Newspaper Vol.62 No.8 - NOV-DEC 2017 by TheSpectrum-USLS

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VOLU M E 62 N U M BE R 8 · NOV E M BE R T O DE C E M BE R 2017

T H E O F F I C I A L S T U D E N T M E D I A C O R P S O F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F S T. L A S A L L E

NEWS Lasallian IT students create “Vessels”, an application that helps find blood donors within Negros Occidental. read on page 3 EDITORIAL Are students the only ones expected to uphold respect, proper decorum, and Lasallian values? The culture of respect should not be one-sided. read on page 4

FEATURE Let us look back at the hurdles we faced this 2017, and be reminded that no challenge is stronger than the Filipinos. read on page 6

LEISURE How do other cultures and sects celebrate the December holidays? Experience them in this issue’s Wikationary! read on page 9

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE 2017 has been one for the books, including the weird trends that made a buzz. read on page 10

FUSING THE FUTURE. A contractor welds two iron pieces at the construction site of the St. Br. Miguel Hall.

—NICHOL FRANCIS T. ANDUYAN

St. Br. Miguel bldg. opens for SHS; Handumanan Park, CBA underway The newly constructed building for the senior high school students was officially blessed by Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon of the Diocese of Bacolod alongside President and Chancellor Br. Joaquin Martinez, FSC, D. Min. last Nov. 21. The building was christened “St. Miguel” as a dedication to St. Br. Miguel Febres Cordero, FSC, who was an academician and educator. “He [was] a very good

educator, very good researcher. So, we wanted to strengthen the impression that La Salle is really building academic excellence; better education for a better future for students. More academically prepared,” said Martinez. With an estimated budget of P110 million, the six-storey building designed by Francis de los Reyes consists of 20 classrooms with glass windows overlooking the Handumanan Park below, two CCTV cameras in each floor and a rooftop still in the works.

“Being able to be the pioneer batch of the K-12, I think it is an honor that we’re going to use the new building,” said John Ray Dionisio, Liceo’s Student Activities Council President. “I think as what Br. Kenneth has mentioned, it is important that we are going to value education as well as being able to have the spirit of unity in each one of us,” he continued. Besides the humidity because of the lack of air conditioners, Dionisio expressed how glad and impressed he is with the design. “The way we see art to be

very diverse, this is really a contemporary type of art for an architectural structure,” said Dionisio. “It’s really good, it’s really impressive.” Around a thousand students can be housed in the new building, which is designed to be

group answered, “I think our being Lasallians is what makes us distinct from other choral groups.” The group had just come from a win at the Vietnam International Choir Competition earlier last June 7-11. The group mentions, “We just see to it that every performance is a learning experience,” stated Omero. “We see this particular win in Vallacar as an affirmation that we are on the right track.”

EXCELLENCE. Julius Dominique Anjao receives his award for Best in Paper and Oral Presentation during the WONCA Asia Pacific Conference in Pattaya, Thailand.

BY IDA SARENA M. GABAYA

—PHOTO CURTESY OF DE LA SALLE CHORALE FACEBOOK PAGE

The De La Salle Chorale-Bacolod took home the title of Grand Champion at the Third Vallacar Chorale Competition held at Robinsons Place Bacolod this past Dec. 17. Sponsored by Vallacar Transit Inc., the competition offered a prize of P60,000 to the winner among chorale groups within Negros Occidental, a majority of them coming from Bacolod City. With this money, the group intends to help pay for their upcoming trip to Singapore in July, where they will be competing in the 11th Orientale Concentus International Choral Competition. The group, whose charism states “Excellence with a soul, competence with compassion,” are no strangers to wins and the competition itself. Having participated in the Vallacar Chorale Competition once before, the choir entered into the event with the main goal of impressing their choirmaster, Serry Repique, and artistic director, Nini Gamilla. Most importantly, their prevailing concern in participating

in the competition was to touch the hearts of many. “It is our goal to be able to transcend our music beyond a mere performance to something that could touch or inspire lives,” stated Karla Omero, in behalf of the choir. With this mantra, the group hailed the winning title, beating eight other competitors with ‘Paskong Anong Saya’ and ‘Better World,’ ending their year with yet another victory. When asked what set their choir apart from the others, the

VICTORS. Members of the De La Salle Chorale pose with their cash prize after they championed the third Vallacar Chorale Competition.

continued by Martinez. Renovating the Handumanan Park and the College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) building is Martinez’s next project beginning this January. CBA’s evacuation is being worked on.

Med undergrad bags research awards in Thailand

USLS wins Vallacar Chorale tilt BY ANDREA DANIELLE A. GAMBOA

solar-panelled. The solar panels, also the air conditioners and elevators, are yet to follow. The conceptualization and construction of the building first began under former president and chancellor Br. Manuel Pajarillo, FSC and was

—PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIUS DOMINIQUE ANJAO

BY CHRISTIANA CLAUDIA G. GANCAYCO

Third year medical student Julius Dominique Anjao garnered the Best in Paper and Best in Oral Presentation awards during the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Pattaya, Thailand from Nov. 1 to Nov. 4. “We have two research papers, both are about orphans here in Bacolod City. We have a quantitative study entitled ‘Quality of Life Among Orphans in Selected Orphanages in Bacolod

City, Philippinesand a qualitative study entitled ‘Living Without Light and Pillars’. We initially conducted the quantitative study and from the results of that study, we made a follow-up in-depth investigation using a qualitative approach,” stated Anjao. Anjao was the only undergraduate research presenter in the conference. All the international researchers were either Family Medicine specialists or Family Medicine Residents from various international hospitals and universities. “At first, I was quite insecure considering that I’m the only student present in the conference, but then I realized

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that instead of being insecure, I should take it as a privilege,” said Anjao. Anjao shared that he experienced some difficulties and hesitations throughout his journey, from financial reasons to missing classes and midterm exams. “In med school, one missed class is like one to three chapters missed,” he said. Furthermore, Anjao mentioned how the accomplishment would not have been possible without the help of his research group members Norainne Krisandra Alambra, Daryll Antipuesto, Erica Aragon, Dominique Francis Gumahin, Charles Adrian Legislador, Gabriel Victor Lopez, and their research adviser Dr. Balintawak Sison-Gareza, who is a Social Health Researcher with an Ed.D in Psychology and Guidance and a Ph.D in Social Science on top of her Medical Degree. In addition to the awards they have won, Gareza and Anjao were invited by WONCA to be panelists in Seoul, South Korea on October 2018 and in Kyoto, Japan in 2019.

THESPECTRUM / NEWS

USLS produces 46 new psychometricians “Give it your best and your hard work will bear fruit,” said April Joy Lee, Psychometrician Licensure Examination fifth placer. Lee is one among 45 other Lasallian takers who passed the Psychometrician Licensure Examination last Oct. 29-30. For the October 2017 board passers, the University of St. La Salle garnered a 59.74% overall passing rate with 44 first time takers and two retakers. According to Lee, she had many doubts before taking the board exam since Psychology is her second course, having resigned from her job to study again. “But I was surrounded by people who believed in me and in my lowest moments, they gave me the courage to silence the negativity inside my head and continue the fight, “ she shared. Lee also stressed the importance of taking a break during examinations since one’s mental health is a priority. “Surround yourself with people who will give you that extra push, who are unwavering in their faith in you, who will be there when you need a break from studying and worrying, “ she concluded.

BY JYAN MARTELLA G. OPENA

According to Daphne Molenaar, one of the board passers, you must put your heart in everything that you do, adding that you must trust your own pace. “I started studying 12 hrs a day with three 10-minute breaks for eating and ranting about how stressed I am on Twitter,” said John Dale Gugudan, another board passer, when asked about his routine prior to the examination. The examinations were held at Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) testing centers in Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, and Zamboanga. “It serves as an inspiration for both faculty members and students, it has become a benchmark for everyone to aspire for, “ said Psychology Dept. Chair, Dr. Ramon Lachica, PhD when asked about his sentiments regarding his student who got the fifth highest score in this year’s board exam. USLS aims to improve its passing average, make strides in ensuring that the needs of the students are met academically, emotionally, and socially, said Lachica.

USLS places 8th in LET Top Performing Schools; 1st in provincial TEI BY MARIA ANGELINE M. MAYOR

With a passing rate of 88.50%, the University of St. La Salle (USLS) secured the eighth place among the Top Performing Schools in the Philippines in the September 2017 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) in the Secondary Level and first place in the Teacher Education Institutions (TEI) in Negros Occidental. One hundred out of 113 LET Lasallian takers passed, according to the result released by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Board for Professional Teachers last Nov. 27. Meanwhile in the Elementary Level, USLS acquired a passing rate of 69.39%, placing USLS third among TEIs in Negros Occidental. College of Education (CEd) Dean Dr. Ricver Ureta shared that even though USLS did not make it to the Top Performing Schools in the Elementary Level, they still made it to the cut-off for the Center of Development and Center of Excellence. Ureta said that the college offered an intensive LET review program to the students who graduated with Latin Honors. “They are called by the office to be part of this intensive LET review, wherein they are being reviewed in-house at the John Paul Institute,” he said. In partnership with St. Louis Review Center, the college provided for food and lodging for the students while being under the care of reviewers from Manila. Moreover, CEd has a sixunit subject which will prepare

USLS tops ChE Board Exam

the students for LET. Those who will fail the subject will not be allowed to graduate. “We are doing this on top of the program curriculum that we are offering to ensure that our graduates are really prepared to take the board exam,” Ureta explained. Furthermore, students who graduated with Latin Honors are given free review classes until the review program ends in March. They are also given discounts should they want to continue with their LET review until September with the college’s review center partner. LET passer Trisha Gayanilo, who took up Bachelor of Elementary Education Major in General Education and now teaches at Bright Kids Pre-School, expressed how challenging the board exam was. “I only had two exams, the General Education and the Professional Education. Both exams were difficult, the theories, names of people which I memorized and learned, did not show up,” she said. She added that some of the subject matters in the exams were familiar but many of the terms were newly encountered. Gayanilo stressed the importance of prayers, reviewing for the exams, and trusting oneself despite doubting herself many times. “Review, pray, and rest. I did not overdo myself. If my mind is not in the mood to review, then I won’t force myself,” she advised. CEd plans to call and give free review sessions for non-passers to ensure that they pass the next time they take the LET.

Lasallian graduates landed first and ninth places, respectively, in the November 2017 Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) last Nov. 22. With a rating of 84.60 &, John Cyril Claur of the University of St. La Salle (USLS) tied the first place with Jared Philip Condez of the University of the Philippines-Visayas. Alongside Claur, Jermaine Lamboso ranked ninth with Bea Camille Patulot of University of the PhilippinesDiliman with a rating of 82.50%. In an interview with Mark Garcia of Manila Bulletin, Claur said that it was his dream to provide a more comfortable life for his family, which served as his motivation to work harder

*CLAUR

*LAMBOSO

in achieving his dreams. “Ever since, I really wanted to become successful not just because I want it but through it, I could provide my family a better life that they deserve,” he told Bulletin. Claur, together with other aspiring engineers, reviewed in Manila Review Institute Inc. (MRII) for almost six months in preparation

for the November board examination. According to both Claur and Lamboso, they didn’t expect to be included in the top 10 list of passers. “The three-day examinations that we took were very hard that’s why I wasn’t really expecting anything. For me, to pass the board exam is already a huge achievement, how much more

if you topped it. It’s just like a bonus for me and I will be always be thankful for that blessing,” Claur added. Lamboso, who was still in Manila during the announcement of the results, also said that it was very unexpected as she found the examination very hard that she lost her hope to land a place. “I already gave up any hopes of landing a spot in the top 10 like right after taking the first day of the boards, so I felt a mixture of shock and relief when I knew that I did grab a spot,” she shared. When asked for advice for future board exam takers, Claur emphasized to always be reminded by the reasons why you are working hard. Lamboso also stated the importance of health and relaxation, “Mental stability and preparedness are just as important as remembering the formulas needed when taking the exams.”

Lasallian represents USLS in AYLC 2018 BY ADRIENNE CARL S. CALVO

One Lasallian student made it in Ayala Foundation’s list of 80 delegates who will participate in the upcoming Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC) in Feb. 20-23. The top 80 candidates were chosen after the panel interviews were conducted in Manila by Ayala executives last Nov. 27-29. The final list of Congress participants was posted in the AYLC Facebook page last Dec. 15. Raner made it to the top 80 and said that it was like an early Christmas gift. From hundreds of applications received by the foundation, the top 350 applicants were selected to go through the annual AYLC delegate selection process. After the initial screening, human resource representatives from the Ayala group of companies assess the top 350 to trim the list down to 167. Two from the University of St. Lasalle were part of the 41

Visayans who made it to the first cut. One of them is Louie Raner, a Liberal Arts and Commerce student majoring in AB Communication and Marketing Management and is also the president of the USLS Rotaract Club, a special interest organization with members from a variety of courses in the university. “Imagine when your academics and one of your club’s major events have conflicts at the same time: at some point you get to see yourself in the middle. I really have to make a decision in terms of my priorities,” Raner explained on how he struggled as a student leader. As the Advocacy Programs Head of Rotaract last year, Raner has established the Alcansya Project, which has partnered with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in giving talks and seminars about saving and about coin circulation to different schools in the province. They also promote

recycling by collecting plastic bottles and repurposing them into coin banks. On the other hand, fellow applicant Stephine Paul Dungca is currently on his third year taking up Hospitality Management, the Vice President of the Lasallian Society of Hospitality Managers (LSHM), and a sports writer for The Spectrum, the university’s college publication. With his advocacy of promoting livelihood programs and the development of good housekeeping in communities through the integration of hospitality industry skills, he succeeded in making it to the panel interviews. “Don’t be afraid to take risks. God allowed us to have this responsibility for a purpose and we should use it as an opportunity as student leaders,” said Dungca. The AYLC’s website enumerated guidelines and qualifications for their applicants or future delegates. The

nominee must be a recognized, active, and effective student leader or officer of a school or any community organization. He or she must be a model of integrity, discipline, and excellence. He or she must possess a sincere desire to serve, a passion to bring about positive change in the society, an awareness of and involvement in national, community and school issues, and excellent communication skills. “Never cease from hoping and believing in your dreams and ideas. Never underestimate your capability to make this idea and dream of yours into a reality,” said Raner. In addition, Raner said that he is glad to be given an opportunity to share his advocacy to a big network of leaders while at the same time learning from nation-building experts. With the Congress in fast approach, he is looking forward to inspiring more individuals to affect change for a better nation.

1ST NIR Film Festival concludes; winners awarded BY MARIA ANGELICA M. APE

Negrense filmmakers gathered as the first-ever Sine Negrense: Negros Island Film Festival held its awards night at SM City Bacolod Cinema 4 last Nov. 29. “Dalit” and “Singgit sang Nalisdan” were named Best Picture in the Open Category and the Intercollegiate Category, respectively. Directed by College of St. Benilde Film Major Belle Kay Loyola who won as Best Director, “Dalit” received a P20,000 cash prize from the Film Development Council of the Philippines while “Singgit sang Nalisdan,” directed by Carlo Navarrete of Silay Institute, received P10,000. Meanwhile in the Intercollegiate category, Best Production Design, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor (Charles Ea) went to “Kuebiko”, directed by University of St. La Salle (USLS) AB Communication

junior Lourdes Antenor. Lorenzo Kenneth Dilag of Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod won as Best Director for “Asu” in the Intercollegiate Category. Opening the film festival, Peque Gallaga‘s “Sonata” was screened followed by a series of film forums and exhibitions held in USLS, Colegio de San Agustin - Bacolod, and House of Frida. Complete list of winners for the Open Category are: Best Actor – John Arceo (Dalit); Best Actress – Denli Chavez (Happy Birthday); Best Supporting Actor – Louie Dormido (Dalit); Best Supporting Actress – Kimberly Agnes (Kaasab); Best Cinematography – Five Sorrowful Mysteries; Best Screenplay – Alibungan; Best Editing – Alibungan; Best Production Design – Dalit; Best Musical Score – Kaasab; Best Sound Design – Hawud; Jury’s Choice – Alibungan;

—MARTINI M. FALCO

BY CHARLENE MARIE D. LIM

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

—PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LA SALLE YEARBOOK

*BABY RUTH VILLARAMA, DIRECTOR (SUNDAY BEAUTY QUEEN)

People’s Choice – Handuraw. While the winners for the Intercollegiate category are: Best Actor – Herbert Montoro, (Kapit); Best Actress – Lorince Joy Gonzales (Singgit sang Nalisdan); Best Supporting Actor – Charles Ea (Kuebiko); Best Supporting Actress – Ella Mae Viado (Landong); Best Cinematography – Kapit; Best Screenplay – Singgit sang Nalisdan; Best Editing – Kuebiko; Best Production Design – Kuebiko; Best

Musical Score – Landong; Best Sound Design – Pangalap; Jury’s Choice – Asu; People’s Choice – Landong. Special citations were also awarded to Carlo Navarrete of “Singgit sang Nalisdan” as Emerging Negrense Filmmaker and Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod’s “Ang Kadungganan sang Tingadlum” for Special Citation for University/ Institution with Best Film entries.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · USLS STUDENT ACTIVITY CENTER, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOLUME 62 NUMBER 8 · NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

NEWS / THESPECTRUM

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

—PHOTO CURTESY OF DE LA SALLE CHORALE FACEBOOK PAGE

6th APMC-SN comes to Bacolod BY IRIS DENISE N. RIVERA

The University’s College of Medicine (USLS-COM) hosted the 6th Association of Philippine Medical Colleges - Student Network Visayas Regional Convention for the first time last Nov. 17 at Santuario de La Salle. The event’s theme was “TUKOD: Establishing Identity and Integrity in the Face of a Transforming World”. “As we all know, the medical field is an evolving field; it is not constant. There are a lot of changes from time to time,” said Charles Legislador, USLSCOM President and Regional Convention head, explaining the convention’s theme. The two-day convention brought together Medicine students from all over Visayas for a series of poster-making and quiz bee competitions as well as symposiums aptly called Identity Summit Integrity Talk. “Through these gatherings, we are able to socialize and build a network for a stronger community of medical professionals,” Legislador added. Doctors Gia Sison, Jarungchai Vatanagul, and Gwyn Celo were invited to deliver motivational speeches and share tips on maintaining

BOARDS UP. Participants of the APMC-SN Regional Convention quiz bowl semi-finals raise their placards for answers.

fit both mentally and physically despite the pressures of medical school during the Identity Summit. Meanwhile, Dr. Juan Agustin Coruña IV and Dr. Dalvie Casilang led the Integrity Talks and discussed the means in which medical students can help shape the community for the better. Social media influencer Dr. Iris Thiele Tan was also invited to speak about the proper way to educate millennials, while Health Systems Developer Dr. Paolo Victor Medina helped the delegates cap off their first day with an inspirational speech about facing the challenges of medical school during their Cultural Night at The Ruins in

Talisay City. “Through these conventions or gatherings, we are able to be updated with each other and to have different academic competitions which also hone our knowledge and skills as future medical physicians,” Legislador concluded. The paper on “Procoagulant Effect of Zingiber Officinale Rhizome Extract on the Clotting Time of Sprague Dawley Rats” from Cebu Doctors’ University won first place out of the 10 qualified papers in the Basic Science Category of the National Medical Students Research Competition (Visayas Region). It was followed by the papers from the Cebu Institute

of Medicine and West Visayas State University. For the Translational/ Clinical Research and Public Health category, the “Histomorphometric Study and Sociodemographic Profile of Filipino Women with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Admitted at West Visayas State University Medical Center” paper by West Visayas State University students claimed first place. Another paper from the West Visayas State University took second place, while third place went to a paper from the Cebu Institute of Medicine. The University of Cebu School of Medicine took first place in the Quiz Bee competition, followed by Silliman University Medical School, Iloilo Doctors’ College of Medicine, University of the Visayas - Gullas College of Medicine, and Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine, respectively. Delegates also competed in a Clinico-Pathologic Conference and Research Orals Presentations, wherein Cebu Doctors University championed the event, followed by the Cebu Institute of Medicine, the Central Philippine University, and the West Visayas State University.

Team USLS qualifies for Benilde Prize semi-finals BY VICTORIA MARIAN B. BELMIS

Team Melchora is set to represent the University of St. La Salle (USLS) in the Benilde Prize 3.0 semi-finals this 2018. George Ezekiel Ampil (LiaCom), John Steven Gelera (BSN), and Nicole Kate Cirenio (ENCH), together with their mentor Mark de La Paz developed Melchora’s, a social innovation project which aims to partner with community mothers through enterprise efforts towards economic development “Our project is all about having a community kitchen where the mothers of the

community are involved,” said Cirenio. According to Ampil, the inspiration for this project came from an organized group of mothers in a fishing community at San Enrique where he had done his Christian Service Learning Program. Moreover, Gelera shared that they first went to a community in Brgy. Banago to know the problems they are facing and he noted that they have only observed a few number of eateries in the community. “We have identified that the children, although they eat three times a day, do not receive enough nutrition from the food

they eat,” he added. Combining the different factors that they have observed in their chosen community, the Lasallian students come up with the name Melchora’s. The project was named after Melchora Aquino, the Mother of Katipunan, since it was centered to the mothers in the community. After being qualified as one of the top 10 semi-finalists, Cirenio expressed belief that the project, if given the opportunity, will make a great difference. “This is for the people who motivated us and guided us all the way. Most especially, to the

community where we got our inspiration; they are the heart of this project,” Cirenio added. Ampil stated further that their main goal is to help the community. Along with nine other teams, Team USLS will undergo a series of workshops and boot camps, as well as compete for a spot to the finals and the chance to win an estimated P500,000 in seed funding for their project. The Benilde Prize, now on its third season, is the Philippine’s first university-based social innovation competition dedicated to empowering students into becoming the next wave of social innovators.

—PHOTO CURTESY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY-USLS

IT students hailed as Android Masters 2017

MASTERS. Team Decypher poses with members of the Eclaro Philippines after being hailed as Android Masters with their app “Vessels”. BY DAVID WILLEM L. MOLENAAR

Team Decypher towered over the Android Masters 2017 competition and was named champion for the Apps for Social Good Category last Dec. 2 at Globe Tower, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The University of St. La Salle (USLS) submitted three entries which underwent preliminary judging November

last year, wherein the app called “Vessels” by Team Decypher was chosen as one of the top five apps, composed of Edbert Jason Esteves, Trisha Gayle Duron, and Meagan Hofileña who were under the mentorship of Rics Rojas, Information Technology faculty. “Vessels” is a platform for finding blood donors and donating blood within Negros Occidental. There are two types

of users: first is the community into, which includes anyone who downloads the app. While the second is the partnered non-governmental organization, which is the Negros First Provincial Blood Center. In addition to this, users would also be able to keep track of their blood donation count. Due to the hospitals and blood bank lacking supply, the team experienced having a relative or a friend in urgent need of a blood donor. This gave them the idea to develop the application, explained Edbert Esteves, the team’s leader. “People were struggling with this matter, resorting to other ways of finding blood donors such as searching on Facebook and other social media,” said Esteves, explaining that the idea was drawn to how people struggled in finding blood donors and would resort to social media. The result of the team’s discussion came to be the one to spearhead the application here

in Negros Occidental. Rojas was tasked to provide the necessary support and motivations for the group to look into. Which includes the factors that are important in the process of the application development. During the final presentation and judging, the team made a pitch about the purpose of their application, presenting a live demonstration on how the application works and showcase its features. Android Masters is a collegiate inter-school Android application development challenge open to all universities and colleges across the country. Organized and presented by Google Developer Group Philippines in partnership with Eclaro Philippines, the main objective of the program is to encourage students to develop their creativity in application development and to publish their project to Google Play Store.

Smaller and Smaller Circles film screens in USLS BY HEZRON G. PIOS

In collaboration with producer and screenplay writer Ria Limjap and non-profit organization DAKILA Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, the Filipino film Smaller and Smaller Circles was screened at the Mutien Marie Auditorium A last Nov. 27. “It’s important [for the film] to screen in regional schools because our primary audience is really students. Young people are the ones interested in film, savvy in social media, and talk about it online,” said Limjap. She pointed out how a student from USLS can easily have discussions with students from another school such as Ateneo de Zamboanga, and seeing that SASC is a required reading in some schools, watching it as a film enriches the experience of the book. Limjap also noted that their team already did one in Cagayan de Oro, Cebu. The next one will be in Davao and in Iloilo for a total of

five regional screenings nationwide. Meanwhile, Kolektib Youth Group president Von Maungca was also present to co-host and facilitate with KAUSAP member Chaela Mirano during the event. Mirano shared the reason she reached out to DAKILA was because she wanted to work with them for her advocacy on Martial Law September last year. “Ever since then, we’ve been in contact with the representatives of their organization and they brought up the screening so we partnered with them,” added Mirano. Smaller and Smaller Circles is a film adaptation of the same name by F.H. Batacan, which has been considered as the first Filipino mystery-crime novel by literary critics such as the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards and National Book Award. The film starred Nonie Buencamino and Sid Lucero as two Jesuit priests debunking the myth of a Filipino serial killer and has hit the theaters last Dec. 6 nationwide.

ComSci students win nat’l game dev’t tourney BY MARIA ANGELINE M. MAYOR

Four senior Lasallian Computer Science (ComSci) students bagged the Best Education Game Award at the GameOn! Challenge 2017 School Track Category and Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit. Also nominated for the Most Innovative Game Category, the game entitled as ‘SkipTrash’ was developed by ComSci students Joseph Mark Anthony Huelgas, Paul Anthony Faburada, Meltito Vagallon, and Roston Labayen of the GameFriend Studios. Organized by the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP), the gaming convention and awarding took place at the SMX Convention Center in Manila from Oct. 27 to 29, and at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura last Nov. 11, respectively. Representing the university along with ‘SkipTrash’ was another game entitled ‘Little Johnny’ which was also nominated under the same category. Only the two entries out of seven others made it to the final round. “We created the games not only for the purpose of the GameOn Challenge. We just sent all the projects of the students and que sera sera,” he explained. ‘Little Johnny’ was developed by ComSci students Alyxx Lemuel Mitra, Glaidel Anne Guinabo, and Dolly Faith Untal of the Playpool Studios. “There was a secret judging. Throughout the three-day exhibit, there were people who would try the games and so on but we do not know who the judges were,” said Dr. Eddie De Paula, the thesis adviser for both teams. De Paula stated that out of the seven entries that they have sent, two games were qualified as finalists which are ‘SkipTrash’ and ‘Little Johnny’. “We created the games

not only for the purpose of the GameOn Challenge. We just sent all the projects of the students and que sera sera,” he explained. Huelgas, one of the ‘SkipTrash’ developers, expressed his honor for their group to represent the school since it was the first time for the university to send entries for the said challenge. “As of now, we focus ourselves on graduating but we are open to the idea of producing another game in the future,” Huelgas said. Both games are about proper waste management, a concept which was given by their thesis adviser. According to Huelgas, ‘SkipTrash’ is played by picking up the “randomly spawned” trashes and shooting the enemies blocking the way while traveling through a maze. The goal of the game is to dispose all the trashes properly. Meanwhile, according to Untal, the game ‘Little Johnny’ is about a third grade student who is running away from a “leviathan” garbage in his recursive-state dream. The player must catch the “minion garbage” to prevent the monster from getting bigger. USLS was the only school outside Manila invited by GDAP for the game development convention and the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Creative Awards Night. Other finalists of the Game On Challenge in the School Track category included: De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, De La Salle University – Manila, Far Eastern University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Holy Angel University, Jose Rizal University, San Sebastian College – Recoletos, Asia Pacific College, Information and Communications Technology Academy, and Cosmopoint International Institute of Technology.

THESPECTRUM / OPINION

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

EDITORIAL

When walk meets talk If you are a student, you might have experienced waking the dragon. And by dragon, we pinpoint to the prickly heat of approaching professional help in the fort which is this university. It is the quest of wobbly knees and pushing each other to ask a simple question to higher-ups. It is the invisible gag in the face of reprimands and discouragements. It is of rooms with only students and windows that do not see students but prey. Professionalism seems to be becoming a scarce commodity in our Lasallian community. Be it inside the classrooms or among the hallways and different facilities, students are the ones more likely to experience the brunt of an adult’s bad day. But this does not end in staff irritability. It extends to intimidation, negligence, incompetence, bias, bigotry, and apathy — of the things done and failed to be done. Perhaps this will be dismissed as youthful whining. But, yes, it is happening. Although not many can see, the way people of authority act has quite an impact on students. Grouchy staff make transactions more complicated and longer — and even prevent such processes from happening at times. There are students who get zeroed in by grudges and there are grades given with no proper basis. There are those who earn from the students’ pockets without rendering what is expected of them. There are those oppressed by their difference in opinions and there are those who are turned down when they seek help. While everyone is free to nurse their poor moods, it does not translate to the right to be impudent. Being ill-tempered does not solve problems — in fact, it just adds to it. Schedules and classes can get delayed. Grades are at risk and we pay for classes that barely accomplish what it promises to teach. And let’s not even get started on the effect of unprofessional behavior to students’ mental health. The Filipino culture has embedded us with deep respect to our elders. Unfortunately, it seems that through the decades, it has morphed into a mindset of respect entitlement that’s directly proportional with age. Added to that, younger professionals seem to think that intimidation begets that vied respect. Bottomline, however, is that we are Lasallians and the values expected of us encompasses everyone regardless of age or standing. And as the persons the younger demographic look up to, Lasallian professionals are expected to display stellar work ethics, regardless of the person interacted with. After all, this is a workplace as much as it is a learning institution. So, maybe, before the eyebrows start to meet, let’s all take a deep breath, swallow the fury, get into the shoes of a simple student or even just a stranger and walk with everyone’s best interests at heart.

THESPECTRUM FOUNDED 1956

facebook.com/thespectrumusls · thespectrum.usls@gmail.com VOLUME 62 NUMBER 8 · NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017 Member Alliance of Lasallian Campus Journalists and Advisers and College Editors Guild of the Philippines Andrea Nicole C. Farol EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Katherine E. Co

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Robert H. Jerge III MANAGING EDITOR

Iris Denise N. Rivera

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR NEWSPAPER EDITOR Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco ASST. NEWSPAPER EDITOR Starlene Joy B. Portillo MAGAZINE EDITOR Chad Martin Z. Natividad ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR Joshua Martin P. Guanco ONLINE EDITOR David Willem L. Molenaar LITERARY EDITOR Hezron G. Pios ASST. LITERARY EDITOR Lyle John L. Balana HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR Maria Angelica M. Ape ASST. HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR Ian Kristoffer V. Ga PHOTOS AND VIDEOS EDITOR Nichol Francis. T. Anduyan LAYOUT AND GRAPHICS E DITOR Jowan Dave G. Guides ASST. LAYOUT AND GRAPHICS E DITOR Glen Jed J. Descutido NEWSPAPER WRITER

Adrienne Carl S. Calvo MAGAZINE WRITER

Andrea Danielle A. Gamboa ONLINE WRITERS

Ida Sarena M. Gabaya Charlene Marie D. Lim Maria Angeline M. Mayor SPORTS WRITER

Stephine Paul M. Dungca FILIPINO WRITERS

Victoria Marian B. Belmis Jyan Martella G. Opena LITERARY WRITER

PHOTOJOURNALISTS

Nicci Bernelle D. Aguilar Martini M. Falco Mariano O. Javier Ena Louise P. Apelo VIDEOGRAPHER

Kyle Jyrax D. Sevilla ILLUSTRATORS

Cedric Lance M. Militar Katrina Y. Nemenzo Karen D. Panganiban Seth V. Pullona WEB ADMINISTRATOR

Keanu Kent B. Gargar EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Alvin Brian S. Legario

Keanu Joseph P. Rafil

LAYOUT AND GRAPHICS ARTIST

PUBLICATION MODERATOR

Shara Mae L. Pelayo

Jean Lee C. Patindol

The Spectrum is the Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle. Its editorial office is located at the USLS Student Activity Center, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100; it can be reached through the telephone number, (034) 432-1187 local 172 and e-mail address, thespectrum.usls@gmail.com. All rights reserved. No part of The Spectrum may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Media Corps. All contributions become The Spectrum property and the Editor-in-Chief reserves the right to edit all articles for publication.

—SETH V. PULLONA

Question: What goes on in the head of a person who wanders into a dense forest that is said to block out all sounds from the outside world and lure you into your deepest thoughts? We may never know. Another query: What goes on inside the head of a privileged young man who marches into the said forest and, while declaring that he does not expect to find a dead body, finds one and is “shocked” to the point that he films it and laughs with his friends? That, I can and would like to know. Last January 1, famous Youtuber Logan Paul posted a vlog on his experience while exploring the Aokigahara forest in Japan, which is known as the second most popular place (next to the Golden Gate bridge), to commit suicide and is thus called “the perfect place to die.” The video showed him and his friends straying from the set trail and encountering the body of an apparent suicide victim. He proceeds to zoom in on the body while he and his friends snicker and make jokes about it. As the video gained views, so did the massive backlash against Paul started. He took down the video and later on released an apology statement and a video however this did nothing to quell the growing hate on him. In fact, the apology, which was branded insincere, and the way his young fandom defended him earned him more ire from social media. First off, Paul’s disregard to the privacy, the solemnity of life and that place, and to the family of the suicide victim and the country

Not for you Jargonaut Andrea Nicole C. Farol

andreanicolefarol@gmail.com

Instead, his statement brought to light the undeniable fact that there is an emerging mentality that youth and privilege go hand in hand. itself is, with no argument, horrible and disgusting. His reactions, which he claimed were his coping mechanism, downplays the gravity of a person choosing to take his own life. His decision to zoom in and show to the world the body of a man who chose to die alone and hidden was him showing that he had no strand of respect in his body. This blatant attack on a victim of a phenomenon that continues to be made to be understood and prevented was plain sad and weakening. No, there can never be too many articles speaking about suicide and mental health. But now, I choose to lay this issue aside to be discussed in a different piece of writing. Setting aside the rant against Paul’s poor behavior, I come to talk about another thing. His apology video included a part of him saying that “this definitely marks a moment in YouTube history…”.Yes, he actually believes that what he did was monumental. His apology made it seem like he did a favor to everyone by making

a huge mistake so no one will be stupid enough to follow him. He saved all of our butts! But the Internet is not stupid. What Logan Paul did was not merely to dig his reputation a grave. Instead, his statement brought to light the undeniable fact that there is an emerging mentality that youth and privilege go hand in hand. This isn’t new actually. I’ve read an article ages before about previous generations hating millennials in the workplace. And although people may say it might be just jealousy of the society and technology we enjoy now, our bad reputation could really be more than just plain hearsay. The thing that irks older people the most is the sense of entitlement that our generation exudes. And what Paul did was a display of the belief that everything that exists or happens must be for him. The body in the woods was for his clickbait, the plight of the victim something he and his friends must comment on. This massive mistake was for his infamy. But I beg to differ. Perhaps, modern times have given us millennials an edge in the things that we do. It has given us a better reach and it has opened our minds to be accepting of diversity and many beliefs. But this, by no means, translates to giving up values and ethics to make way for idealism and progressiveness. It is one thing to be young. It is another to be free. But both still entail responsibilities. As I like to say, the world does not revolve around us. The universe does not owe us anything. The same way the man in the forest does not owe a young Youtuber his body nor his story.

Folks, art isn’t cheap

It does not take a moment too long to appreciate an artist and his art — may he be a photographer, a painter, an illustrator, a graphic designer, a videographer, or any other as you know it. But these same talented people, especially those who belong to the non-professional, freelance sector, who seem like they are easily showered every day with the same praise and appreciation, suffer and trudge through the real world — or to say it blatantly, the impersonal world of business, layered by a general perception of what is not true of what they actually do. An individual approaches a non-professional artist. The person starts off with something along the lines of “Can you make the video for my debut party /slash/ posters for my club /slash/ the logo for my startup company /slash/ our society’s promotional video / slash/ anything and everything under the sun people think only artists can pull off?” So the artist asks in return for how much the client is willing to pay him. The individual replies “XXX pesos.” Because the artist is familiar with both professional and non-professional rates for the pay associated with his line of work, he demands for a higher price, knowing the offer was too low. The individual is shook by the artist’s demand, and does not understand why it is like that, which shows in her ignorant remarks: “But what you are going to do is not that hard,” and “That’s too expensive for what you are just doing,” as well as “You’re not a professional, anyway.” Sounds familiar? For someone who knows little about the creative and physical process of creating art, or someone just not quite immersed in the field, to comprehend the real worth of an artist and his art — regardless of being a professional or not — would be more like a long shot. And this is the gap that undervalues such artists. There is a saying that is commonly associated with one of the great founding fathers of the Cubist Movement — Pablo Picasso:

Skatherin’ Around Katherine E. Co

katyuiop@gmail.com

Call it an exaggeration, but unless one doesn’t understand the creative process, he will continue to undervalue art — something that no true artist deserves. “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” This can be interpreted in a thousand different ways. But one common implication is obvious: No idea is purely original. They say every idea we think we conjured from thin air is actually something someone else from the broad past has thought of first. That idea of yours for your next art piece is inspired by things you’ve seen somewhere before in your range of experience. That might be, in a sense, true. And for those who are far from the circle of understanding, this might be a preconception for them to think that an artist’s work is not any valuable than it is being simply a “modified replication” of things that have existed and been done in the past. But if you ask, who then are the ones who could’ve thought deeply into these long-existing concepts, and how they would work together really well in a distinct kind of style — like if they were put this or that way — in order to finally be conceived into a whole new piece of creation that speaks of the beauty of both the ugly and beautiful of this world? If not for these people, who would make art, then? Why would those clients look for artists to do the work, then? Because not all can do something as real and otherworldly like that — to be able to condense into a perceivable piece things not usually seen by the naked eye, but rather felt by the

heart and soul. Another thing a lot of people easily fail to realize is what and how art really is. It is more than just its physical, graspable form — it is a vessel of the artist’s feelings, thoughts, his vulnerability, his strength, his brokenness, his experiences, his idea of good and bad, of beautiful and ugly, of what’s praiseworthy and what’s deplorable — his soul. When clients buy an artist’s intellectual property and creative work, they are buying not just anything that will simply be a prop for an event, a tool for a business’ promotional activities or an organization’s marketing operations; they are buying a part of an artist’s soul. Call it an exaggeration, but unless one understands the creative process, he will continue to undervalue art — something that no true artist deserves. But yes, creative work is undeniably demanding in the business context, especially when the ones who give the bucks aren’t quite satisfied with the output. Business is business, I guess. But in a sense, whenever I witness an artist being given such a low pay for a beautiful piece of work perfected with time and hard work, it seems so much to me like a one-sided game of love—the other gives his all, and the other gives nothing close to what the former gave. And just like any other similar love story, it hurts. Art is free, they say. It is everywhere around us. But when you try to put a monetary value on it (although practically speaking, it may really also depend on the amount, quality, and degree of work as well as the time given to finish it), it is definitely not any kind of service you would avail for a “cheap” price. As much as art is free, it is also priceless. Instead of boxing these artists into a mentality that does not even value them as close to what they’re due, let us support them — these people who paint the world with the imaginary and the unimaginable, and who are not merely machines that create such a personal and commendable thing as art. Let us give them the proper value for something that is — in the most metaphorical and artistic way to perceive it — invaluable.

OPINION / THESPECTRUM

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

Is ‘call-out culture’ a call we must always make? A lot has been said about the Tech Generation and how its youth use the power literally and conveniently laid at their fingertips — technology. Over the years, we have been scolded for our irresponsible use of technology, our unhealthy dependency on it, and so on and so forth. As technology continues to progress, are our social ethics and sense of responsibility also picking up their strides? A tweet from actress and activist Alyssa Milano launched a movement that continues to snowball as we speak: the #MeToo campaign. Milano borrowed the two-word tagline from social activist Tarana Burke, whose advocacy of the same name is devoted to showing solidarity for victims of assault and harassment. After Milano’s tweet was sent, so was a message to the world. This is a sterling example of the “call-out culture”. Calling-out is the act of publicly castigating people whose behavior is deemed to have gone beyond the boundaries of social justice. This is usually used in social media spaces. Since Milano’s tweet, a lot of female celebrities in Hollywood such as Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek, Lupita Nyong’o, among many more, have spoken out about their attackers. And because words are more than what they are, this movement shook the grounds of Hollywood, causing the accused (once proven through verification) to be severed from their jobs.

@ms_saigoncayco Christiana Claudia G. Gancayco ccgancayco@gmail.com

The same way call-out culture is about upholding social justice, it also has an obligation to the social justice system. Aside from looking back at what was clearly a momentous happening in women’s history, that recap was also to show just how impactful technology can be; at this point in time, it is no longer a separate entity in which we reflect ourselves upon, but rather an extension of who we are as persons. The virtual world is no longer one that simply goes away when our gadgets are switched off, but one that is as real as the actual world we live in day-to-day. At this age, what occurs online manifests offline with just the same magnitude. Fortunately for us Filipinos, we live in a democratic era. This warrants us the privilege of free speech. So, yes, we have all the right to

call out our oppressors. But, should we really? The old adage “think before you click” will always, always be relevant, especially in a technological world as ours. What we might fail to consider in the heat of our emotions are the repercussions of our actions. Is calling out someone worth it of these repercussions? Too many instances have already proven how harsh the actions we make in the virtual world manifest in the real world. Will it be a massive release for you? Probably. Will it solve things? How will it help the situation? Will it make you move forward? Will it keep you safer? We must also note that while calling out someone is within our rights, especially as the oppressed, it still encroaches on the rights of others as well. So as much as it is our right, in the very same breath, it is also a responsibility. The same way call-out culture is about upholding social justice, it also has an obligation to the social justice system. All this is to say that there is more to the callout post we are composing than just venting out a terrible experience and getting back at a person who have wronged us. There is responsibility, there is accountability, and there are setbacks that come with it that must be considered all for our own good. So, is ‘call-out culture’ a call we must always make?

Import competition I’m All Right Robert H. Jerge III rhjjerge3@gmail.com

Access to the Internet is a privilege, not a right. Internet infrastructure isn’t one of the Philippines’ strongest assets. With PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom running the market, it’s pretty difficult for Filipinos to make the best decision for their wallets. The duopoly present in the country makes for slow or even nonexistent innovation in Internet speed or reliability. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) plans on dropping a major game changer by inviting a third competitor into the Philippine Internet service provider (ISP) market. President Duterte wants the company to come in from China after talks with the Chinese Premier. The DICT also plans on providing the public with free Wi-Fi by subscribing to smaller ISPs throughout the country in hopes that this will spike the number of ISP and increase competition. Duterte hopes to get this project underway within the first quarter of this year. Before the government started getting involved in the ISP market, there was a potential third telecommunications company to

enter the Philippines. Telstra is an Australiabased telecommunication corporation that was set to sign a partnership with San Miguel Corporation (SMC). The partnership soon collapsed after disputes over SMC and their 700 MHz (megahertz) spectrum ownership. This frequency would allow the owner to reach out to the most customers without spending a fortune. When news broke that the deal was off, I was a bit disheartened with the lost competitive potential Telstra could have brought to us. The idea of a company coming down to contend with the already popular duo, Globe and PLDT, appeals to me and my curiosity of what new innovations they will bring to the Filipino public. I think this will bring fresh blood into the telecommunication infrastructure of the country. With any luck, the Philippines may finally be on par with their southeast Asian neighbors’ Internet speeds. Alibaba’s Jack Ma said it best: the Philippine Internet is “no good” and hopefully this new company can help bring the Internet here up to speed. I do recall an attempt at a free public Wi-Fi setup a few years ago under former president Arroyo, and that flopped. What’s the difference now? Well, the DICT will be tapping the bandwidth from smaller local ISPs to provide the connection for such a setup. I’m all for helping out the little man, but the little man supported by the government is a big no in my books. It is unwise to have the government control private infrastructure, especially knowing how corrupt it is. The DICT has budgeted about P77.9 billion to support the

creation of free Wi-Fi in public places. Free Wi-Fi? Right on! But here’s the catch: it’s not “free”, since the taxpayers are going to be the ones paying the bill. I’m not down to just hand over my money to the government so they can give someone the chance to abuse the free Internet connection. Access to the Internet is a privilege, not a right. There are people who work to keep the Internet running, and the infrastructure intact, no one has a right to their labor. I do understand that education relies on the Internet to power research and productivity, but that still doesn’t justify my being for the funding of someone’s Internet consumption. The duopoly created by PLDT and Globe may have been caused by either the lack of innovation by smaller companies or the people’s willingness to settle for the two companies. If the smaller companies brought something new to the ISP marketplace in the free market, it would surely be a turning point in the ISP market. After this new Chinese company sets up shop, I’m curious to see the reaction the Filipinos will have: harsh backlash due to past scuffles between the two countries or welcomed with open arms by many bandwidth consumers. A third company in the country would boost the competitive initiative PLDT and Globe need in order to keep their customers from switching providers. I don’t like big Government butting in, nor innovative laziness, but intervention in the ISP market shows that the only way to pressure PLDT and Globe to push for better Internet services is to import competition.

The paradox of utang na loob It was a few days before Christmas when 17-year-old Patricia “Ica” Policarpio was declared missing. Her sister, Bea, was desperate to bring Ica back home, or even, at the very least, to know she was safe. Bea took to Facebook and Twitter asking fellow netizens to help spread word about her sister’s disappearance. The instant Bea took to social media her family’s concern, their plight became everyone’s plight. The original Facebook post reached over 12,000 likes and over 46,000 shares while the hashtag #FindIca trended nationwide. In less than a day, all of Filipino social media was flooded with voices of empathy and concern. It reminded me of bayanihan, (which I later learned was not, in fact, just people carrying a house) a Filipino custom which refers to the spirit of communal unity and cooperation towards achieving a goal. And this time, the goal was to reunite that poor girl with her family before Christmas. But was it really just empathy and concern that drove those social media interactions? Maybe it was the netizen’s impulsive thumb wanting to join in on the hype or maybe just plain old curiosity. A few days later, a Christmas miracle happened. “We found Ica,” Bea said via a Facebook post.

When the post went up, a number of people who helped retweet, share, and comment about Ica’s disappearance seemed ravenous for the details and reasons behind her disappearance. Some even went on to speculate that the 17-year-old was pulling a prank as teenagers in some parts of the world were joining a supposedly trending “48-hour challenge”, where a teen would disappear for a set amount of time and come back safe and sound. The virality of the story didn’t just bring out bayanihan, it also brought about the less desirable Filipino trait of being usiyoso or usi. The term loosely translates to “gossip-mongering” or “needing to know what’s happening”. If these people truly offered help out of the goodness of their hearts, there would have been no conditions and reservations along with their concerns. The ease in which accusations were thrown at the family would make you think that they’re just here because the story was particularly interesting. Perhaps these insinuations and speculations wouldn’t be present in polite company, but when you’re on the Internet, your story is a feast for the masses. Perhaps this was an embodiment of another Filipino trait that has

Like I Said Iris Denise N. Rivera

areviresinedsiri@gmail.com

It’s almost as if the Policarpio family owed them something; almost as if empathy and assistance were commodities one could barter off with juicy information. its downsides: utang na loob (debt of gratitude). It’s almost as if the Policarpio family owed them something; almost as if empathy and assistance were commodities one could barter off with juicy information. It’s almost funny how the same spark that ignited solidarity among Filipinos would cause it to burn out its last shred of decency. Almost. The Policarpio family has since then released a statement that Ica’s disappearance

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story? Sonorus Maxima Starlene Joy B. Portillo

starleneportillo@gmail.com

Audiences should not be used as an excuse for the absence of creativity, effective storytelling, and incorporation of Filipino values, culture, or tradition. Cinema, in the Philippines, is first and foremost an industry. With that reasoning, mainstream producers have found the perfect excuse to serve its audience a fusion of product placements, a variety (or sometimes even the same set) of star-studded casting, and the same plot formula under the guise of a different title. At the most profitable season of the year, they have taken a newfound form in the official lineup of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). What once was — as stated in their Mission-Vision — an avenue for “celebrating Filipino artistic excellence” and “championing the sustainability of the Philippine film industry”, has been reduced to nothing more than the next big money mill. A short-lived victory, however, came with the 2016 MMFF, which was dominated by independently-produced films instead of the usual franchise sequels (Enteng Kabisote 2-10) and slapstick comedy (usually helmed by Vice Ganda). This year, we hoped for something of the same level, if not more. And we were given a compromise: this year’s roster featured a blend of the typical blockbusters and some films that scream fresh stories. This mix has in turn garnered an equally-mixed reaction from moviegoers who have taken their two cents to social media. Some expressed disappointment over the lack of screening venues and subsequent pulling out of underrated films (viz. Ang Larawan, Deadma Walking); whereas other countered that they were for “laughs and enjoyment during the holidays, not quality” and that indie films should have a separate film fest of their own. A lot more has been thrown back and forth about the issue. Regardless of stance, however, there are some things that we need to remember. First, is that MMFF does not solely exist as a “kids and family” film caterer. With the addition of commercial viability into the MMFF criteria came the strategy of centering the festival on families — their most prominent market. Although there is nothing wrong with prioritizing said groups, these audiences should not be used as an excuse for the absence of creativity, effective storytelling, and incorporation of Filipino values, culture, or tradition (be it modern or former) into their output. This leads me to address another major misconception: we can produce quality films without compromising entertainment value. We have been long engrossed in the dichotomy that indie films are boring, where mainstream is hailed great. The only thing we need to note when watching a movie is that there are good films and bad films. Regardless of cast and production values, what makes a film special is its ability to rouse curiosity, spur the need for empathy through mirroring reality as well as addressing social issues, and its ability to engage the audience in healthy, intellectual discourse. With general audiences craving for comedic relief and settling for the subpar, film magnates should know better than to deny them the opportunity to grow through discussion and a widened perspective of what Philippine cinema is truly capable of. These “cheap thrills” feed them a different kind of Philippine culture: one which stereotypes gender roles and identities, ridicules the situation and even the physique of the Filipino, and perpetuates complacency. Oscar Wilde is quoted: “The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.” Without change or improvement in the way we treat cinema, will the film industry flourish? Without quality as the point of contention, will there be anything of value left for the artist to teach? There is no harm in wanting more from Philippine films, with the knowing that we deserve more. Films mainly exist as a reflection of the stories we, as a country, aim to tell. When that purpose is defeated, we are left with nothing more to preserve, and nothing more to be proud of our cinematic history.

was due to “deep emotional distress” and dispelled at least a part of the outcry. However, the insensitivity and entitlement resonated throughout social media. You see, you offer help because someone is in need of help. You impart in the fulfillment brought about by being part of a cause greater than yourself, and leave it at that. And yes, we may have found Ica — give yourselves a pat on the back for that — but along the way, it seems we may have also lost something important within ourselves. The point of the matter is that the Policarpio family doesn’t owe any of you a window into their private lives, in the same way the world doesn’t owe you anything for just being a decent person.

THESPECTRUM / FEATURE

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

Of Stone Houses and Strong Women BY IRIS DENISE N. RIVERA

When it comes to ancestral houses, the city of Talisay isn’t falling far behind from its famed neighbor, Silay. Lying on 6,000 square meters of property on 36 Rizal Street is the Balay ni Tana Dicang, one of Negros’ most preserved ancestral homes which is now open to the public as a lifestyle museum. Don Efigenio Lizares and Doña Erica Alunan had the balay na bato (house of stone) built in 1872, and it has withstood all the ravages time could throw at it. At the passing away of her husband, Doña Erica took over as head of the household, as manager of their hacienda, and as Kapitana. Thus gaining her the name Tana Dicang. The house is a clear manifestation of the lifestyles of the upper class in the late 19th century. It has been visited by notable personalities, such as in 1938 when Former President of the Republic of the Philippines Manuel L. Quezon presided over a meeting in Talisay. According to their official history, the walls themselves are made of stone and bound with an organic mortar. They are then clad with bricks and coquina, a rare quarried coral, and then covered with a layer of lime-wash. The interior boasts of Filipino hardwoods such as molave, balayong, and narra, which are rarely used in this day. The museum’s tour guide mentioned that the wood used was soaked in saltwater

—MARIA KRISHNA A. ARRIOLA

for three years before being added into the house. This was to prevent termites from gnawing through the wood, aiding its preservation. Immediately after entering the house, the tiling on the floor is divided: a gray slab of lime-washed concrete and a beautiful Spanish orange and maroon tiling. Ida Damo of Choose Philippines wrote that the decorative tiling was for pedestrians while the

other was for karitelas (horsedrawn carriage) and carosas (wheeled platforms used to carry statues of saints during processions). An intricately decorated carosa is actually still exhibited underneath the grand wooden staircase of the house. Persian-style windows shield the house from rain while Venetian-style window shutters shade it from shine. The window panes are made

from translucent local shells called capiz. The room on the right-hand side used to be a sari-sari store but has recently been turned into an art gallery. The most recent exhibit is from Sayaka Ito, entitled “Consonance Disconsonance”. The displays included handcrafted crystals made of resin, Japanese paper, cardboard,

and pigment. The second floor of the 16-room house still contains the original silverware, china, and furniture, as well as various photos of its former residents and their visitors. The rooms include formal living and dining areas, bedrooms, kitchens, an azotea, and Tana Dicang’s very own office. The rooms

are maintained weekly, making it seem as if the house is well-lived in despite not housing any regular occupants. In order to avoid plagiarism of the sculpture designs, however, taking photographs of the second floor rooms is strictly forbidden. Therefore, you’ll have to visit the Kapitana’s house yourself in order to view its artistry. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and guided tours start at 10:30. Entrance fees are P100 for adults and P20 for students. Although the Balay ni Tana Dicang is past its prime, the house continues to mirror its former owner’s life. As paraphrased from Damo, “a grand old dame, aging gracefully, yet beautiful still.”

Charting the 7,601-island Haven BY HEZRON G. PIOS

What if you’re running late to a Monday class? Not to mention you’re riding a taxi with its high-technology ability: locating which street to pass through, delivering you to your destination safe and sound. What if, that system enabling a clear path to your school disappears so suddenly? What would transportation be without familiar magic tricks from road maps this generation

has been accustomed to? “Putting Everything Philippines on the Map” is a travelling exhibit of the Philippine Map Collectors Society (PHIMCOS) which had its stop at the Museo de La Salle last November 21. “We got to know them through our friends at the Silliman University Anthropological Museum as they were looking for a venue to bring the exhibit to after the exhibit in Silliman,” said Museo de La Salle Bacolod Director Lyn Mapa.

Mapa shared that the panels contain reproduction of ancient maps from various collectors who are also members of PHIMCOS, seeing that the original maps would be too fragile and valuable to put out on travelling exhibit. “There are political maps that show territories, which even shed light on why wars or battles occurred between nations. Maps tell us about the economy and trade during specific periods. Maps tell us about

perspectives,” cited Mapa. In addition, the Negros Island had a different shape before. And although there were no aircrafts and satellites to provide the view from the top, the exhibit attempted to argue that despite the Philippines’ existence long before the Spaniards came, we only knew cartography when they invaded. Through looking at ancient maps, one absorbs a chunk of history. “People learn about

taking another perspective, revolutionary or average. People are able to imagine how the world was before, how people perceived territories and other people,” expressed Mapa. The Philippines is an alive treasury of culture, traditions, and depictions of way of living — all these depicted in earlier forms of cartography/mapping. “The exhibits are there for the audience to see, savor, and learn from. We thank those who came. We thank

teachers who sent their classes,” said Mapa. Since the exhibit is no longer in Bacolod, it will be up in Development Bank of the Philippines Makati in January 2018. Maps don’t just pinpoint directions and legends; they serve as reminders as well: of who we were once as inhabitants, our current and possible standing in life, and the places we dwell in with zest and comfort regardless of tests of time.

Syrup’s Third Flow BY HEZRON G. PIOS

Notoriety has been trailing Dojo 8 Coworking Space every once in a while because of its wonder machine: hundreds of stickers contesting in styles of personal advocacies, catchy postcards set in almost all sorts of sizes, affordable bling-bling dashed with sincerity and enthusiasm. These wonders sprouted during the Third Syrup Art Festival led by Glucose, a Bacolod-based zine that is becoming a biannual event compared to the previous, giving its customers with no

choice but buying last Dec. 15. “Organizing the Syrup Art Fest for the third time affects my practice greatly. Just seeing artists and creators from multiple disciplines and mediums is a humbling experience and puts things in perspective. It makes me realize that I don’t navigate alone and there are communities willing to bond together to create these events,” said Glucose cofounder Ginoe Ojoy. Ojoy cited that he’s always in for the underdogs, those who don’t belong to a niche or a specific clique. He co-

created Syrup because at one point in their creative lives as members of Glucose, he and his colleagues have been hungry for an event like this: no gatekeepers, no elitism– just a place to sell, see, and trade art. “The Glucose and Syrup community just keeps getting bigger and better. We’ll be having collaborations and special releases lined up for 2018: a “Neighborhood Press” type of venture hopefully in the middle of 2018, to encourage more artists and writers to self-publish educational and informational zines about

art, culture, and navigating art spaces are also in the works,” he added. The said project would be a crash course-like event for aspiring artists and writers who want to initiate their own projects but lack enough experience. As for Syrup, they’re hoping that the next one can last more than a day since they get a lot of requests for it to be extended. “In this generation, artists are mostly unappreciated. Events like those spearheaded by Glucose Zine is something that we really need for the artists for them to be able to showcase what

they want to present and for the community to see what these artists have to show,” shared BS Architecture student Samson Cariño. Cariño stressed that the artists were able to show their art to others and were able to gain something from it. As a first-time attendee, he was able to get merchandise that he really loved, got the chance to support artists in their platform, and eventually discovered that the people he sees regularly around school have more to show than what they normally seem in school. “They’re improving a big

deal since their first event last year. And it’s nice that it encourages people to support local artists,” said UNO-R BS Medical Technology junior Keith Nolido. Nolido shared that it would be better if Bacolod City is known for something else other than its good chicken inasal, further addressing the stereotype against the city but nonetheless acknowledged what the event’s purpose and positive impact was. The next Glucose Syrup Art Festival will be sometime around June 2018.

FEATURE / THESPECTRUM

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

MMFF MOVIE REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

ANG PANDAY

NORWEGIAN WOOD by Haruki Murakami

BY GLEN JED J. DESCUTIDO

Through the years, it has been a Christmas tradition to at least catch one local film in the cinemas brought to us by the Metro Manila Film Festival. This year, Ang Panday decided to show up once more with a fresh new take on the legend, hoping it would show off unparalleled bravery, chivalry, and greatness. With Coco Martin in the lead and an ensemble cast enough to sharpen its iconic sword, the film still felt dull and weak, cutting only skin-deep instead of fully slaying the audience with its wonder. The story revolves around Flavio Batumbakal, a resident basagulero from Tondo, Manila who loves his family despite his violent adventures and the fact that he’s adopted. His world gets turned upside down after knowing about his destiny, and now has been tasked to retrieve a weapon from a magical land, in order for him to defeat the ever villainous Lizardo who’s out to take over the world. If this film’s script were

a pizza, it would definitely have a generous amount of cheese, even dethroning 20th Century Fox’s Fantastic Four reboot with its cheesiness. With only one chance to shout his battlecry during the final battle, Ang Panday, with all his might went for the more religious and cliche line: “Diyos na ang bahala sa’yo” in an effort to intimidate his opponent. The script gave birth to uninteresting lines and bad jokes, even affecting most of the performances. The actors spit out dialogues which were obvious, making

their characters either highly observant or pure ignorant. Martin’s acting didn’t help either. His angst felt tired and Flavio doesn’t seem to differ from Juan De la Cruz nor Cardo Dalisay. Despite achieving the peak of his acting career, the film’s lead still struggles with his comedic timing, loudly and confidently calling a tree with a lot of fruits a “Fruit Salad Tree” in an effort once again to make the audience laugh. Fortunately, Jake Cuenca, as the cunning Lizardo, showed more than what the movie can offer. Here we get a villain reminiscent of Brandon Lee’s character in “The Crow”, showing off real bleakness and dark intentions. His notable performance was enough to intimidate the audiences. If the line-up of Jokers had Heath Ledger, then it’s safe to say that the Lizardos have Jake Cuenca. Ang Panday has an unbelievably big ensemble and a two-hour runtime but neither was used to its full potential. The scenes were pretty much rushed, especially the final battle

which was supposed to be the most crucial one. Despite having a lot of flaws with its technicals, such as the messy editing and subpar computergenerated imagery or CGI, it’s cinematography was commendable as well as the aerial shots. Out of all the supporting characters, Diego (Awra Briguela) was the only one who had a decent character development. Featuring a sincere coming-out story that may not be new to some but is still relevant today, it balances out the angst most of the characters give. There’s something unstoppable with this film: its entertainment value. It’s so campy it gets you through. As they all say, it’s so bad, it’s good. If you’ve ever thought of what Ang Probinsyano on steroids (minus its unnecessary zoom ins) looked like, it’s this film — a mix of family drama, action, and a sprinkle of Coco Martin’s machismo. All in all, this version of Ang Panday isn’t its best, but fortunately, it’s also not its worst.

Lenker’s silken voice along with the gentle guitar plucking immerses you in what can only be described as an emotional coma. The song finishes off with, “And she don’t always do pretty things” which isn’t meant to subvert the power of femininity, but instead, depict how femininity does not have to be dainty and perfect. ‘Mythological Beauty’, one of the album’s most notable songs, recounts an incident told through the eyes of Lenker’s mother. The album’s emotional centerpiece, as noted by The Pitchfork Review, delivers rhythmic melodies telling of an almost deadly accident Lenker went through in her childhood as a means to connect with her young mother’s difficulties. ‘Mythological Beauty’ is a narrative set in a wistful composition that manages to be relatable despite its distinct plot. The tune itself fails to warn listeners of its morbid story. A closer look at the lyrics is the only way to unveil the actual tone of the song. Such is also in the case of ‘Shark Smile,’ where Lenker recaps a terrible car

crash through the use of twangy guitar riffs and an upbeat tempo. This irony in melody and lyrics creates a satisfying discord that only a deeper look into the music can give. To perfectly illustrate the folk-tinged quartet’s sound is a snippet from the band’s bandcamp bio: “Listening to Big Thief is like the feeling of looking at a dog and suddenly marveling that it is like you but very not like you; when you are accustomed to looking at a dog and thinking ‘dog’, watching Big Thief is like forgetting the word ‘dog’ and looking at that naked animal and getting much closer to it and how different it is to you.” Summing up the 11 track album of nostalgic melodies and melancholic lyrics, Big Thief delivers a harrowing memoir about life’s relationships meant to evoke feelings purposive of breaking through the numbness that we have been so accustomed to and complacent with. PS: don’t listen to this album while heartbroken.

The internal afflictions caused by the death of someone dear is insurmountable for the people they’ve left behind. For instance, immense grief and longing can lead to depression and other mental and emotional maladies imaginable to us humans. However, in Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, death plays a vague role in the lives of the novel’s characters. Published in 2000, Norwegian Wood is critically-acclaimed as the magnum opus of all Murakami literature. It is a novel that primarily delves on Toru Watanabe’s ordeals with the polarizing force of death and the grief it brings into the fray. After leaving all things in the past, adult Watanabe finds himself in the middle of nostalgia as he hears one of The Beatles’ song, “Norwegian Wood”—a song that deeply reminds him of his youth as well as his love affair with Naoko, the previous girlfriend of his best friend. The song would then take Watanabe to a certain memory with Naoko: a memory that has left him aghast, confused and wandering—a victim of death; a victim of love. Being in a period of unrest in 1960s Japan, the young Watanabe finds himself in one-night stands—a very common element in Murakami works—and in student rallies, which served as the backdrop of the whole

to track your spending and know how much you have left? Well, lucky for all of us, there’s an app for that! If you’re a money lover, then you need Money Lover! It is a free app available in the App Store and the Google Play Store. Its graphically pleasing and simple interface allows just about anyone to catch on to the mechanics quite quickly which would be why it has been on Google Play’s “Best Apps” list for 2016 and 2017. It only takes three taps to enter in a simple transaction. When tracking expenses, you

can enter the type of expense it is, be it transportation or groceries. Then when checking your spending trends, you’re able to see how much you’re spending on what. Maybe you’re going out to the movies too often or maybe you went out for one too many cups of coffee. Then you would budget your money so you can save more and spend less. Seeing as this app is habitually run, the user must take it upon themselves to punch in the transaction. It may take a while to get into the groove of entering the

transactions, but it’s easy to see your spending habits right out of the first month. For the first few weeks, the app sends you a daily reminder to put in your first transaction of the day. After inserting the transaction, the user is rewarded with 100 in-app credits, which is a great way to incentivize people into implementing this in their day-to-day life. These credits can be used to utilize the app’s receipt scanner. The only fit I have with the app are the daily notifications pinging at you because you

ALBUM REVIEW

CAPACITY by Big Thief

BY ANDREA DANIELLE A. GAMBOA

If you haven’t heard about the musings of Big Thief, it probably isn’t your fault. The indie rock band had only officially stepped into the music scene with their debut album, ‘Masterpiece’, in May 2016. Since then, the Brooklynbased quartet have spewed out some of the most genuine, heart-wrenching songs of the year. In their sophomore album entitled ‘Capacity’, vivid tales of abuse, romance, death, and love in all aspects are delicately delivered by the band’s lead singer, Adrianne Lenker, a

25-year old Minnesota native whose life comes straight out of an off-brand Stanley Kubrick movie. Born into a religious cult in Indianapolis, the then four-year old Lenker left with her parents and as an adult, proceeded to pursue a pop career. Having drifted away from the pop track (thank goodness), Lenker and her band released ‘Masterpiece,’ breaking them into the folkrock world of music. Lenker pulls from her turbulent childhood to create the biographical songs that have come to life in ‘Capacity’. The album introduces itself with the mellow sounds of ‘Pretty Things’, which Lenker explains in a Stereogum interview as sort of a mantra. The chorus repeats: “There’s a woman inside of me. There’s one inside of you, too.” Lenker elaborates saying that the song is meant to depict the duality of femininity, which is, as Lenker puts it, “an energy that is inherent in all things.” A song that comes from a place of authenticity and darkness: a common theme in the album.

BY JOSHUA MARTIN P. GUANCO

novel. Norwegian Wood practically dons a sad, gloomy day kind of vibe. With all the grief-induced soliloquies and dialogues scattered through its pages, the atmosphere of the story paints a picture of a crisp, cold, rainy afternoon wherein not even the warmth of coffee can alleviate. The consistency of elements implored by Murakami in this book gives its readers a slow-paced feel. With death, grief, and confusion, Norwegian Wood surely captures its readers’ attention but is not enough to attract sympathy for its protagonist. Watanabe might be the main character of the novel, but Murakami seems to have mastered the art of extrapolating the vulnerabilities of his protagonists—making his readers engage more in the other characters. For example, due to Naoko and Watanabe’s suspended state of grief, readers are more attuned to other characters such as Midori and Reiko,who show more enthusiasm despite of their fragility. Another constant element in Murakami literature is the mentioning of other works of art such as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald as well as John Updike’s The Centaur. Furthermore, it is not a Murakami book if it does not have erotica in it (so get ready to feel warm). Ultimately, what makes Norwegian Wood a standout from Murakami’s works is how it tackles death—the unexplored sect of other literatures. Norwegian Wood explores the plight death brings as well as the light it sparks anew inside those who have been departed. Through Watanabe’s ordeals, Murakami reaches out to his readers in an indirect way, reminding us that the clouds of death bring rain that will make us grow into our stronger, better selves.

APP REVIEW

MONEY LOVER BY ROBERT H. JERGE III

Being a college student isn’t cheap. “Waay ko kwarta” is a common phrase on college campuses. That phrase is usually followed by wondering where all the money went. Not having enough money for snacks, movies, dates, etc. is terrible (especially the latter). Now wouldn’t it be wonderful

forgot to pay back Steve for buying you handouts for sociology class. Other than the periodic badgering, the sheer discipline needed to maintain an accurate record, I feel, would deter many people from including this in their day-to-day routine. Money makes the world go round, so it’s best to know where you’re putting it. This app’s ability to make budgeting and transaction monitoring easy makes it a sure download for any budget-savvy college student!

THESPECTRUM / UNIVERSITY CROSSWORD PUZZLE #10

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

“NEW YEAR, NEW ME.”

—KAREN D. PANGANIBAN

Get into the Christmas spirit with this noche buena-licious crossword puzzle!

“REPLEKSYON”

ACROSS

DOWN

2. A Christian saint who is better known as Santa Claus. 5. Has an iconic glowing nose 7. “Whenever I see girls and boys…” 9. A traditional Filipino symbol of the star of Bethlehem. 10. The movie that starred Bruce Willis as John McClane, who fights terrorists on Christmas Eve.

1. An iconic Filipino decoration that depicts the Holy Family at the birth of Jesus. 3. KEEEEEEEVIN!!! 4. A horned, half-goat, halfdemon figure who punishes children who have misbehaved. 6. What Mariah Carey wants for Christmas. 8. Traditionally, kids leave out snacks for Santa Claus. What is this snack?

SUDOKU # 10

—SETH V. PULLONA

“SELF LOVE”

—KATRINA Y. NEMENZO

SOLUTION FOR CROSSWORD #9:

“TOMORROW. AGAIN.”

—CEDRIC LANCE M. MILITAR

SOLUTION FOR SUDOKU #9:

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES BY IDA SARENA M. GABAYA

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has been gearing up for the second semester with talks, outreaches, and other events organized by the CAS Council. The Communication Society USLS, in collaboration with the USLS Political Science Society, commemorated the eighth anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre with the theme: “The Fallen are Never Forgotten” last Nov. 23 at the CAS Lobby. Furthermore, CAS celebrated the Christmas season with their annual CAS Carol, themed “Prism: Christmas in Color” last Dec. 7 at the USLS Coliseum. “Prism was a success; all of the departments under the college didn’t hesitate to cooperate and participate. As most productions go, money and time were both short but utilized,” said, CAS Vice Governor Joevel Bartolome. Besides the CAS Carol, the Council also conducted outreach activities and will be continuing the Artian Month celebration this February, as was initiated last school year. “We had two symposiums at our adopted community in Banago Elementary School: one regarding the environment and another regarding human rights. In collaboration with the USG Judiciary Branch, we also had a Christmas outreach for the kids of the school,” expounded Bartolome. For Animolympics 2018, the Council opted to not participate in the cheering competition and focus instead on the sports events as well as the rest of the cultural events. “Artians, this transition year has become a challenge but it will never break our college’s fighting spirit. We have, and will always have, the heart of a lion,” stated Bartolome, as a message of encouragement to the students of CAS for the Sportsfest.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTANCY BY STEPHINE PAUL M. DUNGCA

The College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) continued to soar through the preparation and implementation of activities for the months of November and December that will further fortify their “Twelvolution” journey. To clinch their 12th Animolympics title, the Yellow Eagles have been conducting training programs for each sports event as well as for the cheerdance competition. “This year, we are aiming for our 12th win. With passion, determination, and support, we know we will be able to defend it,” said CBA Vice Governor Charlene Rio. In addition, the CBA Eagles Camp last Nov. 18-19 at Kampo Hiyang-Hiyang, Talisay City, gathered seven student leaders who were trained in the field of leadership and service. “Even though they were few, I believe in quality over quantity. It’ll make their relationship more strong and intact,” highlighted Rio. Launched last Dec. 7, the Green Act Project is a collaborative effort of the CBA council, faculty, and clubs which will prepare activities such as Fun Run, Fun Walk,

COLLEGE BEATS Fun Bike, Yoga, and Zumba this Jan. 28. “We know that working together with the different clubs from our college, and with our college faculty and staff will make this endeavor possible,” emphasized CBA Governor Patrick Millares. The Green Act Project will be participated in by all Lasallian and non-Lasallian alumni and students for the benefit of the University of St. La Salle scholars. “CBA will continue its legacy and will let everyone know the true meaning of Yellow Supremacy,” added Millares.

COLLEGE OF NURSING BY CHARLENE MARIE D. LIM

The College of Nursing (BSN) capped off the last two months of the year with corporal works of mercy to the less fortunate. In partnership with volunteers coming from the Elementary Department faculty of USLS, BSN took part in an Integrated Student Parent Association bloodletting activity which amassed a total of 100 blood bags last Nov. 18. According to BSN Secretary Corrine Lingco, volunteers were screened through initial vital signs and health history taking. Furthermore, the College offered their unwavering support to the community by rendering services to the indigenous tribe of Madaan in Don Salvador Benedicto where BSN, in collaboration with Juan Pisan Inc., spearheaded a medical mission followed by a Christmas outreach last Dec. 9. An estimated 100 participants were in attendance for the medical mission and tripled during the gift- giving ceremony. The College ended the year by preparing for the upcoming Animolympics with two outreaches in Brgy. Sampinit, Purok Calubay that mainly focus on a visual test medical mission, to be followed by a donation of books and bags by BSN students this month. “With Animolympics coming up, it’s hard to imagine a college with students still joining the activities. Yet, all is well for the college eagerly prepared to fight full on,” Lingco concluded.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY BY MA. ANGELINE M. MAYOR

The College of Engineering and Technology (CET) filled their schedules with gift-giving events in the month of December by kicking off their Christmas activities with its “Santa for a Day” project last Dec. 14 wherein they gave gifts to random ROMAC personnel around the campus. Three days later, on Dec. 17, the College participated for the fourth time with the Zamora family in the annual gift-giving

event called ‘7th Julz Gives Back’ at the Villamonte Covered Court. Headed by Jesus Zamora, a CET alumni and a former president of Computer Hardware Interfacing and Programming Society, the event catered to around 150 children of Brgy. Villamonte who received food, school supplies, and hygiene kits donated by the CET Council, clubs, and faculty. In addition, the CET council and clubs roamed around the city last Dec. 27 to give snacks to around 40 homeless people. Moreover, the CET Council collaborated with the Computer Science Society and Information Technology Society for the CET Dota 2 Tournament held at Mineski Infinity last Dec. 15. Exclusive for CET students, the gaming tournament aimed “to develop acquaintance and sportsmanship among participants”, according to CET Vice Governor Christian Maleriado. Moreover, as part of CET’s environmental efforts, the College Council and clubs participated in the clean-up drive together with the Earthguards at the Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation Inc. last Dec. 21 and has prepared a CLAYGO (Clean As You Go) awareness advocacy video to be released on January.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION BY VICTORIA MARIAN B. BELMIS

The College of Education (CEd) unceasingly transcends as they started the second semester of the school year with a number of environmental and social activities. Last Nov. 30, CEd held a mangrove planting activity at Balaring, Silay City in collaboration with the Balayan Social Development Office and Luisa Medel National High School (LMNHS), their adopted school. Simultaneously, artists from the College spearheaded the Schooloring Project, a mural painting activity at LMNHS. CEd conducted its Educlympics last Dec. 8 in preparation for the upcoming Animolympics. According to CEd Vice Governor Kimberly Siazar, Educlympics was a competition held at Mansilingan Gym, USLS Football field, Panaad, and Carlos Hilado Memorial State College- Talisay to scout players for the Sportsfest. On that day, CEd also held their third “Educ Gives Back” as a way to repay their community partners. They gave noche buena packages, hygiene kits and slippers and prepared games to the students of LMNHS as well as to the beneficiaries from Bahay Pag-asa. Together with the University of Negros OccidentalRecoletos, Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, Bacolod City College, La Consolacion College-Bacolod (LCC-B) , and STI-West Negros University, the USLS CEd Council organized the city-wide Future Educators Confederation of Negros Quiz Bowl Competition held at LCC-B last Dec. 9.

FILIPINO / THESPECTRUM

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

Paskong Tatak Juan

TAO LANG ANG LILIGAYA NI LYLE JOHN L. BALANA

NI JYAN MARTELLA G. OPENA

Ang pagpapahalaga sa pamilya ng mga Pilipino ay ang dahilan kung bakit ang Pasko ay itinuturing perpektong panahon upang magbahagi ng pagmamahal at biyaya sa isa’tisa. Ang Pasko sa Pilipinas ay tungkol sa pamilya, dahilan kung bakit naiiba ang Paskong Pinoy sa ibang kultura. Ito ay pagsama-sama muli ng mga magkakapamilya at pagpapasalamat sa biyaya na natanggap sa taon. Ang pasko sa Pinas ay karaniwang nagsisimula sa pagpasok ng Setyembre – ang pagsisimula na kung tawagin ng mga Pilipino ay “ber months”. Maagang nakikisawsaw sa tradisyon ang mga disc jockey sa mga estasyon ng radyo na nagpapatugtog ng awiting pamasko katulad ng sikat na awitin ni Jose Mari Chan na “Christmas in our Hearts”. Ang mga lokal na palabas sa telebisyon ay nagsisimula sa kanilang mga Christmas countdown sa paligid ng Oktubre, karaniwang 100 araw bago mag-Pasko. Maya’t maya ay maririnig mo ang awiting “Sa may bahay ang aming bati, Merry Christmas na maluwalhati…” Tila bahagi na ng kulturang Pilipino ang pangangaroling tuwing kapaskuhan sa mga bahay o kahit sa gitna ng kalsada mula sa mga motorista. Ang kadalasang pantugtog ay tamborinang gawa sa dinikdik na tansan ng softdrink at aluminum o stainless na kawad, at drum mula sa lata ng gatas o condensada. Nagkakaroon ng magarbong disenyo ang bawat tahanan tulad ng mga naglalakihang Christmas tree at kumukutikutitap na ilaw. Nariyan din ang imahe ni Santa Claus sa bakuran at ang pulang medyas

—CEDRIC LANCE M. MILITAR

sa pintuan. Gawa mula sa bamboo stick at makukulay na papel na inihugis na parang bituin, ang parol ay isang natatanging palamuti ng mga Pilipino tuwing Pasko. Ito ay dating ginagamit ng mga tao upang pailawan ang kanilang daan tuwing Misa de Gallo o mas kilala sa tawag na Simbang Gabi. Sa modernong panahon, ang mga parol ay kadalasang pinapailaw ng mga electronic lights at binubuo ng iba’t ibang mga hugis o sukat na ginagawa mula sa samu’t-saring mga materyales. Bilang nakaugalian, ang pagdiriwang ng Pasko sa Pilipas ay opisyal na nagsisimula tuwing simbang gabi — siyam na araw na misa tuwing alaskuwatro ng madaling araw mula ika-16 ng Disyembre. Ito ay sumisimbulo sa siyam na buwan ng pagdadalangtao ng Birheng Maria. Ang Simbang Gabi ay isang bagay na nagpapakita ng tatak Pilipinong Pasko. Sinasabing kapag nakumpleto ng isang deboto ang siyam na gabi ay matutupad ang kaniyang anumang hiling. Sa huli, ang tradisyong ito ay naging isa na sa mga bukodtanging tradisyon ng ating kultura at isang simbolo ng ating espirituwal na debosyon.

Nakasanayan na rin ng mga Pilipino na pagkatapos ng misa na kumakain o bumibili sa plaza o bangketa ng bibingka — isang kakanin na gawa sa harina at kanin na may itlog sa ibabaw, puto bumbong, at tradisyonal na panimplang tsokolate. Tulad ng ibang nagdiriwang ng Pasko, nagsasalo ang mga Pilipino pagsapit ng hatinggabi sa tradisyonal na Noche Buena o Media Noche. Ito ay paraan ng pagsasalu-salo ng pamilya tuwing bisperas ng kapanganakan ni Hesus. Ang pangunahing tampok dito ay ang mga pagkain katulad ng: queso de bola, fruit salad, hamon de bola, pancit at iba pa. Pagkatapos ng kainan ay binubuksan na ang mga regalo. Ang monito-monita o ang pilipinong bersyon ng Kris Kringle ay isang paraan ng pagpapalitan ng regalo sa pagitan ng magkakaibigan, katrabaho o kamag-anak kung saan ang bawat isa ay may kanyang sariling anonymous secret santa. Ang bawat miyembro ay magbubunotan ng isang pangalan at sinumang makuha nito ay magiging kanyang Monito/Monita na siyang pagbibigyan ng regalo. Magiging lihim ang pagkakakilanlan ng Monito/ Minita hanggang sa araw ng

Christmas Party. Karaniwan para sa mga Pinoy na bisitahin ang kanilang mga kamag-anak sa panahon ng Pasko. Kasama ang iba pang mga miyembro ng pamilya, ang mga bata ay madalas na magsuot ng kanilang pinakabago o pinakamagandang damit, at binibisita ang kanilang matatandang kamag-anak at mga ninang/ninong upang magbigay ng paggalang. Ginagawa ang tradisyon na pagmamano sa mga nakakatanda at ang mga bata ay ginagantipalaan ng mga regalo tulad ng mga laruan, kendi o pera. Hindi nagbabago ang tradisyon mga Pilipino sa pagbibigay ng regalo sa isa’t isa sa araw ng Pasko. Sa kulturang Pilipino, ang mga regalo na ito ay tinatawag na aguinaldo na nangangahulugang Christmas box. Sa paniniwala na ang pagdiriwang ng Pasko ay nakasentro sa mga bata, natatanggap nila ang pinakamaraming bilang ng mga regalo mula sa bawat miyembro ng pamilya. Sa kapanahunang ito, karamihan sa mga malls ay nagkakaroon ng Christmas o Holiday Sales na kung saan halos bumababa ng humugitkumulang kalahati ang presyo ng mga bilihin. Ito rin ang panahon kung saan karamihan sa mga negosyo o pagawaan ay nagbibigay ng bonus sa kanilang mga manggagawa. Hindi maikakaila na ang mga Pilipino ay may pinakamaligaya at natatanging paraan ng pagdiriwang ng Pasko sa mundo. Iba’t iba man ang mukha ng mga tradisyong ito, iisang bagay ang nagbibigkis sa kanila: hindi ito magiging kasiyasiya at espesyal kung wala ang ating pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay sa araw ng Pasko.

Lumipas na ang hagupit ng isang taon. Napakarami na namang nangyari sa Pilipinas. Hindi naman maaaring lumayo ang taon mula sa mga kontrobersyal na mga konsepto; hindi kontrolado ng kagustuhan ng nakararami ang mangyayari. Masyadong maraming alituntunin ang laro ng buhay para maangkin lahat ng susi para sa pagpapatagumpay nito, at para sa isang buong bansa, upang maging imposibleng pigilan ang lahat ng nakaakmang problema at mga mabibigat na tanong sa isang taon lamang. Ang pinakakontrobersyal na nangyari ay ang pagpapatuloy ng giyera laban sa droga. Mahirap mag-ambag ng opinyon sa paksang ito nang masinsinan at walang marinig na pagbabatikos mula sa dalawang panig na pinag-aawayan kung ano talaga ang dapat gawin ng mga nasa pwesto laban sa lumalaganap na salot na kinakatawan ng adiksyon sa droga. Ngunit ang sigurado lamang ay hindi makatarungan ang pumatay — masahol ang adik na pumapatay para lamang matustusan ang walang-kwentang bisyo, at nakakabagabag sa puso ang marinig na pumapatay ng inosente ang mga awtoridad. Maraming naaresto, nabaril, naeskandalo, at naiyak sa telebisyon, pero hindi nito mababago ang mga hukay na nabungkal ng baril at bala. Walang kupas din ang sigalot na dala ng bagyo ngayong taon. Dahil sa posisyon ng bansa malapit sa mainit na parte ng Pasipiko, maraming bagyong tumatawid sa bansa na sanhi ng nakalulumong mga serye ng pagkawasak at kawalan ng buhay. Nilunod ng mga baha ang mga tanim at tao, winasak ng mga hangin ang mga kahoy at bahay, at pinagpupunit ng ulan ang kalusugan ng mga natira dahil na rin sa ginaw. Nagsitakas ang mga tao papunta sa mga evacuation centers, kung saan sila’y nagmistulang mga sardinas na pinagkakasya sa isang masikip na lata. At ang tulong na para sa mga nasalanta ng mga malalaking bagyo tulad ng Yolanda ay hindi pa rin nakakakuha ng tulong na binigay ng ibang bansa nang ilang taon nang nakakalipas. Maging ito rin ay malaking trahedya. Nariyan din ang kahirapan ng pamumuhay ng nakararami sa bansa. Isa sa limang Pilipino ay masasabing nasa ilalim ng poverty line, at wala pa rin naging kaginhawaan para sa mga tinatawag na middle class dahil sa nakadaluhong na mga pagdagdag sa buwis ng mga bilihin at mga maliliit na pampagana sa buhay, katulad ng matamis na inumin at mga pagkaing may asukal. Ang pasaporte ng Pilipinas ay ika-67 lamang sa pinakamalakas sa mundo, ngunit wala pa rin itong presensya sa mga palarong hindi pinagbidahan ni Pacquiao, Efren “Bata” Reyes, Paeng Nepomuceno, o ng mga Dragon Boat Teams, at meron ring mga away sa mga karatig bayan sa rehiyon. Pero kahit sa dinami-rami ng mga pangyayari, ikatlo pa rin ang Pilipinas sa lista ng mga masasayang bansa sa Gallup International na poll para malaman ang mga bansang maligaya at ang mga lugmok sa kalungkutan. . Kahit na may problema sa droga, patayan, politika, bagyo, kahirapan, at teritoryo, nakikita pa rin ng Pinoy ang kahalagahan ng paglapit sa buhay na may kasiyahan sa kanilang puso. Siguro, naiintindihan ng Pilipino na ang buhay kailanman ay hinding-hindi mapagsasabihan ng kailangang gawin, pero mapangangaralan palagi ang nararamdaman ng puso. At para sa mga Pilipino, sino ba naman ang liligaya kundi tao man lang?

WIKATIONARY

Get into the Yuletide vibe as we take a look at various winter holidays celebrated around the world. PREPARED BY JOSHUA MARTIN P. GUANCO | ILLUSTRATED BY KAREN D. PANGANIBAN

Diwali – Diwali is a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists all around the world during autumn as a commemoration of the return of the lord of virtue, Ram, after 14 years of exile, and as well as a form of gratitude towards the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi. It also signifies the triumph of light against darkness, thus earning its moniker, the “Festival of Light”. It is usually celebrated during autumn.

Hanukkah – Also known as ‘Channukah’, it is an eight-day holiday that celebrates the freedom of Jews over religious persecution from their Greek-Syrian oppressors. It is celebrated during the 25th Kislev of the Hebrew calendar—which commonly falls during November or December— as a rededication of the Temple of Maccabees wherein the Jews only had oil that can last for a day, but miraculously lasted for eight days. On each of the eight nights, a candle is lit in a special menorah (candelabra) called a ‘hanukkiyah’.

Kwanzaa – It is a week-long festival that celebrates African and American culture and history, usually held in the United States from December 26-January 1. The holiday’s etymology stems from the Swahili phrase ‘matunda ya kwanza’ which means “first fruits”. All throughout the seven nights, a candle is lit as remembrance of the principles imparted by the holiday’s progenitor, Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Perchtenlauf – It may look like a Halloween twist of Christmas, but Perchtenlauf (commonly called the Krampus Parade) is a tradition that has been a part of rural Europe for centuries. Usually celebrated during December, Perchtenlauf is a commemoration of a Pagan ritual wherein Krampus disperses the ghosts of winter. Young men dress up as the mythical creature and parade their costumes while “banishing” the evil entities.

Christmas – It is the commemoration of the nativity of Jesus Christ. For Catholics, the celebration of Christmas usually begins four weeks before Advent and ends in the feast of the Epiphany. However, it has evolved into a secular holiday with all the Advent ornaments, mistletoe traditions, kris kringle, and the concept of Santa Claus. Moreover, Christmas is not just a holiday but a cultural celebration to all the people around the world regardless of race, color, and religion.

SOURCE: HTTPS://WWW.MNN.COM/FAMILY/FAMILY-ACTIVITIES/BLOGS/MULTICULTURAL-WINTER-HOLIDAY-CELEBRATIONS

THESPECTRUM / HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

LIFESTYLE

POP CULTURE

Avo Toast and Other Millennial Lingo BY ANDREA DANIELLE A. GAMBOA

For those of us who have been living under a rock, or just simply apathetic about the trivial fads of the 21st century, it is probable that they’ve been oblivious to the strange phenomena that 2017 has brought this past year. However, for those people who have been acutely aware of whatever Buzzfeed has been regurgitating into the inter-webs for the past twelve months; the likes of avocado toast, millennial pink, and brunch are terminologies that aren’t at all foreign. These strange trends have epitomized the millennial generation in ways that are innovative, creative, and quite frankly, a little embarrassing. The avocado toast craze, a seemingly ordinary breakfast food turned into an ‘instagrammable’ anomaly, has created world-wide furor. In its most primitive state, avocado toast is pretty self-explanatory: a smushed-up avocado spread onto a piece of toast. This exemplifies the ‘minimalist’ lifestyle that people these days have been adopting. An extremely straightforward and uncomplicated fare has exploded into the mainstream for its potential to be the perfect instagram post. This brings to pass the case of brunch, the baffling in-between meal that most people are confused about.

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

Too late to be called breakfast and too early to be dubbed lunch, the ‘merienda’ of the western world has found its footing and fame in capitalist North America, where eggs on toast becomes socially acceptable to pair with a bottle of champagne. Bougie and pretentious at its core, brunch has become an excuse to get a little inebriated before 5 P.M. and hey, no one’s complaining about that. Millennial pink, a rose tint that has been belched out onto every notebook, planner, and room decor item on display shelves nationwide, is something almost inescapable. The Guardian describes it as “timeless, yet very now” and if someone can wrap their head around that enigma, then congratulations! They can definitely call themselves a millennial. With this trend, one even has themselves the perfect shade. It’s the petty passing fads like these that really lead to existential questions like, ‘What’s the point of it all?’ and the answer is, ironically, pretty simple. There isn’t one! A fad, in its very definition, is something without value and shortlived. For this reason, we must take them as they are, nothing too serious--all in good fun. So take a bite of your avo toast and chill a little, old man!

POLITICS

Look Who’s Having a Blast

BY GLEN JED J. DESCUTIDO

If a year would be dubbed as the feeling you get while simultaneously riding a rollercoaster and drinking your 4th bottle of alcohol, the year would definitely be 2017. But as much as it had most of us nosediving to earth’s surface, it also showed us what it was like to be on top. It was lit, fun and poppin’ crazy. The year had to be the most random year for pop culture. As they all say, it was so extra. The calendar was actually a stretch, but man, it was jam-packed. It started with one of the biggest blunders on live television (second to Miss Universe 2015’s coronation), after Warren Beatty announced La La Land as The Oscars 2017’s best picture, only for everyone to find out that Moonlight actually won the title. We had ourselves asking for a plot twist but we never really entertained

the idea of the whole year being a plot twist. We had Beyonce announcing her pregnancy and to further shake the world, revealed that it was going to be twins. We also had the resurgence of Taylor Swift, letting people look at what they made her do. Let’s not also forget about how the Twitterverse was #shookt when the 240-character limit was introduced, bringing light to lengthier replies and wittier tweets, Tom Holland’s crazy pop and locks as Rihanna on Lip Sync Battle that got everyone shocked after

expecting Zendaya to easily win as Bruno Mars, and that Ed Sheeran cameo on Game of Thrones (Sheeran playing an unnamed Lannister bannerman) that left everyone confused. Trailing behind the success of the critically acclaimed zombie film, Train to Busan, Asian pop culture found its way once more, this time through a multi-awarded Thai heist film, Bad Genius. K-pop groups also made bigger waves this time, with Blackpink, Twice and EXO having their most awaited comebacks and BTS winning the Top Social Media Artist

Award at the Billboard Music Awards 2017. Well that was like ¼ of what happened worldwide, 2017 had its own way with our culture. If Kris Aquino was to have a one word commentary about last year, she would have probably blurt the word nakakaloka out . The year introduced us to the indie music scene and then later threw some of the bands in a whirlwind of sexual harassment issues. The emergence of IkaAnim na Utos and Wildflower memes gave us a peek on how the Filipinos can be so witty, and the recurrence of Jollibee’s Choco Mallow Pie left everybody crazy. Philippine Cinema have also shown us that love is felt and not seen through Kita Kita, that being funny doesn’t always come with insults through Patay Na Si Hesus, and that life has always something bigger to offer through Love You To The Stars and Back. 2017 did not just pop, it blew up and the inevitable blast brought about lessons, fun, and lessons that were fun, preparing us for a new year of craziness and wit enough to keep us sane by being, well, somewhat insane.

2017 WR

Unbuckling the Seatbelts from a Ride to 2017 BY IAN KRISTOFFER V. GA

If 2017 was to be described, it was a series of highs and lows, of good and bad news, and of shockers and controversies just for Philippine politics alone. Filipinos have witnessed the drama that transpired therein and are so much saturated by the year that has been and now, here comes a new beginning and (lowkey,) Filipinos cannot wait what this year has in store for them. But before this new year gets any better (or worse), take a look back at 2017. Who will forget the arrest of Sen. Leila De Lima, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration in February as she was allegedly involved in drugs? She was said to be receiving “protection money” from drug lords. The feisty senator denied the allegations and even claiming that it was the administration’s backlash against her solid stand versus extra-judicial killings in Davao. On Feb. 24, the senator succumbed to PNP. Meanwhile on April 28-29 and November 10-14, 2017, the 30th and 31st ASEAN Summits were held in the Philippines. Famous state leaders attended the events, including United States President Donald Trump and Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

—SHARA MAE L. PELAYO

The Battle of Marawi spanning for 5 months and displacing 1.1 million civilians also took place in the past year. It is dubbed “the longest urban battle in the history of the Philippines”. The siege started on May 23 when several armed groups began taking over the city, saying they are connected to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), including the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Salafi jihadists. After 5 months, 95% of the structures in the city was heavily damaged. On October 17, 2017, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi to be “liberated from terrorist influence” after the deaths of leader Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute. In response to the siege, Pres. Duterte placed the entire Marawi under Martial Law

through signing Proclamation 216 while having external affairs at Moscow. It was originally slated for 60 days; however, in a special joint session between the House of Representatives and the Senate, the lawmakers voted 261-18 in favor of the extension. Consequently, martial law was extended until Dec. 31. But then, it only took less than a day for the lawmakers to extend it for a full year, with 240-27 votes in favor of the extension. The administration’s war against drug was never spared from the 2017’s spotlight with happening of Ozamiz raid and killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos. On July 30, 2017, a group of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) conducted a raid on the property of Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo

Parojinog. Parojinog was listed as one of the narco-politicians. The supposed-to-be search warrant turned out to be an encounter between the CIDG and Parojinog’s men. The raid that turned violent resulted to 15 persons killed including Mayor Parojinog and his wife and recovery of a rifle, grenades, .45 pistols, about P1.4 million in cash, 500 grams of suspected illegal drugs, two cellphones, and an M16 rifle. The Parojinogs believed everything was just “planted” and denied that they fired first as the raid was ultimately a “rubout.” After a few months, another drug warrelated issue has transpired when Kian delos Santos was slain on Aug. 16 during a drug operation in Caloocan, Manila. CCTV footage showed Kian being dragged by two uninformed men in dark alley where his body was found cold the next day. Controversy spun around as statements from the policemen seemed to don’t match what has really transpired basing from the video, apart from Kian being a minor. The policemen defended that while Kian was not on the list, he was known to be a “runner” of illegal drugs for his uncle. The Dutertes were also dragged to the drug war they were combatting in the first place as Presidential son Paolo Duterte appeared in Senate for

the P6.4 billion shabu issue. Drug “fixer” and customs broker Mark Taguba mentioned Paolo and his brother-in-law Mans Carpio in the multi-billion controversy. Taguba claims that the Paolo is part of the “Davao group” that allows the entry of illegal drugs in the city. Brazen that the allegations were false, Pres. Duterte even ordered the PNP to kill his son as soon as everything is proven to be true. Who would’ve thought that Filipino human rights will be diminutive in value as the House of Representatives approved the P1000 budget for the Commission of Human Rights (CHR)? On September 12, 2017, 119 lawmakers agreed to reducing CHR’s budget to only P1000. CHR, with Chito Gascon leading the agency, has been very vocal of the administration’s alleged human rights abuses while being criticized for “not doing its job” after all. The stance earned the ire of the public, even calculating the price of their rights as P1000 was divided to 100 million Filipinos or so. Thereafter in Sept. 20, CHR’s budget of P508.5 million was finally approved. Imagine the trade-off! The last to shock the Philippines was the anti-Dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, scare in early December. The French

pharmaceutical Sanofi Pasteur had released a warning about the effects of Dengvaxia to those who have no history of dengue, admitting that the vaccine would only be beneficial to those who have already been infected with dengue before. But for those who haven’t been exposed to the dengue virus, it could cause severe hospitalization. It resulted to public rage as 733,000 public school children received the vaccine and it was still during the Aquino administration. A Senate probe was held with former Health Secretary Janette Garin denying any anomalies surrounding the vaccine. Former President Benigno Aquino III appeared in the Senate hearing and attested that he acted on “good faith.” Aquino said that they were not informed of the dangers of the vaccine, including Sanofi Pasteur’s issues of bribery and corruption around the world. The Senate hearings are still on-going and slated to further investigate and hold people accountable for this. The year may have either left a gaping wound or a new found hope for the Filipinos, but one thing is for sure, no year for the Philippines has been a smooth ride – almost always, it’s a roller coaster ride. Maybe it’s time for us to buckle our seatbelts as early as now.

NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2017

FASHION

BY ENA LOUISE P. APELO

Clear plastic jeans, 40 shades of foundation, and gray hair—2017 was an audacious year for fashion with trends one could consider eccentric or innovative. Consider 2017 a year when various styles were competing for center stage, with trends from previous decades resurfacing and avant garde looks being as fashionable as they were outlandish. The dreaded choker trend of 2016 was merely a foreshadowing of this year being bombarded with 90s and even early 2000’s influences in fashion. Vintage denim jackets for one, was a highly coveted staple for a 90s inspired wardrobe. Fast fashion brands scratch “vintage” off the label and sell acid-washed and tattered denim garments at higher prices than “normal” nonripped denim. Fanny packs, tracksuits and matching separates were a few of the items no one thought would

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE / THESPECTRUM

The Throwback Fashion make a comeback. However, with celebrities donning such pieces, what used to be outdated is now all the rage. Even today’s makeup is evocative of 90’s influences. Brown lipstick, currently made popular by famous personalities such as the Kardashians, was a defining makeup look in the previous decade. Whether it could have come from tracksuitwearing sneakerheads from the 90s or has developed on its own, streetwear has exploded in 2017, even earning itself a cult following. Whether or not streetwear is a subculture or a fashion choice, it incorporates such elements as hip hop fashion, athletic wear and similar styles. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the scene, chances are you’ve might have heard of “Supreme,” either

from all the hype it’s getting on social media or possibly from a logo on a counterfeit shirt. It has earned such a big clientele that even luxury brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton are getting into the streetwear market.

While there are some distinct styles or trends that emerged this year, there are still some odds and ends failing to end up in a specific category. 2017 was a tough year for jeans, when clear plastic jeans, “double jeans”, r e a r -

RAP - UP

bearing jeans, and muddy jeans started strutting down the runway. If you thought these garments were ridiculous, you could have seen the prices they were marketed at. When in fashion shows they might be labelled experimental or avant garde, there’s no denying when they hit the mass market they could be considered downright terrible ideas. At the same time jeans had its defining moment in this year’s fashion, eyebrows were its counterpart in the makeup scene. The infamous “Instagram brows” were gradually being toned down and natural and bushy brows were embraced (or even faked) instead of being embarrassed about. On the other hand, questionable looks such as “feathered” eyebrows and squiggly eyebrows did become trending at some point. But makeup trends in 2017 didn’t stop only on the brows, it had to go all out. 2017 makeup in a nutshell is putting everything and using anything on one’s

face. A full face of makeup will realistically call for more or less 14 steps, in a particular order. Highlighter had also become a holy grail in 2017, with people becoming obsessed with glitter and unicorn-themed products all year round. Hairstyles, for one, were not spared in the unicorn-themed package. Brightly colored hair is not going anytime soon yet bleaching and dyeing one’s hair grey (as surprising as it is to our seniors) has become the trend, if one is daring enough. On a positive note, clothing and makeup companies have begun to cater to a more diverse market. The fashion industry is gradually opening its doors to serve a bigger market by including plus-size clothing options. While the makeup industry is improving and including more products to satisfy both men and women of different color. Aside from 2017 being a year of eccentricity in fashion, it was also a year to celebrate self-love, body-positivity and embracing one’s features.

PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET (DHGATE.COM, MEGASTYLE & SUPREME)

INTERNET TRENDS

The Year of Petmalu

ACTS OF KINDNESS

There’s Still Good Left in the World!

BY MARIA ANGELICA M. APE

Wars and calamities happening all around the world would not be considered as something new but in the midst of it all, countries ended up helping other countries this year which showed that the world is still a nice place after all. Marawi Rehabilitation As the battle between the government security forces and the Maute terror group came to an end, the country did receive not only financial assistance from other countries but also technical assistance as reconstruction and rehabilitation in Marawi City. Asian countries such as Japan, Thailand and China, had donated

—SHARA MAE L. PELAYO

PHOTO TAKEN FROM MUSICWEEK.COM

a total of P285 million while the European Union’s donations totaled in P49 million. Meanwhile, the United States donated around P730 million and Australia’s donations to the city had totaled in P1 billion. According to the Philippine Star, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had also announced that their government will provide $20 million worth of assistance over four years to civilians affected by the Marawi conflict. The country’s support will be spent mostly through child protection and counselling services. Paying the next table’s bill One of the many viral posts of

the year included a time when a woman from Texas overheard anti-gay comments from the table next to her in a restaurant where she chose to turn the other cheek and paying their bill instead of confronting them. She later posted the message she left them on Facebook, which read: “Happy holidays from the very GAY, very liberal table sitting next to you. Jesus made me this way, N. P.S. Be accepting of your family.” A Hero in a Tux Clayton Cook, a groom, waiting for his pictures be taken noticed that there were only two out of the three children left by pond. Without hesitation, the tux-clad

groom dove in and pulled the small boy to safety. “I kind of just said to myself, well I’m pretty sure that just drops off, and I’m going to go check just to make sure the kids are okay,” Cook said in an interview with BBC. One Love In May, tragedy struck for international pop sensation Ariana Grande when a shrapnelladen homemade bomb exploded, causing the death of 22 and injury of almost 500 of her concert-goers in Manchester, United Kingdom. After the news reached the world, celebrities came together to give back to the victims and the fans. Celebrities include The Black Eyed Peas, Niall Horan, and Katy Perry, to name a few performed on stage in Manchester. The British Red Cross reported it received more than £10 million ($13 million) in donations in the 12 hours following the concert. Networks from at least 50 countries broadcast the concert live, which was simultaneously streamed live on various social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The concert was then ranked first by New York Magazine as the top concert of the year. Regardless of the adversities that happened this year, everyone was able to lend a hand and help a brother in need. At that point, it felt like a glimpse of world peace.

PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET

BY JOSHUA MARTIN P. GUANCO

2017 was a weird year for the worldwide web—in a good way. The scourge that is 2016 left netizens in a puddle of grief due to the recurring trends of sad news that were hurled to and fro. And that’s when 2017 became a beacon of hope for everyone. It showed promise and it really delivered [us from the evil of 2016]. The year was deafened by the weird rebirth of the Filipino language. Out of the blue, Filipinos started saying words in reverse. Gone were “malupit”, “idol”, as well as “power”, and in were petmalu, lodi, and werpa. But it didn’t stop there, reversed words such as orb, erp, and even ecnalubma were immortalized in social media sites and in the fragile minds of the youth. And who would ever forget the infamous “nyeam” of Xian Gaza who has definitely checked off ‘internet fame’ from his bucket list last 2017. Moreover, handheld spinning toys became a thing. Called as “Fidget Spinners”, the 3-inch gadgets were essentially for persons with ADHD, helping them to concentrate. All of a sudden, it became a must-have for children and adults alike—a worldwide phenomenon derived from merely spinning these things and getting nothing.

Furthermore, an ode about a family of sharks was played by television and radio stations like there was no tomorrow. “Baby Shark”, a popular Korean children’s song, became the staple of these media outlets, constantly engraving its melodies into the minds of its listeners. In the Visayas, the “Taga-Asa Ka?” challenge wherein a person answers the question “Where do you live?” and then dances to the song “Kiat Jud Day” became a trend in social media sites. Surprisingly, Korean TV shows started to appear again on the silver screen as soaps such as “Goblin” made Filipinas ask the universe for their own oppas although the Korean word literally means “elder brother” rather than a handsome lover although it is also used by Korean women to address their boyfriends and guys they are attracted to. Other trending topics in the country all throughout the year include the once loved song “Despacito”, the Lucia Joaquin kerfuffle, the rise—and fall— of Xander Ford, the Jake Zyrus reveal, as well as the infamous “dubidubidapdap” of the Filipino rap god himself, Willie Revillame. Ultimately, the internet provided its netizens with outof-this-world trends as well as memes. Well, we could not have it any other way, right? 2016 left behind a foul taste, and it was 2017 and its trends that washed it away. Here’s to a fun 2018!

VOLUM E 62 N UM BE R 8

NOV E M BE R TO DECE M BE R 2017

BUTTERFLY THRUST. CBA’s Nikole Taquiso resurfaces from the water to take a breath during the Men’s 50 Meter Fly event in this year’s Animolympics.

—MARTINI ALBERT M. FALCO

USLS reaps eight golds in NOPSSCEA ’37 BY STEPHINE PAUL M. DUNGCA

The University of St. La Salle (USLS) tallied a total of eight golds out of 28 sports events during the 37th season of the Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural Educational Association (NOPSSCEA) with the theme “Driven to Excellence” last Sept. 16 to Nov. 25, 2017. USLS took home the

championship for Men’s Beach Volleyball, Men’s Football, Women’s Athletics, and Women’s Chess. “During my NOPSSCEA journey, I learned that attitude is everything. As the team captain, I should be able to deal with my teammates’ diverse personalities and understand myself deeper. I experienced a lot of stress and downfalls during our preparation but

everything was worth it in the end,” highlighted Men’s Volleyball silver medalist and Men’s Beach Volleyball gold medalist Deanne Neil Dolar De Pedro of Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. Furthermore, the shades of green and white dominated both the Men’s and Women’s categories for Swimming and Table Tennis. “It is always important

to accept whatever the outcome may be. We just enjoyed the game calmly and unpressured. We pray and play as a team during practices and matches. For me, this gold is for God for guiding us, for attitude and for those who never stops supporting and believing in us,” emphasized Men’s Table Tennis gold medalist James Saligumba of Bachelor of Science in Marketing

Management. Institutional Varsity Sports Office Director Joseph Christian Fernandez mentioned that the college level may have dropped three gold medals in comparison to last year’s 11 golds, the whole university improved in the medal count 20 gold medals in contrast to last year’s 19 golds. “Having to carry the name and the pride of

our school against other competing NOPSSCEA schools, I always get goosebumps everytime we start playing. But what amazed me is the unending and undying support of our fellow Lasallians from start to finish.” exclaimed Men’s Volleyball silver medalist and libero Dante R. Medecielo Jr. of Bachelor of Science in Commerce Major in Operations Management.

TIMEOUT

Where the Water Begins BY VICTORIA MARIAN B. BELMIS

NAME: Axel S. Balinas AGE: 18 years old SPORT: Swimming COURSE: BS Computer Science

He looked down on his reflection. Waiting for the whistle to blow, he hears the crowd cheering but he doesn’t mind it. He came to show the countless hours of training he had been through. And then

—MARTINI M. FALCO

he hears it. The whistle cracks the air, and he dives in, slicing through the water, determined to win. “During an event, I always clear my mind

from negative thoughts. I’d usually imagine that I’m the only one diving into the pool. I came [to the event] to swim my own swim, not to be influenced by the speed

of the swimmer right next to me nor the loud cheering of my teammates,” said Axel Balinas of the University of St. La Salle (USLS) Tankers. Axel’s journey in competitive swimming began when his father enrolled him in a swimming class after his older brother’s prior success in the said sport. From then his late uncle, who also taught and coached his brother and two other cousins, took charge of his training until he entered various swimming clubs and finally the USLS swim team during his ninth grade.

Since then, he had participated in numerous swimming competitions and brought medals for the school. Recently, Balinas won gold in 1500m freestyle at the NOPSSCEA 2017 Swimming Competition and got qualified in the PRISAA Regionals this 2018 for the same event and another two: 200m butterfly and 400m freestyle. It’s a tough job to be a student-athlete and according to Axel, the most challenging part was maintaining his prime as an athlete. “I can’t put enough time to my

training to maintain my endurance, power, and stamina,” said Balinas expressing further that overlapping schedules hinder him to maintain his performance as a swimmer. “Swimming had helped me and my family throughout my college years. It’s safe to say that without it, I couldn’t study here right now,” Balinas said, noting that this motivates him to do good both in swimming and his academics despite the hardships he’s been going through.