The Science Scholar - May-December 2022

The Science Scholar

In pursuit of the untarnished truth

The official English school paper of Philippine Science High School - Main Campus

PSHSS changes ‘truth’ core value to ‘integrity’

BY CLARENNE GAYAPA

Last April 26, the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System passed BOT Resolution 2022–04–032, revising the PSHS mission and vision statements.

In the vision statement, the PSHS core values were changed from “Truth, Excellence, Service” to “Integrity, Excellence, Service.”

continuation on page 3

PSHS–MC back to full F2F classes

BY BIANCA PERALTA & RAPHY SANTOS

After more than two years of the online set-up, students, faculty, and staff of Philippine Science High School — Main Campus (PSHS–MC) attended the first day of in-person classes for school year 2022–2023 last August 31.

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Students flock into the Science and Humanities Building (SHB). Photo by Paolo Vergara of Exposure.

PSHS–MC back to full F2F classes

(continued from page 1)

The opening event was a schoolwide flag ceremony hosted at the grandstand by the outgoing Student Council (SC), with a speech from Campus Director Dr. Lawrence Madriaga. Upon dismissal, students left to join their batchmates for the rest of the morning’s activities.

Batch 2028 attended their team-building activity led by the Guidance and Counseling Unit (GCU) in the gym, which lasted the whole day.

Batches 2027 and 202 participated in the diagnostic testing conducted by the GCU. Meanwhile, Batches 2025, 2024, and 2023 attended a general assembly hosted by the SC in the 4th floor auditorium to discuss important school announcements and new policies. However, Batch 2025 was dismissed early and instructed to proceed to their respective homeroom classrooms as the venue was filled beyond capacity.

Led by Club Coordinating Adviser Ma’am Mara Esguerra, an orientation for club officers was then held in the Advanced Science and Technology Building’s (ASTB) auditorium, although the orientation was limited to only one officer per club to prevent overcrowding.

After the lunch break, Batches 2027 and 2026 attended their general assembly at the 3rd floor auditorium, once again hosted by the SC.

On the other hand, Batch 2025 had an orientation on the Science Immersion Program (SIP) in the 4th floor auditorium. Batches 2023 and 2024, who were also meant to attend the orientation, were dismissed early to avoid a repeat of the overcrowding problem experienced earlier that morning.

Students, faculty, and staff followed COVID-19 protocols throughout the day; mask-wearing was required within the

campus, and the lunch break time frames varied per grade level to prevent overcrowding.

When asked about the PSHS–MC administration’s handling of the day’s events, many students had mixed emotions.

A Grade 10 student expressed their disappointment at the school’s unpreparedness, citing the “lack of electricity, decent chairs and tables, even chairs and tables themselves, [and] the random cramming of three batches at the 4th floor audi[torium].”

“You could observe that things really could[’]ve been better,” said the student.

The responses of students were also divided regarding the very decision to revert to face-to-face learning. Grade 11 student David Magnaye said they “missed bonding with friends, teachers, and other members of the Pisay community”; meanwhile, one student felt nervous as they felt they “forgot how it feels to be in face-to-face classes.”

Teachers felt similarly split regarding the switch.

“I feel both excited and nervous,” said Sir Quentin Tarcelo, a Grade 10 Social Science teacher. While he expressed his excitement about returning to teach in a face-to-face setup after quite some time, he also shared his worries about the safety of the Pisay community from a potential COVID-19 outbreak.

“[I am] excited because I get to teach in a face to face setup, one which I have missed doing for quite some time now. However, I also feel nervous as to how safe the community would be,” he explained.

PSHS–MC ad previously implemented pilot in-person classes earlier this year to test the medium of learning amidst the pandemic.

PSHS–MC bags awards in system-wide MUN summit

BY BENJAMIN JACOB

PSHS–MC holds first club fair since pandemic

BY KAT DELA RAMA & YEL DELENA

Last October 5, Philippine Science High School — Main Campus (PSHS–MC) hosted the first face-to-face club fair in two years.

The program was held in two batches: Grades 7, 8, and 11 had theirs in the morning and Grades 9, 10, and 12 had theirs in the afternoon.

Himig Agham, the school’s official glee club, officially opened the event with a performance of the national anthem.

This was followed by a message from Celver Huerte Ortiz, the club coordinating head of the student council, instructing students on the sign-up processes for their prospective clubs.

“Kamalayan’s performance definitely made its mark, showcasing the true craft and talent of their actors [and] actresses,” Erina Reyes of 8-Rosal remarked.

Dan Co of Batch 2025, one of the coordinators of Ellipsis, expressed their excitement about upcoming activities their club will be hosting: “I’m really looking forward to inspiring creativity and passion into the lower batches and [meeting] more people . . .I hope people will realize that creative arts [is] still something Pisay students can pursue despite being locked into STEM.”

Two delegates from Philippine Science High School–Main Campus (PSHS–MC) won major awards at the recently concluded PSHS System Model United Nations Youth Summit (PMUNYS) III held in Baguio City.

Ezekiel Salazar of Batch 2024 was awarded Best Position Paper representing the Republic of Iceland at the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP). Meanwhile, John Florence Dizon of Batch 2024 garnered Best Opening Speech as the delegate of Turkmenistan in the World Health Organization (WHO).

“I would have already been satisfied with being on time for the committee sessions, […], participating actively in discussions, and crafting speeches on the fly while shaking off the nerves,” Dizon commented.

However, Dizon added that finishing the conference is a victory to celebrate as the pressure is much more amplified this time around compared to the event’s online counterparts in the previous years. Thus, he felt grate-

ful that he was able to win an award.

Joining Dizon and Salazar in the delegation were Julianne Earl Sales (B2024, UN Security Council (UNSC)), Paris Miguel Bereber (B2024, UNEP), Marinela Dyan Tiu (B2025, UN Women), and Anzelmei Cielo De Castro (B2024, UN Women).

Ma’am Kimberly Favor of the Social Science Unit served as the delegation’s coach.

Danielle Andrea Santos (B2023, WHO), Kevin William Castro (B2024, UNSC), and Davis Nicholo Magpantay (B2024, UN Women) also participated as members of DAIS, the student committee in charge of organizing the event.

The delegation remarked on the challenges they faced before and during the summit.

“Truth be told, the delegates of the Main Campus hurdled many struggles in the duration of the training for PMUNYS III. […] We had a few weeks of training before the summit, […] so everyone was busy. It was

hard to find similar free time for the delegates,” Ma’am Favor explained.

Despite these problems, the participants considered themselves to be triumphant.

“I would say we were still lacking in preparation […] due to schedule conflicts and time constraints […] Needless to say, I am proud of the entire [PSHS-]MC delegation, […] daring greatly in doing so,” Dizon said.

The delegation hopes that events like PMUNYS III will inspire PSHS–MC students to join MUN to enhance their skills outside of STEM.

Ma’am Favor told students to not be intimidated by the club. Instead, she encourages them to take this as a challenge to learn more about the UN and international relations through researching about countries, writing position papers, and debating with other students.

“So, if you think you are up to that challenge, join PSHS-MC MUN,” she advised.

In between club presentations, question-and-answer portions were held where the audience could ask point persons about the latter’s respective clubs.

Bravura, the school’s musical ensemble club, was the first to present among the performing arts clubs.

“We’ve been practicing as dedicatedly as we can, even though there’s been some ups and downs,” said Rex Reventar, vice president of the club’s symphony orchestra. “I must say that it’s been quite the experience because the goal of music is not only to perform, but to enjoy making it.”

Many students from Batch 2027 shared that they enjoyed the performance of Kamalayan, PSHS–MC’s Filipino theater club.

However, some Batch 2024 students felt a lack of engagement from the video presentations. “[The in-person demonstrations] felt like getting to know the club on a more personal level,” one student said.

Some club officers also found the club fair draining as the preparations took a lot of time and effort.

“Though a bit messy, it wasn’t bad given that this was Pisay’s first face-toface club fair in a while,” stated Hugh Mejos of Batch 2023, varsity captain of Invictus. “[I] massively appreciate the Student Council for putting this together given the circumstances.”

Club sign-ups will open on October 10 at 7:00 p.m. through a Google Form that will be sent to students’ emails.

Photos by Paolo Vergara of Exposure.

Photos by Paolo Vergara of Exposure.

PSHSS changes

‘truth’ core value . . .

(continued from page 1)

The resolution states:

“The PSHS System Board of Trustees (BOT) through its meeting via Zoom Video Conferencing on April 26, 2022, RESOLVED TO APPROVE the following Vision and Mission statements for the Philippine Science High School System:

VISION:

We are the leading science high school in the Asia Pacific Region preparing our scholars to become globally competitive Filipino scientists equipped with 21st century skills and imbued with the core values of Integrity, Excellence and Service to Nation.

MISSION

Advancing premier high school STEM education for the people.”

No further explanation was provided in the document on the rationale of this change.

The PSHS System website has also been updated to reflect this.

Despite the resolution being dated on April 26, PSHS Main Campus teachers reported only discovering this change during the school’s general assembly last May 25, a month after the resolution was signed.

BOT Resolution 2022–04–032 also establishes the PSHS System Strategic Plan for 2022–2028:

“Further, the BOT RESOLVED TO APPROVE the PSHS System Strategic

Plan for 2022–2028 and its corresponding goals and objectives anchored on the ‘FORWARD Framework,’ as presented.

• Future-proof education.

• Optimum human resource development.

• Reengineering administrative processes.

• World-class outputs based on well-defined standards.

• Accessible intellectual property through appropriate use.”

• Recognizable brand of STEM education.

• Deepening socio-emotional skills.”

PSHS–MC hosts 13th Science Film Festival Ph

BY KALEENA SO

Selected students of the Philippine Science High School–Main Campus (PSHS–MC) attended the opening of the 13th Science Film Festival Philippines last November 7.

Organized by the Goethe-Institut Philippinen, the event was held on-site at the 4th Floor Multi-purpose Hall. Students from various PSHS campuses were also able to attend virtually through Zoom.

The event was hosted by Amelia Gosiengfiao of 10-Photon and Claire Chua of 10-Tau, with welcoming remarks from Campus Director Dr. Lawrence Madriaga and a video message from PSHS Executive Director Lilia Habacon.

To give a background on the film festival, Goethe-Institut Philippinen Director Mr. Julian Fuchs gave a short message

on the festival’s theme, “Equal Opportunities in Science.”

“Anybody should have access to science because we need a lot of bright mind[s], as long as you [students] have a lot of good opportunities, everybody will profit,” Fuchs explained.

He shared that the festival aimed to raise awareness of increasing diversity and inclusivity of underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Apart from Goethe-Institut Philippinen, the event was also assisted by the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Rolls-Royce Southeast Asia.

Video messages from Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., and Rolls-

PSHS–MC commemorates Martial Law’s 50th anniversary

BY ATILA VINCULADO

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, the social action clubs and official student publications of Philippine Science High School–Main Campus (PSHS–MC) conducted events such as exhibits and film showings last September 21.

The day kicked off with Lingon, an event that featured Batch 1972 alumnus Jobart Bartolome who shared his story about him and his batchmates fighting for their education amidst the challenges brought upon by Martial Law.

This was followed by performances from different clubs and bands to honor Martial Law victims.

“We went [with] this approach in order to cater [to] the youth and to make them more interested to join us reminisce or ‘lingon’ to our past,” said Celver Huerte Ortiz, vice president of AKSIS, editor-in-chief of Ang Lagablab, and club coordinating head of the student council.

Shortly after the program was an uncensored film showing of movies about Martial Law hosted by Celluloid and the Bake Club. The event showcased Lino Brocka’s Bayan Ko and Jun Lana’s Barber’s Tales.

According to Thandie Aliño, president of Celluloid, the event not only showed films about Martial Law, but it also shed light on how regular people were affected by the regime including the torture of women and the state of the poor back then.

Proceeding the film showing was a candle lighting in the Advanced Science and Technology Building (ASTB) Hall to honor the lives of the martyrs of PSHS. The library also hosted a book exhibit on Martial Law, which was on display for the remainder of the week.

AKSIS, Ang Lagablab, and The Science Scholar also held “Kung Paano Kayo Noon, Ganito Pa Rin Kami Ngayon,” a human exhibit along the ASTB to the back lobby. This detailed the stories of the Pisay martyrs, events that happened outside of Pisay, and how these events mirror the administration today.

According to AKSIS President Danielle Santos, the exhibit was inspired by the Wall of Martyrs AKSIS had set up in the library.

“We thought it could be a good way to have people read and learn more about Martial Law by having something physically set up for them to see like our exhibit,” explained Santos.

A freedom wall for students to write down their thoughts on Martial Law and answer the question “Bakit maganda kung walang Martial Law?” (“Why is it good without Martial Law?”) was also set up outside the library.

The event netted positive feedback among students, with Min Sung Lee of 9-Cesium stating: “. . . I think that overall, it was a fantastic and informative program that tries its best to teach the modern generation about the horrors and grief of the [sic] Martial Law.”

Royce Southeast Asia, Pacific, and South Korea President Dr. Bicky Bhangu were shown on screen.

To conclude the festival’s opening, members of the PSHS–MC music club Bravura’s String Orchestra group performed an arrangement of the Enkanomiya Battle Theme.

The festival featured 45 science educational films available for free online as videos-on-demand from November 3 to December 3.

Students were given a preview of the available films with a screening of “With Heart and High-Tech — How People Master Challenges,” which discussed the resources technology has provided to improve the lives of many.

“The film really did spark interest in something that I didn’t really know of be-

fore. With the incorporation of biotech, it was just interesting how science can solve [problems] in the world we live in,” remarked Aydan Ables of 10-Graviton.

After a 10-minute break, students participated in a short game that tested their knowledge of common German phrases. The event concluded and the students who volunteered received prizes provided by the organizers.

Karl De Leon from 10-Graviton said the event allowed him to appreciate modern advancements in science and technology with the growing problems around society: “Modern-day scientists, using the most out of our resources, aim to cater to all those very specific problems that trouble people in their everyday lives.”

All 45 films can be accessed upon registration through the Goethe-Institut Philippinen site.

Photos by Goethe-Institut Philippinen

ACCESS FILMS HERE!

Photos by Jansen Asiado and Paolo Vergara of Exposure.

The Science Scholar scischo scischo

PSHS–MC AstroSoc, PracAstro hold lunar eclipse AstroNight

BY RAPHY SANTOS AND CHARLY VIÑAS

Last November 8, students of Philippine Science High School–Main Campus (PSHS–MC) camped overnight at the school’s oval field for the 2022 Total Lunar Eclipse Observation Night.

The participating students were from the Astronomy Society (AstroSoc), PSHS-MC’s official astronomy club, and the Grade 10 Practical Astronomy (PracAstro) elective.

The event was spearheaded by teachers from the Integrated Science Unit, AstroSoc adviser Ma’am Ma. Andrea Carvajal, AstroSoc president Corel Lee, and PracAstro adviser Sir Rey Baguio.

The event officially commenced around 5 p.m.; participating students registered and attended an orientation for the event. The students then began assisting with the set-up of the telescopes at 6 p.m.

The moon observation began shortly after the telescopes were ready for use. As

the eclipse reached its peak totality, AstroSoc began a livestream of the “blood moon” on Facebook.

Participants then stopped for a dinner break with food sponsored by the organizers.

After this, AstroSoc members and PracAstro students then split off into their respective activities. AstroSoc members participated in an Amazing Race game while PracAstro students continued their observation of the moon as it left its totality period and exited completely, along with Saturn, Jupiter, and several stars and constellations.

Several Celestron Powerseeker 114 telescopes were primarily used throughout the event, but three other PSHSowned telescopes were also set up: Virginia, a MEADE LX850 telescope and the one of the largest in the Philippines, Helen, a Celestron NexStar 8SE telescope, and a Sky-Watcher Virtuoso telescope.

The event was the first AstroNight since March of this year. AstroNights are overnight in-campus events that allow student participants to observe and appreciate the night sky.

According to Lee, AstroNights were once “one of the cornerstone [pre-pandemic] Pisay experiences,” and with the return of in-person club meetings, he wanted to bring them back.

“Even for those not interested in astronomy, the event is still such a unique experience because there are rarely any events when you camp in school grounds, gaze under the stars, and talk about life,” said Lee.

Lee also shared plans to hold AstroNights for Batches 2024 to 2027.

According to him, Batches 2026 to 2024 had missed out on having their own AstroNights due to the pandemic. Batch 2027, however, may have their own this year for their Earth Science subject.

Photos by Jansen Asiado of Exposure and Charly Viñas.

PSHS–MC celebrates 58th Foundation Day

BY AJ BITUIN & MIKKO SALVADOR

Last September 5, the Philippine Science High School–Main Campus (PSHS–MC) celebrated the PSHS System’s 58th Foundation Day.

The day commenced with a flag ceremony led by the Division of Student Affairs (DSA).

Afterwards, Catholic students, teachers, and staff had the option to attend a Thanksgiving Mass at the PSHS–MC Multi-purpose Gymnasium, where Himig Agham, the school’s glee club, and the symphony orchestra of Bravura, the music ensemble club, performed.

Evangelicals also had the option of a Thanksgiving Service at the Advanced Science and Technology Building (ASTB) Exhibit Hall.

After the Thanksgiving Mass and Service, students lined up to receive free scoops of ice cream at the Kalachuchi Lane. They then proceeded to their respective classrooms to attend their Homeroom Advising (HRA) and Academic and Scale Advising (ASA) classes.

Meanwhile, faculty and staff attended an awards ceremony at the gym, where employees were recognized for the achievements they attained over the previous year, along with their years of service.

Among these were the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) Awardees. Sir Quentin Tarcelo of the Social Science Unit was recognized for passing the 2020–2021 Bar Examinations, while Sir Warren Dula of the Accounting Office, Sir Francis Orque and Ma’am Flordeliza Fermin of the Filipino Unit, and Sir Alejandro Tuazon of

the Technology Unit were recognized for finishing their graduate studies.

The Covidvax Team and support groups such as the PSHS Foundation, Inc. and the National Alumni Association were also recognized for their service.

Members of Bravura’s rondalla and selected personnel were featured during brief intermission numbers, where the latter gave a dance performance. A photo booth was also installed at the back of the gym for those who wanted a souvenir of the ceremony.

In the afternoon, students from Grades 7 to 8 and from Grades 9 to 10 attended separate general assemblies hosted by the Student Council (SC) at the gym, where they were reminded of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Meanwhile, Grades 11 and 12 students had their separate Service, Creativity, Action, and Leadership Enhancement (SCALE) Program orientations.

Ma’am Dinnie Morales, the SCALE Coordinator for Grade 11, held the event for Batch 2024 students at the Third Floor Auditorium. On the other hand, the SCALE Coordinator for Grade 12, Sir Edwin De Ocampo, oriented Batch 2023 students at the Fourth Floor Auditorium.

Rhyanna Melody Palisoc, a student of 8-Champaca and member of Himig Agham, remarked that the Foundation Day celebration was good and lively.

“It was so fun even though we only had Mass for the Foundation Day because I get to have a break from my studies and enhance my talent in singing,” she said. However, she shared that she expects something more in the next celebrations

of PSHS’s Foundation Day.

PSHS started its operations on September 5, 1964. The school was previously established back in 1963 with the signing of Republic Act (R.A.) 3661, which offers a scholarship on secondary education emphasizing on science to prepare students for a science career.

When asked how PSHS has changed throughout his stay, a student from 12-F said: “I’ve felt that PSHS has become more prominent in my life . . . to the point where I can say that PSHS is part of my identity as a person. Watching students and teachers come and go also added in a sense of nostalgia.”

Now that PSHS is in its 58th year, the student also hopes that it will continue producing students who will live by the values of truth, excellence, and service.

Palisoc, meanwhile, looks forward to what will happen as she starts her first face-to-face classes, knowing that her first year as a PSHS–MC student went well because it was online. She hopes that lessons will be fun and not so difficult, and that the school would respect its students’ wishes.

PSHS–MC hosts SY ‘22–23 MdAs

BY PARIS BEREBER

Last November 9 and 10, students of Philippine Science High School–Main Campus (PSHS–MC) attended the Miting de Avances (MdAs) for the student council (SC) and their respective batch councils as the student elections for S.Y. 2022–2023 neared.

The PSHS–MC Students’ Electoral Commission (SEC), alongside The Science Scholar and Ang Lagablab — the official English and Filipino publications of the school, re- spec -

tively — organized the six MdAs of candidates running for the SC and councils of Batches 2028 to 2024.

The MdA of Batch 2023 did not proceed as the majority voted to retain their current batch officers.

On the first day, the SC MdA kicked off at the 2nd floor of the Multi-purpose Gymnasium with the introduction of the Kalachuchi Party. The MdAs of Batches 2027, 2026, and 2025

happened afterward at the 3rd Floor Auditorium.

The MdAs of Batches 2024 and 2028 were held the following day due to conflicts in schedule with activities held the previous day.

The programs began with an introduction of the candidates and their plans of action, where each party was given five minutes and each independent candidate was given three minutes.

Afterwards, each candidate was given 45 seconds to answer pre-prepared questions. The audience was then given a chance to ask questions through an open forum.

According to several students, they were able to gain significant insights on the running parties to help them decide in the upcoming elections.

“It really showed the personality of each party and helped me decide on who to vote for . .

. Overall, it was good, and I appreciated the effort put into it,” a student from Batch 2028 commented.

Clarice Chavez from 8-Dahlia expressed her opinion on the Best Friends (BF) Party of Batch 2027: “The candidates were able to sufficiently answer the questions, and they showed nothing but devotion to their projects as batch council.”

Others argued that the MdAs failed to achieve their goal.

“I don[‘]t really think the MdA showed a good representation of the candidates,” a Batch 2025 student added, referring to the Accountability, Solidarity, Keenness, and Ambition through our Leadership (ASKAL) Party and the independent candidate of Batch 2025.

As the MdAs served as the main platform for candidates to campaign, many students expressed their support through showcasing a party’s campaign colors, such as the wearing of blue masks and purple ribbons at the 2024 MdA to endorse Lampara and Tinig, the two running parties for their batch council, respectively.

However, some students felt that

there was a lack of communication and preparation with the MdAs.

Mikko Salvador of Batch 2024, transcriber of the SC MdA, stated that, “It [the SC MdA] was very helpful with regards to knowing about the different candidates’ platforms and plans for the school year . . . though I wish more people [attended].”

The MdAs also experienced some technical difficulties, especially with the sound system.

“I think a bunch of people were unaware of it and did not know it was required,” a student from Batch 2025 remarked. “The whole thing was really difficult for the people at the back . . . The microphones were . . . really soft.”

Transcripts of the MdAs were made available through the official social media pages of The Science Scholar last November 12 and 13.

READ THE MDA TRANSCRIPTS HERE:

Photos by Nina Corpuz, Andrei Salvador, Jansen Asiado, of Exposure.

I expect something bigger and better in Pisay this school year.

RHYANNA MELODY PALISOC STUDENT OF 8-CHAMPACA

Photos by Jansen Asiado and Paolo Vergara of Exposure.

BATCH COUNCIL

President

Maureen Gabrielle Rivera

Vice President

Bituin Guillermo

Secretary

Keith Maverick Crisostomo

Treasurer

Lucille Dalope

Auditor

Dana Joy Dizon

STUDENT COUNCIL

President

Erina Gabrielle Reyes

Secretary

Brianna Simon Taccad

Treasurer

Regina Therese Castañeda

Auditor

Rajan Victor Parado

Vice President Secretary Treasurer Auditor

Business Manager Club Coordinating Head

2026

President Franchezca Lara Sabino

Vice President

Zaressiel Adah Estrella

Secretary Grandis Frias

Treasurer

Kyle Nicholas Felarca

Auditor

Ramon Jurelle Perez

2022 - 2023 OFFICERS

STUDENT COUNCIL

Karl Gabriel Bueser

Anika Beatrize Panopio

Juliene Nissi Palada

Avril Sachi Tan

Benjamin Jacob

Celver Zitro Huerte Ortiz

BATCH COUNCIL

President

Ula Beatrix Lim

Vice President

Myka Angelyn Ylarde

Secretary

Raine Saiya Delos Reyes

Treasurer

Bianca Marie Sacramento

Auditor

Julianna Earl Sales

BATCH COUNCIL

President

Amelia Gosiengfiao

Vice President

Syrila Erin Catral

Secretary

Kaleena Clarice So

Treasurer

Anneliese Gutierrez

Auditor

Lerwin Chester Cheng

BATCH COUNCIL

President

Janssen Reign Peña

Vice President

Aaron Joseph Gavino

Secretary

Rysa Antonette Ang

Treasurer

Anela Maree Jardin

Auditor

Margarita Calupaz

*Last school year’s council was retained as voted upon by Batch 2023.

CAR-CENTRISM Adding vehicle fuel to the fire

BY KAT DELA RAMA & YEL DELENA

Another day of the government highlighting a problem means another day of never addressing it.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. highlighted the importance of railways in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 25. But, as usual, his priorities are shown to be misplaced.

The president said that “railways offer great potential as it continues to be the cheapest way of transporting goods and passengers” — which is true. Railways are indeed a first step in improving the Philippines’ transportation system, but there are more pressing transportation issues that must be focused on — especially in the country’s car-centric cities.

Car-centrism prioritizes private vehicles on roads that are also used by pedestrians, bikers, as well as commuters. This concept fails to apply basic urban planning principles, as it manifests in inequitable policies and programs that benefit private vehicle owners at the expense of everyone else.

The government’s ignorance of the needs of the majority is evident in their prioritization of car-centrism in the national budget, where 33 percent of its 2022 infrastructure budget was still spent on road networks.

Although the Department of Transportation (DOTr) echoes Pres. Marcos Jr.’s aforementioned priority in its allocation of amounts to the railway sector, the needs of those who bike, walk, or commute remain unaddressed.

This blatant disregard of the most important issues unsurprisingly came from a government whose decisions have created chaos in the country — chaos that has made it impossible to travel by alternative means. And if we do not highlight and call out the lack of urgency to attend to those needs, our country’s transportation system will continue to fall apart — as it already did for so many years.

UNDESERVED STRUGGLES

The Philippine transportation system should be helpful to its users, especially in a society where only 10 percent of households own cars. But in reality, the majority have their time and money wasted on an urban planning system that is concerned with neither their comfort nor safety.

Ignorance from what is needed the most in transportation systems leads to 188 hours and ₱56,000 per individual lost to rush-hour traffic yearly. However, its effects do not end with the mere waste of time and expenses, as 12,000 lives are also lost on Philippine roads yearly. This loss of resources and lives could have been avoided had officials just avoided car-centric planning in the first place.

They should have also understood that there are people who have no other means of travel and have the right to proper lanes and routes as human beings.

Pedestrians do not deserve to walk on sidewalks that abruptly end without a warning, as well as those used as parking spaces, vendor stalls, and roads for motorcycles and cars. These are sidewalks in everyday Philippine life that make walking dangerous and even deadly at times.

Bikers should not feel that they are risking their lives just because they’re biking. They deserve properly-placed bike lanes and not those hastily added by splitting a lane into two, rendering the remaining half unusable. They do not deserve to be put in a situation of accidents and packed lanes, where some drivers take up the adjusted lane even when bikers are present.

Under the previous administration, 40,080 kilometers of roads were constructed, maintained, widened, upgraded, and rehabilitated. However, while these added roads accommodate the present flow of vehicles, the government must realize that the increased space will incentivize people to buy more cars, leading to more vehicles and thus adding to traffic.

Moreover, commuters shouldn’t have to tolerate a slow and confusing public transport system that treats them as nuisances compared to drivers of private vehicles. They, along with pedestrians and bikers, shouldn’t be pushed to buy and use a car, especially if they cannot afford it.

Filipino society, after all, should be for the people, and it shouldn’t place its citizens in a position where they can either conform to a car-centric society or get left behind.

MOVING AWAY FROM CAR-CENTRISM

In a society like this, the principles of car-centrism are not sustainable.

Improving railways may be a step to move away from car-centrism, but what should have been prioritized in the first place is their safety and comfort, not band-aid solutions that the government puts out to say that they are at least doing something.

The government should prioritize building complete streets that efficiently accommodate pedestrians, connected cyclist networks through off-street trails, and bike lanes. Some first steps were already made in the Lopez Jaena Street in Pasig City, the Fatima Avenue in Valenzuela City, as well as the bike lanes in Clark Freeport Zone and along Agham Road and BIR Road.

Additionally, they should focus on infrastructures that keep pedestrians safe on the road. These include pedestrian overpasses that minimize interactions among the different types of travelers and drastically reduce accidents; and bus shelters that can also reduce traffic by sitting right on the sidewalk, with a curb separating them from cars.

The government must also do more than just their “Build, Build, Build’’ program to solve the Philippines’ transport supply shortage.

They must stop making tired excuses and faulty solutions to cover up the fact that they have made no progress. They must stop trying to retain their “good” image, but instead, actually do something that benefits their people.

AN EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR TRANSPORTATION

If the people in power focus on what needs to be done, our cities would be safer for pedestrians, bikers, and commuters alike. Meanwhile, drivers of private vehicles wouldn’t wrestle for space in roads, as other road users would have their own spaces as well.

Their actions must result in roads where one could walk or bike more freely, without worries of getting run over by cars, and transportation systems which cater to the needs of commuters.

Each and every one of our needs would be granted in a society that paves the way not for the dominance of cars, but for the equitable use of roads among every citizen.

The fact that we still have so much to do before we reach this future tells us this: we must never forget to hold the government accountable for their actions — or rather, the lack of. Remember how they once again turned away from our raised concerns, and that if they do their job, we would have a better transport system for our country and our people.

And the struggle of pedestrians, commuters, and bikers in a car-centric world would finally end.

Artwork by Lance Libatique

“Car-centrism... benefits private vehicle owners at the expense of everyone else.”

The Heterosexual Act: Recognizing and protecting homophobia

BY KAT DELA RAMA & YEL DELENA

freedom.

“The best way to avoid a ‘perceived’ discrimination is to be what [G]od created us to be.”

These were the words of District Representative Bienvenido “Benny” Abante in his explanatory note for his proposed Heterosexual Act.

In filing his bill, Abante demanded that the rights of heterosexuals be recognized and protected by the state. He acted as if the LGBTQIA+ community were clamoring for special privileges that would elevate their status in society when in reality, they only seek to be treated fairly.

Abante’s bill is proof that the Philippines has a long way to go in terms of overcoming its heteronormative and Catholic influences and ultimately acknowledging LGBTQIA+ rights. More than ever, we must speak out against the Heterosexual Act, lest it becomes another law that enforces the tight hold of outdated Catholic beliefs — and further enables the oppression of the vulnerable.

THE “OPPRESSION” OF HETEROSEXUALS

While the bill brands itself as a defender of heterosexual rights, it is clear that its ulterior motive is to invalidate and impose on the rights of queer people — rights that the community has defended for decades against the same people Abante wishes to protect.

Heterosexuals have always been able to freely express themselves through their wardrobe and love whom they want to while the LGBTQIA+ community has to fight just to be able to wear clothes matching their gender expression without getting harassed. Heterosexuals such as Abante believe that their privilege to un-

justly criticize queers is a right, one that they now feel they are being deprived of.

Abante also stated that if queer people want their rights to be protected, the same should also go for heterosexuals “in the spirit of justice, equity, and fair play.” He believes that allowing queer people to have rights would result in the oppression of heterosexuals.

This poses a glaring misinterpretation of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill and other legislative battles for LGBTQIA+ rights. In our heteronormative and cisnormative society, heterosexuals and cisgendered people face little to no discrimination when it comes to their SOGIE. In fact, they are rewarded with happier and safer lives compared to the LGBTQIA+ community, who are at a higher risk of suicide and violence. Even if the SOGIE Equality Bill is passed, heterosexuals and cisgendered people will still continue to enjoy the privilege of a relatively happy and safe life as the bill protects everyone from SOGIE-based discrimination, including them.

As with many other oppressive legislations, this homophobic bill is a result of deliberate misinterpretation of progressive movements and the unjust imposition of personal beliefs on others.

DEFYING GOD’S LAW

Abante’s bill is a perfect example of using religious freedom — a right defended by Section 5 of the Bill of Rights — to abuse minorities. People are legally allowed to state opinions and views based on their religious backgrounds, but when these opinions are directly harmful to someone else, it becomes an abuse of one’s

This is far from the first time we’ve seen lawmakers impose their religious beliefs on the country, as Philippine legislation is tainted with laws that refuse to recognize the rights of various minorities. Issues such as divorce and abortion remain banned despite recommendations from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHR) due to the Philippines being a pre-dominantly Catholic nation.

While there have been attempts to create a safer space for LGBTQIAs in the Philippines — two most prominent attempts being the SOGIE Bill and the Anti-Bullying Law of 2013 — these laws are weakly enforced, if not completely ignored. Queer people in schools, workplaces, and communities are still subject to incessant bullying and harassment — mainly from people who use the word of God to attack the queer community.

Abante is an example of those who often cite religion as the basis for their homophobic sentiments. In his explanatory note, he repeatedly looked down on the LGBTQIA+ community, implying that only heterosexuals are true creations of God and that the community is a sinful creation of mankind. It is these people who unfairly stigmatize the community and as such, hinder the progress of LGBTQIA+ rights that should’ve already been a given.

As stated in the constitution, the separation of church and state must be inviolable. The Catholic beliefs of a legislator should not be the primary basis for creating laws — the well-being of citizens must always come first. When legislators prioritize their religious biases over the safety of a community, then they have already failed to fulfill their duty to the

people.

The Bible repeatedly instructs its readers to love your neighbor as yourself; yet, it seems that the Catholic Church and its followers set out to crucify anyone that doesn’t fit in.

FORCED INTO SILENCE

And this bill, should it pass, will criminalize fighting back.

The queer community will be forced to once again remain silent as heterosexuals discriminate against anyone who does not fit their narrow definition of “normal.”

Heterosexuals, Abante’s so-called “actual and direct creations of God,” will be allowed to say homophobic slurs and fire queer employees for simply expressing themselves. Furthermore, LGBTQIA+ activists will be jailed for at least five years or fined at least Php 100,000 for daring to speak up against these injustices.

The only protection this bill claims it would grant the LGBTQIA+ community is outlawing heterosexuals from being physically violent towards them. However, this is not the only form of discrimination the community faces on the daily. What use will this prohibition on violence be when you are forced to listen to people call your very existence a sin? How will this protect you when you must hide your true self lest you lose your source of income?

AN UPHILL BATTLE

The bill is a death sentence for the LGBTQIA+ community. Not only will it allow homophobia to run rampant in our country, but it will also reverse any progress queer activists have made.

The mere filing of this bill is a harsh reminder that our country’s small steps towards acceptance in the fight for sex-

uality and gender rights are not enough. Our country is still filled with people — and more so, policymakers — like Abante who fail to realize that members of the LGBTQIA+ community are human beings and citizens of the nation, subject to the same rights, respect, and legal protection that heterosexuals enjoy.

It has been two decades since the first version of the SOGIE Equality Bill was filed by the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago and former Akbayan Representative Loretta Rosales. Yet even after decades of insulting misconceptions, religious intolerance, and lack of political support, there is still no legislation that protects the LGBTQIA+ community from discrimination.

This bill is just another obstacle in a long list of hurdles the queer community has faced. But despite the SOGIE Equality Bill being continuously shot down, LGBTQIA+ advocates continue to fight for the equality the community deserves and speak up against injustices.

Organizations and prominent advocates are not the only ones that can create significant changes within the community. Even as students, we can be a safe space for the queer community by making it clearly known that we stand with them against homophobia. By simply speaking up when a teacher or fellow student misgenders or deadnames a transgender classmate and refusing to ignore someone mocking a student for their sexuality, we take the first few steps in creating a safer space for the community.

The queers have not lost — not yet. And if we speak up loud enough and stand for what is right, the queers will never lose.

Artwork by Jez Belda

The Science Scholar

S.Y. 2022 - 2023

Editor-in-Chief

Associate Editor-in-Chief Corinne Llantero

The Pisay fighting spirit

BY MABUA BARBIE*

One look at the Martial Law freedom wall says it all.

Hundreds of hashtags, pencil sketches of laban symbols, and staunch one-liners denouncing the Marcos name fill up the wall, heavily outnumbering the off-topic jokes, random doodles, and occasional pro-Marcos sentiments.

Their spirits were strong enough to get them through Pisay’s blunders — but the gathering storm around them seemed to be much worse.

TAKING THE FIGHT OUTSIDE

Katch Viernesto

Content Editors Athena Ap-apid Indie Beldia

Sam Gianan

Danni Santos

Chesca Tumaneng

Communication Managers

Vyan Abella

Paris Bereber

Karl Ducusin Kaleena So

Social Media Managers

Yel Delena Grandis Frias

Kaleena So

Felize Ilagan

Internals Managers

Karl Ducusin Benji Jacob

Raphy Santos

Staff Writers

Kiko Angeles Paulo Aquino

Paris Bereber

Wrynah Calpito Nathan Cometa Yel Delena

Andy Ganancial

Caitlin Gesmundo

Franco Kasilag

Gabbie Penullar

Bianca Peralta

Kyle Ramos

Jaden Reyes

Siobe Saavedra

Bianca Sacramento

Mikko Salvador

Raphy Santos

Maddy Tiu

Joshua Viloria

Atila Vinculado

Creatives

Jez Belda

Lance Libatique

Eris Ramos

Quenso Tambalque

Nico Tan

Niña Viaje

Adviser

Daryl Wyson

We would like to thank the following:

Justice Abdon Amira Batino

Kat Dela Rama Kurt Nuqui

Davis Magpantay Stephen Chua

Exposure

Everyone who participated in #PisaySpeaks

Pisay students seemingly share the same opinions, principles, political advocacies — the same spirit.

And, judging from the names on the wall of Pisay martyrs to the write-ups on Ang Lagablab’s compilation of old articles, it seems that Pisay has had this spirit from the beginning.

THE FIGHT WITHIN SCHOOL GROUNDS

Pisay students back then were no strangers to making their voices heard — they had to fight for what they deserved. And with no other available platform, they took their fights to the campus grounds and often, to the streets.

On August 24, 1970, after cutbacks reduced the 12.7-hectare plot of land designated for the permanent campus to 7.5 hectares, students marched all the way to Malacañang and picketed the palace gates.

According to a headlining report by The Science Scholar, students “went on a general strike from August 18 to 25 demanding the immediate settlement of the [campus] site problem” as ownership conflicts put the campus buildings’ construction in a standstill.

The following year, when a photography teacher gave more than half of her students failing marks despite not holding meetings, students did not remain silent. They filed a petition against her, requesting the suspension of their grades in her subject.

In 1969, the outset of President Marcos’ second term was tainted by a severe economic crisis. The value of the Philippine Peso was free-falling, anti-Marcos activist groups were picking up momentum, and the steady growth of their demonstrations was building up to the 1970 First Quarter Storm.

Pisay students couldn’t remain passive through all of this. And so they channeled their fighting spirits to matters beyond school affairs.

Students frequently partook in demonstrations in the neighboring area of the University of the Philippines and in the University Belt over in the City of Manila, places that were notorious breeding grounds for student activism.

They weren’t afraid to speak out, but they found out that, sometimes, speaking out comes at a cost.

On December 4, 1970, while PSHS student Francis Sontillano was participating in a political demonstration along with his schoolmates in the University Belt, a bystanding security guard threw a pillbox (a small explosive) at the crowd of protesters.

Everyone nearby dispersed in time for the explosion, except for Sontillano. When the smoke cleared out, protesters found his body lying on the street, his head shattered and bloodied — he was dead. He was only 15 years old.

His death upended the Pisay community. An open letter from Mrs. Leah Villalba, Sontillano’s teacher, said that Pisay was “trying hard to settle down to

normal after the tragedy which completely dislocated us.” But this did not mean they were scared into submission.

Sontillano’s martyrdom, according to the PSHS chapter of the Samahang Demokratiko ng Kabataan, was “the rallying point that catapulted onto higher and newer heights the political consciousness” of Pisay and other school students.

THE DARK AGE

In 1971, the nameplate on The Science Scholar’s September-October publication was printed in blood red. On its left wrote: “Pierce the enemy with your pens,” and on its right: “Restore the writ completely.”

A month after the Plaza Miranda bombings that same year, Marcos laid out the first stepping stone to his ultimate goal by suspending the writ of habeas corpus, the order that almost single-handedly protected activists up to that point.

From September 16, classes were suspended once a week to make way for campus-wide “Protest Days” where boycotts, discussion groups and seminars hosted by alumni activists and former political detainees, and even politically charged plays organized by a local dramatics club were staged.

From outside the campus, several student activist circles also became involved in Pisay, and soon enough, the school was labeled as a “base for cultural revolution.”

However, when President Marcos declared Martial Law on September 21 of the next year, Pisay, and the Philippines at large, couldn’t continue the fight — at least above the surface.

After the declaration, the Philippines fell silent. Radio stations completely ceased airing, media outlets were forcibly shut down, and hundreds were arrested.

A dark age had been cast over the Filipino people. The once-outspoken Pisay students were forced to remain silent as the consequences became too dire for them to continue.

Unbeknownst to much of the general public, activists took the fight underground. Several Pisay graduates kept their heads above ground, writing for publications that opposed the Marcos administration. Others left their college studies to fight in the frontlines, moving away from the city and joining militant groups.

Many of their names can be found on the wall of Pisay Martyrs — martyrs who did not live to witness the downfall of President Marcos’ rule.

THE NEXT IN LINE

Student activism in Pisay resurfaced following the end of Marcos’ rule, when the chains that bound the opposition were finally lifted.

Activism, however, somewhat took a backseat for a few decades, even as other conflicts and dark eras took hold of the country. School strikes and out-of-campus demonstrations became increasingly difficult to hold as the school had considerably grown since its early days. Staging protest marches has also become more difficult in the surrounding Diliman cityscape.

But students, unwilling to let go of it, kept the fighting spirit alive long enough for us, the current generation. And with the return of another Ferdinand Marcos in Malacañang, this spirit is needed more than ever.

Our turn to fight inches closer and closer as President Marcos Jr. makes his moves. We can’t let another dark age take over again — and with the help of those who came before us and the torch they have passed on, we won’t.

The Spirit of Halloween Past

BY KAT DELA RAMA & YEL DELENA

Pizza slices are all over the box, the Ghostbusters theme is playing, and the person with the weirdest attire one has ever seen just won Best Costume.

It’s Halloween again, and students and teachers alike are looking forward to what future parties have to offer.

The culture of Halloween is highly participated in by Philippine Science High School-Main Campus (PSHSMC), with school clubs and partygoers coming together to build a spooky event for the entire community. And with the culture’s impact on the school, one may ask: What was Halloween in Pisay like in the past?

Poltergeists and the primary years

At first, Halloween wasn’t that big of a deal in Pisay. In fact, Halloween

celebrations were non-existent!

The idea of celebrating Halloween first entered the minds of the community back when Pisay had a daycare. In a bid to entertain the children of the teachers and staff, the daycare decided to take them trick or treating. The kids visited each office on campus, dressed in adorably spooky costumes, asking for candy.

This prompted a change in the perception of Halloween among the community. Though secular, Pisay was still subject to rather strong Catholic influences; thus, Halloween was seen as a night of devil-worship and witchcraft. But after seeing the innocence of the celebration, people started to think differently.

“[Halloween] was a little bit embraced,” Sir Franel Infante, a Math teacher who has been in Pisay for ten years, commented. “Not necessarily on [its] dark side, but at least on the fun side.” Ghouls and the growth of culture

As the Halloween spirit started to creep into the community, students and faculty began to dress up in scary costumes. For one day each year, you’d find vampires, zombies, and various other monsters terrorizing the school’s classrooms.

In recent years, however, these classically creepy creatures aren’t the only ones you’d find wandering Pisay’s halls. With the rise of cosplay, more people started wearing costumes of

their favorite anime characters.

“[I’d say that we adapted] the Western standards to cosplay,” Ma’am Kiel Granada of the Math Unit remarked. “[You can] dress up however you want.”

It opened the gates for more creative and “terrifying” costumes, such as a Math textbook and a Tetris block.

The Student Council (SC) would organize Halloween parties to welcome the holiday, allowing the community to party the night away. The SC would set up photo booths and invite student bands to entertain the partygoers. They would also hold the Best Costume Awards, where students can showcase their Halloween costumes.

Illustration by Eris Ramos

*THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE HAS OPTED TO USE PSEUDONYMS TO PROTECT THEIR IDENTITY.

Artwork by Misha Lumibao

Thirteen sleepless nights.

These were what inspired Taylor Swift to write Midnights, her 10th studio album, which was released last October 21. Since then, the album has broken record after record, becoming the most streamed album on Spotify in a day and the third-most streamed album in a week.

According to one of Spotify’s tweets a few weeks before the album’s release, Quezon City had the fifth-highest number of Taylor Swift streams in the world — and a portion of those streams come from our second home.

If you were at the back lobby or at the Advanced Science and Technology Building (ASTB) that day, you might have seen and heard some students listening to the album with friends. You may have even witnessed people blasting it with their classmates while roaming the halls of the Science and Humanities Building (SHB).

As it turns out, Taylor Swift’s timing couldn’t have been more right. Since it happened during Pisay’s pre-exam hell week, this timely album release brought a sense of comfort to students and helped them unwind during test-filled days and studying-filled midnights.

Pisay and Midnights

BY CHARLY VIÑAS & YEL DELEÑA

Some students from 9-Cesium started a listening party that gained popularity within the Pisay community. They held it during lunch at the Ajisakki stall by the ASTB on the first hour of the album’s release.

Aki Torres from the same section explained that the listening party was not planned. However, their classmates were all excited to listen to the new album, so they decided to do so and make use of the speakers of Jay Estera, a classmate of

theirs who brought them by chance.

“We were talking about which songs we liked best, the meaning of the lyrics, the feeling of the music, and generally our likes and dislikes with [regard] to the album,” described Gab Madulara, also of 9-Cesium.

Torres talked about the listening party as well: “Kahit short lang [‘]yung lunch po, we felt that [ang] saya[-]saya [noong] time na [‘]yun because [it’s] [T] aylor [S]wift [returning] to her pop roots in this album.” (Even if lunch was short, we felt really happy during that time because it’s Taylor Swift returning to her pop roots in this album.)

Gaby Pascual from 12-B also started another listening party with her friends from her Biology class. She mentioned that students from different classes also joined in.

“We listened to the entire album from start to finish without pausing and occasionally made comments about it to each other,” Pascual shared. “I think what made it fun was mostly the fact that we were listening with our friends and that it was something that we all could bond over.”

While there were big listening parties like these conducted among students from different sections or through a Bluetooth speaker, there were also ones done in smaller groups in the corner of a classroom, or even alone, through the constraints of one’s earphones.

A student who took part in a smaller listening party by students from 10-Gluon said that while it was just a usual lunch, Swift’s release turned it into the afternoon they and their friends had been looking forward to for months.

“Personally, it’s the first time I got to listen to a new [Swift] album with someone who enjoys her music as much as I do, so it’s a memory I’ve been holding close to my heart,” the student remarked.

Bianca Sacramento from 11-D, despite not having witnessed nor partook in any Pisay listening party, shared the same sentiment. She thinks of music as a powerful and shared experience that can strengthen bonds among people who choose to spend quality time together during events like these.

“The release of this album will surely be a core memory to me,” Sacramento said.

— You’re On Your Own, Kid

With the exam week being an especially nerve-wracking period — one that has caused many students anxiety and even multiple breakdowns at midnight — the album served as a stress reliever to many, easing their negative thoughts and helping them get through the demanding week.

Several students said their favorite song from Midnights was the fifth track, You’re On Your Own, Kid, primarily because of how relatable it is. The piece allowed Swift to be more vulnerable and personal, which led many to resonate with it. Many fans also believe that the fifth track of each Swift album is typically the rawest one, and You’re On Your Own, Kid was no exception to this.

Dawn Evangelista from 8-Adelfa thought that the lyrics of this song were really heartfelt and well-written.

“It gave me something to look forward to and showed me that insecurities are normal and that even someone as popular as Taylor Swift understands our struggles,” she added.

‘I think it’s time to teach some lessons’ — Bejeweled

The Pisay community’s love for Taylor Swift is not only seen in its students, but in its teachers as well.

Ma’am Edlen Sanchez, a Computer Science teacher and a known Taylor Swift fan among students, only heard about the listening parties later on, but mentioned that she liked the idea of it.

“I think it’s a great way to bring Swifties [Taylor Swift fans] and nonSwifties together since even those who [are] just [passing] by [can] hear whatever [is] playing,” she said.

Ma’am Sanchez has enjoyed discussing Swift’s music with her students ever since her first year of teaching. She recounted that when Swift’s sixth studio album, Reputation, came out, she and her students would stay in the classroom after class to share their favorite songs with one another.

“I really feel like my love for Taylor Swift is something that connects me to a lot of students, and I really like that feeling,” she expressed.

During one of her previous classes, after most students finished their exercises, she also streamed the music video of ME! (the lead single of Lover, Swift’s seventh studio album) the minute it was released.

“Any and every Taylor drop is good for the soul,” Ma’am Sanchez concluded.

Sir Eddie Neil Bartolay, a Physics teacher and the adviser of 10-Gluon, also shared some instances he was able to bond with his students over the album. He mentioned staying with a few of his students after a Physics class, sharing with them how he first became a fan of Swift and some of her unreleased songs he enjoys listening to.

According to him, Midnights was a testament to the versatility and profoundness of Swift’s music: “The songs were well[-]thought[-]out and the music accompanying her poetic lyrics was just amazing.”

Sir Bartolay also expressed that the album release was able to reignite his creative side and in turn, can help students become more creative and expressive as well.

It was timely for Swift to release such an album when the Pisay community needed it most. As Swift sang in Midnights’ 13th track, Mastermind, perhaps “it was all by design.”

Even for those who did not participate in any Pisay listening party, Midnights was able to connect people, help them strengthen bonds and friendships, and even provide a sense of belonging. There was comfort in knowing that despite the struggles that students and teachers faced during the periodic exams, they were not alone. There were others out there who were also loaded with stress, listening to the album to help calm them down.

And if fate is in control, one can only wonder what significant event Swift’s next album release might fall on. As we enter a new quarter filled with even more requirements and nights of cramming, there will always be one thing that the Pisay community can count on: Taylor Swift — and her music — will always be there to meet us at midnight.

‘Make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it’ — You’re On Your Own, Kid

‘Yeah, you can face this’

You’re not on your own, kid:

“I believe that if everyone could have an artistic medium in expressing themselves, we can all be aware of what people are going through

in life and be able to understand each other even more,” he remarked.

‘Once upon a time, the planets and the fates and all the stars aligned’

— Mastermind

Illustration by Jez Belda

A lens into Martial Law

BY KAT DELA RAMA & YEL DELENA

Martial Law happened. It was oppressive. It was vile. And it was real. The unscrupulous peddlers of fake news and disinformation would try their best to convince those who never lived through the Marcos military regime that the torture, murder, corruption, and plunder did not happen. Thankfully, there are not only news archives and essays about it, but also books and movies depicting the horrors of that dark era in Philippine history.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s declaration of Martial Law, here’s a list of recommendations: movies, books, and plays to help understand and never forget the atrocities committed — and to never let them happen again.

Liway (2018)

Set in the final years of the Marcos regime, this movie is about an anti-Marcos dissident, Commander Liway (Glaiza de Castro), and her son, Dakip (Kenken Nuyad), who grew up in a prison camp. Liway shielded Dakip from the horrors of reality by regaling him with folklore and mythology where she wove her experiences during the dictatorship. The film was based on actual events from the life of its director, Kip Oebanda. Liway pays homage to an important part of our history and honors mothers and the sacrifices they make so their children can live normal lives, even under difficult circumstances.

Barber’s Tales (2013)

Barber’s Tales is the story of Marilou (Eugene Domingo), a widow who took over the only barber shop in town when her husband died. Initially reluctant about the business, she mustered enough courage to reopen the shop so she could support herself. Unfortunately, she couldn’t draw any customers because the sexist men in town refused to go to a female barber. That is, not until Marilou became friends with prostitutes from the local brothel who convinced their clients to start patronizing her business. The movie was set against the backdrop of the early days of the Martial Law era and tackled the themes of female solidarity and liberation under a patriarchal society beset by political turmoil.

Pisay (2007)

Pisay is a touching coming-of-age film about a group of students who entered Philippine Science High School during the final years of the Marcos dictatorship. It shows how they navigated the challenges of academic life at a time when so many things were unfolding outside the campus.

Canal de la Reina

by

LITERATURE

Desaparesidos

Another adaptation of a book by Lualhati Bautista, Desaparesidos portrays the struggles of political activists who sacrificed their families to fight for their cause. The narrative also presents the other side of the story, which was the broken lives of the people they left. In this case, one of these people was Malaya, the daughter of student-activist Anna, who was left in the care of another revolutionary. The theatre production four years ago, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was a brilliant fusion of fury, fear, and a faint glimmer of hope.

Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage: The First Quarter Storm & Other Related Events

One of the more popular books about Martial Law, this was a compilation of essays by Jose F. Lacaba years before Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law. As a first-hand account, Lacaba wrote about the events that foreshadowed the turmoil leading to the First Quarter Storm, a period marked by violent clashes between protesters and the police and military.

Dream Eden

This book, written by Linda Ty-Casper and published in 1996, tells the story of a lawyer who aspired to keep his integrity in the corrupt political climate that his childhood friend was basking in. The story was set during Corazon Aquino’s rise to power after the 1986 EDSA revolution and the challenges she faced while in office as she endured at least six plots to overthrow her administration.

THEATRE

Dekada ‘70: The Musical

Adapted from the well-known book by Lualhati Bautista, Dekada ‘70 is about a middle-class family whose life took a tumultuous turn when it got exposed to the political violence that swept the country during Martial Law. The story also discusses how the female lead, Amanda Bartolome, a mother of five boys, strived to assert her identity against a husband who would constantly say, “It’s a man’s world.” The musical showcased themes of abuse of power and the struggle to gain one’s personal freedom.

Buwan at Baril sa Eb Major

This play has five acts, each with narrating stories that mirrored real-life events that happened during Marcos Sr.’s military rule. It presented characters from different socioeconomic backgrounds — a farmer and a laborer, an urban poor, a socialite, a wife, and a student — all victimized by the horrors of Martial Law.

The list above is only the tip of the trove of materials on Martial Law that we must try to dig up and appreciate before it’s too late. Surely, these expressions of history will show that the Marcos era was far from the “golden age” portrayed by the current president and his supporters. We don’t have to be there — we have a rich source of materials to take us to when and where it happened, to know now what is real and fake and to be able to say with conviction — never again! No to distortion of facts! We must safeguard our archives, the writings and performances that are in danger of being revised, if not completely erased. That’s

Written

Liwayway A. Arceo, Canal de la Reina is a tale of two families set in the esteros of Binondo. It contrasts the rich and the poor and portrays how greed corrupts. The book, in the end, shows that good nature can overcome darkness and evil.

BY ATHENA AP-APID, PARIS BEREBER, LANCE LIBATIQUE, DAVIS MAGPANTAY, BENJAMIN JACOB, AND BEA PANOPIO

Geneticist bags Physiology Nobel for discovery on Neanderthals

Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo [s-VAHNteh PEH-boh] was awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology for discoveries about the origins and uniqueness of the modern human species.

Pääbo’s expertise, along with the development of DNA technology, helped established his goal of studying the DNA of Neanderthals. This has been widely considered a difficult task, as over time, DNA goes through degradation and modification and is put at risk of contamination.

Pääbo, however, managed to extract the genetic sequence of a Neanderthal from its mi-

Banks win Riksbank Prize in 2022 Nobel

This year’s Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel was awarded to Dr. Ben S. Bernanke, Dr. Douglas W. Diamond, and Dr. Philip H. Dybvig for their research on banks and financial crises.

For the economy to function, savings must be channeled to investments. In their theory, the laureates show how banks offer a way to make this possible: by accepting deposits from many savers, banks can allow depositors to access their money when they wish, while also offering longterm loans to borrowers.

They also analyzed the Great Depression of the 1930s and showed how “bank runs” were a decisive factor in the crisis’ severity and prolonging. The banks collapsed, so valuable information about borrowers was lost and could not be restored immediately. The ability to channel savings to productive investments was hence diminished.

“The laureates’ insights have improved our ability to avoid both serious crises and expensive bailouts,” said Tore Ellingsen, Chair of the Committee for the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.

tochondria, and later published in 2010 a Neanderthal genome sequence, this time of a nuclear genome—the first of its kind.

2008 saw another groundbreaking discovery by Pääbo: the Denisova, a previously unknown hominin determined to have coexisted and interbred with Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

Paleogenomics, the new scientific discipline co-founded by Svante Pääbo through his work, gives significant insight into the unique physiology of the modern human, under the functional implications of genetic differences with our archaic human ancestors.

Physics Nobel awarded for quantum entanglement

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Alain Aspect, John Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger for their experiments with quantum entanglement.

In quantum entanglement, the correlation between entangled particles was attributed to hidden variables that indicate observed values. In the 1960s, John Bell hypothesized that these hidden values imply that the correlation between the results of a large number of measurements will never exceed a certain value.

However, quantum mechanics implies that measurements derived from entangled particles will exceed the value expected. Clauser developed Bell’s work through

‘Click’ chemistry snaps 2022 Nobel

This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three laureates who collectively made synthesizing complex molecules much easier.

Barry Sharpless, who is now a two-time Chemistry Nobel Prize laureate (2001 & 2022), pioneered the field of click chemistry which provides fast and efficient methods of “snapping” together molecular building blocks to provide highly-complex molecules.

Morten Meldal, and Barry Sharpless, independently introduced the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction, now con-

sidered to be the crown jewel of click chemistry.

Meanwhile, Carolyn Bertozzi developed and applied these click chemistry reactions to biology, in which she developed bioorthogonal reactions to map glycans on cell surfaces without disrupting their chemistry.

The work of these laureates has revolutionized pharmaceutical research, including how we track biological processes and improve the targeting of cancer medication.

an experiment which violated Bell’s inequality. Aspect improved on this experiment by guaranteeing that the initial conditions will not affect the measurements in the experiment.

Zeilinger used entangled quantum states to demonstrate quantum teleportation, which demonstrates the ability to transfer the quantum state of one entangled particle to another.

Clauser, Aspect, and Zeilinger’s contributions to the field of quantum mechanics provide developments towards the use of quantum entanglement in technology, which potentially reduces computing time and power for transferring information.

Illustrations by Niklas Elmehed

4 mathematicians awarded 2022 Fields Medal

The International Mathematical Union has awarded this year’s Fields Medal to four outstanding mathematicians. Hugo Duminil-Copin for solving problems in phase transitions of matter in three and four dimensions; June Huh for various developments and novel proofs in combinatorics, combinatorial geometry, and algebra; James Maynard for advancing the understanding of Diophantine approximations and the distribution of prime numbers in small scales; and Maryna Viazovska for determining the densest packing of identical spheres in 8 dimensions and solving interpolation problems in Fourier analysis.

New, more effective CRISPR mechanisms described

Two studies from the University of Copenhagen identified new mechanisms behind CRISPR, a “molecular scissors” that can edit genes. The study demonstrated that unintended cuts in the genome (off-targets) are more effective than cuts at the intended location (on-targets). Off-tar-

gets have an energy in the correct binding energy interval, which produces a sharper cut, unlike on-targets which fall outside of the interval. However, off-targets can disrupt the normal gene function through unnecessary mutations, thus requiring more research.

DART planetary defense test far exceeds NASA’s expectations

Throwing a rock as far as Mars and hitting a bullseye may seem impossible, but NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) has done basically that. The mission was a satellite one-way trip that aimed to collide the DART satellite with a near-Earth object. This may allow us to see how capable future kinetic-impact missions may be in redirecting asteroids away from Earth.

DART had targeted the asteroid Dimorphos, which in itself was orbiting a

larger asteroid Didymos. The results of the mission had surpassed NASA’s expectations by a factor of more than 25, having redirected the asteroid’s orbit around Didymos by a sizable amount and releasing a tail of ejecta and debris that would extend from the asteroid by more than 10,000 km.

The crater left by DART’s impact is set to be surveyed by the European Space Agency’s Hera project with a new satellite in 2026.

New drugs close to inhibiting deadly cancer mutation

The KRAS gene, present in approximately 25% of all cases of cancer, has been deemed impossible to “drug” due to its chemical structure. However, seven drugs are currently under clinical trials which potentially inhibit the KRAS gene, stopping any signals of cell growth. These drugs target two common mutations in the gene: G12C, which is common in heavily smoking patients, and

Meta bridges ‘hole’ in protein structure prediction

Researchers from Meta (formerly known as Facebook) have recently unveiled ESMFold—a new AI network for predicting the structures of proteins from bacteria, viruses, and other tmicroorganisms. ESMFold uses a “large language model” wherein the AI can learn how to “fill in” obscure gaps in protein sequences and predict protein structures based on known information about “autocom-

pleted” protein. Currently, the team has tested their network with over 600 million proteins and found more than one-third to be of high quality. While ESMFold is yet to be as accurate as leading protein structure prediction AI (e.g., DeepMind’s AlphaFold), it is significantly faster, which is vital for scaling to much larger protein databases.

G12D, which is common in non-smoking patients. G12C-targeting drugs target cysteine, which is more chemically reactive than other amino acids. The mechanism for G12D-targeting drugs remains unknown.

All of the drugs are currently under trial, except for Sotorasib, which is already approved for the treatment of nonsmall-cell lung cancers.

Illustration by NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben

Photo by Alamy

Photo by ESM Metagenomic Atlas (CC BY

Photo by Matteo Fieni

Photo by Lance Murphey

Photo by Matteo Fien

Photo by Ryan Cowan

Photo by Math Union

Science Scholar scischo scischo

It’s lights out in Abu Dhabi. Millions from all over are tuned in to witness the final laps of a driver who, in his fifteen years in Formula 1, blazed past adoring crowds with the planet’s fastest cars and pushed for positivity and change in an exclusive sport and beyond.

His name?

Sebastian Vettel.

He turned mediocre cars into legitimate threats and produced entire highlight reels with his driving, but these victories and flashy displays are ultimately trumped by his advocacies. All of these feats earned him a rightful place in F1’s hall of fame.

A PRODIGY IS HONED

Legends always start somewhere, and like F1 predecessors Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna, Vettel’s was somewhere in a kart.

Karts are bare-bones racing vehicles: four wheels attached to metal tubes and powered by a tiny engine compared to F1. Vettel began driving these at three, and was competing by the time he was eight — dominating the national and international karting scene.

In 2003, Vettel moved to open-wheel cars: single-seater racing vehicles with exposed wheels. By his second season in the Formula BMW ADAC championship, he was utterly dominant, winning 18 out of the 20 races at just 17 years old.

This marked the beginning of his racing journey.

Less than four years later, he debuted in the pinnacle of motorsport: Formula 1.

Taking Robert Kubica’s BMW Sauber seat in the 2007 United States Grand Prix, Vettel dazzled spectators with his speed. He broke the youngest points-scorer record,

Sebastian Vettel: First steps, final laps

BY JUSTICE ABDON AND KURT NUQUI

qualifying seventh out of the 22 cars and finishing Sunday’s race at eighth. He gained a full-time seat with Red Bull’s junior team, Toro Rosso, in July of that year, but waited until the 2008 Italian Grand Prix for his maiden win. It was on that rainy afternoon in Monza, Italy, where he broke the youngest race winner record and held it until 2016.

ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS

In 2009, Vettel made his move to Red Bull Racing, securing him a championship-contending car. In 2010, he vied for the World Drivers’ Championship alongside teammate Mark Webber, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.

The four drivers traded victories throughout the season, building suspense to the finale as all rivals had a shot at the title. To be crowned champion, Vettel needed standings leader Alonso to finish below fifth — a tough ask for a man in a Ferrari. Vettel cruised to the race win, but anything could happen in a race. Hamilton and his teammate Jenson Button crossed the finish line to take second and third, and Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes finished close behind them. Robert Kubica in the Renault, trailing Rosberg, took the checkered flag and fifth place.

“Sebastian Vettel, you are the world champion! The world champion!”

Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner immortalized this championship run with these words. At 23 years and 133 days old, Sebastian Vettel became the youngest World Drivers’ Championship in the history of Formula 1 — an honor he holds to this day.

If anyone ever doubted that he was a worthy champion, those doubts were quashed in the three years that followed. He racked up three more drivers’ and constructors’ championships and 29 wins in his time in Red Bull — with those last nine being consecutive victories.

However, after his 2013 dominance, Vettel’s hopes for a fifth title in 2014 were dashed by car and team issues coupled with poor performances. Red Bull failed to integrate the new hybrid engine into their car, and Vettel couldn’t perform to the standards he set.

DEFIANT STANDS

When he found the opportunity for a fifth championship with Ferrari, he promptly took it. After all, Ferrari was the team to drive for — in Vettel’s own words, “everyone is a Ferrari fan” — and it was also with this team that Vettel’s childhood idol Michael Schumacher won his five consecutive World Drivers’ titles.

However, despite every victory making him the darling of every Ferrari fan, he fell short of bagging a fifth world title. His championship runs for the next three years against Hamilton in the Mercedes followed the same pattern: a tightly-knit scrap at the first two-thirds of the season, and his rival running away with the championship by the end of it.

His stint at Ferrari reached its nadir in 2020, where an abundance of bad decisions placed Vettel 13th in the Drivers’ standings. In that season, Ferrari finished sixth in the Constructors’ standings — its worst since 1980.

At that point, he had competed in 13 Formula 1 seasons and fought for six championships. For the 2021 season, he joined Aston Martin Racing. While they

built a consistent midfield threat in 2020 under the Racing Point name, they were nowhere near the best on the grid. Despite this, Vettel showed that he still had teeth.

In the 2021 season, he scored points in seven races, finishing second at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after championship rivals Lewis Hamilton, whose brakes locked up, and Max Verstappen, who suffered a blown tire, were unable to score any points. Vettel was not able to replicate his feats for the 2022 season, but his results still sat comfortably in the middle of the pack.

HUMAN BEHIND THE HELMET

Throughout Vettel’s F1 career, his championship battles with Hamilton gave him a rival and a friend. He and Hamilton may not always see eye-to-eye on track, but they share similar sentiments on pressing issues.

The pair continue to vocalize their support for the LGBTQ+ community and the Black Lives Matter movement; where Hamilton zigged, Vettel also zigged. The two often sported pride symbols — either on their helmets or their clothing — when they raced in particularly unaccepting countries.

Apart from Hamilton, Mick Schumacher joined the grid for the 2021 season. Vettel adored Mick’s father Michael, who had no doubt inspired countless other Germans to enter the world of motorsport. Thus, when Schumacher joined the Haas F1 team, Vettel knew that he had a mission: to mentor the young driver.

As Mick himself said, “I think what my dad was to Sebastian, he is for me:

someone that I’m close to, with whom I can talk about motorsport.”

Vettel did not stop with his activism after leaving Ferrari. In Austria, before the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix, he chose to help build the local bees a home, working with local school children to partake in his Bee Hotel project.

He also voiced his support for the #Race4Women initiative during the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, hosting a karting event for female racers in a country where women were only allowed to drive as recently as 2017.

SEB WILL ALWAYS BE A LEGEND

Yes, Vettel gave no quarter when he was behind the wheel. For purist fans of the sport, this is what he’ll be remembered for: his miracles with Toro Rosso, his dominance with Red Bull, his defiant stands with Ferrari, and his final hurrahs with Aston Martin.

However, when we focus too much on the statistics, victories, and records set, we miss the bigger picture. What Vettel has done to the world has far transcended the world of Formula 1. Beyond his ability to befriend his championship rivals and mentor Michael Schumacher’s spawn, his will to stand up for what he believes in has been astounding to watch.

His feats have spread from commanding leads and dominating seasons to outside the bounds of Formula 1. He strived to make a difference in his latter years, and through his initiatives and interactions in and out of F1, one could say he has long surpassed success.

Danke, Seb.

“It’s great to see that we have the power to inspire you with what we do and what we say, so I think there [are] far bigger and far more important things than racing in circles.”

SEBASTIAN VETTEL FORMULA 1 DRIVER, FOUR-TIME WDC

Photos from @F1 on Twitter