Rheims | April 2022

2022 NATIONAL ELECTIONS | MAY 9

PHOTO SOURCE | COMELEC

2

CONTENTS

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

EDITORIAL BOARD A.Y. 2021-2022

LANCE CRISOSTOMO Editor-in-Chief

ANDREW DELA PLANA Associate Editor-in-Chief

MARIELLE NAVARRO KYZZIA PAGUIRIGAN TRISHA ILAR BENEDICT YALUNG ZOELINE HONRADO

MR. KENT BRYAN COLOCADO Adviser

MS. VICTORIA GALLARDO Vice Principal

Writers

RENZ BAUTISTA Senior Managing Editor Layout

MR. RICHARD PINEDA Principal

MARCUS BUHAIN SHAWN TEVES RINEAI VENTOSO SOFIA MALVAR

BEN NIVERA

Junior Managing Editor

MS. DAISY ROMERO School Consultant

Artists

THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS facebook.com/Rheims2020 @Rheims2020

NINA DULCE Cover Page Artist

MR. LAWRENCE FERNANDO MARCUS MUGOL

The Lasallian Rheims

Contributor

Alere Flammam Veritatis

official.rheims@gmail.com

WHAT'S

INSIDE?

12

FEATURES

13

LAST PERIOD

Mosaic

14

Written With Affection

NEWS ASJ conducts 19th Commencement Exercises Face-to-Face

15

Music Album Review: IVE - LOVE DIVE

Omicron BA.2.12 subvariant enters country PH to donate 5 million vaccine doses to Myanmar COMELEC, GMA News releases 2022 Voters Profile

16

Anime Review: 86

REMINDERS FOR THE ELECTION DAY

17

6

SCITECH

18

LITERARY Day at the Zoo

7

OPINION

19

To You, 6 904 km away

The Duterte Legacy: Change has come // ALAPAAP

20

From Afar

LGU: HINDI PWEDENG MEMA LANG // OPINYON

22

Misadventures of Max

3 4 5

8 9 10 11

NASA confirms largest comet ever seen Gov’t top priority: Corruption // IZUMIN

#LetTheEarthBreathe! // NBYRM No Coffee, No Life // RPTD

Hamburger

APRIL 2022 // NEWS

3

ASJ conducts 19th Commencement Exercises Face-to-Face LANCE CRISOSTOMO PHOTO SOURCE | ASJ ALUMNI ASSEMBLY

After

two years since being in the pandemic, the Academy of Saint John held the 19th Commencement exercises of the Graduating Classes School Year 2021 – 2022 at the ASJ school grounds from April 29 – May 01.

Some 200 students from Grades 6, 10, and 12 had their face-to-face commencement exercises while some 30 Kinder pupils had their commencement exercises virtually through Zoom Meetings and Facebook Live.

The school council pushed for the faceto-face commencement exercises after the

Department of Education allowed schools in areas under alert level 1 and 2 to conduct in-person commencement exercises last March 25.

Students from Grades 6, 10, and 12 went to school for 2 weeks observing 1 and a half hour practices daily for the baccalaureate mass and the commencement exercises.

ASJ School council set the commencement exercises as a three-part series wherein the Grade 10 had their moving up ceremonies last April 29 followed by the Kinder and Grade 6 graduates the following day, April 30, and lastly the Grade 12 graduates last May 1. [R]

IN PICTURES: Selected parts of the Grade 6 and 12 commencement exercises (from left to right): Inspirational remarks by ASJ Supervisor, Mr. Jose Ramelle T. Javier and ASJ Director, Br. Edmundo Adolfo L. Fernandez FSC, Valedictory Speech by Lance Jerson Crisostomo and Pledge of Loyalty by Renz Adrian Bautista.

PHOTO SOURCE | ASJ FB PAGE

4

NEWS // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

Omicron BA.2.12 subvariant enters country ANDREW DELA PLANA

The first case of Omicron BA.2.12.

in the country entered Baguio City last April 2 and had 44 close contacts, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Omicron BA.2.12. is a subvariant of the highly transmissible Omicron variant and is considered to have a higher transmissibility rate. However, there are still no studies on whether it causes a more severe disease.

The case was

detected in a 52-year-old Finnish female who arrived on April 2 from Finland to conduct seminars in Quezon City and Baguio City.

"As to the close contacts, she had nine close contacts in Quezon City. She also had five close contacts in Benguet and all of them are being closely monitored. Some of them were tested already, which turned out to be negative, "Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

"She had a total of 30 close contacts, near contacts in the airplane," she added.

Most of the close contacts, however, were fully vaccinated and some even tested negative for COVID-19.

The Finnish woman had then finished her seven-day isolation, was discharged, and had already returned to Finland on April 21. [R]

PH to donate 5 million vaccine doses to Myanmar LANCE CRISOSTOMO

About five million doses of Sputnik V COVID vaccine is set to be donated by the Philippines to Myanmar upon getting clearance from Myanmar’s Red Cross Society, the Department of Health reported.

In a conference last May 2,

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that five million Sputnik V vaccine doses that are close to its expiry are set to be given to Myanmar and will serve as the first donation of vaccines ever to be given by the country since the start of the pandemic.

Vergeire added that the donation

is made because Myanmar has only inoculated less than 50% of its total population with two doses of vaccine.

As of the first week of May, over 147 million doses of vaccines are administered here in the Philippines with some 68 million already fully vaccinated and some 13 million already boosted. [R]

COMELEC, GMA News releases 2022 Voters Profile LANCE CRISOSTOMO

The

Commission on Elections and GMA News Online “Eleksyon 2022” released the comprehensive report on the demographic profile of the Filipino voters for the 2022 National and Local Elections set on May 9.

From the estimated 65.7 million voters, 33.66 million or 51.19% are found to be female voters while 32.1 million or 48.81% are male voters.

In terms of generation and age group, 13.11 million or 19.94% belong to the Generation Z or 18 – 25 years old age bracket, 23.94 million or 36.42% belong to the millennial generation or 26 – 41 years old age bracket, 16.77 million or 25.51% belong to the Generation X or 42 – 57 years old bracket while the remaining 11.92 million or 18.12 percent belong to the “boomer, silent, greatest generation and senior citizens” or 58 years old and above age bracket.

In terms of the provinces with the most voters, Cavite ranked 2nd with 2, 302, 353 behind Cebu which ranked 1st with 3, 288, 778 voters and above Pangasinan which ranked 3rd with 2,096, 936 voters in the province.

For more information regarding the upcoming elections, you may visit the Social Media pages and official Website of COMELEC. [R]

APRIL 2022 // NEWS

5

REMINDERS FOR THE ELECTION DAY

1 2

May 9, 2022, the Election day, is a special non-working holiday. No number coding schemes will be imposed.

Voting time is only during 6 AM TO 7 PM ONLY.

3 4

Face masks are required in the voting precinct. No need for vaccination cards, face sheilds and an antigen or RT-PCR test result.

Liquor Ban is imposed during May 8 and May 9. Campaigning is not allowed during the day of election.

ON THE DAY OF VOTING 1 7 2

You can undervote (vote less than the needed number) or abstain (no vote), but cannot overvote (vote more than the needed number). Overvotes will lead to your votes to be rendered void.

Know your precinct location and number before the elections.

3 4 5 6

Upon entering the polling precinct, a temperature check will be conducted. If your temperature is higher than 37.4 degrees Celsius, a second temperature check will be conducted after a short while.

Isolation polling precicnts will be available for voters with temperatures higher than 37.4 degrees Celsius and those with COVID-19 symptoms.

Find your name posted in the voter's list outside of the polling precinct. Approach the electoral board to confirm your identity.

INSPECT THE BALLOT given to you and make sure that there are no markings and tears.

When voting, SHADE THE ENTIRE CIRCLE on the left side of the candidate you will vote for. DO NOT CRUMPLE, WET OR TEAR THE BALLOT.

8 9 10

You can vote the following: 1 President 1 Vice President 1 Congressman 1 Party-list Group 1 Governor 1 Vice Governor 1 Mayor 1 Vice Mayor Up to 12 senators Provincial board members - depending on location Councilors - depending on location

After shading the ballot, input your ballot in the vote counting machine (VCM). The VCM will release a receipt.

INSPECT THE RECEIPT. If the receipt is accurate, you may drop it in the voter receipt box and have indelible ink placed on your right pointer finger. If it is not accurate, report it to the Board of Election Inspectors.

Cellphones should NOT be used in the voting precinct. Picturing the ballot or the receipt is NOT ALLOWED. You cannot selfie in a voting precinct.

6

SCITECH // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

NASA confirms largest comet ever seen BEN NIVERA

N ASA's Hubble Space Telescope has determined the size of the largest icy comet nucleus ever seen by astronomers.

The estimated diameter is approximately 80 miles across. Its nucleus is about 50 times larger than found at the heart of most known comets. Its mass is estimated to be 500 trillion tons, a hundred thousand times greater than the mass of a typical comet found much closer to the Sun. The comet, C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein), is moving towards us at 22,000 miles per hour from the edge of the solar system, but scientists assure that it will never get closer than 1 billion miles away from the Sun, and won't be until the year 2031.

The previous record holder is comet C/2002 VQ94, whose nucleus is estimated to be 60 miles across. It was discovered by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) project in 2002.

"This comet is literally the tip of the iceberg for many thousands of comets that are too faint to see in the more distant parts of the solar system," said David Jewitt, a professor of planetary science and astronomy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and co-author of the new study in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, "We've always suspected this comet had to be big because it is so bright at such a large distance. Now we confirm it is."

Comet C/2014 UN271 was discovered by astronomers Pedro Bernardinelli and Gary Bernstein in archival images from the Dark Energy Survey at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.

It was first observed in November 2010, when it was 3 billion miles from the Sun. Since then, it has been intensively studied by ground and space-based telescopes.

"This is an amazing object, given how active it is when it's still so far from the Sun," said the paper's lead author

Man-To Hui of the Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, "We guessed the comet might be pretty big, but we needed the best data to confirm this."

So, his team used Hubble to take five photos of the comet on January 8, 2022.

Hui and his team compared the brightness of the nucleus to earlier radio observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile.

This combined data constrains the diameter and the reflectivity of the nucleus.

The new Hubble measurements are close to the earlier size estimates from ALMA, but suggest a darker nucleus surface than previously thought. "It's big and it's blacker than coal," Jewitt said.

The comet is now less than two billion miles from the Sun, falling nearly perpendicular to the plane of our Solar System. [R]

CONGRATULATIONS LANCE JERSON CRISOSTOMO 4th Place, News Writing (English) Regional Schools Press Conference

ANDREW DELA PLANA MARIELLE NAVARRO SOFIA MALVAR HEIMI PATRIARCA BENEDICT YALUNG Grade 10 Completers

KINDER AND GRADE 10 COMPLETERS GRADE 6 AND 12 GRADUATES

LANCE CRISOSTOMO JOHN CZAR SALAGUINTO RENZ BAUTISTA ANDRE MOJICA ATASIA PINEDA CASEYLYN QUIMORA MARIANNE BUENCONSEJO DERRIE MAPANAO NICOLAIS MELANA TROY EVANGELISTA BRYAN FLORENTINO LAURENZ RONQUILLO MARCUS BUHAIN KYZZIA PAGUIRIGAN JOHN LOYD FORTUNO Grade 12 Graduates

APRIL 2022 // OPINION

7

Gov’t top priority: Corruption IZUMIN // Kyzzia Paguirigan

Pandemic or not corruption has always been a

hot topic and issue, government’s fight against it must be a relentless, unforgiving, and encompassing. Corruption, in whatever way or form must always be stopped at all cost, and the government must do their absolute everything to uproot the source of corruption itself.

Corruption itself is very hard to erase or to eradicate because some people are finding and labeling it as a “way of life” where they pour every resource they have for them to transact in secret and make a fortune with it, it is also hard to track because of the advancements in technology that mankind has invented where money can be moved from one account to another or to hidden bank accounts or offshore holdings. The World Bank has made its estimate on how much money has been used in bribery or of sorts and statistics said that it is around 1.5 trillion US dollars per year.

As for the Philippines, Transparency International had some disconcerting news where early this year they revealed its 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index. In it, the Philippines was ranked 117th out of 180 countries with a score of 33 out of 100 (100 being “very clean” and zero being “very corrupt”). The organization noted that the Philippines’ ranking is a “historic low”, lower than the global average of 43 and the Asia-Pacific average of 45.

Additionally, the Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer surveyed the experience of everyday people and

their confrontation with corruption. It was revealed that 86 percent of the people surveyed in the Philippines said that “government corruption is a big problem” and the remaining 19 percent said that they have paid a bribe in the previous 12 months.

Knowing the situation, the government has no choice but to continue its fight against corruption in every way or manner possible. The Task Force Against Corruption (TFAC) has taken their measure and released a video campaign that aims to eliminate the seeds of corruption that will eventually grow into massive forms of corruption.

It might be unrealistic to end corruption with a simple video sent to the masses. Nevertheless, it is imperative to the government to continue their fight and aspire for a country that treats its citizens fairly and bring justice to corrupt entities that steps foot in the country. Let us not let corruption be as it can destroy the very fabric of society and our welfare may be at stake. [R]

"It might be unrealistic to end corruption with a simple video sent to the masses. Nevertheless, it is imperative to the government to continue their fight and aspire for a country that treats its citizens fairly and bring justice to corrupt entities that steps foot in the country."

8

OPINION

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

The Duterte Legacy: Change has come ALAPAAP // Andrew Dela Plana

"C

hange is coming." One can remember that this is the tagline used

by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the 2016 presidential elections.

It promised change for the better, and one could wonder, as his administration draws to a close, if his promised change really has come.

During the 2016 campaign season, there were at least three promises that were highlighted as his: to end corruption in three to six months; to end the uncontrollable use of illegal drugs in the country via a drug war; and to protect the Philippines from the Chinese vessels that are, still even now, occupying the West Philippine Sea, even going as far as to say that he himself would jetski towards the disputed territory and place the Philippine flag to assert the country’s rights. None of these were kept, however, because they were nearly impossible to accomplish in a whole administration without proper laws and resources, let alone in six months. Even Duterte admitted last April 28 that these were merely boasts and campaign promises, which are usually left as such.

However, while these three promises were broken and left the Filipinos who voted for him confounded, it is safe to say that this administration has produced several positive impacts on our country. The Duterte administration remarkably made our Mindanao brothers’ and sisters’ lives better with the Bangsamoro Organic Law, a promise that was surprisingly kept and was indeed beneficial for those affected by it. Because of this, decades of conflict have now come to an end, giving our Filipino Muslim brothers and sisters a home among the dominant Roman Catholic Filipinos.

Another somewhat successful program for the administration is the Build, Build, Build Program, which aimed to slingshot the Philippines into a "Golden Age of Infrastructure." This program was given a total of 8.4 trillion pesos to fix the "Achilles’

heel" of the Philippines—which is the lack of infrastructure. However, it only aimed to fix the supposed looks and glamour of the country, as most of the roads and structures are car-centric, posing numerous environmental threats and displacing hundreds of people. While infrastructure and roads are an integral part of a country’s tourism, their accessibility must still be taken into consideration, as most of these are indeed car-centric and are not compromising for the displaced Filipinos. Issues of corruption also popped up throughout the years–showing hints of corruption with 15–35 percent of the program going into "other costs of doing business."

It is important to remember that while infrastructure and rehabilitation are indeed important and promote progress, proper distribution and prioritization are more important in times of calamity, like being in a pandemic. For example, the controversial dolomite beach was done in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic while still lacking in study. It has also raised concerns from numerous activists and environmentalists. The administration, however, reasoned out that the people’s mental health is also of their utmost care, referring to the "aesthetic" of the dolomite sand that reflects that of white sand beaches.

Additionally, during the Duterte administration, cases of red-tagging and threats to press freedom have been the seeming "main event" of this administration because of the boasted drug war. The Duterte administration has been particularly proud of the war on drugs despite its being the cause of the thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings in the country. 27,000 to 30,000 individuals have been killed under the Duterte administration, and 22 journalists are among them—most of whom are critics of the Duterte administration. The drug problem in the Philippines will never be solved with the use of violence as it is a public health issue. Thousands of critics have been silenced and/or wrongly jailed, including the likes of Senator Leila De Lima and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. The shut-

down of the ABS-CBN network has also gained a lot of flak because of the thousands of Filipino workers displaced during the pandemic and the shutdown of a media giant that has been accessible. It is also worth noting that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said that the network has been paying its taxes properly.

While marred by corruption, numerous extra-judicial killings, and a whopping debt that amounts to P12.09 trillion, President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration still garnered huge support due to its supporters, more commonly known as the "Diehard Duterte Supporters." While sexist remarks and slurs are the substance of most of his late-night talks, he is still idolized and looked upon as a role model by many. Well, a good explanation for this is because of his "macho" aggressive image, which older Filipinos typically like.

These offensive remarks are often packaged as "harmless" jokes, and any critic who is found ranting on social media will often be attacked by these supporters.

There were also vloggers who were notorious for spreading and propagating fake news, such as that of Banat By or Mocha Uson. A seeming perspective of most Filipinos is that not supporting a country’s president is equivalent to not loving the country, which is also a reason why a lot of Filipinos label their fellow countrymen as "communists" and "terrorists" for being vocal against the government.

The Duterte Administration may be viewed as the golden age of infrastructure for many Filipinos or the most corrupt government in the Philippines, depending on their biases and own perspectives. However, one thing remains true: change has indeed come. The sad thing is, it looks like it changed for the worse—and many still don’t believe it. As the administration draws to an end, it now looks as if the need for a better and more qualified leader is at hand. [R]

APRIL 2022 // OPINION

9

LGU: HINDI PWEDENG MEMA LANG OPINYON // Marcus Mugol

N

oong 2018, pinagtibay ng Korte Suprema ang petisyon ni Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, dating Bataan Governor Enrique Garcia Jr., kasama ang ibang lokal na opisyal na magkaroon ng makatarungang hati sa lahat ng national taxes at sa mga buwis na hindi sakop ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), na magiging epektibo ngayong 2022. Ayon kay Odilon Pasaraba, Assistant Secretary ng Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), ang mga lokal na pamahalaan o LGUs ay nakakakuha ng 40% ng national internal revenue taxes galing BIR. Sa pagpapatupad ng MandanasGarcia Ruling, ang Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) sa mga LGUs ay inaasahang tataas ng 27.61%.

Dagdag pa ni Asec.

Pasaraba, naglabas din si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ng Executive Order No. 138 na may layuning ibaba ang ilang tungkulin ng ehekutibo sa mga lokal na pamahalaan. Samakatuwid, mas maisasagawa nila ang kanilang mga proyekto sa kanilang nasasakupan dahil sa mas malayang hurisdiksyon at mas malaking pondo.

Bagamat sa aking pagsang-ayon sa Mandanas-Garcia, ang dinastiya at unopposed candidates ay nanatili pa ring talamak hanggang ngayon sa bawat LGUs, na masasabi kong nakababahala. Ayon kasi sa inilabas na datos ng Commission on Elections (COMELEC), 845 na lokal na kandidato ang siguradong makakaupo sa pwesto. Ito ay binubuo ng 39 na kandidato sa pagka-kongre-

sista, 9 na gobernador, 11 na bise gobernador, 45 na bokal, 203 na alkalde, 254 na bise alkalde, at 284 na konsehal. Kung bibigyang-tuon ang ating lalawigan, halos lahat ng kandidato sa mga lungsod at bayan ay siguradong pasok na sa pwesto.

Dahil sa pagtaas ng pondo at paglawak ng hurisdiksyon, mas tataas ang responsibilidad at pananagutan ng mga lokal na opisyal. At kung titignan natin ang kasalukuyang lagay ng kampanya, ang mata ng mga Pilipino ay nakatingin lamang sa national positions at wala sa lokal. Labis itong nakadagdag sa aking pangamba dahil hindi rin tayo nakasisigurado na ang lahat ng unopposed candidates ngayong halalan ay talagang may nagawa at hindi MEMA lang.

Ang aking punto, kailangan din nating magsunog ng kilay upang makilatis mabuti ang mga tumatakbong kandidato sa lokal na antas.

Suriin natin mabuti ang kanilang track record, kasanayan sa paglilingkod-bayan, paninindigan sa mga isyu, at mga plataporma. Hindi tayo pu-pwedeng magpadala sa mga kanta, tarpaulin, at libreng kendi.

Kung ano ang ating pamantayan sa nasyonal na antas ay siya ring dapat sa lokal na antas.

Sa kabilang banda, dahil wala namang pagpipilian, kilatisin at iboto natin ang mga lider na nagsusulong ng pagbabago o reporma sa sistema ng eleksyon o ng konstitusyon.

Pare-parehas pa ring mga personalidad ang ating makikita sa balota kung mananatili pa ring bulok ang sistema ng ating eleksyon.

Sa pulitika, hindi pwedeng MEMA LANG ang mauupo sa pwesto. Ayon sa ating Konstitusyon, ang ehekutibo na kinabibilangan ng pangulo, ikalawang pangulo, gobernador, bise-gobernador, alkalde, at bise-alkalde ay ang sangay na nagpapalaganap ng batas. Samantalang ang lehislatura na binubuo ng mga senador, kongresista, bokal o board member, at mga konsehal ay ang sangay na nakatuon sa pag-gawa ng batas. Ang mga tungkuling ito ay ang simple ngunit mabigat kung titignan. Kaya kung ikaw ang tatanungin, gusto nyo ba ng batas o ordinansa na wala namang saysay? Gusto nyo ba ng programa na pili lamang ang makikinabang? Masyadong naging malalim ang sugat ng nakaraan sa ating bayan kaya huwag na sana tayong maging dagdag pa sa pagtaghoy ng ating inang-bayan.

Kung tayo ay boboto ng tama sa nasyonal at sumablay sa lokal, walang din itong patutunguhan. Kung maganda ang plataporma ng pangulo at patapon naman ang ordinansa ng konsehal, dederetso pa rin tayo sa kangkungan. Kailangan nating bumoto ng kandidatong may nagawa at may magagawa pa, hindi dahil ang kandidatong ito ay naniniwala at ini-endorso ang napupusuan mong pangulo at ikalawang pangulo.

Ilang araw na lamang ang nalalabi bago ang eleksyon. Boboto ba tayo ng tama o magpapalaki nanaman tayo ng tiyan sa loob ng tatlong taon? [R]

10

OPINION

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

#LetTheEarthBreathe!

NBYRM // Ben Nivera

"We’re

heading towards a F****** catastrophe” were some of the words scientist Peter Kalmus said as he tearfully delivered his speech in front of a JPMorgan-Chase building in LA. He and his group were later arrested by the LAPD for chaining themselves to the bank in protest of its financing of fossil fuels.

During his speech, he mentioned that we only have 3-5 years left to save the earth, if we fail to do so, he says “we lose everything.” Kalmus wants everyone to stop ignoring scientists, since they’ve always been ignored whenever they speak about topics like climate change.

According to NOAA's 2020 Annual Climate Report, the combined land and ocean temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.08 degrees Celsius per decade since 1880; however, the average rate of increase since 1981 (0.18°C) has been more than twice that rate. Based on NOAA's global analysis, the 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 2005, and 7 of the 10 have occurred just since 2014. Looking back to 1988, a pattern emerges(excluding 2011), as each new year is added to the historical record, it becomes one of the top 10 warmest on record at that time, but it is ultimately replaced as the “top ten” window shifts forward in time.

Sorry to say the obvious, but climate change is NOT a joke. Every year, we step closer and closer to destruction. There’s no doubt that climate change has been already affecting our lives for years and will most likely continue to do so in the coming decades; if not stopped or at least mitigated. But despite this issue being VERY evident, some people still choose to believe that climate change is a hoax; What!?

Some people just ignore the fact that the world is dying, and that’s not okay. People really need to open their eyes on the current state of our planet. Earth isn’t the safe and clean abode it once was, and who were the ones who ruined it? Us, Humans; in fact, scientists claim that 100% of global warming is caused by human activity.

We’re the ones who caused it and we’re the ones who suffer from it, which means that we’re also the ones who should strive to solve it.

We destroyed the earth, we should be the ones who will fix it.

Following Kalmus’ speech and arrest, the hashtag “#LettheEarthBreathe” became trending in several social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Reddit. Famous celebrities, icons, and millions of users online endorsed the hashtag along with news articles, infographics, and photographs showing the effects of

pollution. Raising awareness, giving information on actions to do, starting pro-environment groups and movements, planting trees, and encouraging others to act are only some of the things attached to this trend. It’s a great hashtag to go viral considering the people who just do not care are not informed about the current state of the planet.

People, we really need to step up now. This time, it’s quite literally “now or never”. The sake of our future is in our hands, the people of tomorrow depend on us.

It’s time to wake up to reality and act; People are dying, glaciers are melting, and ecosystems are being destroyed! Today, it’s time to finally “Let the Earth Breathe.”

Even simple acts like putting trash in their respective bins, preserving energy, and planting trees can also help our planet! So, let me ask you this; are you willing to save the earth for the good of all?

"People, we really need to step up now. This time, it’s quite literally “now or never”. The sake of our future is in our hands, the people of tomorrow depend on us."

APRIL 2022 // OPINION

11

No Coffee, No Life RPTD // Renz Bautista

A

re you “in” with the milk tea craze? Or a regular customer of cafes and tea shops? Or are you someone who always drink 3-in-1 coffee? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you may brand yourself a caffeinated drink consumer. Caffeine has been a part of our diet and consumed in various types of food and drinks such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, soft drinks and sometimes in products containing cocoa or chocolate. People drink these because of different reasons, which sometimes become the motivators for drinking such beverages.

Caffeine is one of the most consumed psychoactive drugs and are used for many reasons. It is used in the medical industry as it is an ingredient for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. In the Philippines, coffee consumption nearly doubled as 3.3 million bags of coffee is consumed annually, compared to 2.2 million bags from 2011. Fitch Solutions also forecasted that Filipino’s love for coffee will increase for the next five years, adding a report in which each Filipino drink 3.05 kg of coffee per capita during 2020 and is expected to drink 3.78 kg of coffee every year by the year 2025.

This was the main topic of my research paper for the past school year and I and my research team finished the research manuscript during the month of April. We believe that there are many reasons for people to consume caffeinated drinks. Although the research was conducted in the confines of the school, it gives a realistic result for similar demographics as caffeinated drinks are already part of Filipino students’ lives, especially those taking up high school or collegiate studies. Additionally, we also investigated that if sleep quality affects caffeine consumption as caffeine is frequently used for stimulation and energy provision. Studies show

CARTOON | JOHN CZAR SALAGUINTO

that caffeine intake may lead to insufficient sleep quality and quantity.

Previous literature mentioned that there are six significant factors that motivate caffeine consumption. These were sensory, alertness, social, energize, mood and habit. However, our research found out that seven factors motivate caffeinated drink consumption.

These were mood, alertness, relaxation, habit, sensory, social and relationship. The statistics and fieldwork were tiring. But once we have gathered the results and produced the tables, it was a huge relief as our sleepless nights came into an end.

From the results of our study, majority of the surveyed population (of 199 students) drink soft drinks and others, followed by coffee, tea and energy drinks. The average caffeinated drink frequency was 3.19 for all respondents, 3.09 for males and 3.28 for females.

Times for consuming caffeinated drinks were equally spread out. The study also found that different demographics by age and gender differ in caffeinated drink preferences. The study also found that relaxation is a significant motivation factor for coffee and tea consumption, and sensory factors significantly motivated soft drinks and others consumption.

Grade levels also show significant factor comparisons, such as mood for Grade 11 and 12 students.

Moreover, sleep quality which composed of seven factors namely, subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, sleeping medication and daytime dysfunction, was also considered. The computations show that caffeine consumption was not

significantly driven by sleep quality.

Additionally, sleep quality significantly differed by gender with males having a higher sleep quality than females. Other factors such as nicotine consumption were not investigated because it does not apply to the population studied.

It is important to understand the caffeine consumption phenomenon in the Philippines as caffeine affects our economic, social, and agricultural performance. Additional knowledge and research will be valuable in reinforcing caffeine consumption information given and available to the public.

Many expectancies were derived from drinking caffeine such as reducing fatigue, enhancement of physical performance, increase of energy, mood improvement, reducing stress, and improving cognitive performance (particularly information processing and reaction times). Caffeine is considered a toxin and there are limits to intaking the said substance. Too much caffeine is not good for your body.

People, including me, drink caffeinated drinks every day. We need to remember that there are motivations, reasons, and preferences for drinking these drinks. As Catriona Gray said once in a Miss Universe pageant, "everything is good in moderation.” [R]

12

FEATURES // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

mosaic MARIELLE NAVARRO

PHOTO SOURCE | SAILEE VILLANUEVA, TONI REMOTIGUE

John.

Lasalle.

I say those two names as if they form some personal portrait; isolated and kept from a whole different world other than the muse itself. Unfortunately, that is the exact destiny that arrived for the two Grade 10 sections of the Academy of St. John, us being barred from an experience that we can only ever dream about.

The pandemic has been hard for every single student in the world. There was a sudden need to adjust to a “new normal” even if it wasn’t even remotely close to feeling like the norm. 10th grade has always been something people older than us talk about, and it is also commonly depicted in mainstream media. I may not speak for everyone, but as a 10th grade student who had this vision of what should be happening at this point in our lives, nothing is what I had ever imagined it to be.

I’m not close with most of my classmates and if I were honest, I don’t think that we would be even without the COVID-19 barrier between us. That’s alright, it’s a normal thing that happens in most teenagers’ lives. We find our people, and some of our peers just aren’t meant to be with us. I find myself thinking that our connections as a batch have truly been fractured by the time we spent apart.

This isn’t like a broken bone that can heal with time, because being in the 10th grade means that we are going towards the path of an inevitable crossroads. We don’t have the time to heal this divide, but even division can be beautiful in its own way. This is less of a limb and more of a piece of broken stone, glass, and ceramic; a mosaic.

It isn’t all fun and color, especially because we all yearn for something complete and whole that can be immortalized like the others. We missed many things like proms, retreats, field trips, and parties, and the fact that we survived shouldn’t invalidate the fact that we are humans who long for what we cannot have.

Our brokenness turned into something beautiful and unique, unlike every other story we’ve heard about.

In a long hallway full of art pieces that were created with precision and unexplainable familiarity, the spot that should’ve been ours will have a blank space that we just can’t fill. Generations will ask what happened to the batch that was hit by a horrid tide of change and difficulty, but at least we know in our distant souls what happened.

Because we have our personal portrait – our mosaic – built from the fractures we shed propped up on our hearts where only us can truly see and feel. [R]

APRIL 2022 // FEATURES

E

13

covered the two years that the pandemic stole from us.

nd of the Chapter….

I wish that time would stop and freeze for a bit. I wish that the world would stop revolving so that we could savor the last moments that we have together as Senior High School (SHS) students. I wish that I could turn back the clock so that we could have spent more time together, some sort of get-together that we rarely did. With the wish of turning back time, I wish to possess a power that would immune us from COVID-19 thus allowing us to come together physically at school every day, just like what we did in the past…

In reality, those wishes would never come true. They will stay as wishes that could have made our SHS years a bit better and brighter. It is just so painful that we had to undergo two years of online classes until the end of our SHS journey. Hear me out, two years of online classes entailed the lack of physical encounters with our friends, the suppression of collaboration opportunities with our classmates, and missing out on opportunities to walk home with friends. Every day, our routine would be to sit in front of our desks at home, open our laptops or PCs, attend classes from 8 in the morning until 3 or 4 in the afternoon, rest for a while, do our assignments afterward, and then sleep. If we wanted to talk with our friends, we have to do it virtually through applications such as Discord, Messenger, and Zoom among others. Just by the sound of it, the last part of our journey was taxing, isn’t it?

On the brighter side of things, we thank God for giving us the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company physically in the pilot run of face-to-face classes (which was also the last week of classes before exams) and in the practices for the graduation rites. It felt refreshing and empowering to once again talk in ASJ’s corridors, to have in-person discussions with teachers, and to go home together either by walking or by car.

On a personal note, I was amused to see a familiar scene that I loved to see for ages. To see my classmates laughing together, shouting together, and most especially smiling together are pictures worth remembering. Those 3 weeks (when cumulated)

End of the chapter - It is painful deep inside that our time here is over. We are about to journey on separate paths to reach our dreams and ambitions. We are about to embark on a journey where we need to be with different people, different environments, and different challenges. We were used to being in each other’s company but now, it is time to separate and move on. Yes, we may still see each other in our free time but it is different when we are together every day. To be honest, this is not just painful but also scary. Being used to being with my classmates (the same people who I grew up with) for the last 14 years makes it hard to move on. I have this fear inside of me - the fear of adapting to a new situation with new people and new challenges.

“Hail, Hail, Hail”..... The master of ceremony congratulates the graduates and their families. The last batch photo was taken. The master of ceremony (after the graduates returned to their seats) announced the start of the recessional.

We, the graduates, walked on the center aisle filled with emotions. Joyous and painful it is but it was the last period on the last page of our majestic chapter entitled “ASJ Journey” As one great mentor once said, the only way to go in life is to move forward. Separation is indeed inevitable. Thinking of it, we actually needed to separate and traverse our own paths to grow as fine men and women. Changes and separations are scary but these things are unavoidable. We just need to live with and by it. I do wish that the friendships that we have forged in the last 14 years would stay strong and healthy even if we are already separated by distance and time.

A new chapter in our lives shall start in a few months.

To my dearest Grade 12 graduates, I do wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Always remember that we can make it through the end, we just need to find a way or make one. It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of your lives. May all of us reach all of our dreams, goals, and ambitions - through hardships to the stars! [R]

LAST PERIOD LANCE CRISOSTOMO PHOTO SOURCE | MARIANNE BUENCONSEJO

14

FEATURES

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

WRITTEN WITH AFFECTION ZOELINE HONRADO

Have you ever experienced writing a letter for a loved one? Writing a secret message to

your crush? Well, if you did... I’m sure you inserted a lot of effort in doing it, applying your wholesome feelings onto the letter. This month of April, we celebrate National Literature month as a way of featuring the works, and giving importance to the love given to writing.

Under the leadership of National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), Komisyon sa wikang Filipino (KWF), and National Book Development Board – Philippines, we annually celebrate Literature Month every April; according to Proclamation no. 968 that was signed in 2015. This year’s Buwan ng Panitikan is anchored on the theme “Muling Pagtuklas ng Karunungang Bayan”. It is to give importance and be reminded of the epic tales, parables, stories that marks the culture of Filipinos in Literature.

Literature is considered as a form of art. I myself would like to give importance to literature, for it is my form of expressing how I feel. Through literature, I am able to learn and discover a lot of things. Literature is a collection of written works that are narrowed to genres like comedy, narrative, romance, fiction. It isn’t only through written works; it could also be in forms of arts, drama, and poetry. Literature doesn’t only provide amusement and help pass time, but it also provides us knowledge, and help us widen our capabilities.

Philippines’ National Hero, Jose Rizal, was known for fighting for freedom in a silent but powerful way. Through his written works, he fought for his and the freedom of his country.

Not through fighting with a sword or a gun, but fighting with a pen. Through literature, he was able to fight for his country’s freedom.

Another contributor for literature is Francisco Balagtas, a prominent Filipino poet during the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is known for writing his poems in Tagalog instead of Spanish, to show resistance to Spanish rule. His most notable work is “Florante at Laura”, that is considered as a depiction of the sufferings of the Filipinos under the oppressive Spanish colonization.

Literature made a very big impact to the Filipino history. It served as a way for fighting for freedom, and showing how one truly felt. From now, let us consider the importance of literature. Let’s start appreciating and promoting it. May we all recognize the value of literature not only in history, but also in present times. [R]

APRIL 2022 // FEATURES

MUSIC ALBUM REVIEW:

IVE - LOVE DIVE

15

BEN NIVERA

1.) LOVE DIVE

A

h, where do I start with this. At first listen, Love Dive sounds like your typical KPop song; catchy and momentous. But then you listen to it again….and again….then again, until you just can’t stop listening to it. As you listen to it repetitively, you’ll slowly realize how great this song truly is: a mix of great instrumentals and vocals.

First of all, I don’t know what type of percussion plays throughout the whole song(the sort of snapping and clapping sounds), but I LOVE it. The song is started by the group’s leader, Yujin. First verse and second verse sound very good; they highlight the vocal ability of several members despite being accompanied by “loud” instrumentals. What shocked me the most was Rei's part. She’s the group’s rapper, but her singing voice really amazed me.

The pre-chorus, especially before the 2nd chorus, is CHILLING. The harmonies during that part of the song are too good for one’s ear to hear. The somewhat lower-toned “ooooh’s” playing and Wonyoung’s “high” and “girly” vocals truly complement each other, creating a formidable and chilling pre-chorus. Also, can we talk about Gaeul and Rei’s “It’s so bad, it’s good”?

Then here comes the chorus. First line plays, and you’re already hooked. “Narcissistic, my god I love it,” is something you don’t expect to hear from kpop, but to my surprise, it works! During the song, the line is said by two people; Wonyoung and Leeseo. The contrast between the way they say it truly alleviates the song. Wonyoung says it in a sassier way while Leeseo says it in a menacing type of way. Liz follows and in Gen Z terms, I say, “she did not disappoint”. You’ll think that the chorus is done at this point; you’re gonna feel like it was too short and a little boring…..then comes the drop. The same harmonies from the pre-chorus return but louder and I guess with more layers added to it.

Who would’ve thought that those heavenly harmonies in the pre-chorus would sound even greater during the chorus? The second chorus also has an interesting approach on the first chorus’ drop, which I’ll leave for your ears to listen to.

If I were to rate it, it would be a “my god I love it”/10.

2.) ROYAL I’ll say it right from the start Diamonds and Gold/10.

What better way to follow a good title track than to follow it up with a great bside. I won’t say much about this song because honestly, I don’t know what’s happening here but I love it; so I’ll leave it for you to listen to and be amazed.

This is somewhat lazy of me, but I really want you to hear this song on your own. I don’t know what this computer generated sound is(It’s pretty common in K-POP), but I love it; it’s a great foundation for the song. Both 1st verse and 2nd verse are really good. Just like LOVE DIVE, both verses highlight the vocals of several members.

Here we go again with the pre-choruses. I have two words that somewhat summarizes both pre-choruses: HIGH NOTE. I thought we’re done with the pre chorus…I thought that LOVE DIVE’s pre-chorus was good enough for this album. Jokes aside, Royal’s pre-chorus did not disappoint. Both members who sang it did a great job in delivering those lines.

I won’t talk much about the chorus, all I’m going to say is that it’s very catchy and if not careful, it could easily get stuck in your head. In my experience, ever since I’ve listened to this song, it’s like I have a broken record inside of my head just repeating this part. As an icing on top of the cake, they end the chorus with a blast of vocals from Liz. Wow. The raps speak for themselves. I feel like the song(Royal) without the raps would still be great, but the raps just complete the song. It feels like they add another 100 to an already 100/100 song. Rei and Gaeul really did a good job in composing and delivering their raps.

I’d also like to commend the ad libs near the end of the song, the song wouldn’t be complete without those ad libs and they sounded really good and prominent despite being layered below the vocals.

ALBUM RATING IVE truly delivered with this album. For a new group and a first comeback, this album is really well made even though it only has two songs. Overall, this album is an 11/10. [R]

16

FEATURES

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

ANIME REVIEW:

With

86

Episodes 22 and 23 concluded last March 2022 due to an airing delay, 86 is one of those tearjerking and emotional anime. The anime is adapted from a light novel with a similar name written by Asato Asato and illustrations by Shirabii. Its publication was spearheaded by ASCII Media Works in February 2017.

The novel is of the science fiction genre, specifically mecha with a combination of politics. The anime adaptation was made by A-1 pictures which was split into two anime seasons with 11 and 12 episodes during Spring 2021 and Fall 2021, respectively. The anime has also two recap episodes for the viewer’s convenience.

[Synopsis; with minor spoilers] The Republic of San Magnolia is undergoing a war against the Giadian Empire. However, its reports that no casualties were recorded were just propaganda as San Magnolia’s 85 sectors are living safely behind walls, while the secret 86th faction continues to engage on the battlefield. The secret faction is known as Eighty-Six which is forced to fight against the autonomous Legion of the Empire, under the command of the “Handlers” of the Republic. Vladilena Milizé was tasked to be the handler of the Spearhead Squadron in replacement of their previous handler. She aims to fight against the eighty-sixer’s condition and human discrimination. Shinei Nouzen, the captain of the Spearhead squadron, is known for being the lone survivor of every squadron he was in.

What would fate do to these individuals? Will it be a happy ending with sparks igniting? Or will the flames of despair and pain only succumb to them? [End of spoilers] I only watched the complete 23 episodes just recently, due to my demanding schedule and my watchlist priorities, given

RENZ BAUTISTA

that many sequels and new titles will air during the Spring 2022 season and anime that I cannot watch during the airing season due to my hectic schedule while it was airing. I binged the first part on one day and the second part on another day. The anime maintained consistency as episodes were not rushed.

The story depicts the sad and brutal reality of war, discrimination, racism, and oppression given first-hand to the viewer.

It presents the situation, of being in a frontline war from all angles, not just the surface. I am not fond of the mecha genre as compared to other anime genres, but 86 was a very exceptional one. I haven’t read the original light novel, so I cannot give a full review of the adaptation, but as I have said, there was no indication of the story presented being rushed.

In my opinion, the story was exceptionally written.

Parts were animated just right to the point that you are truly immersed in the story. The anime is pretty sad in nature, so just get a box of tissues ready in case. Character design was at the top of my charts. To be honest, I cannot find a comparison of anime with this kind of character design and development. The animation was overly great. I have heard from my friends that A-1 pictures are not used in CGI animation. Surprisingly, the action scenes and CGI was done right.

The soundtrack makes a huge difference, especially when it is played during emotional moments. Sawano’s Avid still pierces viewer's feelings whenever it is played. The overall enjoyment, despite the many emotional scenes, is very high, given that I binged 1 part in one day (Although I could go for the full 23 episodes, cough cough). I was shocked that episodes 22 and 23 made it to the top anime of the week despite the delay, according to many anime voting pages.

To conclude, I give a rating of 9.5/10 (10/10 under my MyAnimeList) and consider 86 as one which tops my list that has no personal biases imposed. Honestly, it is very difficult to find the perfect anime that could give the perfect 10/10.

All the components, beautiful storytelling, character design, music, experience, and animation were of high marks for me. Although the language may be a bit strong, I highly recommend this for watchers that want the tearjerking experience and those finding a high-quality anime for a while. [R]

PHOTO SOURCE | ASCII MEDIA WORKS

APRIL 2022 // LITERARY

17

DAY AT THE ZOO MARIELLE NAVARRO

T

he sound of mixed sirens from police cars and ambulances filled the area as people were ushered away by the officers who arrived at the scene. Paramedics were rushing people in the vehicles with the gurneys and stretchers they brought while those who weren’t being treated murmured with gossip and curious assumptions. A little boy held his father’s hand with his own, while his free one clutched onto an almost empty box of popcorn. It looked awkward in his small grasp, as if it weren’t meant to be held by him at that moment.

Zoo staff were being questioned by the cops and one of them, probably a feeder, was pale with shock. She looked around frantically as they asked her questions about the animal – the beast – that had gotten out and caused all this mess. Her hands trembled and her mouth kept opening and closing but with no sound coming out. A paramedic approached them and carefully brought her to an ambulance with open doors. They glanced down at her feet as she limped away to be treated; one of her shoes missing.

A group of teenagers stood by the pavement a little too near to the barricades, taking pictures of the place and themselves. An old man walked up to them, shouting at them for being insensitive to the situation until someone’s phone went flying; revealing a conversation between a mother and her daughter. One of them started crying while the rest yelled profanities at the man who accused them as he stood there in embarrassment before taking his own phone and calling someone in his own contacts as he turned away.

Someone’s anguished scream pierced through the crowd coming from an older woman.

She tried to reach for one of the first responders, blood splattered on her body as she attempted to claw her way free from the police holding her back.

“You let her die!” She shouted. The paramedic hung his head and people found themselves looking in the direction of the commotion, and if you knew him enough, you’d know that the blood on his shirt is almost as fresh as the uniform on his back.

Darkened by the dirt on the concrete and foot prints from the panicked stampede from before, a stuffed toy tiger lay on the ground as the little boy with a box of popcorn found himself looking at its direction from afar. It was broken and unmoving, looking similarly abused like the animal’s body being photographed on its side – currently in the process of being turned into a headline that’ll make tomorrow’s newspaper sell just a little bit better.

18

LITERARY // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

HAMBURGER On the outside I only know you through hyperbolic definition and what they market you as; not really what makes you whole I see your layers when I cut you in half and I lick my lips hoping to embrace you until there is nothing left to see or consume You will return to being only a word on a glowing sign from beyond a counter hiding the truth of the kitchen from whence you came I will hold you in my stomach and dismantle the image they built on your processed body with their very own guiltless shame

- Marielle Navarro

APRIL 2022 // LITERARY

TO YOU, 6 904 KM AWAY “Can you just stay by my side?”

Opulent words storm my mind Love truly reveals what’s inside Silence broken, barriers left behind Could we embrace each other?

Under the stars, can we lay?

Truly, I wouldn’t ask for another, Even though we’re far away

- Ben Nivera*

*Writer's Note: Poem made by request

19

20 LITERARY // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

F R O M

A F A R

I tried my best to keep you In every way I can I asked myself, “Am I in love with you?”

And it seems like I am Though I knew it wasn’t right, I was only thinking for myself I cried so much that night.

Knowing that you’re in love with somebody else With an ink, You were written as Romeo and her as Juliet Maybe I was just too dumb to think That you’re the greatest person I’ve ever met It seems like my moon is too happy with his star, So I’ll just continue to admire him from afar Even now, that our friendship has fallen apart I’d like you to know that I love you….with all my heart

- Zoeline Honrado