JULY-AUGUST 2020 | Vol. 6 No. 3
The Progressive Official Student Publication of the University of San Carlos
JULY-AUGUST 2020 | VOL. 6 NO. 3
USC to Adapt Flexible Learning for A.Y. 2020-2021 Jeanne Sherlyn Tello The COVID-19 pandemic is modifying the norm, and education has not taken a backseat. For the first semester of academic year 2020-2021, the University of San Carlos (USC) will be adopting a flexible learning set up, in line with Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) guidelines. Flexible learning is an approach that involves the use of digital and non-digital technology, covering face-to-face learning and off-campus modes of delivering the modules to the students. In this, USC will use a learning management system known as Canvas Instructure, a platform with more simple and insightful features that Continued on page 2
Valorant: The Future of FPS? Dave Bernasibo
OF BACKDOORS AND BELLIGERENTS by the Editorial Board
Illustration by Matthew James Lazala The pandemic has opened a gate. What was once considered normal prior to the COVID-19 crisis is now confounded as the bedrock culminating the global halt of our state of affairs. To move forward, then, entails the reimagination of an alternative securing the public’s welfare in the days to come. From the government to the academe, the institutional response to the outbreak captures the heart of a dog-eats-dog world—of a system designed to premium the accumulation of wealth and consolidation of power. Different sectors of the larger society, as a result, continue to be
The Trolley Problem PAGE 12
OPINION
vulnerable amid this pandemic, while those in the upper echelons are prioritized and safeguarded. It can be recalled that as the coronavirus made international headlines, the approach of the Duterte administration downplayed its repercussions and tiptoed around Chinese interests. Seven months since then, the cases of infections have soared to more than 200,000. Full story on page 10
With its release last June, Valorant, Riot Games’ newest video game, has already been taking the spotlight in the gaming scene. The fast-paced team-based first-person shooter (FPS) has taken the community by storm, for both FPS fans and newcomers alike. Many who want to explore the FPS scene have picked up Valorant as their first game. Continued on page 5
Gov. Gwen’s Insistence On Tuob: The Science Berns Mitra In late June, Province of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia publicly shamed a doctor who criticized the growing online support for traditional steam inhalation therapy or tuob. This set off a series of other unfortunate events revolving around the governor’s insistence on its efficacy, causing even medical societies to speak out. But what does science say? Continued on page 2
Afloat PAGE 13
LITERARY
Remembering Randall Echanis: Who Did They Kill? PAGE 8
FEATURE
