[The Dawn] Volume 75 - Issue 1

UE-MANILA LOGS NEARLY 90 COVID CASES IN AUG-OCT 2022

Students, parents criticize UE’s poor COVID response

by Karen Louise C. Delos Angeles & Florieghin A. Sanglitan

THE UNIVERSITY of the East (UE)–Manila has tallied 87 COVID-19 cases in the first three months of the limited face-to-face classes this first semester of A.Y. 20222023, October 31 data from the UE-Manila Clinic reveal.

U niversity health physician Dr. Maximilian Chua confirmed that the College of Dentistry (CDent) recorded 77 cases or 88.51 percent of the total reported caseload in the University. Despite the increase in cases, the CDent administration did not declare any class suspensions at the College.

The data also show that four COVID-19 positive cases were recorded from the College of Business Administration (CBA) and two cases from the College of Computer Studies and Systems (CCSS).

Meanwhile, the College of Education (CEduc) and the College of Law (CLaw) registered one and three cases, respectively.

UE Dentistry Student Council (DSC) President Alexandra Tan told the DAWN that the CDent administration provided health and safety measures, stressing that all rules are relevant and updated.

“The only thing the admin[inistration] can do is to strictly monitor the health declaration form to have reliable information and implement the guidelines set by the University,” Tan underscored.

Sam, a third-year Dentistry student, shared her experience on how the CDent administration handled her case after testing positive for COVID-19.

“They gave strict implementation regarding quarantine clearance before going back to class once tested negative already. If a student tested positive for COVID-19, those who were in close contact shall isolate as well. An alternative that the admin[istration] gave is to hold online classes instead to those sections who were affected,” she said.

CDent Dean Rhodora Luciano affirmed that the College is “simply following the University health protocol like all Colleges are.”

While Dentistry students were pleased with how the CDent administration handled those cases, Warrior students from other colleges were disappointed with the University’s poor and slow COVID-19 response.

Management Accounting senior Samantha Barles told the DAWN bared that she was “disappointed” with UE-Manila CBA administration’s late release of health and safety guidelines in the event that a student contracted the virus.

“Disappointed ako sa fact na nu’ng nagkaroon lang ng positive case saka lang nagkaroon ng guidelines when it comes sa mga isolation period, sino unang ko-contact-in if nalaman na positive, and such,” Barles stated.

The Management Accounting student claimed that students and professors struggled on the first

day of classes since proper safety guidelines were not provided to them. She also mentioned that the lack of coordination between the CBA office and the UE-Manila Clinic caused confusion among students because the former’s instructions differed from those of the latter.

“For me, bagsak ang implementation and kulang ng internal control ang UE when it comes sa mga gan’tong situation. Laging huli ang guidelines, kung kailan nagkaroon ng case saka palang sila maglalabas ng guidelines. Para bang ina-assume na nila na wala nang magiging aberya or magkakaroon ng positive COVID case sa University, kaya hindi sila maagap sa pag-release ng guidelines,” Barles blasted.

Meanwhile, in response to the College’s reported case, the UE-Manila CBA Student Council requested for a one-week face-to-face class suspension. University President Ester Garcia, however, only approved the suspension four days after it was appealed.

Accountancy junior Samantha Laoang criticized UE for the delayed in-person class suspension and lack of information provided to students. She lamented that the COVID-19 situation at the University had a negative impact on the mental health of not only the students but also parents and professors.

“I am hoping na if ever this kind of situation

happened again, it will be settled as soon as possible. Mas mabilis sana [ang] pag-suspend and pagpapakalat ng news sa students kasi ang hirap, especially sa part ng parents na malayo sa kanilang mga anak. And the fact as well that some of our professors are prone to this kind of virus nag-ooverthink din sila,” she said.

Furthermore, a parent who wished for her anonymity stated that the University must do a better job at ensuring the safety of the students, criticizing UE for its disorganized health and safety measures.

“Actually, naguguluhan na kami sa mga protocols. Pinag-face-to-face nila ang mga bata tapos wala namang maayos na sistema. Walang kaalam-alam anak ko sa gagawin niya kasi [may] nagka-COVID daw sa College nila pero wala naman [naging] class suspension, ano ‘yun?” she lamented.

Another parent also aired her frustrations with the University’s COVID-19 response, claiming that the University still pushed through with the on-site instructions despite not being ready.

“Parang ‘di pa naman kasi handa ang UE tapos sinabak na ka[a]gad ‘yung mga estudyante. Anong akala nila sa mga anak namin hamster na hindi tatamaan ng virus? Tapos sinabi din sa’kin ng anak ko na wala daw binigay na guidelines sa kanila nu’ng simula pa lang,” the parent exclaimed.

As of writing, the UE-Manila Clinic has already transitioned from test-based to symptom-based measures in accordance with the Department of Health (DOH) surveillance and detection protocols.

“We give more weight to symptoms now than relying on test results, though we still do testing for confirmatory and validation purposes,” Dr. Chua explained.

The Official Student Publication of the University of the East

UE yields 15 new electronics engineers, 29 electronics technicians

THE UNIVERSITY of the East (UE) has produced a total of 15 new electronics engineers and 29 electronics technicians in the October 2022 Electronics Engineer (ECE) and Electronics Technician (ECT) Licensure Examinations.

According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), six out of 11 passers came from UE Manila, posting a 54.55% passing rate.

Meanwhile, UE Caloocan registered a 21.95% passing rate with nine passers out of 41 examinees.

For electronics technicians, UE-Manila garnered a perfect passing rate after all four examinees made the cut.

UE-Caloocan, on the other hand, tallied an 86.21% passing rate, producing 25 new electronics technicians out of 29 examinees.

UE produces topnotcher, 43 passers in Oct. 2022 CPALE

UNIVERSITY of the East (UE)-Manila College of Business Administration (CBA) graduate Emerson Macaraig Peralta has made it in the top 10 of the October 2022 Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination (CPALE).

A magna cum laude graduate in 2020, the UE alum has ranked third in the said examination after scoring an average of 89.50 percent.

Peralta led the combined 43 new accountants produced by the Manila and Caloocan campuses of the University.

According to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), 29 out of 90 Warrior examinees from UE-Manila have achieved

passing marks, posting a 32.22-percent rating.

Meanwhile, UE Caloocan finished the said examination with a 35. 90-percent passing rate after 14 out of 39 examinees successfully made the cut.

PRC data also shows that the October 2022 CPALE registered a 25.84-percent national passing rate with 1,722 passers out of 6,665 aspiring accountants.

The examinations were conducted from October 14-16 in different testing centers in Metro Manila, Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, Baguio, Iloilo, Koronadal, Lucena, Legaspi, Pagadian, Pampanga, Rosales, Tacloban, Zamboanga, and Tuguegarao.

Garcia OKs academic break after midterm

UNIVERSITY of the East (UE) President Ester Garcia has approved the reimplementation of an academic break after the midterm examination following the separate appeals of the University Student Council (USC) and the Central Student Council (CSC).

Garcia signed a memorandum stating that there will be no synchronous sessions on October 31 (Monday), November 3 (Thursday), and November 5 (Saturday). The said schedule ensures that there will be asynchronous meetings for MWF (MondayWednesday-Friday), TTh (Tuesday-Thursday), and Saturday classes.

The UE president emphasized that there should be no quizzes and submission of assignments during the scheduled dates for asynchronous sessions.

Garcia reiterated that the schedule

AS THE University of the East (UE) gradually returns to limited face-to-face classes, the enrollment outcome has improved in the first semester of A.Y. 2022-2023, with UE tallying a slight increase over the previous academic year.

As of October 5, 2022, the total combined college enrollment outcome in UE-Manila and UE-Caloocan breached 13,590, which is 3.65-percent higher compared to the 13,112 of the first semester of A.Y. 2021-2022. The UEManila has 8,413 college students enrolled for the current semester, while the UE-Caloocan has 5,177.

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at UE-Manila recorded the highest number of enrollees on the said campus with 2,520 students, followed by the College of Business Administration (CBA) with 1973 enrollees and the College of Dentistry (CDent) with 1,855 students.

Meanwhile, in UE-Caloocan, the College of Engineering (COE) posted the highest enrollment with 2,067 students. CBA and the

“is without prejudice to compliance with the minimum number of synchronous/F2F (face-to-face) sessions required for each course.”

Additionally, the memorandum directed faculty members to conduct grade consultations with their students during asynchronous sessions before the deadline for the posting of grades “for the purposes of transparency.” The posting of grades is scheduled on or before Tuesday, November

To recall, the CSC and the USC appealed to the University administration, calling for the reimplementation of academic breaks after major

“The request follows the same concept of academic break which consists of a twoday academic break every preliminary and midterm examination,” the CSC stated in its appeal.

Lualhati building ‘hopefully’ 100% complete next year —UE architect

by Marie Gold Vivien M. Totanes

THE NEW 10-storey Lualhati Building at the University of the East (UE)–Manila could be fully operational in January 2023 or during the first semester of the following academic year, according to the administrator.

University Architect Allen Cabayu told the DAWN that he hopes the new building will be fully utilized by students and professors next year. Because the construction is ongoing and some facilities are being evacuated, students can only access the first three floors during the current semester.

“Hopefully by January 2023 or the latest would be [the] first sem[ester] of S.Y. 2023-2024,” stated Cabayu in an exclusive interview, revealing that the Lualhati Building is 97 percent complete.

“There are still ongoing works at all floors of the building, especially [in] the facades and entrances along Lepanto and TYK (Tan Yan Kee) Garden and load testing of the escalators and elevators,” he added.

The UE architect said that the new building has two sets of escalators that serve the first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth floors. There will be three elevators and two atriums as well.

Aside from that, it will also feature a chapel on the ground floor, a big library on the third

floor, and a gymnasium on the tenth floor. The building will house the Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Computer Studies and Systems (CCSS), Education (Ceduc), and Engineering (CEng’g).

Cabayu also revealed that a fire lane and an emergency access road have been incorporated into the design of the new building to facilitate fire trucks’ easy access to the campus. It can be noted that the Lualhati Building will replace the old CAS Building which was charred by a massive fire in 2016.

Recounting the incident that occurred more than six years ago, he insisted that the 2016 fire was an accident, emphasizing that the “safety policies and procedures in UE have been in place since.”

Meanwhile, University President Ester Garcia promised the UE community in 2016 that a new building would be completed by 2018, but this did not happen. Cabayu explained in two separate interviews in March 2022 and September 2022 that his team suffered delays due to several factors, including the pandemic and the general contractor.

When asked about the estimated cost of the Lualhati Building, the UE architect declined to comment.

College of Fine Arts, Architecture, and Design (CFAD) came next with 1,231 and 1,189 enrollees, respectively.

With only 252 enrollees, the UE-Manila College of Education (CEduc) remains the smallest College by population on both campuses.

In an interview with the DAWN, Marketing and University Relations Office (URO) Director Edilberto Sulat Jr. revealed that the uptick in enrollment may be attributed to the “collective efforts all around with the UE community.”

Sulat stated that the school-to-school promotions (STSP), albeit largely online, and the interaction at the grassroots level between the UE delegates and students from feeder schools all contributed to the positive enrollment result.

“There is also the heightened visibility of the University online, through the various institutional and other UE accounts on social media and the UE website; even the Dawn’s FB page possibly contributed to such exposure,” he underscored.

“Victories by UE students and graduates or alumni in various academic, athletic, and other kinds of competitions, which we constantly announce about online and at times at the campus entry points, certainly helped,” he added.

Moreover, Sulat also stressed the importance of responding to the numerous inquiries on the University’s social media accounts, claiming that it aided in attracting more students to

choose UE.

Amid the shift to the traditional learning setup of some colleges, he claimed that the implementation of limited in-person classes was not a significant factor in enrollment growth.

“From my unscientific perspective, there is close to a 50/50 division among new enrollees in terms of preferring onsite classes over online classes,” Sulat explained.

“In addition, most first-year college students as well as Basic Education students knew beforehand that their classes for this first semester of UE S.Y. 2022-2023 would be online,” he added.

The URO director believes that the series of posts during UE’s 75th year featuring several online foundation activities could have been an additional deciding factor for new or returning enrollees.

Lualhati building seen from Loyola Street as it nears completion. Photo by Luis Angelo S. Damian

Garcia to step down as UE President

DR. ESTER Albano-Garcia, the second longest-serving University of the East (UE) president and the 10th UE president overall, has announced that she will step down from her post, effective on January 1, 2023, capping nearly two decades of visionary leadership and achievements.

“I have decided to retire from the University effective the New Year, after serving as President for close to seventeen (17) years, starting on 06 January 2006,” the president told the DAWN in an exclusive interview.

The outgoing president stated that she had fulfilled her promise to the University to raise the quality of instruction across all programs.

“I am pleased to report to the UE Board, the faculty, staff, and students that I have fulfilled my promise. The number of accredited programs had increased from only 3 (about to expire when I took over) to 50 and increasing,” Garcia underscored.

According to the Chief Academic Officer, despite the pandemic having a significant impact on enrollment outcomes, the board’s performance was better than before and enrollment increased over time.

“The board performance in all programs is much improved and the enrolment has increased although it suffered a decrease during the pandemic,” stated Garcia, who was also the former chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Garcia also highlighted that during her tenure, CHED has recognized UE-Manila and UE-Caloocan as autonomous higher education institutions.

She also mentioned that the infrastructure of both campuses has improved.

Garcia also expressed her gratitude to Dr. Lucio Tan and the late Chairman Panfilo Domingo for putting their trust in her to serve the University, its students, and other constituents.

“I wish also to thank the Board members, the management, the

faculty, staff, and alumni for their support during my stay in UE,” said Garcia, who was named the “2022 Person of the Year” by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) in September.

She also recalled the moment the job was first presented to her, admitting that even her husband had reservations and questioned why she would even consider accepting such a position.

“I explained to him that it would be a challenge worth taking. I was conscious of the good reputation of UE in the past and wanted to get it back to being one of the better private institutions of the country,” the UE president attested.

Contemplating her stint as a University administrator, Garcia believes that it “was really worth my time and effort,” claiming that she fulfilled her promise that she would improve the performance of UE during her term.

Moreover, the Chief Academic Officer also recognized the people she had attracted to the institution to help it reach its peak.

“I have managed to attract many good people to serve as academic managers in the University and they have helped me in fulfilling my promise to put UE where it is now,” Garcia asserted.

Before becoming UE president, Garcia previously worked as a Chemistry and graduate school professor at the University of the Philippines.

Aside from administrative academic positions, she also contributed to the field of science, engineering, and science education, conceptualizing and implementing various faculty development programs under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

To recall, the soon-to-retire UE president first announced her retirement on October 21 during the oath-taking ceremony for the DAWN editors and staffers.

Caloocan Warrior hails as champion in MIDAS Acad Fest ‘22

by Marie Gold Vivien M. Totanes

UNIVERSITY of the East (UE)-Caloocan Civil Engineering student Mark Levi Espino was named champion in the 2022 MIDAS Academic Festival held on Oct. 22 at Sequoia Hotel Manila Bay.

Espino has emerged victorious in the Speed Modeling category of the competition, besting 14 students from other participating universities across the country.

The participants were given an hour during the competition proper to model a building using the MIDAS software.

Aside from the title, the Civil Engineering student took home a certificate and a cash prize of Php 12,000.

Meanwhile, UE-Caloocan Civil Engineering students Janna Bañares, Espino, Israel Jeshurun Sevilla, and Neil Stephen Manzo also presented a technical paper at the festival.

The students proposed a materials recovery facility (MRD) design for Brgy. Apalit in Florida Blanca, Pampanga.

Through their technical paper, they were able to receive a plaque for the University

and a cash prize amounting to Php 15,000.

Moreover, the UE-Caloocan quiz bee delegations Joe Nichol Intal and Mark Cabral had a close battle leading up to the finals.

The representatives were under the mentorship of Engr. Eduardo B. Leron Jr. and Engr. John Rei M. Gomez.

In an interview with the DAWN, Leron expressed that he was delighted that their students demonstrated their abilities using the MIDAS software, bringing pride and honor to the University.

“As a mentor, I’m very proud that our students from the UE-Cal CE Department were given the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and have given pride to the university,” the mentor underscored.

Among the universities that joined the competition were the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), De La Salle University (DLSU), and the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

The MIDAS Academic Festival is the first convention for all MIDAS software users in the Philippines.

UE marks ‘glorious’ 76th Foundation Anniversary

by Allena Mae E. Bonifacio

THE UNIVERSITY of the East (UE) conducted a week-long Foundation Anniversary celebration, marking its 76th year with the theme, “What a Glorious Time!”

Commencing with a Thanksgiving Mass held via Zoom, the University hosted various online and on-campus activities from September 24 until October 1.

Moreover, the UE Basic Education Department organized an anniversary kickoff program featuring the field demonstration by the senior high school students from the Caloocan campus.

UE also held an online University Convocation titled “The Effect of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Students and Constituents in the University: Magnitude, Surviving, and Coping.” For this event, the University invited Dr. Maria Lourdes Rosanna E. De Guzman from the University of the Philippines-College of Medicine (UPCM) and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

The discussion focused on the impact of the health crisis and social isolation on psychological health. De Guzman also emphasized the importance of mental health research and the promotion of self-care practices, mental healthrelated activities, and work-life balance.

UE’s 76th Foundation Anniversary also highlighted the talents and skills of the Red Warriors as the College of Fine Arts, Architecture, and Design (CFAD) showcased a “glorious” art exhibit at the Chua King Ha Galleries of UE Caloocan’s Tan Yan Kee Academic Building.

University President and Chief Academic Officer Ester Garcia spearheaded the art gallery opening. The exhibit featured exceptional artworks by alumni, faculty members, and students, presenting a variety of artworks created through different art mediums.

The UE-CFAD also conferred the “Artistic

CAS-Manila

Moreover, the annual Tagisan ng Talino returned to UE-Caloocan after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The competition consisted of two categories: quiz bee and extemporaneous speaking.

The UE-Manila College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) bagged the championship in the quiz bee competition, followed by the UE-Caloocan College of Business Administration (CBA). Meanwhile, UE-Caloocan CAS topped the extemporaneous speech competition, which was followed by the UE-Manila College of Dentistry (CDent).

UE also held an on-the-job training Memorandum-of Agreement (MOA) signing ceremony at the UE-Manila Briefing Room. The University secured partnerships with the Lucio Tan (LT) Group of Companies.

The partners include the Century Park Hotel, Eton Properties Philippines, Inc., Grandspan Development Corporation, MacroAsia Corporation, the Philippine National Bank, and Tanduay Distillers, Inc.

As part of its environmental mission, the University also launched a tree-planting program at the Carranglan Fortune Farm in Nueva Ecija. They were able to plant 250 palosapis tree seedlings with the help of the UE officials, faculty members, agriculturists, foresters, and farmers.

The project began in 2014 as an environmental initiative in collaboration with the Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. and Lucio C. Tan Legacy Forest. The foundation has so far grown a variety of indigenous trees and other vegetation.

by Shekinah Faith P. Requintel

UNIVERSITY of the East (UE)–Manila College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Gary Dy has expressed optimism about reopening the College’s temporarily closed programs next academic year.

Freshman enrollment for Journalism, English, Library and Information Science, and Mathematics degree programs have been halted since 2021 due to low enrollment in the previous school years.

In an exclusive interview with the DAWN, Dy said the CAS administration hopes to reintroduce them next school year.

“Hopefully, we can offer it back by the school year 20232024. We’re praying and working hard for this,” he exclaimed.

The CAS dean stated that they intend to reintroduce the programs by redesigning the curricula and actively promoting them.

“We’ll be revising the curriculum, and then we’ll have to aggressively promote the course to get more enrollees,” he underscored.

He also stressed that they were burning both

ends of the candle to promote these “frozen” degree programs, which still have fourth-year students enrolled in them.

“[We’re] working hard for this, we still have fourth-year students in these programs,” he

To recall, UE President Ester Garcia revealed that the University temporarily ceased accepting new students for the four CAS programs because they were not appealing enough to potential enrollees, emphasizing that the decision was supposed to be “a long time back.”

“I have been aware of this for quite some time. We told them (CAS officials) that they have to find programs na mas attractive sa estudyante. [Parents] put their children in a certain program; sila ang nagdedesisyon. You have to convince the parents,” Garcia reiterated.

The University president, however, argued that if there were at least 40 students to form a block section, she would lift the freshman enrollment suspension.

eyes offering 4 ‘frozen’ programs anew in 2023

Photo courtesy of Engr. Ed B. Leron Jr

Excellence Awards” on four affiliates in recognition of their success and significant contributions to the field of fine arts. The honorees were Clint Rey Policarpio, Ariosto Dale Bagtas, Prof. Richard Legaspi, and Michael Villagante.

University President Ester Garcia leading the opening of the art exhibit at UE-Caloocan. (Photo by Ryan Christopher N. Cruz)

First 100 Days in Office

Highlights of Marcos Jr.’s Administration

by Terenz Dave L. Silverio and Stephanie Lacey A. Mendoza

ON OCTOBER 8, 2022, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. marked his 100th day in the post after he was elected by a majority of Filipinos accounting for over 31 million votes. After the People Power Revolution overthrew the Marcos family more than three decades ago, their goal of regaining power was finally realized. For the past 100 days since Marcos took office, the Filipino people have seen a preview of the type of administration to expect in the coming years.

Clocking in of inflation rate to 6.9%

The inflation rate of the Philippines skyrocketed to 6.9-percent in September 2022 during the Marcos Jr. presidency. This projected rate is a large acceleration from the 6.3% inflation rate in August 2022.

In June 2022, the inflation rate was 6.1-percent. The President, however, objected to the figure after seeing it and said, “We are not that high (on inflation rate).”

Investors pull out PH shares

Foreign stocks fell as the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) dropped continuously, losing 2.32 percent in the most recent index.

Holding firms experienced a 3.46 percent decline, which was followed by a 2.88 percent loss for property firms. Meanwhile, financials, mining and oil, services, and industrial firms followed with 2.46, 1.56, 0.57, and 0.32 percent losses, respectively.

This downward trend caused investors to pull out their investments, even more problems for the regressing economy.

Oil price fluctuates, minimum fare increases

Several oil companies in the Philippines implemented price fluctuations in the first 100 days of Marcos Jr.’s presidency.

On its oil monitor, the Department of Energy (DOE) declared that on June 21, 2022, gasoline increased by Php 0.80 per liter, diesel by Php 3.10 per liter, and kerosene by Php 1.70.

Meanwhile, oil prices for gasoline, diesel, and kerosene have fallen by Php 0.40, Php 1.85, and Php 1.30 per liter, respectively, on July 26, 2022.

However, DOE stated that on August 23, 2022, gasoline per liter increased by Php 0.70. Per liter increase by Php 2.60 for diesel and Php 2.80 for kerosene were effective.

On September 27, 2022, DOE declared a perliter decrease of Php 1.65 to 1.75 for gasoline, Php 1.25 for diesel, and Php 1.35 for kerosene. This fluctuation in oil products had a significant impact on transportation. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has approved a minimum fare hike for the majority of public utility vehicles (PUVs).

Effective on October 4, 2022, traditional jeepneys’ fares increased from Php 11 to Php 12. Ordinary city buses raised the minimum fare from Php 11 to Php 13, while the Php 13 air-conditioned city bus minimum fare escalated to Php 15.

Taxis’ per kilometer rate stayed at Php 2. The flag-down, meanwhile, increased from Php 40 to Php 45. Vehicles with AUV- and SUV types also hiked from Php 50 to Php 55 and the minimum fare for hatch-back types rose from Php 30 to Php 35.

Vloggers accredited for Palace Coverage

Former Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles pushed the accreditation of vloggers and social media personalities for palace briefings, making this one of her top priorities in her term.

Angeles stated that the main focus of the communication bureau of the current administration is to review whether or not vloggers should be permitted to cover Palace events.

The number of followers and engagement, the two main determinants of accreditation, are more heavily weighted toward quantity. However, Angeles said that additional qualifications would be subject to review.

Marcos Jr. urged to be taxpayer ‘role model’

On June 22, 2022, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Chief Lilia Guillermo compelled President Marcos Jr. to be a role model and pay his taxes as mandated by law and Supreme Court ruling.

President Marcos Jr.’s family still has unpaid estate taxes amounting to Php 203 billion. The amount inflated from the initial Php 23 million court ruling because of penalties and surcharges.

However, on September 14, 2022, Marcos Jr. demanded that the case should be reopened. He claimed that they were not given an opportunity to argue because of demographic considerations.

“Now we are all here. Open the case and let us argue it,” the chief executive exclaimed.

Conversely, the Supreme Court’s decision on tax liability is final and executory. The case was already unappealable.

PH peso falls short vs US dollar, again

An all-time low of Php 59 to a US dollar in a Marcos presidency was recorded on October 3 and is expected to sink further.

RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort bared that the Php 50.99 closing record of the currency in 2021 flunked by a staggering 15.7 percent. Moreover, economists forecast another Philippine peso meltdown citing a Php 62-perdollar rate.

“The peso can hit 60 by early November if [the] U.S. data remain strong and BSP refrains from an off-cycle hike,” Emilio Neri, Bank of the Philippine Islands’ lead economist, underscored.

In keeping with the trend of the peso’s depreciation, the Palace reassured that the President is “closely monitoring” the value.

“The President is in constant touch with the economic team and they are closely monitoring this. As you know naman, the inflation rate isn’t due to any local factors. It’s really about the exchange rate,” bared Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

Marcos’ changing stance on climate change

President Marcos appealed to nations for unification against climate change during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 22.

“This injustice must be corrected, and those who need to do more must act now. We accept our share of responsibility and will continue to do our part to avert this collective disaster,” Marcos reiterated.

After a few days, however, the climate-warrior president that showed up at UNGA was nowhere to be found in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s situation briefing regarding Super Typhoon Karding on September 26.

Marcos can be heard in a video clip questioning the legitimacy of climate change.

“Is that the trend? ‘Yan na yung climate change? Wala naman tayong ganiyan noon eh. Matagal na tayong nagbabantay ng bagyo,” the President attested.

#NasaanAngPangulo

Following several days of speculation, the Palace confirmed Marcos’ trip to Singapore in a statement, citing a “productive” trip.

It took days for #NasaanAngPangulo to dominate the trending chart on Twitter and for netizens to call out for accountability amidst the destruction brought upon by Super Typhoon Karding before the administration disclosed the Singapore trip rumors in detail.

Former Press Secretary Angeles said in a Facebook post that Marcos reiterated the matters that were discussed during his state visit last month.

“President Marcos’ visit to Singapore was productive. He strengthened the major items discussed during his state visit to this country, and continued to encourage investment to the Philippines,” Angeles said.

This was amid the heavy flak the President received for being “insensitive” and “callous” during times of economic hardships as House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro coined it.

Unity no more?

Three cabinet members resigned from their respective posts during the first 100 days of the current administration, Angeles cited a “medical condition” that “needs to be addressed” as a reason for vacating her job.

“[I] can’t say yet … Nothing serious, but it needs to be addressed,” she explained.

Replacing Angeles was Cheloy Gerafil who stepped down as Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman to accept the role in the Office of the Press Secretary.

Furthermore, Commission on Audit (COA) Chair Jose Calida also resigned due to “health reasons”. Gamaliel Cordoba has been appointed as the new COA Chairperson by Marcos Jr. for seven years.

Former Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez on the other hand, resigned amidst the sugar importation fiasco, serving only less than three months. Marcos Jr. chose Bersamin, a former chief justice, to fill the vacant position.

MISSING: DOH secretary

Despite the medical turmoil brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Marcos Jr. has yet to appoint a Department of Health (DOH) secretary.

While several undersecretaries and key officials have already been designated, the appointment of the DOH secretary is heavily urged and demanded.

OP proposes 4.5B confidential, intel funds

Marcos Jr. like former President Duterte, proposed confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) amounting to Php 4.5 billion for the 2023 national budget for the Office of the President. In 2016, the allocated CIF of the Aquino administration was only Php 500 million.

The influence of the increased proposed CIF was due to the increasing allocation of Duterte’s administration which started from Php 2.5 billion in 2017 to Php 4.5 billion in 2020.

As defined by the Commission on Audit (COA), confidential expenses are “expenses pertaining/related to surveillance activities in civilian government agencies that are intended to support the mandate or operations of the agency.”

Meanwhile, intelligence expenses are those that are “related to intelligence information gathering activities of uniformed and military personnel, and Intelligence Practitioners that have direct impact to national security.

Press freedom at stake

A critic of Marcos Jr. and his predecessor, Duterte, Percival Mabasa was gunned down on October 3, 2022, making him the 196th journalist to have seen extra judicial killing since the restoration of democracy in 1986.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) bared that Mabasa’s death was the second reported killing of members of the media under the current administration. In September, radio broadcaster Renato Blanco was fatally stabbed in Negros Oriental.

SEC affirms order to shut down Rappler

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) upheld its 2018 decision to close down the online media outlet Rappler.

The 2018 ruling was made as a result of Rappler’s violation of the law and the Constitution by issuing Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) that transferred ownership of the media organization to the Omidyar Network, a foreign entity.

The news site founded by Nobel Peace Prize awardee Maria Ressa, however, still has legal options and can file an appeal while the petition is pending.

Ressa said that they will appeal the decision especially because of the irregularity of the proceedings and that the Court of Appeals and SEC violated the right to due process. There was also no formal charge when the order was released.

Moreover, according to International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Secretary-General Sam Zarifi, the SEC ruling is only an effort to silence Rappler and Ressa. It can be noted that the news site and its CEO Ressa were known for being critical of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs.”

“The weaponization of law to curb opposing views results in the shrinking of democratic space and leads to an authoritarian rule which allows governments to abuse power with impunity, and undermines the rule of law, transparency, and accountability,” she added.

“The weaponization of law to curb opposing views results in the shrinking of democratic space and leads to an authoritarian rule which allows governments to abuse power with impunity, and undermines the rule of law, transparency, and accountability,” she added.

EDITORIAL

FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES opened for students of all levels last August 2022. After a 2-year pandemic ravaged the economy and altered the lives of people around the globe, the Philippines’ leaders firmly believe that we can return to our cramped classrooms and absorb wisdom from our underpaid educators without considering the consequences of such a setup.

The typical routine of learners and teachers alike includes the daily commute to school. The jeepney is the most common mode of transportation in Manila alone: cheap, (hopefully) quick, and plentiful units in the concrete jungle streets. Today, the minimum traditional jeepney fare is P12. In less than a year, this increased by a whopping 33%, and prices of other commodities skyrocketed, too.

Staying home is costly as it is; electricity price hikes, constant food shortages, and a decreasing purchasing power due to the diminishing value of our currency against the dollar. Piling on the need to spend on conveyance will burden Filipino families further and force them to tie a tourniquet around their waists instead of simply tightening their belts.

Even free education is not free. Freshly bought uniforms, books, bags, and stationery are essential for a student to maximize the opportunity to go to school. In the eyes of a provider, these are all peso bills waiting to be burned by a flame fueled by blood, sweat, tears, and arduous day-to-day labor.

When these aspiring pupils finally arrive in their classrooms armed with the overpriced materials from the sacrifices of their guardians, broken and inadequate facilities greet them. During the first day of classes, students in Pampanga had to conduct lessons in a drowned classroom, painstakingly writing their names on their learning modules while floodwater soaked their feet. In other institutions, there weren’t enough chairs to occupy the whole class; buildings had poor ventilation and overcrowded gathering areas.

Conducive learning spaces have become more scarce after the pandemic. The Department of Education (DepEd) is

responsible for patching these problems. Ensuring quality education should be a breeze with the Philippines’ Vice President, Sara Z. Duterte, as the new DepEd Secretary.

After securing P150 million worth of confidential funds from taxpayers and allocating P0 for Special Education, this department - as part of the government - must provide better service to its stakeholders, especially after depriving disabled students of the prospect of expanding their horizons. Yet VP Duterte, or “Sara without H (SWOH),” as netizens coin her, seems blind to the horrifying reality of ordinary Filipinos.

DepEd dared to call the chaotic first day of school “orderly and peaceful,” even after seeing a surge in traffic and a shortage of installations in educational institutions around the country. There is nothing peaceful about studying in a classroom where students’ feet are drenched in murky water after spending thousands of pesos on uniforms, shoes, and materials. Traveling from one place to another is far from tranquility, particularly when fares are rising exponentially and gridlock robs commuters of their peace of mind.

Instead of repose and stillness, Filipinos are coerced to deal with the daily travails of traveling to learn. While these people burn through their hard-earned money because of inflation, they are left wondering where P150 million will go after being declared confidential. Your guess is as good as mine, but after hearing many promises and noticing no improvement, I suppose taxpayers will not see the fruits of their payments soon.

After gaining access to a chopper to tuck her kids in for bedtime, SWOH soars through the sky like an eagle. She also stands by her decision to keep face-to-face classes going: to cram underage learners in dismal premises and oblige them to fight for a seat on a trip home to their families surviving paycheck-to-paycheck.

At the end of a 2-year pandemic that destroyed subsistence and took lives, VP Duterte maintains that she can afford to send her kids to school for face-to-face classes. Can you, a layman, keep up?

‘BAWAL BASTOS SA UE’

“MAY GUSTO ka pa bang ibang gawin?”

“Sobrang sexy mo na.”

“Sinetch itey na P.E. teacher sa UE na manyak.”

Educational institutions, colleges and universities in particular, have been described as the second homes of students where they develop their talents and skills to reach their full potential. As their second homes, students expect that schools will provide a haven where they can feel secure and protected while working to achieve their dreams under the guidance of teachers and professors, whom they refer to as their second parents. However, unbeknownst to many, sexual harassment and assault have become pervasive in these educational institutions and have remained silent yet alarming problems that school administrators have neglected to address. This includes the University of the East (UE). These very academic facilities that were meant to foster students have also become the ones that destroyed their lives.

Sexual harassment in learning facilities is frequently ignored since it is unfortunately very common. However, this issue surfaced in the UE community when a blind item post on Facebook accused an unnamed UE-Caloocan teacher of making unwelcome sexual advances on his students. The person who posted the blind item also provided screenshots of the teacher’s malicious messages to his students, who appear to be women. That single post eventually sparked the outing of other sexual predators in the university, the majority of whom, ironically, were educators. However, despite the public clamor on social media and multitudinous demands to address those issues, UE’s only action to date was an official statement.

The UE-Caloocan Basic Education Department reportedly created an institutional committee to investigate

the sexual misconduct allegations thrown against the teacher, but until now, no one has been held accountable. It can be noted that Republic Act No. 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act, mandates educational institutions to “take immediate action to eliminate the same acts, prevent their recurrence, and address their effects.” The students, however, have not received any further information from the administration since that official statement. UE cannot claim that no action was taken to address the allegations because no one filed a formal complaint.

The same law requires schools to promptly investigate the veracity of such information as well as the circumstances surrounding the occurrence of gender-based sexual harassment, even if the student does not wish to file a complaint.

The university’s slow investigation into these sexual misconduct issues of teachers only provides an opportunity for those sexual predators to continue harassing the students and bring unimaginable trauma to their lives.

Some victims bravely come forward to share their stories, but many remain in the dark, living with the horrific memories and awful experiences that stained their innocence. Sexual harassment perpetrated in this institution vehemently prevents them from accessing a safe and respectful learning atmosphere.

Therefore, the university has a responsibility to stand up for and alongside these students. UE owes it to them to ensure that they are safe and secure on campus at all times by strengthening the implementation of the Safe Spaces Act and holding sexual predators accountable, regardless of their position in the institution. Profanity of any kind has no place in a university. Students deserve a safe learning environment that can nurture them as they reach for that glorious tomorrow that this university promises.

LIMANG BUWAN na ang nakararaan nang dumampi muli sa mga palad ng masa ang kapangyarihang kay dalang kung dumaan at kay delikadong matanggap. Limang buwan na nang imaniobra ng mahigit limampu’t limang milyong Pilipino ang tadhana ng bansa sa susunod na anim na taon. Limang buwan na nang manaig ang berde’t pula at nagbigay daan ang rosas, bughaw, at iba pa. At sa paglipas ng mahigit isang daang araw na panunungkulan ng mga nanaig, tayo bang taong-bayan ay nagwagi rin?

Tungkulin ng presidente’t pamilya nito ang pagtitiyak ng diplomasya. Subalit habang bumabangon ang kanilang mga nasasakupan mula sa pinsala ng bagyo, lantad ang pagsasaya ng mga ito sa ibang bansa. Pagsasaya na kung susumahin ay aabot sa mahigit apat na milyon ang halaga. Habang nasa lupain ang mga magsasaka at hindi masakyan ang kanilang mga makinarya o kalabaw dulot ni ‘Karding,’ nasa kalangitan ang mga kampeon, dala-dala’t bantay-sarado ng mga sasakyang himpapawid. Mga agilang ni mga nakaraang pangulo ay maingat na ibalandra sa mukha ng halos dalawampung milyong nasa ilalim ng poverty threshold. Ang pagkapanalo ng unang pamilya ay tila parada sa puntong maupo sila sa palasyo, sunud-sunod at pagarbo nang pagarbo. Galing man sa kanilang mga bulsa ang ginugol sa mga nabanggit o hindi, para sa pamilyang dala-dala ang madugong memorya ng diktarturya at may hindi mabilang na kritiko, tila hindi nasisindak ang mga ito sa kung ano ang iisipin ng yaong mga nakabantay sa gobyerno. Prominente ang mga talumpati ng mga pinunong berde’t pula, ngunit maging ang mga dayuhan ay hindi bingi at bulag. Ang pagtanggi sa muling pakikilahok sa International Crime Court (ICC) ay katumbas na rin ng pagdadamot ng hustisya para sa mga biktima at mga pamilya nito. Matatandaang walang piniling kasarian at edad ang ‘Drug War’ ng nakaraang administrasyon. Bagama’t hindi klaro kung malinis ang mga kamay ng mga nasasabit na awtoridad, nananatiling nakaburo ang mga kaso at unti-unting

nababaon sa limot sa paglipat ng kalendaryo. Maituturing nga bang may imbestigasyong umuusad kung hindi lang mga anak, asawa, at kapatid ang hindi na nakauwi kundi pati hustisya?

Maging ang talumpati ukol sa Climate Change ay pinuna ng mga kilalang aktibista tulad nina Greta Thunberg at Alde Nilsson. Batid ang masalimuot na laban noong Martial Law, naniniwala silang hindi magkakaroon ng Climate Justice sa kasalukuyang pamamahala. Aanhin ng mga mamamayan ang mabubulaklak na mga salita kung darating ang panahon kung kailan mga mumunting halaman ay hindi na mamumulaklak pa?

Tunay na mababango ang mga pangako. Pero hindi ba’t ang durian mismo’y may parehong kwento? Salungat sa ‘di kaaya-ayang amoy nito ay ang matamis nitong lasa. Kabaliktaran nga lang sa mga pangako na tila alaala na lang ng kahapon— mapag-mula sa presyo ng bigas hanggang sa konkretong plano sa Climate Change. Gabundok pa ang nakabinbing mga problema ng bansa at siguradong hindi ito kayang bitbitin ng isang tao sa kaniyang mga balikat. Gayunpaman, sino ang mapapanatag na maso-solusyunan ang mga ito gayong tila part-time lang ng pangulo ang magpaka-pangulo? Matatawag bang ginintuan ang panahong kung saan nabubuhay ang mga mamamahayag sa posibilidad na maaaring ikasawi ng buhay nila ang isang kritisismo?

Ilapag muna natin ang ating kapalaluan at hayaan ang kaakuhan natin na makinig. Ang pagtalakay sa mga kinasasangkutang problema ng bansa ay hindi simpleng pagtatapon ng galit sa nanalong kandidato na hindi mo pinili. Sa halip, ito’y pamamaraan para paigtingin ang boses ng masa na dapat na nakikinabang sa pagkapanalo ng naturang kampeon.

May anim na taon pa tayo. Tanungin mo ang sarili mo. Sino nga ba ang tunay na natalo? Ang mga kandidatong iniinsulto mo sa kabila ng patuloy nilang pagtulong o tayo na haharap sa reyalidad ng ating naging boto?

Kumpisal

by Marc Stephen M. Andres

SABI

eskinita, at daan, wala nang kasiguraduhan sa ating kaligtasan, wala nang kahit sinong mapagkakatiwalaan.

Bilang sugo ng mga mabuting salita ng Ama, aking pinaniniwalaan na ang huling santuwaryo ng kabutihan, ang munting tahanan ng ating Panginoon ay siyang magiging huling pag-asa para sa siyudad na ‘to.

Ngunit sa gabi na ‘yon, tunay na nabigyan ako ng pagsubok ng Ama. Alas diyes pasado na nang may dumating na bisita upang umamin ng kaniyang mga sala. May iba akong inaasikaso noon, nagbabasa ng mga mahahalagang papeles para sa simbahan kung kaya’t inakala kong ang tumanggap sa magkukumpisal ay si Father David. Ngunit kumatok sa pinto ng aking opisina si Sister Irene at nababahalang sinabi sa ‘kin, “Father Joaquin, wala po si Father David ngayon at may gusto pa po magkumpisal. Sinubukan ko pong sabihan na bumalik na lang sa pagsikat ng araw pero nagpupumilit po.”

Napatigil ako at napatingin muli sa orasan. Madalang ang nangungumpisal sa gabi, ngunit sumagot ako, “Sige, Sister, ako nang bahala. Magpahinga ka na. Tatawagin na lamang kita kung may problema.” Tumango ang madre at bumuntonghininga.

“Sige po, Father, naroroon na po ang bisita’t nakapuwesto sa loob. Handa na po niya kayong tanggapin.”

“Maraming salamat, Sister Irene, ako ay pupunta na rin.” Pagkapasok ko sa confession booth, hinanda ko ang aking sarili. Marami na akong mga ideya na nabubuo at mga senaryong inaasahan. Maaaring isa na naman itong lasing na nanghihingi ng kapatawaran. Siguro’y isa rin itong taong walang-wala at manghihingi lamang =ng inspirasyon upang pagnilayan ang kaniyang buhay. Puwede ring isa itong nagluluksa para sa kaniyang minamahal na kamakailan lang umakyat sa kaharian ng Panginoon. Ngunit hindi ko inasahan ang mga sumunod na pangyayari sa madilim na gabi na iyon.

“Father, patawarin ninyo po ako ‘pagkat ako ay

nagkasala,” panimula nito.

Saglit siyang napahinto sa kaniyang pagbigkas, ngunit kalauna’y itinuloy niya rin ito.

“Naihatid na namin ‘yong pinakahuling padala. Malusog pa ang kalagayan ng atay at mga bato no’ng labing-walong anyos na babae, mukhang hindi nagbibisyo. Siklista ito. Nakuha namin nang mga bandang alas otso. Pinaglaruan at tinikman muna ng mga kasama ko ‘yong produkto pero mukhang magandang ani naman ito.”

Mahabaging Ama, tama po ba ang lahat ng mga narinig ko?

“Nakahanda na rin ‘yong mga puting van. Kada sasakyan may sampung bata. Binigyan namin sila ng droga bago namin ibigay dun sa mga dayo. Mukhang mahilig talaga sa mga maliliit na kabataan ‘yon at ibibigay naman daw niya agad ‘yong pera. Makakukuha rin po kayo ng donasyon,” dagdag pa nito na siyang ikinatakip ko ng bibig ko.

Nasusuka ako, Panginoon. Nawa’y bigyan ninyo po ako ng lakas upang sikmurain ito bilang mensahero ninyo sa makasalanang mundo na ito.

“Medyo naging madali na kumilos ngayon dahil sa bagong gobyerno. Hindi binibigyang pansin ang pagpigil ng krimen kasi ‘yong mga nakaupo din ang makikinabang,” tila nakangisi pa nitong banggit. “May muntik pa ngang makatakas kanina. Tumakbo at medyo nakalayo. Niratrat tuloy namin. At para makasigurado, pinugutan namin at tinapon doon sa palayan. Sayang pero ang pulis na ang bahala sa paglinis no’ng kalat. Walang magiging problema. Hindi nila mahuhulaan ang koneksyon ng simbahan.”

Wala na akong nagawa pa kundi ang manahimik.

“O siya, Father, may susunod pa ho akong trabaho,” ani nito’t nakarinig ako ng mahinang pagkalansing. “Mabuti’t nandiyan kayo. Kayo na ho ang bahala sa mga anak ko kung sakaling may mangyari sa ‘kin, ha? Pasabi na lang po sa mga anak ko kung saan ko iniwan ‘yong naitabi kong ipon.”

Matapos no’n ay lumabas na ang kawatan. Dinig ko ang bawat pagyapak niya papalabas ng simbahan habang ako nama’y walang lakas para kumilos. Pilit kong pinaulit-ulit sa isipin ko na pagsubok lamang ito, na tungkulin ko ang maging gabay sa mga napaririwarang mga kaluluwa tulad ng taong ‘yon.

Hindi iniwan ng Panginoon ang siyudad. Nakulong tayo sa loob nito… at itinago natin mula sa kaniya ang susi.

Valentina: Friend or Foe?

by Jazmin Dhane O. Garcia

DARNA IS one of those shows we know like the back of our hand, for we grew up with its name and numerous versions. Rooting from a comic series by Mars Ravelo, Darna, Ding, her rival Valentina, and the miraculous stone captured the hearts and minds of Filipinos, young or old.

Darna made a comeback on Philippine television on August 15, 2022. Pinoys all over the country were pumped to see their favorite heroine again after ten years. In the earlier episodes, people’s opinions on the teleserye were split. Many people were happy, while others were apprehensive or irritated.

In the fifth episode of the show where Valentina, played by Janella Salvador, drops the line, “Marami sa atin ang natakot sa babaeng ahas, pero alam mo kung ano ang mas nakakatakot? Wala pa ring plano ang mga nasa pwesto.” against the character Mayor Zaldy Vallesteros, played by Simon Ibarra. The line gained uproar on social media and generated heated debates, reeling in partisan and political statements from various supporters.

Netizens were moved and concurred with Valentina’s statement. She was referred to as a “woke villain” who was sincere and unafraid to express her political views. Because Salvador’s Valentina is sympathetic and points out what is wrong in our society, it also becomes distinct from the typical television villain, whose actions are plain evil and immoral.

While others seem to like it, others dislike what the character says. Many people were upset and criticized what the villain was saying, thinking it was meant to be a blow to the present administration. They believe such things are no longer necessary and that unity and togetherness are more vital. It even got to the point where the actress was condemned simply because she delivered a line from her script.

Nonetheless, Filipinos and foreigners alike continue to watch and support this show.

How about you? Do you agree with Valentina’s statement, or do you find it insulting to the present administration? Do you view Valentina as a friend or foe?

NILA, “Iniwan na ng Panginoon ang ating siyudad.” Nawalan na ng saysay ang pananampalataya sa Diyos ‘pagkat hindi na tumigil ang kadilimang bumabalot sa bawat buhay ng residente rito sa ‘min. Krimen sa kahit saang sulok, kanto,

Sa Likod ng Litrato

ni Janae P. Ammugauan

“AY, ANG galing naman ng batang ito! Sana ay ipagpatuloy niya ang pagtitinda hanggang sa maabot niya ang kaniyang pangarap.” Ito ang karaniwang pahayag na mababasa sa isang post na inilalarawan ang pang araw-araw na buhay ng isang mag-aaral. Ang bata’y nakaupo sa bangketa habang sinasagutan ang takdang-aralin at nagbebenta ng mga prutas. Nakatutuwa ang pagpupursigi ng isang batang paslit, hindi ba? Umaani ng papuri ang mga ganitong litrato. Kesyo masipag, matapang, ‘di nagpapatinag, at tila ba nagbabanat ng buto ang isang bulilit na may matayog na pangarap. Hindi bale nang wala sa listahan ng mga responsibilidad ng isang menor de edad ang magtrabaho at magtinda upang may pantustos sa kaniyang edukasyon; ang mahalaga’y itinatayo niya ang bandera ng kasipagan ng mga Pinoy, ‘di ba?

Tunay ngang nakamamangha ang kakayahan nating mga Pilipino na manatiling positibo sa harap ng anumang kagipitan. Tila ba dalubhasa na tayo sa pagbibigay-pugay sa ating mga kababayan na paulit-ulit na bumabangon sa gitna ng walang hanggang paghihirap. Hindi bali nang walang usad ang kalidad ng buhay sa Pilipinas, ang mahalaga’y makaraos sa araw-araw. Tama?

Malamang ay hindi niyo na mabilang sa mga daliri sa kamay at paa kung ilang beses nang napalakpakan ang ating bansa sa pagbangon muli matapos ang delubyo. Mapa-bagyo, korapsyon, lindol, o mapang-abusong pamumuno man ay walang humpay ang ating katatagan. Hindi bale nang lalong humihirap ang mga nasa laylayan at lalong yumayaman ang mga nasa itaas; ang importante’y walang nagrereklamo at may napupuri na kung sino. Pilipino, manhid na ba kayo? Bilang nasyon, nabingi na tayo sa katotohanang naghuhumiyaw. Nalunod na tayo sa mga papuri’t pagbati na walang ambag sa pagpapabuti ng ating kalagayan. Ang mapait na kasawiang-palad ay hindi nilulunok at hindi dapat ipinapamigay ang mga salitang walang saysay.Bagama’t nakagawian na ang pagtayo sa sariling mga paa, hindi ibig sabihin nito’y isa itong tradisyong ipinagbubunyi at ipinagdiriwang. Kailan pa naging tama sa ating paningin ang masaksihan ang kawalan ng oportunidad sa maayos na pamumuhay ng ating mga kababayan?

Sa bawat positibong pahayag tungkol sa katatagan at tiyaga, isang pamilya ang lalong nalulubog sa kahirapan. Sa bawat papuring binibitawan, isang bata sa kalsada ang naghahangad na makaupo sa silya ng silid-aralan. Sa bawat salitang binabalewala ang kahirapan, isang pinuno ng bayan ang tinatakasan ang responsibilidad.

Hindi papuri ang siyang bubusog sa kumakalam na sikmura. Hindi salita ang magbibigay-daan upang maabot ng paslit sa naturang larawan ang kaniyang pangarap.

Katumbas ng bawat pantig ng papuri ang pag-atras ng duwag na lider mula sa kaniyang katungkulan. Tumindig at ibahin ang kumpas ng tambol; ituon ang atensyon sa idolong alibugha. Ang papuri’y palitan ng pagpuna, kagipitan ay matatakasan, pugutan ang walang pananagutan!

Pansariling Kalayaan

MAG-ISA.

Sa paningin ng iba, ito’y hindi maganda; negatibo’t kaakibat ng kalungkutan, para bang isa ‘tong parusa. Kawawa.

Ito ang laging wika nila. “Wala ba siyang barkada’t pamilya?” idadagdag pa nila. Subalit… Mag-isa.

Sa paningin ko, ito’y payapa; positibo’t kaakibat ng katahimikan, para bang isa ‘tong gantimpala. Maginhawa.

May kagaanan itong dala-dala may kapayapaan at katuparan na sa sarili lamang magmumula.

Ang pagkain nang mag-isa sa mga restawran ay hindi sumasalamin sa buhay na puno ng lumbay. Sa katunayan, ito’y nagpapakita ng tunay na kasiyahan: kasiyahang hindi puro, taospuso, at sa sarili’y bubuo.

Ang kakayahang maging mapag-isa sa lugar kung saan maraming tao ay isang talento; ito’y sumisimbolo sa pagyakap sa ating pansariling pagkakakilanlan. Isang hakbang patungo sa pagmamahal sa sarili’t mahigpit na pagyapos sa ating indibidwal na kalayaan.

ni Amby Marielle L. Masiglat

About Time

Edgin Kristoffer Angeles

Ceres Nicole Avila

The Word Inside Prinsipe Amante

Chill Top Edgin Kristoffer Angeles

SPORTS

PUTTING an end to their 15-game losing streak, the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors were able to post a 3-4 win-loss record tally at the end of the first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

Rising from the perils of a winless record last season, the Red Warriors put on their strongest suit this time around to make a promising comeback that will turn the tournament’s course too unpredictable.

Despite bowing to the National University (NU) Bulldogs in the first game, the Red Warriors emerged victorious in their second match against the Far Eastern University (FEU)

by Jessica Ann S. Evangelista

Tamaraws as Kyle Paranada went nuclear and unloaded a career-high 25 points, highlighting a game-sealing layup to secure the victory, 7664.

In the third game, the Recto-based squad tried to score its first-winning streak against the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons, with Luis Villegas pulled an outstanding performance anew with 15 points and nine rebounds, while CJ Payawal deposited 12 points, but the wits of the Warriors fell short of outsmarting the Falcons.

After the defeat, the Lualhati crew entered the fourth match with fire and sweat to bag that triumph. Brothers Kyle and Nikko Paranada

UE’s next superstar: Katrina Salazar clinches gold in SEATA Race

by Piolo S. Almoite

HIGHLY recruited and new UE track and field athlete Katrina Salazar took home the gold medal as she had a stellar performance in the recently concluded Southeast Asian Triathlon Association (SEATA) Race in the Junior Elite Category in Desaru, Malaysia on September 18, 2022.

In an online interview with the DAWN, the 18-year-old athlete said that the international stint experience was fun as she had become friends with two triathletes who represented the Philippines. She also bared that she was able to pick up new knowledge that can help her become a better athlete.

“I was able to officially meet and become friends with two triathletes that also represented the Philippines, and I was able to also meet other triathletes from Malaysia and Singapore. With the race mismo, although I did well by being on the podium, I was also able to learn new lessons to further improve as a triathlete,” Salazar said. She also emphasized the challenging situation of the tournament, which makes her even more competitive.

“To be honest, this race was also challenging since the ocean was super wavy and the run was rolling with the majority being uphill but that’s what makes the competition even more competitive and fun. So although it was hard, I was happy that the race was difficult as well,” Salazar added.

To recall, the race consists of a brisk 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride, and a five-kilometer run.

The gold medalist also said that she was not the first option to compete in the

race, but despite her emphatic record, she was able to go up against other countries like Malaysia and Singapore.

“I wasn’t the first choice to represent the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Triathlon Association (SEATA), but I was able to join because their first choice wasn’t available. Other than that athlete not being available, of course, I was also chosen for a reason. My triathlon coach (Kevin Eijan Santos) is actually a national team coach for TRAP (Triathlon Association of the Philippines) and he nominated and vouched for me to join Malaysia. Not only that, but two other national team coaches vouched and agreed to send me to Malaysia, which is how I was able to be part of that race,” she underscored.

“Since the start of the year, I’ve been really pushing to be part of the junior elite since that’ll be the pathway to the national team. And the reason why these three coaches agreed that I can represent the Philippines well in Malaysia was that they also saw my results from previous races and they saw my gradual but definitely improving results where I not only showed a good result through my time but I was also able to be on the podium,” Salazar added.

Salazar bested Moira Frances Gabrielle Erediano of the Philippines and Teo Sze Hui of Malaysia, finishing the entire race with a time of 1:13.34 in her debut in an international stint.

Salazar also finished second in the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint Triathlon on the Subic Bay Boardwalk last October 23, 2022.

The Filipina triathlete also inspired other young triathletes by highlighting the importance of believing in yourself to achieve your goal.

“It’s much more possible than you think and believe. It’ll definitely take time and effort, and to be honest, it’s definitely not easy to get there, but if you have the heart and dream, and you put in the right amount of work to achieve your goal, then it’s definitely way more possible than you were expecting,” Salazar expressed.

The SEATA Race and Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint Triathlon served as preparation for Salazar for the highly anticipated University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) track and field event after a twoyear hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

unleashed a barrage of three-point shots to conquer De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, 81-72. Kyle chipped in with 20 points, six assists, three rebounds, and three steals, while Nikko pumped 18 points.

The first-round encounter was filled with joy for the first time in a long time as the Red Warriors trampled the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tigers, 78-68, after five long years to obtain that sweet back-to-back win.

UE’s first winning streak in this tournament has been the courtesy of the men’s heated teamwork as they posted a double-digit performance in the bout. Luis Villegas and Nikko Paranada pitched in 17 points, Jojo

Antiporda scored a career-best 13 points, Harvey Pagsanjan’s five points and 11 rebounds, and Gani Stevens gathered 11 points.

The Recto squad attempted to rally with the tension by putting in a triple effort to keep the victory in the last two games, but opponents were not easily outlasted. Nonetheless, the Warriors gave them a deep match to make them remember that UE is to battle seriously.

The Red Warriors ended the first-round clash better and more hopeful than ever, tying with the Soaring Falcons and the Green Archers for a spot in the final four. The victory is becoming visible. Soon enough, the sight may become tangible.

UAAP unveils new courtside reporters, Allison Co represents UE

by Anna Marie B. Atutubo

ALLISON Co, Ateneo Communication student, is the new voice and face of the University of the East (UE) as the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) kicked off its 85th season this October 2022.

In an exclusive interview with Co, she expressed the realization she had regarding the team’s strength behind its losing streak from the previous season. Despite their countless defeats, harmony within the team was never lost. This was after Co had the chance to converse with the players and the coach, which boosted her eagerness to represent the Red and White community in the tournament.

Although her interactions were still limited as she only met UE’s Coach Jack Santiago, the Men’s Basketball Team, and the Athletics Department, Co stated that she never had a hard time getting to know them, emphasizing the accommodating nature of the people she has come across. In addition, this experience made her feel honored to cover them this season.

With new highlights coming for the tournament, Co’s stories will also be much anticipated as she talks about the Recto

squad’s passion to win and how they will achieve their redemption in any sports criteria. She also said that she saw how the team prepared so this should not be missed out, encouraging the UE community to cheer and support the teams throughout the 85th season.

Co is currently a Broadcast News Correspondent from the GUIDON, the official student publication of Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), and a senior high school graduate of the University of the Philippines Rural High School (UPRHS).

UE captures Pinoyliga Cup championship

THE UNIVERSITY of the East (UE) Red Warriors captured the Pinoyliga Cup at Enderun College Titans’ expense, 81-74, in their championship matchup of the preseason tournament held at SGS Stadium in Quezon City on August 26.

The Pinoyliga Cup was a preseason tournament for both the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) teams.

The Red Warriors took down NCAA giants, the San Beda University Red Lions, 79-66, in their semifinal game with Luis Villegas being hailed as the player of the game with nine points, seven rebounds, and three assists while Harvey

Pagsanjan added 16 points.

UE started the tournament with an 8961 beatdown of San Beda in the elimination stages of the game while also dominating against NCAA teams such as the College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Blazers, Mapua University Cardinals, and fellow UAAP team, the National University (NU) Bulldogs.

In their matchup against the Bulldogs, Kyle Paranada scored 10 points while dishing out four assists as they took down NU, 70-57.

UE’s debuting players for the UAAP, namely Jalen Stevens, Villegas, and Calvin Payawal all had great tournament outings as their presence helped UE in capturing the preseason tournament.

The UE Men’s Basketball Team posing after qualifying for the semifinals of the Pinoyliga Cup. (Photo courtesy of Pinoyliga Cup)