SOPHOMORES UNDERGO PAGANNURUTAN
bySophomore students of the Philippine Normal University North Luzon joined a webinar workshop on the “Utilization of PagaNnurUtan Handbook” as one of their requirements in “Technology for Teaching and Learning” via Zoom meeting, August 3.
“Pagannurutan” is an Iloko term translated as The Guidelines in English, a compilation of e-tools for flexible learning modalities which seek preservice and in-service teachers to create meaningful and engaging learning activities.
“This will serve as our repository of technological tools in which it includes flexible teaching and learning to help educators, future educators, and increases the demands of our academic
settings,” said Dr. Jandy S. Danzalan, Director of the Center for IPEd and a Technology for Teaching and Learning Professor, as he presented the overview of the said webinar.
Moreover, the welcome message of Dr. Richmond Maguigad, Faculty of Teacher Development and a Technology for Teaching and Learning Professor, stated that these e-learning tools would help educators become ICT-proficient and good digital citizens.
“Prior to the pandemic era, education is moving towards Education 4.0, which is the integration of ICT in classroom teaching,” Maguigad said.
Meanwhile, the students went to breakout rooms for “Freshmen Reunion”, where they met with their former classmates and surveyed what learning apps they frequently use in today’s learning modality.
Finally, Prof. Jay-Ar Balauag concluded the program and thanked all the presenters, speakers, students, and professors who participated.#
by Jimuel C. SagarioPhilippine Normal University
North Luzon marked double history as K-12 pioneer batch graduated and received Transcript of Records (TORs) and Diplomas on the same day during its 46th Commencement Exercises on August 12, held at the University’s Gymnasium.
As evidence of the responsiveness and efficiency in providing services of the National Center for Teacher Education, PNU ensured that all graduating students had accomplished their clearances before graduation.
Alumni conventionally waited months after graduation to obtain their official diplomas and TORs,z however, the graduates received theirs during the graduation event this year.
Nationwide, all PNU campuses distributed the graduates’ official TORs and diplomas at their graduation ceremonies for the first time in the university’s history as it also marked
the beginning of new set of teachers graduating under the K-12 curriculum.
Way back in 2016, K-12 Basic Curriculum Education was implemented, resulting in a zero population of firstyear students in the university, the same situation occurred in 2017.
In 2018, PNUNL started accepting aspiring teacher educators who four years later threw their graduation caps as the first-ever K-12 graduates of PNUNL.
Meanwhile, Joseph Mark A. Natividad of Bachelor in Mathematics Education bested all 145 graduates as the top graduate of Batch 2021-2022. Bachelor of Social Science Education student Maricris S. Cariazo came in second to Natividad, followed by Arian A. Roduta from Bachelor of English Education. All three were Magna Cum Laude beside the other 19 graduates, while there were 60 graduates awarded Cum Laude and only one graduate with a degree in Master of Arts in Education with Specialization in Science Education.
Mathematics majors led Pagdiriwang ng Sulo 2022 as Joseph Mark Natividad, the top student of Class 2022 from the Mathematics Department, passed the torch and key of responsibility to Yerica Hannah Ramos, the top student of the third year, also from the Mathematics Department, at the PNUNL Gymnasium, August 8.
The Torch Ceremony is an annual tradition that honors all fourthyear students who will graduate in the academic year by passing on the responsibilities and obligations to thirdyear students.
“To those who will raise the torch of Inang Pamantasan in the future, I want you to keep the torch burning and create projects and programs that Inang Pamantasan can really be proud of,” Natividad said to all the next torch bearers.
“To the graduating class of 2022, we are rooting for you as your adings. May you have a more meaningful journey in the real world. Your undergraduate chapter has now concluded. Now, walk the door to the real world with the
name PNU imprinted in you. May each one of you embody the ideals of a PNU graduate and continue to bring pride and honor to the university. Congratulations, ates and kuyas!” Ramos stated as she congratulated the graduating students in an interview.
Moreover, Dr. Leticia Aquino, Executive Director and Provost, spearheaded the torch-lighting while the Dean, Directors, and Faculty initiated the candle-lighting.
Arian Roduta, a fourth-year student from the English Department, represented “Inang Pilipinas” as the mother of Lakambini and Juan Dela Cruz and the one who created Inang Pamantasan. She monitors Inang Pamantasan to continue to be recognized as an institution that excels in teacher education.
On the other hand, Maricris Cariazo, a fourth-year student from the Social Sciece Department, represented ‘Inang Pamantasan’ a recognized premier institution in teacher education and the center of excellence supporting and monitoring thousands of students to guide and strengthen the foundation in the teaching field.
The Torch North Luzonian’s Volume VII, Issue 1 bagged prizes in the subcategories Sports Article, Development Communication Article, Opinion Article, Editorial Cartoon, and News report during the awarding of the 4th Organization of Student Services Educators, Inc. (OSSEI) National Webinars and Writing Competitions in Campus Journalism, June 4.
With the theme “Bracing Up in a Period of Uncertainties,” Prof. Ben G. Domingo, Jr. and Prof. Liana M. Barro presented the best-published articles and materials among the campus publications of 15 universities and colleges in the Philippines. The following were the awards garnered by the publication:
First Prizes
• Sports - “Maiaahon pa Natin ang Kahapon” by Leidi Julienne M. Pagulayan
• DevCom - “Banana Leather: A Trendsetter” by Muel Mark L. Bueno
Second Prizes Opinion - “The Next Fair Lady” by Yerica Hannah D. Ramos
• Editorial Cartoon“opFORTUNEnistic” by Maureen Joyce Lozada
Third Prize
• News - “Freshman presents research alongside adept researchers” by Yerica Hannah D. Ramos
More than 200 student journalists from around the country joined the 3-Day Webinar: Day 1) Evaluation of Campus Publications and Page Layout and Design, Day 2) Editorial Writing and Editorial Cartooning, and Day 3) Panel Presentation of Paper/Online Publication and Fact-Checking in Journalism on three consecutive Saturdays starting May 21 and 28, until June 4, 2022.#
by Eren D.
The Torch North Luzonian, represented by Yerica Hannah Ramos and Erenio Baltazar Jr., the publication’s Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor, ranked 3rd on the Panel Discussion of Online Publication during the National Webinars and Writing Competitions on Campus Journalism, June 04.
The Organization of Student Services Educators, Inc. (OSSEI) initiated the mentioned national webinars and competitions on three consecutive Saturdays– May 21, 28, and June 04.
Baltazar and Ramos presented the various aspects concerning the Torch’s online publication such as the rationale for going online and choosing a platform; descriptions and justifications of the publication’s content, design, concept, and mechanics; assessment of the user-friendliness of the publication’s system; description of the publication’s engagements and reach; and explanation on the publication’s relevance.
To graduate on August 12, the first-ever K-12 batch of pre-service teachers of Philippine Normal University North Luzon (PNUNL) underwent a pre-employment webinar and job fair held face-toface at PNUNL Gymnasium on July 15.
The Office of the Student Services (OSS), headed by Prof. John A. Furuc, Office-in-Charge, and Dr. Carlino G. Santos, University Guidance Counselor, organized the two events: preemployment seminar in the morning and job fair in the afternoon.
“It is essential that you are informed of your rights as employees for them not to be violated,” said Romeo Solomon A. Sales Jr., Labor Employment Officer for Foreign National Labor Inspection, DOLE-R02, as he oriented the seniors.
While there were questions for clarification, Divine Grace PaguiriganCristobal, Senior Labor and Employment Officer, DOLE-R02, led the open forum where the emphasis was on questions about signing the contract and salary.
Julienne M. Pagulayan 1st Place, Sports Article
With the aim to guide seniors in the first steps of their careers, the preemployment webinar tackled Rights as Employees outlined in the Government’s Official Gazette, focusing on General Labor Standards and hours required in working.
In the afternoon, nine schools, namely: St. John Adaptive Montessori School, Inc., Casa Del Nino Montessori School-Roxas, Odizee School of Achievers, The Cauayan Messiah Christian School, Inc., University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna, Corner Stone Christian Academy, Merry Sunshine Montessori School, and Top Achievers Private School, Alvarez-Ramales School Foundation, Inc. interviewed seniors intending to hire them. #
Hannah D. Ramos 2nd Place, Opinion Article 3rd Place, News ArticleTheYouth Organization Registration Program (YORP) accredited eleven clubs from Philippine Normal University North Luzon during the Isabela Youth Festival 2022 at Isabela Sports Complex, Ilagan City, August 29-30.
D. Baltazar
“Taking top spots among the list of the most prominent student publications in the country infers that The Torch North Luzonian ceaselessly burns amidst the challenges of the pandemic. As the chief editor, I am beyond grateful for the cumulative effort of the scribe that made all of this reachable. On top of the publication’s success, presenting alongside well-known student publications in different corners of the country has given us more insights and cleared rooms for improvement in the years to come,” said Ramos.
Aside from the competition, the panel discussion also aimed to provide the competing publications with numerous feedback and comments for further improvements of their online presence and performance.
Moreover, the panel discussion was attended and participated by universities from the provinces around the country such as Aklan, Bataan, Batangas, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, La Union, & Lucena City. #
During the yearly student recruitment program of PNUNL, Prof. John A. Furuc speaks with the senior high school administrators of the 13 senior high schools.
As another step in upholding the mission of the PNUNL in nurturing teachers and educational leaders in the country, the annual Student Recruitment Program (SRP) was carried out by introducing the university to its potential Senior High School students in 13 schools led by the Admission Committee together with the Office of Student Services (OSS) headed by Prof. John A. Furuc, on May 26.
The said recruitment program intended to attract the best Senior High School students, especially indigenous people, to enroll in teacher education; to orient Senior High School students to PNU admission requirements; to recruit students to enroll also in the Graduate school programs offered by the university; to present the BLEPT topnotchers and achievers of the university over the years; to strengthen the relationship with public and private schools and institutions.
Furthermore, the said program continued until June 3 in which they visited more schools like San Guillermo Vocational High School, Angadanan National High School, and Alicia National High School.
Around 130 participants from different youth organizations joined the Isabela Youth Festival in celebration of “Buwan ng Kabataan” organized by the Provincial Youth Development Office (PYDO) Isabela, headed by Provincial Youth Development OIC, Mr. Reymel Resposo.
With the theme “International Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages,” the festival highlights the accreditation of new YORP (Youth Organization Registration Program) members and the submission of proposals for DITOy Isabela assistance (Development Incentive for Thriving Organizations of Youth in Isabela) prioritizing different Centers of Participation (Health, Education, Economic Empowerment, Active Citizenship, Environment, Peace Building and Security, Governance, Social Inclusion and Equity, and Global Mobility) through booths, games, and raffle draw.
The 11 newly accredited youth organizations from PNUNL together with other 19 youth organizations in the said province who received their plaques, include:
PNUNL Creative Team
Peer Helpers’ Circle
Club of Living Traditions
Danggayan Cultural Group
PNUNL Mathematics Club
PNU English Circle
Social Science Club
Teatro Paddarafung
Natural Science Society UNESCO Club
Moreover, motivational speeches were given by Resposo and Mr. Dax Paolo C. Binag, SK Federation President of Isabela asking the said YORPregistered organizations to encourage other eligible youth organizations to apply for YORP accreditation, highlighting the statement “No Isabeleño youth should be left behind”.
YOUTH ORGANIZATION REGISTRATION PROGRAM (YORP)
ACCREDITED PNUNL CLUBS
To improve the campus in terms of its processes, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) conducted a three-day meeting at Philippine Normal University North Luzon Campus, participated by ISO Team, faculty, and staff, May 18-20.
ISO is an independent, nongovernmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems.
“The commitment and support of everyone are of great value to achieve our dream as ISO Certified Campus. We are subject to this ISO 9001:2015 Certification not just for the recognition but more so, on improving the quality management system and the processes of the campus,” said Dr. Leticia Aquino, the Executive Director and Provost.
Furthermore, the three-day strategic ISO planning was graced by two resource speakers from Manila, headed by Dr. Erminda Fortes, the ISO Coordinator, and Professor Genelita Garcia, a member of the IQA Team.
The meeting was done on three consecutive days: May 18, opening program and auditing of offices; May 19, reviewing and checking COTO, PM, OPCR, etc., lecture on risk analysis, post-conference, ISO certification, and schedule planning; and May 20, IQA discussion of ISO clause’s part II and workshop by the office.
Fourth-year students from Philippine Normal University
North Luzon undertook a twoday training of “PATNURO2:
PAghahanda Tungo sa Nalalapit na Usad ng PagtutuRO” through a series of in-depth sessions as preparation for their hybrid practice teaching, May 16-17.
The said training was led by adept education leaders such as Dr. Cherry S. Ramos, CESO VI, Schools Division Superintendent of Santiago City; Dr. John Mina, Principal IV; Dr. Elmerchita B. Ribuca, Principal II; and Dr. Emily O. Benitez, Principal II.
“This will ultimately embark one’s personal growth, personal development,
and benchmark achievements that will ensure in building authentic experiences and success stories,” said Dr. Ramos in the opening program, as she underscored the importance of Field Study and Practice Teaching to fully equip the graduating students with the realities of being teachers.
She also encouraged the pre-service teachers to be steadfast in upholding truth, excellence, and service amidst the paradigm shift in the education landscape and challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, Dr. John Mina, and Dr. Elmerchita B. Ribuca, led the first day sessions of the training as they shared wisdom and experiences to the students through Session 1 - “Learning in the Limited Face-to-Face Modality: The
Cauayan City Science and Technology Experience” and Session 2 - “Learning in the Limited Face-to-Face Modality: The Cabulay National High School Experience”, respectively.
On the second day, Session 3, Cecille Fronda, Teacher III, Senior High School Focal Person and Limited Face-to-Face Planning Coordinator of Alicia Vocational School, represented Dr. Benitez and emphasized their school’s best practices and adjustments in the new normal after tackling “Learning in the Limited Faceto-Face Modality: The Alicia Vocational School Experience”.
Furthermore, Arian Roduta, a fourthyear student of Bachelor in English Education (BEE), shared how the program helped her as it showered her with tons of insights and set the lens of what to
capture in their internship.
“Personally, some of my will, motivation, and even pedagogical skills stayed dormant for months now but because of this PATNURO, my spirit was awakened, ready to unleash what I invested for years and what PNU prepared me for,” Roduta uttered.
Upon immersing in PATNURO2 program, students were expected to be fully equipped and confident as they start their Field Studies and Practice Teaching in the new normal paradigm of learning and teaching.
After the session, the seniors celebrated their Pinning and Send-Off Program with their parents, professors, and university officials at University Gymnasium on May 18.
by Abegail G. Teodoro
With the theme, “Forging Ahead: Reinventing Teacher Education in a Post-COVID World”, Philippine Normal University North Luzon (PNUNL) observed its 51st Foundation Day, July 26 at University Gymnasium.
PNUans, consisting of thirdyear and fourth-year students in expanded face-to-face classes, participated in the said event.
Dr. Madonna C. Gonzales, Dean for Academics and IPEd, delivered her opening remarks, and PEMS Club performed an opening salvo to energize the audience.
As one of the program’s highlights, Dr. Mary Ann M. Balayan, English Program Professor, read the history of PNUNL, enumerating all of the accomplishments of PNUNL over the past years until now.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Mayor of Alicia, Atty. Atty. Joel Amos Alejandro, also joined the celebration and expressed his greetings to the university.
Dr. Leticia N. Aquino, Executive Director and Provost also gave her warm greetings to PNUNL and introduced the guest speaker.
Hon. Mary Grace De AsusArreola, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member of Third District Isabela, the guest speaker, emphasized every teacher and education leader’s dedication to providing quality learning to every student, especially during this post-COVID situation.
“Teaching is not just a profession, teaching is a vocation,” she said during her speech.
Furthermore, the administrative staff and faculty rendered an intermission number, followed by awarding the Most Outstanding Employee 2021 and Special Service Award through Dr. Edilberto M. Andres Jr., Head of the Human Resource Office.
The following were the faculty and staff who received the said awards:
Most Outstanding Employee
2021:
• Mr. Martin Tablang Service Awards:
• Prof. Elma B. Siyang (10 years of service)
Prof. Josie Jordan G. Rosete (10 years of service)
• Prof. Judith R. Garcia (15 years of service)
• Atty. Donna B. Remigio (20 years of service)
The program concluded through a special number of PEMS club, followed by the closing remarks of Dr. Agnes S. Reyes, Director, Finance and Administration, and community singing, conducted by Prof. Susan D. Depiedra.#
Padayawan ni Pinyo 2022, spearheaded by the Office of the Student Government and the Office of the Student Services, awarded outstanding PNUans to acknowledge their accomplishments and achievements in various fields of extracurricular activities, July 21 at PNUNL Gymnasium.
Thirty (30) PNUans, two (2) organizations, and one (1) section were given recognition during the said event.
“PNU North Luzon SG recognizes PNUans’ hard work, perseverance, selfimprovement, professional growth, and their contribution to the attainment of the University’s goals and ideals,” Jhunie Aquino, newly elected SG President, said.
The awardees submitted their applications for the different awards and were evaluated and reviewed by the committee.
The awardees were;
Outstanding Department-Based Club
Physical Education Major Students Club
Outstanding Interest-Based Club UNESCO Club
Best Class
III-Bachelor in Social Science Education
Best Club President
Leila Mill De Guzman, PEMS CLUB
Best Class President
Eljoi Berna Acdang, OBTEC NL-5
Most Active Webinar Attendee
Rachel Ann Livid, IV-BSE
Performing Artists of the Year
John Allen P. Gumia
Jake S. Aganon
Dexter V. Ginez
Jester A. Daculan
Romar B. Adelan
Redmond M. Naldoza
Gimel P. Sinarao
Jerald F. Francisco
Loriel C. Ramirez
Yerica Hannah Ramos
Athlete of the Year
Jake S. Aganon
Special Service Award
Loriel C. Ramirez
Aljin Andrei Martinez
Jhunie Aquino
Jaycel Mae D. Ordanza
Alyssa Joy N. Saet
Leira Jane A. Santos
Darren Kyle C. Mabagos
Carl Justine Silvestre
Princess Elyza Roxas
Claire C. Almodovar
Warren Mark C. Bermudez
Special Awards
Sheena D. Ortiz
Muel Mark Bueno
Outstanding Journalists of the Year
Yerica Hannah Ramos
Muel Mark Bueno
Leidi Julienne M. Pagulayan
Erenio D. Baltazar, Jr.
Maureen Lozada
Digital Creativity Award
Darren Kyle C. Mabagos
Reden A. Calipjo
Resilient Leadership Award
Ariel N. Adalem
“You need to focus on your academics and you should also involve yourselves in co-curricular activities to make your college life balance,” Dr. Madonna C. Gonzales,Dean for Academics and IPEd, added.
Meanwhile, Hon. Jeffrey M. Buza, PNUNL COMELEC Head of Board of Canvassers, introduced the newly elected
To resolve the issues and concerns about the condition of the students of Philippine Normal University North Luzon (PNUNL), the university conducted the last ZOOMustahan for the academic year, spearheaded by the Office of Student Services, June 15 via Zoom.
The said program was attended by SG Officers, Class Presidents, PNUNL Administration, and faculty where students gave their suggestions, reactions, and reflections on this term, to which the faculty members constructively responded.
“We do our part; you also do your part.We don’t blame everything on the faculty. This is all for the good and not to blame the students. We are here to help one another to achieve our vision and mission as one university,” Dr. Leticia Aquino, Executive Director and Provost, reminded.
Meanwhile, the faculty can still reach out to the students with many concerns for the rest of the term and in the next academic year.
To debunk myths about COVID-19 vaccine boosters, Philippine Normal University North Luzon (PNUNL) through its Medical and Dental Clinic administered a webinar entitled “Myth Bu/OO/ USTER: What You Need to Know” headed by Dr. Ma. Angelica Taloma, Chief of Collaborating Center for Disease Prevention and Control in Cagayan Valley – Center for Health Development, DOH – R02, June 15, via Zoom.
Dr. Taloma had already enlightened and encouraged the PNUNL community on December 2021 when primary doses were in the headlines; this year, she focused on the science behind COVID-19 booster shots.
“I hope that we get boosted, because makikita natin on our regional data na 15% lamang ang nakatanggap ng booster shot kasi ang usual na sinasabi nila satin ay ‘nakatanggap naman na po kami ng first shot’, … Humihina pa rin ang ating panlaban, that’s why we need resistance, we need to get boosted,” said Taloma.
[I hope we get boosted because our regional data only showed a 15% boostered group, and the public usually reasons out, ‘we already received the first shot’. Our temporary immunity still expires; that’s why we need resistance, we need to get boosted.]
Additionally, Taloma reported that the region had reached Alert Level I (Low-Risk Level) and emphasized using PDITR+V to mitigate the viral infection: PREVENT the disease; DETECT the
disease early; ISOLATE the infected or exposed individual immediately; TREATMENT and management; then REINTEGRATE them back to the community + VACCINATION.
She also cited figures from the vaccination of the large population for the primary doses showing a tremendous drop of COVID cases in the latter part of 2021, which stayed until early 2022 before the onset of the Omicron Variant in January.
Moreover, Taloma stressed that the second booster shot would augment the effect of the vaccine, noting that the immunity is only temporary and weakens after several months.
She also presented the prioritized groups for the second booster, namely, healthcare workers (A1), senior citizens
(A2), and immunocompromised individuals or people who have an existing illness that is affecting their resistance to fight the infection (A3).
Taloma explained that the interval of the second booster varies among the priority groups; for A3, it must be three months after the first one, while for A1 and A2, it must be four months.
In the long run of the lockdown mandate, Dr. Taloma reminded the interconnected layers of protection: wearing face masks; observing social distancing; keeping proper ventilation; and getting vaccinated and booster shots.
Furthermore, Taloma commended the PNUNL for its active information dissemination campaign, particularly in the field of health. #
Philippine Normal University English Circle (PEC) gave hope to the young through book giving as it successfully carried out PABBIBBIG: PAGIDDU NA KAKKARAKA [Reading: Love Expression from Manong and Manang], a book-giving event in celebration of World Book Day and an extension program that linked the youngsters with the benefits of literacy through the cultivation of reading, at Roxas West Central School - Roxas, Isabela, May 14.
The said PEC-organized event was the second of its kind, in partnership with Muñoz West SK Officials Activities of Roxas, intended to nurture the children’s eagerness towards books and attain proficiencies fitting to their needs in their early developing years as learners. They also offered school supplies to the recipients in Grades 1, 2, and 3.
“I am beyond happy and thankful. This event was
postponed a couple of times due to varying reasons, and finally, it’s done! I am happy to have had the chance to team up with the Sangguniang Kabataan.This program, whatever and however it had been, would not be like it without their help,” said Roel Thristan Orpia, PEC President.
According to Orpia, PEC plans to contribute books to the school library and hopes for its soonest implementation. He mentioned that the organization is much more open and is looking forward to collaborating with various organizations outside the university for other related events
The book-giving event also served as an avenue among the members of the PNU English Circle for student engagement in community service, hence developing social awareness in this time of pandemic.
Furthermore, members of the PEC contributed to raising funds along with donors and sponsors who gave monetary and in-kind support.#
by Vera Jewel C. LacernaDespite the overwhelming consequences of the pandemic, Philippine Normal University North Luzon (PNUNL) successfully marked the transition of fourthyear students from students to practice teachers through a sendoff and pinning ceremony in the University Gymnasium, May 17.
Dr. Madonna C. Gonzales, Dean of Academics and IPEd, presided at the event, highlighting each student-teacher receiving their bar pin. She welcomed all parents and students at the first part, followed by the presentation of the student-teachers who were deployed on March 18.
commitment to society to collaborate and transform, had transpired.
Moreover, Dr. Leticia N. Aquino, Executive Director and Provost, also gave an inspirational message about passion, perseverance, and perspective as takeaways to keep during their internship.
“Please don’t fail your parents; take love as an inspiration to graduate this August 12,” uttered Aquino.
Additionally, supervising instructors Prof. Josie Jordan R. Gineta, Prof. Elma B. Siyang, Prof. Maria Lina P. Sario, Prof. Jesus D. Gonzales, Prof. Raquel Geronimo, Prof. Clemente Aguinaldo, and Prof. Apolonio Espiritu Jr., gave the students pabaons (words of encouragements).
Senior officially becomes a pre-service teacher as he receives his pin during the pinning ceremony.
by
Among other subsystems of Philippine Normal University, PNU North Luzon commenced expanded face-toface classes, the second phase of implementation of in-person classes, June 6.
The first phase of implementation was the limited F2F which was attended by the secondyear Bachelor in Science Education with Specialization in Biology and Bachelor in Physical Education and the third-year Bachelor in Physical Education on March 28 to April 8.
Other majors and year levels, such as second-year Bachelor in Filipino Education, third-year Bachelor in Science Education with Specialization in Biology, Bachelor in Social Science Education, and Bachelor in Mathematics Education, joined university in July.
Furthermore, health protocols and standards in the university were observed to the hilt.
Before beginning their teaching internship, the pinning ceremony, which symbolizes a teacher’s acceptance of responsibility and a more significant
Selected student participants Shaine Montales (English), Dexter Ginez and Allen Gumia (Physical Education), and Melanie Pambid (Social Science) performed a special presentation after.
Meanwhile, PNU Student Regent, National Union of Student Governments, Hon. Ariel N. Adalem, delivered a statement of commitment, followed by a petition for spiritual guidance and strength through Dr. Carlino G. Santos Jr., Guidance Counselor.#
As the Hub of Indigenous People’s Education, Philippine Normal University North Luzon partook in the celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples with the theme “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge” through the presentation of a documentary
special showcasing traditional tattooing taken at Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga where Apo Maria Whang-Od Oggay, a 105-year-old Mangwato or Mambabatok, globally known as Apo Whang-Od, lives, August 9.
The documentary showed Apo Whang-Od demonstrating the unique style of tattooing using Rono, a 12-inch-long bamboo stick with a Pomelo thorn attached to a stick, and tattoo ink made up of charcoal from her cooking pot.
The continuous transmission of the culture and tradition is also evident as the documentary presented how the grandchild of Apo WhangOd makes the pomelo thorn as a needle used for tattooing.
In their village, there are already 100 mambabatok mostly women, who learned the tattoo art by observing Apo Whang-Od.
“Nasursurok ti panag-tattoo kadagiti kakaduak gapu ta nakitak kadagiti kakaduak nga agtat-tattoo ket immapalak isu nga nag-praktisak met kenni nanang, isu nga idiay nga naam-ammok ti panag-tattoo met laeng. Ken gapu met laeng kenni Apo [Whang-Od], isu nga nakitak daydiay nga tattoo isu nga kayatko met laeng iti ag-tattoo, isu nga nasursurok,” said Josie, a 36-year-old Buscalan tattoo artist.
[“I learned to tattoo because of my colleagues. I felt envious when I saw them tattooing, so I practiced on my mother. Then, I learned it also because of Apo.
When I saw her tattoos, I wanted to learn about them. So, I learned it.”]
Furthermore, the documentary presented the 19 different tattoo styles, specifically, two different snake styles, an arrowhead, a centipede, two different moon sun styles, three different moon styles, three different compass styles, a sun, a scorpion, a scorpion eagle, a standing eagle, a prayer style, a crab, and holding hands.
The documentary also explained that tattoo art is a way to preserve culture, leisure activity, and livelihood.
According to Dr. Jandy Danzalan, OIC-Director for the Center of Indigenous Peoples Education, tattooing became a treasure in Kalinga because of Apo Whang-Od. He hopes Apo’s skills and knowledge will also be passed on to her grandchildren to continue and preserve the culture and tradition.
Dr. Jandy S. Danzalan headed the said celebration with his team, Dr. Agnes S. Reyes, Dr. Raquel R. Geronimo, Prof. Edizon B. Abom, Mr. Alberto Panganiban, and Mr. Joshua E. Mutoc.
by Christian Joseph B. Bielza
ALICIA, ISABELA – With their torches still burning, around 300 alumni reunited with Inang Pamantasan, and once again felt the spirit of being PNUans as they participated in the Panagawid 2022: Alumni Homecoming at PNU Gymnasium, August 6.
Hosted by the Batch 1996, the said event was jam-packed with happenings as part of the university’s celebration of its 51st founding anniversary.
Alumni from different batches participated in the Panagawid to catch up with their college friends and reminisce their old yet meaningful experiences during their stay in their beloved alma mater.
“The main purpose of the event is to gather PNUNL alumni and reminisce about their college life. Also, to celebrate their success as teachers and education leaders in the field,” Dr. Jandy Danzalan, Alumni Relations Coordinator, uttered.
One of the highlights of the said event was the Pammadayaw, an awarding of certificates to recognize PNUans who excelled in their chosen profession, such as securing positions in their respected schools or offices.
In connection to the event’s theme “Forging Ahead: Reinventing teacher education in a Post-COVID World”, Dr. Jessie Amin, CESO V and Assistant Regional Director of DepEd Region 2, emphasized the utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a steppingstone to recover from the COVID-19 educational downfall.
Moreover, Dr. Amin also enumerated the C’s needed by great educators, namely, Competent, Capability, Communication, Character, Critical thinking, and Citizenship digitally, which served as a reminder and guide to the alumni who attended the much-awaited event.
He concluded his message by saying that success is not about one’s competence or ability; it is a choice of doing and becoming such.
Meanwhile, they also launched the socalled Project Alumni LED: Alumni Leading towards Educational Development, whose proceeds will be utilized for the procurement of the LED Wall for the university.
In addition, the host batch also prepared free salon service as a treat to the PNUans during the homecoming.
There were also sets of buffets served at the newly constructed “Balai ti Alumni” and in the gymnasium for the attendees.
After the turnover ceremony, next year’s Panagawid is expected to be spearheaded by the batch 1997.
by Eloisa B. LegaspiThe education system of the Philippines has always been in an unsteady and stumbling position for years as it stays vulnerable to malicious collusions in the government. Like a personal computer with four main functions, education has input as its teachers and resources; process as the pedagogy; storage as the acquired knowledge; and output as its learners. This system has continuously been maintained and driven by the budget allocated to the sector but has seemingly been only passed through ambitious places through the lens of cunning authorities.
The education sector has one of the enormous budgets in the government. However, Philippine education still receives one of the lowest budgets among the countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations— a concern aggravated by the unrelenting corruption within the sector at various levels. One is the recent issue on the Department of Education's laptop procurement, where planned 68,500 units were reduced to 39,583, leaving almost 29,000 teachers empty-handed as they front DepEd's Computerization Program.
This questionable plunge in the number of procured laptops for teacher use in distance learning was said to be caused by the cost increase of the actual procured units, which are marked at ₱58,300— a lot higher than the initial estimated cost of ₱35,046. However, the price and features of the laptops seemed to have an apparent mismatch as they are built with outdated Intel Celeron
processors, which are too slow for online learning. With this, instead of taking some of their burdens off, it may pile a new set of inefficiencies for teachers.
Following the statement of the Commission on Audit, the incident has agitated not just teachers but the Filipino people and experts in the field of technology, making DepEd a subject of ridicule, which is supposed to be the powerhouse of literacy and critical decision-making skills.
GizGuidePH, a technology-based website, blew up the internet as it compared DepEd's laptop costing ₱58,300 with entry-level specs, and the Macbook Air model, which costs ₱57,990 with numerous features and far better specs than the prior one. Meanwhile, laptops geared with Intel Celeron processors only have a price range of ₱15,000 to ₱22,000.
DepEd responded that the outsourcing was conducted by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), and it only accepted the purchased laptops. The reasoning is odd, given the departments' standing and the people involved in the transactions. No responsible set of authorities could have just accepted something without inspecting and verifying it unless it wanted to add a different fuel to the embers of its inaccurate and meager modules and lessons distributed to students amidst the pandemic. There are two reasons for this: either the department is not doing its job, or an anomaly between them was happening in the guise of innovating the education sector.
This is not something unexpected for the PS-DBM as it just recently had an issue with the Department of Health during the height of the pandemic regarding the purchase of overpriced face masks and face shields for stocking operations through a transfer of appropriations which is prohibited by the constitutional provision.
Moreover, the Department of Education has its own share in the history of corruption. According to Transparency International, the global coalition against corruption, the extreme shortage of textbooks in the Philippines's public schools resulting in one book for six pupils ratio, was caused by the bribes in regional education offices, which represented 20% of a contract's cost. This leads to corrupt officials' gluttony of about 20-65% of the total textbooks funds supposedly allotted for children.
Meanwhile, the issue is still subject to investigation and discussions as Atty. Michael Poa, the DepEd spokesperson, asserted that COA's observation is still inconclusive.
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the shadows of corruption have always been lurking in the establishments of government sectors. This may be one of its numerous manifestations. It is something that we cannot separate from any sovereign country.
Despite this, something can be done to suppress the penetration of these shadows into the education barriers and prevent the
embezzlement of public funds.
It is transparency! Nothing is a more effective deterrent to corruption than exposure and public knowledge.
People in positions of authority are more susceptible to pressure to uphold rules and regulations the better educated the public is about finances and education programs in general. With this, local stakeholders such as parents, teachers, and students will have the voice to give appropriate and credible feedback on the quality of products and services offered to education.
Additionally, transparent criteria and procedures are required as part of an education system's procurement processes and open tendering systems. These will aid in ensuring that schools receive the most outstanding supplies and services, especially when using direct purchases. Regulations governing conflicts of interest and open access to bid documents can reduce corruption in public contracting.
These intervention will build a transparent wall protecting the education sector from deceitful hands, similar to a firewall protecting a computer system from dangerous malware that could put potential risks to the processes within. With the firewall of the education system built high enough and clear enough to reflect the sun's rays beaming on it, the shadows of corruption will no longer be able to intrude into its services to Filipino learners. Above all, most of them sit in a wheelchair.
The terrains of society are swiftly being cultivated into a technologically-driven landscape. This entails survival of the fittest among nations as drastic changes in the future would challenge people to adapt and be at par with the leading kin. Thus, transformative measures must be employed to gear the generation with the armor necessary to conform to innovations without inflicting damage on oneself. And in the bigger picture, these terrains are the fields where industries and sectors like agriculture, education, production, health services, commerce, and engineering, among others, transpire, flourish, and create an interrelationship between and among the whole nation in a general sense.
Because industries rely heavily on technology and people are on the verge of being replaced by machines, the education sector must adapt to the changing terrain of the global economic environment. The technologically deterministic nature of society foreshadows a future centered on Science, Technology, Engineering, Agrifisheries, and Mathematics (STEAM)— these are the key areas experts locked their eyes on as pillars of the future.
In fact, the Department of Education is urged to prioritize hiring teachers with these specialities due to a shortage of Math and Science instructors. Former Education Secretary Leonor Briones had expressed concern about the need to still fill up teaching items for Mathematics and Science in the K–12 curriculum to make the supply sufficient for the demand of Philippine education despite the hiring of 195,302 teachers between 2010 and 2016.
According to studies conducted across the world, like that of Ejiwale (2013) & Kaing (2016), STEAM education is currently plagued by a lack of competent teachers as well as poor skill and development levels. Worse than the insufficiency of teachers is the plunging quality of Mathematics and Science education in the country, as it plummeted to the bottom at the regional level due to the small number of STEM graduates in the country.
According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) research, just 21.10% of STEM majors complete their degrees on average over five years ending in 2016–2017. Specifically, the completion percentage for the sciences was 25.52%, followed by math (21.20%), information technology (19.56%), engineering and technology (18.97%), and medical and associated areas with 14.38%. EduTECH further supported this situation in 2016 as it discovered that the Philippines has a STEM human capital deficit. The dismaying performance of the Philippines in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 emphasized it better. This silent crisis implicitly and explicitly affects the country’s development and puts the future at stake. Thus, interventions must be applied to improve STEAM education, and it must start at the roots of education— teachers.
As the National Center for Teacher Education, the Philippine Normal University must focus on improving its recruitment programs for the specializations aligned in STEAM education like Mathematics and Science and introducing relevant interventions in Teacher Education to the government because, according to the PISA report, the top-performing education systems highlight teachers, pedagogy, and facilities in curriculum planning and development. They allocate enormous funds to school infrastructure and teachers as they ensure that they are offered with high pay scale and a salary structure that rewards those with a track record of excellence in the classroom. Offering competitive salaries for teachers, especially with those specializations, will attract more high-caliber students to pursue teaching careers instead of solely focusing on the popular career paths in the job market. Hence, a recruitment strategizing framework must be created.
In line with this, Tiongco & Japos (2011) recommended using a Geographic Information System to track admissions patterns and improve recruitment strategies
for Philippine universities to sustain their student population and attract prospective students for the courses offered. This system uses technology to create a digital cartography of the university’s population sources. It gives insights into the factors that affect the population through the years and determines the cold and hot areas from where the students are coming, giving the management a view on how they can redevelop their recruitment program depending on the emerging trends.
The administration may also add majors focusing on Agriculture and/or fisheries and Technology. The Industrial Revolution 4.0 currently leads us to a future that we still have no clue about. A paper released by Dell Technologies and written by the Institute For The Future (IFTF) and a group of 20 Information Technology, commercial, and academic professionals from across the world claims that 85% of the occupations that will exist in 2030 have not even been created yet.
Considering the future from a distance, the pandemic that seemingly disrupted the education system and has put an extra burden on students, teachers, and curriculum developers, actually helped us reshape and transform education into something more conducive for the future we are heading to. Since not all instructors are enthusiastic about incorporating technology into their lesson plans, it has been challenging to integrate technology into education for years. While some could be more open to digital solutions, others exhibit higher resistance levels. Thus, it became evident how inadequately integrating technology had resulted in severe learning loss when schools were closed due to COVID-19.
This period in time did not damage civilization; it reshaped and transformed it. As we prepare for additional changes that are coming, it has provided solutions to some of the long-standing concerns in education and brought to light actual faults in its systems throughout the world. Therefore, the sector and institutions that are powerhouses of teachers must take the initiative to immunize Teacher Education and the workforce with its first shots at future-proofing education.
Redefining sexy and delimiting the mold of beauty have lately become the trend in fashion, generating a metamorphic bandwagon pivotal in progressing towards an all-inclusive society. Is it the actual case in pageantry, a business propelled by and dependent on beauty, the same sector that vows to champion women’s empowerment? Even in its efforts to become a relevant, sensitive, and non-discriminatory industry, the Miss Universe rally for inclusivity amassed more criticisms than support.
Following the bland and biased competition during the Donald Trump era that outwardly favored the Latinas and Americans, I, as a pageant enthusiast, felt a revolution when the leading annual pageant served us with out-of-the-box innovations and unpredictable shows on-stage, modernizing its last seven editions beginning in 2015. Over the years, none but Miss Universe had added variations to its competitions; unsurprisingly, it has been a hit. Being the most soughtafter pageant, the new owner’s welcoming trendsetting leaps were a breakthrough in pageantry—a transformative change that the former owners failed to consider.
Having women’s representation in the competition is an admirable response to women’s empowerment. Starting with the inclusion of plus-size women like Top 13 finisher Miss Canada Siera Bearchell in 2016, it grabbed people’s hearts as it aided in addressing fat and body shaming issues. Following this is the groundbreaking
admission of Miss Universe Spain 2018, Angela Ponce, the first and only transwoman Miss Universe participant—another step forward in its aspiration to promote equality. Although there were women of color winning even before 2015, crowning another deserving black queen in 2019, in the person of South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi, had amplified the voices of her oppressed people. Her victory was meaningful as relevant discussions regarding #BlackLivesMatter were at their apex at the time.
Empowering women and creating a culture of inclusivity, however, turns out to be a challenging mission. When the last edition’s winner, India’s Haarnaz Sandhu, exponentially gained weight, the pageant community abruptly criticized the organization, which they accused of not strictly attending to and controlling the winners’ health and nutritional necessities. The public began to attack the organization more and, sadly, even the queen herself due to their disappointment with the zero improvements in her apparent weight issue after months of following if she could retrieve her winning qualities.
Imagine how confined our human sense of beauty is. Although beauty is subjective, people associate it with the model-esque standards of beauty, and those unfit in these prototypes are tagged as non-beauty queen materials. In my view, if there is a crucial error in the pageant industry, it is the absence of various women’s representation. Before,
beautiful was only those that matched the blueprint. Since only the woman that passes the criterion can enter such a contest, those unqualified were not beautiful enough, creating an apparent division among women.
It is saddening that, notwithstanding Miss Universe’s intent to champ inclusivity and redefine the divisive beauty prototype, the same individuals who supported the organization in bringing about a transformative change to the world deserted them in the middle of their rally. With its weakening scaffolding, the owners had to give up their franchise, and Miss Universe is now back to scratch in its movement for women’s empowerment.
It is not the franchise I am sad about, but the promising yet unfinished business. Envision how much change we would see twenty years from now if women less depicted were to be seen, heard, and represented in the Earth’s supreme beauty pageant. It would pave the way for opportunities for these women, considering how far-reaching the platform could be. However, the same individuals who hoped for change took these possibilities away.
Yerica Hannah D. Ramos Editor-in-Chief Feature Editor
If only the public were rational enough to consider the future of many women, regardless of their features, then the world might see a flicker of hope toward inclusivity. Miss Universe should be a safe space for women, and by women, I mean unrepresented women included. The new owners have giant shoes to fill.
Jimuel C. SagarioThe pandemic that seemingly disrupted education helped reshape and transform it into something more conducive for the future.
If there is a crucial error in the pageant industry, it is the absence of various women’s representation.
Society pushes that teachers hold a vocation rather than a profession, but if this is a card to deny the entitlement to optimum treatment, then it is better to stop dreaming of becoming one.
Teachers’ Month is no longer qualified as a celebration because it is turning into a romanticization, harshly veiling public school teachers’ unending, overlooked, and gaslighted sacrifices on the field. Let us encapsulate these harrowing situations using the three domains of learning. Still, as far as teachers’ struggles are concerned, it is better to be called as domains of misery—the cognitive, the affective, and the psychomotor.
With an increase of PHP 77.3 billion, DepEd is set to manage PHP 710.6 billion for School Year 2022–2023. This much budget yet teachers are not even sure to have an adequate slice of the pie, and they are already losing their voices—not because of teaching, but because of their long-standing demands for higher pay.
Nestor Reyes, a public school teacher, featured by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, earns PHP 32,000 monthly. However, only PHP 5,000 is his take-home pay after deductions from his taxes and current loans. Due to this, he chose to be a part-time call center agent and an on-call motorcycle driver during the height of the pandemic.
This narrative of the teachers on the ground is not worth celebrating, and honestly, expressing words of gratitude is not enough to comfort their broken affective walls. Political or any other type of speech has little to no effect on their plight. Disappointingly, we still lack strategies and actions to address this concern fully.
Moreover, 50% of the 1,200 respondents surveyed by Pulse Asia in June 2022 said that teachers in the country are underpaid, while 37% agreed that teachers receive an adequate income, 3% thought they were overpaid, and 10% were unsure of their opinion.
Teachers spend from their own pockets to
fill the shortcomings and inefficiencies of our education sector. Furthermore, the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) stated that at least 80% of the 28,859 teacherrespondents reported paying out of pocket for educational expenses, particularly for things like laptops, phones, printers, and internet connections for distance learning. Only 10% claimed that they could not use their own resources.
Teachers are not meant to carry the burden of the gaps brought by inefficiency. Being adaptable and passionate about work does not equate teachers to being undercompensated enslaved people, pulling the extra baggage that is not supposed to be gripped by them from the start.
Due to a lack of support staff, the majority of teachers are also given administrative duties to do, including maintenance (54%), clerking (27%), guiding (33%), medical (20%), and feeding program tasks (14%). Moreover, 92% of individuals who carry out non-teaching responsibilities claimed they did not receive any additional pay or load credits.
From those data, it is evident that teachers are aware of the disparity between their workloads and take-home pay; such awareness signifies their cognitive aspects being afflicted and hunted by the domains of misery.
In addition, Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte gave a reason why the salary increase has yet to happen. She said that private schools might not be able to keep up with the range of salaries if public schools grant their teachers such an increase, resulting in private schools losing their teachers.
In contrast with this hypothesis, our private school teachers seem not interested in applying to our public schools but rather choose to join the emerging diaspora of professionals, making our country suffer from brain drain. Their literal movement of
There has always been a saying that a school is our second home and teachers are our second mothers and fathers. It is supposed to be our haven, our safe refuge when we are away from our homes. But what happens when our so-called second home becomes a place of fear, abuse, and helplessness? What happens when our so-called second mothers and fathers become perpetrators of the unthinkable?
Recently, five teachers suspected of sexually abusing students in Cavite were preemptively suspended for 90 days by the Department of Education (DepEd) after administrative charges were filed against them after DepEd’s preliminary investigation.
As a pre-service educator, it sends a shiver down my spine to imagine how some teachers could sexually abuse helpless students who unquestioningly obeyed them because they trusted them. As I was reading through the Twitter thread, the very thread that prompted an investigation from the authorities, I could not imagine the fear that these students experienced at the hands of their perpetrators.
At the filthy hands of the people that sent them creepy text messages after class and at the very same hands that gave them unwelcome and uncomfortable touches in the classroom. Reading the disturbing messages sent by the teacher, asking his student to be his “kabit,” or his secret lover, I can’t help but get furious. These kinds of teachers aren’t just committing dastardly acts; they are tarnishing the noble profession of teaching and the good image of what a teacher is supposed to be.
Teachers are students’ role models.
They are supposed to serve as examples for students, as they hold immense influence over them. With this influence, they hold a large responsibility; all of their actions should be done with honor and dignity, as students look up to them and trust them easily. With this trust, they are supposed to provide students with a safe and comfortable learning environment.
However, some teachers have used this trust to create an entirely different environment, where they were able to commit deceitful acts, cloaked under the guise of their profession, perpetrated against the very people they are charged to educate and care for, their students.
Studies have proven that there is a high prevalence of sexual abuse in the Philippines. Findings of the 2016 National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children (NBS-VAC) revealed that 21.5 percent of the respondents, or approximately one in five children, have experienced sexual abuse, with 5.3 percent of these cases being committed in schools. And it has been said that most victims do not disclose or report these instances of abuse because their perpetrators are persons of authority, making victims suffer in silence.
In the case of sexual abuse committed in schools, it is the school’s responsibility to take immediate action upon reports of said instances. One of the provisions in Republic Act 11313, most commonly known as the Safe Spaces Act, specifically in Article V, Section 21, actually obligates schools to designate an officer-in-charge to receive complaints regarding violations of this Act, adopt and
publish grievance procedures to facilitate the filing of complaints, and take appropriate steps to resolve the situation through a proper investigation, immediate action to eliminate the same acts, prevent their recurrence, and address their effects.
However, this obligation seems to be neglected by some schools, as it isn’t properly observed and implemented. As a result, students have to resort to social media, like in the case presented above, to garner the attention of the authorities, as they feel that their schools are not listening to their concerns or are not taking them seriously.
It is about time that schools step up their game in the battle against sexual abuse, especially in cases committed by their hired teachers whom they have admitted to their respective educational institutions. To ensure the swift delivery of justice, sexual abuse matters brought to the attention of schools must be resolved in a clear, proactive, and quick way to protect their students. Schools must ensure a safe environment for all students, as it is their responsibility.
Parents send their children to school with relief, knowing that they will be going to a place where they can be safe and that they’ll be going to their second home. But how can students consider a place where they are abused as their second home? Because once a school fails to protect their students inside the premises against abuse, it cannot be called that child’s home anymore, it becomes a scene of the crime—a place where a child remembers their helplessness in the hands of their perpetrator.
going overseas is the psychomotor domain we would never want to occur.
Randy Ubal, 27, a private school teacher featured by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was forced to leave the Philippines for Thailand to support his family. Since the late 2000s, Filipinos have frequently traveled to Thailand in search of better opportunities.
Kim Pangilinan, 25, departed for Thailand because the working conditions were far better than in the Philippines, claiming that he has a lower teaching load but is still paid better.
It is safe to say that it is not a tug-of-war between public and private schools anymore but rather a competition of opportunities that the Philippines has against much better offers our neighboring countries have for Filipino teachers, and it looks like we are slowly losing the tight grip.
With this year’s Teachers’ Month, may we never celebrate nor romanticize the sacrifices our teachers make to fill the government’s shortcomings but instead eagerly alleviate such. Words of gratitude alone cannot conceal the cracks in their affective walls. Tacit disparity between workloads and takehome pay dictates their cognitive domains that they deserve better. The departures of Filipino teachers are the psychomotor abilities that drain the hope left for our country’s youth.
The conditions of our teachers are the finest indicators of the state of our education. Improving their working circumstances is crucial and fundamental for us to recover from the alarming learning crisis, and such improvements entail salary-increases, fewer add-on workloads, and greater opportunities.
The nightmarish treatment against teachers is tantamount to the fate of our education; it is our clarion call to challenge the status quo that submerges our educators, or else domains of misery will continue to hunt them down and, eventually, our future where dreams could still be nightmares.
Teachers are students’ role models. They are supposed to serve as examples for students as they hold immense influence over them.
Teachers are not meant to carry the burden coming from the gaps brought by inefficiency.Erenio D. Baltazar Jr. Muel Mark L. Bueno Junior Staff Associate Editor
Huwaran is such a lovely word, mostly for teachers, whose jobs are the noblest of all professions. But in the seesaw of life, it shifts from a high point to a low one, where balance seems irredeemable, yet their reputations are compelled to be aloft to all extents.
In this struggle, it seems like there has been a more persistent virus than COVID-19 that has been spreading across this conservative country till this very day—repressing teachers to live a life in terms they like. It is futile to conclude that having a life and having fun outside of school would make you less of a teacher and a professional. Stumbling upon a post of a teacher on vacation wearing ‘offduty’ clothes that received tons of backlash made me say so.
According to the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) legal opinion, uploading photos on social media of government employees wearing a swimsuit at the beach does not violate the administrative crime of shameful and immoral conduct. Neither does it breach the principle under Code of Ethics Article 11, Section 3 for teachers.
Teachers’ job is to teach and portray good behavior, which should include teaching that wearing those clothes does not mean that educators are less deserving of any respect. What happens if we do not instill these ideas in the youth and instead, we condone minds to think ill? It beggars belief. Teaching already chalked its way out from traditional view, now is the time to educate others to respect rather than disgrace people, particularly in the digital world, where values and social interactions are in flux like never before and where these old-fashioned perspectives are most visible.
Moreover, it takes time to adjust to the demands of teaching because it is a
Many of us dress in clothes that make us feel comfortable. Freely wearing makeup, any kind of footwear, bags, accessories, and hairstyles—any kind of style we want— as long as we express ourselves and fit the standard of being a man or woman, but how about those who are stuck between the two? especially now that we’re back to face-to-face meetings. Again, there’s this set rule that boys with long hair are required to cut it out or else they will be disobeying the rule, which has direct consequences, which I think is a breach of our freedom to express ourselves.
In our society, we are used to this kind of setup. But we are blind to the standard, unseeing those people who are struggling, reminding themselves that it is okay even if it is not because they do not have any choice but to follow the set rules. These unseen emotions were felt by many people rather than just one. They are forced to cut the ties that connect them to their true identity.
Moreover, discrimination against the LGBT community is rampant. According to the United Nations (UN) study, 30% of LGBT people in our country reported being harassed, bullied, or discriminated against while at work, which clearly shows that their community is not fully accepted.
Thus, embracing them can start at school in many simple ways, just like eliminating the “Haircut Policy,” which was met with many reactions online. Most people reacted positively to the fact that we are now openly accepting the third gender, but unfortunately, not everyone is ready to embrace this situation. I also remembered that I had observed this occurrence back before the pandemic hit. Some were unconcerned and simply laughed it off; others didn’t care, while some are proud of how their clean appearance suits their preferences. Again, unseeing are those
people who prefer long hair as it is what their hearts want, the so-called “their kind of style.”
Probably, the haircut policy molds students to be law-abiding citizens, to build discipline, and to comply. But isn’t it unfair? that men and women go out with full self-esteem, being content with how they look but degrading what the third gender wants for themselves. Isn’t it much better to allow and accept them fully, as such actions don’t totally affect their academics? In fact, one of the most famous people in human history, Albert Einstein, also had this socalled “wild hair,” but despite his hairstyle, he still created and proposed numerous ideas, which we are still benefiting from today.
So, we are now in modern times, and I think giving individuals the opportunity to express their gender identity in any style that they want is a step closer to equality because it is not limited to men and women. Equality must be for all. According to the Equality Act (2010), one must not be discriminated against because their identity is different from the sex assigned to them when they were born.
Hence, other administrations as well as individuals must have another outlook on this concern. They must let go and give a chance to those who muster up all their courage to go out as who they really are. Just like how other Department of Education’s region directors support gender equality, equity, and sensitivity as based on DepEd Order No. 32 series of 2017.
Thus, the school must stop implementing this policy, and a haircut must not be the basis of “looking clean”. Standards must not hinder someone from freely expressing who they are. Having the opportunity to be themselves is what they wanted and supporting them will never lessen our worth as a man or woman.
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demanding profession. Even though it is rewarding, it can also be emotionally taxing. So, how can a little night out after blood-, sweat-, and tears-filled days hurt when Article 2, Section 3 clearly states that only excesses and illicit relations of such nature must be avoided at all times to maintain honor and dignity?
I think it is safe to affirm that professionalism does not solely entail wearing a collar, tie, and a head held up high. Also, it is about fulfilling a career in an orderly and dependable manner, gaining respect by acting respectfully, and certainly, not hurting anyone. As mundane as it may sound, what more could a human ask for?
Teachers are held to a high standard in the community. Giving them a little space to breathe in their tiny ways would help in maintaining the merit everyone has set. Their teaching lays the groundwork for life, so they should not be shamed as if having a personal life is a Cardinal sin in being the role models we knew them to be. If so, then teachers are nothing but saints on strings, confined to the provision of what others think as acceptable, which should not be, because after all, they are, we all are, just humans with a longing for fun and respite. Despite the conundrum of hows in these events, I remain stubbornly optimistic about it. Fate has always surprised its skeptics, and I have no doubt it is about to do so again.
Little by little, huwaran becomes a word that the principle factory of a prospective teacher like me teases to achieve in ways sought not in haste but in an uprising to shatter and cleanse the dormancy of actually being one who can still live life while leading another. It may not be the peak, but at least it is above below.
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Muel Mark L. Bueno
Precious Ann D. Millan
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Standards must not hinder someone from freely expressing who they really are.
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These unseen emotions were felt by many people rather than just one.Joshua Mhel V. Serueles Eloisa B. Legaspi Vera Jewel C. Lacerna Jeffrey Martinez M. Buza Nicette Jules A. Cruz Junior Staff Junior Staff
"You may refer to and use any resource materials available in our G-class. See you next meeting, III-BSE," said Dr. Marie Grace Cabansag as she wrapped up the session by reminding us to use existing research about the indigenous people when working on our projects. After clicking the leave meeting button, I immediately changed for a swift bike around my area and, in a flash, I remembered how much the place had metamorphosed. Before, I used to walk on a rocky path since the whole street had no concrete lane, and many houses, including fences, were primarily bamboo-made or out of other durable wood. Two decades have passed, and I witnessed how the residential area showed drastic changes—a proof that the community is consistently transforming with up-to-date and advanced technology.
While biking, I went on the water irrigation canal and saw how different it looked today. In my close observation, there were no clams in the canal, which was shocking considering that when I was a kid, I could see clams even without burrowing in the sand. In addition, there seemed to be no fishing activities in the irrigation canal anymore. Are they banning people from catching fish from the canal nowadays? Clueless, I hurried home. On my way, I saw my uncle heading home after catching fish in the river, looking gloomy. I noticed he had very little catch today, despite his industry pursuing fish for hours. Especially with the restricting pandemic magnified by the sudden price escalation of commodities, providing for the family can be challenging. When I was a kid, I felt amazed each time I saw my uncles able to catch many tilapia sewn together by a grass-like plant found near the riverbank. It made me wonder if his fishing nets were damaged, or so I thought.
When I reached home, I went to my room to accomplish my projects. I opened the posted file and started reading and annotating. It took me hours to finish the entire paper, but because I was engaged in the rich discussion of educational data presented in the article, I did not even take a rest. I was late to realize that Dr. Cabansag and two other PNU lecturers authored the comprehensive ethnographic research I enjoyed reading—the Indigenous Utilization of Resources and Conservation Practices of the Agta of Lupigue, Ilagan City, Isabela, Philippines. Reading the paper has intensified my limited knowledge regarding the life of the Agta Community. I was surprised to find out one could also use academic articles to discuss and record indigenous peoples' practices allowing readers and future generations to discover and grasp these practices and lifestyles. After reading, I answered the questions provided for us to discover new cultures and get cultured simultaneously. The Indigenous Knowledge, Systems, and Practices that I decoded from learning through research made me think of the difference between the Agta community and the community I am involved with.
What conservation practices can we mimic from the community regarded as the first indigenous peoples to inhabit the country and, therefore, is the foundation of Philippine society?The authors reported Agtas' sustainable utilization and conservation practices on the forest, wildlife, the body of water, and land resources.
While reading this
by Jimuel C. Sagarioarticle, list the practices you suppose could bring transformative changes to your community.
Have you ever seen a baki, a hand-woven basket where hens lay their eggs? Agtas have these as well. They also make backpacks where hunts and food are kept during their travel. I bet you have seen them in the market, or perhaps, one of your neighbors owns one of these intricately woven products. What makes these products eco-friendly and sustainable are the durable materials they were made of—rattan palm, identified under the Least Concern in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species. Fortunately, Agtas display an impressive awareness that these resources are not limitless; they are mindful that the forest is their actual storage room.Therefore, they need to conserve their sources by collecting not more than what they need. Accordingly, they only gather a small number of rattan stems, and if there are only a few remaining trees, these will only be cut down once they reproduce in adequate numbers. From this practice, what can the government take and use in battling issues on deforestation and nature
conservation?
That is one stirring
there is no better way to do just that than to have someone of their own take the podium.
You probably heard of using arrows in fishing, but have you heard of using weeds to catch fish? It is a unique practice used by Agtas to assist them in fishing. I found it perplexing when I read about it, but its explanation makes sense, demonstrating how good of nature observers they are. According to them, fish eventually get tired of avoiding the weeds, making the catch easier. Among the fishes often caught by Agtas are Tilapia, classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN red list of threatened species. Hence, using weeds to assist their catch is far better than using harmful chemicals! Adding to the list of their unique ways of life is trapping fish using an instrument called bukatot, which is made of an old mosquito net repurposed by stitching together to form an extended net and laid in the river water. It consists of a space where the aquatic animals are stored and trapped. The name bukatot (translated as voracious in English) comes after its design, as it could trap any aquatic animal, including crabs and snakes. More importantly, Agtas practice selective fishing, a method of only catching fish fit for consumption. Imagine if communities also restrict fishers from excessive fishing to conserve the fish population. This fishing method could help solve the problem related to the fishers decreasing catch.
The Agtas' ways of living differ from the mainstream, including their farming beliefs. Have you known that Agtas treat pests with kindness? They do not use harmful pesticides and do not bother the pests in exchange for them not destroying their crops. Aside from this eco-friendly agricultural practice, they also allow stalks of plant crops to decay or burn them, serving as fertilizer and preserving the soil's
to treat subi-subi, a local term for a medical problem wherein a sticky substance blocks the air passage of a kid, causing the color of its skin to turn to violet. Although in a national scientific journal, no experimental testing on the efficacy and mechanism of snake bile to cure health problems, such as stomach discomfort, has been thoroughly proven, this still proves the wealth of Agtas culture as it also includes beliefs in treating medical problems. It becomes a problem when severe cases that need urgent treatment are left in the care of a healer rather than a doctor. Such instances, however, could be averted when communities like theirs have more extensive access to proper medication and formal education. Giving priority to the marginalized sectors' needs and welfare is a matter that the government should focus on more.
To the complicated wealthy Senator in the country who is still puzzled as to why research is addicting, I hope this gets to you and finally be able to see the utility of research to the country, especially to a public servant like you. After reading the article, I immediately felt its weight, which extends to my community. Later that day, I saw some problems in my community that could be solved by taking into account the significance of the conservation practices of the Agtas. There seemed to be an absence of clams in our irrigation canal, and there has been an evident decrease in fishers' catch lately. These problems are highly tied to the residents' overfishing and overconsumption activities, draining the available food source in the locale.
arrows only when hunting baboy-ramo none with the ten arrows, they believed they were destined to have zero catches for that day, so the hunt was over. Meanwhile, if trapped unintentionally, young baboy-ramo are brought home, tamed, and taken care of until they mature. In addition and pregnant ones are also spared when hunting to allow the perpetuation of the animal's population. If these practices are good data that our government could get inspiration from in aiding and furthering the development of educational programs and laws around issues on biodiversity of fauna in the country, then let us give voice to one leader from this community or someone who studied the community to speak and educate other communities. These conservation practices are needed to be known publicly, and
python, locally known as sawa, is traditionally used as it is believed to have medicinal properties? The gallbladder is taken and used as fresh or sundried, according to them, explaining how the medicine is prepared. They soak the snake’s bile in hot water or white wine (gin) and drink it to relieve stomach aches. They believe that the stomach pain subsides due to the bitterness of the gallbladder. Even the Ibanag people of North Luzon are known to use python gallbladder
Communities with similar adversities could draw inspiration from Agtas' selective fishing method, allowing fishers to catch or collect enough fish and clams for their consumption only. Related to this, leaders can also put up community-level enforcement of stronger regulations to control excessive fishing to help conserve the fish population. Other Filipino communities could follow the examples set by Agtas in benefitting while also conserving, preserving, and protecting what sustains the growth of the community—resources. When we do that, we may never see another fisherman looking gloomy after Reading the article, I found a treasure chest I am willing to share with others. It is a wealth that is both educational and inspirational. Today, major societal breakthroughs and technological advancements constantly transform and drive communities, but they still cry for resilience. Ironically, there are these communities that show resiliency, even if marginalized. What secret they hold is their discipline. In the passing of time, even with limited opportunities and outdated lifestyles, their community still managed to endure the challenges time had delivered to them, the same difficulties that advanced and updated communities still struggle to overcome.
As the powerhouse community of the country, the descendants of the country's earliest occupants and native inhabitants who are responsible for the Philippines' foundation, the Agtas, have once again proven they are the natural symbols of Filipino resiliency. To follow their footprints, we must persevere in studying how they prevail in the challenges of time.
A water bottle with sip lids, double-walled vacuum insulation that keeps beverages hot or cold for a long while, made of stainless steel, characterized by either straight sides or sides that taper down and variation of sizes enough for a day-out. Sounds too much? Well, this drinkware has earned its worth parallel to the hype it is causing in the world. Cap or no cap?
From almost a nerdy outdoor item, carried as an accessory to one of the most on-trend things that flooded Twitter and Tiktok’s feed, it is safe to say that it’s about time to finally let people become more familiar and recognizable to what it is really for.
Names such as “Hydro Flask” and “Aquaflask” are the most heard and seen on the top list of purchases for these bottles. And whether they may have been bought for aesthetic reasons or for clout, the ethical and practical reasons still stand out for someone who has a penchant for the idea that sustainable living starts at home. Thus, having these reusable tumblers is truly remarkable, like a tour de force and have ultimately become a symbol of environmentalism.
As there are 481.6 billion plastic water bottles used worldwide each year- their biodegradation has a very difficult time taking place nearly over 700 years. As a result, it greatly increases the amount of plastic pollution in our oceans and landfills. Thus, all of these problems with single use plastic cups and bottles could be stamped out by these sturdy long-lasting tumblers.
Apparently, even if it’s considered as an alternative for our usual water bottles, it is
deemed as a mug due to its wide mouth. Not bad since when you need to transport food, particularly liquids, tumblers come in quite handy. If you need to bring them hot foods to parties, picnics, school lunches, etc., you can bring a range of beverages. Foods that are hot are kept hot for a long period because of the insulation. How long is a long period exactly? Well, it can go up to 24 hours! Proven and tested.Your insulated tumbler will definitely keep the meal or drink warm for a while. On the other hand, cold drinks such as iced coffee, soda, and more, can be safely kept cold for extended periods of time. The certainty of your drink being fresh and unspoiled is 100% guaranteed.
While they are undoubtedly highly useful and are pro-green inventions, the aforementioned brands are quite pocket-heavy for some, if not, most. Since the hype, these brands and their marketing machines already have a cult following. So swayed by the constant marketing leverage and pressures that come with fitting in and standing out at the same time - more people wanted to buy, thus more product needs to be produced. However, it opposes the law that as the supply rises, price increases while demand declines, because even with the massive number of people buying, the skyhigh price remains unscratched. Saying it’s ‘just’ a thermos ain’t wrong, neither the comment that they were just used as a statement about their status and style. But to be fair, they really made the mainstream bottles better quality.
The good news is you don’t need to go broke over just a brand name since there are cheaper products with the same purpose. As long as it functions and keeps your drinks cold or hot, and doesn’t have to keep replacing them, it should be good enough for you. Pnuans, have you got one yourself yet?
Recalling from our professor’s lecture, she mentioned how the students of the university once faced a phase where lack of water intake prevailed among them, which caused mild to moderate illnesses. So, now that everyone seems to carry their own water tumblers, replenishing their energies on a tiring day is no longer unattainable.
Have you ever tried collecting and buying bottles from house to house to secure a living? How about weeding several fields and lands? How about cleaning other people’s homes from corner to corner and washing other people’s clothes? Or, due to life’s difficult circumstances, experienced begging for alms while picking up plastic bottles and cardboard?
If you ask Lovely Jacqueline Dasalla Ani, a third-year Physical Education major student at Philippine Normal University North Luzon, she will answer all these questions with a yes. Because, yes, she has done it all.
At a tender age, Lovely has already realized how challenging life can be and how time never makes it more accessible. Knowing her parents had difficulty providing for their family’s needs, she stood up; she ventured into all jobs that she could do to earn money and pursue her studies amidst financial difficulties. She has done almost anything— from laundering, collecting junk, selling, catering, and even working in the fields under the blazing heat of the sun to persevere in becoming an educator.
With the implementation of limited face-toface classes for the third term of the school year, Lovely’s life has not exactly become easier. If, be-
fore, she could save on transportation fees and be able to work various jobs from Wednesday to Sunday, she could not do it now. With the whole week filled with schedules of classes, group practices, and meetings, her time for work has become limited.
Although still struggling financially, Lovely does not regret her decision to participate in the limited face-to-face classes at the university. She considers it one of her most enjoyable moments, a gentle nudge, a reminder that her life is not all about work and that she is closer to achieving her dreams. However, she sometimes admits to crying in front of her unfinished activities as she contemplates which to prioritize, throwing her mind off-kilter. Is it to work jobs necessary for her to survive or accomplish tasks with upcoming deadlines?
Admittedly, despite having less time for work now, she favours face-to-face classes as she learns more effectively and can socialize with her peers. She also gets hands-on experience with her subjects as a Physical Education student, improves her body composition, enhances her physical well-being, and acquires abilities such as increased stamina, which comes in handy when it is time for her to work various jobs outside the university. It becomes her breeding ground in the real world, where her acquired skills would be useful.
Even though life has given Lovely roadblocks in her journey in the form of financial difficulties, she
This almost perfect drinkware, however, still has some shedding of light needed on its gray area - people need to be aware of the very reason for these bottles once again, as there are numerous benefits, there could be some drawbacks. A hydro tumbler, especially in drier areas where people use water bottles, will break even in terms of environmental effect after years of usage. However, if you keep losing them or purchase 20 different hydros to match your clothes, it suddenly doesn’t do much for the environment. Imagine how much nuisance the pile of metal garbages would cause?
One of the enemies of our consumerist world, sadly, the firm will want to sell more and more, especially since it was sold to a corporate, thus they probably will favor the concept of people purchasing numerous bottles- so it’s up to us to make the move.
After all, executing the core tenets of sustainability with the environmental grip tumblers are having regardless of the brand they carry is making them stay not as a fad or fashion but as an emblem of a green flag of a green world. No cap!
-Allby Muel Mark L.Buenonever forgets to have a positive outlook on life still.
“Nandoon ‘yong hirap at pagod, pero masaya pa rin kasi alam kong part ‘yon ng pagiging col lege student,” she says. [Difficulty and tired ness are always there, but I am still happy, for I know it is a part of being a college student.]
In preparation for her financial needs for the school year, she is accepting clean ing and laundry jobs from anyone who needs her service. She works at Top Achiev ers Private School as a staff member in their cafeteria. Even if it is the school vacation at pres ent, she dares not spend any of it doing useless things and is working tirelessly just for her to help her parents support her and her siblings’ education.
Junk collecting and selling, weeding, cleaning, laundering, catering, and many more. You name the job, and she has done it. Believing that one should learn how to rest but never give up, she is Lovely Joy Dasalla Ani—the Ms. Done-It-All.
byCarlJohnRamos
Filipinos are painted as one of the most Resilient people in the world. No calamity could dampen the fighting spirit of the Filipinos.They are expected to always come out on the other side unscathed and stronger. As flattering as it is to be glorified for having the badge of resiliency, it is both an honor and a curse for the Filipinos, for it allows people in power to avoid accountability for their incompetence. Imagine how tired Filipinos are of receiving empty praises instead of the promised quality service. It is draining to always stand tall against everything when your feet are crippling, and your heart is running out of hope that things will get better. Even the strongest soldiers cry for help, need aid for their aching souls, and inspiration for their withering dreams. It is what fuels Angat Buhay Foundation, to meet Filipinos where they are and give them the service and accountability they truly deserve.
Before it became a NonGovernment Organization, "Angat Buhay" was already a program of the Former Vice President Leni Robredo launched in October 2016. Angat Buhay is the contribution of the Office of Vice President in the fight against poverty. The program aims to bring together the public and the private sectors— organizations and individuals alike—to address the needs of families in the farthest and poorest communities in the country. However, after losing in the 2022 Presidential race, Attorney Leni Robredo wanted to continue the programs she initiated in the past six years and launch the Non-Government Organization "Angat Buhay".Astonished and inspired by the amount of support and people willing to share their talents and resources for the Filipinos, she believed that creating this foundation would preserve the "Pink wave," the passion and hope people felt during the campaign, and she wished even to make it stronger.
According to Atty. Leni Robredo, the NGO, will have four key areas: health, education, disaster relief/ rehabilitation, and community involvement. Angat Kalusugan, she noted, seeks to address issues related to food security, nutrition and health care. While our country is still recovering from the adverse effects the pandemic left us, it is not an easy job for Filipinos to secure food for their families; hence nutrition and healthcare are compromised. To ensure Filipinos can still access quality healthcare without worrying financially, programs like Bayanihan E-konsulta will continue to operate under the ''Angat Buhay" NGO. The program seeks to assist COVID-19 patients and suspected cases in different areas across the country by linking them with volunteer doctors. Apart from COVID-19 consultation, the program will also offer general check-up
services. Volunteer workers from the medical field surprisingly dominate the Bayanihan E-konsulta. The volunteers' passion kept this program going, and their dedication to their mission—to provide quality healthcare services for Filipinos regardless of incentives. Meanwhile, Angat Edukasyon aims to continue education-related programs of Angat Buhay under the Office of the Vice President, including establishing community learning hubs and dormitories for students. Community learning hubs would serve as a haven for students to learn new skills and hone their talents. It is also a place where they can socialize with people with the same interests and create meaningful connections while learning. Moreover, one main concern of college students studying in a university far from their hometown is the accessibility to dormitories or boarding houses. Nowadays, renting is much more expensive, contributing significantly to the student's financial burden. More often than not, students have to adjust their budget for food just to secure an apartment close to their university. Many Filipino students who belong to a family with low socioeconomic income can't even afford the materials needed for school, let alone pay for rent. To address this concern, Angat Buhay is building dormitories inside the schools that students can access for free. Instead of paying for apartments and boarding houses, these dormitories built inside the school will provide safe and comfortable lodging for the students while they study and fight to reach their dreams.
The former vice president said they would also establish a disaster fund to immediately support those affected by typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other disasters. Just recently, Angat Buhay NGO deployed volunteers for relief operations to areas hit hard by supertyphoon Karding. They monitored the impact on the ground and provided relief goods and help for communities devastated by the typhoon.
It is undeniable that the Philippines is geographically prone to typhoons, and we must have organizations aside from the government that focus on providing aid to Filipinos when calamity strikes. Angat Buhay volunteers have been sailing floods to rescue people and
animals, and there's no wind strong enough to scare these heroes from doing it whenever a typhoon devours our homeland.
"Moving forward, we want to help strengthen and give capacity building to all volunteer groups established during the campaign," Robredo said. It only goes to say that the core of Angat Buhay NGO is volunteerism. It is the heart of the Filipino to serve his fellow citizens in desperate times.
The spirit that the Angat Buhay NGO wants to develop is not to wait for their directions but to allow people to help whenever possible. Challenge Filipinos to think of programs beyond the programs of Angat Buhay. The NGO encourages initiative and wants to bring out the camaraderie of the Filipinos and rekindle the "Bayanihan" within communities.
During the campaign season, Atty. Leni Robredo promised that the future of the Philippines would be painted pink under her presidency. She and the 14 million Filipinos envisioned the thriving Philippines built by Filipinos from all walks of life; A Philippines that remembers its past, history, our identity, and looks forward to a system that liberates its people. The sit for the highest position in the country might not be for her, but indeed the inspiration she radiated is a spark that will keep our love in our country burning. Angat Buhay NGO and its volunteers will continue to
It is nearly eight in the morning. The honks of cars and buses fill the atmosphere. Pedestrians hurriedly run across the sidewalks, sweat beading down their faces, the sun hitting their eyes. Loading zones are full of people late for their appointments, trying to enter transport vehicles in hopes that they could still make up for the time they have lost. The streets are in a state of frenzy, and the roads are full of vehicles, only moving the slightest every minute. Everyone’s already tired before they arrive at their desired destinations.
This is the everyday scenery of the traffic landscape in the Philippines. With traffic congestion remaining one of the main problems of the country, efficient mass transport systems are yet to be realized. People fail to recognize that traffic is not just a transportation problem but also affects the economy.
On average, the cost of traffic congestion was estimated to amount to 3.5 billion per day in the Philippines, as reported by the Japan International Cooperation
byMuelMarkBueno
Agency, and it is predicted to reach P5.4 billion per day by 2035 unless imminent interventions are provided.
How specifically do traffic problems affect the country’s economy? Aside from the value of excess fuel costs, the value of lost time makes traffic a nemesis of the economy. The amount of work that could have been done and public transactions that could have been processed within the wasted time in traffic leads to lesser productivity. The traffic issue also significantly affects shuttle services, delivery trucks, and public transportation.
For instance, a once-profitable transport operation of public transport vehicles may become profitless if drivers can only complete two round trips every day due to traffic congestion. The traffic issue also obliges employees to leave their residences at least two hours before the beginning of their shifts to avoid the morning traffic. When employees experience traffic on their way to work, they are likely to be enervated as travel time shares an inverse relationship
to work productivity. The longer the travel time to the workplace, the lesser productive an employee becomes.
With the traffic situation worsening, the government has decided to address the situation and help boost economic recovery. Through the government’s initiatives, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has expressed its commitment to finish its six Smart City projects during the 4th Asean Smart Cities Network (ASCN) Annual Meeting. Smart City is a framework that is primarily comprised of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), for promoting sustainable development methods to handle the issues of expanding urbanization. It aims to promote local area development and the effective use of technology, particularly smart technologies, to boost the economy and enhance people’s quality of life. Six smart projects are in the works, some of which were showcased by the DILG during the ASCN meeting. Some of the named smart city projects are the E-government
Services and Command Center Upgrade
and in Manila; the Digital Traffic System and Bus Rapid Transit System in Cebu City; and Converged Command and Control Center and Intelligent Transportation and Traffic Systems with Security in Davao City. All of which strive to help improve the country’s situation with its urbanization issues.
Most of these projects are directed to help reduce traffic congestion and provide passengers with various options for transportation to encourage them to take public transport instead of traveling in their private vehicles. By doing so, the number of automobiles on the roads could be reduced and the traffic situation could be improved. Furthermore, smart city projects also help in improving the delivery of government services, making it more accessible for the public. Through digitization in the delivery of government services, there is a wide range of platforms when it comes to payment of bills for government and private entities. Filipinos can secure
government permits and documents such as, birth and death certificates, occupancy permit and health certificate; payment of utilities,and money transfer transactions . Digitizing government services provides accessibility to more Filipinos, the paper works they need can be accessed by just tapping their devices. Life could be more convenient, which could help improve the quality of life.
What we need is not more infrastructure but better and smarter infrastructure. One way of being responsive is being innovative in planning and development on the part of the government. Smart cities lead to a smarter way of delivering public services, smarter ways of housing, and smarter mobility. It also provides an efficient way to reduce traffic and ease of doing business and transactions, all of which can help the economy. Through the development and increment of smart city projects in the near future, we are not just providing a solution to traffic congestion, but we are building a better, a smarter Philippines.
To survive, the first humans were believed to have settled in one temporary place where adequate food supply was accessible and transferred to another if the supply ran out. For hundreds of years in the past, it remained the primary rule of survival, not until humans discovered the use of land cultivation. About 12,000 years from now, when they have cultivated the soil to grow crops, dramatic changes in society, including civilization, have materialized. Since then, agriculture has always played an immense role in meeting the demands of humans.
Thousands of years have passed, and the world's population has reached over 7.9 billion. What is intriguing about the human population is its direct relationship to food production.
As the population on earth increases, the production of food alszo increases. The problem does not stop there; with the increasing human population, residential areas continue to expand.This is a big challenge from the viewpoint of agricultural sectors as it will be difficult to supply food with the problem of having insufficient land mass to plant on.
Adding to the chain of problems are the situations brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It results in labor restrictions and availability, a decline in restaurant demand, and market disruptions to the agricultural systems. With the incapability to transport supplies, farmers ended up discarding their harvests. Besides this, the pandemic also led to restrictions on consumers' access to food markets physically.
As the pandemic puts limited access to food markets, it poses a challenge for families to provide food on the table. Although giving ayuda or assistive support from the local government unit has been a beneficial move to ensure that the people of the community have access to food while restricted in the comfort of their homes, canned goods and instant noodles can be lifeless and dull.
Meanwhile, three young Isabeleños realized that inasmuch as the pandemic stimulates the public to stay indoors, home gardening is an adaptive way to fit into the new normal lifestyle and may solve the food supply problem. Recognizing the substantial benefits
byJimuelC.Sagarioof home-based farming to the current social predicaments, these young men came up with an interesting business that also sparked new learning in the general community.
Most typically, plants are grown in a soil medium. In conventional soil-based gardening, watering is necessary, which can sometimes be laborious and problematic. Irregular watering could lead to dehydration, and, on the contrary, over-watering could lead the plant into an overly hydrated state, both of which may kill the plant. Also, soil-based gardening could be challenging with problems such as urbanization, land fertility problems, and the threat of global warming to water sources.
As a part of the evolution of agriculture, an alternative option to growing plants has been uncovered, gaining popularity among farmers and hopefuls—hydroponic gardening. This technique employs the advantage of nutrient-rich water, and no soil is required. It is a unique method in that it only requires water. Therefore, it also saves space, an answer to the land unavailability problems in agriculture.
In Alicia, Isabela, three college students drew interest in this emerging trend budding like a plant. Hydroponic gardening may be fresh to several, but this innovative technology has already gained remarkable public comments. Many television programs have featured it as a timely profiting source of income. Hence, despite being enrolled in distinct college degrees from different universities, as childhood buddies, Cee Jay
D. Del Rosario of Isabela State University
Cauayan City, Jerome C. Arcangel of Isabela State University Echague, and Darren Kyle C. Mabagos of Philippine Normal University North Luzon were fastened by their mutual hope. They recently used the hydroponic method to grow a variety of lettuces with a vision that it would be a popular hit to the public one day. They named their business Hydropaps Lettuce In A Cup and have been selling their hydroponically grown lettuce in their municipality and its neighbors for a very affordable price. Hydropaps' first harvest was sold out, and people have followed their sprouting success since then.
Since the method is a space-saver, one can now grow their farm in their backyard, rooftop, or any small space at home. One has just to have a creative mind in using alternative materials and become resourceful in designing their greenhouse to make their hydroponic farm budget-friendly. Others are using vertical farming to grow plants hydroponically. It means that hydroponic gardens can still be maintained even in crowded places. Considering a farm at home is a good investment as it offers plant products from the garden to the kitchen to the table, or for some, like the three college students of Alicia, earn money and build a future.
Aside from responding to the problem of lack of farmable land, hydroponic farming also combats the issue of water conservation. This new technology allows farmers to recycle their water supply. It implies that by using this alternative farming that promises organic and greener agriculture, one can now farm, rain or shine.
"Plants can still grow in hydroponic systems even in the absence of direct sunlight if growing lights are used," Hydropaps explained another advantage of hydroponic farming, emphasizing that the method can grow plants independently of weather conditions.
Especially in an era where products and food prices have become gold and are still continuously rising, one hungry family in the dark will continue to starve to death. Battling world hunger is very challenging. The challenge has even been augmented in a world restricted by a virus. Therefore, with its capacity to counter agricultural problems such as weather conditions, water conservation, and lack of farmable land, hydroponic farming as an option can be an excellent solution to thinning the challenge. With hydroponic gardening as a project for every community, each family may be able to provide food from the garden to the kitchen to their table.
A piece dedicated to our EIC
Oh, how lovely
The way just she is
A damsel delicately Embellished with gentleness.
Hush, please whisper
How can someone have life?
Oh, to be precious Brimmed with beauty and finesse.
Oh, damsel, damsel!
Another yet to bloom
Oh, damsel, damsel! Another yet to spread.
Wings that have always been high
For one must take pride
Hush, my damsel, how can you be still
So dear in my eyes?
Life is boring nowadays. I don’t know what I am living for I don’t feel what I’ve been breathing for Duties are there, stacked as they should but I can’t seem to find the one after a thousandfold.
In the corridor, my feet had come to halt Like a routine, a duty my heart can’t part Looking through the glass wall, he held my gaze yet again Captivated with the blood that ain’t even mine Bless me! I’ll adopt if he catches my eye one more time.
I will sway my rigid hips, Even if I despise doing it. Right-and-left, dancing with you In the melody of love and music.
I will taste your new recipe, Even I am not a fan of food. You’re not just a kind of cake, You’re daily bread that I need every day.
I will swim in the waves of your voice Diving with no delays and second thoughts Cos I am always safe when it comes to you, Every chant you sing becomes a lullaby.
You are the flower in the field of flowers I will not pick nor leave behind You bloom with grace like no other, and you are most beautiful when the sun kisses you.
Thin clothes donned; air passed coned ice sipped, moist builds-sweat drops fan unfolds, air comes
During the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games 2022 held in Vietnam, our very own Team Sibol, the country’s battlers for the Mobile Legends Bang Bang, successfully defended their ground as champions against other competing teams. Given the fact that the team reigned the said tourney in two consecutive seasons, we can say that our country can train and send winning players when it comes to Esports. However, the emerging community of Esports athletes as a whole envisions seeing that our country will dominate all kinds of virtual battlegrounds in the national and global arenas. This may be possible through proper training and exposure.
Garnering nine gold and five silver medals, White Coroebus reigned as the overall champion in the 2022 SportsFest after dominating most sporting events held at the PNU gymnasium last July 28.
The sports fest was the first-time contact sports held on campus in the preceding two years due to safety concerns.
The sports events, which began on July 20 and ended on July 28, were attended by four teams: Yellow Coubertin, Pink Hera, Blue Zeus, and White Coroebus from various classes: III BSE, III BSSE, III BME, and II BFE, with Physical Education majors serving as event facilitators.
White Coroebus clinched the top spot after
finishing first place in the following events: Flag relay, Speed Ladder, Dodgeball, Volleyball- Men's Division; Table Tennis- Men's Single, Women's Single, Men's Doubles and Women's Doubles; and BadmintonMen's Single, Women's Single, Men's Double, and Women's Double.
Meanwhile, Yellow Coubertin placed second after winning five gold medals in Balloon Relay, Thug of war, hurdles, frisbee (mix) and Volleyball- Women's Division, with nine more silver medals.
On the other hand, Pink Hera gave Yellow Coubertin a good fight in the second spot as they collected five gold medals equally but still finished third as they won only three silver medals compared to Yellow Coubertin's nine.
Furthermore, Renson Ramos, team leader of White Coroebus, expresses his pleasure for being
Each of us has our own preferences when deciding which university to attend. Most of the time, we want to pursue quality education. At the same time, somewhere, our passion is continually honed and developed. But what if the best school we think for us cannot complement the long-held desire you've had? Would you still accept the chance?
I can still clearly recall my friends' precise emotions when I informed them that I would pursue my tertiary education at the Philippine Normal University North Luzon campus, which serves as the nation's national hub for teacher preparation.
“Ba't
ka nag-PNU e wala namang sports diyan diba?”...“Diba hindi naman sila sumasali sa mga sport events?”... “Sayang naman skills mo, hindi mo madadala sa college.”
I competed in various tournaments, both schoolbased and local leagues throughout the region, and was fortunate enough to experience victories and take home some awards. These reasons might have served as their basis for assuming that I would pursue a sports-centred university with all the means of fostering my volleyball skills.
Prior to completing the necessary admission requirements, I was honestly hesitant to pursue this because I knew that if I were to be admitted to this university, that would be the end of my volleyball journey because PNU NL no longer participates in sports competitions such as the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA).
I knew several student-athlete who instantly excluded the said university when considering what university to attend for the same reason I had. It has
always been viewed as a negative feature of the university, particu larlazy for students like me who came from a special sports pro gram in high school and aspired to be a teacher someday.
Coming from an athlete's per spective who played for a very long time, it's hard for me to set volleyball aside because it's my passion and life balance. The thought that I can no longer play volleyball and carry the university's name across my chest saddens me
I had a lot of questions and "what ifs" in my head after I got into PNU regarding the university's sports program, and I barely got an answer. For the record, I have no regrets about the decision I made. I know that PNU NL is the best choice for me to study college because, aside from the convenience of it being close to my home, it is capable of providing me with the quality of education that I need to become the effective and efficient professional that I envision myself to be in the future.
The long-standing questions in my mind are still unanswered, but I know that whatever the reasons, they will turn out outstanding. I am not saying that participating in sports competitions is a bad thing; on the contrary, the fact that the curriculum puts academics as a top priority encourages students to be academically inclined and competitive
PNU NL has consistently produced top-tier students and constantly aced the board examination for teachers with a high passing rate. It just goes to show that even without extra-curricular activities, the university still does an exemplary job of fostering quality and competitive students, which is the main objective of education and why we are here.
So, to answer the first paragraph's question, "Would you still accept the chance?" here's my response: since I devoted almost half of my life prioritizing my passion, I think it's about time to put my academics first. I am also aware that college life will always be challenging, so there is no guarantee that I can balance sports and my studies. Furthermore, I realized that I can still compete in competitive tournaments through leagues, so it is not the end of the road yet for my volleyball journey. After all, there are still intramurals and Sports fest events at the university where we can show off our skills, talent, and strength. It may not be as competitive as a university or state meet, but it is perfectly adequate because the purpose of sports, in my opinion, is to make you healthy, happy, and friendly; the rest is just a bonus. #
crowned as the overall champion of this year's sports fest. "Syempre laking karangalan na maging overall champion. It's a shared responsibility and effort for each and everyone, nagbunga lahat yung sacrifice."
[Of course, it's such an honor to become the overall champion. It's a shared responsibility and effort for each and every one, all of our sacrifices paid off.]
"I felt excited kasi finally after almost 2 years na naka tambay lang sa bahay, online class, now na allowed na ulit yung mga ganitong activities sa campus kasi eto yung mga isa sa inaabangan natin na yung makakasama mo ang co-students with same interest and sport," he added.
[I felt excited because finally, after almost two years of being stocked at home, online classes, these kinds of activities were allowed again on campus because this is one of the most anticipated events which you will be with your co-student with the same interest and sport]
Meanwhile, the succeeding contact sports activities are expected to be conducted when all year levels are already attending the university premises.
Yellow Coubertin and Pink Hera successfully clinched their spots in the championship match of the 2022 sports fest volleyball game at PNU NL gymnasium after defeating Blue Zeus and White Coroebus in the knockout game during the elimination round, July 20.
Yellow Coubertin made their presence known and dominantly swept Blue Zeus in the opening game, 25-17, 25-13. They had a strong start in the first set, launching two consecutive service aces that helped them gain momentum.
The lead blew up owing to their star player Joanna Flor Madrid's consistent and solid performance in the service line, which paved their way to winning the set.
It was an all-Coubertins show in the second set after Zeus committed numerous unforced errors and ran out of offensive options. The game ended through a powerful service ace by Ailyne Garo.
"Yung cooperation ng each member. Kasi kahit hindi kami marunong mag-volleyball, sinusupport namin yung each other para ma-cheer up sila," said Ailyne Garo from III BSSE.
[Cooperation of everyone. Because even though we don't know how to play volleyball, we support each other to lift them.]
Meanwhile, despite trailing by one set early in the match in the second game, Pink Hera bounced back and subdued White Coroebus in 3 thrilling sets 15-25, 26-24, 15-12.
After launching a barrage of service aces, White Coroebus claims the first set, led by Jessica Oria.
White Coroebus came close to winning the second set 24-22 in the last moments but was unable to do so due to an error by Oria that gave Pink Hera a chance to serve at 23-24. Pink Hera completed launching three consecutive aces, which led them to snatch the second set and forced the game to a deciding set.
The first half of the third set was extremely close, 8-8, but the four straight service aces by Atlheia Cadago gave the Pink Hera a chance to break through in the last set 12-8 and finally win the match.
The anticipated championship match between Yellow Coubertin and Pink Hera was scheduled for July 27 at PNU NL Gymnasium.
Aside from the MLBB, various Esports teams from our country also secured one of the top three spots from different events, particularly in League of Legends, silver; Crossfire, silver; and League of Legends: Wild Rift (women’s team), gold. In the 2019 SEA Games, the Philippines also bagged gold in Dota 2. These triumphs are pieces of evidence of our Eplayers’ dedication to the world of Esports. But, did we ever wonder where these techy medal clinchers trained and honed their skills in battling inside the virtual arena?
Numerous medal-bearing sports personalities in our country started as studentathletes. John Paul Lizardo, a Taekwondo fighter, is one of them who once brought recognition to the Philippines in terms of sports. Putting it into the context of Esports, there may be learners who have the potential to excel in this newly emerging competitive activity.
Including Esports in sports fest, intramurals and even in other athletic meets for students may open an opportunity for these virtual sports enthusiasts to unleash their hidden skills and potential and to be discovered by Esports scouts for a bigger battle arena.
According to the official website of MLBB alone, around 100 million Filipinos are playing the said video game as of March 2021, and it was recorded that 46.3% of them are ages 8-17 years old. The data only shows the possibility that students were fascinated by playing online games where they could master their skills.
Another, school intramurals, sports fests, and even student athletic meets in the region and the whole country were immobilized due to the severe threat of COVID-19.This situation opened a floodgate for this so-called Esports to boom in every tournament as a substitute sport. Even in colleges and universities, virtual sporting events were facilitated, and Esports such as MLBB, PUBG, and other online video games were the highlights of the tourney.
Moreover, sports coordinators see virtual competitive gaming as one of the extracurricular activities that learners may consider. They will also undergo tryouts, a series of training and competitions, and have their own varsity squad. With this, they can develop new skills and digital literacy and provide an inclusive space that promotes participation.
Additionally, as one of the rapidly growing additions to school athletic departments, esports offers one of the significant benefits of traditional sports—camaraderie. Competitive gaming allows the students to become part of a team, learn from and train each other, and bond over a shared interest. School-sponsored Esports leagues can also foster positive interactions and friendships among students, teach teamwork and communication skills, provide opportunities to build leadership skills, and create a sense of belonging for students.
In this evolving and technologically changing society, the sports community also needs to adapt to these changes, and the existence of Esports is their response. Competitive gaming will rapidly emerge from single to massive groups or communities and soon be one of the official events in large global tournaments. So, training our online fighters while they are still young will make a huge contribution to how they will perform and eventually fight for gold if given a chance to battle in the larger and wider battleground of Esports.
ALICIA, Isabela- After dethroning reigning pole vault world champion Armand Duplantis in the Diamond League tilt, Filipino star pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena continued his stellar performance and ended his golden world outdoor campaign as he toppled the world's 2nd best pole vaulter, Chris Nilsen, during the men's pole vault competition on Gala Del Castelli at Switzerland, September 12 (September 13, Manila Time).
The 26-year-old Obiena demolished World No. 2 Nilsen in the tourney, booking a record-breaking 5.81 meters leap during his second attempt to clinch his sixth golden finish and earn his historic eighth winning streak.
Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, Nilsen, settled second after posting 5.71 meters on his first try, while former Olympic champion Renaud Laville- nie of
Obiena.
Obiena also stated that he is building up a more open and healthy relationship with Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) after his reinstatement in the athletic association, as it served as needed preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Obiena previously obtained the golden podium at the International Stabhochsprung meeting with his 5.82m mark, the True Athletes Classics with a 5.81m record and a 5.86m finish at the St. Wendel City Jump in Germany.
Additionally, the World No. 3 pole vaulter swiftly swam with pride when he reigned supreme over exceptional world jumpers during the Memorial van Damme- Brussels leg of the Diamond League and Golden Fly Series in Belgium last September 2.
With his successful outdoor maneuver abroad, Obiena collected a total of six gold, one sil-
In the Philippines, most generations of youth are putting on their jersey, lacing up their limited-edition Michael Jordan shoes, preparing and competing, eagerly trying to pitch in points at the Basketball court. Still, some youth today acquired a contagious trend that infects them to skim, run, jump, and seize a disc's flight—a sport and recreation that is also becoming an epidemic at the PNUNL campus: the Ultimate Frisbee.
The Ultimate Frisbee can be traced back to 1871. William Frisbie founded the Frisbie Pie Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Students from surrounding universities would shout "Frisbie!" as they threw empty pie pans at one another. This gave birth to a new trend, which is currently infecting the PNUNL campus.
Many PNUans, particularly PE students and even those who do not have sports inclination, discovered a love for this sport unexpectedly. Here are some PNUans who did not plan to love Frisbee.
Mark Bryan Marvil, 21, IV-BPHED, shared his initial encounter with Frisbee. "When you enter PNU, you are expected to learn to play Frisbee. It's fun to play. When someone brings out a frisbee, many PNUans immediately want to join," said Marvil.
"In all sporting events of PNU, there is and will always be Frisbee. It seems like that is the main focus sport other than volleyball because PNU wants to develop teamwork and camaraderie in sports games," Marvil added.
Marvil also shared that playing Frisbee is a team sport where teamwork must be developed as tactics and communication must be planned and executed well. "You can't play alone, you can't score by yourself, the whole team really needs to move," he highlighted.
BPHED alumna Jeric Ace Naces, a sophomore student when he coached first-year students of OBTECNL-1 in their frisbee tournament, was enthralled by his experience coaching his juniors.
From his experience, Naces realized that many PNUans,
especially PE majors, play Frisbee because they want to play something new, as if it is new to their ears, for it is not popular in the country. Frisbee offers excitement and a kind of peculiarity of a game that creates a sense of uniqueness and flexibility among its players, a sort of frisbee symptom that cannot be treated.
Additionally, Cedric Arellano, also a BPHED alumna, shared his experience learning Frisbee as his seniors guided him. "It is easy to play, especially if you learn the basic throws and rules of the game. Since there were intramurals then, we practiced every after class. Our seniors taught us then, and they only taught us the basic throws along with the rules of the games. With that, we enhance our skills through lead-up games and playing with other sections."
"You really have to be wise and have a playful mind on how to play a game that will be favorable to your team," Arellano exclaimed. "My mindset was 'defense is the best offense', 'high risk, high reward' Why? Because no matter what you do, the opponent will make errors, the disc will fall and still will end up on your team. So, what I did was I let the catcher be left on the other side while the other players guarded his players against the opponent."
Frisbee is peculiar to most students. However, as they sweat playing it, they gain something they will treasure in their student life. Some players have found mentorship with their teammates and other players while finetuning their skills and improving their strategies and game plan.
Numerous essential motor abilities are also developed, including catching, running, leaping, and the vertical jump. Along with the distinct forehand, backhand, and overhead throwing techniques required to propel the Frisbee; it is one of the easiest ways to be happy and healthy.
Now, as the COVID-19 pandemic is dwindling, many PNUans are being infected with the new kind of virus penetrating every vein of their being—a kind of love that is untreatable and a virus making them fall in love with Frisbee
