The Weavers | 2023-2024

n support to MATATAG Basic Education Agenda and as a sub-program under the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) aimed at addressing learning loss, the Department of Education (DepEd) rolled out the National Learning Camp (NLC) during the 2022-2023 End-of-School Year (EOSY) break last July 24 to August 25 in participating schools across the country.

Ricaflor Pingal, an acting guidance counselor and SHS teacher last August- December stated that bullying (physical, verbal, and cyber) was the most reported case at Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) who involved students from Grade 7 to Grade 12. “Walang pinipili ang mga kaso ng bullying na narereport dito sa school, it varies,” Pingal said. She then emphasized that all these factors will eventually manifest to the students and among their classmates and peers that leads to the cases of bullying.

“Kapag sinabi nating MATATAG, meron itong apat na pillar na binabantayan natin, ito ay ang MAke the curriculum relevant, TAke charge yung ating physical facilities, ang pangatlong TA ay pokus ang ating mga learners at ang panghuli ay ang G na ang pokus ay ang mga guro,” Dr. Christopher Delino thus said in an interview.

Delino, school principal of Valenzuela National High School, made this remark after Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on January 29 said he will continue to pursue measures to complement the realization of the Department of Education's (DepEd) MATATAG Agenda and improve learners' performance.

The MATATAG K to 10 curriculum, the product of two years of study, decongests the old curriculum from more than 11,000 competencies to 3,600. It also focuses on basic competencies such as literacy and numeracy.

The principal also added that the possible outcome of the new basic education curriculum was based on the DepEd Mission and Vision that can make students holistic.

“Gusto nating ipalabas na kahit ano ang kanyang harapin na pagbabago ay kayang-kaya niya itong magampanan, lalabas sila ng paaralan ng may kahandaan at skillful para kung ano ang kailangan ng community ay kaya niya ring tugunan, nag-aaral sila sa paaralan hindi lang para gumaling at tumalino kundi para maging handa na sumabak sa anumang laban paglabas ng paaralan,” he explained.

Delino noted that the curriculum will be focusing more on reading, comprehension, and values formation.

“Itong nakaraang curriculum natin ay mayroon tayong pagpapaigting sa values education kaya nagkaroon ng “catch-up fridays”, during this activity, nasimulan natin yung reading pero hindi lang ‘yon yung tugon kung hindi nagkakaroon pa natin ng ibang intervention sa lahat ng mga asignatura kagaya ng Math, Science, English, kailangan nating pataasin pa at i-enrich ang values education more on sa homeroom,” he ended.

The Department of Education (DepEd) began training teachers and school leaders from January 22 to April 4 in preparation for the first phase of the “MATATAG” curriculum’s implementation next school year.

Learning by doing

NLC conducts at ValNat to improve learning outcomes

As per DepEd Order 014 s.2023 Valenzuela National High School, conducted National Learning Camp (NLC) with eight Grade 7 enrolled in Enhancement and 44 in Consolidation, whereas, in Grade 8, eight belonged to Enhancement and 17 students in Consolidation.

“Umattend kami ng seminar before magstart ang NLC. Dun sinabi kung paano ituturo sa mga bata yung module na binigay, ang pagtuturo ay game- based at puro activities,” said Josielyn Tejoso, NLC focal person. She then added that with regards to the selection of learners, it was voluntary and with parental consent. It was for threeto-five-week learning recovery program that offered at the end of every school year.

“Pag mataas ang average ng bata sa Enhancement sila for 15 days pero pag below average naman ay sa Consolidation sila makakasali na may 25 days,” she added.

Students who volunteered for

EOSY BREAK

the program will be enrolled in one of the three camps: enhancement, consolidation, or intervention.

The consolidation camp, meanwhile, was designed to provide further practice on and application of previously taught competencies. Participants will be provided with opportunities to identify links connecting concepts and skills across grade-level competencies.

The intervention camp supported students who were yet to grasp foundational Mathematics and English skills. Students received targeted interventions to help improve their skills and bridge any gaps in their understanding.

“The cramming of lessons was

quite overwhelming, especially the activities which were almost unfinished, but being free from the burden of grades made learning fun again. It gave me insight into some diverse, new methods of teaching and the importance of student to teacher ratio, when it comes to the quality of education,” said Trinity Perdon of Grade 9- Reflex, one of the NLC participants from the Enhancement.

The phased implementation of the NLC began July 24 and ended up August 25 for English, Science and Mathematics.

For English, the teachers assigned were Kim Abcede, Denise Lacson, Maria Chamille Sta Ana, Jeannylyn Donato, and Maria

Joanne Natagoc. Meanwhile, Josielyn Tejoso, Jonalyn Sergote, Eliaquim Dugos, Imari Sipe, and Jeffriel Sison were from the Math Department.

Teachers in Science on the other hand were Bernadith Cambaya, Ej Mallorca, Maricho Imperial, Mary Joy Claudine Rivera, and Jennylyn Osteria.

As for Department of Education (DepEd), once fully implemented, the learning camp will replace the remedial classes.

”Schools may utilize available supplementary learning resources that align with the targeted learning competencies and the most appropriate teaching approaches and strategies,” said the DepEd.

credits VAlNat’s YES-O club as first- ever in PH

With over 800 participants from the different regions of the country, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) accredited the Youth Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) of Valenzuela National High School as the first-ever in Luzon and in the entire Philippines.

YES-O also won the third place award in the Song and Music Video Competition and clinched the Best in Oral Presentation for Taking Care of our Planet Category title.

Before that, its club adviser, Claudine Rivera, with the help and effort of her co-teachers in Science, Julie Gonzaga and Bernadith Cambaya and the support of their Department Head, Generosa Camay, presented their paper project: Paper/ PET bootles Acquisition Program for Earnings and Recycling Youth for UNESCO (YforU) at Manila Grand Opera Hotel on December 9, 2023. YforU aimed to widen their networks to collaborate and apply their best practices. The said convention invited all student leaders and advisers of accredited clubs in the Philippines. It was held for three days, from December 9- 11.

Rivera’s only wished was to share their club’s best practices for the ‘Planet’ and to have an entry for UNESCO’s upcoming multimedia presentation.

“We are targeting to have an entry para sa multimedia presentation ng UNESCO,” she said. Furthermore, they are also eyeing to win the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) search for the most sustainable and ecofriendly school.

Surprisingly, according to Gonzaga they were overwhelmed to know that their hard work paid off, though they are confident to get the title because of their community partnerships.

“Nakikita namin s’ya na may big possibility na makuha namin sya since 10 percent ng scores ay all about community partnerships which we think is nagawa naman namin,” she added.

On the other hand, the club adviser also hoped that their awards and successful projects will help them for their future targets and projects.

Faculty President gets 2023 Heroes of Learning Educator of the Year’ award

Globe Telecommunications launched their Search for First Heroes Learning Awards for Students, Educators and Parents categories as they celebrate the initiatives of our modern-day heroes in pursuing quality and convenient education powered by digital technology.

Glenn Rivera, Master Teacher, and Faculty President of Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) got the First Heroes for Educators category award last December 6. This award honors the individual who continues to innovate their teaching ways, overcoming the challenges in providing access to education for everyone.

The first Heroes of Learning Awards amplifies the inspiring stories of students, parents, and educators in defying challenges and creating ways to inspire learning using technology. Their passion to achieve breakthroughs despite the difficulties the country is experiencing due to the pandemic has enabled them to thrive in the ever-evolving sector of education.

“Syempre masaya, I’m so happy that was chosen for the award” Rivera said in an interview.

He also expressed his gratitude to the people who helped him to achieve his award.

“Syempre I won’t be able to achieve this recognition without the help of my colleagues, family, and friends,” he added.

In addition, Rivera said that the projects he’d done before helped him a lot to meet the criteria.

“Sa Courage kasi ang pinakita nila don ay yung ginawa naming community outreach programs, namigay kami ng gatas nung pandemic, community plant tree, nag distribute kami ng mga seedlings, namigay kami ng relief goods. Sa innovation, nag conduct tayo ng research, inovation programs, sa achievement naman is yung mga na achieve na natin like outstanding teacher ng division,” he stressed. Meanwhile, the criteria for judging are (1) Excellence - 40%

‘Karaechoism’ strategy uses to empower reading

In line with the commitment of the Department of Education (DepEd) articulated in MATATAG Agenda to TAke good care of learners by promoting learner well- being inclusive education, and positive learning environment, the department gives priority on ensuring the health, safety and well- being of learners and teachers.

It is also said in the memorandum that the decision was based on consensus from extensive consultations with teachers, learners and stakeholders, and same call is echoed by the findings of the study conducted by the Philippine Normal University (PNU) titled Analysis of the Basic Education School Year Calendar in the Philippines: Inputs to policy (PNU, 2023).

“I agree on this idea, because the weather plays a huge part in student’s daily lives, more so now with climate change and to avoid incidents where children were reported not being able to concentrate during classes and some were even collapsing due to the intense summer heat,” said Brent Ivan Tribiana, a Senior High School student in Valenzuela City.

2024. DepEd: SY 2023-2024 ends May 31

Tribiana, also believed that the changing of school calendar would be on their advantage being a freshman himself next school year in terms of starting his college career right and ending it with real time.

Meanwhile, the provisions of Part V of Education No. 1 of DepEd order no. (DO) 022 s.2023 titled Implementing Guidelines on the school calendar and Activities of School Year 2023-2024 specifically nos.7, 26 and 28. Hence, the Quarter 3 examination will be on March 2526, 2024, and Q4 exam would be on May 16-17, 2024. Other than that, the National Learning Camp (NLC) will continue to be implemented following DO 14, s. 2023 and it will be done for three weeks instead of five weeks.

The End of School Year break will be on July 1- 19, 2024 and services of teachers in the NLC shall be voluntary.

In addition, the co- curricular activities shall be scheduled within the EOSY break such as Palarong Pambansa will be for July 6 to 17, National Festival of Talents (NFOT) and National Schools Press Conference (NSPC ) on July 9 -13, 2024, and Learner’s Covergence will be on July 9- 15. The Brigada Eskwela however, shall be conducted from July 22 to July 27. SY 2024-2025 shall start on July 29,2024 and end on May 16, 2025. In this regard, no

tasks or

STEP to conduct technolympics for DFOT prep

“May yearly technolympics talaga ang TLE Department dahil dito kinukuha ‘yung ipang lalaban for Division Festival of Talents,” said Andrea Santiago, STEP club adviser and chairman of the event. According to her, the competition aims to improve the appearance and personality of learners, encourage teachers, students and stakeholders’ participation

in school project, programs, and activities and to give students a chance to demonstrate their culinary skills using a variety of cooking techniques. Santiago also mentioned that learners at ValNat should participate to showcase their talent and skill in cooking and in preparing foods which later becomes useful not only for DFOT but for their own lives. Richelle Natal, STEP co- adviser and a teacher in TLE, stated that contests on the first day include PINGGANG PINOY for lunch meal, Food Processing like chicken longganisa making, fruit and vegetable carving and plating, Beauty Care: Hair and makeup, and on its second day, the innovative chicken dish is scheduled.

Rufina G. Tabino, English Department Head and Kim E. Abcede, reading coordinator in English led the conduct of Project R.E.A.D (Project Reading Empowerment through Assistance Development) in upskilling the oral fluency of struggling readers through Karaechoism at the School Library and Reading Lounge of Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) started last February to April 2024.

Lovely Paula Lee Onal, Jean Christine L. Sedillo and Angelica B. De Guzman were the other teachers in English who proposed and conducted this project.

According to Abcede in an interview, Karaechoism is a blended word of “Karaoke,” which means a form of entertainment through songs, and people take in turn in singing following the lyrics in the monitor and echoism which means the formation of words by imitating sounds.

“Karaechoism can support reading literacy such as phonological awareness, vocabulary expansion, fluency and expression, memory and cognitive skills, motivation and engagement and multisensory learning,” she added.

Tabino expressed her gratitude to the teachers of English who showed their utmost concern to the learners who really need remediation and to develop more their love in reading while having fun through Karechoism strategy of learning.

In addition to this, nonreaders and frustration readers from Grade 7 - 10 learners are expected to read the phonetic and sight words, through singing the lyrics of the song, to improve students’ reading skills, and confidence by having them practice reading with purpose, to increase awareness of the importance of literacy and reading in personal and academic development through activities: pre-test, reading remediation and posttest.

Furthermore, Abcede stated

that pre-test and posttest are focused on sight words from Grade 2 - 6 with 1 5 item reading comprehension; activities will be conducted through lyric based learning, and by showing in all Grade 7 and 8 learners, and selected Grade 9 and 10 learners (vowels, consonant, sight words).

“The schedule of these activities starts from February to March 2024 for we only borrowed 13 tablets,” Abcede added.

Meanwhile, participants should pass the following expected outputs; construct sentences using sight words (Portfolio), showcase the different reading style in reading text through readers theater, and improve the literacy and reading skills.

‘MATATAG’

Photo by: Raven Yha Cruz

Photo by: Wilfred Tatoy

FOR

Photo by: Kim Abcede

TRUTH AND INTEGRITY

ValNat studes join BSKE 2023

BSKE 2023

QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER

of

of the 1,634 cities and municipalities

students talents, and humanitarian projects 12.93% and the stance of youth in the society 12.63%

For the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections, Comelec

or 1,258,644

a 76.08

are five characteristics that a leader should possess. It was found in the survey that the top quality of a leader is responsible with 37.08%. Next is understable with 28.09%. Integrity with 16.29%, and with respect 10.67% and brave 7.87%.

voters out of 1,654,373

139

from

and Grade 10 were qualified to vote, from 15 to 17 years old. In a survey conducted by The Weavers, 5 months before the BSKE, there are 178 students that shared their insights with the qualities of an good leader in Barangay Marulas. There are 78.09% or 139 registered voters and 21.91% or 39 students who are not registered.

Qualities of a good leader

In choosing the right leader there

“Mabigat talaga ang gampanin ng lider kaya dapat bago niya ito gampanan may mga pagpapahalaga at magandang katangian na siya na magagamit niya sa oras na maging ganap nang tagapaglingkod na ng lipunan o kabataan,” said by Leeshann Aixiah San Antonio, Grade 12 student.

Issues that need to focus

Based on the survey, 29.21% or 52 respondents believed that, they need to support the students academics needs. Second, is the teenage pregnancy with 25.84%.

Third is 19.66% in enhancing the

Special Education (SPED) learners of Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) John Mathew A. Ronquillo, Grade 10Generosity, John Michael T. Alcantara, Grade 11- Babbage, Shekhar Siddhesh Salonga, Grade 8- Amethyst grabbed the top 1 slot in the Local IT Challenge (LITC) for youth with disabilities at Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science on February 28, 2024.

Ronquillo competed in the Learning Disability category whereas Alcantara in Visual Disability, and Salonga in Physical Disability.

According to Maribel Trinidad, their teacher- trainer, they encountered some challenges during their training, despite these they still emerged as winners.

"One of our main problems was the lack of laptops, since had only one laptop, but it was not enough to accommodate my four students who needed to be trained. Aside from that, we only have one hour training and some of them come to school late, however I’m indeed glad and grateful to their performance during the contest, added Trinidad.

The three competed in the eTool Presentation, this was to evaluate the skills for creating and editing presentation slides; another was the etool Spreadsheet, to evaluate the skills in utilizing functions, calculations, and editing of data per given conditions; also in eLifeMap, to evaluate the skills to search and utilize information dealing with problems of daily life using Internet; then eContent, to evaluate the skills to make and edit video dealing with specific topics creatively; so as in eCreative_Smart Car, to evaluate the skills to use Scratch program for selfdriving car programing (coding); and the eCreative_loT, to evaluate the skills to make life more convenient for persons with disabilities through IT or appropriate data. Hence, on the next level of the competition, as what Trinidad said, her team will prepare and train much more what they did at the Division level.

The contest was initiated by the Persons with Disabilities Affair Office (PDAO), and it will be conducting a five- day training in preparation for the National IT Challenge (NITC).

It can be remembered that Valnat was a consistent winner of this contest from 2016-2019.

In addition, the winning students will be the representatives in the National Council on Disability Affairs on April 22, 2024.

“Sa akin, dapat talaga suportahan ‘yung mga academic matters kasi mostly doon’ yung mga kulang, gamit at funds,” said Angel Mae Ballester from Grade 12.

Armea Krylle Imperial, a student from Grade 12, also has shared her own sentiments. Imperial said that the youth should uphold their integrity in voting especially on the political issues as a part of the community.

“Dapat sa pagpili ng lider, hindi lang puro salita, dapat mayroon ding puso para sa ginagawa, konkretong plano, magandang plataporma at adbokasiya na isinasaalang-alang ang kapakanan ng mga kabataang nasasakupan,” Imperial said in an interview.

Scribes seek to win in RSPC

For the Individual category, Chelsea Formilleza, (Grade 9- Receptor) grabbed again the first place in Copyreading and Headline Writing for the second time together with Karl Sebastian Lim, (Grade 12- Faraday) a first timer in Sports Writing got the second place during the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) held at Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) last February 1-2.

Lim expressed his gratitude to his School Paper Adviser, Ella Capulong and to his trainer Glenn Libres for bringing the best out of him, and for believing in him when it comes to writing a sports article. “I had mixed emotions as heard my name in second place, during training always challenge myself to get the first place, it didn’t happen so again I am challenging myself to get the first place in RSPC, so may experience competing in this year’s National Schools Press Conference in Cebu,” he added. In Group Category, ValNat also got the first place in Collaborative and Desktop Publishing.

“I am glad and indeed grateful that we are still the champion in Collaborative Publishing, it’s been 10 years, since 2013 when we got it, the year when this contest commenced in DSPC,” said School Paper Adviser Ella Capulong in an interview.

The team also won several awards like First place in Best Feature Page and Editorial Page by Selina Olga Santiago, Best in Photo by Raven Yha Cruz (both from Grade 10- Capillary), Best in Sports Page by Raimone Pruel, and Best in Layout Design by Eunise Guerero (both from 10- Catalyst). They also got second place in Best News Page by Sian Karlo de Guzman (Grade 10Benevolence) and in Best Editorial Cartoon again by Cruz. Formilleza, Lim and the Collaborative Publishing team are qualified to compete in the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) which will be held at Pasay City on April 18-19, 2024. The top three winners in Individual Category and the first place

in Group Category will advance to RSPC.

Other winners for Individual Category were Justine Nyanah Rodil, (Grade 9- Reflex) ranked 5 for Editorial Column Writing and Maria Angelica Nej Sorillo, (Grade 12- Couloumb) ranked 2 in Mobile Journalism Exhibition Contest.

In addition to Group Category, TV Broadcasting and Script Writing composed of Brent Ivan Tribiana (Grade 12- Couloumb), Kim Franchesca Dela Torre, Louise Angelie Felix (both from Grade 12- Faraday), Xamuel Fajardo, and John Benjamin Vistan (both from Grade 12- Maxwell); bagged the second place. In addition, Dela Torre won second in the Best Anchor award and Tribiana as Best News Presenter.

Meanwhile, the Online Publishing team ranked 4 and has been awarded 5th place in Best Web Page Design by Trinity Perdon (Grade 9- Reflex), Best Editorial Web Page and Best Feature Page both by Yasmine Naomi Anne Madamba (Grade 12- Faraday) . They also won second place in Best News Web Page by Bibianne Balabag, (Grade 11-Newton) and 4th place in Best Sports Page by Aldrich Daniel Cadag, (Grade 11- Curie). They competed in over 28 Junior High Schools and one Senior High School both in public and private in the Division of Valenzuela.

This year’s theme for DSPC, The Role of Campus Journalism in Fostering DepEd Matatag: Addressing Literacy, Chartering a new Path.

Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) participated in the launching of Catch-up Fridays last January 12 in accordance with the Department of Education memo no. 001 s. 2024.

Dr. Winnie F. Tugade, Education Program Supervisor in English and Journalism, and Public Schools District Supervisor (PSDS) in Cong.2, Dr. Sofia D. Quilbio, monitored the afternoon classes of Grades 8 and 9 to see how the process was being done. They were assisted by Dr. Christopher J. Delino, school principal and Rufina Tabino, English department head. The process includes unlocking of difficulties reading aloud, answering comprehension check, wrapping up which measures what the students have learned, and sharing as the actual reading class do.

“I would suggest that every Friday regardless of kung ano yung typical activities ninyo ay tatapalan natin ng reading based sa theme na inilabas ng

Department of Education like sa MAPEH, the reading material should be about Health and every Friday kasama ang reading sa lesson plan ni teacher, the time and teacher will still be the same, but the activities should focus more on reading,” Tugade said during the post evaluation.

Likewise, Delino agreed on the idea that reading should be the focus of the lesson every Friday so as not to change the class schedule for catch-up Fridays.

“The Department of Education's Catch-up Friday initiative endeavors to enhance students’ performance by integrating reading activities, peace education, values education, and health education. Through this holistic approach, students are provided with opportunities to develop essential skills,

foster positive values, and prioritize their well-being, thus aiming to bridge the gaps, promote a culture of learning, and nurture students to reach their full potential, he added Reading materials for morning and afternoon learners are provided by the school beforehand in relation to the given themes intended to strengthen the foundational, social, and other relevant skills necessary to actualize the intent of the basic education curriculum. All Fridays starting January 12 should be dedicated to the Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R) program across elementary, secondary schools and Community Learning Centers (CLCs) nationwide to gather feedback from field implementers on the guidelines of Catch-up Fridays.

Plans vs. Zombies

IThough, NLC mimicked a camp-like atmosphere by integrating fun and engaging activities to foster learner interests, socio-emotional skills, personal growth, and character development for Grade 7 and 8, still it can’t be an assurance that it is the best way to do it. The curriculum is only focusing on learning more about the main subjects, English, Science, and Mathematics. Making students literate not only on these subjects alone can benefit them. There are eight subject learning areas to learn, to say that a student is welleducated.

Furthermore, as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) chairperson, Vladimer Quetua expressed his concern that the learning camp will “deprive” teachers of their right to rest and time to recuperate, it is indeed a fact because teachers work for more than ten months straight without sick leave nor vacation leave benefits. They are not machines. In reality, they do not even have an almost two-month break. Likewise, teachers still need to work for end-of-school year

rites for SY 2022-2023 and then enrollment and Brigada Eskwela for SY 2023-2024.

After a week they would be engaged on this camp, which makes them sick and burnt out or mentally exhausted.

Try to notice our teachers in Valenzuela National High School (ValNat), they begin their teaching energized, but end up quite tired after six hours of teaching, not to mention the paperwork they need to do after class hours.

The nice thing about it, teachers will be provided with 15 days service credit which they can use to offset absences, but DepEd Order No. 53, s. 2003 limits the number of service credits to only 15 workdays in a year “except in cases authorized by the [DepEd] secretary upon the recommendation of the regional director.”

With the implementation of the learning camp, where teachers who will volunteer are expected to work for three to five weeks, ACT said the limit should be lifted. It is not right to limit to only 15 days the counted service credits when teachers work outside their

regular workdays are even more than this limit, which is true, teachers need to be always compensated they are more than dedicated and passionate to give even their precious time to be with their families.

But it is not only teachers that would be deprived of their right to rest. Students, too, instead of relaxing and bonding with their families for 15 days as part supposedly of their vacation, they spend these days at school. Though, there’s nothing wrong with it, their mental health is still important as we speak.

Meanwhile, parents also react on this matter for instead of saving the allowance of their children for 15 days, they need to find sources to cover the expenses and aside from that some of their children work during class break to help them in their everyday finances.

Other problems that DepEd should take into consideration to make learning effective are the lack of classrooms and obsolete learning materials, overworked yet underpaid teachers, and big class size. According to DepEd data, there are over 28 million Filipino

learners in public schools, but there are only 327,851 school buildings. Out of which, only 104,536 are in good condition. Hence, the participation of teachers and learners in the National Learning Camp is completely voluntary. However, it is not the point, though it’s voluntary or not, it’s still mandatory for the school to come up with the list of teachers and students who will attend, ironic yet indispensable.

We agree in a way that National Learning Camp has its potential and can be a good solution to uplift the worsening quality education, but doing it gradually, not just for 15 days would be better, and by planning and studying its outcome before its implementation is the best, as what we’ve

Aas children progress to higher grades without a firm foundation.

The role of teachers, like what I experienced in Valenzuela National High School, extends beyond the traditional realms of education. The foundation of a child’s future is intricately linked to the support and encouragement they receive in their academic journey. As dig into the discourse on education, the “No Child Left Behind” ethos takes center stage, urging educators to go beyond the conventional and actively engage in fostering both academic and mental well-being.

I believe the stakes are high, and the outcomes of neglecting a child’s academic struggles can be profound. It is imperative for teachers to not only impart knowledge but also to identify and address the challenges students face in their academic pursuits. The struggle

of a child is not merely an isolated event; it ripples through various aspects of their lives, contributing to a host of issues such as bullying, peer pressure, and self-pity. When students internalize the belief that they are incapable of achieving success, it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Teachers must recognize the damaging impact of such sentiments and actively work towards dismantling these destructive thought patterns.

The “No Child Left Behind” policy, as it claims underscores the need for teachers to be mentors, guides, and pillars of support. It necessitates standard shift in education, urging educators to embrace their role not just as disseminators of knowledge but as architects of a nurturing environment. It demands an acknowledgment

ccording to DO 6, S. 2005 – Selection of honor pupils/students in public Elementary and Secondary schools, No. 7 that Recognition shall be given for the achievement of pupils/students in specific academic disciplines (e.g. Science, Mathematics, English) and in special curricular areas (e.g. athletics, performing arts, campus journalism). For students who commit acts of academic dishonesty (cheat, plagiarize, falsify, or fabricate), they need to understand the far-reaching consequences and the serious societal and personal ramifications it can have.

In today's competitive educational scene, being named an honor student is a remarkable accomplishment that shows dedication, hard effort, and intellectual prowess. However, an alarming phenomenon is currently putting an obscure shadow over this honor: some students have obtained the renowned title by dishonest means, particularly CHEATING.

It is the dream of every student to be validated academically through awards and medals. mean who wouldn't want their names to be called as they walk up the stage with the phrase “with honors”? It gives one a great sense of pride and achievement, that is the main reason why numerous students go through extreme lengths to reach the mark needed to be called an academic achiever even if it means that they must cheat, but does the end justify the means? Was it really something to be proud of, if it came from academic dishonesty and not from hard work? What pushed these students to resort to cheating just to achieve academic excellence?

Cheating has been going on for decades through various forms. There are students who copy each other's work, some make cheat sheets during exams, and a lot more unimaginable schemes to bug the system. It is no longer a surprise as many

CIstudents do this in a traditional classroom set-up — more so when the pandemic happened, and online classes were implemented. The number of students who received academic achievement sky-rocketed producing struggling children who do not know the basics and fundamentals of different subject areas as the mode of learning eventually shifted back to face-to-face classes.

Cheating is a serious issue that should be addressed but the fact that many scholars’ resorts to it as they carry the burden of pressure and social standards behind their backs. One basic example was when the Philippine National Police Academy has dismissed two cadets who were allegedly found cheating during their examination as reported in Inquirer.net on July 25, 2023. According to PNPA director Police Maj. Gen. Eric Noble said in a statement dated July 4, 2023, they stand firm on their commitment to maintaining an environment of academic excellence and integrity.

It is undeniable that these students must be condemned for their immoral acts, however it is also significant for us to delve deep and discover the reason that lies behind it. One of the most common mistakes that most Filipino families make was only appreciating children who receive

academic achievements and not giving importance to process and the persistence of others. Most of them push their children to be perfect rather than to be acknowledged the importance of making mistakes in learning.

Despite this, nothing can ever give justification to cheating. Whatever the reason is, dishonesty will never be acceptable as the children of today are the leaders of tomorrow that will serve the nation. Furthermore, it is unfair for those who spent their time, effort, and hard work in comprehending lessons in school. Those who spent sleepless nights researching and reviewing for exams. Those who instead of doing leisure activities spent their time learning. Those who put their hearts into listening to their professors. That is the root cause as to why we should impart to every child's mind that with honor comes integrity and truthfulness.

By creating an atmosphere that encourages genuine learning and ethical behavior, we can restore the true honor that should come with the label of honor student, ensuring that academic successes reflect both knowledge and integrity.

Learning is not about receiving awards but grasping knowledge and values that one can apply in their daily lives.

that a child’s struggle is a call to action, an opportunity to intervene positively in shaping their academic and mental trajectory.

As for what know, embracing the principles of “No Child Left Behind” means acknowledging that the struggle of a child is not a solitary battle but a collective challenge that demands a holistic approach.

As I reflect on these principles, teachers hold the key to unlocking a child’s potential, not just academically but in forging a resilient and empowered future. The journey towards academic excellence is intertwined with the teacher-student relationship, and it is within this dynamic that we find the transformative power to break the chains that hinder the pursuit of knowledge and self-discovery.

One constant in the ever-changing world of education is accommodating students’ different learning requirements. Remedial classes have developed as an important instrument for closing educational gaps and promoting academic improvement. Students who underwent remedial classes need to be properly evaluated whether they reach teacher’s expectation on them.

In Valenzuela National High School, projects are created to help students cope in their academic subjects. Students who are experiencing academic difficulties can benefit from these by accommodating individual learning styles and by providing concentrated instruction and personalized attention, but do students fully understand key concepts that may have escaped them in a regular classroom setting, so as how customized method can truly address urgent academic obstacles that lays a solid foundation for future learning?

My only concern is that time and effort are at stake on these projects, yet the most significant advantages of remedial classes and their capacity to quickly identify and solve learning gaps are not properly

resolved and given much attention. Truly, early intervention is critical in preventing academic failures from becoming long-term barriers. Remedial programs can identify specific areas of weakness, allowing teachers to employ tailored tactics to assist students in catching up and staying on track with their fellow learners. Not only that, but there should also ‘concern’ and ‘compassion’ to these learners and a sense of continuity to followup which play a vital role to make this remediation possible.

Furthermore, they say remedial sessions help to create a more inclusive educational environment. This inclusiveness not only enhances kids’ confidence but also creates a positive attitude towards learning,

supporting a growth mindset that transcends beyond the remedial environment. But there’s always this point of inclusivity if there’s fairness, beforehand in classrooms, teachers often neglect that not all students are good on their subjects, why not give adjust their activity in a lesson, depending on the students’ level of understanding. In the first place, they should know the abilities and capabilities of their students.

Finally, improved academic outcomes, dealt with compassion, indeed lessen the usefulness of remedial classes. Beyond grades, the positive impact influences students’ attitudes about education and empowers them to take an active role in their learning journey that starts in an actual classroom setting.

n any educational institution like Valenzuela National High School (ValNat), the guidance office is an important center for addressing student concerns, providing support, and fostering a healthy learning environment. However, recent statistics indicate a significant increase in specific situations submitted to the guidance office, putting light on underlying concerns that require our attention.

According to Sharon P. Ventura, guidance counselor at ValNat, one of the most urgent issues is the increasing rise in mental health-related occurrences brought by expectations of academic success, peer pressure, and adolescent problems all contribute to increase student stress levels.

Anxiety, despair, and burnout are becoming increasingly common concerns, necessitating a proactive and comprehensive approach to mental health assistance in the school community.

Bullying and relationship issues are another type of issues that flood the guidance office.

In a world dominated by social media, student interactions have changed, opening new opportunities for bullying and cyberbullying. As for me, to handle and avoid such events, the guidance office must adjust to these changes by creating strong anti-bullying programs, encouraging empathy, and promoting an inclusive atmosphere.

Academic difficulties continue to be the most

common reason for students seeking advice. The increased academic demands and expectations might cause emotions of failure and frustration.

What I believe about this, identifying students in danger of falling behind early on, giving additional resources, and encouraging a growth mentality can all assist in reducing academic concerns reported to the guidance office.

Furthermore, the number of substance abuse cases has increased, which is alarming. Schools must improve their preventive education efforts by raising awareness about the dangers of substance addiction and making resources available to those in need.

Likewise, to manage these surges successfully, schools must take a comprehensive and coordinated strategy. Strengthening collaboration among the guidance office, teachers, parents, and mental health specialists might result in a support network that addresses the root causes of these reported cases.

hoosing the right course or picking a college is one of the most important decisions a graduating Senior High School could ever make in his/her life and being afraid to make the wrong decision is a valid concern children choose to pursue.

Do parents have a key role to play in the decision-making and the general career path their children choose to pursue; but how involved should they be in this decisionmaking process?

Ensuring that their children are set up for a successful career, future financial security and a good quality of life is a pressing challenge for every parent. The children will need advice and guidance even if they don’t like to admit it! How can parents help their young person with their choices?

Parents determining their child’s career can harmfully damage the welfare of the young ones. Aid but not dictate in the decision-making process is the best. The pressure that they receive from adults can cause them to lose confidence within

themselves. It can also negatively affect their mental health and may trigger depression.

In addition, if students choose the course they want, they should consider their interests and capabilities. They should take their time undergoing this process and should do it with all care. Thus, they would instill a responsible and mature outlook and an attitude of self-belief by being positive and never critical – as a parent their words will have the biggest effect on their child.

If the decision is heavily swayed by parental preference, the children may end up following a vocation that, deep down, they aren’t interested in. At the same time, without practical guidance and support when pursuing

interests, poor choices can be made. For me, each child is an individual in their own way, and so may possess different skills and abilities from their parents. Adopting a similar career role to either of their parents may not be the right course of action.

Parents will often say things such as “pick a course you think you’ll like” or “why don’t you apply for this job”. Though it may seem they’re doing the right thing in terms of steering me in the right direction, parents also need to understand that their children need space and time to discover what they truly want to pursue.

Though parents always have the best interests for their children, but as for pressuring their children to meet these expectations.

As far as I’m concerned, implementing proactive programs that promote mental health, educate conflict resolution skills, and establish a positive school culture can help to create a better and more supportive learning environment.

Eventually, the increase in cases reported to the guidance office demonstrates the growing issues that Junior and Senior High Schoolers confront today. By recognizing these challenges and adopting focused interventions, schools can promote a caring atmosphere.

Finally, the guidance office is an important part of this process, acting as a foundation for promoting student well-being and achievement in any educational institution, as to adhere with the DepEd mission, to protect and promote the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete basic education where: Students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe, and motivating environment. Teachers facilitate learning and constantly nurture every learner.

Vox Populi

What are the implications of an ever-changing curriculum to students?

Curriculum (Noun)

• the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college. refers to an interactive system of instruction and learning with specific goals, contents, strategies, measurement, and resources.

“Ever-changing curriculum for me would be hard. If the curriculum is changed from time to time, we learners would need to always adjust, affecting the effectiveness of the curriculum. If it would not retain to one for a long time, it might as well cause no improvement on the quality of education and confusion might arise.

Raven Yha Cruz, 10-Capillary

“As for the students, they can explore new learning strategies, however, it can also take time to adapt the ever-changing curriculum. Students can also face difficulties in understanding the new curriculum.”

Aby Nouel Gonzales, 9-Reflex

“It might be more difficult for students to understand the new curriculum because since it’s ever-changing, students need to adjust once again to what is all about.”

Yohan Nouel Gonzales, 7-Filter

“Having a curriculum that ever-changing has its good and bad effects. It’s good for staying updated but can be tricky for students and teachers to handle. The important step is finding a balance, so students can cope with the latest, without being too hard for them.”

Daeniel Marajas, 11-STEM Curie

“Students, of course, will benefit from an everchanging curriculum. It will be more adequate as we work to keep up with modernization. There’ll be more effective strategies which will give us more opportunities for our growth and development, that would help us to other aspects of our lives.”

MATATAG stood for, “Make the curriculum relevant to produce job-ready, Active and responsible citizens; TAke steps to accelerate the delivery of basic education services and provision facilities; TAke good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusiveness learning, and positive learning environment; and give support for teachers to teach better.”

For me, teachers, even without MATATAG have their initiative to teach at the outmost of their ability, and they take good care of each student at school, but as for the support, don’t think this new curriculum can be an agent of change. It’s another one of the promises made to be broken.

According to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) the MATATAG curriculum is primarily designed to address the challenges of the current K to 12, such as the congested content, misplaced prerequisite learning competencies, and cognitive demand imbalance. In other words, the new curriculum strives to improve what the previous curriculum was supposed to achieve. That’s something ridiculous and irrelevant. How about if at the start, after a year of its implementation, negative issues appeared, work becomes overloaded, workload gets overwhelming for both learners and teachers, and many more…and the solution? Change the curriculum?

In the new curriculum, it says Mother Tongue wouldn’t be relevant for Grades 1- 3. It will be used as a framework for the subject Language instead, which focuses more

Throughout the years, Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) has produced students with skilled capabilities, talents, and intellect. Now, we’re in the middle of a transition, wherein online media platforms have a huge role to play for students. As a student, saw a lot of cybercrimes, such as bullying which takes place online and has a huge impact on the victims’ mental health. I am writing this letter to request you to help us to have a more secure, cautious, and friendly environment for the students, not only inside our campus but also on online media platforms. Moreover, the Supreme Secondary Learner Government (SSLG) and other different organizations in our school really appreciate working with you. I truly believe that ValNat will always soar high. Thank you for considering my letter. God bless us all.

on learning the English language. Students nowadays are only familiar with slang and colloquial Filipino terms. The exclusion of this subject would mean lessening the importance of using the native language in their learning. Literacy is something of utmost important in every human being. It allows to express his/her thoughts, provide information, and make people clearly understand what he/ she wants them to understand. Being literate in all aspects should be the focus of any curriculum.

According to International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction (IJCI), the Philippines ranked the lowest in reading comprehension worldwide, with an international score of 340, the lowest in all countries participated, not only that, IJCI also revealed that Filipinos struggled at three basic subjects: Mathematics, Science, and Language. It is demoralizing to hear something like this, since it also reveals that there’s something wrong with the way these students are taught in schools, but I’m sure, it’s not because of the curriculum.

In every school like Valenzuela National High School, each student wants to learn the basics, explore more what is at present and tries to be ready to whatever the educational institution dictates. As a law-abiding student at this school, stand firm to say that

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) is also known as Conditional Cash Transfer, started in 2008 as a poverty-alleviation program of the national government. The program selects families who most need assistance and provides them with a minimum monthly stipend of PhP 800, PhP 500 for health and nutrition, and PhP 300 for the education of children aged three to 14. It improves the lives of the most vulnerable families at

The program aims to provide financial assistance to poor families who meet certain conditions, such as sending their children to school or having regular medical check-ups. By doing so, it breaks the vicious cycle of intergenerational poverty. But as the program evolved over the years, it sparked a heated debate about whether the 4Ps were truly a blessing or a curse to many. Recently, Valenzuela City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) reminded beneficiaries of 4Ps in Valenzuela City to refrain from pawning their cash cards.

CSWDO Officer-in-Charge, Ms. Dorothy Evangelista said that her office has received reports about beneficiaries borrowing money from “loan sharks” with their cash cards as collateral. As consequence, they become willing victims to the high interests charged against the small amount that they receive from the program.

The office is now intensifying efforts to instill on beneficiaries the purpose of the program to keep them from pawning their cash cards.

According to Evangelista there are 11,288 beneficiary families in Valenzuela City, 774

of which are from Valenzuela National High School.

The conditions attached to cash transfers also encourage families to invest in their children's long-term welfare, thereby helping to break the cycle of poverty in the long term. Additionally, the 4Ps have been successful in increasing school enrollment and attendance rates among disadvantaged children. Like for instance in ValNat, absenteeism lessens because

President of the Philippines and Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) Sara Duterte launched the MATATAG curriculum on August 10, 2023, in Pasay

YASMINE NAOMI ANNE MADAMBA

Dear Editor,

Aliah Lopez, 10-Catalyst

According to him, he is the appointed Son of God, Lucifer’s Conqueror, and the owner of the universe: a serene divine figure who can stop earthquakes, defeat Satan, and bring light to the day. A leader characterized by a confident demeanor and a commanding presence, often drawing people in with his powerful speeches and promises of salvation.

He was brought into the world as the “messiah” on the 25th of April 1950, in the home of durian and Mount Apo, Davao City. Unlike Jesus, who grappled with poverty, this godly character was born with a golden spoon and did not shy away from grandeur. It was on April 13, 2005, when he proclaimed that God appointed him as “Christ on earth.” Being this heavenly personage, he was able to live a lavish life, surrounded by million-worth of cars, private jets, and planes. With countless real estate mansions and a bed of paper bills, no one would ever think that he knows how to do household chores because everything was done for him. These assets, as he believes, were given and provided to him by God himself.

However, that is not the end of it. He stands in the spotlight through his multimedia franchise. The Sonshine Media Network International, where he preaches. He possesses an undeniable charm and charisma that captivates his followers and attracts new believers. His persuasive speaking style and confident delivery make him a compelling figure to many who cling steadfastly to his teachings.

As the light that he once shone starts to dim, revealing his dark side and marking the beginning of doomsday, the rotten identity that he masked so deeply starts to present itself. And he finds himself entangled in a web of controversy with allegations of financial impropriety, exploitation of followers, and human rights abuses.

The 73-year-old, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, commonly known as Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, founder of the ‘Kingdom of Jesus Christ’ (JKC), a religion with over four million followers. His once-honorable name “Quiboloy”, the man of the hour, becomes synonymous with moral ambiguity as conversations on the street continue to be the talk of the town,

The whole nation continues to watch his never- ending drama unfold as the courtroom becomes a battleground where truth clashes with the orchestrated veneer of righteousness. He is now on the run, shying away from accusations in the highlands of Davao, praying for “divine guidance” as justice works its way against his sex trafficking allegations. As more and more atrocities start to be brought to light one by one, it unveils what goes on behind the sin.

“There exists emptiness within me. A huge hole in my heart. A void that can never be filled. This must be it, the outcome of having a broken family. It left a wound in my heart, mind, and soul that takes too long to heal. It scared me for life.”

parents. Blaming themselves for everything and questioning their worth and value.

“It was all my fault”

“Am not lovable?”

Trust Issues

soon stop loving their families, and stop loving themselves.

Self guilt and insecurity

Children who grew up in a broken family tend to hold themselves accountable for the parting of their

“Was not enough for them to stay?” These echoes in their minds affect them. It holds them captive, and it makes the child’s insecurity much worse. It eats them up, making them lose confidence and trust in themselves. They carry their childhood trauma until they’re grownups constantly fearing abandonment so they try so hard to please other people disregarding themselves.

Children who grew up in a problematic upbringing tend to have difficulties trusting other people. They consistently think that other people would hurt them if they let them in their lives. This results in them finding it hard to open up to others which affects their relationships. They have constant doubts about the people around them, even those who genuinely just want to love them, which leads to them finding it difficult to sustain relationships.

Anxiety and Depression

Some children who grow up in an incomplete family express their inner distress by being aggressive and releasing all their anger to others in an abusive way. Others even resort to adopting negative behaviors such as using illegal drugs and rebelling. It is the result of parents’ neglect. It bottle up all the negative emotions that they feel. These pent-up emotions then grow until it becomes a monster that eats their soul

alive. This suppression of emotions leads them to developing depression. They start to lose interest in everything. As time passes by these children are ignored, they start having suicidal thoughts because they think that everything would be better without them. They start to look at themselves as a burden. To end the pain they choose to put an end to everything. It is the children who are affected the most when their parents split up. It causes detrimental impacts to their mental well-being snowballing affecting other aspects of their life that is why it is important for parents to understand that if separation is needed in their relationship and it is inevitable it is fine and valid however it is also important to provide the children with adequate support and attention to properly grasp the weight of the situation so that they wouldn’t grow up with a healthy heart and mind.

The death toll among Palestinians living in Gaza has risen to nearly 24,000 as Israel unleashed more than 65,000 tonnes of bombs on the besieged enclave and its population of 2.3 million people trapped in less than 400sq kilometres.

Israel’s assault on Gaza began on October 7, in response to an attack by armed fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas and other Palestinian groups. Some 1,140 people died during the attack and about 240 were taken into Gaza as captives.

In present-day Israel, every passing second carries the weight of an escalating conflict. As the clock ticks, it doesn’t just mark time; it marks the rising intensity of the war. The air is filled with frightening sounds—bombs exploding, gunfire echoing, sirens blaring, and the cries of those caught in the chaos.

With each tick of the clock, lives are changed. Families seek safety from the violence that engulfs their homeland. The loud destruction reminds everyone of how fragile peace is and how harsh war can be.

As the world watches, unable to intervene, the number of casualties grows. Every tick of the clock means more lives lost. Streets bear witness to the pain, and the nation mourns the senseless loss caused by the cruelty of war.

Amid this turmoil, there’s a realization that time, as a witness and judge, will tell the story of this war. The clock’s ticking serves as a reminder that, despite the destruction, the determination to uphold positions rather than seek peace continues. Humanity’s inclination to hold onto beliefs instead of embracing understanding prolongs the suffering.

Only time will unveil the end of this painful chapter in Israel’s history. The hope persists that, as time passes, humanity might find a way to overcome the destructive tendencies that fuel conflict. The clock silently witnesses stories of resilience, bravery, and the enduring spirit of those who dream of a future where the sounds of peace drown out the echoes of war to keeping God promised Israel this land.

architect of growth and development, defying the constraints of stagnation and bringing color to our monotonous lives. It is a butterfly that emerges from a cocoon that went through various processes to become the beauty that it is.

Yet, change is not always a gentle breeze nor a warm sunny day. Sometimes it is a storm; a typhoon. It destroys the fortress of familiarity. The world that was once painted in vibrant hues of stability becomes a bleak canvas, full of uncertainties.

Like the whisper of change stirred the political landscape through charter change. The people of the nation engaged in discussions about the potential transformation or cause of the nation’s downfall. In the hallowed halls of government, lawmakers navigated the delicate dance of amending the constitution. As an ink met paper, the narrative of the Philippines' governance unfolded, a story waiting to be rewritten. The 1987 Philippine Constitution has served as the pillar of the nation. It acts as a sword that grits its sharp blade to those who intend to take advantage of the people and a shield that protects the citizens against any discrimination, safeguarding the rights of every Filipino. There are two roads to take that would both lead to this change. Congress, through a vote of three-fourths of all members, can convene into a Constituent Assembly, or through a People’s Initiative that can propose amendments only through a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters.

Differing views and opinions finds its way crawling from the soil. Some argued for a more decentralized system, envisioning empowered local governments fostering community-driven progress. Others championed economic reforms, aiming to fortify the nation's resilience in the global arena.

However, the shadows of doubt begin to crawl as orchestrated change becomes a weapon for those in power to cripple the people. This raises questions regarding the naked truth about the motives for this dance of cha-cha. The change whispers promises of progress but screams in the language of loss.

As the Philippines continues the voyage, deliberating where to anchor. The Filipino people should be well aware that the next chapters in our nation's story will be determined by the choices that they make and so wherever the constitutional brush lays its strokes the solidarity of the Filipinos will navigate through it all.

DAENIEL MARAJAS

His learning haven

Where he usually sat down and felt the whiff of the fresh air as it gently caressed his face. The emerald, green leaves of the oak tree danced in the melody of the wind as the birds and cicadas sang a harmonious song. It becomes his place to free his mind off all the stress he’s under. It a place of relaxation that helped him create a positive outlook on studying.

Many students, not only him, also find the enforcement of the study hub a great idea for its fully furnished tables and seats by which one can comfortably spend one’s time. During breaktime, he and with other students dressed in their royal blue uniforms flock to this place to eat, chitchat, and do their schoolwork.

At daytime, he finds comfort looking at the leaves of the trees that surround the study hub that provide shade to deflect the bright rays of the sun, while

at sunset, when the moon starts to rise, that’s when the fluorescent bulbs light up that pleases everyone’s eyes. These lights provide enough luminescence to the area just as the stars shine bright in the darkness.

It became his solace. A place where he can release all his emotional frustration.

His anxiety lessens. It’s majestic, filled with kaleidoscope-colored banners which contained quotes of motivation and support to continue learning that brings warmth to his heart just like a hug from a friend or the aroma of his favorite drink or the melody of his most-loved song.

A haven for learning, it is what a study hub for him where he and his friends hangout for group study. It gives them freedom to share and collaborate ideas. It creates a positive environment where they can focus on their studies and disregard other environmental distractions. It allows them to pause and

take time to relax then continue once again to prevent them from burn out. The creation of this stress-free environment surely helped in keeping them sane despite the struggles they face. Here, friendship develops, and grades improve. Most of the time it calms the storm in his minds.

It provides safety, security, and warmth where one grows and develops himself.

His academic journey isn’t a bed of roses, he faces countless battles and hardships, defeating monstrous homework, quizzes, and activities to move on to a new level, the study hub became his resting zone, sort of checkpoint where he can recharge himself to regain energy and continue fighting until the end.

the ‘Lib’

The familiar scent, the rusty shelves, and the dusty old books full of neverending stories and chronicles. A little room where everything begins, as the knowledge forms and new ideas are born. A room where learning starts, inside Valenzuela National High School’s library.

Usually, a library is filled with thousands of pieces of information and knowledge. Yet, for the past few years, its purpose has not been for the students to read and learn from, but to collect dust and a few other dirt in the room. Though, the busy librarian comes in sometimes, and a few more students who take care of the library are always there to make sure it's presentable once a student decides to take a book from one of the old shelves and read it... that happens once in a blue moon.

It is only often used for training, remediation, and competitions. Merely an event’s place. A location for meetings. Not a place to read. Well, not anymore. Even though you can still learn inside its four enlightening walls, just not with the help of its dusty old books who are sitting and waiting for a long time. A chance of them being scanned through by a student is one out of ten. Maybe students are now too busy using their gadget to research. This hub of information has long been forgotten by almost everyone, except for the busy librarian and the students who clean it every after class. It is now nothing, but an old dusty room filled with books, that hold no sense nor power, without readers who will seize the beauty and knowledge it accommodates.

The familiar scent, the rusty shelves, and the dusty old books full of never-ending stories and chronicles should be encountered and experienced by everyone. Every superficial world on each page should be visited and explored by learners. The blue moons should come more often. And the students should utilize and learn from the four enlightening walls of the school library. Have some time to visit and explore what books are there to enjoy and to learn.

Unheard Melody

In the quietude of the early morning, she begins her day, a symphony of domesticity and dedication. As a teacher, mother, and, wife her life is an intricate dance of responsibilities, each role demanding her time, attention, and love. The dawn chorus of her home finds her in the kitchen, preparing meals and tidying up, while her family slumbers, oblivious to the symphony of their daily lives.

As the sun ascends, casting a golden hue on the horizon, she shifts her focus to her professional life. With a steaming cup of coffee in hand, she delves into her work from home, grading papers, and planning lessons. The ever-changing curriculums present a challenge, but she embraces it as an opportunity to grow and adapt, ensuring her students receive the best education possible. But the melody of her life takes a discordant turn as she grapples with the demands of her additional role as a tutor. While the extra income provides a financial lifeline, it often comes at the expense of time with her family, leaving her torn between her commitments and

As the day progresses, she transitions from her home office to the classroom, where she continues her symphony of teaching, inspiring, and nurturing young minds. Her dedication to her students is unwavering, but the weight of her responsibilities begins to take

the final

Wheel he make it

No one has an idea on how the trending topic about jeepney phaseout would end. Same as the apology note that her father writes every day. Apologizing that everything is the same as yesterday, but never fails to hope that he’ll earn more with his jeepney on the road.

As she waits for a jeepney to go to school, she hopes that she won’t come across her father. Not because she’s shy or embarrassed every time he stops in front of her and calls her miss beautiful, but because her way to school is completely out of her father’s route. Gas would only be wasted, and wheels would only get worn out.

But today is her usual day. As she was running late, waiting for a jeepney, her father comes to the rescue, and greets her with all the joy he can show on his face. She smiles as wide as she can, and rides on the empty passenger’s seat. She sneaks in her fare, so they won’t have an argument about it again. It was a silent ride, except for the crying baby and the chatty passengers.

She and her dad never talk seriously about things even before her mother died a year ago, but she hopes it would stay that way, though there’s silence, still it would remain the same, her father can’t afford to buy a new jeepney or modernize his old. Starting April 30, 2024, all traditional jeepneys would not be allowed on roads. They will be counted as ‘colorums’

or unregistered and illegal, that includes her father’s.

Though, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) requested jeepney drivers to join cooperatives, yet she doesn’t know what her father will do; all she needs is to trust him heartily more so after its phase out.

As she reaches the shop near school, she rushes to buy what she needs, choosing to buy the cheapest out of all the sets of pencils. Then, she stops in front of the shelf. Staring at a set of pad paper, and at her wallet she only has 20 pesos. She feels sad, then leaves the shop. She’s a minute late to school, because she keeps on thinking and worrying of what would happen to her father after April 30. Hence, her day is going on as it usually does, yet,her father remains calm and apologizing on his note.

YASMINE NAOMI ANNE MADAMBA

SELINA OLGA SANTIAGO

In photo: VIEM EZEKIEL SANTOS

According to hopkinsmedicine.org., sleep is important for teens because it is how the bodies repair themselves. Sleeping can prevent infections and mood problems, rebuild our muscles, and can even help the brain work better and focus, prevent mood problems, and help the bodies function better.

What if in the middle of your sleep, you encounter sleep paralysis? What will you do?

Sleep paralysis, as www.healthline.com believes is a temporary inability to move or speak that occurs directly after falling asleep or waking up. It is a condition marked by a brief loss of muscle control, known as atonia- people often experience hallucinations during episodes of sleep paralysis.

This condition is considered parasomnia, which is an abnormal behavior during sleep. Because it is linked to the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of the sleep cycle.

Researchers believe sleep paralysis can occur at any age, but first symptoms often show up in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood. After starting during teenage years, episodes may occur more frequently in a person’s 20s and 30s. People also report difficulty breathing, chest pressure, and distressing emotions like panic or helplessness during sleep paralysis episodes. It is common to feel excessively sleepy or fatigued the day after experiencing sleep paralysis.

The exact cause of sleep paralysis is unknown. Studies have analyzed data to determine what heightens one’s risk of sleep paralysis and have found mixed results. Based on those findings, researchers believe that multiple factors are involved in the onset of sleep paralysis.

How do you get out of sleep paralysis?

News- medical.net said in an article published, written by Cashmere Lashkari, sleeping on the side, instead of on the back, as the condition is triggered while sleeping on the back for most people. During a sleep paralysis attack, try to stay calm and concentrate on your breathing. Understanding what is happening helps release the paralysis faster. Focus on making one small muscle move. It is also important to give importance to sleep hygiene. Consistency is key in maintaining sleep hygiene. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day regulates your circadian rhythm, signaling to your body when it's time to wind down or wake up. This reinforces the body's natural sleep cycle, creating a more refreshing sleep experience.

Begin the journey to a good night's sleep by transforming your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary. Invest in a comfortable mattress, ensuring it aligns with your preferred level of firmness. Set the thermostat to a crisp, cool 18.3°C, as research suggests that a cooler environment promotes better and sound sleep.

Sir Doods, A Good Dude

At the early hour of 6 a.m., as the gentle sunlight bathes the surroundings in a soft glow, as gaze is directed towards a remarkable language educator who’s holding a long stick while teaching (where he was known for). A person with a good memory despite his age and a longtime emcee of graduation and programs at Valenzuela National High School.

He has that beacon of brilliance whose aura radiates not only his knowledge but also memories and a profound, lasting impact on th known; it echoes through Valenzuela National High School alumni family, where he is commended for his lasting influence. His legacy as an iconic English teacher will be remembered for generations to come.

Over his remarkable 35-year career, he’s not only imparted knowledge but also inspired countless students with his passion for literature and language. His dedication to education has left an indelible mark to the institution, shaping minds, and fostering a love for learning. As he embarks on a well-deserved retirement, his impact will continue to resonate in the hearts and minds of those he has mentored.

“I guess it's my passion for teaching. I really enjoy doing it. Yes, teaching is not easy profession, it's tiring but fulfilling,” as he once said. The calling for teaching came naturally for him. His commitment to teaching stems from a genuine passion that has been guiding him throughout his career.

Despite the inherent fatigue that comes with teaching, his dedication remained unwavering, driven by the fulfillment derived from nurturing the intellectual growth of his students. At the same time, his students weren’t the only individuals who grew as a person. He gathered priceless skills that you can only gain from first-hand experience, along with the hearts of students he has ultimately bonded with. He learned with them as they have learned from him. Now, as he sails into the sunset of retirement, he is throwing confetti in the air.

The man is on cloud nine, knowing he's left an everlasting mark on minds, like a literary superhero. Contentment resides in

HELP LINE

For this issue, let’s help a Grade 9 student who has been experiencing depression for a year now, let’s call her “Michelle” not her real name.

By

Worst Offender foods for mental health

Based on Dr. Raul Rodriguez blog at www.delraybeachpsychiatrist.com, we are what we eat! Many mental health studies have recently examined the link between diet and psychological wellness. There are some best foods to eat, but there are also certain foods to avoid when struggling with anxiety or depression. Here are some of the worst foods for mental health:

Soda

There is no nutritional benefit to drinking soda, either regular or diet. The high amounts of sugar in regular soda can cause blood pressure to spike, which can impact the brain. There have also been studies that linked soda consumption to depression. The caffeine in many soda brands can also be bad for you if you’re someone who struggles with anxiety.

White Bread

It’s time to reconsider what kind of toast you have with your sandwiches. White bread is made from heavily processed white flour, which is quickly turned into sugar by your body. This can create energy spikes and crashes that are bad for both anxiety and depression. Try swapping out your white bread for whole grain.

Coffee

Caffeine addictions are so common today we rarely talk about them. While a cup of coffee, or two… or three, in the morning, may feel like a regular routine, it may be negatively impacting your mental health. Caffeine can make you feel jittery and nervous, and it also leads to withdrawals and impacts sleep patterns. Try switching to decaf or swapping coffee with tea, which has lower levels of caffeine.

Fried Foods

They say deep-frying anything makes it better, but while the food’s taste may improve, the impact it will have on your body does not. Not only are fried foods bad for physical health, but they’ll also negatively impact your mental health. They contain high levels of unhealthy fats and sodium, which have been linked to mood changes, irritability, and decreased energy levels.

Energy Drinks

We’ve all hit that wall of tiredness before, but maybe don’t chug an energy drink next time that happens. These drinks have been known to cause irregular heart rhythms, anxiety, and sleep issues. These beverages have extremely high levels of caffeine, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. Drinking water and eating whole fruit, is a better way of giving your body natural energy.

Alcohol

It’s not uncommon for people with mental health issues to turn to alcohol as a form of self-medication. Alcohol also impacts normal sleep routines and causes dehydration that can make symptoms like irritability and sluggishness worse. People with existing mental health issues are more likely to develop alcohol dependency than the rest of the population. Don’t use it to medicate your mental health issues!

Avoid eating these foods to not make things more complicated. Your depression will be healed in time as long as you stay positive and eat the right food to help you recover. Bye for now, Help Line is just one message away, ‘Till the next issue of The Weavers.

She said that whenever she feels the feeling of extreme loneliness and seems no one cares, she tends to eat more, but she doesn’t know what not to eat at her state. Well ‘Michelle’ here are the foods that you should not eat: Message me here yasminenaomiannem@gmail.com

It’s the crunch that counts

Chelsea Formilleza, a Grade 9 student at Valenzuela National High School, loves to eat fried chicken twice a week, she enjoys eating the chicken skin the most because of its crunchiness and taste.

Though, chicken skin has had a bad rap for being high in fat.

But most of it is healthy, unsaturated fat—and cooking with the skin keeps the chicken flavorful and moist, so no need to add as much salt or use a breaded coating. That’s why Chelsea always requests her mom not to over-fry her favorite part because according to study it can reduce the nutritional value and can be harmful to health.

skin

could be harmful to health. When preparing chicken dishes, you are often advised to remove the skin completely. However, according to many current studies, it is confirmed that chicken skin is not completely bad food. In fact, 30g of chicken skin will contain 8g of unsaturated fat and 3g of saturated fat. Eating chicken skin can be good if you eat it right or bad if eaten the wrong way. Because most of the fat in chicken skin is unsaturated fat which is very beneficial for heart health. At the same time, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, unsaturated fats can help prevent and reduce blood cholesterol and stabilize blood pressure. So, in cooking chicken, leave a piece of skin behind. In addition, leaving the chicken skin on when preparing food will help increase the flavor and sweetness of the dish and help the chicken retain water. Besides, chicken skin has more omega-6 than other meats, thus increasing the risk of inflammation in the body. If used correctly, chicken skin can provide some health benefits, but eat it in moderation. It can be eaten once a week. When cooked, chicken with the skin absorbs less oil than chicken without the skin. Moreover, like what happened to Chelsea eating chicken with skin makes her eat better and

In an endless rambling world of academia, students often find themselves facing a myriad of challenges. One that seems to have the power to restrain the flowing life of the students is nothing, but the disruptive and bothersome flu called Walking Pneumonia. It is indeed a milder form of pneumonia, but its effects are drastically disturbing, affecting not just the physical health of students, but also their academic performance and emotional well-being.

According to UNILAB, Walking Pneumonia, commonly known as Atypical Pneumonia, is a lung infection usually triggered by Mycoplasma pneumoniae; a bacterium that affects the lining of the respiratory system. And what makes it different from the actual Pneumonia is that Walking Pneumonia is typically mild, presenting low fever and a dry cough. Based on research, symptoms may include cough, fever, sore throat, headache, runny nose, ear pain, and chest pain from coughing. It spreads through airborne droplets from close contact, such as coughing, sneezing, sharing foods with saliva in, and even speaking.

In Valenzuela National High School (ValNat), wherein there’s thousands

of students ,many of them suffer from persistent coughs and colds nowadays, it’s possible that half of the percentage of students already have walking pneumonia without them knowing it, which makes it more difficult not only for their physical health but also for the people around them who can be infected at any time.

It’s sorrowful to observe that a simple cough and colds can make their lives miserable, although mild, there’s still a lot of chances that they can develop to a more severe form of Pneumonia.

As a student who experienced this long journey of disease, Marchella Mae Cruz of 7-Filter, considers it as indeed a disturbance in her life, especially in her academic performance wherein she needs to isolate herself to recover

faster. This kind of pneumonia started off as a dry cough and fever, but as time goes by, it’s getting worse that she can’t even sleep at night due to uncontrollable coughing which stays her a month to recover.

Given this rationale, Marchella learns several preventive measures to avoid contracting this illness:

• When coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with tissue, the main cause of Walking Pneumonia is airborne.

• With or without symptoms of Walking Pneumonia, remain wearing a mask to avoid having infections or infecting others.

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds; you can use alcohol and hand sanitizer as an alternative.

• Don’t smoke, and don’t allow others to smoke around you. Although walking pneumonia may be considered mild, its effects can still be bothersome. Taking preventive measures should be considered to avoid worsening and ending up in misery.

ABY NOUELE GONZALES

MIGUEL NIKO LEIGH DE GUZMAN

XYRIL RAINE ORQUEZA

Yasmine Naomi Madamba

SHS stude creates Robot to encourage water conservation; wins Regional Level

Noaxy Cabalfin from 12-STEM Maxwell of Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) together with his trainer, Arvin Austria, ranked 4th in the Science and Technology Fair 2023 for the LIKHA-SHS Robotics and Intelligent Machines individual category, Regional Level held at Muntinlupa National High School last December 1-2.

The highlight robot innovation, IdRAW or Identification Regulated Access of Water, employed identification to gain access to the water, and the robot dispenser provides the necessary volume of water as needed by a person through barcode mechanisms that encourage water conservation.

Cabalfin stated that Austria first approached him to introduce the robot concept, explaining to him the functions, framework, and ideal programming required for the robot, which eventually made him engaged to undertake the opportunity of joining the contest.

“The project conceptualization, building, trial and error, name development, scouting of a

prospected interested researcher, data gathering for the research paper, and competition oral defense practices happened from August to September,” Austria said. Moreover, he added that they revised their paper before the regional level following the division research committee and panels' comments and suggestions to prepare further before the actual competition.

“Setting eyes on the research judges and panels during the division meet and facing off with the participants from renowned familiar schools, such as Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science (ValMaSci), had made us feel slight tension and nervousness in the beginning, that eventually

lead to ease and vigor as we clutch triumph with our placements until the regionals”, Cabalfin added.

Before they competed in the Regional level, they undergone the District level last September 28-29 at Malanday National High School, and the Dvision level last October 5-6 at Dalandanan National High School where they both won the first place.

ValNat hosts Brainiac Competition: Clash of the Sci-Tech Champs

Selina

Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) competed for Brainiac Competition: Battle of the Champs held last February 3 at ValNat.

The team from ValNat together with their coach, Hazel Dawn Pascubillo, a teacher in Science was qualified as one of the top 16 schools of CAMANAVA cluster.

They had series of qualifying rounds for each cluster to determine which schools will advance to the Brainiac Finals. Each city from each cluster is allowed to have a maximum of 10 participating teams for the Junior High School and Senior High School categories.

It was emphasized that this academic competition is open for high school students in public and private schools within the National Capital Region (NCR) in its four listed clusters (1) CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Valenzuela, Navotas), MUNTAPARLAS (Muntinlupa, Taguig, Pateros, Parañaque, Las Piñas), PAMAMARISAN (Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, San Juan), and PAMAMAZON (Pasay, Makati, Manila, Quezon City)

The cluster qualifiers began with a written examination for both JHS and SHS categories where the top 5 schools of each city advanced to the finals of the qualifiers: Junior High: 30 items (15 Science, 15 Math), Senior High: 30 items (10 Science, 10 Math, 10 Research)

For the finals of the cluster qualifiers, for both JHS and SHS categories, each team was provided with a white board and marker to write their answers. Each round, a quiz master asked questions to the participants, and answered in 10 to 120 seconds, depending on the level of difficulty. The top 16 performing schools based on points (per cluster), will advance to the Brainiac Finals on March 16, 2024.

Its prize and awards were medals and certificates of merit. Participants who qualify in the final round will receive awards in the form of gold, silver, and bronze medals, and certificates of merit depending on the group's total scores.

The basis for recognition will be Gold: at least 175 points; Silver 156 to 174 points; Bronze: 125 to 155 points and Merit Certificates: 100 to 124 points

The top five (5) participating schools will receive cash and sponsored prizes in each category:

Top 1 Performing School: Php 50,000.00

Top 2 Performing School: Php 30,000.00

Top 3 Performing School: Php 20,000.00

Top 4 and 5 Performing Schools: Non-cash sponsored prizes

Based on the invitation letter sent to ValNat,

The often affected by flooding is BBB along Macarthur highway due to its location near the Tullahan River and the Malabon-Navotas River System's floodplains. Mostly, a huge part of BBB is already gutter to knee-deep, that makes it not passable to any kind of transportation

Thus, students and teachers from Valenzuela National High School are having a hard time coping up at this kind of situation, more so if the classes are not declared suspended, they still need to go to school even they become wet and go down in the flood.

They tend to get sick the day after they were soaked and became wet due to flood and heavy rains. This issue should be given proper attention to prevent this from happening. An early announcement of classroom suspension or immediate action towards better solution. Look for the possible causes or factors why this is always the case.

Environmental factors, such a wrong practice of waste management has resulted in the failure of drainage systems so flooding in urban areas is worrisome. Based on the study by the Valenzuela City Environment and Natural Resources Office, the wrong disposal of the garbage is the impact of urban flooding. How can it be solved? It should start from every home. People from the community need to be educated on this matter. But though they are informed, still there’s this kind of attitude of some who are not practicing the proper waste disposal.

According to Valenzuela City Pre-Feasibility Study on the

Integrated Flood Risk Management, the City of Valenzuela is in an area which is susceptible to frequent typhoons and intense tropical storms, its topographic characteristics show that about 25% of the city is below sea level making natural drainage very difficult. The combination of the above factors exposes Valenzuela City to frequent and severe flooding as the existing systems can no longer cope, in addition to the impacts due to climate change.

Besides the localised drainage problems, Valenzuela experiences heavy flooding when earth dikes along Meycauayan River… and along Santolan River under the jurisdiction of other cities, are breached. Tidal flooding is also known to occur in some of the downstream areas of the city like in Brgy. Marulas.

Knowing these causes, the authorities need to make an immediate action plan, to resolve easing damages caused by frequent flooding that the residents have long been suffering from, It can be recalled in July 2011, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian who was then the mayor that time appealed to the authorities to reconsider constructing the cancelled Valenzuela-Obando-Meycauayan (VOM) Flood Control Project, saying, without its implementation, the flood control efforts of the city will be useless and could only worsen the situation of the neighboring areas.

After eight years, the Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the City of Valenzuela

ROBOTurns detector

written by Lynelyn Trillana last January 26, Brand Activation Associate of Or Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Brainiac is an inter-school quiz bowl and robotics competition initiated by Hospital in 2023 with the aim of providing academic opportunities to junior and senior high school students across the National Capital Region, fostering an interest in pursuing careers in medicine and healthcare. In its second year, they are proud to announce their partnership with the Department of Education, making Brainiac even more significant and impactful.

Also, according to Trillana, Brainiac Challenge (Brainiac) is committed to increasing learners' interest in Science, Mathematics, Research, and Robotics. Brainiac Challenge is Lourdes Hospital's commitment to action.

It is an invitation for learners to explore Science and Technology and pursue their aspirations, a challenge to mentors and education providers to champion education and be active participants in building a more stable healthcare system, and finally, support to our government's call to action in building the capacities and capabilities of learners through various modalities.

residents.

inaugurated on April 6, 2019, the Wawang Pulo and Coloong pumping stations that will minimize flooding in the city’s low-lying areas, where most poor and vulnerable populations live. This can be considered sluggish in terms of planning and action among the authorities involved on this project.

Another is, rapid urbanization and population growth have led to the encroachment of settlements in flood-prone areas, increasing exposure to flood risks. The lack of proper infrastructure and housing standards by the informal settlers is further weakening. Moreover, ineffective urban planning and weak enforcement of zoning regulations are making the situation worse. `

In conclusion, addressing the vulnerability of flooding in Valenzuela requires a lot of approaches that addresses geographical, environmental, and human factors. Reforestation projects, better waste management practices, robust urban design, and community-based disaster readiness programs are examples of sustainable solutions important for reducing urban discharge risks. Furthermore, collaboration between government agencies, urban planners, community stakeholders, and the scientific community is essential to ensure the effective implementation of management steps. By prioritizing sustainable development and resilience-building measures, Valenzuela can improve the quality of life of its people and make the area safer from future disaster.

have cultural and environmental importance as pollinators and producers of honey and medicinal products. The movement of pollen between plants is necessary for plants to fertilize and reproduce.

IdRAW (Identification Regulated Access of Water), a robot innovation at Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) that dispenses water to containers with barcode.

How the IdRAW works?

IdRAW reads a presented bar code on the container. These two barcodes attached on user’s container one for cold and another for hot.

It detects the barcode for hot, the robot will turn the water dispenser until it fills the container with 200 ml of water enough to quench thirst. If the user is not satisfied with the amount, he may do another scan.

If the bar code for cold is detected by the robot the same actions will be done except for dispensing cold water.

How Effective is IDRAW?

Purpose of IdRAW:

It teaches users to lessen the dependence to single use plastic containers or bottled water and it decreases the amount of bottled water discarded in the place it is installed.

It also teaches the users the habit of bringing their own tumblers

Aside from that, it saves water through an efficient and consistent amount of dispensed water.

A Grade 12 student, Noaxy Cabalfin of ValNat with the guidance of his teacher- coach Arvin Austria created IDraw and eventually ranked 4th in the Science and Technology Fair 2023 for the LIKHA-SHS Robotics and Intelligent Machines individual category, Regional Level last December 1-2.

Effectiveness of the device from experimental and control group recorded through graphs:

In addition, as theologicaloptimist.com said bees teach humans on how to cooperate in everything they do. They also behave as if individuals’ matter, while at the same time keeping the common good of the hive as their priority. If one bee is suffering or falling behind, the others step up and do the work, making sure that collective productivity is never reduced.

However, not all times bees give positive vibes to environment, sometimes they can be the cause of undesirable reactions to humans, like what happened at Valenzuela National High School (ValNat). It was reported that Gerald Coral, a Grade 9 student, was a victim of a bee sting bite. This urged the school administration to suspend classes and opted for asynchronous classes to secure the safety of other students occupying the buildings due to bees’ infestation incident. Coral experienced pain, itching, swelling and redness at the sting

postulated by the Medical News Today, in most cases bee stings only cause minor discomfort, which can be alleviated by home remedies, but a severe allergic reaction to bee stings can include symptoms such as severe swelling of the face, lips, or throat, hives, difficulties in breathing, nausea, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, and worst death due to anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis occurs when the body goes into shock in

“This is the second time when a swarm of agitated bees attacked the school, again the utilities cleaned and sanitized the buildings using a fog machine to keep them away,” stated Christopher Delino, school principal.

Meanwhile, Schools Reduction School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (SDRRMC) coordinator, Darlyn Joy Rivera, investigated and inspected Science and Technology (STE) and Senior High School buildings. She observed that bees tend to come out when it’s warm enough to gather their nectar and return to the

The school utilities are also asked to clean and sanitize the

According to precisionpredator.com bees are not nocturnal animals, so they come out early in the morning, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., depending on the temperatures. It was also the same time when they were spotted recently at ValNat at 6:30 A.M. Also, bees come inside a building or house to reach food or water that has been left out or to look for a nesting site. Despite the bright yellow color of these insects, they clash with fear due to their stinger. However, bees do not attack unless they’re aggregated. Only female bees can sting, and honeybees die after they sting but not all, some can even sting more than once.

In treating moderate reactions to bee stings Mayo Clinic suggests that one should remove the stinger immediately and wash the affected area with soap and clean running water. To alleviate the swelling, one should apply cold compress and take an over-the-counter pain reliever as needed. Apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to ease redness, itching or swelling. If itching or swelling is bothersome, take an oral antihistamine that contains diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine. Avoid scratching the sting area. This will worsen itching and swelling and increase your risk of infection. A severe reaction to a bee sting would require an immediate shot of epinephrine to alleviate the allergic reactions.

Although bee stings are unpredictable, making it hard for students at ValNat to prevent it whenever they appear again. Staying calm, letting the bees pass by without swatting them can bring no harm.

Olga Santiago, Cyjet Martinez both from 10- Capillary and Darren Kyle Banate, Grade 9-Receptor of

Valenzuela, as everybody knows is typically experiencing continuous flooding especially every rainy season. This vulnerability comes from a combination of geographical, environmental, and human factors. As a result, urgent action is needed to address the causes of the problem and implement sustainable solutions to reduce the impact of severe flooding on roads and

ABY NOUELLE GONZALES

art by: Christopher C. Cabrera

BRENT IVAN TRIBIANA

SELINA OLGA SANTIAGO

On the DOT

As our world continues to evolve, the new generation is consistently coming up with innovative ideas that are making our lives more convenient and advanced.

Nowadays, new technology is introduced mostly every day, example of this is the Artificial Intelligence (AI). Whereas a digital computer or computer-controlled robot can perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings that is beneficial for both workers and students.

As we know, Valenzuela City is one of the acknowledged, productive and one of the “Hightech” cities in the Philippines.

Proving its technicity, the city government proposed a new virtual interface called DotBot. The chatbot is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) messaging platform that was made to help the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) facilitate and speed up giving services to those people who are seeking assistance for their requirements.

Dotbot is a Facebook Messenger chatbot that will speed up the application procedure and review process for social welfare services in the area. DotBot is a technological

endeavor developed through a collaboration between the Philippines and New Zealand as part of the latter’s GovTech Acceleration Programme at Creative HQ.

Such as asking for various information and requirements for each social welfare service offered by CSWD, including Medical Assistance, Burial Assistance, Transportation Assistance, Social Case Study, and CSWD Certificate of Indigency.

“I tried Dotbot to see its function and benefits, I just followed the three steps: First, open the Facebook app and search DotBot-Valenzuela in the search field. Next, tap the message icon. Lastly, tap the “get started” button to officially start,” said Kier Capulong, a commuter and student at Valenzuela.

The city Initiated the chatbot program back in 2021 after recognizing the hassle and complications occurring at CSWDO

specifically for the financial assistance application process. Before starting this program, they first identified the problem that CSWDO is facing. To find out this problem, the social workers went through thorough interviews with clients and research. They come up with the idea of having an innovative, effective, and manageable, yet low-cost program that everyone can use as their assistance.

Aside from DotBot, non-technical solutions have also been developed by the team. Since not all don’t have mobile phones or any other devices, the use of Citizen’s charter, brochures, banners, and coffee table books may help them address this issue. They also thought of creating an interactive e-learning module for future references and broader updates. The module will contain consistent information about the different social welfare services of the city, that will help the clients answer their numerous confusions.

Billiards is an indoor sport that is played in a pool table with the use of a cue stick that hits the cue ball to every 15 color-coded numbered balls until it goes down the pocket that is placed in six corners of the pool table. This sport is played with the use of analysis, precise movement, and great accuracy to hit the ball where it needs to be.

having the first indoor billiard table. Talk about being a game for the nobles. When the Contemporary Period hit, the popularity of the said sport decreased, not until today when Billiards once again dominated the recreational preference of every teenager.

Ever since the post-war took place back in 1898 in the Philippines, Billiards has become a popular sport amongst the population. Though there is no name directly linked to who invented the game of pool, King Louis XI of France (1461–1483) is known for

EDITORIAL

Just like any other trends that come and go, this current pool craze may also fade and be forgotten in time, but right now, it is a rage that hypes up and thrills the life of the youth. But first, you may wonder, how and why, and almost as instantly, did this sport entice the new generation. This trend started, firstly, as an

influence that every other people see from others and copy as it is currently issued to be 'cool'. When things become interesting and pleasing to someone it usually spreads like wildfire and becomes a trend.

One of the many reasons why people fell in love with the sport is because of the all-time legends in the sport that many look up to, Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes who is called the magician in the field. His marvelous show of skills contributed to the torch of desire of every teenager despite reigning as a former dominator in billiards.

Youths that indulge in these types

of trends are often the type of people who don't fear trying out new things in life. This sport is well worth trying as it enhances once accuracy and with precise effort to hit a ball to one's desired place.

This sport not only serves as a recreational activity that gives entertainment but also enhances once analysis and accuracy skills through minimal effort so trying out these new sports is much better than focusing on one goal because it opens different paths that may lead you to a successful journey that you may only experience by holding a cue stick and a ball.

Youths

Different schools nationwide, like Valenzuela National High School (ValNat), is struggling to provide adequate resources for their sports programs. From essential equipment to facility maintenance and transportation costs, the financial strain is simply too unsustainable. This difference in resource allocation highlights the undervaluation of sports in student development. Despite fostering important virtues such as perseverance and teamwork, sports programs frequently struggle with obsolete equipment and minimal coaching resources.

The consequence of underfunding has a great effect on the school and its students, limiting students’ access to physical activity and personal development. Furthermore, it reinforces inequality by restricting access to sports programs, especially for underprivileged communities.

Sebastian Lord Co, Taekwondo team captain, shared his experience during practice that their biggest struggle was budget or fund because together with players of Wushu and Arnis they used the same mats though in reality they need to have different sizes of mats for their convenience.

Sometimes, inadequate funding also deprives students of the opportunity to compete and to represent their schools, denying them crucial experiences that promote camaraderie among their peers and the joy of having inter-school tournaments.

According to some of the players that we interviewed, aside from lacking financial support, quality sports

In the present educational landscape where does sports funding stand? Sports funding is usually overshadowed by the different priorities faced by the school. However, the glaring issue of insufficient funding for sports events demands immediate attention.

equipment and sports attire, they are also having a hard time in their overlapping schedule, balancing sports, and academics. These may be quite complicating on their part because they are not only competing for themselves or for someone else but for the school.

In this regard, the school or the division in return should give and support them of what they need, to lessen their agony and be enthusiastic to practice more.

Everyone must work together to close the gap to prioritize sports funding and ensure an equal resource distribution.

Collaboration among schools, local governments, and organizations can

It is the right time to invest in our youth’s future and provide them with the chances

ALDRICH DANIEL CADAG

Source:

Art by Nash Barcelon

ValNat roars in Division Palaro, soars competition to lock regional spot

The Wolves’ battlecry screamed success while Valenzuela National High School’s vein of blood shouted resilience.

Those were the things ValNat leaned on to close the doors on Veinte Reales National High School’s dream to Regional Palaro and shut a commanding 2-0 gold-medal series, February 22 in Polo National High School Covered Court.

The ValNat women’s sepaktakraw team flaunted their array of offense through sheer teamwork and coordination that boosted their will to win set forth by their tenured coach Trishia Bon.

“Magaling ung ball control ng girls, bukod dun ay maganda rin ung naipakita nilang depensa,” coach Trishia said.

Co also accounted that in spite of the players becoming inactive in harder practices, she believed that it only strengthen their bond as a team.

Managing to climb the pinnacle of division sepaktakraw success, the squads’ resolve and unbreakable demeanor were shown all throughout the game led by their captain and tekong Kierxa Mourienn S. Co of Grade 9 Copper.

“Noong lumalamang ng dalawa hanggang tatlo ung kalaban, gustong gusto ko habulin yon kaso nakulangan pa ako nun,” Co said. She also added that despite the momentum being on the opposing side, she kept her teammates’ morale in check to swift the momentum to their side and secured the win and the The run cap

ValNat’s Taekwondo jins shine at Division Meet

On a stage where the spirit of competition unites athletes from across Valenzuela, Valenzuela National High School (ValNat) has carved its name into the history of martial arts. With its first ever gold, and two silvers; they announced their arrival. This event, a quadrennial gathering that beckons participants from 25 junior high schools, celebrates not only the physical prowess but the indomitable will of its competitors.

For Team ValNat, and particularly the stewardship of Girls Poomsae, Maia Andi Betia of 8- Motion took charge and struck gold, Boys Kyorugi (Light Weight) Josh Wayne Ishigo Liego and Welterweight Lord John Sebastian Co of 10Benevolence got the silver medals.

This year's event was a testament to hard work, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of excellence which brought the three to advance in the Regional Meet, when they won in the Division Meet held at New Prodon Academy of Valenzuela (NPAV) last February 21.

Untiring Commitment to Martial Arts

Maia Andi Betia, an athlete to watch in the world of taekwondo, now with a blue belt, joined ValNat team last November. She’s a member of Master C Manila. It was her training ground since February 2023, where she practiced four times a week. She started playing the sports 11 years old.

A Sport with Full Benefits

The significance of taekwondo extends beyond the mats and medals. This call to action is backed by the countless benefits martial arts offer to children, including empowerment,

dealing with bullying, instilling discipline, and fostering responsibility.

Looking Ahead: NCR Palaro

“I'm very grateful that got to compete in this year's Division Meet. It's a surreal feeling to see all the hours of training pay off in such a meaningful way. This achievement is not just about the medal; it is the outcome of years of hard work, discipline, and determination. am eager to continue to work harder, both in taekwondo and in life, and hope to inspire others to pursue their passions with the same level of determination and commitment. I'm thankful for everyone who supported me, especially my coaches, teammates, and family.”

“Our success in the Division Meet is just the beginning. We aim to inspire, and to make a difference in the lives of ValNat students and in community,” said coach Eduardo Binas as he promised to excel more in the next level of competition.

hopes to rally and capped off the series at 15 9. This came off at the rear of the blazing game and swept the opposing team to conclude the game at 2-0.

Behind their captain, Cristine Bernas and KC De Leon of Grade 9-Jacinth nailed the victory and will represent the City of Valenzuela in the upcoming Regional Palaro this April.

Although being on the other end of the stick, Viente Reales National High School gave the winners a run for their money that defined both

Tennis team sets to compete in NCR Palaro

According to jumpandclimb.com, a website of recreation center in Traralgon East, Australia, rock climbing is an indoor and outdoor recreational sport that is one of the world’s fastest growing mainstream sporting activities. It pushes you and makes you want to achieve more, and that’s a skill that’s useful not only on the climbing wall, but in every aspect of your life.

It was said that rock climbing can also be an excellent activity for children with physical or mental disabilities for several reasons. It can increase special perception, hand-eye coordination, and balance.

It also teaches goal setting, communication, problem solving and planning.

The center also believes that children need to overcome gross and fine motor difficulties, what can be

Valenzuela National High School's (ValNat) tennis team soared with flying colors, emerging triumphant in the intense Division Meet and securing both gold and silver medals at Jethro Sports (TLH) Sports and Wellness Center last February 20-21.

Secondary boys displayed an outstanding performance from ValNat's tennis prodigies: Jeoffrey Tampoco (8- Coral), representing Congressional District II, secured the gold medal in Singles A, defeating his opponent from Congressional District 1 in the semi-finals before succeeding over his final challenger from ValPriSAA. Meanwhile, Thaddeus Eosef David Delatorre (10-Prudence) also from Cong. Dist. 2, dominated the competition in Singles B, and clinched the gold medal in the finals.

In Doubles category, ValNat's duo, Zerahiah Edrea Shelley Dela Torre and Ed Zyrhen Austria (10Loyalty), displayed remarkable teamwork and resilience, ultimately securing the silver medal after a hard-fought battle in the finals.

Secondary Girls were equally impressive, as Dela Torre and India Esther Jayla A. Liban (10Capillary) got gold medals in Singles A and Singles B respectively. The finals saw intense matches and remarkable moves from the two players.

The game became emotional and highlighted when Cong II was almost defeated by the players from private school, tied at 7 score on both doubles and ended up with the tie break of 9-7 in favor of the players of ValNat who belonged in Cong II. They hugged in tears of joy and relief.

Dela Torre, the team captain, expressed gratitude for their victory and outlined their plans for the upcoming NCR Championships. "We train hard and believe that we are going to win this, and we will train much harder to qualify in Palarong Pambansa this year," she added.

Jehiah Jean Sedillo, coach of the women's tennis team, shared insights into the team's success, emphasizing the players' attitude and mental toughness. "Every match, they are always reminded that their real enemy is not their opponent but themselves and more than joining the team and learning the sport, subduing the body and mind to discipline is the main goal," she explained.

Looking ahead to the NCR Championships scheduled in April 2024, coach Jediah highlighted the team's commitment to academic responsibilities while preparing for the competition. "As one team, we aim to play together, go farther, and do better," Above all, we play for the glory of God," she declared. With their recent triumph and unwavering determination, the Valenzuela National High School Tennis Team is poised to make their mark in the upcoming NCR Championships, representing their school and city with pride and passion.

Gone were the days where Filipinos relied on luck and experience as a reaction to a basketball game. Ending the two-year frustration, comes the legendary coach, Tim Touted as the winningest coach in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), bagging 25 of the league's top prize. Now forged a new era for the national

Wushu was first introduced in this year’s Division Meet competition held on February 21-23, 2024, wherein Valenzuela National High School won three gold and five silver medals for Boys, while Girls got two gold and one silver medals. Kung Fu Wushu Federation describes wushu as established diverse art form rooted in China which dated back more than 4,000 years. This form of handto-hand combat (known more familiarly as "kung fu") was highly developed in China by the 3rd century B.C.E, and it is credited with influencing other martial arts that arose within Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Modern wushu, however, has separated itself from traditional kung fu to emphasize aesthetics and performance. One of the more well-known divisions of wushu is tai chi, the ancient discipline of meditative movements practiced as a system of exercises.

Coming off a fiery first window start of a campaign to FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers only gave fans hope to a new beginning. Fans dubbed the games as

face of knowing that they are new to the Martial Arts are something they should be proud of. “The team's domination at the Division Meet is a result of their dedication, skill, and unwavering teamwork. The two gold medals, one silver and bronze not only reflect their prowess in Arnis but also

Furthermore, game addiction and negative living choices increase the risks encountered by young esports players. Excessive gaming, along with a

diet, little exercise, and inconsistent sleep habits, can have serious effects for both physical and mental health. Without sufficient support structures in place, young athletes may engage in destructive behaviors that jeopardize their well-being. Same thing to what turned out to Dela Peña and Gacho, Mich Tumagan who was featured in ‘Kapuso mo Jessica Soho,” but later died because of colon cancer on June 3, 2019. To solve these concerns, the esports community must prioritize the health and safety of its players. This involves promoting work-life balance, mental

Juan, Parungao win arnis golds in Division Meet

JOY MOJICA

RAIMONE JAMES PRUEL

Battle

JACOB CENA

ValNat pairs emerge champions

We worked hard po talaga para makuha ulit ang Gold at para mag represent po ng Valenzuela, hindi po kami nagpaka kampante po at lagi ko pong sinasabi sa mga bata na, hindi pa kayo magaling kaya kailangan nating mag training araw araw at magpalakas.”

SPORTS

Where dancers shine bright, it rose as champions of the

floor and when under the

A feat displayed by the Valenzuela National High School tandems after extinguishing the competition and secured gold and silver medals in Latin and Standard categories, February 21 at the ValNat Covered Court.

with confidence and getting the spotlight on to show how their feet feel the beat, with confidence and innate passion overpowered their opponents.

na kapag hindi namin nakukuha ‘yung tamang galaw, timing and postura pero kung pagsusumikapan niyo naman, makukuha at makukuha niyo ‘yung gusto niyong kalabasan,”

In the present educational landscape where does sports funding stand? Sports funding is usually overshadowed by the different priorities faced by the school. However, the glaring issue of insufficient funding for sports events demands immediate attention.

John Jezzer Carillas and Zairah Gomez triumphed in the standard category when they won the championship title, while Martin David Esteban and Shaira Sumagaysay, (all from 10- Catalyst) closely following behind, clinched the second-place spot. Meanwhile, Kyle Trystan Del Rosario (10- Catalyst) and Gretchel Besagas, (10- Humility) pitched in the victory for the gold medal in the Latin category, while Leandro Gabriel Bernardo (10Catalyst) and Anne Margarette Reyes ( 10- Benevolence) secured the silver.

ValNat Wolves exhibited at their home court, their eyes wanting to be hailed as champions of the dance floor. Gracefully swaying like the wind with every movement, oozing

“I would just say we have so much passion for dancing that our heart even obeys what our body would want and wouldn’t,” Carillas said when asked about what he thought on winning the competition.

Wearing their dazzling and glaring outfits, they owned the stage, showcasing their mastery of the art of dancing, honed, and trained since they were young.

Four schools competed in the secondary level, the Valenzuela National High School (ValNat), Gen. T. De Leon National High School, Lingunan National High School, and Punturin National High School. Each has six pairs per category.

“If sisimulan niyo one day ‘yung pagdadancesport, sana hindi kayo sumuko kaagad kasi before, iniiyakan ko rin ‘yung mga steps lalo

Reyes said in an interview, when asked about on what advice can she give to students like them who like dancing and join a competition like this.

The tandem of Carillas and Gomez,

RAIMONE JAMES PRUEL

DANCE TO THE BEAT

Kyle Tristan Del Rosario, 10- Capillary MJ Bergasas, 10Humility (above); John Jesser Carillas and Zairah Gomez, both from 10-Catalyst (below) show their coordination as they compete in the Division Meet last February 19.

Photo taken by: MR. JUSTIN ORTIZ