The Freehand Volume VI, Issue 02

ILLUSTRATION BY: KRISTELLE GEVERO

Marcos-Duterte alliance leads a landslide win on the national election ELVIN RAE DE LEON

M

ay 9 national election finally got to a conclusion with the UniTeam Alliance leading the polls. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. claims victory over the 2022 national election with 31.6 million votes and is now recognized

by the Philippine Congress on his proclamation.

Marcos’ running mate Sarah Duterte also won the vice-presidential race also with 32 million continuing the Marcos as well as Duterte dynasty in Malacañang.

The Marcoses return to their seat after having ousted the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Sr by the Filipinos themselves – rebranding the once

darkest era in Philippine history to a golden era, promoting unity to their supporters despite having numerous cases of corruption by the family.

Meanwhile, the pink opposition – Leni Robredo finished second with almost half of Marcos Jr’s numbers with 15 million counts as per the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Robredo’s running mate, Kiko Pangilinan earned 9 million votes which

led to him finishing second as well.

The lose of the pink campaign earned millions of sympathies from supporters.

The rest of the presidential candidates on the other hand, Manny Pacquiao landed third with 3.6 million votes, Francsico “Isko” Moreno with 1.9 million votes, and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson with 800 thousand votes.

R4E Crafts

Moreover, Bongbong Marcos together with Sara Duterte is set to take seats in Malacañang on June 30 and is on the process of assembling the official cabinet roster. “I ask you all pray for me, wish me well. I want to do well because when the president does well, the country does well,” Marcos stated on his proclamation last May 26.

Changing paradigm. Francis Kèrè is the 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureaute with his works empowering modesty, integrity, and innovation through architecture.

completes the

7: Archinect

LBE game plan Francis Kere, first black ELVIN RAE DE LEON March 28 – Monday, the Rise for Education – PUP has finally completed the gameplan for the Ligtas Balik Eskwela campaign entitled “LBE-Conducive PUP Roadmap”.

Lead by an alliance of the university’s different organizations, publications, councils, political parties, and sectors, the Article II of the LBE game plan have been processed and was finalized last month of Mar. 19, completing 3 to 7 parts of the roadmap after mass consultations with the different parties that are involved in the balik-eskwela plan.

The LBE game plan aims to create a roadmap for a conducive and safe back to school with the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. Providing

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guidelines as to create a safe environment where transmission of the virus could be lessened and avoided.

It can be recalled that the first two articles were completed last February 19 – Article II was released entitled “The Game Plan: Maintaining the Health of the Community and Zero-Transmission PUP”.

The articles are accessible through the Rise for Education’s Facebook page @facebook.com/ R4EPUP provided through softcopies allowing transparency between students, faculties, and other personnel in the university.

Furthermore, the R4E alliance encourages feedbacks from stakeholders to better improve the roadmap and gameplan for the balik-eskwela through Goggle Forms linked on their Facebook posts.

person to win Architecture's

Highest Honour JAN RITZ ESUREÑA Francis Kéré who was born in Burkina Faso and is now a dual citizen of Burkina Faso and Germany is the first Black person to receive architecture’s highest honor, the Pritzker Prize, was awarded the prize for 2022 last March.

He was also received the last 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture and designer of the 2017 Serpentine Pavilion.

Francis primarily works in areas marked by constraints and adversity,

utilizing local materials and erecting modern structures with value that extends beyond the structure itself, therefore benefiting and stabilizing the future of entire communities.

“Through buildings that demonstrate beauty, modesty, boldness, and invention, and by the integrity of his architecture and geste, Kéré gracefully upholds the mission of this Prize,” explains the official statement of the Pritzker Architecture Prize.

“I am hoping to change the paradigm, push people to dream and undergo risk. It is not because you are rich that you should waste material.

It is not because you are poor that you should not try to create quality, Everyone deserves quality, everyone deserves luxury, and everyone deserves comfort. We are interlinked and concerns in climate, democracy, and scarcity are concerns for us all.”

Francis Kéré’s statement after receiving the award.

Francis Kéré succeeds Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal as the 51st laureate of the award, which was established in 1979.

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news

PRC: 1370 Passers in

January 2022 Architect Licensure Examination YSA CHARISSE CAMBA

Vanished Fate. Protests for New Bataan 5 Massacre seeks justice for the victims

7: Rappler

5 killed in an encounter in New Bataan JAN RITZ ESUREÑA Two volunteer teachers, Chad Booc and Gelejurain Ngujo II (Jurain), and one health worker, Elgyn Balonga, were traveling home with two drivers from visiting remote towns in southern Mindanao on the night of February 23. The 10th ID and 101st IBPA of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stopped and held their rental automobile, killing the five civilians.

Five accused New People's Army (NPA) rebels were killed in Davao de Oro on Thursday morning, February 24, after a series of encounters with soldiers, according to the military. Two of those killed, on the other hand, were well-known Lumad teachers.

The five individuals killed in New

Bataan, Davao de Oro are civilians about to conduct community visits for their research work, the Save our Schools (SOS) Network said.

Chad Booc, was an activist and volunteer community school teacher who rose to prominence after he and several others were accused of training Lumad "child warriors" at the University of San Carlos Talamban campus in Cebu City in early 2021, was one of those killed, according to Captain Mark Anthony Tito, information officer of the Army's 10th Infantry Division. The university disputed that the kids were given military training on its grounds.

Jojarain Alce Nguho III, was a volunteer instructor who taught at at Lumad school, Community Technical College of Southeastern Mindanao (CTCSM), Bakwit School Manila, and Bakwit School Cebu, was also killed,

according to Tito. Throughout his years in the Lumad schools, Jurain was victim to threats, intimidation, and surveillance by state forces.

Elgyn Balonga was trained to become a community health worker in order to respond to the specific and urgent needs of the most marginalized sectors including farmers and urban poor workers, was also killed.

Booc’s followers, colleague and other activists denounced their untimely death and called for justice.

Meanwhile, Booc's family is stunned by the outpouring of love and support that has poured in since his untimely death. They encouraged followers to keep praying for peace and justice in his death, as well as donations to cover burial costs.

CADBE SC conducts

Dugtong Guhit donation drive that aims to extend a helping hand to PUP CADBE students in acquiring art materials for their academic requirements, last January 25, 2022.

This initiative of CADBE SC has a theme of “Sa bawat tulong ay may kalakip na dugtong; dugtong sa mga pangarap ng Iskolar ng Bayan at dugtong sa pagguhit ng bawat Artista ng Bayan, “stated on their Facebook page.

The said initiative has been calling for sponsors who wants to donate that can help students especially in this kind of situation.

DEXTER CAWIGAN Sponsors have been classified College of Architecture, De- into two which are the Material Sponsign, and Built Environment Student sors, those who wants to donate Council holds Dugtong Guhit, A materials for the beneficiary, and the

Shipping Sponsors, those who will be covering the shipping costs of the material being donated.

“It has been such a big help po especially in this kind of situation where we really need such resources to help in our studies,” one of the beneficiaries quoted.

According to CADBE SC, this initiative will flow from registration of donors and beneficiaries, matching of donors to the beneficiaries, shipping transactions, SC will book the courier, confirmation of receipt, and end of transaction.

The project co-presented by C2 Cool and Clean, “Help boost your immunity with C2 Immuno-C!”, and Wilcon Depot, Inc., Building Big Ideas.

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 1,370 out of 2,205 (62.13%) examinees successfully passed the Architect Licensure Examination (ALE) given by the Board of Architecture (BoA) headed by its Chairman, Arch.

Robert S. Sac and board member, Arch. Robert M. Mirafuente. The examination was conducted last January 21 and 23, 2022 at testing centers located at NCR, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legaspi, Lucena, Pampanga, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga. The results of examination with respect to nine (9) examinees were withheld as per Board Resolution No. 02 dated January 27, 2022.

The results of ALE were released in four (4) working days after the last day of examination as stated in the PRC Resolution No. 1439 series of 2021 entitled “Schedule of the Licensure Exam for the Year 2022“ in consideration with the restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shaunn Remzzo Blanco from National University-Manila ranked first in the ALE garnering a rating of 83.50% followed by Lance Nathan Lim from University of the Philip-

pines (UP) - Diliman with a rating of 83.10%. Third (3rd) on the rank is Gellie Ann Almacin from Adamson University with a rating of 82.00% followed by Kathryn Alexandra Chu with 81.80% and Karissa Ana Maria Reyes with 81.70% both from UP Diliman. Ina Lauren Gobaco from UP Diliman and Rendell Sotto from Tarlac State University ranked sixth (6th) both having 81.60% followed

by Camille Isabel Boncan from UP Diliman with a rating of 81.50%.

Raphael Duane Dizon from UP Diliman and Carina Joy Ileto from Far Eastern University- Manila ranked eighth (8th) both having 81.30% followed by Eldry John Infante from Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University with a rating of 81.20% and Bea Denise Santos from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila with a rating of 81.10%.

University of Santo Tomas was the top performing school in the January 2022 Architect Licensure Examination as per Commission Resolution No. 2017-1058 © series of 2017 having an overall passing rate of 87.94%. A total of 124 out of 141 examinees from UST passed the exam, the PRC said. It is followed

by Ateneo De Davao University with an overall passing rate of 82.69%.

Forty-three (43) out of 52 examinees from ADDU passed the exam.

CADBE 22nd Year:

Fun never ends DEXTER CAWIGAN Building adventure begins as the College of Architecture, Design, and the Built Environment commemorates virtually its annual college celebration with the theme of “A Timely adventure Where We Build Together” last March 14 to 20.

CADBE Week Season 22 offered students four kingdoms namely, the fire, the wild berry, the ice, and the lumpy space joining different academic and non-academic events added with lecture series offered by the organizations of the college.

“I had fun while creating my artwork especially in this kind of events wherein we can showcase more of our skills and celebrate it,” Rica Pareño said, winner of Drawing contest.

This year, CADBEshies joined various academic contests such as quiz bees in math, science, history, and general information, as well as English and Filipino Essay and Poetry writing. There are also non-academic events such as Photography contest, Esports, Drawing competition, Online Costume Contest, and Banner Making Contest.

In addition, the event also included mini events such as Adventure Time Scavenger Hunt, What

the Bjork, and Riddle Me This. It also uplifted knowledge through Lecture Series which started from March 17 tackling what to expect in the professional world and their create and improve their character best fitted as a future professional.

The Lecture Series was led by invited speakers namely, Arch. Redentor Tagala, UAP; Arch. Geraldine G. Suede, UAP; Arch. Jesus C. Paglingkod, UAP, IA-AIA; Idr. Heidi S. Lualhati, PIID; Idr. Romil T. Ocasla, PIID. The winners were announced at the end of the week, March 19, together with the kingdom that took the cup were the Fire Kingdom after gaining the top on most competitions. Fire Kingdom is comprised of sections ARCH 1-2, 1-2, 2-1, 3-4, And 4-4.

This year’s annual event is conducted by PUP College of Architecture, Design, and the Built Environment Student Council, in partnership with The Freehand, PUP Students' Integrated League of Interior Design, Iskolarawan, and UAPSA - PUP. The said event was sponsored

by ABC Phil., Inc., PressStart Studio, at Wilcon Depot, Inc., "Building Big Ideas." It is also sponsored by Grizzly Dough, Mannalon, Motivo, Silvanas, Ayeysthetic, and Hiraya Journal.

There are various types of elections in the Philippines. The president, vice-president, and senators are elected for six years, while members of the House of Representatives, governors, vice-governors, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board members), mayors, vice-mayors, members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod/members of the Sangguniang Bayan (city/municipal councilors), barangay officials, and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan.

For the duration of the election, each voter is entitled to one vote. The voter has the option of splitting his or her ticket. The candidate who receives the most votes is elected; there is no run-off election, and the president and vice president may be from different political parties.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

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news

#NoToMarcosDuterte2022: The unison of PUP political parties against Marcos-Duterte Tandem JOSIAH GAIL ANGELES On the 12th of February 2022, PUP Student’s Party for Equality and Advancement of Knowledge (SPEAK) posted a statement on social media in which calls out other political parties of the university to unite against the candidacy of Bongbong Marcos and Sarah Duterte for the upcoming National Elections on May 2022. Together with other political parties of PUP including the Sandigan ng Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan PUP (SAMASA PUP), these parties aim to condemn the Marcos-Duterte Tandem and remind the public of the country’s past crisis under the ruling of these powerful bloodlines.

PUP SPEAK expressed their sentiment towards the Marcoses and Duterte through a post on social media that received 61 shares. To

recall, the post wrote several drawbacks in the Marcos regime back in 1986 in which one of it was when the country’s economy plummeted and led to a huge amount of debt that is worth 28.26 billion dollars.

The horrors of Martial Law were also stated which controlled mass media, disbanded institutions, counsels, and organizations; Not to mention, anyone who defies or criticize the administration was kidnapped, tortured, and even killed in an instant. “ Ang hindi pagkilala sa malagim na kasaysayang ito ni Bongbong Marcos at ang buong angkan nito ay mabigat na kabastusan sa mamamayang binaha ng dugo ang lansangan sa ilalim ng kanilang kapangyarihan,” the organization added, dwelling on the denial of the Marcoses on the matter.

Moreover, the post also addressed Sarah’s relation to fascist father, President Rodrigo Duterte.

Wherein, the onslaught of the Duterte’s administration brought terror and violence to the freedom and peace of the Filipino people. From the implementation of the War on Drugs, that sparked extrajudicial killings, Martial Militarism on several island up to the mass censured Anti-Terror Law, where individuals who opposes the administration were red tagged.

“Dahil sa mga pasistang pakana at di-makataong polisiya ng administrasyong Duterte, lalong napabayaan ang mga Pilipino kahit sa mismong pagtugon sa pandemyang hatid ng COVID-19 kung saan tuluyang lumobo ang krisis sa kalusugan, kabuhayan, at karapatan sa bansa.”

“Ngayon, nagkakandarapa ang mga anak ng diktador na maupo sa dalawang pinakamataas na posisyon ng gobyerno. Ang sabwatang Bongbong Marcos at Sara Duterte para sa nalalapit na halalan ay isang

desperadong hakbang ng kanilang pamilya para magkamal at manatili sa kapangyarihan.” The post wrote.

The post stated that during these crucial times especially the national elections nearing, the Iskolar ng Bayan are never oblivious when it comes to the history of oppression by both the Marcoses and Duterte regime. They also addressed Bongbong Marcos’ recent appeal to court as he was convicted as a tax evader that ceased his income tax returns from 1982 to 1985. On the other hand, Sarah Duterte showed her militaristic intentions as she stated her support for the implementation of the mandatory military service for all 18-year-old Filipinos.

“Patunay ang mga ito na sagad sa kabulukan at pansariling interes lamang ang ipinangunguna ng parehong supling ng mga pasista.

Idagdag pa na simula sa pag-anunsyo ng kanilang pagtakbo ay wala

silang bitbit na mga platapormang tutugon na mapalaya ang bansa sa COVID-19 at iba pang mga sakit ng lipunan.” The post added.

The movement was signed by the Chairperson of Sandigan ng Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan (SAMASA PUP), Joseph Mariano and Godofredo C. Barraca Jr, the Interim Secretary-General of PUP Student’s Party for Equality and Advancement of Knowledge (PUP SPEAK).

On SAMASA PUP’s similar post, thirty-seven people, mostly students of PUP, united and supported the movement. All commentors stated their names and pledged to cease the Marcos-Duterte alliance for the peace and prosperity of the country, ending with #NoToMarcosDuterte2022.

CADBE SC Conducts

ABACADBE YSA CHARISSE CAMBA The PUP College of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment Student Council (CADBE SC) successfully held ABACADBE last February 17-18, 2022 through Zoom Video Conference Call and Live on CADBE SC Facebook page.

ABACADBE, a 2-day workshop with the theme "Aklat ABACADBE: Mga Pangunahing Hakbang sa Pagprepresenta at Rendering" highlighted the topic Rendering. It came in two parts: Manual Rendering tackled by Ms. Maxine Loyola Naval, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Architecture

JAN RITZ ESUREÑA This year, current interior design trends was be influenced by wellbeing, mindfulness, and sustainability.

According to Vogue, for millennia, interior design trends have been used as aesthetic aids in our attempts to find some sort of inner peace: take the ancient Chinese art of feng shui, where spatial positioning corresponds with energy flow, or “wabi sabi”, the Japanese practice of embracing an imperfection, or ancient Rome's fondness for using earth-tone colors and geometric patterns in order to mimic the harmony of nature.

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Shades of brown, nature-inspired surfaces and objects, sculptural and curved furniture, venetian plaster and limewash, elevated outdoor furniture, tactile textiles and textures, dual-purpose rooms, hightech homes, vintage and sustainable accents, leather furniture and upholstery, bold patterns and colors, and mixing materials and design styles are among the Interior Design Trends for 2022.

“Neutrals will take a bit of a back seat in 2022 as people start to experiment with color again, but the palette will stay very close to hues you’d find in nature. We predict paint rollers will be dipped in rosy, terracotta tones, swathing rooms from wall to ceiling for a complete

monochromatic moment that envelops you in its coziness.” Athena Calderone said from a Vogue article.

“Design continues to evolve with new advances in technology. Young designers are embracing virtual design by leveraging this powerful new technology to create immersive spaces and highly engaging designs that feel both contemporary and futuristic.” Kelly Wearstler also said from a Vogue article.

Meanwhile, here is the old Interior Design Trends, open floor plans, boucle, all-white everything, non-functional decorative objects and boxy sofas.

in PUP CADBE (Batch 2021), Former Literary writer at The Freehand and the Director for Events and Programs at UAPGA-Sta. Mesa Manila Chapter.

She is also a freelance artist, instructor, dancer, and content creator (Maxinarts); and Digital Rendering discussed by Ms. Cherrie Eliza E. Ong, a graduating BS Architecture student in PUP CADBE (Batch 2021), MultiMedia designer at VISIONARCH and the former UAPSA Treasurer (2016-2017).

Under the directives of CADBE SC, the said workshop was held to equip CADBE students with knowledge to enhance and further improve their skills in rendering.

Attendees of the said workshop

JOSIAH GAIL ANGELES Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) retained the ISO 9001:2015 Certification, with Zero Non-Conformities, thus has been awarded by SOCOTEC Certification Philippines, Inc. on the 21st of January 2021.

After successfully completing the Virtual Surveillance Audit on December 1 and 2, 2020, PUP was awarded the attestation.

PUP President Dr. Manuel M. Muhi and PUP Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development Dr. Anna Ruby P. Gapasin, who is also the University's Quality Management Representative, received

are from PUP College of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment (CADBE). More than 40 people registered and participated.

ABACADBE is brought by PUP College of Architecture, Design, and the Built Environment Student Council (CADBE SC) together with the official student publication of CADBE, The Freehand and PUP Students' Integrated League of Interior Design.

This is also co-presented by: ABC Phil., Inc., PressStart Studio, and Wilcon Depot, Inc., Building Big Ideas.

the certification from Business Development and Client Relations Officer Ms. Judy Pastrana of SOCOTEC Certification Philippines, Inc. ISO 9001:2015 certifies when an organization meets the requirements of having a quality management system. This certification aids in an organization’s overall performance, provide a sound basis for sustainable development initiatives and receive benefits that widen its services.

Apart from the attestation, roughly 200 procedures, including services supplied in branches and campuses of the university, are being prepared for recertification.

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OPINION

JAM ROSE MANA-AY

A

RKITEKTURA—isa sa mga sektor na ‘di gaanong nabibigyan importansya sa lipunang ating ginagalawan.

Madalas ito’y napapagpalit o napapagpaliban dahil sa kahanay-sektor nitong pag-iinhinyero, kung kaya’t hindi ito nabibigyan ng naaayong pagkilala. Ngunit, sa bihira o isang beses sa isang milenya, ang arkitektura ay lumilitaw at tinitingala. Bilang anak ng industriyang ito, ano nga ba dapat ang ating pananaq sa mga bagay na may kinalaman sa arkitektura? Oo, ating layunin ay makilala at mabigyan parangal ang ating industriya ngunit lahat nga ba ng pagkilala mula sa sektor na ito ay makabubuti sa bansa?

Dako sa usaping politikal, ang taong rurok umano ng arkitektura

sa bansa ay taong dekada sitenta, panahon ng pagkakaupo ni Marcos, taon pagkatapos ng digmaan.

Maraming nagsasabing ang panahon raw na ito ay “golden era” hindi lamang daw umano ng bansa, kundi pati na rin ng arkitektura. Ganito ang pananaw ng karamihan dahil na rin sa mga gusaling nakatirik sa mga siyudad na ibinibida ng karamihan kahit karamihan dito ay hindi naman maaaring magamit ng karamihan o karaniwang Filipino. Mapanganib ang papanaw at kaalamang ito sa mahabang panahon; una, nakulong tayo sa kaisipang ang pagtatayo ng maraming gusali ay nangangahulugang pagiging progresibo at maunlad ng isang bansa. Pangalawa, isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit maraming naipatayo na gusali ay dahil ito sa malawak na bakanteng kalupaang pwedeng tayuan ng imprastraktura at hustong panahon na pagtanaw sa maaaring gawing hakbang sa pag-unlad. Pangatlo, saan

nga ba galing ang mga pondong ginamit sa pagpapatayo sa mga gusaling ito at sino ang nakinabang sa mga gusali? Bagamat ang mga ito ay “state-sponsored”, ito ay mga utang na tayo ring mga Filipino ang nagbabayad sa pamamagitan ng mga buwis na ikinakaltas sa atin buwan-buwan. Isa pa, karamihan sa mga proyekto ay hindi nagagamit ng karaniwang mamamayan at iilang partikular na sektor lamang sa lipunan ang may pribilehiyong magamit ang mga ito. Kung susumahin, hindi talaga masasabing katumbas ng pag-unlad ang pagkakaroon ng maraming gusali. Isang ilusyon na progresibo ang ating bansa noon nang dahil sa pag-angat ng arkitektura. Naging sistematiko ang paggamit sa arkitektura bilang propaganda sa bihis ng kaunlaran.

Sa kasawiangpalad, patuloy itong nagagamit at hanggang ngayon ay marami pa ring hindi naliliwanagan sa taktikang ito, maging sa ating mga

kapwa bata ng arkitektura.

mang natin at ipaglaban ay ang prinsipyong ating dapat pangangukan bilang alagad ng arkitektura—paggalang at pagsunod sa batas at pagpapanatili ng ating industriya bilang malinis at marangal. Hindi madalas mabigyan pansin at hindi madalas nabibigyan parangal ngunit malaki ang salik ng arkitektura sa kolonyalismo ng isang bansa at isang pag-iisip. Isa ang arkitektura sa humuhubog sa atin bilang isang bansa at bilang isang lipunan. ARKITEKTURA—isa sa mga sektor na ‘di gaanong nabibigyan importansya sa lipunang ating ginagalawan. Ngunit, kung ang kasikatan ng sektor na ito ay may kapalit na pagkabulag ng ating mamamayan, mas mabuti pang magtrabaho ng tahimik ang ating industriya at hayaang resulta ang magbigay ingay.

Hindi lamang paggamit ng politika sa arkitektura ang nakababahala kundi ang politika mismo sa loob ng komunidad ng arkitektura.

Ang lipunang dapat kapitan at sandalan ng mga kapwa arkitekto ay unti-unting nagiging kompetisyon maging sa ginagalawan ng mga estudyante. Ang relasyon at koneksyon ng arkitektong tagapagturo at magaaral ng arkitektura ay nagkaroon ng malayong puwang at agwat lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya— maliban sa pagitang pisikal na layo at hamon ng pagtutastas, ang pagmamalabis ng kapangyarihan ng ilang tagapagturo ay nagsasanhi ng pakakawatak ng mga bagong henerasyon ng arkitekto mula sa mga hinalinhan nito.

Kung susumahin, wala talagang perpektong sektor o lipunan. Ang tanging maaaring panghawakan la-

ILLUSTRATION BY: KHAILA FAUSTOR

Are you kidding me?

LEIZEL FUENTES The biggest "are you kidding" moment of Philippine Politics is stage foot today, at the moment. Exactly in the middle of the Pandemic, as the race for the 2022 Election began, numerous unbelievable dramas started. Stay at your seat and be blown away, the show for the top "clownery" in Philippine Politics began. The incoming 2022 Election is filled with jokes and obvious acts of hunger to gain power for their advantage. Philippine Politics is a vivid imitation of Feast for fools.

The show must go on for money and fame without realizing that the people suffered the consequences of this mockery.

Top of the list is the obvious way of securing influence by the notable series of withdrawals of certificates of candidacy (COC) and substitutions among administration candi-

dates during the filing of Certificate of Candidacy. In defense, they said that they are not mocking the election process but utilizing the time and their action is legal. Without a doubt, the move signifies the indecisiveness of the candidates and they act according to their own agenda and not by their willingness to serve the people. The changes in the political agenda of the candidates prove their incompetency in sticking up to their statements.

Another vivid example of these unexpected alliances came up due to huge public popularity. The tandem that has unexpectedly set foot to gain power. Alliances that broke and then set straight. Never forget to mention the continuous use of the family name for self-benefit, the political dynasty is still prominent in the Philippines and widely used to embed influences on people. Some also violate their own principles and advocacies to trade for power and a

ELVIN RAE DE LEON The 2022 National Elections is a catalyst for a revolution that the country might need—might be for the best, might be for the worst.

Needless to say, as voters we can only hope for the best and trust for the elected candidates. Now we head into an unknown beginning of a new governance. Its a time to erase political colors and head on to create a true unity that is for the masses. This month, The Freehand puts this year's second issue to the pedestal, recalling relevant news, articles, and pieces for the past four months before the start of a new era. As we welcome a new adminstration, may we hope to continue the values of journalism—to inculate the spirit of delivering honesty and truth without bias and prejudice—as The Freehand publication, may we continue the journey to inform, instill, and inspire.

Government position. The alliances they made clearly manifest how they give importance to the idea of "winning" instead of serving. Sadly, some candidates also have the guts to lie about their background and credentials, and openly mock the electoral process of COMELEC but yet some still blindly patronize the person/ candidate.

Politics in the Philippines has a fond adoration for trickery. We became victims and were double played by our desperation for progress and change. Candidates that play the game for their benefit shall not be liable for any government position. Serving people is and should be, an act steered by love and driven by the mere fact of interest in giving people the quality of life that they deserve. The games they play in politics are something that none of us should fascinate. It's alarming to know that a lot of people disregarded basic human morals to substan-

tiate the candidate that they laud.

Evident acts of immorality are neglected and set aside to cater to their version of the story. The unjustifiable act became normal to set someone straight in their eyes.

Politics is not a circus that aims for amusement, the government must be accountable to its citizens.

We all know that the future of the country is at stake. Lives and the future generation are also at risk if the Government is vulnerable. It is also bothersome to see tons of people participating in the alarming rise of revisionism that directly affects the politics of the country. Social media is used not to inform but to spread rumors and tons of false and misleading information that aims for personal agenda. The underlying problem is also magnified—the lack of education and media literacy of many citizens, they tend to believe in false news instead of well-presented facts. In choosing the future

Editor-in-Chief ELVIN RAE DE LEON Associate Editor HAROLD ALEJO Managing Editor JULIA RAINE MORALES

Senior Staffers RAFAEL SALAGUSTE, JUDE AGBANLOG, MARIZ BAJADO, LEIZEL FUENTES, PAUL JUSTIN BALAORO, GINA ROSE GATCHALIAN

News Editor TRINAH ANGELA DE CASTRO Opinion Editor JAM ROSE MANA-AY Feature Editor LEI JORIELLE SORIA Literary Editor CRISELDA TESORO

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leaders of the country it is crucial to be selective and logical. Look deep into the facts in evaluating the candidates. Sadly, just like puppetry, people easily believe in everything that they hear and are highly skeptical of the facts that exist. Abidance without a single doubt or criticism is a perfect definition of Blind obedience. And this is manifesting and relevantly timely.

For the upcoming election in 2022, put down ego aside and vote for the collective betterment of the country. Democracy gives us a right to choose but choosing the right one is a responsibility that we must uphold. Stop playing the nonstop game of Political dynasty, stop glamorizing incompetencies, and adoring resilience. Demand for a better government, aim for a better public servant.

Don't be part of the "comedy" that Philippine Politics already took part in. Have the initiative to change the genre.

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Paper Adviser AR. ANTHONY NOVERO

05

opinion

JAM ROSE MANA-AY Informing the citizens—the very essence of a journalist in these trying times. For a country to be strong and independent, freedom is one of the key aspects. There will be no democracy without well-informed citizens and informing a citizen is a journalist’s role in the society. For the past six years, media and journalism have been tainted badly and have been abused wickedly. Within these years, it is inarguable that misinformation severely affected the majority of our citizens, especially those who do not have access to education and immediate information resources. A revised version of the history, credit grabbed projects, wrongly accused people, character

ANDREW YUMANG Noong ika-labingdalawa ng Hunyo taong 1898, lumaya tayo sa kamay ng mga Kastila, agad naman tayong sinakop ng mga Amerikano at napasailalim sa pamumuno nila sa loob ng 43 na taon. Sumiklab ang Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig at sinakop naman tayo ng mga Hapon sa loob ng tatlong taon. Ngunit ano nga ba ang mga katangian na nakuha natin sa mga mananakop natin?

Sa loob ng 384 na taon ng kanilang pananakop, ano nga ba ang namana natin sa kanila? Sa lahat ng pwedeng

ELVIN RAE DE LEON The occurrence of Red-Tagging has been going on for ages; no matter who seats on the presidency— Marcos, Aquino, Arroyo, Ramos, etc., there has always been an instance of red-tagging between people of progressive groups or even normal citizens who accomplish their goal to strive for the better. Red-tagging has been an age-old crisis within the Philippine setting. A person who calls out and critiques the

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ONLY THE YOUNG 2008, who censors false information on Facebook and the Facebook itself—since this is the most accessible platform to everyone from all ages. Mind you, these socially and politically aware youth are not just internet warriors but they are a real number manifesting specifically in Leni Robredo’s, an opposition candidate who has no record of corruption and possesses good qualities of a servant, campaign rally which means they are choosing to be on the right side of the history—same words Taylor Swift, a well-known American singer-songwriter, made and chose during their country’s battle for democracy and rights. In Swifts’ documentary “Miss Americana”, she encouraged her supporters, especially the young ones to be involved and aware of politics and it seems that some of her supporters are bringing the same energy in this battle of ours. During these times, we can see a lot of our local celebrities making their stand to stand with the right, regardless of the public backlash against them. Fearless journalists stand firm with the truth to deliver unfiltered newscasts.

Filipino people have endured and suffered for a long time with their rights being suppressed and them being oppressed that young

people are marching in front of the line and initiating volunteering activities. This era and events have really produced brave Filipino youth—a generation of politically aware and accountable men and women that might start a new period of our race with unlearned generational toxic behavior. Supporting a specific candidate that we think possesses the qualities of a servant leader that our nation needs is not, in any form, wrong. What taints support into being illogical is confusing it with “worship”. The people we elect have a job to do and that is to serve us, people, not the other way around.

Let us always remember to stay vigilant and critical. If the person we’ve supported at first made an unethical or dishonest act the moment they took a seat, let us not turn a blind eye and keep the same energy of calling out wrongdoings against our rights.

For a country to be strong and independent, freedom is one of the key aspects. There will be no democracy without well-informed citizens and informing a citizen is a journalist’s role in the society.

assassinations, red-tagging—all of these are just some of the unjust acts we have experienced as a nation.

Our perception of reality, especially the youth and the marginalized, has been corrupted. It was as if some of us had worn filtered lenses during these times. But today, where people are starting to take a stand with the truth, more and more Filipinos have woken up from their slumber, and the majority of these are from the youth.

With the election just around the corner, a lot of people are starting to get involved in politics—which is not a bad thing at all. But what seems to be an eyebrow-raising moment is that some people are still falling for the propaganda of traditional politicians and political dynasties.

Although it is really frustrating and heart-wrenching to see your fellow Filipino vote for these kinds of politicians, you really cannot blame them as they are just also a victim of misinformation and years of

well-funded history revisionism. But pity cannot really save these people and our country—this corruption of our state and people needs to stop, and the upcoming election would be our one-time ticket to wipe out from position all the traditional politicians or trapos that are milking our taxes and resources. Now that the election is just one month away, every day feels like a war—a war against fake news and fake news peddlers.

With the pandemic, giving us more time to think about different things other than our fast-paced life before, a great number of citizens have changed perspectives towards politics since last year. More young people have started and are starting to take interest in our history and politics. A big part of this movement wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the non-profit online news organization and fact-checker in the Philippines—Vera files, founded by veteran Filipino journalists in March

manahin sa ating mga mananakop ay tila ba parang puro masasamang ugali ang nakuha natin, naging ugat ito ng sari sari pang mga ugali na kinaaayawan nating mga kabataan sa modernong panahon.

Isa sa mga pinaka kinasusuklaman nating mga kabataan ay ang pagturing ng mga matatanda sa ibat ibang mental illnesses bilang ‘kaartehan’. Noong 2019, nakapagtala ang website na macrotrends.net ng 2.2 deaths per 100,000 na tao, karamihan dito ay sanhi ng depresyon. Hindi natin dapat ipasawalang bahala ang depresyon at iba pang mental problems dahil maraming tao

ang naaapektuhan nito. Maaaring maiwasan ang depresyon sa pamamagitan ng pagkamusta sa ating mga anak, pag oopen up ng ating mga nararamdaman, lalo na ngayong pandemya, bumaba ang social interactions natin sa ibat ibang tao.

Isa pa sa mga ugaling ayaw natin ay ang pagturing sa ating mga anak bilang taga ahon sa hirap o kaya retirement fund pag tayo ay matanda na. Hindi naman masama maging family oriented, ang problema lang ay ang pangongonsensya sa atin ng ating mga magulang o kamag anak kapag nagsimula na tayong tumanggi sa mga pakiusap nila. Tungkulin

ng ating mga magulang ang palakihin tayo, hindi natin ito utang na loob sa kanila. Nasasaatin ang desisyon kung tutulong tayo sa pamilya natin pag kumikita na tayo ng pera.

Narito pa ang sistema ng respeto sa isang pamilya, wala kang karapatan kapag ikaw pinakabata, iniinvalidate ng mga nakakatanda ang opinyon ng mas nakababata dahil lamang sa edad nito. Dahil nasa modernong panahon na tayo, dapat moderno na din ang ating paraan ng pag iisip, matuto tayong tumanggap ng opinyon ng lahat, dahil hindi sa lahat ng oras o bagay ay tama ang sinasabi ng mga matatanda.

Ilan lamang ang mga nabanggit sa mga pangit na ugaling nabuo sa ating mga Pilipino na naipasa kada henerasyon. Oras na para baguhin ito at iayon sa pamantayan ng lipunan sa makabagong panahon.

Huwag sana nating iparanas pa sa mga henerasyon pa sa hinaharap ang mga bagay na dinanas natin sa mga mas nakakatanda sa atin. Sa henerasyon na natin mapuputol and deka dekadang pinagpapasahang ugali nating mga Pilipino.

be a challenge—with how different political names can be influential and powerful, such a job is not just a challenge but also a risk for one’s life. We ought to commit to the truth no matter how hard and daunting it may seem—with how easily one can be tagged as a terrorist or an affiliate of such groups and how these accusations are strengthened by the ATL or the Anti-Terror Law which sets out a dictating-like force for those who calls out the government for their failures.

Red-tagging is not just a name-calling issue as it puts an accused life at risk, even without the ATL has there been an extrajudicial force for those red-tagged. Massa-

cres of journalists have been marked in Philippine history such as the Maguindanao Massacre killing 32 journalists on November 23, 2009, that after years the family of the victims seek justice.

Journalists are killed for siding with the truth and revealing the dirty politic involving politicians. Such responsibility puts one journalist’s life at risk. And with how powerful a political name can be, it is easy for supporters to create lies and tag those who do not show any form of support to their idols as members of a terrorist group.

History also tells the era of the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos where hundreds of journalists are faced with accusations of being a member of a terrorist group facing unjust punishments and tortures, some even are killed and had disappeared earning another list on the Desaparecidos during the Martial Law. And with the emergence of another Marcos in politics, it would

be no doubt that history can repeat itself with his rabid supporters being an avid red-tagger of those who oppose the name, Marcos. The audacity of his supporters to create lies and delusion only to cater to their idol is proof that Marcos themselves cannot lead the country and this if of not a bias on the point of view of a journalist but rather a fact; with how the Marcoses faces multiple accounts of graft cases and the unaccounted unpaid taxes of the family. This is the truth that journalists must face and deliver to the masses.

Nevertheless, the politics in the country is in such an intense battle because elections are fast approaching and this is the year that journalists have the biggest responsibility; to deliver the truth and create a transparent environment on the election, for the election.

government and the leading administration for failures can be tagged as siding with the CPP-NPA/Terrorist groups. As such red-tagging can be seen mostly prevalent among those involved in the work of politics and public-serving fields. Thus, no doubt that journalists, as those who are front liners in delivering political information, are faced with issues of red-tagging.

As a journalist, we always ought to have no biases toward any political groups, colors, or names but a bias for the truth shall always prevail.

To deliver the truth and nothing but the truth is the number one job of a journalist and creating one without having the influence of prejudice can

We, student journalists, must always choose to be on the right side of history.

EDQ @pupthefreehand

opinion

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

JUMAY ALDABA The fourth pillar of democracy is journalism or the media. It’s a conduit between the government and the public, allowing citizens to learn about government acts, policies, and inefficiencies. The benefit of the democratic system is that it allows for freedom of expression and personal space. While the media is used to keep people informed about a variety of social, political, and economic activities, it also serves as a mirror to the world, reflecting both the true and painful truths of the world, because the media is generally trusted and people always trust truthful and

honest news. The media are free to express their own views, but they must do so in editorials for the public to assess.

The unfortunate reality in the Philippines is that in the digital age, the uncontrolled propagation of false information has taken on a new form, posing serious challenges to democracy and media.

Misinformation and disinformation are especially dangerous to deliberative democracy because they obstruct true and meaningful political dialogue. In the Philippines, several fraudulent identities are used to weaponize the internet in order to spread misinformation or affect public opinion. Individual journalists and media companies are also vulnerable to disinformation, as they are frequently accused of disseminating misleading information, or spreading fake news, as it is known in popular usage.

It’s crucial to remember why the

press is necessary. A democratic society cannot function without a free press.

Suppressing press freedom involves any action that stops the press from reporting truthfully, whether on television, in print, or online, as happened to ABS-CBN. Furthermore, the potential closure of the country’s main media organization would result in job losses, making this a problem that affects all Filipinos, not just journalists. When a major threat like this looms over the country, the journalists should be called upon to unite. The media’s existing system, in which we see each other as competitors, doesn’t work, especially when we’re all being attacked. When we’re being shut down one by one, what good is brought by the competition? When the safety of journalists from all media outlets is jeopardized? The President is unconcerned about journalists’ safety.

That’s the reality.

By sharing our perspectives, ideas, and experiences with the general public, we create a dialogue about the government and what it does for its citizens. Our personal freedom of expression benefits the press, and it is our responsibility to defend our democracy if the administration continues to assault professional news companies. Simultaneously, ordinary people are being exhorted to take action to protect democracy. As a result, the possibility of citizen journalism emerges, in which citizens can participate in the transmission of journalistic values.

Losing press freedom means losing one of the last remaining comforts in a period of tyranny: the knowledge that even if the government isn’t safeguarding its citizens, individuals are willing to put their lives on the line to speak out against injustice. Losing this is a victory for dictatorship, and the people must band together to prevent it.

Threats to journalistic freedom exist in the Philippines. It should not be dismissed as a prank, especially by those who pretend to be defending it while committing repression.

In the Philippines, any attempt to fact-check information provided by government agencies is viewed as

an attack on the administration, with a journalist criticizing the government being labeled “biased.” This is why, among other media outlets, ABS-CBN and Rappler have faced difficulties and closure threats, because fearless journalism is the last thing an insecure government wants.

While it astounds me that they can still produce high-quality material in the face of new normal issues, it also saddens me that some media firms treat their employees unfairly. Every network or media organization’s lifeblood is its personnel; without them, essential information would be unavailable to the broader public. Even in the midst of a pandemic, fair and sufficient remuneration is essential.

Even after the network’s franchise expires, our struggle for journalistic independence will continue. Because this is a communal fight, it affects not only ABS-CBN but all of the country’s media outlets. Despite the pandemic, we will continue to work.

class will be required from the students under the online mode. For the grading system, the ordained system found in the course syllabi shall be applied, where a student’s class performance is 60% and the midterm/final examination is 40% for the entire semester.

To be just, I understand the university's willingness to follow the IATF's protocols and preparation for the limited face-to-face classes but implementing this amendment without prior notice to the students or considering what resources they have before releasing caused unrest to a huge number of students and is still causing them to think thrice of how they are going to survive this

semester. Especially for those who are still grappling with the day-byday effects of the pandemic by parttime or full-time working. I know some students who work a ninehour shift at night, then go straight ahead to their class in the morning.

Dispensable attendance and recorded classes have been really a great help for those working isko and iska that we have. That's why lifting the academic easement and no-fail policy during this time, where the majority of the classes are still done online, could greatly affect tons of students. Another sector of students that could be heavily affected is our student leaders who utilize half of their time for organizational work

and the betterment of our student body. Doing organizational work and studying at home can consume one’s whole day, especially setting up most of the school events and happening through online platforms with quality visuals and content. I know these problems and scenarios have been overcome by preceding students before the pandemic, but the situation at the moment has a different struggle and load to bear.

What seems to be a normal load of work on school grounds before— may it be regarding an organization, working part-time, or studying full-time while being sane, is double baggage for most of the students today.

If there will be any amendments regarding an academic easement, I think it would be fair to retract it little by little or implement what is really necessary at the moment for us, students, to adapt gradually. Because bringing back the setup of a faceto-face class even if the majority of the subjects taken are still online will only cause more pressure and difficulty for the scholars to learn.

Surviving and staying well balanced through a pandemic is hard already, striving to pass every semester and maintain scholarships is another story.

news against him and his family will be censored, altered news will air on televisions, and people will be consumed by propaganda under his leadership.

Coming in second place in the unofficial polls is Leni Robredo, the current Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. She recognizes the role of journalists in this age of disinformation and stated that democracy cannot survive without a free press. According to the fact-checking initiative Tsek.PH, Robredo is the biggest victim of disinformation among the candidates.

Seeing that spreading false information is highly politicized, media outlets established fact-checking teams that check every viral post of false information and correct them to guide people who might see the posts. Under her leadership, freedom of information will be greatly exercised, in addition, her government’s transparency helps deter

misinformations targeting her and her government.

Third on the list is Francisco Domagoso, the current mayor of the capital city of Manila. This candidate told his supporters at a campaign sortie to disseminate facts only, that they can support without attacking other candidates. If elected, he vows to go after social media sites that tolerate misinformation and have them hold accountability. The future of journalism under his rule might actually be bright, as journalists are free to write the truth without fearing for their lives. He might grant a franchise to the fallen media giant but will monitor it closely as the company tends to lean on certain politicians sometimes.

Next is Emmanuel Pacquiao, current senator of the Republic of the Philippines. He seeks to have control over social media companies to deter fake news, though not total censorship. Should Pacquiao win the presidency, freedom of expression will still be exercised, and hard punishment awaits fake news peddlers and makers. The number of internet trolls will plummet as laws against fake accounts will be passed.

The remaining is Panfilo Lacson, current senator of the Republic of

the Philippines. Noted as a former PNP chief, he has a militaristic way of thinking added to his experience in the senate. He favors establishing a regulatory framework for social media sites and promoting media literacy among the citizens. He has reportedly red-tagged people in Robredo’s Cavite sortie but said that he was just warning them about the possibility of enemies of the state infiltrating the event. Under his leadership, the media might get controlled by the government and censor any of the anomalies committed under his rule, free speech is still active but broadcasted news may have possibilities of being altered.

Note that everything mentioned is just hypothetical scenarios made by basing on their movements, platforms, and what they are doing right now. Freedom of Speech is the pillar of democracy, and journalists carry the responsibility to deliver information to the masses that decide their leader. Silencing the journalists means silencing the whole nation, we must not let our freedom be taken from us, vote for the right person, vote for democracy.

MEMORANDUM: Hinder or Help JAM ROSE MANA-AY On April 1, an amendment to the easing of academic requirements and grading system due to pandemic limitations was made and was made public on April 4, 2022. This amendment will take effect starting this 2nd semester of the school year 2021-2022. Within this amendment, pre-pandemic requirements will be adhered to by the students.

These requirements include but are not limited to, taking quizzes, recitations, midterm and final examinations, and having at least nine synchronous sessions for the entire semester. Moreover, attendance in

JUMAY ALDABA Presenting information to the masses is a journalist’s job, they would charge into an open battle or a dangerous area just to get information and deliver the freshest news to the people waiting for the newest info regarding the event or incident.

Two years ago, we witnessed the fall of one of the pillars of journalism in the country. This greatly affected the flow of information since the majority of Filipinos only have that particular channel on their televisions. Since then, the rate of misinformation spread more rapidly, and the masses cannot identify which is true and

Future of Democracy

which is not.

We will be exploring some hypothetical scenarios for journalists; should certain candidates win the presidency, every scenario is based on their platforms, their behavior in public, and how they are campaigning right now.

The top five aspirants of the latest unofficial polls will have their own scenarios starting with the leading candidate in the polls, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the former dictator. Early on in the presidential race, a great deal of wrong information benefitting this candidate has spread like wildfire on social media sites, from projects he did not actually have any participation in, to laws and acts he did not actually co-author in. Vloggers and small-time Youtubers are also hired to project this candidate in a good light. This reflects what will the state of journalism be in his term, the truth will be hidden from the masses, any

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

07

opinion

True Power Runs ful in exposing the shortcomings of government entities and raising social awareness. Social awareness has been identified as the most effective weapon in the battle against crime, and government agencies cannot play this role alone. In addition to the news media, the importance of social media in this field must be acknowledged. Knowing what is socially acceptable for you in society and acting accordingly is referred to as social awareness. The mass media plays a significant role in today's society. It has the capacity to bring about major changes and improve societal situations since it

influences our social, civic, cultural, political, economic, and aesthetic outlooks. It is the backbone of a democracy. The media brings us up to date on a wide range of social, political, and economic developments occurring across the world. It's like a mirror, reflecting or attempting to reflect our true selves as well as the harsh realities of life.

What is more interesting is that the media's influence is simply remarkable. The media reveals defects in the democratic system, allowing the government to deplete loopholes and improve accountability, responsiveness, and receptivity. In the age of digital media, we are constantly bombarded with information, and we should take it as an advantage to be in control of our future because we deserve it.

This is the power of the media, the power of every citizen, the power of truth. And we are not going to waste

it. The purpose of the media is to keep people informed about social, economic, and political happenings in their communities. The media, in addition to distributing information, is crucial in molding public opinion.

In a democracy, it is significant because positive public opinion on any subject denotes legitimacy and approval from the broader public.

We have the tools to resist misinformation's power, but we must work smarter and faster or risk losing a struggle that is becoming increasingly intense. There is still considerable learning, coalition-building, scaling, and communicating to be done in order to "emerge from information bankruptcy." Although solutions are tough to come by, they are within our reach. And the consequences of inaction are dire: when lies smother the truth, our communities and daily lives become increasingly destabilized.

give a second look at the lone female candidate. Undecided are giving a benefit of the doubt and doing their part of looking into her records, elders are contributing to the future generation by engaging in informing young voters, and youth are enthusiastically volunteering in cause groups. This manifestation is often called the Pink Movement, Pink Revolution, and is famously known by the hashtag “Rosas ang Kulay ng Bukas” in which people who meet more or less spontaneously and whose relationships are not defined by rules and procedures but simply share a common outlook on society.

Historically, one of the most notable events that had the same motive was the 1986 People Power Revolution where people went into the streets hand in hand to put an end to Marcos’ 21-year rule. After thir-

ty-six years, will we be able to see another historical win for our country’s democracy? Regardless of the outcome—the process and progress of the fight, what is happening now, is what matters. What started as a simple presidential rally in Quezon City ended up as a huge democracy rally from Luzon, Visayas, and recently, Mindanao. Data shows that Pasig has the biggest attendees so far with a 137,000+ crowd, followed

by Negros Occidental with 86,000+ and placing on the third spot would be Cavite with 47,000+—wherein the governor, Jonvic Remulla said he would pledge a guaranteed 800,000 voters for the front-runner, Marcos Jr. People against Robredo and the movement say the number of crowds is paid or carried from other parts of the country, but volunteers

and receipts always seem to prove these accusations falsely and misinformed. The movement has now a circulating healthy competition, called OlymPINKS, of topping the previous city, and Filipinos cannot get even more creative and brilliant with their versions of the movement.

With just under two months until an election that many are calling the most important in modern Philippine history, the Leni-Kiko campaign is now generating tens of thousands of attendees. With Robredo's campaign pledging to reclaim democracy, save the country from dynastic politics, and lift the country out of the shadow of Duterte's authoritarianism, together with her credentials, record, and qualities, more and more people claim that the best man for the job is a woman.

in the Masses JUMAY ALDABA There’s a good saying that goes “journalism is the rough draft of history, and there’s a decent amount of truth in it”. I strongly believe in this notion because I encounter a lot of great and passionate journalists out there that provide valid, useful, and relevant information, especially in times that we need them the most. Journalists watch and document what they see around them, attempting to be as objective and detailed as possible in their documentation of events at any particular

JAM ROSE MANA-AY A few months ago, it was unclear whether the Philippines’ Vice President Leni Robredo would enter the race for the country's highest office just days before the deadline to register certificates of candidacy with the country's Commission on Elections. In the Philippines, presidential elections have historically been anti-incumbent, since people prefer “change” to consistency. Despite being the incumbent Vice President, Leni Robredo enters the race as the only contender who has continuously fought the government's policy excesses as well as her worst inclinations. But regardless of her

time. Their efforts provide historians with a contemporaneous record from which to draw when attempting to impose a retrospective order on a specific era, decades or even centuries later.

There are so many things that the media can do to improve every situation and strengthen the communities. Apart from bringing examples of corruption to the public's attention and covering cases that demand public attention, the media has also been credited with contributing impartially to peacekeeping and maintaining order among nations. Several times, the media has been success-

credentials, track record, and character—Leni Robredo has a hard time getting better survey results. Factors to this may be coined to lack of funds for the machinery and marketing strategy. Technically, an inherently good product will speak for itself and people will just enunciate these good qualities to a bigger audience but in Robredo’s case, it will be hard since years of piled up invisible and tangible battles such as red-tagging, disinformation, and misinformation are in front of her which resulted to her character assassination.

Unexpectedly, for the past few months, Robredo’s campaign turned upside down compared to her first months of campaigning. A lot of people are opening their minds to

Pride, Prejudice, and Perpetrators ELVIN RAE DE LEON Can you really call yourself a journalist if you cannot provide the truth?

Amidst the election, journalists are challenged to deliver the truth to the masses. Such information can affect the voters’ preference for their candidate. During this time of the year in Philippine history, journalists are challenged to create an environment for the election that is fair, safe, honest, and non-deceiving – it is also the time of the year where journalists are not only challenged by their job but also their life. With how heavy influence politics can be, there can

be no doubt that anyone with just a little brag of money and power, can completely forget the truth.

It has been evident during this time that the national election is coming that we are faced with different strategies by different politicians to earn our vote. Such strategies are not only limited to simple campaigns, political jingles, and rallies but also mud-slinging, bribery, vote-buying, and attacks on the truth. It is no question that journalists without integrity can exist during these times.

These so-called journalists sides with a political candidate letting their personal biases influence their job as journalists. The so-called line be-

tween personal life and work shall be kept no matter how thin it is and how heavy one’s responsibility is towards the nation.

Not only are journalists in question but also public servants; namely teachers who let their personal choices and beliefs influence their line of teaching. It is a grave threat to the nation how these people with the most influence can let their questionable choices influence those around them. It is ironic how a journalist or a teacher who should be the most responsible and careful in spreading information is the one to propagate fake news and false information that sides with their chosen candidate.

Frankly, those Bongbong Marcos Supporters or BBM have been indulging in the act of spreading fake news just to cover for the multiple issues faced by the family. A supporter no matter how bad an issue can be for their idol will continue to tolerate and support to the point that one can lose their integrity. While other supporters indulge in the act; sharing fake news and creating one. Creating lies that support a candidate that has a very questionable background; multiple issues of corruption, and no educational background, just someone who carries a very powerful name from his father who also has a questionable way of leadership; sunk the country into great debts, martial

law, extrajudicial killings, violation on human rights, etc. is a great threat of the Philippine nation.

These people are in no way at fault for such indulgence but the years of power and influence of those who propagate lies, revisions on history, and brainwashing should be blamed. At the end of the day, we will always have our own personal biases but these biases, no matter what one’s work is, should always be heavily sided with the truth. At the end of the day, we should always strive for the truth no matter how challenging it would be.

The Unrealistic Idealization of Patriotism JUMAY ALDABA Sara Duterte, a vice-presidential contender, proposed earlier this month that if she is elected, the Filipino youth be forced to serve in the military and that this be used as a chance to reassess the youth's commitments to their country (patriotism). She emphasized that, in light of the diminishing importance of military duty in the lives of ordinary citizens, it is vital to maintain and reinforce the notion that Filipino citizenship entails serving and defending the country when called upon. The word "mandatory" drew the Filipino citizen's attention because it sounded bad. This bill would

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undoubtedly help to enhance civil-military relations. However, it is critical to recognize that patriotism cannot be judged solely by marching in the sun while wielding a weapon.

Furthermore, current studies on the effects of military service must be taken into account. While she has a point in raising worries about the general public's growing disengagement from the military, we should be suspicious of the prevalent notion that conscription will exacerbate the civilian-military split. As a student, I believe that tying military duty to civic responsibility isn't the only method to revive civic responsibility. Making it a legal or moral obligation of citizenship may simply widen the gap between those who do and those who do not or cannot serve.

In light of the pandemic that continues to wreak havoc on our economy, claiming the lives of many people due to job losses, travel limitations, and rising prices for necessities, I don't believe now is the time to spend P2 billion on supersonic cruise missiles that will be a waste of money. We have not yet fully recovered from the disasters, from preventing potential hazards to providing unwavering assistance to the impacted populations to city rehabilitation. And now, we will be investing in supersonic cruise missiles? We do have resources, though they are limited; the sad issue is that we are not making the best use of them. Military service is without a doubt one of the most significant kinds of national service. However, forcing more in-

dividuals to make the huge sacrifice that military duty implies is not the solution. Citizenship rights should not be conditional on mandatory military service. Such a revision in the definition of citizenship would exacerbate an already polarized society, dividing those who would inevitably be deemed exempt from citizenship from those who would not, as well as those who support and oppose such a radical new policy. There are other, less controversial, and riskier methods to deal with the difficulties caused by an over-reliance on a small military elite.

Finally, improved civic education on the part of the people may be more efficient and beneficial. A concerted effort to educate the public about the military as a profession, its

capabilities, and its legitimate place in society may go a long way toward de-mystifying it. Although this may not perfectly motivate everyone to serve, it will undoubtedly increase our knowledge. And, if the ultimate goal is to rekindle Filipinos' desire to serve their nation and redefine citizenship as a set of rights and responsibilities, mandating universal service in the military, civilian, public, or non-profit sectors would be significantly more effective. Seeing national service as solely military encourages an unrealistic idealization of people in uniform and the hazardous perception that they are the only ones capable of solving national problems.

EDQ @pupthefreehand

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Fi n e Art, Fi n e Controversy RUTH MARIE CAPARAS “The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity,” Alberto Giacometti said.

An art is like a poem that talks to you yet, without you hearing any words coming out from it but with your own interpretation on what it is saying to you through your heart.

Controversial Art, also been mentioned as "offensive art", throughout history it has devised numerous ways to affront, anger and dismay society. There are various artworks upon from the 16th century period as far as this present time that are believed to be examples of controversial arts/paintings as a result of the feedback that they educe into the society. Nonetheless, provocative pieces of art also highly possess an interest in the society, among the certain works be subject to discussion and being deliberated through

the years.

What is controversial art? It is a type of art that is not widely recognized in the society in which it was developed or discovered in prior eras. This indicates that a contentious work of art from a period of time might be acknowledged later.

The general goal of controversial art is to elicit as many reactions from the public as it can be. Several artists, for instance have come to great efforts to achieve this in their work and are widely regarded as having contributed to the art dispute about what is suitable under traditional art principles.

When people think that as some artworks are offensive and it has been censored in the past it only served to increase the works' popularity.

An example of these kind of artworks is the controversial mixed media in 2005 by Filipino multimedia artist Danny C. Sillada entitled “Menstrual Period in Political Histo-

ry." It is an irony on the constant political juncture and corruption in the Philippines government.

"This controversial mixed-media piece (an attempt was made to destroyed it at the height of the "Hello Garci" political scandal) reflects the artist's critical stance toward the power struggles that "are sinking our country," according to The Village Voice. The Manila Times stated that "The colors of the Philippine flag-blue, red and yellow-- fill his canvases. He alludes a woman’s menstrual period to the country’s cyclic political turmoil, and he sprinkles it with satirical images to boot," said The Manila Times.

Because controversial artworks were frequently derided and, in some cases, outlawed, major discussions about artists' freedom of expression and creativeness were sparked. The developing artworks have left on to motivate numerous people over the centuries, thanks to controversial art having such a large

impact on society.

Having said that, there are other types of art where people express their opinions on the issues that surrounds us such as graffiti, which is a type of art genre that some people mistakenly see it as vandalism while others consider it as a form of art, and some says that graffiti refers as a form of visual communication.

"Graffiti is 100% art."

Graffiti and street art are culturally significant because of their unique nature as well as their capacity to gild and enhance public spaces, it so plainly reflects an artistic subculture with a message, through its extremely visible style of speaking out on political, social, and economic issues.

At some point in our lives, we've all seen a mural. On your regular commute, you may come across murals. Murals have been used to beautify cities for ages, and they are an important form of public art. And with the election coming,

many are voicing out their right on who deserve their support and who the people should support through painting murals on the public walls of their areas.

We must not be scared to express our opinion especially when it came from facts that should be shared to other individuals whether the way of partaking is through your art or anyway possible you can, we must do it. Therefore, as we become more enlightened on what is happening around us, we ought to know better and have a figurehead that we deserve for the people and for our country.

In essence, controversial art helps us to examine oneself and assess the validity of our own convictions, as these outputs are a view of artists' and society's thinking. We are not outsiders anymore to the inception of controversial paintings and artworks in the 21st century.

ILLUSTRATION BY: VINCENT ABBANG

MONIKA ALDECOA JULIA RAINE MORALES The Polytechnic University of the Philippines has gained another outstanding alumnus, becoming the first lady Architect of ASEAN from the college, Ar. Geraldine Garcia-Suede. The ceremony was held last December 10, 2021, on the official Facebook page of UAP, along with 8 other Filipino Architects.

Now, we should get the show on the road. Taking architecture was not the first choice of our pride. Ar. Geraldin only took entrance exams in UP and PUP. She was given a slot in Chemical Engineering at UPLB since her dad wanted her to be like a "Chemist." Unfortunately, she didn't continue at Los Banos, so, she moved to PUP. Her dad insisted on Accountancy; however, in the heart of Ar. Geraldin wanted to take Architecture. She remembered the queues on the Accountancy were so long and took that as an opportunity to transfer lines.

"Makakalipat ako rito at marea-reason out ko sa parents ko because mahaba pila sa Accounting.

'Diba napakababaw."

Kidding aside, Ar. Geraldin also elaborated, she unconsciously was fond of taking Architecture during her childhood. She had notebooks with spaces that could be arranged.

That was the time she realized she was better at planning and thinking than visualizing. She also stated that she didn't have a dollhouse, just role-playing using her ball pens as dolls.

"Na-follow ko yung heart ko.

It emanates. It happens, and God, the Lord showed me the way to get into it."

Going deeper into her journey,

the College life of Ar. Geraldin was amusing and challenging. She built friendships that lasted up until now.

One struggle she specified was the tools and resources because they have to share them as a class. Still, they were blessed as their batch was the first ones who used the drafting tables inside the campus. Ar. Geraldine was also a student assistant, who supported expenditures like paper, pens, etc.

"Kailangan mo lang talaga magaral. Everything is there. And our tuition fee was so low. Naka-graduate kami ng P5,000." Reminiscing, Ar. Geraldin remembered eating lugaw at the Lagoon. Also, after class, they would go to the main building to have food trips like street food. They also eat at Pureza – fishball, banana cue, bread from the bakeshop, etc., with Ar. Royal Pineda.

College life is a new phase for every student. Ar. Geraldine pointed out, choosing the right peers that will improve you is one tip to enjoy the chosen course. She shared that, in her circle, she had 2 friends who were good at design and visualization, and the rest, including her, was good at conceptualizing. It was "collaboration" per se. Also, having friends from another department like Engineering is essential. "You are not alone. You have to ask. Also, ask your professors."

Procrastination. Ar. Geraldine kind of procrastinates before. They say the Architects are last-minute creators because the creative minds will explode during that phase. However, it's not the right attitude. Ar. Geraldin feared the deadlines, so she needed to manage her time as a student and student assistant.

Now in this online set-up, being an Architecture student has advantages and disadvantages. One advantage; you can learn anywhere; there are lots of webinars to attend

to. "Magsasawa kang mag-aral."

Furthermore, the real disadvantage that Ar. Geraldine expressed is the socialization that affects our mental health. This also applies to the professors since they cannot see the students personally.

"Whatever you did in school will affect your future."

Ar. Geraldine shared that she already started working by her 2nd year at the University, under Ar. Lutap and Ar. Teodoro, and was also a student assistant at one point, giving her experience and knowledge that proved to be useful. After 5 years of studying Architecture, she already had enough OJT hours to take the Architect Licensure Examination (ALE), and passed it the following year of her graduation.

Once she earned her license, while still working under Ar. Lutap, our Dean herself jokingly said “Oh my God, you are already an Architect. ‘Di ko na kaya yung sahod mo,” urging her to find a new job, and explore.

This led to her going to Ortigas applying to a famous company, in search for a job that earns more.

However, she was shocked to learn that she was only offered Php 6,000 and realized how low that is for a Licensed Architect. Walking around the area some more, she spotted the National Economic Development Authority, who were then looking for an Architect. She went in, and they were glad that someone was interested since they have been looking for a Junior Architect. Receiving an offer of Php 13,000, twice what she was offered from the other company, Ar. Geraldine grabbed the opportunity and became an employee for 6 years, handling administrative jobs and designing. She became a great asset for the company, changing how Architecture was on Government offices.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

This was the time that Ar. Royal Pineda, another pride of our college, contacted her, and told her about the partnership with Budji Layug, a famous Interior Designer. As one of his trusted friends, he wanted Ar. Geraldine to join him in that venture.

She then took the offer, considering how good the training will be, and became a part of the Budji+Royal, meeting a lot of famous people, and encountering large-scale projects with soaring high budgets, not only locally, but also internationally.

After her journey at the Budji+Royal, she went international, and worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with knowledge that truly made it easier for her to adjust. “To be with the right people, at the right time, with the right office at the right time proved to be very important. Hindi mo kailangan i-aim kaagad ‘yung kailangan design kaagad. You have to pass all of it,” she added.

Taking the opportunity, the interviewers also asked questions regarding Architecture, getting an insight on Ar. Geraldine’s ideas. Now that we are experiencing a worldwide phenomenon that altered how we live and move around, Architecture also went through changes in order to fit those alterations. According to her, well ventilated spaces are important, with some open spaces so we can be able to breathe-in air without fear of contracting the virus. Open floorplans are also a great trend to follow. ”We go back to the basics,” bringing up the concept of Bahay Kubos and its passive cooling system.

In situations wherein space is limited, similar to what cities are experiencing due to the lack of enough land because of how crowded it has become, opening windows is one simple, yet effective solution. Bringing in plants can also help to freshen

up the space.

After the coverage of Ar. Geraldine’s college life, up to her experiences as an Architect, last 10th of December, as mentioned in one of the paragraphs above, she became an ASEAN Architect, venturing yet another journey.

“You don’t stay doon sa isang level, as you grow old, kailangan nag-uupgrade ka,” adding that everything is a competition now. Finishing your degree and earning a License does not mean that you’re done. Adding a title to your name is marketing yourself, in addition to the loops you go through to get them and maintaining them.

Becoming an ASEAN Architect required years of being in the industry, and a whole lot of requirements in order to earn what she has right now. Ar. Geraldine invested in herself. “If it is God’s will that you become an AA, it will be”.

As she enters a new journey, Ar. Geraldine was asked a question that she found the hardest to answer, and that was: “Who is Ar. Geraldine?”

She answered by saying that she is still herself. The Gigi that everyone knew, but of course, when it comes to work, she is a professional. “It’s just the same, it’s just a new name, and a new challenge.”

“For every new beginning, be excited. Look forward to it with enthusiasm,” Ar. Suede said, adding that you have to be inspired and happy when entering something new, and work for it. If you are not happy, everything will just become miserable and stressful for you, and that new beginning will not work out.

Just like Ar. Geraldine, let us all venture into new beginnings, be not afraid to try something new, and know that everything you do now will benefit you in the future.

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JERIEMIAH ANGELO BORELA When I was in elementary, I only viewed campus journalism in a competitive light. I was in it for a fun time, but not for a long time. I thought of the benefits it would yield for me, be it additional numbers for my report card that they call extra-curricular grades, potential crushes from my fellow contenders (because let’s be real here), or the gold-painted biscuits that they promise to hang on your neck as recognition of your writing prowess. Several years pass by and I am still an active campus journalist, but I couldn’t be more different than the version of myself from the past. Today I stand with my head up high, and my hand raised higher as I hold my pen and value its power; its strings of ink that shall inform, instill, and inspire.

The elections are almost within our reach. Campus journalists play a much more important role now than ever, as they are a means of channeling the truth and educating readers especially on encouraging people to properly exercise their democratic rights. Their dedication to writing, to fight for and to pursue the truth goes beyond trophies, medals, and certificates.

It is of great significance that a journalist involves him/herself with issues that continue to thrive in our communities. By voicing out, we shed a light to the concerns of the people, particularly those that are brushed off by those in power. Although, ‘voicing out’ does not necessarily imply that we use only words as a journalistic approach. Former Associate Editor for Internal Affairs as well as former Illustrators Head of The Freehand Jude Pevin Agbanlog

ILLUSTRATION BY: PAUL JUSTIN BALAORO

describes illustrated journalism as something that unlike articles, “can briefly tell a story in just one or two looks at it; thus, there is no space for the possibility of misleading the readers.” He also stated that such illustrations should be able to grab the readers’ attention and engage them enough to finish the rest of the contents for efficient information dissemination. He quickly added, “However, there will always be times when the audience would only just look at the illustrations; so, we don’t want to leave wrong insights and misinform them. Illustrated Journalism’s power of storytelling in a single look is crucial, and as an illustrator I need to heed how my hand translates my thoughts to avoid misinforming the people.”

“Ika nga, masasabing uri ng aktibismo ang pamamahayag dahil dito, isinisiwalat mo ang mga mali sa sistema ng iyong coverage. We are the “watch dogs” of the campus, as we say it,” said former Editor-in-Chief of The Freehand, and Vice President of the CAFA Student Council, Rafael Salaguste. He is a part of the student publication for almost five years now, and although he finds adversity in his undying pursuit and passion for journalism, he also believes that “To understand the vital role of student journalism in a campus is already a strong foundation of why we continuously strive.” Jude Agbanlog also added to this saying that, “Student publications have the power and responsibility to spread unbiased and truthful information to empower the students in these trying times via social media platforms.”

However, regardless of how

campus journalism is progressing and being given the spotlight it very well deserves, there are still many who undermine it as a real news platform. This now begs the question: is campus journalism overlooked?

According to Agbanlog, generally speaking, Filipinos still seem to underestimate the value that campus journalism holds, and that this thinking roots from the fact that we are still “young” and may be prone to brainwashing -- which couldn’t be more untrue.

“The world is rapidly becoming more advanced which leads to faster spread of fake news; and the younger generation is the best people to fight disinformation in these modern days. Student Journalists are capable. Campus Journalism is all-important,” he added. Just like Salaguste, he hopes for a future wherein the youth’s talents be nurtured and given their rightful place in “pacifying the modern disinformation-prone world by laying-out the truth.”

Journalism transcends school campuses; through it we unveil concerns and other adversaries in the community that are not given as much attention as they supposedly require. However, no matter how credible and well-researched the writers are, there are still people who see us as a podium only for acknowledg-

ing in-campus or campus-related events. “We are sometimes also under-appreciated lalong lalo na amongst the admins who we felt like they are treating us as medias who are covering events inside the school, and that’s it. We are more than just a microphone of those who wants us to cover their events, but should be the voice of minorities, of those who are oppressed, and repressed from their rights, and more,” said Agbanlog. As a closing note regarding this topic, Salaguste wishes to see more people place their trust on them, on us writers, and see them as another source of reliable information, because campus journalists are no different from media and activists.

Speaking of media, there we have some of the more prevalent terms currently: disinformation, misinformation, trolls, and fake news -- these words are certainly not unheard of. As a matter of fact, they have been rampant and persist to be more rampant as they see the light of day, spreading quick like linen catching fire. It is not as if this issue is unprecedented, but as of today, the number of falsehoods widespread all across either through mouth or the web -- to say that it is alarming is an understatement.

According to Tsek.ph, a collaborative fact-checking project led by the University of the Philippines, that as of November 2021 up to February 2022, they have identified at least 58 falsehoods or claims relating to martial law that either perpetuated misconceptions about the late dictator or downplayed the human rights crimes that happened during his 21year reign. History revisionists put disinformation to use as a means to “erase or burnish the discreditable record of Marcos,” said Tsek.ph coordinators Yvonne Chua and Diosa Labiste. Not only that, but false narratives were also crafted in order to attempt to shed

a red light on democracy icon and former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, on the flip side, giving Marcos positive false narratives. The same pattern can be observed today, as there are overwhelmingly negative disinformation targeting the current Vice President Leni Robredo; “unsurprising,” said Chua and Labiste. In this current climate wherein there is faltering integrity upon various media outlets, how do platforms such as student publications suffice or aid in the fight for the truth?

Our battle against disinformation still has a long way to go. If this is a play, then we are far from denouement; we have only just begun. The time wherein we, the youth make our voices loud and clear is now, and together we shall seek to let the truth prevail. Salaguste stated that while there are people who rely on unreliable news outlets, hopes that “we stop antagonizing them, but instead learn to patiently interact with them or encourage them how to properly fact check. It’s not their fault, it’s mostly the perpetrator’s fault why they have to release disinformation, or black propaganda, or any unreliable information to the public.” Meanwhile, Agbanlog leaves his humorous remark to them: “Hoy! Tama na kaka-Tiktok, Facebook, at YouTube! Masyado kayong nag-enjoy d’yan. Huwag i-apply pagiging Marites online in a macro level!” We, the youth, who are granted with the privilege to education, are expected to research accordingly, in order to check our facts -- If anything at all, are they really “facts”? However, while we students should be wary of falling victim to our own folly, it is also true that seeds of disinformation through time had buried its roots deep among the Filipino minds. To follow, Agbanlog mentioned that as student journalists, technically speaking, all they can really do is to keep on sharing factual information

and news that are unbiased, however, he asserted that it is not enough. “What we, the Filipino people, need to do is to vote for leaders who can make the people behind these social media sites accountable to the fake news that they allow to spread on their platforms,” he stated. He pushes that it is necessary that a law be passed that answers the recurring issue that is disinformation all across social media, and so, our part is to vote wisely and pick a leader who is most competent and open-minded. “When social media sites are held accountable to the spread of fake news, they will certainly improve their systems and filter the contents being posted, and hopefully only leave out the truth,” Agbanlog concluded.

“The campus is a society of the youth that can be transformed to a haven of disinformation and fake news. The youth is the hope of the nation; hence, we cannot allow lies to mold them,” said Agbanlog. Meanwhile, Salaguste stated that, “being part of The Freehand, we have these core values which are to inform, to instill, and to inspire.” Not only is it the journalist’s obligation, but also ours as Filipinos.

Many have been polarized by disinformation -- the people behind these have successfully incited politically charged hatred in the hearts of the less informed. This is our call to action. We as citizens must exercise our right to speak truth to power, stand by this truth and call out falsehoods, like those passed onto others online and suspicious “news sources” to name a few. During these times, we must remain vigilant, we shall hold those perpetrators accountable for their actions, and finally, we must choose wisely who to vote as the next leaders of our country.

Remember that the seeds we plant today will determine what we reap tomorrow.

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MONIKA ALDECOA ALCESTIS ANDAL From a Louisa May Alcott novel “Little Women,” comes a famous saying, “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.”

Women are stereotyped as weak and people whose job is to abide and do what they’re told. It’s been years that women of different generations strive to fight for their rights and to cancel their stereotypical placement in the society that has reduced their characters as to what the patriarchal society wants them to be. Today and for the future generation, the fight for women will never fade out and instead will burn brighter than ever. Women, just as they are built for motherhood, they can be equally deserving to lead. Leadership is not measured by gender, but it is by

I Am (Just) A Woman courage and initiative.

Krysthel Velasco is the UAPSA-PUP President for the school year 2021-2022. She is a student at the College of Architecture, Design, and the Built Environment, in BS Architecture 3-2. Born in Quezon City and raised in the province of Pangasinan, she went to Manila and like any other aspiring “iskolar ng bayan”, she took the PUPCET in 2018 and she passed. As a young student, she was not very sure of what to take in college – as her parents wanted her to take up medical related courses that is opposite to her choice, Architecture. Among all the courses she applied for, the most constant one is Architecture, which she gladly chose.

As a young achiever, she experienced culture-shock in her freshman year, knowing that everyone is the best of the best. She said, “I thought I was an excellent student but college made me think that I’m just an average… Ang hirap makisabay sa magagaling mong kaklase kasi ang gaganda ng outputs nila..

Pag makikita mong ang gaganda ng outputs nila, mapepressure kang gandahan yung output mo para ‘di nakakahiya pero at the end of the day, good pressure siya kasi matutulungan niya akong mapaganda yung mga ginagawa ko.” As a freshman student, she used the opportunity to join organizations like UAPSA to further improve and grow as a

student, an individual and an Architect-in-the-making.

Krysthel became a member of the UAPSA organization or the student auxiliary of the United Architects of the Philippines, constantly since her first year in college. Started as a part of the Documentation Committee and became the Documentation Head for her second year.

She said that it was a struggle to manage academic and organizational works, and to constantly think of how to be creative with their work for the organization as they experienced the first academic year online. For her 3rd year in the organization, she was personally chosen by the past set of officers, she said, “sabi nila [officers], kung kaya ko naman daw ba’t hindi ko daw itry.” and she also said during the interview that another reason why she was deserving of the position is that she’s constantly serving as an active member ever since her freshie year. As a president of an organization, it is a huge glass to fill and serve fellow students while being one as well. She described UAPSA-PUP’s principles as an organization that practices decision-making not only limited to the officers but also including the students of CADBE. They conduct surveys and incorporate the demands to their own plans like events, webinars, and workshops. They want an organization who gives platforms for the members to express their opin-

ions. Krysthel shared her thoughts about being a leader in an online set-up, “Ang cons ng online set-up, kapag ‘di online yung mga officers namin, ‘di na naming alam kung nasaan sila. Hindi gaya ng face-to-face na pwede mo silang puntahan sa room nila. Ang hirap kasi nadadagdagan yung tasks ng active members.” and she admitted that in spite of experiencing the online set-up for the whole year already, they haven’t fully adjusted yet.

For the past 3 years of serving the organization and its members and as an architecture student as well, she learned that she will always need the help of other people, she said, “kaya ko nga gawin sa sarili ko, kailangan ko parin ng suggestions, criticisms, and hope ng ibang tao na nakapaligid sa akin para mas magkaroon ng better output. Natutunan ko din paano makipag-collaborate at mag-engage sa ibang tao.” When asked about her leadership work and organizational membership being applicable to her future career, she said that like her fondness of the Architectural Design subject, UAPSA-PUP is also her training ground for growth, learning and communication which she mentioned that is inevitable in the work career.

In her journey as a student leader, one of the biggest inspirations she has are her seniors which are the old UAPSA officers. “I owe them big time.”, she said as she mentioned

how they have helped her since her freshman year, they taught her the realities of college life which made her ready for struggles that she may face. In spite being a leader, she said that she still seeks help and advice from them because they have more experiences than her. For students who aspires to join organizations, she advised that, “They can always explore. Always remember that [‘eto yung palagi kong sinasabi sa mga officers ko] hindi clout ang pagiging student leader. Hindi lang siya matatapos sa pag change ng dp or sa mga dp blasts, kailangan mo mag-serve sa mga estudyante. It is a commitment between you and your responsibilities. If passion mo mag serve at mag lead, then keep the passion burning.”

An empowered woman takes up her space and makes use of her voice for the good. Miss Krysthel Velasco is an empowered woman who has enough courage to initiate and lead. She could have just went on with her journey as an architecture student without joining and leading but she did to help and serve while she improves and grow. As Beyonce Knowles said, “We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.”

ITS NOW OR NEVER: Upcycling our way towards green design JOHN CEDIERICK ABARCA “The social and environmental problems I see around me are just saddening because people do not care about where their wastes go after using them. Something must be done; something has to happen.”

-Idr. Wilhelmina “Willie” S. Garcia’

The world as we know it has changed a lot since humankind gained consciousness and awareness about the repercussion of man kind’s development. Behind technological advancements that we all benefit from for the sake of our conveniences lies the unseen harmful effects that greatly impacts our environment. With the much growing power in the industry sector all over the globe, we find hope among few individuals who takes a stand for the environment. People who speak for the unspoken, screaming a demand for action.

Before being a licensed Interior Designer, Idr. Wilhelmina “Willie” S. Garcia was first a curious and a creative child whose environmental awareness was already outspoken at such a young age. With her father’s influence being an eco-activist and a farmer, Idr. Willie became aware of the environmental issues that her father is fighting for. Garcia explains that the whole life of their family has always been about embracing the green and sustainable way. “It was natural for me, because we lived on a farm, my dad was an activist, and we were always environmentally conscious, as a family,” Garcia explain on an interview in Spot.ph. Aside from an eco-activist father is a loving and caring mother and grandmother who influenced her in doing her craft. “My Mama and Lola are both hobbyists, they taught me how to gantsilyo (crochet).” Both her parents made a significant impact on her core values and principles that had led her

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career now.

With the ongoing global environmental crisis, it is important for each of us to seek the drive and inspiration that would truly ignite our vigor in forming a better planet.

The embodiment of Willie’s parents shows us how important it is that environmental awareness starts in every household to mold every child in having a better attitude towards the environment.

Idr. Garcia’s academic journey is no different from any other student.

However, with her family’s influence and their lifestyle, she unconsciously created a lifelong journey.

As an interior design student in St. Scholastica’s College, Manila, Idr. Wilhelmina was peculiarly creative and ultimately resourceful. She saw value on wastes and other materials from which not everyone would even take interest from. She even shared that during one of her projects in their flower arrangement class she used an old boot instead of buying a brand-new vase. This does not just reflect her creativity but also highlights how resourceful and sustainable she is in her practice. “You don’t have to buy every time, you just have to be resourceful and look what is readily available around you,” Garcia explains. She even realizes how impactful her whole childhood was to her whole career as she looks back on her old plates and projects that mostly revolve around upcycling which are perhaps unwanted materials. “It became natural to me, going back I realize that all my college plates were about upcycling materials.”

There is a multitude way of going green especially in practicing design. With the status of our environment, it is vital that we venture our way to sustainable development and creatively find a path that does not leave the environment behind.

Idr. Garcia left a message for interior designing students and perhaps for every human out there who partakes in caring for the environment, “There

(are) so many materials available around (so) don’t be dependent on store bought (ones). Experiment and use your creativity in expressing your ideas.”

It was with coastal and river clean-ups that profoundly opened Garcia’s eyes to strongly dedicated her life in advocating for green design. In a clean-up activity in Polillo group of islands that she organized along with her conservationist sister, Liza Dans, friends, and environmental groups worked together to clean up coastal areas and riverbanks.

However, what was shocking to Willie was when one of the participants asked a question that truly struck her. “What will happen to the materials that (were) recovered from the ocean or from the river?” All that they could answer was, “recycle them or sell them to junkshops.” What was hard to pick on was what about the residuals that junkshop do not buy or recycle? This conversation and this event had struck Garcia that made her realize that all they did was just take the waste from the water and just dump them on the land. “That struck me, so I began experimenting on how to upcycle these materials or prolong these materials.”

It is with such environmental events that people could raise awareness that there is an inexcusable problem in the environment that needs to be resolved. Garcia embodies our call for action as she shares her genuine advocacy, “the social and environmental problems I see around me are just saddening because people do not care about where their wastes go after using them. Something must be done; something has to happen.” If a coastal clean-up can become an eye opener for one person, maybe organizing numerous communities to partake in such activities, then maybe everyone would eventually open their eyes and have the same attitude towards the environment.

Maybe there is still hope that we could bring forth the change that we

are all coveting for.

After winning the interior design grand prize of Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE) National Competition in 2007, opportunities after opportunities came flooding on her doorstep that motivated her to work further on her green design practice. “With the cash prize from the MADE Competition, I bought secondhand machineries and took over my dad’s old warehouse where I started my own whop.” In 2009, Garcia founded JunkNot Eco Creatives and was initially eyeing for product design in fashion industry, mainly bags. Her practice eventually expanded to furniture design as she designs her firs chairs at her sibling’s restaurant in Balik Bukid in Davao City. Influenced by her mother and grandmother’s crafting hobby, she made use of plastic packaging wastes and formed a rope and used it to weave intricate designs in forming the seat and the backrest of the chairs.

One of Garcia’s most empowering achievements was when she continued a project that was first a contract with a government agency.

“In 2015, the DENR-TVPL (Department of Natural Resources-Taal Volcano Protective Landscape) hired me to do a livelihood project at Taal Volcano we did WACS (Waste Analysis Characterization) in the community, which was an audit of every house in the village, then we’d weigh the waste to characterize what was the most waste generated in each household,” Garcia says in an interview on Spot.ph. This project was a great way to open up opportunities for these communities but as Gacia expected it was not sustainable.

When she went back to the community, out of the 60 participants, only 4 women responded, which she paid P11,000 for their hard work.

“Nagkainggitan ang mga housewives kaya naman ngayon they are about 77 and growing,” Garcia shares jokingly. Now, Garcia uses the handmade ropes of plastic waste

in creating her whimsical, playful yet aesthetic furniture designs. Aside from the women of Taal, she also has a team of workers in her studio that at first were unyielding to her desires because her designs were new to them and would require an experimental process. They would even make a pessimistic statement on her designs. “Maam may bibili ba niyan?

Basura yan.” Little did these people know that Garcia effectively markets her products at a designer level prices. However, her employees eventually realize the worth of her designs when they see how mesmerizing the product is. “Nagiging proud sila after what those waste materials can do and inspire them to practice the same in their homes.”

However hard, people, like Idr. Wilhelmina “Willie” S. Garcia, work if the society chooses to be blind and choose to ignore the status quo is on crisis, we wouldn’t have a future. With the several data driven facts that proves how much our planet needs to breathe, this should already be enough for everyone to act on it. It is with determination that we should continue to listen and reflect on people like Idr Garcia to be inspired in advocating for a cleaner and better environment.

It took one person to inspire others to work on the same goal as she is striving for. It took one person to empower 77 women to segregate and recycle waste materials. It took one person to influence other people to have a better attitude towards wastes and think of them as an opportunity rather than just an unprofitable material. It took one person to inspire, empower and influence many people to take action and be part of the movement. If it took just one person to make a massive impact, it is now or never that we should take our own individual step towards upcycling our way to a greener future.

EDQ @pupthefreehand

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Trust the Process and

Keep the Passion Burning:

A Glimpse of Maxine

Loyola Naval's Journey JULIA RAINE MORALES “Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession.” - unknown Active, confident, talented, and persevere. Those are just some of the qualities that Maxine Loyola Naval possesses, a 5th year Architecture student who’s receiving her diploma this coming May, but got her hard work paid off even before she graduates.

You may have heard of her name, especially this year, when she became the first AYDA TV Correspondent. However, all of her successes did not come easy. Way back when she just started studying at PUP, she almost did not take up Architecture because the slots were already full, a struggle that most of us encountered during the enrollment process.

She had to take up BSED Math, and then shifted on her 2nd year, for the sake of following her dreams.

It was a really tough journey. She clearly remembered her graphics plates during her 1st year on the course when she had to repeat it for more than 10 times, almost wasting up all of her sketch pad, in addition to her breakdowns, and the fact that she still needs to travel from Cavite to school for 3 hours. Fast-forward to her thesis, she got to the point when she would break down and cry, as all Architecture students does during this time. In one of her YouTube videos on her channel “Maxinarts” where she shares videos that can help her co-Architecture students, she told her subscribers that during her presentation editing phase, tears kept falling as she reminded herself “konti na lang,” and that it’s all part of the process.

What motivated her was her hard work and all the struggles that she

went through. She persevered and promised to finish what she started, and to not let everything go to waste.

Her family was also there for her all throughout, supporting her.

When asked regarding how active she is in school, she revealed that she was once an introverted child who blossomed during her high school and college days. She started to join competitions and engaged more on extracurricular activities. Her mindset was that “manalo or matalo, part to ng growth ko as a future architect”.

During the past years, various organizations, and even other colleges, invited her to talk during their online events, sharing her knowledge to inspire and teach other Architecture students. She wanted to thank those who invited her like the UAPSA-PUP, and CADBE-SC for believing in her. To those who wants to be active like her, she said that it’s all about being true to yourself and doing the things that you love, then all the blessings will come after.

Recently, she won the title as the First Ever AYDA TV Correspondent of the Nippon AYDA TV Correspondence Competition, bringing pride to the college. The story behind this part of her journey was when one of her professors, Ar. Emilie Garcia, encouraged her and another one of her classmates to join the competition.

Ar. Emilie greatly believed in her and was proud when she saw how Maxine’s YouTube career and vlogging was a big help in her thesis journey.

Of course, there were other reasons why she decided to join the competition. One was that she was already a 5th year student, and she wanted to join competitions for one last time before she graduates. Maxine even shared that one of her biggest regrets was that she should’ve joined more Architecture competitions

before, as early as she could’ve. Another reason was the cash prize because she wanted to help her family.

During the time when the competition was on-going, she found it very challenging because it was the same time when she had major break downs. She was doubting herself and how she can’t seem to reach her expectations. There were 2 videos on her channel where it was evident that she was going through a difficult time, but what helped her push through not only in her course, but also the competition, was when she realized that it’s all a part of her road to success. She wanted to thank the CADBE SC, UAPSA, and those who helped her through her video presentation. She mentioned that The Freehand was also a big help to her, allowing her to use the PUP Map that the staffers designed last Summer Issue.

The day that the winners were announced, and she won the competition, was also the day that the HR department of the National College of Science and Technology contacted her and said that she was accepted. As of today, she is now a part-time College Instructor. She immediately grabbed the opportunity when she knew of the urgent hiring of NCST, not minding whether the pay was big or small, or the fact that it may not be counted on the required years of Apprenticeship. All she wanted was to not get stuck at home, and to have a way to help her family as soon as possible. The pandemic did not help with her getting accepted at a firm despite sending out resumes to various companies, but that did not stop her. Blessings were constantly dropping down on her, letting her know that all her hard work is paying off.

Teaching is also her passion and getting accepted at NCST is a big

help because not only does she get to study and remember the things she forgot during her early years in College, but she also got to share this to aspiring Architects. She also got to do this through her YouTube channel, starting last 2020. It was only just for fun, and she admitted that her videos back then were a flop, and that some were still unsuccessful. It took her 2 years before her channel got monetized despite the number of videos she was posting.

She even said that the investments and the time she was using was not enough for the amount that she was receiving from YouTube. However, this will not stop her from doing what she loves. Every weekend, she livestreams with her subscribers which are Architecture students, where she helps them with various subjects.

“Ma-monetize man or hindi, maliit man or malaki yung kita, I will still pursue it,” she added, because not only does it help her, but she also feels happy when she gets to share and help others.

She sees YouTube as an educational platform because it helps a lot of students during online classes, and also those who are undergoing their thesis. “Sobrang fulfilling siya in a sense na I have been a key instrument to make knowledge accessible to people, and I am offering more learning platforms for them.”

She would also like to take the opportunity to thank her professors, especially now that she is experiencing how hard it is. She realized the dedication it takes to teach, and the struggles that professors are going through just to shape the future Architects of PUP. During the time that this article is being written, is the Women’s History Month. Maxine wanted to say that “Babae ka, hindi babae lang.” She is one of those women

who has been battling through this patriarchal society, and as a future Architect, women will encounter this more since Architecture is a male dominated field. She has been facing men who never supported her and are pressured because of the things that she can do. “I’m this type of person who dances, who loves to teach, who does art, videos, and some people see me as a jack of all trades. However, I encounter people who gets insecure sa mga bagay na ginagawa ko na bakit daw lahat na lang ginawa na, lahat kinuha na, and they get insecure and bitter about that.”

Maxine did not let those affect her, because at the end of the day, she doesn’t care about them. She uses them as an instrument to empower herself to do more things.

Ever since she was in high school, she already meets people who wants to bring her and her confidence down, but she did not waver.

She knows that the things she does are all for herself, and that she is only doing what she loves.

“To sum it all, I want to thank the people who continually supported me, especially my mom, the organizations, professors, my friends, family, yung jowa ko, of course, because without them, hindi ako magiging ganito, I wouldn’t reach this point,” she added. Thanking those who were with her through thick and thin.

Despite the burden, the constant pressure, and all the major breakdowns, it didn’t wear her down, and at the end, Maxine would like to tell everyone to trust the process and keep the passion burning!

UNWAVERING DEDICATION THE REALITY BEHIND A STUDENT LEADER'S TRIUMPH JOHN MANUEL CONOPIO As Marcus Tullius Cicero once said, “To err is human, but to persevere in error is only the act of a fool.” Leadership comes with a great sense of responsibility, and, oftentimes deemed as some act that shall have no room for mistakes. However, it is inevitable and for Cruz, he wanted to make a difference.

“It’s not a piece of cake or a walk in the park,” said Angelo Cruz, President of the highest governing student body in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Built Environment (CADBE) when asked about his rule as president of the student council of PUP CADBE. “I’d probably describe myself as imperfect, I make mistakes and such, but that is what makes me human, and I learn from them which makes me a great person, leader, and a student” he added.

Despite the countless wavering moments, Cruz never opted to surrender, and he never thinks of it as an option in the first place. He described his biggest struggle is on how he can surpass the works and the leadership of the previous presidents. It is in no doubt how much pressure it must have been, in fact, Cruz felt hundreds of eyes have been watching him since, waiting for him to fail and struggle. However, he is eager to see how far more he can go with the opportunity he has given, proving his burning dedication that never becomes scarce.

“A leader is a person that supports and helps their constituents” Cruz firmly believes that his own way to give back what the college has able to provide for him is through serving – most especially in the onset of the pandemic, where initiative and extending of hands could be a beacon of hope to his fellow students since uncertainties have made

its presence felt even stronger and access to quality education are being challenged. Serving his fellow iskolar ng bayan and the college itself alone must be a taxing duty; even so studying architecture which is dubbed and recognized by many as one of the hardest courses in tertiary education, yet, Cruz, still manages to do well in both of his duty and in fact is on his fourth year in the university.

With the presence of the ongoing pandemic, a lot of things have become unusual. Even the responsibilities of a leader on his members which perhaps have become quite complicated than it used to be. “We check up on each other from time to time because I know that we are all facing hardships during this setup and in order to work efficiently, we must know the conditions of our constituents” Cruz said, after being asked on how does he manages the student council members effectively, especially now that we can only

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

communicate online. “In all honesty, it’s hard to manage and work now that we can only communicate online because we are all in our houses, we must juggle between being children of our parents and students, and you don’t know what’s happening behind the screen” he added.

Moreover, in one of Cruz’s confessions, his own source of inspiration to continue amid the bitter punches of life is also the exact same person who first trusted him during the beginning of his fruitful journey as a student leader. “My friends inspired me to run for a position in general, because they know that I would do all that I can just to serve the people,” said Cruz. What once a simple dream is now an occurring reality. ”I see the PUP CADBE SC as not just an active council during events and webinars or seminars, but a council that really takes care of their constituents. So, in order to

do so, I see the PUP CADBE SC as proactively working together with the people in order to challenge and be better” Cruz stated when asked about the plans he has for the future of PUP CADBE SC. His statement is a huge assurance to his fellowmen, that in the following years, regardless of what’s ahead of them, their stance as the student council of the college will remain – “students above all else”.

Undeniably, leadership comes with a great sense of responsibility, most especially with their mistakes for it is evidently inevitable to every human, and so does for Angelo Cruz, PUP CADBE SC President. What matters most is, how you turn those experiences into something beneficial both to yourself and the people around you.

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literary Kaya din ni Maria Clara Ang Gusto kong Pangulo Florence Glaze Singson “Ang gusto kong pangulo, yung mala action star!

Iyong astig, tapos marahas at kayang pagbuhatan ng kamay ang kung sino man!

Iyon kasi ang kinatatakutan, iyon din ang kilala Pano nga naman susundin kung lalampa-lampa?”

“Ang gusto kong pangulo, ay alam kung ano gusto ng masa!

Yung laki raw sa hirap, at sumasayaw sa aming harapan!

Tuwing nagmumura sila, pakiramdam ko ay iisa lang kami ng binibigkas na salita, At pakiramdam ko, sa wakas, may nakaiintindi na sa amin na nasa laylayan.”

“Ang gusto kong pangulo, yung namimigay ng pera tuwing eleksyon!

Nakatutulong ito sa aming kabuhayan, at may pang kain na rin mamaya.

Wala na kasi kaming oras para magsaliksik sa kanilang mga plataporma, Dahil mas pipiliin na naming mairaos ang aming araw-araw. “ Ito ang nakasanayan at dinidikta ng medya; Nilunod tayo sa mga pangako at mga pakulo upang magbigay aliw sa masa; Sa kasinungalingan at pagbabago ng kasaysayan, tayo ay naging biktima; At kung pumanig ka sa katotohanan, baka ikaw pa ang mahahatulan ng parusa.

Ito ang nakagawian, ngunit hindi ito ang ating kailangan.

Dahil hindi kailanman nakatulong ang dahas upang makapagpasunod ng mamamayan, ang pagpapatawa sa paggawa ng batas, at ang pagluluklok sa noon nang nagnakaw at naniil sa ating karapatang pantao.

Nais kong maging malaya sa paglalakad, maging malayang suotin ang aking uniporme papasok nang hindi tinatawag na terorista, maging malaya mula sa mga pagbabanta ng pagbobomba sa aming pupuntahan at Pamantasan maging malayang mahalin ang lupang aking tinitirhan at sinilangan.

Kaya’t ang gusto kong pangulo ay may sapat na datos sa ating mga kailangan isang pangulong nakikinig, at hahayaang magsalita ang kanyang mamamayan.

Isang pangulong tumutulong at humaharap sa mahihirap na panahon, Isang pangulong handang sagutin ang mga paratang at katanungan na sa kanya’y ibinabato Hindi natin idolo ang ating mga pulitiko.

Suportahan ang nararapat, at maging mapanuri sa mga kasinungalingan Alamin na ang kapangyarihan ay nasa mga kamay mo, at hindi sa kanila, na tumatakbo sa pwesto.

Sapagka’t ang mga kandidatong pilit na pinatatahimik ang kapangyarihan ng mamamayan, ay ang mga tunay mapagsamantala, at walang malasakit sa lipunan.

Renz Opamil

Sa Aking mga Kamay Julia Maria Kenji Quiñones Ako at ikaw, tayong mga Pilipino Umiiral na may responsibilidad sa lipunan at sa mundo Nakaatang sa ating mga kamay Ang pagbabagong sa bansa’y hinihintay Umiikot ang iba’t ibang kulay, Nangangako sa ating mga buhay Ika nila’y sa kanilang kamay nakasalalay Ang pag-asa sa buhay na ating hinihintay Kaliwa’t kanan ang gawing pananaliksik Para sa karapat dapat na piliin Mula sa ating mga kamay na kikilos Bahagi ng pagkilatis ang pambabatikos Dulot ng ating mga katanungan at karunungan Ang makapaglalagay ng nararapat sa upuan Darating ang panahong sa kanila nakasalalay Ang hinahangad nating magandang buhay Ang pakikibahagi ay may katuturan Hindi dapat tinatalikuran Dito ay ating masusukat Ang pagpapahalagang umiiral para sa ating bayan Sa darating na paghahalal Ang kahalagahan mo’y hinahangad Sapagkat sa ating karapatan umiikot Ang pagbabagong para sa mga Pilipino.

Batang Balimbing Ron Daniel Padilla Bata, bata, karaming prutas sa tumana, Bakit napili mong gayahin ay balimbing?

Bata, bata may bulaklak sa salita Ngunit mali ang tubo ng supling Iyo bang nakamit ang iyong kagustuhan Sa panlinlang sa’yong kaibigan Iyo bang naiwasan ang bigat ng buwan Sa’yong pag-ihip ng kasinungalingan Bata, bata, walang tinatapakan Ngunit hangad ay mangibabaw Bata, bata na ginawang hagdan Ang tiwalang kaniyang ninakaw.

Ngunit hangad ay mangibabaw Naiwasan mo ba ang pananakit Sa pagbitaw ng mga pangako Naiwasan mo ba ang mukhang mapait Sa pagkapit sa matalim na pako Bata, bata, napakalalim ng hinukay Diyan ka ba ililibing Bata, bata nagmamakaawang mabuhay Huwag ka maging balimbing

I Itinuro, nakasanayan at sadyang nakalakihan, Na ang mundo ay nakalaan sa pinagpala ng kalakasan, Sa mas matipuno ang katawan, at may gampaning radikal, Ang pag-inog ay sa kalalakihan at kay Juan ang pagbigay dangal.

II Sa aking kamusmusan ay unti-unting namulat, Na ang linyang pangkasarian ay nabibigyan ng pamagat, ‘Di lumuluksong tinik si Nene, o ‘di marapat umiyak si Juan, Pinagbabatayan ang pagkatao sa kulay na nagustuhan.

III ‘Di rin nakapagtataka kung bakit ito’y dala sa pagtanda, Walang sumubok magtanong, kung bakit at pa’no ‘to naging tama, Papaanong mas kumikiling sa lakas, kesa sa emosyon?

Kung bakit pili lang ang nakasaya, at mas lamang ang nakabarong?

IV Sa pagsusulat ng kabanatang ito ng ating henerasyon, Maraming pinto ang nagbukas, at mga boses ang nagtipon, At higit pa rito na hindi lang sila purong babaeng nangangarap, Kaagapay mga bukas isip na kalalakihan na may pagtanggap, V Ang babae’y hindi lamang nilalang para manatiling pang-bahay lang, Sila ang nagpapalalim nito at maging ganap ang ‘sang tahanan, Kasabay nila sa pagbuo ng matatag na pundasyon at pader ang kalalakihan, Nag-iisip ng disenyong aangkop sa pagpapalalim ng pampamilyang kahalagahan, VI Pinaglalaanan ng emosyon at talino ang pag-aayos ng espasyo, Wala itong kasarian, walang pangalan o titulo, Ang lugar ng kababaihan ay sa lugar din ng kalalakihan, Nabuklod sa paghahangad pang-estrakturang kapayapaan.

VII Hindi nalilimitahan ng kasarian ang kakayahang pang-indibwal, Kung walang sementong kaakibat ay ‘di rin titibay ang bakal, Nawa’y mas maraming propesyon pa ang mas maging mapagpalaya, Di lang si Juan ang bida, kung ano ang kaya niya, kaya din ni Maria Clara -Wakas-

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Time Waits For No One Andrea Flores Media plays a role as an information provider to the masses. Because of this, the media became a trusted primary source of news and information ever since the emergence of newspapers. As the population increases over the decades, it is no longer ideal for everyone to leave their homes and participate in the democratic process. In exchange, the roles of representatives for the masses came to be. In this case, the media became the voice of not only several individuals but large groups of people to those in the government.

However, as times change and change over and over again, is it certain that the media still plays its role as the voice of the people?

Does it give the people trusted information; unbiased and not manipulated? On the contrary, do citizens — like the media — still play their roles properly? Some citizens now play the role of a passive observer and their only function is to cast the final vote.

There is no longer concern about the consequence of their actions. No concern about the state of the country. Media and people alike change as time continues to run and this change is inevitable. Time keeps running and it stops for no one. Will the media and the people change for the worse or with the passing of time, will they regain their roles and credibility back?

Pandemonium Criselda B. Tesoro Neon lights are on a loose Read the space between the lies Nobody might notice, so hush Mind waves of an ocean gush Left with several clues Fame, profane, defamed Chasing stars Blinds through its brightest flicker Elusive night crawlers News, war, uproar Swallow or pay me with a pebble

Fabricated Truth John Carlo Hernandez False information is like a wildfire It just starts with someone who made it up And with the blink of an eye, It engulfs everything including those frail minds

Pluma at Papel Gina Rose Gatchalian Panulat, papel, paghahayag.

Tatlong armas na hindi na bago, hindi nakakatapak ng tao, hindi din bayolente. Ano nga bang magagawa ng papel, panulat at boses? Isang inspirasyon ang ating bayani na si Dr. Jose Rizal, na pluma at mga isinulat niyang libro lamang ang kanyang armas.

Hindi ba’t nakakatuwa, ang isang nagmamatapang, makapangyarihan na kalaban ay takot sa katotohanan na s’ya mo lamang iminumulat sa madla. Sapagkat walang laban ang pisikal mong lakas kapag nagising ang utak ng mamamayang uhaw sa kapayapaan.

Hindi maiiwasan ang maling impormasyon at ang pagsarado ng isipan ng iilan. Ngunit, bilang isang tagapaghayag, ang malinis, konkreto, at patas na prinsipyo ang dahilan upang manalo at makamit ang kapayapaan.

Hindi man lahat ay nakikinig sa pinaghihirapan at ipinaglalaban mo, ngunit huwag mong kakalimutan, na mas marami ang bukas ang isipan, at naniniwala sa kapangyarihan ng katotohanan.

Hate to burst your bubble But this saccharine taste of information Deceives true prescription Ah! Pandemonium Make haste as they fumble through a sweet sky Might stole authenticity Verity lose its dazzle Words are born from man’s mouth And dies from one’s ears Some words pierce into the heart While others turn into fears

In today’s world where information is not always the truth You should be careful on what you read Learn how to detect lies and distinguish opinion from fact Be responsible of the info you share to others Because stupidity should not be tolerated And act of ignorance should not be respected Don’t be like those individuals that keep acting deaf and blind Maybe, truth is hard to swallow along with their pride

“She is not a Rose” Ma. Cristina Moreno Have you ever loved a rose, and watched her to slowly bloom, and as she unfolds her petals, you grew drunk on her beauty.

Have you ever seen her dance, carefree and free-spirited, and as the sun heated, you’ll see the glimpse of genuine smile.

Have you ever checked her arts, nice-looking and full of potential and as she showcase it to the world, you’ll witness how world treats a woman.

Have you ever witness a woman, on thick mud construction site, and hear her plea to work outside, but cage to do work on the inside.

Have you saw a woman, not a lawyer or an activist, but fights for the rights she thinks she deserves, and voice out equality to deaf society.

Above all, not all girls are roses, they are differently planted on the ground, just like their strong hearts and logic, but samely holding their roots strongly, defending herself by knowing she is worthy.

If you ever agree on everything written above, you already met an empowered woman.

A woman that is strong, passionate and full of potential, in her works, principle and beliefs, she will stand strong, firmly and empowered.

Just like clout chasers Beware Through the life of a pandemonium

ILLUSTRATION BY: HAROLD ALEJO THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

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EDQ @pupthefreehand

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ILLUSTRATION BY: KRISTELLE GEVERO