The GUIDON - August 2019

THE OFFICI A L STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE ATENEO DE M A NIL A UNI V ERSIT Y

FURTHER W ITH THE TRUTH

VOL. XC NO. 1

AUGUST 2019

PHOTO BY ZACH G. GARCIA

CFC-FFL condemns One Big Pride, draws criticism from Sanggu

BY JILLIAN LOPEZ

ON JUNE 19, Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life (CFC-FFL) issued a statement that publicly condemned One Big Pride, Ateneo’s first universitywide LGBTQ+ Pride March.

Spearheaded by the Sanggunian Commission on Gender Equality (CGE), the event took place on campus grounds on March 15. Since the release of CFC-FFL’s statement, several users took to social media to express their support or disapproval of One Big Pride.

In their post, CFC-FFL criticized Ateneo for the event and invited the institution “to return to the very nature of Catholic education, and that is to raise strong Catholic men and women who are also properly schooled.”

CGE issued a statement on June 25 in response to CFC-FFL’s strongly-worded message against One Big Pride.

CFC-FFL released a response three days later entitled Male and Female He Created Them. This affirmed their support for the Catholic teaching on the “natural” relationship between men and women and denounced “sinful acts” that are contrary to this structure. Despite these claims,

they emphasized that “we, too, seek to love and care for homosexual persons as Christ would.”

CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS One Big Pride was organized

by CGE in hopes that it would promote inclusivity within the campus and call for greater attention and support for the LGBTQ+ communit y.

According to CGE Chief Commissioner Von Carolino (2 AB COM), the primary goal of the event is to allow people to encounter “a more visceral experience of Pride” that would empower them amidst common incidents of violence.

He shared that members of the LGBTQ+ community have become victims of “oppression, d is en f r a nch is ement , a nd violence, among others,” which called for the need to give Ateneans access to a Pride event.

“It’s like a caricature of polarities which clarifies that Pride is a protest against complex issues on rights, marginalization, and love,” Carolino said.

On the other hand, CGE Vice Commissioner Polly Baterna (2 BS ITE) added that One Big Pride served as an underlying message to the students that says there is an administration in full support of the LGBTQ+ community. It was an indication that the Sanggunian endeavored to “cultivate a safe space within the institution for [its students]” by holding events that nurture acceptance in the University.

In an interview with The GUIDON, CFC-FFL Live Life Coordinator R J Mariones stated that a Pride March

should not be tolerated within a Catholic university.

“We called out the Ateneo community because we believe that doing this event inside the campus weakens the Catholic identity of the institution,” he said.

“All Catholic institutions must allow their students to encounter Christ[’s] love and truth inside and outside the classroom. Doing [a] Pride March leads to confusion among the students,” he added.

Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, Mariones added that it is the duty of teachers and administrators “to ensure that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice. Divergence from this vision weakens Catholic identity and [...] leads to confusion, whether moral, intellectual, or spiritual.”

Likewise, he shared that staying true to the Catholic faith entails following the words and deeds of Jesus Christ. Citing Ex Corde Ecclesiae 48, he added that this requires adherence to the teachings of the Magisterium, specifically in “bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new.”

SPORTS

FEATURES

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INQUIRY

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Long shadows

“What I know is that within the Ateneo de Manila, we are taking [strides] forward towards progress in making this space a better place for the community.”

POLLY BATERNA SANGGUNIAN COMMISSION ON GENDER EQUALITY VICE COMMISSIONER

CFC-FFL, SANGGU CONTROVERSY › 4

PHOTO BY BRUCE ONG

CSMO, barangay officials to strengthen security in Katipunan after hold-ups

BY FRANCHESCA FAJEMOLIN

IN R ESPONSE to the three hold-up incidents along Katipunan on June 16, 17, and 20, the University’s Campus Safety and Mobility Office (CSMO) coordinated with Barangay Loyola Heights officials to strengthen security measures along the area.

Following protocol, CSMO released a memo to the University community regarding the hold-up incidents along with safety reminders on June 23.

According to CSMO Director Marcelino Mendoza, the first incident happened near Rosa Alvero Street. Meanwhile, the latter two incidents involved

Atenea ns a nd occ u r red near Gate 2.5 footbridge and Agcor Building respectively.

Based on the June 20 incident report from Barangay Loyola Heights, two men on a single motorcycle approached the victim from the June 20 incident at 1:40 AM. As he resisted the hold-up, the suspects’ motorcycle fell along with one of their driver’s licenses.

This helped the barangay and police identify the suspects.

Up on re c e i v i n g t h i s information, Mendoza said they immediately communicated with the barangay to set a meeting regarding the issue.

CSMO, BARANGAY OFFICIALS › 5

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Flying high into UAAP Season 82

OPINION Revisiting active-ism

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News

PHOTO BY JOSH TAN

PHOTO BY REGINE SALUMBRE

PHOTO BY REENA C. PINEDA

PHOTO BY REGINE SALUMBRE

Sanggu proposes Code of Internal Procedures to refine its systems

BY LEIKA GOLEZ

IN A N effor t to recover f rom la st yea r ’s i nter na l com mu n icat ion problems, Sangg unian Vice President J b B e ja r i n (2 A B P O S MPM) plans to form a Code of Inter na l Procedu res (C I P) to c e nt r a l i z e t he Sanggunian’s internal systems.

According to Bejarin, the CIP will be an official document that contains specific and detailed protocols for recr uitment, internal events, statements, structure, work expectations, and the like. Moreover, he clarified that the CIP will not be part of the Sanggunian Constitution, as the latter ideally serves as a “ foundation document.”

Bejarin also clarified that more protocols may be added while they are drafting the CIP as the document is “still a n on g oi n g d i s c u s sion .”

Bejarin planned to have the CIP drafted by the Sanggunian’s Office of the President and Office of the Vice President, along with each Loyola School representative. He also said that the Ateneo Consultants for Organization Development and Empowerment (Ateneo CODE) w ill be consulted t h rou g hout t he pro cess .

Bejarin said that he began the groundwork for the CIP in July 2019. He aims to have the document ready by the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo (COA) Recruitment Week (RecWeek) so that new Sangg unian members may study the CIP from the get-go.

He believes t hat by implementing the CIP early, the Sangg unian can avoid r e p e a t i n g t he i nc ide nt s of miscommunication f rom t he pre v iou s ter m .

PREVIOUS LACK OF COMMUNICATION According to Bejarin, previous Sanggunian administrations did not have an official unified document that detailed its procedures. He explained t h at t h i s c au s e d s ome internal miscommunication because procedures were not institutionalized. For him, the idea of having a CIP at that time seemed to be “simply overlooked” since rules like these are “very basic.”

Bejarin admitted to feeling “confused and lost” after joining the Sanggunian because unlike other organizations, they did not have formal documents that standardized s y s te m s a nd pro c e s s e s .

“Even in Central Assembly, we lack processes. And part of [the] processes is really being transparent with the people we ser ve,” he said.

Former Office of the Executive Secreta r y Undersecreta r y Von Carolino (2 AB COM) also agreed that a centralized CIP would help avoid unnecessary incidents of miscommunication.

To illustrate f ur ther, Carolino narrated a point of conflict involving last year’s School of Humanities (SOH) Sanggunian. On July 2, 2018, the SOH Sangg unian posted a statement t hat condemned Jollibee Food Corporation’s June 2 7, 2018 “ pu bl ic rel at ion s st u nt ” at A reté’s Ateneo Art Gallery.

The statement claimed that the presence of the Jollibee mascot in Areté was an “insult to [Jollibee’s] workers,” especially since

modernist galleries are meant to support workers who are “the true makers and innovators of what is modern and contemporary.”

Carolino said that SOH Sanggunian’s statement was deemed “too strong” for their centralized voice. Overall, he said that SOH Sanggunian used a tone that wasn’t approved by the entire Sanggunian.

“As Sanggu, we have to be politically impartial. If we’re going to represent this multiplicity of individuals, you can’t be ignorant by being so aligned to your own ideologies,” he stated.

Additionally, John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) Representative Mica Torres (3 BS MGT) also shared her thoughts on the “lack of communication” in last year’s Sanggunian.

Torres said that the members would often talk online because the

S a n g g u n ia n on ly h ad a limited number of merged meetings. She added that this reliance on Facebook led to the disregard of some important documents that were coursed through the platform.

According to Carolino, he did not recall any formal document that states they are required to meet up as an elected body. “Isn’t it weird that [the Sanggunian is] not required to meet up as an elected body?” he asked.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS Although Bejarin claimed that the Sanggunian is yet to have centralized internal processes, he also said that he is hopeful the CIP will help remedy this issue.

“In [the Sanggunian Office of the Vice President], [that] focus on strengthening the institution by implementing periodic assessments,

The internal procedures [are] more than just rules, it’s the foundation of your org. And the foundation of your org translates to the culture of your org.

JB BEJARIN SANGGUNIAN VICE PRESIDENT

evaluations, having planning seminars, and actually having procedures within,” Bejarin said.

“Even though the schools are technically autonomous, in terms of procedure, I think we can all be the same,” he added.

Carolino also said that the CIP would help “standardize some sort of systematic process and level of output” among t he d if ferent depa r tments.

“In my personal opinion, reg a rdless if you’re a s c h o o l [r e p r e s e n t a t i v e] Sanggu[nian] [member], you’re technically held accountable to a system that can’t make you i nde p endent of you r other branches,” he stated.

He also explained that the Sanggunian was “structurally f r a g mented” because t he y lacked proper communication, thus affecting their output like that of the Jollibee statement.

To improve the cra f ting of these statements, Bejarin plans to include guidelines in the CIP for the formation of a central writing group that is “representative of everyone.”

He hopes to have statements authored and agreed upon by the same Sanggunian departments involved in the drafting of the CIP. He explained that through this inclusive and institutionalized process, statements would, id e a l l y, represent the entire Sanggunian’s unif ied stance before its release.

To address the lack of meetings, he explained that the CIP would also include work expectations such as attendance

i n i nt e r n a l e v e nt s a n d meetings. This means that the Sanggunian will now have more opportunities to settle matters personally rather than online.

Beja r in stressed t hat a ll these proposed protocols will be followed by all Sanggunian members reg a rd less of the department they come from.

STRONG INTERNALS, STRONG SANGGU Overall, Bejarin concluded that serving the community’s needs w ill enta il foc using on i nter n a ls a s a w ay to streng then the instit ution.

“The internal procedures [a re] more tha n just r u les, it’s the foundation of your org. A nd the foundation of you r org tra nslates to t he culture of your org,” he said.

Carolino also acknowledged t he releva nce of inter na ls, say ing that the Sangg unian must fix their internals as soon as possible so that they may communicate better internally.

Similarly, Torres believes t h at t he CI P wou ld help t he Sa n g g u n ia n be “ more or g a n i z ed,” a nd prom ised to make JGSOM Sanggunian members awa re of it.

Howe ver, B eja r i n added t h at si nce “c re at i n g ne w cultures is challeng ing,” he c a n not prom ise a per fec t implementation of the CIP. Despite this, he shared that his tea m is deter mined to foc u s on t he projec t ’s potential to ser ve the Ateneo commu nit y ’s needs, rat her than its foreseen difficulties.

“If Sanggu goes well and if we actually effectively work with our students, the school will be a better place,” he said.

EDITOR: MICAH AVRY GUIAO | LAYOUT ARTIST: NEIL R. REYES

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PHOTO BY JIM DASAL

PHOTO BY RALPH LIM

PHOTO BY TRINA CAMACHO

Formation of JSEC owners’ association continues under JGSOM rep

BY LEIKA GOLEZ AND MICAH AVRY GUIAO

JOHN GOKONGWEI School of Ma na gement (JGSOM ) Representative Mica Torres (3 BS MGT) is reattempting to form an association for JGSOM Student Enterprise Center (JSEC) stall owners after the constitution failed to be ratified last year.

Accord ing to for mer Sangg unian Commissioner for Student Entrepreneurship Carlos Campo (4 AB MEC), last school year’s JGSOM Sanggunian drafted a constitution for the establishment of the JSEC owners’ association. However, he said it failed to be ratified by the March target date due to a lack of consenting votes from past stall owners.

He further explained that “for the constitution to [be] binding, it needs to be ratified yearly.”

The owners’ association will not be a “policy-making body,” but “a more formal avenue” to channel worker concerns to their respective owners.

Should an issue require more assistance, workers’ concerns w ill be then for warded to the JGSOM administration.

Aside from this, Campo said the association is also supposed to hold monthly meetings where

they can discuss problems and solve them accordingly.

Torres stated that she is planning to contact JSEC stall owners to discuss the votation by August. With this early start, she hopes that last year’s complications with calendaring will not be repeated.

VOTING FAILURE According to Torres, the JSEC stall owners’ association has been in the works since the first semester of A.Y 20182019. Last year’s Fú Fighters Co-owner Mico Tan (4 BS LM) noted that progress began to slow down in the second semester.

Campo explained that in order for the association’s constitution to be ratif ied, major it y r u le of a ll JSEC stall owners needs to occur.

However, out of the 32 stalls, only 16 voted and only 15 were considered v a lid . 12 were in favor of the association’s formation, three were against, while one stall’s vote cancelled out since its two representatives cast dif ferent votes.

Campo attributed this voting failure to a “lack of feasibility” to execute a proper votation since the academic year was coming to a close for the senior stall owners who were busy at the time the voting took place.

Torres also considered that the approval of the association this yea r rema ins unsure prior to the next votation.

“In a macro perspective, there’s [still] no assurance that it would be passed this year, kasi it would be voted on and we need to get so many approvals. There’s a lock-in period for amending the constitution. Each year, it can be changed,” she said.

Nonetheless, with the new set of stall owners, Torres is “optimistic” that these plans will finally push through this year as the JGSOM Sanggunian begins streamlining its communication efforts with the people involved.

“I really think they’re going to be willing to participate.

There’s a new set of stall owners, and as much as possible, Sanggu is trying to really build communication,” she said.

According to Campo, the JGSOM administration has been very “adamant and handson” regarding the matter. He added that the constitution for the owners’ association has already been approved by the JGSOM administration.

FOR BOTH OWNERS AND WORKERS Aside from strengthening partnerships between owners and workers, Torres claimed

that the association would also be able to “tackle different problems as a collective.” n Co-owner Seve Carlos (4 Chiúua AB COM) emphasized the need for an association that will serve as an avenue towards solution-making between owners and employees.

“People look at JSEC stalls to be money making machines which is far from true. Its first and foremost goal is to be an incubator in handling real life business practices by experiencing them first hand.”

“Starting from the ground up will inevitably bring some challenges with it, especially with figuring out the needed parameters. I believe this is something that is long overdue, especially since it would both protect the owners and the workers,” he said.

Tan also expressed the importance of having formal meetings— an opportunity for both parties involved to be thoroughly briefed on the association’s implications.

According to Carlos, “abuse can come from both sides” since new stall owners are new to JSEC’s management and set-up.

“Usually employees know more because they know the set-up of JSEC more than the students because students are new to it. Students are very vulnerable. Anything can happen, so you need to really make sure you get both sides,” Tan said.

AN ADDED PROPOSAL Aside from pushing for the ow ners’ association, Torres ta lked about her proposed policy for an unconditional cash transfer plan. This system proposes to carry over the responsibility to pay for employee wages to the student body or the JGSOM administration.

“It’s still being looked into since we’re planning to have a courtesy call with my team. It’s really a matter of consultation right now, if it would be beneficial in the long run,” she said.

Howe ver, bot h Ta n a nd Carlos are not in favor of the u ncond it iona l ca sh t r a ns fer pla n , stat i n g t hat t he ow ners t hemselves shou ld ca r r y t he responsibilit y of pay ing t heir employees.

“Since [each stall is] a legitimate business owned by the students, it would not make sense if the employees of the stall were paid by the administration since that is not under their jurisdiction,” Carlos said.

For Tan, paying employees was part of the “experience” of owning a stall. “What they could do [instead] is [to] standardize the payment because a lot of employees compare.

You can’t blame them because some employees get more benefits than others,” he said.

Aside from strengthening partnerships between owners and workers, Torres claimed that the owners’ association would also be able to “tackle different problems as a collective.”

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News

CFC-FFL condemns One Big Pride...

“We are hoping that Ateneo, being a Catholic university, is doing what is expected of him as an institution,” Mariones said.

FOR CAMPUS INCLUSIVITY CGE emphasized in their statement against CFC-FFL that the Ignatian values of the University, specifically the value of cura personalis or “care for the entire person,” was exercised by way of hosting One Big Pride.

When asked about her thoughts on CFC-FFL’s first statement, Baterna shared that the response “carried in itself a tone of arrogance a nd closed-m i nded ness.”

“It definitely boggles me why they felt compelled to post it despite hearing the stories of the community, with people hoping that they’d come to understand,” she said.

Baterna added that when people voice their disapproval of the LGBTQ+ community, the CGE has the responsibility to “take [their] stand and [...] release a statement,” especially when

it is “not within the nature of [CGE’s] advocacy to keep quiet.”

In line with the CGE’s vision to promote gender equality, both Carolino and Baterna intend to improve collaboration within the Sanggunian,aswellaswiththeAteneo administration, in addressing gender issues in the future. Whether it entails improvements in case processings concerning gender issues or holding discussions and gender sensitivity trainings, they hope that the CGE can serve as a common ground for gender dialogues between the administration and the student body.

Carolino noted that although the CGE is limited in terms of policy enforcement and capital due to it being an arm of the student government, its goals still extend to represent the LGBTQ+ community as well as its respective causes.

“What I know is that within the Ateneo de Manila, we are taking [strides] forward towards progress in making this space a better place for the community. This, along with the help and support of the

administration and the other groups within the Ateneo, is something we will continue to do,” Baterna added.

PRIDE IN PERSPECTIVE With various opinions surrounding One Big Pride, members of the Ateneo community were asked about their thoughts on the historic event and the CFC-FFL controversy that followed shortly after.

Dollhouse Finance-buddy Raffy Mendiola (3 BFA AM) shared his insights in light of the controversy.

“It is disappointing because I have many religious friends who took part in the event and had no issues with everything the event stood for,” he said. “The disappointment stems from the fact that there are people who can’t put aside their beliefs when it comes to the celebration of a whole community’s identities.”

He added that Pride is “an important topic of discussion so that future generations of people will understand that it’s a fight for equality and not a fight against religion.”

Youth for Christ Ateneo (YFCA), a Christian student organization oriented towards the “creative evangelization” of the youth, also chimed in with their two cents on the matter.

“YFC-A’s vision is to be and bring Christ wherever we are,” they shared. “When it comes to this, we see that Christ is someone who showed love and acceptance to everyone, especially the minorities.”

Although YFC-A is the youth arm of CFC-FFL, they clarified that they are not affiliated with the group in any way. YFC-A said that, “no matter who they are or what background they came from, God loved them first, and that fact stays no matter what comes after.”

“We acknowledge the University’s efforts and we pray that this would continue to improve, not only in fostering an inclusive university, but also a university that strives for equal opportunities for all of its students regardless of financial standing, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression,” they added.

PHOTO BY JIM DASAL

PHOTOS BY BRUCE ONG

Ateneo Cultural Encounters offers local experiences to visiting students

BY FRANS G. REGALA

NATIONA L K AOHSIUNG Universit y of Science and Technolog y (NKUST) 2019 SOAR English Camp participants graced the campus during the Ateneo Cultural Encounters (ACE) prog ram, a monthlong initiative that ser ves as a means for international

partner institutions to immerse themselves in local culture.

This year’s program ran from July 2 to July 30 and opened with an orientation at Faber Hall 101. Made possible by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, ACE 2019 is in partnership with NKUST. SOAR 2019 primarily aimed to hone the English skills of its 80 Taiwanese participants.

According to Sociolog y and A nt h ropolog y Depa r t ment Cha ir Jose Ca nuday, aside from exposing par ticipants to local encounters, one of the program’s goals was for participants to articulate their experiences in English.

“The language that connects us is English. It is particularly through language that we can learn the art of thinking and questioning,” he said.

Among their lessons were discussions on conversational English skills, exercises on grammar, and practice for both spoken and written English. At the end of the course, each visiting student was assessed through an English examination. Additionally, attendees put their English skills to use through an Amazing Race game where they had to navigate their way through the University by asking

questions from students, staff, and members of the community.

However, SOAR 2019 went beyond exercising its participants’ mastery of the English language.

At the opening ceremony, Director of Chinese Studies Program Sidney Bata claimed immersion to be “the best way to experience culture.” With this goal in mind, organizers arranged for various local encounters that included,

but were not limited to, riding jeepneys, going to sari-sari stores, watching local films, visiting religious monuments, and shopping in local malls.

Furthermore, participants were also given the opportunity to visit different educational sites around Metro Manila such as the Manila Ocean Park, Chinatown in Binondo, and the National Museum of the Philippines.

The GUIDON | August 2019

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CSMO, barangay officials...

He added that improvements to security communication lines were discussed on July 11 during the second quarter Barangay Peace and Order Council that involved the police, barangay officials, CSMO, and other stakeholders.

ON CSMO’S PROTOCOLS Mendoza said the CSMO reminds barangay and police offices to follow the Katipunan Security Plan that was crafted three years ago.

He detailed that the Katipunan Sec u r it y Pla n conta i ned strategies in using closedcircuit televisions (CCTVs) and radios, and responding to threats like hold-up incidents. “[E]specially now [that] the barangay captain is newly-elected [and] the police officials are newly transferred,” he said, “[Since] tayo ang permanente rito, we keep on reminding them to follow ([Since] we are permanently here, we keep on reminding them to follow).”

During reg ular classes, Mendoza said CSMO provides support to the barangay as they post security guards at the footbridges and deploy motorcycle units to rove Katipunan

PHOTO BY BRUCE ONG

during Christmas season from November 15 to December 15.

By preparing for security threats, he voiced that they can better respond to them should they arise: “You cannot really prevent a crime, but we can show the criminals that if they do something, they can be [caught] immediately.”

BARANGAY EFFORTS After hearing about the incidents, Barangay Loyola Heights Captain Darwin B. Hayes ordered all eight barangay tanods to roam around the area during lunchtime and after-school hours.

The situation prompted Hayes’ team to draft and impose stricter safety measures, such as situating checkpoints at the barangay’s intersections and increasing the number of deployed police.

“Ang binibigay ng Station 9 [ay] isang pulis per barangay.

Ngayon, ang nangyayari [ay] hindi na sila nagstastay dito, sila ay umiikot na sa buong Katipunan at Xavierville Avenue,” Hayes said.

(Before, Police Station 9 only provided one policeman that stayed put at the barangay center.

Now, the police roam the entirety of Katipunan and Xavierville Avenue.)

Since the barangay’s budget for peace and order is limited, Hayes decided to call for the cooperation of business establishments and associations in the area.

According to Hayes, among the efforts towards ensuring a safer Katipunan is a workshop for all business establishments’ security personnel to aid in case of theft, vehicle break-ins, and other criminal incidents.

Furthermore, he issued a memo on June 22 reminding businesses to follow Quezon City Ordinance 2695-2018 which requires them to install CCTVs inside and outside their establishments to help monitor barangay premises.

Hayes said that should business establishments fail to comply, they will have trouble renewing their barangay clearance.

“Sini s i k ap n amin para magampanan lahat para sa kaayusan ng Barangay Loyola Heights kaya iniinvolve namin ang mga associations, other stakeholders para makiisa dahil hindi kakayanin ng barangay kung hindi sama-sama,” he explained.

(We are striving to maintain peace and order in Barangay Loyola Heights, which is why we

encourage associations and other stakeholders to cooperate since it would be impossible to achieve if the barangay is not united.)

CIVILIAN RESPONSIBILITY Hayes expressed that while the barangay heightens its safety measures, citizens must also heed safety warnings and precautions.

To avoid getting caught in hold-up incidents, Mendoza advised students to refrain from going to drinking establishments and to walk with a “buddy” when along Katipunan.

Mendoza suggested, “Think first before going to places. ‘Do we really have to go there? Is it really important?’ If not, then you can just stay inside the school.”

Meanwhile, Hayes warned the community to keep important belongings hidden to prevent garnering the attention of criminals. Additionally, he said that if one encounters a holdup, they are advised to calmly give whatever the criminal asks for to prevent further injuries.

Mendoza also reminded Loyola Schools students and employees to immediately report to the CSMO or the nearest University guards if they face a similar situation:

“Ang importante diyan is we have to know, so that if we can do something at that time, we can still do it (The important thing is we have to know, so that if we can do something at that time, we can still do it).”

CSMO can then accompany and aid victims in filing statements and other documents at the police station and at court, should their case escalate.

However, Mendoza emphasized that victims will need to present themselves in court hearings with the assistance of CSMO. “[ Victims] have to prove also that once they’re [at court that] they’re also willing to file a case and attend hearings. If these cases will be dropped, the other part y will keep on doing [crimes],” he said.

You cannot really prevent a crime, but we can show the criminals that if they do something, they can be [caught] immediately.

MARCELINO MENDOZA CSMO DIRECTOR

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Opinion

VOLUME XC, NO. 1 AUGUST 2019

Founded 1929 by Rev. Frank O’Hara, SJ First Editor-in-Chief, Manuel C. Colayco, AB ‘30

PURPOSE To serve as a record of Ateneo history in the making; to serve as an organ of journalistic expression; to serve God and country.

Alithea C. Soriano, AB COM ‘20 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Margarita C. Gonzalez, BS PSY ‘20 ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jyra Zoe T. Ang, BS LM ‘20 MANAGING EDITOR

Jason T. Mariano, BS ITE ‘21 DESIGN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY ANDY GRANDA Micah Avry L. Guiao, BFA CW ‘21 NEWS EDITOR

Kirby G. Jalandoni, BS ME ‘20 Joaquin Josemaria A. Santos, BS ME ‘20 SPORTS EDITORS

Danielle Margaux R. Garcia, BS CTM ‘21 BEYOND LOYOLA EDITOR

Andrea Mikaela B. Llanes, AB COM ‘22 FEATURES EDITOR

Kenneth John Tristan R. Chan, AB LIT (ENG) ‘21 INQUIRY EDITOR

Zoe Arianna T. Andin, AB IS ‘21 Annicka B. Koteh, BS ME ‘20 VANTAGE MAGAZINE EDITORS

Tatiana L. Maligro, AB COM ‘22 Patricia Anne D. Villoria, AB COM ‘21 BROADCAST NEWS EDITORS

Ana Sofia Ignacio, BS LfSci ‘21 Ronaldo Gabriel J. Santiago, BS MGT ‘20 PHOTOS EDITORS

Carmela B. Masiglat, BFA ID ‘22 Neil Christian R. Reyes, BS CH-MSE ‘23 GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITORS

Mariana D. Gardoce, AB COM ‘22 VIDEO PRODUCTION EDITOR

Beatrice R. Bacason, AB COM ‘22 VIDEO PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Jacob Uriel R. Quintos, BS CS ‘21 DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT DEPUTY

John Matthew G. Yuching, AB COM ‘21 EXTERNALS MANAGER

Bianca Mae R. Aragones, BS PSY ‘20 HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

Deana P. Pagtalunan, BS ME ‘20 Bryce R. Rubi, BS ME ‘21 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS

Koji Bryant P. Baui, BS ME ‘20 Francine Jemima C. Tan, BS ME ‘20 RESEARCH MANAGERS

NEWS Franchesca Fajemolin, Leika Golez, Jillian Lopez, Franchesca Regala

SPORTS Apa D. Aquino, Joseph B. Banaag, Neal R. Beltran, Jeremy L. Chua, Ally S. Crespo, Jaime D. David, Nielbert A. Dy, James B. Gavina, Gio P. Guinto, Gerrick C. Limsiy, Miguel G. Policarpio

BEYOND LOYOLA Jasey C. Cruz, Raphael C. Dela Cruz, Carlo O. Fernandez, Zachary C. Gonzales, George D. Kho, Frances C. Roberto

FEATURES Benjamin Bernal, Russell Louis Ku, Eala Nolasco, Genesis Tan

INQUIRY Cat Aquino, Danie Cabahug, Manolo Soliven

VANTAGE MAGAZINE Natalie R. Gavino, Justin Ginete, Therese Hipol, Arnald Paguio, Beatriz C. Reyes, Caitlin Anne Young

BROADCAST NEWS Cristina Batalla, Joaquin Salazar, Kathleen U. Yap PHOTOS Trina Camacho, Julia Carpio, Jim Dasal, Jerry Feng, Ralph Lim, Gabriel Medina, Bruce Ong, Cristina Sim, Kelly Veneracion, Paolo Yaptinchay, Izza Zamoranos

GRAPHIC DESIGN Tan Yu Ling Fabro, Andrea Granda, Mikhaella Magat, Denev C. Ng

VIDEO PRODUCTION Lou del Rosario, Denise Tumaliuan, Rafa Mikael D. Villon

DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT Keith I. Bartido, Davin Cuaso, Zekie Ordoveza, Jonathan Talbot EXTERNALS Marina Patricia B. Peneyra, Donna Ramirez, Jorge Alfred R. Taruc

HUMAN RESOURCES Margaux Andrea G. Arcinas, James Vincent Natera, Karl R. Salvador

RESEARCH Azequiel P. De Luna, Earl Christian L. Yu

Luz R. Rimban MODERATOR

For comments, suggestions, and contributions, email:

desk@theguidon.com

Revisiting active-ism EARLIER THIS year, Hong Kong citizens took to the streets in a groundbreaking protest against China. With over a million attendees, citizens expressed their opposition to a proposed amendment to the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation Bill that would allow criminals to be extradited to China. Fearing this would erode Hong Kong independence, citizens protested for five weeks, leading to the bill’s indefinite suspension.

In the Philippines, such a practice would be associated with the aktibista stereotype many of us have grow n to hear. This could be attributed to how local activ ism has been linked to unruliness, u n necessa r y v iolence, or even terrorism. Perceptions like these can be traced back to the government’s attempts to discourage activists with t h reats to ex pel st udent prote s te r s or e ve n k i l l human rights advocates who

are critical of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

AN EXERCISE OF RIGHTS Although protest is a noble cause, activism is not just done for the sake of praise, but to promote solidarity, demonstrate the power of the people, and bring about change.

At its foundation is the practice of democracy, particularly the right to public assemblies granted by the country’s 1987 Constitution. To ignore these privileges would be tantamount to acquiescence to injustices.

With a rich history of massive rallies like the EDSA Revolution against Martial Law, physical protest has often been viewed as the only means of activism in the Philippines. In these protests, rallyists must physically go to the streets, rendering those without the time and resources unable to participate.

However, demonstrative rallies are only one of the many forms of resistance we have today. Being unable to join

BLUE JE A NS

How can Ateneans do more good for others?

BY BRIAN TAN

“THE ATENEO seeks to train men and women-for-others.”

This is a line you’ll see in the webpage on Ateneo’s vision and mission. If you’re an Atenean, you’ve probably heard a version of that quote before. It begs the question though: Do Ateneans really live this out?

In many ways, a lot of Ateneans do. We can all think of certain people and groups who do good for others, whether they’re helping those inside or outside the Ateneo community. You can think of the organizations doing outreach, last school year’s resurgent Sanggunian, or the selfless friends you look up to.

However, there must still be a deeper question: How can we do more good?

After all, this is what Fr. Ben Nebres, SJ, former President of Ateneo, called us to do in a pre-

sentation to the Loyola Schools faculty: “The Ignatian vision… seeks to form people to develop their talents to the utmost and challenge them to the highest levels of service.

Not just to seek the good, but the greater good. The magis.”

What I see in Nebres’ quote is a deeper challenge for us Ateneans—a challenge for us to make a greater positive impact with our lives .

So no matter how good or bad of a person you are, it’s important to ask yourself: How can I do more good for others?

Over the past two years, I dove deep into trying to answer this question. Early on, I found out that a movement of people and organizations who are striving to answer the same question was started in 2009.

This movement is called Effective Altruism, also known as EA. EA is a global philosophy and community of people answering the question: How can we use our resources to help others the most?

in protests due to scheduling and logistical issues should no longer be an excuse given the other means of resistance we have at our fingertips.

TRANSITIONING ONLINE The 21st century introduces a different form of activism as it brings the discussion online.

Consequently, the power of online activism wields a force most demonstrative rallies aren’t able to exhibit: Ubiquity.

Through online activism, those unable to protest physically have the option to do so online. This is evident through the #LoveWins, #MeToo, and #BlackLivesMatter online movements—all of which have changed the international protest scene in recent years.

Notably, #BlackLivesMatter generated many concrete policy changes like the increased use of body cameras by police to ensure accountability. In the United States alone, #MeToo is responsible for 261 passed laws that address issues advocated by the movement. In 2013, the

Through the help of multiple researchers, philosophers, and professionals, the EA community has come up with clearer answers to this question.

What they’ve found is that a lot of initiatives people or charities do to help others are far from the most effective methods.

A classic example of this is the PlayPumps International charity.

In 1989, Trevor Field bought the patent for a new type of water pump—a playground merry-goround called PlayPump. Instead of having to use a hand pump or windmill pump to get water in rural areas, the PlayPump would let children play on it, and the spinning effect would pump water into a storage tank.

Many people thought it was a brilliant idea. The charity raised funding from multiple donors, got widespread media coverage, and even received a $16.4 million grant awarded by former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush. With this, PlayPumps went on to install 1,800 PlayPumps across Africa.

However, soon after, reports were released about how impractical PlayPumps were. In order to pump water, PlayPumps needed to be constantly spun, which was tiring for children.

Philippines’ largest anti-graft demonstration since 2010 originated in social media after a post made its rounds online calling for a “Million People March.” These instances prove the importance of a protest’s online presence, and how without it, a protest runs the risk of dying out.

COUNTERING SLACKTIVISM However, such an accessible avenue can sometimes turn politics into pastime. While online activism makes it easier for people to discuss, meet up, and demand for change, it is said to be “easy to click, but just as easy to disengage,” which was later dubbed slacktivism.

This may be attributed to the Filipino trait of ningas kugon, wherein we tend to start things ardently only to have ou r ent husia sm diminish later. To counter this lukewarm engagement in protest, Filipinos must realize that online protest is not the end-all, be-all of activism.

Some children even spun off and broke limbs.

Moreover, hand pumps could pump five times more water per hour than PlayPumps, and yet, one PlayPump costs four times as much.

This is just one example of many charities that have the best of intentions, but end up doing little good. In fact, there’s an estimate that 75% of social programs produce only small or no good.

When I first heard about PlayPumps and E A , I got hooked into learning more about EA. I then started to think more about the impact of my own actions and choices.

Along the way, I found other Filipinos who were deeply interested in EA too and we decided to form a Philippine chapter of it. We now hold talks and workshops to educate more people about EA. Some Ateneans have attended and a few of them and I are now setting up a chapter in Ateneo too.

Our aim is to help Filipinos combine both the head and the heart—to let them know what the world’s most important cause areas are and how they can support these causes in

Instead, it should only serve as a stepping stone towards going beyond social media and working towards concrete change.

The #BabaeAko movement, for instance, began as a social media campaign. After generating support online, more than a thousand women marched in the streets, even gaining global recognition as they condemned President Duterte’s misogynistic remarks.

Similarly, the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines sparked outrage online, prompting Filipinos to storm the streets carrying images of Winnie the Pooh that were meant to protest against President Xi Jinping when he visited the country.

As online activism is fully utilized, it’s important to note that true protest is much more than holding signs in streets or posting hashtags—resistance requires raising awareness in everyday life. Fortunately for us, we have all the means to make that happen at our disposal.

a fulfilling way. For me, EA’s message is reminiscent of Frederick Buechner’s quote, which I’ve heard multiple times from my theology professors: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

With this in mind, EA can help us know how to seek the greater good and how to answer the world’s deep hungers.

Hopefully, EA inspires you to research on how to do more good, whether it’s in choosing a career or knowing where to donate or volunteer. EA has helpful answers to each of these, and the answers may surprise you.

Ultimately, learning about EA is a step we can take to truly being persons for others. Hopefully, it teaches you to be wary of the PlayPumps of the world—the things that seem to do good, but actually, do harm.

Wr itten by Br ian Tan, BS I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y Entrepreneurship Graduate (Batch 2019) and founding member of Effective Altruism Philippines. He may be reached at work.briantan@gmail.com

The GUIDON | August 2019

CHALK MARKS

Amateur hour

BY ANDREW TY

I’M NOT that old, but I have grown old teaching. While the amount of time I’ve spent at the job—nearly two decades—is nothing to scoff at, it’s really more about how young I was when I came in and how old I am now.

In the summer of 2000, I was 24. In T-shirt and jeans, I entered the classroom unrecognized. I sat at the back and watched students fill the room and find their seats. Only when the bell rang and the chatter and the laughter subsided did I walk to the front where, from the teacher’s table, I greeted my surprised students for the first time.

Fine Print MIKAELA B. LLANES

Credit for compassion HERE’S HOW it starts: My throat is so sore that I can’t speak. I’m in the very back of my Math 10 class, cramming a 19-page reading I have to know in less than an hour. It’s only 9:00 AM, but I’m ready to get to the end of the day—probably award myself with some Flaming Wings for getting myself to school on time.

I am one-fourth through Leslie Jamison’s The Empathy Exams (2014) when I realize it’s a good text. Halfway

Unsteady BEA BACASON

Where loyalties lie “THAT’S MY mayor!” It doesn’t seem to matter when that statement was written or which mayor it was referring to. It’s something most of us have read and heard time and time again. But in the past few weeks, two officials seem to be the talk of the town.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has always been a political rockstar.

Lauded as “Cinderella Man” in a 2012 Philippine Star feature, he managed to make his way from Tondo, to local show business, and now, to the city’s highest seat of power. His strong statements against his predecessor as well as his bold reforms have catapulted him to the top of our social media timelines.

METRO MANILA CITIES REBORN Moreno himself led the clearing operations in the congested and polluted streets of Divisoria, Recto, and Quiapo. And days after he stepped on feces in front of the Andres Bonifacio monument, we find the area being vigorously cleaned by public workers.

On the other hand, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto became the nation’s darling after the young politician toppled the 27-year rule of the Eusebio clan in Pasig. The former councilor who once campaigned for anti-corruption measures within the city is now heading the launch of a local freedom of information center named “Ugnayan ng Pasig.”

Sotto has also earned praise after he was recorded telling the Zagu management and staff to respect

7

In the years since, I’ve become less able to play that prank. I developed a paunch, my hairline receded. I’ve always dressed casually in the classroom though, even if my t-shirts and jeans are now in much larger sizes.

Few people make a big deal about what I wear—my mother is one of them. Though I have been asked once or twice why I don’t look more professional. With an awkward laugh, I say it’s because I’m professional enough where it counts, and there’s no need to belabor the point.

I’ve long been suspicious about the opposition often made between “professional” and “amateur.” I’m even more suspicious of how the former is the privileged term and the latter made synonymous with “unprofessional.” The way I see it, “professional” vs. “amateur” is not the same thing as “professional” vs. “unprofessional.”

I avoid being “unprofessional,” but I often fail at being “professional.” Whenever I’m

asked for a CV, for instance, I am wracked with anxiety. When asked to list down my published research, my relief at not having to write down bibliographic entries is no comfort to the shame I feel over having, well, nothing. When I’m asked for credentials, I feel terror over possibly being judged by whoever is asking.

Twenty years at the job, I think in my lowest moments, and I’m not sure what to put in these things. I lack “deliverables” and “output,” things essential to the life of the professional academic—though I suspect “ professiona l” as resu ltsoriented is largely defined by the taint of neoliberal capitalism.

I sort of love being an “amateur” though. An amateur is one who loves, and I love teaching. I love reading and rereading course material, and I especially love it when my interests dovetail with my teaching, as it often does for someone who teaches film and media studies.

To unwind, I read to indulge my interests, like pretty much everyone. I love poetry, even though I don’t always have the chance to teach it. When I read, say, John Ashbery’s Soonest Mended, I read it for the mouthfeel. It starts with— “Barely tolerated, living on the margin In our technological society, we were always having to be rescued On the brink of destruction, like heroines in Orlando Furioso Before it was time to start all over again.”

—and ends with a ten-line single sentence that I deem one of the most beautifully moving passages in 20th-century American poetry.

(I’m not going to quote it here, and you should read it only if you’ve gone through the entire poem.)

Sometimes though, I get stuck on those first few lines. Ashbery wrote the poem around 1966, but I keep imagining it inhabiting 2019, a world where social media has become, as students put it, “toxic.”

(Those same students, by the way,

are heavy users of social media, but only as another way to contact people they already know. Few young people I know use social media to connect with strangers across the world. Their online lives are connected but far from World Wide.) Or I listen to music, trying to lose myself in a song.

I turn to TWICE, my favorite K-Pop girl group, and I watch the music video of one of their early hits, a bubbly song called Cheer Up (2016). The girls are energetic, the song is infectious, the visuals are popping, literally shifting genres from line to line.

It begins in a kitchen, where the girls loaf around. There’s a bit of pop surrealism with a man whose head is a film camera in cream and robin egg blue. He moves from one TWICE member to the next, trying to catch their attention, but each girl turns away. Weirdo camera head man then places lens filters, and each girl begins to play roles in a variety of genre set-pieces—

and then I’m thinking about my film classes. I ponder how the Cheer Up video seems to make the odd yet provocative claim that it is by celebrating generic formulae that women can resist the male gaze.

The girls are trapped in separate worlds, but come together as cheerleaders in the chorus, a stereotype played with earnest joy. The song ends with everyone back in the kitchen, familiar environs now made strange by girls still literally clad in the trappings of genre. Genre breaks, and so does domesticity.

What also breaks in these moments are the lines between learning and teaching, leisure and work. It’s as if I make dilettantism work, and I become, happily, a professional amateur.

in, I have to pause. I tell myself that I can’t afford to be emotional as my professor drones on about quartile values, but I can’t bring myself to calm down, either. It’s hard to read an absolute stranger ask the things you’ve always needed to ask yourself.

I used to never see anything wrong with how I would keep people from seeing me take down my walls.

It was far easier for me to desensitize and downplay my traumas than to bring them up with others. I have always thought it was selfless to grin and bear things on my own instead of reaching out. I thought all these little things until that one Purposive Communication reading where Jamison wrote, “This was the double blade of how I felt about anything that hurt. I wanted someone else to feel it with me and also I wanted it entirely for myself.”

To be empathetic is easy, but to demand it of others is not as simple.

To avoid being disappointed in others, I’ve made the conscious choice of not giving the people around me the chance to empathize with me.

I believed that I had set the bar for compassion too high. I was selfish with my pain, carrying the weight of it around without any intentions to share, and yet I had the audacity to be disappointed that nobody was capable of lessening my load. The double blade of hurt.

While empathy’s German counterpart literally translates to “to feel as one with,” the concern that I’ve only ever allowed myself to accept is the type where people admit that they can’t empathize.

“That must be hard”—for every failed test, the occasional broken bone, some relationship that didn’t

work out—never really sat quite well with me; it often led to the other person delving into their own experiences, sometimes making me feel as though my grievances were small in comparison.

“I can’t imagine,” on the other hand, was a pill much easier to swallow. “I can’t imagine,” is simultaneously the farthest and the closest I have let people to my pain. I would grade all the people who loved me in my head, rank them based on how well they reacted to my virtually invisible cries for help. For every self-deprecating joke or angsty poem that nobody saw through, I retreated more into myself. I don’t know why it was so hard for me to just say things—that I wasn’t okay, that I needed a friend—rather than to just downplay things and be upset when no one notices.

In my own selfish pursuit of proving my capacity for consideration, I’d neglected the people who cared about me. Too often have I dismissed efforts people have made to make me feel better. It was never a case of whether I thought I deserved it; it was just this irrational fear that they wouldn’t live up to my “standards,” and therefore shouldn’t even try. I had forgotten that empathy was more than just emotion; it was choice. It was not assuming how someone felt lest you got it wrong. It was waiting, and asking, and doing more than just listening. It was a plethora of actions, some just less obvious than the other.

Here’s how it really starts: My throat is still sore. I am at second floor Gonzaga, having lunch with a boy who insists I try not to talk at all; who berates me for getting a sugary

mango shake. I have always thought him to be unemotional, but then he sees through my jokes about getting a tonsillectomy. He asks me if I’m okay.

A good attempt—no, I think to myself, don’t think of it like that. “I don’t think so,” I admit, my voice cracking on either the lump in my throat or the fear of being seen.

He doesn’t care. He asks me why, even though I try to take it back. He asks me again, and I decide to tell him. I try not to dock points for his body language. I try to give him a chance when he gives me advice. I throw away the ranking system in my head; intentionality was never meant to be the enemy. Who was I to give out merits for empathy when it was always inherent in the people around me, just presented in different forms?

As I talk to him about my day, he listens. He hears. He lets me let him in.

the picketers’ right to protest last July 8. He addressed the company later in a Facebook post saying, “Hindi nagkaroon ng strike kung nakipag negosyasyon kayo ng maayos […] Sumunod kayo sa batas. Galangin niyo ang mga karapatan ng inyong manggagawa.” (There wouldn’t be a strike if you negotiated properly…

Follow the law. Respect the rights of your workers.)

BEYOND THE ROSE-TINTED GLASS The cities of Manila and Pasig need change. No one can deny that. The polluted, congested streets, and corruption within its governing bodies have no doubt caused the systemic and pervasive poverty within its borders. As well as it is true that somebody with a strong political will is needed to implement the proper reforms. Sounds familiar?

Forgive the cynicism. Sure, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. But branding Moreno and Sotto as the new faces of young, progressive leaders who will lead the country to its much-awaited development is simply misguided. One verse from Tony award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton (2015) sings: “We want our leaders to save the day, but we don’t get a say in what they trade away. We dream of a brand new start, but we dream in the dark for the most part.”

No one politician can save this country. Our support and dissent must rely on our own principles, not on the stances of our political idols. Progressive or not, these politicians’ actions must not be placed on high ground because that is how it should have been done in the first place. Appreciating their commitment to their responsibilities is one thing, but allowing them to bask in the praises of the public is another.

They both hold great promise.

But this isn’t the first time a public official made bold statements against a corrupt, incompetent system empowered by their predecessor, and vowed to end it.

Before we think about putting our new officials on a pedestal, or even so, a higher seat of power, know that there was once a strongman mayor whom everybody believed in. And he ended up condoning the murder of more than 6,000 people he swore to protect.

many Filipino women resort to are held under unsanitary conditions using outdated techniques.” In fact, such conditions caused the death of 1,000 Filipinas each year due to pregnancy complications. This is because women are more compelled to undergo unsafe abortions rather than to be held criminally liable.

Moreover, more recent estimates from the Guttmacher Institute in 2012 show that over 100,000 of around 610,000 Filipino women who resorted to unsafe abortions were hospitalized.

The alarming number of abortion-related deaths and health complications despite the legal consequences of the act signals for a change in the current policy.

Thus, I believe that a new policy that is similar to the model of Chile should be implemented. Specifically, the policy should allow women to undergo abortion only under three specific circumstances: The pregnancy is a product of rape, the life and health of a pregnant woman is threatened, and the unborn child has a serious fetal impairment.

I would like to argue for the implementation of said policy.

Similar to the Philippines, Chile was once a Spanish colony with a strong Catholic influence. Both countries have also experienced the same problems like the rampancy of rape and abortion complications that continue to risk women’s lives.

Therefore, I believe that this policy is the best compromise for a predominantly Catholic country. Its reasons for allowing abortion does not entirely go against the Catechism of the Catholic Church which states, “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.” (No. 2270) In fact, the policy actually saves both

the woman—especially with regard to violent rape—and the baby’s lives from serious health complications.

O YE, OF LITTLE FAITH All eyes are on these two young mayors. It is worrisome, however, how their every statement is featured in dozens of articles or how simple inspections in monuments and other landmarks have been live streamed in various media outlets.

The public must remain vigilant regardless of our leaders’ true intentions and whether or not politicians’ policies align with progressives. Political patronage and blind loyalty have victimized the country for decades. Countless accounts of human rights violations have been disregarded from the time of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, to former president Cory Aquino, to the present administration simply because we refuse to admit that our political idols are not the people we thought out to be. Orchestrated by the opposition, destabilization measures, biased media outlets— the excuses never seem to run out.

While toppling a political dynasty himself, we forget that Sotto is a member of another. And while he can’t control the way his family runs things, will he have the guts to condemn his uncle’s sexist remarks or oppose his controversial statements on timely political issues such as human rights and disputes about the West Philippine Sea? In Moreno’s case, we fail to see that the little convenience a Manileño experiences along the cleared streets of Manila could also mean the loss of livelihood of another.

Innocence FRANCINE C. TAN

Death by stigma For over a century, the government has imposed an abortion ban in the Philippines, a deeply Catholic state. It is stated in articles 256, 258 and 259 of the RevisedPenalCodethatanywoman who undertakes the procedure, as well as anybody who aids in it, will be criminalized. No other law in the Philippines authorizes abortion even in situations where incest, rape, or life-threatening pregnancies exist. The abortion ban in the Philippines remains firm under all circumstances and is highly stigmatized by the Catholic religion.

When I was taking my EnLit classes back in freshman year, the legalization of abortion was one of the most problematic and rampant topics we discussed. We debated about whether or not the only way to lower the number of abortion cases would be to criminalize it. However, through the years, criminalizing abortion has not reduced the number of abortions, but rather, driven over half a million women to undergo unsafe abortions each year.

EVALUATING TODAY’S ABORTION POLICY Research in 2005 proved that the current abortion ban did not reduce the number of abortions in the country, but rather, made the abortion procedure all the more dangerous for women. According to the sexual and reproductive health research organization Guttmacher Institute, “the abortion procedure

Andrew Albert J. Ty is an instructor at the Loyola Schools Department of Communication. He may be reached at aty@ateneo.edu/+63 998 850 2979.

A SHIELD FOR FILIPINO WOMEN Another point to consider is the fact that the aforementioned abortion policy is favorable to many Filipino women who are victims of crimes such as rape, incest, and sexual abuse. Rape crimes are rampant in the country and rape survivors are usually left with no choice but to proceed with unsafe and illegal abortion practices.

Furthermore, women are equally entitled to the fundamental right to life, health, and one’s own decisions.

They should have the freedom to opt for an abortion in order to save their child from various lethal disorders which cause death—of the parent or the child—at birth.

Protecting the right to life of a woman is an integral aspect of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. No one should be denied the right to fight for his or her life due to stigma brought by the Catholic religion and the misinformed view that abortion kills innocent lives.

Finally, the suggested policy is in line with the law and is supported by the Filipino people such as constitutionalist and priest Fr. Joaquin Bernas. He believes that abortion may be allowed to save the life of the woman under the protection of the 1987 Constitution. There are also many Filipino medico-legal writers who wrote legal medicine books that recognize the right to therapeutic abortions to preserve the life and health of the woman.

Thus, we should make this revised abortion policy a reality with the help of our fellow Filipino people who believe in protecting the life of the woman. With this, many Filipino women, like any other citizen of society, may continue living their lives in peace and with freedom.

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News

Atenean Voice Aside from matters of mental health and gender, what are some overlooked issues that the Sanggunian should address for this academic year?

PHOTO BY JIM DASAL

Nadine Altavas 2 BS LM

“I believe efforts should be taken to further develop socio-political awareness within the student body. This means more forums and immersions open to all Ateneans, more school-wide initiatives on various advocacies, as well as a stronger Sanggunian presence on issues beyond the Ateneo. It is not a time for apathy and the best platform to campaign against abuses on the underserved sectors of society would be the Sanggunian.”

Sean Carballo 2 BS HS

“I’d like to see the Sanggunian explore and create conversations on the matter of owning up to our political responsibilities, particularly in light of the present administration.

These duties, such as voting and engaging in rallies, are vital to our school’s identity.

[Finding] novel ways to integrate these responsibilities with student life may serve as a catalyst for conversation as well. I would really like to see the Sanggunian collaborate with different organizations and try to break down the importance of rallies, voting, reading the news to a young Filipino citizen.”

Jason Tabilog 2 BS CH

“With the ever-growing amount of new students every year, I believe the lack of campus dormitories is an issue here. Lots of families strive for their kids to study in Ateneo but are limited by distance.”

Keith Adrian Santos 2 BS MS-CS

Nico Santana 3 BS ME

“The trash cans, or rather, proper segregation. I’ve been saying this for years but a lot of people don’t know where to throw their trash properly because of stuff like laminates or wood. A lot of BFA ID majors have proposed different designs for the trash cans. I’d wager a redesign would do a lot to help out. Trash cans should also be more consistent. In some places, there’s only the black and green, but in others it’s a full set.”

Emerson Enriquez 3 AB COM

“I think it’s only recently that people are getting more concerned [about] the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. The existential fear that the physical world we live in today will cease to thrive is something that I feel most individuals share nowadays. The Sanggunian could address this by initiating efforts to encourage Ateneans to be more proactive in taking care of our immediate environment, and in the long run, be more aware of what effects the actions we take today have. There are several efforts that can be done in order to address whatever threats there are—and will be, to the environment—and the Atenean community can surely take a part in these if we choose to.”

Alisha Ples 2 AB DIP IR

“The Sanggunian should address sexual misconduct cases more potently. I was part of a sexual misconduct case last school year that was supposedly taken to the higher-ups but until now I have not gotten any updates on it.”

Niel Jacob 5 BS BIO

“Reduction of the student body’s carbon footprint would be an ideal agenda to deal with this school year. Our relatively large consumption of electricity, fuel, paper and processed materials for academic and extracurricular purposes become detrimental in terms of sustainability and in an economic sense. They can strengthen efforts to encourage carpooling and recycling and engage with professors and experts to create or enforce a sustainability plan for the following years.”

Frances Villaroz 2 AB COM

“What seems to be not so visible from my perspective is the relentless call for action in socio-political issues. There have been a lot of instances wherein Sanggunian released a statement about this and that and it’s good that we see what Sanggunian stands for. But, in terms of going outside campus and reaching out to oppressed sectors, I feel like there’s a lack in that department. Though it’s not just Sanggunian that’s accountable for things like student turnout for rallies and demonstrations, I wish there were ways to encourage students to reach out more to others.

We can’t compare activism in [the University of the Philippines] to what we have in the Ateneo, but at least socio-political awareness sana. At times, it seems like students are more invested in ADMU Freedom Wall than actual issues, and I hope Sanggunian can think of ways to turn that around. Maybe promote the demonstrations more to get a higher turnout.”

Angela Yu 2 BS LM

“Personally, I think one issue that is overlooked by Sanggunian is the distinction of social classes in Ateneo. The elitist culture is rampant in our school given that a large chunk of the student body comes from the upper-middle class. This causes divisions among students and promotes [a] judgemental mentality.”

“First thing that came to mind [is] physical health [with regard] to commuters since I know a lot of people who commute to school daily and we’re usually tired because of it. It’s not really a mental health issue, but I wonder how much more we could do if we weren’t so tired all the time, like tired and sweaty because of the annoying weather conditions. Plus, there’s also the factor of forgetting to eat or having no time to because of academics and rushing to school.”

Jan Chrys Meer 2 BS LM

“I think Sanggunian should focus more on enhancing the social awareness and accountability of the students. This might sound harsh, seeing that most of Sanggunian’s platforms are leaning on the students’ overall well-being but we must also take into consideration the happening outside our campus halls.

Truth be told, Ateneans often are members of the upper or middle class, who, with the right opportunity and knowledge, would be the perfect [candidates] for improving the state of the country or even the world and having enough influence to actually act on that difference. Sanggunian could give them just that. We often pride ourselves with being men and women for other people but we continue to live in a bubble of contentment and borderline ignorance and it’s sad.”

Alex Barairo 2 AB-MA POS

“For me, I’d like to advocate for a better AISIS enlistment system. If possible, the slots for classes should be distributed evenly amongst batches, similar to the TALAB enlistment system. I believe that those in the latter batches are in a disadvantage in the current system because they tend to run out of slots in high-demand classes.”

Glimpses Ateneo advances the QS World University Rankings 2020

Organization leaders lauded in Hinirang: The SOAR Recognition Gala

On June 19, Ateneo solidified its spot at #601-650 in the 2020 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, “an annual publication of university rankings” deemed to indicate academic prestige among institutions worldwide. Over the past two years, the University experienced a devastating slip in the QS World University Rankings. In 2018, it placed #551-600 and in the following year, it reached its all time low, placing at #651-700. However, recently, two ranking indicators, namely academic reputation and faculty-student ratio, have notably improved. The University seeks to sustain this momentum for a continued rise in the ranks in the coming years. FRANS G. REGALA

Over 400 leaders and members of Ateneo’s student organizations gathered at the Leong Hall Auditorium on June 21 for Hinirang: The SOAR Recognition Gala. The Gala served as a culmination of the Student Organizations Assessment and Review (SOAR) and as an induction ceremony for accredited student organizations and their new set of leaders. Among the four newly accredited organizations are the Blue Consulting Group under the Business Cluster, Ateneo Hinomoto under the Intercultural Relations Cluster, Institute of Skin Divers of Ateneo under the Health and Environment Cluster, and Barefoot Philippines under the Sector-Based Cluster.

The program featured messages from Associate Dean for Student Formation Leland Dela Cruz, PhD and Sanggunian President Quiel Quiwa. Council of Organizations of Ateneo (COA) President Philip Ventigan then headed the oath-taking while Kit Bautista, SJ facilitated the blessing of student leaders. The program was capped off with a dinner reception at the Leong Hall Roofdeck. FRANS G. REGALA

Commission on Gender Equality sends delegation for #ResistTogether

ACSEnt holds seminar on social entrepreneurship

On June 29, the Sanggunian Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) delegation for the 2019 Metro Manila Pride March and Festival marched together at the Marikina Sports Center. The initiative was pursued on account of the impact that One Big Pride had on the Ateneo community. The demonstration was held in celebration of the individuality of the LGBTQ+ community’s members in spite of the injustice and discrimination they continue to face. A day prior to the event, the CGE planned to host a Pride Tribute to showcase Atenean talent and commemorate Pride Month, but the event did not push through due to class suspensions. The variety show would have featured performances such as a lip sync battle, spoken word presentations, and song numbers from students as a show of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. FRANS G. REGALA

From July 29 to July 30, the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSent) launched a two-day workshop entitled Social Entrepreneurship 101 in collaboration with the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) Social Entrepreneurship Professor Benjamin Mirasol, and ISEA President Marie Lisa Dacanay, PhD. The event is in line with ACSent’s goals of social transformation and nation-building and discussions mainly revolved around the models for social entrepreneurship in today’s times.

Participants included aspiring and veteran social entrepreneurs and members of civil society, government, and business organizations. FRANS G. REGALA

The GUIDON | August 2019

9

GALLERY OF E AGLES

THE NEXT PHENOM Mika de Guzman

BY GIO P. GUINTO

VERY R ARELY do recruits arrive in the collegiate level with sky-high expectations from Ateneo fans, to the point that they elicit comparisons to prodigious athletes of the past. But once in a blue moon, there are some whose reputation strikes fear and piques interest even before they embark on their collegiate careers.

Kiefer Ravena, one of Ateneo’s a ll-time Men’s Basketba ll players, is a prime example.

Ravena’s storied high school career earned him the moniker Phenom—a nickname bestowed upon once-in-a-generation Ateneo athletes—even before he set foot in the collegiate ranks in 2011. Not only did he have to deal with the natural comparisons to his father, Philippine basketball great Bong Ravena, Kiefer was also expected to play a starring role as a rookie in the Blue Eagles’ quest for a four-peat.

But Ravena lived up to the hype—and then some. Two championships and a pair of Most Valuable Player trophies later, Kiefer hung up his jersey in 2015 as one of the greatest players Philippine college basketball has ever seen.

T h is yea r, Ateneo w i l l welcome another name with a prolific high school career and a game reminiscent of legends who came before her—but this time on the hardcourt.

SUPERSTAR IN THE MAKING Mika De Guzman has already made a name for herself in the badminton community, coming into Season 82 as one of her recruiting class’ biggest names.

The 17-year-old has drawn comparisons to fabled former Lady Shuttler Bianca Carlos, who is notoriously known for finishing her five-year career with an undefeated record for both Singles and Doubles categories.

De Guzman’s prowess in the Singles division coupled with her ability is reminiscent of Carlos,

who, like De Guzman, hails from St. Paul College Pasig.

De Guzman’s impressive reputation is evidenced by her impeccable track record on the court. From 2010 to 2019, she tallied a grand total of 37 golds, 18 silvers, and 16 bronze medals across prestigious competitions such as the Palarong Pambansa, the National Capital Region Palaro, and the Frederick D. Go (FDG) Cup. De Guzman has garnered international exposure as well with stints in Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia.

Women’s Badminton Head Coach Ken n ie A su ncionRobles, who has served as one of De Guzman’s long-time mentors from her high school days, can attest to the rookie’s extraordinary potential. “Mika’s level of play is beyond her age group,” she says. “In a recent Singles open tournament [for the FDG Cup], she was able to finish with a bronze, losing [only] to foreign players who took the gold and silver.”

A LINEAGE OF BADMINTON ATHLETES De Guzman’s gaudy list of accolades is no surprise given her family history. Her grandfather, Feliciano Miranda, was a national athlete for bandminton and consequently served as her very first mentor. “[My grandfather] taught his children—my mom and her siblings—to play badminton at a young age. His lessons were then extended to all of his grandchildren, including me,” recalls De Guzman. “We played to the extent that my grandfather built a badminton court for our family bonding.”

In her family, Mika is the newest member to play in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Her elder siblings, Mara and Miguel, also played competitive badminton during their collegiate years, representing the University of the Philippines and De La Salle University, respectively.

RESPONDING TO EXPECTATIONS With last s e a s on’s championship squad still intact, this year’s Women’s Badminton team is bannered by the same set of athletes that delivered Ateneo their first crown in five years.

The arrival of De Guzman will bolster Ateneo’s championshipcaliber team, especially in the Singles Division. Many will be eager to see if Ateneo’s prized rookie will live up to the lofty expectations set for her.

C o ach A s u nc ion- Robles believes t hat t he h igh expectations will only create unnecessary pressure because only De Guzman herself can define her ceiling. But for De Gu zma n, the compa r isons push her to be better. “I think it’s normal to be pressured when being compared, but I am humbled when people compare me to athletes like my ate Bianca Carlos, the number one player whom I look up to. She motivates and inspires me to train even harder,” says the young rookie.

“They have been winning even before I joined so I know that I can learn a lot from them as well,” adds De Guzman. As for the Badminton starlet, her focus remains the same: Continuous improvement both as a student and an athlete, which would allow her to perform at the highest level when the season begins.

In recent yea rs, records have show n that there are some rookies who have lived up to ex pec t at ions when placed amongst the ranks of exceptional individuals. For instance, both Kiefer Ravena and Bianca Carlos concluded t hei r f i rst sea son w it h a UA AP Championship in their respective spor ts. W hile it is unfair for a championship trophy to be the sole success indicator of De Guzman’s rookie year, it wouldn’t be a surprise if history repeated itself. The UA AP is set to witness another stor y unfold—one that only legends are made of.

I am humbled when people compare me to athletes like my ate Bianca Carlos, the number one player whom I look up to. She motivates and inspires me to train even harder.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLEN CHARLES LOPEZ

MIKA DE GUZMAN ROOKIE LADY SHUTTLER

10

Sports

PHOTO BY JULIA CARPIO

S P O R T S O P I N IO N

Passing the time

BY MIGUEL G. POLICARPIO

AN INDELIBLE aspect of life as an Atenean athlete will always be the long hours spent at the Athlete’s Study Hall. Located on the third floor of the Blue Eagle Gym, the study hall means something different to every single athlete within its walls.

To some, the study hall means free printing and a refuge from the heat; to others, the room is a place that keeps one cooped up against their will.

On the other hand, University Athletics Office (UAO) Director Emmanuel Fernandez sees study hall as an opportunity to holistically form every Atenean athlete. “We just want to provide our athletes with access to more tools that, hopefully, they can use to study well and get better grades,” he says.

Atenean athletes are required to spend a number of hours per week at the study hall. However, even with advisors available to guide them, many athletes have complained of unproductivity and restlessness at study hall. As a result, the long hours, which could be better used for resting, socializing, or being more productive elsewhere, become just another tedious requirement.

That said, the study hall simply serves as a stopgap solution to facilitate the academic progress of our athletes.

THE POLICY To be eligible for competitions, student-athletes are required by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) to complete at least 12 units per semester, but Ateneo sets an additional Quality Point Index (QPI) requirement of 1.8 for freshmen, 1.9 for sophomores, and 2.0 for juniors and seniors.

Patterned after the practices of the United States’ National Collegiate Athletic Association, the study hall was established to help Atenean athletes meet general standards while going beyond simply getting by.

A core part of the policy is logging required study hours.

First-year student-athletes need to log eight hours a week. From their second year onwards, it becomes four hours, unless an athlete’s QPI is below 2.5. Then, the required hours return to eight per week. Conversely, if an athlete’s QPI exceeds 3.0, he is no longer required to log study hall hours.

The last rule has become an unspoken incentive for athletes to excel in their classes and the end result of a good QPI generally achieves the study hall’s goals, albeit for less than ideal reasons.

Logging hours essentially devolves into a chore done to avoid taking on even more hours.

TO EACH HIS OWN Whether or not this policy guarantees an athlete academic stability is yet to be proven. One may argue that forcing these requirements upon our athletes may even be counterproductive.

Spending extra hours in a room every week won’t do much for a student if he has poor study habits or if he does not attend class on a regular basis. How long the room is used becomes irrelevant if it’s not being used well.

That said, the study hall simply serves as a stopgap solution to facilitate the academic progress of our athletes, instead of instilling skills like time management and organization, which can be learned in other ways.

As with any sport, academic success comes with putting in the hours, but at the end of the day, the school can’t learn for its athletes. Be it in a coffee shop, in a condominium, or on the way to class, the work, with or without the study hall, purely rests in the hands of our athletes.

PHOTO BY IZZA ZAMORANOS

Team Glory B cagers who can make the jump

BY JAIME D. DAVID

RAFFY VERANO and Jolo Mendoza’s ineligibility for the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 means that Ateneo’s rotation will need significant reshuffling. But the void left by these two key cogs doesn’t necessarily have to be filled by external additions—change can come from within. As such, these three Team Glory B players have a chance to break into Coach Tab Baldwin’s plans this year.

PATRICK MAAGDENBERG (6’ 5” PF/C) Maagdenberg has the ability to turn heads with his stellar passing and surprising mobility despite his size. Should he crack the lineup, the crafty Kiwi’s imposing stature will make him a force to be reckoned with, providing an intimidating physical presence in place of Verano.

JASON CREDO (6’ 3” SG/SF) In Team Glory B, Credo showed the ability to guard all five positions, impressed with his vision and passing, and exhibited a solid stroke from beyond the arc. These key assets could provide Coach Tab with another plug-and-play option in his arsenal of guard weapons in lieu of Mendoza.

TROY MALLILLIN (6’2”, SF/PF) Mallillin’s tenacious rebounding and energy would do well to help fill Verano’s void. The former National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Juniors Most Valuable Player is also an elite athlete.

Mallillin’s athletic prowess allows him to guard three to four positions, potentially making him a valuable asset on the defensive end.

Table tennis rookies on the rise

BY JEREMY L. CHUA

WITH THE next University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) season on the horizon, a new breed of talent will don the Blue and White for the Ateneo table tennis teams. These three new faces are out to bring the Lady and Blue Eagles back to contention.

ANN GELLA BORBON Borbon, a standout from the Ateneo Juniors Table Tennis team, made noise in the high school level after bagging a total of two Individual Champion medals in the 2013 and 2016 editions of the Palarong Pambansa. She also has national team experience to boot, having represented the Philippines in the 6th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Doubles Championship in 2014.

KAELA DEINE AGUILAR Like Borbon, Aguilar donned the country’s colors in the past as a representative in the Southeast Asia Table Tennis Association in 2016. More recently, Aguilar ranked first in the 2018 Philippine Super League Table Tennis Tournament as a highly-touted prospect from Paco Citizen Academy Foundation.

FRANCE DE ASIS The Men’s Team also has an exciting rookie joining the ranks as it welcomes France De Asis, a champion player from the University of the East Junior Table Tennis Team. Back in 2016, he was a Mixed Doubles Champion in the Batang Pinoy Nationals. De Asis also bagged silver in the recently concluded Uni-Orient Cup 2019.

The GUIDON | August 2019

PHOTO BY JASON T. MARIANO

11

PHOTO BY KELLY VENERACION

Ateneo Rowing Team: A rising tide

Ateneo Sports

Watchlist

BY APA D. AQUINO

IN THEIR 30th year of aquatic expertise, the Ateneo Rowing Team has increased their international presence following multiple medal hauls, a band of promising new recruits, and an unprecedented chance to compete with the highest level of talent in the international rowing scene.

The past two years have seen the team garner four silver and three bronze medals from three competitions: The Malaysia Varsity Boat Race in 2018, the 14th

Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Championship held in the same year, and the 15th CUHK Championship in 2019. As a result of these accomplishments, the Ateneo Rowing Team earned an invitation to represent the school in the Oly mpic-laden World Rowing Coastal in Thailand this September.

Team Captain Pao Reganit reflected on how far the team has come. "Even if the World Rowing Coastal and Hong Kong

[Championships] have a high level of competition, it's a big step for the team from competing against other universities to [competing in] the big leagues of international waters today," remarked Reganit.

With the stage set for the team to voyage further than ever, there is no better way to celebrate 30 years of rowing excellence than the opportunities of the present.

There’s nowhere to go but up for the rising tide that is the Ateneo Rowing Team.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GB PANLILIO AND BIANCA BRAZA

EDITORS: KIRBY G. JALANDONI AND JOAQUIN A. SANTOS | LAYOUT ARTIST: NEIL R. REYES PASSING THE TIME

Sports

Study hall hours are set for a reason, but its ultimate success depends on much more than logging time.

10

Flying high into UAAP Season 82

BY NEAL R. BELTRAN AND ALLY S. CRESPO

PHOTO FROM THE GUIDON’S FIRST UAAP COVERAGE

Hosting the UAAP reminds us of the school we represent and the name printed on the front of our jerseys. Every year we want to win and make the Ateneo proud.

— PONGGAY GASTON WING SPIKER WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

THE 82ND season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UA AP) tournament is fast approaching.

Atenean athletes will enter another year of competition buoyed by last season’s strong per for ma nces a nd preparations will only intensify as the competition nears.

By the end of Season 81, the Blue and White brought home seven championships: Men’s Basketball, Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Football, Men’s and Women’s Swimming, Women’s Badminton, and Women’s Fencing. These teams will face a title defense on the horizon, while teams who fell short will hope to reach the top.

Beyond the renewa l of rivalries, Ateneo can also look forward to the coming season as UA AP Season 82’s host school. Though this comes with certain responsibilities, Ateneo has an exciting opportunity to build the best possible experience for everyone involved.

SETTING UP SUCCESS As the host of this year’s UAAP Season, Ateneo, specifically through the University Athletics Office (UAO) is tasked to oversee four events: The Opening Ceremony, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, and the Closing Ceremony. In addition to these responsibilities, the UAO has other initiatives in place to deliver a memorable season on multiple fronts.

Season 82 will open on Sunday, September 1, 2019, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. To welcome the year, Ateneo is looking to emulate the Olympic Games’ Parade of Nations by inviting all the athletes from every UAAP school to participate in a march.

Howe ver, pla n n ing t he season itself proved to be a major challenge for the UAO. Scheduling complications arose when the Philippines was selected to host the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games from November 30 to December 11, 2019, but University and SEA Games organizers remained proactive in addressing possible concerns.

According to UAO Director Emmanuel Fernandez, Judo and Fencing will be moved to the second semester, while the Track and Field competition will be moved to January after the conclusion of the SEA Games.

On the other hand, the Men’s Basketball tournament will be compressed to finish roughly a week before the Games’ opening.

Generating greater exposure for UAAP events is also a priority for the UAO this coming year, especially for spor ts that historically have not had their share in the national spotlight.

Apart from Volleyball and Men’s Basketball, only Baseball, Softball, and Men’s Football finals games are shown on television.

“We’re planning to have Women’s Basketball shown on TV, kung hindi naman on TV, online (If we can’t show Women’s Basketball on TV, then we will show it online),” Fernandez says. “Even the championship ng Badminton gusto namin ibalik and now we’re looking also at the championship nung Table Tennis kung paano ipapalabas (We also want to bring back the championship of Badminton. We’re looking at how we can air Table Tennis championships as well).”

This initiative hopes to give athletes more opportunities for

recognition and provide a boost for their motivation to compete as well. “Mas gusto nila na maglaro na maraming tao (They relish playing in front of a large crowd),” he says. “Hopefully the athletes will appreciate that we’re trying to not just highlight the main spor ts, but to highlight more sports.”

Last season, Ateneo won 12 of their 14 medals from sports outside of Men’s Basketball and Women’s Volleyball and this season represents an exciting opportunit y to witness the depth of talent Ateneo has to offer across multiple sports.

COMPETING FOR THE SCHOOL WE CHOOSE The behind-the-scenes work to orchestrate these initiatives are crucial, but audiences and athletes will keep most of their focus on the games that define each school’s season. For the Ateneans preparing to compete, hosting the UAAP adds extra fuel to their fire.

This year, the Women’s Swimming Team will be aiming for their third straight championship.

Entering her final year, three-time UAAP Champion and Team Captain Raegan Gavino shared that the Lady Eagles are inspired to deliver. “We feel that it’s a chance to represent the Blue and White better than we have in the past,” Gavino says. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase how Ateneo can set the bar.”

The Lady Tankers also have a chance to field swimmers for the national team in this year’s SEA Games. The last qualifying tournament for the roster is the Philippine Open which is slated for August.

While these opportunities drum up a lot of excitement, hosting a competition of this magnitude places a different kind of pressure on the athletes. The UA AP Season 81’s Badminton queens will face the challenge of dealing with that added pressure.

Team Captain Chanelle Lunod shared that it could be the key to retaining the crown. “The team knows that being the host means a lot, but we try our best not to let that pressure us,” explains Lunod. “For now, all we’re doing is trying our best to prepare well for our season.

Perhaps most importantly, hosting the UA AP reminds athletes that they compete for something greater than themselves. The Women’s Volleyball team enters this season determined to defend their title, and for graduating wing spiker Ponggay Gaston, hosting offers her team one more reason to band together. “Hosting the UA AP reminds us of the school we represent and the name printed on the front of our jerseys,” she says. Echoing the thoughts of her fellow Lady Eagles, Gaston says that their intensity and desire to win will not waver. “Every year we want to win and make the Ateneo proud,” adds Gaston.

To make a statement to the rest of the UAAP and its national audience, Ateneo’s excellence behind the scenes will matter just as much as the outcome of each game. In hosting the UAAP, the University has a chance to realize a vision for a bigger, better season for athletes and audiences alike.

With a number of initiatives to look forward to, this season has all the makings of a landmark yea r in the world of Ateneo sports.

PHOTO BY MARK ANASTACIO

Generating greater exposure for UAAP events is a priority... especially for sports that historically have not had their share in the national spotlight.

ILLUSTRATION BY CARMELA B. MASIGLAT

EDITOR: DANIELLE R. GARCIA | LAYOUT ARTIST: TAN YU LING FABRO

Beyond Loyola

NATIONALIZED BUILDINGVS. RESILIENCE PRIVATE: SUPPLYING Assessing MANILA’S MarikinaWATER City’s Congressmen disaster mitigation and critics strategies call for the renationalization in the of eyes water of political services theory. amidst the metropolis-wide water shortage.

04

Marawi funds: Where do they go?

PHOTO BY JANINE TORRE

BY RAPHAEL C. DELA CRUZ AND ZACHARY C. GONZALES

NEARLY TWO years following the five month-long siege that decimated the city of Marawi, the aftermath lingers. As governmentled rehabilitation efforts attempt to rebuild lives and infrastructure alike, criticisms are abound on the progress of these initiatives.

This has led independent constitutional commissions such as the Commission on Audit (COA) to question whether the funds and donations devoted to Marawi’s recovery are being distributed effectively.

The government, through its different agencies such as Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), is working to get Marawi back on its feet. With billions of pesos worth of cash and donations pouring in locally and internationally, Marawi’s internally displaced residents have high hopes for the war-torn city’s swift recovery.

However, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer and former Senator JV Ejercito echoed the people’s concerns on the alleged slow progress of Marawi’s rehabilitation. Maurer remarked that the “painfully slow” progress of rehabilitation efforts are spurring discontent among Maranaos. Meanwhile, Ejercito warned that the anger of Marawi residents might shift from the terrorists to the government.

Similarly, Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo, Lanao del Norte 1st District Representative Khalid Dimaporo, Mindanao lawmakers, and Marawi’s displaced residents have also expressed discontent on the trickling progress.

TFBM Spokesperson and OCD Assistant Secretary (ASEC) Kristoffer Purisima took these criticisms in stride when questioned about the critics’ disapproval. In an interview, Purisima responded saying, “[Critics] can criticize, but base it also on facts.”

He asserted that “[there] are layers of challenges” affecting the

speed of Marawi’s rehabilitation. “[There are] complexities that have to be addressed—and we are addressing them,” he assured.

“Sure, let us know what you need in terms of information, in terms of data, and we’ll provide it to you so that you would be able to study the situation on the ground.”

COA CALL-OUT This May, COA released a report that showed donations amounting to only Php 10,000 out of the Php 36.92 million were released for Marawi evacuees in 2018. Shedding light during an interview, OCD Director III of Policy Development and Planning Service Tecson Lim revealed that a policy change on financial assistance affected the process on the release of funds.

Lim explained that the primary source for assisting the relatives of the dead and missing came from donated funds. “[S]omewhere to the early part of this administration, ang pinagssource out nila (what they sourced out) for financial

assistance for the dead and injured were donated funds. Kaya sa Yolanda makikita mo malaking bulk nandun ang galing (That’s why during Yolanda you’ll see that’s where a large bulk of it came from),” Lim said.

The new policy change revealed

by Lim dictated that funds are to be primarily sourced from the Quick Response Fund (QRF), a special fund to “cover for response, relief, and early recovery activities.”

Purisima clarified that the Php 36.92 million reported by COA was, in fact, donated funds. “I think what was observed by COA initially was that only, [...] Php 10,000 out of the Php 36 million because we were using the regular funds [of QRF].

Because the Php 36 million were donated funds,” Purisima said.

Director Lim explained that although only Php 10,000 of the donated funds was used in 2018, around Php 440,000 was dispensed through the regular budget for the QRF. “Early on, [what] we were using was the Quick Response Fund [...] kasi di ganun naman marami yung [families of the] dead and injured talaga na nagclaim (because not a lot of family members claimed their dead and injured relatives) from Marawi.We actually spent almost only Php 440,000,” Lim added.

Another reason for the slow dispersal of funds was the tedious process that Maranaos undergo to attain financial assistance. As mentioned by Purisima, for the families of the dead or injured to claim financial assistance from agencies such as the OCD, they must provide documents as proof of death or injury in order for the agencies to justify released funds to the COA .

COA described this process as “very burdensome for some victims” and a possible reason for the incomplete utilization of the funds.

ONGOING REHABILITATION The efficiency of governmentled rehabilitation efforts for Marawi was also subject to scrutiny. In COA’s annual audit report on the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Cou ncil (HU DCC), COA

highlighted the HUDCC’s several unfinished projects worth a total of Php 11.71 million. COA’s report on HUDCC detailed that the completion of some land survey projects for potential socialized housing sites were delayed for up to three years. In response, National Housing Agency (NHA) General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. cited difficulties in clearing the battleground as one reason for the delay in rehabilitation efforts.

Purisima, when questioned regarding the speed and difficulties of the ongoing clearing efforts in Marawi, cited the presence of unaccounted explosives. “Actually, we recognize the sentiments of a lot of our stakeholders regarding the pace of the rehabilitation and recovery,” Purisima said. “The reality is we still need to clear the area of unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices or IEDs.” Since Ground Zero, Marawi’s Most Affected Area, is littered with hidden explosives that pose as risks for future accidents, Purisima reiterated the cost of safety at the expense of speed.

A lthough the government’s main task is the expeditious rehabilitation and recovery of the area, the safety of Marawi’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as government workers a nd contractors is their utmost priority.

“So I wouldn’t want to compare it with other rehabilitations here or abroad, but we want to do it right. And given the complexity of the situation, given the reality on the ground na marami pa tayong kailangan i-clear (that we still have a lot to clear) in terms of unexploded ordnance and IEDs, we have to tread carefully for the safety of our people as well,” Purisima said.

SUSTAINED CRITICISM In response to concerns regarding the mishandling of the rehabilitation program for Yolanda victims, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia promised that “[the government is] not going to repeat the problems.”

Lim, who was Tacloban’s city administrator during Yolanda,

lamented how the inf lux of donations made it difficult for the government to control where everything was going. “Isang problema namin sa Yolanda (One problem we had during Yolanda) […] everybody was getting some kind of help to the point that us in the local government and even the national government could not really control where it was going,” he said.

When a disaster necessitates large-scale rehabilitation, a Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP) is drafted by the government and consequently followed by pertinent agencies in order to properly utilize and distribute funds and donations. “So nakalagay na dun lahat ng programs ng [Projects, Activities, and Programs] PAP (Everything is under those programs),” Purisima said. “And all implementing agencies should be able to follow those PAPs so that we would have a comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation.”

According to Lim, recent policy changes like the mandatory use of the QRF as the primary fund for relief assistance, are in place to prevent another difficult logistics scenario similar to what the victims of Yolanda faced. Coordinating all funds and donations with TFBM in accordance with the Bangon Marawi CRRP, the “mother program” for Marawi's rehabilitation, serves to curb issues of transparency and order.

Lim further disclosed that a policy to have all donated funds coursed through the Bureau of Treasury is currently in the works. “[A]ctually, the government is trying to come up with a policy now where all of the funds received will go into the Bureau of Treasury,” Lim said. “[This] will now ultimately serve as the fund [for] the government’s projects, programs, and activities.”

With major policies underway to properly regulate the Php 8 billion set aside for future rehabilitation projects and amidst mounting criticism for its proponents, Marawi’s problems are arguably still far from over.

2

Beyond Loyola

The cry for climate justice

BY JASEY C. CRUZ AND CARLO O. FERNANDEZ

is “transforming what were once clean and thriving places into toxic dumpsites.”

69 CONTAINERS of Canada’s garbage were docked in Manila in 2013 to remain for another six years. Some of it found its way to Philippine landfills, but the majority was sent back to Vancouver in June 2019. The garbage, initially declared to be recyclable plastics, turned out to be hazardous waste.

This seemingly isolated incident illustrates the reality t hat se ver a l de velopi n g countries face in the war against environmental degradation.

Countries such as Canada, the United States of America (USA), and China continue to pollute the environment with plastic waste and excessive carbon emissions, reaping the benefits of their production-focused economies while countries in Asia and South America suffer the consequences.

Politicians in the Asia-Pacific region, like Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, are starting to speak up. He stated, “It’s grossly unfair for rich countries to send their plastic waste to poor countries that are already struggling to cope with their own waste problems, and the practice needs to stop.”

Global Coordinator of the Break Free from Plastic movement Von Hernandez said that plastic waste shipped to Southeast Asia

WHERE RESPONSIBILITY LIES These dynamics have caused the international community to re-evaluate how the responsibility of mitigating the effects of climate change is shared among nations.

According to Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC) April Porteria, an emerging global trend in understanding the issue of climate change is through the climate justice framework. This follows a principle from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in which each state’s “common, but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” are taken into account when dividing the work that must be done to address environmental issues.

Por ter ia e x pla i ned t h at upon analyzing the industrial revolution, it becomes apparent that the countries who were first to industrialize, consequently g row ing their wealth, are still the biggest polluters. According to her, ea rly i ndu st r ia l i z ers have contributed the most aggregate p ol lut ion si mply b e c au s e their industries have been in operation the longest.

While climate change is a problem with effects that span across all countries and

populations, data from the Global Climate Risk Index 2019 shows that countries have different levels of vulnerability to rising temperatures and sea levels. Worse, countries with the highest long-term vulnerability are largely from the Global South.

This is likely due to increased environmental risks in regions that are already geographically vulnerable to natural climate cycles and the lack of state capacity to mitigate these risks.

In line with the UNFCCC’s principle of “common, but differentiated” responsibilities and capabilities, not all countries are financially capable of taking action against the consequences of climate change. To achieve climate justice, those who generate the most pollution and profit while doing so—like heavily industrialized countries—have a greater share in the responsibility to reverse the effects of climate change. Meanwhile, countries who are poorer and pollute less by comparison are not given an equal share of the burden.

In an effort to take into account each country’s differing responsibilities and capacities, 195 states became signatories to the Paris A greement in 2015. Aiming to keep the global temperature below 2°C “above pre-industr ia l levels,” the agreement calls for collective action against climate change, while also providing aid to

developing countries. In spite of this, Porteria notes that the lack of legally binding consequences and the freedom to set nationally deter m i ned cont r ibut ions hinder accountabilit y from being fully exercised.

The USA, one of the world’s biggest contributors of carbon emissions, withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2017. USA President Donald Trump cited his America-first foreign policy approach as the motivation for no longer honoring the agreement. This move drew criticism from President Rodrigo Duterte, who claimed that international

farmers and fisherfolk are linked to natural weather cycles. When deciding when to plant crops, farmers distinguish between sowing and harvest season based on the weather. This pattern has become increasingly disrupted by extreme weather patterns during each season. To make matters worse, the Philippines’ long history of inequitable land distribution prevents farmers from accumulating significant wealth over time. Meanwhile, fisherfolk also suffer millions of pesos in economic losses during typhoon season—partly due to the destruction of their boats.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GREENPEACE

in t he reg ion, t hey were eventually forced to migrate to low-lying seaside areas.

“Kung titignan mo, yung pinakavulnerable, sila rin yung pinakamarginalized at pinaka-mahirap sa lipunan,” said Porteria.

(If you look at it, the most vulnerable are also the most marginalized and the poorest in society).

TOWARDS CLIMATE JUSTICE Farmers, f isher folk, and t he u rba n poor a re not on ly env i ron ment a l ly or geographically vulnerable, they are also socio-economically

PHOTO BY ALDO SANTIAGO

climate forums should do more than discuss issues and demanded greater accountability from the world’s biggest polluters.

PHOTO BY ALDO SANTIAGO

LOCAL CHALLENGES President Duterte’s statement highlighted the Philippines’ economic losses due to environmental disasters. Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the country is already prone to typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Extreme weather patterns brought on by global warming have only worsened the likelihood of these conditions.

According to Porteria, the CEC’s research has found that the agricultural sector suffers the most as the livelihood of

The effects of climate change have also been felt in the country’s city centers. According to Porteria, the urban poor population is highly vulnerable to the damage caused by extreme weather patterns. A recent example is Super Typhoon Yolanda’s devastation of Tacloban City. Heavy rainfall and storm surges wreaked havoc in the seaside town, killing over 6,300 people and costing almost Php 90 billion in damages as of 2014.

Por ter ia ex pla ined t hat residents who now comprise the majority of Tacloban’s urban poor sector were farmers during the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

Due to heavy militarization, land grabbing, and lack of livelihood

disadvantaged. When disaster strikes, these groups are the least resilient, lacking the financial capital to recover from the destruction of their livelihoods and homes.

“Vulnerability is not just about exposure [to] natural phenomenon… [it] compounds with policies in place [and] how these policies are protecting p eople f rom d is a s ter s ,” said Porteria.

As long as systemic issues such as poverty and job insecurity continue to force segments of the population to live in vulnerability, it will remain diff icult to fully mitigate, much less reverse, the effects of climate change.

The GUIDON | August 2019

3

The carbon credit system SI NCE I TS adopt ion i n 1997, the Kyoto Protocol has been signed by 191 countries with the aim of decreasing the global carbon emissions of each nation and reducing the impact of climate change on the planet.

Countries were committed to meet a set emission reduction target, w ith more industrial countries carr y ing a heavier burden. One mechanism that was introduced to achieve this was the carbon credit system.

A n emission unit, or more generally, carbon credit, is a permit that allows industries to release one tonne of carbon diox ide or g reen house gas.

Countr ies under the Kyoto Protocol are assigned a target amount of emissions measured in allowance of how much emissions they tend to release.

Countries who have successfully reduced their emissions

FROM THE get-go, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) was slated to become the most influential stakeholder in the Philippine healthcare system.

National health reforms and agenda in the years succeeding its establishment in 1995 gradually expanded the agency’s responsibilities and power.

For instance, former President and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s f lagship health program gave Php 3 billion in funding to PhilHealth in line with a push for “universal health insurance coverage.”

During the Aquino administration, the trend was carried over with the passage of the Sin Tax Law of 2012 which funnels 85% of all revenues collected from excise taxes into PhilHealth.

At present, the institutionalization of PhilHealth as the mainstay of Philippine healthcare seems to be nearing completion. The recently signed Universal Health Care (UHC) Law effectively makes the agency the “national purchaser” of health goods and services.

Despite previous governments’ numerous initiatives to build up PhilHealth’s financial capacity, accessible and af fordable healthcare remains an elusive dream for many Filipinos. In June, a PhilCare study reported that nearly 38% of Filipinos use their savings to cover medical expenses and around 25% have to borrow money from others.

can sell their “spare” credits to other countries that have not, thus introducing a new t y pe of market. The carbon credit system thereby limits a countr y’s emissions by imposing a cap and setting a cost liability for going past those limits.

However, this scheme is not as simple as it sounds. In an inter v iew w ith Depar tment of Env i ron menta l S c ience professor Ja ir us Josol, she pointed out different drawback s of t he s y stem . For example, the United Nations Fra mework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) may find it difficult to verif y that traded credits actually correspond to reduced emissions. A nother drawback she pointed out is the difficulty in implementing the system due to political risks, like non-compliance from countries and the

BY GEORGE D. KHO

"The carbon credit system thereby limits the amount of emissions by imposing a cap and setting a cost liability for going past those limits."

challenge for governments to track the reduction cost of individual emitters.

T he scheme a lso ha sn’t g reatly reduced emissions, partly due to problems w ith allocating emission targets.

Aside from this, only a few countries, such as Australia, New Zea la nd, Sw itzerla nd, South Korea, and countries in the European Union, have i mplemented t he s y s tem . “[Carbon credit] doesn't quite work because a carbon credit system needs to be supported by a strong mitigation target— somet h ing wh ich we don’t have,” she added.

However, Josol rema rked that the scheme makes emiss ion m it i g a t ion c h e a p e r.

Accord i n g to her, companies would reduce emissions wherever possible if the cost of a carbon credit is more ex-

Wealth is health: The Philippine healthcare system

BY FRANCES C. ROBERTO

For that reason, critics remain skeptical of the highly-touted piece of legislation which would mandate the enrollment of all Filipinos into PhilHealth.

For the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) Vice-Chair Dr. Gene Nisperos, the UHC does nothing more than reinforce the status quo, thus missing out on the real problems plaguing Philippine healthcare.

OUT-OF-POCKET SPENDING In 2017, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported an 8.8% increase in out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditures— costs paid for by the patient and not by any insurance entity—that amounted to Php 372.8 billion.

This is despite PhilHealth’s ever-increasing allocations in the national budget, pointing to a seeming inability to fully shoulder the rising costs of healthcare.

Effected in 2011, PhilHealth’s No Balance Billing (NBB) policy was designed to protect Filipinos from OOP expenses by prohibiting PhilHealthaccredited government hospitals from charging patients costs

above what PhilHealth covers.

However, sustained levels of OOP payments seem to suggest that compliance with the policy is not strictly supervised. In the first fiscal quarter of 2018, 22.81% of NBB-eligible patients still incurred OOP expenditures.

OOP expenses do not just stem from the failure to follow NBB—the policy does not cover all healthcare institutions in the first place.

The NBB is only implemented in PhilHealth-accredited government hospitals which comprised just 35% of all PhilHealth-accredited institutions in 2017.

Of the accredited institutions, 65% are either private clinics where NBB only applies to certain medical services or private hospitals that can opt out of the policy altogether.

PRIORITIZING PRIVATE PROFIT Cu r rent Depa r t ment of Health (DOH) records state that approximately 70% of hospitals in the country are

privately ow ned, w ith 990 private hospitals in operation.

In comparison, there are 463 government-funded hospitals.

“Private hospitals receive the biggest sum of reimbursements from PhilHealth,” said Dr. Nisperos, “which is troubling because the cost for health care in such institutions [is] so expensive.”

The National Demographic and Health Survey released in 2017 found that a patient’s average hospital bill at a private facility is almost three times more than the average hospital bill at a public institution. To illustrate, the mean total prices of healthcare at a private hospital versus a public hospital are Php 33,190.80 and Php 11,627.00, respectively.

Most healthcare facilities in the country are private institutions that bill their patients at significantly higher costs, casting doubt over the true affordability of healthcare. The current thrust to “corporatize” government hospitals compounds the matter.

DOH says the corporatization program is not a privatization of its hospitals per se, but rather a move that grants fiscal autonomy to its hospitals by allowing these to own properties in the interest of revenue generation. The project envisions that the income collected by public hospitals will subsequently be used for the improvement of facilities, the acquisition of medical equipment, and the like.

Independent think tank IBON Foundation argues otherwise. In the foundation’s book entitled Critical Condition: Privatized Health in the Philippines (2015), the ongoing campaign to corporatize government hospitals is described to have created mechanisms for “eventual private takeover,” such as financial performance, corporate boards, and investment plans.

Such privatization efforts could jeopardize indigent and middleclass access to healthcare services.

When a government hospital is transformed into a corporation, it is likely to begin to behave like one—and for a corporation to be financially viable, it will have to require patients to pay, or otherwise, cater more to those who can.

pensive than reduction and they would buy credits if the cost is cheaper than reducing emissions. “If you sum these profit-maximizing behaviors, mitigation would ideally occur in places where it is cheapest to do so,” Josol explained.

In the Philippines, there is yet to be a carbon trading s ystem. Last 2 016, for mer Senator Loren Legarda f iled Senate Bill No. 517, known as the “Low Carbon Economy Act” which introduces a cap-andtrade system. However, this is yet to be approved by Congress.

The carbon credit system’s i mpac t ha s been m i n i ma l due to issues with its current design and the small number of countries that implement the scheme. This system, though with good intentions, has yet to prove itself as an effective mitigator of carbon emissions.

This has already manifested in some government hospitals, such as the Quirino Memorial Medical Center and the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center—both of which have been accused of raising their prices for medical goods and services.

“A question may be asked as to why costs at private hospitals aren’t just regulated to avoid this,” says Dr. Nisperos. “The answer is very simple: The national government opts not to because they believe that competition would make the system self-regulating.”

The inverse relationship between competition and prices is fundamental in economics: As a particular market gets more crowded with competitors, each player would deliberately lower the costs of their goods and services to attract more consumers.

“Obviously, that doesn’t happen here,” Dr. Nisperos asserted.

He perceived cost regulation as one of the pillars of an effective healthcare system alongside financing, service delivery, human resources, health information, and governance.

“In the Philippines, financing is where we are focused on,” he said, “but if you really want to solve the problem of healthcare, you have to focus on governance.”

He explained that if the local government is good, it should be spending 50-70% of its Internal Revenue Allotment on health.

“Data shows [we a re on ly] sp end i n g 7 -11% ,” Dr. Nisperos stated.

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDY GRANDA

4

Beyond Loyola

Nationalized vs. private: Supplying Manila’s water

BY GEORGE D. KHO

IN MARCH, dangerously low water levels in La Mesa Dam caused a water shortage that gripped Metro Manila. Initially hitting the east zone covered by the private water concessionaire Manila Water, the crisis spread across the metropolis as water levels in Angat Dam dropped to critical. After four months of supply interruptions, the crisis continues to persist.

Various factors were attributed to the shortage like the increase in Metro Manila’s population.

The east zone, which consists of Pasig, Marikina, Taguig, Quezon City and parts of Rizal, has a demand of 1,740 million liters per day (MLD). This demand has surpassed Manila Water’s 1,600 MLD allocation from Angat Dam. In fact, the company has been facing a water deficit since 2016, which it makes up for by drawing water from the La Mesa reservoir.

El Niño and a weak southwest monsoon have also brought light rains that have failed to replenish water levels in both dams.

Manila Water said that El Niño only “aggravated” the problem.

This "delayed" projects like the Kaliwa Dam and Cardona Treatment Plant initiatives.

In light of this crisis, party-list group Bayan Muna, politicians, and some organizations pointed out the concessionaires’ failure to expand their service capabilities and called for the renationalization of water services.

TAKING BACK CONTROL In Ju ne, con g ressmen such as Anakpawis Party-list Representative Ariel Casilao and Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Carlos Zarate urged the state to take back control of the private water services.

Casilao and Zarate argued that Manila Water and Maynilad have failed to greatly improve their services despite having accumulated large sums of profit.

Casilao pointed out Ayalacontrolled Manila Water’s earnings which totaled a net profit of Php 6.5 billion in 2018 and juxtaposed this with their “deteriorating quality of service.” “The quality of their service should be proportionate [to] their profits,” he said.

Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares also criticized the companies for failing to uphold their service obligations to the public.

“Panahon na para i-abandon na ang privatization policy at ang Maynilad at Manila Water, ibalik na ‘yan sa gobyerno at

PHOTO BY PAOLO YAPTINCHAY

sa taong bayan,” Colmenares stated in a taped interview with Inquirer.net.

(It’s time to abandon the privatization policy. Maynilad and Manila Water should be returned to the government and to the people.)

Colmenares added that both companies failed to discuss ways to mitigate the effects of El Niño on water supply with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewage System (MWSS) and National Water Resource Board (NWRB) which are responsible for regulating water resources and maintaining the operation of the waterworks system.

that it needed to organize and redefine agencies that deal with water in order to better dispense accountability.

Torres and Mendoza also highlighted how the MWSS could have “taken a stronger role in oversight.” They argued that the regulator has a “very soft relationship” with the water companies and lacks a tougher stance on imposing authority and enforcing regulations.

In mid-March, MWSS asserted that it had no power to impose a fine against Manila Water.

However, on April 24 it announced that it was fining the company Php 1.13 billion for failing to hold up its

PHOTO BY PAOLO YAPTINCHAY

the concessionaire—or the private company— to ensure new water sources. However, according to the state regulator’s website, it is the MWSS’s task to find these new sources.

STATE RESPONSIBILITY While many have criticized the water concessionaires’ role in mitigating the effects of the crisis, a working paper entitled Anatomy of a Water Crisis (2019)

by Ayn Torres and Dean Ronald Mendoza, PhD of the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) discussed the state’s failure in strongly and efficiently regulating the concessionaires.

“One big part is better coordination and stronger inter-agency convergence,” the researchers stated. The government admitted in March

obligation of providing 24-hour water supply. Former University of the Philippines Economics Professor Raul Fabella criticized the statement, claiming that MWSS was trying to cover up its “incompetence” by using Manila Water as a “scapegoat.”

Manila Water maintained that the company is not the “root cause” of the crisis, pointing rather to the lack of new water sources. This brings up the issue of ambiguity in the mandates of the concessionaire and the state regulator, as Section 5.1.1 of the Concession Agreement indicates that it is the obligation of

KEEPING IT PRIVATE Some large business groups composed of various corporate heads and economic managers expressed their support for the privatization of water services.

In a joint statement, the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines & Philippine Business Groups (JFC-PBG), the Makati Business Club (MBC), and other corporations noted that water services have improved in the past 20 years of privatization.

“MBC reiterates its confidence in public-private partnerships in general and, in particular, the privatization of Manila’s water system,” the group stated on their website.

Similarly, Torres and Mendoza concluded in their working paper

that privatization is still a better option in contrast to state-run water services “since the private sector can still do distribution more eff iciently.” However, they reiterated the need for a stronger state regulator to overlook the private sector to ensure that companies perform efficiently and prioritize the people’s interests.

As of June, Malacañang stated that it will continue looking into the possibility of taking back control of private water services. For now, the Philippine government has the option to reorganize its current agencies, determine accountability, and strengthen state oversight over private water services. Though whether water utilities should be under private or national control is still up for debate, this crisis serves as a wake-up call for both the government and private sector to further explore long-term solutions in water distribution.

EDITOR: MIKAELA B. LLANES | LAYOUT ARTIST: CARMELA B. MASIGLAT PLAYING WITH FIRE: COMMODIFYING PASSION

Features

With its flashy themes and catchy rhythms, K-Pop continues to amass a large following—feeding a system of competition that sustains the industry yet plagues those who are constantly at its pulse.

02

Decoding the screenplay: Towards a healthier film culture

PHOTO BY JERRY FENG

Audiences and critics take on the challenge of finding meaning in the stories our local films strive to share.

BY BENJIE BERNAL AND EALA JULIENNE P. NOLASCO

WITH CROWDS constantly lining up at mov ie theaters for Holly wood blockbusters, the independent movie scene f inds its place in loca l f ilm festivals. The culture of f ilmv iew ing among Filipinos has been around since the 1970s and has long since evolved to cater to the various tastes of its audiences. However, local independent—or indie—films st i l l face t he cha l len ge of remaining in theatres in spite of good reviews.

Despite indie film’s seeming o b s c u r i t y, l o c a l c r i t i c s a nd f i l m fes t iv a ls a i m to promote an appreciation for independent cinema ; g iven how deeply embedded f ilmv iew ing has a lways been in Filipino culture, the challenge is also for indie films to remain competitive and accessible in changing times.

CRE ATURE S OF HABIT Looking into how Filipino aud iences have histor ica lly v iewed f ilms, the concept of colonial mentalit y continues to pre v a i l. A s fa med ac tor Tom my A buel— k now n for f i l m s D a g s i n (2 01 6 ) a n d Manila in the Claws of Light (19 75) — is quoted to h ave

said in an Inquirer inter view, “For most Filipinos, any thing f o r e i g n i s g o o d . [O u r c o l o n i z e r s] s u p p r e s s e d our sense of nationa l pr ide a nd i nc u lc ated i n u s t h at foreig n products are better.

We g r e w u p b e i n g i n awe of foreigners.”

Foreig n f i l ms brou g ht i n e rot ic a nd v iole nt t he me s du r ing t he ea rly 19 0 0s followed by animated f ilms a nd action f licks to cater to more aud iences.

I n spi red b y t h is , F i l ipi nos began to mass-produce work s of s i m i l a r g e n re s — resu lting in a n era t hat chu r ned out f ilms w it h poor a r tistic va lue a nd repet it ive stor ylines.

S uc h t rop e s still persist in f ilms of t he 21st cent u r y.

S ome “ m a i n s t re a m” f i l m s s u c h a s P r a yb e t B e n j a m i n (2 011) a nd G an d ar ra p i d d o!

T h e Re ve n ge r S q u a d (2 017) h a ve pro ve n t h i s t re nd b y employ ing slapst ick comedy a nd cheap v isua l ef fec ts in their production.

W h i le t he a forement ioned have been t y pica lly favored in loca l theaters, it’s Filipino independent f ilms like Se rbi s (2008), Kinatay (2009), and Ma’ Rosa (2016 ) that have m a n a g e d to m a ke a n a me for t hemselves overseas.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOOM PEERAPONG (SOURCED FROM UNSPLASHED)

Despite this, independent f i l m s h a ve no t done to o well in the box of f ice due in pa r t to t hei r tendenc y to tackle more serious issues. A side f rom t h is, Filipinos seem to favor m a i n st rea m comedy f i l m s that feat ure the usua l ba nd of celebr it ies as e v idenced by the cast of the countr y ’s top-grossing f ilms as of September 2018.

THE PROB LE M WITH PRODUCTION P r o du c i n g a m o v ie t h a t w i l l c ater to t he F i l ipi nos ’ acquired taste is one t h ing—hav ing t he mea ns to br i n g t he f i l m to t he t able i s a n o t h e r. I n d e p e n d e n t filmmakers rely on g r a nts f rom f ilm fest iv a ls to ma ke t hei r f i l ms, but t hese g r a nt s a r e b a r el y e no u g h .

W h ile ma inst rea m f ilms ca n a f ford to have budgets t hat sta r t at Php 10 m illion, some independent f ilms wou ld b e luc k y to re c e i ve a Php 50 0,0 0 0 loa n.

This contrast hinders sma ll-sca le f ilms f rom f u lly ex panding their scope— an issue emphasized by independent directors w h o l a m e nt a b o u t h a v i n g to beg a nd bor row for the production of their f ilms.

Despite this limitation, independent f ilmma kers still va lue t hese fest iv a ls for the exposure— a lbeit min ima l— a n d s u p p o r t it prov ides for t heir work .

One such festival is Cinemalaya which takes place every Au g u st . According to its website, the festiva l is comm it ted to “[ helpi n g ] de velop a nd suppor t t he produc tion of cinematic works of Filipino independent f ilmmakers.” It is no wonder, then, why loca l f ilmma kers of ten ma ke their debut at the festival, turning Cinemalaya into a venue for cinephiles and producers alike to g at her a nd celebrate local f ilm.

The suppor t independent f ilmma kers receive f rom fe s t i v a l s l i ke C i ne m a l a y a c a n b e i nt e g r a l t o t h e i r event ua l penetration of ma instrea m media . In fact, indie f ilms like Ang Babaeng S a S e p t i c Ta n k (2 01 1) — a Cinemalaya-born f ilm turned mainstream success— a nd t he la rgely celebr ated He ne ral Luna (2 0 1 5) prov ide hope for str uggling independent f ilmma kers a nd prove t hat lim itat ions do not always lead to failure.

AB SE NT AUDIE NCE S A s i nd ie f i l m s b e g i n to gradually hurdle production setbacks, they find t hem selves f ac i n g a more ex ter na l h i nd r a nce to t he pro g ression of lo c a l f i l m .

A c c o r d i n g t o Un i v e r s i t y of t he Ph ilippines Film Institute Assistant Professor R ic h a r d B ol i s a y, a m ajor indicator of a f ilm’s success will always be the public’s support.

The econom ic aspec ts of this show of suppor t cannot b e overlo oked . I n re a l it y, going to the movies, given the aver a ge mov ie t icket pr ice of Php 270 to Php 350, may not be a priority for minimum wage earners who receive Php 500 to Php 537 daily in the Nat iona l Capita l Reg ion. “ We [Filipinos] understand t he e c onom ic s it u a t ion of t h e c o u n t r y, ” A s s o c i a t e Resea rcher for t he Inst it ute of Ph ilippine Cu lt u re Sk ilt y Labastilla says. “People c a n not , for t he mo s t p a r t , [a f ford to w atch mov ies]. . . ha lf don’t have t he resou rces a nd t he t i me to g o to t he c i n e m a s .” T h i s b a r r ie r i s e v ide nt i n t he pr e v a le nc e of the piracy industr y in t he Ph ilippines.

In addition, Filipino a u d ie n c e s a r e n o t l i kel y t o “ t a ke r i sk s i n t he f i l m s t he y s e e .” T he y h a ve b e e n s ho w n to f a vor r om a nt ic c ome d ie s a nd feel good f licks over the realistic takes of i nde p endent mov ies . C r it ics p oi nt o ut t h a t t h i s c ou ld b e b e c a u s e a ud ie nc e s h a ve t he te nde nc y to s e ek out mo v ie s w it h “eye ca ndy ” instead of substantial plots—a

contributing factor to why most mov ie-goers have opted to watch tele v i s ion i n s te a d .

A lthough local indie f i l m s h a v e t he p o t e nt i a l to enter ta in a nd enlighten, access to them rema ins to be a privilege amid issues of poverty and p e r s on a l pr e fe r e nc e .

"[Film] is not just a form of escape, nor is it just a form of entertainment."

Richard Bolisay ASSISTANT PROFESSOR UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES FILM INSTITUTE

COURTESY OF THE CRITICS W hile the industr y continues to tr y a nd brea k down barriers t0 accessibility, loca l f i l m c r it ics do t hei r best to g u ide aud iences towards f ilms that are worth t he i r buc k . For i n s t a nc e , Labastilla emphasizes t hat w h i le a l l work s i ntend to be well-meaning, there are still some f ilms that may g ive of f the w rong message.

Labastilla believes it is the responsibilit y of t he c r it ic to help i n for m audiences about the conscious and subconscious m e s s a g e s a f i l m i nt e n d s to commu n icate. “Films have t heir ow n ideolog ies, a nd it ’s t he responsibi l it y of t he f i l m c r it ic to sor t of understand where particular f ilms come from,” he says.

Given how not all f ilms s t r i ve to b e pr o g r e s s i ve , he ex pla ins that listening to c r it ic s c o u ld b e b e n e f ic i a l in helping audiences appreciate not only the su r face level elements of f i l m such a s ci nematog r aphy,

acting, and directing, but also aid in spreading aw a rene s s of t he u nderly i n g tropes, ideas, a nd va lues o f a s t o r y. T h i s g o e s t o s h o w t h a t , a s B ol i s a y s a y s , “Hindi lang s iya for m of e s c a p e , hi n d i l a n g s i ya for m of e nte r t a i n me nt .” ( [ F i l m] i s n o t j u s t a f o r m of escape, nor is it just a f o r m o f e n t e r t a i n m e n t .)

AF TE R THE CRE DITS ROLL Ho w e x a c t l y do e s f i l m g o b e y on d e s c a p i s m a n d enjoy ment? Indie f ilms such as Liway (2018), ML (2018), a nd Cit i ze n Jake (2018) may point to the answer. Hav ing received critical acclaim for t hei r v a r iou s M a r t ia l Law narratives, the aforementioned movies prove that small-scale f i l m m a ke r s c a n not on l y create qualit y f ilms, but a l s o s p a r k d i s c ou r s e on the issues they touch upon.

These f ilms are f illed w ith messages that tra nscend t h e t y p ic a l l i g ht- h e a r t e d themes a nd requ ire cr itica l i nter pre t at ion to u np a c k .

With this, it is no doubt that there is a capacit y for them to incite change in various ways.

Loyola Film Circle President A ndie Bernas (4 A B IS) shares her thoughts on how f ilms can change a countr y. “Changing a countr y is all about changing the mindset of people,” Bernas says, asser ting f ilm’s power to change people’s perceptions. “ [ F i l m] c h a n g e s t he w a y people t h i n k a nd t he w ay they perceive things."

Similarly, Labastilla states that “Films are very powerful.” “[Filipinos] don’t read much, nor[…]v isit museums a lot,” he explains. Hence, Labastilla ma kes t he cla im t hat “ f ilm is the most successf ul fo r m o f a r t n o w i n t h e Philippine context.”

So as the lights ret ur n to the theatre and audiences f ile out the cinema, independent lo c a l a r t i s t s a n d c r i t i c s a l i ke a w a it C i n e m a l a y a ’s return in August. Appreciating a f ilm once it’s over shouldn’t b e t h e e nd - a l l - b e - a l l for moviegoers—there is always much to be discussed outside t he t heat res a f ter the credits roll.

2

Features

Playing with fire: Commodifying passion With its flashy themes and catchy rhythms, K-Pop continues to amass a large following—feeding a system of competition that sustains the industry yet plagues those who are constantly at its pulse.

BY RUSSELL LOUIS KU AND GENESIS JACINTH TAN ILLUSTRATION BY DENEV C. NG

KO R E A N P O P ( K- P o p) groups Bang tan Sonyeondan ( B T S ) a nd B L AC K PI N K ’s s uc c e s s f u l p ene t r at ion of ma instrea m pop cu lt u re prompts one to imag ine the at tention a nd gla mou r that Korean idols currently receive.

With the growing prominence of K-Pop in the music scene, entertainment companies have been pressured to capitalize on the genre’s growing popularity by creating successf u l idol groups at any cost.

Howe ver, awe - consu med fa ns may go to ex treme leng ths to meet their beloved idols. The growing popularit y of K-Pop has slowly revealed a f law in the system that the industr y highly relies on: A culture of competition that plag ues compa nies, a r tists, and fanbases alike.

RIDING THE HALLY U WAVE The Korean Wave or Hallyu w as spu r red by t he spread of c u lt u r a l me d i a a c r o s s the globe in the 1990s. With phenomena such as Korea n dramas (K-dramas) and K-Pop g a i n i n g r a p id p o p u l a r it y across Asia, Korean media soon became part of international mainstream media—and the Philippines was no exception to t heir reach. In fac t, t he cou ntr y boasts t he h ighest g row th rate of Hallyu clubs and members within Southeast Asia in 2018.

P o p u l a r K- P o p g r o u p s like Red Velvet a nd T W ICE have been prompted to host concerts and meet-ups in the countr y due to their Filipino fa ns’ av id appreciat ion for

Korea n cu lt u re. Un iversit y of t he Ph ilippines Dilima n (UPD) student and EXO and T W ICE fan Ivan Frondozo (1 BS ECE) says that “[from] a fan’s perspective, being able to see [our] idols perform is [our] biggest goal—and companies know that well enough.” He adds t hat becau se of t h is,

"People usually put idols on a high pedestal, but once they make a mistake, they're suddenly pushed to the very bottom." *Hannah FORMER BTS FAN

the g roup’s album sales and popu la r it y become as v ita l for fa nbases as they a re for the unit’s managing company.

In fact, these fans’ w illing ness to suppor t their idols has become a signif icant and irreplaceable element of K-Pop culture. UPD student and DAY6 fan Phoebe Guerrero (1 BS A rch) highlights the role of fans in keeping the genre alive. “ Without the suppor t of the fa ns, the a r tists w ill not have the means to create

the music they wish to make,” she says.

Howe ver, c o n t r o v e r s i e s li ke t he # ShopeeSca m a nd reg ular fandom wars— cla shes b e t ween d i f ferent fanbases for reasons such as variet y show spats or record sa les— continue to test t he system a nd t he commu nit y devoted to it.

PRE S SURE IN VALUE With the increasing number of companies hopping into the K-Pop industr y, f ina ncia l a nd ex ter na l suppor t plays a huge role in their success a nd their a r t i s t s ’ e f for t s to pro duc e consistent, high- qua lit y c onte nt . A d m i n i s t r a tor of L O ON A Ph i l ippi nes M ic a h Go says t hat “compa n ies wou ld do a ny thing a nd e ver y t h i n g i n order to sel l t heir idols.”

“A ny sl ip -up or a ny t h i n g o u t o f o r d e r w o u ld m e a n d i s a s te r to t he i r i nc ome ,” Go f ur ther ex plains. In fact, tra inees who aspire to de b ut i n a n idol g r o u p have an all-or-nothing menta lit y ing ra ined into them as early as their pr ac t ice phases.

Ha nna h*, a for mer member of t he BTS fa nbase, s h a r e s G o ’s s e n t i m e n t s , “ Pe o p le u s u a l l y p u t id ol s on a high pedestal, but once t he y m a ke a m is t a ke, t h e y 'r e s u d d e n l y p u s h e d t o t h e v e r y b o t t o m .” S h e notes how t he env i ron ment ca n become u n forg iv ing for a r t ists a s t he y “[r a rely] h a v e [t h e] c h a n c e t o redeem t hemselves.”

T he i nten se comp e t it ion a nd need to consta ntly me e t e x p e c t a t ion s i s a l s o exempl i f ied i n popu la r idol su r v iva l shows like SI X TEEN a nd t he P roduce 101 ser ies — s ho w s t h a t a re k no w n for producing popular idol g roups T W IC E a nd Wa n n a One —wherein idol aspira nts h ave to comple te d i f ferent cha llenges and sur v ive elim inat ions for a cha nce to debut a s a member of a ne w idol g roup.

R e p or t s o f m a n a g e me nt abuse a nd mistreatment have a lso recently come to l i g ht . For i n s t a nce, idol ba nd The East Light was a lleged ly physica lly a nd verbally abused by their a g e n c y 's p r o d u c e r s a n d c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r.

Mental health issues have also been preva lent, as ev idenced by the death of SHINee member K i m Jon g hy u n a nd G i rl s G e n e r a t io n m e m b e r T a e y e o n ’s o n g o i n g b a t t l e w it h depression.

THE DE VOTION THAT DIVIDE S Aside from ar tists, compa nies a lso commod if y t hei r f a ns ’ ded ic at ion— so much so t h at compet it ion a nd d iscord have become a norm w ithin the communit y.

In a 201 4 Ateneo In itiative for Korean Studies conference repor t, Ateneo Depa r tment of Modern Lang uages professor Patr ick Capili n o t e s mu lt ip le i s s u e s i n K- P o p f a n c u l t u r e l i k e fandom wars and borderline obsessive attachment.

Capili also points out that f inancial capabilit y is a must to keep up w it h t he K-Pop scene and its happenings. This has been evident in fans’ habit of purchasing merchandise to support their idols.

Sharing Capili’s sentiments, Blue Hanguk Society President Julia Montesa (3 BFA ID) states that the fear of missing out ma kes fa ns consta ntly feel the need to buy merchandise.

E v e n t u a l l y, t h e a m o u n t of purchased products t r a n slates to t he le vel of support one can provide their favorite group. This mindset, t he n , c au s e s c omp e t it ion amongst fans.

In addition, K-Pop’s intense fa n c u lt u re ha s a lso g iven rise to sa sae ngs or obsessed fans who of ten invade their idol s ’ pr i v a c y a nd s a fe t y for t heir ow n pleasu re.

There have been i ncidents wherein sasaengs have chased a r t ists, t respa ssed pr iv ate propert y, and even attempted to kidnap their idols.

Hannah further states that such fa n behav ior “ref lects bad ly on t hei r idols [a nd] people outside t he fa ndom would be appalled and tr y to stay away from the source as much a s possible.” Ateneo de Davao Universit y student a nd Lovely z fa n Ju l iea n ne C a s t i l l o (2 B S A) s h a r e s H a n n a h’s s e nt i me nt s a nd says that “[t]here will always be fans that have a superiority complex, t h in k ing t hey a re bet ter t ha n ot hers because t he y h ave more fol lowers, [at tended] more concer ts, [own] more merchandise, and

[ have] liked a g roup longer than others.”

BAT TLING FOR THE SAME PAS SION E ven t hou g h some f a n s have strayed away f rom K-Pop due to its problematic practices, others continue to have genuine interest in the mu sic t h at Korea n a r t ists c r e a t e . H o w e v e r, t h e r e rema ins a need for cha nge w it h i n it s c om mu n it y i n order for the genre to reach its full potential.

K- Po p c u lt u r e h a s n o t on ly helped idols g a in new fa ns a nd develop t heir a r t, but it ha s a lso prov ided a communit y for fans to share t he i r p a s sion s . W it h t h i s in mind, supporters e x pre s s t he i r hop e for a more welcoming and respectful communit y. “ I hop e t he c omp a n ie s wou ld compensate [a r tists] b e t te r for t he i r e f for t s ,” Frondozo says. He also hopes that fans would become more aw a re of t hei r ac t ions, a s they have a sig nif ica nt role in the industr y ’s g row th. At t he end of t he day, fa ns do not on ly impac t t he K-Pop fan community and their idol’s efforts, but also the genre as a whole. *Editor ’s Note: The name of the inte r v ie wee ha s bee n ch an ged at the ir requ e s t in orde r to protect their ide ntit y and pr ivac y.

The GUIDON | August 2019

3

The Philippine opera scene

BY SAFFI C. ARCENAS

Despite dated lyrical language and its lack of exposure in local mainstream theater, opera continues to make its way onto the Philippine stage and into the hearts of theater enthusiasts.

PHOTO COURTESY OF J&S PRODUCTIONS INC., PHOTOGRAPHER - ALDWIN KU ACTORS NOEL COMIA JR AND STEPHANIE ANNE GASTROCK AGUILAR

As the curtain falls: Is Philippine opera dying?

Opera has always been associated with images of luxury, the elite, and the dead arts, but there are some who believe otherwise.

BY GENESIS JACINTH TAN AND KEZIAH MARU Z. PASION

MUSIC TR A NSFOR MS the f a m i l i a r. E ve r y d a y word s become a ne w k i nd of a r t once translated into musical performances. They are what some would call a one-of-ak ind per for ma nce—a nd for others, a performance only for the one-of-a-kind.

O per a ha s a lw ay s been a niche. However, its local exposure has been lacking in recent times with repeating titles and barely any Filipino productions. A s audiences begin to criticize its ambig uit y in the loca l pop culture scene, it becomes worth asking: Is opera becoming a dy ing art in the Philippines or is its invisibility caused by other factors?

THE LOCAL OPE R A SCE NE O per a w a s f i rst i nt roduced to t he Ph ilippines in 187 8 through the zarzuela, a Spanish ar t and music fo r m t h a t i n v ol v e s s p o k e n and sung words; it was e v e nt u a l l y c a l le d s a r s w e l a af ter adapting to local c u lt u re . T he s ar s we l a wou ld , then, more commonly be k no w n a s lo c a l op e r a .

One of t he most notable oper a per for ma nces in t he Philippines is the Sandugong Pana g uinip, t he f irst of f ic i a l P h i l i p p i n e o p e r a i n t h e T a g a l o g la n g u a g e .

It w a s sta ged i n 19 02 a nd w a s composed by Lad islao B onu s, who is now k now n as t he Fat her of Ph ilippine Opera. From then on, oper a h a s become pa r t of Filipino culture.

Traces of loca l opera a re still present today as e v i d e n c e d b y Je r r y S i b a l 's m o d e r n s t a g i n g o f No l i M e Ta n g e r e : T h e O p e r a (19 5 7).

For op er a f a n R a chel Per a lt a (2 B S P S Y ), op e r a i s “ a g re at w a y to s h o w t h e c u lt u r e o f t h e P h i l i p p i n e s a n d [t o] propag ate t he cu lt u re of classica l music a nd opera a s a w hole .”

D e s p i t e i t s r i c h h i s t o r y, the question of where e x a c t l y op e r a s t a nd s i n t he Ph ilippines continues to r e m a i n u n a n s we r e d .

A N O P E R AT I C D I A G N O S I S T o d a y, t e c h n o l o g y h a s paved the way for opera per for ma nces to become more accessible online.

Livestreams and v ideo

recordings a l low v ie wer s from any where around the world to watch o p e r a . H o w e v e r, s e a s o n e d F i l ip i n o o p e r a p e r fo r m e r s Pablo Molina a nd Ca m ille M ol i n a — w h o h a v e s t a r r e d in orchestra concer ts like Ve r d i ’s O p e r a E x t r a v a g a n z a (2 0 13) a n d o p e r a s l i k e L a B o h e m e (2 0 1 5 ) — e x p l a i n how there is a stark d if ference bet ween live operas and those accessible online. “[ It ’s] a k now n fac t [t hat] f i ner, sma l ler voices record mor e c omple t el y t h a n b i g v o i c e s . I n r e c o r d i n g , i t ’s e a s ie r to c atc h t he h i g he r f requencies wh ich is t he br ig hter sou nd ,” C . Mol i n a ex plains. Though it is e x p e n si ve to put up a l i ve opera—a ll the more to at tend one — it ’s s t i l l a u n iq ue ex per ience unr iva led by me r e r e c ord i n g s .

"The only way to show [what] opera is, is to actually have an opera."

Rachel Peralta 2 BS PSY ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

A number of misconceptions a lso ex ist about how opera differs from other musical art forms. Opera focuses on the human voice as an instrument a nd centers on sing ing over a n orchestra w it h the absence of amplif ication.

More o ve r, op e r a u s e s the voice w ith the goa l o f p or t r a y i n g s t or ie s a n d emotions beyond the nuisance of l a n g u a g e b a r r ie r s . T h i s d if fers f rom musica ls wh ich emphasize elements of acting a nd spoken word .

D espite op er a’s absence i n m a i n s t r e a m me d i a a n d the claim that the ar t fo r m i s d y i n g — o r w o r s e , already dead—those acquainted w ith opera beg to d if fer. To t hem, oper a

is a live a nd thr iv ing, but repeated ly obscu red .

“Ultimately, as a ‘dying art’, I think ‘di naman, ka si kahit pa ano t he y ’re doi n g steps para ma-revive o para at least masigla ulit ‘yung opera scene,” opera fan and University of the Philippines Diliman student (2 BS M A) Peter Burgos says. ( I t h i n k no becau se no mat ter what, t hey ’re doing steps to revive or at least make the opera scene vibrant again.)

OPE R A FOR THE PEOPLE A nother aspect of opera’s obscurit y in the Philippines is t he lack of f u nd i ng a nd resources. In countries w ith a long histor y of appreciation for op e r a , s uc h a s It a l y, France, and Germany, opera hou s e s a re s u b sid i z e d b y t he g o ve r n me nt . T h i s , i n t u r n, a llows for lower ticket prices.

“Finuf u nd nila yung mga opera houses para mapababa ‘yung ticket prices, para mas maraming tao ang mahihikayat,” Burgos says.

(They fund opera houses to lower ticket prices, so that they can attract more audiences.)

I n venue s l i ke E n g la nd’s Roy a l O p er a Hou se , w h ich enjoy s gover n ment f u nd i n g u nt i l 2 02 2 , t ic ke t s co s t a s lo w a s £ 3 — a p p r o x i m a t el y Php 20 0. Mea nwh ile, in t he Philippines, tickets c ou ld c o s t a ny w he re f rom Php 1,0 0 0 to over Php 4 ,0 0 0.

Inf lated opera ticket prices is an issue that the Molinas tie back to scarcit y. “What we do have,” C. Molina says, “is a sad lack of venues. There are no decent concert halls.”

The lack of resources in the Philippines is a multifaceted problem; opera houses, w h e n u n s u b s i d i z e d , lo s e the oppor tunit y to promote themselves. “[Opera is] not supported by the government, so t here ’s no i n it iat ive to introduce it to t he public,” Peralta says.

He ad mits t hat opera productions can be expensive; e ven i f oper a produc t ions enter the scene, it 's unlikely t h at t he y w i l l be ex posed enough to sustain themselves. “ P ro duc e a n op e r a — t he n there’s no audience. Why? It’s not because [people] don’t like it, but because they don’t know [about it].” “ It ’s d e e m e d a s el it i s t because not a lot of people

ca n penet r ate t h rou gh it ,” Peralta says. “That’s the kind of c u lt u re [it h a s] here — that it’s not something that the ordinar y man or woman can enjoy because it requires a lot of exposure [to classical music]."

THE STAGE BE FORE THE M I t 's n o w o n d e r t h a t ent hu sia sts a re f r u st r ated a t t h e s t a t e o f o p e r a ’s ex posure. “Sa Pilipina s ka si wala talaga akong alam kung anong nang yayar i [sa opera],” Burgos laments. ( I n t h e P h i l ip p i n e s , I h a v e n o i d e a w h a t ’s h a p p e n i n g t o t h e o p e r a s c e n e .)

“They’ve been saying [t h a t o p e r a i s d y i n g ] f o r c e n t u r i e s ,” C . M o l i n a s a y s .

H o w e v e r, f o r b o t h M o l i n a s , opera is slowly f ind ing its place in local settings. “ I t ’s n o t g o i n g t o d i e , ” P. M o l i n a a d d s , “ b e c a u s e n o w, i n A s i a , it ’s p ic k i n g u p .” “ W hy don’t we sta r t g iv ing t he st udents oppor t u n ities to perform?” C. Molina asks.

To remedy this, she and her husband established the Viva Voce Voice Workshop in 2010 w it h hop e s of pr o duc i n g classically trained singers.

Burgos is one of the people who see the potential for opera to prog ress outside t y pica l Italian or French productions.

“I g uess in later years, [those that will gain popularit y] are those in English,” he says.

Peralta shares this sentiment, adding that opera is "deemed elitist " because its roots are foreign. “It’ll be nice if, for example, in Noli Me Tange re, t hey incor porated something Filipino into it,” she says. “Maybe they could also star t shows in different universities so that it gains a certain kind of awareness.”

None t heless , t hose w ho h ave fou nd a p a s sion for opera believe in its potential.

Fa ns a nd per for mers a li ke recog n ize t hat it is mostly external factors like logistics, v isibilit y, and ticket pricing that contr ibute to the concealment of the art.

Looking for ways to ma ke opera more v isible, Pera lta of fers an answer: “The only way to show [what] opera is, is to actually have an opera.”

NOLI ME TANGE RE: THE OPE R A B A SE D ON Jo s e R i z a l’s no v el o f t h e s a me n a me , Noli Me Tan ge re: The O pe ra w a s ad apted by Gu i l ler mo Tole nt i n o a n d c o mp o s e d b y Fel ip e P a d i l la de L eon i n 195 7. It fol low s beloved cha r ac ters such a s I ba r r a , Maria Clara, Sisa, and Father Da maso. The play has gone through severa l stages, including one in New York in 2 013 . Noli ’s latest 2 019 r u n was show n for a limited time f rom Ma rch 8 to Ma rch 10 at t he C u lt u r a l Center of t he Ph i l ippi ne s for t he pl ay ’s 50t h a n n iversa r y.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPE R A ANDREW LLOYD Webber’s musica l does not technica lly qua lif y as a n opera due to it s mo de r n s ou nd a nd t h e a t r i c s . H o w e v e r, t h e p l o t ’s s e t t i n g — a n o p e r a house—and the production’s oper at ic mu sic a l nu mber s argue other wise. The i nt e r n a t ion a l pr o du c t ion f irst ca me to the Philippines in 2011 and garnered massive s uc c e s s , enou g h to re s u lt in a 2 019 rer u n. Its sequel, Lo ve Ne ve r D ie s, is r u mored to debut at t he T heater at Sola ire soon.

PAS SION ST EPHEN SON DHEI M ’ S Pa ss ion—f irst sta ged in 19 94 —is about t he str a nge, consuming love young sold ier Giorg io ha s for h is cousin, Fosca . The one - ac t musica l w ill be ca r r ied out by the Philippine Opera Company (POC) who is renow ned for ot her notable oper as such as Ang B a g o n g Har an a (2 01 2), a n oper at ic t a ke on d i f ferent Filipino songs, a nd Ang Pa gbabalik-Tan aw sa Un ang Har i n g B a l a g ta san (2 018), a na r r at ive about t he poet Hu s e n g B a t ut e . P O C ’s a d a p t a t io n o f t h e f a m e d mu sic a l i s s e t to s t a g e i n September 2 019.

M. BUT TE RF LY M . BU T T E R F LY, w h ic h f i r s t p r e m i e r e d i n 19 9 8 , focuses on t he relat ionsh ip b e t ween F rench d iplom at Ber na rd Boursicot a nd C h i ne s e op e r a si n g e r S h i Pe i P u , w ho i s a c t u a l l y a m a n d res sed i n d r a g. T he production ta kes plot elements of t he inter r acia l lo ve s tor y f r om t he 2 0 t h centur y opera Madame But te r f ly (19 04). Feat ur ing a va r iet y of operatic numbers, M. But te r f ly sta r ted its 2019 n at ion a l tou r i n I loi lo on Febr u a r y 1 4 , sta ged show s i n M a n i l a f r om M a y 8 to May 19, a nd ended in Ba g u io on Ju ne 2 .

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOLI ME TANGERE THE OPERA OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHANTOM OF THE OPERA OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

4

Features

Komiks: Assembling myths and pieces The panels of local comics are haunted by its protagonists.

BY ADRIAN JESPER C. CEA AND AARON D. TOLENTINO

IN FU LL , str i k ing color, a g e - old t a le s of a s wan g s , m a n a n a n g g a l s , a nd o t he r Ph ilippine my t holog ica l creatures are given a revamp f it for the modern audience t h rou g h t he r ise of lo c a l comics and graphic novels.

The popularit y of Filipino comics a nd g raphic novels, collectively know n as komiks, cer ta i n ly d id not f lou r ish overnight. Tony Velasquez’s 192 9 com ic st r ip An g Mga Kabalbalan ni Ke nko y ( The M isadvent u res of Ken koy) w a s one of t he f i rst loca l s t r ips prop el led i nto p op cu lt u re. The recu r r ing prot a g on is t , Ken koy, is a F i l ipi no w ho de s p e r a tel y t r ies to blend i n w it h t he A mericans by copy ing ever y thing from their slang to their fashion sense.

However, after the Second World War, satirical themes were set a side i n favor of superheroes. Mars Ravelo, who is of ten dubbed as the Stan Lee of the Philippines, rose to popularit y in the 50s when he created iconic characters like Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman.

The pages of today’s comics h a ve b e g u n to pre s e nt a ne w roster of hero es a nd heroines that some may deem unconventional. As our komiks start to reference folklore in their panels, it becomes worth asking: What does the future of our comic books look like w ith the resurgence of local my tholog y at its core?

STITCHING THE PAGE S “[Back then], the only place you could actually get comic books published was through Atlas and GASI Comics,” recou nts Budjet te Ta n, creator of Tre se (20 05), a comic about a woman w ho protec t s M a n i la from crimes of supernatural origin.

I n 19 2 6 , Ton y Velasquez, who is w idely reg a rded a s t h e Fa t h e r o f P h i l ip p i n e C o m i c s , co-created Graphic A r ts Ser v ices Incor porated (G ASI).

Competing with Atlas Publishing Company I nc or p or ate d , G A SI m o n o p ol i z e d t h e lo c a l comics industr y in the 1980s.

However, Tan mentions that despite their success, the two compa n ies e vent u a l ly had to shut dow n in the late 90s as Filipinos moved towards more moder n for ms of entertainment like Holly wood movies and soap operas.

Despite these setbacks, a new hope emerged for local artists. “In 1994 , that’s when I wou ld s a y i nde p e nde nt comic book creators and selfpublishers ca me out of t he woodwork,” Tan says.

Ta n w a s o n e o f t h o s e creators. He and his friends for med A la mat Com ics i n

that same year and went on to pu bl i s h s e ve r a l wor k s which they would eventually s el l i n sm a l l c om ic b o ok stores like Comic Quest and Comic Odyssey. “ I f we we re to lo ok at prob a bly one of t he f i r s t notewor t hy comics t hat incor porated Ph ilippine m y t h o l o g y, [ i t ’s] A r n o l d A rre’s The Mytholog y Cla ss,” Ta n s a y s . T h e M y t h o l o g y Class (1999) follows Nicole, a Universit y of the Philippines st udent who is su m moned one night by her teacher to s olve my s ter ie s i nvolv i n g engkantos and tikbalangs.

Soon, local comics followed suit w ith their ow n distinct f lair; Jason Banico’s cyberpunk ta ke on folk lore in Baylan s (2000) and Mer vin Malonzo’s beautifully grotesque a s wan g s i n Ta b i Po (2 01 4) are examples of this. It was also revea led t hat f ilm d irec tor Ja son La x a ma na ha s pla ns of producing a com ic book t hat tells t he stor y of precolonial histor y from the lens of Kapampangan my tholog y in Anitu.

A rnold A rre, the w riter of The Mytholog y Cla ss, sha res h is e xc itement i n seei n g more promising artists produce t hei r ow n comics. However, he no t ic e s a growing issue: “A lot of

[c om ic s] s t i l l don 't h a ve f i n ished s tor y a rcs a nd I s t i l l h a ve no ide a w he re s ome s tor ie s a r e g oi n g ,” A r re elaborates. “ We seem to be f illing our shelves with incomplete stories.”

In addition, Filipino artists still struggle to make a living f r o m c o m ic s a lo n e . T a n reveals that he and many other Filipino artists still work day jobs to make a living. “Writers need to make money, need to earn a living and, so far, local com ics a re not prov id i n g that,” he explains.

Regardless, both Tan and A rre remain optimistic in the eff iciency and v isual beaut y of com ics as a med iu m for shar ing stor ies draw n from our heritage.

CRE ATURE OF THE NIGHT Readers are greeted with familiar sights as they f lip through t he pages of

The Mytholog y Class a nd Trese.

A side f rom recog n izable places such a s B a lete Dr ive a nd t he Un i ve r s it y of t he Ph ilippines ca mpus, readers are also reintroduced to familiar creatures like the a s wang, kapre, a nd t ikbalang.

Local comics often incorporate these my tholog ical creatures into a modern setting. For instance, i n The Mytholog y Class, some fol k lor ic creat u res appea r as professors in need of st udents’ help. A r re ex pla i ns, “I had t he idea to s h o w a c o nt r a s t b e t w e e n m a g i c [a n d ] t e c h n o l o g y so I placed t he my t h ica l b e i n g s a nd c re a t u re s i n a moder n set t ing.”

S i m i l a r l y, T r e s e a l s o prov ides a moder n t w ist to Ph i l ippi ne my t holog y w it h cha r ac ters l i ke k ap re goons a nd t ikbalang businessmen.

Ta n believes that the wonder t hat comes w it h these narratives is what m a ke s mo de r n c om ic s a l l t h e m o r e a p p e a l i n g . “ We m a de it i nt e r e s t i n g a g a i n to i ma g i ne t hat some where i n t h e c it y, t h e r e a r e a l l t hese i nterest i n g go d s a nd monsters from our Philippine m y t h olo g y a n d fol k lo r e ,” he says.

Junior A r t Director f o r B r a n d w o r x a n d The

Mytholog y Cla ss f a n G i l l ia n G a la n g sh a res i n t h is sen t i ment . “ W hate ver w a s de sc r ibed back [i n] my ch i ldhood days by t he adu lts were me t b y t he v i s u a l s of t he com ic book,” Ta n adds.

I n add it ion , t he c u lt u r a l sig n i f ica nce brou g ht about b y blend i n g my t h i nto t he mo der n se t t i n g is u nden iable. Trese fa n Niña Lu ma nag (2 B S L M ) t h in ks t he com ic is a testa ment to the reta ined my ster y of F i l ipi no c u lt u re despite cent u r ies of colon izat ion. “It doesn’t mat ter if science a nd tech nolog y a nd facts have [ been] instilled in us a lready,” she says. “ There are some unex plainable par ts [of ou r cu lt u re] pa r in. There is some pa r t of ou r her ita ge st ill a live.”

Howe ver, ma ny F i l ipi nos still aren’t familiar w ith local m y t holo g y. G a l a n g re c o gn izes t hat t hese com ics may a llow Filipinos to recon nec t w it h t hei r c u lt u re. “I t h i n k the youth needs to learn more about [Philippine my tholog y] because we’ve been obsessed w it h t he ma inst rea m med ia l i ke t he G reek go d s a nd so we never even got the cha nce t o a p p r e c i a t e o u r o w n ,” she ex pla ins.

is Philippine komiks themselves.

Ko mik s have been a rou nd for almost a centur y a nd h ave pro duce icon ic ch a r ac ter s , but a F i l ipi no superhero is yet to g a r ner international attention.

BALE TE AND BE YOND T h e u s e o f P h i l ip p i n e my t holo g y i n com ic s h a s been a rou nd for yea rs; much older than this

Budjette Tan WRITER OF TRESE

"We made it interesting again to imagine that somewhere in the city, there are all these interesting gods and monsters from our Philippine mythology and folklore."

Howe ver, la s t Febr u a r y, M a r vel a n nou nc e d a ne w Filipina supehero to be added to their ranks: Wave. She is described as a “mysterious new Filipino heroine” who will be part of the New Agents of Atlas.

Wave hails from Cebu and is depicted with a sword similar to the kampilan, a single-edged long sword of Filipino ethnic g roups such as the Tagalogs and the Moros. Her Filipino roots a nd t he intr ig ue t hat sur rounds her character have t he potentia l to br ing Filipino heroes to t he international spotlight.

However, Wave isn’t alone in treading international waters.

Trese is on its way to becoming an animated series on Netf lix.

With the graphic novel and its kapres about to face a global audience, Tan recounts how some foreigners were able to get their hands on Trese.

H e s h a r e s t h a t it w a s well-received thanks to how Filipino creatures resemble t hose of ot her c u lt u res a s wel l. “ We have ou r bloodsuck i n g c re at u res a nd we have our g iants and we have our dwar ves, but we have our ow n P inoy t w ist to it ,” he says. “[T]hat has made it interesting to the global audience.”

Philippine my tholog y p er sists to prosp er b e yond t he p a nel s of ou r k o m i k s .

With a sequel to The My tholog y Cla ss in t he works and Trese ’s f uture on Netf li x, it ’s cle a r t h at t he a s wan g s a nd m an an an g ga l s a re here to stay—a nd no a mou nt of g a rlic or sa lt ca n get r id of t hem.

ILLUSTRATION BY MIKHAELLA NORLIN MAGAT

EDITOR: TRISTAN CHAN | LAYOUT ARTIST: JASON T. MARIANO SEEING RED

lnquiry

Acts of red-tagging endanger socio-political groups and discourage youth activism.

02

Long shadows

BY DANIELLE B. CABAHUG

PHOTO BY GABRIEL J. MEDINA ILLUSTRATION BY MIKHAELLA NORLIN MAGAT

AT EN EO DE M A N IL A University (ADMU) is no stranger to crime. Recent concerns of campus safety manifested when a string of theft cases within the University was reported, with the trend lasting from 2008 to 2013.

Since then, University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ has taken subsequent actions to address these issues—one of which being Ateneo’s move to change its longstanding security agency.

Discussions of student security naturally extend beyond campus gates as student life spreads out to areas surrounding the University. For this reason, the surge of reported thefts, holdups, and physical violence along Katipunan Avenue, Esteban Abada, and Varsity Hills in the previous year have been cause for alarm and concern within the community.

The Ateneo is once again under pressure to fulfill its role in loco parentis (i.e. in place of a parent) as the primary institution in charge of upholding its students’ safety and well-being.

TRACING THE TIMELINE Recent reports of criminal activity near the Ateneo campus began circulating last December 1, 2017 when the Office for Student Services released a security bulletin regarding several robberies between Sweet Inspirations and the Oracle building. In the memo, the office specified the suspects’ use of getaway vehicles such as a red Innova van and motorcycles and called for Ateneans to be especially vigilant during the Christmas season.

Shortly after, The GUIDON reported a hold-up along Esteban Abada that victimized two Loyola Schools (LS) students in the early morning of December 7, 2017 with an almost identical modus operandi (i.e. a particular technique or method).

Two years have passed and the alarmingly frequent reports of crime around the campus has the community on red-alert. Earlier in the year, the Campus Safety and Mobility Office (CSMO) confirmed a case of a student being stabbed along Katipunan Avenue on March 24. Two months after, the Varsity Hills Homeowners Association reported the rape incident of a woman in her private residence in Burgundy Place, with the suspect identified to be a worker from a nearby hi-rise construction site.

Furthermore, at the beginning of Intersession 2019-2020, the

CSMO released a memo regarding three hold-up incidents on Rosa Alvero, Gate 2.5 footbridge, and along B. Gonzales dated June 16, June 17, and June 20, respectively.

The memo indicated all incidents to have happened after midnight.

CSMO Director Marcelino Mendoza proposes that the supposed uptrend in reported crimes could be better explained by local factors that may be convenient for individuals with criminal intent. These include events in local politics, certain times of the day, and the lack of legal consequences.

CRIMINAL CONFIDENCE During the months where criminal activity is reportedly more r a mpa nt— such a s November-December a nd June-July—Mendoza notes the possibility that perpetrators adapt to inexperienced barangay off icials. Changes in the manpower of barangay tanods on duty surrounding the recent induction period of local officials in 2018 were cited as “windows of opportunity” that criminals often abuse. “Bagong upo lahat yung mga

gugustuhin mo yung walang tao, o kung may bantay man, nagpapahinga o pagod na.”

(If you’re aiming to commit crime or cause trouble, you’d prefer to act when there are no people, or if there are stationed guards, you want them to be resting or tired at the time you choose.)

Furthermore, Mendoza notes that repeat offenders who operate along Katipunan have observed that should they be caught, they face minimal consequences and are unlikely to appear in court for an official criminal case.

“Kahit mahuli sila, hindi naman sila macha-charge sa court kung walang magfifile. Ang pwede lang magfile yung victims, hindi yung schools o yung barangay. From our experience, kahit mahuli na yung supposed suspect, umaatras yung victim,” Mendoza laments.

(Even though [the suspects] are caught, they cannot be brought or charged in court if no one files a case. Only the victims of the crimes may file the case, not the schools or the barangay. From our experience, even though the suspect is caught, the victims back out of a court case.)

University also reveal criminal tactics that are repeatedly observed across incidents.

MINDING THE MODUS Based on his knowledge of crimes committed in the vicinity of the University, Mendoza notes that criminals around Loyola Heights prefer preying on students who walk alone or in small groups. He adds that thieves reportedly target small items of value like wallets, electronic devices, and jewelry.

Despite various security memos that caution students to exercise watchfulness regarding these incident patterns, the prevalence of violence in recent criminal modi operandi seem to warrant more than just heightened alertness.

Over the course of the past two years, the increase of violent crime around the University can be reflected in the suspects’ use of weaponry and physical force.

The recent reported use of knives, brute strength, and other physical threats in crimes around the area is in stark contrast to the reports of nonviolent crimes such as burglary in the previous years.

While heightened surveillance does improve safety in an area, the methods and systems of criminal justice must also be enforced to achieve long-term security for the barangay.

officials [ng barangay chairman], mga tanod niya, kaya lahat ay nangangapa pa,” says Mendoza, regarding the supposed rise in crime before and after the recent local elections.

(The barangay chairman’s officials are newly elected, his tanods are newly inducted, so all of them are still in the process of learning.)

Mendoza also highlights the frequency of reported crimes around campus that occur after midnight, stating, “Kung ikaw yung gagawa ng kalokohan, mas

Drawing on his experience with students who initially sought to press charges against their aggressors, Mendoza explains that parents don’t want their children to experience the processes of reporting a crime and attending court hearings. As a result, victims typically drop the charges in these circumstances and the suspect is once again let loose after spending a few days in the local police station holding cell.

Aside from circumstances that are common to these instances, crimes reported around the

Furthermore, the Loyola Heights Barangay Peace and Order Committee activity report for the first half of 2019 details the use or threat of physical violence as accountable for 51% of all crime reported to barangay officials.

The prevalence of violent crimes in the area like assault and holdups was enough to warrant the barangay’s request to the local Quezon City police station for extra security, which includes electronic surveillance measures and an extra police car along Katipunan Avenue.

NEWS BY NETIZENS Beyond personal vigilance and precautionary measures, residents

of Loyola Heights have also taken to reporting incidents and sharing stories of crime via posts and group chats on social media A more recent practice has developed in the anonymous discussion of witnessed or experienced crime through online forums such as the ADMU Freedom Wall.

Rather than reporting crimes to the concerned University offices such as the CSMO, many citizens have taken to using the internet to publish their personal accounts of crime publicly.

July 15 marked one of the more recent online reports of alleged theft—shared anonymously on ADMU Freedom Wall—said to have happened in Bo’s Coffee Katipunan. The anonymous c ont r i butor re p or te d a seemingly new modus operandi involving teamwork between two street children who steal valuables from patrons of the establishment. According to the online report, one child is meant to distract the baristas so that the other can crawl around and

pickpocket u n s u sp ec t i n g customers.

Security offices in and around the University have yet to confirm the incident or the supposed modus, but commenters on the original post claim to have witnessed similar incidents in the same establishment.

A nony mou sly re p or te d incidents are notoriously difficult to track. This is evidenced by the inconclusive investigation for a submission on ADMU Freedom Wall that relayed an account of sexual assault that allegedly occured on campus. As a result, Mendoza advises that victims of crimes within and around campus to report to the CSMO immediately, or at least the nearest guards during the time of the incident.

STRUGGLE FOR SECURITY Should the details of such reported incidents be confirmed with the involved parties, the CSMO coordinates with local

authorities and releases security bulletins to keep the community aware and informed.

A memo released by the Sanggunian ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila on June 25 indicates, “measures have been taken in cooperation with Barangay Loyola Heights and the [Philippine National Police] to prevent incidents of snatching, hold-ups, budol-budol, and robberies along Katipunan Avenue.” Though the extent of the measures in place were not specified in the bulletin, the heightened visibility of barangay tanods at ground-level may be part of the undertakings to make the community marginally more safe.

While heightened surveillance does improve safety in an area, the methods and systems of criminal justice must also be enforced to achieve long-term security for the barangay.

In line with this, Mendoza asserts that members of the community must be educated

on basic law so that they may not only reach justice, but also support the processes for reporting and prosecuting criminals in and around campus.

He adds that should students decide to proceed with filing criminal charges the CSMO and the school would be ready to assist them. “We will be assisting them, kung kailangan from school to the police, o from school to the courts, pwede namin sila ihatid at may magassist pa sa kanila doon (We will be assisting them. We can bring them from school to the precinct or from school to the courts. We’ll even have someone there ready to assist them).”

With reports of violent crime on the rise around the University and frequent memos about criminal operations around Loyola Heights, members of the Ateneo community are reminded that there are institutions to help them stay informed and safe amidst these dangerous times.

2

lnquiry

Seein

Acts of red-tagging endanger socio-politic

BY TRISTA

I N O C T OBE R la s t ye a r, t he A r me d Forc e s of t he Philippines (A FP) accused 18 Metro Manila-based colleges a nd u n i ve r sit ie s of b e i n g involved in the Red October controversy, a supposed plot to ou st P resident Rod r igo D uter te t hat w a s a lleged ly o r g a n i z e d b y c o m mu n i s t groups such as the Communist P a r t y o f t h e Ph i l ip p i n e s (CPP) and the New People’s A rmy (NPA).

Brigadier General A ntonio P a r l a d e J r. o f t h e A F P cla i med t hat t hese g roups were “ recr u iting ” st udents within these schools through Martial Law f ilm screenings.

Parlade stated that the goal for show ing f ilms about human rights violations during former dictator Ferdina nd Ma rcos’ ter m was to supposedly encourage students to liken P resident Rod r igo D uter te to Marcos and “rebel against the government.”

The Ateneo de Ma nila Un iversit y w a s a mon g t he schools acc used . Howe ver, Un i ver sit y P re side nt Jo s e Villarin, SJ refuted the A FP’s cla ims on Oc tober 4 , 2018 , p oi nt i n g o ut t h e l a c k o f evidence suggesting Ateneo’s exposure to such plots.

A day after the list’s release, the A FP admitted that some schools’ involvement in the Red Oc tober plot w a s st i ll under “continuing validation.”

Moreover, no coup against the President has been publicly announced or executed since the accusations were made.

The administration’s public accusations of the inf iltration of commu nist ideolog ies in universities have decreased,

PHOTOS BY MIKE PERFECTO

but a fog of unease continues to ha ng heav y in the a ir for student activists.

SHADES OF RED “Red-ta g g ing ” is def ined as the persecution of entities based on alleged communist a f f iliations. A ny ind iv idua l or institution may experience being red-tagged and harassed by others who mistrust their political advocacies.

Hu m a n r i g ht s a c t i v i s t s , labor u nion org a nizers, student activ ist g roups, and other organizations cr itica l of the government have been red-tagged and described as “fronts” for radical communist organizations. According to the nonprof it Inter nationa l Peace Obser vers Net work’s (IPON ) 2011 a nd 201 4 journals, acts of red-tagging in the Philippines have led to state-enforced disappearances and ex trajudicial killings of ma rg ina lized g roups a nd high-prof ile social activ ists; t h i s i s de s pite a l a c k of e v idence con nec t i ng t hese entities to parties such as the CPP or NPA .

Kabataa n Pa r t ylist (K PL) Representative Sa ra h Elago a lso st ated i n a Con g ress reg ular session last Februar y 9, 2019 that the A FP uses the Reser ved Of f icers Tra ining Cor ps ( ROTC ) to “ red-ta g org a n izations, f rater n ities, student councils, and publications” through a supposed student intelligence net work t a s k e d w it h “ m o n it o r i n g t he ac t ions of prog ressive st udent a nd yout h leaders” for the government.

W h ile red-ta g g ing in t he Philippines is more commonly

a s s o c i a t e d w it h p ol it ic a l ma neuvers to d iscred it t he g o v e r n me nt ’s o p p o s it ion , the ef fects of such for ms of h a r a s sme nt h a r m sm a l le r organizations and politically vocal civilians as well.

A 2 0 0 8 repor t by Un ited Nations Special Rapporteur on ex treme pover t y and human rights Philip A lston revealed that during former President Glor ia Macapa g a l-A r royo’s term the A FP “[dismantled] civ il societ y organizations” t hat were accused of being “ front g roups” for the CPP. A lston cla ims that this resulted in the ex trajudicial executions of huma n r ights defenders, trade u n ion ists, and land reform activists.

The phenomenon of redta g g i n g pol it ica l ly cr it ica l org a n izat ions has a lso put st udent ac tiv ists who have been accused of communist indoctr ination in da nger of further persecution.

WITHIN THE WALLS Members of K PL a nd t he O ne Bi g F i g ht for Hu m a n R ights and Democrac y

(OBFHRD) movement recount t hei r ex per iences of bei n g red-tagged within the Ateneo a s a resu lt of t hei r vo c a l protests against the Duter te administration’s policies.

W he n it e s t a bl i she d it s Katipunan chapter, KPL was me t w it h s u s pic ion f r om former Development Studies Assistant Professor Lisandro Claudio who accused the group of CPP a f f iliations. Claudio later clarif ied that while not all KPL members are also part of CPP, he believes it is an aboveground recruitment front for the communist group. Though some members of the Ateneo com mu n it y such as for mer Un ion of St udents for t he Advancement of Democrac y (USAD) Premier Lanz Espacio welcomed K PL K atipu na n’s institution, student members of p ol it ic a l yout h g roup s continue to face harassment within the Universit y.

L e a h ,* a n a c t i v e K P L member, states that she believes that the red-tagging of her organization is baseless. “ B e i n g a s t ude nt a c t i v i s t doesn’t mean you’re allied with the CPP, NPA, or [the National Democratic Front]. We share some similar ideolog ies, but that doesn’t mean we’re allied with those who practice them,” she arg ues.

Due to the accusations of their group’s ties with radical com mu n is t or g a n i z at ion s , student members of KPL were prevented from participating in former A FP Chief General Edua rdo A ño’s ta lk entitled “Protecting t he People a nd t he State” for t he Ateneo’s Talakayang Alay sa Bayan class prog ra ms last Febr ua r y 21,

The GUIDON | August 2019

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MIKHAELLA NORLIN MAGAT

ng red

cal groups and discourage youth activism.

AN CHAN

2017. Some members of USA D were also repor tedly banned from attending A ño’s talk.

The blocked students protested by wea r ing black to t he for u m a nd ha nd ing out f lyers about A ño’s a l leged human rights v iolations and involvement w ith the disappea ra nce of fa r mer-activ ist Jonas Burgos.

K PL me mb e r M a rk * re cou nt s t h at prote s ter s of the group were blocked from enter ing the for um because they were labeled as “threats to securit y.”

Similarly, Jude,* a member of OBFHRD, shares his experience of being directly redtagged. “I’m friends with a lot of activ ists. [My friends and I ] were just ta lk ing [in t he Zen Garden] when a student c a me b y a nd c a l led me a communist,” he says.

Prior to this instance, Jude reports that he’d obser ve the same student around campus e yeing h im suspiciously as t hou g h “ he w a s bei n g followed by him.” He shares that in one instance, he was sitting w ith his friends at the R izal Library Information Commons section, only for this student to approach once ag a in a nd accuse him of “destabilizing the government.”

Jude a lso says that when he was a student at the Universit y of S a nto Tom a s ( US T ), he w o u ld h e a r s t o r ie s a b o u t fel lo w U S T s t u d e nt s w h o had received a nony mous tex t mess a ges w a r n i n g t hem to leave cer ta in org a n izations, lest these students be tr ied for ex pulsion on t h e g r o u nd s o f s u s p e c t e d commu nist a f f iliations.

T hou g h re p or t s of re d tagg ing in Ateneo have been lim ited to acc usat ions a nd s u s pic ion s r a i s e d a g a i n s t socio-political youth groups, Mark asserts that all forms of red-tagg ing a re at tempts at “delegitimizing” criticisms of the government’s oppression of dispriv ileged sectors. “We think that branding ordinar y people as communist is an easy way to water down the struggles in the countr yside. [The] fight for contractualization, f ight against landlessness is being d ism issed as com mu n ism,” he explains.

Sanggunian ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila President Quiel Quiwa ack nowledges how protests ca n become r iskier because of red-tagging. “Red-tagging by civ ilians, especially from those who hold positions in inst it ut ions ca n a lso place students in danger given the cur rent fa ke news cult ure,” he says.

SHIELDING STUDENTS Quiwa states that the Sanggunian called for all socio-politica l org a nizations w ithin the Ateneo to work w ith the student government on joint projec ts to ma ke st ron ger s t a nd s on n at ion a l issues a nd org a nize sa fer protests for t heir st udent members.

He a lso inv ites a ll st udents to approach the Sangg unian should they be red-tagged by any group or individual.

“Rest assured, the Sangg unian will always be a safe space for socially involved students and we will always protect the rights of [Loyola Schools] students,” says Quiwa.

Despite the acknowledged da nger of being red-ta g ged during mobilizations, political yout h g roups a nd st udents w ithin the Ateneo continue to organize around campus.

D i rec tor of t he C a mpu s Sa fet y a nd Mobilit y Of f ice (CSMO) Marcelino Mendoza reminds st udents t hat on ly accred ited org a n izations may mobi li z e w it h of f icia l p er m its sec u red f rom t he Loyola Schools.

The C SMO assig ns e ver y accredited student rally with a deleg at ion of Un iversit y secu r it y personnel w it h direct contact to the barangay, Q u e z on C it y p ol ic e , a n d t h e M e t r o p ol it a n M a n i l a Development Aut hor it y. A s a n e x t r a s a fe t y me a s u re , a ny p a r t ic ip at ion of non accredited g roups and indiv iduals at off icial rallies must be reported beforehand to the administration.

I n t he e vent t h at t hese s t u d e n t- r u n p r o t e s t s o r t he org a n izat ions involved i n t hese mobi l i zat ions a re accused of communist a f f i l i at ion s , t he C S MO is proh ibited f rom d isclosing information to the police—all repor ts of a lleg ations must be for wa rded to t he Of f ice of S t udent S er v ices f i r s t , a lthough the CSMO repor ts that this has yet to happen.

St udent protesters of the Ateneo are further protected

by Section 1, A rticle I V, of the Loyola Schools Magna Car ta for Underg r aduate St udent R ights, which states that all students are granted the right to freely express their v iews a nd opin ions “ in a ma n ner acceptable to t he academic

c o m m u n i t y.” M e a n w h i l e , Section 4 , A rticle I V upholds students’ “right to peaceably assemble and petition school authorities and/or government authorities for the redress of any grievances.”

Howe ver, because sociopolitical organizations such as K PL Katipu na n a re not accredited by the Ateneo and do not protest on campus, they do not receive the same protection granted by Section 5, A r ticle I V, which prevents st udent ac t iv it ies such a s peacef ul protests from d i sr upt ion b y m i l it a r y or police personnel.

T he protec t ions g r a nted to accredited sociopolitica l g r oup s do not e x te nd to mobilizations org a nized by non-accredited activist groups such as K PL , reg a rd less of communications with CSMO. Despite the lack of off icial red-ta g g ing repor ts w it h in the Ateneo, students accused of being “reds” for criticizing the government remain under threat of persecution based on their advocacies. In this case, the mistrust of activists born f rom t h is c u lt u re ma kes it diff icult for political dialogue to thr ive a nd develop. Redtagg ing does not only dilute the discussion of politics with f a r - r e a c h i n g a c c u s a t io n s , it ma kes the youth’s critical en g a gement w it h n at ion a l affairs volatile as well. *Editor ’s note: The name s of the se inte r v ie wee s have bee n ch an ged at the ir re qu e s t in orde r to protect the ir ide ntit y and pr ivac y.

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lnquiry

Teaching under fire

BY MANOLO SOLIVEN

AS THE PREMIER Jesuit Filipino universit y in the country, the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) has always sworn by the Ignatian formation it so proudly holds close to the heart of its institutional identity.

“Holistic” and “interdisciplinary” have become synonymous to the subjects and education of students within the Ateneo; the University website itself describes its curriculum as a “deliberate weaving together of the core, majors, and co-curricula.”

In the University structure, it is the educators who carry the responsibility of weaving together teachings and values to better communicate practical lessons and facilitate the formation of their students. Simultaneously, professors of the Ateneo are expected to produce scholarly research as the representatives of the Loyola Schools’ academic endeavors and contributions.

Therefore, holistic development becomes a goal not only for students, but for educators as well—their roles cannot be simplified into just either teaching or research production.

Despite the integrative thrust behind the school’s curriculum and academic research activity, there still exists proponents of the “teaching vs. research” debate who advocate for academic institutions to prioritize one educational pursuit over the other.

A CALL FOR REFORM On March 4 , 2019, an anonymous contributor made a

post on ADMU Freedom Wall that suggested radical reforms within the University’s faculty systems.

The proposed amendments include the termination of instructors to “save money,” the passing on of instructor teaching duties to graduate students, and the suggestion to grant educators their tenure solely based on their research output. The contributor cited Ateneo’s absence in the global university performance assessments of the Times Higher Education 2019 World University Rankings as his basis for seeking to intensify pressure on the school’s educators as primary producers of knowledge.

In the comments section, Facebook users argued about both the ethical implications of the drastic changes and the immediate challenges posed by the propositions. Some commenters criticized the post’s supposed “worship” of international standards while others urged the contributor to understand the “unsustainable” and “toxic” academic environments such reforms would establish.

Between the clamor for greater professional research output and the propositions for more research-focused faculty members over lecture-based educators, the post demonstrated a keen lack of information regarding the nuances of an educator’s career in Ateneo.

Outside of the teaching podium and beyond the confines of class hours, faculty members continue their rigorous work in the academe through a myriad of research

PHOTO BY JASON T, MARIANO

papers, engagements with the community, and ultimately, the pursuit of tenure.

SCHOLARLY RESPONSIBILITIES The development of an academic professional is not straightforward. It is, in fact, formed one scholarly building block at a time. In an interview with the Vice President of the Loyola Schools Maria Luz Vilches, PhD, she discusses the Ateneo’s process for selecting, training, and evaluating its faculty members.

“Those who apply for teaching jobs are first assessed on their aptitude in teaching,” says Vilches.

“The Ateneo identifies itself as a teaching university above all else.”

For instance, those who aspire to teach in Ateneo are often tested through demo classes wherein candidates must lecture volunteer participants in a mock classroom session regarding a topic of their specialization.

Faculty members are then hired as either part-time or full-time educational professionals with

the potential to receive tenure from the University. Since being tenured means to be made a permanent member of the faculty, Vilches notes that the institution is judicious about who is given tenure. “We are very careful,” she shares, asserting the importance of “[observing] whoever it is [the University] wants to hire permanently.”

Although the terms “rank” and “tenure” are often discussed side by side, neither term necessarily goes hand-in-hand. Vilches explains that tenure is not tied to any particular faculty rank, but instead pertains to the security of one’s employment in the University.

Rank, on the other hand, is best demonstrated by the complexity of faculty terminology. For instance, it is common practice for students to call all their lecturers “professor” even though there are several levels an educator must go through before attaining the aforementioned title.

Each faculty member of the Ateneo is ranked and assigned different requirements that befit their position within the institution. The ranks arranged from lowest to highest are as follows: Lecturer, assistant instructor, instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor.

According to the Associate Dean for Research and Creative Work Ma. Louise Antonette N. De las Peñas, PhD, faculty members are annually evaluated through the Ateneo Faculty Activity Report (AFAR) to give them the opportunity to enrich their careers by earning tenure or moving up in rank. The grades earned through these evaluations hinge on the performance of each faculty member on three fields: Instruction, Research and Creative Work, and University Service and Outreach. If a faculty member had focused more on Instruction during a specific year, AFAR could assign a higher weight to that criterion over Research and Creative Work.

The constant, institutional demand for research output coupled with the teaching duties of a professional lecturer are regular challenges faced by educators in Ateneo. Ignorance about the simultaneous pressures of research requirements and lecture responsibilities may be the root of the demand for University-wide reform and rectifications.

MORE THAN METRICS Despite the discussion on institutional reforms that would supposedly improve the Ateneo’s international stature, standardized global academic rankings have consistently proven to be contentious in the past.

To teach is one of the main callings of being in the academe, to be in the ‘universe of college.’

On the one hand, we produce knowledge, but at the same time, we communicate that knowledge.

GINO TRINIDAD INSTRUCTOR POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

An essential factor and point of criticism in these rankings are the criteria by which universities are ranked and assessed in the first place. Teaching instruction and research production are two of the most heavily weighted factors.

According to a study by the Brookings Institution, an American research group directed towards the social sciences, there may not be a correlation between the research production of a university and the quality of its educational instruction. The study answers the question that has plagued universities for years: Whether placing a premium on research productivity comes at the cost of top-notch teaching.

The researchers answered with a resounding “no,” noting in their discussion that “the factors that drive teaching excellence and those that determine research excellence appear unrelated.”

In response to the vocalized push for greater research production on the part of the Atenean educators, Political Science Department instructor and Managing Editor of the Journal of Social Transformations Gino Trinidad reminds us not to lose sight of the big picture.

Trinidad argues that we must assess the purpose of our educational and academic pursuits. “Underneath the clutter of numerical rankings, our roots define the standards and values by which the University holds itself,” he says. “Are we trying to simply produce research of the esoteric kind or research that really touches on the ground and pushes for change and transformation?”

research nevertheless enriches the faculty members’ teaching content and presents itself as a learning experience for educators. “If you ask your students to revise, you have to know how to revise as well, the first learners should be the teachers,” she says. “[Research] will build character for the teacher and it will help them as well in teaching the students how, for example, to do their own papers because they have experience in doing that themselves.”

Trinidad also emphasizes a need for balance, noting that “to teach is one of the main callings of being in the academe, to be in the ‘universe of college.’ On the one hand, we produce knowledge, but at the same time, we communicate that knowledge.”

The release of the Times Higher Education 2019 World University Rankings sparked the discussion on Ateneo’s supposed lack of attention towards the field of research and cast a shadow of doubt on the fundamental roles of educators within our community.

Online discourse has demanded and refuted radical changes to the management of faculty staff and the very priorities of the institution.

Although unapparent, the vehement cries for a less teachingcentric academe have long been answered by the Ateneo’s foundation on holistic Ignatian formation. At the end of the day, demands made against holism and integration in the University’s curriculum are demands against the spirit and institution of the Ateneo.

INTERTWINING THREADS V i lc he s e x pl a i n s t h at while the University cannot claim institutional focus or specialization in research output,

With reports from Danielle Cabahug and Alex Agcaoili