Pauliworld Volume 38, No. 1

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Pauliworld Editorial Board

SCHOOL YEAR 2022 - 2023

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

NEWS & SPORTS EDITORS

FEATURES EDITOR

RESEARCH EDITOR

FILIPINO EDITOR

CHIEF CARTOONIST

CHIEF LAYOUT ARTIST

ASSOCIATE LAYOUT ARTIST CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Tiffany Cosue

Nico Culala

Mieka Laciste

Nico Culala, Mischa Suarez

Gaby Martinez

Mischa Suarez

Jolie Lim

Suzannah Sibug

Natasha Allenby

Louise Sese

Andrea Estrella

STAFF

Althea Aquino, Gabriel Bechtel, Bianca Catane, Adrienne Collado, Faith Dacara, Andie Dalusung, Audrey De Leon, Mikaella Duran, Dani Espinosa, Rianna Therese Estacio, Nicole Eugenio, Bernice Gutierrez, Alex Hachero, Cassandra Jesuitas, Isla Laxa, Anne Keir Liwanag, Darwyne Manigbas, Jinah Pagcu, Omi Rabatan, Pauline Ramirez, Althea Reyes, Ashley Reyes, Juliana San Pedro, Julia Clarisse Santos, Samantha Sulit, Arabelle Supan, Frances Tuazon, Gabriella Villarama

PUBLICATIONS MANAGER

HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL DIRECTRESS

Ms. Salve de la Paz

Dr. Ronald Santos

Sr. Felicitas Bernardo, SPC

Bringing New Technology in Today’s Classrooms

After 2 full school years of learning purely through an online modality due to the pandemic, St. Paul College of Pasig makes a bold return onsite, offering a Hybrid or mixed modality to the student body. This modality enables students to study mostly onsite on certain days and remain online and asynchronous for the remaining days per week.

In actuality, all classrooms were initially made to be Hyflex. A survey was conducted to identify which students will retain online learning and who are willing to learn through the Hybrid modality. Based on the survey, the majority of parents enrolled their child under a purely onsite modality. Plus to avoid additional costs for the school, the administration settled with not having all classrooms as Hyflex.

A lot of interventions occurred with the use of high technology, with Dr. Santos referring to them as ‘birth pains.’ During the first weeks of school, teachers and students were still getting used to how the different

gadgets operated. A Hyflex room traditionally consists of speakers, mic pods, a computer, smart TV, iPad, and a clicker. With so many components, a stable WiFi source and connection is important.

The school plans on having online modality permanent so that the investments in the Hyflex classrooms don’t go to waste. With that, homeschooling may be available in the future, to aid the decline in enrollment at SPCP.

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Teatro Paulino’s Break the Ice Workshop

In celebration of the new academic school year, Teatro Paulino held their first ever project entitled “Break the Ice 2.0,” a theater production workshop open for the SPCP community, held on September 30 to October 1, 2022 via Zoom.

“The overall theme for this event is the fairytale/fantasy world so we decided to go with Wizard of Oz for this season. Together with the tagline, “Journey to the Emerald City,” shared Kryztn Dupet, the Co-Project Head. The workshop’s objective is to enhance and cultivate practical competencies related to the dramaturgical endeavors and production work.

The event held a series of talks concerning practical knowledge of backstage tasks with the help of speakers and mentors. On day 1, they held talks regarding Make-up & Costume, Directing & Stage Management, and Set Design. For day 2, they held Scriptwriting, Stage Tech, and Video Productions talks. Right after each of these talks, participants were given an activity catered to the topics given.

“As the head of this project together with Louie De Guzman, I can say my key takeaway is the importance of communication. Always be sure to update them with any progress or concerns so you can work together to tackle them. With this aptitude, the workshop was able to meet its purpose and surpass its goals,” says Dupet. She remarked that the workshop was undoubtedly successful based on the outcomes of the provided activities.

Paulinian Appreciation Week: Celebrating the Service Behind the Mask

To express appreciation for the Paulinian community, GRANDEUR: A Toast to Service took place last October 3 until October 7, 2022. The masquerade ball-themed Paulinian Appreciation Week (PAW) was finally held onsite again with activities for the SPCP faculty and staff.

Instead of the yearly in-class celebration of Paulinian Appreciation Day, GRANDEUR was a collective institutional event. It featured a Talent Show at the SPACE and a program of performances, video tributes, icebreakers, and games. Online blasts per batch containing posters and messages were prepared as well.

Carmela Tirona, one of the project heads, even shared the significance of the theme. “It symbolizes that despite the masks hiding their faces, beneath lies hardworking and kindhearted Paulinian formators who continue to educate, inspire, and empower students,”

GRANDEUR: A Toast to Service proved that the SPCP faculty and staff’s efforts, especially in adjusting to the new set-ups, will always be appreciated and recognized.

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Skills and Drills: Onsite Varsity Tryouts Return

The pandemic, and consequent move to online class halted a deluge of onsite events, with these either canceled or moved online. The school varsity team try-outs were one of these affected events.

This year however, with the return to onsite classes, try-outs were held onsite for the first time in 2 years. The varsity program in SPCP has an abundance of teams, from Chorale Varsity, to Terpsichore Jazz and Street teams, and to the plethora of teams from the Center for Sports (CFS), including Lawn Tennis, Football, Volleyball, and Swimming among others.

“I feel that more than ever the GIFT and Varsity members of the Center for Sports are more enthusiastic and grateful to be able to train and most importantly be with their teammates,” says Gabriel Bechtel, the GIFT Center for Sports President for this school year. As the first CFS President since the start of the pandemic, she admits that there has been pressure on her shoulders, likewise to what the varsity students feel when they first join their respective teams, but also reassures her center, in her own words: “You should all keep in mind that you are on your team for a reason, and you should never doubt your abilities because you deserve to be part of your sports varsity team.”

Paulinian student leaders transform into heroes through SCT’s EMPOWER: LIFE Officers Trainting

LIFE Officers, Track Representatives, and Organization Leaders had a blast learning and exercising the new skills they gained from the Student Coordinating Team (SCT)’s Leadership Training Program entitled, “EMPOWER: Future Heroes of Tomorrow,” commenced both onsite at the SPACE and online via Zoom last October 21, 2022.

The program began with the induction of officers for the new School Year 2022-2023 led by the Highschool Principal, Dr. Ronald Santos. In the talk proper portion of EMPOWER, Labor Lawyer and Activist Attorney Luke Espiritu was invited to speak on youth empowerment and to answer queries from the students during the open forum. This year’s training also revived the Amazing Race, a main event of the program last done in the pre-pandemic year, by setting up stations and games following COVID-19 safety protocols. The student leaders then dispersed into breakout sessions by batch for the final segment to discuss the plans for their respective grade levels.

Co-Project Head of EMPOWER, Hannah Vergara expresses her gratitude for the success of the event in a statement, “[The SCT] hopes that the program was able to teach us all a lesson and serve as a huge milestone to not only be good and effective leaders for today but also to be great heroes for our tomorrow as well.”

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Batch 2028 starts off their school year with SCT’s annual Neophytes Welcoming Program: Y28: Highschool Check!

The Neophytes (Batch 2028) had their welcoming program entitled “Y28: Highschool Check!” last August 30, 2022, at the SPACE for onsite students and via Zoom for online students. The event was organized by the Student Coordinating Team (SCT). The event’s theme was inspired by 20th-century culture aesthetic, or Y2K. The program consisted of mentorship talks about the high school culture and what to expect in the new environment, as well as introductions to the Offices and Organizations.

The program started with the 2 project heads involved: an opening prayer led by the SCT Grade 12 Batch Representative Hannah Guerrero, followed by the opening remarks delivered by SCT Grade 11 Batch Representative Hannah Vergara, with a short icebreaker after. The first talk, entitled “HS Starter Kit” was addressed by Frances Tuazon, the former SCT Vice President for School Year 2021–2022. On the other hand, the second talk, “HS Culture” by Ghia Espino, was given. An open forum was held after the talk proper to address any questions from the Neophytes. Thereafter, the different school offices and student-led organizations in the department are introduced. To end the program, a message and the final remarks were given by the SCT Grade 7 Batch Representative, Ava Acuña, followed by the closing prayer led by SCT Secretary Tiffany Cosue.

Paula Salcedo, the SCT Grade 10 Batch Representative, says, “[The] SCT worked really hard to make this event special for the Neophytes since this is their first year in the High School Department and first year onsite so I hope it did have that effect on them.”

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Surrounding the eye of the storm: Super Typhoon Karding’s aftermath

The Kaliwa Dam Project: Related Issues and Updates

The Philippines was hit by Super Typhoon Karding’s heavy rain and winds of up to 195 kilometers per hour when it first made landfall in Luzon on September 22, 2022. The tropical cyclone passed through the Philippine Area of Responsibility in a span of 5 days and finally left on the night of September 26 with severe destruction.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reports that nearly 300,000 households in an estimated number of 2,000 villages were affected by Karding as many homes had been destroyed, flooded, or lost electrical power. Unfortunately, the casualty toll was significantly low with 12 recorded deaths, 5 missing people, and 68 injured individuals. On a nationwide level, Karding’s damages resulted in a total of P3.2 Billion to agricultural and infrastructural loss.

A few days after Karding, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) along with other organizations provided relief assistance in the form of cash and goods to the typhoon survivors. Several public officials then commend these local government units for their disaster preparedness, including current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his press briefing with the NDRRMC.

References:

[1] Cueto, F. E. (2022, October 3). More than 1 million affected by ‘Karding’ The Manila Times. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://www. manilatimes.net/2022/10/03/news/more-than-1-million-affected-bykarding/1860706

[2] De Layola, Z. (2022, September 28). P22.7-M relief aid provided to ‘Karding’ victims: DSWD. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1184819

[3] Fernandez, D. (2022, September 26). Marcos cites luck, gov’t preparedness for minimal damage, casualties after Karding’s fury. Inquirer. net. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://newsinfo.inquirer. net/1670429/marcos-cites-luck-govt-preparedness-for-minimal-damage-casualty-sustained-after-karding-onslaught

[4] Philippines Super Typhoon Karding 2022 - DREF Application (MDRPH048) - Philippines. (2022, October 7). ReliefWeb. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/philippines-super-typhoon-karding-2022-dref-application-mdrph048

The Kaliwa Dam project or the New Centennial Water Supply Project aims to provide a new water source by constructing an additional dam to reduce dependence on the Angat Dam. It aims to deliver 600 million liters of water per day and will transverse the provinces of Quezon and Rizal. The project remains controversial due to its various environmental, socio-cultural and financial issues. The dam brings a risk of floods should it break due to natural disasters. It may also negatively impact the natural animal habitats and biodiversity of the regions it affects. The Sierra Madre has protected its residents from typhoons and tampering with its environment for the sake of building the dam may entail serious repercussions for its residents in the future.

The project will displace members of an indigenous people group called the Dumagat-Remontado. They will lose their land and as a result, their livelihood. The government was also unclear on the Memorandum of Agreement and the negotiation process involved in constructing the said infrastructure. Complaints have surfaced from the groups, they have even attempted to file a petition to nullify the loan agreement for the project. In addition to this, the project experiences multiple financial issues because the loans will be shouldered by the Republic of China with an unfavorable loan agreement.

The project will cost up to 12.2 Billion Pesos, which the people will eventually have to pay for through their taxes, and should the country fail to pay the loan, the Philippines will drown further in debt. The Kaliwa Dam Project’s main goal is to alleviate the water crises, but with the many adversities this project brings to the environment, to the residents, and to the finances of the country, it faces great complications in need of assessment before any further action is taken.

References:

[1] Moya, J. (2022). When Man Wrecks Havoc on Nature: The Controversial Kaliwa Dam Project explained. Tatler Asia. https://www.tatlerasia.com/ power-purpose/ideas-education/kaliwa-dam-project-explained

[2] New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa Dam Project. METROPOLITAN WATERWORKS AND SEWERAGE SYSTEM. (n.d.). https://mwss.gov.ph/projects/new-centennial-water-source-kaliwa-dam-project/

By Rianna Therese Estacio Off-Campus News VOLUME XXXVIII NO. 1 MONTH X - MONTH X 2023

Santos, E. (2022). Kaliwa Dam Construction Eyed to start in June. cnn. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/18/kaliwa-dam-project-construction.html

[4] The new centennial water source-kaliwa dam project (NCWS). BRI Monitor. (n.d.). https://www.brimonitor.org/case-studies/the-new-centennial-water-source-kaliwa-dam-project-ncws-kdp/#16184525374506e206883-c36f

Percy Lapid: A Journalist’s Jeopardies

A journalist and news reporter’s role in a democracy is to spread factual, vital, and unfiltered information to the general public. This role of theirs, however, can put them in severely dangerous situations at times.

Take for example the writers during Martial Law, and the reign of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos. Ever so aware of how influential the press and media are, the Marcos administration worked significantly to keep it under control, utilizing media blackouts, takeovers, and in some cases, red tagging of certain reporters that they perceived to be a threat.

This brings us to the present day. On October 3, 2022 a radio broadcaster by the name of Percy Lapid was shot dead on his way home in Las Piñas. The incident took place only after what would be Lapid’s last time on air on September 30, where he talked about red-tagging, and its dangers on his program “Lapid Fire” where he had openly criticized the administrations of former president Rodrigo Duterte, and current President Ferdinant Marcos Jr.

One might say that those days are long gone behind us, but with this incident marking the second journalist death in under a year, it presents us the question: “Just how dangerous is journalism, even in an established democracy?”

President Marcos Jr. Marks his First 100 Days in Office

On October 8, 2022, Philippine President “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. marked his first 100 days in office, and the compiled list of his activities in this time period brought about various reactions from Filipino citizens.

To describe President Marcos Jr.’s first 100 days in office as “eventful,” would be a major understatement. Events that occurred at this time ranged from the State of the Nation Address (SONA), natural disasters and a school shooting, to using government funds for a trip to Singapore to watch the Formula 1 night race while the Philippine citizens were still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Karding.

The Kabataan Partylist covered President Marcos Jr.’s first 100 days in office in their article, “Gold, glitz, and gutter: Filipinos’ 100 Days in Hell”. They also managed to make a summarized list of events to report the happenings during this time period:

• Lavish parties, Engagements (e.g. Imelda and Louise Marcos’ birthday bash, F1 Race, Eric Clapton concert)

• Printed self commemorative stamps

• Soaring prices of rice and basic goods

• Sugar crisis

• Peso dive

• Above average inflation rate

• Higher public transport fare

• Reappointing bypassed appointees

• Attacks vs. Freedom of speech (killings & assaulting of media practitioners, youth leaders)

• Appointees quitting concurrently

• P96 billion-loan, additional “successfully” borrowed $2 billion

• Rising unemployment and poverty

The future of the Philippines rests on the shoulders of one man and every action he takes. One can only hope to guide him, for the betterment of our country.

References:

[1] Beltran, M. (2022, October 8). Marking Philippine President Marcos Jr.’s first 100 days. https://thediplomat.com/2022/10/marking-philippine-president-marcos-jrs-first100-days/

[2] Rappler. (2022, October 8). Kabataan assessment: ‘Gold, glitz, and gutter: Filipinos’ 100 Days in Hell’. https://www.rappler.com/nation/ferdinand-marcos-jr-first-100-days-president-philippines-summary-assessment-analyses-issues/?next=2

[3] Ku, R. & Lema, V. (2022, October 8). ‘Talk about priorities’: How social media users reacted to Marcos’ first 100 days. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/data-documents/filipinos-online-reactions-ferdinand-marcos-jr-first-100-days/

[4] Yuching, M. G. & Regalario, P. (2022, October 8). What kept Marcos busy? Courtesy visits, meetings fill President’s first 100 days. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/data-documents/analysis-marcos-jr-activities-itinerary-first-100-days/

[5] Rappler. (2022, October 9). Globe-trotting in 100 days: Marcos is most frequent traveler among post-EDSA presidents. https://www.rappler.com/nation/first-100-days-international-travels-post-edsa-presidents/

[3]
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“Get in loser, we’re going shopping,” is one of the many iconic phrases served by the 2000s hit film, “Mean Girls” whose impact on pop culture can not be shaken off. With an abundance of such witty lines, an accurate coming-of-age plotline, and a stellar cast, this film has all the makings of a movie cult classic. However, its most defining and remembered feature is the specific aesthetic used in its costuming: the Y2K aesthetic. This aesthetic is characterized by baguette bags, pleated skirts, baby tees, and bubblegum pink: all of which have recently re-entered the fashion sphere thus bringing another layer of fame to teen comedy. This resurfacing is an example of one of the fashion industry’s biggest processes: the fashion cycle, which is being rapidly reshaped by the public’s online behavior. A transformation that causes initially unnoticeable but ultimately drastic byproducts that the environment must endure.

The fashion cycle, as its name suggests, refers to the five-step cyclical process that trendy items follow. The process starts with the introduction of the piece, its increase, peak, and decline in popularity, and ends when it is considered outdated. Unfortunately, the cyclical nature of this process is often disregarded, and hence pieces are dumped the moment it goes “out of style.” Its traditional 20 years lifespan also shrunk down to mere months. This leads to the rise of Micro Trends and fads, which morphs the cycle into a fastpaced process of attention, oversaturation, and obsolescence.

The infamous green Hockney dress from House of Sunny exemplifies this phenomenon. It first gained online popularity in July of 2020 when supermodel Kendall Jenner was seen wearing it. This popularity caused a surge in demand, which inspired the rise of cheaper duplicates by fast fashion brands. The combination of high demand and easy accessibility allowed for an influx of social media posts featuring this item, up to the point wherein every other upload features it. For many, such oversaturation made the item feel exhausted and outdated quickly. By May 2021, the dress can already be found in thrift shops.

Much like how the Plastics in Mean Girls victimized the entire student body of North Shore High in varied ways, this phenomenon is a huge problem for an array of reasons. However, what is perhaps the process’ biggest fault is the huge threat it poses to our environment. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global emissions as of 2019. If things continue as usual, the industry will exhaust a quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050. What caused these great amounts of emissions were the unsustainable means of production in the industry (among many others) and consumption by the public.

Most modern textiles, for example, make much use of petrochemicals that come from oil and gas companies that produce most of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the equivalent of one garbage truck filled with textiles is burned or landfilled every second. Aside from polluting the air, the industry is also the second largest water polluter globally, with textiles being responsible for approximately 9% of annual microplastic losses to the ocean. Not to mention, the industry alone is responsible for the consumption of 93 billion cubic meters of water, which is the same amount needed to meet the needs of 5 million people worldwide.

All of these current data can be exponentially increased by the unrelenting social media behavior that permits and promulgates microtrends. The faster trends rise and fall, more carbon emissions are produced, water wastage increases, and microplastics are dumped in the oceans. As long as fast fashion businesses opt to sacrifice quality for cheap productions that meet high but constantly changing demands, clothing racks will be consistently filled with flimsy garments that easily break and therefore get thrown away quickly. As long as some anonymous online personas still embody a meaner Regina George, who calls the same skirt they wore last week the ugliest thing they’ve ever seen, more clothes will end up in landfills and oceans at record speed.

So what now? Boycott fast fashion entirely? To motion might be seen as quite tone-deaf, as ethical and sustainable alternatives do come with a hefty price that not everyone can afford. Yet, one solution that everyone can do now is to practice responsible commercial consumption, wherein consumers consider the people who are affected by their consumer behavior.

Some concrete acts include avoiding the disposal of clothes after a single use, which is, unfortunately, something that 29% of Filipinos do. Secondly, carefully assess the need and practicality of each purchase: is that haul really worth all the money, water, and energy used to produce it? Think of creative ways to give damaged or ill-fitted clothes a new life: either by repairing them, passing them down, or even using them as rags is better than throwing them away immediately. Lastly, practice online etiquette, both to oneself and to others.

In the age of comment sections that put the burn book to shame, it is easy to forget that at its core, fashion is simply self-expression. Hence, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the eye that matters most is the pair belonging to the outfit’s wearer. Everyone deserves to be able to wear what makes them happy without having to face unnecessarily negative comments or short-lived fads.

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References:

[1] Baclig, C. E. (2022, August 10). P100,000 ‘trash’ bag and the unseen climate costs of fashion. INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1643474/for-postingedited-p100000-trash-bag-and-the-unseen-climate-costs-of-fashion

[2] Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions. (n.d.). The State of Sustainable Fashion in the Philippines. https://sustainability.ph/solutions/intelligence/ the-state-of-sustainable-fashion-in-the-philippines

[3] Ernest, M. (2021, June 3). Fast fashion drama: How a trendy green dress divided TikTok. Input. https://www.inverse.com/input/style/tiktok-house-of-sunnyshockney-dress-green-trend-fast-fashion-drama

[4] Igini, M. (2022, November 18). 10 Stunning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/

[5] MasterClass. (2021, June 8). Understanding the 5 Stages of the Fashion Cycle. Masterclass. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/fashion-cycleexplained#1lK3G5rlgD75GTfV3pOBEy

[6] Mollard, M. (2022, March 10). Understanding fashion trend life cycles: The 5 stages. Heuritech. https://www.heuritech.com/articles/five-stages-of-fashion-trendlife-cycle/

[7] United Nations Environment Programme. (n.d.). Putting the brakes on fast fashion. UNEP. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/putting-brakes-fastfashion

[8] World Bank Group. (2019, October 8). How Much Do Our Wardrobes Cost to the Environment? World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/ feature/2019/09/23/costo-moda-medio-ambiente

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A sea of white chrysanthemums, symbols of devotion, lay for souls that will never receive them physically. This is a scene found in the makeshift memorial at the Itaewon train station exit after tragedy struck the night of October 29, 2022. What started as a joyous celebration ended in a catastrophic crowd crush that took at least 153 lives. Most of the victims were just in their 20s, thus making this blow all the more devastating for the country’s aging population. Weeks after the disaster, it is clear that the nation is yet to recover from this loss.

In memoriam of all those who were hurt and taken by this event, South Korea’s government proclaimed a weeklong national mourning period: an expression of sorrow often reserved for monarchs, religious figures, and heads of state done to commemorate ordinary lives. A reminder that the people of a nation are just as valuable as its leaders; thus their loss is just as crippling, if not more. However, for many, displaying all the Taegukgi (national flag of South Korea) at half-mast is not enough. Just like the number of gifts placed on makeshift altars, the nation’s cry for justice continues to grow.

Transcripts of emergency calls made that night revealed that 11 phone calls were made before action was taken by authorities. This slow response contradicts the government’s prior statement that nothing could have been done to avoid or curtail the tragedy. Thus public outrage ensued with some rallies and prayer vigils done across the country to commemorate the event and call for justice. However, what was one of the most controversial displays of such resentment was done by a victim’s mother, who destroyed floral wreaths left by officials in one of the memorials and cried out, “What’s the point of [these flowers] when they couldn’t protect [our

References:

children]? Think about it.” The idea that the government had disappointed its youth is not something unique to the mother. Instead, it is a sentiment shared by many, with some even expressing that they do not feel protected in the country anymore. As a response, the president and other officials apologized and called for police reform and a thorough investigation that will hold those responsible for their actions or inaction.

The national heartbreak that this incident sparked opened up previous wounds that never properly healed, one caused by another avoidable instance that also led to the loss of young lives. Eight years ago, the MV Sewol Ferry sank on Korea’s southwestern coast, taking with it more than 300 lives, 250 of which were Sophomore students on a school trip that day. Investigations later uncovered a series of what can be assumed as greed-fueled actions, the most shocking of which being the fact that the ferry was carrying twice its legal limit, which ultimately culminated in the disaster.

Although quite different, one thing these two disasters share is the impact they left behind. One that is filled with grief and sorrow that might just be impossible to erase from the memory and hearts of those left behind. One that also fueled devotion, a burning desire to protect the country’s most vulnerable: its dwindling youth population. The very same people meant to shape, mold, and change the country’s future for the better. These were not mere losses of lives; they were losses of hope and of the future. Therefore to honor such important lives and losses, it is South Korea’s impending duty to prevent such catastrophes, to bring forth the justice that could have saved those that passed, and to protect those that survived.

[1] Cha, S. (2022, November 7). South Korea’s Yoon Apologizes Over Deaths as Criticism Grows. Bloomberg.com. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-07/southkorean-president-yoon-apologizes-over-deadly-crowd-crush

[2] nytimes.com. (2022a, June 8). https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/world/asia/south-korea-sewol-ferry-grief.html

[3] nytimes.com. (2022b, November 1). https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/01/world/asia/south-korea-crowd-crush.html

[4] Reporter, G. S. (2022, November 5). Itaewon crowd crush: thousands join vigil as anger grows in South Korea. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/05/ itaewon-crowd-crush-thousands-join-vigil-as-anger-grows-i-south-korea

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Organizations, clubs, community service, sports, and leadership roles – a variety of options available to students who wish to focus on responsibilities unrelated to their academics by engaging in extracurriculars in their spare time. However, students have been taking on the majority, if not all, of the aforementioned, for the sake of filling up their college or job applications. This comes as a result of the collective mindset that one must be constantly productive to achieve success, even if it means sacrificing any downtime and relaxation – which is referred to as hustle culture.

Social media and societal pressure play a big role in this toxicity. Seeing that their peers are able to do it would pressure one to do the same, even though every student is not equipped with the same time, energy, or resources to match the work done by others. In other cases, the lack of restriction on the commitments a student can take fails to provide applicants with a maximum or end goal, blinding them of any limits until they are pushed too far.

Hustle culture glorifies the “do or die” and “go big or go home” attitude that has led to the inevitable burnout of many young people. The overwhelming workload and never-ending to-do lists increase stress and actually lead to a decrease in productivity. The fire that once ignited students’ passions has now died, turning them into a horror, a chore, a means to an end.

Students tend to believe that the more experience they have, the better. Seeming to forget that quality has more value over quantity, and packed schedules and a full resume is not worth the disregard they put on their mental and physical health. The effort put into reaching unmanageable expectations becomes counterproductive when they are getting less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep, straining relationships with loved ones, and ignoring their mind and body’s call for help to the point where it can no longer function as it should.

Students shouldn’t be flying too close to the sun. Having an excessive amount of extracurriculars shouldn’t be a goal. Nobody should feel guilty for wasting time when taking breaks. Working to death shouldn’t be normalized or praised. Students should know their limits, and should only put on their plate what they are sure they can finish. People need a balance between work and personal life, which hustle culture does not have room for

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With the Philippines’ several underlying problems, many Filipinos have turned a despondent eye towards the country’s future. This article aims to address the question, “If a Paulinian were to be the Philippine President for a day, which societal problem would they focus on, and how would they solve it?” Involved in this short study are a few surveyed students in St. Paul College Pasig.

More than 50% of the students who were surveyed mentioned graft and corruption as the first problems they would address. Undoubtedly, corruption is a major hindrance to good governance in the Philippines. From the P12-billion Pharmally case to the largely undetermined COVID-19 expenses, it is inherently difficult to believe that millions of pesos would be needed for specific agencies. A student expresses their sentiment on how hard their parents work, but in the eyes of many, those taxes merely go directly into the pockets of corrupt government officials. While another student says that if they were president, the fastest way to mitigate this issue would be to dismiss all government officials who perform fraudulent actions.

Additionally, one added that they would be solely transparent on the national budget and would ensure all officials under the administration do the same.

“Traffic has become so bad to the point that you’d have to wake up at ungodly hours of the morning just to go where you want to on time.” remarked a student who had the privilege of traveling to other countries, wherein they were able to compare the immense traffic situation in the Philippines. What do advanced countries such as Singapore, South Korea, and Japan, have in common? They conduct a centralized public transport system that is not only affordable, but also safe for citizens. Though there are public transportation systems in the country, not all are well-regulated and are in good condition.

The last student states that the lack of proper education to most Filipinos is devastating to witness. According to the World Bank, the Philippines has 90.9% of children suffering from learning poverty. As President, they would use more government funds to help public schools stay afloat. They note that private schools are given high quality education, and so it is extremely heart wrenching to hear that the majority of Filipino children aren’t experiencing the same.

It is evident from the answers shared on how the students of SPCP think and come up with solutions to various impending issues. Paulinians are shaped and taught to be perceptive, charismatic, and holistic, so that they may grow up to be servant-leaders, whether at home, in school, in business, or in politics. With plenty of opportunities to be a leader in SPCP—class, batch, production team, GIFT, and SCT—there is no doubt that Paulinians will become the great leaders of this country, and of the world.

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RESEARCH 21 VOLUME XXXVIII NO. 1 SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2022
By Nico Culala

Everyone knows a “Wife Guy,” like Adam Levine, John Mulaney, and most notably– Ned Fulmer. Characterized as the loving family man who adores his wife and will use every moment to mention her; the spitting image of a loyal and committed relationship. Yet as more and more cheating allegations erupt behind the cardboard facade, it begs the question: What causes committed men to cheat?

Despite the various loose definitions to cheating, infidelity is defined as the “act of having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone other than one’s partner” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2022). The exact number of individuals who are unfaithful to their partners are unclear but a recent 2021 study of 441 married Americans reported that 46.1% of the respondents said they had affairs, with 24% admitting such to their partners (healthtestingcenters, 2019).

When Ashley Madison, an online dating network that promoted infidelity, was hacked, numbers began to leak out, leading to an estimated number of 37 million users— or rather, 37 million individuals in marriages or relationships who were looking for affairs through the site (Martin & Chalabi, 2015).

The drive that leads 37 million people towards extramarital affairs despite the appearance of a fulfilling long-term committed relationship differs depending on circumstance. The stereotypical reason was rooted in a lack of sexual pleasure in a relationship, caused by stagnant marriage. Author Alicia Walker found that men expressed the opposite. In her book “Chasing Masculinity: Men, Validation, and Infidelity,” men in committed relationships cited a lapse in emotional intimacy within married life which caused them to search for “outside partnerships’’ and affairs. Their masculinity, crushed as women’s attention swayed away from them and towards the domestic lifestyle, filling them with anxiety as they fell short of the created idea of masculinity. Coupled with the passing of time, men would compensate their hurt masculinity with sexual pleasure that brought them validation and a form of praise. Continuously proving the repeated notion that men will do what they believe is needed to reaffirm their masculinity to the extent of physically aggressive actions and projecting socially aggressive beliefs (Kim, 2017).

Despite these identified reasons, infidelity is an inexcusable act. None of these serve as adequate reasons to give men the “benefit of the doubt.” Rather these express the “Why” question in the realm of cheating. Acknowledging not only the effect that gender stereotypes have had on our society but the lingering pain created by a “strong, unyielding patriarchal society.”

REFERENCES

[1] DiMuccio, S. H., & Knowles, E. D. (2020). The political significance of fragile masculinity. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 34(August 2020), 25 - 28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.11.010

[2] Fraser, V. A. (2022, September 29). The “Wife Guy” Trope in Media & Why It’s Problematic. An Injustice! Retrieved November 19, 2022, from https://aninjusticemag.com/the-wife-guy-trope-in-media-why-its-problematic-a3a7da891b03

[3] healthtestingcenters. (2019, July 7). Home. YouTube. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.healthtestingcenters.com/ research-guides/admitting-cheating/

[4] Kim, J. (2017, December). THE EFFECT OF MASCULINITY THREAT ON MEN AND LIKELIHOOD OF ENGAGING IN RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS. University of Hawai’i at Manoa. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/211328725.pdf

[6] Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2022, November 7). Infidelity Definition & Meaning. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infidelity

[7] van Hooff, J., & Manchester Metropolitan University. (2021, June 15). Chasing Masculinity: Men, Validation, and Infidelity Reviewed by Jenny van Hooff (Vol. 1, Issue 56). Manchester Metropolitan University’s Research Repository. https://doi. org/10.1177/00380385211015570

[8] Walker, A. M. (2020). Chasing Masculinity: Men, Validation, and Infidelity. Springer International Publishing.

[9] Whyman, T. (2019, May 14). Anatomy of the Wife Guy. The Outline. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from https:// theoutline.com/post/7426/the-wife-guy

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The Person and the Persona: Parasocial Relationships

Given the advancement of technology in recent decades, media and entertainment have become so accessible that watching your favorite television shows and engaging with your celebrity idols can be done with just a flick of a finger. By scrolling through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube, anyone can catch up on what their most-beloved artists did for a day or what they are doing at the moment: all this without having to leave their own homes. As such, it is truly inevitable for fans of idol figures, especially of the youth, to develop an intense emotional connection with these individuals who are unaware of their existence, or, as it is formally called, a parasocial relationship.

As defined by Find a Psychologist Organization (2020), parasocial relationships refer to a type of one-sided relationship between two parties in which an individual, or the media user, experiences delusions of having an intimate personal connection with the other party, the media persona, despite having no real interactions with them. Such types of relationships are often formed with celebrities, musicians, social media influencers, video content creators, animated characters, and fictional characters in movies played by real-life actors. Much like how in-person relationships develop, parasocial relationships begin when a person first familiarizes themselves with the media persona by interacting with them through various social media platforms and consuming numerous mediums of entertainment that involve them (e.g., movies, television shows, talk shows), which then escalates to the individual becoming attached to the persona (Vinney, 2022).

References:

[1] Chung, S., & Cho, H. (2017). Fostering Parasocial Relationships with Celebrities on Social Media: Implications for Celebrity Endorsement. Psychology &Amp; Marketing, 34(4), 481–495. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21001

[2] Gleason, T. R., Theran, S. A., & Newberg, E. M. (2017). Parasocial Interactions and Relationships in Early Adolescence. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00255

[3] Murray, W. (2022, March 25). Parasocial relationships: The good, the bad, and the boy

In a study conducted by Siyoung Chung and Hichang Cho (2017) regarding the implication of consumers’ parasocial relationship with celebrities on celebrity endorsement, it was discovered that, due to people’s increasing dependency on social media for communication, particularly among the youth, social media outlets have become a way for famous figures to further exploit parasocial relationships to their benefit; thus, making the aforementioned relationships more prevalent in this modern era.

Through the said platforms, parasocial interactions between idol personas and their fans have become more reciprocal, frequent, and intimate. Therefore, it has become easier for adolescents, one of the most emotionally vulnerable and digitally active populations, to fall victim to such relationships. In addition to this, recent studies state that parasocial relationships provide companionship and an increased sense of belonging to those involved in it (Gleason et al., 2017).

Despite its negative connotation and potential drawbacks (e.g., developing obsessive behavior), research suggests that parasocial relationships can actually help adolescents with identity formation and strengthening real-life social connections (Murray, 2022). In fact, it was discovered that it had even benefitted some people who were isolated during the pandemic, serving as a substitute for in-person interactions. Still, anything in excession will certainly cause harm, whether physically or psychologically. With that, parasocial relationships should neither be portrayed solely in a good light nor a bad light, but rather something that is a balance between being beneficial and detrimental to an individual’s mental well-being (if not moderated carefully).

bands. Thriveworks. https://thriveworks.com/blog/parasocial-relationships-boybands/

[4] National Register of Health Service Psychologists. (2020, February 18). Parasocial relationships: The nature of celebrity fascinations. Find a Psychologist. https://www. findapsychologist.org/parasocial-relationships-the-nature-of-celebrity-fascinations/

[5] Vinney, C. (2022, November 21). What Is a Parasocial Relationship? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-parasocial-relationship-5210770

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Selling Serial Crimes: Romanticizing Murderers on the Big Screen

It would appear that serial killers have become the new celebrities on the big screen. The world has always been intrigued by grisly killings: killers like Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, and Ted Bundy are household names because of their notoriety. It’s only human to wonder how these people came to be, and to question whether their problems stem from household or health factors. It’s an ordinary instinct to want to know more about the perpetrators of horrific crimes. Is this harmless fascination, however, developing into something more? Say, an unhealthy fixation?

Every so often, a biopic or documentary about a serial killer is released, and audiences go crazy for it. According to Lockwood (2021), since women make up the majority of true crime viewers, streaming services like Netflix tailor their promotions to this demographic. In certain films and television shows, the killer is presented as a person with “good looks.” These word selections are calculated attempts to hook people by giving a human dimension to the antagonists at the heart of the stories. “Beyond semantics, the casting choices made by

References:

[1] Bergeron, R. (2018, September 28). Killer love: Why people fall in love with murderers. CNN. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/08/entertainment/serialkiller-lovers-the-seventies/index.html

[2] Bounsall, Z. (2021, February 24). Romanticizing serial killers in the Media. Sonoma State Star - The university’s student-run newspaper. Retrieved from http://www. sonomastatestar.com/opinion/2021/2/23/romanticizing-serial-killers-in-the-media

[3] Kohn, L. (2021, April 30). The new bad boy: Why the romanticization of serial killers must end. Talon. Retrieved from https://oakparktalon.org/13016/opinion/the-new-badboy-why-the-romanticization-of-serial-killers-must-end/

directors are intended to inspire this sense of hybristophilia (a love of criminals) in their audiences” (Lockwood, 2021).

The primary purpose of documentaries and films about the world’s most infamous serial killers is enlightenment, but people frequently wind up romanticizing them. The fact that they pass the beauty threshold in the eyes of the general public says nothing about how immoral their behavior is. Murder is repugnant, and not to mention, against the law. Even though everyone is aware of this, several viewers are content to just relax and watch male perpetrators of violence on film. Is it okay to take pleasure in the pain of others if it is merely a televised event?

Ideally, media outlets must tread cautiously while depicting evil so as not to undermine the protection of people from sexual and physical assault. Desensitization to the loss of life in society is a precursor to a cycle of violence. As soon as brutality is accepted in the public eye, it will be practiced freely (Bounsall, 2021).

[4] Lockwood, J. (2021, August 29). The danger of Romanticising Serial killers. Palatinate. Retrieved from https://www.palatinate.org.uk/the-danger-of-romanticising-serialkillers/

[5] Ruben, E. (2022, March 18). Ethical problems with (lack of) consent in biopics. Zee Feed. Retrieved from https://zeefeed.com.au/ethics-consent-biopics/

[6] Why do Serial Killers Have Fans? (n.d.). In Crime and Investigation. Retrieved from https:// www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/article/why-do-serial-killers-have-fans

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Have you ever heard a color instead of seeing it or smelled a sound instead of hearing it? It is often wondered by many if it was possible to see and touch abstract and intangible things and perceive ideas precisely as initially envisioned. A prime example would be that of Carol Crane’s, a psychologist back in the late 1990s. Carol feels the vibrations of musical instruments on her body and sees letters and numbers in vivid hues. For her, each unit of time also has its own shape. For example, she thinks of the months as cars in a Ferris wheel, with July at the top and December at the bottom.

The people who experience this are called synesthetes, while the phenomenon is referred to as synesthesia, a perceptual condition characterized as a “crossing of the senses.” According to WebMD, it is a neurological condition where information intended to affect only one of your senses stimulates all of them. It has over 80 different types and can occur in a variety of forms. Some can taste shapes, while others can see printed numbers, letters, and words in hues. Others experience what experts refer to as conceptual synesthesia, wherein they perceive abstract ideas as time units or mathematical operations as projected shapes. Additionally, a handful of synesthetes encounter variations of the condition (Carpenter, 2022).

Relevantly, an increasing number of social media users claim to be synesthetes. However, numerous misconceptions and misinformation have risen from disbelief and confusion among netizens. Neuroscientist John Harrison claims that when he first encountered synesthetes 40 years ago, they were hesitant to discuss their condition out of fear of mockery (Tait, 2022). This line of reasoning is rooted in a long history of skepticism concerning synesthesia. Hence highlighting the need to raise awareness and to break the stigma of synesthesia being a mental disorder.

Studies suggest that approximately one in 2,000 people have synesthesia. In contrast to hallucination and metaphor, research has shown that the phenomenon is biological, automatic, and unlikely to be unlearned (Mylopoulos & Ro, 2013). Moreover, some synesthetes claim to experience sensory overload and exhaustion resulting from excessive stimulation. Nonetheless, the condition is usually not a major concern, given that most synesthetes value what they regard as an extra sense.

With the emerging studies and traction synesthesia and synesthetes are obtaining, researchers can elucidate and illustrate the variations in perception and their connection to complex cognitive functions, such as language and memory processing (Guardian staff reporter, 2014). In simpler words, research on this can equip us with multiple clues on how our brain and unconscious mind work.

Other than bringing the masses a step

closer to gaining a deeper understanding of how our mind functions, discussing synesthesia will also help increase the condition’s visibility, lessening the possibility that clinicians and other netizens might mistake it as a sign of mental illness. Ultimately, educating ourselves and raising awareness about this matter can help break the stigma that synesthesia is a mental disorder.

References:

[1] Mylopoulos, M. I., & Ro, T. (2013). Synesthesia: a colorful word with a touching sound? Frontiers in Psychology, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fpsyg.2013.00763

[2] Tait, A. (2022, May 16). What’s the Deal With Synesthesia TikTok? WIRED UK; WIRED UK. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/synesthesia- tiktok

[3] Carpenter, S. (2022). Everyday fantasia: The world of synesthesia. Https://Www.apa. org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/mar01/ synesthesia#:~:text=The%20most%20 common%20form%20of,body%2C%20 usually%20within%20arm’s%20reach.

[4] This Is What’s Happening In the Brains of People Who “See” Music | Music Mark. (2015, June 11). Music Mark. https://www. musicmark.org.uk/news/this-is-whatshappening-in-the-brains-of-people-who- see-music/

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The value of the Philippine Peso is continually decreasing, reaching one of the weakest rates the country has seen in history. This is just one of the many obstacles troubling the nation’s people today. What are President Marcos Jr.’s plans to combat the struggles of the Filipino people? Is there any chance of recovery? And if so, how long will it take?

As of the second week of October 2022, the dollar value is at 58.75 PH Pesos, a 15% increase since December of the past year. Marcos Jr.’s administration not only struggled with the inherited debt from the Duterte administration during the pandemic, but also with the rising prices of oil and other consumer goods due to the Russia-Ukraine war. This means more of the taxpayers’ money will be used to pay off the country’s debts and less to the government’s proposed projects. However, even while juggling the burdens brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, the ballooned number of unemployment rates in the country, and the increasing national debt, the President stated that he is “quite optimistic” about the countermeasures the government is ready to implement to ease the financial worries of the Filipino people through the Medium-Term Fiscal Program and the Philippine Developmental Plan (PDP) 2022-2028 (Inquirer, 2022).

A now infamous quote from Senator Sandro Marcos, the President’s son and Senior Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives: “I would like to make one thing clear… the peso is not weak because the peso is weak. The peso is weak because the dollar is strong.”

References:

[1] Sarao, Z. (2022, November 13). PH ready to manage risks posed by Russia-Ukraine conflict, natural disasters. Inquirer. https://globalnation.inquirer. net/208262/ph-ready-to-manage-risks-posed-by-russia-ukraine-conflict-natural-disasters#ixzz7lHK0HX3y

[2] Royandoyan, R. (2022, October 7). In charts: The Philippines economy 100 days into the Marcos presidency. Philstar Global. https://www.philstar.com/ business/2022/10/07/2214975/charts-philippine-economy-100-days-marcos-presidency

[3] Atienza, K.A.T., Ta-asan, K.B. (2022, October 19). Marcos says government ready to defend peso. BusinessWorld. https://www.bworldonline.com/topstories/2022/10/19/481589/marcos-says-government-ready-to-defend-peso/

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The Recognition of Burnout in Educational Systems

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A January 2022 survey conducted by RAND Corporation, an American research organization, showed that 85% of teachers experience restlessness while 59% of teachers are burnt out. Additionally, an analysis on higher education students 2 years ago found that 55.4% of students experience emotional lethargy and 31.6% feel disdain for academics. The World Health Organization defines burnout as an affliction rooted from heavy workload and unregulated workplace stress. It is a feeling of fatigue and weariness that heavily affects a person’s productivity and their personal interest in labor.

Two years into the pandemic, most Filipino teachers and students struggle with the major learning adjustments, with teachers urging for less and more manageable tasks. As they adapt to these changes, Filipino students have highlighted the importance of depending on effective communication and social support systems through online interactions; however, they are challenged by academic resilience.

Throughout the years, the topic of mental health has slowly been recognized by the Department of Education (Dep-Ed) and the House of Representatives. Courses on mental health awareness are being taught as part of the K-12 curriculum. House Resolution 422—aiming to include Mental Health into the Educational System and Mental Health Promotion in Educational Institutions, or the Philippine Mental Health Law—was adopted by the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture. Dep-Ed has become more open to the idea of health breaks to enable students to complete requirement backlogs, as well as to recuperate mentally.

However, despite the progress the Philippine education system has made to recognize burnout and other mental health issues, high expectations for students and teachers remain, leading to inevitable exhaustion. Whether lessons are held in-person or online, students are required to turn in their homework and complete assignments on time, without regard to the number of activities to be done. It is a common expectation that pupils make a conscientious effort to maintain academic status, while teachers must plan, develop, and present high-quality programs for teaching and must be updated by the pertinent and frequently changing curriculum.

The Philippine education system has greatly progressed, however, reform is still needed for further development.

References:

[1] World Health Organization. (2019, May 28). Burn-out an “Occupational Phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-anoccupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBurn%2Dout%20is%20a%20syndrome,related%20to%20one’s%20job%3B%20and

[2] Will, M. (2022, June 15). Stress, Burnout, Depression: Teachers and Principals are Not Doing Well, New Data Confirm. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/stressburnout-depression-teachers-and-principals-are-not-doing-well-new-data-confirm/2022/06#:~:text=Nearly%20three%2Dfourths%20of%20teachers,44%20percent%20of%20 other%20workers.

[3] De Jesus, E. (2022, October 16). DepEd and The Education Crisis: Lost in the Forest. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/opinion-deped-education-crisis-lost-in-theforest/

[4] Alves, S. et. al. (2022, February 7). Burnout and Dropout Intention in Medical Students: The Protective Role of Academic Engagement. BMC Medical Education. https://bmcmededuc. biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-021-03094-9

[5] Cervantes, F. (2021, March 5). House Pushes for Mental Health Awareness Course In K-12. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132695

[6] Mercado, N. (2022, January 14). Health break, finally? DepEd officially suspends classes in public schools in Metro Manila from Jan. 15 to 22. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1540480/healthbreak-finally-deped-officially-suspends-classes-in-ncr-from-jan-15-to-22#ixzz7kLTu80U5

[7] AFS USA. (2022, August). Academic Expectations. https://myafshelp.afsusa.org/hc/en-us/articles/360053028654-Academic-Expectations#:~:text=Students%20are%20expected%20to%20 complete,the%20host%20school%20is%20expected.

[8] Queensland Government. (2022, February 14). Expectations of Teachers. https://teach.qld.gov.au/teach-in-queensland-state-schools/working-with-us/expectations-of-teachers

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