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”?

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 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

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.

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

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.

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.

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