The Carrier Magazine Volume 53 No. 1 | August - November 2020

TheCarrier F O R S TO R I E S , W E S A I L . F O R T RU T H , W E D E L I V E R .

VOLUME 53 NO. 1 A U G U S T- N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 0

About the Cover TheCarrier

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF JOHN B. LACSON COLLEGES FOUNDATION (BACOLOD), INC.

VOLUME 53 NO. 1 AUGUST- NOVEMBER 2020

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Ivan R. Quezon

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rengil V. Mana-ay

MANAGING EDITOR Allen P. Tordesillas

ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Jasele Mae S. Priolo

FEATURE EDITOR Mark John P. Priolo

SPORTS EDITOR Gabriel Bernardo G. Buaron

FILIPINO EDITOR John Rey T. Urbanozo

NEWS EDITOR Angelo C. Pineda

PHOTOS AND GRAPHICS EDITOR Chryshan Nheil F. Alejano

LAYOUT AND PAGE ARTIST Ruer G. Torculas

PHOTOGRAPHERS Mary Aileen R. Labios Nele Stephen M. Pacurib Paul Andrew B. Repal

MODERATOR Jarebeth M. Bangoy, Ph.D. OFFICE Door 1, PEA Center, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation (Bacolod), Inc., Alijis, Bacolod City 6100

The Carrier jblcfbthecarrier jblcfbthecarrier

EDITORIAL POLICY. TheCarrier is published once every year as the official magazine of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation (Bacolod), Inc., Pauline Village, Alijis, Bacolod City. TheCarrier accepts original articles from students and faculty. We edit contributed articles and provide correction for write-ups that need modification or improvement. All contributions must be legibly written and double-spaced. All submitted articles automatically become properties of TheCarrier.

Magtanim ay di biro, Maghapong nakayuko.

Di man lang makaupo, Di man lang makatayo.

Nakikita mo ba? Naririnig mo ba ang pag-awit ng kanilang kanta?

Masaya mang inaawit ang kantang pambata na "Magtanim ay ‘Di Biro", sa likod nito ay ang pagpupunyagi ng mga magsasakang hindi nabibigyan ng wastong himig. Ang bawat pasanin at pag-ani ay katumbas ng mga pangarap sa gitna ng sakuna. Nakatago sa likod ng telang nakabalot sa kanyang mukha ang mga totoong karanasan ng buhay.

Sinasalamin din ng kanyang mga mata ang paghihirap ng iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan. Mga sektor na hindi kadalasang binibigyang papuri at mga kantang hindi inaawit. Kailangan natin mamulat sa katotohanan. Oras na para muling marinig ang maliliit nilang boses. photographed by NELE STEPHEN PACURIB

DISCLAIMER. The production of some photographs included in this magazine are taken with adherence to quarantine and health protocols.

EDITO R 'S N OTE

RUER TORCULAS

People often forget how an ordinary person could ripple an effect that affects us all. Even if they’re just a tiny voice, but if their songs continue to be heard, it could be amplified.

Writing about stories of people playing important roles in our society but never had a share with the spotlight is our way of giving them that spotlight. During these trying times, life becomes harder for them and pushes them farther into the darkness. But it isn’t their place to remain hidden. It is our way of exposing them back to the light where everyone can see them and what they’ve done that made them worth the recognition.

This issue is a compilation of the stories from various sectors given lesser attention when they should have been acknowledged for their sacrifices, deeds, and their ability to touch hearts. This is our way of putting them together because we have a certain goal: for them to be heard.

We want you to be a part of this, wherever you are, to sit down and let yourself indulge in the stories.

To traverse their life— empathize as they strive and celebrate their triumphs. These are the unsung

melodies of people our society turns a blind eye from.

We want you to sing their songs. We are hoping that you might be another beacon for these people to share a brighter spotlight and a louder voice to their whispers.

They build possibilities that their stories could be you, about you, and be with you. Because all the stories we told are your stories, too.

A paradox by American poet Robert Frost, which says: “men work together whether they work together or apart”, is an entire sentence that sums up the creation of this issue. Although apart— literally and figuratively— we bring our team and the stories we wrote together inside these pages. The final piece that pays off our countless grappling is when you read this.

Our dear readers, this issue was made whole by you.

Now, let us sing you the tales of the unsung and struggling.

PAUL IVAN QUEZON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CONTENTS

VOLUME 53 NO. 1 AUGUST - NOVEMBER 2020

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Pagpupunyagi sa bawat pag-ani

MARK JOHN PRIOLO

01

L IFES TYL E

09

K ULTURA

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Matam-is nga mga yuhom sa likod sang maskara 07

HUMAN IN T E R E ST

Service. Passion.

Volunteerism.

A RT S

Stroking tones with values

Just #QuaranThings 04

COV ER S TO R Y

SOC IETY

Sewing legacies amid pandemic 16

D E VCO M

Distant Learning: The Disparities between two students

What worse can possibly happen when disinformation spreads faster in the middle of a pandemic? read Infofection (page 27)

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DIS CUS S ION

Infofection

36

H E A LTH

It's not EO, but love your eyes

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R EV I EW S SE R I E S

Elite GAME

Among Us B OOK

30

MARITIME

The sailors' plight 34

Find Me D OCU M E N TA R Y

The Social Dilemma

HUMAN IN T E R E ST

The Giving of Harvest

Know the artist behind this masterpiece entitled "Unsung Weary Worker" in Stroking tones with values (page 09)

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LIFE S TY LE

Just #QuaranThings Quarantine things that keep us sane

words by JASELE MAE PRIOLO

T

he pandemic forced us to stay inside the comfort of our homes. It is a disadvantage for others, but Filipinos always tend to turn every disadvantage into an opportunity to have fun, generate income, and even to cope with stress. While essential workers keep the country functioning, the rest of us are stuck doing nothing. That was when the biggest trends took-off during the quarantine.

THE RISE OF PLANTITOS AND PLANTITAS The new wave of plant enthusiasts called themselves "plantitos" and "plantitas”. Succulents, cacti, caladiums— you name it, and rest assured that they have it in their garden. People keep themselves busy in finding, buying, and planting ornamentals that they could add up to their collection.

A therapeutic hobby for some, this trend also became an opportunity to people who lost their jobs.

Just remember to be fair with your pricing. And buyers should be cautious, too.

But don’t hoard! You’re not going to build a forest in your home, are you? photo courtesy by UNSPLASH

QUARANFLING Aside from long distance relationships (literally because of the lockdown), online dating also prevailed especially for the hopeless romantics. From Tinder, Bumble, Telegram, Omegle, and even on Facebook Messenger, singles looking for a fling have started to increase in number.

This surge in online dating and online “fling” during the quarantine was also brought by the lack of physical social interaction and the absence of physical dating. photo courtesy by GETTY IMAGES

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photo courtesy by TIKTOK/ @lady_pizza_hug; @tradang904; @daryltufekci

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TIKTOK VIRUS Bet you tried to resist downloading this app, right?

Still, you gave in.

There is no doubt that TikTok is dominating the social landscape in 2020. It keeps booming around the world as people keep creating and sharing fun videos.

The pandemic has fueled the rise of an app that makes it easy for anyone to lip-sync their favorite tune or dance to the music of the latest hit. The content on the platform is fun, relatable, and presented in an easily digestible format. The accessible and friendly nature of the application is also perfect for everyone. Reports have suggested that TikTok can be positive for mental well-being, especially if it is lighthearted and fun.

Having something to work on like the viral TikTok dances and fitness challenges can be a positive and fun way to stay engaged with people on social media.

SIPPIN' DALGONA COFFEE Netizens have gone crazy over Dalgona, a whipped coffee drink named for a type of Korean candy.

It is made with four simple ingredients: instant coffee, sugar, hot water, and milk. By whisking equal proportions of coffee, sugar, and hot water until it reaches its creamy and frothy texture— you can now enjoy your beverage by dolloping it on top of cold or warm milk.

The spike in interest during the quarantine period has been attributed to the effects of watching online do-it-yourself (DIY) videos. The trend has jumped over the internet, and everyone actively participates.

photo courtesy by NHK TV

CONTAGIOUS BARTERING The challenge and difficulty in transporting goods from one place to another during the lockdown was the reason why the old trading system called “barter” is practiced more in the provinces. This was seen as an alternative option for Filipinos whose livelihoods were affected during the duration of the quarantine.

Bartering is the exchange of one commodity for another without the use of money. Facebook groups have been the perfect avenue for those people who wish to swap items. Those partaking in the trade says it keeps them out of crowded shops and saves them some money. But just as important, it is a way to feel helpful during the pandemic. Indeed, bartering has paved the way for people to get closer to one another but be careful during meet-ups, everyone is still advised to observe social distancing. photo courtesy by CRAZY COFFEE CRAVE

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photo courtesy by GETTY IMAGES

ORDER UP! Citizens can no longer avail the luxury of going out and eating their favorite food in fast-food joints and fancy restaurants. But that doesn’t stop the people to quench their thirst and cravings— that is why food delivery is on their way.

While some are busy baking and cooking the new recipes they found online, others are wasting their time browsing food to order on the internet. You can see it on social media that people started to install various kinds of food delivery applications such as Food Panda, Grab Food, Tapao, and many more. Miss the spicy fried chicken you like but can’t get out? Tap your phone and order now!

E-PARTIES This challenging moment tested our real bond with each other since physical socialization is out of the options. But social distancing only restricts physical interaction and some find their ways on how to communicate with each other and celebrate significant events virtually. Netflix parties and zoom meetings create a new platform they call “E-Parties”. There are also “E-numan” sessions by a group of friends, families and relatives to reunite and catch-up with each other.

Virtual party responsibly!

photo courtesy by NETFLIX PARTY

THANK YOU, ONLINE SHOPPING Scroll up. Scroll down. View products. Check reviews. Add to cart.

People are getting bored and weary every single day of the quarantine period. As a way of coping, some resorts to doing excessive online shopping with the help of Shopee, Lazada, and other online shops. From trendy clothes, planting tools, make-ups— you name it. It is just a matter of choice whether you have the courage to click another purchase of random things that you don’t actually need or to get swayed by the temptations brought by discounts, vouchers, and compliments of online shopping.

Hold it! You don’t need to order anything online right now.

photo courtesy by UNSPLASH

COVID-19 left us no choice but to innovate with whatever we have and to recalibrate our old ways in order to stay sane and survive. The struggle each day, especially when the lockdowns were implemented worldwide— was no joke to anyone.

The pandemic has become the biggest reality check of our lives. It made us discover new things we never had the time to do before because of busy schedules. It opened our minds and realized how significant each moment was and why we should never take things for granted.

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K ULTURA

Matam-is nga mga yuhum sa likod sang maskara Sa tuig nga wala sing pagsaulog sa Masskara, wala man sing alapigot nga makatapna sa padayon nga pag-ugyon sang mga Bacolodnon. words by PAUL IVAN QUEZON photo manipulation by CHRYSHAN NHEIL ALEJANO photo courtesy of YTIMG.COM photos by NELE STEPHEN PACURIB

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uwarenta ka tuig na ang nagligad apang ang mga rason sining mga yuhum sang Bacolodnon nagapabilin sa gihapon. Ang kinalain lang sa subong, may mga hitabo nga may pagkinahanglan sang pagtago sa sining mga yuhum; pagtago sa lain nga maskara nga wala guid naandan sang kada Bacolodnon.

Madumduman nga nabun-ag ang kapistahan sang Masskara bangud sa duwa ka hitabo sa tuig 1980: ang pagnubo sa presyo sang tubo—ang panguna nga pangabuhian sang mga Negrosanon; ikaduha ang paglunod sang barko MV Don Juan kung sa diin damu nga Negrense kag Bacolodnon ang nagtaliwan. Ang ini nga mga kalisdanan naghatag sang kasubo sa mga tumandok, apang nahimo sa gihapon mag bangon, yuhum, kag mag padayon. Asta subong, nagapaniguro ang mga Bacolodnon nga mag panilag sa mga butang nga makapalipay kaysa sa mga masubo pareho sang sini nga mga hitabo sa banwa.

Kung san-o tani hiwaton ang ika-41 nga tuig sang Masskara, ini gin suspinde man sang alkalde sang Bacolod nga si Evelio Leonardia paagi sa Executive Order No. 62. Ang mga dalan nga puno sang mga umalagi kag negosyante, naghawan bangod sa kahadlok bitbit sang nagalapta nga COVID-19. Indi man makita sa dalanon ang mga matam-is nga yuhum sang mga Bacolodnon sini nga Oktubre, padayon sa gihapon ang pagngirit sang kada isa sa mga butang nga gin suguran patukod sang mga pumuluyo ka siyudad, bisan nakatago sa likod sang lain nga maskara.

Sa kalisud kag sa katawhayan

Bantug sa bilog nga kalibutan ang ini nga kapistahan. Bangod sa nanari-sari nga mga disenyo sang maskara nga puno sang mga duag, nagadugang ang kasadya sang mga tumalan-aw. Sini nga mga ti-on, sako na tani sa pagdisenyo ang 40 anyos man nga si Jhay-r Liza sang mga maskara nga gamiton para sa parada

kag bayle sa tunga sang plaza.

Sa kada kurit sang yuhum sa maskara, ginapuno ini ni Jhay-r sang mga disenyo nga kabalo sa manami-an guid ang mga tumalan-aw. Sa sulod sang 11 ka tuig, siya man naga tudlo sang saot sa iban nga mga barangay kag eskwelahan sa Bacolod nga naga intra.

Suno sa iya, dako ang epekto sang pandemya sa iya ubra para sa ginapaabot nga kapistahan. “Wala guid subong event, not only Masskara, but mga raket like event design and

coordinate.” Ang ginhimo ni Jhay-r para kasustenar sa ila pang adlaw-adlaw ang magsulod sa online selling nga iya gina kasakuan sa subong.

Mabudlay ang wala kinitaan sa mga pareho ni Jhay-r nga gina saligan ang pagbuylog sang Masskara para kapangita kwarta. “Sang una may Masskara Festival, kapoy pero happy kay nangin part sang event and may income kami nga mga choreographers,” dugang niya.

Ginapangabay sa gihapon ni Jhay-r nga sa masunod nga tuig,

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Indi man makita sa dalanon ang mga matam-is nga yuhum sang mga Bacolodnon sini nga Oktubre, padayon sa gihapon ang pagngirit sang kada isa sa mga butang nga gin suguran patukod sang mga pumuluyo ka siyudad, bisan nakatago sa likod sang lain nga maskara.

mabawi sila para mangin masadya kag labaw sa tanan ang pagtambong sang Masskara 2021.

ANG BACOLODNON, INDI MALINGKANG

Nauntat ang mga negosyo kag ubra sang mga pumuluyo sa sulod sang pila ka bulan nga wala sang tampad nga kilit-anay. Rason ngaa nangin mabudlay para sa kadam-an mangita sang paagi para may ipakaon sa ila tagsa-tagsa ka pamilya. Apang sa bulan sang Mayo, natagaan remedyo

ang mga Bacolodnon nga wala sing kuwarta nga ipagwa halin sa ila bulsa.

Ginpatukod ang Bacolod Barter Community, isa ka Facebook group agum makabulig sa mga Bacolodnon nga magbayluhanay sang mga galamiton nga wala nagagamit kuwarta. Gin empesar ni Atty. Jocelle Batapa- Sigue kag sang iya mga kaupdanan, nabuhi ang isa ka dumaan nga paagi sang baklanay nga gina tawag “barter” kag ang duna nga pagkamabinuligon sang mga Bacolodnon sa tiempo sang pagkinahanglan.

Nangin aktibo sa gihapon ang siling nga grupo. Nanari-sari na nga mga istorya ang nagpakita nga ang mga Bacolodnon nga nagabatyag kalisud kag katawhayan padayon nga gabinuligay para magdala yuhum sa isig-kapareho.

Angkon mapalipay sang grupo ang isigkabanwahon paagi sa ila hiliwatun nga dulumdumon sang Masskara, ila ginhimo ang “sa likod sang mga yuhum” nga programa. Tuyo sang ini nga programa mag pangayo sang lima ka “barter stories” nga naga pahanumdum kabakod kag kasadya sa mga Bacolodnon bisan sa tunga sang kabudlayan kag kapigaduhon. Ang mga mapilian nga storya makabaton sang mga papremyo nga bugas.

Mag hikut pandot kag pasidunggan

Wala man nadayon ang pagbuylog sang kapistahan, indi ini buot silingon

nga madula ang pagsaulog sini.

Bangod sa mga bag-o nga pamaagi pareho na lang sa paggamit sang social media, mas napalapad kag napalapit sa kada isa, kapin pa subong nga gina bawalan ang pagtipun-tipun sa mga pampubliko nga lugar.

Ginlunsad ang “Bató, Bacolod, Bató!” sa opisyal nga Facebook page sang Masskara Festival sang Oktubre 25.

Diri malantaw ang mga ginhiwat nga mga nagligad nga binuhat sang mga nagdaog.

Masubo nga ang dalanon kag plaza sang Bacolod indi masaotan sang mga nanari-sari nga mga buhat, pero bisan sa simple nga pamaagi, napabatyag indi lamang sa mga Bacolodnon, kundi pati sa bilug nga kalibutan ang kasadya nga ginhatag sang mga nanligad nga Masskara. Sa mga ti-on nga ang maskara nga gina suksok, nagapakita sang matam-is nga mga yuhom.

Kasadya kag kasubo. Duwa sa balatiagon nga nagsugod kag nagpadayon sa mga Bacolodnon. Ang paghiliraum sang kada isa ang nagapatuod nga sa bisan anu man nga hitabo sa kabuhi, ginakilala sang kada isa ang ila kasimanwa. Kapin pa subong nga ginasaligan ang tagsa-tagsa para dungan mangalipay. Dugang nga proweba nga bisan ano nga palaligban mag-abot sa mga Bacolodnon, nahimo sa gihapon magbangon. Ang ila pagbangon, gina updan sang yuhum.

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HUMA N INTE R E S T

Service.

Passion.

Volunteerism.

Not all heroes wear capes. Some only wear an ordinary shirt and pants… or maybe a full-geared PPE. words by JASELE MAE PRIOLO & MARK JOHN PRIOLO photo courtesy of RIZALDY ALUNAN

“

Hmanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service…”

Those are the words that come out on the lips of every Red Cross member whenever they are asked about the fundamentals of the organization. For some, those are just empty words repeatedly recited—no profound meanings, just hollow and simply denotative. But it is far different for someone who has lived with those fundamentals. Someone who is familiar with its echoes and understands the value that it holds, and what it means to volunteer.

Rizaldy Alunan, an alumnus of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation–Bacolod proved that there is no stronger heart for service than the heart of a volunteer. He has been passionately serving the Philippine Red Cross Youth since his college days.

He continues to inspire people to do good despite the threats and struggles in these trying times.

By the time that COVID-19 had been declared a pandemic and medical frontliners were needed, he never hesitated to offer his service because

he knew that that was the time when the community needed him most.

Seeing his fellow frontliners serving unconditionally pushed him further to volunteer. “Makita ta gid ang ila efforts and sacrifice in fighting against COVID-19 (We could see their efforts and sacrifices in fighting against COVID-19),” Rizaldy said. “As a volunteer frontliner, it is not easy.”

The lethal threat of this world health crisis caused by the virus has forced millions of people to stay

in their homes. But even though it continues to take a significant number of innocent lives, Rizaldy did not budge in sacrificing his safety, battling for the lives of others, and showing courage and selfless commitment to serving the community. In fact, during the Enhanced Community Quarantine, he was one of the team leaders assigned on the city border checking and monitoring each individual who enters and leaves the city.

Rizaldy admits it is not an easy

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COVID-19 TESTING The Philippine Red Cross conducted over 1 million coronavirus swab tests, representing 26 % of all coronavirus swab tests in the Philippines. It also operates 21 of the 149 licensed testing hubs in the country, which are capable of performing 42,000 tests per day.

Data as of October 2020 RAPPLER

But even though it continues to take a significant number of innocent lives, Rizaldy did not budge in sacrificing his safety, battling for the lives of others, and showing courage and selfless commitment to serving the community. job to volunteer, but he believes these hardships are temporary and it will create positive impacts in the long run. “Hindi na siya ya amo na ka hapos nga job because ang imo safety in the first place is at risk kay wala ka kabalo kung ano ang status sang imo safety. But ang imo gina priority is to help and to give satisfying service in our community to fight against COVID-19 (It is not a very easy job because you are sacrificing your safety in the first place and you don’t know the status of your safety.

But your priority is to help and to give satisfying service in our community to fight against COVID-19).”

Together with the Philippine Red Cross Negros Occidental - Bacolod City Chapter, they launched an improvised handwashing facility made from used drums which they called "Drumvatory". Its purpose is to distribute handwashing facilities to hospitals, public markets, and establishments.

This initiative was named as one of the national finalists in the recently

concluded Ten Accomplished Youth Organization (TAYO) Awards.

After the Drumvatory Project, he dedicated his time to participating and conducting Red Cross initiatives.

They operated a Pledge 25 Mobile Blood Donation in celebration of the Red Cross Month and continue to distribute hygiene kits and food. They also conducted hygiene promotion and information dissemination to raise awareness about the nuances of COVID-19.

Rizaldy was also one of the finalists for the Top Outstanding Red Cross Youth during the RCY Excellence Award 2019 held at the Philippine Red Cross Logistics and Multipurpose Center. Now, he is the Focal Person in PRCY Negros Occidental - Bacolod City Chapter.

The fight in which he fought and is still fighting now is never a manifestation of his thirst for recognition, but rather an act of humanity. He always bears in his mind that: "Volunteers are not paid not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.”

May we remember someday as we look back at this unfortunate event in which amidst the darkness, a hero showed up wearing his ordinary shirt and pants, answering the call of service.

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ART S

Stroking tones with values Stories of the monochromatic and polychromatic Lacsonian artists who sell their work during the pandemic. words by RENGIL MANA-AY & PAUL IVAN QUEZON photo courtesy of KENNETH MUNEZ & CHRISTIAN OCTOSO

K

enneth Muñez and Christian Octoso are contrasting artists. The former masters the shades of gray in portraiture, and the latter screams a palette of colors in oil painting. One of them happened to hone his skill in a short period of time, while the other has already spent years finding himself in his own art. The two of them might be different in some ways, but both tell the same strokes of struggles and earning out of their skills.

MONOCHROME IS COLORFUL

It was summer in April when Kenneth suddenly decided to grab a sharpened pencil.

The feeling seemed familiar to him as it brings him back to five years ago when he had the keenness in scribbling lines and patterns— but this time, it is the faces of the people that he sketches on a blank piece of paper. It kept him busy during the long quarantine period. He made use of almost four months of his vacation to improve his talent in visual arts— portraiture in particular.

Every stroke ignites the hope of easing the burden of his parents. Rekindling with his old interest, it lit a dying flame and fueled the passion that he now uses to help his parents in their finances. At 19 years old, he was able to earn some money out of his drawing commissions from the people in their community in Sagay City who saw his natural talent in art.

Graphite, charcoal, stick glue, and kneadable eraser are the media he utilizes on vellum boards. These little investments

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"At first, there are people who will put you down like my first client. But I just turned it into an inspiration that perhaps he did not pay me because my output was not good so I have to push myself harder so that my skill will meet their satisfaction."

helped Kenneth start his commission portraits. He drafts a grid to estimate the proportions of the face. In shading, he applies a cross-hatching technique. It’s to create tonal effects by varying the spacing of lines or by adding a layer of lines to blend the subjects smoothly. Meanwhile, in details like hair, he plies charcoal to underscore the dark shade and stick glue to highlight the lighter parts.

These, he said, are crucial in making portraits realistic and appealing to the eyes of the clients.

The struggle is real for Kenneth, hence every commissioned work is light to his candle. He treats it as equally important to his love for his craft. According to him, the main reason why he persevered in improving his talent is because of the school fees. He cannot take the burden of seeing his parents troubled with the cost of his education. He’s currently a sophomore taking up BS

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Marine Engineering at John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation- Bacolod. “Ang pinaka-main reason ang balayran sa eskwelahan, para makabulig ko sakon parents kay kabalo ko nabudlayan gid sila kapin pa wala trabaho si Papa kag gasalig lang kami sa mga baboy namon.

Ti kung magnubo price sang baboy like subong kay pandemic, yawan gid kami.

So para makabulig ko, gina himo ko racket akon drawing (The main reason why I want to help my parents is because I know they are having a hard time, especially my father is jobless and we just depend on our hogs. If the prices of the hogs are low, it would be difficult for us. So in order to help, I made my drawing skill to be a way),” he shared.

In seven months, he had nine commissioned works. He earned from as low as 250 pesos to 1,200 pesos.

But not every day is a sunny day for Kenneth. Three of which scammed him after receiving the portraits

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(left to right) INPIRASYON SA PAGPADAYON, SYNERGY , ABUNDANCE, UNSUNG WEARY WORKER

without compensating the efforts he has poured.

When his first-ever client slunk and turned him down, he initially thought he was up for no good. It hit him to his core. But later on, he realized that instead of feeling bad, he should make it a reason to strive harder. “Sa una-una gid may mga tawo nga ga-down simo bala like sa first client ko pero ginhimo ko na lang as inspiration nga maybe waay nila nabayaran bangod law-ay ubra ko so dapat i-push ko harder akon skill para malab-ot ko ila satisfaction (At first, there are people who will put you down like my first client. But I just turned it into an inspiration that perhaps he did not pay me because my output was not good so I have to push myself harder so that my skill will meet their satisfaction).”

Through art, he has felt a boost in his confidence. It has become his outlet for his negative emotions like stress and anxiety, for widening his creativity. Despite the struggle of

being a small-time artist, for Kenneth, art is becoming a lending hand to help in his studies and expenses, and most of all, for him doing art is a pleasure.

Polychrome is ORDINARY

The long quarantine period has been anything but monochromatic to the likes of Christian Octoso, who turned blank white sheets into still life paintings. At 20 years old, he was able to provide for himself and his family by making money out of his painting commissions, aiding their needs amidst the pandemic. On top of that, Christian also wants to share his talent, steadily letting himself be renowned as an artist.

Throughout his career, Christian has already sold four of his paintings and has helped him and his family financially. He only started selling them when the pandemic began, and his works range from six thousand to fifteen thousand pesos. Fruitful earnings by stroking passion into his work.

Christian’s career as an artist started when he was seven. His mother enrolled him in a local summer art workshop where his interest in arts bloomed. They were taught how to use watercolor— his first medium, during the first few years. After discovering oil painting when he was 15 years old, he fell in love with it and became his primary medium. He loved how the vibrant hues play in his canvas and create realistic images as his strokes become more precise.

It inspires him if other people would see the world through his perspective by painting them. His interest in still life paintings is inspired by everyday objects he sees.

Whenever he tries to start painting, he would look at some similar works for inspiration. Christian admits he still hasn’t reached the stage where he has established his distinct approach when it comes to painting. “I am still in search of who I am as an artist.

As of now, I am honing my skills in Realism in which all artists start with.”

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“Always find who you are as an artist,” he said. “Establish your own identity that when people see your art, they would immediately know it is you.”

Christian always start each painting with imprimatura which uses an earth color such as burnt umber or raw sienna. Its purpose is to give artists a better sight of what appropriate hues they could utilize. He also sticks to the ‘fat over lean’ principle when starting the actual painting. It is applying paint with a higher oil to pigment ratio (fat) over paint with a lower oil pigment ratio (lean) to avoid cracking your painting. Oil painting requires a lot of time before it dries.

Sometimes, he observes the alla prima technique or the wet-on-wet method, where you apply more colors over layers of paint while they are still wet.

He always felt challenged on the process. There are times that he would start all over again or try to reposition certain elements within the space to make the composition of the painting much better. “After finishing a painting, the satisfaction I feel is always incomparable, especially if it came out the way I wanted it to look,” he expressed.

Painting as his primary leisure has its perks. Christian has already garnered awards and recognition over the years with his talent. In his hometown Victorias City, he has won the grand prize in Victorias Milling Company’s inter-school art contest and got him featured in a local newspaper and his winning piece displayed in VMC’s 2016 calendar. The painting also earned him a spot in the coveted Unit Model Cadet selection of JBLCF-B last 2018 by winning the Best in Talent award. He also represented the school in various national poster making contests: winning as champion in an event held in Baguio City and a finalist during the National Seafarers’ Day held in Intramuros, Manila.

For Christian, accepting criticism from other people is very important.

However, he does not let people dictate how one should approach his art. Picasso, Van Gogh, and other prominent artists may not have the most realistic works, but it was their distinct approach and unconventional

methods that made them famous. He also suggests starting with the basics— especially with Realism—to serve as the foundation as you search for your forte. “Always find who you are as an artist,” he said. “Establish your own identity that when people see your art, they would immediately know it is you.”

He would always be proud of all the positive feedback he receives from his clients. They would message him and tell him how beautiful his paintings hang on their walls. He sees this as a great implication of his skill as an artist.

During the hard times, when we find it hard to keep going, admittedly or not we often run to arts—films, music, literature, and paintings. Art is present in so many of the places we go to and the things we do. Live in it, support the people who do what they are passionate about, and maybe even spread the word. It has always been difficult for artists to make a living, let us help make it better.

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SOC I E TY

Sewing legacies amid pandemic Two non-governmental organizations who are needles in a thread in a pandemic-struck Negros. words by MARK JOHN PRIOLO photos courtesy of PROJECT HUMANGON & SOWING LEGACY MOVEMENT, INC.

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ave you ever wondered why there are people who choose to serve without hesitation?

Even without getting paid?

Just voluntarily helping without due compensation. Or have you thought about how they found the courage to do that?

In their unswerving selflessness to help, Sowing Legacy Movement, Inc. (SLM) and Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute, Inc. (NYLI) became busy when the pandemic struck— mediating the disparities and being the light for others amid the darkest situation.

SLM’s main program is to provide educational assistance, while the NYLI to equip and empower the young leaders in Negros. They may be different in some aspects and on how they work, but they have one common goal: to help those who are staggering at the bottom.

Worth every mile

Long and weary travels were never a problem for SLM when it is already for the benefit of every life that they are about to touch. With the love and support inside and outside of the organization, they have been actively responding to the needs of the community— wherever in Negros might that be. They raised a project named “Love in the time of Corona”

with two initiatives that have been a great help to people: “Buligay” and the Psychosocial Support Program.

“Buligay” program assists individuals and communities by giving them “COVID health kits” composed of food packs, vegetables, and sanitation kits. Since the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, they have reached almost 1,000 families in need, informal settlers, jails, and vulnerable communities in

Negros. They also went back to their adopted community in Brgy. Sanke, Hinobaan, the southernmost town in the province, to assist.

For SLM’s Executive Director 3/E Charles Mangga, being part of the organization, one should be determined and committed to serving.

“Determination and commitment, as well as love for the community, has helped us surpass these challenges,” he said. One should not embody just

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the words, but show it in actions and exhibit ingenuity in finding solutions.

Knowing how draining and stressful it is for people to deal with different adjustments and the wariness of being infected, the group launched a free webinar series called “Psychosocial Support Program'' that aimed to provide tools for psychoeducation of people about coping in this pandemic. “We are helping people cope with stress and other related mental health issues we are all facing,” said Dr. Richelle Verdeprado, founder of Sowing Legacy Movement, Inc. Worth every pile

Every peso, when pooled together, could change a life. That is the power NYLI wants to grow— that no amount was ever small to create possibilities. With multiple projects and initiatives, NYLI continues to be a helping hand to the youth.

A lot of Negrosanon students are facing problems in their education.

“Alang sa Pangandoy” is a program NYLI aimed to aid students to continue their studies despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

“Project Pangita'' made it possible to assist college and high school students attending online classes struggling with a lousy internet connection.

Another project is the “Higala”— an online concert for the benefit of pupils and teachers in municipalities of Don Salvador Benedicto and Calatrava. The proceeds were donated to assist the

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With the love and support inside and outside of the organization, they have been actively responding to the needs of the community— wherever in Negros might that be.

transition of classes from a classroom setting to modular, which provides supplies in printing modules.

NYLI also has the project “#CareBags”, a relief goods distribution for the citizens of Negros Occidental.

To help micro-businesses that have been severely affected by the pandemic, “Project Humangon” was established. Spearheaded by NYLI alumnus Jason James Isada, the project aims to improve branding and marketing strategies of at least 10 fruit vendors; and utilize product surplus

and market-innovative products.

It was also to distribute 30 “Ligtas Tindahan Kits” to the fruit vendors.

Jason believes that the greatest resource is the human resource.

“Without the help of one another, we would be struggling on our own. This difficult time has made the situation of other people more difficult than ever. If we are in the comfort of our homes, others risk their health for survival. Empathy is the main reason we continue to reach out and help others,” he said.

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The role of SLM and NYLI does not just rotate in their circle.

It is with the unity of everyone that helped them do what they have done today.

Worth every smile

The achievements of these organizations are not in the form of plaques, medals, and certificates.

It is their growth by being flexible in coping with different situations and seeing those they helped thrive as they grow, too. Knowing those they inspired are also helping others is more than rewarding. For every genuine smile etched on their faces and blissful heart was more than any other material things they could ever receive. “It’s knowing that you made other people happy. Seeing them smile is heartwarming,” sentiments from 3/E Charles.

SLM and NYLI have been facing arduous challenges throughout the pandemic. All have been suffering from sudden adjustments, and they are not excluded from this. Demands and bigger budgets were needed. As they serve a lot of people at the same time, finding sources was an undeniable challenge. The threat of the virus and how they are going to distribute their goods and conduct their activities have also hurdled them.

The role of SLM and NYLI does not just rotate in their circle. It is with the unity of everyone that helped them do what they have done today.

The spirit to serve was not just a

word tangled in the mouths of those who said it. “It all boils down to commitment. We have committed to help others, and the pandemic would not stop us from adhering to that commitment. Because of the pandemic, we have been given more reasons to reach out. Instead of making it a reason to stop, it is giving us more reason to serve,” 3/E Charles added.

Life on Earth where we currently live is not easy for anyone. Everybody has a burden to carry, a goal to achieve, and a life to fulfill. There is always somebody greater and lesser than ourselves. But these disparities created by different situations caused

the emergence of organizations that are devoted to uplift the common good. Organizations with the sole purpose of not gaining profit, but to be a helping hand and a bridge to those in need. To provide an avenue to help others, to voice their advocacies, or to simply employ their acts of love.

These organizations are not made with special individuals. They are ordinary citizens with some things binding them together: commitment, the initiative to lead, and the heart to help one another. The key is collaboration, the drive is love, and the means is change—and together they are sewing legacies.

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D E VCO M

Distant Learning: The disparities between two students With the gap between the Philippines’ social classes, is learning still a right or a privilege? words and photos by RENGIL MANA-AY & JOHN REY URBANOZO

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he wakes up to the booze of her alarm from her smartphone and hurriedly goes to shower. She fixes herself right after and eats breakfast prepared by her parents. She then sits at her space and opens her laptop to attend her first class of the day.

In another town, a young boy sprints through a field of sugarcane going to the backyard of his friends.

While other students are busy with their classes, he takes off his slippers and plays chasing game and hide-andseek all day long—unworried by the modules sent for him to answer.

These are the typical class days for Dayne Tuvalles and Rorene Nangan, both students in a private and a public school respectively. They are among the millions of Filipino students enrolled under this ‘new normal’ of education for the school year 2020-2021.

The lone learner

Every week, Rorene C. Nangan’s father fetches his modules from his school. He is currently in his fourth grade at Sto. Rosario Elementary School in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental. While most of his classmates are given attention by their parents, Rorene has nobody to help him.

He lost his mother to cancer three years ago, and his father lives far

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"He would sometimes ask me, 'Nay, will I be going to go back as a 5th grader again if I won’t be able to pass my modules? Will Mama be mad at me?' ” from him due to work. He is currently under the roof of his maternal grandparents at a remote barangay, who cannot also help him because of busyness in making ends meet. Ever since the start of classes in October, his modules are stacked by a corner in their house, still unattended.

“Hindi ko man matutukan si Toto [Rorene] kay sako man ko panglibod kada adlaw. Tapos kung magpuli man, amo pa lang ko makapahuway. Hindi ko man mainchindihan ang ila modules kay kagamay sang mga letra kag hindi ko kung kaisa man kabalo ((I cannot even give Rorene the attention he needs because I am also busy selling every day. And when I come home, I also have to rest. I also have a hard time understanding their modules due to unreadable letters, and sometimes I just don’t know how to answer them),” expressed 71-year-old Florita Cahilgan, Rorene’s grandmother.

At the age of 10, Rorene still struggles in reading fluently. He also has a hard time comprehending word problems and recalling basic arithmetic. But in spite of those, Rorene recognizes the importance of

his education. He worries that he may fail in this school year for not being able to understand his lessons and pass his modules. “Kung kaisa gani mamangkot na sa siya sa akon, ‘Nay, mabalik gid ko ni Grade 4 ko kung hindi ko kapasa modules? Maakig na sa akon si Mama?’ (He would sometimes ask me, “Nay, will I be going to go back as a 4th grader again if I won’t be able to pass my modules? Will Mama be mad at me?”),” Florita shared.

The supported learner

Dayne Tuvalles has a sustainable internet connection in their home and has the equipment needed in the class like her laptop and mobile phone.

She is currently in seventh grade enrolled in the online synchronous classes at Kabankalan Catholic College in Kabankalan City. Under such a mode of learning, they hold real-time classes, simulating the face-to-face set-up through online platforms.

Being the only child, her parents pour everything they have into Dayne. Her mother works as medical personnel in their barangay, and her father has a hog business to sustain

their daily lives. Dayne's parents are particular to teach and guide their only child for her online class.

"Tungod kay isa man lang amon nga bata, gin pa-enroll namon si Dayne sa pribado nga eskwelahan para matutukan gid siya sang iya mga teachers kag kami man nga iya parents labi na nga subong may pandemya. Tungod kay ga-online class sila, ginpatakdan namon internet amon balay para indi na sya mabudlayan. Gina-monitor man namon sya adlaw-adlaw sa iya ng online class (Because Dayne is our only child, we opted to enroll her in a private school so that her teachers and us— her parents, can focus on her especially now in the times of pandemic. We installed an internet connection at our house for her online class, and so for her convenience, too. We also monitor her every day in her online class),” expressed 48-year-old Hazel Tuvalles, Dayne's mother.

Dayne is also an achiever and excels in both academic and extracurricular activities. Now, she continues striving hard in her education. ""Thankful gid ko sa ila ni Mama kag Papa nga ginpatakdan ko nila internet para sa akon online class. Wala na ko gakabudlayan sa mga lessons ko kay gina-update gid kami sang amon teachers. Kag gapasalamat man ko kay ara sila ni Mama kag Papa para mag-guide kag magbulig sa akon,” Dayne shared. "Dapat magtu-on gid

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ako sang maayo para maging proud sa akon parents ko kag indi nugon ang ila ginabayad nga tuition sa akon (I am very much thankful to Mama and Papa because they got us an internet connection installed for my online class. I don’t find it difficult anymore because our teachers get us updated.

And also, I am grateful because I have my parents to guide and help me. I should study well so that my parents will be proud of me and that their efforts will be worth it),” she added.

According to a report from the Department of Education, over 23 million learners have enrolled in both public and private schools for the school year 2020-2021. It is more than 83 percent of DepEd’s target of over 27 million, which was the number of enrollees last year.

Of the 23.11 million enrollees, more than 21.5 million enrolled in public schools, while more than 1.56 million registered in private institutions. It is alarming knowing that the hope of our country is in trouble for their learning situation. In this scenario, instead of physical classes, the DepEd and CHED implemented distance or remote learning. This method delivers lessons in various ways, including online, television, radio, and printed materials.

For some parents, distance learning seems impractical as it could mean spending more time and money

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"Because Dayne is our only child, we opted to enroll her in a private school so that her teachers and us— her parents, can focus on her especially now in the times of pandemic. We installed an internet connection at our house for her online class, and so for her convenience, too. We also monitor her every day in her online class" on their children's education. Many marginalized, poverty-stricken, and vulnerable children in the country would be at a disadvantage. Also, they have responsibilities for their children on how they will teach them in the best way they know. According to the ASEAN Post, the mode of distance learning will also be more problematic and challenging for parents who have a lower level of literacy, less formal education, or have never gone to school.

Meanwhile, DepEd also reported that 93% of public schools nationwide have devices for online learning.

"There are 1,042,575 devices in 43,948 public schools all over the country.

These are computers, laptops, tablets that can be used by learners. Additionally, we'll deliver 211,344 devices before the end of December 2020," said Department of Education (DepEd) Information and Communications Technology Service Director Abram

Abanil in a virtual press briefing.

This, however, is not sufficient for the total amount of students enrolled this school year.

As we shift to a completely different way of learning, there are a number of daunting challenges that need to be addressed and overcome for distance education to be efficiently and effectively delivered. The times have changed, and the circumstances have pushed us to adapt to the new normal. In our pursuit of knowledge, education is of great consequence to children since they are the future of the nation. President Rodrigo Duterte echoed that "the future of this country depends on how we educate our young people nowadays," we have to be hopeful for there is a change to come. But as we move forward, may we also have to check on others and help them ascend so that nobody will be left behind for education should always be a right, not a privilege.

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cover story C OV ER STO RY

Pagpupunyagi sa bawat Pag-ani Sa pananalasa ng pandemyang COVID-19, lalong mas naging mahirap ang mga pasanin ng mga gulugod ng lipunan. Alamin ang kalagayan ni Marites Apostol at ng mga kapwa magsasaka sa kabila ng kanilang pagpapagal at pag-abot ng kanilang mga pangarap. words by RENGIL MANA-AY photos by NELE STEPHEN PACURIB

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asaya mang inaawit ang kantang pambata na "Magtanim ay Di Biro", naiiba ito sa pandinig ng isang ina— inang balót ng mga tela ang mukha at katawan sa kakayuko’t kakatayo habang sinusuong ang maputik na kapatagan at nakakapasong init ng araw. Pasan-pasan niya ang mga pangarap para sa buong pamilya. Mga pangarap na lumago mula pagkabata, na hanggang ngayon, katumbas ng bawat butil ng inaaning palay.

Subalit simula nang nanalasa ang COVID-19 noong Marso, malaking pagbabago ang hinarap ng pamilya ni Marites Apostol, 42 taong gulang, isang magsasaka mula sa Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City.

Tila naging mas malaking hamon ang bawat araw sa kanila: sa bawat magsasaka at mga nabibilang sa bulnerableng sektor ng ating bansa. Isa lamang ang pamilya ni Marites at kaniyang komunidad sa mga lubhang naapektuhan ng hagupit ng sakuna.

Maghapong nakayuko

Nagsisimula silang magtrabaho mula alas sais ng umaga hanggang alas kwatro ng hapon, depende sa kung ilang ektarya ang lupain. Ang kanilang trabaho ay kalimitan pag-aani at pag-te-thresher.

Ang parehong kapatagan rin ang naging tahanan sa mga pangarap simula noong siya ay siyam na taong gulang pa lamang. Sa murang edad natutunan niyang magpursigi at pahalagahan ang bawat butil na kanilang inaani at ang mga palayang bumubuhay sa kanila. Ngayong 33 taon na siyang nagsasaka, nakatanim pa rin ang unang binhi ng kaniyang mga adhikain sa buhay—ang tuparin ang kanyang pangarap at ng kaniyang mga anak.

‘Di man lang makaupo, ‘di man lang makatayo

Walang panahon ng pagkakape sa gitna ng palayan. Isasabay na lang nila ito sa tanghalian kung kailan ito rin lamang ang panahon ng kanilang

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pahinga. Kung ihahalintulad daw ang pagsasaka noon ay malayong malayo sa ngayon kung kaya’t kinakailangan pa nilang mag kayod-kalabaw. Lalo na noong nagkaroon ng community quarantine sa probinsya ng Negros Occidental, aniya kahit anong kayod, tila hindi sapat ang kinikita nila para matugunan ang kinakailangan ng pamilya.

Tugon ni Marites, “Lain gid ya sang wala pa lockdown ya eh. Subong, daw ka po-ot gid ya. Daw batyagan mo, sa ginagmay mo nga income daw indi gid ya kasustinir. Nagmahal halos tanan, barato sweldo pero mahal naman ang balaklon. Pigado pigado gid ya subong (Iba talaga noong wala pang lockdown. Ngayon, parang ang hirap talaga. Para bang pakiramdam mo na sa maliit mong kita, hindi pa rin kasya. Nagmahal na halos lahat, maliit pa rin ang sweldo pero nagmahal naman ang mga bilihin. Napakahirap talaga ng buhay ngayon.)”

Sa umagang paggising, ang lahat iisipin

Boluntaryo na ring tumutulong sa pagsasaka ang mga anak ni Marites.

Sa siyam na miyembro ng kanilang pamilya, walo ang nagtatrabaho sa lupang sakahan nila na maituturing na nilang tahanan. Kahit sa maliliit nilang mga kamay, malaki ang naging tulong ng mga ito sa kanilang mga magulang sa pagtustos sa pang araw-araw nilang pangangailangan.

Si Abner Apostol, 11 taong gulang na anak ni Marites ang pinakamaliit at pinakabatang magsasaka sa kanilang hanay. Sa gitna ng kanyang pag-aaral ng modular, sumusubok pa rin si Abner sa pag-aararo gamit ang kalabaw at pag-aani ng mga palay. “Gabulig ko sa ila ni Mama kay gusto ko makabulig bisan sa gamay lang nga pamaagi nga masarangan ko (Tumutulong ako

sa kanila ni Mama kasi gusto kong makatulong sa kahit maliit na paraan lang na kaya ko),” wika ni Abner, na sa ngayon ay nasa ikaanim na baitang na.

Gayon pa man, may mga beses din na wala silang mahanap na lupang sakahan pero hindi sila maaaring tumunganga at maghintay na lamang, kaya tumatanggap sila Marites ng ibang trabaho tulad ng pagtatabas ng damo at pagbebenta ng mga meryenda sa kanilang komunidad.

“Bisan daw tayuyon ang ubra mo daw wala gid ya. Maayo pa sang una ya bisan magkainano, bisan dyutay lang imo income ya, at least bugana ang giho mo. Subong ya, naapektuhan gid ya ang kabuhi sang mga mangunguma.

Te kinanglan gid magbaka-baka (Kahit minsan tuloy-tuloy ang trabaho mo,

wala pa rin. Mabuti pa noon kasi kahit anong mangyari, kahit na kaunti lang ang kita mo, kahit papaano makakagalaw ka nang maayos. Ngayon naman, higit naapektuhan ang buhay ng mga magsasaka. Kaya kailangan mag kayod-kalabaw),” sabi ni Marites.

Sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, napakalaking ginhawa para sa kanya at kaniyang asawa na makitang napagtapos nila sa senior high school ang kanilang panganay na anak habang isa namang iskolar sa isang pampribadong paaralan sa Bago City ang isa pa niyang anak na magtatapos na rin sa senior high school sa susunod na taon. “Kabudlay sang kabuhi nga wala tinapusan. Wala man kami tinapusan ni Papa nila pero at least sila ya paninghuwaan namon kay maabot sa ulihi nga magkabata sila,

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"Ngayon, parang ang hirap talaga. Para bang pakiramdam mo na sa maliit mong kita, hindi pa rin kasya.

Nagmahal na halos lahat, maliit pa rin ang sweldo pero nagmahal naman ang mga bilihin.

Napakahirap talaga ng buhay ngayon." kung ano gusto sang bata nila masarangan nila (Mahirap ang buhay ng hindi nakatapos ng pag-aaral. Hindi man kami nakapagtapos ng Papa nila, kahit papaano ay maigagapang namin upang sa huli na dumating ang araw na magkakaanak na sila ay makakaya nilang bilhin ang mga gusto nito).”

Dagdag pa ni Marites, sumasama ang loob nilang mag-asawa kung hindi nila maibibigay ang gusto ng mga anak. “Siyempre kadamo daan sa ila.

Kis-a gasiling na lang ko sa kaugalingon ko nga kabudlay sang kabuhi nga wala tinapusan ah. Amo na promisa ko sa Nanay ko nga sa ulihi, bisan ano kadamo kabataan ko, makatapos sila kag may ambisyon sila kay maabot adlaw sa ulihi nga magkabata sila, kung ano gusto sang bata nila masarangan nila kay may tinapusan sila (Syempre napakarami

nila. Minsan sinasabi ko na lang sa sarili ko na napakahirap talaga ng buhay ng hindi nakapagtapos. Kaya iyan ang pangako ko sa aking Nanay na sa huli, kahit gaano karami ang aking mga anak, makakapagtapos sila at may ambisyon sila kasi darating ang araw na magkakaanak sila, at kung ano man ang mga gugustuhin ng kanilang mga anak ay maibibigay nila dahil nakapagtapos sila ng pag-aaral).”

Kung saan may patanim, may masarap na pagkain

Malaking dagok ang pandemyang ito sa pamumuhay ng mga magsasaka.

Bawat araw ay walang katiyakang sila ay makakaraos— ito rin ang siyang ikinabahala ni Marites. Sa katunayan, marami nang magsasaka ang umaangal dahil sa mababang bentahan ng

palay sa kasalukuyan, na anila'y hindi sapat para mabawi ang paggawa at gastos sa produksyon para rito.

Sabi kasi ng ilang magsasaka, bagsak-presyo na ang bilihan ng palay ngayon. Isa sa dinadahilan nila ay hindi raw nila kayang makipagkompetensiya sa mga inaangkat, kung saan sang-ayon dito si Marites. Doble ang epekto nito sa kagaya nilang mga maliliit na magsasaka at sa mga nang-aamuhan lamang sa iba. Ayon sa kaniya, ang presyo ng palay noon ay umabot daw ng ₱20 ang bawat kilo, malayo sa presyo ngayon na sumagad na sa ₱13.

“Mas mayo sang wala lockdown eh, absuelto giyo mo. Sang una may gasulod di nga mga millers para magdawat direkta humay, sari-sari, te maka-papresyo ka ya. Subong wala na, diri na lang

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Ayon sa World Wide Fund for Nature, dalawa sa bawat limang Pilipino ay itinuturing na mahirap. Sa mahigit 100 milyong taong pinapakain bawat araw at patuloy na laban ng bansa sa kakulangan ng pagkain, lalong mas naging mahirap ang kalagayan ng sistema ng pagkain sa ating bansa. galibot-libot, ‘di ka naman kapa-presyo. Kay kung damo sila ya, lagson nila ang presyo. (Mabuti pa noong walang lockdown, abswelto ang mga kilos mo. Noon, may pumapasok ditong mga millers upang direktahang bumili ng mga palay, sari-sari, kaya makakapag-presyo ka. Ngayon wala na, mga taga dito na lang ang pumapaikot-ikot, ‘di ka naman makapag-presyo. Kung marami kasi sila [mga millers], hahabulin nila ang presyo).”

Sa bawat 10 sako ng inaning palay, isa ang napupunta sa kanila, at ang dami ng kanilang naani ay nakadepende sa lawak ng sakahan.

Dito na rin sila kumukuha ng kanilang kinokonsumo. At kung minsan kapag sumosobra daw ang inaani nilang palay ay ipinapagiling nila ito upang maging bigas at ipinagbibili sa halagang ₱36-₱40, depende sa klase.

Magpanibago tayo ng lakas, para sa araw ng bukas

Makulimlim man ang mga ulap o nakakapaso ang init ng araw, tiyak na ang sikat ng pangarap ni Marites para sa kanyang pamilya ay napakaliwanag. Lagi niyang itinatatak sa isip ng kanyang mga anak na walang mabigat na gawain kung may pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan.

Parati rin niyang pinapanalangin na patuloy lamang silang bigyan ng lakas para maging aktibo at malusog

upang malampasan nila ang mga dagok ng buhay at magabayan nila ang kanilang mga anak sa tamang landas. Ang mga aral na itinatanim nilang mag-asawa ay aniyang napakaganda at napaka saganang aanihin pagdating ng araw.

Ayon sa World Wide Fund for Nature, dalawa sa bawat limang Pilipino ay itinuturing na mahirap.

Sa mahigit 100 milyong taong pinapakain bawat araw at patuloy na laban ng bansa sa kakulangan ng pagkain, lalong mas naging mahirap ang kalagayan ng sistema ng pagkain sa ating bansa. Napakalaking danyos sa lahat ng sektor ang naging dulot ng pandemyang ito, at marapat lamang tayong sumikap para siguruhin ang magkaroon ng matatag na mapagkukunan ng ligtas at abot-kayang pagkain.

Kaugnay nito, ayon kay Secretary William Dar kaisa ang Department of Agriculture sa adhikain ng bawat magsasaka sa ating bansa.

Umapela ang kagawaran sa mga lokal na pamahalaan na sumaklolo sa mga magsasaka at bumili ng palay sa National Food Authority (NFA). Hinikayat din ng DA ang mga magsasaka na sa NFA magbenta ng palay para mas mataas ang presyo nito, na ₱19 daw binibili ang kada kilo.

Ang limitadong supply ng ani ay may direktang epekto sa mga

presyo sa merkado. Ayon kay Dar, ang pinakamainam na paraan upang mapapirmi ang presyo ng mga kalakal sa agrikultura, pangingisda, at iba pang mga produktong pagkain ay ang pagkakaroon ng maayos at mabisang paggalaw ng mga inani mula sa sakahan patungong merkado. Kung susundin ang law of supply and demand, ang pagpirmi ng mga presyo ay makakamit lamang kung may sapat na suplay sa merkado. Ito ang siyang kadahilanan upang seguridad ng pagkain ay dapat isa sa mga pinakaprayoridad ng pamahalaan—lahat ng pagsisikap ay magiging walang kabuluhan kung pagkatapos ng pandemyang ito ang mga tao ay mamamatay sa gutom.

Ang kwento ng pagsusumikap ni Marites ay nagpapahayag ng kasalukuyang sitwasyon ng mga taong dahilan sa paglatag ng inihaing kanin sa ating mga hapag kainan, walang iba kundi ang ating mga magsasaka. Sa mga panahon ng krisis tulad nito, nararapat lamang na bigyang prayoridad ang sektor ng agrikultura. Nawa ay isipin ng bawat Pilipino na ang bawat butil na ipinagkaloob sa atin ng Maykapal, ay butil ng mga pangarap ng mga katulad ni Marites na bumubuhay sa buong bansa. Sapagkat tunay nga na ang pagsasaka ay isang marangal na trabaho; at ang pagtatanim ay 'di minsan naging biro.

An attack to press freedom is an attack on all forms of freedom Amid the pandemic and natural calamities, Filipinos have the right to be informed. We will not be silenced. We will continue to defend the right to information and press freedom.

PAUL IVAN QUEZON

DEFEND. An activist lighting a candle in front of ABS-CBN Bacolod during a solidarity protest after the House Committee’s decision of junking company’s renewal of franchise.

RUER TORCULAS

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DIS C U S S I O N

Infofection The widespread infection of misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information. words by MARK JOHN PRIOLO graphic art by RUER TORCULAS

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o one can escape. There is no safe place to hide, and everyone is vulnerable. Fake news does not care for who you are, your status, where you live, and who your parents are. If it attacks, it attacks— and no one will be able to evade its ferocity. Fake news had been leaching the Philippines, and there seems no end.

Fake news is information specially fabricated to bring confusion to everyone. It misleads anyone who dares to read and drive people away from the truth. Also used to bring ruin to an individual, company, and group.

The Council of Europe’s Information Disorder Report of November 2017 categorized that there are three

notions of fake news: misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information.

These three are different in other ways, but they bring the same harm: make citizens believe in falsehood.

Misinformation Misinformation may not seem to be damaging, but it can cause harm if not treated. It is information made without any factual basis.

Anybody can be a source of misinformation: ranging from superstitious beliefs to medical quack doctors, to hear-says posted online, and to knowledge without factual support. It often passes through your Facebook timeline. It can also be found on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,

and other social networking sites but does not normally inflict damage.

It often exists due to undetermined and baseless beliefs and knowledge. It can always be avoided through vast readings and factchecking. Nonetheless, no matter how insignificant information may seem, one should always be wary of them for you not to be tricked and know if it is something worth sharing.

According to Philippine News Agency, criminal charges were filed

by Philippine National Police (PNP) last February 17, 2020, against an optometrist that was said to be the author of a Facebook post spreading misinformation about COVID-19. He also allegedly breached Article 154 of

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More and more people are struggling in determining between facts and fake news, as some are peddled by famous people and sometimes somebody from the government.

the Revised Penal Code concerning Section 6 and Section 4 (c) 4 (Online Libel) of the Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Disinformation Disinformation is the information based on a falsehood that aims to hurt a reputation.

Based on the research of Don Fallis of Northeastern University, disinformation also includes deceptive advertising may it be in business or politics, government propaganda, doctored photographs, forged documents, fake maps, internet frauds, fake websites, and manipulated Wikipedia entries.

Trolls keep using this kind of fake news to glorify their benefactors— usually persons involved in politics.

You may not believe something posted by one person, but you will start to doubt what you know if you read the same thing from 10,000 individuals.

Trolls work this way—they may not be able to sway you by a single lie, but an overwhelming number of posts and fabricated articles with the same point and goal may do the job.

Paid trolls confessed that they are working with Senate candidates. It has been used during the 2019 midterm elections in the country.

Washington Post had interviewed over half a dozen trolls based in the Philippines and took a glimpse on how trolls work. They wrote: “The hired trolls worked round-the-clock to flood platforms such as Twitter and Facebook with seemingly organic messages of support. Fans leaped to his defense, debated his critics, and sang praises of his leadership style ahead of crucial midterm elections that were held in May.” They made it seem believable by making the accounts as lively as possible. By feeding it with posts and other regular stuff seen on typical social media users.

They are showing signs to make it international with the Philippines as their hub. You, as a simple citizen, may have been swayed by these troll accounts to vote for their benefactor, and it is a notion where one cannot know. Trolls farms and one self-proclaimed influencer added that they were contacted by foreign nationals to do political work, including those in Great Britain.

Red-tagging is a vicious kind of disinformation. As quoted by Rappler in one of their articles as defined by the Supreme Court, red-tagging refers to “the act of labeling, branding, naming and accusing individuals and/ or organizations of being left-leaning, subversives, communists or terrorists (used as) a strategy…by State agents, particularly law enforcement agencies and the military, against those perceived to be ‘threats’ or ‘enemies of the State.’”

It can victimize anybody. It can be someone you know: your schoolmates, friends, or family members, and it could also be you. You can be red-tagged if you are in the opposition or just someone who fights for truth and righteousness. The usual victims of red-tagging are the journalists and activists who fought for what is right.

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They are deemed as terrorists by the authorities without knowing the bounds to determine whether one can be considered as such.

It has been deliberately used by the authorities to dishonor someone and to make the citizens believe their false claims. This happening may cause a great shock wave for everybody to be woken and not just simply believe.

Celebrities like Angel Locsin and Liza Soberano were recently red-tagged by Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr., a military general. Angel was long known as an actress devoted to philanthropy. She has been dubbed as real-life Darna for helping raise funds to help medical frontliners and ordinary citizens amid the pandemic. She was also very vocal on many different issues, including the ABS-CBN shutdown where she works. Liza was an actress who had been an advocate for women’s rights and promoting women's interests.

She has been tagged after she spoke at Gabriela Youth Webinar where she encouraged fellow influencers and women to speak out for women and children rights.

On the Facebook Page of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC), Parlade “warned” Liza for supporting women's rights groups like Gabriela, unless she wants to die like the activist Josephine “Jo” Lapira. The University of the Philippines Manila student died during an onslaught of the armed forces and New People's Army. The general also warned Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray on supporting rights groups, which also includes Gabriela. As he continues his baseless claims, he added that Angel’s sister Ella Colmenares is part of the NPA and that it is a thing known by Angel and her nephew Neri Colmenares— a human rights lawyer.

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Mal-information Mal-information is information based on facts intentionally used to attack a person, organization, or country. It is also the wrong usage of data.

It is important to know when to use information properly. Sharing factual information to destroy anyone is mal-information. A report that reveals someone’s sexual orientation without due justification that brings harm to someone rather than to serve the public interest is a wrong usage of data.

Margaux “Mocha” Uson is a popular singer, dancer, blogger, social media influencer, and currently the Assistant Secretary at the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) known to be a peddler of fake news in the Philippines. From her embarrassing geographical mishaps of relocating Mayon Volcano in Naga City and placing La Trinidad in Baguio City. She often misleads everyone away from truth through her blog posts. By this act of hers, she was named “The Queen of Fake News” in an article of MSN News powered

by Microsoft News and South China Morning Post.

Mocha once shared a photo of a dead girl who was supposedly a victim of the drug problem in the country, where in fact, the said victim was raped and murdered in Brazil. She also shared a picture of Honduras policemen and falsely identified them as members of the AFP. She cited “Article 263 of the Philippine Constitution” which is non-existent because there are only 18 Articles.

She also used pictures of SM Foundation donating PPEs and claimed it is from the

Department of Health. Red-tagging four female students from UP by posting their picture with the caption “Study now, NPA later”, and a lot of other fake news she conjured.

People constantly believe what they watch and read on social media.

They are manipulated— invalidating facts just because they read it online, not only once but a lot of times. Not only are they vulnerable, but they are also being targeted by these fabricators.

More and more people are struggling in determining between facts and fake news, as some are peddled by famous people and sometimes somebody from the government. In this situation, people become confused about whether to believe those in positions or those in the news. Causing people to believe in fabricated facts cause disturbing changes in society. When presented

with facts, people are now hesitant to believe, and people are afraid to get vaccines as they have read misleading articles about its negative effects.

John Albert Pagunsan, a graduate of Bachelor in Communication Arts in UP Los Baños quoted that: “People distrust vaccines and medicines because of fake news.”

Campaigns against fake news had sprung from every corner of the Philippines and throughout the world.

As it became a global threat in the dissemination of facts, various groups were constantly raising awareness and fighting its malignant threat.

Journalists are always on the move to mitigate the effects and spread of fake news. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) has launched an anti-fake news campaign to warn Internet users about the spread of false information. This campaign created a chatbot that can determine whether the source of news is suspicious or not.

Despite the actions of different sectors, fake news is always spewing everywhere, and it is now in the hands of the people to make their move to counter this undesirable event.

Whether aware or not, woke, or pretending to be blinded, we need to step up to mitigate fake news. Do not wait for your turn to be the victim. It is not only the role of journalists to stop the global spread of fake news.

It is also your responsibility to know what is considered facts. It is now your turn as a citizen to choose whether to act now or be strangled by lies.

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MA R ITIME

The sailors’ plight The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged seafarers around the world in unprecedented and desperate situations. Two alumni of JBLCF-B shared a glimpse of the hardships they faced during the pandemic on board. words by RENGIL MANA-AY graphic art by CHRYSHAN NHEIL ALEJANO

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s the ship sways with the waves while docking on the port, the light in their eyes sparkled. Sailing through harshest conditions like storms, snow, and scorching heat for months, the working environment in the middle of the sea is taking a toll on the seafarers’ physical and mental health. That is why it is beyond words to express one’s excitement when they are already nearing the end of their contract—seeing the port where they are ought to do crew change, getting rid of the view of the same blue horizon.

However in the case of John Michael Vega and Renz Priolo, an Oiler and a Deck Cadet, things have gone differently. Coming from two different international vessels, their agony was prolonged after the crew changes were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding an extension of several months before they could finally have a sight of what they used to call home again.

A tough start

A year after he graduated in 2018, Renz embarked on his first-ever ship, an international going vessel as a Deck Cadet. Being in the vast ocean for months while facing the huge swells to traversing every continent with different climates, the struggles of working in a new environment were taxing for him. He would wrap his mouth with a bag of plastic while working on duty in

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case he would throw up during rough seas. His works were all around—from cleaning cargo holds, rust chipping, to navigational watch. There were also days that he was up around-the-clock due to emergencies and the need for extra manpower to finish a certain job at a given time. Rain or shine, hot or cold, they worked. For a supposedly 12-month contract, he was extended to 17 months.

“My duties were the same with the ratings. They didn’t treat me as a cadet because they wanted me to learn. Working the whole day is exhausting, then you have to go up to the bridge and maximize your time to ask questions and learn from them while the Chief Officer is on duty,” Renz said, describing his duty on board. “Your body must adjust and be prepared because challenges will occur when you are working overtime.”

Physical and mental hurdles

Being a seafarer will test how fit your body is. With strenuous works under demanding hours, physical and mental exhaustion is inevitable.

“There are times that your performance at work will not be as good as expected by your superiors and you will be judged and compared to others up to the point that you lose your self-confidence,” Renz said.

According to him, life on board is never a bed of roses— you have no fixed hours of sleep if you are already working. You would be called anytime to work depending on the nature of the trouble of labor. He affirmed: “Anytime, you would be called to drop the anchor, berth and maneuver the ship to the port. With all of these, four hours of sleep is already okay. If you could sleep eight hours straight, you are very much lucky. But it's normal.”

Being alone inside the cabin also takes a toll on one’s mental health and for Renz, it made him think of negative things or anything that makes him sad. “What matters the most is that I believe EVERYTHING IS JUST A MATTER OF MINDSET.”

"With all of these, four hours of sleep is already okay. If you could sleep eight hours straight, you are very much lucky. But it's normal.”

An arduous contract

Life at sea requires mental resilience which most seafarers learn and get better at with experience.

Every seafarer has his or her coping mechanisms to deal with feelings of anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, and depression. Unlike Renz, John Michael is not new to seafaring.

He has been sailing the seven seas for five years already. According to him, navigating before the pandemic was smooth because they had a lot of outlets for stress and pressure. But in his recent stint as an Oiler, everything seemed new to him. The pandemic made him feel like he was caged for months—15 months to be exact.

“When the pandemic struck, life on board became tougher and the threat for seafarers rose to the immense level because of course, we are also frontliners. It is inevitable for other foreign people to board the vessel because the shore party and the officers on board need to discuss important transactions and cargo operations,” John Michael said.

He used to de-stress through shore leaves, a period during which a sailor is allowed to take a leave from the ship that is docked in the port.

“The current situation adds up to our struggles since we are not allowed to stroll around and we need to observe strict protocols instead of the usual communication that we are used to before.”

A crisis within a crisis

On the emergence of the COVID-19, seafarers like John Michael never thought to encounter another dilemma—mental and emotional disturbances during the quarantine.

Being confined aboard like on-land quarantine, they were deprived of the entertainment that sways their fatigue and longing. The time that was supposedly spent to divert their attention from problems was unconsciously spent to plunge more in them.

“I was emotionally wrecked that time, almost all of us were. But I coped by communicating with my family, and building good relationships with my colleagues on board. Harmonious relationship, if you may. And I no longer thought about the crew change because it just added up to our countless disappointments when I received the news that my schedule to go home will be moved again. So I’m just focusing on my work, my family, and the harmonious relationship I have on board.”

Hundreds of thousands seafarers worldwide have been asked to extend their contracts beyond their usual tour of duty. Filipinos seafarers like Renz and John Michael are among them who have been halted by the COVID-19 pandemic—confined to their ships and unable to go ashore for leisure, while global travel restrictions have made it difficult for shipping companies to replace crews.

Another crisis has arised due to this pandemic. A rather lasting crisis, which is already showing an impact on the mental health of the seafarers, not only during their time onboard the vessel but also after their signoff. This threatens the fundamentals of ship safety standards which the International Maritime Organization has worked to develop over six decades, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said at an event by the United Nations.

"Overly fatigued and mentally

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ICS-SHIPPING.ORG

“When the pandemic struck, life on board became tougher and the threat for seafarers rose to the immense level because of course, we are also frontliners."

exhausted seafarers are being asked to continue to operate ships. On more than 60,000 cargo ships which continue to deliver vital goods, foods and medicines, ship safety is hanging in the balance, just as seafarers' lives are being made impossible. The safety of navigation is in peril."

In answer to this call, IMO has established a Seafarer Crisis Action Team to track developments,

coordinate actions, interact with all relevant stakeholders, and provide tailored assistance in individual cases especially emergencies. This dedicated team works with other organizations like the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). IMO is also working with governments at a diplomatic level to encourage local and national travel restrictions to be lifted for seafarers. It has issued several circular letters providing guidance and key information on issues such as ensuring safe ship crew changes, personal protective equipment, seafarers certificates, and ensuring a safe shipboard interface between ship and shore-based personnel Through such, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) implements the same protocols in the country.

As seafarers maneuver their

ships, they also move the world. Being the lifeblood of the global economy, the shipping industry transports about 90% of world trade. Without shipping, the intercontinental trade, as well as the import and export of affordable foods and manufactured goods, would be impossible.

When the world froze, the shipping industry continued sailing to refuel its vigor. Any decline in the availability of seafarers would lead to a fall in global trade. This is the reason why seafarers belong to today's column of frontliners. And since the world pays attention to our medical front liners, it is just to give the same acknowledgment and privileges to our struggling seafarers. The sea experiences of Renz and John Michael are implications that amid this menacing situation, there are many people out there willing to risk their health, safety, and comfort—the real unsung heroes of today.

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H UMA N IN TER EST

The Giving of Harvest Act of kindness from Hinigaran’s selfless oyster farmer words by ALLEN TORDESILLAS photos by RENGIL MANA-AY & JOEMEL PAULMITAN

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e started gaining consciousness when the roosters from his neighbor started crowning. Before the sun consumes the darkness with its light, he immediately begins to prepare his small bangka and nets to harvest. He would then donate the batch of oysters locally known as talaba that would ease the hunger of his community, even just for a day.

Since the pandemic struck in the province, this is the usual scenario for 49-year-old Macario Damasco, an oyster farmer from Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, who managed to cultivate his oyster farm across the river right in front of their nipa hut.

Macario is the youngest among his three siblings and the only bachelor since he decided to live an unmarried life. Living under the roof of a fisherfolk, he was able to follow the same path and eventually learned the skill of breeding high-quality oysters.

Before the pandemic, he served to be one of Hinigaran's small-time suppliers of quality oysters that were patronized by travelers who passed by the town's well-known eateries beside the town’s famous Taytay. When the country was under the Enhanced Community Quarantine for months, the number of orders drastically declined since most of the restaurants faced closure due to the lack of customers.

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“I decided that even with my small act of kindness, I could help my fellow Hinigaranon by giving them oysters for their meals, knowing that most of them are having a hard time providing food on their table."

The municipality of Hinigaran is a small town located in the southern part of Negros Occidental. It has been recognized as a first-class town municipality and garnered multiple awards from the Province of Negros Occidental. The town used to be popular to produce savory and quality oysters, making it one of its assets to attract visitors and food bloggers.

It was also once acknowledged as the Oyster Capital of Negros. Due to economic progress and fleeting time, some neighboring towns managed to claim the spotlight of having the finest oyster.

When the outbreak finally reached the town, it badly harassed thriving eateries that served oysters as their primary menu. One of which is the Nita’s Talabahan that used to be an avid consumer of Macario’s oysters.

According to Joel Nanas, proprietor of Nita’s Talabahan, buying and selling of talaba was never the same as it was before.

“Because of the pandemic, Hinigaran was not able to celebrate its annual fiesta which was the most anticipated day of all oyster dependent eateries. I have high hopes that we could recover this upcoming

Christmas since we also consider this as one of the most bountiful days to all the oyster industry here in Hinigaran,” Joel said.

Every day, Macario and his father would go to the river bank and prepare the things they needed to plant the new set of oysters and harvest the seasoned one. After that, he would equally divide it depending on the number of people that he would visit for the day. Since he lost his consumers because of the quarantine, he decided to donate his remaining oysters to families who struggle to find their viand to pair with their rice.

"This pandemic brought a shift to my life and other people around my community. It was hard for me to lose my customers since this small talaba business is my only source of income.

On the brighter side, I am fortunate enough since I can use my skill in fishing to provide food to our table,” said Macario.

The new normal is difficult for him at the beginning. He needed to pay his usual bills even though he is facing a financial crisis and also in charge of buying the maintenance medicine of his mother diagnosed

with diabetes six years ago. When he was still indecisive in donating his oysters, he would tend to sell it personally to his neighbors until he realized that most of them have more struggles than him. Instead of selling it, he gave it for free.

“I decided that even with my small act of kindness, I could help my fellow Hinigaranon by giving them oysters for their meals, knowing that most of them are having a hard time providing food on their table," he added.

Little by little, bit by bit, through the constant support of his father and other family members, Macario realized that even he does not have his loyal customers to buy all of his oysters; his willingness to help the people around their community is bigger than the difficulties that COVID-19 has brought. Now, his mornings would be the same as it used to be—preparing all the things he needs before the dawn breaks.

The only difference is that he is now able to see his clear purpose that this pandemic has taught him. Before he starts to paddle his bangka across the river, he reminds himself that difficult roads lead to a beautiful destination.

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HE ALTH

It’s not EO, but love your eyes With rising eyesight concerns in the virtual setting, can your eyes still handle it? words by PAUL IVAN QUEZON graphic art by RUER TORCULAS

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0% of what we perceive comes through the sense of sight, hence making human eyes the most important sensory organ. By protecting your eyes, the odds of blindness and vision loss are reduced, while also avoiding the development of various eye impairment and diseases. In 2017, the Department of Health (DoH) found that more than two million Filipinos were blind or suffering from poor eyesight. They estimated 332,150 people were bilaterally blind while 2.179 million were with bilateral low vision. 43 percent of bilateral low vision was caused by the error of refraction.

Refractive error means that the eyes’ shape does not bend light correctly, resulting in blurred images.

Some people can see well at a distance but are unable to bring nearer objects into focus. This condition can be caused by hyperopia (farsightedness) or presbyopia (loss of focusing ability). Others can see items that are close but cannot see those far away.

This condition may be caused by myopia (nearsightedness). Myopia is a common cause of vision loss, with uncorrected myopia the leading cause of distance vision impairment globally.

It is a fact that there is a worldwide epidemic of myopia or near-

sightedness, according to Margarita Bondoc- Hermosa, an ophthalmologist practicing in Metro Manila and the Visayas, with up to 90 percent of Asian teenagers and adults affected. And the world’s sudden shift to E-Learning raises concerns with student’s ocular health. “Just because we’re shifting to online schooling doesn’t mean the kids should be on their computers the whole day,” she said.

Digital devices have been argued to play a role in myopia development, and thus this is a current issue.

In January 2020, Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics’ Carla Lanca and Seang-Mei Saw from Singapore performed a meta-analysis by trying to find an association between screen time and myopia, but the jury is still out. Several studies have also examined the individual relationship of

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digital screen time as a risk factor for myopia yet, consistent evidence of an association between them is lacking.

It is still debatable whether digital screen time would lead to a higher risk of myopia. The rising prevalence of computer and gadget use is correlated to it but is not the only reason for it.

While the definite link between the two is still being researched, at the very least, increased gadget use causes eye strain for both kids and adults.

Digital eye strain can cause dryness, headaches, and blurred vision. These are temporary but can persist especially with prolonged screen time. “Set their screens about two feet from their faces. Parents, guardians, and teachers are advised to make sure kids take breaks from their gadgets every 20 minutes and look out the window, or a distance of 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds. For kids playing computer games, moms can set a timer to remind them to blink or look up and away from their phones at least three times an hour,” Hermosa suggested.

Indian Biotechnologist Divya Bharat from netmeds.com suggests some Useful Tips And Guidelines For Students To Safeguard Their Eyes While E-Learning:

Adequate Lighting Although it is home, apart from a quiet room, with a comfortable study chair and desk, sufficient natural illumination is essential, for averting vision-related exhaustion.

Make sure you have loads of sunshine filtering in through the windows in the morning. At night, avoid the glare from the white LED or fluorescent bulbs and opt for warm light sources instead.

Blinking Motions People usually blink about 12-14 times in one minute. However, when engrossed while reading textbook chapters or watching educational videos on screen, the rate of blinking reduces tremendously, resulting in itchy dry eyes.

Open and close your eyelids gently 10 times every 30 minutes. It helps moisten the exterior layers of the eyes with tear gland secretions, thereby preventing withering and irritation.

Palm Massage Since laptops or tablets are placed quite close to the eyes while following e-learning, the eye muscles are stretched extensively, apart from being exposed to bright light for a prolonged period of time.

Press your palms against one another to generate some warmth and place them on the eyelids. This is a wonderful exercise that reduces viewing strain and soothes the eyes.

Distancing Devices Looking closely at a monitor for lengthy phases leads to a gradual decline of the retina and optic nerve.

Make sure that electronics are at least 18 - 24 inches away from the eyes.

Keep in mind to sit in an erect posture and place the device at eye level. Adjust the brightness and contrast settings of the gadget, to make viewing effortless and help preserve ocular operations.

Wholesome Diet Needless to mention, eating right is imperative for the well-being of eyes, more so with limited physical activity and social interactions, having to stay indoors all day long.

Consuming nourishing foods rich in vitamin A, as well as carotenoid antioxidants, lutein, zeaxanthin, such as carrots, cabbages, mangoes, apples, melons, immensely supports visual functions.

With the sudden shift to e-learning, we are forced to face our computer screen beyond the tolerance of our eyes, and unconsciously strain them. But as much as you don’t want to compromise your work and education, taking care of your eyes’ health is indispensable, too. After all, observing and practicing guides in safeguarding your eyes will not cause you to spend a penny, neglecting it does. So better let them stay clear than seeing through them blurry.

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NETFLIX

SERIES

Elite 2018 Producer: Dario Madrona & Carlos Montero Platform: Netflix B Y AL L E N TOR DE SI LLAS

In 2018, Netflix successfully released another hit series on its catalog that grabbed the number one spot in several countries.

Elite is an ongoing Spanish thriller teen drama web television series that features a fictional elite secondary school. Unlike most high school dramas, the series tempers its over-the-top plot twists when the first season focused on the arrival of Samuel (Itzan Escamilla ), Nadia

(Mina El Hammani), and Christian (Miguel Herrán) in Las Encinas that started the conflict which led to Marina's (María Pedraza) death. The story does not only revolve between the disagreement brought by the social status differences inside Las Encinas.

The characters were composed of Marina, daughter of a wealthy family who has confusion about her feelings towards Samuel and his brother Nano. On the other hand, Guzman, a popular guy from Las Encinas who has love uncertainties between her ex-girlfriend Lucrecia and Nadia, the academically driven muslim girl. Some of the characters also have an unusual love interest which was unveiled by Carla, Polo, Cayetana, Christian, Valerio, Omar, and Ander.

A much deeper conflict also discloses inside each character's family. At the end of the first season, a shocking revelation was unfolded that eventually gave the audience a cliffhanger that made them crave for another season.

As the series continued, the relationship between the characters became clearer. Some of them were able to have an intimate relationship with each other that paved the way for them to know who the real murderer is. A brilliant idea for the production to show the line between being an all-out soap opera about unruly sexual desires and a socially conscious, nail-biting thriller about wealth inequality.

The series may have conveyed the contrast of individuals who have different social ranks which is a mainstream topic for soap operas but distinct from other series, Elite was able to deliver fresh character development that was portrayed by high-caliber stars. They were adept at stepping it to the next new level as they wrecked the typical high school student role. The production was also able to tackle sensitive topics about coming out and intimate relationships that were composed of a triad, a timely issue debated from different nations around the world.

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GAME

Among Us Developer: Innersloth Platform: Android, Bluestacks & IOS B Y AN G E LO P IN E DA

INNERSLOTH

No one anticipated that the lengthy quarantine would induce us all to crave for social interaction in whatever means we could get our hands to. This blasted Among Us into unprecedented popularity.

Among Us is an online multiplayer social deduction game developed and launched by the American game developer conglomerate Innersloth.

It became available in the gaming market on June 15, 2018. The game is available for Android, IOS, and PC. It is free on the App Store and Google Play Store.

The game supports cross-play that allows the gamer to play against each other regardless of the platform. Players could also play

in-person if they enter the same local area network. The game ideally ends in less than 20 minutes. With many servers open, one could easily find a new room after a round.

Set inside a spacecraft traveling in deep space, the game allows up to 10 players called “crewmates” per round to work and huddle together to avoid being “murdered” by the impostor among them while performing some in-game tasks and gathering shreds of evidence for the accusation. As an impostor, you must murder the crew while maintaining an extremely low profile. The trust of the crew members in you must be maintained. A little bit of suspicion will get you voted off the spacecraft.

This suspicion inducing, friendship wrecking, trust-issue trigger kind of game will keep you amused while performing some task that varies depending on your role.

As a crew, you are to perform some task that consumes much of your attention that you won’t even notice an impostor sneaking behind you.

This might be intentional to keep the players thrilled.

Over-all, the game is a good addition to your party game rotation. It is widely available on platforms with low to mid-specs. It doesn’t consume too much space, and it is more than just a fad. Few years after its initial launch, servers are still full with an impostor among them.

VOLUME 53 NO. 1

BOOK

Find Me 2019 260 pages Author: Andre Aciman Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux B Y RU E R TORCU LAS

“If love was true, does it find its way back to where it belongs?”

A philosophizing question that ponders whether the feeling stays after love is lost and long forgotten.

Unbeknownst to some, fate and time has its means to remind how love made them shout gleefully and baptize themselves in a pool of ecstasy until they never come up for air. For ‘Find Me’, emotions resurfaced back to the water once again— giving the readers a breath of fresh air.

After the widely-acclaimed 2017 Academy-awarded Luca Guadagnino’s film, which is based on Andre Aciman’s queer novel “Call Me By Your Name” starring Timothee Chalamet as young Elio and Armie Hammer as Oliver, whom Elio falls in love with. Aciman followed his decade-long beloved novel with the sequel “Find Me”.

The novel is a continuation of Elio and Oliver’s lives— ten years after the romance-filled summer in Italy where an affair transpired between them.

Find Me begins the long chapter in the resurrection of Elio’s father, Samuel, after he died at the end of the first novel. The revival of Samuel’s perspective goes back to his now-single self, taking a train trip from Florence to Rome to visit his son, 21-year-old Elio, who now becomes a successful

classical pianist. His encounter on a train with a woman about half-of-his age, Miranda, changed how he views his old marriage; giving light to his queries on deep connection and desire. As the two strangers try to scavenge what’s left by their past lovers, they cling to their instincts and later progress to an attachment.

In the second section of the novel, it accounts for the love affair of Elio and a much older divorced man, Michel. It builds a narrative for recollection and reliving past ghosts where they were left unheard ever since. Their fondness for each other brought them a fixation of present self— but as for Elio, his love towards Oliver just complicates things. This raises his internal conflict whether maybe he still hopes that an old flame never truly snuffed out despite the immense gap in time.

Aciman also brilliantly considered the addition of Oliver’s perspective to explore his fluidity and bisexuality. With Oliver trying to grasp his identity inbound of marriage, circumstance, and battling to accept himself encompasses a

FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX

tough decision to make— to stay and leave everything behind or to depart and return to where he left the pages of himself a long time ago.

Find Me revolves around the lovestruck conversation of lovers, mending mature relationships, and understanding one’s self.

Injected with quintessential Greek references and philosophies of time and fate, Aciman once more cast a tenderness and intimate details to traverse the desires and pleasure of characters involved. Find Me captivates a timeless emulation of a contemporary queer novel of our times exploring whether true love persists.

Spoiler Alert: There were no peaches in the novel.

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TheCarrier

DOCUMENTARY

The Social Dilemma 2020 125 mins Director: Jeff Orlowski Platform: Netflix

BY RUER TO RC ULA S

NETFLIX

Imagine a monster embedded in your screens, watching your next click. It does know who you are, where you are, and what you are doing at the moment. Eyes fixed in your social media feed— your hands already glued to your phone— your soul has already been sold. Instantly, you look behind you to check if an unwanted visitor is lurking in the corner of your room, but nothing was there. Heart racing and the paranoia begins to creep in, you cannot escape it now. Then you decided to turn off the device, shut your eyes and everything went silent. This is what “The Social Dilemma” is about— fear.

A Netflix original documentary directed by Jeff Orlowski merges documentary investigation and narrative drama to unfold the horrifying truth behind our favorite social media and disrupt people behind the anomalies. The film narrates the consequences and underlying problematic schemes by using psychology against us as a form of manipulation through the

testimonies of tech whistle-blowers that created them in the first place.

It is like the big-tech companies hovering candy in front of us to take the bait, and once lured, then we will come back for more like addiction.

The “most important documentary of our times” sheds light on the haunting reality that we are currently facing— unboxing vulnerabilities and risks. It circles the question “who controls who?” and “what dangers lie ahead?”. From a former Google design ethicist to computer scientists, they mince every bit of the rigged system and expose models that weaponizes our attention as capitalism makes money off it. The self-interest of leeching capitalism overtakes collective public decision making us the modern slave, unconsciously inhibiting our rational thinking to vital issues of our society.

While we are trying to navigate the flip side of the coin, The Social Dilemma also touches on the issues of depression among teens,

polarization, environmental risks, racism, false information, and other problems that have a nefarious purpose to divide people based on what they are digesting on their social media platforms.

This documentary is the most accurate representation of the urge to delete your social media accounts, throw your phone out of the window, and burn them alongside the people in Silicon Valley who are taking advantage of the algorithm.

The alarming and striking docudrama supplemented by dramatization and animation is undoubtedly to behold and is necessary to watch, especially for the people who have longer screen time than interacting with their family at the dinner table. The irony of Netflix producing the film backfires their intention and be under scrutiny by their consumers by the next time they are to use the platform. (Well, Netflix is also using a model to make us watch more films like this, *insert clown face*).