The Bellows - Vol. LV, No. 2

FEATURE

FEATURE

Academic Turmoil

A Tale of Two Viruses

by Gian Marquez The new normal brings with it new problems.

by Aaron Araza and Enrico Estrella III COVID-19 is not the only disease the world is facing.

Story on page 6

Story on page 8

Vol. LV, No. 2 | Oct 2019 - May 2020

Bellowing the Truth to the Ends of the Earth

/aquinastbp

Outreach heads to Batangas for relief efforts

by Jason Sigales

Members and affiliates of the Aquinian community came together once again on 25 Feb, Tue, to help families affected by the Taal volcanic eruption.

This came weeks after the caldera began ejecting ash and producing volcanic lightning and earthquakes, prompting evacuation and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) declaration of Alert Level 4 in the area.

Even as evacuees head back home, traces of the January ashfall were still evident and a sense of normalcy was yet to return.

Parents’ Council contributed to donate thousands of pesos worth of supplies.

Aquinas School faculty and staff turned over relief goods to the Agoncillo municipality in Batangas.

Batangas historian and Aquinas alumnus Derrick Manas remarked, “This is the essence of People Power”.

As of 19 Mar PHIVOLCS has lowered its warning to Alert Level 1 due to decreased activity, though authorities and relief volunteers alike remain vigilant.

So, a Filipino community in Taiwan with the neighboring Santuario del Sto. Cristo parish and the

Pagbangon. Members of the Aquinian community turn over donations to Agoncillo, Batangas (Photo by André Abad)

Aquinian stars shine anew in variety show by Jethro Lagmay

Colorful celebrations close 2020 festivities

by Jason Sigales Themed Aliwan sa Aquinas, this year’s field demonstration colorfully closed the 2020 festivities.

For the first time in a decade, the field

demonstration returned to the quadrangle on Feb 1, Sat. The firstgraders came first with their matching paint and headdresses in a performance of the Pintados

Festival.

The youngest at the Kinder level came next with the Biniray Festival, featuring the Santo Niño.

Grade 4, clad in colorful costumes and bilaos, then...

Story continues on page 3 Party Time. Performers in Your Moment Aquinian take a selfie in celebration with director and Aquinas alumnus Mr. Erick Salud (Photo courtesy of Mr. Salud)

Stars-in-the-making shone on Feb 1, Saturday, in “Your Moment Aquinian”, showcasing students’ wide array of talents.

It’s Booming Bacolod! Eighthgraders perform the MassKara Festival

NEWS

SPORTS

English festivities keep love for language, literature ablaze

’87 valedictorian Mr. Roderick Salud directed the show. Mr. Salud is a director and producer for the Kapamilya network on television shows such as Doble Kara, Hawak Kamay,

and The Good Son. Performers first sang and danced to The Backstreet Boys’ Everybody, This is the Moment followed led by Humanities head Mr. Reginald Calina.

Next was Liam O’Toole’s rendition of Make it With You, Ed Aguilera and...

Story continues on page 3

FEATURE

SCIENCE

Intense games cap 2020 Intrams

Iran-US tensions, explained

The real eruption

by John Paul Javier

by Gian Marquez

by Shun Adanza

Aquinians up their game in the communication arts and show appreciation for stories once more.

Brains and brawns battle it out in this year’s games with a new twist.

Know, in detail, why the world held its collective breath at the precipice of yet another war earlier this year.

Story on page 2

Story on page 3

Story on page 7

by Gian Marquez What happens when you ignore the science, especially in the midst of a natural calamity?

Story on page 8

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NEWS

UN week immerses students in other cultures anew

by Shun Adanza The Humanities department held the annual United Nations Week on Nov 5 to 9, once more exposing Aquinians to the cultures of other countries.

Much emphasis was on geography this year with the Guess the Flag and the Guess the Capital contests held in classrooms.

For Guess the Flag, fourth-grader Shinji Xyle Dela Cruz, fifth-grader Alexxus Robin Chung, and sixth-grader Paolo Dela Cruz won in their respective levels.

For Guess the Capital, seventh-grader Eldrick Vance Barroga, eighth-grader Marc

Angelo Maki, ninth-grader Dale Edrick Sinon, and tenthgraders Joaquin Carillo and Enrico Estrella III won in their respective levels.

Man of Culture. Aquinas grade school students showcase their costumes from the many countries of the world (Photo

by Jethro Lagmay)

Grade 1 – Justice’s Indonesia with their representative Joaquim Tamondong won for the classroom design and Mr. UN in the first division.

Oct 2019 - May 2020

LRC connects community in 2019 Book Week by Enrico Estrella III The Learning Resource Center (LRC), led by head Mrs. Leonora Apuya, held the school’s annual observance of National Book Week on Nov 25 to 29.

The theme of this year’s celebration was “Inclusive.

Innovative. Interconnected.”

Grade 4 – Fortitude’s South Korea won for classroom design and fifthgrader Aaron Arcos as Mr. Japan won Mr. UN in the second division.

Junior and senior kinder students first took part in Show Us Your Color, in which Joaquin Xyon Escultura, Paul Rex Gatchalian, Daren Chaevin Samoza, and Travis Brick Martinez won.

Grade 7 – St. Antoninus’ Italy won for classroom design and ninth-grader Gabryl Paez as Mr. Germany won Mr. UN in the third division.

The activities had the themes “Promoting Communication through English Traces in Learning Spaces” and “The Better World through Literature” respectively.

The festival commenced at nine in the morning, showcasing students’ proficiency and creativity in the English language through Poem Recitation for Kinder students, Puppet Storytelling for Grades 1 to 3, Oratorical Speech for Grades 4 to 6, Extemporaneous Speech for Grades 7 to 9, and Pecha Kucha Presentation for Grades 10 to 12.

Junior Kinder student Joaquin Escultura placed third in

Poem Recitation, Senior Kinder student Paul Gatchalian placed second, and Senior Kinder student Mikhail Etabag placed first.

Third-grader Shevy Castrojas took third place in Puppet Storytelling, firstgrader Joachim Tamondong took second, and first-grader Johann Lopez took first.

For Oratorical Speech, fourth-grader Lucas Ferry got third place, fifthgrader Renzo Gumangan got second, and sixth-grader Willem Giron got first.

Sean John Asesor of Grade 8 ranked third in Extemporaneous Speech, Gerald Baliton of Grade 9 ranked second, and John Arkin Tan of Grade 9 ranked first.

For Pecha Kucha Presentation, eleventhgrader Jeth Del Rosario from St. Vincent claimed the third spot, eleventh-grader Daniel Ramos

by Gian Marquez Eleventh-graders from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand led a disaster readiness symposium upon the resumption of classes last January.

The event was entitled “Bayanihan: Pagsasama-sama sa Paghahanda Tungo sa Sakuna” and was held at the school’s auditorium.

III from St. Raymond claimed second, and Grade 12 – St. Valentine’s John Paul Javier emerged champion.

Afterwards, the Literary Allusion kicked off with the Literary Parade, highlighting their creative costumes and followed by their performances.

The entire high school department took part in the gathering hosted by class president Jedd Manalo and Karl Bustos.

In the first division, Grade 4’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer placed third, Grade 6’s Harry Potter placed second, and Grade 5’s Peter Pan placed first.

Hero Francis Barotea formally started the activity with a prayer, followed by an opening message from Grade 11 – St. Raymond adviser Mr. Joseph Duane De Leon.

In the second division, Grade 9’s Lord of the Rings got third, Grade 8’s Iliad got second, and Grade 7’s Aladdin got first.

San Juan City Environment and Natural Resources Office technical staff and inspector Mr. Jhay-R Ignacio first gave a talk focusing on environmental issues such as global warming and its impact on human life. Mr. Ignacio also tackled the adaptability of San Juaneños, proper waste disposal, and city ordinances regarding cleanliness.

In the third division, Grade 11 – St. Raymond’s Sherlock Holmes took the third place, Grade 10 – St. Hyacinth’s Ibong Adarna took second, and Grade 12 – St. Valentine’s Star Wars emerged champion.

Next came San Juan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office officer-in-charge Ms. Stephanie Joy Yao. Ms. Yao highlighted the importance of disaster preparedness, giving

Skywalkers. Twelfth-graders display their costumes from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, winning first place for their portrayal of the selected piece

Research Congress goes hands on

by Jason Sigales Students’ monthslong journeys to satisfy their curiosity finally culminated

in the 2020 Research Congress on 29 Feb, Sat, with the theme “Hearts On, Minds On, Hands On: Research for Sustainable Development”.

Elementary students showed them taking their first steps into a larger world in the Science Fair.

On the morning of Nov 27, sixth-grader Sean Willem Giron and eleventhgrader Jeth Del Rosario shared to the community the material they were reading in Book Talk.

The following day was the poster-making contest.

And closing it all off was a storytelling session at the GS LRC with National Library of the Philippines librarian Ms. Melanie Martinez.

STEM students spearhead disaster readiness symposium

Grade 12 – St. Valentine won both classroom design and Mr. UN with twelfthgraders Harry Barotea and Kevin Uy in the fourth division.

English festivities keep love for language, literature ablaze by John Paul Javier

The muchanticipated English Festival and Literary Allusion finally arrived on Jan 29, Wednesday, to culminate the school’s delayed celebration of English Week.

Each class then had time to visit the Scholastic book fair in the gallery.

Ecofriendly Candle won in Grade 4, Effect of Salt to Ice in Grade 5, and Sweet and Edible Straw in Grade 6 with Jacob Cueva, Paolo Luna, and Shilo Coronel winning Best Presenters respectively.

Junior high students also made their stint in

the Science Fair. Magnets as a Source of Electrical Energy won in Grade 7 and Improvised Centrifuge Machine in Grade 8 with Eldrick Barroga and Marc Maki winning Best Presenters respectively.

For the Life and Health

safety guidelines and procedures before, during, and after a calamity.

Students interacted with the speakers through an open forum between the talks.

Vice Principal for Academics Mr. Christian Jeff Cariaga and Allied Sciences head Ms. Lara Bianca Castro awarded the speakers tokens and certificates of appreciation.

“The symposium, being more than just a requirement for our Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction class, gave the Aquinian community a simple yet important lesson especially in the field of disaster preparedness and readiness,” Manalo said.

“Moreover, it was nice seeing the whole Aquinian community being involved in such an important event especially nowadays wherein different disasters are rampant in the cities we are living in.

Being prepared and ready is really an important trait to have,” he added.

Ms. Castro and Cyrus Navidad ended the program with the closing remarks and prayer respectively.

This continues the efforts spearheaded by the previous year’s STEM students, led by then-eleventh-grader Kyle Matthew Lim.

Congress, seventh-graders tested lemon peelings as an air freshener, eighth-graders performed an improvised gel electrophoresis to separate saliva, ninth-graders used neem cake as fertilizer to grow tomatoes, and tenthgraders grew eggplants through hydroponic

Oct 2019 - May 2020

3

NEWS

Intense games cap 2020 intrams

robin format, a breath of fresh air from the previous double elimination setup.

by Gian Marquez

Brains and brawns battled it out among Aquinians this year from 20 to 27 Jan.

Grade 5 and Grade 6 went head-to-head for the championship in Division 1 - the latter dominating the games and leaving only wins in volleyball and badminton for their opponents.

The games had a new twist this time with the round

Division 2 also saw tight matchups – Grade 7 winning chess and badminton, Grade 8 David vs. Goliath. Seventhgraders battle ninth-graders in their division’s basketball championship (Photo by Jethro Lagmay)

winning scrabble and fun games, and Grade 9 bagging all major awards. However, after incurring deductions for absences and tardiness, the ninth-graders lost the overall championship title to the underdog freshmen.

The third division, the largest, had 5 contenders for the prize – Grade 10 – St. Ignatius winning volleyball, Grade 11 – St. Raymond winning fun games, Grade 11 – St. Vincent winning badminton, and Grade 12 dominating the rest of the major and minor games. The seniors nearly lost the title due to the same penalties.

However, upon tallying, they tied with Grade 10 – St. Hyacinth, which had the least deductions.

Mr. Aquinas returns for 2020 foundation celebration by Gian Marquez

Glamor filled the night of 30 Jan, Thu, as Mr. Aquinas returned for the 2020 festivities after a twoyear hiatus.

Once more, Aquinians showcased their personalities and fashionable looks.

Luis Villanueva racked up awards in the first division with Mr. Photogenic, Best in Sportswear, and Best in Talent, eventually winning as Mr. Aquinas. Hailey Virador won Best in Formal Attire as well as Best in Casual Wear.

Seth Cruz also bagged many awards in the second division with Mr. Photogenic, Best in Formal Attire, Mr. Friendship, Best in Wearable Art, Best in Casual Wear, and Mr. Aquinas itself.

Stoka Jimenez won Best in Sportswear. Conan Dolde

won Best in Talent.

Division 3 was a landslide win for William Villaluz who bagged all the awards including the prized title.

Ed Aguilera won much of the fourth division’s titles: Mr. Photogenic, Best in Formal Attire, and Best in Casual Wear. Benedict Sonza won Best in Sportswear. Nathan Reyes won Mr. Friendship and Best in Wearable Art. But the title for Mr. Aquinas itself was awarded to Luis Iñigo.

Clarence Ramos and Jedd Manalo split the awards for the fifth division. The latter won Best in Sportswear, Best in Formal Attire, and Best in Casual Wear. The former won Mr. Photogenic, Best in Talent, and Mr. Aquinas itself.

a freestyle rap about Rizal.

From page 1 ...Vince Manalang’s Ikaw at Ako and Mabagal. from John Philip the their

A short play entitled “Filibustero” followed, inspired by the chapter in Jose Rizal’s novel El Filibusterismo, “Ang Klase sa Pisika” with actors Ziraili Basa, Ian Bulaun, Zeeky Pariñas, Miguel Provido, Cyrone Rodriguez, Dale Sinon, John Philip Sumido, and Christopher Tubil.

Next up was Rasheed Reyes, hyping the crowd with

gardening, all showing Aquinians’ continued interest in the sciences.

For the Engineering Congress, ninth-graders Arkin Tan, Kirk Sunico, and Ezekiel Pariñas as well as tenth-graders Julio De Guzman, Jericho Navarro,

Photo by Vincent Varlez

Colors. (Top to bottom) Second, fourth, ninth, and tenth graders in their vibrant costumes representing the Dinagyang, Sinulog, Kadayawan, and Pahiyas Festivals

Aquinian stars

Switching singing to oration, Paul Javier and John Sumido captivated audience by orating poetic pieces.

New Looks.

Candidates for Mr. Aquinas in their outfits for the Casual Wear portion of the program

Grade-schoolers showed their own talents with John Paul Magallanes II and his beatboxing skills as well as the singing of Shaun Magpantay.

Teachers Mr. Reginald Calina, Mr. Joseph Montances, and Mr. Mark Dacquel then took the stage with a play about mental illnesses and its effect on people particularly the younger generation.

Switching things up was a dance battle between CJ Rivera, Cyrone Rodriguez, and Joshua Colecha, which was followed by a performance from twelfthgraders Harry Barotea, Shawn Blanco, Dijon Molina, Brent Padilla, and Benjamin Santos.

and Neo Gelito put forward prize-winning proposals to renovate school facilities.

For Business Arts, ninth-graders’ Pizzanada and tenth-graders’ Food Plaza proved a sustained desire for innovation.

Tenth-graders Austin Castañeda, Jethro Lagmay, and Ivan Marabur along with twelfth-grader Vincent Varlez next sang their own rendition of Yakap sa Dilim. They were later joined by eleventh-graders Mark Bartolata and Jaime Pacao to perform a medley of Eraserheads’ most memorable hits that got the crowd singing along.

Former Aquinians musicians also shared the stage as Tristan Icban and Carlos Arenas went in to perform Rivermaya’s 214 and IV of Spade’s Take That Man.

To end the evening, all of the performers once again gathered on stage to sing and dance to Yeah, Yeah, and Yeah followed by a message from director Mr. Salud himself and student activity head Mrs. Catharine Ramos OP.

Colorful celebrations From page 1

...showed their prowess in the Sandugo Festival, winning both Best Costume and Dance in the second division.

Second-graders marched in next with drums and feathers for their miniature version of the famous Dinagyang Festival, also winning Best Costume and Dance in the first division.

Afterwards, elementary’s eldest displayed a serious yet lively performance based on history with the Palo-Palo Festival.

Grade 8 came out with a fighting spirit in their hues of neon green and pink with Bacolod’s Masskara Festival, winning Best Costume in Division 3.

Fifth-graders’ Panagbenga Festival next showed a stunning sea of flowers with their attentiongrabbing props.

Grade 9’s Kadayawan Festival then gave a powerful performance, truly

representing the spirit of Davao, winning Best Dance in Division 3.

Next came the last of the elementary department, the third-graders, showcasing an amazing display of the Ati-Atihan Festival.

The tenth-graders then must have pleased San Isidro Labrador in their lighthearted and creative act with the Pahiyas Festival.

Seventh-graders afterwards surprised audiences by featuring a student dressed as a lady also dancing with the Santo Niño.

Extravagant and golden props for the Tinagba Festival won the eleventhgrade both Best Costume and Dance in the fourth division.

The seniors then ended things on a high note with their cheerdancelike performance in Tnalak, inspired by fabric and Philippine colors.

4

OPINION

King’s Eye John Paul Louis Javier Senior Staff

In A Box

EDITORIAL

Lessons from the Pandemic The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic, if anything, has exposed to us anew the true colors of the current administration. And it has costed us billions of pesos in economic losses and, more importantly, the lives of our fellow Filipinos.

In light of the contagion spreading even faster with migrations for the lunar new year, neighboring nations took the reasonable route to impose travel restrictions. Malacañang, on the other hand, fell behind weeks in fear of damaging relations with Beijing, essentially converting the country into a pseudo-asylum.

But, it was too late; the disease was unknowingly among us to cause local transmission. Politics was not and will never be worth compromising the Filipinos’ best interests.

In an attempt to quell panic, on March 13, Malacañang declared a community quarantine through a press conference. Instead, they created more questions than answers.

One example was the scope local government units covered. They first said mayors had autonomy over their resources to respond to the crisis.

But when they seemed to outshine national authorities, the Palace was quick to threaten them with legal action on ground that they

apparently did not do as instructed. Never will be backtracking to save face be appropriate, especially in emergencies like a pandemic.

Malacañang, moreover, perhaps forgot to include in its plans the thousands who work in the capital but were not as fortunate as to reside here. Many either ran in a marathon across borders just to make it home before the lockdown or remained stranded at checkpoints with crowds appalled by fanatics of social distancing. They forgot to include too the sectors not paid without work as well as those without a choice but to put their lives on the line simply to buy supplies outside they were not able to stock up so suddenly. They also left health workers and other essential personnel to their own devices to reach safely the facilities that need them. This government for the people must start acting like one.

Look no further than the city of Pasig for the ultimate lesson. Last year’s elections brought them an up-and-coming leader now more than ever seen with no interest in politics but all interest in service. One vote means the difference between life and death.

So, two years from now, remember this crisis when filling out your ballot.

We all have that one occasion where we could no longer contain our excitement. The idea is at the very tip of our tongue. The nerves in our bodies shaking in anticipation on the inquiry of our supposedly majestic suggestion that you know very well leads to the appeal of the masses – only for that idea to be abruptly rejected in front of you. Then, you sink into a state of disappointment.

Your colleagues before you commence the ritual of consoling and back-patting, saying “Try again.” You are no student if you have not been there before.

I myself, as a member of numerous incampus organizations, have experienced this time and time again. After your days, maybe even weeks, of planning with your fellow

Uncut Diamond Aaron Avixyz Araza Feature Editor

Community Effort As the world continues to fight against COVID-19, what shall we do in order to flatten this abysmal curve?

It will both need the cooperation of the authorities and the people.

Let us give credit where it due. Authorities are serving the Filipino people through the social amelioration program, mobilization of local government units, interagency coordination, and much more. Much, however, is still needed to be done, mass testing first and

Editorial Board AY 2019 - 2020

Editor-in-Chief Jason Sigales

The Official Student Publication of Aquinas School

Associate Editors Gian Marquez Aaron Araza Jeth Del Rosario

183 F. Blumentritt St. San Juan City 1500 /aquinastbp aquinastbp@gmail.com

Staffers Shun Adanza Enrico Estrella III John Paul Javier

Oct 2019 - May 2020 organization members, the execution of what would have been amazing ideas, programs, activities, proposals, and the like, at some point, is rejected. If not, their approval becomes delayed to the point that you inevitably have to scratch the thought of it. Then you clean your whiteboard and, once again, like a daily intake of supplements, return to the oblivious stage known as square one. Everyone asks, “What will they approve of?”

Ideas are one of the greatest potentials that any student, regardless if you have initiative or not, is capable of generating that contains virtually endless possibilities. However, we need to bring ourselves back to reality, every single time. Not everything in life is permitted. The same applies to ideas. Not every idea is sound, but sometimes it could be that you do take initiative. You do plan and follow every vital step to ensure strictly the birth of its fruition. You grabbed the opportunity, yet it never comes to life because its suggestion always is turned down when needed most.

As any human is given freedom to live on earth, any student, especially one seated in a responsible

foremost to further contain the spread of the virus once they lift the quarantine. They must also see to it that they help lift each other up, not put one another down for the sake of political purposes.

Another sector that deserves much recognition is, of course, our frontliners.

Whatever job it may be, it takes great courage to go out, let alone do your duty nowadays. Praise cannot even being to equate to the great sacrifice they do for the country. Let us hope they continue to do your very best in order to serve the people. Let us see beneath the romanticism of their work and give them the appropriate pay.

In order to effectively battle this pandemic, we must be keen in the information we give to the public. Let us avoid unnecessary chaos by not sharing things which are not true or not proven, and only accessing information from credible sources.

Knowledge is power, and sharing the guidelines that the government laid out for

Photographers André Abad Jethro Lagmay Vincent Varlez with contributor Ian Bulaun Cartoonists Jan Asis Gerard Peña Sean Rodriguez Jan Vince Sadang

position, is entitled to suggest and supposedly create a realistic version of their platform. I myself, as one of several pupils who have been entrusted a capacity to serve the community, am motivated by the present opportunity to contribute a functional change. Although change is hard to accept when it unexpectedly surfaces, change is surprisingly difficult to summon on intention. We all want brighter possibilities that can pave the way for an enjoyable generation.

But whether on purpose or coincidence, it fails.

My experience as the Vice President of Internal Affairs of the Supreme Student Council granted me valuable lessons on responsibly accomplishing either the task that is assigned to us or one that we create.

Inherently, we all possess the initiative and capability to do a lot more work, we always have thoughts that we desperately want to turn into reality. As a senior who has also learned the hard way, restrictions are still rules. Nine times out of ten, it is in our best interests. How we operate despite these limitations are what truly tell what more we could have done for a better vision.

the people is an excellent way to contribute in this battle.

Our responsibility to stay at home is just as important as the aforementioned. By limiting the people that are going outside, we can lessen the chances the virus will spread, and thus will make the job of the government easier. We must be alert to the announcements and the projects of the local and national government through the media and implemented by the frontliners.

Follow the protocols when you go outside, and please do not go outside unless it is of extreme necessity.

In our own little ways, we can greatly contribute the heavying responsibility of the government.

Now is not the time for politicking. Let us be constructive to one another, as putting your opinions and suggestions respectfully will reprieve every one of the chaos. All that it will take us is a community effort.

Layout Artist Jason Sigales Adviser Ms. Giselle Posadas Consultants Mr. Christian Jeff Cariaga Mr. Mark Dinlasan Directress/Principal Sr. Rosalinda Calong, OP

Oct 2019 - May 2020

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LEISURE

Crosswords

Comics

Struggles of A Chubby Cat by Jan Vince Sadang

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Kapag Dalawa Ang Sagot by Jan Mikael Art Bryan Asis

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9 Theme: Star Wars Across Down 3. Queen Amidala’s home 1. Nowhere 4. Lava 2. If there’s a bright center in the 6. “It’s salt” universe, this is the planet that is 7. The Final Order farthest from 8. “You will go to the _______ system.

5. Porgs There you will learn from Yoda” 7. Ewoks 9. Former capital of the Republic 1 2 3

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Growth by Gerard Louis Peña

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Across 5. He can show you the world 6. He won’t grow up 7. *breathing noise* 9. The greatest detective 10. He’s a wizard

Theme: Allusions Down 1. Bearer of the One Ring 2. Bunso 3. Paints the fence 4. Mother of Dragons 8. Heel

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Academic Turmoil in the New Normal

by Gian Marquez

It has been months since the global pandemic brought about by the SARS-CoV-2 virus made its first step in the Philippine soil. Since then, the unprecedented spread of the contagious COVID-19 has flooded the nation from its metropolis to the different provinces around the country. This prompted the government to impose lockdown and restriction measures that involves the halting of public transportation, closure of public amenities and the suspension of classes.

As the disease continues to rampage around the country, it also sparks question and uncertainty on when will the onslaught of the disease end and when will everything be back to normal – including the education sector.

With the resiliency and flexibility of the Filipinos being tested at this time of global pandemic, the question remains – what’s next for Philippine education?

As a response to the adjustments being made by different sectors of the country in order to successfully shift to the ‘new normal’ status, the Department of Education (DepEd) alongside with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) devised a ‘learning continuity plan’ to serve as a comprehensive and flexible plan to ensure that education will not be halted and instead, return to operation even in times of pandemic. In order to manifest this, the learning continuity plan proposed numerous solutions and scenarios that will ensure that the spread of the disease will be cut to minimum. The solutions proposed and the detailed analysis on each are as follows:

Photo from Disney

FEATURE Limiting Students Per Classroom

According to past researchers, the ideal studentteacher ratio in one classroom is 18:1 in order to ensure conduciveness and good productivity of education.

Additionally, smaller class size is concluded to have positive longterm outcomes such as higher test scores, fewer dropouts, pave way to equal field of learning for minorities and marginalized students and have both cognitive and non-cognitive impact.

However, this prescribed ratio is a stranger in Philippine education, especially in public institutions. In a regular Filipino setting, the standard ratio is 36:1. This practice is also being adopted by some private institutions as well.

The proposed ‘new normal’ set-up for Philippine classrooms is 20:1.

Should this proposed set-up be imposed, majority of the public institutions will have a hard time coping up with the increase in demand for more classrooms to accommodate students. This will be a big burden for the said institutions as well as others that are already facing classroom shortage even before the pandemic.

Additionally, the increase in the number of classrooms being demanded by the said solution will also leave the educators with more workload as they have to cover more classrooms in a day in order to ensure that the lessons will be delivered to every class.

This proposal should be extensively studied by the government together with those institutions governing the education sector of the country as there is more underlying problems that must be addressed first if this solution will be pushed to be the ‘new normal’ set-up.

Alternating School Days In the country’s constitution, it is mandated

Wait, That’s It? A Spoiler-Free Review of Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker

by Jason Sigales

Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker closes the near half a century long saga with a rather unearned ending.

J.J. Abrams delivers another aesthetically appealing installment to the franchise that pays homage to those that came before, though illogical.

Chris Terrio writes a story that explores and expands the lore, if not excessively, with new relics, worlds, and powers.

John Williams ends his composing career with thunderous applause as many of his immortal themes touch hearts one last time.

Lucasfilm wows again with its striking cinematography, and use of practical and digital effects, certainly

Oct 2019 - May 2020

in the Republic Act No. 7797 that 200 – 220 academic days is the standard length of one school year. This means that any institution should only execute any school-affiliated activities and matters within the given days.

Alternating school days is one of the solutions being proposed by the education department to carry out its learning continuity plan and be in line with the measures being set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Otherwise known as Alternating Block or Odd/Even Days, this proposal will result in students rotating between A days and B days, each with their own corresponding schedule.

This scheme will limit personal contact in classroom setting as students will be divided into the said days.

This method surely offers deeper learning thru various differentiated instructions and this demands social distancing.

However, this also requires a comprehensive and extensive scheduling technique in order to avoid any form of conflict between students and teachers which may further result in hindered learning.

Alternating the school days will also correspond to the academic calendar being extended significantly in order to cover all of the necessary lectures and discussions. This will only be avoided if any form of compression in the curriculum will be implemented to cope up with the rotating schedule.

Home Schooling Online Classes

Through

The emergence of online classes can be traced back to the mid-19th century when the United States Postal Services was developed. This paved way to ‘correspondence colleges’ that ensures reliable and longdistance interaction between students. As time permits the evolution of mass media and

a benchmark in filmmaking.

Viewers get to say a proper goodbye to the late Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia with a clever use of cut footage from previous episodes.

Impossible it is to assess this episode in its own right as promotions market the movie as the end of the Skywalker saga.

Rise, in all honesty, does not tie it all up nicely with a bow, but rather bombards audiences with information at light speed through a convoluted plot terrified to take risks and creating more questions than answers.

Abrams and Terrio also do not make full use of the characters. Arcs are no different from past films.

They even kill off some to either respond to backlash or later revive them, robbing the movie of any sense of consequence.

Spectacle suits a finale of this gravity, but it lacks substance and casts doubt on the purpose of the sequels.

digital technology, online classes were born, popularizing the idea of education being delivered from the screen of computers.

This mode of educational delivery has been greatly used by developed countries that secured a stable and reliable internet connectivity to support any activity being delivered by students and teachers online.

Despite of it being internetreliant, online classes pave way to a modern and flexible style of learning in the technology-based world.

Given that this mode of education requires the presence of a strong and stable internet connection, developing countries that have slow connectivity will have a hard time shifting to this style – including the Philippines.

In a 2015 study regarding the internet connectivity of the Philippines, it was found out that the nation has an average internet speed of 2.8mbps, placing the country in 104 out of 160 countries in Asia with the fastest internet connectivity.

The total tally for internet users in the Philippines is tallied to be at 44 million in 2016 which is just 43 percent of the entire country’s population.

This, combined with the very low internet connectivity of the country will hinder effective and productive online classes given that this mode of delivery requires 4mbps with a ping of less than 100ms to ensure the smooth flow of discussion delivery and exchange of important modules and requirements, which the Philippines does not possess.

Moreover, the abovementioned statistics does not include the tally of students that does not have any handheld or electronic devices such as laptop and tablets that are being demanded as a medium for online classes.

Recently, DepEd released an online survey regarding the preferred opening of classes of

Palpatine’s return, moreover, and the resurgence of evil from the very beginning itself in The Force Awakens questions the finality of the saga.

How can anyone be certain that the story actually ends happily ever after?

Executives and their agenda to appease an apparently toxic fan base seemingly may be to blame for the trilogy’s lack of coherence and consistency.

42 years of storytelling wrap up with this?

If you had fun with the movie, there is no problem; enjoy! But I have to say, as a fan, it is heartbreaking to see the saga I so love end with a whimper. Despite that, I still welcome it as part of the canon.

Beneath its grandeur, however, lies a powerful message: your history should not matter nor hinder you from becoming who you are meant to be.

Filipinos and the corresponding adjustments on the mode of delivery of learning. However, this move completely ignores the part of the population that does not have any internet connection to participate in the survey and let their preference be considered. Only the part of the population that have internet connectivity have been entertained and considered.

Pushing the online classes mode will only benefit those students that have internet connectivity which in return, will leave the part of the population that either have struggles with connecting to the internet or does not have any access to it at all. This has been the battle cry of many students from various universities that continued their academic year thru online classes.

Postponing of Opening of Classes in accordance with IATF Projections

While the whole country is still in the middle of the growing pandemic crisis, the IATF approved DepEd’s proposal to conduct the opening of classes of public schools on the 24th of August while private institutions may resume classes within the given date.

With the continuous rise in the active cases of COVID-19 in the country, – with no signs of deflating yet – safety has been one of the issues of the society especially in the field of education.

Immediate resumption of classes will spell danger for students as another window for possible reemergence in cases will open.

Different experts proposed suspending of classes for the rest of the year to ensure that infection will not be imminent. Given that the vaccine on the outbreak has not been created yet and will not be available within the year. This suggestion has been backed up by the president, Rodrigo Duterte, saying that he will not allow the opening of classes until vaccine is present.

Given that the youth is considered as one of the most vulnerable sectors of the society, the sudden opening of classes in light of the ongoing and indefinite outbreak will only spell resurgence of cases, possibly being the reason for more deaths and a broader problem for the country itself.

Indeed, various solutions might be present in order to pave way for the continuation of education in the country. However, a plan that covers and considers the entirety of the population – from the marginalized to the less privileged sector – is nowhere to be found.

We need a plan that ensures that no one is left behind.

With the rate things are going as of the moment, various institutions can only do one thing – adapt to the new world by ensuring the continuity of Philippine education through virtual learning while offering alternative modes that revolves around the student’s independent skills. This has been the focus of the Aquinian community over the past months together with the help of the online academic platform, Schoology and the launching of TOOLBOX: Transformative Online and Offline Learning for the Blazing OX. As for others who are still at the verge of deciding what path will their institutions take, the situation and struggles of the students should be prioritized above anything else.

Oct 2019 - May 2020

7

FEATURE

Iran-US tensions, explained

Photo from Foreign Policy

by Shun Adanza

Missiles struck two Iraqi military bases housing American troops on January 8 as the world held its collective breath. The attack came after American drones struck down Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani shortly after his arrival in Baghdad. Many regarded this as part of the recent spiral of aggression between America and Iran, dubbed by many as the start of the Third World War.

This comes at the heels of increasing tension between the United States and Iran as Tehran had been gaining influence in the region amidst political turmoil, threatening American allies like Saudi Arabia and Israel. In response, President Trump withdrew from their nuclear deal and imposed sanctions on them anew.

Since then, the United States Department of Defense estimated that extremist groups have carried out 11 attacks on American troops in Iraq, including a contractor and servicemen in Kirkuk on December 27. They pointed to the Iran-backed militia, Kataib Hezbollah, for responsibility in the act. There was conflicting information regarding the details of the attack. American intelligence claimed that the group launched around 30 rockets at the base while the Iraqis placed the figure at half of that and pinned the blame on ISIS because of its consistency with their patterns.

America fired back with airstrikes on Kataib Hezbollah two days later, killing over 20 and injuring over 50 members of the group according to Iraqi officials.

The locations included storage facilities and command facilities that the organization used to conduct attacks on coalition forces per a Pentagon statement. This prompted them and the Iraqi government to detract from their feud with Iran and renew calls for the withdrawal of American presence in the region.

Iraqi protestors stormed the heavily guarded American embassy in Baghdad on new year’s eve.

However, they burned several guard posts and a reception building, did not break into

the main offices, and left no casualties. President Trump then tweeted that the United States will make sympathizers of the group, including the Iranians, pay for the damages incurred.

Theories suggested that the Iraqi authorities implicitly gave way to the protestors to vent their anger after they penetrated the green zone, a sensitive area spanning 10 sq. km in central Baghdad.

This stood in stark contrast to previous anti-government demonstrations that failed to enter the said space.

Following the storming of the embassy, President Trump authorized the airstrike that killed Iranian top general Qassem Suleimani, further fanning the flames. The head of Iran's Quds force along with several officials from Iranianbacked militias were leaving the international airport when an MQ-9 Reaper drone fired missiles at the convoy that carried them.

Many saw Suleimani as the second most powerful person in the nation.In the aftermath, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei declared a three-day period of mourning, which saw masses taking the streets.

Khamenei posthumously promoted him to lieutenant general and promised a “[harsh] revenge”, raising a blood red flag over the Jamkaran mosque – a symbol heralding war.

On the other side of the coin, the United States and its allies labeled Suleimani a terrorist after killing hundreds of Americans during the Iraq campaign and essentially creating the foundation for what would become hostile militia groups.

Widespread concern was rampant.

Many condemned the killing as an unjustified act of war, further dividing a polarized America.

United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lauded the assassination for eliminating “Iran’s master terrorist”, while their House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the strike “[provoked] further dangerous escalation of violence”. Many took to the internet to express their shock and disappointment for the year starting on a low note.

America and Iran then exchanged threats until January 8. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched Operation Martyr Suleimani, targeting the American Ayn al-Assad and Ebil airbases. Right after the attack, the Pentagon stated that there were no troops harmed, but it would later prove to be false. Over a hundred troops actually suffered mild traumatic brain injuries with some needing to leave the country for proper treatment.

world war. Analysts, however, debunked this, claiming that no major global power wanted to be involved and that further escalation by either party remained uncertain.

there will be more events similar to these.

Suleimani’s assassination and the subsequent Iranian missile strike may have been one of the many peaks in the continuing tensions between the two nations. The bullet that would have been the Third World War may have come close. But, in historical context, we are relatively in peacetime as diplomacy continues to prevail.

The world may have shifted their focus on other news such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19, but the exchanges between America and Iran are not yet over. With Iran seeking to expel American presence in the region,

Many saw this recent display of violence as a prelude to an impending

If the jeep takes too long to leave, if the tricycle can only go so far, if you have no load left in your phone to get that four-bar symbol to book a Grab, but if you somehow, out of coincidence from the heavens, have enough spare cash, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

“TAXI!”

Yes, you can still a take a cab to go anywhere that is reasonable. A taxicab is formally defined as a car licensed to transport passengers in return for a payment of a fare, usually fitted with a taximeter that increases periodically.

It was the 16th of January, there were no jeeps that were stopping by, no tricycles willing to pick me up, and I knew it would take at least 15 minutes for a Grab car to arrive, so I crossed that option out as well.

Fortunately, there was a single taxi available, and luckily, the driver willingly accepted with an enthusiastic greeting.

He was a well-aged man around his late 40’s to early 50’s. Suddenly, he put the brakes on the cab like a sudden jolt of lightning (pretty quick reflexes for an old-timer).

There was a student who was aimlessly crossing the

Photo from Wikipedia

The Best Ride Ever

by John Paul Javier street while absolutely preoccupied with her phone. What happened afterwards, shocked me with pure awe.

I would never have expected to hear a very insightful statement, rather, incredibly finetuned perspective emerge from his passionate mouth.

This man, of an entirely different generation, provided a critical analysis on the modern culture of the youth. Particularly emphasizing social media and technology. From there, I had possibly the best 30 minute discussion, in a taxi and in my lifetime, combined.

Throughout the miraculous conversation, the entire time, I really felt as if I was communicating with my fellow HUMSS classmates.

Honestly, we were thankful for the presence of traffic because we had a lot of fun from discussing one topic and another.

Philosophy, Theology, Philippine Tradition, Contemporary Society, Politics, Technology, Modernization, and even Post-Structuralism.

One had no time at all to be very surprised of

his vast wisdom and knowledge on such broad topics while naturally eliminating the generational gap.

A problem usually present in these similar instances. Another thing that impressed me was how he effectively kept the conversations at a consistent pace. His English speaking skills were commendable as well, which even impressed the foreigners he drove for.

“I am very thankful that you know how to listen. Most youngsters usually have these earpods attached to their ears”, he said.

“It is because I will never be able to experience the peak of your generation which is why I enjoy these moments the most”, I answered.

“I appreciate it, kid” As we reached the school, he asked me, “What’s your name, kid?”

“John Paul Javier, po. What’s your name po?”

“Allan Rodriguez.”

I paused for a moment not only out of gratitude, but because I knew that there were people like him, enjoying his humble life.

8

SCIENCE

The real eruption What happens when you ignore the science?

by Gian Marquez

It was a seemingly quiet Sunday afternoon.

Hundreds of tourists were dining around the beautiful restaurants of Tagaytay, enjoying the cool afternoon breeze and the scenic view of the Taal volcano. Like any other day, the volcano looked calm as its waters are reflecting the rays of the sun perfectly. Truly, it was a breathtaking view that no one will get tired of looking.

Not until it showed what was really lying underneath.

The famous tourist attraction quickly became a glimpse of hell on Earth as it discharged a towering column of ash, extending kilometers into the atmosphere. Nearby towns and cities were

quickly blanketed with thick ashes raining down from the volcano’s innards.

Visibility dropped, forcing road closures. Even northern regions, including the nation’s capital was not able to escape the wrath of the eruption as ash reached its cities as night came.

Meanwhile, the small volcano of Taal, now enveloped in the shadows of the night did not show any sign of resting as it also shook Batangas with continuous earthquakes, prompting a quick raising alert level 2 to alert level 4 and the evacuation of thousands residing in the vicinity.

The entire country was caught off guard in the sudden and apparent catastrophic explosion of the Taal volcano. International media also started focusing on the event, gathering the attention of millions of individuals from other countries. City mayors from all around the island of Luzon began cancelling classes and operations due to the

dangerous and continuous ash fall that the irate volcano was causing.

Midnight struck.

Thousands were still anxiously monitoring the suddenly active volcano.

Without warning, the caldera gushed lava out of its edifice, causing more panic online and within LGUs of an impending eruption like that of 1977 which buried surrounding towns.

Civilians inside and outside the metro bought facemasks to protect themselves from the miniscule yet lethal ash, drying up supplies.

Since then, all anyone has ever been talking about was this crisis. The World Health Organization in March even characterized it as a pandemic – a term that we should not take lightly.

Historically, this was not the first coronavirus to take the world by surprise. Early in the new millennium, there was the severe acute respiratory syndrome. Then last decade, there was the Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome.

Photo from South China Morning Post

This coronavirus, as experts traced, originated from the City of Wuhan in the Hubei province of China, most probably contracted from consuming wildlife at a wet market.

In response, Malacañang imposed a community quarantine on the National Capital Region last March, later upping it to a stricter enhanced general community quarantine, forcing millions on lockdown, and bringing to the mainstream the term “social distancing”.

A virus of the mind Meanwhile, another virus

Who was to blame? Did the agencies not issue enough warnings? Or was it the governments that did not heed their calls?

To be clear, the agencies concerned already issued warnings about Taal months beforehand. Despite this, local and national authorities neglected them, causing the economic loss by the millions and several casualties; they were nowhere to be found when the country needed them

most until it was too late.

In the end, it all boiled down to the basics: preparedness and listening to the science. Given that the Philippines is no stranger to natural calamities, authorities must review its policies on risk reduction anew and strictly implement them not only in the affected areas of the eruption but all over the archipelago.

Photo from Reuters

As the days progressed, the famed Taal Lake dried up.

If anything, Taal tested the well-known resiliency – the trademark bayanihan, of the Filipino people. Authorities, however, lagged behind, prompting many to ask “Why did it take so long?”

A Tale of Two Viruses by Aaron Araza and Enrico Estrella III

Last January, there was only one confirmed case of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Philippines. In February, there were three. Five on March 6.

Nine just two days later. The next day, 19. Later that night, 23. Then, 33. 49. 52. 64. 98.

111. By that month’s end, it increased nearly tenfold. And at the time this was written, it skyrocketed to over 50 thousand and still counting.

Oct 2019 - May 2020

infected many online: disinformation and misinformation worsening an already chaotic situation.

To start, COVID-19 is not an airborne disease.

Since the droplets are too heavy to travel by air, they mostly land on surfaces. This was why the Department of Health always encouraged washing our hands regularly, avoiding touching our eyes and mouth, and disinfecting with ethyl alcohol. They also promoted observing proper coughing etiquette as to not share the virus. In addition, they also advised to avoid contact with people who could have it.

The coronavirus also lasts on surfaces for about three to four hours, so they also recommended avoiding touching anything outside, and then touching your mouth or face, as that could greatly increase the chances of being infected.

Do note that everyone regardless of age or nationality are susceptible.

However, older people and people with underlying sicknesses such as diabetes, heart diseases, and other immunesystem impairing illnesses can increase the chances of contracting the disease.

Symptoms of the

coronavirus include fever, flu-like symptoms such as coughing and sore throat, and shortness of breath. These usually appear two to 14 days after being in contact with the droplets. If you have these symptoms, along with going to a place where local transmission of the said virus happened or have been in contact with COVID-19-positive patients, seek medical attention immediately.

Moreover, hoarding does not help you nor the other people. Depriving of others their medical supplies can cause more infections as they cannot protect themselves from the disease.

When it comes to masks, there is very little evidence that wearing such masks, especially disposable masks can protect the wearer from being infected. In fact, these disposable masks cannot fully protect you from being infected, however, if you have a respiratory disease, wearing a mask can help others from becoming infected. In addition, cloth masks need to be washed every day while surgical masks must be changed every four hours. Cloth masks are reportedly less effective than surgical masks, and in the same way, surgical masks are less effective than N-95 masks, but all of which is better than nothing.

Thermal scanners, the medical tool that was used in checkpoints, can be an effective tool in detecting people with fever, one of the symptoms of the coronavirus. However, they cannot detect people who are infected but have not yet been sick with fever. Be cautious and practice good hygiene in order to prevent the disease from spreading.

What to do next

As neither a cure nor a vaccine are in the immediate future, cooperation in the efforts to prevent its spread is necessary especially in these trying times.

Try to avoid large gatherings for the time being. As Taylor Swift has said through her Instagram account, “Now is the time to make social sacrifices.”

Continue practicing social distancing. There was a viral video on social media about aligned matches being burned, then a match distanced itself from the aligned matches and have stopped the spread of the fire, which is an analogical perspective on social distancing, that it can help stop the spreading of the disease.

Stay home if you are sick, unless you are to go to the hospital. You will only infect those around you, particularly those more vulnerable.

Wash your hands regularly with soap for at least 20 seconds and use cleaning sprays and wipes to frequently disinfect touched objects and surfaces.

Keep yourself up to date with the current news about coronavirus.

Knowledge is power.

Following these three guidelines can drastically improve the situation at hand. It is the sick, the elderly, and the poor that are the most vulnerable. This was not, this is not, and this will never be the time for political agendas. Let us keep fighting this disease together.