The Bud Volume 31, Issue No. 02

JAN

M AY 2018

V OLU ME

IS S U E 2

THE GREAT DE ION Page 20

theBUD

theBUD 31

E D ITO R IA L B OAR D & STAF F

The Official Student Publication of the UNP Laboratory High School

E D I TO R-I N -C H I E F

N EWS E D ITO R

CA R TO O N I STS

Nicole Verzosa

Mary Nathalie Tabangcura

S E N I O R AS S O C IATE E D ITO R

F EATU R E S E D ITO R

Elaine Angelie Organo

Darian Keith Andia

Jan Dexter Rafal, Edel Cris Jun Sotelo, Christian Jehro Ulita, Donna Fae Jaramillo, and Marish Anne Quirapas

J U N I O R AS S O C IATE E D ITO R

P E R S O N A L D EVE LO P M E N T E D ITO R

Nadeen Dominique Valenciano

Vianca Viloria

Yannah Reototar, Kate Bigornia, and Julienne Lazaro

E XT E R N AL M AN AG I N G E D ITO R

L ITE RA RY E D ITO R

L AYO U T A RTI STS

Lennox Quiñola

Mc Justine Realgo

Cwylle Alcain, Rona Alysza Togupen, and Andrea Zyrelle Benzon

I NT E R N AL M AN AG I N G E D ITO R

S C I E N C E E D ITO R

Alliana Reigne Rapisura

Pearl Antonette Almero

P H OTOJ O U R N A L I STS

C I R C U L ATI O N S MA N AG E R

Kazzle Sheen Miniano

S P O R TS E D I TO R

Khyle Brenjano Frando

STAF F WR ITE R S

A DVI S E R S

Chareena Rojas, Sheina Paula Cardenas, Jade Norielle Go, Princess Jaizelle Valer, Christine Marie Andallo, Jienne Cryzelle Alegre, Ezra Bersamin, Cressa Marie Rojo, Mark Julius Donato, Mariko Paolo Martinez, Marianne Faye Rafanan, Melodia Gandeza, Zaira Alysse Perlas, Trixie Anne Segismundo, Christian Venezuela, Jim Claude Joven, Brandon Rafanan, John Lowie Suyat, John Ezekiel Tabios, Dahlia Marie Elysse Camacam, and Yansen Remsya Cabalce

Marielle Ann Verzosa, and Frederick Pablico

C OV E R

C O N S U LTA N TS

Aurelia Vitamog, EdD, and Christopher Bueno, PhD

Jan Dexter Rafal, and Cwylle Alcain © C O P Y R I G HT 2 0 1 8 TH E B U D

Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited. The Bud Editorial Board and Staff reserves the right to edit, publish, or not publish contents for reasons of libel, space, and ethics.

D I S C L A I M E R Some of the pictures in this issue are not owned by The Bud, hence copyright belongs to their respective owners.

ON LI N E

thebudofficial@gmail.com unplsthebud unplsthebud

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mas thead

EDITOR’S NOTE OUR COUNTRY doesn’t deserve another son or daughter who ducks and hides.

It’s been six long years of wandering in this field, and I must admit, carrying the weight that comes with the responsibility I have as a studentjournalist caused me to stumble countless of times.

But that same baggage too, helped me defy and withstand ignorance—the root cause of oblivion which put our country into its deathbed at present. I become fully aware of the situation which started long before history was written—that power rejects truth and power can manipulate or even silence voices.

Nicole Verzosa

EIC

This is a manifestation that being here in this field is scary—terrfying even. Every word—either written or uttered can be used to attack you, in a deep, damaging, psychological level especially when money and power come together. Brute force and impunity strike best when things are most vulnerable. The very irony is, it should be in times like this that courage should be worn on our sleeves particularly to those who have eyes to witness and speak for the truth.

This issue serves as a representation of our bravery. It’s a collection of works crafted by our young yet fearless pens, carrying the same passion that fueled this courage and the advocacy to win the biggest battle our country is currently facing—especially now that the defense of democracy is already slippping off our hands.

And we will defend it by devirginizing our minds first, be willingly fucked by the dirt and filth of this society over and over again, as we savor the pain that comes from the experience. And without the slightest hint of fear and shame, we will manifest this in this paper, with the words that come from our passion, our stand—hoping that it would ripple to more minds and encourage more pens to change the society. That despite our written fate as the voice of the society, we remain vigilant for they cannot silence the wars inside us, our very weapon to fight against them. ●

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CONTENTS

news

LS STU D E S’S F EATS, RECOGNIZED Page 6

f e a t u re s

TH E CATC H E R I N TH E C O R R I D O R S P EA KS Page 1 2

d ev elop ment communi ca ti on

M A K I N G T H E [ I R ] WAY F O R TO M O R R OW Page 26

literary

G R U E S O M E T H I R ST Page 30

viewpoints

M O R E THA N W R ITI N G Page 3 6

4

theBUD is looking for

WRITERS, PHOTOJOURNS, CARTOONISTS, & LAYOUT ARTISTS A P P LY N OW

ð&#x;¡¥

For inquiries, contact: Elaine Angelie Organo (0935 615 4800); or approach Ms. Marielle Ann Verzosa at the JHS Faculty Room, Academic Building Floor 3.

LS studes’s feats, recognized Aliana Reigne Rapisura

UNP-SHS lauds pioneer Kto12 graduates Aliana Reigne Rapisura CARRYING THE BANNER OF GREEN, BLUE, and gold, six hundred eighty-five students of the University of Northern Philippines-Senior High School received their diplomas during the 1st Commencement Exercises with its theme, “Kto12 Learners: Ready to Face Life’s Challenge,” last May 17, 2018 at the Vigan City Convention Center.

Four hundred twenty-eight of the graduating class were from the Academic track which composes of four strands: the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), the Accountancy and Business Management (ABM), the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), and the General Academic Strand (GAS). Two hundred twenty six students were from the Technical-Vocational track composed of the strands Cookery, Tourism, Information and Communication Technology, and Automotive. Thirty-one students were from the Arts and Design Track.

Eleven of the batch attained the academic excellence of “with high honors” and 204 students gained the “with honors” recognition. Reden Perez from the ABM strand gained the highest weighted average making him led the class of 2018.

Dr. Arnel C. Doctolero, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent of the Division of Ilocos Sur, served as the Commencement Speaker. In his speech, he emphasized that graduation is not only culmination of a long and challenging journey in high school but also a preparation for a longer and more challenging journey ahead.

Special Awards on conduct, perfect attendance, immersion, publication, leadership, performing arts, and subject specializations were also given. ●

ON WRITING AND LEADING. (From the upper left to the upper right: Lennox Quiñola, Jan Dexter Rafal, Nicole Verzosa, Ms. Marielle Ann Verzosa, Rona Alysza Togupen, Mc Justine Realgo, Mariko Paolo Martinez, Cwylle Alcain, and Aliana Reigne Rapisura) The Bud editorial board and staff with Dr. Aurelia Vitamog post with their awards. (Lower) John Ray Barcena, together with Mrs. Maribel Yasay, their adviser, and other LSO officers, receive their award during the 4th Gawad Crisologo at the UNP Tadena Hall on May 11, 2018. / P H OTO S New Tandem

IT WAS MORE THAN REAPING THE FRUITS OF labor for Laboratory Schools Organization officers, peer facilitators, and the members of the editorial board and staff of The Bud—the students from the Laboratory High School as they siezed various awards during the 4th Gawad Floro Crisologo on May 11, 2018 at the Romualdo B. Tadena Hall, Administration Building.

The Laboratory Schools Organization headed

by John Ray Barcena, LSO Governor, landed 2nd runner-up for the Search for Outstanding Student Mandated Organization. Mrs. Maribel B. Yasay is the organization’s adviser.

Pearl Rose Queppet, Maria Jane Louisse Brillo, Maria Therese Brillo, Jun Atiburcio, Dusty Rain Rapanut, and Darren Tesoro were also acknowledged as Graduating Peer Facilitators of the Guidance and Counselling Services of the university.

The Bud, the official student publication of the UNP Laboratory High School, was hailed for the

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Academic Track (428)

second time as one of the Top Three Most Outstanding Student Publication in the university. Mc Justine Realgo, Literary Editor, and Cwylle Alcain, Layout Artist, also emerged as two of the 15 recipients of the Dr. Romualdo B. Tadena Outstanding Journalist Award 2018.

The publication also notched minor awards namely Best News page, Best Literary Page, Best Column Article with Nicole Verzosa’s Love Amidst National Ironies, and Best Feature Article with Mc Justine Realgo’s The Catcher in the Corridor. Ms. Marielle Ann A. Verzosa and Mr. Frederick Pablico are the publication’s advisers.

UNP Gawad Crisologo is an annual gathering at the end of the academic year of the University to acknowledge the milestones of student-leaders, journalists, athletes, peer facilitators, scholarship beneficiaries and students who represented the University in various competitions. ●

Technical-Vocational Track (226)

SIDEBAR 1. Population of Kto12 Pioneer Graduates in the University of Northern Philippines-Senior High School, School Year 2017-2018, Sorted by Track.

I N FO G RAP H I C S

Cwylle Alcain

theBUD Now available on Issuu.

R EAD M O R E O đ&#x;ĄĽ

Visit issuu.com/unplsthebud.

UNESCO seminar empowers student leaders Lennox QuiĂąola THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN Philippines Student Council in partnership with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), University of Santo Tomas, Institute for Global Education, Exchange and Internship (IGEEI) and the City Government of Vigan conducted a National Youth Leadership and Heritage Conservation Training which enhances the leadership skills of student leaders at UNP Tadena Hall, January 8-12, 2018.

This 5-day seminar aimed to give values to heritage and culture through different lectures and series, and focuses on youth transformation through leadership joined by students from different schools namely University of Northern Philippines, including the 17 Senior High School students, University of Santo Tomas, Panpacific University of the Philippines, Macro-College, Ilocos Sur Community College, Data Center College of the Philippines, and the Divine Word College of Vigan.

UNP earns grand slam in Binatbatan Streetdancing, Showdown Competition Lennox Quiùola THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES Students’ Talent Development Program (STDP) together with the Laboratory High School dancers were hailed as the champion during the Binatbatan Streetdancing and Showdown Competition marking them reached the slam title held at the Plaza Burgos, last May 5, 2018.

for each other. We forgot our differences and worked as one. It was able to iron things out before the actual battle,� said Almazan. “I was overwhelmed. All the sleepless nights, stressful days, frustrations, criticisms, they were all wiped away. It’s one of the best accomplishments in the world. I can’t wait for the next festival,� he added.

Out of 40 dancers, 18 students were from Senior High School namely Howarth Dody Quereza, Lennox QuiĂąola and Fraulein Claire Ronquillo, 12 ABM-B; Jawyna Tine Palpal-latoc, 12 STEM-E; Andrea Taay and Camille Hershey Azada, 12 STEM-A; Zaeirhell Ann Cabe, 12 HUMSS-B; Menard Marion Ronquillo, 12 Arts and Design; Mark Anthony Regua, Kristine Camille Realizo, and Jefferson Calbero, 11 STEM-A; Glendel Owen Arguilla, 11 STEM-B; Jannette Subillaga, 11 STEM-C; Erika Nichole Buliyat and Cressa Marie Rojo, HUMSS-B; Marc Hanson Camacam, HUMSS-A and 1 Junior High School which is Arlek Srihasaeng, 10 Gold.

UNP also received four minor awards namely Best in Costume and Best in Musicality. They were given P20,000 for each category and trophies. Fernan Monroy, BSIT student won as the Best Male Performer and Marie Joyce Angelica Cadano, BA Political Science student won as the Best Female Performer. They both received P10,000 in cash and trophies. Overall, being the champion, UNP received P150,000 in cash and a trophy.

Dr. Richel Royce Chan, Mr. Chasen Almazan, Mr. Mark Christian Palo, and Mrs. Carmela Vee Lim served as their coaches and trainers. “The competition really brought out the best in us.

And like the other success stories, in the end, we stood up

“I was overwhelmed and shocked because I didn’t expect being the Best Female Performer, again. I was so happy at that very moment. Defending your title wasn’t that easy. Still, I did my best not just for myself, but for the team as well,â€? Cadano exclaimed. “I do think I have captivated the people’s attention, perhaps with the smile and energy that I have in the performance‌ as if it was the last time for me to dance with the group and represent the university. I gave it all the best that I can,â€? she added. â—?

Welcome remarks was given by Dr. Gilbert R. Arce, UNP President and Mayor Carlo S. Medina, Vigan City Mayor delivered his inspirational talk afterwards. Mr. Rior Santos, President of IGEEI discussed the training overview of the delegates on the first day.

On the second day, delegates had their lecture sessions namely Intercultural Learning on Understanding Difference in Work Culture, Effective Communication, Decision-Making and Leadership, Managing Meetings and Documentations, and Project Tree Analysis.

Project Development and Implementation on Logical Framework, Results-Based Management and Monitoring and Evaluation were conducted on the third day. On the fourth day, the continuation of the Monitoring and Evaluation was held. The Sustainable Development Goals and Heritage Conservation Concepts and Principles were also discussed.

Delegates on the fifth day had their Heritage Conservation afterwards, they had their Heritage Tour around Vigan.

Participants were given International certificates since the activity is in partnership with different countries like Poland, Germany, and Spain. Tokens and souvenirs were given by the Government City of Vigan.

The second phase of the training will be on October 8, 2018. â—?

MORE THAN A HISTORICAL SHOWCASE. UNP dance troope gracefully move along the street of Vigan during the 2018 Binatbatan Festival of Arts on May 5, 2018. / P H OTO S Vigan City Facebook Page

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You really don’t know who you are until you’re forced to defend it. Then every battle you win, or lose every compromise you choose to make, or to walk away from all these struggles define the values you live by and, ultimately, who you are.

— Maria Ressa

RAP P LE R C E O

theBUD

IN THE OLYMPICS OF CAMPUS JOURNALISM

The Bud clinches triumph

Elaine Angelie Organo

PENS AND THE BEAUTY OF WORDS, FUELED BY distinctive writing prowess, can get to places.

After snatching victory during the Regional Schools Press Conference 2017 held at San Carlos City, Pangasinan, The Bud, the official student publication of the University of Northern Philippines-Laboratory High School seized another triumph as they landed 3rd PlaceBest Features Section for the School Paper Category during the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) held at Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, last February 19-23.

In harnessing the power of pen, diverse voices echoed the pages. From emphasizing leadership through the different viewpoints of students and administrators to personifying the Laboratory Schools corridor, The Bud’s set of feature articles paved way to diverse topics which went away from the conventional feature writing style as the overall concept of the page is mainly literary

in nature. The team also included book analysis on John Green’s latest novel, Turtles All the Way Down, a personality sketch on Cirilo Bautista, the recent awardee for National Artist for Literature, and documentaries on some university-related activities.

“We write based on these two things: our interests and our function as student-journalists. Combining the two with just the right amount made it possible for us to capture the interest of our readers, though we didn’t expect this grand achievement,” quipped Nicole Verzosa, the Editor-in-Chief.

Out of 17 regions competing for the category, The Bud, who grabbed the 1st place during the Regional Schools Press Conference, wrote another history for the division of Vigan City as the only School Paper who won during this year’s contest.

Aside from individual contests, this separate category for school publications became an integral component of the NSPC. The best school papers from different regions competed for top seven slots for best news, editorial, feature, science and technology and sport pages.

The NSPC, one of the most prestigious competitions in the field of campus journalism for public and private high schools in the Philippines, is an institutional competition that gathers the best campus scribes all over the country as it serves as a training ground for every campus journalists to cultivate their voices as they go beyond the four walls of their classrooms and become an instrument of change in our country.

This year’s theme of the NSPC is “Embracing ASEAN Integration: Campus Journalists’ Role in Advancing Inclusive Education.” ●

ABM studes attend 4th Provincial Annual Convention Lennox Quiñola

BEAT THE GAP. Vincent Frank Ayunon (left), Joselito Soliven (right), and other Grade 12 ABM students perform an energizer during the 4th Provincial Annual Convention at the Criminology Building Function Hall, on February 23, 2018. / P H OTO Shari Lane Ponce

GRADE 12 ACCOUNTANCY AND BUSINESS Management were unified and solidified as future accountants as the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA) University of Northern Philippines Chapter spearheaded the 4th Provincial Annual Convention at the College of Business Administration and Accountancy Building, February 23-24, 2018.

With the theme, “Unifying Adversities, Overcoming Adversities—the JPIAn Way,” the participants were gathered at the Criminology Building Function Hall for their orientation in which Mr. Brenn

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EYE ON THE GOAL. A group of participants portray teamwork as they compete for the Marshmallow Tower Game at UNP Pavilion, on February 24, 2018. / P H OTO Shari Lane Ponce

Angelo P. Marzan, JPIA President and Mr. Keith Ian R. Astom, JPIA Adviser welcomed them.

After the orientation, participants were grouped for the Team Building and Recreational Activities like Basketball, Volleyball, Games of the General and other parlor games. ABM students also had their tutorial about the basics and fundamentals of accounting which will be needed in their future. The first day of the program ended up as they light candles and build rapport to one another in their solidarity and socialization.

On the second day, academic contests namely

General Knowledge Quiz, Accounting Relay, and Math Quiz were held. Participants also showed their skills in Amazing Race as they braved the 12 stations with different obstacles.

“Attending this activity for the first time is disappointing yet satisfied because of some circumstances that makes me feel that they are ready for this but satisfying because despite of those circumstances, we still manage to enjoy and live the moment. It was unforgettable still,” emphasized Howarth Dody Quereza, Mayor 12 ABM-B. ●

UNP lands 2nd place in Longganisa Street Dancing ‘18 Lennox Quiñola PACKED WITH DETERMINATION AND TALENT, the University of Northern Philippines Students’ Talent Development Program (STDP) dancers together with other dancers from the Senior High School deprtment of the university bagged 2nd place during the Longganisa Street Dancing and Showdown Competition, January 22, 2018.

Out of 40 dancers, 12 students are from Senior High School who joined the dance troop and they are Lennox P. Quiñola, 12 ABM-B; Mark Anthony Regua, Joangelyn Arzadon, Kristine Camille Realizo and Jefferson Calbero, 11 STEM-A; Glendel Owen Arguilla, Alyssa De Peralta, and Trixie Gulok, STEM-B; Jannette Subillaga, STEM-C; Erika Nichole Buliyat and Cressa Marie Rojo, HUMSS-B; and Marc Hanson Camacam, HUMSS-A. “Although dancing is my passion, it’s always been a nerve-racking experience knowing that the contingents are not that easy to compete with,” Arguilla said.

“Joining the Longganisa Street Dancing Competition has always been an amazing experience,” he stressed.

Mr. Richel Royce Chan and Mr. Geoffre Castillo served as their trainer and choreographer.

“Our preparation for the Longganisa Street Dancing is just 10 days, to be exact. Due to unavoidable circumstances, I, as the choreographer had a second thought of not joining anymore, but quitting is not in my vocabulary,” Chan said. “We are still proud and happy to represent our beloved university and the administration headed by Dr. Gilbert R. Arce,” he added.

They also received three minor awards namely Best in Costume and Best in Musicality with P10,000 cash, and Hsiao-Li Hung, CBAA student being the Best Female Performer received a trophy and P5,000.

Overall, being the 2nd place, UNP received P100,000 in cash and a trophy.

Meanwhile, the 3rd placer was the La Union dancers who received P75,000 in cash and a trophy. ●

KANNAWIDAN

1st ANNAYAS—SARIRIT CULTURAL dance troupe of the University of Northern Philippines Senior High School secured the first spot in the Folkdance Competition High School Category during the celebration of Bicentennial Kannawidan Ylocos Festival on January 31, 2018 at Tamag Grounds, Vigan City. ●

theBUD

A TASTE OF THE PAST. Student Talent Development Program and other Senior High School dancers play with rhythm during the Longganisa Festival 2018 in front of the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral, on January 22, 2018. / P H OTO S Vigan City Facebook Page

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K WENTONG

G.W.A. (Galing, Wagi, o Aasa) Jan Dexter Rafal Cwylle Alcain

I L L U STR AT I O N E F F E CTS

10 & 11

Ik a w, a n o’ n g k w en ton g GWA mo?

THE CATCHER IN THE CORRIDOR SPEAKS WO R D S P H OTO

Mc Justine Realgo Elaine Angelie Organo

Let’s be honest, within your walls we were never rainbows and butterflies.

You are the spectator of our shortcomings and mishaps.

AS I RETURNED, ALL THAT WAS LEFT TO YOU were your bones and skin. It was as if time-traveling, just backwards. Countless unintentional memories playing in my head like old VHS tapes, and there are these blurred resonances that never failed to hit me home. I was injected by a lethal dose of nostalgia; drugged, I let my frail body wander around you once more before you are furtherly mutilated.

I’d never thought of you as a home, although you were created to shelter us. Your sense of existence mattered only to those who needed you. I’m a valid witness of your aging, and I can tell you that slowly, as time pass by—watching you crumble, without any consent, was painful. I grew up with these amazing people and you grew alongside us, we’ve managed to generate unlikely moments that we’ve never thought possible. You watched us misbehaved over vacant periods. You heard our rantings about our requirements. You might’ve even heard our personal sentiments. It’s funny, you knew our secrets, but we never knew anything about you—now, our secrets will crumble alongside you.

But I am writing this, not to glorify your existence because honestly you were never all things beautiful. Just like them, you have also hurt me, in ways I myself can’t even explain. I do owe you the happiness, the excitement, and the sweetness of my youthful days during my stay— but more than all these, I am more grateful for the sting of your frustrations and dismay. Let’s be honest, within your walls we were never rainbows and butterflies. You are the spectator of our shortcomings and mishaps. As if Shakespeare quoted that you are the stage and we are the players. Because of you, I’ve learned to be patient. I’ve

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learned to never trust anybody easily. You’re thin walls were barriers amongst people and other forces occurring within your plane, but we weren’t safe from the cruelty of the system. We were the enslaved, the usual cliché of students held captive from the strings of society—you are our prison. You’ve watched us suffered, violated in every aspect; we only helped each other to survive. Our grudges were lightened aflame, with you they’ll turn into ashes.

That’s when we’ve joked about burning you, too many times. We’ve joked about leaving you and finding ourselves another building to humbly welcome us.

We’ve joke about your cracks and the need for it to be renovated and repaired. We’ve joke about the creaking of your wooden floor. Everything we uttered about you is a joke—but jokes are always half-meant, aren’t they? And it’s kind of a hypocrisy to claim that we will miss you. But at the back of our heads, there are always be those words that we can never take back, those words that echoes what you are now. Those words that mirrors your well-being.

Call me a phony, but there is this inexplicable weight that I’m carrying the moment they start to tear your interiors.

That unusual stutter blocking my throat when I saw you, all hammered and abolished. The heaviness of my feet as I continue to wander on.

I’m a sucker for goodbyes. But I’m going to leave it here: you are never perfect for the eyes of plenty, especially us, who have lived within you for years—you are full of flaws; you’ve mended people, you’ve broken people, you’ve helped people grew, you’ve destroyed people too. We are all those people. And there will never be more people like us. ●

True to speak and as what most of her works do, it captures the pain of love specifically those unrequited which grew its appeal to young adult readers. The charm that comes from the simplicity of words brings familiarity in the emotion it triggers. Considerably relatable, her works made a new way to a definition of poetry which revolves on the brevity, simplicity, and expressiveness—prompting critics to question their value and literary significance as they deviate away from what traditional poetry offers.

WHEN YOU FIND THE BEWILDERED WINDOWS OF your soul open, clutching for chains, and locking yourself up for imprisonment, I just knew you had a book in your hand, your fingers between the pages.

Artists can write different incantations together with their works, and the victims of the charms undergo through a variety of perilous and risky paths. There was a pen brushing on the paper, driven by the hand of an artist who dares to hurt an old wound—a form of purgation of the artist. Literature, specifically poetry, best exemplified this purgation where tears are transformed into words, and these words echo the cries, sometimes deafening.

Most of the time, it’s silent.

What I felt, I shouldn’t show you, So when you’re around I won’t; I know I’ve no right to feel it— But it doesn’t mean I don’t

Lang Leav is one of the popular names on the list of contemporary poets who is claimed to be exceptional in writing about the roots of regret, the ground that covered the mistakes and misconceptions, the stem that grew out of time for wrongful decisions, the abundance of leaves that came out in considering desperation, hatred, and revenge, and the blooming of flowers because of fears, weaknesses and strength to love. These themes of writing become appealing to 21st century readers as not two nor four, but five endearing collection of poetry and prose made her earn the title, sensational poet. Even so, being on that kind of industry, Lang could not flee from sensitive criticism—which particularly issues if her works could really win the word ‘poetry.’

Looking at the structures of her poems, Lang keeps her creative anchor safe by sticking to her own pattern, often short verses and uneven stanzas. These verses are sometimes mistaken to be sentences chopped in word plays. She also makes used of punctuations, critics find unnecessary, but they give the poems a poetic rhythm.

Her language leans towards simplicity, too. It resides in the middle of figurative and straightforward.

She plays with similes and metaphors most of the time, a little time she employs a little bit of irony as she also plays with binary opposition. But the use of he-she subjects confined most of her works to these two characters, namely the poet and the lover, thus delimiting further and possible interpretations of her work.

Her eyes, like flowers Close at night— And the moon is sad to be ignored The context of her works gradually expands beyond the realms of love using elements she could grasp like nature, her experiences, and emotions. She had met a diversity of considerable key points to set free on the lines. She managed to acquire simplicity and tremendous outcome. Some of her works had also the concept of kigo making most of them almost akin to haiku poems. She plays with figurative language mainly utilizing simile and metaphors which proved that she manifests an intellectual capacity to affix them in her own artistry. She dances with rhymes and even breaks them. All of these characteristic are considerable qualities of poetry.

Poetry commands a call for symbolism and allusion for a deeper sense; it must claim a clever cipher for readers to puzzle out. It’s a genre that voices experiences, emotions, and sentiments to maximize the power of the writer to play with her words—not technically to confuse the readers or to serve what she feels directly but to find a person who has the capability to unlock and understand him/her based on what he/she has written. Sometimes, it’s straightforward, sometimes, it is not. But of course, judgment is mostly subjective, as appreciation depends on its timeline, too. It can alter the established standards set by literature thus opening breakthroughs like those of Lang’s work. Nevertheless, her works do not cater readers who mustered the genre, but they are enough especially for those who aspire to be a poet and who is new to poetry. It’s a starting point, as it gives you a glimpse on the superficialities of poetry before exploring and diving deeper into the genre.

THAT WHICH WE CALL A POEM

After the triumph of Lang’s Love and Misadventures in 2013, the crowd endlessly demanded for more along with an eminent amount of expectation whereby she fought to catch again their eagerness on her proceeding works. Whilst she’s heading off to the trails of her career, she is establishing how worth of a thousand of stars is to be a poet. Splitting up the barriers among the writer and the reader does not take an easy round especially when a big portion of the crowd question your work, but she keeps instilling her identity for the individuals who happen to have the craze in poetry as well. And that we think is the most important—her catharsis is serving its purpose and yes, it is deafening to some. ●

WO R D S

Darian Keith Andia, Nicole Verzosa, and Marielle Ann Verzosa

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I MAG E

Lang Leav

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READING BETWEEN THE LINES WO R D S I M AG E S

Marielle Ann Verzosa, Cwylle Alcain, and Nicole Verzosa Tumblr, Mervin Malonzo, and Drexel University

“I WISHED THAT DANTE AND I LIVED THE universe of boys instead of the universe of almost men.”

This Printz Honor Book 2013 recipient if you are wondering is an introspective coming-of-age story about two Mexican-American boys growing up in El Paso, Texas, in 1987. Coming from the perspective of Ari, a quiet boy who has shrunk inside himself as he struggles entering manhood with his friend, Dante. As the title of the book speaks for the plot, they are set to discover some mysteries of the universe, the ones that are not scientific in nature. And it turns out to be a revelation in the course of humanity and even literature.

OF MYSTERIES, RAINS AND SECRET UNIVERSES

Benjamin Alire Sáenz set an opposing dichotomy between the two main characters. Ari’s pessimistic mind mismatched with Dante’s optimistic viewpoint of the world. Ari’s introverted nature opposes Dante’s likeable and friendly personality. Ari prefers to bottle up his emotions while Dante is not afraid to show what he feels.

Ari feels alienated from the masculinity that the boys at his school uphold. Dante stands in contrast to that kind of masculinity in various ways. These contradictions became the foundation of their friendship as each friend delves into each other’s identities.

Like how most coming of age novel’s plot revolves, this is a delicate narration brings up questions of identity, particularly in terms of sexuality and sexual orientation.

As a teen-centered LGBT novel, it deals with the themes of coming out in a place and time where being gay was not seen as an easily acceptable concept. It puts emphasis on gender roles, specifically masculinity.

The book chronicles during one summer, one school year, and following another summer. They experimented with kissing a girl and a boy. They also tried weed. They drank beer. They fell in love with different people. They fall out of love. All of which are details that reveal their actions which led to their own personal discoveries.

The novel puts a bigger picture on Aristotle, better known as Ari, the narrator who is fifteen years old at the beginning of the book. Despite his name reference to the greatest philosopher of all time, Ari is full of issuesboth external and internal. This came from the fact that his family have erased a significant part of their family history and therefore he has difficulty in acknowledging his roots. His capacity to connect with other people outside his family was greatly affected. Even as he craves intimacy, he is averse to letting himself be vulnerable enough to establish trust and deeper bonds with other people. Because he feels that he lacks agency in many ways, he sets up rules to protect himself, but ultimately these rules reinforce his isolation and emotional distance.

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He doesn’t let anyone in, and he also doesn’t let anything out, which leads to involuntary emotional outbursts as he traverse his own roads.

That’s where Dante comes in. Dante knows name is alluded to Dante Alghieri, the famous poet of Divine Comedy. He is like poetry personified. The way he was described in the novel proved that he is a beautiful person. He is intellectually smart. He is sociable. He knows how to swim. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He cries and he is not afraid to show his vulnerability. When Ari looks at Dante, he sees the things he wants to be but can’t achieve.

Both boys deal with loneliness and their shared loneliness brought them together. And as Ari finds out, Dante has his own inner demons. The desert which became their safe zone played an important role in their journey. Desert plays an important role in the story.

This desolate environment, metaphorically was stripped down the ideas of race, gender roles, and love in order to leave Aristotle with one concept of who he is. That’s why the story becomes their journey of finding identity and accepting one’s identity. Aristotle finds his strength in the desert and eventually is able to accept what is truly himself. This effectually symbolically removes Aristotle from the desert and introduces him to the world as a man not defined by these constructs of gender and race, he is defined by himself.

The 1987-1988 setting is an interesting time period for a story like this as it is a time before the Internet where issues and discussions relating to gender remained unexplored. It brings us to a timeline where people are still confined in themselves as they struggle with their identities. Ari avoids these difficulties by buying in to these gender roles and acting accordingly.

He is an example of what one should be and what one should do to everything possible to uphold this image.

Given our current social climate, stories like this one give the readers a wider glimpse of the spectrum.

The narration turns out to be as subtle as the process of how one set himself free from the stereotypes established by the. The truth on Ari and Dante’s discovery paved new things especially to who are hesitant to find out who they really are as they get away from these social construct.

All humans undergo phases- some of us get high in the process, some of us get lost, we meet friends and we meet ourselves. ●

“PAGKAT LINGID SA KAALAMAN NG NAKARARAMI, kaming mga aswang ay ‘di lang kumakain para mabuhay at magpakasasa—kumakain din kami dala ng matinding pagmamahal.”

It has been in our culture of fantasizing the landscape of make-believe—of myths and folktales heard from generations to generations. Making them popular among us that may have heard about it. And one of them is about the blood-thirsty, ruthless creature called aswang. Although it got its name, no one ever knew of what or who they are. Yet only their shapeshifting character has been identified to respresent the evil beings in the Philippines.

Mervin Malonzo, as the mind behind this awardwinning graphic novel, sets his mark that finally takes the Asian horror onto a new perspective. Drawn with inspiration from the folktales itself and the well-known novels of Gat Jose Rizal, Tabi Po latters a dark, grotesque, yet stellar atmosphere that combines manual and modern visual techniques together into one profound, state of the art.

The story begins with the narrative of a fledgling aswang named Elias. Unknown to his strange taste in the vastness of the universe, his quenching thrist for blood eyes on the dead body of a woman lying onto the darkness. Led up to his instincts that eating a human flesh would satisfy his needs.

Born from a hollow of a tree from the times of Spanish colonization, his existence did not matter to him at first for all he knows that is what life is about: to thrive, and survive. Eating every living flesh that comes near him, attesting his strength that pulls off his abilities into one of a kind.

As impulsive as he can be, Elias learns to magnify the value of thriving with the people by the help of Tasyo and Sabel, his fellow aswangs. The three were determined to survive alongside the governing people of San Diego with service.

Unlike mainstream horror stories, this book series do not only envelop the richness of our culture, but the history that is beyond our identity as a Filipino. The concept of aswang—or asong buang as told by priests and political elites—has been a well-played rule for deception that silences the people’s minds from the fear of death.

Little do they know, nothing is more ruthless and evil than the abusive power that bludgeon their rights for equality, and diversity in all aspects.

Elias and his fellow aswangs witness the dark secrets in the barrio of San Diego. Starting from the sex slavery of the church, the unethical pratices of merchants, and the corruption circulating within the governing body. This is just as how it proves that the longtime exposure of the Philippines as a Spanish colony has planted a virus-like damage that have influenced the Filipinos for generations. And Elias, as a symbol of the Filipino youth, determines the obligation to wear the existence of nationalism with a solid purpose. The youth witnessing of our own capabilities, as well as struggles, bringing us into the deep, dark reality that we are still facing today.

In a manner of theocratic and aristocratic principiles, we truly have not yet offered the best solution that would alter the fate of our nation. It remains a resemblance to the destruction that the Spaniards and other invaders bombed our past. As for us, we quench more of what makes us live, with love. ●

“AND IT BECAME NECESSARY TO ELECT A President. There was only one candidate.”

If there’s one book that could perfectly depict the current state of the Philippine government in this era, it’s this.

Inspired by the events of World War II and the Russian Revolution, Animal Farm is a fierce criticism of totalitarianism, a dictatorial and centralized form of government. It may be considered as a light read fable akin to Bob Ong’s Alamat ng Gubat. But deep down it satirizes politicians and their ability to manipulate others as it puts emphasis on their insatiable lust for power. The characters are animals and they were used as a metaphor to assist the intentions Orwell had for his book. If we try to look at them at a deeper level, these metahors led us to many realizations revealing the most hedious situation we are currently having—how power corrupts our rights us human, how power dictates our social position, and how it can become a manipulative tool to destroy us all.

OF FARMS AND PALACES

OF MYTHS AND BLOOD

It is this very power that justifies people’s position in the society. We constantly crave for it, for it is a great indicator and assurance for our social ranks that provides us a comfortable lifestyle and a better life in general. In the book, Napoleon, the pig, held this power as he gained control of his own kind and took advantage of their ignorance. He targeted their weaknesses in order to get them do the things he wanted. His manipulations, lies, and cunning—his most despicable ways made him

bend the wills of other animals who turned out to be gullible and loyal to him.This situation therefore shows how oppression arise not only from the motives and tactics of the oppressor but also from the naïveté of the oppressed, who tend to be uneducated.

Reading the book on the latter part, slowly gets easier as we begin to unfold where the connection with the political world of the Philippines came into play.

Napoleon created the illusion of a model society so he could gain the trust of everyone. His leadership was valued because the animals firmly believed him. This gave him the power to twists his words or rewrites the rules to make them legal for him as he acts upon and avoid any consequences the animals might force upon him.

The current political and social stand of our country had become a burden and it is safe to say that we are still bounded with our ignorance. This makes us surrender absolute power to a deceptive leadership, just like how the animals were portrayed in the book. We easily believed them, put trust on their words and their actions until we become blinded with the truth. This gripping story of power, suppression and, politics gives us a good overview on the kind of relationship we have as leaders and the citizens. And it’s sad to accept the truth that “all animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than the others.” ●

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d e T Robiny e n r a B Lily l l a h s r Ma

HAA– AAVE YOU MET TED? WO R D S I M AG E S

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Mc Justine Realgo Spotlight, and Metro UK

features

These people will leave you a mark, a scar, something that’s going to remind you that you’ve bumped into this person and you had your times, good or bad—it won’t matter. What will matter was the impact that the person inflicted unto you, the lessons that deeply resonated inside you and molded you of who you’ve become.

AFTER MONTHS OF KEEPING MY LAUGHTER AT night, my journey with Ted and the gang had come to an end.

I know I was spoiled while surfing the internet about the finale—but the spoilers never outweighed how emotionally destructive and beautiful the moments occurring in the finale, I don’t know about you guys.

Here’s the thing, I’m all just watching and laughing while everything takes place at the same bar, and all of the sudden, the very moment they take their first group picture for a very long time drowned me to tears. It touched me. It violated me even though I have foreseen the dagger that’s about to rip my chest out—it’s just amazing that a show that funny can change the way you see the world, and discover how cruel it is for people. But there’s one assurance, someone’s out there owns a yellow umbrella and for sure, is waiting to share this with you.

It was a rollercoaster ride for nine painstakingly tear-jerking seasons (both for laughter and nostalgia) full of witty humor and impeccable acting. As a viewer

from the very start of their misadventures and triumphs on their quest of living their life in the city of New York, I was just there, watching their ups and downs, how they deal with their problems and their dilemmas.

It’s just outstanding, the series I mean. From the storytelling, the flashbacks and the reoccurrence of different elements from the show. The soundtrack. The way it was delivered. The sneaky, yet remarkable usage of foreshadowing. The characters themselves, who wouldn’t love them? As the show progressed, you can observe the development of their personalities; they are never the same person from season one or two, their relationship towards each other turned into something golden—their friendship was one of the thing that captivated me while watching. This resulted me to formulate assumptions of meeting eccentric people with different personalities, where you hang out at one certain place all the time, and let that be the start of an adventure. Too bad it’s illusory.

These fictional people taught me that nothing good happens after 2 AM, that when I’m sad I’ll stop being sad and start being awesome instead, that it’s not legendary when none of your friends saw it, and that there will come a time when you just really need to unpause the pause button. One certain character made me realize that love cannot change a person, another character delivered a speech about love that I will never forget. There’s just too much, and if you think you can handle them all, then you might want to sit back and enjoy the rest of the show.

I am also amazed on how the title lives for the show—and it’s also kind of misleading because there will always be something you need to dig down deeper. As I search for references in the internet, most fans were upset and disappointed for the last season, specifically, the finale. The truth is, I also find it sad for Ted to end everything like that, but that’s reality isn’t? You just can’t expect that everything will end up the way you wanted it to end, because we don’t hold the invisible forces of the universe—I mean, the universe is dropping hints and giving signs, but it’s always you who’s going to act and shout back at the universe that this is destiny.

We all have the Ted inside us—that sad son of a bitch who deserves better, the one who think he’s okay when he is really not, the one who has amazing friends, the one who has many stories to tell. Like him, we are on our own journey. That miserable journey of finding meaning and worth, of finding the people we wanted to have that journey with, of discovering the answers to our questions. We also have our own Robin, Lily, Barney, and Marshall—and maybe, you just have not met them yet.

We’ll encounter different kinds of people, and they will either stay or leave. These people will leave you a mark, a scar, something that’s going to remind you that you’ve bumped into this person and you had your times, good or bad—it won’t matter. What will matter was the impact that person inflict unto you, the lessons that deeply resonated inside you and molded you of who you’ve become.

How I Met Your Mother was a fun ride from the beginning until the end. It’s a story about a guy narrating his life to his two children, especially the part of his life where everything changed. You might want to watch this show if you are in need of laughs, or tears, a hug from the past, or a simple realization of how the world works. And yes, it is indeed legend—wait for it, and I hope you get this reference—dary. Legendary. ●

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PRESSTITUTES AT THEIR FINEST

Rappler, Media Newser Philippines, and CNN Philippines P H OTO S /

Cwylle Alcain L AYO UT /

Darian Keith Andia WO R D S

“PRESSTITUTE” IS A PORTMANTEAU OF PRESS and prostitute coined by Mocha Uson herself to downgrade the credibility of the journalists in the Philippines. The very irony is that, everyone is riding on her fake news game making bloggers, click messengers, and other online grunts driving and distorting political discourse online, and even in media which resulted into greater commotion. The truth is, in our country, truth often served in our table untouched as we chose trolls, like Mocha, to mislead us.

Here’s a compilation of different profiles of women who are presstitutes themselves and whose voices—both written and spoken hit the country’s current societal mishaps. It is through their different mediums that gave words the power to attack and tackle some of the most important issues the country faces with the art they learned to craft on their own. It is this very art which made them become valuable weapons against the impression and credibility of press in the Philippines.

They hold the same bravery with Mocha Uson but what made them entirely incomparable from this troll goddess is that they have sharper brains and tongues as they embody the core values and function of a true journalist.

And in the midst of misogynistic assaults they remain firm with their job—a proof of how empowered they are both as a journalist and as a woman. ●

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PATRICIA EVANGELISTA

KAREN DAVILA

JESSICA ZAFRA

HER NAME IS DECIPHERED IN LATIN AS “NOBLE” which in fact precisely delineates her. Though she proclaimed herself as a proud Filipino and an amateur photographer, it was her who owns the finest lenses a journalist could have.

FILIPINO JOURNALIST. RADIO BROADCASTER. Newsreader. Television presenter.

IF A QUICK-WITTED PERSON’S IN FRONT OF you, wouldn’t it leave you in awe?

Karen Davila challenged herself on the vast domain of journalism. Her voice is a blade of bravery slitting through the ebb and flows of what she conceded peak of her life. In the span of twenty-four years on television and radio industry, she is now a well-known and multi-awarded journalist. She began climbing for her aspirations when she finished high school at Colegio de San Agustin and had her degree in Broadcast Communication at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

She makes the world spin with her writings; irony and cynicism are her main elements. She’s Jessica Zafra, known as a fiction writer, columnist, editor, publisher, and former television and radio show host. She admitted she has a fair number of sunglasses but it fails to outnumber the astounding thoughts spinning in her mind. She’s an encyclopedia with too many clever ideas.

Absurd is the suitable word for Patricia Evangelista’s triumph which she obtained when she was merely eighteen years old. Out of fifty-nine contestants who came from thirty-seven countries around the globe, she won in the annual International Public Speaking Championship engaging to the year’s theme: “Borderless World.” Her speech entitled Blonde and Blue Eyes made her the first ever Filipino to win the competition. But before she took her wings for the world to know her, she was a compassionate student.

She studied secondary level at St. Theresa’s College in Quezon City and took up Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication at UP Diliman for her college wherein she became a part of the UP Debate Society. In year 2006, she made her family more than proud when she graduated as Cum Laude.

Patricia’s success rolled upwards to the summit.

Her career in journalism was first unmasked when she was published in Philippine Star as youth columnist, and then jumped off to Philippine Daily Inquirer’s opinion section where she wrote a weekly column for entire nine years. Apart from those two, Patricia also had her participation in Rogue Magazine and UNO. But since flexibility is one of her expertise, her capabilities in television journalism were brought out when she worked for ANC as a production assistant.

Opportunities came rushing towards her like how the butterfly chases flowers. She worked behind the success of the short film series Kinse as a writer and producer.

In addition, she was the executive producer of ANC’s amBisyon, the three-part investigative documentary aired in 2010 that focuses mainly on corruption, democracy and education. And the present, she is a field reporter for Rappler.

“A borderless world doesn’t preclude the idea of a home. I am Filipino, and I will always be one,” a line from Blonde and Blue Eyes that interposes how the battle of the Filipinos is up and full of hope. Patricia Evangelista has the audacity to utilize her strength to help the nation by focusing on conflict, disaster and human rights. She remains modest above her achievements and soaring thoroughly on her vigorous journey. ●

Her pendulum started to swing when she became an investigative journalist, and writing and reporting documentaries. In the year 1999, she was a contributor for CNN special report. The following years were her lucky years. Karen Davila worked for TV Patrol as a weekday anchor from 2004 to 2010.

She was then proclaimed by ABS-CBN as an anchor for Bandila, a late-night news broadcast, together with Julius Babao and started to air on television last November 22, 2010. She was also a part of the longestrunning investigative documentary of ABS-CBN that lasted from 1998 to 2010, The Correspondents. Karen Davila was a guest host joining the main host, Abner Mercado. Her vulnerability rises; she is unstoppable.

Today, she talks about the in-and-out’s on business and employment, and tells the stories of success on the docu-news magazine program, My Puhunan, airing every Tuesdays after Bandila. More programs to add on her busy and tight schedule is her interview session with newsmakers, daily from 8-9 in the morning, on Headstart, a news talk show on ABS-CBN News Channel plus she anchors on a Tagalog political radio talk show on DZMM 630 in the afternoon.

Despite her full focus on her life as a journalist, she can still steer her role as a wife to DJ Sta. Ana and a mother to their two children. The road she chose to take is strenuous, but the way she’s keeping up proves that a person cannot accelerate to his goals in a single snap. Her adequate excellency is the reason why many young journalists are looking up to her. ●

Jessica Zafra finished her primary education at St. Therese College in Quezon City, graduated at the Main Campus of Philippine Science High School for her secondary education and obtained her degree at University of the Philippines majored in Comparative Literature.

She wrote a weekly column for TV5’s Interaksyon online news site. Her last column came out on October 2016. Jessica had also been a part of the Flip Magazine as the Editor-in-Chief. The New Yorker, Newsweek, and the Hong Kong Standard are some of the magazines in which her essays have been featured. She tried to experience both TV and radio talk shows as well. At the present, she works with her cohost Pepe Diokno on a travel show, The Flip Trip, on CNN Philippines. Jessica is also consuming her time on writing her second novel.

Avid fans of Jessica Zafra are indulged to her Twisted Series, a collection of her essays as a columnist for newspaper known before as Today, now called Manila Standard Today. She started with the series on 1994 and the first book was published on the succeeding year.

Except from her fierce personality, she cracks her altruistic heart and shares her exquisite talent by conducting a writing workshop three or four times a year.

“If you tell her anything personal about yourself she will remember it, so be warned,” an odd fragment from Jessica Zafra’s blog equally describes her characteristics and bizarre obsessions. She will continue to give voice to her rants, complains and reminisces as she conquers her twisted life. ●

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THE GREAT DE ION “HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. FIRST AS TRAGEDY, second as farce.”

In the unending grip of tyranny, the Philippines has already spoken. Not so long ago, Ferdinand Marcos tried to silence anyone in the media who dared to speak about human rights and the abuse of power. They were hauled to jails, harassed and even killed, sparing the ones who favored his supremacy. Press freedom died in the process and it doesn’t sound new. In the kingdom of his highness, press freedom is a threat. The agony of the slow death of press freedom under Duterte regime is sending the country some chills.

Philippine media has been on the ropes. Filipino journalists are framed by the government as “enemies” for bravely exposing its ills, for having the courage to be critical with government’s abuse of power and for uncovering truths that the people deserve. Even the worst ones. Duterte’s regime is at its best in silencing opponents. Amidst rising threats of journalism and democracy in the Philippines, Rappler becomes more Rappler for taking a stand and still holding the line for serving Filipino people with stories that are meant to be heard.

One evening last January was a nightmare for everyone who are standing firm for the press freedom and democracy. Maybe it tasted like a glimpse of the cruel yesterdays. And it triggered voices. Rappler is now on their sights. The move against Rappler started when they were accused of being owned by the Americans.

A free press remains firm in hearing diversity of voices and in shaping public opinion. This intensifies our guts to speak out without fears. Perspectives are being voiced. Scrathing the press freedom is slowly killing the capacity of the media to uphold the people’s unbounded exchange of ideas about public issues.

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This happened on Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address in 2017. Next thing we know, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s kill order revoking Rappler to cease operations, let go of everything they have built for allegedly breaching the constitutional provision on media ownership. It didn’t stop there. On all presidential engagements, may it be inside the premises of the highest office in the land or not, Rappler is off limits.

Rappler is under siege and in defense of democracy, silence is never on their options. Rappler will plead with this, a legal battle where it will be a fight for independent journalism in a country whose democracy is withering. With all the horrors that are being thrown against their name, they have remained consistent in holding the line.

Despite Rappler’s uncertain future, they vowed to continue its purpose in purveying the truth. What’s certain is the intimidation to smother those who dare to speak out. And we won’t just let our guard down because this is not just about Rappler, but a call for everyone.

In these times where press freedom is at its most vulnerable, here are the reasons why we should never stop holding the line in fighting for the press freedom, the truth, and democracy itself.

A free press remains firm in hearing diversity of voices and in shaping public opinion. This intensifies our guts to speak out without fears. Perspectives are being voiced. Scrathing the press freedom is slowly killing the capacity of the media to uphold the people’s unbounded exchange of ideas about public issues.

It has the power to influence. It has always been to creating stories that “inspire community engagement and digitally fueled actions for social change” for Rappler.

Emphasizing significant social issues brings light to the change that our nation might need. The press can turn these flames into a sudden outburst by being catalysts of truth and transparency. Once the people can behold what must be done, in solidarity, we can plead for the change that we constantly strive for.

Filipino journalists unceasingly put their lives on the line in serving the people. In the eyes of the government, people of the press who uphold the courage to unveil its evils, may it be political muckraking, corruption exposure and everything about speaking the truth to power, and defending people’s right to know are fraud. It is during these times that we hold our grounds for the sake of democracy we prevailed under the dominance of another silencer years ago. It was the fight of the forerunners and warhorses of the press today. This will be the fight of this generation. ●

WO R D S

Elaine Angelie Organo Jan Dexter Rafal Cwylle Alcain

I L L U STR AT I O N C O LO R S

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Darian Keith Andia

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I LLU STRATI O N

Jan Dexter Rafal

...ang pagtitiwala sa iyong kapasidad at husay sa larangan ng pamumuno ay parang pagkapit sa isang patalim na nakabaon sa mga rehas kung saan bilanggo ang Pilipinas sa mga problemang hindi nabibigayang solusyon at krimeng hindi maubos-ubos.

SA IKALABING-ANIM NA PANGULO NG PILIPINAS, NANGINGINIG ANG AKING MGA KAMAY AT TILA ba nalulunod ang aking isipan habang hawak-hawak ko ang aking panulat. Nangangamba ako kung kakayanin ko bang tapusin ang isinusulat ko. Sana’y magtugmatugma ang aking mga salita upang aking maihatid ang mensaheng matagal nang nananalagi sa aking isipan.

Regalong hatid ng mundong aking kinalakihan ang prinsipyong gamitin lamang ang aking boses sa pagtayo para sa katotohanan. Hindi ko itatangging lubos na nagdulot ng kagalakan ang iyong tagumpay noong nakaraang eleksyon sa karamihan ng mga Pilipino.

Doon ka nagsimulang naging simbolo ng pag-asa sa ating lupang sinilangan—pag-asang sa iyong pamumuno ay makakamit na ng Pilipinas ang minimithi nitong katiwasayan, pagmamahal at respeto sa pagitan ng mga mamamayan.

Sa nakalipas na dalawang taong pag-upo mo bilang pangulo, mahirap nang isa-isahin ang mga dumaang pangyayari. Samu’t-saring isyu ang mga lumantad kabiyak ng iyong pangalan, may mga mabubuti ngunit karamihan ay nakakapanlumo.

Bakas pa po ba sa iyong isipan ang mga binanggit mong biro sa iyong mga talumpati at diskurso? Ang mga iba’y nakakatawa, oo, pero marami ang iyong nabigo nang ang mga ito’y nakakasakit na sa kalooban lalo na po nang inyong idamay ang mga kababaihan. Lumabas sa iyong bibig na kikilalanin mo ang sinumang makakagahasa sa isa sa mga magwawagi ng korona sa Miss Universe pageant sa kabila ng kaalamang makukulong pagkatapos nito. Sumunod pa ang mga katagang iyong binitiwan sa harap ng mga mandirigmang Pilipino na maaari silang manggahasa ng tatlong babae at wala silang matatamong kaparusahan. Nasundan pa ang mga ito at nagpatuloy sa pag-agos ang mga mababagsik na salita mula sa iyong bibig. Kadalasan, tumitimbre pa ito tuwing nasa harapan ka ng mga sundalo. Iyo rin pong pinapaalam sa mga sundalo na hindi nila tutuldukan ang buhay ng mga babaeng rebelde, babarilin lamang ng mga ito sa pribadong parte ng katawan nila. Nakakasuklam at nakakahabag damdamin na nakakaya mong magsalita sa paraang ganoon. Kung tiyak po sa inyong palagay na para sa biruan lamang ang mga iyon, sa mata ng mamamayang Pilipino, ito’y tanda na ng kasalatan ng respeto.

Samu’t-saring reaksyon at pag-aakusa nang hindi na lubos mabilang na mga salita ang inilahad ng mga tao sa iyo subalit tinuring mo lamang itong hangin na pagkatapos ng ilang katwiran at pagpapaliwanag.

Maliban sa mga nasambit kong pangyayari, iyo na rin pong ipinamalas ang siguro’y pagmamaliit sa kakayahan ng mga kababaihan. Sumaklaw sa iyong puna na hindi maaaaring pulitiko at lalo nang hindi maaaring isang babae ang susunod na ombudsman. Hindi rin po taliwas sa aming kaalaman ang tahasan mong pagbanggit na humahanga ka sa kahusayan ng mga kababaihan subalit hindi sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay. Ang mga katagang ito ay nag-iwan ng balangkas ng isang amang hindi naniniwala sa kayang gawin ng kanyang anak.

Ang kabuuan nito’y umani ng mga negatibong salitain at tuluyan nang nag-udyok sa mga mamumuna upang tawagin kang woman hater.

Nagiging talamak na ang mga katulad na pangyayari. Hindi rin po halos mabura sa isipan ng mga Pilipino ang iyong hindi malilimutang pagbisita sa mga Pilipinong nasa Timog Korea. Nakakabahala ang mga larawan at video na kumalat sa Internet ng iyong ginawang paghalik sa isang babaeng mayroon ng asawa at dalawang anak. Bagamat ikaw po humingi ng ay paalam, nakakabalisa pong isipin na ito ay iyong nagawa.

Binanggit mo pa sa babae na sabihin niya sa kanyang mister na ito’y biro lamang.

Bilang Pangulo, malinaw po sa aking isipan na lulan mo ang buong bansa natin sa iyong palad.

Napagtanto kong ang pagtitiwala sa iyong kapasidad at husay sa larangan ng pamumuno ay parang pagkapit sa isang patalim na nakabaon sa mga rehas kung saan bilanggo ang Pilipinas sa mga problemang hindi nabibigayang solusyon at krimeng hindi maubos-ubos.

Subalit nalulunod ang aking isipan sa sandamakmak na mga saloobin at nahihirapan akong isangguni sa aking isipan ang mga balitang naririnig, napapanood at nababasa ko ukol po sa iyo. Ito ang nagtulak sa akin upang dungisan ang malinis kong papel ng mga salitang nais makarating sa inyong diwa.

Inaasahan ko na ang hanging nagmumula sa karagatan ay patuloy na makikipagsagupa sa pagwagayway ng watawat ng ating lupang hinirang. ●

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B ANTAYSARADO

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Jan Dexter Rafal Cwylle Alcain Nicole Verzosa, Cwylle Alcain, and Mc Justine Realgo I L L U ST R AT I O N

E F F E CTS

CONCE PT

Jan Dexter Rafal Cwylle Alcain C O N C E PT Cwylle Alcain, and Nicole Verzosa I L L U STR AT I O N E F F E CTS

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BULWAGAN NG MILENYO

MAKING THE[IR] WAY FOR TOMORROW WO R D S L AYO U T I M AG E

Alliana Reigne Rapisura Cwylle Alcain Pinterest

BEING A LEADER IN A CERTAIN COMMUNITY regards not of the age but of the maturity one has to show in his duty,hence “Youth leaders need not be young.”

A major point of debate is the age range of SK participants. Currently, Filipinos aged 15 to 17 years old form the SK (Sangunian Kabataan) electorate. It was the same age bracket for KB (Kabataang Barangay)—an organization in which the youth was recognized for the zeal and of their capacity in nation-building.

Paul Daniel Belmonte, SK National Federation (SKNF) vice president for Luzon, expressed concerns that 15-to-17-year-olds are seen to be very young, and not yet in legal age to enter into contracts, but then Senate Bill 68, authored by Senator JV Ejercito who was present at the hearing, seeks to change the age range to 18 to 24 years old.

Meanwhile, Senator Bam Aquino IV’s SB 1090 wants it to be 15 to 24 years old, the same as the United Nation’s definition of youth.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr has earlier proposed an 18-30 age bracket. Republic Act No. 8044, which created the National Youth Commission (NYC) in 1994, even widens the youth age range to 15-30.

“You do not have to be young to be a youth leader,” said Senator Marcos.

Too young to handle funds. Age is related to another major issue about the SK: handling money.

“Since SK leaders have a vote on matters that could involve huge amounts of public funds, they are vulnerable to influence of corrupt politicians or unscrupulous contractors,” said Senator Marcos.

The Local Government Code mandates that 10% of a barangay’s internal revenue allotment (IRA) be allotted to the SK Fund. This amounts to a total of about P6.1 billion for youth councils in over 42,000 barangays nationwide.

Senator Marcos reiterated that the SK Fund should be used for solving youth-related issues, like teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, and bullying.

But SK representatives in the hearing revealed that barangay officials block the release of these funds to them. Governor Marcos suggested that the 10% be automatically given solely to the SK, sanctioning barangays that would not comply.

Another suggestion is the possible adjustment of the 10% allocation itself, due to the huge disparity of that amount between rural areas and urban cities.

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d ev elop ment communi ca ti on

Other resource persons in the Senate hearing were NYC Chairman Leon Flores III, and representatives from Comelec and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

As of the points given, it will certainly and definitely depend on the personal capabilities of each SK member. It is not that it is to disregard others of the opportunity to serve the community, but it is highly risk that people are to put young people that are not that qualified in terms of political and of course moral aspect when it comes to Community living. Nevertheless, considering the points we can say that each of the people are unique and has a 100% difference from others, so it is best to accept what others may offer in the service of the community, but also to regard the setting he is to settle himself in. As well said, “Youth leaders need not be young.” ●

THE FARE IS NOT FAIR THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE CITY OF VIGAN as one of the Seven Wonder Cities in the World draws tourists both local and foreign to flock in the cities.

Labelled as a place of timelessness, it continues to preserve its culture in all aspects including the means of transportation.

This dramatic demand also created issues which involve the drivers. Recently, a lot of people have been complaining about the price of fares around the city where in fact, the government has established guidelines for it. The raise for fare is seemingly high as consumers often remark it equates to the price of gold.

The tricycle drivers are now labelled as negative opportunists as no one is exempted as their victims— even the tourists. These are the remarks we often heard from them.

Nayunam ton ‘ding, maymaysam met.

As students who has a very limited budget but has the need to commute every day, it’s a burden that almost 50% of our allowance is budgeted for fare. The sad part is when tricycle drivers demand more than what is intended especially when you are alone. The consequence of these sad encounters is either you pay and surrender your wills or you argue with them and find another, only to have the same set of experience.

Rabiin ading.

Nayunam plete mon.

The horrors in the city don’t lie on creepy encounters. This one is no urban legend. In Vigan, when it gets dark and the city starts to sleep, the price for fare gets higher and higher—either double or triple the regular price. It sounds silly, but sometimes we can do nothing about it. We just have to let these monsters of the night consume us.

Despite these issues, we cannot vent out simply frustrations. All we can do at present is to give them the benefit of the doubt for it is a hard life. Let us not forget the massive increase of gasoline prices among other commodities. Every now and then, the need of adjustment for fare is a must, but this doesn’t give them the power to take all the control and keep it high.

WO R D S

Christine Marie Andallo Cwylle Alcain P H OTO CitiesTips.com

I N FOG RAPH ICS

SIDEBAR 2.

TR I CYC L E FA R E S C H E D U LE I N VI GAN C IT Y 1

P

10-20

Daytime2 charges on supposed P8-15 rides within the Poblacion3 area, and Poblacion to the boundaries of Bantay, Caoayan, Sta. Catalina, and vice versa regardless of number of occupants.

P

15-20

Daytime charges on supposed P9-20 rides from Poblacion area to 30 barrios4, and vice versa regardless of number of occupants.

P

20+

Daytime charges on supposed P11-25 rides from Poblacion area to 4 secluded barrios (namely Mindoro, Pantay Laud, Raois, and San Pedro), and vice versa regardless of number of occupants.

P

30-40

Nighttime2 charges on supposed P8-15 rides within the Poblacion area for single occupant, including student, senior citizen, and PWD.

P

15-30

Nighttime charges on supposed P12-15 rides within the Poblacion area for two or more occupants, including students, senior citizens, and PWDs.

P

40+

Nighttime charges on supposed P32-40 rides outside the Poblacion area for single occupant, including student, senior citizen, and PWD.

P

20+

Nighttime charges on supposed P16-20 rides outside the Poblacion area for two or more occupants, including students, senior citizens, and PWDs.

1 2 3

Fare charges per person, and is negotiable.

Daytime starts at 6AM, and nighttime starts at 6PM. Barangays I to IX

(alphabetical) Ayusan Norte, Ayusan Sur, Beddeng Daya, Beddeng Laud, Bongtolan, Barraca, Bulala, Cabalangegan, Cabaroan Daya, Cabaroan Laud, Camanggaan, Capangpangan, Nagsangalan, Pantay Daya, Pantay Fatima, Paoa, Paratong, Pong-ol, Purok a Bassit, Purok a Dakkel, Rugsuanan, San Jose, San Julian Norte, San Julian Sur, Salindeg, and Tamag

4

But with all those things heard and said, we have no choice but to deal with them as we are in dire in of their services.

And we cannot also deny that there are still decent ones. Ones that have the patience, dedication, hard work and have the respect for the law and the passengers.

Nevertheless, this considered scam is causing damages not only to the Biguenos but to tourists as well.

All we can do now is to hope that the government wiill take serious action on this. ●

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VIGAN

A Look Back [To The Present]

FROM THE OLD SPANISH-STYLE BUILDINGS TO the cobblestone streets, without a doubt, the city of Vigan is still living in the past.

With these features, it became an important part of its heritage conservation and preservation—which brings tourists, local and foreign, a taste of old times. The stories the structure tells gives a justification to its history as well as its value at present. But as modernization starts to dominate the ever changing society, this small city tries to bring back old the past as it embarks on an ambitious renovation for streets and roads around the city proper.

This historical leap was carefully planned and was put to implementation this year. It was a project initiated by the City Government of Vigan in cooperation with the Department of Public Ways and Highways (DPWH).

The vision of the city is to transform the streets into cobblestones—despite the advent of modernity—not only to preserve the charm that comes from it, but to give more definition of the city’s own title as a heritage site as inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cutural Organization.

THE STORIES OF AND BEHIND THE STRUCTURES

REINVENTING AND REBUILDING THE PAST

THE HOUSES IN THE CITYSCAPES, PARTICULARLY in Calle Crisologo, are mainly built from brick and wood, with a steeply pitched roof reminiscent of traditional Chinese architecture. The exterior walls of the upper story are enclosed by window panels of kapis shells framed in wood—this long-established layout is still a trend in the present time. The growing buildings including the commercial establishments like the fastfood chains, follow the same architectural concept.

TO GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND, COBBLESTONES, the main material for the city’s renovation are sourced from San Esteban, a nearby town of Vigan which is known for its Piedra Pinoy or those cream-colored stones which are commonly recognized as baldosa. These cobblestones impart a lot of history for it did not only made a distinctive identity for the streerts in Vigan. It also complements to the presence kalesa (horse-drawn carriages), another tourist attraction of the cirty, because the hooves of the horses can grip on them more easily.

The cobblestone streets complemented with this kind of architectural set-up. It creates a picturesque view, likened to an old photograph or a painting of the past because of the dramatic effect of colors when taken in a picture. A lot of people still find it similar to the streets in Intramuros, Manila but what makes the city’s charm slightly more different is the fact it is away from the metro.

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Just recently, the government of Vigan started renovating the roads of the city, replacing the asphalts with cobblestones on streets connecting to the famous Calle Crisologo. The cobblestone roadwork project is set in Plaridel Street, Delos Reyes Street, and those connecting with Calle Crisologo. The initial cost of the project is set at P60 million and would be increased

to P60 million in 2019 and the goal of the city is to transform Florentino Street within 2019, and the roads surrounding Plaza Salcedo and Plaza Burgos will also be made of cobblestones.

WO R D S

Nicole Verzosa, and Nadeen Dominique Valenciano

/

P H OTO

Trish Lim

PRESENT STRUGGLES

THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW STREETS requires manual labor from the hands of the workers.

The baldosas are carefully plotted one by one making the process of work more difficult and time-consuming. Its progress is slow and the presence of road constructions caused heavy traffics and road hassles in some areas especially at present. Plus, the rainy season makes Vigan look like an unfinished art. Nevertheless, the city is hopeful that it will be reaping the fruits of this difficult hard work. That in due time, we will be walking in these cobbled streets and we will be reminded not only of what the place is trying to reveal but of stories of art which was made by time and hard work.

history as a form of modernization. Vigan continuous to grow with its people. Time will welcome new inventions.

Buildings will rise. But one thing will not change for sure—the stories told from the old houses, the kalesa rides, the cobblestone streets, will echo the fruition of what we have always work hard in the past. And this will keep culture and history in tact with the people. ●

But one thing will not change for sure—the stories told from the old houses, the kalesa rides, the cobblestone streets, will echo the fruition of what we have always work hard in the past.

Enclosed by contemporary society, Vigan continues to be firm with its advocacy in history and culture preservation as it outshine others using its oldfashion charm. Its strategy is different as it embraces

d e v e l o p m e n t communi cati on

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WO R D S

Mariko Paolo Martinez Jan Dexter Rafal

I L L U STR AT I O N

30

Gruesome Thirst* A DRUNKEN UPHOLSTERER NAMED LAWRENCE returned home and stumbled upon entering the living room which was the first room you will step in as you enter his house. Lawrence had a friend with him. It was a lady friend Lawrence had picked up at the bar earlier that evening. She was beautiful, with flowing blonde hair, tinted blue eyes, and a smile that could make every man fall for her. Lawrence made his lady friend sit on the sofa as he ran into the kitchen and returned with two cold bottles of beer in his hand. Lawrence then sat down with his Lady friend giving a bottle of beer to her. They chatted about their lives in this town. They both laugh at each other’s jokes.

Once the chair was done, Lawrence gazed in wonderment before sitting on the crafted armchair. It felt cold but was comfortable enough.

As the night passed by, the conversation started to get intimate. Lawrence and the lady looked deeply into each other’s eyes as they leaned in for a kiss. As the moment grew intensely, Lawrence ran down his hand along the lady’s smooth thigh and up her dress when his guest just brushed his hands away. The woman took displeasure with Lawrence assault. Lawrence was met with a hand smack across his face. Lawrence’s eyes darken as he glared at the woman, his once drunken passion was replaced with booze-fueled rage. “Witch!”

Lawrence yelled as his fist smashes the Lady’s face.

First, he dumped out of his tool bag onto the wooden table just beside the work table. An assortment of knives, hammers, saws, and other tools was now laid out before him. He first picked a curved upholstery knife, which he then used to skin the body. The skin is paced on a rack to be stiched and turned into a leather.

Once that was done, he then picked out a hand saw and proceeded to saw the arms, legs, and head. After that’s taken care off, he fills the metal garbage with bleach and other chemicals, he submerged the limbs until the meat was stripped from the bones. Lawrence fished out of the liquefied remains and placed them on the work table.

Lawrence then carried the metal garbage can filled with corpse juice and dumped it on the kitchen sink to be swept away into the sewers.

For the next four days, Lawrence worked inspired as he crafted the human anatomy into a chair. The arm bones were used as back legs for the chair. While the tibia with the femur attached became front legs. The femur was angled for it to be the two frames for which the support be placed. The pelvis, rib rage along with the spinal column and shoulder blades served as the back of the chair as it was supported by the wooden frame. The wooden base of the seat was placed and were fastened with metal brackets. Another broken frame was placed to serve as the back of the chair and the hand ans foot bones were rafted as the columns for the arms of the chair but the arm itself was wood.

The woman gets knocked out at the sofa, and to the floor. She drops her almost empty beer shattering instantly as it met the floor. Lawrence took one last quick sip before finishing the bottle and placing it at a table beside him. Lawrence then stood up to look at the lady. His eyes widen as he witnessed long streaks of glass gushing from her nose. In spite of that, Lawrence grabbed and pinned her wrist. The girl tried to fight back, but Lawrence was overpowering her.

“Oh crap, I’m screwed,” Lawrence thought as watched his motionless lady’s blonde hair gets dyed in blood. As the adrenaline subsided, Lawrence realized he needs to act fast. He picked up the lifeless woman’s body, he entered his workshop. He placed the body at his.

He then left the room closing the door behind him. He turned back to the living room covered with blood, the ceiling walls, sofa, coach, furniture, and other noticeable household items present there, luckily the sofa and coach were leather. Lawrence quickly takes out the map, he cleaned the ceiling, wiped the walls and furniture rapidly and with no signs of staring down. Soon, as he is done, he puts away the bloody map and the bloody pieces of cloth.

After that he looked right at his clothes, all blood-stained.

He went upstairs to take a bath and put on a change of clothes before leaving the house. He returned almost three hours later and re-entered the room bringing with him a metal garbage can and a bag of upholstery tools from work. He cleaned the wooden table just beside the work table. Lawrence was ready to work.

^ Not everything you see is always what it seems. Life is complicated enough, it fills you with lies, be more like Lawrence and craft what is true and maybe one day you might be pleased with your work. — Mariko

The now leathery skin was sewn as Lawrence carefully stuffs the chair around with foam including the four legs of the chair and the two arms, and the blonde hair was braided into a lining for the backing across the seat cushion. Once the chair was done, Lawrence gazed in wonderment before sitting on the crafted armchair. It felt cold but was comfortable enough. On that table of the grotesque work sat the skull that once belonged to a lady with blonde hair, tinted blue eyes, and a smile that could make any man fall for her. Lawrence was please with his work. After that night, he never touched a drop of booze for he had to quench his gruesome thirst. ●

l i terary

31

WO R D S

Mc Justine Realgo, Marielle Ann Verzosa, and Art Ramos Marielle Ann Verzosa Cwylle Alcain

P H OTO S & H AN DWR I T I N G L AYO U T

32

l i terary

33

34 & 35

Jan Dexter Rafal Cwylle Alcain C O N C E PT Nicole Verzosa, Marielle Ann Verzosa, Mc Justine Realgo, and Cwylle Alcain I L L U STR AT I O N E F F E CTS

PALARUAN O PAARALAN?

Q U I LLS AN D PAR C H M E NTS

MO R E TH A N W R ITING Nicole Verzosa TA L K TO M E

nicoleverzosa_ I FIRST WROTE A COLUMN WHEN I WAS IN 8TH grade. Nobody knew I wasn’t really tasked to make one.

It was a tradition that key positions in the editorial board do as this precious section is only reserved for them back then. But the desperate need for it made that happen. So when asked, the giddy 13-year-old-innocent-nobody staff writer I was, five years ago, rushed in a heartbeat and made the mistake of ruining her lifelong promise to make her first times special. Date her dream of having her picture and very own words printed on the paper.

The column composed of paragraphs stating my love for journalism and writing in general. It is a very contradicting topic to the fact that I have no idea nor have a grasp to any national issue or current events during those times—which forced me to write about it, instead. I wrote about it, as if it was the easiest subject to talk about. And that having a pen, a skill and a brilliant idea in mind—the essentials in winning schools press conferences was my definition of journalism—that winning is what makes a student journalist, a student journalist. I admit, finishing that article made me feel like I was the deepest person alive. Turns out, it was the shallowest thing I have done and just realizing it, 5 years after.

My failure in writing my first column is not the reason why I am here writing this though, but surely it has something to do with that. Yes. I failed at making my first column special, but not the rest of those first times this publication has allowed me to do.

I found myself, casting my mind back to the day, I have tasted the bitterness of my first rejection. It tasted too strong, it outpowered the sweetness of knowing that I got accepted in the editorial board days before that. I always get my draft massacred to the last punctuation mark and have passed through 15 to 20 revisions to get an article published. But even then, I still get to call myself lucky. The multiple rejections that I have gone through made me master its art. And they say, once you have mastered the art of rejection, it will pave way to greater things.

It’s true. Mastering the art of rejection paved me into the world of leading an army of artists and writers—which is another first. At first it came to me as a dream—becoming the Editor-in-Chief for me is a dream.

...writing for the publication means you did more than writing—more than just translating your thoughts into ink.

Therein lies power. Therein lies duty of fanning the ember of passion inside you for it to burn brighter, hence shedding more light to the dreams and hardfought battles of the unheard.

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v iew p oints

But the truth is, reality always slaps hard and wakes you up exactly at that moment when you’re in the middle of indulging yourself in a safe and sane place you were caved in. The universe will always has its ways of turning tables, and before you know it, you are now dining in a dark and less welcoming world outside.

My dream—in a blink, turned into a heavy responsibility that caused me to stumble countless times from carrying its weight. I became this person whom I can no longer control from dozing coffee at night just to finish articles, recklessly cuts classes just to cover events, cries, begs for articles still undone and prays to every god for divine intervention just for the issue to get published on time. The next thing I know, another three years have passed.

And I am still that person. I still run on the never ending cycle of dozing coffee, cutting classes, begging, crying and praying to every god. The routine remained the same but the act of learning was placed in between.

It is no longer a secret that writing on the mostly viridescent pages of The Bud earned me to experience a lot of first times and have acquired lessons that come with it—lessons that were learned the hard way.

For the first time in my life, I have opened my horizons and stepped out from the familiar. For the first time I have written stories of people who have created such relevance in the society and manifested their greatness on paper using my own words, for the rest of the world to know. For the first time, I have stood firmly for what I believe in and refused to silence my passion even in the midst of oppression—especially in the midst of oppression. Doing all these gained me courage, and eventually made me realize that writing for the publication means you did more than writing—more than just translating your thoughts into ink. Therein lies power. Therein lies duty of fanning the ember of passion inside you for it to burn brighter, hence shedding more light to the dreams and hard-fought battles of the unheard.

In the span of six great years, I have learned that being able to hold a position in a publication entails a great privilege. With this privilege comes the opportunity and responsibility to create social change. It’s just right that I have to do something with it and make it a reason to continue—to choose to do it over and over again, even if it means spending hours staring at the blank piece of paper for not having a direction to my ideas, of hating my own way with words and of doubting if I really am that person my fellow students call their voice.

My mentors and even the people I look up to the most doing this craft say it’s normal. After all, choosing to be in this field will make you realize along the process that the work of writing is always and forever will be the work of enduring failure.

Choosing to write resulted me a second family, whom I endured failures with. But to say someone has endured means he or she experienced pain or suffering for a long time—dealt or have already accepted it, and I know, it is not something to romanticize. Enduring means hurting—but I, we rather, chose to be hurt in ways that made us think and grow. And maybe this made the past 6 years great. Being with the people who had forsaken the potentially easy life of a student, spending their precious free time and weekends doing writing and editing, drawing, taking photos, and designing for the sake of the studentry—to humanize the injustices this publication had alerted them to, the ills its writers and artists through the years have chosen to expose and fight.

I must say, being able to do that is worth all the failures endured.

For six years, I have created friendship with these people. They are not just writers who write, artists who create, and photographers who capture pictures. They

also have own stories of tragedy and sunny days behind their by-lines, in which most people do not know. In a snap, they created depth within me—taught me that the respect, honor, and admiration, the people you have led had for you outweigh any amount of awards and recognition. And along the process of knowing them more, I eventually learned to always choose to be looked as someone with depth than a person to be looked up to.

Today, we have already taken different paths, we’re ready to sought different things, and fight different battles separately. After leaving the comfortable building of Antonio Luna Hall, some of us had gone to far-away universities for college—to catch our lifelong dreams and are now allowing ourselves to plunge into the unknown. And here I am, in my room, writing my last column—thinking about the past 6 years of staying in this publication which led me toward to who I am today.

I still think of the late afternoon press works in coffee shops, of arguments and eureka moments, of rejections and validations in between.

I still think about the first column that I wrote— how I badly want to add it in my long list of failures and let it fade into oblivion. I still think why I still have a copy of it and how I still read it on times I feel like bowing to the bouts of feeling irrelevant. Maybe, it is human nature—that no matter how much we wanted to forget those things that make us cringe, for recalling our most intractable mistakes—even our biggest failures, we just can’t. Maybe we can’t just forget something that reminds us of our growth. ●

TW E ET TALKS * Yael Toribio @rafaeltoribio

If you’re ok with the gov’t targeting media outlets like Rappler yet you’re fine with the 13,000+ EJKs and thousands of other human rights violations, then something is wrong with you. #DefendPressFreedom #DefendDemocracy 4:39 PM / 15 JAN 2018

Saul de Jesus @unSauLicited

Imagine a future where you can only access blogs approved by the government. Radio and TV stations would shout only of how the government is so glorious. Imagine us not being able to tweet, or even assemble. This kind of future happened in our past. Let us not allow political ambitions to bring back the ghosts of the 70s and 80s. They’re already being conjured. Let’s #DefendPressFreedom.

6 : 27 P M / 1 5 J A N 2 0 18

Natashya Gutierrez @natashya_g

If Rappler’s reporting of the frigate deal was “fake news” as admin claims then what’s with intimidation, defensiveness, vindictiveness.

Hard not see this linked P IA RANADA’S VI D E O TW E ET to the hearing. A gov’t that shuts up its media & shuns reporters is NOT a democratic one. #DefendPressFreedom 1 1 : 4 8 A M / 2 0 F E B 2 018 ^ Tweets in this issue are published without permission.

C LO C KWO R K TH I N K E R

A N U N–E U REKA MO ME N T Mc Justine Realgo TA L K TO M E

GRealgo

This is power; something beyond human comprehension that gives adequate sense that we, after all, can feel and experience the ineffable that our minds can merely muster.

I CAN’T REALLY TELL HOW I MUCH I HAVE GROWN. All my life I have been spending my time reading every coming-of-age novels to furtherly understand myself, and it turns out, reading those does not made it any clearer—it made me question myself even more.

I scribble every possible key words my mind can offer.

I’ve tried my best to intertwine my ideas, inserting conjunctions, filling possible plot holes and removing undesirable plot twists. I mean, it does not take a day to finish something grand.

As the Literary Editor of this school paper, expressing myself should have been easier as the year went by, but unfortunately it doesn’t. I’ve been in this position for four years. I’ve been dealing with writer’s block for four years. I’ve been struggling in carefully choosing my words for four years. I’ve always find it difficult to write, for four years. Some of you may say that I only write poems and stories, give it some imagery and plot, and I’m all set—you’re wrong.

Before I officially sign off in this position, I just want to acknowledge the people who made me feel belonged in a place I never thought existed. Cheers to our conflicts and arguments, and the apologies we made after. Cheers to the people who we were then. Cheers to our artistry which, for years, served as the voice of the unheard. To our procrastinations and the running away from our responsibilities, that by the end of the day, our catharsis will remain pulsating in your veins— echoing, if we’ve ever left a mark, or a deep piercing shrill that reverberates the mental, emotional and physical exhaustion we’ve battled against for years.

This is not just about writing poems and stories; this is never all surface. This is how you weave your words, create something that transcends the human flesh, deep enough to touch the soul of the reader. This is an obligation to construct another world, separating what’s fiction and what is not, a place where anybody’ll feels safe and disturbed at the same time. This is power; something beyond human comprehension that gives adequate sense that we, after all, can feel and experience the ineffable that our minds can merely muster.

And this was never child’s play, for I’ve doused myself with maximal volumes of caffeine, wasting my time staring at my computer screen, and took my opportunity of having a nocturnal mind. I’ve wasted a lot of scratch paper whenever a thought comes along,

Cheers to you. For ingesting my words, our words.

For treasuring our efforts and the time we’ve spent. For staying.

One of the hardest thing to compose in any written text is the ending. It serves as the conclusion or the resolution of the whole text, it is where you are going to wrap everything up and where everything else will fall into place; I can’t really tell how much I have grown, but I can show you.

And I already am. ●

theBUD

Support our Filipino journalists! Fight for the people’s freedom against ignorance and state fascism. Let us #DefendPressFreedom.

JOURNALISM HAS ALLOWED THE SOCIETY convey the most pressing issues. A homographic pun-society’s way of knowing about issues is through publishing them. Writing stories about them.

Maintaining a secular view of all things in life—a view that resists prejudice and conformism.

Writers can change how people look at the world.

I want to be a journalist who makes a difference in this world by reaching out and helping those who do not receive the spotlight. I want to be a compassionate journalist. We desire to be able to evoke emotions from people; to be able to make people aware of what really matters in the world, and to be able to speak for those who cannot use their voices.

I believe strongly in the power of words and art, their ability to elicit emotions from the people. Through words, something that almost every single human in this world uses, a journalist has the ability to convey compassion, anger, animosity, regret, sorrow. A feature story written eloquently about an indigent tribe in the upland community can compel someone to make a generous donation. An opinion column written with so much passion and fervor about why one should follow God has the power to convert the masses. A news story written strategically and logically on the maltreatment of women in workplace and how women are being treated wrongly in different fields can turn even the most sexist person into a feminist. Journalists can make a difference in this world.

I’ve been a journalist for 6 years. Heard compliments from people for being able to write a good article. Been called names that made my heart swell, and made me continue the passion, and continue igniting the fire in me. And despite the bad rap associated with the journalists—liars, pokers, prodders, fake, insincere

and heartless people who generally feed the public with lies—I still want to be one of them.

Aside from the bad rap that the field itself and so many journalists receive, we are so much more than the rumors created.

We are not only here to create and share stories, breaking news and current events with you, we are here to provide you with a sense of comfort and familiarity, inform you to the best of our ability and inspire you as much as we can. I am still a student, have my research papers, my homework, my projects and jobs to get done, just like you and everyone else, but how can I not put my first love into my list of priorities?

Don’t take this all the wrong way. Journalism is not glamorous or fancy. Journalists risk their lives for it. Some have been captured, tortured and killed. It is not always happy and uplifting. It is real, difficult and emotional. It can be sad or unfortunate and suck the creativity and happiness from us.

KLYAn+

W HAT A R E WE , R EA L LY ?

Marianne Faye Rafanan TA L K TO M E

TheMarianneFaye

So what does it really mean to be a journalist? To take the risk, share what is needed to be shared, almost always finding compassion and loving [almost] every second of what we do.

For those 6 years of writing, I didn’t regret any second of it. The words I use, the articles I’ve written were made out of love and compassion. I maybe dotting the 2 years “The Bud” experience, but will not put an end to this career. I am a journalist and forever will I be. Let’s all be flowers, providing a nectar to the butterflies. Let us all be the moon and the sun, providing light through the darkness. Let us be journalists providing the information this world needs. The world is hungry for truth and justice. Let’s feed the world. ●

I believe strongly in the power of words and art, their ability to elicit emotions from the people.

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I AM MOVED BY THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE do not understand how you can see without our eyes, and speak without a sound. Strangely, the struggle is not an option for them to cope up with you, and the idea that was meant to exist.

F R E E–FO R M

C H EC K P O INT Cwylle Alcain TA L K TO M E

cwylle

I listen to the words you utter. Pencil strokes and tilting movements of your hand play on your drawings. And the photographs in every corner, evidence of a life that you’ve lived through all these years.

TALK. WHEN I WAS STILL A CHILD, HEARING THIS word from someone is enough to make my heart pounds so loud and make my body sweats so hard. Growing up shy was never easy. Who would even dare to speak in front whole class when teachers are forcing everyone to speak loudly, humiliating every child who doesn’t have the courage to say anything?

I remember my grade school teacher calling me by my first name. “Rona,” she said as she pointed her hands at me. Upon calling my name, I felt a huge lump in my throat. My lips have become dry. And my small frame was shivering in fear. The fear that really got a hold on me for a long time is expressing myself and speaking out my thoughts in front of many people.

Reciting, presenting, and reading out loud are among the greatest nightmares of a shy child. Dr. Carl Shwartz, a psychiatrist, said that being shy can affect the children’s decisions and experiences when they grow up.

He added, “These are the kids who are afraid to raise their hands in class.”

As a shy child, I used to be very quiet even though my mind is clouded with so many thoughts and opinions.

Someone told me that you can only freely express yourself by letting your voice be heard. This statement somewhat left my little self confused at that moment. I got myself to ponder on this thought for a little while.

How can this person say this to a child who doesn’t even have the guts to raise her hands in class? Is there even a way to express one’s self without talking in public?

Years had passed. I’ve found an answer to my endless queries. It is like I’ve found a secret I should never tell anyone. Because once you knew, you can never forget. Once you have seen, you can never unsee. This is when journalism has found its way to my life. I’ve come to found a way to express my thoughts without fully involving myself to speak out literally.

Yes, some might thought that journalism only limits itself to disseminating news and information through writing and broadcasting. I’m telling you,

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v iew p oints

From the past few years, you always see things in black and white: the letters, drawings, photographs— these are the things that were yet they did not change your perception with the same perception that made me.

I listen to the words you utter. Pencil strokes and tilting movements of your hand play on your drawings. And the photographs in every corner, evidence of a life that you’ve lived through all these years. Points of view we cherish their differences. The significance of each one of them presents the idea of existence. It is like giving the traffic road a green light.

Green light denotes something or someone to move forward, pass some say. Green reminds you of the soothing voices of nature. The ecosystem of biodiversity emerging to a cycle of evolution—of growth. Green, figuratively, magnifies the knowledge of ideas and facts that the world is not perfectly round, nor flat. That our world is not meant for only two sides: day or night. Black or white. Happy or sad. You claim those two sides as if they are the only options served on the table. Our freedom was being marginalized.

People often belittle your work, your identity vanish the means of who you really are. To what is all

journalism wasn’t this restricted. Journalism wasn’t only limited to delivering news or current events. Journalism is a free platform. I am a school publication layout artist.

I am also a journalist. However, some are unaware of this role because layout artists are underrated. Mind you, this isn’t an unpopular opinion. To elaborate the role of a layout artist, let me tell you this. A layout artist’s role is to design a page to make it look attractive enough to draw the reader in and yet still be easy to decipher and read. A layout artist also helps convey a message on subjects and topics through art, photos and designs.

Now that I’ve found home in journalism, I can’t just sit here and relax. A journalist has an important role to play—not just in the society, but also in the whole world. Being a journalist for years brought happiness, experiences and lifelong lessons in my life. However, there is a high possibility that I wouldn’t be a member again of a student publication in the future. This might even be my last time of being a journalist in name. It is an inevitable outcome, a thing I do not have full control of. But such circumstances won’t stop me for being a journalist at heart.

for conformity—to what they thought is good for you.

Good, in a sense that they feel they are way ahead of you.

These thinking individuals care for you too much that they only you pass, but not to recognize, and put you to a good use. We wish to speak up, but silence swore. Hindi kami nananahimik para sa kapayapaan, kundi kami ay sumasalungat sa pagsasamantala ng aming malayang pamamayahag tungo sa kamangmangan.

You thought of being a layout artist only makes the paper presentable to its readers. Dig in deeper, our job does not aim for physical beauty. The art and design of the paper rely to what the people must see beyond to what they cannot see. Hearing voices no matter it speaks.

I seem to win the battles that I had given in my way.

The paper started from a scratch. Only few pages seem not express the minds of the community. But what have we accomplished over the years is simply evolving. It is like turning a black and white film into technicolor. And the good part is, there is hope for understanding.

Remember the days when people used to tell you that a school paper is only for the people who are good in writing, or good with the arts for some. But the secret lies beneath those words. School paper are for journalists who can witness the eyes and the voices unheard. It is the strength of a journalists to seek things with definite truth and has the desire to elevate the reality. No matter how little or grand the idea is, there are people who pave us the green light with hope. ●

TE R RA I N C O G N I TA

DA R E T O SP E AK The Unspoken Words Rona Alysza Togupen TA L K TO M E

macaronasalad

Journalism was the one who grabbed my hands and pulled me out of the dark room.

Journalism shed a light on my path. It is the one who let me overcome my shyness and my fear of public speaking.

It is the one who showed me how significant my opinions are to the world. It showed and brought me genuine freedom. Now is my chance to help other people too.

People who are also suffering from social anxiety.

I am not saying that overcoming shyness and fear of public speaking is an easy task. I am fully aware that it isn’t. Even now, the fragments of my past self are still inside of me. But, let me help you get back on track. Do not be ashamed to let your voice be heard. Now’s your chance to let yourself progress. Change starts within you. It may be a long journey, but in the end it will all be worth it. ●

A journalist has an important role to play not just in the society but also in the whole world. Being a journalist for years brought happiness, experiences and lifelong lessons in my life.

To the rest of you, IT IS ALWAYS SCARY TO GET INTO SOMETHING YOU weren’t sure of. I learned to overcome this the hard way as these fears still nag me. I guess some fears stay with us no matter how much we try to dissolve them. Some fears are as valuable as our courage. Some fears are helpful.

It scared me before to dive into this ocean where I did not know what’s beneath. But the thought that I might sink and get myself drown into the abyss of rough waters did not frighten the hell out of me when we have shared the responsibility to keep each other breathe.

The metaphor of drowning suits the process of working with you. It was through this that I have realized how vast the world is— how overwhelming it is to see it through the specs of a journalist.

We were young seafarers with small boats against the rough tides of the ocean, navigating its wonders with the art we learned to craft.

It was through this that we learned to drown ourselves with stories and the responsibility that lies in writing them. It made drowning a painfully process of discovery—as we serve and represent the whole studentry with this passion.

The last five years were the most fruitful. I came to know the very core of who you really are—all of you. And I have grown to admire all of you. Not only because of how you turned my passion into bravery—but because of the many things I learned from working with you.

And nothing is more beautiful than the home we have built. It was only the blank spaces in this paper which sheltered us for years. But we have each other and it is rare to find people who make you love your craft more—to be with those who see the beauty that lies in the chaos of things. The ones whose angsts fuelled my capacity to focus my lens without biases. The ones who wholeheartedly dedicate their time—wasted too much of it—to serve with the purest of their intentions. The ones who bled words and ran out of it. The ones who cried and laugh amidst deadlines.

The ones who just wanted to write and draw and be happy despite the rough tides that tried to destroy our fire.

It is rare to find people who see the world differently— whose eyes meet the eyes of the world, whose eyes weren’t blind for people. We did punish ourselves with the idea that we were great— not because we are good writers and artists, but because we have established good ties with our passion. I am afraid we weren’t even halfway with what is considered great. We have our shortcomings which we respected and understood.

And now, I dread the day we must part ways. All of you are to face deeper oceans as you explore what this life had prepared.

And it’s really something inevitable. Sadly, it is now time for me to learn how to breathe in my own—alone as I take the responsibility of leading the new members of our family. Know that these lessons you have instilled in me will ripple to them the same way as what they did to me. I will be the captain of our little ship. And I am not going to save them from drowning, too. I will let them sink and explore what lies beneath. For it is through this—that will make them feel the pain and the beauty that comes with the obligation. ●

Yours truly,

Elaine