Rheims | October 2021

2 NEWS // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

Majority of the ASJ community says NO to face-to-face classes resumption Lance Crisostomo

As the pilot face-to-face classes for selected schools in selected regions commencing on November 15, the Lasallian Rheims conducted a survey to look into the stand of the ASJ community.

A total of 615 respondents was tallied, consisting of 27 faculty, staff, and administrators, 444 parents, and 144 students regarding the return of face-to-face classes.

When asked if they are in favor of conducting face-to-face classes now, 153 or 24.88% of the respondents said that they are in favor while the remaining 462 or 75.12% said no to the conduct of

face-to-face classes now.

With the question shifting to whether or not only those who are fully vaccinated shall be allowed to go to school once faceto-face classes resume, 408 or 66.34% approved the proposition while 207 or 33.66% disapproved the notion.

In addition, 493 or 80.16% declined the idea that online distance

learning should be removed once face-to-face classes return while 122 or 19.84% agreed that online distance learning shall be ended once faceto-face classes return.

As the COVID pandemic situation in the Philippines continues to change, a follow-up survey is eyed to be conducted sometime next year. [R]

Q1. Are you in favor for schools to conduct face-to-face classes now?

YES NO TOTAL

ASJ conducts Faith Formation webinar Kyzzia Paguirigan

The Academy of Saint John hosted a webinar for Grades 4 to 12 regarding faith formation via Zoom Meetings Saturday, October 9.

More than 300 participants including the faculty and staff joined the 2-hour long webinar with Mr. Noel Banawe and Mr. Alvin Castro as speakers.

In the discussion, Banawe and Castro highlighted the stories of prominent religious figures who exemplified their faith such as Abraham, St. John Baptist de La Salle, and St. Peter.

Banawe emphasized that this pandemic has taught the Filipinos, especially the Lasallians, to be resilient and patient with the guidance of their spirit of faith.

With the webinar on faith formation, it is expected that more webinars will be conducted as a part of the holistic development of the ASJ students. [R]

FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS

PARENTS

STUDENT

TOTAL

1 26 27

86 358 444

66 78 144

153 462 615

Religion Club launches Piso para kay Maria Lance Crisostomo

The Religion Club, headed by club president Jose Luis Mari Yapjoco, launched the club’s first project, Piso para kay Maria, October 29.

According to the video presentation for the project, the students will need to fill a one liter bottle with coins which will be donated on or before December 8.

The students may either donate the bottle itself or count the amount that they have collected and donate the equivalent amount through G-Cash which will be provided soon.

The recipients of the donations will be the ASJ canteeners, utility personnel, and community helpers who were gravely affected by the pandemic. [R]

OCTOBER 2021 //

NEWS

3

Breaking Records, Making History

Carlos Yulo clinches vault world title Lance Crisostomo

Filipino Gymnast Carlos Yulo successfully aced two events in the 2021 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Sunday, at the Kitakyushu City Gymnasium, Japan.

Yulo bagged the gold medal in the vault event after tallying a score of 14.800 and 15.033 for his first and second attempt respectively giving him a final average score of 14.916.

Following Yulo in the standings is Japan’s Yonekura Hidenobu, who tallied a final average score of 14.866 and Israel’s Andrey Medvedev who had a final score of 14.649.

On the same day, the Filipino Gymnast secured another podium finish in the parallel bars event which made him the first Filipino to ever win multiple awards in the World Championship.

Carlos Yulo scored a final average 15.300 bringing himself to the second place behind China’s Hu Xuwei who scored 15.466 and above China’s Shi Cong who scored a final average of 15.066.

Even if Yulo conceded his title in the floor exercise event, Yulo’s run in the 2021 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships still proves

to be the redemption time for him following the Tokyo Olympics.

In an interview, Yulo said that he cannot forget about his performance in the Tokyo Olympics but he kept in mind that he should keep moving forward and prepare for this World Championships.

"Hindi siya maalis sa isip ko eh 'yung...grabe, natalo ako sa sarili ko doon. Pero siyempre di ako puwede magpabaya rin. Ayokong hindi ibigay lahat tapos pupunta ako sa world championships kaya minake sure ko na preparado ako,” Carlos Yulo shared. [R]

ASJ celebrates the Living Rosary Lance Crisostomo

With the month of October ending, the Academy of Saint John (ASJ) had its culmination of the month of the holy rosary or the Living Rosary celebration via Zoom Meetings, October 29.

The advisers and their respective advisory classes started to gather at around 8:00 a.m. in preparation for the Living Rosary which was pre-recorded and was viewed at around 8:20 a.m.

Ms. Zeny Timajo and Ms. Victoria Cervantes led the recitation of the Holy Rosary together with Rev. Fr. Julius R. De Sagun, selected

ASJ students and families who became the readers and representatives for the six mysteries.

In addition, ASJ talents such as Mr. JM Malangis, Ms. Jessica Tibayan, Ms. Charlene Calubag, Jewel Magat, Sophia Guinto, Karmin Claire, and Mari Yapjoco sang the different songs and hymns that accompanied the recitation of the rosary.

The whole culmination lasted for about one hour and thirteen minutes which was followed by a 20-minute break in preparation for the last day of quarter exams. [R]

ASJ culminates its month of the Holy Rosary, October 29. Miss Zeny Timajo (left) and Miss Victoria Cervantes (right) led the ASJ community in the recitation of the rosary. The culmination was held via Zoom Meetings.

4

NEWS

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

IATF releases new quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated individuals Lance Crisostomo

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the new quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated individuals who had exposure to COVID but did not show symptoms and arriving passengers from green and yellow countries.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual press briefing that IATF released the new and improved protocols last Friday, October 8, and shall be enforced at the soonest possible time.

For fully vaccinated individuals who had direct exposure to the virus but showed no symptoms, the required quarantine period was cut to seven days from the previous 10-14 days.

“Fully vaccinated individuals who are close contacts of probable and confirmed Covid-19 cases may undergo a seven-day quarantine period provided the in-

dividual remains asymptomatic for the duration of the seven-day period, with the first day being the date immediately after the last exposure,” Roque explained.

Roque further added that should there be a need for a RT-PCR test, the conduct of the test should be conducted at least five days after the date of exposure to the virus.

Moreover, fully vaccinated individuals who have been directly exposed, traced, and remained asymptomatic after seven days from exposure are no longer required to undergo quarantine and testing.

On the other hand, fully vaccinated individuals coming from green and yellow countries who arrived in the Philippines will need to go through facility-based quarantine up until the release of their negative RT-PCR test result. [R]

Specific priority groups to get COVID-19 booster shots in November Andrew Dela Plana Healthcare workers, persons with comorbidities, senior citizens, and those who were vaccinated anytime from March to May are the groups prioritized to get COVID-19 Booster shots this November, said Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., vaccine czar and chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, on Monday night, October 26.

This announcement came after Health Secretary Francisco Duque III approved the recommen-

dation given by the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) to begin administering the booster shots to the priority groups.

“We have enough doses for them, regardless of brand, meron po tayo, nakatabi,” Galvez said in a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Nakikita po namin na most likely we will start by November and also we will consider those vaccinated during the month of March (to May),” he added.

He showed that a total of 5,248,358 were administered in those three months, but the data included the first and second doses, making the estimated target to be vaccinated to be almost 3 million, including the healthcare workers.

The Department of Health are now processing the amendments of the emergency use authorization on different vaccine brands that will be used in the booster shots. [R]

Nationwide vaccinations of minors to start on Nov. 3 Renz Bautista

The Philippines will begin COVID-19 vaccinations of minors aged 1217 as early as November 3, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed last October 27, Wednesday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergiere mentioned that the guidelines for the nationwide rollout is being drafted and Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be used.

“Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will still be used among children

during the nationwide rollout. Further details and the guidelines with regard to the nationwide expansion of pediatric vaccination will be released once finalized,” Vergiere stated.

The expansion of the pediatric vaccination rollout was initially announced to start on November 5.

DOH cited the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as there are around 12.7 million children aged 12 to 17 in 2021.

Meanwhile, DOH added that as of October 28, 18,666 minors with comorbidities received their first dose of vaccines during the first phase of the pediatric vaccination which started last October 15.

Beforehand, Pfizer and Moderna was granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for minors as young as 12 last June and September, respectively. [R]

OCTOBER 2021 //

NEWS

“Lalaban ako, lalaban tayo": Leni announces her run for presidency

5

Andrew Dela Plana

Vice President Leonor “Leni” Gerona Robredo announced her candidacy for the 2022’s presidential election on Thursday, October 7.

”Inihahain ko ang aking sarili bilang kandidato sa pagkapangulo sa halalan ng 2022,” Robredo said in a speech announcing her presidential bid.

Robredo, the political opponent of President Rodrigo Duterte, emphasized that the lives and the future of the Filipinos are what is at stake in the elections.

“Nilinaw ko rin: Buhay at kinabukasan ng Pilipino ang pinag-uusapan natin ngayon. Pinipilahan ang mga ospital, dumadaing ang mga health workers, at nagugutom ang mga nawalan ng trabaho. Samantala, bilyon-bilyong piso ang inilagay sa mga kuwestiyonableng kontrata habang milyon-milyong Pilipino ang naghihikahos,” she said.

This announcement was made a day after the announcement of the son of late president Ferdinand Marcos, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., of his

own run for president.

As a former social rights activist and a liberal human rights lawyer, the vice president previously said that she would be compelled to run for president if Bongbong Marcos, who refused to apologize for the victims of his father’s deadly martial law, also ran for the position.

Hours after her announcement, Robredo filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) at Sofitel Hotel. [R]

Over 300 Filipinos seek National Lance Crisostomo posts for 2022 elections With the 2022 national and local elections coming closer, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) closed the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy, October 8, and started to screen and finalize the official line-up of political aspirants for all national and local positions.

According to the list released

by CNN Philippines, there are 97 COC’s filed for the presidency, 29

COC’s filed for the vice presidency, and 176 COC’s for the senatorship.

Among the aspiring presidents, prominent names are present namely Vice President Leni Robredo, Eight-division Boxing Champion Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, Senator Bato Dela Rosa, and Senator Panfilo Lacson.

On the other hand, among the aspiring vice presidents are Senate President Tito Sotto, Dr. Willie Ong, Senator Bong Go, and Senator Kiko Pangilinan.

According to COMELEC’s poll body, the tentative list of candidates for the upcoming elections will be posted starting October 29 through the official website of COMELEC. [R]

EMERGENCY ALERT: SEVERE– Marcos ad stunt gone wrong Andrew Dela Plana

As journalists and media members were covering the filing of the certificates of candidacy at Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City, a certain severe emergency alert was sent out to their mobile phones on Wednesday, October 6.

The emergency? An advertisement showing full support for late dictator’s son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who was at that time filing his own certificate of candidacy for the presidential position.

“Buong Buo ang Malasakit sa Bansa, Buong Buhay ang Maialay sa taong bayan. Bagong bukas na masagana para sa masa. BaBangon Muli ang Pilipinas (V) BBM sa bansa, BBM sa taong bayan, BBM sa Masa… BBM Pilipinas!!!” the alert read.

Filipinos only receive these kinds of notification alerts during natural calamities, such as typhoons, earthquakes, and landslides, meaning that an emergency alert for the purpose of campaigning was very

out of place and unusual.

Marcos has then denied any involvement in the mobile emergency alerts that were sent out, on his interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source.

"Sabi ko, 'bakit ako?' I immediately asked, 'I hope we have nothing to do with this. Tanong mo nga sa mga kasamahan natin. Ginawa ba nila ito?

Dahil hindi tama ito,'" he said as he recounted his conversation with his team regarding the incident. [R]

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, John Czar Salaguinto, Sofia Malvar 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

6

OPINION

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

“Make or Break: We demand your platforms” EURUS

Lance Crisostomo “Inch by inch we’re moving closer” to the post-Duterte administration phase which makes the next national posts aspirants feel like “it’s the most wonderful time of the year”. As the filing of the certificate of candidacy is over, COMELEC is now doing the final touches to finalize the lineup for the upcoming 2022 elections. While COMELEC is doing this, several political aspirants such as Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Vice President Leni Robredo, and former Senator BongBong Marcos have started their move to take the physical and virtual world one step at a time. These aspirants are going to places to make their presence felt.

Their supporters are initiating motorcades, barrages, and online proliferation of their candidacy for other voters to be aware of their presence. More than these barrages, motorcades, and whatsoever premature campaigning methods that are on set, one nation-changing thing is asked for by the voters - the aspirants’ platforms.

Campaigning at its very core is about convincing the people about your capability and resilience as a leader. It is about presenting them with the light of hope that the problems of the nation will be handled through the plans in the aspirants’ arsenal. Its aim is to enlighten the people about the candidate’s stand on certain issues, their long term plans, and the changes that they are about to bring. With a lot of youth voters entering the scene, this election’s campaigning period will be about convincing these educated voters that aspirants are not just intelligent but also capable, direction-oriented, wise, and prepared for what’s to come.

The 2022 elections is a make-or-break election for the Philippines. As Atty. Chel Diokno said in the Voters’ Education Forum hosted by the LASSO Youth Federation last May 22, the leaders of this election will be the driving forces who will either lead the Philippines to total betterment or to the pit of doom. The next administration is so crucial that the next six years lie on their shoulders. As such, the next set of leaders should have a plan on how to handle the COVID pandemic situation. The next seven to eight months of the Philippines

under the onslaught of the virus is still in a blur as a new variant of COVID-19 (B.1.1318) is being monitored by the health sector. In line with this, the nation’s economy is still in the recovery phase as establishments, businesses, and other companies have just started to operate near to their normal capacities. This means that the next set of leaders would have to work on the continuous improvement of the overall health and economic state of the nation. In their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a balance on health and welfare is expected in their decisions to truly say that they are driving the nation to a better state.

Looking into it in a bigger context, the COVID-19 pandemic is just one of the issues that the next set of leaders should resolve.

Under this gigantic problem, several local and international issues and affairs must also be included in the aspirants platform. Local issues such as human rights violation, environmental care and protection, peace, corruption, and education deficiencies are the major problems that the Philippines has at the moment. Not to mention the international affairs that we have with the United Nations Human Rights council (on the war on drugs), dispute on the West Philippine Sea (to which the president conceded our rights to China), and OFWs welfare and protection are also issues that need clarity and answers at the soonest possible time.

The long list of problems just goes on and on.

An aspirants’ campaign materials and fluidity in answering interview questions won’t solve these problems. The people need a platform where they could clearly see the answers and solutions that these aspirants’ have that could drive the nation towards a better future.

It may seem early to ask for it since the election day is still next year, but as early as now, the Filipino people should see the aspirants’ platforms. These platforms will clearly educate the voters of the aspirants’ vision, direction, and goals. As early as now, the knowledge and understanding of the candidates’ platform will help the voters choose their leaders wisely. Their campaign materials, diction on interview answers, and jingles would not matter months from now but their platforms will matter for the next six months. Now is the time to prove themselves to the millions of voters that they are the hope that the nation is waiting for. With the future of the country hanging in the balance, the Filipino people shall make their presence known and their voices heard - one wise vote at a time. [R]

CARTOON JOHN CZAR SALAGUINTO

RPTD

Renz Bautista

We are frequently greeted with posts and videos on social media showing information about various topics: COVID-19, elections, news, our interests, etc. There are instances of posts by the Department of Health (DOH) warning the community of social media influencers who spread fake information about the pandemic. Some vloggers and self-proclaimed doctors assert their “facts” about the virus, with some saying that the virus is not real and vaccines are just made for companies to make money. It is very saddening that there are such people who believe in said claims and even seeing such information on the internet. The worse is, they have no supporting evidence for their absurd claims – it is not even answerable by logic. We then realize the importance of our research and language subjects and the application of fact-checking.

The problem with having these social media sites is that people are free to share as much as they can possibly share.

Social media sites such as YouTube and TikTok are freely accessible by everyone.

Research firms Hootsuite and We Are Social report that Filipinos spends an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes browsing on social media daily, almost doubling the world average of 2 hours and 25 minutes. Anyone can create their own channels, talk about something, and post it on the internet. It is an obvious example of the practice of freedom of speech, but we need to consider the words coming

Say NO to Health Disinformation out of our mouths or the words we post on our social media accounts. There is still automation and algorithms which fact-checks medical information, but it is not enough. The best way to combat fake information is the use of brute force – reporting the video as misleading and false information, every single one.

Claims and opinions are not yet absolutely true; but they are convincing if they are supported with factual evidences.

The fact that even people believe in such information is worrisome. The health of people is at stake here. Moreover, some of these posts and comments are just copypastas (blocks of text which are copy-pasted all over the internet, about a certain topic) with the letters “CTTO” or “credits to the owner” or have unreliable or no source. Students are being questioned with the information presented in their researches which lacks evidence, how much more if credit is just four letters?

Many things could be implied from the usage of CTTO: 1) laziness of the person to provide just even a link to an original post, 2) laziness of the person to fact-check, and 3) the deliberate spread of wrong information. However, there is an even bigger problem, when commented with accurate, expert-verified, and true information, some of these people resort to fallacies in countering claims, ad hominem being the most frequent. As one quotation in Filipino states, “bato bato sa langit, ang matamaan ay huwag magalit.”

Fact-checking health information is a very easy thing to do, reading expert-re-

viewed journals, researches, or advisories from the Department of Health (DOH) or other health websites in the globe such as the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) which is based in the United States may do.

Sometimes for products, reading the words “no approved therapeutic claims” in advertisements can solve this problem. For example, brain supplements that you drink daily or every other day produces no results, despite the claims it made. Brain performance varies from person to person and there is no solid evidence that proves that brain supplements produces a significant impact on improving your “cognitive performance” (Source: Harvard Medical School). We should not be easily persuaded by the sweet words coming out from TV commercials.

Let us exercise our literacy and spend a fraction of our time getting and verifying information from legitimate sources. This does not only apply to health information, but to all information we read on the internet. Our battle with disinformation may be endless, but we can have our measures to prevent disinformation from spreading – such as the basic fact-check, and if proven false, reporting to appropriate entities. If still in doubt, asking the right professionals about health information can do. Together, we must battle disinformation one step at a time – one disinformation at a time. Through this, we make everyone’s lives easier and promote change and be something of value in the society even in the comforts of our own homes. [R]

8

OPINION

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

PAUSE Time Check. 3:03 a.m. It has been 592 days since the Philippines began its “quarantine” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the more than 18 months that has passed, a lot had happened as we face this crisis.

For all the articles I have written and planned to write for this academic year, it was only for this month that I have no actual plan on what to write about. It maybe because of the lack of things to write about extensively. Or even maybe there were just too many things that had happened that to focus on one would be such a difficult task.

As that one famous band had said,” Pwede bang itigil muna ang pagikot ng mundo?”

Time check. 3:14 a.m. A year

LEX TALK

Mr. Lawrence Fernando

and a half into this pandemic, most of us are still stuck in the comforts of our home. Sounds ironic, right? It is indeed as though we are at home, we are stuck.

Stuck in repetitive but necessary routines and activities. The home is no longer just a home. It has now become an office, a school, or even a mall. This is where we at.

We adapt and adopt to this “new normal”, and we have yet to fully embrace the balancing act that we must do.

Time check. 3:28 a.m. It was also during this crisis that we have seen the privileges of the some and the limitations of the rest. The disparities, maybe it be on economical, on intellectual, or even influential, all were undisputedly displayed. Some said that the pandemic may become an equalizer. Sadly, it begged to differ.

Time check. 3:43 a.m. The world continued to turn, and time continued to flow. Though exhausted, we must carry on and move forward. However, as one poem said, rest if we must but never quit.

As all of this would eventually end one day and we would have more opportunities to expand our horizons. Embrace the philosophy that the glass is half full and can replenish your thirst.

Time check. 3:59 a.m. To wit, in these times, it’s indeed okay not to be okay. It is fine to feel down and to feel the need to take a step back. It is just well to take a break and breathe. And if when you feel that all is now well, go and continue fighting the Good Fight. [R]

Filipinos’ Day of Judgment Renz Bautista

We are nearing that time again – the day that we are voting for the future leaders of the country. A day which Filipinos will decide for the future of our nation. As it nears, we are to be reminded the importance of elections and what we must do during the election date.

The Philippines is a democratic country. Leaders are elected by the citizens for executive and legislative branches in all levels of the government – national, provincial, and local. Barangay elections will be conducted on a later date. Government positions will be contested with each position discussed below one- by-one. The date of elections according to the 1987 Constitution and RA 7166 (an act synchronizing local and national elections) is on the second Monday of May. For 2022, the elections will be held at May 9.

The following are the positions that are contested or elected for the 2022 presidential elections: a) president (6 year term), b) vice president (6 year term), c) 12 seats in the Senate of the Philippines (senator; 6 year term), d) all seats in the House of Representatives (congressmen; 3 year term), e) provincial positions – governors, vice governors, and provincial councilors (3 year

term), and f) local positions – mayors, vice mayors, and councilors (city or municipal; 3 year term).

Officials sitting on government posts will make crucial decisions and projects for the welfare of their constituency. They will tackle various problems our nation currently has such as the state of healthcare, education, economic stability, poverty, social welfare, peace and order, and security, and promulgate appropriate measures and policies to alleviate and solve these. Additionally, they have their own platforms to actualize and have their stands towards issues that can change the nation, examples being the legalization of divorce, capital punishment, and how to carry out their ideals.

During these times, it is very important to consider on whom to vote by dissecting one by one each candidate and performing intensive research to determine their stands on certain issues, accomplishments, platforms, and track record.

These factors matter on how they perform on public office. As citizens with the privilege to vote and choose our future leaders, let us vote for people who want real change, and has genuine concern for all people. Always remember to vote wisely! [R]

OCTOBER 2021 //

COVID-19 in the Philippines: Are we really moving forward?

When the pandemic started around January-March 2020, I was in shock.

Never in my life have I expected to experience something like this. The first few months were hard for me, and I’m sure it was for everyone else too since we were adjusting to this “new normal”. The government conducted a quarantine which prohibited us from going outside and travelling, which was hard for some since many loved travelling. The lockdown was supposed to lessen the problems that we would experience during the pandemic, but it opened up a lot of other problems which only slowed down the progress of our country and the whole world.

Education was affected by the pandemic. Since conducting face-to-face classes was risky, online and modular classes were conducted, but that wasn’t the end of the problem regarding education. Online classes (or modular) opened up a lot of other problems like poor internet connection, lack of educational materials, and lack of proper devices. Not to mention, the stress and pressure brought by online classes further affected the mental health of millions of young minds. There were also erroneous and faulty information written in modules given out by DepEd which sparked controversy between people. The Philippines is one of the five countries in the world that have not started face-to-face classes since the pandemic began, affecting the right to learn of more than 27 million Filipino students.

The pandemic had also affected the jobs of millions of Filipinos. As of February 2021, the labor force survey conducted by the government indicated that the unemployment rate is at 8.8%, which is equal to 2.4 million

workers. But during the start of the pandemic, April of 2020, the unemployment rate was as high as 17.6%, it was when the first ECQ was implemented. Since borders of most countries were closed and airports were very strict with the people entering and leaving their respective countries, OFWs weren’t allowed to go back home to their families.

Among all the jobs, being a health worker was the hardest one. Having to battle the virus face-to-face is a terrifying thing to do. There’s always the risk of getting infected if you’re a health worker, since you have to take care of hundreds of infected patients in one day. The pain and burden of not being able to see their loved ones also affected the mental health of these workers, not to mention, in a hospital, you see people suffering and dying everyday. These health workers, despite having to battle the virus face-toface, were very underpaid. Interviews with health workers mostly had the workers saying that their salary was never enough, one health worker even said that they weren’t paid for almost two months.

To battle the spread of the virus, vaccines were made. Naturally, vaccines take a lot of years to study and produce; but in 2020, scientists have produced a number of safe and effective COVID vaccines. According to Dr. Socorro Escalante, WHO Coordinator for Essential Medicines Health Technologies, among the vaccines, only 10 passed Phase 3 clinical trials and among the 10, only Pfizer and AstraZeneca have applied for EUA. This 2021, the government has already conducted several mass vaccinations and they are aiming to get 50-70 million Filipinos to be vaccinated in 2021. Currently, there aren’t any official vaccines for children, only for

OPINION

NBYRM Ben Nivera

adults, but some companies are already testing out vaccines for children.

Before the pandemic, the Philippine economy has been stable and has sustained annual economic growth for 21 years since 1998. But during the pandemic, our country’s economy drastically fell due to factors like debt and the closing of borders to regulate the number of cases. By 2020, the country’s GDP decreased by 9.5%, the Philippines’ worst drop since World War II. In 2020, the Philippines’ national debt also increased to 7.9 trillion. As of January 2021, because of the government’s decision to take out a new bridge loan from BSP for its financial obligations, our national debt increased to 10.3 trillion. Recently, as of the second quarter of 2021, our country’s GDP has grown by 11.8%, which is a good thing, but the Philippines' economy is still far from what we had before the pandemic.

It might be hard to accept, but this is the reality happening around us, the Philippines is lagging behind other countries. Other countries have already declared being COVID free and are already conducting face-to-face classes. It has almost been two years since the pandemic began, two years of pain, suffering and depression have passed by quickly. Vaccines are out and cases have been dropping from time to time, but it’s still far from zero.

The pandemic has greatly affected me and I’m sure it has affected everyone else as well.

I sure miss physically going to school and meeting up with friends anytime I want. Every time I see other countries being free from the virus and enjoying freedom, I ask myself, are we really moving forward? [R]

Q2. Are those who are vaccinated the only ones who must be allowed to have face-to-face classes?

YES NO TOTAL

FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS

18 9 27

PARENTS 284 160 444

STUDENT 106 38 144

TOTAL

408 207 615

Q3. Should there be vaccines already available for 12 to 17 years old, will you allow your child or yourself (if you are a student) to be vaccinated as preparation for the face-to-face classes?

YES NO TOTAL

FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS

23 4 27

PARENTS 336 108 444

9

STUDENT 108 36 144

TOTAL

467 148 615

10 features // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

“In Darkness, There is Light”

“I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

A statement that I’ve said in my head over and over again through the years. I say it when faced with a difficult math problem, when I cry over a test that I don’t know the answers to, when I hear news about more COVID-19 cases, and many other moments in my life that cause restlessness. It’s so easy to feel discouraged and in these moments where all I can see is negativity, it becomes even harder to pause and take a breath. By the time I come back to my senses and look at myself, all I see is a reflection of all the tiring emotions I feel plus the responsibilities that have piled on my schedule over time.

It’s a vicious cycle, and most of the time it leads to an overwhelming sense of stress. According to many articles on the internet about stress and its causes, it has many factors as to why it manifests and develops. Stress can be triggered by being under pressure, big and unprecedented changes in lifestyle, overthinking, and many others. Luckily, there are some ways for us to lessen the effects of stress. One of the many ways to do so is through one way of self-care; healthy coping.

Just this October 9th, the ASJ community was invited to attend a webinar about family values and building resilience. The speaker, Dr. Corazon Angela Cuadro, M.D., FPPA, who specializes in adult psychiatry, made many points about coping during these tough times. As I was listening to her lecture, I was expecting to learn more about the

Marielle Navarro

many ways that we can cope especially during the pandemic, but I was gladly surprised that she also used the time to warn the listeners about maladaptive coping mechanisms.

She mentioned that because of the sudden change of pace in each of our lifestyles, some of the activities that we do to cope are no longer applicable or as effective. This can result to us resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms, and despite the fact that they can give us temporary relief, they can result to more harm especially in the long run. It made me happy that she gave light to the topic because coping mechanisms can be good for us, but if it is something that is a result of impulsiveness and compulsions, it can even become a form of self-harm.

Although self-care and coping are about making ourselves feel better and making sure that we don’t fall down a spiral of stress, it is also important that we are aware of what we are doing to induce some relief. One of her many suggestions about coping is to develop self-awareness about our current statuses in life. Identifying the problem may make finding new ways to cope easier, and if we can’t figure it out on our own, reaching out to others is a great way to reconnect and find the optimal point to begin.

In coping, we may usually look for a sense of familiarity and security. If the ways that we used to find relief and leisure are no longer available to us, one way of finding a healthy and effective coping mechanism is by looking for alternatives that remind us of what used to make us happy. Exploring the world for

new ways to cope also doesn’t have to be the same as what we are used to. We can even use this time as an opportunity to evolve and find new things that will help us through the tough times.

It is also good to remember that coping mechanisms are different for everyone because they are as unique as our own personalities. What is helpful for one may not be helpful for others, and that’s a good way to promote individuality and self-reflection. The relief that we are looking for in these coping mechanisms can also be achieved by the smaller things in life, like a slice of cake, a piece of candy, a good stretch, indulging ourselves in a hobby, and many more intricate details that we sometimes miss out on in life because of the times that we are living in.

My experience with selfcare is a rough one, and I also find myself reflecting about how I turn to unhealthy ways of coping like spending my whole day staring at a screen. It can be hard to find time to just sit back and breathe, especially with exams and projects breathing down our necks, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible.

Getting caught up in stress can be unlearned, and even if it somehow always seems to crawl back to invade our perception of life, many methods of coping are here to help us get through. Something as grand as signing up for an online dance class or just talking to a friend, these are all forms of self-care.

And in the end, I promise you, it will all make sense again. [R]

PHOTO SOURCES IMDB, DISNEY WIKI

12 features // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

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ADDAMS FAMILY 2

Another amazing animated film has been released last October 1, 2021; introducing the extended story of the Addams Family. Addams Family 2, directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon; With a screen play by Dan Hernandez, Benji Sumit, Ben Queen, and Susanna Fogel.

The movie talks about the story of the Addams family as they go on a road trip.

The film was first released in United States by United Artists on October 1, 2021; and was released internationally by Universal Pictures on October 8, 2021. According to Wikipedia, it was said that the film has grossed 62 million dollars and received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized the humor and the story.

[START OF SPOILERS] The movie starts off at a science fair, Wednesday Addams is set to present her experiment, where she uses her pet squid’s DNA and transfers it to her uncle Fester, to see how humans can improve. Back at the Addams family’s house, Gomez was worried that the children would be drifting apart from him and Morticia, so he decided to take a family road trip. With this given in the story, I seem to relate with the kids. Parents these days are worrying about their children drifting away from them as their children

PHOTO SOURCE DIGITAL SPY

grow up, parents may be often worried that their children would part from them as time goes by. Before the Addams leave for the road trip, a lawyer named Mr. Mustela approached Gomez and Morticia, claiming that Wednesday was switched at birth and might not actually be an Addams, but they ignored him. The plot of the story gets better and better as Wednesday overhears about the conversation that Gomez and Morticia bring up to Fester, about the opinion that Wednesday might not be an Addams. During the trip, Wednesday seemed to notice that Mr. Mustela was keeping an eye on the family. Wednesday set up a trap for Mr. Mustela and Mr. Mustela suggested that Mr. Cyrus, a scientist at the science fair present at the start of the movie, was Wednesday’s true father. At this point, the story gets interesting and the question “Is Wednesday a real Addams?” grows. [END OF SPOILERS]

The movie was really great, for it gave me a hanging question. I was really impressed on how the movie turned out. For me, it was perfect, from the animations, the music, the lightings, and the story itself. With all the voice actors committing themselves to their character's identity, this movie will surely pull you to rewatch it over and over again [R]

OCTOBER 2021 //

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RON'S GONE WRONG

“Have you ever felt alone and felt like you were always at the edge of things? Have you ever wanted a perfect friend who could do amazing things, and help you get more friends?” That is the first sentence you’ll hear at the new movie released last October 22, 2021. Ron’s Gone Wrong, an animated film that was directed by Jean-Philippe Vine and Sarah Smith.

This movie was the first ever film from Locksmith animation, and was distributed by 20th Century Studios. The film talks about an Earth far more years from now, a world filled with technology. The film was written by Peter Baynham and Sarah Smith.

[START OF SPOILERS] In the beginning of the movie, the movie talks about a young boy named Barney Podowski, who doesn’t have a B-bot yet. B-bots are Tech Giant Bubble’s latest creation, and is programed to be a robotic buddy and help make more friends. Back at Barney, his father was worried that Barney isn’t making any friends.

Since his childhood friends have already been influenced by the B-bots. Barney’s father, including his grandmother, then made a decision to buy him a B-bot to help him make friends. In my opinion, making friends can be hard yes, but it would always be better to have a real, human friend instead of robot friends. Yes, unlike humans, robots can

FEATURES

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PHOTO SOURCE ANIMATION MAGAZINE

be perfect, but having a human friend brings more to the relationship. Barney got his B-bot, but it was slightly damaged because that B-bot had fallen out of the truck of the person who sold the B-bot to Barney’s father. Due to the slightly broken B-bot, Barney didn’t want to upset his father, so he took it to the B-bot store. At the B-bot store, his childhood friend Rich tried to humiliate him, but fortunately, the B-bot protected Barney and they both became friends. Barney then named the B-bot Ron, from Ron’s model number. Rich reported the incident to the police and had a hunt for Barney and Ron. [END OF SPOILERS]

The movie talks about a really great topic, nothing can bring friendship to comparison. Even though some friends would leave you behind after they get what they wanted, on the good side, some will still remain with you and be there for you. For me, the movie was really nice, the animation is great, but the story caught me the most. Friendship is really important, and it’s quite sad that some are not contented with the qualities their friends have and takes a robot and forgets about human friendship. But I was really happy, for the movie also proved that we can also be friends with anyone, even a robot. “Are you satisfied with what relationship you have with your friends? Would you prefer a robot to be your friend instead of a human?” [R]

14 features // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

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UNDER WRAPS

Have you ever been so interested in Halloween but scared that it might make you scared and jump out of one’s skin?

Well fear no more, for Disney has released yet another amazing movie last October 8, 2021; featuring Under Wraps.

Under Wraps is an animated film directed by Alex Zamm, written by William Robertson and Alex Zamm, and produced by Todd Y. Murata and Fernando Szew. Starring Christian J. Simon, Malachi Barton, Sophia Hammons, and Phil Wright. This movie has a screen time of 91 minutes. Under Wraps is a Disney Channel Original Movie that is a remake of the 1997 film of the same name.

[START OF SPOILERS] The movie is about two friends, one interested in Halloween and one scared of Halloween.

They met a girl who’s interested in investigating stuff and driving into a scenery of a wonderful story. On their field trip at the museum, at the ancient Egypt part, they received the information that a mummy was on the loose and it got lost while getting to the museum. They’re supposed to

PHOTO SOURCE TV LINE

ignore it, but due to what they’ve seen at their neighbor’s house made them investigate. The characters of the movie met the mummy, but an expert told them that if the mummy doesn’t return back to its tomb sooner, then the mummy might turn into dust. The goal of the characters now is to bring the mummy back to its tomb to prevent it from turning into dust. To look at the situation... it might sound easy, but it’s not. The neighbor in who owns the house in which they found the mummy is after them. [END OF SPOILERS]

The movie was really fun and it might give you a bit shock... but isn't that what makes the movie more exciting? In the end, it gave value to friendship and teamwork. The lightings of the story were great, and so was the editing. Though this was a remake, it was actually fun watching it, it made me laugh and it also made me a little scared. We might not be able to meet a mummy this year because of the pandemic, but at least we can watch them and feel entertained. [R]

"QUASON" Marielle Navarro

The air was acrid and still, the man adorned in copper and gold steps down and kneels in front of the man on the throne, his eyes meeting the man’s gaze. Memories flash when the cold brown eyes used to resemble something warmer, and yet they both know that time is no longer now.

The king says his name, and he almost flinches at the tone carried by the one word; paranoia gripping his mind as a hundred thoughts raced in his head. He feels a hand on his shoulder, precise and claw-like which shoves him forward, bringing him to fall on the marble floor. The sound of his armor hits the dark and polished tile, a horrible ringing from the vibration echoing in his ears.

A voice barely cuts through the feeling as he regains some control over his senses, his eyes focus on his blurred reflection for stability. He sees the bottom of a silk robe pool beside him, entering his peripheral vision. Sight of the royal guard’s boots who had dragged him there appears on his side, and while soldiers like him train to remain by the king’s side at all times, he will deprive them of such company for now.

The sound of synchronized marching begins and the doors open, the footsteps fade away in the distance as his own anxiety starts to burn his chest even further. A sword is unsheathed as metal clashes against the throne room’s pristine tiles, the sound echoing throughout the now almost empty chamber.

The king lets out a sudden chuckle, the already heavy and almost suffocating air filling with a sinister tension. His blade traces shapes on the tiles, adding scratch marks on the polished stone, nonsensical drawings of overlapping lines surrounding the man on the floor. The dust from the scraped floor starts to heap up in miniature piles, lines of pale powder coming from each time the tip of the sword drags itself through the solid stone.

Cloth swiftly passes by his vision, the king circling his body and creating a border of wrecked tiles around him, the dark blue robes catching the residue of whatever is left of the marble where he once stood. For what feels like hours pass by, his muscles aching and his breath hitching every moment that the blade seems to slow down its pace.

Then it stops, and he is met with pure silence for the first time today. His eyes move frantically to look at the mess left by the sword that was swirling around him, trying to find sight of it before he feels a light weight rest on his neck.

He closes his eyes for he knows well enough that the king will have the tiles replaced later; when the once beautiful and intricate design will be covered and stained by liquid crimson rather than dust.

Outstretched Hand From the moment I open my eyes Love overflows through their smiles As I grow up they give all that I need From the support that they never hid God, my family, and friends are my treasures indeed Their guidance and teachings they planted in me as seeds They make me grow through their words that are full of wisdom Enlightens my mind that gives me true freedom.

My mere presence gets significant when they're there.

Forgiveness they always give with care They make me survive all the hurdles Hardships are also counted that strengthens me and never leaves me idle Their outstretched hand was reached by me So I will extend my hands and be a helper that I should be Gratefulness overflows within my heart So I will help through my talents and dedicate my heart.

- Trisha Ilar

Divine Gales God of wind, ruler of the skies He who calms storms and tempests, Gaze upon the earth with your emerald eyes Thine presence felt through the gentle breeze Dethrone the tyrant Seated where the wind does not blow Unleash the hurricane in you And vanquish thy foe Play songs of happiness and romance, Play songs that bring peace and trance Let your people hear thy lyre’s pleasant sound Thine gentle hymns linger around - Ben Nivera

“Temperature” It is not frigid Just very hot and humid The wind seems livid

- Marielle Navarro

ART MARCUS BUHAIN

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