COMMENTARY
NEWS
Of Banners and Colors
Election update: Road to 2021 UESC polls begin THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Calatong vs Garcia USC prexy slaps UE prexy with evidence PAGE 2
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APRIL 18, 2021 — VOLUME 73, ISSUE 5
MANILA — University Student Council (USC) President Justine Calatong on Thursday, April 15, countered University President Ester Garcia’s argument that her administration “unsubstantially claimed” that the University unjustly revoked the scholarship program of the students. "We would like to inform your good office that the claim of unjust revocation of scholarships is backed up with evidence including the names of the students affected, their grades, and information needed to confirm their qualification provided with their consent which is presented with the attachment," Calatong said in a letter filed in response to the UE President.
Calatong also said the guidelines provided by the UE Student Manual together with their notification of qualification in the scholarship grant received by the students before the commencement of the Second Semester were the basis of the students to determine whether or not they qualified for the scholarship grants. Continued on Page 3
‘WHERE’S YOUR CONSCIENCE?’ Students slam ‘merciless Garcia’ By Brix Lelis Several University of the East (UE) students expressed dismay on the UE administration after rejecting the call for an academic break amid the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country. UE Chief Academic Officer and President Ester Garcia also drew flak from the students due to her myriad negligence to hear the demands of the stakeholders. A student from the College of Engineering (CEng’g) said that an academic break could help ease the anxieties and stress of students and professors, especially in these trying times. “Hindi naman kami robot. Okay lang sana kung robot eh, tamang charge lang okay na eh. Kami syempre may iba ding ginagawa sa bahay, hindi lang puro school works,” she reiterated. Ann, from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), said that UE has always been deaf to the cries of the students and it “will always be after capitalism, not compassion.” “My peace of mind has been tainted because of the scholarship turmoil, and a week from the academics will help to at least lessen the anxiety that I developed,” she exclaimed.
NEWS ANALYSIS
UE leaves out PE grades in GWA computation Is the University of the East (UE) administration making it harder for students to qualify for scholarships by leaving out Physical Education (PE) grades from the General Weighted Average (GWA) computation? Dawn sources confirmed on Monday, April 12, that the UE administration has left out PE grades in the GWA computation in both Manila and Caloocan campuses. The GWA is the parameter that sets whether or not a student is qualified for
academic scholarships, such as the University President Scholarship (1.00 to 1.20), University Scholarship (1.21 to 1.40), and College Scholarship (1.41 to 1.60). Despite this policy, the UE administration still disqualified thousands of scholars without explanation. Our sources also revealed a 10% quota for scholars this year, and a 7% quota for the next school year. The decision to leave out PE grades is particularly strange,
CSC warns UE: Don’t even think of tuition hike The Central Student Council (CSC) addressed a letter to University of the East President Ester A. Garcia regarding the anticipated possible tuition and other fees increase (TOFI) for the following academic year. “In delivering the sentiment of the students, we must bring your attention to the following details, grievances, and other information that have been raised time and time again. As we hold the opinion of the majority againstthe increase, we shall reiterate significant concerns for clarity and emphasis,” the letter read.
Among the concerns raised are the facilities with no direct benefits to the students, low enrollment rate, other UAAP universities withdrawing their TOFI applications, and the unresolved issue of academic scholars being disqualified. “At the very least, refraining from applying for another tuition fee increase is, in the belief of the students, the most, if not only, reasonable decision that could be made by the administration,” the Council said. “Based on this information, we call for the University to not initiate another tuition fee increase,” it added.
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COMMENTARY
APRIL 18, 2021 — VOLUME 73, ISSUE 5
EDITORIAL
Merciless
Is the University of the East (UE) administration so detached from the students it serves that it fails to show even the slightest bit of mercy in these ominous times when everybody is slapped with hard choices concerning life and death? UE President and Chief Academic Officer Ester Garcia had the gall to lie to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), accusing the University Student Council (USC) and the Central Student Council (CSC) for “unsubstantially” claiming that the University administration unjustly revoked the scholarships of students. “The University immediately notified and informed all affected candidates of their disqualification and were given sufficient period by the University to settle their tuition and other school fees,” the UE President said. President Garcia should not embarass herself with such a carelessly written lie, as UE students were only able to find out about their disqualification only after the Dawn first reported about it on March 23, 2021, more than two months after the second semester began. The student paper cited highly-placed sources who refused to be identified. Only then, the University administration began responding through vaguely-written announcements, trying to spin the “disqualification of scholars” as an issue wherein students “did not make it to the coverage of the integrated academic scholarship program.” University policy, which has yet to be changed, states that students will be qualified for academic scholarships such as the University President Scholarship if they have a General Weighted Average of 1.00 to 1.20, University Scholarship with 1.21 to 1.40, and College Scholarship with 1.41 to 1.60. To voice out the angry calls of UE students, USC President Justine Jae Calatong slapped the University President with hard evidence, showing that the UE administration has indeed “unjustly revoked” hundreds of students from their well-deserved academic scholarships. “We would like to inform your good office that the claim of unjust revocation of scholarships is backed up with evidence including the names of the students affected, their grades, and information needed to confirm their qualification provided with their consent which is presented with the attachment,” Calatong said. CSC President Saida Manap also lambasted the UE administration, saying that “the President’s remark that the council’s claims have no basis is an outright lie.” No remorse, no regrets—Time will tell how the merciless UE administration will be remembered in this wretched COVID-19 pandemic as it is slowly consumed by its own foul anti-student policies.
THE EPIPHANY
Of Banners and Colors MIKHAELA P. LLADONES
THE ELECTION in the East is not without its fair servings of aromatic drama and smoking arguments. One could say that many lay in silence for half a year to save as many bullets as possible for the long-awaited event while others prepare for the parade of holy masks. For an event that is supposed to decide who will shoulder the students’ dreams and trust, the election lapses as voters identify their bets depending solely on what color and party they associate with. The banner’s color is a basic requirement for the foundation of a political party. It’s not simply a color that you can randomly pick like a crayon in a box. It represents ideologies and values that are expected to be reflected in the members’ reputations and deeds. However, if someone ends up preferring to look at the banner’s name and color rather than the qualities of the candidate behind it, wouldn’t it be the same as picking a food without looking at its nutrition facts merely because it’s all you’ve known all this time? The refusal to see other colors means discrimination,
THE CROWN
and discrimination leads to a lack of judgment. Where there is a lack of judgment, it holds the voter responsible for not properly utilizing the power of installing the leader the community needs. Alas, failing to utilize that power equates to being accountable for entrusting the ‘dream and trust’ recklessly. After all, an election is not a battle between parties; it’s a tug of war of trust between the candidates and voters. One can be wary about their opponent, but the decision lies in how much the voters believe the platforms and promises. The banner and color should not be the ones doing the convincing but the person who is naturally assumed to have known the stakes of running for a position of authority. This person must not spout words written by another for his convenience, for he is expected to stand anytime against anyone who might restrain the Warriors’ rights. As of late, the students are being stripped one by one. As if the tuition and other miscellaneous fees are not enough, the promised merits borne from hard work and
blood have also been deprived. The worst always comes for us amid election season, coincidentally the same season the banners are waiting for to rise and fight for the best sales pitch award. Everyone is predicted to be in awe with the perfect timing; when only at the people’s lowest, the heroes who weren’t there yesterday have come to the rescue wearing their signature colors. In such a crucial moment, there’s no time to be blinded by colors and banners’ face value. Should two cents need to be put on the table, it’s about how hardly possible it is to take the banners and colors out of the picture when evaluating the candidates. Their names, their words, and their colors, all of them provide a glimpse of what they really stand for. Nevertheless, it will never be an accurate preview of what kind of leadership they will offer in the future. It’s not the name or color of the party that determines who is a better bet or not; it’s the determination to serve the community without losing a shred of integrity and humility from the beginning and beyond.
show courage and assure strength. Instead, Duterte’s alalay said he canceled his public address because was scared of getting infected after several members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) tested positive for COVID-19. After two consecutive postponements of his weekly public address, the hashtag ‘Nasaan Ang Pangulo’ trended on social media Wednesday night, April 7, as Filipinos once again expressed dismay, disappointment and disgust against the government’s poor governance. However, as easy for the administration to ignore the people’s crise for help, it’s also easier for them to counter public criticism. Later that evening, Duterte’s assistant,
Senator Bong Go, posted on social media photos of the President sitting comfortably while attending to tremendous paper works, with the caption, “Nandito lang si Tatay Digong. Tambak ang trabaho.” Of course, Filipinos are not gullible; assumptions were made that the photos were altered or edited, or they could have just collected stacks of papers and piled them on the desk. Rumors circulated that the President’s health is declining and he flew to Singapore for medication. The rumors spread after his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte admitted that she flew to Singapore last week, April 6, claiming she traveled for ‘personal health purposes.’ Many Filipinos
Waiting Game
JESSICA ANN S. EVANGELISTA
EDITORIAL BOARD VOLUME 73 GILLIAN Q. MORTERA Editor-in-Chief
MIKHAELA P. LLADONES Filipino Editor
JANAE P. AMMUGAUAN
PIOLO S. ALMOITE
MAE ANGELLA F. FLOTIBLES
EDGIN KRISTOFFER S. ANGELES
Features Editor
Sports Editor
Chief Photographer
Art Director
EDITORIAL STAFF
JESSICA ANN S. EVANGELISTA
RONALYN P. ESTOCADO
MARIA NYKHAELA G. JAVILLONAR
CYNDH JEZRILL MARC C. VILORIA
BRIX LELIS
FLORIEGHIN A. SANGLITAN
Senior Writer Senior Writer Junior Writer
Senior Photographer Senior Artist
Junior Writer
Mr. EDILBERTO B. SULAT JR. Adviser
The Dawn is the official student newspaper of the University of the East and has been so since 1947. Its office is located on the third floor of the College of Engineering Building, UE Caloocan, 105 Samson Road, Caloocan City.
Since the Duterte administration took over, Filipinos have been waiting in vain for good and competent governance, waiting for concrete plans on how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, waiting for the President to show up and address his constituents. It is unfortunate that the President’s neglect for urgent response has been normalized, but Duterte’s absence in two succeeding public addresses, last Monday, April 5, and Wednesday, April 7, has yet again proven that his constituents were never his priority. Day after day, the country tallies record-high numbers of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities. In a normal situation, the President is expected to
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APRIL 18, 2021 — VOLUME 73, ISSUE 5
Road to 2021 UESC polls begin Virtual campaign kicks off
Today marks the beginning of the official campaign period in the 2021 UE-Manila Student Council Elections. Ang Sandigan, KapitBisig and Kaisa Ka political parties have released their respective campaign materials on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with campaign activities limited to an onlineonly set up as a result of te COVID-19 pandemic. Ang Sandigan will face off with Kaisa Ka in the bid for seats in the University Student Council (USC). Raymond Raph Cayabyab will lead the way in Sandigan’s campaign against Kaisa Ka’s Michael Anthony Pacheco for the highest position in the USC. Kapit-Bisig has also made a comeback in the student council elections after a year of absence in the polls. The party was able to field candidates in the contested College of Business Administration Student Council. Cayabyab is a former USC Secretary and a former President of the UE Debate and Speech Society, while Pacheco is an incumbent USC Vice
CALATONG VS GARCIA | PAGE 1
President and a former College of Arts and Sciences Student Council President. Comelec chairman Mark Anthony Uy said that the Canvas Learning Management System will be used in conducting the 2021 UE Student Council (UESC) elections both in Manila and Caloocan campuses. In an interview with the Dawn, Uy said UE President Ester Garcia gave her gosignal to use Canvas as the main platform to facilitate the elections. Uy said Canvas will be the best platform to conduct the election because it assures them that only enrolled students will be eligible to cast their votes. “In this approach, we’re sure na ang lahat ng voters ay ‘yong enrolled students lang. Kasi
hindi ka naman makakapaglog in sa canvas if you are not enrolled currently,” the threetime Asked about the loopholes in Canvas as an election platform, Uy said Comelec is finding the best way on how to resolve these issues, stressing that the first-ever online election would be difficult to monitor. “We are trying to figure out pa kung paano ‘yong magiging monitoring. Pero just like what I’ve said, ‘pag inisip mo rin magiging mahirap for us, for the candidates, for the poll watchers, even for the press to really look into it [and] to monitor the incoming votes natin within the day. Election Day will be held on April 30, according to the Commission on Elections.
The USC President also stressed that the memorandum for holding and reviewing the integrated scholarships was only disseminated after the enrollment of the second semester. This counters the claim of UE President Garcia that the administration informed the students "immediately." "Though we recognize that these grants are considered to be mere privileges given by the grantor, we also want to reiterate that the rights of the students that we are referring to are in lined with the fairness and just implementation of their
WAITING GAME | PAGE 2
own policies and guidelines," the letter added. In compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, this report did not include the names of the UE Manila students affected by the unjust revocation of scholarship. Calatong issued this response after President Garcia said in a letter to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) accused the USC that it “unsubstantially claimed that the University unjustly revoked the scholarship program of the students.” “Note that prior to the commencement of the semester,
the students who were candidates to qualify for the scholarship grants have been notified by the University of their possible eligibility based on the scholarship program of the University pending further review of their qualifications,” the University President said. According to Garcia, the University created a committee to determine and evaluate a sudden increase in the number of candidates for the scholarship. Garcia also said that the University “immediately” notified and informed all affected candidates.
speculated that the President was with his daughter to abandon their responsibilities once more. To rebut the hearsay, on April 10, Saturday night, Sen. Bong Go again posted pictures of the President playing golf and doing a night jog in the Malacañang grounds, answering the whereabouts of the head of state. However, Filipinos are still not convinced. “We don’t need a proof of life. We need a proof of work.” said a Twitter user. This proof of life is just a testimonial of how neglectful and unfitted is the administration to continue to hold a sit-in power. It is crystal clear that the President intends to put his golf and leisure time first, before addressing its
suffering and dying nation. It will always be important for a President to show up on time and update his constituents. However, his weekly “Talk to the People” has been an avenue for him to blast his critics and spew his offensive remarks instead of providing important announcements; like his other obligations, this is just another duty he cannot actively fulfill. As many Filipinos struggle to put food on their table, the President was last seen in public on March 29, a day after celebrating his 76th birthday in the comfort of his home in Davao City, with abundant and appetizing food before him. By this time, it is impossible to say if the Filipinos are still
waiting, because we are already tired of being the unwilling audience of a circus that the Philippine government has been putting up all these years. Even when we continue to demand accountability and better governance, even if it’s not our entire responsibility to do so, we have been accustomed to help ourselves and each other in times of this unending crisis, because waiting for the government’s actions is like waiting for the sun to show up at night – it’s never going to happen. It will never be about “good things come to those who wait,” because for a nation, spearheaded by an unpunctual and inefficient President, victory will always be delayed.
Comelec tells parties: Get creative, engage
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Mark Anthony Uy has urged the political parties and independent candidates to be more creative and find the best way to engage with the students, especially in a virtual campaign. “Galingan nila and try to think of the best way [on] how to engage with the students with the current situation that we are in,” Uy said in an interview with the Dawn. “Try to be more creative, ayon nga, parang medyo technical kasi yung mga sinasabi ko sa kanila like yung sa videos.” The Comelec has advised the political parties to create open Zoom and Google Meet links where they can broadcast their promotional videos which students can easily access at their convenience. “May sinuggest ako sa kanila. Mayroong Zoom meeting na naka-open lang,
parang ‘yong mga kubo nila sa Tan Yan Kee. Tapos i-broadcast nila ‘yong Zoom or Google Meet meeting to know more about the candidates,” Uy said. “So kapag pumasok ka sa link, makikita mo yung videos nila, nandoon ‘yong candidates. Tapos kapag ayaw mo na, labas ka na lang, leave meeting ka na lang,” he underscored. Meanwhile, the campaign period for UE-Manila Student Council Elections will commence on April 15, following the imposition of the April 2-14 ban period as advised by the Student Affairs Office (SAO) and Department of Registration and Records Management (DRRM). During the ban period, electoral candidates are prohibited to post campaign materials such as posters, pictures, and videos. The Comelec also forbids candidates from uploading campaign posters as their profile pictures.
UE LEAVES OUT PE GRADES IN GWA COMPUTATION | PAGE 1
but what is more odd is that PE grades will still be included in the computation for Latin Honors, even when they are not included in the GWA. This means PE grades will remain relevant to those seeking Latin honors, while it becomes irrelevant to those who want to qualify for academic scholarships. Students admitted that PE grades could give them a boost in their GWA, which could allow them to receive academic scholarships. “‘Yung todo hataw ka sa PE, pero ‘di pala kasali sa
computation ng GWA,” a student said in the comments section of the Dawn’s Facebook page. “Eh ‘di ‘wag pasukan. ‘Di pala kasali eh,” another student said. “Todo hataw ka sa Zumba tsaka todo hampas sa arnis tapos hindi pala kasama sa computation ng GWA,” a student also said. “HAHAHAHAHAHA BALEWALA RIN PALA PAGPAPATIKTOK,” another student said. No official explanation has been announced by the UE administration regarding the policy as of this writing, but UE will save money if more were disqualified from scholarships.
‘WHERE’S YOUR CONSCIENCE?’ | PAGE 1
Likewise, Lezitt, a sophomore student from the College of Business Administration (CBA), affirmed that the rejection on the call for an academic break was a manifestation of how UE left the students behind again. “Cases are rising even with the implementation of ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] and we still think about our modules, activities, and exams. I mean, we’ve had enough. We need to breathe,” she underscored. Another student from the College of Education (CEduc) slammed the UE administration for continually ignoring the demands of the students. “Bakit hindi na kayo naawa? Nasaan ang konsensiya? Nasaan ang puso, wala na ba? Pamantasan kong mahal, bakit ang hirap mong mahalin,” she lamented.
A student from the College of Computer Studies and Systems (CCSS) said that she was not surprised with the decision “since the administration has been disappointing us for so many reasons already.” “We weren’t just requesting the academic break simply for rest, but to focus on other things too. Nakakadrain na nga ng energy ‘yung nangyayari sa paligid mo tapos dadagdag pa sila,” she underpinned. To recall, the UE-Manila University Student Council and UE-Caloocan Central Student Council sent separate petitions to Pres. Garcia, urging the administration to suspend synchronous classes for a week in light of the extension of ECQ in ‘NCR Plus.’ Meanwhile, the USC, CSC, and the University of the East Faculty Association (UEFA) appeal for reconsideration, but Garcia did not respond.
EXTRA 7
APRIL 18, 2021 — VOLUME 73, ISSUE 5
Dolomite sand poured anew in Manila Bay shore By Florieghin A. Sanglitan
As the government struggles to finance the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, it has once again poured a fresh dose of crushed dolomite along the portion of Manila Bay “white sand beach” as part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) project to rehabilitate and beautify the area. The dumping of the dolomite sand began in September last year which drew heavy criticisms from environmental and fisherfolk groups questioning the project and its necessity amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The environmental
watchdogs also mentioned the harmful effects of dolomite in the respiratory system and Manila Bay’s ecosystem. The DENR, however, defended the project, insisting that the white sand makeover will beautify the area, which will discourage people from throwing garbage. The Department of Health (DOH) backed up the project, saying that the rocks are not a health hazard. “Dolomite in its bulk state is not a known health hazard and dolomite in dust form, like any other dust particle, can lead to symptoms such as chest discomfort, shortness of
breath, and coughing for this is our body’s normal reaction to irritants,” the health department said in a statement. Meanwhile, when black sand was seen again along the bay’s coastline in October, the DENR claimed that it was a
“wash-in” rather than a “washout” of the artificial white sand. The DENR further assured that “engineering interventions” had been implemented to ensure that the dolomite sand would remain in place where it was overlaid.
The artificial white sand beach is part of the P389peso rehabilitation project of the government, which will give myriad benefits to the mental health of the Filipinos, according to Malacañang.
Who's up for getting another set of gears to live up to our oath of serving the truth? This 2021, Plumang Bughaw VII unfolds with the theme "The State of Journalism During the Pandemic." Its 7th installation serves us with new wonders sure to pique the litterateur in us all. The Adamson Chronicle is calling journalists from near and far to join them in a webinar packed with insightful discourses from renowned news outlets and stations as they share their expertise. On April 17th, Plumang Bughaw's esteemed resource persons will be Justin Emmanuel Dizon, the Officer-in-Charge of Central Luzon Television's News and Current affairs Department. To follow him are Raizza P. Bello
and Samantha Bagayas— the former is a freelance journalist and development practitioner and co-convenor of the Campus Journalism Lab who will talk about how media practitioners adapted to COVID-19, while the latter is a Community and Civic Engagement Specialist for Rappler who will discuss the importance of campus journalism and how communities responded to issues and threats to media freedom. Sounds good? Buckle up for more on Saturday! Register to confirm your slot here: bit.ly/ PBVIIReg To stay posted, additional details and updates are available on Adamson Chronicle's Facebook page: facebook.com/ TheAdamsonChronicle.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC BY THE NUMBERS
Adamson Chronicle holds Plumang Bughaw VII
MAY NAKALIMUTAN KA YATA
MEET THE CANDIDATES
BULLETIN
936,133
TOTAL CASES
15,960
DEATHS
779,084
RECOVERIES
DATA AS OF APRIL 18, 2021 --DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Cyndh Jezrill Marc C. Viloria
Cyndh Jezrill Marc C. Viloria
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SPORTS FEATURE
APRIL 18, 2021 — VOLUME 73, ISSUE 5
Time Waits for No Man How these sports gems won’t wait for the Philippines to treasure them
By Jessica Ann S. Evangelista
The Philippines has always been neglectful to appreciate its talented and hard-working people. Due to the lack of opportunities and support, most Filipinos are pushed to go abroad to hone their skills and receive the acknowledgment they have always longed for. The growing number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) can attest to this. Now, the Philippine Sports agencies are overlooking their potential prodigies is not helping the country claim its overdue legacy. Gifted athletes such as Jaja Santiago, a volleyball sensation, and Wesley So, a chess grandmaster, are not to blame once they turned their backs on the country that won’t even be bothered to press its eyes and attention on them. PH Volleyball star Alyja Daphne Santiago, popularly known as Jaja Santiago, is a former National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs. She began her collegiate career with the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses before transferring to NU. The middle blocker led the Lady Bulldogs to win back-to-back championships in the Shakey’s V-League 13th Season Collegiate Conference. She was hailed as the Conference’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the Best Middle Blocker. Santiago holds the youngest player’s record yet the tallest member to ever play in Shakey’s V-League at the age of 14, standing 6-foot-5.
In 2016, Santiago was crowned as MVP in the Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix. In the following year, she received the 2017 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino “Best Opposite Spiker.” After joining Ageo Medics of Japan’s V League in 2018, the six-footer Best Spiker earned a bronze in the 2019–20 Division 1. Last March 2021, exhibiting an exceptional performance, Santiago led the Saitama Ageo Medics to win the championship, making her the first Filipino volleyball player to win a title overseas in the prestigious Japanese competition. With tremendous accomplishments under her name, she ranged from local competitions such as the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) to international leagues like V League Division 1. The 25-year-old has become the apple of the eye of various countries such as China, Taiwan, Turkey, and the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles (UCLA) women’s volleyball team, wanting to recruit the rising volleyball star. However, the most recent, Ageo Medics asks Santiago to stay
longer and accept its offer for Japanese citizenship. Despite playing in Japan for three years and a promising future to secure a spot in the Olympic team, the volleyball prodigy declined the offer, hoping that she’d bring the Olympic honor as a Filipino first. In an interview, “May dream akong maglaro ng Olympics, pero gusto ko munang […] Gusto kong tulungan ‘yung bansa natin. Doon sa goal ko na ‘yun, gusto ko kasama ko ‘yung mga kapuwa Pilipino ko.” attested Santiago. However, facing the uncertainty, the 25-year-old is still considering the flattering proposal, “Kung wala talagang chance, why not? It’s on the back of my mind na puwede ako magpalit ng nationality.” she added. In the face of tempting and generous offers circulating the national standout, for now, Santiago is choosing to represent and play for the Philippines, even if the country is unmindful to give her the acknowledgment and resources she deserves. However, how long will the stalwart need to wait in her journey to give pride to the Filipinos? Following the similar yet different narrative, Wesley So, a global chess wizard, has gone weary hanging around in an improvident community that he decided to switch allegiance to the United States (U.S.) chess federation PH The chess prodigy’s name
is inked on the history books, So became a full-fledged grandmaster at the age of 14, being the ninth youngest player ever to do so. Now, the 27-year-old is the inaugural and current World Fischer Random Chess Champion and a two-time, and the present, U.S. Chess Champion (in 2017 and 2020). He is also a three-time Filipino Chess Champion. In March 2017, he ranked number two globally and had an Elo rating of 2822, making him the fifth-highest rated player in history. So believed that politics had dominated the Philippine society, adding more reason for sports to be consistently overlooked. However, the monumental grandmaster cited in a recent interview that the lack of sufficient training in the Philippines was one reason for his decision to leave the NCFP (National Chess Federation of the Philippines). “At this stage of my career, I need to have serious training and have the opportunity to compete in level-appropriate events (category 19-20-21 or higher) to improve,” he affirmed. Since it is impossible for him to excel and shine even more in the country’s realms, So used the art of chess to get an education in the States and secure a stable job. Asia’s first grandmaster is a rare find, but he slips past from the Filipinos’ hands. For a much-recent testimonial showing how the Philippine sports can be
unsupportive, on Sunday, April 11, 2021, the Asian figure skater champion Michael Christian Martinez has launched a social media campaign to raise funds for his bid to qualify for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. The 24-year-old is a twotime Triglav Trophy champion and has won one ISU Challenger Series medal, silver at the 2014 Warsaw Cup. Martinez is the first skater from Southeast Asia and a tropical country to play for the Olympics. He was also the only athlete representing the Philippines at the 2014 Winter Olympics and was only two to represent PH at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Despite his uncompromising tally of accolades, this is not enough for the country to support him. These are just three examples of how unwelcoming the sports community of the Philippines can be. There is no doubt that the country is blessed with skillful and passionate players but not lucky enough to have nurturing and visionary leaders. The clock is ticking; accomplished contenders will not settle for less than they deserved. There’s no time to kill for a world that is fast-paced and competitive. It’s time for the Philippines to notice its potential worldclass athletes before it’s too late - before they become the treasured gems of other nationalities instead of being the pearls of the orient.