January-February Issue 6 - A.Y. 2018-2019 by The LANCE

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018

VOLUME XXXXII ISSUE 5

NEWS

EBG urges Letranites to practice zero-waste management

SPORTS

OPINION

FEATURES

A wild ride with legalization

A leap backward on Juvenile Justice

Petron-Letran parades new faces in 2019 PBA D-League

LSC sets higher qualifications for Executive candidates BY RAILON DENIEGA

In a resolution released by The Letran Student Council (LSC) on January, a special set of qualifications for Executive Board was ratified to come up with more opportunities for the candidates in the 2019 LSC Elections. The recommendation to raise the provisions went through a long and tedious process as it was revised during their consultation with LSC Adviser Mr. Franz Jude Abelgas, before it was proposed to the Office of Student and Welfare Development (OSWD), and was later on approved by OSWD Directress Asst. Prof. Catherine Sanchez last January 29, 2019. In an online interview with The LANCE, Louis Jay Bisco, the outgoing President of the student council asserted that the Executive Committee along with the Senate saw the importance of having competitive leaders in the future. According to Bisco, the primary purpose why they decided to improve the standards and submitted a resolution is to look for candidates who are completely qualified and efficient

PHOTO BY MICHAEL ESTUPIGAN PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL

» QUALIFICATIONS / PAGE 2

Raising proficiency level highlighted in Math, English Week

CLAS holds student consultation on Filipino subject removal

More inside this issue: NEWS

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Knowing your rights through Free Legal Counsel

FEATURES

PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

PHOTO FROM RAFENZEL LACSINA-LOMTONG

THINKING HARD. Contestants from the math quiz bee review their answers.

FOR THE COURSE. CLAS Faculty with Mr. David San Juan of Tanggol Wika after the student consultation.

BY RAILON DENIEGA

BY ETHAÑA RAMONES AND HANNAH HERAMIA

In order to sharpen the students’ English and Mathematical competencies, the College of Education (CoEd) hosted a threeday celebration of Math and English Week, which took place from January 29 to January 31. The event was aimed to acknowledge the importance of having Mathematics and English subjects in the curricula and help Letranites engage themselves in such holistic approach to learning, which they may not normally experience in a typical classroom

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lecture. Asst. Prof. Angelita Delos Reyes, one of the organizers shared how they prepared for the celebration, “We were divided into English and Math faculty members wherein they will incorporate activities. The Math and English faculty came up with the quiz bee. We also involve all the department in this competition, so that it would not be just us.” Delos Reyes also mentioned the main objective of the three-day event, “We are trying to highlight the importance of English and Math » PROFICIENCY / PAGE 3

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Along with Filipino subject professors, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences held a student consultation on the removal of Filipino courses in post K-12 curricula, last January 23 at St. Thomas Hall. On November 9, 2018, the court lifted the temporary restraining order on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) memorandum order that removed 15 units of Filipino subjects, from the mandatory subjects in college. The CLAS department invited Follow us on Twitter @thelanceletran

Mr. David Michael San Juan, an Associate Professor of Philippine Studies at De La Salle University, one of the founders of the language advocacy group Alyansa ng Mga Tagapagtanggol ng Wikang Filipino (Tanggol Wika), and a Public Information Officer at Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Private Schools (ACT Private) who talks about the importance of having Filipino courses in the collegiate level. He reiterated the key arguments and documents of the paper, “Tanggol Wika: Internal na Kwento, mga Susing » CONSULTATION / PAGE 3

A Pocket of a Forest

SPORTS

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In the limelight: Soaring high on and off the mats

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NEWS

NEWS EDITOR: HANNAH HERAMIA LAYOUT ARTIST: XAMANTHA ASDISEN

Knowing your rights through Free Legal Counsel with the law,” Atty. Balgomera emphasized.

PHOTO BY KARA CALAMBA GAINING KNOWLEDGE. Guest lawyers giving free counseling at the Salon de Actos.

BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

Many people view human rights as a set of moral principles that applies to everyone. However, human rights are relevant to all of us, not just those who face mistreatment or repression. With the goal of promoting the importance of having access to legal help, the Letran Legal Management Society (LLMS) along with senior students under the program hosted a free legal counseling event titled, “Free Legal Counsel: Access to Basic Human Rights”, on February 2 at Salon de Actos. The event was graced by lawyers headed by Atty.

Abelardo De Jesus, the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Manila IV Chapter and Atty. Earla Hilario, the lead representative of the Community Legal Assistance Service (CLAS). According to Legal Management faculty member Atty. Kriden Balgomera, one of the objectives of the event is to provide those who need legal help from the Integrated Bar. “This is to determine who are the one that IBP Manila IV can help. We, lawyers, will know what are your legal concerns and see if we can provide you with a lawyer in court and to see if you’re qualified and to enlighten you

IMPORTANCE OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS Having been a practicing lawyer for so long, Atty. De Jesus took the time to conduct a lecture on basic human rights and free legal access. “That’s your right, it’s part of your human rights to have free legal access and the ones who provide these in the government are the PAO (Public Attorney’s Office) and the DOJ (Department of Justice),” he pointed out. De Jesus explained the role of the legal institutions, wherein the DOJ prosecutes a person’s case, while the PAO provides the lawyer. With this, he cited that the overpopulation in the country hinders the functions of PAO and the DOJ to provide legal help to the common man. “Because of the population explosion, [with so many Filipinos] the people working at the DOJ and PAO are not enough to provide basic human rights to our citizens,” he disclosed. “That’s when CLAS came in,” he added.

HANDLING CIVIL CASES On Atty. Hilario’s segment, she shared her experience from handling civil cases from the family such as marital problems, and even community issues coming from barangays.

“Cases that always come to our office comes from family problems such as, marital problems,” Atty. Hilario said. “If you will notice the conflict in your communities, it does not end only with barangay mediation,” she added. She gave emphasis on the importance of cases being resolved first at the community level before it goes to courts, in order for their office to provide the necessary legal aid. “Cases that can be filed first at the barangay level must be resolved there at first before it can go to the legal measures,” she ended. FROM THE LLMS The event was spearheaded by the LLMS through chairwoman Angela Lopez and vice-president for academics Mae Angelee Aquino. Lopez recalled her experience with Aquino on the events that they attended together outside Metro Manila which served as an inspiration to come up with the event as such. “I was with Mae during the summer [of 2018] in a leadership training program in Pangasinan. We were proposing activities to help the community since that time there were crimes like extrajudicial killings,” Lopez shared. As a pre-law student, Aquino, on the other hand, cited the

PDO conducts programs in preparation for ISO Certification BY ETHAÑA RAMONES

With hopes of improving the quality of the policies, despite various initiatives of the Colegio for ISO Certification, the determination to achieve the accreditation is evident in the eyes of the people behind the measures. The department handling the preparation on ISO Certification is the Planning and Development Office, headed by Asst. Prof. Randy Castillo as the director and Ms. Diane Francisco along with Ms. Grace Cabigao as staff members. The preparation started last August 2018 with the assistance of Angelica Frajinal, the Managing Director and Senior Consultant of ACF (Agile, Creative, Fast) Consultancy and Training Services. The office conducted a twoday training on the processes of ISO, an orientation, and a documentation training spearheaded by the Vice President of Financial Affairs Rev. Fr. Lauro de Dios, O.P., as the executive sponsor together with the Rector and President, Rev. Fr. Clarence Marquez, O.P. WHAT IS ISO CERTIFICATION? ISO which stands for International Organization for Standardization. It is an independent, nongovernment organization incharge with the development

of standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems. Meanwhile, the ISO 9001 Certification in the context of the Colegio’s aim for being qualified, signifies that the organization has met the requirements of defining the quality management system. This also serves as a condition that determines if the Colegio’s processes was appropriate and effective, while still implementing improvements. The members of the said preparation are the Finance and Resources Department (FRD) which involves the Student Accounts, Cashier, Payroll, Bookstore, Engineering Buildings and Grounds, and Science Laboratory. In an interview, Castillo stated that FRD has been the biggest contributor when it comes to the implementation of plans. “Malaki ang contribution nila kasi sila ang subject of implementation, so sila talaga ang gagawa, ‘yung participation nila, ‘yung understanding nila and [the] Planning Office only facilitates,” he cleared. When asked about the importance of being ISOcertified, Castillo answered: “It is very important. Una, in a way it improves the overall policies, procedures, and services kasi ang gusto natin is quality, that’s one way of

doing it.” “Second, importante rin ‘yan sa ating dream of becoming an autonomous college kasi ‘yung ganyang certification is recognized by the Commission on Higher Education in the application kasi may point system, but ultimately ang gusto natin is for continuous improvement, more of efficiency of our processes,” he furthered. “It is also significant because it helps us to push for our quality initiatives in everything that we do,” he added. APPLICATION FOR AUTONOMOUS COLLEGE The certification also guarantees greater opportunities in the Colegio’s application for autonomous college. “First, it has a bearing when it comes to the application for the autonomous college, the autonomous college is a milestone for us to become a University eventually. In Quadri naman, because an autonomous college to start with, then eventually a university is significant in our celebration kaya we hope na maging university tayo,” the director said. “Dahil under tayo ng regulating body (nonautonomous), everything that we do kapag hindi ka autonomous, magpapaalam ka, kapag gumawa ka ng program kailangang sumunod sa standards nila,”

he clarified. He also explained the side of having an autonomous status as an institution: “Kapag autonomous naman, dahil tiwala sila sa processes, you are granted the autonomy, the freedom.” “Halimbawa when revising the curriculum, kahit di na magpaalam, i-iinform na lang sila. It’s free from regulation and the freedom to act on your own as a school,” he continued.

UPON ACHIEVING UNIVERSITY STATUS “The certification is one of the means to say and a metric that [the] Colegio is still on the track and we’re doing the right thing. It’s a validation and an affirmation that our practices are accredited,” he said. “All targets and strategies are geared towards sa alignment ng lahat ng ‘yun, If may di man masunod lalo na sa critical areas medyo may setback, pero confidently I can say na basta tuloy- tuloy at pagtatrabahuhan, maaabot siya,” he exclaimed. “It’s a long way to go. It’s a tough journey but always remember journey starts with a single step,” Castillo concluded. The target of the Colegio to be ISO 9001:2015 Certified, is ideally on July 2019, which is both connected to the 2020 Quadricentennial celebration and the plan of the institution to be a University at 2022.

sustainable development goal of the event they attended in Pangasinan, saying: “Since we’re in the legal studies track, we did it in promotion with the sustainable development goal number 16 which is ‘peace, justice, and inclusive society. That what inspired this event.” When asked if they see themselves in the shoes of their guest lawyers providing the free legal counsel, they are both optimistic about the vision of providing legal help. “I chose this [track]. It will be sad if I don’t push it through,” Aquino said. For Lopez, she looked back on why she took the program with her goal to uphold the rule of law: “I chose to study legal management is to uphold the rule of law and to provide equal opportunity with justice.” Aquino and Lopez also encouraged legal management students to attend conferences outside Letran. “I think they shouldn’t settle with learning inside the school. They should go out and attend conferences that is not organized by Letran,” Aquino said. Moreover, with regard to their partnership with Letran, Atty. De Jesus mentioned plans to form a partnership with the Colegio, in providing legal aid. “We’re willing to enter into such kind of MOA with Letran College. It’s an honor and a privilege,” he ended with delight.

CONSULTATION FROM PAGE 1 enough to vie for each post. “The students should be committed enough to perform well in class, and at the same time, lead the student body for what could be, a more challenging year,” Bisco declared. He also said that the LSC and OSWD are confident that the candidates should be well trained, willing and capable to provide changes and developments as part of the Colegio’s highest student organization. “With their experiences in the Colegio for this academic year, they already have the gist of what to expect, improve, or raise as a concern for the welfare of the student body,” Bisco professed. However, John Patrick Bacolod, the Senate President of the organization, justified that those qualifications are basically the same from the previous Letran Student Council Consitution except for two qualifications. “First is the residency period of the candidate, which previously requires a minimum residency of two years of stay in the Colegio. It is changed to provide at least one year of residency upon taking office to the candidates who are still firstyear students as of the current election,” Bacolod revealed. “Second is the grade requirement which previously requires a general weighted average of 80 but now raised to 83. This was originally proposed to be at 85,” Bacolod reiterated. Furthermore, he added: “However, upon consultation with the whole Council and our council adviser, it was agreed that it would be better if the increase would not be sudden and high.” Bacolod also clarified that the previous constitution is already a standard in terms of qualifications and that, it is just a reminder of the responsibility of being elected in the student council. As for the purpose of the resolution, he said: “It imposes responsibility and increases the responsibleness of those who want to be in the Council. In such a way, we could have confidence that we are selecting and giving the seats to students who can actually play an active role in the Council. At the end of the day, qualifications are not meant to measure one’s leadership skills.” The campaign period will be from March 4 to 9 and presidential forum will be on March 11. Meanwhile, LSC Elections and proclamation of new officers will be on March 12.

News

VOLUME XXXXII - ISSUE 5

EBG urges Letranites to practice zerowaste management

PHOTO BY MICHAEL ESTUPIGAN

BY KATHLYN VENTURA AND HANNAH HERAMIA

In celebration of Zero-Waste Month, the Engineering Buildings and Grounds through Dr. Nancy Balasan and Mr. Willy M. Sentinta, initiated a talk on zerowaste management to bring awareness on environmental issues, last January 24 at Del Pillar Hall. As mandated by the former President Benigno Aquino III in Proclamation No. 760 signed on May 2014, January is declared as Zero-Waste Month. During this month, the local and private sectors host

PROFICIENCY FROM PAGE 1

events and activities in an effort to educate the public on effective waste management. “It’s about time that we focus on solid waste management, the responsibility as discussed not only by top management but by everybody inside Letran,” Balasan declared as she urged the Letran community to practice zerowaste management. “We are all responsible for all the rubbish that we are producing. A matter of discipline as well for everybody. We are helping not only our janitors but we are helping others outside the Colegio or the community

especially because it is in these two courses are where students find difficulties.” She then acknowledged the department in preparing, culminating and facilitating the activities for the celebration.

MATH AND SPELLING QUIZ BEE Representatives from different programs participated in Mathematics and Spelling Quiz Bee last January 29 and 30, held at the Salon de Actos. CoEd Dean Prof. Danilo Villena told the LANCE that the department is delighted to have these activities inside the Colegio. “Learning takes place not only in a formal classroom environment but also by holding this kind of activity outside of the formal classroom,” Villena declared in his opening remarks statement. He stressed that the department believes that holding this kind of event is a way to bring together intellectual talents from different programs. Furthermore, John Kevin Alonzo and Jason Benedict Guillermo of Grade 12 – S.T.E.M under Senior High School (SHS) department took the first place of the competition. “It was a fun experience. We enjoyed the event, and we gave our best in answering

CONSULTATION FROM PAGE 1

Argumento at Dokumento,” which urges the public to stop the implementation of a government order to abolish Filipino language subject in Philippine colleges and universities. In line with the changes in the new curriculum, Asst. Prof. Darwin Rungduin declared, “We would like to believe that Filipino courses are supposed to still be offered in the tertiary level and we agree to the Supreme Court that there must be no redundancy of courses being offered from the Basic Education to Senior High School going to College. “The challenge in which we accept is how we will be able to calibrate the Filipino

where we belong,” she continued. The talk was led by Ms. Ydette Kristine D. Catong, a dedicated environmentalist and a licensed pollution control officer recognized by the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMBDENR). “When I was young, I discipline myself, gaano ba kaliit yung basura? I [always] find a way to properly dispose my trash. I live with that mantra, maybe that’s why I am in this position today,” she said in her opening statement. She explained the Republic Act 9003 which is the Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2009 as a measure that provides an ecological solid waste management program and creates necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives. “It was really informative; the way she explains certain things. Her talk really deserves to be heard by everyone,” commented Ms. Geraldine

every question. We did not think about winning the quiz bee since most of our competitors were from the collegiate department,” Guillermo said. The Mathematics Quiz Bee was led by quizmaster Asst. Prof. Felipe Dela Cruz together with the judges Asst. Prof. Eric Calantas and Asst. Prof. Marcelo Buen. On the other hand, Rhiana Bacal and Chara Lomiteng of PSYCH4A under the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) achieved the first place in the Spelling Quiz Bee. “It was fun to join kasi hindi naman every day may spelling bee and I appreciated the efforts of CoEd to promote spelling correctly. I hope ay na-inspire ang others na sumali sa succeeding events nila,” Lomiteng said. The Spelling Quiz Bee was led by quizmaster Ms. Maribel Capitle with panelists from the English professors from CoEd.

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEECH For the extemporaneous speech competition, Mae-vel Lombos, a fourth-year Financial Management student bagged the first place. “It’s not so bad for an experience. It was a great experience actually because I’ve always been interested in joining speech contests but I am always scared to do so,” she stated. Moreover, Lombos shared her personal experience upon joining, saying that she was

courses, that it would fall into the competencies of a college graduate,” he added. The CLAS Dean noted that it was the Rector’s instruction to do a consultation with the students to know their sentiments. “The academic consultation also shed light on what should be the courses to be offered, but still the decision is with the Academic Council,” he stressed. Students were asked on what are their insights to the student consultation; “Magandang bagay ang isinagawa ng CLAS at faculty dahil ginawa nila ang Student Consultation, nang sa ganitong paraan ay nalaman nila kung pabor o hindi pabor ang mga estudyante sa asignaturang Filipino,” said Isabela Bunag, a freshman Tourism Management student.

Lagmay, a faculty member of the Senior High School (SHS). Catong discussed the different types of waste like recyclable, reusable, biodegradable and special or toxic waste. “No matter how technical or thorough authorities explain about waste segregation, kung hanggang sakanya lang ‘yung communication, nothing will happen. Kaya always inform, always channel or cascade your information for community familiarization,” she said. “As a student with the help of this seminar, mas naging open pa ako sa recycle, reuse ng mga biodegradable, nonbiodegradable, residual and sa zero waste month. I learned na dapat mas maging malinis pa ako as a person kasi responsibilidad mo lahat ng basurang tinatapon mo,” shared Marvin Gan, a senior high school student. The seminar served as an eye opener for Letranites to understand the significance of applying the three methods: reuse, reduce and recycle, as simple act that brings huge impact to the environment.

not prepared for the contest as her professors told her beforehand to join. “I think it is very noticeable that I was a nervous wreck while speaking. Yet, I am thankful for those people who pushed me to join,” she added. Contestants were instructed to prepare their impromptu speech in five minutes and deliver with the same amount of time. Their speeches were solely based on the social and political issues arising in the country. The competition was led by Asst. Prof. Ofelia Legaspi, Mr. John Mesana and Ms. Elizabeth Soriano.

PORTRAITS OF THE WORLD LITERATURE Finally, the department concluded the celebration through a presentation held at the Quezon Hall on January 31 with the theme: “Portraits of the World Literature”, where AC1A, ENG4A, ENG1A, and EDUC PC showcased excerpts through exemplary performances that were based on different literatures of the world. The event was then headed by Prof. Evelyn Montano of CoEd. In a globalized world, the importance of learning English and Mathematics cannot be overstated. Thus, it is vital that students cultivate a positive learning attitude and perception to ensure higher levels of proficiency, understanding and problem solving.

“The student consultation has a great purpose. Dean Darwin Rungduin of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences let the students from different programs [to] speak their minds regarding the issue of removing Filipino courses in colleges and universities,” added Alessandra Laurio, a first year Political Science major. “I am a supporter of Tanggol Wika and I am grateful that Letran held this event in order to hear the voices of the students,” she added. “Sa event, masasabi ko na nakatulong ‘yun para maging aware ‘yung mga Letranista sa nakaambang pagtanggal ng Filipino sa curriculum. At saka nabigyan ‘yung mga participants ng chance na sabihin ‘yung reaksyon nila about dun, at ‘di lang hinayaan na Letran

administration lang ang gumawa ng desisyon ukol ‘dun,” said Gabrielle Sayago, an Information Technology freshman. When asked if the student consultation was a success, Rungduin posited: “Walang gaanong naging diskurso, yung pagpapalit- palit ng kuro-kuro, idea, suhestiyon, tanong, iyon yung mahalaga sana, that could have added sa report, but then again that’s the reason why we’ve thought of doing a survey after.” “It appeared that the students really see the Filipino courses an important one,” he ended. Furthermore, Rungduin asserted that having Filipino subjects in the collegiate level would improve mastery of the language and would defend it as a medium of instruction.

Knights Quoted

“”

BY RAYE SANCHEZ

In this era of technology, the media has been evolving and incorporating itself in the digital scene. The way of news reporting has recently brought various problems on accuracy and truthfulness, and one of which is fake news. Not only has fake news become one of the highprofile issues in today’s political world, this also highlights the importance of dealing with the veracity of information and reinforcing the need to critically judge information online. Recently, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in her keynote speech in the 2019 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) how she eyes for the inclusion of proper discernment of fake news in educational institutions as she is concerned over children’s use of social media. With the growing phenomenon of misinformation, we turned to Letranites from different colleges for their views on this matter. Elijah Domeneco Y. Ilagan 4th year BS Tourism Management

“As students, we should not be misled with false information. Having a subject regarding fake news would be a great addition to any course. It will be beneficial to every person especially to those who are active on social media and may be exposed to various sources of fake news.” Gabrielle Luisa C. de la Cruz 4th year AB Journalism

“Including a subject that would educate students with regards to fake news could constitute a better learning environment for all and could provide an opportunity for societal development. If implemented and executed properly, generations of students would be more aware of how the news industry is continually changing and what the value of truth really holds.” Shayne Allen A. Gamboa 4th year AB Legal Management

“I think that it is okay and appropriate because of what has been happening in our world today, people spreading fake news everywhere. It will be better for students to be exposed and to gather new knowledge of what are the negative effects of fake news, and news as well, if they will not make sure that those information are accurate and true.” Sandra Samala 4th year AB Broadcasting

“Fake news is nothing new. But, our society now has a huge way of sharing information that makes fake news spread quickly. Including this issue as a course would be a positive step to educate the minds of the students that not every story they read, hear, and watch is 100 percent true. It would be helpful to know the importance of identifying the sources of every news stories.” Mark Anthony Uchi 1st year AB Political Science

“Para sakin it’s good that the school is taking action with regards about fake news. Because nowadays laganap na ang mga false stories, articles, statements, etc. that confuses the people to determine whether it is true or not. I think it’s a good idea na magdadagdag ng subject about fake news to let the student be aware and can easily determine if the specified news if credible or not.” Antonette Guiao 4th year AB Broadcasting

“Magandang innovation na maglalagay sila ng social issue kasi nowadays, sobrang dali na magkalat ng fake news and ang daming pwedeng maloko ‘dun. Although the best way to learn about fake news is through everyday life, pero iba kasi ‘yung natuturo mo siya sa mga estudyante. And also, ang laking threat kasi ng fake news kasi ang dami niyang negative effects, like it can cause misinformation which is the last thing we need kasi we’re still a developing country and para tuloy-tuloy ‘yung progress natin kailangan yung mga tao hindi lang academically smart, dapat street-smart din.”

OPINION

EDITORIAL

FROM THE STRIPE Jonash Dannug

A leap backward on Juvenile Justice

ARTWORK BY RUMIEL CASANOVA

Making children criminals is not justice but a mere whitewash of the societal problems that the government is facing. President Duterte has often criticized the country’s principal law on juvenile offenders, which is the Comprehensive Juvenile Justice and Welfare System Law of 2006. Last January, he said that it needs to be more responsive as drug syndicates are using this law to go around restrictions covering young offenders. With the alarming rise in the number of crimes involving minors, the House of Representatives recently approved House Bill 8858 which lowers the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12 years old, which was initially aimed for a minimum age of nine but was later on adjusted in line with two similar bills discussed in the Senate. Some politicians think that the best way to stop juveniles from committing crimes is through harsher punishment, but the key

point is, raising the minimum age for criminal responsibility is nothing but a way to deceive their citizens into thinking that compromise, at some point is still in their political practice. Let them be prompted that this oppressive legislation would not deter adult offenders from using children to commit crimes as it will only further strip the children of dignity and hope. The LANCE condemns the lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility — this act is a blunt attack on the lives of the children. Criminalizing minors is a proof that the government has failed its duty or responsibility to fully implement the law. The bill seeking to jail children will not stop syndicates from using juveniles. With lack of youth care facilities for a long time, minors will most likely end up in prison — where they may be subjected to violence and abuse. Children are already struggling with abuse and exploitation, thus, detention should be the last resort, not the first and only choice. We should be reminded that the moment we give up on our country’s children, we also fail as a society. Moreover, the Colegio’s official publication also expresses its opposition on the attempt of railroading the amendments to the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act in the Philippine Congress as the proposal is against the children’s rights. What needs to be done is for the law to be fully implemented and for local government units to provide services for prevention, intervention, and diversion programs for children so that both minor-aged offenders and their victims are assisted and supported. Philippine Congress and duty-bearers in the government must punish the crime syndicates who take advantage of children, not those who need to be rescued and rehabilitated. Instead, children must be given an environment that helps them reach their full potential where they are ensured of safety and security, not a place of fear and violence that deprives them of their needs and rights as an individual

EDITORIAL BOARD SY. 2018 - 2019

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR DESIGN EDITOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Liam Marcelino NEWS WRITERS Reynalin Sanchez Angel Grace Untalan Katlyn Ventura Ethaña Ramones Railon Deniega FEATURES WRITERS Dylan Afuang Jullian Desales Patricia Ramos Meilinda Malacat Angelica Joy Mendoza Alyssa Aquino Chantal Macaraeg Raine Cepeda

JONASH DANNUG LOUIE FAIZAL BAHAROM DANIELLE MACADANGDANG HANNAH HERAMIA LOUISE NICOLE LIZAN JONASH DANNUG ASH PARINGIT XAMANTHA JOY ASDISEN

SPORTS WRITERS Carl Danielle Argarin Miguel La Torre ART DIRECTOR Jeremy Guinid GRAPHIC ARTISTS MaGell Tan Avery Lomiteng Bryanne Japzon VIDEO EDITORS Jeissa Maryce Domingo Aaron Salem Patrick Edward Garillo

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018

NEWS TRAINEE Angelo Gamalindo PHOTOGRAPHERS Enrique Agcaoili Isiah Beltrano Ma. Kara Calamba Miguel Garra Angela Davocol Michael Estupigan Ashley Paringit Lance Yabut PHOTOGRAPHER TRAINEE Abegail Granado CARTOONIST Rumiel Casanova

Asst. Prof. Louie Benedict Ignacio, PhD. PUBLICATION ADVISER Published monthly, THE LANCE has its office at 3F Student Center Building, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Intramuros Manila FOR COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Email us at thelance@letran.edu.ph

@jonashdcd eic.lanceletran@gmail.com

FIGHTING THE WRONG BOTTLE While such policies are put into effect for preventive measures, we citizens must be able to differentiate the policies that are needed to be implemented to eradicate the cause of the problem to those policies that are meant to be “band-aid solutions” which only aims to provide the public a false sense of security. In this case, when the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) announced last January 31 that bottled drinks are prohibited inside their stations, they presented us with some wishywashy solution that will only cost us great inconvenience. I understand that they only want to minimize the risk of danger inside their vicinity. However, this method does not really hit the root of the issue. Just to be in line, I am not attacking the system. Think of it as a criticism of their actions which can help people improve overall. As stated in the news regarding the Jolo bombings (which is the sole reason why we have this policy), a cellular phone is suspected to be used as a triggering CINEASTE Louie Baharom

@iamLOUIE_ associateeditor.thelance@gmail.com

BATO VS. ELISE: A STAGGERING MYSTERY The Philippine film industry is something that seems to be booming right now, and obviously, that is a good sign of progress. Or is it, really? With the release of every blockbuster is an indie film, one that gets overlooked. If you’re still asking why, it’s because of the inevitable takeover of commercialized products churned by film studios with money on their minds. For the film industry, the idea of earning money doesn’t necessarily equate to it being a negative thing to keep in the mind of an audience member who cares about the industry. It’s not a bad thing unless its apparent goal is to completely rob its audience blind in favor of feeding them commercialized trash that would absolutely take them nowhere in the temporal sense. Going to the cinema has always been a matter of choosing to leave reality for a short while, in favor of entering a realm to escape from all of life’s problems. It has always been about entertaining the viewer, as opposed to making them think from time to time that would supposedly give them the freedom to re-evaluate their lives while inside the cinema. That might sound like a bore, but trust me when I say that sometimes, thinking is necessary when watching a film. There might be some elitism seeping in my following statements, but believe me when I say that there’s a significant difference between a “film”, and a movie – at least that’s how it goes in my book. What these big, commercial film studios bring are simply “movies”, which in my opinion, are an encapsulation of cinematic fantasies that ought not to represent real life as much as it could. Rather, they serve to be windows to idealized realities that not a lot of us get to live in. Now, films are different, and in my opinion, their greater significance could be owed to the fact that they are cinematic envisionings of the reality we are living in today – oftentimes being personal, socially conscious, and/

device. So, in this case, should we forbid passengers to bring cellphones in stations? I think not. So, what makes this no liquid rule inconvenient? for starters, there are people who are diabetic and anemic who need their fluids frequently. We must also take into account the weather here in the country. Let’s face it, Manila can be considered as the gates of hell due to its climate (and the reality that Satan lives in Malacañang). Add the fact that these trains have poorly maintained air-conditioning, we can already consider this policy inhumane. We all know how messed up the transportation system here in the Philippines. That, along with this new security measure, imagine the inconvenience it could bring to a Filipino commuter who only wants to arrive at work on time. I get it. They want to reduce the risk of crime. However, there are several Facebook posts that clearly states how incompetent the implementation process is. Some netizens are proudly sharing pictures of how they smuggled their bottles inside while one specific post narrated how a guard decided to let two foreigners keep their soft drinks after explaining that they haven’t opened it yet and that they do not want to throw and waste it away. If you’re going to give the people a temporary solution, at least do it the right way, or better yet, present them a much concrete answer because you don’t just cover an open wound with a tiny band-aid.

or empathetic of the struggles of our society. In the case of ‘Bato’, a biographical picture detailing the life of the “esteemed”, “respected” general Ronald Bato Dela Rosa, it is a work that aims to be socially conscious and empathetic of this “significant” person’s hardships in life. Now, just in case you’re wondering as to why there’s something wrong in all that, one must look at it in the context of the film being one starring Robin Padilla playing a person that has captured the attention of many skeptics. The skepticism of Bato as a person arose from his fake aura, and lack of humanity – which some “woke” Filipinos dismissed as an overall fake person trying to show humanity just for the sake of broadcasting to the nation how he “truly” feels about things. Then and there, we then begin to see the problem, and that relates to Bato being a person not worthy of having his story told, and in a clean, patronizing manner nonetheless that would make him look like a saint when he is in fact, far from being one. In and of itself, it is heinous, and what’s worse is that Regal Entertainment, Inc. dragged respected indie Filipino filmmaker Adolf Alix Jr. to helm the project. To add insult to injury, it stayed playing in cinemas for 2 whole weeks despite not raking big bucks at the box office, while Regal Entertainment, Inc.’s other film, ‘Elise’, suffered from being pulled out in a number of cinemas after its opening day. The sad part comes from realizing the fact that a “movie” molded from a commercialized vision beat out a “film” forged from powerful artistry that tells of a personal story that ought to tap into our humanity. While commercialism vs artistry has always gone toe-to-toe, the case of ‘Bato’ beating out ‘Elise’ when it comes to occupying cinemas is a special case. What’s to be considered here is that, maybe, just maybe, those in high chairs asked cinema owners to keep ‘Bato’ in cinemas. In this battle, those with true artistry, those involved with the film, ‘Elise’, lose because of implied and assumed corruption. In looking at all this from a more critical lens, the only solution to this problem is to make a stand as a film audience, as if we were to act more like active warriors for true progress and change for a still struggling yet currently improving film industry as opposed to passive viewers who accept whatever’s handed to them.

Opinion

VOLUME XXXXII - ISSUE 5

MIND IN VOYAGE Danielle Macadangdang @danielleraye maned.thelance@gmail.com

THE LOOKING GLASS A mirror shows you what you look like, it has a way of showing us our flaws. However, sometimes we only intend to see what we want to see. Sometimes, our reflection focuses only on ourselves but not the bigger picture that we belong into. The Manila Bay reclamation has been an improvement in the past years, something finally happened. Posts and news have been very evident of their positive reviews about the cleaning project that has been done in the bay. Every scroll in social media has a user sharing how happy and proud for the efforts that managed to rid Manila Bay of its garbage and other things. We saw it, we liked it, and we praised it.

BEYOND SAFE CORNERS Hannah Heramia

@hanaheramia newseditor.thelance@gmail.com

HYSTERIA CAN KILL The numbers are rising. An alarming wave of infections and deaths have jolted due to “vaccine hesitancy”— or the refusal to avail vaccines despite the government’s various vaccination programs. The World Health Organization (WHO) named it as one of the top threats to global health in 2019, as it “threatens to reverse progress made in tackling vaccine-preventable disease.” On February, health officials declared that the country is in the midst of a growing measles crisis particularly in the regions of Luzon and parts of Visayas, after 58 death cases of children were reported so far this year. The outbreak has been accused on a backlash against vaccinations. It follows on from reports from the Department of Health (DOH) which showed that, as of December 2018, there were more than 20,000 reported

BREAK THROUGH Louise Lizan

@louiselzn featureseditor.thelance@gmail.com

IS TAHO NOT FOR EVERYBODY? If there is one thing I love about waking up before 10AM, it’s the sound of our friendlyneighborhood taho vendors breaking the quiet solitude that early mornings offer. It brings an immediate smile on my face, making me rush downstairs with a few coins and my mug in tow, a jolly greeting reserved for the people who make the effort to make the soybean curd drink or taho for Filipinos. Taho is meant to be enjoyed in the mornings; hot, sweet, and not thrown on police officers. Unfortunately so, an incident that happened last Saturday, February 9 at the MRT3 station proved me otherwise when a Chinese national,

But the bigger picture still remains, we now have a body of water that is on the way to being cleaned but we have many more things to clean, like the Pasig River, the river that feeds through big urban cities with its people that have little to no regard of discipline in terms of ridding their wastes and garbage properly. Obviously the whole scale of Pasig River is bigger than that of the Manila Bay, but Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) has been established since 1999 and we are still far from improving. On our third year for our Investigative Journalism final output we were assigned to do an investigative project on the Pasig River. Our steps have taken us to PRRC and their efforts in rehabilitating the said river. Its deterioration has continued since the advent of urbanization. The restoration become more and more difficult as pollution and garbage were thrown in the water, but the PRRC have been relentless in their effort to bring back the river in its natural glory. But the glory it was will never come to life without the discipline of the people around it. I kept

asking and asking the PRRC representative on why did they not start on cleaning the main body of the river, and she kept on answering that the tributaries were the main source of the pollution that is feeding through the main body. People’s attention is now concentrated in the new face of Manila Bay, all of them seems to bask in its glory but some of them despite being accosted by the police have continued to stay in its shores and somehow forgot to throw their trash in the right garbage cans. All of us have been very proud of once again seeing the sunset in the bay, but we are blinded by it not seeing the bigger picture. Discipline in taking care of the Manila Bay should also be seen in the people who live near the tributaries of our Pasig river, we keep on complaining, blaming everyone who we can blame for the problems we have cause. Pasig River were once the center of trade and industry before, the river we have now today would not be cleaned unless all the governing mayors and their people who are near the main body of the river and its tributaries come to their senses. Imagine the happiness

and relief it would bring if the Pasig River is completely operational not only with trade and industry but as another form of transportation (it snakes through major cities around Manila for people’s sake). The effort that PRRC makes made them seem to be the only one who takes care of the river when it should’ve been a unified force off all the people and make it their advocacy to have once again a functioning river full of opportunities in trade, industry, and transportation. The Manila bay now shines through the looking glass, people only see the orange glow as the sun sets in the horizon refusing to give light to the other bodies of water that are in great need of rehabilitation. We only see what we intend to see. “How many more years?” was the last subhead of our investigative project, the transformation of the Pasig River could be beneficial for all. It has long been a dead river, if we just cooperate to the projects of PRRC and other institutions, if we just turn our heads and look at the things that surround us, and then maybe we could witness it returning to its natural glory. Think of the bigger picture.

measles cases in the country, a 500% increase on the year before. With the measles epidemic, Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo said that only about 60% of Filipino children are getting their vaccines, as compared to the annual vaccination rate target that is around 85%. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease which could have fatal complications like pneumonia. It is spread by an airborne virus, but a vaccine could give lifetime protection to children as young as nine months old. But widespread immunity can be achieved if more than 95% of the population is vaccinated. Two hundred years after the discovery of vaccine, immunization can be credited with saving nine million lives a year worldwide. One disease has been exterminated by vaccines, which is smallpox. Global health experts are hoping that polio will be the next. Meanwhile, measles, currently killing 1.1 million children a year, is another possible candidate for eradication. However, in the Philippines, there has been a low vaccine coverage because of the controversy over Dengvaxia in 2017. More than a year after the issue that damaged the administration’s immunization programs, Dengvaxia has been discredited. Dengvaxia was the first commercially

available vaccine against dengue, which has been distributed to about 800,000 children all over the country. Following the failed drive, the public’s trust in our immunization programs was tainted after the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur disclosed, belatedly, that the dengue vaccine it had administered could backfire, saying that, “those who never had dengue were vaccinated and later become infected, the vaccine could provoke a much more severe form of the illness.” The reported deaths of children who received Dengvaxia shots resulted to widespread panic and casted uncertainty on other vaccines that could protect people from deadly diseases. But aside from the consequence which arises the Dengvaxia scare, the biggest concern of the immunization fright is that many parents chose to stop vaccinating their offspring from preventable childhood diseases. On another note, the health scare has added the Philippines to a growing list of global antivax movements. In the wake of the controversy, DOH is clearly the lead agency who handles such cases. Health officials have expressed deep concern that the controversy has started hindering other government health programs, which could deprive many children of reliable vaccines.

Authorities must make these matters clear to those who are now reportedly stopping their children from participating in government immunization programs administered in schools. In relation to the Aquino government’s strident campaign on the Dengvaxia program, nothing less than a massive reeducation campaign is necessary to dispel fear among Filipino families in order for parents to take their children to hospitals and health centers to get immunized. Public trust in vaccines must be brought back with a comprehensive education drive, perhaps with help from the Department of Education (DepEd). In fact, DepEd Representative Edcel Lagman suggested that local health personnel must go “house-to-house to give vaccines in communities where people do not show up at their health centers for inoculation,” which is a good start. With proper orientation and programs, teachers in both public and private schools with whom children spend most of their productive hours during the day could also be the ones promoting the public information campaign. For health experts, they should be equipped by the DOH for them to help earn the people’s trust in vaccines and other precautionary measures against dreadful diseases.

Zhang Jiale, apparently threw her taho at a policeman who is just implementing the food and liquid ban, much to all the Filipino’s dismay, sparking rage on social media platforms standing in defense for the police offer who was just doing his job. It’s not even just about the nationality, as many Filipinos claimed it was, and maybe, in a different context, it may – but it’s about humanity now, respect for others, public decency – and it completely saddens me for the lack thereof in our own country. I completely get where all the anger is placed and coming from, to be honest, because who would even throw a taho at an officer for doing his job? A foul mood isn’t an excuse to throw a tantrum, much less throw our special taho. Respect begets respect. It’s not really that difficult to exercise it, especially if you’re not in your own country (though it doesn’t mean that one can do it in your country, that’s not the point here). Bottom line, it really wouldn’t hurt to not throw taho on police officers, or anyone, whatever context it may be. Taho is meant to be enjoyed, eaten – and it is not meant to be the cause of crime.

Zhang was arrested over the weekend for the said incident after PO1 William Cristobal filed a complaint for direct assault, disobedience to an agent of a person in authority and unjust vexation at the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office. However, she posted bail on Monday and have apparently said her apologies for her actions, saying that she was just in a ‘bad mood’. Which, in a way, doesn’t really make sense. Zhang has been staying in the Philippines for over six years as a foreign student – I’m sure that she hasn’t gotten a single ounce of taho thrown unto her, not even the plastic cup. Bad mood or not, throwing food on other people isn’t a respectable thing to do – citizen or not. It’s not even acceptable at this point. The police officer wasn’t even asking her to throw it away, but just drink it to abide by the liquid ban. Our sweet taho, which costs from 10 pesos and up, probably, can’t even be an exchange for having such class – no matter how many bail money you have. The 23-year-old fashion student was apparently released after posting bail last Tuesday, but was thrown back again into investigation by a Bureau of Immigration (BI)

personnel, who presented a mission order stating that they need to take Zhang with them, bringing her to a detention facility as the preliminary investigation for the case that was scheduled the following day. She faces charges on deportation, too – but it’s not like it wasn’t deserved. It’s a pity to see such disrespect like this; to see how respect isn’t given freely as it deserves to be, especially to the ones who deserve it. Sure, sometimes we wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and most of the time simple things irritate us – but people are still people, and all of us deserve respect. It’s as simple as the golden rule, isn’t it? “Do not do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you.” Sure, Maricris, respect should be earned – but it is already given for the people who don’t do harm unto others, especially for those who serve the people, like police officers, for example. Taho is meant to be enjoyed, to be eaten. Taho is for EVERYBODY to love, to appreciate, but matter how much we love it, we prefer it to be relished rather than let it stick on our clothes.

VIEWFINDER

PROSPEROUS FESTIVITIES. Different happenings during the celebration of the Chinese New Year. PHOTOS BY ANGELA DAVOCOL AND ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

FEATURES

BATTLE FOR MANILA BAY: Expectation vs. Reality

Big Bad Wolf’s big comeback

An OPM icon’s good-bye

FEATURES EDITOR: LOUISE LIZAN LAYOUT ARTIST: XAMANTHA ASDISEN

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A Pocket of a Forest

PHOTO FROM

BY DYLAN AFUANG

Amid the urban sprawl that is Manila, a “pocket of a forest” named the Arroceros Park was opened and brought wonders of forests to the city folks in 1993. In the form of the canopy of lush greenery, fresh air, and the sense of seclusion and isolation, the gem hidden in the middle of tall buildings was created to be the perfect breathing space to relax the afternoon away in. Located at the foot of the Quezon Bridge en route to Quiapo, the old Metropolitan Theater, behind the Park and Ride bus station, and tucked almost underneath the bridge of the LRT Line 1, it’s easy to miss this little park. With little to no attention given to one’s surroundings while going to the nearby

mall, one could entirely miss an amazing experience. So, for a change, why not take a hike in this ‘forest,’ so to speak? Surely there is something more to do in this city than roaming around in one of its many malls. Many can vouch for the feel-good factor of this alternative activity when visiting the park. Known as the Arroceros Forest Park, it is home to 61 species of trees and 8,000 kinds of plants. Taking a walk along the narrow paths spread about the property, one can immediately feel like being in a real forest in a far-away mountain – tall trees serving as an umbrella to shield people against the harmful heat of the sun, fresh air that could lift people’s feelings up, and the sense of calmness enveloping through the trees. Everything considered, the biggest luxury

the park affords is its location – there’s no longer a need to go out of the town surrounded by nature, the forest serves as a cooler breeze in the middle of the city. Under the red balete, bagras, bitaog, narra, and molave trees, a sense of peace and seclusion is saved by a few park caretakers chatting, and children playing on the side of the park that overlooks the Pasig River. As the trees thicken further along the park, imagination kicks into overdrive. What if a snake suddenly crawls out of the bushes and bite me? What if there is a loony waiting for his chance to shock me behind that tree? What if there is an at-large mugger using the Arroceros as a hideout? However, as the thoughts go down a scarier route – the rumble of the LRT train passing by and the sound of the vehicles’ engines climbing the Quezon bride reels one back

PHOTOS FROM THE INTERNET

in the magic of the park. Noises that aren’t either disruptive or annoying, but fades as white noise to the wonder of the little haven. Park benches and tables are along the pathways, a perfect picnic spot with friends and family. However, there’s no canteen inside the grounds, so the next option is to bring your own food. It can also serve as a place to read a book and drown in its quiet solitude. It will be such a shame to see Arroceros be closed to make way for one of the things that contribute to the thickening urban sprawl— condominiums. Some of the trees that are in danger of being cut were planted by students for their NSTP classes, so a park caretaker said. Maybe the Arroceros Forest Park can be saved if the city government would see more people visiting the park—or maybe making it a venue for ‘forest-bathing.’

FEATURES

FEATURES EDITOR: LOUISE LIZAN LAYOUT ARTIST: XAMANTHA ASDISEN

Netflix gems: Series that Deserves the Spotlight BY ANGELICA JOY MENDOZA

After a stressful, nail-biting week spent in school, it’s safe to say that chilling at home is well-deserved, comfortably wrapped up in a blanket, fully prepared to watch a long list of series on Netflix the whole weekend. There is a bunch of binge-worthy series to choose from that it’s going to warrant a week-long stay in bed. Really well-deserved. It’s easy to choose, considering that there will always be a series that everyone will talk about on social media, it’s just a matter of preferences, so click away on the trending list! So this is probably going to be another recommendation of underrated series, but hear this out – these are some of the gems that deserve as much attention as everything else. SHERLOCK Sherlock Holmes stayed true to its nature on the British crime drama series adaptation where we can all agree that Benedict Cumberbatch impeccably nailed the role of the muchloved protagonist. Aside from Cumberbatch’s spectacular performance, Sherlock unquestionably exemplified visually pleasing frames which helped on executing the most crucial scenes which helped build-up the intensity of the scenes throughout the whole series. It is a series that momentarily provides you entertainment. Dull scenes are non-existent. It just keeps on getting better and better after each episode. Sherlock will not let you down. It was made only to exceed your expectations.

SENSE8 Sense8 is a science-fiction drama in which the story revolves

around eight people from five different continents who possess the capability to live through each other’s lives. They were basically given the gift of telepathy which was a mystery that they try to solve their own accord. A mystery that tediously unfolds as the story progresses. Sense8 has an irresistible charm that enthralls its audience after each episode. It leaves everyone wanting for more until they are sucked into its fictional world, invested in each of the characters’ complex personalities. You might get a little too attached to them because the protagonists are all so easy to like that it’ll actually hurt to see them aggravating. It might not be a show that can entirely be appreciated by everyone, but it is also a show that people genuinely think they need. Its intellect corresponds with its audiences in a way that does not come off intimidating. It balances out each of the film’s elements, generating equal expertise in terms of the storyline and cinematography. Even if the series gained praise from critics (which it rightfully deserves), Netflix still canceled and failed to renew the show for a third season with the sole reason of how it did not attract enough viewers to support its high production cost as clarified by Netflix’s vice president. That’s why it is a must for you to watch the series. Who knows? Maybe it’ll pave the way for the producers to reconsider canceling and renew for season three. EXPLAINED Explained is a Netflix Original

documentary series that focuses on answering questions about certain topics which range from the world of K-Pop to the cause of racial wealth gap. Each episode comprehensively explicates in-depth analyses of significant subjects and are intricately explained in a way which is understandable for its audience. The show aids convenience to those who like to feed themselves with essential information through a creative approach. It does not throw excessive material that the audience are still engrossed after indulging every bit of info. Some of your inmost curiosities might be answered through watching this documentary series so you might as well give it a try. I assure that you will not only be brimming with new discoveries but will be overwhelmed with fascination as well.

I AM JANE DOE I Am Jane Doe will leave you quaking in agony, sympathy, and resentment on this heart-wrenching documentary series which narrates the horrid experiences young girls had to go through when they were being trafficked for commercial sex on a classified advertising website. The documentary also featured accounts of the victims’ mothers who were gravely affected by the crime, the irrepressible trauma, and damage that it had inflicted on the young girls who were only in middle school when the inevitable occurred. It encompassed the harsh reality that our society still lived to see until now. I Am Jane Doe perfectly exhibited the repulsive abhorrence of human trafficking through its raw narratives which caused the viewers to resonate with the victims’ sentiments after

An OPM icon’s good-bye

being free from the traffickers’ hands. It also included interviews from the Jane Does who were strong enough to continue living their lives even after the abduction took place. This documentary tackles a blatant issue which is still prevalent

Battle for Manila Bay: Expectation vs. Reality

big help, as one should remember that he/ she is never alone. Depression is a serious illness of the mind and that when its symptoms occur one should opt for therapy as it can serve as rescue.

PHOTO FROM THE INTERNET

BY JULLIAN DESALES

OPM mourns at the loss of one of the members of the Filipino iconic band, Razorback in an apparent suicide. The tragedy of Brian Velasco was recorded and was seen by his followers on social media as he live-streamed it on his Facebook page. In his last minutes, he thanked and waved goodbye to his loved ones before plunging to his death from the 34th floor of a roof deck from a building in Manila. A shocking and grief-stricken happening, the news baffled fans and users of social media with Brian’s Facebook video even circulating in the domain of the Internet. COUNTERING DEPRESSION Cases of Suicides from depression have been rising throughout the past years. As apparently, Depression is a silent illness that strikes even the most formidable. Also, depression can be inevitable and is a very serious matter, experts suggest that reaching out to someone could be of very

GREATNESS OF RAZORBACK Brian Velasco first rocked the ears of Manila when he first joined Razorback in 1996 to where Manila was introduced to its heavy sound and to its notable songs such as Giyang, Payaso, Paghihintay and many more. The band of Razorback is notable to the Filipino ears for their hard rock music and their noteworthy lyrics of the strong Filipino language. The band has performed in full-scale concerts through the years and even opened to famed American rock bands such as Rage Against the Machine, Silverchair and Metallica. A proof and remainder of how Razorback really triumphed not just in the Philippines but all over the world with Brian Velasco being one of the cornerstones of the band’s achievements. REMEMBERING BRIAN VELASCO Though tragedy struck, we may remember the Brian Velasco the rock star drummer of Razorback one of the greatest bands ever to debut in Original Pilipino Music, and one of the bands that define how Filipinos are capable to such talents. His work to the band of Razorback will go down as one of the greats in the long lines of OPM rock. May we remember his legacy, may he find peace and may he rock along with the God of Rock. Quoting from the band’s song Wakasan “Sa dulo ng mundo, doon magtatagpo, Ang ‘yong kaluluwa at ang lumikha, Lahat ng gusto mong malaman sa kanya, Maisasagot rin niya.”

in today’s society. Taking time to finish the series could influence you to become more aware of the societal issue which mostly victimizes young innocent girls, only to turn them into something they are not supposed to be.

PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

BY PATRICIA RAMOS

What was once considered as “Manila’s toilet bowl” all of a sudden becomes another major project of the government after the rehabilitation of Boracay – also has promised to put the same efforts to bring back its beauty by the Inter-Agency Taskforce. After the surge of pictures of Manila Bay’s clean shores surfaced online, social media suddenly recognized the efforts of the government in initiating the program. In fact, a few days after the cleanup, some people already dove into the grubby waters of the bay without knowing that it still has high fecal coliform content. CLEANING UP FOR A CHANGE A clean-up program kicked off on Sunday, January 27 as volunteers and government representatives gathered at Quirino Grandstand for the so-called solidarity walk to Manila Bay. The programme reinforces a Supreme Court continuing writ of mandamus that orders government agencies and native governments to wash up the contaminated bay. According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), an estimated amount of P47 billion will be allocated for the bay’s clean-up. The budget will also be allotted for the relocation of around 300,000 informal settlers living near the bay. On the same note, the DENR has closed down 42 establishments in Bulacan and Bataan for contributing to the pollution of the river system that leads to Manila Bay. MMDA also did its part by collecting at least 11 truckloads of garbage along the bay.

CLEAN DOESN’T MEAN SAFE According to an article by CNN Philippines, DENR Secretary Roy Climatu hopes to finish the rehabilitation by the end of Duterte administration in June 2022. He added that the long-term goal is to reduce the coliform level from 333 million MPN/100ml to 100 MPN/100 milliliters or low enough for the bay to be safe for swimming. Furthermore, speculations about a grand reclamation project in the bay received both support and criticism from the people. Land reclamation is the process of creating new land from oceans, riverbeds or lakes. The soil is transferred from an area to a body of water and then the soil is used to create a new land which is called “reclamation ground” or “landfill”. Reclamation in Manila Bay is not a new proposal. In fact, as early as 1993, the Manila Goldcoast Corporation of the Tieng family had proposed the idea. Those who support the reclamation believe that it will stimulate economic growth and provide plenty of jobs to Filipinos. REHABILITATION BEFORE RECLAMATION However, heritage conservationists and various coalitions against it maintain that the reclamation project will exacerbate flooding in Manila. Rodne Galicha, Philippine manager of Washington-based The Climate Reality Project, said the government should focus first on rehabilitating Manila Bay before approving any reclamation projects. The fact that it took several months to formulate a plan for Boracay cleanup and the magnitude of Boracay case is nothing compared to the situation of Manila Bay. It is home to the country’s busiest international container port and domestic seaport and is surrounded by numerous informal settlements where most people use the sea as their garbage dump and public sewer resulting to the continued decline in the quality of bay waters and rapid destruction of its marine habitats. Not to mention the garbage wash up along the shores during typhoons. The resettling of thousands of informal settlers alone requires a major plan of its own. All these problems will require a comprehensive plan, as well as continuity of policy and funding, in order to achieve the goal of bringing back Manila Bay’s beauty.

Features

VOLUME XXXXII - ISSUE 5

Art Fair Philippines 2019: A haven for art enthusiasts BY RAINE CEPEDA

On its seventh year, Art Fair Philippines continues to be the primary platform to exhibit modern and contemporary Philippine visual art in support of the Filipino artists, with each piece mirroring the vibrant and modern art scene in the country. Art Fair Philippines has become a home for some of the finest masterpieces in Southeast Asia, lining up featured artists that include the likes of David Medalla, the late Mauro Malang Santos, and other artists who have made an impact to the art world both critically and commercially. This year, the haven for all Filipino artistry remains to sell and show the likes of the Filipino art, accessible to enthusiasts wanting to see the beauty of our countrymen. LEGENDS TAKE OVER THE ARTFAIRPH An international Filipino renowned artist, David Medalla, comes back to Manila to explore the idea of memory and personal history as he restages his piece “A Stitch in Time” at the exhibit, a concept he first introduced back in 1968 that has since reached audiences around the globe. Medalla’s piece is a participatory work anchored on a 15-meter-long canvas suspended as an “inverted rainbow,” which viewers are free to attach their keepsakes or curiosity. The fair also brings back Ray Albano’s “Step on the Sand and

PHOTO FROM THE INTERNET

Make Footprints,” whose talent continues to live on through his art. Albano first served as a curator then later director of Cultural Center of the Philippines from 1979 to 1985, his groundbreaking work was first submitted and awarded at Tokyo Biennale in 1974 which will be recreated at the Art Fair as it was originally done by the artist.

The interactive installation is centered on a large sandbox and encourages viewers to do what the title suggests and perhaps discover something about oneself, humanity or to simply have fun. Soler Santos, son of the artist Mauro Malang Santos, and an artist himself is curating a selection from his father’s framed work called “Malang’s Women.” Also

A wild ride with legalization

exhibits works from the renowned Columbian figurative artist and sculptor Fernando Botero. His distinct style uses rich, bright colors and exaggeratedly round bodies and figures. He is also known to reference artworks like the “Mona Lisa.” The fair also highlights Liv Vinluan’s “Nung Gambalain Yung Sayawan/The Disruption of Dance.”

She is also this year’s recipient of Karen H. Montinola Selection, a grant given by the family in memory of a collector who championed works of emerging artists. In addition, expect to see a musing on the works of these featured artists: Ryan Villamael, Oca Villamiel, Ian Fabro, Christina Quisumbing Ramilo, Olivia d’Aboville, and MM Yu.

Big Bad Wolf’s big comeback

PHOTO FROM MANILA BULLETIN

BY CHANTAL MACARAEG

With Uber phasing out and Grab raising prices, commuters are turning to alternative choices -- with Angkas slowly becoming a popular alternative to Grab. There are many reasons why it became popular. First, with a motorcycle, you can skip the traffic and arrive at your destination in less time. It saves time especially if you’re in a hurry to be somewhere. Second, it’s cheap. There is no need to give up tomorrow’s dinner for a ride home. And last but not least, it’s more convenient especially during rush hours. However, it wasn’t a smooth ride for the motorcycle-hailing application. DOTr and LFTRB claimed that the company is violating regulations regarding public transport. According to Republic Act No. 4136, private motorcycles are not allowed to ferry passengers for a fee. They also claimed that it is unsafe and could put passengers at risk especially at high-volume traffic lanes. What made Angkas very popular anyway? Their secret lies in their marketing tactics. Through their witty posts on social media platforms (especially Twitter), they surely grabbed the attention of their potential riders.

There was also good word of the mouth that spread around. It’s no surprise that a lot of people willingly rallied behind the motorcycle-sharing app. Frequent riders began to rally for its legalization. A Change.org page was created in order to garner the signatures needed for its legalization. To ban Angkas to be anti-poor. Not only they are endangering the livelihood of the motorcycle drivers but also employees and students who cannot afford to waste time. When it comes to safety issues, Angkas has a strict quality control system that ensures the safety of both their passenger and driver. In fact, all Angkas riders undergo intensive safety training that kept their accident rate to as low as 0.003% On December 2018, the company asked the Supreme Court to lift the TRO filed against them, and just this January 2019, the House of Representatives approved Angkas’s appeal for legalization under the agreement that they should comply to government regulations. Guidelines would need to be set for these kinds of ride-sharing services. Currently, they are back in operation for time being until agreements between all parties involved have been settled.

BY MEILINDA MARIE MALACAT

A year following its successful debut in the Philippines, Big Bad Wolf, on its 10th anniversary, returns bigger and better, showcasing two million new books ranging from young adult fiction, science fiction, and general fiction to children’s books, selfhelp, and textbooks, all with discounts of up to 90% off. It’s no surprise why the book fair attracts almost all types of people, not just bookworms at heart, but also curious little folks who do not mind the bustling crowd and the scrupulous search for the next perfect read. Similar to last year’s fair, the book sale will run for 11 days and will be open for 24 hours, which is befitting for those who seek adventures at midnight through book-shopping. Whether you are coming alone or with friends, it’s surely a paradise for book lovers, you might even come home with big boxes full of books about

everything and anything! Founder Jacqueline Ng stated in an interview for Big Bad Wolf that the book selections for this year are curated for the taste of Filipinos, with the help of sales history gathered from last year’s book fair. “Big Bad Wolf is not just [about] someone selling books. We advocate reading. The whole purpose of bringing a huge volume and selection of good books at affordable prices is to bring the excitement that even if you are not a reader, you are excited just to come to the event, just to take a look at what it is about,” said Ms. Ng during a press conference in Mandaluyong. Aside from their tangible goods, Big Bad Wolf has also extended their diversity by staffing members from Gawad Kalinga (GK) communities, whom Ng applauded for their impressive service in last year’s book fair in Cebu City. The Little Hippo Augmented Reality (AR) will also be featured

in the children’s section this year. Reading from the Little Hippo app appeals through its pop-out visuals that enhance kids’ imaginations. Another surprise from the wolf is a VIP day, exclusively for those followers who are selected to get dibs on the books before the actual day of sale. The winners are announced in Big Bad Wolf’s social media accounts. Indeed, Big Bad Wolf has provided a huge opportunity for many Filipinos to engage themselves with these bundled pages of artistically crafted worlds and the blinding reality of actual life. In fact, the real value of these printed works doesn’t stem from its SALE signage and price tags but from the knowledge and moral brought upon by these books and materials that make the visit worthwhile. It truly is a bargain! The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale will be held in the World Trade Center, Pasay City from February 22 to March 09, 2019.

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR: JONASH DANNUG LAYOUT ARTIST: XAMANTHA ASDISEN

in the limelight

Soaring high on and off the mats BY CD ARGARIN

From watching cheerleading competitions on televisions and social media to now being the captain of Letran Cheering Squad, Vivienne Velasquez has proven multiple times on her young career that she is more than just a pretty face. Growing up in Marilao, Bulacan, Velasquez first discovered cheerleading when she was 11 years old and admitted that she doesn’t know how she fell in love with the sport of cheerleading and all that she remembers is that she was amazed with what they do on the mats. “Eleven years old ako nung nadiscover ko ang cheerleading, sa totoo lang hindi ko talaga alam kung paano, siguro na-aamaze lang ako nung una sa mga ginagawa nila and sa kung ano sila sa loob at labas ng mats,” she said. Despite her love for cheerleading, she did not want to join the sport because of how she looks at cheerleaders when she was young. “Dati kasi pagsinabi mong cheerleader sasabihin nila ‘ay sikat yan’ or mga ‘mean girls’ kasali diyan. Kaya dati takot ako sumali and nahihiya kasi ang taas ng tingin ko sakanila. Pero hindi lang naman pala ganun yon,” shared Velasquez. Due to her curiosity together with the help of a friend and first coach, Ronald Mendoza, she was finally able to build her confidence and give the sport a try. “Dati kasi may friend ako na cheerleader tapos ayun minsan sumisilip ako sa training nila, then nakakausap ko na ‘yung coach hanggang sa naging close ko ‘yun, and he’s the one who motivated me. Kaya sobrang thankful ako dun sa una kong coach.” Velasquez then had her first taste of action; performing in front of the St.

PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL TAKEOFF. LCS captain Vivien Velasquez being set for a cheering routine by her fellow cheer dancers.

Mary’s College of Meycauayan crowd during the school’s intramurals. By the age of 14, Velasquez competed at her first major tournament – the National Cheering Competition (NCC). Despite the experiences she was able to gather at such an early age, she admitted that she had no intentions in pursuing the sport in the collegeiate level. “Wala talaga akong balak magpep sa college eh. But because of coach Ron, na-inspire ako i-pagpatuloy ang pagchi-cheerleading,” she lamented. “He’s one of the reasons why cheerleading became my passion and why I love cheerleading. He told me na pagnakapasok ako madami pa kong matututunan and

makakatulong pa ko sa family ko kasi may discount sa tuition,” she added. The rest was history, though, as the fourth year tourism student is now the cheer captain of the Letran Cheering squad. “Being chosen by the coach or elected by your teammates to team captain should be seen as a huge honor for any young athlete. Ako sobrang saya and nakakaproud kasi hindi ko inexpect na aabot ako dito.” Velasquez admitted that she doubted herself when she found out that she was the new leader of the team, saying: “At first i doubt myself. I know I can handle the team but because I’m not that skilful kaya medyo nagdoubt ako,”

Throughout her career, she has proven multiple times that she can achieve what she wants with the proper motivation but still, she admitted that there were times that she thought of quitting because of the struggles. “Minsan naisip ko nalang magquit dahil sa family kasi hindi naman sa hindi ako suportado ng pamilya ko sa pagchicheering pero syempre naiintindihan ko naman na gabi na kasi ang training kaya palagi na gabi nakakauwi or baka daw kasi napapagod nako ganun,” Velasquez stated. But even with enough reasons to quit her philosophy kept her from walking away the sport she loves. “Kahit talaga anong gawin ko hindi

ko magawang iwan yung team kasi second family ko na sila eh and sabi nga ni Vin Diesel ‘you don’t turn your back on a family, even when they do’ sila ‘yung maaasahan mo kahit saan eh. Mapapagod pero hinding hindi susuko sa kahit ano mang pagsubok,” she explained. Now, the LCS is currently aiming for a podium finish in this year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) cheerdance competition with Velasquez leading the charge. “We are aiming to be part of the podium finishers. That’s why we push ourselves to train harder every day and strive for more to be able to show and prove to everyone that we can,” she ended.

Petron-Letran parades new faces in 2019 PBA D-League BY JONASH DANNUG AND MIGUEL LA TORRE

As part of the team’s build-up for the National Collegiate Athletic Associaton (NCAA) Season 95, the Letran Knights forged a tie-up with Petron corporation as they take part in the 2019 PBADLeague.

TEAM COMPOSITION Leading the team will be NCAA Season 94 Rookie of the Year Larry Muyang, Jeo Ambohot, and UAAP scoring machine Alvin Pasaol. On the other hand, after playing for Letran’s team B in past competitions, Allen Mina, Mark Sangalang, and former Squire Kurt Reyson will be playing in their first major league for the Knights. Christian Pamulaklakin and King Caralipio will be joining the team after being left out in the team’s Season 94 roster while Jerrick Balanza will be playing his first game since his operation. Completing the roster are Christian Balagasay, Koy Galvelo, Jordan Sta. Ana, and PBA draftee Jeremiah Taladua. Curiously left out of the line-up are Season 94 key cogs Bonbon Batiller, Jason Celis, Fran Yu, and EJ Agbong.

PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL READY FOR ACTION. The Letran-Petron basketball team at the opening ceremonies of the PBA D-League at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

COACHING STAFF With Jeff Napa’s exit, former Lyceum of the Philippines head coach and Northport Batang Pier team manager Bonnie Tan will be calling the shots for the Knights. Joining him are Lou Gatumbato, Raymond Tiongco, Ginebra star L.A. Tenorio, and Letran Under-17 mentor Robert Joseph Gueverra.

Sports

VOLUME XXXXII - ISSUE 5

Letran Football coach remains positive after lackluster season

PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL

BY MIGUEL LA TORRE

PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL ALL SMILES. Letran Football team stands firm despite their dreadful campaign.

BY MIGUEL LA TORRE

The Letran Seniors Football team dropped their anchor in the NCAA Season 94 Football Tournament. The team, composing of rookie players, were happy with their campaign despite finishing last, losing all their games, and failing to score a goal in the duration of the tournament.

Despite finishing the tournament at the bottom of the standings, Letran football head coach Joy Dimacali remained positive with the outcome of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football tournament. The team dropped all their games in the elimination and failed to score a single goal in the duration of the tournament.

Still, Dimacali praised his wards’ optimistic attitude despite the obstacles that hindered the team’s campaign. The resurgence of the Letran seniors football team was paraded by an all first-year roster which obviously derailed their season. “Masyadong bata ‘yung team, all freshmen eh kasi hindi naman makapag recruit ng second year

unless meron ng mahusay na player na already staying tapos half of the team pa are younger than the high school. Experience-wise rin ang ibang teams, but with regards to attitude, wala akong masabi sa team natin,” said Dimacali. Coming into the season, Dimacali recognized that his team is extremely young and inexperienced compared to the other teams, that is why he

already set a target for his team to reach — put up a fight and not concede more than nine goals. “Expected naman na namin na hindi tayo makakakuha ng maayos na pwesto, top four hindi rin. Ang target namin kahit paano is lumaban; wag pa-patambak, wag umabot sa double digits ang lamang.,” he stated. “Para sa akin na-achieve naman ‘yun. Hindi naman nag double digits. Ang average conceded goals per game is 5. Ang mga talo lang naman namin madalas is 0-3, 0-4. Ang pinaka tambak lang is against San Beda and Arellano which is 0-9,” Dimacali said. But despite all that, the attitude and the heart showed by his determined players were more than just a single win— it meant everything. “Sa akin, decent na ‘yung pinakita ng mga bata. ‘Yung iba merong injury pero kaya pa, laro pa. Happy ako dun sa naging performance. They delivered when it mattered and they exceeded my expectations,” the AB Economics alumnus happily claimed. “Kahit na talo, tuwang-tuwa sila. Sinasabi nila sa akin na ang ganda ng laro nila, may improvement. Ang maganda sa kanila alam nila kung kailan maganda ang depensa kasi nae-enjoy nila ang ginagawa nila,” he added. For now, the team’s priority is to catch up what they missed in academics. But this past Season 94 is all but a lesson learned for the young football team. “It’s a learning stage for the coaches, for the players, inside and outside football,” he said. “Ngayon kasi, kailangan namin bantayan ang mga grades, student first before maging athlete. Hopefully by next year, mag improve, magkaroon ng isang win, and lumaban lang,” Dimacali ended.

LCS to banner rookie-laden squad for NCAA cheerdance tourney BY CD ARGARIN

After finishing seventh last season, the Letran Cheering Squad will be targeting a podium finish in the upcoming National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 94 Cheerdance competition which will be held on March. Bannering a rookie laden team, coach Mark Sinen stated that despite the disadvantage, his dancers are very skilled and eager to improve their shortcomings for the annual event. “’Yung preparation na ginagawa namin, since lahat ay bago ngayon kailangan pukpukin ‘yung mga bata para atleast ‘yung target namin this season, makuha namin which is yung mag podium nga ‘yung Letran,” Sinen explained. Sinen also explained the huge difference on the routine that they are working on due to the hard work of the dancers. “Ang layo nung ginagawa naming routine ngayon sa last year kasi talagang hardwork sa training, conditionings lalo sa mga stunts and tosses,” Sinen said. “Kailangan namin mag level up so kailangan namin talaga tutukan ng maigi para atleast maka habol kung anong skills meron yung mga contender,” he added. The team is currently composed of 25 players, 21 of which are rookies and only four veterans. “21 yung bago pero skilled kasi halos lahat ‘yun recruits and try-outs namin na meron nang galing ng high school team na talagang magagaling,” he said. “So ‘yung mga natira dito last year na lima lang ata na ‘di naman ganun ka skilled pero experience wise maaasahan mo sila,” he added. Coach Mark stated the skill level of this

PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL POWER ROUTINE. The Letran Cheering Squad successfully executes a routine pyramid

year’s team is very different compared to the teams they have handled in the past years, he also stated that he expects a lot from the team and believes that it is a big possibility for the team to have a podium finish in the upcoming season. Sinen puts his faith on his dancers, as he knows that they

have what it takes to win this year. “I expect a lot from them kasi I know na kaya nila e, alam ko na kakayanin namin manalo this season kahit na bago sila, maraming maitutulong yung mga narecruit namin this year,” he said. “Malaki matutlong nila kasi

kasi malayo yung skills nila from last year or sa mga nakaraan pang team na nahandle namin,” he added. Sinen also gave the assurance that the team will do everything they can and that the Letran community will surely enjoy the routine that they are preparing. Still, the cheerdance mentor

believes that their fate is at the hands of the athletes. “Kakayanin naman pero nasa mga bata na din ‘yung magiging resulta nun, ‘yung part namin ginawa na namin so ang hihintayin na lang namin is kung pano mag pe-perform ‘yung mga bata, kung pano nila i-pupull off sa competition.”

Sports The Lance

HOLDING THE FORT. The Letran MVT celebrates after scoring against the EAC Generals. PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL

Knights stand proud despite lowly ranking BY CD ARGARIN

Though finishing at the bottom six this season, the Letran Men’s Volleyball team showed a promising future with their recent performance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 94 volleyball tournament. The Knights, who are composed of 11 rookies and three veterans,

posted a 3-6 slate under their belt; bouncing back from a winless record last season. Knights mainstay Christopher Cistina admitted that he did not expect the team to perform the way they did this season due to the team’s composition. “Actually, we did not except too much this season, kasi puro almost first years ‘yung team namin pero as the season goes by naman, I

witnessed the improvement of individuals as a player,” said Cistina. The Knights continued their losing streak from last season to their first two games of Season 94 which lowered the team’s morale. “First game is a loss for us. Fifth and deciding set, nakakapang-hinayang and medyo bumaba agad ang morale ng team hanggang sa second game namin is talo kami,” he said. But on their third game they

Dismal stint for Lady Knights

took care of business and bagged their first win of the tournament against the Jose Rizal University. They also won their games against Mapua University and Lyceum of the Philippines University later on the season. Cistina believes that the lack of consistency and maturity became their biggest downfall as some of their games were very close and could’ve gone in their favor if only

they were able to close out the game. “Hindi pa rin enough ‘yung maturity ng team, nakakapanghinayang lang din kasi madami kaming mga games na nasayang. Maraming inconsistencies and hindi minsan nagsasabay sabay ang laro ng bawat isa,” Cistina explained. From going winless last season to exceeding their expectations now, the team looks poised to have a better performance next tournament.

Letran Track and Field eyes better campaign in Season 94

PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL SPIKE. Kathleen Dela Cruz soars high for a spike in their game against the EAC Lady Generals.

BY MIGUEL LA TORRE

Letran women’s volleyball team ended their season in a lackadaisical manner as the Knights settled for cellar-dwelling eight spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 94 volleyball tournament. The team triumphed over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Lady Generals on their season-opener but failed to sustain their strong start as they lost their next six matches. The team snapped its losing spell when they won against the Mapua University but then dropped their next outing; finishing with a 2-7 slate, a win lower to their Season 93 campaign. With the team’s roster composed of mostly rookies, team captain Miracle Mendoza pointed-out that the team lacks chemistry due to the players’ conflicting schedules. “Hindi pa ganun kadalas ‘yung labas namin, hindi kami nakakapag bonding ng buo kasi graduating kami, sila bago pa lang. Hindi nagtutugma sched namin, kulang sa bonding,” said Mendoza. That factor became the team’s hindrance as they had troubles closing-

out crucial sets. “Ang dami namin game na sayang. Ang ganda ng panimula pero hindi kami marunong tumapos. Lagi kami napapako sa malapit na score like 22 and 23 pero hindi namin matapos kung kailan malapit na,” she said. “Painful talaga. Sobrang dami talagang chance namin na manalo and hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin nag si-sink in sa akin na mas bumaba ‘yung standing namin. Para naman sa mga bata, sobrang ganda ng nilalabas nila sa ensayo eh pero iba pa rin kasi talaga kapag game kaya ‘yung ineexpect ko sa kanila, hindi nila malabas,” she added. Nevertheless, the graduating captain decided to look on the positive things that her team accomplished throughout the season. “Hindi ‘man kami nanalo lagi, nakita ko naman ang improvement ng team naming. Sobrang laki na ng team namin. Kahit naman bago mga teammates ko, mga bata, makikita mo na parang hindi sila bago gumalaw; nag mature agad sila,” she said. “Nahawa agad sila sa amin. Kahit naman na fresh sila, meron ka pa rin mabubunot sa kanila kapag kailangan na,” she added.

PHOTO BY ANGELA DAVOCOL LOCK AND LOADED. The Letran Track and Field squad gears for the NCAA Season 94.

BY CD ARGARIN

The Letran Track and Field squad will be banking on star Rusell Galleon to help and improve their ranking in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) track and field competition which will be held on March 28 at the Mall of Asia Arena. After finishing seventh in last year’s tournament, head coach Jerry Atabay is eager to up their ranking and go toe-totoe with the NCAA’s finest. “Ang sa amin kasi, atleast ‘yung position namin nasa rank seven kami nung nakaraan, i-akyat lang namin ‘yun, one step forward,” said Atabay. Also, the long-time track and field mentor aims to help Galleon cement his legacy as one of the NCAA’s best runners. “At the same time, break the record ni Russell. Maitaas niya

‘yung level of performance niya and then ma-hit niya ‘yung mga national record, ‘yung mga national best niya,” he said. “So, ‘yun na lang yung mga ine-establish namin ngayon para kahit papano maganda yung magiging history niya dito sa NCAA,” he added. Galleon set the NCAA record for the 200-meter dash last season with a record time of 21.93 seconds while also bagging two silver medals in the 400-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles. However, Atabay admitted that the road will be tough for the Intarmuros-based runners as his staff had a hard time securing some their recruits. “’Di talaga tayo nakapag recruit kasi nauunahan tayo ng mga UAAP schools. Kasi, siyempre, nagbibigay sila ng mga allowances, so minsan

nasisilaw ‘yung mga class A players galing Palarong Pambansa, nasusulot pa sa amin,” Atabay explained. The team only has eight runners in the roster, 14 players short of the standard number of athletes on Atabay’s roster. “Ang line up ko eight lang sila, eh ang regular line up ko is 22 kasi nga talo tayo sa recruitment,” he lamented. Despite being undermanned, Atabay assures the Letran community that they will not be going down without a fight. “Pahihirapan namin sila bago sila manalo, expect niyo ‘yun,” he said proudly. “Kami ‘yung manggugulo, ‘di nila agad malalaman kung sino ‘yung mananalo, manggugulo kami sa distribution ng points ‘di sila solid na sila agad panalo,” he ended.