May-October Newsletter 2020

TRUTH BEYOND KNOWING

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

What’s inside BACOLOD CITY’S ONE COMMAND CENTER NEWS

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VOL 65 NO. 5

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MAY TO OCTOBER 2020

Transport aid for medical frontliners

LIBRE SAKAY PROGRAM SUPPORTS MEDICAL, TRANSPORT SERVICES

BY SHAN MARC O. JABAGAT

Featuring a centralized command center in Bacolod City, the establishment aims to provide timely and accurate medical information about COVID-19. read on page 3

ANTI-TERRORISM LAW EDITORIAL

The Spectrum questions the intentions behind Republic Act No. 11749, otherwise known as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. read on page 4

KALIPAY DAGWAY

Spanish filmmaker Federico Cardelús touches hearts with his award-winning “Kalipay” documentary, inspired by the disadvantaged children rescued by the Kalipay Negrense Foundation. read on page 10

FILIPINX FILIPINO

The term “Filipinx” was coined as a genderneutral term for the Filipino members of the LGBTQ+ community abroad, but is it really necessary? read on page 12

COLLEGIATE ATHLETES RESUME TRAINING SPORTS

Collegiate student-athletes can now resume their training under the Republic Act No. 10676 or the Student-Athlete Protection Act. read on page 16

SPECIAL SERVICE. A Fortune Town jeepney operator waits for passengers at the Downtown area. ­— KARL BRIAN T. MARQUEZA

The Bacolod City government implemented the “Libre Sakay” program for medical and essential workers from Sept. 14 until Sept. 30 as the city was placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) due to its rising COVID-19 cases.

The local government commissioned 63 public utility jeepneys that plied the seven point-to-point routes in transporting frontliners.

Furthermore, the daily schedule ensued from 4:30 AM to 10:30 PM with a two-hour interval each, alongside Bacolod City Plaza serving as the central drop-off area.

The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office assigned seven jeepney routes set at Barangay Granada, Estefania, Bata, Handumanan, Mansilingan, Banago, and Sum-ag; each route was designated six jeepneys—three for medical frontliners and three for essential services personnel.

The program was implemented to address the suspension of public transportation in the city as prohibited under the mandate of the Inter-Agency Task Force, according to Mayor Evelio Leonardia.

Drivers who operated under the program received a compensation of P300 per trip, totalling to P3,000 if the 10

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daily round-trips were complied with.

One of the drivers who benefitted in the program was Rudy Catedral, president of the Metro Bacolod Mansilingan Drivers Association.

“The program has been a big help for us [drivers], especially since we do not have income because of the pandemic; it was total lockdown and transportation was not available,” Catedral expressed.

Moreover, he mentioned that 18 drivers were delegated daily—nine each in the morning and in the afternoon—for all members of the organization to benefit in the program.

Unfortunately, Brgy. Taculing was not included in the selected routes, affecting a lot of drivers.

According to Leonard Dumdum, a Taculing-Central Market jeepney driver, he was unaware of the system of the said program as vans were the one transporting the workers: “Maybe our president was unable to attend the meeting, as to why none of us were selected,” he added.

Currently, the city has been restored to General Community Quarantine until Nov. 30, and all of the 828 jeepney drivers who partook in the program for 15 days have already received their service fees.

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NEWS

SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2020

Lack of PPEs prompts Project BAYOnihan

LICEO STUDENTS RAISE P20K TO HELP FRONTLINERS

BY DREXEL JOHN N. AMIT AND ANGELA A. CORONEL

PHOTO COURTESY OF PROJECT BAYONIHAN

Through Project BAYOnihan, four students from Liceo-De La Salle turned over P20,000 to Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on July 14 to give aid to Negrense frontliners.

In donating the money to the provincial government, John Christian Kho, Don Santillan, Jaren Kilayko, and Justin Villanueva represented the said project—

Lockdown puts public transpo on hold

City distributes food aid under MECQ

BY CARL HASON T. GERALE AND DREXEL JOHN N. AMIT

With the implementation of Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in the city from Sept. 8 to 30, the city government of Bacolod distributed food packs to affected residents.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia mandated the said initiative as part of the Emergency Food Assistance Program of the city.

The first and second batches of the food packs, mainly containing kilos of rice, noodles, and canned goods, were distributed on Sept. 10 and 24, respectively.

Distribution during Quarantine According to Pacita Tero, Head of the Department of Social Services and Development, about 40,000 food packs were repacked and distributed to 61 barangays on the first wave of distribution while about 35,000 food packs were

distributed on the second wave.

However, to ease the burden, Tero tasked the respective officials of each barangay to distribute the food packs among their residents.

“The barangays have their own lists of beneficiaries so they should have their strategy to avoid the crowd in their barangay hall,” Tero said.

Prioritizing the Transport Sector Tero also stated that they prioritized giving the food packs among jeepney, tricycle, and trisikad drivers, not leaving indigent families and other poor sectors behind, as they were affected the most.

“Under MECQ, public transportation was suspended and so the [transportation groups] were most affected. However, we also gave assistance to those constituents with little to no income,” Tero explained.

On the other hand, Executive Assistant for Barangay Affairs Butch Soligue stated that the

mainly composed of Liceo students—which raised funds by designing, producing, and selling Hangawày shirts.

Project BAYOnihan Public Relations team representative Ryle Kayden Sarmiento shared that social media posts showing the lack of PPEs in hospitals motivated them in establishing the project.

“Since [...] we did not have much things to do during our ECQ time, we decided to grab the opportunity to think of something that can help [...] our frontliners,” Sarmiento stated.

According to Sarmiento, more than raising funds, the message that the shirt brings is also important, explaining that they called their product Hangawày shirt—Hangawày being a Hiligaynon term meaning warrior— to signify that frontliners are “fighters in the midst of the pandemic”.

Sarmiento added that what made their project successful was doing it with purpose, utilizing their connections, and being practical about their decisions.

“We actually thought of many products [...] but decided to stick with the Hangawày shirt since it would be easier to sell,” Sarmiento explained.

food packs were not available for jeepney drivers who participated in the Libre Sakay program of the city since they were already given the opportunity to earn while public transport was suspended.

Setbacks faced Concerning the second wave of food pack distribution last Sept. 24, complaints regarding the received relief goods arose as reports of expired food pack contents surfaced, including those received by more than 600 recipients from Barangay Handumanan.

In response, Tero apologized for the incident that had transpired in a video statement released by the Public Information Office.

“I want to apologize for the things that happened since it [was] not intentional. Due to our urgent response to help, we [were unaware] that the contents of the packages were not thoroughly checked,” Tero stated.

Tero then cleared out that not all of the food packs distributed had the same problem.

“If ever we have issues regarding that, it would be better that we raise that to our barangay so that we can see what we can do,” Tero added.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

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NEWS

New healthcare system in BCD

OHCC to strengthen city’s COVID-19 response

BY ANNA MARIA J. VILLANUEVA AND IVEE E. MANGUILIMOTAN

Through the establishment of the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC), Bacolod City decongested hospitals attending to patients infected with COVID-19, IATF-Visayas chief implementer and retired major general Mel Feliciano announced during the OHCC’s ceremonial launch at the Bacolod City Government Center on Sept. 29.

Feliciano, who has been monitoring the OHCC progress and response, highlighted the importance of information from hospitals and proper healthcare provisions to better aid the public in combating the health crisis.

The centralized command center was a byproduct of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) based at the Bacolod Government Center after adopting from Cebu City’s successful model.

“Hospitals play a vital role in the fight against COVID-19. They are always part of the efforts in having the appropriate healthcare capacity to address the patients,” Feliciano said.

Meanwhile, City Administrator Em Ang announced in a Facebook post that the city will be able to better manage and retrieve information from Bacolod hospitals regarding coronavirus cases through a call center facility managed by agents for teleconsultation and education.

“When this One Hospital Command Center was established, there were complementary efforts made

MODERN HERO SUIT. A medical frontliner from Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital sports a full protective gear while fulfilling their duty of saving lives. — KEILAH N. BALDOMAR

by different hospitals. We were also able to place a referral system on the ground where we refer the patients before admitting them to tertiary hospitals,” Feliciano said.

Dr. Hector G. Gayares Jr. asked medical directors to designate one hospital data officer to provide relevant hospital data to the OHCC and to be the assigned point person to analyze not only the statistics but as well as the “story behind the numbers”.

“It is very important [to maintain] the integrity of data, meaning to say, the timeliness, the accurateness, and all those other things,” Gayares said in an interview with SunStar.

A discussion on rights and PH history

The Media and Martial Law

BY IMMALIE ROSE E. CAFIFGE AND ELIZABETH D. FERNANDEZ

History repeats itself. That is why the remembrance of past mistakes is crucial to ensure that they will never recur.

Marking the annual 48th Martial Law commemoration day, the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) held a webinar on Zoom and Facebook live last Sept. 29, discussing the influence of media during martial law.

Hosted by the UPV Skimmers, the talk highlighted the power of media and literature during a time of dictatorial oppression.

The webinar showcased three speakers: Atty.

Chel Diokno, journalist Bianca Dava, and UPDiliman professor Karlo Mikhail Mongaya, all of whom expressed the importance of freedom of speech in an age of suppression.

With the nation’s state of pandemic and the recent passing of the Anti-Terrorism bill, militant

Along with the OHCC, the City Council approved an ordinance to create the “Bacolod Healthcare Coordination Committee for COVID-19 Patients” to aid in the transmission of medical information between Bacolod Hospitals and the EOC for planning, monitoring, and resource allocation.

Among the healthcare facilities under the OHCC are the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital, Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center, South Bacolod General Hospital, The Doctors’ Hospital, and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.

NEWS FEATURE

power throughout the country has been evident. Furthermore, on Sept. 30, spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez announced Bongbong Marcos’ intentions to run for the upcoming 2022 elections during an interview on OnePH’s talk show ‘Sa Totoo Lang’.

Along with the termination of the mass media giant, ABS-CBN network, many fear that the country is once again heading down a road of government tyranny.

Subsequently, ABS-CBN’s termination transpired during Marcos’ rule, and with the son of the dictator intending to run for presidency, bitter memories of the abuse experienced are revived.

Diokno, a child of martial law, recalled atrocities his family faced during the dictatorship.

His father, a senator, lawyer, and a human rights advocate was labelled a communist and arrested.

Jailed for two years, his father faced the worst of police brutality.

To Diokno, Marcos was able to oppress the people by targeting three rights: the right to education, the right to self-determination, and the right to information.

Despite these difficulties, he emphasized

the importance of truth-seeking youth against government propaganda.

“I never lose hope, I know that the youth will always be there to fight for our rights and freedom,” Diokno reiterated.

Mongaya also echoed this sentiment of perseverance as he recalled the people taking to the streets when Marcos banned theatre, highlighting the strength that the arts had in an age of suppression.

Moreover, Dava underlined the importance of fearless journalism, asserting the media’s duty to ensure the delivery of truth to the masses so that just accountability of the government is possible.

“We shouldn’t be afraid to criticize the government and point out their wrongdoings. If we silence the media, what’s going to happen to the people?” she declared.

Ultimately, the media shutdown during Martial Law became the key to the 1970 Filipino revolution, showing how crucial they are in maintaining government integrity.

Overall, the webinar revealed that through the power of truth and free speech, people can fearlessly stand strong together to defeat even the largest of tyrants.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

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OPINION

SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2020

Editorial

Look who’s talking [...] the persisting antagonization of government critics proves that the law being weaponized, abused, and overridden is nothing new in the midst of subtle authoritarianism.”

While the pandemic had struck the country in March, Senate Bill No. 1083 or the Anti-Terrorism Bill was approved by the Senate seeking to repeal the Human Security Act of 2007, an older bill made for similar intents. Three months and more than 30,000 cases later, the bill was tagged as ‘urgent’, passed its final reading after quick legislation, and has officially been made law.

As a publication that values critical thinking for the past six and a half decades, The Spectrum resolutely decries the Anti-Terrorism Law as it seeks to further destabilize Philippine democracy, following the latest attacks on Press Freedom and freedom of speech. Despite its supposed safeguards and assurance from government officials, we believe the bill is unconstitutional and terroristic in itself, has an easily weaponized composition, and infringes upon human rights.

Among the strongest notable rebuttals in support for the bill is that possible violations of human rights are still protected by the constitution and the Bill of Rights. On the surface, this argument seems unquestionable, but one look back at the “festive” Mañanitas during the pandemic, the long history of redtagging, and the persisting antagonization of government critics proves that the law being weaponized, abused, and overridden is nothing new in the midst of subtle authoritarianism.

Ambiguity found in the law’s definition of terrorism makes way for easily justified interpretation and enables even more redtagging and criminalization of dissenters—

— EARL JOHN D. PABULAR

the label of “terrorist” is all the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) needs for draconian prosecution. In this perspective of inexactness, an extremist looking to violently present his ideology and a student activist peacefully protesting for his community can both be called a terrorist.

The victims of ‘Cebu7’ know this as much as Bacolod’s local protestors do as military personnel disrupted and intimidated wellmeaning and lawful demonstrations last Independence Day. Even our university itself laid witness to the red-tagging of progressive groups early last school year, showing that branding people and organizations that do not align with government ideals as “terroristic” is their way of gagging their opposition.

Ironically, the bill’s terrorism charges and provisions seem to be completely in line with its own definition of terrorism of “inciting fear and destabilization” as it has received

backlash from left-leaning groups, student publications, media companies, human rights organizations, and even the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers. The alarm and the red flags raised from international critics and human rights watchers only further stress the gravity of the law’s sinister intentions.

Its enabling of warrantless arrests with surveillance and wiretapping directly violates the right to privacy and oversteps its enforcement with its detention. And with the proposed ATC given nearly unrestrained power, there’s no telling what atrocities may ensue.

We must remember to remain vigilant and critical of laws that may harbor ulterior motives and never forget our country’s history of corruption. Expressing dissent and calling for meaningful legislation will always play a critical role in pushing back corruption, hegemony, and fascism. Silencing the opposition by tasteless intimidation and death threats does not mean victory—but rather shows fear and guilt.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

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OPINION

WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT’S BEEN DONE TO YOU Admittedly, it’s difficult to fully comprehend reality after eight months of social isolation—myriads of societal issues feel abstract as just words and numbers on our screen. It’s easy to brush these off as we feel far away from them—it’s easy not to care when we’ve been glossed with privilege all our lives.

With the ever-booming social media landscape, it’s hard not to find anything political. To those surrounded by outspoken peers, what’s right and wrong is made simple and self-evident. But when thirdparties look in, the complexity of politics is hard to grasp. “ Why should I care? ” Apoliticism and neutrality will benefit the oppressor.

Our history ridden with abused ideology shows that the status quo has never been completely ethical and just. Since ideology and principle guide the decisions of our leaders, we need to understand them in order to critique them.

Every political issue until now extends its roots farther than the Biblical era. As soon

KRATOS

Lance Christian M. Juarez lancejuarez44@gmail.com

Whether it be in the silky fabrics of privilege or the stained rags of misfortune, no one asked to be born.

as humans were capable of communication, politics spewed itself forth—especially when people wanted to control other people. It is a facet of life that influences not just the sociopolitical landscape, but also our relationships with others and the world. “ So what? ” Our lives are never exempt from participating in socially constructed power structures. These skewed hierarchies are built to exploit those who are at the bottom and staying in line is all well and good until one’s autonomy is violated.

Politics will continue to be complex as it encompasses the human experience. An individual does not have to be an academic nor an intellectual to be educated and informed—simple empathy is all it takes.

Whether it be in the silky fabrics of privilege or the stained rags of misfortune, no one asked to be born. Remaining apolitical, most especially amid 2020’s barrage of crises, is directly linked to being inconsiderate to the oppression perpetuated by flawed, immoral systems.

SAKIT NA WALANG LUNAS “Call center agent ka pala? Aba, asensado ah.”

Nang unang sumibol ang industriya ng Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sa Pilipinas, kinamamangha ang trabaho bilang isang call center agent—sa kadahilanang, bago itong industriya, malaki ang pinapasweldo, at may tanda ka ng kahusayan sa paggamit ng kompyuter at katatasan sa wikang Ingles.

Sa paglipas ng mga panahon, lumago ang industriya, kung kaya’t natawag ito bilang “Sunshine Industry” ng Pilipinas dahil sa kaunlarang naibibigay nito—hanggang sa naideklara ang bansa bilang BPO capital sa buong mundo.

“Ang talino mo para diyan lang magtrabaho.”

Biglaan ang pagbaliktad ng opinyon laban sa mga call center agents, at sa isang dahilan lang ako sigurado: ang paglalahat sa realidad na halos sa mga ahente ay hindi nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Subsob rin sa kahihiyan ang mga nakapagtapos ng may akademikong karangalan at kwalipikado sa napiling karera pero mas piniling manatili sa call center.

Kamakailan lang, sinariwa ang isyung ito ng beteranong brodkaster sa kilalang istasyon nang pagsalitaan niya ng mga negatibong komento ang mga ahente. Sa loob ng ilang minuto, paulit-ulit niyang inalipusta ang mga ito, habang binigyang-diin na gawain ng mga tamad ang ganitong hanapbuhay. Hindi rin nakaligtas ang mga Mass Communication graduates; ang sabi,

COSMIC Kynah Rhea B. Fuentes kynahrheaf@gmail.com

Isang sampal ng katotohanan sa atin ang realidad na hindi lamang ang kanilang pamumuhay ang naisasalba, kundi pati na rin ang lumulubog na ekonomiya. “pindot-pindot” lang sa keyboard ang ginagawa nila—hindi kailangan ng “brain cells”. Nasangkot pa ang mga dyanitor, kargador, at barkero, nang ihambing ang utak ng mga MassCom graduates sa kanila; hindi daw kaya ng kanilang utak ang magtrabaho sa midya.

“Huwag kang makipaghalubilo diyan. Tagacall center yan.”

Mas umigting pa ang diskriminasyon ng mga taga-call center nang ibinalitang may mga nagpositibo sa COVID-19 sa ilang kompanya, rason upang sila’y mas lalong maliitin.

Halimbawa na lamang ang mga ahenteng hindi pinaparahan ng mga pampublikong sasakyan kung mapapansing naka ID sila ng kompanyang ito.

Sa patuloy na paglubog ng ekonomiya buhat ng krisis, nanatiling matatag ang operasyon ng industriya. Patuloy ang kanilang serbisyo sa pagbibigay ng solusyon sa mga kustomer sa kabila ng hindi mabilang-bilang na pang-iinsulto, reklamo, at pagmamaltrato sa telepono. Isang sampal ng katotohanan sa atin ang realidad na hindi lamang ang kanilang pamumuhay ang naisasalba, kundi pati na rin ang lumulubog na ekonomiya.

Hindi man palaging nahahayag, ngunit sila’y nagsisilbing inspirasyon sa mga tao. Kung ating maiiging tingnan, bawat isa sa kanila ay may kwento sa likod ng pamamalagi sa isang call center—may kwentong breadwinner, may kwentong single mom, may kwentong working student, at maaring may kwentong kapit sa patalim.

Walang sinoman ang may karapatang mang-alipusta sa kung ano man ang trabaho o kalagayan ng kalusugan ng tao, lalo na sa panahon ng pandemya. Walang sinoman ang nararapat na makaranas ng diskriminasyon, ngunit parang wala ring sinoman ang makakahanap sa sakit na ito na walang lunas.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

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FOUNDED 1956 facebook.com/thespectrumusls thespectrum.usls@gmail.com VOLUME 65 NUMBER 5 · MAY - OCTOBER 2020 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lance Christian M. Juarez ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ma. Kristine Joy R. Bayadog MANAGING EDITOR Ivee E. Manguilimotan EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR Paula Mae E. Villarosa NEWSPAPER EDITOR Kynah Rhea B. Fuentes MAGAZINE EDITOR Hana Patricia Raj E. Hautea ONLINE EDITOR Patrick N. Billojan LITERARY EDITOR Carl Hason T. Gerale PHOTOS & VIDEOS EDITOR Karl Brian T. Marqueza LAYOUT & GRAPHICS EDITOR Alexandra V. Bachoco NEWSPAPER WRITERS Alan S. Villanueva Jr. Drexel John N. Amit Alyssa Nicole T. Maquiran Anna Maria J. Villanueva

ONLINE WRITERS Shan Marc O. Jabagat Ezra Chrislaine L. Ortega Meryl C. Sigaton James B. Gonzaga LITERARY WRITERS Immalie Rose E. Cafifge Krizzia Ricci T. Nepomuceno LAYOUT & GRAPHICS ARTISTS Trizia C. Hassim Mitchel G. Mariano Mikey Vincent T. Vicente ILLUSTRATORS Jaziel Ann V. Seballos Earl John D. Pabular PHOTOJOURNALISTS Angelo F. Despi Keilah N. Baldomar Inocencio John Keith B. Ferrer V Phoebe Daidoji Q. Jabonete Ma. Micah Dearielle V. Trajera VIDEOGRAPHER Rodney A. Jarder Jr. WEB ADMINISTRATORS Angela A. Coronel Christian Dominic L. Ledesma EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kiara Nicole D. Villa OFFICER-IN-CHARGE Kenny L. Andaya The Spectrum is the Official Student Media Corps of the University of St. La Salle. Its editorial office is located at the Coliseum grounds 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.

Local, global issues raised in multilateral confab

PRRD debuts in UN General Assembly

BY IVEE E. MANGUILIMOTAN AND DREXEL JOHN N. AMIT

With the urgency of addressing local and global issues, President Rodrigo Duterte attended the 75th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly via video conference on Sept.

22.

Participating in the High-Level General Debate for the first time in his four years in office, Duterte raised issues on COVID-19 response, peace and security, geopolitical disputes, the migrants and refugees situation, climate crisis, peacekeeping, and reforms in the UN. Pandemic Response Duterte called on the international community to produce coordinated plans and efforts in the midst of the crisis, citing that potential vaccines should be made available for all. “Ensuring universal access to anti-COVID-19 technologies and products is pivotal in the global pandemic recovery,” Duterte said. The president also acknowledged the UN’s role in the battle against the pandemic, welcoming the launch of the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund of the organization. Likewise, Duterte gave spotlight to Filipino frontliners for their contributions in answering the call to combat the virus.

Issues on Peace and Security Unprecedentedly, Duterte reached out to the stakeholders in the South China Sea, Korean Peninsula, Middle East, and Africa saying, “If we cannot be friends as yet, then in God’s name, let us not hate each other too much.” He emphasized that given the military might of the nations he mentioned, human life and property will take a toll if the ‘word war’ was to shift into a real war with nuclear weapons. Halfway through his speech, the president also blasted groups who “hide their misdeeds under the blanket of human rights” to discredit his administration. Moreover, Duterte

— EARL JOHN D. PABULAR

MAGAZINE WRITERS Adrianne H. Saplagio Elizabeth D. Fernandez Gabriel M. Lezama

DEVELOPMENT

SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2020

underscored the 2020 Anti-Terrorism Act as an effective legal framework to withstand terrorism.

“Its enactment was done pursuant to our commitment and the strict adherence to the relevant Security Council resolutions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy,” the president affirmed.

Other Issues Duterte was also able to underline the climate crisis, highlighting that it has contributed to the intensifying of the already existing inequalities and vulnerabilities within a country. “We call on all parties, especially those who have not made good their commitment to fight climate change, to honor the same,” Duterte expressed. On the repatriation program, Duterte promised to continue “bringing back the rest” of the Filipino migrants abroad as half of the 345,000 overseas Filipino workers were able to go home. Additionally, Duterte talked about the refugee crisis stating that the country is always open to anyone fleeing for safety. Finally, as he acknowledged the UN as an important facet to humanity, Duterte stood firm to empowering— reforming even—the organization to fully achieve social progress.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

THE ISSUE OF ‘FAITH’ IN SUICIDE

CONTENT WARNING: The following article contains material that may be disturbing or traumatizing to some audiences. Reader discretion is advised.

BY SHAN MARC O. JABAGAT

emotional well-being. The Mental Health Law is now in effect which provides accessible and affordable psychiatric services, and protects the rights of people with their psychological needs as well as their families.

In the Philippines, suicide culture is deemed as more of a faithless resolution. The country is no stranger in creating a stigma that weakens the need for an open conversation about mental health.

Currently, the Department of Education encourages teachers and parents to communicate well as they continue to navigate the online learning system.

However, as the academic year began through online learning systems, suicide reports among learners keep on coming one after another, with a sixth-grade student being the youngest so far.

Mental health needs to be openly discussed, especially since the country is in the middle of a pandemic. Belittling the call of those who need help while having limited access to psychiatric healthcare is one of the primary reasons why this topic continues to be taboo in Philippine society. Now is the time to end the stigma as the solution must be deeply rooted on the basis of psychology, not on religion.

These suicide cases have been pointing to the difficulties posed by the online curriculum.

Parents of the victims claimed that their children were expressing frustration, mostly on connectivity, expenses, and workload, before the incidents happened.

As a result, student groups are calling for academic ease due to pressure of the workload. The online class setting slowly takes a toll on the psychological well-being of a student due to isolation and lack of socialization with their peers.

The online class setting slowly takes a toll on the psychological well-being of a student due to isolation and lack of socialization with their peers.”

Unfortunately, the solution to the issue proposed by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra last August was to urge religious leaders to provide counseling and guidance to citizens suffering from anxiety and depression. This statement received flak from citizens, especially from mental health groups, claiming that religious institutions contributed to the stigma against mental illness.

Despite the controversies, the country continues advocating the importance of — MIKEY VINCENT T. VICENTE

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

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SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2020

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

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THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

PHILIPPINE INTERNET LAGS BEHIND 10

BY ADRIANNE H. SAPLAGIO AND CHRISTIAN DOMINIC L. LEDESMA

The age of technology is upon us and with it, the need for a stable internet connection. Not only does internet access provide us with entertainment, it has also become a vital instrument that fills the physical void left by our lack of interpersonal relationships for the sake of social distancing.

However, when our links to the outside world remain as unreliable as they currently are, being patient with the service becomes incredibly hard.

Internet access in the Philippines first became available on March 29, 1994. Since then, the development and quality of the internet in the country have been far behind compared to most countries. In April 2020, Ookla, a company that analyzes internet access performance metrics, published a global index that put the Philippines in the 110th place out of 176 countries in terms of our fixed broadband internet speed and 121st in terms of mobile internet speed ranking.

The Philippines, averaging 21.00 Megabits per second (Mbps) for broadband and 12.09 Mbps for mobile, sets the country’s internet speed well below the global average of 74.74 Mbps and 30.89 Mbps. In contrast to ASEAN countries (excluding Brunei) that have an average of 66.55 Mbps for broadband and

24.54 Mbps for mobile, the Philippines still lags behind.

Ironically, even though we belong to the lower half of the index, Filipinos have been dubbed as the most active internet users with an average of nine hours and 45 minutes a day spent online as compared to the global average of six hours and 43 minutes.

Another staggering statistic is that 67 percent of Filipinos with internet access are continuously plagued with internet slowdowns, disconnections, and poor signal in some areas.

With the aforementioned data, it’s difficult not to speculate that our excessive hours on the internet are spent more on waiting for our websites to load rather than actually making good use of them.

Given the recent rise of the COVID-19, internet connectivity issues remain an issue all the more with the push towards online solutions to problems, the most notable being online classes.

It’s understandable for the education sector to push for online classes, but given the economic state of our country, it is also understandable for people to air out their concerns about how they would cope with the “solution” presented to them.

Connectivity might just be a small inconvenience for some, but the same cannot be said for those who might have to choose between being able to feed their family or being able to give their children an education.

SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2020

— TRIZIA C. HASSIM

Negrense Heritage: A Culture Adorned by Countless Hues

BY ALAN S. VILLANUEVA JR.

A book is more than its cover; it has stories that are yet to unfold through its pages—stories bringing its beauty to light.

From November 4 until December 19, Negrenses’ brilliance will be rediscovered and reinforced through the Negros Season of Culture 2020. This celebration, organized by the Angelica Berrie Foundation, offers a feast for both our taste buds and eyes with culinary arts, visual arts, film, and theater.

“The vision of the Negros Season of Culture is to promote the cultural assets of our heritage and traditions, the unique identity of this province, and the talent of its people,” Baba Torre, President of the Angelica Berrie Foundation and former Vice President of Administration at Riverside College, signified.

Primarily, the foundation envisions the event as an annual celebration of Negrense culture and artistry locally and internationally. Torre dreams of these industries empowering Negros’ image as a place notable for its unique culture and encouraging foreigners to engage with us.

They say the best way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach and the Negros Season of Culture struck just that. We couldn’t

retreat from the dining table as the festivities began with Silay’s food festivals: KAON TA! and the Adobo Festival.

Particularly, KAON TA! flaunted local agricultural commodities and traditional family recipes like piaya and batchoy, while the Adobo Festival took pride in a wine and cheese event and, most of all, exclusive dinners and cooking demonstrations which showcased the ingenuity of the late Doreen Gamboa-Fernandez, The New York Times’ acclaimed “Filipino food’s greatest champion”. To cleanse our palates from this tireless eating, the former highlighted art exhibits, musical concerts, folk dances, and games alongside the latter’s art workshop and popup houseware bazaar.

Additionally, Torre conveyed her intention to promote Negros’ film and theater industry by acknowledging the deceased multi-awarded Negrense

filmmaker Peque Gallaga for introducing “big, bold ways” of expressing creativity while contributing to our homeland’s story. We should brace ourselves for blinkless enjoyment as VIVA ExCon—one of Southeast Asia’s longest-running biennales—returned to Bacolod where it originated, for its 30th year anniversary and 16th edition.

Following this are the Sine Negrense: Negros Island Film Festival and The Blackbox: 2020 Season.

According to Torre, who is an artist herself, the visual art exhibition includes the Alfonso Ossorio tribute, DIHON Collective’s “Negros-Not-Negros”, BINHI’s “Pagsalo”, Welcome Home Foundation’s “Deft Tours/ Deaf Encounters”, and the Nune Alvarado and Brenda Fajardo shows.

“We are living in an extraordinary time, in the midst of a global pandemic, in a moment of radical disruption. Our message is focused on the future. We want to inspire hope and tap into the creative spirit that has always been part of who we are as Negrenses. We will survive this crisis if we foster a spirit of resilience and solidarity that our ancestors had, and what we hope this generation of Negrenses will carry on,” Torre imparted, enkindling support for their cause.

– MA. MICAH DEARIELLE V. TRAJERA THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

DAGWAY

Kalipay’s Big Screen Debut

BY ANNA MARIA J. VILLANUEVA

It all started with a dear friend’s promise to return and tell a story of miracles.

When Spanish filmmaker Federico Cardelús first traveled to Negros in 2013 to film a documentary, he met Kalipay Negrense Foundation’s founder Anna Balcells. Through this, Balcells told him about the foundation and brought him to see the rescued children. Upon visiting, the storyteller in him said: “I’m going to come back here one day and write the story of Kalipay.” A few years later, he kept his promise.

“Kalipay” now happens to be the title of Cardelús’ documentary, which won “Best International Film” at the international Bilbao’s Film Sozialak Festival. It was also selected as an entry for Paraná’s International Cinema Festival in Argentina. Once the hour-long Spanish documentary first premiered on Spain’s largest TV station on primetime in June, goodness awaited everyone involved in bringing a story of hope to life.

The documentary revolves around Balcells’ journey of rescuing disadvantaged children. Filmed at the two Kalipay homes and around Negros, Cardelús and his cameramen followed Balcells for a month, documenting the raw moments as they happened in real-time. He would ask her: “What are you planning to do? I want to film that.” Then,

— JAZIEL ANN V. SEBALLOS

he and his team would just capture it all. “It became real. The true raw. After all, that’s my day-to-day life,” she said.

Balcells describes the foundation as a labor of love that required patience, strength, and faith.

Before her father died, he said, “Paradise is dying.

Why? Because there are too many children dying in the streets.” She was concerned as her father, a

11 Spanish national who moved to the Philippines, lovingly referred to Negros as “paradise”. From there, he planted that idea into her head, sparking the need to serve. Nothing, however, could have prepared Balcells for what she was about to encounter: children who have been abused physically, sexually, and emotionally. There were moments of doubt, but according to her, Kalipay is a story of miracles.

What came after the documentary’s premiere?

An avalanche of emails, messages, and calls. The documentary had touched the hearts of people, showing her the power of a well-made message.

“Federico really knew how to tell the story in a beautiful way,” she said.

Balcells hopes that the film will raise awareness and funding for the foundation, which is critical for them to operate. “This is not just my story, or that of Kalipay. This is the story of Negros,” she said. “If I could, I would rescue a hundred more. Once you start seeing horrible things with little children, you will never be able to turn your back again.”

With the documentary’s success, the Kalipay Negrense Foundation aims to continue rescuing more children and raise awareness on the unspoken violences they face each day. With the bright future ahead, Balcells smiled and said, “Only God knows what awaits us. More miracles.”

Kalipay (2020), directed by Federico Cardelús, is now available on Kalipay Negrense Foundation’s YouTube channel.

Beating COVID-19 Made Easy

BY CARL HASON T. GERALE AND HANA PATRICIA RAJ E. HAUTEA

From media reports to Aling Nena’s morning chikka, the unceasing influx of updates about the pandemic is enough to make anyone queasy. Concerns about acquiring basic necessities and lost livelihood do arise, but really, they hold little significance in the realities of cancelling night-outs and missing the fix of a Starbucks frappe.

Surely surviving through this pandemic shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

Yes, there is a need to address the struggles of the underprivileged demographic in a frozen economy, but more importantly, one must know what is needed to get by comfortably amidst this health crisis. Here’s a list that (hopefully) helps: 1. Money To obtain this, you have two options. Plan A: go to an ATM and withdraw some cash. If this won’t work, try Plan B: breaking open the piggy bank that contains your life savings, insurance money, and what was supposed to be your tuition fees. After all, what’s the point of an education if you’re starving half to death?

As the saying goes, pick your poison!

2. A support system We all need social interactions to keep us grounded in reality. You can do this through enjoying Netflix parties or visiting each others’ islands on Animal Crossing! Or just bonding with your loved ones. However, it’s not as straightforward for some, especially frontliners who save lives while needing to keep their sanity intact. They are just a portion of the population who can’t afford a respite while bearing witness to what transpires in the grave “new normal”.

3. Food For some, it’s as easy as heading to the nearest store and picking items off shelves. You can even get someone to do it for you if you’re feeling extra lazy! But for others, it’s not as simple. Demographics like indigenous people are especially affected since their mobility is now restricted, thus leading to a serious lack of food and other resources that they can’t obtain anymore.

We stand corrected—it turns out this pandemic isn’t something to be underestimated.

For so many less-privileged Filipino families, it’s even a nightmare. People often shun those

grovelling along sidewalks for a morsel of food or for just a few pesos because they assume it’s the consequence of the latter’s indolence.

Unfortunately, the often overlooked reality in surviving this global health crisis is the incapability of some to be “prepared enough” for a pandemic. It’s not that they’re unprepared, it’s that the less fortunate are actually experiencing the consequences of systemic problems: how our country fails to address inaccessibility and poverty.

During these trying times, empathy goes a long way. Let’s understand that some do not have the luxury to live comfortably amid the pandemic. To act upon their struggle is to empathize with them. We can do this by uplifting each other—being kind and supportive of one another. Let’s reach out to those with outstretched hands, because the best way to survive this pandemic is doing so together.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS THE UNIVERSITY OFSALLE ST. LA ·SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. NO. 565· NO. MAY-OCTOBER 2020 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THEOF UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA G/F, SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 610065 · VOL. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

12

FILIPINO

SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2020

MAKA-PILIPINO BA ANG ‘DI GALING SA PILIPINO? NI MA. KRISTINE JOY R. BAYADOG

Filipinx.

Kung iniisip mong isa lamang itong pagkakamali sa paglilimbag, mali ka. Ang Filipinx na binibigkas bilang “filipineks” o “filipinks” ay isang katagang gender-neutral na ginagamit sa paglalayong kilalanin ang mga Pilipin*ng kasarian kapalit ng panlalaking katawagan na Pilipino o pambabaeng katawagan na Pilipina.

Malimit o walang mga pagkakataong naibabanggit ang salitang ito sa Pilipinas dahil ito ay ginagamit na salitang tumutukoy sa mga Pilipin*ng naninirahan sa bansang banyaga, lalo na sa Estados Unidos. Ginaya at nilikha ang kontrobersyal na salitang ito ng mga Pilipin*– Amerikano mula sa katagang “Latinx”. Ito ay mula sa pagnanais na magkaroon ng sentralisadong katawagan ang mga Pilipin*ng miyembro ng samahang LGBTQ na nasa kanluraning bansa, upang maiwasan ang pansariang diskriminasyon.

“Magandang hakbang na nagkakaroon tayo ng recognition at ng consciousness-raising hinggil sa mga gender-neutral na words,” palagay ni Mykel Andrada, direktor ng Sentro ng Wikang Filipino ng University of the Philippines - Diliman.

Ayon pa sa kanya, tama na magkaroon ng bagong termino na maaaring gamitin ng anumang kasarian. Ito ay bahagi lamang ng mga pagbabagong nagaganap sa bawat parte ng mundo.

Kahit na hindi pa kinikilala ang Filipinx bilang isang opisyal na salita sa buong mundo o sa diksyonaryong Filipino, maraming banyaga na ang nasanay sa paggamit nito, kagaya na lamang ng ibang mamamahayag sa Estados Unidos.

“Binago lamang ‘yong ‘o’ para sa male at ‘a’ para sa female at ginawang ‘x’ para wala nang dibisyon sa pagitan ng babae o lalaki,” pagsang-ayon ni Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino Commissioner Arthur Casanova.

Dagdag pa ng komisyoner ay ayos lang na gamitin ang bagong salita sapagkat maaaring ito ay identidad ng isang pangkat o maaaring umiiwas sa diskriminasyon ang pangkat na tinutukoy.

Habang ang iba ay maaaring maging interesado sa paggamit ng katagang ito, mayroon namang tradisyonal at konserbatibong pananaw ang ibang kababayan natin, at iniisip na ang salitang “Filipinx” ay isang pangungutya sa pagiging totoong Pilipino.

Ayon sa karamihan, ang salitang “Filipino” mismo,

na tumutukoy sa parehong nasyonalidad at pambansang wika ng Pilipinas, ay isang katagang gender-neutral at hindi na dapat ibahin pa.

Salungat sa opinyong konserbatibo ay pinapaalala ng mga eksperto na dapat tandaan ng publiko na ang wika ay nagbabago sa paglipas ng panahon.

“Tatandaan natin palagi na ‘yong wika, dinamiko ‘yan. Kapag sinabi natin na dynamic, it is always in constant change—lagi ‘yan nagbabago,” saad ni Andrada.

Ang argumento ukol sa paggamit ng salitang Filipinx ay patuloy na nag-iingay sa Twitter at iba pang social media sites. “Simula kailan pa naging katagang gender-neutral ang ‘Filipinx’ para sa ‘Pilipino’ kung gender-neutral na ito mismo?

Walang babaeng tumatawag sa kanilang sariling ‘Filipina’ bilang kanilang nasyonalidad,” saad ng isang Twitter user na nagpahayag ng kanyang sariling saloobin.

Samu’t sari ang konserbatibo at liberal na mga pananaw ukol sa pagbabago ng wika o anumang paksa ngunit isa lamang ang sigurado— matatag ang saligan ng pagkakakilanlan ng isang mamamayang makabayan, ilang dekada man ang magdaan.

— JAZIEL ANN V. SEBALLOS

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

13

DAKBANWA

Probinsya, nag-inagurar sang Management Information System

NegOcc, magapaayop sang bag-o nga sistema

PHOTO COURTESY OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

NILA MA. KRISTINE JOY R. BAYADOG KAG MERYL C. SIGATON

Nagtukod sang bag-o nga COVID-19 monitoring system ang probinsya sang Negros Occidental nga ginpangunahan nila Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson kag Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II paagi sa isa ka pagpulong gamit ang Zoom sang nagligad nga Setyembre 15.

Nagtambong ang mga hepe sang pulisya kag mga alkalde sang mga banwa sang Negros, kaupod ang iban pa nga mga opisyales nga may kabalaka kag kahilabtanan sa proyekto.

Ginbuhat sang Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department sang opisina sang gobernador ang Management Information System (MIS) kag ini ginbutang sa molecular laboratory sang Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital sa siyudad sang Silay.

“Ginhangkat

ni

Gov.

Lacson

ang

Departamento sang ICT, ang molecular laboratory, kag ang Office of the Provincial Administrator nga mangita paagi kag solusyon para mapaayo kag mapanami ang aton monitoring system para sa COVID-19,” hambal ni Diaz.

Ginahatagan niya importansya ang kadasigon, nga suno pa kay Diaz, amo ang yabi sa pagpugong sang paglapta sang masakit, kaupod ang kapirdihon sang pandemya.

Ipagamit ang bag-o nga sistema sa 31 ka local government units (LGUs) nga mabuksan paagi sa ginhatag nga username kag password.

Isa ka kahimtangan sining sistema amo ang 24/7 nga pagbuhat sang listahan sang mga positibo kag negatibo nga kaso.

Kaupod sa listahan ang naimprenta nga sertipikasyon kaupod ang lagda sang tagsa ka alkalde ukon municipal health officer.

Apang ang datos lang nga konektado sa mga nadestino nga tawo ang ginapakita sang

sistema—ang Provincial Administrator nagapaandam sa pag-abusar sini kag naga-abiso sa mga LGU nga gamiton lamang ining importante kag sensitibo nga impormasyon sa kamayuhan.

Para mapa-athagan ang mga nagtambong nga mga LGU kung paano maggamit kag magkuha impormasyon sa MIS, naghiwat si Diaz, kaupod ang ICT personnel, sang isa ka demonstrasyon.

Indi maislan ang datos sang mga pasyente tungod “view-only” lang ang sistema para sa tanan nga LGU. Kung may kinahanglanon liwaton ukon may mga pamangkot, dapat ipalab-ot sa MIS. “Pasudlon kamo namon sa MIS pero gamita niyo ini sang husto, makaigo, kag para lamang sa mga katuyuan nga gintugtan sang layi,” saysay ni Lacson sang naga-apelar siya sa mga LGU nga indi magbuhat sang kahimuan nga magaresulta sa katalagman sang operasyon.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

14

NEWS

SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2020

Online concert pilots donation drive

USG donates food packs to Lasallian personnel

BY KYNAH RHEA B. FUENTES

A month after the University Student Government (USG) raised an average of P100,000 from the Animorphosis: Breaking Through the New Normal online concert, a total of 189 general services personnel were

granted with food packs during the first wave of distribution held at the campus last Oct. 16.

Along with the Office for Student Affairs, the USG organized the distribution with the aim of continuing St. John Baptist De La Salle’s legacy of hope in support of the underprivileged in the community by providing Lasallians the general necessities for survival.

“Through the program, we hope to plant a seed of hope in the lives of the people we encounter,” USG Executive Treasurer Quian Pearl Cordova expressed.

HELPING ARMS. The Office for Student Affairs, together with the University Student Government, donates goods to the staff of the University of St. La Salle. – RODNEY A. JARDER JR.

Believing that the most feasible action at that time given the pandemic was to give food packs, the USG chose to distribute a whole chicken, some canned goods, and a five kilogram sack of rice for each beneficiary.

“This pandemic affected their [beneficiary] family’s income and it resulted in a lack of income to provide for their food consumption.

With this, we believe that the food packs containing such will help them survive [for] the next couple of days,” Cordova explained.

Moreover, she shared that there are still two remaining waves for the first semester, one will be in the first week of November allotted for the underprivileged Lasallian students while the last wave will be this coming December.

Aside from food packs distribution, the USG also plans on providing financial assistance, load allowances, and gadgets for online classes to Lasallian students in the next waves of distribution.

When asked about the USG’s plans to have outside beneficiaries, she stated: “As USG Cares expands, we believe that the mission does not only end within the institution.”

For transparency of monetary records, Cordova assured that the total funds raised from the concert, along with the corresponding liquidation reports, will be presented to the Lasallian community as soon as all the processing and paper works are done.

NEWS FEATURE

Charity drive steers online education

“PISO MO, PARA SA LAPTOP KO”

BY GABRIEL M. LEZAMA

Almost every person has had bad runins during this pandemic, and not a lot come out unscathed. Finding solace in this period seemed like an impossible task, yet for some, this oasis came from the generosity of other people. For those lucky souls, their goals were but one click away. “ Piso mo para sa laptop ko ” became viral on social media as a charity drive for students who were in need of laptops for online learning. This drive began before the opening of the academic year as a response to the new learning curriculum, with the participants mainly gaining traction through Facebook and getting support from there.

One of the university’s academically

excelling 3rd years enrolled in Chemical Engineering, Joebern Pongyan, was one of the participants of this charity drive.

Due to his family’s financial crisis, Joebern took the courage to participate in order to augment his studies.

“At first, my aunt told me not to post because I might be ashamed in the eyes of my friends and other people,” he said, recounting his aunt’s skepticism.

Recognizing his needs however, Joebern pursued this path, and in two weeks, he was able to acquire a laptop after his post went viral.

In an interview with Pongyan, he stated that while hardships are a normal obstacle in life, his family served as his motivation: “Despite [the] hardship, I am the hope of my family.” Coming from a broken household, his optimism enabled

him to persist. In his eyes, the crisis shouldn’t be a hindrance when it comes to pursuing education.

Mark Diaros Pereira, another student in the university—enrolled in Management Accounting as a 3rd year— received his laptop within a month, following the donations of the public.

Similar to Pongyan, Pereira pursued this charity drive because of his family’s financial crisis and his need for a laptop.

In contrast however, Pereira’s family was wholeheartedly supportive of him.

“We may not be perfect, but look for what you can and are willing to do,” he affirmed.

Even with the struggles of just two out of many participants in this charity drive, their desire to reach their goals are ultimately what kept them motivated, especially in the new normal. With their unwavering tenacity and willingness to accept help, the dreams of these two individuals are suddenly a lot closer now.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

15

LEISURE

Quaranthings to-do list

BY ANGELA A. CORONEL | ART BY EARL JOHN D. PABULAR

1.

2.

3.

4.

“Brunchienda” - The first meal of the day after waking up at 3 PM; Breakfast, Lunch, and Merienda combined into one feast.

Canvas Buzzer beater” - Finishing academic tasks a few hours before their respective deadlines— seeing that “Time due: 11:59 PM”, “Time submitted: 11:58 PM “Zoomba” - Losing your dignity by dancing in front of the camera for the sake of your precious PE grade.

“Barter” - Frantically rummaging through your things in the house and putting it up for trade online.

“That Clutch Moment”

“Kamusta”

5.

6.

7.

8.

“The Chloe Ting Effect” - Achieving your “fitness goals” by following through Chloe Ting workout videos on YouTube while losing your breath every ten seconds.

“Wait lang, Ma!” - The most common line uttered in the household; heavily used when you’re called to do the dishes while you’re in the middle of doing something important.

“Post-reading blues” - The heavy feeling that you get after finishing a good book.

(Remedy? Read on! You might eventually find the next book to fall in love with!)

“Certified Plantita/Plantito” - Run out of activities to do? You might want to consider being a Plantita/Plantito! These people love surrounding themselves with plants and enjoy taking care of their precious potted “companions”.

- Kiara Nicole D. Villa

- Trizia C. Hassim

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, LA SALLE AVE., BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020

VOLUME 65 NUMBER 5

MAY TO OCTOBER 2020

IATF: COLLEGIATE STUDENT-ATHLETES MAY PROCEED WITH TRAINING

BY ANNA MARIA J. VILLANUEVA

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases signaled for student-athletes’ training resumption in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ (MGCQ) according to Malacañang on Sept. 7.

In IATF’s Resolution No. 68, student-athletes of collegiate athletic associations under Republic Act 10676 or the Student-Athletes Protection Act shall be allowed to train in GCQ and MGCQ areas, while complying to the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) issued health guidelines.

“For the fans of [the] University Athletic Association of the Philippines, our teams will now start their practice,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque confirmed.

With this, CHED Chairman J. Prospero De Vera III announced the commission’s formation of a Technical

Throw in the Towel

PEEBEE

Patrick N. Billojan

ptrck.blljn@gmail.com

Boxing in the Philippines has been in the limelight for several decades with the eight-time world champion, former congressman, and now senator, Manny Pacquiao leading the torchlight.

After 102 years of having boxing as a profession

END-TO-END BOUT. Two players from two different teams tackle the ball as they fight for victory at the Interbarkada football league. — ANGELO F. DESPI

Working Group (TWG), for the creation of COVID-19 prevention guidelines for student-athletes.

Additionally, crafting the guidelines is difficult as they must be cascaded to the multiple Philippine collegiate leagues and specifically address the demands of each sport discipline among the leagues.

“The guidelines will [be based] on [those] issued by international sports bodies which are already being used by some of our professional leagues, and using practical realities on the ground,” he added.

Furthermore, he clarified that the resumption of said training does not mean the occurrence of face-to-face classes.

“This is just to allow the collegiate athletes to train so their mental health and physical well-being will be enhanced,” De Vera explained in a separate briefing.

He said the discussion on when college sports leagues can resume will come after ensuring the studentathletes’ safety with the implemented guidelines.

“It’s important that we do a good job in showing that the training of collegiate athletes can be done with all the safety protocols in place, with the health of the students protected, [which] will be the best argument to ask the IATF to now allow organized leagues to start,” he added.

De Vera revealed that the TWG includes CHED, the Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusement Board, the Department of Health, and representatives of collegiate leagues: University Athletic Association of the Philippines, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, State Colleges, the Universities Athletic Association, and the Private Schools Athletic Association.

for Filipinos, the sport gained enough respect as it same functions as GAB. never fails to shed peace and unity among all Filipinos Aside from the probability of responsibility whenever a fight enclosed in four corners ensues. With duplication, it is an obvious fact that the creation the numerous awards Pacquiao and other Filipino of a new agency would entail additional costs. In pugs nabbed across the years, would it be enough to a position paper submitted by GAB to the Senate form an agency solely focused on boxing?

Committee on Sports, chaired by Senator Bong Go, The Senate approved, the agency mentioned on their third and final As much as we want to give more respect to those that the creation of reading last Sept. 10, PBC in this time of crisis pugs who carried our flag across the years, the would entail unnecessary 2018, Senate Bill 1306 or the “Philippine Boxing creation of a new agency merely focused on boxing expenditures on the part and Combat Sports of the government as and other combat sports is a move that is not Commission Act of 2018”, possible right now, but perhaps in the near future. the bill will require P150 authored and sponsored million appropriation in

by Pacquiao, that seeks order to build new offices, to establish the Philippine Boxing and Combat Sports hire new employees, and buy office equipment and Commission (PBC) which aims to “promote the safety supplies, among others. Instead of using this sum of and welfare” of Filipino boxers and combat sports money to form a new agency, why not invest it to GAB athletes. to strengthen and improve its capacity in handling At first glance the aforementioned bill seems boxing and other combat sports? promising since it is beneficial not only to boxing Indeed, boxing is considered as a more difficult but to other combat sports as well. However, there is sport above others. Behind those quick and deadly already an existing agency tasked to supervise these. punches is a person who longs for the embrace of his The Games and Amusement Board (GAB) has been family back home. As much as we want to give more regulating and supervising professional boxing and respect to those pugs who carried our flag across the other combat sports in the country since 1951. With years, the creation of a new agency merely focused on the creation of a new agency that centers on boxing boxing and other combat sports is a move that is not and other combat sports, PBC might just mirror the possible right now, but perhaps in the near future.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEDIA CORPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LA SALLE · COLISEUM GROUNDS G/F, BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL 6100 · VOL. 65 NO. 5 · MAY-OCTOBER 2020