THE RISING PHOENIX

By Juan Dela Cruz

T

he Philippines’ health department on August 15 has detected the first case of COVID-19’s Lambda variant in the country and reminded the public to strictly observe minimum public health standards.

The country recorded 14,749 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, its second-largest daily increase, bringing the Southeast Asian country’s total confirmed infections to 1.74 million.

The Department of Health also reported an additional 270 deaths, the third highest one-day spike in fatalities, increasing the death toll to 30,340.

TOTAL VACCINE DOSES IN THE PHILIPPINES

136,025,206

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As of February 27, 2022 SOurce: DOH

A public transport driver undergoes a PCR test in Manila. The Philippines remains the country most affected by the pandemic in Southeast Asia, with 3,657,342 confirmed cases and 56,165 deaths as of February 25.

Health Secretary Duque defends the Department of Health and his subordinates about the COA’s report on pandemic fund deficiencies.

Meanwhile, the DOH said that it will continue to work with COA to continuously improve its processes to better serve the Filipinos.

DOH pressed to explain use of pandemic funds

By Juan Dela Cruz

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he Commission on Audit (COA) questions Department of Health (DOH) regarding the 67.32-billion funds intended to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

COA’s annual audit report for DOH in 2020 revealed that the questioning of budget mainly for the pandemic purposes is caused by unsupported documents and non-compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

“As an example, some of the findings of deficiencies involving COVID-19 funds amounting to P67.3 Billion resulted from the non-

4 soldiers hurt, 3 Reds’ guns seized in Isabela clash

By Juan Dela Cruz

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our government troops were wounded in a clash with 10 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at the mountains of Barangay Capellan in Ilagan City on Friday.

Maj. Jekyll Dulawan, 5th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the wounded soldiers were airlifted from the site by the Philippine Air Force - Tactical Operations Group 2 members and brought to the military hospital for treatment.

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submission of documentation or supporting papers, which the DOH may still submit in compliance with the auditor’s recommendation. Of the P67.3 Billion, ₱42.4 Billion consisted of fund transfers to procurement/implementing partner-agencies without the required documentation. There is no finding that this amount cannot be accounted for,” COA explained.

As such, the commission argued that the audit process has not yet been completed, and that it is “premature” to make conclusions about the report as of the moment.

M o r e o v e r, P r e s i d e n t i a l

Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is “withholding judgment” until after the DOH submits an explanation on the questionable handling of funds and COA releases its final audit report.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in a statement, said the DOH is currently addressing the deficiencies reported by COA. “The flagged issues are currently being addressed by DOH. Rest assured, that the funds allotted to the DOH are all spent for the procurement of test kits, PPEs (personal protective equipment), payment of HCWs (healthcare workers) benefits, salaries of HRH (human resource

News

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The Official Publication of College of Education

Volume 1 Issue 1 August 2021

Duterte-Duterte tandem dominates Pulse Asia pre-election poll

By Juan Dela Cruz

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio creates an uproar in different social networking platforms during the announcement of their bid for the upcoming national election. The father-daughter tandem was previously supported by Filipinos, based on the survey conducted by Pulse Asia, as their presidential and vice presidential bets.

I

n a survey conducted by the Pulse Asia for the 2022 national elections, Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio and President Rodrigo Duterte were Filipinos’ top presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Face-to-face interviews were used to perform the survey fieldwork from June 7 to 16, 2021.

With 2,400 respondents, Sarah Duterte was the clear favorite for president by over 28% while 18% prefers President Duterte as Vice President.

Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso is second in the poll for president and vice president (14 %).

Other presidential bets are Senator Grace Poe with 10% votes, followed by Senator Manny Pacquiao with 8%, Vice President Leni Robredo with 6%, and Senator Panfilo Lacson with 4%.

On the other hand, Vice President bets were Senate President Vicente Sotto III (10%), former Senator Marcos (10%), Senator Pacquiao (9 %), Taguig City-Pateros Representative Cayetano (8%), and Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero (7%). The Pulse Asia used a ± 2% error margin at the 95% confidence level. from page 1

4 soldiers hurt, 3 Reds’ guns seized in Isabela clash Recovered from the rebels after the 30-minute encounter between a platoon of soldiers of the 95th Infantry Battalion and the communist terrorists at about 7:30 a.m., were an M-16 Armalite rifle, two shotguns, three magazines, 53 bullets for M-16 rifle, five shotgun bullets, and personal belongings.

Lt. Col. Carlos Sangdaan Jr., 95th Infantry Battalion commander, said they would continue to focus their efforts on getting rid of insurgents.

Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group that returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 roams around the country’s borders. They seized most major cities, including the capital of Kabul and are likely to impose harsh rule, experts say.

130 Filipinos in Afghanistan set to leave the country – DFA

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he Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) affirms that 32 Filip inos have fled Afghanistan while 19 others are set to leave country “as soon as possible.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) mandated to have force evacuation of around 130 Filipinos in Afghanistan, as the Taliban continuously to have full control of the its capital known as Kabul.

On August 15, Alert level 4 was issued in Afghanistan

By Juan Dela Cruz

due to the worsening situation in the country brought by the outrageous attacks of the Talibans, as a result the DFA raised its highest crisis alert level and it was issued because there is a full blown attacks both internal and external.

Under alert level 4, Philippine officials raised a force evacuation of all Filipinos in the area, and based from DFA there are is an estimated 130 Filipinos living in the said country.

In August 16, the DFA

affirms that 32 Filipinos had been evacuated on Sunday night and they were already in Doha, Qatar, waiting for the confirmation of their flights going back to the Philippines, and on the other hand there are also 19 Filipinos were set to leave Afghanistan.

The Philippine embassy in Pakistan and the DFA assured that its foreign posts “are exploring all avenues of cooperation and closely coordinating with the governments and international

partners to secure the safety of our countrymen who are in the middle of Taliban and Afghanistan war.”

Overnight, the Afghanistan was rapidly taken over by the Talibans as they continuously make rampage across the country and finally have taken control its capital, Kabul where the airport is located and from there, desperate Afghans are seeking to flee in the country waiting for flights to come.#

Cagayan Valley hospital hires more staff as COVID-19 cases surge

A

s coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients soared to 194 at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) on Tuesday, hospital officials used additional 50 beds to accommodate more cases.

Dr. Glenn Mathew Baggao, CVMC hospital chief, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that they also beefed up their workforce with 100 nurses, doctors, medical technologists, and radiology technicians, and doubled up their ward supplies, ventilators, oxygen and other items.

“The trend, as we can see, is still increasing so we are having more workforce to do the jobs,” Baggao said.

Unless a tighter quarantine status from the existing general community quarantine is implemented

By Juan Dela Cruz

Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) placed additional beds outside to accomodate patients while taking necessary precautions to avoid the spread of the virus inside when COVID-19 cases spike in the region.

especially in Cagayan, the “uptrend cases will further fill up hospitals primarily CVMC, the regional government hospital,” he said.

Baggao said of the current number of patients at CVMC, 163 are confirmed

Covid-19 positive while 31 are suspected cases.

Cagayan province accounts for the bulk of CVMC patients with 146 cases, mostly from Tuguegarao City.

The other patients are from Isabela, Kalinga and

Apayao provinces.

“It is so saddening for us as people tend to relax after getting vaccinated. Still, it is not a guarantee that you will be spared from the virus. Much more that the Delta virus is already in the region,” Baggao said.#

The Official Publication of College of Education

Volume 1 Issue 1 August 2021

OPINION

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PRESS-EATING PREDATOR Despite the incessant attacks to journalists and media organizations, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on July 6, 2021 fed us again with another obvious lie – that press freedom is well and alive in the Philippines.

Since taking office in 2016, Duterte is a predator of press freedom. This claim was supported by Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) or Reporters Without Borders, an international organization founded in France in 1985 to advocate for press freedom worldwide.

They recently revealed this year that Duterte is among the 37 global leaders in their gallery of “press freedom predators,” and that his “predatory method” is total war against independent media.

At the onset of the coronavirus outbreak, Duterte tripled his hate against journalists who tell truths regarding government’s incompetency in a form of a legalized weapon against dissenters – the antiterrorism law. This law, which the United Nations and rights groups are worried, could morph into an expansive attempt to curtail press freedom and the freedom of expression. Its vague definition of terrorism leaves Duterte’s council even greater room to identify, detain, and eliminate the administration’s political enemies.

Duterte has also repeatedly attacked journalists and media organizations, including Bulatlat, Catholic Mass Media, Rappler and ABS-CBN. These led to the governmentbacked filing of cases against outspoken Rappler and the shutdown of the Philippines’ biggest broadcaster. Duterte accused the ABS-CBN of “swindling,” claiming that the network did not show his political ads during the 2016 campaign season though they were already paid for.

Due to Duterte’s attacks to journalists and media organizations, the Philippines has consistently slipped in the World Press Freedom Index, ranking 138th out of 180 countries in 2021. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Philippines dropped in the index, which ranks 180 countries according to the level of freedom given to journalists in a particular locale.

The Duterte administration has also backed the spread of disinformation, online harassment, and redtagging of journalists and perceived enemies of the government.

Social media played a huge part in President Rodrigo Duterte’s 2016 campaign, and it has continued

to serve him well five years into his presidency. The President’s words against journalists – sometimes true, oftentimes not – are echoed on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. This influences public opinion on his political enemies.

There are also times when Duterte repeats false claims that netizens have made, giving these more credibility.

The Philippines is not a safe country for journalists based on international reports as Duterte and his allies are officials

who can’t accept their lacking in good governance. Claiming that press freedom is well and alive in the Philippines, though the cracks are extremely evident, is an obvious manifestation of hypocrisy that no vaccine could ever cure.#

COMICS

Ripple effect Juan Dela Cruz Editor in Chief

“I

Finding Mystery

Although government efforts have been put in place since last year, it cannot still cover the adverse effects of Covid-19 on millions of families.

thought that the spirit of bayanihan among Filipinos has long been dead until Patricia Non of Maginahawa Street in Quezon City came to revive it in the form of community a pantry.

Since the covid-19 pandemic struck the country, hundreds and thousands of people have lost their jobs, resulting in a massive blow on the Philippine economy. This, later, resulted in a nationwide crisis that greatly affected minimum wage earners, especially the ones living below poverty line.

Although government efforts have been put in place since last year, it cannot still cover the adverse effects of Covid-19 on millions of families. Much more, reports on suicides and massive hunger have also continuously appeared on the news day in and day out.

This was when Non entered the scene and started the Maginhawa community pantry that aims to give free food to those who are in need especially families in the lower class who struggle to eat regularly.

The charity work boomed all over the internet and like a ripple effect, it inspired numerous people from all over the Philippines to help by donating food items to the established local pantries.

Actors and businessmen also supported pantries to encourage people to share a bit of their blessings to the less fortunate. And all of a sudden, even communities abroad have established their own pantries.

Furthermore, even middle class families have shelled out resources to back locally established pantries here and there. Surely, a community pantry is proving to be effective in helping people survive their daily struggles. This has also become an avenue for the good-hearted to channel the spirit of kindness among everybody else.

And what we can also glean from this collective effort is that no matter how difficult the situation, Filipinos will always have a soft spot for the suffering of their fellow Filipinos.#

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL BOARD 2021 Editor-in-chief: Juan

Dear Editor, We are very grateful for your continued service. I hope you will continue to be loyal to the people.

- Patricia Dear Patricia, Thank you for your concern for our writers who are braving the challenges of the new normal in education.

God bless and keep safe!

-Editor

Dela Cruz Dela Cruz Managing Editor: Juan Dela Cruz News Editors: Juan Dela Cruz Features Editor: Juan Dela Cruz Column Editor: Juan Dela Cruz Scitech Editors: Juan Dela Cruz Sports Editors: Juan Dela Cruz Cartoonist: Juan Dela Cruz Photojournalists: Juan Dela Cruz

Associate Editor: Juan

Layout Artists:Benjamin Gapay

FEATURE

“

Now that we are in trying times, let us show that we are one. Small gestures such as promotion and buying could also help them draw more power to leap, we just have to be louder than the sound of their generator at night. In such way, Cabagan can step up hand in hand without leaving anyone behind—that is when we can say, we are successful!

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The Official Publication of College of Education

Volume 1 Issue 1 August 2021

Bright light in disguise:

Sitio Tumidtid’s authentic Walis tambo

By Juan Dela Cruz

W

hen the darkness hugs the sky and the surrounding starts to dim, that is when Det knows it’s time to load the gasoline and deal with the reckless sound of the generator. In contrast to the calm serenity in the daylight comes a little trouble when the dark approaches.

“For the information of everybody, Pancit Cabagan is not the only thing we can be proud of. We also have now our very own authentic Cabagan made walis-tambo” While scrolling through my socials, a post caught my attention. It is nowhere near everyday news. It is a first for me. “Cabagan’s first ever walis tambo maker” sounds like a great pride. Reading along the comments and looking over the photos, it is really an astonishing event how a 21-year-old who lived all her life in a small town came to be surprised by such news. I have never thought Cabagan could produce and obtain raw materials to make walis tambo.

While working on what story to feature, a sense came to me to cover Sitio Tumidtid’s walis tambo makers.

I thought it would be a story needed to be told. There, I met Bernadette Agualin, a 27-year-old walis tambo maker known

as Det by her friends. At first, it was a struggle getting in touch with her. The choppy and unstable reception was a hindrance for both of us to catch each other’s sentences.

Det decided to end our call and scheduled another in the evening. I could not understand much of her mumbling, and so I agreed. After a busy long day, the sweet serene had arrived. It was past 7 pm when I texted Det if I can ring her up.

Several minutes had passed but no response was made. I decided to call here directly. With a few failed attempts, her phone finally rang.

The night was cool and gloomy, it was a perfect kind of night for me but not to Det. When she answered my call, all I could hear from the other line was an overwhelming loud sound.

Out of nowhere I got a text notification. “I text kita pag ok na. Baka di tayo magkaintindihan ta malakas ang andar ng generator,” (I’ll text you when everything is okay. We might not understand each other because of the loud noise from the generator) It was a text from Det. Later on, I found out that the Sitio does not have permanent electric supply unlike the most part of the town because it is located on top of the mountains. They can only source out electricity from fuel powered generators that turn mechanical

energy into electrical energy.

Electricity was a constant struggle for them but for us, it is a privilege we often ignore.

Det shared that she learned the art of making walis tambo when she was around 12. Growing up, she had seen his father work hard to create walis tambo to keep up with their family’s needs and to attend to the medical needs of her mother. At a young age, she had to help her father and work for her own allowance.

According to her, the production is tiresome but enjoyable at the same time especially when done together. It is the simple joy that brings their sitio to life.

Sometimes, people like me who are so used to rural-urban living tend to forget that Cabagan is but a small town despite progressive economy. I was emerged from the thought that buildings, infrastructures and technological advancements had topped town-life. We were subconsciously unaware that fast-pacing trends leave stagnant and reverse development.

There are still people who are left behind despite this walk-forward development, people such as Det. Sales of walis tambo are sadly not enough to help it sky-rocket production and expand opportunities for livelihood in the sitio. It is really a waste to sleep

on their industrial and budget-friendly products.

When asked about their motivation to keep the business running is, Det revealed that, with a stable number of buyers this field could flourish and help other people in their sitio to have jobs that could shoulder their daily needs. She also added that they are in deep gratitude for the Local Government Unit of Cabagan in highlighting their product to the public, as it somehow helps them to gain new buyers.

Now that we are in trying times, let us show that we are one. Small gestures such as promotion and buying could also help them draw more power to leap, we just have to be louder than the sound of their generator at night. In such way, Cabagan can step up hand in hand without leaving anyone behind—that is when we can say, we are successful!

Truly, a story like Det and her sitio’s manifests high caliber determination and perseverance. Their shortcomings paved the way for them to level up and be recognized.

The bright yellow walis tambo became their light in disguise.

In the future, I am hoping to cover this soon-to-be success story.#

“

The Official Publication of College of Education

Volume 1 Issue 1 August 2021

05 Page

SPORTS

Lifting the nation Hidilyn Diaz lifted the weight of the Filipinos’ hopes and expectations on her shoulders, then hoisted the bar overhead with a record-breaking lift to deliver the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal ever in 97 years of its participation in the quadrennial games.

The victory capped a 12-year journey that began in Beijing when, as a wildcard entry at age 17, she became the first Filipina weightlifter to compete in the 2008 Olympics. While she broke the Southeast Asian Games record she set earlier, she finished second to last but gained valuable experience in international competition. She was our flag-bearer at the 2012 London Olympics but failed to make the grade after several unsuccessful attempts Diaz’s silver medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games followed boxer Anthony Villanueva’s unprecfrom page 6

Onyok to receive P500k to compensate long overdue pledges He has yet to receive the transfer certificate title of the house and lot he got from winning. Velasco wished that such incident would not happen to the medal bearing athletes, Hidilyn Diaz, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial who won in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The government assures Velasco incentive controversy will not happen again.

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edented feat in the 1964 Tokyo Games. Interviewed in 2019, she waxed prophetic: “I won gold in the 2018 Asian Games (Jakarta) and gold, too in the SEA Games (Clark Field); I claim the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold.”

During the year-long postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she underwent rigorous training in Malaysia with her HD (her initials) Team made up of head coach Kaiwen Gao from China, and strength and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo. A few days before the opening ceremony in Tokyo, she was also joined by sports nutritionist Jeaneth Aro and sports psychologist Dr. Karen Trinidad.

She received substantial support from the MVP Sports Foundation of business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan who, like San Miguel CEO Ramon S. Ang, pledged a P10 million cash prize to Olympic gold

medal winners. These amounts match the incentives provided for them under Republic Act 10699. Millions of Filipino fans are hoping that our first Olympic gold medalist will receive her well-deserved rewards taxfree. The road to Olympic gold was thorny and torturous. With the desolation brought on by the pandemic, Hidilyn – like all other Olympic hopefuls – overcame formidable challenges.

Hidilyn Diaz made an HD Day, a day of triumph for hard work and determination. After receiving the prized gold medal, the gritty, talented Filipina – also a Philippine Air Force sergeant – made a snappy salute to our flag as the hushed crowd listened to our national anthem, Lupang Hinirang (Land of the Morning) played for the first time since the country joined the Olympics 97 years ago.#

Sport’s not dead

he growing number of Filipino athletes qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is one solid proof that the spirit of sports in the country still thrives.

Recently, talks of the disappearing relevance of sports have surfaced the different social media platforms following the global rise of e-sports. This was heightened by the country’s

back-to-back rule in two major international Mobile Legends tournaments, not to mention that the pandemic has jabbed millions of Filipinos to get locked in the game.

To many, these are enough claims to assert that we have finally reached the end of sports. But it seemed as though the Filipino athletes in the national and international stage have made their way out from the grave just when people were about to declare the death of sports.

In a press release, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)confirmed that there are now 19 Tokyo Olympic-bound Pinoy athletes who hurdled their Olympic qualifying tournaments.

With this, PSC is already three athletes of its target to send to the Olympics at it only eyed to send 16. PSC also said that this is now the most number of Philippine bets to the world’s biggest sports convergence. It added that it has shelled out more than P40 million for the training

of the athletes in hope to improve our chances of finally clinching our very first Olympic gold medal.

This, of course, is in stark contrast with what many doomsayers deem as ‘sports decay’.

And this August, the boxing world will witness what is probably the biggest fight on the planet featuring Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and welterweight king Errol Spence Jr. Hence, if there is a continuous booming of sports at the national and international scenes, local fanatics and school sports coordinators can start reviving sports at the ground level by employing mechanisms to allow their players to slowly regain their momentum and love for sports.

At SANHS, for example, MAPEH teachers and the sports coordinator may learn from other schools in the Schools Division of Isabela which have employed strategies to help bring the spirit of sports back to life even at home.

After all, the rise of e-sports should not be taken as the death of sports. #

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Lifting the nation

By Juan Dela Cruz

Match the Match. Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games was held from 24 August to 5 September 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. In today’s world of ParaSport, technology takes many forms from the equipment used by athletes to compete and studies suggest that the assistive devices must match individual requirements of the athlete to safely maximize their performance for athletes matter more.

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okyo 2020 Games, the advances of technology with new materials and improved designs from prosthetics carbon fiber to wheelchair with assisting device was advancing for para sports.

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Onyok to receive P500k to compensate long overdue pledges

By Juan Dela Cruz

O

lympic silver m e d a l i s t M a n s u e t o “Onyok” Velasco to receive P500,000 from the government to sustain unfulfilled promises made to him after winning in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

“The office of the President is currently processing the provision of

financial assistance amounting 500,000 pesos for Velasco” Senator Bong Go asserts, the chairman of the Committee on Sports.

In an interview, the former boxer revealed that he received P750,000 cash incentives, and was able to acquire additional 1.2 million under the administration of Gloria Arroyo due to Republic Act No. 9064—the Sports Benefits and Incentives Act. However, Velasco cleared out that he did not receive the said P2.5 million pledged by the members of the House of Representatives in 1996.

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