FIGHT TYRANNY. Thousands of Filipinos from different walks of life marched to Luneta to protest against human rights violations reported under the current administration. Both pro and anti-administration rallies were held on Sept. 21, 45 years after the 1972 Martial Law was signed. (Photo by Raiza Javier | TLB)
by Ivan Dion Salva
photo by: Jovic Yee / INQUIRER
STREETS SWELL ON PROTEST DAY by Ivan Dion Salva
F
MOVEMENT AGAINST TYRANNY. Various anti-Martial Law groups and Duterte administration critics gathered on Sept. 21 and marched from Mendiola to Luneta to voice out their opposition to the looming threat of national martial law, extrajudicial killings, and other issues under the current administration. (Photos by Raiza Javier | TLB)
orty-five years after the signing of Martial Law under the Marcos administration that prohibited mainly the public’s freedom of speech and assembly, the streets of Metro Manila were again filled by different groups that voiced out opposition and support for the current administration. Anti and pro Martial Law groups and Duterte administration critics and supporters alike held protests on Thursday, Sept. 21, the National Day of Protest, as declared by President Rodrigo Duterte. Philippine National Police (PNP) said around 7,000 people joined the pro-Duterte rally in front of Quiapo Church, while 3,000 gathered near the Palace to express support for the President. “Our protesters are composed of supporters of the President from North, South and Central Luzon, particularly members of the Kilusang Pagbabago (Change Movement), PDP-Laban Party, Friends of Rodrigo Duterte, Luzon Watch, and various local government (units),” said Benny Antiporda, organizer of the event. According to Antiporda, martial law in Mindanao is doing well and people feel “happier and safer” amidst the ongoing Siege of Marawi. “Before people in Mindanao walk (sic) with guns tucked in their waists. Now, you can’t see them anymore. It’s a big change,” said Abdulrashid Ladayo, a Muslim and native of Mindanao. Ladayo also said that the martial law in Mindanao is very different from the martial law that was proclaimed 45 years ago. “The Duterte martial law is not abusive. It aims to flush out the terrorists, particularly the Maute group and their minions,” said Ladayo. Meanwhile, anti-Duterte protesters rallied along España Boulevard fronting the University of Santo Tomas (UST) at about 10 a.m. before proceeding to the Chino Roces Freedom Bridge. Other groups like Bayan Muna and workers’ and students’ groups occupied Mendiola early Thursday morning. They then proceeded to Luneta Park later that day. Dubbed as the “Movement Against Tyranny,” the rally gathered protesters who voiced out opposition against human rights violations, fake news, militarization of indigenous communities, and martial law, among other issues under the current administration. Police said the number of anti-Duterte protester reached 8,000, while organizers estimated the crowd to be as large as 30,000. The Luneta rally was joined by students from different universities, religious groups, LGBT rights groups, indigenous peoples groups, celebrities, and those who witnessed and experienced martial law under the Marcos administration. “We are pro-democracy, pro-freedom, pro-human rights and social justice...” said Rasti Delizo, national coordinator of Laban ng Masa, one of the organizations in the rally. Despite the clashing ideologies and beliefs of the groups that were mobilized, the Sept. 21 protest actions were deemed peaceful by the Palace.
photo from Rappler.com
photo from GMA News Online
CONTINUE CHANGE. Supporters of the Duterte administration and representatives from different local government units gathered in Plaza Miranda to voice out their call “Ipagpatuloy ang pagbabago,” and their support for programs of the administration including the war on drugs and martial law in Mindanao. (Photos from Inquirer, Rappler, and GMA).
SALUGPUNGAN. Grade 11 students from Saint Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School immerse with members of the Lumad communities that evacuated from Mindanao due to the increasing violence brought by militarization in their schools. More than 200 Lumad evacuees stayed in UP Diliman from August to September to call to the national government to end martial law in Mindanao. (Photos by John Paul Pacheco, | TLB)
SHS students immerse with Lumad ‘bakwits’ by Anna Miarose Sarinas
M
ore than two hundred Lumad evacuees were staying at the International Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City when Grade 11 students visited their ‘bakwit’ camp on August 12. After attending a media literacy workshop, the Lumad camp visit became the highlight of the Grade 11 class trip which was in line with the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Lumad, which literally means “born of the earth,” is a collective term for non-Muslim indigenous peoples from Mindanao, including Bagobo, Subanon, Manobo, B’laan, Mansaka groups among others. The Lumad evacuees came all the way to Manila after President Rodrigo Duterte himself threatened to bomb the Lumad schools in the midst of his version of Martial Law. “Umalis kayo dyan. Sabihin ko dyan sa mga Lumad ngayon, umalis kayo dyan. Bobombahan ko yan. Isali ko yang mga istruktura ninyo,” he said in his press conference last July 24, the day after his second State of the Nation Address. “I will use the Armed Forces, the Philippine Air Force. Talagang bobombahan ko ‘yung mga …lahat ng ano ninyo. Because you are operating illegally and you are teaching the children to rebel against government. May kalokohan kayo, eh di mas lalo na ako,” he added.
President Duterte said that the schools are illegally operating and are teaching the Lumad communities about subversion, communism and to rebel against the government. However, according to the evacuees, their schools have permit from the Department of Education (DepEd) to operate. The Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) later posted on its official Facebook page photos of their documents to prove they were granted permit to operate. According students, contrary to the President’s claims, the schools were established not to teach the communities about subversion, but to fulfill their undying wish for the right to education. “May permit kami mula sa DepEd. Dahil nga hindi umaabot ang serbisyo ng edukasyon sa amin sa kabundukan, ang mga Lumad pa mismo ang gumawa ng paraan para makapag-aral kaming mga anak nila,” Gleeza Joy Belandres, 14, a high school student of a Lumad school, said. “Noon kasi, ang daling maloko ng mga Lumad. Ipinagpapalit para sa isang lata ng sardinas ang ilang ektarya ng lupa. Kaya kami nag-aaral para mapamunuan namin nang maayos ang komunidad namin.” she added. The Palace later explained that Duterte’s statements were actually said out of concern for the youth.
IN PHOTO: Lumad children and students of ALCADEV join the Movement Against Tyranny in Luneta on Sept. 21, dubbed as the National Day of Protest. Lumads and other minority groups were among the 30,000 who marched to Luneta to protest against the killings, militarization of schools, and Martial Law under the Duterte administration. (Photo by Raiza Javier | TLB)
“PRRD highlights the need to protect our youth and doing so entails ensuring they get the correct education that reinforces the right values that instill love of country and respect for our laws among others, and not rebellion,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement on July 25. Meanwhile, according to ALCADEV, its curriculum offers academic subjects such as Math, Science, English, Mother Tongue, and History, but with Agriculture as the core of all subjects to ensure that students can apply theory into practice in their communities. The SCO members themselves prepared pancit and sinigang for lunch, which are unusual for the elderly who often receive fast food meals. The activity did not only benefit the elders in Bahay ni Maria, but also the students. Maureen Abustan, one of the SCO senators, wrote a heartfelt poem about her personal experience during the activity:
ALL SMILES. SCO Officers strike a pose with elderly women in Bahay ni Maria, Calamba, Laguna. (Photo by Joanna Suobiron | TLB)
SCO visits Bahay ni Maria by Cyrene Joy Sigua
T
he newly elected Student Coordinating Organization (SCO) conducted their first outreach program for the school year at Bahay ni Maria, August 13. Forwarding one of the core values of Liguorian education, the SCO conducted the outreach activity on
the celebration of the Feast Day of Saint Alphonsus. The officers made the lolas feel young at heart with several activities such as poster making, singing, and dancing. Even the simple act of personal interaction and sharing made the lolas’ eyes light up.
“Wala na akong sinayang na oras, At binuhos ko na ang lahat ng aking lakas, Kaming lahat ay pumuwesto sa kanilang tabi, At kanilang naging anak at apo sa huling sandali.” Young leaders of SCO created a strong bond with the elders in a short period of time and had a hard time bidding their goodbyes. SCO officers said they were thankful for the learning the lolas gave them and are eager to come back for another activity.
Duterte honors unsung heroes on Heroes Day by Anthea San Juan
P
resident Rodrigo Duterte honored a number of nameless heroes by the Order of Lapu-Lapu on National Heroes Day, August 28. Duterte introduced the Order of Lapu-Lapu, “raising to the level and dignity of the national hero,” Filipinos who contributed and exhibited great nationalism for the country. The President said he named the award after the hero LapuLapu, being one hero who is rarely celebrated and often forgotten. “I don’t know who (sic) was the office responsible for this fiasco. But instead of giving him honor, a place under the sun, ang pangalan tuloy ng LapuLapu, ginawa nila isda,” Duterte said. He later recognized PNP for “effectively performing their duties with all rights given to them.” He also encouraged Filipinos to be a hero in their own ways in order to have a stronger nation, capable of providing better life. “I am confident that we can overcome the challenge and emerge triumphant for the simple reason that is through tough times that heroes like you are made,” he said.
Liguorians conquer BCOPS science fest S
by TLB staff
aint Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School brought home a fruitful harvest from this year’s Bacoor City Organization of Private Schools (BCOPS) Science Fest held at Saint Perigrine Institute on Oct. 14 and 21. Eight Liguorians landed on the top three spots of their respective competitions. Alexandra Leah Ann Mercado, Grade 6, bagged the first prize in the on-thespot essay writing competition. Renzo Miguel Oca, Grade 8, also went for the gold in the poster-making contest. For the impromtu speaking category, Alexander Leo Angelo Mercado, Grade 3, and Angela Cailou Gando, Grade 9, were both hailed champion in their respective grade levels. Timothy Anceno, Grade 3, Jhoselle Marie Himoc, Grade 5, and Emmanuel Bert Anceno, Grade 9, emerged third prize winners in the poster-making contest, while Chastine Hifarva, Grade 4, also landed 3rd place for impromptu speaking. SALIS contestants also clinched several spots on the top 10 in different
categories. For essay writing, Lourdes Veronica Castillo, Grade 3, got 8th place; Santina Margaux Mendoza, Grade 4, 4th place; Areeya Christine Bueno, Grade 5, 5th place; Jasmine Rose Cerezo, Grade 8, 7th place; and Adriann Joshua Singua, Grade 10, 7th place. For the poster-making competition, Edward Montano, Grade 6, and Rogermae Agapito, Grade 10, both landed on the 7th place. For impromptu speaking, Akira Hanuma, Grade 6, placed 10th, Charmelle April Pascual, Grade 7 placed 4th; Matthew Pangan, Grade 8, 9th place; and Kirsten Jaafar, Grade 10, 7th place. Liguorians also made a name for the school in the science quiz bee: Robert Dela Cruz, Grade 3, 10th place; Charlize Hall, Grade 4, 6th place; Jolene Ainsley Yap, Grade 6, 9th place; Raymond Caranay, Grade 7, 7th place; Krystyl Faye Bardelosa, Grade 8, 8th place; and Adrian Carlo Baraquiel, Grade 10, 7th place.
NOW YOU SEE IT. Representatives from Grade 10-Tanguile perform their winning spoken word piece, “Mahika” about the illusion of peace being fed to the public. One of the highlights of this year’s Buwan ng Wika celebration was the interclass collaborative spoken word poetry competition. (Photo by Arien Gleniel Agcanas | TLB)
Wikang Mapagbago:
Buwan ng Wika launch brings modern flair to Filipino language by Maricel Shaira Aguia
F
LITTLE COMMUNITY HEROES. Preschool and pimary pupils dress up as different community heroes in this year’s Scholastic Book Month. (Photo by Joanna Suobiron | TLB)
Book Month unlocks love for reading
by Charmelle April Pascual
L
iguorians rushed to the Scholastic Book Fair for the celebration of this year’s Book Month, from August 14 until August 18. The Book Month aimed to improve students’ comprehension skill by simply reading books appropriate for their age and interests. Scholastic also launched new books in the Scholastic Reading Center for Liguorians to enjoy in order to boost their interest in reading. High school students were hooked by famous novels written by John Green and J.K. Rowling, who became one of the best sellers in the fair.
The book fair lasted for one week just in time for the school’s celebration of the Book Month. SALIS, with the help of Scholastic, ended the Book Month with the participation of preschool and primary students who dressed up as community heroes. The Book Month celebration was capped off by a colorful parade of little doctors, police officers, teachers, fire fighters, a street sweeper, and many more, which helped the young ones appreciate the different community heroes we don’t only know from books, but in real life.
Liguorians reach out to Concordia by Rhafaella Ricci Lansang
A
bandoned toddlers received nourishment from the second outreach program spearheaded by the Student Coordinating Organization for the school year at Concordia Children Services, Sta. Mesa, Manila, Sept. 10. The SCO gathered donations from the student body and faculty in the form of formula milk, diapers, and clothing. One of the high lights of this outreach activity was the inclusion of non-officers. The SCO selected one high school student from each level to let them experience the feeling of
reaching out to others. “Nakakatuwa kasi ang sarap sa
pakiramdam
nung
nakakatulong,”
Angelo Cabial, Grade 10, said. The Liguorian volunteers and the children spent the day playing and making one another smile even for a short while. “Masaya sobra na malungkot kasi
sobrang nakakaenjoy sila kasi…bata pa, laro laro lang. Pero ‘pag naiisip mo ‘pag lumaki na sila sobrang kawawa,”
Kirsten Jaafar, SCO president, said. The SCO is expected to conduct more outreach programs for the rest of the school year.
rom the usual formal symposium, St. Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School launched Buwan ng Wika with spoken word artists. Titik Poetry, a collective of spoken word artists led by Music teacher Verlin Santos, not only entertained the students, but used their art as a platform for education. SALIS gym turned into a mini concert stadium as Titik Poetry performed and shared their works about LGBT, religion, life, inspiration, nature, and the nation. The group uses spoken word as a medium to spread positive values and get the audience thinking about different social issues, thus using art
to influence change. The group has been performing for two years, keeping their art of poetry alive in a modern way. The performers in the event were Mark Astrada, Martin Naling , Neil Luna, Fred Malelang, Domo Sabino, Vilton Sabino, Kid Leviste, Jacob Cezar, and Verlin Santos. Guest of honor, Joshua Berenguer known as ‘Righteous One,” popular for his fliptop battles, performed some of his rap songs and motivated Liguorians to never doubt their capabilities as a person. According to Sir Verlin, Titik Poetry is looking forward to coming back and sharing more of their talent as an inspiration to Liguorians.
Area Youth Conference builds up spirituality O by Anthea San Juan
ver eight-hundred young people from different cities in Cavite, including Liguorians, attended the annual Area Youth Conference (AYC) and joined the “revolution of the holy warriors” in Amadeo, August 27. Youth for Family and Life (YFL), a Catholic youth ministry, traditionally conducts AYC annually to introduce adolescents to the presence of God and share their real life experiences in order to overcome challenges teenagers encounter. The event started with each of the five chapters in Cavite showcasing their talents through singing and dancing, along with the participation of some Liguorians for Cavite chapter two. First speaker, Kim Viray, inspired youth in letting go of their common sins with gadgets, power, and lust, motivating every teenager who needs help in knowing their worth and purpose
in life.
“Hindi ka ginawa para mabuhay mag-isa. Ginawa ka para kumumpleto ng iba.” she said.
Tin Dequiña, Liguorian and a member of YFL talked about her personal experience during the event. “Masaya, kasi last year, hindi
pa ako member tapos ngayong member na [ako], ibang-iba yung presence ni Lord, kasi kahit na nag-brown out noong nag-pray fest, biglang boom siya [God] lang naging center noong day na ‘yon.”
she said. Booths, talks, and the praise fest were the highlights of the event, including the awards given to best speakers and each chapter. AYC did not stop to reveal importance of God and let the youth discover the real meaning of happiness and contentment in their lives.
SHAKE DRILL. Ms. Racel Obdin and Grade 5 students cover their heads with books as they assemble outside the school building as part of the first earthquake drill in SALIS on July 21. (Photo by TLB)
TEACHER FOR A DAY. Grade 9 student Faith Illescas takes over a primary class as part of the celebration of World Teachers’ Day, Oct. 5. Selected students posed a teachers for half a day from preschool to high school to allow teachers to unwind and relax. (Photo by Godspeed Feliciano | TLB)
SALIS holds series of shake drills Students replace teachers for a day by Isabelle Angela Jacob
Senior High School students, along with the Disaster Risk Reduction Management coordinator, Sir Louie Jacob, led both prepared and surprise earthquake drills last July and September. SALIS has pushed efforts to prepare the students, faculty and staff in preparation for the ‘The Big One’. Before the surprise earthquake drill happened, Sir Louie Jacob and the Senior High School students made preparations like designating emergency exit routes for every class, and assigning point persons for every floor to ensure safety and orderliness. “I am the one who holds the siren in the primary building to inform the people there that we are having an announced or unannounced earthquake drill. Sometimes it’s hard to tell them what to do, but it doesn’t matter
as long as they’re doing it properly and seriously.” Lezter Esguerra, one of the student-facilitators of the drill, said. The school so far held three drills which involved different people. First was the practice earthquake drill which was led by Sir Louie and the Grade 11 and 12 students. Second was with the Bacoor Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office president, Mr. Richard Quion. According to Mr. Quion’s evaluation, Liguorians had a quick response but lacked first aid kits per classroom. The latest earthquake drill was unannounced and involved selected students from each year level in high school who were tasked to hide and see if their classmates and advisers would notice their absence during the simulation.
by Jan Pauline Manlongat
S
elected students from Junior and Senior High School accepted the challenge of being the second parents of their coLiguorians while facing the hardships of sharing knowledge and managing discipline not only in classrooms but the whole SALIS community, Oct. 5, World Teachers’ Day. Student-teachers taught in Preschool until Senior High School, giving them more time to realize the hardships of being a teacher in different subjects and the importance of education. “It’s hard to fulfill the task of a principal and it’s more difficult to be a teacher. But then, it made me realize that their work may not be so easy yet it feels good to know that someone learns from you,” said Kirsten Jaafar, Student Coordinating Organization President.
First batch of SHS gear up for UPCAT
SALIS celebrates Math week
by Joselito Mendoza Jr.
by TLB staff
T
M
athematics may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it still proved that it can draw the whole SALIS community together for a day of fun, learning, and mind-bending puzzles. With the theme: “Beating the fear: Being Smarth; exploring the trails of Math in life,” this year’s Math week activities lasted from Sept. 26-28. The celebration aimed to break the fear most students usually have toward the subject, and discover exciting ways to apply it in our daily lives. True enough, students, from the youngest, to the eledest, enjoyed the activities prepared by our Math teachers. High lights of the celebration were the Math challenge, Math trail, intralevel Math quiz bee, sudoku puzzle, and rubics cube competition. The bulletin boards of every classroom were also decorated with Math-related designs, trivia and brain teasers. At the end of the week, students were able to appreciate the value of Math in life, and realize it can be enjoyed not only by Math geniuses, but by everyone. For comments, suggestions, and contributions, send us a message at: theliguorianbulletin@gmail.com or on Facebook via SALIS Writers Club.
While students take over their classes for the day, Liguorians, led by the SCO gave their teachers a pamper time in exchange for their hard work. The SALIS faculty members were given a rest from their paper works, teaching and services and had a separate meaningful activity during a relaxing film viewing. According to English teacher Ms. Grace Abustan said “The studentteacher activity was not new to me. I already experienced that before. What I love about the activity was the impact of it to our dear students. I know that they learned a lot from that studentteacher activity. They realized that it’s not easy to become a teacher.” The celebration started with a thanksgiving mass and ended with a treat for the teachers from the school administrators.
UNDERSTANDING MUSLIM CULTURE. For students of a predominantly Catholic school, Eid-al Fitr, or the end of Ramadan may mean nothing more than just another day to rest at home, it being declared a holiday annually. This year, however, Liguorians were fortunate to have listened to Ms. Mae Casion, parent of the first Muslim SALIS student. Ms. Casion, who works for the Office of the Vice President, shared the importance of Eid as a Muslim tradition, and answered students’ questions about their culture and religion. (Photo by Raiza Javier | TLB)
Congratulations to the winners of DSPC ‘17! Sean Russel Ramirez- 1st place, Editorial Writing Filipino Jira Anika Mae Inao- 2nd place, Copyreading and Headline Writing English Joaquin Gabriel Quion- 2nd place, Sports Writing English Edward Montano- 3rd place, News Writing Filipino Samantha Saluta- 3rd place, Feature Writing Filipino Alexandra Leah Ann Mercado- 4th place, Editorial Writing English Niron Emo Balaoing- 5th place, Editorial Cartooning Filipino Jen Leann Meziah Relator- 7th place, Sports Writing Filipino Frances Dianne Ignacio- 4th place Editorial Cartooning English Godspeed Feliciano- 4th place Photojournalism English Rhafaella Ricci Lansang- 7th place Copyreading and Headline Writing English RADIO BROADCASTING: Angela Cailou Gando- 3rd Best Infomercial in Filipino Beatriz Felicity Dionela- 3rd Best Script in Filipino Joanna Francesca Suobiron- 3rd Best in Technical Application in Filipino Jan Pauline Manlongat - 6th Best News Presenter in Filipino Maureen Granes Abustan- 6th Best News Anchor in English Filipino Radio Broadcasting team- Overall 3rd Place: Lawrence Agres, Lorenzo Pamplona, Jhasmine Pascual, Cailou Gando, Beatriz Dionela, Pauline Manlongat, Joanna Suobiron
he first batch of Grade 12 students are graduating in March; and they plan to go to college for better job opportunities. The pioneer batch of the SALIS Senior High School program join over 103,000 other hopefuls in applying for the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT), among other entrance examinations in other universities. Due to the K-to-12 program, there were no college freshmen in UP for the two previous years. This year, the schedule for the UPCAT is October 21-22 and will be taken in different schools as test centers. If a Grade 12 student plans to take the UPCAT, he or she should come from a DepEd-accredited school or a secondary school abroad, he or she should not have taken a college subject previously and is a graduate of Senior High School. In qualifying for a campus, a student is asked to choose two UP campuses in order of preference; he or she may indicate his or her choice of up to 4 degrees programs in order of preference. All UPCAT applicants are ranked based on their UP admissions grade, then screened based on their campus choice; the top-ranking applicants per campus will qualify based on the campus quota and cutoff grade. UPCAT results are expected to be released early next year.
Bread and butter Ivan Dion Salva
No laughing matter
B
Cartoon by: Frances Dianne Ignacio
EDITORIAL
Today’s News: Are they Fake?
E
verything is made convenient today, thanks to technology. You’ve got someone you want to talk to but you’re either too busy or too lazy to come up to him or her and start a conversation? You may send a message online and even offline. You have a package that is on its way to your doorstep but you just can’t sit idly and wait for the delivery guy to knock on your door? You may track your package live through the use of Global Positioning System (GPS). You want to know the latest and hottest, off the press news, straight from none other than Mocha Uson, the assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office? Look no further, with just a click, a flick, a tap, or with an app, everything is made convenient thanks to the Internet. Like a coin having two faces, these conveniences are bound to have inconveniences. Apart from having a hard time finding a stable internet connection due to how congested the ISP (Internet Service Provider) servers must be, there isn’t really any problem in particular. Left and right you see journalists-to-be known as “bloggers” sprouting online, writing articles for all ages about awareness campaigns with different advocacies like various rights of various oppressed people, politics, whatever’s trending online or in general, news. This convenience begs one question. What’s the catch? Standing alongside helpful information in the Internet is none other than the total opposite, which is what we like to call “fake news”. Just as our technology and means of gathering information advances, so does the news that we get. It’s crazy that it all seems simultaneous. More topics are covered, more faces are exposed, more news are spread daily. With just a click, anybody can spread news throughout the web. Dissemination of information truly is one of our technology’s largest perk. It’s so simple to get information from one platform to another, all you need to do is write an article and post it on any major social website. The process of making fake news isn’t really any different from making a news article, the only real difference is the fact that the article or major parts of the article in question isn’t true. Writers do these very dirty business for many reasons, it could be satire, it could be to spread propaganda, it could be a social experiment, or it could just be for the gags. Still, no matter what the reason is, it doesn’t justify the fact that making and spreading fake news are unethical. Do a little research. Read from trusted and verified accounts and organizations. Be more vigilant when it comes to sharing news that you’ve read from a website or a source that isn’t reliable. If you can’t tell whether a source is reliable or not. Go back to step one, do research, researching not only about the topic but at reliable sources that has information offered for the public (like trusted and mainstream newspaper organizations). It doesn’t hurt to read news daily, or sharing them for that matter. What matters is that we don’t put our own lives in peril because of an article that you’ve read in a website that is as credible as news from word of mouth of your neighbors. Disseminating the right information at the right time could be the difference between life and death. Let’s not take “fake news” as a joke because it is an issue that can very well affect everyone’s lives in our country.
y this time, we’re all well aware of what is currently happening in our government, specifically, the issue with Commission on Human Rights (CHR) having only a measly amount of 1,000 pesos as their annual budget this 2018. While this made a huge backlash against the 119 representatives who voted “Yes” (in other words approving of the ridiculous budget), most of them, if not all, are still standing their ground, defending what they’ve done as if they’re doing God’s work. But just how important is the CHR’s role in keeping our government, and, in turn, our country, in tip top shape? “Paninindigan ko po ang boto ko na yes, bawasan ang budget ng CHR…Ngayon, nireview namin yung performance ng CHR at naniniwala kami na hindi nagagampanan yung dapat na trabaho,” said ABS Representative Eugene De Vera. Let’s make a small analysis out of this statement. Rep. De Vera says that the CHR isn’t doing their work accordingly, we suppose, to the constitution, or whatever higher power it is that made CHR into what it is today. Created by the late president Corazon Aquino, or more commonly known simply as Cory, the Commission on Human Rights, as its name suggests, is mainly concerned about human rights, rights that would and should allow each and every person in
our country be given treatment accordingly as a human. Freedom of speech, right to due process, right against illegal detention and torture, and much more, these rights aim to preserve human beings and assure the survival of most, if not everyone, most importantly now, given that the CHR is threatened to be given an annual budget that’s as small as 20 U.S dollars. Another one of CHR’s jobs is to make sure that government officials and even people tied with the government aren’t using their power to abuse the citizens. Although CHR has no adjudicative rights, they do, however, have the power to give legal advice to the Congress. Other duties include establishing researches for the enhancement and betterment of human rights, providing assistance to families of human rights violations victims, and overall to investigate all forms of human rights violations. Let me ask you a question. How much are your rights worth? With a full budget, the CHR had a hard time resolving human rights cases of all degrees. Do they really think that the CHR would be able to make do for the whole year with just a thousand pesos in their pockets? A family of three can barely survive with a thousand pesos for a month, how much more an office that has thousands of people employed? Are your rights worth a thousand pesos? Joke or not, this is no laughing matter.
Commentary
Privacy in a public sphere I
by Shemuel Mari Lopez
nternet is an everyday norm to everyone. We have this habit of opening our smartphones right after we wake up, and access the Internet to check out notifications and chat with our friends without realizing that we leave our accounts vulnerable to people who want to make profit out of our supposedly private lives. We don’t realize that through the course of time that every action we do on the web is being tracked by the government and corporations in order to make profit while taking advantage of free Internet. The U.S. recently repealed a bill called “Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and other Telecommunications Services” that would prohibit Internet providers from selling people’s browsing history, which is almost everything you do online sold to the highest bidder. This slamming of broadband privacy rules would make Internet users even more vulnerable to hacker attacks and blackmailing. Vulnerability on the Internet is not even the worst part. Everyday, sites experience data breaches. One of the largest data breaches was Yahoo with 1 billion accounts infiltrated, leaking important information including birthdate, passwords and security questions that can be used to alter someone’s password. Not even public figures are safe from the wrath of not having a secure privacy. A term called “swatting” which is the action of making a prank call to emergency
services in an attempt to dispatch a large number of armed police officers to a particular address. Swatting made its grand entrance last couple of years when a number of popular streamers and YouTubers were stormed by police officers in their houses. Hackers or pranksters perform swatting by gaining access to their victim’s’ IP address and calling the emergency services to dispatch police officers to that location. Fortunately, Virtual Private Network (VPN) can save you from these circumstances. What VPN does is it encrypts your data from anyone and it re-routes your Internet connection to a private server in a different location, hence your IP address or your current location will switch to the address in the private server in the process. The advantages of using a VPN isn’t only to cover your tracks from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) but you can access websites that are blocked from your region such as Netflix and when accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots, hackers will have a harder time stealing your login credentials. If they do manage to intercept your data, it will be untouched because your data is encrypted. It is important to bear in mind that our real life and Internet life are connected, but it is not the screen that divides which is real and which isn’t. The Internet is a fragile system. We must not let our guard down.
From the Director’s Desk
Kalayaan
Cecilia C. Sipin
I
On Leadership
have seen how the Liguorians took to the series of leadership trainings for this school year and was immediately happy and thankful that they go through this great opportunity. We used to bring our leaders to UP Los Banos for the training, but this time we are doing it in school with some of our alumni facilitating the process. I was reminded too of a Liguorian, Hannah Ty, who herself went through this experience and applied her learnings as a student leader during her high school days. She admitted that it was a life-changing event. Later in college, she was chosen as one of the Top Ten Outstanding Youth Leaders of the Phil. In her interview she acknowledged her high school life as an important phase to understand the true meaning of leadership. 1.) First, being a leader is not just something to add to a list of achievements. If you see it as a way to popularity, it is the shallowest of goals, and people can easily detect it. 2.) Leadership is not authority or power over the others. My favorite word here is stewardship. Together with your team, and the students who voted for you, you agree about a destination after assessing a situation, and you steer like a pilot to reach the agreed destination. 3.) Leadership has a cause which you firmly believe in. It has an objective, a long term goal. Ask yourselves, where do I want to bring my team? How can I convince them that it is the most correct thing to do? Remember if you have a consensus, you went through a process together, you can never go wrong. 4.) Leadership is service. You
lead your team to be of service to other people. In the case of a student government, you are there to serve your constituents, our very own Liguorians. This is what you do when you put up a tutorial program for students with learning difficulties, or when you plan for a high school dance, organize an outreach activity, not only to help the poor but to expose the Liguorians to the reality of poverty and where they are located in the order of things so they can make wise decisions for others and for themselves. 5.) Leadership puts up structures, so there will be order. You formulate policies and procedures, set guidelines. You work out an action plan which keeps the team working on set objectives for, say a year. A long term plan (hindi padampotdampot lang) is a requirement to have order and stability. It is also respect to the people you serve. It ensures that the constituents are valued and in good hands. 6) A good leader is a good model. If you want change, be a role model of that change. Walk the talk and effectively influence others. 7) A good leader has good communication skills. They listen well and articulate their ideas persuasively. These are some of the thoughts I would like to share with our student government as well as Liguorians who aspire to become leaders someday. May the trainings that have been carefully planned for you equip you with the necessary values and skills of a true leader. I wish you all well, be thankful for this opportunity to be of real service to society.
“Leadership is not authority or power over the others. My favorite word here is stewardship.”
An open letter to the president Dear President Duterte, You’ve done a great job on your first year. However, I noticed that you haven’t achieved the things that you promised. You said drug users will be gone in just three to six months. It’s been a year and there are still drug users in the country. Most of the people are scared because many drug users die and those who change their lives to forget about drugs are now just dead. Please do the best you can to catch those killers. Please capture the police who killed those drug users because some of them killed drug users in cold blood. Please listen to the people, the ones who are telling the truth. Please declare that you’ll take away the Martial Law. I heard that you will extend the Martial Law in Mindanao. They said that you’ll put Martial Law in the whole country. Please, don’t do that. I want you to help people in Marawi, some of them are dying because they don’t have proper food, but please stop the airstrikes, many houses have already been destroyed. When the military takes back Marawi, take the money and give them back to the people. Respectfully, Joshua Dayot, Grade 6
Maria Raiza G. Javier
O
‘Bias(ed)’ Media
ne of the major expectations about journalism is that reports must always be written in a balanced, unprejudiced, detached--objective--manner. This is so that the public would be able to decide on matters concerning them without influence from the writer or the publication. Who would want some stranger on a newspaper shoving their personal beliefs down your throats, right? Well, I hate to break to you, but objectivity, as far as journalism goes, is actually a myth. The fact is, every person has their own beliefs, and this does not exclude journalists. Every article written or photo taken is influenced by the reporter’s personal biases: from the choice of subject, to the arrangement of the paragraphs in a report. Do not be mistaken: this is not to make an excuse for sloppily written reports or “fake news” masquerading as journalistic pieces. As my professor used to say, rule number one in journalism is: “ACCURACY, ACCURACY, ACCURACY.” The point here is that a journalist’s first allegiance, according to Kovach and Rosenstiel, is to the people. And if we are to be biased, we must be biased for the people. That is, to forward their rights, give them a voice, and deliver to them the truth that will help them make informed decisions. It is important to remember that in a democratic society like ours, information is power. Before there was the Philippine Revolution, there first were Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Jose Rizal who spread information about the abuses done by the colonizers to our people. Before there was the EDSA
People Power Revolution, there first were Joe Burgos, Soc Rodrigo, and Chino Roces, among others, who exposed the atrocities of the Martial Law period. Before Joseph Estrada’s ouster, Yvonne Chua, Sheila Coronel, and Vinia Datinguinoo first exposed his acquisition of extravagant properties for his mistresses. Before there was the Million People March in 2013, there first was Nancy Carvajal’s investigative report exposing the Pork Barrel Scam during the Aquino administration. I can go on and on with this list, but the point remains. These journalists, out of loyalty to the public, exposed these information so people will not have to blindly follow corrupt or abusive administrations, or continue to vote for (and fatten the pockets of) erring government officials. So before we brand a reporter as dilawan, bayaran, or bias media (by the way, it should be “biased,” not “bias”) on sight just because they wrote something critical of our favorite politician, ask these questions: (1) Are these information accurate? (2) Did the reporter make an effort to air all sides of the issue? (3) Is this story protecting the rights of the powerless instead of defending a privileged few? If the answer to these questions is no, then, by all means, get rid of the article (or blogpost) before it contaminates your brain. Otherwise, maybe it is high time to realize that it is not the reporter who is prejudiced. Maybe it is us whose minds are clouded by our biases and fanaticisms so we fail to see the truth (no matter how glaring). In which case, we seriously need to sort out our priorities.
Young and Free Pamela Soquirata
Youth against violence
T
he youth plays an important role in today’s society since they will be the ones to lead the country in the future and have the chance to make this world a better place. However, many young people are led astray as a result of being victims of violence--may it be physically, psychologically or sexually--in their homes. These young people cannot function well in society because the home itself is dysfunctional when it fails its responsibility to nurture and develop the youth. Youth violence must stop because it does not only destroy young people’s lives but devastates the country’s future. According to a survey conducted by Unicef, 8 out of 10 young Filipinos aged 13 to 24 are victims of violence and 60 percent of these cases happened at home due to corporal punishment. Young people also suffer from Internet abuse because of pedophiles scattered all over the world, while destitute families find it as an opportunity to earn. In fact, online child sexual
abuse has become a big business in the country. All these must be put to a stop now. It doesn’t only wreck the children’s future but it also destroys the country’s. Home should play its role properly since it develops the moral character of the children, shaping them with knowledge and values to govern the country someday. Parenting seminars must be implemented to municipalities to serve as a guide to proper parenthood and to build strong family relations. Social development strategies is one way too, it teaches the children on how to properly deal with tough situations without resulting to violence. This alarming fact must serve as a lesson to everyone, not only for the youth, but also for the adults. Violence isn’t the answer to anything; it just aggravates the situation. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Instead, make a move and together, let us fight youth violence.
Hacking the System
East to West
Paul Kirk R. Espina
Rhafaella Ricci L. Lansang
W
Broken Families
e often seek our parents’ presence in times of need, especially in making decisions. But what if they themselves have failed solving their own personal problems? Many of us in this generation are in the state of a broken family. We often see ourselves geared into giving up because of hopelessness that our family would ever build a better relationship. Yet, children living in a family whose parents are separated need to know that families are not only defined by living together under one roof but rather by their relationship with each other. When we were young, we thought marriage is the assurance of seeing your parents grow old together. While this might be true for some, the number of broken marriages is rapidly increasing in our days, resulting to broken families. According to Carl Pickhardt, teens from broken homes might develop a cynical attitude and have trust issues toward their parents, friends and romantic partner. Despite this, we, as children, look up to our parents for counsel, for support, for guidance that will let us feel their limitless love in order to retain the connection we have with them even if they themselves were not able to hold it as a couple. Parents may have lost their love for each other, but that doesn’t mean that they love their children any less.
If anything, it makes them love their children more, in hopes that the pain of separation will not scathe them for life that the wound brought about by the separation won’t discourage them to believe in love and relationship. So, is being in a broken family an excuse to rebel against your parents? If this is your mindset, you will end up hurting yourself more. We can’t force our parents to stay together for the sake of their children-to keep it so that we are able to come home to a mother and a father. They may be convincing themselves that this imperfect situation is the best one even though they don’t want and don’t like that kind of set-up. Let us say that there would be benefit to us, having both parents but it would also hurt us to see their cruelty to each other. Still, we should keep connections with our parents even though they already decided to split up. It is their reaffirmation of their love and support towards us after a separation that would make us feel that we aren’t the reason of their break-up. Children from a broken family should know that family isn’t only defined by being together but rather their relationship with one another. Not every family is collectively strong and better off together, but this shouldn’t make the children feel like this makes them less loved.
No Rain Check Anthea San Juan
I
A day to rest
t is common for a student to complain about their workload in school. However, as a student, it is your responsibility to do all these works to maintain good grades for your future. This is the hard reality of being a student, a reality that you need to face each day of your school life. Students who complain about loaded school work would surely agree to have a four-day school week (besides, the House has already approved on its final reading the bill pushing for a four-day work week). These students complain about not finishing their work because of the scarce amount of time given by the teacher. They couldn’t do all the requirements because of a large number of schoolwork given in a short amount of time, not to mention the exhaustion after a whole day at school. But is this really a question of whether they were given enough time to do the tasks? The answer to this age-old problem (and I’m sure everyone knows this by now) is proper time management and a sense of responsibility. Proper time management, no matter how cliché, is the best solution to this complaint. A student should know how to divide and use their time every day, including weekends, productively. This will help students have an extra time for their own activities. It is the responsibility of the student to be productive every single day, but it doesn’t mean that they need to do all the school works
24/7. This is where time management will come in handy. Do what you need to do when you need to do it, and use the remaining time to rest or do other miscellaneous activities. Of course, a four-day school week is very tempting. However, a rest day could give both positive and negative effects for students, including teachers. The benefits are probably having extra time to do all the work at home and also time to rest physically and mentally after a very long week. The negative thing about rest day is, it means there would be less time for discussion of important lessons. Also, a rest day for a week is not applicable for every school because of the number of subjects students have. As it is, an hour of these subjects per day is not even enough to complete all the lessons. Therefore, if this fourday school week proposition becomes a policy, there is a possibility that the school year might continue over until summer vacation, and that’ll make the students complain even more. There might be other possible solutions for this problem, but time management is still most recommended. Time management helps you be on top of your tasks and get more things done. You can also give your hundred percent effort in a task given to you because you'll have more time to do it. Managing time could lessen students stress levels, and grant them the free time that they’ve been looking for.
The Future
A
n asteroid struck the earth. The tall buildings that once stood up to the sky fell down. Many species of animals became extinct. Only a few were saved. The unfortunate were disintegrated by the impact. Only the world leaders, the greatest minds and the rich survived. They took shelter in a bunker built for the apocalypse. After the impact, the surface of the earth was not suitable for any living organisms so they lived underground until the earth healed and it was once again habitable for humans and animals. The asteroid was so immense that it took almost a decade for the remaining inhabitants of the earth to come back to the surface and rebuild human civilization. With the greatest minds of the world together, civilization was quickly rebuilt and technology flourished once more. In fact, technology has grown quite fast since the time that humans resurfaced and started anew. Cars were rebuilt to run not on oil but on solar energy. Mechanical machines took over the jobs humans once had. Cleaning, maintenance, accountancy, peacekeeping, medicine are now all a machine’s job. There were more technological advances other than those but some things never change. Remember the old saying, “It’s on the internet, it must be true”? People still have not learned that this saying is satirical. In this era, communication is so advance that news and messages are delivered straight to your brain via a device installed into your brain that is connected into a neural network. Think of it as the old obsolete internet, but instead of using a smart phone or a computer or whatever device people use back in the day to access the internet, you use the NeuraNet (the
Letters to the Editor
inventors gave it a very cliché name in my opinion). Since its inception, communication has been very easy. It’s like talking to someone who’s not actually with you but you are both sitting at the same table at the same time. Giving news is also easier since information is delivered straight to you. But as I have said, people haven’t changed. People are ever so gullible. They don’t know which is true and which is not. They can’t tell if an article was written by an expert professional or by some expert fraud. They can’t tell if a video or a photo is authentic or was just computer generated. In short, people are still dumb. There was this one time the whole world panicked. Given the fact that the earth was struck by an asteroid causing a catastrophe not too long ago, some young men decided to mess with the whole world. These “trolls’, as what they would have been called back in the old days, were journalists in a very well known news site. They posted on their site an article with a headline that reads “Another asteroid, larger than the last, heading for earth.” News from the most popular sites are instantly sent to everyone’s NeuraNet once it is posted. So, needless to say, the people panicked. The market’s supplies were emptied and the people’s bunkers were resupplied. The civilization is in hysteria. But in the middle of the panic, another news came. “Sorry world, April Fools!” Note: This is just a dramatization of what I think the world would be if we had the most advanced communication system ever in history but not one person is media, information or technology literate. Maybe an exaggeration, too.
We value our readers’ suggestions, comments, and opinion. We’d love to hear from you so we could serve you better. Send us an email at theliguorianbulletin@gmail.com with the subject: Letter to the Editor.
Big help for the Big One
A challenge to do better
I found your science article last issue entitled “Into the Cracks of the Big One” really valuable. The news made noise when the earthquake in Batangas occured. It awakened most of us Filipinos that it is still bound to happen. Aside from its uncertainty, the damage it could cause in the metropolitan could go beyond extreme. So our plan of action is none other than to prepare. Sure, the disaster preparedness in the Philippines might still need a lot of improvement, but we individuals should practice ways to take care of ourselves when it does strike.
I find the newspaper to be bland. No, not the bad kind of bland, but simply put, it is what it is. Most schools have their own student publications, their own brand, if you may. But the thing is, I find The Liguorian Bulletin to be just like any other school paper out there. Your typical mainstream news, happenings, events, historical firsts and lasts that we’ve all heard of one way or another. My point is, how would you show your true potential as: A.) an organization of writers and aspiring journalists, and B.) an organization that shows unity in all your purposes? Don’t take this letter as a hate mail or something like so, but take it as a challenge. As part of the SALIS community, I can’t be more proud that we have a studentled publication. What I’d love to see through is how you’d leave a mark, your own mark. Something that will make people say, “Ah, that paper’s from SALIS.”
-Boy Scout, Grade 10-Yakal Congratulations! I would just like to congratulate the whole team behind The Liguorian Bulletin for your consistent and timely release of the publication last school year. The upgrade in the layout design is also appreciated! -Proud Liguorian, Grade 10-Tanguile
-Brutally Honest, Grade 10-Tanguile
Profiles
L
In celebration of World Teachers’ Day, we curated a special section for stories of our beloved teachers and staff.
Patriot of Change
wherever life takes us. She believed ike a swan gliding that being millennials, we are good calmly over a body of water, no with the technologies that we have one would know that underneath now, and with how we can maximize are hardworking legs paddling by Godspeed Feliciano, Isabelle Jacob, Rhafaella Lansang these resources. the water to make it through. That is what we discovered from Mrs. “Go ahead, try your wings Cielito Calvelo after our interview with her that beneath those silent because I always believe in you. You will make something good if you try demeanor that creates silent fear from students, is someone who had experienced life’s different conflicts just like everybody else. your wings,” she said. When we fall, we should make ourselves Life has thrown several challenges along her way, and she did not stronger, and stand up. The past challenges made her stronger, more cower but faced them head on. Student leadership, staying part of the reasonable and more logical in facing them when setting her priorities. honor roll, studying in a public school, teaching in an exclusive school, It’s true that the strongest steel was forged by the hottest fire. even her married life was a challenge. But the greatest challenge of all was establishing this school, Saint Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School. Her impatience is her Waterloo, she hates waiting for people, but She coped with these challenges, standing by her principle of “setting she’s learning to be more patient as she travels to the road that is far the bottom line then sticking to whatever it is” and always having her from easy and when the climb is tough, she still manages to go farther plan B. “It’s for the benefit of whoever I am supposed to give the benefit” as long as she can. she said. “Don’t settle for less until good becomes better and better becomes As a person who has been through a lot, she advised us who best”, she’d always tell her students. This line has struck us the most may face the challenges she had experienced to love our own country. She said that we should work for and work with the Filipino people, and helped shift our perspective, from settling for mediocrity to being the best that we can be.
Courageous Grace
Mighty Father by Ivan Salva and Pamela Soquirata
Kuya Gerry has been working for Saint Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School (SALIS) for a long time now, working as part of the school’s staff. As such, he is known to be a patient person, handling the environment of a school with lots of children, both young and young adult alike. But, unlike most patient people, Kuya Gerry is one of those easy-going cheerful people whom you’d almost always see wearing a smile throughout the day, regardless of the troubles that he has to encounter daily.
A father of two and a husband to an OFW, it really shows
how patient and hardworking he is for the sake of his children and his family in general. Being a father and a part of a busy school community isn’t such an easy task, having troubles both with his duties as a father and as part of the school staff. With this, he never misses a chance to find time to smile and make others smile albeit his really restrictive schedule, as he can take some breath of air knowing the school community has got his back. One may encounter conflicts particularly intrapersonal ones. But like any other cliché novel, the protagonist has his/her own way in finding a solution. Kuya Gerry has his own way, too. In order to resolve his problems in managing his time working as a staff in SALIS and as a dedicated father, he started practicing time management by delegating his task wisely proportionate to the time allotted. He also has his way in enjoying his time while working. Despite having financial problems in raising his two kids, he instilled the value of being independent to his son and daughter so they can be self-reliant at their early age.
That’s how a brave soul of a dedicated father can be for his children.
by Jan Pauline Manlongat andMark Lennard Manuel
E
veryone is fighting their own battle and everyone is trying to survive and live their lives to the fullest. It is just a matter of handling the pressure. In line with this, we asked a specific teacher about her personal challenges in life and how she deals with these challenges. According to Ms. Grace Abustan, she had conflicts regarding her work at school and at home. She said that it was very difficult to balance her time as a teacher and a mom of her two kids especially when she also has her masteral studies that drain her energy every day.
At school, she also encounters a lot of stress, specifically with paperwork such as making and submitting examinations and complying with her clearance as a teacher. At home, she said it is also challenging to take care of her children alone, because her husband is working overseas. For every challenge that we face, there’s always a way to surpass and survive. In Ms. Grace’s situation, she believes that what matters most is how you manage your time properly. If
you know how to do time management then you can set your priorities in life and you will not have a problem in doing things. At times when she has no one to rely on but herself, she ask for guidance from her parent and her relatives. She knows that her mother can be a reliable person when she’s having a hard time dealing with her personal concerns because her mother knows her more than anyone does.
God
She also trusts herself and
that He will guide her to get through with it because she knows that her children rely on her. In order to survive and cope with different challenges in life, you must have the courage to never give up, and seek help from others because asking for help is not a weakness. Instead, it is acknowledging that you are human, that you are strong, but you also have limitations
Having Faith in Him
by Geralen R. Morano
"WE ARE ONE!"
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” -Hebrews 11:1 What do we mean by faith? There could be different answers coming from different people of different beliefs and perspectives, but the most important question now is: How far can our faith bring us? How long can we patiently wait, believing that He can and will grant our prayers, at the right time? They said prayers can move mountains. There are some living testimonies that can serve as proof that our faith can bring us farther than we expect. With faith, we can experience His undeniable love for us. Sometimes, many of us doubt Him because we can’t feel His presence, or our prayers are not answered yet. But trust His timing, He has a better plan for you. He listens to you. He always does. If you feel bitterness and doubt in your heart, hold on to faith. Believe that He will answer your prayers and give you only what’s best for you. Having faith in Him is life-changing. You won’t realize that you can do things you thought you couldn’t. It makes you a stronger person. Never stop believing in our God in any circumstance. Your faith in Him can make miracles happen. If you believe, then you can. Your faith has already made it happen for you. Whoever believes in Him will be saved. For He is the God who is within you. He will never let you slip through His arms. Just believe in His works, His promises, and His power.
is not for fame or to catch others people’s attention. We shout it as mantra, to tell the world that even if it turns its back on us, we have each other.
Editor’s note: This article was first published in Vol. 14, Issue 2 of The Liguorian Bulletin. However, it was placed under a mistaken byline. The TLB management takes full responsibility for the error.
We Are one by Janina Quirante and CyreneJoy Sigua
What is unity?
If we are to be poetic, we could take a lesson from crayons; some are sharp, some are beautiful, some have weird names, and are all different colors, but they still learn to fit in the same box. Unity binds us together in achieving one goal. We all have different ideas, opinions, and beliefs, but these differences can make us strong, from emptiness to wholeness. The saying “You will never have harmony if everyone sings the same note” speaks also of richness in diversity. School is indeed our second home where we mold and expand our knowledge, skills, and talents. It is where we are taught not to judge a person by their race, religion, physical appearance, etc. We are taught to accept that all of us are different from each other.
two-faced by Don’t Settle for Less
As they look at me, it seems like a very confident girl is about to conquer the stage. They know me as someone who always speaks, always fierce and free from worries. They fill me with praises like I always do something great. It’s a matter of course of staring at me and seeing someone who thinks sharply. Their minds scream appreciation Their hearts are filled with joy. They believe I am someone Who can win every battle and overcome different struggles. But as I look in the mirror, I could see a girl trying to cheer herself up. I know myself as someone who goes through tough nights, someone restrained and trapped in blues-trying to feel at ease but still having a heavy heart. My habit is to wonder and stare at blank walls As my mind screams and my chest tightens I realize, as I look at my reflection,
She is not the same anymore because her true identity was imprisoned. *more literary pieces on page 12
In our own experience as a batch, we were once a puzzle that cannot be solved, a crumpled paper that will just be thrown in a trash bin, and a phone that has 1% battery life and doesn’t have a charger or a connector. But as we learned to understand and accept each others’ flaws and imperfections, we tried to complete the puzzle, we recycled the crumpled paper, and found a way to recharge by 100%. Being one is easy to say, but it is hard to achieve, and it’s even harder to convince people that we are. Every year, there will always be comparisons between two sections, but we will never get tired of replying, “Pantay-pantay lang po kami”. There might be people who would question or challenge our oneness: Are we just one during intramurals? Are we one in copying each other’s assignments, seat works, quizzes, projects, performance tasks or exams?
To answer those questions, WE ARE ONE because we don’t want anyone left behind (just like the Trolls). We help those who need help but not to the extent of letting them copy someone’s work. We only have one goal, and that is to rise up together. Unity doesn’t mean seeking for power. It means that we understand, trust, and help each other grow and mature. Shouting,
Self Denial
by Lyza Palmero, Jhasmine Pascual, Kobe Madlangbayan Every person faces big challenges and conflicts that may change their life, and Ate Emma Recuyo, a library staff from Saint Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School (Salis), is one of them. She is 21 years old and has 10 siblings. She only finished high school and decided to work first before going to college due to financial problems. Ate Emma wants to take up education because of her love for teaching and love for children but it didn’t work because of the family’s financial situation. After a year of working at a restaurant, when she was about to go back to studying, her sister also wanted to continue college. Addressing this situation was very hard for ate Emma, she was very disappointed that she can’t go on to college because of her sister, but even then, she decided to sacrifice to give way to her sister who is now on her 3rd year in college, pursuing a degree in Political Science. It was very hard for her to choose between giving up on her college education or pursuing it and be in bad terms with her sister. She was quite agitated when her sister asked her because it was already decided that she will be the one to go to college first. But being the elder sister, she chose to give the chance to her sister. Her internal conflict does not end there. Her yearning to be a preschool teacher is still very much alive in her heart, but her current situation won’t allow it. She has siblings in different stages of education: an incoming college student, a senior high school student, a grade 10 student and others in primary. Until today, she holds on to her dream of a college education, but she must sacrifice something, and must attend to the needs of her family and siblings. Her love for her family overpowered her love for herself so she chose to work in SALIS instead. Although she still has a long way to go before she finally reaches her dream, at least for now, she gets to spend her time assisting and sharing her knowledge and skills to teachers and students with their audio-visual presentations. Who knows, maybe one day, she would be in this very same building--except, instead of being a member of the staff, she’d be a teacher. And a good one, at that.
Re-Ligare by Rhafaella Ricci Lansang
Religion isn’t just about going to church, the number of times you go to church, the group or sect you belong to, or whatever tradition that comes with it. It is about your faithfulness and commitment to your God, about your willingness to do things, and showing how grateful you are. Most importantly, it is about the depth of your relationship with God. Most of us might think that religion is what you believe in, but we should first look back to it’s definition to fully grasp its ultimate meaning. “Religion” came from the Latin word “Ligare” which means “to bind” or to “connect”. Add the “re” before “ligare” and the word would mean “Re-Bind” or “Re-Connect.” Come to think of it, religion encourages us to think how we can re-bind or re-connect ourselves with a God who is infinitely more intelligent and loving. Take Christianity for example. It is not a religion but a life lived in a loving relationship with the true God and a life lived in love for the human race that He created in His own image. The word true religion in the New Testament is associated with relationship with God through sincere love and gratitude for His sacrifice. Without this relationship, religion is dead, as we were dead spiritually. Jesus didn’t come to establish a religion but to reconcile us in an everlasting relationship with God through the cleansing of His blood and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I have witnessed those who have dedicated their lives to God. Success seems to find them and their lives are happier than before. We should re-bind ourselves to a God who cares about us and wants us to be back. If we’re only here on Earth by chance, and then die, and become a fertilizer… Our life was for nothing. What we learned was for nothing. We won’t know anyone and it won’t matter whether we were religious or not. But, if by chance religion is right, and God does exist, then we have everything to lose by not being religious and “re-connecting” to God while in this life. It will in no way hurt a person to seek after and follow God.
Memories fade, never lost
There’s No Turning Back I am
by Shaira Aguila
an addict. Not your typical addict, but a Korean drama addict. It’s been years since I started this addiction, but I guess I don’t want to cure it. Once you enter this world, you’ll never know how to go back.
Korean dramas have interesting stories and are fun to watch. It entices teenagers and young people because it offers amazing scenes, great cast, good cinematography, and seriously great soundtracks. You’ll get attached to every drama. You’ll fall in love when the lead characters fall in love. You’ll get hungry when they eat. You‘ll laugh when they laugh. And you, too, will cry when the scene gets too emotional. When you become a K-drama addict, English subtitles become your best friend. You’ll wait for a day for the English subtitle to be published or you’ll just watch it without the subtitle even though you can’t really understand them. All these sound exciting, but wait there’s more! You’ll also be close to eye bags. When you start to watch an episode, it leads up to 10 or more episodes and you’ll not feel that the whole night had passed. K-drama can give us many changes in our life, but we must know that not everything we see in those dramas can happen in our life too. What’s best with being a K-drama addict, is being happy and contented even just seeing the characters become happy.
How Does Anxiety Kill?
by Leanne Maxinne Ceria
Can memory play tricks to erase some personalities and events in one’s life?
Most people believe that first love never dies. They say your first love is always alive in your heart. That no matter how much you forget, it never fades away. “1st ko si 3rd” is a Filipino film which tells the story of a woman named Cory. By cleaning her house until it was spotless, Cory keeps herself busy after retiring from work. Still, she felt uneasy. She was not used to the silence at home and spending every hour with her husband Alejandro. Then Cory bumps into her first love, Third, unexpectedly. She never forgot him because their first date never really happened. Cory was surprised when Third asked her out after all the years that have passed. Cory brings with her a handful of love letters she never gave to Third. She is now ready to give them to her first love. On the day of their first date, Cory will discover if “first love never (really) dies.” Sadly, in the end she never took the opportunity to give the letters to Third because she realized that they have both parted ways and should’ve let go in the first place. She burnt the letters as a sign of moving on and letting go. “1st ko si 3rd” made us feel how time makes us crazy, how it hurts us with memories, and how it makes us stronger by accepting certain truths. The film remains mostly on the surface, unable to fulfill Cory and Third’s missed love story. Can we really trust our memory? Even though our brains can help us imagine things, they limit our memory. Our memory is not perfect. All those events, people, and things we encounter in our everyday life can all be erased.
by Anthea San Juan
She lost a thousand words when it was her time to speak up. She found herself fumbling for things to say. Have you ever felt like sweating bullets during your examinations? Have you ever felt like running out of breath when you’re talking in front of the class? Are you having an uneasy feeling when you call everyone’s attention? I’m a girl hiding behind the curtain and these are the worst moments of life one can ever have. I’ve never been very comfortable with the things around me. In my opinion, being afraid of something is not really a big problem but it can actually destroy your personality as a normal teenager. Honestly, it gives me chills as I’m left alone my own world of nightmares. I am the perfect example of someone who’s afraid to get out of her shell. It may not be the best way to live but I did it for the past years of my life and the truth is I regret it a lot. I was full of what-ifs inside of my brain then one day, I thought I should never live like this ever again. Maybe the reason why I needed to step up my own game is because I am not who and where I want to be. I have to reach my goal, face my fears and have the best moments of my life. Yes! I’m that kind of girl who’s been having her own concert in her coolest bathroom and that should be the end of it because I’m stepping out of my line. I’m proud to say that I’m doing it. I’m doing things that I thought I couldn’t do better. I joined the Dance Club where I’m honestly having best dance routines and a good bond with my friends. I may
not be the best dancer but at least I’m facing my fear on stage in front of the people who don’t know anything about the chills that I experience while performing. Having the craziest friends can help you also to be more sociable. My experience of having them is quite unforgettable. We’ve been together through ups and downs and they could help you to let out the inner kid in you. It will help you to be more like a free butterfly and now I’m not afraid to face people. I haven’t conquered my fear yet I’m still trying to get out of my shell. It is still the best thing to do to have the greatest journey of my life. Changing yourself isn’t bad as long as it’s for the better and you’re never too late to cast out those negative things inside your head. Be someone that’ll make you feel better and confident and don’t be afraid to let out the words that your mind has been hiding.
Bring the Past to the Future Be proud, Be strong, Be a Filipino of the 1500s Buwan ng Wika, the usual celebration known by every Filipino in the world. It is commonly celebrated by schools showcasing their Filipino spirit during the month of August. But something is off. Most people of this generation don’t know that much about Buwan ng Wika since most of us don’t give any interest in it anymore. Some might say “That’s old school! K-pop is much better!” Well it’s not surprising because it’s usual to millennials. But that doesn’t mean that all of them are disrespecting the celebration because some actually find it fun to imitate heroes and people of the past. Here I recount some of the memorable moments of the event in our school. First and foremost is the parade, where we will go around the village to show off our Filipino costumes. Actually, the parade was almost cancelled due to the threat of a rainy morning but the luck was
by Lemuel Arvin Caybyab
on our side so it pushed through. You can see the usual costumes like Barong Tagalog, Katipunero and some also wore costumes of our indigenous groups like of the Igorot, Manobo, and T’boli. After the parade we had our lunch, classrooms filled with different kinds of Filipino foods, meryendas and ulam, namely puto, kutsinta, biko, pancit , lumpia and so on. Now for the main event! The introduction was simple and meaningful as usual, led by Ms. Cecilia Sipin. It was a beautiful opening speech for an important event. Right after this were the performances of, mostly, winners of contests held the days before the main event. Winners of the Collaborative Spoken Word, Storytelling, and Pagtula, which are all great pieces of Filipino literature captivated many of the audience. Lastly, the performers from selected clubs and students from
Musical Play Review:
Maynila Sa mga Kuko Ng Liwanag by Ivan Dion Salva
different levels left the audience in awe. In the end, the Liguorians sang the school’s hymn with pride and honor. The theme for this year’s Buwan ng Wika is actually pretty hard to explain. “Wikang Mapagbago;” quite short but hard to understand. It was intriguing and really caught my curiosity on its deeper meaning. Well to break it apart, wika means language and mapagbago means to cause somthing to change or to become new. It implies that our language is changing since the birth of human race. We are in the modern technological age and everything is bound to change. And I do think that change in our language is necessary just so that we could get along with how fast we are advancing to the future. And this change will probably continue as long as our civilization survives, however, there will come a time when this change will be bad.
Spoken Word Poetry by Beatriz Dionela
L
iving in the Philippines isn’t as colorful and cheerful as how advertisements portray it to be. For the most part, life here is hard, much worse if you’re a blue collar worker. Now with that said you should be wondering how blue collar workers lived back in those days. Maynila Sa Kuko Ng Liwanag is originally a novel written by Edgardo M. Reyes and is basically about how Metro Manila is full of scoundrels taking advantage of fellow scoundrels. It’s a perfect depiction of a dog-eat-dog world. The novel is critically acclaimed nationwide and has been a best seller ever since. It was later adapted into a film directed by Lino Brocka. The play revolves around hillbilly Julio who dreams of getting a shot at living in the Metro in hopes of finding both a good life and Ligaya, his one true love who decided to leave him in the province. As he arrives in Manila, he is met with bad luck as his belongings were snatched from his dumbfounded self. Time passed and he wasn’t able to catch the thief, but his bad luck doesn’t end there. He is met with an employer who is as much of a snob to newcomers as he is to workers who have been working for him for quite a while already. Julio is faced with this simple embodiment of corruption, with Balajadia, his employer, saying that he’s “only doing his job”. Nonetheless he had to swallow this and many other challenges that are set the moment he stepped foot on the city. His fellow construction workers dream of a better life, and a better life for them can be achieved by helping one another. But as most things in life, good things must come to an end. This starts with Benny who dies in a work-related accident. Then everything goes downhill from there. Yet at the darkest of times, hope arises, after many events that would lead to Julio’s downfall, from the death of his friends to realising how screwed the system is in Manila, he finally gets to meet Ligaya. Not in his dreams, but in person. He then offers Ligaya to run away with him, saying he’ll find a job for the two of them, but Ligaya simply cannot, for she has a child with a Chinese businessman named Ah-Tek who bought Ligaya from Mrs. Cruz, a local pimp. Julio, hellbent on giving Ligaya and her child a better life, convinces Ligaya to finally escape with him. Julio’s bad luck unfortunately returns, costing Ligaya her life as Ah-Tek kills her in his rage, who, in return is killed by Julio in his rage. He is later cornered by an angry mob with sticks and stones intended to break Julio’s bones. At the end of the musical, Julio is shown with Ligaya alongside other characters in what appears to be a portrayal of heaven, where everyone wears white and they all sing and dance cheerfully, in contrast to the scenes before the ending. The musical was very much enjoyable for all the right reasons (the acting, the singing, the lighting)--except for the ending. For me, what made the musical feel and seem good was how Joel Lamangan handled and portrayed the controversial issues that are shown in Maynila Sa mga Kuko Ng Liwanag. Unlike the film which felt like it straight out punched you at your stomach and shoved the blood that you puked after back to your throat, the play has this gentler approach, but it still is a punch to your stomach. But rather than going further, the musical went for a more lighthearted attempt at showing the true intentions of the novel. It felt like this throughout the whole play and I really think it works, (except for how the ending suddenly changed the mood from all the past killings into this “happy ending” route instead of just cutting the play right when Julio breathed his last). It would’ve been perfect, how the play would’ve ended tragically just like how it wants to portray real life in Manila. But, other than that, the play pulled off what the movie didn’t attempt to do, and it simply worked.
In these busy, modern days of our lives, where the past practices are slowly disappearing, we can’t allow our origins and culture to disappear too. Our language, culture, and characteristics are our own signature to write in this modern world and we shouldn’t lose it if we want to be acknowledged as a country of free people. That is where the Buwan ng Wika celebration comes in to play. Its main purpose is to give us a break from our daily lives and bring us the past, our origin, our history, helping us to remember who we really are. These reasons will help us know why we are here, to correct what’s wrong and follow what’s right, and to help our country develop and rise. Buwan ng Wika might be just a small event but it is part of a bigger picture and if it goes down, so does everything else that makes us Filipino.
W
e live in a world full of artists and dreamers who all want to tell a story of their own. Some tell stories through music with the use of melody and rhythm, or maybe in colors and in brush strokes. Some just straightforwardly say it. However, nowadays, some people tend to have trouble saying what needs to be expressed. That is, until spoken word poetry was introduced to them. What is spoken word? First, this type of poetry is different from other traditional speeches. Why? Because the words here contain special emotions--the kind of words that demand to be heard in order for its entire meaning to be understood, and for the audience to feel the specific emotion portrayed by the speaker. International spoken word artist and advocate Sarah Kay defines it as a baby born from the love of poetry and theater. Spoken word is writing what is meant to be said out loud. Some spoken word pieces you might be familiar with are stories, poems, monologues, slam poetry, rap and even stand-up comedy. Also, it uses different types of imagery and has a wide selection of words to express emotions and thoughts. The literary piece makes us feel the emotions of the speaker as well as to make us believe and imagine the story they are telling. In the Philippines, it was made famous by artist Juan Miguel Sivero (most know him from
the teleserye “On the Wings of Love,” but he has made a name for himself even before that). It became a clique for the young ones. As a result, many writers today are making their own spoken word poetry. But does anyone really know its history? It has been around a lot longer than expected. It can be traced back to a long-practiced art form that is rooted in the oral traditions of many cultures. This became a way to keep memories alive through the generations, and also a way to take people to another place with the use of imagery, and a way to sustain them during troubled times and give them hope and love. It is now considered as an oral art that focuses on the aesthetics of word play, intonation, and voice inflection. It’s a catch-all which includes any kind of poetry recited aloud, including traditional poetry readings. What makes spoken word poetry popular is that the listeners can relate to this type of poetry not only because the topic is usually about love, but because of the fact that the writer is brave enough to express their thoughts and feelings through oral and verbal works. Spoken poetry is not all about ‘hugot.’ Essentially, it is a form of poetry meant to be performed in front of an audience. Spoken word poetry inspires the youth to take on a particular voice – idealistic, poignant, and regardless of their young age, an acute awareness of life and its tempestuous moods.
Irreparable Defect by Frida
I
t’s been ten years since they wrote their secret dreams. They tucked them in a can and buried it under the acacia beside his house. They promised to open it today, to see whether they’ve succeeded. “I wanted to become a famous scientist,” he said. There is no doubt that he has achieved this. His invention, the Ro-Man series has been an almost indispensable product in only a few years since its birth. People went crazy over his robot-humans. It turned out to be a big hit to every possible market-women who feared growing old alone, parents who wanted perfect, genius children, men who wanted obedient wives, rich families who needed house helpers but didn’t trust people. His creations also proved to work more efficiently than human beings, able to do anything they were programmed for, committing less
mistakes. Soon, companies purchased his robots instead of hiring people for manual labor because they didn’t complain or require workers’ rights. Instead of human soldiers, military forces used his war robots, as they are stronger and less vulnerable; plus, super abilities can be installed to them. His invention led to developments that made life easier--particularly for those who’ve lost faith in humanity. “I did this all for you,” he squeezed her hand, trying to pass some of his warmth to her. She smiled. She was still as beautiful as before… “What did you write?” he asked. The suspense was killing him. Was she able to achieve her secret dream by now? With a small voice that seemed to come from miles away, she read, “Nothing in the future is for sure, except that I want to build a happy family with you.” His heart sank. He created this robot so it could reach her dream for her. But it can never be achieved. Not without her. He failed right from the start. He stared at the smiling woman in front of him. She...it looked so much like her, yet so different. “You dummy. You’re so lucky,” the words tasted bitter in his mouth. He closed his eyes and tried to remember his happy days with her, wishing he could just eject a microchip with all his painful memories in it, or maybe just have his system shut off like what he does with defective machines.
The Girl Behind a Mask by Ai Gonzales
I silently cried in a corner as I repeatedly whispered to myself to be stronger I just need to bear every pain that I go through, So I can be the person I never knew. I’m going to pretend everything’s okay smiles and laughter will fill my gloomy day Every tear that flows on my cheeks will always be like it somehow speaks As the show starts everything seems perfect But behind the twinkle in my eyes are hundreds of lies
They were deceived by my pretensions that came from my unacceptable intentions My tears speak about it, as if they have their own tongues to let go of the feeling in my lungs I tried to keep myself silent because words can somehow be violent. I’m sure this will surely end, because there are lots of hearts to mend I just need to entrust everything to the One above, who is willing to give me true love.
As poems go by Beatriz Dionela
Do you by chance remember that girl you sat next to on the train? the one who couln’t look at you straight in the eyes-she dreams of becoming a poet she wants to bleed ink on paper write poems so convincing, that even myths become undoubtedly real beautiful, extraordinary poems as she describes them she wants to write poems that can touch hearts and heal broken souls
Poems that won’t give you felicity, but so much catastrophe that you’d forget what sleeping in peace feels like, Poems glaring through oblivion. But there’s something she couldn’t quite decipher. Blinded by her passion, she never realized She can’t be a poet-Because she was a poem. A living poem that breathes.
Rise (an excerpt)
by Lemuel Arvin Cayabyab
We all have been there It felt like being trapped in a monster’s lair Fantasies push us up the air And the truth pulled us down out of nowhere. You thought you saw her but you woke up She’s smiling happily, but you were not Your heart is aching since she was gone When you started talking It was done. She already found someone, and it’s not you As you start reminiscing, all you’ve been through By now you might be losing hope But just don’t give up yet Don’t pull your self esteem too low. Because she can’t end you, No, not on your show. So remember, remember these things She can never bring you down Here, soldier, pick yourself up Don’t make yourself puny, show them you’re strong enough. You have to acknowledge you are not for each other Don’t get blinded by your past, brother because you can’t control destiny Stop living in an alternate reality Here’s what you ought to do: Find something to get busy on, find someone to talk to. So that you can get these problems off your chest. And when nightfall comes for you to rest, Remember that meeting her may not be the best, But from these mistakes, you’ve passed the test.
contamination by: What’s worse than Formaldehyde
You don’t have the right to feel You don’t have the right to kneel You don’t have the right to think what’s wrong or real Because in this nation you are sealed. Look at that crimson cheery blue Look at that splitting great plateau Everything’s topsy turvy, too Isn’t it great? Full of hate. Have you been smiling, ginger-sued? Have you been flying all too soon? Maybe there’s still time by the deadline Cut off my head, oh you: Don’t have the right to be all great Don’t have the right to say it’s fate Creative destruction, Destructive creation, Indeed, we all are apes.
Poem no. 26 by Jeff
Whose name does my weary heart shout To the sky above, far and out? Every smile of yours I hope That I’m the only reason Every laugh of yours I’m toped, To say that you’re not beautiful is treason Every tear in your eyes I’m furious, for people can hurt you while I’m here waiting-Waiting in vain Forlorn I am whenever your astonishing smile shows For it is for the eyes of someone else For someone who abandons and leaves For someone whose love for you is bereft For someone who doesn’t see your worth For someone else whom you are nought I, to you, am nought I wish, that through this poem You’d never be lonesome Know that no matter how many days pass No matter how many weeks go by No matter how many years elapse Throughout our lifetime I’ll never bid goodbye For I am the man whom to myself, you, shall never die
“Growing up is not the problem, forgetting is.”
comic by Gab Gab
Science in Focus Marieniel Irell L. Anceno
N
early 40 years have passed since the first ‘test-tube baby’ came to our attention. How close are we in editing out all of our genetic imperfections- and should we even try to do so? Scientists have found ways to change humans before they are even born by removing, adding, or altering genes in the human genome; making the ‘‘perfect child” possible through genetic selection, which raised a debate in the religious, scientific and academic communities. Using the technology to design the genetic make-up of babies should be stopped because it is unethical based on religious standards to make the baby you want, it causes discrimination and inequality and the technology used is not 100% safe. With the use of biotechnology through invitro fertilization, you can choose what type of baby you want. “Designer baby” is a term that refers to a baby whose genetic makeup has been
MODERN D.I.Y: ‘DESIGNER BABIES’
engineered to have certain desired qualities. Certain traits could be changed- the gender, physical appearance, intelligence and the disease that would be present in the baby. Creating “the baby you desire” is unethical because children are a gift from God and how they are to look like is not under other people’s control even if it were the parents of the child. Moreover, the Roman Catholic Church rejects in-vitro fertilization (IVF) because an embryo ought to be treated as a person from the moment of conception. Since there are a range of embryos that parents can choose from, for possible diseases and gender, what would happen to those embryos that no one chooses? Obviously, it is not
morally acceptable and the choosing of embryos should not be allowed to prevent
others from being left behind, from being rejected or killed. The concept of “designer babies” leads to a discriminatory society and
causes inequalities between and among people. Since the procedure is highly expensive, not everyone can afford this luxury. Their children would be discriminated and considered as outcasts of society as they are not as beautiful or as smart as those who are genetically modified. As a result, this may lead to inequalities between the rich and the poor in society. So, class and racial issues are at play. It widens the gap between people with enhancements and people with disabilities making the latter feel inferior. “Designer babies” would most likely be better looking, smarter, and
skillful. This could create classes between designer and non designer babies. Furthermore, in genetically modifying the babies, the technology used is not 100% safe. Since the technology is so new, it is unknown whether genetically modifying the babies will affect the gene. There are a lot of risks on the life and health of the baby and the process might cause the child to suffer as he/she grows up. This could cause difficulties and abnormalities later on throughout the baby’s family tree. Worse, such problems may lead to death. We are on the verge of being able to manipulate, transform, and create organisms for any number of productive purposes. However, we should know and consider both the limitations and consequences of our actions. While justice is paramount, governments and other important decision makers have a role to implement limitations and regulations on genetic engineering.
Giraffe population turn critically low by Faith B. Illescas
T
Source: http://spaceflight101.com
Diwata-1 to lessen damage of disasters by Faith B. Illescas
P
HL-Microsat-1, also known as Diwata-1, the first Filipinodesigned microsatellite was launched March 23, 2016, 10 AM Philippine Time at Cape Canaveral, Florida in the United States of America to the International Space Station (ISS) and into orbit on April 27, 2016 for scientific earth observation. Diwata-1 sends vital images and data back to the Philippine Earth Data Resources and Observation (PEDRO) Center of improved weather detection and forecasts, monitoring of the forest cover, disaster risk management, mining, detecting agricultural growth patterns, protection of cultural and historical sites, and the territorial borders of
the Philippines with its High Precision Telescope (HPT) that determines the possible casualties of a disaster and Spacebone Multispectral Imager (SMI) that monitors the oceans and changes in vegetation together with a Wide Field Camera that observes the weather conditions and a Middle Field Camera for the locations of captured images. PHL-Microsat-2 was said to be released on 2018 with 11 Filipino scholars, including SALIS alumna, Kaye Vergel of batch 2004, developing the satellite with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Hokkaido University, and Tohoku University in Japan,
having new and improved features such as an amateur radio that allows sending messages to other people. Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) led to the creation of PHLMicrosat-1 after having the government pay PhP52.06 billion for the devastations it left. The Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) Executive Director Carlos Primo David called Diwata-1 as a “small investment” for lessening the damage of future disasters and a “proud and historic milestone” by Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr.
he International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a membership union that provides private and public non-governmental organizations for nature conservation, human progress, and economic development, released the “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ™,” for 2016 which contains the list of species threatened with extinction last December 8, 2016. In the said report, the World’s tallest land mammal—the Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)—was moved from Least Concern (LC) to Vulnerable (VU). The land mammal’s population declined 3640% from 1985-2015. Their population dropped from around 155,000 in 1985 to 97,000 in 2015 due to civil unrest, habitat loss, ecological changes, and illegal hunting. This is the first time that the Giraffe was put into a threatened category since it was first assessed in 1996. The species was said to be undergoing silent extinction, “Whilst giraffes are commonly seen on safari, in the media and in zoos, people -- including conservationists -- are unaware that these majestic animals are undergoing a silent extinction,” Dr Julian Fennessy, cochair to the IUCN giraffe specialist group and the first executive director of Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) said. “With a decline of almost
40% in the last three decades alone, the world’s tallest animal is under severe pressure in some of its core ranges across East, Central and West Africa. As one of the world’s most iconic animals, it is timely that we stick our neck out for the giraffe before it is too late,” he said. Giraffes are being introduced to other parts of Africa like Swaziland, and Rwanda but are regionally extinct in Guinea, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Eritrea while possibly extinct in Mali. A new study suggested that there are actually four (4) different species of Giraffes which are southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi), reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata), and northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis), which includes the Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis) as a distinct but related subspecies but the IUCN stuck with the traditional definition of one species with nine subspecies for the newest update of the Red List. As a solution, GCF is dedicating the 2017 World Giraffe Day to saving the Masai Giraffe in Kenya and Tanzania. The fourth World Giraffe Day will take place on June 21. Editor’s note: This article was first published in Vol. 14, Issue 2 of The Liguorian Bulletin. However, it was placed under a mistaken byline. The TLB management takes full responsibility for the error.
Science for the People
Source: /paramountbb.com.au/
Frances Caroline Cunanan
R&D: Risked & Declined R
esearch and Development, defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as “the creative work undertaken in a systematic basis to increase stock knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications,” has been neglected in our country in recent times in terms of budget allocation, expenditures, and man power. R&D in the Philippines focuses on improving productivity in agriculture, health, and industry, which are all sectors of the economy. It has been recognized as one of the critical components in improving productivity, competitiveness, and people’s well-being. But, support from the government and these sectors is seen as not enough. The government allocation for R&D based on the Government Budget Allocation on Research and Development (GBAORD) has continuously grown from P7.9B in 2011 to P11.7B in 2015. But, for this year, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is not even in the top 10 largest 2017 budget allocation for executive agencies, with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of National Defense (DND) having the highest budget allocations.
R&D expenditures (R&DExp) in the Philippines has a ratio estimated at around 0.1%, which is much lower than the global average of 2.04% of GDP, and what UNESCO suggests developing countries must spend for R&D. Agricultural production and technology’s share of total government R&DExp decreased from 46% in 2002 to 33% in 2009, according to the National Surveys of R&DExp (20022009). From 2002 to 2009, the number of R&D personnel and researchers per million population improved (from 116 to 142 R&D personnel and from 90 to 181 researchers). However, this is still below the UNESCO standard of 380 per million people. This year, the Philippines does not even reach 10 percent of the average number of researchers across developing economies of East Asia and the Pacific (1020 researchers per million population) with 80 researchers per million people. A whole range of factors, such as poverty, may be responsible for the deficiency in science and technology development. R&D improved our lives through the development of new variety of crops that can withstand undesirable weather conditions, new products and services, improvement of nutrition, and combatting various diseases. In return, may the government, executive agencies, and the different sectors of the economy help improve R&D in our country while they can.
Phenomenal Heat Wave at Western Australia
Sleep Deprivation: The Youth’s Dilemma by Precious Laureana J. Caluya
H
ave you ever been caught sleeping in class? What could be the reason behind this seemingly perpetual exhaustion?We’ve all been through this. Most of us still are. Paper works, exams, and household chores. Both in school and at home, students have various responsibilities. First, they need to study in school and participate in the activities prepared for them. Then, at home, they need to do the chores given to them by their parents. Also, they need to do their assignments and projects due in school. Given that a day only has 24 hours, these tasks consume most of the students’ time which is why their sleep is being sacrificed. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, during teenage years, the brain is undergoing significant mental and physical development. That is why sleep is very
Dokyu Preview
by Adriann Joshua Singua
B
etween December 2010 and April 2011, Western Australia experienced a record breaking heatwave causing a massive rise in sea temperatures. During this period, the Western Australia coast reached 3°C above average and peaked at 5°C, about 28°C compared to the normal 23°C. The said event had tragic effects as corals bleached, and marine ecosystems shifted into a more tropical system. Shark Bay, a World Heritage Site since 1991, was greatly affected by the heat wave. It boasts one of the largest continuous seagrass meadows in the world, vital for its status as a World Heritage Site. However, the heatwave caused 100 kilometers worth of damage to its main sea grass species, Amphibolis Antarctica, to die out as they couldn’t handle the extreme temperatures. The seagrass is home to a variety of fish species, and Shark Bay as a whole is a sanctuary to the endangered green turtle. This raises concern as climate
change threatens an entire ecosystem. A heatwave is a phenomenon where a region experiences unusual hot or humid weather lasting for days. We might confuse this with drought being linked to hot weather, but this is different. Drought is the lack of rainfall on a region, thus causing less precipitation. Heatwave however is a rise in temperatures. This is linked to climate change, and if we need to ask who’s to blame, it is definitely us. From using a wide array of sprays that contribute to CFC emissions, to using vehicles that puff out smoke, we are all culprits to this. And as a response, we have to take the initiative and change our habits into a ‘greener’ life style. It is our responsibility as inhabitants of this planet to take care of it. We need to go beyond existing and surviving and actually do something to sustain the earth for generations to come.
important in those years. Sadly, according to a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 70 percent of teens are not getting the recommended hours of sleep. This may lead to various effects like mood shifts, lack of focus, and slow cognitive processing. As a student, if you are experiencing mood shifts, people around you may not be able to understand you. You might lose the drive to study and it will directly affect your academic performance. It may also lead to harmful behavior. Researchers found that 68.9 percent of teenage students have inefficient sleep on an average school night. and those who experience sleep deprivation are also more likely to engage in risky behavior. Another effect of sleep deprivation is lack of focus. Since you don’t have enough sleep, you
Earth: Down the Earth’s Crust is a documentary
produced by the National Georgraphic Channel. This hour and a half film journeys deep into the Earth’s crust. Under New Mexico’s Desert lies Carlsbad Cavern, where fossils of sea creatures can be found. The cavern, which is said to be 25 stories high and 500 meters wide, was once an ocean and is now hundreds of meters deep. This documentary will make one realize how fascinating and complex the Earth is--the crust alone contains so much for man to discover.
can’t force your brain to understand things. When people tell you things, your brain can’t process it. Sleep is food for the brain, so if you don’t have enough sleep, you cannot think properly and focus on what you really need to do. Lack of sleep results to slow cognitive processing. Since your brain doesn’t have enough rest, it processes things slower. You will have a harder time understanding and coping with the events happening around you. Having enough sleep is very important, especially for the youth. If you don’t have enough sleep, it may result to mood shifts, lack of focus, and slow cognitive processing. But, if our brain is well-rested, it can perform at its best. All in all, we must be able to manage our time wisely to be able to do our tasks, while giving ourselves a nice and peaceful rest.
Whether you’re a Science-lover or not, these documentaries will help you learn amazing Science facts. by TLB Staff
The Cove is a 2009 documentary film directed by Louie Psihoyos that exposes the fate met by dolphins hunted in Japan. It follows activist Rick O’ Barry and his fight to put and end to the dolphin hunting practice particularly in Taiji. The film asserts that around 23,000 dolphins are killed in Taiji every year--several times greater than the number of dolphins killed in the Antarctic. This heart-stirring and informative film was given the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2010.
Photo from http://data-sports.abs-cbn.com/dev/articles/1461657878_0000-aly1.jpg
Cleveland Cavaliers trades Kyie Irving for Boston Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas, among others. The Cavs and the Celtics completed the trade 12 hours before the deadline. (Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Kyrie Irving leaves The Land by Beatrice Joy De Guzman
K
yrie Irving surprised the NBA world when he announced that he was requesting for a trade. Even though everyone was in denial that this was actually true they had no choice but to wait for the inevitable and last August 26 the trade finally happened between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Ante Zizic, Brooklyn’s unprotected 2018 first round pick and Miami’s 2020 second round pick. Despite Isiah Thomas’ injury from the playoffs, the trade between the two best teams in the East still pushed through. The 25-year-old ex-Cleveland Cavaliers player said that he wants to play in a situation where he can be a more focal scorer and not just be alongside LeBron James. When asked about James, Irving
said he hasn’t talked to him yet, but is grateful to have played in the same team as him. “I haven’t spoken to him, and my intent...was to look back at the amount we covered in the last three years or even before that prior to our relationship and to realize how much growth happened in that amount of time,” he said. “I’d be sitting up here telling you guys a lie if I didn’t tell y’all I learned so much from that guy. The perfection of the craft comes in variety of forms.--And I’ve had the unique opportunity to play with one of the greats and it was awesome,” he added. Fans are now looking forward to the effect of the trade to both teams, they are looking forward to the adjustment that both teams are going to make especially since the first game of the season is between the Celtics and the Cavaliers.
Featured Sport
Sweeping you off your feet by TLB Staff
F
irst things first: If you’re the kind of person who’s afraid to fall, then this sport is for you. Judo is a combat sport that originated from Japan. Contrary to popular belief--probably because of all the throwing and grappling-Judo is a gentle sport. In fact. the term Judo itself came from the words “ju,” meaning “gentle,” and “do,” which means “the way.” Judo literally means “the way to gentleness.” It is because unlike other combat sports, Judo does not use kicking, punching, or striking. It also does not require applying pressure on joints, nor does it use weapons of any sort. The first step in the dojo may be intimidating, what with the scent of sweat (sometimes blood) on the mat, the serious-looking sensei, and the general idea of having to face another person on a randori or a practice match. But just as with people, if you give it enough time, you’ll come to love this sport. Here are some of the reasons why: 1. It teaches you to stay grounded. One of the greatest flaws of most athletes--and most human beings, in general--is pride. We are taught to treat our oponents as the enemy. To triumph over their weakness. Judo teaches us otherwise. A match doesn’t start until the two players bow to each other, as a sign of respect, and to acknowledge that you
see each other as equals. It’s as if you are telling the other person that once you step on the mat, you entrust your weight to them. Judo is all about keeping your feet on the ground, literally and figuratively. Acting high and mighty will only lead you to your donwfall. Remember, t is easier to unbalance a person whose core is farther from the ground. 2. It teaches you about the use of power. Most of us believe in “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” But Judo teaches us not to meet force with force. Sometimes you have to step back, to yield, so you could use the force inflicted on you to reach your goal. 3. It teaches you to keep moving. One of the major techniques in Judo is Tai sabaki or the use of body movement. Constantly changing your position and direction makes it more difficult for the opponent to throw you. In the event that they do so, however, the key is, still, to keep moving, so they wouldn’t have the chance to pin you to the ground. Do the same with every challenge life throws your way and you’re all set. 4. It teaches you that it’s okay to fall. Sometimes you have to let life sweep you off your feet so you could appreciate it at a new perspective. After all, you always have the chance to get back up.
A phenom in her own right by Precious Laurena J. Caluya
I
n the world of sports, there are athletes who can play the game, while there are those who can change the game. One athlete that stood out in the sport of volleyball, is a girl famously known as the “Phenom of Philippine Volleyball” Alyssa Valdez. Alyssa Caymo Valdez, also known as ‘Aly’ is a girl from San Juan, Batangas. She came from a simple family, headed by her father, Ruel Valdez and her mother, Pablita Caymo. She has three siblings and she is the only girl among them. Little did all of them know that their unica hija would be today’s face of Philippine Volleyball. The San Juan, Batangas-native spent her high school years in University of Santo Tomas. She led the Tigresses to three straight UAAP Girls’ Division titles, which made her the Most Valuable Player in those three years, proving that she is the most dominant high school volleyball player at that time. With this, Valdez was highly recruited for college, but she decided to go to Ateneo de Manila University. Alyssa Valdez started her collegiate career with the Lady Eagles in UAAP Season 74, where she helped the team finish in 2nd place. On Season 76, Valdez was hailed as the Season and Finals MVP, Best Scorer, and
Best Server – the first time in UAAP History that a single player bagged four individual awards in one season. Season 76 and 77 were fruitful years for the Lady Eagles, as they claimed two straight championships, led of course by their captain, Alyssa Valdez. The 5-foot-9 open spiker became the most renowned player in the league by capping-off her collegiate career with 4-straight Best Scorer, 3-straight Best Server, and 3-straight MVP Awards. Valdez also became a national team member numerous times. Some tournaments that she joined were the South East Asian Games, where she was given the honor to be the country’s flag bearer, and the Asian Volleyball Confederation. Her skills and fame also made her the first-ever Filipina to be an import player – first in Thailand, with the club team, 3BB Nakornnont, and recently in ChineseTaipei with Attack Line. Alyssa Valdez led the rise of Philippine Volleyball both locally and internationally. Her sharp serves, relentless defense, powerful spikes, and her positive aura inside the court brought her the superstar status that she has now. But above all, her hard work and love for the sport earned her the right to be known as one of the best athletes the country ever had.
Japan makes big comeback vs. Thailand by Lawrence Nathaniel Agres
J
apan ended their championship drought after a win over Thailand in a 5-set game, 2628, 20-25, 25-16, 25-16, 15-7 in the 19th AVC Senior Women’s Championship finals last August 17, at Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan Laguna Japan came short at first and was down by 2-sets but bagged the last 3-sets, allowing them to end the tournament in an undefeated title run Japan was led by the stars Shinnabe Risa, Uchiseto Mami, Iwasaka Nana and Nubeya Tune who combined a huge 61 points. Meanwhile Thai 17-year old phenom Chatchu-on Moksri lifted the team with the help of Aicharaporn Kong Yut and Pimpichaya Kokram who all
marked 17 points for Thailand Japan’s first Libero Mako Kobata did not allow the ball to hit the floor, maintaining the great momentum As a result, Risa Shinnabe with 19 point bagged the Most Valuable Player award joining others like the First and Second Best Outside Spiker Kim Yeon Koung and Chatchu-on-Moksri, First and Second Best Middle Blocker Hattaya Bamrungsuk and Nana Iwasaka, Best Opposite Spiker Jin Yei, Best Setter Nootsara Tomkom and First and Second Best Libero Mako Kobata and Dawn Nicole Macandili who excelled in the tournament Japan is now preparing for FIVB Women’s GCC aiming to win another title. by Gab Gab
A golden fiFinish
Mary Joy Tabal, a marathon-runner from Cebu, wins the first gold medal for the Philippines during the SEA games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo from Philippine Star)
by Joaquin Gabriel Quion
M
ary Joy Tabal won the Philippines its first gold medal after finishing first in the marathon, 2 hours, 48 minutes and 26 seconds, during the 2017 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 19. No one expected the race to be completely one sided. Mary Joy was over 7 minutes ahead of Vietnam’s representative, Hoan Thi Thanh, who finished the race 2nd. Coming into the race Mary Joy barely slept for 5 hours during the night before the marathon, she did so because of over-excitement, she couldn’t sleep a wink due to the anticipation of the race. Mary Joy trained in Tuscany, Italy, with a side camp in Switzerland, though the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association
(PATAFA) did not approve of this, they wanted her to train at Tagaytay or Baguio with a Filipino head coach But despite the demands of PATAFA she completely ignored all of it and continued her training in Italy and Switzerland and judging by the results it seems like she made the right decision. She was extremely motivated during the race, she wasn’t affected by all of the pressure on her shoulders, the faith of all of her supporters completely erased all of her fears. “At the last loop, I hardly could move my legs because of the excitement, but I controlled it because I did not want to disappoint our country. I was thinking I want to give what the Filipinos are expecting me to give.” Mary Joy said after the marathon.
Mayweather owns ‘the money fight’ by Mark Lennard Manuel
F
loyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. successfully defended his title against the two-division Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) World Champion, Conor McGregor, by a Technical knockout (TKO) in the 10th round last August 26, T-Mobile Arena, Nevada, USA. Mayweather improved his undefeated record to 50-0 surpassing the 49-0 record of the Hall of Famer Rocky Marciano. During the early stages of the Match, McGregor showed why he is the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, winning the first three rounds. McGregor was in complete attack mode as soon as the bout started. But Mayweather later on showcased why he is a future hall of famer and one of the all time greats. He completely
took advantage of McGregor’s stamina problems during the 5th round and by then the momentum of the fight was completely on the side of Mayweather. The Money Man unleashed a barrage of punches during the 10th round, McGregor was completely on his heels during the assault and even though Mayweather wasn’t able to knock the Notorius One out the referee was forced to end the fight, declaring Mayweather as the victor After the match Mayweather officialy announced that this was his last fight, his long legendary career finally comes to an end. “For sure tonight was my last fight. Tonight I chose the right dance partner to dance with. Conor you are one hell of a champion.”, Mayweather said during the post fight interview.
Gilas sweeps Indonesia
by Gabriel Isagani Rugas
T
SWEET VICTORY. SALIS is this year’s CAVSCAA overall champion for elementary. Photo courtesy of Sir Alex Bastero
Elem team dedicates victory to late SALIS varsity coach by TLB Staff
S
aint Alphonsus Liguori Integrated School was hailed overall champion in the recently concluded Cavite Schools Cultural and Athletic Association (CAVSCAA) Season 22 in the elementary level, and the team dedicates its win to their late mentor, Sir Larry Cervales. In a Facebook post, SALIS elementary varsity coach, Sir Alexander Bastero, who was also once a student of Sir Larry, said, “This championship is still for him.” One major victory bagged by the elementary team was the boys’ volleyball championship title. The team secured their spot after a
decisive win against Saint Francis of Assisi College. Team captain Edward Montano was hailed the Most Valuable Player, while Julian Jacob, Joshua Dayot, and Sean Ramirez were part of the Mythical 6 awardees. The overall championship was also made possible by the various team winnings bagged by Liguorians in different areas: Boys’ Chess: Champion Badminton Boys: Champion Table Tennis Girls: 1st Runner-up Badminton Girls: 2nd Runner-up Table Tennis Boys: 2nd Runner-up Volleyball Girls: Semi Finalist
he Philippines grabbed another gold medal after beating Indonesia in the finals of the Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball tournament, 94-55, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 26. Gilas Pilipinas swept the competition and earned the 18th SEA Games gold medal for the Philippine men’s national basketball team. Coming into the finals both teams were undefeated. The fans expected it to be an intense and exciting match, but their expectations were completely shattered as the game turned out to be completely one sided. By the end of the 1st quarter, Thailand was only down by 4 points. It seemed like Thailand was about
to catch up with the Philippines but during the 2nd quarter the difference was shown as the Philippine team ended the half with an 18 point lead. Mike Tolomia had a great game even though he came off the bench. He scored 20 points while adding 4 rebounds and 3 assists, while his fellow teammate, Kobe Paras, racked up 14 points. These two were the main factor of the game. Diftha Pratama and Sandy Kurniawa led Indonesia as they both scored 10 points. “We shot the ball very well tonight. We kept our heads up in playing great defense the whole game”, said Gilas head coach Jong Uichico.
IN FOCUS: Kadang Also known as Tiyakad, Kadang-kadang was one of the crowd favorites in last year’s high school Intramurals. It is a traditional Filipino game that involves racing while standing on stilts. Traditional games like these reflect the innate value of Filipino resilience in times of struggles. (Photo by ARTURO DE VERA, JR. entry in the 1st PAGCOR photography contest)
