Rheims | September 2021

2 NEWS // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

Roque, IATF announce Cavite under MECQ

Lance Crisostomo

After a month under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), Cavite remains under MECQ as announced by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during a late-night press briefing, September 30.

The said extension was done in coordination with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and will run from October 1 to 15.

Eight other provinces and two cities in the Philippines were also announced to be placed under MECQ namely Apayao, Kalinga, Batanes, Bataan, Bulacan, Lucena City, Rizal, Laguna, Naga City, and Iloilo province.

Meanwhile, the National Capital Region (NCR) is still under Alert level 4 of the pilot run of the new COVID-19 response strategy.

Almost all of the original limits to capacities as it was announced that the operational capacity of indoor services for fully vaccinated individuals will be increased to 20% only if the indoor service provider can provide a safety seal certification.

The next updating of the quarantine classifications may happen two weeks after the official announcement of the quarantine classifications for the start of October. [R]

Solons approve Php 5 trillion 2022 budget Lance Crisostomo

The House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 10153 or the 2022 General Appropriations Bill with 236 affirmative, 6 negative, 0 abstention yesterday, September 30.

The approval of HB No. 10153 only took eight plenary days as President Duterte labeled this as an urgent matter.

2022 General Appropriations Bill covers the proposed Php 5.024 trillion budget for the next year seeking to fortify the four main fronts of

the pandemic battle strategy: health and nutrition, social protection, governance, and development.”

In the proposed Php 5.024 trillion 2022 budget, here are the budget for the different departments: > Department of Education (DepEd) - Php 773.6 billion > Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) - Php 686.1 billion > Department of the Interior and Local Government (DPWH) - Php 250.4 billion

> Department of Health (DOH) - Php 242 billion > Department of National Defense (DND) - Php 222 billion > Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - Php 191.4 billion > Department of Transportation (DOT) - Php110.9 billion

After the approval of the House of Representatives, the bill will be further discussed and deliberated by the Senate. [R]

MR-Td vaccinations starts; Palace, IATF allow certain age groups to go out Lance Crisostomo

The COVID-19 task force, through the announcement of Malacanan Palace in a press briefing, exempted children 2 years old and below, 6 to 7 years old, and 12 to 13 years old from the community quarantine restrictions set by the government.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the immunity of the said age groups from the quarantine classifications is in line with the

conduct of routine, catch-up immunizations, and immunization activities for Measles-Rubella and Tetanus-Diphtheria (MR-Td).

Roque and IATF added that the immunization activities for MR-Td will be fast tracked by having Wednesdays for the vaccination of children.

Children who received the MR-Td vaccine can already be allowed to go out of their homes.

Meanwhile, children be-

low 18 years old and adults over 65 years old in Metro Manila and areas under MECQ are still not allowed to go out at all times except for times when they will access essential goods and services.

On the other hand, children below 15 years old and adults over 65 years old in areas under MGCQ are also strictly advised to stay home at all times except for times when they will access essential goods and services. [R]

SEPTEMBER 2021 //

NEWS

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COMELEC approves extension of voter registration from Oct. 11 until Oct. 31 Andrew Dela Plana

PHOTO SOURCE PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) approved the extension of voter registration with the reopening from October 11 until October 31, said COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez last Wednesday, September 29.

"Extension is from October 11 to 30, Monday-Friday, no Saturdays, except for the last day (October 30), 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All registration services offered," Jimenez said in an online press briefing.

The en banc approved the extension unanimously on Wednesday, September 29.

COMELEC Chairman Sheriff Abas clarified that they would not be able to accept voter registration from October 1 to October 8.

“Yes, ganoon nga po, because we are very busy accepting the various certificates of candidacies of various candidates all over the country,” he explained.

Senate, House move for Extension Several lawmakers and politicians as well as Vice President Leni Robredo have called for an extension of voter registration back then, due to the pandemic.

With this, the Senate and House of Representatives passed separate bills on Monday, September 27 regarding the extension of the voters' registration.

The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill No. 2408 with a total vote count of 23 out of 24 senators (Sen. De Lima was not able to cast her vote) which states that the registration of voters for the 2022 local and national elections is to be extended until October 31, 2021.

On the other hand, the House of Representatives passed House Bill No. 10261 with a total vote count of 193 which states that the registration of voters for the 2022 local and national elections is to be extended for 30 days after the formal announcement and enactment of the extension. [R]

PDP Laban et al. announces their candidates for the 2022 elections Andrew Dela Plana

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi announced their candidates for the 2022 local elections on Wednesday, September 8.

Although no video evidences of the nominations were shown, an official of the Cusi Faction told several reporters about this nomination.

The Cusi Faction officially nominated Senator Bong Go, as their presidential bet, and President Rodrigo Duterte as their vice-presidential bet. Although Duterte accepted his nomination, Go declined his.

The faction also announced their senatorial bids, namely Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, Leyte 4th District Representative Lucy TorresGomez, and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.

More politicians and parties have announced their candidacies and potential bets since the PDP-Laban Cusi faction announcement.

Senator Manny Pacquiao, who recently an-

nounced his retirement from boxing, has also announced his run for president after being nominated by the other faction of PDP-Laban (Pacquiao faction).

"I am a fighter, and I will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring," Pacquiao said in his live-streamed speech during the national assembly of his faction.

Bongbong Marcos, who lost in the vice-presidential elections last 2016, has been nominated by the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), founded by late President Ferdinand Marcos, and has yet to accept the nomination.

Senate President Tito Sotto has also announced that he will run in tandem with Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, the former running for the vice-president position, and the latter for the presidential spot.

Finally, Manila Mayor Fransisco “Isko” Moreno has announced his candidacy for president last September 22, with Dr. Willie Ong running for vice president.

Vice president Leni Robredo is yet to announce if she is eyeing to run for president, although she has united parties against the administration’s candidates. [R]

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NEWS

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

Youth Leaders Summit goes for 9th straight year; empowers youth leaders amidst pandemic Lance Crisostomo The City Government of General Trias, in coordination with the City Youth Development Office and Sangguniang Kabataan City Federation, hosted the 9th General Trias Youth Leaders Summit (YLS) via Zoom meetings as part of the City’s celebration for this year’s International youth day.

Eight speakers were invited to talk about their respective fields such as environment, health, active citizenship, and governance to name a few in the two-day summit, September 9-10.

In her statement, Ms. Babylyn Kempiz, City Youth Development officer of General Trias, stated

that this year’s YLS tallied the highest number of attendees in history as the numbers reached almost 1,400 from zoom attendees alone.

“Eto yung unang virtual youth leaders summit na’tin pero maraming salamat po kasi ito rin yung largest number natin so far. Hindi po namin ineexpect na makakareach tayo ng more than thousands of attendees,” Kempiz shared.

On the other hand, Congressman Luis “Jonjon” Ferrer IV in his inspirational message, thanked the General Trias Youth Organizations for their continuous efforts and projects to help the city government amidst the pandemic.

“Proud ako sa mga kabataan na’tin

A segment of the Youth Leaders Summit with invited speaker John Pedrigal about the topic, Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.

PHOTO SOURCE CICT GENERAL TRIAS

ESCUREL SPOTLIGHTS CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Renz Bautista Dr. Renato Escurel, City Environmental and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO), discussed the importance of environmental care in a symposium held via Zoom Meetings last September 30.

Escurel begun the symposium by stating the condition of the environment today, emphasizing on the concerns of resource and waste management.

He then mentioned the efforts the City of General Trias have done to mitigate and resolve the problems on solid waste management and to promote environmental care.

“Natutuwa po naman ako at naisipan niyo yung ganito [talk], inspite of the pandemic. Marami pong nakinig at naniniwala naman ako na may matututunan tayong lahat,” Escurel ended.

After the talk, an open forum was held where students, and faculty had the opportunity to ask questions about the topic for further understanding. [R]

dito sa General Trias. Salamat sa inyong dedication, sa mga tulong ninyong, sa mga nagvovolunteer sa araw-araw na ginawa ng Panginoon.

Dito ngayon sa city, ramdam na ramdan ang participation ng mga kabataan,” Ferrer said.

Vice Mayor Morit Sison added that the youth shouldn’t be stopped by the pandemic in show casing their skills and talents as leaders and as the hope of the community.

In an interview, Toni Remotigue, Grade 10 ASJ student attendee, shared that the twoday summit was enjoyable and indeed, the eight topics talked about were very timely and relevant especially to the youth.

“In both of my experiences, I learned a lot. First of all, I would like to say that I really enjoyed the event. The talks and discussions very really timely and indeed relevant today.”

With the success of the YLS, the City government of General Trias and the City Youth Development Office hopes to hold the 10th YLS next year in a face-to-face setup to bring back the culture and interaction etched by the event over the years. [R]

Duterte slams UN, vows accountability for anyone who acted beyond bounds during ‘drug war’ Andrew Dela Plana

President Duterte, on September 21, Tuesday, said that anyone who is found to have “acted beyond bounds” in the duration of the drug war would be held accountable, during the 76th session of the General Assembly held at the UN headquarters in New York, U.S.

Duterte told the United Nations General Assembly that he has asked several agencies and taskforces to review the conduct of the campaign, which started in 2016, causing the lives of at least 6,100 suspected drug dealers to be taken.

“I have instructed the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police to review the conduct of our campaign against illegal drugs,” Duterte said in a video shown at the UN gathering.

"Those found to have acted beyond bounds during operations shall be made accountable before our laws," he added, which drew flak from several human rights groups.

Duterte did not mention a formal investigation into possible crimes against humanity, approved by the International Criminal Court, in which he appeared to seemingly reject their interference in human rights issues.

The administration also said last week that it will not cooperate with the ICC to allow any investigators in the Philippines, as they said that the ICC has no right to meddle with the country’s issues. [R]

SEPTEMBER 2021 //

120 schools to undergo pilot testing for face-to-face classes Renz Bautista President Rodrigo Duterte has approved limited face-to-face classes in 120 public and private schools in areas designated as low-risk for COVID-19, Malacañang declared last September 20.

The Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DepEd) validated the 100 public and 20 private schools that are categorized as “minimal risk” and has “passed the readiness assessment” set by the DOH and DepEd. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stated that face-toface classes are to be held only for a half day, and every other week.

“Ito pa ay hindi lang issue ng edukasyon. Ito po ay issue na rin ng mental health at ekonomiya,” Roque said in a briefing.

The pilot run of the limited face-to-face classes will be participated by Kindergarten, Grades 1 to 3, and those taking the Technical-Vocational strand for Senior High School.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones explained that the number of

maximum students will be reduced to 12 for Kindergarten, 16 for Grades 1 to 3, and 20 for Senior High School.

The maximum number of hours for the pilot testing is three hours for Kinder and Grades 1 to 3, and four hours for Senior High School.

“The pilot run of limited faceto-face classes is a shared responsibility of the DepEd, Department of Health, with the approval of IATF, and the local government units themselves and the parents. This will be monitored for two months,” Briones added.

Participating schools must have a written consent and support from the parents of students who will participate in the pilot testing.

The written report also said that no student shall be forced to attend the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.

Beforehand, the Philippines is one of the last countries in the world that have yet to reopen schools and educational institution since March 2020. [R]

PH to vaccinate minors aged 12-17 with comorbidities Renz Bautista Immunocompromised minors aged 12-17 will be the first to be vaccinated according to the Department of Health (DOH), following President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval on vaccinating the general public by October.

Adolescents and children with underlying conditions will be considered under the A3 category or persons with comorbidities.

Other minors will be vaccinated upon the adequate coverage of the A2 priority group (senior citizens) and upon sufficient vaccine supply for children nationwide.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje mentioned that the government will start to inoculate minors with comorbidities in Metro Manila starting October 15.

“Pinaguusapan namin kung

sa umpisa gagawin muna sa mga ospital para makita kung ano iyong mga reaksyon. Kagaya ng pag-umpisa natin nung pagbabakuna ng COVID-19 ‘di ba.

Inumpisahan natin sa mga COVID referral hospital, tinignan natin kung ano ang kailangang bantayan. Then nag-expand na tayo sa iba’t ibang ospital at ang ating RHUs (rural health units),” Cabotaje said in a press briefing.

After a two-week pilot run of the vaccination program, the program could expand to other regions.

Meanwhile, as of September 29, there is a total of 45,147,577 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide wherein 21,103,317 are fully vaccinated or equivalent 27.36% of the target population and 24,044,260 has taken their first doses. [R] PHOTO SOURCE RAPPLER

NEWS

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Duterte to Gordon: Submit to auditing Andrew Dela Plana

On September 11, Saturday morning, President Rodrigo Duterte told Senator Richard Gordon to open up the financial records of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for investigation by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Duterte added that he will be forced to “disassociate” the national government with the PRC if Gordon does not let the organization be audited.

“Ngayon, kung ayaw mo, mapipilitan akong totally disassociate with you. I will stop the national government and all from having transactions with you in any manner,” he said.

Gordon had actually refused to have PRC be audited by the Commission on Audit (COA). It was also reported that he had failed to submit the organization’s annual financial report to the Presidential Office.

Duterte also added, “I’m sure I will find plenty of (wrong)… basta plenty when we start with you, Senator Gordon.”

Gordon once again claimed that PRC, being a private entity, cannot be audited.

“It is not totally independent because it has been receiving financial aid from the Republic of the Philippines.

Kumukuha ka pa dyan sa PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) ng pera,” the President argued.

“Now, any money belonging to the Republic of the Philippines given to an agency, whatever be the nature, if you’re operating here, and you’re receiving money and spend it, you are accountable to the government and therefore an audit is in order,” the chief executive added.

Duterte’s seeming frustration rooted from Gordon carrying out of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s inquiries on the alleged corruption by the national government in the COVID-19 pandemic. [R]

6 NEWS // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

All Japan Senior and Masters Gymnastics Championships

Yulo comes back stronger; secures two medals Lance Crisostomo

Imus Retarding Basin reaches completion Lance Crisostomo

MANILA, Philippines - Redemption time, world champ!

Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo captured two medals in 2021 All Japan Senior and Masters Gymnastics Championships at the Yamagata prefecture on Thursday, September 23.

Yulo successfully won the gold medal in the floor exercise event with a score of 15.300 outscoring Uchida Hayato who scored 14.700 and Takahiro Goshima who scored 14.466 in the said event.

In addition, the 21-year-old gymnast also bagged the bronze medal in the vault event with a score of 15.000 landing just behind Tanigawa Wataru and Asato Keisuke who scored 15.233 and 15.200 respectively.

Prior to the event, Carlos Yulo fell short in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where he was a finalist in the vault event and only 44th place in the floor exercise wherein he is the current world champion.

Munehiro Kugimiya, Carlos Yulo’s coach, said that Yulo’s performance in the 2021 All Japan Senior and Masters Gymnastics Championships is the redemption of the Filipino gymnast from his performance in the Olympics.

Carlos Yulo and coach Kugimiya are now eying the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan this coming October 18-24 where Yulo will defend his world title in the floor exercise. [R] PHOTO SOURCE CNN PHILIPPINES

Nearly three-fourths still undecided on where to study for SHS Renz Bautista In a survey of 62 Grade 10 students conducted last September 24, 73% are undecided on where to pursue their Senior High School studies, reaching an all-time high compared to the past school year, 65% last February 2021.

The survey was conducted to assess strand preferences of the future junior high school completers during the first quarter of A.Y. 2021-2022.

11% of the respondents will stay in ASJ, 8% will study in University of Santo Tomas, 6% in De La Salle Dasmarin͂as,

and 2% in San Sebastian College.

The survey reported that 34% will take Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand, 13% will take Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) strand, 10% will take Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strand, 10% will take Music Arts, and Design (MAD) strand, 10% will take Health-Allied strand, 3% will take Information Technology (IT) strand, 2% each will take sports track, General Academic strand (GAS), and technical-vocational (TECH-VOC) strand, and the rest (16%) are undecided.

Compared to last February 2021, there was a decrease in percentage of students who will take the STEM strand, from 51% to 34% - the same trend followed for the HUMSS strand, from 14% last year to 10% this year.

Meanwhile, there was an increase of

The Imus Retarding Basin located in Imus, Cavite was inaugurated Thursday, September 23 according to the Japanese Embassy in Manila.

The Japanese-designed basin is part of the Flood Risk Management Project sponsored by the official development assistance of Japan to mitigate the flood damages in low-lying areas near Imus River.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla and Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko led the inaguration of the basin.

According to reports, the retarding basin occupied 35 hectares of land area with an 84-meter overflow dike with an average height of three meters, 1.3-meter surrounding dike, and 1.1-meter separating dike.

In his statement, DPWH Secretary Villar said that with the completion of the Imus retarding basin, the government has high hopes that the flooding in the area will be reduced greatly.

“We have high hopes that this project will reduce flood risks to local homes and businesses.

[These are the] first of their kind in the Philippines that will lessen flooding by 30 percent,” Villar stated.

Alongside the Imus Retarding Basin, a similar basin is also being finished in the City of Bacoor as part of the Php 2.2 billion projects which is nearly finished and is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2021. [R] frequency for those choosing the ABM strand (from 8% during February 2021), and those who will take non-academic strands and health-allied strand.

In considering the primary reason for the students’ strand preference, 53% responded that it was their self-concept or personal preference, 29% chose that it was their personal skills and traits, 10% responded that it is because of familial influence, 7% said that it is because of financial consideration, and the remaining 2% responded that it was their academic performance. [R]

SEPTEMBER 2021 //

A Celebration… for all the sad reasons September 13, 2021 marked the day of opening of classes for public schools and some universities in the Philippines. The COVID-19 pandemic and people are stuck in their homes, the state of education still follow distance learning, with either online, modular, radio and TV learning being the norm these days. During the opening ceremonies of the start of class, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones claimed that opening another school year during the COVID-19 pandemic was a “celebration of victories and successes.”

The secretary’s claim felt ironic as the Philippines is the last nation with schools being closed down due to the pandemic.

I felt the surge of indifference and shock. I was speechless back then to the point that I have my mouth opened. There are a still a multitude of problems ongoing on the state of education that I can’t list in this column.

But first, let us focus on how Briones asserted that the opening of classes deserved “a celebration of joy.” How will we celebrate if we are the last country in the world which has a lack of plann for face-to-face classes? Why does the education department do not focus on addressing the challenges that occurred over the first year of distance learning?

There are a lot of problems which remained unsolved during the first year of distance learning. Such problems include the faulty and lack of educational materials, poor and inconsistent internet connection and laggy devices or gadgets used in online learning, erroneous and insensitive information given in learning materials, lack of financial support for learners, and the lack of consideration for

Renz Bautista

teachers’ and students’ mental health. Teachers and students, including myself, experience burnouts and increased stress episodes during distance learning compared to when face-toface classes was a thing. This does not only compromise the mental, physical and emotional health of students and teachers, but also continues to endanger the quality of education in the country if these problems are untouched and not addressed with urgency.

A lot of students and teachers want to return to face-to-face classes. Many cannot bear the stress and the difficulty of the current learning system. Our current education system is still designed for the past setup. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) stated way back last May 2021 that colleges and universities are no longer going back to the face-to-face set-up this year. It is critically important that colleges and senior high schools are prioritized on going back to the face-to-face set-up since most of their learning comes from application and providing outputs. Fields such as accountancy, engineering, architecture, arts, and those which are related to health and pure sciences are output-based. However, the outputs the students provide are lacking due to the limitations that distance learning brings. Who would 100% trust a surgeon or an engineer who purely studied everything in his or her profession online? If distance learning will continue, the competence of our future workers to do their tasks successfully might be at risk.

Another figure to ponder on is the huge drop of enrollment figures. DepEd reported that 24.6 million students are enrolled under basic education this school year, which

was 93.8% of last year’s enrollment count (26.9 million). Majority who dropped their education reasoned out that either they cannot bear with the stress distance learning brings, and the lack of financial support to afford gadgets necessary for online learning.

Another big issue to consider is the quality of education given. DepEd reported its tentative graduation figures that showed 98.13% of Grade 6 students and 96.9% of Grade 10 students completed their elementary and junior high studies, respectively. The question is, did the completers really learned something during the first year of distance learning? Or did students just only complete requirements?

This column may sound pessimistic in nature, but this is what is truly happening around. Additionally, the education department seems to deny these as they give little to no attention for complications that happen during distance learning. I even remember a DepEd official who chuckled about a student committing suicide due to the burnout and stress of the amount of work in the modular system.

These problems should not be taken as something light, the future of our youth is at stake here. Long-term planning, right prioritization, reevaluation of the curriculum and eductional system, and considering the status quo of our learners are the golden eggs that are needed to be put in the basket. A problematic educational system is not what we want. Everyone should be in a comfortable learning environment with minimal problems as possible. All learners deserve their right for quality education. Let us continually hope and demand for a #LigtasNaBalikEskuwela. [R]

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Undecided

10

TVL

1

Sports

1

IT

2

GAS

1

HUMSS

6

MAD

6

ABM

8

STEM

21 0

5

10

15

7

RPTD

Preferred SHS Tracks of Grade 10 Students Q1 Health-Allied

OPINION

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25

Survey responses when students are asked what strand are they considering to take for Senior High School. There are 62 Grade 10 respondents in the said survey which was conducted last September 24.

Majority of the students prefer taking the STEM strand, followed by the ABM strand. The next survey update will be conducted at the end of the second quarter.

EDITORIAL BOARD School Year 2021-2022

Editor-in-Chief Lance Crisostomo Managing Editor/Layout Renz Bautista Writers Marielle Navarro, Andrew Dela Plana, Kyzzia Paguirigan, Trisha Ilar, Benedict Yalung, Zoeline Honrado, Lemmor Lataza, Ben Nivera, James Abriza Artists Marcus Buhain, Shawn Teves, Casey Quimora, John Czar Salaguinto Cover Page Nina Dulce Contributor Mr. Lawrence Fernando Adviser Mr. Kent Bryan Colocado Vice Principal Ms. Victoria Gallardo Principal Mr. Richard Pineda School Consultant

Ms. Daisy Romero

ALERE FLAMMAM VERITATIS WE ARE OPEN FOR

CONTRIBUTORS! Submit your work at official.rheims@gmail.com

@Rheims2020 facebook.com/Rheims2020 official.rheims@gmail.com issuu.com/thelasallianrheims

8

OPINION

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

BLURRED VISION NO MORE: FACE SHIELDS ARE NO LONGER MANDATORY The pandemic era in the Philippines has been a roller coaster ride. There are points when it seemed like the Philippines has found a way to slowly stand up and revert back to its normal state. However, the nation found itself crawling forward for a long time now in pursuit of a long-term solution and what made the ride harder are the controversies and polarization that disturbed the nation due to rampant corruption.

If there has been one controversy that the Filipinos didn’t expect, it would definitely be one of the “essentials” that was required for all - face shields.

At the initial phase of the pandemic, face shields were worn as protection. A face armor of defense for Filipino people not to easily spread and receive the virus. In any place that you will go to, you either wear a face shield or you better buy one if you do not have one. With the implementation of this, polarization crept in as different views from citizens and experts started to clash. Some would say that it is great protection against the virus. Some would say that it is useless.

In studies conducted on face shields, none of the results suggested that face shields provide 100% protection to people.

Studies do suggest that face shields can provide extra protection, especially to the eyes, to prevent further transmission. The finding was formalized by WHO as it stated the same thing in its announcement. Fast forward to August 30, Engr. Joshua Agar, a wind engineer from UP, suggested that the aerodynamic consequences of wearing face shields should be considered. He specifically said that face shields can create a negative pressure region that can be a suction to particles in the air, including the virus. In addition to that, Agar also said that face shields can also serve as insulators that create moistures that can act as an ‘encouraging factor’ for the virus to stick to people’s skin.

It is no secret that when face shields accumulate moisture, it also blurs the vision of people. For this reason, people do say that they are just causes of inconvenience and irritation with a small percentage of defense efficacy. However, these face shields didn’t only blur people’s vision literally but also symboli-

cally. Alongside the polarization on the views and opinions on the use of face shields, a controversy was just around the corner, waiting for the right time to pop out.

Overpricing, corruption, ghost deliveries, and changing of expiration dates - all of which are points of controversies that up to now are still confusing. In the investigation opened by the Department of Justice, it has been found out, through two personnel from Pharmally, that there has been a tampering of production and expiration dates for face shields that has been happening for quite some time. The tags originally showed a 2020 production date but they were pushed to replace such with 2021 tags. The tampering is a classic way of faking and prolonging the usability of face shields which only have a shelf life of 36 months. Prior to this, an issue on overpricing sprouted as it has been found out that the DBM and DOH procured overpriced face shields priced at Php 120 each which Filipinos can literally buy anywhere from Php 20 to Php 30. In the tally sheet, DBM depots had 484,000 face shields laying around which amounts to over Php 58 million based on the Php 120 per piece. There is no clear answer yet as to how these things happened right under the Filipino’s nose.

Now, the time has finally come. President Duterte has made an announcement that Filipinos are no longer required to wear face shields outdoors except for places under the 3C’s or the closed, crowded, and close-contact areas. Everyone has waited for this time to come as the Philippines is being left behind by the rest of the world.

Qatar has already an instruction to throw away face shields, Japan doesn’t require wearing face shields, and other countries do also share the same policy.

With this small step of the removal of the mandatory wearing of face shields, the Filipino people have been provided with a much-needed breather room. Even if the road to a safer and better Philippines is still long, the Filipinos now have the opportunity to see the entirety of the COVID situation and to reduce additional expenses for face shields. Now, the Filipinos have a better chance to shield themselves not just from the virus, but also from further deception and corruption. [R]

CARTOON JOHN CZAR SALAGUINTO

EURUS

Lance Crisostomo Recently, the Department of Education (DepEd) has been surprised and alarmed as they have discovered the existence of a Facebook page named “Online Kopyahan” with almost 600,000 to 700,000 followers sharing answers to tests, assessments, and modules. Students belonging to different levels will post their answers for a specific module so that the other members could have the same answer. Answers for Math, Science, English, and other subject areas are found in the page. With this, DepEd took measures immediately and pulled all the resources that they could pull to put a stop to this. The Philippine National Police (PNP) was even tapped to help the department resolve this academic dishonesty. Several measures are also suggested to put a stop to this act. However, the understanding of the situation and the formulation of a solution would require everyone to take a moment to look back in time and see the whole picture.

It is not just now that academic dishonesty ever existed. Even in the face-to-face setup, this act has been already a problem for academic institutions. Students tend to copy from each other for homework, quizzes, and quarterly examinations. There were also instances wherein students would submit the same exact outputs to their teachers. In order to discourage students from engaging into academic dishonesty, teachers have devised several methods such as having different set of examinations, activities which are more of output based, and the inculcation of more group activities. These changes proved to be quite effec-

Online Cope-yahan: Students’ coping act to a flawed educational system tive as students were given more opportunities to showcase their talents and creativity. Student engagement and participation were also encouraged by these new methods.

As the pandemic struck, the learning system became different. Modules became the main learning materials for most students in the Philippines. As the first and second online school year started, major problems started to pop out. The amount of modules given to the students exceeded their peek performance capacity to the point that their health is compromised. Several stories from students learning through modules revealed that they had to stay up late everyday just to finish the requirements. It isn’t just about answering the assessments but students need to read and study the lessons in the module prior to answering the assessments portion. However, with the amount of modules plus the time pressure resting on the students’ backs, everything can and will surely go downhill.

Additionally, not all students receive much support and possess the necessary gadgets for schooling. Some of these students are lying in the lower strata of society.

Only some of them have mobile phones, laptops, PCs, and even decent Wi-Fi connections to consult the internet. Just mentioning these things will give the people a picture of what is really happening right now. Given these struggles and the daily hardships that students do experience, the caption of the “Online Kopyahan” group which is “nakakaumay nang magaral” is really understandable.

However, we need to ponder on a very serious question. Do all of these strug-

gles and hardships justify academic dishonesty? Clearly, the answer is no. There is no valid excuse for students to engage themselves to academic dishonesty. Learning is not achieved by committing such an act. This act just deceives not just the parents and teachers but the students themselves as well.

Tolerating such dishonesty will lead students to lose interest in learning and just rely on it.

The development of one’s overall being won’t be fully fulfilled due to this act.

On the other hand, we also need to look at its roots. To be honest, the learning/educational system itself is flawed. Basing it on the points mentioned a while back, there seem to be problems in the system that led students to commit this act. There is a need for a widespread change in the system to stop academic dishonesty. Using brute force and authorities in order to solve this problem won’t be sufficient.

Maybe, if the number of modules will be lessened, students will be supported more, and much assistance in terms of learning will be offered, then we could have a hope that these cases of academic dishonesty will gradually be eradicated. But the combat against academic dishonesty also needs participation from the parents and students. If parents would not tolerate such acts of dishonesty through proper guidance and support and the students themselves would realize the grave consequences of engaging in academic dishonesty, then the change that we are eying for may be possible one step at a time. In solving this problem, everyone must take part in this gradual change towards a healthy, effective, and conducive learning for all. [R]

10 OPINION // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

ML in the era of ML Mobile Legends: Bang-Bang or MLBB has been one of the fastest growing mobile game in the past few years. It has now become an embedded part of the Filipino psyche today especially during this pandemic. I, myself, have been engaged into playing the game during free time. However, there is another MLBB, far more gruesome than that of the game, that we Filipinos, especially the younger ones, must know of.

DOUBLE KILL. By declaring Martial Law, not only did Marcos had consolidated his power but he had also extended his term beyond the limits set at the time. This led to more than two decades of unchecked reign over the country.

KILLING SPREE. According to the report of Amnesty International, there were more than 3,000 cases of killings done by the State through the military and police during the entirety of the Marcos regime. These numbers could be more as there were unreported cases and those who disappeared whom until today are still missing.

TRIPLE KILL. Through the Letter of Instruction No. 1, Marcos ordered the closure of almost all media outlets. In the end of its implementation, only at least three national media outlets were left. All of which were under government control or influence. It would take years before media could recover from this curtailment of their rights. This was a blatant attack

by Marcos to the free press.

MEGA KILL. By the end of the Marcos regime, the economy of the

country has tanked. By 1984, the Gross Domestic Product, a key economic indicator of the country would have plunged into the negative. The disparity in wages especially in the agricultural sector has also widened by the end of Marcos’ term.

MANIAC. As Marcos consolidated his power, he ensured that anyone who would oppose was silenced.

Prominent opposition leaders such as Aquino, Diokno, and Rodrigo were arrested hours after the declaration. According to reports, there would be at least 70,000 arrested or abducted throughout the implementation of Martial Law.

MONSTER KILL. Though credited with the construction of several important public works, it would be a missed if it wouldn’t be pointed out that the majority of these projects were funded through foreign debt. By the end of his regime, the country plummeted to debt of at least $28B in 1986 from $360M at the beginning of his term.

SAVAGE. It was never just Marcos alone who have benefitted in his extended rule. His wife had much become the personification of lavishness that a new adjective to describe such ostentatious, extravagant lifestyle was derived from her name: imeldific. His children were also placed in important government positions though without proper qualifications.

Cronies or friends of the regime had amassed a lot wealth such as Danding Conjuangco, Lucio Tan, Rodolfo Cuenca, and more. Their control was derived from

LEX TALK

Mr. Lawrence Fernando

their force takeover of key industries at the time. Some of them still has control or stake on these businesses until today.

GODLIKE. Marcos and his regime were projected as a needed remedy to the problems which society was facing.

Even before the implementation of ML, Marcos had acquired an occult-like following given his mystified and eventually proven falsified beginnings. Much of the stories that built up his name were now proven to be false such as his “heroism” during the Second World War and his “near-perfect” Bar exam result.

LEGENDARY. However, though much has been settled that the man was not who he was portrayed to be and that his regime was never that of what some would describe as “golden” or “prosperous,” the orchestrated effort to revise and distort these facts has significantly meddled our national consciousness. Social media had played an important role in this battle of the blurring lines between fact and opinion. And standing on this effort is the movement that would result to the rise of the son, man’s namesake, to clinch the highest office in the land. This would surely lead into a WIPED OUT of our history as a nation whom has suffered in the hands of their fellow Filipino just for the cause of power.

DEFEAT must be dealt to those would like to once more take away our basic democratic rights.

VICTORY is only ours if we ought to never forget and to never again. [R] PHOTO SOURCE COMELEC

SEPTEMBER 2021 //

FEATURES

11

Don't Postpone It. Do It Now. Trisha Ilar

Stressed and tired, I went to bed. "Ring ring," the sound of the alarm clock wakes me up for a new day. Half-awake, I tried to check the time and say, "Maaga pa." I would get back to sleep and ends up waking at 7:10 am! As class ends and school works pile up, I would take a rest and play some games. After a while, I checked the clock and it read 6:00 p.m. “It’s early. I’ll do my school works later.” More hours later, I found myself sleeping while holding my phone which is still flashing Mobile Legends. I checked the clock and realized that it’s already the next day. “Darn, I need to rush my work to comply with the deadline."

Piers Steel argues that motivation equals expectancy times value divided by impulsiveness times delay. Steel’s equation may sound complicated but dissecting the elements in the equation and analyzing each one will help us understand procrastination. In his equation, motivation is the willingness to do work. Expectancy refers to how much you expect to succeed at doing something so you'll get the anticipated reward. Therefore, if you expect more to be successful then, you will not opt to procrastinate. Value refers to how much you're going to enjoy doing the job and receiving a reward from it. On the other side, impulsiveness refers to the tendency to get distracted. If you are highly impulsive, you might get lured to games or social media platforms. Delay refers to postponing it for some time. Since expectancy and value increase motivation, we focus on it more and reduce impulsiveness and delay.

Let us try using this equation to our advantage and overcome procrastination. Here are some ways to start. First, we can set small goals and celebrate them. For example, it is better to focus on the quizzes than the final grade. The second tip is to have artificial deadlines. This tip is for people who do their best when there is time pressure. The third is to set the bar low. For example, you can study for 30 minutes rather than 3 hours. It will help you achieve it since taking 30 minutes is better than taking 3 hours of your time daily. The fourth tip is to organize the tasks to do. You can make use of an app or write on a piece of paper. It helps you to have a smooth flow of doing it. The fifth tip is to reward yourself only after finishing it. Since you finished it early then, you have time to rest or do something you like.

However, we still have our own ways to cope up and fight procrastination. Let us feel fulfilled. Do not miss out! Together, let us make a move towards a productive and efficient society. Starting with ourselves could impact the bigger things stored for us in the future. Our progress may vary but reaching the goal is the one that counts. Now, what are we waiting for?

Let us mark the start of it! [R]

GRAPHICS CASEY QUIMORA

14 features // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

One for All, All for One Marielle Navarro

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

- Mother Teresa Over a year ago, the news about the COVID-19 pandemic spread almost as fast as the virus did to feed our society with much panic and suffering. During that time, the world was ridden with much negativity. Fear was instilled in many people and there were incidents of hoarding, looting, and even hate crimes to our fellow Asians who were and still are facing prejudices everywhere in the world.

Often times, some of us may wonder if there is still good in humanity; if there is hope that we could be at peace once again.

There are many people in the world who are taking the initiative and are working progressively to bring back what we have lost.

An example of that can be the community pantries that were popularized this year in April. This is the case in our present, but this is not the only time when others have shown their interest to create awareness about upholding peace and a sense of community.

On the year 2004, the month of September was declared to be the National Peace Consciousness Month where we are called on to recognize

the need for peace in our country. For almost two decades, at 17 years, the Philippines has deemed this month to be a time where we are reminded to be aware of how we are stronger in tranquility. This year’s theme, however, is a bit different than the rest.

The theme, “Healing as One Nation, Recovering as a Better Generation”, is the one that we are deemed to focus on this year. There has been so much that has been thrown in our country’s direction for the time that has passed since we were hit by the pandemic, but we are reminded that we have always been stronger together. In working together as one country with a common goal, we are encouraged to have faith in each other as we rebuild what has crumbled.

In togetherness, we might be able to pull ourselves out of this hole of misery and recover from the fights we will have to endure for a lot longer. We should work together, not to spread hatred and judgement but also to educate one another on how to not be ignorant towards contemporary events. We can be each other’s shields when the light is too bright and enticing. We can also be each other’s lamp when the darkness is too wide to feel alone in.

It is safe to say that this virus, this world-wide calamity, has cost many lives from different people. However, in the midst of all this chaos, there is always a seed of hope buried deep within humanity.

Although it is hard to see when moments of darkness fill our vision, with just a little turn of a head and a different perspective, there is a light that can show itself to those who believe. This month of September, we are not only called to be conscious and aware, but we are also called to reclaim the peace we have lost along the way. [R]

PHOTO SOURCE PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COM-

SEPTEMBER 2021 //

FEATURES

15

MOVIE REVIEW:

CINDERELLA Zoeline Honrado

PHOTO SOURCE DIGITAL SPY

[SPOILER TAG] It’s already been almost two years since this Coronavirus started a worldwide pandemic and in order to maintain safety, we remain at home and find different kinds of entertainment online, such as movies.

Last September 3, 2021, a new Cinderella movie was released. This Cinderella movie is a musical style film which was written and directed by Kay Cannon, and produced

by Sony Pictures, staring Camila Cabello, Idina Menzel, Minnie Driver, Nicholas Galitzine, Billy Potter, and Pierce Brosnan. This Cinderella movie, like all the other Cinderella movies, talks about a girl named Ella, who was called Cinderella, by her step sisters andstep mother. Ella is a girl who is very talented in dressmaking and she also has a dream of being a dressmaker and to make and run her own shop. For me, I think this part was really inspirational. Like most of us, we have dreams, dreams that we work hard for to make it come true. Ella lives in a kingdom who is ruled by a king, who has a son named Robert. At this point, the second character of the couple was introduced. Robert is actually having a hard time finding a wife that will help her get more power and at the same time, fall in love with her. His father thought of a way to solve the problem. He made Robert attend a ball in which he would find a girl to be his wife. Even

though I’ve already watched a lot of Cinderella movies, this one, really surprised me.

There were a few aspects that were changed in the movie. Like from every other Cinderella movie, Ella of course met her fairy godmother, but there’s a twist. The fairy godmother was a boy instead of a girl. I was really shocked by the time I reached this scene; I didn’t expect that to happen. And at some point, I was really happy by the way the director changed the part of the fairy godmother. The godmother transformed Ella into a fabulous woman, she had a new dress, that the godmother made from Ella’s design, and she had beautiful glass shoes. The mice friends of Ella are also transformed into humans, who will accompany Ella to the ball. And for the transportation, instead of using a pumpkin, the fairy godmother used a box and turned it into a royal chariot.

For me, the movie is absolutely beautiful, and the way they made it as a musical made such improvement compared to the other Cinderella movies. I really love the movie because I myself love music and it made me happy that the movie was a musical. The actors really made a good job doing their part. The directing, the lightings, the editing, and the quality of the movie was really great. The movie inspired me not to give up on my dreams, and to always follow my heart. I really enjoyed it, and I hope others would too, knowing they made a better version of Cinderella. [R]

16 FEATURES // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

in dire need of much care Ben Nivera PHOTO SOURCE MAHARLIKA TV

For years, our environment has been suffering from many different issues, issues that have ruined earth and the ecosystems living in it. Pollution, global warming, ozone layer depletion and deforestation are some of the most prominent issues that are currently causing problems in the environment. These issues have destroyed many lives and if not stopped, will continue to torment millions of creatures living on our planet in the long run.

Pollution, as mentioned above, is a big factor in the destruction of the environment, not only does it meddle with our nature, it also ruins our health. According to the World Health Organization, 9 out of 10 people inhale air that contains high levels of pollutants and that 9% or deaths globally are caused by air pollution. Inhaling harmful air can contribute to major diseases including lung cancer, heart problems and many more. It is estimated that 8.3 million tons of plastic are thrown into the sea yearly, killing millions of marine life in different parts of the ocean. Other than the said statistics, there are still many problems that pollution causes every year.

If we take a deeper look into the problem, we would notice that most of these factors are man-made. Take pollution for example, humans are the ones who litter everywhere, humans are the ones who release harmful gas into the air and who release harmful chemicals into the sea. Millenniums ago, when humans didn’t exist, the environment was said to be “untouched”, its resources abundant and there were no

harmful chemicals to plague the ecosystems, but when humans started to mess around non-stop with the environment, taking resources for commercial use, everything changed. Now, the world is warmer and many animals are losing their habitats because of humans. The late Gina Lopez once stated, “It’s the people who kill the environment, it’s also the people who should save the environment.” It is us, humans, who have ruined the environment, and that’s a fact that we cannot deny and a thing that cannot be undone, the best thing to do now is to save it.

In order to stop or lessen the issues that our environment has been facing, people need to be educated on environmental care. We need to be aware of the things happening around us and we need to find a solution to these problems. That is why the Academy of Saint John, through the aid of Ka-Li-Kasan (KAbataang LIngkod at KASANga), has launched a project called the “Environmental Care Week”. It is a week-long project dedicated to activities related to caring about the environment and raising awareness about the issues that our environment is currently facing. From September 27-30, 2021, different activities like contests and webinars would be conducted.

The first contest would be the Recycling Contest. In this contest, contestants, along with their family members, are tasked to create a product with the use of recycled materials. Contestants should explore and find out recycling methods in order to create a beautiful and useful product.

The second contest would be the Garden Corner Contest, where contestants would make a mini garden, inside of their home.

The third contest would be the on-the-spot painting contest. In this contest, contestants would show their talent and express their creativity through on-the-spot painting. Lastly, the logo making contest would also be conducted. Hosted by the Ka-Li-Kasan club, contestants will make a new logo for the new club. During the week, the City Government of General Trias would also be conducting a webinar about Environmental Care and Protection, where they would discuss topics like methods to prevent pollution, waste segregation and many more.

As Greta Thunberg once said, “We showed that we are united and that we, young people, are unstoppable”, if we cooperate with each other in saving the environment, impossible things could be made possible. The environment is in a bad state, and it keeps getting worse every single day, and if no one makes a move, then the issues will continue to worsen. Studies show that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans.

We, as the ones living here on earth, ought to save the environment and try to bring it back to its state in the past. The best thing to do now is to raise awareness and participate in activities that advocate environmental care which is why the Environmental Care Week is a good move done by ASJ. Let us prove that if we work together, everything is possible, even saving the environment. [R]

GRAPHICS NINA DULCE

18 features // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

GAME REVIEW (SPOILER FREE):

GENSHIN IMPACT Renz Bautista Mihoyo’s Genshin Impact has come a long way since its inception. With its first anniversary just around the corner, it has offered players a lot of experience and fun along the way.

As a player with almost a year of playing (Yes, I didn’t play since its official release – but still close), I have a hefty share of these things in this open-world game. Succeeding their previous games, this game is one of the major breakthroughs of the RPG genre, and I can say that it is exceptional.

The game is an open-world, RPG, PvE game with some exceptions. The game has a cross play ability, meaning that you can play the game in either mobile, PC, or in console while under one account. The open-world environment of the game offers a lot of possibilities where you can unleash your inner adventurer within. The game has a lot of puzzles, and a lot of mechanics such as elemental reactions, combat systems, and exploration mechanics. Therefore, much reading and understanding is needed in order to comprehend these mechanics. Genshin’s graphical style is similar to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as said by many. But it has a niche, and its mechanics are completely different from Zelda.

The game offers a lot of variety, from the characters’ combat and elemental kits, puzzles, map exploration, and events conducted in-game or in the community. The game also even has a story which is hard to comprehend at first, but as you progress and understand the game further, you have this feeling of excitement and anticipation of what events, and plot twists are going to happen. A lot of the items, such as the weapons, local delicacies, artifacts, and upgrade materials in-game have its lore and I find it very intriguing since some of the story plots are planned ahead of time without you knowing it.

One of the unique mechanics Genshin has which separates it from other games in the RPG and open-world genre is the inclusion of gacha mechanics in the form of wishes. Gacha can be equated into loot boxes in other games where you consume a currency in-game in exchange for either weapons, items, or characters with a factor of luck.

One of the highlights of Genshin is that its rotation of limited 5-star characters and weapons and its gacha. Each promotional 5-star character has its unique kit in which players find it enjoyable to play. I have a share of this hype in promotional characters, especially for the S tier supports and damage dealers, with characters such as Ganyu, Venti, and Hu Tao being examples. In game currency used for wishing in the hopes for acquiring such characters and weapons are very hard to obtain, so you need to plan ahead on what are you considering having in your party. In-game transactions are available, but such are available for a certain percentage of players who have the ability to spend real money. Sometimes, being a completely free-to-play player does the trick.

I find the math and the probability behind the wishing system and other computations such as damage, and resistance computation very in-

PHOTO SOURCE MIHOYO

teresting. There are certain players who rely on meta and there are also some who rely on characters’ personalities and aesthetics. Personally, I care more about the meta since the current endgame phase focuses on completion of all possible events and activities available, such as the grueling spiral abyss which I cannot still have a perfect 36 star run, even after playing for a year, due to the lack of characters capable of clearing it as fast as possible.

The game graphics and music bring what makes Genshin different from other gacha and RPGs. The game has an anime art style and uses cel-shaded modeling, which brings the colorful and vibrant aesthetics the game has. The map is very huge and is expected to grow bigger has only three nations have been only published after a year, Mondstadt which was inspired from Medieval Europe, specifically Germany, Liyue which was inspired from China, and Inazuma which was inspired from Japan. Each location has its unique landscapes and aesthetics. The music and voice acting also add to the already good graphics. I personally like the Japanese voice acting to give more of the anime vibe while I play. Yu-Peng Chen’s music composition still crosses exceptional standards as it brings the game more energy.

Another feature present in the game is ability of parties being made through coop, essentially multiplayer play. This presents the opportunity to have up to four players controlling one character each instead of you controlling all characters in your party. Through coop, you can help lower ranked players to progress the game. For endgame coop, some elements of the game are harder due to the coop mode such as increased HP and DEF scaling for enemies and bosses. I have made many new friends through cooping in Genshin, which feels unusual to many.

Overall, Genshin presents a lot of opportunities not just for the game developers and its fanbase. The community is growing, and the overall hype for the game is ever present as soon as it boomed in the global market. A lot could be expected more and there may be shortcomings which we hope they will resolve immediately. Honestly, I think that I could play this game for not just one to two years because I find it difficult to get tired playing this game, and I have my motivations for playing. If you have a lot of time and want to unwind, relax and unleash the inner adventurer within you, you should try to have a glimpse of the game and see it for yourself. [R]

HAEMON Benedict Yalung

A home was warm, filled with people loving. Harvests were bountiful, and a wonderful friend gave unto me an oath: to be together through the darkness, and into the white night up high.

A revenant, the returned - the condemned. Harnessing the essence of a father who cries in flame, he mystifies his foes. He serves last rites for the perished, without a plea for mercy. The ghastly garbles that rose from the depths every night. Night after night, he cut them down. Not allowing them to take form. Then one night, he disappeared, lost… forever.

Why then, had my home turned black? Ground to dust, a part of the earth, as my mother urged meyelled at me- to move. My head was dizzy, and I felt myself swaying. I felt the warmth of home blaze, and in my heart, I knew my family were resting at this pyre. My shadow, fat and little, had cast on my face. My mother cries to me, and in her hands, she clutches a dark orb.

Lost in voyage adrift the Vast Untime, the dark helmsman harnesses inexorable mortality amidst the treacherous tempests. A dream to return eternally from beyond the grave, as his shadow eclipses the light, while harvesting the wicked to sate his esurient darkness.

My mother stutters, choking on tears that mix to ash. Her fingers, digits lithe and taut, caress my chest. She drops the orb at my feet, and peering into its darkness I see forces that I do not understand. In a concert of mayhem, I see a law unto itself. It smiles at me sweetly, and I am aware that that my heart has stopped beating. The orb does not heed the fire. It does not reflect the fire.

Ravaged by eldritch essence, the blighted sovereign subjugates foes through his affliction. Bestowing his sacrificial legion haunted dreams, reaping unseen, and spilling their lifeblood upon the desolate scorched earth. He is the reason to fear the darkness, where his ethereal presence shakes loose the mortal coil.

I feel a chill tickle my skin, then I let out a breath- a visible mist that whistles through my teeth- as cold pricks at the ash on me. I look to my mother, whose hands are still on my chest, unmoving and tenderly above my heart. Her tears, ashen embers, form beads on her cheeks. Pale and white, I can understand that her heart, too, has stopped beating. The frost chills her blood and rides her core into her eyes. They are closed, and I cannot remember what colour her eyes were.

Of the Void ethereal, yet coalesced into corporeal shape, the fractured anomaly Haemon exists as an entity thrice entwined. Fused from the shattered remnants of three warriors, they bridge reality to the horrors from beyond the fold.

Dauntless and devout, the dark priest Haemon bestows upon their coven three virtues: salvation through sacrifice, redemption through vengeance, and ascension through defiance.

I stand up, and the orb is cold to the touch. Three shadows join mine, and in an unyielding bellow, the dark eclipses the light. I put my tormented souls to rest, and the flame wilts as ash meets ember. My home is no more.

Silence Slowly the tears fall Her mind goes blank Yet still finding answers to all It feels like she had sunk Silence comforts a lot But thoughts get louder Small faint voices shout However, only one voice caught her "Shhh..." it simply says The voice wrapped her with warmth No further words spoken Its silent presence made her go forth - Trisha Ilar

“We Still Love You” Would there be a reason not to?

If I unzipped my skin for a mere second a fragment of an inch, would you still love me like you say you do?

If I wasn’t the person you thought you had known, that gift from the heavens; your pride, if I shatter to millions will you piece me together?

Broken, yet alive If I had spilled my contents and wounded your skin, would you love what I had offered, or hold on to my remains?

You still love me That is all that matters right now but when the time comes where you’ll love the husk of my self and I will reveal that I am anew, there is a speckle of a chance, no matter how foolish, I would still miss you - Marielle Navarro

Tubig gusto ko tubig punta ako kusina di pa malamig

- Kyzzia Paguirigan

Oil Material of life Innovation of mankind That has changed our life

- Kyzzia Paguirigan

A week. That’s how long it’s been, yet people already expect her to forget someone whose soul is engraved into hers.

It was a beautiful day. The breeze was colder than usual but the sky was clear; the view from her balcony allowing her to see a pine forest that led to a city far to the north. It was that clarity of sight that brought her to see the sky turn from a pale blue to a muted red, a flash of radiant light appearing from above.

She fell to her knees, instinctively shielding her eyes. When she opened them again, the wind was howling and inflicting pain on her skin. The furniture in her room was shaken from their positions and when she stood up to look out balcony once more, the city was gone. The mountains seemed higher and all that could be seen at the top was white snow.

Panic grew in her chest as her heart quickened and her mind raced with one word, a name, repeating itself over and over.

Malia, Malia, Malia. Oh, gods, Malia.

She ran out the door of her room to be met by the others, looking at each other before they all looked at her. They seemed to have a mutual understanding as they started walking slowly towards her with arms outstretched and words of reassurance.

“Stay calm, Viridian,” One of them said. “It is their will; we have no other choice but to abide.”

And so, she did. She stood still, she let them usher her back to her room as tears streamed down her face. She let them huddle with her as she watched the mountain range shift and with every movement, a tremor reaching the very building where they are, her heart broke even more.

As the days passed and countless scouts and adventurers were paid off to investigate what had happened, she remained in her room with the balcony shut close.

A year is long for a lot of people, but she still can’t seem to forget all the things she’d prayed to the gods to remove from her memory.

One of the nation’s cities had fallen after one of the gods struck down the land hidden in the north.

She heard from the others that would visit her that the gods had fought and a war between those in the pantheon brought countless lives to rest. Any memory of the grand city that once stood in the north had already been burned by the reckless god’s followers, and convents made sure that those who speak of it will be burned along.

Every memory, except for hers and the other devotees. Because she swore an oath. The oath she had recited proudly in front of the head of the convent when she was given her title. The oath that she whispered softly as the one who had watched her practice it for months cried in her arms that night for not being able to come for the ceremony. The oath she now had to say every day to prove her worth, even if it leaves a terrible aftertaste in her mouth.

She spent days walking past that same room where she watched the sky change and all that she had loved was taken far from her grasp. They had moved her out shortly after what happened, but all of them knew that grief does not choose when to go.

Time makes the heart grow fonder, even if it no longer beats.

"PERPETUAL"

When she awoke for the first time, she felt it within her. Gods don’t need hearts to live, and yet there is a rhythm in her chest that feels reminiscent to the beating of a drum. She looked around to see a number of entities staring at her, each radiating a different aura than the rest. One reached out a hand towards her as she stood up, and it spoke in a language that’s unfamiliar but she understood every word.

“Who are you?”

For a brief second, she remembered a name. One that she has not said in a very long time. A name that is not hers, but a name that held weight to someone long ago.

Malia…

“You took away my friend.”

“But she was not yours to begin with.”

“If she was not mine, then why did I grieve?”

“That wasn’t you, dear. That was someone else.”

“Then who am I?” “Allow us to remind you,” The entity stepped forward and caressed her cheek. “Dearest, Nahkriin.”

And so, she did. She listened to their words and their explanations, how she holds the Sphere of Mortal Ambition in her very hands. She watched as life went on for the land she and the others rule over, and the memories of what once was a devoted servant who turned bitter by the gods’ graces became no more than just what they are meant to be: forgotten.

Time. It does not hold any weight for entities like her who are revered by everyone who dare set foot in their domain. There is kindness for those who bring gifts, and punishment to those who speak of blasphemy; some gods with heavier hands than the others. There is a tranquility in this system, a cycle of never-ending grace ready to break at the tips of her hands, and she holds this peace close like all of them do.

Yet, sometimes at night, when the snow falls in the north and the wind whips through the infinite blizzard, she hums a tune that only the most attuned of prophets can hear. They are left to wonder what the great goddess of life is trying to convey, but she knows that there is no true sense in the tune. It’s just something, a memoir of some sort, that reminds her of a melody of an origin she no longer recalls.

And as the rhythm in her chest subsides when the dawn comes around to bring another day, there is a small smile that plays on her lips.

Time makes the heart grow fonder, even if it no longer exists.

-Marielle Navarro

Cantabile Under the moon, There he lays With his instrument A song, he plays Speaking his heart outTurning it into a song Singing with his wonderful voice, As the birds sing along With the prettiest expression He reaches out to you The melody of his voiceMakes the experience seem new Follow the sound of his voice, With your wings, fly and hover Listen to his wonderful voiceSing a song that's still not over With all his heart he hums As a cold mist billowed around him His voice slowly fades As he closes his eyes, ending his hymn

- Ben Nivera

SPRING

PHOTO LORENZO FIGUEROA © GAWAD ALAB 2021

ART MARCUS BUHAIN