The Augustinian - Vol. LXVII - November 2020

Augustinian the

Responsive • Developmental • Research-based

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines VOLUME LXVII• NUMBER 1 • NOVEMBER 20, 2020

RETENTION AND ADJUSTMENT. With classes going online due to global health crisis, the University of San Agustin decides to cut fees, but defers lower tuition costs.

USA PUB PHOTO• ROTSEN AGREDA

OF FEES AND PLEAS USA lowers miscellaneous fees; retains tuition fee

DESPITE the transition to flexible blended learning of the University of San Agustin (USA), tuition fees for the first semester of Academic Year (A.Y) 2020-2021 saw no changes while miscellaneous fees faced adjustments.

Adopting a flexible blended learning through NEO, an online learning managements system, USA reaffirmed its stand on no decrease in tuition fees while having miscellaneous fees adjusted as a reflection of the University’s endeavor to help students.

“We have two kinds of fees that are being collected by the University, one is the tuition fees used to cover expenses for the cost of

USA-COC duo earns top spot in ADSE Nat’l B Y H ANNA H J HA NY LLE PO TEAM ADBANSE of University of San Agustin College of Commerce bagged 10th place during the ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ADSE) Nationals held via Zoom and Facebook Live, September 2, 2020 Xena Hyacinth Estiñoso and Maria Erica Torrato competed against more than 800 student participants with their entry, HALAGA: Harnessing Accessible Learning for All for a Greater ASEAN, which promotes inclusive education in the new normal through a mobile educational application designed for children with disabilities based on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, research, and data analysis.

“It came forth as a sudden realization. Where do we put our students with disabilities in the picture, when even students without disabilities are already having a hard time coping with learning in this new normal?” revealed Estiñoso in an interview.

To formulate a cohesive rationale on the effectiveness of the proposal, the students discussed what SDG to target, conducted researches, and analyzed data relevant to the topic.

Estiñoso further stated, “We were under strict quarantine, we had work virtually, and it did not help at all that our laptops and internet connection were not on the best condition to work with SAP analytics.”

Before entering the nationals, both representatives underwent training under their adviser, Jessica Fadriga, and coaches, Dr. Jong de Castro (Center for Informatics team of Department of Science and Technology Balik Scientist), and Mr. Jonathan Rico and Dr. Pia Zamora (Science Education Institute Career Intensive Program Scholars).

“Students who would pursue the same venture should learn the fascinating world of research and data science by providing an extensive analysis of socio-economic issues and design innovative and viable solutions based on research-and-datadriven insights,” Fadriga said.

Moreover, the said competition, spearheaded by the ASEAN Foundation in partnership with software solutions company SAP, aims to mobilize youth activism through the facilitation of critical thinking among university students.

“It was an honor for me to bear the name of our school to compete in the national finals,” said Torrato in an interview with The Augustinian.

instruction in terms of salaries for faculties and wages for non-teaching personnel. The other fee is miscellaneous and other school fees, which refers to the charges for other services and use of school facilities needed to complement class instructions,” explained Ma. Catherine Grabato, director for Budget and Finance, during a web forum.

Rallying an online support, a petition to lower fees was started by the students who deemed some fees not applicable to the blended learning.

“What we want is not merely adjustments to fees but removal of fees that the students cannot avail since we are on distance learning, especially on miscellaneous fees. Even if it is adjusted, we are still paying for fees that do not benefit us,” shared Zilky Chavez, a signee of the petition and a Medical Laboratory Science intern.

Responding to the student’s demand to reduce fees, USA released an official statement through its official Facebook page pointing out the University as a non-profit and non-stock institution.

“While it’s true that the University is not decreasing its tuition fees, it is for the reason that the tuition fee is the source for the salaries and wages of the academic and non-academic personnel and this can’t be compromised,” the statement read. “The University is a non-stock, nonprofit institution. As such, we do not have stockholders who invest and it’s not operating for profit,” explained Grabato.

She also disclosed that from March to mid of July when the pandemic halted face to face classes, the University’s only cash inflow was from FEES

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WV economy 4th largest outside NCR

BY MARLYN ROSE MARCE LO PROVING ECONOMIC RESILIENCY amidst pandemic, Western Visayas economy ranked fourth largest among regions outside National Capital Region after Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Region VI conducted the Regional Dissemination Forum on the 2019 Economic Performance of Western Visayas, Nov. 23.

According to the PSA VI, the region displayed an economic growth of 6.4 percent in 2019 which is four points higher than the national average Gross Domestic Product(GDP) of 6.0 percent.

“Western Visayas’ economy expanded as shown in the consistent growth in the past three years,” said Officer-in-Charge Marlene Y. Alviar, PSA VI. Obtaining the milestone, the governors and mayors of WV have already discussed actions to be undertaken aimed to revitalize the region’s economy through a meeting held last June 10.

“For me, while we have already proven as ECONOMY

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REVITALIZE. Western Visayas posts an economic growth of 6.4% in 2019 , making it the fourth largest economy outside National Capital Region.

USA PUB PHOTO • ROTSEN AGREDA

USA continues Scholarships grant amidst pandemic

BY E MY ROSE G. GALLE GO AS PART OF the University’s effort to help with the financial burden of the students in the midst of the health crisis, the University of San Agustin assured that the scholarships of the University’s existing scholars will still carry on.

Grantees of the UniversityBased Scholarship Program last year including the Academic Entrance Scholars, Varsity, Performing Arts(USA Band, Kawilihan USA, Troubadors), and Publications remain eligible to renew their scholarships provided they comply with the necessary

SPECIAL REPORT• PAG E A 2

E-ducation: Syncing or Sinking?

Students’ In sync flexible blended learning modality in sinking quality

We’re online! VIsit our website, w w w. u s ap u b li c ati ons.net

“FROM ABRUPT TRANSITIONING TO ONLINE CLASSES TO SCARCITY OF RESOURCES, I KNOW IT HAS BEEN HARD FOR THEM [UNIVERSITY] TO COPE WITH ALL THE DEMANDS. I AM GRATEFUL THAT THEY STILL PROVIDE US THE SCHOLARSHIP.” documents.

“This academic year as part of the new normal, the University, despite no face-toface activities, is still committed to renew the scholarship. For entrance scholarship and USA Publications, there are no changes in the discounts,” said Gazmally Casimiro, Admission, Scholarship, and Placement Office associate.

In the University’s transition

to online mode of learning, all second year students will have 50% tuition fee discounts, 75% for the third years, and 100% for the fourth and fifth years; while, the original allocation of miscellaneous discounts remains.

“From the abrupt transitioning to online classes to scarcity of resources, I know it has been hard for them [University] SCHOLARSHIP

EDITORIAL• PAG E A 3

SPORTS • PAGE A8

When the Past becomes a Prologue

SAGE merits first AcadArena Scholarship San Agustin Golden Eagles (SAGE) Esports Organization receives AcadArena Merit Scholarship

PH debt balloons, government underspends pandemic response

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THE USA BAND

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USA Publications

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USA PUB PHOTO • ROTSEN AGREDA

B Y J EFF TOLENTINO

A2 Augustinian the

Volume LXVII November 20, 2020

NEWS

PH debt swells to P9.7T

Saludes bags Gregorio Zara award for Basic Research B Y J O A NNA WA Y NE HOR NEJ A THE PHILIPPINE Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology (PhilAAST) awards USA Associate Vice President for the Office of Research and Global Relations, Dr. Jonel P. Saludes distinguished 2020 Gregorio Zara Award for Basic Research during its Virtual Annual Conference, September 8.

The honor was given to Saludes for his exemplary accomplishments in drug discovery, significant contributions in uplifting science, technology, and innovation on the countryside, and for being an excellent role model for young, aspiring scientists and researchers.

“The recognition given to us awardees is not just a recognition of our excellence. It is a recognition of how much we have given back and how much we have served the community. We perform science not for us but for the good of the community. That is the real value of our science,” stated Saludes on his message during the conference.

Seven awardees from different Philippine academic and research institutions were honored for their excellent works in the fields of medicine, agriculture, engineering, and environment, with Saludes being the only recipient from the Visayas and Mindanao region and the first professor from the University to receive a PhilAAST award.

“At University of California I worked on what we call as small proteins that are correlated with cancer. So I have to understand the properties of this small protein - it’s a basic science. That’s what the Gregorio Zara Award is. We need to understand the fundamental principles. We don’t need to have a product to sell in research, no. It’s to understand the fundamental principles that explains a certain phenomenon, that’s what basic science is for,” the awardee furthered.

Among his numerous contributions were his establishment of four research centers in the University namely: Center for Chemical Biology, Biotechnology (C2B2), Center for Natural Drug Discovery and Development (CND3), the current home of the Department of Science and Technology Tuklas Lunas Center for COVID-19 in Region VI, the Center for Heritage and Indigenous Culture (CHIC) and the recently opened Center for Informatics (CFI) in July 2019.

“I want the community to understand that Augustinian education is Virtus et Scientia, Virtue and Science. Taking the message of Saint Augustine, that the search for truth is not by memorizing facts. The search for truth is understanding the truth, not memorizing, understanding the facts, and use this understanding to help seek answers to other questions that may come,” furthered the awardee.

Named after national scientist Gregorio Y. Zara, the Gregorio Y. Zara Award for Basic Science Research was established by the Zara Family and PhilAAST in 1968 to honor the most outstanding National Scientists of the Philippines and to serve as an inspiration for Filipino scientists and researchers.

University C2B2, CND3 researchers reap awards at 40th PAASE B Y SHER GEN Q. V ILLA NU EVA ADVANCING IN the spectrum of world-class scientists, the University of San Agustin’s Center for Chemical Biology and Biotechnology (C2B2) and Center for Drug Discovery and Development (CND3) researchers dominated the 40th Philippine American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) Anniversary Rapid Fire Research Competition, August 12.

Dana Joanne Von L. Trono of C2B2, through the efforts and collaboration of the center’s team, earned first place with the study entitled “Multiple strain analysis reveals intraspecies heterogeneity in antibiotic activity of Streptomyces species from Philippine marine sediments” under the Ecology and Marine Science Category of the Annual Scientific Meeting.

“It is a three-year project so we encountered a lot of challenges like take for example, the isolation of pure cultures since the actinobacteria that we are working on is hard to isolate and grow, unlike other bacteria,” shared Trono.

Meanwhile in CND3, Edna M. Sabido, together with the multidisciplinary associates of the laboratory, garnered second place in their project “Exploring the diversity and antibiotic potential of Iloilo marine sediment-derived actinobacteria using multilocus sequence analysis, metabolomics and bioassay-based strategies” under the same category.

“We are working on different samples of pathogens and they have their own mechanisms so it really requires critical thinking to answer questions like ‘why is it not working?’ or ‘where did it go wrong?’ With these, patience is highly needed,” said Sabido.

Through the international platform of the PAASE, these researchers pointed out that the distinctions represent the capability of Ilonggos to work alongside global experts in the field.

“This is our pride in the province that we are being acknowledged.

We are proud that we have a competitive research laboratory here in Iloilo,” stated Sabido.

Furthermore, the researchers also affirmed that the sole significance of their participation in competitions is not only to attain awards but also to contribute scientific knowledge to the public.

“This pandemic has really shed light on the importance of research because it can help the government in policy-making. That’s why we share our scientific data so that they can use it to implement necessary protocols. Our ultimate goal is really to inform and contribute. This is also a way for us to show them that the Philippine marine sediment is indeed a very rich resource for drug discovery and bioprospection of new drug compound,” emphasized Trono.

For the time being, several members of the two centers are preparing for their submissions at the 25th Natural Products Society of the Philippines and Annual Scientific Conference – National Research Council of the Philippines, Visayas Cluster before the end of 2020.

DEFICIT SPENDING. With the ongoing global health crisis, the Philippine Government is forced to increase its borrowing to fund its pandemic response and stimulate its economy. FILE PHOTO • BUREAU OF TREASURY

BY HE CT OR COFRE ROS OUTSTANDING DEBT of the Philippine Government stood at PHP 9.615 trillion as COVID-19 response swelled the country’s borrowing to PHP 428.91 billion as reported by the Bureau of Treasury, end-August.

The same agency also reported that as of end-August 2020, the total debt stock from end-December 2019 increased by 24.4 percent or PHP 1.8T. “As of the end of August, the Department of Finance has secured a total of $8.83 billion in financing for our COVID-19 response efforts from our development partners and commercial partners,” Carlos Dominguez III, secretary of the Department of Finance, told Congress on August 30.

Since April 2020, Dominguez assured the President and the

public that the central bank and government’s economic managers have created a fiscal and monetary action plan to counter the effects of the pandemic.

“We want to assure all our citizens na at this point in time, we have the money. Although, we have to realize that the money is not endless,” said Dominguez.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit was asked by Senators Risa Hontiveros, Franklin Drilon, Kiko Pangilinan, Leila De Lima, Ralph Recto, and Ping Lacson to conduct a special probe into government spending related to COVID-19.

In a resolution filed by the senators, they highlighted the importance of audit as a check on the power of the congress to appropriate the 2021 budget, “Congress is set to deliberate on

the 2021 budget, and anticipating that massive allocations will need to be made to address the health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19, it is of critical importance that there be audit findings to guide legislators in their exercise of the power of the purse.”

Clarissa Joy Visitacion, Economics professor of the College of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Education of the University of San Agustin, expressed that a continually increasing budget deficit and therefore debt results to a number of interconnected negative impact on the economy.

“One is reduced national savings and lower income. If done on a large scale, national savings will be reduced and people who could otherwise be employed, would remain unemployed thereby reducing national income. If

sustained, gross domestic product (GDP) will go down and the Debt-to-GDP ratio will worsen,” Visitacion further explained.

Furthermore, Visitacion stressed that government should strive for a lower budget deficit or even a “balanced budget” wherein government revenues are greater than or equal its expenses.

“The Bangko Sentral can use its monetary policy of reducing interest rates on borrowings. That is, to increase GDP by cutting loan interest rates and makes it easier for banks to lend at equally low interest rates, this boosts employment, manufacturing or services capacity, and leads to higher productivity and GDP,” added Visitacion.

Currently, the Philippines have a 48.1 percent debt-to-GDP ratio at the end of the first half of 2020.

USA-COL among 2019 Bar Top Schools

BY HE CT OR COFRE ROS ALONG WITH the leading universities nationwide, the University of San Agustin-College of Law (USA-COL) emerged 12th in the national ranking of law schools in the 2019 Bar Examination.

In a report released by the Legal Education Board, out of the 82 Augustinian Bar Examinees, 28 passed the examination equivalent to a 34.15 percent passing rate.

“We had the 12th highest passing rate over-all nationwide.

Of course, during the previous Bar exam in 2018, we had the 9th highest passing and before that we had the 10th highest passing rate. It is still good a passing rate. It is still a good passing percentage,” shared Atty. Jose Mari Benjamin Francisco Tirol, dean of the USA-COL. The 2019 Bar Examination results, released in April 9, 2020, had a passing rate of 27.36 percent compared to the 22.07 percent passing rate from the previous

year’s Bar Examination.

“In arriving at this result, the court en banc had decided to lower the passing rate from 75 percent to 74 percent in light of among other considerations, the discern need for younger and technologically adept lawyers to help different fronts of society as we meet the peculiar challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and transition to the new normal,” said Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, 2019 Bar Exams Chairperson, in a video message during the release of the exam results.

Furthermore, the USACOL also claimed the 15th spot in the national ranking on the performance of new examinees earned by 17 new examinee passers equivalent to 30.36 percent passing rate.

With the results of the Bar examination, Tirol sees rooms for

SCHOLARSHIP

shared Renz Isaiah Inquit, USA Little Theater artist.

FROM PAGE A1

to cope with all the demands. I am grateful that they still provide us the scholarship” expressed Maryvic Toque, a third year AB Political Science academic entrance scholar.

Except for Academic Entrance Scholars and Publications, Casimiro added that no new scholarship for Varsity and Performing Arts would be offered this academic year.

“As the times dictate, scholarships are a great way to aid the students’ family in a financial aspect and at the same time, gives the student a motivation to represent the school in certain ways depending which organization they belong to,”

ECONOMY

FROM PAGE A1

far as the problem of Covid-19 is concerned, we have to prove again that we also have economic resilience. We have to really make a conscious effort for us to have economic activities,” emphasized Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas in a press conference .

Meanwhile, the economy growth of the region in 2019 swelled faster than the 4.8 percent showed in 2018 having a Gross Regional Domestic Product total value of P915.3 billion.

National Economic Development Authority VI Regional Director Ro-Ann A.

RAISING THE BAR. Batch 2018-2019 claimed the 15th spot on the perfomnce of the new examinees in the Bar Examination, bringing the USA-COL to the list of Philippine top law schools . FILE PHOTO • ERIKA MALLORCA improvement for the university’s College of Law, stating, “12th highest nationwide. It’s still good but there is still room for improvement.”

Meanwhile, according to Tirol, the USA-COL halted its logistical support operations, called Bar Operations, for Augustinian Bar examinees for

the supposed to be 2020 Bar Examinations after the Supreme Court postponed it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What we do is we provide logistical support to them so that they can concentrate on Bar exams itself. We had to stop all those things because there is no Bar exams this year,” concluded Tirol.

Bacal expressed her gratitude to PSA for engendering the data in economic performance of the region measured through GRDP and Gross Regional Domestic Expenditure that highlight the need for current, reliable, and accurate information in the policy-making, planning, and formulating new programs and projects.

pandemic; private universities and schools, too,” the University statement read.

During the web forum, the Department of Finance and Accounting Department said that “they have to do a lot of revisions and continue to look at the situation whether there’s a tendency to go back to face to face or entirely to have this online mode.”

The University, despite losses from ceasing its operations, has offered loans and amelioration to its employees, continued its support with its existing scholars, and provided students affected by the global recession to commit in a payment plan.

FEES

FROM PAGE A1

the down payments form the students.

“It is not only the individual household that has students that need to pay for the devices and subscriptions; the University, too. It is not only the families that are hardly hit by this

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The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

www.usapub.net

NEWS Dalisay receives DOST Outstanding Researcher Award Duterte names new

PNP Head

BY HONE Y MABE LLE VILLARBA

TOWARDS ADVANCEMENT. Dr. Dalisay leading a research study that led to a national recognition by the DOST-NRCP USA PUB PHOTO • DANIEL JEFF TELIC

DR. DORALYN DALISAY, Director of the Center for Chemical Biology and Biotechnology of the University of San Agustin bags the prestigious 2019 NRCP Achievement Award for the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, June 30, 2020 during the Annual Scientific Conference and 87th General Membership Assembly.

The award served as the first recognition for the quality and national competitiveness of the research achievements of a USA faculty member acknowledged

by the Department of Science and Technology – National Research Council of the Philippines (DOSTNRCP).

“This award is given to scientists in a particular field who contributed for the advancement of science in the field of pharmacy.

This award was supposed to be given in Manila last March, but due to the virus, it was awarded to us virtually,” stated Dalisay.

After being created in 1933, the DOST-NRCP has been the oldest collegial body in science, technology and arts in the

Philippines and Asia with its NRCP Achievement Awards which aim to honor many outstanding Filipino researchers on their productive scholarly work.

“The purpose of the DOSTNRCP is more on giving inspiration to young scientists and of course, to give recognition for those who have provided significant effort for the advancement in their scientific field. This study of me and my team was considered the flagship program of DOST-NRCP as well,” she added.

Dr. Dalisay has been known

for her pioneering work on biodiversity, chemodiversity, and bioactivity of marine sedimentderived actinobacteria collected from as far as Batanes to Davao Oriental in the south eastern tip of the Philippine archipelago.

“I think the major factor that led to this achievement was the program I have implemented in the university that no one has done in the Philippines before. That is finding new bacteria from the seafloor that can serve as a form of cure for infectious diseases. We are dealing with samples from all over the country. All from Batanes, Apo Islands, Apo Reef, Tubbataha Reef, Eastern Visayas, Southern Luzon, Northern Mindanao and Southern Mindanao,” she stated.

Consisting of various categories such as medical science, pharmaceutical science, biological science, agriculture and forestry and many more; the other recipients of this year’s award came from Philippine Normal University, UP Diliman, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Cebu Technological University and UP Los Baños.

“For me this award was just the icing of the cake. What matters most are the process and the discoveries that will benefit and contribute to the society. This is as well due to my team and the people behind it. This is a team success,” she concluded.

APPS hails USA-RSOs’ passion projects Moreover, the Adopt A School: Feed and Continue (Pili Elementary School) by De Viridis Agustinos was declared as the best APP for Environment; 3rd San Agustin Model United Nations

by Junior Diplomat Corps for Leadership and Learnership; and USAve: A Financial Literary Project on Saving Using the Traditional Bamboo Alkansya by the USA Mathematic and Statistics Society with College of Education Mathematical Society for Academic Excellence.

“It [APPs] exemplifies the core values which Augustinians deeply regard – from the Truth learned in the classrooms; then, we translate this Truth into acts of Charity when we execute and share these Passion Projects; and finally, we uphold Unity as we build lives and communities thru these Projects,” said Ryan Calica, former

B Y XEN A HYA C I N TH ES TI Ñ O S O IN RESPONSE to a total of 72 suicide cases, five more cases higher compared with last year’s report in the same period from January 1 to end-September 2020, Iloilo Provincial Government launched mental health crisis programs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. lOVE OF SERVICE. Student organization’s representatives discuss participate in a workshop orgnized by SAWO. FILE PHOTO • SAWO-RSO RSO coordinator.

The “Bike Library Project (B’ Lib Project) by FAMO, who also received the Hall of Fame under Culture and Arts, and Research and Development, and “Let’s Start From Scratch” by the Junior Institute Managers and Accountants obtained the Certificates of Commendation, while the Wellness Week by Psyche Cell received the Best Poster Making.

“Overall, it was really an amazing experience. This platform gives all the organizations an

avenue to showcase who they are and what they’ve got. Never stop going, keep on pushing.

Your passion, commitment, and involvement matter a lot,” mentioned Ruby Joy Dazo, RCY Iloilo Chapter Youth Council Secretary.

Envisioned in 2014, APPs is now on its sixth year providing a year of training in promoting projects with social impact, creativity and innovation, resourcefulness and sustainability ,incorporated with Augustinian values.

SP approves Institutionalized Online Library

BY HANNAH JHANYLLE PO

LEARNING CONTINUES.The ICPL installs plastic barrier as a precautionary measure while it continues to operate amid the pandemic. FILE PHOTO • ICPL FB PAGE B Y H A NNA H J HA NY LLE PO DUE TO SAFETY protocols to mitigate Coronavirus (COVID-19) spread, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed an ordinance that grants public access to the Iloilo City Public Library (ICPL), September 19.

Councilor Candice

Magdalane Tupas gained approval for her ordinance, “Institutionalizing Online Library for the City of Iloilo,” in a regular SP session.

“It would allow books of all genres to be available to all ages in an online library, including

DESPITE the officer’s human rights track record and alleged breach of protocols amidst the coronavirus pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Police Chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas as the new head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on November 9.

The newly appointed Sinas replaced Gen. Camilo Cascolan, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 56 for uniformed personnel, just about two months after he took helm of the 200,000 strong police force.

“Presidential appointments are really very executive in character. It is a prerogative of the President and he need not make any explanation for his appointment. But nonetheless, the President looked at the track record of the appointee and the President had said that new PNP chief Sinas has contributed a lot to his war on drugs,” stated Roque at a press briefing.

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros threw shades to the appointment of the PNP chief, saying that Duterte could have made a more meritorious choice for the said position.

“While Debold Sinas was my late husband’s underclassmen and an old friend, unfortunately, the poor manner in which the PNP has acted on the waves of violence as well as minimized the risks of the coronavirus pandemic under his previous commands betrays his level of competence for this new role,” shared Hontiveros in a statement.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, on the other hand, shared a different view, saying that Sinas is a good choice to lead the country’s police force.

“Nobody is perfect in this world. He should continue the internal cleansing program and sustain the gains of PNP’s anti-drugs and anti-criminality campaign,” expressed dela Rosa.

Despite facing two complaints for his mañanita controversy, both of which are still pending before the Taguig City Prosecutors Office to this day, Sinas asserted that these do not diminish his credibility as the top cop, emphasizing that policemen caught committing illegal acts would be prosecuted without any special treatment, notwithstanding his own violations.

“Simple lang po ang gusto ko bilang ama ng PNP. We should walk the talk in the PNP,” Sinas said during his inaugural speech in Camp Crame.

Sinas’ appointment is the highest promotion yet, surpassing the order of succession in the police command.

Iloilo Gov’t Beefs Up Mental Health Response

B Y M A R Y WEN A NTHONY RIV ERA ACKNOWLEDGING the initiatives of the University’s Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs), the Student Affairs and Welfare Office (SAWO) held the 6th Augustinian Passion Project Awards 2020 (APPs 6.0), March 13.

Kurit Iloilo by Fine Arts Major Organization (FAMO), LitZinelebrate! by University of San Agustin (USA) Literary Circle, Augustinian Emergency First Aid Training and Red Cross Youth Development by USA-RCY Council, emerged as this year’s Best APP for Augustinian Formation and Mission, Culture and Arts, and Sports and Health, respectively.

“APPs stand as an expression of our core values in action. It is our way of addressing the social pains issued by communities through innovative projects that merge passion with purpose,” stated Eric Divinagracia, SAWO director.

B Y G L A I ZA RA E A MA B L E

online reading and educational videos, which the large young demographic would find convenient and valuable,” said Tupas in an interview with The Augustinian.

City Librarian Marion Aguirre, in a written interview, stated that the city library is equipped to aid researchers with about 20,000 volumes of book collections garnered through purchases and donations.

“We have newspapers, vertical files like clippings, and we also have online storytelling, and we provide learning modules for kids,” explained Aguirre.

While no formal discussion occurred between ICPL and the councilor’s office, Aguirre expressed her support for the ordinance.

“The ICPL should have a separate building, which operates 24/7 and will be focused on

embedding design in all aspects of everyday life, putting the user in the center of service development,” she suggested.

Moreover, she asserted that the proposed library should be sufficiently flexible to accommodate new and changing services, accessible to all members of the community, including persons with disabilities (PWDs), close to schools, colleges, and universities, and have comfortable facilities.

“Most students want to go to libraries, but our parents wouldn’t allow us to go outside, and we need sources because those on the internet are sometimes false,” Pete Colacion, a University of San Agustin BS Foreign Service 2-A student, remarked.

He also noted how an online public library could provide reliable information sources for students and teachers alike.

Program for the Resilience of Iloilo in Mind and Emotion (PRIME),

spearheaded

by

the

Development Office (PSWDO)

Provincial

Social

Welfare

and

and Pag-ulikid Desk in all police

stations aims to address the high number of suicide cases in the province.

“Under the modified general community quarantine, we are transitioning to the new normal. That is why we need to promote our psychosocial well-being,” said Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., Iloilo provincial governor, in a media release.

According to the data from the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) victims are teenagers between 17 to 30 years old.

“We have established the Pag-ulikid Desk in all police stations to cater individuals suffering from mental or emotional problems.

Our personnel can facilitate or recommend to our clients the needed interventions and facilitate them to appropriate agencies in order to address their issues,” shared Colonel Gilbert Gorero, Iloilo provincial police director.

PRIME hotline numbers which can be accessed 24/7 are 09985396704 ;0915-5426885 ;0946-5397929 and 0977-122-0327.

“There will be interventions to be provided by the PSWDO including counseling, together with the local government units,” he concluded.

BETTER MENTAL HEALTH. The Iloilo City Government is expanding its services and programs to address the mental health concerns as the pandemic continues. USA PUB PHOTO • ROTSEN AGREDA

A4 Augustinian the

Volume LXVII November 20, 2020

EDITORIALANDOPINION

When the Past Becomes a Prologue E D I T O R I A L

NEARING THE END 2020 in the middle of a global health crisis, the Philippine government outstanding debt is over nine trillion pesos, in which 30 percent was sourced externally and 70 percent domestically. Although meriting credit as a large percentage of the debt was sourced domestically and giving the country a margin for more borrowing allowance to reach default, thus, showing that PH government have made us owed ourselves. This, only to spend lavishly to projects that we can’t have the most benefit of and overlooking those we needed most.

While the country’s debt may raise some red flags and critics to the administration given that the government has disclosed plans on borrowing more funds to foreign government and the World Bank over coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic response, one would want to see first various indicators to say that the government need not add to the outstanding debt the country currently has.

In a short run, a government’s debt offers a good way for a country to source funds that cannot be covered by its revenues. This can be used to invest in a country’s economic growth which in turn serves as a long-term investment over a short-term debt. This is because as a country’s economy grows, the return in revenue that the government can collect also increases giving it sufficient finance to pay its debt.

Taking for example the proposed budget for 2021 that amounts to 4.4 trillion pesos and with expected revenue

of only 2.3 trillion pesos.This would mean that the country’s required finance to run its economy exceeds that of which it can produce. The deficit that amounts to over 1.7 trillion pesos which comprises of 8.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) would be sourced from loans either externally or domestically.

The Department of Finance (DOF) within the first half of 2020 showed that debt-GDP ratio of the country increased to 48 percent as compared to 39 percent in the end of 2019.

Debt-to-GDP ratio is used in comparing a country’s public debt to its GDP. By determining what a country owes in comparison to what it produces, debt-to-GDP r a t i o can serve as a reliable indicator for a country’s ability to pay back its debts.

Lower debt-GDP ratio indicates that a country’s economy

exceeds that of its obligations.

Should the government or its citizens insist on limiting government loans, this would likely result to increasing the tax that the people pay to generate enough to cater the country’s budgetary requirement. Given that Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act already tolls consumers in paying taxes, it would be efficient to borrow funds where the government has more control and offers a flexible scheme for payment than burden its citizens.

If one should raise flags and critic the government, then it should be where the people’s money is being spent. What exist is a growing number that we have owed to spend in raising t h e quality of life for every Filipino, yet it was only the

numbers that kept growing.

Under the 2020 budget signed by the president, the Department of Public Works and Highways received the highest funding under the president Rodrigo Duterte’s Build Build Build program. Like budget of the previous years infrastructure, interior affairs, and education were among the sectors prioritized. As the pandemic poses a threat, healthcare was among the sectors that have been given minimal concern.

Amidst economic recession experienced by the country, the administration was keen in fulfilling the long-time advocacy and conviction of the president over infrastructure projects.

Hence, as medical frontliners struggle to keep up with the

demands in the healthcare industry, underpaid, overworked, understaffed, with lacking equipment to combat the disease a multi-million dolomite beach was made as a “beautification project” in the rehabilitation of Manila Bay. A project whose cost could have done better when spent over healthcare aid.

In addition, as COVID-19 testing peaks importance in managing the disease, Philippine Red Cross accredited laboratories must stop subsidizing coronavirus testing after PhilHealth’s failure of payment in its accumulated debt that amounted 1.1 billion pesos. Only after PhilHealth’s payment of 500 million was the testing resumed. If the debt that the country has incurred were to raise the quality of life, then healthcare must merit the same importance to infrastructure projects.

With spending demand for healthcare increases, Duterte’s 4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds was approved by lawmakers even as the Philippines continues to struggle with the pandemic. Sarah Elago, a member of the House’s Makabayan bloc criticized the Office of the

ISOLATION KILLS, TOO USA Publications Responsive • Developmental • Research-based

EMY ROSE G. GALLEGO

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JEFF TOLENTINO, BS MLS ’21

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Editor-in-Chief

XENA HYACINTH G. ESTINOSO Managing Editor JEFF G. TOLENTINO Associate Editor GLAIZA RAE D. AMABLE Associate Editor MARIA CRISTY E. DAGUAY Moderator ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM : Geremy T. Gallenero (Art Director), Rotsen C. Agreda (Photography Director), Kendra Felizimarie P. Magsico, Renz R. Arbis, Joshua Patrick C. Santillan, Alexandra Rose D. Libar, Dianne Nayeli Montero (CJIP), Leunamme C. Pabion (Contributor) COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TEAM : Marlyn Rose B. Marcelo (Community Editor), Hector O. Cofreros CREATIVE WRITING TEAM : Sharaine Ghail T. Taaca (Literary Editor), Pauline Marie C. Arada PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TEAM : Joanna Wayne S. Horneja (Program Director), Honey Mabelle A. Villarba, Sherjen Q. Villanueva, Hannah Jhanylle C. Po, Mary Wen Anthony T. Rivera (CJIP)

Augustinian the

THE AUGUSTINIAN is the official student newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines. It is published regularly by the USA Publications, which envisions itself as an Augustinian center of campus journalism, fostering the advocacy of the common good and acting as voice of the student body through responsive, developmental, and research-based campus journalism.

Contributions, comments, and suggestions may be sent to the editors. No part of this publication can be reproduced by any means without permission and authority from the USA Publications.

Colophon: This newsletter was carefully designed to balance traditional principles, history, as well as modern trends to maximize the amount of information without compromising the visual appeal of the publication. This was produced using Adobe Photoshop CS6, Adobe InDesign CS6, and Adobe Illustrator CS6. Exo and Merriweather were used for the text.

Address: 2/F Alumni Bldg., University of San Agustin, General Luna Street, Iloilo City, Philippines 5000 Phone Number: (033) 337 4842 local 189 Website: www.usapub.net Email: usapublications1@gmail.com We encourage you to recycle this publication. Let’s help save the environment.

Approaching the last months of 2020, 58 million cases has been recorded of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 1.4 million lives have succumbed to the disease.

However, those who made it safe from the pandemic has failed to protect their lives as the crisis within themselves proved more lethal than the pandemic itself.

As the world locked itself out, those whose minds need freeing were way too isolated to be saved.

Mental Health is among one of the most re-emerging issues in the past years due to the skyrocketing number of cases in the country. Iloilo City alone has recorded 67 deaths due to suicide from January to September 2019, surpassing the figure for all 12 months of 2018. During the pandemic, the same flag that gained attention of the local government on the previous years presented itself anew with 72 cases.

Surprisingly, DOH’s

IN A HEALTH CRISIS THAT REQUIRES ISOLATION TO SAVE LIVES, ISOLATION KILLS TOO. During the pandemic, suicidal ideation in the United States increased from 8.1 percent to 25.5 percent. In the Philippines however, a rise in number of suicide cases have been reported by the Department of Health (DOH) in which the number that should give shape to it hides itself within “alarming rates.”

Although efforts to curb numbers of suicide cases are significantly strengthened, the “rise in numbers” is evident that these efforts remain transparent to the naked eye for those who suffer in silence, especially during the pandemic.

101.02 million operations budget in 2020 only shares 615 million to National Mental Health programs. Prioritizing departments under the Build Build Build program, it is ironic that its aim to connect people through road projects and house the future generation through infrastructure investments failed to connect and house what has been loosened within the minds of its subjects.

Topping the list of mental disorders that links to suicide, is depression. Caught in the stigma of social disbelief as an illness, depression is often neglected and is given less

and less attention in taking diagnostic measures. The anxiety and Depression Association of America disclosed that out of the 6.8 million adults suffering from General Anxiety Disorder, only 43.2 percent receives treatment. In the Philippines yet again, “treatment” may seem too overqualified to be given definition.

Professional counseling for mental health illness in the country costs a lot. Calling attention on a national scale, Republic Act No. 11036 also known as the Mental Health Act of 2017 was passed. It seeks to incorporate mental health in the general health care system of the country. In 2018, DOH has signed the implementing rules and regulation of the law.

Offering a lifeline in times of crisis, it is sad that the aim to provide affordable, timely, and high-quality mental health care remained words scribbled into paper.

With the pandemic taking toll in time and effort of the government centered into utilizing the healthcare workforce of the country with its resources used in accommodating the demands of the disease, a crisis as lethal as that of what has manifested into

President in asking “for PhP 12.98 million per day for its black budget, when the money can be used instead to buy millions of PPE and testing kits, strengthen the capacity of our public healthcare system, help workers who lost their jobs, and expand social amelioration programs in the middle of the pandemic.”

With the government’s actions in spending people’s money, such has given Filipinos a “leisure beach” where they cannot go into and ammunitions geared for war when the battle requires masks, ventilators, and testing kits.

A nation’s debt represents its citizens needs. One must take notice of the rising numbers, but one needs to question what makes of it. Blindly believing to a promised future makes more of a loss than a gain. If Filipinos were to pay for a debt, then it must be because one has learned, lived, and reaped its worth.

It’s how we make the past a prologue of a better future.

the bodies is eating away minds one by one, and this crisis kills, too.

Considering the cases of mental illness in the country, there are only 700 psychiatrists and 1,000 psychiatric nurses in the country, compounding the increasing problems of mental illness.

As vaccines have made its way to clinical trials and have shown promising potential as a cure to COVID-19, a crisis that continues to ravage unseen within the burdened minds shout in silence with no cure on sight.

Effectivity of Mental Health Awareness Campaigns is only given importance when “alarming rates” takes headline and this put forth a question on the long run to fight mental illness. What good are posters and campaigns if proper institutions and professional care are envisioned from limbo and people who have been suffering in darkness have yet to see the light?

The fight for mental health problems will continue until guidelines and policies are established, especially by the government. Until then, we can only hope that mental health campaigns and awareness will suffice.

This generation has envisioned itself facing a brighter future and leading a sustainable lives, yet there are those who still dwell in the darkness, listening to the whispers of their own voice.

In a health crisis that requires isolation to save lives, isolation kills, too.

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

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Buong mundo ang nakaantabay sa eleksyon ng pagka-presidente sa Estados Unidos.

Inaabangan kung karagdagan na apat na taon pa ba ang paghahari ni Pangulong Donald Trump o magsisimula ang pagsibol ng isang bagong Amerika sa pamumuno ni Joe Biden Ayon sa kasalukuyang resulta, mukhang magkakaroon na nga ng bagong presidente ang naturang bansa, malayo sa kasalukuyang kontrobersyal at patsamba-tsambang magdesisyon na pangulo.

Naging ulo ng mga nagbabagang balita ang ika-45

ANG HULING PAGHUHUKOM ALEXITHIMIA

It is not shocking that Filipinos have always prided themselves on their resilience from surviving through poverty to withstanding natural calamities like the onslaught of Typhoon Frank on 2008, and the recent Taal Volcano eruption last January. Being able to rise immediately after enduring many upheavals is one of the things everyone should always hope to have. However, the situation changes when this trait is overemphasized that they normalize suffering, cover the incompetence of those individuals in powerful positions,

Scan code to send an email reply Joe Biden, kanyang paplantsahin ang mga baluktok na patakaran at desisyon ng nakaraang administrasyon. Ilan dito ang immigration policies, pagbabalikloob ng bansa sa Paris Accord, at pagwawakas ng “America

First”. Kanya ring isinuguro na makikipagbati sa mga alyadong bansa na binastos ni Trump.

Sa larangan ng karapatang pantao, inaasahan ang pagkondena ng administrasyong Biden sa pagyurak sa karapatang pantao sa buong mundo.Ayon kay dating presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda sa isang panayam sa CNN Philippines, sa pangkalahatan, ang mga US Democrats ay mas nakatuon sa pandaigdigang isyu ng karapang pantao. Isang bagay na hindi gaanong pinagtuunan ng ni Trump. Ngunit sa kabila nito, huwag tayong umasa na kanyang harap-harapang at lantarang babanggain ang pangulo ng isang bansa na sa ilalim ng kanyang termino ay libu—libo ang pinagkaitan ng hustisya, lalo na kapag ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) ang nakataya.

January 23 nitong taon nang pagbantaan ng pangulong Duterte ang US na puputulin ang dekadang

VFA bunsod ng galit nito dahil sa pagkansela ng Estado sa US Visa ni Senador Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

Sa ganitong pagkakataon, wala tayong maaasahan sa Amerika dahil may mga bagay talaga na pukpukin mo man ay hindi magbabago. Ang Amerika ay hindi katulad ng European Union, kung kaya’t walang kasiguraduhan na sila’y maninita sa paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng pangulo. Kahit sa usapin pa ng South China Sea, mamamayani pa rin ang interes ng Estados Unidos , si Trump man o Biden ang pangulo.

Sa kabilang banda,masasabi ko pa rin namang ang Pilipinas at Amerika ay halos magkakabit na rin ang bituka.

Isa sa pagkakahalintulad ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos ay ang magkahawig na personalidad ng mga lider nito na parehong matabil ang dila at abusado sa kapangyarihan. Higit sa lahat, pareho nilang ipinagwalangbahala at wianasak ang mga institusyon ng demokrasya ng kani-kanilang bansa. Parehong baluktot at marahas ang kanilang mga alituntunin at patakaran;sinupil ni Trump ang mga immigrants at ipinapatay naman ng pangulo ang mga durugista at pasaway.

Ang paghahari ay may katapusan. Sa ilalim ni Trump, ang kasinungalingan ay niluluwalhati.

Ang mga personal na insulto ay ikinakatwa at ipinagbubunyi.

Nang puntong mananalo na si Biden, lahat ng mga distraksyon

ay kaniyang ginamit upang kuwestiyonin ang lehitimiya ng eleksyon. Totooo nga ang kasabihang, “Justice will find its way”. Kahit ano mang takas ng isang tiwaling opisyal sa kanyang mga kasalanan, pasasaan ba’t hahabulin din siya nito. Kahit anumang pagsisikap ni Trump na magluklok ng mga konserbatibong hidikatura upang protektahan ang kanyang interes, ito’y hindi sapat na kalasag upang siya’y protektahan sakaling lumitaw ang mga malalakas na ebidensya laban sa kanya.

Sa halalan sa Amerika, naipasok na rin ang usapin ng 2022 eleksyon sa bansa.

Nalalapit na ang paghatol sa mga naging opisyal ng gobyerno.na nagpapakasasa sa pribiliheyo na kakambal ng kanilang puwesto .

Nawa ay ating piliin ang mga pinunong may prinsipyo at integridad. Iwasan iyong galit sa mga nagtatanggol sa karapatang pantao at civil liberties, mahilig mag-red tag, pinapangalandakan ang kapangyarihan ng military at pulisiya, ginagamit ang talim ng tabas ng dila upang manindak at walang pakialam kung kababaihan man ay mainsulto.

Nasa atin ang pasya kung magtitiis tayo sa kasalukuyang huwad na pampulitikang kalakaran o bibigyang pagkakataon ang isang pinuno na magpapagaan sa ating buhay at siguradong hindi gagawin itong pugad ng impiyerno. Nasa kamay mo ang desisyon, Juan. Ikaw ang huling tagapaghukom.

FUTILE RESILIENCE CASCADE

Glaiza Rae D. Amable, BS MLS ’22 Scan code to send an email reply

be resilient by merely standing idle, waiting for the next typhoon to befall. Placing temporary measures and neglecting the possibility of the same things from happening again on the premise that Filipinos could

OVEREMPHASIZING THIS TRAIT LEADS TO NORMALIZING SUFFERING, COVERING THE INCOMPETENCE OF THOSE MEDIOCRE INDIVIDUALS IN POWERFUL POSITIONS, AND FORGETTING TO SHIFT THEIR ATTENTION TO CONCRETIZING REAL AND LONG-TERM ACTIONS. and forget to shift their attention to concretizing real and longterm actions.

Seven years have passed since Typhoon Yolanda, the strongest typhoon ever recorded in modern Philippine history, made a landfall in Eastern Visayas. In its wake, the typhoon swept through 591 towns and 57 cities in 44 of the country’s 81 provinces and left at least 6,200 people dead and 28, 600 injured.

Despite this tragic occurrence, Filipinos were praised across countries for the resilience they showed.

At first impression, there seems to be nothing wrong about showing a positive attitude in the days following the tragedy, however, after the devastating calamity, people cannot claim to

WASTES OF THE DOLOMITE CONTROVERSY

EMY ROSE G. GALLEGO BS PSCI ‘22

ISA SA PAGKAKAHALINTULAD NG PILIPINAS AT ESTADOS UNIDOS AY ANG MAGKAHAWIG NA PERSONALIDAD NG MGA LIDER NITO NA PAREHONG MATABIL ANG DILA AT ABUSADO SA KAPANGYARIHAN. na presidente ng Estados Unidos dahil sa kanyang mga inilatag na reporma. Kabilang na dito ang pakikitungo sa Tsina at ibang bansa at ang pagtalikod sa interes sa kalikasan nang lumabas ang Amerika mula sa Climate Paris Agreement.

Ngayong panahon ng pandemya, ang pinkamabigat na kritisimo sa kaniya ay ang kakulangan ng estratehiya upang masugpo ang COVID 19.

Tila paswerte-swerte lamang ang bawat hakbang ng matigas na ulong si Trump na siyang naglalagay hindi lamang sa kanya kundi sa kaniyang bansa sa bingit ng alinlangan lalo na sa panahon ngayon ng isang pandemya.

Sa halalang ito, ako’y maraming napagnilayan.

Ang eleksyon sa Amerika ay tinututukan hindi lamang upang makisawsaw sa pulitika ng makapangyarihang bansa, bagkus, ito ay may nais ipahiwatig sa ating mga Pilipino.

Ayon kay President-elect

A5

withstand the strongest of storms anyway is and will never be enough.

Furthermore, in a virtual press briefing on August 17, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was accused of embodying toxic resiliency when he shared his delight about the survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) about adult joblessness saying, “Ako po’y nagagalak na hindi tayo 100% nawalan ng trabaho kasi sa tagal po na naka-lockdown tayo, I’m still surprised at our resilience, at 45% pa lang po ang nawawalan ng trabaho.”

While it makes sense for people to feel relieved that most were able to bounce back, the idea that having only nearly half of the country’s working

force unemployed is a situation that could have been worse. It might be a sign that there is an underlying issue that spans even farther than this pandemic.

Romanticizing this kind of attitude breeds toxic positivity and in this case becomes an escape to the administration’s refusal to sufficiently address the plight of the working Filipino masses.

Just recently, the Filipino citizens once again had to roll up their sleeves and bear the brunt of the Super Typhoon Rolly and Typhoon Ulysses.

Thousands of homes in low-lying areas were submerged by the floods, prompting residents to scramble onto rooftops and wait for rescue operations. In these situations, some Filipinos once again personified this so-called term bayanihan when everyone promptly started helping each other by donating essentials.

In these events, the same pattern emerges - Filipinos need to endure because they have had to become one.

While stories of resilience and optimism have always been flooding the social media platforms, people tend to forget that everyone is supposed to be striving and asking for something more – a place and time where people need not to be resilient anymore because

there is no tragedy to withstand and a poor crisis management to experience.

As climate justice Program Manager Alanah Torralba said, “Our ability to withstand adversity should not preclude us from demanding accountability.”

While it is true that Filipinos still manage to equate smiling faces with resilience even in the direst of circumstances, they should also encourage an efficient evaluation of the country’s problems and possible solutions. These solutions must be based on facts so that there would be an assurance that problems are being addressed head-on and targeted in an effective way.

Resilience is not a bad thing, as mentioned earlier. However, it should be known by all that it is not just about coping alone, but a collective action ensuring that what made the people tumble before will not break them any further in the future. This type of resiliency not only breaks away from the seemingly unbreakable positivity whenever disaster strikes, but also urges everyone to prioritize better disaster management over casualties, well-spent safety funds over death, and changed Filipino mentality over a dying nation.

Now, you choose.

ORENDA

XENA HYACINTH G. ESTIÑOSO

BSMM‘21

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With the continued rise of COVID -19 cases, despite of what was then the six- month long of community quarantine, another controversial government project did not miss the public’s eye – the Manila Bay’s “white makeover”. Receiving negative feedbacks with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) PhP 28 million worth of rehabilitation and beautification by overlaying in mounds of crushed dolomite at the 500-meter stretch of Manila Bay’s coastline, sure did take the Filipino people to their death of expectation for a better life and salvation from the pandemic.

With a standing order to “clean-up, rehabilitate, preserve, and restore and maintain the water of Manila Bay at SB level (a water usage/classification criteria where area is used for public bathing and spawning for “bangus and similar species) to make them fit for swimming, and other forms of contact recreation,” the Supreme Court ordered 13 agencies to spearhead the program and accomplish it within 10 years. In the government’s defense, the project was funded through a special purpose fund under the 2019 General Appropriations Act. The program underwent competitive bidding under Republic Act 9184 and was awarded before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project, which is a part of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program launched by Environmental Secretary Roy Cimatu in January 2019, reaped a whirlwind of criticisms and protests especially from environmentalists, fisherfolk, experts and the media to which the agencies were quick to defend.

An article published by the Mines and Geosciences BureauDENR explained that the beach nourishment project is proven to be preferred over hard beach stabilizing structures, considering that the area is prone to erosion. This based on their coastal geohazard assessment Marine Geological Survey Division. Furthermore, contrary to the claims that dolomite can be hazardous, the Department of Health noted that when coming in bulk it is not a health hazard.

IN THEIR FAILURE TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PLAN WITH PERMANENT POSITIVE IMPACT, THEY RESORT TO A SHAM AND AN ARTIFICIAL SAND PROJECT THAT DOES MORE HARM THAN TEMPORARY GOOD. On the other hand, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya also said that criticisms of the project are misplaced and the dolomite sand inclusive of transportation costs, taxes, delivery and other fees cost only PhP 28 million and not PhP 389 million.

Countering against the backlash of its critics and President Leni Robredo, who said that the budget could have been allotted for the COVID-19 response, Malaya reiterated that the project was awarded before the pandemic and that the government cannot simply stop a project when it is already under a contractual obligation to proceed.

Over and above that, project did not affect the government’s pandemic response.

Despite such statements from the government, the rehabilitation of Manila Bay, or for any government project for this matter, should not compromise our environment and the lives of the people in the long run. The sand mining activity for the dolomite poured in that 500-meter stretch of the bay can trigger coastal erosion and potentially harm the coastal ecosystem and coastal communities. As it is said in a 2019 article published by Yale Environment 360, “this little-noticed and largely unregulated activity [sand mining] has serious costs — damaging rivers, wreaking havoc on coastal ecosystems, and even wiping away entire islands.” Oddly, it cost the Philippines PhP 28 million, the environment, our lives and the lives of the future generations for a 500-meter aesthetic Manila Bay. To note, the beach nourishment project is clearly the government’s shot for instant gratification. They could have implemented a project other than this that will actually solve the water problem. In their failure to have an effective and efficient plan with permanent positive impact, they resort to a sham and an artificial sand project that does more harm than temporary good. In this regard, according to the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, beach nourishment projects are not one-shot deals, especially for continuously eroding shorelines.

Hence, continuously replacing the sand will be expensive and will not improve the water quality in the bay. Quoting fisherfolk group Pamalayaka President Fernando Hicap, they should have planted mangroves and seagrass along the bay instead than carrying on with their “completely absurd and high-falutin rehabilitation effort.”

Whether or not this was carried out in the middle of the pandemic, it is still inefficient and nonsensical. It is puzzling to say the least, how the government wastes the people’s taxes as quickly as the dolomite sand was washed out of the bay, but as by now may not be that surprising anymore. This is not the first time as undoubtedly this will not be the last. We deserve better. We should demand better.

A6 Augustinian the

Volume LXVII November 20, 2020

SPECIAL REPORT E-DUCATION:SYNCING OR SINKING? Delving into the state of education with the not-so newly-established modalities of distance learning

BY US A P UB L I C A TI O N S S TA FF

THE EMERGENCE of the COVID-19 pandemic brought primordial concern to educational institutions in delivering quality and inclusive education while limiting the risks of infection in the academic community. Some aspects of this new learning modality, transparently, did not sit well with most of the learners. As synchronous and asynchronous modality aims in continuing education amidst a global health crisis, did the quality of education continue to be in sync or has it left students sinking? @METIME “There should be “no assignments on weekends” policy, for obvious reasons. It is the only time where students like me can have the chance to explore more on ourselves through honing our skills or trying out new hobbies. These activities aren’t possible to be done on weekdays since we are stuck on our chairs from morning til’ afternoon, attending our classes and finishing piles upon piles of assignments and projects (hence, the lessening of activities to be given out on students from concern.” @RESPONSIBLEVOTER “The integration of the departmental student councils to a “unitary form” student government prevents better administration within the departments. It only made things easier for the University Student Government to implement their projects in the departmental level but never it did any good for the departmental councils’.” @DAKILANGSCHOLAR “Tane consider man sang SanAg scholarship namon sa dean’s list though may university-based scholarship na kame. Gin pangabudlayan ni ya namon para ka sulod sa top.” @NEOMADEEASY “Ini nga akon suhestiyon magabasi sa aton nga platform, amo ang NeoLms. Magahimo kung tani nga ang grado sang kada estudyante imbes nga sa Edusuite makita , pwede pati man sa NeoLms ? Kay tam an ka budlay kung magbukas ka sang Neolms para sa subject magabukas kaman sang Edusuite para sa grado.” @HUWAGPAASA “Immediate response sa may registrar . “Tani mag reply man sa email ang SHS office kung may kinanglan ang student para hindi man ayawan mag hulat kag mag-asa.” @NEOHELPMS “Hoping para sa mga teachers nga ga work sa school, or chooses to use the facilities of the school while teaching online, kung pwede may student nga ma assist saila while ga online teaching. Some teachers are not well educated in using technology sa pag teach, especially those na mga teacher na old na and are used in teaching face to face” @ALWAYS PREPARED “Tane irecord ang meeting, what if may interruption, wala net, etc. Para ma revisit ka student ang namiss ya nga part kag sa mga Brownout then post sa neo.” @AIRCONLANGMALAKAS “ I hope the University will give an expanation on the miscellaneous fee. How come may bayad pa sa aircon waay man ang students ga use facility this year.” @LATESERVICE “ Suggestion lang, hoping ma release na registration form ang registar. When we apply sa mga financial assistance, that’s the requirement. Second cycle na asta subong wala pa.”

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E-DUCATION TO EDUCATE The University of San Agustin (USA) compliant with the guidelines set by (CHED) consequently released “Flexible Learning in Augustinian Education” as the USA Learning Continuity Plan to a sustainable higher education with the safety of its students and the whole Augustinian academic community as its topmost priority.

“Our online classes blend synchronous and asynchronous learning. Synchronous learning refers to the virtual classes you have with your teachers.

Asynchronous learning includes working on activities found in the learning management system (LMS), and activities, which you may perform or accomplish offline. The synchronous sessions are basically meant to be a venue for you and your teacher to discuss the subject matter, which you need to learn more independently.

The asynchronous learning activities are meant for you to go over the required readings, and perform the required activities,” said Dr. May Anne T. Jaro, Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for Curriculum and Instruction.

Geared to be studentcentered, flexible learning gives students the freedom to learn at their own pace It involves faceto-face, fully online, and blended learning (may it be synchronous or asynchronous) course delivery that is compliant with the limitations brought by the pandemic.

“For both aspects of online learning and distance education, learning is most effective when the students are relaxed and receptive, and the teacher is mentally and emotionally ready, and has prepared an instructional material that contains accurate information expressed in a clear and comprehensible way,” Jaro added.

Apart from other approaches and strategies, at the foundation of Flexible Learning in Augustinian Education is the Augustinian pedagogy.

“I find the current setup ineffective. On top of that, the current time frame given to learn all the concepts is compressed, making the lessons laborious.,” Erben Louis Labrador, student of College of Health and Allied Medical Professions (CHAMP), said when asked about the effectiveness of the online learning.

The semester’s division into two cycles proved less of a difference for class and activity loads in a conventional 18-week setup.

“Since the days are compressed in the current setup, as well as the gap between quizzes and term exams, I find this setup cumbersome. I often find myself cramming all my lessons and I can only review my lessons not until the day before exams because I have to move on to the next module or set of lessons.,” Labrador added.

The academic year remains divided into two semesters.

However, each semester is now

divided into two cycles of 9 weeks each.

“New skills are learned and mastered gradually, but the current setup does not enable me to learn as much as I would have in a face-to-face setting. Although I learn many theories, I think it would be better if I experience laboratory activities first hand,” Labrador concluded.

The rationale behind the new cycle setup is stated in the University of San Agustin Learning Continuity Plan, that is if face-toface learning can be made possible during the second half of the semester, courses scheduled in the first semester, for which faceto-face instruction is a must, may be taught during the second cycle.

However, in the event when fact-to-face instruction will still be prohibited, classes will continue purely online.

AT ALL COST Taking concerns on various colleges, the College of Commerce (COC), points out the growing amount of the activities to be complied, the scarcity of direct and personal interaction with students, the unfamiliarity to the new learning modalities affect everyone in their workflow or productivity.

In an interview with The Augustinian, Dr. Marivis Gangoso, dean of the College of Commerce (COC) said that to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the course, learning objectives (LOs), teaching-learning activities (TLAs), and the forms of assessment were aligned.

“We also consider the length of each module with regards to time and percent weight in the coverage for midterm, finals, and of course the time allotted for asynchronous classes,” Gangoso added.

“The pandemic problem already took a toll on us human beings. [The] additional workload would result in burnout. To ensure that my students learned, I would ask them one by one in my synchronous classes.I welcome all answers as long as I know they are trying,” Allaine Rose Emnacen faculty at the College of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Education (CLASE) shared with The Augustinian. “[The] effectivity of this modality depends on the willingness of the teacher to teach and of the student to learn.

Even with face to face classes, your presence is not an indicator of learning but rather your participation in the class and

how you absorb the lessons being taught,” Emnacen added As online classes progressed as scheduled in the university calendar, the toll of the new learning modality has pushed several students to demand an academic break.

“My course is a skill-based course, so it is a big adjustment on my part because teaching through videos, lives, and recording sessions is not easy. It is necessary to have an acad break because of the stress from the piling up of school work leading to a higher risk for mental and physical health problems,” stated Chad Fredrick Quirao, Second Year Nursing Student when asked why he pushed for an academic break.

Facilitating to reach the administration, the University of San Agustin Student Government (USASG) represented the student body for their call by conducting a survey on the implementation of a Mid-Semester Pause.

“The petition, which was signed by more than 3,272 students, was positively taken by the administration. The purposes of the said break [were] to give the students and the teachers a time to breathe and relax before the 2nd cycle, and to allow the administration to re-evaluate and make necessary changes to the system,” USASG President Adelmar Javier Jr. said in an interview with The Augustinian.

“Students should practice talking to their elected student government officials, to hold them accountable if they do not take action,” expressed former USASG President Martin Ortiz.

THE WEIGHT OF SYNCING The fast-paced mode of asynchronous classes arranged by most universities to fit their respective school calendars goes against DepEd’s “no student left behind” policy “Not everyone is meant or suited to be a distance learner whether online or offline.

However, given the present situation, academic institutions and students have no choice.

The only way for institutions to overcome the obstacle that threatens their existence is to embrace online learning. And the only way for students to complete their academic programs and obtain a degree, is to adapt to online or distance learning,” said Jaro.

Gangoso said that upon the identification of gaps in the conduct of classes, group chats through Messenger were created to supplement NEO LMS for easy access in addition to students’ correspondence through email and mobile phone.

“The university should know that an average student has 3 to 4 subjects. If all of those subjects release 4-5 activities per day, that would amount to 12 to 20 activities a day or week. This

ARTWORK BY DIANNE NAYELI MONTERO

would take a toll on students and teachers. If this continues, many students would lose interest. If possible, the university can grant aid to teachers and students in the form of load wallets for internet connection, gadgets, or even printing of modules,” Emnacen suggested when asked how the University can better conduct online classes.

“I hope the university can somehow find solutions for students and teachers who are not privileged enough to have a stable connectivity. This has been one of the many struggles that we are facing and I hope that the university can be more mindful about this,” stated Aizelle Del Rio, a first-year Medical Laboratory Sciences student.

Taking account of the challenges that are currently faced by the students, the university continues to improve the quality of blended learning to benefit both students and educators.

“Teachers continue to undergo training to improve their skills and students may get used to the existing mode of learning in time. But on the issues that we are encountering, what might be necessary is a proper orientation or re-orientation for both students and teachers,” Jaro furthered.

NO ONE LEFT BEHIND Taking the lead for student initiative, the USASG has laid out support.

“For the students, by the students, and from the students.

Together with the USASG, the Office of the Vice-President for Augustinian Formation and Mission and the Student Affairs and Welfare Office have been in close contact in hearing the feedback and concerns of the students through having constant Feedback Meetings, ” Javier said.

“For the university, the challenge would be keeping students motivated to participate in online classes as some are already losing interest. The same with teachers, they are to devise new strategies or teaching and learning activities especially to skill-based courses that need thorough demonstration. When this pandemic ends, the use of online platforms will still be relevant. The university should be prepared on allocating resources for this change.” Emnacen said.

Moreover, monetary differences, unstable internet connectivity, and frequent power blackouts without precedent notice, syncing to attain proper education also burdens the students.

“Because my internet connectivity is unstable, I would often get disconnected and it would take long before I could rejoin the meeting. I couldn’t have my webcam on all the time as it affects the quality of presentations presented during meetings. I would get called out for that sometimes too,” Annica Ammuan, a 4th year Business Administration student shared with The Augustinian.

The University’s aspirations towards continuing excellence in Virtus et Scientia is embodied within the flexible blended learning integrated within asynchronous and synchronous sessions as it gears towards the end – quality education amidst the pandemic.

In the course, quality education may be in sync or has already sunk.

Viva San Agustin!

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

www.usapub.net

Once Upon a Jump Advancing her best foot on track conquering hurdles in the field

DASH TO VICTORY. Sarah Melliza bags silver in the 2017 Iloilo Private Schools Athletic Association PRISAA 200-meter dash held at Iloilo Sports Complex. FILE PHOTO • REGGIE LYNN LUNA B Y H A NNA H J HA NY LLE C . PO

The brave, the bold, the beautiful, and the brilliant - all different but all governed under one rule. Know the limits of personal capacity.

Students and individual student lives are very much alike in this way. Many choose to go with the bare minimum standard of studying just enough to pass, interacting with schoolmates and teachers when necessary, and not doing anything interesting to warrant a spotlight. It is a lax life,

one that grants much personal time, and nothing else. On the other end of the spectrum, some treat school life as a race towards time, dodging detention, and to offer, good or bad. In between the extremes lies the equilibrium many seek but cannot grasp.

To the challenge, the

University of San Agustin studentathlete, leader, and scholar Sarah Melliza jumped the hurdles, garnering multiple medals and trophies while maintaining a 1.6-1.8 grade point average and serving the student body as a member and officer of different school-based organizations. Even when viewed through an objective lens, it is not unfounded to sigh, “Sana all,” and wonder how she managed such a feat. One could say it is all in the character.

SPORTS TOAST TO HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Though she may sound extraordinary with almost 11 years (and counting) of experience as a Track and Field or Athletics athlete, her story begins quite simply.

As a child, she had always treated sports such as badminton, volleyball, and basketball as past-time activities.

Eventually, such interest led her to represent Colegio de San Jose for Iloilo Private Schools Athletic Association (ILOPRISAA) as a Grade 5 student. In 2013, she bagged two gold medals for Long Jump and Triple Jump during the first-ever Regional Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) 2013 in Roxas City, Capiz, together with the Athletics girls of Sun Yat Sen High School of Iloilo Inc. She was also named as a 2-time champion in the Long Jump and Triple Jump categories of National PRISAA 2014 and 2015.

“In playing sports, I learned to balance my priorities and work in advance to avoid procrastination,” said Sarah.

“Due to being an athlete and an honor roll, I have experienced discrimination and criticism in the past. But I believe we should invest ourselves in a life of trials, taking strength from negativity.

Sports is not a distraction as long as you put your mind and heart into your passion and learn to

FILE PHOTO • EARON PHILIP VILLAMORA

SAGE merits first AcadArena Scholarship Grant

CLASH OF CHAMPIONS. Augustinians take part in the Unitas Esports league hosted by the San Agustin Golden Eagle Sports Organizations during the University week.

B Y J O A NNA WA Y NE HOR NEJ A LEADING WESTERN VISAYAS in the field of student Esports, AcadArena in partnership with Globe granted the San Agustin Golden Eagles (SAGE) Esports Organization first AcadArena Merit Scholarship last August.

The said scholarship, where the organization was announced to be eligible on their official website, aims to inculcate excellence among student gamers both in academics and in-game battlefields.

“There was a lot to balance.

We wanted to find a system that aligned with our ‘not just play’ core value. We didn’t want to attach the scholarship to a singular game title. We also wanted to be more relevant to a student’s lifestyle,” stated Ariane Lim, Co-

Founder and Director of Student Programs at AcadArena.

Three scholarships were made available for qualified players to enjoy under the program: the Competitive Scholarships, where the players of the active rosters of the season are the only ones eligible; the Leadership Scholarships, applicable for the core and support staff, who has shown great promise and efforts in their endeavors to further the cause of Esports in the Augustinian community; and the Family Good Game Grant, which is eligible for participants of the University Alliance Cup and the National Campus Open - given that they would accomplish complete requirements containing their family background, financial and

ATLETA

patunay na hindi niya basta-basta sinusukuan ang pangarap, sa halip ay gagawa ng paraan upang mapasakamay ito.

Sa muling pagbabalik sa boxing ring, dala ang lakas ng loob at kompiyansa sa sariling makamit ang kampeonato, hindi na pinalampas ni Magno ang pagkakataong makatapak sa Olympics noong kinalaban niya si Qosimova. Ibinuhos niya ang lahat ng galing sa loob ng limang rounds na naging susi upang mapabilang sa hanay ng mga bayani sa larangan ng boxing.

“Kahit bago pa man ang laban, inangkin ko na ito sa sarili [ang kampyeonato], akin na ito.

Hindi ko na ito papakawalan pa.

FROM PAGE A8

Women’s Flyweight Division sa 2019 Southeast Asian Games. Ito ang naging daan niya upang taasnoong iwagayway ang bandera ng women’s boxing sa sanlibutan at sungkitin na ang gintong medalya sa ikalawang pagkakataon.

Subalit sadyang mapaglaro ang tadhana lalo na noong natalo siya sa Indiyanong six-time world champion na si Mary Kom sa quarterfinals ng laro. Ang pagkabigong ito ni Magno ang nagtulak sa sarili upang ibigay ang lahat ng makakaya sa boxoff round ng laro. Masusing pinag-aralan ng boksingera ang kaniyang naging kamalian—

general contact information, and a three-page essay on the role of the family in the experiences of a student gamer as well as the impact of how competing has developed the students’ character and student life.

“Depending on the percentage of the scholarship and its type, the student would be able to benefit financially from the program. This could go from Gold (25 percent), Platinum (50 percent), and Diamond (100 percent) tuition coverage applications in both the Competitive and Leadership Esports Merit Scholarship. Another is the Family Good Game Grant, which provides PhP 25,000 and PhP 50,000 worth of financial help for those who are eligible,” said Jose Miguel Garin, SAGE President.

For students to maintain the hold of their scholarships, scholars should have good academic standings with no failing grades or grades less than 80 percent, be at their best behavior when competing or representing their organization, contribute to the growth of campus esports in the community, and ultimately have to at least participate in more than half the matches they would have if they were a player.

“The education sector is hard-hit by the pandemic. With students, teachers, and families shaken to adjust to the digital norm. Many schools are turning

to esports to supplement the lack of extracurricular activities.

This is Globe’s way to make that transition smoother and more holistic,” quoted Globe Telecom Head of Games and Esports Dennis Christian Dominguez.

Being a Three Star Organization in the tier system of AcadArena, the SAGE Organization is currently considered as one of the top campus Esports organizations in the Philippines and aims to raise the banner of red and gold in the field.

“The Esports Merit Scholarship will make the University of San Agustin, the first choice of student gamers who would want to delve into the industry of Esports. Having the opportunity to alleviate their financial burden will allow student to focus more on themselves and maintain good standings as well as embody the core values of the university.

Student-leaders will get to exercise their passion and fulfill their purpose as they set their sights to the future and to their dreams,” the SAGE President concluded.

AcadArena is the leading national campus Esports organization in the country driving career, community, and competition for students who are bound to represent Philippines in the global online gaming scene.

Binigyan ko ang sarili ko ng isang pagkakataon kaya ibibigay ko na ang lahat,” pahayag ni Magno sa isinagawang podcast ng GMA.

Olympics,” sambit ni Magno sa panayam sa Inquirer.

Marami man ang nagiging hadlang at balakid sa pagtupad ng kaniyang mithiin sa larangan ng boksing, hindi nagpatinag ng loob si Magno, sa halip ay hinarap ang mga ito ng may buong tapang at determinasyon upang makapagpa-uwi ng karangalan sa bansang sinilangan– isang karangalang bunga ng pagsusumikap at matinding pananampalataya.

Naudlot man ang nasabing kompetisyon dahil sa pandemya, hinding-hindi mauudlot ang pangarap ni Magno na mapasakamao at maiuwi ang kaunaunahang gintong medalya ng Pilipinas sa Olympics.

GINTO, MAPAPASA-KAMAO Ngayong naabot na ni Magno ang unang baitang sa pagkamit ng kaniyang hinahangad na pangarap, hindi dito matatapos ang lahat dahil sasabak na siya sa inaasam-asam na laban sa 2020 Summer Olympics na gaganapin sa Tokyo, Japan sa Hulyo 23 Agosto 8, 2021.

“Inilagay ako ng Diyos sa ganitong posisyon kung kaya’t ilalaban ko na ito. Ang pangarap ko ay ipanalo ang kauna-unahang gintong medalya ng bansa sa

A7

manage your time,” she added.

BRUISED BUT NOT BROKEN Of course, every athlete reaches a hurdle in their careers.

For Sarah, it was an injury to the right knee when executing the Triple Jump in the National PRISAA 2015. Furthermore, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury cost the Athletics girls team their back-to-back championship title for 4 x 100-meter relay, which pained her to see the long hours of practice and conditioning of the team disappear in a snap.

“I always told myself, ‘Tama na.’ After my knee injury, I almost lost hope. But you know what? Those words are empty.

Why? If you are passionate about something, you will get tired and rest for a while, but quitting will never be an option,” she expressed.

With renewed confidence and support from her parents, she was able to win gold medals for two consecutive years in the Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation (FCAAF) Cup, where she holds the record for Triple Jump and Long Jump Athletics Girls.

BEYOND THE TRACK Despite her many sportrelated achievements, she considers academics and character to be the keys to success. She further emphasized

that development is a limitless horizon that propagates maturity and humility as people value actions, not achievements, in the long run.

“Now, as I open another chapter wearing red and gold on my jersey, I am grateful to be part of the Athletics Tertiary Team, and intend to use what I have learned to give glory to San Agustin,” she said. “I won’t stop jumping high over a pole or inspiring my teammates and fellow athletes to chase their dreams because, at the end of the day, they will be our own to remember until the end of the journey.”

Currently, Sarah is a board member of the Epsilon Alpha Chi Organization (EACO), a third-year representative of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineering San Agustin Chapter, and the Athletics Women Team Captain.

Though the pandemic has put a damper on sporting events and mass gatherings, it has not diminished Sarah’s desire to achieve excellence, whether it be in sports, leadership, academics, or life in general.

The brave, the bold, the beautiful, and the brilliant - all different but all governed under one rule. Know the limits of personal capacity. But if you were to ask Sarah, she would say that the journey begins once upon a jump.

SPORTING SPORTS IN A SPORTLESS TIME LASSITUDE Joanna Wayne Horneja, SHS-STEM’21

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The vast spread of the coronavirus disease in the world earlier this year took a great toll on humanity and their activities and the world of sports was no exception. Due to the implementation of health protocols, people were limited to direct contact and were advised to stay within their homes - resulting to cancellations and indefinite suspensions of sporting events. These trying times highlight where sports stand amidst a pandemic. Sports are a vital part of an athlete and should not be degraded as to just mere physical contact.

Being unable to play due to the financial constraints of their schools, varsity scholars were stripped away with their scholarship privileges. With no avenue to prove their athletic ability and skill in their sport, being awarded a scholarship has been a cloud of mist. If not for sports, student-athletes who are dependent on their games for their education are now unable to avail aid on paying for their school fees depriving them not only their growth as an athlete but also as a student.

Sports serve as doors for athletes to relieve stress and express themselves freely. However, the pandemic seemingly closed these doors to prioritize their physical health while it slowly deteriorates their mental well-being.

According to the World Health Organization, physical idleness also contributes to the development of psychological consequences such as depression and anxiety that many will encounter in the face of isolation from our normal social life.

“Due to this pandemic, we are restricted and advised to stay at

AS WE WATCH OUR FAVORITE SPORTS GAMES THROUGH OUR SCREENS FROM OUR RESPECTIVE HOMES, IT IS NO DOUBT THAT NO MATTER WHAT ADVERSITY, SPORTS IS RESILIENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESILIENT. home. Practicing with my teammates every after class back then helped me cope with my stress in school. Despite school works piling up or being reprimanded by our coach, I was able to destress myself and be carefree forgetting about all my worries through football. Now, I have to deal with more stress in my academics while unable to enjoy doing what I love, ” stated Fellord Kryzz Aperocho, football varsity player at University of San Agustin.

Sports can still be held abiding health protocols, may it be in or out of their homes. Conducting simultaneous virtual training and tournaments through conference apps is one way athletes and coaches rekindle the spark they lost between them and their sport. This was evident in Taekwondo as they made use of virtual Poomsae or form competitions instead of the infamous Kyorugi or sparring games.

Meanwhile, as most student sport competitions were either canceled or indefinitely suspended, only a few of the professional sports leagues were able to resume their games, this includes the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the upcoming season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). As we watch our favorite sports games through our screens from our respective homes, it is no doubt that no matter what adversity, sports is resilient and will continue to be resilient. With or without a viral outbreak, the fighting spirit of sports within shall still prevail, sans audience, sans tournaments.

Augustinian the

Volume LXVI • Number 4 November 20, 2020

SPORTS

TAEKWONDO TOURNEY DOMINANCE CENTERED AND BALANCED. Cachero showcasing his expertise in the field of Taekwondo gripping tight to his goal during one of his feats.

FILE PHOTO • JOSHUA CACHERO

USA jin rakes in gold, bronze medals in Internat’l Poomsae

EMPOWERED. Cachero won double bronze during the National Best of the Best Poomsae Championships 2019.

FILE PHOTO • JOSHUA CACHERO

BY MA R Y WEN A NTHONY RIVE RA SHOWCASING THE Augustinian spirit in taekwondo attacks and defenses, Joshua Cachero, a Grade 12 ABM studentvarsity player, reaped gold and bronze medals during the 1st International Invitational Online Club Taekwondo Poomsae Championships 2020, July 20-30.

Cachero, with his forcible blocks, thunderous strikes, and powerful kicks, shouted his way to victory.

“Ever since quarantine

started, I trained every day waiting for an opportunity to play again, then this competition suddenly came up. That’s when I decided to give it a shot and to test myself to adapt to the new normal of the Taekwondo competition. I trained even harder. I practiced two times a day,” said Cachero in an interview with The Augustinian.

Due to the pandemic, athletes from different parts of the world were not able to

attend the competition hosted

by Atul International Taekwondo Academy (AITA) in India, where the event was held, so they were informed to send their recordedvideo entries online.

“Since we prepared early for this event, he [Cachero] has an excellent performance even we faced different players from other clubs all over the world. This is such a great opportunity for our athletes to be more active and productive, and to maintain their

competitive spirit even this time of crisis,” stated Mark Pinggol, Cacheros’ coach.

Cachero garnered gold in individual category during Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) 2019, silver in team category during Palarong Pambansa 2019, and recently placed silver in the 2nd Lents Taekwondo Worldwide Sports Online Poomsae Open 2020 in Blackbelt Mixed Pair, over-17 category.

“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for all the support that you showed. I would like also to congratulate the organizing committee for organizing this amazing championship, which engaged the athletes into this beautiful olympic sport,” shared Atul Pangotra, international referee, coach, and player of AITA, in his closing remarks.

With the theme “Kicking COVID-19 out of the world through Taekwondo”, AITA gathered more than 250 athletes across the globe to exhibit their skills in performing the forms of Poomsae-one of the disciplines of the sport.

Ang Bangis ng Suntok ng Pilipinang Atleta N I M ARLY N R OSE MA R C ELO NAGLALAGABLAB na suntok ang kaniyang sunudsunod na pinakawalan.

Sa kaniyang nag-aapoy na mga mata at malalakas na kamao, masisilayan ang determinasyon at dedikasyon na manaig sa laban. Animo’y isang maaksyong pelikula ang ipinamalas sa liksi ng katawan. Siya’y isang babaeng boksingerohindi pangkaraniwan, ngunit walangagam-agam sa kasiguraduhang maiuuwi ang medalya para sa bayan.

Sa gitna ng apat na sulok ng boxing ring, buong tapang niyang tinalo ang 19 taong gulang na Tajik na si Sumaiya Qosimova sa pamamagitan ng unanimous decision ng mga hurado. Hindi masukat-sukat ang kaligayahang naramdaman ng boksingera matapos makisig na iniangat ng referee ang kaniyang kamao, senyales na siya ang nanalo sa labanang inaasam-asam ng bawat boksingero.

Bitbit ang karangalan at

ngiti ng tagumpay, nakamit niya ang titulo bilang kaunaunahang babaeng boksingero na nakapag-uwi ng ginto sa 2020 Asia and Oceania Olympic Boxing Qualification Tournament, isang kwalipikasyon sa 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, na naganap sa Prince Hamzah Sport Hall sa Amman, Jordan noong March 11.

Siya ay walang iba kundi si Irish Magno at dito nagsimula ang kaniyang pakikipagbakbakan sa pandaigdigang boxing ring at ang pagkamit sa pangkalawakang mithiin.

ANG UNANG SUNTOK Sa murang edad na 16, nagsimulang mamulat si Magno sa larangan ng boksing nang noo’y sa plaza ng Janiuay, Iloilo ay nagsasanay ang iba’t ibang koponan ng mga manlalaro. Sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, siya’y nilapitan ng coach at niyayang sumubok ng laro. Nagatubali man siya noong una, hindi kalauna’y tinanggap niya rin ang

Tokyo Olympics to push through despite COVID scare B Y S HA RA I N E G HA I L TA A C A Tokyo Olympics has been committed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hold in 2021 despite the viability of the games due to coronavirus outbreak, and notwithstanding a widely available vaccine is unlikely.

Seiko Hashimoto, Japan's Olympic Minister insisted Olympics to go ahead as planned regardless of Covid-19 as organizers continue to weigh up options for staging a “postpandemic” celebration of sport in the city and plans for the games appear to be developing along parallel tracks.

“Everyone involved with the games is working together to prepare, and the athletes are also making considerable efforts towards next year,” said Hashimoto in a news conference.

Toshiro Muto, organizing committee chief executive said that although organizers hoped the threat posed by the virus could be reduced, nobody knows what the situation will be when the games start on July 23, 2021 as Japan has been doing preparations and even taking risk in huge investments for hosting the said Olympics.

“It is rather difficult for us to expect that the coronavirus pandemic is contained but if we can de-liver the Games in Tokyo with coronavirus, Tokyo can be the role model for the next Olympic Games or other various international events,” stated Muto.

Meanwhile, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Bambol Tolentino agrees with post-ponement of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics saying a delay would benefit our Filipino athletes.

"I favor a postponement because the health and safety of everyone in sports—both in the Philip-pines and all over the world—is paramount in this COVID-19 pandemic. It’s better to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympics rather than have a cancelation so as not to lose [the Philippines] our chance for our first gold medal—or even more golds," said Tolentino.

Among the Filipino athletes still striving to earn a place at the Tokyo Games, which have been postponed to 2021 because of the coronavirus, are weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, taekwondo player Pauline Lopez, karateka Junna Tsukii and skateboarder Margielyn Didal.

TOKYO TIKET. Matapos magwagi sa 2020 Asia and Oceania Qualifiers sa Amman, Jordan, si Magno ay sasabak sa Tokyo Olympics.

LARAWAN • RAPPLER hamon bunsod ng matinding paniniwala sa kaniyang angking potensiyal.

Ang National Open, Youth and Women’s Amateur Boxing Championship na ginanap sa Lungsod ng Iloilo, ang kaunaunahang kompetisyon na nilahukan ni Magno. Datapwa’t, nag-iba ang ihip ng hangin nang malaman niyang si Annie Albania, gold medalist ng Southeast Asian Games, ang kaniyang makakalaban.

Hindi man nagwagi, nagsilibi itong inspirasyon sa kanya na magpursigi at mag-ensayo nang husto. Isang patunay na siya ay may kakayahang umahon sa isang pagkabigo.

LALABAN PARA SA BAYAN Bago pa man nakipaglaban sa qualifying tournament para sa Tokyo 2020, noong nakaraang taon ay nakapag-uwi na si Magno ng pilak na medalya sa ATLETA

TO PAGE A8

Countries that have won most medals during the 2016 Summer Olympics at USA PUB INFOGRAPHICS • GEREMY GALLENERO Rio De Janiero, Brazil.

Augustinian the

FEATURES FOLD Volume LXVI NOVEMBER 20, 2020

USA PUB PHOTOS • GEREMY GALLENERO

ENCOMPASSING HANDS OF COMPASSION AND CHARITY S ome gifts a r e mea nt to l a st a lif et im e

Taking arms to march in the field, geared in taking sight of the ruins and what is left of one’s once humble abode.

What the iron-clad vehicle houses take pride in holding its strongest cargo – Unitas, Veritas, and Caritas embodied within Augustinians’ helping hands.

Even during day, it creeps like a monster with red eyes that gleam. It’s feeding on fears of people—especially on the impoverished ones. Countless are displaced, and a lot have suffered losses caused by violent winds and mere drizzles which turned out to a downpour. And just like that, flood gushing from one town to another.

There are those whose universe is with them, yet there are some who have been lucked out; floating and drowning with ‘what ifs’.

UNITED TO ANSWER Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) has made its third landfall in the vicinity of General Nakar, November 12, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

It flooded towns and damaged infrastructures, particularly in Luzon. Filipinos were quick to act even in the face of limited mobility

and slow disaster response with the need for efficient and rapid assistance.

Several concerned citizens held together to make use of what they have to help their countrymen in their time of need.

The helping hands of these certain people portrayed an integral part in a successive way.

At the height of Typhoon Ulysses’ fury, calls for help flooded social media as affected families pleaded for rescue and relief.

Marikina and Rizal have flood waters which risen to as high as the second floor of houses whereas families stranded on rooftops.

“As a youth in this generation, I am aware of certain happenings to our society. So with my simple action, I may be able to help the needy ones to arise again,” stated Yna Elaijah Langusta, a Senior High School student from the University of San Agustin.

The strong and unbreakable

attitude amidst these certain dilemmas of Filipinos enlightened Yna to help to the victims of calamities. Houses of many Filipinos have been washed out by floods and destroyed by winds just because of the current typhoon Ulysses; people still got up and helped each other to arise as they go on to start over again.

“So as a way of helping them, I managed to spend my remaining allowance in buying goods and packed my unused clothes for them,” added Yna. Yna also shared that being able to see Filipinos who are helping each other, overwhelms her. The fact that they still manage to settle in the bright side despite the darkness lurking alongside with trials.

“As a student, I am proud of myself and to my other fellow students who also helped the victims of calamities because our little help means a lot to them.

Helping and not leaving each other behind are one of the best ways in dealing and coping with these certain obstacles,” opined Yna. The University of San Agustin also sourced in kind and monetary donations to send relief to the affected families. This effort of the University was started during the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda (Haian) in 2013, under the project Augustinian CARES and since then extended help to disasters and humanitarian crisis over the years.

TRUTH IN SERVICE U SA PU B PHOTO S • GEREMY GA LLENER O

Another Augustinian volunteer is Germaine Joy Tubid, who went to a donation-drivelike for victims of Typhoon Ulysses, “Bulig mo, Idul-ong ko”.

On November 19, she contacted the staff in charge of the donation drive as she went along with her brother and father to Iloilo Medical Society which is beside St. Clement’s Church in Lapaz,

Iloilo to successfully deliver the goods such as canned foods, instant noodles, coffee, and some used clothes that she packed beforehand.

“I’ve already bought the goods even before our Theo teacher announced about our performance task which is to present our ways in helping the victims,” stated Germaine.

She certainly believes that she did her part as both an Augustinian with long-held values and as a Filipino citizen— to help others who were greatly affected by the typhoon.

“I was inspired by other people who also helped and made an effort in reaching the victims despite conflicts especially now that we are in the midst of a pandemic. Just like famous saying, ‘Where there is a will, there’s a way’,” said Germaine.

There are means for the volunteers to help and make the victims’ lives better, hesitation is the only limit. Filipinos would try their best to provide and save their fellow countrymen that are affected by the typhoon.

“I realized how lucky and privileged we are for being able to attain our personal needs and wants, and that everything is possible as long as you are 100% willing to do something for the good of others since not everyone is as lucky and privileged as most of us right now,” said Germaine.

According to Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH, they issued a call for the volunteers to help track for rescue and relief on November 12. Almost 1,000 volunteers have responded to the call. The MovePH amplified verified rescue reports and brought them to the attention of the Office of Civil Defense, Red Cross Philippines, and others.

“I am very mush amazed by how Filipinos as hospitable citizens try their best to help their

USA PUB PHOTOS • STEVEN JOHN SUMBING

BY PAULINE MARIE ARADA

fellow ‘kababayan’s who suffer the most,” quoted Germaine.

AUGUSTINIAN CARES The moment Elaisha Pomida, wakes up one morning—a glint of an idea popped in her head. She immediately figured out she will call her brother to go to the Jaro Cathedral Church with her to give her already folded used clothes for the typhoon victims of Ulysses. They specifically went to Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center (JASAC) for their successive donation.

“We may be in quarantine, but I realized that we cannot allow this to be a hindrance to extend help to our brothers and sisters in need, especially in these times that all we have is each other,” stated Elaisha.

The faint feeling of having nothing to hold onto because of the current happenings has inspired Elaisha to be compassionate like her fellow Augustinians who also did their job wholeheartedly to serve those who are suffering.

“Society has always looked down on us, the younger generation. Whether we deny it or not, I am determined to never let this stop me and my fellow youth to influence positive social change and be of services to other people as well,” shared Elaisha.

Numerous organizations have started community services and relief operations as their concern spreads throughout the country about the unfortunate children and families especially now that the current situation of the country is deprived in pandemic.

“We may be students, but we can do so much that can create a significant impact to the nation,” stated Elaisha.

In sending humanitarian aid, a family will receive kits and necessities such as blankets, mosquito nets, and other hygiene essentials that they can use while they are still in the midst of seeking refuge in temporary shelters.

“As what Mother Teresa said, ‘It is not how much you give but how much love you put into what to do that counts’. Truly, small actions with great love can move mountains,” Elaisha cited.

As sun will rise again to begin another day, and the afterimage of the disaster replays within the vortex of the whirlwind, every second of time that passes gives assurance in what tomorrow may bring. Crossing boundaries armed with soldiers of relief are what one could expect.

In times of crisis, Augustinians embodied with Unitas, Veritas, and Caritas will always extend a helping hand.

FEATURE • PAG E B5

FEATURE • PAG E B 6

SPECTACLE • PAGE B7

THE RISE BY THE FALL

PIECES THAT STAY

THE TIMES ARE CHANGIN’

With COVID-19 emptying churches and disallowing crowd gathering, religious Filipino traditions have taken an unfamiliar route.

Standing up for the things that one thinks would make the world a better place is a matter of perspective.

As the world faltered with the weight of COVID-19, a platform strengthened along with the implementation of home isolation and lockdown.

B10 Augustinian the

Volume LXVII November 20, 2020

FORUM COVID NOW, 2022 ELECTION LATER?

Augustinians’ take on the proposed suspension of the 2022 Presidential Elections

BY J OA NNA WA Y NE S. HORN E JA

After almost a year under intensive quarantine measures and health protocols due to the global pandemic brought by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Philippines still struggles adjusting to the changes the new normal has in store. It is in this light that Pampanga 2nd District Representative Mikey Arroyo proposed the idea of postponing the 2022 national elections during the deliberations of the proposed 2021 budget of the Commission on Elections last September 24 as its conduct is, by nature, against the imposed health protocols of physical distancing and can easily trigger an outbreak if handled poorly.

ARTWORK BY JOHN PATRICK SANTIL L AN

Health security measures such as maintaining social distancing and quarantining will most likely be disregarded during the conduct of the Philippine elections: from voters’ registration, filing of candidacy, political campaigns and until the voting day itself.

It is important to bear in mind that the risks of triggering an outbreak should not cost the Filipino people’s freedom

of suffrage. Other countries such as the United States has successfully conducted their recent Presidential Elections provided that every voter was abiding with the imposed health measures.

If the said proposal for the postponement of the 2022 Philippine Elections will be approved, incumbent elected politicians will also get to extend months or even years of their

terms in their respective offices.

Members of the Augustinian Community ponder on the question, “Do you think there is a necessary need for the postponement of the 2022 Presidential Elections?

Why or why not?” The Augustinian conducted online interviews among members of the school community and gathered their opinions. Hear them out and join the discussion.

“There is no legal grounds to postpone the election.

The constitution clearly mentioned the dates of the presidential election. If they are concern about the pandemic that will still bepresent at that time, COMELEC will provide strict protocols or even a method for public health safety. We must balance suffrage and our safety.”

Edren Buday Senate President, USASG

“There is no necessity to move the 2022 Presidential Elections, why not focus on Nationwide Mass Testing first and address COVID pandemic situation here in PH. It is still more than a year away and certainly, people are already looking forward to it due to the lack of competency in the current administration.

There is no need to salt the wounds and make the country suffer any longer. There is a vaccine supposedly already on the way. It should arrive by April 2021 which leaves about a year before the election.”

Jules Filly Baldon Governor, Junior Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists

“I disagree with the suggestion of the good gentleman to postpone the scheduled National and Local Elections on May 2022.

Besides the fact that such proposal is unconstitutional on the ground that the schedule of our regular elections is set by the Constitution, such suggestion leaves a bad taste on our public officials who will clearly benefit from the same with an extended term. The pandemic is not a sufficient reason to prevent our people from holding their public officials accountable through an election. Other countries were able to successfully hold elections without surge in infection rates, such as the US and South Korea.

Hence, perceived basis of the gentleman’s suggestion does not have any clear scientific or medical proof. What should rather be done is to proceed with the scheduled elections while abundantly cautioning our voters to strictly observe all proper health protocols.”

Atty. Nestor Jeremy Moreno Faculty, College of Liberal Arts Sciences and Education

“Constitutionally, the 2022 Presidential Elections must push through. Even the United States of America has continued their elections despite the pandemic, although they are not a good example due to their astounding number of COVID-19 cases. The Commission on Elections must plan out the 2022 Elections as soon as possible, and must be able to counter-act the situation of our country by the means of innovation and technology.”

Jeric Anatan

Coordinator, Registered School’s Organization

“For me, there is no need for the postponement of the 2022 National Elections. The proposed idea contradicts the regularity intended by the 1987 Constitution. Another aspect to be considered is the term of office of the incumbent officials which will end on June 30, 2022. To guarantee the continuity of democratic life of each Filipino registered voter, the 2022 National Elections must not be postponed. Besides, we still have time to prepare and plan for it, taking into consideration the safety and security of the people and their respective votes as well.”

Pauline Clores 2nd Year, College of Law

“The postponement of the 2022 Presidential Election is like holding the Philippines in a stranglehold. As a citizen of a democratic country, we need to exercise our power and right to vote to elect a leader who takes responsibility, not some mere excuses for their selfish ambitions. The postponement of the election clearly violates the 1987 constitution and will lead to disputes and complications, contravenes the regulatory principle in the conduct of an election, extends the terms of elected officials without being re-elected, and deprives the voters by the ballot of demanding transparency from elected officials.”

“I believe that the proposition lacks strong arguments for us to be convinced in pushing through with the postponement of the election. Rep. Mikey Arroyo is worried about the possibility that the COVID-19 will still be a threat during that time. He also shared that he heard a lot of grievances from businessmen and old people saying that they would not just vote during that day because of fear of the COVID-19 virus. However, countries such as Sri Lanka, Belarus, Singapore, South Korea, and recently, the United States of America, successfully held elections amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Catherine Lobaton 2nd Year, BS Psychology

Voltaire Bitalac Jr., Grade 12 HUMSS Student

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

B11

FEATURES A COVID Survivor’s Tale: ‘Selfless despite being Helpless’

S t or ie s h urt , sto ri es he a l; a fr a y a g a i ns t t h e u n s e e n o p p o n e n t

BY PAULINE C. ARADA

*Trisha, who is a first year surgical resident who works seven days a week, wakes up one morning with an unfamiliar and eerie feeling—her mind thoroughly wrung out, and her brain feels like popping out of her head; she is now physically battling with the ‘unknown’.

DAY ONE: SYMPTOMATIC CONCLUSIONS The first hint Trisha had that something wasn’t right was on a Saturday.

A week before she was diagnosed with COVID, she had been having usual migraine since she had been on her 24hour shift again yet unable to go home because her OR schedule was packed the following day and she, along with her colleagues, had finished almost 2 o’clock in the morning.

“I already know that

something was wrong, yet I couldn’t come up with a conclusion yet,” said Trisha.

She felt more tired than normal and by the time she went to bed she was already feeling exhausted. That was a particularly a tough weekend.

She had excruciating headaches, soon she started to have cold that she didn’t mind it at first.

Then the fever set in.

DAY TWO: LOCKDOWN WITH ANXIETIES Pain medications were no longer working for her, and she was already self-medicating strong analgesics.

The headaches felt like something was crushing her head—dizzy, nauseated and having blurring of vision. She started to notice that food tasted different— everything was too bland and she couldn’t taste anything at all.

Despite her colds, she still went to the hospital. She was already coming down with the flu—approximately between 37.9 to 40 degrees. By that time, she was coughing with associated body malaise and experiencing loose watery stools, not to mention her headache was getting worse.

When she went home later that day, she was having suspicions and felt that she should have herself tested after confirming that she couldn’t taste anything, and the awaited part just happened.

“I tested positive for COVID-19 last October 24, 2020.

The night before I got tested I was already having suspicions especially my lack of taste. On that same day, we had a rapid antigen test done which came out positive and an RT PCR test was also done. Our RT PCR result showed a positive result last October 25, 2020,” stated Trisha.

DAY THREE: FLATTENING THE CURVE OF CYNICISM She would sit in the corner

ARTWORK BY LEUNAMME PABION

The universe is always on Trisha’s side each day as she wakes up before 6:30 am hits her. She puts on her scrubs in white or pastel colors, and shoes with impermeable capacity to dampness. She ties her hair in a tight ponytail, and looks into her full-length mirror one more time, before heading to a 24-shift work for at least four days. She has been working for almost three years in the hospital—one year clerkship, and one year of post-graduate internship.

Extending work hours aside from her regular shifts due to lack of manpower and availability of operating rooms are often her predicaments; assuming she can go on extended duty hours as late as two o’clock in the morning the following days.

“We do rounds of all our admitted patients. We see both pre-operative and post-operative patients.

When it’s your duty day, you cover the whole hospital from Emergency Room to Wards (clean cases, pulmonary cases, as well as COVID cases).

You also do procedures like suturing of wounds, wound dressing, assisting in bedside procedures,” shared Trisha.

Little did she know that the next few days will be a life-changing-moment for her as she went on with her daily routine.

after preparing a cup of hot coffee herself. She then cleaned their small room; took out the trash or washed their dishes— just making sure she would still do her daily routine. As time went by, Netflix became her best buddy, not to mention she would secretly cry in the bathroom— silently suffering within herself.

The cycle goes on for constantly eight days before she was discharged and had to complete self-isolation for another six days.

“I cannot deny that I was angry for contracting COVID-19.

You feel depressed and helpless.

I couldn’t imagine that I’m still selfless despite being helpless,” the first line Trisha said when asked for her experiences after being diagnosed with COVID. Although Trisha was consistently reconnecting with her peers and family through online, she couldn’t deny the fact that she still felt alone, angry, and frustrated—she eventually resorted to silently crying again each night, mourning a counterfeit loss of her everyday life. Nevertheless, Trisha set her faith back to the Almighty, and to herself for fighting with the ‘unknown’.

“At home I had to strictly stay in my room. My meals were left outside my room. But this time I started working out again.

Dancing was also something I did while on quarantine. I would also talk to mom, and reconnected with friends abroad,” shared Trisha.

F ILE PH OTO • RAPPLER (A LEX ONGC AL)

DAY FOUR: TO A NEW COMMUNITY

ISOLATED NORMAL

“COVID-19 resolves on its own. As doctors, we simply treat the symptoms of the patient,” opined Trisha.

The heroes are the frontliners the health authorities like Trisha, military and police personnel, journalists, food delivery drivers, government employees, bank employees,

janitors, garbage truck collectors, and traffic personnel are the fictional superheroes that both manifests bravery and compassion. They may not have superpowers like that of Superman, but their knowledge, skills, and bravery are what make them heroes.

“We may have taken an oath to serve but that doesn’t mean that we forget to protect ourselves. Pray for your health.

Pray for your patients. Pray for your family. I know that everybody is exhausted and overworked already but we have to be strong,” said Trisha.

Jennifer Nepomuceno, a 27-year-old homemaker, was also tested positive in COVID. She went through numerous hospitals and eventually settled in Ninoy Aquino Stadium (NAS), at a new COVID-19 treatment center. On April 21, she was tested negative twice and by April 30, she was one of the four patients who successfully discharged from NAS. She told her story in an exclusive interview with Meralco Powerclub.

Carla Villanueva Manas, an executive coach, shared her insights as a COVID survivor during an interview with World Health Organization (WHO), “I was afraid to tell people that I had COVID-19 because of possible stigma and they may blame me for the virus, but I knew informing my contacts

was the responsible thing to do.

So I reached out to them and I was surprised to receive support and kind words.”

As of November 23 after seven months of enhanced community quarantine, there were 420,614 COVID 19 cases, 8,173 have died, and 386,604 have recovered; numerous frontliners died because of their bravery to be soldiers while fighting against the highly contagious disease.

“Let us remember that we are doing this for our family.

We must choose to stay strong, this pandemic will be over soon.

Let’s just trust the process!” stated Trisha upon encouraging everyone to never lost hope amid the pandemic.

This COVID-19 pandemic calls for an understanding of each other’s stories. Everyone has their own story of how they are dealing with the crisis. For the frontliners, their journey to work and doing their job may feel like being in a battle with the enemy, only that they do not have superpowers.

Currently Trisha is on her fifth month as a Surgical Resident—recovering silently, as she nearly touched a hint of demise yet she trusts the slow process of healing herself.

“Everything takes time— we’ll just have to wake up every day and keep fighting until the battle is over,” stated Trisha. *not her real name

B12 Augustinian the

Volume LXVII November 20, 2020

FEATURES In the Eyes of a Pandemic Soldier Gearing up amid the struggles to combat a deadly foe pass by are exceptionally slow and demanding. All the medication and interventions they do to help the patients survive are coupled with the devastating reality that many of their patients fail to do so. This led Joy to be grateful with every moment spent with her family and the opportunity to be there for them in times of need. Yet, seeing deaths every day brought upon by COVID-19 only makes Joy a lot more anxious, but most of all, extremely worried for the welfare of her family.

USA PUB PHOTOS • ROTSEN AGREDA

THE ON-GOING BATTLE

B Y H ONEY MA BELLE V ILLA RBA

Whispers of faith seem to echo along with every step made in narrow corridors under blinding lights as the soldier enters the battlefield. With this on-going fight against the COVID-19, our heroes in the front line remain unyielding in high hopes of defeating the unseen enemy.

She sighed as she felt the numbness of her feet after a taxing 12-hour shift. Unsure of whether that sigh was a sign of relief or a heavy heart, she continued to trudge her way on the livid floor as if every step is a declaration of war against a

massive risk. A risk, no matter how big, she’s willing to take for the oath she swore for. She slightly shook her head to clear her thoughts and put on her most genuine smile as she twists the door knob. The view languidly creaked open; headstrong and

hopeful she remained as she refuses to be crippled by the foe that took the life of many of her patients.

“Working during the pandemic, it is especially in these times that I strengthen my faith.

I pray for safety for this is such a big challenge coupled with big risks, however, the safety of the patient is always our top priority,” Joy Pangalilingan, a nurse, expressed in an interview with The Augustinian.

For Joy, a Filipina nurse based in New Jersey, the days that

The fight against the pandemic has been unrelenting yet people are slowly getting used to the new normal imposed by the virus. However, for those who are near the contact of the virus, this situation never gets easy.

For health care professionals, a multitude of heavy baggage is trampled upon their shoulders.

The workload, stress, hazards, and the maximal exposure to risk made their jobs a harder ordeal than it was before.

“I fear that I’ll eventually be infected too, but more than that, the growing concern that I may bring the virus to my family is what troubles me most. There are times that I am left to think if it’s really worth it as the image of my daughter and husband flashes before my eyes. Yet, aside from the practicality that I have to earn, this is the profession I took an oath for and I cannot forgo a responsibility I am most needed at,” she stated.

Aside from the mental tribulation that they experience, the job is equally physically draining too.

Wearing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for hours of duty while having all their body covered up makes it a lot harder for them to breathe and function efficiently.

Whereas, they know that these health protocols are of utmost necessity to keep them safe from the virus. Undoubtedly, what

In Hopes of Tomorrow

In every apocalyptic plague that has ever been depicted through movies or history itself there is one thing in common, a cure never comes easy.

B Y J EFF TOLENTINO With eyes fixed through the narrow path his feet threads, his consciousness forbids to take mercy in the begs of his curiosity to gaze within pale painted walls. The beds still scream squeaks in every turn, the beeps play the same rhythm as the lights of green and red puts up a feud on who is to go first. Blankets have been turned and the same lofty pillows cradle a burdened body. Everything is where they used to be, as so he wishes it were the same to the masters the beds serve. Deaf to every gasp and moans, his senses are dulled to but one thing – the development of a cure.

A STEP BACK TO MOVE FORWARD With an estimate of having infected ten percent of the world’s population and is continuously rising, the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) urgently needs addressing. With various health organization worldwide centered in the development of cures and eradication of millennium’s most deadly diseases exhausting their resources and time in combating the pandemic, a vaccine is still far from realization. Despite boasting major milestones and novel discoveries in the field of medicine, why is it that vaccine development takes long?

“There are several vaccines in late stage clinical trials, but we don’t yet know which of those will work in different populations. It

remains to be seen what kind of vaccine we will have and there is a chance that we might not have one as well,” shared The Economist Health-care correspondent Slavea Chankova.

Vaccines and the concept of vaccination has only been extensively researched and developed in the middle of the 20th century, the first innovation of vaccines was already pioneered

by Edward Jenner, an English physician and scientist in 1796.

Jenner used materials from cowpox pustules to stimulate immunity. Some 200 years later through various technological and medical innovations resulted in the eradication of smallpox – the biggest achievement in

international public health.

The vaccines that have existed until now have required a generous amount of time to be develop, some like HIV vaccines which still needs more, to be even realized. To make a vaccine of a disease one must go through the tedious and meticulous process of understanding the disease itself and the agent that causes it. Not to mention the huge amount of finances that it requires, and resources needed.

“It would probably take a couple of years at least even if we have a successful vaccine available as soon as this year (2020), and that’s because manufacturing capacity around the world is limited. Some experts believe that through the end of 2021 we may have just about 2 billion doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, that’s nowhere near enough to cover the entire world,” added Chankova.

INTO THE UNKNOWN Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) is the agent that causes COVID-19. It is an enveloped -coronavirus that belongs in the family of Coronaviridae. From

the latin word corona or halo coronaviruses are named in such way because of the crown-like spikes on their surface. It is believed to be zoonotic in origin due to its genetic resemblance to the that of bat coronaviruses.

“The large majority of human infections have their origins from animals. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, they have the largest RNA genome and RNA unlike DNA is less stable and there’s a lot of changes that occur which makes it quite easy for these viruses to adapt and modify to change their behavior and is because this virus is so particularly adept at being transmissible before it is causing disease symptoms that we now have a global pandemic,” shared Jonathan Heeney a Professor of Comparative Pathology at the University of Cambridge.

The main receptor of the virus in the body is the angiotensinconverting enzyme 2 (ACE 2) expressed within various types of cells. However, newer finding suggests that due to variance in tissue tropism, additional host factors maybe involved such as neutropilin-1 (NRP1).

we usually see in the front view are the heroic stories and myth, but behind the scenes, it is the exhaustion, anxiety, consistent effort amid the difficulty which makes them notable heroes who deserve to be showered by acts and thoughts of gratitude.

PURPOSE DEDICATION

FUELS

Life at hospitals is already tough, but given this pandemic, things are set on to a new level of difficult. This is especially true for the front liners who gave so much of themselves to help people without asking anything in return.

During the talk, Joy reiterated, “In these times, all I can really do is be courageous even when I’m always shaken by fear. Of course, I can’t just think of myself for there are people who need me. And to be there for them is my purpose.”

During the interview, she expressed that once they’re on duty, there is non-stop action.

Even before the pandemic, emergencies always call for them to stop eating or contain the call of nature for time is really crucial.

Now, they have to do it in full gear which is honestly uncomfortable but essential. Yet, they who battle with life and death every day can only draw strength from the simple little moments which let them feel how worthy and vital their role is. From the sincere appreciation they get from the patient’s family; the spur of joy coming from reviving a patient.

Every tear from a patient who’s desperate to live gave them hope that after this catastrophe, there are only better days ahead. For her, and for the thousands of front liners readily serving the community, she’d rather exhaust herself as long as she gets to help and rescue people.

HOPE OF THROUGH

GETTING

Just like the past trials that

These findings need to be considered by vaccine developers to formulate an effective long-lasting vaccine.

Unlike other families of RNA viruses that have high mutation rates due to the absence of RNA polymerase proofreading, coronaviruses have the capacity for proofreading during replication, and therefore mutation rates are lower. An aspect of SARS-CoV-2 that vaccine developers may exploit as the virus that causes COVID-19 does not have its strength in diversity.

A WAITING GAME By the end of 2020, there are currently 54 vaccines in clinical trials in humans and at least 87 preclinical vaccines under animal trials as published by The New York Times coronavirus vaccine tracker. This includes vaccines developed by pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi.

Although sheer numbers of vaccine in trials may mirror a progress, only a few of them or even none can be approved for mass production and use.

Before these vaccines can be available in the market, there are various phase that these vaccines must go through: Preclinical testing, phase I safety trials, phase II expanded trials, phase III efficacy trials, early limited approval, and approval. Even if a vaccine has made it to the approval phase, it

came by and passed, this too shall end. Until then, the front-line workers seek cooperation and unity that people will practice discipline and responsibility that this global enemy shall soon be eradicated. The will to keep going is consistent for they still see it as a service which is worthwhile and meaningful.

The outpour of support from everyone – the private sectors, the local government and even the common citizens is overwhelming and made these heroes feel the significance of their role in this present fight.

“I hope and pray for my fellow healthcare workers to carry on and continue the good deeds that they do. God empowers us to help others. To the people, I hope we will all be responsible so that we may end this torment as earliest possible,”she concluded.

Emphasizing that this will only end if we see it as something serious and deadly; she hoped for recovery to come soon. Truly, for Joy who has served in the hospital for years now and had lived her life giving aid to patients; this challenge was deemed as a mission.

She saw the patient slowly form a smile as she entered the room. The side of her vision caught the mother worriedly looking at her child diagnosed with the virus. She gave her a reassuring nod and the worry slowly evolved into relief. At the back of her mind, she is convinced that this is what she’s meant to do and what she is here for. Helping her patients regardless the mounting risk and doing her best to give hope are still the reasons that wake her up every morning. She knew that today’s ordeal of COVID-19 may look like a thick wall, impossible to defeat, yet cracks are everywhere. Soon, the light will get in and a day will come where all is well. In time, in full smiles we will be seen and healing shall be known to us.

would still be under observation for adverse side effects and can be recalled if proven to have any.

Preclinical testing involves administering the vaccine in cells and testing them on animals to observe for an immune response.

Once successful it moves to the phase 1-3 trials where a vaccine’s safe dosage, elicited immune response, and efficacy are determined in human trials.

After these parameters have been established a vaccine may be given to an early or limited approval for use. Although experts have warned of serious risks, China and Russia have approved several vaccines.

Vaccines that are being developed involve the introduction of viral mRNA and other methods such as DNA based and the use of bacterial cells to produce viral proteins in the body and have the adaptive immune response to develop antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 without developing COVID-19.

Vaccines work by providing the immune system a defensive mechanism through antibodies before disease exposure.

“We’re taking advantage of making a specific mRNA that now is not coding for cellular protein, but it’s actually coding for viral protein. The beauty of this is safe way to teach the immune system what the real intruder would look like,” shared Kathrin Jansen, Ph.D,

HOPES

TO PAGE B6

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

B13

VALEDICTION

THE RISE BY THE FALL

Unleashing opportunities along the lengthened distance

USA PUB PHOTOS • ALEXAND R A R O SE L IBAR

OLD AS NEW

B Y S HERGEN V ILLA NU EVA

There she sat still, leaning on a crumbling wall, dull, oblivious eyes fixated on the open window. The dreadful news momentarily held her breath as it amplified throughout the room. The east side of the map induced a calamitous wave even before the yuletide season could announce its arrival. Masked mouths, coated palms, white cloaks, and social detachment drastically became a forced demand. Authorities established regulations, preventive measures, and restrictions as the chaos became widespread. Domestic stocks were getting scarce, businesses were shutting down, and jobs were being lost one by one until people walked on needles, especially with holes of monetary struggles.

It was as though the sun was shining its last rays and there’s nothing for a girl staring in the oblivion to do, to equip herself for the upcoming

downpour. However, a ping of a vibrating phone changed it all. For the first time in months, she felt relief. Finally, there is something to do.

As the world faltered with the weight of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) pandemic, a platform strengthened along with the implementation of home isolation and lockdown. At first notice, the public thought of this as a new shot to living. But even so, we all know this is not uncommon anymore.

The term e-commerce was coined in 1991 after the birth of the first browser and web server.

Amazon then began the stir with a major launch of selling compact discs, computer hardware, software, videos, and books after the report of the predicted annual web commerce growth at 2,300 percent. Collateral to this, eBay also emerged with its concept of auctioning lowvalue collectibles. Consequently, in a survey conducted by Omer Rachamim through DandyLoop, there were already 12-24 million online stores as of 2014.

Meanwhile, based on Statistica, the global e-commerce sales, in terms of US dollars, escalated from 1, 336 billion in 2014 to 4, 206 billion in 2020 and needless to say, the pandemic had an immense influence on this data.

So with this new brand of the global emergence, the Philippines also racked up in the game and now possesses top players in the field of the E-commerce market through international expansions— Lazada and Shopee. These two were dubbed as the “Amazons of Southeast Asia”, leading the region to the pedestal of worldwide giants in the field with their sales that goes up from millions to billions in just a year.

The idea of online selling

had always been sitting still in the air without the majority’s attention, but as with the health conundrum and blocked personal negotiation, the stakes are indeed getting higher than before.

MONEY THROUGH WIRES Identical to the dynamics of the e-communication, income with online selling came with convenience and speed, that if the sales talk skills of the seller are on point.

“To describe it as a great help is an understatement.

It’s more than that, especially when the world halted and the academic year was pushed, a lot of financial problems arose. But with online selling, I was able to subscribe for internet data and print the materials that I need for learning,” shared Dee Yiane Salinas, one of many people who started an online business during the lockdown.

Moreover, aside from personal benefit, the general populace is also in the expense partition as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) administered the Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 55-2013 dated August 5, 2013 (RMC No. 55-2013) to enunciate the tax obligations of online businessmen, making E-commerce as one of the contributors of the Philippine economy.

Through the e-selling’s handing of necessities, particularly in the financial aspect of not just the minority of the public but also to the bigger picture of life in times of crisis, it goes to show that we can live harmoniously with, or even prevail chaos.

THE VILLAINS FIELD

IN

Rubbing the remainders of sleep out of my eyes and gazing at the window upon waking, sunlight extended across a dull sky, I awoke to soft sheets. The morning light trickled in through the blinds, knocking me sideways with memories.

Neither bustling corridors nor cluttered classrooms can be seen on the first day of school, obscure announcements cannot be heard.

No long lines at the school gates and excited students wearing their school uniforms. Neither will be there be sounds of chatters, giggles and high-fives. Laughter sounds along the halls, joined with excited conversations transformed into waking up with the rambunctious alarm clock, preparing with our cameras and microphones, getting ready for an online class.

As classes transitioned into blended learning modality in this new normal, some students have discovered that they are in rapture studying at their own pace, setting their own schedule, and are over the moon being away at the nerveracking environment of school.

However, others recount the challenges of distance learning, from grappling to understanding

assignments, grasping at straws just to pass activities whenever they are due, getting easily distracted to not having reliable internet, and even have found an outlet for their frustrations through Twitter articulating the hashtag #AcademicFreeze.

“I always see learning in school as an interesting process, and at the same time mingling with others. Learning became a process of compliance instead of absorbing knowledge, and mental breakdowns became rampant. It was too draining to [be] get used to it,” shared Rodney Arnolf Opuan, a student.

INTERNET FREEZES ONLINE CLASSES. Online classes are dependent on technology and these issues are bound to happen in an online environment. Now that students are learning and working from

DISTRACTIONS Online learning may be convenient to the students but it brings distractions and challenges, worrying anyone with their obligations and responsibilities can slip through the cracks. As an online student, your learning environment is often your home, and these distractions may seem nearly impossible to avoid.

Ton of potential distractions are existing at home including social media, television, or even household chores, which can pull one’s attention away from the task at hand and diminish productivity.

Online students need to create

As I wake up, cold meets the warmth of my body, shedding myself of the remaining glimpses of great memories before casting me from a universe draped in a pure black velvet. And so this day will pass as if we are in dire straits, not in the precipice of total failure but from the nightmares that demand solutions.

E-commerce rose from the insurmountable fires of the current situation. It came from the ashes of destruction and later on became a symbol of hope.

And although many people took advantage of it, let us remember that at the very least, we were given an opportunity and that we were able to rise by the fall.

In every realm, there is an opposition. It could be for victory or much more the wreckage of their counterweight.

Scrambling to survive the new learning environment home, access to the Internet has become a sore spot for the Philippines lately with unreliable service providers and poor quality making the learners frustrated and decreasing their efficiency in learning.

Stated in the Internet Quality Index, which measures the average broadband capacity, mobile download speeds and mobile stability, the Philippines chugs along at 77, placing it among the countries with the slowest and least stable Internet.

handle the demands of distance learning and are privileged to have quality education.

It is critical to consider both the pros and cons of online learning so you can be better prepared to face the challenge of working in this new environment and embrace the new opportunities that it has to offer.

THE PHOENIX

THE

Online class, Offline trouble B Y SH ARA INE GHA IL TA A C A

Baylon argued that he did not use the cash on delivery option because he utilized his Lazada wallet.

Apart from the users’ hurdles in this new side of social commerce, the chief executives are also facing the offenders, much more at the upper front.

For instance, Ray Alimurung, CEO of Lazada Philippines shared struggles with the cashon-delivery payment because of the high cost of logistics.

However, despite the tolls of these challenges, Alimurung sees the side wherein the company is evolving even with the pandemic and so, they still continue to administer solutions along the booming of e-commerce by responding rapidly to changes and consumer needs, and focusing on business continuity while engaging in the community.

With the chance of outliving the pandemic through the online marketplace, problems will always be there along the way for exactly how it should be, but we can choose to dominate them with distinct solutions.

structure to ensure they stay on track to achieve their academic goals.

ACADEMIC WORK OVERLOAD Students are not only bombarded with countless assignments and projects, but they also have to find a way to manage their extracurricular activities.

Mollie Galloway PhD, shows that although students who spend more time doing homework are sometimes more behaviorally engaged, they also tend to be more anxious, and report more physical symptoms due to stress.

According to counselors Jessica Oyoque and Courtney Brown at Michigan State University Counseling and Psychiatric Services, feelings of isolation due to the lack of faceto-face interaction are just one of the many pitfalls of digital learning. In the unprecedented age of COVID-19, anxiety by the unknown can disrupt online schooling.

Online learning during the pandemic has struggled under the weight of such expectations and failed to live up to its considerable potential for not all students can

ARTWOR K BY KEND RA FEL IZMA RIE MAGSI CO

In this rushing current of a pandemic, a chance with the face of a digital landscape had risen and this reverse card is called online selling.

But one thing is for sure, there is an escape if you want to.

Aside from the other trends, vlogging also kept up with the pace with its concept of pranks. These videos are posted on social media platforms and some of them can actually be a way for de-stressing. Boredom and squalor, however, really are a great havoc that most people resorted to the extremities. With the ascendancy of these notions, some took it to their advantages and made online selling as their target since consumers in this area often consider things without doubt. Balancing the weights, both the seller and the buyer can be villains.

On a Reddit discussion, a seller shared that last June 18, a guy pranked her by purchasing four separated orders of goods worth 6, 260 through cash on delivery. Shopee gives out penalties for sellers who cancel orders so the seller had no choice. On July 22, however, all the goods were rejected by the customer at the doorstep.

When the seller contacted the customer, he laughed and blocked her number.

Incidentally, a similar event occurred last September in the report of RMN Iloilo. Arthur Baylon was scammed by an online seller after he ordered a brand-new laptop worth 23, 699 in Lazada that he intended to use for his virtual classes. But, upon opening the parcel, he received three pieces of rocks instead.

When accused of being careless,

B14 Augustinian the

Volume LXVII November 20, 2020

FEATURE

PIECES THAT STAY The pretense of predictability in change and chance

The wind brushed the grass, flinging loose blades into untouched graves. Listening closely, one could almost hear it whisper, “Hush!” in a shaky voice as if it was a restless soul forced to wander.

Such was the scene Melan walked into when she left candles on her mother’s grave on November 5.

U SA P U B P H OTO • R OTSEN AGR EDA

Emptiness all around in a place normally full, her mind rattled, “What pieces mattered, and what did not?”

Whatever religious sentiments (or lack thereof) one may have, faith traditions are universally acknowledged.

Going into the twelfth month since its emergence, COVID-19 has left Filipino traditions searching for a candela to light the way.

PAST THE BOOKS’ COVER Catholicism has embedded devotion, practices and celebrations that are imparted from generations to generations. Impacted within the stronghold of faith of over 87 million Filipinos devotees, straying away from these heritages would cost forever to happen. With strong religious beliefs rooted from the past ancestral readings, the culture in the Philippines never gets lost in translation even with the distance among the regions.

Varying from jovial crowd gatherings, food, and, music, the list of events goes on as we delve deeper into the customs of our elders’ teachings. As much as time can tell, since Filipinos value the appraisal of the significance of family ties, preparations for these ceremonies can be as grand as it gets.

BY XE N A HYACIN T H E ST IN OSO AN D HA N N A H J HA N YL L E P O “We start in the morning.

We finish in the evening,” Former Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales emphasized.

To a certain extent, all traditions work this way. In an article published by Donna Rockwell, a psychologist and columnist on PsychAlive, traditions serve as the compass for the bonds and shared meanings. They satisfy the need for some pretense of predictability in a game of chance and change, and ultimately, develop civilized societies.

Conclusively, she added that when one honors traditions, we learn to honor ourselves, and in the final analysis, each other.

However, as the dawn

of the 21st century pandemic knocked on the country’s door, all the lights are suddenly out, the books are utterly closed, and the songs are slowly turned off. Everyone is obliged to avoid physical contact and be isolated until the day that no one knows.

From patron festivities and birthdays to town fests and visitations for the deceased - how far can we go past the books’ cover of who we are as Filipinos?

WALKING UNPAVED

ON

ROADS

With the disclosure of the pandemic came a path that no one knew how to walk on. Community quarantines, physical distancing, swab

testing, mass gathering bans, and domestic and international travel restrictions imposed by the government -it was a new life people were reluctant to live.

When health authorities raised the highest COVID-19 alert level in the Philippines last March, many dioceses also suspended the public celebrations of the Holy Mass and other religious activities in their parishes. This was after the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) gave the local dioceses the discretion whether or not to postpone events and gatherings.

Consequently, in April, the large gathering for the Holy Week Celebration of the Church was cancelled. Late this year,

cemeteries, columbariums and memorial parks were closed from October 28 to November 4 cancelling the customary All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day visit.

The four-month celebration of Christmas in the Philippines may be barely saved.

The celebration of this festive season will be different in so many ways now that Christmas caroling has been banned in many areas in the country.

With COVID-19 emptying churches and disallowing crowd gathering, religious Filipino traditions have taken an unfamiliar route. Ever so suddenly, the ceremonies with a crowd of the faithful became a solemn and solitary moment of the pious believer on his phone.

While traditions grasp for space in the new world, the digital dimension offered a haven for the continuity of traditions.

USA PU B PHOTOS • MA RIA C RIS TY DAGUAY

FROM PAGE B4

Pfizer Head of Vaccine Research and Development in an interview with WIRED. Approaching from a different perspective while fixed on the same outcome INOVIO’s DNA based vaccines also levels the field.

“INOVIO’s DNA vaccine works by injecting snippets of DNA as a vaccine into the person’s skin cells. The DNA once delivered

instruct the cells to manufacture the antigens encoded by the DNA and once this antigens are produced by the body, the immune system of that person reacts to it by generating strong immune response against those antigens,” shared Joseph Kim, Director of INOVIO pharmaceuticals Inc. in the same interview.

With the same goal in mind Peter Jay Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Dean at National School of Tropical Medicine,

Baylor College of Medicine team is also in development of a proteinbased vaccine.“ Our recombinant protein vaccine contains pieces of the pathogen that we’re hoping to protect against. You’re basically immunizing with a piece of a virus and that piece is genetically engineered into yeast. The way our vaccine works is we formulate it with alum to make it more immunogenic, and then inject it to illicit an immune response

consisting of antibody and also T cells. A protein together with the aluminum, what’s called adjuvant, has the ability to directly stimulate the production of antibodies.

That’s in contrast to an RNA or DNA vaccine whereby the RNA or DNA has to be taken up by a cell and then one of your own host cell has to manufacture parts of the protein and then present it to the immune response,” explained Hotez.

THE PIECES THAT STAY

The emergence of COVID-19 paved the modern route of digital and online technology. Celebrations of the Holy Mass were streamed live on Facebook and other social media platforms when large gatherings were prohibited. The Holy Week, a week- long commemoration of the Paschal Mystery of Christ which normally gathers a large group of believers for communal prayer, continued online amid the pandemic.

Traditions continue to thrive, proven even in farflung parish communities in the Philippines, which although have little to no COVID-19 cases took safety precautionary measures as well.

“Our reach became limited due to the pandemic. We can no longer gather a large group of believers, but the Church finds ways to adapt to these trying

“Talking with her with lighted candles on her grave is the same as talking to her in my prayers with eyes closed,” Melan shared, her eyes solemn like a flickering wick. “As I do so, it comforts me that she might be listening. I do hope people will realize that a one-day celebration or a grave does not signify one’s love for a lost loved one. When they pass, that shared memory left in you, and that abyss of longing in your heart goes everywhere you go.” with this, she smiled.

Melan walked the path once again, blue skies now tangerine, that November 5. The wind brushed her every step, reminding her of the joyous breath of Christmas up ahead.

Like how candles left on marble gravestones melt into wax with the turn of a clock or how skies fade into an exuberant orange, our observance of traditions may have shifted with the tides of COVID-19 but remain the same in spirit. They are the anchors that keep us stable when everything else sways back and forth. They are the pieces that stay.

WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS Vaccine development for a novel disease is a delicate and a fragile process. Experts can only do so much when faced with an enemy they do not know about. As the battle for this health crisis does not present a clear outcome, it is imperative that one know that a cure does not come easy.

Vaccine development takes long. Finances need to be spent and resources need

to be available, a fundamental requirement the Philippines still lacks. As another nameless health practitioner loses his life what another could do is hope for a what is to come.

A cure that frees the consciousness in giving mercy to the curiosity of gazing through the pale painted walls hoping that the bed still serves the same master.

But this time with gasp and moans of euphoria.

MODERN TRADITIONS

HOPES

times. By Canon Law, a priest is only allowed to preside over three masses on a Sunday. Right now, I’m having six. The ways have been modified, but the traditions still hold the same efficacy and substance,” Rev. Fr. Ryan Jay P. Deposoy, S.V.D, a parish priest of Negros Oriental shared on an interview with The Augustinian.

In essence, our traditions are substantially the same albeit carved to fit the current context.

They still serve the purpose of bringing and directing people together in shared bonds and meanings.

The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

Triumph over Pain

“The Pursuit of Happyness” from the author’s vision of success

Have you ever pondered how your life will turn out to be, seeing this flashy, red Ferrari right in front of you? You will never know what life has to offer. In a matter of time, what seemed impossible can actually be something unimaginable.

This is a life story of a Milwaukee native named Chris Gardner, who ventured San Francisco to pursue a successful profession. Astonished, he asked the person in a red Ferrari what he did for a living. And so, he had an interest in finance. However, being an intern means having only a part of a broker’s salary until you become a full-time employee of the company. On the other hand, the mother of his son turned away from him because of unpaid assets. Nevertheless, Gardner managed to live with his son from one place to another,

even inside the subway comfort room. He was motivated not to let his son experience the same way he was abandoned by his father before. As he climbed to the top, he was able to achieve the pursuit of happiness.

Pursuit of Happyness is written by the main character himself and was filmed, starring Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith. It is a rags-toriches story of an abandoned poor boy who later became a multi-millionaire owning a brokerage firm, a big-hearted philanthropist, a renowned writer, and a motivational speaker. I was fascinated by how his life turned out to be. Instead of living in a community where poverty and violence is rampant, he went outside the borders to find himself. He had the burning passion because of his mother-

The Times are Changin’ “Paint Your Own Picture, Enola. Don’t Be Thrown Off By Other People.”

B Y HEC TO R C O FRERO S

BY MA R Y WE N AN T HON Y RIVE RA

“A long walk to Wall Street is how others describe my life.

But when I look back at the journey from homelessness to prosperity, I hold one thing dearer than all else, my commitment to my son. This is our story.” -Chris Gardner

B15

an inspiration of love, patience and hard work. He owed himself, his success, to the people, so he generously gave back to them to achieve their true capabilities as well.

Pursuit of Happyness, a product of h a r d w o r k and sacrifice a m i d s t judgements and despair, a good one to read. Here’s a message from Chris Gardner: “The future was uncertain, absolutely, and there were many hurdles, twists, and turns to come, but as long as I kept moving forward, one foot in front of the other, the voices of fear and shame, the messages

from those who wanted me to believe that I wasn’t good enough, would be stilled.”

Maybe, a red Ferrari will appear before you shortly. You just have to believe in Him, in your family and friends, and in yourself because what you really want in life will be granted, as long as you are ready to give your best in every possibility and opportunity that life has to offer. A life worth pursuing is a life worth living, you just have to hold on and make it happen.

No Song Without HONNE HONNE’s tunes the world of music through imperfect compositions of harmony

“Perhaps, it’s a world that needs changing.”

BY PA U LINE MA R IE A RADA

Whether it’s keeping ‘Warm on a Cold Night’ or being there for their fans since ‘Day 1’, HONNE’s music always left bullet points to their fans. Currently, the British electronic duo dropped their latest ‘lockdown’ mixtape after two years on hiatus.

The word HONNE translates into the idea of true feelings and desires in Japanese, could not be a more accurate depiction of the British’s duo’s sound— Andy Clutterbuck and James Hatcher have released No Song Without You as a mixtape with a transitional atmospheric adlib snippets lasting less than a minute and full-length singles.

The said mixtape is far from the definition of ‘perfect,’ yet HONNE unraveled jigsaw puzzles that form a masterpiece when put together.

“It was kind of liberating to do something creative and not worry too much about it being a perfectly formed album like I think we always worried about before. ” opined Hatcher.

One Way to Tokyo, as one of the songs mentioned

KAMOTE

by Clutterbuck, expressed raw emotions, when he felt sending his wife off at Heathrow airport.

The song entails his wife’s trip to Tokyo for six months. The harmony embellished both in No Song Without You and One Way to Tokyo is a refreshing addition to HONNE’s musical proficiency.

The song almost feels like a companion when someone feels alone, empty, or when the world is in chaos. Taking on a polyphonic approach, the harmonization of voices allows one to envision a blank slate of loneliness and yearning.

“We made Andy’s voice the main instrument and then worked the music to complement it, which was a fun way of working around it,” said Hatcher.

HONNE only wrote two-thirds of No Song Without You before the outgrowing pandemic, the lockdown in United Kingdom has seen them finishing up every last bit of the album in their respective town then released it as a gift to their listeners.

“We really wanted our mixtape to play a role in comforting people, because I think everyone’s having various degrees of an awful time,” said Clutterbuck. The

NI KENDRA FELIZIMARIE MAGSICO

overarching theme will be the positive message conveying encouragement to stick with each other despite the difficult time in their lives.

The lyrics ‘support your community’, ‘pay someone a compliment’, ‘spend time with your family’, ‘tell them you love them, they won’t be around forever’ are from their song Smile more smile more smile more that has left a great impact for the listeners, thus ending the mixtape on a reflective tone. This song was a timely reminder written for the listeners to appreciate their lives and live the moment while they still can. At the other end of highlights and predictability comes the oh-so culturally relevant, S o c i a l d i s t a n c i n g, talked about the first world struggle as well as reminding everyone to be careful with all the global happenings surrounding.

Almost all of their songs have this certain rhythm where a person would enjoy being alone, driving in an empty road, windows down, and enjoying the aroma of solitude. The record does something new, however, with its acoustic undertones, which give it a homely, soothing sound that is perfectly tailored

GOLDEN EGG

to the circumstances it has been released in. With the global lockdown, HONNE’s songs will satisfy the listeners in their gentle upbeats and a home-made atmosphere.

HONNE also shared that they planned to have a collaboration with the likes of British singer song writer Bruno Major, as well as NIKI during quarantine. The Indonesian rising star was also featured in a 28-second snippet ‘iloveyoumorethanicansay’ in the mixtape, a track which fans are highly anticipating for a fulllength version.

Hence, HONNE awoken millions of people from being ennui, eluded by their breathtaking cross-genre songs.

Through their regular livestream sessions on Youtube, HONNE’s presence was felt by their fans worldwide even before No Song Without You, and that allowed them to connect with their fans digitally more so than ever.

NI JOSHUA PATRICK SANTILLAN

Set in the late Victorian England, Enola Holmes gives an accent and a shift of perspective from the tales of the notorious Sherlock Holmes to Enola herself. Unlike the original novel, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Enola Holmes is based on one of the pastiche novel series of the award-winning writer Nancy Springer.

Enola (Millie Bobby Brown), the estranged sister of the notorious brothers, Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft Holmes (Sam Claflin), found herself in search of their mother, Eudoria Holmes (Helena Bonham Carter), who suddenly vanished. Searching clues on her disappearance, Enola sets herself on a journey to follow the trail that their mother left. In her quest, she met Viscount Tewksbury (Louis Partridge) a marquess who escaped from his family. Enola and Tewksbury find their way to London only to find themselves having twisted fates.

Jack Thorne’s screenplay of the film, adapted from Springer’s original novel, The Case of the Missing Marquess, and the direction of Harry Bradbeer, integrated a clever soliloquy on Enola’s character, narrating backstories how events have and could unfold. Moreover, production design is superb. At first glance, the distinct fashion of the Victorian era is an attention grabber, represented by tailcoats and whalebone corsets.

Lead star Millie Bobby Brown, who is also one of the producers of the film is partnered with Louis Patridge. The notable on-screen chemistry of

REGARDLESS OF ANYONE’S SEX, GENDER, RACE OR ANY UNIQUE UNALTERABLE TRAITS, NO ONE DESERVES TO BE PIGEON-HOLED TO WHAT SOCIETY WANTS THEM TO BE. EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION. Brown and Patridge is very promising.

Moreover, brief appearances of Henry Cavill and Sam Claflin’s characters, as the Holmes brothers, gave entirely the limelight to Brown’s character. Also, brief yet significant appearances on the film is of Helena Bonham Carter’ character who stirred up mystery and drama.

In addition, the context of the film is oddly relevant in the contemporary times. Enola Holmes is set in an era where English democracy is being challenged by women, known as suffragettes, who rallies for the right to vote. Seemingly sensitive, the story included women of color as part of the movement. Also, worth noting is the unstable political set-up of a young democracy which is a great example of how opposing views in a democratic society helped shaped principles of a modern liberal society. In a fragile moment of a world being changed, the fight of the women for their right to vote manifests that democratic principles will and should always seek inclusiveness. The films in its entirety raises political issues that may still be relevant in the present time.

When viewed politically, Enola Holmes’ character is a symbol how women should behave and treated in the society – free and equal among men. Enola is the embodiment of what her mother and her movement envisioned a world for women. Regardless of anyone’s sex, gender, race or any unique unalterable traits, no one deserves to be pigeon-holed to what society wants them to be. Everyone has the right to self-determination.

Standing up for the things that one thinks would make the world a better place is a matter of perspective. One can think of changing the world because he/she has seen a world that needs to be levelled off that others have not seen otherwise because maybe they are blinded by the privileges they already enjoy.

All things considered, the movie is a complete package having the blend of politics, drama, comedy and mystery. Enola Holmes is must recommend to be on top of the list of films to watch.

B16 Augustinian the

Volume LXVII November 20, 2020

PANORAMA

AMIDST THE RUINS OF CORONA

BY P A UL I N E A . A RA D A

In these times of pandemic, everything has changed. Take something as fundamental as the people’s experiences of space, wherein their mobility has become severely restricted. All these folks could have easily given up, raised their hands resigning to the fate of how things are, yet they choose to adapt and opt for better days. Perhaps it is their encounters and insights of corona time that have given them a temporal thought that as long as the sun rises, life goes on.

USA PUB PHOTOS • ROTSEN C. AGREDA AND ALEXANDRA F. LIBAR