The Spectrum Vol. 1 No. 1 (SY 2023-2024)

THESpectrum

SCI School Principal conducts Seminar for Work Immersion

/Bea Marie M. Dulay

School principal Dr. Ezer S. Guillermo gives way to the orientation for work immersion deployment of Grade 12 students at Schola Christi, Inc. from the month of March to April to fulfill the 80-hours requirement in their corresponding companies on February 27, 2024.

Grade 12 students from different strands such as Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) General Academic Strand (GAS, Technical-Voational-Livelihood (TVL), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) will be deployed outside the school campus.

“

Work Immersion refers to the part of the senior high school (SHS) cur-

riculum consisting of 80 hours of hands-on experience or work simulation which the Grade 12 students will undergo to expose them to the actual workplace setting and to enrich the competencies provided by the school under the supervision of the school head and the designated personnel of the partner ”

Students will be deployed from different companies or partnerships connected from the students’ strand like clinics, offices, factories, shops and government agencies that are sure to improve their overall performance as future workers.

Specifically Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will be deployed from different clinics like pe-

diatrics, diagnostics and women’s disease, and factories with different machines and equipment similar to what their future endeavors hold.

“The orientation was crucial dahil need po naming malaman yung mga do’s and don’ts before actually being deployed dahil sabi nga po ni sir Ezer, hindi lang pangalan namin ang aming dala-dala” stated by a grade 12 student from STEM, Clayne Pascua.

“

Eugenio wins SCI Scholites Council President

Jean Johan Eugenio of RAWR Party captures the position of president after winning against Vinz Ivan Balingcongan of SUPERNOVA Party in Schola Christi, Inc.’s election for the new set of Scholites Council Officers on September 15, 2023.

The event showed glory and hope for the Scholites as SCO’s last term did not go well with the lack of movement from the president and lack of support from the school which gave the officers a hard time managing the organization with two pow-

erfully formed parties of aspiring leaders: RAWR (Ready to Act and Willing to handle Responsibilites) and SUPERNOVA (Students Uplifting Pride and Empathy, Rising from the Norm and Optimizing Virtuous Action).

“I couldn’t imagine that I would be lucky enough to win so I thank my fellow students who voted, believed, and supported me. I promise that I won’t be the best or the smartest, but I guarantee that I will fulfill my role in this school. I will learn more about my responsibility and do my best.” expressed by Eugenio as he thanked his voters.

The election started on September 12, as this was the day for the room-to-room campaign where the aspiring officers introduced theirselves inside each and every classroom of the Senior High School Department and was the n followed by the Grand Rally on September 14.

After careful counting of votes, the winners of each position have been given a clear path namely Jean Jo-

han Eugenio as President, Kim Borlongan as Vice, Joaquin Miranda as Secretary, Jewel Barlam as Treasurer, Jayla Soleta as Auditor, Kyrie Wy as Muse, and Lowie

Sangalang as Escort. have created such a wonderful bond and unfortunately, everything must be accepted for the sake of a successful election.

They took their oath on October 5 while simustaneously celebrating World Teachers’ Day to show their dedication in service for their beloved school and in every competition, there will always be a winner and a loser.

Meanwhile, the winning senators for Grade 11 are Jillian Cauzon, Craile Matias, Cleve Cauyao,

Rhiana Calahi, and Myca De Guzman while the 12th grade senators include Sharmaine Valdez, Princess Balmater and Jannah Cinense.

The losing members of each party had a hard time adjusting as they

16TH JUBILATE YEAR OF SCI

Bea Dulay

With the theme: “The Lord’s prayer: A prayer of selfless love”, Schola Christi, Incorporated glorifies its 16th Founding Anniversary at Christ the King Gym on February 20, 2024.

The event started with a Thanksgiving Mass from 8:00 to 9:00 am followed by the Walk of Praise utilizing the path

from Schola Christi, Incorporated to Po-

the locale from 9:30 to 11:00 am, hounded by the Festivity of Prayer from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

“My loss will always be a win-win situation as I know our capabilities more than anyone. I just hope the new set of officers will bring justice to the discrepancies of the last term. But all in all, I am very proud of everyone lalo na my SUPERNOVA.

I hope they continue on keeping the light we had in their hearts, even without me” stated by Vinz Ivan Balingcongan regarding his loss.

The Festivity of Prayer is the most awaited segment of the anniversary as it is the presentation of 10 prayers pre“Masaya na nakakapagod kasi

pared by each team and led by some chosen teachers.

it naman siya dahil naisakatuparan ‘yung mga dapat gawin and once a year lang din naman kasi na nagaganap ito” said by one of the Senior High School Teachers upon asking how does he feel about the Festivity of Prayer celebration.

The aforementioned ten

maraming prepa- prayers consists of:

blacion Sur, Talavera and returning to ration na ginawa but after all, worth A

ners, Prayer of Reconciliation, Praying in the Sounds, Prayer of Joy, Prayer of Peace, The Youth in Prayer, Prayer of Unity, and Prayer

“Nakakaenjoy dahil sobrang saya nung pinakita naming presentation” Erika said, one of the students who showcased a twist of comedy in the performance.

Vinz Ivan Balingcongan

SCI bags 2nd Overall Champion in CD5 Presscon News

inaabot ng gabi para makapagfocus

Schola Christi,Inc. seized 2nd Overall Champion in the recently conducted NEPRISSAA Congressional District Schools Press Conference V which took place within the said school on March 22, 2024.

Lasal Tech Academy went home as the overall champion but Schola Christi still remained triumphant with their 2nd Place rank as it is the first time that the school grasped this award with the help of their new set of journalists known as “The Spectrum”.

“Nagtrain kami for a month at minsan

dahil desidido talaga kaming manalo, although wala kaming mga individual na coaches dahil sa lack of support, nakayanan ng EIC at mga editors na itrain lahat ng category, estudyante ang nagtrain sa kapwa estudyante” said by Bryle Magtoto, one of the journalists of The Spectrum who shared their preparations.

This was the comeback of the annual campus journalism competition after being canceled for 3 years due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Different speakers from the region went

to share their knowledge, judge, and assess the journalists of each school as they are to recognize the top 5 of

each category: News Writing, Feature Writing, Editorial Writing, Column Writing, Science Writing, Sports Writing, Copyreading and Headline Writing, Photojournalism, Editorial Cartooning, Radio and TV Broadcasting, and Collaborative Desktop Publishing but only the top 3 will continue on for the Division Schools Press Conference.

Fortunately, the students of Schola Christi, Inc. came prepared to face the competition with utmost pride and confidence as they bagged 13 awards and 9 DSPC Qualifiers which led them to taking the 2nd Overall Champion.

Theindividual journalistswho won include Rhian Cabote (1st Editorial Filipino), Joaquin Miranda (3rd

Editorial English), Shane Paraiso (5th Cartooning Filipino), Jannah Cin

ense (2nd Feature Filipino), Lovely Novesteras (5th Feature English), Kevin Daniel (5th Sports English), Marie Cris Waminal (5th Photojourn Filipino), Ayeesha Arcilla (3rd Copyreading Filipino), and Divine Bohol (3rd News Filipino) while the winning TV Broadcasting Team consisted of Craile Matias, Jazminne Ferrer, Art Dizon, Lian Ramos, Jasmine Domingo, Krystal Oro, and Dane Salazar.

For the Collaborative Desktop Publishing team that won 1st place in Filipino and 2nd place in English, the members consists of Daniella Bulan, Jil-

lian Cauzon, Catherine Francisco, Jaira Wadwasin, Claire Purificacion, Elaiza Gialogo, Jhanin Chua, Zum De Tumol, Jerilyn Adria-

no, Yuri Ferrer, Erika De Leon, Sofia Fausto, Christine Pascual, and Bea Dulay. For the Radio Broadcasting Filipino that won 5th place in Scriptwritng, 3rd place Infomercial and 5th place in Technical and 5th Overall, the members are Micaella Pineda, Sean Balingcongan, Angelo Francisco, Ivan Constantino, Janine Adona, Diane Doblado, and Bryle Magtoto.

Meanwhile, the winning English Ra dio Broadcasting team includes Kim Bautis ta, Mariel Zamora, Coreen Ili, Clayne Pas cua, Marvin Esteban, Mariane Martin, and Vinz Ivan Balingcon gan who succeeded in getting 3rd Best Script, 2nd Best Infomercial, 5th Best Technical, and 3rd Overall.

“It was a super memorable moment and I am super proud of my team. We will treasure this victory as we have made history for Schola Christi”

stated by Vinz Ivan Balingcongan, The Spectrum’s Editor-In-Chief.

Vinz Ivan Balingcongan

SCI leaders attend NEPRISSAA Students’ Congress

Chosen leaders from the Scholites Council Officers of Junior and Senior High School in Schola Christi, Inc. attend NEPRISSAA Students’ Congress with their respective advisers at Luzviminda’s Event Center on October 23, 2023.

Within the event, they are given guidance and taught lessons about good leadership with the goal to help shape students into future leaders along with student officers from many different schools that were given a handful of activities to do in order to test their skills and analyze their sense of leadership.

“Para sakin, the student congress is not just any regular event. It is a stepping stone for future leaders, leaders that will make our

world a better place.” stated by SCO’s Junior High School president, Yuri Ferrer.

“They made us play many games like using our initial to describe us kunwari po sakin “Joyful Jerilyn” then we introduced ourselves to other people with that, tapos the spokesperson taught us a lot of things” JHS Secretary Jerilyn Adriano added.

The officers of SCI that were chosen to attend ranged from President to Auditor.

Yuri Ferrer, Aaron Combe, Jhanin Chua, Jerilyn Adriano, and Rodney Custodio were Junior High School’s representatives while Johan Eugenio, Kim Borlongan, Joaquin Miranda, Jewel Barlam, and Jayla Sole-

ta waved the flag for the Senior High School Department.

“It was honestly a great experience. Being there together with multiple schools made it even better considering that each school had a chance to speak their thoughts out. Each opinion stated by students showed a lot about their school & leadership. Getting to have an opportunity to attend an academic event like this has inspired and motivated me to stand as a leader with empowerment and efficiency, thanks to our speaker. An active team starts with good leaders.” SHS Auditor Jayla Soleta expressed her experience regarding the said event

BFP Talavera performs fire and earthquake drill

Vinz

Ivan Balingcongan

fire extinguishers.

This was led by Fire Officer I, Lionel S. De Leon and Fire Officer II, John De Leon who emphasized that “prevention is better than cure”.

Many students participated in answering questions, doing fun activities and demonstrating actions with proper guidance from BFP Professionals.

BFP taught student the right way to stop a fire, calamity safety measures, prevention tips, and the proper use of any possible

In a response to keeping everyone aware of disasters, the Bureau of Fire Protection Talavera performed a fire and earthquake drill to teach the students on how to properly manage calamities with ease and safety inside the premises of Schola Christi, Inc. on April 5, 2024.

Stated by Ivan Constantino, a student who learned how to use a fire extiguisher, “naexcite ako nang kaunti dahil first time ko talaga makagamit noon, thank you po sa BFP”.

Vinz Ivan Balingcongan

FEBRUARY 25 ( NOT A HOLIDAY)

The EDSA People Power Revolution was a holiday that celebrated true liberty, to remind the Filipinos that they were free people. However, the celebration was removed in the Philippine holidays of 2024 by the current President Ferdinand Bongo Marcos Jr., which resulted in the outrage of many critics and people all over the country. Eliminating a day that symbolized the will of our people is just the beginning of a new era; the reanimation of the iron fist.

Said holiday was a yearly celebration and reminder of the historic revolt that ended the father of the President’s dictatorship in 1986. However as mentioned before, it was withdrawn from the current calendar by President Bongbong Marcos. This illogical decision can be easily interpreted as a way to mask his family’s political legacy, hiding

Veiling a Ruthless Past

it from the future generations of our country rendering them ignorant of the past.

Critics and survivors of the dictatorship immediately denounced the move, arguing it was the latest attempt to revise history and deodorize the martial law regime of the President’s father and namesake. The removal is nothing but a futile attempt to suppress the undying wrath of his haters, who disliked from before he even sat as president. Furthermore, almost every single Filipino is educated and well aware of the events that happened in that fateful day, people like you and I.

Gabriela Representative, Arlene Brosas said the omission of the commemoration of the EDSA Revolution was “A clear case of historical revisionism, as it undermines the significance of this important event in our

nation’s history.” She mentioned that Feb. 25, 1986 “marked a turning point” in the Filipinos’ struggle for freedom and democracy. Additionally, when we remove such an important event that made us into who we are today, we are spitting at the graves of those who sacrificed their lives and dignity, people that opened our eyes to the dreadful truth.

62% of respondents of the SWS survey agreed the spirit of the EDSA people power revolt is still alive. Furthermore, 57% think it’s still important to commemorate the 1986 event. It it not important to celebrate it, it is very much needed. The celebration should not be an option that can be dismissed like a pile of garbage, the President needs to realize that. Without it, our country would remain the same as all those decades ago, and our people would

suffer heavily. The Office of the President (OP) explained that being a Sunday, February 25 next year would have little significance to the public. However, Brosas rejected the justification, saying it was unacceptable; she then mentioning that it is not simply a rest day, but a recognition of the struggle of the Filipino for their freedom. The explanation of the OP is nothing but a blatant excuse to cover up President Bongbong’s rash decision. Furthermore, there were already numerous holidays that took place in Sunday, with The Feast of the Immaculate Conception as an example. On January 30, 2007, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Proclamation No. 1224, declaring February 22 to February 25 every year as “Edsa People Power Commemoration

Week.” That year, February 25 also fell on a Sunday.

EDSA People Power Revolution symbolized the beginning of a new era marked by true freedom and democracy. It is a symbol of our resilience and our unwavering commitment to fight authoritarian rule, proof that Filipinos will never settle to be restrained by anyone when freedom is at stake. Moreover, when the day we are reminded of our freedom has vanished, it is impossible for us to even aware of the events that will take place in the future, whether President Bongbong will continue his father’s bloody ideologies or somehow manifest something more grotesque. However, as the past leaders have learned, we Filipinos will fight for our freedom, for everything we hold dear to our hearts.

Opinion

Patriarchy is the main reason why, among other genders, male dominance has become the recent state of society. In this manner, the rights of others, including female and LGBTQ+ rights, are being trampled. This results in a bill proposed by several lawmakers that recognizes the rights of a minority, the LGBTQ+ community.

In Philippine history, notice how Filipino pronouns are gender-sensitive and inclusive of any gender.

The reason is that third-gender people have always been present in the Philippines since the pre-colonial period. Babaylans are typically a woman valued in her community for her capacity to transcend the material and spiritual realms; historical sources suggest that there were also male babaylans who crossed genders, becoming symbolic figures for the Philippine LGBTQIA+ movement today.

However, until the colonial period emerged, the culture and practices of the Filipinos became imperialized, forcing them to believe

Jeepneys have already been woven into the culture of the Philippines since the world war, and they are called “Kings of the Road.” It is a beacon of resilience due to its firmness, which can withstand even a typhoon. It is a regular mode of transportation for those on a tight budget, and it ensures a safe ride. However, the government has decided to phase out the transportation that everyone grew up with, and it sparked conversation about whether this is a good step for the government to take or just an insensitive act. It should not be pushed because it is believed to be anti-poor.

The modernization of jeepneys is one of the steps that the government takes to advance our transportation system. Howev-

in Christianity. This has resulted in a conservative and prejudicial majority of Filipinos when it comes to gender. As symbolic and valued members of the community, queer people now face discrimination and are rampantly devalued by our society.

The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sexual Characteristics Equality Act is a bill passed by Senator Risa Hontiveros, and it has been sitting in the senate for more than two decades longer than the reproductive health bill that was later passed by the late President Benigno Aquino III. It is an act that highlights the equality of rights, access, and treatment among all genders, including the LGBTQ+. The lawmaker pushed this bill for us to have an inclusive community where we accept diversity. Also, it enables everyone to have access to LGBT-related information, which can help us break the stigma among the members of the community.

Moreover, this bill polarized the opinions of the

Kill?Bill

majority, as some opposed it for prejudicial reasons. It clearly shows that the government was in favor of the dark side of the coin. In the long run, since the bill was passed, it is evident that the government is delaying this. Villanueva, the son of the founder of Jesus, Lord Church Worldwide, and who also happens to be a partylist representative in the house, says that it “threatens” the rights of those who are not in the said community. However, as per statistics made by Transgender Europe’s Trans Murder Monitoring (an initiative that tracks the murders of transgender people around the world), transgender women like Madonna Nierra are among the 50 transgender people who have been brutally murdered across the Philippines since 2010. Is it not ironic to tell people, as heterosexuals, that it threatens their rights while the marginalized minority experiences brutality from their kind just because of how they perceive themselves? It is shallow to think that oppressors are threat-

ened by a community that has been oppressed by them for a long period of time.

The religious groups across the archipelago also have a word regarding this matter and are undoubtedly opposed to it, namely, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, the Union Theological Seminary (UTS), the Intercessors for the Philippines, the Mindanao Evangelical Leaders Council, the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines, Jesus is Lord, and many more. They believed that if the bill was passed, it would become a stepping stone for legalizing same-sex marriage. This concept made by the religious groups was abolished by Senator Riza Hontiveros, who said it does not legalize same-sex marriage but rather prohibits discriminatory practices among members of the community.

Noticeably, the majority of the opposition is religion-driven or Christian-

The Fall of a King

er, it prohibits the use of existing jeepneys and encourages them to switch to the government’s suggested modernized jeep. The modernization of jeeps in general is a great starting point to ameliorate the transportation system in the Philippines. It can be more comfortable and easy to ride. However, the way our government takes measures excludes the situation of our drivers. Over 200,000 jeepneys are operating all throughout the Philippines, and alleviating them can cause more damage than fixing them.

Financial burden is one of the major reasons why this phase-out is not a great key to change. Most of the jeepney drivers are just operating the jeepneys, and they do not own them. The owners are meeting a

certain quota, and then the rest is for the jeepney drivers. An operating jeepney costs about 200,000–400,000 PHP. On the other hand, the proposed modern jeepney multiplies its cost by about 1.6 million to 2.4 million. For a jeepney rider to just have enough money to feed their family, this price can bankrupt them. It is not justifiable to phase out a cheap one that makes them live and replace it with a new one that they cannot afford.

It is mentioned that one of the government’s objectives is to lessen the air pollution that the old jeepneys create. However, they already have the power to regulate jeepneys. If this is the only reason for them to phase out jeepneys, then they should take measures that are inclusive of them.

ity-centered. However, there is a law that separates them from having power over the supreme law of the land. Article III, Section 6, of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “the separation of church and state shall be inviolable.” Therefore, the opinions and statements are voided due to the fact that the supreme law does not recognize any interference made by the religious groups. The main purpose of this bill is to have equal rights for everyone and to treat members of the community equally with those who are not. Also to have access to certain opportunities that they cannot have while this bill is not yet passed. To support this bill is also to recognize human rights that everyone should have. It is our time to push boundaries and accept that the state of our society is already diverse. We should enable acceptance and respect, not just tolerance.

They can just urge the jeepney operators to comply with quality assurance so that air pollution can be lessened. The aforementioned program by the government not only neglects the drivers but also the commuters. Individuals with a tight budget often ride jeepneys because of their affordable fare. It usually costs around 10–50 PHP, which can help them budget out everything for their necessary needs. If it is continued, then the operators are forced to raise the fare to triple the minimum fare, which affects the finances of those who wish to ride. Instead of phasing out the jeepneys, it is better to see the bigger picture. It is better to regulate those who purchase private vehicles and urge them to com-

mute. The transportation crisis is a systemic problem that should be focused on in order for them to urge private individuals to take a ride. And if this is the solution they are thinking of, then it is not an effective and efficient one.

All we wanted was a better place to live. To live in a community where those in power are in touch in reality. We keep on focusing on the little details and getting caught up in the larger picture. There are so many problems that this country is facing. Alleviating the jeepneys would cause more collateral than benefits. If this measurement continues, then we should expect the fall of a king.

The Hell in Dog Heaven

4th Impact’s “Dog Heaven” brings unpleasant impact and hell to each and every dog they possess.

Recently, the worldwide phenomenon girl group 4th Impact received numerous backlash for possessing 200 dogs in their own house. Not only that, the dogs are obviously the fruit of inbreeding, which is not advised by experts in veterinary medicine. The 200 Shih Tzu dogs are evidently at risk for certain health problems. To result in this numerous number of dogs suggests that the girl group are irresponsible pet owners. Knowing that this can cause health issues for the dogs, they seem to have ignored the fact that it happens and let the number skyrocket.

Inbreeding is the process of mating two related species. Only breeders are notorious for this type of breeding among dogs, as they gain profit from it. However, it goes another way around to the girl group. Without them being knowledgeable about the potential disaster it can bring, it also shows that they are irresponsible pet owners. Risks like deformation and disabilities such as partial or complete deafness and blindness are some of the effects of inbreeding. In addition, skin conditions can be caused by this circumstance. Not only that, but a weak immune system can be seen in inbred dogs, according to the Border Collier Rescue Organization.

Also, the issue sparked in this so-called dog heaven when one of the members, Elvira, posted a donation drive asking their supporters to raise funds in order for them to raise their loads of pets. This circumstance is just a microcosm of the unending poverty in the Philippines due to poor education about family planning. Families in the lower class tend to multiply the members of the family to the point that they resort to illegally soliciting money from people in order for them to live. The common denominator between the two situations is they lack of knowledge about reproductive planning.

Above that, after the group asked for donations for their pets, the group was seen going to a concert abroad that costs almost half a million to attend. This act of the group received backlash, raising the question that the money they spent on that concert should have been an additional fund for the necessities of the dogs. It is truly an insensitive act. Knowing that they cannot sustain the massive amount of pets they have, attending a high-rate concert after speaks that they do not value healthcare among their pets.

This is a problematic result of leaving the dogs unwatched. Since the group possesses 200 dogs, numerous complaints have also been triggered by them. A noise complaint was filed against the group. Due to the fact that they live in a subdivision, it is inevitable for the neighbors to hear such noise coming from their house. This not only challenges their responsibility as pet owners but also as citizens of their place. According to Dr. Michael Fox, the best number of dogs in a family is between 3 and 5. In his opinion, as a veterinarian and as an animal behaviorist, it is best to keep the dogs together in small packs. In this manner, the owners can have the means to provide for the needs of the dogs and also for them to control the number they can multiply.

A true heaven in animal ownership is having the means for the pets to live a sustainable life. Also for them to have the best care possible coming from the ones who are liable for their safety. 4th Impact’s actions towards inbreeding and irresponsible pet ownership are a sign that not every person should have a pet. Rather than asking for donations for the necessities of their pets, it is wise to let go of their pets and think about adoption. In that manner, it might sound like a micro action, but it can inevitably create a macro effect. This should be a call to every pet owner to watch over their pets before it is too late.

Irresponsible pet owners should not ask donors!

A Terror to Activism

In Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” it signifies that to kill a mockingbird is a sin because all it does is sing; it parallels the act of legalizing the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which is blatantly an assassination towards those who only amplify the rights of every Filipino and their freedom of speech—the activists. Republic Act No. 11479, or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, is an act to prohibit and penalize terrorism in the Philippines. It is a fight against terrorism in order to defend our motherland and refrain from conflict with notorious organizations. This law made by our legislators is a plain bullet to attack activists, and it was remarkably red-tagged by former President Duterte. With this behavior of our government, it will only be an open door for every military force to restrict the right to freedom of speech for those who call for change. Knowing that this bill was passed and approved by a dictatorial government only explains why the liberty of Filipinos is threatened and challenged.

Citizens urged the former president to veto the law as they believed it would only vilify activists, making the nation a vicious place for them to live in. However, Duterte did not listen and disregarded the message of the people who were trying to correct this dictatorial act.

In fact, by the time this law was passed, it was in the midst of a pandemic wherein activists and people were calling him out for having a poor response to the public health crisis, which affected almost every Filipino in terms of transportation, economics, and healthcare responses. Therefore, the first notion of the Filipinos is that this law is to silence them.

Nonetheless, the law’s only objective is for the citizens of the nation to have a society where peace and harmony coexist with people. Increasing defense and counterterrorism is what protects us from making the nation a threatening warzone. However, the fact that this law could pose more danger than safety is what people are calling out. As a matter of fact, there were 126 extrajudicial killings as a result of red-tagging from 2016 to 2021. Also, Maria Ressa, a Nobel Prize-winning journalist, was falsely accused of being a member of a terrorist group for being a vocal critic of the government, resulting in violence and intimidation of a government-supported media company, SMNI. Not only that, Percy Lapid, who used his decade to unveil the unjust corrupt system under Duterte and President Marcos Jr., was shot dead because of his “resistance” towards the people in power.

These people are apprehended or even brutally killed because they are accused of being members of various organizations that rebel against the government. These mere accusations can lead to death without even having strong evidence of them being one of those groups. With the law, it will only allow those who have the power to use it in villainous acts without being accountable for them because the law “allows” them to do so. The fact that these instances happen only reveals that the law was made to be a weapon for the people. It does not promulgate peace but rather endless killings for those who unmask the truth behind the rotten system of the government.

To live in a democratic country is to live where every voice matters. If the voice is being caged in a nation where they are limiting the volume of words they have to emit, then it only defeats the ideology of why we are in a democratic country in the first place. Abolishing this law would be a great start for a progressive nation where every voice is heard without any threat or fright.

Abolish Anti-Terror law; activism is not terrorism.

High Risk, Low Reward: Unchaining an Animal

Marijuana remains a subject of legal and moral debate worldwide; in the Philippines, marijuana is generally considered an illegal substance, governed mainly by the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act No. 9165). However, there have been efforts aimed at reevaluating its status, particularly for medical use. Legalizing a marijuana, known to be a gateway to more dangerous drugs, gives more risk that reward.

Most people try marijuana for the dopamine, which gives you a euphoric, relaxed feeling. That also goes for most medical marijuana nowadays. When you succumb to its effects, your thinking becomes clouded and you cannot properly perceive reality. Those results alone are terrifying to me, as excessive amounts of the substance could possibly render you a plant: losing the ability to recognize reality.

The most talked about health risk associated with marijuana is its potential to promote abuse and

addiction. There is great disagreement on this topic and scant evidence that applies specifically to marijuana used solely to relieve medical symptoms. In 2015, the Dangerous Drugs Board estimated, based on admission data in drug rehabilitation centers, that around 25% of center clients use marijuana. When people use marijuana compulsively and have trouble stopping despite the fact that their behavior causes severe problems, their diagnosis is more serious than abuse.

Another disadvantage to legalizing marijuana is that it enhances opportunities for the sellers on the black market. Prices charged by sellers licensed by the state and their taxes can easily be undercut by cartels. Furthermore, this would give illegal organizations an opportunity to earn money to commit more malicious acts.

Some people claim that marijuana opens a gateway for medication for several diseases, increase of economic growth and reduction of death due to opiate abuse are some benefits we may have upon de-

A Dangerous Fix: Fighting Fire With Fire

When one is in the wrong place in the wrong time, the Philippines transforms into a dangerous haven with criminals running rampant in the country. Deadly weapons, known for being a tool of violence, have always struck fear into the hearts of its people. But sometimes, the only solution against lethal force, is lethal force.

The government has taken action and implemented Republic Act No. 10591, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition

Regulation Act.” This allows qualified citizens to own licensed firearms. This decision has triggered concerns from the public.

Although the law has been implemented for quite a long time, the law has recently been changed. Gun-control advocates and some senators have expressed concerns over the policy change announced earlier this week by the Philippine National Police, allowing civilians to soon own semi-automatic rifles.

However, in some

cases, guns like pistols are not enough for self-defense, especially against an armed group. The law requires for the future gun owner to meet qualifications before owning a weapon. With the legalization of semi-automatic rifles to the public, they are allowed to defend themselves better and ensure the safety of their families and homes.

The Gunless Society of the Philippines (GSP) called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend the revised implementing rules and reg-

A Harsh Reality: Two Sides of a Coin

Nowadays, people are willing to do anything for internet clout. It seems that being popular in social media platforms is the goal for every young fanatic. However, nothing ever comes free.

Recently, the Department of Education has issued a show cause order against a public school teacher who went viral for scolding her students while live-streaming on TikTok. This incident led some to believe it is an overstep in classroom discipline, but educators say it is proof of deeper issues in the school system.

Said situation has been met with mixed opinions from netizens, the majority taking the students’ side. One of the more outrageous realizations is the fact that the teacher decided to livestream her berating at her students. Moreover, DepEd has given her 3 days to explain herself, and she still has no response whatsoever. The teacher (who was kept anonymous to protect her from further

criminalizing cannabis. However, we can instead use marijuana for research to make alternative products without the dangerous side effects. If they think that marijuana can indeed benefit society, why do not we make a better, safer solution?

Perhaps, some are thinking that there are people who will be exposed to too much marijuana, but by the restriction of the government that will not happen. Nevertheless, in the contemporary world, people do not care about the restrictions and still abuse the drug. I cannot even imagine what would happen if the restraints are lifted for the drug, the amount of chaos that our country would be consumed by.

No, unless we find an alternative solution, we must not legalize marijuana unless we want our society to implode. Until now this topic is still in heated debate, and I am merely one of the thousands of people who voice their opinions. It is the definition of unchaining an animal, an animal that could cause the downfall of a nation.

ulations of the 2013 law that eased the restrictions on who could own such firearms. They claim that the new changes could impact the peace and order of the already chaotic country, which would add more fuel to the fire. Indeed, the majority of heinous crimes are committed to the use of firearms. However, one of the main reasons lives are saved is because of the ability to protect said life, through any means necessary. Until the Philippines find a solution towards a peaceful

society without violence, guns are the temporary fix to the nation’s problems.

Laws created for ensuring order rarely work, the spirit of rebellion runs in the blood of many Filipinos. If the legalization guns are truly the key to open the gate to a functioning society, then so be it. Fighting fire with fire rarely works, but it is in that slim chance where hope lies, the hope that drives people to prosper.

public persecution), also had a valid point in scolding her students. According to the teacher, her students have been unruly and disrespectful, some even laughing at her. The situation with these types of students are not restricted to her classroom, it is already a widespread phenomenon.

However, that does not change the fact that she begun dehumanizing her students, treating them like dirt and spouting hurtful words. She had insulted each and every one of them, claiming that the students will never achieve anything in life, which caused immense public outrage.

Nobody is in the right in this situation. This shows the fact that even if your in the morally in the right, everything is always based on your actions. The teacher and her students are in two sides of the same coin, an old, rusted coin.

Yuri Emerson Ferrer

Yuri Emerson Ferrer

Yuri Emerson Ferrer

There was a rumor that was spread online like a plague, which mentioned that the Department of Education (DepEd) has decided to abolish the K-12 curriculum. However, this gossip has been proven false the by organization itself, and the public had mixed opinions about it’s supposed removal. It was shocking, as the implemented SHS curriculum was a valuable asset for later years.

A Revolutionary Change: Igniting Lost Stars

The “K-12” system strengthens students’ foundation in crucial subjects and skills. It also helps students master basic skills like reading and writing, which are valuable in attaining higher education and the job market. Without these, students would have a much harder time in school, since they are not equipped with the necessary knowledge to tackle on advanced problems.

In 2012 DepEd launched its K-12 Program, a comprehensive reform of its basic education. DepEd’s decision of launching its program has benefited the country and has contributed to its overall development. Through this reform, the Philippines is catching up with global standards in secondary education and is attaching a high value to kindergarten.

In 1987, or nearly three decades ago, we had 20.8 million workers employed; now we have nearly double that, or 40 million. One of the main reasons of the rapid job opportunities is the fact that we have received a higher level of education that struck the requirements for jobs in higher industries. People were supplied with essential skills and knowledge that gave

Transportation is a necessity, almost a human right, in the current world. And when it is taken away from them, people literally have no place to go.

According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the beloved E-bikes would be banned on certain national highways in Metro Manila. The regulation also includes the ban on tricycles and pushcarts on national roads. Furthermore, violators would be fined 2,500 pesos and their units would be impounded if the drivers are not able to present a drivers license. This is a huge impact on our society, as many

them better jobs, which in turn, gifted them a better life.

On the other note, critics have always looked on to parents as the primary “victims” of the K-12 education system. Given the additional two years in school, they insist that this program will bring no good and only additional financial burden for poor Filipino families. However, the money that they spend will further educate their children and give them a better chance at achieving their goals. The aforementioned goals will aid them to rise out of poverty, an investment for a better future.

Another argument that some voice is that the K-12 reform may further entrench the dominance of English in the country. According to them, it could potentially cause in-

Disabling Manila: A Critical Hit

Filipinos depend on these vehicles for transportation and business. E-bikes have gave our people a way of going to different places in an easily accessible manner.

With the ban of E-bikes, residents of Metro Manila would be forced to take public transportation, which would definitely hurt their wallets. Moreover, some would also be forced to walk, and with the underdeveloped pedestrian infrastructure in the city, the danger levels are at an all time high.

MMDA has banned these vehicles for safety reasons and traffic. They claim that there are many slow E-bikes that are not meant to be on the nation-

Undeserved Power: An Immortal Rule

Corruption, an infectious mold that has infected every nation in the world. There is no stopping it, the disinfectant to this infection is nothing but a fool’s dream in our contemporary society. They say blood runs thicker than water. Well, the disease is in that blood, blood that runs generation after generation, infecting host after host.

Political dynasties in the Philippines hold immense political power in the country. It is in that family where generations of them are blinded by power and ambition, lethal weapons in the hands of the wrong person. Members of such dynasties usually do not limit their involvement to political activities, and may participate in business or cultural activities.

Due to the increasing number of political dynasties in the Philippines, majority of the positions in government are held by politicians that are members of political dynasties. In fact, in the years 1995–2007, an average of 31.3% of all congressmen and 23.1% of governors were replaced by relatives. Political dynasties are a

equalities between the multilingual and monolinguals. However, English is an international language, and is needed to survive in the contemporary world. Learning this language opens more opportunities for almost every detail in their life.

Education is more than memorizing concepts and passing examinations. K-12 further equips students with critical thinking, collaborative, and technological skills needed to deal with the current generation, from their finances and career to their social lives and personal well-being. It gives a chance for Filipinos to shine, to reignite the lost stars of our country.

al highway. Furthermore, there are growing number of accidents that involved E-bikes, and the government is trying to prevent more from happening.

While the reason for the ban is reasonable, it is important to consider that E-bikes are the only choice for some of us. The day the plan is executed, it would leave a lasting impact on our people. Indeed, there are better modes of transportation, but people just have to take what they can.

Until we find an alternative solution, we are forced to simply endure their decision. The ban of E -bikes is indeed, a critical hit, on the nation’s people.

symbol of power, a living reminder that they will continue to rule our lands for as long as they exist.

These families do not have a clean name either. After all, the 10 poorest provinces in the Philippines are ruled by political dynasties. According to one study, these provinces “are afflicted by low levels of human development, bad governance, violence and poor business climates.”

However, these dynasties do have their advantages. For one, dynastic politicians are more likely to pursue long-term development-oriented strategies since they expect to hold power and benefit from their position for longer. This is usually set in contrast to non-dynastic politicians who would, under this theory, have less incentive to develop due to their limited term.

Influence and wealth are the two things that lead people into positions of power. This mindset runs in the very being of these families, it is what they are. Political dynasties give power to those who do not deserve it, granting power for centuries, an immortal rule.

Yuri Emerson Ferrer

Yuri Emerson Ferrer

Yuri Emerson Ferrer

EDITORIAL BOARD

Vinz Ivan Balingcongan

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bea Marie Dulay Joaquin Jose Miranda

MANAGING EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

Divine Grace Bohol

NEWS WRITERS

Charles Jimenez

Sofia Fausto

SPORTS EDITOR

Kevin Dale Daniel

SPORTS WRITERS

Daniella Bulan

Catherine Agustin

Christine Pascual

OPINION EDITOR

Rhian Cabote

OPINION WRITERS

Yuri Emerson Ferrer

Jhanin Chua

Kate Hizon

SCIENCE EDITOR

Renileen Adriano

SCIENCE WRITER

Alliah Serrano

FEATURE EDITOR

Lovely Novesteras

FEATURE WRITERS

Jannah Cinense

Claire Purificacion

Jerrilyn Adriano

LEAD CARTOONIST

Ma. Fionah Alliyah Daniel

CARTOONISTS

Catherine Francisco

Zum De Tumol

Shane Paraiso

LEAD PHOTOHOURNALIST

Alisha Espino

PHOTOJOURNALIST

Marie Cris Waminal

LEAD COPYREADER AND HEADLINE WRITER

Ayeesha Arcilla

COPYREADER AND HEADLINE WRITER

Lenard Cabico

RADIO AND TV BROADCASTERS

Kim Baustista

Coreen Ili

Marvin Esteban

Mariel Zamora

Mariane Martin

Clayne Pascua

Micaella Pineda

Sean Balingcongan

Bryle Magtoto

Janine Adona

Angelo Francisco

Diane Doblado

Ivan Constantino

LEAD LAYOUT ARTIST

Jillian Cauzon

LAYOUT ARTISTS

Erika De Leon

Elaiza Gialogo

Craile Matias

A SCHOOL’S LUCKY CLOVER

Jerilyn Adriano

The sounds of whispers filled the room but only a loud, booming voice filled everyone’s ears. His words exude vigor, precise movements filled with grace were seen as he introduces himself, “I am Vinz Ivan S. Balingcongan from 11-Timothy STEM C, running for the position of Vice president.” With conviction and hope, he flashed everyone with a goal. To become a leader whom the students can rely on. However, too much reliance can become a burden, so what can one person do with all the expectations?

Born on the 24th of October 2005, at 18 years old, his life radiates hardship, from family and financial problems to academic burnout and bullying, his road was not a smooth one often filled with obstacles that blocked his way. But he is a man filled with determination since young. In grade school, he was always the top of his class from Grade 1-5. Even through hardships, he never lost sight of his goal. An honor student all through Junior high school. But what comes with his achievements is the crushing weight of expectations. Grade 9 was the peak of his difficulties, overwhelmed with responsibilities in SSG, as a Grade 9 representative, in modulars and studies. He barely held on.

By Grade 10, he dropped from being a high honor student to with honors. It was a bittersweet result, especially from someone who always stood on top, he had no choice but to accept it.

ang na-experience ko.”

While Schola Christi, Inc. provided a better environment for him, it was not perfect. With his determined and competent personality, he often took a leader role and through that, he took on more responsibilities. On top of maintaining his grades, he was always the one who did their research, and he was the string that kept the Student Council from falling apart.

However, through the company of his friends and the improvement of his skills, even with the increase of responsibilities, it did not feel like a chore or a burden. He was able to explore more freely, and most importantly, he was happy. This year, he became the Editor in chief, Anchor, and mentor for all aspiring journalists of Schola Christi Inc. He went in with only the knowledge of a feature writer, but through hard work, he learned and taught all 9 categories while continually coaching students for the competition, a job meant for the teachers, but he successfully did it with his busy schedule as a student.

He goes by the quote, “A jack of all trades but a master of none is always better than a master of one.” A quote that perfectly embodies him who learned every category despite being only a feature writer.

Adding on to his problems are his family, the government and

tance of putting his energy to solace in familiar old

His inspiration? His grandmother and a friend who has long passed. His grandmother served as a protector for him against his problematic family and his friend whose mindset was like his which provided him with understanding.

Vinz is only an 18-year-old student, yet he is a leader and a role model for many students. A feat worthy of admiration. Throughout the years, he has earned many achievements, not just as a student but as a person. He is often the president of his class and participates in many activities such as quiz bee, scrabble, word factory, and badminton. He harbors many talents ranging from dancing and singing.

He is a person we all strive to be and as his graduation comes close, he gives his final advice for the next school leaders: “You should always learn to stand on your own, kasi hindi lahat sa paligid mo ay magiging kakampi mo. A lot of times you will find yourself alone. Life can be so unfair but that’s what makes it life itself. Do not tolerate resiliency, do not tolerate that mindset, kung hindi mo kaya, magpahinga. Gawin kung kaya mo lang gawin ulit, kasi ikaw yung mauubos. And that should be something aspiring leaders should swallow. Always speak up if your boundaries are trampled on, just as how the saying goes, speak your truth even if your voice shakes. I wish nothing but peace and fulfillment for all the leaders and aspiring leaders out there.”

The Hands that should be Playing Cards

Is it possible for a little girl to grow into a woman in a matter of seconds?

If you ask the smartest person, you will get a definite no. Because any folk with common sense knows that it is logically and theoretically impossible even for the stupidest of

But, when I was a little girl, my home was an old run-down house packed with people. They are individuals I once held dearest to and some I’ve long forgotten. On occasion, the memories of those hazy times resurface, hitting me with nostalgia. The wooden staircase with its distinct scent, and the creaks it would make every time someone took a step, the dust-filled attic I used to treat as a hiding spot, a safe haven, and my sweetest aunt’s melodious laughter that I will nev-

All of these made up my childhood, shaping me into who I am today. There’s also another thing I still remember through the fog of my memories, a pair soft hands that has never known hardship, playing cards with friends without a care in the world. The sweet innocence of children wafting through the air. This is what children should act like. Ignorant and selfish, all excused because we were little. But tell me, who can stay little forever? Soon, we grow up. The little girl that I once was, matured into something not quite a woman but also not a child. Regardless, in the eyes of society, I was still a little girl. And that little girl would play cards with friends she won’t remember, until they move to a place so unfamiliar with a language she couldn’t understand. There was no one to play cards with her, and in her solitude, she felt emptiness for the first time.

In solitude, she desperately craved connections. She entered the world of social media, and perhaps, at that moment, her whole

I AM

“Make a wish on a shooting star and it might just come true.” is what they always say. What would you wish for if you had one chance?

I had this dream, couple of nights ago. I remember waking up with shivers all over my spine, cold sweat all over my body, and the image of my shaking hands reaching for the night lamp to open it.

I dreamt of these, and I didn’t like it one bit.

It’s actually a reoccurring experience, because the moment I thought I’ve escaped it, I began waking up to the same dream all over again.

And so, I did. But this time... I am not alone.

Lots of people I don’t know were around me, screaming, crying, shaking and full of rage.

What is it that they need? What is happening?

I saw exactly five frames of people, their clothes covered with dirt and blood, helping each other hand and hand as they pulled different bodies of people guiding them to the basement.

Being afraid was an understatement, I felt all the hairs in different parts of my body stood up as I saw their image slowly disappearing from my sight. But still, I followed them.

I saw them putting the bodies in a big container that connects to the underground, making everything you put there disappear in a blink of an eye.

I stumbled as I shiver at the sight making them look around, I hid at the corner, praying and hoping for a miracle that by any chance, they didn’t see me.

Fortunately, they didn’t. Unfortunately, I saw them.

I saw their names on the back of their dirty and full blood polo shirts. Under the collar are the names enforcement, prosecution, judiciary, penology, and the community.

The justice system of

word came rocking down. Strong, independent woman were treated like little girls and the little girls were being treated as woman. I n 2000, 1 in 3 women reported being married off as a child. Though the rates have gone down to 1 in 5, it is still a practice going on in the world. Why? Why is that happening? They are children. They should be free, not chained down in marriage.

Why is such a practice still ongoing? And it’s not just that, millions of children were reported being groomed online. According to a report, there’s 5% of pedophiles in the world. It’s not just online that this is happening but majority of which the pedophile being a family member, someone who the child trusted. And 70% of child offenders have 2-9 victims, with 20% of child offenders having molested 400 children in their lifetime.

Why are the adults who were supposed to protect the children, harming them? The children, whose hands should be playing cards, without a care in the world, are having their innocence sold and their life ruined. Why are we not doing anything? Why are we forcing these children to grow into adults? All it took was one monster to ruin hundreds of lives. Why is that?

Why?

As she scrolls down in haste, as she reads the thundering news, her worldview started to change, and her world shattered, she realized that, in that moment, in a matter of seconds, she too, had grown up into a woman.

Life was never the same in that realization. But it’s worse for the children who had their hands tainted for the adult’s greed. Now, here I am standing as a 16-year-old girl, a child by law but in a matter of seconds, for the children whose hands should be playing cards, I will grow up into a woman and protect them, who the adults have failed.

And so, to answer my first question, yes, it’s possible.

the Philippines? But why?

This night is far more different from all the past nights I’ve been experiencing; I woke up a lot more relaxed than ever. It feels like the weight has been removed from my shoulders, it almost felt like the truth has finally set me free.

My dream was me wishing on a shooting star, I wished for a better justice system, I wished for the safety of all the shouting, crying and full of rage people in my past dreams, my fellow Filipinos.

But is wishing on a shooting star a sane thing to do? How much would it

help to fix a broken thing? Now that we all know that the Philippine justice system is plagued with corruption. The country ranks 113th out of 180 countries in the world studied by Transparency International in terms of Corruption Perception Index. Then I realized, this isn’t a dream. This is the reality. And I know by now that the last thing to do is to wish upon a silly shooting star waiting for change. It’s about time to realize that I am the shooting star, I’ve come so far that I cannot go back to where I used to be.

Enlightened eyes will never close again.

Lovely Russel Novesteras

Jerilyn Adriano

ETERNAL SLUMBER

As I stood amidst the bustling city streets, a sudden chill crept through my veins, sending shivers down my spine. Glancing around, I realized something was terribly wrong. Everyone around me appeared normal, their flesh warm and vibrant, but

I... I was changing.

A strange sensation washed over me, like icy tendrils snacking their way through my body. With horror, I watched as my skin began to shimmer, taking on a translucent quality. Panic seized me as I stumbled backward, drawing alarmed stares from the passersby.

With each step, the transformation accelerated, the glassy sheen spreading like a malignant disease. Desperation fueled my ascent as I stumbled up the creaking stairs, the attic looming before me like a beacon of hope amidst the encroaching darkness.

Before I knew it, I turned into glass: fragile, exposed, and invisible. I fell down at once, shattering at the touch of the ground. In the dim light filtering through cobweb-covered windows, the glass reflects the somber mood that pervades the air. Memories, long buried beneath layers of dust and neglect, resurface with each glint of light, haunting me with their bittersweet whispers of a past lost to time.

When did it start? It’s been years; I thought it was over, but I was wrong. It never left; it had always been inside of me. Depression is like an insidious darkness that resides within, sometimes dormant but always lurking, waiting for the right moment to resurface with even greater intensity. Or was it even contained within? Perhaps it was ensnared within a cage crafted of glass, explaining why at times it fades from my sight, only to return with a haunting persistence from a trigger of some kind.

These shattered fragments of me, imbued with the hues of vibrant dyes, possess the potential to intertwine and form a wondrous piece of art, a symphony of brilliance waiting to unfold into a masterpiece—a mosaic. Yet, even amidst their mesmerizing beauty, they remain susceptible to the slightest touch. After all, no matter how heavenly a piece of artwork made of glass is, it is still only made of glass, easily shattered and broken.

Just like happiness, no matter the radiance of your joy, as long as the unhealed pain lingers within, it will inevitably resurface to haunt you in the days that follow.

In the stillness of the attic, I find myself drawn into a silent dialogue with the ghosts of yesterday, as they seem to materialize in the silence, their lamentations echoing through the void. Regrets and what-ifs dance like specters in the gloom, entwining with the dust particles suspended in the air. Why didn’t I do that? I shouldn’t have done that. What if I had taken another path? What if? What if?

Outside, the world continues its indifferent march, oblivious to the tragedy unfolding within these forsaken walls. But here, surrounded by the remnants of a dismantled life, time becomes a cruel captor, trapping me in a relentless cycle of yearning and desolation.

Days stretch into an eternity, and weeks dissolve into a bottomless abyss as resignation claws at the edges of my consciousness. What is left when all that remains is shattered glass and shattered dreams? Yet, amidst the oppressive darkness, a feeble flicker of hope persists—a stubborn flame refusing to succumb to the encroaching shadows. But alas, as I reach out to grasp that elusive shining flame of hope, it slips through my fingers like grains of sand, leaving me stranded in the desolate landscape of my own despair. And in that moment of crushing defeat, I realize that perhaps some wounds never truly heal, and some dreams are meant to remain forever fragmented.

My yearnings will repeat themselves inside this shimmering glass cage for all of time. I do not know when my mind started to think of ways to escape instead of surviving. With a heart heavy with sorrow and eyes blurred by tears, I surrender to the icy embrace of oblivion, seeking solace in an eternal slumber.

Mental illness casts a somber shadow, affecting millions worldwide. Each year, the silent toll of depression claims the lives of 700,000 souls, while 280 million grapples with its weight. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for greater attention to mental health. It’s also crucial to delve deeper into the care provided to patients in mental health facilities, as the shortage of staff and prevalent stereotypes often result in mistreatment resembling that of prisoners or animals.

The question arises: Will humanity awaken to the importance of mental wellness only if all of humanity departs into slumber for all eternity?

Dear FUTURE me

I think I don’t like this little life.

Greetings! to anyone who is reading this, it’s currently the 15th day of February at 10:34 am and I write this journal in hopes that my future self will have something to look back on.

Let us start with what happened today; I took a nap, but my mom woke me up with her nagging as I forgot to take the clothes inside. She was right of course, but couldn’t she have waited until I woke up? She tells me I never listen to her, but I do. School has been stressing me out lately with loads of work, but my friends are a lot of fun. I love them with all my heart.

It’s now the 17th day of February. It’s raining heavily, my mom came back home late and began screaming again. The clothesline broke from the heavy rain, why does she have to blame me? I’m tired of this. My friend at school also seems to be avoiding me, am I assuming things or should I talk to her?

It’s already March 16 and it has been a while since I last updated this journal. I found out that my friend thought I was crushing on her boy friend. He and I never even talk, where did she get the information from? I fixed our clothesline, but my mother didn’t say anything, not even a thank you. My life is a mess but at least I have my dog.

get better.

It’s now the 23rd of April, I did my laundry today after weeks. It’s summer break and I have nothing to do. The clothesline never broke again after I fixed it, it’s now sturdier than ever and can hold a lot of weight. My blanket feels soft and cold to the touch. However, my mother and I barely talk anymore, I’m not sure why she’s upset with me, I just don’t

It’s April 5. I’m sobbing. My dog just died, and I can’t find it within me to focus on anything else. My grades are dropping, everything and everyone seems to be against me. Is this just my imagination? Future self, please tell me it will

Today is May 2nd. I’ve been curious lately, what do you think will happen if we die? Will we go to heaven? Will my body just lay underground for all eternity? Is death painless? If only I could choose, I wish I could be revived to life much easier than this.

It’s the 3rd of May, I learned from the internet that approximately 700,000 people die from suicide every year. Is that even true? On a planet where billions of people reside, that seems like a small number but at the very least, now I know I’m not alone.

To anyone who is reading this. It’s currently the 9th of May at 11:06 am. To my past self, I’m sorry, it did not get better for us. I’m so scared to get help because people forgot about me. Tomorrow, I won’t be able to read this. On the chance that my mother finds this journal; Mom, thank you for the life you have given me and I’m sorry for taking it away. I fixed the clothesline, now you’ll know it will never break again as you will never have someone to be angry at.

I love you mom; I loved this little life.

Jerilyn Adriano

Jerilyn Adriano

Condolences to T.O.W.C.T.K.

Vinz Ivan Balingcongan

They say every conversation starts with “hi” and ends with goodbye. But how does one end a conversation which started with “why”?

I have lived in this world for 18 years.

Almost 6,700 days of traversing such a complicated place of existence. And in all those years, I have killed hundreds, no, thousands of very different people. In fact, I met thrice the amount of people I have killed yet no one really knew that I was a killer.

Murderous motives, hidden proofs, and unjustified actions. These were my partners in crime and there wasn’t really a time where I questioned my everyday bloodbath. I was well aware that it was an act of eleutheromania -- an intense and irresistible desire for freedom.

Freedom for what? you ask. Freedom to simply do everything with ease, say every word with courage, or to sum it up, enjoy every bit of my metanoia.

But you might be curious, why kill? I know killing is a heinous crime. However, in this world of ours, to kill is to survive. You must first kill before others get the chance to kill you and I admit, it’s sick. No one deserves to be killed let alone take another person’s valuable life, so I mourned. I mourned for every life I took, every breath I stopped, and every person I killed.

Ironic, isn’t it? But I do know that I deserve to mourn. For every life I took, every breath I stopped, and every person I killed within those thousands of people is but a fragment of who I am. I was the one I killed. A killing of no killing.

At this point in time, a question that might linger within every other mind I know is “why?” and to answer my first question, it is but to end nothing at all. A conversation that started with “why?”

can’t find its conclusion with just one definite answer. It was a sample space within a mirage of reasons. A cultivation of unsaid validations. A question that can’t be given a fine line. Why did I kill every version I created of me?

A survey by SWS found that 74 percent of Filipinos are looking to change themselves for the better while 20 percent say they would not change anything in their lives. But within 18 years, I have given this question no answer at all. But I realized that maybe that was the answer --- to not answer at all.

As a living being capable of changing every second of everyday life, you are not entitled to give everyone an explanation. Your change is but a normal reaction to life’s unending array of challenges. To adapt was your way to survive, and that’s okay. It will forever be okay.

So just like what I did, mourn. Mourn for every version of you that you chose to destroy, to change, to develop, and to utilize for your own improvement whether you liked it or not and whether it was your intention to kill them or not. Everyone has their own reasons but not everyone deserves to know all your reasons.

And just like a candle, you might burn yourself a million times to get the perfect flare and melt your wax away, but it will stay. Melted, but it will stay. A part of you will always be a part of you. What is dead once had a soul, so you will know that the souls of the versions you killed will be there as proof that you once were them. And so, to them, there’s nothing left to say but condolences. Mourn and say condolences to TOWCTK --- The ones we chose to kill.

I have lived thousands of lives.

I am once a daughter, a mother, a teacher, a chef, a priest, a hero and all the possible professions ever existed in this world.

I am a daughter; I must live up to my family’s expectations of me. I must be kind and act foolish in order for society to see me as a woman, I have to act so fragile the world would have no choice but to take it easy on me.

I am a mother, a wife. I should always know what to do, I should always know what to say and I should never make my husband feel inferior to me, because I am a woman, and I shouldn’t make a man feel that way.

I am a teacher, a chef, a priest, and a hero, all at once.

I am a writer. I have lived the lives of the people I wrote about, I have felt every little emotion they felt at the moment, I have thought about all the silly things they have thought about, I have done every single thing they

A Thousand Lives in Exchange of Mine

Lovely Russel Novesteras

have done, whether it is for good or for bad. I have no choice but to live it, I had no choice but to live, because it is the only way I can go through in order to understand them, in order to write about them.

I cannot just lay it all in the paper in front of me without reliving it, I cannot write all of that and feel nothing, I cannot express my sentiments without really being sentimental about it. I have to know; I have to speak. So, you see? I have lived a thousand lives; I chose to live a thousand lives because that is the only way I can make justice for the lives of the people I have lived.

However, there are questions that have been bugging me since then.

When do I live my own life? When will this ever end? When will the lives and stories I wrote about stop reflecting me? When will I feel free to say what I want to say and do what I want to do? More importantly, when

Writers, Painters, Musicians FEATURE

will I feel safe in my own comfort homeland?

If I know for a fact that the Philippines is widely regarded as among the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) says journalists face threats such as red-tagging, cyber libel and physical attacks. These things have left me with no choice but to forget who I am and turn my back to the life I am supposed to be living, because If I don’t live the lives of the people I have encounter while writing, I am forced to be reminded of who I am and what I do, making the world hate me, and give them the chance to hurt me physically with the excuse that I hurt them verbally first.

And so, I lived a thousand lives, in exchange for keeping mine.

Fathers make painters while mothers make writers.

Such an interesting and explicable quote able to touch one’s heart from deep within the territory of the soul. But how come I, a healing child of both, can eagerly create a simple masterpiece with art and words?

They say I was seen facing downwards. Sitting on a corner with my hands on my two tired eyes, stopping every tear from falling to the rhythm of pain I felt as my father’s belt brutally touched my skin, complimenting his hand as it pinched my cheeks to get my face closer to him and say words, I was not ready to bear. Devastatingly looking for someone willing to help my body crawl out of the situation that I was cornered in.

Then they say I was seen facing upward. Feeling my mother’s hand pull through the strands of my hair while pointing her index finger right at my face. Saying words, I was never really meant to hear as a child who lacked an inch of awareness about the life I’m about to live with the alternating torture of a hand slapping my face, over and over again. Devastatingly looking for someone willing to help my body crawl out of the situation that I was cornered in.

But then they say I was looking at the places beside me. As I heard the laugh of my younger brother astound me to the pitiful being that I am. There he was, sitting on a chair beside me with the most gut wrenching look I have ever seen. A glare filled with ruthless-

ness about my moment, entertained by the screams I outcried. I, once again, devastatingly looked for someone willing to help my aching body crawl out of the situation I was cornered in.

Lastly, they say I looked from afar and saw my grandmother cry tears of agony at what I was experiencing from the open door of our house, leading to the kitchen. Standing with shaking legs as she knows that my parents were way stronger than her weak body, not able to do anything but watch and wave her hand to utter the message “come to me, after” with not a single sound from her mouth. There I was, for the last time, devastatingly looking for someone willing to help my aching body crawl out of the situation I was cornered in.

So, I closed my eyes, to see the limitless domain I have within my own mind. I still felt the pain as they continued to do what they were great at, but the pitch-black darkness made my wounds somewhat bearable. I found comfort. As I heard the news that close to 9,000 child abuse cases were recorded throughout the country last year revealed by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC). I opened my eyes and here I was sitting on my bed at 4:57 pm on the 6th of July 2023. I was only brought back to that traumatic day, but why?

They say fathers make painters while mothers make writers, and somehow, I am quite able to do both. Not a great one, but still able.

And this certain nostalgic moment of pain led me to the conclusion that the me I am right now is created by my family. A child of my mother and father, the brother of my brother, and the grandson of my grandmother. However, I also had an interest in singing and dancing. So that brings me to the question, who creates musicians? In fact, who creates who?

A simple answer I can grant is, you. You create what you are right now. Because I too, was once a being not able to comprehend the way and understand my own self. Yet, I somehow gained talents to confidently say that I am a jack of all trades but a master of none. How?

Because I realized that I utilized my father’s actions to efficiently make art, used my mother’s hurtful words to write, made use of my brother’s mocking laugh and dance to its rhythm, and realized with my grandmother’s whisper that I can transform my screams into a melody worth hearing. I made me, me. It was only their influence that got oneself to a transformative action.

Yet, I am still thankful for my family. I love them with all my heart because without them, I wouldn’t be able to become a writer, a painter, and a musician.

Vinz Ivan Balingcongan

EARTH HOUR: WORKING TOGETHER AS ONE.

Lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007 becomes a wellknown worldwide movement called Earth hour that aims to encourage people from all over the globe to give some time for our planet.

At 8:00am local time on the 23rd of March, millions have already united for the long-awaited 18th movement in support for our planet. On 6:00am GMT on the 24th of March, Earth hour has earned support from more than 180 countries and collecting contributions over 1.4 million hours, achieving their goal of surpassing last year’s hours with many more to come as many places’ celebrations are still yet to end. As one of the countries, Philippines, as soon as the clock hits 8:30PM joins the symbolic movement that aims to better the world.

The Philippines do not only plan to diminish its lights but in-

Renileen Adriano

stead will also focus on highlighting the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable living.

The Department of Energy (DOE) takes significant strides to promote the movement, giving in their full support for the Earth’s hour, as this event is well needed for the country’s future.

and various agencies unite as one as they realize the importance of energy consumption in climate change and is in the forefront when it comes to spreading awareness and educating the public, as well as finding measures for better environmental conservation.

Many tourist spots and national landmarks have also closed their lights to support this movement. Popular locations include the Niagara Falls, the Eiffel tower, Tokyo tower, the Colosseum, Beijing national stadium, and so many more.

Many companies and agencies have made their move, such as Local government unit LGUs) implementing strict waste management and policies that promotes recycling and clean-ups in coastal areas and The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) continues to lead reforestation efforts and biodiversity conservation programs. Because the Philippines is a country that’s vulnerable to climate change, the need to build resilience is important. The Climate Change Commission (CCC) works tirelessly to develop strategies that enhance the country’s ability to withstand the effects of climate change, from rising sea levels to extreme weather events.

“The need is urgent. Our climate is collapsing. Last year was the hottest ever. Earth Hour is a global show of solidarity for taking a different path. It demonstrates the

power each of us has in the fight for our future.” António Guterres the Secretary-General of United Nations says.

Protecting our planet is a shared responsibility and it demands collective action from every corner of society. Together, we’ve ignited a beacon of hope, illuminating the path towards a sustainable future. The 1.4 million hours given to earth shows how environmentalism can be accessible, enjoyable, and personally meaningful.” Kirsten Schuijt, Director General, WWF International explains.

With many people and agencies working hard in supporting this movement of change and improve the environment to greener levels, the planet now has a higher chance for a better future.

DOST: A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM OF MIRACLES

DOST Scholarship, a program used to entice gifted Filipino students into pursuing science and technology to ensure a steady and adequate supply of quality S&T human resources for the country has opened for a new set of scholars in October.

Formed on January 30, 1987, during the rule of President Carlos P. Garcia, the department of Science and Technology (DOST) is the leading group behind the Philippines’ government responsible for the coordination of science and technology-related projects, and to establish policies on the topic of Science and Technology in the name of national development. For the aim of increasing and strengthening the nation’s knowledge and education in science and technol-

ogy, the JLSS (E-scholarship application system) plans to increase the number of engineers and scientists for the sake of bettering the economy regarding science and technology. The scholarship program offers different type of scholarships under R.A. 10612, R.A. 7687, and the Merit Scholarship program. Students qualified for R.A. 10612 and R.A.7687 will receive funding from the government, with privileged access to tuition fees, book allowances, monthly living allowances, and other school fees for a year. The same could be said for the scholars of Merit scholarship program but it differs as their benefits exclude the monthly tuition based on family’s socio-economic status.

However, upon completing the scholarship, the gradu-

Renileen Adriano

ates must continue to work the same as the time they spent during the scholarship. Students of the merit scholarship program and R.A. 7687 is expected to work in the field they specialized in while the passers of R.A. 10612 shall teach full time subjects related to what they learned in public and private high schools for two years.

With the funding of Php 7,000 per month, the highest living allowances by the government, this is one of the most beneficial scholarship programs in the country yet. As it is also a merit-based program, that focuses on the student’s excellent skills in specific fields, the talent of a youth will not go to waste once chosen.

“My journey of college life was made easier with the benefits of being a DOST

scholar. It was year 2010. My stipend then of Php 4,000 a month made me independent. I bothered my parents less and I accounted for my own actions. I was confident because it was my money. I was also thrifty enough to buy my own cellphone and laptop.” Said by a former scholar of DOST, Esther Bobod Buticguitobon.

“I was very happy and overwhelmed at the same time because I was one of those who qualified to the DOSTSEI Scholarship,” added Rey, who finished his Grade 12 STEM strand at Harris. The DOST-SEI scholarship is a miracle for families on the poorer side financially. It helps showcase the student’s talent and let it bloom without the worry of paying student debt.

“I’m very happy that my son qualified in the [Depart-

ment of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI)] scholarship program. It helped him have college education because I have no money to send him to school. I am just a farmworker in corn farms, and my husband has died,” Gina Diwangan told Business Mirror in an interview.

Online Application for the scholarship in 2023-2024 started on October 17, 2023 and ended on December 15 on the same year.

In a significant achievement, 247 aspiring scholars from the Caraga region passed among a total of 9,776 qualifiers nationwide in the 2023

DOST-SEI S&T Undergraduate Scholarship.

These intelligent individuals can carry the country’s future economy of science and technology to soar higher levels.

Students from Schola Christi, Inc. celebrate another day of the year dedicated to appreciating science-themed activities and competitions for the talented students to enjoy.

In the year 2023 specifically, Principal Ezer S. Guillermo Ed. D. hosted two exciting events for Junior high students: poster making and science quiz bee where many artistic and smart students of grades 7 to 10 participated.

For the Junior high competition, the poster-making contest occurred inside the Bethlehem building where six students participated in one room and were challenged with a limit of 2 hours.

Once the participants finished, they waited an hour before the awarding ceremony took place.

Together with the present students

TALENTS OF THE SCIENCE MONTH

Renileen Adriano

of Schola Christi, Inc. the participants assembled at Christ, the King Gym where a champion and 4 runner-ups were chosen to climb up the stage and be awarded.

The thrilling announcements of winners took the participants’ hearts by storm but at last, there could only be one champion.

Amid the announcement and the dying crowd, the champion took her place with glee. Jublegene Anfercie C. Gonzales from 9-Joseph was triumphant as she took her winning certificate and exited the stage.

The next day comes an event chosen only by specific individuals, the long-awaited, Quiz bee contest. The opponents were grades 7 and 8 to grades 9 and 10. The exciting contest was held once again in classrooms of the Bethlehem Building and under the watch of teachers, the

“DANGEROUS

A dog raised by wolves will howl at the moon.

nerve-racking contest began. The contest ended only after an hour and 30 minutes, the coming out quiz bee champion was once again from the section Joseph, the 9th-grade students, Jerilyn S. Adriano and Renileen S. Adriano. They took over the championship and got a certificate paper later on at the awarding ceremony.

“Well, noong nalaman ko po na kalaban namin ay grade 10, and we only had like a few days to study, I was nervous to say the least. But, since it was in groupings, we decided to work together and separate the lessons in parts and share it so the burden can lessen.” Stated by Jerilyn Adriano, one of the winners. However, the events didn’t consist of only Junior high students as the senior high department also had their events such as the jingle mak-

DELICACIES”

Renileen Adriano

If the world befalls an apocalypse of brain-eating zombies, it will only be a race against time and only two choices will be in your hand’s reach: to survive in a dead world or be a dead, mindless, hungry corpse desperate to find the warmth of life.

For a person stranded in an apocalypse where every corner of the street is filled with roaming corpses, a surge of helplessness and fear will eat their being before any walking zombie could. After all, in any crisis that passes, the determination to live is what determines your fate.

You are what you consume.

One of the biggest causes of pressure comes from the media and the people that surround us. Especially for young children who are naïve and will listen to every word loitering inside their community, raising them into something society wants even if they do not. Pressure will build up into a pile like a mountain and become unbearable and they will need a form of relief to calm down.

One of the most common coping mechanisms today is Stress Eating. According to the data published by the American College Health Association in 2009, 36.7% of college students are overweight and obese due to severe stress from schoolwork and peer pressure.

The undead’s hunger will not dissipate until it gets what it doesn’t have, a life.

In a village where a child resides, it is also where his mentality forms. If the parents do not teach proper eating habits or feed the child the food he

ing competition and the skillful and amazing eco-photography.

The 11th graders displayed the masterful way of eco-photography. All the participants have submitted their photos and did their best, but the winner must be the most skilled of all. Mel Dungao from 11-Colossians bags the victory.

Meanwhile, for the SCI Jingle contest, a group from 12-Galatians called Innovators were awarded as the champions with their 3-minute video led by Vinz Ivan Balingcongan.

“The experience was quite stressful given that we only crammed the whole process from conceptualizing the lyrics to editing the video, but it was fun and fulfilling because we were awarded as champions for the competition. Our efforts were rewarded.” says Innovators’ leader.

needs, he will grow and eat without restrictions, face discrimination from others, and feel cruelty and anxiety. Then, he finds comfort in foods that he never had in his childhood. The cycle continues until the end of his life if not put to a stop as 44% of children with obesity experienced bullying compared to overweight and underweight children, fact checked by Elaine Hinzey, a researcher.

Slow, dirty, foul, dumb. There are many words to describe a zombie, however, there is one thing a zombie can’t do. Discriminate. It will eat those who will fill its hunger because to them, everyone is just made of flesh and bones.

According to the survey between July 2021 to June 2022, 38.6% of adults aged 20 to 59 in the Philippines were diagnosed as obese or overweight due the poverty experienced by the country.

There is a stereotype prominent in the minds of people that when poverty is mentioned, the initial thought is that the people that suffer from it cannot be obese as there is no food to eat. While this is true, in extreme cases of poverty, people are starving until bones show, but in other places, people still find things that they can eat for survival.

A zombie will always be just a corpse, but they were once humans that once had life and memories which caused them to be what they are now. Obesity and poverty are problems that can have a solution if we face it together, it is but the apocalypse of the mind that we need to eradicate before it turns into an apocalypse of the world.

APOCALYPES OF THE MIND

French fries, frozen pizza, sweet cakes, round pies, all these foods contain one specific similarity, the kind that can cause heart risks and problems, it takes the throne for worst of all solid fats, a type of dietary fat, the Trans-fat. Foods found everywhere, street food, canteen food and perhaps even your mother’s homemade food can contain trans-fat. The use of processed food is prominent in today’s time.

What makes Trans-fat the worst fat? it decreases HDL cholesterol (High-density lipoprotein cholesterol) also known as “good” cholesterol and increases LDL cholesterol (Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) or “bad” cholesterol. “Good” (HDL) cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to the liver while “bad” (LDL) cholesterol can build up in arteries and makes it narrow. Trans fat is to be eaten in small amounts or not at

Renileen Adriano

all. Let us limit our intake of trans fat by lessening the intake of sweet drinks and red meat, find substitutes for butter, and use unhydrogenated oil for cooking.

Instead, let’s eat and fill our diets with vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, and unprocessed foods. Many varieties of healthy foods without trans-fat, including, Yogurt that has no artificial sweeteners, beans, rice, coffee, or tea, wheat bread, natural juices, and many more. All delicious options to try.

However, just because a food product does not have trans-fat doesn’t make it 100℅ healthy. Foods such as tropical oils, coconut, palm kernels, and palm oil can contain what we call saturated fat.

Saturated fats are not as bad as trans-fat, but it is not recommended to eat more than 10℅ as part of

a healthy diet.

Don’t try to eat less but instead try to eat right. Fats are needed by our body to give us energy in the form of calories. Fats also help us absorb vitamins such as A, D, and E. And lastly, fats make the food more flavorful, delicious, and fulfilling. That is why you should not cut fat off entirely as it is beneficial to your body.

Eat the right fats instead. The ones needed in our body are unsaturated fats such as Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats that can cause lower disease risk. Nuts, seeds, and fish are big examples of healthy fats.

The secret to getting ahead is to get started. lead a healthy journey in life and start by following the right diet. Be healthy and be happy.

One long afternoon, the summer sun radiating above, a summer breeze swaying all the trees surrounding this school. A group of students were in a room setting up an interview that could give many a reason to always give it their all, starting with one simple question “Who is Sir. Ryan Pangan?”

“Ako si Ryan Chris Pangan, 26 years of age from Maestrang Kikay, Talavera, Nueva Ecija. Tinapos ko ang aking kurso na Bachelor of Physical Education

Major in Sports and Wellness Management sa Adamson University, Manila taong 2020.”

As he answered a student’s inquiry into his past. An inconspicuous Senior High School teacher, but once a UAAP Baseball champion.

A young boy with a loving family of 6, with 2 older sisters and 1

younger brother. He was unfortunately born with a lung disease commonly known as bronchitis, a condition that develops when the airways in the lungs become inflamed, causing cough often with mucus production. It was this boy’s dream to successfully go to a prestigious university in Manila. He fell in love with sports primarily because of his father, as he was intrigued and fascinated with such a concept. Yet his ailment stopped him from doing the physical aspects that sports would require.

“To be honest, hindi ako pinapayagan sumali sa sports ng aking mga magulang nung ako ay nasa elementarya pa lamang, dahil nga sa inborn kong sakit na Bronchitis. Iyon ‘yung sakit sa baga na bawal ka talagang mapagod. Pero dahil matigas ang ulo ko at nasa sistema na ng pagkatao ko ang paglaro ng sports, ipinilit ko pa rin ang paglalaro dahil dito ako sumasaya”

He continued to chase his dreams as he persevered through all the struggles and found them as motivation. He started exercising regularly and at some point, what seemed to be a miracle happened, his Bronchitis was gone. “Awa ng Diyos, yung sports na ipinagbabawal sakin ay siya pa palang maakkapagpagaling sa sakit ko, dahil through sports unconscious ko na palang napagaling ang sarili ko sa tulong ng consistent exercise.” His love for sports helped him escape the chains that held him back for so long.

As time passed with college and university exams looming around the corner, he finally had the chance to make it to his dream school. He waited a while until the results finally came as the suspense in his heart was unbearable, yet his will was finally ready. He did it, he got in. The dream was no longer there, he was there.

In 2020, he finished his degree in Physical Education and came home to Talavera

as he pursued a career in his field. He ended up becoming a Senior High School teacher at Schola Christi, Inc. to fulfill his dream of teaching students the knowledge and wisdom he got from his youth. “Ako ‘yung kahit tumanda na ay hinding-hindi mawawala ang puso sa isports dahil alam ko kung gaano ito kahalaga sa atin. Dahil sa isports ay gumaling ang sakit ko, nagkaroon ako ng oportunidad na magaral at maglaro sa pangarap kong paaralan, nagkaroon ako ng maraming kaibigan sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas, at marami pang masasayang karanasan katulad ng pagtatravel tuwing may paligsahan. Napakahalaga ng sports sa ating buhay kaya’t sana ay maging katuwang natin ang

bawat isa upang maipromote ang isports sa Pilipinas. Nang sa gayon ay madami pa tayong maiproduce na atleta.” He answered to conclude the interview.

He continued on chasing his dream meanwhile proving that a person is only limited to how much they believe in themselves always being able to prove many wrong in every activity or hobby he chose to participate in. Gaining wisdom throughout his experiences enjoying life to the fullest, he is a man fully commits to what he says never failing to achieve what he set out to do.

When it was all said and done, he never really lost his passion, a man who always gives everything his all by using the experiences he gained throughout the years to inspire the new generation of students to chase their dreams as well, no matter what. Because nothing is ever truly impossible.

Kevin Dale E. Daniel

SHORTCOMINGS OF A FLAWED SYSTEM

The Philippines has enjoyed nearly 50 years of basketball provided by their own local league. So many ups and down, Dynasties created, and superstars born from humble backgrounds to become the heroes that inspire many. In contrast we have seen team after team fail, superstars breaking down after facing so many injuries. The PBA has given this country a fair share of joyous moments and heartbreak in its lifespan, but in time it has been a decaying mess watching itself lose its appeal to fans and the players.

The PBA has been in a slump since the early 2010s. 6 teams since 2010 have been crowned champions for all 34 tournaments that have been held in that period and right now it seems that the trend will continue as Magnolia and San Miguel are in the finals for this year’s Commissioner’s Cup. The decline of variety in the league has been imminent, Super teams are being created left and right leaving smaller markets to continue to suffer in mediocrity.

The Association has watched fans’ interests fade as the league’s possible future has been driven away not just by the dynasties but the

league’s own commission. Some questionable rules and choices have turned away rising stars, Such rules like the much despised “Draft-Dodger” rule. Alienating players who choose to experiment in different leagues by banning them from ever entering the league in the first place.

Time has been passing them by and they have chosen to not act. It will be unfair to rip apart the top end, but we have seen the same teams rule the league for so long that it’s not even worth watching. It’s the same repeat of every other year. With the decrease of young star talent declaring for the PBA draft and

choosing to go elsewhere, the league will continue just riding the wave of Ginebra, San Miguel and Magnolia to the sunset.

The draft is also a big issue in the first place, having 12 teams but more picks than even needed. In the NBA if no picks are traded each of the 30 teams will have 2 picks leading to 60 players possibly being drafted and signed, but for a league of 12 teams to having drafts in the number of 40s of too much.

Currently the league is still in a decline from its former glory the times where everyone was staring at their tv’s

to see the finals. But now the league is stagnant for nearly a decade now, no new superstar face leading an underdog team to a championship. A team now needs a star-studded team to even have a chance.

In short, the league will always live on, but at this rate it won’t be that beacon of entertainment in Filipino homes like it used to be. The door hasn’t been shut completely that little glimmer of hope still shines to its best ability. The decline is stoppable but not if the commission continues to do nothing.

GUILLERMO SMASHES OPPONENTS ON ROUTE TO CAPTURING BADMINTON GOLD

“

Angelo Guillermo reigns victorious after an incredible effort to claim gold at the 2023 District Meet, held in Tabacao National High School on November 4.

Guillermo excels after putting on a rigorous amount of pressure with his calm and quick play leading to him overpowering all the opponents in his path.

Na-realize ko na

madami akong

pagkakamali

Guillermo answered when asked about his experience in the District Meet, but even with such mistakes he still rallied on to capturing that prestigious gold medal.

Angelo had to face 3 schools if he wanted to top the podium and each was even better than the last.

In his first match against Bu-

lac National High School Guillermo put on a clinic absolutely crushing his opponent leading him to a quick semifinals match, 30/8.

With an incredible win he heads into his second game with all the momentum on his side as he faces his next opponent TSHS’ Marionto, the game starts with a Guillermo leading the pace and he articulates the match leading him to take a strong early lead of 16/8, and he rode this wave of momentum leading to a dominant destruction to final-

ly get him a ticket to the finals, 30/16.

Guillermo heads into the finals with his heart set on winning that prestigious gold, his skill and experience have proven much too difficult for his past opponents to overcome but will he finally meet his match in the finals?

With the gold in sight only one man stands in his way as he faces TNHS’s Robles in a thrilling matchup, The game kicks off with both players trading

points in a slow and methodical game as a tired Guillermo is down 15/16 at the switch, but not letting up he rallies handing shot after shot and his opponent doing the same but when it mattered most he came through completing the match and the tournament with the gold medal hung proudly on his neck, 30/28.

Now he reigns supreme, proving his dominance in the first matches to not be a fluke, he now stands atop the podium with his gold medal firmly in his grasp.

Kevin Dale E. Daniel

Kevin Dale E. Daniel

SCHOLA FALLS IN A TIGHT GAME AGAINST TSHS IN DISTRICT MEET 2023

Schola’s Basketball team was narrowly in a very competitive game against Talavera Senior High School, 89-93 in the Finals of the District Meet held at Tabacao National High School on November 4, 2023. A vigorous effort by Schola’s team throughout this whole tournament was fighting tooth and nail to be able to have a chance to claim

that so desired final victory. Led by their captain Cholo Salazar, their mix of teamwork and good on ball defending helped them make this push to compete at this high a level.

“Upon preparation and scouting ng mga participating school naman ay pakiramdam ko malaki

chance naming pumasok sa finals, syempre dahil na rin sa dedication manalo ng team. Unfortunately, we lost the championship but that is sports. May mananalo may matatalo” said by head coach Ryan Pangan after their loss.

In their first match Schola displayed all of their untapped potential making a case with strong offense and punishing defense to give them a strong and decisive 20-point victory against San Pascual Integrated School.

Then in a shocking turn of events, their next game was a default for the opponents leading to Schola having a clear path to the finals, their next game was going to

be the toughest to date.

As they stood with everything on the line, pushing their limits in this final game making tough shots against strong defense, fighting until the very end but after everything it still was not enough, 89-93.

Even if today is as bleak as a room with no windows, the future is still brighter than the sun as these players will continue to grow despite their loss.

SCI’S ZYANN AYELET GETS TRIFECTA IN ALL THROWING SPORTS

Zyann Ayelet Soriano dominates on route to capturing gold in all throwing sports in District Meet 2023 held at Tabacao National High School on November 4, 2023.

Soriano got ready by training himself before the meet; he stated that it is not uncommon for him to win in these kinds of sports even then, and it makes him confident that he is going to win.

Mananalo ako, may tiwala ako sa laro ko eh

said by Soriano when asked about his confidence in winning.

He won not only one gold medal but three for all the throwing sports: Javelin, Discuss, and Shot Put, and in his game, “

he throws them off with such force and confidence that he will win all the sports he joined in.

Having these sports for Zyann to ace, he also excels in playing basketball which makes him really sporty and as he harness the 3 gold medals he won, he looks forward to another opportunity in the next District Meet.

Kevin Dale E. Daniel

Christine Pascual