The PRISM writes the other 30

WRITTEN BY JORIELYN MARTIZANO

A common scene in a journalist’s life in copyreading an article is a hectic day or

Anight, a grasp in a pen or in a pencil, and a raise of an eyebrow or a smirk on the lips while looking at one piece of paper to another. After putting the necessary copyreading symbols from the stylebook, the editor would write the number 30 at the end of the article’s last sentence. Then the editor would make a heavy exhale. It’s the end. In journalism, 30 is an editing symbol used along the symbol “#” to indicate that it is the end of the story. From a mere editing symbol, 30 had found itself used as a symbol outside copyreading. It had become a headline cliché that someone who “writes 30”, retires from the journalism career or succumbs to death.

Ironically, the 30 for The PRISM is when we remember those who made life out of an idea and not those who accomplished living their own lives, is when we recall what had started and not what had just ended, and when we get inspired to continue telling stories and not to tell one last story. We temporarily halt and dive into thoughts what had transpired in the past decades as The PRISM writes its 30th year of making stories and collective voices that had endured the test of time through papers.

It was around August or September 1989, Dr. Runato A. Basañes, the current Dean of College of Teacher Education(CTE), tried to recall. Prior to his editorial position as the first Managing Editor, it was an intensive discussion and brainstorming between the chosen editors and staff writers to separate the college publication from The Wheel, the high school publication. It was a long time ago that perhaps most of them, the founders and pioneers had already forgotten what were the words that came out to justify the name suggestions and the visions they shared to keep it thriving. Nevertheless, what had never forgotten are the ghostlike shadows in a particular part of the then library where the Sentro ng Wika at Kultura(SWK) stands at the present—their memory of The PRISM’s birth.

People have asked, why The PRISM? Perhaps, even the newbies of the publication would ask why. The typical answers of the staff prior the retrieval of the explanation from the archives are references of a three-dimensional figure that is introduced both in physics and geometry and the “maybe because it sheds light” or rarely saying “maybe it transforms the light” that had become an overrated explanation year after year despite being “maybes”. The jubilee year of the university that took place approximately five years ago became an opportunity to the then editorial staff to see how the university publication evolved through the years in the exhibit. There was one issue in a brown paper that became a magnet to the eye of our predecessors- Volume I, Issue No. 1 covering June-September 1989 wherein page 9 provides the answer why it was named after prism. The three sides of the figure represent truth, justice, and excellence—the ideals that the publication stand for.

While the publication’s name is a mere adaptation of a transparent figure with a straightforward yet visionary representation, the white light that passes through it and the hues it makes are the attached concept for The PRISM for a long time. On page 11 of Volume XI, Issue No. 1 dated JuneOctober 2001 states that the different rays of light represent the students from the different courses offered by the then Polytechnic State College of Antique (PSCA) and a line, “as a whole, PRISM serves as a light both for PSCA and the nearby communities.

The Three Ideals Through the Years

Campus journalism believes in the idea of truth. Yet, campus journalism evolves while the truth does not. Truth remained as it is through summary and novelty leads, even news angles. Nonetheless, for decades, it takes

bravery and courage for The PRISM staff to write the truth while upholding the basic principles of journalism. It takes bravery and courage to write about the absence of student government officers in fulfilling their responsibilities. It takes bravery and courage to call out the university offices whose services do not equate with the fees paid by the students. It takes bravery and courage to get involved and critical of the government policies whoever sits in the position. And it takes bravery and courage to risk in the news angles that do not sit well in the expectations of the victors. With the changes embraced by campus journalism and even the publication for the past years, the truth adopts. Truth sees no writing style and writer of The PRISM to be absorbed by its readers.

To tell the truth is to give justice. The PRISM, for the past 30 years of delivering writing stories, is a watchdog of its co-equal organizations, of the systems implemented in the university, and even of the organization itself. The PRISM stands as the venue of turning the whispers and murmurs in the corners of the university and the thoughts of the students regarding the issues they face to become a loud collective voice of the student community in the university. That same voice helped create policies that promote the common good.

Excellence lies in the impact of the written truth and the clamoring justice. The PRISM strived and strives more to make a spectrum in the regional and national spotlight. With the continuous thriving of The PRISM staff, the publication was recognized as a 3rd Placer in Editorial Page and Best in Filipino Page during the College Press Conference and Awards (COPRE) and produced promising writers, winners, and IWAG Awardees which both competitions are sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)- Region VI. Years later, The PRISM got to compete in the national stage through OSSEI and SPAM Inc and produced national winners. Yet, winning is not always the strength of The PRISM. There were also defeats in the process. Nevertheless, for The PRISM staff, at the end of the day it is the learning, the voice it strengthens, and the poignant memories of making a difference that really mattered.

However, excellence does not reside with the group alone. There is always a room for each of The PRISM staff for individual growth. One notable achievement of one writer was when Asst. Div. Supt. Ernesto Servillon won First Place in Editorial Writing Filipino during the COPRE of AY 1994-1995. It was the first “First.” And probably one of the rarest “Firsts.” For The PRISM, there are the brighter days, and there are also the moments when the rays of light are difficult to find. Perhaps, all those series of winning and losing are turning points of each of the writer’s development. At the end of their PRISM years, they are the star players of their league: campus journalism trainers, education program specialists, multi-awarded educators, and government officials who changed the lives of Antiqueños after they have their lives transformed.

Beyond The Milestones

For Dr. Jocelyn C. Morales who mothered The PRISM’s birth and served as its first adviser, the pioneering years were challenging. There were no computers. They have to make stories out of only one, dilapidated, and worn out typewriter. There was no office, only a portion of the old library where the staff writers convene during their meetings. Printing an issue back then was a long process and the layout took so long that it had to go through the stripping and cutting. During those times, tabloid was a thing, and magazine is difficult to publish.

Despite of the existence of good and hardworking writers, Dr. Morales recalled that there were writers that are nowhere to be found during deadlines, and there were writers who lie about not plagiarizing other works.

The PRISM took big steps when it became a member of College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and ventured in publishing a magazine even there were no digital designs and graphics back then. The cover designs were made possible by skills in art of Mr. Romeo Echaverri, who was at that time, a faculty member. The publishing process was tough that it was so satisfying when it was already finished, however, the end was the beginning of the feedbacks and criticisms because of spelling and printing errors, omitted names and wrong academic titles.

Around the first semester of the academic year 2012-2013, The PRISM took a big leap of making the magazine exclusive for feature articles and left news, editorials, and sports news in the newsletters. There were criticisms for the change made in the publication. Some called it a rip-off of an Avon’s brochure. But that change became normal. In the transition years of that change was also a beginning of putting up “Tagbando,” a name founded for the tabloid of The PRISM. It was also the challenging year for The PRISM staff when it risked in angling and abandoned the monotonous narrative in news writing. The editorial board decided to write about an underdog with a very interesting backstory over the champion. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the readers and is still the same taste when the same kind of angling was replicated seven years later.

The past 30 years of publishing stories are the evidences that The PRISM is not a perfect organization. It has flaws too. However, it is the same 30 years that it has chosen growth every year and radiating light out of its student writers.

With the last three lines of the explanation published 30 years ago that states, “for the PRISM staff, this is just the beginning. Beginners walk with uncertainty, they grope, they stumble- yet in the end, they learn. With the ideals that PRISM holds, the entire staff hopes to learn and radiate light SOON.” Perhaps, this celebration of its 30th year is a realization that 30 is about the “end,” that The PRISM makes the end of every beginning. The publication itself is the light of its own writers and it always seeks to transform them into the same PRISM that shed light as the end goal. PRISM may not be forever 30, yet it still grasps the idea that it would mark an “ending” but make that end as a continuing mission in the following years, the idea that is realized as The PRISM writes the other 30.

THE BIRTH OF RAFFLESIA: The story of this maiden issue

The PRISM is a student media corps of select students of the University of Antique. The corps is composed of student journalists, literary writers, and bloggers who manage the publication of its newspaper, newsletter, features magazine, literary folio, and online news site. In the first semester of this academic year, The PRISM officially named its three major publications: the newspaper as Tagbando, the literary folio as Uni-verse, and the features magazine as Rafflesia. The publication also maintained a blogsite where various content are uploaded such as news, opinion, feature stories, photos, and videos. This magazine is a maiden issue bearing the name Rafflesia on its nameplate. The name was adopted from the world’s biggest flower, Rafflesia, to which Sibalom has been known for. The flower became an attraction for both local and foreign tourists and a motif for the festival of the town. Its red orange color is a superimposing monument in the middle of verdant green woods in the mountains of Sibalom. Owing to the fame of Rafflesia, our magazine envisions to become a hallmark in the promotion of culture, tourism, and human resources in the province of Antique.

Read this publication at issuu.com/theprismpub or scan the QR code to go directly to our profile.

We thank the following people and organizations for helping us produce this magazine. Sibalom Fire Station • Shella Sandoy • LGU San Remigio • Cody Chan Talatala Mrs. Ana Magdalene Vegafria • Dr. Dolorosa Pajarillo • Ms. Liezel Lumogdang Mariebelle Bandoja • Mr. Heinrich Moscoso Carpio Family • Dr. Jocelyn C. Morales Marvin Kyle Rico (LGU Bugasong) • Arden Rod Condez • Catherine Montalba • Arlie B. Endonila of Haribon Foundation • Philippine Performance Archive: Cultural Performance • Mr. Galahad Garcia Head of Sumplay Libertad (Tourism Office)

FRANCIS MISSION

Editor in Chief

MARIANNE PALCAT

Associate Editor

FLORIETTE ANN ARNAIZ Managing Editor

JORIELYN MARTIZANO

News Editor

DAVEN LUIS ARAGON

Op-Ed Editor

REAH RICA MARIE PADRONCILLO

Features Editor

LOUIE JOHN SERVANCIA

Sports Editor

DIANA ROSE LAMPASA

Literary Editor

ALDEN JOHN TUBALE

Circulation Manager

BRYAN ZANDER BACONGA DARYL REGINALDO

Cartoonists

SANDIE GED NICHOLAS MINAVES

News and Op-Ed Staff

NINA RICA BELMONTE

Magazine Staff

KORINA AURELIO DIANA JOY DUBRIA IYEN BAUTISTA

Literary Folio Staff

SAMUEL CEZAR RUBIDO JR.

Photojournalist

ALFONSO SAMILLANO JR

The Adviser