The 3810- September+October 2020

VOL 01 ISSUE 03 SEP-OCT 2020

Finding Balance: Teaching Online, Starting a Business, & Serving the Community

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

IN this ISSUE

Events |09| Artificial Coral Reef Innovative Engineering Recovery

Features

|10| Distribution of Milk Donations

|02|

|10| Ferrous for Mothers

|03|

|11| Sulong Pinas sa Pagtulong

|04|

|12| Books Donation –

Digital Tools for Productive Learning

|06|

|13| Handog Edukasyon

The Heart of a Teacher

|16|

|14| TUPAD Project: Supporting Brigada

Crossword

|23|

|15| Adopt-a-Student Program

Rotaractors/ Educators

|18|

|24| Fellowship Photos

|30|

|26| General Meeting: A Club Update

COVID-19, Bakit nga ba?

Ways to Cope with Stress and Anxiety During the Pandemic Conquering Unfamiliar Territory: 5 Tips to Survive & Excel under Remote Learning

Finding Balance: Teaching Online, Starting a Business, & Serving the Community

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Snapshot of Business Mindset amongst Rotaractors

|34|

SE 101: Upholding Community Well-Being Through Business

|38|

How to Spot the Red Flags for Online Selling Scams Meet the Club Presidents

|40|

Aklat Para Sa Dumagat Project

Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela

|27| Let’s talk about SEX…ual Health |28| Pagsubok at Pag-ahon

|29| Business 101: New Normal Edition

COVID-19, Bakit nga ba? ni Marvin Silverio Rieza Rotaract Club of Sablayan

Noong dumating ka, buhay namin ay nag-iba, bakit nga ba?

Lungkot at sakit ay nagsama-sama na.

Ni Hindi na alam.ang gagawin. Kung ito ba'y tatapusin.

Subalit lagi Kong tinatanong Ang sarili ko, Ng bakit?

Bakit nangyayari to? Bakit nagkaganito Ang Mundo?

Bakit lahat Ng tao nadadamay dito?

Ni Hindi masolusyonan na nakaupo sa pwesto. Nakakatakot!

Nakakapanghina. Matatapos paba Ito? O matatapos lamang kapag Wala na lahat dito sa Mundo?

Ang sakit isipin, kahit sa ating sarili nagagalit Tayo, diba?

Galit na galit ka, Kasi Wala ka nang maipakain, matustusan Ang pangangailangan nyo.

Wag Kang maging praning kaibigan, dahil hindi dahas Ang sagot sa problema mo.

May pandemya man o Wala pwedi Kang makagawa upang may maipakain sa pamilya mo.

Wag tayong masanay sa abo't biyaya Ng politiko.

Gumawa Tayo Ng solusyon sa problema Ng pagkain mo.

May espasyo sa bakuran, gawin itong gulayan!

Maging produktibo, Hindi lamang sa kaisipan kundi sa panglabas na aksyon man.

Alam mo hindi pa huli Ang lahat. Gawin nating masaya ang pagkakaroon Ng pandemya.

Dahil sa covid-19, Ang bakit nga ba ay may sagot na.

Ito ay masusolusyon pa. Wag maglungkot, kaibigan diba?

Magdasal para sa buong pamilya

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

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Ways to Cope with Stress and Anxiety During the Pandemic

by Nate James Tayag Rotaract Club of San Antonio de Padua

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised mental health concerns in different places around the world. The stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic can affect different people in different ways. It’s important to understand that you cannot control anxiety from occurring. What matters is learning how to respond to anxiety helpfully, so that you don’t get carried away by it. Here are some ways on how we can cope with stress and anxiety

The THINK Technique

Time Management

True? – Is this thought 100% true? If not, what are the facts, and what is opinion?

Helpful? – Is paying attention to the thought useful to me or others?

Inspiring? – Does the thought inspire me or does it have the opposite effect?

Necessary? – Is it important for me to focus on the thought? Is it necessary to act on it?

Kind? – Is the thought kind? If not, what would be a kinder thought?

• Create a daily routine.

• Rank tasks and responsibilities in their order of importance.

• Match a specific task with a designated time when to accomplish.

• Don’t forget to include short breaks in between tasks.

• Reward yourself for accomplishing your daily goals.

• Make time to unwind. Set a time for activities that you enjoy and relax.

Breathing Clouds Meditation To begin, close your eyes and focus all your attention on your breathing. Draw air from the belly. Try inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Visualize the air that you breathe in as being clean fresh air, pure and energized air, like a white puffy cloud.

Now, as you exhale, visualize that the air leaving your body is dirty, hazy air, which symbolizes all your stressors, frustrations, and toxins throughout your mind and body. With each breath you take, allow the clean fresh air to enter and circulate and invigorate your body, while the expulsion of the dirty air helps rid your body of its stress and tension.

Take care of your body • Rest is a moral obligation. Getting enough sleep helps you function well throughout the day and reduce stress.

• Get regular exercise.

• Eat healthy and balanced meals.

• Avoid excessive alcohol and drug use.

Get Connected • Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

• While physical distancing measures are in place, you can make use of social messaging apps, video calls, and phone calls to reach out to your friends and loved ones.

• Call your health provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.

Conquering Unfamiliar Territory: 5 Tips to Survive & Excel under Remote Learning

by Enzo De Borja Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars

Students all over the world are finding themselves in unfamiliar territory amid a raging health crisis: online.

That's right. As the COVID-19 pandemic precludes the resumption of face-to-face classes, even those who have long been accustomed to surfing the internet are experiencing "technical" difficulties.

Successfully implementing remote learning is no easy feat. In the Philippines alone, many students, faculty, and concerned citizens continue to call for inclusive education while schools struggle to cope with present circumstances.

Nevertheless, Filipinos (and humanity in general) are indeed resilient. The virus may have plunged us into a "new normal," but we will definitely be able to claw our way back.

Studying in a remote setup can make it seem like that it's just you and your laptop against the world. Well, it doesn't have to be.

Here are five useful tips on how to survive and excel while learning in unconventional ways!

1. Wake up (& leave the bed) early!

After more than six months in lockdown, it's understandable if your body clock has gone haywire.

However, waking and getting up early has many perks!

You get to accomplish more tasks, catch up on important matters, and have some spare time for yourself!

However, doing this would entail also going to bed earlier. If you're still having trouble adjusting your body clock, don't worry! Take your time, set your alarm, and success will find its way.

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

2. Establish a daily schedule — and stick to it.

Before the pandemic struck, you were probably used to spending hours stuck in traffic jams that were already part of your daily routine. However, fear of contagion has forced us to work, study, and do other meaningful activities at home. The hours we formerly allot for grueling commutes now make up a void we can’t seem to fill. Unfortunately, this can set off a downward spiral wherein we lose track of time.

To prevent this, establishing a daily schedule and sticking to it are crucial. They give us a sense of direction and motivation to keep going! Use your class schedules and course packs as a starting point, then make adjustments along the way to find a routine that works for you.

3. Power up!

This one is pretty straightforward, but very important nonetheless. Remote learning will require extensive use of laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets. So, don’t get caught off-guard and make sure they’re always powered up and ready to go! Maximize your resources and don’t be afraid to get creative.

Aside from that, staying active by exercising regularly, eating healthful food, and getting enough sleep can help you engage better with your peers during online meetings. Remember that maintaining a strong immune system is an absolute must during a pandemic.

4. Take a break (or more).

Staring at a screen for how many hours straight can induce the worst migraines ever known to mankind. So, allow yourself to relax from time to time. When everything seems to be spinning, stand up, mix up a mug of steaming coffee, and think about the wonder of life while peering out the window (you know, like they do in commercials).

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Being productive every single second is not a requirement for human beings with or without a massive health crisis. We are not robots, we are living and breathing. You’d be surprised how a 10-30 minute power nap can recharge your batteries in the middle of the day!

5. Lend a helping hand and speak out.

The pandemic’s economic consequences are crushing. Jobs were lost, businesses were closed, and dreams were put on hold. It’s sad to say that education remains a privilege in Filipino society.

This is why it’s important to empathize with fellow students, teachers, and every member of our communities during such a difficult and uncertain time. More importantly, lend a helping hand whenever you can and never hesitate to use your voice for the greater good.

COVID-19's impact is not limited to 2020 — it will be felt in the years and even decades to come. Our experiences today are abundant with lessons that go beyond the classroom's four walls. We may be eager to return to what was before, but understand that the pandemic has already changed our path forward.

So, make the most of our unique situation! Whenever you feel like giving up, know that you're not alone in the struggle. Trust that we will get through this challenging time one way or another!

Digital Tools for Note-taking Productive Microsoft OneNote Learning

by Deputy DRAR Coleene Villanueva Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars

OneNote comes individually and is part of Microsoft Office suite’s productivity software programs. It is arguably one of the best note-taking software out in the market. This application allows you to collect, organize and share pictures, videos and handwritten notes. The program uses a five-level hierarchical organizational structure that gives you more power over how you organize the folders and subfolders in which you place notes. You may also synchronize OneNote across multiple devices using mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.

Notability The emergence of modern smart technologies and the internet has greatly disrupted our means of learning and productivity.

Traditional learning strategies such as pen-and-paper notetaking, calendars, and flashcards are set aside as more online learning applications take the stage. If you want to step up your learning and productivity in the new normal, then these digital tools are probably worth checking out for you.

If you have an Ipad, then Notability works best for you. It literally is like an electric notebook where you can take notes, doodle, and sketch at the same time. With an Apple Pencil, you can maximize taking notes using different colors to emphasize your notes. It also has a search function that will go through your hand-written notes by inputting keywords. Saving your notes in PDF is also easy with Notability since it can capture one whole page.

The app offers a delightful writing experience, yet it also makes it easy to embed images, annotate PDFs, and even record voice memos.

Moreover, Notability includes a variety of flexible layout options. For instance, it allows the user to have a slide or reference material open on one side of the page while you take notes on the other.

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

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Schedule Management Notion Mostly used by teams in tracking and planning, Notion is the all-in-one workspace you should definitely try.

It allows teams to collaborate, plan, write, and get organized through taking notes, adding tasks, and managing projects. Notion provides a workspace where users can write on a clean space and build their own wiki.

It also allows them to plan using the Kanban view, use a calendar, and capture workflows and record them. Like other project management software, it offers its users functionality that allows real-time collaboration.

Furthermore, it gives the ability for teams to share and assign tasks, as well as comment on them.

Reviewing Quizlet Quizlet is a learning tool that helps you study using a variety of features such as flashcards, writing notes, spellers, timers, and even games. It can also generate any kind of tests which will allow you to ultimately prepare before any kind of exam. It offers options for you to study using your own learning style. This application is completely free and is also accessible to mobile devices.

Google Calendar

Memrise

You can easily find this in the applications section of your Google account. One of the main advantages of Google Calendar is its sharing abilities. It can be accessed and updated by whoever has permission. It also allows the users to create multiple calendars which works best for different project timelines. It can be accessed through phone and computer and phone or computer, and everything always stays synced no matter what time zone you're in.

A British language platform that uses spaced repetition of flashcards to increase the rate of learning.

Here, you can choose or make your own courses to practise and revise language covered in class or language connected to topics that interest you. It is an excellent study aid that goes long from remembering vocabulary and phrases, learning new language, to helping math, science, economics, and so forth.

These are just some useful applications and digital tools that can aid your online learning amidst the pandemic. I have tried all of these and I can guarantee that they do create a huge impact in how I am able to handle my everyday tasks and workloads, both in school and work. If you want to know more about these tools, feel free to check out some reviews about its advantages and disadvantages.

On an important note, now that learning has become massively digital, it is best to explore available resources that can help you maximize and grow in your learning and working journey. However, at the end of the day, these are just tools. What can make you an effective and productive learner still depends on your grit and motivation. So, get that brain working and start grinding now!

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

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Artificial Coral Reef Innovative Engineering Recovery Rotaract Club of Cavite Economic Zone 20/09/2020 See the Future, Save our SEA! As Rotary International officially added its 7th area of focus - Supporting the Environment, the Rotaract Clubs of Batasan Hills, Cavite Economic Zone, Congressional, Marikina North, Iligan South, Nuvali and Valenzuela West made a project entitled “Artificial Coral Reef Innovative Engineering Recovery� held last September 2022, 2020 at Ternate, Cavite. Aside from the Artificial Coral Reef (ACR) launching, Rotaractors also gave some grocery packs and did a coastal clean-up activity. Fellowship came after all the activities done and the rest was history.

Distribution of Milk Donations Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayman Volunteers 04/09/2020 Distribution of milk cartons/ milk formula aims to give nourishment to kids and adults as well. In this time of pandemic, we want to help families to somehow ease their stress regarding the lack of budget for children’s and senior citizens’ milk supplement. This distribution activity was held last September 4, 2020 at Brgy. Kuliat, Quezon City. It was spearheaded by the Y's Men's Club of RAHA Parañaque and Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman Manila, in coordination with the Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayaman Volunteers, Y's Men's Club of Raha Philippines, and RAHA Fire & Rescue, EMS Volunteers, Inc.

Ferrous for Mothers Rotaract Club of Sablayan 18/09/2020 The Rotaract Club of Sablayan, thru the initiative of DRAR Francis Jay N. Enriquez, and together with the leadership of TP Patricia Dayao and TS Joanna Licop distributed ferrous sulfate medication to three health centers in the Municipality of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. These three health centers are located in Brgy. San Vicente, Brgy Ibud, sto.niño and Brgy.

Buenavista. The ferrous sulfate medication will be given to pregnant women. This project will greatly benefit the maternal and child health of Sablayeños amidst the crisis of pandemic.

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

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Sulong Pinas sa Pagtulong

by President Jayson Adrian Reyes and Foundation Service Director Camille Dorothy Manito Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayman Volunteers

Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayman Volunteers We are currently dealing with grave danger in this time of pandemic, specifically our brave frontliners, the patients in hospitals and those who are and were infected by the COVID-19 virus. Our project, Sulong “Pinas sa Pagtulong”, benefits our frontliners by creating a protective cover for stretchers used during emergencies. It took us months to do the preparation and production of the prototypes.

The Sulong Pinas sa Pagtulong: A COVID-19 Mitigation & Capacity Building through Donations Giving 2020 has an objective of reducing the COVID-19 transmission to our fellow frontliners and to give this donation nationwide. This big project is spearheaded by Transformational President Honey Reyes of Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman Manila, President Joseph of Y’s Men’s Club of RAHA Philippines, Chief Ela of RAHA Fire, Rescue, EMS Volunteers, Inc., President Bon of Y’s Men’s Club of RAHA Philippines, Chief Ela of RAHA Fire,

Rescue, EMS Volunteers, Inc., President Bon of Y’s Men’s Club of RAHA Parañaque, TP Jayson of Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayman Volunteers, Rosita Soliman Foundation Inc. and PureForce and Rescue Corp.. In coordination with Philippine Air Force and 5th Fighter Wing. We would also like to express our special thanks to Dr. Rodelene Tan for helping us with this project.

In addition, the distribution of protective cover stretchers is a continuous project. Last April, we distributed several prototypes for Philippine General Hospital and this September, with the help of the Philippine Air Force and 5th Fighter Wing, we were able to distribute protective cover stretchers in two government hospitals, namely Vicente Soto Memorial Medical Center and Cebu City Medical Center, and one private hospital which is University of Cebu Medical Center.

Together, we can fight COVID-19 by helping each other and elevating our ability as we transform and inspire the youth. Let’s fight as one.

Books Donation – Aklat Para Sa Dumagat Project

by President Jayson Adrian Reyes and Foundation Service Director Camille Dorothy Manito Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayman Volunteers

The ABS-CBN Iba Yan! is a docu-reality show hosted by Angel Locsin that showcases ordinary people with extraordinary stories. It aims to bring people together to find out what makes the Filipino culture unique. The program also showcases our core values as Filipinos, highlights the strengths of the Filipino spirit, and essentially gives us stories that bring people together. Hence, the program celebrates the uniqueness of Filipino stories because these stories embody love, resilience, and “diskarte”; stories that put compassion at the forefront; and stories that inspire, “mga kwentong may lalim, may halaga at may malasakit”.

For episodes 15 and 16, they will be featuring the Dumagat Tribe from Norzagaray Bulacan which was scheduled to be aired last September 15 and 16, 2020. As part of the One Big Mission of the ABS-CBN Iba Yan! program, the Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman Manila, Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayman Volunteers, Y’s Men’s Club of RAHA Philippines, Y’s Men’s Club of RAHA Parañaques and RAHA Fire, Rescue, EMS Volunteers, Inc. partnered on the said episode of the program. For our contribution, we promised and donated books for the dumagat kids which will be a big help for their education.

Books and knowledge are meant to be shared; we want to continue giving books for children nationwide. as testament to our motto, “Fellowship through service.”

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

Handog Edukasyon

by Bea Atienza

Rotaract Club of Manila

Last September, the Rotaract Club of Manila, in partnership with a group of ten MBA students from De La Salle University Manila (DLSU), launched a program for out-of-school teens entitled Handog Edukasyon.

Handog Edukasyon is an alternative learning program that supplements the Young Unlimited-Young Focus (YoungLi) program to help out-of-school youth aged 15 years and above who are considered the most vulnerable and at-risk youth in the Smokey Mountain area of Tondo. The program aims to help these teens recapture their love for education and encourage them to enroll back in school.

In the previous years, the club has conducted similar activities wherein YoungLi teens and club members come together in an educational center to spend a day of learning and fun. With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, however, gatherings and events such as this, are currently impossible.

Through the Handog Edukasyon program, the Rotaract Club of Manila and DLSU MBA are crafting modules covering Math, English, Art, and Values Education to continue supporting distance learning of the children of Young Focus under the Love2Learn and Young Unlimited Programs. The modules are constructed and designed for independent learning and for the students to fulfill the required learning of the center’s curriculum. Every month, these modules will be delivered to the beneficiaries for them to accomplish, and once completed, the modules will be checked and assessed for progress.

The first batch of modules has already been sent to Young Focus last September. As an incentive for the beneficiaries to perform well on their modules, the club and its partners provided them with learning kits and healthy snacks. Moreover, a virtual awarding ceremony will be held after the completing of the first set of modules to recognize individuals with the highest test scores.

As the club cheers on and encourages the children of Young Focus to take part in this program, the club is optimistic that this will help improve their lives and motivate them to reach their dreams.

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TUPAD Project: Supporting Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela

by President Nassim Malaco Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars

Millions of students were adversely affected by the abrupt school closures due to the #COVID19 pandemic, leaving young Filipinos, especially those in the early grades, vulnerable to discontinued education, learning loss and social isolation.

In response, Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars in partnership with Rotary Club of Downtown Manila organized a service project which supports the Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela. This project is entitled "Tugon-Edukasyon Para sa mga Kabataan tungo sa Iisang Damayan (TUPAD)".

The project would not be successful without its 7 sponsors: Rotary Club of Downtown Manila, Rotaract Club of Chinatown-Manila, Rotaract Club of Aseana Manila, Rotaract Club of Manila Metro, Rotaract Club of Nuvali, and Rotaract Club of Marikina West.

Bayanihan was observed and promoted by the volunteers through donation of educational materials for distance learning and hygiene materials for preventing disease to Kasarinlan High School and Elementary School.

The donations aimed to aid teachers and students in the implementation of Blended and Modular Distance Learning.

Despite strict protocols, RCDM Scholars showed their willingness to help and ignite the spirit of volunteerism in implementing and repacking items to be donated for school beneficiaries.

The project paved a way for hope, providing help to students struggling with the new normal in education. It is a testament of how many good hearts there are in people, especially Rotaractors.

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

Adopt-a-Student Program

by President Mc Gwire Alvarez Rotaract Club of UdM-CET

The Rotaract Club of Universidad De Manila College of Engineering and Technology (RAC UDM-CET) collaborated with Mr. Abricam Tinga, a university instructor from Universidad De Manila, for a project called "Adopt a Student Program".

The project was visualized and created because of the crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic crippled the economy of all countries affected by it; businesses and small schools are closing, students and teachers are struggling in this kind of "new normal" setup of class. Everything is virtual, everything is internetdependent and not everyone can afford to have a regular and stable internet connectivity. Financial and psychological problems have risen at an alarming rate. At this time, students are thinking of dropping courses or stop going to school altogether with the main reason being unreliable internet connectivity. That is why the Adopt a Student Program is created - to help students in providing mobile data load throughout the year. In our own little way, we can help the selected scholars to continue their education without worrying about internet expenses. The project is currently supporting 35 students, academic levels are from Elementary to College, and the RAC-UDM-CET along with Mr. Tinga’s team is deeply motivated to continue the project as long as there are studenst who need the help of the program. Donations for the project are ongoing and the team is expecting for continuous donations from any parts of the country/world.

Another project of the club is called "U Definitely Matter" which focuses on posting positive and motivational quotes to the RAC-UDM-CET’s Facebook Page. This year, the club is focused on the welfare of the students. True to the saying in our college, "unity is our strength", through these projects, the club wants to show support and care towards its schoolmates.

The club is looking forward to creating more projects that are student-centered. We fall together, we shall rise together!

To see the video created by Mr. Tinga’s team with the partnership of Rotaract Club of UdM-CET, follow the link below: bit.ly/RACUDMproject.

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The Heart of a Teacher

by President-Elect Daniel Kitma Rotaract Club of San Antonio De Padua

His eyes cannot lie He’d rather be doing something else, Like making love or drinking wine Or maybe both

Still he stays to mold the young, Sitting there like blank cassette tapes Waiting for the musician To fill them up with song.

His eyes will never lie, He’d rather do something else But his treasure is where his heart is at At this room where he stands.

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Guro: Sulo ng Pagbabago

by Transformational President Kyle Cedric Hezeta Rotaract Club of Polytechnic University of the Philippines

“There is no constant thing in this world but change.”

“Walang permanenteng bagay sa mundong ito kundi ang pagbabago.” Ang mga katagang ‘yan na nanggaling sa aking guro sa Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao noong ako ay nasa ika-sampung baitang ay tumatatak sa aking utak hanggang sa ngayon – lalo pa’t tayo ay nasa panahon ng matinding pagbabago dala ng samu’t saring mga nangyayari sa lipunan. Tunay ngang ang mga guro ay ang ating mga pangalawang magulang. Hindi natin kadugo, pero hindi nagaatubiling magbigay sa atin ng pagkatuto. Hindi natin ka-apelyido, pero hindi nagmimintis sa pagbibigay pangaral sa ating mga maling inaasal.

Mula nang ako ay nagsimulang mag-aral sa Sintang Paaralan noong 2012, maraming guro na ang aking napagdaanan – mayroong ubod ng bait, mayroon din namang medyo strikto. Minsan may mabait sa bigayan ng grado, minsan rin nama’y may mababa magbigay. Pero, sa dulo nito, iisa lang naman ang kanilang hangarin – ang maging isang mabuting ehemplo sa mga kabataan.

Kilala ang Politeknikong Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa pagiging progresibo nito sa mga isyu ng bansa. Bilang kami ay mga tinaguriang Iskolar ng Bayan, aming nilalagay sa isip at puso na lahat ng aming matututunan sa loob ng Sintang Paaralan ay lagi’t lagi, para sa Bayan. Malaki ang papel ng kaguruan sa paghubog ng dunong ng kabataan tungo sa mas maayos na kinabukasan. Hindi kami bulag sa mga problemang kinahaharap ng mga guro para lang makapagturo. Ngayong ay magandang oportunidad para mamulat tayo sa mga isyung ito.

Nang dahil sa pandemya, ang sektor ng edukasyon ay sinusubok dahil sa implementasyon ng distance learning gamit ang Internet habang wala pa ang bakunang marahil ay tatapos sa COVID-19. Dahil sa hindi ito ang ating nakasanayan, maraming isyu ang sumulpot, tulad ng mabagal na koneksyon, kakulangan sa modyul, pagsasara ng mga pampribadong paaralan, at ang pagbaba ng bilang ng mga batang nagpalista para sa susunod na taong panuruan. Sa kabila nito, hindi mawawala ang aking pagkamangha sa ating mga kaguruan sa lahat ng parte ng Pilipinas na ginagawa ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya upang makapagsilbi sa kanilang mga mag-aaral. Mula sa kalunsuran ng Maynila hanggang sa kabundukan ng Cordilllera, hindi matatawaran ang sipag na ipinapakita ng ating mga guro upang maipagpatuloy lang ang pag-aaral – kahit pa humugot sa sariling bulsa kahit na nahihirapan, ginagawa pa rin nang dahil sa pagmamahal.

Sa darating na ika-5 ng Oktubre, ating gugunitain ang Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Guro. Ang paggunita ngayon ng araw na ito ay higit na kaiba kumpara sa mga nakalipas na taon dulot ng pandemya. Gayunpaman, huwag nating kalilimutan na pasalamatan ang mga gurong ating dinaanan, pati na rin ang mga gurong kumakayod kahit nahihirapan, para sa kanilang sipag at tiyaga na malampasan ang mga pagsubok para lang maitawid ang pagkatuto sa mga mag-aaral kahit pa ngayong panahon ng pandemya.

Higit pa sa paggunita sa kanilang kabayanihan, gamitin rin natin ang araw na ito para tawagan ng pansin ang ating mga lider para dagdagan ang sahod, benepisyo, at allowances ng ating mga guro. Bukod sa pagkilala, tamang pa-suweldo ang kailangan ng ating mga guro upang patuloy nilang mapagsilbihan ang mga kabataan habang hindi nakaliligtaan ang pangangailangan ng kanilang mga pamilya.

“Walang permanenteng bagay sa mundong ito kundi ang pagbabago,” sabi sa amin ng aming guro sa ESP. Pasasaan pa’t malalampasan natin ang mga pagsubok na ito. Darating ang araw, sa tulong ng ating pagtawag para sa pagbabago, ay magiging mas maganda ang kondisyon ng pagtatrabaho ng ating guro. Balang araw, sa tulong nila, mas magiging handa na tayo sa mga hamon pang darating sa ating mundo.

Rotaractors / Educators

by Krystene Rhobe Bello Rotaract Club of San Antonio De Padua

As everyone around the world adjusts in this “new normal� - individuals, families, as well as companies and organizations in both private and public sectors across various industries. Everyday, we may either make small or large changes which affect how we purchased goods, do work and study (both at home these days). Among all the adjustments we made, one thing we have to consider with much care is the educating and nourishing the minds of future leaders. Education is one of the major factors that help shape the minds and practices of citizens. It helps build innovations in society, paving better systems and process that help build a strong and peaceful nation.

With the new normal at hand, the challenges in the adjustment of not only the students and parents have been in discussion for over a month, but also the drastic changes and the difficulties that were brought about by the quarantine and lockdown to our teachers. Here are some insights from our Rotaractor Educators:

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purchasing devices to develop these contents have generally been an out of pocket expense.

Director for Publications Audie Laudencia The Beacon School Rotaract Club of Manila Last September 17, my kids (students) and I had our first lab investigation via Zoom. Mixing flour, sugar, salt, eggs, and baking soda, they all created cookie doughs with slight variations on amount of flour, baking temperature, or butter temperature, just to name a few. I couldn't help but be proud of these kids for their focus and hard work collaborating with each other though they are far apart. I'm also grateful to their parents for giving them reign over the kitchen to do this investigation. I felt some luck that at the least even in these trying times we can continue to educate these kids.

Sadly, the greater majority of students in the Philippines aren't as lucky. My tatay and our bunso are both proud public-school teachers. While I carry on with week 7 of my Science Class, they have yet to start the school year and are neck deep in reimagining how they teach. They are busy Zoom conferencing with fellow teachers in their schools or within the school division to talk guidelines, strategies, and procedures given the pandemic.

They catalogue the status and resources of their respective homeroom students to learn what resources are available to them - are they able to join a Zoom conference, do they have access to free data so that they can correspond through Messenger, or are they given modules to work on since they have no access to the internet? Older teachers like my dad have to cram learning various new technologies and apps to facilitate instruction, manage classes, and create content. They look for extra funding and sponsors to pay for paper and ink to print out modules for students with no internet- around 10 pages per student per subject. That module can last for a little over a week.

They, along with their fellow teachers, develop and prepare videos for discussion, audio files, slideshows or pictures for instruction. They are asked to create learning modules apart from their own instructional materials so that they do not leave a student without any online resources to learn.

And developing most of these instructional materials or

And with all of these preparations, the public school, which we might have envisioned as a Zoom conference, is actually a far cry from reality. Since most students in the public schools have little to no access to the internet for an extended amount of hours, public school class rooms are far less advanced. Access to text exchanges in messenger is free to most data service providers so public-school classrooms lean more to creating group chats to deliver lessons and facilitate discussions. Access to videos, audio files, and pictures are made available but students have greater likelihood to not have the data to download these learning resources. So, students will have to learn Math, Science, and English, one Messenger message at a time.

Putting things into perspective, there is a great deal of help and expense that could be extended further to our public schools and to our public-school teachers and students. Now more than ever, though painful to admit, education seems more like a privilege than a basic right, unless we help bridge the gap and ask our Government for further assistance.

Rotaractor Annalyn M. Martin National Teachers College Rotaract Club of San Antonio de Padua All over the world, this new normal has been a serious challenge for all of us which greatly affects any age regardless of one's status in the society we live in. The impact is undeniably challenging to learners, parents, teachers, and leaders. Every decision about resuming classes either through online or face-to-face will always bring good and bad effects on our present situation.

Nevertheless, I feel amazed and happy at the same time knowing that there are still certain individuals who give great priority for the education of our youth. We only want

the best and aim for the success of our future generations.

Knowing that there are learners and parents who are willing to take the challenge in this new normal; it somehow gives me the motivation and determination to confidently pursue and continue my passion in teaching and provide learning materials for my students. Either with or withoutthis pandemic, we know that life's challenges and trials are unavoidable. But through them, we can always learn something. I hope and pray that learners, parents, teachers, and leaders will stay true and sincere with themselves however great the challenge we may face. Let there be no cheating, discrimination, nor judgments, but just a pure solid dedication and compassion to successfully accomplish ours tasks in the midst this pandemic.

Past President Ramcy D. Paclibare Jr Far Eastern University Rotaract Club Of Raha Sulayman Volunteers The COVID-19 Pandemic has significantly affected all the sectors and areas in our country. Most especially with our education system, classes have been suspended, postponed its usual start and then it should be done at home whether it is online or modular. These changes are really challenging especially in our country where the development of quality and effective education is still in progress. Before the pandemic happened, many families strived and worked hard to send their children to schools to get good education, though some students experience difficulty in learning. And now, the situation is more complicated.

Vice President Mel Ria Alonte Jacobo Z. Gonzales Memorial National High School Rotaract Club of Kabataang Maynila As public school teachers, we have to consider a lot on how our learners will cope with the new normal setup in the education system. We prepare different learning delivery modalities to ensure that no one will be left behind.

We adapt the ODL (Online Distance Learning) and MDL (Modular distance Learning) wherein we will need the parents/guardians to motivate and encourage their child/children to study and learn more. We will also seek the help of our LGUs in the printing, distributions and retrieval of the modules. We believe that we need to trust the process and adapt the change.

Apart from the insights of our volunteerteachers, we were also able to get a glimpse on one of the many people who have embraced the advocacy of teaching.

In FEU-Manila, we prioritize the safety of the students, and we take in consideration their studies. This semester, there will be no face-to-face classes, and classes will be done fully online as per the students need to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There are classifications on learning that have been implemented in our institution: Asynchronous Learning – learning that happens at the own pace of the student. Professors provide learning materials which can be accessed through Canvas (Learning Management System).

Synchronous Learning – a virtual meeting is conducted with the students and their professors.

Total Analogue Learning (TAL) - for students without stable internet connection and all the learning materials are compiled in a USB which is sent to the student’s home.

With the NSTP Department, the normal setup with us was face-to-face seminars with speakers & topics, but we need to adapt to the new normal and consider students’ welfare. Now, we do not have seminars even online, topics & modules are provided and can be accessed by the students through their Canvas at their own pace.

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I think in this time of pandemic, government and other educational institutions must be more creative and innovative in delivering quality and effective education despite the pandemic. Education is important to all and it should be prioritized as other sectors are being prioritized.

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Apart from the insights of our volunteer-teachers, I also found a good advocacy on education from one of the many passionate online educators and volunteers who aim to share their advocacy of maximizing educational resources and providing an accessible stream of learning materials for fellow educators and aspiring teachers through social media platforms..

Nanelyn Bontoyan 21st Century Teachers PH

Past President Ronald Q. Fortaliza Pres. Corazon C. Aquino High School Rotaract Club of Quirino Manila Central COVID19 happened. Eliminating this lifethreatening virus is still a question all of us are wondering.

All sectors of society have been affected. Now, what is there left for us to save once all these are over? In hopes of surviving, we are left scrambling on our feet to get ahold of every possible opportunity amidst the pandemic.

On September 2, 2020, I received a call from the Division Office of DepEd Manila informing me that I got in and I passed the ranking for new teachers. To say I was elated upon hearing the news is an understatement.

Becoming a public-school teacher, let alone being a teacher is my dream. This is my go-to answer whenever I am asked of the cliché “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And here I am, finally starting another milestone.

I finally have crossed one off my checklist!

After the hype died down, fear started to weigh down on me. How am I going to brave through this new endeavor in the middle of a pandemic? What am I going to do to catch up, a month before classes start? My worry and fear are on another level because this isn’t just for myself, but for a whole bunch of kids under my supervision. How am I going to make it?

I kept asking myself these questions in the hopes of understanding how to brave life amid pandemic, in search of a better normal. There’s no way to find out, but to be in it. In the words of my grandfather, “Fear is everywhere all the time.” I’m still scared of what will be, but I guess fear is what keeps me going.

21st Century Teachers PH is an advocacy. Our main goal is to promote low-cost alternatives and methods that can be used to educate our youth even in the most remote communities. Our aim is to bridge the educational divide between all learners since not all of them have access to the same resources. We define TECHNOLOGY as anything tangible utilized by knowledge givers to get the knowledge through to the learner. It can be as simple as a leaf or a garbage bag or as advanced as computers and the internet. We promote 'naked teaching' - the method of using the barest of all resources available to both the learner and the knowledge giver. So we coined the term Third World Classroom Tech which means using whatever indigenous materials are available. We believe that education should be as free as possible. It is not about what you have but it is all about getting the lessons through.

21st Century Teachers started out as a Facebook fan page back in 2015 where we posted materials intended for knowledge givers. Knowledge givers are teachers, parents, guardians, OR anyone who teaches or imparts knowledge to others. All materials that we placed there are FOR FREE USE and many of them are now part of many Filipino Learners particularly in Keystage 1 (Kindergarten to Grade 3 learners). If you go around the countryside, you will see many of our materials (with the sitting teacher with a yellow hair logo) printed and are being used as references by schools. We have also done outreach work by giving school supplies and learning materials to calamity stricken areas. We also have actual publications through our partners St. Bernadette Publishing House and Johnny and Hansel. Part of the proceeds of our income goes to our outreach programs and in developing new materials.

The YouTube channel of 21st Century Teachers is just another medium with which we want to further our objectives. However, we have not used said channel for a long time due to our Third World Classroom Tech advocacy. But since the advent of the virus and the children are not able to go out, we started using it as a new medium to reach out: (1) To provide free materials to learners and knowledge givers; (2) to conduct training and seminars to the same. The pandemic should not stop us from teaching our youth!

21st Century Teachers PH is mostly the brainchild of Dr. Athena C. Ceniza together with friends from the academe. To verify and know more about our advocacy, please visit the following link: FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/21stCenturyTeachersv2 YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/21stCenturyTeacher/

Even in the most inconvenient, or unideal situations these educators are living proof that despite the many trials brought about by the year 2020, Filipinos and our educators are resilient and passionate leaders inside and outside the classroom.

This is one of the many reasons why the art and science of teaching is a very difficult yet rewarding profession.

We would love to hear more of your insights and suggestions on the current education situation in your school or community. Share with us your two cents on your insights about our “new normal: education edition� by using our hashtag #RotaractorEducator3810 or simply email me at krystenebello.racsadp@gmail.com.

CROSSWORD

21st Century Teachers also has an active partnership with Ivory Records. We have jointly developed materials in their Children's Corner YouTube channel also under the banner logo of 21st Century Teachers.

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Go to bit.ly/The3810Mag to view the answers

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05 September | September 2020 Club Meeting Rotaract Club of Polytechnic University of the Philippines

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20 September | 5th Charter Anniversary Tayo Pa Rin sa Ika-limang Taon ng Pag Seserbisyo Rotaract Club of Imus

General Meeting: A Club Update

by IPP Lezel Ness Copo

Rotaract Club of Raha Sulayman Volunteers

Last Sept. 19, Transformational President Jayson Reyes made several announcements that will help the club transform and elevate.

after every meeting and the winner will be given a prize. Most importantly, the club's most active Rotaractor every month shall be recognized and rewarded.

In the past years, I can describe our club as a carefree one - doing projects, partnering with other clubs and organizations but not putting any pressure of responsibility towards our members. If one is unavailable, we just let them be. Later on, those kind of members are most likely to end up inactive. This year, TP Jayson, together with the other club's Past Presidents have decided to change this. We formed several club policies that aim to boost members participation for every activity especially since most of it are held online.

Membership dues were also discussed as this year will be the first time for our club to collect dues. The members have several packages to choose from: membership only or with pins and polo shirt. There is also a special consideration for the student members, a discounted amount. We also gave a warm virtual welcome to our three new members. We gave them short orientation about Rotaract and the club itself. All of them were excited for the next club activities and events.

One of the policies is if a member cannot join an activity, he/she needs to compensate for it by either sharing his/her knowledge on a certain topic or donating to the club fund. There will also be fellowship games online

Lastly, we ended the meeting with a short fellowship. We played Spin-the-wheel and the three lucky winners were given load worth P50 and P100. It was indeed a fruitful and fun meeting!

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Let’s talk about SEX…ual Health

by DRAR/ PP Gianina Maria Ciriaco Rotaract Club of Pasay Cyber City

Nowadays, young adults would often come across different topics surrounding individuality, relationships and health. But there’s one topic that they feel awkward discussing and is a combination of these three. Sex. Sexual Health, can be a pretty challenging discussion but the Rotaract Club of Pasay Cyber City is fortunate to have partnered with Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan Interdisciplinary Studies Society and the Rotaract Club of Balintawak, and host Usapang InterSEXyon: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sexual Health.

Usapang InterSEXyon is an online panel discussion about Sexual Health with esteemed resource speakers, Ann Sumalpong from the Commission of Population and Development, Jeron Laurino Osiana of the Department of Health Educator and Counselor for the College of Medicine of UP - Philippine General Hospital, Jayson Barcelona Fajardo from Red Cross- San Pablo City Chapter and Enrique Niño Patricio, Nurse and Executive Director of the Oro Pia Community Center. Another guest that joined us was Hon. Sol Aragones, Representative of San Pablo, Laguna who also shared a special video presentation. Each speaker answered as many important questions (even bizarre ones) from students and Rotaractors.

Opening up and discussing Sexual Health can be challenging, but according to our speakers the minimum age range to discuss the basics is between 8 to 10 years of age. With the help of our local Department of Education office, special curriculums that support the subject are taught in schools. Likewise, matters that involve sex should also be the responsibility of any parent or guardian. It is also their responsibility to make sure that home is a safe place to have these talks and foster good overall wellbeing. Parents should guide, empower and educate their young ones to protect themselves from sexual harassment, sexually transmitted diseases and other threats to their sexual health.

As young and seasoned adults, we also learned the best resources to get help and spread awareness of having a healthy sexual knowledge, practice and protection. For every phase in life, we gain something new and as we get older we know better. We go from being

learners or simply someone curious about it, to teachers, advocates and experts because of the support from all these helpful organizations.

Many myths about sexual health have been debunked too. These different misconstrued concepts about sexual health such as the misrepresentation and exploitation on media, transmission of HIV, whether the act of sex needs to be in the context of love or whether one cannot exist without the other, concept of virginity, to name a few, were discussed candidly and handled in such a way that people can have a better, clearer perspective and feel empowered.

It is worth noting that our experts shed light on hot topics like sexual reassignment surgery for transgender men and women, availability and different types of contraceptives, STD medication, and most importantly, teenage pregnancy. With news of the increasing number of underage pregnancies, it is important to protect and educate our youth, know where they can get professional help and other forms of support.

This project would not be possible without the help of our sister club, Rotaract Club of Balintawak, our partner schools, Interdisciplinary Studies Association of Ateneo de Davao University; Interdisciplinary Studies Association of Ateneo de Zamboanga University; Alliance of Public Health Advocates (ALPHA); Dalubhasaan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo; Tecarro College Foundation Inc., Pamantasan ng Cabuyao - Psychology Society; Laguna College of Business and Arts – Psychology Society, co-host Rotaract Clubs, RAC Angono, Balayan Community Based, Candelaria, Daiangas Community Based, Downtown Batangas City, Downtown Davao Tecarro College, Downtown Ibaan, Iligan South, Lucena North; Lucena South, Manila Metro, Metro Mandaue 2006, Metro Mauban, Metro IloIlo, Olongapo, Sacred Heart College, SFDM Malaya Achievers, Sta Rosa Centro, Tayabas Central and various Red Cross Chapters all over Luzon.

Pagsubok at Pag-ahon

by Executive Vice President for Externals Chloe Say Rotaract Club of De La Salle University As the Covid-19 continues to spread, with no end in sight, this pandemic will most likely be one of the most significant world events of the 21st century. History will remember these months and the actions of the people while living in these unprecedented times. These types of uncertainty have led us to a need to adapt to our fastchanging world; and with living in these times, many are left feeling hopeless.

On September 5, 2020, The Rotaract Club of De La Salle University held its first webinar entitled Pagsubok at Pag-ahon. This event aimed to inspire others and encourage young leaders to share their different stories, insights, and experiences. From pursuing business ventures to advocacy projects, we hoped to bring inspiration and motivation to those who may feel lost.

In the face of an overwhelming amount of bad news, fearmongering, and hatred, the world needs to be reminded that we are still humans. There are thousands of inspiring and creative responses to our situation, and we have selected four individuals to share their stories.

Our first speaker, TP Jean Tayag talks about their organization's experiences in conducting their project, Pasada Para sa Namamasad: a fundraiser for the benefit of jeepney drivers who have been displaced due to the extended lockdown. This was followed by Mr. Rovin Camalig, the founder and owner of Rovin Cars, where he discussed how he started his business by simply saving his allowance and used it as a stepping stone. He discussed how having the right motivation and mindset can be an asset to anyone who wants to try their hand at business. Our third speaker is the project and finance head of Project Salu-Salo, Ms. Isabella BolaĂąos, who shared her experience with handling an initiative that has garnered over Php300,000 for meals of our frontliners. Lastly, the co-owner and co-founder of Dulce Gensan, Ms. Acee Salangsang, discussed the importance of branding and making your signature in the market. She shares how parts of their sales have been donated to Radyo Mo, Kinabukasan Mo, a DEPED initiative to provide radios for students.

An extraordinary occurrence is unraveling, and no one will be unscathed. The pandemic brought with it a widespread social and economic disruption. We want to assure the community that RAC DLSU will continually strive for the betterment of the people, as the pandemic continues to unfold.

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Business 101: New Normal Edition

by Dane Dagatan

Rotaract Club of San Antonio de Padua

As the pandemic continuously infests the country, the challenges for the Filipino people are incessantly growing. In April 2020, 7.3 million Filipinos lost their job reflecting the effects of the economic shutdown brought by Covid-19. Twothirds of the Filipino people are laborers who depend on wages and salaries. However, due to the situation, a hefty chunk of these workers were forced to find an alternate source of livelihood and consequently, started their own businesses to make ends meet. This demonstrates that as cliché as it sounds, the Filipinos never backed down from any challenge, may it be by choice or not.

The Rotaract Club of San Antonio de Padua believed not only in the unflagging diligence, but also in the potential of every Filipino to prosper in business. This catapulted the idea to assemble “Business 101: New Normal Edition”, a professional development seminar that equips attendees with basic knowledge in starting their own businesses in this highly digital era.

The first session entitled “How to Start a Business during a Pandemic”, was given by Mr. John Sy, the owner of Everwing Profem Corporation. With an indispensable experience of 34 years in business, Mr. Sy and his quirky slides imparted the practical wisdom and knowledge in fostering your business during crises. He introduced successful businesses and ventures, which started during recessions, that significantly inspired the attendees. In addition, he discussed the necessities that must be put in mind by every aspiring businessman. The next session was entitled, “Digital Marketing and Branding”, by Ms. Gretchen Veran, the founder of “Get Smarter and Better Movement”.

Ms. Veran has a 10-year experience in marketing and business development in her arsenal. According to her, staying in business is as important as starting one. With an endless list of new businesses that offer the same product or service as yours, how will you stand out? That was the question that Ms. Veran was able to answer. She explained the framework of marketing in a nutshell for an extremely limited amount of time in her session.

Rotaract Club of San Antonio de Padua aims to continue this project to pursue its purpose of developing the professional aspect of its members and the community, specifically unveiling new sources of income. Our project “Business 101: New Normal Edition” is set to be a series of seminars that are designed for growth and stability of our future CEOs.

I have spent most of my quarter life understanding myself, how people think and how the world works. I immersed myself in different activities, different groups of people & different subjects to learn about. My openness to different things at some point became a worry too because a lot of people would tell me that my choices lack direction.

Soon enough though, everything became much clearer for me and fell into place as I have discovered and understood myself better through these things, most especially my strengths and how I am able to use them to affect the people around me positively. As a woman in my early 30s, I understood better the quote, “change starts in you”. One has the influence to impact the people around them positively through one’s actions and these people whom you inspired can impact the world through their actions. My quarter life has made me realize how I am carrying a responsibility to the people around me, who can impact the world together.

Finding Balance: Teaching Online, Starting a Business, & Serving the Community

by Assistant Governor Cheska Acuin Rotary Club of Manila Magic

I am Cheska Acuin. I am the Founder & the Clean Beauty Boss of Messfree Co. --a company that manufactures vegan-friendly, palm-free, cruelty-free, organic & earth-friendly bath & body products. I am also a full-time IB (International Baccalaureate) Educator, currently holding virtual classes with my Grade 4 kids and at the same time a Rotarian--currently an Assistant Governor of District 3810 and the IPP of the Rotary Club of Manila Magic.

Yes, I wear all of these hats but more than these, I wear the principle that as an individual, we have a responsibility to ourselves, our community and our planet.

I would label myself more as a woman who loves to grow, rather than embrace what most people would define me as someone who wants variety. I have proven myself countless times but being just human, I was also emotionally challenged the most by the pandemic, just like everyone else. Despite my positive mindset and my indestructible self-esteem, I still found myself struggling with anxiety at the start of quarantine. For those who don’t know how anxiety feels like, it is a combination of fear, feeling of abandonment and bursts of internal conflicts all happening at the same time, not to mention not being able to pinpoint exactly where they are coming from. Knowing myself, I would often succumb to self-help books and motivational videos to make myself feel better and deal with it on my own. Fast forward, it had been the greatest battle for me since this was where I figured that not all problems could be solved by books and videos. I found more strength by being vulnerable to people close to me whom I shared my struggle with. Being vulnerable is something I learned over the pandemic that has allowed me to grow better, stronger and more meaningful than allthe accomplishments I garnered my whole life. Contrary to the lockdown situation, vulnerability has set me free!

Vulnerability has allowed me to look internally and recognize that all of us need help and to be able to be truly of service beyond oneself, one has to overcome and be of service to oneself, first.

My call for responsibility towards my community breaks down to my full-time job as a teacher and my job as a rotarian. I’ve always believed that being a teacher is the most influential job there is. Imagine, in my 10 years of teaching, I have in some way, become a part of more or less, a thousand of my students’ life journey & discovery. I have also believed that Einsteins are present in different communities, given the right educational opportunities. My

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drive to persist in being more present and proactive in sharing my teaching skills in these less fortunate communities is the possibility of these kids being Einsteins, with access to good education. As a rotarian, I am strong in my cause in giving these kids more opportunities to enjoy and find their strength through education.

Adjusting to the quarantine situation as both a teacher and a rotarian was too sudden for me. Imagine working full-time in the day and attending Rotary events at night before the pandemic happened. I was programmed to socialize, be out there taking action and enjoying the sunshine with my students and never have imagined everything done in the confines of my home.

Being someone who wants change and growth, I explored and exhausted my extra resources on online courses and skills I could use to maximize the situation. I finished an online course at Stanford University and was finally able to fulfill my dream of becoming a certified Soapmaker! I was also given an opportunity to do a talk at an online summit. That was where I got more confidence and resources to bring to life my newest venture---my company. Everything happened too fast because of the extra time (a blessing in disguise) given to me.

This pandemic has made me realize that in any situation, there is always an opportunity. The quarantine has brought more time for me to think of a way on how I can maximize my time at home and work on a worthwhile project for the planet. This is where I have founded Messfree Co.--my company that manufactures veganfriendly, palm-free, cruelty-free, organic & earth-friendly bath & body products. With the disasters and the rise of diseases this 2020, I personally see this as a wake-up call for all of us to be more mindful of our actions, not only towards ourselves but towards others. I feel that this pandemic is an experience and an example of how one person affects the people around him/her (how one infected person is infectious to the people around him) and that we should take this as an example of how our responsibility for each other is a priority.

With this, my company envisions a more responsible community of consumers who think about how they’re affecting their bodies, the people around them and the planet as a whole in their consumption choices.

I have high hopes that my small company can hopefully inspire a small group of people to start thinking about how their everyday routine, such as the simple act of how taking a bath affects their community and the world and start asking themselves if this simple act benefits the self, community and the planet. Afterall, true beauty should benefit all.

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SE 101:

Upholding Community Well-Being Through Business Ever heard of businesses that are changing the world for the better? If not, then allow us to introduce you to Social Enterprise.

Social Enterprise is a business with a primary social and/or environmental purpose, which reinvests its profits to advance its primary purpose or mission. It “[favors the] inclusion of the most vulnerable and marginalized and provides an avenue for those left behind – a platform for voice and economic participation.”

As Rotaractors, we are committed to upholding the well-being of communities, and Social Enterprise is a field that we can venture to practice this commitment even more as it is sustainable and more impactful. Social Enterprise and volunteerism definitely work hand in hand since improving lives and advocating for social and environmental development are the common denominators of a volunteer and a social entrepreneur.

Rotaractors in SE Coleene and I share an interest and experience with social enterprise. Her’s thrives in the field of education while mine is focused on water sanitation. We thought that sharing the stories of how our respective social enterprises came about; the challenges we encountered along the way; and where we are right now can, hopefully, inspire you to immerse yourself in social entrepreneurship and start your own social enterprise.

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by President Derique Casio and Deputy DRAR Coleene Villanueva Rotaract Club of Manila Metro Rotaract Club of RCDM Scholars

LakanTubig Lakan Tubig envision a future where all families have access to affordable water. No one should compromise drinkable water in light of any expenses.

Lakan Tubig intends to make this future a reality by distributing affordable and high water filtration devices.

When I was in third year, I was planning to relive my fun days as a volunteer, amidst joining college organizations and focusing on academics. I was surprised that a perfect opportunity showed itself in my university email blast. It called for students to join Lasallian Social Enterprise for Economic Development (LSEED) Program, a social enterprise incubator program, with an intention to connect students and partnered communities for an opportunity to start a social enterprise together. I was hooked. This was more than volunteering. I brought my friends and we were set to face the social entrepreneurship journey together. The LSEED program was an opportunity to dive in the problems of society. This program allowed my group to partner with community leaders from Kasamahan ng Bagong Barrio (KSBB). Everyone has gotten closer with the amount of time spent in ideation sessions, tours, and discussions. It was a purpose driven project, as both the groups came in sharing their experiences and knowledge to figure how to solve a social problem and merge business ideas in the hopes of making a real impact. It was in these sessions that we became our social enterprise.

Under the guidance of the LSEED mentors, the team identified a problem with water, particularly the low satisfaction with the current system of drinkable water within the community. The KSBB leaders doubted the

quality of service from the water stations due to personal experiences and observations with the placements of the direct pipelines going to these water stations. Often, they resorted to purchasing filters or boiling of water to ensure safe drinking. Further investigation shed light to how costly potable water is to local communities, especially with the common demographics of unstable jobs and rampant female unemployment.

Lakan Tubig served as a solution to the woes of the communities of KSBB. Lakan Tubig envisions a future where all families have access to affordable water. With the tagline “Malinis na tubig, Malinis na trabaho (Clean waters, honest jobs),” Lakan Tubig achieves this by becoming a distributor of water filtration devices, while providing honest work to its struggling communities. With these goals, our mission is to provide access to affordable clean water for 100,000 families at the end of 2022 by distributing water potability technologies to struggling communities.

Unlike our competition, we’re a social enterprise which aims to solve the communities’ water problem. Our advocacy is more than just selling, rather it’s becoming closer to our beneficiaries and resolving the water problem.

Our priority is their access, and we plan to implement financial aids/programs to make our products as affordable. Moreover, our diverse founders, both students and community leaders, have an equal say in the decision making board, which allows multiple possibilities and perspectives.

Right now, we’re still developing our social enterprise, connecting with our partners, and finalizing our business model before we go out in the world. Expect us to be rising soon.

INSPHERO: Rekindling Hopes of Young Filipinos “Rekindled hopes of young employed Filipinos towards completing a college degree,� is the vision of INSPHERO a freshly built social enterprise that designed an alternative college completion pathway for employed Filipinos who were forced to drop out of college without having to leave their jobs.

The whole idea sprouted from an in-depth research we have conducted about the drop out and employment statistics in the Philippines. We found out that in 2018, out of 42 million Filipinos employed, 4.2 million are college dropouts. This number has significantly increased since then. On top of this is our advocacy of advancing the quality of higher education to be at par with the demands of modern industries.

Hence, leveraging the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency Program (ETEEAP) - a college completion program initiated by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) that gives equivalent academic credits to work experience - INSPHERO designed enhancement courses that will guarantee participants not only a college degree but a learning experience that is valued in the workplace and community, and will enhance their personal and professional careers.

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Our courses are designed similar to Coursera but are exclusively offered to business-processing output (BPO) employees at the moment. The college program we are currently offering is also limited to Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. However, we plan to expand this with the help of further partnerships in the industry and academe; and with enough profit at hand, we plan to reinvest in technology and create scholarship opportunities in order to deepen and widen our impact.

Truly, the key in maintaining a social enterprise is to remember to always go back to your “why�. For us, it is our desire to provide an opportunity to realize dreams for a college completion and cultivate a culture of gratitude and paying forward among those whom we will be able to help.

Moreover, it is also crucial that you develop your social enterprise with people who can put equal dedication to the work and share the same vision as you. In terms of people to work with, quality matters more over quantity.

Setting up INSPHERO was not as easy as it sounds.

Currently being operated only by two people, we needed more than just grit in order to function. In our case, financial and technical resources were essential in building up the company. Establishing it also took a huge amount of time dedicated to brainstorming and non-stop revisions of ideas. The process is iterative and is all about improving the business framework, ensuring that it remains aligned with the vision, and enlarging the impact we create day by day.

Critically crafted and developed for almost three years, INSPHERO has finally launched its courses last August 2020 and is hosting the college completion of 50 participants by July 2021. For us who work at INSPHERO, that is already 50 dreams coming true, and there are millions more to go.

To know more about the work we do, you may visit our Facebook page at @InspheroPH.

How to Spot the Red Flags for Online Selling Scams

by Immediate Past President Mark Rommel Ababao Rotaract Club of Manila Bay

In this new normal, people made a lot of changes to adapt, which led to several discoveries.

With social contact being limited, online selling has become prevalent and an important part of the local economy. Online marketplaces such as the Facebook marketplace provides convenience to both sellers and customers.

The Facebook marketplace is a popular online platform that is meant to be a community-oriented service that brings people together to buy and sell different products. Although it does not have a built-in payment system and requires having a Facebook profile to use the service, security and convenience are two of the major priorities of the app. If you are a seller, it is easy to use the platform - upload a photo of the product and indicate its price. For customers, they can easily type the product they are looking for, click on the item, and message the seller.

While the platform provides easy access to products, it can be an easy venue for different scammers. In the marketplace, people may encounter bogus buyers or sellers. Here are some red flags to watch out for when doing online shopping:

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

Suspicious or Incredulous Profile Have you ever tried stalking your crush? Well, this is the right time to channel the inner detective within you.

Before purchasing an item in Facebook marketplace and communicating with the seller, make sure that the seller has a full Facebook profile. Always remember that anyone can do scams, (i.e. catfishing) wherein they use fake photos on their profiles. You may spot a fake profile if you added the seller and you can only see very few pictures uploaded consecutively, no pictures at all, no friends, or if the profile was only created recently. You may also check the likes and comments on the uploaded picture of the seller to check if it’s a real person/profile. Worried that maybe it’s just in private mode? Don’t worry because even if the seller is in private mode, you can still check their picture, number of likes and there will be a share button, unless you are blocked. You may also do a quick reverse image search on their profile picture. If it comes up as someone else, you know you're dealing with a scammer .

Inconsistency

Never deal with a wishy-washer seller. One way to identify a scammer is to check his/her familiarization with the product. Scammers can be inconsistent with their stories, maybe on how they introduce themselves, or about their product. There are some sellers who are notorious for changing their minds when selling stuff on Facebook.

They’ll include a price in their post, but when you message them, they'll increase the price. Then they won’t message you for a few days and raise the price again. If they did this to you, back out. It’s time to find more credible sellers

Too Much Negative Reviews They say - don’t judge the book by its cover, but you can always judge a seller by their reviews. Always read the reviews of both items and the seller.. You may be able to read about the attitudes of the sellers if they’re approachable, trustworthy, or rude. Even if you're buying in a different app, you should always consider checking the reviews before purchasing any items to prevent purchasing any fake products or dealing with a bogus seller. .

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Pushy Seller Not everyone is gifted or perfected “good selling or negotiation techniques”. And you can spot a scammer if they are always pushing for you to purchase, although you want to think further about the purchase or may have doubts on the seller.Two things that a scammer always does if they spot the buyer as suspicious, it’s either they will be persistent in making follow-ups and bombard you in order for you to say yes or they will stop and block you.

If you spotted some of these red flags from the online seller, then don’t engage with him/her. It’s best to find a different seller.

And just in case you come across these red flags, the best way to deal with it is to report them. Here’s how to report a bogus seller: First, navigate to Facebook marketplace. Then click the listing from the sellers you want to report. Next, click Report post or Report Seller and then, follow the onscreen instructions.

MEET THE CLUB

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

PRESIDENTS

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MEET THE CLUB

The Official Publication of the Rotaract Clubs of Rotary International District 3810

PRESIDENTS

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Audie Laudencia Managing Editor Rotaract Club of Manila

Karla Ravida Writer/ Proofreader Rotaract Club of Manila

Derique Casio Writer/ Copy Editor Rotaract Club of Manila Metro

Ralph Baniqued Writer/ Proofreader Rotaract Club of San Antonio de Padua

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Jex Espineli Artist/ Photo Editor Rotaract Club of DasmariĂąas City

Mark Ababao Writer/ Copy Editor Rotaract Club of Manila Bay