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.

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.