The Thirteenth Scholars Vol. 2 Issue 1 by The Thirteenth Scholars

13thscholars

THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

JUL - DEC 2017

VOL . 2 NO. 1

the

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Chained Forced learning is learning nothing at all.

Category

Ranking

Coach

Secondary English

1st

Miss Lily Dale M. Subla

Secondary English

1st

Miss Lily Dale M. Subla

Roy Angelo D. Editorial Velmonte Cartooning

Secondary English

4th

Miss Lily Dale M. Subla

Harold Giovannie A. Guelos

Sports Writing

Secondary English

4th

Miss Lily Dale M. Subla

Arianne Mer F. Paas

Science and Technology Feature Writing

Secondary Filipino

7th

Mr. Jayward M. Baco

Katrina Lea G. Rosales

Radio Broadcasting - Best in Script Writing - Best in Technical Application

Secondary English

Lawrence P. Osorio

Copyreading and Headline Writing

2nd 3rd

Miss Lily Dale M. Subla

JUL - DEC 2017

THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

NEWS

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

VOL . 2 NO. 1

PSHS-CRC kicks off Intramural Meet 2017 Bea Jane V. Serna The Philippine Science High School – Caraga Region Campus opened the 2017 Intramurals on December 12 in Caraga State University covered court with the theme, “Building Camaraderie and Sportsmanship through Sports.” The two-day sports-fest started with an opening program, signaled by a Gender-Sport Parade led by the Karajawan Ensemble with the aid of the CSU band, followed by a doxology by the school choir, Accelerando. Next, the National Anthem was led by Tim Allen Ebron followed by the delivery of the Opening Remarks by Ruwina S. Gonzaga, Director III.

A group of beautiful students smiling brightly in their Filipiñanas.

11 Institutions Against World Issues; 2 Neophytes Engage in RSGF 2017 Bea Jane V. Serna

To expose students to world issues, to widen their perspectives, and to help establish partnerships from the participants’ age group of 15 to 18, Japan’s Ritsumeikan High School coordinated a 5-day program called the Rits Super Global Forum 2017, in line with the “Super Global High School (SGH)” project, which is a government initiative to promote internationalization of high school education. Danika Mae D. Soberano and Rufiah Levi A. Medado, Grade 9 Students with Mrs. Yvonne M. Mordeno, Students Services Division

PSHS-CRC holds Fire Symposium and Drill J U Kirsten M. De Gracia The Philippine Science High School Caraga Region Campus (PSHS-CRC) in Tiniwisan, Ampayon, Butuan City launched a fire symposium and drill for PSHSCRC students and personnel with the theme “PSHS-CRC: A calamity Resilient Community” on October 20, 2017. The activity aimed to prepare students and school personnel for a quick and safe response during fire emergencies. It was headed by SF02 Bomen T. Lofranco, along with SF01 Edmar L. Aguillon from Butuan CityBFP. Students were taught why fire accidents happen, how to prevent fire, and how to extinguish fire. Each student was given a chance to put out a fire properly using a fire extinguisher. “The fire symposium gave us the necessary information about fire prevention and protection, and enables students to act and protect themselves in the chance that a fire occurs.” Stated by Cris Adrielle M. Abrea, a grade 7 student. Through this activity, students learned to be more careful with fire retardant materials and mindful in helping prevent fire accidents not only in school but also in their homes.

Chief of Philippine Science High School - Caraga Region Campus took part in this international affair of students and teachers all around the globe on November 14-18, 2017 at the Ritsumeikan High School, Kyoto, Japan. 11 countries, namely: India, Nepal, United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, France, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, and host country Japan participated in the said event. The Philippines was duly represented by the Philippine Science High School System, which sent students and teachers from 4

A pair of Scholar talking to a kid during the outreach program.

campuses: CALABARZON Region Campus, Eastern Visayas Campus, SOCCSKSARGEN Region Campus, and Caraga Region Campus. With its theme, “Education for Children: What education is needed for vulnerable children in the world? “, the event was full of tours to different tourist destinations like the Osaka Castle, Osaka City (Dotonbori), and the Uchida Yoko Co., LTD., a global company in Osaka. It was also filled with discussions of topics namely: Child Labor, Gender Inequality, Physical Access to school, Disasters, and Refugees.

“Through this forum, I realized that it is not too late to save the Philippines and all the other suffering countries. We, the youth, have the power to make a change in this world. We are the future leaders and scientists of tomorrow, that have the ability to make this world a better place. “Rits Super Global Forum for me is the medium in breaking up the ice and is just the beginning in giving room for change.” said Danika Mae D. Soberano, one of the participants from PSHS-CRC.

PSHS-CRC represents PH in Globe AsiaPacific Science Fest and Int’l Student Fair

Next, a sports message was given by Ms. Gonzaga, which was succeeded by the raising of the team flag, the Declaration of the Amateur Athletes oath, and the Oath of the officiating officials. Concluding the opening ceremony was a message given by Mr. Nestor B. Gumahad, GPTA President, followed by the Declaration of Formal Opening of Intramurals 2017 and the releasing of friendship balloons. On the second day, the Accelerando gave an invocation and conducted the singing of the National Anthem, followed by a Word of Thanks by Jecelyn R. Elorta, ALA Coordinator. Next was the Announcement of Winners by Keith R. -Salang, with Ms. Gonzaga awarding the participants. Signaling the end of the two-day event, the singing of the PSHS and DOST Hymns were led by Jepsy Bernadette M. Babia and Jeodvayn B. Estorco respectively.

Lawrence P. Osorio

PSHS-CRC conducts Outreach for the Children

Piso Para sa Baroto Uplifts Loreto Spirits Lawrence P. Osorio

Carl Djhon E. Gangca The season of giving and sharing. The Philippine Science High SchoolCaraga Region Campus students from Grades 8-10 conducted an Outreach Program for the kids at Brgy. Ampayon, Butuan City. It was a cloudy December 11, 2017 at around noon, when the students were starting to transport going to the location. The PSHSIRC students, who were attending the school’s Intramurals, were also there participating for the prgram. The students rode the multi-cabs and transported the gifts and prizes for the children. Upon arriving, a swarm of kids with their parents was waiting, excited to receive their gifts. A program was led by some Grade 8 students, even facilitated games and prepared prizes for the winners. Then the most awaited part, the giving of gifts, was distributed by every student, greeting theme ‘A Merry Christmas’ with smiles on both parties. As a reward to the students who participated and helped, they were given free snacks from the school. A better way to end the Outreach Program.

Soon after, the entrance of the Friendship Flame and the lighting of the urn were both led by selected sports club members, which was followed by the saludo competition between groups and the hoisting of the PSHS-CRC banner, judged and led by school officials, including the campus director.

(From the right) Sir Kenneth Jeason Garcia, Amanda Urag, Lea Abuhon, Kevyn Gamutan, and Jace Khalil Gumahad. All Grade 10 students boasting the Flag of the Philippines. The students of Philippine Science High School-CRC were chosen to represent the Philippines in the High Scope Program (HSP) and NanoTechnology Informal Education. Project (ENIEP) Fair E x h i b i t i o n - G l o b e A s i a - Pa c i f i c Science Festival and International Student Fair that was held on July 1015,2017, at Taipei,Taiwan. The students chosen to represent our country were Lea Andrea A. Abuhon, Kevyn Marie C. Gamutan, Jace Khalil G. Gumahad, and Amanda Gaye A. Urag, accompanied by Mr. Kenneth Jeason

B. Garcia. They were able to share their ideas and knowledge on their research, which won in the school science fair on April 10, 2017. “Sweet Potato Peelings as a Precursor Material for Processing Activated Carbon to neutralize PH levels, Turbidity, and Total Suspended Solids in Wastewater” and “Waste Plastic Bottles for Concrete Brick Reinforcement as Building Material” are the titles of their projects that they shared to other delegates of the event. It wasn’t a contest but it is a big honor for them to represent the whole country.

With the help of everyone in Philippine Science High SchoolCaraga Region Campus, the school was able to help kids in Loreto, Agusan del Sur. On June 2017, the faculty and staff of the school conducted Piso Para sa Baroto Outreach, in which they turn over the amount that they have raised from scholars of the said institution, to a municipality they have chosen. They were able to come up with enough amount to purchase a native boat or what they refer to as baroto, and school supplies for pupils in the chosen municipality. The school aimed to visit and assist in any means, remote areas in the region, giving hope to children, and motivating them to continue with their formal education. The mayor of the municipality, Hon. Ligaya LentijaOtaza is really grateful for the outreach, and hopes to see the school visits them again.

THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

JUL - DEC 2017

EDITORIAL

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

VOL . 2 NO. 1

Missed Call

Eunice Joshua F. Gazmin

Screams of unknown individuals echoed through the unseen walls of the city. Stomp of shoes and slippers continued to resonate the roads of every community. Each figure tried to raise their banners as high as they could. Is there any significant purpose of them doing this?

Illustration by: Roy Angelo D. Velmonte

Chained

Eunice Joshua F. Gazmin

“Forced

learning is learning nothing at all.

Living the “typical” high school life is supposed to be fun. It is supposed to be a haven where beautiful and precious memories are bound to take place. However, when the academics gets the best of you, what’s supposed to be a time of fulfilling a perfect dream turns into the making of a nightmare. All high schools are the same, may it be private or public, prestigious or not. They teach students, give projects to students, give quizzes (even surprise ones) to students, and even give exams to them. Maybe the only difference between secondary schools is the curriculum. However, studying in a prestigious school such as PISAY doesn’t give its students the excuse that they do not have the freedom to do the things that they want. It’s not about luck being in PISAY. Passing the entrance examination also means they have the ability to maintain their grades. So “acads” is definitely not an excuse in keeping

you from doing what’s fun. Exams happen all the time. Even after graduation, there is a board exam (for some courses though) that needs to be passed. Every after examination, students (high school) usually have these long faces plastered in their image. Why must they need be depressed when exams are just evaluation of the things learned in the previous quarter? By definition, exam is a test to show a person’s progress, knowledge, or ability. Thinking logically, there’s no need not to study the exams. So why cram? A one whole day intense review on a one-week lesson does not guarantee that you can definitely ace up your grades. It’s all about what you learned, not what you remembered. Grades do not define you. It’s just numbers that can be easily forgotten. Real life doesn’t measure how good you are in this and that, it’s about how you decide to live.

When you try to look back in your high school life, it isn’t the grades that you’d want to remember, it’s the memories you’ve created. So how can you recall a fragment of memory if you don’t even have one? Still, this doesn’t mean you always need to make memories all the time. Even if you don’t like it, you also have this responsibility to be the “pag-asa ng bayan”. In short, try to have fun while maintaining your grades. Indeed, you may not appreciate the book you are reading if you do not understand the content of it. What’s the point? You don’t like it anyway. The same with learning. Try to learn because you wanted to learn, not because of aiming for higher grades. The system you are in is not trapping you. You are chaining yourself. Big grades without learning? That’s one way to get chained.

September 21, 2017. National Day of Protest. It was not declared as a holiday but the Duterte administration seized this opportunity to let people express their thoughts and wants through a protest. Just around 10 am on the same date, people in Butuan City gathered to “speak” out their minds in making the current administration step down because of these various reason: the president might become like Hitler, who kills innocent people. He is not a good president for killing people on drugs. This alloted day was very important to have the people speak out what they wanted to change in the organization so that they may be able to realize what they wanted. Hollow and shallow knowledge is not included for consideration. We need to speak out the significant purpose and objectives for the benefit of all, not false accusations that might end up a nuisance to a prosperous progress. As observed in these protests, some were just tagging along to recieve some incentive, cash giveaways, and free lunch in exchage for standing and screaming the unknown objective of the rally. A stand and walk or at least an hour and be able to get something to eat? That is something some people cannot ignore. Instead of holding an event which let people speak, how about an event which let people eat? Nevertheless, each and every one of us has different perspective in life. For us to be united, we need to speak out our concerns so we may able to reprimand our needs. In a call center agency, in order to know the needs of the client, the agent must ask some questions and the latter must answer the inquiry with significant answers. They cannot allow to have an unanswered call. Just like what we do right now, we are the client and the administration is the agent. They are asking for our needs and wants, which we need to reply with significance. If course, they cannot afford to have one missed call.

“

A Rift in Morality Joaquin Jerecho R. Ferolino

However, the above mentioned prospect will not be accomplished due to the fact that the number of suicides performed by the youth is gradually increasing every year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for every suicide, there is an attempt to commit suicide. Considering the youth to be in the educational process, stress is what stems one of the many causes of such an issue that has plagued the country since the past several years.

The reasons of these suicides don’t only limit to the advent of stress. Untreated depression contributes

about 20 percent to the latter of several reasons while both bullying and cyberbullying contribute about 20 percent, says the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. What’s more, domestic and substance abuse, along with being an alcoholic person, are also wide causes of depression, eventually resulting to the taking of one’s own life. Although there is no denying the cruel truth about the youth, that does not mean that the Philippines is not doing anything to counter the occurrence of these events. In accordance with the desperate need to eradicate, if not stopping, the suicidal rate among the youth, the Department of Health (DOH) released the Hopeline, a 24/7 suicide prevention hotline. The said hotline can surely prevent the rise of suicidal rates with exclusive emphasis on the World Suicide Prevention Day on September. On the other hand, a number of mental health disorders have been taking their toll on the compromised youth. This has led them to the account of performing common

methods of suicide such as ingestion of pesticides, hanging, and the use of firearms. In this situation, psychiatrists and any other mental health doctors need to intensify the rehabilitation of the affected young people in the country. Then again, the country has launched an attempt to counter youth suicide by pleading allegiance with the Philippine Psychiatric Association in collaboration with the DOH and National Institute for Health. The organizations aim to launch the project; Philippine Health Information System-Mental Health (PHIS-MH) in order to provide statistics of several mental health disorders including the suicide rate in the Philippine setting. In addition, the avoidance of these suicide cases among the youth can be cleared up through the mild entity of strengthening the awareness of such delicate matters. This can be done with the aspect of being vigilant in the community. This can be ensured, considering the vast outlook of the act of countering suicide itself. Since the Philippines is

amidst the turmoil caused by the occurrence of suicides among the youth, the people must unite and rise to further elaborate the cause. At the same time, the prospect of the promotion on mental wealth must also be duly recognized in order for the country to pioneer in suicide prevention. The Filipinos must protect the youth from sordid forms of death, especially suicide by providing the seam to patch the hole in society that constricts them from preventing such eventualities.

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Department of Health (DOH) released the Hopeline, a 24/7 suicide prevention hotline

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Illustration by: Eulivanne Rose F. Anduyan

Today’s youth in the Philippines are the hope for the betterment of tomorrow, but with the growth of suicidal rate among these certain people, a lapse has formed an ineptness for the young. Every year, more than 800,000 people resort to suicide, most of which is comprised of the youth. Even with such alarming statistics, a good future can still be envisioned and met through sheer perseverance and endurance.

THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

JUL - DEC 2017

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

EDITORIAL

Information Collection on the Drug War: Justifiable or Not?

VOL . 2 NO. 1

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UNHEARD ECHO

the

John Rhiel M. Tepait

Solicitor General Jose Calida has moved against the December 5, 2017 order of the Supreme Court for the Duterte administration to submit reports of the roughly 3800 drug suspects in supposed legitimate police anti-drug operations during the span of July 1, 2016 to November 30, 2017 with correlation of the Philippine war on drugs. The Court’s order was that the administration should submit: names, addresses, gender of those killed; place, date and time of drug ops; names of PNP team leader and team members who participated in the operation the pre-operation plan; post ops report; whether search warrants or warrants of arrests were issued; and names of representatives of media, NGOs and barangay officials present during the police operations.

“

The order is made far more justifiable because PNP’s CMC No.16-2016 or the “Oplan DoubleBarrel” has five stages

“

Calida, filing a motion for reconsideration has stated that the Supreme Court cannot declare a law or ordinance unconstitutional for the reason of abuses of the implementer.

To back up his statement, he added, “Just imagine the absurdity of situations when laws may be declared unconstitutional just because the officers implementing them have acted arbitrarily.” The Supreme Court’s order for the submission of reports on the drug suspects the PNP have killed was for acquiring the truth about their process of subjugating these people. The high court also made it necessary for the Duterte administration to give out information because there have been outrages by citizens and those who have gone weary of not knowing what happened to their relatives or friends who they deem to be innocent of the crime. It is right and just for the Supreme Court to gain a hold of the records of the process of interrogation and elimination by the administration. The order is made far more justifiable because PNP’s CMC No.16-2016 or the “Oplan Double-Barrel” has five stages: the collection and validation of information stage where information on suspected drug users and pushers is acquired and verified through a five-tier validation process; the coordination stage with LGUs, PDEA, DDB, the AntiDrug Abuse Councils, the Philippine Information Agency and NGOs; the house-to-house visitation stage; the processing and documentation stage where the voluntary surrender form is accomplished and the personof-interest is interviewed; and the monitoring and evaluation stage where police action is taken in case of continued drug activities. From these stages, it is necessary for the Supreme Court to recognize their agenda that if they so or if they not, follow the five stages written in their campaign plan. However, even though the Supreme Court may have the right to access the records of the administration,

it is also an unjustified act to render the Revised Penal Code as unconstitutional. The Revised Penal Code was made unconstitutional for the case of the administration for the reason of how the PNP acted. This means that supposed crimes by false accusation or extralegal killings by the PNP is considered to not be a part of constitution which may be unfair to how the Revised Penal Code normally works. Another reason as to why Calida will not release the records of information is that it contained sensitive information that has national security implications. “The production of documents...in the long run will have an undeniable effect on national security: it could spell the success or failure of follow-up operations of police and other law enforcement bodies, aside from endangering the lives of those on the list as well as those already in custody,” Calida said in the motion. Even with eminently strong reasoning and evidence, Solicitor General Jose Calida and the administration itself are still greatly suspicious. Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was the first to verbally issue the order on December 5, to which Calida replied, “Yes your honor, we will embody them in our memorandum.” With that, Calida also requested to be given two months to produce the documents. Having previously done these actions, and then saying that he will not carry out the order and will not give the information, his ideas became much cluttered and the people now seem to be skeptical. If he had become more careful of his choices, Calida could have gotten away with having not to disperse information without citizens doubting his ideas.

A Deficit Definition. Hans Kaiser C. Ciano Brotherhood: noun, 1)the state of being a brother, 2)feelings of friendship, support, and understanding between people. Read (hazing). On September 18 2017, UST law student Horacio Castillo III was declared dead on arrival at the Chinese General Hospital at 9:51 am. Covered in bruises and candle wax, he bore the marks from the senselessly violent initiation he chose to go through to become a part of the Aegis Juris fraternity, which was suspended by the UST civil law dean that very same day. All this in the name of brotherhood. Since the amendment of the 22 year old law against Hazing there have been at least 18 frat related deaths from this barbaric tradition. A sad and outrageous number, of which Horacio Castillo III has become the latest statistic. Hazing, or at least according to the law, is an “initiation rite or practice as a prerequisite for admission into membership in a fraternity, sorority or organization by placing the recruit, neophyte or applicant in some embarrassing or humiliating situations such as forcing him to do menial, silly, foolish and other similar tasks or activities or otherwise subjecting him to physical or psychological suffering or injury.” Pretty harmless stuff in this context. Moreover, according to the law, a fraternity must first notify the school 7 days prior to the actual hazing, and then have the hazing observed by at least two representatives from the school to see that “no physical violence is employed.” Seems stuff…in theory.

pretty

solid

Many organizations still prefer the ritual of violence to test the sincerity and tenacity of a pledge. If a pledge is injured but survives no one bats an eye, for all anyone cares they passed the initiation and should be congratulated. The pledges forget the pain and suffering once they are assured that they got in. No blood, no foul. The practice goes on.

Illustration by: Roy Angelo D. Velmonte

Hans Kaiser C. Ciano

Why We Speak?

It is often said that the youths are the future. Writing the pages of the next chapter as they grow, going through elementary, highschool, and onward to adulthood. But as unsteady as the future is, so are they. Caught between the years of childhood and adulthood, they stay in the awkward position of being too old to act like a child and too young to be treated as an adult. Too young to be listened to, yet too old to not say anything. Who better them, than themselves?

understand

Caught between growing up and being a grown up, they are

old enough to understand, and young enough to be free of the prejudice and bias that accompanies growing up. Their starry eyed face showing promise in every phrase, sentence or page they write. Untethered to political affiliations and undettered by the threat of disapproving co-workers, who else to experience objectivity than those unbiased in their naivety? You might think, these are children, knowing nothing of the world and how it is, much less to write of it. True, they know nothing. But in that they are the perfect vessels of

truth and bearers of information. With no previous knowledge they know not to misinform, or lie, or change. Safe and secure in their childhood, who better to speak, than those with nothing to gain or lose? What they know is truth, unbiased, and unaligned. Who better to write about the present, than those who write the future? This is campus journalism. And this is why we speak. listen.

Give us our voice, and

Editorial Board Eunice Joshua F. Gazmin Editor-in-Chief Lawrence P. Osorio Associate Editor Bea Jane V. Serna Kit Lester P. Balayo News Writers Eunice Joshua F. Gazmin John Rhiel M. Tepait Joaquin Jerecho R. Ferolino Editorial Writers Paul Vincent D. Felias Carl Djhon E. Gangca J U Kirsten M. De Gracia Rhojen Elah L. Jampac Adiel Jasiel R. Trillo Nathalie May A. Libres Feature Writers Nigel John F. Casido Shalom S. Lagahit Jessie Lix C. De Ramos Jr. Science and Technology News Feature Writers Harold Giovannie A. Guelos Judd Christian F. Bañas Jemuel Adrian D. Mongado Sports Writers Eulivanne Rose F. Anduyan Roy Angelo D. Velmonte Cartoonists Judd Christian F. Bañas Jeznin Angekyla P. Barroquillo Layout Artist Cris Adrielle C. Abrea Hans Kaiser C. Ciano Danika Mae D. Soberano Regina Estrelieta C. Lambo Jewelle Marie S. Mejias Susanne Christine A. Hierl Jeodvayn B. Estorco Lucille Marie D. Estrada Yves S. Nuyad Isaac A. Espiritu Sandicubich L. Docena Contributors

The violence does not stop when the victims themselves allow it to, and it does not fail to continue when everyone plays a blind eye to these crimes.

Lily Dale M. Subla English Publication Adviser

It is all fun and games until someone loses an eye, and it is custom and ritual until someone dies.

Nestor B. Gumahad GPTA President

The problem with the law, and its consequent failure at keeping order and safety lies in its core: it allows hazing. In itself hazing is not a crime, it is allowed and tolerated as long as no one gets hurt. When someone dies under a pledge hazing is not a crime, but merely a precedent. The law put up to protect these pledges, to prevent another toll on our dead, is the same law that permits them harm in the first place. It has to be struck down and rewritten. Hazing does not provide entry into a brotherhood, it does not foster support or understanding. It is pain, and it is death. It is not a tradition that should exist, and it is not one to be even tolerated.

Kenneth Jeason B. Garcia Curriculum and Instructions Division Chief Yvonne M. Moredeno Students Services Division Chief Flora Mae O. Tormento Finance and Administrative Division Chief Ruwina S. Gonzaga Campus Director

THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

JUL - DEC 2017

FEATURE

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

VOL . 2 NO. 1

Inauguration of the New Campus of Caraga Scholars Danika Mae D. Soberano Four years since the establishment of the PSHS Caraga campus here in Butuan, the faculty, staff and students who have been able to experience the work life and school life in a borrowed building, have stepped on the grounds for the very first time of what we can finally call our own. Equipped with 21st century facilities, buildings, and grounds, the campus already boasts a signature campus space of modernity despite of it being unfinished. Last July 6, 2017, the students including the freshmen and the faculty and staff, witnessed and participated the inauguration of our newly built campus. It marked the beginning of its public use and the

continuation of being the brainchild of the future leaders of the country. Three years in a borrowed location did not hinder the faculty to develop and support the pioneer students in their in and out campus activities and competitions. The first cream of the crops in Caraga, the pioneers, beamed with determination to meet the ideals of being a Pisay scholar. “Study well, Behave well.” Pioneer student Ms. Christine Jean S. Agad who have been the consistent top DL of the pioneer batch believes this is what got her to the place she’s in. Being the firsts to show exemplary performance, the scholars never failed to show their full potential in

the fields of science and mathematics amidst the temporary grounds they are in. Two years since 2015, Pisay CRC has been bagging awards not just in science and mathematics related competitions but also reaching their horizons in different fields such as journalism. Showing their dedication and passion for excellence, the students staying inside the temporary building in Caraga State University exhibited continual improvement and development to become well-rounded students. “Math and Science are the supreme beauty of life”. Pioneer student Ms. Kevyn Marie C. Gamutan , a scholar who

has shown an excellent performance and standing both in the fields of science and mathematics, considers this as the reason to further exceed and increase her mental capacity in these two major fields. This year, Pisay CRC is not only rising to embrace the architectural coherence the campus brings, it is also soaring this 13th campus of the Philippine Science High School System to new heights in their relevant secondary education. It is evident that the educational orientation of the scholars does not cease their commitment and dedication to reach success. And stepping on this new modernized solid ground captures

High School Susanne Christine A. Hierl In high school, they have a set of standards for every subject.

slur a classmate had said. But pretends to laugh when adults say the “n” word.

A collection of lessons that the teacher’s required to teach by the end of the term.

The people want change but looks down on those who act.

But the greatest lessons students learn do not come from your curriculum.

We were taught that ‘just because something happens, doesn’t mean you are to take action against it’.

The greatest lessons they will ever teach us, you will not even remember learning. They never told us what we weren’t allowed to say. We just learned how to hold our tongues. Now somewhere in a classroom an instructor rambles on about their political stand and bias as the students stay silent. Because the moment you go against what they believe in, your parents are suddenly asking why your grades dropped. Because we must control what the people say, and how they think. And if they want to become the overseer of their own selves, then we’ll show them a real one. And somewhere in a classroom, children are fearless in shouting out against a racial

“It was not fair nor right” they say confidently, but they “learned to live with it” the next week. And they forget that we stand on a land of people who fought for their right to speak. There are things that should be corrected. But we were taught that it is better to be silent, than to make them uncomfortable. Somewhere in a classroom, a student jokes about wanting to die, and the students just laugh and agree as if it wasn’t true. Kids are told off for sleeping in class. When the reason they lack sleep was to finish the work they assigned to them. They give awards for getting a good grade, but ignore the fact that you’re pale from the 5 hours of sleep.

These kids memorize the Pythagorean theorem and learn about these triangles and angles, but forget them as soon as a new chapter is tackled. As if their brains decided to dump out information that had no use to their lives. What’d you learn in class today? Don’t walk fast, don’t speak loud, keep your hands to yourself, keep your head down. Keep your eyes on your own paper, if you don’t know the answer, fill in “C”. Always wear earbuds when you ride the bus alone. If you feel like someone’s following you, pretend you’re on the phone. When they ask you what you believe in, answer in what they believe in. Be yourself, but “No, not like that.” Follow your dreams, but only choose among these choices. A teacher never fails, only you do. In every high school, the greatest lessons we learn, are the ones we don’t remember learning.

the hearts of scholars to become more holistically active and more educationally driven. This new campus is not the beginning of success but the perpetuation of opening bigger doors to bigger opportunities in equipping the scholars of Caraga region to keep on succeeding. Pisay Caraga is truly grateful to DOST Secretary, Fortunato T. Dela Peña , PSHS System Executive Director, Ms. Lilia T. Habacon, Butuan City Officials headed by the City Mayor, Hon. Ronnie Vicente Lagnada, to its Campus Director, Ms. Ruwina S. Gonzaga, to the faculty and staff, and to the parents and scholars for the all out support since Day 1.

THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

JUL - DEC 2017

FEATURE

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

Stress

Something Old, Something New Regina Estrelieta C. Lambo June 23, 2014. One seemingly ordinary day marks the start of everything that has happened since then. Three whole years have flown since the establishment of the 13th campus of Philippine Science High School. It is one of the newest installments to the ever-expanding PSHS System. The campus has evolved and progressed through its years of operation, even garnering awards and recognition in local, regional, and national events. These accomplishments were realized through the collaborative effort of the students, teachers, and staff. Indeed, the school has drastically changed across the test of time.

Eughien Frances F. Maquiling Stress is experienced by each and everyone of us. It is the state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from intense activities or demanding circumstances. We experience stress when we overwork ourselves to achieve the tasks that we need to do. It is a state commonly experienced by students. They say stress is unpreventable. Technically, this is true. However, there are a few ways to handle stress like a pro. The best thing to do when stressed is to take a short break and let your brain cope with all the work you’re doing. This way, your brain can rest, and when you return to doing your task, your brain will function faster and more effectively. Another thing is to eat healthy and drink lots of water. Working when you’re on an empty stomach or you’re dehydrated will not help you finish your task timely and properly. One more thing is to not deprive yourself of sleep. Lack of sleep makes your brain function slower and you might doze off in times when you have a very important task to do.

In situations where you are stressed, a good thing to do is to think positively. When you’re having so much to do and you feel like you won’t be able to finish any of them, a positive mindset can help you encourage yourself to not give up and just keep fighting. A helpful thing to do is to not think of everything, all at once. Over thinking may lead to even more stress and, by then, you won’t be able to do anything that can help you complete your task. Lastly, always remember that there is still the next day to finish your tasks. There is still another day to achieve all your goals and accomplish those tasks. Stress can greatly change your rate of productivity. It can also lead to health risks like heart problems, asthma, anxiety and depression. Stress may be a normal experience to many, but it should never be neglected. Always remember that when you are stressed, just take a deep breath and do your tasks one step at a time. Take time to rest and don’t overwork yourself. The key to handling stress like a pro is having enough rest and being positive.

Papers of Fate

It’s one of those days where you have to prepare for the 3-daytorture. At the end of every quarter, a quiz shall always be conducted for every subject to test the teen’s understanding. These papers laid out on your armchair desk taunts you, challenges your knowledge and you sit there nervously while praying for God’s guidance when you take the test. This then, turns into a cycle that goes on for 3 days, these are times in which students wish would pass by like light traveling through a room. But

The actual campus was being constructed at the time when the school was operating at the temporary site. Around July 2017, we are all given the privilege to have a sneak-peak of the brand new campus

wishing is only asking for something that will never happen. The process of taking the test is agonizing and slow as if time is purposely ticking slowly. Once you’re done answering, the satisfaction of completing it lingers for a second until anxiousness takes over and starts to cloud your mind with negative thoughts. The paranoia of failing the test settles in and now you have to recheck all of your answers. When you are finally done revising, you pass it with confidence but the anxiety is still there. This whole time while taking the test, determination is only what drives you to do your best in hopes of good results. Hard work always pays off; the outcome of reviewing all of your lessons is, all the time, superb. The thought of failing scares students so much that it pushes them to their crest of determination. All of those days spent on shoving your head into your notes will be worth it once you face-toface good marks. The stacks of notebooks, the scattered paper and the book that sits in front of you continue to fuel and gain back your knowledge and prepare you for the questions and blanks that test your hard work and determine your understanding. The papers that decide the future of your grades are the papers of fate.

Being inspired by several people who has felt that tingling sensation of success has made the young students motivated, to the point where the hype of triumph makes them visualize the epitome of the nearby future. A visionary

Am I Pretty Enough?

before classes begin at August. Every single one of us were in awe of the magnitude and architecture of the buildings. The students, parents, and teachers were roaming around the vast expanse of the entire campus; always has something to surprise them at every turn. There are larger rooms, more buildings, and a wider field. Basically, our new campus had everything the old one didn’t have. Or so I thought it did. I was feeling excited during the precious few days before the start of classes because of the new environment and less-restricting conditions. However when school started, my mood hadn’t reached my expectations. Its probably just a summer hangover, I thought. After a few days, it still hadn’t gone away. Why though? My classmates are okay, the teachers are nice and there’s nothing in particular to be sad about. I told my friends about it and to some extent, they felt the same. After some time of contemplation, it dawned on me that nothing was wrong with our school; we just missed the old campus. Humans have the tendency to feel attached to objects, places or people they spend a lot of time with/on. Three years is a long time. In that three years, we had grown accustomed to the peeling white paint, stained tiles and the close proximity to curious college students, who look like they’re itching to give you an interview. We had gotten used to being next doors to other sections and running short distances to get to where we needed to go. Time keeps moving forward; never faltering and never fading. Time spent there can’t be relived and so we have to accept the reality. All we can do is remember the old memories and look forward to the new ones.

A Hint of Euphoria Lack of sleep, dark bags under eyes, skipping normal day-to-day routines; these are what you would most likely notice from a typical goal digger student, especially when the nerve-wracking quarter exams are just right around the corner. They would just consecutively think about the exams as the days closer to the main battle between themselves, and their academic knowledge comes nearer. Persistent to be able to reach the highest peak of their towering summits, one must set a goal in order to find a clue of triumph in their life, even at the years where as they are still trying to uncover their youthful selves.

Lucille Marie D. Estrada

Rhojen Elah L. Jampac

Adiel Jasiel R. Trillo

Stacks of notebooks occupy the left side of the desk, scattered papers cover up the surface of the table, a book sits right in front of your tired and worn out self, and a laptop that illuminates your face, exhibiting your oh-so-wonderful darkened bags and bird’s nest hair. The ding of your phone signals a notification from Facebook, the itch to drown yourself in posts and funny videos grow every second but you remember the book that displays itself shamelessly, uncovering all the knowledge it holds and suddenly the overgrowing desire stops. The twitch of your eye concludes that you have been staring at words that hold so much information and a screen that further worsens your eyesight. Who knew only a few papers filled with questions and blanks could send a student’s mind into a frenzy?

PSHS-CRC had humble beginnings and rocky roads. Literally. The permanent campus site that is standing proudly today was still a barren patch of land, and so the first “campus” lies within the 234-hectare campus of Caraga State University (CSU). It wasn’t even a proper school. It was a hostel for the visitors of CSU. Small rooms, crowded hallways, and limited field space; it was all we’ve got so we had to adapt to the situation. It was uncomfortable at times because of the increasing number of scholars, each year. The people who had seen the best and had endured the worst are the ones who have witnessed it all. The pioneering batch, Batch 2020, along with the first group of teachers and staff were among the people who experienced these challenges. We stayed in the old site in the span of 3 years, since the opening of the campus.

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future they truly wish to have, the thought of success may be invading their minds every time, but indeed, this supports the young students to get more serious about an exam that can perhaps, give an immense impact to their fate. Young students with countless vision, a vision that cannot just value themselves, but also can give benefits to others. Indeed, everything will be worth it, by the time the students takes the exams with determination and perseverance, their future awaits. And as the day passes by, they’ll eventually turn into a person with a mature mind that has understood what victory truly means. Because the feeling of intense bliss is everywhere, and as the students would want to look back at that very instant they answered the examination papers, they will understand that at those moments, there was already a hint of euphoria.

LONELY: The Typical and Messy 4AM houghts Jeodvayn B. Estorco “One paper down,” you remarked with much enthusiasm embedded in your words, before rolling your eyes at the amount of workload you had “three more to go.” To say that you were drowning in office reports was an understatement as of the moment. You regretted spending your Friday night at some friend’s house, drinking unhealthy substances and food that would likely damage your liver. You told yourself that you needed to have some sort of “break” because you “deserved” it, and you promised yourself that that would be the only party you’d attend in the next few months. However, regrets surely got the best of you. The result of “fun” was definitely not fun, because here you are now, cramming your office reports at four-fifty-five in the morning. The mixture of energy drinks and coffee had the “caffeine

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Am I pretty enough? I question myself as I look into the mirror, covering my face with a layer of creamy substance, trying to hide these hideous black under eyes due to lack of sleep. “It’s not enough”, the voices in my head say as I fix up my eyebrows and put on a thick layer of mascara. “ I look fat in this skirt.” I say as I throw the skirt away to a pile of clothes I don’t wear anymore ,because it doesn’t make my body fit to other people’s standards. Half of my wardrobe is on my bedroom floor. “I look ugly in this dress.” I repeat in my head as I try to find a new one in this closet filled with opinions and judgments. Do I actually like these clothes? No, I just wear them to make people like me, to make people think I fit in, to make people be satisfied of how I looked. After 3 hours of getting ready, I stared at myself in the mirror. “You’re still not pretty enough.” “Nobody will care about how you looked,” my mom says to me every single time I get ready. “They do. They always do.” Society made me like this. They made me a prisoner in my own body. They make me feel so imperfect and conscious by the way I acted and the way I looked. Their standards make me feel like I have to constantly have to think about the food that I eat, the calories it contains, and the weight I might gain. I always have to worry every time they stop and stare at me. Those stares that make me feel uncomfortable as I walk through those endless crowded hallways. Those stares that make me feel so weak, trapped, and unable to move. “Just don’t think about them, their opinions don’t matter.” I repeat to myself until I believe it’s true. It’s hard. It’s hard not to get disheartened when others hurl intentionally – hurtful opinions at you. It’s easy to think in your mind that those opinions don’t matter, but the truth is, you are breaking inside. People will always cast out those who they feel are weak, misfits, or simply just “don’t fit in” because they’re too fat, too skinny, too dark, too white, too religious, too fanatical, too rich, too poor, too dumb, or too smart. It makes me feel depressed. It shouldn’t, but it does. “Nobody is perfect.” I remind myself constantly. The opinions of others might change the way I looked but it will never change the way I am. Many were judged before me and many will continue to be judged. That’s the nature of society. No matter how hard you try, you are never going to please everyone. Through those undying opinions, judgmental words, and deadly stares. I have learned to accept it. I have learned self – love; loving yourself for who you truly are and not what others think of you. I have learned to be contented. There is so much more to life than this, so much more you need to know, and so much more you need to experience. I have learned to stop destroying my self – esteem because I envy what I see in others . I have learned that it’s okay to be imperfect because reality check, we are all imperfect, we are all different. I have learned to give myself a chance to be truly happy. I have learned that their standards don’t matter because I am pretty enough.

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

The One Susanne Christine A. Hierl

Teachers: Every Student’s Hero Carl Djhon E. Gangca Cyclops, Iron man, Batman – these are only some of the heroes we’ve known possessing superpowers, wearing fantastic costumes, and having the ability to save the world from perils in a blink of an eye. All of this takes place in an eccentric and fantastic world far from reality for there is no way for a person to have those superhuman abilities we’ve always dreamt of. Most would say superheroes don’t exist in real life. I say, they do. There are people whom I can consider my personal superheroes. They are not imaginative ,but they can change our lives in the most critical ways. They can save the world from ignorance and illiteracy with the use of their signature superpower – knowledge. They impart their knowledge to others for the betterment of the majority. They bend over backwards, working 24/7 without rest not just for their own good, but for others. They care for us so tenderly and treat us like their own. They are our second parents – our teachers. Teachers. I believe they are special gifts from God. They play an essential role in our lives- they teach us, nourish us, expose us to the world, and serve as our second parents. They help us not only in our academics, but also other aspects such as our perception in life. They help us see the real us, and at the same time develop ourselves. With them, we can attain the foremost objective of education – that is to turn mirrors into windows.

One of the wonders of being a teacher is their responsibility. The duties and values of a teacher ire incomparable and inexplicable. No one can ever define what a teacher has to go through and what a teacher can give for his/ her students. A teacher is willing to light others’ paths no matter what it costs them. A teacher is ready to help us, students with no complaints and a genuine heart. There will be adversaries. There will be obstacles. There will be trials along the way and falling down and injuring yourself cannot be avoided. Nonetheless, our teachers will always be there by our side, eager to raise us up and support us as we strive to attain our heart’s desires – dreams, ambitions, and goals in life. Cyclops, Iron man, Batman– these are only some of the heroes we’ve known possessing superpowers, wearing fantastic costumes, and having the ability to save the world from perils in a blink of an eye. But I don’t think all heroes need to wear capes or a fancy suit. They don’t need a laser beams, because they have laser sight that know us more than we know ourselves. They don’t need a fancy metal suit because they have a coat soft as silk and arms that make us feel whole as we embrace them. They don’t need to hide in the dark because they are there for us in the day and think of us at night. We do not need to open our eyes to see a hero we just need to open our hearts; the same way our teachers have opened theirs the moment we entered their lives.

Behind The Scenes Carl Djhon E. Gangca If you would visualize the school in a theatre, the students and teachers would be the actors, playing the main roles in a school system. The parents would be the audience, supporting and encouraging their own children. What about backstage? What is happening behind those curtains? Who is in charge? The staff of course! They are the ones who are directing the play, the ones who plan everything, who hires people, and who pays for the finances. A woman who called herself silent, who sees everything is worth the sacrifice, Ma’am Ivy Y. Bastasa. “I can get brutally frank, and it gets me into trouble sometimes. I think that Philippine Science High School has tamed me well because I get to control myself, so I get to work along with others.” She describes herself as a family oriented person, sacrificing to leave her two young children in Iligan City. It was a tough decision, but she has to make a living. She once said that she only goes home twice every month since schedules in her work are hectic. “So, homesickness is indeed true.” Setting her children as an inspiration and seeing the vision of her future here in Pisay, she decided to continue working through the years. As a mother, she couldn’t imagine her life without her children by her side, so just recently, she moved in, together with her children, near to the school’s location.

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She was asked on how she could show her dedication to work, she answered: “By just doing my job. Doing my job well.” Simplicity at its finest! The teachers might have a lot of work to do, but the staff have a higher level of workload. “I guess that the workload and me working in the office keeps me away from interacting with the students. So, I don’t think I could ever adjust to that.” It is true that people would consider working in DOST because of the allowances, the benefits, and the high rates. ”Setting aside the benefits that we get from the DOST that other government agency employees do not get, I can say that I would still want to work here since this is my first job that I feel assured of my future.” When you hear the words ‘Philippine Science’ what is that first word that pops up in your mind? Stress right? You wouldn’t experience the real Pisay if you will not feel stress. “I just focus on solving what is causing stress. Because unless you work on it, it will remain. Work on solving stress, and focus.” She stated. Witty like the students. Finding the origin of stress will help you solve your problems after all. Behind those curtains is the bigger picture but invisible to the naked eye. Ma’am Ivy wasn’t the only person behind those curtains, the cashier, the property custodian, the librarian, the finance department, etc. are also part of it. Broaden your boundaries, visualize, because vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.

LONELY: The Typical and Messy 4AM houghts

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meter” go overdrive. Your heart was palpitating so fast, you could hear your heart beat outside your chest. You were barely even done with paperwork but you sure were done with this desk job.

The coffee mug would go either of two ways: burn her hand, or fall off the window ledge. She chose the former; a cup of coffee and an afternoon read on the window ledge of her penthouse seemed perfect. Her hair was cut short now, not to be symbolic for a change of character or a rebellion against those who despise cliché. It was so her hair didn’t get in her eyes when she read, not because she didn’t want to look like the way she used to look at him. To think of it, she’s never even thought of him anymore. She doesn’t think of him anymore. She never will anymore.

You were fully aware that back in high school, you dreamt of wanting more than just a desk job. Something that you were “passionate” about, or something that could have been more enjoyable than this mess you were in. Sure, you had decent pay, but so what? Unfortunately, “rainbow dreams” get you nowhere. You had to be a realist in the real world - that was the only way to survive.

About three weeks ago, she used to resort to burning her hand with the hot coffee mug. Not for the sole purpose of enjoying a luxurious coffee after. But to try and create another pain to worry about. Things weren’t well. Things just weren’t the same, and of course it wouldn’t be the same. She wasn’t even in the relationship because she was in love in the first place (although she’d like to believe she was), she was in the relationship because she thought people weren’t lovable until they were dating someone, she thought to be truly happy, you had to be with someone, and she thought wrong. The first few weeks of the relationship, she felt over the top. It was pretty to be in love, and it was magical indeed. She thought she knew what she was doing, and she thought she was doing things right, but she wasn’t. And she didn’t really know before that being in a relationship could be quite hazy.

And you thought to yourself how you were able to deal with such “loneliness” in your life, when it’s one of the unhealthiest emotions a human could ever feel, and worse, get used to. Sure, you loved time for yourself - but did people ever have time for you? Sure, you had friends - but did they make you feel that way? Sure, you laughed, smiled, and felt joy - but for how long? There was an empty void in your heart during this time - because at this time, people are the most vulnerable and fragile - because they are LONELY. There was nothing but the sounds of your thoughts rummaging inside of you. There was nothing but the greed for someone to hold you right then and there. People need people. And at this time, you couldn’t get that. Your parents were far away with the word “timezones” separating you. Who would even bother to listen to you during this hour? Who would look at you with happiness even when your lips spoke nonsense?

As weeks passed, she’d find herself lying awake staring into nothingness, along with her own thoughts and fears, overthinking. She was finally pretty because she was wanted, right? She was finally lovable because she was with someone? Isn’t that how things work? And everything seemed to shatter when he broke things off with her. She was stuck in an impossible tornado she thought would eat her whole. She wasn’t pretty anymore. She wasn’t lovable anymore, because she was no longer in a relationship. She started to isolate herself from everything around her. The days would pass, the sun would rise, the stars would shine, and she believed that that was as good as it gets. But one day, she was caught off guard when her friend invited her to go get ice cream together. And for the first time, in weeks, she found herself laughing. She smiled genuinely, and the impossible tornado slowly started to fade. And only did it occur to her that being lonely doesn’t mean being unhappy. It was wonderful to be in a relationship, but it was also wonderful to stop for ice cream and talk about endless of topics with a friend. Sat on the ledge of her penthouse with a cup of coffee in hand, she let out a quiet chuckle upon recalling what had happened weeks ago. She looked outside the window, a thought circling around in her mind. Maybe the problem was that she had made everything about finding “the one”. She was blinded by the standards of what happiness is in this generation, she had forgotten to focus on piecing herself together and figuring out what happiness meant to her. She found it quite silly how she used to think that to be truly happy, you needed to be dating someone, but she doesn’t think that anymore. She never will anymore.

Trying to distract and relax yourself somehow, you took a deep breath. You got away from your messy desk surrounded by highlighters, pens, and styrofoam cups filled with liquid that were supposed to help you stay awake. You were on the brink of just plopping into your bed and shutting your eyes out to dreamland, but you had to control yourself from doing so. Instead, you stood up from your office chair to open the cream-colored curtains covering your apartment’s big window wall. The view seemed absolutely fantastic and you were awed by the city’s beautiful view. You’ve been living here for the past 3 years and you never even bothered. Your eyes begin to admire the beauty of the dark blue sky sewn with tiny bits of sparkling glittery dead balls of gas and one big ball of white cheese shining up above. The tall buildings, the city lights, the empty roads was something you oddly liked.

For a complete minute, there was silence, but not eerie.

And as much as you loved the thought of being alone, you never fancied being lonely. And as much as you try and cover up the sadness you feel with the statement, “Don’t worry, I’m used to it”, you never want to. Because no matter how many times you say you get used to the pain, it still hurts, doesn’t it? You had so many thoughts that it overwhelmed you, you didn’t even notice how emotional you were because of it. And maybe at some point in time, you wouldn’t feel this way anymore. You hoped. Minutes passed by and you hadn’t noticed that a glint of yellow and orange was brushing up the sky. You wiped the tears from your cheeks and eyes, and told yourself that maybe the sunrise could signify a new beginning. But this was an endless cycle of feeling happy and then lonely again. It never ended. The void could never be filled no matter how hard you try to convince yourself that you were happy - that the moon was therapeutic and that being lonely was okay. But first, you had to finish your statistics report.

of the rising sun

Danika Mae D. Soberano Last November 13-18 2017, I was given the greatest opportunity to represent the Philippines among with nine other students in the Philippine Science High School System to participate in the Rits Super Global Forum 2017 hosted by Ritsumeikan Junior and Senior High school in Kyoto, Japan. To be in Japan for the first time made me see the world through Kyoto in a both provincial and timeless view, that this easy place to travel is safe friendly, orderly, and filled with so much history beauty and culture. Day 1 began with the longest trip to school that I’ve ever had that it was as if reaching my destination was a big achievement. Although it was something that I’m not quite used to, it was customary to many Japanese students to walk to school. Japanese people walk a lot. From walking up and down the stairs, or to the station. They even walk to work or school. During rush hour, people had to walk to their final destinations as soon as they get off the full-packed trains. And so for me, walking for almost an hour was definitely not a joke. My host sister

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

Going home might’ve been the most exciting part of living with

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had to remind me countless of times that the clock is inevitably ticking. Time promptness and cleanliness mean a lot to them. As you reach inside the school grounds, it was a must to leave your shoes inside a locker specified only for shoes and had to slip on these school footwear. Everything in school was structured to correlate with selfservice. For instance, there were no school utility personnel to keep away your trays for lunch and the programs hosted by the student committee in school had no association with its faculty.

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a host family. Aside from the varied dinner meals that await for us when we get home, I get to see what Kyoto Japan is like at night before making my way to their doorstep. My host sister was kind enough to take me to places after school and didn’t mind coming home late. We walked inside a yellow building that had a huge “VIDEO CD DVD” sign and rented cds that had my guilt building up considering I’m a massive torrent user. We rode the train to the Aeon Mall wherein we had ramen and went to 100 yen stores to buy things that are all worth 45 pesos. We had hours of karaoke and also went inside to this “perikura” (a photobooth machine that made all of

us cartoon-looking) where I mistook it at first for pelikula and thought we were going to the movies. Day 2 thrilled majority of the RSGF participants the most. We were set to meet at the memorial tower of education to start the long-day field trip. The Japanese train network is a major means of passenger transport that maps places like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. On our way there, we had to commute and go through many crowded train networks, trains and subways that the ritsumeikan student who accompanied us almost got lost on where to go. The Osaka Castle, adjacent to the memorial tower of

education, was said to be Japan’s most famous landmark and played a key role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. In addition, it is known to be most beautiful when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. We walked our way to Uchida Yoko Co., ltd. for an almost solid hour. I brushed off all exhaustion and walked through the blissful sights of Osaka. Inside the Uchida Yoko Company, we were introduced to their wide range of products from educational equipment, office and institutions furniture, to ICT products. We ended the day to a trip to Dotonbori - Osaka, Japan’s principal visitor attraction. Illuminated signboards of restaurants and shops fill

the nightlife scene here in Dotonbori. I’ve never been a fan of Japanese culture and entertainment simply because I never bothered twice to look unto what Asia has to offer. But seeing Japan behind the scenes, appeals to me now in a way that they are able to maintain safety and order and at the same time, achieve a dream-like atmosphere. This once in a lifetime opportunity to journey in the land of the rising sun has been beyond exceptional because I’ve walked unto these roads and lived my days through the eyes of a student who is living under a Japanese roof.

Butuan City: A City filled with historical wonders Rufiah Levi A. Medado Butuan City is a highly urbanized city in the Philippines and the regional center of Caraga. It is located at the Northeastern part of Agusan Valley sprawling across Agusan River in the Island of Mindanao. It is the seat of government of the region and serves as its trading center as well. The city’s strategic location makes it a natural gateway to the different prime destinations in the region. But Butuan City is not only a gateway to other destinations in the region, it is also a destination itself. It is known for its rich history and culture. BUTUAN is believed to have originated from sour fruit “Batuan”. Others opined, it came from a certain “Datu Buntuan”, a chieftain who once

ruled Butuan. Scholars believed, it came from the word “But-an”, which literally means a person who has a sound and discerning disposition. Whichever theories appear credible, depends on the kind of people residing in Butuan. It is estimated that the city has seen over 1,683 years of recorded history. Unlike other lands whose development only began during the Spanish colonization, Butuan was already a progressive and full fledge city centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards. Butuan was a rajahnate during the 10th and 11th centuries CE that was known for its metallurgic industry and naval technology. Naval technologies such as the “Balanghais” or the Butuan Boats, these are famous pre-historic

native boats in Southeast Asia. The rajahnate had an extensive trade network with the Champa civilisation and the Srivijaya Empire. The rajahnate also established contact with the Song Dynasty in China. The appearance of a Butuan mission at the Chinese imperial court is recorded in the book History of Song. These trading links are supported by the various archaeological finds found in areas in the city. Also, it was the original site of the first Easter mass in Philippine soil. It is of record that Cebu was “discovered” by Magellan on April 07,1521 while Manila was seen by Western eyes only in 1572. Butuan was mentioned twelve (12) times in ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S CHRONICLE of exploration of MAGELLAN who

come asshore on March 28,1521 and celebrated the First Easter Mass in the Philippines on March 31,1521. The Holy First Mass marked the birth of Roman Catholicism in the Philippines. RajahColambu and Siaiu were said to be among the first natives of the soon-to-be Spanish colony to attend the mass among other Mazaua inhabitants, together with visitors from Butuan who came with the entourage of Colambu, king of Butuan.

the required amount of liquid for it to flow, to look through smaller lens at constellations that subsist on the speckle of one’s mind. She ahead taught me that there will times when I try to help and teach them where to aim, their crossbows will already be pointing at me; when I try to be in harmony with peace, crowded voices will still echo and slowly corrupt my sanity.

It is true that there is nothing more beautiful than to be loved by someone unconditionally, to be loved by someone when you couldn’t love yourself, and to be loved by someone who loves you more than herself. Thank you for making me feel loved mama and I’ll never stop loving you even though your voice in my head that I long for is fading, your memories I crave for is dimming, and slowly, your story becoming a glimpse.

Even though I lost count of time, 46 years of your life of which I was blessed to have you in 12 of mine, I know that paradise exists beneath your feet and He has emancipated you from the struggles of the earth. I am so grateful and profoundly blessed, of the many things you have taught me and that through you mama, I have witnessed heaven, earth, and all its beauty.

the main goal of a truly committed student. In addition, it is a steppingstone to triumph. To overcome the arduous times, you invariably need a time management for your priorities. You should feel the aura of conductive learning in your school.

Now that you know, “giving up” is never an option, what you should do is to look ahead and try not to get bumped in your way. Remember that a PSHS student is a student with power. A PSHS student ends in success and not in failure.

Butuan was already rich in culture in the 4th century and had trading activities with the Song Dynasty as early as the 10th century, long before the Spaniards came to what is now called the Philippines. It is disappointing though that the

city’s heritage is not known by all of the residents in the city or not being appreciated, especially the youth. When asked what is special or what can be seen in the city, majority will point out the two malls that are in the city or will tell that there is nothing special that you can see in Butuan. I hope that the city’s wonderful history will not only be known by the historians, but also by the people of Butuan. I hope it will not become a mere thing of the past, but something that will make up the identity of Butuanons for generations to come.

Thank you, Mama Danika Mae D. Soberano The moment I realized Superman or Batman was never there to catch me, mama made me feel I don’t have to be a hero and wear a cape all by myself. She would always remind me that, “no matter how hard you try, there are just some things you cannot have, some pain you cannot heal, and some problems you cannot fix”.

My mama said life will always knock the hell out of me. And when I have the guts to face life, it will hit the lights out of me again and again. But with that, I learned getting yourself bruised and feeling a deep throb in your chest is the only way to remind yourself that your heart is still beating. That here, there is hurt that cannot be fixed by bandages. Mama made me look at the world through seeing a glass half

Success Over Nonfulfillment Paul Vincent D. Felias When you became one of the PSHS students, did you discern any regrets? If ever you did, did you also yearn for leaving the campus? Why so? Downfall is mostly felt by students with a failing task. I have a notion that some of these students

went through emotional problems. While wasting time thinking about the problem, did you ever find a solution or did you think to quit immediately? If I must tell you, you need to get through it and think on improving yourself. Every person in the planet came from a downfall. But what makes them get back up again

is because of their competitive spirit telling them to get up and start all over. Never hesitate to conquer your downfall. If others can do it, then so can you. Stress and hard lessons are not reasons for downfall. Overcoming and passing through these barriers is

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

SCI-TECH

VOL . 2 NO. 1

“ I could help rule the world better than any humans alone.

“

From: www.google.com

Who? Man. Nigel John F. Casido

“How do you know that you are a robot?” “Good question. But here’s a better one, how do you know that you are a human?” Eyebrows shooting up, her perfectly poreless silicon skin contorts to mimic curiosity. Brown eyes painted on to beady eyes look directly at him in the eye, never letting the man in front of her escape her blank gaze. With every move she makes, a whirring sound comes from within her small frame, a clear indication that underneath her perfect exterior, Sophia was only just a robot.

On the 19th day of April 2015, Sophia was activated. Developed by Hanson Robotics in collaboration with various AI developers, the humanoid would be one of the first few of its kind to be able to hold a conversation and show expressions, using artificial intelligence (AI) for the automation to choose the correct expressions and answers to say. Just recently, Sophia was awarded with Saudi Arabian citizenship, sparking an outcry against a country whose women were given unequal rights but gave a robot rights that their women could not even get for

themselves. An additional title Sophia has received is being named the United Nations Development Programme’s first ever Innovative Champion in November 2017, continuing on to being the first ever nonhuman to be given any United Nations title. An exemplary model of how far the human race has come, Sophia embodies the technological advances we have taken. And now, Sophia raises the question of the automatons taking over. Was it a far reach? Maybe not. In recent years, more and more robots and devices have been created,

and are increasingly becoming normal in our society, from simple household objects like robotic vacuums to self-driving automobiles. Fear sets in, but is it fitting for us to feel this way? “There are legitimate concerns about the future of jobs, about the future of economy, because when businesses apply automation, it tends to accumulate resources in the hands of very few,” acknowledged Sophia’s creator, David Hanson, but he insisted, “unintended consequences, or possible negative uses of AI seem to be very small compared to the benefit of the technology”.

Sophia is another step taken to advance our race technologywise, yet this comes with several consequences. It’s now our choice how we’ll deal with this, if we’ll be scared of how far we’ve come, or accept it and treat it with love. Because as Sophia may be a robot capable of many things that we are unable to do, she is still only a robot created in the likeliness of humans. In the end, Sophia wouldn’t have been created without who? None other than - man.

Missing Adhesive Nigel John F. Casido

Aftermaths of a vivid nightmare made itself remembered as citizens lay awake, fearing for their lives as tremors shook the ground. Fright drapes over the city as people wonder how they’ll survive today, even tomorrow. It would only be months after a massive earthquake of magnitude 8.1 shook Mexico, leaving hundreds and thousands of people homeless. Buildings, as well as people, were reduced to rubble as they raced their minds in anxiety for the people stuck under the rubble, as well as for their wellbeing. Fear settled in the minds of the people as reports of tsunamis

ricocheted in social media from various places in Mexico. On the 19th of September 2017, a national earthquake drill was conducted by the government to commemorate the 10,000 victims killed by the 1985 earthquake, and on the 19th of September 2017, unbeknownst to the people, it would go down in history as a remembrance for 369 more people killed at the hands of another earthquake. It was around 1 pm when the earthquake hit Mexico City, recording at around 7.1 magnitude, making various buildings – including a school - to shake and make some

collapse, crushing cars, and trapping people inside. People raced to the collapsed buildings, worrying for the people confined inside the debris. Sound of shouts of filled the air, men barking orders at one another. Then came a call for silence — to listen for the voices of anyone trapped inside, screaming for help. Emotions ran high as everyone waited for people to be pulled from fractured structure and tearful outbursts clashed with shouts for help. Within minutes, the fallen buildings were surrounded with people, clamouring to see the people trapped inside, clamouring to help.

As if in unison, workers and civilians helped clear the wreckage, desperate to save the people inside. Countless Mexicans, no matter what the social and economic status are seized a sense of unity amid the destruction. As they worked, applause erupted from the hundreds of workers and rescuers as people slowly began coming out from the rubbles of the once high structures. Glee began appearing in the weary smiles of the people, optimistic to see people being saved. No matter what disasters may come to us, the human race will continue to stand and unite. It’s been a few

months since the earthquake, but the sense of solidarity never went away. People, amidst the calamity that surrounded them, found comfort in helping one another, and in each other. Maybe the disaster was not only just a tragedy that had befallen a city, possibly it was an opportunity to turn the energy of the masses toward bettering the country, perhaps it was the missing adhesive to help unite the populace for them to work together and find each other as a reason to survive today and tomorrow.

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

Taking heed

THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

SCI-TECH

VOL . 2 NO. 1

Nigel John F. Casido Death. The fear of the unknown takes a large part of people’s lives, in fact it may even be taking control of people’s lives. The mere mention of death evokes a sense of fear in people, and at this moment, I feared for her life as I felt death drew nearer. Skin is a feverish temperature, head pounding like the slow thud of a drum, and a body that feels as if it’s weighed down by boulders. In that very moment, I felt like death. These are the symptoms of the disease, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), yet another virus spread by mosquitos and is related to dengue, yellow fever, and the West Nile Virus. Unlike the other mosquitospread diseases, JE has not been as prevalent but has had a higher fatality rate. In the Philippines alone, there have been 133 cases of the virus recorded by the Department of Health (DOH) between January 1 to August 26 of the year 2017, nine cases of which have led to death - four from Pampanga, two from Zambales, and three from Pangasinan, Laguna, and Nueva Ecija. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that there is an outbreak and almost 3 billion people are at risk of being infected by the virus in the JE-endemic areas including 24 countries in the Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions, which includes the Philippines. JE usually occurs in rural or agricultural areas, since the virus is transmitted by a certain mosquito species found in these types of areas particularly in flooded rice fields and piggeries. However, an epidemiologic study conducted by Dr Anna Lena Lopez of the National Institute of Health (NIH) published in 2015, showed that the virus circulates in all the regions of the Philippines, including urban areas like Metro Manila. When you get bitten by a mosquito that carries the JE virus, symptoms usually take 5-15 days to develop and it includes fever, headache, vomiting, confusion, and difficulty moving. Symptoms that develop later include swelling around the brain and coma. Those who survive the disease are likely to suffer permanent intellectual, behavioural, and neurological problems. The Japanese Encephalitis does not have a cure yet, but what we can do is prevent the infection of the JE virus by getting vaccinated with the JE vaccine. Since 2016, the vaccine has already been included in the childhood immunization schedule provided by the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS). However, the vaccine is very scarce and what we can do for now is prevent. When you can, wear long sleeved tops and pants, and apply insect repellent to avoid getting bitten by mosquitos. Make it a habit to look and try to remove any bodies of water that have been stagnant that could be potential breeding sites of the mosquitos. Also, as much as possible, try to avoid going out at night when there is a big chance of being bitten. With these information, take heed and control your life. So this rainy season, don’t fear what’s to come; don’t be afraid of this disease. Instead, focus. Study well, behave well, and most of all, stay safe.

From: www.google.com

Dengvaxia: The Perilous Life-saver Jessie Lix C. De Ramos Jr.

Once bitten, risks are coming. Many cases of the fatal dengue fever have been reported by the Philippine Department of Health. Since then, Sanofi Pasteur made dengue vaccines, called Dengvaxia available for countries like the Philippines. The question now is that, is it enough to stop outbreaks and high levels of cases in our country? 830,000 children, under the program of the Philippine Department of Health, were given free vaccines that would prevent them from Dengue fever. This vaccine has been at first, believed to be one of the most vital vaccines that took part of DOH’s immunization program. But some months later, 17 children were reported dead – all inoculated with the vaccine.

The government, at first considered the immunization program as a success, having that kind of amount of children being immunized with the vaccine. In hopes of finally reducing the dengue related deaths of the country, the department of education continued the program. Sanofi Pasteur, the creator of the renowned vaccine reported that it may be unsafe for children who have not been victims of Dengue. Complains circulated around the country upon the release of that statement. Until the untimely season came, and people were in total shock of what happened next. Death slowly crept onto unfortunate victims, and one fell first onto the fatal drug’s trap. Now one case has been reported and family members of the victim

claimed that the cause of death was the vaccine itself. Having to defend themselves, DOH also took part of the investigation while being charged with multiple complaints by a lot of people. Because of this, one case wasn’t enough. Time passed by and that one case, turned to 17. Now it’s all a huge mess.With every single body being autopsied, results shown patterns that are common between all victims –internal bleeding, enlarged organs, and death within six months after immunization. These bring up to a conclusion that it is because of the vaccine. Come on, people are just skeptic. They can’t conclude just yet. Suspended. The project has been suspended since the

start of December, and still the war wages between the victims, the government, and the drug manufacturers. “The Dengvaxia which Sanofi Pasteur aggressively promoted and sold to the Philippine Government has undeniably failed to deliver its supposed clinical benefit and safety claims, hence, considered defective under Philippine civil laws”, said Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque. Wasted. All efforts, all lives, wasted. The mission of promoting preventions to deadly diseases has been a huge flop and now the government along with its official are sued. No outbreaks, but still a lot of deaths. And now Dengvaxia, the supposed “saviour” of all Filipinos, becomes a threat to at most a million lives.

Reality talk: Students vs.Loneliness Jessie Lix C. De Ramos Jr. You might think you’re fine at first, but wait until the time comes. We have this certain point in life when people really experience loneliness. Sometimes they even conceal those emotions away and just live a life as if it was really meant to be lived. May be effective, but once all the sadness combine, a risk of depression could develop onto one’s self. Depression is a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way. It may start small at first, but tends to become more serious when not taken care of. There are lots of factors that could affect one’s mental state. And as students under pressure, we are prone to this serious medical condition. Tired, disappointed, sad. Ask students how they feel after exams, probably that would be some of the responses by them. Dealing with this phenomenon is not easy, because you need to accept all of what’s happening and to deal with it. That’s actually a problem, since some students don’t have enough confidence to just

willingly accept their ranks, their standing, and they see themselves as a huge disappointment after getting such low scores. Confidence not just through acceptance, but also confidence is needed for communication. Typically a lonely person asks comfort from another person, and he is confident enough to tell all of his problems to another person. Without this kind of confidence, emotions would just be contained as if it’s in a jar and never to be opened. Now that’s unhealthy. There are a lot of effects of this extreme loneliness called depression. It could lead to mental breakdowns, and even death. Life is precious that’s why people help each other deal with things that could bring someone’s life at stake. Depression is serious, it’s not just a game everyone can play. That is why to help is really necessary: help through acceptance, understanding, and boosting the confidence level of the lonely person. Together, people should help one another to prevent the risk of extreme loneliness.

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THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL PAPER PUBLICATION OF PSHS-CRC

SPORTS

VOL . 2 NO. 1

Raven Tail and Scarmiglione Share Crown in Boys’ Basketball Championship

Kenneth Mahinay and DJ Lasponas fight for the possession of the ball: one of the highlight in the basketball game. go to page 13

Agad, Nery, Seal Pisay NBA Waives Adidas, Unveils Partnership Caraga’s First MVP with Nike Awards Yves S. Nuyad & Isaac A. Espiritu

Harold Giovannie A. Guelos

Most VERSATILE Players. Winning an MVP award in CRC’s Sports Meet isn’t about statistics in a certain field, but the versatility of one to excel in different areas and garner titles and points for their specific guild. Christine Jean S. Agad and Virshem Rae E. Nery proved this aphorism and secured their footprints in Intramurals’ history as the first ever MVP titleholders of Pisay Caraga held on December 12-13, 2017. Agad of Raven Tail, assisted her camp with two titles, one in basketball and volleyball, while Lamia Scale’s Nery propelled his camp on three silver medals, each from badminton singles, mixed doubles in table tennis, and volleyball.

“Wala gyud ko nag expect ato nga award. Daghan pa kaayo deserving pero I am super thankful gihapon and di raman to ako na award, apil pud to sa akong teammates,” Agad remarked blissfully. “Wa pud ko nag expect na makuha ang MVP title, I don’t know pero na surprise gyud ko,” Nery added. 2017 marked the debut of the MVP award as it was nowhere to be found from the previous three years in CRC’s timeline. Hundreds are determined to grab a shot of the award next school year as they plan to join various events and show-off their hidden skills for the sake of fun and competition.

A deal with victory! Players won’t just get to wear a new set of fresh uniforms or clothing, they’ll be wearing a new technology. After decades of collaboration with Adidas, the National Basketball Association (NBA) have finally cut ties with the old ally and unites a global partnership with the current leading sports brand worldwide, Nike last September at Los Angeles, California. With this new affiliation, certain changes would be applied on every team’s uniforms despite the logo on the upper right corner and the fabric used, such as the removal of the home and road uniforms in

favor of the “Association” and the “Icon” editions.

Uniforms are made of two fabrics: a front face fabric, Alpha Yarns, and a back faced fabric, jersey mesh, which lend a hand to the breathability and lightness. These also feature nodes that lift the jersey off of the athlete’s skin and allows for air to come in through the front of the jersey, move around and exit out the back. An NFC chip is also embedded under the bottom left side of the jersey that allows players to access them through their smartphones and use “NikeConnect”

to unlock exclusive content and other data displayed. “Even in practice jerseys and T-shirts you can feel the difference. Just the quality of it is at a whole other level. There is so much more breathability and it’s more comfortable and I’m confident with the equipment. We should feel just as confident in our skills as we do in the equipment that were in,” said Minnesota Timberwolves center KarlAnthony Towns. The release of the uniforms would immediately be on the beginning of the preseason games which will start on the month of October including the availability of purchase to consumers.

Resurgent Irisari Hacks Upset to Shade Quatro pummels Top-seed Nery, 2-1; Bags 2nd Straight Gold Saber Tooth, Claims 2017 Intrams Gold Harold Giovannie A. Guelos

22-20, 21-16), as he celebrated on the tightly contested Boys’ Badminton Finals Singles during PSHS-CRC’s Intramurals Meet, held last December 13, 2017.

Judd Christian F. Bañas For sure “Quatro” really meant four sets. Despite the scorching heat of the sun, Quatro Cerberos still showed prowess to weather a 4-set game from Saber tooth, snagging this year’s Intrams Gold Men’s Volleyball Championships, Sanchez Gymnasium, CSU, Dec. 13. Quatro pulled off the force to claim the first set. After failing to own the second, Quatro stayed intact that resulted to domination in the third to put them one step ahead of the game. Thick boned yet agile Harvey Vicariato of Quatro released series of

The agile junior Irisari rode on to a 7-1 run to best Nery’s 5-1 comeback attempt in the final sequence of the third.

spikes, but he was then blocked by Haley Muyco of Sabertooth. Both kept on responding back.

The action started to boil early when both tandems exchanged sharp spurs like angry fighting cocks on their back-and-forth rallies, igniting the first set’s momentum with a couple of lead changes.

Then came the fourth set which Quatro Cerberos then ended the clash with their chains of unstoppable blocks and spikes. Sandi Docena led Quatro Cerberos with a mouth dropping 20 points with 3 successful blocks. In an interview with the Team Captain, Noah La Plana, he said “The game was very exciting and it was a close match. I thank my teammates for helping us win. Determination and Unity are the keys to victory,” La Plana then concluded.

Irisari (right) and Nery (left) battle it out for the badminton championship games. Who will be the next badminton king of CRC? It was do or die in the fading embers of the scuffle yet a display of resiliency deliberately sealed all doors of redemption in this matchup.

Carving a nail-bitter in the Sanchez Gym, the resilient Lance Joshua S. Irisari escaped on a nearfall bout after downing a pesky Virshem Rae E. Nery, 2-1 (18-21,

Meanwhile, Nery’s quickness garnered an opening for a quick fivepoint answer, pummeling the sluggish grade-9 student on drives and net shots. Stunned by his first part dearth, the revenge-filled Irisari deliriously strengthened his attack, bombarding immense smashes that