The Thirteenth Scholars Vol. 4 Issue 1 | Features by The Thirteenth Scholars

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

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FEATUR E S S P OT L IGHT

who is being silenced? and who... benefits from it?

TO THE BACKBONE OF THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY

PHOTO ATTRIBUTION GETTY IMAGES

Filipino farmers are key staple food producers of this nation. As prices continue to plummet as we exit this year, the farmers ask the government to temporarily suspend the Rice Tarrification Law in hopes of resolving this issue.

IN THIS SECTION

Early Race PAGE 4

Pisay: How student activism upheld “pursuing the untarnished truth”

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Inflated Prices, Deflated Tummies: Inflation is slowly killing the poor

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Revolution in a Record: Buklod and Bamboo’s Tatsulok PAGE 06

ART YSABELLA JULIET GEOLINGO, WINNIE PAQUIO

Slip ‘n Slide

An Icon of the Youth, A Catalyst for the future PAGE 03

An extra pair of socks or shoes might come in handy the next time you come to school! ADIEL JASIEL TRILLO

It is one of those gloomy days when the rain falls upon the land of Pisay CRC. The first few pitter patters of the droplets caused your whole gut to drop. You know what this means, and you know you’re about to go a very painstakingly dangerous and meticulous trudge. Like chess, you strategically plan what your next move is. Should you move forward by 2 units? Should you go diagonal? Or should you just go for a totally different route from what you planned? One wrongfully thought out move could turn out to be a total game over and cause you to take the big L of the slip n’ slide you’re about to experience. The stories that you parents use to tell you of how they’d climb up to the crest of the mountains and swim through the deepest wildest rivers just to continue their education seemed to zap into reality as

In the Beginning of the End PRINCESS DIANNE CABARDO

2025, the year that fills it all. The batch whom successfully finished the 6 year stages of Philippine Science High School welcomes themselves for a new school year. To begin with, Pisay warmly welcomes them towards the life of becoming today’s future scientist,

what lays in front of you is a giant obstacle course that screamed “danger!” In this danger zone, one would have to climb the highest land to lessen the chances of going for a slip n’ slide ride; and if there is no other route, one would have to brace themselves and slowly trudge through the brown guck and hope to not experience their doom just yet. Separating you from complying and passing your requirements is the giant murky, brown mud that students, teachers and faculties share a growing dislike toward. Not only them, but guardians of the students sigh and tsk at the sight of the muck-covered school shoes the scholar comes home with. Fortunately, action has been taken and there has been improvements in the bothersome terrain of Pisay CRC. Parts of the uneven soil has been covered with cement, alleviating the problem that comes roaming in the ground of this school. The people behind the curtains of this institute have thought of an alternative solution for those uncemented parts of land. Sturdy

equipping them with 21st century alongside its values of truth, excellence and service to nation. Welcoming them towards a more flexible and a more wider context with science and math, which greatly is needed upon becoming today’s solution. And now that the 6 years program is finally complete due to the coming of the batch 2025,Pisay then later expands as it also says farewell to its first ever graduates, batch 2020. Moreover, the grade 7 students, known to be as the freshies among this year, elasticated themselves in maintaining the lifestyle of the mostly known scholar struggle. Overcoming the sudden changes in curriculum and learning style, the grade 7 had to change their way of learning and

sacks filled with rocks are utilized as a path and stepping stone for students who are travelling from the Academic Building 1 to the Academic Building 2. Not only are these life savers there to help us, but long logs of wood are strategically situated in places where overcrowding by the sacks happens often. Nowadays, students and teachers can freely hustle without worrying of toppling over. The newly built roads and the alternative solutions greatly alleviate the frustrating problem the scholars and faculties face during times of bad weather. Truly, these are godsent gifts from heaven. The next time the sounds of the first few drops reach your ears and that familiar drop of the gut fills your being, there’s no need to fret about your soon-to-be-brown black shoes. Now that the built roads, rockfilled sacks, and logs of wood are here to save the day, there’s no need to fuss about experiencing the great slip ‘n slide you dread about.

indeed was ready to sacrifice their normal high school life for a better future. Excelling in math and science was one of the most needed way to excell among others within this campus. Struggling to maintain a stable or even a higher grade would mentally uprise everyone as they face their early calamities at the age of 11 or 12. Failing would be one of the most painful things everyone would feel among this area, especially the grade 7. Imagining how hard they had to do and how hard they had to change just to fit in this school, the way they were suddenly pushed towards their limits and pulled among their heads just to catch up with the sudden change was explicitly shown among their faces as they walk down with fear heading towards to enter a

beloved harbor whom they dreadfully face each day. The sleepless nights they felt was hurting their body’s of clay, molding themselves towards a better day. The learning they uphold among today would later become a solution for our tomorrow. Learning to see much of them changed, even if they are new was exquisitely amazing as ever before. Knowing that the sudden change would beat them and kill them in every second of their life but the pain that they are facing now would become a cure someday. It is never easy to learn if you have never done it before, but if you choose to ride the wave of the ocean, to climb the steep mountain and to spread your wings to fly upon the horizons, you will succeed.

The date is September 23, 2019. You’ve just arrived home, and as always, you go on social media before doing anything else. You scroll down your Facebook news feed until you come across something interesting; it’s an article about some Swedish girl delivering a speech about climate change. You click it and watch the video attached to the article, only to find out that the girl is a kid in a bright fuchsia blouse, whose braided hair and facial features make her look like she’s an annoyed but undeniably adorable 12-year-old. You watch the entire video but basically all you’ve gathered is that she’s an angry kid with a lot of nerve coming to that official United Nations conference. Surely, it’ll be old news by tomorrow.

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In every movie, there will always come a time when the moment of crisis quickly arises.

Solutions at Play Funding our scholars for our tomorrow

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Money spent on science is money spent wisely. But when that means money is given to fund people studying, that notion would see some challenge from the public. Luckily, the senate president is on the side of the nation’s scholars on this one.

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

T ECH NO L O GY

JUST MY TWO CENTS According to the TomTom Traffic Index in 2019, Metro Manila ranked second out of 416 cities across 57 countries in urban congestion, with a congestion level totaling to a whopping 71%.

PHOTO BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

JOSHUA CALUMBA

INNOVATION

Red, Yellow, and Green

Students using their phones while waiting for their teacher. As they use it for social media and for studying, a notification was shown upon their screens showing the word “ANNOUNCEMENT”. Today people have been using internet for numerous of years. They used it for communication purposes and entertainment. One of the biggest apps that is being used today is google. an app where you search watch and listen. Nowadays teachers use it as another way of conducting classes on a feature called google classroom. Google classroom is a feature of google, that is an electronic classroom, used by many people especially teachers.They use this, for them to give announcements and requirements to their students. Google classroom helped a lot of teachers, many times, especially when they are sick and busy for other important matters. With this way, it makes it easy for the teacher and students, to give and pass requirements. Even in this way, there are still a lot of problems that may occur. Problems that may happen when using this feature is the late submission of requirements and not being to pass. This happens because not all students have gadgets and internet. These problems can be prevented by planning on ways to submit their requirements in the given time, for example is that the teacher will give the requirements early, letting the students use the computers of the school, and also by sharing the gadgets of other students. Google Classroom is a good medium to give and submit requirements when things are properly planned. This just depends on the teacher if they will use it or not.

Hope for traffic crisis alleviation BEA JANE SERNA

Paglaum. Pag-asa. Hope. In hopes of ending the preexisting traffic problem in the country, Philippine Science High School – Caraga Region Campus Students Hannah Marielle G. Tecson, Angelo Mari C. Montero and Miko C. Nuñez developed a more efficient method of managing traffic in intersections by using an algorithm. By counting the number of cars in traffic and determining the appropriate amount of time for the traffic lights to enter the green light phase, the research entitled “Feasibility of an Adaptive Timer System in Traffic Management Utilizing Induction Loops” aimed to ease up traffic congestion, which is a day-to-day scenario in the Philippines. In an interview, Nuñez stated that “Traffic congestion isn’t a pleasant experience”, to which being stuck in traffic for hours in congested areas encouraged the team to come up with a solution to speed up the traffic flow. Tecson, on the other hand, also explained that the system is able to get the number of cars by getting data from sensors that do the vehicle detection. According to the TomTom Traffic Index in 2019, Metro Manila ranked second out of 416 cities across 57 countries in urban congestion, with a congestion level totaling to a whopping 71%. The TomTom report revealed Friday as the day of the week with the worst rush hour at 6-7 pm. It said traveling after 7 pm on Friday could save a motorist up to 5 hours per year for a 30-minute commute. The evening rush on Friday had an average congestion level of 128%. How much time is lost during rush hour? In the morning, a 30-minute trip takes an extra 29 minutes, while in the evening, an additional 38 minutes is spent. The report also said that Filipinos lost 10 days and 17 hours for driving during rush hour over the year. “The research benefits everyone living in cities since vehicular travel is an integral part of the people’s day-today lives,” said Tecson. According to a study of the Japan

There is no other option

International Cooperation Agency, the country loses ₱3.5 billion daily due to traffic congestion. This could reach up to ₱5.4 billion by 2035 if it will remain unsolved. Traffic has been a big issue especially last year when the Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT-2) caught fire. The incident made commuting more burdensome for the 200,000 passengers who ride the train daily. Despite all the ruckus, the government still maintains firm of its belief that there is no traffic crisis present in Metro Manila. “The logic of the system could be implemented to traffic controllers and, if installed alongside the sensors, traffic flow could speed up significantly”, Tecson added. During the recently concluded Regional Invention and Contest and Exhibit (RICE) in Caraga Region, the Grade 12 researchers’ project topped 43 contenders for the Outstanding Creative Research Category, bagging the Sibol Award in the High School

In an interview, Nuñez stated that “Traffic Congestion isn’t a pleasant experience”, wherein being stuck in traffic for hours in congested areas encouraged the team to come up with a solution to speed up the traffic flow. PHOTO BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

Duterte inks law creating Philippine Space Agency

bracket. RICE is one of the programs being implemented by the Technology Application and Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-TAPI) which is conducted all throughout the regions nationwide to recognize the indispensability of the Filipino inventors for national economic development.

PAUL NELSON GARCIA

BREAKTHROUGH FRANCIS ISAAC MIJARES

PHOTO ATTRIBUTION EVENT HORIZON TELESCOPE

Monsters in our World: First Image of a Black hole surfaces The image reveals the black hole at the center of Messier 87, a massive galaxy in the nearby Virgo galaxy cluster. This black hole resides 55 million light-years from Earth and has a mass 6.5-billion times that of the Sun.

Since the dawn of time, humans have been looking up to the stars in hopes of answering the fundamental questions about our Universe and its history. One of our biggest questions about our Universe is if there is life other than ours, this question has spread through the scientific community and even through normal society alike. Our universe is undoubtedly vast, so vast that we can only estimate its size, but due to this vastness, we cannot help but question if there is life other than ours in the form of aliens or even monsters. However, unlike aliens, we know that monsters do exist, one such monster is 40 billion km across - three million times the size of the Earth. This monster eats everything, even light, and it is impossible to escape from its clutches. For many years, this monster and its kind have puzzled even the most brilliant of minds. However, for the first time in history, we have finally captured the image of one of the most mysterious objects in the universeblackholes. Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a network of linked telescopes and astronomy research facilities, have released the first ever image of a black hole at the centre of has enough power to image a black hole, Doeleman led a project to set up a network of eight linked telescopes on different parts of the Earth. This

network forms the Event Horizon Telescope. A team of 200 scientists pointed the EHT towards the M87 galaxy which is 500 million trillion kilometres away and scanned its heart over a time period of 10 days. According to Dr. Ziri Younsi, who is part of the EHT collaboration, the image matches that of the models and portrayals that physicists and even Hollywood directors have shown to the public eye. It has been more than a century since German physicist Karl Schwarzschild predicted the existence of black holes after utilizing Einstein’s theory of general relativity to suggest that a star would collapse into a point that has infinite density and an extremely small volume. These impossibly dense regions have piqued the interests of the public, directors, and physicist alike. “Einstein himself wasn’t really sure that black holes existed, the fact is we’re drawn to things that we don’t understand, because we yearn to know more. They’re terrifying, but we can’t look away.” said Doelemann “The discovery will be important not just for its status as a scientific first, but also for its place as a signpost, an inflection point where new avenues for study of the cosmos were revealed.”

READ MORE nasa.gov FULL URL https://go.nasa.gov/3dswcXh

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the law creating a space agency for the Philippines. Duterte signed Republic Act 11363 or the Philippine Space Agency (PhiISA) Act on August 8 and a copy of which that was posted on August 13. PhiISA will be the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)-like agency in the Philippines. The agency will focus on Space science, Technolgy access, space research particularly national security, hazard management, climate studies, space industry capacity building, space education, and international cooperation. It will also serve as the primary strategic roadmap for space development of the country under the Executive branch of the government that will plan, develop, and promote the national space program in line with the Philippine Space Policy. The law also created the Philippine Space Council (PSC) which will be the principal advisory body for the coordination and integration of policies, programs and resources affecting science and technology applications. The PSC will be chaired by the President and the Secretaries of Defense and Science and Technolgy will serve as vice-chairpersons. The official site of the PhiISA will be in Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and Tarlac.

READ MORE dost.gov.ph

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

SCIENCE

YOUNGBLOOD

ART BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

An Icon of the Youth, A Catalyst for the Future “We can’t just continue living as if there was no tomorrow, because there is a tomorrow,”

SHAINA DELIA TOMANENG

conference. Surely, it’ll be old news by tomorrow. The next day, you find out that you couldn’t have been any more mistaken. This girl in braids is making headlines EVERYWHERE – she’s on television, your IGTV, and on the top Twitter trends. At school, your teachers are telling you to make a reaction paper to her speech, and you and your classmates have probably learned how to speak in her accent already. Despite all these, the most “responsive” thing you’ve done after hearing her speech is acknowledging her angry glare to be a social media sensation. In the words of Greta Thunberg, how dare you?! TIME’s youngest Person of the Year did not go through all that struggle on her rise to prominence just to be ridiculed. Since her speech at the United Nations climate conference in December 2018 where she publicly reprimanded world leaders for acting irresponsibly towards the effects of climate change, Greta has been the subject of criticism by many media commentators who believe she is “too young and naïve” to be expressing her views on the ever-growing problem. However, the media’s feedback has only pushed the young climate activist to go nowhere but forward,

travelling all across the globe to lead the movement for urgent change everywhere. THE START OF IT ALL How does a supposedly ordinary 17-year-old kid suddenly decide to carry the weight of the world’s future on her shoulders? Well, she started her journey like how most of the world’s most influential people began – alone, but with an idea. It all began when she was just 8 years old, with a single realization of the existence of climate change, the global effects of the average temperature rise on Earth’s surface due to greenhouse gases trapped in the atmosphere. Along with this realization was the reality that there was indeed a lack of action to mitigate its effects from the people who actually held the power to do something – the adults, which included politicians and leaders. As a young girl, Greta couldn’t comprehend why this problem wasn’t being taken seriously, even leading to a period of depression at age 11, as she became discouraged that her goal of saving the planet was simply impossible. To add to her and her parents’ problems, she was also diagnosed with a handful of mental disorders, including one called Asperger’s syndrome. Apparently, this was the syndrome responsible for her not being able to accept the fact that her planet was in great peril, as she processed information in a different way compared to how typical people do. Just when her life seemed like it had hit rock-bottom, she won a climate change essay

GOING GLOBAL In the year following her worldwide strike, she has been compared to Joan of Arc for being an unexpected figure in the battle against climate change. She has addressed heads of state in the United Nations in her speeches, met with the Pope, been at odds with the U.S. President, and inspired 4 million people to participate in what became the world’s largest climate demonstration in history on September 20, 2019. Greta’s parents, who were once hesitant on her missing school for her strikes, are now in full support of her ventures, when they realized the only way for her to live a mentally healthy life is to allow her to live out her passion of righting the wrongs in this world. Now, she has also become the reason for their complete change in lifestyle as an effort to reduce their own carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment. This included becoming vegan, upcycling, and giving up flying on airplanes as they produce carbon emissions. Instead, her voyages involve travelling on yachts and trains for weeks, which have taken her to conferences and summits in the United States and in Europe. Her trip to New York back in September 2019 required crossing the Atlantic for thirteen days, on a ship that ran on solar power and underwater turbines. HER CALL TO ACTION What might catch your attention the most during Greta’s speeches is the unique kind of straightforwardness that is ever-present in her words. When she speaks, there is frustration, agony, and desperation in her voice. In her address towards world leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit, one could see the tears in her eyes as she deliberately blamed politicians for their acts of prioritizing economic growth when human lives are at stake. At the beginning of her speech, she emphasized that she shouldn’t even be delivering a speech in front of them in the first place. Her words resonate with the fact that it shouldn’t be the responsibility of a child like her to be begging for the adults to take action in this time of crisis. Aside from her opinions, she always turns to science to further intensify her views, like how cutting emissions in half in ten years’ time only gives mankind a 50% chance

FROM PAGE 8 | REVIVAL

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DATA VISUALIZATION BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

COVERAGE (%)

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Coverage of polio vaccination campaign 25 November-13 December 2019

determination, as well as why she sees the world only in black and white. She is not impressed by other people’s celebrity, nor does she seem to have interest in her own growing fame. Well, normality can sometimes be overrated. Take it from Greta, someone who believes that her disorder is nothing else but a “superpower,” which has made her the global sensation that ow.she is now. In every movie, there will always come a time when the moment of crisis quickly arises. At this point, the most common words to hear are, “Don’t just stand there. Do something!”. For humanity, that moment has long since arrived, and Greta doesn’t expect us to just sit there and watch. And for her, there are absolutely no more excuses – there’s no better time than now to strap those Velcro sneakers on, get up, and go save the world.

1,500,000

has come back to life once again. Life comes with death–the resurrection of polio will yield to tremendous losses. The power of saving a million lives lies in vials, so never hesitate to get protected. In the end, prevention is still better than cure.

available for the public in most health care centres. Yet parents still refuse to have their children immunized from incurable-preventable diseases, as they are scared with the threats of autism and are mad at the controversial vaccine scandal. Wake up. It’s 2019, and health shouldn’t be a problem after numerous significant discoveries made by our researchers and scientists. If we continue to poison our minds with false information, what consequence will the next generation face? We would wake up one day knowing that what once was an extinct disease

Despite being viewed as a “mentally ill Swedish child” with a disability, she remains steadfast in her plans of spreading facts about this existential crisis until it is solved. “I think that as long as they go after me personally with insults and conspiracy theories then that is good. It proves that they don’t have any arguments. And that they see us as a threat because we are having an impact.” To her, the Asperger’s diagnosis was, in fact, a blessing in disguise because it was the reason that her eyes were opened to the climate crisis. If her brain worked differently, she explained, “I wouldn’t be able to sit for hours and read things I’m interested in.” Her syndrome explains why she is not afraid to speak her mind with truth and

VACCINATED

uncertainty to the parents, not trusting the effect of vaccines ever again. Parents nowadays do not vaccinate their children, fearing vaccines could cause autism. Filipinos are more likely to oppose the idea of having to trust the health sector in establishing health security when it comes to vaccines for children. Fed by misbeliefs, the demand for vaccination has dropped. Without immunizing our children, we are exposing them to greater risks of death that could have been prevented. The case in Lanao del Sur was caused by poor sanitation and low vaccination turnout. Vaccines are made

TARGET

of staying below 1.5 degrees Celsius and only increase the risk of setting off effects that are beyond human control. At an appearance at the U.S Congress, she submitted a landmark IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) climate report, which warned the members of the Congress of the rapidly worsening state of global heating and the adverse effects it would have on humankind. Her focus definitely portrays a maturity way beyond her years.

100% 75% 50% 25% 0

% VACCINATED

TIME’s youngest Person of the Year did not go through all that struggle on her rise to prominence just to be ridiculed. She is Greta Thunberg.

competition that she had entered in the local Swedish newspaper. This event proved to be the now 15-year-old’s turning point, as the spirit of activism awakened in her months later when she started her first climate strike at the Swedish parliament. Wearing a blue hoodie and a backpack almost as big as her, Greta was prepared to go on a fullon strike with her homemade sign that read “Skolstrejk för klimatet (School Strike for Climate)” in hand – all she was missing was company. Slumping on the ground, she spent her first day striking all alone, taking a lunch break midway and eventually getting picked up by her father later to go home. However, one should always wait for that beacon of hope, which shone upon her the next day when a stranger sharing the same sentiments joined her strike. Months later, the number of two had become thousands, and a single strike sign had become an iconic movement called “Fridays for Future” where millions of people all over Europe took to the streets, inspired by Greta’s single cry for change.

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

FEATURES

Early Race

Every scholar’s struggle to arrive before the 7:30 mark

PAUL VINCENT FELIAS

A day of new challenges in the academe that Pisay Caraga scholars have to face starts after scanning their respective personal identification cards to verify their presence in the school grounds. However, many students, as of 2019, elapse by the 7:30 mark. Thus, they will be considered as tardy, and according to the Code of Conduct, securing an admission slip for tardiness and writing a letter stating the reason why are the consequences. Tardiness has been frequent in the year 2019. Based on the records of student tardiness during the mentioned year, the number of late scholars range from less than 20 to 30 per week, with most of them being city scholars. Rarely, late scholars are plentiful in a day whenever the flag ceremony is conducted earlier than usual on Mondays. According to most of the late city scholars, the causes of tardiness include road traffic, public transport, and time management of the family. Also, some students said that one ID scanner makes the flow of students entering the school sluggish.

DEALING WITH IT The Philippine Science High School System continued to suffice through the installation and improvement that lessen the number of late students and their exasperations. From one ID scanner, the school added two more that would help the celerity of the line whenever students enter the school. This helped in solving the issue of some scholars that were marked late in the record because of the long line that they had to deal with. The school also implemented an organized path for vehicles to reach near the gate to avoid being caught in a disarray of cars. They also improved and worked on the road towards the school to assist the flow of the vehicles. STUDENTS STILL WARY Even with the enhancement of school facilities, there are still uproars from students about some of the causes of their late arrival. For instance, students are sometimes late or have no time detected due to a failure in the scanning system. Albeit the causes are understandable, the consideration of some students must be met. There is, nevertheless, a daily logbook that would require a signature from the students that failed to use the ID scanners. However, some records in the logbook were not passed to or noted

by authorized personnel. The written records must be noticed every day to avoid conflicts of logging in. Scholars with legitimate proof should be free from any late accusations to develop a just environment needed in the school. THE RESOLVE The scholars should also do their part as punctual learners. Teaching the students proper time management will help them handle their time well. Being mindful of the right time is what the students need in order to enter school peacefully and free of worries. The faculty must also think of new ways that will at least aid the students coming to school early in the morning. Racing with time in the morning and hearing the clock tick per second gives off stress that one would likely carry throughout the day. If a person is tardy, that person must not decline the needed responsibility that comes with it. To add, in order to help deduce others from inconvenience, understanding and consideration must be the mindset of every individual. The school’s mission is to implement not just brilliant and innovative science leaders but also disciplined, righteous, and accountable human beings.

No Single Line Drawn: On the gaps of the No-Homework Policy JEMUEL ADRIAN MONGADO

We’re finally free, it’s the weekend! Oh, wait. Students dread homework, especially if it takes away the sense of freedom they get every Friday night. Hours and hours of boring classes, piles of paperwork, math problems you can’t solve even if hell froze over, the pestering of class officers asking for fund contributions, and the extracurricular stuff you regret signing up for; these are the essences of an average student’s school week. It’s not hard to imagine a pissed student staring blankly into walls of text, pen on hand, on the Saturday he oh so waited for. What’s hard to think of are students who AREN’T pissed. HELP FROM UP HIGH? A move in the country’s legislative body proposed a bill limiting weekend homework to only of four hours’ worth. It’s only in its conceptual phase, yet it has garnered considerable support. If legislated, the law will cover kindergarten to senior high school, both private and public. But would it be too early to rejoice?

ART ANGELICA GRACE TABILI

It Fails to be Situational. The proposed policy has not accounted for varying attitudes towards homework. Some would abuse the policy and slack off with the extra time they get. Some would let the weekday homework pile up and consume their weekends completing them all. Some would even just succumb to the pressure and give up. Assuming that every student would use their time in a single way would lead to a flaw that would be quite hard to account for once it is passed as law. IS IT ENFORCEABLE?

The proposed policy is also under the assumption that all homework fall in roughly the same level in terms of expected duration. Some homework in nature might take one’s whole day to complete. Some take minutes. Some are just plain impossible because the teacher has no idea what the homework she gave actually was and what she wants her students to do. Four hours’ worth of homework should be properly defined and interpreted, else it will be virtually impossible to impose. Sometimes homework duration and difficulty will vary depending on curriculum. In schools that follow a science-oriented curriculum, homework would be lengthy and complicated in nature. In general curricula, homework would be interactive in nature, and thus duration vary a lot from homework to homework. The proposed policy doesn’t account for this, either. WHAT COULD BE DONE? To address these issues of variation, measures employing variation should also be used. Inquiring opinions on homework should be the first step, and one that should be done in each school and institution. The opinion data will open for creation of measures. If a school’s homework are lengthy in nature, then quantity will be regulated. If a school’s homework are short and easily attainable in nature, then duration will be regulated. LINES DRAWN Laws and policies are definite once made official, and it is key that problems with its provisions are solved before they are legitimized. Especially that this one involves homework, and in turn the welfare of this nation’s students, every case has to be considered and every gap has to be filled. In a problem where variation is crucial, no single line should be drawn.

The Savior of a Sacred Haven GOLDEMER FAJARDO

Once a beautiful utopia filled with unique and diverse creatures, it has now become a dying world filled with serial killers; malicious enough to destroy its own home. Once a vibrant and colorful place, now a grey dull world. This is not some imaginary world where we can easily fix; this is our reality, the nonfictional world, the planet Earth. Yes, you read it correctly. This is not some fantasy dystopian world in which a hero can just fix with a simple action; this is our reality. We are living in a world where plants and animals are dying and we humans are the cause of it. A world where even a single action can affect the whole community. This is the real world, a harsh environment that we humans created with the smallest mistakes made by a single person, this is destroyed. Out of the enormous amount of 8 billion people, only a thousand strive to help replenishing the world. If that doesn’t convince you to help save Mother Earth, then let me tell you that in approximately 25 years the world will be unable to be habitable. Here are some ways to help our sick world get better again: Follow the Plastic Ban Law, Throw your trash in the proper place with proper segregation, Follow the 3 R’s and most importantly have a GREEN mind. Think about what we have done, we have severely damaged the home we say “we care about”, If we really do care then why do we rely on others to help fix our problems when the only way to fix this major problem is to group up and give our unconditional support. I know that community cleaning and everything is voluntary but in the current state of the Earth, it has become a necessity which is why we need to fix the mess we have caused. If we were the problem then we are also the solution. Say NO to pollution and join us in our war to save our dearest planet.

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

FEATURES

A day of new challenges in the academe that Pisay scholars of Caraga has to face starts after scanning their respective personal identification card to verify their presence in the school grounds. However, many students, as of 2019, elapse by the 7:30 mark. Thus, they will be considered as tardy, and a consequence will be done in the form of securing an admission slip for tardiness and writing a letter for forgiveness and the reason, according to the Code of Conduct. GRAPHICS BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

MOVIE REVIEW

Pisay: How student activism upheld “pursing the untarnished truth” JEZNIN ANGEKYLA BARROQUILLO

the ancient

trader

CARL DJHON GANGCA

“In the beginning, there was no Philippines but there was Butuan.” This quote has been repeatedly taught, instilled in the minds of every Butuanon. Reliving the childhood we once had, a historical landmark appeared bringing back the fresh image of the Balangay boat. A masterpiece handcrafted by our ancestors, which led the voyages and expeditions to the different parts of the world for trading. The evidences of the excavation bestowed identity and history to our fore-fathers, depicting the great culture, tradition, and craftsmanship of Butuan. In many years, the Balangay was not only the key to the earlier civilization of the Filipino people, but it is also the vessel that binds the harmonious relationship of families. The Balangay voyage continues as part of the Philippines’ National Quincentennial commemoration to mark the historic victory in Mactan and the First Circumnavigation of the World. After the strenuous trip from Palawan to hiding from Typhoon Tisoy in Panay, the two balangay boats Raya Siyagu and Raya Kolambu, named in honor of the King of Mazaua and King of Butuan, arrived in the port of Nasipit and officially held a welcome program in honor of the visit. This voyage takes part in the 500th Countdown to the 500th

Anniversary of the expedition and will have its trip to Mactan, Cebu to take part in the major event. The pride of resurrecting the seafaring spirits of the Balangay gives a reminder that a boat found only here in Butuan is evidence that one time in history, Butuan was a center of trade and commerce in this part of the world long before the arrival of the Spaniards. It symbolizes the skills and talents of our ancestors that connected the different empires in Southeast Asia which goes way back to the 10th and 11th Centuries. A born adventurer and an expedition leader, Arturo Valdez, led the expedition of the Balangay boats. The archipelagic structure of the Philippines was never a reason for division in culture and tradition. “These waters never divided us, these waters unified us. And this boat, as a replica of an ancient boat, is a symbol of that relationship.” It takes an effort to build goodwill and pride to the Filipinos in our forgotten maritime heritage. And as part of bringing back pride to Butuan, Agusan Del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun, a principal author of House Bill 4953, lauded the early declaration of the Balangay as a ‘National Boat’ of the Philippines as it was approved on its 3rd reading on Dec. 4, 2019. The Butuanons, as well as the fellow Filipinos, are hopeful

for the full declaration in time for the Quincentennial celebrations in Mactan. The Balangay boat is very wellknown in Butuan and its neighboring cities. Growing up, it was a symbol of many different stories that concluded the existence of Butuan. It’s that burning torch that lights up the whole area, a mark of a prosperous civilization. It’s uncanny how the remnants of the excavation placed the gaps into place. The many questions of heritage and history was answered through this wooden-watercraft, because who would have thought that Butuan was an ancient kingdom ruled by Rajahs and used the many resources like gold and lumber for trading. We have lost the connection to our pre-colonial times, not knowing the potential of what might have been our present if these were never forgotten. A time to look back and see how the balangay boat is not only the root of the smallest group we know as ‘barangay’ but as a symbol as the leading trader of all the empires in Southeast Asia.

PHOTO ATTRIBUTION BUTUANON BLOGSPOT

Iskolar ng bayan, ngayon ay lumalaban. Considered as ‘the cream of the cream of the crop,’ scholars do not only have their minds focused on science and technology but are also compassionate about the national issues and struggles our country deals with. Student Activism can be seen throughout Philippine History, dating as far as the 19th century during Spain’s rule over the country. One of its legacies was its active role in stimulating nationalism in both organizational and ideological use. It did not arise from a vacuum but instead was a response to the prevailing social conditions and a demonstration of discontent to the status quo. Student Activism is one of the underlying themes present in ‘Pisay: the Movie.’ The movie portrays Pisay during the politically volatile years of the Philippines in the 80’s. Throughout the course of the film, the students’ concern

SCAN TO WATCH THE FULL FILM

for the country was evident. From writing plays about colonialization, orchestrating rallies, to identifying the spot where Benigno Aquino Jr. was shot through a mathematics equation and having qualitative researches focused on topics like the Kaliwa Dam. There was even a scene wherein the campus director was worried that a batch might not even be complete during homecoming as they have gone through a lot when the martial law was first declared. The zeitgeist of the setting molded patriotic students and created courageous young heroes. The fighting spirit of Pisay students can not only be found in the movie, but in our time as well. Scholars have been constantly advocating and educating about environmental and political issues that should be given the public’s utmost concern and attention. We are applying what they have been taught for the betterment of our nation. As scholars of the country, we are dedicated to serve the people with the intention to continually improve our country’s wellbeing.

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

FEATUR E S

Inflated Prices, Deflated tummies: Inflation is slowly killing the poor

JUSTINE CASTILLO

The Philippines has suffered from starvation in the past few years. People are in the streets begging for food and money. The newly implemented TRAIN Law has worsened the situation of starvation, forcing us to pay more than normal. With the Philippine Peso value continuing to lower, we are in the mercy to other nations to help us get back on our feet. Citizens now doubt the president with his decisions for this country. As consumers mumble why prices are getting higher, store owners from all around the world are scared of how the law will affect their sales and whether consumers would willingly buy their products. As the senate search solutions for this problem, the people are also doing their best by helping out. The National Food Authority is now trying to solve the problem by importing rice from foreign countries, doing their very best negotiationg with other foreign countries to find a solution for the lowering value of our currency, while providing cheap rice for the public to lessen the starvation caused by the TRAIN Law. This law might trigger starvation in becoming a great threat if the government does not take action. This will also cause a massive change to the economy, where not only the poor, but those with normal-living styles, could be affected. As most of us know, as we walk our way to the future, we will encounter new challenges that will block our path to a perfect world where everybody is equal—where starvation does not exist and where people get to eat normally.

“Magtanim ay ‘di biro”: A Glimpse of a Filipino farmer’s Reality JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

Revolution in a record

Buklod and Bamboo’s ‘Tatsulok’

NATHALIE MAY LIBRES

“Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok, di matatapos itong gulo.” Don’t lie. You probably sang those lyrics in your head. But who could you blame? It’s an OPM classic that almost every Pinoy knows. But behind the catchy rock banger that the public has continued to scream their hearts out on rockfests and simple karaoke nights lies a deep and dark story that even the most pounding instrumentals can’t hide. ‘Tatsulok’, which was released in 1991 by folk-rock trio Buklod with members Noel Cabangon, Rom Dongeto, and Rene Boncocan. Eventually, it was introduced to a newer generation by the band Bamboo in 2007 as part of their album ‘We Stand Alone Together’. While it has been 29 years since Buklod introduced us to the original ‘Tatsulok’ and 13 years since Bamboo’s iconic revival, hauntingly, the message of the song still remains true until this day...and the scenery portrayed in the lyrics hasn’t

changed one bit. “Totoy bilisan mo, bilisan mo ang takbo Ilagan ang mga bombang nakatutok sa ulo mo Totoy tumalon ka, dumapa kung kailangan At baka tamaan pa ng mga balang ligaw” The song starts with a warning to “Totoy” who symbolizes the ordinary Filipino citizen. The next three lines help paint a scary scenario filled with violence fueled by police brutality, which can be related to a much present issue -- the EJK (extrajudicial killing) controversy during the drug war operations. One wrong move could justify the police shooting you. And worse, they could create a whole narrative of you “fighting back”. Cue in the famous “nanlaban ‘eh” excuse, with a pinch of “pagtatanim ng ebidensya”. They could paint you as the evil one. “Totoy makinig ka, wag kang magpa-gabi Baka mapagkamalan ka’t humandusay dyan sa tabi Totoy alam mo ba kung ano ang puno’t dulo Ng di matapos-tapos na kaguluhang ito” “Wag ‘kang magpagabi” is a caution to avoid going outside at night as it is incredibly dangerous to do so, but it’s definitely not the aswangs they tell you about that lurk in the corners. The night scenery is used to symbolize the eerie darkness covering up the aftermath of bloody killings. After such a cruel story has stuck with us, the song then

proceeds to ask Totoy the reason why such chaos ensues. “Hindi pula’t dilaw tunay na magkalaban Ang kulay at tatak ay di syang dahilan Hangga’t marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman” False dichotomy, commonly known as the “black and white perspective” is a logical fallacy that unfortunately, has plagued the political views and opinions of most Pinoys. If you’re against one side, then you definitely support the other. But it doesn’t work that way. One must admit the faults of both sides, as well as acknowledge their achievements. It all comes down to one thing -- if it wasn’t for the Filipino people, it has not served its purpose. The more we blindly take sides, choosing what we think is “lesser evil”, nothing is going to change. Unfortunately, this is where we slowly begin to forget the real evil we should be battling against -- tyranny and incompetence. Anyone could fall victim to oppressive power and the faulty justice system. Except them. “Trapoliticians” eventually become “opportunistas” who gaslight and brainwash the public with unending propaganda to create a cult-like following. They have taken advantage of the Philippines’ problematic culture of personality and people politics, eventually relying on the support they have to escape crime and continuously manipulate voters. Sooner or later, justice would only answer to one thing -- money and influence. The powerful have changed the game. “Iligtas ang hininga ng kay raming mga tao At ang dating munting bukid, ngayo’y sementeryo Totoy kumilos ka, baliktarin ang tatsulok Tulad ng dukha, nailagay mo sa tuktok” It is dangerous to be poor in the Philippines. According to a self-rated poverty survey conducted last March 2019, an estimated 9.5 million Filipino families consider themselves poor. And even though these numbers have dropped and poverty rates are expected to go down, a 9-digit-figure is still a cause for concern. With this, one would want the government to view this population as a top-notch priority, but

social elitism has made us look at the lower class as enemies. We have viewed the poor as good-fornothing, lazy slobs who “chose to live under poverty”, without realizing that they are not given the proper opportunities that some classes were born into. Parading one’s privilege and taking pride in being apathetic and anti-poor just some of the dangers brought by social hierarchy. But this verse also gives us a sense of hope to act and “invert the pyramid” (“baliktarin ang tatsulok”). It invites the common Filipino citizen to call out the abusive ruling elite and help stop systemic oppression. Thankfully, the song is not alone in its battle for equality and social justice. Social commentaries expressed through music have become more and more common in the Pinoy music scene, with songs like “Ilusyon” by Abra and Arci Muñoz and “Norem” by Gloc-9, Abbadon, Shanti Dope and J.Kris topping music charts and narrating different stories inspired by gruesome Filipino reality— from the art of lying in politics and the controversial Philippine drug war. These are just a few songs that are waiting to be played by a newer generation of concerned citizens. However, another reason that makes ‘Tatsulok’ a timeless OPM classic, other than its catchy and heavy rock sound and musical potential, is its storytelling ability. It has captured enough of the Philippines’ social atmosphere and its problems, but it doesn’t give everything away. It manages to point out and address the root problem of social inequality and class division and the victims that it sadly affects and targets, respectively. While it’s a song that’s easy to dissect, with the message of ‘Tatsulok’ being inherently clear and direct, its wise use of symbolism still leaves room for the listener to form their own opinion or interpretation. It’s safe to say ‘Tatsulok’ is iconic. With slick guitar riffs and Bamboo’s energizing vocals accompanying a rather heavy but socially relevant message, ‘Tatsulok’ by both generation-defining artists Buklod and Bamboo, remains a masterpiece that serves a purpose: revolution through the arts.

LISTEN TO IT youtube.com FULL URL https://bit.ly/3csNmmv

ART GIO KIEFER SANCHEZ

Despite the long hours farmers spend under the scorching heat of the sun, doing back-breaking work, they still remain as the lowest earning filipinos today, and as farmgate prices of palay continue to fall, farmers start to feel the effects of it. In an interview with a farmer from Agusan del Norte, he said, “I had to mill my harvest and sell it for P1900 per cavan to avoid traders who buy palay at between P10-P12 per kilogram.” While farmers still harvest their normal rate of palay, they are put up to the plumetting buying price of palay which leads to a lower income per harvest. Farmers have decided to mill their palays themselve and sell them as rice, to cope with the sudden change

NEW LAW TO BE BLAMED The country has since been importing cheap rice that has been flooding the local market. This was brought by the implementation of the Rice Tarrification Law that sought to bring lower rice prices to consumers and higher incomes to farmers. However, the law has since been causing higher prices of rice and absurdly low farmgate palay prices, creating imbalance in the economic market. Since it’s enactment in March, farmers became troubled by the unreasonable exchange rate for their yield. Some farmers even had a hard time putting food to their tables. As one farmer quoted, “Usahay mukaon nalang mi ug bugas nga toyo ang isudan.” (Sometimes we had to eat rice and

make soy sauce as our viand). Farmers who till their own land still struggle to cope with the change but still manage to be stable. It’s the other way around for those less fortunate farmers who depend on the yield of their harvest alone. Some even struggle to give their kids ‘baon’ for school. Filipino farmers are key staple food producers of this nation. As prices continue to plummet as we exit this year, the farmers ask the government to temporarily suspend the Rice Tarrification Law in hopes of resolving this issue.

DESIGN JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

SCIENCE AND TECH

NATURAL DISASTERS

ADVOCACY

Augmented Disasters: A month long agony

Envisioning as Earth’s Stewards: Plastic Ban

JESSIE LIX DE RAMOS

ANGELI MONTILLA

PHOTO BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

DANIKA MAE SOBERANO

We never really know what contribution of science & technology we need until we need it.

contribution of science & technology we need until we need it. Looking back on the “scientific journeys” I’ve gone through and looking at our fight against the invisible, but respiratorykilling enemy, I am nothing but defenseless and helpless. I have no prior knowledge of what plants could be an effective alternative to help create and dilute alcohol, sanitizers,

or disinfectant sprays – products that are being hauled by the people in our cities who have gone panic buying. I don’t know the alkalinity levels of common plant’s fruits and flowers that are said to be higher than that of the virus – so we’d know what to ingest often at home. And I cannot comprehend the phytochemicals of these medicinal plants that were said to be proved potential anti-COVID-19 druggable candidates as I don’t even know what are the biologically active compounds found in plants, to begin with. We need to grow our knowledge in all aspects of science & technology. Answering to the professor’s question, exposing students to plant research is I think a fundamental step for students to learn more first on their surroundings and what they could make of it to help the community. Because life science or physical science, we all need to delve in many aspects and try to find solutions in many ongoing problems that we are all facing whether it might be as simple as finding a plant is a viable mosquito repellent or as complicated as making a developmental product for sustainable planting. It is not just about finding solutions today, but also growing our very own scientific pool of knowledge so we’d get to help and do our part in our society in the future. The pandemic made me both physically and academically vulnerable but at the same time, awakened me to learn more and try contributing what I know and would know to science and technology. 6 months ago, we wanted to incorporate our Arduino sensors, the python language, and even SMS sensors into a product that would help save our waters. Now, we want to look for antibacterial properties of medicinal plants common in our areas to make a sanitizing product that would help save humanity.

Cellophanes scrape the floor as wind softly blows on a couple dozen of them; meanwhile, the bottles roll down the hallways—finally, the 32nd memorandum bans its face on Pisay’s surface. To start, plastic takes 10 to 450 years to decompose. Around the world, 300 million tons of plastics are produced per year, with 50% of these being single-use products. As students, we should try to lessen waste within our school. To guide us, Memorandum No. 32, created on the 7th of August 2019, encourages the following: Ban of single use plastic bags and straws; Use of paper-based food and beverage containers; Bringing of individual reusable bottles; and Reduced use of tarpaulins. Looking back, we don’t seem to be applying these practices. Take the school canteen as an example that doesn’t seem to be following the “less plastic practice”, as the food products are wrapped in a thin sheet of plastic that’s only there to be crumpled then—plop! Thrown away so soon. As the memorandum advises, these products should be placed in biodegradable paper bags. Place them in a container first, then if someone plans to buy, just move them to a paper bag. Did you notice? A few months ago, markets began to recycle boxes for packaging goods too. This is a good way of avoiding plastic, since it also concerns recycling. The markets began using boxes due to Butuan’s plastic bag ban. This was issued on the Plastic Regulation Ordinance, which was approved on October 4, 2016. In the end, the memorandum advises us to lessen the use of plastic. This will be very helpful in keeping the planet neat. What are you waiting for? Stay clean and go green!

SCIENCE AND PROGRESS

Solutions at Play:

Funding our scholars for our tomorrow JEMUEL ADRIAN MONGADO

2020

Solving the country’s problems and improving the quality of the lives of Filipinos are the main end goals of this effort

We see science & technology differently. A professor during my immersion in Manila asked me “bakit ba pag elementary o hayskul, pinapagawa nila na pang science fair ay palaging mga halamang gamot?“ (why do elementary & high school teachers still want their students to conduct research on medicinal plants?) He laughed at the thought and I, being clueless, laughed and went along with it. Although I have seen my classmates throughout the years present studies on showing the phytochemical, antibacterial, healing, and all sorts of properties on various plants, I personally have never done a research study involving these green species, giving me a sort-of excuse why I found that professor’s joke funny and nothing dead-on serious. As early as in 4th grade, I was suggested to conduct researches involving bio wastes and turning them into bio-plastics, -ceramics and -filters and nothing on conducting queries towards these “halamang gamot”. We sought to seek answers through science & our ever-changing technology. Being always categorized as “life science” during science fairs, my teammates and I decided to take a leap last year and go all techno nuts on Arduino and the world of the programming language, python. We made a product that would filter, test, and monitor the body of water of choice anytime, anywhere. It was a developmental, experimental and comparative study that we presented during the RSTW’s RICE 2019. At the time, our minds were concentrated on our project and looking out on projects that use soft-wares, applications, robotics, Arduino and all sort of techno-related studies. These were the kind of projects presented and won during the event, and I could only count on one hand those who presented on anything medicinal plants related. We never really know what

20.1 billion

INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE October 16 quake caused damage to three malls in Davao City. However, a mall in General Santos was gutted following a fire triggered by the trembling. 143 buildings in total were damaged and one was destroyed. The second case, which was the strongest caused a major fire in General Santos, preceded by the deemed mall fire. Power outages were observed in many parts of Cotabato, and this quake resulted to ten casualties and hundreds injured. The last quake caused the collapse of a hotel in Kidapawan City, but no casualties surfaced from the collapse. 30,000 families were affected at this state, leaving some begging on the highway for food and supplies. The quake tainted the socioeconomic state of the affected areas, making each day of the month a risk to take. Now, the affected areas are on the verge of recovery, but trembles can still be felt each day. Doomsday dominated the Southern Mindanao areas, in hopes of ending the film-like chaos that traumatized themselves for the remaining days of their lives.

My Scientific Journeys for Science and Technology

2019

THE BIG THREE Three major earthquakes were recorded at dates; October 16, October 29, and October 31. The first major quake was reported to have a 6.3 magnitude with a depth of 14.1 kilometers. The epicentre was located 7 kilometers ENE of Columbio, 22 kilometers southeast of Tulunan, Cotabato – the location which was at intensity VII alongside M’lang and Kidapawan. VI was felt at Tacurong, Santo Nino, and Digos in Davao del Sur. The quake resulted from sinistral movement on a NW-SE trending strikeslip fault. The second major earthquake was felt at a 6.6 magnitude, with a depth of 14.1 kilometers (according to the USGS, while 7 kilometers from PHIVOLCS). Intensified at level VII, this strong index was felt at Tulunan, Makilala, Kidapawan, Digos, and Malungon. This tremble was caused by movement of a different and related strike-slip fault to the October 16 event. The last major earthquake was a 6.5 magnitude tremble indexed at intensity level VII at Tulunn, Makilala, Kidapawan, Santa Cruz, Matanao, Magsaysay, Bansalan, and Digos. Depth was at 1o kilometers according to the USGS, epicentre located a kilometre south of Kisante.

ART BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

WHERE WILL SCIENCE TAKE US?

20.26 billion

Movie scenes feel different once it happens in real life. Films tend to over-exaggerate scenes depicting disasters, leaving a chaotic appeal to the audience. But for the citizens of the Mindanao group of islands, the last three months of the year was the disaster scene no one has ever expected. Deemed to have been the darkest times of Mindanao citizens, the 2019 cotabato earthquake was one of the noted tragedies of the year. Three of the earthquakes scaled more than 6.0 of the moment magnitude scale and a Mercalli intensity of VII. Affecting most areas of Mindanao island, the series of earthquakes caused more than 40 deaths and nearly 800 injuries. These quakes were noted to happen mainly in the southern part of the island, starting off at the province of Cotabato, ending at Davao region. This quakes prompted the citizens to leave their own houses due to hazardous aftershocks and possible infrastructure damage that can potentially cause casualties.

THE WHO’S AND WHY’S OF THE BENEFITING PARTY In an effort to develop national competence, education and prowess in science and technology, the Philippine government has made measures to amass generations of future S&T professionals. To that end, the Department of Science and Technology has given rise to the PSHS and DOST SEI programs, which provide scholarships to students with high aptitude in science and mathematics. It also provided Ph.D. and Masters

programs to the deserving applicants. Senate President pro tempore Ralph Recto has expressed support on the motion to the support the scholarships of all 44,475 scholars of DOST’s programs for 2020. The majority of these scholars are for Philippine Science High School and DOST - Science Education Institute scholars. 1,927 scholars for Ph.D and 4,264 scholars for Masters programs are part of this number, as well. Amounting to P7.4 billion, the proposed amount will be an integrated part of DOST’s 2020 budget. But where does this money go to, exactly? The money will cover tuition, books, travel, living, and allowances of the scholars. The continued operation of the PSHS system and all its campuses will also be included, along with DOST - SEI. Recto assures that funding these scholars’ education is not an expense but an investment of high return. RECTO’S JUSTIFICATION As an example, Recto points out the lack of ICT professionals in Philippine governance. Political scientists are in a sizeable number, yet only little are versed in data science. Government administrators are in abundance, but the number of ICT systems administrators is at the stark opposite. ICT proficiency in governance is integral to proper policymaking and

implementation, even more so in the rapid technological advancements of society. He has pointed out that Ph.D. scholars, in contrast to the highest officials of government, are “no doubt more important for the country’s future”. ”SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS” “This country’s problems can be addressed by science-based solutions”, Recto has stated. The problems that confront the country today, from health to agriculture, to traffic, can only have science-based solutions. Through sponsoring scholars versed in science and technology, science-based solutions to societal and national problems would be solved through the larger and more proficient local scientific community these scholarships programs are bound to produce. THE END GOAL Solving the country’s problems and improving the quality of the lives of Filipinos are the main end goals of this effort. These programs will develop this body of S&T professionals and problem solvers in this country. If the senate president realises this, it only means that real problems exist, and real solutions are at play. The scholars of this nation embody these solutions.

PURSUING ONLY THE UNTARNISHED, UNPREJUDICED AND UNSWAYED TRUTH the thirteenth scholars

Event recorded with the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector of CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in 2012 showing characteristics expected from the decay of the Higgs boson to a pair of photons (dashed yellow lines and green towers).

S CIE N C E AN D T E C H B RE A K T HR OU GHS O F T HE D E C A D E

NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY

for the development of lithium-ion batteries John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino

IN THIS SECTION

Monsters in our World: First image of black hole surfaces

PAGE 2

An Icon of the Youth, A Catalyst for the Future

PAGE 3

Envisioning as Earth’s stewards: Plastic Ban

PAGE 7

RE-EMERGED

SCIENCE AND HEALTH

Malnutrition: A Light or Heavy Matter? SHAINA DELIA TOMANENG

For us, students, whose BMIs never seem to be in the 18.5-24.9 range, the weight loss/gain forms that greet us with open arms during the periods of clearance-signing are our old and annoying friends. Although some, if not all, of us have accepted the label of being “underweight” or “overweight” for quite some time now, it wouldn’t hurt to stop thinking of random food choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every quarter (and admittedly just for the sake of variety). Being one of these students is an actual challenge, where the hardest part is trying to follow others’ advice to “Eat more!” or “Try going on a diet”. Oh, if only it were that easy… Well, it turns out, there’s so much more to these so-called labels than trying to increase one’s food intake or going on a diet. Being underweight and overweight are two of the most widely known forms of malnutrition, which includes all nutritional disorders that are due to dietary deficiency or nutrient excess. Although malnutrition can be caused by many things, it does not occur solely because of insufficient food intake or an unbalanced diet. The cause may lie in the way our bodies use the food we eat, which could be defective

if it results in a shortage of calories, protein, vitamins, or minerals. Since these nutrients, especially protein, are essential components for growth, nutrient deficiency can contribute to cognitive disabilities or abnormal bone growth in severe cases, while intake of these nutrients in excessive amounts can result in various health problems such as high cholerestol levels that may lead to circulatory diseases. There are three broad groups of conditions that the term “malnutrition” addresses, namely: undernutrition, micronutrient-related malnutrition, and overnutrition. Unndernutrition encompasses all conditions caused by a deficiency of calories. It includes the following sub-forms: wasting, stunting, and underweight. These terms, which sound similar to each other, actually have very notable differences. Wasting is the condition of having low weight for one’s height, while stunting is having low height for one’s age. Being underweight means having low weight for one’s age, which is commonly characterized as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 18.5. Micronutrient-related malnutrition includes both excess and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, which are often referred to as micronutrients. Inadequacies in micronutrient intake imply the deterioration of the body’s ability to produce enzymes, hormones,

BMI Classification

Male

Female

Total

Wasted Underweight Normal Overweight Obese

7 68 138 37 23

3 74 135 22 8

10 142 273 59 31

Distribution of scholars (sex) per category in the BMI Classification System

DATA BY SCHOOL CLINIC

and other substances that are essential for proper growth and development. Overnutrition covers both overweight and obese conditions. According to the BMI classification, overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9, whereas obesity begins when the BMI ranges from 30 or more. These conditions often result from an imbalance between the energy a person consumes and the energy that is expended from his body. Overweight and obese people normally consume a large amount of foods and drinks that are high in sugar and fats and engage in less physical activity, which both lead to the accumulation of body fat. Malnutrition as an issue affecting teens, especially students, is recognized on a global scale. The prevalence of rates of underweight and obesity among students can even be seen in the recent data gathered from the students of PSHS-CRC. Out of 515 students from Grades 7 to 12, only 273 students have a normal body mass index. That comprises only 53% of the whole student population. All the remaining students have BMIs that are too low or too high for the normal BMI range, which means almost half of the scholars suffer from malnutrition. Among these students, 4% are wasted, 13% are obese, 24% are overweight, and 59% are underweight. Clearly, the statistics show that CRC’s malnutrition issue is anything but

Hugging Hogs while ASF cases on hike SHALOM LAGAHIT

From alcoholic beverages such as beer, to staple food like bread, and the hygiene kit must-have toothpaste; did you know that pork meat isn’t the only by-product extracted from pigs? The not-so-humble hog industry in the Philippines is the second leading contributor to the country’s agricultural sector, with a total accumulated value of 160 billion pesos. With this industry challenged by a certain re-emerging viral disease called the African Swine Fever, who will it affect and how can it be prevented from taking the lives of our useful swine friends? African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of pigs and is caused by a large DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family. It was first discovered in Kenya, Africa in 1921 as a result of importation of European pigs in the country. ASF affects domestic and wild pigs with symptoms not limited to

high fever (up to 42°C), depression and loss of appetite, hyperaemia and cyanosis (seen as reddening) of the skin, particularly ears and snout, coughing and increased respiratory rate, vomiting and diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abortions, and discharges from the eyes and nose of the animal. The virus causes a mortality rate of almost 100% in domestic pigs according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. The Philippines is recently the 9th country in Asia where ASF has been discovered, and it can affect most of the country’s local hog growers due to contagion of the virus from one hog to another. In order to prevent the virus from spreading, culling animals on infected farms, followed by cleaning and disinfection is required by the Department of Agriculture. If reports of contaminated hogs will be raised, there will be tracing of possible contact farms which will be followed by quarantine or preventive culling. Transport ban on pigs and pork products should also be implemented. What happens if you eat meat from

Revival

swine contaminated with the virus? The Department of Health assured the public that the African swine fever (ASF) does not pose a risk on human health. In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reminded the public to cook pork “thoroughly” to prevent contracting illnesses from halfcooked meat. “We want to allay the fears of the public by saying that, as long as pork is bought from reliable sources and it is cooked thoroughly, pork is safe to eat,” Duque said. Although it does not cause any risk to human health, it can still be the cause of possible serious economic impoverishment, due to the deficit production which will counterflow the supply and demand of hog and swine products in the country. A pig is seen resting along with some other pigs after getting ASF Vaccines PHOTO BY JUDD CHRISTIAN BAÑAS

acceptable. However, measures have been taken by the school’s health unit to reduce the number of malnourished students, such as the quarterly feeding of the underweight and the jogging exercises around the campus. Despite the fact that these activities are recognized as a serious effort to combat malnutrition, it’s not enough, seeing as so many students still don’t make it to the normal BMI cut. Holistically developing the young minds of “future S&T leaders” will always begin with physical health. Considering the possible risks that malnutrition brings, having to fill up those weight forms is the least of our problems. However, as scholars, we have to take the initiative to at least try to be as healthy as possible by ourselves. Starving one’s self isn’t the solution; instead, we could ensure that we consume fruits, vegetables, starchy food, dairy products, and sources of protein in nutritious amounts. Since food varies in different kinds of environments, it is essential to know what nutrients are present in our everyday snacks and meals. Above all, we need to remember to keep everything balanced and in moderation – and yes, that means sacrificing pizza for much healthier options. Simple steps like these take time but they certainly go a long way if you want to achieve that nice, healthy 18.5-24.9 BMI.

A child recieves a doze of OPV in a vaccination program initiated by the Philippine Red Cross PHOTO ATTRIBUTION WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

JESSIE LIX DE RAMOS

You wake up one day not knowing that something might come to life once again. After 19 years, poliomyelitis came back, hitting a little girl from Lanao del Sur. News spread like wildfire, as if the world’s darkest secret was revealed. The world woke up to the enigma of what was once an extinct virus. Yet trouble didn’t stop there; it was also reported that the water from Bolton River in Davao teseds positive with the said virus. Flowing water is the common vehicle, thus ravishing waters come with potential lifethreatening microbes. The Philippines became poliofree by 2000, making the revival of polio as a national health concern. Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious viral disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord, attacking the host in a speed of light. One of its lifetime effects is paralysis, but these cases are about 0.5% of the overall patients. The virus transfers in a direct manner. It bites through the bloodstream, flowing up on the central processing unit of the body. This virus is transmitted from person-to-person mainly through the faecal-oral route and common vehicles such as food and water, and multiplies in the digestive system. Polio is highly deadly, and there is no cure for this viral disease. Once infected, paralysis will forever be part of your life. No cure, but a hope for prevention prevails. Vaccines are made available for the people, most especially for the children. Polio vaccines have been used to save the youth from getting infected from this incurable disease. For decades this has been the best option for prevention, but upon the rise of the most controversial health scandal of 2018, the immunization rate dropped. The dengvaxia issue has brought

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