The Forum Newsletter 2022

Taga-West students expressed their disapproval of the University administration’s decision to accept First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos as one of the instructors in the College of Law.

Law students donned black shirts with the statement #NeverAgainToMartialLaw, during their orientation on August 15.

On August 22, around 16 rallyists from the National Democratic Mass Organizations existing in the University and off-campus also reiterated their denouncement in a First Day Rage protest in front of the Main Campus.

In a strong statement of rejection, the Sandigan ng Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan condemned the First Lady’s inclusion in the said college and stressed that Marcos teaching criminal law disrespects the rule of law.

Student Regent Hershey Geline Sumpay noted that the administration has the power to “decline” the First Lady’s application. For her, the acceptance of Atty. Marcos “dishonors the core values that the institution enshrines” and “is an insult to the justice system”.

The First Lady is a part-time instructor for Criminal Law 1 subject in the 1st semester of the academic year 2022-2023 and she started her class on August 15.

First Lady ‘more than qualified’

Amidst the uproar of criticisms and comments, University President Joselito Villaruz stood firm with his decision, saying she is ‘more than qualified’ to teach in the University.

“[There] is no reason for the University to deny the application of Atty. Marcos because she’s more than qualified to teach,” Villaruz explained in an exclusive interview on August 10 with Iloilo Metropolitan Times Conversations.

Emphasizing academic experience as a minimum requirement for applicants, the president said Atty. Marcos “has more than met that minimum requirement” since she is a practicing criminal lawyer and has taught in a number of higher education institutions in the country.

National Union of People’s Lawyers - Panay

Pag-iririmaw ‘22 ends two-year in-person celebration halt

After two years of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, festivities of the Pag-iririmaw 2022 finally grace the University campus grounds, October 28.

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) successfully defended its throne as the overall champion followed by the College of Education (COE) and College of Communication (COC) in the first and second spots, respectively.

“Gradually, I am starting to see faces, actual encounters with students, and it warms my heart that finally, we can congregate and share experiences, exchange pleasantries,

and enjoy precious moments with your classmates and with your teachers,” said University President Joselito Villaruz in his welcome remarks.

For the mass dance competition, the College of PESCAR (COP) bested out the seven colleges, the College of Business and Management (CBM) clinched the second prize, and COE placed third.

Meanwhile, the highly-anticipated Clash of Queens, and Mr. and Ms. Pag-iririmaw pageant comprised the second half of the event which was held on November 4 at the University Cultural Center.

Pride of COE Danilo Clataro, Jr. was hailed as this year’s Queen of Queens along with CBM and CAS bets Ethan John Benlot and James Bryan Almonia to complete the roster of the 2022 Fairest of them All Queens.

Nathaniel Masiado of COC was crowned as the Mr. Pag-iririmaw 2022 and CAS candidate Taryna Estelle Juls Oquias defended the two-year sought crown for Ms. Pag-iririmaw.

With the theme of “Stars and Amusement: This is the Greatest Show”, the initial one-day event was held in two days after the postponement of activities due to Typhoon Paeng.

UFO, org fest return on West grounds

After three years of interlude in the physical conduct of University Fresh Orientation (UFO), the West Visayas State University Cultural Center was once again loaded with first-year students who took part in a face-to-face orientation, September 9.

West Visayas State University (WVSU) ranked first in Western Visayas and 17th in the Philippines in the July 2022 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities.

The University has climbed up by five notches from its July 2021 spot in the national ranking.

Apart from its shoot-up, WVSU, alongside the University of the Philippines - Visayas, are the only universities from Region VI that entered the top 20 list in the latest edition.

According to its website, the Webometrics Ranking is conducted by the Cybermetrics Lab, a

research group belonging to the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas — the largest public research body in Spain.

The ranking aims to promote the publication of web content among educational institutions and support open-access initiatives to different academic materials.

Crossing out the presence indicator in the latest edition, higher education institutions (HEIs) are now ranked based on accumulated scores in the three indicators: visibility or impact, openness or transparency, and excellence or scholar.

Of all the indicators mentioned,

WVSU performed best in the impact rank with a worldwide ranking of 10,311, followed by an excellence rank of 5,539, and an impact rank of 5,379.

Ranking 1,871 in Asia and 5,383 in the world in the latest Webometrics Ranking, University President Joselito Villaruz can be recalled saying he envisions WVSU as “one of the best higher education institutions in the world by 2023”.

“I am optimistic that WVSU’s name will soon resound as it joins the globally ranked HEIs,” Villaruz said during the University’s 120th founding anniversary.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla, Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) emphasized to freshmen the importance of prioritizing health and well-being to survive college life.

With its aim to acquaint freshmen students with the University, students were virtually toured to some of the iconic landmarks in the campus, and a video clip of the services the University offers was played.

University President Joselito Villaruz was recognized as one of the outstanding professionals in the field of governance by the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Alumni Association, Inc., August 21.

Rendering public service for more than 25 years, the 2022 UPV Jubilarian Awardee sees the recognition as an acknowledgment of his dedication and hard work.

“The recent award given by the UPV Alumni [Association] as an outstanding professional in the field of governance and public service is an affirmation and is proof of the acknowledgment of the efforts and services that I have

given in the public sector,” Villaruz told Forum-Dimensions.

Villaruz added that his medical background and expertise in leadership were advantageous to the University, especially in creating

strategies to deliver flexible learning amidst the pandemic.

According to him, the University was able to manage the challenges brought by the pandemic because of his administration’s goal to be “committed and [to] continuously deliver good public service.”

In 2017, Villaruz was also recognized as one of the awardees in the education sector. Awardees of the said event were selected through a strict screening process in which nominees had to comply with the necessary documents to be validated by the association.

The awarding ceremony was held at the Iloilo Convention Center during the Alumni and Faculty Homecoming Dinner and Awards night.

In the afternoon, around 34 university and collegebased organizations prepared different sets of activities, entertainment, and recruitment measures in their respective booths lined along the Jubilee Park for the return of the Organization Festival (Org Fest).

“After spending two years in a secluded setting, the thought of being warmly greeted at WVSU was exhilarating,” said Geleen Christianne, a first-year student from the College of Physical Education, Sports, Culture, Arts and Recreation.

Morit added that her first experience of the Org Fest was a “mixture of anxiety, joy, and excitement”, signifying that it was also the beginning of their journey in the University.

KEMINOVA B. ACEPCION, SARAH ROSE M. LINAS, AND JOMER J. RUEGO

WVSU is top 1 univ in Western Visayas, 17 in PH — Webometrics

Villaruz among UPV’s outstanding professionals in governance

JOMER J. RUEGO

JOANNA WAYNE S. HORNEJA AND GWENNETH MEG D. SONISO

RJAY Z. CASTOR

VILLARUZ WVSU WEBSITE

RAIN OR SHINE. Battling the heavy downpour of rain, students from the University’s College of Education continue to grace the University grounds with their street dance performance in ‘The Great Parade’.

FRANZ CHRYSLER MARIE C. DELGADO

WVSU professor tops 2022 Guidance Counselor Licensure Examination

A Taga-West professor ranked first in the 2022 Guidance Counselor Licensure Examination (GCLE) held last August 17 to 18 with an 89.25% rating.

Hailing from Sapi-an, Capiz, Ryan Michael Oducado also clinched the second spot in the April 2014 Midwife Licensure Exam where he scored a 90.75% rating.

Oducado found out about his feat from the messages of his friends in the middle of his class with the level II students of the College of Nursing (CON), August 23.

“At that moment, I really just wanted to set myself as an example for them and also inspire them to always aim high and reach their dreams,” Oducado shared.

Aside from being the Director of the University Research and Development Center, Oducado is

also currently an assistant professor at the University’s “home of the topnotchers”, CON.

“I actually had two review centers for this one…I felt like I had to double time since I am also teaching and I also have worked in research at that time. Every weekend or spare time, I really try to read

several books to help me review and prepare more,” he added.

A face-to-face oath-taking ceremony was conducted by the Philippine Regulation Commission for 405 out of 661 passers of the August 2022 GCLE which was held at the National Capital Region on October 7 earlier this year.

Students in civilian clothes denied entry to Main Campus

ERIC D. MORGUIA, JR.

Some students in civilian clothes were temporarily barred from entering the University for not wearing their respective college uniforms at around 7:00 in the morning, September 19.

This happened after an Office of Student Affairs memorandum dated August 30 reminding students of wearing their complete school uniform took effect on the same day.

The memorandum, however, did not specifically indicate that students cannot enter the campus if they are not in their school uniform.

As the area outside the school gate became more congested, the said students were later on

allowed by the security to enter the campus as per request by Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla.

Upon the VPAA’s approval, the students were permitted to enter the campus provided they presented their student IDs or Certificates of Registration.

This uniform policy fiasco prompted the University Student Council to request a one-week extension to the Office of the President for students’ wearing of school uniforms.

In a letter to University President Joselito Villaruz, the student council cited three reasons for some students’ non-compliance to the

September 19 deadline: lack of uniform fabric in stores, length of uniform production, and lack of tailors.

The extended deadline, however, was not enough for the students of the College of Business and Management (CBM).

“Based on the poll conducted by the students, 55.6% of the entire CBM undergraduate students still could not meet the prescribed wearing of uniform by September 26,” CBM dean Maria Corazon Samorin said in a September 23 letter.

The dean, therefore, appealed to VPAA Dequilla for another one-week extension.

Educ grad wins big at world performing arts tilt

JOHN PAUL A. DAQUIN

Emanating

the 25th World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) on July 22 to 30 at Disneyland, California, USA.

Bachelor of Special Needs Education fresh graduate Addie Faye Pajar, a member of the Philippine team and the Pavianhon trio Addie Mheal Camille (AMC) Trinity, took home two silvers in the Vocal Broadway and Spoke’s Model categories.

Pajar’s fellow members of the ensemble also bagged silver medals courtesy of Angeli Camille Guadalupe in Vocal Broadway, and Ma. Emma Luisa Hubag in Vocal Broadway and Song and Dance categories.

“Not singing for ourselves but also for the Filipino people! It’s so nice to represent a hundred and

thirteen million Filipinos,” the trio expressed on their group’s Facebook account.

Meanwhile, the national team also brought home gold awards in Vocal World and Finals, Silver in Vocal Opera, Bronze in Song and Dance, and Group Production under the 18 to 24 age bracket.

Team Philippines dominated the 25th Annual WCOPA competition after bringing home a total of 265 awards and medals.

Returning for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, WCOPA is dubbed as the official “Olympics” of performing arts, where artists from more than 70 countries around the world vie for recognition on a global scale.

SAMASA keeps chairperson, councilors seats

This year’s University Student Council (USC) elections was not a total landslide victory for the Sandigan ng Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan (SAMASA) compared to last year, but the incumbent majority maintained its power in the chairperson and councilors posts.

By a wide margin, SAMASA party bet Hershey Geline Sumpay is officially reelected as the USC chairperson.

“I feel like this is a victory [for] the students because this is a chance for me to continue my promise,” Sumpay told Forum-Dimensions.

As the incumbent USC chairperson, Sumpay said she was confident that she will be reelected and that her incumbency is her edge against her rivals.

Sumpay garnered 2,571 votes (45.87%), beating Lucas Gerard Arañador of the University Students’ Alliance (USA) who only amassed 1,512 votes (26.98%), and John Paul Supapo of the Lakas Youth Organization (LYO) with only 1,418 votes (25.3%).

For the first time in the history of the USC elections, USA bet Susie Anne Doromal takes over the vice chairperson post in a tight race with Arlie Bosque from SAMASA.

In a 70-vote difference, Doromal secured the spot with 2,245 votes (40.05%), surpassing Bosque who garnered 2,175 votes (38.8%).

LYO’s Kenneth Adonis Datiles II settled last with 1,023 votes (18.25%).

Meanwhile, the ruling party SAMASA’s councilors’ bloc has maintained its majority with 11 out of its 12 candidates declared winners of the 18 councilors seats. Four USA candidates made it into the cut, while the remaining three seats were filled by LYO bets.

According to the University Student Electoral Committee (USEC), of the 8,448 voters, 5,733 cast their votes, logging a 67.86% voters’ turnout in this year’s USC polls.

The USEC proclaimed the winners on September 8. The new set of USC officers was inducted on September 9 at the University Cultural Center.

ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT. University Research and Development Center Director Ryan Michael Oducado receives his Certificate of Distinction from the officials of Professional Regulation Commission, October 8.

RYAN MICHAEL ODUCADO

JOANNA WAYNE S. HORNEJA AND JOHN LESTER T. TRAFIERO

RJAY Z. CASTOR, NOVE JOY S. LOSBAÑES, AND ERIC D. MORGUIA, JR.

world-class talent in the international scene, an alumna of West Visayas State University (WVSU) collected medals during

PAJAR

BALITA PAVIANHON

COE student leader, orgs chosen as 2022 UNESCO Clubs PH awardees

The University’s College of Education (COE) proved its excellence once again as its student teacher and organizations are set to receive awards from the National Coordinating Body of UNESCO Clubs in the Philippines (NCBUCP), Inc.

John Paul Supapo, a Secondary Education student who chairs the college organization Social Science Students’ Society (3S’ Society), is one of the ten UNESCO Clubs PH’s 2022 Outstanding Youth LeadersCollege Level.

“I am beyond grateful for the award that I will be receiving in

December. I am happy that for the first time, the West Visayas State University participated in this search and grabbed the award,” Supapo told Forum-Dimensions.

Through this award, Supapo said he is “more challenged and eager to influence and empower more youth.”

The award will be formally conferred to Supapo on December 9 at the Bayview Park Hotel, Manila City.

Three COE student organizations, meanwhile, will attend the same awarding ceremony after winning

recognition from the national body. These are the Education Student Council, the Special Education Student’s Association, and the 3S’ Society, which were recognized as the “Most Outstanding UNESCO Club for 2022” in the Education, Information and Communication, and Social and Human Sciences categories for the college level respectively.

The award is given to “recognize and campaign for the achievements and advocacies of the various clubs whose endeavors are aligned with the ideals and thrusts of UNESCO,” says the UNESCO Clubs Philippines.

Taga-West trio among top 8 finalists in nat’l stock research tilt

Representing the West Visayas State University, a team composed of three secondary education students emerged as one of the top 8 finalists in the national stock research competition by the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Inc.

Out of 21 entries, “Pitching Me Softly” members Edward II Dolfo, Mary Joy Torato, and Rocel Sasana, who are currently taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Social Studies, managed to qualify in the finals and presented their stock research

via Zoom platform on November 4.

Dolfo told Forum-Dimensions that they were confident about their chosen company, Nickel Asia Corporation, despite competing with other big universities such as De La Salle University - Manila, San Beda College - Alabang, Technological Institute of the Philippines, University of St. La Salle - Bacolod, and the University of Santo Tomas - Manila.

The applicants of the said competition underwent an online registration on October 5 and were required to receive a letter

of recommendation from the university.

Winners of the PSE Campus Expo 2022 were announced on November 11 and received internship opportunities with its partner companies.

The top 3 teams were granted a cash prize of Php 15,000, Php 12,000, and Php 9,000, respectively.

PSE Campus Expo 2022 is a stock research competition organized by the PSE in celebration of World Investors Week that aims to educate Filipino youth about financial literacy.

WVSU officials travel to Europe for Project FORTH

Key officials of West Visayas State University, headed by University President Dr. Joselito Villaruz, participated in various Project FORTH (Formation of Teachers in Emerging Challenged Areas) meetings that took place in different parts of Europe, November 1 to 6.

Villaruz emphasized in his speech during the dissemination session at the University of Bologna, Italy that Project FORTH is “for educating the future through trailblazing innovations and honing champions”.

In the same session, College of Education (COE) Secretary Dr. Rosemarie Felimon, Joyce Tondo, and Jessica Gegantoca, MAEd Major in Teaching in Challenged Areas students and Department of Education project partners shared the results of their action research during the meeting.

Meanwhile, other representatives from COE attended the project’s other engagements in the Netherlands and Spain.

Project FORTH is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Projects of the European Union.

NYC chair Cardema’s red-tagging ‘unjust’ — Sumpay

RJAY Z. CASTOR

This is what West Visayas State University student regent Hershey Geline Sumpay has to say after being called a “leftist student regent” in a Facebook post by the National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Ronald Cardema via his personal account, which has already been taken down by Meta.

Cardema’s call-out came after the former released an official statement condemning the acceptance of First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos as a part-time faculty member in the University’s College of Law last August 7.

Sumpay slammed the inclusion of the First Lady in the University’s faculty. For her, “the administration has the power to decline” her application.

The Student Regent posited that the decision to allow Mrs. Marcos to teach Criminal Law 1 at the University is “a slap on the face, not only to the core values that the institution enshrines, but also an insult to the justice system.”

In a statement released on August 8, the NYC chair accused Sumpay of being biased in her statement against MarcosAraneta. Cardema implied that Sumpay’s remarks empathize with left-leaning organizations.

In defense, Sumpay said, “there is nothing wrong with dissenting and expressing [their] views.” She further stated that the University acknowledges Taga-West’s freedom of speech and expression.

Meanwhile, the student regent lauded Taga-West for standing their ground, particularly the law students of the University for “courageously [standing] for what is right.”

“History will tell that WVSU was and will never be silenced,” she told ForumDimensions.

It can be recalled that Cardema, in several instances, has displayed aggressive stances against “leftist” groups.

TAKING THE LEAD. Social Science Students’ Society Chairperson John Paul Supapo facilitates a leadership workshop at Rizal Elementary School in Iloilo City, August 20, 2021.

KHELLY HERBUELA

ERIC D. MORGUIA, JR.

NOVE JOY S. LOSBAÑES

ZYNNIE ROSE C. ZARAGOSA

“It is unjust!”

Student activist denounces state forces over illegal arrest of father

Despite the blatant cases of red-tagging of state forces in the country, a student activist from West Visayas State University heeded the call for strengthened youth activism following the violent arrest of his father Elmer Forro, the Secretary-General of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) - Panay.

Mark Leen Forro, a fourthyear Biology student and son of the political prisoner, recounted his experiences on his father’s arrest and took to the streets the demand for justice, urging the students to “continue to dissent”.

Elmer was arrested at around 3 a.m. on March 29 in Cabatuan, Iloilo by nearly 10 officials of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group due to his alleged involvement with the New People’s Army.

Prior to his arrest, Elmer was repeatedly red-tagged and threatened by the state forces which fueled Forro to join rallies and mobilizations.

Progressivism starts at home

While other parents would oppose their children joining protests, the young Forro said he was exposed to different progressivists events in the province in his childhood.

His personal interest in activism, however, only grew when he started college and joined Sandigan ng mga Mag-

aaral para sa Sambayanan, a socio-political organization in the University.

While he noted that his academics is still priority, Mark Leen shared that activism should be one’s own duty to fulfill.

“As an activist, ang panulukan namon sa pag-work is a duty gid. Amo na ang hambal nila nga dissent is the highest form of patriotism. Duty [gid sang mga] activists nga isulong ang human rights.”

Stop the attacks

In Panay, there are a total of 23 political prisoners detained who came from different sectors often persecuted by the government, KAPATID - Panay reported.

The progressive group stated that these individuals were arrested due to “fabricated statements and testimonies prepared and submitted by police.”

Meanwhile, BAYAN - Panay Deputy Spokesperson Bryan Bosque said the trumpedup charges filed against the Secretary-General “should be immediately dropped and the government must end the ongoing persecution of activists.”

As a response to the growing threats that come with being an activist, Mark Leen stressed that fear is inevitable but the youth today should hold the government accountable and stand strong against social injustices.

Taga-West students struggle to keep up with the increase in prices of goods and services as the Philippines logged an alltime high inflation rate of 7.7% in October.

The impact of the skyrocketing cost of goods was felt by the students since the University has already resumed its in-person classes.

For Yvonne Kaye Jurada, a first-year Foreign Language student, the price hikes have led to an internal conflict in saving money.

“In the span of three months since I moved here to the city, I could barely eat real food just to save up for my transportation and academic needs… To survive hunger, I slept all day,” she told Forum-Dimensions.

Jurada added that she has avoided going home since the fare from Iloilo to Antique doubled in price. According to her, the initial 150-peso fare back-and-forth trip in the prepandemic setup is now 300 pesos in one-way.

First-year student Hannah Christina Irish Patrimonio from Laguna also said that she worries about spending her money too carelessly with having none left for emergencies and school contributions.

“I ponder whether it’s worth it to satisfy my cravings or sacrifice my desires and be practical so that I wouldn’t get cut off,” she shared.

due to its provisory closure at noon of September 18.

The temporary shutdown came after a “vertical displacement” in its three piers was discovered and several complaints such as rough rides, slumps, and flooding even on the slightest rainfall were experienced by many motorists and passengers.

“Ang tawo naga reklamo kay ang flyover palpak ti ang reklamuhan da karan ang nagapaubra, indi ang naga-agi nga wala man naka-intindi,” Ernesto Simora, a jeepney driver for 34 years, told ForumDimensions.

Assistant Regional Director Al Fruto shared that the “safety of the motorists and commuters is paramount in this case, thus the decision to close the flyover in the meantime.”

With the heavy traffic in the area during rush hours, some drivers called for its immediate reopening to public transport.

The International Builders Corporation, the contractor of the project, started to construct the area in January 2020 and was opened to public on September 5 this year.

Emphasizing the impact made by the inflation on her monthly spending, Carmela Jade Cortez, a Taga-West residing in Lambunao, had to lessen her days of going home and would rather stay in her boarding house to cut back on expenses.

She also stressed how she would lose a big chunk of her allowance to food, stating that 20 to 30-peso meals are impossible nowadays.

On November 4, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said that the country’s 7.7% inflation rate was the “highest since December 2008’s 7.8%”.

Two weeks after it started its operation, jeepney drivers and commuters called the P680million flyover located at Brgy. Ungka II, Pavia as “palpak” (failure)

According to Samora, the project in its functional days really helps in reducing the travel time of motorists between the barangays.

Despite this, Department of Public Works and Highway

As of writing, the 453.7- meter flyover that passes over the intersection of Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue (Diversion Road) and President Corazon C. Aquino Avenue (Circumferential Road 1) is still inoperative, causing congestion of vehicles and delays in travel.

With the increasingly alarming price increases, businessmen and traders are not the only people worrying about their budgets. Students returning to the campus for their residential learning also lament the costly sacrifices needed to attend classes in this new normal setup.

Taga-West battle steep prices of goods, services amid inflation

P680-million Ungka flyover ‘a failure’, say motorists, commuters

RAISED FISTS. Mark Leen Forro joined by his mother (center) and sister (right) raise their fist, urging the government to free his political detainee father.

KESAY FORRO

TEMPORARILY CLOSED. The Department of Public Works and Highways Region 6 puts a temporary closure advisory at Ungka II flyover in Pavia, Iloilo, warning motorists and commuters of a heavy traffic, September 18.

JAPHET MARIE G. FERNANDEZ DE LEON AND MARIA KAYLA T. TINGZON

NOVE JOY S. LOSBAÑES

CYBELLE RIO JHANE B. HEMBRA

a window dressing of corruption

On June 20, 2022, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio expressed high hopes for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize the mandatory implementation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) for all Filipinos reaching the age of 18 in the administration’s legislative agenda. The resurgence of ROTC is the quintessence of the administration’s incompetence and ignorance of the realities of the Filipino people.

Even at the commencement of her campaign, Duterte-Carpio has shown her authoritarian and militaristic nature with her proposed mandatory military service mirroring that of South Korea’s as a way to inculcate “discipline” among the youth. While J. Prospero de Vera III, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, saw it as an option to choose “advanced” ROTC in college after senior high school duty was required, its rebirth speaks less of peace and more of a distorted focus.

For instance, the Special Education (SPED) program of the Department of Education (DepEd) initially failed to secure their P532 million proposal in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2023 “due to insufficient documents”. Yet, it seems that financing the SPED program has long been a recurring problem addressed by connecting with other sectors.

The World Bank recently reported on the country’s high learning poverty, citing: “9 out of 10 children in the Philippines at late primary age are not proficient in reading simple

texts.” This review sheds light on glaring gaps in the education system never adequately reviewed, revised, or addressed.

The Republic Act 9163, also known as the National Training Service Program (NSTP), has three programs for nation building under its umbrella including the Literacy Training Service and Civic Welfare Training Service which relies on students’ literacy and civic affairs, and the last being ROTC.

One of the primary reasons cited by the current administration in mandating ROTC is to “build a solid foundation of nationalism and patriotism among the Filipino youth”. However, ROTC remains an option since military training was never the only way for citizens to fulfill their responsibility of providing safety and security to the State.

Preceding the scrapping of mandatory ROTC was a young student’s death triggering an all-out exposé of its corruption, extortion, and bribery practices.

Mark Welson Chua, a student cadet from the University of Santo Tomas, revealed the dirty laundry of his university’s ROTC program in 2001 through their university publication — The Varsitarian. Chua, together with cadet Romulo Yumul, filed a complaint with the Department of National Defense (DND) regarding the alleged injustices in the USTROTC. A month later, his floating corpse was found wrapped in a carpet, hands tied, and with masking

tape covering his face in Pasig River. On November 7, 2022, the University of the Philippines Baguio released a statement denouncing the redtagging of student groups during an online lecture in their ROTC-NSTP class.

The profane act of violence and raw deal reported under this program voids their so called goal—to instill discipline.

In the face of the proposed revival of ROTC, student activists overtly condemn its notion. For them, as skewed and pervasive the idea of patriotism that its re-implementation inculcates, it will only further the indifference of those in power to the actual issues that students face.

Authority should be derived from the consent of the governed and not from the threat of force. If this is their way to boost public trust with their leaders, then this path would only instill fear among their people. Hence, the government should start digressing from their military-first demeanor and push for a greater education budget instead. After all, a strengthened educational workforce does not only entail the proper molding of a young Filipino’s mind but also greatly helps in addressing the other pressing issues of the country.

For years, we have been blinded by promises served by the iron fist of the past administration. It is about time that we ask ourselves. Do we want the Filipino youth to be followers or to be leaders?

JOSHUA A. CELESTIAL

OUR SPRING DAY WILL COME

I got older, I realized that living a life that others may not understand is alright. Since we move at our own pace, the progress and accomplishments of others don’t have to serve as affirmation for ours to be valid.

As

I have had my fair share of failures and discouraging experiences. These concerns keep on weighing me down, draining my whole being. I may have always told myself to overcome my insecurities and start doing my own thing, but then end up getting defeated by comparing myself to others.

Thus, it is important to remind yourself of this the next time you find yourself

comparing who you are to someone else: even when you can’t feel or see the sun shining down on you, know that you deserve it.

Now, even if I move slowly, even if I stop, turn around, and start over, I always keep in mind that I’ll eventually get back. No matter what happens, never ever lose the passion, that dream, and most especially, yourself in the process. Sometimes, we simply have to keep moving forward. Then, one day, you’ll see how much you’ve changed.

Your pace and journey will differ from those around you. As you embrace the path that you are taking, no matter how

uncertain you feel about what may come, there is actually a place that awaits in the future prepared for each of us. Life will take you wherever, whenever, for we have different timelines. There is nothing to lose because you have you, and you can start and restart anytime.

LET IT BE

Karla R. Porras is a 4th-year Biotechnology student from the University’s College of Arts and Sciences. She is one of ForumDimentions’ Art Director.

Instead of overthinking what tomorrow may bring... think of the present concern.

As someone who aspires to have a successful future, I tend to take circumstances seriously. Still, as I skimmed through my past journals, I realized that I am a worry warrior behind all my victories, which eventually manifested in my physical and mental being.

A lot of people worry at times, and some do so more often than others. We face challenges in our daily lives and all these create an occasional wave of apprehension, making us worry. While a certain amount of worry is essential to focus on the task at hand and lead us to constructive action, it

can morph into an idea about matters we cannot control when they go overboard.

Worrying is a waste of time and it will never magically solve your problem. It is just faith in the negative, trust in the unpleasant, and belief in defeat. If we keep thinking about fear, we will most likely crash into them. As Daniel Goleman would put it, “our worries become self-fulfilling prophecies, propelling us toward the very disaster they predict.”

With this, I have learned that instead of overthinking what tomorrow may bring and worrying about things

BLENDED STRUGGLE

No more Wi-Fi problems and no more panic during power outages. And after two years of online classes, I was looking forward to stepping inside the classrooms of Quezon Hall again.

This year, however, the university released a schedule with the following setup: online classes for the first two weeks, and face-to-face classes for the next two. It was confusing at first, but one thing’s for sure: this kind of setup was way more expensive compared to full online or full face-to-face classes.

Before the pandemic, I was able to go to school with P50

in my pocket and be confident that I would still have money left for a jeepney ride back home to Leganes. But now, I wouldn’t dare leaving the house with just P100 and no packed lunch.

It’s a good thing that I don’t have to worry about the expenses for my monthly rent, food allowance, and mobile data. Unfortunately, for some students, paying a month’s worth of rent for a boarding house and end staying in it for just two weeks or less, on top of their fare expenses when they need to go home is one of their most pressing dilemmas. Additionally, they also have to pay for an internet connection during the

two weeks of online classes.

I believe that students could have saved more money, time, and effort if the University sticks to only one setup because it is the students who suffer the most.

This kind of setup is anti-poor and students deserve better.

Gwenneth Meg D. Soniso is a 4th-year student from WVSUCollege of Arts and Sciences taking up Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages- Korean Major. She is one of the ForumDimension’s Art Director.

that may never happen, think of the present concern. Decide to do something about them instead of simply letting them drain the fun in life.

Humanity was gifted with twenty-four hours each day to reach our full potential and fulfill our purpose, not to think of the negativity and trivial matters that would only divert us from the paths we take in life. Remember that often as we imagine, worry gets blown out of proportion and becomes more prominent than the problem itself.

To break the unending cycle of worrying, remain grounded in the moment.

No matter what happens, never ever lose the passion, that dream, and most especially, yourself in the process.

MARIA KAYLA T. TINGZON

ANPANMAN

KALLALILY

“

KARLA R. PORRAS

Maria Kayla T. Tingzon is a 4th-year BA Broadcasting student of WVSU-College of Communication. She is currently one of the Literary Editors of Forum-Dimensions.

Students could have saved more money, time, and effort if the University sticks to only one setup because it is the students who suffer the most.

GWENNETH MEG D. SONISO

PRIM

NOT OUR HAIR, PLEASE

Aschool should be a safe and conducive place for everyone. But this is not the case for most Philippine schools since some gender-normative rules are still evident in its system.

With the return of face-toface classes, there is a growing concern among LGBTQ+ students who were apparently forced to get short haircuts to comply with their school’s heteronormative policies.

Non-conforming students are often subject to harsh disciplinary action like being barred from entering the school, suspension, or public humiliation which takes away their fundamental human right: education.

This haircut policy, which has zero educational value and is not either a tell-all for success in life, infringes on the right of LGBTQ+

students in expressing their authentic selves and as studies suggest, can be detrimental to their psychological being.

On a bigger picture, not only the right of the student to express oneself is challenged, but it is also their education that is put on the line. Undeniably, these policies provoke LGBTQ+ students to resort to subsequent absences, transfer schools, or worse, drop out.

The discipline-versusdiscrimination issue linked to school-compliant haircut policies for LGBTQ+ students is a reminder and an assertion that we still have a long way to go in our battle for SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression) equality in the country.

I believe that the imposition of school uniforms with

strict observance of the heteronormative lens serves a meaningless purpose to learning and utter discrimination against LGBTQ+ students.

The message is loud and clear: this needs to be changed.

“The discipline-versusdiscrimination issue linked to schoolcompliant haircut policies for LGBTQ+ students is a reminder and an assertion that we still have a long way to go in our battle for SOGIE equality in the country.

WVSU to ‘remain apolitical’

Despite the heated political climate in the region, Villaruz said he wants West Visayas State University to “remain apolitical,” who adjudges applications based on credentials and qualifications, not political affiliations.

“When we decided on the application of Atty. Marcos, we had only objectivity in our minds,” he explained.

Villaruz admitted that he already anticipated the backlash and

criticisms he would be receiving once the news broke out, but he clarified there was no special treatment or consideration in the First Lady’s application.

In the divisive 2022 elections, Taga-West students and alumni backed the candidacy of former Vice President Leni Robredo for presidency. The lone female presidential candidate gained 83.44% voting preference in the University-wide mock poll conducted on February 4 to 11.

Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla told ForumDimensions in an exclusive interview that the University has “more than 50%” possibility of returning to a full five-day faceto-face classes every week in the second semester.

West Visayas State University currently observes a rotational two weeks residential and another two weeks remote mode of learning on the conduct of its classes. But this may no longer be the case as there is a high chance that the University will soon return to its pre-pandemic setup.

Dequilla, however, stressed that this prospect is still in the works, emphasizing that the eventual implementation of the full five-day in-person classes will undergo a rigid process — “a series of consultation, discussions, and considerations.”

Despite the assurance she left, Dequilla noted that blended learning will still be observed because “that’s the way to go”.

The VPAA explained that blended learning is the future of education and that the University needs to adapt to current educational trends, especially the new educational technologies.

WVSU hosts first-ever World Research and Innovation Festival

Rjay Castor and John Lester Trafiero

Holding the torch towards research and development, West Visayas State University (WVSU) spearheaded the first World Research and Innovation Festival (WRIF) to bridge the members of the academe on a global platform with the theme, “Connecting the Global Community through Research.”

Held from October 17 to 19 via Zoom, the event sported both international and local researchers from various degree programs who tackled the main

focal points of the convention namely, health, education, technology, among others.

Dr. Greta G. Gabinete, Vice President for Research Extension and Training served as the head of the Organizing Committee and according to her, the festival is “an opportunity for the different units in WVSU to work together and bring out the innovative ideas from global researchers.”

WRIF is a conference that aims for local and international researchers “to disseminate and exchange ideas on the latest trends and advances in research and innovation” in numerous specializations.

RJAY Z. CASTOR

KOPIKO BLANCA

Rjay Z. Castor is a 4th year pre-service Science teacher from the University’s College of Education. He is currently the National News Editor of The National Guilder, the official publication of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines; Deputy News Editor at the online news network Explained PH Organization Inc. He is one of the News and Special Reports Editors of ForumDimensions.

‘Reject Liza Marcos!’...

RJAY Z. CASTOR

RJAY Z. CASTOR AND JOHN LESTER T. TRAFIERO

RJAY Z. CASTOR AND NOVE JOY S. LOSBAÑES

BACK-TO-SCHOOL. A Taga-West professor conducts his class to the College of PESCAR students as they start their two-week in-person classes at the University.

Franz Chrysler Marie C. Delgado

In the Battle of Red and White Where Do We Stand?

The television sputtered loudly. Words that appear as flecks of color blur on a pixelated screen along with sentences that echo in the homes and ears of critics.

“Another activist shot dead.” “Justice Secretary Remulla’s son caught in drug operations.” “Are we not allowed to criticize our critics too? Is it a oneway street?”

Somewhere, a family weeps in a solemn prayer of grief. Somewhere, a face is hidden, cowering not from the shame of one’s actions, but from the shame brought about by being caught. Someone, somewhere, draws a thin line between merely critical and anti-system labeling.

Currently, we live in a society where both sides of the political spectrum are tainted with extremism. Activists are red-tagged as terrorists while people in power such as Remulla who are at the forefront of red-tagging civilians are just merely doing their job. Remulla says that if critics can chastise government programs, then the government could respond with criticism in the form of red-tagging.

Red-tagging is defined by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as “labeling most groups on the left of the political spectrum as ‘front organizations’ for armed groups whose goal is to destroy democracy” and “enemies of the state

making them legitimate targets”, yet certain people in power still have the stomach to abuse this act despite its inaccurate tendencies and bloody consequences.

The rising numbers of murder cases against activists shed light on the country’s existing problem of expression criticisms where those who speak out against the administration are crushed under the volatile boot of power. In numbers, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reported more than 130 murder cases against activists since 2016.

One of those victims is Dandy Miguel, a former vice chairman of the Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog KatagaluganKilusang Mayo Uno (Pamantik-KMU). He was one of the union officials who joined the families of “Bloody Sunday” victims in airing their grievance against the police before the Commission on Human Rights in 2021. Two weeks later, as he was riding his motorcycle, someone opened fire on him.

Bloody Sunday is the moniker given to the events that took place on March 7th in CALABARZON. During these events, nine activists were slain in practically simultaneous police operations in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. After this, Miguel is said to have been concerned for his personal safety as a result of the fact that members of Pamantik-KMU have been branded by the government as communist insurgents.

While the Miguel family continues to wait for the justice that is yet to be served, PDEA has confirmed that Juanito, Remulla’s son, “refused” to undergo drug testing since his counsel stated that it was “not material” to the case. While it may be easy to say that his father had no part in the investigation of his ongoing case, experts such as Maria Ela Atienza, a University of the Philippines professor in the field of Political Science, say that “his position still creates pressure on the enforcement agencies and other people involved.”

Our televisions unceasingly echo the cries of the marginalized and the satisfaction of those who have the upper hand. Though it is obvious that different shades of criticism and activism exist, terrorism is another palette and should not be attributed to people who merely want to improve the system that govern them.

The country stands on the sidelines of a blood sport—a rigged red-andwhite game in which both colors have different hues expressed in the extremes of their actual purpose in the system.

Sadly, we know who’s winning.

ASHLEY DENISE B. FELICIANO AND SARAH M. ROSE LINAS JOSHUA A. CELESTIAL

See a Need Fill a Need

RYDE RENDELL B. PONSARAN

As inflation directly af fected the majority of important sectors that are concerned with the cost of food, housing, and trans portation, sticking to a budget proves harder from day to day. Additionally, the shift from online to partial residential classes after two years took a toll on the students’ time and their wallets.

Hence, incumbent WV SU-USC councilor Mharvin Repiano offered a solution for Taga-West students in the form of a community.

In a Facebook post uploaded on September 28, Repiano says, “Are you an aspiring entrepre neur, have you been thinking of starting a business, or are you just trying to get rid of old stuff but also need a little cash?” [If so,] then welcome aboard to the WVSU Buy and Sell Group!”

Exclusively for West Visayas State University students and alumni, the group aims to be a viable outlet for the necessities of the “student-entrepreneurs

and online sellers” of the Uni versity, with a big emphasis on community.

Upon joining the group, one can expect safeguards for the benefit of sellers and consum ers such as price limits for bargaining. As for the selling options, they can range from both brand-new and previous ly used items (i.e., uniforms, books, gadgets, and school supplies) that could be of use to fellow students in need.

Meanwhile, this independent initiative was led by Repiano and four other Taga-West stu dents, namely Dan Borce, Sue Doromal, Kyla Catequista, and Maviyah Lee Debarbo.

In a time where the claws of a failing economy grip tight er on the people’s necks, the group serves as a safe haven from the harsh systems of capitalism. Frightful economic times may have been prevalent in today’s society, but braving through them becomes less frightening in the arms of a community.

Aged pavements, decaying wood, and mended pillars of the different stalls show how senescent the markets of Il oilo have been serving the public for decades.

With this, one of the Iloilo City Council’s goals for this year is the major revamping of three big markets in the city with the follow ing budgets: P395M for the Jaro Big Market, P395M for the Lapaz Market, and 150M for the Arevalo District Public Market. This is to achieve a furnished and industrious facility that will captivate and cater to the needs of more market-goers.

However, some vendors drew a line on the development since they were dissatisfied about the relocation process. Tatay Eddie Casiple, a 12 year-old vendor of Jaro Big Mar ket, expressed disagreement since based on contract, he needed to transfer into a puny stall as their relocation site for three to four years. “Mag four years ibalik kami di, tapos

laban laban, may bayad na, pondohan na kami diri. Sang amo naman ni posisyon, okay gid ang sitwasyon,” he added.

Another vendor, Nanay Elsa Deatras, sees this restoration as a chance to find comfort where vendors like her will have stalls that are resilient to the weather conditions. “Kun amo na, indi ka na mabasa sang ulan, indi ka mainitan, [kag] indi distorbo sa gabarakal. Nami imo agi kay nami na imo pamakal,” she explained. She, however, also thinks the relocation place they’ll have is too limited in space.

Meanwhile, the vendors in the area trans ferred to the temporary stalls last November 3 as per the advice of the officer-in-charge of Jaro Big Market, Thomas Raymond Hortillas.

Hortillas assured the vendors that every thing is temporary, and what matters is that there would be continuity with their business no matter how small the provided space is.

CYBELLE RIO JHANE B. HEMBRA AND JOMER J. RUEGO

GWENNETH MEG D. SONISO ILOILO TODAY

“

Escalating Sustainability in fashion

Over the years, fashion de signers have been coming up with a variety of tricks to introduce their collections. A Paris-based designer once featured Bella Hadid in a nine-minute instant spray-on cloth dress during the internet-shattering Coperni fashion show. As for the styling team of Iloilo, they chose to return to their roots and presented their different runway collections during the Iloilo New Breed Fashion Challenge. The following are among the sustainable

styles which were featured in the said event:

Upcycled fabrics. Thea Balume used Japanese patchwork tech niques called boro and sashiko to upcycle denim and plaid textiles.

Avant-garde. Jay Elabra imagined our pandemic heroes in a more apocalyptic atmosphere by trying pleated panels, plastic-coated mesh, and reflector strips.

Dreamy gowns. RG Macabanti utilized several fabric manipulation techniques like ruching, gathering

overlay of fabric strips that were either pleated or fluted.

Bicultural. Mor Echalar combined aspects of his traditional culture and his love of street style through needlework, tattered red-on-red applique, and accessories.

Crochet’s Daintiness. Trinie Siasat experiments with Crochet by hand-dying the remaining portions of her creations and using organic cotton and pineapple.

Human Anatomy. Ericka Celiz utilized DNA structure on one of the

A Writer Once, A Writer Still

Butterflies flutter across the cover of the breathtaking nov el of picturesque experiences written by a former Taga-West author, Julie Anne Collado. As she was blessed with the gift of literature, one of her teenage dreams and a rare achievement of the youth, some may say, came true: to become a self-pub lished writer.

PASSION AT FIRST SIGHT

It was in 2017 when Julie Anne equipped the pen as her weapon to write prose and poetry with Lang Leav as her legend. At 21 years old, Julie made a name for herself in the world of literature as “Zades” when she debuted her first book, “When All the Butterflies Die.” The book contained prose, poems, and short stories.

Her second published work, “If Stars Could Speak,” another poetry book, contained one entry that won the Tine Sol Neighborhood Mystery Writing Contest in 2020.

At 23, she published her very first novel, “Amber.” It talks about a group of students whose journey to Baguio is donned with exhilarating encounters. It also includes meeting Amber, a young woman suffering from heterochromia with the plot unraveling the challenges and fulfillment of being a journalist.

THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTER’S EYES

When Julie was in Junior High School, she owned her first pet cat named “Amber”, so the name had always been close to her heart. Eventually, the idea of writing a novel sprang into her mind as she read the ultimate classic: To Kill a Mocking bird. Her fascination with people who have special condi

tions led to the concept of heterochromia, which connected to her debut novel. She purposefully incorporated journalism into the plot because she is a journalist herself.

Julie’s college years sparkled with experi ences that blossomed from love. “My Forum-Dimensions (FD) family has been my home team for 4 years. I was truly grateful to have met, worked, and built a family with them,” she said with pride.

Moreover, in July 2022, she put a laurel on her college life as a Magna Cum Laude of Bachelor of Science in Business Adminis tration, Major in Financial Manage ment. She was also the Managing Editor of FD for the school year 20212022. At present, she is living in grace as a 23-year-old Christian who works as a senior copywriter at Prometheus Produc tions, Iloilo.

REAPING SUCCESS

Julie advises aspiring Taga-West writers that they should write at their hearts’ content and be brave enough to share it with the world. She is sure that at one point, everyone will experience rejection, but what one does after that is what will matter. And as her mantra goes, “Write, believe, and achieve.”

oversized sleeves and the patterns that resemble the heart’s arteries. However, despite the attention and enthusiasm given to sustainable fashion, not much actual progress has been made this year. Next-gen eration textiles are still in their infancy, emissions are still rising, and many garment workers still require decent pay. Even if actions speak louder than words, the fash ion industry could definitely take heart from the increased urgency and discourse.

KEMINOVA B. ACEPCION AND JOHN LESTER T. TRAFIERO

CLINT M. BELLOSILLO AND REESA T. AZARRAGA

JULIE ANNE L. COLLADO

NYLON MANILA

filipino

Student Assistantship Program ng OSA,

magbabalik alinsunod sa bagong normal

Handa nang ibalik ang Student Assistantship (SA) Program sa West Visayas State University (WVSU) matapos ang tatlong taon sa online setup.

Natigil ang SA program noong March 2020, simula ng pandemya, dahil sa ilang lockdowns at pagsuspinde ng face-to-face classes.

Ayon kay Dr. Nancy Surmieda, dekana ng Office of Student Affairs, ang SA Program ay nagbibigay ng oportunidad sa mga undergraduate na estudyante makapagtrabaho at kumita habang nag-aaral sa Unibersidad.

Binalik ng OSA ang programa alinsunod sa limited face-to-face basis noong ipinahayag na Alert Level 1 ang lungsod at probinsya ng Iloilo.

Makakakuha ang mga estudyanteng

benepisyaryo ng nasabing programa ng mahigit sa Php 2,000 kada buwan na siyang makakatulong sa kanilang gastusin sa pag-aaral.

Bago ang pandemya, mayroong summer labor na ini-sponsor ang Department of Labor and Employment - Special Program for the Employment of Students at ang Unibersidad kung saan kumikita ang bawat estudyante ng hanggang Php 13,000 sa loob ng 60 na araw. Maliban sa pag-iipon, tulong din ang SA Program sa kanilang kahandaan sa trabaho, negosyo, at serbisyo sa komunidad sa oras ng pagtatapos nila mula sa Unibersidad.

Ang programang ito ay makakabenipisyo sa undergraduates na nangangailangan ng pinansiyal na tulong na sa kabila ng kanilang kasalukuyang estado ay pursigidong tapusin ang

kanilang kolehiyo. Prayoridad ng opisina ang mga estudyante nanasa ilalim ng National Poverty Threshold at uunhin ang mga naka-enroll mula sa ikalawa hanggang sa ika-apat na baitang sa kolehiyo.

Kaakibat ng pagbabagong nararanasan, inaasahan din ang pagtaas ng pangorasang sweldo ng student assistants na Php 25.00. Iminumungkahi nilang maibagay sa work-from-home arrangement ang SA program na nakasaad sa batas ng University Student Handbook (2022) ngayong bagong normal.

Ang ibang detalye parte tungkol sa programa ay makikita sa mga pahinang 76-77 ng handbook, at ang soft copy naman nito ay maaaring ma-download galing sa University website, sa ilalim ng Downloadables section - General

Pagdungis sa mga pahina ng katotohanan

a panahong lulan ng maling impormasyon at baliko na balita ang lumalabas sa mga plataporma online, tila sinasamantala din nito ang walang basehang pagbibigay kategorya sa mga aklat na tanging layunin ay magbigay aliw

Naglabas ng panandaan ang ilang komisyoner ng Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) na nagpapatigil sa paglathala sa limang libro na pinaratangang naglalaman ng pampulitiko at subersibong ideolohiya na kontra sa gobyerno nitong Agosto 9. Nagbigay babala ang KWF sa mga librong ito patungkol sa paglabag sa Artikulo 9 ng Republic Act 11479 o Anti Terrorism Act. Base sa Facebook post ni Arthur Casanova, pangulo ng KWF, agad nitong itinanggi ang nasabing paratang at mariing pinabulaanan na ang lahat ng mga aklat ay dumaan sa masusing pagsusuri.

Ngunit kasabay ng paglabas ng nasabing memo, inakusahan naman ng tatlo sa mga host ng Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), kasama na ang batikang red-tagger na si Lorraine Badoy, ang mga libro ng KWF na mapanghimagsik dahil sa nilapat nilang sanggunian na isinulat ng Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

Sa patuloy na lantarang pagturing bilang komunista o kasapi ng mga grupong kumukontra sa kasalukuyang administrasyon, panganib at pagkabahala ang dala nito sa mismong aklat at mga taong kabilang sa pagkakalimbag nito. Bunsod ng hindi makatarungang akusasyon ay naglipana ang pagbabanta na ang dulot ay panganib karapatang pantao at malayang pagpapahayag.

Naglabas naman ng resolusyon ang KWF na nagpawalang-bisa sa memorandum at nagpabawi sa lagda ng tatlong komisyoner na sina Alain Russ Dimzon, Hope S. Yu, at Angela Lorenza sa pagbawal ng mga sumusunod na libro: “Teatro Pulitikal Dos” ni Malou Jacob, “Kalatas: Mga Kuwentong Bayan at Kwentong Buhay” ni Rommel Rodriguez, “Tawid Diwa sa Pananagisag ni Bienvenido Lumbera: Ang Bayan, Ang Manunulat at ang Magasing Sagisag ng Imahinatibong Yugto ng Batas Militar 1975-1979” ni Dexter Cayanes, “May Hadlang ang Umaga” ni Don Pagusara, at “Labas: Mga Palabas sa Labas ng Sentro” ni Reuel Aguila.

Bilang kagawaran na siyang tulay sa pagpapanatili at paglilinang ng wikang katutubo, nararapat na itaguyod din ang pagbibigay ng katotohanan at paninindigan lugar na ito’y salungat man sa administrasyon. Sapagkat dahil sa mga librong kanilang nililimbag, nagiging sandata ito laban sa malawakang pagbaluktot ng kasaysayan gamit ang mga makabagong anyo ng midya.

CYBELLE RIO JHANE B. HEMBRA AT JOHN PAUL A. DAQUIN GWENNETH MEG D. SONISO

KEMINOVA B. ACEPCION AT JAPHETH MARIE G. FERNANDEZ DE LEON

FRANZ CHRYSLER MARIE C. DELGADO

Triumph in Syncopation

Underneath the glitz, glamor, sways, and poise are the bruised feet and muscles of dancers that exert power and endure pain. But their blood, sweat, and tears are never in vain when these are exchanged for the applause of audiences and the cool warmth of ribbons and medals.

For the dancesport team of West Visayas State University-Integrated Laboratory School (WVSU-ILS), they were not neophytes to these situations as the pairs in vibrant dance suits brought home the gold trophies during the first-ever Adlaw sang Ciudad sang Iloilo last October 16.

Despite competing together for the first time, Czkha Gyle Garrucha and Kynne Peter Castigador topped the competition for the Slow Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Quickstep dances under the Modern Standard Youth Category. Additionally, Kealynn Therese Castigador and Cliff Justin Pareja bagged first place for Slow Waltz, Tango, and Quickstep under the Modern Standard Junior Category.

Considering other competitors from Iloilo, Kealynn Therese Castigador described the win as a relief. “It was very relieving looking back on all my efforts to make our routines look graceful… and it was also a very exciting experience,” she said.

Professor Liberty Porras, one of the coaches of the team, also described them as always “ever-ready.” In an interview with the Forum-Dimensions, she shared that they continuously train every weekend even without competitions, with practices only becoming more rigorous as contests roll in – hence, ever-ready.

Moreover, Angel Mae Babac and Alvin Jade Gelera, along with Kealynn Therese Castigador and Cliff Justin Pareja garnered the 3rd and 6th places in the Modern Standard Open Category, respectively; while Ma. Victoria Cruz & Klynne Joseph Castigador snatched the 3rd place for the Latin American Junior Category.

The Adlaw Sang Ciudad de Iloilo features hip-hop, dancesport, and stage-acting, emphasizing the event’s cause of “celebration with emphasis on Ilonggo culture and talents, taking Iloilo to new heights.”

The ILS dancesport team is set to take part in another competition in November this year.

Victory! sa Laro ng Buhay: Taga-West Hinirang bilang Iskolar ng Acad Arena

Tila batingaw ng kampana ang huni ng mga salitang Mobile Legends, Clash of Clans o Wildrift sa tenga ng mga kabataang madalas nahuhumaling sa nakawiwiling stratehiya at komposisyon ng mga larong ito. Hindi maitatangging ang pagiging bihasa sa kasanayan sa makabagong teknolohiya ang nagtutulak sa mga kabataan upang magmithi ng talento sa larangang ito. Ito rin ang naging daan para sa isang estudyante ng West Visayas State University (WVSU) upang mapabilang sa mga iskolars ng AcadArena at makasagap ng daan sa maulap na paglalakbay na kanyang sinuong.

Dating libangan at pampalipas oras lamang ni Sarah Rose Linas, nasa sekondarya at may kursong Bachelor of Science in Biology, ang pagsali sa mga ang e-sports at mobile gaming.

Natutong maglaro si Sarah ng Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) noong 2017 sa impluwensiya ng kanyang dalawang nakababatang kapatid, ang online app na ito ay may layunin na mapatumba ang tore ng kalaban at ma protektahan ang kanilang sariling lugar.

Lubos na tinangkilik ni Sarah ang mga tournament kung saan ang una niyang sinalihan sa WVSU ay BioLogin noong Agosto 2021. Naging opisyal na koponan sila na nagrepresenta sa College of Arts and Sciences bilang ‘Team Biotes’, grupo ng mga BS Biology secondary na estudyante sa E-nampang nitong Disyembre nakaraang taon. Naging parte rin siya ng purong pangkat ng mga kababaihang manlalaro mula sa west kung saan sila ay nakakuha ng pwesto bilang runnerup sa iba’t ibang mga all-girls at bi-weekly tournament ng MLBB

Student Leaders.

Lingid sa kaalaman ni Sarah ang kahusayang kanyang inilaan para sa mga kompetisyon at libangang ito ang magiging daan upang makapasok siya sa mga kilalang organisasyon na inilaan sa ‘Campus Gaming at Esports Education’ dito sa ating bansa, ang AcadArena. Sinisiguro ng organisasyong ito na matatamasa ng lahat ng mga estudyanteng manlalaro ang pinakamabuting kasanayan na maibibigay ng esports.

Natuklasan ni Sarah ang iskolarship na ipinamamahagi ng organisasyon nang siya ay magsaliksik sa komunidad ng mga manlalarong kagaya niya sa WVSU.

Dumating ang dagok sa kanyang buhay ng pauwiin mula sa abroad ang kanyang ama nitong nakaraang buwan dahil sa sakit nito na tubercolosis. Pinasok niya ang iba’t-ibang parttime na trabaho dahil sa hindi sasapat na salaping kanyang nalilikom.

Tuluyan siyang nag-apply sa AcadArena Scholarship dahil na rin sa mahigpit na pangangailangan. Nagpaganyak din sa kanya ang tanging kwalipikasyon para sa iskolarship na ito ang pagiging rehistradong miyembro at nagpadagdag din sa bigat ng kanyang kredensiyal ang pagiging isa sa mga lider ng MLBB dito sa unibersidad.

Tagumpay silang nakatanggap ng Family Aid Scholarship mula sa AcadArena nitong Setyembre 15, sa kategoryang ito sila ay binigyan ng 25,000 pesos bilang pinansyal na tulong.

Payo ni Sarah sa mga estudyanteng manlalaro na tulad niya, “Keep on gaming, keep on studying and keep on dreaming. Dreams without action are nothing.”

CYBELLE RIO JHANE B. HEMBRA

JAPHETH MARIE G. FERNANDEZ DE LEON

FRANZ CHRYSLER MARIE C. DELGADO

HASHTAG ISHOT

Iloilo pride Ariana Evangelista in her solo stint in the women’s elite category became the first Filipina cyclist to race in the Union Cycliste International (UCI) Mountain Bike World Championships held in Les Gets, France.

Dubbed the Philippines’ “Queen of Trails”, Evangelista made it to the international arena with hopes of amassing enough points and experience to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In an interview with CNN Philippines on September 2, Evangelista shared her encounter with other bikers at several international events.

“My experience in France was actually quite an eye-opener because I [knew] what I was going into… I just really wanted to [see where] I was lacking more and [be] able to go there. It was a really great experience in a way that I wanted to pave the way for Philippine cycling,” the 26-year-old Ilongga biker said.

As an advocate for the Iocal

“Being just a one-man team sucks in a way but I have learned the hard way. I make do [with] the opportunity given. Of course, there’s no point in wishful thinking,” Evangelista expressed.

Despite this, Evangelista did not feel alone in the race and still felt grateful to Oscar Rodriguez Jr. for securing the invitation from UCI and her private sponsors, Dan’s Trek Bikes Philippines and Nitto Tire Philippines, which made her stint in France possible.

“When I was racing, I didn’t feel alone, or I didn’t feel so left out, because everyone was just really supporting everyone,” she added.

With the government’s lack of support for cycling, the Iloilo native stressed that this must be improved because “there are so many talented Filipino cyclists who aren’t just given the opportunity to showcase their talents.”

Moreover, the championships, held last August 24 to August 28, were composed of five events, specifically

NOVE JOY S. LOSBAÑES AND KEMINOVA B. ACEPCION ARIANA EVANGELISTA