The Crusader AY Ender 2021

Crusader

The

Cover Story

Cover Story

Publishers Subscribing Students of Xavier University Editorial Board Melvin P. Villacote Editor in Chief Abdel Rafi M. Lim Associate Editor Derrick Kean A. Auxtero Design Editor Rafhael L. Jabongga Managing Editor Nia Enrille R. Rabanes Features Editor Paula Elaine D. Francisco Photography Editor Jayson Elvie G. Ty Graphic Design & Layout Editor Sumayyah G. Caris Freehand Editor Jean Mika M. Aporillo Video Productions Director Managers Edshera Mae R. Abella Human Resource Manager Catherine Marie C. Naldoza Office Manager James Patrick B. Pabonita Circulations Manager Jivi Roy D. Rizaldo Online Accounts Manager Finance Officers Sumayyah G. Caris Auditor Rafhael L. Jabongga Senior Finance Manager Reyjean Marie S. Bacud Junior Finance Manager (Trainee) Staff Writers Danica Ela P. Armendarez (Trainee) Alyssa Chantal P. Moreno (Trainee) Levina Eunice O. Palarca Leinarra L. Tumarong (Trainee) Reina Margaret Gwynette T. Villamor Claire Ivy T. Vanguardia (Trainee) Staff Artists John Ian G. Bradshaw (Trainee) Sheil Ann Ashley P. Bruas Zenju P. Espinosa (Trainee) Kevin Matthew N. Pacana (Trainee) Aira May L. Plaga (Trainee) Kenneth Jhon D. Sanchez (Trainee) Karl Mykell M. Tabbay Jayson Elvie G. Ty

Table of Contents 1 Editorial 2 Columns 4 News 6 Israeli-Palestinian Dispute: Conflict Explained 8 The Israel-Palestine Conflict Chronology 9 Daba and Golez: Pursuing Purpose 10 What Your Vote Can Do: Ambag ko sa Halalan 2022 11 Actually an Easy Feat! A Guide to Voter Registration 12 Comics 13 Hohongihong All inverted pages

Moderator Ms. Ann Catherine T. Acenas For contributions, please address your articles and/or comments to: TheCrusader Publication Office, Rm. 302, Student Training Center (STC) Bldg, Xavier University 9000, Cagayan de Oro City Circulation 1,000 copies /thecrusaderpublication.ph /thecrusaderpublication /thecrusaderpub /thecrusaderpub /thecrusadertv

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s we continue to adapt to the new normal, the Central Student Government ensures a better, more proactive governing body for the upcoming academic year through its newly elected officials. With the pressing concerns brought about by the pandemic and the digital set-up, we take a closer look at the CSG’s promises through their new president and vice president.C Words by Reina Margaret Gwynette T. Villamor Design by Jayson Elvie G. Ty

Read the full online version of this issue at bit.ly/AYEnder2021 or at www.thecrusaderpublication.ph

The official student publication of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

Email your comments & suggestions to thecrusaderpub@gmail.com

Editorial

Read the full online version of this issue at

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The death of a bachelor degree

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n May 22, to the collective dismay of thousands of Filipino students, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chair Prospero de Vera III uttered what we all feared but were too scared to voice out: From now on, flexible learning will be the norm. There’s no going back. With CHED’s new policy on flexible learning in place, with their vision of indefinitely extending our home-based education from this day forward, the prospect of earning our college degree through the lens of our phones and computers (without really knowing our fields of expertise firsthand and in person) became too true for comfort. It seems that the mindsets we have built to fortify our motivations to continue our education needs some rethinking—no, this studying-from-home setup is no longer temporary. No, our battles with our internet connection will not soon come to an end. And no, we won’t graduate on a stage.

Our daydreams of walking through the campus grounds will remain as just that, and we hold neither voice nor choice to argue otherwise. A decision has been made for us, and the common interest we all share regarding this distanced learning has not been included in their deliberations. Instead of searching for ways to alleviate the causes that have led us here in the first place, and by doing so, ending the pandemic and the never-ending quarantines once and for all, our only option is to accept that this is the new normal. This shouldn’t be our normal.

We are victims of a system that has allowed this to happen—a government that reacted too slowly, that underestimated the dangers of the pandemic, that, until present, continues to leave its people to suffer the consequences of their ineptitude.

Instead of immersing ourselves with the campus life that tertiary education promised us, a good four years of our life will be passed staring at the screens we are gradually learning to despise. And we do understand that there is little to be done about this predicament, especially by us. We know we are not in the position to brute force the resumption of face-to-face classes, because we know better than most to trust in the threats the virus poses. This is not a letter of complaint, but a reminder of our ability to demand for accountability.

And after barely experiencing the first four stages of grief as we mourn the death of the campus spirit, and the spirit of that once-inspired learner which lays dormant within us, we have no choice but to come into terms with our truth. We must accept that Google Meets will hold our sessions from here on out and that our photos on a television screen for our graduation will have to do, but we must not accept the fact of how all of this came to be. They did not give us the privilege of 1. denial, 2. anger, 3. bargaining, 4. depression, because there is no time for any of that—the submission portal is open, and our assignments await.C

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Illustration by Melvin P. Villacote 1

OPINION

Embarrassing for us

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Pinkiepiee

By Nia Enrille R. Rabanes

arlier in the month of June, the “BTS Biot” trend circulated around social media. The two common parties involved include those promoting the rhetoric, poking fun at how Korean boy group BTS is composed of bayots or gays, and those who are fans who wish to defend their idols.

Much like any other hobby, the culture of being a KPOP fan is something that would be bizarre to anyone who is not a part of it. And if it isn’t very clear yet, nobody is forcing anybody to accept the concept. Because you personally don’t agree with the idea of a bunch of men performing in genres that are not according to your taste doesn’t mean your masculinity should be personally victimized and therefore need to start a whole hate trend.

What hits the mark from the controversy that this trend accumulated is the fact that Filipinos were identified on a global scale as the perpetrators. It proves how homophobia is taken very lightly here; that an obviously offensive statement was so easily adapted by many. How frequently do we find ourselves in situations where

references of being homosexual are made to be a bad thing? People make jokes with this theme and more often than not, they’re just brushed off because it’s ‘normal.’

It’s not supposed to be normal.

It sucks that it has to be spelled out but all these microaggressions need to stop: you don’t initiate conversations of this nature and you call it out when someone does. This boils down to considering the actions that would deem you a decent human being. You don’t need to understand nor appreciate KPOP. You also don’t need to vocalize your burning hatred for all the things you dislike, and while you still have the capability to do so, throwing all these derogatory remarks ultimately just makes you an asshole.

In the grand scheme of things, I don’t think the members of BTS have the time to even turn to these hate activities. They’re comfortably sitting on their huge pile of money. I’m saying this attempt to ridicule them doesn’t affect them at all. I’m also saying all this did was paint us in an ugly light of people who have very little value for respect.C

nia.rabanes@thecrusaderpublication.ph

‘Stupid voters’ don’t exist

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Dionysus

By Melvin P. Villacote

alalan 2022 is just around the corner, and we may witness yet another contentious episode of the national elections. A couple of years ago, we saw how the 2019 Elections sparked arguments and dissatisfaction from many Filipinos when the so-called ‘incompetent’ or unfit candidates dominated the said senatorial race. Much of these dismayed citizens pin their blames on ‘bobotantes,’ which literally means stupid voters, a term often used to describe those who voted for incompetent candidates—basically, those they call ‘uneducated’ voters.

There are indeed quite a number of people who just voted for who they wanted and who they only knew. It’s so easy to blame them and to dismiss them as dumb or bobo for choosing those who just danced budots in their campaign videos, are celebrities, and army personnel, instead of degree holders and experienced lawmakers. And much more, it’s easy to tag them as mga hindi nagiisip at dinaan lang sa pera (vote buying).

However, putting the blame on poor and socalled ‘uneducated’ Filipino voters is tantamount

to ignorance—and outright victim-blaming. To blame these people for voting a set of candidates different from ours simply assumes that everyone has equal access to information. Just because our ‘ideal’ candidates trend on Twitter or other social media platforms, doesn’t mean that every single Filipino will vote for them. Remember, the ability to discern is a function of privilege—the very privilege not every one of us has.

This whole narrative of vote-shaming simply fails to look beyond the purpose of the elections, and it ignores the very system that perpetuates itself with impunity. The real problem is not the ‘stupid’ voters, but a system that suppresses the vast majority of Filipinos and forces them to find recourse on false icons of power in hopes of barely surviving. As citizens of this country, we may always feel bad when our expected candidates do not penetrate the election results, but we must not let this appallment drive us against one another, or worse, to shame the underprivileged who are—and will continue to be—the victims of the exploitative system that created them.C

melvin.villacote@thecrusaderpublication.ph

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Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

OPINION

The illusion of choice

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Dovahkiin

By Abdel Rafi M. Lim

he selling point of some video games is how your in-game choices may have dire consequences to the game’s plot. Faced by the highest of stakes, you could make the difficult choice of: a.) becoming the benevolent ruler, or b.) becoming the cruel tyrant. But there are some instances where the outcome is predetermined— and you never had a choice in the first place. For a time, I have felt similarly about school.

I feel as if I cannot choose to be anything other than a student. I feel confined by a system that abuses what precious time I have, that presents me with nothing more than the illusion of having a choice.

Free time is time meant to be allocated for demanding projects, weekends are for taking exams, and even sleeping schedules are adjusted to gain the favor of the ever-elusive internet connection. I can “choose” to take a day off, but I’m never totally free of any responsibility. Wherever I am, whatever I may be doing, and whatever time it is in the day, all of it needs to be surrendered to the deadline.

One may argue that this whole predicament is only a matter of time-management, of properly slicing up the day to dedicate to other ventures outside of education.

However, it’s hard to escape the feeling of guilt that encroaches over me as I try to read a book for leisure or watch a movie or two, especially since there is always another essay to write, another video project to film. Once, as I was writing a research paper, an overwhelming feeling to write something creative took over me.

The monotony of scientific writing had been unbearable, and when I finished writing a page of flash fiction, I chided myself for wasting precious time that could have been used to overcome the deadline. The 24/7 student mindset is killing the artist in me, and I long for the time I can write words without worry again, without feeling the need to be productive instead of just being wastefully creative.

School shouldn’t be this restrictive. Being a student shouldn’t be all that I am, and I long for the day I can freely choose to be more than that.C

rafi.lim@thecrusaderpublication.ph

The Money Maker and the Madman

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LAPRAS

By Derrick Kean A. Auxtero

know of no one who does not tend to some sort of hobby, who uses the free time that they have to hone a skill, make use of a talent, or try their hands at something new and creative. I, for one, take what little time the days give me to escape into my art—searching for inspiring words from any form of media to letter to my heart’s content.

It is because of this love of lettering that a few opportunities have come knocking at my doorstep, and I will forever be grateful that something I am passionate about has been able to sustain me in ways the young, aspiring artist I once was would never have fathomed. But with this newfound venture comes a few caveats: the line between making money and making art for the sake of art has been blurring, and I fear for what this means to me and my growth as an artist.

The capitalist pull to earn and make a name for myself in an ever growing industry may be inspiring, but there are dangers to how it entices me as well. In the near future, will I be making art solely for how my projects line my pockets?

Will I be searching for career opportunities and freelance jobs to even have a reason to make art?

Will I not simply create something beautiful on a fleeting yet inspired whim, on that spontaneous need to immortalize a moment on paper, however best I can?

Sometimes it’s best to keep your passions intimate and personal. The belief that you have to monetize any hobby you pick up, lest it remains a waste of your time, is simply the ill-founded notion that we all live to work, to make money, to spend it, and to work more, for much longer and much harder.

Surely, life is not meant to be spent building yourself to be a money making machine—the fulfillment that is born of making art with no cause or reason or goal is evidence enough. Write poetry because the universe told you so, paint something mundane because why the heck not? Don’t fall into the trap of losing yourself to the pressures of society.

Lose yourself in the madness of creation instead.C

derrick.auxtero@thecrusaderpublication.ph

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News UNIVERSITY

34 XU Night School Program learners complete XUNSPALS program

Read the full online version of this issue at

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Free Novavax vaccines for the XU community to arrive in October

By Alyssa Chantal P. Moreno

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n June 23, XU Night School Program - Alternative Learning System (XUNSP-ALS) held a virtual completion ceremony for batch four AY 2019-2020 graduates, composed of 34 individuals, at 1:30PM on their Facebook page.

The program is committed to educating dropouts, out-of-school youth, and street children in preparation for the Acceleration and Equivalency Test (A&E) and Ignatian formation.

Despite the global health pandemic, the theme was about #BridgingDreams and providing a diverse range of learning opportunities.

XUNSP is an extension program of the School of Education’s Arrupe Educational Center (AEC) in partnership with the Department of Education – Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Region X and City Social Welfare Development Department (CSWDD).

DepEd Assistant Secretary G.H Ambat addressed the graduates, “I am proud of this batch and I will continue to cheer on for you as you move on. Whether you continue with your schooling or pursue skills training, employment or setting up a business, it is all possible because you have been trained.”

XU President Fr. Mars Tan stated, “Swerte pa gihapon kita dinhi sa atong sitwasyon kay ang gobyerno naghatag kanato og programa. Labi na sa out-of-school youth og tanan kabataan na pwede muapil niini.” He further encouraged them to continue to soar high and reach their ambitions in life. He ends by saying, “Ayaw kamo kahadlok, ayaw kaulaw, ayaw pag duha-duha.

Salig sa inyong kaugalingon ug salig sa Diyos.”

A number of graduates have shared their stories and were thankful for the program that changed their lives. Cayginstone Baldonado said, “Pasalamat ko sa ALS program kay gitagaan ko nila ug opportunity na makahuman sa high school.” Head of ALS Task Force Director Marilette acknowledged their hard work and dedication, and that even at the core of the pandemic, the program was still a blessing from above. Today, the ALS program is accepting students for 2021.C 4

Photo by Aira May L. Plaga

By Levina Eunice O. Palarca

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niversity President Fr. Mars P. Tan SJ announced through Memorandum #U2021-071 XU’s plans to provide free doses of Novavax vaccines to all employees and students, 18 years old and above who have not yet availed early vaccines from the Local Government Units (LGUs). The order has been submitted through UNILAB and is scheduled to arrive in October 2021.

According to University Health Services Office Director Dr. Augusto Guitarte Jr, the vaccines would have arrived in July or August this year, but due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in India, the target date was delayed and the vaccines will arrive in October this year. The initial number of Novavax vaccine doses planned to order was 10,650 doses. “Because some of them [XU employees and students] have availed already sa government vaccines, possible na siya mo-gamay or madugangan,” Guitarte added. The final number of total doses is yet to be decided.

The administration of vaccines will follow the Department of Health (DOH) vaccination priority list. Under Priority Eligible B, employees will receive the vaccines first before the students who are under Priority Eligible C. According to Guitarte, in terms of the venue, it was suggested that the Novavax vaccines will be administered in Maria Reyna Hospital where there is complete equipment and personnel.

Guitarte shared that the course of action is very beneficial for the XU community especially with the slow-moving pace of the government’s vaccine rollout. According to Guitarte, “With that vaccine, of course, ang estudyante makauna gyud kaysa sa kaning sa government pa so makatabang gyud sa students.”

Because of the slow progress towards national herd immunity, Guitarte emphasized that face-to-face classes next year are unlikely.

As of June 19, only 5.1 percent of Filipinos have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

In addition, Guitarte highly suggested registering for vaccination as soon as you are eligible to receive government-provided vaccines.C Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

UNIVERSITY

CCS offers BS Entertainment and Multimedia Computing major in Digital Animation

By Alyssa Chantal P. Moreno

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n May 18, the authorization for XU’s newest academic offering from the College of Computer Studies (CCS), Bachelor of Science in Entertainment and Multimedia Computing with Specialization in Digital and Animation Technology (BSEMCDAT), was granted by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

BSEMC-DAT is a four-year course that will help students understand and apply fundamental advanced theories and techniques in animation. Animation is used in the field of mathematics, science, art, music, and languages.

The program has several general subjects involved, namely: Computer Programming and

Graphics Programming, Freehand and Digital Drawing, Game Design and Development, 2D and 3D Animation, Audio Design and Sound Engineering, Script Writing and Storyboard Design, Applications Development and Emerging Technologies, Information Management, Usability, HCI and User Interactions Design, and Design and Production Process. These subjects will have quarterly schedules while other subjects will have semestral schedules.

According to CCS Dean Meldie Atienza Apag, the administration promoted the program during career orientation sessions at XU Senior High School (XUSHS) and XU Junior High School (XUJHS), as well as other institutions in CDO. Apag stated, “XU has equipped the BSEMC-DAT laboratory with new laptops and gadgets and the faculty of the department of Entertainment and

Media Computing are now attending seminars and training on digital animation technology.”

There are also preparations made for the incoming third and fourth year students especially for their On-the Job Training (OJT) and capstone projects.

The CCS decided to offer this course to the University in hopes that enrollment would increase at XU CCS. Apag mentioned, “Today, Animation Courses have a wide scope in the market, and it is an appropriate field for those who want to create magic and turn their imagination into a reality.”

She believes that animation has the power of creating and bringing things alive as it appears in real life, and that BSEMC-DAT is a compelling and interesting program to venture on. XU is prepared to offer the course on AY 2021-2022.C

LOCAL

CDO COVID-19 cases steadily decline after May 2021 surge

By Levina Eunice O. Palarca

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PROTECTION. Residents of Cagayan de Oro City continue to practice mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in the city. Photo by Kenneth Jhon Sanchez

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s of June 29, the cumulative Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in CDO since March 2020 has reached 9,921.

Active cases have steadily decreased for the month of June after the sudden surge of cases last May. By the end of June, the number of cases recorded daily ranged from 40 to 60, an improvement from the whopping 90-100 cases during the surge.

Multiple outings and gatherings were pointed out as causes of the spike of cases. In response, the city had to undergo Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) starting June 1. Furthermore, City Mayor Oscar Moreno issued an executive order to extend the curfew period to 9PM to 5AM. The executive order also bans the selling of liquor during curfew hours. Another executive order was issued to temporarily prohibit gatherings in beach resorts, hotels, and other public establishments.

According to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) Research Center Head Dr. Gina

Itchon, the quarantine status of the city helped in the decline of daily recorded cases. Moreno does not plan to appeal to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on lowering the quarantine status of the city thus placing it under MECQ from July 1-15.

According to Moreno, the city’s Health Care Utilization Rate (HCUR) is still at 66.56 percent.

After declaring code red status, NMMC had also reached maximum operating capacity on June 12. With the decline of cases, operating status had lowered to code yellow on June 29.C

COVID-19 Pandemic in CDO Summary of confirmed COVID-19 cases as of August 2, 2021

12,882 Cumulative cases since March 2020

10,448 Total number of recoveries

559 Total number of deaths Source Cagayan de Oro City Health Office (CHO) COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center

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Features

Read the full online version of this issue at

bit.ly/AYEnder2021 or at thecrusaderpublication.ph

By Danica Ela P. Armendarez

T

he 73-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most challenging stories that has existed in our lifetime. There may be lots of fights that seem like they will never come to an end, such as the Syrian civil war and racism, but Israel versus Palestine is the biggest seemingly unresolvable strife. The dispute between the two has been ongoing for so long that people forget that it is ongoing—until there are destructive incidents that the other parts of the world cannot ignore, which continue to happen until today.

Roots of the life-long violence It all began when the state of Israel was established in an area already inhabited by Palestinians. The state of Israel was found despite the rejection of the United Nations to establish a Jewish state. But as Jews joined the Zionism movement, doing so had pushed the idea of Judaism not just being a religion but a nationality, one that deserved a nation of its own. Many Zionist saw their historic homeland in the Middle East as their best hope for establishing it. In the first few decades of the 20th century, tens of thousands of European Jews moved there. At first, Jewish immigration had not been a problem. But as more Jews arrived, the tension between Jews and Arabs grew.

Battle of two lands As the Jewish settlement began, the United Nations approved a plan to divide Palestine into two separate states: one for Jews, and one for Arabs. The plan was meant to give Jews a state,

6 Page Design by Kevin Matthew N. Pacana

establish Palestinian independence, and end the sectarian violence that the British could no longer control. But as the Jews declared independence as Israel, Arabs saw the UN plan as just more European colonialism stealing their land. The subsequent battles have resulted in the expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland.

This Palestinian exploitation triggered the Arab community to battle against the Jews.

With Israeli settling in the lands of Palestine, they made the occupation much more painful for Palestinians. The massive toll upon Palestinians has continued and was fuelled much worse by an Intifada—the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. It began primarily with protests but soon became violent, and Israel responded with heavy force.

The long haul of attacks obtained the attention of leaders from both sides to make peace, and the Oslo Accords came in the early 1990s. The aim of the Oslo Accords was to fix the general issue of the lifetime threat to Palestinian land ownership.

However, as soon as it was established, militants on both sides opposed the Oslo accords.

What’s happening today When Israel finally established its land, the country started to build walls and checkpoints to control Palestinian movements in hopes of “managing” the ongoing conflict. The Palestinians, on the other side, are left feeling like negotiation hasn’t worked, and so has violence. In the present, Palestinians are left under an ever-growing occupation with no future as a people. Israel puts Gaza under a suffocating blockade, resulting in

the state of the conflict that we know today. In the West Bank, more and more settlements are smothering Palestinians, who often respond with protests and sometimes with violence, though most just want normal lives. In Gaza, Hamas and other violent groups, have periodic wars with Israel. The fighting overwhelmingly kills Palestinians civilians. In Israel itself, most people have become apathetic. For the most part, the occupation keeps the conflict relatively removed from their daily lives, with moments of brief but horrible violence. *** Israel and its sky-high tension with Palestine is an evident violent dispute over land, political control, and resources. What makes this problem such a difficult topic to broach is all the layers underneath it. There may be a lot of resolutions being catered and imposed—peace talks have been taking place on and off for more than 25 years—but so far none have solved the conflict.

In short, the situation isn’t going to be sorted out any time soon, and no one really knows where the conflict goes from here, but what we are sure of is death, and innocent victims will continue to rise in numbers as long as Israeli’s violent, inhuman, and unjust treatment of the afflicted Palestinians will continue.C Sources https://www.vox.com/2018/11/20/18080002/israel-palestineconflict-basics https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-israeli-palestinian-conflictexplained_2 https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44124396 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRYZjOuUnlU

Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

GLOBAL

By Danica Ela P. Armendarez

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Page Design by Derrick Kean A. Auxtero 7

COVER STORY

By Claire Ivy T. Vanguardia & Reina T. Villamor

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s the University continues to engage with online distance learning, the XU Central Student Government (CSG) has had to veer its gears to adapt to this “new normal.” Though this year’s elections may have been held online, it did not hinder CSG from pursuing a new government body for the upcoming academic year. Bearing the highest governing body in the University while sustaining the needs of its constituents, what can the newly elected CSG president and vice president offer for their approaching terms?

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Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

Our prepared platforms are tailored-fit for any manner of implementation, may it be online or on cautious return.

Andre Robert Daba XU CSG President

The ‘Daba’ direction Emerging victorious as the only candidate for presidency is newly elected CSG President Andre Robert Daba. A man on a mission, Daba has been on the path of leadership since grade school. He was a consistent presence in various student organizations, most especially in his student government in senior high school. His other leadership experiences include being Chairman in the San Agustin Catholic Youth Community, Associate Director of Member Support and Director of Module Development in the Ateneo School for Upcoming Leaders (ASUL), and President of the XU United Arts and Sciences Student Council (UNITASS) for AY 2020-2021.

For Daba, winning this year’s election did not come as a surprise as he was the lone candidate in the presidential race. However, with the pandemic constraining the elections to a virtual set up, he shares the difficulties behind his campaign.

He laments the struggles without an oncampus campaign period, where candidates could physically see and interact with the student body. “With this, we were more creative with our approaches just so we can reach the students,” he adds as a counterpoint. Fueled with searing determination, Daba plans to see through with his proposed platforms, as well as considering the platforms of his vice president, Shilina Golez. He says that with their shared experiences, it is not difficult to cater to each other’s proposed platforms as the more ideas given, the better for the student body. The challenge lies in the strategic plotting of said ideas during their transition period.

“In terms of working with Shilina, we may come from different parties but guaranteed, through communication, we will do what we should do because we are elected din naman by the students,” Daba assures. Additionally, with the next academic year still in the online set up, the safest mode of implementation is through online means. He stresses that their platforms are not only limited to webinars and online initiatives because they are ultimately aiming for improving communication and transparency between the

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CSG, administration, and the student body. “So far, we have managed to maximize naman the good that online means can provide for us to deliver our platforms. Also, our prepared platforms are tailored-fit for any manner of implementation, may it be online or on cautious return na,” he states.

In the spirit of communication and transparency, Daba assures that the CSG will foster a closer relationship with the students amidst the virtual barriers. He promises regular meetings with the council presidents from the different schools and colleges in the University so that there are constant updates between councils and said updates can be relayed to the students through these councils’ communication systems.

He also promises to establish a CSG Press Corps where an appointed press secretary will share information, such as updates from the administration and initiatives from the CSG, to the different student sectors, organizations, and councils. Alongside this would be the CSG website wherein their services will be reflected for easy access to the student body.

Seemingly, Daba has a determined direction for his coming term as president. Even with his candidacy being unplanned and something that merely came from, in his words, “heeding the call of the people,” he is grateful for the support and votes of the student body. “I hope that you pray for me and all of us student leaders. We will try our best really to serve you better and be with you to support you with your concerns,” Daba ends.

The ‘Golez’ approach Brimming with passion and eagerness is newly elected CSG Vice President Shilina Golez. Behind her fervor is a woman possessing an undivided vision towards great leadership. Her endeavors with student-governance roles have molded her into a versatile and capable leader. Since senior high school, Golez had taken the respective roles of an Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) strand director, Alyansang Atenista (AA) vice president and a legislative secretary. In her college career, she took part in active roles such as XU-CSG Department of Mission and Social Involvement Cabinet Secretary, XU-CSG OVP Associate Legislative Secretary, and currently, as CSG vice president.

For Golez, winning this year’s virtual election was overwhelming. Despite her month-long campaigning period, coupled with tiresome event sessions and 2AM meetings, her pursuit bore promising results. “I was very nervous because the plans for the campaign and everything took a lot of hard work […] but once I knew the results, the feeling of happiness and joy was just overwhelming,” she exclaims. The new system of the election brought some ease for the CSG vice president as she reasons out that the system of voting through e-Learn enabled more students to participate due to its efficiency and convenience.

Regardless, Golez also faced some hurdles along her campaigning period, “It is also a bit hard to

gain that visibility online especially for students who aren’t big ‘techy’ people.” On working with Daba, Golez believes that, while they may be from different parties, it will not deter them from serving best the needs and interests of the students. She ensures that a more collaborative way, rather than a one-dimensional perspective, will pave the path to a better XU community.

For the upcoming academic year, Golez proposes that student services and legislation must be strengthened to support the students in the online setup. Currently, the CSG constitution does not encompass situations such as online learning during a pandemic. And hence, a reform of the constitution will be prepared to accommodate future provisions that are more inclusive to the new mode of education. “We aim to reform the constitution so that it could include certain needs and interests of the student body that are not really speculated in the constitution right now,” she emphasizes.

Beyond virtual screens, Golez assures that the administration will foster a closer relationship with its constituents even in a remote setup. Its mission is not only to provide certain student-oriented policies but to also personally connect to the student body. Golez is confident that by creating a safe space, students will be able to vent or air out their concerns. “The only way for our admin to fully flourish is to not only have collaborative governance, but also a government and leaders who are empathetic to its constituents,” she concludes. *** Their wins, coupled with their experiences, directions, and approaches, motivate Daba and Golez to up their game as they step into office for the coming school year. Both the newly elected president and vice president promise to serve their constituents through the CSG to the best of their capabilities.C

The only way for our admin to fully flourish is to not only have collaborative governance, but also a government and leaders who are empathetic to its constituents.

Shilina Golez XU CSG Vice President

Page Design by Jayson Elvie G. Ty

9

NATIONAL

By Paula Elaine D. Francisco

A

democratic country like the Philippines ought to reap the benefits of freedom, from exercising power and civic-responsibility to who they choose as leaders. An organized framework of a presidential, representative, and democratic republic is necessary for successful governance.

For this reason, our roles as citizens may start with choosing our leaders.

By the completion of the registration process on Sept 30, 2021, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) expects 4M first-time voters. Senator Francis Pangilinan also stated that the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) demographic predictions imply that there may be 15M newly qualified voters who can be targeted in future elections.

A vote’s relevance We are not only electing particular politicians, but also validating the political system of our country. Votes determine victory, and voter turnout, in a way, proves a political system’s legitimacy. We must remember that while our votes help politicians win, they also contribute to maintaining our democratic system as a whole.

Done within every six years for Presidential elections and every three years for midterm elections, it is safe to assume that participating in electoral processes has been a part of our lives, yet, it is not a tradition. Once the victors have won and the campaign jingles have stopped, it doesn’t mean returning to our own lives and letting them handle their jobs—no, we must acknowledge the importance of ongoing political participation.

We must understand that our decision must be based on social qualities that determine the behavior of all individuals in regards to our society and not only individual or party policies.

10 Page Design by Derrick Kean A. Auxtero

Paving the road for change With the current government’s responses to the pandemic, we were put in a situation where we had to take actions on our own terms; pro poor campaigns, community pantries, and all the remedies we had to compensate with due to the current administration’s failure, but that is not enough. This cycle of patronage politics and dynasties must end now. In the recent election,

privilege, and an obligation of Filipino citizens and is not to be taken lightly.

The success of Philippine democracy relies on the participation of as many citizens as possible in the electoral process. Voting is not just about choosing a candidate, it is about getting close to vital privileges; quality education, cleaner water, affordable healthcare, and the list goes on.

One should never miss the chance to register themselves and vote. Stagnance is not an option in a dying country whose people refuse to try.

Get involved The moment you say you don’t want to get politically involved is the moment you side with the oppressor. Whether we like it or not, the government has a major impact in society, from filling ink on a ballot to having benefits and privileges you should own.

A strong political engagement will significantly contribute to connecting politicians with real lives and concerns of the communities that they represent in an era where political indifference and cynicism are at an all-time high.The mentality of ‘laying it low’ due to the belief that no matter who they vote for, nothing will ever change, is the very reason why nothing will ever change. It is a right to demand fair treatment, higher pay, job opportunities, and security.

millions of Filipinos had confidence in the change that is coming brought upon by the person that they entrusted their votes with.

Only for them to witness their own sovereignty robbed right before their eyes, or if not, passed under the table of greedy opportunists who decided to try politics after getting bored of show business. If we vote for servant-leaders, it indicates that we desire leaders who will work with us rather than through or for us. Voting is a right, a

*** If you want to stay where you are and withdraw yourself from all of this “political drama,” then you might as well open your doors for non-stop corruption, suppressed freedom, and the fear of you or your loved ones being the next victim of brutality and abuse. You might as well watch unqualified oligarchs be stripped down from their position only to be replaced by more unqualified moguls. But if you’re content with poverty, fear, and injustice, then your cross to bear is heavier than those who whip the lashes.C Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

By Nia Enrille R. Rabanes

Register to Vote Infographic

By Nia Enrille R. Rabanes

Crusader

The

Page PageDesign Designby byDerrick DerrickKean KeanA. A.Auxtero Auxtero 11

Kuris-Kuris

Read the full online version of this issue at

bit.ly/AYEnder2021 or at www.thecrusaderpublication.ph

KURISCOPE ni HAPPY

Hello mga ka-Madz! Panibagong hirit na naman sa summer na mainit! Ania na sad ang bolang kristal ni Memelord Happy. Paalala, hindi hawak ng mga bituin ang ating kapalaran. Gabay lamang sila. Meron tayong common sense.

Gamitin natin ito. Naa ra sa inyo kung mu-tuo mo ani.

Aquarius (5 seconds of Summer) I know how you feel Madz. Bag-o pa gani nahuman ang school year mag-summer class na sad. Naay 2 weeks nga break pero enrollment man sad! Summer vacation who? I-throwback nalang ang mga pics nimo way back 2019, katong wala pay koved. Everything will be okay.

Words of the day: Pangit kabonding

Love Partner: Pisces

Aries (Another year...of quarantine) Madz, murag sign na ni nga mag-alaga na jud ka ug mga isda or mga plants, para at least naa kay lingaw dira. Pwede sad ka mamaligya ug face shield. Char! Find your hobbies ka-Madz.

igit

Words of the day: Happy New Quarantine Year!

Love Partner: Sagittarius

Cancer (Dean’s Lister yarn?)

Mao ning ganahan nimo sa online class noh? Kay dagko kaayo imong mga grado. Nindot sa paminaw ma-Dean’s List Madz? Maayo, padayon lang Mads the higher the grade, the better para proud sa imo ang sambayanang pilipino.

Words of the day: Thanks G(oogle)!

Love Partner: Virgo

ed

Capricorn (Flexible Learning ba ka ‘mo?)

Exercise...Exercise...kay kinahanglan flexible ka Madz! Kay ingon si CHEDilyn mag-flexible learning na daw ta forever. Laban lang sa online class and modules.

Words of the day: Makuha ka sa Split

Love Partner: Taurus

Gemini (Chat ko kaya?)

Chati na na Madz! This is your sign Madz, ayaw kaulaw. Ikaw na jud dapat ang mag-first move! Siya ang naay utang sa imo, ug last year pa na! Wala pa naglockdown.Go Madz!

Words of the day: Boombay!

Love Partner: Scorpio

Leo (Hot like Desert) Warrior jud kaayo ang mga pareha nimo Madz, bahalag udtong tutok nga perting iganga, pero pak, coffee is life. Kape sa umaga, kape sa gabi, kape later. Padayona lang na Madz, ingana sad to akong amiga bag-o siya na-admit. Char!

hapi

Words of the day: Kape lang ang sakalam

Love Partner: Aquarius

Libra (When kaya?)

Sigeg overthink uy! Niabot na kag Mars sa imung pag overthink.

NASA ka ghurl? Ayaw sigeg huna-huna ug negative things Madz.

Ikaon ra na Madz or isayaw ra na ug My Neck My Back sa TikTok bahalag kamot ray mulihok. Basta kay malingaw!

Words of the day : Saan aabot ang energy mo?

Love Partner: Capricorn

Pisces (Naunsa ba!)

Hala hala, #craving na sad kag melkti, borger at saka prays? Di uso diet mads? Well, choice mo yarn! My body, my choice ganeh! Basta hiposa lang ug tarong ang paper bag sa imong BTS Meal.

Words of the day: Sharing is loving

Love Partner: Gemini

Taurus (Sychronous lang kita makikita) Oy I know naa kay crush sa inyong Google Meet ayiee. Pagpa-gwapa/ gwapo jud bahalag way ligo, di man gihapon na masimhotan. Basta kay on-cam lang permi aron manotice ka Madz and focus pud sa klase! Dili ni Omegle.

Words of the day : Naka-mute ka

Love Partner: Aries

Virgo (Looking for a sign?)

Madz, this is the sign! Start caring for yourself! Stop na sa bad habits.

Do exercise and skin care para smooth like butter ang fez. Pag pa color na pud ug hair! Aron pagbalik sa face-to-face classs, glow up iz real.

Ma-crushback na jud ka ana for sure.

Words of the day: Sign na nih

KURISearch ring

cru magazine

coffee beans

eevee

eyeglasses wine glass

phone 2 wine bottles

ni Ed

eye

TO JOIN: Scan this KuriSearch with your answers and submit the soft copy of your entry to thecrusaderpub@gmail.com with your full name, course and year, and contact number. Lucky participants will receive limited edition collectables.

12

Love Partner: Libra

Sagittarius (Grades are just numbers) Aguy, wala nag-study, sige pag pangayo ug answer sa GC! Sige lang, paningkamot jud nga makapasar aning online class. Pero basa-basa pud Madz aron naa tay matubag kug tawagon sa synchronous.

Words of the day: Life is not a race

Love Partner: Leo

Scorpio (Shopeeholic) Aguy, naa na pud J&T delivery sa gawas! Tago na pud dayon sa mama kay naay niabot nga order sa Shopee. Na-close pa jud ang tigdeliver!

Iba ka madz! Go lang Madz, add to cart pa! Ingat lang sa mga scam.

Words of the day: Well-packaged, excellent service

Love Partner: Cancer

Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

Lampoon

Read the full online version of this issue at

bit.ly/AYEnder2021 or at www.thecrusaderpublication.ph

XU’s eLearn launches anticheating Spy Camera feature

By Monica Bing

X

Sakura trees bloom in the XU main campus

By Quirky Girl

A

s revealed in memorandum #Sakura2021 by University President Fr. Mercury D. Rugstorr, a special surprise project is in the works, which entails that the Corrales Main Campus will undergo an exterior landscape redesigning with the addition of cherry trees within its premises.

Cherry trees are the bearers of cherry blossoms, otherwise known as the sakura, or Japan’s national flower. These ornamental cherry trees are a big part of asian cultures where cherry blossom viewings indicate various significant meanings. With the University cancelling faceto-face classes in AY 2020-2021, the campus has been deserted of its usual foot traffic. In the months that have passed, the administration, with the slight cooperation of the Cool Student Gang (CSG), has brewed a project to make use of the opportunity. Rugstorr expressed, “Since we are receiving feedback from the students of their anxieties and difficulties in the current learning set-up, we have decided to do something to benefit their mental health.”

Vice President for Higher Education Julius Xiao Long Bao added that one of the reasons this 14

Photo by Jay A. Edloy Design by Jayson Elvie G. Ty

project was pushed was her “fondness of watching Your Lie in April” in her free time, adding that the cherry blossoms artistically fluttering with the wind in the background of most episodes brought her comfort. “Perhaps in real life, seeing these trees may motivate us to carry out our responsibilities.”

While most of the administration was keen on this project, CSG President Andy Park suggested other alternatives. According to a survey released in May titled, “Paano kita mapapasaya?”, CSG found out that putting up a Starrybucks within the campus would give students much joy, according to 777 respondents. It should be noted however, that the number one response was for the school to grant allowances to its students for their quarantine Shupee purchases, but Park said this was difficult to attain. Although the CSG had apprehensions, they eventually agreed.

Physical Plantitos Office (PPO) Director Engr.

Fred Chicken, who was in charge of this project’s execution, shared, “Dako siya nga trabaho ug paghuman, daghan silhigonon.” Regardless, Chicken has made arrangements with the Manresa Plant Nursery with acquiring the seeds needed, and will do everything in his power to put the project into success. #Sakura2021 is set to be completed in August 2021, prior to the opening of AY 2021-2022.C

U Office of Student Awareness (XU OSA) launched a new anti-cheat monitoring update on XU eLearn on April 20. In order to avoid online distractions during class hours, the new feature includes the monitoring of students’ activity through their device’s internal cameras when logged in. As XU continues flexible learning in the next AY, the said system update, called SpyCam, works like a CCTV but without the recording, with Wi-Fi to transmit surveillance footage to a cloud-based server over the internet.

This systematic work allows the monitoring department to view the footage on any internetconnected device to the said eLearn account.

Head of XU OSA Monitoring Department Eva Nell, shares, “To put it simply, we will utilize whatever cameras you have on your devices and watch you while you take a test. Not any more than that, swear! hehe.”

According to an administrational statement on June 25, the launching of the new monitoring system was held after certain ‘undesirable events’ came to light recently. Some of the reported cases were during Professor Pomona Sprout Herbology class. She shared that she caught one of her students doing TickTock dances, specifically practicing the trending My Neck, My Back dance craze. She also added that she even called out a group of boys in one of her classes. “I caught them playing this Leg of Lodi game with their microphones unmute, yelling these masamang mga words noh, I was in shock, ambastos grabe.”

This automated camera feature will see if students are paying attention to class or just binge-watching their favorite series on Netflex.

In addition, this new eLearn property would also know if a student opens other tabs or if they (students) are sleeping during classes even with their cameras off. Technical Head of XU OSA Monitoring Department Manny Delgado shares, “Perhaps, one unique part of this update na among gina-lookup is ma-monitor namo kinsa jud ang active na ga-navigate sa eLearn, mga gashare-share og handouts because this time we got our eyes on them na jud.” The SpyCam will take effect in the following AY.C Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

LAMPOON

XU to require full-body PPE for AY 2021-2022

By Tamagotchi

E

ngulfed by the emergence of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, full-body personal protective equipment (PPE) will now be required among students and campus employees upon entering the University grounds as part of XU’s new health and safety measures.

After a month of thorough risk assessments, Helping Hand Office (HHO) Director Korona Barros concludes that the current safety measures (social distancing, filling out of health forms, and wearing of face masks) are insufficient in withholding the transmission of the infectious virus. “We want to uphold the Atenean value, so

dapat magpa-Magis ta. Dili enough ang protocols karon [...] dapat full-on body PPE na ang atoang entry measures,” expressed Barros.

Regarding the implementation of the said protocol, Barros stated that they are collaborating with the Department of Healthiness (DOH) in providing the PPE. According to DOH Regional Director Dr. Haye Gene, a full-face shield, KN95 face mask, disposable gloves, long-sleeved repellent gown, and surgical cap are a must to be aided against the virus.

To enliven the scenery of the University grounds, the PPEs that will be given to the colleges will be based on their respective colors: yellow PPE for the School of Business and Management (SBM), maroon for the College of Engineering, red for the College of Arts and Sciences, etc.

The full-body PPE requirement, however, received criticisms from students and faculty members. The most common cause for this dissent was the poorly ventilated classrooms, coupled with the restriction of breathing, and the feeling of sheer discomfort. “Mu-sugot ra ko mag suot og PPE if butangan og aircon tanan classrooms and mas prefer nako if two aircon per classroom,” opined Initah Uy (BS BIO 3).

Although the new protocol garnered negative reactions, the University is intent on continuing the practice of full-body PPE as an entry measure for its incoming limited face-to-face classes. The administration is optimistic that this policy will mitigate the spread of the virus.

The new safety measure will be effective starting Aug 2021.C

XU to offer Virtual Reality lab classes next AY

By Pishild Pismas

O

n August 8, the Office of Xavier Student Affairs (OXSA) will implement Virtual Reality lab classes to compensate for the lack of hands-on experience for the students of the University following the extension of online classes in the following AY. Due to the ongoing pandemic, remote learning has been considered as the most viable option for students all over the country. With this, students and teachers have been conducting their classes virtually in online classrooms. “Unlike face-to-face classes, it is hard for me to learn virtually, not to mention the slow data and internet connection,” says Naruto Uzumaki (BS Eng 3).

The administration has allocated an estimated budget of Php 700, 000 for the purchase of Draculus Quest VR headgears to be distributed to the students of XU. These wire-free headsets with six degrees of freedom motion tracking will improve their overall virtual experience during the hands-on activities of lab sessions. The students will be charged Php 150 for the express delivery of the gadgets, after which they will sign a contract that assures its assistance to be for academic purposes only.

OXSA Director Kimmy Lang By addressed the importance of lab classes and why improvisation is a must in an era of being dependent on online assistance. “Our students need to apply what they have learned in their classes, they have to Crusader

The

know if such methods in their books and notes are workable—the very reason why Virtual Lab classes are considered,” says By. The program is expected to ease students’ concerns on still paying for their laboratory fees despite not using the school’s facilities. A dry run of the VR lab class was organized by the

Cool Student Gang (CSG) on June 15 where the Draculus Quest VR headgears’ capabilities were put to the test. Three Food Technology students were invited to conduct a lab class on Diner Dash at why-eat.com. XU plans to utilize the virtual lab class and is willing to make partnerships with Ryot and Stream.C Photo & Design by Sheil Ann Ashley P. Bruas 15

LAMPOON

XU to apply subscription-based tuition payment

By Bellpepper Cucumber

A

fter thorough deliberation, the subscription-based tuition payment was finally approved on May 31 and will be implemented in AY 2021-2022. Students would now be able to pay through subscribing to their instructor’s channel depending on the course they are required to take.

Due to the slow process of transaction by the Money Matters Office (MMO), the subscription method was developed to integrate tuition payment and enrollment in just one click of the subscribe button.

The new eLearn interface would require instructors to make their own channel and livestream their lessons in Philippine Standard

Time (PST). According to Engineering instructor Fast Mananahi, the new set-up is more timeefficient because there would be no need to schedule synchronous meetings by section anymore. “The tier subscription and donation option is also a really big help for us professors,” they added.

The tiers are features that come along with the subscription process that identify the benefits the student will receive. The higher the tier, the greater the benefits and cost.

A Tier 1 subscription will include the basics such as access to the subject portal and XU Mail privileges for Macrohard Office and Canvas Pro as well as 39 custom emotes. A Tier 2 subscription will include all Tier 1 benefits, XU Mail privilege of choice (e.g. Shegg, Grammarlang, Adoveh), and five exclusive emotes. Lastly, a Tier 3 subscription

will include all Tier 2 benefits, private stream lessons from the instructor, and five exclusive emotes.

At the end of each semester, the Best Streamer Award will be given to instructors who have shown great skill and enthusiasm in teaching. This is to encourage the teacher-streamer to engage in the new platform regularly.

According to the Vice President for Highest Education Manuel Mirinda, the idea was actually taken from famous streaming platform Twitsh.

“We wanted to experiment with what the youth is already familiar with,” he mentioned. Mirinda also added that the changes would be helpful for a more pleasant online learning experience especially that the Committee on High-end Education (CHED) plans to apply flexible learning for the rest of our lives.C

eLearn announces collaboration with XUPee and Xazada

By Tatiana

O

n June 17, the Computer and Internet Services Office (CISO) gave a sudden announcement that XU will now be collaborating with XUPee and Xazada, the two leading multinational companies focusing on e-commerce. Since students cannot just go out to purchase their academic necessities, the XU Bookstore will now be available at eLearn. The changes in eLearn will be readily available for the upcoming AY 2021-2022.

Prior to CISO’s statement, the eLearn website had to undergo maintenance to address issues on glitches. The consistent changes to the site made students dislike it more and more. Fortunately, the new upgrade and features added to the database will finally motivate the students to enjoy online classes and attend their sessions.

According to CISO, students can have live online selling of their preloved items such as books and uniforms. A strict guideline has been made for the safety of the student body. The selling of dangerous and ludicrous items will not be tolerated by the University. In addition, exclusive mega shopping sales will be happening during national holidays, and exclusive flash sales too in special events such as St. Francis Xavier’s birthday.

The XU Bookstore will be selling e-books and novels with all sorts of genres as well. The shipping policies show that payment options can either be through credit/debit card, cash on delivery (COD), or e-wallet. Vouchers will also be available, and for every perfect major exam, there 16 Photo & Design by Melvin P. Villacote

will be a free shipping voucher granted to the student. With the “trimester” AKA summer classes starting, CISO hopes that XU students will now look forward to opening their eLearn accounts. In these trying times, CISO aims that this project will alleviate anxiety and will serve as retail therapy for the students.

A year of a pandemic has turned the new normal into the new future. It is out of the old, in with the new. Until everybody is vaccinated, the University needs to temporarily say goodbye

to face-to-face classes and embrace distanced education. At least now, the activities loaded and bombarded in eLearn will not look so bad after all.

As they say, nothing a bit of shopping can’t fix. C

Visit the eLearn online shopping site at

shop.xuelearn.ph

Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

LAMPOON

PH receives Gold Play Button for surpassing 1M COVID-19 subscribers

XU to leave the vaccination priority list up to the stars

By Talily

F

By Toti Marie

T

he Philippines received the Gold Creator Award from the videosharing site MeTube, after amassing one million subscribers on its ever-growing COVID-19 channel. This win came after the country recorded 8,929 new cases on April 26, bringing the country’s total COVID-19 channel subscribers to 1,006,428.

This was a big leap as the country only started with about 250,000 subscribers

by September 2020. The Department of Healthiness (DOH), the Philippines’ designated spokesperson, shared the country’s newest social media milestone on Twitter by tweeting a picture of the Philippine General Hospital at full capacity.

“Thank you to all our 1,000,000+ subscribers on MeTube!!! Watch out for our next vlog this weekend!” DOH captioned the post. They also shared how their #LockdownNanaman challenge greatly helped in their win.

This challenge required the cities of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal— also known as the “National Capital Region (NCR) plus”—to be placed under one bubble Crusader

The

setup from March 22 to April 4, which meant only authorized persons can do essential travel into and out of these areas.

“Actually, we thought a bubble would lessen the transmission so we were a bit apprehensive (to do it). However, everything worked out in the end since even with various lockdowns, we were able to hit the 1M mark,” said DOH secretary Korona Barros.

In light of these events, Filipinos from across the country celebrated by setting up sidewalk stalls marked “community pantries” to hand out donated rice, noodles, eggs, vegetables and other essential items to the poor. These pantries drew crowds of people, who were eager to celebrate the country’s newest milestone.

“We come here early because a lot of us want to celebrate, and we can’t do that without food,” shares community pantry visitor Backyar Digan. He joins a long line of people in Maginhawa, Quezon City who collect food and personal protective equipment to bring home to their families.

“Grabe ka dako nga accomplishment para sa ato ang one million cases kay one year na biya. Amazing kaayo ang consistency since our numbers are still rising,” Digan adds.

As of this writing, the Philippines has over 1,560,106 subscribers.C Design by Sheil Ann Ashley P. Bruas

ollowing the announcement of the University’s free vaccines to be given out to the students, the COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Framework was announced in an April 20 memorandum, stating that the priority list for recipients of the vaccine will be based on the 12 zodiac signs.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Framework, namely the 12 A to C eligibility groups, will be based on the 12 astrological signs.

XU deemed it only fair to seek the wisdom of the universe this time by making this bold astronomical decision for the benefit of its stakeholders, after the questionable scientific medical advice from Department of Healing (DOH) Secretary Ford “the duke” White.

According to astrology, the first to get the shot should be Pisces, being the health workers among the zodiacs, followed by the signs with the most comorbidities—Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer for they govern the throat, heart, and chest, respectively. Aries the leaders, Leo the politicians, and Libra the law enforcers will be next. Virgo, which comprises the service and care industries, Scorpio, the logistician, and Sagittarius, the traveler, would then assume the following spot.

XU understands that a portion of Capricorn, the intellectuals, and Aquarius, the artists, are growing impatient but advises them to keep their cool and spend their waiting time doing what they do best.

As the ruckus caused by the uncertainty of COVID-19 vaccination intensifies, the University placed their order of SuperNovaVax through Starlab to make sure its constituents have the fair chance of acquiring the needed immunity if ever they fail to avail the vaccines currently being rolled out by their Lovable Galaxian Units (LGU).

Although, Ateneans may have to wait to avail this program as “this may take several months to arrive in CDO.”—in consideration, of course, of the great discrepancies in the space-time continuum of a pandemic world. To ensure that the eligibility are followed accordingly, the LGU is obliging each person to bring their birth certificate to prove their zodiac sign. The University asks for strict compliance for this modification, which they believe is what was written in the stars.C

17

Lampoon UNIVERSITY

CSG project aims to modernize classrooms with Amaxon Alexa

Read the full online version of this issue at

bit.ly/AYEnder2021 or at www.thecrusaderpublication.ph

XU ups facilities, services: movie theater and modern food stations sighted

By Quirky Girl

A

fter experiencing first-hand the fiasco Flexible Online Learning has brought to the students’ mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being—the newly elected student leaders want to take it up a notch and reintroduce what excellent education actually looks like.

Especially as the return of face-to-face classes comes closer by the day, Cool Student Gang (CSG) President La Bada and Vice President Selena Gomez have submitted an appeal to install Amaxon Alexa, a virtual assistant AI technology, in all the classrooms of XU. Apart from that, the Alexa initiative was born from the recurring technical complaints of the students in the previous school years, namely, delays caused by malfunctioning projectors, postponements of film viewings due to failure of securing speakers, and many others. Bada and Gomez believe that addressing this issue will immensely bring back the passion students once had for education.

The features of Alexa highlighted to better the learning experience are the following: voice commands, wireless access to controls of the room, and AI interaction. Alexa can be programmed to read off of the attendance list and take note of the students in the class, making class beadles unnecessary. It can also be commanded to play music essential for variety show presentations required by general education subjects like Science Technology and Socializing (STS) that will determine your final grade. It can also lock the doors of the room so as not to permit students into entering the class after 15 minutes. If a student can’t be bothered to stand and turn the lights off/on, Alexa can do this for them. In the instance that a professor cannot answer difficult questions, Alexa is equipped with the capability to solve equations or locate information from the internet.

Costs for the purchase of Alexa will be accommodated by the incoming academic year’s tuition fee increase. After an approval for a second meeting, the provision is yet to be fully mandated by the administration.C 18

Photo by Jivi Roy D. Rizaldo

By Ding Bat

W

ith hopes of returning to campus and to welcome the students with a celebration, the University is set to become the first in CDO to install an ultramodern cinema at the Little Theater, state-of-the-art vending machines designed to dispense milk teas, and samgyupsal stations at the Magis Canteen.

The Sibyer Center for Culture and the Arts (SCCA) published changes to future productions and upcoming renovations to the Little Theater through Memorandum #8-7000 on July 16.

The document revealed that the quarantine has instilled an incurable need for movie marathons and series watchings in one sitting, prompting a shift from traditional performing art shows to binge-watching Netflex programs instead.

SCCA Director Lim-Miguel Miranda claimed that local stories are slowly becoming irrelevant to present generations, so a change in media looked to be the best option. “As of right now, people don’t care about historical plays depicting social issues and the hardships of our country.

What they want is to stream TV shows nonstop [...] it seems to be the only acceptable way to consume content these days.”

On the other hand, The XU administration

Design by Melvin P. Villacote

revealed that the vending machine project was kickstarted in response to the drink’s growing popularity during quarantine and due to public demand. “During the pandemic, milk teas were one of the few things that kept our students alive—they were an excuse to leave home and meet friends,” Director of the Office of Student Despairs (OSD) Cornell Superbass disclosed.

In other news, The XU student body has requested the administration to upgrade the amenities of the Magis canteen. Sumasayyah Scissors (BS-IS 2) expresses her sentiments as regular customer at Magis, “The food is like balikbalik na, I want something bago.”

In an effort to accommodate this popular demand, XU has partnered with Romantic Badboy to serve Samgyup in the Magis canteen.

As the first ever school to offer this unique dining experience, the unlimited samgyup will be priced at Php 349 per person, and the different cuts of meat to be served will be sourced from the Manresa Farm.

A concession stand will be installed outside of the Little Theater, where movie-goers can purchase snacks—courtesy of the Magis Canteen.

After signing partnership deals with the city’s local favorite milk tea place, Chunkytea, the bubble tea craze is also set to hit the campus grounds by the beginning of next AY.C Vol. 47 No. 5 August 2021

LAMPOON

Editor’s Note

A

year ago, before the pandemonium happened, the essentials in my bag included the following: my phone, wallet, airpods, lipstick, a spare pad, and of course—oil blotting sheets (to keep fresh!).

Now, a whole other set of items should never be forgotten upon going out: ID, QR code, hand sanitizer, facemask, and face—eh? No face shield? What does the news say today, I wonder.

Let me check. Uhm as of 4PM on June 21, face shields are apparently NOT required according to Roque.

Thank goodness I checked the latest update on the COVID-19 mandates. Some people still don’t get it, but in order to be a responsible citizen you should constantly monitor the protocols that are active at the moment or else you’re a pasaway. And when I say monitor, I mean it by the minute.

It is in these situations where we can show our appreciation for the notifications feature on our phones. I don’t mean to go influencermode on others but I’ve been pestering my friends to keep their notifications on in every news media outlet in the country. If they can afford to keep track of what’s up

in the lives of their favorite KPOP idols they can definitely extend the enthusiasm to local news.

Isn’t it obvious how things work by now?

We’ve had Duterte suddenly impose Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the last few months, the people who weren’t able to commute to their workplaces and people who didn’t have stock of food were in the wrong for not having access to the internet and the news 24/7.

Ding! Would you look at that? Face shields are once again required according to Duterte.

These frequent changes in rules are totally normal and acceptable. I remember promoting myself to become the leader of the group in our Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) class in highschool even when I had no experience in cooking. It was admittedly chaotic, and we failed the task.

That’s inevitably what happens when you’re not fit for the job anyway. In the same principle, we should cut our leaders some slack as well, and do to the best of our abilities the things that are expected of us.C

Cora Contrabida Editor in Chief, TheCruchever

UNIVERSITY

Online classes, graduation to be hosted in Minecraft

By Ding Bat

S

eeing that the Commission on Home Education (CHED) has ordered an indefinite extension of online home-based learning, XU has decided to put some fun in education by hosting online classes and graduation ceremonies in Minecraft, a survival video game set in an infinite world made of pixel blocks. This patch will be made online beginning AY 2021-2022.

XU Online Community Manager Steve Herobrine shared during the online announcement on June 29 that this was the most sensible course of action. “Between the monotony of another year of Googlie Meets and the fear of having to show your face to actual people—being a pixelated Crusader

The

square character in a video game just made sense,” Herobrine shared. “Also, if you’re going to have an online degree, why not just play for it, you know?”

As a bonus, with the administration understanding how much the community has missed entering an actual campus, a life-sized replica of the University will be incorporated into the University-wide server that will cater to enrollees. The map, which has not been finalized, will be determined by a competition between the colleges.

During graduation ceremonies of Batch 2022, players will attend the virtual Gymnasium wearing skins designed to resemble graduation togas and vestments. For an event of this scale, the administration is hard at work to assure an R-13 friendly atmosphere for families attending the

event. Slurs in the server chat will be censored, additionally, players with unprofessional or scandalous usernames will be perma banned.

Sadly, the administration has no way to filter usernames of the devious nature and cannot withhold anyone from attending their graduation, thus, usernames such as w3t@ssPu$$Y will be ok.

Nevertheless, the news is being welcomed varyingly. “It’s a dream come true! I won’t have to leave my bedroom ever again,” says DankHorse86.

“Pfft, I don’t think normies can handle the GRIND,” says ¡URaLoser69!. Some have received the news with speculation. “What’s Minecraft?” asks YOURnameHERE. If students wish for a more immersive experience, they can avail for a Ray Tracing enabled RTX 3060 video card at the XU bookstore (10% off for graduating students).C Illustration and Cover Design by Melvin P. Villacote 19