W r e t c h e d

Michaella Miel Igoy

The education system, a complex web of rules, A tangled mess of expectations and tools

It’s a system that’s meant to help us grow, But it’s hard to see the light when we’re in throes

We’re taught to think in a certain way To fit into a box and stay in the fray

We’re told to learn the facts and memorize dates

But the real lessons are often left to fate

We’re taught to starve for the highest grade, But the real success lies in the knowledge made

We’re taught to focus on the tests and the scores But the real knowledge has an open door

We’re taught to think in a certain way

But the real lessons come can’t say

We’re told to learn the facts dates

But the real education lies made

Every sunrise's golden hue, And flowers kissed by morning dew, The beauty of life begins to unroll, In a world adorned, a precious pearl

From mountain tops that touch the sky, To vast oceans, where dolphins fly, Nature's wonders, a breathtaking sight, Painting the canvas with colors so bright

In gentle whispers of summer breeze, Or autumn's dance among vibrant trees, As the seasons change, symphonies are played, Life's artwork, a masterpiece displayed

From laughter shared with loved ones dear,

To friendships forged, forever near, Humanity's embrace, a bond too strong, Uniting hearts with a joyful song

In acts of kindness, compassion thrives, A flame of hope that never dies, Together we build, a world anew, Where love and understanding breakthrough

So let us marvel at each precious day, In this grand stage where we all play, For life's beauty, both big and small, Reminds us that we are blessed to be a part of it all

Quill-Penned Memories

Jireh John Gavina

I traveled down once again, Where time’s entwined with memories Saw ourselves Chasing fireflies underneath the starlit sky, Fantasizing about dreams so high

In the haze of innocence, We danced hand-in-hand As autumn leaves swaying, and descending to the land

It never crossed my mind On how the tables turned so swiftly Uttered our last goodbyes, As I was drowning in your ocean eyes.

With every drought and raging sea, You were once my remedy Now all that’s left for me, Are our quill-penned memories

My headphones on

Precious Queen Rayco

DPrecious Queen Rayco

Wendy, such a fluttering name

You are as pretty as d i i

Your voice is so lovel

Your body is elegantl

Every time I see you, My heart flutters

As if I were daydream

You show kindness to

Your smile makes my

When I first saw you

I eventually fell for y

Words could not admiration

Thank you for being my sunshine,

Son Seung Wan

Jireh John Gavina

Silence filled the hallways, where memories once resided The empty, quietude rooms, ups and downs once lived

For every laughter shared, and tears, shed The lessons we’ve learned, and the hopes and dreams, chased

The last bell took its toll, a bittersweet chime Signaling we’ve end our goal, like a sunrise after a long climb

As we walked onto the stage, and stood upon the podium There goes another page, added in our life’s album

You thought leaving me made my day gray, but you never realized that with my headphones on, the pain goes away Like music to my ears

Your yells in the background smear Don't think you brought me down because, with my headphones on, I don't shed any tears

With you, my head used to always be staring at the floor, But, baby, with my headphones on, I'm better than before Just because I was feeling somber, I didn't give you the authority to run me over

Withyournagging,youwereoh,sosly butnow,darling,IholdmyheaduphighWithmy headphoneson,I'mhappierthaneverSweetieand formerdarling, I hope to never see you again

Native Dog in the Philippines Named ‘Asong Gubat’

Riofe Villoso

The Philippine Canine Club Incorporated (PCCI) introduced the Philippines’ first indigenous dog breed, the dog witch, also called "asong gubat,"onJanuary2,2023

The "asong gubat" was first found in the ancestral lands of Bukidnon, Mindanao It is called a bird catcher in Luzon and a witch dog in Visayas Philippine Indigenous Dog Researcher, Tom Asmus, studied dogs for years, especially this breed Asmus observed and expressed that it has its own unique characteristics One of its traits is that it can survive independently in the jungle despite being taken care of at home "They climb trees after prey, hunt snakes, and are capable of surviving on just jungle vegetation," Asmus stated He also said that it’s difficulttokeepawild-blooded one domestically, as they have little to no resistance to common domesticated canine illnesses

According to Asmus, the asong gubat has a breed of its own that has been overlooked for years It also has several namesinEnglish,suchaswitch dog,forestdog,ortigerdog

It has other unique traits, including sharper claws that shed regularly, genitals less than half the diameter of most domestic dogs, so it usually mates with their kind, a double-sealing anus, a very high prey drive, black lips, blackgums,ablackroofofthe mouth, and tongue spotting There are a few species of this breed, mostly found in the provincesofMindanao

Most Filipinos believed that it was only a myth and that these types of dogs did not exist, but studiesstarted to provetothemthatthesetypes ofraredogsdoexist and could only be found in the Philippines

Eichornia crassipes (water hyacinth), an invasive aquatic plant that has become a major pest in tropical and subtropical areas, can be made into fertilizer

Hyacinth has invaded many tropical and subtropical bodies of water It eliminates native plant life and collapses the local aquatic ecosystem It also clogs shipping lanes in lakes and rivers and requires costly and frequent manual removal Water hyacinth is one of the biggest problems around the world It grows so fast that one plant can provide 248 offspring every 90 days in ideal conditions Its primary mode of reproduction is by natural division. It is also produced by seeds, which can remain viable for up to 20 years and remain wet or dry

On the other hand, to make fertilizer using water hyacinth, it can be dried out and mixed with other ingredients to make a rich composition The mix contains one part of dry water hyacinth, one part of animal manure, and one part of filler such as asher, wood chips, or poor-quality soil The compost file is left to sterilize the bacteria and seed for about three months and is turned regularly before being applied to farm crops

Compost made from water hyacinth should be spread evenly across a garden and filled into the soil when preparing for spring planting