Ready?

With the DepEd Order No. 34, Series of 2022, released by the Department of Education led by now vice president and education secretary Sara Z. Duterte, full face-to-face classes will again be implemented in the country. In compliance, the University of Batangas (UB) announced that it would fully reopen its gates to UBians starting November 7. The school is prepared for the comeback of the traditional learning setup; this makes the students feel safer to set their foot on the grounds of the university without worrying much about their safety.

Before the university decided to execute the full face-to-face classes, UB released a series of announcements, be it online, through Facebook, or in-person, through the paging system, telling the UBians how crucial it is to obey the safety protocol as it is not just for their good but also for the welfare of the people they tend to interact for the day like their family, friends, and commoners. The one-seatapart rule was also practiced as an initial measure to intensify the call for social distancing. During the orientation week, a waiver was also given to the students, not allowing them to go to school when sick or unwell. The school also encouraged the students to bring their hygiene kit, which contained extra face masks, alcohol, and tissue. Moreover, class sections were divided into two groups, namely sets A and B, to reduce the required number of students who need to go to school for the day. The university focused on maintaining relative distances between students. Not just that, they also made sure that UBians were well-informed about the new set-up of learning, which had been different for the students since they experienced having online classes for more than two years.

The two months of preparation from limited to full face-to-face classes was enough as the school administration was able to conclude that the classrooms are much more spacious and the class size for each section, ranging from 30 to 40, is not that big compared to public schools in which the number of students reaches 50 or more. It is undeniable that social distancing can still be practiced even within the school grounds, given that the to accomplish tasks or activities posted on the LMS. It is not just a way for them to have a sense of responsibility, but it also gives them a chance to have independent learning. It proved that the school is not just ready for the comeback of the traditional mode of learning but is also prepared to offer quality education through a blended learning approach.

On the contrary, there are times when students are not able to practice even the bare minimum of health and safety protocols like social distancing as they tend to be carefree during recess. Some parts of the university get crowded on breaks, especially the canteen where they go to buy and eat food.

Unfortunately, teachers cannot mark an eye on their students all the time as they also have things to do, and they also have other responsibilities aside from teaching their students important lessons or the competencies the education department requires. Still, taking care of the students’ health is not only a responsibility of the school, but it is also the responsibility of the students themselves. The university did a lot so that their health will be protected, which can be perceived in the measures and the guidelines the school administrators prepared.

Silvosa, Marcelo D. Moscoso, Nicole Angelene M. Panaligan, Jakob Israel B. Evio, Buena Sabrina

A. Macatangay, Reine Alexa A. Apuli, Princess Fiona P. Sambrano

Advisers:

History is not written by the victors. History is written by the truth. We are the truth, and the truth is us. And so long as we uphold the sanctity of history, the truth will and shall always prevail. This is the glory of democracy – the very sense that no matter what happens, the truth will and shall always set us free.” rooms can be utilized and maximized to provide greater distances between the seats of students. The two months of having limited face-to-face classes not just served as a period for the administrators to observe the areas for improvement concerning the enforcement of minimum health and safety protocols but also as an avenue for the students to completely adjust to the reality that they need to study amid the complexities of the new normal.

There are three sides to a story: one side, the other side, and the truth. In the everflowing quest of seeking what is right, many may have questioned what it takes for history to change. An endless argument exists about whether or not a fact and a documented narrative can shift its course and reveal a plot opposite to the very story it once told. Historical denialism is a direct attack on democracy, and students, above all else, are in the worst position to be. Is it possible to rewrite something already written? Is it possible to erase something already etched in the memory and hearts of the Filipino people?

Thermal scanners were also administered to the entry points of the school to monitor the temperature of students entering. In this way, those with fever will be advised to go home so that other students will not have direct contact with them. Security guards were also advised to be strict on wearing face masks as the first line of defense against the virus. Indeed, the way the university monitored their students, from their initial temperature to wearing face masks whenever they were at school, showed that they are really after the health and wellness of all.

Not all superheroes wear capes and fly; some stand and defend the truth.

History has always been an objective reality. The past that makes the present that makes the future can never bend to the external pressures of those who dare defy and alter it. The truth is timely and timeless –and in a world where nothing is permanent but change, the truth is something change cannot touch. Nevertheless, the core of the darkness that lingers around moves not to change history itself but the view of the people on what the truth really is. One who turns their back on the truth and allows their judgment and perception to be clouded is a traitor – a witness that chose to remain silent. And a society that chooses to keep blind eyes and deaf ears despite the clear picture and thunderous uproar is much worse than that traitor. Moreso, those who pretend like nothing is happening or that what is happening is not a concern for the time being are equally guilty. After all, nothing will ever be worse than seeing something wrong and doing nothing to make it right. Historical distortion is a virus that infects the Filipino people and redirects the path of Filipino learners – for the worse. It maligns the integrity and dignity of the past, builds an echo chamber for disinformation, and creates a reality fueled by lies. It makes the tables turn – making lies become the truth, and the truth becomes a lie. Unfortunately, if the students of today are to fall prey to disinformation and historical revisionism, then the hope of the future is no more, and the doom of the future awaits.

Although the school conducts full face-toface classes now, the use of the Neo Learning Management System (LMS) is still observed. Even before the pandemic, UB allotted a day for students

At a time when disinformation, politically motivated propaganda, and truth-maligning films, among many others, foster the conception of false truth, the stakes are high – not for history but for the Philippines. The truth would not move to protect itself. Whether or not history gets a new face is up to the commitment and dedication of Filipinos to stand for what is right. As one continues to bear a heart to affirm their grounds, continue searching the past, engage in discourse, be accountable, and learn from the mistakes of the past, then the truth shall have its support. And when the truth is supported, credibility is achieved. Wherever there is credibility, justice is served. The people’s power is stronger than the people with power. And if one word is capable enough to distort the truth, then one word, too, is more than enough to safeguard it. All the country needs is someone aware of who they stand with and what they stand for – making a small step for individuals but a giant leap for history. Apples do not fall far from their tree. When one speaks the truth and fends denialism, the truth rises. When one shrugs it off, society drops to unimaginable depths. Time and again, the preservation of history manifests itself only when Filipinos express the truth – when Filipinos stand for Filipinos.

In reality, history is not written by the victors. History is written by the truth – and the truth is nothing and no one else but us. So long as we uphold the sanctity of history, the truth will and shall always prevail. This is the glory of democracy – the very sense that no matter what happens, the truth will and shall always set us free.

It was not an easy feat for both the university and the stakeholders. The administrators had to undergo a series of preparations including but not limited to asking the pulses of both parents and students through online surveys. The call of duty of the university of providing quality education comes with ensuring the safety of their students with the onslaught of full face-to-face classes. The only concern of the university for the highly argued and contested return of traditional classes is the continuity of the implementation of these preventive COVID-19 measures.