Forum-Dimensions Tabloid 2021 (The Forum)

Full protection amid ‘baseless’ redtagging, WVSU assures students West Visayas State University President Joselito Villaruz says students’ safety and security will be his administration’s primary concern amid red-tagging incidents.

The future of democracy at our fingertips The Filipinos should never forget that the power to vote should be coupled with facts and conscience.

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Luna St, La Paz, Iloilo City, 5000 Iloilo

Scan this code to get a digital copy of The Forum, WVSU’s University Student Newspaper

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Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

The Official University Student Newspaper of the West Visayas State University

Delta threat delays WVSU’s limited in-person classes

Richard D. Olano, Jr.

A

mid the threat of the more infectious COVID-19 Delta variant in Iloilo City, West Visayas State University (WVSU) awaits the approval of its application to open limited face-to-face classes for undergraduate students in the colleges of Medicine and Nursing.

Despite pending application, retrofitting of facilities completed

Through a joint memorandum circular issued February 12, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Health provided guidelines for higher education institutions in opening limited in-person classes for health-related degree programs.

Universi t y administrators presented the status of the application to stakeholders during a virtual town hall meeting held June 8, emphasizing that facilities needed for the planned in-person classes have been retrofitted and that a comprehensive learning continuity plan has been developed.

Delta and delays According to WVSU President Joselito Villaruz, the University Crisis Management Committee has already completed the preparations and submitted the application to CHED Regional Office 6.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

A senior physician of West Visayas State University Medical Center volunteered for a Sinovac jab to encourage colleagues to receive the coronavirus disease vaccine during the initial roll-out.

John Glen L. Teorima for Forum-Dimensions

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West offers PH’s 2nd gov’trun dental medicine program

BY THE NUMBERS

93,515

Eric D. Morguia, Jr.

FULLY VACCINATED Iloilo City residents against COVID-19, as of July 30.

59,666 SWAB SAMPLES TESTED

By the Iloilo City Uswag Molecular Laboratory, as of July 31

Almost a year after being granted the authority to offer a law degree, West Visayas State University (WVSU) officially announced the opening of its new program, the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD).

The University will be the first state university in Western Visayas and second in the country — after the University of the Philippines (UP) in Manila — to offer the program, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) announced in its press release Friday, May 21.

“While dentistry is covered under RA 10931 or the Free Higher Education law, only UP had a dentistry program,” according to the CHED, adding that WVSU was chosen to offer the course because of its “strong medical program.”

For students’ safety amid pandemic, WVSU devises region-wide tablet distribution plan Keven Rizzo C. Sitjar Students living outside Iloilo City will no longer have to claim their learning tablets at the West Visayas State University Main Campus, as the administration is crafting a region-wide delivery plan.

According to University President Joselito Villaruz, students’ addresses in the Integrated University Information System will be used to map locations to “complete the distribution the soonest” without compromising students’ safety.

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MAKING EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE.

Taga-West students and representatives from the Collge of Communication gathered at the Villareal Stadium in Roxas City for the distribution of educational tablets in Capiz, December 21, 2020.

Photo Courtesy: Nickson De Guzman

At a glance: How the WVSU academic community responded to the COVID-19 pandemic March 16, 2020 WVSU suspends classes due to COVID-19 outbreak

April 30, 2020 WVSU admin: Synchronous online classes ‘discouraged’

A.Y. 2019 - 2020 March 20, 2020 Student orgs slam WVSU’s ‘antipoor’ online learning policy

May 29, 2020

WVSU eyes reduced class sizes, 3-day school week: Villaruz says in an interview

September 5, 2020

Villaruz, in a The Forum interview, says ‘learning should continue’ amid acad freeze calls

A.Y. 2020 - 2021 July 8, 2020 Provision of learning tablets for students announced

July 29, 2021 Iloilo City records first Delta variant case; WVSU’s application for limited F2F classes delayed

A.Y. 2021 - 2022 June 3, 2021 WVSU applies for limited in-person classes for medicine, nursing

02 NEWS

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

TheForum

Full protection amid ‘baseless’ redtagging, WVSU assures students Keven Rizzo C. Sitjar West Visayas State University (W VSU) President Joselito Villaruz vowed to protect students’ safety and security after the government’s antiinsurgency task force redtagged universities and colleges.

In the past weeks, WVSU alumnus, former activist, and self-confessed former rebel Jeffrey Celiz tagged the University as one of the breeding grounds for recruitment of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) without presenting any evidence.

W V S U, h oweve r, dismissed this “utterly baseless allegation” in a statement.

Celiz also claimed he was recruited by the CPPNPA while he was still an editor of the W VSU student publication ForumDimensions.

“I take this accusation seriously, and I wish to express my disappointment and my absolute disagreement with this statement issued by Mr. Celiz,” Villaruz told The Forum in a phone interview.

In November, RMN Iloilo reported on its Facebook page that the Philippine Army was conducting an “ongoing validation” of C e l i z ’s a l l e g at i o n s about W VSU and other universities.

W hen asked if the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conf lict (NTF-ELCAC) is already coordinating with W VSU to verify those claims, Villaruz said there are no representations or formal communication.

W VSU, on the other hand, is also ready for any possible coordination with the state forces, and it will cooperate in terms

of providing them the n ece s s a r y i n fo r m at i o n needed, he added.

If government authori ties will issue names they would like to identify, according to Villaruz, “the University will be informed about that, and I think that we will be in the position to refute some of those claims and to give our students the full protection that they need.”

The Universi t y has already been implementing guidelines that would help regulate and guard recognized student organizations throug h accreditation from the Office of Student Affairs (OSA).

“By this recogni tion and by this accreditation, it is presumed that the organizations are being monitored by the OSA,” Villaruz said.

No WVSUCAT for AY 2021-2022 due to ongoing pandemic Nicole Anne A. Moscoso The West Visayas State University (WVSU) suspended its annual college admission test for the incoming first year student applicants for academic year 2021-2022, as co avirus disease cases continue to surge in the region.

With the cancellation of the W VSU College Admission Test, President Joselito Villaruz appointed a Committee on Admissions to develop a reevaluated admissions process.

“In the time of the pandemic, these time-tested

admissions practices shall be re-framed and adapted to the volatile and complex situations of test-taking and limited technology,” a memorandum on the general guidelines on undergraduate admissions released January 25 read.

In lieu of an in-person written exam, applicants were assessed through a two-level admission scheme.

The first phase is the university level, where applicants were ranked based on their general weighted average from

Grade 10 and Grade 11, and National Career Assessment Examination overall scholastic aptitude score.

The college level assessment, being the second phase, required applicants to take aptitude tests and online interviews based on their priority courses.

The online application lasted from January 11 to June 1. Qualified applicants were subjected to online enrollment through the Int e g rat ed U n i ve r s i t y Information System student portal.

FIGHTING ALLEGATIONS.

Progressive organizations stage a picket outside the WVSU Main Campus against red-tagging and the deployment of military forces in the College of Agriculture and Forestry, August 23, 2019.

Marie Andrea Pefianco for Forum-Dimensions

WVSU virtually celebrates 119th anniv; ‘research univ’ goal stressed Ella Hyacinth R. Golez The West Visayas State University’s (WVSU) 119th founding anniversary celebration highlighted the value of research and its breakthroughs amid the challenges imposed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to the Taga-West community.

The event, with the theme “Research and Innovation at the Forefront of Advancing Knowledge, Sustaining Excellence and Transforming Lives amidst the Pandemic,” was held through an online livestream on WVSU Facebook page on Wednesday, June 16.

Villaruz appointed as CHED technical panel for medicine chairperson Gerlyn Joy P. Rojo

VILLARUZ

Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Bebong Villaruz

University President Dr. Joselito Villaruz took his oath as the new Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Technical Panel for Medicine in a virtual ceremony on June 14.

The Technical Panel for Medicine serves as CHED’s policy-making body related to medical education in the country.

The panel is composed of seven people including the Chairman and six members that are representatives of the academe, the health industry, the Department of Health (DOH), and the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) Board of Medicine.

“Members have come from different sectors, [which] is one innovation that CHED has made, hoping to address concerns related to medical education,” Villaruz told The Forum.

The current members of the technical panel are the following: Dr. Charlotte Chiong, dean of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine; Dr. Agnes D. Mejia, president of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges; Mr. Eleanor B. Almoro, chairman of the PRC Board of Medicine; a representative from the Philippine Medical Association; a representative from the DOH; and one more representative from the industry that has yet to be appointed.

According to the new chairperson, they will be crafting policies anchored on the relevant events and developments on the medical field, such as Industry 4.0, COVID-19 pandemic, and the passage of R.A. 11223 or the Universal Healthcare Act and R.A. 11509 or the Doctor Para sa Bayan Act.

“We see a new normal that will require universities to become knowledge centers that fully integrate the demands of Industrial Revolution 4.0.,” University President Dr. Joselito Villaruz said.

“West Visayas State University desires to fully assimilate these higher education reforms and we have started their journey to becoming a research university ,” he added.

With this vision, Villaruz emphasized that “there is no time for a hiatus. We need to act now. We’ve laid the groundwork for the future Taga-West.”

FILE PHOTO/SCREENSHOT

USEC to pursue online elections; voting system yet to be finalized Keven Rizzo C. Sitjar There will be an online election for University Student Council (USC) and College Student Councils (CSC) for the academic year 2021-2022, according to the University Student Electoral Committee (USEC).

In an online consultation meeting on Thursday, July 29, USEC officers presented their plans on the pursuance of the unprecedented virtual elections.

USEC Chairperson Nathaniel Belarmino said the election period, which covers the filing of the certificates of candidacy to the canvassing and proclamation of results and winners, will be held purely online in September.

According to the USEC, the voting system is yet to be finalized as it shall “ensure both the security and transparency of votes.”

The committee and the University’s Management Information System will have a meeting to review and complete their plans on the matter.

Last November, their initial plan of conducting online elections had to be suspended after receiving disapproval from students through consolidated votes.

As a result, incumbent USC and CSC officers signed a resolution for them to stay in hold-over capacity until the end of the academic year 2020-2021.

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Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

WVSU Medical Center boosts Region 6’s vaccination efforts John Glen L. Teorima

OPENING DOORS.

University President Dr. Joselito Villaruz, VP for Medical and Allied Sciences Dr. Celina Gellada, COM Dean Dr. Jose Nemesio Granada, and OIC-Medical Center Chief Dr. Dave Endel Gelito take charge of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly-built dormitory for medical clerks and interns

Photo Courtesy: Facebook/WVSU Med Cen

New 3-storey dormitory for WVSU medical clerks inaugurated Clint M. Bellosillo A new dormitory at the West Visayas State University Medical Center is now ready to accommodate College of Medicine clinical clerks after it was inaugurated on February 1.

Situated at the back of the university hospital, the three-storey building with a roof deck caters four occupants per room and includes different amenities, such as shower room, bathroom, assigned locker, personal bed, and study table.

While these rooms are all free of charge, the needed utilities in the dormitory will be financed through the students’ clerkship fee.

“Clerks are not required to stay in the dormitory.

Some of them may opt to go home if they have a house or apartment to stay in.

But only those who have no place to stay or don’t have the minimum requirements for a quarantine set-up in their houses will be housed,” President Joselito Villaruz said.

Thirty two clinical clerks, composed of 16 males and 16 females, will be equally divided into eight rooms.

The dormitory was realized through the Department of Health Hospital Facility Development Fund, with a budget allocation of 14 million pesos.

The construction lasted for two years, which began in the later part of 2018 and was completed in 2020.

2 taga-West profs publish English textbook Zynnie Rose C. Zaragosa Two English professors from the West Visayas State University’s (WVSU) College of Arts and Sciences launched a textbook for the threeunit course Purposive Communication, which has been in national circulation since its release on Tuesday, December 29.

The collaborative effort of Dr. Bonna Palma and Dr. Venus PapilotaDiaz, both Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) certified trainers of the said subject for Region 6, yielded a course-titled book for students to use amid the remote learning setup.

In a Facebook status following the textbook launch, Dr. Palma disclosed that they have been working on this book for two years with the aim to “empower the communication skills of students in listening,

PALMA (Left) PAPILOTA-DIAZ (Right)

speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing.”

Meanwhile, according to Dr. Papilota-Diaz, the idea of coming up with the textbook came about when they were working on the subject’s syllabus for system-wide use, saying they made the University their source of motivation for professional growth and instructional material (IM) development.

“At the start of the school year 2020-2021, IM development became a trend and it was an opportune time to turn the idea of a [Purposive Communication] book to an actual one [to be] held by the freshies,” she added.

A hard copy of the textbook is available in the University printing press, WVSU Multipurpose Cooperative, and D’Top’s bookstore.

Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Bonna Sobrepeña Palma, Venus Papilota-Diaz

The West Visayas State University WVSU Medical Center (WVSUMC) is making its own contribution to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic response of Region 6 through vaccination.

On March 8, WVSUMC administrators, along with some 500 frontliners, led a vaccine roll-out at the hospital’s covered gym.

University President Joselito Villaruz and Officer-in-Charge Medical Center Chief Dave Endel Gelito III were among the first ones to get inoculated with Sinovac COVID-19 shot.

“The frontline health workers are the ones who have priority since they are the ones who deliver direct care to the patients,” Villaruz told The Forum.

“We took it upon ourselves to volunteer for the vaccination to increase the confidence of our staffers and encourage

them to [get] vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the vaccine manufacturer,” he added.

Department of Health Regional Director Emilia Monicimpo also attended the vaccine roll-out and applauded the medical center’s efforts in contributing to the fight against the pandemic.

“I was made aware that there are around 1,500 people in this hospital, and it makes me glad that 500 have signified that they will receive the vaccine today,” Monicimpo said.

During the program that preceded the vaccination, WVSU hospital chief Gelito spoke of the hospital’s milestones during the development of countermeasures for COVID-19.

“During the advent of the pandemic, the medical center prepared to provide services not only for COVID-19 patients, but also for non-

COVID patients not accommodated by other hospitals,” Gelito said.

“In addition, the medical center made exclusive COVID-19 wards, emergency room, delivery rooms, laboratories and imaging services, and was the first to formulate an institutionalized COVID-19 guidelines ahead of other hospitals in Iloilo City,” he added.

Gelito also mentioned that half of the hospital’s budget for 2020 was dedicated for the building of the new molecular laboratory, which has been instrumental in detecting COVID-19 positive patients.

Meanwhile, Villaruz said he will lobby for the vaccination of students with clinical exposure when they return to the clinical setting. This includes students from the Colleges of Medicine and Nursing.

Soc Sci instructor reports unauthorized upload of course material Maria Kayla T. Tingzon A professor from the University’s College of Arts and Sciences - Social Science Department shared on her Facebook account on Monday, May 10 screenshots of her own learning materials uploaded on a website without her permission.

The instructional material “Handuraw” of P ro f .

Joyce Christine Colon for the course “Readings in Philippine History” has been submitted to CourseHero.

Course Hero “is an online learning platform for students to access coursespecific study resources,” its website said.

Colon immediately filed a report to have the materials

COURSE HERO

taken down. According to the professor, she did not have any idea who could have possibly done that.

“I told them that I am the author and the owner of those materials. They told me they will take it down and inform the person who

File Photo/Screenshot

uploaded it,” Colon told The Forum.

“CourseHero should also have a mechanism wherein if the owner/author files a report about it, they should not accept the submission of such materials/books anymore,” she added.

WVSU eyes COM expansion, studies possible opening of 7-year med program Ella Hyacinth R. Golez The West Visayas State University (WVSU) is now looking at the possibility of admitting more medical students to its College of Medicine (COM) in the future and opening a seven-year medical program, President Joselito Villaruz said.

Villaruz made the statement after Senate Bill No. 1520 or the proposed Doktor Para sa Bayan Act passed the third and final reading in the Upper House last September 14.

“I was called to represent the University [in a plenary session] because of the new

legislation, the Doktor Para sa Bayan Program, which was approved to law by the Senate,” Villaruz told The Forum.

According to the WVSU president, the program aims to increase the number of doctors that will serve, most especially in the remote communities and far-flung areas, in the country and to improve the healthcare capacity in preparation for future pandemics.

Villaruz also shared that WVSU is “studying the feasibility” of a 7-year medical program, analogous to the Integrated Liberal Arts and

Medicine of the University of the Philippines.

The said program will only admit around 20 to 25 “exceptionally good students” from all over Western Visayas.

“Alagaan ini sila (qualified students) and they will have [a] shortened baccalaureate course. After 2 years, they will go to mainstream COM,” Villaruz said.

“I am still studying it. I have already instructed the dean of the COM and the VP (vice president) for Medical and Allied Sciences to study this program,” he added.

04 | NEWS

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

TheForum

WVSU Medicine Student Council condemns Tarlac police shooting Eric D. Morguia, Jr. ‘Unwarranted, a public show of police brutality.’

This is how the University’s Medicine Student Council (MSC) described the recent police killing of an unarmed mother and son in Paniqui, Tarlac Sunday, December 20.

A viral video, which circulated on social media Monday, December 21, shows Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca shot dead Sonya Gregorio, 52, and her son Frank Anthony, 25, during an argument over the latter’s use of improvised firecrackers called “boga.”

“As a law enforcement officer, it is the duty of Jonel Nuezca to serve and protect the citizens of this country as well as uphold the law himself,” the MSC said in a statement Tuesday, December 22.

Nuezca, who faced criminal and administrative cases in the past, has been indicted for two counts of murder. He is now detained at the Paniqui, Tarlac police station.

The MSC also pointed out that “as cases of extrajudicial killings (EJK) in our country have exponentially increased over the past months, there is also a substantial lack of proper due process and justice systems.”

“We, the MSC, stand hand in hand to fight for justice not only for the victims of this incident but also for all other unfilmed EJK victims,” the council added.

According to a United Nations report early this year, there are more than 8,000 police killings since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016.

As one of his election campaign promises, President Duterte launched his administration’s controversial “war on drugs,” where some drug suspects killed in police operations were dismissed as “nanlaban” or having fought back.

According to the Human Rights Watch, this campaign has killed “thousands of people largely from improvised urban areas” and “extrajudicial killings by police and their ageants have continued on a regular basis.”

On December 15, an International Criminal Court report showed that there is a “reasonable basis to believe” that crimes against humanity were committed in Duterte’s anti-drug war.

Robredo, Diokno top FD survey for 2022 nat’l elections Jonar B. Dorado A year before the 2022 national elections, Vice President Leni Robredo is the most preferred candidate for president while human rights lawyer Chel Diokno for vice president, ForumDimensions’ (FD) noncommissioned survey in February showed.

Robredo with 64 percent and Diokno with 38 percent topped the list.

Included in the voting preferences for president were Manila Mayor Isko Moreno in second place with 8 percent, followed

by Senator Grace Poe and Diokno tied in third place with 5 percent.

In the vice presidential race, Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero took the

Nicole Anne A. Moscoso for Forum-Dimensions

second spot with 9 percent, followed by Moreno in third place and Poe in fourth place with eight and six percent, respectively.

FD’s online survey was conducted on February 15 to 24 through Google Forms, with 80 bona fide

students of the University who are registered voters as respondents.

No names were provided as choices and the respondents were given the full authority to choose their possible bets in the next year’s elections.

Ex-WVSU VPAF is new NIPSC prexy Ron Eliezer G. Duhina Former West Visayas State University (WVSU) Vice President for Administration and Finance (VPAF) Dr. Bobby Gerardo has been elected as the new president of the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (NIPSC).

This was after he was chosen among seven other applicants, and declared as president in a special board meeting spearheaded by the Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Prospero de Vera III on Thursday, July 1.

GERARDO

“I wanted to have a contribution in terms of my management and administrative experiences being the previous VPAF of WVSU and I wanted to lay down a legacy here in the northern part of Iloilo, [...] here in NIPSC,” Gerardo told The Forum.

For eight years, Gerardo served as the University’s VPAF, solidifying his track record for the presidency apart from having over 10 years of experience as senior executive, and 25 years as

Marie Andrea Pefianco for Forum-Dimensions

an educator with prominent accomplishments and publication of international research.

Several offers for presidency from different state universities and colleges were proposed to Gerardo but he chose NIPSC, believing that it has many opportunities for development.

The new NIPSC president’s development agenda includes the promotion of quality education through the improvement of curricular offerings, development of faculty profile, and enhancement of faculty engagement in research and extension activities.

In 2019, Gerardo sought the WVSU presidency, where Dr. Joselito Villaruz was selected as University president.

Kelly P. Ronveaux for Forum-Dimensions

FD story sparks online discussion on ‘overexploited, romanticized’ Filipino resilience Keminova B. Acepcion West Visayas State University student publication Forum-Dimensions stirred debates on social media after it published a content on Filipino resilience and government accountability that went viral following the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses on Sunday, November 8.

An artwork by editorial assistant Kelly Ronveaux depicting typhoonstricken Filipinos presented behind theatrical curtains, as a middle-class family and a government official comfortably watches them with ‘pitiful’ eyes was accompanied by senior staff Ella Hyacinth Golez’s opinion article.

Coincided with the seven-year anniversary of the Super Typhoon Yolanda, Golez said “through the years, we have seen how Filipinos’ resilience has become overexploited and romanticized by many and has been taken advantage of by the people in power.”

“Resiliency should not be a reminder that ‘there is more to life than suffering,’

but a wake-up call for the government to strive hard and shape up in providing a community of inclusivity [...] because Filipinos are not sacrificial lambs,” she added.

The story garnered an estimated 112,000 shares, 62,000 combined reactions, and over 2,000 comments as of October 2021.

Contrasting opinions of Filipinos can be read in the comments section of the post, as others question the government’s response to disasters while some encourage citizens to make a difference by taking action rather than relying on the government.

FD’s story was featured in ABS-CBN News, Rappler, and The Philippine Star, alongside other artworks that slammed the government’s disaster response.

As of November 18, the National Disaster Risk Reducation and Management Council reported a total of 63,885 damaged houses, 73 deaths, 24 injuries, and 19 missing individuals.

WVSU reveals new VMGO John Aubrey G. Jamero From “Excellence is a tradition” to “Excellence is a way of life.”

This is the transition the West Visayas State University (WVSU) is taking with its new vision, mission, goals, and objectives (VMGO) revealed during the celebration of its 119th founding anniversary on Wednesday, June 16.

With the renewed thrusts in place, WVSU now envisions itself as “a research university advancing quality education towards societal transformation and global recognition.”

Its new mission is: “WVSU commits to develop life-long learners empowered to generate knowledge and technology, and transform communities as agents of change.”

Meanwhile, Excellence, Creativity and Innovation, and Service are the new

WVSU core values.

Under the new VMGO, the University has outlined four goals all anchored on research and each having its own set of objectives to be realized.

Each goal responds to a specific area of focus which include the production of “researchoriented leaders and professionals”; creation, innovation, and generation of “new knowledge and technology”; development of “highimpact research-based extension programs”; and the attainment “operational efficiency and effectiveness [...] across all campuses.”

In 2018, the preceding vision, mission, and the core values SHINES (Scholarship, Harmony, Innovation, Nurturance, Excellence, and Service) were introduced under the presidency of Dr. Luis Sorolla, Jr.

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Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

3 education studs win 1st runner-up in EU virtual quiz Jomer J. Ruego

DEBUNKING VACCINE MYTHS.

Dr. Joshua Vargas discusses rare vaccine side effects over the Zoom platform as part of the Bakuna Matata initiative.

Photo Courtesy: BAKUNA MATATA

NEWS FEATURE

‘YOUTH AS GAME-CHANGERS’ Nursing students hold NSTP webinars to address vaccine hesitancy, debunk misinformation Richard D. Olano, Jr. With global vaccine rollout, the end of the pandemic is now in sight.

But the Philippines is set to face yet another hurdle as vaccine hesitancy looms over Filipinos.

According to a survey result released by the Social Weather Stations on May 20, only three out of ten Filipinos are willing to get inoculated with a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) shot, Rappler reported.

In response to widespread hesitancy and misinformation surrounding vaccines, freshmen student nurses of the West Visayas State University College of Nursing organized two separate webinars.

The virtual gatherings — a requirement for the National Service Training Program - Literacy Training Service (NSTP-LTS) course — were conducted via the

Zoom platform and livestreamed on the University’s NSTP Facebook page.

‘Empowering the youth’

With approximately 110 participants, the BSN class 1-B conducted the “BAKUdNA: A Webinar Empowering the Youth on the Importance of COVID-19 Vaccination” on June 5.

Resource persons Dr. Therese Angeli Sy-Cocjin and Dr. Jamie Dominique Dasmariñas talked about “Mechanisms of COVID-19 Vaccines” and “Myths and Truths About COVID-19 Vaccines and Safety Measures,” respectively.

According to Project Head Lean Marie Untal, organizing the event is not just a task to be accomplished for a subject but “an advocacy to help lessen the anxiety of [those] who want to take the [COVID-19] shot.”

West bags 2 awards in AACCUP’s annual confab John Lyod B. Pachejo The West Visayas State University (WVSU) received two distinctions from the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. during its 34th Annual National Conference, March 10-12.

According to the WVSU’s Center for International Linkages and Public Information (CILPI), the awards are as follows: Top 2 state university with the “Highest Number of Level IV Accredited Programs” and Top 4 with the “Most Improved Internal Quality Assurance Unit” both in 2019.

WVSU already has seven programs with Level IV status. These are Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Bachelor of

Science in Biology, Master of Education, Master of Arts in Education, PhD in Education, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

“These recognitions are products of years of passion and hard work of the University to maintain and improve quality in the various aspects of academics and operations,” WVSU through CILPI said.

The CILPI also disclosed that WVSU is “undergoing an institutional accreditation” by the AACCUP. Meanwhile, as a shift from the tradition, this is the first time that the AACCUP held its annual national conference virtually due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus disease pandemic in the country.

Get vaxxed, have ‘no worries’ Taking inspiration from the well-known Swahili phrase “Hakuna Matata,” which means “no worries,” the BSN class 1-D organized the “Bakuna Matata” initiative to “promote vaccine awareness, confidence, and acceptance among Filipinos.”

The project consisted of an information drive on COVID-19 vaccines through educational posts and “Embracing the New Normal: A Webinar on COVID-19 Vaccination Queries and Uncertainties.”

The webinar happened on June 8 with around 105 attendees and over 5,600 Facebook live reach. It featured testimonials from vaccinated individuals and a discussion on “Vaccination and COVID-19 Vaccine: A Vital Public Health Information” by Dr. Joshua Vargas.

Three students from the University’s College of Education emerged 1st runner-up in the European Union (EU) Whiz Online Trivia Competition conducted via Zoom and the Kahoot mobile application on Monday, July 26.

The team, composed of Gizelle Amour Tagabi, Rodel Pacit, and John Patrick Magbato, who are Bachelor of Secondary Education Social Studies majors, underwent three rounds of the competition.

The trio competed against 176 teams from all across the country during the elimination round on June 12 and was able to advance to the next round where only the top 50 teams were qualified.

As the team engaged in the second round of the competition on June 19, they were recognized as one of the ten highest-scoring teams to advance in the final round of the said virtual quiz bee. The last round was held on Saturday, June 26.

The delegation from the Philippine Normal University was declared grand winners, while Benguet State University students

won as 2nd runnerup. The winners of the competition received prizes and certificates.

EU Whiz is an intercollegiate competition, which is done yearly and is conducted by the delegation of the European Union to the Philippines.

The online trivia competition was opened to all college students that are currently enrolled in any of the Commission on Higher Educationaccredited schools, universities, and colleges in the Philippines during the span of the competition period.

This year’s competition was the first time since 2006 to be conducted online.

The said trivia quiz bee was one of the three contests in the EU Whiz. Other contests in the event were the “My Space, My Rights” video competition and the “Green ECO I See” digital art competition.

All teams for the online trivia competition were required to have three members hailing from the same school. For the digital art and video competition, participants may compete with one to three members.

CILPI director named new education dean Nove Joy S. Losbañes The West Visayas State University (WVSU) welcomed Center for International Linkages and Public Information (CILPI) Director Dr. Ricky Magno as the new dean of its College of Education (COE) effective April 17.

He will be stepping in for Dr. Peter Ernie Paris who has rendered years of service to the COE before leaving from his deanship.

He is now the Chairperson of the COE’s Science Education Division.

“In congruence with the VMGO (vision, mission, goals, and objectives) of the University, my vision for the College of Education as a Center of Excellence in teacher education is to commit to be a leader in the development of human resource,” Magno told The Forum.

According to him, his focus will be “particularly in producing competent, prolific, and reflective professional teachers

imbued with a high sense of integrity and ethical standards who are responsive to the demands and challenges of a fastchanging local and global learning environment.”

Magno also said that he is committed to achieve the University’s thrusts by serving as a leader who promotes excellence through putting research at the center and ensuring quality education by producing highly proficient teachers.

“The success of every educational system is essentially and predominantly anchored on t h e gravity of its purposes and how well these purposes are imbibed and understood by the institution, constituents, and stakeholders,” he added.

Prior to accepting this new post, the CILPI director and incoming education dean was previously

MAGNO

Photo Courtesy: SILAK Media

assigned as the college secretary and associate dean of the COE. Magno is an alumnus of WVSU Main Campus who holds a bachelor’s degree in General Science (Chemistry) and obtained his Ph.D. and master’s degrees from De La Salle University - Manila under the Department of Science and Technology Science Education Institute scholarship program.

06 SPECIAL REPORTS

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

TheForum

Probing the flexible learning setup, WVSU still has a long way to go Ron Eliezer G. Duhina, Keven Rizzo C. Sitjar, Maria Kayla T. Tingzon, and Zynnie Rose C. Zaragosa In August 2020, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) opened the academic year 2020-2021 for tertiary and higher level education amid the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. In compliance with the Philippine government’s quarantine measures to curb the transmission of the virus and to respond to the needs of the 3.5 million college students enrolled in approximately 2,400 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), CHED released Memorandum Order No. 04 series of 2020, which contains the guidelines in the implementation of the flexible learning method ─ the new normal setup of education.

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ccording to this memo, flexible learning commonly uses the delivery methods of distance education and facilities of education technology, which involves a combination of digital and non-digital technology. CHED Chairperson Pospero de Vera III said that universities and colleges have the freedom to choose what mode would be effective for them. This prerogative has led the HEIs to use the pure online mode, pure modular mode, or a combination of the two.

Following the authority given by CHED to the HEIs to open their respective academic calendars based on their capability to conduct flexible learning, the West Visayas State University has employed the remote-learning method, which utilizes asynchronous online classes and opened its academic year on September 14, 2020.

After a year into this remotelearning method, we now take a closer look at how TagaWest students thrive amid the new normal in education and let their accounts reflect how effective this method is.

Enrolment turnout The difference online learning has made can be shown through the declining number of enrollees in four succeeding semesters, from the start of A.Y. 2019-2020 to the end of A.Y. 2020-2021.

It is notable that these were the last year of face-to-face classes and the first year of online classes, respectively.

Obtained from the University’s Office of the Registrar, the data includes all the undergraduate courses as well as the College of Medicine.

The first batch of students who enrolled as freshmen for the first semester of A.Y. 2019-2020 were 1,830. This number went down to 1,793 for the next semester. In the following year, considering the same batch of students, at the start of online classes, the numbers continued to decline to 1,786. Furthermore, for the second semester, there were only 1,769 students left.

On the other hand, those who enrolled as 2nd year students for the first semester

of A.Y. 2019-2020 were only 1,347. At the start of the second semester, there were only 1,335 students left. When A.Y. 2020-2021 started, there were only 1,332 enrollees, and this figure went down to 1,321 for the second semester.

Considering that there are various reasons as to why these numbers continually decline, it is undeniable that one of them is due to the challenges brought about by online classes.

Cushioning the concerns In separate interviews with undergraduate college student councils (CSCs) of the University, the leading problem of students reported to them was poor internet connectivity.

Of the seven colleges, the collated data showed that the overwhelming amount of academic workload, graded attendance in synchronous classes, and poor information dissemination between the students and the faculty were also additional strains for students.

Amidst the online setup, CSCs have been aiding students in having their complaints and concerns be heard. Most of them utilize the town hall meeting system, wherein they collect and thoroughly address all the reports. Aside from this, they also help with followups on students’ initiative to talk to their advisers first, and are kept posted for possible development or the lack of it.

“If the concern/s have not been brought up yet, we lobby them towards our council adviser, since she is also a faculty member of good standing, she has always been supportive and helpful to us, students, when it comes to lobbying our concerns to the rest of the faculty,” College of Communication SC Chairperson Justice Savvanah Pamplona said.

In the College of Business and Management, “these concerns from the students are not actually reported via formal letters but more of a casual student-to-student conversation. We, the CBM Student Council, are only a channel in delivering these thoughts and concerns,” SC Chairperson Carmela Joyce Lutero said.

Ron Eliezer G. Duhina | Data from University Registrar

Kelly P. Ronveaux

From the other side of the screen

Academic Plan and Flexible Learning Policy.

At the other side of the online class affairs, teachers also raise concerns with regards to their students. Several college deans have received concerns from teachers in terms of their students’ attendance, class performance, and the quality of students’ submitted outputs.

VPAA’s response

College of Communication Dean Dr. Ian Espada has shared that some of his students have resorted to plagiarism and online cheating. “Pila na ka students ang amon nawarning-an to the point na dapat expulsion na, but we give them chances,” Espada said.

Meanwhile, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Dr. Ma. Elfleda Ecube received complaints from teachers about students’ inactivity and poor attendance. “They [teachers] would tell me that this student is not present in my class but is entering a class of another teacher. Some would tell me that this student is already unreachable,” she said.

Despite complaints from faculty members, the college deans have kept reminding and appealing to teachers to observe ‘leniency’ and to abide by the Memorandum No. 20087, which sets the guidelines in lieu of the University

The college deans have mentioned that students should follow proper channeling when raising their concerns with regards to online learning. This is because the concerns go across and are directed to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) and even the Office of the President without the college’s awareness.

Depending on the gravity of the problem and its need, VPAA Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla said they would solve the reported problems in a manner that follows procedure and take a look at both sides with supporting documents.

Dr. Dequilla added that they look into these reports on a case-to-case basis, for “it’s not because the students complain that they are on the right track. Sometimes, there are also other angles.”

The VPAA still assured that students may send letters of concerns to them without fear as they make sure that the complainant’s identity will be protected to address the issue immediately.

The verdict The University, after a year into the flexible

learning setup, is still subject to various circumstances.

However, having rules entailed in Memo No. 20087, the distribution of tablets, among others has somehow eased the burden of students and faculties.

The problems mentioned above will be inevitable but these could be mitigated if teachers follow the rules included in issued memos and be considerate enough for their students. On the other hand, students must also play their part by being cooperative and reaching out to their professors should problems arise. It is notable that concerns should first be settled with a faculty concerned, and reporting it to higher authorities such as the VPAA should be a last resort. Maintaining an open communication between both parties goes a long way and lessens the probability of these problems from occurring.

There is no guarantee how long the pandemic will last and when universities will reopen its doors for at least limited face-to-face classes for all its students. Even so, for now, addressing these concerns regarding online learning would increase the capabilities of the University to deliver quality education, and live up to its standard of excellence.

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SPECIAL REPORTS | 07

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Before reaching the finish line: Taga-West graduating batch thumbs down virtual internships Jonar B. Dorado, Ella Hyacinth R. Golez, Jade Danielle T. Isidro, and John Aubrey J. Jamero Due to the ongoing torment of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country since March 2020, West Visayas State University (WVSU) shifted into a flexible learning modality since the academic year 2020-2021, which involves holding synchronous and asynchronous classes. However, these non-physical meetings impose a great challenge on 4th year students who have internship and thesis requirements for them to graduate.

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he said transition was based on Memorandum No. 20-097 specifying “flexible learning guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic” released by the Office of the President on April 30, 2020.

With the change in the academic setup, the University is faced with difficulties in the implementation of remote learning methods as President Joselito Villaruz stated that WVSU was caught “unprepared and overwhelmed”, discouraging the conduct of synchronous classes.

Taga-West students already expressed postquarantine academic issues, especially the difficulties they encountered in their online learning activities, thus graduating students raised their concerns regarding the conduct of virtual internships by their respective colleges with the approval from the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA).

In an interview with The Forum, VPAA Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla said undergoing internship is

still a requirement for 4th year students because it is already part of their curriculum. As far as on-the-job training (OJT) is concerned, Pres.

Villaruz only encourages having online or remote OJT, as of now, to limit the possible exposure of graduating students to COVID-19. This is also in adherence to the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Advisory No. 7 or Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Mitigation of the Spread of COVID-19 in Higher Education Institutions, which prohibits face-toface practicum during the pandemic.

Earlier this year, CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III said students who graduated amid this pandemic are still competent as per what he said in his speech during WVSU’s virtual graduation. De Vera said the commission acted “quickly and conscientiously at the onset of pandemic and devised ways to allow continued access to quality education.”

Meanwhile, contrary to what CHED said, 4th year students feel that the current

online class set-up will not make them “competent and ready” to venture into the real world. The Forum conducted an interviewsurvey with the graduating taga-West students where they expressed their disfavor to the current system for their internship, as well as their concerns regarding the remote learning setup like connectivity issues, lack of motivation to learn, coping up to academic requirements, and the lack of technical and practical skills that should be applied in an actual internship.

Based on the students’ response to the survey, it showed that most of them think they lack practical skills and knowledge for an internship and that virtual classes are not effective in providing education needed for an actual internship program due to absence of practical and on-hand training.

Nevertheless, colleges have already conducted virtual internships.

Based on the survey, the College of Communication has conducted their virtual internships and students

still think that even though the virtual internship was a good experience, the learning is still not as effective as face-to-face internships.

Meanwhile, the Colleges of Education, Nursing, and PESCAR are already discussing ways they can conduct their own internship programs while other colleges still have no update on their plans.

Despite the initiative and plans of the colleges and the whole University to provide the students with virtual training and internships,

the majority of the students are not confident with how much they can take away from the experience, especially that this is likely to be done virtually.

According to them, it will not be as effective as having an actual practice that makes the students learn and adapt with the actual working environment, thus they are still hoping for internships to be conducted face-to-face as this would build up their confidence as professionals when they graduate.

No substitute for experience: Pandemic reveals challenges of remote laboratory activities Clint M. Bellosillo, Gerlyn Joy P. Rojo, Reynold L. Sumido, Jr., and John Glen L. Teorima Laboratory activities are established in many science-related courses because it links verbal instructions to concrete experiences. In West Visayas State University, medical-related courses, such as Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Dental Medicine, BS Nursing, and BS Biology all have laboratory activities embedded in their programs to supplement their lessons from lecture classes and gain necessary clinical skills.

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s students continue to adapt against the unprecedented disruption brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it raises the questions of how the education system supervises learning interventions and teaching modalities beyond the traditional face-to-face interaction.

In an interview with The Forum, University President Joselito F. Villaruz said “laboratory skills training provides students the opportunity to learn in a safe, anxiety and risk-free environment where errors can be managed. These skills will allow them to acquire competence and skills before they are finally deployed in the clinical and community areas where they are supposed to do hands-on training before they graduate.”

Villaruz also pointed out that actual handson experience for health science programs is “nonnegotiable considering the sensitivity of subjects (human lives) being dealt with by health professionals.”

Based on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order Series of 2020 No. 04, which adopts the implementation of flexible learning on public and private Higher Education Institutions, universities are required to provide learners with the most flexible learning content, schedules, access, innovative assessment, and making use of digital and non-digital tools. This type of learning should complement an outcomebased education approach through any means of delivery and approach as long as they can show the achievement of the set learning outcomes for the course or subject of the program.

According to interviews from the faculty, the different medical-related courses of the University adopted various modalities to supplement the outcome-based criteria for their clinical and l a b o r a t o r y subjects through u t i l i z i n g clinical video procedures,

taking materials from reputable researchers and journals, having small group discussions through the college’s problem-based learning mode, laboratory modelling videos, case studies, simulated setups, and related picture references.

Despite the University’s commendable effort in facilitating the online mode of learning, it has not been smooth sailing for its students who are in the health-related courses.

Since the beginning of online classes, students have faced multiple adversities from both

academic and nonacademic sources.

“I’m not the kind of person that is blessed to have my own room. So, there are times when I have momentum in studying, my sister or anyone in the family will enter the room and talk or ask me to run errands. After that, I’ll have difficulty restarting that momentum,” a second-year medical student told The Forum.

Besides the challenges of students balancing their roles as a student and a family member, students shared that virtual laboratory classes could never be an equivalent substitute for actual clinical experience.

“It’s really different learning from reading a hypothetical case and learning from an actual patient that is in front of you. The difference couldn’t even be compared. Both are completely different e x p e r i e n c e s ,” a fourthyear nursing student said.

W h e n asked if the current

setting of learning could prepare them for their future professions, most students from the health-related courses that were interviewed shook their heads. This is because, according to a second-year medical student, “these fields require extensive, firsthand clinical experiences, which can vary greatly from the cases given in the classroom.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students from medical-related courses in the University had no choice but to work with alternative methods for learning laboratory and clinical skills. Although most of the students and faculty agree that they are not very effective, these are currently the only options available.

Currently, only the College of Medicine and College of Nursing have obtained CHED’s approval to conduct limited in-person classes.

Pres. Villaruz also said the University is trying their best to have these laboratory hours restored as soon as possible.

08 OPINION

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

TheForum

EDITORIAL

The Forum THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY ISSN: 2423-2769 | Member of the College Editors Guild of the Phil.

Under the banner of West Visayas State University Forum-Dimensions Publications Inc.

JOHN GLEN L. TEORIMA Editor-in-Chief ZYNNIE ROSE C. ZARAGOSA Managing Editor GERLYN JOY P. ROJO Associate Editor ERIC D. MORGUIA, JR. News and Special Reports Editor JULIE ANNE L. COLLADO Features Editor MARIA KAYLA T. TINGZON Filipino and Hiligaynon Editor JOHN AUBREY J. JAMERO Sports Editor REYNOLD L. SUMIDO, JR. Literary Editor NICOLE ANNE A. MOSCOSO Online Editor JONAR B. DORADO Circulation and Exchange Manager REESA T. AZARRAGA CLINT M. BELLOSILLO RON ELIZER G. DUHINA ELLA HYACINTH R. GOLEZ RICHARD D. OLANO, JR. JOHN LYOD B. PACHEJO KEVEN RIZZO C. SITJAR Senior Staff JADE DANIELLE T. ISIDRO KELLY P. RONVEAUX Editorial Assistants ANGELINE S. ACANTILADO KEMINOVA B. ACEPCION AMETHYST A. ALUMBRO RJAY Z. CASTOR JOSHUA A. CELESTIAL JOHN PAUL A. DAQUIN

FRANZ CHRYSLER MARIE C. DELGADO

SARAH ROSE M. LINAS NOVE JOY S. LOSBAÑES KARLA R. PORRAS JUSTIN KYLE G. QUINESIO JOMER J. RUEGO GWENNETH MEG D. SONISO Contributors

DR. BONNA S. PALMA Adviser DR. NANCY S. SURMIEDA Dean, Office of Student Affairs

The future of democracy at our fingertips

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Pulse Asia Survey conducted in midJune 2021, about a year before the May 2022 national elections, revealed that the Filipinos’ top choices for president include two progenies of illfamed political dynasties, an actor-turned-politician, and a recently retired boxer.

Election and political surveys give us the public’s pulse at the time they are conducted. At best, they show us who the most popular figures are. Sadly, if the result of this recent survey is any indication - compounded by our current reliance on digital platforms, where disinformation abounds, as a major source of information about our candidates - we may be repeating our past mistakes.

Sara Duterte, mayor of Davao City and daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, led the poll with a 28% preference rating. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso trailed behind with 14%. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.—a former senator and son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.—followed suit with 13%, while senators Grace Poe and Manny Pacquiao had 10% and 8%, respectively.

Months prior to his election in 2016, Rodrigo Duterte sustained his lead as the top presidential bet in various Pulse Asia surveys. And while in office, his popularity continued to be bolstered by propaganda. After his campaign’s effective albeit highly criticized use of social media during and after 2016, it’s undeniable that social platforms are a powerful tool in influencing the public’s opinion and prompting them to action.

Letters, comments, suggestions, and contributions are welcome in the Forum-Dimensions

EMAIL: fd@wvsu.edu.ph

TEL NO.: (033) 320-0870 Loc. 1610

WVSU.Forum.Dimensions @forumdimensions @forumdimensions Integrity | Reliability | Commitment

On the brighter side, digital platforms have given political candidates alternative channels where they can show the more casual and relatable parts of their personalities.

Think about the recent popular interviews of Marcos Jr. by celebrity host Toni Gonzaga, and Vice President Leni Robredo by journalist Karen Davila. The video-sharing application TikTok, formerly dominated by users creating content on dance, comedy, and music, had become a campaign tool for senatorial aspirant Chel Diokno and presidential bet Moreno.

Unfortunately, social media is a massive echo chamber, where there is limited exposure to content that algorithms do not read as our interest, including opposing political views. This restricts discussions and exchange of ideas, as if the number of paid trolls is not a big enough problem.

An individual ballot may

mean so little amid the millions of other votes cast, but when accumulated, it can remind us that the Philippines is a democracy. But along with this liberty comes the often abused freedom of expression, where a Filipino would willingly feed his fellow Filipino false information that will forever scar the country’s history and would predetermine how the circumstances are going to be in the next six years.

Even as peddlers of disinformation and opportunistic, self-branded populists loom over the country, the Filipinos should never forget that the power of the vote still belongs to them.

They must muscle through any attempt to manipulate their right to live the kind of future they truly deserve - where human rights are respected, oppressors are held to account, and government officials are worth emulating by choosing the right leaders based on facts and conscience.

Mas marangal ang wikang Filipino kaysa sa paggamit nito ng Pangulo

DR. JOSELITO F. VILLARUZ University President

Contributions must be sent to the Forum-Dimensions Office, Quezon Hall, West Visayas State University, La Paz, Iloilo City

With the mobility restrictions brought by the pandemic, the public is left to rely heavily on social media for information, even if some of its sections not only lack credibility but have become channels of downright disinformation.

Facebook, for instance, with roughly 76 million users in the Philippines, is rife with paid “trolls” and “fake news.” “The network analysis firm Graphika, which specialises in disinformation detection, found that two fake pages on the site focusing on the Philippines had attracted the most followers – at 57,000 and 40,000 – out of the 11 Facebook pages in total that were taken down,” South China Morning Post reported.

Majority of Filipinos are aware of “fake news” on social media—9 out of 10, in fact, or 88%, according to a 2018 Pulse Asia survey. But the problem is that, online, the public have a hard time differentiating lies from facts.

LESSON OF THE DAY Eric D. Morguia, Jr. eric.morguia@wvsu.edu.ph

“

Mas marangal ang tunay na gamit at diwa nito kaysa sa kung paano ito lumabas sa bibig at pinaslang ng Pangulo.

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agdating sa nilalaman ng huling State of the Nation Address ng Pangulo – sa una pa lamang, nawala na ang pananampalataya ko. Taas-kamay, buong-buo

na ang aking paniniwala na kailangan na niyang lumisan o matanggal sa kapangyarihan.

Subalit mas nakapanlulumo para sa akin, bilang isang magiging guro sa Filipino, sa kasagsagan ng kaniyang halos tatlong oras na talumpati na hitik sa kawalan ng kabuluhan ay ang kaniyang paggamit ng wika.

Kapag mga polisiya at legasiya niya ang pinaguusapan, ang husay ng Pangulo mag-Ingles – nais niyang ipamalas na marangal siyang pakinggan, pinapalak-pakan.

Subalit pagdating sa pangiinsulto, sa pagmumura, at sa seksismo – natutuhan niyang baluktutin ang kaniyang dila at magsalita sa wikang Filipino. Oo, hindi man ito pinapalak-pakan, subalit pinagtatawanan.

Ano ang implikasyon nito sa diskurso sa loob at labas ng lipunan, partikular sa paaralan?

Na ang wikang Filipino ay wika ng mababang pag-iisip, ng pambabastos, at ng wala sa lugar na katatawanan?

Hanggang dito na lang?

Nakapanlulumo kung gayon.

Kaya siguro kahit ilang ulit ituro at ipaalala sa atin na ang wikang Filipino ay wika ng matibay na pakikipagugnayan, ng pananaliksik, at ng kaunlara’t kaalaman – ang hirap-hirap nitong lubos na maisakatuparan dahil sa mga taong katulad ng Pangulo na walang-habas na binababoy ang kaluluwa ng opisina ng pinakamataas na posisyon sa bansa, sa harap ng sambayanang Pilipino gamit ang kaniyang mga salita.

Marami nang mga hamon sa pagtuturo ng wika at

ng panitikang Filipino.

Bilang isang gurong magaaral, isa itong kasawian na masakit iproseso. Paano nga ba natin maibabangon ang dangal nito sa harap ng mga mag-aaral kung patuloy itong idinadapa ng mga maimpluwensiya at makapangyarihang tao?

Nawa’y mas marangal pa rin ang leksikon ng ating pagka-Pilipino kaysa sa paggamit nito ng pangulo.

Si Eric D. Morguia, Jr., 22, ay nagpapakadalubhasa sa pagtuturo ng asignaturang Filipino sa antas sekundarya.

Interes niyang magsulat ng mga balita at opinyon na mangangalampag sa damdamin ng mga neutral na mambabasa.

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OPINION | 09

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Y BEYOND FRONTIERS Ron Eliezer G. Duhina roneliezer.duhina@wvsu.edu.ph

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One way of being ‘out-of-the-normal’ is making use of our own voice.

Is ‘normal’ what we really want?

ou wake up to the sound of your mother’s voice echoing throughout your house. Squinting at the alarm clock on your bedside table, you realize it is already 6:15 a.m. You rush out of bed, get dressed, eat your breakfast, and walk towards school. Life was normal then, wasn’t it?

It was nostalgic, indeed.

However, with the advent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic making its way into our lives, what we constantly desire is for things to be normal. But what exactly is ‘normal’? Is it something that we really

want?

The word “normal” is defined as, ‘the usual, or typical condition,’ and it also signifies calmness, or things in the way that we are used to. However, what is ‘normal’ nowadays or in the recent past does not signify what the previous statement is trying to say. Our ‘normal’ now is a dilemma. Among numerous dilemmas iis the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

Today, hearing the surging number of COVID-19 cases on the news is normal.

Although disappointing, we expect to hear a rise in these cases when it comes to news updates on the pandemic,

just like listening to a weather report where we expect that there will be only two types of weather – sunny and rainy.

But if we come to think of it, the reason why this is happening is, but not limited to, poor governance.

One way of being ‘out-ofthe-normal’ is making use of our own voice. Instead of keeping quiet about today’s issues, which is a usual and normal act of some people, it is important to take the right side even if we are not directly affected by it. An example is advocating for the proper compensation of our medical workers since many of them are underpaid, while some

allegedly failed to receive the special risk allowance and hazard pay that the government promised them.

So once again, do we still want ‘normal’? Maybe, no, not maybe. We should do things ‘out-of-the-normal’.

Ron Eliezer G. Duhina, 19, is a 2nd year Bachelor of Science in Biology student who aims to be a neurosurgeon someday.

He advocates for the eradication of stigma against gender roles and mental health.

Welcome back to the ‘Sick Man of Asia’

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“

rabe ang daming buildings, ang yaman na talaga ng Pilipinas, Duterte lang sakalam!”

The obsession of Filipinos with myths and conspiracy theories has eventually caused troubles in information dissemination to the uninformed masses. The socalled ‘golden era of Philippine economy’ during the Marcos regime is one of them. And if there’s an up-to-date entry, the current administration will surely pass the criteria where a digital cult called ‘DDS’ or Duterte Diehard Supporters continue to fantasize on the

idea of the Philippines as a Singapore- or United Stateslike nation when most of our countrymen are succumbing to poverty.

I can say that our country is developing fast like it never did before. I liked what I saw back then. But trust me, I do not believe that we are near the status of the US, we’re not even close to Singapore. What disgusts me is that people are still convinced of preaching buildings as the basis of a rising economy when our numbers are literally crashing down and the government is doing nothing but to worsen the burden of the Filipinos.

Half of ₱10.13 trillion current debt of the country was borrowed by the Duterte government alone.

It is obvious that most of the money proceeds to the “Build, Build, Build” Program or what other people say, the “Borrow, Borrow, Borrow” Program.

Now that we are in grave threat of going back to being the ‘sick man of Asia’, who could blame those Filipinos who yearn for a life abroad?

We are no longer a rising economic star and there is no place for the glorification of resiliency, using of the silver lining card, and mythmaking.

Filipinos are not money

makers to pay for the debt of the government’s impulsive loan routines. We are getting poorer and the prices on the market are getting higher.

Who is ready to pay for these debts forever? No one but the rich can.

OVERBREAK Jonar B. Dorado jonar.dorado@wvsu.edu.ph

Jonar B. Dorado, 21, is a 4th year Bachelor of Arts in Journalism student and a Gemini sun who is passionate about astrology.

He believes that every being has a significant role in our universe.

“

What disgusts me is that people are still convinced of preaching buildings as the basis of a rising economy.

Investing in the students amid pandemic

TO BE HONEST John Lyod B. Pachejo johnlyod.pachejo@wvsu.edu.ph

“

A tablet for each student means hope for each one.

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very time I would scroll on social media, I am always astounded by the lexical innovation that is largely influenced by internet-based communication. I remember hearing my younger brother blabbering the word “sakalam” and “awit” for countless of times in our dining table while I was left in silence to ponder on its cultural context.

Neologism is the practice of coining new words that illustrates the dynamism of language. Its process can be studied through morphology where several mechanisms

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ranscending through the borders of traditional and conventional learning, West Visayas State University (WVSU) has adapted the online learning scheme by providing roughly Php30 million worth of educational tablets for all its undergraduate students.

One less worry for many.

In an effort to limit the transmission of the virus, every university in the country started to abruptly and comprehensively adopt online learning in place of face-to-face classes. The

coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has prompted students, faculty, and staff to accommodate this massive change and WVSU has left no student behind.

As taga-West students, we could not be more grateful for this initiative. WVSU is just one of the hundreds of state universities and colleges in the Philippines with limited funds, but it was able to constantly deliver not only the best quality of education that each of its students needs, but also the comfort and ease in learning that each

of its students deserves.

A tablet for each student means hope for each one.

By choosing to allocate a large percentage from its funds for the procurement of educational tablets, the University embodied the most fundamental principle that every institution should pursue – that it should always choose to invest in its students.

Although there are more things to be considered for an effective ‘balik-eskwela’ program, the tablet would be a good start. From there

we could be motivated to maximize our efforts knowing that our University is doing its best to support us.

If that is not enough reason to strive, we do not know what else.

John Lyod B. Pachejo, 21, is a 4th year student taking up Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. He believes that democratic development is not the procurement of political status quo.

A word is born are adapted by an individual.

The creativity in language among Filipinos is evident for we continue to bring forth new vocabulary to express our varying emotions. For instance, we have “sana all” (which means ‘I hope everyone experiences that’), “luh” (short for hala), “oof” (Oops or really?), “awit” (describes the feeling of pain or disappointment), and “sakalam” (inverse of the word malakas). However, these are not only fashioned in line for inclination, but they also serve as coping tools amid trying times.

Our emotions facilitate language learning that make meaning of our experiences and perspective in light of the present situation.

Language has become a solace, especially during the pandemic, where everyone is isolated at the comfort of their homes. It arises as our humorous response to circumstances and matters that burdened us in many ways. It sparks laughter and meaningful discourse that challenges one’s point of view.

As new verbal play continues to appear in mass

media, it demonstrates how people can easily adapt to big changes. As the vaccines continue to arrive in our country and more Filipinos are getting vaccinated, may we all mutter the term “sana all” so that everything will fall back into its rightful place again.

Reynold Sumido Jr., 22, is a 4th year Bachelor of Science in Biology student.

He firmly believes that the most desirable thing in the world is the freedom to be true to oneself.

PENCIL CHORES Reynold L. Sumido, Jr. reynoldjr.sumido@wvsu.edu.ph

“

Language has become a solace, especially during the pandemic.

10 | OPINION

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

WEST POST TEST

Doctor’s Desk

Building a bet: The facets of a good political leader

W

ith only a few more months left to burn through the 2022 National Elections in May, the Filipinos will be, once again, given the sole power to choose their executive leaders.

According to the Commission on Elections, roughly 11 million registered voters are aged 18-24 years old, making up approximately 20% of the total number of registered voters in the Philippines. Incidentally, this is also the age at which most Filipinos are entering, or are currently enrolled in higher education institutions.

Jade Danielle T. Isidro and Kelly P. Ronveaux

Taking these numbers into account, with over thirty students as respondents, The Forum conducted an online survey via Google Forms among the Taga-West to uncover the traits and qualities they consider to be essential in a good Philippine president.

Among the responses, a student from the College of Arts and Sciences listed, “Active-listener [sic] to the Public and their concerns” as the first among the three qualities they considered to be essential in a chief executive. On the other hand, a student from the College of Business

VOTE. Photo Courtesy: Rappler

Talks & Voices I would rather continue doing online classes within the comforts of my home than to attend face-to-face classes at the moment because I have not been fully vaccinated yet and I don’t want to risk myself and my family to be infected with COVID-19.

Xena Rose, CBM

In my opinion, I would rather push for limited face-to-face classes for the following reasons: First, since then, we have been aiming for a #LigtasNaBalikEskwela as flexible learning has been hard for all. Second, vaccine is now available for FREE and getting vaccinated develops immunity and reduces the risk of getting the illness and its consequences Brevish Dame, COP

I would go for the limited faceto-face classes particularly in colleges because flexible learning is not convenient for all. Besides, vaccination is already open for those ages 18 and above. Moreover, as we have experienced the past years, flexible learning has become the major reason that many students suffer from serious mental illness.

Grazielle Faith, CAF

and Management cited, “listens to the people to what they want to say and does not invalidate them.”

Compassion, passion, and firmness in decisionmaking were also included.

Moreover, one student from the College of Nursing answered: “strong moral and ethical compass, progressive, not just has the qualities of a good leader but also a good listener as well.” Compassion, passion, and firmness in decisionmaking were also included.

Overall, the results of this survey have shown that, for the majority of the students, the most important facet a leader should have is empathy, defined as the ability to make decisions based on what will benefit their people, and to view their constituents not as inferiors, but as those whose dignity and rights must be protected under their wing.

It is undeniable that the respondents of the survey had opinions that were greatly influenced by the pandemic and by how the current Government continues to respond to it.

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Sarah Marie M. Suajico-Huyong, MD, MPH

Medical Officer Tangalan Rural Health Unit Tangalan, Aklan

F

or over a year of battling the threats brought by coronavirus disease (COVID-19), countless policies and protocols have been implemented, test kits were procured in order to stem its transmission, and through its course, various companies have now developed and administered vaccines.

Vaccine hesitancy is one of the major issues during the start of the COVID-19 vaccination program. As I have noticed, we have been used to “Sumunod ka na lang”, “Tanggapin mo na lang” without acknowledging the need to properly discuss the ideas behind the proposed interventions – for the vaccines, its risks, benefits, and

West Visayas State University College of Medicine Batch Excelsior (2017)

consequences.

It is not simply this and that. We do not disregard the anxiety and worries of those we call “anti-vaxxers”. We should acknowledge that some of them are just waiting for their questions to be answered.

Everyone wants to be vaccinated the soonest possible time to be able to protect themselves from COVID-19, but the arrival of vaccines is slow. The government is the primary duty bearer with full responsibility to the Filipino people.

Health does not exist in a vacuum and health will always be political.

To prevent this from happening again, we have to do this one important thing: CHOOSE BETTER LEADERS IN 2022.

On the two-year (and counting) educational fallout of COVID-19

A

Julie Anne L. Collado, John Aubrey J. Jamero, and John Lyod B. Pachejo

s a response to the pandemic, the University has employed a policy on flexible learning since last academic year. As Taga-West students continue to struggle with these profound changes in the education sector, among others, Pido asked them about their views and positions on the pressing issue on the eventual adaptation of limited face-to-face classes for the school year 2021-2022 despite threats of surging coronavirus cases and of the Delta variant in Iloilo City.

PIDO ASKS:

Would you rather continue “flexible” learning or go for limited face-to-face classes?

I think that limited face-to-face classes should be implemented, specifically for graduating students, in order for us to be equipped with the skills required by our specific fields. Along with the limited face-to-face learning, strict health protocols should be implemented and there should also be a flexible response should there be a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the City.

Lance Rafael, CAS

I am for the limited face-to-face classes. Yes, I am aware of the surge in the city with all the multiple variants. Yes, I am scared of the possibility of getting myself and my family infected but the thought of graduating from my course while on this virtual set-up terrifies me as well. I entered nursing with the desire to help people and sometimes helping others will mean putting yourself on the battlefield for them.

Steffi Marie, CON

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FEATURES 11

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

A

century ago, the world saw widespread adoption of the assembly line, radio, automobile, motion pictures, and labor-saving appliances.

Mass culture and consumerism took shape. It was the era of jazz, Walt Disney, flappers, and the Harlem Renaissance.

Indeed, it was the first true modern decade. But all these surfaced right after a pandemic – the 1918 Influenza Pandemic which infected onethird of the world’s population and killed about 50 million people.

And as the world suffers through another pandemic, it’s tempting to ask whether history will repeat itself. Once the virus passes, will 2020s roar the way the 1920s did?

than ever. Who knows what other phenomenal inventions will surface in our time driven by this urgent need to innovate?

Postpandemic life While some countries remain mired in the third wave of the pandemic, others are taking their first tentative steps towards normalcy. In countries like ours that have forged ahead with the rollout of vaccines, there is a palpable sense of optimism. And yet, with all this looking forward, there is plenty of uncertainty over what the future holds.

There’s no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic was tough, and it may or may not be tougher in the near future. It turned our world upside down. It disrupted our routines, forced us to stay home, made us confront the fragility of life and pushed us well beyond the limits of our comfort zone.

The 1920s roared a pandemic, and the 2020s will try We are not condemned to repeat the past, but economies and societies tend to react in the same ways to shared processes. The 1920s saw the global economy recovering from a devastating pandemic and had celebrated the breakthrough. As F Scott Fitzgerald wrote in ‘The Great Gatsby’, “The parties were bigger. The pace was faster. The shows were broader. The buildings were higher, the morals were looser and the liquor was cheaper.”

In this sense, the end of COVID-19 pandemic might trigger our own “Roaring 20s”. Despite the differences, by copying what was done right in the past and avoiding what went wrong, our generation can make this decade a success – by today’s standards anyway. In this era, great innovations may occur mostly in health and digitalization – areas that have been stressed and tested by the pandemic crisis.

Roaring Twenties Rerun Despite the onset of more severe lockdowns, is it possible that a new, maybe more sober, roaring 20s could be upon us?

and were determined to achieve herd-immunity as soon as possible.

Health may be further revolutionized by virtue of having attracted the attention of capital markets during the crisis, and it may be well that we are seeing the reemergence of a biotech bubble, and In the health sector, also the intersection we are ripe for a of healthcare and revolution in many technology. aspects. The COVID-19 virus has uncovered a Digitalization, on the wide variance in the other hand, became an quality of the healthcare increasingly important system. Halfway through part of the workforce.

2021, several countries The spread of around the world already coronavirus somehow carried out COVID-19 urged businesses and vaccination programs governments to look

Julie Anne L. Collado Joshua A. Celestial

into creative digital solutions to avoid inperson meetings, and face-to-face classes, for the organizations to continue to function remotely and continue to serve their client base, and for education to continue thriving through online learning.

digital payment systems, remote working, distance learning, Telehealth consultation, 3D Printing, and online entertainment.

These technological advancements have been embraced all the way during this pandemic by a few countries around the world, with The new policies, such its limitation in some as lockdowns and social underdeveloped and distancing measures, developing countries. have resulted in the use of technological And because of means of interaction the need for digital with the government, t r a n s f o r m a t i o n , businesses, and the demand and citizens. Such changes introduction of digital include increased online spaces, applications, shopping, contactless and software have been delivery systems, rise of apparent now more

But amid our collective fear and suffering, there were silver linings. We learned to be kind and care for our neighbors, we slowed down to notice the small things that make life worth living, parents spent more time with their kids — in person and on Zoom. We focused more on our physical and mental health and learned to appreciate the smallest things we used to take for granted.

We proved to ourselves how resilient we are, and we treated each other with compassion.

“

Torn nerves craved the anodynes of speed, excitement, and passion —Frederick Lewis Allen, a blueblood journalist, looking back from the near remove of 1931, wrote in Only yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s.

You see, our nerves, too, are torn.

But learning from the past can help the healing begin.

12 | FEATURES

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

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FROM| |yamato UP ON

How a place of ruins became a tourist attraction Julie Anne L. Collado

Not so long ago, I decided to spend a few days in my grandma’s hometown, Lambunao, Iloilo. I was to go there for a short holiday. My grandma’s house lay upon the edge of mini rice terraces surrounded by mountains. The Lambunaonon, who was driving me there, already told me twice that those mountain forests are inhabited by diabolical people who still practice sorcery.

“If I were you, I would not set foot into those forests,” the driver said.

“There are strange things happening there.”

I laughed a little. When I was in my elementary years, I recall how my grandmother would always tell me stories about the mysteries of her town whenever we go there for a vacation, how some people assumed there were witches and bears lurking in the vicinity of the famous “Tinagong Dagat”, and diabolical tribes living within the thicket of woods. All those telltales frightened me as a child but my favorite was the story of the Yamato International School.

My scalp jumped upon remembering it and I suddenly wanted to see the place. “Can we first go to Yamato?” I asked the driver.

He nodded.

The road was narrow. The driver began hauling the steering wheel to follow the twists and curves of the road, and I began to feel queasy. The tall trees towered over the road, almost blocking out the sun and covering everything in gloomy shadows.

Eventually, we climbed the gentle slope for about 5 minutes then we came to a road leading into the woods on the other left.

Finally, we pulled into a stop.

An iridescent glow almost blinded my eyes and I couldn’t help but be amazed by the view. I fixed my gaze to the marigolds, keeping their tempo and swaying on time. And as I look further, there I saw the Yamato International School – still standing dignified amid the fact that it was abandoned several years ago. There was something magical about forgotten terrains and ruins like this, that even with the passage of time; it never loses its charm.

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

FEATURES | 13 Photo Courtesy: Frederick Linga, Western Visayas: The Heart of the Philippines FB page, Marie Andrea Pefianco

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forumdimensions

How every ruin was once a masterpiece With its main building displaying a striking resemblance to the National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan, the Yamato International School was a natural head-turner even though it is situated at Brgy. Cayan Oeste, a little far from the Lambunao town proper. The school sits regally atop a hill, where a great view of Lambunao’s highlands can be seen.

Not much data is known about the school but according to local stories, it opened a decade ago yet only operated for two years. It was closed for unknown reasons but according to the legend, which my grandma had always told me, the Japanese built it for quarry purposes as they believed that the spot was where the Yamashita Treasure was buried. So when no treasure was found, the Japanese ceased to maintain the school.

It remained vacant for years until the recent land owner, Mr. Mario Lacuesta, along with the Local Government Unit of Pototan, decided to turn it into a flower farm.

The ultimate comeback It was the initiative of the LGU to convert such a place into a tourist spot. The idea sparked up in July 2019 when the Lutero siblings, together with their friend Harriette Girao started to plant flowers in the vacant lot where Bermuda grass grew. From then on, the LGU continued the development. Meanwhile, the tourist spot requires a 30-peso entrance fee which is paid to Mr. Lacuesta as rent.

The farm is home to different varieties of floral plants such as marigold, zinnia and portulaca. It was opened to the public last September 28, 2019. Visitors are free to take pictures and roam around the little paradise but entering the building is prohibited because of the loose and brittle structures.

Yamato International School may not be serving as an institution anymore, but it has found its new purpose in today’s time. In Japanese, “Yamato” means “great harmony”, and indeed, it was redesigned to bring together people to be in sync and harmonious with nature.

And as I stood there from up the Yamato, I, as a visitor, am more enchanted than ever.

14 | FEATURES

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

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TWO-WHEELED LIFELINE How the Ilonggos managed to pedal their way through a global pandemic Nicole Anne A. Moscoso

F

rom the deserted pavements of Calle Real, to the carless streets of the once bustling Diversion Road; from the idle Jalandoni Flyover, to the vacant alleys of the Iloilo River Esplanade, the streetscapes of Iloilo City have been reinvented by the COVID-19 crisis in more ways than one – today, Ilonggos are cycling their way through the pandemic.

Forging a Safe Zone Before lockdowns even came to see the light of day, Ilonggos have always considered cycling as a reliable mode of transport – it is cost-effective, yet less damaging, and it is more flexible, yet equally efficient.

This fascination for biking translated into tangible projects dedicated to gradually transforming the City of Love into a city safe for its thousands of cyclists.

Among these projects is the renowned 11-kilometer “integrated-elevateddedicated bike lane” that extends from the Diversion Road to different areas in

Photo Courtesy: Daily Guardian

the City. This was followed by the construction of a bike linkage project connecting the three major bike lane networks within the city – the Diversion Road, the University Loop, and the 12-kilometer bike-accessible section of the Iloilo River Esplanade; this was completed in August 2020.

Iloilo City also takes pride in its annual bike festival which has been organized since 2013, and is one of the biggest biking events in the country. The City was also awarded as the ‘Most Bike-friendly City’

by PhilBike Expo in 2018. Consequently, many considered Iloilo as the “Bike Capital of the Philippines,” dubbed in social media as #IloiloBikeCapitalPH. In light of these achievements and developmental projects, Senator Grace Poe urged mayors of Metro Manila to see Iloilo’s success with its bike culture as a model for Local Government Units (LGUs).

“Kakaiba talaga ang development ng Iloilo and I feel so proud to be from Iloilo whenever I see all the development there. Kaya isa nga ‘yan sa mga naging inspirasyon ko. That’s why I pushed for funding for protected bike lanes dahil nga nakita kong malaking bagay ito,” Sen. Poe said.

Photo Courtesy: Iloilo Metropolitan Times

Photo Courtesy: ATMOS.PH

Smart, Green, and Sustainable As Iloilo continues to provide a safe space for its cyclists and joggers, the city government has embarked on a new sustainable bikeway project. The “Green Tunnel” Project was announced by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas on his Facebook page last year, and today, the city government has started to install green tunnels along the bike lanes of the Diversion Road.

Mayor Jerry Treñas said in an interview with Panay News that it has always been his dream to push the City’s limits in creating a sustainable living environment for Ilonggos.

A Sound Investment The global pandemic has temporarily curtailed daily life across the globe, but instead of succumbing into the mishaps of the pandemic, Iloilo City chose to turn to cycling to reinvent its streetscapes and recapture its former glory. While other cities are just beginning to acknowledge the diverse advantages of cycling – environmental, mental and physical health-related benefits, to name a few, Iloilo City is already on its way to making its developmental efforts last.

Photo Courtesy: Daily Guardian

Into the Realm of a Cyber Society How the pandemic paved the way for humans to adapt to the fast-paced digitalization

Jonar B. Dorado Amethyst A. Alumbro

C

enturies ago when people like Nostradamus predicted what the future would look like, they thought of flying cars, televisions, and teleporters, to name a few. These visions might be different from what we have in the present but considering everything which is happening, are we now living in the future?

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only taken many lives but also stopped face-to-face interactions, forcing people to use digital platforms as a form of communication. Classes, meetings, and even online doctor appointments are now accessible digitally. On top of that is the booming industry of e-banking and e-commerce like Gcash, PayPal, Shopee, and Lazada in the Philippines.

Jill Steinhour, director of the High-Tech and B2B Strategy of Adobe described how the beginning of March 2020 had changed the lives of people. “Digital workflows have abruptly replaced processes that previously required in-person inputs

and interactions. Existing digital workflows are being amplified, and new digital workflows are being created. Video conferences are now the

‘‘

Although these measures were prompted by the pandemic and health protocols, they are proof that the transition towards digitalization is advancing.

standard medium for live collaboration,” she said.

Furthermore, a new survey by Chase Ink in 2020 revealed almost a quarter of small business owners began promoting their company through digital advertising for the first time in 2020 and reported that after shipping related costs, the majority of last

year’s spending expense increase has come from the rise of social media advertising expenditure, e-commerce platforms, and search engine advertising.

In West Visayas State University, digital technology is also present.

Enrollment can be done through the university’s online platform, taking only a few minutes of students’ time. The Ticketon system that was also introduced last year was a way to organize physical appointments in the University.

Although these measures were prompted by the pandemic and requirement to adhere to health protocols, they are proof that the transition towards digitalization is advancing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the world.

Humanity has experienced severe challenges during this time, but it continues to adapt to the needs of the situation.

Now that more and more humans are engaging in the digital realm, the technically advanced future is truly in our midst.

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FEATURES | 15

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Review: The Girl and the Magic Blowfish in the City of Wishes Richard D. Olano, Jr.

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Connections and Consequences At the heart of the film is the human species’ connectedness. A profound understanding of this connection manifests in all three wishes made by the persona. While she could have wished for a better life for her family alone, a huge fortune, immortality, or superpowers, she chooses to ask for changes that bring collective good.

The short goes beyond recognizing the complex yet grounding connections among people or dwelling on the morality of its central character. It further journeys to examine how decisions breed consequences; and how these consequences become even more pronounced and amplified in urban spaces. Its articulation of the cause-effect relationship between city planning and good governance and quality of life is nothing short of commendable. And it is through scenarios that

connections and consequences coalesce to tell us that personal interests have no space in congested cities that drain the life out of its inhabitants.

Photo Courtesy: Screenshot/ PCIJdotOrg YouTube Channel

hat if Philippine cities magically had decent housing, reliable public transport, and participatory urban local governments? What would this future look like?”

These are the questions posed by the 18-minute animated short “Ang Bata at Butete sa Bayan ng Hiling” (The Girl and the Magic Blowfish in the City of Wishes, 2021), the film is an informed, people-centered reimagination of the country’s urban design and governance.

The story, set in 2021, follows a girl and her series of encounters with a wishgranting blowfish throughout her lifetime.

While produced amid a global pandemic, it surprisingly excludes COVID-19 from the main narrative since the film uses this as a gateway to establish its commentary on what we could have prevented if only we had better urban plans. It transports the audience to a period before the pandemic and asks: what could have we done differently? But more importantly, it suggests that some things must change, and it is up to us to realize those changes before we run out of time.

Magic does not Last Forever The film admits that it is the magical blowfish that brought change into the persona’s community. But it does not fail to point out that this magic doesn’t last forever.

Apart from this, it makes one think: what magic can a simple person make? Realistically, not much — even with a blowfish. And the film builds on this premise.

The short highlights the government’s role in providing cities the resources they need to build sustainable and resilient communities. It underscores the importance of investing in our experts base needed to make sound choices.

Then, it leaves a powerful reminder: all these are possible if people elect competent leaders.

The Message is the Medium The film’s message is its medium in the sense that all these reimaginations remain an animated fairy tale until we all act together. Its release — roughly a year before the national elections — is not coincidental. There is no denying that the 2022 election is a viable portal to kinder postpandemic Philippine cities. And we need not look for magic from a blowfish because the most potent magic of all is in our hands: our right to vote for anyone we want.

Multifaceted An account of how a filmmaker, journalist, and student nurse balances his life at a young age — along with accomplishments, and the pandemic.

Ron Eliezer G. Duhina

I

n the midst of accomplishments, only oneself can truly declare if he or she is complete. “There was a void in me and I felt something [was] missing,” said Richard Olano, Jr., an award-winning director at the age of 20. At the point where you realize what you truly love, then you will feel complete – lacking nothing.

Excellence Succeeding Greatness Richard Olano, Jr., a native of Sapian, Capiz started filmmaking at the age of 15, when he was just a Grade 9 student of Filamer Christian University. He already had numerous achievements prior to this milestone in his life, yet he still felt incomplete.

It so happened that his school holds its yearly Duag Film Festival, where each department is assured of a slot for an original film. Along with his knowledge and experiences as a student TV broadcaster, he crafted his first masterpiece, “Don’t Tell Mama,” which was showcased at the said festival. Aside from feeling fulfilled, little did he know that this masterpiece was just the start of his career as an awardwinning director.

Success Behind Lenses On the 28th of June 2021, from what started out as a link sent to him, Richard was chosen as one out of the 10 finalists from nine different countries across Europe and Asia for the Far Eastern Film Festival (FEFF) Campus program.

The program is a training project initiated in 2015 where participants undergo seminars and are taught on how to write about cinema. It provides opportunities for journalists between the ages of 18 and 26 to go “behind the scenes” of the film festival. According to Richard, if there was no pandemic today, he would have gone to Italy to cover the event in person.

Furthermore, his movie reviews have earned their spot in The Macao News, an online media platform, and Easternkicks. com, a site for Asian films.

Richard has produced six short films since, and among these are Incognito (2018), and Litaniya Sang Dutang Ginpatumbayaan (Litany of the Land Forsaken, 2019).

Directing Countless Scenes Directing and creating a film alone is never easy, especially in his province.

According to Richard, there is a lack of support system and funding for filmmakers. More so, he needs to juggle this with his personal life and studies.

Richard is a student nurse from WVSU and also a staffer of Forum-Dimensions.

With the advent of the pandemic, trying to move a muscle seemed too hard at times, and getting overwhelmed was nothing new when it struck.

These however, were not considered as stumbling blocks, and as he said, “I kept on pursuing filmmaking despite the pandemic, despite all the limitations…

because of my love for it. Happy ako. When I do something, I make sure I do my best, but I do not dwell on things that are beyond my control.

You move at your own pace, you have your own timeline, [so] do not be too hard on yourself.”

Juggling all these was quite a challenge, especially with the pandemic where life seems directionless.

But just like Richard, with passion and determination, one can also aspire towards success.

Photo Courtesy: Richard D. Olano, Jr.

16 | FEATURES

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

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Working towards a verdant metropolis Iloilo City’s sustainable initiatives in line with developments

Keminova B. Acepcion and Jomer J. Ruego

Green Tunnels

Photo Courtesy: Towns Ville Studios

I

n the midst of top-quality hotels, innovative malls, and contemporary infrastructures, the City of Love also aims to promote a ‘cleaner and greener environment so as to combat the effects of climate change by reducing carbon footprints’.

Heralded by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a “Clean Tourist City”, the city of Iloilo, led by Mayor Jerry Treñas, has implemented and continues

to create projects living up to this title.

“Despite the impact of the pandemic on the community, this does not hamper our continuous efforts to clean the environment and beautify the surroundings,” said Mayor Treñas, in making Iloilo a green city.

The following are four ongoing projects implemented by the Iloilo City Government as part of their Beautification Program.

Tree Park Network The “Tree Park Network” project is the city’s most recent environmental program, and according to plans, it will fully distinguish the city as an environmentally conscious metropolis.

As Mayor Treñas’ pet project, the Iloilo City Tree Park Network, will create eco-forests in three locations: Hinactacan Mangrove Eco-park in Lapaz, Lanit Tree Park in Jaro, and the Boulevard Tree Park in Molo.

The project intends to provide more green spaces in the booming metropolitan center.

This initiative will be something that the locals and the diverse flora and fauna of the city will benefit from. “The Iloilo City Government has conceptualized a mangrove and interconnected tree forest in the metropolis that will promote our tourism and shield us from the effects of climate change,” said Mayor Treñas.

Photo Courtesy: Jerry Trenas’ Facebook page

Hailed as the Biking Capital of the Philippines, neatly paved side lanes covered with greeneries and blooms are one of the sustainable development plans by Mayor Treñas.

The bikeway project called “Green Tunnel” involves vines

and other ornamental plants arching over the city’s bike lanes along Diversion Road stretching around 4.6 to 6 meters across.

These tunnels aim to provide greener walk lanes, and at the same time, fight the impact of climate change.

Green Guards In January 2020, the Iloilo City Government hired 40 additional “green guards” and placed trash bins around the downtown area during Dinagyang 2020 to solve the indiscriminate throwing of garbage during the festivities.

A year later, another set of ‘green guards’ were deployed along with police auxiliaries to the Muelle Loney Promenade in Lapuz district after pieces of bricks or paver blocks in the linear park went missing.

The green guards’ primary objective is to protect the green projects especially ornamental plants as they patrol their areas, equipped with citation tickets, and they are also authorized to arrest vandals. This is after attending a paralegal seminar workshop on anti-littering by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office. These guards were trained on first aid, basic life support and selfdefense.

Photo Courtesy: Iloilo City Government’s Facebook page

Photo Courtesy: Iloilo Today’s website

Ornamental Plant Cultivation Ever since the pandemic started, ornamental plants have created a buzz, and plantitos and plantitas can certainly be found in many households. Ornamental plants are living symbols of beauty that improve the quality of life for people and are a significant economic segment of the ornamental business. In the City of Love, these plants are being cultivated to sustainably beautify the city.

The planting of flowering plants at various sites such as Nabitasan, La Paz, along Efrain B. Treas Boulevard still continues.

The personnel plant yellow bells, Mexican petunias, golden lilies, sunflowers, kalachuchi, among others. These plants, having flowers with vibrant hues, are sure to bring a smile to an individual strolling through the streets of Iloilo amidst a gloomy day.

Photo Courtesy: Iloilo City Government Beautification Program’s Facebook page

There is no doubt that there is a need to protect and conserve the environment, which helps people develop and thrive. The lives of animals, plants, and crops, as well as humans are put in jeopardy if individuals do not protect and care for their surroundings. It is undeniable that the ecosystems that make up the environment are all intricately linked and that humans are a part of it.

Sustainability is one vital step to coexisting with the natural world. Iloilo City’s remarkable efforts have made significant progress and development in recent years, all while supporting environmental conservation and sustainability.

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MULTILINGUAL 17

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Mga Sugidanun kag Sinanto Pangbata

paagto sa Pagsilabo ka Literatura Kinaray-a Ron Eliezer G. Duhina kag Zynnie Rose C. Zaragosa

Mga Istorya sa Atubangan kang Kingki

M

alapad nga baybayun kag kalupaan ang nagabulag kay nana kag kang lugar kon sa diin tana nagbahul.

Marayu sa ana kinaandan nga kabuhi sa mauma nga bahin kang Pantao, Sibalom, Antique, tulad nahamtang tana sa syudadnun nga pagpangabuhi sa Busan, South Korea, dara ang impluwensya kang ana pagka-Karay-a kag pagkaparaistorya nga nabuul na gid sa ana lupa nga tinubuan.

Sa pag-istar ni Linda Arnaez-Lee sa South Korea sa sulud ka baynte (20) ka tuig, wara na gid nalipatan ang nagaragumu na nga Kinaray-a, ria tungud sa ana bahul nga pagpalangga kadya. Indi lamang tana matigda maghambal, kundi manami pa magsulat kang nagkalainlain nga panaysayun,

Suno kay Linda, ang pagabot kang gabii, umpisa man kang pagtirinumpok nanda nga magburugto sa atubangan kang kingki para magpamati sa istorya kang tatay na. Rugya nag-umpisa ang ana pagkamaluyagun sa mga sugidanun. Masadya si tatay na mag-istorya kag may dara nga kumpas. May dyan man karadlukan, karadlawan, kag mga inagyan kang tiyempo-hapon. Nagapamati gid tana kamayad kag ana man dya ginaistorya sa ana mga abyan. Ang pagkamahiligun na sa pagpamati ka mga drama sa radyo, pagbasa ka mga komiks, pocketbooks, kag dumaan nga magasin nga Liwayway amo man ang nangin pundasyon kang ana nga pagsulat.

Pagtungtung na sa high school, nagtiraw tana sa pagsulat kang mga Romance short stories sa Tagalog.

Kag ang una na nga sinulatan amo ang “Sweet but not sixteen” – nahanungud dya sa lola ka girl kag lolo ka boy nga mga bida, nga amo ang dalan kang anda pagkitaay.

Nadumduman na nga ang ngaran ka bida amo si Lee kag daw sipal man kang kapalaran nga Misis Lee run tana ka dya. Nagsulat man si

Linda kang mga bugu nga sipal (short plays) kag anda dya ginapaguwa sa eskwelahan.

Sa una, wara na gid nareyalisar nga ang pagsulat amo gid ang ana talento nga makatugro kang kasadyahan, indi lang para sa mga tagabasa kag tagalantaw kang ana gin-obra, kundi pati man sa ana kaugalingun. Tungud sa mga dayaw kang ana manunudlo kag sa ana man pagpursige nga namiun ang ana mga obra, mas nahanas ang ana abilidad bilang manunulat nga nagamit na gid sa mga masunod nga mga tinuig.

Mga Panulaton nga Bugal kang Antique Ang simple nga pangabuhi ni Linda sa mauma nga bahin ka Antique, nabayluhan ka masaku nga pagpasimpalad sa Busan. Bilang sangka pangayaw nga asawa kang Koryano kag nanay ka tatlo nga ginakabig multiculture children, budlay ang mga

panghangkat kang pagdapun kag pagugyon sa bag-o nga kultura kag ang pagpabilin bilang sangka Antikenyo nga may duna nga kinaiya. Sa ana libro nga Juan Huwaran, ginpakita na nga pwede mangin isara ang darwa ka kultura. Ang handum na nga matudlo na man sa ana mga kabataan ang mga mayad nga batasan kag pag-ugali nga matun-an sa libro nga Juan Huwaran.

Si Linda nangin miyembro man kag tagdumara kang Dungug Kinaray-a, Inc. katong tuig 2014 hasta 2017, sangka non-profit nga organisasyon kang mga manunulat sa Kinaray-a. Ang una na nga libro amo ang “Ang Asawa ni Minho (Minho’s Wife)”, nga nabalhag katong tuig 2014 – sangka koleksyon ka mga panaysayun tuhoy sa ana inagihan kag pinanilagan sa South Korea, bugu nga mga sugidanun kag mga binalaybay.

Nasundan dya kang “Ang Sugidanun ka Sadok” nga ginbalhag kang Dungug Kinaray-a katong tuig 2016. Dya sangka koleksyon ka mga bugu nga sugidanun sa Kinaray-a.

Mulitilingual | Page 19

Laragway ni Linda Arnaez- Lee

binalaybay, kag mga sugidanun.

Bisan isara tana ka maestra nga pirme lang naga-atubang sa mga bata nga Koryano, nakasulat pa tana kang sangka sinanto pangbata nga una nga sinanto nga nabalhag kag nasulat sa Kinaray-a – isara ka panikasug nga tumalagsahun lang maobra sa ana nga probinsya.

Bilidhon nga binuhatan, nangin banas sang kasaysayan Ang pakigbato ni Guimo sang gindihon nga kahilwayan sang Visayan Literature

M

aabot sa kabuhi sang tawo nga ang tanan niya nga hinimuan bangod sang iya kinaalam malipatan.

Apang saksi ang adlaw sang tanan nga hinimuan sang katawhan. Ini, indi magabutig sa pag-apin sa tagipusuon nga may pag-ampo sa kultura kag tradisyon.

Mauti kag Maragtas nga Nahisayran

Si Guillermo Rivera ukon kilala bilang “Guimo” sang kadam-an, ang nakitaan sang talento sa pagsaot, isa ka Ilonggo ‘polyglot’ kag maragtas nga nakabaton sang “Silver Laurel Leaf Crown” sang 1978 kag gindihon ni Delfin Gumban (King of Ilonggo Poetry) bilang Prinsipe sang Tulang Ilonggo ukon “Prince of Ilonggo Poetry” — bangud sang dinumaan kag tradisyunal nga panulat niya sang Visayan literature. Si Guimo sa edad nga 84 anyos, nagahulat na lang sang iya tatlo ka libro sa Hiligaynon agud ilimbag kag gamiton nga talamdan sang Ilonggo nga lengguwahe kag kultura.

Sa pagbansag kay Guimo bilang “Prince of Ilonggo Poetry”, kabug-osan sini amo ang pagpadako sa iya sang iya lola nga si Rosita Jimenez, asawa sang isa ka Spanish mestizo nga si Jose Rivera. Ginbun-ag si Guimo ni Lourdez Gomez sa ika-12 nga adlaw sang

Julie Anne L. Collado, John Lyod B. Pachejo, kag Kelly P. Ronveaux Setyembre tuig 1936 paagi sa suporta ni Francisco. Apang sang nagbulagay ang iya ginikanan, sia ginpaulikid sa iya Lola Rosita. Apisar sang problema sa pamilya, si Guimo nakatuon sang mother-tongue nga lenggwahe paagi sa iya lola. Ginpasa-ulo sa iya ang Maragtas, isa ka epiko sa kasaysayan sing Panay nga lunduyan sang buhi kag maayong pamatasan. Handom gid ni Rosita nga mangin maalam man si Guimo sa Ilonggo literature. Amo nga ginpatudluan niya ang iya apo sa “Prince of Ilonggo Poetry” sang 1930 nga si Flavio Zaragoza.

Sang sia nag tung-tong sa edad nga 12, nag-umpisa si Guimo sa pagsulat sang mga binalayabay nga ginlimbag sa mga magazines nga ‘Yuhum’ kag ‘Kasanag’.

Bangud sa sini nga pundasyon, nangin madinalag-on sia sa iya karera bilang manunulat.

‘‘

We should appreciate our heritage. If we lose the Spanish language here, it would still exist elsewhere in the world. But if Hiligaynon dies, it will not be alive anywhere else.

Indi tanan nga Ilonggo kilala si Guimo, apang kon tukibon ang iya

pagkatawo, mahambal gid naton nga isa sia ka hiyas sa patag sang literatura sa bug-os nga rehiyon.

Isa sa mga nangin sikat niya nga obra amo ang ‘Si Tienente Guimo, Aswang Kag Baganihan’ (Sorcerer and Hero), isa ka nobela nga may 53 ka bahin nga asta subong, isa man gihapon ka bantog nga maragtas. Kaupod man sa iya mga ubra amo ang Con cimbalos de caña kag La Nueva Babilonia. Luwas sini, madamo pa gid sia sing hinimuan sa patag sang teatro kag musika.

Guimo: Talento Mo, Higugmaon Mo tubtob San-o “We should appreciate our heritage.

If we lose the Spanish language here, it would still exist elsewhere in the world. But if Hiligaynon dies, it will not be alive anywhere else,” mensahe ni Guimo nga isa man sa mga ginapili nga mangin National Artist for Literature para sa Iloilo.

Subong, ang Hiligaynon ang isa ka linggwahe nga daw kaangay na lang sang isa ka handumanan, apang wala nagpangduha-duha si Guillermo sa pagbaton sang pagpanghangkat sang iya kasulatan kag sang iban pa nga piyesa sa hiligaynon nga dapat indi ini pagdulaon sa limbagan kag kasaysayan bangud ini bilid-on nga binuhatan kag gindihon sang aton katigulangan.

Laragway gikan sa Inquirer.net

18 | MULTILINGUAL

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

TheForum

Likha at Kwento

Ang patuloy na pag-usbong ng mitolohiya at kuwentong bayan sa makabagong panahon Jonar B. Dorado at Maria Kayla T. Tingzon

Komiks sa 21st century Dahil sa pamilyaridad ng madla at sa kaniyang pagkakamangha sa Mitolohiyang Pilipino, naisipang ipasok ni Tsambolero ang konseptong ito sa binubuo niyang komiks. Tampok sa kaniyang “Ang Jowa Kong Crosswise” ang pangkaraniwang buhay ng dalawang queer na magsing-irog na Tomas at Leo. Bagama’t kakaiba si Tomas bilang siya’y isang mananaggal, salungat naman dito ang matiwasay at tanggap na pamumuhay niya sa mundo ng mga mortal.

Sa pagnanais na bigyan ng bagong timpla ang ganitong mga kuwento, naisip ni Tsambolero na karapat-

dapat sa tunay na pagmamahal ang bawat nilalang, maging ano o sino man sila, kung kaya’t ganoon na lamang ang kaniyang kagustuhan na maibahagi ito sa lahat sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang mga likha.

“Are aswangs not capable of loving, too? We never really see these creatures fall in love, and I thought it’s high time we did,” pagbibigay kahulugan ni Tsambolero sa kaniyang tema.

Obrang Pampelikula Naging matunog din sa larangan ng sinematograpiya ang pinakabagong anime na gawangPinoy, ang Trese. Nang ipalabas ito sa Netflix, agad itong humakot ng libo-libong manonuod hindi lamang sa bansa kundi pati na rin sa buong daigdig. Ang pagkukuwento tungkol sa mga natatanging nilalang at elemento ay marahil isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit ito tinangkilik ng mamamayan--kung kaya’t mas nakilala nga ang mga kuwentong bayan, alamat, at mga kuwentong kababalaghan ngayong panahon ng pandemya. Matutunghayan sa seryeng ito ang ilan sa mga kakaibang nilalang na gawa ng malikot na imahinasyon ng mga Pilipino gaya ng nuno, tikbalang, aswang, tiyanak, at marami pang iba na hinaluan naman ng kulturang banyaga gaya ng mga ritwal, pagmamanipula ng enerhiya,

mga kambal-diwa ng mga elemento gaya ng hangin at kidlat, at sandatang may kakaibang kakayanan.

Pagpapayaman ng likhangisip Kung may mga diyos, diyosa at hindi pangkaraniwang mga nilalang ang Greek at Norse, ang Pilipinas ay hindi rin pahuhuli sapagkat sagana rin ang bansa sa mitolohiya at kuwentong bayan kung ito ay nabibigyang pansin lamang. Sa dami ng rehiyon sa bansa, ay siya ring dami ng iba’t ibang bersyon nito. Ang mga makabagong plataporma gaya ng mga online streaming at reading sites ay nagpapatunay na kahit patuloy man sa pag-usbong ang teknolohiya, hindi pa rin naman nawawala ang pagtangkilik nating mga Pilipino sa aspetong ito ng ating kultura.

Bagkus, ito ay naging daan upang mas lalo pa nating maunawaan kung gaano kamalikhain ang pag-iisip ng ating mga ninuo sa paghabi ng mga kuwentong tungkol sa mga bagay na hindi nakikita at naririnig ng pangkaraniwang mata at tainga.

Laragway gikan sa Netflix at kalabaw kolektib

K

alimitang ginagawang panakot ng mga nakakatanda sa mga paslit ang mga nilalang gaya ng aswang, tiktik, kapre, at kasama pa ang mga lamanlupa na kabahagi na ng ating kulturang napakamapamahiin.

Bagama’t sinasabing dala lamang sila ng ating malikhaing pag-iisip, hindi maipagkakailang patuloy pa rin ang pagkakapasa-pasa ng mga kuwentong tungkol sa mitolohiyang katutubo sa bawat henerasyon. At dahil nga sa pagkakaburyo sa bahay bunsod ng pandemya, tila’y nahilig pa ang karamihan sa panunuod at pagbabasa ng iba’t-ibang nakawiwiling materyal na matatagpuan online.

Hangga’t patay si Balagtas: 3 kathang magpapaalingasaw sa hipokridad ng ating pagka-Pilipino Eric D. Morguia, Jr. at Reynold L. Sumido, Jr. Amethyst A. Alumbro at Gwenneth Meg D. Soniso

K

aunting pagbabalik-aral lamang: Mahigit dalawang taon na ang nakalilipas pagkatapos paslangin ang mga kursong Filipino at Panitikan sa mga kolehiyo at pamantasan. Eh, ano naman ngayon?

Wala naman.

Maraming mga guro lang naman a n g

nawalan ng asignaturang ituturo, mga magaaral na napagkaitan ng pagkakataon na lubos na matutuhan at maunawaan ang ating wika at panitikan sa mas malalim na konteksto, at higit sa lahat – mga palaisipan tungkol sa tunay na kaluluwa ng ating pagkakakilanlan.

Ang kaluluwang ito ay damang-dama, nakaimprinta sa mga akdang Filipino na pinagtibay ng panahon at pagkakataon sa kabila ng mga mapaniil at makakanluraning bahagi ng ating edukasyon.

Sariwa pa sa ating mga isipan kung paano pinayabong at pinaalab ng mga maiikling kuwento noong tayo ay nasa elementarya at hayskul ang ating pagpapahalaga sa bayan, pagmamahal sa kapwa, at likas na kabutihan sa pamamagitan ng mga iniiwang danas, aral, at impak ng mga ito sa atin bilang mga mambabasa.

Hinding-hindi natin maaaring makalimutan ang mga akdang “Paglalayag sa Puso ng Isang Bata” ni Genoveva Edroza Matute, “Ang Kalupi” ni Benjamin Pascual, at “Walang Panginoon” ni Deogracias Rosario.

Ang kuwentong isinulat ni Matute ay nagturo sa atin na palaging piliin ang maging isang mabuting tao at maniwala sa kabutihan ng mundo kahit ang siyang ipinupukol sa atin ng buhay ay kabaliktaran ng mga ito.

Huwag maging mapanghusga sa kapwa, partikular sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan, kung ang batayan lamang natin ay ang kanilang postura ang siyang aral na nais iwan ni Pascual sa kaniyang akda. Kumbaga, ang labis na panghuhusga ay tila kanser sa isang lipunang maramot sa pag-unawa sa konteksto ng mga naghahari at pinangyayarihang uri.

Samantala, ang katha naman ni Rosario ay nais tumbukin na hangga’t kontra-mamamayan ang sistema ng lipunan – wala nang panginoong kikilalanin ang galit, ang poot, ang hikbi, ang pangamba, at ang gutom ng isang taong api.

Nakapanlulumo damdamin dahil ang mga suliraning panlipunang matatagpuan sa mga akdang ito ay isang katotohanan pa rin maging sa kasakuluyan – hindi man lang nawala, lalong pa lumala. At ang unang hakbang upang mabigyanglunas ang mga ito ay sa pamamagitan ng pagpapabasa at pagpapaunawa sa mga Pilipino ng mga kuwentong sumasalamin sa katotohanan ng buhay upang kalampagin ang kanilang damdamin, makibaka tungo sa pagbabago, at kumilos para mas makatarungang bukas.

Mula nang tayo ay binhiin, magkaisip, at gumulang sa mundong ito, walang ibang ipinagawa sa atin ang bansa kung hindi mahalin at pahalagahan ito sa pamamagitan ng kanikaniyang larangang tinahak o tatahakin natin sa buhay. Subalit sa patuloy na pagkakagapos ng kursong Filipino, kailangan nating tanungin ito: Ano ang uri ng henerasyong Pilipino ang nais nating mailuwal sa mundong ito?

Nakakakonsensiya at nakaka-insulto na sa tuwing tayo ay nagkukuwento o kinukuwentuhan ng tatlong nabanggit na maikling kuwento, habang dama-dama natin ang mga aral nito, ang mismong midyum sa pagsulat at asignatura ay naghihingalo sa mismong bayang ipinangangalandakan ang mayaman umanong kultura nito.

Mas nagiging awtentiko ang naratibo ng ating karanasan at gahum ng ating pagkakakilanlan kung ang wika at panitikang Filipino ang ating puhunan.

Hangga’t patay pa rin si Balagtas sa lupaing ito, aalingasaw ang hipokridad ng ating pagkaPilipino.

TheForum

MULTILINGUAL | 19

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Alkalde ng Iloilo City, suportado ang face-to-face classes sa WVSU Angeline S. Acantilado Sa isang online na pagpupulong, inihayag ni Mayor Jerry Trenas ang kaniyang suporta sa pagsasagawa at pagbabalik ng “face-to-face classes” sa Unibersidad.

Kasama sa nasabing pagpupulong ay sina Dr. Joselito Villaruz, Dr. Celina Gellada, at iba pang kinatawan ng WVSU na tumulakay rin sa posibilidad ng muling pagbubukas ng isa pang palapag sa WVSU Medical Center upang makatulong sa paglaban ng COVID-19 sa lungsod.

Ayon kay Dr. Villaruz, ini-retrofit ng Unibersidad

ang mga silid-paaralan na pagdarausan ng klase ng mga mag-aaral mula sa kursong Nursing at Medisina, subalit 50 porsyento lamang ng espasyo ang maaring gamitin sa bawat pagpupulong, at magpapatuloy lamang ang klase kapag sumailalim na ang lungsod sa General Community Quarantine.

Iminungkahi ni Trenas na dapat bakunado laban sa COVID ang lahat ng magbabalik paaralan, at siniguro niya rin na magkakaroon ng maayos na koordinasyon na mas mapaigting ang pagbabakuna sa mga estudyante ng nasabing Unibersidad.

Tungkol naman sa planong muling pagbubukas ng isa pang karagdagang palapag sa WVSU Medical Center, inihayag ni Dr. Villaruz na sa paraang ito, mas mapaparami ang pasyenteng maaring matangap, at ang pag-uukol ng paggamit sa pasilidad ng Unibersidad bilang human genome laboratory.

Ipinabatid naman ng alkalde ang kaniyang pagsuporta sa mga planong ito at sinabing kanyang pipirmahan ang anumang ilalatag na endorso ng WVSU. “Whatever WVSU will need, I will endorse,” dagdag ng alkalde.

Kababaihan, tampok sa pagdiwang ng WVSU ng kauna-unahang ASEAN Day John Paul A. Daquin Binigyang diin at ibinida ang kapangyarihan ng mga kababaihan sa kauna-unahang pagdiriwang ng Unibersidad ng ASEAN Day noong ika-27 ng Agosto.

Naging tampok sa nasabing programa ang Virtual Panel Discussion on Women in the ASEAN Region kung saan tinalakay ang kalakasan, kapangyarihan,at mga hamon sa kababaihan ng mga bansa

sa timog-silangang Asya.

Anim na mga panelista ang inimbitahan mula sa mga bansa ng Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, at Pilipinas. Isa rin sa mga panelista ay mula sa kasosyo na unibersidad ng WVSU sa Taiwan.

Hinimok ni Propesor Shuchuan Liao ng Asian University at kinatawan ng Taiwan ang mga kababaihan

Karla Porras

na magpahayag ng kanilang mga boses at magkaroon ng ambag sa lipunan.

“Talagang malakas ang mga kababaihan, nais kong magkaroon ng kamalayan ang mga kababaihan sa kanilang mga karapatan at tiwala sa sarili,” saad naman ni Somasavanh Outhavy ng Laos.

Sa kabilang dako, naniniwala si Prof. Edel Carmela SubongCsoka, direktor ng CILPI, na ang isyung pangkababaihan ay hindi natatapos bilang pagsagot sa kung bakit kailangang pagtuunan ng pansin ang mga babae sa diskusyon ng panel.

Labis na pinasalamatan ni WVSU President Joselito Villaruz ang CILPI sa pagoorganisa ng nasabing pagdiriwang at talakayan na para sa kaniya ay higit na magtataguyod ng pangrehiyon na pagkakakilanlan sa Timog Silangang Asya.

Mula sa Pahina 17

Mga sinanto kag sugidanon padulong sa pagsilabo kang Ron Eliezer G. Duhina kag Zynnie Rose C. Zaragosa literatura nga Kinaray-a Bilang sangka manunulat sa Kinaray-a, nahangkat ang ana kapasidad sa pagsulat ka mga libro nga kinahanglanun ka mga manunudlo kag kabataan sa idalum kang Mother TongueBased Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) Curriculum. Gani, nahuman ang “Ang Dulse Nga Pula (The Red Candy)”. Ang dya nga libro amo ang una nga libro pangbata nga nabalhag sa Kinaray-a katong tuig 2019, nga may madinuagun nga laragway. Tuyo man ka dya nga libro ang magtudlo ka moral nga leksyon sa mga kabataan kag mayad nga pagtatap ka anda mga unto.

Kang masunod nga tuig 2020, tana nagsulat kang pinakauna nga sinanto pangbata sa Kinaray-a nga ginatig-uluhan “Juan Huwaran, Sinanto Pangbata” kag ginbalhag kang St. Anthony’s College (SAC). Nangin pasakup dya kag nagdaug una nga lugar sa Bantugan sa Panulatan Kinaray-a 2020, nga ginorganisar kang SAC kaimaw

ang Kasingkasing Press, Balay Sugidanun, University of Antique kag Dept. of Literature, College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University.

Sa duro nga tema, napili gid ni Linda nga intrahan amo ang sinanto pangbata hay nakita na dya nga kahigayunan para masabat ang kinahanglanun ka edukasyon kang kabataan sa MTB-MLE kurikulum kag matudlo ang mayad nga pamatasan sa mga kabataan sa makawiwili nga paagi.

Para mas mangin interesado pa gid ang mga kabataan sa pagtuon, nagpakomisyon tana kang laragway sa ana man anay estudyante kag tulad visual artist nga si Merienel Veñegas kag nagpabutang kang tono kay Sammy Rubido. Pira sa mga mayad nga pamatasan ang ginatudlo kang “Juan Huwaran” amo ang pagpangamuyo, pagtahod sa mga kamal-aman, pagbinuligay, pagkamaluluyon, pagkamahipid, kag pagkamalimpyo.

Pag-ugsad kang Kinaray-a Ang lengguwahe sobra pa sa bulawan nga dapat ginatipigan apisar kang mga pagbag-o sa kalibutan. Kun si Linda maglantaw, aktibo run ang literatura Kinaray-a sa kadya nga panahon. Duro run ang nagasulat kag nagbalhag kang mga libro sa Kinaray-a. Duro man ang prohekto ka gobyerno nga nagaduso sa pagpasangkad kang Kinaray-a. Sa pira ka tuig nga pagpakigbahin ni Linda sa mga hirikuton kag paindisindis sa Antique tuhoy sa pagsulat sa Kinaray-a, ana nakita ang pagsanyog indi lamang kang literatura nga Kinaray-a kundi pati man ang kultura kag tradisyon kang mga Antiqueño. Kung indi sa mga manunulat nga parehas kay Linda nga nagpanikasug sa pagpreserbar kag pagpasanyog kang Kinaray-a kag kang kultura, ano run lang nga paarabuton ang igapasubli kang nauna nga henerasyon sa mga masunod?

KAAKIBAT.

Ipinaabot ni Mayor Jerry Treñas na handa siyang umapruba sa mga proyektong isusulong ng WVSU kalakip ng pagbabalik-eskwela.

Larawan mula sa: Sunstar

OPINYON

Kumusta Na? SAWIMPALAD

Maria Kayla T. Tingzon Sa tinagal-tagal panahon na nasa ilalim tayo ng banta ng COVID-19, tila ay mas nakagawi-an na nating itanong ang kalagayan ng ating mga kinakausap bago pa man tayo dumiretso sa mensaheng nais nating ipaabot. Isa ang set up ng online class sa mga lugar kung saan ating maririnig ang mga guro na nagsasabi nito bilang parte ng pambungad na interaksyon sa kanilang mga magaaral. Bago pa man ang pandemya, nakasanayan na rin natin ito ngunit dahil sa sitwasyon ngayon naging isang mahabang talakayan na ang pangangamusta sa pagsisimula ng klase.

Kakaibang bungad ang dala ng short film na “Excuse us” ni Al-Zir Georges Malaga kung saan estudyante ang kumukuha ng attendance sa kanilang klase sa halip na ang guro dahil ito raw ay nagpapaload pa sakaling maubos ang kaniyang data sa kalagitnaan ng klase.

Hindi man ito kalimitang nangyayari sa iba, parte pa rin ito ng katotohanang parehong guro at estudyante ang dumaranas ng iba’t-ibang paghihirap na sanhi ng online class.

Ang pagsasadula ay nakasentro sa iba’t-ibang mga hadlang na kinakaharap ng mga mag-aaral sa kasagsagan ng online class tulad ng hindi pagpasok dahil sa kawalan ng access sa internet, pagkakaputol ng linya ng kuryente bunsod ng mga sakuna at kalamidad, kawalan ng gamit, kahirapan, at ang hindi maayos na estado ng mental health.

Hindi lamang sa oras ng pagpasok sa Google Meet o Zoom natatapos ang responsibilidad ng isang estudyante. Kung sa ganitong sitwasyon pa lang ay hirap na ang karamihan sa atin, paano pa kaya natin maisasakatuparan ang mga gawaing naghihintay pagkatapos ng bawat talakayan?

Hindi pribilehiyo ang edukasyon. Nakasaad sa 10 Karapatan ng Bawat Batang Pilipino ang mabigyan ng sapat na edukasyon.

Kung sana ay na-ituon sa pagsugpo ng pandemya, bilang pangunahing aksyon, tulad ng karamihan sa mga bansa sa buong mundo, unti-unti na rin sana tayong nakakabalik sa dati. Wala na sanang nahihirapan. Wala na sanang nahihinto at mahihinto pa sa pag-aaral.

WVSU ginpasangkad ang plano nga mangin ‘research university’ sa pag-implementar sang PDP Keminova B. Acepcion and Jomer J. Ruego Samtang ang pungsod naga amat-amat bangon sa halit nga tuga sang pandemya, ang West Visayas State University naman naga sikyar sang mga pamaagi tuhoy sa pag-implementar sang Philippine Development Plan (PDP) para gilayon nga mabuligan nga makabangon ang ekonomiya.

Sa ginhiwat nga virtual caravan sang gintalikdan nga Mayo 5, ang National Economic Development Authority ukon NEDA naghatag sing mga bag-o nga detalye nahanungod sa sini nga plano.

Suno kay Mylene C. Rosales, Regional Director sang NEDA Region VI, ini nga

programa ang may tinutuyo nga malab-ot ang longterm vision sang gobyerno para sa tuig 2040. Ini ang ginalakipan sang pagsakdag sang mga nagkalain-lain nga mga komunidad agud masiguro ang padayon nga pag-uswag apisar mapi-ot ang sitwasyon sa subong nga panahon.

Samtang sa pihak nga bahin, nagpanugyan naman si University President Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz sa mga Taga-West nga padayon sa gihapon ang pagkomitir sang nasambit nga eskwelahan sa pagdul-ong sang de kalidad nga edukasyon paagi sa pagsentro sa “research” ukon sa institusyunal kag sistematiko nga pagtuon.

20 | NEWS

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Taga-Ed profs join international workshop on teaching early reading Eric D. Morguia, Jr. Instructors from the University’s College of Education (COE) participated in an international module writing workshop on the Teaching Beginning Reading (TBR) to children on July 5 to 23 held via Zoom.

The workshop was led by the Florida State University in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development’s Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines or ABC+ Project, COE’s student publication Silak Media reported.

According to the student publication, citing the ABC+ Learning Connects, the activity aims to “increase the capacities

of the faculty members in designing materials that will support prospective teachers in teaching” the TBR. The participants of the workshop were Prof.

Mae Bagsit, Ms. Lalaine Barabona, Ms. Laden Jane Caalem, Prof. Genevieve Conjusta, Ms. Jeanar Cordenillo, Dr. Jade Janay, Prof. Ditas Ligue, Prof.

Marissa Ong, Prof. Kay Silla, and Prof. Marievic Violeta.

The workshop will also prepare early childhood and elementary preservice teachers in facilitating their future learners’ achievement of reading competencies set by the Department of Education, the student publication said.

CHAMPIONING LITERACY.

Education instructors pose after their participation in the ABC+ Project’s workshop on teaching beginning reading.

Photo Courtesy: College of Education

WVSU conducts wellness break Richard D. Olano, Jr. The West Visayas State University (WVSU) announced a “wellness break” for all undergraduate students in the main and external campuses from May 10-14.

In a memorandum issued by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, “course facilitators will not meet synchronously with their classes but allow students to have a break from mental work.”

No tasks, assignments, and deadlines should be assigned within the period of the break, the memo clarified.

Meanwhile, postbaccalaureate programs such as Medicine and Law “are given the prerogative to make the necessary calculated

West Visayas State University students from the Civic Welfare Training Service Section 1-E opted to fight against misinformation through a webinar entitled “What’s the Fact: Unlock Targets to Uncover Truth.”

The webinar, held on June 25-26 via Zoom, covered lectures on how to recognize fake news, responsible journalism, and health and safety measures during the pandemic.

Richard D. Olano Jr.

Pulled out While clinical clerks and postgraduate interns (PGIs) from the College of Medicine have already begun their duties at the West Visayas State University Medical Center last March, Iloilo City’s elevation to an enhanced community quarantine status in May resulted in their withdrawal from the hospital.

Regardless of quarantine classification But the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC) appealed to CHED that medical schools be authorized to allow fourthyear students and PGIs to have their duties at the hospital regardless of the risk status in their area.

“The resolution that the technical panel [of APMC] made was already submitted to the technical working group of CHED for possible approval by the commission en banc,” Villaruz said.

The same appeal was filed by the Ateneo De Manila University School of Medicine and Public Health and the University of the Philippines College of Medicine.

“In principle,” this appeal has been “approved by the

A taga-West student studies for upcoming midterm examinations.

John Glen L. Teorima for Forum-Dimensions

modifications of their wellness break to suit their needs and context.”

Except for synchronous engagements and assigning

of tasks to students, faculty members will have regular work. A wellness session called “Morning Mugs and Chats” is scheduled for them.

Ron Eliezer G. Duhina

Delta threat delays WVSU’s opening of limited in-person classes Meanwhile, the College of Nursing will include levels II, III, and IV students in the conduct of limited physical classes upon approval of the permit, Dean Joanna Pabilona said June 8.

Currently, the University’s clinical clerks and PGIs are performing their duties virtually.

REMOTE LEARNING.

Students learn to ‘combat fake news’ in webinar

FROM PAGE 1

However, the city’s shift to tighter quarantine classifications over the past months has delayed the commission’s on-site visit to the University, a requisite for approval.

On August 23, the number of Delta variant cases in the city climbed to 15 after the genome sequencing result from the University of the Philippines - Philippine Genome Center reported 11 new cases.

Following the detection of the Delta variant in nine city barangays, Mayor Jerry Treñas issued an executive order placing these areas under a three-day surgical lockdown effective August 25.

TheForum

Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, but this [still] has to be approved by the Office of the President.

So they haven’t started allowing their students to come back to the hospital [yet],” Villaruz told The Forum.

He also added that WVSU will adopt UP’s model for clinical clerks and PGIs if approved, as Ateneo’s scheme includes the provision of dormitories, in-house laundry, and meals, among others, the cost of which the University cannot afford.

UP’s model requires the “observation of strict health protocols: distancing, wearing of masks, and face shields at all times” and that “clerks and interns should not be rotating in the COVID areas of the hospital.”

Clinical clerks and PGIs from WVSU are expected to go back to the hospital as soon as the quarantine status in the city reverts to GCQ or upon the approval of the APMC proposal, whichever comes first.

“This webinar, along with the efforts of the class and our adviser, was conducted to combat fake news since it is prevalent in today’s society,” Krshna Mahakaola Dueñas, event chairperson, said.

One of its speakers, Mr. Justin Francis Bionat, a law student and an instructor at WVSU, emphasized looking further into the contents of articles, and not just stopping on headlines.

Meanwhile, Daily Guardian’s Vice President for External Affairs, Lcid Crescent Fernandez, on responsible journalism said, “losing scoops 100 times is better than giving false information to the public just once.”

In terms of vaccination, Dr. Ma. Stella G. Paspe, Medical Specialist IV of WVSU Medical Center, reiterated that benefits always outweigh the risks in taking the vaccine.

FROM PAGE 1

West offers PH’s 2nd gov’t-run dental medicine program Eric D. Morguia, Jr. The commission added that the DMD program, a six-year course composed of basic science, clinical science, and dental public health courses, aims to increase the number of dentists in the country.

“As a leading state university in medical education and nursing, WVSU will assist the government in achieving its vision of providing one dentist in every barangay as a way of making primary oral health care accessible especially in rural and underserved areas,”

WVSU President Joselito Villaruz said.

Meanwhile, “CHED assisted WVSU with funds for the acquisition of equipment and other curricular needs and a three-story building will be constructed to house the youngest college with the support of the Department of Budget and Management,” CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III said.

The University is set to open its DMD program in the academic year 20212022.

FROM PAGE 1

For students safety’ amid pandemic, WVSU devises regionwide tablet distribution plan Keven Rizzo C. Sitjar Villaruz underscored that students with no gadgets will be the utmost priority in the distribution scheme.

“I really would like to expedite the delivery because although some of the Google Classrooms have already been installed, some students do not have gadgets or their cellphones have limited capacity,” he told The Forum.

Distribution began on

October 7 for students living in Iloilo City, then at a later date, administrative and faculty personnel went to all provinces in Region VI. It ended on December 21, with Capiz as the last province for distribution.

Several local government units and student organizations assisted the University in facilitating the tablet distribution.

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COMMUNITY NEWS | 21

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Western Visayas start-ups gear up for innovation and the future Rjay Z. Castor and Nove Joy S. Losbañes

CRIES FOR JUSTICE.

Families and relatives of slain members of indigenous peoples group Tumandok bid an emotional farewell in the funeral ceremony after bloody pre-dawn raids of state forces.

Photo Courtesy: SANDUGO - Movement Of Moro And Indigenous Peoples For Self-Determination

9 Tumandok leaders killed, 17 others nabbed in Panay raids Rjay Z. Castor Nine leaders of the indigenous Panay Tumandok tribe were killed, while 17 got arrested during the Philippine National Police’s simultaneous raids at what was believed to be Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army hotspots in Iloilo and Capiz on December 30.

Police Regional OfficeWestern Visayas (PRO6) reported nine deaths and 10 arrests during the police operation in Tapaz, while seven community members suspected of alleged illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives were apprehended in Calinog.

The nine dead indigenous leaders

allegedly fought back against members of the operating team. Human rights group Panay Alliance Karapatan, however, denied this claim.

“PRO-6, in a statement, said the operation was orchestrated based on information from civilians in the area on the presence of personalities with high-powered firearms,” Rappler reported.

Following the killings and arrests, residents of a village in Tapaz town of Capiz province had left their homes and evacuated to the town proper— about 8 kilometers away or a four-hour walk, in fear of more operations by state forces.

Dinagyang Festival goes virtual Joshua A. Celestial “One Dinagyang, One Iloilo, Halad kay Senor Sto. Niño.”

This was the theme of the Dinagyang Festival 2021 with no face-toface events conducted as the festival went virtual to avoid the influx of spectators and prevent the transmission of the coronavirus disease.

Events like the Virtual Pamukaw sa Opening Salvo, Dagyang sa Calle Real Time and Religious Sadsad, the Dinagyang Mass, and the awarding ceremony were all streamed online in the Iloilo Festival official website and Dinagyang social media pages.

Some activities were held on-ground particularly the Dinagyang Foodfest at the Iloilo Convention Center, Street Food Night Market

Drive Thru at City Time Square, Batchoy Festival at SM City Iloilo, Tienda at ATRIA Park District, and Dinagyang Warrior Fashion Show at Festive Mall Iloilo.

President of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida said the digital mode of the celebration “is a modest testament to the resiliency, ingenuity and the unity of all Ilonggos”.

“The Dinagyang Digital 2021 is one of the best Dinagyangs in our festival history.

Despite the strict health protocol, we showed the whole world that Ilonggos are one as we celebrate the biggest feast of the city, the feast of our patron saint, Señor Sto. Niño,” Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said in an official statement.

1. CAPIZ

2. AKLAN

6

45

Suicide incidents recorded in January amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthcare workers to be recruited to increase the COVID-19 response capacity of the province, as approved by the Department of Health 6.

In an emerging digital landscape, Ilonggo startup teams have ventured into creating innovative products and services that can potentially solve social problems and reinvigorate the economy.

This is the aim of the FYRSIDE CHATS by the Bakal Lokal / Youth First Initiative Philippines, Inc. on November 23-25. The event is a “series of casual coffee-shop talks about innovative ideas that impact community.”

Starting with a customizable trading bot that will automatically trade for the user, Insight Crypto will help traders maximize their profit by suiting to the user’s strategy while minimizing risks and losses.

“We develop this because we want to provide a platform for people (to) access and hopefully, earn and make something out of it,” said Rommel Payba, cofounder of Insight Crypto.

“Marketing here is already a challenge and underdog since as we know, kabudlay gid ya ma-satisfy ang mga Ilonggo. We feel that we can make it through despite it and we can make it anywhere. Even though (we) have a lot of work to do, this is a good start,” he added.

Amidst the restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, VIEWS Technology Solution launched a search engine optimized website called Panay360 showcasing 360-degree virtual tours of establishments, landmarks, and properties in Panay Island.

Vida Aurora Llevares-Sy, co-founder of the social media agency firm VIEWS, is positive that the website has the potential to promote virtual tourism and bring an immersive experience to its users.

“Yes, we have started with Panay360 for education or for schools which aims to create a digital color and presentations of all our museums, our heritage, and landmarks,” Vida said, citing that Panay360 also envisions attracting prospective investors for the city.

Photo Courtesy: Facebook/FyrLab

In a project that is still testing the waters, Vida underscored that as a team, a major challenge she encountered is finding the right people on board that will help materialize and turn ideas into a real product.

When asked for advice she could give to those who have ideas that can turn into a start-up but are hesitant or are scared, Vida reiterated the importance of surrounding oneself with like-minded people.

“For those who have a lot of ideas but are (still) doubting yet, look for people who can help you… So what I can really say is talk to more people because the more you talk to people, the more you will meet people who are interested (in) helping you in realizing your idea,” Vida said.

During the Regional Startup Challenge, an event spearheaded by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Region VI in October this year, Panay 360 emerged victorious during the professional category of the regional pitching competition, while the crypto trading bot Insight Crypto bagged first runner-up.

SEC rebuffs Chiyuto Creative Wealth’s certificate of registration John Paul A. Daquin The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has rebuffed the certificate of incorporation of the Chiyuto Creative Wealth Documentation Facilitation Services following its anomalous operations and unauthorized investment program likened to a Ponzi scheme.

SEC released the revocation order February 15, two weeks after it issued on Feb. 1 a cease and desist order stopping the company’s double-yourmoney roulette game, which made rounds to the people particularly those in Roxas City and Capiz province, Panay News reports.

BY THE

NUMBERS 2 1

4

3

According to the local newspaper, in the latest SEC order, the Patrocenio Chiyuto Jr.-led company has a monetary penalty amounting to P3 million for violating the following Securities Regulation Code provisions:

securities (Patrocenio Chiyuto Jr.) without the corresponding license or registration when they solicited/offered investments to the public

* Section 8.1 – for offering and selling to the public unregistered securities in the form of investment contracts through its Double-YourMoney Roulette Game Scheme

* Section 26.1 – for employing fraud and engaging in a Ponzi scheme in connection with the offering and selling of securities in the form of investment contract through its Double-YourMoney Roulette Game Scheme

* Section 28.1 – for acting as a broker (Chiyuto/ Chiyuto OPC) in securities and broker/salesman in

Meanwhile, Chiyuto has been missing following his alleged abduction or kidnapping dated March 16.

3. ILOILO

4. ANTIQUE

164,478

2

COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, as of July 23.

COVID-19 Delta variant cases reported, as of July 2021

22

ENTERTAINMENT BL

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Action

Thriller

TheForum

Comedy

Pido’s Picks

GET HOOKED WITH THAI AND PINOY BL SERIES In the height of the pandemic, online streaming platforms have certainly done their job to keep us entertained and somehow sane. And in this digital surge, one genre had evident domination which had given us a break from the usual boy-meets-girl storyline, as its approach followed light-shedding tales, close to the heart of the LGBTQIA+ community-- the Boy’s Love.

S.O.T.U.S is a type of hazing system in some universities in Thailand. Senior, Arthit, encounters this cunning Junior, Kongpob, during their SOTUS session. This Junior proudly challenges his Senior that he will become his boyfriend while undertaking the process in order to get the “gear,” which signifies one as a certified engineering student. After the series’ debut, it opened doors for more BL series from Thailand.

Two childhood best friends, Teh and OhAew, get into a huge fight, and reunite again in a tutorial class during highschool.

While trying to reconcile their friendship, they develop deeper feelings for each other.

A series to watch not only for its romantic feels but also for addressing themes such as gender dysphoria and coming out.

Pido Comics

The plot revolves around Tine, a college freshman who is pursued by a persistent gayadmirer. Tine’s buddies propose that he fake-date Sarawat, their university’s mysteriousand reticent resident heartthrob, as a wayto get rid of him without breaking his heart. Tine and Wat’s tentative pretend romance ultimately develops into something more,despite their initial apprehensions about the arrangement.

Karl, an introverted 19 year old architecture student takes on the journey of independence as his parents send him to live by himself in an apartment owned by his uncle. To pay for the rent, he took on an online writing job and was fortunate to have his first customer. But by the time he was to get his first pay, he wasn’t able to hear any updates from the company who hired him. However, a collision with his neighbor, Vlad, brought him to re-think all of his choices in life.

The pandemic situation has paved the way for Cairo, a live-stream gamer and Gavreel, one of his avid fans who’s got a crush on him, to unexpectedly meet during one match. Trust-issues and unexpected intimacy will lead to the unraveling of personal experiences concerning their relationships with their family, friends, and even with each other.

PIDOFLIX ORIGINAL

THE TRICIA AND PIDO COMEBACK: QUARANTINE EDITION Gwenneth Meg D. Soniso

+ Online Class

+ Vaccine Wars

Photo Courtesy: GMTV Facebook aP ge, IMDb, Nadao Bangkok T ( witter cA count)

TheForum

SPORTS 23

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

First in the country: Gabayoyo invents Digital Advanced Arnis Scoring System Jonar B. Dorado

GAME FACE ON. A Taga-West gamer remains unfazed as he illuminates untainted skiils, sturdy strategy, and strong focus to the game of League of Legends.

Photo Courtesy: West Esports

WVSU ATHLETES GO VIRTUAL Keven Rizzo C. Sitjar and Clint M. Bellosillo Connection and camaraderie.

These were the words highlighted during the firstever E-nampang Online Sports Competition of West Visayas State University (WVSU) last May 21-23, 2021.

The University Student Council (USC) organized the event that aimed to awaken the “burning spirits to cheer each other and enjoy the moments,” and rekindle the competitive spirits in the students’ hearts.

According to their social media post, the “two words [connection and camaraderie] have been

shown by every human being in the world in different activities and circumstances.

However, the most explicit way connection and camaraderie can be expressed is through sports.”

Dancesport, taekwondo, arnis, and chess were the sports activities conducted along with three online mobile battle games, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, League of Legends, and Call of Duty: Mobile.

Dr. Joselito Villaruz, President of the University also graced the event during its opening ceremony. “WVSU online sports competition 2021

is indeed a breather,” he said.

Villaruz underscored how the pandemic “immensely affected” sports and physical fitness, citing the postponement of the Olympic games due to travel restrictions, the National Basketball Associations being held in a ‘bubble,’ gymnasiums being closed, and local sports activities now “in a limbo.”

“More than ever, we need to exercise our bodies and relax our minds from the grueling online classes, modules, and assignments,” he added.

E-NAMPANG WVSU ONLINE SPORTS COMPETITION MODERN STANDARD DANCESPORTS

LATIN AMERICAN DANCESPORTS

Junior (female)

Grade C (male)

1st ILS

Junior (male)

1st ILS

2nd ILS

1st COP

2nd COP

Grade C (male) Grade C (female)

1st

COP

3rd COP

Non-Traditional Anyo

1st ILS

2nd COP

1st COP

1st ILS

4th COP

2nd ILS

3rd ILQS

Category A (men)

1st COP

Juvenile B (women)

2nd Lambunao

3rd CBM

1st

Category B (men)

1st COP

2nd COC

3rd CBM

Category B (women)

1st COP

2nd COP 4th COP

2nd

Lambunao

3rd

3rd

Calinog

CALL OF DUTY: MOBILE 1st CICT 2nd ILS 3rd CBM

2nd ILS

COM Janiuay

Women’s Division

1st

Category A (women)

2nd COP

1st ILS

3rd Lambunao Men’s Division

POOMSAE

1st COP

1st COP

Category A (women)

His unending love of sports has driven him to innovate more alternatives and advancement even in the midst of the pandemic.

“For the international competition, we do not have this type of scoring system, so this is the first in the country that we have this type of digital scoring system,” Gabayoyo said.

Gabayoyo is looking forward to the Digital Advanced Arnis Scoring System becoming the main standard in Arnis in the entire country and as well as in the international arena.

CHESS

1st ILS Category A (men)

TAEKWONDO

DR. GABAYOYO

Non-Traditional Anyo (single weapon)

Juvenile (female)

1st ILS

2nd COP

Three Categories of Anyo

Junior (female)

1st ILS

1st COP

Juvenile (male)

2nd ILS

Junior (female)

1st COC

1st COP

2nd ILS

ARNIS

The University Sports Director Richard Gabayoyo is oozing with pride for developing the first ever Digital Advanced Arnis Scoring System in the Philippines.

It took him many years before he got the approval from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), the government agency responsible for registration of intellectual property, but his determination to level up the manual scoring system of Arnis specifically for Anyo and Labanan categories, is unstoppable.

This was developed for the purpose of making the scoring in Arnis to be “more transparent and effective” in terms of providing the scores to the players.

Gabayoyo also believes that this project of his will eventually help Arnis to get more recognition as the Philippine National Martial Art and Sports and to improve the type of management in the said sports event.

The University Sports Director’s main goal of making this scoring system is to “bring Arnis that every Filipino must be proud of.”

COE

2nd Lambunao

3rd Lambunao

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

1st

CICT

2nd COM 3rd CON

MOBILE LEGENDS: BANG BANG

HIT AND ATTACK. Blue-coded player finds an opening, ready to deliver a right temple strike to earn a point in the Labanan category.

1st

Photo Courtesy : 2020 RSCUAA Facebook page

CICT

2nd COE 3rd Pototan

PH’s first golden olympics Ella Hyacinth R. Golez

FILIPINO PRIDE. (Top-Bottom) Diaz, Paalam, Petecio, and Marcial Photo Courtesy: Philippine Daily Inquirer and Solar Sports

For the first time in history, the Philippines hurled four medals in total, including the country’s first ever gold that has been triumphantly lifted to its glory by Hidilyn Diaz during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, July 26.

Diaz, who earned the top spot at the 55-kg women’s weightlifting bracket with the golden 224-kg lift, was joined by two silver medalists

namely Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam after securing the 2nd highest spot at women’s featherweight and men’s flyweight categories respectively.

Meanwhile, Eumir Marcial pounded on the bronze medal in the men’s middleweight boxing, completing the country’s ‘fantastic four’ ensemble.

“Hindi ako makapaniwala na nandoon ang pangalan ko sa Olympics records so I’m really thankful.” [I can’t believe that my name made it to the Olympics records so

I’m really thankful.] Hidilyn Diaz said, in her interview via ABS-CBN News.

Aside from weightlifting and boxing, the Philippines was also able to join in sports competitions such as: swimming, athletics, artistic gymnastics, golf, taekwondo, skateboarding, shooting, judo, and bowling.

“First of all, getting a gold medal is very meaningful.

Filipinos have participated in a lot of Olympics, but this is the first one. She made this a big part of history. It is truly a proud moment. Next time

the Philippines will win more gold medals. Through this gold medal it can uplift the Filipino spirit. So I am proud of her,” Coach Gao Kaiwen said in his interview with Philippine Star.

The country’s representatives to the Olympics will all be rewarded with cash prizes along with other pledges. Diaz’s total incentives are estimated at P52.5 M while Petecio and Paalam will receive P17 M, and Marcial with P10.8 M, coming from both the government and private companies.

Volume LXXXI No. 1 December 2020 - July 2021

Spotlight at the ringside:

Coach Boy’s life and legacy in boxing

A

fter an emotional win for Tokyo 2020 Olympic boxer Nesthy Petecio, the first person she immediately went to and gave a tight hug was an equally emotional man in his late fifties. His patience to watch the intense exchange of blows and displays of killer instincts between Petacio and her opponent was undeniable. And as if by grace, they finally had their hard work paid off with a silver medal to bag home.

It is not an odd occurrence that the athletes take the monopoly of the public’s attention whenever they bring honor and glory through their various victories. Petecio admitted this in her interview with PSC Hour and took the opportunity to pay tribute to her coach to whom she owes much of her success.

As she made history being the first female boxer from the country to win such a prestigious award, behind every step of her way was a supportive and dedicated coach — Coach Nolito “Boy” Velasco. Who is Coach Boy anyway?

The apple that didn’t fall far from the tree Boxing enthusiasts will agree that the family name Velasco has a very familiar ring in the field of their favorite sport. Two olympian medalists, Mansueto, more popularly known as ‘Onyok’, and Roel Velasco have brought glory to the Philippines carrying this name. Little did they know that another Velasco has been a veteran in this field not just as a player but as a coach to a lot more international medalists in boxing.

Jade Danielle T. Isidro and Zynnie Rose C. Zaragosa

‘‘

Ang tiwala n’yo sa coach at ang tiwala n’yo sa sarili ay dapat hindi mawala.

“Pagwala kaming baon ang ginagawa namin ng second cousin ko, niyaya niya ako nung recess doon sa labas sa may poso mayroon silang gloves na doon kami nagmimiyerienda. Gloves ang miryenda namin,” Coach Boy narrates.

Being in the spotlight These sparring sessions were just the beginning of his boxing career as he took the sport as his ticket to pursue his secondary education being a member of the Bago City Boxing Team. The perks being “libre ang eskwelahan, libre tirahan, libre pagkain,” he unreluctantly joined the team and played through matches from inter-school to regional boxing tourneys. He also cannot forget the people who supported him, especially the big

Coming from a lineage of amateur boxers in his mother’s side and with a father that usually enters boxing matches during fiestas, there is no question that boxing is indeed deeply embedded in Coach Boy’s DNA. Being the fourth among the seven children of a farmer in Bago, Negros Occidental, he grew up with strength, discipline, and character that his future athlete-self would eventually thank for.

At an early age, he remembered his father making them a make-shift punching bag tied on a mango tree to play with during their spare time.

Coach Boy also never failed to mention his strong bond with his cousin, boxer-medalist Leopoldo Cantancio, who also shared the same fascination in the sport during his early days.

names in their city. “Tuwang-tuwa ako noon maka uniporme ako ng kompleto tapos pagka binigyan kami ng pinaka incentive namin noon na 30 pesos,” he added. At this point, his boxing career has caught on early for young Coach Boy. He even got admitted to the Philippine National Police in Manila with the addition of his boxing background. From holding the reins of their carabao, his calloused hands grew accustomed to the weight and heat of the punching gloves that took him to greater heights farther than his youth could imagine.

One cannot also deny the fact that boxing is a dangerous sport despite its popularity. Nevertheless, Coach Boy continued his training until he became undefeated in their team. He learned to study his opponents closely and secured awards for his techniques, pacing, and strong punches. Alas, at some point in his career, he became arrogant and lay off training sessions because he felt no need to.

“Naging tamad na ako mag training kasi palagi na lang ako panalo eh. Tinatalo ko mga kasparring ko eh.

Parang mayabang na kunyare,” he admitted.

It was not too long before he realized his mistake when he faced his defeat in a boxing match in Isabela due to critical hits in the mouth and stomach. Yet, it was not the end of his career for he knew he was built for more national competitions. Before his fame and fortune, he recounts how arduous his journey was in the hands of his strict coach. Surely, it has made him a great boxer but an even greater boxing coach to several others.

The turning point Coach Boy could have extended his career as a boxer if it was not for the nose injury he suffered while being on the national team. His doctor offered a nose surgery for him to continue traversing his life as an athlete. However, he did not pursue the surgery for it was in his resolve to go home in Bago.

Fortunately, when one door closed, another opened in his midst when his colleagues persuaded him to take up lessons as a boxing coach.

It was as if by fate that the boxers he trained were able to hoard several international medals at the start of his coaching career. Coach Boy trained with both girls and boys from different parts of the country. He recalls having trained at least five women boxers in the past and presently, he has been training, more or less, fifteen women boxers.

Dedication, focus, and prayer were among his greatest keys that unlocked so many potentials. “Ang tiwala niyo sa coach at ang tiwala niyo sa sarili ay dapat hindi mawala, kasi pag may tiwala kayo kahit anong sabihin ng coach, gagawin mo” he says, reminiscing how training days would go by. He taught his boxers how to pick themselves back up after losing — one that he learned the hard way in his youth.

THE WINNING FORMULA.

Coach Boy’s patience and zeal to produce boxing champs gave rise to Petacio’s victorious career in the 2020 Olympics Photo Courtesy: Solar Sports

It takes a village to raise a child, more so a great coach to train a champion. Coach Boy’s journey from being an amateur boxer to a coveted coach molded him to become a bearer of expertise and patience his boxers need. It was a bold gesture for Petacio to publicly offer her success to her dear coach but little do we know how much other at athletes have done the same away from the public’s eyes.