Pauliworld Volume 36, No. 1 by Pauliworld

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF ST. PAUL COLLEGE PASIG HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 | JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Pauliworld Editorial Board SCHOOL YEAR 2021 - 2022

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jana Torres

MANAGING EDITOR

Laurein Mateo

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Claudia Durban

NEWS EDITOR FEATURES EDITORS RESEARCH EDITOR FILIPINO EDITOR CHIEF CARTOONIST CHIEF LAYOUT ARTIST ASSOCIATE LAYOUT ARTISTS CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Alexandra Ypil Luna Coscolluela, Gaby Martinez Amelia Salva Cruz Jolie Lim Veronica Angeles Frances Angeles Natasha Allenby, Mieka Laciste Hananeel Martinez

STAFF Liah Abad, Loreiz Abanes, Cristina Albarracin, Sophia Alejandro, Patricia Balinong, Gabriel Bechtel, Alexa Bentilanon, Paula Calingasan, Uzziel Camacho, Tiffany Grace Cosue, Rebecca Cristobal, Simone Culala, Faith Dacara, Andie Dalusung, Sheicka De Vera, Claudia Durban, Maya Erfe, Ghia Espino, Rianna Estacio, Janina Esteban, Andrea Estrella, Savannah Flores, Sofia Fugen, Angelene Garcia, Bernice Guiterrez, Grace Imbao, Angela Marie Imbuido, Aisha Manginsay, Gaby Martinez, Ryan Shyane Mendoza, Alexandra Punsalan, Thalia Purificacion, Andrea Quibilan, Tony Rilloraza, Mikayla Sanchez, Louise Sese, Suzannah Sibug, Aura Sison, Janna Soriano, Mischa Suarez, Tyrelle Tebangin, Shantell Tolentino, Annika Yunque

PUBLICATIONS MANAGER

Paulyn Navarrete

HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Sr. Teresita Agana, S.P.C

DIRECTRESS

Sr. Felicitas Bernardo, S.P.C

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Campus News

Hope Sparked by SCT’s Donation Drive Efforts By Angelene Sophia Garcia

A year into the pandemic, a heart-rending drop in the

The implementation of the aforementioned initiatives is

financial statuses has transpired in the Paulinian community, held on a case-to-case basis. This could be coursed through by with situations that vary from one student, teacher, or a teacher or the SCT’s Request Form, which in turn, launches a community member to another. On account of all of the prevailing financial strains in the community, the High School Student Coordinating Team (SCT) has ameliorated the donation drive process from its previous years by implementing year-round Pass the Hats, Gadget Drives, and other fundraisers. Ariana Espiritu, the HS SCT Treasurer,

week-long collection of monetary donations once they are shared through the SCT’s media platforms. As for the Gadget Drive, the SCT opened a form prior to the school year to survey potential beneficiaries. The SCT assures, however, that all information acquired from the form shall be kept confidential. “Being on the facilitating side of the efforts, we directly

posits, “As an organizing body with a mission to do everything see the powerful impact of the generosity and humility of the for the betterment and service to the Paulinian Community, we

Paulinian Community, and consequently, we are even more so

recognize our capability to help, thus, creating efforts which reminded of the value of the work that we do,” Ariana Espiritu quickly became a vital project of the SCT, most especially during concludes. our term (S.Y. 2021-2022).”

SCT Working Committees welcome Aspiring Artists and Emcees

SCT spotlights advocacies with HIRAYA: Stepping Stones of Change

By Andie Dalusung

The Student Coordinating Team (SCT) held signups for aspiring Paulinian artists and emcees to utilize their talent in various school projects as members of the SCT Working Committees under the Layout, Video Production, and Hosts and Emcees teams. “The purpose of the SCT Working Committees is not solely to produce SCT projects but also to serve as a springboard for aspiring artists and emcees,” said Enji Ng, one of the SCT Working Committees Project Heads. With quarterly sign-ups and projects divided into four batches for a balanced workload, students can choose their preferred months to work. Project head Adriane Vitug shared that each batch lasts for 2-3 months, containing 4-5 projects with 1-2 activities assigned per person. To students planning on signing up, Enji Ng remarked that SCT’s door is wide open. “One of our [SCT’s] goals is to be their ground for improvement.” Despite the challenge, one can look forward to the rewarding sensation of seeing their work published on the department’s main platform, inspiring more aspiring artists and emcees.

By Rianna Therese Estacio

Opportunities for cultural interaction and exchange prove to be boundless as SPCP students participated in a Virtual Exchange Program with the Fürstenwalde Education and Training Center (FAWZ) Germany on June 30, 2021. The event served as an avenue for participants to appreciate Filipino culture and to share experiences of their daily lives as high school students. The first segment of the program featured two presentations from Paulinians that focused on showcasing Filipino language and a brief overview of Filipino culture that provide facts one should know about the Philippines. The following segment encouraged students to get to know one another better by sharing their pre-pandemic personal routines and experiences, and how these have changed now. As the event drew to a close, students participated in an interactive game; wherein, they were asked to detail their thoughts on their experience of meeting new people through the exchange program. KASAMA President Claudia Durban shared that the event was a great success because of the enthusiasm and excitement that the participating students have shown in the activities that were prepared for them. The experience was refreshing and new to most students; however, all of them managed to turn these short moments into lasting memories. Layout by Frances Angeles

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF ST. PAUL COLLEGE PASIG HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Pauliworld

GIFT Core Officers Take Flight in Annual Leadership Training

New students kickstart their new Paulinian adventure

By Paula Grace Calingasan

By Aura Eloise Sison

The GIFT Core Officers participated in the different

St. Paul College Pasig formally receives the new students

collaborative activities in this year’s GIFT Leadership Training

through a virtual welcoming program hosted by the Student

entitled ‘Takeoff: Fueled for Greater Heights’ on August 18 and

Coordinating Team (SCT) held in Zoom on August 24, 2021.

19. This served as a launching point for the officers to boost their service as student-leaders in the online set-up.

The event’s theme revolved around the famous story of The Jungle Book, in which the SCT associated the numerous

According to Alexa Bentilanon, Project Head and GIFT

adventures that the new students are bound to climb in their

Representative, the SCT ensured that there was space for the

new conquest. The program consisted of segments made to

different centers to connect. For the first day, ‘Time Management

create an open environment for the participants, such as

and Organization,’ former Center for Dance President

interactive games and activities, talks, and an avenue for them

Bridgette Macatangay’s talk, included tips on accomplishing

to voice their concerns.

tasks well, followed by former GIFT Representative Andie Dueñas’ talk on adapting to the aspects of online operations entitled, ‘Leadership in the Online Set-Up.’ On the last day, Li Almazora, former Center for Sports President, discussed online project planning and execution with a talk entitled ‘Generating Concepts and Executing Events.’

Through this program, the SCT Core Officers discussed specific experiences on being a Paulinian such as being academically excellent and socially responsible, which focused on academics, homeroom and talent development, and firing excellence in all areas of life, which centered on the GIFT program and SPCP organizations. On top of these, senior Luna

“I see so much potential for the officers to be actively

Coscolluela, shared her experiences about being a new student.

involved in safekeeping the school and keeping the general objectives of GIFT alive,” says Ms. Kathlyn Pike, Assistant Principal for GIFT. She hopes that in future trainings, the core officers will continue to foster the idea of family, companionship, and talent above excellence.

“Amidst our troubling times, we were able to show our new students what good being a Paulinian will bring,” shared Adriane Vitug, one of the Project Heads and Grade 10 Batch Representative.

Paulinians build new friendships with FAWZ students through a Virtual Exchange Program By Laurein Marielle R. Mateo

The Student Coordinating Team (SCT) presented its year-end project entitled HIRAYA: Stepping Stones of Change, a virtual advocacy forum held on June 4, 2021. This event was known to be an annual summer outreach activity, though it was not possible to host a physical one this year due to the pandemic. Two panelists were assigned for each advocacy, namely, mental health (Director Kenneth Roy Aranas of the Youth for Mental Health Coalition; Javier Del Mundo from Talang Dalisay), quality education (National Spokesperson Raoul Manuel of the Kabataan Party-list; Sam Villavicencio from AKO PH), good governance (Director Ashley De Quiroz of Goodgov PH; Felicity Santos from Akbayan! Youth - Loyola), human rights (Chairman Atty. Chel Diokno of the Free Legal Assistance Group; Philip Jamilla from KARAPATAN), and environmental protection (Director KM Reyes of the Center for Sustainability PH; Kisha Muana from Greenpeace PH). The forum’s segments proposed questions and topics interconnected with the current issues Filipino youth are facing today. These discussions encouraged student engagement as the participants answered polls and submitted queries. The program ended with advice and messages of hope given by the remaining speakers. “[The SCT] found it timely to initiate an advocacy fair instead to expose the SPCP HS students to different relevant and active organizations to heighten their awareness of current issues, to develop their advocacies, and to play a role in creating a better world for all,” said Ms. Jaiferzen Emberga, the SCT moderator.

PauliworldSPCP

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Off Campus News

Marquez, C. (2021, September 2). EJ Obiena leaps to No. 5 in world pole vault rankings. CNN Philippines. https://cnnphilippines.com/sports/2021/9/2/EJ-Obiena-world-number5-pole-vault-rankings.html

PH olympic athletes deliver an outstanding performance in Tokyo 2021

Parrocha, A. (2021, August 8). Pinoys performed ‘creditably well’ in Tokyo Olympics. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149757 Saldajeno, I.S. (2021, August 8). Add’l cash reward, house and lot for Olympic winners: POC. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149785

by Anna Claudia Durban

The Philippine Team had a kickstart in the Tokyo Summer Olympics 2021 held on July 23 until August 8, 2021. Nineteen athletes trained rigorously to represent

PhilHealth slammed on ongoing unpaid claims and corruption allegations

the country in this prestigious event, with four

by Paula Grace Calingasan

bagging medals in their respective sports, marking the Philippines’ historic Olympic medal haul.

Since early 2020, the Philippine Health Insurance

Hidilyn Diaz brought home the country’s first-

Corporation (PhilHealth) has been repeatedly under

ever Olympic gold medal after competing in Women’s

fire for allegations of corruption within its Interim

Weightlifting. Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio both won

Reimbursement

silver, while Eumir Marcial attained a bronze, all from

responsible for medical facilities’ emergency cash

the Boxing team. The Philippine Government rewarded

advances. The mechanism was first used in 2013 and has

the athletes with cash incentives for their outstanding

operated during national crises such as Super Typhoon

performance and bringing honor to the country.

Yolanda, Marawi Siege, the 2020 Taal Volcano eruption,

This year was also a first for the Philippines in Golf as Juvic Pagunsan, Yuka Saso, and Bianca Pagdanganan were the first Filipino golfers to participate in this Olympic sport. Saso even raised her world rank, ascending to ninth place.

Mechanism

(IRM),

the

system

and now, the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 13, 2021, the implementation of the IRM was suspended for investigation and review. According to the Department of Health’s (DOH) data on the regions with the highest reported COVID-19 cases,

the

Metro Manila was the number one region while Davao

Olympics, EJ Obiena, the first Filipino to qualify for Tokyo

came at sixth. Shortly after, senators questioned the

2020, clinched fifth place in the pole vault world rank

system of IRM releases because the Southern Philippine

in the 2021 Paris Diamond League in early September.

Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City received P326

Meanwhile, Carlos Yulo of Gymnastics and Margielyn

million, significantly surpassing Manila’s Philippine

Didal of Skateboarding both left tremendous impact after

General Hospital (PGH) P263.3 million release. Amidst

their respective competitions.

the preparation of different hospitals for the potential

WAfter

his

outstanding

performance

surge of Delta variant driven cases, PhilHealth issued Go, B. (2021, July 16). Tokyo Olympics: Meet Team Philippines. Rappler. https://www.rappler.

a statement saying that

com/sports/things-to-know-members-team-philippines-tokyo-olympics

double time to process the remaining 12% amounting to

“the corporation is working

Layout by Mieka Laciste

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF ST. PAUL COLLEGE PASIG HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

P25.6 billion, which are in varying levels of processing

Pauliworld

More than a year into the pandemic, the Commission on Audit (COA) has called the attention of the DOH for

in its offices.” WDr. Benjamin Pague, the acting senior manager of information management of PhilHealth, stated that it

their inefficiency in utilizing allotted pandemic response funds. According to the audit team, the deficiencies were due to the lack of supporting documents, such

took them about 44 days to process a hospital claim in

as valid contracts or memorandums of agreement,

2020 and 2021. As of August 7, PhilHealth assured that

distribution lists, and project implementation reports.

they were addressing complaints and settled 76.4% of

Additionally, the findings of COA have divulged unused

the almost 18 million claims received from its accredited

medical equipment, unpaid financial assistance claims,

government and private hospitals. “Bugbog na po kami,”

and non-compliance with the grant of various Covid-19

PhilHealth Chief Dante Gierran expressed in a House

allowances, as well as irregularities in the management

Hearing last August 26. ”Our debt as of August 24, 2021,

of the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism funds of the

is P21.1 billion,” he adds.

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). In response to COA’s flag on the DOH, Secretary of

WKagabani, L. J. K. (2021, August 17). COA report on DOH’s P67-B deficiency just incomplete paperwork. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from https:// www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1150663 Marcelo, E. M. (2021, August 12). COA Flags Inefficient DOH Use Of P67-Billion COVID Funds. One News. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from https://www.onenews.ph/articles/ coa-flags-inefficient-doh-use-of-p67-billion-covid-funds Medoza, R. M. (2021, August 11). DoH assures CoA P67.3B flagged funds accounted for. The Manila Times. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from https://www. manilatimes.net/2021/08/11/latest-stories/doh-assures-coa-p673b-flagged-fundsaccounted-for/1810582?utm_campaign=magnet&utm_source=article_page&utm medium=related_articles

Health Francisco Duque III declares “We take our COA findings very seriously and have been working to further improve our processes and controls so that we can serve the public most effectively especially during this pandemic,” he said. The DOH also added that out of the P79.7 billion COVID-19 response funds received, P68.9 billion had already been used as of Dec. 31, 2020. On the eve of August 12, 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that the findings of the COA regarding the health department’s deficiencies in managing the P67.32 billion fund do not imply the involvement of

DOH utilization of P67 Billion COVID-19 funds still in question

corruption and stolen funds. “You make a report, do not flag. Do not publish it because it will condemn the agency or the person that you are flagging,” he said. As Duterte came to the end of his statement, he assured all Filipinos that he would not allow any of his Cabinet members to pocket the money of taxpayers in the country.

by Angelene Sophia Garcia

The Department of Health (DOH) was given a budget of P67.32 billion to ensure a comprehensive COVID-19 response in 2020 and combat the unprecedented impacts of the health crisis. As the DOH proposed, the given budget was meant for medical equipment, procurement of test kits, PPE suits, payment of HCWs’ (health care workers) benefits, COVID-19 allowances, and salaries of

Kagabani, L. J. K. (2021, August 17). COA report on DOH’s P67-B deficiency just incomplete paperwork. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from https:// www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1150663 Marcelo, E. M. (2021, August 12). COA Flags Inefficient DOH Use Of P67-Billion COVID Funds. One News. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from https://www.onenews.ph/articles/ coa-flags-inefficient-doh-use-of-p67-billion-covid-funds Medoza, R. M. (2021, August 11). DoH assures CoA P67.3B flagged funds accounted for. The Manila Times. Retrieved September 6, 2021, from https://www.manilatimes. net/2021/08/11/latest-stories/doh-assures-coa-p673b-flagged-funds-accountedf o r / 1 8 1 0 5 8 2 ? u t m _ c a m p a i g n = m a g n e t & u t m _ s o u rc e = a r t i c l e _ p a g e & u t m _ medium=related_articles W

HRH (human resources for health).

PauliworldSPCP

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Off Campus News

Filipinos Await Capable Candidates for Halalan 2022

[5] Patag, K. J. (2021, June 16). Veteran rights lawyer Diokno says he will run in 2022 elections. Philstar.Com. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/06/16/2105932/veteranrights-lawyer-diokno-says-he-will-run-2022-elections

by Aura Eloise Sison

[8] Cepeda, M. (2021, August 31). 200 pro-Robredo groups hold online people’s convention. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/groups-vouch-robredo-willhelp-reach-dreams-2022

Months before the 2022 elections commence, the responsibility of choosing the nation’s next set of leaders is beginning to settle in. Officials are revealing their aspirations to file for candidacy for positions in the local

[6] ABS-CBN News. (2021, July 19). Pasig mayor Vico Sotto says to seek reelection. https:// news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/19/21/pasig-mayor-vico-sotto-says-to-seek-reelection [7] CNN Philippines. (2021, August 25). Duterte confirms vice presidential run in 2022 elections. Cnn. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/8/25/Duterte-confirms-VPrun.html

[9] Mateo, J. (2021, August 31). Over 200 groups urge Leni to run for president. Philstar.Com. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/09/01/2123951/over-200-groups-urgeleni-run-president [10] CNN Philippines. (2021, August 24). Comelec firm on Sept. 30 deadline as registered voters hit 61M. Cnn. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/8/24/Comelec-61million-registered-voters.html

and national government. Incumbent

politicians unveil their plans for

next year’s polls-- Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto publicized their endeavors to vie for President and Vice-President respectively as a tandem; Atty. Chel Diokno declared that he will run for Senator; and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto confirmed his

New Covid-19 variants detected the Philippines by Andie Dalusung

plans to bid for reelection. Along with this, President Rodrigo Duterte announced his intention to seek the vice presidency after his ongoing term.

New variants have emerged in the Philippines and posed further threats and challenges to the country’s

Select politicians are being encouraged to run, and mock polls are being held on various platforms. The

COVID-19 response.

general public is greeted with politicians officializing

The Alpha variant’s presence was confirmed by the

their endeavors to run in Halalan 2022, such as incumbent

Department of Health (DOH) on January 13. It was labeled

Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila City Mayor Isko

a variant of concern with its increased transmission. As

Moreno, and Senator Manny Pacquiao. Filipinos will

of August 29, there were 2,395 Alpha variant cases in

learn the final list of candidates for all government

the country.

positions around the third week of October as filing of certificates of candidacy is from October 1 to 8. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) remains open to voters’ registration until October 30, 2021. They urge Filipinos aged 18 and above to use their right to vote for wise leaders in the impending elections.

By March 2, DOH recorded the first six cases of the Beta variant, described as multiple mutations in the spike protein. There are now 2,669 cases as of August 29. On March 14, DOH announced that the Gamma variant, which holds unique mutations and potential in increasing transmissibility or reinfection, was detected in the country as well.

[1] de Leon, D. (2021, August 16). 18,180 national, local seats up for grabs in the 2022 Philippine elections. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/nationallocal-seats-posts-up-for-grabs-2022-polls-philippines

The country’s first Delta variant case was reported

[2] Dooc, M. (2021, May 14). The significance of the 2022 national elections. BusinessMirror. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/05/14/the-significance-of-the-2022-nationalelections/

on July 26 and is more than twice as contagious. There

Comelec releases calendar for 2022 elections. (2021, February 13). Cnn. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/2/13/comelec-2022-electionscoronavirus-pandemic.htmlfbclid=IwAR1R6mbKP0eSGeSkoj_ cZIwzqMQ7E0ACGvS2SdJEDrovxlCJYALYdI22Vuk

this, the first case of the Lambda variant of interest was

[3]

are 1,789 Delta variant cases as of August 29. Following confirmed by the DOH on August 15. This variant is still

[4] Ramos, C. M. (2021, July 20). Lacson to run for president in 2022 with Sotto as his vice president. INQUIRER.Net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1462129/lacson-to-run-forpresident-in-2022-with-sotto-as-his-vice-president

Layout by Natasha Allenby

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF ST. PAUL COLLEGE PASIG HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

classified as a variant of interest due to limited research on its characteristics as of September 17.

Pauliworld In August, Metro Manila returned to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for a third time due to the threat of the feared Delta variant. Other areas that were also placed under this

Those unvaccinated or not completely vaccinated are

qualification included the cities of Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro

at greater risk, however, the latter are not completely spared

and the provinces of Laguna and Bataan from August 6 to 15,

from infection either. As the country’s COVID-19 case

Laguna province–adjacent to NCR–extended from August 6 to

count rises by the thousands every day, medical facilities

20, and Bataan from August 8 to 22.

continue to struggle in accommodating all patients.

“This is a painful decision because we know it’s hard to be placed under ECQ, but we need to do this to avoid shortages

[1] (2021, September 7) SARS-CoV-2 Variant Classifications and Definitions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-info.html#Concern [2] (2021, July 9) Among now Greek letter-named COVID variants, Delta draws biggest fear. Inquirer.net. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer. net/1457844/among-now-greek-letter-named-covid-variants-deltadraws-biggest-fear [3] (2021, March 6) FAST FACTS: New coronavirus variants detected in PH. CNN Philippines. Retrieved from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/3/6/ COVID-variant-Philippines.html

in ICU beds and other hospital requirements should Delta COVID-19 variant cases balloon… This difficult decision was [done] to save more lives,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in Filipino in a televised address on July 30. During the ECQ period, emergency and delivery services continued to operate along with public transportation with a limited capacity. Curfew was extended from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Cash assistance worth as much as P4000 was given to low-

[4] (2021, August 29) 516 more Delta variant cases detected in PH, total now at 1,789. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/ coronavirus-delta-variant-cases-philippines-august-29-2021

income families. Only authorized persons outside of residence

[5] (2021, January 13) DOH confirms 1st case of UK COVID-19 variant in PH. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/dohconfirms-first-case-uk-covid-19-variant-philippines-january-13-2021

goods) were allowed to travel out and beyond the newly

[6] (2021, March 2) DOH detects 6 cases of South African variant of COVID-19, 30 new cases of UK variant. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer. net/1401783/doh-detects-6-cases-of-south-african-variants-of-covid19-30-new-cases-of-uk-variant [7] (2021, March 14) PH detects 1st case of COVID-19 Brazil variant. Inquirer. net. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1406659/ph-detects1st-case-of-covid-19-brazil-variant [8] (2021, July 26) QC reports first COVID-19 Delta variant case. Inquirer.net. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1464601/qc-reports-firstcovid-19-delta-variant-case

(essential

workers

and

individuals

obtaining

essential

implemented checkpoints in between the NCR cities and municipality borders, required that they present a quarantine pass. Vaccination centers remained fully operational to ensure population protection. Aiming to follow the country’s goal of 700,000 jabs daily against COVID. Going into September, these areas will be under modifiedECQ until the 7th at the decision of the IATF-EID (InterAgency Task Force for the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases). Only on September 8 will Metro Manila be placed

[9] (2021, August 15) PH detects first case of COVID-19 Lambda variant. CNN Philippines. Retrieved from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/8/2/ PH-first-case-Lambda-covid-variant.html?fbclid=IwAR1avdj8FZC_ UtclQJHkS-LiIDAaVk34HxSr5q3dabSiN80Ft4zYuSVDoRg

under granular lockdown while the rest of the region will

[10] (2021, July 13) WHO downgrades classification of COVID-19 Theta variant found in PH. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/ nation/who-downgrades-classification-covid-19-theta-variant-foundphilippines

medical officials, was based on finding the balance between

Return to ECQ: Government reverts areas with high COVID-19 cases to hard lockdown by Rianna Therese Estacio

PauliworldSPCP

implement General Community Quarantine (GCQ). The order to shift to a slightly relaxed lockdown, despite the protest of prioritizing public health and reopening the economy.

[1] Ranada, P. (2021, July 30). Metro Manila place under ECQ from August 6 - 20. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/metro-manila-placed-under-ecq-august-6to-20-2021 [2] Rappler.com. (2021, August 6). August 2021 ECQ: Things to remember. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/august-2021-ecq-things-to-remembercovid-19-quarantine-lockdown [3] Ranada, P. (2021, August 5). Laguna, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro under ECQ. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/laguna-placed-under-ecq-calabarzon-quarantineclassifications-august-2021 [4] CNN Philippines. (2021, August 7). Bataan under ECQ starting August 8. Retrieved from https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/8/7/Bataan-ECQ-August-8-22.html [5] ABS-CBN news. (2021, August 28). Metro Manila, 15 other areas under MECQ until Sept 7 -- Palace. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/28/21/ncr-15-otherareas-under-mecq-until-sept-7

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SPETEMBER 2021

Editorial

by SCINACEA

To be the one backstage at the show, to be the one written about in chart-topping songs - is this not the common theme of imagination?

An imagination wherein

intimacy and relation with media personalities exist? The distance between celebrity and fan establishes the boundaries of mere fantasies and imagination. However, when the entertainment industry is programmed to please and treat audiences as special, who is to blame for the absurd acts done out of obsession by fans resulting in harm to artists?

“There’s no other superstar you know that I’ll be your papa-paparazzi.” Paparazzi are individuals working under the guise of media and journalism in an effort to legally intrude the privacy of superstars and entertainers. The role of paparazzi and obsessive fans in perspective are two sides of the same coin, with one operating under legal work and the other invested as a hobby and interest. Nevertheless, both are intrusive to celebrities, who, despite their status, deserve adequate space and privacy even in public spaces. Numerous entertainment companies and staff members have come to light for reportedly selling exclusive information and photographs of the very persons they were supposed to protect and uplift, not for monetary reasons but as public relations stunts. As opposed to promoting the work and artistry of celebrities, companies resort to selling their personas to paparazzi and fans, a practice further amplified during the pandemic when work and physical performance were greatly restricted. Online messages, fan calls or meets, and such were left as the primary sources of promotion, not of the skills of the artist, but of their marketable personas.

“I won’t stop until that boy is mine. Baby, you’ll be famous, chase you down until you love me.” Artists are meant to create art, whether in the form of theater, writing, music, or performance; they are similar to any other worker, producing an output for the general public to enjoy. Visual and personal appeal were always meant to be side assets, not the most significant, as long as one had talent and genuine passion for what they are doing. However, the industry today seem to prioritize attractiveness and personal appeal rather than skill in an effort to keep musicians from becoming underrated or irrelevant. What sustains celebrities who lack constant flair or outstanding ability are the one-sided emotional investments of fans in their idols - the monetary capitalization of companies of the parasocial relationships created by fans. The persona of most celebrities today are marketed towards their fans as romantic and emotionally available in order to fuel further fantasies through multimedia curated by fans such as fan fiction, edits, and think pieces. These, in turn, assures entertainment institutions that they can emotionally manipulate the more gullible fans and pry into their fantasies, prompting them to invest more financially in their artists. Looking at the bigger picture, the companies seem to be in the wrong for feed off of the imagination and obsession of their artist’s fans. Yet, beneath the surface, who is to say that this excuses the injuries and harm these fantasies bring to the emotional and physical well-being of celebrities? Are parasocial relationships necessary in order for idols to remain relevant? Are celebrities responsible for the harmful lashings of obsession done to them? Ultimately, the entertainment industry is in much need of reformation, for artists are meant to create valued commodities out of their art and skill, rather than becoming the industry commodities themselves.

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Pauliworld

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Editorial

"Among Us" - Evaluating the good and bad of internet anonymity by Lakambini

The internet is the global public space of the 21st century. From commerce to entertainment, to invoking public discourse and facilitating social change, social media platforms have expanded our choices with just a few clicks of our keyboard. But like all public spaces, safety is a concern, especially with one as vast and wide reaching as the world wide web, anonymity being one of its central features. In an increasingly digitized and polarized world, is it high time to forego anonymity? Do we mandate everyone to interact with their real identity just as how we do it in physical public spaces? Anonymity grants users the option to shield their identities, with most media platforms only requiring your email or phone number to create an account. While this may be an avenue for some to expand their selfexpression, it can be abused by those seeking to cause harm. Netizens face the increased risk of being targeted with slurs and threats. On a larger scale, officials can weaponize trolls to attack political opponents while inflating their own platforms to appear more mainstream. Implementing identification is not a new concept. Apps such as Paypal and GCash require users to have their picture taken or submit a copy of their valid government-issued ID. And while this may work for platforms concerning monetary transactions, it becomes trickier when it comes to social media. It potentially gatekeeps masses from using the internet, as legal documents are still a privilege for many, both in terms of cost and the time it takes to get them. Not everyone has the privilege to apply for or renew their IDs every now and then just to access Facebook. Aside from that, asking for identification doesn’t deter influential figures who are already out in the open-the likes of Mocha Uson, for example--from spouting bigoted, sexist, or false remarks. Instead, it might deprive minorities or people who need anonymity to protect themselves from speaking out. These considerable restrictions defeat the internet’s point of being the free marketplace of ideas, all for the speculative benefit of limiting harmful content. There are alternatives that are worth looking into, with big tech taking efforts to root out trolls and taking down abusive accounts, as well as netizens reporting and fact checking fake news. Grassroots movements and institutions educate the youth, increasing awareness and informing the public to be vigilant of these schemes. All of these measures have much to improve, but it is expected as we continue to encounter precedents in the new virtual world. Free reign anonymity may somehow enable trolls and fake news peddlers to proliferate in the world wide web, spreading malicious content like a cancer, yet the cure might just kill healthy cells as much as the cancerous ones, if not more. And while there is still no definite answer, we can be sure that regulating the internet remains as complex as the issues we discuss among us.

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The Feminist Prototype

by Pied Piper

Being a feminist is like playing a guessing game. Except, unlike other guessing games, this one never ends and you never win. Many have tried to find the answer to feminism, and some have come close—but all have failed. And it’s not hard to see why. The “perfect feminist” is an ideal beyond human ability because of the rules that govern what a feminist must be. To be a feminist, you must be strong, but you must not overpower others. You must be loud, but you must not drown out anyone else’s voice. You must be proud, but you must not overshadow the cause. These contradictions in feminism can be seen in everything women are told to do and in every aspect of how women live their lives. Today, changes in feminism have matched the speed at which our society moves—and everything nowadays moves incredibly fast. One moment, women are denounced for being “girly”. Then the next, they’re encouraged to reclaim their femininity. And, finally, they are asked to express themselves however they wish to. In the wake of all these changes, women are left reeling from all the impositions that modern-day feminism has placed on them. But feminism did not start this way. First-wave feminism was born out of women’s need to not be oppressed or treated as lesser humans. In a time when women’s rights were at their bleakest, feminists stood up and fought to live as they were meant to. In the early days of feminism, there was no right or wrong. There was only the question of whether or not you wanted women to have the ability to be human. Now, feminism is confusing. Every individual has their own definition of what feminism is and, if you put these definitions together, you will be led to believe that no one living or dead has or ever will be a feminist. However, this does not come as a surprise. The truth is that the foundation of feminism itself is not stable, because it stands on the very social structure that it deplores: the patriarchy. However roundabout it may seem, feminists would not have to fight for women’s rights if women’s rights had been upheld in the first place. We cannot expect feminism, an ideology that exists because of an outdated and unjust social structure, to make much more sense than the reason why it was created in the first place. The patriarchy is a system that dictates what women should be, and, if feminists continue to see feminism simply as a way to dictate contradictions of patriarchal ideas, feminists will be no better than the system that oppressed women in the first place. Feminism must not create an ideal of what women are meant to be, it must return power to them and give them the ability to choose how they want to live their lives. Feminism is not the opposite of the patriarchy. t is an ideology that must instill equality instead of dictate what that equality must be.

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VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Editorial

The Root of Social Ills: A Lack of Empathy by Lumen

Society faces various issues that affect all of us

Have we ever stopped to think about the root of

causing the social ills and inequalities we all know

the oppression many of us experience? Why should

too well. Gender inequality, poverty, climate

we continue to tolerate these unfair situations,

change, increase in unemployment rates, violence,

and what makes them continue to persist? Each

and racism are just a few of the prevalent issues

social injustice prevalent in society has its own history

that have yet to be eradicated. Despite all the

and is deeply rooted within the social system, making it

advocacy campaigns and awareness programs being

complicated to eliminate. Nonetheless, they

established to combat these, many individuals

have one commonality that can be true

unceasingly contribute to the prevalence of

for every adverse circumstance: a lack of

these undesirable conditions.

empathy.

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Not caring about others causes people to support practices that benefit themselves at the expense of another. Climate change, for example, may be rooted in apathy towards the planet. An irrational hatred towards characteristics that an individual has no control over, such as race or gender, can lead to individuals experiencing oppression and injustices. All of these could be mediated or uprooted from our society if we choose to practice empathy or possess the ability to understand the feelings of others. One can show empathy in the simplest ways, such

Empathy (n.) the ability to understand and share the feelings of one another. It allows one to understand other people and respond appropriately to specific circumstances with utmost consideration. Though, in defining a “lack of empathy,” there are two concepts that come into mind: apathy and antipathy. Apathy refers to the indifference of one towards the feelings of

as listening actively and communicating openly, recognizing the emotions of others, and validating varying thoughts and interpretations. Though anyone can always start to incorporate empathy for those around them, the dilemma would begin when it comes to consistency, as it becomes hard to empathize with strangers and those one dislikes. Without

empathy,

selfishness

and

ignorance

continue to neglect the opressed. In these trying times filled with injustices and

others, while antipathy speaks of the deliberate

negligence, it is imperative that we act on the

disregard towards others’ feelings, and it could

disparities that our society faces. As the country’s

reach the extent of hatred towards someone. In one

future, it is our responsibility never to tolerate being

way or another, these two ideas have contributed

mistreated by those in power. We must practice

to the abuse and oppression we have experienced.

empathy and compassion towards others so that we may suppress the social inequalities we face.

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Features

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

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The

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Pop Princess

Problem By Luna Coscolluela

Just at the age of eighteen, Olivia Rodrigo caught the attention of music listeners from all over the world with her critically acclaimed debut album, Sour. With songs influenced by the bubblegum pop and punk genres, Rodrigo entered the music industry as a young newcomer with a refreshing take on the teenage ideal. While inspiring, her record-breaking path is in no way the first of its kind—because Rodrigo is just the latest version of the teen pop princess. Over two decades before Sour, there was ...Baby One More Time, Britney Spears’ debut album containing the titular hit single of the same name. Only sixteen years old at the time being, Spears led the revival of teen pop in the late 90s, with a career stretching into the early 2000s. However, with a continued existence that revolved around hyper-sexualization and public scrutiny, Spears’ personal life took a dangerous turn. After her highly publicized 2007 breakdown, the teenage girl of “Toxic” stardom was replaced with a mentally damaged 26-year-old in desperate need of time away from the public. As Spears’ star dimmed, another began to shine. Originally famed as a country sweetheart, eighteenyear-old Taylor Swift released her single “Love Story” in 2008 and won the Grammy for Album of the Year for her sophomore release, Fearless. Adopting a “good girl” persona, Swift’s career was vastly different from Spears’, which worked in her favor for some time. In the end, Swift was forced into a year of radio silence after facing criticism over a dispute with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. When she returned to the public eye with the release of her album, Reputation, and was later awarded the Artist of the Decade, it was clear that things had changed for the pop star. Both Spears and Swift’s lives were deeply affected by the unjust and misogynistic standards imposed on the Pop Princess. While they both presented themselves as vastly different kinds of people, they were still dehumanized and demoralized by the same system that manipulated their image and persona. With a new generation of pop princesses bound to surface in the next decade, it is up to us to decide what future pop careers will turn out to be.

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Features

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

When Pixar said ‘Silenzio Bruno!’ by Alex Punsalan

Think about how your favorite Pixar movies immerse

Last year, Pixar released a film that wasn’t quite like the

you. Coco has winged mythical creatures, songs from deceased

others. In Luca (2020), the characters’ grandest objective is

tongues, and bridges traversing the planes of life and death.

to win their local town’s racing event in an effort to win a

Finding Nemo has steel surfaces and the endless cerulean

Vespa. It was as if Pixar decided to take a step back and allow

Pacific. Soul has dimensions, metaphorical explorations,

themselves one long exhale to indulge in their film’s lush

and the age-old questions of what it truly means to live.

Italian scenery and childish shenanigans rather than engage in

Pixar stories have been well-known for being exceptionally

any in-depth dissection of morality or a multifaceted plot web.

complex, an element we acclaim both in film and in real life.

Luca is laid-back and innocent, but, in this simplicity, it glows. It illuminated emotional connection and the human condition at a true-to-life pace, allowing us to revisit the simple wonders we experienced as kids in an authentic and digestible manner. The result of this richly personal approach is a seamless, refreshing immersion that critics and audiences alike argue is no less meaningful and no less riveting.

In this age of Instagram Stories and community quarantine, it may often feel as if we are missing out on all the complex, so-called “monumental” occurrences of life. Luca reminds us that even our simplest and most innocent moments are worth cherishing, for they give focus to the subtle human experiences often overshadowed in your typical action-packed drama. The connections we make that are unique to ourselves and the memories we carry that no one else will experience can still make for immersive slice-of-life tales that allow audiences to explore and appreciate the extraordinary layers of living.

Maybe the most meaningful stories occur when we are young and wide-eyed, founded in the grounds of spilt ice cream and Vespa dreams and good, tilled earth. Maybe all we need is a change of perspective.

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From Beyond the Microphone

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by Savannah Sucre G. Flores

Japanese media has been a long-running source of

current profession. “I don’t remember if it was on a

entertainment long before the lockdowns and distance;

TV or a magazine, I’ve even forgotten who said it, but

the feeling of completing another chapter in favorite

a very experienced voice actor said ‘voice acting is a

visual novels and visual audio of characters whispering

job where everything you work hard for will be your

romantic words into our ears brings a sense of flutter

strength.’ I felt those words affirmed that what I did was

into our hearts.

right.”

However, behind colorful animation panels are

Finding a passion is not an easy task — it can take

the people who spare no effort when giving characters

years for that inspiration to strike. Despite the myriad

depth and personality through several pages of dialogue

of trials and tribulations we find ourselves facing, we

— Japanese voice actors, commonly known as seiyu.

must always remember that finding comfort and solace

Seiyu, like their on-screen peers, spend time understanding and fleshing out even the most minor details, attempting to convey powerful emotion despite physical appearance through only their voice.

in the most unusual objects or persons such as fictional universes should never be frowned upon, as sometimes, it is the lack of distinction in one’s unique voice that hinders us the most.

Famed Japanese voice actor Saito Soma (Yamaguchi Tadashi, Haikyu!!) once said that when voice acting, rather than projecting himself and his personal appeal, he simply embodies his character and uses speech patterns consistent to the character’s personality whether deemed likable or attractive to himself. To train them into understanding the art of voice acting, many agencies hold competitions and workshops open to aspiring actors. But before the training process comes a period where they, similar to the present youth, were lost chasing childhood dreams and futures. “Honestly, my dreams changed very often, but I wanted to give it my all when I did what I should do at the time,” said Kaji Yuki (Eren Yeager, Attack on Titan; Todoroki Shoto, My Hero Academia) while explaining how he chose his

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VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Features

13 Taylor Swift Songs that Prove how Iconic she is By Sofia Raine Fugen

There are a few words that can fully encompass the luster and eminence of Taylor Swift. One of them is: “Iconic.” As someone who has written some of music’s greatest bops and most quintessential heartbreak songs, with a tracklist that only continues to grow longer and more diverse, it can be noted that her skill with a pen is undeniable. The way she conjures up detailed imagery and storylines will be nothing if not breathtaking to me. With her songs that continuously give us heavenly bridges and countless solid stories and twists, she proves to us time and time again that she wasn’t meant to simply be in the music industry, but to be one of its leading figures.

To commemorate over a decade’s worth of her artistry and talent, I’ve compiled a list of 13 of her most groundbreaking and iconic songs throughout the years.

13. Our Song - Taylor Swift What was originally a song written for her school talent show became her first No. 1 single on the Country Billboard Top 100. “Our Song” is a sugary-sweet bop that perfectly executes her country music’s charming youth and innocence, embodying the sounds and feelings of a sixteen-year-old in love for the first time.

12. Love Story - Fearless As the song that launched Swift into superstardom and solidified her as a household name, this song is a fan favorite. “Love Story” was a cultural milestone, crossing Swift over from country radio into pop for the first time. It’s a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet told through Juliet’s perspective and with a happy ending.

11. Blank Space - 1989 With “Blank Space”, Taylor Swift expertly pokes fun at this “man-eater” narrative the media created for her while subverting it at the same time. This song, which has received critical acclaim, is infectious. It’s catchy and fun, and even funny with its masterful and dramatized portrayal of the stereotypical obsessive girlfriend.

10. You Belong With Me Fearless

“You Belong With Me” is an absolute cult classic in Swift’s fandom, narrating the story of being secretly in love with a person who’s already in love with someone else. It became Swift’s highest-charting single at the time of its release, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and winning her a VMA for its music video.

9. August - Folklore The second song from the “Teenage Love Triangle”, “August”, is as soul-crushing as it is beautiful with calming beach vibes and a heartbreaking storyline depicting a summer love gone wrong. From the very moment we hear the song’s intro, we’re transported into this ill-fated yet blissful whirlwind romance.

8. Getaway Car - Reputation The Reputation album can be hailed as the comeback of the century, and “Getaway Car” is one of its strongest moments. The song is filled with allusions and imagery to the Bonnie and Clyde crime couple, describing the relationship as something she had to run away from, only to realize that her new relationship is bound to end up in shambles as well.

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7. Holy Ground - Red Red has always symbolized a coming of age in Taylor’s music. The way this song looks back on a past relationship and sees its beauty is simply breathtaking. It’s not tragic as it is mature, painting their past together as something enjoyable and magical, but ultimately, ill-fated.

6. Enchanted - Speak Now

The song is about meeting someone for the first time and thinking, “I hope they’re single.” The unearthly sound that makes you feel like floating, with lyrics that perfectly describe the feeling of meeting and crushing on someone, “Enchanted” is the Taylor Swift song that truly showcases her otherworldly ability to take a personal experience of hers and make it relatable to the rest of us.

5. Out Of The Woods - 1989

The song describes the crash and burn of a relationship and the anxiety that suffocated the people in it, painting the metaphorical woods as the unanswered questions that planted seeds of chaos, fear, and doubt into their minds. The song is only one of the many tracks in the album that showcase Swift’s maturity and was a pivotal point in her career, making the move from country to pop and switching genres for the first time.

4. Cruel Summer - Lover

I’ve always loved how ethereal this song sounds — like gaining wings and flying or walking on a cloud. The synths, the hook, and the chorus alone are reasons for this song to be so acclaimed by critics and fans alike, but it’s the bridge that sets it apart from the rest of her pop anthems. The imagery of our narrator’s primal scream as they confess their feelings to their love interest, and how he responds with an almost triumphant or pleased smirk, is something that lives in my mind rent-free.

3. Last Kiss - Speak Now

This track was a prequel to “All Too Well” and the emotional and heartbreaking lyricism that we would see more of in Swift’s later works. In this song, she captures a picture-perfect image of loss and vulnerability. Reminiscing on its quieter and more intimate moments, this song represents that deep heartbreak we all end up going through. The simple yet haunting melody, the raw and pure emotion in her vocals — this song is by far my favorite in the album.

“So I’ll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep. And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe. And I’ll keep up with our old friends just to ask them how you are. Hope it’s nice where you are.”

2. All Too Well - Red

One might argue that this is Taylor Swift’s most iconic song ever, and it is revered among fans and critics alike for good reason. The juxtaposition between the fond memories of a relationship and the memories of its aftermath hit close to home even if you haven’t experienced that truly raw and gut-wrenching heartbreak. From the very first strum of the guitar, we listeners have whisked away to the beginning of this ill-fated romance, going through the motions with our singer up until the very end when it inevitably falls into pieces.

“And you call me up again just to break me like a promise. So casually cruel in the name of being honest.”

1. Champagne Problems - Evermore

A great deal of what makes this track so great is how Swift perfectly executes what can only be described as a beautiful tragedy. We see its protagonist suffering from their mental health issues, then declining their partner’s marriage proposal and taking accountability for the subsequent heartbreak that ensues. From the pacing of the music to its lyricism and storytelling, the song itself oozes maturity. Like a more grown-up version of All Too Well, this song explores the deeper self-doubt and insecurities that root themselves into any relationship.

“One for the money, two for the show. I never was ready so I watch you go. Sometimes you just don’t know the answer, ‘til someone’s on their knees and asks you. ‘She would’ve made such a lovely bride, what a shame she’s stuck in her head,’ they said.

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VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Features

by Gaby Martinez

In standing your ground, the town people screamed heresy. In finding jurisdiction unjust, the jury abhorred you as a skeptic. In questioning religious ignorance, you were lynched in the name of blasphemy by zealots. “Off with your head!” screamed your neighbors and family, leaving only the remnants of mass hysteria, supernatural paranoia, and a fragile justice system as your legacy. You forever remain as the subject of infamous debate and discussion of the events that occurred in the city of Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693, otherwise immortalized as the Salem Witch Trials.

The pagan village of Salem was to have their village turn into a place of chaos when news spread that two young girls, nine-year-old Betty Paris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams, were experiencing strange and peculiar symptoms as described by the town’s pediatrician. The fear of the unfamiliar was rampant during the sixteenth century wherein most of humanity lacked access to education, encouraging mass speculation with no scientific basis. Hence, the majority were left with no choice but to seek enlightenment from the paranormal. What succeeded the villagers’ naivety was the unjust deaths of nineteen individuals, with the majority of the executions being the public hanging of

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women falsely accused of practicing witchcraft. It took

atrocities committed during the Salem Witch Trial

Salem accusing the Massachusetts governor’s wife of

targeted the ill, poor, marginalized, vulnerable, and

witchcraft before the government decided to end the

powerless—moreover explaining why women, not

trials all in the name of bias and favor.

only in the village of Salem, were the majority of

On the surface, the tale of the witch trials can simply be remembered as a cautionary tale of misaligned religious fervor and blissful ignorance. Sometimes, they are even being reduced to a horror story retold during solemn nights. However, the Salem Witch Trials are anything but a mere historical misfortune. It is an overlooked anecdote of the ever-present patriarchy and misogyny that still threatens the lives of women today. The

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victims from all witch trials lost in account to time and history. The women in the sixteenth century were the most susceptible to accusations of witchcraft and the occult due to restrictions in their rights and freedom. The narrative of the Salem Witch Trials may have forgotten the names and faces of the lynched women who were robbed of justice. However, the truth and legacy of the victims continue to live on as we provide a voice to all the women who were silenced in the forgotten pieces of history.

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Features

Pinoy Baiting Among Us

by Jana Torres

Out of the many hot topics that emerged in 2021, vlogger Nas Daily’s tussles with the Filipino public stood out among the rest. His infamy came with Nas Academy, an online mentorship program, after publishing a course with Whang-od, the last Kalinga Tattoo artist in the Philippines, without her proper consent. This raised concerns about Nas Daily’s true intentions: is this cultural appreciation or exploitation? The National Commission of Indigenous Peoples confirmed the speculation through a press release stating that Whang-od was not correctly informed about the partnership. Other issues and controversies continued to arise regarding Nas Daily’s behavior towards minorities. However, the compromising of Whang-od’s art and talent stands at the forefront of the discourse about Pinoy baiting: the act of using Filipino culture for exploitative entertainment and personal gain. It is heartwarming to see national stories spotlighted on major media platforms -- we experience a great sense of pride when we see our voices amplified on a global scale. However, it is our desire to be heard and seen that entices others to sensationalize our culture. Simple things like cooking Filipino dishes, eating with our hands, and the way we speak can become framed as “exotic.” A circus act. Something foreign to be in awe of, rather than understand. And then, we have the “much bigger” things that hinder the progress of much-needed developments. Donnalyn Bartolome, Bartolome a Filipino YouTuber, released a video in January 2020 titled “24H SWAP: WEALTHY FAMILY POOR FAMILY,” where Bartolome adapted the “lifestyle” of a poor family as a means to teach her viewers to be more thankful. Rather than being educational, the consequence is the watering down of how poverty affects the Philippine population. It was exploitative -- a display of privilege that did not contribute to bettering the state of economic disparity in the country. With the uncertainty that surrounds our political and social climate, the one thing that remains constant and true are the centuries-old practices that helped shape our identity as Filipinos. Be it Kalinga Tattooing, traditional dances, or mother’s best adobo recipes, they are no one’s to steal.

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Editorial Cartoon by Angeles, F & Angeles, V.

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VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

More Than A Medal By Faith Dacara

On July 26, 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA). This year’s SONA elicited negative reactions from the nation, as it showcased a lack of empathy towards the people who were impacted by the adversities brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet--at the same time, almost 2000 miles away - a woman bearing the name Hidilyn Diaz triumphed in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, winning the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal. She won in the women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting category. In one day, two historical moments took place with one bringing about disappointment and instability, while the other brought hope and pride that the country desperately needed after months in lockdown. Before this year’s Olympics, Hidilyn had to contend with numerous setbacks. Financial support from the government remained insufficient, and two years ago, she had to ask for sponsorships from private companies to fund her training expenses. In the same year, she was also mentioned by Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in an alleged ouster plot to overthrow President Duterte.

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Like other Filipino athletes, she faced a myriad of challenges before she attained her goal. However, Hidilyn’s strength of character prevailed. From a young age, she has been laser-focused on her objective. At eleven years old, she would train with improvised weights made out of wood, plastic, and cement. Decades later, Hidilyn has now achieved her goal and brought newfound respect to the Filipino people.

Editorial Cartoon by Sibug

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Other noteworthy athletes who contributed to our country’s Olympic milestones are Carlos Yulo (fourth in the 2021 Men’s Vault Olympics Final), Yuka Saso (ninth in the fourth round of the Women’s Individual Golf event), and Margielyn Didal (seventh in the Women’s Skateboarding Olympics Final). Despite the many struggles these athletes faced, they persisted in their pursuit of instilling a sense of national pride in the country and becoming a beacon of hope to all Filipino athletes who need the encouragement to achieve similar feats. The Filipino people have the potential to compete with other world-class athletes, yet how can we expect our athletes to thrive under such conditions if the government and the people disregard the process, and only contend for the results? Let us continue to advocate for better financial and mental resources for our athletes, whether they emerge victoriously or not.

VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Research

Social Media Responsibility in School-Related Activities by Janna Soriano

Being physically bound in the confines of our own homes during the pandemic has opened the eyes of many to the importance of technology, particularly to platforms that make long-distance communication more accessible and feasible. In the Philippines alone, social media users have increased by 16 million (22%) within 2021-2022, resulting in 89 million active users by January 2021. Roughly a year and a half into the pandemic, most of the younger generations have already experienced and possibly even finished an entire academic year merely using a virtual setup after the Department of Education first announced the restriction of face-to-face learning due to COVID-19 in June 2020. Online school challenged both students and teachers in exploring the internet for new ways to interact with one another and come up with creative tasks and school works to pursue. Because of this, most students and teachers have resorted to making use of social media in order to promote school activities or events: though even before the pandemic, this has already been done as well. Social media is often rendered the easiest platform to use when achieving effortless long-distance communication; Facebook being the most used application with 69.01% of the country as active users in the last 12 months. A study conducted by Rithika, M. and Sara Selvaraj shows that 72% of the students surveyed use social media for gaining knowledge rather than for pure entertainment. With the merging of academic and personal life into social media, it is important to remember the proper etiquette while interacting online. A lot of people have different lives outside their campus life wherein some of their actions, relationships, connections, or words do not exactly coincide with the school’s decorum. Mishandling social media connected to the school could have been caused or could cause issues like cyberbullying, spreading of false information, and ruining the reputation or image of the school. As members of both the school and of society, it is crucial to keep in mind the values taught to us and remain cautious of what we do on the internet.

[1] Chua, K. (2021, January 31). PH remains top in social media, internet usage worldwide – report. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/technology/internet-culture/ hootsuite-we-are-social-2021-philippines-top-social-media-internet-usage [2] Kemp, S. (2021, February 11). Digital in the Philippines: All the statistics you need in 2021. DataReportal – Global Digital Insights. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2021-philippines [3] Social Media Stats Philippines | Statcounter Global Stats. (2021, August). StatCounter Global Stats. https://gs.statcounter.com/social-media-stats/all/philippines [4] Impact of Social Networking Site on Student Academic Performance. (2017). International Journal of Engineering Research and Advanced Technology.

Published.

https://doi.org/10.7324/

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Alternative Facts: The Genesis, Rise, and Effects of Social Media Misinformation by Annika Yunque

Though the digital revolution promised truthfulness, some

also segregates people into ideologically homogeneous and

argue that we live in a misinformation-filled society–that truth

increasingly misinformed groups, making future access to facts

is not an expectation. Misinformation, defined here as all

difficult (Menczer & Hills, 2020). Dangerously, falsehoods

intentionally or unintentionally false information, has thrived

tend to garner more attention because of cognitive biases or by

to an unprecedented degree online.

inducing emotions like anger and fear (Lilly, 2018).

Misinformation on social media is rampant for two general

Accurate information is a cornerstone of democracy;

reasons. First, there are increased opportunities for politicians

it is the prerequisite to political participation, expression,

to disseminate information directly to constituents, allowing

and transparency (Gianan, 2020). Therefore, misinformation

them to bypass traditional media’s editorial scrutiny (Tsfati et

threatens the democratic process. Architects of misinformation,

al., 2020). For example, President Duterte often plays loose with

in choosing to forward their clients’ agendas, hijack political

facts, especially regarding his War on Drugs (Kaur et al., 2019).

discourse. They use emotionally charged and hateful rhetoric to

Second is the rise of the fake news genre and the architects

spark divisive conversations and promote polarization (Ong &

of misinformation. The former describes pseudo-journalistic

Cabañes, 2018). Furthermore, these tactics engage in historical

content that often imitates the site design and URLs of real

revisionism and the obstruction of dissent. For example, in

news to appear legitimate. The latter refers to professionalized

their campaign supporting the burial of Ferdinand Marcos in

networks of fake accounts and paid influencers that spread

the Heroes’ Cemetery, troll accounts

misinformation and systematically manipulate online political

#YesToHealing and videos and memes calling the Marcos era

discourse. They often engage in astroturfing: the use of trolls,

the “golden age of The Philippines” (Ong & Cabañes, 2018).

click farms, and bots to give the appearance of grassroots support (Ong & Cabañes, 2018; Kaur et al., 2019).

As the 2022 Elections draw closer, expect to see architects of misinformation grow in size, reach, and boldness. As such, it

Notably, the structure of social media platforms itself

is increasingly important to guard truthfulness. Pay attention to

may select for misinformation. The algorithms that structure

what discourse is

your feed optimize for engagement– your likes, views, and

people

clicks–

because

generates

apart from the fact that attention

revenue,

the

spread hashtags like

algorithm

outside

truthful.

democracy

had, what information is fed to your echo chamber, and what The truth is not just news when itself is at stake.

[1] Buchanan, T. (2020). Why do people spread false information online? The effects of message and viewer characteristics on self-reported likelihood of sharing social media disinformation. PLoS ONE 15(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239666 [2] Gianan, E. R. D. (2020). Disinformation trends in Southeast Asia: Comparative case studies on Indonesia, Myanmar, and The Philippines. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 25(1), 1-27. https:// doi.org/10.22452/jati.vol25no1.2 [3] Kaur, K., Nair, S. S., Kwok, Y., Kajimoto, M., Chua, Y. T., Labiste, M. D., Soon, C., Jo, H., Lin, L., Thanh, L. T., & Kruger, A., (2019). Information Disorder in Asia and the Pacific: Overview of misinformation ecosystem in Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3134581 [4] Lilly, D. (2018, October 28). Social media’s algorithms lead us down dark, divisive rabbit holes. Seattle Times. Retrieved August 29, 2021, from https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/socialmedias-algorithms-lead-us-down-dark-divisive-rabbit-holes [5] Meserole, C. (2018, May 9). How misinformation spreads on social media—And what to do about it. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2018/05/09/how-misinformation-spreads-on-social-media-and-what-to-do-about-it/ [6] Menczer, F., & Hills, T. (2020, December 1). Information Overload Helps Fake News Spread, and Social Media Knows It. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/information-overload-helps-fake-news-spread-and-social-media-knows-it/ [7] Ong, J. C., & Cabañes, J.V. A. (2018). Architects of networked disinformation: Behind the scenes of troll accounts and fake news production in the Philippines. Architects of networked disinformation: Behind the scenes of troll accounts and fake news production in the Philippines, 74. https://doi.org/10.7275/2cq4-5396 = [8] Tsfati, Y., Boomgaarden, H.G., Strömbäck, J., Vliegenthart, R., Damstra, A., & Lindgren E. (2020). Causes and consequences of mainstream media dissemination of fake news: literature review and synthesis. Annals of the International Communication Association, 44(2), 157-173. https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.2020.1759443

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VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

Research

The Pandemic’s Effect How Isolation has Impacted the Way we Socialize by Amelia Salva Cruz

The pandemic had prompted the increased prominence of social media in today’s society. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, and others have been competing for maximum consumer interaction, with updates to continuously improve the programs and applications with new features, consistent reports and logs, and maintenance. Social media’s utilities and features generally help us stay updated with the news, trends, and a virtual platform to interact, therefore its skyrocketing impact and popularity are reasonable. Noticeably, social media and isolation factored in the way we socialize pre-pandemic, there being difficulties and benefits. Furthermore, there have been articles and credited studies that provide substantiate methods to distinguish such challenges in one’s relationships amidst isolation. Research from Bonsaksen et al. (2021) expounds on two common types of loneliness instigated by the lockdown and growing prominence of social media. Social and emotional loneliness were identified in the context of the impact of social media and isolation on one’s mental health and relationships. Surveys were conducted to further analyze the situation and the results were as follows: “Social loneliness did not differ between age groups, while emotional loneliness was higher among the younger age groups. Compared to women, male participants had higher social loneliness and lower emotional loneliness. Social and emotional loneliness varied significantly by the education level, cohabitation, and employment status, with higher levels of loneliness among those with lower education, without a partner, and without employment.” (Bonsaksen et al. 2021) Social media in the pandemic-affected environment has a much higher chance of contributing to loneliness experienced by adolescents compared to adults. The prevalence of social comparison is present over the past year as well, subtly advancing the idea of “reinventing” one’s self towards the youth. Younger generations are eager to follow trends and virtually connect with others who share similar interests, encouraging the tendency to let loose and not think about their actions for the sake of social acceptance. Nonetheless, all individuals are susceptible to loneliness and the potential negative influences of internet use. Social media continues to enable trends and establish this as a basis of judgement. The masses converse and interact much differently as compared to pre-pandemic times, and deciding how to deal with entertaining, and at times equally distressing, aspects of online social platforms will depend on the individual.

[1] Bonsaksen, T., Ruffolo, M., Leung, J., Price, D., Thygesen, H., Schoultz, M., & Geirdal, A. Ø. (2021). Loneliness and Its Association With Social Media Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Social Media + Society, 7(3), 205630512110338. https://doi. org/10.1177/20563051211033821. [2] Nguyen, M. H., Gruber, J., Fuchs, J., Marler, W., Hunsaker, A., & Hargittai, E. (2020). Changes in Digital Communication During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: Implications for Digital Inequality and Future Research. Social Media + Society, 6(3), 205630512094825. https://doi. org/10.1177/2056305120948255.

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12 Years Old is Too Young Why We Should Raise the Age of Consent by Mischa Suarez

One in every five Filipino children is a victim of sexual violence, according to the National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children. Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reveals that most victims of child rape in the years 2015-2017 were aged from 14 to 18. In the year 2020 alone, the Philippine National Police (PNP) disclosed that 5,029 cases of rape in children were reported. The numbers speak for themselves--countless cases can prove that sexual abuse in children is a rampant issue in the Philippines. Despite the instances where legal action is taken to prevent this and claim justice for the victims, there are flaws in the legal framework that fail to protect many child victims, leaving them vulnerable to predatory actions such as sexual assault. A prime example is the age of consent in the Philippines. Under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code, “Rape is committed when the offended party is under twelve years of age.” Under Philippine Law, perpetrators may claim that a victim 12 years old or above consented to engage in sexual activity, making it more difficult for minors to prove they did not agree to anything. Young victims can also experience extreme struggle to tell their story to people with authority or even realize the severity of their circumstances. This is the case in a study conducted by UNICEF (2016) that surveys incidences of violence against children in order to understand the complete picture of the gravity of violence against Filipino youth. The study found that “Despite the high prevalence of experiences of violence among both boys and girls, disclosures are low at 10% overall. Most disclosed to their friends and to some extent, mothers.” Another factor that plays into children disclosing their experience of assault is due to possible threats from the abuser and victim-blaming. From a 2019 report of UNICEF, “Oftentimes, child sexual abuse victims choose not to report the crimes to authorities due to social stigma, fear of revenge from the perpetrators, fear of being blamed for the offense, and feelings of indebtedness to their offenders, especially when the offender is a member of the family in a guardianship role.” The 90-year old Anti-Rape Law is overdue for amendment given the alarming numbers of children who become victims of sexual abuse. Until it is amended, minors who have experienced sexual violence or harassment remain unsafe. Passing the bill is the first step and there will be countless more, but it is progress nonetheless. [1] Bautista, J., & Colobong, F. (2020, December 26). Sexual violence in Ph: Stuff of jokes, stats of nightmares. INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo. inquirer.net/1376035/sexual-violence-in-ph-stuff-of-jokes-stats-of-nightmares. [2] Cepeda, M. (2020, December 3). House OKs bill Raising age of sexual consent to 16. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/houseapproves-bill-raising-age-sexual-consent-16-years-old. [3] Increasing the age of statutory rape to provide stronger protection for children. (2019, July 1). UNICEF Philippines. https://www.unicef. org/philippines/reports/increasing-age-statutory-rape-provide-stronger-protection-children. [4] National baseline study on violence against children in the Philippines. (2016, October 1). UNICEF Philippines. https://www.unicef.org/ philippines/reports/national-baseline-study-violence-against-children-philippines. [5] Yeung, J. (2021, July 13). Under Philippine Law, 12-year-olds can consent to sex. Activists are trying to change that. CNN. https://edition.cnn. com/2021/07/10/asia/philippines-age-of-consent-intl-hnk-dst/index.html.

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VOLUME XXXVI NO. 1 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2021

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Exploitation or Liberation: A teenage girl ’s battle by Simone Culala

The sexualization of one’s being is defined as “[seeing] someone as nothing more than an object simply from their sexual appeal or behavior with the exclusion of any other characteristics” (APA Task Force et al., 2007). Objectification is rooted in the power being gifted to those perceiving. It is this understanding that becomes the downfall of all. Can self-sexualization be called “taking back what is ours”? Or does it simply affirm everything society has fed? Looking into the world we exist in, the amount of media sexualizing individuals of varying characteristics is staggering. According to a research by Lamb and Koven (2019) that highlighted new evidence, “59% to 84% of music videos contain sexual messaging... Music lyrics have alluded to sexual intercourse and often are disrespectful in nature to women.” The authors also mention that “Female athletes are often objectified, particularly in sports marketing and advertising” (Lamb & Koven, 2019, p. 7). Recent incidents illustrating the final evidence have come into the public eye, such as the controversy where the Norwegian women’s beach handball team were fined for not wearing the regulatory bikinis (Radnofsky, 2021). During the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympics, the German Gymnastics Team wore full length unitards as a protest against sexualization, giving young girls a choice to feel comfortable (British Broadcasting Corporation, 2021). But can sexuality be used in a positive light? Can it truly be used to empower? Healthy sexuality exists and has been recognized as “an important component of both physical and mental health, [fostering] intimacy, bonding, and shared pleasure” (APA Task Force et al., 2007) but also “the right to emotional sexual expression (including self-sexualization)” (Lerum & Shari, 2011) So what is the deeper story here? The answer lies in the perceived vs. the ones perceiving (Lindmark, 2020). A woman may make choices to push her comfort, but this power may be easily taken away by those who will perceive her: they will sexualize her. Does that lessen the power she holds? No. Does it lessen the power the perceiver holds? No. Simply, no matter what a woman does, society has ruined it for her, and the effects are widespread through the media we digest. What must be done is to unlearn it and create a space of empowerment. An environment that defies all laws of power and pushes for the comfort of a being within their own body under their own rules. Comfort is above all perception.

[1] APA Task Force, Zurbriggen, E., Collins, R., Lamb, S., Roberts, T.-A., Tolman, D., Ward, L. M., & Blake, J. (2007). Report of the APA task force on the sexualization of girls. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report-full.pdf [2] British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). (2021, July 25). Tokyo Olympics: German women’s gymnastics team wears full-body suits. BBC. https://www.bbc. com/sport/olympics/57961055[3] Ng, D. (2020, March 14). Why Manila is at risk of becoming an underwater city. Retrieved August 23, 2020, from https://chnnelnewasia.com/news/cnainsider/why-manila-is-at-risk-of-becoming-an-underwater-city [3] Lamb, S., & Koven, J. (2019, 4 October). Sexualization of girls: Addressing criticism of the APA report, presenting new evidence. SAGE Journals. https:// journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244019881024 [4] Lerum, K., & Shari, D. (2011, February 15). “Bad girls rule”: An interdisciplinary feminist commentary on the report of the APA task force on the sexualization of girls. Journal of Sex Research, 46(4), 250 - 263. UW Faculty Web Server. 10.1080/00224490903079542 [5] Lindmark, R. (2020, August 31). Does WAP empower or objectify women? rhyslindmark.com. https://www.rhyslindmark.com/does-wap-empower-orobjectify-women/ [6] Radnofsky, C. (2021, July 20). Norwegian women’s beach handball team fined for not playing in bikinis. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/ norwegian-women-s-beach-handball-team-fined-not-playing-bikinis-n1274453

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