Veni, Vidi, Vici: The Hits and Miss of Online Learning

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Veni Vidi Vici: The Hits and Miss of Flexible Learning OPINIONS

NEWS

FEAT URE

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PAGE 32-33

The Abuse of Juan’s Resilience

SHS Launches Career Pump 2021

The Reality of Being Positive

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The Official Biannual Student Magazine of José Rizal University Senior High School Division Volume IV Issue II January to May 2021 62 pages FREE NOT FOR SALE

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Editorial Board and Staff Penuliar, Clarise Anne Editor-in-Chief

Intalan, Daphnie Raine Managing Editor

OIaco, Czarina Associate Editor

the VOLUME ISSUE VOLUME N IV ISSUE N 2

Scribes - They write; It’s all that they do. Sounds bland? These scribes have made significant contributions not only to history but as well as the daily life of the time they were in. Scribes were the record keepers, copyists of manuscripts, and even served as jurists in ancient times.

Tunay, Aryl Fatima News Editor

Pisang, Abigail Opinions Editor

Matta, Don Rudiger Feature Editor

Nolasco, Rianne Tricia Literary Editor

Masanque, Mikaela Sports Editor

Today, our duty as “The Scribes” of the university continues that of those of our predecessors - to keep records and write the news as truthfully as it should be.

We use our plumes to evoke action from the words we have written and be the catalysts of change within the campus. Just like what Jose Rizal, our national hero, and Don Vicente Fabella, the first Filipino licensed accountant, had done for the country.

Villaruz, Reinheart Shane Entertainment Editor

Belo, Althea Beatriz

Design Editor

Orpia, Richmond Layout Artist

Writer

Taruc, John Paul Gonzales, Jhonalyn

Cananea, Ainhoa Alysson

I always dreaded writing this letter, but I never worried too much because it seemed so far away.

But time doesn’t stop for anyone.

2 years ago, June 18 to be exact, I became an official member of The Scribe. Who would have thought that my introvert self would enjoy long meetings surrounded with a bunch of loud and crazy staff?

2020 & 2021 was The Scribe’s first year of going fully digital because of the pandemic. We were always worried how we could cope with the pressure and expectation given to our batch.

Cartoonist

Writer

Mercado, Michelle Josephinez

There could be no proper way to bid farewell to the publication, organization and family that have molded me into the individual I am today.

The Scribe has been my home for 2 years during my SHS journey, and it was probably it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.

Layout Artist

Writer

Ibañez, Maria Nathalia

THE EDITOR

I remember the times we needed to stay at school till 5 pm for meetings and pending articles, tedious as it may sound, it wa s actually one of the most memorable experiences I had because I was met with amazing perspectives and ideas.

Cabague, Precious Anne

Writer

Gabito, Czarina Ross

LETTER FROM

Facundo, Angela Beatriz Cartoonist

Writer

Saldua, Harrah Jalil Amor Writer

But it turned out to be the best – digital gave us the freedom to experiment new techniques hence giving us the most persevering creative team.

Ms. Maria Irish A. Vergara FACULTY ADVISER

Mrs. Carissa M. Enteria CHAIR, LANGUAGES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT This work by The Scribe is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License. Photos, illustrations, and publication materials found herein fall in the same license unless otherwise stated.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The Scribe Editorial Board reserves the right to edit, publish, or refuse to publish contents for reasons of defamation, misinformation and ethics.

Mr. Romel C. Navarro PRINCIPAL, SHS DIVISION

WHOLLY MADE BY

José Rizal University 80 Shaw Blvd. Mandaluyong City 1551 Metro Manila, Philippines

I will always be thankful to our staff who ha’ve countlessly devoted their time and effort to cover events and write stories despite the struggles they faced To the creative team who never failed to amaze all of us, continue to grind your creative juices.

To Daph and Cza, whom I’ve shared many midnight talks with random discussions and rant sessions, I will always appreciate the both of you.

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To Maam Irish, you’re the best club adviser! Thank you for always checking on us and being patient for all our lapses. And for also endlessly teasing me to the person who shouldn’t be named.

Also, let me extend our gratitude to Maam Enteria and Sir Navarro for supporting us throughout the journey.

Lastly to our writers, cartoonist, layout artist, I couldn’t be prouder to survive and thrive this school year with you. May you all continue to soar high and grow to be a better version of yourselves.

To batch 2021- 2022 – this is yours now. Let that sink in, cherish it, and savour every minute of it, because one moment you are a first-year heading into your first story meeting, and the next one, you are writing your farewell letter to the publication that became your haven for two years.

Thanks for everything, The Scribe.

Until we see each other again.

Continue to Seek Stories and Write Legacies. Padayon!

EDITORIAL

04 Must Be Love: A Toxic Relationship with the Pandemic

OPINIONS

06 The Abuse of Juan’s Resilience When the minimum is never enough

07 Efficacy of Vaccines: Should We Settle for Less?

NEWS

08 L.I.F.E Class: GSP holds 2-Day

Webinar with Every Nation Campus STEM studes attend STEM-Themed Lectures

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Mapansin Club, SHSC hone camera skills thru webinar

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Commemorating milestones via online exhibit SHS clubs showcase feast of gratitude for frontliners

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Kiddos travel to neverland Third IT Con goes online

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JHS Division Pumps Up JRU @ 102 Rizalians Loosen Up with StoryPod: A Storytelling Podcast

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‘Best Research Paper’: JRU SHS Students Achieve Victory Mapansin Inspires Resilience amid the Pandemic through Film

TABLE OF CONTENTS SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

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NEWS

16 Researchers’ Club Empower Youth through 4th Research Congress

17 Dulaang Rizaliano Braves the Theater World amid the Pandemic Researchers’ Club #DigDepeerWithin Qualitative Research thru 2nd Webinar

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FnB and TG Teams Up to Showcase Students’ Skills in Haraya 2021

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FEATURES

The Reality of Being Positive

34 Magpakainlanman Stars Lairca Nicdao: The Making of a Para Dance World

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Types of Community Quarantine: Breaking Down the Essentials

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1st Virtual U-Week Ends with Love and Through Arts ABM Club Spearheads Trading Lessons

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Combating an Infodemic, Another Pandemic Awoken by COVID-19

40 Isang Kahig, Isang Tuka; Buhay ng Magsasaka

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HG Club Joins Donation Drive for IP

SHS Launches Career Pump 2021

Sincerely Yours, Clarise Anne R. Penuliar

SCRIBES’ ACCOUNT SECTION

Despite Online Set-up, Creativity is Limitless

20 Unfaltered by Woe: SHS Brings Celebration to the Virtual Stage Unfaltered by Woe: SHS Brings Celebration to the Virtual Stage

21 Rizalian Student Leaders’ Unite in RLC STEM studes attend STEM-Themed Lectures

The Olympians of Variants

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VacciKnowledge: Understanding various vaccine in the community

EDITORIAL

46 Arnis: Philippines’ Treasure, Figure of Protection

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ENTERTAINMENT

Shipwrecked

50 Concealed

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FEATURES

The Art of Leading the Youth

24 Woman of Change, Frontliner of Truth

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A Promise and a Farewell

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The Dead Visited Me

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What Are We? Women with Moxie!

Catalyst of Change: The Sparked Fire Within a Young Woman’s Heart

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Re:search Thyself and Prosper

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EDITORIAL

Congratulations, 2021 Online Graduates

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Comic Relief

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Rizalian Corner: Comfort Songs

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EDITORIAL

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ost of us who hear the word anniversary may associate it with relationships. This time, however, it is more of a tragic relationship- the pandemic. At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippine government chose to seclude certain parts of the country in hopes to contain the sudden splurge of cases by closing down metropolitan areas– making just supermarkets and other essential establishments open until further notice.

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All the while pondering on this question: Is implementing many policies and regulations right on time? Or are they too late?

Mar. 8, 2020 - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte declared Proclamation No. 922, implementing the State of Public Health Emergency across the Philippines and ordering a rapid government response to the pandemic. On Mar. 15, the first day of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, there were only 140 confirmed cases. The first suspected case in Let us travel back through time and reminisce the Philippines was investigated on Jan. 22. The the significant time markers of the current ad- first patient reported was of Chinese nationalministration on the onslaught of the pandemic. ity who came on a vacation to the Philippines,

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knowing that Wuhan, China had declared a new type of virus on the first day of 2020. Why were the borders, air, and water, still open for people coming to mainland China? If the government had shut down all travels from China, then the cases would not have fluctuated; we would have had ample time to prepare our resources.

We can still remember how people panicked amidst the first week of the lockdown--stores and establishments were forced to shut down because of the rules implemented by the government. Panic-buying occurred in that period; shelves, especially the necessities section such as canned goods, noodles, chips, and many others, were all taken in large amounts to the point that supermarkets limit the number of essential goods to be purchased by a single consumer.

Face masks were all out of stock because everyone scurried to every drugstore to find some and their price? All hell broke loose as its price almost doubled due to its demand that some sellers took this opportunity to make more money. A capitalist tactic indeed.

Executive Order No. (E.O.) 168, s. 2014 founded The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

They were tasked to advance between sectoral participation and guarantee effective government reaction to decide, track, contain, control, and forestall the spread of any conceivable pandemic in the Philippines. The real question is, did they do their allegedly assigned tasks, or did they decide to turn a blind eye on those powerful government officials who do not follow the quarantine regulations? When Sen. Koko Pimentel, knowing he was positive for the virus, accompanied his wife to Makati Medical Center’s maternity ward, was he rightfully punished?

Somehow, it seemed like a slap on the wrist.

May 8, 2021 – news outlets and social media platforms blazed with posts and comments on the “Mañanita Cop” who celebrated his birthday despite the restrictions in mass gatherings.

However, the issue was buried immediately, even the President leaving remarks, calling Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas an “honest” and “good officer”. Later on, he became the new PNP chief, a leader who can’t even adhere to rules and regulations. A rotten root will only extend to its branches.

The spread of coronavirus in the nation topped around Aug. 2020. On Aug. 10, a sum of 6,958 new cases were enlisted in a single day. For five weeks, from early August to early September, the running seven-day normal of day-by-day new cases (which smooths out surprising spikes or plunges in the information) never fell under 3,000. Cases heightened in the Visayas region around June 2020, especially in Cebu City, momentarily making it the country’s second infection focal point, close to NCR. There were an enormous number of cases in Mindanao, for the most part in Davao Region, in the final quarter of 2020 and well into February 2021. Mass recoveries were announced by the Department of Health, declaring that those asymptomatic were recovered. These are the time frames where Typhoon Ulysses entered the Philippines.

EDITORIAL

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We can also recall the agony of the commuters, the apocalyptic scene of workers along the street struggling to at least hitch a ride in the middle of the pandemic. These are only a portion of the misfortunes that we saw during this repulsive year.

Over 27 million Filipinos lost their positions because of the pandemic; it was common when a large number of new COVID cases were accounted for every day. Yet, during the occasions when Filipino versatility was pervasive, where was the accountability?

On Aug. 17, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque drew fire for celebrating the deficiency of occupations of 45.5 percent of Filipinos, guaranteeing that it might have been 100%. “Ako po ay nagagalak na hindi tayo 100% nawalan ng trabaho kasi sa tagal po naka-lockdown tayo.

Talagang I’m still surprised at our resilience at 45% pa ang po ang nawawalan ng trabaho,” he said in a press statement, after which he commented that it might have been more terrible.

Many were shocked by the unfeeling remarks of the representative over the joblessness of more than 27 million Filipinos.

Rather than celebrating over the way that it might have been more regrettable, the organization ought to have acted to guarantee that there are well-being nets that will safeguard the now-weak Filipinos from the overwhelming impacts of joblessness on the economy.

After the special times of the year, there was a spike in cases in Cebu City and the encompassing zones in mid-2021. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is on high alert after the recognizable proof and neighborhood transmission of the United Kingdom variation (now known as Alpha Variant) in Mountain Province. After a year, on Mar. 15, 2021, the number of Covid cases have arrived at 626,893, with 12,837 passings and 560,577 recuperations, as per the Department of Health (DOH). President Duterte set Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), the Philippine government’s second-least isolated characterization indicated by IATF Resolution No. 104.

People have become more adamant about wearing face shields, face masks, and more are developing psychological breakdowns due to the long-term lockdown. The Philippines has the lengthiest lockdown around the world that might even get a Guinness World record.

Filipinos are becoming tired more and more each day. The approval of vaccine rollout for non-essential personnel somewhat spilled some hope to the general public, but should we settle for less? Will we keep waiting for the whole population to be vaccinated before the government takes accountability for the issues that occurred in the last two years due to incompetencies in handling this pandemic? When will the atrocity of all of this end?

Or shall we wait until the results of the 2022 elections decide whether we finally see the light or our impending doom?

References:

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s521/sh/251fdb816802-3808-12f9-ee4831988e82/7e835322cf5d599a8d61fb93d795a86d

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The Abuse of Juan’s Resilience Aryl Fatima Tunay

News Editor

We should be over glamorizing suffering and fetishizing the underdog.

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aal volcano eruption. Coronavirus outbreak.

Typhoon Ulysees. These are just some of the tragedies that we faced during this frightful year.

Despite all of this though, manifestations of the resilience of Juan Dela Cruz continue to be sprawled all over the country. It was there when more than 27 million Filipinos lost their jobs due to the pandemic; it was prevalent when thousands of new COVID cases were reported each day; and it endured when Typhoon Ulysees wreaked havoc across different parts of Luzon.

But during the times when Filipino resilience was prevalent, where was the accountability?

For many months now, the government has notably been the “misrecognizers” of victimhood as resilience.

On August 17, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque drew flak for rejoicing over the loss of jobs of 45.5 percent of the Filipinos; claiming that it could have been 100 percent. “I’m still surprised at our resilience at 45 percent pa lang po ang nawawalan ng trabaho,” he said in a press briefing, after which he remarked that it could have been worse. Many were outraged by the spokesperson’s insensitive comments over the unemployment of more than 27 million Filipinos; and Bukluran ng mga Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), a labor group, lambasted Roque for insulting the unemployed through toxic positivity.

Roque’s statement is a classic case of painting the suffering of the citizens in a resilient light, which undermines the anguish of those who are now at loss on

Filipino resilience in the midst of chaos and disaster has been long acclaimed around the globe. We are famous for our capability to smile vividly despite facing calamities, and our ability to withstand adversity has been a trademark of the Filipino culture. However, as Filipinos continue to face one catastrophe after another this year, the question rises: for how long can we keep this resilient front and for how long are we going to allow those in power to evade accountability through romanticism of resilience?

how they are going to survive the foreseeable future. To romanticize resilience like this is to invalidate the real problem and to breed toxic positivity; which then allows officials to escape accountability and hide their incompetence. Instead of rejoicing over the fact that it could have been worse, the administration should have acted to ensure that there are safety nets that will defend the now-vulnerable Filipinos from the devastating effects of unemployment to the economy.

Another case of glorification of Juan’s spirit as a means to evade accountability was when Spox Roque, who once again got criticized for his statement, congratulated the citizens for having lessened the number of casualties during the Typhoon Ulysees onslaught. Many were incensed again at how the spokesperson treated the deaths of his “kababayans” as statistics. Various environmental groups such as Aksyon Klima appealed the government to stop lauding the narrative of Juan’s resilience and instead focus on actual climate response.

There were also criticisms on how the government’s defunding of numerous disaster risk reduction programs such as Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazard (NOAH) and the slashing of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) allocated budget led to lesser preparedness in the face of the devastating typhoon. Indeed, Typhoon Ulysees, along with the other cyclones who pummeled the country before it, shed light on how the Philippines is terribly underprepared in the face of storms and other adversities.

In the past few months, the administration has been getting away from being held accountable by playing the resilience card. But while it is true that the Filipinos are naturally able to bounce back after a disaster, during these times when we face one catastrophe after another, Juan’s resilience can only hold out for a little bit longer. We must remember that mere resilience will produce nothing. What it only does is conceal the actual problem, and by hiding the ugly truth that we are facing, we can never achieve development. There should be progress in the form of change; and we can only achieve it if we stop bringing the focus on the Filipino spirit, and instead shed light on genuine programs and plans that the government can implement to assert accountability and competence.

We should be over glamorizing suffering and fetishizing the underdog. As we continue to suffer from various tribulations that 2020 brings, we have to use our collective voices to demand genuine action and change from the government. If we are not going to speak up, then who will stand up for the marginalized? If we are not going to do it now, then when? We must let the current circumstances serve as our driving force to breakthrough from the glorification of the Filipino spirit. Afterall, while the resilience of Juan is a Filipino trademark, we must not let those in power abuse it. Our ability to withstand woes should not prohibit us from necessitating accountability.

When the Minimum is Never Enough

Daphnie Raine Intalan Managing Editor, The Scribe

They say money can’t buy you happiness (in a philosophical sense, sure) but can one truly be happy when they are hungry? When they aren’t able to go out and provide themselves with the basic needs one should have? Then in that sense, we can conclude that we do need money to be happy.

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n regards to this, the topic of minimum wage is to be argued. However, we first need to know what minimum wages are and what they entail to the individuals of a community. Minimum wage is defined as “the minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract.”

Minimum wage rates in the Philippines vary in the area that you live in. If you live in urban areas, granted the pay is higher than that of rural areas. For example, in Metro Manila, which is the capital of the country, the minimum wage rate is 537 pesos a day but as per a labor

group noted in an article from Filipino times, workers should earn at least 1,247 pesos a day to be able to afford necessities in life.

They say money can’t buy you happiness (in a philosophical sense, sure) but can one truly be happy when they are hungry? When they aren’t able to go out and provide themselves with the basic needs one should have? Then in that sense, we can conclude that we do need money to be happy. No, not to the extreme lavish lifestyle but enough to be able to keep us comfortable, to not worry about what will happen to us the next day.

If you think about it, with the sudden rise of pric-

Minimum wages are established so that the livelihood of workers is protected from unjust low pay.

It can also be a tool to overcome poverty and reduce inequality, including those in gender-based issues which will be able to promote the right to equal pay for the labor that was given. es of necessities, given that we are currently in a global pandemic and some employees being laid off due to the economic problems means that there will be more people who are going to suffer. More people have to rely on others to live.

My two cents are, if I, a student whose family ranks in the lower middle class of the economic spectrum, at times sacrifices some necessities in life for a day to afford perhaps my tuition fee or other school necessities, how would those people who experience extreme poverty get by?

My family, who even though can afford necessities in

life still finds it difficult to live by the day because of the JRU SHS • THE SCRIBE

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at times sacrifices some necessities in life for a day to afford perhaps my tuition fee or other school necessities, how would those people who experience extreme poverty get by?

My family, who even though can afford necessities in life still finds it difficult to live by the day because of the spike in prices of food and such, what more do others experience?

Those people at the top 1% who continue to hoard money and call people in poverty the problem on why the economy of the Philippines still hasn’t improved because all they do is ask for money.

Honestly, what do you expect them to do? Even the people who are receiving the minimum wage won’t even

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be able to live comfortably in the city. They are those people who struggle and even drown in debt.

With the pandemic ongoing, it’s worrying to think about the state of the economy for the next few months. To think that we still need to address issues regarding poverty, food shortages, and other political issues all the while battling a global pandemic and incompetent quarantine protocols.

Efficacy of Vaccines: Should We Settle for Less?

Yes, the number of cases in the country is back to increasing daily, but rushing the process is not enough ro risk the safety of people.

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” – Randy Pausch The COVID-19 pandemic does not seem to be going away any time soon, however, people have not lost hope and used this time to create vaccines that will, hopefully, end this nightmare. Several vaccines were introduced, all coming from different companies around the world. They are all effective and unique in their way but which one can we trust the most and the least? Is the government prepared to decide which to administer to the people?

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here are five commonly known vaccines that are being distributed all over the world, which include Pfizer – BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford – AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and CoronaVac. These vaccines have a 97%, 94.1%, 76%, 91.4%, and 50% efficacy rate respectively after undergoing various processes including three phases of clinical trials. Phase I is called the Human Pharmacology Studies where 20-100 volunteers are injected with the vaccine to confirm expected results based on laboratory tests. Phase II is called the Therapeutic Exploratory Studies which focuses on the best doses and common side effects with several hundred people. Lastly, Phase III is called the Clinical Efficacy and Safety Studies where the efficacy rate of the vaccine in protecting against the virus compared to alternative treatment is shown; thousands of volunteers are studied here.

man body to produce the antibodies needed to fight the virus. To achieve this, the researchers collected coronavirus samples from patients which they then doused with beta-propiolactone. This caused them to bind to the genes and be unable to replicate but their proteins and spikes would remain intact. If this is what is expected to happen upon injection, why are people doubting it?

Due to these published efficacy rates, there have been recent debates whether a certain vaccine should be given to Filipinos during the pandemic due to the low supply of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. This vaccine is created by a Chinese company named Sinovac, which is called the CoronaVac. It, besides being made from the birthplace of the virus, currently has a 50 percent efficacy rate which has been setting people from around the world on edge. This vaccine’s main goal is to teach the hu-

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an emergency authorization for CoronaVac on February 22, 2021, for the 18-to-59-year age group only; FDA does not recommend it to the high-risk group. This is because the vaccines with the highest efficacy rate, Pfizer – BioNTech and Moderna, do not have enough production capacities to accommodate all of the countries. Almost all of the doses produced go to the top four countries first, which include the United States of America, the United

The Abuse of Juan’s Resilience

SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

This is where the saying, “The numbers don’t lie” comes into play. While the vaccine is expected to render the virus inactive, the chances of this being successful is only a little over 50 percent, which means that it has the same chance of failing. A 50 percent chance, while small, is better than nothing, says some people, but are people that desperate for a chance that they would gamble their lives on a 50 percent chance?

When the Minimum is Never Enough

Czarina Olaco Associate Editor

Kingdom, Canada, and Japan.

With these to consider, should the country settle for less for the sake of decreasing the cases quickly? And this decrease in the number of cases is not even guaranteed with CoronaVac. Would waiting for an increase in capacity for the best vaccine be such a bad idea? In recent news, Pfizer – BioNTech has increased their production to three billion doses this year. With this increase, it is possible to go even higher as the months progress. There is time, we have waited this long, can’t we wait a bit longer for the best?

Yes, the number of cases in the country is back to increasing daily, but rushing the process is not enough reason to risk the safety of the people.

The government should not rush into administering vaccines with low efficacy rates because it is the only thing available at the moment. The words are “at the moment” which means that there will be a moment where more effective vaccines will be available. We must remember these words: “Don’t rush things. Anything worth having is worth waiting for.”

Efficacy of Vaccines: Should We Settle for Less

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L.I.F.E Class: GSP holds 2-Day Webinar with Every Nation Campus

STEM studes attend STEMThemed Lectures

By Czarina Olaco

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TEM Club launched a webinar series entitled “STEM-Themed Lectures,” Mar. 13 via Zoom Conference, opening the series with lessons in Chemistry.

GSP OUTREACH. Without faith, it will be very hard or impossible to function in life

By Michelle Josephine Mercado

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he Cadet Girls Scouts of the Philippines of the Senior High School Division hosted a two-day webinar event entitled L.I.F.E (Leadership, Integrity, Faith, and Excellence) Class in collaboration with Every Nation Campus (ENC), one of JRU’s accredited global organizations in the scholar’s division.

The event established the importance of making a change in the world through one’s actions. The first session was held on Mar. 13, which focused on the Leadership and Integrity aspects of the class, while the second session was held on Mar. 19, which focused on the Faith and Excellence aspects of the class.

“The journey is much more important than the destination. How you help others get there reveals if you are a good leader..” Ms. Erika Faith Reyes started the first discussion of the event by listing the many faces of leadership with the likes of the renowned Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., all of whom experienced hardships to move forward in respective goals.

She emphasized heavily that leadership is not about being the boss that orders their subordinates for personal gain, but rather an inspiring figure that leads their people to the right path. To influence, to serve, and to govern others are certain objectives that leaders

practice.

“The greater the control we have over our lives, the greater the trust, influence, and respect people will have for us as leaders.” Ms. Reyes compared the intensity of a cyclone and its calm center to leadership. She elaborated by saying that real governance starts inside and also takes courage to control.

The second half of the first day was continued by Mr. Stephen Yvan Ong, explaining that Integrity is being able to do the right thing with the right heart at all times.

“It is a discipline, you can start after this talk, and you can start as early as now. It is being true to God and to self.” He compared integrity to walls that surround the heart, it must be protected because it is the most important organ that drives motivation and passion to do the right things.

Mr. Ong described the common reasons why people do not use their integrity, namely, acceptance, reward, and fear of punishment.

However, he reinstated that integrity will always cost you despite knowing a bad outcome might occur, do what is right, and take sacrifice.

He listed Ruben Gonzales, a famous Ektelon racquetball player, as a good example of a person with integrity. He explained how the player admitted he was disqualified from the game when referees did not see his mistake.

The second day of the event started with returning guest speaker Ms. Reyes discussing Faith. She stated that this does not only talk about religion but is something that refers to a belief or confidence in anything.

“The object of our faith sets our limits and

affects our self-worth.” She explained how one’s faith is determined by how one perceives the strength of one’s faith, giving examples such as one is low on cash due to coming from a poor family, thus believing one is unable to purchase a certain item.

Ms. Reyes gave advice on preventing from going to limited sources, finding strong and reliable objects of faith that will ease a person’s discomfort. One limitless source is God Himself, someone who is reliable and trustworthy to give His attention even to one’s small issues.

The last part of the two-day event concluded with Mr. Ong returning as the other guest speaker, connecting the last topic to the first topic with Excellence as part of Leadership and why it was included in L.I.F.E. “Excellence is not an absolute standard we reach, but it is an attitude of giving our best in the most appropriate manner.” He emphasized especially on the last part of the quote where one must decide where to put this effort in the ‘appropriate manner.’

He gave Lito Sy the face of excellence due to his success in photography, doing his best with what he had despite being an errand boy and having mediocrity that hindered his success. Mr. Ong listed that excellence is embracing growth, being a steward to such, the journey of discovering, becoming the better version of oneself, and can open doors to the future.

The discussion ended with breakout rooms that gave the participants the time to reflect on the discussed topics.

Mrs. Maria Theresa B. Bonus, Department Chair on Specialized Academics, was the resource speaker in the event and shared her knowledge about Chemistry in everyday life. According to her, “Chemistry is everywhere,” and that it is considered the central Science.

She shared 10 facts about chemistry, which include Chemistry inside the body, emotions, food productions, and many more.

In talks about having a balanced diet, she expressed the need to consume 25% fiber-rich carbohydrates, 40% fruits and vegetables, 25% protein, and 10% fats. “This is something that we should have been doing all our life because it has a lifelong effect in our bodies,” she emphasized.

She also suggested drinking water more than soft drinks to hydrate due to its neutrality. Being both an acidic and basic substance, water will not harm the digestive system even when feeling hungry, unlike soft drinks that increase the level of acidity in the body.

More than a hundred STEM students joined the event and listened to the lessons and advice Mrs. Bonus expounded.

During the question-and-answer portion of the event, the students came up with insightful questions and were quite eager to have the speaker answer them with her expertise. Many questions were entertained but there was still much to cover that they had to cut because of the time. Despite this, the event was successful and the STEM Club President, Mr. Josh Keane Sanidad, was beyond satisfied with their hard work.

“Nakakagaan ng pakiramdam kasi bukod sa wala na kaming iniisip ay nagawa namin siya nang maayos. It was really satisfying,” he expressed.

Despite its success, there were a few bumps that the club was able to deal with during the event.

“There were a lot, to be honest, tulad no’ng conflict with the requirements.

Preparation is smooth naman kasi lahat ay naprepare nang maayos. When it comes to execution ay nahirapan kapag may problems sa internet yung teacher.”

The team bounced back from this and was able to improvise with games and interaction with the audience when a technical difficulty came up.

This was only the first part of a successful six-part series, which include lessons in calculus, AutoCAD, Covid-19, programming, and Microsoft Excel for research.

“Always prepare for the worst. It is very important to take note of the things that could happen and have a Plan B in mind. Success only goes to those who work hard for it,” the STEM Club President shared with regards to their challenges before achieving success.

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Mapansin Club, SHSC hone camera skills thru webinar

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apansin Club in collaboration with the Senior High School Student Council (SHSC) hosted a free interactive webinar entitled “Eyes on the Lens: A Webinar about Photography and Filmmaking in the Pandemic” via Zoom, January 30.

“A lot of students lost hope on continuing their passion because they see themselves enclosed in this kind of situation such as the pandemic but our eyes shall seek another way to grab that passion back through the art of using the lens of our cameras,.” Jamaica Bulandus, Mapansin Club’s President stated in her opening remarks as she tackled the passion that photography and film embodied.

The first speaker, Lorenzo Natividad, discussed the basics of photography and made a creative comparison between the lens of a camera and a human’s eye: shutter speed is blink speed, aperture is how wide the eyes can open, and ISO is the sensitivity of the eyes towards the light. His improvised works during the pandemic were also shown as well as the photos that made it to Vogue. Before his talk ended, Natividad shared tips on how he captures images.

“Ako rin, actually. Isa sa mga pangarap ko noon is to create a film” Ms. Leori Ignacio mentioned as she relates to the students when asked about their dreams to become a filmmaker.

Later on, Ms. Ignacio gave a fruitful talk about the differences between videography, filmmaking, and cinematography. She also shared the types of equipment used in filmmaking, camera techniques, color schemes, and particularly emphasized filmmaking in the new normal.

“The attendees have a heart, big or small, for these certain fields. I hope that this webinar of ours has given you at least a hint of inspiration. That is a part of optimism that you, one day will become professional photographers or filmmakers,” Agatha Gawaen, President of SHSC shared in her closing remarks.

According to Bulandus, this webinar served as the last seminar for Mapansin Club as they would prepare for the upcoming evening presentation for the University Week.

SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE PANDEMIC. Mapansin Club, SHSC hone camera skills thru webinar

By Czarina Olaco

T

o prepare the senior high school students for the workplace, the Work Immersion teachers launched a webinar series entitled “Career Pump 2021” on Feb. 1 via Zoom Conference.

The webinar series consists of eight webinars with topics safety in the workplace, data privacy, work ethics, and many more.

Due to the online setting of the immersion program, the teachers began this webinar series that would provide the students enough information to prepare them for the workplace. Different resource speakers were invited to share their knowledge with all the grade 12 students enrolled the immersion program.

Safety in the Workplace was the first part of the series with Mr. Aaron Paul Baliga as the resource speaker. He discussed all the types of hazards that one can encounter in the workplace and ways to prevent or avoid them. The immersion teachers of each strand elaborated on the topic and also shared their own experiences during synchronous sessions.

Next on the series was Data Privacy and Confidentiality. The speaker, Mrs. Hiromi Lascano, talked about the importance of data privacy, the law regarding privacy, and ways to avoid personal information being stolen. “You should never share your personal information to anyone. Even your

friends and family,” she expressed strongly.

According to her, this is the fastest way for one’s information to be compromised.

Mr. Jose P. Viernes spoke about the value of having good work ethics and the top 10 characteristics of a person with good work ethics. “In the workplace, attitude is more important than skills because skills can be learned over time; attitude is tricky,” he said. He explained why each of the 10 characteristics was valuable and gave tips about how to increase one’s chances of being hired.

The next part of the series was about Basic Labor Rights and Law with Mr. Leo Caballes as the speaker. He shared his knowledge about the Labor Rights Law— the standard minimum wages, benefits of employees, punishments to anyone who breaches it, and many more. He enunciated the importance of being aware of one’s rights as an employee because the law protects them against employers who take advantage of their workers.

Ms. Christine A. Macuto spoke in the next part of the series about effective communication. Despite the subject being taught already in the curriculum, she gave much more information about its importance in the workplace. “Confidence is the key to effectively communicate,” she expounded. She expressed that even those who are introverted in nature can be confident speakers if they put their minds to it. Everyone has the potential to effectively communicate, they only have to find the confidence to say what they want to say and be heard.

The sixth part of the series was all about business correspondences, presentation,

and analysis. The speakers were Ms. Roxanne Japzon and Ms. Leori Ramonette Ignacio.

Both talked about the importance of correspondence inside the workplace, having simple but creative presentations, and knowing how to analyze data using different software like Microsoft Excel.

“It is important to write everything down in the workplace; you never know when you’re going to need it,” said Ms. Japzon.

She highlighted that it is important to keep these written things for evidence if ever an issue comes up at work. Ms. Ignacio, on the other hand, shared the importance of being creative in business presentations but not crowding the slides with designs.

The seventh part of the series was a strand-based webinar where each strand attended webinars according to their specific courses. STEM students attended a webinar about basic electronics and Arduino project making while ABM students attended about trading and investing in the world market.

The final part is the Career Congress which is another strand-based webinar.

Students from each strand were gathered together and told what possible college courses they can take up and potential careers from each course. Professors from the college department shared what they teach in their specific courses, the challenges students might face during the online setting and all the extracurricular activities that students can join. This webinar series had its challenges but it was executed well in the end. The students were given a lot of information that will make them be wellequipped when they go to college.

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SHS clubs showcase feast of gratitude for frontliners

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Commemorating milestones via online exhibit

By Michelle Josephine Mercado

he Senior High School T Student Council hosted a special Facebook live to

honor frontliners, March 10.

The event highlighted different tales about the current situations of doctors and nurses. It conveyed both personal and creative writings, delivering one purpose: to be inspirational.

Mrs. Janella De Guzman, a medical service agent in a hospital in Makati, and Dr. Charlene Patigas, one of José Rizal University’s physicians, were interviewed about their thoughts and experiences in the field.

“Mapapaisip ka sa iyong perspective, is it worth it ba yung ginagawa mo?” Dr. Patigas stated as frontliners are human too, who needed time and care to have strength in doing one’s work. They have their needed relaxation, like the affected, they also collapse when breaching past their limits. ” With their breaths, they breathed their wishes in whispers, dreaming of the unification of people in hopes of leveling the affected cases.

“We are here for you to help and give our support and give our duties and responsibilities by taking good care of our patients,” Mrs. De Guzman emphasized if such measures are taken by the public.

The program then showed the talent and thoughtfulness of Rizalians who participated in the event by honoring the frontliners with their artworks and performances.

The HG club performed a virtual skit of a sickly yet proud father of a successful daughter whom he cherished with all his heart despite the obstacles and hazards he faced every day due to the virus at hand. His devotion to carrying on his daughter’s wishes was most especially heard by the ears of parents and guardians that might relate to the struggles of giving their all for their loved ones in the face of limitations.

“We are not the virus.” This was emaphasized by Indayog Sa Ritmo. The words of ‘fighting’ echoed in their video to give a sense of pride to be a frontliner.

They acknowledged the hardships of the men and women who have their fate waver by the stress of not giving enough.

The STEM, ABM clubs, The Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Rizalian Valors club, Debater’s club, AnimaCSS club, and the Sports club gave light to the everyday hardships, showcasing what a frontliner does day to day.

Lastly, the Tour Guiding club thanked the frontliners by speaking in various languages that are all translated to “Thank You,”, while the Harmoniya Club sang the song, “Superhero.”

JRU @102. Embracing Changes, Redefining the Future, Moving as One

By Jhonalyn Gonzales

I

n celebration of the 102nd Founding Anniversary of José Rizal University (JRU) with the theme “Embracing the Changes, Redefining the Future, Moving as One,” Rizalian faculty and staffs marked the opening of the University Week in the campus with the flag-raising ceremony and the traditional offering of flowers to honor Don Vicente Fabella, the founder of the university, streamed via Facebook live, Feb. 15.

“We have gone through a hundred years and we are looking at our next one hundred years. In a sense, the pandemic is a great reminder of how things change and how important it is for the university to adjust, to think beyond the change and to move with the change. It is going to be a brighter future for all of us if we work together,” Dr. Vicente Fabella, the University President, uttered during his opening remarks in reverencing another year of the university.

Coming to the highlight of that day, Mrs. Rosela D. Del Mundo introduced this year’s JRU Online Library Exhibit that features various achievements, events, and outreach of Rizalians

during online classes. The JRU Library Exhibit Website showcased all the activities and programs that student organizations and clubs have conducted from the beginning of this school year up to the recent event before the university week.

“This year’s exhibit is extra special because it is entirely the effort of our students and faculty,” Mrs. Del Mundo described this school year’s Library Exhibit.

The 2021 Exhibit committee decided to introduce how JRU faced the challenges brought by the online class, technical issues, distractions, time management, staying motivated, lack of in-person interaction, adapting to unfamiliar technology, and other challenges that everyone encountered.

The compilation of materials in the Exhibit was proof that even with all the setbacks because of the pandemic, the clubs of JRU fought and endured.

“It is not an easy task to be a student leader or club member during these times but the Rizalians who are part of different clubs of JRU continued to serve and to provide online activities for the Rizalians to endure. Because of this, we dedicate our page to all our Rizalians, especially all the club officers and members of the university.” Mrs. Del Mundo stated as she praised the hard works of University Clubs.

The 2021 Library Exhibit Website was divided into five different sections.

First, the Sama-Sama: JRU Institutional Activities showed the events held by the JRU employees. Second, the Teknik: Online Teaching Strategies where they presented the techniques and efforts of the faculty member in handling the students in an online class. Thirdly, the Binhi: Students’ Best Output that manifested the different outputs of all students in their respective subjects. Fourth, the Animo: Club Activities displayed the events of every club in the university.

Lastly, the Sinag: Outreach featured the JRU community and college division outreach during the pandemic which was mainly for the frontliners.

JRU @102. University Week Opening.

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Third IT Con goes Online

By Mikaela Masanque o bestow knowledge to Computer T Hardware and Software Servicing (CHSS), Science, Technology,

Kiddos travel to neverland METEOR FATE : THE STARS FROM NEVERLAND. Captain Hook with Two Pirates. Elementary Evening Presentation

By Rianne Tricia Nolasco

“

Education might permanently become online but that is no excuse for inaction. We can make it fun and fit just like our Zumba moves today,” Mr. Raul S. Garcia Jr., Overall Chair of the ESD Committee, stated as he invited everyone to the virtual Elementary School Day Celebration.

With the theme ‘JRU@102: Moving as One for a Healthier Tomorrow,’ the elementary activities started with online field demonstrations performed by kindergarten to grade six students via live stream on JRU’s Facebook page, Feb. 17, Wednesday.

The morning presentation showcased various Zumba-themed dances including the Toca Toca Dance, Zumba Kids, Zumba Toning, Zumba Step, Zumba Classic, Zumba Gold, and Zumba Sentao presented by kindergarten and grade one to six pupils, respectively. Despite being online, the audiences praised the determination, enthusiasm and dance skills of the younger students.

It was followed by a classic game in the afternoon entitled “Go Bingo!

Fun and Reaching Out Beyond the Pandemic.” The event featured an online bingo contest with over a hundred contestants. All the winning cards were given a shoutout by the

SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

host and were able to claim their prize after the event.

The fun celebration ended with the anticipated first installment of the original film series, Meteor Fate, an allusion to the phrase, Meet Your Fate. The first episode was named Meteor Fate: The Stars from Neverland. It featured a girl named Fay and how she discovered the world of Neverland in modern times. The presentation embarked on a message about the importance of expanding one’s imagination and trust. Students from the SHS department complimented the protagonist’s cuteness and acting skills. In the end, the audience was in awe as they gave positive feedback about the success of the first installment.

Meteor Fate. Elementary Evening Presentation.

METEOR FATE. Elementary Evening Presentation

Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and Animation students, AnimaCSS Cybercrew conducted their third information Technology Congress (ITCon) with the theme “The New Normal” via Zoom and live streamed in José Rizal University’s (JRU) Facebook page, April 23, Friday.

This year’s ITCon featured various trends and innovations as well as cyber threats that can be encountered in the field.

Mr. Romel C. Navarro, JRU’s Senior High School (SHS) Principal, welcomed the participants saying that despite the circumstances they were in, various teachers and industry partners had never failed to come up with programs such as ITCon to share the information that would be useful in the specific field.

The first resource speaker, Engr.

Joseph Mark Aquino from Experts Academy, engaged the listeners in a highly educational talk about “N.I.C.E.” or “National Initiative for Cyber Security Education.” The topic revolved around the importance of having awareness and being educated about cybersecurity.

“Online crime is becoming bigger than the crime in the real world,” Engr.

Aquino stated as he highlighted the relevance of cyber offenses.

The second topic is “Internet of Things” oriented by Ms. Maria Raisa Helga Orbon of Packetworx. IoT refers to the system of interconnection of various objects that can transfer and collect information without the interference of human beings.

“The Internet has dramatically changed our lives; it allows us to be connected to information and to each other. In fact, the Philippines leads the world in social media usage,” the speaker emphasized the role the internet has been playing in keeping its users connected especially for Filipinos.

For the last talk, Mr. Orly Seachon Jr. of Computing Technology Industry Association or CompTIA tackled “Network Technology” and the beneficial traits of having various certifications in the field of IT. “We have to prepare ourselves because everything now is digital. Once you step out from your university, you become part of the work force and you must be relevant in that type of environment. You must be able to compete in the workplace by becoming a well-founded IT professional,” Mr. Seachon stated.

To wrap up the program, Ms. Leila Roxas, Department Chair of the TechVoc and Arts and DesignSpecialized Subjects gave her closing remarks and thanked the guest speakers for their continuous partnership to educate the Rizalians in the latest technology trends.

The IT Congress is an annual event spearheaded by the AnimaCSS Cybercrew and founded by Mr. John Patrick S. Paulino, one of the IT teachers from the Department of TechVoc-Specialized Subjects.

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Rizalians Loosen Up with StoryPod: A Storytelling Podcast

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JHS Division Pumps Up JRU @ 102

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three-episode series of podcasts made to cater to the Elementary, Junior High school, and Senior High school division provided by The Senior High School Council (SHSC) in collaboration with The Scribe gave the students a seat on a ride on the rollercoaster of emotions.

The students were able to unwind from all the disarray and ride the waves of emotions during the storytelling podcast, Mar. 15-19.

Starting off the series with a story for the young, innocent yet so imaginative minds of the younger students in the Elementary division.

Written by Clarise Anne Penuliar and narrated by Agatha Charlize Gawaen was “The Last of the Fae,” the story took the listeners along the journey through the kingdom within the sky, Acmah.

“Sweetie, that’s just normal. You see, every living person in this world possesses talents, and having those talents is a gift from above. You are a fairy who can do a lot of wonderful things. So don’t be ashamed sweetheart,” the story wanted the readers to know that everybody is unique and talented in her own ways.

The second story for a threeepisode StoryPod was entitled “Patawad, Ina” written by Reinheart Shane Villaruz of The Scribe and narrated by Aaron Martinez of SHSC. The menacing flow of this story matched with the unnerving background music made the listeners feel their heartstrings being tugged.

The story portrayed how the children who were blinded with wealth and power treated their own mother who cherished them all her life to her final breath.

The third StoryPod, written by Aryl Fatima Tunay of The Scribe and narrated by Fhame Cruz of the SHSC entitled “Silenced Night” dedicated to the Senior High School students is a story depicting the political situation in our country.

A seemingly merry night, full of festivity was not the case for the household of the Dela Cruz’s as they play a game of tag with the three noble kings with their lives at stake.

As the faint Christmas songs from the neighbors, the noble kings pulled the triggers and threw the household of the Dela Cruz’s in complete silence.

The surrounding families continue to fill their night with joy and festivities, turning a blind eye to the injustice that happened right before their eyes.

This marked the finale of the StoryPod: A Storytelling Podcast collaboration project by The Senior High School Council and The Scribe.

JHS EVENING PRESENTATION Meteor Fate.

By Mikaela Masanque

J

RU celebrated the University Week despite the pandemic.

Even with these circumstances, the Junior High School (JHS) division presented its annually awaited presentation via José Rizal University’s (JRU) Facebook page, Feb.18.

Rizalians proved that the Covid-19 situation was not a hindrance to honor the founding anniversary of the university. The same amount of effort and fun you see in the yearly programs of the school still manifested in the virtual platform.

Sayaw sa Gitna ng Pandemya With the theme “Sayaw sa Gitna ng Pandemya: Positibong Pagtugon ng Rizalians sa Bagong Normal,” the JHS division fired up the live stream with various pandemic- related TikTok dances performed by grade seven to ten students.

To officially start the program, the JHS principal Mrs. Grace Marie B. Martin gave her opening remarks and congratulated the students,

teachers, and parents who made the program possible.

“Naging mabigat ang dalangin natin dahil sa naganap na pandemya, nalimitahan ang pagpupulong at pahahanda para maging maayos at maganda ang bawat presentasyon.

Subalit tulad ng ating bayani na si Jose Rizal, hindi napigil ang mga mag-aaral kasama ang mga guro at mga magulang para matupad ang mga adhikain sa araw na ito,” Mrs. Martin exclaimed.

Excitement resurfaced when several grade seven students danced to the “Corona Song” by Ghen Cô Vy. It was then followed by the grade eight students performing their routine to the song “Se Acabó La Cuarentena” by Jowell & Randy & Kiko El Crazy, the track’s title means “the quarantine is over” in English.

To keep the program’s energy flowing, an intermission number of the song “Isang Mundo, Isang Awit” by the five-time champion in “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” Jeramie S. Sanico, was shown.

Grade nine psyched the FB live with their performance of the song ‘‘Corona Virus” by Cardi B. Grade ten students proceeded onto their number with the track “Bawal Lumabas” by Kim Chiu;

a composition produced during lockdown.

A surprise presentation by the JHS Filipino department teachers appeared before the closing remarks wherein they performed the track “Fight Song” through a TikTok dance.

“Ang sayaw sa gitna ng pandemya ay pamamaraan upang maipakita na buhay at malulusog ang bawat Rizalians. Positibo ang pananaw na sa kabila ng new normal ay maipagdirdiwang pa rin ang 102nd na pagkakatatag ng José Rizal University,” Mrs. Bosito proudly declared the shining talents of Rizalians despite the unbearable circumstances.

Justine R. Bueno, one of the grade nine performers, shared some insights on the difficulties they faced while preparing for the morning presentation, especially on the new normal.

“Isa pa sa naging problema ay yung mga late nagpasa ng video kasi alam naman natin na nahihirapan din yung editors ng morning presentation. Pero naging maganda naman ang lahat even though maraming difficulties na kinaharap.

Naging maganda ang morning presentation ng JHS kahit online JRU SHS • THE SCRIBE

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JHS Presentation

METEOR FATE. JHS Evening Presentation

RIZALIAN PODCAST

The Last of the Fae. Rizalian Podcast Story By: Clarise Anne R. Penuliar

ito ginanap, nakaya naming gawing matagumpay ang pagce celebrate ng ika-102 taong Anibersaryo ng pagkakatatag ng aming unibersidad,” Bueno emphasized the major adjustments that this year’s university week had brought to everyone.

Rizalians on Spotlight “Rizalians on Spotlight” is JHS’s afternoon presentation that featured talents such as dancing, singing, ballet, musical instruments, declamation & illustrations.

“Truly, Rizalians are gifted, and it’s very timely that during these pandemic times, our students, with the guidance of their English teachers, will be able to spread love and joy, in their own little way,” Mrs. Martin said as she emphasized the talents of Rizalians.

Highlighting the afternoon program, several JHS students showed off their flairs by competing in the said talent contest. Princess Hannah Carnaje came in second place, with her astonishing declamation while Extreme SR Movers placed first by featuring a dance routine. The champion, Angeline Huizo, presented a unique skill among the bunch, a digital SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

illustration.

Sayaw Rizaliana boogied up the afternoon presentation with their dance routine. Aaaliyah Beatrize Cordero also spiced up the program with a musical number.

Meteor Fate: The Galaxy of Soul For the first time ever, all divisions of the basic education; elementary school, junior high school (JHS), and senior high school (SHS) collaborated for the evening presentation which is a three-part series entitled “Meteor Fate.”

The second episode “Meteor Fate: The Galaxy of Soul” revolved around the story of Cato — a smart, well-off, and handsome young man who, despite not needing to work, sold key answers on examinations and other academic-related services to his fellow students. One night, a voice of an unknown young girl startled him, a girl who turned out to be a ghost asking for help.

He then embarked on an emotional journey guided by the said ghost wherein he found forgiveness and peace along the way.

An overall great presentation, with amazing cinematography and excellent editing — the audience was amused by the episode.

Penelope Labay from H12A shared her insights and described her emotions as a ‘rollercoaster ride’ when asked how she felt while watching the presentation.

“There are a lot of lessons that could be picked up from the Galaxy of Soul which makes it an incredible story. It also served as an eyeopener for it showed the impacts of our bad deeds on the individuals, making us realize that simple action could affect deeply the lives of others. It could also be depicted that it is not too late to change for the better. Moreover, this evening presentation made me feel like I’m on a rollercoaster ride since I felt different emotions as the show went on,” Labay explained.

The president of STEM Club, Josh Keane Sanidad, emphasized his favorite part of “Meteor Fate: The Galaxy of Soul.”

“Most liked has to be the character development noong bida lalo na noong na realize niya yung mali niya then yung scenes na ni require silang maging emotional and all,” Sanidad exclaimed.

Patawad, Ina. Rizalian Podcast Story By: Reinheart Shane Z. Villaruz

Silenced Night.

Rizalian Podcast Story By: Aryl Fatima Tunay

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Mapansin Inspires Resilience amid the Pandemic through Film

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‘Best Research Paper’: JRU SHS Students Achieve Victory

By Maria Nathalia Ibanez Mapansin, the official media arts club of José Rizal University Senior High School, launched online Film Festival 2021: Pagahon sa Alon ng Pandemya last Mar. 28 via Facebook to shine a light on the students’ resilience amid the pandemic while showcasing their talent in film and photography.

Five entries contended for the top spot and other accolades, in which “Day 380”, a short film written and directed by Adelfa Maureen Libarios and produced

by Alas Singko Production, was hailed as the winner.

This short film, which also won Best Picture and Best Director, explored the concept of a parallel universe, a world in which one can wish for things to be different.

Moreover, “Suntok sa Buwan”, directed by Kathrina Yurag and written by Ahmed Medhat Saad Ramadan, garnered the first runner-up place, along with People’s Choice and Best in Screenplay awards.

Hezekiah Resurreccion and Shania Noriel’s creation “Larawan ng Nakaraan” bagged the second runner-up place while “G!” by Gaille Andrea Oribello and Ezekiel Adam Yagin was awarded as Best Poster.

On the other hand, Best in Sound Design was bestowed to Arjohn Capucion for his short film “Tawag” while “Work in Progress” by Giulliani Anire snatched the Best in Cinematography award.

Though the short films excelled in different aspects of filmography, they have undoubtedly helped achieved the club’s primary goal in commemorating the festival: to fight the battle we must face together and to instill hope in each individual’s soul in this time of crisis.

BOSES NG BAYAN. Mag-aaral galing sa iba’t-ibang dibisyon ng JRU lumahok sa kompetisyon. Photo from José Rizal University,

By: Mikaela Masanque

I

n accordance with the first Virtual Research Congress with the theme “Fostering Student Potentials and Unlocking Challenges through Practical Research,” José Rizal University’s (JRU) Senior High School (SHS) students presented their study and became the ‘Top 1 Best Research Paper’ in the Quantitative category spearheaded by the Ruizian Research Club via their Facebook page, Apr. 6, Tuesday.

The paper entitled “Two Roads that (should) Converge: Perceived Effectiveness of Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning at a Private University” was written by Aryl Fatima V. Tunay, Patricia Geneva Q. Dela Torre, Kaye Anne V. Macdon, and Aaron Raymunds C. Jose, all from H11A under the supervision of Mr. Bonjovi Hajan.

During the afternoon session of the said congress, three of the authors namely Tunay, Dela Torre, and Macdon, orally presented their study that reflects the discernment of students to the setups of online learning implemented due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Following the exhibition of their quantitative research’s content, the panelists have specific queries that

are outstandingly responded to by the presenters such as the authors preferably interviewing teachers on their perception of the effectiveness of asynchronous and synchronous classes, get the data, and try to validate.

“We indicated in our limitations that we focused on the perception of the students but the teachers’ sides were not highlighted—we recommend that the future researchers will do that,” Tunay defended the interrogation and was later described by the panelist as ‘very smart.’

Another question was about their study’s title and the connotation behind ‘The two roads that (should) converge.’

Dela Torre explained that their research revealed the gap in the perception of the students about the two modes of online learning in which why they uttered the term ‘should’ since both of the modalities must be used cooperatively.

“We believe that we are supposed to converge and serve the same purpose in aiding the students’ learning process in online classes—basically they are the roads that are supposed to meet in the middle and function as one in helping the students learn,” she emphasized.

The panelist also questioned the significance of their findings in public schools such as San Lorenzo Ruiz Senior High School given their research’s context. Macdon then replied that their study is just as relevant to those who are enrolled in modular and online learning.

“The finding, conclusions, and recommendations that we have made in this study are still applicable for public schools especially regarding the supplementary materials to be provided by the instructor and the teacher-student interaction during asynchronous classes,” she added.

As the presentations came to a close, the awarding ceremony emerged and granted the JRU SHS representatives as the ‘Top 1 Best Research Paper’ in the Quantitative category for their exceptional study that is both pertinent to the current situation and grabbed the attention of the educators.

The first Virtual Research Congress aims to unleash the students’ abilities when it comes to research and writing through keynote speeches made by specialists in the field as well as student paper and poster presentations.

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FnB and TG Teams Up to Showcase Students’ Skills in Haraya 2021

HARAYA Jose Rizal University Tour Guiding Club

By Czarina Ross P. Gabito

T

o showcase the resolve and abilities of the Food and Beverages (FnB) and Tour Guiding (TG) students, the representative clubs of the mentioned strands, FnB Club and TG Club, teamed up to bring Haraya 2021: Determination, Skill, Pride to life via Facebok live on Apr. 22.

Haraya 2021 was packed with various contests and opportunities for the students from both strands to show off their skills and to learn from other participants, including Food Photography Contest, Table Napkin Competition, Flight Attendant Spiel Contest, and the most awaited event, Mr. and Ms. Haraya 2021.

The collaborative event opens with the first part of the Mr. and Ms. Haraya in which the contestants flaunted their hand-crafted and recycled costumes that were the product of their outstanding creativity and skills. Each of the participant’s costumes was based on different environmental themes such as oceans, volcanoes, rocks, and forests; a reflection of the students’ celebration of the beauty of nature and culture in the Philippines.

Eventually, the second part of the Mr. and Ms. Haraya kicked off with each

contestant thoroughly explaining the inspiration and the materials they used in their well-crafted costumes.

April Armigos, donning her majestic ocean-inspired blue gown, was hailed as Ms. Haraya 2021, while Daryl Hamtig, who proudly highlighted the tribal clothing of the Ifugaos through an eco-friendly bahag, was lauded as Mr. Haraya 2021.

Moreover, Jo Azis received the People’s Choice Award after garnering more than 1,100 reactions on Facebook, while Amigos and Hamtig brought home the Most Photogenic Award, with Hamtig also crowned with Best Costume.

Afterward, the spotlight turned to the FnB students as they showcased their food photography skills. They made the audiences’ stomachs grumble with their outstanding skills in editing and taking pictures of different appetizing foods from mango, white onions, pork steak, and sushi to rosemary, basil, and amaranth gomphrena globose.

The program continued with the Flight Attendant Spiel Competition that featured the skills of the TG students in confidently and professionally speaking like a real flight attendant through demonstrating the safety features found in an aircraft.

Eventually, the FnB students returned to the spotlight as they exhibited their skills through the Napkin Folding Competition. The contestants from different sections of the FnB strand

demonstrated various napkin folding techniques such as elf’s shoe fold, kimono fold, butterfly fold, pyramid fold, and the t-shirt fold through their videos.

With an average score of 92.3%, Jomiko Tamayo was crowned the winner of the Flight Attendant Spiel Competition while John Racinez claimed the honor in the Food Photography Contest with a 94.3% mean score. On the other hand, the winner of the Table Napkin Competition, with an overall 91% average, was John Noah Siriban.

The program formally ended with the closing remarks of the FnB club treasurer, Maegan Gale Prohibido, who wholeheartedly gave her appreciation to the people behind the successful program and the enthusiastic audience who made Haraya 2021 a success.

HARAYA Jose Rizal University Tour Guiding Club

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Researchers’ Club Empower Youth through 4th Research Congress

that we’re in the middle of a health crisis. Research serves as the key to understanding these ssues so that we may be able to provide solutions.”

Afterward, the quantitative researches and posters of Grade 11 students were presented, in which Geneva Dela Torre, Kaye Anne Macdon, Aryl Fatima Tunay, and Arron Jose garnered the Best Quantitative Research Paper Award for their research titled “Two Roads that (should) Converge: Perceived Effectiveness of Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning at a Private University.”

Meanwhile, the research study titled “Jose Rizal University Senior High School Students’ Perception of Online Learning” by Byrl Shella Campos, Zeth Castro, Rojan Gabriel Leones, Jappy Ociones, and Janea Quirante was awarded Best Quantitative Research Poster.

Day 3

DIVERSE CLUB. SHS Student Council displays/shows a slideshow video of every clubs’ key moments. Photo from SHS Student Council.

By Aryl Fatima Tunay

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ou do research not only for academic purposes. You do research in your everyday lives.”

These were the words of Dr. Reynold Padagas as he enlightened the students about the importance of research during the 4th Annual Research Congress conducted by the Researchers’ Club from Apr. 21 to 23 via Zoom Conference With the theme “Empowering the Youth in Unfolding Society’s Modern Challenges through Research,” the Researchers’ Club braved the hurdles of distance learning and inspired the students to take part in solving contemporary issues through various presentations, lectures, and forums.

Day 1

During the first day of the Congress, Dr. Reynold Padagas, Mr. Raffy Asuncion, and Mrs. Carissa Enteria took turns in educating the students about different topics concerning research including the emancipation of students in research, the youth’s niche in solving society’s modern challenges, and the mechanics of online onsite and online paper presentation.

Dr. Padagas highlighted the need to engage the youth as he mentioned that while traditionally, youth have

been primarily research participants, engagement practices call for them to be brought into the research process, as full research partners when possible.

He remarked, “Your voice matters. If you are guided properly, you’ll be able to translate everything that you are thinking into a powerful piece of work. That piece of work must be disseminated to everybody to promote awareness.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Asuncion cited contemporary problems, including corruption, poverty, instability, and many others, to highlight that as part of society, the youth can and has to do something about them.

He also indicated the relation of Republic Act 8044 or Youth in NationBuilding Act to the importance of youth empowerment here in the country.

Mrs. Enteria, the last speaker for the day’s event, shared some do’s and don’ts tips, and her experiences in the field of research as she explored the art of conducting onsite and online paper presentations.

“Ang sarap talaga if you involve yourself in research because you’ll be able to present your study, and as you present it, people will ask and get curious about your study. You’ll get to meet a lot of people; you’ll get a lot of good friends; you’ll be able to go to other places.” Mrs. Enteria stated as she shared about her research experience to encourage the youth to present their research studies.

Day 2

Quantitative research papers and posters were presented; research experiences were shared; and academic literacy was emphasized as a key to students’ success in research as Grade 11 students, along with Mr. Bonjovi Hajan and Aryl Fatima Tunay, explored the nuances of research writing on the second day of the 4th Research Congress.

Mr. Hajan, the first speaker of the day, focused on academic literacy, its definition, and how it can ignite “the researcher” in everyone, especially the youth.

“Literacy is not just about reading and writing. It’s about being acquainted with statistics if you’re doing a quantitative study. If you’re doing a qualitative study, it’s not just being acquainted with the words. It’s all about things that can be more than that,” pronounced Mr. Hajan as he emphasized the definition of academic literacy and its importance in the lives of researchers.

Meanwhile, Aryl Fatima Tunay, a student-researcher, highlighted the significance that research plays in everyday lives when she shared her experiences and learnings as a youth partaking in research studies.

As she encouraged the students to conduct meaningful research studies, Tunay commented, “We conduct research kasi may problema na dapat bigyang solusyon; especially right now

On the final day of the Congress, the youth were further empowered as various speakers encouraged the student-researchers to use their voice to be a part of social change, and as qualitative research papers and posters of Grade 12 students were showcased.

“Research means hope and this metaphor explains that hope makes our lives better in some ways.

Research can help make a difficult case or situation bearable,” exclaimed Mr. Rufo De Leon, as he shined a light on the relevance of researching in a time where a deadly virus has wreaked havoc in our everyday lives.

Mr. De Leon also defined the meaning of the letters in research.

“R” means responsibility, “E” is for empowerment, “S” stands for the solution, “E” signifies essential, “A” denotes awareness, “R” represents reward, “C” symbolizes challenge, and “H” embodies hope.

Afterward, Patricia Gulla, the former president of the Researchers’ Club, then shared her expertise and experience in the field of research to further encourage the students to take the path of a student-researcher.

Grade 12 students then exhibited the fruits of their qualitative research studies, in which the research study titled “Online Learning Mechanisms of Jose Rizal University Grade 11 Students” by Xenna Baligod, Christopher Pello, Reinheart Villaruz, Davie Villones, and Ralph Vitero bagged the Best Qualitative Research Paper Award.

Meanwhile, the Best Qualitative Poster Award was granted to Angelica Reyes, Meryval Reyes, Nikkaella Revilloza, Ashley Saltiban, Jerome Salmo, and Paz Perez for their research titled “Adaptive and Coping Style of Students in Remote Learning.”

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Dulaang Rizaliano Braves the Theater World amid the Pandemic By: Harrah Jalil Amor Saldua

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indi tayo titigil sa pagkukwento.

Theater is communication at mawala man ang nakagawiang medium, makakahanap tayo ng ibang paraan to convey our stories.”

This is what Mr. Sonny Versoza, a veteran Executive Producer and Headwriter, quoted on how contemporary hurdles fail to impede the theater community as the Dulaang Rizaliano Club kicked off its webinar entitled “Lak-Bay: Mundo ng Teatro sa Gitna ng Pandemya, Mar. 13 via Zoom conference.

Despite the challenges that the pandemic had posed, the mentioned

club remained steadfast in its commitment to guide theater actors, and this was evident in how Mr. Versoza, along with Mr. Paul Paule, John Say, and Ms. Roxanne Japzon, encouraged aspiring thespians to pursue their dreams amid these bleak times.

“Ayaw naming huminto sa usual naming ginagawa dahil ito yung passion namin. Tayong mga taong teatro, we are very much resourceful, and creative para itulog lang itong nangyayari during the pandemic,” Mr. Versoza proclaimed.

He also shared how the theater industry has changed during the pandemic, highlighting how they utilize online platforms to continue producing

quality content that shines a light on contemporary societal issues.

“Para sa akin kung ide describe ko in one word kung ano yung experience ko sa theater. Buo. Binuo niya ang sarili ko, ang pangarap ko, ang kakayahan ko,” Mr. Versoza mentioned as he shared his experiences in the theater world.

Likewise, Mr. Say, former president of Dulaan Rizaliano, also took the chance to encourage aspiring theater actors to fight for their passion by mentioning that because of his undying love for theater arts, he is planning to shift from BS Psychology to seize his dream.

Meanwhile, Mr. Paule, an actor and director, and Ms. Japzon, the adviser

Researchers’ Club #DigDepeerWithin Qualitative Research thru 2nd Webinar Career is the synonym for word occupation. Dulaang Rizaliano expressed their gratitude to Ms. Japzon

By: Czarina Ross P. Gabito

Creativity is one of the key to success.

Dulaang Rizaliano showed their appreciation to Mr. Say’s tips.

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o share valuable knowledge and to #DigDeeperWithin qualitative research, the Researchers’ Club kicked off their second webinar entitled “Let Your Data Do the Talking: Qualitative Data Analysis and Interpretation,” Mar. 19 via Zoom conference

The guest speaker, Miss Agnes D. Daquina, a two-time research panelist of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Makati and a qualitative research teacher at José Rizal University, imparted her knowledge about qualitative research to the enthusiast Rizalians during the webinar.

“Analysis is more on describing and summarizing what we have gathered from our respondents based on conducting our interview with them,” Ms. Daquina explained as she discussed the essence of qualitative research, the different examples of qualitative data collection, and the process of analyzing and interpreting data.

While discussing the said topics, she also shared some of the do’s and don’ts in conducting an effective interview, in which she emphasized the importance of expressing gratitude to the respondents for their cooperation in the study being conducted.

“At the end of the conversation with your respondents, you have to thank your respondents at the same time, we have to leave a positive impression,” the research panelist reminded.

Ms. Daquina also highlighted to accentuate the significance of effectively interpreting the data in qualitative research.

“It is evident that the interpretation of data is very important and such needs to be done properly,” she mentioned.

“Data is not easy to interpret, it has a lot and it goes through a process to be analyzed and interpreted. It is to be done meticulously with such effort.” Nicole Beatrice Dungca, one of the masters of the ceremony, remarked after Ms. Daquina’s discussion.

For the closing statement, the treasurer of the Research Club, Airan Tubo, expressed her gratitude to the people that made the seminar possible which include the guest speaker, participants, and the members of the Research Club along with its adviser, Miss Cecil Igama.

“Research is creating new knowledge, knowledge that will make the world we live in a better place,” proclaimed Tubo to emphasize the importance that research plays in our everyday lives.

of Dulaang Rizaliano discussed the basics of theater arts and listed various career opportunities for actors in the Philippines.

Indeed, the theater industry faced a lot of problems in the face of COVID-19. Still, those in the said industry continue to rise above these challenges, which eventually open a new door of opportunity for the industry to get the recognition they long deserve online.Miss Cecil Igama.

“Research is creating new knowledge, knowledge that will make the world we live in a better place,” proclaimed Tubo to emphasize the importance that research plays in our everyday lives.

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ABM Club Spearheads Trading Lessons

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1st Virtual U-Week Ends with Love and Through Arts

By Clarise Anne Penuliar

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ith an aim to educate and generate knowledge about trading and investing, the Accounting, Business and Management (ABM) Club spearheaded a webinar entitled “Learn with Us: How to Trade in the World Market?” led by Mr. Nilo Barcelona held via Zoom conference, April 19. Colonists” via Zoom, Sept. 26, 2020.

The students of the Grade 12 ABM strand attended the webinar which talked about how to trade in the world market and when is the best time to buy or sell the stock.

Mr. Barcelona, the key speaker and Business Finance course handler, gave plenty of techniques to apply especially in managing one’s time in different time zones of the world market.

He also introduced the features and basic knowledge to platforms used in trading and investing such as the E-toro and Investagrams.

“The reason why 10% survive in the stock market and 90% fail is because of pride,” Mr. Barcelona emphasized.

He also added that people who don’t do risk management and cut loss in the world of trading will just add more damages to the portfolio hence leading to losses.

“You will only put the money that you are willing to lose but if you are prepared in a battle like this, if you are emotionally prepared, you follow your game plan and you have a risk management. I think you will eventually grow your money,” the key speaker quoted for aspiring traders.

More than 200 participants from different sections of Grade 12 ABM strand have joined together and participated actively in the open forum part.

“I have learned the power of making your money work for you, how it can give impact and changes in your lifestyle. And how it is so easy to lose when you do not plan you trading well,” Kimberly Yaon, one of the attendees, mentioned.

Nowadays, where life has been full of hardships and challenges, it is indeed important to look for ways to have passive income. Challenges, failures, and obstacles are part of the process.

Do not be afraid, hence embrace them and make the journey worth telling.

PRAISES OF THE YOUTH. A collage of students show their thankful views through

By Michelle Josephine Mercado and Clarise Anne Penuliar

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ruly, it had been a distinct year for José Rizal University (JRU) as the pandemic compelled the world to stay indoors and all students, teachers, and staff had their own struggles with in coping with the implications of the pandemic and online classes. However, the pandemic did not stop Rizalians from showcasing their talents, artistry, and creativity to commemorate the 102nd founding anniversary of the beloved university as the College Division orchestrated their morning, afternoon, and evening presentations via the official Facebook live of JRU, Feb. 20

Talentado, basta Rizaliano!

During the morning presentation titled “Student Quarantine Showcase,” the College Division demonstrated their creativity as they exhibited their short films, TikTok videos, songs, and many more which proved that even the pandemic could not dim the shining talents that Rizalians possess.

“Indeed, the University Week is an exciting and challenging celebration. This year’s celebration unleashed the Rizalian’s

agility, creativity, and resilience as it embraced the new platform to showcase the students’ talents and unique ideas.

The true spirits of the Rizalian core values are shown in the preparation to break its previous records,” Dean Melfi M. Caranto of Arts, Criminology, and Education expressed in her welcoming remarks to officially start the College Division Day of University Week 2021.

The Student Quarantine Showcase featured a short film by William Rota De Leon & Romarijune Gonzalez and a poem

by Camille Rota De Leon which conveyed that in this abnormal circumstance, we have to embrace uncertainties, overcome adversities, build doors of opportunities.

And never let limitations hinder the endless possibilities. And that one day, all these hardships that everyone encountered will all make themselves out in the future.

Students also performed a song about Covid-19 in the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody of Queen which spoke volumes about how the pandemic devastated public health and jeopardized everyone’s safety and security that they once had.

The College Division also held a slogan showcase wherein they made slogans that highlighted the precautionary measures that one must do to contribute to the holistic mitigation of the virus in the community. The slogans taught everyone

that the community’s safety starts within and that one must take initiative and responsibility to beat the unseen enemy.

The students incorporated music and dances to their showcase such as the Covid Jingle and song and dance number about Covid-19 in the tune of Dancing Queen by ABBA. A wonderful song and interpretative dance performance of Heal our Land by Jamie Rivera was brought to life by the singers Stefel Clux Anal, Vangie Dizon, and Klara Jean Pacat.

College students flaunted their skills s they danced along the music of State of Nation by Industry, We’re All in This Together from High School Musical, and The Fight Song by Rachel Pattern.

The morning presentation also featured a short film and dance presentation which served as a tribute to all front liners out there who mightily risk their lives in the frontlines to defeat the virus, even at the expense of their own safety and family.

To commend the success of the Morning Presentation, Ms. Gina Agus, the Chairperson of History and Social Science Department, enunciated her words of gratitude to everyone who participated and made the College Division’s Morning Presentation a huge success.

“For the JRU community, we will overcome these challenges and together, let us live the word. Keep the faith,

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NEWS

HG Club Joins Donation Drive for IP

By Daphnie Raine Intalan

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José Rizal University’s HUMSS-GAS Club went hand in hand with Taguig City Youth Towards Development Organization (TCYTDO) in organizing Tayo Para sa Katutubo Outreach for the Ayta Group in Zambales as a donation drive with the theme “Handog ng Pagkalinga, Pagsibol ng Isang Dalisay na Yugto ng mga Ayta,” Dec. 15, 2020.

One of the main aspirations that the organization aims to conjure is to raise awareness of the discrimination that is up until now being experienced by the Indigenous People (IP) of the Philippines.

According to John Mark Santos, a member of TCYTDO’s socio-cultural and civic committee and student of JRU, they came up with this project to extend help to indigenous tribes and ancestors in a way that it would become an authentic

program that would respect the Aeta Tribe’s culture and tradition.

“I believe that we should lend our hands for those people who are in need and give priority to our indigenous people,” Santos remarked.

He also noted that the IP are part of the vulnerable and disregarded sector of society; hence, they launched this project for them to receive what they deserve.

All in all, with the help of JRU’s HG Club who were sponsors that launched a donation drive for the program, had accumulated 26,000 pesos equivalent to almost 500 food packs and groceries, hygiene kits, bottled water, vitamins plus 250 school supplies kit, and 250 toys.

The project officially started on Dec. 15, 2020, and ended on Jan. 6, 2021.

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Despite Online Setup, Creativity is Limitless

By Daphnie Raine Intalan

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ho says creativity would be hindered by the pandemic?

It clearly wasn’t when one of the clubs of the university was able to successfully hold a short filmmaking contest online.

and please be safe, everyone!” as she expressed her gratitude.

Sa Letrang J! R! U!

The entire JRU community was set alive as the College Division held the Online Bingo-han 2021. TikTok performances from the seniors kickstarted the fun and heightened the excitement. Rizalians, alumni, and the JRU family was able to participate in this event as they competitively battled it out in three rounds of BINGO. And what made the event even more thrilling were the cash prizes for those who were hailed victorious.

The game required the participants to comment “JRU BINGO / card number” on the live broadcast wherein their cards will first be evaluated before they receive their cash prize through Gcash real-time.

The BINGO game comprised of three rounds. The first round’s pattern was diamond with a cash prize of Php 500 for the winner. In the second round, the pattern was a bow tie with a prize of Php 500 as well. And as for the third and final round, the pattern was a blackout and the winner received Php 1,000 cash prize.

Daluyong: Alamat ng Mandaluyong Love through arts.

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That phrase best describes the College evening presentation as they exhibited performances about the different types of love through various mediums of art.

The first part of the event started with the endearing words of a poem entitled “Unang Tagpo” along with the music of JRU Chorale’s Maalaala Mo Kaya.

“Unang Tagpo” is the first poem that narrated the love story of lovers whose hearts’ meeting place is the beloved university where their hopes and dreams in life were built longer than a hundred years. To keep the romantic ambiance of the event, Levi Celerio and Tito Arevalo performed a song entitled “Ikaw Ang Mahal Ko”.

The performance was followed by the second poem entitled “Layaw, Ulayaw” conveyed how the moments spent together of a couple will never be forgotten. Every moment is significant, every conversation is full of metaphors, and every heartbeat is overflowing with “kilig”.

The spoken poetry was followed

by Kier Edward Marquez’s song cover performance of Hanggang Dito Na Lang

by Jaya. It was then followed by the third poem entitled “Balang Araw” which was about how life turns around, along with every success was a failure, with every shining day came the darkness of the sky. But someday, the break of dawn

will come, and that will be the time to leave the beloved university to reach the success that was destined to be reached.

After that heartfelt poem was another heartwarming song cover of Paubaya by Rochel Ann Aguierre. That performance was then preceded by “Pinagtibay”, a spoken poetry piece about the success that was molded by Josée Rizal University through the years of its service as it continues to witness the journey of its students.

The first part of the Evening Presentation concluded with more song performances were showcased such as “Uamagang Kay Ganda” and “Maalaala Mo Kaya” The second part of the Evening Presentation was held to celebrate different forms of Love and Arts in Teatro Rizal’s heART. The Acting Department embodied Love of Self through poetry entitled “Tunay na Pagmamahal” written by Matthew Francis Mendoza and performed by Jhouella Villfania.

The Movement Department, on the other hand, orchestrated a music video illustrating Love of Others. More performances about Love of Family, Love of Partner, and Love for Country were also shown.

For the third and final part of the College Evening Presentation, TR, JRUC, and Mandaluyong Arts Council showcased the musical of “Daluyong:

José Rizal University’s HUMSSGAS Club held their second Pista ng Pelikulang Rizaliano, March 22-April 5 online via Facebook to showcase the unique talents of Rizalians focusing on Filipino lives during the pandemic.

Official entries were posted on the official Facebook page of the club with three finalists entitled, “Yugto,” “In Between,” and “Suntok sa Buwan.”

After careful evaluation, the winners for the 2nd Pista ng Pelikulang Rizaliano: A Year in Quarantine are listed below; Best Original Screenplay – Yugto by Alpas Production Best in Cinematography – In Between by Zoombie Production Best in Film Editing – In Between by Zoombie Production Best Picture – In Between by Zoombie Production People’s Choice Award – In Between

by Zoombie Production In addition to that, special awards were given to the individuals of the winning films of the festival; In Between’s Isaac Zamudio won Best Director; Yugto’s John Mark Santos for Best Writer; Suntok sa Buwan’s Ahmed Medhat Saad Ramadan bags the Best Actor award with fellow Best Actress Kryzlle Ann Ociones.

Alamat ng Mandaluyong” which was a legend about the origins of Mandaluyong.

“Tonight’s performance Daluyong, Ang Alamat ng Mandaluyong will take you back in time where an interesting story of our city took place.

Dean Kathleen G. Apilado of Hospitality and Tourism Management said in her welcome remarks. Tonight, we are delighted to celebrate.

She expressed her gratitude very grateful that we arefor being part of the celebration and its success as the University will continuously moves forward.

The story of Daluyong revolved around the story of Manda and Luyong which endured all the challenges and conquered all hindrances for them to live in the arms of each other. Despite the opposition of Manda’s father, Luyong did everything he could to prove that he was worthy of Manda’s love. After a series of trials, Manda’s father finally allowed them to live together under one condition, and that is to reside in a bayan with him.

Hence, forming the word “Mandaluyong”.

The triumphant celebration of the College Day along with the conclusion of University Week 2021 resulted to the Facebook page of JRU to achieve 1 million minutes viewed. All of that was made possible by the united efforts and support of the entire JRU family in celebration of the 102nd Founding Anniversary of the university.

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Unfaltered by Woe: SHS Brings Celebration to the Virtual Stage

By Aryl Fatima Tunay

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ajor global crisis, involuntary online learning, necessitated social isolation. These are just some of the challenges that everyone had to cope with for the past year. Yet, even in the face of all these, Rizalians remained steadfast as they braved hurdles and upped their presentations in celebration of the 102nd founding anniversary of José Rizal University.

True to this year’s theme, the Senior High School (SHS) Division embraced changes, redefined the future, and moved as one as they impressed the audience with their gimmicks and performances which included Fundemic, Rise Up Through Music, and Meteor Fate: The Enigma of Constellations on Feb. 19 via Facebook live.

Kicking Off with a Bang To start the day with a bang, students participated in various activities that stirred the mind and energized the body in SHS Division’s morning presentation entitled “Fundemic” at 9:00 AM. The virtualympics started with a classic game loved by many: Bring Me; only this time, it was in an online setting. Participants foraged their homes trying to locate the items requested from them-- from something as mundane as a box of matches to something as complex as a tablespoon with salt. By the end of the game, the students from Tour Guiding (TG) strand proved to be the fastest and most efficient finders as they won the event.

Afterward, students swayed their hips and moved their bodies along the music as the second event, Social Disdancing, commenced.

Energetic songs were danced to as participants from various clubs gave their all in hopes

of winning the prize. Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) placed third with 83.33%, Computer Systems Servicing (CSS) garnered second place with 88.33%, while Arts and Design (AAD) were crowned the winner with 92.67%.

To hype things up, even more, Grade 12 participants then played a virtualympics game: Guess Who. Laughter ensued as the students tried to guess the teachers’ names when their pictures were presented piece by piece.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) proved superior in this field when they won with a total of nine points.

In an interview with Social Disdancing winner Ronald Bactong of AAD, he mentioned that this event, albeit virtual, was memorable because “This was the moment all of us had fun and managed to show our talent virtually even though we are currently in the pandemic.”

Rocking the Virtual Stage Perhaps among the biggest obstacles that the pandemic has posed is the inability of students to show off their skills and talents and what better way to remedy that than through a musical battle? That is why at 1:30 PM, the SHS Division brought a glimmer of hope and inspiration to the audience through the tuneful performances of the students during the Battle of the Bands: Rise Up Through Music.

“Last year was “may the odds be in your favor” kind of year for everyone. We faced uncertainties from what was happening around us, dealing with those tough times comes in different forms and one of them is through music,” imparted Ms. Lalaine Sabayle, Afternoon Presentation Chair, as she officially marked the start of the afternoon presentation.

The event then kicked off as the bands serenaded the audience and judges with their soulful and upbeat renditions of popular songs, which made the crowd sing along.

With an average of 85.75%, Trilogy, who performed “Wag Ka Nang Umiyak” by KZ Tandingan, was hailed the 2nd runner-up.

Meanwhile, Excuzez’s riveting rendition of “Hallelujah” by Bamboo helped them bag the 1st runner-up place with an average of 91.5%.

Midtown Roses and their soul-stirring performance of IV of Spades’ “Come Inside of My Heart” moved the crowd, and they were crowned champion of the day’s event after garnering an average score of 91.75%.

Kheem Redillas, the vocalist of Midtown Roses, mentioned when asked about the difficulties that the band faced while preparing for the performance, “Nahirapan kami sa pag bi blend ng music lalo na ngayon dahil online ‘di kami makapag practice ng magkakasama. Sa awa ng Diyos nairaos at naipanalo po namin.”

Meanwhile, Kurt Philip Bayona, the vocalist of Excuzez, remarked that communication was a challenge in performing since everything was done online. Still, Stephen John Lim, who was one of the avid viewers of the musical battle, claimed that he was surprised to see that despite being in an online setting the bands still showed how well-prepared and passionate they are for music.

Truly, despite the technical difficulties and other challenges, the Rizalians did not falter in showcasing their talents and love for music, and this is evident in how they rose uprose together through melodies in this year’s battle of the bands. vocalist of Excuzez, remarked that communication was a challenge in performing since everything was done online. Still, Stephen John Lim, who was one of the avid viewers of the musical battle, claimed that he was surprised to see that despite being in an online setting the bands still showed how well-prepared and passionate they are for music.

Truly, despite the technical difficulties and other challenges, the Rizalians did not falter in showcasing their talents and love for music, and this is evident in how they rose together through melodies in this year’s battle of the bands.

The Spellbinding Conclusion After its two-day run, viewers were transfixed and mesmerized as the characters’ fates were finally unraveled and concluded in Meteor Fate: The Enigma of Constellations, shown via FB live at 6:00 PM. The visual narrative revolved around Aquilar “Aqui” Quijero, played by Seth Mariano, an introverted student whose life revolved around storytelling until he was grouped with Cassiopeia “Cass” Marie, Leo Tatlonghari and Lyric, and Melody Generoso.

One day, they encounter a Facebook post about an alien sighting that supposedly grants a person’s wish if they share it on their timeline.

Curious, Aqui and his newfound friends share it with one wish in mind: to meet their future selves.

Lo and behold, on the other side of their screens are them ten years from now. However, far from their expectations, their future selves have in store not only good news but also tragic ones. The story then revolves on how they deal with this newfound information and on how their fates get unraveled, along with the enigma of constellations.

As the story progressed, the audience was spellbound as they commented on and shared the film. One commenter mentioned, “This episode is a rollercoaster ride of emotions.”

Another commented, “While watching this presentation, I already knew that they did their best to make this possible.”

The spellbinding conclusion to the stories in Meteor Fate proves that may it be on a physical stage or a virtual one, the skills of the Rizalians still shine brightly, providing light to everyone amid these dark times.

JRU SHS • THE SCRIBE

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NEWS

21 NEWS SECTION 19 21

STEM studes attend STEMThemed Lectures

By Czarina Olaco

Rizalian Student Leaders’ Unite in RLC Rizalian Leaders Congress

By Nathalia Ibanez

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enior High School Student Council (SHSC) supervised the Rizalian Leaders’ Congress (RLC) that gathered all officers from ABM Club, Stem Club, CSS Club, and many more together with the Classroom Officers via Zoom Conference, Apr. 28.

“It takes a lot of effort and adjustment on how we will delegate the tasks well,” the Vice President of SHSC (2019-2020), Ms. Mary Ann Belleza highlighted as she started her sharing on how to delegate tasks to her members as a leader.

She emphasized “Manage a task not do a task” during her discussion and showed a video at the end of her presentation about different people sharing their views and ways on how to delegate tasks based on their versions.

The second speaker of the Leader’s Congress was then introduced by the host- George Abonal from the Student Council, Mr. Daniele Ramirez who is a former officer of the HG Club and EditorIn-Chief of Negosyante Magazine.

Ramirez delivered an entertaining discussion about Interpersonal Relationships as he inserted puns in his examples for the participants to understand his point better s. Such as the Barreto family for the family example, JoshLia for Friends and Colleagues, and the President with the Spokesperson for the Romantic Relationships.

“You should go with people na alam mong maggogrow ka,” he stated. He also asked the participants regarding

SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

their opinions on why interpersonal relationships are important.

Ramirez further emphasized the importance of communication as an essential skill that will not only help us connect and promote teamwork but also create meaningful relationships with the opposite party.

“What comes to your mind when you hear the word self-directed leadership?” Ms. Ricsher Pantaleon, the former Secretary of SHSC asked in her presentation.

She included quotes in children’s movies and series to creatively demonstrate her topic more and discussed the importance of selfleadership.

“The thing that I wanted you to remember is my name. My name as Hiromi Lascano. Not my title, not my designation.” Mrs. Hiromi remarked as she presented the final lecture for the RLC in which she made acronyms of her full name to correlate with the 13 Steps to Become a Servant Leader.

The student leaders then proceeded with their participative activity for the event which aims to test their ability as a leader to plan and discuss their goals.

The teams were each given one Sustainable Development Goal and a breakout room. They were all challenged to discuss their solution or plans in the span of 20 minutes. After which, they were given three to five minutes to present their ideas to other participants.

When asked about the experience during the Leaders’ Congress, Penelope Labay – the current President of HG Club replied, “Well, the experience is great and worth treasuring. I, personally, had fun during the RLC since this somehow helped me assess myself as a leader. This

somehow gave me a kind of inexpressible feeling where I asked myself too if I had the qualities of the real leader. The Leaders’ Congress is fun and interactive in a way that in the last session we got the chance to have an interaction with other leaders of different clubs in creating the activity meant for that.”

She also added that this kind of event helped her learn a lot about understanding the real definition of a leader and their responsibilities.

On the other hand, a member of the Student Council– Pauline Ampaya revealed the importance of conducting this type of event. According to her, RLC helps the students unite with each other in terms of addressing issues and concerns.

“Sinadya namin na irandom sila kasi dito mae enhance talaga communication skills nila, yung leadership skills nila na kahit hindi mo kakilala itong tao na ‘to, kung talagang nasa puso mo ang mag lead, wala yang hindi kakilala-kakilala kung talagang leader ka,” she mentioned.

The Rizalian Leaders’ Congress ended on a good note as the student leaders who participated learned a lot about who they are and what type of leader they want to be with enjoyment and getting to know each other in the process.

Rizalian Leaders Congress

STEM Club launched a webinar series entitled “STEM-Themed Lectures,” Mar. 13 via Zoom Conference, opening the series with lessons in Chemistry.

Mrs. Maria Theresa B. Bonus, Department Chair on Specialized Academics, was the resource speaker in the event and shared her knowledge about Chemistry in everyday life.

According to her, “Chemistry is everywhere,” and that it is considered the central Science. She shared 10 facts about chemistry, which include Chemistry inside the body, emotions, food productions, and many more.

In talks about having a balanced diet, she expressed the need to consume 25% fiber-rich carbohydrates, 40% fruits and vegetables, 25% protein, and 10% fats. “This is something that we should have been doing all our life because it has a lifelong effect in our bodies,” she emphasized.

She also suggested drinking water more than soft drinks to hydrate due to its neutrality. Being both an acidic and basic substance, water will not harm the digestive system even when feeling hungry, unlike soft drinks that increase the level of acidity in the body.

More than a hundred STEM students joined the event and listened to the lessons and advice Mrs. Bonus expounded. During the questionand-answer portion of the event, the students came up with insightful questions and were quite eager to have the speaker answer them with her expertise. Many questions were entertained but there was still much to cover that they had to cut because of the time. Despite this, the event was successful and the STEM Club President, Mr. Josh Keane Sanidad, was beyond satisfied with their hard work.

“Nakakagaan ng pakiramdam kasi bukod sa wala na kaming iniisip ay nagawa naming siya nang maayos. It was really satisfying,” he expressed.

Despite its success, there were a few bumps that the club was able to deal with during the event.

“There were a lot, to be honest, tulad no’ng conflict with the requirements. Preparation is smooth naman kasi lahat ay naprepare nang maayos. When it comes to execution ay nahirapan kapag may problems sa internet yung teacher.” The team bounced back from this and was able to improvise with games and interaction with the audience when a technical difficulty came up.

This was only the first part of a successful six-part series, which include lessons in calculus, AutoCAD, Covid-19, programming, and Microsoft Excel for research.

“Always prepare for the worst. It is very important to take note of the things that could happen and have a Plan B in mind. Success only goes to those who work hard for it,” the STEM Club President shared with regards to their challenges before achieving success.

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

BY MIKAELA MASANQUE

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“Being a leader is also being the feet that support the whole body of the team who can carry and lead the way for the members in order for the holistic to function as one.”

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FEATURES

they all had to handle and how they value each of it,” she said, highlighting the stepping stone being a trainee committee has given her to be the council’s president.

you, and I guess it was hard for starters, but this specific experience for me taught me how to be more disciplined and hardworking,” Gawaen explained the lessons she attained from her journey.

Gawaen and the rest of the council officers preparing for upcoming events such as the University Week. Other than being the president and monitoring the progress of her members, she is also one of the art directors of the evening presentation this 2021.

To any aspiring student leaders

Gawaen is an inspiration for other students who aim to be called a “leader.” It’s a very demanding role that requires diligence, yet very much worth it in the end.

She proved that despite the obstacles ahead, you can still accomplish your duties with a great amount of efSignificance of student leadership and prominent fort. To motivate others, she came up with her very skills of an effective leader own quote “Keep your C.H.I.N. up.”

hese were the words uttered by Agatha Charlize Gawaen when faced with the question of being Being a student leader is more than just being a a leader and the concept of leadership mean to her. part of an organization or having the title itself, it is a deep commitment and a long process of self-imGawaen is a Grade 12 Arts and Design (AAD) student provement to better influence the youth. Gawaen and the president of Jose Rizal University (JRU) Se- shared her perception on what qualities an effecnior High School (SHS) Student Council for the cur- tive leader must possess. rent school year, 2020-2021.

“One of the most essential qualities or skills a leader Showing leaderships skills from childhood and should possess would have to be having the abilbeyond ity to listen attentively while putting everything to heart. I believe that being a leader starts with Ever since she was a kid, Gawaen already manifest- knowing how to listen to all the voices that need to ing the art of being a young leader by taking part be heard,” she emphasized that being an active lisin the Manila Infinity Campus Lions Club (an organi- tener is the root of becoming an effective leader. zation that specializes on helping those who are in need) alongside her family, wherein she became the Through the years, she joined countless of activities organization’s president from 2019 up to present. in leadership. But out of all she has attended, the “Tahan Na: Bringing Home to the Elderly” activity “Growing up, I’ve witnessed every single event that is Gawaen’s personal favorite wherein she became occurred, how everything goes and what its true part of when she was still in her trainee days. purpose is. I guess this point of experience in my life contributed to this passion I have to serve. It has “I chose this because this was the most heart-warmbuilt and shaped my core as a person because at an ing experience for me not because I was able to exearly age I’ve realized the importance of lending a ercise my leadership skills, but because I’ve learned helping hand to those in need,” she enunciated how from my seniors this compassion they had regardthe said club shed light into her passion of leading. less of what position they were in the organization.

I’ve learnt that, you don’t have to be the ‘president’ As a junior high school (JHS) student, Gawaen or part of the executive committee team to have showed no stopping of being involved in differ- compassion for others and I believe that this was ent organizations and clubs. In Concordia College, one of the things that pushed me to continue this where she studied from 2015-2019, she was the passion of mine to serve,” Gawaen stated. secretary of Bagong Juan Club, an organization that promotes peace within the campus and does char- She also claimed that the path she has undertaken itable acts. is completely unplanned and even labelled it as a “blessing.”

“Being an officer of this small club is something I’ll consider my stepping stone in becoming the person The ups and downs of being a student leader I am right now. I simply did attendances and helped facilitate programs and events conducted by our Leadership is a test for your dedication not only toclub and I guess this specific experience in my life ward the organization, but also to the advocacies has given me the joy and inspiration to step up a your club is fighting for and the tasks that you are little bigger. I did enjoy serving and helping people assigned to do. But being a student leader means from places we’ve been to as I brought with me the you need to balance all of the aspects of yourself; Vincentian Core Values and put this in to heart and your duties as a leader, your studies and your perfrom then, my passion grew and I’ve always wished sonal life. Although challenging, it can be rewarding that this would expand in some way as I leave my at the end. previous school and perhaps continue to bring the Vincentian Core Values with me all along,” Gawaen Gawaen shared her personal experiences in regard exclaimed as she emphasized her role in the said to this topic. She revealed having a series of multiple breakdowns due to being overwhelmed by the club and the values she gained from it. amount of chores she needed to comply.

“There was this point in my life where I just felt like outrunning all these things that overwhelmed me.

From her own words, she never would have thought I’ve always had my plate full and seeing the stack of of becoming the student council’s president. In agendas I had to do in my checklist made me panthe previous school year, 2019-2020, Gawaen was ic,” she stated, expressing her downfall moment. already part of the said organization as a trainee But every cloud has a silver lining. Seeing everything committee member. she has accomplished and yet to fulfil made her “I never thought of becoming a trainee, let alone more motivated to carry on. With the help of her the president of such a big organization and I guess family and friends, she realized how competent she being a trainee gave me the opportunity to be able is and understood the process.

As president of the SHS student council of JRU

to learn and see what goes in and beyond that very office in the tower basement, the people’s relation- “Balancing things is much about keeping your priorships with each other; the treatment and situations ities first without sacrificing anything important to

“I came up with this abbreviation to remind all aspiring leaders the following: ‘C’ for Courage.

No matter how tough things may be for you, if there are times you may feel scared to step-up to become a leader and continue your passion to serve, you should keep the courage within you. ‘H’ stands for Hopeful. No matter how difficult it is for a leader to handle or manage a team, one thing that would help keep you and your team moving forward is to stay positive despite the negativity. ‘I’ would stand for Integrity. Being a leader takes a lot of practice when it comes to honesty. He/she must know how to adhere to his/her beliefs and morals no matter what distraction may get in its way.

Last but not least would be the letter ‘N’. This stands for be Natural. There are times in life when we can’t really avoid trying to live up to the expectations of other people, perhaps force ourselves to be someone we really aren’t just to prove ourselves. When being a leader, you don’t have to show-off and force yourself to do your best and be this perfect image a person should see you.”

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

BY ARYL FATIMA TUNAY

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

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he sun was shining brightly on the fateful day meetings. Of course, the staff is not to blame if they suddenly face internet connectivity problems in of January 30. the middle of our discussion. However, it is still very The year was 2020, and the Philippines was still stressful because compared to the scenario during blithely oblivious of the deadly pandemic that was face-to-face classes where we never had to deal about to knock at its doorstep. We were all going with problems like that, we constantly have to battle through our merry lives, unaware of the telltale with technical difficulties just to address our agenda for the meeting now.” signs of an impending storm.

But then, it happened. The dazzling rays of the sun were suddenly replaced by the gusty wind and the overcast weather as the first Coronavirus case was confirmed in the country on January 30. All that followed came like a blur of events; with the first COVID19 death shocking the citizens on February 2, and with the consequential lockdown that was announced on March 12.

Other complications, such as reaching out to the point person of other clubs to garner news and the challenge of dealing with a new, unfamiliar setting such as online classes, also proved to be a burden to the esteemed editor-in-chief in leading The Scribe towards its objectives. Clarise revealed, “It’s very challenging especially contacting different point people of clubs because you need to have guts, walang hiya-hiya.” She also stated that as the creative team faces obstacles like their computer breaking down and shutting down because of the number of layouts that needed to be done, she often asks herself, “What can I do as their EIC? How can I help them?”

Many sectors sustained a heavy impact from the bouts of the pandemic; with the academic sect suffering one of the hardest blows. Face-to-face classes were replaced by systemic online learning, school events had to be held online, and school organizations had to trudge forward with their club advocacies in spite of these hardships. Amid all that had happened, a question arose: how will student Still, these tribulations did nothing but prove how good of a leader Clarise is, because instead of bepublications continue to be front liners of truth? ing rattled and shaken, she exemplified the Rizalian core values by being considerate and compassionThe Herald of Truth ate. She continually offers her team reassurance Despite the tribulations that the pandemic has and comfort, and she has always considered her posed on the learning community, Jose Rizal Uni- staff’s welfare; which is proof that in these trying versity Senior High School’s The Scribe continues times, Clarise has come standing strong in perseto be a herald of truth and a voice of the students vering to represent the youth and to become a through the leadership of Clarise Anne Penuliar, Ed- voice for the students. This, in turn, sparks a flame itor-in-Chief. For the past months, she has plowed in her staff’s heart, urging them to reach the goals through several challenges to turn her visions for that she has set for The Scribe.

The Scribe into reality: to make the publication Youth as the Harbinger of Change eye-catching and full of quality content.

The responsibility as editor-in-chief is not merely confined to editing articles and collecting news stories for the students. It is also, perhaps, one of the most transformative positions; especially now that we are in an online setting where we constantly have to confront various turmoils regarding digital disinformation. Fake news is among the deadliest traps that people often find themselves tangled in, and Clarise lives up to the call to end this as she leads a team of The Scribe on Out Of The Box’s Digital campaign challenge in countering disinformation. With the aim of turning the youth into critically literate individuals, the group, spearheaded These objectives are indeed noble, but they were only met thanks to the editor-in-chief’s by Clarise, targets digital disinformation among the commitment to her duty: which is to spread students of JRU. the truth, and nothing but the truth, and be a voice of the society by all means. The In a time where fake news is prevalent, it is indeed leadership of Clarise shines brightly and essential to disseminate rightful information; and empowers the editorial board to trudge The Scribe serves not only that purpose, but it also through the hurdles that the pandemic, fulfills its advocacy of standing as the voice of the along with the uncertainty it brought youth in delivering change. with it, poses.

When it comes to empowering the youth to be a harbinger of change, Clarise exclaims, “With all the Still, being the head of a school publication is never always full of sun advantage of accessibility to credible information, shine and rainbows. Peter Parker’s resources and technology, use your platforms as a voice of truth, not a source of disinformation. Youth principle, “With great power is the future as they say but I can say that youth is comes great responsibilthe present that has the ability to make the future a ity”; cannot be more aptly sustainable world.” She also reminds the youth that applied to the burden that we should communicate with those who are unthe editor has to bear. aware of the truth; and if there are people blinded Online meetings, bal by disinformation propaganda, we should educate ancing school life and organization activities, along and enlighten them instead of hating them. After all, with other problems that would the youth, oozing with potential, can do so much in changing the world for the better if they work tonot have been an issue in a tradi gether toward one goal. tional class setting, casts its shadow constantly; and the brewing storm the men tioned issues cause are sometimes very stren Moreover, she explains that as part of the youth, we should always practice the uous.

“There are a lot of very challenging issues that we 4 E’s: Educate, Enlighten, Empower have to face,” Clarise disclosed. “For example, and Encourage.

“For this year, since we are in the middle of the pandemic, we are focusing on the ventures of students,” Clarise mentioned as she explained that one of her goals is to spice up and add flavor to the publications of The Scribe. “We have always looked forward to creating a huge creative team, and I am proud to say that they really exceeded our expectations and produced stunning outputs.” Moreover, she added that it is her aim to not compete with the other publications, but rather step up to the pedestal that the previous batches have set.

Educate those who have no means to access this information, help them differentiate what is real and fake. Enlighten those who are walking a path pure of disinformation and misinformation. Empower people to be harbingers of change and to be an advocate of the truth. Lastly, encourage others to share their insights or stand about an issue. Do a discourse and if something is wrong, go back to these steps educate, enlighten, empower and encourage. Clarise believes that by following these 4 E’s, we will be able to light up and keep others’ hearts burning, and as this flame grows brighter and larger, we will reach a shining tomorrow.

Indeed, as the youth, we are not only the future but the present of society. The weather may still be overcast and the storm that the pandemic has brewed may not have yet passed, still, youth leaders like Clarise serve as inspiration in mobilizing the youth to step up and harbinger a much-needed change in society.

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

BY REINHEART SHANE VILLARUZ

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

The future is in the hands of the youth. The youth is the world’s future. And if we don’t become the change, how the renowned camping eight years ago to the young womwill we bring change to the community? If we will not bring an who embraces the programs, values, and advocacies the organization carry, I can recount that the Girl Scouts of the change, then who will?

Philippines (GSP) really shaped me into the woman I am today,” she shared.

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zation skill, have time for yourself and loved ones, prevent burnout, and feel and attract happiness and contentment,” she recommended. “P.S. Stop romanticizing ‘busy-ness’.

Truly live and cherish every moment,” Rosario advised.

Words from a young heart to another

n a world of nations suffering from one crisis to another, inequality, poverty, corruption, discrimination, prejudice, violence, and detrimental circumstances—which may seem as if all hope is lost for humanity—there comes the youth of these nations, who are becoming more awakened about the harsh realities the world may make you succumb into. Upon their awakening is the blazing passion within their hearts to fight for a better future, not only for themselves but for the entirety of humanity. They are the symbol of hope, the ray of light amidst the darkest of hours, and the scorching flame that envelopes you with warmth on a bone-chilling night.

“The youth is the hope of our future,” those impactful words from our country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, awakened the fire in many youths from generations to generations like how it resonated with Scout Mariane Dorothy Rosario, a Jose Rizal University alumni, the President of Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) in 2019-2020, and the current Central Luzon Regional Girl Representative to the Central Board, sparking the fire within her heart years ago to dream of becoming one of the “pag-asa” the national hero is talking about.

“When I first heard Dr. Jose Rizal’s ‘the youth is the hope of our future’ years ago, it immediately resonated with me to the point where I dreamed to be one of the “pag-asa”. I am still far from being one and sometimes, I even feel like it is impossible to achieve, yet my fellow youth leaders who also aspire to create change inspire me and keep me going. After all, if not us — the future of our bayan — then who?” the young heart of Rosario was set alight by the famous quote left by our national hero. And today, she has truly become the “pag-asa” that she wanted to be in her pursuit of pioneering change and support for the youth, women, and gender equality. She is the quintessential embodiment of a student leader whose heart is burning to bring change not only for oneself but for the world as well.

At an early age of 13, the young woman was awarded the Chief Girl Scout Medal, the highest and most prestigious award ever given to a Girl Scout, as she led a one-year community that spearheaded Feeding and Proper Hygiene (Health) Programs.

Words from a young heart to another “Being a ‘student leader’ shouldn’t be a mere title, but a responsibility and a journey. You couldn’t be a leader if you are not willing to learn, relearn, and unlearn a lot of things. Thus, be ready to go out of your comfort zone,” she voiced out these words of “The Girl Scouting movement allowed me to discover myself motivation to further encourage the youth to take a leap of and unleash my potentials. Importantly, it made me grasp faith and step out of their comfort zone in their adventure the essence of sparking and leading change not just for one- as aspiring student leaders. “At first, it is intimidating, but the self but for the world community,” she expressed how the feeling of fulfillment makes it life-changing and incomparable,” she added, proving that stepping out of your comfort GSP contributed to her growth as a woman. zone is worth the risk for the life-changing fulfillment it can give you.

Her triumph during her years in JRU Rosario spent her Senior High School, Junior High School, and Elementary years in JRU. The university witnessed her triumphs and along those years were the numerous achievements she attained and various experiences that she went through, which honed her into becoming the student leader that she is today.

In 2017, she attained being the School’s Chief Girl Scout Medalist, Community Immersion Awardee, and Most Outstanding Girl Scout. She was also recognized as the Leadership Awardee, Girl Scout of the Year, Best in Scouting, and Camper of the Year in 2017 and 2018.

She excelled in her GSP role when she assumed the Presidency of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines in 2017-2018 with her academic excellence in JRU. During those same years, she was elected as the Secretary of the Supreme Student Government of the Junior High School Department of JRU. In her 9th Grade, she was recognized as the Grade 9 Representative of Girls Scouts of the Philippines in 2016-2017.

The young woman continued to serve as an inspiration for today’s youth as she, once again, embodied excellence, hope, and empowerment during her Senior High School years in JRU, for she graduated with Honors and triumphantly became the Humanities and General Assistant Secretary in 2018-2019. During the years of 2019-2020, The Scribe was given the privilege when the talented Miss Rosario joined the publication as one of its writers. She continued to amplify the essence of being a girl representative when she assumed the seat of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines President in

She has brought honor to the youth and our country as she was recognized by the council of Mandaluyong and by various regional, national, and international institutions and organizations. In 2018, she became Mandaluyong City’s Most Outstanding Girl Scout. For two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019, the student leader ranked 1st Place in the Mandaluyong Council’s INFEX and DX Contest. She then was hailed as Central Luzon’s Most Outstanding Girl Scout in 2020. Her most recent feat is becoming the champion of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) U-Report 2019-2020.

Global Competition in 2021, an international competition.

Stumbling in pursuit of change “I represent the girls’ interests in the organization’s decision-making,” she explains her role as the Current Central Along with being a girl representative, a student leader, Luzon Regional Girl Representative to the Central Board, the and an achiever comes a tremendous weight of responsihighest seat given to a Girl Scout. In addition to that, she is bilities that has to be fulfilled. It cannot be denied that in currently sitting as part of the National Program Committee, pursuit of initiating change in the community, one can feel wherein she partakes in crafting Relevant, Exciting, Accessi- burnt out from bearing all the responsibilities and duties ble, and Learned-led (R.E.A.L.) programs for the girls in GSP. that come along with it. Just like any normal person, Rosario Her passion for her community is apparent in the advocacies that she upholds. In a society wherein gender discrimination and violence against women are still prevalent, she has been advocating for Gender Equality, particularly in eradicating Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWGS), wherein she participates in raising awareness of the 18-day Campaign to End VAWG, which is an event conducted every Nov. 12 to Dec. 12. In adherence to her advocacy, they also partner with fellow civil society orga nizations who uphold the same advocacies. In ad dition to that, the young woman also actively par ticipates in reaching out to different sectors i ncluding the marginalized through campaigns and proposing bills to local government units to further strengthen their advocacy.

The path that changed her life Life-changing. When asked about her expe riences, the young woman described her journey in being part of GSP as a life-changi ng experience for it molded her from the young girl who joined the organization eight years ago solely for the camping experience to the young woman that she is today who encompasses the values, programs, and advocacies the said organization embodies.

She stated how being a Girl Scout enabled her to unleash her potentials and discover herself.

confessed that she faced roadblocks—the biggest one she encountered was being burnt out from all the workload on her shoulders.

“Aside from managing both academic and volunteer works, one of the biggest challenges that I ever faced was burnout — which actually taught me tons of things! Before, I was afraid to say ‘no’ to opportunities that resulted in tons of workload to handle. On top of that, I put unnecessary pressure on myself to the extent that I started to sacrifice the quality of my outputs just for compliance. That particular moment made me reflect on what went wrong. Long story short, I learned to assess everything first before committing to opportunities, and importantly, I learned to prioritize my mental health through doing more self-care activities often,” she shared her hardships in being a student leader, pointing out that she struggled with declining opportunities and unnecessary pressure that she has brought upon herself.

Juggling with so many duties and responsibilities is nothing in the likeness of a walk in the park. One must master a healthy strategy and mindset to not drown in the sea of workload. Rosario expressed her struggles in managing her time and responsibilities until, during this quarantine, she came across a realization that transformed her mindset, one that she highly recommends.

“Instead of trying to manage your time, replace it with managing your energy. How? Every day, identify a maximum of three goals that you would like to accomplish within the day and after achieving those, call it a day and celebrate the “From the girl who joined Girl Scouting just to experience small victory. Through that, you can practice your prioriti-

Together with Rosario, thousands of her fellow youth are also burning to step up to become today’s catalyst of change and tomorrow’s hope. Those young and burning hearts are among us, aspiring to serve their community as student leaders. The fire in their hearts may be a blazing passion, but oftentimes, the society finds its way to creep into the depths of their hearts, like a whisper of the wind, aiming to kill the flame.

“Keep looking for your purpose — the reason why you are assuming this responsibility in the first place — and once you found it, live by it and do your best to fulfill it. Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy the journey and be happy,” she uttered words of encouragement to all aspiring student leaders out there.

Despite all her commendable works, Rosario continues to possess a humble and grounded heart. She continues to be driven to spark the fire in her fellow youth. The young woman constantly strives in creating an impact that would influence the people in her community.

“I know I haven’t done much yet but knowing that I can create impact keeps me going,” she uttered.

When she is not occupied with her volunteer work, she shared that she finds joy in fangirling over EXO, NCT, and SuperM. She is also practicing meditation, reading or watching essential materials, journaling and planning the next steps she wants to take in her personal journey, and lastly, hibernating.

“Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan,” said our national hero numerous decades ago, but the impact and the truth that statement possesses remain alive in our hearts today.

It continues to live on because of you, the youth, and because of everyone who lives to uphold its message. The youth is not only the hope of this land, but you are also the hope of today, of tomorrow, and of those who are devoid of the opportunity to hope for a future.

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

BY DAPHNIE RAINE O. INTALAN

VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

“There is never a clear path.

It is you who will define yours,” – Richser Q. Pantaleon.

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being genuine to what she does make her a “I could not envision my future career yet, great [leader]. and I am still constantly searching for my route. But to all the students, I would like you When asked about what inspired her to be- to remember that being uncertain does not come who she is now, she answered that the make you any less [of a person],” Pantaleon person she is right now is far from the person responded when being asked to share an inshe wants to become. Still, though, she cher- spirational message to the current students ishes her present self. of JRU who wish to follow the same footsteps hoever said research won’t contribute as her. to your life probably never experienced what our featured student has. Okay, before any “Time and experience change a A person does not always know which path of you attack me, especially those who spent person, and I am gradually dis- they would take, and it would often be cona lot of their time despising the subject. I covering every part of me day fusing and, at times, would bring a student get you; the task is tedious and requires an down. Uncertainties do not fall well with anyenormous amount of patience when your by day. I didn’t care much back one, but it is best to remember one of the teacher throws back your paper for some then, but now, I always make a wise words Richser has spoken throughout improvements. Nonetheless, the satisfaction decision by heart.,” added Pantaleon. the interview: felt when you have finally passed through “Just trust yourself and do your best. There the nerve-wracking albeit soul-deteriorating A leader isn’t born a leader, nor are they is never a clear path. It is you who will define process of defending your research paper is made overnight, hence, Pantaleon shared yours,” Pantaleon stated. for sure the best fruit of labor you will ever that she was once torn between academics receive. and student council duties. “It is perhaps Always remember that success does not the most difficult thing a student leader ex- come easy. It would take a lot of failures beToday, we will talk about one of José Rizal periences,” she expressed while reminiscing fore one can truly achieve success, but you University’s finest. Miss Richser Pantaleon. know what? There is never a clear descripthose days.

Pantaleon, an alumna of JRU, served as the tion of success as well, and to reference secretary of JRU Senior High Student CounThat experience didn’t last as she was given a Ate Richser’s words, it is you who will define cil in her Grade 12 and as the JRU-SHS Renew light and perspective by her colleagues what your success is and if you trust yourself searchers’ Club’s President in Grade 11. On and their commitment to serve as the stu- enough and push thru with all your dreams top of those achievements, Pantaleon brags dent council and voiced out that it is what and aspirations. You too will get a taste of a feat of snagging the Best Paper Presenter she wanted to explore, all the while learning sweet success. and Best Paper (Student Category) at the 3rd how to manage time and balance her prioriPhilippine Association of Campus Student ties as she cannot put herself to choose only Advisers (PACSA) International Conference in The JRU community wishes Richser good forone of the two.

November 2019 held at the Teacher’s Camp, tune in her future career. You are truly an inBaguio City.

“I do not desire to leave a prodigious lega- spiration to us. May you grow into the person cy. If I could be an inspiration or a reason for you aspire to be. Kudos!

In an interview with Pantaleon, we were able someone to dream and be what they are yet to talk about her experiences as a researcher to become, one is more than enough,” spoand a student leader who wishes to bring inken like a true leader that she is responded spiration to the students of her alumnus. to the question of legacy. Being able to be an When asked about her current situation, inspiration to others is already a feat worthy Pantaleon confessed that she couldn’t define of a legacy and something that not only Panhow she was feeling at that moment of the taleon feels for sure. interview.

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As mentioned earlier, Pantaleon was a participant in the 3rd PACSA International Conference; she shared with us the experience of being chosen to compete is not exactly exciting but rather made her anxious and nervous. “From preparations until the event proper, I was not alone; and without them, I wouldn’t have made it,” she thanked her family, friends, and her mentors who believed and supported her throughout the Awareness of the importance of spending whole event. time around her family and the opportunities to do the things she’d love to do are some of Pantaleon conveyed that her mentors’ inthe treasures she stated were essentially the credible generosity with dividing their time to things she learned during this pandemic. share their knowledge and guide her is what pushed her to give her best shot. One which “Leadership is about you and everyone else,” is of great effort as she was able to bring Pantaleon answered after being asked about home glory to her family, the university, and her perceptions of the word ‘leader’. herself for being the Best Paper Presenter and Best Paper in the student category of She also learned that the best experience the event! she ever had as a student leader is seeing how well she has done through the eyes of “However, my family, friends, and especialthose she leads. ly my mentors, supported and believed in me. They were so generous with their time “For me, a great leader is selfless and fair,” to share their immense knowledge and guide she declared, emphasizing that being seen me. That pushed me to give my best shot,” as a great leader is knowing her values, and she expressed.

“Someone I admire once said that stars shine the brightest during the darkest nights. The pandemic brought negative feelings around the globe, but I chose to be optimistic,” she added, making it clear that she too learned a lot in these trying times. Notably, she also mentioned how families and herself are her most precious gems.

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May pasok ba tayo ngayon?

pwede pasend es? Please thanks

on! Thank you, libre a pag nag kita tayo! <3

pos ka na sa module?

Congratu

Online Gr

The education sector is one of the highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Ph and modular learning were impleme

Some claim online learning is an indispensable alternative to make up for the lost presenc

Ultimately, there are many gaps in our system that the government has yet to fill or help w own capabilities, while some face the c

Hopefully the next batch of graduates would hold their head high in marching w

PADA JRU SHS • THE SCRIBE

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MMMM YYYY - MMMM YYYY VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

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ulations!

raduates

ce in physical classrooms, while others struggle as they adjust to the digital environment.

with. Without authoritative intervention or direct aid, most of the country is left to their chances of not enrolling this year at all.

AYON! SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

Pasend ako zoom link Thank you

Congrats sa atin! I will miss you guys :( <3

hilippines, where there are still a glowing COVID-19 infections as of now, online classes ented as an alternative for learning.

with their diplomas and caps physically. Life goes on as they say, 2021 graduates,

May zoom ba ngayon?

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 21

The Re

By Czarina Olaco

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

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never thought that waiting could feel like competing.

Do you know that feeling when you’re in a competition and you’re just outside waiting for your number to be called and you don’t want it to be called yet? The feeling of anticipation is suffocating and you just want it to be over. When your number is finally called, the feeling of your heart falling to your stomach seeps through. You cannot just outwardly feel it though because you’re in front of an audience. It’s a weakness and you cannot show your weakness just yet. This is how it felt when I was told that my test results for coronavirus came out positive.

Before telling you of my experience inside an isolation facility, let me tell you the story of how it began. My family and I have always been the “at home” type of people. Yes, we go on vacations in different cities and provinces and we also go to the mall, but we much prefer staying at home. Being quarantined because of the pandemic was quite easy, to say the least, because we would have stayed in even without the pandemic.

We thought we were safe and it turns out, we were not. What we thought was a simple cold turned out to be something much worse.

My aunt got better after a few days of fighting a cold but my mom got infected on one of those days—hers did not go away and got worse for more than a week. My little brother caught a cough and cold too and even had a fever for a couple of days and we treated it like we normally would. It was not until my mother lost her sense of taste and smell that the whole family decided to get her and my little brother tested.

The day after their swab tests, the results came—my mother was positive but thankfully, my brother, who was still fighting off a cough and cold, was not.

As a daughter, I was worried for my mother but it felt sort of anticlimactic when I was told the news. I had just woken up and the moment I went downstairs to get ready for the day, I saw their solemn faces and was told to wear two masks to be safe. “Yung mommy mo,” my cousin said, and I knew what it meant. I didn’t cry even though I felt sad because I just knew deep inside that she was going to be fine, and so no tears were shed, and instead, I made her laugh through chat. My dark humor was made of use and I got my mother to stop crying a little. It made my heart and mind lighter that I was somewhat of a comfort to her for once and not the source of a headache.

With my mom getting a positive result, the rest of us had to get tested as well because we were all a close contact. The test was done a day after we found out about hers. It was a really weird experience rather than scary because you sit down in front of the doctor and watch her shove a long stick up your nose and throat. It was quite painful for me because I was developing a sore throat but for my other family mem-

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eality of Being

Positive

bers, it was fine.

which was weird. I remembered that it had a really strong smell that always triggers my allergic rhinitis, so there must be something wrong. I finished the laundry quickly and went back to our room. I smelled different things, even my mom’s strongest perfume, and they had no scent. Nothing. This is the time that my brain decided to be funny in a serious situation. They were all worried about me and I decided to say, “At least I can’t smell your farts now.” Facepalm. After that, my taste buds stopped working as well. Everything tasted like a wet nothing. It’s weird but tolerable.

When we got home, we were told that my mom would be transported to an isolation facility alone. I was already feeling off that day and hearing that news suddenly made things worse because I developed a slight fever that went on and off the whole day. I was not feeling my best but when my mother called me crying, my fever was forgotten and my emotions just came out. The moment I saw her tears, I felt mine run down my face. It was hard saying goodbye without being able to touch that person. I didn’t want her to go and fend for herself alone but it was necessary. At least we got to Moving on, the day we had to move to the facility was sad and chaotic because, in the morning, my grandparents, younger say goodbye at all. cousin, and little brother repeated their swab tests to make The days after, my slight fever was on and off again. It’s safe sure that they were still negative. It was hard to leave them to say that I was dreading my results because it does not feel and wait for the results from so far away but we had to. Belike a coincidence that I am having symptoms after my moth- fore leaving, we couldn’t hug our grandparents and our little er did. In addition to that, I was the only one with any symp- brothers to say goodbye. My grandmother barely looked at toms. The results didn’t come the next day. Or the day after us and my grandfather was fighting back tears. It was quite that. We got optimistic because we were told that negative hard to see. We were transported by medical volunteers in an ambulance and there was just silence and hesitant jokes results take longer but I doubted mine would be negative. to fill the void. When we arrived at 9 pm, we were told to wait The first one to get their result was my other little broth- for a few more minutes for verification. We came in expecter and he was positive. At that moment I knew that I would ing to have our rooms but fortunately, they allowed the same be positive too but my results didn’t come next. It was my genders to stay together. I was with my two cousins and aunt older cousin—she was also positive. My younger cousin was and my brother was with my uncle. next and he was negative. A few hours later, in the afternoon, my aunt, uncle, other cousins, and I still haven’t got ours, so This is Day 1. The room was not bad. It was big enough for my aunt got ours tracked. She looked at her phone after re- the four of us and there was a shabby air conditioner in the ceiving the message and I saw her take a deep breath and corner. I described it as shabby because it was quite broken hold her tears back. That was the first time I saw her crumble down but it works just fine. There was no lock in the room, throughout this whole Covid fiasco. She was always the calm, the bathroom door is broken, and the wall paintings were rational one in the family and never let her emotions get the coming off. It was not that nice but it was livable. We were only going to stay for 10 days anyway because the count of best of her. And now, she was holding back tears. the isolation starts on the day of the swab test. We were not “What is it?” I asked. She just looked at me and said, “Pos- transported for four, almost five, days so we only had 10 remaining. itive.”

I was confused because “positive, what? Who?” and she couldn’t speak clearly because of her holding back her tears.

And finally, she said that all four of us remaining were all positive. I knew this before, right? I expected it but hearing it out loud was different. I felt my heart fall to my stomach and I was ready to cry, but when I saw one of the strongest people I know start crying, I knew I had to keep my emotions inside.

She did not need to see another person cry. I just kept looking at her until her eyes met mine and I gave her a nod as if to say “It’s going to be okay.” She looked at me for a little longer before nodding right back and straightening up. There she is, my aunt’s back in business.

The next few days were spent quarantining in our rooms, attending classes, and frankly, doing nothing. Even though my sore throat was getting worse and I was having multiple migraine episodes, I decided to do a little laundry in the bathroom the night before we have to be transported to the isolation facility. I noticed that the detergent had no scent,

Day 2 was not much different. We were monitored by the nurse in the facility; they ask about our symptoms and how bad they were. Weirdly enough, there was a knock on the door and when my aunt opened it, four separate meals and water bottles are outside on a chair. The food includes veggies, fruit, rice, and some meat. It was a well-proportioned meal. We were to take our prescribed medicine along with vitamins twice a day. These meal deliveries happen three times a day—at around 6 am, 11 am, and 6 pm. The times vary but they were still on time.

The rest of the days were quite the same. It was dull and no noise ever coming from the outside. At first, my symptoms got worse as well as one of my cousins but it gradually got better. I was extremely grateful for my teachers because they were so considerate of my requirements when they learned of my situation. All of them offered their support, checked in from time to time, and wished my family and me well. I will forever be grateful to them for understanding why I cannot fulfill my duties as a student as best as I usually can. I got the rest I needed and got better.

Here we were again waiting. Waiting. And waiting. Just like in the beginning, waiting for the results, here we are waiting to finally come home. There was no bad news or good news to be shared for a few days but four days before we leave, the results of the remaining four people at home arrived and they were all negative. It was hard to explain how we felt that day because it was a mix between dancing in victory and drowning in tears. Weird combo but it’s possible. That night, our whole family had a video chat and everyone was happy and joking around with a few happy tears to spare. It was the best day we had since this whole thing started.

Two days after that, we received the news that my mom was well enough to come home. We were so happy because she had the worst condition out of all of us and she was sent to a different facility. Even though we had to stay for a few days more, we know that we will be joining them soon at home.

Our family has gone through so much and at each obstacle, we stayed together. No number of storms, floods, and the virus could take us away from each other. We always had hope and faith to turn to and most importantly, we had each other.

As cliché as it sounds, indeed, a family that prays together stays together.

We should always remember that there will always be light at the end of the tunnel and a rainbow after a storm. One should never lose hope because every obstacle that we face is something that can be overcome.

Have faith.

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It’s not our disabilities, it’s our abilities that count.”

– Chris Burke.

This is the story behind Lairca Nicdao’s success, a young Rizalian who continues to make history in the world of Para Dance Junior Division. At a young age, she has proven to the world that a disability won’t stop her from reaching her dream of becoming a dancer. With years of training and success, she was featured in GMA Magpakailanman last Oct. 22, 2020, with Kapuso star Bianca Umali taking on her role.

“I was anxious and apprehensive when I learned that I will be featured in Magpakailanman. I overthought what other people will say about me since my life story will be displayed in public. However, I still hoped for a better result that my story would inspire others,” admitted Lairca during the interview.

At the age of six, Lairca’s left leg was amputated after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma which led to her becoming a victim of bullying.

“If I could start again, I would go back to being my five-year-old self. I would not be a stubborn kid who goes up and down to keep the tip of it from hitting my leg and causing osteosarcoma so that my leg would not have to be amputated,” Lairca stated.

“Then I will have my normal life back again, where no one will bully me, no one will criticize me, and no one will stare at me as I pass by.”

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Lairca revealed that she originally wanted to become a ballerina or a doctor. “I can be a doctor without being told that I can’t be one because of my disability,” she emphasized if her leg had not been amputated.

Despite the difficulty in moving and the bullying she received, she still strived to be a great dancer and even became the country’s first Junior World Champion in the 2019 Para Dance in Bonn Germany at the age of 17.

“I either don’t get enough sleep or don’t sleep at all, and I sometimes forget to eat,” Lairca mentioned, admitting that her training schedule and academics have taken a toll on her before. However, she was able to overcome this through intense self-discipline and time management. She mentioned that prioritizing academics and selfcare is important.

Lairca believes that this series of successes is not the end and that she is still on her path to becoming truly successful. “I believe the most important things that have driven me to be where I am today are my self-confidence, competitiveness, bravery, integrity, my family, and having faith in God,” said Lairca.

“We’re meant to stand our bonds in this battle, as there’s still a sunset at the end of the great storm we’re going through,” Lairca said, as a piece of advice she wants to share with her fellow students who also have their battles to fight. “Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”

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D ifferent types of community quarantine emerged since the global pandemic began early last year. Acronyms were created to make it “easier” for people to remember but along these

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things come the long and tedious guidelines from the government. The downside? They all look and sound THE SAME. When asking officials, they give you their own understanding of the guidelines, and thinking you are safe to go out after listening to them, you wind up getting arrested and fined. And guess where your money goes to...the recovered COVID patients. No, just kidding! I have no idea where they go. As I was saying, the guidelines are CONFUSING. There are four main types of community quarantine, namely the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), General Community Quarantine (GCQ), and the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). Basically, it means that ECQ is technically a full lockdown, MECQ is slightly more lenient, GCQ is where most people can go out, and MGCQ is where more people and establishments are allowed to go and open up. Simple, right? However, if we look at the guidelines, things get a bit more complicated.

I will not go into detail but it basically just tells you exactly what I said in longer and fancier sentences. Sadly, more types of quarantine were created by local government units (LGUs) with their own specific guidelines. To make everything simpler, here is a list of all the existing types of community quarantine in simpler terms:

ECQ (Bawal lumabas.)

You heard it, folks. EVERYONE must stay inside. That means anyone under 21 is not allowed to go out as well as people aged 60 and above. If you’re sick (any kind of illness/disease) or pregnant, sorry buddy, you’re also not allowed. Basically, 100% stay inside!

Except if you need to buy essentials, then only one person can go out to get them. Delivery services are also exempt from curfew to deliver essential goods, hardware, medicine, etc. For the record, essentials include food--all types of food including lugaw. Wink wink.

MECQ

(Try not to get arrested.

Or fined for going out.)

This one is still basically the same thing with an ‘M’ in the beginning. It is only a tad bit more relaxed because it allows people to go out a bit to get a little exercise as well as gatherings of five for important purposes. Basically, try not to get arrested because even though you’re the only one going out in your family, if you get caught up with groups of people walking around, you’ll likely be stopped by the police.

References: https://www.evernote.com/shard/s521/sh/e411cd2a-2e50-b54e-57dc-f398601f3759/ 7f8984ac8c88d43a31d49e2f580eadda

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rina Olaco

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Flexi-

MECQ

(The prison sentence is almost over…almost.)

This is actually a newer type of quarantine and it was recently suggested by Metro Manila mayors as a “middle ground” for MECQ and GCQ. The only new thing added in this quarantine is that more activities like construction will be allowed, so they’re basically only prolonging the inevitable. It has not been fully implemented though, so don’t you worry. I hope they don’t add a “Maxi-MECQ” though. That sounds like a sanitary pad.

Sorry, folks!

GCQ

(We’re free! …..not.)

“Folks, I have to apologize. The General Community Quarantine is not freedom...merely an easier prison sentence.”

Yeah, we’re not free yet. Do you know that thing they do to prisoners where they get a few hours to roam outside their cells? This type of quarantine is basically like that.

People can go out to walk around and talk to other people, go places, and even go to work as long as they follow the safety protocols of wearing masks and face shields.

This doesn’t include the elderly and little kids though because it is incredibly risky. If you’re wearing glasses, I’m sorry but your noses and ears are gonna have to suck it up and carry the weight of the world. Anyways, public transportations and a few more establishments (e.g., malls, restaurants, etc.) are allowed to operate following the safety protocols.

MGCQ

(So...are we free yet?

“Medyo lang.”)

Like the MECQ, this is the same thing as GCQ but with the ‘M’ in the beginning. It’s probably safe to assume that ‘M’ stands for ‘medyo’ in Tagalog, meaning “just a little”. Medyo GCQ―sounds pretty accurate, right? Elderlies and kids still aren’t allowed to go out but those who are can go to the mall and watch movies, eat at a restaurant, get a haircut. or attend a sports event, however, they must only occupy 50% of the venue capacity.

Kind of good news for students, schools are allowing limited face-to-face classes. But wait, there’s a catch! Schools must strictly comply with minimum public health standards, consultation with local government units, and the guidelines set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). So basically, face-to-face classes are kind of a long shot.

Granular Lockdown

(Nope, this is sadly not getting people in houses to drink coffee with sugar for months.)

Granular lockdown, based on its meaning, is a type of quarantine designed only for a sitio, purok, or barangay. Any local communities under the granular lockdown will operate under the MECQ guidelines, so no, people are not going to stay inside to drink some granulated coffee with granulated sugar. Get it?

No, okay.

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e have reached the end! Sadly, I have a feeling that more types would surface in the future and they are likely to have more weird names with the same guidelines as these current ones. No matter though because we will figure it out! Until then, let us enjoy being prisoners for a little more. It’s not so bad though if you are a fellow house person who only lives on food, gadgets, and the internet. Stay safe, happy, and always remember that there will always be a part of your house that you haven’t seen before, so go check it out (as Mr. President expressed)!

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OVID-19 did not only raise a pandemic but it awoke an infodemic as pieces of legit and fake information flooded the world. In an ocean of both correct and misleading information, it is easy for an uninformed individual to get drowned and struggle to stay on the surface. But can one really dive deeper into the vast ocean of information without being drowned by its deepest depths?

Perhaps, you’ve heard your parents say “huwag kang maniniwala sa lahat ng nakikita mo sa Internet” at least once in your life. And they are absolutely correct. The Internet is home to misleading news and information which may harm you. That is why it is essential to combat misinformation and disinformation amidst a global health crisis. And some José Rizal University (JRU) students decided to step up and take the initiative to fight this fake news as they took part in the #IWASFAKE Digital Campaign Challenge of Out Of The Box Media Literacy Initiative (OOTB) for the whole month of February through various online platforms to implement their respective campaigns. The campaign was open for student and youth groups all around the Philippines.

The three teams from JRU that participated in the said campaign were Do you MIS me? Indulging in Misinformation and How not to Miss it, Haystack, and Media That’s Lit which is all comprised of Senior High School Students from various strands. The advocacy of the #IWASFAKE Digital Campaign Challenge was to make Filipinos “fake news”-proof through creative ways to overcome barriers that prevent them from countering misinformation and disinformation.

The campaign revolved around the question “How will you address disinformation in your community?”

And with that, each team from JRU formulated and implemented creative action plans in line with the digital campaign’s challenge.

Do you MIS me? Indulging in Misinformation and How not to Miss it – The Scribe Do you MIS me? Indulging in Misinformation and How not to miss it, a seven-member group from The Scribe comprised of Precious Anne Cabague, Daphnie Raine Intalan, Czarina Olaco, Richmond Orpia, Clarise Anne Penuliar, Aryl Fatima Tunay, and Reinheart Shane Villaruz, ought to encourage the youth to become more critically literate individuals through releasing true, up-to-date, and relevant articles and pub mats using social media in their battle to combat misinformation and disinformation.

“Our target audience is the youth, youth is the future. In this age where access to facts and truth are open due to advancement of technology, let our campaign give way to an access towards intellectual but friendly discourse, enlighten the community on disinformation and encourage them to share their insights and facts to their family members, friends and acquaintances. We want the youth to be aware of the mask behind this media and social institutions and what are the steps to counter disinformation,” Clarise Anne Penuliar, team leader and Editor-In-Chief of the Scribe, explained why the youth is their target audience in their digital campaign.

Their experiences all throughout the campaign were hectic as they encountered roadblocks such as straying away from what they have originally planned. They also struggled with the collision of their schedules and academic responsibilities.

But despite the difficulties, they attested that it was a good learning opportunity and a chance to impart a message about media literacy to the youth of today. They witnessed a spike in their audience reach in their postings which proves that their strategy in helping people become more media literate was effective.

“The Out of the Box’s IWASFake Campaign is an essential advocacy especially to the people that are more inclined in using media institutions as a platform to access information and trends. That’s why sometimes media institutions are taken advantage by creating conspiracy theories or rumors which are very potent towards the truth. Due to these various reasons, disinformation and misinformation will always create a huge impact on the real truth, the facts, and the perception of the community on certain information. With that, combating disinformation is essential especially to us, as a campus paper organization and student journalist, because it is our job and duty to spread nothing but the truth and be a voice of the community at all times,” Penuliar stated to highlight the essence of participating in the campaign.

Haystack – Official JRU Senior High Student Council Another team from the SHS Division of JRU was Haystack which was comprised of the SHS Student Council Officers namely Agatha Charlize Gawain, John Mark Santos, Justin Matthew Mendez, Kate Ernacio, Kenji Mendoza, Arjohn Capucion, and George Abonal. The team’s advocacy is to avoid the various fake and untrue information that is provided in the online world. The campaign also aims to equip the public with skills that will help them surf the online web safely and intelligently.

They executed their campaign in February by featuring various artworks and articles from SHS students via the Official JRU Senior High Student Council Facebook page to inform the masses about various digital knowledge. They also conducted a podcast wherein they invited credible individuals to provide their insight regarding certain issues.

“By working in this endeavor it was a very exciting experience indeed since it was not only us in the university who joined but also various youth organizations around the country took part in this event. We were able to know and also learn more about

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the online world by taking part in this challenge along the way and through doing this campaign, we were able to give and share the knowledge that we have learned to the community,” George Abonal, the team leader, expressed their experience as a team in their journey with Haystack.

The team also had their own share of struggles in the process of executing their campaign. They struggled with reaching other members, hindering them from arriving at a well-agreed upon the plan. They also shared that their plans to produce campaign videos did not come to fruition since they were unable to execute the plan that they initially formulated. However, in spite of the hindrances that they have encountered, they had fun working for such an exciting endeavor to know more about the online world and to be able to share knowledge with their community.

“The essence of this event is to help the youth to become one of the pioneers in creating and upholding an online community against disinformation. As most if not everyone of us are looking at our screens all day and browsing through the internet, a lot of information is taken in by us especially us the adolescents.

These information are sometimes false and can even be harmful and through this campaign it is one of the various movement in which can assist not just us, but everyone to become much more digitally literate in the online environment,” their team leader shared the significance of the digital campaign.

Media That’s Lit – No Hoax Zone Another part of the three teams from JRU who participated in the digital campaign was No Hoax Zone with their campaign entitled Media That’s Lit, a disinformation advocacy campaign composed of Giulliani Anire, Jamaica Elijah Bulandus, Argieline Fernandez, Adelfa Maureen Libarios, Ahmed Medhat Saad Ramadan, Abegail Soldevilla, and Alessandra Topico. The team aimed to reach out to the media and information literacy students within their community which is JRU SHS. “Our advocacy campaign intends to: (1) create and spread awareness on countering disinformation through presenting accurate and credible media and information sources; and (2) have a go-to place (or online hub) for students of media and information literacy wherein they can turn their conceptual and theoretical classroom discussions into real-life applications,” Ahmed Medhat Saad Ramadan, their team leader, expounded the campaign’s advocacy and objectives.

Their approach in the digital campaign was recognizing Gen Z’s ability to learn visually, using that as an edge to reach out to their audience. Considering that Gen Zs are known as visual learners, they worked in the field of creatives to produce visual materials in line with the current trends while infusing their advocacy messages that they want to convey.

They utilized a character model named Miss Info to signify that there are people who can lead others in the right direction in media literacy and to also remind people that committing mistakes in that context is not shameful but rather, it is a learning experience that others can learn from. In their journey with Media That’s Lit, they shared that they wanted to witness a change of perspective with how their audience will put into practice the knowledge they have acquired about media and information literacy in real life.

To make the campaign possible, they brainstormed and worked with

people with different ways to express their message through art. Their whole

campaign helped them appreciate each other’s opinions and ideas. It taught

them that communication really is essential in a team. And just like the two other

campaign teams, they also faced their own set of difficulties along the way. They

experienced conflicts in assigning tasks but fortunately, they managed to push through by ef

fectively communicating and disseminating the work. They stated that the process of content-making is a long one since they wanted everything to be well-thought and organized. They also sought the approval of their mentor, Ms. Roxanne Japzon, to have insights from someone teaching in the field of Media Literacy and Information.

“I think the essence of participating in the #IwasFakeChallenge really opened our minds that there are a lot people who wants to stop the spreading of misinforma tion and disinformation. Even as a youth, we try our best to prevent and avoid possible conflicts that can come from these kinds of information. The character istics that the Generation Z have, can be both beneficial and harmful. These char acteristics sometimes turn into stereotypical labels such as easily triggered, being impulsive, demanding, self-proclaimed on a lot of claims, influencer generation, bandwagon and the tendency to generalize things even without factual evidence to support it. Through this advocacy campaign, we aim to make use of these characteristics as drivers in developing and using the ability of critical thinking to fight disinformation in the society,” their team leader expressed his insights about the essence of partaking in OOTB’s #IWASFAKE Digital Campaign Challenge.

The #IWASFAKE Digital Campaign Challenge ended on

March 19 as the winners were announced live via OOTB’s

Facebook page. Along with 21 other teams from various

school and youth groups around the country, the

three teams from JRU ended their advocacy cam-

paigns with a sense of fulfillment of joining the

combat against misinformation and fake news in the Philippines.

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hey say that poor people are poor because they are lazy. However, they don’t take into account the fact that other people like farmers are living paycheck to paycheck, nay, barely making enough money to last them a day. Isang kahig, isang tuka.

Rice is a staple in countries like the Philippines; in fact, we were the ones who taught our fellow Asian countries how to plant rice. Not to mention that one of the wonders of the world is our very own Banaue Rice Terraces. It’s a no-brainer that Filipinos won’t be able to survive without rice as it is a part of our daily diet. It’s also part of our culture, and I’ll be damned if we don’t appreciate those who provide them for us.

Much like any Filipino, I won’t be able to survive a day without eating rice. Rice is so sacred in my family that one time I accidentally spilled the rice grains my mom had just bought all over the floor, and she made me pick them up one by one as a child. That was the time I realized that rice is important.

As it should be. Rice planting is a very meticulous process and requires a lot of hard work and patience. Have you ever heard of the song, “Magtanim ay ‘di biro”? Surely, you have. The Filipino folk song talks about the hardships that farmers face every day to make a living out of their work. Magtanim ay di biro, Maghapong nakayuko. Di man lang makaupo, Di man lang makatayo.

In 2019, as per the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), farmers are paid an average daily wage of 331.19 pesos with CALABARZON farmers getting paid the highest compared to other regions with 399.08 pesos and the Visayas the lowest with 276.43 pesos.

According to statistics, male farmers are paid more than female farmers, MIMAROPA at 412.19 per day and CALABARZON at 392.43 per day respectively.

Now we take that data and compare it to the minimum wage that non-agriculture workers receive; NCR with the highest pay at 434.11 pesos per day and Region IX at the lowest with 240.49 pesos.

These may seem insignificant but the slight difference of pay that agricultural and non-agricultural workers receive makes a big impact especially since the prices of essential goods in the country keep increasing as the years come.

In another article that I have written, (you may check it out at the Opinions section) Filipinos should at least have 1,247 a day to be able to afford the necessities in life. It’s significantly more than what minimum wage earners receive a day, so how would they be able to get by now?

Why is it that the people who provide us the food that we eat every day get discredited and disregarded like they’re not breaking their backs to do so?

Why do laws like the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) ensure that small farmers will never get out of poverty? Why do we keep looking down on farmers?

As a student and citizen of the Philippines, we must think about these issues, it’s our duty to be able to talk about it and our right to protest against the injustices of those people who can’t do it themselves. I am privileged enough to know that there are injustices that occur in our country and it would be wrong for me to turn my head away. We shouldn’t.

The just thing we can do is to take action. Sure, as students, there aren’t that many things that we can do but I believe that even the most minimal effort can make a difference.

References: https://www.evernote.com/shard/s521/sh/945 e9952-c447-fb07-e3e2-5620928227ba/87383 50e8f4debe4fbbfdaa31cfbb637

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ll viruses – including SAR fection that causes COVID-19 the long run. At the point when produces or makes duplicate is typical for a virus, these ch as “mutations.” An infection w new change is alluded to as a original virus. These mutation w es in genetic material may cau properties such as transmissio

The World Health Organizatio ed on May 31 that Covid-19 var known by letters of the Greek not to stigmatize countries w first recognized.

“As a result, people often reso ants by the places where the which is stigmatizing and di avoid this and to simplify pub tions, WHO encourages nati media outlets and others to ad labels,” WHO said in a statem

Alpha, the UK variant

Also known as the UK variant, and B.1.1.7.

The name of this strain, Alpha that it was the first ever varian der Variant of Concern (VOC) first recognized in Sept. 2020 a strain of specific concern on

Artwork By: Anne Cabague

While in the Philippines, the Health (DOH) affirmed the pr known UK variation on Jan. 7 old male inhabitant of Quezo

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VOLUME IV ISSUE 2

RS-CoV-2, the in9 – advance over n an infection rees of itself, which hanges are called with at least one a “variant” of the which has changuse changes in its on and severity.

on (WHO) reportriations are to be k letter set to try where they were

ort to calling variey are detected, discriminatory. To blic communicaional authorities, dopt these new ment.

t

, the Kent variant

a, mirrors the fact nt to be listed un) by WHO. It was and was assigned n Dec. 18, 2020.

e Department of resence of once 7 from a 29-year on City who de-

It was assessed to be at any rate 50% more contagious than the primary distinguished strains of COVID-19. It was also behind the UK lockdown in January. Nonetheless, it is not, at this point the most predominant strain there — the Delta variation is.

Beta, the South African variant Also known as B.1.351, it was first detected in South Africa.

The South African variant, presently known as the Beta variation, is the prime of the COVID-19 variant of concern, having been first recognized in May 2020, over a year prior.

As per the US Centers for Disease Control, it shares a portion of similar changes as the Alpha strain. In any case, more infectious than the first form of the infection and may affect vaccine efficacy.

DOH likewise affirmed that the said variation arrived at the country on Mar. 2 with six affirmed cases, two of which are returning abroad Fil ipinos while the rest are neighbor hood cases from Pasay City.

Gamma, the Brazilian variant The strain is otherwise called P1 and was first identified in November 2020.

This strain, the last of the four recorded as a variation of concern by the WHO, was first distinguished in Japan, in explorers from Brazil.

The strain has raised concerns since it might have been answerable for surge of cases in Manaus, Brazil, where the populace was thought to have arrived at herd immunity.

The said highly contagious variant also reached the Philippines last Mar. 13, confirming nearly 100 infections.

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Delta, the Indian variant Its other names include B.1.617.2 and the Indian variant.

The Delta variation is the most recently listed as variant of concern, as ordered by WHO. That implies, it’s one of the four variations most concern to worldwide health authorities since it’s accepted to show increased contagiousness, expanded virulence, and diminished viability of effectiveness and control measures.

It was first distinguished in October last year and is considered profoundly infectious. UK specialists have assessed it’s 40% more contagious than the other variation.

The new variant was said detected in Philippines recently, June 21, with 17 infected cases.

The recent surge of Delta variant cases in the country prompted the debate over the requirement of face shield policy to settle again into mandatory.

“Acting on the advice of health experts and in view of Delta variant, president Duterte declared that the wearing of face shields, both indoor and outdoor, is still mandatory.” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on June 21.

Kappa, the other Indian variant It was first confirmed in India but WHO listed it only as variant of interest. However, it is still highly contagious and potentially deadly. “[It] is starting to show up in places where normally it would be less likely,” Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said of the strain.

Its other name is very similar to the Delta variant: B.1.617.1.

That’s because they originated from the same strain: B.1.617

Theta, Philippine Variant (P3) The Theta variant is considered as variant of interest. It was first identified in the Philippines, Feb. 18 with two cases reported in Central Visayas.

“Currently the Theta variant is not identified as a variant of concern since more data is needed to conclude whether the variant will have significant public health implications.” The DOH sad in a statement.

References:

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s521/ s h /6 d 5 c 5 3 7 5 - 4 7 0 b - b 0 1 b - 6 8 5 0 - 0 c 8 8 a 4 f 8 0 69 9/ 3 6 8 b 0 b 3 8 c 2 7 a 3 9 0 b c e b b4020e136abee

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Additional Information and References: https://www.evernote.com/shard/s521/sh/202fb839-abf9-a9a8-7158480349b4c9e2/5472d2c2dd4fab7bed4374865ef7063b

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Arnis: Philippines’ Treasure, Figure of Protection By: Mikaela Masanque

F

rom generation to generation, the fascinating story of the origins of Arnis has led many Filipinos to become interested in combat sport.

Previously, ‘Sipa’ was considered as our country’s sports identity, many raised their questions when

it was suddenly changed into Arnis and as to why it deserves to be the de jure national sport of the Philippines.

Despite its concerns, this selfdefense mechanism proved that it is more than just fighting sticks—it contains a rich history that shaped the culture that we know of today.

The Popularity of Arnis and its Mark as the Philippines’ National Sport

A CREDITS_ https___renzylamorena10. wordpress.com_2014_12_17_modern-arnis_

The Brief History of Arnis

A

rnis, a derived Spanish term that means ‘armor,’ is a martial art known for its utilization of weapons and hand-to-hand combat that sharpens various skills such as speed, accuracy, and agility of professionals in the said sport.

Although its specific history isn’t fully confirmed, it is widely believed that the iIndigenous people developed the sport which originally involved the use of other equipment such as daggers, spears, and swords.

Up until 1873, the term used for the sport was Kali; derived from the weapon used by the people in the Philippine Archipelago called Tjakele/Tjakelele which means long knife or sword. Another name used was Eskrima, acquired from the Spanish word that means fencing.

Even if Arnis obtained different denominations throughout its history, it still represents the very same martial arts.

Its origins can also be traced back to when Ferdinand Magellan first landed in our islands. Magellan

witnessed an exhibition of fighting skills according to the travel documentation of Italian explorer Antonio Pigafetta.

As the Spaniards invaded and ruled our landmass, they prohibited the practice of fighting arts, yet Arnis became ubiquitous as it was disguised as a part of stage play presentations—a concept introduced by the said invaders.

After the Spanish dominion, Americans invaded. The practice and study of Arnis went lowkey as they also banned fighting arts.

But as the Philippines went on and became independent from other realms at the same era of the height of fame of Kung Fu and Karate, the concept of Arnis was soon restored to the public by Remy and Ernesto Presas. The long hiatus of martial art is now a prominent study with a more renewed system, the Modern Arnis.

s Arnis became widespread in the country, an alliance based on martial art was formed in the 1970s—the National Arnis Association of the Philippines (NARAPHIL). It was later altered to Arnis Philippines Philippines (ARPI).

The practice of combat sport escalated to other parts of the world such as in the United States of America (USA) and Europe. Not only as a sport, but the said places also use Arnis to train their Special

Operations Forces because of its effectiveness and convenience.

As it reached its worldwide recognition, on Dec. 11, 2009, the Republic Act 9850 was signed into law by the then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, proclaiming Arnis as the Philippine National Martial Art and Sport. It reached its milestone not only because of its increased popularity but because of the cultural heritage it represents.

Modern Arnis today as part of the curriculum

T

o further promote Filipino martial arts, the Academy of Eskrima Martial Arts Inc. of Supreme Grandmaster Dionisio Cañete in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), penned a memorandum containing an agreement that educators and coaches in the Physical Education (PE) sector must be trained in the primary fundamentals and vital aspects of the said sport.

It aims to educate coaches

and teachers on the proper way of practicing Arnis for free then those who are trained will then pass the particulars to their students as part of their respective PE classes.

This shows the development of the concept of Arnis, not just for its notion of being a defensive technique but we, as Filipinos, have been accepting the fact that it’s part of our everyday lives and a gentle reminder of the prodigious past of our culture.

REFERENCES:

Arnis – Philippines National Sport. Legal Sports Betting Philippines. (n.d.). https://www. legalsportsbetting.ph/arnis/.

Arnis group, DepEd join forces to promote Filipino martial arts. INQUIRER.net. (2017, February 23). https://cebudailynews.inquirer. net/123730/arnis-group-deped-join-forcespromote-filipino-martial-arts.

Carroll, R. (2017, April 24). Arnis: The Philippines’ National Sport and Martial Art. Culture Trip. https://theculturetrip.com/asia/ philippines/articles/arnis-the-philippinesnational-sport-and-martial-art/.

JRU SHS • THE SCRIBE

MMMM YYYY - MMMM YYYY

Artwork By: Ainhoa Cananea SEEK STORIES, WRITE LEGACIES.

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SHIPWRECKED

By Pilipintasya

She tucked herself in the bed, in a count of five, she shall fall asleep with wonders in her head. Ahoy! The vessel is about to sail once more.

One, directions from the map has always been sure and certain. It surely will lead you to a place, but there comes a time when i dare not to follow what was planned and written, I began to love the feeling of uncertainty. Maybe this was the starting point of a dreadful downfall, but have you ever felt happy in losing?

It took me one lie, one night and one question to come to my senses. It took us one choice; we risked, we lost.

Two, ventures are adventures and sometimes a game of survival. Once you decided to make twists and turns, the vessel is expected to be at stake. They always ask of me if there’s a moment in my life that I regret letting our paths cross and meet. I didn’t bother thinking twice or more, the answer would always be the same as before.

Three, what were you thinking that night?

Did we really lost it or — have I gone too

unconscious not to notice your slippering hands against my grip? One moment, there was you and there was me. In a blink of an eye, there was you letting go of me. Did I enjoy the idea of sailing too much that I became oblivious of the approaching storms?

Four, are you well? It took me hours to think of what I’d say. There are millions of whys running through my head but just like any other nights, those words will always be remain unheard, unread, unknown and — unsent. It was too late to save the yacht. The roaring waves destroyed its parts that lead to its destruction.

Is it even possible to fall into a deep slumber? The sun is about to set, many people despise the morning for setting too early, but for someone whom her thoughts hinder her to sleep — it’s salvation.

I am that shipwreck who sank in the middle of voyage because she became oblivious of the approaching storm. And when she was about to make another turn to save herself, the roaring waves attacked and swallowed her.

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CONCEALED

By V.M.

I once told the universe To let you fall back to me As my mind drift away It was me, Who fall back to you?

Over and over again.

Even the season changed, Years have passed, My heart still longed And felt the same way From the first moment I saw your face.

Now the universe laughed at me Shamed was all over my face As the stars stared back at me I would still whisper your name.

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A PROMISE AND A FAREWELL By disdafbtw

‘Tis I who is foolish I who grasps onto pink skies Images, embrace.

Of a simple ballpoint pen.

‘Tis I who finished, Fearing the worst.

Impatient, Abandoned Issues I cannot fathom.

‘Tis I who love, loves and is loved.

Was...loved.

‘Tis I. ‘Tis I. ‘Tis I. ‘Tis I who longs for sunrises in my mother tongue, I who writes and sings for one.

Never for another, shall I not.

‘Tis I who will be damned For an eternal hope of love, Keeping joyful memories close, And throwing away those are not.

‘Tis I that shall remember, The warmth of the first embrace, The sweetness of the first kiss, The first touch and the last.

‘Tis I, my love.

Struggling to breathe from a promise, of us against this godforsaken world.

‘Tis I, always.

Artwork By: Angela Facundo

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THE DEAD VISITED ME

By Anne Quinn

Eyes blood shot red as I faced them Seeing them crying with blood As I walk through a flood of blood Looking at them with a terrified face As I got closer they let me see The tragedy that they have been I asked “Where am I?” They answered “You’re in the realm of lost souls?”

“Why am I here?” “”You’ll be dead soon enough child” They all laughed, all at once Woke up pale as white, so terrified Begging myself to don’t sleep anymore

Artwork By: Angela Facundo

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her school. She started doodling, cutting and pasting cutouts, writing all sorts of stuff until she anonymously came up with her own zine---’ Moxie!’. She rushed to a printing shop to produce fifty copies of her handmade zine. The next morning, she hesitantly leaves the copies in the girls’ bathroom, hoping that someone will pick them up and read them. Women around their school discovered the zine and that was when their feminist group started. To fight against oppression, sexism, and misogyny in their school, women gathered and The film Moxie revolves around the sex- teamed up, starting a whole revolution. ism that is prevailing in Rockport High, a certain high school in America. In a The portrayal of misogyny and sexism school where women were obligated to in the film follow certain rules which men can have their way around, the school adminis- The film was created to anger women tration’s favor for men was evident. The and to depict real-life sexism that is school’s student body was also known occurring in various institutions such for ranking and labeling people with ti- as schools. For years, women are told tles that may be deemed offensive, but to just shut up and keep their heads tradition made it seem normal to the down low, just like how Vivian told Lucy students in the school. They were al- to lie low to avoid Mitchell’s attention. ready accustomed to being labeled with It makes people question, “why?” Why should women have to adjust when men titles that they don’t even want. make them feel uncomfortable? Why Vivian, a shy 16-year-old American girl are they told to keep their heads down who was currently struggling to answer for men when they have the right to an essay that questions what she felt keep their heads up----and high? passionate about, also used to keep her mouth shut about the injustices in her The unfair treatment of Rockport High’s school. Until one day, she witnessed how school principal, Principal Shelly, has Lucy, a new student, was bullied and ha- a big role in the occurrence of sexism rassed by Mitchell Wilson, the captain of in the school. Her unfair treatment of the football team. She then approached women in that school was evident when Lucy to advise her to ignore Mitchell and the girls’ soccer team were not given to keep her head down----which Lucy the same funds and attention compared refused to do so as she chose to keep to the boys’ football team when in fact, her head up high. That encounter made the girls’ soccer team had more wins Vivian wonder, “why not just ignore bul- than the boys’ football team. There was also a scene where Lucy told her that lies so they will stop bothering you?” she was harassed by Mitchell. The prinAt home, she continued to struggle to cipal disputed her statement by saying answer the essay she was tasked to do. that the boy was just bothering her In her pursuit of finding answers, she and that she was not harassed. Instead asked her mom, “What do 16-year-olds of listening to Lucy’s complaint, Princicare about?” which her mom joking- pal Shelly chose to play deaf and turn ly answered with, “When I was 16, all I a blind eye to it. The way she tolerated cared about was smashing the patriar- the acts of sexism in her school contribchy and burning it all down.” She then uted to the problem at hand. rummaged through her mother’s old stuff during her teenage years and dis- Another incident was when she called covers several zines that aimed to am- out a girl, Kaitlynn, for wearing a tank plify feminism. She discovered that her top and asked her to cover up. She mom used to engage in protests that asked the girl to come to her office sought to empower women and to fight but sent her home instead. Kaitlynn complained that there was another girl for women’s rights. who was wearing the exact same tank “Because I believe with my whole heart, top but because she was blessed in the mind, body that girls constitute a rev- front, she was reprimanded. It was also olutionary soul force that can and will stated in the movie that other boys are change the world for real,” Vivian ut- constantly shirtless. tered, reading the lines in the feministic “Just cover up, so that we can all get zine. back to learning,” Principal Shelly lecJust like that, she was set ablaze like a tured her, implying that women’s skin lit matchstick thrown into a pool of fuel. hinders one’s ability to learn.

Vivian started to see the unfair treatment the women in her school were re- The feminist group, led by Vivian anonceiving compared to that of the men in ymously, did all sorts of movements to exism, oppression, discrimination, and misogyny--- those are only a few of many prevalent issues women are dealing with and fighting against on a daily basis. Society has always been the prime witness of women’s battles against the oppressive norms that society itself has imposed upon them. To bring these issues into the light, Moxie, a Jennifer Mathieu novel written in 2017, was adapted into a film directed by Amy Poehler and was premiered on Mar. 3 on Netflix.

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show support for their fellow women who constantly fall victim to the oppressive system in their school. One day, a note was anonymously sent to Vivian saying that the sender was raped. Rage filled Vivian and she started becoming reckless. She vandalized school property and posted a photo of it, urging students to walk out of the school to show support to the rape victim. The school was alarmed by the incident and threatened that the students who will engage in the movement will receive expulsion.

Nevertheless, students who support the revolution still proceeded to walk out of the school, signifying their support.

There, Vivian stepped up and admitted that she was the woman behind Moxie.

“I hate that we are shoved aside. That we are dismissed, ranked, assaulted,” Vivian enunciated in front of the crowd.

The girl who sent the note to Vivian mustered up the courage to admit that she was raped by Mitchell Wilson in her own bedroom. Principal Shelly found out and called out Mitchell to take legal action. Although the feminist group committed actions that were reckless, they were triumphant in attaining their goal to break the sexist and misogynistic system in their school. Moxie is a film that serves as a reminder that women, regardless of age, race, and sexuality, are capable of revolutionizing distorted and oppressive systems for the better.

“If you’re doing

nothing, then you’re part

of the problem.”

-Moxie, 2021

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Keepin’ it locked and loaded, it’s DJ Scribeu! You’re now rockin’ with The Scribe’s Comfort Song.

Relax and take a sip of your favorite coffee while listening to the playlist. Also subSCRIBE to our Spotify Playlist Artwork By: Anne Cabague

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