Issue No. 1 Volume No. 20

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES - STO. TOMAS THE SEARCHER / @THESEARCHERPUP / 0977-682-4075

SULONG! LABAN! COMSOC ANG KAMPEON!

SABAYANG PAGBIGKAS 2018

Naghuhumiyaw sa galak ang Batsilyer ng Agham sa Impormasyong Pang-teknolohiya (BSIT) sa muling pagkamit ng kampeonato sa Sabayang

Pagbigkas 2018 matapos ang walong taon, ika-20 ng Agosto sa PUP-STB Gymnasium. ANG RESULTA

Nabasag ang dalawang taong katahimikan sa dumadagundong na pagbabalik ng paligsahan sa Sabayang Pagbikas para sa taunang pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wika. Matatandaang ang Batsilyer ng Agham sa Pagtuturo (BBTLE) ang huling nakasiil sa

ipinagpipitagang trono ng Sabayan noong taong 2015. Samantala, taong 2010 pa nang huling napasakamay ng BSIT ang gintong tropeo sa nasabing timpalak. Umalagwa ang Batsilyer ng Agham sa Impormasyong Pangteknolohiya sa unang puwesto nang magkamit sila ng 91.33 puntos bunsod ng kanilang masining na pagtatanghal. Pulidong paggalaw ang ipinakita ng BBTE na siyang nakakuha ng ikalawang puwesto na may 90.7 puntos. Batsilyer ng Agham sa Inhinyeriyang Pang-Elektroniko naman ang umangkin sa ikatlong puwesto na mayroong 90.33 puntos buhat ng madamdaming interpretasyon ng piyesa.

Ibinahagi nina Lester Burac (BSIT 4-1), Ivory Icban (BSIT 4-2), at Jomer Bautista (BSIT 4-2)—mga tagapagsanay ng Computer Society—ang kuwento sa likod ng kanilang pagkapanalo. Ayon sa pahayag ni Burac, “[Naging] isang pamilya [kami]— praktis kung praktis. Pero kung may idle time, nagkukuwentuhan kami na parang magkakaibigan.” “Puso at determinsayong manalo. Walong taon bago matikman ulit ang championship. Uhaw na uhaw [kaming] makuha ang [panalo],” kuwento ni Burac sa bukal ng debosyon sa Sabayang Pagbigkas. Sinabi din ni Icban na dahil sa

matagal na paghihintay sa panalo ay nagkaroon sila ng masidhing pagkakaisang maibalik ang trono ng Sabayan sa Computer Society. “Puso ang kailangan sa piyesa. Dapat talagang ilagay ang sarili sa piyesa,” ika ni Bautista. Para naman kay Burac na hindi lamang sa ganda ng tono at lakas ng pagbigkas nasusukat ang husay sa Sabayang Pagbigkas. “Lagyan ng puso; na parang ikaw talaga iyon, kailangang maramdaman ang konsepto” dagdag ni Icban.

ANG LABAN

Naging instrumental sa kampeonato ng BSIT ang paksang Lady Justice at putikang karahasan na siyang nagpahanga at nagbigay-kilabot sa inampalan.

MICOSA DOMINATES PLAYMIX STAGE, HOLDS PUP IDOL 15 TITLE

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering claimed the PUP Idol Season 15 throne as Mikee Micosa conquered the Playmix stage at the PUP Gymnasium 1, October 15. Micosa acquired an average score of 93.63 after the standout performance in the entire competition. Regine Velasquez’ version of “Ikaw ang lahat sa akin” assigned by the Central Student Council (CSC) as the winning

piece paved way for Micosa’s all-out performance on the Playmix stage. Bagging the awards and being the early favourite of the crowd, Micosa grabbed the tilt with a score of 93.4 for Kris Angelica’s “Sirena”. Micosa’s version of “The Scientist” by Coldplay dominated the Mellow Round with a 93.3 total score. Completing Micosa’s special awards is the 98-scorred KZ Tandingan’s “Rolling in the

Deep” during the Upbeat Round. “Hindi lang sa program ko, pero para sa ibang PUPian na nag-aalangan dahil hindi mataas ang boses nila. Siguro maiisip nila na nowadays hindi na taas ng boses ang hanap ng mga tao, kundi puso sa pagkanta, dahil mas malaki ang dagdag no’n sa entertainment value,” Micosa answered when asked about her victor’s impact on her program.

PHOTO BY ROMELYN ITONG

MULING KAMPEONATO: Isang matindi at puno ng emosyong pagtatanghal ang ipinamalas ng mga mag-aaral mula sa Batsilyer ng Agham sa Impormasyong Pang-teknolohiya matapos ang halos walong taong pagkauhaw nito sa titulo sa Sabayang Pagbikas.

SA LIKOD NG KAMPEONATO

OF PEOPLE OR OF STATES

After years of Spain, America, and Japan’s colonization, Philippines had established its sovereignty and formed a constitutional form of government. In the present, the Philippines employs a unitary form of government with branches of executive, legislative and judiciary power, emerging from the central democratic government.

FEDERALISM DEFINED

Under federalism, power is divided and shared between the central and local state governments. Countries with a federal system of government such as United States, the national government has sole authority to print money, maintain armed forces, enter treaties with foreign nations, regulate interstates and international trade. A power that states have, is to establish their own local government. The power to tax, regulate business, set up courts, and build and maintain roads, among others, are shared by both.

The Consultative Committee (ConCom) that President Duterte formed to formulate a new charter has draw on with a draft federal constitution. ConCom proposed eighteen (18) states which will be called as ‘federated regions’.

THE GOVERNMENT: THE PERKS OF BEING A FEDERAL COUNTRY

Leading jurists and political analysts handpicked by President Duterte himself composed ConCom to finalize the draft of a new constitution. By

disintegrating the allocation of powers currently abiding in the country’s Manila-centric form of government, Duterte and his supporters hope to bring more prosperity to its neglected confine areas, like Mindanao.

The proponents of federalism trumpeted its perks such as permitting diversity. A federal country encouraged local initiatives, where local government may deal directly with local problems. Federalism also had pursuit of goals, where it helps manage conflict. It also allows for power distribution, increases political participants, and cut red tapes which improves efficiency.

THE OPPOSITION: THE CONS OF NEW CONSTITUTION

In paper, federalism seemed sufficient in the Philippines, satisfactorily thus far. In reality, however, it could trigger a disastrous nation that is already separated by language, religion, and economic inequality.

And it was still a conundrum whether which type of Federalism the government is campaigning to. Is it for a “makabayang Bayanihan” model of federalism or “competitive federalism” where every regions fight in favor of a stronger state? Federalism may just end up only reinforcing socio-economic and ethno-political fault lines in an already divided archipelagic nation.

Studies show that only a few regions are capable of raising enough revenues on their own.

TRAIN LAW’S TRACK: TRAIN FULL OR TRAIN WRECK?

When President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the TRAIN Act into law last December, Digong’s move was both lauded by the leading economists and reprehended by critics. After all, the first package of the tax reform is arguably the Duterte Administration’s most important legislative victory to date. And the nation had never been ready to do a cost-benefit analysis, weighing the cost of compensating the loss of revenues against the benefit of its future premises.

TRAIN LAW DEFINED

EDITOR

EDITOR

Under the federal system, the richer states of the north will acquire even more resources to improve and enrich their competitiveness, therefore accentuating the obvious developmental gap with other southern states. The issue of the Federalism also concerns the basic knowledge of the Filipino citizens. Just recent, PCOO Secretary Mocha Uson took the buzz of her controversial video that blew up the social media mainstreams, trending #Pepedederalismo on the online discussions. To educate the majority of Filipinos, the administration needs political analysts, professional experts, and academics who can better do the job.

THE VERDICT

So far, the issue on our shift into a federal state has been handled

THE SEARCHER

with a “Ningas-Kugon” attitude and haste than what is imperative–with lack of preparation and the certainty that all of the Filipinos were fully educated and informed.

Charter change is and has been a sensitive topic for us. And yes, such topics must undergo with strict measures and long-term preparation because it has impact to one of us all.

Federalism protects special interest groups, has uneven distribution of benefits, creates disadvantages in poorer states and communities and obstructs action on national issues, facts that outweighed the affirmation of the federalism’ enthusiasts. And as long the proposition would bring imperial affliction than greater good, the draft would need amendments and improvements.

The Republic Act 10963 or Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law exempts from paying taxes the first P250,000 annual taxable income, meaning those earning P21,000 a month would no longer need to pay income taxes. It also raises the tax exemption for 13th month pay and other bonuses to P90,000. However, to recompense for the loss of revenue from income taxes, Filipinos will need to pay excise tax on sweetened beverages, and higher excise taxes on petroleum, automobile, tobacco, mining and coal. The administration’s ambitious ‘Build Build Build’ Program –which aims to boost economic progression by addressing the deplorable, decades long neglect of the country’s infrastructure needs, producing 1.1 million new jobs annually, and reducing poverty and mass starvation from twenty-two percent by the year 2022 – comes with a hefty P8- Trillion price tag.

ALONG THE TRAIN TRACK

EDITOR GERMAINE

At the core of debated on TRAIN Law is the impact on ordinary Filipino, especially those who are earning below minimum wage –the same segment exempted from income taxes but who will have to bear the brunt of higher commodity prices. TRAIN Law will have an adverse effect to the number of the informal economy – the part that

is neither taxed, nor monitored by government – which composed of vendors, fisherfolks, farmers, public utility drivers, pedicab or rickshaw drivers, among others. Workers are already burdened with pre-existing bad condition and encumbered with traffic congestion and high cost of living. It would be justifiable to increase the commodity prices only if the government and private sectors would make contractual worker to regulars with wage stipulated by the constitutional law. It doesn’t demand intelligence and degree to fully understand the practice of making mutual concessions, if the government is truly sticking to its principles to make living easier to everyone, and not just to the oligarchs and the elites. The inexplicit, if not inadequate social safety net they associated with the law, will offer no hope for the workers

fresh from caricature. The high inflation rate is a big, serious issue, contractualization is another. The truth is, Filipino consumers are suffering with high prices and the administration needs to stop denying or sugarcoating the situation. The current administration went a step further and slapped a hefty tax on basically every sine qua non of everyone. It could make Philippines power costs the highest in Asia, hands down.

CONCLUDING THE DESTINATION

When the law took effect at the start of the year, it’s hard to be optimistic when everyone anticipated the pinch of high inflation rate. In the face of rising criticism, the administration’s defense has not been all that effective, and if the first law wasn’t enough, they indeed signed the second package – TRAIN II.

in coping with higher inflation, thus pushing for evident and deeper-related poverty problems if not fully addressed.

BOARDING THE TRAIN FULL

Let’s put this into simple statistics. It’s no surprise that a hundred bill can’t buy goods more than it used to from the previous years due to vulnerability of Filipino budget in accelerating inflation. In May prices rose 4.6%, the highest rate in five years. The cost of basically almost everything is skyrocketing with a maddening pace, and mediocrity of the masses found it hard to cope up. Even the memes used as temporary amusement about the reality everyone faced is so true it sometimes wasn’t even funny, especially knowing that behind that amusing farce, most of the Filipinos are identically experiencing the existing state of affairs as if

A key reason for TRAIN, people are told, is to raise enough revenue to finance the ‘Build Build Build’ infrastructure program. This is a sound explanation, except people will weigh the projected long-term benefits against the current and immediate impact. The government is hobbled by disappointing and frustrating track record in administering high-ticket infrastructure project, a number of which never accomplished nor never gotten off the ground thanks to corruption scandals, inactivity, and utter both incompetence and inefficiency. If TRAIN proceeds will fund the latest incarnation of the parliament pork barrel, the tax reform law could be headed for a train wreck, no doubt.

In pitching TRAIN, this is the basic problem of the current administration: higher prices are happening now, while the ‘Build Build Build’ and its promises is still in a distant, uncertain future.

IN CHIEF KATRINA A. MALATE ASSOCIATE EDITOR GLEN C. DEL ROSARIO | MANAGING

IA AVILES | CIRCULATION MANAGER GEORGE V. CONDINO NEWS/ FEATURE/ LITERARY EDITOR MARICRIS SANTILLES COMMUNITY

GLEN C. DEL ROSARIO | JUNIOR STAFF NEIL BRYAN C. TIBAYAN, ROSELLE CABILING, MARY ROSE NOBLE, ALYSSA NEIL PATULOT, SAMANTHA NICOLE FRANCIA, ARIEL BALDOVINO, RODEBELLE MILKA, BIANCA AUDREY LUCIDO JUNIOR ARTIST MARK KENNETH CERBITO, KENT JEVI PADERNAL, RENZ GONZALES JUNIOR PHOTOJOURNALIST IZA MAY SAMIANO, TRICIA LEI DE GUZMAN, LISETTE ANNE GALANG, ERICKA LAIÑO | SENIOR ARTIST ETHELOU SUMAGUE | SENIOR PHOTOJOURNALIST JOHN MICHAEL D. LIBRERO, JOHN PHAUL TUMAMBING, ROMELYN ITONG

NG KABATAANG MAMAMAHAYAG (AKM-PUP) AND COLLEGE EDITORS GUILD OF THE PHILIPPINES (CEGP)

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES - STO. TOMAS

MARK KENNETH CERBITO

MARK KENNETH CERBITO

BALAGTASAN 2018: INHINYERIYANG PANG-ELEKTRIKAL, BINAWI ANG KORONA

Muling naghari ang departamento ng Batsilyer ng Agham sa Inhinyeriyang Pang-Elektrikal (BSEE) sa isinagawang Balagtasan noong Buwan ng Wika 2018 noong Agosto 20, 2018 matapos ungusan ang Batsilyer ng Agham sa Inhinyeriyang PangElektroniko (BSECE), na siyang may hawak ng kampeonato noong nakaraang taon.

Maaalalang ang BSEE ay nanalo na sa nasabing patimpalak noong taong 2015 at 2016 ngunit nabigo silang mapanatili iyon sapagkat hindi sila nakapagtakda ng kalahok noong nagdaang taon. Sa isang panayam, ipinagmalaki ni Errol John De Mesa, isa sa miyembro ng nanalong grupo mula sa BSEE 4-1, ang kanilang muling pagkapanalo sa Balagtasan. “Sa totoo nga sobrang gagaling ng mga kalahok ngayong taon, tapos di mo sukat akalain na madadaig namin sila sa sagupaang ‘yon. Masaya dahil nabawi namin ang titulo namin na nahawakan din namin sa dalawang magkasunod

na taon. Pinaghirapan din kasi namin,” saad ni De Mesa.

Iginiit ni Jon Benedict Gutierrez, kapwa mambabalagtas at kamag-aral ni De Mesa, kung paano hindi naging madali ang kanilang ginawang paghahanda para sa kanilang pagsali sa paligsahan. “Medyo naging mahirap ang preparation namin this year, kasi may sakit ako before nung laban, kaya effort talaga mga

AFBA, UMARIBA SA TINIG PUPIAN 2018

Puno ng determinasyon at sayang iniuwi ng Batsilyer ng Agham sa Pagnenegosyo (BSEnt) ang tropeyo nang tanghalin silang kampyeon sa Tinig PUPian 2018 na ginanap sa PUP-STB noong Agosto 20. Isang napakalaking karangalan sa AFBA nang tanghalin na kampyeon ang kanilang kalahok na si Heizel Sotto at Roi Jerahmel Caco. Nagpakita na ang dalawa ng angking galing sa pag-awit sa tagisan pa lang ng kanilang napiling kanta sa Original Pinoy Music (OPM) na “Pagbigyang Muli” na umani ng 97.6.

Lalong humigpit ang laban nang kanila ng awitin ang

BSIE: THREE-YEAR UAQB CONQUEROR

makabayang kanta na “Isang lahi” na nagkamit ng 98. 67 na marka.

“Sobrang saya kasi sa totoo lang sa pagsali ko sa Tinig PUPian hindi naman namin inaasam manalo” ani Sotto nang kapanayamin siya ukol sa kanyang naramdaman sa naturang pagkapanalo.

Dagdag pa ni Caco, “Sobrang saya namin nung kami na yung huling tinawag sa stage nung mga oras na yun. Halos dalawa o tatlong oras kaming naghihintay sa resulta at hindi kami nagsisi kasi sobrang worth it yung mga nangyari”.

Sa kabilang banda, nasungkit ni Juvy Mae Malijan at Jay Marc Dumpang ng Batsilyer ng Agham sa Inhinyeriyang

Pang-Industriyal (BSIE) ang

ikalawang karangalan sa gradong 92.8. Nakamit naman nina

Rosemarie Panganiban at Sean Allen Sonilla ng Batsilyer ng

Agham sa Inhinyeriyang PangElektroniko (BSECE) ang

ikatlong pwesto sa gradong 92.5.

kasama ko. Pumunta sila sa bahay, para makapagpractice kami, then minsan video chat. We make every effort talaga para maayos,” sabi ni Gutierrez. Kaugnay ng kanilang pagkapanalo, nagpasalamat si Joshua Aquino, sa sumulat ng kanilang piyesa na si Katrina Malate, mag-aaral din sa BSEE 4-1. Samantala, ang pangalawang pwesto ay nasungkit ng grupo nila Frederick Aala,

Justine Mar Cabarle, at Jeffrey Mabini, kapwa mga kinatawan ng Batsilyer ng Agham sa Pagnenegosyo (BSEntrep) ang isinagawang tunggalian. Bumaba naman sa ikatlong pwesto ang pangkat ng BSECE kung saan kabilang sina Julius M. Contreras, Kim Dianne M. Malvar, at Julian Miguel Javier. Sa kabilang banda, ipinahayag ni Rose Anne Ticman, Committee Head at Central Student Council (CSC) College Representative, na maayos na naipamalas ng mga kalahok ang kanilang mahusay na pakikipagsagutan na siyang umikot sa inobra niyang tema na ‘Estado ng Lipunan: Sino ang may pananagutan, Lider o Nasasakupan?’ Gayunpaman, nagpasalamat ang CSC President na si John Kenneth Pedraja sa mga pangulo ng bawat organisasyon at departamento sa kanilang pagsuporta sa isinagawang selebrasyon.

KAUNA-UNAHANG TRONO NG SPOKEN WORD POETRY INANGKIN NG PSCYH

Pag-ibig sa wikang Filipino ang ipinadama ng Batsilyer ng Agham sa Sikolohiya na siyang nag-uwi ng karangalan sa kauna-unahang patimpapalak para sa Spoken Word Poetry na ginaganap sa himnasyon ng PUP-STB, Agosto 20. Madamdaming emosyon sa saliw ng nagsasayawang salita ang

ibinahagi ni Rheginne Emor, mag-aaral mula sa unang taon na kumatawan sa departamento ng sikolohiya. Nasungkit ni Emor ang kabuuang 92.83

puntos mula sa ipinakitang galing ng kanyang pagtatanghal.

“Ang mahalaga sa spoken word poetry ay maibahagi mo yung puso mo. Hindi basehan ang pagkapanalo o pagkatalo sa kung gaano [ka] kagaling bilang artist sambit ni Emor sa paglalahad

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BSIE) dominated the University Academic Quiz Bee (UAQB’18) and secured the throne for becoming an overall champion for three consecutive years of brainpower and determination with overall total points of 485.

The Junior Philippine Institute of Industrial Engineering (JPIIE) outtakes other programs in the UAQB’18 through the wit of its participants in each category. Bethel Tabares, JPIIE President, felt grateful for the hard work of her constituents to review for the competition.

“I'm overwhelmed by how our efforts as an organization put into every review were greatly paid off!” she said. Preparation in a big competition like the UAQB is not easy,

the JPIIE set up events and programs to be serve as launching pads for advocating progress to foster nonstop improvement in their affiliates.

Meanwhile, the Organization of Electronics and Communication Engineering Students (OECES) was hailed as the first runner with an overall score of 235 points and the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountancy (JPIA) takes home the second runner up title with the total overall score of 155 points. Solis, Statistics Category topnotcher, felt mixed emotions being a first time quizzer during the competition. “Nakakakaba pero at the same time, nakaka-enjoy kasi I was able to measure my knowledge regarding the subject,” he said. Tabares, gladly

congratulates all the winners, saying, “Congratulations to all winners! Strike again a higher goal for the upcoming Academic Contest on PUP Main.” She also left a message for the future competitors, she qouted, “Get your books right now. Use your resources effectively. Start to equip yourself. Be a soldier who is ready and has complete armor before facing a great battle.”

Jan Milkin Salarda, the current president of the KATAGA stated that along with the preparation of the UAQB, he set up a meeting with the presidents of each program about the flow of the quiz bee and the preparation for the 114th founding anniversary of the PUP-Sta. Mesa, wherein the winners of each categories will be send to compete in PUP-Sta. Mesa. He also said that

the purpose of the UAQB is not all about the representation of the winners to PUP-Sta. Mesa but also to know who among the students is emerging in the academic contests. The winners will represent the PUP-STB in good terms and battling to win the competition at the 114th founding anniversary in PUPSta.Mesa on September 17-21.

niya ng kanyang pagmamahal sa sining ng pag-tula. Idinagdag pa niya ay isang mensaheng tumatak sa kanya mula kay Juan Miguel Severo, isang tanyag na manunulang Pilipino, na sinabing, “Kung gusto mong maging mas mahusay na manunulat, kailangan mong dagdagan ang bubog sa puso mo.”

CONTINUE TO PAGE 6

“Read and write until it’s like breathing to you,” said Mr. Reijandro Gonzales, a former Editor in Chief and one of the speakers of The Searcher (TS) during the workshop for its writers (news, literary, and feature writing) and photojournalists in fortifying their skills and capabilities as journalist, August 15 respectively at MB Room 104. The workshop’s objective is to train PUP-STB journalists to improve their writing ability and develop their own writing techniques as well as to strengthen the organization’s advocacy of adhering the truth for the welfare of the people.

Mr. Reijandro Gonzales, former Editor in Chief for two consecutive years (A.Y.2014-2015 & A.Y.2015-2016) together with Mr. Neal Andrei Lalusin, former News and Community Editor (A.Y.2017-2018) pioneered the two-part discussion for writers. Meanwhile, Mr. Jerome Trajeco, former head photojournalist (A.Y.2014-2015) headed the young photojournalists with a theme "Edge: Sharpening Press Freedom

Through Campus Journalism."

The event started with a prayer led by Mr. Lalusin followed by his discussion regarding the news writing essentials and techniques on writing effectively. He also prepared some activities to teach junior writers an appealing headline and well-defined articles. He ended the morning session by writing their own news outputs based on the creative photos they prepared for the event with their assigned groups.

Mr. Lalusin left his remarks saying, “Enjoy the company of your fellow journalists. You will make mistakes, both alone and together. Don’t be afraid to commit even if you’re not sure. Just learn from it and always try to lift each other up. The lessons you learn from

your mistakes will help you grow. Remember that this is not a competition, this is a community.”

Afternoon meeting was presided by the second speaker Mr. Gonzales which was divided into two activity: Creative Writing Workshop and Art of Writing Feature. To answer the call for an enthralling and productive article, he discussed some tips and ways on helping to write and exercise. He also gave activities to become competent in writing both literary and feature. He concluded with a note, "Gusto mong maging writer? Naks! Sige. Magsulat lang nang magsulat hanggang hindi na kasya sa basurahan."

Mr. Gonzales also conferred a piece of advice to the new journalists, “Just read and write. Keep at it. No matter how

germinal your thoughts are, put them down on the paper, or in your memo if you’re feeling lazy.”

Photojournalists’ (PJ) seminar on the other hand was headed by Mr. Trajeco tackled the technicalities and broad scopes of photojournalism. He then left an inspiring quotation for the new photojournalists, “Have guts. Take that photo! Shoot from that angle! Get up close! Make it wide! Play with that lighting! Burn pixels! Capture that moment! Never be afraid to make some mistakes along the way because they’ll always be bad photos, but that doesn’t mean you’re a bad photojournalist. Keep the shutter clicking.”

"It was knowledgeable experience," said Rodebelle Milca, a junior staff.

PHOTO BY ROMELYN ITONG

PHOTO BY LISETTE ANNE GALANG

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL LIBRERO

ARIEL BALDOVINO

HAIL TRUTH: Gird by Workshop

ISKONG TOMASINO, NAGPASIKLABAN NG GALING SA MINORYANG KATEGORYA

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEECH

CAMILLE BATHAN, BSP 1

MARIA JOSEFA MONTILLA, BSIE 2

JASPER TORRES, BSECE 3

DAGLIANG TALUMPATI

PRINCESS ANN CABALU, BSECE 1

AARON BLAZA, BSA 2

EUGENE CULUBONG, BSP 3

POSTER MAKING

RAYMART TORRES, BSIE 1

STEPHANIE PULONGBARIT, BSIE 2

ZAICA ATIENZA, BSEE 3

PAGSULAT NG TULA

MARILLE BENEDICTOS, BSIE 1

URI RONDERO, BSECE 2

WARREN SUAZO, BSP 3

ESSAY WRITING

NIA BERNADETTE LANTING, BBTLE 1

YTCHELLE MONTEIRO, BSIT 2

ALEXANDRA OLIVA, BSP 3

PAGSULAT NG SANAYSAY

IRENE BERSANO, BSA 1

MARC GREGORY MARASIGAN, BSECE 2

Nagpamalas ng mahusay na kakayahan sa mga kompetisyon ng minoryang kategorya ang mga mag-aaral mula sa iba’t ibang departamento noong ika18 ng Agosto bilang pagdiriwang sa taunang Buwan ng Wika. Ang kompetisyon na Extemporaneous Speech ay ipinanalo ni Camille Bathan mula sa Batsilyer ng Agham sa Sikolohiya (BSP) nang naipahayag niya ang kanyang opinyon ukol sa tanong na “Should Adults have the right to carry handheld guns?” Naipamalas niya ang kanyang galing sa pagsagot kaya naman nakamit niya ang pinakamataas na iskor na 94. Nang tanungin, “Kung ikaw ang Presidente, anong patakaran ang ipatutupad mo upang makatulong sa mamamayang Pilipino?” Naipakita ni Princess Ann Cabalu na nagmula sa Batsilyer ng Agham sa Inhinyeriyang Pang-Elektroniko (BSECE) ang kanyang galing sa pakikipagtalastasan. Ang kanyang kakayahang ibahagi ang kanyang opinyon ang siyang naging dahilan upang makuha niya ang iskor na 91.33 sa Dagliang Talumpati.

Ipinakita naman ng mga kalahok ang kanilang masining na kakayahan sa poster making contest. Sa temang

‘Pagbabalik tanaw sa Wikang Filipino’, nakakuha si Raymart Torres mula sa Batsilyer ng

Agham sa Inhinyeriyang PangIndustriyal (BSIE) ng puntos na 80 nang umangat ang kaniyang galing sa paglikha ng sining laban sa mga kalahok.

Gamit ang temang

‘Papel ng Wikang Filipino sa mga Akademikong Institusyon', nakamit ni Irene Bersano, freshman ng Batsilyer ng

Agham sa Pagtutuos (BSA), ang kampyeonato sa pagsulat ng sanaysay. Napabilib niya ang mga hurado sa kanyang

COMSOC

• IT Days

• Y4IT

• i-Site

BSEE

• RSCon

• EE Days

husay sa pagsulat kaya naman nakamit niya ang iskor na 80.

Sa kabilang dako, pagdating naman sa pagsulat ng sanaysay sa wikang Ingles, wagi ang kalahok ng Batsilyer ng

Agham sa Pagtuturo (BBTLE) na si Nia Bernadette Lanting sa marka na 73. Sa temang ‘The Role of Filipino language in academic institutions’, natamo niya ang tagumpay at naipakita niya ang husay sa paggamit ng panulat.

Panalo ang kinatawan ng Batsilyer ng Agham sa Inhinyeriyang Pang-Industriyal (BSIE) sa pagsulat ng tula nang nakamit ni Marille Benedictos ang puntos na 91. Sa temang 'Filipino sa Saliksik at Kultura', pinahanga niya sa kanyang galing sa paghabi ng mga salita ang mga hurado kaya naman nakabuo ang kampeon ng obrang nakapagpanalo sa kanya.

Ginanap naman sa Horton Function room ang mainit na laban sa debate. Nakipagtagisan ang mga Iskong Tomasino pagdating sa pagpapahayag ng kani-kanilang opinyon sa mga partikular na isyu. Nanguna sa pagkamit ng kampyeonato ang BSA. Samantala, ang BSP ay hindi rin naman nagpahuli at kanilang nasungkit ang ikalawang pwesto na sinundan ng BSEE.

Naging matagumpay ang naturang selebrasyon sa pangunguna ng Central Student Council (CSC) at sa tulong ng mga kumilatis na hurado. Samantala, sa selebrasyon ng ika114th foundation day ng PUP

Sta. Mesa na gaganapin sa buwan ng Setyembre ay muling idadaos ang University-Wide Academic Contest. Inaasahang dadalo ang mga piling nagwagi sa minoryang kategorya upang makipagtunggali sa mga mag-aaral sa iba’t ibang sangay at campus ng PUP.

• General Assembly

BSPsych

• Psych Days

• Christmas Party

• Outreach Program

BSECE

• OECES Days

• Year End

• ECEnemalaya

• Induction

BSENT

• AFBA Days

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) eyes another milestone as “National Polytechnic” and “Higher PUP Budget Now” campaigns push National University status.

PERSUASIVE FORCE OF

PSTO

• Induction

• General Assembly

• BBTE Days

• Year End

• LET Mass

FROM PAGE 4

Ipinarating din ni Emor ang kanyang pasasalamat sa mga taong tumulong sa kanya kabilang na si Alyssa Neil Patulot, kanyang kamag-aral na naging katuwang niya sa pag-buo ng kaniyang piyesa. Gayundin ang kanyang pasasalamat para kay Joshua Pabon na nagbigay himig sa kanyang pagtatanghal. Ibinahagi rin ni Emor na dati na siyang nagsusulat ng tula at taong 2016 siya unang tumungtong sa entablo. Sinabi rin niya, “Ang spoken word poetry competition ay [ang] nagbukas ng pinto para sa aming mga spoken word artists para maibahagi sa iba ang aming kakayahan at syempre [upang] makapag-perform ulit.”

Samantala, sumunod sa ikalawang karangalan ang Batsilyer ng Agham sa Ihinyerong Pang-elektrikal na nakakuha ng 83.67 na marka sa tulang binigyang buhay ni Nathaniel Dimaano. Batsilyer ng Agham sa Pagnenegosyo naman ang nasa ikatlong puwesto na may 79.17 na puntos na nirepresenta ni Jenima Abrugar.

PUP has been producing many professionals licensed by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) since its 1904 foundation. In a record published by PUP Student Party for Equality and Advancement of Knowledge (PUP SPEAK), the University produces an average of 700 Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and 150 licensed engineers of different fields and specializations. The University is known to be consistent in creating topnotchers in the Architecture and Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination. PUP Santo Tomas, PUP Santa Mesa, and PUP Maragondon dominates the Electrical Engineering Boards, taking the 3rd, 8th, and 9th places respectively. This statistic shows that despite the University’s lack of conducive learning facilities, the quality of education provided by PUP is at par with National Universities like the University of the Philippines (UP) and Mindanao State University (MSU).

NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC

Before the formal launching of the #NationalPolytechnic and #HigherPUPBudgetNow campaigns, a petition calling for PUP’s status upgrade already gathered over 10, 000 signatories prior to its August 31 deadline.

PUP Board of Regents, PUP SPEAK, PUP Charter Committee, and over 50 student formations led the endorsement of said campaigns to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), last August 17. On August 29, formation

Mga kulay naman ng bandila ng Pilipinas ang ginamit ng BSIE para sa kanilang damit upang itanghal ang taal nilang pagkamakabayan. Nanindak naman ng BSP sa pamamagitan ng simulasyon ng burol sa tradisyong Filipino at etnikong tato sa kanilang asuotan.

Mahusay na nagpatagisan ang bawat kolehiyo sa paligsahang ito. Pinaksa ng BSEnt ang tula sa imahen ng timbangan at monokromatikong itim at puti. Gumamit naman ng diyaryo at rehas bilang props ang BSA na siyang pumukaw sa mga isyung panlipunan.

Ang BSECE ay gumamit iba't ibang tatsulok sa kulay ng watawat ng Filipinas at ilang eksibisyon para maselyohan ang ikatlong puwesto. Inspirado rin ang damit ng BSEE sa bandila na siyang sentral na tema ng kanilang

presentayon. Winakasan naman ng BBTE ang timpalak sa kasuotan nilang halaw sa mga IP (Indigenous People) ng ating bansa at sa isang naratibong pangkasaysayan upang makuha ang ikalawang puwesto. Sa selebrasyon ng Wikang Filipino na mayroong temang "Filipino: Wika ng Saliksik," napili ang tula ni Jennifor "Kimpoy" Aguilar na “Filipino: Wikang Mapagbago” bilang akdang ginamit ng bawat departamento sa kompetisyon. Naging tiyak ang resulta sa pamumuno ni Bb. Nina S. Mercado, katuwang si G. Samuel G. Labor at G. Marcus C. Evangelista bilang lupon ng inampalan. Sumubaybay naman ang CSC (Central Student Council) at The Searcher sa pagtatantos ng mga puntos para sa timpalak.

TO PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE EXAMINATION PASSERS!

National Passing 66.74% PUP-STB First Timers: 98.04% (50/51) National Passing: 49 49% PUP-STB First Timers: 85.71% (24/28)

Engr. Ana Josefina Beltran

Engr. John Russel Boncajes

Engr. Adrian Cusi Buenviaje

Engr. Carlos John Louize Bulan

Engr. Neil Fulo

Engr. Bianca Joy Galang

Engr. Riez Jill Hernandez

Engr. Kristine Joy Javillonar

Engr. Fatima Lara

Engr. Christiana Layosa

Engr. Nela Lazo

Engr. Aljonder Leycano

Engr. Ylane Lumban

Engr. Christian Levin Manalo

Engr. Renz Irvy Misagal

Engr. Andrew Nillos

Engr. Melissa Joy Liquido

Pabularcon

Engr. Marella Rosciene Punzalan

Engr. Rozette Dela Rosa Reaño

Engr. Kyle Salafranca

Engr. Catherine Saludo

Engr. Joseph Paul Achilles

Sarabosing Jr.

Engr. Christian Jay Vacaro

Engr. Angelo Vergara

Micosa also said that this season’s PUP Idol is changing the usual implications to her program, just as advised by her coach, Francis Manset.

Meanwhile, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) contestant, Jomari Mores, followed with an average score of 91.5. Mores also took the spotlight on the Medley Round with Martin Nievera songs, garnering a combined score of 93.63. On the other hand, Angelica Rose De Aro of Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BSP), and Jean Mylen Babao of Bachelor of Science in Business Teacher Education (BBTE) are hailed as the second and third runner up, respectively.

Presentations by the

Mozart’s Guild, Indak Batangan, and Teatro Batangan stirred the crowd’s energy in every intermission number. Other highlights are performances from personalities in the music industry, including Jiewhel Elmido, from Team Sharon of The Voice Kids Season 3; Katherine Mulingbayan, PUP Idol Season 14: Evolution Grand Champion; and Arabelle Dela Cruz, Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 2 Grand Finalist, who also completed the board of judges.

Johnn Mitzchell Ambrona, CSC Vice President, concluded the program with remarks of gratitude for the success of the last main event organized by the council.

PISTA NG PELIKULANG PILIPINO: Films of Alternative and Other Stories

Underneath its grandeur, the intent of cinema is to preserve a fragment of history; to immortalize the momentary flames of revolution and freedom. It capitalizes on the human experience; our predicaments and pleasures—nothing but mere materiales fuertes. It is as intricate as it is blatant.

strongest in cinema. But now is the end of that era—Filipino films are here to reclaim its rightful place, and Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino is here as one of its catalyst.

THE FILIPINO PSYCHE

Engr. Amoyo, Patrick B.

Engr. Atienza, Andrew P.

Engr. Avenido, Ma. Lynel M.

Engr. Balba, Richie G.

Engr. Baldeo, Eloise B.

Engr. Biago, Trisha Marie

Engr. Cagaoan, Leandro

Engr. Calatin, Allan

Engr. Caldo, Amelia M.

Engr. Camartin, Rolly G.

Engr. Caparal, Jonald V.

Engr. Catan, Bryan Anthony P.

Engr. Celestial, Elmar L.

Engr. Chavez, John Karlo S.

Engr. Cosico, Nelyn

Engr. Cruz, Jemsel C.

Engr. Cuevas, Aeron Glen N.

Engr. Custodio, Maria Cecilia A.

Engr. Delos Santos, Aaron G.

Engr. Deomampo, Meljohn A.

Engr. Dioses, Jeovanie C.

Engr. Domingo, Hillary May

Engr. Fadullo, Anthony M. IV

Engr. Faminial, Maria Bernadette

Engr. Garcia, Jean Lyneth D.

Engr. Gomez, Lexter James A.

Engr. Lanting, Emmanuel Engr. Laxamana, Lord Jayson V. Engr. Legapi, Venny Rose G. Engr. Lirio, John Michael Engr. Luna, Lee Andrew Engr. Luna, Prince Roque Engr. Macasadia, Jayvee J. Engr. Macayanan, Ralph Julius T. Engr. Malipol, Alvin M. Engr. Malipol, Cee-Jay Engr. Mañibo, France Kevin Engr. Mitra, Emmanuel S. Engr. Moresca, Marphyl D. Engr. Mutuc, Ruel O. Engr. Polido, Jake M. Engr. Ramos, Kristian Jay S. Engr. Recillo, Jovele M. Engr. Ruiz, Justine V. Engr. Sandoval, Ronald Rey M. Engr. Sarabia, Jasha Engr. Saribong, Princess P. Engr. Seno, Abelyn B. Engr. Sotto, Shane Joy D. Engr. Velasco, Vijay R.

Filipinos are, to say the least, enamoured by the beauty of film: from its subtle elegance to its bigger-than-life theatrics. But in the context of prejudice and identity, the cinema we consider consummate to consume defines and reveals who we are as a nation. We are aficionados of Hollywood pictures—these movies, we put them on top of pedestals like the pseudo-divinities they are. For ages, we were led to believe that imagination and depth are exclusive to the foreign reel, and everything else is mediocre if not atrocious.

Our danas or experiences as a nation are often misrepresented in local mainstream films. There was never a shortage of cinema in the Philippines—in fact, productions are launched almost in monthly tranches. But since most of these films are focused on emulating the aesthetics of its foreign counterpart, the essence of being a Filipino, the becoming and undoing of one, is often lost. While it is true that there are independent films that dissect our danas, these films are supposed for art houses and a select, elite few. They require an in-depth critique of nuances and allusion in order to be understood (and appreciated) which a casual movie-goer does not have time for.

pictures like Bakwit Boys (2018) and Balangiga: Howling Wilderness (2018) the contrast between the imaginary and mundane are evident, attesting to the festival’s range and inclusivity. In 2017, hits like 100 Tula para kay Stella and Patay Na Si Hesus served as confirmation to PPP’s ability to congregate the visceral and intellectual, as the former and latter appealed both to the masses and critics. In showcasing our collective danas of the bizarre and simple, the Filipino psyche was amplified through these films in a way it has never been before.

RENAISSANCE OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA

The Golden Age of Philippine Film are over but masterpieces like Himala (1982) and Oro Plata Mata (1982) are still revered up to this day. But there is a phoenix rising up from the ashes of its former self. It is Philippine Cinema—destined for a renaissance.

ensured. The Filipino consumer’s taste, along with the evolution of cinema, becomes more complex. While our preferences are relative, and the Hollywood state-of-mind is still at default, our inclinations are now slightly swerved to our own. Rebirth comes from within, and only if we take it as our own, support our own cinema, that renaissance can commence. Films are periodicals as it is fiction. It reveals and revels itself with our humanity as Filipinos; our desires, our shortcomings. Festivals like PPP serve as platforms for these stories, and in return, make us introspect and contemplate about our own. In moments when we are faced with a choice, in line at a movie house, torn about what to see—I hope we remember our psyche, and choose to see the Filipino danas

Aguinaldo, Aya Mikhaela G., RPm

Alejandro, Julius Isaac, RPm

Andaya, Izamari C., RPm

Bautista, Zyrone Arao, RPm

Belen, Maria Bianca A., RPm

Casapao, Arianne L., RPm

Cruz, Ruth Jezreel F., RPm

Cura, Jerome A., RPm

De Leon, Fatima Joie L., RPm

Dizon, Clarice Andrea R., RPm

Gimenez, Rohm Iber G., RPm

Inot, Mary Ann T., RPm

Lim, Michaella L., RPm

National Passing: 47.73% PUP-STB First Timers: 71.5% National Passing 25.18% PUP-STB First Timers: 22.22%

Glociel Jojo dela Cruz, CPA

Rhealou Aquino, CPA

Jennet Castillo, CPA

John Patrick Javier, CPA

Joahna Opulencia, CPA

Mary Glaine Punzalan, CPA

Jenlyn Parducho, CPA

Maria Carmella Vibal, CPA

Lino, Bea Loujane R., RPm

Lirio, Trendy Anne Lourdes G., RPm Marasigan, Cheryl T., RPm

Marqueses, Jeffrey M., RPm

Mulingbayan, Katherine A., RPm

Pacia, Jhovy Angel A., RPm

Palmiano, Rafael G., RPm

Parjan, Abbygail G., RPm Pellerin, Samantha Gabrielle M., RPm

Perez, Lita Mindy C., RPm

Platon, Ronald Allan D., RPm

Rodriguez, Jezel L., RPm

Sapin, Adrienne Ruth A., RPm

Siegrist, Alyssa N., RPm

Soberano, Angelyn C., RPm

Tolentino, John Allen P., RPm

Neocolonialism manifests itself

GRAVITAS OF A BRIDGING FEST

This is the goal of PPP: to bridge the eccentric with the typical. Started in 2017, the festival’s mission is “to recognize Filipino artistry in films, promote our country and its talents globally, and protect our film cultural heritage.” Although not the first of its kind—with Cinemalaya, C1 Originals, QCinema, and other film fests pioneering the movement—it is the first one to be statesponsored. In

Directors like Lav Diaz (Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis, Ang Babaeng Humayo), Brilliante Mendoza (Ma Rosa, Thy Womb), Kidlat Tahamik (Perfumed Nightmare, Turumba), and Pepe Diokno (Engkwentro) have been dominating international film festivals with their genius. With PPP not only encouraging but also funding young Filipino filmmakers to create pictures about the Filipino experience, the progress of the art form is, without a doubt,

Maria Carmella Vibal, CPA

BRYAN TIBAYAN

ROSELLE CABILING

THE SEARCHER ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES AND CONGRATULATES ITS ALUMNA

(Former Senior Staff)

BRYAN TIBAYAN

FINDING EVERYONE’S, LOSING HERSELF

When something’s misplaced

And the finder is in haze

As things were in the brink of uncertainty, She’s the one who grants someone’s plea.

She sees unintended hidden patches

Her eyes are water stream of limpidness, A glass in transparence, Could have lent even the slight evidence.

She serves her spirit so the missing fragments would be filled up

Over herself, putting anyone’s sake on top

She offered the nation a light to be its lamp: Her son, Apolaki, the god of Sun.

Yet, behind the courage and full dress, There’s the striving broken lens Bursting drops at times of darkness, Agonizing mind in restlessness.

She, Alagonay, the goddess of lost things, Whom people seek to find for their absent piece Had already lost her own soul, Became a castaway of her own ghoul.

Ang Modernong Bakunawa

Pitong buwan na nilikha ni Bathala

Magandang liwanag ang nililikha

Ganid na ugali ng Bakunawa

Anim na buwan ang kinain at nilapa

Isang buwan na natitira

Pilit na pinaglaban ni Bathala—

Para sa kaniyang masa.

Mga mamamayang lumalaban

Mga kawali at palayok ang naging sandigan

Sa eklipse na kanyang nililikha

Magagandang musika ang kinukumpas

Umaasa na tuluyang mapatulog ang ganid na buwaya

At mapatumba hanggang sa kanyang wakas

Parang mga lider ng bayan

Anim na taong nasa pwesto

Korupsyon ang umiiral sa kanyang pag-upo

Ganid sa salapi at yaman

Tila kinain na ng sariling mundo

Mga mamamayan naman ang nagsasamo

Pilit pinaglalaban ng mamamayan

Kanyang karapatan sa lider na nakalugmok

Tila bingi at bulag sa katotohanan

Iniiwasan ang tunay na kaganapan

Paligid niya’y nababalutan ng itim na usok

Para sa sariling kaligayahan

Umaasa ang nasasakupan

Magandang kinabukasan para sa bayan

Sa bagong lider na mauupo

Pangako na hindi napapako

Malinis na sistema ng bayan

Para na rin sa mga kabataan

TABI-TABI PO:

Engkanto, Diwata at iba pang mga Kagila-gilalas

A Letter to My Brother, Apolaki: The Reason Why It Rains.

How are you there on the other side?

It’s been a long time since we last met

I hope you are doing fine, even life tell you not

People are getting greedy, that’s sad

But at least you are happy, aren’t you?

Do you still remember how we get this far?

It is also the same reason why this world seems so tough

Little things mean nothing

Big things mean something

Isn’t it funny how people get angry nowadays?

They are all smart in the sense that they are all stupid

Aren’t you tired of seeing them?

Fighting over and make this an awful world

As for me, I’m tired of them

Telling me how much they hate their lives

Oh, how it pains me of hearing their pleadings

That’s why I talked to Bathala: poverty, greed, crimes.

How this place really needs saving.

I know leading a fine day is never easy

That’s why I’m thankful you got the strongest light though it sacrifices mine

My light is something that comforts people

And yours make them wonder why they wake up just fine again

I’m sorry but even if you got the strongest light

Mine will always be their definition of life

I have something to tell you brother

There are a lot of suicide cases

Have you ever got a letter that says ‘Thank you,’ that entails with ‘Goodbye.’?

Maybe you got a lot of them

And maybe you’ll never got a time to see this

But brother, I’m happy that you never give up on them

Even the “peace” never tastes any better

And “unity” seems to be bitter

Oh, God! I miss you brother

And maybe this will be the last time I’ll be missing you

I know morning is not the same as night

But they are both gloomy and a fear of light

I fear myself more and I fear your light

But this is the last, hope you are doing good— doing fine.

Don’t find me whenever you read this letter

Although we’ll never meet

Goodbye brother, thank you for the sudden taste of heaven and a scratch from hell

I will be loving you, - Mayari.

Pagtanaw kay Hanan tuwing bukang-liwayway

Sa aking paggising panibagong araw kakaharapin

Dugo’t pawis muli ang pagaganahin

Para sa minimithi patuloy akong kakapit Gagawin ang lahat kahit ako’y isang yagit

Maghapong nakabilad sa ilalaim ng nakakasunog na liwanag

Pawis ay nanunuot sa unipormeng dilaw na matatag

Bitbit ang baldeng may pinaghalong semento at graba

Dahilan upang mauwian ko ang pamilya ng sapat na halaga

Pagkatapos ng trabaho diretso sa kanto

Ibibili ng ulam ang perang natamo

Barya ang natira sa maghapong pinaghirapan

Pagod pag-uwi ang aking kahinaan

Kaya pagsapit ng dilim bagsak ang katawan

Bagama’t medyo matigas ang papag at kulang sa unan

Hindi mapipigilan ang paglukob sa akin ng kaantukan

Panibagong araw aking kinatatakutan

Maraming problema ang kailangan na namang solusyonan

Subalit sa aking pagmulat masisilayan si Hanan

Ang babaeng nagbibigay sa akin ng wagas na pag-asa

Maging ganda nya’y patuloy akong pinapaasa

Siya ang nais kong laging matanaw

Dahil mundong madilim kanyang tinutunaw

Maunlad na buhay siya ang nagbibigay

Ang babaeng daan sa sinisimulan kong pakay

Bawat araw, taon at yugto na inaasam

Mga pagpapala ng dyosang ito aking kinakamkam

Tanging hiling maghapong basbas at gabay

Kaya unang dasal, kay Hanan ko inaalay

“Kakaiba ka,” sinambit mo sa akin.

Mata mo’y nangungusap at sa aki’y nagdududa

Pinilit kong mukha’y ipinta, ngunit aking labi’y nagkusa

“Bakit mo mamahalin ang konsepto ng pagkinang sa dilim?”

Ito na ang simula.

Nagsalita kang muli, “Inakala ko pa namang matalino ka.”

Sumiklab, kumalma— pinilit mong ako’y magsalita

“Kailangan ko bang sabihin pa?

Na hindi ko gusto ang talang mahal ninyong lahat

Hindi ko maatim ang kanyang kislap

Sa gitna ng dilim man ay diyamante siya’t sukat.”

Tumahimik ka.

PAGSASAABO NG SANTELMO

Naintindihan mo ako— mali akong naintindihan mo ako; awa ang ngayo’y nabuo sa mga mata mo. “Malinaw na sa akin, bagama’t ako’y hindi mo pinatapos.

Sa totoo lamang, ikaw ang tala Ang liwanag na iyong sambit ay siyang totoong dilim

Na humahamon sa iyong kinang.

Ikaw ang tala.

Nakita kong pinatikom ng mistulang diwata ang iyong paligid

Ngunit narito ka sa kasalukuyan

Lumalaban— kagaya ng lagi mong ginagawa:

Ikaw ang talang ayaw mo.

Ikaw ang talang pinapanigan mo.

Ikaw ang talang mahal ko.”

A glowing disk peeked, radiating a weak yellow light— borrowed from the king itself. The light splintered into slivers as it passed through the wisps of clouds bathing the world into its silvery feeble incandescence.

Behold— a fine maiden descended, riding the light of the moon, dressed in a glossy iridescent armor.

Her long hair, pulled back from her face, billowed in the night like sail of a mast. She leaped gracefully, landing on the waters with a soft splash. Indeed, a sight to see. She moved like a ballet dancer or perhaps, a trained assassin. There was a deadly glint in her eyes and there was fierceness in her steps. A goddess in a soldier’s clothing. How could an immaculate visage like hers belong to a ferocious fighter?

She kept glancing at the moon as if waiting for something. Then a big mass obscured it from view. She unsheathed two bolos, from its scabbard at her back.

Once again, washing the world in its silver luster. Then she saw her nemesis— breaking the surface of the waters, drenching her.

A hunger lit her black beaded eyes its hide glistened with rivulets of water. It was Bakunawa, devourer of moons. One battle cry, she cuts its head. Its cadaver crumpled back into the ocean. She warded off evil and murmured a soothing lullaby hoping the wind carried it to her beloved brother.

Then a breeze whispered in her ears, “I’ll be back, Haliya. This time, I will not fail.”

Mayroong sandaling pag-aapoy sa dibdib sa sandaling mahimpil

Itong espiritu’t madarang ang pasigan. Lagpas sa aking hilakbot,

Mistulang nagsasagamugamo ang pangangatawan: ganap ang nasà

Na salingin ang hiwagang naririto, ang panganib na mapaso sa init

Na di-kakilala. Sa liwanag ng santelmo, nalulusaw ang sarili’t umiibig

Ako nang walang takot. Itong mga bangka sa baybay, ang alipato

Ng alitaptap, ang mga bangkay ng luoy na mga puso—gumuguho

Silang lahat, ang kanilang pag-iral sa paglalagablab; natagpuan ko

Itong mga palad na inaabot, inaangkin ang misteryo mo’t kahulugan:

Busilak, busilak ang kagampan. Dinaranas ko sa dulo ng mga daliri

Ang pagkadarang, at ang pandama, nasusunog sa bawat pagtatangkang

Ariin ka. Nagsindi ako ng sumpang sigarilyo— solitaryo, naroroon ka

Sa bintana. Engkantada ang usok na lumiligid sa iyo; at ako, naririto

Sa kama, inaaninaw ang unti-unting pagkaupos ng santelmo sa iyong

Kamay. Umiibig tayong di takot magliyab, ito ang aral ng apoy.

Naglilihim ang impiyerno sa tiyan: tinupok natin ang pagitang hangin

At puso, hinawakan kita. Nagsaabo ang iyong pagiisa sa paglapit: Nagtambad ang alipato sa sahig. Nadama natin ang Pag-ibig sa labi

Sa puson, sa pagitan ng hita, sa lapnos ng santelmo sa daliri.

Ako’y yumuko. Anino mo’y hindi lumayo Sa aking pagtunghay, nakita ko Sa wakas ay napagtanto na sa usapang ito, hindi talo ang tala ko— mo.

“Babae ka lang”

Mayari.

Mayari ang pangalan ko. Sabi nila ang babaeng tulad ko ay dapat nakatago Sa loob ng isang kahon kung saan doon lang ako nagtatrabaho.

Alipin. Tila ako’y isang alipin, Sinisigawan na ganito dapat ang aking gawin. Bakit ganito? Ito ba talaga ang buhay na dapat mayroon ako?

“Lang” Wala silang pakielam sa yaman. Kahit ano pa mang estado, Bahala ka sa buhay mo. “Babae LANG” ang tingin sayo ng mga tao.

Ayoko. Ayoko na hanggang dito lang ako. Hindi ako papayag na maging sagabal ang aking kasarian Upang hindi ko magawa ang mga bagay na kayang gawin ng mga kalalakihan. Kaya naman ako’y lalaban.

Laban. Lumaban hanggang sa makamit ang kalayaang nais ko. Hindi naging madali ang proseso Lalo na’t sobrang kitid ng utak ng mga tao. Ako ma’y nasaktan sa labang aking kinaharap, Hindi ito alintana sapagkat nakamit ko rin sawakas Ang bagay na matagal nang ipinagkait sa akin. Kalayaang dapat para sa atin.

Ako.

Naumpisahan ko na ang laban. Eh Ikaw? Papayag ka ba na sabihan ng “Babae ka lang”?

HALIYA OF MOON AND SWORD

- ALYSSA PATULOT

- BIANCA LUCIDO

- ARIEL BALDOVINO

- RODEBELLE MILCA

- NEIL BRYAN TIBAYAN

- SAMANTHA NICOLE FRANCIA

It’s nearly seven o’clock in the evening. Lights are all across the streets like hanging stars on a universe of smokes and dust. There’s a deep vibration in the air like a bass of jazz echoing from kilometers afar. It is like a massive concert of rock and roll, and you are there in the middle of an open ground dancing your legs and swaying your hands up along with the ocean of strangers. It makes you exhausted. You’re running out of breath, sweating off and your head’s spinning. It makes your bones shatter into tiny bits like the Earth’s plate is crushing from a quake. Yet, it is indeed the kind of catastrophe you just simply love because it makes you ironically whole. You take a sip of the sweet and bitter taste of an antiquated youth colored like a rusting metal, a cold sensation rejuvenating the blood in your veins. You’re free and you just feel it. And yes! This is nightlife. This is the nightlife where we pay sleep in exchange of a wide-awake dream. This is the life of the night we have read off from magazines, flaunting before our eyes the vivid colors we have in the dark. But this ain’t for us.

It’s nearly seven o’clock in the evening. Lights are all across the streets displaying from machines trapped in the intersecting maze of lines and pedestrians. There’s a deep vibration in the air like a bass of clouded noise and monotonous beep resonating back and forth. You are there again, in the hands of heavy road traffic meeting you like a friend from yesterday who never

unmoved vehicle you’re in just watching the golden time turns into a sack garbage. You take advantage of the moment to close your eyes for a bit for the next hours will be an intense war between your responsibility not leaving your side and your bed whispering lullabies to you.

wants you to get home early. And there you are again, in the deep-rooted seat of the jeepney, quizzical about the mysteries of evening rush hours. It doesn’t bother you at all but to see how time bids goodbye as deadlines say hello to you, it’s really annoying, and frustrating. You still have to make a good power point presentation, choose a design that will dwell well with your topic and study it for your class report on the next day. You think that you still have tomorrow to do it, but you have a group meeting set tomorrow , a couple group meetings rather, one for each course you take. When you and your classmates are done discussing over nothing, you’ll devote your precious seconds of life into writing notes for your quizzes for the next three days straight on the week. Then suddenly, you will be reminded that your term paper’s due date is on the next week but you haven’t started a single word yet. Don’t you also forget that on the Saturday of the following week is your thesis defense so you have to get mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually ready with that. And after you have your mind completely ruined, you’ll become extremely worn out though you have not done anything yet.

Just the thought of it makes you tired. But then again, you freeze on that corner of the

It is like a massive concert of rock and roll, where handouts are boldly exposed dancing with pens and highlighters. The three-line equations scribbled in the back page of the photocopied modules just keep rocking your skulls out. The words and terms you have to memorize just keep rolling in, leaving just a small space in your brain left for the script you have to remember on your talk. You just have to keep your senses awake for sleeping has become a guilty crime. It makes you exhausted.

You’re running out of breath, sweating off and your head’s spinning. You’ve been missing the prescribed eight hours of slumber for a month now and the word ‘sleep’ has vanished from your vocabulary. You spend the whole night snapping your fingers with calculations and logic. Wondering where the lost semicolon have slipped away for half an hour. You stick your face staring your computer’s screen in a motionless drama looking for the twisted fate in the computer codes you’ve stayed with.

It makes your bones shatter into tiny bits like the Earth’s plate is crushing from a quake. And not just bones, but also the tissues, cells, organs and your whole system is starting to welcome forfeiture. It is indeed a kind of catastrophe you cannot love with but you live with. Yet, indeed, it makes us whole. The struggle is there, breaking us apart and tearing us into pieces and from these pintsize fragments comes a stronger version of ourselves. You take a sip of the sweet and bitter taste of an antiquated youth colored like a rusting metal. It is warm, like a fireplace for our soul that seemingly has entirely taken up the veins with the arteries in our body and replaced the blood flowing within. We aren’t free. We aren’t limitless. But we can always fly away. Fly away with the dreams with have. Fly away with the determination to finish every task in a delightful savor of success. You can do it and you just feel it.

And yes! This is nightlife. This is the nightlife where we pay sleep in exchange of an impressive power point presentation, high quiz scores, well-written term paper and an outstanding performance of defending thesis. This is the definition of nightlife that we, college students are devouring with every semester. Perhaps, it is not the best nightlife ever but those are the nights of our life that will always be worth of having no sleep.

MARICRIS

SANTILLES

Marahil nararapat nang aralin ng bawat Pilipino kung paano sumulat at magbasa ng Baybayin matapos aprubahan ng House Committee on Basic Education and Culture ang House Bill 1022 na naglalayong Ngunit sa kaalaman ng lahat, hindi nilalaman ng Baybayin ang kabuuang sistema ng pagsulat sa Pilipinas. Sa katunayan, ito ay isa lamang sa dokumentadong bilang ng pagsulat bago pa man ang kolonisasyon sa bansa. Ang oposisyon ay isa lamang sa mga nag-aalalang ang pagdedeklara

gawin itong pambansang iskrip. Umani ito ng iba’t ibang reaksyon mula sa mga historiador, linggwista, at ilang sektor ng lipunan, matapos ipanukala na gamitin ito sa mga pampublikong kalsada, mga

karatula at paalala, pasilidad ng mga sangay ng gobyerno at maging mga leybel ng pagkain.

Umusbong ang interes dito nang naglipana at pumatok sa social media ang sining ng gawaing-kamay at kaligrapya sa

BAYBAYIN

MARAHUYO SA MGA PILIPINONG KALIGRAPYA BAYBAYIN

ng Baybayin bilang pambansang paraan ng pagsulat ay magresulta sa tuluyang pagkawala ng malawak na dibersidad ng iskrip sa mayaman na arkipelago, at pagiging isentrikong Tagalog ng Baybayin. Pinaniniwalaang mayroong labing-anim (16) na uri ng sistemang panulat sa Pilipinas.

Ang salitang ‘Baybayin’ ay nagugat sa salitang ‘baybay’ sa Tagalog, sapagkat binabaybay nito ang bawat pantig ng salita bago isulat. Upang magkaroon ng komunikasyon sa mga sinaunang Filipino, pinagaralan ng mga dayuhan ang Baybayin upang maipalaganap ang Katolisismo

SURAT MANGYAN

bansa. Tila may pagkakahawig ang Baybayin sa ilang sistema ng pagsulat tulad ng Kanji at Hiragana ng Japan, Hangul ng Korea, at Sankrit ng India – bawat linya at kurba ng letra ay tila isang imbitasyon mula sa nakaraan.

sa mga isla. Ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit mas popular at mas maraming dokumentong naisulat sa Baybayin. Nang matutunan ng mga Filipino ang alpabetong Romano mula sa mga dayuhang mananakop, ang paggamit ng Baybayin ay unti-unti nang naglaho.

Naging mahirap para sa mga dayuhan ang maabot ang mga liblib at matatarik na lugar, dahilan upang mai-preserba ang ilan sa mga sinaunang sistema ng pagsulat. Ang iskrip sa hilaga ng mga Hanunό’o Mangyan at

iskrip sa timog ng mga Buhid ay nananatili hanggang kasalukuyan. Mayroon itong labingwalong (18) pangunahing pantig: tatlong patinig (a, u, i) at labinglimang katinig. Sa Hanunό’o, sinusulat ang mga letra

ng may kudlit sa taas o sa kanan ng simbolo ng letra, at isinusulat mula taas pababa. Sa Buhid, nilalagyan ng pahilís sa taas o ilalim ng simbolo, at isinusulat pahalang. Ang mga iskrip na ito ay tradisyunal na inuukit sa mga

TAGBANUA AT PALAW’AN

kawayan gamit ang matilos na kutsilyo. Makikita ang yaman ng kultura ng pangkat-etnikong ito mula sa kanilang tula at epiko.

Halintulad sa Surat Mangyan, ang iskrip ng grupo ng Tagbanwa at Pala’wan ay alpabetong pa-pantig na binubuo ng tatlong patinig (a, u, i) at labingtatlong katinig. Ang paggamit ng

K U L I T A N

kudlit sa itaas at ibaba ng simbolo ay nag-iindika ng pagbabago sa patinig, at isinusulat mula ibaba pataas. Ang pisaw, o maliit na kutsilyo, ang siyang ginagamit bilang panukit sa kawayan at kahoy.

Sa lahat ng mga iskrip na nadokumentuhan, ang Kulitan ang isa sa may mayaman na pinagmulan, sapagkat ito’y nag-ugat sa mitolohiya ng mga Kapampangan. Isinusulat ang Kulitan mula ibaba pataas bilang pag-alala sa natural na paggalaw ng araw

Ang iskrip ay ginagamit sa mga ritwal ng tribo, na tinatawag nilang ‘lambay it init bau uran’ – isang ritwal sa pagtatanim at pag-aani, at ‘pagbuyis’ laban sa mga epidemya at sakit. Sa

mula takipsilim hanggang dapit-hapon. Naiuugnay din ang Kulitan sa mahika at taboo, dahil ginagamit ang iskrip ng mga manghuhula, babaylan, at mga ispiritwal na manggagamot, paggawa ng anting-anting at mga agimat,

kasalukuyan, hindi tulad ng Surat Mangyan, ang Tagbanua at Pala’wan iskrip ay naipreserba bilang relikong pang-kultural, hindi bilang pang-komunikasyon.

talisman at pangungulam. Sinasabi ring ang mga sumpa at usog ay sinusulat sa Kulitan upang mas maging epektibo ito. At ang mga salitang sinulat sa mga simbolo ng Kulitan ay sinusunog bilang komunikasyon sa mga ispiritu ng mga ninuno, bayani

at mga taong yumao na. Dahil sa koneksyon ng Kulitan sa bawal at paganong paniniwala, isa ito marahil sa mga dahilan kung bakit iniiwasan ng mga tao ang paggamit nito, maging ang pagtuturo sa mga dayuhan.

MAYAMAN NA DIBERSIDAD NG PILIPINONG PAGSULAT

Ang Surat Mangyan at ang Tagbanua Script ay idineklarang National Cultural Treasures noong 1997 ng National Museum, at opisyal na-inscribed sa UNESCO Memory of the World noong 1999. Hindi maikakailang hindi nawawala ang panganib na tuluyang maglaho at malimutan ang mga sinaunang sistema ng pagsulat, maging ang mga pang-etnikong lenggwahe kung hindi ito pagtutuunan ng pansin at pagpapahalaga.

Ang National Writing System Act ay marahil isang matapang na hakbang upang mai-preserba ang kultura, ngunit hindi makakaila na mapagtutuunan lamang ng pansin ang isang uri ng sistema, habang ang natitira ay nananatiling nasa dilim. At habang magandang pakinggan na maraming Pilipino ang nagpapakita ng interes sa Baybayin, huwag parin nating kalilimutan na hindi ito nag-iisa.

NON DUCOR, DUCO KATRINA

CAMPUS JOURN: DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM

Ang panulat ay mas matalim kaysa sa punyal. Ang kalayaang makapagpahayag ng mga saloobin ay isa sa mga regalo ng demokrasya. Habang pinoprotektahan ng konstitusyon ang karapatang ito na naisabatas ng dating Pangulong Corazon Aquino, kinikilala ng Campus Journalism Act (CJA) ang malaking gampanin ng pamamahayag noong diktaturyang Marcos. Tila nakaka-alarma na ang Pangulo mismo—na siyang makailang ulit na nagpahayag ng pagdidiin sa karapatang pantao—ang siya ngayong naghihirang sa pagupasala at pagbubusal para sa ikatatahimik ng mga kritiko ng kanyang administrasyon.

Hindi na bago ang ganitong sistema, kung saan tila ang isang paa ng mamamahayag ay nasa hukay. Napatunayan ito ng nalagim na Maguindanao Massacre, at ilang dokumentadong kaso ng pagpatay sa mga peryodista. Ngunit ang laban ay nagsisimula sa unibersidad, tulad ng ating Sintang Paaralan.

MGA PAGLABAG

Ayon sa College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) kung saan miyembro ang opisyal na publikasyon ng PUPSTB—The Searcher, may walong (8) uri ng paglabag sa malayang pamamahayag:

Una, ang sensura kung saan ang tagapayo ng publikasyon ay nagmumungkahi nang pagbabago ng opinyon bago ang pag-imprenta sa papel at ang direktang pakikialam ng administrasyon. Paglabag ding maituturing ang pamamagitan ng tagapayo sa mga polisiyang editoryal, pamimili ng istorya at operasyon ng pahayagan. Ikaapat, ang pagpapaliban at pagpigil sa koleksyong pinansyal na nagreresulta sa pagkaantala ng paglilimbag nito. Ang pagsasampa ng libel matapos ang kritikal at progresibong artikulo ay isa ring paglabag. Mayroon ding mga halimbawa ng pantatahimik at pagmamatyag sa piling miyembro ng midya, o ang ambang suspensyon at pagpapaalis sa mga estudyanteng mamamahayag. At huli, ang hindi

CULPABILITY

mandatoryang pangongolekta ng publication fee para iparalisa ang operasyon ng pahayagan.

Ilan na sa mga nabanggit ang nararanasan ng aming publikasyon. At ang laban na kinakahirap hindi lamang ng The Searcher, pati narin ng iba pang pahayagan mula sa iba’t ibang sangay ng PUP, ay nagsisimula pa lamang.

MGA PANUKALANG HAKBANG

Naunang ipininanukala ng dating Kabataan Party-List Representative Terry Ridon ang House Bill 1493 kung saan iminungkahi niya ang sapilitang pangongolekta ng laang-salapi para matugunan ang operasyon ng publikasyon. Nasa panukala rin ang probisyon sa seguridad sa panahon ng panunungkulan ng miyembro,

HUMAN NATURE

at ang kapangyarihang iaatang sa CHED, TESDA at DepEd na mag-imbestiga sa mga paglabag at aksyong nararapat gawin. Kasama rin rito ang pagbibigay ng legal na tulong, at pagma-mandatorya sa lahat ng unibersidad na magtatag kahit na isang opisyal na publikasyon.

PAMAMAHAYAG: KALAYAAN O PRIBILEHIYO

Lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat, ang pagiging estudyanteng mamamahayag ay walang komersiyal na interes, sapagkat ang pondo nito ay nagmumula na mismo sa mga mag-aaral. Ang laban na ito ay hindi lamang laban namin, dahil ang hangaring malaman ang katotohanan mula sa lahat ng anggulo, maging ang matapang na pagpapahayag dito, ay tungkulin ng lahat.

system is worst but it’s no help if we keep on pointing accusations. No tomorrow will be like today. We can change our country’s

PHILIPPINES: WHAT TOMORROW WILL BE?

It is given that every country, region and state has diverse problems of their own. Ours, Philippines, is a true example of one—drugs, traffic, crime, corruption, education, inflation, poverty, among the few. And when matters went out of hand,

it’s so much easier to blame the government as it represents the whole. But I think it’s not always the administration or the oligarch of social strata. If we try to go beyond and seek for the real issue, we must assess the root of much broader issue we experience in common.

Culture and influence bred most of the Filipinos’ attitude and mentality. “Ningas Kugon” and “Bahala Na” attitude were well-observed which affect our decisions, focus and productivity. Most of the Filipinos also lack in discipline—like jaywalking, traffic violations and improper waste disposal. People also lack the basic humane like empathy and respect, where degree and fluency in English dictate the wealth and intelligence of an individual. The politics, unfortunately, is another matter. One news blew up the Twitter Community when one police officer admitted that it is a norm in PNP where underaged daughters of drug pushers got sexually abused in exchange of their parents’ release. Such a disgrace for someone whose job is to protect and secure the safety of the community. Others show minimal concern about Lumad Indigenous Tribe, who are now struggling in Mindanao whose ancestral land was being forcefully taken away due to conversion of land into oil mine corporation. As of being an agricultural of the country, lands were converted into industries where government’s sheer inefficiency and incompetence couldn’t pull the projects off the ground. OBJECTIVE REALITY

Knowing what attitudes we have, what we really see and hear in news should be indicative of social problems we are facing today. Weak curriculum, insufficient number of books, high density of students, low salary of teachers, neglected school facilities – all of that pertaining to our current education system. Though we can teach children the basics of writing, reading and counting, attitude is as just crucial as intelligence. Another, the transportation system is getting worse and worse every other day. Congested roads, lack and malfunctions of trains, heavy traffic, smoke belching vehicles and accidents that give economy a major problem. Those social problems are undeniable proofs of corruption here in our country. It is consummated either by kickbacks, percentage of sharing, direct pocketing, bribery or passage of illegal goods, permitted by someone in position.

I’m not pessimistic. I’m just saying the truth and reality can be observed. Our country has a lot of potential. We should begin the fixing within ourselves. If you can do something to help the country, don’t think twice to do so. Don’t always pull all the blame on the government or to anyone. Yes, the country’s

future if we start changing ourselves. We’re the hope of future, please don’t fail to do so.

LACKADAISICAL APPROACH GERMAINE

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH PROCRASTINATION

“I’ll start studying for my exams after I clean this electric fan. Maybe I should clean the whole house too.” We’ve been there. We all know this kind of procrastination. We prefer to do the side task, delaying in submitting the requirements and even in preparing for the examinations; we keep underestimating the time we need to finish a task and start cramming the night before the deadline. In education and training, the term academic procrastination is commonly used to denote the delay in academic activities. It may be intentional, incidental

and/or habitual but significantly affects learning and achievement of university students. However, procrastination is actually divided into two types – the behavioral and the decisional.

Procrastination appears a tendency, attitude or behavioral trait which is described as indecisive state lacking in will power and vitality to do a work. While behavioral procrastination is characterized by irrational delay and distraction, decisional procrastination seems rational and intentional. Whatever the kind of

OF CULTURE AND CARICATURE

MEME CULTURE

Internet is a large virtual world serving as a bridge for faster communication travelling at the speed of light. In the midst of continuous progress, we become busy heads. However, we still find amusement that captures humor within a single frame: memes. A quick browse provides a simple definition: an idea, behavior, or style presented as any humorous image, video, or text that spreads from one person to another within a culture. Movies, celebrities, annual events, sports, politics, and even Philippine

procrastination is, however, it slows down the performance of students making them less competent, passive and academically stagnant & irresponsible. Being the A student, here are some tips to help you get over procrastinating and start working like dog again:

1. Avoid Distractions. Say goodbye to your Twitter and Instagram followers for a while and embrace that offline mode. Social media and other online activities can really eat up our time. Imagine if we just stop for one hour scrolling through our newsfeed and start reading our notes with comprehension. We can actually master one lesson or even one examination coverage.

2. Do it now, and never say later. On a procrastinator’s dictionary, later is defined as a mystical land where 99% of all human productivity, motivation, and achievement is stored. If you really want to stop procrastinating, have this in mind—what can be accomplished now must be done.

3. Have a schedule and follow it religiously. This one is tricky. Most of the procrastinators actually have

orchestrated strings of emojis.

Meme is a part of our life now.

There’s no wonder how most people appreciate ridiculous but oftentimes close to the truth satire, bringing them relief from stress. However, at the core of every meme we share comes a negative counterpart—ridicule.

planners and schedules everything they have to do. Yet, they tend to delay task after task after task until they have to resched everything and cram the next day. To stop this, you must learn how to treat your planner like your boss and respect what the planner says.

4. Be realistic with the time frame. You are not a hero. If you think that all-nighters will save you from all the time you wasted lying around binge watching on Netflix, you’re wrong. Most of the procrastinators fail to deliver because they underestimated the time they needed to do a certain job. You have to balance your time working and also give yourself a break. If you think that you can work non-stop for one night for a one month amount of workloads, think again.

5. Stay focused, Isko! You may lost your motivation and will to do work but always think about why you even started. Remember that you are an Iskolar ng Bayan and you are trained to surpass anything. You may have some rest if you’re tired but never give up. Things may get hard but in the end, you’ll reap what you sow.

this nation will be blessed with empathy—a human nature that shouldn’t be foreign for everyone.

History—these are the norms we often see in our social networking sites, thus giving out the subject for today’s meme culture.

A good example is the Twitter movement bearing the hashtag #RP612fic pursuing comical retellings of history in commemoration of Philippine Independence. Filipino netizens ingeniously pulled out pop culture references with Jose Rizal’s time through numerous memes. Photos and videos posted in various social media platforms earned a lot of positive response and well-

Yes, memes are fun.That is the nature of memes—to entertain, if not figuratively slap the truth on our faces. But when it comes to sensitive issues like rape, sexuality, race, and depression, do you think that we can still take it as a joke?

Weeks ago, while browsing through my Facebook newsfeed, I saw a shared post of someone quoting, “Rape is not a crime, it is a surprised sex,” as a caption to a photo of an oddly-smiling man. Many laughed—but rape was no laughing matter. It is not a joke that you can make a meme out of. I hope more citizens of

Another appalling meme is the photo of a boy with a down syndrome showing a ‘stop’ hand gesture or the ‘Taph Taph’ meme. Patrice Moral, a woman who personally knows the boy once sent a message to the girl who shared the meme. Moral humbly asked the girl to take the post down and told her that it hurts her to see the boy being ridiculed for having Down syndrome. The girl, fortunately, did what was asked and apologized later. There are things we can never laugh at. We must become conscious about what we choose to share. Let us be compassionate and sensitive as much as we’re witty and creative. And tomorrow, afar from this virtual world, we will all soon be able to find the genuine happiness we are all longing for.

PULSO NI ISKO: SASAYAW KA BA SA TUGTUGIN NG CHACHA (Charter Change)?

1. Yes! Maybe this is the “change” that we need to adapt. And the time has finally come to break the political norms that we are used to. Federalism might has its own advantages and disadvantages, maybe we all not yet to embrace this change as it has a big impact to each and everyone but then, when are we going to be ready? The thing is, we are always afraid of changes, and we always have something to say that we tend to miss a lot of opportunities. Opportunities that can help us & give us an access to acquire economic progress, better political ideology, a country that is not always dependent and great manpower (like almost all of us are productive citizens). Eliminate the corrupt leaders, distribute the taxes accordingly, deter poverty, no to injustice, no to abuse of power, yes to responsible & disciplined citizens, embrace the change & diet without fearing anything but GOD! —#BSPsych #RB_M

2. Many Filipinos families aren’t aware of that Cha-Cha, moreover, they weren’t aware of that so-called “Federalism.” However, they wouldn’t be knowledgeable if it not gonna happen. “Walang mababago kung hindi magbabago,” LET’S FACE THE REALITY, LET’S FACE THE FUTURE. Wag masanay sa nakasanayan.—

JDDM DOMT 1-1

3. Not 100% agree, umay na lang siguro ako sa kasalukuyang Sistema. Ibang methodology naman, baka sakaling mas magiging maayos ang bansa. Pero s’yempre nasa mamamayan pa rin nakasalalay ang katagumpayan nito.—M’Leblanc

4. At bakit naman hindi, lalo na kung ito ang makakapagpaganda ng buhay ng mga Pilipino. Pero sana naman ’wag gawing Prime Minister si Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Pero kung ano at ano man ang mangyari, sige support lang natin—just sayin’—kuyang OMT 

5. Like! Sometimes, change is necessary to turn the good things into something even better. Siguro tayo ay sanay na for better or for worse sa mga bagaybagay, which is why we disagree.—bongTV

1. KUNG PARA SA IKABUBUTI NG PINAS, SUPORTAHAN NA LANG NATIN. WAG PURO REKLAMO! G! PUP MAPAGMAHAL!—BSITShantiDope__

2. Sige, Para maindak sa tuwa ang mga tanga! (Jingle ni Uson)— Chacha ENT 4-1

3. Itanong natin kay Mocha Uson—Magic Sarap

4. It’s a Yes!—Marifer Santiago

LOVE

1. Walang permanente sa mundo.—Anonymous

PULSO NI ISKO

Hindi na ako magpapamajor guys.

Wala nang final exam para di na kayo mahirapan guys. Tapos guys guys

Si President na bahalang gumawa ng lahat guys.

Basta sa evaluation, itaas niyo naman guys.

Ma’am, Ma’am, Ma’am!

Zero na naman sa exam!?

Paano ba naman kinakain sinasabi.

Lesson naman pala’y madali, Salamat Khan Academy.

Si Ateng na sasalubungin ka ng malakas na “Hoooy!~ UTANG MOOOOOOO.”

Bayad sa ganyan, bayad sa ganito.

Aba, treasurer ka lang ano!

Di pwedeng mahinahon ‘teh?

Hindi ikaw nanay ko, beshie.

HARD HAT

Wow naman ’tong si kras Kung makapagpainlab, wagas! Lagi akong naaalala— Kapag kailangan ay sangkaterba, Kapag mayroong ipagagawa’t ibibida

IMPLASYON: LAHAT NA NAGMAHAL DAHIL SA AKIN. IKAW ANO ANG EPEKTO KO SA ’YO?

1. HINDI MO KASALANAN, HINDI LANG TALAGA NILA MARAMDAMAN NG AYOS ANG ATING BANSA. PASASAAN PA, AT MAGIGING AYOS DIN ANG LAHAT.—The RYZAA MAE SHOW

2. Dati-dati maraming pagkain sa bahay pero mula ng maipatupad ang implasyon, taggutom na.—smile

3. Magulat ka na lang yung talsik ng laway mo puwede na pagkakitaan. #LUMPIAFRVR—KUYA GUARD

4. Ako: Ang sakit mo! Dumating ka pa! Di naman kita inaasahan sa buhay ko!—SeniorCitizen

5. Kung may sahod ang pagpapabida, milyonarya ka na.—ID ko wala

6. 1 KILO NG SILI 1000PHP+

1 KILO NG BIGAS 80PHP

JEEPNEY FARE 12PHP BY NOVEMBER PERO AND SAHOD NG MGA MANGGAGAWA, BELOW MINIMUM WAGE NA NGA, DI PA REGULAR. ANO’NG BALAK NINYO SA MGA PILIPINO? PAPATAYIN NINYO SA GUTOM? SA HIGH COMMODITY PRICES?!—Memegurl

7. Nasasaktan na kami dahil nagmamahal lahat sa ’yo. Walang natira sa pagmamahal para sa amin—Mamamayang Pilipino

8. Presyo ng sili mahal na din. Maanghang na salita na lamang ang matitikman ng mga maralita…—Anonymous

Hell week na, pero sagot kita! Sobrang sweet namin, di ba? Masaya na sana, kaso one-sided ang drama.

Ate, ate, eng penende nenyo, eneng klese?

Mey helong gento be o sele?

Beketch ‘yeng depet dos ey syete?

‘Yeng depet syete ey dose?

Dati po ba kayong tagaperya? Tagakolekta ng pera?

Tagapihit ng kaha?

Bakit grades namin ay minamaneobra

Ang galing n’yo naman pong mangroleta.

1. Hindi kalaban ang PEDERALISMO… Ang Ating kalaban ay TAYOMISMO—IE 5-1

2. Yes naman! Sasayawan pa kita <3.—RJ

3. iPEPE, iDEDE IPEPEDEDERALISMO!—Mocha

4. Of course. Since ini-implement naman ng government na isulong ang Federalism. Kailangan talaga ng Charter Change.—EEYouth_Kid

2. Federalism will just intensify corruption in LGUs, it is more rational to first address local narco-politician and political dynasty before paving a way in an unsafe destination.—joggi

3. KADA PALIT NA LANG NG PANUGLO, CHA-CHA ANG ISINUSULONG. KUNG GANDAHAN NA LANG KAYA NILA ANG BATAS NA GINAGAWA NILA?!!— huhuhu

4. The idea is good but we are not ready yet. For me, instead of focusing on cha-cha, we should focus on poverty and corruption first. ‘Yun muna ang atupagin before anything else. Moreover, it’s the biggest problem we’re still facing.—Blu

5. We are not ready for that. The people who uses the system is the problem in the government not the system or change. Kahit magcha-cha pa everyday kung ganun pa ren ‘yung nagamit at nag-i-implement. Walang mangyayare sa bansa natin.—Princess Thea (BSIT)

6. Maganda ang idea ng Pederalismo. Sa tingin ko lang, hindi pa handa ang bansa natin para sa ganitong klase ng pagbabago. Paigtingin at pagplanihan muna ng mabuti.—GRAM

1. The people serving us right now doesn’t even know how our prevailing consti works, Federalism pa kaya? #OustDuterte—playxisko

2. Federalism is a crucial subject or matter.—Anonymous

3. #JunkTRAINLaw #FIREMOCHA #DefendWPS #BoycottJollibeeGroup

#UpholdDemocraticRights #EndEndoNow #BoycottNurtiAsia

#ChallengeDuterte #StandWithTheLumad #NoToChaCha #StandWithTheWorkers #DefendPressFreedom—BG

Tanong lang po namin, isa ka bang Avenger?

Idol mo ba’ng may hawak ng time stone, Sir?

Grabe, daig pa pala ninyo si Doctor Strange!

Pag-extend ng oras anlayo ng range.

Kung di niyo natatanong e kami’y may next class pa.

See you sa next movie ng Marvels, Sir, dala us pizza.

Uy! Sexy, pasok ka na! Kahit ID ay wala ka Kahit wasak-wasak ’yang pantalon mo, Kahit super short na short pa ’yang shorts mo.

Basta h’wag mong kakalimutang kindatan ako.

Yieeeeeeeeeeeut.

Gusto kita kaso mas gusto kong mapag-isa.

Naaalala naman kita pero mas naaalala ko siya.

Sorry ha! Baka napaasa kita o baka sadyang marupok ka.

Hindi ako para sa ’yo o baka hindi lang kita talaga gusto.

9. Sobrang hirap mag-earn ng pera ngayon tapos hindi sapat suweldo namin!! Ano na Pilipinas —PUP Alumnus

10. Mahirap para sa aming may mga work na!!! Lalo na pag mababa ang rates—Anonymous

11. Political maturity lang naman ang isa sa rason kung bakit may ganyan! Sisihin si Nene!!!! At saka ano na lang ang mangyayari sa generation namin!!! HA! HA!! Pati pag-utot dapat limitado na den!— UTUTEN <3

12. Epekto mo sa ’kin? Putek nakiki-selfie na din ako pag may nakita ’kong sili sa bahay! Lahat na nagmahal! Pati si mashu mahal na din ako <3 HOY! HINDI LAHAT NG PILIPINO NAKAKAIN NG 3 BESES SA ISANG ARAW KASE DI NILA AFFORD! TAPOS GAN’TO?! T@#6!~@—Maymay

13. Pwede focus naman tayo sa good side, hindi yung puro sa bad side na lang tayo nakatingin. Pero kung sabagay, nature yan ng mga tao. Di naman sa pabor ako diyan, nasa middle ground lang ako kasi iniisip ko yung advantage and disadvantage nito. —Kuyang OMT

14. Lahat nga nagmamahal sa ’yo pero napapansin mo ba talaga ako? ( _ _) Na nagmamahal rin sa ’yo? Katukayo sa sobrang lakas ng agos, kelangan mong maki-ayon pero kelan mo ’to kokontrahin? Kelan ka tataliwas? Hahayaan mo na lang ban a ikaw lagi ay makiki-go with the flow? Malakas ang epekto mo sa ’kin… Pero ikaw ba… Naapektuhan ka ba?—nam

15. Naiinis ako sa ’yo kasi nauna ka pa magmahal kaysa sa kanya. —Hopia

16. Kawawa na lalo ang restaurant naming, hirap nang kumita, mas lalo pang pinahirapan. Pero hindi mo naman kasalanan. Hindi mo naman choice kung dadating ka o hindi. Sana sa pagtatrabaho ko bumaba ka na! Malapit na akong umalis ditto sa school bilang isang graduate.—Kimiko 4-1

17. MALI NA PILITIN MONG MAGMAHAL ANG BAGAY

NA DAPAT NAMAN AY HINDI.  KAYA LUMAGO ANG CHILI BUSINESS KO!—SILISQUAD!

Hindi ako vegetarian, humanitarian ako mga bessy. Ako’y prof ni’yong sandamakmak ang pa-activity Ayokong hindi kayo busy, gusto kong lahat tayo, unhappy. Sige bawian n’yo ako evaluation, tadtarin ng uno’t gawing laude. Pero h’wag magulat kung masingko, ano kayo, sinusuwerte?

Oh, that son of a b*tch They’re on fire They’re toxic watching them crumble With a taste of a petty jealousy They can’t leave each other Don’t they know that they’re toxic?

Bakit higitan pa rin pababa, mga trops?

Taguan ng resources, ang damot pa sa notes.

Survival ang college, di competition for honor roll

Mga damuho, dinaig pa si Thanos with his evil crones.

Meron kasing isang tao diyan, Na kung kailan tapos na, Na kung kailan planado na, Na kung kailan na-print na, Saka mamimigay ng mga ideya!

ANG IYONG MABABASA AY PAWANG MGA OPINYON AT SALOOBIN NG ATING MGA KA-ISKO’T ISKA SA UNIBERSONG PANGKA-PUPIAN. KAYA’T TURBANTE’Y IHANDA, AT PASARINGAN ANG MGA PAADIB NA WALANG KADALA-DALA!

4. HINDI. Maganda ang konsepto ng pederalismo ngunit hindi ito naaangkop sa lagay ng ating bansa sa ngayon. Pababang ekonomiya. Pagbulusok pataas ng mga presi ng bilihin. Mga palpak na opisyal. Paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao. Patuloy na pananig ng endo. Pagsasawalang-bahala sa usapin sa West Philippine Sea. Pagtapyas sa bugdget sa edukasyon. Pananakot sa mga kritiko ng gobyerno. Ilan lamang ito sa mga usapin na dapat munang bigyan ng pansin. Not now, Cha-Cha. Not now.—bITbright

RENZ GONZALES

THE SEARCHER PRESENTS

A Story of my Life

PUPians! Take a break muna tayo sa mga exams at deadline! Halina’t maglakbay sa isang mundong puno ng mga nakasanayan a walang bago! Basahin ang artikulong ito at alamin kung gaano ka-stereotype ang buhay mo! Sakay na sa magic carpet at alamin kung saang mundo ka nito dadalhin. Bon Voyage!

ANONG APP ANG HAPPY PILL MO AT BAKIT? 10

A. Instagram dahil mukha kang mayaman at importanteng tao.

B. Youtube dahil halos naroon na lahat ng dapat at gusto mong malaman, like pagpi-prito ng paborito mong itlog.

C. Twitter dahil nasisiyahan kang mag-rant, mambash ng maling grammar at mag-share ng memes.

9

NAGYAYANG MAG-STARBUCKS ANG PINAKAKURIPOT MONG TROPA. ANONG IPAPA-LIBRE MO?

A. Frappe habang nakikinig ng instrumentals.

B. Espresso habang binibingi ang sarili sa Billboard 100.

C. Di ka sasama dahil mas masarap pa ang 3-in-1 at magaganda ang jamming sa Wish Fm.

MAYROON KANG ULTIMATE PUPIAN CRUSH, PAANO KA MAGPAPANSIN SA KANYA? 8

A. Magpapaka-Einstein para maturuan si crush. Ika nga nila, Brainy is the new sexy.

6

A. Bibili ng pagmamahal no matter the cost.

B. Bibilhin ang Pilipinas para mabago ang bulok na sistema nito. Pati narin sa unli seafood.

C. Ititigil mo ang pagi-imagine.

SA UNANG PAGKAKATAON, HINDI MAGIGING DRAWING ANG PLANO NIYO WITH YOUR FRIENDS PERO DAHIL SA BALAT MO SA PWET, DUN KA PA NAWALAN NG PERA. SINO ANG UUTANGAN MO?

A. Si Bestie na nagne-networking ngunit malaki magpatong ng tubo, from 1k to 10k real quick.

B. Si Mama mo dahil marami na rin naman siyang utang sa’yo na sinabi niyang babayaran pero hindi mo magawang singilin kasi siguradong palalayasin ka ng bahay.

C. Strong at independent person ka kaya hindi ka mangungutang. Magsisimula ka nang magbuhat ng buto at magpamahagi ng sobre sa jeep.

4 ANONG SUPER POWER ANGPIPILIIN MONG MAKAMIT?

A. Kapangyarihan na tulad ng kay Elsa dahil nanlalamig na siya sa’yo at kailangan mo nang mag-let go.

B. Kapangyarihan ng araw! Taglay ay liwanag! Kambal na lakas!

C. Mala-tear gas na utot.

IMAGINE NA NANALO KA SA GRAND LOTTO MATAPOS ANG SAKDAL-SAKDAL MONG PAGHIHIKAOS SA BUHAY. PAANO MO GAGASTUSIN ANG PERANG NAPANALUNAN MO? 7 2

MATAGAL MO NANG INAASAM NA MAGKAROON NG CONCERT GIG SA SINTANG PAARALAN, ANONG BANDA ANG IRE-REQUEST MO?

A. Mga bandang sadista sa feelings tulad ng December Avenue at Ben&Ben

B. Mga bandang babasag ng bungo mo like Slapshock at Greyhoundz.

C. Mga batikang mang-aawit tulad nina Marian Rivera, Kim Chui at Barbie Forteza.

5

B. Sasali sa mga performing orgs like Indak, Mozarts at Teatro at ilalabas ang iyong hidden talent.

C. Wala lang. Marami ka naming backup crushes sa lahat ng program.

NGAYONG MAY KAPANGYARIHAN KA NA, MAY ISANG SLOT NA BAKANTE SA DA ABENJERS NGUNIT REQUIRED ANG ISANG MALUPIT NA SCREEN NAME. ANONG NAIISIP MO?

A. Blue Blazing Breeze of Gravity (kasi lagi kang napo-fall)

B. Marvelous Atomic Booger

C. Batang Hamog na ‘Di Mahal ng Magulang

3

SINABI NG PROF MO NA MAY LESSON SIYA NA HINDI NIYA ILALAGAY SA FINAL EXAM KAYA HINDI MO NA ITO INARAL, NGUNIT ISANG MALAKING SCAM LANG PALA IYON! ANONG GAGAWIN MO?

A. Pipiliting paganahin ang both hemispheres ng iyong cerebrum para alalahanin ang lesson.

B. Ilalabas ang bolang kristal para hulaan ang mga sagot tutal manghuhula lang din naman ng grades ang prof mo. C. Chill lang kasi kung babagsak ka, ibabagsak mo rin naman sa evaluation ang prof na ito (kwits lang)

1

MAYROON KANG ISANG ORAS NA FREE TIME NGUNIT ALAM MONG TAMBAK KA PA NG GAWAIN. ANONG GAGAWIN MO?

A. Mamaya na muna dahil nakita mong Active si crush. Pero di mo magawang i-chat kaya padabog mong gagawin ang workloads mo.

B. ML is life. Hindi pwedeng mapagiwanan ka ng buong tropa.

C. Nap muna for four hours at procrastinate. Nabuhay ka naman sa college ng puro cramming so sanay ka na.

ANG HOPELESS ROMANTICS

Kung mostly A’s ang sagot mo, mas siguro ang pagpunta mo sa setting ng Disney kaysa King’s Landing ng GOT. Ikaw ang pinakatipikal na taong makakasalubong ng lahat. Isa kang taong nag-uumapaw ang pagmamahal kahit na patuloy na ipinagkakait ito sa iyo. Hindi ka man jowable, ang mahalaga busilak ang puso mo tulad ni Mother Teresa. Mahilig ka sa tae (trial-in-error). Ikaw ang tipo ng tao na hindi nagsasawang sumubok sa mga bagay-bagay at isa ka ring risk taker! Malaki ang iyong D at P! Dedikasyon at Pagpupursige. Huwag kang mag-alala, kahit hindi ka niya mahal at lagi kang iniiwan sa ere, ang mahalaga mas mahal ka ng ina mo!

ANG ATAPANG ATAO

Kung B ang sagot mo dahil hindi mo ito sineryoso, ang mundo ng mga alamat ay magbubukas para sa iyo ! Dinaig mo pa si Hercules sa lakas ng fighting spirit mo. Maraming tao ang humahanga sa laki ng iyong T! Tiwala sa sarili. Hindi ka kagandahang tao pero mataas naman ang confidence mo at marami kang kayang gawin. Hidden talent mo ang pagpasok ng 30 minutos na late pero complete attendance ka parin. Hindi ka man deserved maging DL, mautak ka naman dahil alam mo ang mga dapat gawin para mag-survive sa college.

ANG ANTAGONISTA

Kung kalimita’y C ang iyong sagot, malayo ang mararating mo ngunit hindi pa ito tiyak. Patungo ka sa mundong walang kahit na sino man ang nakakarating pa dahil ito’y para lamang sa iyo! OST mo ang ‘San Darating’ dahil katulad ng kumanta niyo ay unique ka! Bukas ang iyong mata sa katotohanan… katotohanang wala ka nang pag-asa kaya go with the flow ka nalang. Matalino ka pero boring kasama kaya kailangan mo ng isang kaibigang magtuturo sa iyo ng tamang landas.