The Mayon Vol. LXXVIII Issue 1

THE MAYON

Official School Publication of Bicol University College of Education Integrated Laboratory High School Vol. LXVIII - QuaranTriennial Special - FEBRUARY 2022 - Legazpi City, Albay, Region V

inside

sex ed

OPINION

22

sound of science SCITECH

22

KUMUKUTI-KUTITAP FEATS

RAISING HANDS

EDITORIAL 20

15

Third edition published under quarantine, tailored for easy viewing and phone compatibility.

— — — there is no doubt that a lot of us BUeños are very willing to go back to the campus as long as we’re armed with a face mask and an alcohol all the time.

But if we are willing isn’t actually the question. Rather, what we should be asking is: are we ready?

eic: Marianne Janna Balderama art & LAYOUT: JUSTIN E. SALVATIERRA

ALMAMATER

BU approves restricted face-to-face classes in select degree programs The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) declared that over 100 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) throughout the nation were granted authorization to hold restricted face-to-face classes. This was approved by President Rodrigo Duterte for five degree programs requiring practical experience, according to CHED. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) also approved CHED’s proposal to phase in restricted faceto-face classes in all programs for areas under Alert Level 3 or below.

Under Phase 1, HEIs in Alert Level 2 can apply for in-person classes starting in December. Meanwhile, the Phase 2 implementation phase for areas under Alert Level 3 will begin in January 2022.

In the case of Bicol University (BU), restricted face-to-face classes are only allowed for two programs, namely Medicine and Nursing.

BU also plans to offer restricted face-to-face classes in programs that require students to participate in physical classes in order to complete academic requirements. These are courses in engineering, science and technology, health sciences, physical education, agriculture, information technology, and other digitally connected fields where students’ academic success will be best assured by in-person involvement.

There is still no decision on whether BU would open restricted faceto-face classes in Bicol University High School (BUHS).

In line with this, BUHS students are divided over the gradual return of face-to-face classes. An anonymous student from BUHS said that the opening of restricted face-to-face classes is somewhat desirable.

Freya Arianne I. Bartolata

“But. I don’t think it benefits all students because some of them are not yet prepared, either physically or mentally,” they added. The student concluded that it might also pose financial, transportation, and health problems.

to avoid COVID-19 infections.

COVID-19 vaccination for eligible participants, constant face mask wear, physical distance, and hand washing are among them, according to the statement.

According to a survey done by the The Mayon news staff, the majority of the students were fairly prepared. The main reason for not being fully prepared was apprehension about the present COVID-19 case pattern.

Vaccination of the majority, if not all members of the academic community, is part of BU’s preparedness and compliance with regulatory criteria for the eventual availability of face-to-face classrooms.

Some students, however, expressed they are completely prepared. “I think it is a good idea to continue face-to-face classes as long as we follow health protocols,” another BUeño said.

The government began vaccinating minors against COVID-19 in October of 2021. About 12.7 million minors aged 12 to 17 have so far been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The IATF still reminds everyone that returning to school gradually should be done with proactive precautions and limits in place

BU implements enriched basic education curriculum in different levels Freya Arianne I. Bartolata

With the aim of making the curriculum more relevant and responsive to local needs and global demands, Bicol University (BU) has implemented an enriched curriculum in the elementary and secondary levels at the start of School Year 2021-2022.

The enriched curriculum adheres to the minimal requirements of the K to 12 curriculum of the Department of Education (DepEd) as well as to global educational frameworks. The basic courses offered are linked with 21st century themes and transversal competences to enrich the Laboratory School Curriculum. Students are given new learning areas in order to imbibe the essence of the university’s four pillars.

The new learner-centered curriculum offers additional subjects on environmental science, digital technology, and applied arts. Enrichments are offered in separate subjects from Grades 1 to 10, in addition to the minimum compulsory subjects in grades K to 12. On the other hand, the DepEd curriculum will be adopted for the Senior High School level (Grades 11 and 12).

The grading system and guidelines for awards and recognition are also enhanced. The enrichedgrading and award system includes. (1) three grade components for all subjects— Performance Tasks, Written Works, and the newly added Thematic Output; (2) different weights

proportionate to the number of contact hours of a subject; and (3) academic excellence being recognized at the end of the year rather than every quarter.

There has also been an increase in the amount of instructional hours compared to the present curriculum. There are two additional hours each week for students in Grades 3 to 10. Additionally, foreign language is also given for one hour per week fromGrade 7 to 10, in partnership with the Bicol University Language Center (BULC).

Some features from the previous curriculum are retained, such as (1) determining each subject’s final rating using the average of

quarterly ratings; (2) grading in whole numbers and; (3) the highest grade that may be awarded being 100 and the lowest being 60.

In order for learners who are presently enrolled to continue the existing curriculum they started when they were admitted into BU, the Enriched Basic Education Curriculum (K to 10) is being implemented progressively.

The extended basic education curriculum provides learners with learning opportunities and experiences that will equip them with transformative competencies necessary to cope with the demands of a rapidly changing society, taking into account both current and future global demands.

BU Alumni backs up E-Materials amid Distance Learning Carla Angela S. Rico

With the intention to help struggling students of BUCEILS-HS in their new online learning, BUCEILS Alumni batch 1989 and 1991 donated online essentials and devices for flexible learning.

On November 6, 2020 at the BU library, Ten Selected students of Bicol University College of Integrated Laboratory High school (BUCEILS-HS) received 10 samsung smartphones worth 4,000 pesos each and was pledged to provide each student with a load allowance worth 300 pesos monthly by the BUCEILS Batch 1989 alumni.

02

PHOTO COURTESY - BUHS SSG PHOTO - ALLEA MARI NUÑEZ

Just ten days after, four selected students of BUCEILS-HS received devices for online learning consisting of Samsung Galaxy Tab A, 32 GB Micro SD card, Flip-top tablet cover, Globe/Smart Home, and 10,000 MAH Powerbank donated

by BUCEILS Batch 1991.

The people who were present in the turnover ceremony were unit head of High School department prof.

Merriam Maldo, members of BUCEILS Batch 1991 and 1989, the selected students, and their parents.

MAYONNEWS

ALMAMATER

NEWS

PHOTO - JAMILLE BALOLOY

abainza heads buceils-hs Freya Arianne I. Bartolata

Dr. Maria Teresa Abainza stepped in as the new Bicol University High School (BUHS) unit head, filling the role vacated by Prof. Merriam Maldo who retired last year.

Abainza’s designation was effective December 16, 2021. She has been the unit head for roughly 5 months as of writing.

Abainza states she did not hesitate when asked to be the unit head of BUHS because it is her alma mater, having graduated from BUHS in 1986. She also expressed her enthusiasm for improving BUHS. “I wouldn’t have accepted this job if I didn’t have the passion for things to get better in our school.”

Dr. Maria Teresa Abainza, BUCEILS-HS Unit Head

When probed about her immediate plans for the school, the unit head affirmed that they are preparing for the eventual limited face-to-face classesthis August. “This summer, before classes start, we will be calling for the help of parents for the Brigada Eskuwela,” she asserts, adding that they would strictly adhere to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) regulations. Furthermore, she claims that they also plan to install hand-washing stations as well as an isolation area in the event that someone becomes ill.

“There will also be the presence of a contact tracing logbook upon entry, and also, checking of temperature. We will also be looking into the vaccination profiles of both the teachers and the students,” Abainza declares in an interview. She avers that her greatest challenge as a unit head is ensuring that no students orteachers become ill. “We should not lower our guards down.

We have to be on the watch.”

Abainza hopes to utilize her experience as an administrator and her ability as a leader to support BUHS students, families, and faculty. Her goal as the BUHS unit head is to uphold the school’s high standards. “We make sure that the students will be the best students that we can produce.

We have to maintain the quality of teaching in BUHS.” In her five months of being the unit head of BUHS, Abainza states that the department continues to produce exceptional students.

“For one, they are highly selected.

And two, they are very responsible. They are students that a teacher could be proud of.”

still the best. The education in BUHS is still of quality, during my time and until now,” she says, noting that teachers are continually striving to improve.

In a message to her students, Abainza advises, “study hard, despite the challenges we are meeting. There’s nothing we can do about the situation that we face, whether it’s the pandemic or the political situation. But, we can still do many things with our lives, especially the youth, because they have so much potential.” Abainza insists that she wants her students to remember that their teachers are here to help them. “We want you to be the best students that we could ever have.”

Abainza goes on to say that they want students to succeed in whatever career they choose, whether it is as a private individual or as a government employee. “We as the teachers would be failures if the students didn’t succeed in their career.”

As Abainza is an alumna of BUHS, she also has a highly positive assessment of its teachers. “They’re

BUHS holds second virtual graduation ceremony Jan Alvir Mata

For the second time, the Bicol University High School (BUHS) held its virtual Senior High School graduation rites broadcasted online via BUHS’ official Facebook page on Monday, August 30, 2021.

A total of 67 graduates, 42 from the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand, and 25 from the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strand, participated in the virtual ceremony. This batch of graduates merits the rights to its name “Marilag”.

This year’s Senior High School commencement exercises carried the theme “Pagsulong ng Edukasyon sa Gitna ng Pandemya.”

The said event commemorated the hardship of continuing education amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

LTC Joselito Barcelis Ante, Jr., INF PA, the graduation ceremony’s guest speaker, shared that he, too, has found it difficult to transition

@TheMayon

from face-to-face classes to online learning.

“Last year, I also experienced the same when I was doing my postgraduate degree in Australia, where we suddenly transitioned to an online class. However, we are still [the] best since we are given the opportunity to continue studying because technology gives way to us,” he said.

Ante also advised the graduates to not limit themselves, as there are a lot of opportunities that will come along their way.

“Even with this pandemic that we are experiencing, there are opportunities that present itself. In the end, amidst this pandemic, there will always be a day of opportunities for you, for us, for everyone.

Seize that day! “ he concluded.

Alfred Nelson Mari E. Ramos, a HUMSS student, and Jovic Francis B. Rayco, a STEM student, both of whom graduated with highest honors, delivered their message

issuu.com/themayonweb

on

behalf

of

the

graduates.

Ramos stressed in his speech how educational inequalities challenged the education sector during the pandemic. He concluded his speech by reminding the graduates that they must see that eliminating educational inequalities is the path to advancing education amidst a pandemic. Moreover, in his speech, Rayco also emphasized how education has adapted to change and is now improving under the new normal.

“As synchronous sessions slowly became the norm, the more we adjusted and learned how to learn. The distance learning environment also came with unforeseen advantages such as flexible schedules or quick and easy access to learning materials. These things paved the way for our adjustments and in turn our improvements. As for education, it has advanced as it is no longer limited to the corners of the classrooms. Education is now present everywhere through the internet.”

themayonweb@gmail.com

ARTWORK - JUSTIN E. SALVATIERRA

03

NEWS

BUHS SSG Elections

Transpires Virtually Justin David V. Reynoso

For School Year 2020-2021, the Bicol University High School Supreme Student Government Elections was held in a way that is different from what the students were used to doing because of the pandemic - it was held online.

Nevertheless, the whole activity was a success according to the COMELEC’s chairperson Aspiring candidates of the election virtually filed their Certificate of Candidacy during the period of August 26, 2021 to August 31, 2021.

The general campaign followed the next day, September 1, 2021, through Google Meet and was attended by all the students of Bicol University High School (BUHS).

Each grade level had a specific time slot allotted for them.

On September 9, 2021, BUHS’ Commission on Elections (COMELEC), with the help of BS Computer Science students from Bicol University College of Science, conducted the SSG elections with the Online Voting System linked at vote. bicol-u.edu.ph accessible with a password individually sent to the students’ BU Gmail account. The features of this site are the actual voting platform, the candidates’ profile, and some guidelines about the election. After choosing the candidates whom the students want to vote for, there is an option whether they’d like to have a copy of their ballot or not.

The winners of the BUHS-SSG election for the said school year are as follows: Frances Raquel H. Punzalan for President, Jacinthe Anne V. Marbella for Vice President, Allea Mari J. Nuñez for Secretary, Alyssa Gabrielle R. Mediavillo for Treasurer, Ameera Elisha Am Murillo for Auditor, Karlo Mikel C. Terrell for Peace Officer, Lance Krystoffer A. Galicia for PIO, Jamille A. Baloloy for Grade 12 Representative, Angela Faye B. Conceptionfor Grade 11 Representative, Leyzel Angela S. Rico for Grade 10 Representative, Angela Ruth B. Moran for Grade 9

04

Representative, Kyle E. Baynas for Grade 8 Representative, and Reavyn Lance A. Ebuenga for Grade 7 Representative.

To know more about the election process, an interview was done with the chairperson of COMELEC, Francine May Loria. She said that her expectations for this election was that it would be challenging, and that there would be a lot of complications given that it will be held online. This is a first for her and the other members of the COMELEC, hence they were not familiar with the sites that they’ll be using. In addition to that, she was also expecting power outage, internet instability, and technical issues with the website to be used.

However, Ms. Loria mentioned that with the aid of faculty teachers notably, Ma’am Carina Altavano who was the concerned teacher for the election, as well as her co-members in the COMELEC, they were able to handle the preparation and conduction of the event very well. To her, despite this experience being difficult and stressful, it was still wonderful especially since the outcomes were very favorable in the end.

Furthermore, she shared that since the COMELEC already anticipated a lot of troubles beforehand, they had already planned a solution for each issue. They’ve set up a schedule for each section in order to keep the election on track and organized. In regards to those students who will be affected by a power outage, they’ve opted to notify them that they can vote early in the morning so that their right to pick the candidate they want to lead will still be put into use. Aside from the COMELEC, the candidates themselves were of course the people put under the spotlight. Marianne Ysabel B. Llave, an independent candidate, aspired and ran for the position Grade 7 representative. However, she failed to bag that role as Mr. Raevyn Lance A. Ebuenga who is also an

PHOTO COURTESY - BUHS SSG

independent candidate, got elected. Upon The Mayon’s interview with her, she was asked to give three words to describe her feeling before, during, and after, the elections, one word for each. “Anxious” was the word she used to describe what she felt during the beginning. She then explained that it is because this was her first time joining an election. Added to that, she thought that there would be no other students who would run for Grade 7 representative. Hence, she insisted on doing it herself.

However, Ms. Llave shared that she was shocked upon knowing that there were actually two more students eyeing that position, making her think of backing out.

As for her sentiments during the voting period, Ms. Llave associated the word “dory” with her feelings. She said that she had forgotten about the campaign and that she was not bothered by it.

Onward to after the elections, she had chosen the word “disappointed”. To her, this is because she wasn’t given any announcement saying that “You won as the Grade 7 representative” or “You did not win the election, try next time”.

She then reiterated that she was disappointed due to the fact thatno one actually told her who won.

Still, she understands it because she talked too fast during the campaign making her unheard of. She also reflected upon her statement that the current Grade 7 representative won because he had around 40 classmates who voted for him. She realized that it was rude for her to have said so.

On the other hand, the candidates who won and are now the students who make up the Supreme Students’ Government of BUHS for S.Y. 2021-2022 were also interviewed by The Mayon to know their feelings as well. The questions given to Ms. Llave were also asked to them.

To these students that have triumphed, before the elections,

the word to describe their feeling is “forethought.” Their answers highlighted how it is noticeable that there was something lacking last academic year. They believe that it’s because social interactions, which play an important role in how students perceive school, were unrightfully taken away. Though, they disclosed that they’re not exact with this. They also shared how their campaigns revolved around the students as a conglomerate, such as the reactivation of clubs, anti-bullying programs, and some others that are yet to be done. Moreover, they opened up that this is because they wanted to simulate that high school experience every kid deserves to have a taste of.

The next word they have chosen is “propitious”. They even quoted and paraphrased a line from Hamilton which goes “Winning is easy, young man, governing’s harder.” Furthermore, they said that it would be a lie if they say that there wasn’t an ounce of fear during the election proper. They then emphasized that when one believes in what they stand for, it’s hard to not get distracted by it.

“Languor”, this was the last word picked by them. After the elections, to them it seemed that the council steadily garnered notoriety among the organizations in BUHS to be intensive when it comes to the needed effort and sacrifices, and that every member was aware of this fact. Nevertheless, they pointed out that they still chose to face and adapt.

The election is just the start of a busy and fruitful school year for its winners. Events which are organized and headed by the Supreme Students’ Government will need to be taken care of as soon as possible. Hence, The Mayon lastly asked them to choose one word that’ll represent them aside from “leadership”. Amongst many, the word “onerous” got chosen. For them, although “onerous” carries a negative connotation with burden, it is an apt description of their station given that its interpretation is that the weight of their positions should always be considered in any action they perform as organization.

Nevertheless, the whole activity was a success according to the COMELEC’s chairperson.

MAYONNEWS

NEWS

INTHECLUB

BUCEILS-HS reactivates school clubs amidst online set-up Jan Alvir Mata

After a year of clubs being halted, the Bicol University High School Department (BUHS) reactivated its school clubs amidst the online class modality for the School Year 2021-2022.

In a Facebook post by the Bicol University High School Supreme Student Goverment’s (BUHS-SSG) page dated September 22, 2021, they introduced the 9 clubs that were to reopen: the Bicol University High School Communication Arts Society (BUHCAS), Peer Counselors Organization (PCO), Empowered Leaders for Mathematics, Environment, Technology, and Science (ELEMENTS), Glee Club, Red Cross Youth Organization (RCY), Sports Club,

The Mayon, Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Online club registration started the same day and ended September 26, 2021. It was then followed by the clubs’ respective elections last October 6, 2021 via Google Meet.

The BUHS-SSG led the proposal to reactivate the school clubs for this school year.

“Many students were disheartened from the previous school year due to the clubs being put on hold due to the online set-up

that was jarring to adjust to. Our main purpose was to reignite the spirits of the students that have been longing for the clubs to reactivate, especially those who have been loyal members for years. We also wanted more activities for the students despite the on-going pandemic, and we, the council, were well aware that we could not do it ourselves,” Frances Racquel Punzalan stated in an interview with The Mayon.

Punzalan admitted that the SSG was initially hesitant to conduct the club reorganizations since the previous officers of the clubs had already graduated. But since the present students have already become familiar with the online

set-up. the said organization had to push through with the idea.

She furthered that the students are visibly having fun and getting to know each other through the organizations which, she says, is what matters the most right now.

“I think that the activities held by our clubs so far [have] been really engaging for the students. After the general assembly that was held last November 17, the council and the other organization leaders got the chance to discuss the activities that will be scheduled for the next semester of this school year. I am proud to say that every single club really aims to fulfill their visions and missions for the Bicol University High School.

I hope that this reignited flame will keep burning for the future generations of BUeños to come, “ Punzalan concluded.

BUHS-SSG hosts Antibullying Webinar John Marvin G. Marfil

Bicol University High School Supreme Student Government (BUHS-SSG), in cooperation with Bicol University College of Education (BUCE) Gender and Development and BUHS’ Peer Counselors Organization (PCO), organized a webinar via Zoom held on the afternoon of October 28, 2021.

With a title “One Kind Word”, the webinar was one of the activities of the school as part of its observance of the World Bullying Prevention Month for 2021. The legal and psycho-social aspects of bullying were the topics discussed.

Speakers include Atty. Norly Reyes, who currently serves as the chief administrative officer of Bicol University, and Dr. Jim Rey R. Baloloy, a consulting psychologist at Childfam Possibilities Psychosocial Services.

The first speaker of the webinar was Atty. Reyes, who discussed the salient provisions of Republic Act No. 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013. He mentioned that though most provisions in the said law cannot be implemented at Bicol University, elementary and high school students of BU are assured that the university administration has policies to guarantee protection to any BUHS students who would become @TheMayon

victims of bullying incidents.

Other things that Atty. Reyes discussed were the variations of how bullying occurs as well as the characteristics of people involved in the act of bullying.

After Atty. Reyes, the second speaker of the webinar was Dr. Baloloy, whose discussion focused on mental health sensitivity within the virtual world. He shared some methods in order to achieve effective communication and effective listening through video presentations that show real-life applications of those methods. In addition, he also discussed how a person responds to stress based on physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects.

Q&A portion followed after each discussion wherein participants were able to ask for clarifications and share their thoughts.

Also present in the webinar was Prof. Merriam Maldo, former unit head of BUHS, who gave the opening remarks and also actively participated in the Q&A portions.

The webinar was also broadcasted live in the Facebook page of BUHS-SSG for participants who were able to register but weren’t able to attend or be accommodated in the Zoom app.

issuu.com/themayonweb

ELEMENTS Spearheads World Science Day for Peace and Development in BUHS POSTERific Sci Art, 2nd placer; illustrated by 9th grader, Romulo Lupo

Carla Angela S. Rico

The Empowered Leaders for Mathematics, Environment, Technology, and Science (ELEMENTS Club) of Bicol University High School (BUHS) spearheaded the World Science Day for Peace and Development within BUHS. Considering how climate change is rapidly becoming a serious threat to the lives of many, the event mainly focused on the theme “Building Climate-Ready Communities.” It also highlighted the necessity of broadening students’ outlook in the utility of science, technology, and innovation.

“POSTERific Sci-Art’, a digital poster making contest, and “Sci-SHOTS”,

themayonweb@gmail.com

a photo-essay contest, were the competitions held for the event.

The club accepted the BUHS students’ entries from November 5 to November 8, 2021.

Winners were announced on November 10, 2021, the actual date for the World Science Day for Peace and Development celebration. The student who managed to place first on POSTERific SciArt was Princess Thania Jamie Obaña from Grade 11-HUMSS. On the other hand, the first place for Sci-SHOTS was awarded to Raj Ramoel Miraflor of Grade 9-Gold.

All participants received E-certificates of Participation and Recognition. As for the winners, they received mobile load prizes.

PHOTO COURTESY - BUHS ELEMENTS

05

NEWS

BookWeek

reopens

for BUeños Xy Aldrae B. Murillo With the theme “Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds,” the Bicol University High School Communication Arts Society (BUHCAS) conducted its annual Book Week celebration last November 22 to 26, 2021, with competitions circling around literary, visual, and on-stage events.

The old world has been closed for BUHCAS as the said organization went on a hiatus last school year 2020-2021 due to the pandemic, imposed community quarantine, and the adjustments that had to be done for the debut distanced setup for the said school year, which in turn, pushed the clubs and other miscellaneous events of the school to a halt so that students may focus solely on adapting to the changes.

However, the new world welcomed the BUeños this school year as the clubs and their events from face-to-face times were reestablished, for instance, the BUHCAS’ Book Week.

The Book Week celebration this 2021 included literary events such as Tales With A Twist and Poem Writing, visual art competitions such as Comic Strip Making,

THE MAYON

INTHECLUB Book Cover Making, and Slogan Making, on-stage events such as Impromptu Speaking, Declamation, and Poem Reading, and Book Whiz, a quiz bee event.

Literary event winners were Grade 8 students Shekinah Sofia Regondola for the Poem Writing and Faye Belleca for the Tales With A Twist.

Visual arts competitions winners are: Justin Salvatierra from Grade 10 for the Book Cover Making, Jesse Romulo Lupo from Grade 9 for the Slogan Making, and Princess Thania Jaimie Obaña from Grade 11 for the Comic Strip Making.

Onstage events winners were Grade 12 student Jamille Baloloy for the Declamation,Grade 11 student Justin David Reynoso for Impromptu Speaking, and Grade 12 student Frances Racquel Punzalan for the Poem Reading. Grade 11 student Sandra Cabangon won the Book Whiz Competition.

to let books be their light if ever they feel lost in this suffocating pandemic,” he said.

“Through the innumerable books they read, they can be transported to old worlds, new worlds, and many other worlds, even in the four corners of their room and at these trying times. May books be their source of comfort and inspiration to dream big dreams, and to achieve more, despite this pandemic that we are facing,” Magayanes added.

BUHCAS president Clare Krisha Chua shared her and the club’s experiences on opening Book Week with a whole new world: virtually. “Some factors

that affected us were lack of communication and lack of time. A few of the officers couldn’t attend our meeting, so they didn’t know what tasks were assigned to them. This also causes to have conflicts in terms of information.”

“At first, we managed our time well and already had a schedule for the whole Book Week celebration, but during the actual event, some facilitators weren’t present. Hence, we rushed the editing of our awarding ceremony. However, in the end, we were able to pull it off,” Chua added, signifying the difficulties that school events through online setups normally experience.

Other worlds have crossed this school year, too, as one of the events in the Book Week Celebration is the Barkada Challenge, where close friends from different grade levels in BUHS try to comedically interpret a set of themes that relate to the different literary pieces that are existing today.

BUHCAS adviser Jomari Magayanes emphasized that the culture of reading shall continue despite the blockages this pandemic has brought. “This pandemic and strict health protocols are, in themselves, very confining. We pushed through this event because we want students to understand the real essence of books,

BUHCAS Hosts Career-

Related Webinar Together with the BUHS Batch 1989 Incorporated, the Bicol University High School Communication Arts Society (BUHCAS) hosted “Para sa KinaBUHCASan,” a webinar which aimed to enlighten its student-participants on the possible careers that they may take on after their educational journeys. It was held on the afternoon of November 30, 2021 and served as the closing activity to the organization’s Book Week celebration for the school year.

Opening the webinar proper were discussions about law-related courses led by Atty. Dale Michael T. Villaflor, Prosecutor III (Senior Assistant City Prosecutor) in Pasig City, and Atty.

Daisy Punzalan-Bragais, Director of the Civil Service Commission Region V in Legazpi City.

06

The third and fourth speakers for Para Sa KinaBUHCASan were Dr. Numeriano M. Samar Jr., an anesthesiologist and Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology in Medical Center, Imus City, Cavite, and Mr. Dennis Manzanades, a nurse and the Director of Clinical Services in Stanford Health Care, Stanford, California. Both tackled professions within the medical field.

Job opportunities related to instructing was tackled by the fifth speaker, Ms. Sarah De Castro-Sacro, a teacher and Transition Planning Coordinator in APSN Katong School, Changi Road, Singapore.

The webinar’s sixth speaker - Mr. Elmer Tagarino, President of the Global Delivery Center in Makati City- covered the

PHOTO COURTESY - BUHCAS

Xy Aldrae B. Murillo

Book Cover Making, 1st placer; illustrated

by Justin E.S. based on Grade 10’s entry for tales with a twist, “Eternal Melody”

technological and digital areas.

Arch. Lou Atencio-Cruz, Principal Architect in the CA Collaborative Design Group, Diliman, Quezon City, and Engr. Shirley Baral-Balcueva, Hub Growth Leader in Schneider Electric Logistics Asia, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig wrapped up the series of topics in the webinar as the last two speakers, centering their talk on architectural and engineering works respectively.

The webinar’s opening remarks was given by Mr. John Joseph Tuazon, BUHS Batch ‘89 Inc.’s Vice President, while the closing remarks was delivered by Jomari Magayanes, BUHCAS’ club adviser.

A two-part open forum was also held after the first four and the

last four speakers in order for the participants to raise their queries in relation to the careers discussed.

Diverse doors will open for students after graduation, maybe even while they’re still in school.

The six-hour webinar organized

by BUHCAS briefly yet concisely gave a tour of the worlds behind all these doors, so that the participants may know which doors would lead them to success.

MAYONNEWS

NEWS

INTHECLUB

BUHS Glee

Concert Amasses

10k

for Charity Justin E. Salvatierra December 22, 2021 – Bicol University High School (BUHS) Glee Club spearheads Caroling for a Cause: Christmas Concert, an adjunct to Bicol University High School Supreme Student Government (BUHS-SSG) and BUHS United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s charity program Paskollect.

The concert amassed around Php 10,000, with the entire drive totaling to Php 24, 000, its proceeds

going to Banquerohan Elementary School.

Premiered live via Facebook, the concert reinstated an annual tradition of helping the students of Banquerohan that started in 2016, after being put on a hiatus during the peaks of the pandemic. But what was supposed to be broadcasted on the 20th of December, technical difficulties pushed it further by two days into the 22nd.

BUHS Glee Club president, Jamille Baloloy, admits to this, explaining that there were miscalculations on how long the concert’s post-production would take.

“Production week was a stressful week because it was also finals, so we had to juggle academics and this event’s preparation.”

“Contacting and following up with the performers was a real challenge too because everyone has their personal management time and is busy, so reminding them of their performances every other day was a must. But technical challenges were the most difficult thing we had to deal with during this online event. They were causing us problems and had to push the event back a few days to make it a success. Although it is unfortunate, technical challenges are unavoidable,” she ascribes.

PCO Launches Website “A-Peer” Justin David V. Reynoso

Upon the reactivation of clubs in Bicol University High School (BUHS), one club immediately implemented a project of its own the Peer Counselors’ Organization (PCO) who had officially launched its website. PCO, as stated by the description on their Facebook page PCO-Peer Counselors’ Organization, is “an organization for the students who may have concerns either personal and/or academic. They are the ones willing to listen, reach out, and to give a hand for all the students.”

Their website “A-Peer” started its services last October 13, 2021.

It is open daily and is accessible by going to the link https:// apeerbuhspco.wixsite.com/website with the help of a code sent by the grade level representatives of the club everyday as well. @TheMayon

Its services are as follows: freedom wall wherein the experiences of students can be posted anonymously and are seen by all, secret wall wherein only the concerned officers can read their sentiments, a talent corner wherein they can choose to name themselves or not and present their talents confidently, a message of motivation to keep them going, and a direct messaging to someone that they don’t feel confident approaching themselves. To get more background about “A-Peer,” The Mayon had conducted an interview with PCO’s president, Arianne June Obejas.

When asked about her motivations that pushed her to make a website as the project of PCO, she started by explaining how the pandemic had caused

issuu.com/themayonweb

Undeterred, she shows joy about how much their club was able to accomplish and how much support they garnered despite the setbacks, with the virtual concert peaking at around 200 live viewers, and another 240 after its re-upload on their Facebook page. “The show must go on, as they say,” she quotes.

In order of appearance, the performances were by Angie Concepcion & Angela Ramos; Arlan Serrano; Daryl Anthony Alfare; Caren Altavano; Ella Montales; Jaeve del Castillo; Ric Mapagdalita; Miguel Martinez; Robie Labalan; Shelley Mendoza; Outspoken; The Band; James Reagan Jacob; Chelsey Yu; William Mujar; Joshua Madrid; Gabby Beguiras; Ron Adrie Pavia; Yūgen Sundae; hotbitterwater; Amygdala; Traicy Mai; concluding with the BUHS Christmas Station ID first composed and performed six years ago in reverence to the SPED Children given a Christmas with the assistance from BUHS and its causes’ patrons.

A transparency report for the disbursements of funds has been uploaded to the BUHS-SSG’s FB page, showcasing where the money donated went. Also displayed were the quantity and the contents of kits handed out, the students to face struggles in communicating and adjusting to the new mode of learning. She added that this is also the reason why students find it difficult to express themselves even to those who are trustworthy and have an understanding of confidentiality.

In actuality, according to her, she herself relates to this type of situation. She also shared that venting out is her way to feel okay.

Moreover, showcasing the students’ talents had also been mentioned by her to be one of the driving factors for this website’s creation. Hence, her fellow officers wanted to include this as a part of the website too. In line with this, she teased that there will soon be events that students can participate in. However, she disclosed that they are still on the planning stage for it.

Moving forward to what she envisions to achieve with this website in the long run, she confessed that she has, in fact, a very high expectation for it, and that BUeños will use it effectively for the benefit of their well-being. She also looks forward to it being a comfortable safe space wherein users can express their thoughts and share their talents. She then said that

themayonweb@gmail.com

along with the total amount of money accumulated throughout Paskollect.

“It would be ideal if the next generation of BUHS Glee Club spearheaded these types of events in the future for a good cause, not only so that they can showcase their talents in front of a wide audience, but also so that they can contribute and bring a smile to the faces of others. Having an event like this has always been a dream of the Glee Club generation. We’ve finally made it happen,” Baloloy shares her optimism that the BUHS Glee Club would continue to grow this tradition.

Baloloy also gives thanks to BUHS-SSG and UNESCO for their support that lead to the concert’s fruition; to her co-officers for their succor that assisted the concert’s success; the gracious donors and sponsors for entrusting them to bring smiles to the children of Banquerohan SPED; and to Madam Carina Altavano, their club advisor, for the unwavering guidance and inspiration.

Baloloy closes with a tip of the hat to everyone who participated in the event, “We’d like to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Ang babait ninyo, all the way through!” an upgrade is also in the making so that in the future, the website’s capability to help and/or provide services to students will be maximized.

Ms. Obejas was then lastly asked about the difficulties faced in setting the website up and how they triumphed over such hindrances.

The first thing she pointed out was the lack of knowledge in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and that none of the officers knew how to come up with a website. Nonetheless, she opened up that together, they were able to find a medium in doing just so. She then proceeded to describe the experience during their starting point as “undoubtedly difficult” as they needed to explore the use and purpose of it, especially in a short period of time. Despite issues, in her opinion, the outcome of “A-Peer” is very admirable.

According to Ms. Obejas, she and her fellow officers took a lot of time and thought as to what best suits the students’ needs. At the end of the interview, she acknowledged the guidance of the club’s adviser, Sir Kim Murillo, because he had helped them on setting up services visible to the website.

PHOTO COURTESY - BUHS-PCO

07

scitech

PRESSINGISSUES

Mental health x Alyssa Sofia M. Lofamia

There is an invisible enemy that can only be seen in terms of morbidity and mortality numbers, which is constantly monitored in the news, further adding to the burden of mental health because of the alarming reports.

It just felt like yesterday when everyone was on cloud nine, leaping in joy and dancing around because classes were suspended and lockdowns were implemented. Families started planning their vacations, employees stepped out of their toxic workplaces with tears of joy, and students escaped hell week with a devilish grin. It was an overwhelming sight. Too overwhelming that with a blink of an eye, everyone vanished. Literally and metaphorically.

People were obliged to stay at home. Streets were deserted.

Gone were the noisy honks from jeepneys and tricycles filling up the traffic in the highways, children playing tumbang preso on the sidewalks, and the Mariteses

gathering by the nearby sari-sari store. Classes shifted to a “new mode of learning” while employees worked from home. It was a drastic change, till somehow it became the new normal.

According to Dr. Cornelio Banaag Jr., a child and adolescent psychiatrist, the so-called “new normal,” which he describes as a “constantly shifting normal,” has its own set of negative impacts on people. He stated that distance learning and work from home became major sources of stress. For both parents and children, distance learning altered the environment of the school and created unforeseen challenges. “Unfortunately, going to school has become a matter of compliance now, not of learning.”

A study released in August 2021 by the Philippine One Health University Network and the Southeast Asian One Health University Network revealed that the pandemic’s impact on Filipino students’ mental health in terms of stress, depression, anxiety, and the

impact of the event itself showed that National Capital Region students experienced high levels of stress with 19 percent, 22 percent admitted to feeling depressive symptoms, 36 percent admitted to anxiety, and 26 percent admitted to having a terrible time coping with the pandemic’s impact.

The percentages did not change much when compared to students from other regions, but when compared to non-students, the numbers decreased to around 50 percent, showing that studentsare the most stressed group, even higher than employees, farmers, and others.

Not only this — stay-at-home orders and social distancing have left many people isolated, so it makes sense that one would be feeling lonely.

In a recent special issue of the journal Psychological Trauma, Frederick Buttell and Regardt J. Ferreira of Tulane University wrote about the comical situation we’re

BUHS Students Get the Jab

in right now. “In an ironic twist, many of the strategies that are critical to ensuring our collective public health during this pandemic may put people at greater risk for . . . mental health issues.”

Furthermore, the number of youths who commit suicide is climbing. According to UNICEF’s “The State of the World’s Children 2021,” suicide is now the fourth leading cause of death among 15 to 19-year-olds, with about 46,000 children aged 10 to 19 committing themselves each year, or once every 11 minutes. “That’s scary, alarming, and very, very sad,” Dr. Banaag remarked.

There’s a lot we don’t have control over in this situation, which is stressful in and of itself. Under these circumstances, one can imagine the psychological toll is significant. In the face of pandemics and other unpleasant events, educational institutions may need to foster and harness the resilient trait of students to help overcome poor mental states and unwanted psychological implications.

We asked 173 BUHS students Have you received your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine?

Marianne Janna Ll. Balderama

Ever since the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines within the country kicked off, thousands of Filipinos have been rolling their sleeves up and getting inoculated. Any brand of vaccine is deemed safe for those 18 years old and above, including senior citizens and people with comorbidities. Meanwhile, those aged 12 to 17 are advised to get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. With the hopes of protecting themselves from the deadly virus as well as the aim of putting an end to this two-year pandemic, Bicol University High School students have been taking part in this vaccine initiative as well.

2 answered Sinovac, 3 answered AstraZeneca, and 1 preferred not to mention it. Reasons for still not getting their Covid-19 shots include illnesses such as cough and cold, since an individual isn’t qualified to get the vaccine if he/she is feeling unwell.

In a survey conducted by The Mayon last January 5-14, 2021 that had 173 respondents, 171 students shared that they already received the first dose of their Covid-19 vaccines, and only 2 said that they still haven’t. Out of these 173 students, 162 completed their second dose, while 11 are still waiting for theirs. For the question about the brands of the vaccine they received, 138 participants answered Pfizer, 27 answered Moderna,

Another difference in the students’ vaccination experience is the side effects. According to another student, “After receiving the Covid 19 vaccine, I experienced some common side effects.

These include pain at the injection site, fatigue, chills, and fever.”

Vaccination sites of these students varied depending on where they are currently residing. “I got my vaccine in a sports complex in Lalaguna, Mobo, Masbate. I learned about it through my cousins that are working as nurses in our Rural Health Unit (RHU),” one respondent shared.

Efforts are continuously being made to convince those who still haven’t gotten inoculated to get their shots as soon as possible.

“If people are skeptical of the vaccine, there’s only one way to approach people on the fence: listening to people with a sense of humility. Being curious about what their reasons are, what their concerns are, is much more likely to put them in a position where they are open to gaining information. In addition, if they don’t ask, I will decline to educate them. I’m in a much better position to discuss how I’m feeling and why I opted to get vaccinated, and then I will ask them about their perspective and opinion. I must engage in a healthy conversation. But if a person is willing to be educated, I would say that all of the Covid-19 vaccines went through extensive clinical trials. While extremely rare adverse reactions can occur, data shows the vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective.

Lastly, I would express my concerns for their well-being and how not getting vaccinated impacts them and the people around them,” a fully-vaccinated participant of the survey reminded.

Yes

No

Have you received your second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes

No

Pfizer, 138 100 AstraZeneca, 3 Sinovac , 2 Prefer not to say, 1

75

50 25

08

PHOTO - ALLEA MARI NUÑEZ

Moderna, 27

Unvaxxed, but eyes Pfizer, 1 Unvaxxed, due to health, 1 complications

GRAPHICS - JUSTIN E. SALVATIERRA

PRESSINGISSUES

COVID-19: Immunization of minors

It also contains lipid nanoparticles to encase the RNA, which are tiny greasy spheres that protect the mRNA and help it slide inside cells.

instructions for creating a protein from the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2. Spikevax has no virus, and so, cannot produce COVID-19.

Pfizer also includes salt to keep the acidity of the vaccine close to that of a person’s body, and sugar (sucrose) which acts as a cryoprotectant to safeguard the nanoparticles when they’re frozen and stop them from sticking together. Moreover, it has no preservatives — Pfizer makes a point of saying its mixture of lipid nanoparticles and mRNA is “preservative-free.”

The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is also approved for use as a heterologous (“mix and match”) booster dose, following completion of primary immunization with a different accessible COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna has the same side effects as Pfizer including pain, headache, swelling at the injection site, tiredness, muscle or joint aches, nausea and vomiting, chills, and fever.

Typical side effects such as weariness, headache, and mild discomfort at the injection site were mostly observed, although significant side effects are uncommon.

You should not get Pfizer BioNTech when a severe allergic reaction or allergies to polyethylene glycol (PEG) is observed from the previous dose of vaccination.

Keep in mind that health and safety are critical right now, especially since COVID-19 is spreading across the country and new variations are being detected. Get vaccinated to ensure your immunity, get vaccinated for the good of the nation, and get vaccinated for the good of yourself.

aged 12 to 17 years old Juliana Isabella O. Landagan COVID-19 has taken nearly 5 million lives since the beginning of the pandemic, ranging from teenagers to elders. Experts from several nations have established the best vaccination for individuals of all ages via survival and theses.

On November 3, 2021, the Department of Health (DoH), together with the Vaccine Cluster had begun their nationwide rollout of COVID-19 vaccination among all children aged 12 to 17 in the Philippines.

There are two vaccinations available in the country. According to DOH Health Undersecretary, Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will continue to be utilized among children throughout the countrywide deployment, and more specifics and guidelines regarding the nationwide extension of pediatric immunization will

be

provided

once

completed.

Vaccination is provided free of charge across the country to immobilize the health and safety of all teens and adults. The booster, on the other hand, is accessible in some regions of the country.

The desired vaccination of most teenagers and adults is Pfizer, also known as “Pfizer-BioNTech” wherein two doses are required during the immunization procedure, same with Moderna. The majority of teenagers were vaccinated with Pfizer since it is the international vaccine across the nation.

Pfizer’s vaccine is the first to contain true genetic information from a virus in the form of messenger Ribonucleic Acid (RNA or mRNA), a type of molecule whose primary function is to carry copies of genetic instructions around a cell to guide protein construction.

COVID Variants Lambda and Delta: What You Need to Know About the Emerging Strains Jullia Ysabel B. Trinidad

Global COVID-19 cases spiked due to the Delta variant. After Delta, now it is the Lambda variant that sparks fear.

In October 2020, the Delta variant was first detected in the Indian state of Maharashtra, and the variant has since spread widely throughout India and across the world. This highly transmissible variant of coronavirus quickly became the most common variant worldwide.

The Delta variant was more infectious and transmissible as compared to other variants, even in some vaccinated individuals. It has demonstrated 40–60% increased transmission, in comparison with the previously dominant Alpha variant, and is currently the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant in the United Kingdom.

The Delta variant is primarily responsible for the “second wave” in 98 countries. Not only is it replicating more, but it’s also replicating faster, and that’s probably why it’s able to spread so much more efficiently.

As the Delta variant spreads around the globe, evidence is growing that its symptoms may be different. In particular, coughing and loss of the sense of taste and smell aren’t as common anymore, according to data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Symptoms of the Delta COVID variant are similar to that

SCITECH

of the Alpha COVID strain (B.1.1.7) but are found to cause more coldlike symptoms. “Headache, sore throat, runny nose, and fever are present based on the most recent surveys in the U.K., where more than 90% of the cases are due to the Delta strain,” Dr. Inci Yildirim, a Yale Medicine pediatric infectious diseases specialist, said when the strain was first detected earlier this year.

The Delta variant has several mutations affecting its spike protein structure — these allow Delta to join very tightly to its host, compared to other variants. Once it fastens onto a person’s cell receptors, it can remain securely attached, allowing it to reproduce and spread efficiently. As a result of this genetic lottery, we know that as it mutates, the Delta variant is indeed more contagious than its predecessors.

For those who have been vaccinated, the risk of hospitalization or experiencing more than five symptoms in the first week of illness is reduced. ‘From a community perspec-tive, results suggest that outbreaks of the Delta variant in unvaccinated populationsmight lead to a greater burden on healthcare services,’ explained Dr. Pana.

According to a Public Health England study published on May 22, a single dose of eitherOxford-AstraZeneca’s or Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine only reduces a person’s risk of developing COVID-19 symptoms caused by the Delta

@TheMayon

scitech

Moderna on the other hand, also known as “Spikevax,” contains a substance known as messenger RNA (mRNA) which carries

PHOTO COURTESY CANVA

variant by 33 percent, compared to 50 percent for the Alpha variant. A second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine boosts protection against Delta to 60 percent (compared to 66 percent against Alpha), while two doses of Pfizer’s jab are 88 percent effective (compared to 93 percent against Alpha).

While the world is still contending with the rapid spread of the Delta variant, there is now a new variant that experts are monitoring — the Lambda variant.

The Lambda variant (C.37 or B 1.1.1) was detected as early as December 2020 in Lima, Peru. This variant has been reported in 90% of all cases in that country. Currently, more than 29 countries have detected this variant. It’s noteworthy how this variant, although detected early, showed slow rates of infection initially, but has now become the predominant variant in Peru, clearly showing its edge in transmissibility and infection over other variants.

It’s interesting to note that this variant has seven single-point mutations and one deletion mutation (a few amino acids missing from the protein sequence), all in the spike protein. The spike protein is the surface protein on this virus and is very antigenic, meaning that it’s the primary target for immune recognition by our system.

Hence, the Lambda variant with its new deletion may make it more capable of immune escape in vaccinated individuals.

Also, two (L452Q and L452R) of the seven-point mutations in

issuu.com/themayonweb

the spike protein of the Lambda variant may result in increased antibody escape, thus rendering antibody cocktails ineffective.

All these factors directly contribute to increased infectivity by the Lambda variant, and a drop in the overall efficacy of the current vaccines.

Therefore, the emergence of new variants is a natural phenomenon, and the presence of Delta and Lambda variants worldwide is not, and should not be surprising.

New variants of the virus are expected to occur. Taking measures to reduce the spread of infection is the best way to slow the emergence of new variants. Also, learning about the different types of variants, vaccines, symptoms, masks, testing will be a huge help to prevent new variants from emerging. themayonweb@gmail.com

09

scitech

DEVELOPMENT

sound of science The Philippines is undoubtedly one of the many countries known for its rich musical culture originated from the diverse local ethnic tribes and indigenous people from various regions of the country. Simply put, “Katunog” aims to further amplify the knowledge and encourage appreciation of local indigenous music among the current and future generations of Filipinos.

local music industry to the country’s economy. The project paves the way for the creation of a digital portal that can provide access to recordings and sound files of local indigenous musical instruments and artists’ performances, together with their historical contexts.

It also encourages other Filipinos to upload their musical creations that can expand the content lineup of the portal.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through its Advanced Science and Technology Institute has developed an online database of Philippine indigenous music known as the Philippine Indigenous Instrument Sounds Database Project approximated in Filipino as “Kalipunan ng Katutubong Tunog ng Pilipinas”, or “Project Katunog”. DOST – ASTI implemented Project Katunog in cooperation with the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UP-EEEI) of the University of the Philippines and the UP Center for Ethnomusicology (UP CE).

Additionally, Katunog is under the current administration’s 10-Point Socioeconomic Agenda that aims to enhance the innovation and creative capacity of the local art industry. It also aims to be of benefit to Philippine music educators, students, ethnolinguistic groups, the academe, and bridge the gap between tradition and the current generation by making the collected and recorded indigenous instruments across the local indigenous communities available to the general public.

They have organized a 3-day training on how to utilize the portal, aiming to help the end-users understand the overall system features, uses of modules, basic troubleshooting, and the software used on the entire system.

Through this project, the DOST recognizes the contribution of the

Aside from the sounds database, the website contains related metadata for each instrument.

The website’s desktop is mobile-friendly, with simple and advanced search options.

To clarify, project Katunog is about archiving individual sounds of indigenous instruments, i.e., each instrument is played at different pitches or techniques then

PHOTO COURTESY - BUSINESS MAJOR

Jullia Ysabel B. Trinidad

recorded. The reason is that indigenous music requires a tremendous amount of ethnographic work to document each song.

The public is free to download the sounds and create/enhance their own compositions.

For in-situ recordings, they had to coordinate with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). With NCIP’s assistance, the project secures the indigenous peoples’ free and prior informed consent for data gathering. The project has limited resources, but it was able to gather data from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The project has been completed. It was implemented from September 2018 to September 2020. The online database currently contains recordings from 100 indigenous instruments from around the Philippines. The hosting of the database is maintained at

ASTI’s facilities and the management of the website and its contents has been turned over to the University of the Philippines Center for Ethnomusicology (UPCE).

Today, Katunog boasts 104 unique entries of instruments with a number of them having multiple sample sets, and a few thousand instances of downloads as of writing. With the already extensive collections of the UP Center for Ethnomusicology, a database of sounds of the instruments of the Philippines is more than welcome.

This project is the fruit of the labors of people across the country, different in languages, residence, and walks of life but united by their passion to preserve, develop and impart the culture of the Philippines. Katunog, we hope, will be one of the many ways to preserve the country’s rich culture, specifically the legacy of indigenous Filipino instruments and artists.

WORLD’S FIRST UNISEX CONDOMS Alyssa Sofia M. Lofamia

The only safe sex is no sex, according to most healthcare providers (most healthcare providers say).

It is always said that abstinence is the primary defense against unwanted pregnancy, sexually always said that abstinence is the primary defense transmitted diseases (STDs), and HIV/AIDS, but people need to accept the fact that one has or will engage in sexual behaviour.

A Malaysian gynecologist at medical supplies firm Twin Catalyst, John “Tang” Ing Chinh, has created what he says is the world’s first unisex condom that can be worn by females or males and is made from a medical grade material usually used as a dressing for injuries and wounds.

Its inventor hopes the Wondaleaf Unisex Condom will empower people to take better control of

10

their sexual health regardless of their sex or sexual orientation.

The adhesive is only applied to one side of the condom, he added,

flexible yet strong and waterproof.

“Once you put it on, you often don’t realise that it’s there,” he said, referring to dressings made from the material.

“Based on the number of clinical trials we have conducted, I am quite optimistic that given time it will be a meaningful addition to the many contraceptive methods used in the prevention of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases,” Tang said.

“It’s a condom with an adhesive covering that attaches to the vagina or penis, as well as covering the adjacent area for extra protection,” Tang said.

PHOTO COURTESY - REUTERS

meaning it can be reversed and used by either sex. Tang makes the condoms using polyurethane, a material used in transparent wound dressings that is thin and

This might be the hope of contraceptives given the fact that it’s not only for men but for every sexual orientation there is, to reduce the risks of STDs and enjoy a healthy sex life.

SCITECH

SKIESABOVE

DOST-ASTI VRS App:

Software that brings space to technology Juliana Isabella O. Landagan

During the pandemic in August 2021, the Department of Science and Technology created the DOST-ASTI VRS (Advanced Science and Technology Institute Virtual Reality Simulation) app, a link between science and the general population in which gadgets are used to bring space technology to life.

Through this smartphone application, the ASTI VRS seeks to further promote public understanding and awareness of current space technology in the Philippines, and motivates youth to take an interest and develop an appreciation for

space scientific research. Students are invited to use this program for further knowledge and speculative reasonings concerning space.

The software operates in a similar manner to famous mobile games, with a conventional control structure that allows users to navigate using the three primary control buttons for moving, jumping, and looking around. Buttons for the Main Menu, Instructions, and Exit are also easily accessible.

Objects in the various settings can be interacted with, and brief

explanations of the space facilities and other assets are provided.

Aside from these, the background music and sound effects also makes the game more immersive and enjoyable for users.

It displays fresh adventures for pupils to cope with and learn from during the pandemic, as well as discover new aspects using the program. DOST began its development in order to provide students with a fresh interest and means to differentiate themselves by learning more about the country’s space assets and inhabitants.

The app takes you on a tour of the three Ground Receiving Stations in Quezon City, Davao City, and Iloilo. In the Satellite Showcase, you may marvel at our Diwata microsatellites and subscription satellites and even control them.

As a fact, the program provides educational benefits. So while playing, you may discover unknown facts about the Philippines’ space infrastructure, among

scitech other things. It enables you to LEARN, EXPLORE, and DISCOVER the country’s space ground segment capabilities as maintained

by DOST-ASTI and the Philippine Earth Data Resource and Observation (PEDRO) Center.

The Philippine Earth Data Resource and Observation (PEDRO) Center operates Ground Receiving Stations equipped with satellite tracking antennas that receive, process, and distribute satellite images and other spaceborne data for use in disaster risk management, environmental monitoring, and terrestrial and maritime surveillance.

The ASTI Virtual Reality Simulation software is free to download on the Google Play Store, however it is not accessible on the Apple App Store. Encourage yourself to play the DOST-ASTI VRS software for free and to perceive the country’s space infrastructures in the many locations specified in the Philippines.

COPING WITH THE COLD Sandra O. Cabangon

Heavy rains. Flooded streets. Rainwater-filled sewers. Damaged crops. These are just some of the scenes seen during the onset of La Niña and Amihan, two of the recurring climate patterns in the Philippines.

La Niña, Spanish for “Little Girl,” is a climate pattern that describes the cooling of surface ocean water, resulting in lower-than-normal air pressure that contributes to increased rainfall. On the other hand, Amihan is the Filipino term for Northeast monsoon, a cool and dry northeast wind coming from Siberia and China. This year, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the start of La Niña and Amihan on October 15, 2021, signaling the beginning of cold nights and lazy days for many. But for some, the cold weather comes with unwelcome complications.

While rain in moderate amounts fosters the growth of many essential crops such as rice, heavy rain can ‘drown’ plants, cutting off

@TheMayon

the necessary materials to sustain plant life such as oxygen and nitrogen. Flooding also causes an increase in crop diseases and pests, adversely affecting the plants.

One of the crops that are most intolerant to flooding is corn, an upland crop that is the second most important staple crop in the Philippines. However, during the rainy season, farmers report a 1-2 ton decrease in harvest from their 1-hectare cornfields as compared to the dry season. As one of the most widely-grown crops in the Philippines, the declining production of corn results in the decline of the agricultural sector’s real GDP. For instance, in 2018, the real GDP growth of the agricultural sector was only 0.9 percent, three percent lower than the previous year.

Aside from the agricultural detriment caused by these phenomena, there is also an increased risk of flash floods and landslides. As La Niña intensifies the effects of Amihan, PAGASA warned that the eastern parts of the country, “which normally receive more

issuu.com/themayonweb

rainfall during the last quarter of the year,” may become even more prone to floods and landslides.

to minimize the negative effects of this season on the agricultural sector.

“These events magnified by La Niña have brought so much devastation in agriculture and infrastructure, and have even taken plenty of lives,” said Esperanza Cayanan, deputy administrator for research and development of PAGASA. While we can do nothing to stop La Niña and Amihan, we can always take steps to mitigate its adverse effects.

Planning is also important for those who work in construction.

This allows the workers to take the appropriate measures to minimize delays and injuries. Using protective sheets to protect the structure, removing loose materials, and having proper storage for materials, are some of the preventive measures that can be done.

In the agricultural sector, policy interventions can reduce the losses caused by La Niña. Some of these are: storing and distributing grains, expanding social protection coverage, and introducing food import subsidies.

Adjusting the planting calendar, repairing dikes, drainage, and irrigation canals, draining excess water from fields before and after rain, and using windbreak structures to protect crops from strong winds are also some of the concrete steps that we can take

themayonweb@gmail.com

Preparedness, awareness, resilience, and adaptability will help us most in coping with the cold season. We may seem helpless in the face of these natural phenomena, but we can always do what we do best — adapt. Adaptability, our primal trait, allows us to survive and evolve into who we are today. As Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.” As with the hot, humid season, this season will pass and come again; and we will adapt and adapt again.

PHOTO COURTESY - SHUTTERSTOCK

11

scitech

SKIESABOVE

The Flight Of Maya-3 and Maya-4:

CubeSat Pair Set Out To Space Sandra O. Cabangon

Two ten-centimeter cubes made

by Filipinos now fly, watching space activity from 400 kilometers up high.

Maya-3 and Maya-4, the first Philippine university-built cube satellites, were finally sent out to space at 5:20 p.m. PST on October 6, 2021, less than two months after their launch to the International Space Station (ISS) last August 29, 2021.

Less than a year after the release of Maya-2 into space, the successful release of these satellites says a lot about the progress of science and technology in the country.

“This is a very historic and important day because the world has witnessed the deployment of the Maya-3 and Maya-4 cube satellites from the International Space Station (ISS) to outer space. These two CubeSats are the first Philippine university-built cube satellites developed by Filipino scholars,” said DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña in his message during the deployment program hosted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The two cube satellites, also called “CubeSats,” were developed by a group of scholars under the Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STeP-UP) undergraduate program of the Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation, and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) program. They were released from the International Space Station (ISS) via Japan’s Japanese Experiment (JEM) or “Kibo” Laboratory Module along with other cube satellites from Australia.

According to Philippine Space Agency director-general Joel Marciano Jr., the two cube satellites will help improve the data gathering of Filipino experts in agriculture, weather monitoring, and disaster management, particularly in getting information from rural areas.

He furthermore said that the satellites’ data sensor collection will also contribute in strengthening government policies on food security, disaster risk management, maritime domain awareness, and environmental monitoring.

Don’t look

UP

Justin E. Salvatierra

Length: 2h 18m Cast: Leonardo Di Carpio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Rob Morgan, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet

Who knew the best way to end 2021 was to watch a movie about the end of 2021?

On the verge of an apocalypse, you’d think we’d all push aside our differences. That we’d all hold hands, sing Kumbaya, and a magical Deus Ex Machina would come to the rescue. That even in the depths of our black-hearted capitalist overlords, there’s humanity still waiting to be saved by us, the little people. That they are just like us. We love to portray ourselves as this peace-loving, tree-hugging unity vanguards, but where movies like the aptly-named 2012 and World War Z failed, Don’t Look Up nailed to a tee.

This star-studded Netflix original may seem like a cash grab at its forefront, but by taking a leap

12

of faith, the message can’t get any more pronounced than this.

Although labeled as a comedy horror, don’t expect zombies or ghosts, rather, envision antagonists more real and omnipresent.

If you’re afraid of it getting political, too bad, everything is political. Especially with the movie’s allegorical centerpiece, climate change.

As a comet heads toward earth, two scientists fight through press condescension, incompetence in governance, abuse of power, and conspiracy theories disguised as empowering patriotic coalitions, giving light to the plights real-world scientists have to go through when discussing the climate crisis, and almost everything else.

The two years of hard work involved in developing and testing the satellite in the past two years are reminisced by the first batch of STeP scholars, the developers of the first Philippine university-built cube satellites. From the batch scholarship’s formal kickoff last January 18, 2019, to the satellites’ release to space from the ISS, joy, and eagerness fill the hearts of the developers. The group likened the process of receiving and decoding information from the satellite to hearing a newborn baby’s first cry.

“The team is extremely excited now that Maya-3 and Maya4 are orbiting Earth in space.

The data collected will not only be used for satellite evaluation, but can also be useful for future developments and projects. As said

by STeP-UP Project Leader Prof.

Paul Jason Co., “Sustainability can be ensured by making sure that the knowledge gained from this is shared with as many HEIs [higher education institutions], as this ensures that there will be more people with the necessary knowledge to do the same.”

“While launching CubeSats would present some funding concerns, the knowledge about the development can still be learned without this,” he added.

Meanwhile, the second batch of STeP-UP scholars is already working on Maya-5 and Maya-6, the second set of Philippine university-built satellites whose targeted launch is 2022.

This is only the beginning of the country’s continuous advance towards technological prosperity.

With the ongoing development of Maya-5 and Maya-6, more are bound to follow as knowledge and experience are gained. As UPD Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo said on this latest development: “This will help break down psychological barriers for many young and aspiring scientists. Space technology is no longer something we just read in books and see in movies. Space is no longer the exclusive territory of advanced, industrialized countries and superpowers. Space is something within our reach, especially with support from the government, and the public and our partners.”

presented with a cartoonish tone at all or that we are slowly turning into a satire cartoon.

It’s a much-watch, to say the least.

A good reminder that before you can say anything, you need to look up.

Comet Dibiasky, fictional comet sized around nine kilometers

Its trailer did an amazing job portraying far-right reactionary movements, morning show hosts, and governments as cartoonishly evil, but the moment you reach the halfway point, you realize that either the show wasn’t

PHOTO COURTESY - WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

POCKETWATCH

CubeSats are square-shaped miniature satellites (10cm x 10cm x 10cm) weighing about 1kg. They are about the size of a Rubik’s Cube and can be used alone or in groups of multiple units. They have four types of missions — technology demonstration, science, educational projects, and commercial. Maya-3 and Maya4 are the successors of Maya-1, the first Philippine cube satellite, and Maya-2, the country’s first inter-university satellite project. The latter Maya satellites build from the bus heritage of Maya-1, but incorporate improvements and more advanced technology. Maya3 and Maya-4 are mostly identical, with the only difference between them being the near-infrared camera that is mounted only on Maya-4. They fall under the technology demonstration type of cube satellite, which means that they will aid in the testing of new instruments or materials to test if they are ready for more complex space missions.

As the first Philippine university-built satellites, this event marks a significant milestone in our country’s space science and technology initiatives,” the team said.

They will now start testing, tracking, and monitoring the satellites to evaluate their performance.

@TheMayon

Maya-3 & Maya-4, from left to right PHOTO COURTESY - DOST-ASTI

issuu.com/themayonweb

themayonweb@gmail.com

Sandra O. Cabangon We stand here today almost two years past quarantine and weeks away from shouting the traditional “Happy New Year!” The year 2021 is finally coming to an end, and a fresh beginning is on the horizon. A pat on the back and a walk down memory lane are all that is required to compensate for the pandemonium we have endured living this entire year with our eyes glued to a screen.

The year 2021 was a whirlwind of events and surprises, proving once again that the only constant thing in the world is change. The escalation of events over the course of the year appears as if a plot right out of a novel. Reviewing events that echoed through past months, the year began by mourning the death of Christine Dacera, a woman discovered dead on New Year’s Day after partying with 11 men the night before. Her case sparked discussions led by the Dacera family themselves about possible homicide and rape, sending people “involved” into trial and netizens into an outrage to discover the underlying truth behind the case. Her death was, however, determined to be the result of a ruptured aortic aneurysm caused by undiagnosed hypertension, prompting 5 of the 11 “suspects” to file counter charges against the Dacera family for malicious prosecution, incriminating innocent people, perjury, and cyber libel.

The following month of February didn’t seem to bring much hope to people with another COVID surge in the Philippines. The rest of the world seemed to have been in chaos at this time of year too, with the occurrences of the riot in the US Capitol in Washington, the coup d’ etat in Myanmar, and the fatal air strike by Israel on Syria.

The month of March provided a modest glimmer of optimism for the people with the commencement of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out

2021: A Walk Down

feature

memory lane

and the commemoration of the 500th year of Christianity in the Philippines, a truly remarkable event for religious folks in our nation.

The months of April to June once again demonstrated that there is a silver lining, particularly in Filipino pop culture. SB19, a rising P-pop boy band, was the first Filipino act to be nominated for a Billboard Music Award for Top Social Artist in April when they released their iconic song “MAPA.” Filipino-American artist Olivia Rodrigo’s album “Sour” also took the world by storm in May, leaving a prominent mark in the international music industry.

As we return to the heat of summer, so do the accomplishments of our fellow Filipinos. The first Filipino anime-influenced series “Trese” based on the comic of the same name by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo premiered in June.

The show not only entertained the masses but also reminded us of the absurdities happening in our society by reflecting parallels to real happenings in the Philippines. Producers and artists behind the series got huge praise for the quality animation and story-telling, inspiring future generations of Filipino artists to hold or even exceed the set standards.

Seasons do make a difference in our country, leaving us thankful that our sun shines the brightest during the month of July

ARTWORK - CHARISSE MENDIZABAL

which accentuated the glimmer of our first Gold Medal in the Olympics, won by our very own Hidilyn Diaz. Diaz made history by setting an Olympic weightlifting record in the women’s 55kg category and winning our country’s first Olympic gold medal, making her a role model for all aspiring Filipino athletes.

In the same month, President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA), summing up his term achievements with a direct quote stating, “Today, as I approach...my end of my term, I have less visions, but more remembrances.”

In the following month of August, the long awaited and dreaded opening of the 2021 school year has finally commenced where students and teachers alike are at peak anticipation of what the year has in store, although still being fully held on screens. In addition, despite the fact that summer is coming to a close, masters never really lose their touch in their respective fields as John Arcilla demonstrated by earning the Volpi Cup as Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival in September.

The changing seasons make us ponder what the future holds for us, and the COC filing in October puts it all into perspective. With the abundance of memes and split perspectives, the COC filing

PAGE DESIGN - AIRA JANELLE KEKIM

was painfully difficult to ignore, and rightfully so, because those we choose are the ones whom we entrust important positions of power and responsibility with.

This year was no laughing matter, for the world has known our brilliance not only as singers and entertainers, but also as writers with Maria Ressa, co-founder and CEO of Rappler, paving the way as an exemplary woman in journalism.

Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize for her unbiased efforts in providing unfiltered news to Filipinos and becoming an icon for freedom of speech.

During the month of November, we have heard excellent news regarding updates about selected face to face classes finally launching. COVID-19 cases are also finally at an all-time low for the last 17 months and things are slowly starting to go back to the way they were.

As we approach the end of a horrid era, we can finally enjoy the cold breeze of December and the warmth of our loved ones while reminiscing about the rollercoaster of events we have experienced this year. Closing the book of 2021 is a pleasant yet somewhat bittersweet activity for all of us, and we are all hoping for a new beginning with the year 2022 ahead.

SCITECH

13

feature

POCKETWATCH

living up to the hype Maria Vanessa E. Casiban Length: ~60 min, 9 episodes Cast: Lee Jung-Jae, Park Hae-Soo, Wi Ha-Jun, Oh Young-Soo, Jung Ho-Yeon, Tripathi Anupam If you’re a human being on planet Earth, you’ve already probably heard about the blockbuster series “Squid Game.” This production has become the mostwatched Netflix series of all time.

One question remains, however: does “Squid Game” live up to the hype?

Situated in a modern South Korea plagued by socioeconomic woes, the series puts an emphasis on the desperation of underprivileged inhabitants who will do anything to get money. In the show, 456 people who are heavily in debt were gathered to compete for 45.6 billion won or 37 million US dollars. The competition is done through participating in games that children normally play, but with a nasty twist. Rather than merely being eliminated from the game, losing comes with a significant risk for the players - losing their own lives. One of the games is called “Red Light, Green Light” and you’re probably familiar with it. It is perhaps the game that had the most lasting impression on viewers.

From captivating characters to nerve-wracking plot twists, the series has it all. It accomplishes what most shows can only dream of – luring viewers in with the storyline and then keeping them

interested with the characters.

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the writer and director, offers a diverse cast of people with intriguing backstories and unconventional personalities, ranging from North Korean refugees to highly skilled swindlers.

Even during moments that take place outside of the games, the series maintains a consistent level of intensity. It presents a combination of poignant moments, humor, and thriller throughout the suspense. Whether the game features fast-paced action or an achingly slow scene, the rhythm of each game keeps you engaged.

Furthermore, if we pay heed to the backdrop scenario of the stories that appear throughout the episodes, we notice that the show has an obvious sense of realism about it that makes it all relevant to our current situation.

The fact that it tackled economic inequalities and addressing social issues is what makes Squid Game particularly relatable.

All in all, to answer the question whether Squid Game lives up to the hype or not – yes, it does. As a series that has already established itself as a show that dominated 2021, Squid Game is truly a remarkable masterpiece.

Length: 1h 50m Cast: Kevin Hart, Alfred Woodard, Lil Rey Howery, DeWanda Wise, Frankie Faison, Anthony Karrigan, Paul Reiser, Melody Hurd

Francheska Simone B. Rito “Behind every good man is a dead woman.”

Have you ever wondered what it’s like for a father to raise his daughter after the unexpected death of his wife? This tragedy is the focus of Paul Weitz’s new movie “Fatherhood.” It was sold to Netflix and was released digitally on June 18, 2021. The film, which stars Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Frankie R. Faison, Lil Rel Howery, DeWanda Wise, Anthony Carrigan, Melody Hurd, and Paul Reiser, features a newly widowed father dealing with apprehensions, qualms, and heartache along with dirty diapers as he attempts to raise his daughter on his own.

The film follows Matthew Logelin and his experiences of being a single parent to Maddy, after his wife Liz died twenty-seven hours after giving birth to their daughter due to pulmonary embolism. Bringing up a child already poses numerous challenges, but raising the child

alone worsens the situation.

This reality is what’s shown in “Fatherhood.”

You should be warned though: this movie is, surprise, not heartbreaking. The director sacrificed the emotional quotient in order to provide comedic relief. There are conflicts, but they aren’t devastating enough to make a viewer sob. The film introduces a few intriguing plot points but never delves deeply into them and abandons them halfway through. This unexpected concept is what makes “Fatherhood” phenomenal.

“Fatherhood” is definitely worth watching. Although the movie began with tragedy, there is a lot of laughter and lessons embedded in the two-hour movie. So, if you’re looking for a sentimental yet funny movie, “Fatherhood” is the one for you. It not only has a series of plot twists, but it also has a lot of teachings we should learn about. And remember, what we learn, grows.

a memoir of loss and love 14

@TheMayon

issuu.com/themayonweb

themayonweb@gmail.com

PHOTO COURTESY - NETFLIX

feature Freal Javen M. Del Castillo “Kumukuti-kutitap, bumubusibusilak, ganyan ang indak ng mga bombilya…”

This is a popular line from a classic Filipino Christmas carol picturing the beauty of the decorative lights that twinkle and glimmer everywhere during the Holiday season.

It is truly amusing to see these kumukuti-kutitap, or in English, flickering lights every night while they give life to our surroundings.

However, it seems that it would be a different story if we will talk about the kumukuti-kutitap or flickering power supply here in our region.

We are never new to frequent power interruptions. Ever since we could remember, this has become a recurrent problem that continues to disturb the comfort of our everyday living. Sometimes, it would just be comical to hear people or see posts on social media calling the series of power disruption an early “Christmas gift” from the electric companies because neighborhoods seem to look like “Christmas lights” due to the lights turning on and off courtesy of the brownouts and blackouts.

Repeated power disruptions, however, also gave rise to various negative reactions from the public.

People complained regarding the damages incurred to household electronics. Likewise, we can’t disregard the fact that no electricity also means no light, internet, and power to charge our gadgets and to keep our cooling appliances working. Power interruptions surely give us a lot of annoyance and discomfort. However, tackling this problem becomes more relevant now especially that learning is shifted to an online setting.

Due to this pandemic, learning is mostly conducted online. We largely depend on our electronic devices and internet connection in order to attend real-time meetings and access our learning materials.

kumukuti-kutitap State of ‘Electric

Supply’ Address We need power to charge up our gadgets and to power up our WiFi modems at home. Hence, in this virtual education modality, reliable electric supply is a necessity.

Because of students’ large reliance on electricity, frequent power disruption turns out to be one of the biggest struggles of online learners. In this new learning setup, students are already facing seemingly inevitable challenges, from time management and poor study habits to weak internet connection and lack of resources. In spite of all these inherent struggles, frequent power interruptions further rub salt into the wound.

A student of Bicol University High School (BUHS), whose name he chose not to be disclosed, is never new to the hurdles of frequent power interruptions. He shared that based on his estimate, they experience recurring power disruptions every six days approximately, aside from the 2-3 times scheduled power interruptions every month. He also recounted the struggle of losing internet connection due to power interruptions which is a burden to him especially in attending synchronous classes.

“One time, there was a power interruption in our place. I decided to buy a load for data worth

50 pesos just to attend our math class because I really needed to.

At that time, I was not able to fully understand the lesson and I want it to be explained further. That’s why [even there’s power interruption] I really wanted to attend the discussion,” he shared.

Aside from affecting students’ capability in attending synchronous classes, power disruptions also affect students who want to submit their requirements on time. The temporary disconnection to the virtual classroom also suspends students’ access to the tasks they need to accomplish within the day. This can cause delay since, in the case of most students, they can only open their tasks again when power is restored. In addition, there are certain websites utilized in studying that can only be visited when there is internet, not to mention a gadget that has sufficient battery percentage as well.

“Power interruptions surely take time away from students who have pending works to pass. We can’t do our requirements because some of them can only be created online,” another student of BUHS, whose name she chose not to be disclosed, shared in an interview. She added that she would usually wait until the power is back so that she can accomplish her asynchronous activities.

Power disruptions don’t only impede the accomplishment of tasks but also cause students discomfort and loss of motivation.

“Of course, given that there is no electricity, I lose the diligence that instead of making my requirements, I will be lazy to do so because it is uncomfortably hot,” the first student explained.

The aforementioned situations are only some of the effects of power disruptions to students and for sure there is a lot more to add to the list. Nevertheless, despite the hurdles, some students somehow learned what to do in times of power disruption.

“Well, if I really needed to [attend online classes] I load for data. But usually, when I’m notified about a scheduled power interruption, I save screenshots of the activities so I can do them offline,” a student shared.

Another student also shared what she was doing to let her teachers know whenever she cannot attend synchronous sessions.

“When schedules of power interruptions are released, I always tell my friends, who are usually online even during the interruption, beforehand to tell our teachers that I cannot attend synchronous classes,” she said.

Frequent power interruption poses disproportionate challenges to learners. This only proves that there is still a gap in terms of accessibility to reliable and stable resources. This further reveals the fact that not all students are on the same boat after all. Students who lack access to power supply, even for a matter of minutes, are further disadvantaged.

Charisse Mendizabal

MAYONFEATURES

ARTWORK - CHARISSE MENDIZABAL

PAGE DESIGN - AIRA JANELLE KEKIM

15

feature

#SUPPORTLOCAL

Retail therapy, although costly, undeniably provides such great comfort for me during stressing times. There is something gratifying from the act of getting the material items that I want, especially when everything else around me seems to be going against the plan. Now that the pandemic has limited my access to physical stores and malls, online shops are my saviors. They have everything from small keychains to huge appliances, and the best thing is that I can purchase anything with just a few clicks on my phone! Eventually, my interest in the world of online shopping has grown enough that I myself established one – Hello Angel.

Around June 2020, a little over three months into the lockdown, I, together with my two sisters, pondered over what we can do to make the most of all the time that we had from the suspension of classes and work. During that time, a lot of our friends have been starting their own businesses on social media which prompted us to try getting into online selling as well. After taking into consideration a long list of factors regarding running a shop including trends, accessibility, and safety, we decided that accessories would be the best product choice.

Hello Angel was already accepting orders. She was a friend of our cousin, and she bought a necklace with a moon pendant.

As days passed by, more customers messaged us to inquire and purchase. To be able to have an organized record of all our transactions, I learned about bookkeeping and basic accounting.

Creating an Instagram and a Facebook account was the first step that we did in building the online shop, followed by obtaining our items. Since we’re selling them virtually, we had to take pictures of the product, then edit and post them with appropriate captions and hashtags for the potential buyers to see. I remember having our first customer the day after we announced that

A year after opening our online shop, we had the opportunity to set up a physical booth at a well-known boutique.

One might say we did a good job in running Hello Angel, but to be perfectly candid, there were also periods of drought for us.

There were months when we’d only get a customer or two, particularly if there are no upcoming holidays for that time.

In addition, it was also hard to manage both the store and my school and club works. Still, I have to say that maintaining a shop was as satisfying as shopping itself!

Hello Angel @helloangel.xo

Marianne Janna Ll. Balderama

On another note, one online shop whose products I’ve been eyeing lately is Trial n’ Error – an art shop owned by Princess Thania Jaimie Obaña, a Grade 11 student from Bicol University High School as well. She sells handmade glass paintings and tote bags, and also accepts digital and traditional art commissions. According to Princess, her business’ name “Trial n’ Error” was inspired by the phrase’s literal meaning – “the process of experimenting with various methods of doing something until one finds the most successful.” For her, the endeavor of online selling is all about trying and trying until the seller discovers what would work best for him/her and what would give him/her the most success.

16

Having the chance to start at a young age, financial independence, and earning by doing what she loves the most are what motivated Princess to start the shop.

As recalled by her, handsewn scrunchies were her first product when she opened Trial n’ Error just this 2021, but upon noticing that it didn’t receive much engagements, she decided to introduce new items, one of which are the tote bags.

She eventually gained more followers which further drove her to exert effort in the business.

Up until now, clients constantly purchase both her readymade and customized products.

to reach a bigger audience can be dreadful. Princess, however, highlighted that she’s only beginning the journey of online selling and so she has high hopes that the future holds many more buyers for her. During her transactions, she’ll make sure to be kind, accommodating, and comfortable to talk with since these are also the traits that she, as a buyer, personally looks for in every seller.

Trial n’ Error @trial.n.error Regardless of the overflowing fear, doubts, and hesitations in our head, Princess and I took our shots at online selling. Now, our shops are thriving, and it provides us enough profit to spend on our own needs and wants. Are you ready to take on the challenge of being the next BUentrepreneur? All you would need is a decent amount of capital, creativity, and courage.

Given that she has to dedicate a huge chunk of her schedule into creating her products since they are handmade by her, Princess shared that she also finds it challenging to balance her time for her business and for academics. he also mentioned that the occasional absence of buyers and customers even after working so hard to reach

PHOTO COURTESY - HELLO ANGEL | TRIAL N’ ERROR

MAYONFEATURES

lathalain

larong pinamagatang pandemiya

Sa isang laro, ikaw ba ay paniguradong magtatagumpay kung mag-isa ka lamang na lumaban?

Marso ng taong 2020 noon nang lumaganap ang isang virus sa mundo. Ito ay hindi iyong tipo na nagdudulot ng pagkasira ng mga applications, kundi iyong virus na nagiging sanhi ng pagkakasakit ng mga tao. Tinatawag itong Covid-19. Dahil sa banta ng nasabing virus, napilitan ang mga taong manatili sa kanilang mga tahanan para sa kanilang kaligtasan.

Wala silang nagawa kundi sulitin ang iba pang mga alternatibo na abot-kamay kahit nasa bahay tulad ng iba’t ibang online platforms kung saan sila ay mayroong akses sa mga palabas, libro, at laro.

Kasama sa listahan ng mga patok na patok na online game sa kabataan ngayon ay ang tinatawag na Call of Duty: Mobile o CODM. Ayon sa gumawa ng laro, inilabas lamang nila ang CODM upang makita kung paano ba ito tumakbo sa isang mobile phone ngunit ito ay sumikat na at

ARTWORK - CHARISSE MENDIZABAL

@TheMayon

minahal ng maraming manlalaro sa buong mundo. Habang tumatagal ay patuloy na dumarami ang mga features ng laro kaya naman ay hindi nagsasawa ang mga tao dito.

Maaaring umalma ang iba na isa lamang itong simpleng larong “barilan.” Ang hindi nila nakikita ay kung paanong nagsisilbing tulay ang CODM at iba pang mga online games upang makabuo ang mga manlalaro ng samahan at koneksyong hindi mapapantayan. Sa tulong ng pagkakaibigang ito, nakakahanap sila ng kaaliwan, kasiyahan, at kakampi sa buhay sa labas at loob ng mundo ng gaming.

Ano man ang resulta ng kanilang mga laban, panalo man o talo, ang mga manlalaro ay tagumpay pa rin sa huli pagkat sila ay nakahanap ng kapwang maaari silang tulungan, palakpakan, at aluin sa anumang uri ng digmaan. Hindi na sila mag-isa.

Ikaw, para kanino ka lumalaban?

issuu.com/themayonweb

themayonweb@gmail.com

17

feature

POLITICOLOR

your vote our future Joshua Jude C. Ubalde

As the ginormous roots of time swiftly swim deeper within the soil of our society, the tomorrow that we greatly desire is coming nearer to us. It is as if the sun is peeking already behind the blanket of clouds, waiting for the long night to fully halt. It is but a grandiose moment to once again have the opportunity to rise up and choose who’s deserving to lead the ocean of people in our country.

Ansela Gwen Maristela “A representative of every journalist around the world who is forced to sacrifice so much to hold the line, to stay true to our values and mission, to bring you the truth and hold power to account.”

This is how Maria Ressa referred to herself during her Nobel lecture in Norway last December 10, 2021.

She is the “First Filipino Nobel Prize Laureate,” and, additionally, in the 120-year history of the Nobel Prize, the 18th woman to gain recognition from the Nobel Foundation. Truly, she is an exceptional Filipino, a driven person, and a veteran journalist with burning passion.

Why, you may ask, was she given this award? Her courage and efforts as a journalist in exposing the Philippine government’s long-existing atrocities, unjust measures, and corrupt actions were recognized by the foundation.

This very honorable act is, however, what made Ressa one of the current administration’s biggest enemies. Maria Ressa has been in a tight spot with the outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte since the beginning of his term. Such strife actually resulted in the need for Ressa to post bail ten times so that she will not be put behind bars.

18

The lengthy siphons of misinformation, egoism, and bias have been obsessive in sucking our blood, disabling our capacity to carefully ruminate the purpose of a future. We are fully aware of this but it’s our propensity to neglect it because of mere ignorance.

We are unknowingly cloistering a fence between us and true freedom.

Moreover, neutrality in this matter also replenishes the fact that we want the easy way out. In fact, apathy is a disguised horror that should be extinguished since choice is necessary for us to maximize the potential of our rights.

Neutrality is a selfish choice. It does not benefit the oppressed, and it has no merit to us except to lavish ourselves with the privilege, even the birthright of being unaffected by injustices.

What actual contribution have we made to society? What did we contribute to our country? And what did we contribute to those unable to make the same choices as us? Let us realize that this time is our chance. Our chance to make the single greatest contribution to our country and our fellows’ future. So have you decided or are you still blind?

It has always been the deafening sound of quietude brought by ambiguities fabricated by the duplicity that made us numb to the truth. And we need someone who has the sound of a roaring leader to bring back our senses. A single vote is akin to a single droplet of water that can cause a ripple that may potentially effectuate a substantial change. We need to take a long look at ourselves and enter a quandary, mayhaps a soliloquy.

It’s a chance to eat the fruit instead of the acrid roots. Our tongue has been longing for the sweet taste, it’s akin to a caged tiger hungry for meat. The time has come again, let us meticulously probe into the depths of the ocean of candidates in this imminent election. We are not puppets, we are the people of a society that yearns for a change.

But that change starts with a chance - a chance to vote.

Chance.

Our cue to hold the line

All the charges pressed against her could’ve led to her being in jail for more than 100 years. As terrifying as it might sound, she wasn’t fazed by any of this for she knows what she stands for, therefore, she knows what she will fall for.

To add, Ressa is also the current Chief Executive Officer, President, and Co-Founder of Rappler, a driven digital media company that aims to fight for democracy and illuminate the truth for the public. Still because of their dispute, President Duterte labelled Rappler as a “fake news outlet” and attempted to have it shut down in 2018. However, Rappler still found its way to get past the charges and continued to provide service to the Filipino people.

All the setbacks in her career, all the allegations she faced, all the threats she received, if you think about it, are more than enough reasons for Ressa to quit. However, these only made her stronger. Her determination paved her path towards the Nobel Prize, giving Ressa the opportunity to be the voice of the voice of the people. As she receives this award, she shines the light on those who shine the light on truth - all the people

in the field of journalism, especially those who are assassinated in their line of job.

As a student journalist myself, I mourn for all those journalists who had to go through so much just because they did what they had to do. In relation, I also stand with those deprived of press freedom and are taken advantage by the people in power. For all of us with a hand covering our mouths, Maria Ressa is our hope and also, our inspiration.

Ressa, armed with her sharp pen, has come a long way. All of her accomplishments are, indeed, one for the books. She is our cue to hold the line.

Are you willing to do so?

If only more people were like Maria Ressa, maybe our world would be such a better place. If only we also do our part in attacking the powerful and defending the powerless regardless of all the bullets that may be thrown our way, maybe we can achieve a “more compassionate, more equal, and more sustainable world.”

ARTWORK - JUSTIN E. SALVATIERRA

ARTWORK - EARL JEBULAN

opinion

Election 2022: Filipinos’ Fight, not a Fight Between Filipinos color war

Freal Javen M. Del Castillo The election for the highest post in the Philippine government is drawing near. The official start of the campaign season is still months away but the atmosphere seems to feel that it has already started. Different social media platforms are now flooded with people’s posts, comments, videos, and the like, most of which aim for almost the same thing - to support, promote, and defend their respective presidential bets.

We cannot get rid of the fact that every Filipino has his or her own standpoint and perspective.

Hence, having diverse political views is not a matter to question about. However, people’s political conversation and discourse nowadays grew to be quite disturbing. It is intriguing to think of ‘why one’s presidential bet is better than the other’ suddenly becomes the talk of the town. There are the boastful talks and the presenting of claims as to why their presidential candidate deserves to win the 2022 elections. This is not onlyhappening in actual dialogues but mostly across online platforms.

There is nothing wrong with showing our support to our presidential MAYONOPINIONS

candidate. It is part

of our right and

freedom as a citi zen. Unfortunately,

this right and freedom are now being exercised unethically. Toxic and unhealthy discourse and arguments between opposing supporters are now rampant in comment sections across social media platforms.

Acts of support for a candidate are now in the form of insults attacking other candidates and their supporters. It is now easy for others to give offensive and rude remarks and brand someone uneducated and foolish just because of supporting a different candidate.

There also comes the threat of unfriending and unfollowing social media or even real-life friends for having a different political standpoint.

It is worth wondering why almost everybody suddenly became political experts, each claiming that their presidential candidate is the one who is best for the country.

The heated disagreement between Filipinos continues to flare up, which if not for the upcoming elections, would have been left unignited. Indeed, the color of Filipino unity was now being divided by the different colors of politics.

Wouldn’t it be better if we will go beyond the insults, impertinence, @TheMayon

and profanities? Filipinos should have conversations and discourses in a respectful and professional manner. If people continue to act in quarrels to defend their candidates, the opportunity to fully evaluate each candidate is being hindered. The strong feeling of support Filipinos have toward their presidential bets should be backed up by an understanding of what they can really bring to our country and not merely by their names and political color. There should be now an open battle of platforms and plans and no longer of slanders, insults, and name-calling on candidates.

Sadly, most Filipinos are being too loyal and centered to their candidates which hinders them in discovering the truth and in exploring other possibilities. People’s excessive loyalty influences them to turn a blind eye to the whole picture. It is a sad fact that people tend to spread and believe even fake news and misleading information as long as they are in favor of their respective presidential bets. There are these random Tiktok and YouTube videos, false surveys and polls, subjective posts, and even gossips that are now considered valid sources. Along withbelieving and spreading this false information is the cultivation of false hopes among many people. issuu.com/themayonweb

In the first place, we must already know the very reason why we are voting. We vote not for the candidates; we vote for our fellow Filipinos. We must dismiss our biased viewpoint and be open to examining the capabilities of each candidate. All candidates can claim that they are the vanguards of change and progress we are looking for but we should scrutinize which of them has concrete plans in paving the way to this change and progress.

This discussion is given more weight by the fact that the next president’s primary concern is our post-pandemic recovery as a nation in addition to the revival of the economy while still prioritizing the health safety of the public.

But wait, there’s more. This problem is only the tip of the iceberg.

There is still a multitude of societal problems the next president should face such as poverty, poor education system, unemployment, overpopulation, among others. It is imperative for Filipinos to examine each candidate in an unbiased manner to truly evaluate which of them has the competence of dealing with these problems.

This coming election is the opportunity for us to achieve real reform in the corrupt system of our government. Dear voters, as you shade the circles in your ballots, carry on the principle of being pro-Filipinos and not pro-candidate. This election should not be a matter of names, colors, and personalities, but a matter of true leadership. After all, this is not a fight between candidates, but a fight of the Filipino people towards a better country. themayonweb@gmail.com

19

opinion

RAISING HANDS Going back to school has never been as exciting as it is now. After more than two years of holding classes through a screen, universities and institutions within the Philippines are now gradually shifting back to the traditional in-person classes with the go signal given by officials upon seeing the improving state of the country’s health system.

This long-awaited readjustment brought joy and hope to many students that are burnt out already from the grueling and demanding online set-up. As faceto-face classes in Bicol University High School Department grows nearer, there is no doubt that a lot of us BUeños are very willing to go back to the campus as long as we’re armed with a face mask and an alcohol all the time. But if we are willing isn’t actually the question. Rather, what we should be asking is: are we ready? All the indicators point to no.

Vehicles are a must for us to reach the campus. Although there are students who are lucky enough to travel through cars, there are also those who rely on public

transportation. However, riding jeepneys, tricycles, and buses pose risks of transmission since most don’t follow the limits on passenger capacity set. In this situation, the chance of a student acquiring Covid-19 from another passenger within the public vehicle is very high. And, consequently, the infected student might also spread the virus to his/her schoolmates Say that, as feared, a student actually tests positive for Covid-19 and was proven to have been exposed within the parameters of the campus. Treatment would cost millions of money, not to mention the inconvenience of being admitted to a hospital as well as the hassle of adhering to the quarantine protocols. Sadly, the medication will be handled by the student alone, without any help from the hospital or the school. In line with this, the efforts to not catch the virus are also coming from the students only.

not all will have the capacity to even enroll, especially if there are now additional requirements such as insurances and protective equipment. There are also those students residing in a place far away from where their school is located that would need to rent an apartment. Having no source of income to pay for these costs would cost them the education they desire.

One might ask back: when will we be ready then? We will be ready when modifications and alterations are already made from the end of the sectors mentioned. It is, however, important to clarify that they aren’t who we are to blame for issues regarding the suspension and the resurfacing of faceto-face classes. It is those who have the power to do something from the beginning but chose to turn a blind eye for personal gains.

Once we get back to the four walls of our classrooms, may we also take part in learning how to prevent the next pandemic, whether Finances during this time of cri- it’s how to be an intelligent sciensis are also as limited as the jobs tist or just an intelligent citizen. where they can be earned. Even if the campus gates once open,

THE

MAYON

S.Y. 2021-2022 Official School Publication of Bicol University College of Education Integrated Laboratory High School

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marianne Janna Balderama

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ian Benedict Villalobos

MANAGING EDITOR Alyssa Sofia Lofamia

FEATURE EDITOR Freal Javen Del Castillo

NEWS EDITORS Xy Aldrae Murillo Jan Alvir Mata

SCI-TECH EDITOR Sandra Olbes Cabangon

SPORTS EDITOR Jericho Aban

WEB EDITOR Justin David Reynoso EDITORIAL

Justin Salvatierra Danielle Annetonette Cillan Ian Benedict Villalobos Zulmiah Ashlei Siazar FEATURE

Maria Vanessa Casiban Francheska Simone Rito Charisse Mendizabal Faye Belleca Joshua Jude Ubalde Ansela Gwen Maristela Zion Pornelosa NEWS

Freya Arianne Bartolata Xy Aldrae Murillo Asyah Dimacaling Carla Angela Rico John Marvin Marfil SCI-TECH

Juliana Isabella Landagan Jullia Ysabel Trinidad SPORTS

Richard Alan Aquitania Rheylyn Llagas PHOTOJOURNALIST

Kristin Bulan Je Ann Nicole Ll. Herman Ma.Ysabelle Yulo CARTOONISTS

Sealtiel Jan Bien Earl Jebulan LAY-OUT ARTISTS

Justin Salvatierra Aira Janelle Kekim

Irwin Perea Agnes Reonal

Advisers

20

ARTWORK - JUSTIN E. SALVATIERRA

opinion

STATUSKO ARTWORK - EARL JEBULAN

Mental Health Care Deprivation:

The Next National Crisis status ko

Ian Benedict M. Villalobos In the Philippines, mental illness is the third most prevalent disability. Around 6 million Filipinos are reported to suffer from depression and/or anxiety, earning the Philippines the Western Pacific region’s third highest rate of mental illnesses. Suicide rates in the country are estimated to be 3.2% per 100,000 people, but this figure may be higher due to underreporting or misclassification of suicide cases as “unconfirmed deaths.” Despite these data, the government’s spending on mental health accounts for only 0.22% of total health expenditures.

With the onslaught of events happening in the country, as well as the multiple re-openings transpiring from each corner of the nation come the increase in cases of issues regarding the Filipinos’ mental health. Our well-being and sanity were slowly pulverized in various ways possible. These unprecedented and drastic shifts in our “normal mode of living” have resulted in complete socio-psychological devastation.

With these being said, in the mental

MAYONOPINIONS

health situation of our fellow Filipinos, there is clearly nothing to laugh about. Still, no one seems to take all these seriously.

Despite its late independence and the fact that it is one of the only two Christian-majority countries in the Far East, the Philippines’ unique culture has been influenced by colonial history resulting in a more diverse religious landscape. Filipinos’ cultural ideas differ in practically every way. One common misconception is that depression and anxiety don’t exist and that mental disorders are something to be ashamed of. Because of fear of alienation or judgment, Filipinos are often hesitant to discuss their mental health issues, worsening the problem. Also as a result of this stigma, the mental health status of the nation has been provided with little to no attention or notice by the Philippine government and public sectors.

This mental health care deprivation has caused a handful of concerns regarding the escalating number of cases of suicide.

@TheMayon

Our government’s continual negligence towards this topic has resulted in a greater risk for those vulnerable to suicidal thoughts. In fact, suicide incidences increased 25.7% in 2020, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), making it the 27th highest cause of death in 2020 which is four places up from 31st in 2019. This varying number is truly alarming as it posts a major threat and concern for those affected by the perilous upshots of mental maladies.

We, as Filipinos, therefore have the moral obligation to pay attention and heed to the calls of our fellowmen, especially those who have been greatly disenfranchised by the ongoing crisis. Coping up with mental health infirmities is undoubtedly strenuous. So, it is our duty to help those who are incapable and upheave our voices to spread cognizance about mental health.

Instead of focusing on the imperceptible enemy, we should instead concentrate on fighting

issuu.com/themayonweb

back against the exclusiveness or inaccessibility that most Filipinos have regarding mental health care.

We can start by promoting awareness of mental illnesses through education and activism in order to achieve greater esteem for human rights and a reduction in the said stigmas. Through our constant efforts and persistent support with regard to mental health apprehension, we will surely take grasp of a nation where its people’s mental stability is its prime focus.

If we do not act now, more people would suffer; more lives would be lost. Now is the time to obliterate, if not, lessen the stigmas we formerly had. Let us not wait any longer. Together, let us foster each other’s mental health and do our utmost best to protect our fellow Filipinos, before mental health care deprivation turns into our next national crisis.

themayonweb@gmail.com

21

opinion

REFORMIST

Sex Ed, when?

Alyssa Sofia M. Lofamia

reformist

Say it with me:

sex.

See, was that so difficult? No. Yet, the word is so taboo. Even in the age of digital media and the Internet, sex remains a prohibited topic in a Filipino household.

We know you’ve tried to tone it down - the birds and the bees, making love, “it,” “toot.” These are testaments to how unfathomable and intimidating so many people find sexual intercourse is.

How about these? Erection. Masturbation. Orgasm.

Are they too inappropriate?

Too terrifying?

Too explicit?

For some, maybe, but these words shouldn’t come with a “hush” or pointed look. It isn’t scary to talk about elbows, knees, and toes, so it shouldn’t be frightening to talk about breasts, penises, and vaginas either.

22

Too often, in order to make both ourselves and those around us more comfortable, we resort to increasingly vague and obscure words. It is in the shadow these words cast that sex becomes scary, dangerous, and stigmatizing.

There is nothing wrong with avoiding sex for personal or religious reasons. If you believe in waiting until marriage, then by all means, you do you. What’s wrong is forcing others to conform with your own beliefs and condemning them for doing otherwise. Sex isn’t an issue of morality; it’s a biological process. So you can’t attach the notions of wrong or right unless it’s done without consent.

The silence about this topic, as a result, leads to more pressing issues in the country including teenage pregnancy, sexual violence, spread of STIs, overpopulation, and poverty. This norm — imbibed by parents, teachers, and even by youth themselves — is also what has kept the country from adopting evidence-based methods for finding a solution to these problems.

Next resort? Sex education. The Department of Education (DepEd) issued the Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE). Otherwise known as DepEd Order No. 31, series 2018 (DO 31), the policy aims to effectively address their needs for health and protection through education by ensuring that they are equipped with comprehensive information and appropriate life skills regarding the “sensitive” topic.

Unfortunately, the policy has some grey areas. The Philippines is making slow progress in embracing sex education. Although schools are making an effort in dealing with the matter, part of the youth refuses to accept and learn due to the belief that had been already planted since infancy or the fear of their parents being mad at them for confronting the topic. On the other hand, the Catholic Church opposes implementing sex education in schools for they believe that teaching sex education is the primary responsibility of parents and guardians.

However, many families are either unequipped to do so or will not address the subject directly with their children. The realities of today’s Filipino youth are substantially different from those of their parents, just a generation ago.

While the society is rapidly evolving in many ways, the old generation prefers to stay in their traditional and conservative way.

BOTTOMLINE: Now, adolescents are resorting to their own ways to feed their curiosity. They keep on looking for answers and information from the internet or their friends, which we cannot say is reliable or accurate information.It’s more of on the dangerous side.

We still have a long way to go in embracing a liberal mindset toward sexual and reproductive health but we can start with education and it’s actual implementation. It’s about time we accept that young people having sex is a reality. Improving the state of sex education in the Philippines should start now.

Sex isn’t an issue of morality; it’s a biological process

ARTWORK - JUSTIN E. SALVATIERRA

TRENDMILLS

ARTWORK - JUSTINE PAUL R. JACINTO

Canceling canceling TREND MILL Justin E. Salvatierra

Nothing drives these armchair activists more than knowing people are kneeling to their whip, and regardless of their intent, this strive for moral and social justice will lead to a virtual dictatorship led by people who will not be held accountable when the judgment they thought they served is unfounded.

To give credit where it’s due, the components of cancel culture are extensions of activism; a boycott that modified itself to a virtual platform. But I can’t exactly say the same about cancel culture altogether, because these protests slowly grew into witch-hunts, and when taken apart, it becomes clear that the harms outweigh the benefits, more so against small creators.

This culture is composed of many intricate parts deeply rooted in the human’s inherent tendency towards tribalism, pack mentality, and that sweet taste of power, or perhaps the feeling of doing the right thing. All of them deserve their articles, but to boil them all down for the sake of clarity and ease, cancel culture is the custom where people on the internet exclude a specific person, brand, cliques, or any separable entity based on their principle. Quite literally a court of public opinion or a savior complex intensely addicted to stimulants.

For clarification, cancel culture is a form of online activism, not the other way around. This unclear divide is what’s keeping people from distinguishing the difference between women sharing their strong opposition against certain personalities that deny misogyny in politics, and people canceling personalities for swearing. But I digress.

Debates are analyzing this modern-day ostracism, and this serves as a brief meta-analysis

MAYONOPINIONS

on that, compiling and cleaning the messy online threads that usually go nowhere.

People seem to forget that cancel culture is bad, and that any benefit of it can easily be satisfied by other systems that already exist if we choose to improve on them.

Imagine a justice system led anonymously, or laws made by lawmakers who refuse to take responsibility. Yes, it holds people of power, or celebrities at least, accountable, but it fails to hold the people who execute the punishments accountable when the alleged prove their innocence because the people in question do not exist. Invisible and nameless, some ways to describe the people who hide behind usernames and photos of their idols adorned in edited hearts.

Removing and disincentivizing the option of anonymity is another nuanced moral discussion. Comparing it to cancel culture, the former is a more balanced debate. An alternative solution could also be assigning ‘internet officers’, but that only justifies their abuse and labels it as official. See Reddit moderators, for example, some of them are good, but a concerning amount exploits their title.

“We can’t make jokes anymore. Cancel culture is another avenue for sensitive people to whine.”

You know how sometimes people who you disagree with (because they have regressive opinions) agree with you about a certain topic and now their inanity carries over to you and your opinion? Yeah, this is that. A lot of what people say is said from the fear

@TheMayon

that they might get canceled too. So what are the definitive reasons that play a part in the downfall of cancel culture?

People like to use words they just learned the meaning of, case and point, the word audacity or gaslighting. Call it hyperbole, but it devalues the meaning and power of that word.

Just recently Billie Eilish, an American singer-songwriter, and, the year before, Dream, a Minecraft content creator, were canceled for queer baiting. Queer baiting essentially is when TV shows and other forms of media allude to LGBTQ+ relationships (e.g. JohnLock of Sherlock Holmes) without actually depicting them explicitly. This is done to gain an audience from queer viewers, who do not get as much representation in media and to not estrange viewers who are not very particular with non-hetero relationships. This is critical because it allows writers and playwrights to continue portraying straight relationships and justifying their fear for romances other than that, but how it relates to Billie Eilish and Dream, who are living, breathing people and not fictional pieces of media, beats me. Actually, the cause is clear.

Like how some people think gaslighting simply means lying, cancel culture paved a way for people to just throw words willy-nilly without knowing its historical significance or cultural context.

The discussions of important issues become even more muddied because the definitions now are more unclear.

It’s like playing a game with people who have a different

issuu.com/themayonweb

opinion

idea of what the rules are, it’s frustrating and could’ve been avoided if we all just understood the rules before we played.

On the note of understanding before initiating, people prefer to take note of information when their second-hand or laid out to them. Rather than reading the TwtLongers or the apology video directly from the source, they gather data from reaction videos that grossly summarize the issue. Why? Because it’s more convenient. They don’t even have to read the TwtLongers and watch the videos in the first place because they don’t even need to have an opinion about the issue, but they do have opinions, and they’re as two-dimensional as the glass screen they oversaturate their eyes with.

They cancel people only with this incomplete information, getting murkier the more it is passed down to other users. And usually, the accused loses more than a place on the internet, they lose careers and their dignity, and when proven innocent, there are no reparations, leaving the damages while the accusers live on with their lives thinking they did something good.

There’s more to this issue, and one article can only discuss those issues without doing them justice. Restriction isn’t the only way to attain peace and order, and ostracizing people will only hurt them if they aren’t rich already. The Salem witch trials were horrors of the late 1690s. Let’s not bring them back.

themayonweb@gmail.com

23

opinion

EDUC-ACTION

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, which has, since then, infected not only the health sector across the globe but as well as all the other aspects of our “once-normal” life including attending school. With the indefinite suspension of in-person classes, over 1.2 billion students are now studying online at home. On the other hand, there are also countless students that could not have access to education during this crisis due to problems after problems mostly involving finance. These issues bring up many questions: Is distant learning effective? What will happen to those who cannot afford to attend online classes?

What should we do to help?

Education has changed dramatically with the notable upsurge of e-learning. It has been hit hard since the pandemic’s outbreak in late December 2019. Students, educators, and school staff all have been deeply impacted. As claimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), 102 countries have established nationwide physical school closures while 11 have implemented localized physical school closure. In line with this, above 800 million learners throughout the world have been affected; approximately 1 out of every 5 learners go to school.

This unforeseen shift has brought about difficulties especially for

Education, a Vaccine to success EDUC-ACTION

learners without admittance to technology. The continued educational engagement has been a provocation for teachers and students due to access and internet connectivity. When online learning modality is used as a sequence of the pandemic, the gap between those who have the power and those without is inevitable. Hence, the positive effects of distant learning especially on safety is outweighed by its negative connotations on those who have none to spare. Provided that online classes will be unmanageable for many, ending class may seem like the most immediate solution for some. If this occurs, though, what’s at stake?

The Executive Director of Philippine Business for Education, Love Basillote, stated that if students stop going to school, they are less likely to return. Moreover, the likelihood of youth succumbing to corruption, wickedness, and teenage pregnancy increases when they are not inside school. Ending classes also comes with both social and economic outgrowths that hinder

students’ long-termgrowth. Consequently, because knowledge is heavily associated with later jobs, income, and health, setbacks now will remain a lifetime.

If online learning is to become more inclusive, public educational institutions must do more to guarantee learners’ assets. This entails prioritizing access to broadband, smartphones, and laptops. That is where the government must come in – to focus resources on those who necessitate most, to assure that disadvantaged students are not left behind.

Sadly, whether or not schools resume, and whether or not there is a pandemic or none, rich students will still always have access to keep learning, while the poor will get left behind. All these imply that learners of the poorest families are more prone to be denied education - swelling already deep educational inequalities. Education should be an essential right for children and adults, no matter the situation. It is not merely a case of privilege.

Zulmiah Ashlei R. Siazar

Education should be an essential right . . . It is not merely a case of privilege.

professional amateurs, excerpt As much as a torch would make a view of dim caves, it would do so less to illuminate the ocean depths; not to say torches are useless, rather not fitting for the requirement.

24

ARTWORK - SEALTIEL JAN BIEN

@TheMayon

issuu.com/themayonweb

themayonweb@gmail.com

opinion

TECHTUNIC

professional amateurs Tech tunic Justin E. Salvatierra As much as a torch would make a view of dim caves, it would do so less to illuminate the ocean depths; not to say torches are useless, rather not fitting for the requirement.

The culture and jargon surrounding video games have grown into splinters of subcultures, and if that does not merit a separate genre of journalism, then the foundation of what we consider news has failed to encapsulate its purposes.

Admittedly, not a single game can directly govern what a person might do the same way politics and SciTech does, but most, if not all, can govern how the people think, and that thought is what’s able to drive a person into action.

This level of influence needs to be understood and conveyed to everyone entertainingly and fairly, especially to the audience that consumes it the most seeing that there seems to be a divide between them and newspapers, usually clutching less progressive views about their games’ content.

Although it’s not inherently the fault of the media outlet, there is something they could improve.

One might go as far as to say that that would solve an intrinsic issue with video game journalism. Hire journalists that know how to play them.

Essentially, what is being called for is to raise the standards of who writes news and opinions about video games, because, in recent times, it seems that having people who only see others play is not enough for a fair view of what it means to play a game. You wouldn’t trust someone who’s not a doctor to give you medical advice, at least I hope you don’t, so why would you trust someone’s opinion on a game who has just learned the WASD mechanic?

How high do we expect the standards to be?

For one, it should be someone who understands the basic mechanics of games, because most games follow the same key binds.

MAYONOPINIONS

It may not seem necessary, but a lot of experienced players have an easier time understanding a new game without even having been exposed to it.

Don’t they already exist?

Another thing is that they should be aware of the niche cultures and atmosphere that progresses through this medium. Let’s have a look at SciTech for example, one could argue that SciTech is but an extension of Feature Writing, but you can’t expect someone who typically writes about local coffee shops to report about Jiuzhang and the development of new light-based quantum computers.

Yes, this is a gross oversimplification, but the point stands in any comparison you make.

We need people who understand the métier and can translate it to a more general audience while providing the targeted audience what they came for, a fair review.

This simply cannot be done with just writers Journalism isn’t a singular concept, rather a blanket that envelops branches of varying issues and subjects, and with the culture apropos video games growing at a much faster rate, rising media outlets focusing on video games is no shock. You have IGN, Eurogamer, Polygon, and several others, but even with this, it seems that they don’t get as much respect as they deserve. Two factors come into play here (1) the game savvy not being big on reading news sites (2) and the larger journalist conglomerate portraying gaming cultures in an unfair light. The causes of these issues are a separate conversation altogether, but what you need to know is that their causes and effects bleed into each other making this issue much harder to remedy.

But let’s concretize the latter root to have a better grasp of what we are dealing with.

Beneath all the early 2000s nostalgia over Super Smash Melee is a thriving community of diverse individuals stringed together with a passion for the grind, and yet journalists seem to concentrate on an overhyped hatred against video games that was bounded from an already-disproven, biased pseudo-science.

The issue stretches farther than Melee. They have stories where they rerouted the mainstream, years and years of evidence giving the lie to Roger Ebert’s claim that video games will never be art, saying that video games are meant to be won as opposed to art that is meant to be experienced. You can ask any frequent gamer why they play a lot, and most likely you’ll hear a specific game title as a response, may it be Halo, or Far Cry 3, or Minecraft, but communities outside only hear about the disinformation, furthering the aforementioned divide between players and broadcast media.

Preemption of Self Service and Counter-Intuition It’s very easy to label this article as self-service since it argues pro-writer, but the benefits extend towards every party involved, including the ones that get excluded in the conversation most of the time. The game developers have arguably the highest stakes, having their careers be at the mercy of professional opinion, but have little to no say about how they should be reviewed.

That puts greater urgency to assign the opinion-giving to someone qualified to give opinions, giving the readers better reviews of games that might pique their interests, and giving the developers, especially the indie ones, a more just opportunity to have their creations be displayed to the public.

This might be the point where the counter-intuition arises. If you are going to raise the standards, wouldn’t there be fewer journalists to report indie games?

Also, being a journalist requires the ability to interestingly string words, which is a narrow standard already.

These arguments have caliber, but with the resources present in the industry, it’s hard to not make this a battle of lesser evils, and so it is. Should developers have their work be presented with the uncertainty of quality or only have it fairly represented by the luck of a coin, the other side is not represented at all?

A bad reputation is still reputation, is one way to justify non-gaming writers and to go against raising the standards, but that’s not how the market works for indie games. People will reference Cyberpunk 2077 in support of this rebuttal, as it sold around 14 million copies despite

its horrible consumer feedback and brutal news coverage, but let’s not pretend that Cyberpunk didn’t have CD Projekt Red associated with its name, releasing games like the Witcher. Not to mention they have a budget for PR stunts and advertising, something not so accessible to smaller developers.

It’s really important for the indie developing community to have fair, genuine feedback, not only to be fairly depicted to thousands of possible consumers but also to have the ability to self-reflect and improve the game. How will they be able to discern the difference between a game bug or a soft lock, and a journalist just having a hard time passing through the next level due to the lack of experience? And as much as it is important to have news catered to people who haven’t played, most media companies frame it as one catered to experienced players, making it unlikeable for the population who will most likely purchase the game.

In extension, this void of writers will not solve itself and will continue to be an issue if we do not raise the standards now. A supply can only exist with the presence of demand.

Video games, notwithstanding their childish façade, have given thousands of people paying jobs, and this press belittlement disparages the value and influence it has given the world. When reading news about video games, although you should do this with any article, no matter how credible, always verify their sources.

Compare it with other articles. If you can, view the author’s other works to see if they have biases with the subject matter and if this bias has been justified.

It seems excessive to defend video games, but no matter how insignificant you think a subject is, misrepresenting anything will lead to a future where society fails to adapt or recycle these innovations for the better. Many of these games have been used for education, studies, physical therapy, among others, and this simply won’t exist if we distort it, even by accident, or by hiring someone who doesn’t understand what they’re writing about, or someone who would use a torch to light up the ocean depths.

25

SPORTS

HOMERUN

SPORTS BACK ON TRACK

intramurals:

still not possible CLUB:

Richard Alan Aquitania

The most awaited restoration of the sports club commenced, on Wednesday, October 6, along with the club elections where aspiring student athletes huddled up via virtual meeting to officially reopen the Sports club.

The said club is a socialized organization that promotes and develops interests in any sports and physical activities, in which it aims to mold elite and passionate athletes through the grassroots platform of sports that will bring forth to become the stewards of highly and globally competitive sportsmanship.

The club’s perspective is to uphold and empower students with athletic capabilities towards the improvement and conservation of the sports organization, as well as to inspire the athletes to connect with the common good and influence of sports.

On the other hand, the club has been attempting to have Intramurals, but instead of physical sports, it will be an online game or the so-called “E-sports,” since it seems like the pandemic is not yet possible to end.

“Sa events, may napagusapan na ang club namin together

with our club adviser. Madam Pasano suggested na we should have Intramurals, pero online games lang...,” uttered Christian Morga, the newly elected President of the club.

Virtual matches have been in demand even before the “new normal” has begun; With a large influence of online gaming across the whole high schools, this will uncork all gaming capabilities of students who are eyeing for the E-sports industry nor unleash their prowess when it comes to digital games.

Nevertheless, with the target date not acquired due to uncertainties, the Intramurals can be expected but not certain this 2022.

Being a student-athlete is no easy task. The hustle is real as you tackle both mental and physical challenges. A 16-year-old athlete has done it all and being triumphant in both aspects, he is the real deal.

Dominating his swimming career, Karlo Mikel C. Terrel or currently known as Miko has been the face of student-athletes, bringing back-toback medals both academically and sports-wise. Clinching the medals in both local and national meets, he is known for his swift backstroke and his length using up to its capability. What can this young man accomplish in the next few years?

“The me today is the collimation of all the decisions I’ve made thus far. Be it the drive and athleticism

26

Legazpi City, Albay— Amidst the health crisis, contact sports are still prohibited as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Emerging Infectious Diseases started to ease the restrictions across the decreasing cases of CoViD-19 in the country.

Although some sports like basketball are allowed in some areas under Alert Level 2 per IATF’s approval, the health protocols should still be observed.

Based on the IATF’s guidelines, indoor facilities should only be filled up to 50% of their capacity, whilst also outdoor areas should be filled up to 70% of their capacity, but will only cater to fully vaccinated adults, though those under

the age of 18 are also permitted in certain establishments, even if unvaccinated.

Competitions, on the other hand, must still be approved by the local government unit.

Nevertheless, the BUCEILS-HS has decided that the annual Intramurals shall not be held first.

On the brighter side, the Sports Club is eyeing for a possible Intramurals in the next academic year (2022) through online gaming or the so-called E-sports. “... Madam Pasano suggested na we should have Intramurals, pero online games lang,” said Christian Morga, the President of the said club.

“Target sana namin nito is during interlude. Since [the] month of September or October usually ang Intramurals. However, hindi sure ‘yung SSG nung time na yun if kasama ang BUCEILS-HS sa Interlude. We decided na gawin na lang ‘to next year approximately

by April. In case matuloy, mga by first week of April ang Intramurals kasabay ng ‘International Sports Day,’ so itong event walang kasiguraduhan if matutuloy ba talaga kasi matatamaan ‘to ng Holy Week,” said Morga.

Miko Terrel: BU’s Top Caliber Athlete Richard Alan Aquitania

Jericho Psalm J. Aban

stemming from swimming or any other worthwhile endeavors,” said Terrel who accomplished such heights as a student and an athlete.

The 16-year-old has been competing outside the campus for quite some time already, being a two-time Palarong Pambansa qualifier and consistent podium standings in Palarong Bicol is the fruit of his yearlong training. Despite the success, he is not as good as he is now when he started, there were absolutely ups and downs.

But with his fiery heart and rock-hard dedication, he surpassed his limits and took it to the extremes.

“The me today is the collimation of all the decisions I’ve made thus far. Be it the drive and athleticism stemming from swimming or any other worthwhile endeavors,”

PHOTO COURTESY - BUHS SPORTS CLUB

said Terrel who accomplished such heights as a student and an athlete.

The 16-year-old has been competing outside the campus for quite some time already, being a two-time Palarong Pambansa qualifier and consistent podium standings in Palarong Bicol is the fruit of his yearlong training. Despite the success, he is not as good as he is now when he started, there were absolutely ups and downs.

But with his fiery heart and rock-hard dedication, he surpassed his limits and took it to the extremes.

Terrel represented the Bicol Vulcans in the 2017 Palarong Pambansa which was held in Antique. He is also a consistent gold medal in Legazpi City meet and the Palarong Bicol. His signature stroke, backstroke, has been the tool for his success. With his fast hands and flipper-like feet he was able to conquer the summits of Philippine swimming. He also swam with some of the most decorated athletes in the country.

Despite his drive and determination, he also likes sleeping and eating, as well as speaking. His motto is “Due tomorrow, do tomorrow.” Even out of the pool, he carries hefty responsibilities that

require the same discipline when it comes to swimming. Even out of the pool, he utilizes the disciplines he picked up from swimming to share and uphold peace, because he is also a Peace officer of the Supreme Student Government and a role model for the students.

Due to a lot of factors, Terrel is currently not sharpening his specialty in the pool, some of them are lack of time and a busy schedule. The 16-year-old is looking forward to hitting the pool but without the intent of joining competitions.

“I’d still want to continue swimming but not for competition purposes. But rather as a means of staying fit because it is a sport I enjoy and it promotes a healthy lifestyle.” said the athletic student leader.

Miko also stressed that no one gets by on talent alone: driving passion, and extreme dedication in the thing will get you just as far.

“The biggest mistake is that the realization came after the peak of my swimming phase. But I don’t regret it, as it paved the way for the fields I pursue at present,” added Terrel at the interview with a staff member.

MAYONSPORTS

SPORTS

VISITORS

a victory worth

of a champion Rheylyn M. Llagas

A daughter who helped her family earn a living. A student-athlete who showed perseverance, hope, and dedication. An Olympian who proved her haters wrong. And a Filipina who is a role model for many. These are just some of the many factors that make up Hidilyn Diaz and her road to becoming a champion.

Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist punctuated her weightlifting season with the Tokyo Olympics gold as she withdrew from the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships, which will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from December 7 to 17She is set to defend her titles in the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games that is set to take place in May 2022 and in the Hangzhou Asian Games in September 2022.

But before becoming an Olympic champion, Diaz had her series of bad and struggling events which all contributed to the woman she is today.

Diaz began her weightlifting voyage by utilizing handmade

barbells made of plastic pipes and concrete weights molded in tin cans designed and made by her cousin Allen Jayfrus Diaz.

She started her four-year straight Olympian journey as a wildcard entry debut in the 2008 Beijing Games when she was 17. Diaz qualified next for the 2012 London Olympics, but her 118 kg clean and jerk attempts resulted in a “did not finish” result. Despite the previous failed attempts at earning a medal, Diaz rebounded with a silver-lining breakthrough upon securing a silver medal at the 2016Rio Olympics, the country’s first in the summer Olympics since 1996.

Pressure, expectations, and pride became her motivators as she strived to achieve much-desired results in preparation for Tokyo 2020. “It’s my personal goal to win the gold medal in the SEA Games because I haven’t won a gold medal [in the SEA Games].

At the same time, it’s one step towards Tokyo 2020, because the SEA Games is a silver-level qualifier. I’m nervous, but I will do my

best because we are hosting the SEA Games,” Diaz quoted.

She brought continuous glory to the country by bagging podium finishes in a handful of games: one gold medal each in Asian Games in 2018 and Southeast Asian Games (SEA) in 2019; two silver medals each in 2017 Indoor and Martial Arts Games and 2019 Asian Championships; and two bronze medals in World Championships.

Last June 2019, Diaz went public with a plea for financial support to help sustain her needs for the 2020 Olympics. “Hirap na hirap naako, I need financial support,” the statement read. “Sa tingin niyo okay lang kaya, nahihiya kasi ako pero try ko kapalan ang mukha ko para sa minimithi kong pangarap para sa ating bansa na maiuwi ang gold medal sa Olympics,” the weightlifting star posted on her Instagram story.

Following Diaz’s request in the same year, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo unveiled a matrix containing individuals who were reportedly plotting to oust President Rodrigo Duterte, which included her name. Although the baseless accusation fed the torment of fear, the Olympian then resumed to strengthen her capacity to lift, as she later got her sponsorship from a private company to assist with the said Olympics and proceeded accordingly.

records, the 30-year-old weightlifter once again pulled off her finest finish yet. Diaz faced off against China’s Liao Qiuyun, the category’s world record holder, and had to outwit her 223 kg attempt in her final lift. Stealing the spotlight, she snatched the gold medal from Liao after clearing her Olympic record-setting 127 kg in her third attempt to raise her tally to 224 kg—breaking the country’s 97-year drought.

The government, however, remained silent on the previous issue while congratulating the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist.

Amid the hectic life of being an athlete, romance still found its way to add spice to her journey.

Currently, she’s engaged to her coach and partner, Julius Naranjo. The two have been potently training and preparing since her Chinese tutor, Gao Kaiwen, has decided to return to China to be with his family.

Truly, our weightlifting superstar will take on any task, no matter how hefty it is. She continues to become a symbol of hope, dedication, and inspiration to those around her. This phenomenal woman lifted not only the nation, but also the spirits of the young and aspiring athletes, in the country, especially women. All the weight that she had been carrying contributed to a victory worthy of a champion.

As she continues to set iconic

false patriotism

E-sports: Karamay sa Umay ng Pandemya Rheylyn M. Llagas

Nakalulugod kung ating iisipin na unti-unti nang nakikilala ang e-sports dala ng maligalig na pagkakakulong sa pandemya. Mas napapanahon ang paglalaro nito lalo na ngayong tayo ay napaliligiran ng teknolohiya habang nasa loob ng ating mga tahanan. Kaugnay nito, tinatayang 380 milyong tao ang nanonood ng e-sports sa buong mundo at mahigit 125 na kolehiyo ang mayroong varsity e-sports team.

Justin E. Salvatierra

Dahil ang paglalaro ng e-sports ay walang pinipiling edad at panahon, nabigyan ito ng pagkakataong umagaw ng pansin sa nakararami buhat ng ating sitwasyon kung saan nakakubli tayo sa loob ng pandemya. Bilang karagdagan, maging ang International Olympic Committee ay minamatahan ang e-sports kung saan ito ay magkakaroon ng demonstrasyon sa 2024 Games na gaganapin sa Paris, France. Tiyak na mas makikilala ang mga larong umaayon sa mga makabagong teknolohiya at daloy ng panahon kung sakaling ito ay matupad.

Sa katunayan, maituturing na ang paglalaro ng e-sports ay kaaya-aya kaysa mga palakasang kinakailangan ng pisikal na pakikipag-ugnayan. Nagsisilbi itong pagkakataon upang magkaroon pa rin ng koneksiyon, partikular ang @TheMayon

issuu.com/themayonweb

komunikasyon at pakikisalamuha gamit ang internet, maging ang oportunidad upang mapabuti ang kasanayan sa diskarte, paglulutas ng problema, at kumpiyansa sa sarili ng mga manlalaro. Habang kailangan gumamit ng istadyum ng ilang paligsahan para sa layon ng paglilibang, malaya pa rin makipagkumpetensiya ang mga manlalaro habang walang inaalalang pagkalat ng mapanganib na COVID-19 dahil hindi naman kinakailangan ng pisikal na interaksyon ng mga atleta.

Kaagapay ng pagsasara ng mga propesyonal na liga ng isports ang pagbubukas ng oportunidad sa e-sports. Sapagkat nakakulong ang mayorya ng populasyon sa kani-kanilang tirahan, limitado ang pagkakataong magkaroon ng pisikal na interaksyon kung saan ang panunuod ng kaganapan sa e-sports ay matatagpuan sa mga online stream. Bukod pa rito, hindi lang karangalan kundi maging pagkakakilanlan ang naibibigay ng e-sports sa isang indibidwal at bansang kinakatawan nito, lalo na sa internasyonal na entablado tulad ng League of Legends SEA tour, Arena of Valor World Cup at International Championship, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL), at marami pang iba.

Sa kabilang banda, sinasabing

themayonweb@gmail.com

may masamang epekto ang labis na paglalaro ng e-sports. Batay sa International Classification of Diseases noong 2018, mayroong kondisyong tinatawag na “gaming disorder” kung saan inuuna ng mga manlalaro ang e-sports kaysa sa ibang aktibidad hanggang sa antas kung saan nakakaapekto ito sa pangkalahatang kalusugan nito. Ngunit, makasasama lang ang labis na pagsali sa e-sports kung ang atleta ay walang disiplina sa sarili at walang sapat na gabay sa tuwing ito ay lalahok sa nasabing patimpalak. Batid sa kaalaman ng mga atleta ang tamang pag-aalaga sa katawan at kalusugan nito kung kaya ay ang pagkakamaling kapabayaan ay limitado lamang sa mga baguhan sa e-sports.

Pagyabungin ang pagsali sa e-sports at pagsuporta sa ating mga atleta. Itatak sa mga isipan kung sakaling sasali sa ganitong paligsahan ang pagsasaayos ng talatakdaan ng mga gagawin, lalo na ang pagpapahinga sa gadyet.

Magkaroon ng totoo at pisikal na ehersisyo tulad ng jogging at stretching kasabay ang pagkain ng masustansiyang diyeta. At higit sa lahat, ugaliin at taglayin ang espiritu ng sportsmanship at isapuso ang aliw na dala ng e-sports.

Kasiyahan sa kandungan ng kaligtasan at kapayapaan ang unahin

27

INSIDER

THE MAYON

A NEW BUEÑO’S Pov

What’s it like in BUHS? Ansela Gwen Maristela

”We don’t just fly, We soar High!”

This quote marked the beginning of a chapter in the life of several Junior and Senior High School students as official BUeños for this was the introductory caption of the annual Facebook display picture blast headed by the Bicol University High School Supreme Student Government (BUHS-SSG) to welcome the school year. But, despite the unified mantra, new students definitely didn’t experience the first few months of this school year the same way old students did.

Needless pressure meeting and the they are

to say, there was felt upon the initial with their teachers set of people whom to spend the whole

school year with. Some grew anxious as they waited for their turn to introduce themselves. Others were just hoping for a strong internet connection if ever they get asked to talk. Most, however, were eager to leave a good impression on both their peers and instructors. Everyone had expectations not only with their school but with their classmates as well. Receiving a high quality of education while creating relationships along the way is what almost every new student hopes for anyway.

Tasks rained down immediately the next few days. “The first week’s amount of activities stirred some emotions inside me. I had to break it in slowly, before I got to move forward,” said a Grade 11 STEM student. It is a typical reaction as the enormous quantity of requirements can influence mental health too. However, their passionate and dedicated teachers who were kind enough to help and give an ample amount of time to meet the deadlines made the work lighter. Even their very own classmates were willing to assist, paving the way for friendships.

The upside of the challenging assignments is that it brings out the best in the students. They are able to showcase the competitiveness they have in a good way through creating outstanding outputs and high quality presentations.

Around two months later, clubs and extracurricular activities were also introduced. This served as an outlet to enhance the students’ talents, to exhibit their skills, and to meet other BUeños too. Nevertheless, a truth that cannot be neglected is that there were people who found it difficult to build relationships. There are students who do not approve of any social interaction and love to stay inside their bubbles.

28

Most of their reasons behind this include not being well-adjusted yet, being bombarded by sudden events, and being introverted. It may not be noticeable but these students are also trying their best to be approachable and to have a better learning experience through being outgoing. Hopefully, by the end of the year, they can manage to find their own tribes, feel included, and belong. After all, it’s not too hard to find your kind of people in a small place where everyone knows one another and is willing to lend a hand.

Speaking of which, I personally think that the best asset of BUHS is the fact that it is actually a very small community. It is made up of a moderate number of students as well as teachers who have shared their wisdom and served for a couple years already. It is intriguing how a limited number of people could be so diverse yet interactive.

Every grade level and section varies in so many ways but somehow we are all connected and related.

It is reassuring and comforting to know that this is the home where we will spend our remaining high school years. It then leaves us with an assurance that choosing Bicol University is definitely a brave yet wise move.

Being a new student is a lot of things, but in this school, it is nothing but interesting. Especially now that the news about faceto-face classes are reaching the surface, maybe there’s still more to being a NewBUeño, don’t you think?