QHS The Leadon Digital Issue 2021-2022

This student publication is issued by Quirino High School, located on Molave St., Project 3, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

Department of Education Important Dates for School Year 2022-2023: August 22, 2022 - Opening of Classes November 2, 2022 - Face-to-Face Classes December 19-30 - No Classes February 6-10, 2023 - Mid-year Break July 7, 2023 - End of School Year

Follow The LEADON on www.facebook.com/QHSleadon to know the latest updates about the QHS community.

Opinion / Page 5

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Features/Page 7

Entertainment is already nearly tantamount to Youtube videos and TikTok clips, with both brands being the biggest figureheads in the entertainment industry in recent years...

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Despite the pandemic, the QHS administration was still able to enhance its facilities with the aid of different people and various organizations...

Sports /Page 12

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Just recently, the Filipino MLBB squad RSG Philippines dominated their rivals, Indonesian team RRQ Hoshi, in the grand finals of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asian Cup 2022 with a clean sweep of a 4-0 series.

QHS WELCOMES STUDENTS BACK AFTER 2 YEARS OF ODL

By Henry Ramirez

Quirino High School (QHS) opened the limited face-to-face (F2F) classes for Senior High School (SHS) on March 1, two years after the schools were shut down from in-person classes due to the rising cases of COVID-19.

Mrs. Helen Ingeniero, SHS Focal Person, said the school prepared for the F2F classes by considering that the classrooms, the school facility, and the students were all vaccinated. This is in accordance with the Department of Education (DepEd) Memorandum No. 017, series of 2022, which sets to provide guidelines for schools on the mechanisms in establishing a safe school learning environment as well as ensuring safe operations of schools as part of the transition toward the new normal. ... continue to page 2

QHS STUDENTS WANT ODL FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR

CONTENTS: NEWS................................................P2 EDITORIAL.........................................P5 OPINION............................................P6 FEATURE...........................................P8

By Hiedi Cortejo

SCIENCE..........................................P12

In the face of the decision of Department of Education to push for the face-to-face classes next school year, 88% of students in Quirino High School (QHS) prefer Online Distance Learning (ODL) as their learning modality.

The QHS Oplan Balik-Eskwela Team (OBET) held a project survey for all students and teachers in April to make requisite adjustments for preferred learning modality in the upcoming school year.

SPORTS...........................................P15

QHS TO OFFER STE PROGRAM IN SY 2022-2023

By Liam Matthew Muñoz

... continue to page 2

Enrollment is on going!

The junior high school department offers specialized curricula such as Special Science, Journalism, Special Education (SpEd), Foreign Language (Mandarin), and Alternative Learning System (ALS).

On the other hand, the senior high school department also offers Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL) track in addition to the Academic track with strands in Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and General Academic Strand (GAS).

A QHS student looks at the finish mural painted by Mathematics club at the Old Covered Court. Last June 30, different student organizations painted the walls in the area as part of the school’s project in preparation for the next school year. / Photo by Phoebe Cor-oyen

“The Science,Technology and Engineering(STE) program envisions highly responsible, morally upright, globally competitive, and work-ready learners from schools offering relevant and innovative Science,Technology and Engineering programs.”Mr. George Emmanuel Martin, Quirino High School head of science department said in the promotional video on the QHS-STE Facebook page.

QHS now offers a STE program for incoming grade 7 students. Its main goal is to prepare students for college education, especially those who pursue science,engineering and math courses.

... continue to page 10

SCHOOL NEWS

INTERNATIONAL LOCAL NEWSNEWS

LOCAL NEWS

The school-based restaurant – QHS opens Bistro D’ Quirino

Borrowed no more -- QC local government gives free tablets to students

Quezon City journalism community holds second online DSSPC

Quirino High School (QHS) opened Bistro D’ Quirino on March 21 to use it for the school-based work immersion of Senior High School (SHS) students from different tracks and strands. Story

by Henry Ramirez

Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte issued a directive on March 25 giving all Quezon City graduating students permanent ownership to all their borrowed tablets. Story by Luke Cerdenia

To equip the campus journalists of Quezon City with more knowledge and courage, the Quezon City Secondary School Paper Advisers Association (QCSSPAA) hosted the 2nd Online Division Secondary Schools Press Conference and Training-workshop, announcing its opening on May 31. Story by Luke Cerdenia

“Definitely, vaccination should not be a prerequisite to going to school. This would disenfranchise other children whose parents would really not allow their children to have themselves vaccinated. Education is a right,” Department of Health (DOH) officer-incharge Maria Rosario Vergeire said over ABS-CBN News’ Headstart.

“Kaya kung magbubukas sa August 22, isang usapin dito, walang bakasyon ang mga guro kaya ang panawagan namin dito bayaran yung mga guro na lagpas doon sa takdang panahon niya, tinatawag naming [Proportional Vacation Pay],” ACT chairperson Vladimir Quetua said in a live interview on GMA Unang Balita.

Sara Duterte named as DepEd chief

%

95

Promotion Rate

the percentage of students promoted to the next year level

Sara Duterte-Carpio, the presumptive vice president, said May 18 that she is “ready’’ and “enthusiastic” about her forthcoming job as the new Education Secretary.

Presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced May 11 that vice president elect Sara Duterte Carpio will be education chief.

Duterte-Carpio expressed gratitude to Marcos Jr. and said that she is ready to take duty as education secretary once proclaimed.

“We were both really excited,” she added, “since educating our young people is critical to our country’s future and development.”

The idea that Duterte-Carpio wanted to be defense secretary was first suggested by Marcos Jr., but the presumptive vice president confirmed through her spokesperson that she has “not expressed the desire for any Cabinet position.”

Duterte-Carpio alleviated fears that the education department would engage in “historical revision” as a result of her judgment, emphasizing that they are not historians and would focus on providing quality education to learners and improving the living conditions of teachers.

During the campaign, she was known to have expressed support for a proposal that would require Filipinos to serve in the military when they turn 18. Critics said Duterte-Carpio was “revealing her actual militarist roots” with the comment.

QHS STUDENTS WANT ODL FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR

... from page 1

Vice President Sara Duterte delivers her accptance speech during the turn-over ceremony of DepEd leadership on July 4 at Bulwagan ng Karunungan, Deped Central Office in Pasig City. / Photo by Harold Rodriguez

QC JOURNALISM COMMUNITY HOLDS SECOND ONLINE DSSPC ... from page 1

The organizers gathered known speakers in the field of journalism to offer their knowledge during a 1-day speaking session in various journalistic categories. These sessions were followed by the submission of outputs made by the student participants.

Some of the invited speakers were Abraham Alegre, GMA Senior News Correspondent; Renato Aranda, The Philippine Star Chief Cartoonist; Andrew Jonathan Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN Journalist; and Danielle Nakpil, CNN Philippines Former Digital Producer.

The event officially opened on June 2 through Google Meet and Facebook Livestream; Mr. Mark G. Zambrano–Sportscaster, News Anchor, and Corporate Spokesperson–served as the keynote speaker.

True to the theme of the event, “Campus Journalism: Transcending the Challenges of the New Normal”, Mr. Zambrano shared words of inspiration and encouragement, which were based on his years-long experience in the field, to motivate the campus journalists in the New Normal.

Quoting his senior in GMA, Ms. Jessica Soho, he said, “You are not the story--this is where the concept of honor and integrity comes from. Just be factual, stick to the truth.“ “Social media is not evil. In fact, it’s one of the greatest developments of society in the last decade,” he added, emphasizing the importance of social media in the present’s journalistic goals.

Last February, the QCSSPAA launched the 1st month-long webinar for campus journalists and school paper advisers of Quezon City that had the same goal: to enhance the QC journalism community.

The conducted survey was in accordance with the memorandum issued by the Department of Education (DepEd), the conduct of the early registration on Monday, March 21, in preparation for the incoming class opening.

Result showed 88% in favor of online learning, compared to 16% who prefer printed modular as a learning modality.

Online learning features real-time learner-teacher interaction through the use of various technologies accessed through the internet. Printed modular learning provides learners with self-learning modules (SLMs) in print while

the teacher takes responsibility for monitoring the progress of the learners.

“Our main purpose [for holding a survey] is to evaluate which learning modality will best fit for the students and teachers, as well as what our school can offer for the next school year,” said OBET co-coordinator, SPED Department Chairman Ms. Cheryl Juico.

OBET coordinator Mr. Noly Cabañero said there’s a possibility of the expansion of face-to-face classes in QHS Junior High School; however, the school office is still waiting for a DepEd memorandum regarding F2F classes.

K E Y P E R F O R M A N C E I N D I C A T O R S - J U N I O R H I G H S C H O O L - S. Y. 2 0 2 1- 2 0 2 2

By Migs Gallardo

%

80

Completion the percentage ofRate first year entrants who finish the level of education with the required number of years

%

96

Graduation Rate the percentage of students promoted to senior high school

%

95

Retention Rate

the percentage of enrollees in a given school year who continue in school the following year

%

94

Transition Rate

the percentage of students in grade 9 who move on to grade 10

%

1

Failure Rate

the percentage of students who failed in all grade levels in a school year

JOY BELMONTE WINS QC MAYORAL ELECTIONS

By Prince Luke Cerdenia Quezon City incumbent mayor Joy Belmonte got reelected as Quezon City mayor for a second term, beating her main contender Mike Defensor in the 2022 elections based on the partial, unofficial results from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) transparency server on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Belmonte, who ran under the Serbisyo sa Bayan banner, secured 617,908 votes, a landslide win against Defensor, who only had 389,336 votes as of 8:59 am. The number of votes counted came from 93.01% of precincts reporting.

Belmonte’s running mate and the incumbent vice mayor, Gian Sotto, also won with 553,949 votes, beating Defensor’s running mate and incumbent Councilor Winnie Castelo, who only had 405,539 votes.

“We must recognize the significant role of our teachers and personnel in nation-building. Our educational frontliners who have remained steadfast in our goal to provide the best for the Filipino children,” Senator Loren Legarda as she filed a bill to increase the minimum wage of public school teachers.

“According to the Secretary (Jaime Bautista), the Libreng Sakay for Students Program will be for LRT-2 beginning start of next school year,” the DOTr said in a statement.

QC local government gives free tablets to students ... from page 1

A teacher prepares an agreement form to be sind by a parent during the distribution of tablets issued by the Local Government Unit of Quezon City. / Photo by Marvin Hutalla

During the incumbent mayor’s kickoff proclamation rally for the Elections 2022, she announced that as an incentive for finishing their respective levels of education, the students graduating from sixth, tenth, and twelfth grades are given the tablets for free.

“Ang tablets ng mga estudyante, sa kanila na ‘pag sila ay nakapagtapos ng Grade 6, Grade 10, at Grade 12 bilang insentibo sa mga kabataan na kailangan makatapos sila ng pag-aaral,” she said, focusing on the students’ achievement for graduating.

The Quezon City local government lent tablets to all their constituents who are part of the student population to aid them with their academic survival in the online learning system.

Quirino High School was one of the beneficiaries, with a majority of its 2970 students receiving tablets to cater to their academic needs.

Ian Gabrielle Delos Trinos, a junior high school student at QHS expressed how the LGU-issued tablet helped him in his online learning. He moved up to the top of his class this June.

“Hindi makakaila ang taglay nitong (ng tablet) kahalagahan sa paggawa ng mga gawain at takdang-aralin, sa pagpapasa, at sa pagpasok sa online classes,” Delos Trinos said in an interview.

Aside from the tablet giveaway, the QC local government also granted free scholarships through the Mayor’s expanded scholarship program. It was open to at most 20,000 students, emphasizing the LGU’s prioritization of the students under its jurisdiction

QHS OPENS OWN RESTAURANT BISTRO D’ QUIRINO ... from page 1

The ribbon-cutting and blessing ceremonies of the school-based restaurant were held on the same day. It officially opened to local customers on March 22.

Select students from Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), and Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) tracks worked for the Bistro D’ Quirino where they applied their skills and knowledge.

Samantha Magallano, an ABM student, said that the school-based work immersion

gave them opportunities to enhance their financial management.

“So, sa cashier po is tinuturuan po kami and binibigyan po kami ng chance na ma-enhance ‘yong skills namin sa money management po, while sa floor management naman po is tinuturuan kami na mag-handle the situation given the floors po in the Bistro,” Magallano said.

Jake Milanes also mentioned that the TVL tracks have different roles in the op-

eration of the restaurant.

“Ang pinaka-role po namin as animation (students) is kami po ‘yong nagde-design, kami po ‘yong gumagawa ng layout interior ng Bistro D’ Quirino, and kami rin po ‘yong gumagawa ng mga icons and images na para ma-advertise ‘yong mga products sa Bistro D’ Quirino,” Milanes added, sharing the side of the TVL Animation strand.

The school-based restaurant is managed by SHS teacher Mrs. Princess Aranda. She plans to expand its operation

once the in-person classes expand.

Birstro D’ Quirino was a project of former District 3 Congressman Allan Reyes, who also had initiatives at the QHS, such as the renovation of the bathrooms that are now called the function hall, waiting for sheds that are all over the school, and renovations of the Quirino Dome formerly called the QHS Multi-function Covered Court.

QCSEG ELECTS NEW OFFICERS FOR S.Y. 2022-2023

By Prince Luke Cerdenia The Quezon City Secondary Editors’ Guild (QCSEG) held their second online election on June 17 to prepare their new roster of officers for the coming academic year 20222023.

The elected officers were Zoie Sta Mina, President; Sarah Nicole Gates, Vice President; Izabelle Dimzon, Secretary; Francesca Alexis Luya, Treasurer; Glen Augustine Palad, Auditor; Genes Ilin, PIO; Dustin Wayne Gatus and Jan Charisse Baldonado, Business Managers; and Ysabella Franchesca Paches and Christian Launico, Sergeant-atArms. The organization’s adviser for the outgoing academic year, Michael Angelo Jugado, maintains his position.

The election was held via google meet and delegates from the campus journalism community of the respective secondary schools in Quezon City were invited to attend.

In an interview conducted through an inquiry with their Facebook page, the QCSEG gave a vague hint of their plans for the upcoming academic year while emphasizing their acknowledgement of the impact of social media to the spirit of journalism.

“Despite our gradual transition to face-to-face learning anew, there is no doubt that the last two years under the online setup introduced a wider array of digital journalism,” the organization stated, pointing out to the effects of the online setup brought about by the pandemic.

“Expect more content from us on other social media platforms, where we not only share content about our projects, but also update you on the latest in national and international news,” they added, explaining how they are initially planning to utilize social media even more.

Although they have yet to share in their social media platform their plans for the upcoming academic year, the organization stated what they wish to achieve with their new leaders.

“Hopefully, we will be able to produce more projects honing the skills of QC campus journos in the following school year with our newest roster of leaders,” they said.

During the outgoing school year, the QCSEG, in coordination with the Quezon City Secondary School Paper Advisers Association (QCSSPAA), launched the “E-Chika Series” wherein they got the chance to invite award-winning campus journalists who shared tips to succeed in the field of journalism.

QHS welcomes students back after two years on ODL ... from page 1

There were 46 grade 11 students from all Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL strands who joined the simulation in March.

Thelma Baltazar, who teaches Research and Daily Life 2 and 21st Century Literature in SHS saw the limited in-person classes as an opportunity to maximize learning.

“I am very positive dito, especially I can feel my students really are interested now, they really want to go back to school. They really want to experience the- how it is after two long years of absence in the school,” Baltazar said.

As per the DepEd Memorandum No. 029, series of 2022, all teaching and non-teaching personnel shall adhere to 100% on-site reporting in the course of the imposition of the areas placed under Alert Level 1.

Jarldon Narag, a grade 12 student from ICT Animation, is thrilled to go back to school because there are tools present at school which can help the students with their academics.

“We have tools and equipment here at school na wala sa bahay. For example, sa aking TVL strand which is ICT Animation required sa amin ‘yong mga tools and equipment like the lightbox. So dito sa school, nagagamit namin ng libre ‘yong mga tools and equipments for our academics,” Narag said in an interview.

Along with the limited in-person classes for SHS, students from other grade levels are also coming to school to complete their remedial classes that are ongoing until the current academic year.

On July 14, Education Secretary Sara Duterte released expressed her support for the department’s plan to open the classes on August 22 and to push for the full implementation of 100 percent face-to-face classes on November 2.

Mr. Baltazar, an SHS teacher, conducts his first face-to-face class discussion with his Technical-Vocational Livelihood Strand students. / Photo by P. Cor-oyen

4 PAGE

NEWS

QHS INAUGURATES

GULAYAN SA PAARALAN PROGRAM

By Henry Ramirez Department of Education (Deped) - in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Training Institute (DOATI) launched the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) at Quirino High School (QHS) on Tuesday, June 21, to teach students and teachers how to plant so that the school can have sustainable foods.

At the program, QHS signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the DepEd and DOATI that states the school’s responsibility to continuous planting and environmental protection. The school was also officially introduced as part of the said project under the Urban Agriculture in the whole Quezon City.

Aside from the QHS, the DOATI has launched a total of 21 school-based urban agriculture gardens in Caloocan City and Quezon City in the first quarter of the year. The project was made possible by the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program under the Department of Education Memorandum 293, Series of 2007, and the School Inside a Garden launched upon the issuance of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports Memorandum 77, Series of 1995.

At the school-based level, focal Person Mr. Julius A. Sauza shared how they are planning to turn the school’s vacant areas into fields with vegetables to fulfill the goals of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program.

“Within a year - nagstart na ng February and March - halos lahat ng mga vacant area dito na hindi pinapansin, hindi nagagamit [ay] magkaroon ng mga gulayan area,” he explained, giving an initial idea of the length of time needed to fulfill their plans.

Mr. Sauza said there are coordinators at every school department that are paving the way to build vegetable gardens in the school areas.

He also added that through containerized vegetable planting, at least 50% or five or 10 would have garden areas even though the school is at the center of the city where it is all flat cement and does not have enough land.

With the help of the implementation of the GPP, QHS plans to sell crops to the local community outside school in due time to fund their future projects.

QHS GRADUATES BID FAREWELL IN-PERSON DURING COMMENCEMENT RITES

By Chelze Gallenero Quirino High School (QHS) held two sessions of face-toface graduation for Senior High School (SHS) Grade 12 students last June 29, 2022 at its newly-renovated QHS Dome.

163 out of 319 Grade 12 students graduated with academic awards (honors, high honors, and highest honors).

Students and their parents from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) tracks attended the morning session, whereas those from the Technical-Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) track took part in the afternoon rites.

Mrs. Helen P. Ingeniero, the SHS focal person, clarified that they decided to hold the graduation ceremony twice in a day to comply with the Department of Health (DOH)

and Department of Education (DepEd)’s mandate regarding the conduct of school programs.

“There are two sessions for this year’s commencement exercises because we need to observe minimum health protocols. The Division Office will not allow us to hold one if we do not make sure that we comply. We are very strict about this,” Mrs. Helen P. Ingeniero said during an interview.

There was a three-day practice before the actual ceremony, and the graduates were asked to verify their inoculation before the teachers allowed them to participate in the rehearsals.

The commencement exercises were attended by former Congressman Allan Benedict Reyes, who also initiated the improvements in the school facilities, including the QHS

dome. Other local officials were not able to attend due to conflicting schedules.

The SHS Graduating Class of School Year 2021–2022 was presented and attested

by Dr. Remedios P. Danao. After that, the Confirmation of Graduation was done by the SDO Superintendent, Dr. Jenilyn Rose B. Corpuz, CESO V, represented by Dr. Ma. Teresa Namoro.

Rhoudge O. Gundran, the student with the highest honor, gave his Farewell Message.

He gave recognition to the teachers and parents during his speech by asking his fellow graduates to stand and applaud them.

Next school year, it was announced that the in-person classes will be expanded and fully implemented, making school programs like graduation rites physically possible.

QHS organizes activities for campus journalism

By Princess Leona Berango Quirino High School (QHS) held various activities in the field of campus journalism this Academic Year 2021-2022 to discover and enhance its students’ skills and talent in journalistic writing.

On May 23-27, QHS opened the 2nd Online School’s Press Conference with the theme “Fostering an Upright Campus Journalism in the New Normal Education Towards Excellence and Leadership.”

During the week-long event, the participants underwent trainings from various experienced writers in their respective categories before competing against one another in the writing contest.

This project was a collaboration with The Leadon and Ang Pag-Asa, the school’s official publications. The participants were journalism students from grades 7-10.

Besides the major event, other activities were held. Last February, The Leadon launched a month-long series of live talk shows that was hosted by Grade 10 students.

Each episode had different time slots and topics including pop culture, politics, health, news, education, and entertainment and leisure. They were streamed live on the official Facebook page of The Leadon.

The English publication also aired two TV Broadcasting Projects that were handled by their editorial board. They covered the opening of the pilot limited face-to-face classes for senior high school students and the launching of Bistro D’ Quirino – the school-based restaurant.

Aryana Denise Taguba, a student and a writer for The Leadon, shared her experience of being part of the journalism at QHS. “I would like to continue my journey in journalism because I enjoy researching stories, reading the news, being aware of my surroundings, and writing articles. I realized that journalism is not only being knowledgeable but comes with character that inspires and leads everyone to the truth,” she said.

Taguba was formerly part of the editorial board as its Feature Editor.

According to Ms. Phoebe Cor-oyen, the School Paper Adviser of the Leadon, this is a great step for the publication and the English Journalism Program to continue with the learning experience despite the current learning setup.

Coverage on several other issues varying from school-based, local, national, and international can be seen on the Facebook page of The Leadon, English Journalism; and Ang Pag-Asa, Filipino Journalism.

Currently, the learning modality remains as online distance learning (ODL) which has been the default for more than two years now. In spite of that, the campus journalism community of QHS managed to hold several activities which showcased its students’ journalistic skills.

Grade 12 graduates, including Rhoudge Gundran of 12-Aquinas, pose with their diplomas after the 5th commencement exercises physically held at Quirino High School Dome on June 29. / Photo from Rhoudge Gundran Facebook

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OPINION Coffeeholic Wordsmith Prince Luke Cerdenia

Erroneous unity is bloody red

We all love the idea of unity. It is in our nature to have high hopes when we see even the slightest hint of unification. Perhaps, that is because we are fooled by the illusion that unity is enough to answer all our problems. Unfortunately, for a country like ours with an already shrinking democratic space, genuine unity is furthermore tattered by the bloody color of the divisive act of red-tagging.

Social media has exposed to me how chronic the existence of red-tagging in our country has become to the point that the mere act of calling out the government is tantamount to being accused of partaking in communist organizations or harboring intents to start a rebellion. Even someone like me, a high school student who criticizes the government, has been victimized by troll accounts whose sole purpose is to attack critics. The underground digital community made up of troll armies or has given stronger offensive attack to red-tagging.

This situation of persistent red-tagging may bound to be carved deeper into our culture, especially now that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. won with a historic majority vote. He is now the 17th president of a country where cries of “Never Again, Never Forget”, a phrase which symbolizes the horrors

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After all, the truth is enough to expose the flaws in our democracy and destroy the integrity of the elections.

of the Martial Law era, has been overshadowed by the vague promise of unity.

This paradoxical scenario has become a signal for many to safeguard the truth and to remind the masses of our history.

But, as expected, the efforts they convey are easily dubbed as rebellious acts. Of course, I believe these tenacious efforts to dig a deeper grave for the truth are just another part of the Marcosian scheme to revise history.

After offering the #NeverAgain book bundle at a discounted price, Adarna Firm, a reputable family-run publishing house founded by National Artist Virgilio Almario, was red-tagged. The books included in the bundle include “Ito ang Diktadura” (2017)

by Equipo Plantel, “Edsa” (2013) by Russell Molina, “Isang Harding Papel” (2014), and “Si Jhun-Jhun, Noong Bago Ideklara ang Batas Militar” (2001) by Augie Rivera, as well as “The Magic Arrow” (2021) by Bolet Banal. All of these were books equipped with the truth about the bloody martial law era.

The red-tagging allegation expectedly came from National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Alex Paul Monteagudo, saying that Adarna House’s attempt to sell book bundles about Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship was part of

its plan to “subtly radicalize” Filipino children against the government.

“What is dangerous here is you’re presenting an issue of martial law in children’s books. When you teach that to kids, you are planting seeds of hatred and dissent in the minds of these children,” Monteagudo said in an NTF-Elcac presser.

Even before Marcos Jr.’s inauguration, red-tagging had already started. For the administration of someone who won through an endless cycle of fake news, it’s not surprising that his cohorts are already pushing for the demise of those who want to revive the truth. After all, the truth is enough to expose the flaws in our democracy and destroy the integrity of the elections.

I cannot help but wonder where on earth unity has gone to now that the man who has it as his favorite line is on the highest position in the country. The crazy political scene in our country makes me laugh, even while knowing the tragic fate we are potentially bound to experience with the (un)expected turn of events. Unity may be painted in various vibrant colors, but I’m pretty sure the color of bloody red is not one of those.

Couch potato John Henrich Mellijor

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Two fourteen Entertainment is already nearly tantamount to Youtube videos and TikTok clips, with both brands being the biggest figureheads in the entertainment industry in recent years.

Autoplay: a single function to ruin an entire generation

If you’ve ever been on the internet for at least a day, then you have definitely heard of Youtube and Tiktok. After all, both are one of the largest video streaming platforms on planet Earth. Both are highly influential in shaping the past and today’s internet culture—and largely available for free anywhere, everywhere.

Have you ever heard of the term “information overload”? The phrase refers to an excess of data/ information/knowledge suddenly being exposed to someone all at once. With so much information to absorb, the brain cannot help but focus on each tidbit of consumable data. However, getting used to such a phenomenon leaves a negative impact on a person’s capacity to retain focus. This ‘focus’ refers to the attention span of a person.

This overexposure can be easily avoided by adults and anyone with half a fully matured brain by doing what I call “getting a life”. But children do not have any of these luxuries, especially kids around the elementary range as they are most vulnerable. Kids do not have a life, they also do not have the concept of restraint properly wired into their brains yet. Children move on impulse and will flock to whatever entertains them most. I may not be a parent or someone in the custody of a little boy or girl, however, I do have experience of being the exact same brat.

Entertainment is already nearly tantamount to Youtube videos and TikTok clips, with both brands being the biggest figureheads in the entertainment industry in recent years. Now, the videos displayed on these sites are relatively harmless in themselves as long as a parent or guardian properly monitors the media their young ones consume. However, that is not the case with a large population of laid-back parents who, for better or worse, let their children grow by themselves. These young children provided

the laid-back parenting and internet access, would not know what ‘Autoplay’ does or what it even means.

This ‘Autoplay’ function is present in both Tiktok and YouTube mechanisms as a quick and easy way to access the next video from the current video. Do note that the Autoplay function is only set as default on YouTube. Though a seemingly convenient and harmless function it may seem, this mechanic cuts the time between choosing a video and watching a video by automatically picking the topmost video on the recommended tab. A reasonable teen or adult would have the right frame of mind to just stop watching, but a child? When have you ever seen a child stop watching a cartoon?

Although TikTok may not have the exact same function set on default, it is no stranger to pulling younger audiences to addiction. With Tiktok, it is even easier to switch to another video—just a simple swipe and you’re on a completely different post. And the short videos certainly do not help either. With younger children being exposed to a dozen short videos faster than it takes to mess up a sunny-side-up, the very same kids will not notice how much time has elapsed, which circles back to information overload. This cycle slowly degrades their attention span the more regularly they exercise such activities.

So, before you let your kids or younger relatives borrow your phone or purchase them their own devices, it would be in your best interests to reconsider. Children are easy targets for scams and gaming addiction, especially when left unattended and/or unsupervised. And as someone who lives under the same roof with a lazy bum of a cousin who whines and cries every time he’s told to stop playing - I am confident in saying that no sane person would want that in their homes.

Chelze Gallenero

Ready for the full blast?

Former Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones pushed the full blast of face-to-face classes for the school year 20222023 for both public and private We’ve experienced schools. so much during disAt present, the DepEd said in the tance learning that Laging Handa Press Briefing that it made us struggle.

73.28% of public schools have already resumed in-person classes.

On the other hand, 676 out of about 16,000 private schools have started in-person classes, which only translates to 5.46%.

At the same briefing, Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said that they are eyeing a blended set up in which students will be physically present at school and some days when students will be allowed to learn at home.

We’ve experienced so much during distance learning that it made us struggle. The common problem is the slow internet connection. Considering each student’s capabilities, not all of us have the privilege to buy new uniforms, school supplies, and fare allowance. The solution to these common problems is the blended setup proposed by the DepEd. It would be extremely difficult for students and teachers if the DepEd suddenly pushed for 100% in-person classes if proper transitioning from distance learning to face-to-face was not implemented.

In addition to that, there are still unvaccinated students in our country. It will be a great threat to their health against COVID-19. DepEd should do more to encourage parents or guardians to give children their vaccine shots, like holding a seminar about how vaccines will serve as a shield for their child’s safety.

According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chair Prospero de Vera III, there are still areas nationwide in terms of tertiary student vaccination, particularly in Region 5 (Bicol), Region 12 (Soccsksargen), and Region 4B (Mimaropa).

The main protocols and standards to implement in-person classes were included in the DepEd-DOH Joint Memorandum Circular 001, S. 2021. Schools under alert levels 1 and 2 based on the periodic risk assessment by DOH may conduct the in-person classes.

Also, schools must have proper coordination with their respective barangay officials.

Students must have written consent from their parents. Lastly, only vaccinated teachers may participate in the face-to-face classes, and vaccinated students are preferred.

Implementing full operation of classes will be a huge step for our country to recover from the damage that the pandemic brought us. However, we must put the health of every Filipino first, especially as we are still amid the pandemic. Blended learning, rather than 100% in-person classes, is the best way to alleviate academic problems.

If DepEd still pushes this, they are putting the safety of every student and teacher on the line.

“

6 PAGE THE LEADON

The Official English School Publication of Quirino High School

EDITORIAL

Prince Luke Cerdenia Editor-in-Chief Emmanuel Miguel Gallardo Associate Editor Chelze Gallenero Managing Editor John Henry Ramirez News Section Editor John Henrich Mellijor Features Section Editor

Liam Matthew Munoz Science Section Editor Bea Paulino Editorial Cartoonist Christine Joy Gare Photojournalist PHOEBE B. COR-OYEN School Paper Adviser

HELEN P. INGENIERO Head Teacher, English Department DR. REMEDIOS P. DANAO School Principal NIMFA R. GABERTAN DR. RODOLFO F. DE JESUS Education Program Supervisor In-Charge of Journalism

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

To The Leadon’s editors: I hope this reaches you well.

I am writing this letter to deliver a concern of mine.

During my first and second year in Quirino High School, I noticed that our comfort rooms are plain dirty. Although we have janitors and janitresses who clean, the comfort rooms often do not have enough water supply to at least let the students flush their own feces, making most of the cubicles filthy. Additionally, most of these CRs have broken doors; I have experienced firsthand the fear of being seen half-naked while taking a dump because it is nearly impossible to properly close the cubicle doors.

Aside from the foregoing, the disposal of garbage is also an issue to be discussed. During the traditional face-to-face classes, we students were tasked to put the garbage at the back of the clinic, which often just results to a total mess because of the lack of proper . Instead of instilling proper discipline to the students, we settle with letting school personnel handle the trash segregation.

This is only a portion of our problem about cleanliness in our school. I am hoping that with the nearing continuation of the face-to-face classes, these problems will be addressed.

While it is a huge fact that Coronavirus is a serious threat to our health, this is not enough to overshadow the imminent damage that uncleanliness can bring to students.

Respectfully, Euge Carl Dela Paz 10 - Mabini

THE

‘Republic of Marites’ For today’s videow, we have the Malacañang Palace!

To Euge Carl Dela Paz, We appreciate you reaching out.

Your concerns are understandable. We do acknowledge that the school two years ago had a lot of issues with its cleanliness. However, if you have tried visiting Quirino High School today, you will be able to see that a lot of things have already changed, especially in its facilities. Aside from fixing the comfort rooms you mentioned in the buildings we have been familiar with prior to the pandemic, we also have the newly built functional hall. This new infrastructure has comfort rooms that definitely abide to high standards of cleanliness. With the condition of the school’s facilities today, you will feel literal comfort in their comfort rooms.

The disposal of garbage two years ago was surely an issue. However, we believe that Quirino High School, being one of the schools who performs well in the Brigada Eskwela Program, will give this issue utmost prioritization now that it has been brought up. Of course, our school personnel will still aid through their jobs. We are certain that when face-to-face classes are finally implemented, the majority of the student body of Quirino High School will be both happy and surprised with all the changes in the school environment.

Respectfully, Prince Luke Cerdenia Editor-in-Chief

This student publication is issued by Quirino High School, located on Molave St., Project 3, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

Follow The LEADON on www.facebook.com/QHSleadon to know the latest updates about the QHS community.

When the Duterte administration started, bloggers and vloggers alike, most of which were pro-Duterte, called for the right to cover the then newly-elected President and the Malacañang itself—a job that was accredited only to journalists. Back then, Palace Communications Secretary Martin Andanar admitted that granting them this right was a way to acknowledge the massive support they had given to Duterte’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Today, after the Duterte administration, the attempt to authorize vloggers and bloggers to cover the happenings in Malacañang remains a matter to be potentially fulfilled. According to appointed press secretary Rose Beatrix Cruz-Angeles during a press briefing, this subject will receive prioritization from the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) under her watch.

For the opposition, this is an underhanded tactic to sway public opinion in favor of the present administration, and to undermine the journalists’ roles.Other than the prerequisite educational attainment, journalists are professionally obligated to follow a certain set of ethical and moral guidelines to only deliver the truth. Both of these are not a must for bloggers and vloggers.

Professor Danilo Arao from the Department of Journalism at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) commented on the topic, pointing out that several vloggers value leverage more than accuracy, possibly to garner larger revenues. He also raised concerns about transparency since not all of them disclose their backers to the public, which is unlike what reputable media organizations ought to do. This leads to a question of accountability and motives as they are also after monetizing their social media contents.

Social media personalities who are Filipino citizens, at least 18 years old and have at least 5,000 followers may be accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) under Department Order 15, approved in August 2017.

According to Angeles, this policy is currently being reviewed, with the review focusing on “both the following and the engagements” of bloggers and vloggers for accreditation.

With the turn of events, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent joke about the Philippines being a “republic of Marites”—Marites, a term commonly used to refer to gossipers or tsimosas—suddenly feels so real. While there is a set of requirements for social media personalities to be accredited by the PCOO, there is still imminent danger as these requirements can be easily bypassed. For instance, the number of followers may be increased by simply buying them. Furthermore, the fact that these people are not obliged to follow any white-collar guidelines makes them potential instruments meant to further weaponize the fake news industry.

On the other hand, one may argue that not all vloggers/bloggers are irresponsible. However, it is synonymous with false optimism to pin our hopes on the absurd 50-50 possibility of them being responsible or not. For the present administration of someone whose campaign was significantly tainted with deception, the chances of the vloggers/bloggers being allowed to cover the Palace happenings to be practicing journalistic principles will always be controversial.

Analysis from the earlier periods of the recently-ended election season shows two important data points regarding Marcos’ campaign: First, a lot of his supporters are under the age of 30-year old–voters who were not born to witness and experience the nationwide implementation of martial law and the numerous human rights violations, corruption, and the massive economic slowdown that came along with it. Second, a large piece of the distribution system of politically-motivated disinformation works in favor of Marcos Jr.—a fact evidenced by findings from VERA Files. For years, the Marcos family and their supporters have carefully propagated stories of stability and growth to cover the original Marcos era with its extrajudicial killings and rampant corruption–they have managed to turn what was once only disinformation into an immortal series of misinformation.

When incoming press secretary Angeles was asked if PCOO, under her leadership, will allow all journalists and media groups to cover presidential events, she gave the depressing answer that she will review existing policies if they are still suited to the times, as if journalists have already lost their ability to cater to the needs of the masses.

When the truth is buried by an endless cycle of propagandistic fiction, we are left with a moral bankruptcy—a country with a fraudulent existence and a population victimized by massive moral corruption. For decades, journalists have played the crucial role of upholding the truth and encouraging criticality in the mindset of the masses. For them to be replaced by random vloggers and bloggers who have no journalistic background whatsoever is a blatant insult to the spirit of the fourth estate and entirely a complete mockery of our country’s democracy.

OPINION

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The grandeur writes Aryana Taguba

Online Learning: Aim for your goal

The school system has been rocked by an extraordinary health crisis that has undermined its foundation. Given the current uncertainties, getting a more nuanced picture of students’ online learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical. In the midst of online learning, some students aspire for a good grade, while others aim to just keep up. Even though we definitely share the same goals, our equipment and tactics are sure to differ.

Manifesting our goal is not as simple as it appears; students are learning through a new educational system that strives to conclude the school year effectively. On the other hand, while certain goals are similar, a limited number of resources are insufficient for this online learning system. Everyone views the bright side and continues to pursue it, except for fixing the terrible side, which may damage one’s future path.

Picturing different students learning in the new system, there are some learning with complete equipment, most importantly a stable internet connection, while some lack resources and have nowhere else to learn as effectively as possible. As a student, it is apparent to me that the current learning system shows that our abilities are now dictated by resources, causing fractures in the path of our rights in education.

The greatest challenge in online education is linked to the learning environment, and technological literacy and

competency. After all, in the end, health is the number one priority right now, henceforth derailing us from the grievance that most third-world countries experience. Yes, education must continue, but in times like these, we need to rethink what’s best for us students. In the flow of the new learning system, how will the students maintain their health by the building blocks of activities blocking the aim to succeed in education? Is everyone suitable to be one of the successful students in the midst of online learning?

When will the unequal, unjust treatment in education that is underpinned by our socio-economic differences end?

Through this conflict, we are led to the unfortunate reality that others who are aiming for the same goals we students have are having a hard time achieving these due to a variety of difficult economic and health circumstances.

Allow me to convey the concept of online learning through the viewpoint of two different students: one living in a place conducive to self-learning and with parents having the capacity to buy needed technology, and another who’s resources are very limited due to financial difficulties.

Achieving the same goals by both of the students is indeed far from another because of their differing living conditions in the new method of learning. However, they are both living the sudden transition to online learning.

They are compelled to prioritize completing assignments on time instead of comprehension of their learnings. The

The marvelous nerd

The iridescent star

Emmanuel Miguel Gallardo

Staicy Aaliyah Panganiban

Shackled by the chains of patriarchy

‘Trick or Threat’: Election Edition

“I’m telling you a lie in a vicious effort that you will repeat my lie over and over until it becomes true.”

Even truths can be forgotten because of continuous lies. Trolls are everywhere.

They are spreading like a virus all over the net. Even stories from the past can be bent by false narratives from the past. It is not about what is true anymore, but rather what is believable. Last campaign season, both legitimate and fake accounts have been utilized on a vast scale to disseminate false or misleading information about presidential candidates, election problems, or the voting process itself. This is creating an environment in which many voters find it increasingly difficult to recognize what is true and what is not, which consequently makes it harder for them to make an educated decision regarding their choice of who to vote for.

The cycle of fake stories contributed to the widespread disinformation campaign aimed at whitewashing the Marcos era, resulted in what we have witnessed in the results of the election wherein Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. won the presidential race. The campaign presented the Marcos dictatorship as a “golden era” for the Philippines, along with all of its

other overly absurd claims, such as the country being the third richest in the entire world at the time. There are signs that these disinformation tactics are part of a long-term strategy to restore the Marcoses to power.

The number of new pro-Marcos pages began to rise in 2014. Disinformation campaigns accusing victims of having ties to the communist insurgency of the New People’s Army—an act more commonly known as “red-tagging” in the Philippines—have increased dramatically.

In the virtual world. when lies are told over and over again, they become the truth in the eyes of the masses. The internet is not only a source of information, it can also be a source of disinformation.

This is why fact-checking and critical reading comprehension skills are a must Disinformation is a direct attack on the news pieces we write. This gives us even more reason to encourage people to look for credible sources that are not biased. One’s evidence must be checked for trustworthiness and reliability. The recently ended elections are living evidence of how fake news negatively influences the decisions we make, and this can lead to tragic consequences. The public impact of disinformation is clearly

best form of engaged learning we can achieve is that online discussions can only offer the least amount of fairness. I believe that not all youth can be independent learners, and that is the reality everyone has to face.

The new system of learning is testing students’ resources and status as these factors are what largely impacts their academic performance. It is the first time in history that the education sector has opted to make a significant change in the way things are done, but the consequences are yet to disappear as we are still struggling to find solace and solution in this new normality. If this system continues, we are bound to repeat the merciless cycle of one generation learning with support and comfort while another generation suffers with great difficulty until they are ultimately deprived of their right to an education.

To aim for the goal, I believe we must fight a battle with fairness and strength to overcome these challenges given to us by time—if we unite with the similar aim to solve this educational crisis, then we are sure to find a good solution. The basis of reforming education into a fair and inclusive system can only be done by observing all the aspects of the learning system and comprehending the varying situations of us students; therefore, it is a fact that the change we need so that no student is left behind shouldn’t start tomorrow but today.

an attack on our concept of democracy as a human right.

Disinformation’s goal, especially during the polls, is not to persuade the public that its material is real but to confuse information in order to reduce the rationality factor in people’s voting decisions.

The battle against disinformation is a must as it threatens our democracy by potentially burying it with lies. The reason facts cease to exist is that many feign ignorance towards them—that is why this battle should be fought through education initiatives that teach internet users to check facts, recognize fake information and prevent its spread, and encourage public service journalism so that we may all operate and argue from the same set of genuine facts. To address the challenge that these campaigns offer to democracy, social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, or Twitter must be constrained by a new set of norms and standards that prevent them from benefiting from public harm and instead safeguard the public interest. Policymakers and politicians should begin by implementing new data rights safeguards, ensuring transparency in political advertising on digital platforms, and enacting hate speech regulations.

The Gender and Development (GAD) Club of Quirino High School published a video that aimed to give awareness of a sensitive and crucial matter--Violence Against Women (VAW). It dauntlessly showed the alarming violence and oppression that thousands of Filipino women have been experiencing in the Philippines--a country that is seemingly still being shackled by the chains of patriarchal culture even up to this day.

From the immersive portrayal of the student-actors to its well-executed production, the Gender and Development Club (GAD) has shown the QHS community the heart-wrenching reality that many Filipino women have been living through a culture of violence underpinned by millennia of misogyny and female oppression.

As a part of their effort to join the cause against VAW, the GAD Club of Quirino High School also takes mission and duty in the 18-Day Campaign to help free women from shackling chains of violence and repression in the society. Through this, the entire school community would have much more substantial and predominant knowledge regarding the issue that everyone should take an immediate action on.

According to Deputy Exec-

utive Director for Operations of the Philippine Commission on Women, Maria Kristine Josefina Balmes, a total of 13,923 cases of Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) were reported from March 15 to November 30.

She stated that 9,176 were cases against women and 4,747 were cases against children. Looking at these alarming and demoralizing numbers of victims, it is clear that women and children are the utmost targets of sexual oppression, and what is even more distressing is the fact that these numbers continue to rise and worsen at this time of the pandemic.

From the statement given by the progressive Filipino political party, GABRIELA, the search queries in the Philippines related to violence against women and children (VAWC) and sexual, physical, and psychological violence, rose by 63 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, this clearly concludes that correspondence is also devastatingly difficult on the side of the victims, as they are forced to communicate and clandestinely narrate their haunting experiences because of the lockdowns. Violence against Filipino women is now at an all-time high.

As the pandemic and economic crisis rage on, so does

the abuse and violence faced by every Filipino woman of all ages who are confined in their houses.

While the nation’s economy is beginning to rise and heal again due to the dwindling cases of the deadly Coronavirus, the fueling cases of violence against women is still on fire and it remains unnoticed by a large part of the society. During this time of pandemic when most people are working at home, it is disheartening for me to know that thousands of Filipino women are still not getting the barbed wire protection that they deserve and need.

It is such an eye-opening reality for all of us to witness that we are still living in a society where thousands of Filipino women are victimized by people who feign moral superiority and use it as a weapon to act with violence and cruelty. Knowing how massive the mental, physical, emotional, and sexual damage it continues to cause to thousands of women in this country, this concern requires urgent action. The fires of this formidable violence would not stop from burning every woman’s right and dignity if we don’t speak up to extinguish it.

8 PAGE

FE ATURES

QUIRINO HIGH SCHOOL: STEPPING UP INTO CHANGES

By Chelze Gallenero

Quirinians, are you wondering about the state of the Quirino High School campus after almost two years without our presence? What about your go-to hangout areas during break time or after class? Our interest in exploration can help us gain knowledge about the new things in our school and will serve as a reminiscing tool to recall the unforgettable moments we spent in it. QHS’ recent enhancements and newly constructed facilities are finally established and are ready to be presented to the school community!

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly two years ago, the Quirino High School campus has gone through a major shutdown. Looking back to the lives of Quirinians before the pandemic, it is an often scenario to see them spending their break time eating lunch or doing their assignments together with their friends inside the school’s iconic spots, such as Highway 54, the Dome, and the Covered Court.

Several improvements have been made around the campus to upgrade the site for the entire school community in preparation for the possibility of face-to-face classes, showcasing the contributions of all the organizations and personnel who helped build a better learning environment for us all. QHS gives us a variety of new stunning views for everyone to witness and interact with while keeping our notable clean and better-organized surroundings, all of which will contribute not only to our satisfaction and entertainment but also for us to know the essence of a safer and a more developed learning place for everyone.

As a means of showing support to the Department of Education’s annual Brigada Eskwela, the Embassy of Israel unveiled its hand washing facility project at QHS. The hand washing facility was constructed by the Embassy as a part of its contribution to providing simple access to water and adequate sanitation. QHS was stated to be the second high school recipient of this project. In addition, the Embassy also provided copy papers for the school’s printing needs.

Another new facility to take note of is the QHS Science and Technology Building. The Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Labs, the Research Center, and the New Science Faculty Center can be located in the Science building. This building will serve as an instrument that will encourage the students to attend school when face-to-face classes are permitted, especially for the Science Technology Engineering (STE) students. Not only does it open more opportunities for students willing to pursue paths related to Science, but it also opens more teaching mediums for the teachers.

3rd District Congressman Allan Reyes was one of the people behind the success of the newly built facilities, including the QHS Multi-Purpose Building, Quirino D’ Bistro, and study areas located in different parts of the school. Other than study areas, two Bahay Kubo can also be located near the dome. These enticing projects will result in a more comfortable learning and working environment for the whole school community.

Last April 30, students from the different clubs participated in the Mural Painting Contest for a cause in line with the Brigada Eskwela Program. This was a joint project of the School Governing Council (SGC), Faculty Club officers, and BE Team with the aid of the dynamic QHS Department heads and teachers, as well as principal Dr. Remedios Danao. These mesmerizing paintings can be seen at the Covered Court, which is the perfect background for your selfies and groupies!

Despite the pandemic, the QHS administration was still able to enhance its facilities with the aid of different people and various organizations. As the threat of Covid-19 decreases, the traditional face-to-face classes are now going through studies and being implemented in some parts of the country where alert levels have decreased and a number of vaccinated individuals, all of which are major phases of the government’s pilot testing. These projects aim to develop a better learning space for students as well as a better working place for our school’s teachers and non-teaching staff when this mode of learning is finally re-implemented. Now, after hearing all about the new things to see on the QHS campus, are you excited to go back and spend time with your peers at its newly developed remarkable spots?

SOCIALIZATION 101...AGAIN?

By Christine Joy Gare

We are all in the same shoes. For the past 2 years, all of us have been forced to be asocial, at least physically. As a result, people are now finding almost any face-to-face social engagement difficult, as if we need to relearn even the basic act of sitting in a room with different human beings alike us. For some, even dreaming has changed dramatically, with the recent trend of nightmares involving socializing.

In our two years of being quarantined because of the colossal hit of the pandemic, we experienced a variety of things and surely, not all of us liked how it turned out. Being at home with your emotionally distant family, getting physically and mentally abused by the people you trusted the most, having no one to talk or vent to when you’re at your lowest— these are just the examples of what some of us experienced.

Try recalling what happened the first time you went outside your house and talked to someone; Did you feel uncomfortable or extremely anxious? If you didn’t, then that’s great. But I’m sure that not everyone’s like you.

Feeling anxious when you’re just about to talk or to do anything out of your comfort zone—for instance, talking on stage, conversing with a lot of people, or doing something in public—this is what triggers the social anxiety of a fourth year high schooler, according to an anonymous interview. According to her, there are times when her hands would shake uncontrollably accompanied by trouble in breathing. Definitely, there are a lot of other symptoms enabled by the sad reality brought upon us by the pandemic—a lot of us were boxed away from society, giving birth to the immense fear of the act of socializing.

Stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released by the body that causes our anxiousness. Anxiety can be brought on by a mental or physical illness, medicine side effects, stressful life events, or a combination of these factors. Generally, there are different anxiety disorders that we know of, and one of these is Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia). People who have this avoid social occasions due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, and being concerned regarding what people might say to them. This disorder’s symptoms aren’t limited to the mental capacity of a person—feeling nervous, panicking, trembling, and sweating are some of the physically visible signs of social anxiety.

A person’s comfort zone is a behavioral state in which they work in a stress-free environment—therefore, they are able to do things without the fear of being judged. But staying in one’s comfort zone is tantamount to no incentive whatsoever as they are unable to achieve new levels of performance. People go about their daily routines without taking any risks, causing their advancement to stagnate. So, we have to realize that we have to step outside to progress.

In today’s society, anxiety is normal. However, when a person constantly feels this high degree of anxiety, chances are, it’ll turn into a worse disorder. If it reaches this point, the best choice is to check with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or another mental health specialist to get diagnosed. For this treatment, we have psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and other medications.

It’s not new that many of us are feeling socially ‘rusty’. What you feel is valid and normal.

Even if we have to steel ourselves these days just to pick up the phone, awkwardly give a hug, work out in the gym for physical fitness, or to accept a friend’s invitation to meet up, it will surely slowly help us get rid of our social anxiety. We have to always remember the social resilience on display in pockets around the world. Remember, the effects of the pandemic are not lifelong—the world will eventually be able to revive its social circle back.

A teacherholds a placard calling for salary upgrade during a rally on the day of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s first Satate of the Nation Address (SONA).

Photo by QCPSTA Facebook account.

FE ATURES

“To put my skills into use, I used my brain to earn money.”

The emotive concept of academic Bayanihan

By Prince Luke Cerdenia

Simply write the hashtags #WritingCommission, #AcademicCommission, #AcademicService, #EssayCommission, and the such---you will be able to browse a plethora of offers on Twitter. This quick scan shows students promoting their services through a variety of witty graphics attached with varying prices. The tasks that most of these services cover can vary from answering exams, writing essays, even up to the point of doing one’s thesis.

Basically, the typical day-to-day kopyahan scenarios in the average Filipino classroom has widely evolved itself into what we now know as academic commissions, all with the great help of social media.

The primary reason most do commissions is for the sake of earning. The way that this function works, after all, can turn a cash varying from hundreds to thousands into the foundation of someone’s academic survival. In this age, most teenagers have their own wants that, of course, cannot always be granted by their parents.

It is a reality as well that there are minors, or otherwise those in their 18s-20s who are unable to get a job but are in desperate need of one due to their family’s financial constraints.

This is where the top-most reason for academic commission

SG 15 FOR TEACHERS? DASURV!

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starts---while it is a fact that those who avail it have their own academic gains, those who offer it earn as well. It is a win-win situation.

According to Professor Jayeel Cornelio, director of Ateneo de Manila University’s development studies program, the industry of academic commissions is nothing new and its existence can be traced back to the 1980s.

“The reality is that this is not a new industry, if we could call it that. Such services have been common for some time already – just ask those who went to college in the 1980s and 1990s.

Recto was known for such trades, for example,” Cornelio said.

Through the nationwide implementation of distance learning for basic education students and flexible learning for college students, it is undeniable that preventing the students from engaging in services such as academic commissions is next to impossible due to the fact that they are tasked to do their class workload away from their teachers.

Contrary to what others may have been thinking, the cycle of academic commissions is not the result of social media alone.

The space that social media has established merely serves as an instrument to further widen the scope that these academic commissions can cover. The normalization of this form of academic dishonesty can be given credit to one crucial factor---in the current learning system, engaged learning is too narrow and submission of outputs is more prioritized. Due to this, the existence of those who desperately rely on academic commissions is being enabled.

Surely, before the boom of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, academic commissions were at a minimum.

It only grew at an exponential rate as an effect of widespread modernization where almost every Filipino student owns their own cell phone---more so because of the fact that these tiny devices are now the primary tools to gain education.

Philippine Business Education (PBEd) executive director Love Basillote said that “academic integrity is a challenge in remote learning.” Furthermore, she added that this could be solved through investments in digital education since assessment technologies are “improving every day.” She also emphasized the need to finally have a safe return of students to school.

Considering that this is nothing new, it is safe to say that the government hasn’t been able to put in place mechanisms to prevent it from surviving in the country’s educational framework. Although the genuinity of these services can vary from one opinion to another, it is a fact that this culture is still prohibited in our schools. For all we know, whether this concept of academic Bayanihan is good or not is not as simple as a “carbonara or spaghetti?” question.

By Chelze Gallenero

After six losing streaks playing Mobile Legends (ML), I decided to take a break and open my Facebook (FB) app. As usual, I saw various memes and cat videos while scrolling. Minutes after surfing, I saw teachers attend the State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2022 rally with their placards calling for a higher salary grade for themselves.

During face-to-face and online classes, I noticed that teaching is not the only job teachers do. So, I closed my Facebook app and opened my Google app to search for the average salaries of these jobs.

Guidance Counselor (P22,719/month). Way back in my Grade 5 days, I participated in lots of organizations, but I was just a member back then. In Grade 6, these organizations offered me high positions, but I have three clubs, so I can’t manage to take all the opportunities. My friend told me that I should attend this. The other suggested I take part in that. This and that and that and this. I can't decide, so I seek help from my closest teacher in Grade 5. She told me that I should join a club that matches my hobbies and interests. She also told me that I shouldn’t be stressed.

"Piliin mo 'yung club na talagang magbebenefit sa'yo at 'yung sa tingin mo na marami kang matututunan doon." These are the exact words she told me that day.

I am very thankful to her because, until now, I always made the right decision in choosing organizations that I should join.

Nurse (P27,552/month). This was one of the most embarrassing moments of my whole existence. It happened when I was in Grade 6. We are practicing for the graduation ceremony. Honor students, including me, marched individually, not like regular students who marched by their sections. I was so nervous at that time because my crush was staring at me. When it was my turn to march, I walked with full confidence, though I was shaking slightly. I almost reached my chair, but unfortunately, I tripped on the wire of the speaker, so I stumbled. I had a huge scratch on my knee and elbow. My adviser quickly responded and asked my classmates to help me go back to our classroom. She cleaned my wound and applied bandages to it. She told me that I should be careful next time and pay attention to where I was walking.

Nutritionist (P23,089/month). My friend has this habit of buying soft drinks or juices during break time rather than eating a meal. I told my adviser about that because my friend wasn't listening to me. The next day, before the lesson, our adviser discussed the dangers of not eating a proper meal during break time. She told us that we might pass out because our stomachs were empty. We may also develop Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) as a result of drinking too many

soft drinks and juices. She added that there will be other serious health conditions we might get if we continue that bad habit. My friend realized what our adviser told us. From that day on, my friend started to eat food during our break time, and she also avoided drinking soft drinks and juices. Instead, she drank water after eating.

Carpenter (P23,089/month). Can a teacher do the job of a carpenter? Why not? I have this teacher who fixes broken chairs in our school. If our chair is broken, we will bring it to him and he will fix it on the same day. I remember my other teacher who created a bulletin board in our classroom. She created it so we could put in the attendance and the names of cleaners per day.

Interior Designer (P6,626/month). My adviser told me that our classroom is so plain. She suggested that we make some changes in our classroom, like putting up cute decorations. There was a practice teacher at that time in our section. She heard about what we were talking about and she immediately volunteered to help us. She put different decorations in our classroom, such as plastic flowers, bulletin boards where we can express our feelings before dismissal time, quotes of the day, members of each group, and names of outstanding pupils. I also remember the teachers who designed the school stage and covered court for events or contests in our school.

Maintenance (P12,019/month). The paint on our classroom wall was flaky. Our teacher noticed that, too, so she painted our walls with the help of us students and our parents. There was also a problem in the canteen with its sink. My teacher in Technology Livelihood Education (TLE) helped to fix the sink because he had experience working as a plumber when he was young.

Photographer (P71,515/month). At every event in our school, teacher photographers are always present!

I am pretty sure that you know at least one teacher who always brings their cameras when there is a special event in our school. It was the graduation of Grade 6 students in our school. I reminisce about my favorite

teacher in our school, who loves to take pictures. He took pictures of his students on the stage. He told us that it would serve as his remembrance, so that he could never forget about us.

Video Editor (P31,841/month). Teachers can be techy too.

Since we shifted from traditional face-to-face classes to online classes, videos are one of the learning materials that my teachers use to teach us. They edit their own video lessons, and we'll watch them when we have no online classes. They really put their efforts into editing their video lessons, so we can still learn even though we are in asynchronous classes.

Virtual Assistant/Clerk (P27,524/month) Teachers assigned to the registrar's office perform functions similar to those of virtual assistants and clerks. They handle the documents and forms of each student. Other teachers working in the principal's office also take part in answering telephone calls and emails. We can also ask for their help in setting an appointment with the principal.

Agriculturist (P23,634/month) My Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) adviser has a love for planting and taking care of plants in trees in our school. Aside from that, Quirino High School (QHS) launched its own Gulayan sa Paaralan last June. This will be a huge help for the whole school community to have a nutritious vegetable garden.

Shopkeeper (P13,646/month) Let's all admit that we have encountered some grumpy school canteen/co-op sellers. Have you ever gotten candy as a change? In our school canteen/co-op, teachers have taken part in selling. I also have this teacher in elementary who helps cook food in the canteen like soup, boiled eggs and bananas, and hotdogs.

An entry-level teacher (Teacher 1) currently earns salary grade 11 (SG 11) or (P25,439/month).These are the following lawmakers who filed the bill for a salary increase for teachers.

France Castro, ACT Partylist Representative, SG 11 to SG 15 for Teacher 1. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, SG 11 to SG 13 for Teacher 1. Sen. Loren Legarda, SG 11 to SG 15 for Teacher 1.

Teachers truly deserve the increase in their salary because they can do other jobs than teaching. They are all-rounders!

I really appreciate their hard work and dedication in building and shaping the future leaders in our country, the youth.

Salary increase for teachers? Truly dasurv!

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SPY X FAMILY: SIMULATING THE IDEAL FAMILY

By Henrich Mellijor

https://www. cheatsheet. com/entertainment/ spy-x-familypart-2-hitsnetflix-october2022-not-us. html/

https://tryhardguides.com/spy-x-family-anime-and-manga-differences/

https://www.justjared.com/photo-gallery/4759848/taylor-swift-nyu-graduation-speech-08/

A huge portion of the youth population have been engrossed by anime shows. We have Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia—or if you prefer older, more traditional ones, then we also have Naruto, Bleach, or One Piece. However, for all anime enthusiasts, whether you prefer the newer ones or the older ones, it’s not surprising if you’ve heard of the anime Spy x Family or if you’ve seen the Anya memes that have been flooding social media.

Written and illustrated by Tatsuya Endo, Spy x Family is a manga series that follows the story of a spy codenamed "Twilight" as he attempts to get closer to his target through a series of unusual tactics—with the inclusion of adopting a child so that this child can enter a prestigious academy with deep roots to Twilight’s target. As of recently, Studio Wit released the anime adaptation of the series—with its 10th episode released 6 days ago. Despite being early on its run, it has already secured its place among the 2022 best anime series.

Many families today struggle with the fact that it lacks a father or a mother–be it from divorce or loss. There’s also the constantly enlarging gap between children and their guardians, creating the impression of a divided family. It is a sad reality that many families nowadays are far from ideal—even worse, far from satisfactory. Perhaps, this is one of the factors why a mere anime series managed to touch a lot of people’s hearts.

Spy x Family is refreshing due to the fact that its plot is centered on family values between guardian/s and child/ ren—something rare in today's entertainment industry as most shows opt for an action-packed series. It prioritizes on giving enough time to its characters for them to be introduced to viewers, and even more time for them to slowly develop through their interactions with other characters in the story. By this, it shows how the ideal concept of family is one that is able to influence its members in a positive light, rather than simply being something that binds people to a single household.

The story highlights the struggle of a fake family trying to adjust to each member and through a chain of wacky shenanigans, their made-up facade of a real family slowly binds them into a genuine one. What's unusual about this makeshift family is that all of its members hide a deep, unorthodox secret unbeknownst to each other. Loid Forger, the father, is a spy while Yor Forger, the mother, is an assassin–both occupations unknown to the other. Their daughter, Anya Forger, is an esper. Basically, they are a family made for the sole purpose of being taken advantage of for Loid's mission and Yor’s job.

Though full of secrets, each member of the Forger family clearly attempts to show love and care to each other, meet their expectations, and develop according to their experiences together—they have grown attached to each other. This is an opposite of today where expectations from relatives aren't expressed well, consequently preventing the desire to improve. It is also a typical scenario in Filipino households where “expectations” convey pressure instead of motivation.

Spy x Family shatters the present’s concept of “care” that is commonly given simply out of obligation and tradition, not from the heart.

Anyone estranged from their families will surely think of the same thing upon watching the show, "I wish it was like that." It feels strange knowing that a fake family inside a fictional world is able to show a better demonstration of a good family than real-life ones. Though the setting is bizarre, can anyone really deny that the show hits a bit too close to home? Surely not. After all, just as they say, "Bond is stronger than blood" – and unfortunately, families today don't have enough of that bond.

Many households today lack the bond usually associated with a family as if a decade's worth of laid back parenting had come to bring karma. A majority of teens do not see the need to inform their parents anything about their life or problems, usually trusting their peers instead with advice and comfort as they are less judgemental—a generation raised by itself. But Spy x Family shows what a modern family could be – except the many secrets that are hidden, which obviously are for plot purposes. It welcomes you with open arms, and they take it upon themselves to earn each other's praise. And there's no family better than one that improves through experiences together for the sake of catering to each other’s wants and needs that is done genuinely from the heart.

TAYLORing Success isn’t SWIFT at all

By Emmanuel Miguel Gallardo

Taylor Swift received an honorary doctorate from New York University and delivered the commencement address to the graduating class of 2022 on May 18. Photo

by JUST JARED.

In life, being a hardworking person is never effective in earning success if you are not consistent with the process. Let’s say for example, you are an online seller who’s just starting a business and is new to the field. You are well prepared, your products are going strong, and your ratings are mostly satisfactory. But the moment your customers start to dwindle in size due to your other competitors’ “much better” products, you begin to lose interest and your incompetence in business eats up your will.

Just like being new to online selling, being new to the music industry and finding ways to score success in a competitive media requires a great deal of consistency and work ethic.

Speaking of these, Taylor Alison Swift, widely known as Taylor Swift, has already proved to the world, in over fifteen years in the music business, what being consistent really means and how work ethic plays a crucial part in everyone’s career, life, and work path.

From her hit singles Love Story, You Belong With Me, and Shake It Off, the 32-year old American singer-songwriter began conquering the world of music as a small-town country artist. Now, she is one of the most accomplished women of our time and her work extends far beyond her country music roots. But over the course of her journey as a songwriter, Swift had to overcome so many battles in her life where she stood up and proved that she is truly consistent with her craft. One of the adversaries she had to face was the

time where her control over her first six studio albums was taken away from her.

In 2005, Swift signed to Big Machine Records to pursue her career as a young country singer. According to Times Magazine, her contract to the label expired in 2018 but not before she took prime and hit success in pop radio with hits like Love Story and managed to break records with sold out stadium tours with Reputation amidst six studio albums.

After her contract expired, Swift moved to Universal’s Republic Records. As is customary of many recording deals, Big Machine owns the masters, or original recordings, of her first six studio albums. Swift made sure to protect her ownership over her future masters in her new contract. Changing labels, carving out more agency, and altering contract terms are all the measures that a successful artist must take. While people change, the contracts that govern them change as well.

When Big Machine was sold to private-equity firm Ithaca Holdings, which is owned by music manager Scooter Braun, Swift’s behind-thescenes tactics became the front-page news. In 2019, he reportedly sold her masters to another company, Shamrock Holdings, for $300 million. On a business level, Braun’s decision was soundly strategic; Swift’s masters profit from every song streamed or purchased. She publicly trashed the sale and promised to re-record the original six albums–this time owning the rights to them.

In an interview with Seth Myers

in November 2021, Swift said “When something says in parentheses (Taylor’s Version) next to it, that means I own it.” Recently, Swift was in the process of re-recording her older albums one through six. After her two albums Folklore and Evermore, which were released in the middle of the pandemic, she released her first re-recorded version of her award winning album Fearless as Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April of 2021 and with Red (Taylor’s Version) in November.

Despite the dramas and the musical battles that she went through, which nearly made her lose her career, she continued crafting music and exploring her talent while staying true to herself and keeping her stamina strong to be able to perform on a stage again and prove to the world that she deserves to be “up” there. That’s consistency right there.

For Swift, being a full-time musician isn’t always about earning success. It’s about the steps that she has walked through to earn that success and how she has organically grown in a male-dominated business despite the pressure that comes with it.

Regardless of all the fame and the blinding lights that flicker through Swift’s success, she remains professional in handling her balanced life and remains down to earth to others. Her optimistic approach towards life, her genius strategies as a business woman, and her hundreds of award-winning break-up songs offer a variety of lessons that we can use as a catalyst into crafting success, too – consistency and work ethic.

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Viva La Women

By Henrich Mellijor

They could be your mother, your sister, your aunt, or your grandmother—all of these can only be filled by a woman.

These are unique roles in society that will and have only been filled by women since time immemorial, allowing civilization to advance and prosper. And seeing as tomorrow will be the commemoration of the International Women's Day, it is definitely fitting to give tribute and look into the lives of Filipino women who either made a name for themselves by being exceptional in their respective fields or had broken their respective molds based on the standards pushed onto them.

In the field of Filipino politics ever so dominated by men, a woman pushing to be the leader of the country remained an unheard concept until Corazon Aquino became President after the fall of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. And now, as the Presidential Elections near, a brave woman enters the fray--Vice President Leni Robredo, who is now running for the top position of President. Aside from the political statements, is that not a great achievement for Filipino women?

To have a representative butting heads with other candidates for a seat used to a man sitting on it? Her career is certainly

something to look forward to, a major step towards ending the normalcy of sexism in the country.

Another one of the remarkable female politicians in the country is the late Miriam Defensor Santiago, who was even dubbed as the "Iron Lady of Asia". She was a long-serving Senator of the Republic of the Philippines and an elected judge of the International Criminal Court. Her academic excellence pushed her to achieve degrees in Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude; Bachelor of Law, cum laude, from the University of the Philippines. Her professional career is also filled with a plethora of achievements in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. She is the sole female laureate of the Philippines' highest national honor, the Quezon Service Cross.

She also earned the Magsaysay Award for Government Service, known as the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize. A woman whose contributions to this nation earned her a spot among the most notable figures in Philippine history, a symbol which signifies the strength of the Filipino women.

Away from politics and into international entertainment, we also have sportswoman Hidilyn Diaz and model Catriona Gray both earning the honor of a Gold Olympic Medal and the title of Miss

Formula of Success: At His Own Pace

By Heidi Cortejo

Life can sometimes give us something that seems too good to be true. There comes to a point where we start to wonder, “Am I worthy of this?”

Born on June 14, 2004 in Quezon City was a 170cm tall boy with silky jet black hair, tan complexion, and gleaming dark eyes that are covered under his black rectangular glasses.

Rhoudge O. Gundran is one of the most exceptional students under Quirino High School’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program. His passion for science and mathematics is so great that it has turned into a hobby of his to frequently do scientific study and hone his mathematical equation-solving abilities.

Those sleepless nights defending their research, simultaneously solving mathematical problems, writing an essay paper, and still having to deal with personal problems—all of which were experienced by Rhoudge— were not taken for granted. His perseverance and dedication to bringing out the best in himself were greatly rewarded when he was named the Quirino High School class of 2021–2022, Senior High Valedictorian.

Back then, Rhoudge was an average elementary student who didn't join contests and other extracurricular activities.

He used to be one of those relaxed and chill pupils. His father who was a policeman influenced him to take the same path, it was his childhood dream. He usually spends his free time doing recreational activities outdoors such as playing basketball, billiards, and badminton.

When he started Junior High, that’s when he saw his potential and capabilities to excel academically. He became active, joining different school clubs here and there, competing in school-based and national competitions, acing his grades and ranking first in every subject. It was a quick change in phase as he was motivated by his competitive learning environment.

Rhoudge tries to find a calm and comfortable place to study, especially when he experienced online learning due to the pandemic. He said that by reminding himself what he is studying for, finding motivation and setting a goal is the key to his learning success.

“If this achievement was really meant for you, then God will give it to you. If not, then a bigger plan was already reserved for you." These were the words of his 9th grade mathematics teacher and class adviser, Mr. Noly Cabañero, when he competed in a School-based Rubik’s Cube Competition. He was determined to win the first place, but sadly, he only won 2nd place.

Mr. Noly made a big influence on Rhoudge's journey, especially in choosing his career path which is to take STEM in Senior High. He is now set to take a Bachelor of Science and Mathematics in the University of the Philippines (UP).

It didn’t sink in at first when he got the news that he’s the school’s valedictorian because he didn’t recognize the hardships he went through as something to be that highly appreciated.

He thought to himself that Quirino High School’s famous tagline, “This is the home of excellence and leadership”, was proved when he finally realized how far he’s become.

As he said, listening to your teachers can bring out the best in you. They can unleash what you’re immensely capable of, and will hone your professional life for your future. Grades do matter so take your studies seriously as it is one of the best practical and possible ways to give importance to education.

Universe, respectively. For a sports industry as paltry as ours, a woman earning the first Gold medal in the Filipino history shatters the people’s old expectations of the capabilities of women. And winning the title of Miss Universe is no easy feat as well. In a competition of beauty and intellect, it is definitely monumental to come out at top.

Women can do anything if they put their mind and efforts into it, there's no reason to be submissive to an abusive system. These women are walking testaments to what a woman can do in a world believed to be for men. The historic and social character of women shows they’ve always been one of the pillars of societal prosperity. It’s time we all become catalysts of change so that society would finally acknowledge that there should be no power imbalance on the basis of gender–we must give equal opportunities to women for society to progress. The achievements of women in the fields long dominated by men is an emblem of strength and change, and we must not undermine this.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NEWS

QHS PLANS TO OFFER STE PROGRAM IN SY 2022-2023 “It is in the light that a more fitting program is needed to offer support and more opportunities for learners to successfully develop their potential,” Mr. Martin said.

STE is a special curriculum created under the division memorandum no.77,2022 in adherence to DO no.55, s. 2010(Policies and Guidelines on Strengthening Science and Mathematics Education in the Secondary Level) and DO no.57, s. 2011(Policies and Guidelines in the implementation of the Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project, starting February 14.

18 schools in Quezon City provide this program but only one in the Congressional District 3.

“Students who enter the program will be trained on how to do scientific research which they will use during their college education. Furthermore, they will become scientific-minded and will enjoy the camaraderie of other students during their research activities,” Mrs. Rhodita Rivera, coordinator of STE stated.

QHS aims to admit 40 successful students as their quota after 3 batches of applications.

QHS bags awards from District, Division STF

By Chelze Gallenero

Quirino High School won awards in each category during the District and Division Science and Technology Fair.

District Level same theme as the District Level. 12 schools all over Quezon City Jamilla Paris, Andrea Lorenzana, Kyle Montenegro, Drew were part of the event.

Santiago, Ellaine Yadao, Jewel Lopez, Kim Marciano, Evan EscanAccording to Research Club Adviser Jennifer Taguchi, the dor, and Pinkie Azucenas, who are all from Grade 9 Azcarraga, whole Science Department was the driving force behind the sucwon 1st place in the Likha Project Proposal Team Category. Liam cess of the District and Division Science Fairs.

Muñoz from Grade 10 Rizal won in the Individual Category.

“Masaya ako, kasi in despite na ganito yung situation, naArchie Atienza, Jahred Notario, Patrick Ramirez, Heun Samus, kakasali pa rin tayo sa mga ganitong technology fair na alam Rina Natividad, Joseph Bunuan, and Ashley Roadilla from nating hindi common at hindi gano’n kadali gawin,” she said.

Makadiyos won third place in Siyensikula, while Ashley Roadilla [I am happy because, despite this situation, we can still parwon second place in the Sci-Tok Experiment Individual Category. ticipate in technology fairs that we know are not common and The event was held last June 8, 2022, with the theme “Ex- not that easy.] panding the Horizon: Futures of STEM.” Seven schools from Dis“I-tetake note natin ‘yung positive attitude, positive culture trict III joined in the said event. na i-aapply natin sa susunod pang mga laban at sa mga susuThe Likha Project Proposal Team, Individual Category, and nod pang student contestants,” she added. the Sci-Tok Experiment also participated in the Division Level.

[Let us take note of the positive attitude and positive culture that we will apply to the next competitions and to the next stuDivision Level dent contestants].

In the Division Level, Likha Project Proposal Team Category Both district and division levels were held virtually through won 3rd place; the Individual Category contestant won 4th place. Google Meet.

The Division Level was held last June 16, 2022, with the

QHS conducts school based research congress

By Liam Matthew Munoz To encourage its students to do their own research and to emphasize its importance in our daily lives, the Quirino High School - Science Department held the school based research congress, June 24, 2022 via google meet.

“The main goal of this research congress is to entice more students to conduct research so that they will know the importance and beauty of research in our everyday lives. They will also enhance their skills not only in academic writing but in decision making. It will be helpful to them because they will use it in senior highschool and when getting a masters degree and a doctorate degree,” Ms. Jennifer Taguchi, the Research Club Adviser said.

The said event also prioritized giving benefits to the participants for their future academic lives in Senior High School and in College.

There were four group participants in the research congress with their respective presentations and approaches. The judges of the contest were Mrs. Eden Torre, Mrs. Amalia Belon, and Mrs. Marisol Mabaza.

The Program The program started with an opening prayer followed by welcoming remarks. After that, an inspirational message from the principal of QHS Dr. Remedios P. Danao Subsequent to the introduction of judges are the presentation and evaluation of the research paper the participants created.

A research forum hosted by Ralph Lauren M. Alomia, Master of Science degree, assistant professor at Institute of Chemistry in University of The Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) was also presented during the event.

The Awarding After that, the awarding of certificates was given to the participants. Most Environmentally Friendly was won by Liam Muñoz, Joseph Benedict Baylon, and John Peter Quieta. Most innovative and Best Research paper was given to Jamilla Pariz, Kyle Luigie, and Andrea Lorenzana.

Best Oral presentation was awarded to Alyana Bandiala, Mark Gapud, and Edlyn Rendon. Most cost effective was given to Chelze Gallenero, King Rafol, and Sophia Alvarez

Benefits of the New Typhoon Signal

By Liam Munoz Every year, the Philippines experiences at least 20 typhoons which result in the destruction of crops, habitats, and even loss of human lives. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) built a classification of tropical cyclones to ensure the safety of the people and to promote preparedness for such tragically fearful disasters.

The Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) System is created to differentiate and collect accurate data about the different types of tropical cyclones based on their wind speed. It has five wind signals, varying from weakest to strongest, and it also estimates the damage that each wind signal can cause to the environment.

DOST-PAGASA revised its classification of tropical cyclones on March 23, 2022.

According to their latest guidelines, tropical cyclones with maximum wind speed exceeding 185 kph will be identified as super typhoons compared to the old classification which is 220 kph.

Furthermore, a tropical cyclone with a wind speed of 118 kph to 184 kph will now be known as a typhoon in contrast to the old classification which is 118kph to 220 kph. The identification of tropical depression (wind speed of less than 62 kph), tropical storm (wind speed of 62-87 kph), and severe tropical storm (wind speed of 88-117 kph) remain the same.

“The changes are based on the adoption of best practices from other [tropical cyclone] warning centers and regionally accepted operational standards, developments in objective guidance for [tropical cyclone] wind swaths, operational experiences and challenges encountered by typhoon forecasters, and feedback from end-users and stakeholders,” Vicente Malano said in a press statement on the PAGASA website.

These changes are intended to provide even greater protection for people, particularly students. Students are once again more vulnerable to the harsh effects of typhoons due to the impending probable full return of the old style of learning, face-to-face learning.

These changes will cater to the needs of the students’ safety so that they can be much safer and accidents can be prevented. More so, officials can make clearer judgments of situations where varying levels of rainfalls are involved, which can positively affect the entire population.

https://rilhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/PSWS-Final-Eng-1024x622.png

These changes is adopted by the DOST-PAGASA as a solution due to the following major reasons: 1. Damage assessment revealed that the resulting impacts on the ground of meteorological conditions commonly associated with the Wind Signal Nos. 4 and 5 of the old TCWS system are indistinguishable from each other.

2. Wind Signal No. 2 in the old TCWS System spans a wide range of wind speeds thus, it means that its coverage will have a wide range of impact severity. This is rather inefficient for warning purposes because in the old system, Wind Signal No.2 will be the highest level of warning that can be issued for both Tropical Storm (TS) and Severe Tropical Storm (STS) categories despite the increased severity of tropical cyclone winds when upgrading from TS to STS. Source: DOST-PAGASA MODIFIES TROPICAL CYCLONE WIND SIGNAL (TCWS) SYSTEM Press Release on March 23, 2022. https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/press-release/108

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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Monkeypox: A new crisis?

By Liam Munoz As the world continues to recuperate from the damage that COVID-19 has caused, a new disease has emerged that some people think of as the second coming of a pandemic. It is a disease that is similar to smallpox, and the first recorded case was in Africa.

In the Philippines, the first confirmed monkeypox case is a 31-year-old Filipino national who arrived from abroad last July 19. Contact tracing is still on going .

Monkeypox is a rare disease that was first discovered in 1958 in a colony of monkeys. It is transmissible from infected animals, humans, or materials primarily through direct contact. The virus can also spread through intimate contact and breathing in or directly contacting infected respiratory droplets.

The early symptoms of the virus are fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. The main difference between the virus and smallpox is that monkeypox causes the lymph nodes to swell while smallpox doesn’t.

The incubation period of the virus can be anywhere between 5-21 days when exposed to the virus. The first case of monkeypox in humans was in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo after smallpox was eradicated in 1968.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), many animal species have been identified that are capable of harboring the monkeypox virus. This includes rope squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, non-human primates, and other species. The natural history of the monkeypox virus is still unknown, and more research is needed to pinpoint the source(s) and how the virus's circulation is maintained in nature. This is a factor.

The Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) stated that, "As of now, there is no specific treatment for the monkeypox virus infections, but there are antivirals developed like Tecovirimat (approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration) to combat smallpox which show beneficial results for patients."

The Department of Health (DOH) was informed beforehand by the Bureau of Quarantine regarding the monkeypox, which is why they are planning to implement the four-door strategy to prevent the entry of the monkeypox into the country: Door 1 (Prevention), Door 2 (Detect), Door 3 (Isolate), and Door 4 (Treat and restore).

Whenever a person shows symptoms of any kind of virus-like monkeypox and COVID, isolating or consulting medical experts helps lessen the spread of the virus. In addition to that, following safety protocols and maintaining social distance is effective in preventing infection. As experts say, prevention is always better than a solution.

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Signs and Symptoms of Monkeypox according to World Health Organization: - fever - intense headache - lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph nodes) - back pain - myalgia (muscle aches) - intense lack of energy - skin eruption (1-3 days of appearance of feaver)

Emerging Threat

WINNING ARTICLE FROM SCHOOL BASED PRESS CON

By John Lloyd Dela Cruz Can you still fight against another pandemic? While there are still threats from the Omicron Variant, an addition to the plate has emerged—its sublineage, Omicron-BA.2.12.1.

Although its possibility of causing even more mutations is still unknown since the World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to consider it a matter of concern, initial testing of its mutation suggests that it will be significantly

alarming to our society.

The immense dangers from viruses like the one we are facing is its potential to mutate and to cause even worse symptoms, just like what’s happening to the infamous Omicron Variant.

Scientists initially gave recognition to Omicron due to its complex combination of more or less 50 mutations, with some even carried by earlier variants like Alpha and Beta.

These mutations pose the risk

of enabling a coronavirus to spread at a much faster pace.

The subvariant BA.2.12.1 arrived in the Philippines last April 22, 2022, after it was carried by a 52-year old Finnish female who arrived from Finland. According to the records, she felt the regular symptoms known from Covid-19, recovered, and was discharged.

“Now that we have local transmission of Omicron BA.2.12.1, we must act fast.

We are asking our health facilities and local government units to actively look for cases,” DOH Spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated, putting emphasis on the need to immediately contain the spread of the dominant variant.

As of present, the Department of Health and several concerned local government units have been conducting response operations in the name of combatting the fur-

ther spread of Covid-19 while continuing to encourage the public to apply the ways of protecting themselves against the threat of the pandemic.

“We are in a better position now to fight back against Covid-19. The DOH, through its Centers for Health Development and the LGUs, is now priming laboratory networks, temporary treatment and monitoring facilities, clinics, and hospitals to be ready,” Secretary of Health, Dr. Fran-

cisco T. Duque III stated.

With this new menace in the lives of everyone, especially the poor households, a challenge has once again been conferred. To battle it requires the collective undertaking of all of us and a total control on every factor—and this is the only way to put a stop to this emerging threat.

Lucky Me! PC: Study Buddy No More?!

By Liam Munoz When students do homework in groups, it is a common joke to say that Pancit Canton will be their "ambag" (contribution). Besides students, other people also prefer them to be their "merienda" (snacks). But with the recent news about the famous staple snack, students may have to find the same cheap alternative to it.

The soft and delicious Lucky Me! Pancit Canton products have been called out by European countries (Ireland, Malta, and France) and Taiwan because of the alleged presence of high levels of ethylene oxide. The food and safety administration of Ireland announced the food alert on July 6. It included a batch of Lucky Me! Pancit Canton Original Flavor.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Philippines, "Ethylene oxide is a processing aid used to disinfect herbs and spices. In order to ensure that public health is protected, the use of ethylene oxide for sterilization purposes in food is not allowed in the European Union (EU)."

"However, there can still be traces of the ingredients or raw materials. Hence, the EU set a maximum residue level at a very low level based on the type of commodity, "they added.

Lucky Me! Pancit Canton is an undeniably popular product in the Philippines, especially among students. Even its

https://negosyante. org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/04/ Pancit-Canton-2.jpg

manufacturer is aware of this, particularly with the line "Lucky Me! Pancit Canton: Minsan Pancit Canton, madalas study buddy" taken from one of its advertisements. Parents and teachers alike often warn even prior to the issue that eating Pancit Canton isn’t healthy. However, some of us simply cannot help it. Students love to eat Pancit Canton, especially when they are doing homework.

Doubts arose from the consumers due to the possible danger the food product might pose to their bodies. However, the controversy was immediately addressed with a statement from the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"All flavor variants of locally manufactured Lucky Me! Instant Noodle, namely Pancit Canton Regular, Pancit Canton Extra Hot Chili, Pancit Canton Chilimansi, and Instant Mami Beef Regular, including Pancit Canton Kalamansi pass the standard for ethylene oxide and are safe for consumption," FDA said in their statement.

Lucky Me! Pancit Canton will always have a place in our childhood; some will even have it in the late phases of their lives. We eat it whenever we crave it, and sometimes it gives us a walk down memory lane, but too much is never good. We can only hope now that the Filipinos’ favorite food will have its issue completely resolved with the FDA’s thorough investigation.

14 PAGE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ON CLIMATE CHANGE

THE GRAVITY OF REVERBERATED IGNORANCE

By Prince Luke Cerdenia

The unjust arrest of NASA Scientist Peter Kalmus and three other protesters last April ignited the loud calls in the vast platforms of social media for #LetTheEarthBreathe and #LetTheScientistsBeHeard. During a protest, Kalmus was imploring the people to listen to the dire warnings of climate change experts. He said, “I’m here because scientists are not being listened to. I’m willing to take a risk for this gorgeous planet.”

According to Vox, in 2021, Chase Bank—which is popularly known as the worst fossil fuel bank in the world—spent $51.3 billion on financing fossil fuels in 2020; starting 2016 to 2020, Chase has spent $317 billion on fossil fuels. This is the very reason Kalmus and three other fellow scientists (Allan Chornack, Eric Gill, and Greg Spooner) selected the JPMorgan Chase building in Downtown Los Angeles as the location for their trending protest in April.

The four men wore lab coats with Extinction Rebellion emblems and shackled themselves to the bank's doors; Extinction Rebellion, often referred to as XR, is a global environmental movement that employs peaceful protests to stop mass extinction, avoid social collapse, and safeguard the environment.

For decades, scientists have given countless warnings regarding the imminent threats of the climate crisis. They have dedicated their lives doing research which has ultimately led them to the conclusion that eliminating the use of fossil fuels is a must. Fossil fuels have a high carbon content owing to their origins.

Whenever fossil fuels are being burned, they release extreme quantities of carbon dioxide into the air. This type of greenhouse gas constantly traps heat in our environment, consequently leading to global warming.

While a quick, effortless transition from fossil fuels to some other alternatives like renewable energy or nuclear power is next to impossible, there is still great emphasis on this being a necessity particularly

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because the use of fossil fuels—especially on a large scale—is tantamount to the release of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions and the production of localized air pollutants.

“The mean temperature on the planet keeps going up with every tonne of fossil fuel we burn. At some point you’re going to surpass all of these different milestones. It’s no secret that the fossil fuel industry has been planning to make as much profit as they can from extracting and selling fossil fuel, no matter what happens to the planet, to us, and to future generations,” Kalmus said, pointing out to how the uncontrollable use of fossil fuels spells the doom of the future generations.

The need for the masses’ collective undertaking was intensified after the controversy from Kalmus’ April protest. As a collection of people, we are capable of saving more energy at the comfort of our homes, avoiding burning garbage, focusing on recycling, or advocating for all the different ways to put a halt to the climate crisis.

However, the primary change Kalmus and many other scientists have been asking for is from the policies of the governments in every country all over the planet. Without the regularization–prior to its needed elimination–of the use of fossil fuels by several huge countries, we are still bound to experience the tragic consequences of the climate crisis.

It is not enough that we do our little efforts to prevent the climate crisis, although such efforts should really be given credit. We have to use our voices to intensify the cause that several scientists have been fighting for because the primary solution against the problem at hand are policies from the government.

The Trend? Vintage Technology

By Prince Luke Cerdenia

Photos from: (left) https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-73612807,width-1200,height-900,resizemode-4,imgsize-212384/vinyl-records_istock.jpg?from=mdr; (middle) https://www.phonearena.com/news/sony-walkman-premium-signature-series-unveiled_id138378; (right) https://www.dpreview.com/files/p/articles/0078493242/Inata-what.jpeg

ON SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE

Living through a global pandemic was never a pleasant thing to anyone—this pushed a lot of people to try to reinvent the present by taking more time appreciating the past. This was apparent in most of last year’s trends: nostalgia. The trend was mostly obvious in what seemed to be the present’s taste-making social media platform, TikTok. This year, the application maintains its position in dictating the fashion trends, which currently includes vintage tech revivals and retro vibes.

Although it’s true that the current state of technology made in the present is clearly more efficient than those in the past, there are still people who prefer to embrace vintage technology, which varies from old cameras, cell phones, or even the long-forgotten typewriters. Modern technologies are being given their retro makeover for the sake of living up to the trend.

For those who are genuinely in love with the retro trend, even the old beaten up Walkmans can be their hottest accessory. It was in 1979 when Sony created a revolution by introducing the Walkman audio cassette player. Before Netflix, DVD

players were the normalcy for watching movies. Other gadgets that have survived the battle against time and modernization are radios, clock radios, camcorders, digital video recorders (DVRs), and desk phones. A report from Statista shows that millions of these gadgets are still of use to US households in 2017 Digital art organization Rhizome's artistic director, Michael Connor, described how a pixel appears differently on a current display as opposed to an old cathode-ray-tube monitor. A pixel on a CRT monitor has a "soft low res quality," which can be visually pleasing.

"The pace of companies selling new devices and forcing old technology into obsolescence means that certain devices are associated with certain periods in history," he added.

A factor that plays a huge part in the immortal popularity of old technology is nostalgia because these gadgets, however dusty or rusty they have already become, still gave people various memories and are now existent reminders of specific times

and places in their lives.

Although modern technology is still progressing at an exponential pace with the domination of smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras in the market, older gadgets, which left a mark in our history, continue to do so in the present. For people who either cannot afford the modern, expensive gadgets, people who cannot adapt to the functions of these ones, or people who simply love the physical design of older gadgets, legacy products are always existent.

The older technology that has been surviving against time helps its users establish a deeper connection with reality while giving them a vivid recollection of the past. Presently, social media platforms like Pinterest demonstrate the people’s strong interest in vintage images taken by disposable cameras. This is proof that although people value efficiency, artistry is a factor as well, which fortunately matches the design of older gadgets.

Based on statistics of gathered by Hootsuite and We Are Social through Inquirer.net article ‘Social media, internet craze keep PH on top 2 of world list’ - the Philippines ranked second on the list of countries whose citizens spend the most time on the internet and social media - internet users aged 16 to 64 scattered across the globe spent an average of 6 hours and 58 minutes using the internet each day on any device - internet users aged 16 to 64 scattered across the globe spent an average of 6 hours and 58 minutes using the internet each day on any device To see the full social media report, read https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-global-overview-report

SPORTS LIKE A DANCING FLOWER AGAINST THE STRONG WIND By Chelze Gallenero

If you’re one of the Quirinians who watched the MAPEH Variety Show 2 years ago, I am pretty sure that you know them. They danced to Jota Quirino, Binislakan, and Bagong Umaga back then. Are you familiar with how graceful and cheerful they performed these folk dances? You are correct; they are the Danza Quirino.

For those who are not familiar with the Danza Quirino, it is an organization of Quirino High School (QHS) where students have the chance to showcase their talent in dancing, particularly in folk and contemporary dances. They perform at events that happen in our school and outside of it. They also compete in contests, bringing the honorable name of our school, QHS, to bear.

Since the major shutdown of schools, Danza Quirino hasn’t performed for almost two years. But they are now back on the dance floor, ready to show their love for dancing again.

The first performance of Danza Quirino this school year (2021–2022) was the Intermission Number in the Distribution of Tablets from the Embassy of Israel on April 6, 2022. The Danza members who performed the folk dance Jota Quirino were Ian Delos Trinos (10-1), Stephanie Sastre (10-1), Kate Juan (10-1), Jemimah Lozano (10-1), Jasper Bagayan (11-Perseus), KC Hugo (11-Orion), Rolan Estabillo (11-Aquarius), and Adonis Geralde (11-Aquarius).

Their latest performance was last April 21, 2022. They performed the Gaway gaway folk dance during the launch of Gulayan sa Paaralan. The members who performed were Jamilla Luzane Paris (9-1), Lea Joy Policarpio (9-1), Lean Marie Dumlao (9-1), Aryana Taguba (9-1), John Patrick Tiberio (9-4), Sled Lastimosa (9-4), Evan Justin Escandor (9-1), and EJ Bagayan (9-3).

Lea Joy Policarpio, the current President of Danza Quirino, said that it was very fulfilling to be an inspiration to others and to have the chance to show her talents in dancing to the people. “Naipapakita rin namin ‘yung iba’t ibang culture at tradition bawat region ng Pilipinas,” she added. Policarpio mentioned that her experience in the MAPEH Variety Show was the most unforgettable moment in her journey as a Danza Quirino dancer.

“That was my first time performing as a Danza member, tsaka it was a big event,” she said.

Danza Quirino proved that this pandemic is not a hindrance to us continuing to perform and do what we love. They also showed that we can be an inspiration to others and encourage them not to quit right away. As our school expands and the operation of in-person classes increases, the Danza Quirino is now accepting auditions for new members who can also showcase their talents and ultimately be an inspiration to the school population. These skilled performers are the flowers that dance smoothly against the strong wind of the pandemic.

Diving into the Filipino sports framework almost equates to knowing the name Ernest John “EJ” Obiena. After all, aside from his recent controversies with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa), he has been making a name in the global scene of pole vaulting.

Currently, according to the World Athletics Organization, he holds the second place in the world rankings for Men’s Pole Vault.

The situation of the young athlete isn’t an everyday thing—after all, no right-minded sports official just wakes up one day and decides to ruin a world-class athlete’s life. EJ Obiena was recently the talk of the town after he was harassed by Patafa with absurd “embezzlement” charges for allegedly not paying the salary of his training coach from public funds entrusted to him for that purpose.

Although the issue has already subsided with the prolonged settlement between him and Patafa, it has not failed to become an eye-opener to the sad reality in our country’s sports scenario.

EJ Obiena began his sports career in a smooth-sailing fashion as he comes from a family of athletes.

His passion for pole vaulting started when he was six years old after he became witness to his father’s excellent skills in the sport. He immediately received the support of his family and he earned scholarships in huge universities such as Ateneo and University of Santo Tomas—tes-

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena during his stint in World Athletics Championships 2022 in Eugene, Oregon Photo from EJ Obiena’s Facebook page

tament to how sports are not merely games as they can build someone’s entire life.

He started training in 2014 with known Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov, who rose to fame after coaching 1988 Olympic gold medalist Sergey Bubka. Petrov enabled the existence of four more Olympic gold medalists and world champions, including Brazilian Thiago Braz, all through his good style of training.

The young athlete continuously broke records throughout his career, including but not limited to the Chiari meet where he recorded 5.81 meters, breaching the Olympic cut of 5.80 meters; the 2019 Southeast Asian Games where he obtained his maiden gold medal; and the outdoor season where he made history by recording a new national record of 5.87m.

Despite all his historic milestones, Patafa victimized him by striking his career when his request to see action in the World Indoor Championships in Serbia on March 18-20 as well as the coming 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam (May 12-23) and 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China (September 1225) received tragic denial. This was amidst t h e media-

tion procedures between Obiena and the federation, which has recently ended by letting bygones be bygones for the two parties.

Presently, the Philippine Sports Commissions has given assurance that the Patafa will now endorse Obiena to major tournaments.

While it looks like the perfect ending—all’s well that ends well, as they say—it is undeniable that the sports industry in our country is not an ideal one. This is also evidenced by the fact that many popular athletes who once represented our country are now representing other countries–for instance, the Chess Prodigy now Grandmaster Wesley So who’s now representing the United States. Even EJ Obiena has admitted that he has been offered several times by several countries to represent them instead of his home country–to which he declined.

Many from the youth population are now aspiring athletes.

Some turned mere hobbies into passion over time, some have really dreamt already from a young age to represent our country in international sports tournaments; regardless of their reason, they have the strong desire to show the world the greatness of Filipinos in the field of sports. However, this strong desire can be easily shattered if the cycle of toxic sports management continues to pin down our athletes.

What Ignites the Filipino Athlete Spirit & What Extinguishes It

By Prince Luke Cerdenia

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15

INTERNATIONAL

Warriors: From the worst team to NBA Champs

By Henry Ramirez After two years away from the championship contention, the Golden State Warriors proved the dynasty is still alive as they defeated the Boston Celtics 103-90 in the 2022 NBA Finals to clinch their fourth title in eight years.

Stephen Curry received his first Finals MVP as he led all scorers from both teams with 34 points to secure the win, while Andrew Wiggins added 18 points to secure the victory against the number one defensive rating Celtics.

Curry, who was emotional after capturing his fourth championship, explained what this title meant to him and his team.

“I’m so proud of our group, I thank God everyday that I get to play this game at the highest level with some amazing people,” the two-time MVP said.

“This is what it’s all about, playing for a championship and what we’ve been through over the last three years. At the beginning of the season, nobody thought we’d be here, except everybody on this court right now, and it’s amazing. Very surreal.” he added.

According to NBA and ESPN, the Warriors’ core consisting of Steph, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have the most wins in the Finals as a trio with 20, surpassing Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili with 19 for the most wins in an NBA Finals by a trio over the last 30 years.

Journey: The Downfall Two years ago, the Warriors were a 15-50 team during the 19/20 season, with injuries suffered by their stars in Curry (left hand), Thompson (ACL), Green missing significant time; departures from their key players in Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala; and the team’s roster were far from being a contender with faces not known by mostly anyone but their fans.

They have also been in the Finals five times straight from 2015-2019.

They went 3-2 in those runs with losses from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and from the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

During the season, the Warriors made a controversial move by trading D’Angelo Russell - who was traded from the Brooklyn Nets via the Durant trade before the season began - to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins and a top-3 protected 2021 first round.

The Warriors, who had the worst record in the NBA at the end of the 20/21 season, selected James Wiseman, a 7’1” center from Memphis, with the second overall pick. The team received awful news prior to the draft: Klay Thompson tore his Achilles.

The Warriors’ chances of winning the title in 20/21 were dashed by this. Everyone on the team anticipated the trio’s reunion, with Steph and Dray returning and vying for the title once more, but it was postponed for another season.

Curry averaged 32 points per game, shot 48% from the field and 42% from three-point range, and the Warriors concluded the season with a 39-33 record. Curry placed third in the MVP voting. However, they came up short when they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies in two straight play-in tournament games.

James Wiseman was injured in a collision with his right leg while attempting a dunk in April 2020, tearing his right meniscus as a result. He was declared ineligible to participate for the rest of the season and out for the whole 21/22 season.

The Redemption Coming into the 21/22 season, the Warriors made some off-season moves in acquiring veteran players in Nemanja Bjelica, Otto Porter Jr., and Iguodala coming back were all signed to a one year minimum salary contract. They also drafted Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, who were the 7th (via the Russell-Wiggins trade) and the 14th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

The mix of young and veteran players seemed to be a tough task for the Warriors. ESPN projected the Warriors to be a 48-34 team, but they were not the favorites to win the championship as their odds of winning was only +1000, according to Caesars.

With a 53-29 record, the Warriors finished third in the Western Conference standings. Some of their biggest moments included Curry breaking the NBA record for most 3-pointers made, Klay Thompson playing in his first game in 941 days, Jordan Poole’s development as a second or third option, and many more.

Curry has also missed games this season due to injuries, most notably during a game against the Celtics when Steph went for the loose ball as Marcus Smart was on his back trying to recover the ball, forcing Marcus Smart to land on his left foot and miss the following 12 games.

The Warriors faced the sixth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs while Curry came off the bench with limited minutes due to his previous injury but was also brought back to the starting lineup during the series. They beat the Nuggets in give games; in the second round, they faced the second-seeded Grizzlies, they beat them in 6 games; they faced the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, they beat them in 5 games; and in the Finals, they faced against the Boston Celtics, they beat them in six games.

The off-season is now coming, and many are observing what the Warriors will do in the summer. With Iguodala potentially retiring, players contract extensions, and maybe some new additions to the Warriors lineup, the media is now waiting what they will do.

SP RTS

By Prince Luke Cerdenia

PH continues dominance in the MLBB esports scene Just recently, the Filipino MLBB squad RSG Philippines dominated their rivals, Indonesian team RRQ Hoshi, in the grand finals of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asian Cup 2022 with a clean sweep of a 4-0 series.

The newly crowned champions who were initially branded The Kingslayers built their own stage to be the kings of the SEA themselves with their roster consisting of Coach Karl Luigi “Coach Giee” Barrientos as well as professional players Jonard Cedrix “Demonkite” Caranto, Nathanael “Nathzz” Estrologo, Eman “Emann” Sangco, Arvie “Aqua” Calderon, Dylan Aaron “Light” Catipon, and Dexter “Exort” Martinez. It can be said that they were the underdogs as more eyes focused on the other PH representative team Smart OMEGA—the champion of MSC 2021— who they defeated in the lower bracket to climb their way up to

the grand finals.

Prior to the playoffs, RSG Philippines remained undefeated just until they started showing flaws in their match against Myanmar representatives Falcon Esports where they dropped a single game. Fans of the league anticipated an all-Filipino matchup in the grand finals, which was unfortunately made impossible by RRQ Hoshi when they knocked down the eventual champions to the lower bracket to face Smart OMEGA—after the Filipino teams went toe-to-toe, RSG Philippines won with a 3-2 score.

RSG Philippines claimed their sweet revenge in the grand finals after scoring a clean 4-0 series against the powerhouse team from Indonesia; the series ended with RSG’s gold laner, Eman “Emann” Sangco, as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).

The tournament included 12 competitors coming from different countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Singapore. The prize pool reached a whopping amount of $300,000 USD. This recent victory for the Philippines is yet another addition to our long list of achievements in the field of MLBB—in December 2021, Philippine representative Blacklist International defeated all their opponents in the M3 World Championships; in May 2022, SIBOL Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) representatives bagged the gold medal at the 31st Southeast Asian Games; and now, RSG Philippines once again proved to the community that the Philippines maintains their place on top after being victorious in the MSC. The previous seasons of all these tournaments were also dominated by the Philippines.

NU Lady Bulldogs triumphs at UAAP season 84

By Emmanuel Miguel Gallardo

National University finally ends their 65 year drought at the UAAP season 84 women’s volleyball tournament.

The NU Lady Bulldogs hit their prime in a rare 16-0 season run, 25-15, 25-15, 25-22, brushing off all their games against the De La Salle University Lady Spikers in Pasay City, Tuesday, June 21.

This is NU's third victory in the competition, its first since 1957, and the league's first tournament sweep since Ateneo de Manila University accomplished it in Season 77.

After NU fell behind 6-10 in the first set, Bella Belen, who had just been named rookie MVP, spearheaded a huge 19-5 comeback for a 25-15 victory. With 16 points in triumph, she came in just behind Alyssa Solomon's game-high 18 points.

La Salle clawed in the third period, taking the lead late by 3 points (20-17), until NU head coach Karl Dimaculangan called a timeout and Alyssa Solomon fought to make the score (18-20).

After that, the Lady Bulldogs embarked on a 7-0 run to overcome the super replacements' vigor and get to match point at 24-20.

La Salle was able to recover from back-to-back NU errors to tie the match at 22-24, but Thea Gagate's service was wide for the victory.

The Lady Bulldogs took an early 10-6 lead against the Lady Spikers, but the rest of the opening set was all Lady Bulldogs as they went on a 14-2 run to make the score 20-12 and eventually win 25-15.

The second set was no different, as NU exploded out to a quick 10-3 lead and never looked back, winning 25-15 to put themselves in position to win the game, the match, and the championship.

Solomon once again led NU in scoring with 18 points on 15 attempts and 3 blocks. Mhicaela Belen, the team's MVP, scored 16 points on the strength of 13 slams and three blocks.

With their last sweep, the Lady Bulldogs ended the Lady Spikers' incredible season-long 12-0 set winning streak over them in their four matches.

Bela Belen bagged the Rookie of the Year (ROYT) and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. Jennifer Nierva was pronounced the Best Libero of the season.

“Masasabi ko na, sa lahat ng team(s), ang team namin ang pinaka-hardworking. And, every single day, ‘yong dream namin for the school (ay) talagang pinaghirapan namin,” Nierva said in an interview with One Sports.