Rheims | November 2021

2 NEWS // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

ASJ celebrates 19th Founding Anniversary Lance Crisostomo

“19 long years of service; we hold our banner high and bright. We will fight to keep your glory bright.”

In commemoration of the school’s inception last 2002, the Academy of Saint John celebrated its 19th Founding Anniversary through the conduct of various activities last November 11 and 13 respectively.

For the second year in a row, ASJ showed resilience amidst the pandemic by having its Founding anniversary celebration through Facebook live in its official Facebook page and tapping its alumni and the Lasallian Rheims for the major activities.

At exactly 9:00 a.m.

November 11, the thanksgiving mass, presided by Fr. Julius De Sagun, started with students attending with their respective advisers via zoom meetings.

In his homily, Fr. Julius De Sagun said that the 19 years of ASJ’s existence is possible with the combined efforts of not just the present members of the ASJ community but also of those who became a part of it right from the beginning.

On the other hand, Mr. Richard Pineda, school principal, said that ASJ would continuously be committed to its vocation and vision even if the pandemic has affected the school greatly.

“The COVID-19 has temporarily paralyzed our educational system. Prolonged school closures and face-to-face classes were also disrupted. Even the Academy of Saint John was not spared with this toxic germ. But this will not prevail over us because we will perpetually keep the light burning to illuminate in providing holistic and quality education,” Pineda said.

Later that day, Sunken Cruise Ships which is composed of alumni students Joel Genuino, Gabriel De Vega, and Ronald Mervince Fortuno, who is also now a member of ASJ’s faculty team performed live from the ASJ studio.

G na G Talkshow: The Lasallian Rheims hosted the first-ever graduate attributes talkshow with alumni guests: Mr. Kristopher Bartolome, Atty. Lanz Olives, Mr. Darel Pichay, Mr. John Carlo Oracion, and Mrs. Patricia Fernando Oracion, November 13.

PHOTO SOURCE FILE

The band performed some of their original compositions and covers for famous songs in the 1 and a half-hour-long performance.

Fast track to November 13, the Lasallian Rheims hosted the G na G!! talk show which centered on the graduate attributes and stories of ASJ’s very own alumni.

The talk show featured Mr. Kristopher Bartolome, Atty.

Lanz Olives, Mr. Darel Pichay, Mr. John Carlo Oracion, and Mrs. Patricia Fernando Oracion focused on living out the graduate attributes of an ASJ graduate in different walks of life.

Should you want to watch again the live broadcasts of the Founding Anniversary activities, you may visit the Official Facebook Page of the Academy of Saint John and the Lasallian Rheims. [R]

ASJ continues ASMEPPS National stint Lance Crisostomo

For the second year in a row, the Academy of Saint John joined the 2nd Online Regional Math and Science Quiz hosted by Association of Science and Mathematics Educators of the Philippine Private Schools (ASMEPPS), November 13.

Like last year’s online Nationals round and the Genthink for teachers, the 2nd Regional Math and Science Quiz utilized GasCloud as its Learning Management System, requiring students to have a second device for their respective Google Meets.

Comparing ASJ’s Regional

stint last year and this year, 17 students qualified for this year’s Nationals round, taking ASJ’s record from last year’s 10 national qualifier.

The following are the qualifiers for the National round: > John David Ortiz - Grade 3 > Codie Jarren Cucio - Grade 4 > Royce Remmor Cruz - Grade 4 > Amber Zabene Barlas - Grade 5 > Zeia Aeil Albania - Grade 5 > Rohan TJ Rombaoa - Grade 6 > Anicka Louis Abarquez - Grade 6 > Hannah Lulu Gatdula - Grade 7 > Keiichiro Shimada - Grade 7

> Johnver Benedict Mallorca - Grade 9 > Trisha Mae Ilar - Grade 9 > Almer Russel Putong - Grade 10 > Thomas Jay Santiago - Grade 10 > Aaron John Barcelita - Grade 11 > Joshua Franchesco Mari Nocon Grade 11 > Renz Adrian Bautista - Grade 12 > Lance Jerson Crisostomo - Grade 12

ASMEPPS has not yet announced the final date for the national round but it will surely be scheduled sometime in the first quarter of 2022 using GasCloud as its LMS. [R]

NOVEMBER 2021 //

NEWS

3

City Government releases Executive Order #30, contact sports allowed in General Trias Lance Crisostomo

With the Province of Cavite leveled down to Alert level 2, the City Government of General Trias released Executive Order No.30 Series of 2021 via its official Facebook page last November 21.

With the Executive Order taking effect, contact sports such as basketball and volleyball are now allowed under certain conditions after 15 months of being stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under E.O. #30, the following must be observed with the conduct of contact sports: - Contact sports must be conducted with no spectators and in accordance to the minimum public health standards and venue capacity - Organized or unorganized contact sports activities should have an official permit from Barangay LGUs

- Only fully-vaccinated individuals are allowed to be the players, referees, and organizers of the activity.

- Wearing face masks while playing is optional but players, referees, and organizers not playing are obliged to wear face masks and observe social distancing.

- The General Trias Component City Police Station must be informed of the contact sports activities by the concerned Barangay LGU and barangay tanod/s must be in the venue to monitor the activity.

Although E.O. #30 is already in effect, the city government still has the power to suspend the conduct of contact sports activities if violations are reported and if IATF guidelines suggest the suspension of the said activities. [R]

New COVID-19 variant:

Omicron, a variant of concern - WHO Andrew Dela Plana

The Omicron coronavirus variant, first found in South Africa, has set off a worldwide scramble which led to different countries impose travel bans, launch vaccination campaigns, and retighten regulations once more.

The Omicron variant, its scientific name B.1.1.529, has been detected not only in South Africa, but in Europe, North America, and Asia, with the World Health Organization (WHO) designating it as a “variant of concern” (VOC).

According to WHO, the transmissibility and the severity of the variant has not yet been determined to be worse compared to the other variants; however, there have been preliminary evidences that shows an increased risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant, which means that people previously infected with COVID-19 could be infected more easily with Omicron.

WHO also said that they are working to under-

stand the potential impact of the Omicron variant on countermeasures against COVID-19, like vaccines.

The Philippines imposed a travel ban on several countries with surges of COVID-19 cases and recorded Omicron cases, updating the “red list” as seven more countries are added to the list.

The country also launched a mass vaccination drive for three days, starting November 29, in the midst of the Omicron threat.

The secretary and vaccine czar of the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19, Carlito Galvez Jr., said that the new variant made the drive more important.

Philippines has yet to detect the Omicron variant in the country, which would tighten the current restrictions as the current daily infections have fallen from a whopping 18,579 cases in September, to 1,644 in November. [R] PHOTO SOURCE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

4

NEWS

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

PH commences pilot face-to-face classes in schools Renz Bautista

PHOTO SOURCE RAPPLER

After 19 months, thousands of Filipino students have returned to school last November 15 as part of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) dry run of the limited face-to-face classes amidst the pandemic.

The pilot implementation included children from 100 public schools from low-risk areas with 20 private schools to open physical classes in the succeeding week, November 22.

Education Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma mentioned that students from the said schools participating in the dry run will spend three to five hours in the classroom.

He also added that each classroom should have 12 to 15 students only to accordingly observe physical distancing and teachers and non-teaching personnel are required to be fully vaccinated.

DepEd emphasized the measures in the case when a teacher or a student shows symptoms of

COVID-19 in the school premises, in which safety protocols are to be observed such as isolation and contact tracing.

In another briefing, DepEd said that there were no COVID-19 cases that have been reported in participating schools but emphasized arising problems in following health protocols in classrooms.

The briefing mentioned that some students and persons exhibited symptoms of COVID-19: 8 with fever, 76 with cough and colds, 1 with sore throat.

Garma noted on how students frequently tend to take off their face masks once in a while, forget to follow physical distancing measures at times, and visitors forgetting to log for contact tracing purposes.

As of November 28, 81.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered with 35.6 million being fully vaccinated and 188 thousand having booster shots. [R]

PH eyes game-changing COVID-19 oral antiviral drug Molnupiravir Renz Bautista Molnupiravir, a COVID-19 antiviral pill, developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics based from the United States is now in the Philippines, the first in Southeast Asia to receive the said drug.

Molnupiravir was first approved by Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in which recommended the usage of the oral pill for people having mild to moderate COVID-19 with at least one risk factor for severe illness development, such as heart disease and obesity.

It also aims to halve the chances of hospitalization and death for people most susceptible of contracting severe COVID-19 from 50% to 30% according to global reports.

The drug is designed to introduce errors to the genetic code of virus and it was shown to be effective against all variants of the virus through viral sequencing.

The delivery of the drug to the Philippines was last November 17 and was imported through compassionate special permits (CSP) given to at least 31 medical institutions.

Furthermore, Eric Domingo, chief of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that the administration already received an application for emergency use authorization (EUA) of the antiviral pill.

“It is already allowed for sale under compassionate special permit. We are also evaluating applications for EUA

and CPR for the Molnupiravir and the FDA is acting on them quickly,” Domingo stated in a text message to Inquirer.net.

Last November 23, 40,000 capsules of Molnupiravir arrived in the city of Manila, cost of the pill reached Php. 87.50 per capsule and was issued a CSP by the FDA.

Dr. Edsel Salvaña, a member of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Technical Advisory Group, stipulated the instructions for administering the antiviral pill in a Facebook post.

“Please be careful with Molnupiravir.

Long-term use has mutagenic potential. It is currently only for high-risk populations with confirmed mild/moderate Covid infection under compassionate use and only for 5 days,” he stated.

Salvaña also mentioned to never take any medicine without the proper medical consultation.

Currently, the Philippines is eyeing on a clinical trial, which aims to seek out results when Molnupiravir can prevent COVID-19 in unvaccinated close contacts.

Dr. Joel Santiaguel of Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) said that qualified participants should be close contacts of household members tested positive of the virus.

“Sa Pilipinas, target na makapagsali tayo ng at least 30 patients”, Santiaguel said in a briefing.

As of 4:00 p.m. November 29, the Philippines has 16,289 active cases of COVID-19, 665 of these are new cases. [R]

NOVEMBER 2021 //

SCITECH

5

Japan start-up Challenergy tests new wind turbines that harness typhoon energy Challenergy, a start-up company in Japan, has designed a wind turbine that converts typhoon energy into a potential energy source.

“One of our goals is to turn typhoons into a strength,” said Atsushi Shimizu, founder of Challenergy. The start-up was founded three years after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, which motivated Shimizu to find a sustainable energy source.

Shimizu told Reuters during a demonstration of the turbines that “If we can just partially leverage the vast energy brought by typhoons, we can consider typhoons not just as disasters, but as a source of energy.”

With Japan experiencing on average 26 typhoons and tropical storms each

year, the idea of using wind as an energy source is a difficult study to try and conduct.

In Japan, solar energy has been a popular source of energy for a long time, the government has only started promoting the use of wind energy in recent years.

Challenergy started a demonstration of a 10-kilowatt tower in Batanes, Philippines in August. They are planning to incorporate solar power generation and storage batteries for a stabler electricity supply in the area.

The creation of the Magnus Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) would be a big help for countries that regularly experience typhoons like Japan, China, and the Philippines. [R]

SpaceX launches Crew-3 astronauts to the International Space Station Ben Nivera

SpaceX successfully launched Crew-3 astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) at 9:03 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), Wednesday, November 10 following the splash down of Crew-2.

The crew arrived at the ISS about 22 hours after their initial launch.

Crew-3 consisted of 4 astronauts — Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Matthias Maurer from the European Space Agency (ESA).

They joined the Expedition 66 crew of NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and cosmonauts Anton Shakepov and Pyotr Dubrov from Roscosmos.

“With Raja, Thomas, Kayla and Mattias on their way to the International Space Station just days after Crew-2’s return, we’re seeing the power of American ingenuity right before our eyes,” said Bill Nelson, NASA administrator.

“NASA’s partnership with SpaceX is not only critical for cutting-edge research, but also for international collaboration. The space station brings together nations around the world for the benefit of all. Godspeed, Crew-3 – I can’t wait to see all that you accomplish,” he added.

Crew-3 will be aboard the space station for six months. [R]

Pupils from the Grade School Higher Level participated in the recently held SPETify competition where the pupils showcased their pets' talents and tricks, November 11.

PHOTO SOURCE DARWIN LOSING

PHOTO SOURCE REUTERS

Ben Nivera

6

NEWS

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

ASJ continues tradition of excellence, seals GenTHINK Year Two Lance Crisostomo

62 ASJ students bagged different places in five subject areas in the recently concluded GenTHINK Year 2, November 27.

The contestants vied in the following subject areas: English, Filipino, Mathematics, Science and Araling Panlipunan.

Just like ASMEPPS, GenTHINK utilized GasCloud as its learning management system or its official online quiz platform.

Additionally, the participants used Zoom Meetings as its videoconferencing application.

GenTHINK Academic Quiz Contest is an annual competition organized by City Division of General Trias Association of Private Schools (CDGTAPS). [R]

NOVEMBER 2021 //

The Comeback of face-to-face: Normalizing the new normal

For two years, we have survived the pandemic; however, the education lies on a plane of instability where teachers and students themselves are not sure whether they are still learning or not. The implementation of online classes brought up a number of obstacles for the teachers to overcome such as the unavoidable cases of cheating or the radio silence the students are committing to and many more.

On November 13, Education Secretary Leonor Briones stated that there would be a pilot implementation of face-to-face classes with a number of chosen schools in both public and private schools. Briones assured that there would be a strict implementation of safety regulation while the pilot face-to-face implementation is ongoing. Given that, DepEd is encouraging all public schools nationwide to start self-assessing using the School Safety Assessment Tool in preparation for the face-to-face classes.

OPINION

IZUMIN

Kyzzia Paguirigan

As part of the safety guidelines, the Department of Education will monitor its personnel about their vaccination statuses and will still continue to monitor their status even after the beginning of pilot face-to-face classes on November 15 in all 100 chosen public schools. Additionally, DepEd said that they will increase the number of schools that will participate in the pilot face-to-face classes, an additional of 20 private schools were added to the list of participants resulting for a total of 120 schools nationwide. The public schools that will participate will start their operations on November 15 while the private schools will start at November 22.

The re-implementation of face-to-face classes will surely bring some walls to climb to, however, it will all depend to the outweighing of the benefits and drawbacks that it brings, but it is surely a step forward to returning to the normal education where effectivity is at its highest. [R]

ASMEPPS Regional Math and Science Wizards Quiz Bee Winners and National Qualifiers

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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, Zitti Macias, Shawn Teves, 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

8

OPINION

// THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

Omicron Surge: What is in for the Philippines?

EURUS

Lance Crisostomo Just as the whole world thought that the COVID-19 situation is rapidly improving day by day, breaking news struck all health departments and institutions around the planet raising all alert levels close to maximum once again. Last November 24, it has been revealed that a new variant of COVID-19, B1.1.529 or the Omicron Variant, has been detected in South Africa. In just 6 days after the first detection, several countries have already announced that they have also detected cases of the Omicron variant namely Israel, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Hong Kong.

Scientists and health specialists projected that the study for understanding the Omicron variant may take up to several weeks. Also, the World Health Organization and some scientists already warned the general public that Omicron may be worse compared to the Delta Variant in terms of transmission rate and effects on a person. Until then, the transmission rate that the variant has been showing may result in cases rapidly showing up day by day.

Upon the announcement of Omicron’s detection, the national government made a commendable move of temporarily closing its doors for inbound flights coming from nations with the variant. This is one of the best ways in order to avoid the local transmission of the variant and in order to control the possibility and probability of the Omicron variant entering the country and triggering another state of mutation. This move is miles away from what has happened from 2020 wherein the national borders were left open even if COVID-19 cases are already detected. Up to this moment, there are still no confirmed cases of the new variant on the country although the Department of Health suspects that it is likely that the Philippine Genome Center will detect a case of the Omicron sooner or later.

Alongside this, the Bayanihan, Bakunahan National COVID-19 Vaccination days have already commenced yesterday

as President Duterte signed Proclamation No. 1253 last November 24. This Proclamation aims to push the vaccination of 15 million Filipinos who are still not yet vaccinated in pursuit of the herd immunity goal of the national government by the end of the year. People of all ages are advised to take themselves up to vaccination centers and get their vaccinations and/or booster shots. This Proclamation has been strengthened by the fact that WHO reported that COVID-19 vaccines can reduce the transmission of the Delta Variant by 40%. As of November 29 (8:08 p.m.), 547,628 individuals are reported by DOH to be vaccinated under the three-day vaccination days.

Should these actions still be insufficient to spare the Philippines from the possible wrath of Omicron, the whole nation could be expecting another season of quarantines, wearing of face shields, restricted travel and human movements, and a massive blow to the country's economy.

Once Omicron has started its reign over the health sector, all the progress that the country has made could rapidly go back to zero.

Employment will once again drop down as lockdowns lengthen and extensive deficits and scarcity of resources may happen again.

This would mean that millions of Filipinos will experience severe hunger and lack of sufficient help. In simpler terms, another season of the Philippines in a sorry state.

Until then, Filipinos must be aware of the happenings in the following days. It is duly right to say that nobody is safe until the situation has completely subsided.

The vaccinations that people receive now are just forms of swords and shields against the virus. Although it is still unsure whether these vaccines work against Omicron, it is still a plus factor to have an additional layer of protection within each one of us. A jab right now would be beneficial for each one in the near future. Omicron may still be studied by experts; but, the road to protection and control starts within each one of us. The national government may start initiatives to control the variants of the COVID virus however, these would not be successful without the population’s cooperation and unity. Until then, let the nation fight each variant, one jab, one alcohol spray, and one meter social distance at a time. [R]

CARTOON SHAWN TEVES

RPTD

Renz Bautista

Students currently facing the online setup are constantly bombarded with assessments and projects left and right. No one can refute this statement.

Last October, 31, I have read news about students from Saint Louis University from Baguio City, Benguet asking for a campus-wide academic break. Apparently, there were cases of suicide and increased cases of anxiety and mental exhaustion due to the excessive number of tasks given to the students. Many students have said their sentiments and even protested in the campus grounds to demand the administration to show compassion to its studentry. The SLU administration released its statement, emphasizing the “unnecessary uproar” that is happening, which is contrary from the case. The students’ call for academic breaks even reached to the extent student councils from universities in the city sent letters to city officials urging for a one week academic break from both synchronous and asynchronous activities. The city government approved the request and had dialogue with universities last November 2 with universities imposing breaks on various parts of November. The question is “When is too much?”

Students' overall well-being in and out of school would be sustained if academic breaks are given, not by superficial webinar suggestions, not by provision of more asynchronous tasks, and not by constant, repetitive morning reminders.

Aside from students, teachers and administrators also experience burnouts and frequent stress. Students and teachers have

Reflections of Compassion to also recover from calamities and have their personal and family time. Many testimonies of students I see on social media, and from conversations with students from various institutions say that the current online setup is very tiring, stressful, mentally degrading and exhausting. I myself share the same testimonies as there were times in which I experienced series of burnouts and loss of motivation for doing online school.

Staring at a computer screen and typing/ writing for at least 8 hours is very exhausting. Add to that, I cannot sleep early due to the responsibilities, obligations and commitments that I have – my body clock has changed drastically where 6 hours of sleep is very rare in my case. Other universities administer at least 12 activities per week, exclusive of the subject readings, quizzes and tests, and projects. How much more if I will be exposed to that?

However, the educational system is very unforgiving for those students who are devastated from various disasters. You cannot rest for a day and say will not attend classes as you will have a lot of backlogs, missed sessions and activities piling up with deadlines. Many students still consider if they will be taking college or taking a break for a year, waiting for the situation to improve. It is very difficult to take one year off from studying. Our educational system is still stuck in the concept of administering more work will be equal to learning, without considering if the student has really learned the sufficient competencies the course offers. Students receive lack of support for online schooling. Mental exhaustion was less evident wherein students

can support, socialize and help one another during the face-to-face setup.

Another argument in which many parents, teachers, and administrators will counter students’ sentiments of requesting academic breaks – the words “time management.” Time management will not work for a student who stays 20 hours up a day just to comply with assignments, read materials for a test, write papers and have their personal time. Webinars are also band-aid solutions for these. Advices from these webinars may work for some; however, not everybody has the same situation. Institutions, especially universities, need to consider every student’s status quo and situation.

Compassion is sometimes needed as we are facing this pandemic, but not too much – everything has its own borders. Rebuilding ruined infrastructure and property is easier than rebuilding bruised minds.

Improving the quality of education where it will be student-friendly and teacher-friendly is a much needed action right now. Increasing the amount of assessments to the point it is excessive is not the method to do right now. Constantly asking students of their understanding of the lesson and demonstration of the processes needed for essential topics may be the solution.

Asking students evaluations and suggestions to improve quality of life for both sides while learning is another viable method to do. Everyone should do his or her part to make the quality of education the best it can be and seek ways of making learning easier. Compassion is a very essential value to practice, but we should not take too much of it as it has limits. [R]

10 OPINION // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

ANIMO? ANIMO! I fondly remember that inside joke that the “Animo” in “Animo La Salle” is actually a Filipino term which roughly means “feeling-like” and that it suits ASJ quite well. I find it quite humorous as per the word play but in hindsight, it gets you to think twice on our school’s status and then eventually its history.

Some might ask on why as we write the name of our beloved school, we must never forget to write it in full, with the appendage to be specific: ACADEMY OF SAINT JOHN - LA SALLE GREEN HILLS SUPERVISED. Let’s take a short trip back to memory lane first.

We know this story already. As it has always been part of our orientation every beginning of a new school year. May it be students, faculty, and staff, we are al-

YUGTO

Andrew Dela Plana When public health is the issue, priorities must be focused, facts should be considered, and rights of the people should be taken into account. However, all sorts of conspiracy theories and claims that encourage other people with misinformation are being spread all over the media, and sadly, however ludicrous they may sound, people are still prone to believing them. This whole situation resulted in different hurdles for a faster recovery from the pandemic, one of these hurdles being: anti-vaccination propaganda.

In the midst of the spread of a raging, destructive virus, a lot of Filipinos are seen dancing with the devil, refusing vaccine shots because of the misinformation spread in social media platforms.

Groups supporting the anti-vaccination movement were reported to have sent local leaders letters urging them to stop the pandemic response, calling the vaccination campaign worse than genocide.

The rise of the anti-vaccination movement (anti-vaxxers) in the Philippines is no laughing matter as its very existence threatens the future of the country. The thing is, some of their reasons against

ways reminded of this story, our history.

As the former Lasallian institution in General Trias faced a debacle, those who continued to believed on De La Salle and its mission faced the challenges together. They stayed side by side, fighting the good fight. And thus, this battle led to the establishment of a new and genuine Lasallian branded school.

The shared battle scars became a badge of honor. It became our right of passage to share the name we call ourselves: LASALLIANS. We share the same Alma Mater because we too have held the banner high and bright, our shield of Green and White.

And thus, the new challenge now is that never shall we fail once more.

Now, nineteen years af-

LEX TALK

Mr. Lawrence Fernando

ter that fateful day, the day on which became a reaffirmation of our Lasallian commitment, ASJ stands as the testament of resiliency. It stands as the evidence that when we fight for what is right and just, we shall overcome.

Moving forward and onward, we must now recommit ourselves to the mission and vision of De La Salle.

We must continue to strive to keep that shared identity with that grand institution.

May we let ourselves be worthy of the appendage. As Rebels that we are, we must continue fighting the good fight and stand for what is right and just.

We are not the “feeling like” ANIMO but we are the ANIMO of the spirit of courage. GREEN, WHITE, FIGHT, Lasallians! [R]

Vaccines: A right jab? vaccination are understandable, given the past controversy of the Dengvaxia mishap, these people have the right to distrust vaccines. However, the past controversy was resulted by the lack of transparency, and the corrupt practices of the past administration, not the science behind the vaccines. Actually, out of the billions of people who have had the COVID-19 vaccine, only a small percentage had adverse effects.

The COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Vaccines are tested thoroughly, going through numerous clinical trials before being considered safe and effective.

This is no different with COVID-19 vaccines and no, getting the vaccine does not give you the virus, nor does it implant a microchip in your body. These vaccines actually mimic the virus in order for the body to trigger and create antibodies that provides protection once the body gets infected with the disease. Getting the vaccine might give you side effects, but this is normal, as it is a sign that the vaccine is taking effect. After receiving the vaccine, you can prevent the spread by following the given health standards and regulations. Remember, although vac-

cines do not give total immunity against the virus, it does help protect people from getting its symptoms, and it can prevent death from the disease entirely.

Another thing to note is that taking the vaccine requires the consent of the vaccinee and at the time of writing, is not mandatory for all Filipinos.

Misinformation is the enemy of the people. It may present itself as something harmless, as something funny, or something serious, but we, as responsible media users, should remember to fact check and be wary of fake news peddlers scattered across the net. We, as responsible Filipino citizens, should know how to respect harmless opinions, trivial things, and preferences, but at the same time, distinguish opinions from plain misinformation and fake news.

There is a very thin line between freedom of speech and the misuse of information, paving the way for numerous problems to haunt our society. As responsible citizens, we should remember that freedom of choice does not equate freedom of consequences. With these in our minds, we’ll be more informed of the facts regarding public health. [R]

NOVEMBER 2021 //

FEATURES

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ONE FAITH, ONE ZEAL, ONE SIGN Ben Nivera & Trisha Ilar Throughout our years in ASJ, we, along with the school, have grown a lot. ASJ has given us many opportunities to unlock hidden talents and hone our skills and in exchange, we have helped the community grow bigger and bigger. In ASJ, many friendships were formed and many relationships bloomed. It’s pretty evident that ASJ has taught us how to love and find meaning in our lives as well as in the lives of others. Through ASJ, many dreams are brought within reach and many individuals have become the better version of themselves. A testament that ASJ is living up to the mantra of “teaching minds, touching hearts, and transforming lives”.

The history of ASJ wasn’t full of rainbows and sparkles, much like most institutions, ASJ had a pretty rough start.

Even if ASJ has already opened its doors to the city last 2003, still there are a lot of things to be improved in terms of the school buildings, facilities, and resources that the school has.

Well, all of these were improved and satisfied over the years of perseverance, courage, and dedication by the administrators, faculty, staff, parents, students, and school owners. From there on, the rest was history. The school has been able to provide quality education for the youth. The school has also forged a tradition of excellence as students have been able to bring pride to the school by winning different contests, may it be on academics, sports, and even journalism. A testament that through hardwork and dedication, the whole ASJ community can go miles from where it has started.

Everything was going smoothly until all education was halted due to the pandemic. We were quarantined and faceto-face classes were unsafe so schools opted to just proceed to online distance learning. ASJ’s 18th year was probably the saddest among all its years. We were forced to make a lot of adjustments and changes since the regular routines and activities weren’t applicable during the pandemic. Because of the said circumstances, ASJ's own AirClass was set to fly off. Several problems were experienced during online classes like internet problems, lack of proper devices and the changes that students and teachers had to endure. But behind all these hardships,

PHOTO SOURCE FILE

the determination of students and teachers proved that the fire in our hearts will never extinguish no matter what.

ASJ’s 19th anniversary, like the 18th, was also conducted online but with less the sadness. The day started with a mass led by Fr. Julius de Sagun, who said that even though ASJ has been through a lot, "we still kept our banner high." The mass was followed by a virtual lunch wherein students and teachers were able to dine together through Zoom calls. After the virtual lunch, a video of the contest “SPETify” was presented. The contest consisted of students showing their cute pets doing cool tricks. In the afternoon, the band Sunken Cruise Ships wonderfully played songs and reminisced their moments when they were still in ASJ. Two days after the main day, the G na G talk show hosted by Mr. Crisostomo, Ms Buenconsejo and Ms. Abillon was held. During the talk show, ASJ alumni Mr. Kristopher Bartolome, Atty. Lanz Olives, Mr. Darel Pichay and Mr. and Mrs. Oracion talked about their experiences and memories in ASJ. Even though the event was held online, it still held the true essence of the Foundation Day.

For us, ASJ can be considered as a second home, a comfort zone, perhaps a safe haven, but whatever you consider ASJ as, we can’t deny the fact that ASJ has played an important role in the lives of everyone who has studied or taught in the school. The building itself holds some of the fondest memories of many students and teachers. It feels like the moment you enter ASJ, you become part of a family. It seemed like everyone knew each other through familiar friends or just by simply walking past each other. It’s almost impossible to reminisce about our memories in the campus without shedding a tear. ASJ has opened thousands of eyes, and will continue to do so in the coming years. The school has already produced countless graduates who have become contributors to the Philippines and the world and will continue to produce more.

We’ve faced many problems, yet we managed to overcome them all through courage and unity. With all that being said, we would like to say thank you to ASJ for helping us become better versions of ourselves. Here’s to more years for ASJ! [R]

GRAPHICS GIANN POTENTE

14 features // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

The Rise of Rice!

PHOTO SOURCE DMYTROMYKHAILOV

Ben Nivera

November holds many memorable and important events. All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day are just two of the most important events that happen in November.

But aside from these widely celebrated events, one of the most overlooked events in November is the National Rice Awareness Month. This is observed under Proclamation No. 524 s.

2004 signed by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The National Rice Awareness Month is a month-wide celebration that aims to inform the public the importance of rice, healthier forms of locally produced rice (just like brown rice), and aiding the local farmers.

Rice is a staple food in every Filipino household, it’s present in almost every single meal of the day be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Personally, I like to eat rice, my family likes to eat rice and basically everyone I know enjoys eating rice. It’s a crop that’s widely cultivated as food all throughout the world. Not only is it a good complement to most dishes, but it also

gives a healthy amount of nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fat, and calories, but be wary though, too much rice can lead to problems and complications in the long run.

There are many different types of rice, the most common type of rice is white rice, which contains 6-10% of protein, unfortunately though, this type of rice has a high glycemic index, which could lead to higher amounts of blood sugar if eaten in uncontrolled amounts.

Other types of rice include brown rice, black rice, golden rice and many more. The health benefits that rice gives many vary from the different types, some tend to be healthier than the others.

Another purpose of the National Rice Awareness month is to aid the local rice farmers. Behind all the joy and satisfaction that rice brings, there is sadness and hard work on the backs of those who bring rice to our homes. Rice farmers encounter several problems such as pest infestations, lack of proper equipment, high cost of inputs which result in lack of resources, and low compensation. The low

cost of palay is also a problem for them because the low cost of their product would equal to low income despite the time and effort exerted on the job. Because of this, many rice farmers face poverty. Being a rice farmer isn’t really a job that people desire, but for me, it’s one of the jobs that should be highly respected and highly compensated.

The National Rice Awareness Month is pretty much an overlooked event, but it is actually one of the most important events in the month of November. With the National Rice Awareness month, attention is brought upon the underpaid farmers which would lead to people being compassionate and willing to help them which is truly an amazing sight since farmers do so much for us yet they are rewarded lowly. It’s kind of ironic how the Philippines is technically an agricultural country, yet the farmers, who are the backbone of our country’s agriculture, aren't compensated properly. This month calls for us to support the local farmers, so with all that being said, Happy National Rice Awareness Month! [R]

NOVEMBER 2021 //

FEATURES

15

“Inevitable” Marielle Navarro

Holidays like All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day have always been fascinating to me. Growing up in a religious household, we always used to visit the cemetery and make efforts to show up with gifts and pray for the souls of the dead in general. My family also loves to commemorate saints due to Catholic belief, and I was always taught that they’re the ones who relay messages to God Himself based on their domain.

It’s interesting because, in normal times, death is the type of inevitable change we try to avoid. Change itself is something that many try to shy away from because change risks routine. Many find comfort in routine; seeing the same things and faces every day as a way to fill ourselves with sentiment and familiarity. In death, there is loss and in loss, there is absence. I’ve taken notice that many people, not unlike myself, tend to be uncomfortable about loss and some even go as far as to demonize this.

But with these two holidays, death is something that we celebrate. We visit the graves of people who we loved, who we cherished, who brought something special to our lives that we will always hold dear until our own times. During these two days, we push away the fear and demonization and fetishization of death and loss but rather replace it with sentiment and longing for something that

those living can’t even comprehend.

It is on these two days that families get to celebrate among themselves without needing to worry about gift-giving.

In participating in these holidays, there can also be a religious and sacred connotation for some. May it be for religion, a way to bond with people we cherish, or just reaching out to who are no longer with us, these are days that everyone can have a different interpretation of.

And perhaps, that’s what makes these days important to many. It’s this balance of mourning, yearning, and acceptance for the inevitable change that is death. Many people say that they can’t handle change, but these adjacent holidays show that change can not only be handled but also reveals room to grow.

We are reminded that life is not just defined and given value with death; for life also gives death a reason to exist.

Death is an example of change because death is inevitable. In death, we face the loss and the absence of someone that once filled a hollowness in our lives. This can be hard to overcome, but in time we begin to realize through days like these that we continue living to honor those whom we have lost to time and the heavens above. In loss, we are reminded that the feeling of absence is the fact that we once held someone so dear that we put the effort into honoring the life they have already lived. [R]

PHOTO SOURCE NOMADSOUL1, TWENTY20PHOTOS, VAILERY

16 features // THE LASALLIAN RHEIMS

"PASKO NA!": Food Review Zoeline Honrado The pandemic has made a really big impact in our lives, it stopped us from going outside and socializing with our friends and family. But we won’t let this pandemic stop us from spending this coming Christmas; like they say from the song Christmas in our hearts, “May the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts”. One of the most beautiful things to celebrate in Christmas is the preparing of food! Us Filipinos have a big love for food, and we like to cook many different kinds of food for Noche Buena, and enjoy them with our family. There are many foods that are always present in our table on Christmas and we tend to enjoy them and appreciate them as a delicacy.

01: HAMON One of the best dishes prepared in our dinner table on Christmas night for noche buena is this delicious delicacy called Hamon. Its delicious and juicy sight make me want to eat it before Noche Buena. Hamon is popular for being a dish of Filipinos specially made for Christmas.

Hamon is pork that’s cut and marinated in pineapple juice and beer. It is served with melted and signed sugar on top. This wonderful delicacy was believed to have originated from the cooks of Spanish friars in Bulacan. Hamon, as a special dish of Filipinos costs high prices on stores... But the problem has been solved! We just have to cook it ourselves. Cooking Hamon will save you more money and get to enjoy Christmas without spending too much money. With this flavorful and yummy delicacy, we would be able to enjoy Christmas with a full stomach.

Another of our best dishes prepared in our dinner tables for Noche Buena is Lechon. Lechon is another special dish of Filipinos, it is made for special occasions like birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries.

Lechon is a dish made from pork and can be served whole or sliced.

Lechon is a Spanish word referring to roasted baby pork. This delicacy is famous for its juicy flavor, for it is cooked by smoking and placed over charcoal. As a country colonized by the Spanish, we’ve adapted many of their culture. Though it’s a dish adapted from the Spanish, we Filipino still love and eat this dish, I mean who can deny its flavorful look, and those crispy parts. Including this on our table will surely bring more joy to each other and keep our Christmas happy.

03: ROASTED CHICKEN Another dish to add to our table would be Roasted Chicken. This delicious dish is not only famous in Philippines but also, worldwide. This dish is made from roasting chicken and served with a fresh delicious touch. Making this dish juicy would add more flavor to the dish, and would be more loved. This dish can be either baked or roast, either would still make the dish delicious.

This cuisine could be bought in stores or be cooked in your kitchen at home. But I would prefer cooking it at home, since it would give experiences and you can make it with your family, serving a great memory to cherish.

These lovely dishes are sure to make your Christmas better, but even without these dishes, we can still enjoy Christmas with our loving family and friends, and together, we would feel the spirit of Christmas making us happy. May we all have a wonderful, yet safe experience this coming Christmas. May the spirit of Christmas stay within our hearts. [R]

PHOTO SOURCE EAT LIKE PINOY, THE PINOY WARRIOR, UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS

02: LECHON

“A Tenterhook of Some Sort” Marielle Navarro

"I may look poor in your eyes, but make no mistake, being a servant is something that I am not ashamed of. I am only determined by how I perceive myself, and I am more than content with who I am. How about you, young man? Are you content with who you are?"

One simple day while he was taking a stroll in the marketplace, he saw a young woman whom he had never seen before. Infatuated, he had followed her all day and found out that she was a maid who serves a rich family of elves who are travelling the continent.

Those words rang in Mordred's mind as he lied awake on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a strange feeling in his chest. Throughout his life, all he's known is work and rest. He couldn't understand how someone like her, a mere server to those above her social status, could be so proud of the life she is living in.

By the time the sun had set, he had watched her interact with life in such a way that he had never seen before. Although she did things for others, she always had her heart on her sleeve and a smile on her face. As he turned around, bewildered at the woman's actions, she suddenly spoke at his direction.

Perhaps it's the difference of their upbringing that confuses him, but other than confusion there is also a hint of something. A tinge of unrest, frustration... Intrigue. He shot up from his position, looking out the window and stared at the village he had grew up in. The streets have a familiar bustle to it as people, even in the darkness of night, work and drink and continue to be merry among themselves.

"Don't think I didn't notice you all this time." She had said with a chuckle. He stopped in his tracks, looking back at the woman who now had her hands on her hips and was giving him an expectant look.

He stared at her for a few seconds and as she shook her head to turn back, he blurted out:

"Do they feel liberated?" He thinks to himself before moving his gaze to the far horizon, and for once in his life he longed for an answer. The next day, Mordred packed his items and said good bye to the men who had raised him, a sense of adventure finding its way in his one-track mind. With one bag on his shoulders and sentiment in his heart, he set off on his journey and never looked back.

This time, it was the woman's turn to freeze at his words. A minute of silence passes and she lets out a chuckle, "Pardon me, it's just that I've never been asked that question before."

~ His life has always been black and white, never a thing out of the ordinary. Raised within a city where the elven folk allow others to mingle with their kind by a bunch of men in the military, Mordred grew up learning of the art of combat and providing assistance to the local blacksmith of their town. No one knew where he came from or who had left him in that beer crate before he was discovered by some soldiers on patrol. After he was found, no one bothered to find out, and even he didn’t want to know the answer.

"Are you content with your life?"

She looks at him, a gentle smile on her face but a fierce passion in her eyes. Opening her mouth to answer, she says the words that will haunt him for the rest of that night, and perhaps the rest of his life. He tilts his head at her response and as she finishes speaking, the woman looks at the sky and alarm replaces her fiery stare.

"Oh, I have to go! Good bye!" She shouts, turning around and running off to wherever she needed to be. Her figure shrinks as she gets further away into the bustling street, unaware of the mark she had left on the man she had left standing in the middle on the road.

Sun and Moon The chirping of birds and rustling of leaves fills the field.

Her hair and clothes were swayed by the wind Situated on the dancing grasses of the greenfield Staring at a blue sky, her mind suddenly was lit by the sun's hint Someone dear came across her mind Someone who is like a sun A big luck for her to find Her friend that inspires everyone Someone that lits people's mood Someone that gives light to darkness Someone who turns upside down lips into smiles Someone who can firmly stood Worry and loneliness swift in Many people surrounds her friend Will her mere presence be even recognized?

Like a sun, she is easy to see yet too far to reach As the saying goes...

Being too near to the sun may cause one to burn Suddenly, her thoughts halted A gentle tap that she felt on her shoulder She turned to see her smiling friend She just found herself smiling back Her negative thoughts suddenly drifted away She realized, there was more to her thoughts Just how the sun light up the moon She shone on me and gave me my moonlight She lit me and now its my turn to lit up the night sky Hope she always gives to me The sun that spreads and reaches others through its rays of light The one that reflects and shares her light The one that gives equal importance to everyone Therefore, why would I let go of her?

- Trisha Ilar

“Ambedo” You are the brightest shade of blue and the darkest hue of yellow I have ever seen The most beautiful flower that could hurt; a rose swaying slowly to the mild tune of the wind The kindest heat I have ever had the privilege of holding in my bare hands In your footsteps I shall follow forever; into shallow waters or the deepest lands

- Marielle Navarro

Man in the mirror In front of this mirror, I stand, Face looking bland Across me lies someone strange, As I move, his shape seems to change His movements seem to mimic mine, Our whole body seems to align Who is this? Is he my clone?

This whole time, have I not been alone?

- Ben Nivera

ART ZITTI MACIAS

ART MARCUS BUHAIN

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