of publishing and dispersing his works to the Filipino folk. He continued to strive and endure the obstacles that presented themselves continuously, yet he remained persevering. He was truly passionate for the sake of the nation, and he went to great lengths and efforts because of it. In essence, Dr. Jose Rizal will continue to be a name that the Philippines will remember over the course of history. After all, it is a fact December 30 is a holiday that was our first, and is up until now, our oldest death anniversary holiday. Rest assured that we will continue to honor him and the major influence he had brought upon our nation. It is hoped that through him, the generations of today will come to develop the same love for our country and cultivate the similar FISH values that Rizal himself showed. “I want to show to those who deprive people the right to love of country, that when we know how to sacrifice ourselves for our duties and convictions, death does not matter if one dies for those one loves – for his country and for others dear to him.” - José Illustration by: Protacio Rizal Mercado y DENSTLE JOHN VARGAS Alonso Realonda.
features
9 years of
13
Edwardian Excellence: Looking back on SES building’s inauguration PATRISHIA MARIE ANTES
Nine years ago, the blessing and dedication of the school building was led by Fr. Paul de Leon, Parish Priest of the Immaculate Concepcion of Bucandala. This significant event was also attended by Mr. Guillermo C. Choa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, officers and members of Property Company of Friends, Inc.; generous benefactors of the school, representatives from the Department of Education, teachers, and staff, and members of the community. Two of the attendees were Mrs. Dulce Cheng and her son, Davean, who is now in Grade 9 this school year who has recently received “With Honors” in his class. Mrs. Cheng takes a trip down the memory lane. She expressed that she was elated to send her son to the school because of the good construction of the building and the aircon to be installed that she observed during the inauguration, but now she takes delight as she sees her son growing up in the school carrying its core values – faith, integrity, stewardship, and hard work. What is your most unforgettable moment at SES as a parent? My most unforgettable moment at SEIS (now SES) as a parent is my encounter with the security guards. SEIS has been so strict in rules that parents are not allowed inside, but I still insist and try to escape the guards and try to check on Davean’s behavior inside the classroom. I am worried if he is giving his teachers a hard time. Good thing, the teachers are supportive in terms of giving feedback and observations, and with that, I feel contented regarding the welfare of my son inside the campus. How does SES help you as a mother to Davean? SES has been a big help to me as a mother. Teachers love my child like their own son and are always supportive of him. [Dr. John] and all his teachers
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MRS. DULCE CHENG
are very supportive even the janitors and guards. My life as a dedicated mom-tutor to Davean has become easy because of parent-teacher partnerships, and I value the constructive comments, so that I’ll know how to help Davean improve. What can you remember from the first days of the SES building? The first year of SES is very memorable. I can see a small family of teachers and staff helping each other. You can see their bond and camaraderie, and they are so warm and welcoming to parents. I remember one situation when there is a snake around the corridor on the ground floor. They made sure that nobody would go out of their rooms until they safely caught the snake. They are so hands-on with the kids, and they always put the safety of the kids first before them. I remember the DAD of the SES (Dr. John) the mom is Ms. Joy. They love the kids so much. What is your message to the Edwardian teachers? Thank you so much for being such good teachers to my Davean. As a parent, I know perfect teachers are hard to find, but for me, all of you are the best teachers for Davean because you can train a Dinosaur like him. Thank you for your undying love, support, patience, understanding, and perseverance. I am forever grateful. All of you have contributed to his improvements and success. Thank you so much.
It’s been a tough year for every one of us. We encountered lots of things when the pandemic started, and I salute all the frontliners who are doing their very best for us. From the doctors to the nurses, the drivers, the crew, the guards, police, teachers, and other people who are working regardless of what is taking place. It is indeed hard to adapt to a new modality, but there is one person who continues to inspire me: my mom, Lea Galvez, a special education teacher. Seeing her teach before, while we were still in face-to-face classes, I could see how hard it was to manage, but she gets to teach her students how to read, speak, or even sing and dance! She treats them like they’re her children. “In this type of modality, she’s encountered countless hardships as her students have a hard time staying focused, but nothing can stop her from being a teacher.” When we had a conversation, I asked her how she coped with teaching her students despite the new modality. “When the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt on face-to-face classes, it was like a 360-degree turn in the Philippine Basic Education system. In our country, blended learning is not our cup of tea, at least in basic education. This was even more difficult for us in special education,” my mom said.
Design by: GHERICHO NAZAIRE Photo Courtesy of MRS. LEA GALVEZ
Lea Galvez
MY SUPERHERO MOM LOISE DYLAN GALVEZ Our learners need specialized, individualized, and differentiated instruction to each of our learners. In my mind, as a SPED teacher, preparations should not be just me and my learners. I would need to also prepare their parents and guardians. I planned how to do it, checked into the needs of my learners, and looked for possible interventions to every shortcoming I listed,” she added. “When the pandemic started, it was life-changing to us.” Going from having face-toface classes to having online classes instead. We all had to adjust to this new modality that we are facing now. Not just us, the students, but our teachers
as well. “As I planned this, I constantly met with my parents through a group chat or Google Meet when possible. I was also invited to give a talk online via Facebook Live and I gave a lecture on how parents of learners with special needs will prepare in this so-called new normal.” “The Department of Education and Manila LGU also made online learning a possibility by providing the teachers and learners access to laptops, tablets, and even load every month. I also came across a lot of angels in disguise who helped me in making my plans a reality. Alpabasa HSBC and AK & Friends provided my
“I don’t consider this a downfall, rather an opportunity to integrate the family in the teaching and learning process.” - SPED Teacher Lea Galvez on the New Modality of Learning
learners with special needs with tablets and an Alpabasa Online subscription, a reading program I used for my learners with intellectual disabilities.” But despite all the hardships that we have to deal with, we never gave up. Like how my mom helped the people on how we can beat this thing, we are all dealing with the new modality. As well as the other people who helped her through this. “Things are different for my learners as we need to have social interaction through circle time, play, and group learning as we deliver the lesson. Touch is an integral part of our learning process to ensure the learners’ participation. Now all these we do through a small screen, only that teacher is not the only one who helps them learn, we have their parents and guardians. I don’t consider this a downfall, rather an opportunity to integrate the family in the teaching and learning process.”
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literary
GIYERA SA DROGA JERICHO NIÑO A. ATIENZA
Hindi naman sagot sa lahat ang pagpatay. Ang kanilang pagkawala ay hindi matiwasay. Bagamat ito ay ginawa nang wala silang kamalaymalay, iyon na pala ang huling hininga ng kanilang buhay. Karamihan ay nanghihinayang dahil ang iba ay mali lang ng bintang. Kaya hindi tama ang pagpaslang, dahil buhay ng tao ang sinayang. Walang hustisya sa pangyayari, sa pagpatay ng kanyang kauri. Ang pagpaslang ay mali sa isang biktimang nakagawa ng marumi. Hindi malaman ang dahilan kung bakit ito ay napagtantuan. Sa paraang pagpaslang nang hindi mabigyan ng katarungan. Aking panalangin na hindi na ito maulit dahil buhay ng tao ang kapalit. Kahit hindi natin sila mapilit, hindi solusyon iyon magpakailanman.
Tamang Hinala CARL JOSEPH J. BALICASAN
TINIG
AMBER CHERISSE C. MARTINEZ Mga kakayahan ma’y madalas na minamaliit Mga paninindigan ma’y madalas na nilalait Saang banda man tignan ay hindi maipagkakait, Na ang boses ng kabataan ay dapat na magamit. “Ngunit anong papel ang kaya nilang gampanan? Sila’y bata pa,wala pa silang karanasan Puro reklamo, bakit di nalang kami pasalamatan? Sino nga ba sila para tayo ay diktahan?” Sa panahon ngayon ay kinakailangan ang boses ng kabataan. Munti man ang mga tinig, ngunit dapat ito ay pahalagahan. Mataas ang pangarap sa bansa, at matayog ang kakalabasan. Paniguradong tunay nga ang malasakit nila sa ating bayan. Ating ihayag ang mga emosyon laban sa kasamaan. Ngayong panahon ng pandemya, mga nakaupo’y pagmasdan. Tayo nga ba ang prayoridad? O ang sariling kapakanan? Alam ko ang inyong napapansin, ‘wag nang magbulag-bulagan.
Tama bang pumatay nang walang patunay kahit na iyong ibinibintang ay walang pagpapatibay? Nakaluhod, nagmamakaawa, binitawan ang tinapay na sana sa pag-uwi ay pasalubong sa maginang sila Kikay.
Huwag hayaan maghari, mga buwaya sa tabi. Makiramdam, maki-isa sa mga naaapi. Pag mulat, sari-saring reaksyon ang ma-aani. Galit, suklam, poot ang emosyon na maghahari.
Ni minsan sa buhay nito’y hindi pa nakakatikim ng tagay. Tapos pagbibintangan ninyong gumagamit ng bawal na gamot na kahit minsa’y hindi naisip subukan sa hirap ng buhay. Pagtama ng tingga sa sintido, bakit sa bulsa’y may nilusot?
Kabataan, ang mga boses ay sana’y magamit na. Sapagkat tayo ang nagsisilbing tagapag-salita, Para sa pinapatahimik at sa anak – dalita. Tayo’y tumayo laban sa mga halang ang bituka.
Para masabi lang na may dahilan kung bakit siya humandusay. Hindi man lang nakapagpaalam sa mag-ina bago mawalan ng malay. Iniwanang may nakasulat, mga kasinungalingang kataga, pababayaan sa kalsada na mistulang patay na pusa.
Tiyan na pumipilipit, lalamunang natutuyo. Ito ba ang realidad na inyong ginugusto? Lahat nga ay naghihirap na sa panahong ito, Ngunit paano nalang ang walang pribilehiyo?
Ngunit ang mga tinig ay sapillitang pinapatahimik. Wag kang magkakamaling magsalita, wag kang magkakamaling umimik. Sumalungat ka at ang gobyerno’y sayo pipitik Mag-ingat sa mga sasabihin, dahil ang daang tinatahak ay matinik. Sa bawat salitang ating sinasambit, Sa bawat boses na ating ginagamit, Ating mga hinaing ay maririnig Kaya sana’y hindi maglaho ang tinig.
Babae
CHARIZ ESTELLE M. SEGUNLA
Lola, Nanay, Mama, Tita, Ninang, Ale, Ginang at Ate sila ang mga babaeng patuloy na gumagabay at nag-aaruga sa atin. SIla ang naglilinis, nagtuturo, nagtatrabaho, kumakayod, para tayo may makain at mabigyan ng maayos na buhay. Hindi sila babae lang. Kung hindi... sila ay mga BABAE. Mga babaeng nagsisilbing gabay at ang ilaw sa ating daan. Matatapang, Malalakas, Magaganda, Masipag, Maaruga. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat, maraming salamat sa inyong pagod at tiyaga. Hindi kayo babae lang, kayo ay BABAE!
Naliligaw na Kamukatan AALIYA JANE S. SOLITARIO
Kay sarap sa mata ng mga punong wumawagayway, Naipakikita ang kagandahang taglay. Kagandahang tinataglay ng kalikasan, Kalikasang binubuo ng magagandang hayop sa kagubatan Kagandahang nilikha sa mundong ibabaw Kung saan mga tao’y malayang nakagagalaw. Ngunit, Lahat ng mga inilalarawan ay biglang pumanaw. Dahil ang mata’y nasakop ng kasakiman Dahil sa masyadong pag-aasam sa kalayaan. Kung saan hindi na naipapamahagi ang tunay na sinasabi, Ang tunay na kahulugan ng kasarinlan. Kagandahan ay hindi na nakapupukaw Sa dugong kasamaan ang dumadaloy na tila ito’y tinuklaw, Dahil sa katalinuhang ninakaw, Sa isang iglap, na tila isang bulalakaw. Nagdadalawang isip, Kung saan papanig si Pedro. Si Pedrong napapalibutan Ng pinaghalong kabutihan at kasamaan. Nalilito, ngunit nagsusumamo, Nagsusumamong hanapin ang puno’t dulo, Ng lahat ng ito. Marahil, ito’y dahil rin sa mga tao, Nakakahilo. Nakakalito. Saan nga ba sasama? Abangan sa ikalawang kabanata.
Phoebe, but the news was just unbearable that she couldn’t bear to evince a smile. “Aw, thank you. I really appreciate your concern, but I doubt you could do anything about it. I mean no offense nor anything, it’s just that...” “That...?” “Remember my grandmother? Lola Therese?” “Oh, yeah! She makes the most amazing empanadas. Why? Did something happen to her?” Jessica asked, her tone was blanched. Jessica and Phoebe grew up together—they have been the best of friends, since who knows when. They even treat each other like sisters, so sensing the idea that something bad must’ve happened to one of Phoebe’s pivotal family members tore down Jessica’s intuition. Phoebe let out a deep sigh. “She got a heart attack out of nowhere, and now, she’s in the hospital with dad. He just called before you, saying she might not make it...” “I’m afraid she won’t make it,” Phoebe’s hands trembled and her eyes started to well as soon as she heard those words from her Dad. “It can’t be... We still have so many plans, lola. How could you leave me so suddenly?” She cried at the thought of her grandmother leaving her—her grandmother, her safe haven, the person who raised her and loved her unconditionally. “Hey, Sushi,” Jessica called.
Phoebe took a deep breath. “Hi, Sashi. Y-You called?” “Oh, it’s nothing. I just wanted to—wait, you’re stuttering… and sniffing. Phoebe, are you crying?” Jessica heard Phoebe sniffing. “No, no. I’m not. I’m just a little bit sick,” said Phoebe as an excuse. But Jessica knew her too well, she couldn’t lie to her. “Nope, something’s bothering you. I’m your best friend, Sashi. I know you. Let me help you,” Jessica’s words sent comfort to
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Isang Kuwento
para kay
GURO
JOANNA MAE R. DORMIDO
Prologo. Naalala ko pa ang unang araw ko sa eskwelahan Luhaan at hawak-hawak ang kamay ni nanay Natatakot sa babaeng nasa harap ng pisara, Na para bang laging galit sa mga bata, Pero mayroon siyang sinumpaang trabaho na mag-turo, Ano na kasing tawag sa kanya? Ah! Guro. Kabanata Isa. ABAKADA na may dalawapu’t apat na letra ang aking unang natutunan sa eskwelahan, Kasabay nito ang pagsagot sa matematika ng isa, dalawa hanggang lima sa pisara, At pagsunod sa mga letra na nakaguhit sa pahina na sobrang hirap para sa isang tulad ko na bata, Masakit sa kamay at hindi makasabay, ako’y pinapagalitan na ni nanay, Nahihirapan sa aralin at hindi alam ang gagawin pero laking pasalamat sa tao na matiyaga magturo, Ano na kasing tawag sa kanya? Ah! Guro. Kabanata Dalawa. Pagdating ko sa secondarya biglang nag-iba ang mga nakasulat sa pisara Ang dating isa, dalawa ay nadagdagan ng hanggang isang daan, ayaw ko ng pumasok sa eskwelahan, Pero walang magawa, at kailangan tiisin ang hirap ng mga aralin upang mabigyan ng baon ni nanay, Nakakarindi na rin ang mga paulit-ulit na sermon niya tuwing umaga na may linyang “Mga pasaway na bata”, Nakakaasar din pag kami ay gutom na at oras na upang mag recess pero hindi pa rin siya tapos mag turo, Ano na kasing sa tawag sa kanya? Ah! Guro. Kabanata Tatlo. Nagkaroon ng ibang sistema dulot ng pandemya, wala na ang baon na isang daan, sa bahay na ang eskwelahan, Naiba ang mga kagamitan, module at makabagong teknolohiya na ang pisara, Tahol ng mga bantay, wifi connection na hindi pantay-pantay at palagiang utos ni nanay, Ang hirap mag-adjust sa bagong sistema, nahihirapan kaming mga bata, Pero kahit na ganoon, may isang tao diyan na kahit siya din ay nahihirapan hindi siya sumusuko upang gampanan ang tungkuling magturo, Anong na kasing tawag sa kanila? Ah! Guro. Huling Kabanata. Huling kabanata man ang tawag ko sa saknong na ito pero para sakin hindi matatapos sa isang pagtatapos ang mga natutunan ko sa eskwelahan, Hindi ko malilimutan ang mga letrang ABAKADA at mga numerong ISA, DALAWA sa pisara, Magsisilbi din na isang paalala sa aking pagtanda ang mga sermon niya na aking natutunan nung ako ay bata, Aking babaunin sa isang mahabang paglalakbay ang mga payo ng pangalawang nanay, Hindi ko malilimutan ang isang tao na hindi sumusuko at may desiderata na mag-turo, Ah! Alam ko na ang tawag sa kanya, Guro! Epilogo. Sa bawat pasok ko sa eskwelahan madami akong natututunan, Salamat sa isang tao na walang sawa kung magturo, Magmula sa pagbibilang sa matematika at pagbabasa sa pisara hanggang sa pagiging mabuting bata, Ako ay iyong ginabayan, at tumayo bilang pangalawang nanay, hinding-hindi ko malilimutan ang tawag sa inyo padayon, Guro!
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
Vol. 7 No. 1 | S.Y. 2020-2021
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Where exactly is the ‘away’ when we throw something away? Over the past decades, people have grown accustomed to a simple cycle of consuming different products. We buy the product, use it, then dispose of it. Unfortunately, we have an incredibly small amount of awareness on what happens after the disposal and where it all goes. The sad reality is that a lot of waste, especially plastics, end up in our oceans. Recently, plastic consumption captures an even more disheartening picture, as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led the world to depend more on using plastics. According to the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), the Philippines is one of the world’s worst crooks on marine plastic pollution with 0.28 – 0.75 million tons of plastic per year that gets to oceans from coastal areas in Manila Bay. The Philippines is also lacking proper disposal facilities which results in pollution in landfills and ocean, clogging of coastlines, BIEL CARLENE S. REDONDO and travelling of wastes to isolated corners of the world. I must admit, ever since the pandemic began, my family and I have been collecting heaps of plastic wastes from all the products we bought online, not to mention the plastic bottles and packaging we consume daily from foods and drinks. It bothered me how much single-use plastics are utilized to wrap one small product and how much the plastics just pile up in our house. With that in mind, I decided to look for an organization that collects plastic wastes from individuals for them to recycle. I found The Plastic Flamingo (The Plaf) on social media which is a French social enterprise that tackles marine plastic pollution by collecting and recycling oceanbound plastic waste. They have a pilot project in the Philippines, and they are also working with the University of the Philippines Diliman to design a system to transform the plastic wastes into eco-planks to be used for making emergency shelter kits for Filipinos displaced by natural disasters. I reached out to their organization and volunteered to become a drop-off point and collect plastic wastes from individuals near Imus, Cavite then transport it to their warehouse in Muntinlupa City. I know it will be hard to work alone; therefore, I am still looking for a partnership with another environmental organization so I can widen my reach and collect a larger number of plastic wastes to recycle. With this simple initiative, anyone can become a part of the solution to the aggravating effects of plastic to the ecosystem just by donating plastic wastes from your own households. Also, supporting initiatives like this can help create job opportunities in the recycling and manufacturing industries which significantly benefit the economic status of our country. Finally, everyone should keep in mind that things were built to last. If it depreciates, fix it, reuse its components. People nowadays tend to throw everything away and just opt on getting a new one where it should not be that way. There is no ‘away’ when we throw something. It always ends up somewhere. Let us end the ‘throw away’ thinking. Instead, we practice to reuse and recycle items because we know that ‘away’ is not a place but an excuse.
educated.
Let us end the ‘throw away’ thinking. Instead, we practice to reuse and recycle items because we know that ‘away’ is not a place but an excuse.
Naglilinis ang kapitbahayan ng Kensington 17, Lancaster New City Cavite bilang pakikiisa sa World Cleanup Day hindi lang sa araw ng selebrasyon kundi isang regular na gawain para sa kalikasan. Larawang kuha ng Galing LNC.
ENVIRONMENT
Waging World Cleanup Day sa KS17: Wastong Paggamit ng Oras Ngayong Pandemya MA. ERICH CHARLENE BARNES
Sa gitna ng pandemyang coronavirus, ipinagpapaliban ng mga tagapag-ayos ang mga malalaking pagtitipon. Kasama na roon ang National Mountain Cleanup kung saan kabilang ang Larga Vista Mountaineering group. Subalit sa KS17, sama-sama pa rin sila sa pagsisiguro na walang oras na masasayang.
Dahil hindi natuloy ang gawain na iyon, naisipang isali ni Jennifer Isidro Hallig, homeowner at kasapi ng Larga Vista, ang KS17 sa World Cleanup Day. Napili niya ang KS17 annex park at sa tulong ng lead hiker nila ay nailatag naman ang bagong misyon. Naganap ito noong Setyembre 19, 2020. “Dahil sa World Cleanup Day, napagsamasama kaming gumawa ng makabuluhang pagbabahagi ng lakas at effort upang makatulong
ligaya pagkakita na nakikinabang ang kapwa sa misyong isinagawa. Inanyayahan din ni Jennifer ang lahat na umpisahan ang kalinisan sa kanya-kanyang bakuran nang sa gayon ay maging maaliwalas ang lugar. Ang kaugalian na ito ay nagpapakita na saanmang lugar ay maaaring makatulong sa komunidad kahit na (at lalo na) ngayong may Covid-19. Basta’t sama-sama at may social distancing!
In-Depth News
Gov’t ramps up preps weeks from start of ambitious COVID vaccination plan MA. ALEXANDRA CARREON
With the arrival of 117,000 vaccine shots from Pfizer estimated to still arrive within February despite delays and another 600,000 from Sinovac confirmed to arrive in the next week, the Philippines is weeks away from starting its massive and ambitious plan that hopes to inoculate 50 to 70 million Filipinos by the end of 2021- just enough to reach the recommended 60% of the population for herd immunity.
Near the end of January, the government approved the Philippine National Deployment Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 Vaccines, outlining seven main phases of the plan, such as Scientific Evaluation and Selection, Diplomatic Negotiation and Engagement, Procurement and Financing, Shipment and Storage, Distribution and Deployment, Implementation of a Nationwide Vaccination, and finally, Assessment, Evaluation, and Monitoring. The memorandum was signed by National Task Force COVID-19 Chairperson and Defense Secretary Lorenzana, making its way to the approved Inter-Agency Task Force memorandum for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution No. 95 on January 26 that ratified the plan. “All implementing agencies of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, all Regional and Local COVID-19 Task Forces, and all Regional and Local COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Centers, Local Task Forces and Local COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Centers are hereby mandated to implement and adopt the said plan,” the memorandum read. Sealing the Deals The government has faced mounting pressure from the public to secure doses for the Philippine population after it had been previously thought that the country fell behind on negotiations with Pfizer and with its overall sluggish pace in closing procurement deals. Earlier Monday this week, the country submitted its indemnification plan with Pfizer, which despite delays due to “processing of documents” with the COVAX Facility and World Health Organization
Ang siyensya ng pagmamahal Ang siyensya ng pagmamahal ay nakaugat sa chemistry. Dito sa ‘chemistry’ pinag-aaralan ang mga hakbang ng pagmamahal o ‘stages of love.’ Sa pag-aaral ng mga siyentipiko, may tatlong mga hakbang/’stages’ ang pagmamahal: 1) Lust; 2) Attraction; at 3) Attachment.
Sa bawat hakbang, may mga kaakibat na hormones na nagagawa at inilalabas ang ating katawan. Sa lust, ang mga pangunahing hormones ay ang ‘testosterone’ at ‘estrogen’; pangkaraniwan, ang una ay para sa lalaki at ang ikalawa ay para sa babae. Ang hormones na ito ay ginagawa ng mga ari o ‘genitals’ natin. Nasa iyo na lang kung patutukso ka. Ngunit siyempre, alam kong sa tulong ng Diyos ay kayang-kaya mo mapagtagumpayan ang mga pagsubok mo sa buhay. IKAW PA! KASAMA MO SI LORD. LOVE KA NI LORD. Ang ikalawang hakbang ay ang attraction. Ang mga pangunahing hormones naman dito ay ang ‘dopamine’ at ‘norepinephrine’. Ang dalawang hormones na ito ay ginagawa sa isang parte ng ating utak na tinatawag na ‘hypothalamus’. Sa tingin ko alam mo ang palabas na ‘Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus’. Moving on, itong dalawang ito ang mga ‘reward’ hormones natin na inilalabas ng ating katawan kapag may ginagawa tayong
sa community,” ani Jennifer. Labis na kaligayahan ang naging dulot nito kay Jennifer at sa mga kasamang kapitbahay na naglinis. Nang makita nila ang mga batang naglalaro at mga matandang nagpapahinga sa parke ay naramdaman niyang “sulit na sulit” na ang kanilang pinagpaguran. Kinilala rin sila ng World Cleanup Day - Philippines kaya ibang tuwa ang kanilang naramdaman. Gayunpaman, walang papantay sa
mga nagpapasaya sa atin. Isang ‘ding’ sa notifications, lalo na kung makita mong kay crush galing? Bubuhos ang dopamine. Itong hormones o mga kemikal na ito, bukod sa ginagawa tayong parang nasa langit, pinasisigla rin nila tayo. Maaari pa tayong ihantong ng mga ito sa pagbaba ng gana sa pagkain at ‘insomnia’. Kaya’t maaaring dahil sa atraksyon mo kay crush o kay bias o kay waifu o kung sino pa iyan, ay hindi ka makakain o makatulog nang maayos. Sigurado akong naranasan mo na ang mga hakbang na ito. Maaaring naranasan mo rin itong ‘lust’ at ‘attraction’ ngayon. Ngunit kung hanggang diyan pa lang sa ikauna o ikalawang hakbang, hindi pa natin masasabi na ‘in love’ ka. Baka ‘infatuated’ ka lang o baka ‘attracted’ ka lang ngunit hindi naman love iyong nararamdaman at kinikilos mo. Kaya dinadala tayo nito ngayon sa ikatlong bahagi ng pag-ibig, ayon sa siyensya. At ito ang ‘attachment’. Kung ang lust at attraction ay para sa ‘romance-romance’ lamang, ang
attachment naman ay mas malawak. Maaaring may lust ngunit walang attachment, tulad ng mga ‘one-night stand.’ Maaari ring may attachment ngunit walang lust, tulad ng mga samahan sa isang pamilya. Bakit? Dahil ang attachment ay ang nagbibigay daan para sa mga ‘long-term relationships’ tulad ng pagkakaibigan. Sa pagiging magkapamilya, sa relasyon ng ina at sanggol, makikita natin dito ang attachment. Kung gusto mong sumaya at sumaya nang mas matagal, mahalaga na alamin ang kaibahan ng dopamine at oxytocin. Ang kaibahan ng dopamine at oxytocin ay ‘short-term’ ang dopamine ngunit sa kabilang banda, ‘long-term’ ang oxytocin. Kumbaga sa dopamine, maaaring 15 o five minutes masaya ka ngunit malungkot ka na lang pagkatapos. Ang mga bagay na nagpapataas ng dopamine ay ang mga bagong bagay o novel things, tulad ng social media post. Ang mga bagay na nakatutuwa tulad ng pagkain ng paborito mo tulad ng pizza o lechon
cited by testing czar Vince Dizon in a press conference, the government still expects the arrival of an initial 117,000-dose shipment within the month. “We believe that was the last standing requirement and it should now be reviewed by Pfizer and COVAX and we are hoping for a positive feedback from them,” WHO country representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said. 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines from China, as a donation from the nation according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, were confirmed to be anticipated for arrival on February 23. Meanwhile, the government is still in talks with 6 other companies, including AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax, Sinovac, Gamaleya, and Johnson & Johnson, of which 4 have signed with term sheets, the second to the last document necessary to commit to supplying doses. INITIAL ROLLOUT These first doses are designated for frontline health workers as the starting phase of the plan in the first quarter of the year. The hospitals on the priority list of this initial rollout will be composed of 32 in Metro Manila, one in Cebu, and one in Davao, according to DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire in an online press briefing. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr named Philippine General Hospital, the Lung Center of the Philippines, East Avenue Medical Center, and Dr. Jose N Rodriguez Memorial Hospital as among the hospitals in Metro Manila in which vaccinations of personnel would take
place. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also later confirmed the other Pfizer vaccines would be made to Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu. Though, Sinovac still does not have emergency use approval from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration despite applying for since it last January 13. So far, only AstraZeneca and Pfizer are the only two drug makers granted with EUA in the country. START OF MASSIVE-SCALE INOCULATION The government expects 10 to 15 million doses of vaccines to arrive by the second quarter and to be on track for the plan’s end-year goal, despite worries of a possible shortage during this time as a result of drug makers’ production largely catering to Western countries. Phase 2 doses would be dedicated to those who are considered “economic frontliners” along with individuals at increased risk, including senior citizens and indigent people. Meanwhile, Phase 3 marks the start of the inoculation of the greater population as more doses finally arrive. Galvez estimated the amount to be at 30 to 50 million, for about 25 million Filipinos. The final phase is focused on reaching the plan’s ultimate aim of at least 50 to 70 million total vaccinated individuals in the population, which scientists believe is enough to achieve herd immunity and constitute a chance at finally restarting the economy as well as end a chapter in this global health crisis.
…lumapit tayo sa Diyos na Siyang mismong Katotohanan at Pag-ibig. Lumapit tayo sa Salita Niya, sa Biblia. ay nakakapagpataas din nito. Ang pagligo ay nakapagpapataas ng dopamine mga lima hanggang 15 minuto. Kahit ang bagong kotse o bagong bahay ay nakapagpapataas ng dopamine o makapagpapasaya sa iyo ng ilang minuto kada araw hanggang dalawa o tatlong buwan lamang. Ngunit ang oxytocin ay mas tumatagal. Ito ay ginagawa ng ating utak kapag nadidikit tayo sa ibang tao, nagkakatinginan o nagkakasama. Kaya sabi nga ni kuya ‘C,’ nakaka-’in love’ daw ang ‘touch.’ Isa pa, kaya nga sa pagtitigan ay maaaring may mamuong pagtitinginan. Oo, maaaring hindi mo siya kaagad mararamdaman, ngunit tandaan, ang oxytocin ay pang-’longterm’ na kasiyahan--pangmatagalan. Siguro may ideya ka na kung ano ang mga bagay na mas magpapasaya sa iyo at magpapasaya sa iyo nang mas matagal. Maraming mga mabubuting dulot ang dopamine at oxytocin, ngunit
maaari ring makasama ang mga ito lalo na kung sobra na. Ayon sa Harvard, ang dopamine ay maaaring makatulong sa ating kasiyahan ngunit maaari ring ipahamak tayo nito sa pamamagitan ng pagiging adik natin sa pagkain o drugs. Ang oxytocin ay mas ilalapit tayo sa ating mahal sa buhay ngunit ang mas marami nito kaysa nararapat ay mas ilalapit din tayo sa pagiging mas seloso o pagkiling sa isang tao. Sa opinyon ko, oo nakatutulong ang mga ganitong kaalaman. Mas maiintindihan natin ang ating mga sarili. At ang mga konsepto na tila ba ay napakalaki at nakatatakot ay nabibigyang liwanag at mas naiintindihan. Ngunit hindi ito sapat; masyadong malawak kung ang mga hormones lang ang pagbabatayan natin sa pagmamahal. Sa mataas na oxytocin o dopamine, akala natin umiibig siya ngunit siya ay nasa ilalim pala ng selos o ‘drugs.’ Sa isang
alamin!
PRINCE EDUARD C. VASQUEZ perspektibo, maihahalintulad ko ang siyensya ng pagmamahal sa pagsasabi nito: Ang isang mansanas ay gawa sa iba’t ibang ‘atoms.’ Ngunit ang lahat naman ng bagay ay gawa sa ‘atoms’ ‘di ba? Saan iguguhit ang linya kung pati ang bulok na mansanas na kinakain na ng mga bulate ay gawa rin sa ‘atoms’? Kaya para sa akin, pinakamabuti pa rin na sa paghahanap ng sagot sa mga bagay-bagay, tulad nitong pagmamahal, ay lumapit tayo sa Diyos na Siyang mismong Katotohanan at Pag-ibig. Lumapit tayo sa Salita Niya, sa Biblia. At para roon, ito nalang ang pahuling salita ko tungkol sa tunay kahulugan ng pagibig: 1 Corinthians 13.
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Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
GONE TOO SOON. Erico Ramos, one of the remaining farmers in Imus City, grazes their family’s four-year old carabao to help him plow their remaining one-hectare rice field beside St. Edward Imus Campus. Last August, he sold three hectares of land to Property Company of Friends Inc., a prime real estate developer, to be occupied by residential and commercial establishments. Photo by Inah Venice Isturiz
BOOM OR BANE? Massive real estate dev’t cuts agrilands in Imus
Fifteen years ago, people came to Imus City to tend farmlands and harvest crops. A decade and a half after, land developers came and took over the lands that farmers once tilled. With the massive development in real estate, agricultural lands were converted to residential lots. Pro-Friends Inc., as a prime real estate developer, built Lancaster New City (LNC) and dubbed it as a ‘family-friendly community’. LNC occupies 1,600 hectares spanning three towns in Cavite – Imus and Gen. Trias cities as well as the municipality of Kawit. While LNC’s residences are built mostly in Gen. Trias, its business and commercial hubs are located mainly in what were once Imus City’s rice fields. The local government of Imus City approved only 10 to 15% of the farmlands for conversion to residential estate. Despite this, Rolan De Castro, LNC Architect, revealed that the community will continue its expansion because the government has not stopped them yet with the land conversion. “The expansion will continue for two to five years. Every development in Lancaster is in accordance with the city’s zoning ordinance, as approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” De Castro explained. He also added that both the people and the local government benefit from LNC’s development of the land. On the other hand, Robert R. Marges, city agriculturist, shared that land conversion greatly affected the rice production in the city because the irrigation for the remaining rice fields and waterways were blocked. The city’s agriculture sector linked industrial development to the decrease in rice production from 1,860 metric tons (MT) in 2015 to 773.8 MT this year. From almost 2,000 hectares (HAS) in 2000, agricultural lands in Imus have decreased to 838.7 HAS in in the last five years.
BY THE NUMBERS
‘SUNSET INDUSTRY’ Imus City Agriculture Office continues to see migration of farmers with over 18 hectares of prime agricultural lands lost to commercial and real estate developers this year. Marges said that the number of local farmers continues to dwindle from 486 farmers in 2015 to 460 in 2016 because of the high industrialization rate in the city and lack of interest among younger generation to pursue farming. In addition, the agriculturist said that many of the farmers, whose age ranges from 50 to 70 years old, were forced to sell their lands because no heirs would want to continue “hard labor” such as farming. While most farmers in the country cry for help from the government, the Imus City Agriculture Office offers financial assistance to the local farmers in a “plant now, pay later” scheme. However, despite the local government’s effort to financially aid the Imus farmers in crop production, the chief agriculturist revealed that only very few farmers avail of the program because of the higher inflation rate coupled with low farmgate prices. The farmers’ refusal to plant crops led to the increase in idle lands which the real estate developers prey on to be converted to residential lands for a price offered to the local farmers. ‘BENEFICIAL TO FARMERS’ Reacting to the issues that industrialization is the primary cause of agriculture sector in Imus City turning into “sunset industry,” Pro-friends, real estate developer of Lancaster New City (LNC) township, said that local farmers
58%
Decrease in Imus City’s rice production during the Marketing Year (MY) 20162017
take benefit in conversion of farmlands into subdivisions. “It’s a win-win situation. As we build houses and commercial centers, we also build roads that are beneficial for farmers to transport goods from farms to markets,” Kathleen Choa, Profriends marketing head, said in an interview. “We are even complying to the government in terms of which farmlands are allowed to be converted,” Choa added referring to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan provided by the local government. Choa noted CALAX, the newly opened road connecting Cavite, Laguna and According to Imus City Agriculture Office, over 1,227 hectares of prime agricultural lands had been lost to commercial and real estate developers last year. Only a few farmers remain not to sell their farmlands to developers due to low offers. Even with the 58% decrease in the rice and food production of Imus City, Rolan De Castro, LNC head architect, revealed that the township will continue its expansion up to two to three years because the government is still allowing them to convert farmlands. “As approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, we will continue to construct houses, most especially to the idle lands,” De Castro said. With P 3,000 as the average annual income of a family of farmers in a hectare of rice field, farmers choose to sell their lands to real estate developers for a low price. MORE JOBS TO OPEN More than 3, 100 job opportunities in
left in Imus City used as agricultural land 838.7 hectares
education, information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) will be offered next year as LNC establishes new campuses and commercial business centers. According to the school’s Human Resource Office, around 50 teaching and non-teaching personnel are needed next school year as St. Edward Integrated School (SEIS) opens Hope campus, fourth of the 16 campuses to be established inside LNC. Moreover, Suntech iPark, the pioneering IT Park in Cavite, has started its operations in September this year with over 130 employees and will hire as many as 3, 100 employees by January. Additionally, BPO1 Building, the first of the 10 BPO Buildings, will open soon in LNC which will hire an estimated 17, 000 Call Center Agents and IT Personnel, said LNC Property Consultant Mervie Lazarte. Lancaster promised its residents who work in Manila a 20 to 30-minute ride away from work. However, upon arriving in the Metro, traffic congestion awaits them, cutting down a good amount for family time. LNC Community Relations head Nida Detablan shared that LNC lives by its promise of ‘bringing work closer to households’ through offering job posts inside the community that are ‘5 to 10 minutes away from home’. “Families have more time with each other if their work is not too far from home,” Detablan told The Estoile. Furthermore, LNC aims to reduce percentage of residents going abroad by bringing local job opportunities closer to households. Meanwhile, 54 percent of students at SEIS come from OFW-households according to the school’s registrar’s office.
International Food Policy 15% ofResearch Institute
forecast loss in rice yield by 2050
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
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Composting, urban farming urged among residents, farmers; Ecology club targets lesser daily food wastes, greener environment The influx of the population in the 1,600 hectare-township comes with the surge of tons of wastes. This has led Lancaster New City (LNC) to encourage residents to start composting and urban farming at their own homes, aiming to lessen food wastes daily and create a greener and more sustainable environment. The Solid Waste Management Group together with the Bokashi Pinoy Movement emphasized to residents that they can set up their own composts even inside their own kitchens. To make a compost, one needs a pail with holes under which is put over into another pail, and ‘bokashi,’ a bran combined to decompose kitchen and food waste, assuring it to be odorless. According to Lanie Francisco, environmental advocate, Bokashi or ‘ipa’ is treated with ‘microorganisms’ to make her compost free from odor and easy to decompose. The food waster will turn then into an organic soil which can be used in gardening and farming. Francisco assured that this organic soil amendment will make a soil rich in nutrients to produce healthier plants and more crops. “These food wastes or garbage we throw can affect the sewage system such as the water clogging up because we leave these food wastes in our bins and not realizing that we can use this to save farming,” Francisco said. COMPOSTING FOR FARMING Francisco then urged farmers to use the fertilizer produced from composting than the chemical fertilizers available in markets. She also emphasized the harmful effects of using the latter. According to the advocate, organic fertilizer is more beneficial than chemical fertilizer which is used by farmers to farm their lands, because it tends to be more nutrient dense, improves the structure of the soil and it is less likely to kill your plants for it is slow working unlike chemical fertilizers which make plants
grow faster but will not sustain nor improve the soil for future use. As the club has been observing, farmers have been using chemical fertilizers to have healthy and fast-growing plants, however, these fertilizers have harmful effects to the soil in the next years to come. “Ang gusto po natin sana is mahikayat ang farmers na mag -organic farming kasi if they continue farming the way they farm today, in 60 years time, wala na tayong arable land o land na may tutubo pang pagkain.” said Francisco. LESSER WASTES EYED The ecology club emphasized that through composting, thousands of tons of wastes can be lessened. The club disclosed that each household in LNC has a 2 kilogram average wastes per day. In total, LNC accumulates 26, 711 tons of wastes per year. In addition, the club aims to lessen a truck of wastes from two, so that an amount of P25,000 to P27,000 per truck can be used for environmental projects in the community. “The government spends 25,000 to 27,000 pesos per garbage collection, which is 50% of food wastes, by trucks everyday which means if the club is successful in saving 50% of the solid waste away from the landfill, people can actually take benefit of the money,” Francisco said. Residents who attended the 3rd Anniversary of LNC Solid Waste Management spearheaded by Galing LNC responded positively in the advocacy and expressed intent to start setting up their own composts at home.
EDWARDIANS ENCOURAGED IN URBAN FARMING The school’s Green Club has started growing organic plants and herbs just at the backyard of the campus to support LNC Ecology and Solid Waste Management Club and the local government of Imus City in promoting urban gardening among the Imusenos. Green Club members now cultivate and propagate various kinds of flowering plants including squash, onions, bitter gourd and Malunggay. In a series of talks last September 5 during the LNC’s Health and Wellness Fair, Ecology Club advocate Marian Anora said urban organic gardening assures people of microorganism-free vegetables and crops since it does not use pesticides, insecticides and synthetic based fertilizers. “Mas malinis kasi sa bahay dahil walang pathogens ang lupang ginagamit. Microorganisms can cause microbial, physical and chemical contamination at malaking threat sa mga kinakain,” said Anora. “For example, when farmers use maneurs as fertilizers, once it touched the leaves of your plants and not cooked well, it can cause contamination, specifically, salmonella,” she added. Meanwhile, the City of Imus launched long-term organic farming programs last October 5 aiming to make the city the “Organic Food Capital of Cavite.” In his statement, Mayor Emmanuel L. Maliksi, this will benefit farmers, students, homeowners and even drug dependents. He also said there are many idle lands in Imus City that will be used for farming.
SSS FEE of Urban Farming The economic and environmental friendliness of urban gardening invite villagers to start their own. LNC Ecology Club puts its amazing benefits in SSS FEE.
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Urban gardening, according to Marian Anora, produces plants that are safe from chemicals and microorganisms. “The safest place where we can plant is at the comforts of our own home,” said Anora. “In farms, we plant vegetables and take care of animals which is not safe kasi yung dumi ng hayop pwedeng humalo sa plants,” she added. Anora said the roof can be used for gardening even without the use of soil. “Pwede tayo mag hydrophonics o pagtatanim ng walang lupa. Kahit sa cup or sa mug na may tubig, tapos ‘yung ugat kukuha ng nutrients sa tubig, pwede ka ng magtanim ng lettuce, tomato, cucumber and melon.”
In addition, Anora said food and kitchen waste can be used as fertilizers. “’Yung food waste na nasa kitchen mo lang ay pwedeng fertilizer,” she said. “Nakabawas pa sa biodegradable waste ng bahay.”
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Fruits and vegetables harvested in organic garden can be sold to earn money. “Kung magtatanim kayo ay kikita kayo kasi hindi na kayo gumagastos o bumibili,” said Anora.
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s Lucienne Garcia, Grade 5 student, waters her plants as part of the school’s advocacy to encourage students set up their own urban garden at home. Photo by: Mrs. Bee Armenia Garcia
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Urban gardening also beautifies one’s home through vertical gardening. “Pwedeng naka-hang ‘yung mga pananim sa pader, bubong o haligi na nakakadagdag din sa ganda ng bahay mo,” the Ecology advocate said.
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Materials used in urban gardening can be those that are recyclables. “Gumagamit ng recyclable materials gaya ng plastic bottles, coco husk o kaya ay gulong,” she said.
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Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
‘GINTO SA AMIN ANG BASURA’ Inside Lancaster’s Material Recovery Facility
design of LNC’s MRF. “Goal din naming ibahagi sa iba pang kalapit na communities itong ginagawa nating MRF dahil tayo rin ang makikinabang kung malinis ang kapitbahay natin,” the supervisor said. Meanwhile, the local government recently lauded LNC’s MRF for its effort to promote waste segregation and healthy environment through its Solid Waste Management (SWM) Program.
Ronel Gonzales, Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Supervisor, checks produced organic soil from compost pits. Organic soil and fertilizer are being manually decomposed in MRF. Photo by Via Bulda
Lancaster New City (LNC), a 1,600 hectare flagship town in Cavite, does not only expect 30, 000 families to occupy its residences but including also tons of their household wastes. This has led LNC to establish its own Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to manage the wastes coming from LNC’s 200 villages spanning cities of Imus and General Trias and the municipality of Kawit. According to Ronel Gonzales, MRF supervisor, the facility team collects over 10 tons of wastes from households almost every day. “Dito lang sa atin mayroong koleksyon ng basura from Monday to Friday kaya malaking benefit talaga sa mga homeowners dahil palaging malinis ang paligid nila,” said Gonzales in an interview. “Kung sa kanila, ang basura ay basura, ginto sa amin ang basura,” added Gonzales noting the process of repurposing wastes and its benefits through the facility. WASTE REPURPOSING Gonzales shared to The Estoile how collected waste are brought to the MRF to be further segregated. Trained personnel recycle nonbiodegradable wastes such as paper, glass, textile, plastic and metal. According to Gonzales, an average amount of P 30, 000 is earned every month from selling the scrap and recycled materials to factory including those that were turned into reusable materials such as arts and crafts. He also said through this process, factories reduce the production of items
from fresh and raw materials. Meanwhile, biodegradable wastes from kitchen or garden are put into special type of drums with worms for manual composting. A special type of chemical is poured to eliminate the odor of wastes since the facility is located near the residential areas. The decomposable materials are turned into organic component of soil which is brought to LNC’s Landscaping Facility. The said facility uses the soil for their environmental projects such us urban farming and tree planting. On the other hand, Gonzales said hazardous materials are further segregated at the MRF before they are forwarded to recycling facilities. “Some hazardous materials can be used into industrial fuel while others may undergo treatment in order to be stabilized and fit to enter a landfill,” said Gonzales. BIOGAS PROPOSED MRF eyes to build biogas plant to mechanically operate the composting process of biodegradable materials. PRO-FRIENDS, the real estate developer of LNC, is on its way to fund
MRF’s request of P 2 million to fund the said project. “As of now, we mechanically decompose kitchen and garden wastes, pero kung may biogas plant na tayo, mas madali na tayong makagawa ng composts,” the supervisor said. SEGREGATION POLICY Gonzales said the facility team has appealed to the residents to practice waste segregation since there is a separate collector for biodegradable and another for non-biodegradable. LNC strictly follows Solid Waste Management Code of 2013. By not segregating wastes properly, a resident can be fined P 500 as first offense, P 1, 000 as second offense and P 2, 000 or ‘imprisonment of not less than 5 days but not more than 30 days,’ as third offense, Gonzales said. BENCHMARKING With its advocacy of having greener and cleaner environment, MRF team conducts lectures and workshops to different barangays outside LNC. Gonzales said other communities have been setting up waste facilities in their own barangays following the
‘Shambon’
DIY eco-friendly shampoo in a bar Although products in plastic sachets help poor Filipinos to afford them, they are one of the biggest contributors of waste. In fact, according to the recent report of Journal Science, Philippines is the third worst polluter of oceans after China and Indonesia. Biggest chunk of these waste come from sachets.
Aside from personal use, ‘Shambon’ or shampoo in a bar can be sold or can be brought during travels. Photo by Biel Redondo
REVIVING THROW AWAY HOSUEHOLD PLANTS Residents in LNC often asks landscaping services to beautify their home gardens, however, this involves pruning which makes some parts of the plants put to waste. LNC’s Material Recovery Facility (MRF) composed a team of horticulturists to propagate and cultivate throw away household plants that residents neglect to take in their own home gardens. “Binubuhay natin dito sa MRF ‘yung mga halaman na tinatapon ng mga residente at pwede pa nating magamit sa mga projects dito sa Lancaster,” said MRF supervisor Ronel Gonzales. According to Gonzales, throw away household plants undergo cutting, a kind of plant propagation. MRF’s Horticulturists usually look for stem and cut it for about four to six inches long to make a rooting area. They let it soak in water to grow roots. Once the roots have grown, they will put it in a pot of organic soil and monitors light and moisture to make sure that it will grow leaves. Gonzales added that horticulturists usually do this in the morning because this is the time where plants have enough moisture. To grow the plants faster, they keep it warm afterwards but they avoid to expose it to direct sun. Revived plants are then used for LNC’s ‘Green Project’ and urban farming and project eco-park. Residents are allowed to ask for pots of revived plants once the eco-park is built inside Lancaster subdivision.
To resolve the ongoing dilemma in sachets, Diocese of Imus Ministry on Ecology thought of an economically yet environmentally friendly way of using shampoo stuffed in a bar. The shampoo in a bar project is easy to make. The diocese shared the five easy steps of DIY homemade shampoo bar during the Galing LNC Solid Waste Management third anniversary.
Alvin Sico, horticulturist, prepares pots of plants thrown away by residents of LNC to be revived and put in the eco-park. Photo by Inah Isturiz
INGREDIENTS AND MATERIALS • ½ cup Olive oil • ½ cup Coconut oil • ¾ cup purified water
• Drops of oil of your choice (Grapeseed oil, rosemary oil, orange essential oil, wheat germ oil, almond oil, Macadamia nut oil, avocado oil or rice bran Oil)
• ¼ cup lye or sodium hydroxide • 1 tablespoon shea butter • Silicon mold
PROCEDURE
1. Make sure to have a clean working area covered with newspapers and your hands with gloves. Be careful to use lye because of its chemical content, but it is safe for hair
once it mixes with other ingredients. 2. Pre-heat the water on a steel container and slowly pour the exact ¼ cup of lye into it. Stir until the mixture is clear. 3. Put the shea butter until it dissolves, then slowly pour olive oil and coconut oil with continuous stirring. Using a dropper, put the oil of your choice. Grade 7 students chose to put grapeseed oil because of its moisturizing properties. 4. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes thick. Pour the contents in a silicon mold then put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. 5. Remove the shampoo bars out of the silicon mold then set it overnight before using.
Saint Edward School August 2020 – April 2021
science 019
3 A’s of stress management: A guide to escaping the pandemicstricken mental health numbers
In an interview, Dr. Ma. Regina Paula Valencia (left), a consultant ophthalmologist at the Rizal Medical Center, advises students to have a break from computer screens and follow healthy screen time habits. Photo by Mrs. Jovy Mroeno
‘SCREEN TIME’S UP! Blinking, 20-20-20 rule important for eyesight, ophthalmologist advises
In preparation for their 6th Grade this school year, twin brothers, Cedrick James, and Jedrick Collins have just had a replacement of their prescription lenses after a year of attending the online modality of classes. Their parents decided to have their eyeglass lenses replaced because of their complaints of having difficulties seeing the monitors on their laptops. The twins’ problems could also be the experiences of Filipino students and teachers as classrooms have had to adapt to new types of schooling including online distance learning (ODL) which demands a long screen time. To add, excessive use of gadgets is observed as people stay longer at home as a protocol in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. EFFECTS OF TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME In an interview last September 04, 2021 via Zoom, Dr. Ma. Regina Paula Valencia, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Rizal Medical Center and The Medical City – Pasig, explained that too much screen time leads to negative effects such as developing nearsightedness, eye strain or fatigue, and dryness of the eyes. According to Dr. Valencia, nearsightedness among children happens when they spend too much time staring too near not only at computer or gadget screens but also when reading materials too close to their eyes. “It causes myopia, [other word for nearsightedness]. The eyes are stimulated because of looking at near objects for a long time,” Dr. Valencia said. “This habit stimulates the eye to grow longer than the usual
size, and it becomes more nearsighted,” she added. Eye strain or fatigue happens when you also look near an object. According to Dr. Valencia, focusing for a long time on near objects takes more work for the muscles of the eye which causes eye strain. In contrast, one does not get much eye strain when looking at far objects. Moreover, Dr. Valencia explained that having dry eyes is caused by focusing too much on the computer or gadget screen making the “normal blink rate decreased.” Blinking, according to her, is important “for lubrication and to spread the tears on the surface of the eyes.” HEALTHY SCREEN TIME, HABITS Considering the screen time guidelines by age as recommended by the Department of Education, Dr. Valencia encouraged parents and teachers to provide maximum of one hour screen time for Kindergarten students; one and a half hours for first to fifth graders; two hours for sixth to eighth graders; and four hours (2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon) for ninth to 12th graders.
Moreover, the ophthalmologist promotes the “20-20-20 rule” as advised by the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology. For every 20minute screen time, there should be a 20-second break looking at an object that is 20 feet far. This rule, according to Dr. Valencia, breaks the habit of staring at a computer or gadget screen for a long time. Dr. Valencia also debunks the information that blue light causes eye strain, and for her, the “20-20-20 rule” is more effective than wearing blue light-filtering lenses. “It’s not the blue light that causes the eye strain,” Dr. Valencia said. “Personally, I don’t prescribe blue filtering lenses. I’ll prescribe the multicoated glasses for UV protection instead.” “What’s more important is the 20–20–20 rule,” she added. Dr. Valencia urged the parents “as learning facilitators at home” to be responsible for limiting the screen time of their children. “Please look into the screen time of your kids. Too much screen time causes eye problems. Incorporating various learning techniques such as adding activities at home can lessen the time spent on lengthy online lectures,” she said.
COMBATTING THE VIRUS: WAYS TO KEEP SAFE FROM COVID-19 The Coronavirus disease has taken a toll on all of us. It took a lot of lives and negatively affected people’s source of living. Scientists said that the virus can be brought to other people when one does not even know that he has it. The virus can enter through our eyes, mouth, and nose before running through our body. Since then, the countries have been on lockdown and people are not permitted to go outside without a quarantine pass, especially children. But what can we do to protect ourselves from the virus? There are many ways to do so, and some of which are the things that I learned from my parents and from the recently held “ALLIES” Webinar sponsored by our school’s Student Affairs Council with our school nurse, Rhitz Antonio, as the speaker. 1. WASH YOUR HANDS. This method is very much simple. All you have to do is wash your hands properly with soap and water for twenty (20) seconds before rinsing. Some people prefer to sing the “Happy Birthday” song two (2) times instead, but that can also work as well.
2. WEAR A MASK AND FACE SHIELD. A mask and face shield must be worn every time someone goes out of their home. They are to protect their nose and mouth from droplets that bring the virus into the body. There are some people who disobey this rule, but they are the ones who are most likely to be infected. 3. STAY AT HOME. Being inside your own home means that you are protected from exposure of the virus. Think of it as a barrier that shields you no matter where you go. By staying home, we can avoid meeting other people who might carry the virus. 4. ALWAYS DISINFECT. Most people think that disinfecting is only when you have an open wound, but this can also be done in another situation. Imagine you went outside your home and just came back after a long day. Before entering, you
must apply alcohol or other disinfectants to your hands. This is also a rule to follow before touching someone or something. 5. CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES UPON RETURNING HOME. This rule is not only supposed to be followed by frontliners; it must also be followed by other people. It is suggested to take a bath once you come home and change your clothes immediately. This assures you that when you were unknowingly exposed to anyone with the virus outside, you will not spread the virus inside your home. 6. EAT HEALTHY. Our immune system must be strong in order to have a lower chance of getting the virus. Eating healthy food and even exercising daily can help with this. It can strengthen our body in different ways and you might even start to notice it in your daily living.
3,529. That was the number of recorded cases of self-harm in the country in 2020, as revealed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Undoubtedly, the number had increased during the same year when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The pandemic has disruptively affected not only the financial, economic, physical, and social aspects but also the mental state of many people. Suicide cases ramped up during the said year, with the recorded cases seeing nothing but an increase during the worldwide crisis. I have almost made it to said statistics. THE BEGINNING… OF THE END? One’s eighth grade was where everything began. We just finished our performance for Florante at Laura, a required performance task for every eighth-grader. Nobody knew how that would be our last day at school and how we were going to be unable to set foot on any campus for the next two years. The next day of classes got suspended, and so did the next, and again until it was decided to end the school year that way. I can still vividly remember how fear crept into my mind when I heard the news about the novel virus spread, more when I found out how it is bad enough to be classified as a pandemic. Nobody was allowed to go outside, and everyone had to take extra precautions to mitigate the spread of the virus. The fear of contracting the disease itself is not the only factor that affected my mental health; it is the new normal. Having to adjust almost every single aspect of one’s lifestyle and doing everything you can to avoid the invisible foe can be exhausting and pressuring at least, and destructive at most. Personally, it caused me to have more anxiety and panic attacks, which led to breakdowns, with its frequency ramping up as fast as the number of cases we have. But I did not let anything faze me. The conference with Ms. Abish Sagario, a registered psychometrician and a guidance associate at a local school in Cavite enlightened me with the three A’s of managing stress: altering, avoiding and accepting. ALTERING: MODIFYING FOR THE BETTER The pandemic may have made me adjust my lifestyle, but I didn’t let it change me for the worse. Exercise can help in boosting one’s overall mood, which means that it can also help in the maintenance of one’s mental health, so I started exercising every single day. I have learned that in exercise as a form of “Altering,” endorphins have been known to make you feel more pleasure and reduce pain at the same time, and one well-known way to get As we wait for your body to release more of the said this global crisis to hormone has been exercise. To back this up, a study that Ulm University be over, we are left did among students showed that with no choice but 73.68% of those assigned to do aerobics experienced relief from to put our hope to depressive symptoms between the those truly capable two time periods given.
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of solving this, AVOIDING: AN ESCAPE FROM REALITY such as our The second ‘A’ that Ms. Sagario scientists, doctors, mentioned was “Avoiding,” which means “utilizing various coping and frontliners. mechanisms in order to take our minds off of the crisis itself.” The pandemic has given me room to improve my current skills and discover new hobbies, including watercolour painting, studying a new language (particularly Korean), dancing, creating smudge edits, graphic designing, and calligraphy. The said activities have helped me cope with my deteriorating mental health, and not just that, they have given me opportunities to improve my overall skill set. I can now apply all the wisdom and skills I gained in projects, may it be for school or just for fun or passion. Psychotherapists Daisy Fancourt, Simon Opher, and Cesar de Oliveria of the University College London revealed that taking on a hobby decreased one’s chance to exhibit depressive symptoms by 30%. In addition, music has helped me get through the situation. Songs, especially those from Taylor Swift, TREASURE, and other pop and Kpop groups, have served as my means of comfort; they made me feel like I am with someone, talking to them through the lyrics. Registered Drama Therapist Jason D. Butler in New York City said that music, though his study only included the classical genre, has a significant effect on one’s overall mental wellbeing. In his paper titled “The Arts in Psychotherapy,” he shares that 29 out of 33, or a staggering 87.88% of the participants who underwent music therapy, reported some form of improvement, contrary to the 12 over 28 or 42.86% that the group that went through psychotherapy report announced. ACCEPTING: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE OPTIMISTIC Thirdly, Ms. Sagario said that “Accepting, which may be the hardest for most of us,” is important. As we can’t just recite a magic spell to drive the pandemic away, we are forced to accept the situation and adjust our lives accordingly. In line with that, I have spent the time during quarantine to contemplate everything I have done, I am doing, and what I want to do in the future. Doing so made me reflect on my decisions, thus led me to know better and learn from my past experiences. As we wait for this global crisis to be over, we are left with no choice but to put our hope to those truly capable of solving this, such as our scientists, doctors, and frontliners. THE END’S THE BEGINNING It’s been a year and a half since it all began, and it was at this point when I realized that the pandemic was just a test. A test to check if we are all prepared for the hardships that the future would have for us. With the experiences and wisdom that I have gained along the challenging journey, I will report chapter 35 of El Filibusterismo in our online class with a wiser, stronger version of me. 3,529 continue to have faces, but I’m doing my best to stop myself from making it 3,530.
THE EST ILE Official School and Community Publication of St. Edward School – Imus and Faith Campus Joint Publications of The Estoile, The Edwardian Quill, and Ang Estrelya (Junior and Senior High School)
Vol. 7 No. 1 | School Year 2020-2021 | August 2020 – April 2021 Lancaster New City | Region IV-A Calabarzon
Celestial Goodness and Nobility
Makiisa sa LNC-Faith Community Pantry! I-scan ang QR code o bisitahin ang Official Facebook page ng Galing LNC sa facebook.com/GalingLNC. Maraming salamat sa inyong suporta!
PINAGPALANG MAGHANDOG AMBER CHERISSE C. MARTINEZ
Sa biglaang pagtigil ng mundong kinatatayuan, sa pagdami ng hiningang, unti-unti nang nalalagutan. Hindi maiiwasan, ang pangangamba at pag-aalinlangan sa buhay mo, at sa buhay kong tila bang natataningan.
Ngunit ang kanilang panalangin, ay unti-unti nang dinidinggin, marami ang nakisimpatya, marami ang nakaintindi. Ang paghihirap na dinadanas, marami ang nakakapansin kaya naman hinandog ng taumbayan, ang “community pantry”.
Sa kabilang banda, ang tulong ay marami nang naabutan, “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan”. Masasabing ito’y halimbawa ng makabagong bayanihan at nakakatuwang isipin na ito’y bukal sa loob, at hindi sapilitan.
Ang pitakang hawak, tila ba’y nagsasabing: “Pasensya na, wala kang makukuha, sa bahay ka muna mamalagi,” Paghugot sa bulsa’y, ganun din ang masasabi, “Paumanhin, at barya lang ang aking maibabahagi”.
Sa simula’y pahirapan ang pagtayo sa mga ito, marahil bago, at hindi kapani-paniwala ang konsepto nito. “Libre? Sa panahong ito’y mayroon bang ganito kabukal ang loob?” Ngunit di nagtagal, ang mga pananaw dito’y unti-unting nabago.
Kahit walang-wala, ang pagtulong sa kapwa ay hindi ipinagkakait, ngayon ay may maipantutugon na sa bitukang mahapdi. May nailalapag sa mesa, at ang oras sa pamilya’y nasusulit dahil sa community pantry, na tunay ngang natatangi.
Sa dulo ng kaisipan ng mga walang makain “Paano na ang pamilya kong nakadepende sa akin? Paano na ang mga anak ko, kung sila’y hindi ko na kayang paaaralin? O Diyos ko, kahit anong tulong na maaari, ito’y aking tatanggapin.”
Nang lumawak at dumami, ang tulong ay naging abot kaya, ngunit sa di inaasahang pagkakataon, ito’y nabahiran ng pamumulitika. Bakit pati sa pagtulong, mayroong nakikipagkompetensya? Umaasang sana’y hindi na maulit, ganitong pagtrato sa kapwa.
Sa mga nakapag-alay, salamat sa kaloobang napaka-busilak; kahit na kaunti ang salapi, ang mga puso nama’y napupuno ng galak. Sa inyong kabutihan, maraming puso ang nahuhubog kapus-palad man, ngunit kayo’y pinagpalang maghandog.
GUHIT NI: VINCENT LEONARD ALHAMBRA