At The Halfway Mark

by LEA CANIZARES

There is no denying that the past couple of months felt as though they had slipped away in a blur. After an extended holiday season and more than a month-long break, it is now the time of the academic year where Sillimanians gear up for a fresh start in the second semester.

After surviving the transitional first semester of the school year, more challenges await as students face and go beyond the halfway mark. While most confront challenges academically, emotionally, and socially to acclimate to the college environment, it is important to keep in mind that you have all made it to the second semester. This is a pivotal milestone that should be worth celebrating.

The second semester is an incredible opportunity for every student to take their respective college experiences to the next level. When asked what she wants to work on to have a better college experience this semester, Alyssa Glorydale Algo, a second year Medical Technology student, answered, “From the perspective of a second year medtech student, given the amount of studies we have to do, I look forward to be more balanced with my academic and my social life this second semester. It is easy to become overwhelmed with acads but I need to be more involved with stuff outside of it too like in different orgs.” She also expressed that college life around Silliman should not only be entirely revolved around academics or good grades. Rather, it should also be about investing in genuine friendships, networking, and your personal growth as a person. Through this, a student’s college experience can be a lot more meaningful.

Embarking on the start of the second semester marks a more deliberate return back into the campus. Students will have a better notion of what to expect, which may make adjusting to the upcoming semester much easier and bearable. Mariella Valbuena, a Grade 8 student, shared that some of the positive feelings she has upon returning to campus is the excitement to meet people and build a positive mindset. “Kanang positive na akong outlook, motivated na ko to get good grades, and ma-achieve akong goal gyud. [The positive outlook and motivation to get good grades and achieve personal goals]” she shared.

As students venture into the second semester, there can be a number of interesting things that they can look forward to in their student and social life, or perhaps some pressure—maybe even a mix of both. Students may come back to campus with some mixed feelings due to the seeming unfamiliarity of what is next to come—and these are all valid feelings. When asked what she was worried about the most for the second semester, Mikaela Marie Valbuena, a first year Biology major, shared, “Probably the adjustment of the schedule”. She also added that adjusting between face-to-face classes and online classes can be challenging at times, especially if online classes are in between face-to-face classes.

Still, the second semester is not just entirely about worries and stresses. Starting afresh for another semester has its share of fantastic advantages such as returning to the campus equipped with abundant knowledge and college wisdom from the experience and learnings that students have gained over the previous semester. Even if the first semester was tough in its own way, the mistakes made and challenges faced were valuable learning experiences that can encourage one to grow better and stronger.

Halfway through the school year, students are concerned with starting off the semester on the right foot by setting their personal goals, assessing their study habits, and ready to incorporate their new year’s resolutions—and these are all normal concerns. Actively working to make oneself better in areas that need to be addressed is a starting point towards daily progress. Students have already come so far and time flies so fast before we even realize it. Though it is better to see the glass as “half full,” one must remember that there is still a half of the school year left. Students must be able to keep their heads up and brace themselves as they approach the midway point of their academic year. Nothing is ever perfect, and unforeseen circumstances may always surface.

Reaching the halfway point of the academic year is already a fulfillment in itself. Being able to survive all those coursework, term exams, and long nights spent studying is commendable. Students can make the most of their second semester of college by understanding that it has a character of its own, and while it is different from the previous year, the wonderful experiences that await and that are yet to unfold will remain. tWS

Zero Waste is an environmental movement that promotes responsible production in order to protect and conserve natural resources. It strives to control waste management, which can be a threat to the ecological balance among all living things and the environment if not done properly.

Every month of January, the world commemorates the national zerowaste movement. Sadly, for a world filled with leaders and confederations that continuously project speeches about Zero Waste Management, we are still very far from achieving a Zero Waste world. Dumaguete City is no exception to this, especially after Dumaguete City began operating a pyrolysis-gasification technology to burn Dumaguete’s waste in the Central Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at the border of Camanjac and Candau-ay.

“Unbeknownst to most Dumaguetenos, this technology creates extremely poisonous air contaminants and toxic ash. Studies from around the world show that waste workers and residents living as far as 7.5 km away from these types of technologies have higher rates of cancers, miscarriages, birth defects, and other health problems linked to the toxic pollutants,” according to Burn Not Dumaguete.

Zero Waste extends to the recovery of natural resources by promoting the environmental preservation practices of reduce, reuse, recycle, and upcycle. Still, proper segregation at home is useless when this garbage waste ends up mixed with biodegradable and non-biodegradable ones in landfills. In the case of Dumaguete, the incinerator was the chosen method for eliminating waste. This leaves us to ponder on the questions: How can we achieve a Zero Waste community if biodegradable and nonbiodegradable trash, even when properly segregated, just ends up being mixed and dumped in the same landfills? What does the incinerator mean to the Zero Waste movement? Most importantly, how far are we from truly achieving a Zero Waste community?

“We still have a long way to go. I believe that we have made strikes already, but this incinerator [pyrolysis-gasification machine] is putting a block on our effort because we can never be Zero Waste with the incinerator with us. So, it’s very important that we shut down the incinerator for us to be truly Continuetopage4

Kung Saan Ang Mga Alaala’y Hindi Namamatay

by IVAN ADARO

Ang silid-aklatan ay dating kanlungan ng lahat na bagay -mga kaganapan na nagpapasigla sa kalooban. Iba’t ibang talampakan mula sa iba’t ibang kaluluwa ang nagtitipon malapit sa mga pasilyong punong-puno ng karunungan na nakaukit sa lumang pergamino. At habang ang mga tunog ng mga pahinang nagbubukas at mga tintang tumatagas ay pumupuno sa kapaligiran, ang halimuyak ng mga lumang aklat ay tumatakip sa malakas na bango na nagmula sa mga masigasig na diwa.

Ito ang mga kaluluwa na nagdagdag ng buhay sa tahimik at madilim na santuwaryo - mga kaluluwang nag-iwan ng mga bakas na nakabaon sa mga aklat na iniwaksi na ngayon. Habang kumakalat sa hagdanan ang naipon na alikabok at mga napunit na pahina, ang talampakan sa mga dating naglalakad sa hagdanang iyon ay wala na saanman. Gayunpaman, ang mga boses na dating maririnig sa silid ay mananatili sa mga pader nito, ang mga kusang salita na dumaloy sa papel ay hindi kukupas kahit anong mangyari, at ang mga masasayang alaala na nakaukit sa diwa ng lahat ay hindi mamamatay magpakailanman.

Sillimaniansspeak

Compiled by Rainne Nocete | tWS Social Media Manager/Graphic Artist

"What will you miss the most about the library?"

“Having one.”

“Salibrakusogang wifi.”

Feliz Lazarte | SHS STEAM 11

“Study rooms on the 2nd floor and the bookshelves.”

Ray Daniel Cal | Computer Science II

“The library has witnessed all of my battles and struggles related to my studies, which is something that I will miss. Whenever I study there, I feel so much comfort and it gives me a peaceful vibe. It has been and will always be my home.”

Jericha Loraine Dipaling | Psychology I

Next Issue's Question:

What was one silly thing you did for someone you like, that you would never do again?

For your answers, just text Rainne Nocete (0998-555-7391). Indicate your full name (with middle initial), course and year.

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Clover Paradise frompage1| SU environmentalists... explained that establishing a sustainable circular economy includes the decentralization of waste, emphasizing the “No Segregation, No Collection” policy.

Clover Paradise is a duo comprised of local artist Joaqui Huesca from Cagayan de Oro City, and Lanz Gabor, a fellow Computer Science student and the Principal Violinist of the Silliman Strings Ensemble. Their goal in music is to achieve resonations of ethereal colors through mellow strings and pads.

The said policy enables at least 50 percent of trash to be diminished from the total by composting biodegradable material. Through recycling, at least 25 percent of recyclable trash is removed.

“So now we’re left with ten to 15 percent of residual waste. This is the part where the intervention takes place,” he said.

Ferrer thanked the Silliman University Student Government Environment Committee for mobilizing Sillimanians to join the protest.

“But I would also like to call on the Silliman University Administration, the Silliman University Medical Center, and all other sectors of the Silliman University, Foundation University, Saint Paul University, NORSU [Negros Oriental State University], all the high schools—public and private, even elementary schools, to come and join us,” she added. tWS frompage1| SU hosts Harvard... stated that the university was selected due to its close ties with the American Embassy through the American Resource Studies Center (ASRC).

The SUSG and Office of Student Services worked with HPF to make the event possible.

Entrata shared that the event was an opportune time to build lasting networks with student leaders from the region and Harvard University.

“Transformative leadership means leading toward sustainable solutions and being able to challenge long-standing systems, these can be achieved easier when student leaders come together to work towards one cause,” he said.

HPF tackled topics on leadership and conversed with the attendees. Furthermore, they shared their own college experiences at Harvard and various learning opportunities for those who want to study at their university in the United States.

SU International Students Center Director Prof. Moses Joshua Atega saw the event as a gift of inspiration with HPF reaching out to Asia and sharing about their own campus life.

He said, “Their mere presence already made an impact, [and] much more when they talked about the need for the total development of a student in making choices within one’s campus life.”

The forum is a nonprofit organization that is composed of Filipinos, Filipino-Americans, and friends who have a goal of celebrating and sharing the vitality of Philippine culture and tradition with the Harvard community. tWS frompage1| Sillimanians elected...

The three-day program “Bangon Kabataan: Improving Youth Participation in Local Governance” also comprised a journalism workshop with resource speakers for different fields of journalistic writing.

Dano and Carampatana shared that the guild is still in the process of finalizing its plans and is not yet in operation. The workshop and program were held at the Cebu Parklane International Hotel from Dec. 14-16, 2022. tWS frompage3| Zero Waste: ...

Zero Waste.”, Joshua Villalobos, a junior majoring in Sociology from the College of Arts and Sciences and the current co-chairperson of the SUSG Environmental Committee, said this when asked about the current situation of Zero Waste in Dumaguete.

If we are truly to achieve Zero Waste, we must seriously implement segregation at our homes and segregation at the landfill. It is important for everyone to put an effort into these movements and understand that every action has a significant contribution to the environment. With the current predicament

Dumaguete—and the world, in general—is facing, it is vital that we push our government and leaders to follow proper Ecological Solid Waste Management Acts and influence its people to be conscious about the environment.

Achieving Zero Waste starts within oneself. It starts when one acknowledges that there is an urgency to save the environment and the lives of people who depend on it. To achieve Zero Waste, everyone must be dedicated, committed, and instilled with values that fuels one to show their love for the environment. “One value, if I’m to speak of it, should be empathy. It should be about feeling what others feel. Ask yourselves: “How can I, as a human being, be okay that waste workers are actually inhaling toxic chemicals?” And by that, I think you will be able to feel that you’re not only taking care of the environment and planet, but you’re also taking care of people,” Villalobos expressed.

To push for Zero Waste is not simply a personal choice but an environmental responsibility. It is a duty of mankind that requires collective efforts.The fight still has a long way to go and we must stay alert to possible destruction—either man-made or natural disaster—that threatens humanity and the environment. tWS