The GUIDON - January-February 2022

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JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 VOL. XCII NO. 4

T H E OF F ICI A L S T U DEN T PU BL IC AT ION OF T H E AT EN E O DE M A N I L A U N I V ER SIT Y HOLD THE TRUTH TO POWER

LS bids Php 2.2-billion budget, tuition fee increase for on-site AY 2022-2023

BY ANNA PINEDA AND JOAQUIN BAANG PHOTO BY VIONNA VILLALON ILLUSTRATION BY KYLA NICOLE VILLEGAS

VICE PRESIDENT for the Loyola Schools (VPLS) Maria Luz C. Vilches, PhD announced the LS administration’s Php 2.2-billion budget proposal for AY 20222023 on February 14 through the Magtanong sa VP at mga Dekano budget forum.

In the forum, Vilches explained that the proposed budget— which has been approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for AY 20202021—assumes the LS will be returning on-site for classes and other office-related activities next year. The budget also prioritizes the accommodation of more scholars, salary increases, support for research and technology, and other improvements.

With these priorities in mind, the budget proposal indicates

a 6 percent increase in tuition fees and a 35 percent increase in operating expenses, according to her. Notably, the fees for electricity and development were removed in AYs 2020-2022 due to the online setup but are now expected to be restored in the tuition assessments for the next AY. This proposal has already been presented to the LS Budget Committee, University Budget Committee, faculty members, and Ateneo Schools Parents Council through different forums.

However, Vilches said the Board of Trustees will still need to give their final verdict concerning the budget by June or July.

ONGOING PILOT RUN Vilches discussed the budget proposal for next year’s on-site

“We are compliant with minimum safety regulations. In fact, we have surpassed the standards of the city local government unit, and that’s not surprising when we tend to surpass everyone else’s standards. ” RAPHAEL D. GUERRERO, PHD DEAN, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

setup two days after various LS administrators released updates for the current semester’s pilot implementation of face-toface activities. On February 12, Vilches announced the campus reopening, School Registrar Marlene De Leon, PhD published the schedules for Flex, Hybrid, and Online+ classes, and Office for Student Services Director Michael Jacinto Mallillin released the Student Campus Access Request Form for students not enrolled in the select on-site classes. For the pilot run, students allowed entry to the campus may research in the Special Collections area in Rizal Library and Matteo Ricci Hall, consult with the LS Office of Guidance and Counseling, and purchase school supplies at the LS Bookstore.

Regular students will also have access to classrooms in the PLDT-Convergent Technologies Center (CTC) building, Science Education Complex (SEC) B and C, Schmitt, Faura and Gonzaga Halls, Ateneo Multi-Purpose Cooperative (AMPC) cafeteria, and the chapel.

Another memorandum also stated that all individuals granted campus access should enroll in the Blue Pass system for health monitoring and campus tracing purposes. They will also need to submit the Health Survey Form 24 hours before their preapproved visit to generate their Blue Pass IDs. After accomplishing this, students and their parents will have to sign the LS Co-Responsibility and Co-Accountability Undertaking to signify their commitment to all provided campus safety protocols.

That said, Vilches clarified that on-site organizational activities are still prohibited, and that access to the Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) Building and John Gokongwei

Student Enterprise Center (JSEC) is limited. Nonetheless, CHED already approved athletic training in bubble setups within the campus as long as the athletes are fully vaccinated. In line with such safety precautions, Vilches said that all visitors must be fully vaccinated and registered with PhilHealth or any equivalent medical insurance that covers COVID-19 medical expenses.

NEXT STEPS FORWARD In an interview with The GUIDON, Office of Health Services (OHS) Director Henrietta Dela Cruz said that OHS teleconsultation lines, as well as the Office of the University Physician, will remain open to all students, faculty, and staff as it had been since the beginning of the pandemic.

Dela Cruz also shared that as of February 2, the student population has an 85% vaccination rate. To promote vaccine efficacy, the OHS has been holding webinars and working alongside the Office of Human Resource Management and Organization Development to obtain booster shots for the University Vaccination Program.

She further stated that the Ateneo Institute for the Science and Art of Learning and Teaching has been training faculty on how to engage students in online learning and that the LS administration has begun to revise and create new policies to ensure a safe environment in AY 2022-2023. “[The administration has] several plans beginning from the creation of a more responsive curriculum, practicums, and innovations in the learning environment and content [and] more safety protocols to provide a safe haven for students to pursue studies with less risk,” said Dela Cruz.

School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) Dean Raphael D. Guerrero PhD added that he is happy that the school adopted a “very scientific approach” for going back on-site. “[My] hope is that LS remains open in terms of listening to concerns from our students or faculty members or staff, all the stakeholders in the community, and we find the best way forward.

Hopefully, it will be science that guides us, the welfare of each other that inspires us, and it will not be fear that drives our decisions,” he said.

“What they have at home is nothing compared to what they have access to in our laboratory, so that’s why we do hope to have them back on campus. […] We’re just hoping that they will get a chance to fire up their lasers, conduct experiments in the biology laboratories with the microscopes, and conduct science experiments with their 3D printers and other world-class equipment we have in SOSE,” he said.

THE ROAD AHEAD With the city government’s approval of the LS campus facilities, Guerrero cites scheduling as SOSE’s major roadblock in implementing on-site classes.

He hopes that SOSE and its students can keep open lines of communication to allow the school to create better schedules for on-site classes and lower the risk of infection among students.

“We are compliant with minimum safety regulations.

In fact, we have surpassed the standards of the city local government unit, and that’s not surprising when we tend to surpass everyone else’s standards,” he said.

However, should on-site classes be delayed again, he said that this should not affect the school’s quality of learning because the whole academic year was meant to be held online before the administration took up the opportunity to pilot on-site classes instead.

Although Guerrero mentioned that students have been able to run their laboratory tests successfully at home, he still stressed the importance of the on-site setup for SOSE students.

WHAT’S INSIDE OPINION Loose Spaces Page 08

SPORTS Online competitions: A double-edged sword Page 12

INQUIRY Trailing the typhoon’s tailend Page 04

BEYOND LOYOLA Blood by the ballot box Page 01

FEATURES Table for Three Page 01

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2

News

Sanggu holds first-ever State of the Sanggunian Address

BY BILLIE ASUNCION AND MOIRA V. CAYABYAB

TO A DVA NCE s t udent participation, fair representation, and transparency, the Sanggunian held its first State of the Sanggunian Address (SOSA) on January 29. During the two-hour address, the various Sanggunian officers delivered progress reports on their accomplishments throughout the first semester.

Inspired by last year’s 260 Days of Interim initiative, Sanggunian Vice President and Central Assembly (CA) Chairperson TJ Alcantara pushed for SOSA’s implementation in the CA as part of its commitment to transparency and accountability. Notably, this previous initiative resulted from the two-year postponement of the Sanggunian General Elections.

“Because we were in an interim government last school year, we decided to present our milestones, our challenges, our performance as an interim government. I thought that this should be institutionalized, and so this became the State of the Sanggunian Address,” he said.

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROGRESS Most of the projects and future plans presented during the address were focused on student engagement and COVID19 related subsidies. Among the highlighted milestones was Resolution No. 2, which School of Social Sciences Representative Ivan Nabong and his team authored to bolster student representation through the election of Course Representatives.

Additionally, School of Science and Engineering Representative Rika Cruz cited her plans for a COVID-19 Testing Subsidy Bill, while John Gokongwei School of Management Representative Liezel Brito put forward her plans regarding a Startup Subsidy Bill for student entrepreneurs.

However, CA members like Council of Organizations of the Ateneo - Manila (COA-M) Representative Kichee Pinera noted the difficulties in garnering low student engagement from the sectors they represent.

THE CHALLENGE OF ENGAGEMENT Pinera discussed the low sectoral engagement, saying that this is one of the Sanggunian’s biggest, recurring issues. League of Independent Organizations (LIONS) Sector Representative Alexandra Derpo noted that, in particular, CA sessions have a considerably low amount of views.

For instance, CA sessions typically only have five live views

in total. Currently, the most recent CA session has 442 views, while there are over 8,000 undergraduate students in the Ateneo.

Having implemented SOSA to directly address this issue, Derpo brought up that cross-posting on the various Sanggunian pages aided in improving student engagement. Alcantara added that the Sanggunian is also planning to post clips of SOSA so that interested students may choose which speech to watch rather than watching the full two-hour address.

OPENING DOORS Furthermore, Pinera mentioned that SOSA is “a call to action” for the Sanggunian. “If you are not satisfied with the service that we’re giving, it’s okay to air it out and hopefully you trust us enough with that information [so we can] properly address the situation,” she added.

Regardless of the low student engagement the Sanggunian faced, Alcantara shared that he hopes for SOSA to continue improving. He mentioned that, instead of the officers giving their updates through individual speeches, SOSA could be an open dialogue between sector representatives and their constituents in the future. This will allow students to share their questions, concerns, and feedback with their officers.

In line with this, Derpo said that SOSA was a good platform to start with more “on the ground” information dissemination.

“When there’s an initiative like SOSA that caters to the entirety of the student body, what we’re able to do is [...] remove that barrier that internal town halls or general assemblies kind of push for. We kind of open it to all,” she said.

Alcantara added that the Sanggunian is also planning to initiate more sectoral dialogue by giving the emerging sectors a space to voice their concerns.

He said these plans include the transferee and LGBTQ+ sectors to give them the opportunity to share action points that could possibly be converted into legislation. “[We] acknowledge that the Sanggunian has so much to learn.

Coming to this online set-up, there were a lot of limitations [...] but I think we were able to overcome some of those limitations and challenges by pushing through, trying to be more innovative, and looking for ways on how we could engage with the student body,” he said.

PRESENT. Following the end of the first State of the Sanggunian Address, the Sanggunian aimed to uphold transparency and accountability with the Loyola Schools student body.

I thought that [presenting our milestones and performance as the student government] should be institutionalized, and so this became the State of the Sanggunian Address.

TJ ALCANTARA SANGGUNIAN VICE PRESIDENT AND CA CHAIRPERSON

PHOTOS BY KEVIN SORNET

EDITOR: ALLIANZA O. PESQUERA LAYOUT ARTIST: GERALD LOIS M. ROLDAN

3

ARH begins accepting applicants for on-campus lodging

BY ELOIZA MARIANO AND WEI TANAMAL

LOOKING AHEAD. As the University starts its pilot run of on-site classes, Ateneo Residence Halls (ARH) continues the processing of dorm applications for the second semester in order to assess the need for on-campus lodging.

PHOTOS COURTESY of ATENEO RESIDENCE HALLS PHOTO MANIPULATION BY EIRENNE A. LUMASANG

STUDENTS AND employees in need of safe lodging for the pilot run of on-site classes have begun checking into Eliazo Hall on February 21, according to Ateneo Residence Halls (ARH) Director Rene Salvador San Andres.

Meanwhile, Cervini Hall is used exclusively for the varsity athletes’ bubble training. San Andres shared that this setup has been in place since January and will remain until the end of the semester. In light of the Flex, Hybrid, and Online+ classes for the second semester, he also said that the ARH will be accommodating three types of lodging: Short-term lodging, one-month-long lodging, and fullsemester lodging.

With these setups, an individual can stay for one day up to a total of five months in Eliazo Hall.

The ARH began sending out acceptance letters on February 14 to the less than 100 individuals who applied last December. That said, San Andres confirmed that the dorm application form will remain open throughout the semester for the potential shortterm and month-long lodgers, as well as to gauge the demand for room slots.

RETROFITTED FACILITIES AND PROTOCOLS To secure the safety of the residents, San Andres said the dormitory rooms in the Cervini and Eliazo Halls went through capacity reduction. However, the LS Office of Facilities and Sustainability was still able to keep the four-bed arrangement through the use of cabinets as natural dividers.

“So now, in effect, [the] actual reduction is less than 25 percent because that applies only to Cervini and Eliazo. That’s six floors. In the University Dorm with two buildings and seven floors, we’re able to retain the four beds per room,” he explained.

In addition, acrylic barriers were installed in sinks and toilet areas to ensure the safe use of common toilet and bathroom facilities. Strict physical distancing rules would also be implemented in other common areas like the lobby. Notably, the LS administration had to shoulder all dorm facility adjustments as there was no revenue from 2020 to 2021, according to San Andres.

He also emphasized that only essential trips to locations like grocery stores, banks, and

Right now, nothing is definite. We base it on—we need to feel the need and respond to the need. The policies come after the need.

RENE SALVADOR SAN ANDRES DIRECTOR, ATENEO RESIDENCE HALLS

We want this to be a second home away from home. Ready to be a second home away from home, if and when people are allowed to stay in the dorm because we have two batches of Ateneans who have not yet experienced Ateneo life.

RENE SALVADOR SAN ANDRES DIRECTOR, ATENEO RESIDENCE HALLS

PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS According to San Andres, the decision to reopen the ARH was based on the academic needs of the Loyola Schools (LS), especially for School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) students who need the laboratories, and graduating students who need to finish required courses.

Those who are eligible to stay in the dorm are fourth year or fifth year undergraduate students, as well as graduate students who are fully vaccinated and enrolled in the pilot run of face-to-face classes.

Likewise, personnel endorsed by their respective offices will also be accommodated.

Besides the above-mentioned criteria, San Andres said that he and the dorm administration team also evaluated the applications based on location and priority. According to him, scholars are considered “top priority” followed by students living outside the National Capital Region when it comes to receiving the different room slots.

“I see the dorm as a facility in service of academic objectives.

So if they need a safe space, a safe haven, to perform their academic responsibilities, we need to provide that,” he said.

drugstores would be allowed.

Quarantine provisions would be implemented for dormers who would leave the dorm to spend time in their homes.

CONTINGENCY PLANS In the case of a COVID outbreak inside the dorm, San Andres explained that the ARH will follow health measures, such as isolation, quarantine, monitoring, and other protocols that the University Physician would mandate. Additionally, if the ARH is placed under lockdown with students inside, San Andres assured the implementation of strict quarantine protocols through controlled movement. A certificate of quarantine will also be issued in coordination with the Office of Health Services in case a dormer would be traveling as the dormitories are “practically under quarantine conditions.”

On the other hand, with the reopening of the dorms, San Andres is hopeful that the Ateneo Resident Students Association (ARSA) would end its hiatus.

“Kapag may dormer na, dapat may ARSA (Once there is a dormer, there must be ARSA) because that’s the government of the students in the dorm. You have to manage yourselves so we give them that liberty,” he said.

4

News

Atin ang Boto initiative kicks off second phase to strengthen voters’ education

BY JUAMI AIZPURU

AS THE 2022 national election nears, the Office of the Vice President for Social Development’s (OVPSD) student arm Atin ang Boto (AAB) debuts the second phase of its initiative, bearing the same name to strengthen Filipino voters’ sociopolitical awareness.

The student-run AAB initiative is set to span from January to the first week of May before the May 9 elections, according to OVPSD Social Development Programs Administrator Maria Milagros Tendero. AAB is currently making efforts to further its initiative by publishing information on its Facebook page and holding webinars for voters.

AAB Communications Committee Co-head Ashlee Baritugo added that one of AAB’s goals is

to be a “one-stop directory” of election-related information for voters who do not know where to start.

Notably, the initiative’s first phase, Ateneans for Voter Registration, began in 2021 to help Filipinos with the voter registration process by hosting webinars and creating infographics online with their local networks and partners.

PLANS AHEAD Baritugo explained that the student initially experienced issues during its first phase because of the transition to the online setup. They also conducted an Impact Survey in 2021, which revealed that 157 out of 282 respondents found the initiative’s presence to be insufficient because it should have been more accessible to non-Ateneans.

She added that, while these challenges persist, A AB is moving towards improvements by opening AAB to non-Atenean volunteers and recalibrating its goals and objectives according to new developments.

According to her, doing so helped in seeing and anticipating voters’ needs.

“I think this really helps us resolve the need to really hit people close to home [since] there are some people who are comfortable with being apolitical [...], so the goal was really to get them to care about the elections and to care about their vote,” Baritugo added.

Tendero also shared that the OVPSD is planning to shift to political education among Filipinos after the May elections.

Baritugo added that this includes the AAB’s plan to have a more

“sector-based approach” through discussions on how specific sectors may be impacted by the outcome of the elections.

Moreover, Tendero said that activities such as various fora are being organized by the OVPSD in collaboration with student and employee groups on events related to voter education and participation to expand on their goal of strengthening voter education.

MEETING GOALS In line with reaching a larger audience, Tendero shared that 10 additional local networks were formed since December 2021 in Makati City and in the provinces of Cebu, Pangasinan, Albay, Cavite, Zambales, Leyte, Zamboanga del Sur, Bataan, and Iloilo.

From the Student Arm’s inception in April 2021 until

October 2021, Tendero said that it had been able to establish 16 local networks within and outside the National Capital Region (NCR).

According to her, while six of the 16 local networks are located in Metro Manila, the other 10 are located in the provinces of Pampanga, Batangas, Quezon, Rizal, Camarines Sur, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Laguna, as well as areas in Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City.

Similarly, AAB Institutional Networks Committee Co-head Clarence Monterozo mentioned that they have primarily partnered with organizations and student councils within the Ateneo like the Sanggunian, Ateneo School of Government, Ateneo Senior High School Commission on Elections, and the Ateneo Assembly.

Aside from these, Monterozo said that AAB has partnered

with the Eleksyon Koalisyon 2022, Rappler, and other Jesuit institutions such as the Ateneo de Naga University.

Monterozo mentioned that the partnership with Jesuit Institutions and organizations outside of NCR helped to expand AAB’s reach and get in touch with the LS community despite being in the online setup to collaborate on efforts within their home provinces.

Monterozo also said that the LS community can expect continued social involvement from AAB because the hope is for the student arm to go beyond elections towards other social developmentrelated projects and initiatives.

“Definitely, the real fight for a better future should never end at elections. Leaders have to be held accountable and issues need to be addressed concretely,” he added.

COMBATING DISINFORMATION. Part of its various initiatives in strengthening voter knowledge and participation within the Loyola Schools (LS) community, Atin Ang Boto releases informative posts that aid the ordinary voter in consuming media online. PHOTO BY JACINTA MADDATU

I think this really helps us resolve the need to really hit people close to home [since] there are some people who are comfortable with being apolitical [...], so the goal was really to get them to care about the elections and to care about their vote.

ASHLEE BARITUGO CO-HEAD, ATIN ANG BOTO COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

The GUIDON | January - February 2022

5

LS students grapple with Omicron surge

BY YUAN PLACIDES

AS THE country saw a new spike in COVID-19 cases due to the highly contagious Omicron va r ia nt, the Sa ngg unia n Committee on COVID Care and Recovery released on January 17 the results of the COVID-19 Surge Constituency Check to assess the surge’s impact on the student body.

Following the surge, the University administration postponed the return to on-site classes and moved back the onset of the second semester to January 31.The survey revealed that there were students at risk of contracting COVID-19 as household transmission persisted.

This is especially true in Metro Manila, where more than half of the 3,156 respondents currently reside.

BRAVING THE STORM Based on the January survey, 64 percent of the respondents had at least one household member who experienced COVID-19 symptoms, whereas 45 percent of the students themselves experienced symptoms.

Of those students, 18 percent tested positive for COVID-19 while 27 percent were unable to get tested.

Among the respondents whose family was heavily impacted by

the Delta variant in September is Ruby*. According to her, she faced the constant worry of contracting Omicron as her mother tested positive again after recovering. “Reiterating that we have senior and infant members in the family, the trauma has once again resurfaced due to the surge,” she shared.

The surge also took an emotional toll on Max*—an Institute of Social Order Residence Hall resident—and his family as they were forced to continue communicating digitally. Max shared that he has been unable to go home since the beginning of the pandemic but will try to do so after he graduates.

A NEW CHAPTER Although 39 percent of respondents said they were capable of academically performing despite experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, the Sanggunian noted that only one percent of this number confidently declared this.

Returning for the new semester after taking a Leave of Absence, Ruby shared that a break from the stressful online learning setup allowed her to self-assess and muster the readiness she hopes will be “enough” to last her a whole semester.

Conversely, Max stressed how the limitations imposed by COVID-19 greatly affected students’ academics. While gearing up for his flex on-site class, he hopes that seeing people on campus can boost him to do better this semester.

Max also remarked on the survey as only around a third

of the students responded to it, thus failing to assess the entire student body. “[Constituency checks] lack a great number of responses to see the big picture of the totality of the student body,” he said.

"What I think is that I wouldn’t want a longer time to meet the same amount of demand from my full load courses and pretend it helps my exhaustion. Rather, what I would want is to adapt to changes, in this case, the online learning setting, by providing a reduced amount of workload without compromising the expected learning outcomes.”

RUBY* STUDENT AFFECTED BY COVID-19

BEING HEARD. With the recent surge of COVID-19 cases brought about by the Omicron and Delta variants, the Sanggunian collaborated with the Loyola Schools’ administration to release a survey to examine its impact on students, as well as their individual families. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW PROFETA

6

Opinion

VOLUME XCII, NO. 4 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

Founded 1929 by Rev. Frank O’Hara, SJ First Editor-in-Chief, Manuel C. Colayco, AB ‘30 PURPOSE To serve as a record of Ateneo history in the making; to serve as an organ of journalistic expression; to serve God and country.

Tatiana L. Maligro, AB COM ‘22 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Andrea Mikaela B. Llanes, AB COM ‘22 ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Beatriz Ysabel C. Reyes, BS ME ‘22 MANAGING EDITOR

Neil Christian R. Reyes, BS CH-MSE ‘23 DESIGN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Allianza O. Pesquera, AB COM ‘22 NEWS EDITOR

Martin Javier P. Mapa, BS ME ‘23 Joachim Miguel S. Melo, AB-MA POS ‘23 SPORTS EDITORS

Kiana Lane R. Altoveros, BS LM ‘23 BEYOND LOYOLA EDITOR

Aisha C. Said, BS LM ‘23 FEATURES EDITOR

Marina T. Mata, AB EC-H ‘23 INQUIRY EDITOR

Ann Gabrielle V. Domingo, AB COM ‘23 Daniela Ines D. Lorenzo, AB COM ‘23 VANTAGE MAGAZINE EDITORS

Samantha Dominique S. Onglatco, AB COM ‘23 BROADCAST NEWS EDITOR

Martin Angelo C. Ramos, AB COM ‘22 BROADCAST NEWS PRODUCER

Daryl Robyn D. Sy, AB COM ‘24 PHOTOS EDITOR

Kristine Kaitlyn Marianne W. Mercado, BS CS ‘23 Tiffany Gabrielle H. Cu, BS PSY ‘23 GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITORS

Abigail Pia M. Chua, BS CH-MSE ‘25 VIDEO PRODUCTION EDITOR

Alissa Mae Evangelista, AB COM ‘23 VIDEO PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Carmela B. Masiglat, BFA ID '22 DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT DEPUTY FOR DESIGN

Jonathan William C. Talbot, BS CS ‘22 DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT EDITOR FOR TECHNOLOGY

Ivan Lewis C. Bueno, AB EC ‘22 EXTERNALS MANAGER

Diana Patricia C. Rivera, BS CH-MSE ‘23 HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

Jose Angelo A. Buenaventura, BS COMTECH ‘23 Enrique Benjamin B. Halili, BFA CW ‘23 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS

Azequiel Lexander P. de Luna, BS ME ‘22 Kiara Florencia D. Rodriguez, AB-MA POS ‘23 RESEARCH MANAGERS

NEWS Juami G. Aizpuru, Billie Asuncion, Zoey C. Atillo, Joaquin Baang, Moira V. Cayabyab, Eloiza Mariano, Anna Pineda, Yuan Placides, Wei Tanamal SPORTS Tristan A. Abuel, Miguel Asis, Ralph Anthony Bautista, Neal R. Beltran, Augusto L. Cruz, Gap B. Estrella, Jilliana Marie Gonzales, Lei P. Macaranas, Vito Martin, Kristen R. Matias, Anton E. Mercado, Ira Nepomuceno, Juno Ileana Reyes, Juris Salvanera, Kristen C. Sison, Ra Solomon, Vincent Somera, Ray R. Vicente BEYOND LOYOLA Jana O. Ang, Biel L.B. Arevalo, Pioee B. Bassig, Francis Caiga, Angela Divina, Derick M. Gabrillo, Zachary C. Gonzales, Alexandra L. Grantoza, Ram Hebron, Max S. Kang, George D. Kho, Yves Lazaro, Justine Ramirez, Felicity C. Santos, Jerika P. Uy, Deryn Ventilacion FEATURES Katrina B. Antonio, Gab Aplasca, Aidan Reuel A. Bernales, Jullia G. Chen, Gabrielle Christina A. Cortes, Ashley Enriquez, Reign Iris Centeno, Enzo Lagamon, Liam Isaiah Lao, Christianna P. Lugod, Eala Julienne P. Nolasco, Ryan Suarez, Genesis Jacinth Tan, Jacob Tambunting INQUIRY Bianca Balobalo, Marelle Bañez, Alexandra P. Elicano, Ariana Enriquez, Gerard Ignacio, Patricia G. Policarpio, Camille Salipsip, Jude Lourence G. Segovia, Aren Teodoro, Andrea Tibayan, Lucas Tolentino, Khaela C. Vijar VANTAGE MAGAZINE Ena Algopera, Martin Celiz, Kris M. Fetiza, Therese Garcia, Natalie R. Gavino, Noelle D. Lejano, Gabrielle I. Lombos, Ylia Macazo, Giu Martinez, Jewel Ruther Miraña, Julianne Ng, Rina Julia Ortega, Jia Parma, Ryan Reyes, Rome M. Saenz, Leila Simon BROADCAST NEWS Julia Ericka C. Bayocot, Allison A. Co, Wira Dosado, Rebecca Filasol, Yanni Jose S. Francisco, Belle Gregorio, Kristen Louise Ifurung, Hannah Mantos, Samantha C. Olegario, Iana Luis Padilla, Maegan San Tian, Ria Tenido, Alia Tuprio, Kathleen U. Yap PHOTOS Stella Arenas, Nate Bosano, Bettina Cuan, Jim Dasal, Elly Kim, Eirenne A. Lumasang, Cinta Maddatu, Matthew V. Profeta, Jesh Dominic B. Quiambao, Paulina Singh, Kevin Sornet, Soliel Nicolette, Vionna Villalon, Alexis Wang GRAPHIC DESIGN Jaycob Bustamante, Sam Dellomas, Jose Emmanuel B. Laurel, Pau Lasala, Frances Lopez, Jezzyrae B. Maglente, Mello Jericho M. Malig, Franz Manlutac, Danni Natividad, Samantha Rose M. Ragaza, Chantal Ramos, Gerald Lois M. Roldan, Kurt Tan, Andie Tsai, Kyla Nicole Villegas, Julia Yabut VIDEO PRODUCTION Ella Alabastro, Hannah Arias, Jake Calingasan, Raya Ferrer Carrillo, Angelo M. Castro, Ethan Cheng, Lou Del Rosario, Fran Enriquez, Sophia Estoquia, Jeremy P. Fortaleza, Nicolah T. Gapuz, EG Golloso, Angela R. Manalastas, Marjorie Denise F. Manguiat DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT Josh de Vera, Emman Evangelista, Charm E. Naciongayo, Aidan P. Olarte, Jared U. Ong, Iya L. Perez, Julia J. Santos, Kevin A. Sibug, Katrina Bernice M. Tan EXTERNALS Tricia R. Alcantara, Silas S. Chiew, Alyanna De Leon, Irish Crystal Dio, Monica Gallardo, Cholo Hermoso, Angela T. Ibarra, Helena Lorenzo, Allyzah D. Mama, Nicole Mediavillo, Nina Sevilla HUMAN RESOURCES Tris Almedia, Justin Altubar, Julio Balagtas, Juleane B. Borres, Matthew Cañete, Anicia Guanlao, Dre Guerrero, Lexi Lagamon, Gerard Ma, Denev C. Ng, Kendji S. Tuazon, Yana Alessandra Villanueva, Regina Mae C. Yu, Libby Zorilla RESEARCH Samantha Ackary, Mark Lyster Carlota, Rafael H. Garcia, Arianne B. Mendoza, Kaiser F. Patawaran, Lander Pua, Trisha M. Purificacion, Enrikko Sibayan, Aga E. Villaroman SOCIAL MEDIA Daena Bigcas, Rei Jamola, Bea Pangandian, Noelle Paterno, Hailley Quiban, Maria Sophia Andrea E. Rosello, Kimberlynn G. Si, Althea Ramone R. Veloso, Bella Yara

Luz R. Rimban MODERATOR

For comments, suggestions, and contributions, email:

desk@theguidon.com

EDITORIAL

High barrier to entry EDITORIAL CARTOON BY MELLO JERICHO M. MALIG

The GUIDON | January-February 2022

AT THE onset of 2022, broadcast journalist Jessica Soho and television host Boy Abunda conducted media interviews for presidential candidates.

Both interviews were aired online and on television.

However, out of the 10 official presidential candidates, only five pre-election survey top runners were invited to both of these events, namely Senator Panfilo Lacson, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno, Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacqu iao, Vice P resident Leonor “Leni” Robredo, and late dictator’s son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. While candidate presence during political debates is not mandatory, results from the 2016 National Elections have proven the program’s magnitude of influence among the Filipino people and election turnouts.

This means that depriving political underdogs of the same national platform as their popular counterparts jeopardizes inclusivity and access to information during the May 2022 National Elections.

As of Februar y 27, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)-held Presidential debate on CNN Philippines was able to confirm the attendance of nine presidential and seven vice-presidential candidates to their electoral debates, making them one of the only major media companies to do so during this campaign season.

Understanding that the campaign period is a crucial time in deciding the country’s fate comes with leveraging the national reach of major media platforms into more holistic coverages.

A HISTORY RIDDLED WITH GATES The 2016 PiliPinas Debates was the first nationally televised Presidential debates held by the COMELEC in over two decades since the historic 1992 Constitutional debates. In both years, the media-held programs invited all presidentiables to participate in the event.

The popularity of the 2016 Presidential Debates soared and resulted in a 40.6 percent viewership nationwide, following the presence of all five presidential runners. Since then, numerous other national debates such as the 2019 Senatorial Debates have followed in mainstream media.

However, exhaustive and accessible coverage remains a major issue in the history of media-held national debates.

Rappler sued former COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista during the 2016 election campaign period for restricting broadcasting rights of the PiliPinas Debates 2016 to only hand-picked media partners.

Leodegario “Ka Leody” de Guzman, who was uninvited to Abunda’s and Soho’s media events, even resorted to hosting a personal Facebook live stream where he answered the same questions asked to his competitors on-air. De Guzman

asserted the importance of these debate platforms in providing people “all sides so that they can decide more appropriately.”

Regardless of poll results, Presidential bets with onepercentage point marks stood on the same stage as the top runners during the February 2022 CNN Presidential debates. Both Jose Montemayor Jr. and de Guzman with similarly low poll marks were able to make their stances on labor issues more visible during the program.

The insistence of everyone’s presence is borne out of the perceived influence that these televised events have. There is belief, even, that the incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte can consider the COMELEC debates as a game-changer for his 2016 campaign. The once unparalleled live coverage that persistently conveyed the character and platforms of the election candidates have considerable magnitude in the country’s election outcomes.

Thus, selectiveness over which runners are invited to these programs may likewise come with a cost.

UNBREAKABLE CYCLE Amid disinformation in social media spaces, national media coverages are key vehicles of public

access to information during election and campaign periods.

Unbiased election coverage and invitations have proven to be essential, with presidentiables stressing the importance of showing up and sharing one’s platform. Lacson underscored that debates level the playing f ield, thus a llow ing a ll candidates–regardless of prior experience or pre-existing political associations–to exhibit their sincerity and knowledge.

Conversely, there have been speculations that the absence of inclusive debates may only further perpetuate the dynastic nature of Philippine politics, as observed in the recurrent evasion of Marcos Jr. and his Vice Presidential running mate Sara Duterte. By focusing instead on the controlled media narrative of their tandem, Duterte and Marcos–two of the country’s most prevalent political dynasties–can confidently snub political debates for as long as public sentiment is in their favor.

As a result, many systemic political struggles are amplified through the exclusionary election and campaign initiatives, disincentivizing potential challengers from entering electoral races.

Similarly, this diminishes national media’s coverage accountability as future election

7

campaign coverages could suffer from selectiveness and a lack of impartiality that only hampers the cycle of harmful echo chambers and a regressive Philippine politics.

PLAYING THE CARDS RIGHT As election day nears, reviewing potential incumbent leaders through holistic lens is more crucial than ever. Media companies must conduct more broadcasts that accommodate most, if not all, candidates to ensure that the public is exposed to aspirants of various calibers in making an informed perception and vote.

The COMELEC-sponsored CNN Presidential debate, which invited all presidential and vice-presidential bets, is a demonstration of the equitable coverage that the public deserves.

For these reasons, it ought to be the standard protocol in other major media-led national election debates.

As inclusive media coverages become a beacon of hope in equalizing the playing field across political names and runners, Filipinos now hold a heavier stake in choosing their cards come May 9.

8

Opinion

WHEN I get up in the morning there are three things I do in a particular order: One, I take a large swig of water. Two, I plop a tiny circular pill into my mouth and swallow. Three, I pray that the thoughts aren’t quite as loud today.

This routine is inadvertently followed by the thought, “You have to function today.”

Growing up, I thought about my mind as a set of cogs, screws, and wires that have complex inner mechanical workings.

An automatic switch would be pressed if I was feeling joy so my eyes would light up. Negativity could be minimized with a few repairs here and there. If the system was breaking down, I could give it time to cool off, and everything would eventually function as it should. I liked the simple and direct analogy of structures in my mind undergoing repairs. It feigned the illusion that intellectualizing all my emotional problems would solve them, and that there was always a direct answer.

As the years went by, however, it then became a question of how complex such simple emotions would get. What happens once I couldn’t find a solution to the irrational?

Crescendo

I never realized that my relationship with my emotions and thoughts was unhealthy until I grew older. My thoughts raced constantly with some more pleasant than others, and others being downright demeaning—not to anyone else but myself. As a default, I practiced what I could to “repair” myself.

Breathe to four, hold to seven, exhale to eight. Name five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, one thing you taste.

Exercise more. Eat healthier. Get social support. Close your eyes.

Meditate. Think less. Focus.

Yet nights end with, “Just go to sleep, the demons will be gone when you wake up.”

Unsurprisingly, they weren’t.

I could never help it when the self-hatred planted itself. I hated when my breaths frequently got shallow, and when the fear, panic, and distress poured in all at once. I felt completely disconnected from my body and what I expected of myself, and I felt that I was living in a hollow shell of myself.

In the past year, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety. Something so nonlinear frustrated me even further, and between the rumination, excess

DIANA PATRICIA RIVERA

Ten-milligram scaffolding worry, and loss of interest, I continued to swim the way I always did even while drowning, until I sank again… and again… and again.

I started taking prescribed medication three weeks after diagnosis. While there was the

initial hesitation that came with taking a new medication and fear due to the stigma around it, I agreed. The truth was that this little pill helped me find myself again without the veil of depression and anxiety—and why would there ever be shame in that?

Take it one step at a time, and if small steps are still too big, take even smaller steps.

Bitiw

IVAN LEWIS C. BUENO

Scientific fact

While it may seem fruitless, I would like to hold on to the hope that just a fraction of Lolo’s earthly energy was left as fuel for my dreams. workings of my subconscious, that this is actually Lolo and me finding a way to talk.

I guess this is where thermodynamics comes into play.

While it may seem fruitless, I would like to hold on to the hope that just a fraction of Lolo’s earthly energy was left as fuel for my dreams. This very abstract notion of energy—vastly different from the conventional scientific view of the matter, I know—is what reassures me that I won’t forget, that I can’t forget.

I feel Lolo’s presence in the day-to-day. I bask in the warmth of his gaze when I flip through his annotated copies of Kissinger, Hamilton, and Brown; I feel his excitement when I look up at the vast array of his books that I have yet to explore. Whiffs of his perfume surround me when I sit on his chair, and I get visions of early morning tee offs and hot chocolate—memories that aren’t mine—whenever I walk by his golf set.

It is in this sense that thermodynamic law—or my hopeful interpretation of it, at least—works in my favor. Whatever keeps this universe going is what

progressively take steps in the right direction and work on harmful default thoughts to make my own mind a safe space for myself. Take it one step at a time, and if small steps are still too big, take even smaller steps.

Humans aren’t machines with faulty wiring and rusty cogs in need of quick fixes. I didn’t need fixing. “Fixing” was a word I used to punish myself while the efficiency and productivity of my struggling system was a faulty measure of my own worth.

Healing is never a linear process, a quick repair, nor is it a subsided migraine after a good night’s sleep and a 10-milligram pill. I take it in my stride to cope day by day as I no longer focus on linearity, but slow and realistic progress with those I love and care for, including myself. I sit with patience and understanding in the solace of my own resolve and grief, and in the hope that there are better days ahead.

And when I go to sleep at night, there are three things I do in a particular order: One, I lay down.

Two, I turn off the lights. Three, I close my eyes.

This routine is now inadvertently followed by the thought, “You did well today.”

High Tops

JOACHIM S. MELO

THERMODYNAMIC LAW states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only transferred or changed from one state or form to another. I was never much of a scientist, so allow me to share with you my own abstract interpretation of this: My grandfather passed away in October of 2020, and I’ve missed him every day since.

His name was Jose Armando R. Melo, but I just knew him as Lolo. Unquestionably the most colorful person I have ever gotten the privilege of knowing, my Lolo was a man of unblemished character set apart from everyone else by his love for family. He could make a joke out of anything, recite by heart poetry he learned as a child, and dip nearly anything into chocolate and find it delicious.

An avid reader of history and politics, Lolo loved to share his books with his grandchildren, he was also a big fan of movies featuring drama, shootouts, and gore.

Most of all, Lolo loved my grandmother—Nana—above everything else. He called her his best friend, provided her with his greatest jokes, and did absolutely everything with her.

Quite simply, Lolo could find happiness in all things.

Ever since he passed, I have had the recurring fear of forgetting what Lolo’s voice sounded like. I am undeniably afraid of becoming a stranger to the sound of Lolo’s heartily full laugh—to the point that my memories of him become eternally silent. While I do have dozens, hundreds of pictures with Lolo, I have struggled to make peace with to talk to my grandfather again.

In fact, the only place where I get to talk to Lolo is in my dreams. There have been multiple instances wherein my subconscious has brought Lolo to me—to talk politics, share jokes, give advice, or simply just smile my way. I’d like to believe that this is more than just the natural

For the first time in months, I rediscovered the parts of myself that I had buried underneath all the remains of fear, melancholy, and irrationally harsh selfcriticism. I saw myself again.

The medication was a great help, but managing mental health can never be confined to the pill I take every morning or the therapy in between. Behind these are the countless times I’ve lost my footing trying to build habits for the first time, the fragility and strength of my own will, and the endless support I’ve received from family and friends.

T0 this day, I still practice all the aforementioned “repairs.”

From breathing exercises, to mindfulness practices, to physical exercise, to seeking social connection, and many others.

They do work and help minimize attacks and episodes, and they help me remember that to both help yourself and to ask for help is essential. And so I try to open up a little more, ask for help, and forget the complexities for even just a little while.

Honestly, it has taken years of both small and drastic wins and losses to imperfectly recover, because perfect recovery may never be attained. Instead, I

allows me to be comforted by the sense that my grandfather will still be there to laugh as I alternate between tripping and breezing through life. Even if all reason and logic points to it, I refuse to believe in the notion that the only thing left of Lolo in this world is his urn at the columbarium.

How can this be true if his voice rings off in my ears whenever I wear his watches?

How can the world be so devoid of Lolo if I am able to witness the continued impacts of his love on Nana whenever she says hello to his pictures or remembers his jokes? To tell anyone that their deceased loved ones have left no traces of them behind in this world is as futile as telling a blind man that color doesn’t exist.

Yes, Lolo is gone. I do acknowledge that, and his physical absence is felt by the whole family every single day.

Yet to languish in the doom and gloom of his passing is a habit that I have been working on breaking.

Even while writing this, I am not saddened by the idea of a world completely without Lolo.

No such thing exists.

Loose spaces PEOPLE OFTEN say that one’s identity is a spectrum. However, my experiences of discovering my identity exhibit more of a stifled rollercoaster—restricted from letting loose instead of freely radiating a bright and colorful spectrum.

I grew up in the borders of a province that almost touches the city. We didn’t necessarily live a very traditional lifestyle since the city was just a couple of minutes away by car.

However, the behavior that comes to living in the province shaped my identity into habits that always conform to what is proper and decent.

I came from a private Catholic school in the province for my entire 15 years of basic education. When you think an education that teaches you about surrendering yourself to faith and religion will help you mold yourself into what your identity truly is, you’re only lying to yourself. I’ve found that this type of education and environment acts like a trap.

Catholic schooling made me feel like a caterpillar ready to

shed out of my cocoon to be a butterfly, but I couldn’t get out.

The conservative nature of my high school had restricted me from being free. Therefore, coming into a university, I felt like I was off a leash.

T he env iron ment wa s accepting and it was the first time I didn’t feel judged. I wanted to explore more of myself—I was finally free.

Little did I know that feeling free would result in another situation that would trap me in a different kind of prison.

Living the Metro lifestyle as a queer person is as fast as getting a slot during enlistment for an in-demand class. It was the first semester of my first year when I experienced the whirlwind of culture shock in the Metro. As I lived far away from my family, I expected to be closer to myself.

However, I only became closer to the expectations that my environment wants queer people to conform to. In a span of a few months, I had immersed myself in a culture and environment not knowing

The environment was accepting and it was the first time I didn’t feel judged. I wanted to explore more of myself—I was finally free.

what its downside might be.

Though I had always expected myself to be highly involved in this scene, never did I expect that I’d be exposed to it this fast. The rush and adrenaline of living in the city makes it live in you, instead of you living in them.

I did not have a hard time adjusting when it came to the social aspect and forming circles of friends. The challenge came in adjusting and trying to fit in the small community built by the closeted homosexuals who forcefully impose a standard in order to belong with them.

Even if the standard can be destructive of one’s sanity, we still try our best to succumb to it in order to have a common space with people we sexually identify with. In fact, despite the manic community that homosexuals built, the guys I met off line—despite being heterosexual—are far more hospitable than those who identify themselves the same way that I do.

Coming from the most liberating two years of my life in the city and being stuck back at home due to the pandemic has me walking on thin ice.

I’ve been carefully examining every action that I make since the behaviors that I have exhibited in the city are not perceived acceptably at home.

There is a huge difference with discovering one’s identity when living between these two opposite places.

Being restricted at home is a huge challenge to expressing one’s identity—like a locked rollercoaster, itching to let loose and be free. However, living at the Metro allows you to freely express yourself at the expense of surrendering one’s identity to the standards of what would please everybody.

It’s unfortunate to know that once you think something makes you freer, it confines and suffocates you more than it ever must be.

The GUIDON | January - February 2021

Et Cetera

Particularities

JAVIER P. MAPA

ENRIQUE B. HALILI

Memory game

Homegrown GROWING UP, my parents would relentlessly insist that I study, pursue a career, and start a family abroad. It was an idea that I was always quick to shoot down due to a mix of genuine disinterest and fear of leaving my home and friends behind. My parents never took that answer well, insinuating that this country had nothing of value to offer me and the family as a whole, and that we were much better off elsewhere.

I knew that was an elitist mindset, yet I couldn’t help but feel guilty for disagreeing with my parents who really just wanted the best for me at the end of the day. I was naturally afraid of disappointing them especially since a large portion of my extended family has already relocated to various first-world countries.

When my sister moved to the United States in early 2021 to attend Gonzaga University, my worries became as tangible as ever. The sudden absence of my only sibling brought about a deafening silence in our household, as if to say, “There’s nothing of value left here.”

I nearly believed it.

There came a point where my decision to stay felt like an admission of my own mediocrity—that I was destined to go down with what my

parents believed was a sinking ship of a country. I found it quite difficult to get through this part of my life.

It was only when coverage on the upcoming elections began that the silence was finally broken. My feed became occupied with the same tired half-meant jokes of “escaping” the country before a new set of corrupt officials started their terms. A good friend of mine even expressed serious plans to leave the country if a particular candidate won the presidency.

I became incredibly frustrated at this apathy and pessimism, especially amid a time that demands the opposite.

It was all quite saddening to say the least, but I was ultimately reminded that my decision to stay or leave was never supposed to be about me. It came down to where I felt I was needed and where I had the most to contribute as a student journalist.

I realize that it can be hard to believe that staying for the good of our country can leave much of an impact, but I would argue otherwise. Philippine histor y itself is defined by the individuals that chose to serve their country despite the allure of a better and often safer life overseas. Even those the likes of Ninoy Aquino and

Jose Rizal who had to spend parts of their lives in other countries ultimately decided to return even if it meant an imminent death. Looking at how grim our situation already is at the moment, I can’t even begin to imagine how things would be now if they chose the other option.

I’m not saying that everyone has to dedicate their lives to this country in such dramatic fashion like these people did, nor am I implying that there is anything inherently wrong with living abroad. I realize that finding work in another country is often the smartest decision, especially when you have a family back home to support.

However, I truly believe that this country needs its people, especially its youth, to commit their passions and skills towards building a better future for the generations of Filipinos to come. That’s what many of our ancestors did for us, and I think it’s important for us to do their efforts justice when the opportunity presents itself.

Choosing to stay might not always be the most glamorous or exciting choice, but it is the most self less decision—and selflessness is precisely what this country desperately needs right now.

WHEN I was a kid, I used to play the memory game with my lolo and lola.

The game consists of laying out a deck of cards face down and randomly lining up the cards in rows and columns so that no one knows where each card is. Each turn, a player flips two cards— one after the other—trying to draw two of the same kind. With each flip of a card, the players begin to learn and remember where certain cards are located so that when they flip one they recognize, they know where its pair is. The player with the most pairs by the end of the game is declared the winner.

As I sat on their bed matching cards with them, lolo and lola would tell me stories about their lives—stories like lolo breaking his thumb with a knife, or lola making toys out of matchboxes with her 11 other siblings.

Eventually, I outgrew this phase. As I got older, most of my time was spent going to friends’ houses, attending football practice, studying for school, and going to parties. I went from playing memory games to living in the moment. That was how I wanted to live: Enjoying the present rather than worrying about the future or reminiscing about the past. Why talk about a memory when you could create a new one? When every

Studying something that had Understanding interested me before I could even Entropy read full sentences was a dream

health protocols endorsed by China, and was prohibited from taking anything that used the new technology of mRNA vaccines.

It felt like there was nothing I could say to convince my parents that the virus was new or unexpected, therefore requiring novel solutions to be eradicated. There was no evidence that I could provide that wasn’t considered fabricated except for the multiple sources from trustworthy organizations. I understand that there are valid reasons to be hesitant about unfamiliar technology but it’s still disheartening–moreso as a chemistry major–to see the distrust and blatant disregard of researchers and medical experts just doing their job.

When I first watched Don’t Look Up (2021), my mother couldn’t understand why I was crying at the end of the movie.

To me, it was like all my fears and frustrations about being in

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics were laid out for everyone to see. I heard a lot of people say that the movie was too assertive in relaying its message or that it would have been more effective with subtlety.

My sentiment on Don’t Look Up remains the same: There is no need to be subtle about this issue, especially when scientists are desperately trying to catch everyone’s attention.

The problem lies not only in the disinformation spread amongst communities, but also in the governments that do not hold scientists in high regard.

There have been countless instances where our officials have failed to consult with experts regarding the pandemic and it has caused the country resources, time, and lives to make up for these mistakes.

The effects of these choices can be seen everyday, and until we choose a government that listens

in the case of our political beliefs.

The reason why a lot of people support candidates who come from terrible backgrounds–or those who have done notorious crimes in the past–is because of one’s values and principles.

I know of people who have finished their education and are great individuals but have different political views from mine. Whenever I wonder what led to these differences, I find myself going back to the varying circumstances each individual

experiences. For instance: I realized that what matters most to them, at this point, is whether someone will get the job done–by any means necessary. Does this mean they are worthy of being called “stupid”? I don’t think so.

As voters seek out candidates who can fulfill their needs, I find myself confronting some deeply rooted views on the people who run for government. Many adults in my life assert that anyone who will enter politics is either corrupt or was never entirely pure at heart

ABIGAIL M. CHUA

Louder than words IT IS a lively morning in my high school classroom. My classmates crowd at each other’s desks, stealing glances at the college application forms strewn around. I am at my seat, intently scrolling through the list of courses Ateneo offers.

Chemistry or Information Design would be okay, I think, scribbling the courses down at the back of my calculus homework along with two other choices. One year later, I would end up enrolling as a Chemistry major after countless hours of discerning with my mom and brother.

come true, regardless of the online setup I expected to face when September came. If anything, the pandemic pushed me to believe that I chose the right course when I saw the importance of research in returning to the lives we led before COVID-19.

While my parents were supportive of my decision to pursue the sciences, it did not stop them from expressing their doubts about the new type of vaccines and the effectiveness of the health practices being set.

No matter how thoroughly I explained the studies behind mRNA and how important masks were in preventing the spread of the virus, I was still countered with articles about how each new variant was just a hoax to make more money and boost the power of first-world countries. I was told to only take vaccines and follow

BLUE JEANS

The good fight

BY JOAQUIN QUERIDO

I HAVE been fighting for my dear life recently.

Political discussions have become more intense as we count the months until election day. All over social media, it has become impossible to not come across anything related to the upcoming national elections unless you’re actively trying to avoid it. You’re bound to see campaign materials, be it subtle and not so subtle endorsements from celebrities and brands. I’ve since learned that there’s two types of people: One who engages in healthy discourse and one who resorts to attacks.

There are days when I feel like going on Twitter and responding

to random tweets that don’t align with my political beliefs.

My goal has always been to have a conversation and understand why they think the way that they do. As a psychology major, I try my best to understand their context, because I do want to believe there’s a reason for their political beliefs.

What used to surprise me was how people clung tightly to what they already believed in, becoming unwelcoming to facts. People will relentlessly call those who don’t align with their political beliefs “stupid.” While these remarks are implications of someone being uneducated or ignorant, I believe that the waters run much deeper

9

I am doing my best to believe in a Philippine society that can appoint good leaders.

day is guaranteed to present happen. The shirt I wore that something new, it gets easy to night still finds its way in and out live with that mindset. of my closet, now without a trace It was only during the pandemic of the tears that once soaked it. when I realized once again the I volunteered to keep him importance of recollection. In company in the hospital that those periods where life feels night, but his condition reached paused—like I’m stuck in the a point where everyone chose to present, bored with what it has stay until he passed. As I sat there to offer—I can lean on the past to bawling, I found it impossible to bring back a feeling of better days. live in the moment. Instead, my Now, I flip open a card and mind flashed back to the times match it with the corresponding when life was easier—like those events that come rushingPHOTOS back. BYnights ZOEY IGNACIO he told me his stories or I watch a football game and I’m those trips we always made to taken back to the days where his farm. football took up half my life. I Whether it’s a focal point as go through old Snaps and I’m significant as lolo or as superficial suddenly back with my friends as those young, reckless moments reliving the most entertaining with friends, there’s something moments that we somehow caught quite bittersweet about my on camera. But the thing with this memories. These snapshots of game is that when you pick up a the past are pleasing to relive card, its matching memory isn’t and simultaneously painful to always the happiest one. recall, but maybe that’s why I Lolo died in April of 2019, and need them: To remind me of lolo I still see things that remind me or of instances in my life when of him. My photos walking with everything was all about that him in Spain show up when I go exact moment. through my gallery. His cologne Although the cards are that lola gave me now sits on my different now and the deck is desk. The countless Hawaiian perpetually expanding, I still polo shirts that he loved to wear play the memory game. When now hang in my closet and my the present gets unbearable brothers’ closets. The book I took and I find myself fading in the with me to the hospital the day he moment rather than living in it, died still lies around my house, its all I do is flip open a card and the pages holding themes of coming- memories come rushing back like of-age and death that somehow a reinvigorating spark. paralleled what was about to

I look forward to the day that data and hard evidence are given more importance than vague articles with unreliable sources. to its countrymen, we suffer the same consequences.

I’m lucky enough that these discussions with my parents are simply dinner topics that I can look back at with displeasure, because there are too many stories of children being prevented from taking any vaccine at all or taking

medicines that have already been proven not to work.

I look forward to the day that data and hard evidence are given more importance than vague articles with unreliable sources.

Until then, I urge everyone to trust the scientists that have chosen to spend their lives improving ours.

to begin with. These are the very people who will point out to me that, among the presidential candidates, all of them have their own secrets and self-serving political agenda to hide. These adults insist that everything candidates are doing right now is just to get the support of the people and none of it truly reflects their personalities.

These aren’t grounded by facts, since I know that we all exist within our own echo chambers.

Sometimes, I still get the urge to question them. Do they believe that the war on drugs is an effective way of solving our country’s drug problem? That the pandemic requires a militaristic response because the virus is an enemy to be dealt with firearms? Regardless of the data, it remains hard to sway people to consider society as a whole or take on a more positive frame of mind when elections are to be considered. What, then, does the “good fight” entail?

While I acknowledge that I have yet to experience the brunt of our broken system, I am doing my best to believe in a Philippine society that can appoint good leaders. I still trust our government officials to do what they’re expected to do and to be great at it, and I catch myself looking forward to the future with bright and hopeful eyes. This optimism is rooted in the belief that I can persevere in actively engaging in dialogue, understanding differing contexts, and never assuming the worst of a person.

While I may be judged by my idealism and hope, I remain unshaken. As long as I am alive, I hope to live with my values and principles still intact towards a better tomorrow.

Joaquin Querido is a senior taking up AB Psychology with a Minor in Development Management. You can contact him at antonio.querido@obf.ateneo.edu.

11 Sports G A L L E RY O F E AG L E S

Alex Barairo: Through grit and grace

BY GAP B. ESTRELLA

BEYOND THE accolades and awards, Alex Barairo possessed a fighting spirit that inspired people wherever she went.

As a former member of the Ateneo Girl’s Track and Field Team (AGTFT) and the Ateneo Women’s Fencing Team (AWFT), Alex had already surmounted great heights at such a young age.

Despite her passing at the early onset of 2022, Alex’s grit and passion for whatever she put her mind to will continue to live within all of the lives she has touched.

SUITED UP Early into her Ateneo life, Alex already left her mark as part of the pioneering batches of the co-educational Senior High School program and the first AGTFT. Even without any formal track and field training, Alex managed to secure a spot on the varsity line-up while also becoming the team’s first capt a in dur ing Un iversit y Athletic Association of the Philippines (UA AP) Season 79.

In the following season of the UA AP, Alex went on to win the AGTFT’s first ever medal in the Girls’ 4x100 meter relay.

L o ok i ng ba c k , Atene o Juniors’ Track and Field Team Head Coach Alvin “Jok” Cobar recalls just how contagious Alex’s drive was. According to Coach Jok, her ambition was what allowed her raw talent to f lourish into greatness, a key trait he hoped would rub off on the younger athletes.

“Intrinsically motivated siya.

Hindi ko alam kung ano yung reason, pero tingin ko ‘yan yung number one reason kung paano niya nakuha yung medal na ‘yun,” commented Coach Jok. (S he w a s i nt r i n s ic a l ly motivated. I don’t know what the reason was, but I believe that was the number one reason as to how she got that medal.)

Outside the sport, Coach Jok also mentioned that he and Alex had a special connection because they both grew up in Manila City. As they shared similar experiences, Coach Jok felt his fondness for Alex blossom: “Siguro nakadagdag yun. Kaya siya clingy sa akin not only as a coach, but beyond sa team...talagang nafefeel niya sa akin na meron someone na

ka-uri [niya] dito sa Ateneo.”

(That probably added to it.

That’s why she was clingy to me not only as a coach, but beyond the team… she really felt in me that there was someone like her here in Ateneo.)

A lt hou g h A lex h a d a successful stint in track and field, she made the transition to fencing not long after her high school graduation. Steeped into another unknown sport, Alex brought her signature yearning for excellence to the mats.

For AWFT’s Ella Cabahug, Alex was not only a hardworking athlete, but she also elevated the spirits of all the people around her. “There was always dancing and laughing after training because of Alex, and she would bring so much energy in every session,” Ella shared.

FULL STEAM AHEAD Despite t he dema nds of being a student-athlete, Alex continued to find ways to excel in the other aspects of her life.

She was an active member in a diverse set of organizations such as the Ateneo Association of Communication Majors, the League of Independent Organizations (LIONS), and even the Ateneo Commission on Elections (Ateneo COMELEC). With her talent in branding and marketing, Alex had an innovative mind that helped organizations on various creative fronts.

Shortly after her passing, LIONS and Ateneo COMELEC ta lked about how integra l Alex was to their respective causes. During her term as a co-d i rector for LIONS ’ Communications Department, A lex led the coordinating body’s promotional efforts in the academic year 20202021. Si m i la rly, A lex h ad initially met with the Ateneo COMELEC Communications team last December to discuss how to improve their online image moving forward.

Apart from her extracurricular pursuits, Alex was just as dedicated a student who turned her affinity for sports into a scholarly interest. According to Jessel Barairo, Alex’s mother, A lex was conducting her thesis on the Philippine Sports Commission. “Parang gusto

Despite her passing at the early onset of 2022, Alex’s grit and passion for whatever she put her mind to will continue to live within all of the lives she has touched.

ILLUSTRATION BY CARMELA B. MASIGLAT

niyang magkaroon ng pagbabago kasi nakita niya yung mga needs ng mga athletes, kasi nakita niya yung mga needs ng mga athletes [na] hindi naproprovide ng tamang allowances… yung pagmamahal niya sa sports, nakadugtong pati sa pag-aaral niya,” said Jessel.

(It seemed like she wanted there to be change because she saw the needs of the athletes who weren’t being provided the right allowance… Her love for sports was even connected to her studies.)

D u e t o A l e x ’s m a n y com m it ment s, Jessel wa s well-aware that her daughter was prone to letting internal doubts and insecurities get the best of her. In order to combat this, she was adamant about reminding Alex to focus on giving her all instead of f i xating on the end result.

A s Jessel would remind her d aughter: “ ‘ D o you r b e s t i n ever y t h i ng you do ka si wala namang mawawala sa ‘yo.’ ‘Yun yung palagi ko lang sinasabi sa kanya kapag may doubts siya .”

More than just a skilled athlete, stellar student, and talented organization member, Alex is a testament to the never ending possibilities that dedication affords any individual.

(Do your best in everything you do because you won’t lose anything. That’s always what I told her whenever she had doubts) EVER PRESENT Regardless of where she found herself, Alex kept her mother’s mantra close to her heart. More than just a skilled athlete, stellar student, and talented organization member, Alex is a

testament to the never ending possibilities that dedication affords any individual.

“I hope that ever yone remembers Alex’s tenacity and drive. I hope all of her loved ones receive the gifts that Alex has given us: Her presence, her joy, her thoughts, and her impact, and apply it into their lives as a way for her legacy to live on,” urged Ella.

Located within each of the anecdotes shared by Ella, Coach Jok, and Jessel are the ways Alex will continue to live on beyond just mere memories. Even though Alex may not be physically present anymore, she has instilled a fire in her friends, family, teammates, and all her loved ones that will continue to glow as brightly as she did.

The GUIDON | January - February 2022

12

ILLUSTRATION BY PAU S. LASALA

SPORTS OPINION

Exclusive growth of the esports world

BY TRISTAN ABUEL AND JILLIANA MARIE GONZALES

AS THE on line ga m ing community f lowers, it also experiences a culture of intolerance and ignorance that has excluded women from a male-dominated online esports industry. As a result, women and even LGBTQ+ gamers have fewer opportunities to play while receiving harsh criticism from the public because of the stereotype that women perform worse than men in games.

The experiences of toxicity in the gaming scene have reached Loyola Gaming (LG) Esports, who was placed under the spotlight as former players of the ESI-4 Valorant tournament observed “unsportsmanlike and misogynistic behavior” in a viral TikTok video. This instance has led many spectators to become aware of the f laws in the gaming community.

GROWTH OF AN INDUSTRY Since the pandemic halted a lot of lives, esports experienced a boom in its player base as more and more people engage with the gaming environment. Ana Patricia “Mewwee” Fuentes, a participant of the COED tournament and LG Esports Secretariat, shared a similar view on how the lockdown h a s i nv ited nu merou s people—women included— to venture into video games.

While traditionally a maledominated sport, women have grown to occupy 42 percent of esports’ total audience, in turn leading to friction in the online arenas.

A key example of how gaming can become a form

of livelihood for many esports athletes is Fuentes herself, as esports has become an avenue for people to establish careers and represent their countries. For Fuentes—who grew up playing video games and is currently pursuing a degree in digital game design and development—the gaming community has shaped who she is as a person.

Akin to traditional sports, esports tournaments such as the 2021 League of Legends World Championships finals have grown to attract millions of viewers globally. However, esports becoming more mainstream is a double-edged sword as its online nature has become a source for verbal abuse from players during games or streaming sessions.

TOXICITY IN THE GAMING ARENA The discrimination and toxicity within the esports community stems from layered misogyny and gender norms.

Determining where exactly these issues came from is difficult, but different ideas are worth looking at.

Statistically, esports has long been a male-dominated industry; female players rarely play in professional leagues. Similarly, gaming is catered to young boys as gender norms discourage young girls from playing.

Finally, all the aforementioned factors can be compounded into the detrimental result of a lack of role models for girls in gaming, stemming from an

A lot about feminism isn’t forcing every little girl that you should be a gamer, it’s telling a little girl that it’s okay if you want to be a gamer and that they have a choice to begin with.

ARIANE LIM ACADARENA CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

underrepresentation of women in the sport.

“If you think of idols in gaming maiisip mo si Tenz, si Zombs (you think of Tenz and Zombs). There aren’t any women to come up in your mind right now with regards to gaming. […] In the worldwide gaming scene there’s not a lot of representations of women [but] there are certain openings,” said LG Esports Director Francesca Palafox.

With gaming being tuned towards men, there emerges a lack of check-and-balance systems for the players, resulting in issues of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Last March 2021, the Valorant scene was shaken when Sentinels star Jay Won was accused of sexual harassment by his ex-girlfriend Cleo Hernandez, who put forward the evidence against Won in a public document.

This resulted in Riot Games suspending Won despite an upcoming tournament. After the incident, R iot Games conducted its own investigation and reached a ruling that banned Won from competitive play for six months, citing the accused’s lack of cooperation as the reason for the sanction.

Similar to sexual harassment cases in other industries, the criminal case was dropped due to various issues. Hernandez cited that the case was affecting her life as a whole and her speaking up took so much courage from her.

Criminal cases are also difficult to manage for game developers because they can only do so much to sanction abusive players.

However, it must be stressed that these game developers are

responsible for ensuring safe spaces within the structure of their games.

Despite issues from professional players, organizations and companies are trying to move in the right direction by implementing their own rules to provide safe spaces for their players and employees. For example, AcadArena imposes a policy of zero-tolerance for sexual misbehavior in the company.

“Being able to verbalize that we have zero tolerance over that sort of thing is important bec au se of tent i mes t he employees would feel, [...] that they just want to keep their job.

They think that raising a concern or making trouble would affect their tenure,” said AcadArena Co-Chief Executive Officer Ariane Lim. MOVING TOWARDS INCLUSIVITY Currently, the gaming industry is slowly improving its system to ensure a safer environment for all involved, characterized by a slow shift in perspectives among players.

Te a m m a n a ge r s a nd tournament organizers play a significant role in ensuring that all their players are safe and not engaging in acts of discrimination, verbal or physical abuse, and manipulation. It therefore cannot be stressed enough that the first step to ensuring the safety of all is for managers and organizers to secure a safe and conducive competitive environment. There must be strict monitoring of these events and the participants involved to ensure that rules and regulations are strictly adhered to.

On a positive note, there have been progressive developments pertaining to more diverse esports teams and tournaments. “For tryouts [on LG teams] we don’t really limit it to males only. We really look at [the] skillset more than anything else. If anyone— girl or boy—wants to test out their skills in the collegiate or professional scene, we’re very open to it,” Palafox said.

To f u r t her bolster t he participation of women in esports, Fuentes suggested h o ld i n g m o r e i n c lu s i ve events such as an all-female tournament, where women increase their exposure to video games. This ties in with the fact that if game developers were to host a tournament, there must be equal opportunities given to all gamers.

While stricter measures are needed from the organizers, online streaming platforms such as Twitch must also play their part in enforcing regulations for video game streamers to be more aware of their actions. If left unattended, these platforms have the potential to sow discord and negativity, resulting in the need for a stronger implementation of sanctions if players do violate community rules.

While the gaming community does have its flaws, there have been gains in shedding the all-male notion attached to esports. The industry of gaming will continue to expand as inclusivity continues to foster in the environment—opening new doors for gamers, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

EXCLUSIVE GROWTH OF THE ESPORTS WORLD As esports remains to be male-dominated, women and LGBTQ+ individuals are continuously placed in distress—hindering the growth of the gaming community.

EDITORS: JAVIER P. MAPA AND JOACHIM S. MELO • LAYOUT ARTIST: CHANTAL RAMOS • Read more at theguidon.com

Sports

12

Online competitions: A double-edged sword

BY JUNO ILEANA REYES AND ANTON E. MERCADO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA YABUT PHOTO BY ALEXIS WANG

THE UNIVERSITY Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was slated for its longawaited return in the first quarter of 2022. However, the recent COVID-19 holiday surge staggered the collegiate league’s progress yet again when the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) extended the National Capital Region’s (NCR) Alert Level 3 status until January 31. Although the UAAP is reported to return in March, the possibility of postponement due to Alert Level changes persists.

Nearly two years after the first COVID-19 lockdown in the country, the sporting world has made numerous sacrifices to achieve anything close to normalcy. As NCR returned to Alert Level 2 on February 1 and permitted individuals to partake in non-contact sports, some teams appear to be carrying on with an unlikely alternative for the meantime: Online competitions.

With online tournaments seeming to be here to stay for a bit longer, sports like taekwondo continue its practices in the digital realm.

KICKING CONSISTENTLY Despite taekwondo being a full-contact sport, the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) spared no effort for the Korean

martial art to remain everpresent in the new normal. The PTA held its first online tilt in July 2020 through the 2020 SMART/Manuel V. Pangilinan Online National Taekwondo Speed Kicking Championships.

Speed kicking, contrary to traditional face-to-face sparring, centers on technicalities and overall performance rather than obtaining a higher score in a match against a physical opponent. Unlike sparring— wherein tournaments happen in real-time—speed kicking competitions utilize video submissions, allowing players the liberty to film in their own time.

T hough this form of competition may seem facile, it comes with its own hurdles in actuality. For one, the short time limit coupled with the complex footwork and the sheer number of required kicks and punches is anything but a breeze.

“It looks like it’s easy, but it’s actually not. Imagine requiring our players to kick 70 times and throw six punches for 60 seconds with combinations of footwork.

They really need to train harder [for speed kicking events],” shared Ateneo Taekwondo Sparring Team (ATST) Coach Elmer Rafael.

W it h t h i s , AT S T C o Captain Harley Santos (4 AB

IS) admitted that the transition from traditional sparring to speed kicking remains a bumpy ride, citing the latter’s reliance on speed as a measure of skill.

“I’m one of those people [whose weapon isn’t] speed when it comes to taekwondo. I’m more of an endurance-technique guy,” stated Santos.

Moreover, Rafael attested that another major difficulty in speed kicking is devising completely new routines for every competition. As the submissions are live-streamed on Facebook for judging and posted publicly on YouTube, players have easy access to each other’s routines, allowing them to study and counter their opponents’ kicking and foot work combinations in succeeding competitions.

In addition to the newfound difficulties of online speed kicking, Santos further highlights the pivotal difference between speed kicking and traditional sparring: The presence of a competitive atmosphere. Online competitions deprive jins of the proximity necessary to cultivate the success-hungry climate that drives them to victory.

Nonetheless, Rafael and Santos commend the PTA for striving to keep taekwondo alive amid the pandemic. The

It looks like it’s easy, but it’s actually not.

Imagine requiring our players to kick 70 times and throw six punches for 60 seconds with combinations of footwork.

They really need to train harder.

ELMER RAFAEL COACH, ATENEO TAEKWONDO SPARRING TEAM (ATST)

ATST has even donned the Blue and White in 13 different online competitions from 2020 to 2021. As such, even when they finally set foot on the UAAP mats, virtual tournaments will remain integral to their careers as athletes.

ALLEZ!... NOT YET? Contrar y to sports like taekwondo that have found a tempora r y replacement for physica l bouts, some programs have not had the opportunity to follow suit.

This has led some athletes to merely await a potential UAAP return, something that looked likely before another surge of COVID-19 cases. One of the last teams to have competed before the pandemic struck back in March 2020, the Ateneo Fencing Team has lacked online competitions—due in large part to its structure barring it from adapting to online competitive leagues.

For Assistant Coach Ryan Janeo, the prolonged hiatus is hardest on the seniors who cannot compete in their final playing year in the UAAP. “It really affected the seniors who have been ready from day one, so once the news broke, siyempre [it was] frustrating and sad among athletes, especially the expected medalists in the UAAP,” he said.

With sports having to find contactless alternatives, Janeo shared that fencing would have trouble adapting to the v ir tua l sphere, something that sports like taekwondo have already figured out. If there were a plan to consider a skill-based competition, it would be shot down by the idea that so much will have to be changed for it to work.

Janeo also argued that having skill-based matches just for the sake of competing online takes away the true essence of fencing as a combat sport.

This sentiment is preached by the athletes as well, with fencer Althea Sebastian (2 AB

COM) stating that the online setup falls short of providing her with the adrenaline that on-site matches do.

to injury, not everyone gets the same amount of leeway to compete in this type of setup.

Coaches and athletes alike are

Always remember that these players are student-athletes.

Student first. Mag classes muna, then everything else will fall into place for things like sports.

RYAN JANEO ASSISTANT COACH, ATENEO TAEKWONDO SPARRING TEAM (ATST)

Furthermore, the primary problems athletes and coaches face in a two-year hiatus from play are redundancy and constant adjustment. The absence of a suitable competitive environment limits what athletes can do for their craft, tending to make activities more repetitive.

LOOKING AHEAD With a number of sports continuing this alternative route of competition, the virtual athletic stage looks like it will remain a vita l component in sports so long a s the pa ndemic persists.

However, des pite h av i ng already joined numerous online speed kicking championships, the ATST still prefers on-site sparring competitions where skills other than speed can thrive. As there have been minimal on-site competitions for any sport, online sporting evidently lacks key factors that are crucial to fostering the full competitive experience for athletes. To add insult

eager for a quick comeback, but any return of on-site competitions is cast in doubt by the uncertainties of the pandemic. With all the discussions about physical sports returning to a physical environment, Janeo expresses his preference for prioritizing face-toface classes first.

“Always remember that these players are student-athletes.

Student f irst. Mag cla sses muna, then ever ything else will fall into place for things like sports,” said Janeo.

Although Rafael hopes to have his players train and compete under a bubble setup soon, he emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the ATST is fully vaccinated, alongside abiding

by IATF regulations.

Above all else, coaches will always prioritize safety for their players before they go back to performing at a high level. Until then, athletes will have to remain on standby before they put their talents on display once again.

EDITOR: MINA MATA • LAYOUT ARTIST: JEZZYRAE B. MAGLENTE • Read more at theguidon.com

TRAILING THE TYPHOON’S TAILEND Nearly three months after Typhoon Odette’s landfall, Ateneans are still grappling with its parallel storm.

Inquiry

04

Blue and the shades that make it: The diverse political identities of Ateneans

BY LALEXANDRA P. ELICANO, AREN TEODORO, AND LUCAS TOLENTINO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSE EMMANUEL B. LAUREL

UNDERNEATH THE matching exterior of blue lanyards, polyester jerseys, and swooping Eagle mascots of about 8,000 Loyola School (LS) students is a wide spectrum of political colors.

As these students take part in perhaps the most important national elections of their lifetime, the contrast among these colors beam brighter than ever.

Students’ political leanings are informed by a myriad of factors, but their personal values and identities play a great role in forming their political agenda.

While it is only natural for students to make a great show of support towards candidates who represent their ideals, they run the risk of being exclusionary towards those with dissenting values.

A BROAD SPECTRUM Some members of the LS community have shown support for Vice President Leni Robredo, among the 2022 presidentiables. Nevertheless, the pink-wearing crowd is but one of numerous colors that members of the LS community sport.

Red Ligot (4 BS MIS - MS CS) is one of those in the LS who supports presidential aspirant and labor leader Leodegario “Ka Leody” de Guzman. Ligot finds that the openly-socialist candidate’s proworker agenda is a reflection of his own political views.

Coming of age during the Duterte administration, Ligot found himself shaken by the spate of unjust killings during the war on drugs. From then on, he started following the footsteps of his parents, who were political activists in the 90s. The sight of workers protesting in his own school further deepened his devotion to fight for the underprivileged.

Like his candidate, Ligot

began spending much of his time championing human rights. However, he is somewhat encumbered by the need to defend his candidate from harsh criticism online. Ligot himself is no stranger to political mudslinging, as he and his colleagues oftentimes become targets of name-calling by individual members of rival leftist factions.

Thankfully, Ligot attests that this atmosphere of vitriol has not yet permeated the LS community, as students are generally non-confrontational when it comes to politics.

Despite this harmony, he still feels the need to be cautious when engaging in political debates with fellow Ateneans. He claims that many Robredo supporters espousing an upper-middle class identity in the LS doubt the working class de Guzman’s capability to be president.

FRIEND OR FOE? The class-motivated pressure that Ligot feels is experienced by many. Today, people often decide and defend their political agendas based on their identity in a phenomenon also known as identity politics. This refers to how one’s class, race, religion, gender, culture, or other aspects of their identity may affect their political tendencies.

Identity has always played a role in politics, even in the Philippines. A recent example of this is the 2016 victory of President Rodrigo Duterte. His image as an “ordinary man” appealed to many Filipinos, who similarly identified as commonplace.

Considering how widespread identity politics is in the country, Political Science Professor Arjan Aguirre, MA, warns about its “irony” in which people blindly follow what their identity dictates.

For example, a person may choose to vote for a candidate under the sole assumption that the candidate shares strong similarities with the voter and can thus embody their best interests.

The rise of identity politics has unfortunately led to increasing threats of polarization since discrimination towards a person’s views may translate to discrimination towards their identity. In turn, this instills an “us versus them” mentality among Filipinos, widening the

their identities, it became a means for minority groups to demand for equal treatment and stand against oppressive policies and discrimination.

With this, some believe that it can still be used to create a more fair and inclusive society by increasing political awareness and understanding how identity also informs one’s politics.

For Aguir re, academic institutions such as the LS play a major role in shaping its students’ identities, which then

“

That’s what we offer to our students in our social classes, [...] we help you discover who you are, for you to discover your potential.

ARJAN AGUIRRE PROFESSOR, POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

gap between people who do not share the same beliefs and opinions.

According to Aguirre, this polarization is reinforced by what he refers to as “politics of antagonism” or “vitriolic politics,” in which tension-filled political conversations and personal attacks commonly occur between two opposing sides.

In contrast, identity politics appears to have a silver lining, as shown in how it has brought several diverse groups into the conversation. Striving for positive public recognition of

shape their politics. “That’s what we offer to our students in our social classes, [...] we help you discover who you are, for you to discover your potential,” he explains.

EAGLE’S EYE VIEW LS students’ identities are largely informed by elite values of service and magis. Beyond the classroom, students are expected to uphold these ideals in their communities—ideals that contrast the litany of state abuses committed by the Duterte regime.

Given these grave inequities, Aguirre says that LS students have branded themselves as the opposition and have tended to side with an anti-Duterte identity, which is typified in Robredo.

According to Aguirre, this is a feature of identity politics.

As a result, the tension between supporters of the Duterte government and the opposition ultimately gives rise to what is known as the “politics of antagonism.”

The Ateneo Assembly Vice President of Political Education Matthew Flores supports these sentiments. Based on observations from The Ateneo Assembly’s student-led discussions, Flores suggests that participants back Robredo’s candidacy as she best embodies the Ateneo ideals of good governance and service compared to other presidential candidates.

Other prominent factors may have won their support as well. Among other things, these include her clean track record, her involvement in community building, and her host of recovery plans.

Nonetheless, Flores adds,“If you’re vocalizing your support for Leni siguro it’s about her character, but I think it’s also because Leni represents something that you identify with. So even us [LS students] are not above identity politics.”

Flores admits how it’s still natural for these students to fall down the rabbit hole of identity politics, as people often vouch for leaders who best represent themselves.

However, he attests that character alone is not enough in basing one’s decision on who to support. After all, just because a candidate shares similar characteristics with a voter does not mean that the candidate is able to represent them in the best way possible.

According to Flores, most LS students may not acknowledge that they engage in identity politics. This

can be because the phenomenon often appears to be grounded on superficial reasoning, lending little credence to a candidate’s policies and platforms over specific aspects of their identity.

Despite the stigma surrounding identity politics, Flores asserts that students would likely be open to admitting their engagement when confronted about the issue.

A PALETTE OF BLUE As subtle as it may seem, identity politics continues to shape the political views of Ateneans–making it important to cultivate safe spaces for students to air their sentiments regarding the 2022 national elections.

As such, Aguirre mentions that a more proactive institution is crucial in engaging with students and deepening their sense of identity. One way of achieving this is through course offerings such as gender awareness curricula that promote different identities.

He suggests that the University spearhead these programs soon instead of simply waiting for student demands to emerge.

Similarly, he claims that awareness of one’s identity is the first step towards building rapport.

“Do not assume that what you have, who you are, are fixed, are stable, or are the best. What you have is just a perfect mix of those things that are also found in other people. [That] understanding would lead to listening, and that could lead to being with others,” Aguirre says.

2

lnquiry

“

Civility is important in offering a space for people who come from different backgrounds.

There is a way to communicate to others.

ALBERT ALEJO, SJ SOCIO-ANTHROPOLOGY PROFESSOR

The politica

BY BIANCA BALOBALO PHOTO BY BE ILLUSTRATION B

SINCE TIME immemorial, teachers have constantly been faced with the expectation to equip students with the means to critically engage with real-life political affairs.

However, teachers are now caught in a trap set by the social expectation for political neutrality as Halalan 2022 draws nearer. Educators are restrained from sharing their political leanings in their own classes due to a host of policies, with the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers being the most notable one.

A mid resounding ca lls for fac u lt ies to uphold political neutrality, schools must find an effective way to cultivate meaningful political engagement in the classroom amid today’s political collisions.

THE STUDENT NEED FOR A POLITICAL EDUCATION Ever since the 1960s, the Filipino youth has stood at the forefront of sounding the alarm on critical sociopolitical issues.

However, as the walls of the classroom have minimized to the sides of a computer screen, so has the political growth of Lex* (1 BS PSY). Lex laments that the lack of on-site classes has understandably limited the spaces for organic political discussions among peers.

Growing up in an apolitical and conservative environment, Lex found comfort in their high school classmates and teachers who opposed traditional ideals reinforced by the Catholic Church. By moving past religious narratives deeply ingrained into the public consciousness, they became more aware of the different ways that society can instigate sweeping changes for the betterment of the country. Thus, this newfound environment empowered Lex to participate in movements sharply critical of society’s gender- and sexuality-related inequities.

Lex’s positive experiences in their alma mater are a testimony to the impact of encouraging polit ica l engagement in classrooms despite the country’s c o n s e r v a t i ve l a nd s c a p e .

However, not all academic spaces are built the same as teachers find their own ways to observe political nonpartisanship amid the looming expectation of political neutrality.

Despite these hurdles, students continue to assert the relevance of a political education to create significant changes in today’s world. Sammi Borromeo (4 AB COM) shares how she was inspired by the climate crisis and the upcoming national elections in particular.

Despite coming from a privileged background, she felt compelled to make an effort to become more socially aware of today’s current issues.

Thus, Borromeo ho p e s for a more hands-on approach when it comes to

discussing political topics in the University’s classes such as Philosophy, Social Science, and Political Governance. Moreover, regardless of how teachers will take on this responsibility, she insists that integrating politics inside the classroom should also be approached with sensitivity and consideration for a ll beliefs, to refrain from creating unnecessary tension.

THE NONPARTISAN PROFESSIONAL Despite the absence of such explicit policies in the LS, the concept of nonpa r tisa nship in the cla ssroom is a n u n s p o k e n u nd e r s t a nd i n g a mong facult y members.

In exploring the nuances of this approach to sociopolitical discussions, Associate Dean of the Core Curriculum Benjamin Tolosa, PhD, asser ts that nonpartisanship is not as simple as it seems.

Nonpartisanship is defined as the lack of affiliation with any political party. Nevertheless, remaining nonpartisan is not only limited to the endorsements of political beliefs or candidates.

“You can be partisan on the side of truth. You can be partisan on the side of a commitment to human dignity and the common good. …

How can you be neutral when democracy itself is at stake?

How can you be neutral when the truth is under attack?”

Tolosa asks.

While it is important for teachers to have a personal stance, Socio-Anthropology Professor Albert Alejo, SJ shares that discussions in the classroom require a fundamental need for teachers and students to respect the differences of the political

The GUIDON | January-February 2022

al classroom

AND ICA POLICARPIO ETTINA CUAN

BY TIFFANY CU

beliefs of their peers. “Civility is important in offering a space for people who come from different backgrounds. There is a way to communicate to others,” he adds.

O pen ness to mu lt iple perspectives is essential to cultivating a culture of fairness and promoting the skill of critical thinking among students. Alejo agrees that opening political discussion in the classroom extends to the Ateneo’s pursuit to holistically develop its students in all aspects of their lives.

In line with the Ignatian value of being men and women for others, teachers are called to develop Ateneans into politically well-informed and engaged citizens.

THE ROADMAP TOWARDS POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS A s e a rly a s f re sh m a n yea r, st udent s a re t a ken on a journey through the core curriculum’s four main pi l l a r s of Fo u nd a t ion s , Rootedness, Deepening, and Leadership. Each core subject is strategica lly positioned throughout the undergraduate experience to expose students to the sociopolitical realities of the world.

Indoctrination is far from the goals of the Ateneo’s education as students are not meant to be steered towards certain political parties, but should instead be pushed to hone the skills needed for critical discernment of sociopolitical issues.

“It’s not explicitly always partisan [in a] political [sense], but there is a real orientation towards seeing yourself as part of society and in cases where of course, you are called to act as a citizen. I think that

question can really be part of the reflection process and even in the engagement of students,” Tolosa shares.

One of the main factors that affect a student’s engagement in politics is having a teacher who actively educates them to become more discerning with today’s current events.

The importance of a teacher’s role in student formation is rooted in the Ateneo’s core values and principles as a Jesuit institution.

Calling back to the history of the Ateneo, Alejo shares, “In the 1970s a nd 80s, it was expressed in this way: Our mission is faith that does justice. Later, it was popularized as tao para sa kapwa (person for others).”

Both Tolosa and Alejo firmly believe that the teacher’s job is not to dictate the beliefs of students, but rather to help them develop the skill of analytical discernment.

“Our job is helping the formation of a student’s certain view of the world that is committed to the truth, that is committed to empowerment, especially in a society in which you really have tremendous inequality, and of course, a history of oppression,” Tolosa adds.

PAVING A TWO-WAY STREET Moving beyond conceptual foundations and values, the pursuit for a political education requires teachers and students to meet halfway.

Alejo emphasizes that teachers must remain vigilant regarding political affairs so they are able to present objective and truthful narratives of past and current events. “A good political education should have good political

education for the teachers,” he says. Without an acute political awareness, teachers run the risk of presenting only one side of a story and unintentionally pushing an ideological agenda.

More importantly, teachers are called to seek out the connections between political issues and their own field of expertise. By doing so, it also becomes easier to develop the language necessary to integrate these lessons to students at their specific year level.

While Borromeo and Lex agree that political lessons were imbued into their core subjects, little of their political enlightenment was attributed to their experiences with LS classes. They expressed a need for a more explicit and instigative curriculum that pushes students into a more intentional political consciousness.

Outside of the classroom, students are invited to take a proactive role in their own political education. Borromeo and Lex both agree that gaining experiences in extracurricular organizations instigated their own political enlightenment.

P u r s u i ng u ncom for t a ble political conversations with people in our circle is also a difficult but necessary first step.

W it h b ot h t e a c h e r s a nd students pushing for me a n i ng f u l pol it ic a l engagements in the LS, this serves as the momentum to develop more critically aware citizens, willing to partake in movements against societal injustices and inequities. *Editor’s Note: The name of an interviewee was changed to protect their identity and privacy.

“

Our job is helping the formation of a student’s certain view of the world that is committed to the truth, that is committed to empowerment, especially in a society in which you really have tremendous inequality, and of course, a history of oppression.

BENJAMIN TOLOSA ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR CORE CURRICULUM

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Trailing the typhoon’s tailend

BY GERARD IGNACIO AND LOURENCE SEGOVIA WHILE EVERYONE braced themselves for the worst that Typhoon Odette could bring— violent winds, torrential rains, and raging f loods—several Ateneans were adamant to stay put, hunkered down with their laptops to submit their final exams. Thus, alongside the flashing notifications of their impending deadlines were their windows creaking from the wind, their houses seeping with floodwater, and the darkness looming in the sky above.

Nearly three months after Typhoon Odette’s landfall, Ateneans are still grappling with its parallel storm, as they contend with the deep emotional scars and overwhelming academic backlog that Typhoon Odette brought in its wake.

STORIES FROM THE STORM Amid his community’s instructions to evacuate, finishing his final requirements was Eugene Dela Cruz’s (1 AB EC-H) top-ofmind before the typhoon reached the shores of Hilongos, Leyte.

While everyone was already packing up and moving, Dela Cruz was still in the middle of finalizing a presentation for one of his classes.

Dela Cruz only evacuated to a nearby hotel after checking most of his deadlines off his

to-do list. Even then, he said that his main priority was to evacuate with his laptop because securing it was a matter of life and death for students enrolled in online classes like him.

When Dela Cruz arrived at the hotel, everything was swaying around him as if there was an ongoing earthquake. He saw cars flung around by the raging winds while trees and electric posts came tumbling down. Worried about his safety and anticipating that electricity would not be restored in time before his last deadline, Dela Cruz fled to Metro Manila a day after the landfall.

He was right; electricity in some areas of his town has yet to be restored as of writing.

In Cebu Cit y, A licia Montesclaros (2 BS CH-MSE) endured the same nightmare. At first, no one from her family was alarmed over Typhoon Odette since Cebu City was no stranger to typhoons. It was only when Typhoon Odette was raised to a supertyphoon by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center that apprehensions started to shoot up.

The distress Montesclaros experienced during the night of the typhoon was evident.

She expressed that aside from the damage on her room’s roof, seeing her ravaged community with no signal, water, and electricity was more upsetting.

Since the typhoon happened during the final leg of the semester, she worried that she had no chance of submitting her last academic requirements on time. Her professors extended the deadlines for her work s , a lthough signa l

problems in her area made it much more difficult for her to promptly comply.

HELPING HANDS For students like Dela Cruz and Montesclaros, receiving relief is crucial during and after the devastation of calamities such as Typhoon Odette.

Fortunately, the Loyola Schools (LS) administration worked hand-in-hand with the Sanggunian and other student organizations in times of natural crises to address the concerns of affected students.

For instance, the School Sanggunians immediately conduct constituency checks to survey the student body’s situation whenever there are impending typhoons. Once a student raises a relevant concern to the Sanggunian, they forward it to the appropriate LS office that can immediately provide assistance to the student. The Sanggunian also uses the data to lobby for policies that adjust academic deadlines until students recover from the calamities.

In particular, the Office of Admission and Aid (OAA) is one of the LS offices that keeps close contact with the Sanggunian during natural calamities. With the scholars as the priority, they conducted their own constituency checks to contact the students.

With both of them being schola rs, Dela Cr u z a nd Montesclaros felt grateful that the OAA representatives were first to contact them in the wake of Typhoon Odette.

They added that the Office’s text message was worded in a genuine manner, which made

them feel assured of the University’s care and concern.

SPECIALIZED NEEDS While Montesclaros and Dela Cruz appreciate the LS community’s initiatives to aid typhoon-stricken students like them, these efforts were not enough.

Both students emphasize how they struggled to submit their assessments by the deadline— even with the extensions in place—since they needed more time to recover from the typhoon’s aftermath. For instance, Dela Cruz scrambled to meet his deadlines because he had to find safety in Metro Manila all by himself. On the other hand, Montesclaros had difficulties connecting to the internet, which hindered her from keeping in contact with her classmates.

Montescla ros’ a nd Dela Cruz’s stories show that the road to recovery is never as simple as issuing a memo to push back deadlines by a few weeks or checking up on students via text.

If anything, their struggles after the disaster only point to the parallel storm that some typhoon-stricken students like them are still grappling with. This refers to the intense academic and psychological toll they must mount alongside the recovery efforts they must render to their own battered communities.

With this parallel storm, students like Montesclaros and Dela Cruz endured much more distressing post-storm experiences despite being affected by the same typhoon.

This goes to show that designing umbrella

ONLINE FACES ODETTE. Typhoon Odette affects LS students’ ability to comply with academic requirements due to the aftermath of the typhoon. PHOTO BY JESH QUIAMBAO.

solutions may not be ideal in these kinds of situations. According to Development Studies Professor Mark Anthony Abenir, DSD, “Hindi pwedeng magkaroon ng one-size fits all na approach (There cannot be a one-size fits all approach.) The LS administration is responsible for communicating that [the approach].”

In order to effectively help their community, Abenir suggests that the LS administration work together with those who were directlyaffected to find what they need. This is in contrast to crafting policies that, as the students explained, did not completely help them.

Dela Cruz also suggests contacting the other sectors of the Ateneo community such as the students’ different organizations in order to expand the University’s reach. As seen by the turnout in the different donation drives, he explains that the Ateneo community is more than ready to help out their fellow classmates who were badly battered by Typhoon Odette.

ROAD TO RECOVERY As remote learning continues to test students’ mental resilience and emotional stability, the need for the academic community to go the extra mile in compassion during unforeseen instances like typhoons becomes more apparent.

According to Abenir, the importance of the community in this trying time cannot be understated.

“Well, napakaimportante building the sense of community among stakeholders especially students undergoing online education.

May iba’t ibang aspeto na kailangan tingnan at maramdaman ng studyante,” he says.

(Well, it’s very important to build a sense of community among stakeholders, especially students undergoing online education. There are different aspects that need to be looked at and felt by the students. There will be a reinforcement of their needs.) Aside from providing materia l relief, emotiona l safety such as by fostering a sense of belongingness is essential during these crises.

Moving forward, Abenir enumerates the best way the community can deal with any calamity they may face in the future: “Yung bukas na komunikasyon, pakikinig, pagrespeto kung saan man tayo nanggaling ay importante para tayo ay yumabong bilang isang academic community.”

(O pen com mu n ic at ion , listening, and respecting the different places that we come from is important for an academic community to thrive.)

EDITOR: KIANA R. ALTOVEROS • LAYOUT ARTIST: KURT TAN • READ MORE AT theguidon.com

A PALATIAL INHERITANCE The dire implications linked to the governance of dynastic clans reinforce the clear call for an inclusive political system in the country more than logging time.

Beyond Loyola

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PHOTO BY STELLA ARENAS

Blood by the ballot box AS THE May polls draw near, so does the likelihood of political violence among the candidates’ adversaries and respective supporters. Numerous instances of these cases, such as the 295 deaths lost during the 2004 elections, serve to characterize the Philippines as a hotspot for politically-motivated violence.

While democratic systems were restored after the creation of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, there remain numerous factors that hinder the Philippines from fully achieving democracy. To escape the recurring pattern of guns, goons, and gold, reinforcing the current justice systems and engaging active stakeholders is crucial.

UNCOVERING THE ROOTS The implementation of justice systems in election periods was borne out of a need to address the political instability of the years 1965 to 1998. Fighting between non-ideological factions led to the increase of electoral violence cases that devastatingly took 2,000 lives during the 1984 polls.

W h i le t he post-EDSA government attempted to achieve stability by reinstating democratic structures, a large number of political candidates turned to personality politics.

Rather than focusing on a candidate’s platform, the general public was more invested in a candidate’s overall personality.

Taking advantage of the public’s mindset, candidates attempted to attract voters by offering rewards, which tra nsfor med Philippine politics into a coa litiona l pyramid. The government’s systems simultaneously failed in propagating democracy and instead monopolized electoral violence instead. Numerous

sectors took advantage of this weakness, as seen in how political dynasties organized pr ivate a r m ies for t hei r personal agenda.

A prime example of this is the Ampatuan Massacre, which involved the murder of 58 people, including journalists, witnesses, and those in an opposition candidate's convoy. Even after Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his private army were charged, there was no move to revoke Executive Order 546, which allowed the private armies’ existence. To simultaneously protest and raise awareness on cases of electoral violence, journalists decided to use media networks as an outlet.

However, with the continuous reporting of such cases and the increasing statistics of electoral violence, the stories behind them are often overlooked.

INTERPRETING TRENDS To conduc t a more comprehensive analysis of electoral violence, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism created the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), an online database that analyzes individual attacks based on the dates, targets, and methods.

The GTD reported 58.6 percent of unidentified attacks and an alarming increase in assassinations occurred during election periods in the years 2004 to 2017. Notably, post-elections still involved increased cases of violence, which may be attributed to dissatisfaction with election results.

Using the data provided by the GTD as a basis for interpreting common trends of electoral violence, it becomes easier for stakeholders to understand the motivations behind them.

For instance, Lund University Postdoctoral fellow Joseph

BY FRANCIS CAIGA AND ALEX L. GRANTOZA

Anthony L. Reyes, PhD, attributed widespread fear to the increase of electoral violence in urban areas.

“If the violence is displayed in the mountains, no one might pay attention. But if it’s in the city, definitely the people might see it and it becomes more effective.

The message becomes clearer,” he stated.

This serves as a reminder that, more than the security of locations, the implementation and

Assistant Regional Director Renault C. Macarambon, electoral violence in their locality often occurred between political rivals and their supporters.

Politicians in BARMM are known to integrate electoral violence in their tactics to be able to win the much-coveted seat of power, election lawyer Emil Marañon III confirmed. To some extent, electoral violence has even become normalized in remote

Because [candidates] earn money, willing sila makipagpatayan just to actually get that position, and in order to make sure na may continuous cash flow sa personal coffers nila.

EMIL MARAÑON III ELECTION LAWYER, TAM LAW OFFICES

maintenance of justice systems is what will truly provide protection.

JUDICIAL REMEDIES W h i le ex per iences of electoral violence vary across the archipelago, such an event has remained prevalent in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

According to COMELEC

and far-flung regions. “Because [candidates] earn money, willing sila makipagpatayan just to actually get that position, and in order to make sure na may continuous cash flow sa personal coffers nila,” Marañon III added.

However, in the rare case that people want to file electoral violence cases, Macarambon explained that their regional

COMELEC office’s first step is to make sure that the facts are straight and clear before forwarding it to the COMELEC en banc. The higher poll body would then determine if there is probable cause behind the filed incident, which would merit the intervention of the courts.

Despite the availability of legal procedures, cases are often unsuccessful as people often withdraw in the midst of proceedings. “It’s a question of whether or not people are willing to report and actually [risk] expos[ing] themselves,” Marañon III said. Instead, concerned parties like political clans have the penchant to settle matters among themselves due to their closeness.

Still, the manner in which these tight-knit relationships handle cases of electoral violence only breeds a culture that is harder to regulate by institutions—especially since security personnel could become loyal to local officials. “That loyalty to a certain extent can affect their neutrality in dealing with security issues,” Marañon III added.

TOWARDS PEACE AND ORDER Noting the issues pervading the country’s electoral system, the solutions that are needed to resolve them are multifaceted and complex. Reyes, for instance, encouraged discernment from stakeholders, “It’s not enough to say that an explosion will happen in some place; the intricacies, or details should also be known.” He then emphasized that the media could be used to provide accurate reports of electoral violence to raise awareness of the violence occurring in their area.

The COMELEC has currently deployed more Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel in electoral hotspots, established checkpoints, enforced gun bans, and trained officials in the event of electoral violence. Macarambon expressed that these measures seem sufficient but mentioned that amendments shall be made to the Election Code to adjust to the new technological milieu.

While updating the Election Code is important, Marañon III countered that amendments in the law are useless without proper institutional reforms in the relationship between enforcement agencies and local governments.

For instance, security officers should be reshuffled in case they are proven to be partial to their assigned area’s local officials.

Certainly, the extreme nature of electoral violence can only be handled by the government and its policing personnel, as individuals or grassroots organizations are more powerless before terror.

However, Marañon III suggested that the government’s solutions should be more area-specific than uniform to be more effective.

“Ang common na mali ng gobyerno (the government’s most common mistake) is they would always give a common solution to everything and everyone, without considering these special factors. It’s a paradigm shift that the government managers and security officers need to consider,” he mentioned.

As a predicament fraught with uncertainties and complications, the path towards addressing electoral violence will be no easy feat. However, should this issue be left unencumbered, the country risks itself having a roster of officials elected because of undue fear and not political freedom.

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Beyond Loyola

The GUIDON | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022

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Beyond Loyola

A palatial inheritance

Working the family business

BY ANGELA NICOLE DIVINA AND ZACHARY C. GONZALES ILLUSTRATION BY FRANZ MANLUTAC

BY EXPLOITING the economy in lieu of mending it, many politicians have found themselves more attuned to a new profession: Rent-seeking. Despite dating back to the 19th century, everyday Filipinos remain in the dark on this trade secret.

The economic concept of rentseeking is a polarizing one, with varyingly accurate interpretations ranging from a harmless request for a raise to market manipulation made possible by income inequality. Furthermore, applying the practice to a political context cannot be done without explaining its ties to crony capitalism.

Rent-seeking clearly manifests itself when affluent groups persuade politicians to act upon their interests. It may also be initiated by the politicians themselves when they abuse their access to state resources to further allies’ socioeconomic statuses and disadvantage competition, creating oligopolies.

Rent-seeking, then, is a tool used to strengthen horizontal (“fat”) dynasties and lay the foundation for vertical (“thin”) ones—allowing political families to chain their constituents through clientelism.

These political dynasties remain rife today, though explicit examples of rentseeking vis-à-vis politics are more prominently documented in decade-old records.

The acclaimed 1993 book An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in the Philippines presents explicit details of notable—and notorious—political families in the Philippines. Its final chapter presents Iloilo’s Eugenio and Fernando H. López Sr. as they dominated mid-20th century politics. While the pair cyclically reaped the benefits of the other’s

position, entrepreneur Eugenio’s wealth allegedly found further use in influencing law enforcement.

An early and successful example of rent-seeking, the López clan’s dubious practices foretold the future of politics.

Exacerbated by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ cronyism and practiced by local criminal politicians, the Philippines has forged itself an ironclad relationship with rentseeking. The practice’s success today has persisted to the point of normalization, due to latestage capitalism, globalization, and post-colonialism.

Weaponized by politicians for their own agendas, rent-seeking’s consequences and motives also lie in economics where it is often detrimental for siphoning wealth. At worst, local and foreign studies caution that rent-seeking can be economically and socially damaging as the wealth drained away decreases the net outputs of affected economies.

While rent-seeking can rarely lead to good such as the development of industries and new technologies—and whereas not all family-controlled businesses automatically indulge in rent-seeking—it is still predominantly viewed in a negative light. Rent-seeking activities like lobbying and bribery divert resources and often deprive the support of more productive pursuits.

Whether a slight advantage or a huge detriment, rent-seeking is a phenomenon intimately wedged between the political and the economic. In Philippine society where these dynasties and rent-seeking are all the more rife, it pays to be vigilant of rentseeking to help one recognize the public servants from the private investors.

FAMILIAR SURNAMES often find themselves on ballots in the upcoming elections; that is an unwavering guarantee.

As members of the same clan run for office, political dynasties continue to embed themselves into the Philippine electoral system.

However, the seemingly perennial presence of dynastic families has both its costs and benefits. While studies reveal strong links between dynasties and poor political and socioeconomic outcomes, dynastic patterns have etched themselves in the system— compelling Filipinos to vote based on patronymic.

The looming elections make it vital to scrutinize dynastic continuity, its implications on the country’s political landscape, and the different ways to approach it given the ongoing battle between the welfare of the clan and the welfare of the state.

RUNS IN THE BLOOD To circumvent term limits, dynasts have long secured their position in the history of politics by fielding more members of their clan into power. Research conducted by the Ateneo Policy Center shows that dynasties occur when members of the same family occupy elected government positions, either in succession or all at once. The simultaneous holding of elective posts—also known as a “fat” dynasty—allows dynastic politicians to dominate politics at both the national and local levels.

Dynasties in the country have become increasingly fatter, signaling a stronger concentration of power in the political arena, said Ateneo School of Government Dean Ronald Mendoza, PhD. “Based on our research in the Ateneo Policy Center, over 80 percent of our governors and almost 70 percent of representatives in Congress belong to fat dynasties,” he noted.

Further research by Mendoza based on the present trend predicts that approximately 70 percent of local officials would be dynastic by 2040, foretelling the persistence of dynastic ascendancy.

BOON AND BANE Clearly, there exists a sense of dynastic continuity in Philippine politics as the concurrence of elective power within the family expands. This, however, remains a contentious issue as some favor its retention while others actively seek its abolition.

BY JANA O. ANG AND BIEL L.B. AREVALO

President Rodrigo Duterte himself expressed his inclination towards dynasties, saying these were “not bad” due to familiarity precedence. Mendoza attributes this to the incumbent advantage of fat dynasties that place dynasts in control of many public services, pressuring reliant voters to vote for names that ring a bell.

On the contrary, empirical studies reveal a causality between dynastic patterns and blemished socioeconomic outcomes. Mendoza discloses that dynasties are “typically associated with more underdevelopment and poverty” particularly in areas far from

families. Dynastic regulation may just be the silver bullet to the dynasty-induced poverty incidence and bad governance that make a hash of the country’s political landscape at large.

ABOVE THE LAW? Despite the crucial need for implementation, anti-dynasty reforms hardly occupy space and attention in the realm of law.

According to Ateneo Political Science Assistant Professor Maria Lao, DPA, the chief factor in the proliferation of political dynasties is the Congress’ failure to pass the regulatory measures demanded by the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Rent-seeking, then, is a tool used to strengthen horizontal (“fat”) dynasties and lay the foundation for vertical (“thin”) ones—allowing political families to lastingly chain their constituents through clientelism. the Luzon and regions with frail democratic institutions.

Ramifications of dynastic continuity on underdevelopment are largely precipitated by the concentration of power among the minority, poor check and balance mechanisms, and weaker accountability and governance measures. Mendoza furthermore mentioned that dynasties make it challenging for more promising leaders to compete in the leadership development and selection process.

These findings implore for a more institutionalized solution to the intractable growth of dynastic

Beyond pertinent Constitutional provisions, particularly those embedded in Article II, Section 26, as well as Article VII, Section 13, none of the proposed bills to prohibit political dynasties have been legitimized. “The people who swear to write the [anti-dynasty] laws in the service of the Filipino people cannot because there’s that interest that they carry, which is their own,” Lao remarked.

The pattern has endured through the years, owing its survival to politicians’ disapproval of anti-dynasty amendments and condonation of dy na stic preva lence.

Lao stressed that the current reign of dynastic clans is not an isolated issue, but a symptom of the diseases that plague the nation’s political system.

“Dynasties are just one feature. It is an overwhelming characteristic but there are all these other practices [the lack of safeguards to ensure accountability, transparency, and fair competition] that weaken the democratic structure,” she explained.

With no anti-dynasty law, political clans have succeeded in exploiting loopholes within Constitutional constraints.

Even with imposed term limits, incumbent politicians affiliated with dynasties sustain their influence by transferring the position to relatives or bringing more family members into office.

DEFEATING DYNASTIES Turning a blind eye to the sprawling familial networks that govern politics blocks any chance of systemic change and also exacerbates abusive and incompetent leadership.

Mendoza touched on the alarming implications of a political landscape rife with dynasties. “The most likely effect is a continued erosion of trust in government and a weakening of the merit-based selection of leaders in the public sector,” he said.

Mendoza and Lao advocated for the enforcement of inclusive political policies and stricter anti-dynasty regulations that would collectively open the doors for alternative leaders and encourage both competition and professionalism in the public sector.

Dynasties are difficult to overturn as these have woven themselves so seamlessly into the political culture that they have become indistinguishable from the Filipino perspective of family. In light of the upcoming elections, however, Lao noted the opportunity that a new generation of voters—who may perceive governance differently—will bring.

As these dynasties continue to thrive, it is imperative that the millions of Filipinos casting their ballots in May critically assess the candidates running for office—not on the basis of surnames, but on the ability to lead. Ultimately, only a combination of structural reform and a reconstructed ideal of public service can usurp the persistence of political dynasties and its destructive legacy.

ILLUSTRATION BY SAM DELLOMAS

EDITOR: AISHA C. SAID • LAYOUT ARTIST: KAITLYN W. MERCADO • READ MORE AT theguidon.com

EYE OF THE TIGER In the face of new beginnings, Chinese astrology offers a fresh outlook for those who need clarity and direction towards a purposeful life.

Features

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Table for three MODERN NOTIONS of love have led many to yearn for “the one.” Thus, the conventional approach to love across the world has become the practice of monogamy. It is a hallmark of a “serious relationship,” and is granted legal recognition through the social institution of marriage.

However, non-monogamous individuals hold a perspective different from the norm. They believe that romantic love and intimacy does not have to be reserved for one person, and in no way does this tarnish the quality of their relationships.

Despite the recognition that non-monogamy is a valid lifestyle, the practice still suffers from societal misconceptions.

Two Ateneans share what it is like to share love and intimacy with many.

STICKING TO ONE Non-monogamous relationships have existed for centuries, mostly in the form of polygyny. Some evolutionary experts assert that humans were initially polygynous before monogamy became widely legitimized as a structure for social order across civilizations.

Nonetheless, history has a tendency to repeat itself as it sprouts long-standing traditions into new and more individually empowering forms.

In more recent years, ethical non-monogamy has slowly become a recognized consensual practice of having multiple close partners at the same time. The lifestyle can range from mere sexual encounters to intimate connections with multiple partners. As a result, more people are opting for a nonmonogamous setup in their romantic relationships as they realize that there are more ways of celebrating love.

Trix* (2 AB MEC) was strictly monogamous before her thenboyfriend introduced her to the idea of polyamory where they’d be free to flirt and be sexually involved with people outside of their relationship.

In a society that glamorizes finding “the one,” non-monogamous people believe that their fate can be shared with more than one person.

BY KATRINA B. ANTONIO AND GABRIELLE CHRISTINA A. CORTES ILLUSTRATION BY ANDIE TSAI

As any loving partner would, Trix initially hesitated. “I was a bit skeptical, because I was concerned obviously, [I’d ask] ‘Am I not enough?,’” she shares. However, through constant assurance from her partner and learning from polyamorous friends, she got a better grasp of what nonmonogamy truly entails.

Jess* (2 AB COM), on the other hand, made the shift to polyamory through a long winded journey of introspection sparked by a seemingly unrelated topic: K-pop.

is already difficult on paper, and even more so in practice.

ONE, TWO… THREE? At first, Trix was passive in her open relationship but eventually felt inclined to engage in polyamory herself.

She started forming both intimate and deep platonic relationships w ith people outside of her relationship that allowed her to explore her sexuality and discover what she likes in a partner.

Coming from a traditional and

in making open relationships work.

On the other hand, after rea lizing she might be polyamorous, Jess introduced the idea of an open relationship to her then-girlfriend. Unfamiliar with ethical non-monogamy, her partner initially questioned the state of their relationship.

“It was a few days of conversations where I had to reassure [my partner] that [being polyamorous] is not something you can fix; it’s not a phase. I don't think I can just pretend it doesn't exist,” she points out.

disclose what they do romantically outside the relationship.

The setup would eventually cause Jess anxiety over her partner possibly hearing about her romantic escapades from other people. “I don’t think I would opt into any other Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell situation,” she says, emphasizing the importance of open communication in nonmonogamous relationships.

While non-monogamy has given them the freedom to generously love others, it isn’t all a rosy path.

‘‘

To me, I’m not slicing one pie for three people. I just have three pies. So it’s like, I have so much love to give. And I can give it to these people wholeheartedly.

JESS 2 AB COM

Despite being in a committed relationship, she admitted a real desire to date her favorite idol, propelling a significant thought process. “Let’s say it’s not a K-pop idol, right? Like it’s some random person in a bar… that doesn't make the situation different naman,” she recalls thinking.

With a stronger desire for new experiences in love, Jess slowly came to terms with her identity as polyamorous. However, straying from a well-established practice observed by most people

emotionally-closed household, Trix learned how to better communicate her needs through non-monogamy. The boundaries she set in place with her thenpartner—such as the type of people they could not date— created a healthy environment for their relationship.

“It’s a lot of communication.

You have to trust that this person is honest with you and keeps boundaries,” Trix shares. She also clarifies that boundaries vary from couple to couple, so conversations on personal preferences are crucial

Af ter some time, Jess’s partner eventually embraced the possibility of seeing other people. They both stayed nonmonogamous for the length of their relationship while remaining transparent about boundaries and treating each other as their primary partners.

Conversely, Jess’s most recent partner remained monogamous throughout their relationship but fully understood her romantic preferences. They mutually agreed on a setup known as ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ where partners do not

LOVE UNDIVIDED Trix’s first challenge in this new lifestyle was to restructure her idea of destiny and soulmates. As someone who used to put monogamy on a pedestal, unlearning the values instilled in her was difficult but not impossible with the positive reinforcements she received from friends. Even so, the few family members who knew didn’t approve of it due to the assumption that open relationships were mere versions of cheating.

“ T he def i n it ion of a polyamorous or an open relationship is that it is consensual. And cheating is not consensual, because it is deception,” Trix clarifies.

To her dismay, mainstream media’s inaccurate portrayals of polyamorous individuals as unfaithful partners only reinforces this stereotype.

Apart from the stigma, she furthers how women in open relationships are often objectified because the lifestyle is miscontrued as as a free pass into sexual activity. In reality, like in any other relationship, non-monogamous individuals st i l l obser ve bou nd a r ies and consent.

“Just because I am open minded towards other sexual exper iences, it 's not a n invitation for you to just skip the pleasantries of getting to know me and asking for my consent,” Trix says.

Meanwhile, Jess recalls coming across people who call open relationships selfish. While others liken non-monogamy to dividing a pie, she believes that this is far from reality.“To me, I’m not slicing one pie for three people. I just have three pies. So it’s like, I have so much love to give. And I can give it to these people wholeheartedly,” she remarks.

Devoid of the misconceptions on non-monogamy, one thing rings true—love is not in short supply among these relationships. As Trix puts it, “Allow [non-monogamous people] to be happy and feel secure within the confines of their understanding of what makes them happy.” *Editor’s Note: The names of the interviewees have been changed at their request in order to protect their identity and privacy.

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Features YOUTH IN POLITICS. With elections drawing closer, youth from different parties have expressed their support for their candidates through volunteering for various campaign events. PHOTOS BY NATE BOSANO, JERRY FENG, REGINE SALUMBRE, DARYL SY, AND ALEXIS WANG

Once we’re old enough to vote Young people are aware of the stakes in the 2022 Presidential Elections. As such, they have decided to take matters into their own hands as they offer their time, effort, and energy into their different candidates and advocacies.

BY ARIANA ENRIQUEZ AND ENZO LAGAMON

THE MAY 2022 Presidential Elections is deemed critical by many as the outcomes may possibly make or break the nation still held in thrall by corruption and a pandemic.

Thus, people have begun to air their grievances and voice their support—or contempt—for different candidates online, as health protocols hamper people from campaigning in more traditional ways.

Despite these limitations, the youth’s enthusiasm to involve themselves in politics has not faltered as they steer political discussions on social media and engage with different personalities. In this spirit, youth voters are not only registering to vote but also manning different campaigns themselves.

NOT TOO YOUNG Jamesun Bejarin (4 AB POS - MPM) is the Coordinator for “Leni For You,” a nationwide group of Ateneans and alumni mobilizing support for Vice President Leni Robredo. He recounts how he bravely accepted this position after some faculty members reached out to him following his service in the wake mass of late President Noynoy

Aquino. “Naantig ako (I was moved) because before college started, I had so much hope for [the] government,” he adds.

While he is more cognizant now of the realities of public service and the faults of previous administrations, he campaigns for Robredo because he believes in her advocacies and sees good governance through her.

Similarly, Louise Piedad (2 BS ME) also heeded the call to volunteerism as a member of the Externals Team of Leni For You in 2021. Her advocacy has always been in line with good governance and anticorruption, which she believes are personified in her chosen candidates. Currently, she helps in strategizing for Leni campaigns, organizing lugawans with different barangay captains, and coordinating with other local officials.

The fight for good governance, though, is also waged in the local election scene. This is why Jacob Publico (4 AB IS) single-handedly heads the Research Intelligence, Communications, and Volunteer teams of the Bagong Las Piñas party. He gathers electionrelevant information from different barangays in the city,

manages their website, and calls upon youth volunteers to help with their campaign for a new Las Piñas.

Publico shares that the passing of their last mayor in August 2021 sparked aggression in politics upon discovering a chance to challenge the 20-year political dynasty. After working with different marginalized sectors, Publico was impelled to head numerous teams in his Congress candidate Louie Redoble’s campaign. “I get to do things on the executive level. We’re in the room of people making decisions for the party. I get to be part of the vision-making,” he shares.

On the other hand, Niña Torres, a Psychology student from Silliman University, shares a different perspective on how youth political volunteerism may look like. She is part of youth collective KAYA (Kabataan In Your Area) teams that seek to inquire about, educate, and involve people in addressing numerous social problems. KAYA teams, which are found all across the nation, seek to build the capacity of different people so that they may become leaders themselves.

All these stories, however, are not ones without obstacles.

The job of politics is difficult with numerous demands and challenges.

I AM BUT A SMALL VOICE Fortunately, the Philippines has entered an era where youth participation is generally tolerated if not welcomed. While Piedad cites evidence of isolated cases labeling the youth as “know-it-alls” in their struggle to inform people, Bejarin, on the other hand, defends that being a part of the youth is never a limitation. “We should listen to the youth more. They bring something unique to [the table], and using social media almost seems second nature to them,” he asserts.

Compared to the past election cycle, the youth engagement culture witnessed a mass shift online. Moreover, Torres shares that their struggle is not the setup but the threat of funded red-tagging as their team mobilizes in Mindanao.

Even in Luzon, Bejarin cites that hostility from strangers during strikes and the infamous “bayaran” allegations across media platforms are no news.

Despite forces aimed at discrediting youth involvement,

Publico remarks: “The youth can overcome many of its obstacles if they are immersed in the reality on the ground and are unified.” As a matter of fact, the struggle lies with the issue of sustaining onthe-ground participation, which can be remedied by involvement in discourse.

BECAUSE EVERY EFFORT COUNTS Ever yd ay, t he average reasonable Filipino is bombarded with campaign gimmicks of running candidates. In this season of vulnerability and openness to be “swayed,” Publico realizes how people often compromise principles for the sake of convenience. Amid uncertainties, he reminds himself never to let go of his ideas, especially when working in politics.

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Every effort, no matter how miniscule, matters in electing people to power. Out of the whopping 67.5 million eligible Filipinos to vote for the 2022 elections, more than 30 percent of the statistics are attributed to the youth sector. “We cannot solve these problems in a short period and on our own individual efforts—it is a collective effort of the masses, of the entire society,” Torres points out.

In a country where many people are privileged enough to stay quiet, Piedad implores her peers to open their eyes and stand for a cause worth fighting for. Bejarin likewise echoes this call to action: “Engage [even if] our voices as individuals don't seem to matter… that's why we can't lose hope. No matter the result, the fight doesn't end here.”

Engage [even if] our voices as individuals don't seem to matter.

That's why we can't lose hope. No matter the result, the fight doesn't end here.

JAMESUN BEJARIN 4 AB POS-MPM

The GUIDON | January-February 2022

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Eye of the Tiger Amid the intertwined hope and fear brought by new beginnings, a Chinese metaphysics professional rises up to the challenge of guiding individuals towards a purposeful and prosperous year ahead.

BY LIAM ISAIAH LAO AND RYAN SUAREZ

EVERY LUNAR New Year, streets and establishments are adorned with bright red colors as an invitation for luck and prosperity in the months ahead. Families and friends gift acquaintances with boxes of tikoy—glutinous rice cakes—while Chinese restaurants hand out fortune cookies to their customers.

Aside from these tokens of celebration during the season, various individuals from all walks of life also develop interest and curiosity with what predictions their horoscope for the year holds.

Some malls even designate areas where mall-goers can check their yearly zodiac forecast. With the communal anticipation, Chinese astrologers take the spotlight amid the festive season as Filipinos consult their expertise on horoscopes to assess their luck with the Tiger.

THROUGH THE YEARS The historic relationship between the Filipinos and the Chinese traces back to the precolonial times, rooted in trade and commerce. These interactions also paved the way for cultural integration—including Chinese astrology as we know it.

Chinese metaphysics practitioner and consultant Sofia Relosa notes

that the zodiac has maintained its local popularity due to the longstanding presence of Chinese culture in the Philippines.

Relosa’s interest in the field began 14 years ago when a friend of hers mentioned how delving into it can promote wealth and wellbeing.

It was not until 2017 when her curiosity led her to study Chinese metaphysics professionally, which she initially kept as a secret from her husband.

As a professional consultant, Relosa uses the different tools of Chinese metaphysics in enhancing her clients’ awareness and clarity in life. She identifies their Bazi chart based on their birthday and birth hour, and aligns it with the feng shui from the client’s own environment. The Bazi chart shows one’s four Chinese animals, as well as the pillars that denote suggested behaviors on particular aspects of life.

“You have to identify what you want and then we align it to the feng shui, where we can maximize the best energy to provide you the optimum level of energy,” she explains.

During Lunar New Year, Bazi astrology gains heightened interest as people use the horoscope to guide their year ahead. Thus, Relosa’s January and February

days are packed with consultations, especially from business owners who need advice.

SHOOT FOR THE MOON The popularity and practice of Bazi and feng shui continue past the Lunar New Year, as Relosa continues to provide such guidance throughout the calendar.

Aside from business owners, fresh college graduates and those experiencing emotional turmoil a lso seek direction by consulting with her year-round.

Regarding the practice’s prominence in the country, Relosa explains that astrology is popular among the population, though many would not admit it. “Hindi lang nila ine-expose kasi (They just don’t expose themselves because) they don’t want to be judged,” she explains.

Despite the widespread awareness of the zodiac, many misconceptions continue to mar its effectiveness, particularly the over-reliance on Chinese charms or decorations. “Chinese metaphysics is a tool that’s based on the energy

ILLUSTRATION BY DANNI NATIVIDAD

from our natural environment. It’s from the stars, from the mountain, from the sea, and everything... [But activating it] requires active action,” Relosa states.

Like many other belief systems, Bazi and feng shui require active intervention from individuals to effect true change in their lives.

Charms and faith alone do not make for a better life. In that sense, practices such as Chinese metaphysics are exactly that— instruments that revolve around the person and guide action rather than beliefs to be followed blindly.

LAND AMONG THE STARS In the wake of the moon’s trip around the earth, it is important to note that Chinese metaphysics does more than help people take action, make decisions, and pursue more fulfilling lives.

For Relosa, awareness and direction in life can be hard to come by as some people live their whole lives never knowing what their purpose is. “That’s one of the reasons why Chinese met aphysics is ver y important—[you’re able to] chase a goal instead

of just reacting to [your] circumstances,” she shares.

By finding one’s Bazi chart and discovering one’s affinities and sense of self, Relosa affirms that people are better informed on the paths they should take, whether in their career or life in general.

“It’s a happy life because you’re doing what you’re meant to do,” she concludes.

Nursing the hereditary hurt Filipino culture abundantly values close family ties, but what may appear as intimacy to some may be suffocating for others.

BY GAB APLASCA AND REIGN IRIS CENTENO

THE VIBRANT magic and music of Disney’s Encanto (2021) belie the film’s more somber themes. The tale of the family Madrigal is set apart from others in Disney’s filmography, as none of its characters serve as the villain. Instead, the issues of generational trauma and overwhelming family expectations are the specters that cast dark clouds over the casita’s living ceramic roof.

Although Encanto is set in a village nestled in the mountains of South America, it is not difficult to draw parallels between Colombia’s familycentric culture and that of the Philippines. Multigenerational homes and close ties with the extended family are among the familiar sights shared by the two societies.

Unlike in the Disney blockbuster, however, the struggles of problematic family

practices and traditions are no song and dance. The burden of familial pressure may weigh heavily on individuals’ minds and may cause very real relational rifts and emotional damage.

SURFACE PRESSURE Rose*, a first-year BS Nursing student at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, is the eldest daughter in the family of four.

Due to her parents’ separation, she was raised by her grandparents.

At a young age, she was already exposed to the harsh reality of her family’s economic disposition.

Rose’s reality consists of two things: Being unable to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, and choosing a more practical degree in nursing instead. Though she wanted to pursue a career through her passion, she knows that achieving one’s dreams is not just a matter of pursuing what

she wants, but rather a calculated move to obtain what she needs.

“I’m obliged–I’m forced to become responsible. I’m obliged to choose what is practical for us and for myself,” she shares.

Being the eldest daughter in a household has its own complications. Whether the choice of opting for practicality over passion is a matter of responsibility or a fault of society, Rose’s situation exhibits a crack in the Filipino family culture.

According to Rose, “When it comes to pressure, I think it’s just something that our generation has to live by, especially in a country like the Philippines… we have to struggle a lot in order to get the opportunities we rightfully deserve–that’s just something we have to face.”

Compromising one’s dream is not a novel issue, but the dilemma of first-born Filipino children choosing between their personal aspirations and their family’s needs is a cycle that never gets old.

A DEEPER DIVE Rose certainly had her family’s best interest in mind when she chose pragmatism over passion.

However, this type of decision may involve hurdles to personal fulfillment and individual growth to eldest siblings like Rose.

Anthropologist and cultural historian Fernando Zialcita cautions that entrusting the eldest child the responsibility to provide for their siblings can strengthen ties at the cost of the former’s aspirations. “The eldest daughter [tends to] to sacrifice some of her goals. Kung minsan,

napo-postpone pati ang sariling edukasyon (Sometimes, even their education gets postponed),” he says.

Additionally, family therapist Katrine Bunagan shares that the experience of parentification is common among the firstborns, breadwinners, or tagasalo of families. “Psychologically, they're not able to go through the developmental tasks that are appropriate for their age,” she adds.

Bunagan also states that a family environment dominated by overly controlling elders can generally stunt the development of children’s decision-making skills, self-efficacy, and openness with the rest of the household.

In the end, she communicates that parents’ lofty standards, both implicit and explicit, introduce perceived pressure onto children to act a certain way—for fear that they will be deprived of their parents’ love and acceptance.

would be less pressure on parents to demand fealty and care from their children, kasi mayroon naman silang masasandalan (because there is something to fall back on),” he points out.

In line with this, Bunagan remarks that while the culture of utang na loob among families is not a bad thing, it is still vital to establish limits and boundaries.

Evidently, evolution within the family is necessary.

Family cultures are traditions that have been imprinted in people’s lives. However, times are constantly cha ng ing a nd it is only right for families to recognize the flaws of such traditions and begin to heal the scars that have long existed.

After all, the only way to treat the wounds that were inflicted is to recognize where they started.

BREAKING THE CYCLE Rose’s case is not unheard of in the Philippines, as it is only one of the numerous flaws of the Filipino family culture.

Fortunately, rather than sweeping these conversations under the rug, individuals now have the opportunity and avenues to talk about the struggles they have come up against.

While the fractures of the Filipino household are cultured among family members, Zialcita reveals that it is also deeply rooted in a faulty socioeconomic institution. “If there were [a better] system, I think there ILLUSTRATION BY JAYCOB BUSTAMANTE

4

Features

Availability, the forgotten love language Whether platonic or romantic, relationships often ask not for gifts nor grand gestures but total availability when a home is needed.

BY EALA NOLASCO AND JACOB TAMBUNTING

THE FIVE love languages test attempts to narrow down how love is expressed and received. Some people communicate love through the pleasantries of a thoughtful gift or kind words. In a time when interactions are bound by the corners of one’s screens, expressing love can be simplified to authentic and consistent availability.

Though there are many novel and creative ways to express love, times of uncertainty make people realize that showing love often means simply showing up.

THE SHOE THAT FITS ALL The five love languages test may be convenient in navigating the different ways love can be expressed. However, Theology Lecturer Louie Julian believes that subscribing to this test poses the challenge of expecting the mirroring of love languages. He furthers that some love languages such as physical touch may also be unwanted.

That’s why for Julian, the most vital expression of love transcends the renowned theory. For him,

simply being there through one’s availability is more than enough.

Yet it is more than just picking up the phone and having a friend on speaker as one multitasks. He says that availability requires total presence—emotionally and spiritually.

Not an on-the-call or clingy type of friend, Brenda* (4 AB COM) shares that availability doesn’t require a 24/7 presence. For her, availability is being with someone during their toughest times to make sure they will come out feeling less lonely or alone.

De La Salle University Biology student Loren Juaban likewise points out that availability transcends physical boundaries and self-centeredness. She shares that it involves sensing what the other person needs without them expressing it and willingly placing one’s needs below the other’s.

“It’s a hard thing to practice availability because it requires you to think about others more,” Juaban shares.

On the other hand, some people like Ima Sonaco (4 AB IS) say that they became more available because of the pandemic. “The online environment has made me more available in the sense that

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[Availability] gives you a vision or an idea of what your partner needs at that point.

LOUIE JULIAN THEOLOGY LECTURER

if I don't make myself available, if I don’t make an effort, how am I supposed to keep up with my relationships?” Sonaco remarks.

Despite her other commitments, Sonaco remarks that making time for people matters to her because she does not want to regret misusing time anymore. Drawing her energy from the experience of losing a loved one, she adds that prioritizing commitments is necessary.

However, being available has its limitations and difficulties. “The hardest would be wanting to be there, but you can’t because there are some things better spoken [face-to-face] than when you're together [only] through a screen,” Sonaco says.

Noting the challenge of delineating healthy and selfless availability, Juaban points out: “It’s not about how intensely you love but how appropriately you do.”

DRAWING LINES IN THE LOVE Similar to any kind of love, there is only so much you can be available for someone. This is why setting boundaries in managing one’s involvement with others is key to sustainable relationships.

This principle is understood

by Sonaco, who notes a strong understanding of herself by not feeling forced to be available for the people she loves. For instance, the level of closeness and the urgency of a friend’s situation are what helps her determine her level of availability.

These standards are shared by Juaban, who explains how she would assess her priorities by keeping a planner. Both Juaban and Sonaco recognize how closeness to an individual can affect one’s availability. Juaban notes: “It’s how much you love someone, whether it's platonically or romantically.

SOCIALLY-DISTANT BUT AVAILABLE. As the pandemic’s end is still nowhere in sight, the importance of the presence of friends, family, and loved ones is as prominent as ever. In this time of isolation, we can learn to go beyond the known “5 Love Languages” to accommodate and demonstrate a more pertinent one: availability. PHOTO BY ELLY KIM.

If you're worth my time then I’ll make time.”

However, making time can come at the risk of staying for a person who only leaves you hanging; “ghosting,” as Brenda calls it. It is not just an overbearing presence through rants that may disrespect a person’s time. For Brenda, the inconsistent presence and absence of another can sometimes take an emotional toll as well.

“It’s emotionally draining to put in the effort for someone who isn’t putting in the [same] effort or making sure you’re feeling okay [too].” she shares, describing that it took some unlearning to find peace in why she valued her relationships.

Conversely, declining a friend’s request for one’s time can be difficult for many. Yet Julian, Brenda, and Sonaco remind that you can always reschedule with the person. Brenda reinforces how saying no for the moment is sometimes the kinder act. “I kind of have to be in a better place to help you out. I can't help you if I am in shambles,” she says.

To avoid similar difficulties, Juaban notes how setting boundaries helps one discover their weaknesses and strengths.

“You know what you can give and what you can’t at a given time. It’s about respecting yourself,” she expounds.

LIVING FOR LOVED ONES Before any grand gesture or sweet touch, love can be expressed by sharing your space when you’re needed. “Just simply saying ‘Hey, I’m here if you can’t talk right now, if you feel emotionally exhausted, if you don't want me to send you anything, that’s okay, but I just want to let you know I’m here,’” Julian exemplifies.

While availability may look different for everyone, it is a

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By setting boundaries, you would know what your weaknesses and strengths are. You know what you can give and what you can’t at a given time. It’s about respecting yourself.

LOREN JUABAN BIOLOGY STUDENT, DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY

choice that anyone can commit to. “Everyone can do it… In fact I hope it’s something that mature lovers can do before they think of what their love language is,” Julian adds.

At its core, availability is about carefully gifting one’s self to another. That is why dealing with boundaries is the challenge for everyone, whether that involves setting clear ones or overcoming the walls you’ve set around you.

Juaban encourages others to overcome the fear of reaching out and take the risk. After all, she elaborates that it is key to making one feel less isolated and more connected to the world.

The extended quarantine has proven that circumstances shape relationship dynamics, but it is also testament to how people adapt and learn how to strengthen bonds in spite of it.

Stories of Sonaco, Brenda, and Juaban show that love does not

always come in the form we prefer to receive or give them. Sometimes, love is affirmed when you answer that ringing call, or you take time to think more deeply about the other’s unspoken needs.

Most times love is tested when your deadlines glare at you, but a loved one’s message pops: “Can we talk?” *Editor’s Note: The name of the interviewee has been changed at their request in order to protect their identity and privacy.